A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures

CHAP. XIII.

Having in the former chapter given the people warning to take heed of being seduced to idolatry by strangers of other nations, here he gives them the like warning to take heed of being seduced by those that were their own brethren; If saith he, there arise a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams (that is, one that is, or pretends himself to be such an one, that saith he is a Prophet, and that God hath appeared to him in a vision or in a dream) and that among your own brethren (f • r these words, among you, are added to imply that they must regard him never a whit the more because he was an Israelite since amongst them many false Prophets might and did arise, 2. Pet. 2. 1.) and, if he, giveth thee a sign or a wonder, that is, if, to make good the truth of what he saith God hath by vision or dream revealed to him, he foretells some wonderful and supernatural work that shall come to pass (such as was the cleaving of Jeroboams altar, which the Prophet told them of beforehand, 1. Kings 13. 3. as a sure sigue that God had sent him) and withal happily acompanieth his prediction with some outward significant action or gesture (as when that false prophet Zedekiah, 1. Kin. 22. 11. made horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians until thou have consumed them) though this sign or wonder come to pass, yet if withal he shall persuade thee to worship false God's, or to worship the true God in a false manner (which is all one, for he that pretends to worship the true God with false worship, doth not indeed worship the true God, but an idol-god which he pha • cieth to himself) thou shalt not hearken to him, that is, thou shalt not because of his signs and wonders regard what he saith. And indeed (though a false Prophet may be known by his foretelling things which afterwards come not to pass, according to that rule, chap. 18. 22. Whou a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, &c. yet) the accomplishment of what a Prophet foretells is no sure sign that he is a true Prophet nor to be regarded if his doctrine be not according to the truth which God hath taught us.

These words are added as the reason why they were not to hearken to any Prophet that should persuade them to idolatry, yea though he gave them any sign or wonder which should accordingly come to pass, to wit, because hereby the Lord did prove them, to see whether they did sincerely love God or no. For the understanding whereof we must know the Lord is here said to prove them by that which the false Prophets did to seduce them to idolatry, first, because even the Lord himself may by the Spirit of prophecy reveal things to come even to wicked men and false Prophets, as he did to Balaam and Caiaphas, as knowing how thereby to bring glory to himself, though they only intend to corrupt and seduce his people; secondly, because though these predictions given, and wonders wrought are usually either mere forgings and impostures, or else satanical delusions, whereby men are made to think they see those things done which indeed are not done, or lastly, are such wonders as are indeed done, but by the power of the devil, yet it is of God that either men or devils are permitted to do such things, who could easily restrain them if he saw cause to do it; and thirdly, because the Lord's aim, in suffering the devil and wicked men thus to abuse men, is to make trial, that is, by this trial to make it known, whether they love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul, this being a sure rule, that those whose hearts are upright towards God will not be drawn away from the truth of God by such delusions, according to that of the Apostle, 1. John 2. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us.

Here they are enjoined to put the false Prophet to death that shall so seduce the people: for the better understanding whereof we must note, first, that every spreading of false doctrines in matters of less consequence was not thus to be punished, but only the seducing of men from the true religion to the direct worship of false God's; and in this case, though many Expositors hold that this Law concerned only the policy of the Jews, yet I see not but that it gives the Christian Magistrate power also to provide for the securing of his people, even by the capital punishment of those that seduce them to an apostasy of so high a nature; secondly, that in the reason here rendered why they should put such false prophets to death, the phrase that is used, because he had spoken—to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in, is intended to imply what a dangerous and strong temptation that of pretended miracles is to seduce men from the way of truth; and therefore our Savior also speaking of such, said, Mat. 24. 24. They shall deceive (if it were possible) the very elect: and thirdly, that the last clause, so shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee, is meant both of the evil men that were the seducers, and the hurt which they might have done, to wit, that by cutting off these evil men the hurt which they might do amongst the people should be prevented.

The drift of this place is to let them know, that not only false prophets (of whom he had spoken in the former verses) but all others whatsoever were to be put to death that should seduce them to idolatry, not openly but secretly, and that they were not to spare those that were dearest to them, &c. And for the fuller clearing of this, we may note, first, that this phrase, If thy brother the son of thy mother, is here used, either to distinguish true brothers from kindred, yea from all other Israelites, who are frequently in the Scripture called their brethren; or else emphatically to express that brother that is usually most beloved, to wit, a brother both by father and mother, at least a brother by the mothers side, that lay in the same belly with them, and that because our love to such is naturally the strongest: and secondly, that in the particular mention that is here made of the daughter, as well as of the son, as also of the wife, there is not only respect had to the love that men bear to them, but also to the pity that men are prone to take of that sex: men are naturally inclined to take compassion of that sex; and therefore this is particularly expressed, that in case a daughter or wife seek to seduce them to idolatry, they must be put to death, and there must be no pity shown them because of their sex. Indeed because there is no mention made here of father and mother, therefore some have thought that by this Law the child was not bound to accuse either father or mother, if they sought to seduce him to idolatry, the Lord not enjoining this in regard it was so much against the reverence which children do naturally bear to their parents. But these build upon too weak a ground: Doubtless in God's cause there is no more reason for the child to regard the parents, then for the husband to regard the wife of his bosom, and Levi in this case is commended for closing his eyes against his parents, because he said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him, chap. 33. 9. and therefore questionless under these that are named all other persons that are most dear to men, even parents also, are comprehended.

In this clause, of the God's of the people which are round about you, &c. there is a warning couched that they should not be moved with this argument, that the nations round about them, far and near, all over the face of the earth, went another way in the service of God; but rather should say as S. John doth, 1. John 5. 19. We know that we are of God, and the whole world l • eth in wickedness. Yet withal we may understand it as intended also to show the extent of this Law, to wit, that whatsoever gods they were which they were persuaded to worship, they must not consent to do it, but must only worship the Lord their God.

Thou shalt surely kill him, that is, thou shalt inform against him to the Magistrate, and so procure that justice may be executed upon him according to this Law, to wit, that he may be put to death; and therefore is that added in the next words, thine hand shall be first upon him, to wit, as being the party accusing and giving testimony against him; for that was God's Law that the witnesses should throw the first stones at him that was to be stoned, Deut. 17. 7.

That is, certain vild, wicked, and mischievous persons. Belial is by inte • pretation without profit, or, without yoke, that is, base, lawless, rebellious and wicked; whence this name is given to Satan, or Antichrist, opposed to Christ, 2. Corinth. 6. 15. What concord hath Christ with Belial? and to men and women given over unto wickedness, Judge. 19. 22. The men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, &c. and 1. Sam. 1. 16. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial; and 1. Sam. 25. 25. Let not my Lord—regard this man of Belial, even Nabal. As for the phrase here used of going out from among the Israelit • s, certain men, the children of Belial are gone out from among you, it intimates, first, their separating of themselves from God's people in point of religion, according to that of S. John, 1. John 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us, &c. and secondly, their bold and presumptuous carriage of themselves herein, in that they did it openly, as proclaiming war against the Lord.

This is added by way of caution, in two regards▪ first, to let them know that though they did but hear some flying report of such a wickedness, yet they might not slight such a report, but must inquire carefully whether it were so or no; and secondly, to put them in mind that on the other side yet they must not arm themselves against their brethren (as is afterwards enjoined) merely upon uncertain reports▪ but must first make diligent search and enquiry, and if they sound it evident and certain, then they should proceed against them as is here appointed.

CHAP. XIV.

This is prefixed as a reason why they should carefully observe, as all the commandments of God, so more especially these that are here prescribed: for being the children of God, and so consequently heirs of eternal salvation, it was fit that they should be very careful that they did nothing that might dishonor their father, or disparage themselves; and therefore not to mourn as men without hope, nor to conform themselves to heathens, from whom God had separated them.

That is, in the fore-part of your heads, just over the space that is between your eyes. See the notes upon Levite. 21. 5. and 19. 27, 28.

See the notes on the 11. chapter of Leviticus.

This bird is not mentioned in the 11. of Leviticus, but is comprehended under others of the same kind that are there named.

Not the proselyte or stranger joined to the Church, for such were bound to keep the whole law, and this in special, Levite. 17. 15. but the stranger of anothe • religion, who only sojourned amongst them.

There was a tithe paid every year to the Levites in the several places of their habitation, Numb. 18. 24. and there was likewise another tithe (as was noted before on chap. 12. 6.) which the owners carried yearly with them to Jerusalem, and was spent there in holy feasting before the Lord. Either therefore these words in the 22. verse, Thou shalt truly tithe all the m • r • ase of thy seed that thy field bringeth forth year by year, are meant of the first of these tithes paid to the Levi • e • , and then those that follow verse 23. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall •• oose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, are meant of the second tithe spent in their holy feasts; or if both ver • es are meant of one and the same tithe, then doubtless they are both meant of the second tithe: for neither w • re the first tithes carried up to Jerusalem, nor had the owners any power to eat of them.

The tithes, here appointed to be eaten by the people in the place which God should choose, cannot be meant of the tithes which were yearly paid to the Levites. Numb. 18. 24. but were a second tithe, as is shown in the foregoing note; and the like must be held concerning the firstlings of their herds and slocks here mentioned, of which see the note upon ch • p. 12. 17. As for the last clause of the verse, where a reason is rendered why the Lord did enjoin them to go up to the place which he should choose, and there to fea • t together with these their holy things, namely, that they might learn to fear the Lord their God always, the ground of this may be 1. Because the very presenting of themselves thus yearly before the Lord with their sacrifices and offerings must needs be of itself a good means to keep their hearts in a continual awe and reverence of God; and 2. because when they went up to God's holy place, the Priests were wont to instruct them in the law and the pro • ises conc •• ning the Messiah (according to the dispensation of those darker times) and in their sacrifices they beheld a shadow of their redemption by him, all which must needs conduce much to teach them to fear the Lord their God.

In these words there is an exception added to the former law, to wit, that in case they dwelt very far from the house of God, and their tithes and firstlings were so much in quantity that they could not well carry them so far (which to imply that clause is added in the end of this verse, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee) then they might sell these things, and c • rry the money with them, and buy therewith what they were to use there.

Here is express mention made of a third sort of tithe, different from though • e two before mentioned, verse. 22, and 23. For 1. this was only paid every third year, to wit, each third year after the Sabbatical year, when the land lay at rest, and so there was then no tithe paid at all, but all things were common, Exod. 23. 10, 11. And 2. this was for another service: the first of those tithes mentioned before were wholly the Levites portion, and therefore often called, the Lord's inheritance, and the second or the price of them was carried up by the owners to the Lord's dwelling place, and spent in holy feasting before the Lord, but this now was laid up in some public place in the towns and cities where they dwelt, and was not only for the use of the Levites, but also for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, &c. as is expressed here, verse. 29. So that it seems whereas the two first years after the Sabbatical year there were two tithes only separated from their estates, the first for the Levites, the second to be spent in holy feasting before the Lord, on the third year they separated a third tithe, which was for the poor in the places where they dwelt; and so again the two next years they separated only the two first tithes, and then on the third year three tithes again, and so then the next year was again the Sabbatical year. I know there are many Expositors hold that the tithe here mentioned, which was at the end of three years laid up for the poor, was the very same tithe which the two years before the owners spent in holy feasting: the third year, they say, this second tithe was not carried up to Jerusalem to be spent in their holy feasts there, but it was laid up at home for the use of the poor. But two arguments may be brought against this opinion from a following passage concerning the third years tithes, chap. 26. 12. which cannot well be answered. The first is, that this third year is there called the year of tithing, there being no probable reason that can be given why that year should be called peculiarly the year of tithing, but only this, because that year they separated three tithes from their estates, one more then on other years: If the tithes on this third year laid up for the poor were the same which the two former years they had spent in holy feasting, then did they separate no more tithes this third year then on other years; and why then should it be called the year of tithing? The second argument is, that on this third year every man was to go up to Jerusalem, and there to make a solemn pro • ession that he had faithfully paid all his tithes; and it is no way probable that when he went up to Jerusalem to make this solemn profession he should not then carry with him those second tithes which were to be spent in holy seasting before the Lord, When, saith Moses, thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase, the third year, which is the year of tithing▪ and hast given it unto the Levites, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levi ••• , and unto the stranger, &c. and indeed what were those hallowed things which he had brought with him out of his house, if they were not that second tithe which was to be spent in holy feasting before the Lord? and therefore doubtless this third year they separated three several tithes from their increase, the first which was the Levites yearly livelihood, the second which they carried up with them to Jerusalem, therewith to feast before the Lord, and the third which was laid up for the poor e.

