Child or Brother or other of his blood and if there be no such Kinsman to be found then must the recompence be made to the Lord that is to the Priests whom the Lord had appointed to be his Receivers And it is no otherwise ordered in this than in other things For God had appointed the Priests to receive in his Name whatsoever was due unto Him all the Offerings Heave-Offerings and whatsoever was not burnt for his Service upon the Altar the Priest was to have with the First-fruits and things vowed So that whatsoever any man gave the Priest as due to God the Priest was to have for himself for to him God * See Ezâ—k 44.30 hath given it Numb Ch. 5. from 5. to 11. 3ly Concerning the Husbands jealousie and suspition of his Wives honesty and the means how to clear her There is a strict Order (s) Why there was not such a Law appointed for the trial of the Husband if his Wife were jealous of him these reasons are given 1. Because women by reason of their subjection to their husbands were not fit to have this liberty to call their Husbands to such a Trial. 2ly Because the Adultery of the Wife is more mischievous to that particular Family than the Adultery of the Husband in regard that a Bastard-issue is brought in thereby to inherit the Estate Yet we find that the woman could divorce her Husband Mark 10.12 appointed by the Lord for her Trial in this case And possibly it was prescribed the rather at this time both to prevent the defiling of the Camp by such Vncleanness as also to keep Wives in awe with the fear of this Trial and to prevent the inconveniences that might arise by the jealousie of men where their Tents and dwellings were so near together And possibly God allowed them to bring their Wives whom they suspected to this Trial partly for the hardness of their hearts and partly least their Wives should be subject to a greater mischief for want of such a Trial to wit of being cast off or killed or otherwise injur'd by their Husbands in the rage of their jealousie The jealous Husband was therefore to bring his suspected Wife to the Priest and the Priest was to bring her to the door of the Tabernacle that so perceiving her self as it were before Gods Tribunal the very fear of Gods all-seeing Eye and the shame that would fall upon her in the eyes of all the Congregation now gazing upon her might deter her from submitting her self to this Trial if she knew her self guilty Then the Priest was to offer an Offering for her viz. the tenth part of an Ephab of Barley-meal The intent of this Offering seems to be that it might be a testimony that she did willingly offer her self to be tried by the Lord to whom she presented this Offering by way of atonement for her other sins desiring thereby mercy from the Lord for them for the sake of the Messias promised but as to this particular she left her self to him to be dealt with according to her deserts And whereas other Meat-Offerings were of fine Wheat-flower and to be accompanied with Oil and Frankincense signs of joy and gladness of heart this was to be of Barley-meal without either of them to express the sad and doleful condition of this suspected woman and it being an Offering of Jealousie occasioning iniquity to be remembred therefore nothing implying sweetness or joy was to be joyned to this Offering And the Priest was to take water out of the holy Laver and to put it into an earthen Vessel and to mix with it the dust of the floor of the Tabernacle The drink was in this manner to be made distastful to put her in mind of the bitter Curse that would follow upon her drinking of it if she were guilty No doubt all these things were thus to be done to strike a greater terror into her and that if she were guilty she might not dare to put her self upon this severe Trial. Then the Priest was to set her before the Lord and to uncover her head not only thereby to expose her to the view of all the people but to make other women also carful not to give their Husbands occasion of jealousie as also to signifie to her that it was in vain for her any longer to hide her sin if she were guilty for God would now lay open and discover what she was to the eyes of all Israel Then the Priest putting the Offering of Jealousie into her hands and taking the bitter water that causes the Curse into his own He was to adjure her upon her Oath to declare Whither she were innocent or no saying to her after this manner If thou be innocent thou shalt be free from the bitter effects of this water thou art to drink but if thou be guilty the Lord make thee a Curse and an Oath among thy people that is make thee a fearful example of his wrath and indignation by causing thy Thigh to rot and thy Belly to swell that in time to come when any of the people are so ill dispos'd as to use a fearful Curse and Imprecation upon any persons whatsoever they may make mention of thee desiring that such a Plague may fall upon them as fell upon thee see Jerem. 