CHAP. XV.

That is, when the seventh year comes, which is the • nd or last of the seven; for we see verse. 9. that the seventh year is called the year of release, Behold the seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; as likewise Jer. 34. 14. at the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother, is explained in the next words thus, when he hath served thee six years thou shalt let him go free from thee. Now this year of release was that seventh year spoken of, Exod. 23. 11. and Levite. 25. 4. to wit, the Sabbatical year, when the land was to keep a Sabbath of rest, there being that year neither plowing nor sowing, nor any work of husbandry used. The greatest difficulty concerning these words is, what this release was, which is expressed in the following verse thus, every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbor shall release it, he shall not exact it of his neighbor, or of his brother, that is, of any Israelite whatsoever, because it is called the Lord's release, that is, because the Lord hath ordained it to be a year of release. Some Expositors hold that the release here enjoined was an absolute acquitting and discharging of the debt forever; only they add that they were bound thus to forgive the debts of the poor only, and that therefore it is added, verse. 4. save when there shall be no poor among you, intimating that of the rich they might require what was owing them. But on the other side many of the best Expositors hold that it is only meant of a not exacting that year the debts that were owing them; and that because, verse. 8. the people are commanded to lend to their poor brethr • n, notwithstanding this law, even when the year of release was near at hand; and it were strange that it should be called lending when they knew that immediately at the year of release their debt should absolutely be acquitted and made void. And indeed because the Hebrew word, here translated a release of debts, may be rendered a remission, or, intermission, and is the same that is elsewhere used, to wit, Exod. 23. 11. where speech is of the land that it should be let rest or intermitted from tillage, that being only for the seventh year, it cannot be gathered from this word that they were to give an absolute release of their debts forever, but only that they were not to exact them this seventh year, and that because there was neither sowing nor reaping nor other works of husbandry that year, and so the poor had not such means to pay their debts as in other years. However as in regard of the Sabbath-rest of this year (of which see the note upon Exod. 23. 11.) so also in regard of this release of debts at that time, this year was a figure or type of that acceptable year of grace, which brought us a release of our sin • (which are called our debts, Matth. 6. •• .) by and through Christ our Savior, and whereby we also are taught to put 〈…〉 • e bowels of mercy, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, &c. 〈…〉 • 2, 13.

The foreiner here intended, of whom they might exa • t their debts, notwithstanding the year of release, is by some thought to be every stranger of another nation, yea though he were a proselyte: but others think it is meant only of those strangers that had not embraced the true rel • gion; and so indeed this law did the more fully represent that spiritual release, whereof it was intended to be a figure or type, in that none can have any share in this great privilege of the remission of sins that are alien • and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, that is, none but those that are true members of the Church, and Christians indeed.

This (according to our translation) is added as an exception, that unless their debtors were poo • e they were not bound to forbear the debt. But the other translation, which is in the margin of our Bibles, seem • the best, To the end that there be no poor among you; and so it is added as a reason of the former law, to wit, that there might not be through exacting of debts any man brought to extreme poverty.

These words contain a reason that may induce them thus to show mercy in not exacting their debts at the year of rel • ase, namely, because if in this and other things they were obedient to God's laws, the Lord would so abundantly bless them, that they sho • ld be well able thus to forbear the exacting of their debts, and it should be no prejudice at all to th • m.

Which they usually did, unless the year of Jubile happened in the mean time, Levite. 25. 40, 41. concerning which see the notes upon Exod. 21. 2. for this is not here added as a privilege of the year of release, but as another act of mercy agr • eable to that before enjoined concerning the remitting of debts every Sabbatical year: for indeed, how should the setting free of servants be made one of the great privileges of the year of Jubile, if the like had been done every seventh year, which was the year of release? or to what purpose had it been to prescribe that no Hebrew servant should serve above six years, as is appointed Exod. 21. 2. if they could never serve six years, unless • they began their service immediately after the year of release, and that because otherwise when their release came they must be set •• ee.

The Israelites bondage in Egypt, and the Lord's delivering them, is often pressed upon them, to make them •• ew mercy to their servants, and to set them free at the time appointed▪ of God, both because the remembrance of our own miseries doth naturally incline man's heart to take pity of those that are in the same condition, and likewise because it must needs be acknowledged fitting that men should imitate the mercy and compassion of God. But b • sides▪ there is covertly a hint given of a further matter, to wit, that • s they were not sent empty away out of their bondage in Egypt▪ but came away thence with much of the riches of Egypt, so they should not send away their servants empty when they set them free, but should give them liberally of that they had, which was the thing enjoined in the foregoing verses.

S • e the note upon Exod. 23. 6. and Levite. 25. 40.

Because this follows so immediately upon that which went before concerning the boring of the ear of that man-servant which refused to be set free at six years end, there • ore many Expositors hold (and most prob • bly, there being no other place of Scripture that shows the contrary) that even the ears of maid-servants were bored likewise, if they refused their freedom at the time appointed; yet the Hebrews say that this clause, And also unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise, hath only reference unto that which was said in the • ormer verses concerning the setting free of their men-servants at six years • nd, and the gifts they should give them when they set them free, to wit, that herein to their maid-servants they should do likewise.

Not because of the hard service he hath done above the service of an hireling, as some think; for by the law Hebrew servants might not be u • ed like slaves, but like hired servants, Levite, 25. 39▪ 40. but because hired servants had great w • ges, besides meat and drink, &c. which servants that were sold had not, in regard whereof amongst us the service of an appr • ntice is counted more prositable then that of journeymen or hired servants; and some add also because hired servants did us • ally serve for three years, which they ground upon that, Esa. 16. 14. Within three years, as the years of an hireling.

I have formerly shown upon Deut. 12. 17. that there were certain firstlings (which were not those firstling-males that did first open the matrice, and that were the Lord's by that general Law of the firs • -born, Numb. 18. 15.) and that these might b • brought • nto the Lord as p • ace-offerings, and so the owners and their households might eat of these before the Lord; and of these therefore several Expositors do understand this place. But yet because in the foregoing verse it is said of the firstling males here intended, Thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep; and this seems to imply that the firstlings here meant are those firstlings which were the Lord's due so soon as ever they fell by that general Law of the first-born, and therefore the owners had not power to reap any profit by them; therefore others understand these words as spoken to the priests, Thou shalt eat it be • ore the Lord, —that is▪ the priest, to whom God gav • all the firstlings of Isra • l as their po • tion: for as, say they, Moses spake all that went before in this chapter to the people of Isra • l, so here he continueth his s • eech in the same manner, though that he speaks were intended of the priests peculiarly, because he speaks to the whole body of Israel as one man, under whom the priests were also comprehended.

T •• t is, the priest, as above; and that as common meat in their own private dwell •• gs; or • lse it is meant that the owner should redeem it, as any other unclean beast, a • d then eat it without scruple of conscience; or it is spoken of those second so • t of firstlings, concerning which we may see what is noted, chap. 12. 17.

CHAP. XVI.

Because of the Passover, here enjoined to be sacrificed, it is said, that it must be of the flock and the herd, it cannot be meant of the Paschal-lamb which was killed on the fourteenth day of this month at even: but either by the Passover we must here understand jointly both the Paschal-lamb and those other sacrifices which did accompany the eating of the Paschal-lamb, which were of sheep or bullocks, as namely those enjoined Numb. 28. 19. &c. and such other as men would voluntarily bring, an example whereof we have 2. Chron. 35. 7, 8, &c. or else by the Passover is here meant the feast of the Passover, and then thus the words must be understood, Thou shalt sacrifice the Passover, that is, Thou shalt celebrate the Passover with sacrifices of the flock and of the herd, &c.

That is, the bread which is a memorial of your afflictions in Egypt (as being usually the bread of those that lived in affliction and poverty) and of your hasty coming out from thence, before your bread had time to be leavened, concerning which see the note upon Exod. 12. 15.

As they might not eat any leavened bread all the time of this feast, so neither might they suffer any leaven to be in their houses, to wit, to make it the surer that they might not be tempted to eat of it, or to use any leaven in the bread which they baked.

This must needs be meant of the flesh of the Paschal-lamb, which was killed at the end of the fourteenth day, and was to be eaten all of it that night following before the morning of the fifteenth day, or else the remainder of it was to be b • rnt in the fire; concerning which see the note upon Exod. 12. 10. For though the Paschal-lamb was not prope • lie a sacrifice, b • cause no part of it was offered upon the altar; yet considering that it was killed to the honor of God, and as a type of Christ, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, it needs not seem strange▪ that here it is said to be s • crificed.

That is, not in any town or city save only in Jerusalem▪ where Christ our p • schallamb was sacrificed for us. And indeed, after God had c • osen that to be the place of his public worship, they did only eat the Passover there. See Luke 2. 41. but in any private house in Jerusalem they might both kill and eat the Passover, Matth. 26. 18. only their sacrifices which they offered at that • e • st might o • ely be offered in the temple.

That is▪ the very same day of the month Abib when thou camest forth ou • of Egypt, to wit, the • oureteenth day of the month: or if these words, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt, have reserence to that which went before, at even, at the going down of the sun, yet it must not be taken so as if the time of sunsetting were exactly the very ti • e when the I • raelites went out of Egypt (for it is evident, Exod. 12. 29, &c. that it was after midnight ere they had leave given them to go) but only that the night after that evening when they first eat the Passover they went out of Egypt, and were then indeed p • eparing to be gone; whence it was that they were appointed to eat the Passover in such haste, the Lord having told them beforehand of that which sho • ld happen▪ and had scarce leisure to make an end of celebrating that holy f • ast, because the Egypt • ans were so eager to have them pack up and be gone.

That is, the morning after the feast o • unleavened bread was ended, which was kept seven days; so that the • ext words in the • ighth verse, six days thou shalt eat, &c. are added to show what morning this was that is here mentioned, to wit, the morrow • fter the solemn assembly on the sev • nth day. Indeed some hold that the morning here mentioned must be the morning of the fiftee • th day, the morning after they had eaten the Passover, which is altogether improbable, because the fifteenth day was a solemn festival, and therefore it is not likely that liberty of travelling and leaving Je • usalem on that day was allowed them; and because we shall still find that the people used to stay at Jerusalem all the seven days of this feast, which we may see, 2. Chron. 30. 21. and so in other place • .

Namely, to reap the wave-sheaf, the first-fruits of barley-harvest, which was on the sixteenth day of that month of • ered unto the Lord. See the note upon Le • it. 23. 10, 11.

• his contribution or tribute of a •• eewill-offering is neither the sacrifice appointed for the feast-day, Numb. 18. 27, 31. nor the two loaves and sacrifices with them▪ commanded Levite. 23. 17, 20. for these were not voluntary offerings, but necessarily enjoined; over and besides them God here appointeth men voluntarily to bring unto him of their fruits what they could and would.

This is added, fir •• , to show that this was the chief end of solemnizing this fea • t, to cause them with themselves to remember this their deliverance; s • condly, as a motive to obey willingly both this and all other the commandment • of God; thirdly▪ as a motive to make them respect their servants and the poor strangers in this t • eir feast, as in • he former verse he had appointed.

S • e the note upon Exod. • 3. 16.

To wit, judges to give judge • ent, and of • icers to ex • cute the sentence of the judges: and because▪ the places of •• di •• tur • were usually in the gates of their towns and cities, therefore it is said, Judges and officers shalt thou make th • e in all thy gates▪

That is, it will make a wise man, that is able to judge between right and wrong, think and persuade himself that he doth right, when he doth manifest wrong, and it will make a good man pervert justic • even against his conscience, though in other things he makes conscience of his ways.

This Law the Isra • lites did afterwards many times break, as we may s • e, Judge. 3. 7. 1. Kings 14. 23. 16. 33. 18. 19. which was in them gross idolatry; and yet the Patriarchs did formerly worship God in groves, and that without sin. S • e the note on Gen. 21. 33.

CHAP. XVII.

See the notes upon Levite. 22. 20, 21.

The sum of the law here delivered is this, That if any amongst them were sound guilty of idolatry in that they had worshipped either the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, or consequently any other creature (for these the most glorious of God's creatures are only mentioned to imply that much less might they worship stocks and stones, or any other creatures) they must certainly be stoned to death, whether it were man or woman (no pity must be shown to them for the weakness of their sex) and the reason is implied in this verse, because they had wrought wickedness in the sigh • of the Lord, in transgressing his covenant: where we must note that idolatry is termed a transgressing of God's covenant, not only because it was (as all other sins are) contrary to God's law, which they had covenanted to obse • ve and keep; but also because therein men did openly as it were renounce God and th • true religion, and choose themselves other gods whom they would serve, and therefore this was in a more special and • minent manner a transgressing of the covenant.

This is added both lest in favor of any man th • y should slight a report brought unto them, and not carefully inquire of it; and als • lest they should be too hasty to punish men upon uncertain reports.

The witnesses were to throw the first stones at them that were condemned to be stoned, which was t • make men the more afraid to bear false witness, and that because it was supposed that men would be afraid after good deliberation to have a hand in killing an innocent man, though in their wrath and fury they might speak that which might tend to the loss of his lise. But then afterwards all the people assembled were to have a hand in the ex • cution of him▪ thereby to inure them to be servant and zealous in God's cause against all those that should despise and disr • gard his laws.

Her •• he I • ra • lites were taught what they were to do 〈…〉 question did ari • e concerning any cause that was brought before their Ju • ges and Magis • rates, in their several towns and cities, which the magistr • tes ••• re so • nd so hard that they made a doubt, or were of different j • dgement amongst t •• mselves, what to determine in it, as between blood and blood, that is, in ca • e of bloodshed, whether it were to be judged willful murder, or▪ as we call i • , chance▪medley, and so in any other questionable cause, either concerning any plea about their est •• es▪ or concerning any stroke given, or any other thing of the like n • ture▪ • o wit, that in this case they were to go up to the place which God should c •• se (which was Jerusalem in after-ages) and there resort to the pri • s • s, as expounders of the law, and to the judge, that is, the j •• ge • ▪ the civil Magi • trates, who were judicially to give sent • nce according to the •• i • sts •• po • ition of the law, that so by them the matter in question might be d • c • d •• : and o • this I conceive that is meant, 2. Chron. 19. 8, 9, 10. Moreover in J • rusalem di • Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel▪ for the ju • gement of the Lord, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem▪ &c. and that they were appointed to go up unto Jerusalem with all such caus •• of great di •• icultie, not because • the supreme Magistrate▪ the Judge or King of Ista • l, did always •• reside there▪ but either because this is meant of the Sanhedrim, which was their supreme Senate or Council, consisting partly of pri • sts and partly o • civil Magis • rates, to whom all appeals were made, and did therefore always abide at Jer • s • lem; or else becau • e, if need so required, the high pri • st was to inquire of the Lord, and to answer them after the judgemen • of • rim before the Lord, Numb. 27. 21. and therefore it is said here, verse. 9. that they should go un • o the priests, &c. and inquire, which may be m • ant of the high •• i • sts enquiring for them of the Lord; a privilege which the Bishop of Rome cannot challenge for the bringing of all appe • l • to be sinally determined by him.

Namely, bec • use their sentence was to be according to the La • o • God • verse. 11. and in c •• e of great difficulty to be proved so to be by •• quiring of the Lord: for we must not think the people were bound to rest in their sen ••• ce, if it were clearly contrary to the law of God.

Here is methinks a manise • t di •• e • ence betwixt that which the pri • st was to do, and that which the Judge was to do: the priests office being m • an • by t • aching the sentence of the Law, that is, giving the interpretation of it; and the J • dg •• by telling them the judgment, that is, giving judgem • nt accordi • g to that which the priest had delivered to be the meaning of the Law.

Death is appointed to be inflicted upon him that would not he •• ken to the p • jest, expounding the Law, or the judge, passing sentence accordingly, to wit, if he p • esu •••• ously and stubbornly opposed their judgment, though they proved it never so cl • arly o • t of the Law, or especially if the priest had • nquir • d of the Lord,

This is said, not as in allowance of their changing the government by judges, which he had erected amongst them, especially upon this ground, because they would be like other nations; but only foretelling what they would do, and thereupon prescribing certain Laws to prevent greater mischiefs in erecting of a Monarchy amongst them.

The Lord here gives them two rules, to which they should be bound when ever they should desire to have a King to reign over them: The first is, That they should only make such a one king as God should choose; which was accordingly observed partly in Saul, but fully in David, and in his progeny too, in that it was of God's ordaining that his posterity should successively inherit the kingdom: and this was thus appointed, because the Kings of Judah were to be types of Christ; who was chosen of God to be the great King of Israel, Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. The second is, That they might only choose one from amongst their brethren to be their King: and this was, first, because such a one was likeliest to love them, and to be beloved by them, and to rule over them with the more equity and gentleness; and secondly, lest a stranger of another nation should bring in strange Laws and customs, yea and corrupt their religion too; and thirdly, to signify that their promised Messiah, the Lord's Anointed, was to be the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, even one of their own nation.

That is, excessively, even beyond that which reasonably the state of a King may require: and this the Lord gives in charge concerning the Kings of Israel, first, to teach both the King and the people to put their sole trust and confidence in God, and not to rely on any outward strength of horses and chariots, which men having abundance of such military forces are prone to do; secondly, that they might not hereby be exalted and puffed up in their minds, even to the despising and perhaps the oppressing of their brethren; and thirdly, that they might not, to maintain the excessive charge hereof, be burdensome to their subjects: & herein therefore we may well think that Solomon did not keep so close to the rule of God's word as he ought to have done, in that he had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, 1. Kings. 4. 26. as likewise in that he fetched his horses out of Egypt, 2. Chron 1. 16. which is expressly also forbidden here, He shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses; and that not only because Egypt of all the neighbouring countries was most famous for horses, whence is that, Esa. 31. 3. The Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses flesh and not spirit, but a so to imply that one reason why the Lord forbad their having so many horses was, lest they should go down into Egypt to procure themselves horses.

That is, ye shall no more return to Egypt: for it was not their returning to Egypt by the same way they came from thence that was forbidden them, but generally all going back to Egypt; yea, though they w • nt thither, not to dwell and sojourn there, but only for trade and merchandise; for so much this place seems to imply. The reason of this law seems to have been, first, that hereby they might be kept from being corrupted there by their idolatry and other foul sins, and from making any wicked leag • e or confed • racy with them; and secondly, that hereby they might be ta • ght with such thankfulness to rem • mber their former del • verance from the bondage they endured in that land, as to abhor the very thought of their going thither again, lest that should seem a contempt of their former escape thence, & an unthankful forgetting that gloriou • deliverance. The greatest▪ difficulty in these words is, what prohibition this is, and when given, whereof Moses here speaks, The Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth no more return that way. But for this we must know, first, that though this charge w • re nowhere formerly given in express words, yet it was sufficiently implied, in that God had told them often that he had brought them out of Egypt to plant & se • tle them in the land of Canaan▪ and that he had so sharply rebuked them when ever they had made any mention of going back into Egypt; and secondly, that these words may be understood of this charge now at present given them. The Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way, that is, the Lord hath commanded me now to say this unto you, &c.

By this God allows not Princes to have more wives then one▪ so they took not too too many; no more then the forbidding of perjury allows all swearing when that is true which we swear: only God pitcheth upon the greatest sin, and that whereto kings were usually inclined, who were wont to abuse their power in marrying all that pleased them, though never so many; and a reason is added why the King might not marry so many wives, to wit, that his heart turn not away, namely, from the Lord unto the pleasures of life, or unto other God's (in case he should amongst others marry any idolatrous wives) as it fared with Solomon, 1. Kings 11. 4. This as the chief reason is expressed in the law, yet withal we may well conceive that God had respect also herein to the ease of the people, that the Kings having so many wives and children by them, who must be kept after the state of Queens and Princes, might not increase the burden of their taxes and impositions.

That is, too too excessively. Princes above all men have need of a full treasure, and therefore the Kings of Israel are here allowed a moderate care herein: But withal the Lord forbids them a boundless desire and endeavor to heap up riches, and that lest such an excessive greediness after riches should make them either oppress the people, and heap up gold and silver by rapine and unjust exactions, or be exalted in their minds because of their great wealth, as indeed it is usually with men that have such a mighty mass of riches, Give me not riches (saith Agur, Prov. 30. 8, 9.) lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord?

The original book of the law was kept in the Sanctuary▪ Deut. 31. 26. Take this book of the Law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee, 2. Kin. 22 • . And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the Law, in the house of the Lord. Here therefore God appoints that the King must not only have a copy of this book, but also that he must either write it himself, or cause it to be purposely written for him out of the original copy, both that it might be perfect, and also that receiving it immediately from the Priests and Levites, he might take it, as it were, out of God's hand, and might be the more careful to observe and obey it in every particular, both for the ordering of his own life, and for the government of the people.

CHAP. XVIII.

Besides all other things, which being the Lord's right by his Law he hath given to the priests and Levites.

The wave-breast, mentioned elsewhere, is here left out, and that, as I conceive, because it is comprehended under the shoulder, to which it is joined in the sheep, both being parts of the fore-quarter. But withal the maw and the two • heeks, added here, are nowhere else mentioned; the reason whereof may well be conceived to be this, because elsewhere the Lord only prescribes what part the priests should have of the sacrifice, and the two cheeks and maw were no pa • t of the sacrifice, or holy things, but cut off before and given to the priests, and not so much as waved or heaved before the Lord.

It is said of the p • jests here that they did minister in the name of the Lord, either because they performed the service of the priesthood by command and a • thority received from the Lord▪ or rather because they performed it to the Lord, as the duties of his worship and service which he required of them.