29.22 The Priest having thus spoken the Woman was to answer hereunto Amen Amen that is be it unto me as thou denouncest Then the Priest was to write these Curses in a scroll of Parchment and sprinkling some of the bitter water upon the writing He was to scrape it off into the water which the woman was to drink thereby to assure Her that the Curse threatned would certainly fall upon her if she were guilty and as sure as she saw the writing of the Scroll scraped off into the Cup so sure the water and the Curse with it would pass into her bowels Then the Priest was to take the Offering of Jealousie out of her hand and to wave it before the Lord and then to offer it upon the Altar having first taken an handful out of it to burn (s) Pars Sacrificii farinacei fuit Deo cremata reliquo cedente in usum sacerdotis Janson upon the Altar as a Memorial to the Lord to be gracious to Her if she were innocent These things being done the Priest was to give the bitter water to the woman to drink and she was to drink it accordingly And if she were innocent the water did no way hurt her nay if she had been barren before it made her fruitful God thereby recompencing her for the shame she had undergone by being suspected and thus severely tried But if she were guilty the dreadful punishment before threatned certainly fell upon her and her Husband was held guiltless and blameless in putting Her upon this Trial though it is probable that Husbands were not allowed to bring their Wives to this dreadful Trial unless they could shew that their
so Jacob required of Joseph Ch. 47.29 to him by putting his hand under his thigh (l) Though the usual custom of swearing was by lifting up the hand to the most high God that he would not take a Wife for his Son of any of the Daughters of the Canaanities because he would not have his Seed mix themselves with that profane and Idolatrous people whose blood his Posterity was to shed without pity and to succeed in their room but should go to his own Country to Charran to seek for a Wife there where was the truest Worship of God next to that in his own Family though indeed very much corrupted as we may see in Laban Ch. 31.30 53. The Servant very discreetly objected that possibly a Woman of that Country would not be willing to come along with him so far nor would marry his Son on such Termes as to leave her own Relations and come and dwell in Canaan Therefore if his Son would have a Wife from thence in all likelihood he must consent to go and dwell there And if they in Mesopotamia should insist on such terms as these he desires to know what his Oath should bind him to Abraham tells him that by no means he must consent that Isaac should go and dwell there both because they were too Corrupt in Religion and because Isaac's going to dwell there would be in a sort to renounce the Land of Promise He must rather live here as a Stranger and Sojourner by Faith as he himself had done But he bids the Servant not to be over-careful in that matter for God would send his holy Angel to guide and direct him and shew him what he was to do And if the Woman he should chuse for a Wife for his Son would not be willing to come along with him he should be free of his Oath On these terms therefore the Servant undertook the business and sware to him to perform what he enjoyn'd him Then providing himself of all things needful for such an undertaking that he might set out in a Port and Equipage agreeable to the greatness and wealth of his Master he took 10 Camels and Servants answerable and furnished himself with Provisions for so long a Journey and carried with him many rich Presents of all sorts to present his Masters Kindred with as there should be occasion and to shew what a mighty man of Wealth his Master was Thus furnish'd he began his Journey and after several days travel he came to Haran where Nahor his Masters Brother dwelt And coming thither about eventide the time that the young women of the City us'd to go out to a Well hard by to fetch Water he caused his Camels to kneel down and be unloaded near that Fountain that so they might bait and be watered and rest themselves This done he betook himself by solemn prayer unto God humbly intreating him to prosper him in the business he came about And then as 't is like by the special motion of Gods Spirit (m) Without the like warrant we may not attempt the like he humbly desired of the Lord to give him a sign whereby he might know the person that his Providence had appointed for Isaac and that this in particular might be the sign namely that that Damosel among those that came out to draw Water who when he intreated her that he might drink of her Pitcher should answer Drink thy self and I will give thy Camels drink also might be the person whom He should look upon as designed for His young Master For that thing would argue her to be of a good ingenuous friendly hospitable nature and disposition Immediately upon this Rebecca Daughter of Bethuel and Grand-Child of Nahor Abraham's Brother came with her Pitcher to draw Water being a Virgin of great beauty and comeliness The Servant seeing Her addresses himself immediately to her and desires to drink of her Pitcher she readily gave it him and freely offered to draw water for his Camels also The man wondering at her Civility and Courtesie began silently to consider with himself whether this was not a clear evidence that God had heard his prayer and made his Journey successful and had now pointed out the Damosel to him that was pointed for Isaac And then asking her whose Daughter she was she told him Bethuels the Son of Nahor by Milca his lawful Wife He then acquainted her as 't is like whose Servant he was and from whom he came and presented her with a Jewel for her Forehead and two Bracelets for her Hands Then secretly worshipping God and praising of him that he had dealt so mercifully with his Master and had led him His Servant in the right way