The sum of this Law is this that w • enever any of the tribe of Levihad a desire to come and serve in the tabe • nacle or temple, they should be admitted to live of the holy things there▪ • v • n • s the rest that did at times serve in that place. The priests and Levites, we know, had several cities given them throughout the land of Israel▪ where th • y had ••• ir constant abode, and did there instruct the people▪ and performed such other duties as belonged to their places; and so the service of the tabernacle and temple was performed by those that from th • ir ssverall cities went up in their tu • ns to do the service of that place (for from the first I conceive there was some order observed for thi • , though by David afterward this was mor • • xactly co • trived, when they were divided into four and twenty courses, 1. Chron. 23.) Now therefore here order is taken that if any of that tribe, whether priest or ordinary Levite, had a desire to go • p and serve in the house of God voluntarily, when it wa • not his course, or happily to spend the whole remainder of his life in that service, 〈◊〉 should then be admitted to do the service of the house, and should have his share of the holy things even as other his brethren had, whose course it was at that time to attend upon that service.

That i • , though he have something whereon to live which cometh in of the sale of his patrimony, he shall for all that have a like portion to eat of the holy things as other his brethren have that do the service there in their several courses. But what is meant here by that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony? I answer, some hereby mean the money which the Israelites, which dwelt far off from the tabernacle or temple, brought with them when they came thither, and was raised of their holy thi • gs which they sold at home, according to that Law, Deut. 14. • 4. 25. and • hat it is enjoined here, that of this these that thus went up to the tabernacle or temple should have their share as well as of other the holy things: others again hereby understand that which was raised of his portion of the tithes paid to the Levites, in the place where he had his dwelling, which they say he was to enjoy, and yet was to have no less share in the holy things of the temple when he went up to serve there. But neither of these I conceive can be meant here, because this place speaks not of such things as were the patrimony of the Priests and Levites in general, but of that man's peculiar patrimony which should thus voluntarily go up to serve at the altar; which therefore doubtless was such moneys as came in of the sale either of those houses which were his portion and patrimony in the cities of the Levites, or of any other estate that was left him by his father: and so the meaning of this place is, that notwithstanding any such private estate that the Levite had, yet if he went up to serve in the temple he must live of the holy things of the temple, as others did. Indeed considering that the Levite might redeem his house, which he had sold, at any time, Levite. 25. 32. it was not fit that he should be disabled to do this by spending his money upon his own maintenance. But however if of singular devotion to the service of the Sanctuary he should go up extraordinarily to serve there, God would have such an one live of the altar and not be put thereby to spend his own private estate whatever it were.

See the note upon Lev. 18. 21.

By one that useth divination, is meant one that foretelleth things to come, Mich. 3. 11. The prophets thereof divine for money▪ and by an observer of times is meant such as by observing constellations, &c. • id pronounce some days lucky and some unlucky, and undertake to tell men their fortune. The diviners were carried much by inward motions, these last by outward observations in the creatures. So also by a Necromancer, verse. 11. is meant such as by raising the dead did inquire after secret things.

That is, though • shalt keep thyself entirely to him, and not seek unto any other for help; thou shalt in these things before spoken of, as in all other things, keep thyself exactly to what thy God hath enjoined thee, and not defile thyself with any of these abominations practiced amongst other n • tions.

The heathens, that used these unlawful arts, made account that God did by these means reveal himself to them, and deemed such high knowledge a high degree of their happiness: lest therefore the Israelites should think much that they were debarred of this, the Lord tells them here that he would by prophets raised up to them from amongst their brethren as fully inform them concerning all things necessary for them to know, as if God should come down to them out of heaven. I doubt not indeed but this which is here spoken is meant first and principally of Christ; for the Apostle Peter saith expressly that this was fulfilled in Christ, Acts 3. 22. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you; and with respect to this place that seems • o have been spoken by Philip, John 1. 45. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph; and that by Christ, John 5. 46. Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But withal I see not how we can exclude the other Prophets between Moses and Christ, the drift of these words being manifestly this, to show that they should have no cause to seek to enchanters and diviners, because God would still raise them up Prophets to reveal his will unto them: and how could this be a stay to them, if it were meant only of Christ, who was not sent unto them above one thousand and four hundred years after this? therefore I think it must be understood principally of Christ, as the only Prophet of his Church, but withal inde • initely of all the Prophets as subordinate to Christ, sent from him and inspired by him. The Jews indeed understand it not commonly of the Messiah, but of another notable Prophet besides, like unto Moses, which was to be sent to them, John 1. 25. But herein they were grossly deceived: for it is evident by those places, Acts 3. 22. and 7. 37. that Christ was the Prophet here principally meant, though other Prophets are all • o comprehended, as is before said. As for that clause, a Prophet like unto me, though the Prophets afterwards sent to Israel were not equal to Moses, Deut. 34. 10. And there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face; yet they were like him, men sent from God as he was, raised up from amongst their brethren as he was, and this is here chiefly intended, (see verse. 16. According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither▪ let me see this great fire anymore, that I die not) and so was Christ, a high priest taken from among men, Hebr. 5. 1. yea like him and above him: for first, as Moses was as a Mediator betwixt God and the people, Deut. 5. 5. I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to show you the word of the Lord; for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount; so was Christ, Heb. 8. 6. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises: secondly, in excellen • y: of Moses it is said, Numb. 12. 6, 7. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a Prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream; My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house; and so of Christ, John 1. 17, 18. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Thirdly, in faithfulness: for so it is said of Christ, Heb. 3. 2. Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house; yea and above Moses, verse. 5, 6. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant, but Christ as a son over his own house. Fourthly, in that as Moses brought them the law from God, so Christ the Gospel out of his Fathers bosom. Fifthly, in signs and wonders: for Christ was a prophet mighty in deed and word, Luke 24. 19. as Moses also was; yea more mighty, John 15. 24. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin. And sixthly, as Moses carried the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt to the land of Canaan, so Christ delivered his people from their spiritual bondage, and opened heaven for them, John 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life.

This is meant of the faithfulness of those Prophets which God would send unto them▪ to wit, that they should deliver whatever God gave them in cha • ge, and nothing but that which he should put into their mouths. But most eminently was this verified in Chri • t, when he came to preach the Gospel unto men; for those words of eternal life were the words which God here saith he would put into his mouth, and which accordingly he faithfully delivered to the people, All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you, John 15. 15.

That is, I will punish him for it: and so indeed God did always severely punish those that would not hear his Prophets. But principally this was fulfilled upon the Jews, who would not hearken to the words of Christ, when God destroyed the city and the Sanctuary, as was prophesied, Dan. 9. 26. and poured upon the people his uttermost wrath, 1. Thess. 2. 16.

That we may rightly understand the rule here given for the discovery o • false p • ophets, we must note two things: first, that it must be understood only of such • redictions of prophets wherein they foretold some strange and miraculous thing tha • should come to pass, as a proof that they were truly sent from God; for if these indeed cam • not accordingly to pass, the people might be sure that they were false prophets▪ and that God had no • sent them. But now in other predictions, as in foretelling some judgment or blessing that should befall men, that which they foretold mig • t not come to pass, and yet they that foretold these thi • gs might be the true Prophets of God for • ll that; for thus we know it was with the Prophet Isaiah, when he told Hezekiah that he should die of his sick •• sse, 2. Kings 20. 1. and with Jonah, when he prophesied that after forty days Nineveh should be destroyed, Jonah 3. 4. and the reason of this is, because in all such predictions the people migh • know, judging thereof by the known rule of God's word, that these were conditionally foretold, though the condition were not expressed, and therefore that in case they repented God would not inflict the evil denounced against them, and in case they were not obedient unto God, he would hold back the blessings promised: and secondly, that though the not accomplishing of signs foretold be made here a sure mark of false prophets, yet we must not hence in • err that on the contrary when signs foretold did accordingly come to pass, that was an infallible proof of true prophets: for if they taught anything contrary to the written word touching matters of faith and of the worship of God, the people were to hold to the written word, and not to believe them, but to punish them as false prophets, though they did confirm their sayings, that did indeed come to pass, as they were before taught, Deut. 13. 1, 2. &c.

To wit, because he did so boldly foretell that such a thing should come to pass having no warrant for it from God, & withal because it was indeed a high degree of arrogancy to father his fancies & lies upon the God of truth, saying that God had said that which he had not spoken.

That is, though he boast never so much of the certainty of that which he saith, and that indeed God hath sent him; and though he threaten in never so horrible a manner all the curses he can devise if you do not believe him, yet thou shalt not be afraid of his brags and threatenings, nor fear to put him to death, as God hath appointed.

CHAP. XIX.

That is, in the heart of the land: for the land being divided into three parts, in the midst of each of these partitions was a city of refuge chosen. Moses had himself already assigned them three cities of refuge in the land without Jordan, which they had already vanquished, Deut. 4. 21. and now he gives order that when they had possessed themselves of the land of Canaan within Jordan, they should there also set apart three cities of refuge more.

That is, thou shalt so order it, that from all parts of the country round about these cities of refuge, there be a direct, plain, fair high-way or causey leading to those cities, and such as either by the breadth and fairness of the way, or by marks set up purposely to distinguish it from others, may be known to be the ways leading to those cities of refuge, to the end the man-slayer may not be hindered or incumbered by the uncertainty or foulness of the way, but may speedily fly thither, and so be safe.

The persons here mentioned, that were to enjoy the privilege of the cities ofrefuge, are only such as killed a man unwittingly, by chance-medley, as we usually call it: but by the rule of proportion we may probably conceive that the like privilege was afforded to him that killed a man merely in his own defense, when he had no quarrel with him, but only sought to secure his own life.

And so strikes with all his might, not fearing nor suspecting any evil that should be done thereby.

This last clause, because the way is long, showeth that this verse follows as depending on the third verse (the other two being inserted as it were by way of parenthesis) and is added to show thereason why they were appointed thus to choose the cities of refuge in three several divisions of the land, namely, left if the man tha • killed one ignorantly had too far to fly ere he could come to a city of refuge, the avenger, because of the length of the way, should overtake him before he could get thither.

It is questioned by Expositors of what enlarging their coasts this is meant: and because it is said, chap. 7. 22. that they should not drive out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan at once, but by little and little, therefore some understand this of their full possessing of the land of Canaan, to wit, that however they did at first only set apart three cities of refuge in the land within Jordan, yet if afterwards they came to possess the whole land of Canaan, they should then separate three cities of refuge more therein. But first, because they never did separate six cities of refuge more within Jordan, no not when they had the fullest possession of the land; and secondly, because those three cities that were separated within the land, to wit, Kedesh, and Shechem, and Hebron, were situated in equal divisions proportionably according to the full extent of the land of Canaan, therefore it is no way probable that God ever enjoined them to have six cities of refuge in the land of Canaan within Jordan. Others again think that in these words, Moses speaks only of three cities more that were to be added besides those three without Jordan, to wit, those three above mentioned which Joshua separated, Josh. 20. 7. and so conceive that no other enlarging of their coasts is here meant, but only the adding of the land of Canaan to that they had already▪ gotten without Jordan. But because it seems evident that the charge which Mose • gave before, verse. 3. and verse. 7. for separating three cities in the midst of their land, could not be meant of the three cities of refuge without Jordan, which he had already separated, chap. 4. 41. and yet now he speaks of three cities more, verse. 9. that were to be separated, if the Lord should enlarge their coast, therefore I think the meaning of this place must be, that if the Lord should enlarge their coast, to wit, by giving them the land promised, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, Gen. 15. 18. that then they should separate three cities of refuge more, to wit, besides those before enjoined in the midst of the land of Canaan they were now to enter upon; and that the reason why these were never separated was, because by their sins they lost the benefit of this promise, the Lord never so far enlarging their coasts.

It may be not improbably conceived, that this law against removing of land-mark • is here inserted together with those concerning bloodshed, because this injury of removing landmarks was like to be a dangerous occasion of quarrels and bloodshed amongst them.

That is, the testimony of one man, rising up as a witness against another, shall not be admitted as sufficient to prove the crime laid to his charge, and to cause him to be condemned for it: and indeed though two or three witnessesmay accuse a man falsely, yet because it is not so likely that two or three should so combine against a man, as that one alone should accuse him falsely; and withal there would be more hope of discovering the falsehood of two or three witnesses so combining together, by examining them singly apart by themselves, therefore God allowed no man to be condemned under less then the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Both the men, that is, the party accused, and the party accusing, so that here is but one witness mentioned, which makes some conceive the case for which direction is here given to be this, When there comes in but one witness against a man, and takes an oath concerning some evil done by him, and the party accused denies that which is laid to his charge, and complains that he hath born false witness against him, what shall be done in this case? I answer, the order which the Lord gives here when the case stands thus, is this, Because it is a very hard thing to find out here whether the witness speak truly or falsely, therefore for his greater terror, and to make him take heed what he says, the Judges were to bring him into the place which God should choose, and to set him before the Ark or Sanctuary, and there to examine him as in God's presence, and accordingly, to punish him if they found him false; and happily if they could not find it out by examination, the priest was then to inquire of the Lord according to that, 1. Kings 8. 31, 32. If any man trespass against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, &c. But because it is expressly said before, that the testimoni • of one man rising up as a witness against another was not to be admitted in judgment, verse. 15. therefore others, and I think most probably, conceive the law • ere given to be this, that in case two or more witnesses did rise up against a man, and only one of them spake home to the proof of that the accused party was charged with▪ if here the party accused did allege that this man bare false witness against him, that then the Judges were to search out the matter in the way here enjoined before the Lord: yet withal the like by consequence was to be done i • case the party accused did accuse all the witn • sses of bearing false witness against him.

That is, such punishment as should have been infli • ted on the party accused, had he been found guilty, according to that law, Exod. 21. 23. the • ame shall be inflicted on him that bare false witness against him, to wit, by the civil Magistrate. Indeed the Pharisees in Christ's time expounded this of private revenge, namely that private person might take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, &c. and this is that which our Savior condemns, Matth. 5. 38, 3 • . Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for a • eye, and a tooth for a tooth; But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil, &c.

CHAP. XX.

Or initiated it, that is, that hath not taken possession of it, and begun to use it; which was wont to be done with solemnity of feasting, praying▪ and singing of Psalms, as we may see by the title of the thirtieth Psalm.

That is, he may be gone if he will. In this and the following cases this liberty was granted them, first, lest they should go forth to battles unwillingly and timorously, not having any courage to fight the Lord's battles (see verse. 8.) and secondly, because even the light of reason teacheth men to show compassion in this kind, and not suddenly to take off men from those comforts which they have long labored for, just when they are at last entering upon the fruition of them, which is threatened as a curse, chap. 28. 30, Thou shalt build a house and shalt not dwell therein; and thirdly, that this privilege might encourage men to build houses, and plant vineyards, &c. which was good and profitable for the common-wealth.

The Hebrew word signifieth, and hath not made it common, that is, such as himself and others might eat of it; and the ground of this expression is, because they might not in the land of Canaan eat of the fruit of any trees they had planted till they had consecrated the fourth years fruit unto the Lord. The fruit of the first three years was lost as uncircumcised, the fourth years fruit was holy and to be given to God, and then the fruit of the fifth year was free • for the owner and others to eat, concerning which see the note upon Levite. 19. 23.

By this the Lord taught his people • how much he dislikes a timorous and cowardly spirit in those that serve him, that so they might strive to have faith in him, and in all straits to be secure and confident in his protection.

That is, they shall order the battle, and appoint every captain in his place to lead the several companies of soldiers; for we must not think that captains were now first chosen, when they were come nigh unto the battle, as it is said above verse. 2. and that they had marched so far already without leaders.

To wit, any city out of the land of Canaan. Indeed the Hebrews say that they were to proffer peace even to the inhabitants of Canaan. B • t because first, they were expressly charged utterly to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan, to the end they might dwell in their room & might not be ensnared by their dwelling amongst them; and secondly, we do not read that ever Joshua tendered peace to • ny of the cities, though it be mentioned as a strange thing, and a s • gne of God's hardening their hearts, that never any of those people did of their own accord crave peace, save the Gibeonites only, Josh. 11. 19. There was not a city • hat made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon; all other they took in battle; yet we never find that there was peace proffered them, and it seems that the Gibeonites did therefore seek it by craft, because otherwise they saw it would not be granted them; and thirdly, it is expressly noted as a fault in the Israelites, Judges 1. 28. that they put the Can • anites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out; therefore this is only to be understood of such cities as they should besiege that were not of the cities of the land of Canaan.

That is, when through God's assistance thou hast taken it by force and assault.

But these must neither have peace offered them, nor must their women and little ones and cattle be spared when their cities are taken by force; for the following reason doth manifestly exclude them from both these favors, verse. 18. That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their God's, so should you sin against the Lord your God.

That is, fruit-trees wherewith the land cannot be suddenly stored again, these might not be cut down, no not for their use in the siege. I do not think that it was unlawful to cut down a fruit-tree when necessity required it, only the Lord teacheth them to take heed that in their rage they did not so waste the land as to ruin even posterity also.

That is, with such trees as are not fruit-trees.

CHAP. XXI.

The field is only here mentioned, because in cities and towns such murders are seldom committed so secretly but that the murderer is found out; yet when it so happened that in a town or city a man was found murdered, and the man that did the fact could not be found, though all diligence had been used to find it out, it is most probable that the same course was taken for the expiation of the bloodshed, that is here prescribed, verse. 3.

That is, the Elders and the Judges of the towns or cities round about shall, for the better satisfaction of them all, come forth, and see the measure taken betwixt the dead body and the cities round about it, to wit, if it be doubtful what • itie is nearest; and that because the next city was to make expiation for the murder, as it follows in the next verse.

This is enjoined for the expiation of that murder, the authors whereof could not b • found out, thereby to teach them how much the Lord is displeased with murder, and with the neglect of Magistrates, if they did not use all care to secure the high-ways about them from all robbery and murder, and to search out the murderers when any man was secretly killed, that he might be pu • ished for the blood he had shed. The Elders of the city next to the slain man had this work of making an expiation imposed upon them, because there was most probability that some of the inhabitants there had shed this blood; and besides, they were most culpable, for not well guarding and watching the place where the murder was committed: and that which is enjoined to be done by way of expiation for this murder thus secretly committed, is the killing of a heifer which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; and however some hold that this heifer did represent the murderer, in whose stead it was put to death, and therefore it was an heifer that had never born the yoke, to signify the murderer to have been a wicked wretch, a son of Belial, that is, lawless and without yoke; yet it is more generally and upon better grounds held, that this heifer did signify Christ, by whose death they were to expect that satisfaction should be made to God's justice, that the guilt of this murder might not be laid to their charge. And indeed in that it was an heifer which had not been wrought with, and which had not drawn in the yoke, and consequently could not be slain for anything disliked in it, the fitter it was to be a lively representation of Christ, who was never under the bondage of sin, nor never did anything blame-worthy, but did voluntarily undergo that which he did suffer for our sakes. See the note upon Numb. 19. 2.

This was done principally to strike them with the great • r horror for the sin committed: for the carrying of this heifer, that was to bear the punishment due to the offender, as an accursed thing, that would defile their fields, &c. into a desert place, did notably teach them that murder was an execrable sin, and dangerous. But yet withal it might also signify that Christ, of whom this heifer was a type, was to suffer in a horrid place called Calvarie or Golgotha, Matth. 27. 33. as likewise that by this expiation the guilt of this accursed sin was removed from them, their fields and cities.

The priests are here enjoined to be present, first, to show by their presence that this was a kind of extraordinary sacrifice; secondly, that the Elders might before them, as in God's presence, protest their innocence; thirdly, to see that all was done according to the law, and to satisfy the Elders in anything that might seem doubtful; fourthly▪ that they might bless them in the name of the Lord, that is, pray for them, and upon these things thus done pronounce them free from the bloodshed: all which is implied in the following words, for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy, and every stroke, be tried.

To wit, thereby first to signify that they were guiltless of the blood of the slain man (as for the same reason, when Pilate was to condemn Christ, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person, Matt. 27. 24.) secondly, to intimate their desire that the guilt of this murder might fall and lie upon this heifer, over whom they washed their hands, and that so the people might be free: and thirdly, to teach us that even those that are mo • t guiltless and innocent ought to clear themselves from the very suspicion of any evil amongst men.

This word, answer, may seem to imply that the priests did examine the Elders concerning this murder, and then they answered him, as here is expressed.

This Law, which implies a liberty for men to marry women taken captives, though they had wives already, is herein like that of divorce, Deut. 24. which was only suffered for the hardness of their hearts, and it is to be understood only of the captives of foreign nations, not of the Canaani • es, who were to be all destroyed.

According to the two different translations of this last clause there are two different Expositions given of it: for if we read it, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, she shall shave her head, and suffer her nails to grow, then it seems evident that her head was shaved, her nails suffered to grow, and the servile attire of captives was put upon her, purposely that being thus deformed he might hereby be beaten from desiring her to be his wife. But if we read it, as upon better grounds it is in our text, she shall shave her head, and pare her nails, and put the raiment of her captivity from off her, that is, the goodly attire which she had on when she was taken captive, then these outward signs were to teach them that if they desired to marry such a captive, she must renounce her heathenism, and all the superfluous and corrupt customs and superstitions thereof, and worship God only, as the Israelites did, living now a new and holy life, as became God's people, into whose stock she was to be engrafted, and to show them in what manifest danger they would b • of being defiled by such wives, if they did not renounce their former religion and heathenish cus • omes and course of life. I know there are some Expositors do hold that hereby also was figured, that if God's people would make use of the philosophy of the heathens, or any other thing which being good in itself hath been abused by them, they must be careful to shave off and pare away whatever is superstitious and sinful therei • . But that these rites were intended to signify this, it is hard to say.

This was enjoined, either that the Israelite, that had taken this woman captive, might have so much time to consider of what he did beforehand, and not to do that in the heat of his lust which he should afterwards repent, but might rather be weaned from his desire of taking her to be his wife; or else this was enjoined, as the other par • iculars before mentioned, as an outward expression of the woman's utter renouncing her fathers house, that she might be engrafted into the Israel of God: for this mourning for her parents as if they were dead was a kind of bidding farewell forever to them, according to that of the Psalmist, Hearken (O daughter) and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy fathers house, Psal. 45. 10.

By way of satisfaction for the wrong he had done her, he was freely to set her at liberty. Now this putting away • f the captive woman after he had married her, upon some dislike or displeasure taken against her, was one of those things which God did never approve, but only tolerate to the Jews for the hardness of their hearts. And indeed if there were danger lest the husband should kill or grievously oppress a wife of their own nation, upon displeasure taken against her, and therefore they were permitted rather to give their wives a bill of divorce and put them away; much more would there have been great danger of the killing or extreme hard usage of a wife that had form • rly been taken as a captive, and therefore the man is here allowed to put her away; but withal he is restrained from selling her under pretence that she was his captive and servant, but is appointed to set her at liberty to go whither she would.

That is, the son of the hated being yet living, and that because the right of the first-born by Law of nature belonged unto him.

Who were no doubt to examine the truth of the accusation brought against him, and accordingly to proceed.

That is, after the accusation given in against this rebellious son is sufficiently proved the Elders shall condemn him, and so he shall be stoned; and thus by the severity of this Law not only children were kept in awe that they might not da • e to rebel against their parents, but also parents were taught to be the more careful of the education of their children.