to take his Brothers Grand-Child for his Son he asked her if they had any room in her Fathers house for him and his Company She told him They had And then immediately she ran to tell them of her Mothers house what had happened For it seems it was the custom of those times and places for the Women to dwell in Tents and Houses by themselves apart See v. 67. Rebecca had a Brother whose Name was Laban who hearing these things and seeing the Jewel and Bracelets on the Forehead and Hands of his Sister by the appointment as 't is like of his Father and Mother who were both ancient he went to the Man and saluting him kindly said Come thou blessed of the Lord thou art welcome unto our house which is ready to receive thee Eliezer readily and thankfully accepted his kindness and went along with him unto his House When they were come thither Laban ungirded his Camels and gave them Provender and gave water to Eliezer and the other Servants that were with him to wash their Feet after the manner of those Eastern Countries and then they set Meat before them But Eliezer like a faithful Servant that was more intent upon his business than his belly told them That he would not eat till he had acquainted them with his Errand And then he declared unto them that he was Abraham's Servant that God had extraordinarily blessed his Master with great Riches that his Wife Sarah had born him a Son when she was very aged that this Son was to be his Heir that his Master had made him swear to him that he should not take a Wife for his Son of the Daughters of the accursed Canaanites but of his own Kindred That he had objected to his Master that peradventure such a Damosel would not be willing to come with him so far from her own Relations that his Master had answered That God would send his Angel with him to direct and prosper him and he should find a Wife for his Son among his own Kindred and if he could not find such an one among them that would be willing to come he should be clear of his Oath Upon these terms he undertook this Journey and when he came to the Well without their City he prayed
whom he marched on foot from Mount Tabor into the Valley being so commanded by an Instinct from God and willingly exposed himself to great danger in that place where Sisera had great advantage of Him coming against him with Iron-Chariots and Horse-men She then declares how For the divisions of Reuben whereby they were kept from sending any Aid to their Brethren in this just War there were great heart-burnings and discontents O Reuben says she why didst thou desert thy Brethren and stay at home upon so poor a Pretence as to look after thy Cattel The Cries and Groans of God's oppressed People had been more worthy thy regarding than the bleatings of thy Flocks For the divisions of Reuben great Exceptions were taken and great wondrings and musings and strange Conjectures made that they should desert their Brethren in so just a Cause As for the Gileadites that is the Tribe of Gad and the other half-Tribe of Manasseh who had the Country of Gilead for their lot Josh 13.14 c. she says They abode beyond Jordan that is they pretended they dwelt so far off that they could not come in time enough to the help of Barak As for Dan she says He remained in his Ships that is the Danites living by the Sea-Coast pretended they were Sea-men and Merchants and so could not without neglecting their Traffick engage in this War and possibly they thought that if the War did not succeed they could most of them get away in their Ships and carry their Estates with them and so they minded their own private safety and profit before the Publick Good Asher also that dwelt nigh unto the Sea pretended that the Breaches and Ruines in the walls of their Cities were such that they durst not leave them in such a weak condition lest in their absence the Neighbouring Canaanites should seize upon These were weak Excuses to keep them from so necessary a Service which God now called them to But as for the Children of Zebulun and Naphtali they shewed themselves brave men indeed For they fought couragiously against Sisera and jeoparded their lives in the high places of the Field and beat the Enemy from the Hills and sought them also in the most open Vallies But though several of the Tribes of Israel were backward to help their Brethren yet Jabin had many Confederate Canaanitish Kings that joyned with him either in their own Persons or by their Forces to help him against the Israelites And Sisera and his Forces being worsted at Tabor and flying as it seems to Taanach (t) Megiddo an eminent City which Manasseh had in Issachar Josh 17.11 not far from Jezreel and the River Kishon Taanach a Royal City near Megiddo Josh 12.21 and there being re-inforc'd with the Souldiers of these Confederate Kings renewed the battel but were there totally discomfited And 't is observable that these Confederate Canaanites came not to fight for gain or pay but out of love to the Cause and out of enmity and hatred to the Israelites from whose overthrow they expected much spoil But they got nothing by the bargain but lost all they had and themselves too Nay further says she we may truly say that God himself fought for us from Heaven For the Stars in their stations by extraordinary influences at God's appointment raised stormy Meteors and prodigious Thunder and Hail all which did help to ruine Sisera's Army The River Kishon also swept them away For