To wi • , whether he were hanged alive, or dead, as those Kings were, Josh. 10. 26. And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were • anging upon the trees until the evening. And this they were enjoined to do, first, lest they should by being inured to look daily on the dead carcases of men become merciless • e and cruel, and make light of killing men; and secondly, that the land might not be defiled by that monument of God's curse remaining upon it visibly. And thus were the people taught to look upon death as the wages of sin▪ the curse of the Law.

Since the death of any malefactor might be a monument of God's curse for sin, it may be questioned why this brand is peculiarly set upon this kind of punishment, that he that is hanged is accursed of God? To which I answer, that the reason of this was, beca • s • this was esteemed the most shameful, the most dishonorable and infamous of all kinds of death, and was usually therefore the punishment of those that had by some notorious wickedness provoked God to pour out his wrath upon the whole land▪ and so were hanged up to appease his wrath, as we may see in the hanging of those Prin • es that were guilty of committing whoredom with the daughters of Moab, Numb. 25. 4. and i • the hanging of those sons of Saul in the days of David, when there was a famine in the land, because of Saul's perfidious oppressing of the Gibeonites, 2. Sam. 21. 6. Nor was it without cause that this kind of death was, both by the Israelites and other nations, esteemed the most shameful and accursed, because the very manner of the death did intimate that such men as were thus executed were such execrable and accursed wretches, that they did defile the earth with treading on it, and would pollute the earth if they should die upon it, and there • ore we • e so trussed up in the air as not fit to be amongst men, and that others might look upon them as men made spectacles of God's indignation and cur • e because of the wickedness they had committed, which was not done in other kinds of death: and hence it was that the Lord God would have his son, the Lord Christ, to suffer this kind of death, that even hence it might be the more evident that in his death he bare the curse due to our sins, according to that of the Apostle, Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on the tree.

CHAP. XXII.

That is, thou shalt not upon any pretence withhold thine help, yea though he be thine enemy; for that is also expressed, Exod. 23. 4. If thou meet thine enemies ox or his asse going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again: and hereby we are taught that much more we must perform this office of love to our brethren, even to seek the conversion of them that are out of the way▪ James 5. 19, 20. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the crrour of his way shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins.

Here two cases are resolved that might be questioned, to wit, what they were to do in case the owners of such cattle as they found going astray did either dwell far off from them, or were altogether unknown to them; and the answer is▪ that in such cases they were to drive the cattle home to their own houses till the owners did fetch them away: and so in case they knew the owners, it must needs also be implied, that they were to send them word of the cattle they had taken up, though they dwelt far off; but if they knew not the owners, then indeed they were to keep them till the owners themselves did seek out for them.

Under this all manlinesse is forbidden in women, and all effeminatenesse in men, either in their attire, or in the ordering of their hair; of which the Apostle speaks, 1. Cor. 11. 4—14. or anything of like nature▪ as that, 1. Cor. 14. 34. Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak.

The end of this law was first, to teach them always in the least things to have respect to the public good, and to prefer that before their own private satisfaction, as here they were forbidden to destroy the damme when it was breeding time, because she might ere long have other young ones, and so might still continue the store of birds for the good of others; and secondly, to show them how well God was pleased that his people should be merciful and pitiful, and how • e ab • orred all cruelty and hardheartednesse, in that he would not allow them to kill the damme when they took away her eggs, or her young ones, because this might seem a kind o • cruelty and unmercifulness towards the poor creature▪ that did su • fer enough already in the loss of her young ones, that were so precious to her.

The houses of the Israelites were always built flat on the tops, and so they used to be much on the tops of their houses, both to recreate themselves there▪ and for many other occasions. Whence is that of our Savior, Matth. 10. 27. What ye hear in the ear, that preach ye on the house tops. Here therefore they are enjoined always to make battlements round about their house tops, to prevent the casual falling of anybody from thence; and consequently also under this one particular they were enjoined to prevent, what in them lay, all occasions of bloodshed, or of any other evil, that through their default might redound unto their brethren.

The main and principal end of this, and the two following laws against plowing with an ox and an asse, and against wearing garments of linsey-wolsey, was I conceive, one and the same, to wit, to teach them what exact p • rity and sincerity God required in them that were his peculiar people, and how hateful to God all mixtures were in spiritual things. There was not in itself any evil at all in wearing a garment made of linen and woolen together, nor was it a matter of any great moment in itself▪ whether they sowed a field with pure wheat, or with wheat and ri • mingled together, as we do now in many places. But thus was the Lord pleased, under the • e outward elements, to teach them matters of greater moment: for whilst the Lord would not allow them any mixture in such slight and trivi • ll things as these, hereby they were led, as it were by the hand, to con •• der how much more hateful to God all mix • ures were in matters of greater moment, as in religion and in the duties of his worship, and how strictly the Lord required that they sho • ld keep them • elves to the purity and simplicity of his word, without mingling anything of their own inventions through curiosity or a perverse imitation of the strange 〈◊〉 of o • her nations, which he had not enjoined them. If they might not sow a field • ith mingled seeds, much less might they teach the truth of God mixed with any error; if they might not wear a linsey-wolsey garment, m • ch less m • y we think to cloth our souls in case of justification, with Chri •• s righteousness and our own▪ G • l. 2. 16. yea all hypocrisy and whatever was not pure and sincere was hereby condemned. And this, I say, was the main and principal drift of these laws. Now in this particular law concerning their vineyards, there are two things that are farther questionable, to wit first, what is meant here by sowing a vineyard with divers seeds; & sec • ndly, what that reason is that is here given for this law, lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy v • neyard, be defiled. And in answer hereto, for the first, we must know that by divers s • eds here is meant any seeds different or divers from that of the vine. I know that some Exposi • o • rs hold▪ that • he sowing of mingled seeds, as of wheat and barley, in the void and empty ground betwixt the rows of the vines there planted, is only here forbidden, and that the Israelites might lawfully sow any one sort of seed betwixt the rows of their vines, so they sowed no more. But this was sufficiently forbidden in that former law, Levite. 19. 19. Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed; and besides the reason that is here given for this prohibition is not that the m • ngling of divers seeds might be prevented, but the mingling of the fruit of any se • d with the fruit of the vine. And therefore I conceive that the sowing of any seed together with their vines is here sorbidden; and indeed because the rea • on here given for this law is, that the fruit of their seed sown and the fruit of their vines might not be mingled together, and so be defiled, it is worth our considering whether this be not meant rather of the seed of fruit-trees then of corn and herbs, the fruit whereof was not likely to be mingled with that of the vine: and thus as in that law, Levite. 19. 19. the sowing of several kinds of grain in one field was forbidden, so here the sowing of the seed of other fruit-trees together with the vine. As for the reason here annexed to this law, lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled, some understand it thus, lest the fruit of their seed and their vineyard be corrupred and marred, to wit, because whilst the heart of the earth is sucked away by too many things sown or planted in it, neither of them can be good and fair, as they would otherwise be, but both are spoiled and good for nothing: and thus, they say, the Israelites were taught to take heed of a covetous and greedy desire to draw more from the earth then it is well able to bear. But it is better by others understood of their being defiled by being mingled together: for as that is said to be pure which is not mixed, as that we call pure wheat, which is not mixed with any other grain; so that may be said to be defiled which is mingled, especially being done contrary to God's law, and so rendered unlawful either in firstfruits or otherwise to be offered to the Lord.

The princ • pall end of this law I have shown in the foregoing note upon verse. 9. But yet there might be other grounds of this law besides: for first, God might have respect herein to the good of th • se poor creatures, that must needs both suffer by such unequal yoking, the ox, on whom the whole labor of drawing must needs lie for want of another that with equal strength should help forward the work, and the asse, by being hailed on beyond that which he is able to do: and secondly, hereby might also be signified, both that men ought not to be employed in those callings for which they are unfit, to the overburdening of others that are joined with them in that service, and that God will not endure the unequal yoking of his people with infidels, of which the Apostle speaks, 2. Cor. 6. 14, &c.

See the former note upon verse. 9.

Concerning the principal end of these fringes, which was to put them in mind of the Lord's commandments, see the note upon Numb. 15. 38. But besides, by this prescr • bing them a fashion of attire, whereby they might always be known to be Israelites, they were taught not to be ashamed openly to prosesse themselves the people of God: and it might also be enjoined, as some think, to prevent any undecency in the discovery of their naked skin; for the Israelites wore long loose garments, which being opened below, both behind, and on each side, they had four skirts or quarters, as they are here called, and these they were that had a fringe upon them round about, by means whereof there was the less danger of discovering their bodies as they went, which they say is implied in the last words of this verse, wherewith thou coverest thyself.

This was imposed upon the parents, because the evil of which their daughter was accused, if true would be a dishonor to them, who ought to have been caref • ll guardians of their daughters chas • ity: whence it was also that if their daughter was found guilty, she was to be stoned before the door of her fathers house, verse. 21, and if innocent, her husband was to pay her father a hundred shekels of silver, verse. 19. for the wrong which by this false slander was done to him.

Which was permitted to other men▪ Deut. 24. 1. When a man hath taken a wi •• , and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her; then let him write her a bill of divorceme •• , and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

Because in some cases it is found by experience that the tokens of a maids virginity may fail, and so much also is acknowledged by the Hebrews themselves, therefore some hold that though the parents could not bring forth the tokens of their daughters virginity, yet this alone was not sufficient to prove her guilty, and make her liable to be stoned, unless it were by other circumstances found to be true, as by the testimony of witnesses proving that she had no sickness upon her to hinder the tokens of her virginity, or some such like evidence. But because the words here seem not to imply any such thing, I rather think that in those countries the tokens of a maids virginity did never fail, and so the want of them was taken for a certain proof that the accusation was true, and so the damsel was to be stoned: for though in other cases the fornication of a woman before marriage was not punish • with death, Exod. 22. 16. yet here it was: first, because of the great wrong she had done to the man that had married her, pretending to him that she was a virgin, when indeed she was not; and secondly, because by the evidence of her own words, wherein she professed herself a virgin when she promised him marriage, it must needs follow that she was defiled after she was betrothed to him, and in that case her sin was adultery, and to be punished with death.

That is, it must be presumed that she cried. Everyone knows that though she were in the sield, yet she might consent to that lewdness; but unless that could be proved against her, they were bound in charity to hope and judge the best; & so accordingly the Scripture speaks of it, as of that they were to take for granted, the betr • thed damsel cried, and there was none to help h • r.

Some conceive that this law differeth from that, Exod. 22. 16, 17. because that was for such as consented being enticed, this supposeth violent hands laid upon the damsel; but for this see the note upon that place in Exodus.

This liberty afforded or winked at in others, Deut. 24. 1. he must not enjoy.

CHAP. XXIII.