many of them in their flight attempted to get over the River and were drowned and their dead bodies were carried down by the stream Then in a Triumphant Gratulation she cries out O my Soul thou hast trodden down strength as if she should have said Oh my Soul God hath heard thy prayers and given the Army rais'd at thy Instigation Victory over their proud Enemies who gloried in their strength Yea though they had many Horses high-fed and pampered yet they prov'd unserviceable and did not hurt the Israelites by reason that through their overmuch mettal and spirit and their pawings and pransings they brake their hoofs and foundred their feet in that hot hard and stony-ground All these things says she declare the wonderful goodness of God towards us and call for high Praises and Thansgivings from us But the Angel of the Covenant the Son of God whose Prophetess I am hath bid me to call for your Curses against Meroz and the Inhabitants thereof who dwelling near to the place where this battel was fought and as it were within the noise of our Trumpets yet came not forth to the help of the Lords people against their mighty Enemies What the effect of this Curse was we do not find but there is no more mention made of this City any where in the Scriptures which gives occasion to some to suspect that some dismal Fate befel it But though Meroz was cursed yet Jael was blessed Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be that is she shall be highly extolled and applauded and many blessings shall be wished unto her for her heroick Act in killing Sisera and people shall pray that she may be blessed above all women who live in Tents as she and the Kenites do Sisera fled to her Tent to hide himself and being very thirsty asked a little water of her And she gave him not only water but Milk and Cream or possibly Buttermilk and that in a large great Bowl suitable to his Greatness and Dignity He falling asleep she gave him a deadly blow on the head with an Hammer He strove to rise (u) V. 27. Est haec pulcherrima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quares gesta oculis perspicue quasi subjicitur describuntur motus qui proprij sunc repente violenta morte pereuntibus Accepto quippe gravissimo vulnere conabatur surgere sed viribus distitutus rursum cadebat ac inter pedes Jahelis misere jacebat but could not for having received his deaths wound he fell down again yea he fell down dead at her feet so she nailed his head to the ground with an iron Pin or Nail and then cut it off This was a wonderful disappointment to Sisera's Mother who with impatience exspected his Return with Victory She looked out at the window (x) V. 28. Here we have another figurative amplification befitting a Poetical Hymn whereby is supposed how it was likely Sisera's Mother and her Maidens would behave themselves upon occasion of his not coming when they expected him We have here also a lively and ironical representation of Pride and carnal Confidence presuming of Success in Enterprizes upon carnal grounds without regard to God's Power and Providence and asked why is his Chariot so long in coming why tarry the wheels of his Chariot Her Women about her answered her yea she was ready to give this Answer to her self They have undoubtedly sped and now stay to divide the Spoil to every Man a Damsel or two but to Sisera a prey
give David speedy notice thereof and advise him not to lodge that night in the plain of the Wilderness but speedily to pass over Jordan lest he should be surprized For though he had at present as he thought diverted them from following Achitophels dangerous counsel yet he knew not how soon their minds might change Jonathan and Ahimaaz of whom before stayed at Enrogel not far from Jerusalem expecting to hear from their Fathers for they durst not come into the City being suspected to be of Davids party Therefore Zadock and Abiathar sent their message to them by a young maid who was not like to be suspected that they might conveigh it speedily to David But it seems a lad accidently saw them at Enrogel and went and gave intelligence of them to Absalom who speedily sent some to surprize them But they understanding some way or other that they were discovered hasted away presently to Bahurim and betaking themselves to a friends house they hid themselves in the well which was in the Court of the house and to conceal them the more the mans wife spread a covering over the wells mouth and spread ground-corn thereon Absalom's servants pursue them thither and inquire diligently after them the woman of the house tells them they were gone over the water telling therein as they call it an officious lye to preserve them and so when they had sought them in vain and could not find them they returned to Jerusalem They being gone Ahimaaz and Jonathan came out of the well and went speedily to David to acquaint him with what Achitophel had counselled against him and shew him that he must speedily arise and pass over Jordan if he intended to preserve himself This therefore David and his followers immediately did that night and by the morning the whole army was past over And the special Providence of God appeared herein that they were all preserved in such a dangerous passage and that in the night When Achitophel saw that his counsel was not followed but Hushai's prefer'd before his and foreseeing that this counsel of Hushai would certainly be their ruin and that David by