By the following laws in the beginning of this chapter certain men are disabled for being admitted into the congregation of the Lord, that is, as most Expositors do most probably understand it, from being admitted into full communion with the commonwealth of Israel, at least from being capable of bearing • ny office of Magistracy amongst them. We cannot with any show of probability think that all these here mentioned, to wit, eunuchs, verse. 1. bastards and their children unto the tenth generation, verse. 2. Ammonites also and Moabites unto the tenth generation, verse. 3. yea and Edomites and Egyptians unto the third generation, verse. 7, 8. (and so consequently all other nations, since no nation was like to enjoy more privileges then the Edomites, who are called their brethren, verse. 8.) I say we cannot with any probability hold that all these, though by circumcision admitted into the Church, were excluded from the holy assemblies, where they should hear the word, be instructed in the law, and be admitted to offer sacrifices, as the signs of their faith and hope of salvation in the promised Messiah: for there are elsewhere many express laws, that such as were Proselytes, and had embraced the faith and religion of Israel, should have equal liberty with the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, Exod. 12. 48, 49. When a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it, and he shall be as one that is born in the land, one law shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you; and so likewise to bring their sacrifices unto the Lord, Numb, 15. 14, 15. If a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations that will offer an offering mad • by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord, as ye do, so he shall do; one ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger, &c. either therefore by the congregation of the Lord here is meant the assembly of Judges and Magistrates so called, because the Lord is president over them, and they exercise • hat power they have in his name, and by authority derived from him, Psal. 82. 1. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the gods; and so the meaning of this phrase, of not entering into the congregation of the Lord, is only this, that they should not bear any public office or place of Magistracy in the Commonwealth of Israel; or else by the congregation of the Lord is meant the people or commonwealth of Israel, and so this expression is elsewhere often used, as Numb. 16. 3. Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy ever • ▪one of them, and the lord is among them; and again, Numb. 27. 16, 17. Let the Lord the▪ God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before them, and which may go in before them,—that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep without a shepherd, and then the meaning of this place must be, that such and such as are here named might not be admitted into full communion with the Commonwealth of Israel; though they were admitted into the Church, and so into the communion of the same faith and worship of God, yet they might not be admitted to be members of the same body politick, and so to enjoy all the privileges of free-born Israelites; and hereupon they stood after a sort separated srom God's people, as the complaint of such, and the Lord's comfortable answer showeth, Isai. 56. 3. &c. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree, &c. they were of the Church of Israel, but yet aliens and strangers, as I may say, from the Commonwealth of Israel, not being capable of the privileges of other Israelites, as for instance▪ of those of the year of release, and the year of Jubile, of bearing any place of Magistracy or office amongst them, or having any power to intermeddle in such affairs; yea we may add too, of marrying a daughter of Israel (for though that cannot be meant here in this branch of the l • w concerning eunuchs, yet in the rest it may be included) and some others of the like nature. And indeed thus to understand this phrase, of not entering into the congregation of the Lord, we may be the rather induced, because Nehem. 13. 1, 2, 3. it is said, that when the Jews heard this law read out of the book of Moses, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God forever, they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude, which seems plainly to be meant of their separating them from being numbered amongst God's people, and from enjoying the privileges of freeborn Israelites, Hebrews of the Hebrews, as the Apostle speaks of himself, Phil. 3. 5. Only some conceive that if we thus understand this phrase, that which is said here, verse. 1. and 2. must only be understood of eunuchs and bastards of other nations, because it seems hard that such being Israelites were excluded from enjoying all these privileges of freeborn Israelites. As for the reasons why here in the first place, he that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, is here excluded from thus entering into the congregation of the Lord, we may conceive them probably to have been these: first, that God might hereby show his detestation of that unnatural and barbarous custom of the heathens of making men eunuchs: secondly, because such men are usually of a base, and effeminate, and cowardly spirit, and liable to be scorned and despised by others, and therefore not fit to be in any place of authority: and thirdly, that hereby they might be taught what purity and perfection, what unblameablenesse and freedom from all stains and pollutions God required in his people, and particularly how pleasing a thing it is unto God to add daily to his Church, and to increase the number of his people, to wit, by spiritual means, and not to be barren this way, as such eunuchs were in regard of natural generation.

What is meant by entering into the congregation of the Lord, is shown in the foregoing note. By bastards here cannot be meant the sons of concubines, who were in those times counted as second wives, but either the children of such as did prostitute themselves as common whores, or rather all that were born illegitimate, whether by fornication, adultery, or incest. Now such as these the Lord forbids them to admit into the congregation of the Lord, first, hereby to teach his people what an honor it was to be of God's peculiar people, into the number of whom a man thus blemished might not be received; secondly, by laying this stain and dishonor upon the spurious issu • of such unclean mixtures, to show his people how detestable such sins were unto the Lord; and thirdly, lest such should be capable of bearing any office or Magistracy amongst the Israelites who were of base and vild conditions, as bastards indeed many times are, or at least liable to be scorned and despised for this reproach of their birth, and so might be the less courageous in their places lest they should be upbraided herewith.

That is neither the bastard nor his children unto the tenth generation. Therefore after ten generations this stain was to be blotted out: for that the expression of thus many generations, that should be excluded, doth imply that the eleventh generation was to be received into the congregation of the Lord, is evident, verse. 8. where it is said that the Edo • ites children should enter into the congregation of the Lord in their third generation.

That is, neither shall the Ammonite or Moabite, that becomes a proselyte, and embraceth the religion of the Israelites, be received into full communion with the commonwealth o • Israel, nor any other of their posterity unto the tenth generation; for this was not meant of th • Israelites children born of Ammonitish or Moabitish mothers, converted to the Israelites faith, as the stories of Rahab and Ruth do evidently prove, but only of the children of Ammonites and Moabites that became proselytes, who, because they were of those nations, might not be incorporated into the commonwealth of Israel unto the tenth generation. Some Expositors will have this last clause, forever, to be added by way of explaining that which went befo • e of their not being admitted into the congregation of the Lord unto the tenth generation, and so that the meaning of this Law was that their posterity should never be admitted into the congregation of the Lord; and indeed where this Law is repeated, Neh. 13. 1. there is no mention made of the tenth generation; but it is said that they found written in the book of Moses that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of the Lord forever. But yet because afterwards, verse. 8. there is also mention made of some that were not to be admitted until the third generation, even here also by the tenth generation a set number of generations is expressed that were to be excluded; and so by the addition of these words, forever, this only is intended, that this Law concerning the Ammonites and Moabites not entering into the congregation of the Lord unto the tenth generation, was to be forever inviolably observed, and not to be dispensed with upon any occasion.

The ra • her did God abhor this their disregard of the Israelites in their escape out of Egypt, because the Ammonites and Moabites were the posterity of Lot, who was so near of kin to Abraham, of whom the Israelites came.

That is, the Moabites: for of this the Ammonites were not guilty, but the Moabites, as is evident in the history thereof, Numb. 22, &c.

This is added, to imply that the fault of the Moabites was never a whit the less, because Balaam blessed the Israelites instead of cursing them; for they did what they could to have won Balaam to curse them, and Balaam also sought by all means to satisfy their desire; only the Lord their God of his own free grace did overrule the tongue of that false prophet, and forced him to bless them when he meant to curse them, and so turned that to good which their enemies intended for their hurt and ruin.

The like is said of the Canaanites, Ezra 9. 12, Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons▪ nor seck their peace, or their wealth forever. Now this is not meant of private revenge in malice, which was always unlawful for the people of God; o • that they should not seek the salvation of the souls of these people, For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth, 1. Tim. 2. 3, 4. but only of public confedracies with these people, which was likely to be for their own hurt, though for the others good. The meaning therefore of these words is only this, that they must not make peace, nor have anything to do with them, but rather be at perpetual enmity with them. And herein therefore if David offended by making peace with the Ammonites, 2. Sam. 11. 1. 2. as many Expositors hold he did, no marvel though the Lord suffered his messengers to be so basely used by them.

That is, thou shalt not so abhor and Edomite as to exclude his posterity, after he had embraced the faith of Israel, from being admitted into the commonwealth of Israel unto the tenth generation, as thou must exclude the Ammonites and Moabites: for that this is meant by abhorring the Edomite in this clause, and the Egyptian in the next, is evident in the eighth verse, where it is said, by way of explaining these words, The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the Lord, in their third generation. The reason here given why the Lord would have them show more respect herein to the Edomites then to the Ammonites and Moabites, is this, because they were their brethren, as being the posterity of Isaac by Esau, as they were by Jacob, and so indeed the nearest of kin to Israel of all the people on the earth: Though the Edomites used them as discourteously as they passed along to go into Canaan as the Ammonites or Moabites did (for they refused to let them pass through their land, and came out armed against them, Numb. 20. 20, 21.) and the fault of the Edomite was the greater, because he was Israel's brother; yet God will have them show the Edomites more favor then other nations, because they were their brethren, the Lord hereby teaching them what love men ought to bear to their brethren, and how we ought to bear with the injuries of brethren, because of their near relation to us, though it be a greater sault in them to be so injurious then it is in others.

Though the Egyptians did most cruelly oppress them, yet must they be favored f •• t • e courtesy which in former times they received amongst them, God hereby tea •• ing men rather to remember good turns then injuries.

That is, then no less then at other times, yea then especially above all other times: For this charge is given them, first, to teach them that God requires that in times of war they should be as wary to avoid all kind of wickedness as at other times: Soldiers in the war are wont to carry themselves as if they were lawless, and might do what they list▪ and therefore to prevent this, they were told here that the Lord expects that his people should in such times of confusion keep themselves as strictly to the rule of holiness and righteousness as at other times, according that charge given by the Baptist to soldiers, Luke 13. 14. Do violence to no man, and be content with your wages; yea secondly, to show them that then they had reason to be most careful not to provoke God by any misdemeanor, whether against the moral or ceremonial Law (such as are those particulars mentioned in the following verses) to wit, first, because soldiers go out as it were to execute vengeance upon others for the evil they have done, and they are not fit to punish others that are as bad themselves; secondly because a clear conscience is one of the best means to make men tr • lie valorous; and thirdly, because then there is most evident need of God's assistance, and most danger of mischief to come upon them if the Lord should leave them and give them over into the hands of their enemies, as is implied in the reason given for this law, verse. 14. For thy Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee,—therefore shall thy camp be holy, &c.

Though for the pollution here spoken of they were not to be shut out of their camps and cities, as lepers and others were, yet they were it seems to go forth voluntarily from amongst their brethren, till having washed themselves with water they returned at evening again to their tents and dwellings: and this was to teach them what exact purity and holiness God required in his people.

That is, a place designed for the use by public appointment, whither they were bound to go, that so their camp might not be defiled with their excrements: and though the Lord might herein intimate their duty in regard of civility, and the care men ought to take not to do anything that might offend or annoy their brethren, yet doubtless the chief drift of this law was to teach them, that in regard of God's presence amongst them, they ought to keep themselves clean from all spiritual pollutions, the outward cleanness and neatness here required being only a shadow of that spiritual purity, which even in times of war God required in his people.

That is, when it should be manifest that they fled to escape the 〈…〉 rage of cruel masters, that did causelessly oppress them: In this case if they fled from their masters in other countries, and sought for shelter in the land of Israel, or if they fled from any cruel ma •• er amongst the Israelites, and sought for shelter from the Magistrate, they were not to deliver them back to the tyranny of savage men; but in other cases, as when they • led in a gadding humor from their lawful lords, who did no ways oppress them, or being guilty of some capital offense to escape deserved punishment, we must not think God appointed his people to give harbor to such: for this were to make this law contrary to that law, Thou shall • not steal: if they must be so just in all their dealings, as to restore the beast that ran astray, much more such fugitive servants as thus robbed their masters by flying from them.

Though the tolerating of whores and Sodomites that were of the sons and daughters of Israel be here only expressed, yet by necessary consequence the permitting of such open filthiness by any other nations, that should live amongst them, is also forbidden; who, besides the ensnaring of God's people to commit filthiness with them, might also corrupt them in regard of their religion too, and seduce them by degrees to open idolatry.