gaining this time would so strengthen himself that he would be too hard for Absalom when they came to fight it out in the field and concluding that if David prevail'd as 't was most likely he would there was no mercy for him to be expected at his hands who had been so false and treacherous to him he being greatly discontented went to his own City Giloh and there putting his house in order making his will and disposing of his estate and taking care of all things but his soul he hanged himself * Herein he was a Type of Judas and was buried in the Sepulchre of his Father 2 Sam. 17. from v. 1 to 24. David upon occasion of Achitophel's counsel against him compos'd the 55 Psalm 12ly David by this time having gathered a good Army together marched with it to Mahanaim a City in the Tribe of Gad beyond Jordan and was there furnished with provisions by three eminent persons the first was Shobi the Son of Nahash of Rabbah brother of Hanun King of Ammon whom David had deposed for abusing his Messengers and set this Shobi up in his stead in thankful remembrance whereof he now brought provisions to David The second was Machir of Lodebar who was Guardian to Mephibosheth when David came to the Crown see Ch. 9.4 who observing how much David favoured him and what kindness he shewed to him did highly esteem him ever after for it and was the readier as 't is probable to commiserate him in this time of his troubles The third was Barzillai the Gileadite of whom we shall say more when we come to the 19th Chapter These all came to comfort David †Sic solet Deus cum usitata auxilia absunt suis de improviso suecurrere in his great distress when his own unnatural Son sought his life and they brought beds and cups and earthen vessels and wheat barley meal parched corn beans lintils and parched pulse and honey butter and sheep and cheese to refresh David and the people that were with him who they thought must needs be weary and hungry and thirsty having had so long a march thorough the Wilderness where they could not but be in great want From v. 27 to the end 13ly Absalom having now gathered together a mighty Army of the Israelites as Hushai had advised he marches out with them against his Father Amasa (a) 'T is said here that Ithra an Israelite was his father and Abigail sister to Zerviah his mother In 1 Chron. 2.17 this Ithra is call'd Jether the Ishmaelite It seems therefore that he was an Ishmaelite by birth but an Israelite by profession and habitation being become a proselyte or else he was call'd an Ishmaelite because he had lived among the Ishmaelites as upon the same account some were called Hittites and Gittites 'T is said of this I hra that he went in to Abigail and begat this Amasa on her which intimates he was not then married to her 'T is also said of this Abigail that she was daughter to Nahash sister to Zerviah 1 Chron. 2.16 17. 't is evident that both this Abigail and Zerviah were daughâ—ers of Jesse and Sisters to David Either therefore Jesse had also the name of Nahash or his wifes name was Nahash who was the mother of Abigail who was Nephew to David and Cousin-german to Joab being made his General and with them he passed over Jordan and pitched in the land of Gilead 2 Sam. 17. v. 24 25 26. 14ly The Armies of David and Absalom being now near one another David drew out his Army which was at this time much increased by the resort of many out of the two Tribes and half on the other side Jordan unto him and mustering them he set Captains over hundreds and Colonels over thousands and divided his Army into three Battalions appointing three Generals over them viz. Joab Abishai and Ittai Then he told them He would go forth with them in person to encourage them and possibly he inclined the more to it that being present in the Army he might use his best endeavour for the saving of Absalom his great Commanders and Souldiers would by no means consent that he should venture his person in the battel telling him that he was worth ten thousand of them the Commonwealth should receive more damage and the enemy more advantage if he should be kill'd than if ten thousand of them should be slain alas say they if we should flee or half of us be slain the enemy will not much regard it if thou remainest alive who art the mark at which they principally aim and who they know as long as thou livest wilt be able to raise forces and make head against them and therefore we think it much better that thou remain in the City and from thence that thou send us forth succours and
marrying a wife from thence did soon set up his wifes Idolatry in the land and the worship of the true God was in a manner neglected and disregarded and the Prophets and servants of God that would not bow to Baal were persecuted see Ch. 19.10 yet there were never more Prophets sent to them than at this time we see Ch. 18.13 that Obadiah had hid an hundred of them in caves nor never more eminent ones than now And of all the Prophets that God raised up in the Kingdom of Israel we find not any of whom so strange things are recorded both for courage and miracles as there are of Elijah And therefore at the Transfiguration of Christ Mat. 17. Elijah as chief of the Prophets appeared together with Moses talking with Christ to signifie that both Moses and the Prophets had in their several seasons given testimony of him This Prophet Elijah was at this time sent to the Israelites a man of transcendent courage and zeal as being fitted for those corrupt times whence 't is said of the Baptist who in his Ministry was very zealous and fervent Luk. 1.17 that he should go before our Saviour in the spirit and power of Elias Ahab and Jezebel were very zealous to promote Idolatry and now God raises up a Prophet as zealous to oppose it and to defend Gods own worship Elijah seeing how things went in the Kingdom of Israel and being exceedingly moved with the horrible wickedness of Ahab and Jezabel and particularly perhaps with the contempt and scorn they cast upon Gods Prophets did it seems by the instinct of Gods Spirit pray that the Lord would shut up the heavens for some years and not suffer it to rain till he sought unto him for it that so the wrath of God against the iniquity of that time might be discovered and the precious account he makes of his Prophets might be manifested And being by the same Spirit of God assured that his prayer was heard he came to Ahab and threatned him beforehand that he might see it was of God with an approaching drought for three years and an half and a great famine that should ensue thereupon As the Lord God of Israel liveth saith he whom I continually serve and in whose presence I now stand and who is a witness of the truth of what I say there shall not be dew or rain these ensuing years but according to my words and as I have declared to thee from God And according as he threatned so it came to pass For during the space of three years and six months it rained not See Jam. 5.17 * See Luk. 4.25 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months The drought now beginning and Ahab seeing there was no rain for some time together as Elijah had threatned he was greatly enraged against him and being also stirred up as 't is probable by Jezabel his wife he sent presently out to take him that he might be revenged on him See Ch. 18.10 but the Lord foreseeing what would happen gave his Prophet warning of it and appointed him to withdraw and hide himself by the brook Cherith in Manasseh beyond Jordan that is in some solitary place or cave near the brook where he should be fed by Ravens with bread and flesh morning and evening and should drink of the brook Elijah did as the Lord commanded him and was accordingly fed by Ravens who being a very greedy and ravenous kind of bird so that they often neglect the feeding of their young ones to feed themselves it was the more miraculous that God should make them Caterers for Elijah and in such an orderly manner to bring him his provision morning and evening he directing them where they should have it possibly out of some rich mans pantry or storehouse Thus we see by what unlikely means God can provide for his servants when they are in their straits After some time possibly about six Months the brook quite dried up thus the Lord was pleased again to try the faith of his servant Elijah Then the Lord commands him to go to a widow of Sarepta in the Country of Sidon telling him that he would command her that is dispose her heart to entertain him Accordingly he went thither and when he came to the Gate of the City he found a widow-widow-woman gathering sticks he desired her to fetch him a little water She going for it he desired her to bring him also a morsel of bread She knowing him by his habit to be a Prophet of the Lord she said to him As the Lord thy God liveth I have not a cake to give thee I have but an handful of meal in a barrel and a little oyl in a cruse and behold I am gathering two or three sticks that I may go and dress it for my self and my son that we may eat it and so die Hereby its manifest that the drought * There is not the least intimation of any want of rain that was in the land of Judah at this time and yet Elijah is sent to a stranger rather than to the widows of Israel or Judah such an one being very unlikely to relieve him especially the famine being there as well as in Israel but herein was shaddowed forth Gods further mercy intended to the Gentiles when the Jews should be rejected whence that of our Saviour Luk. 4.25 26. and famine was in the Country of Tyre and Sidon as well as among the Israelites and indeed it being sent among the Israelites for the Idolatry of Baal which Jezabel the daughter of the King of the Sidonians had brought in among them no marvel if the Sidonians were involv'd in the same judgment Elijah bids the woman not to fear but to do as she intended but only to make for him a little cake first for saith he thus saith the Lord God of Israel The barrel of meal which thou hast shall not wast nor the cruse of oyl fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain on the earth The woman did as Elijah enjoined her and she and her house did eat thereof many days viz. for about three years neither the meal nor oyl failing but being miraculously supplied and renewed This recompence had this poor widow for entertaining the Lords Prophet she for giving unto him one meal hath many meals from him and by his procurement But great blessings are oftentimes mixed with some imbittering afflictions For some time after the Prophet had been with her the womans Son fell sick and died Upon this she comes to the Prophet and crys out What have I done to thee thou man of God wherein have I offended thee art thou come to bring my sins to remembrance †When God punisheth any for their sins whom for a while he did forbear he is said in the Scripture to remember