It is a great question amongst Expositors what is meant here by the price of a dog: First, some conceive that because these two are joined thus together, the hire of a whore, and the price of a dog, this last is intended of some filthy thing as well as the first, and so they conclude that as amongst us men are wont sometimes to give money to have some goodly horse to cover their mares, so it was in those times for dogs, and this is meant here by the price of a dog: Secondly, others think it is meant of such men as did openly in the sight of others commit uncleanness in a most impudent and brutish manner: Thirdly, others again think, that as in the foregoing verse, the whore and the Sodomite are joined together, There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a Sodomite of the sons of Israel; so it is here likewise, and by a dog is meant a Sodomite (the word dog being used metaphorically, as it is also Rev. 22. 15. without are dogs) and by the price of a dog is meant the hire that was given to him with whom men commit that horrid and unnatural sin of Sodomy: And last of all, most Expositors take it according to the plain meaning of the words, for the price of a dog that is sold, which being an unclean and withal a base and contemptible creature, God would not allow them to bring the price of it into his house. Now these two last Expositions, I conceive, are most likely to be intended here, but especially the last; and that hereby God taught them to reverence his sanctuary and sacrifices, Lev. 19. 30. and not to offer him anything that had been sinfully gotten, or to contribute basely to any holy uses, as thinking anything good enough for his worship and service, who forbiddeth hi • name to be despised, his altar and table to be thought contemptible, Mal. 1. 6, 7, 8. or his house to be made a den of thieves, Jer. 7. 11.

This last clause implies the heinousness of the sin forbidden, to wit, the exacting of usury from those that wanted meat, and for their supply were glad to borrow of their neighbors.

That is, a gentile, who was also an infidel: for to strangers who were brethren in the faith they might not lend upon usury, Levite. 25. 35, 3 • .

To wit, a vow which was possible and lawful. See the note upon Numb. 30. 2.

And therefore when our Savior's disciples did this, the Pharisees charged them not with taking that which was not theirs, but only with doing that which might not be done on the Sabbath day, Matth. 12. 1, 2.

CHAP. XXIV.

Two things must be known for the fuller understanding of this law concerning divorces: first, that whereas it is said here, that if after a man hath married a wife, his wife find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her, hereby is meant anything whatsoever, either in her person or in her qualities and manners, which being at the time of marriage unknown to him, he hath afterwards discovered, and for it dislikes and abhors his wife, yea though the cause of his dislike were never so slight a matter; and therefore did the Pharisees so propound the question they made concerning this law, to wit, whether a man might put away his wife for every cause? Matth. 19. 3. and secondly, whereas it is said of such a man so disliking his wife, then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house, the meaning is only, that if he put her away he must write her a bill of divorcement, &c. for this was not a dispensation in regard of that first divine institution of marriage, allowing the Jews without sin to put away their wives upon any dislike taken against them, contrary to that which God at first d • d establish for a law to all po • terity, to wit, that a man should have but one wife, and a woman but one husband▪ and they two should be one flesh (for even when Moses law was in its full force such divorcings were displeasing to God, Mal. 2. 16. The Lord the God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away) no, it was only a law made in favor of the wife so put away, that she should have in this case a bill of divorce given her, that if she were put away causelessly she might have this as a testimony for her that she had not of her own accord forsaken her husband, but was put away, & that without any just cause on her part, and so was now free. It is true indeed that by this law there was implicitly granted a permission or toleration of these unjust divorces to the Israelites in those times, to wit, that they might without incurring any punishment thus put away their wives, and this injustice in the husband did so far break the knot of marriage, that it was lawful for the wife so put away to marry another husband; but yet still this which was thus tolerated was sin • ull in the husband, and displeasing to God, and only permitted by Moses for the hardness of their hearts, Matth. 19. 8. Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives, that is, because they were such a perverse and hard-hearted people that had they been restrained from this, they would have been likely to have made the lives of their wives extremely miserable by all kind of savage and cruel tyrannizing • ver them, and perhaps would at last have attempted to make them away: and therefore also even this toleration of such causeless divorces was abrogated by our Savior, Matth. 5. 31, 32. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

To wit, by marrying and lying with a second husband, her first husband being still living. It seems that after a man had given his wife a bill of divorce, and sent her away, if he repented of what he had done▪ and was reconciled to his wife thus unjustly divorced, before she had taken another husband, he might with her consent cancel the bill of divorce, and receive her again as his wife; but after she had once married another husband, he might not take her again, no not after her second husband was dead, and that because she was defiled. But why is the wife here said to be defiled with lying with her second husband, since by the law of God she might lawfully marry him? I answer, the most of Expositors say that it is because this her second marriage, her first husband being yet living, was against the first institution of marriage, and so sinful, and only tolerated for a time amongst the Jews because of the hardness of their hearts▪ Matth. 5. 31, 32. but yet because it is hard to say how it could be sin • e in her who was as it were perforce put away by her first husband, especially since the Apostle hath determined in a like case, to wit, in the case of a willful separation, that the innocent party may marry again, 1. Cor. 7. 15. therefore others think that by being defiled here is meant only her lying with her second husband, which in a natural way is accounted a pollution without any intimation of the sinfulness thereof; or else her being defiled in regard of him, that is, one whom he might no more touch nor meddle with, it being, as it follows in the next words, an abomination before, the Lord, that a man should deliver up his wife, as it were, to another man's bed, and then take her when he pleased himself again.

That is, thou shalt not cause the land to be defiled with sin, and so to be liable to punishment, or make others to sin by thine example.

This law was for the exemption of those that had taken a new wife, that is, those that had newly married a wife, from being sent forth to war, or from being charged with any business, to wit, any public employment that would necessarily▪ cause him to be absent from his wife: and the ground of this law was not so much the unfitness of such men for public employments, in regard their minds would still be so much upon their wives, as the providing for the settling of their love one to another, as is manifest by the following words, he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. When a woman is newly married, and so taken from her fathers house and family, and transplanted into a new stock, she is subject to grieve much, and hath the more need to be tendered and cherished by her husband; and besides, if the first year by living lovingly together their hearts be once thoroughly settled one to the other, there would be the more hope of wellknit affections forever after; and to give a privilege to the new-married man in this respect, was this law given the Israelites.

For one of the millstones being gone, the other is unuseful, and by consequence the taking of anything as a pledge, that is of the like necessary use for the exercise of a man's calling, or for the sustenance of his life, is here forbidden. See Exod. 22. 26.

See the note upon Exod. 21. 16.

This example is added, to render them the more careful of what he had enjoined in the foregoing verse, to wit, that in the plague of leprosy they should observe diligently and do according to all that the priests the Levites should teach them. Remember, saith Moses, what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam, that is, remember how for her sin and contempt of Moses the Lord struck her with leprosy, and thereby be warned to take heed of sinning against God by slighting the directions of the Levites, whom God hath set over you to teach you in all things what ye should do, lest otherwise ye provoke God to punish you, and to strike you with leprosy as he did her▪ or rather, Rem • mber what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam, that is, remember how she was by God's special command shut out of the camp seven days, until she had been purified according to the law: If she might not be exempted, who then shall plead exemption? See that therefore ye carefully observe those laws given concerning the shutting up of the lepers, and the cleansing of them when they are healed, and whatever else from the law of God the Levites shall direct you to do.

Some conceive that the end of this law, enjoining the pledge still to be brought to the door, was to make men careful so to order their expenses, that they might not be put in the sight of their neighbors to pawn their clothes, and to curb the creditor, that he might not be too harsh and g • eedy in exacting a pledge. But far more probable that is which is held by most of Expositors, namely, that God did he • ein provide for the poor man, both that the creditor might not pick and choose his pledge where he pleased, though it was that which he was very unwilling to part with, but should be content wi • h that which should be brought out to him; as likewise bec •• se poor men are usually ashamed that strangers should come in and in every corner behold their penury and want.

Concerning this law, see the No • e upon Exod. 22. 26. As there the Lord presseth this work of mercy upon his people, by threatening that if by keeping away such a necessary pledge the poor man were provoked to cry unto him he would hear his cries, and be avenged on such a hard-hearted creditor; so here also, by promising that in case they did herein show mercy to the poor, the poor should bless them, that is, pray for them, and he would hear their prayers, and so by their prayers the poor should be able abundantly to require them though otherwise they were not able to do it.

That is, the Lord will accept of it as a holy and good work, and will abundantly reward it; and indeed the righteousness even of such works in the best of God's servants consists more in God's acceptance of them, because he saith they shall be righteousness unto them, then in any perfection that is in them.

CHAP. XXV.

That is, • ourtie stripes is the utmost that for any offense the Judge shall appoint the faulty person to suffer; and the reason is given, lest if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee, that is, if you should proceed to what extremity you list herein, it would argue too great a contempt of such a poor wretch, who though he have offended is notwithstanding a brother, and therefore not to be used as if there were no more regard to be had of him then of a beast. Now so superstitiously careful were the Jews not to transgress this law, that their custom was still to stay at 39. stripes, even when they meant to go as high as they might, and that for sear lest in giving the stripes they should have mistold one: whence was that of the Apostle, 2. Cor. 11. 24. for that I conceive was the true reason why they never gave full four • ie stripes, though others hold they did it out of a foolish conceit of appearing herein merciful, to wit, in that they gave the malefactor one stripe less then by God's Law they might have done.

The Israelites used not it seems to thresh their corn with flails, but trod it out with the seat of beasts, Hos. 10. 11. Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn: yea and sometimes with cart-wheels, as we may see, Esa. 28. 27. The fetches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cartwheel turned about upon the cummin, and verse. 28. Bread-corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheels of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen: and hence it was that God gave them this law, not to muzzle the mouths of their oxen, so to hinder them from eating the ears of corn when they were thus led up and down upon the sheaves that with their hoofs they might tread it out; and herein the Lord taught them to be merciful to th • very brute beasts they had occasion to make use of, and to take heed of all inhumanity and cruelty towards them: and secondly, by necessary consequence much more to beware of depriving their brethren of that which is due to them for the service they did them, especially so as not to let them eat the fruit of their labors. If it be unnatural not to let the ox eat of the corn he treadeth out, much more it is against the light of nature to deny requisite allowance to ministers that provide us the food of our souls, and to keep those that any way labor for us from having a share in the benefit that redounds to us by their means. Indeed some would have this last the only thing intended in this Law, & that it was not at all to be understood literally of oxen▪ & that because S. Paul proving from these very words, 1. Cor. 9. 9. that it was fitting that the Preachers of the Gospel should live of their labors, he adds, Doth God take care for oxen? or saith he it altogether for our sakes? for our sakes no doubt this is writ • , &c. But for this conceit there is no ju • t ground in the Apostles words: for he meant not those words absolutely, that God did not in his law provide for their merciful dealing with their oxen; but only that the principal thing intended in that law was not so much to take care that the oxen might be suffered to feed as they trod out the corn, as to teach them that if it w • re cruelty to deny a poor beast his food in this kind, it would be far worse to deny their brethren, and God's laborers, to live of the fruit of their labors.

For the better understanding of this law two things must be known: first, that by brethren that dwell together are meant brethren that live in the same city or tow • , or happily in the same house, as when a man's sons live together in their fathers house; for this first clause is added by way of limitation, to show that in case the brother or next kinsman of the deceased party should live afar off in some remote place, the widow should not then be bound to seek him out, but might challenge the right of marriage from the next kinsma • that lived in that place that was not yet married: and secondly, that it is meant not only of next kinsmen▪ but also of natural brothers, as is evident in many places of Scripture; for even in the days of the Patriarchs (God having then given this law to his Church, as he did many other ceremonial precepts concerning sacrifices, &c. which afterwards he confirmed amongst the Israelites by the hand of Moses) Er the firstborn son of Judah died without issue, and Onan his second son married his widow, according to this Law; and when Onan died also without issue, Judah advised his daughter in law to continue a widow in her fathers house till Shel • h his third son was grown and fit for marriage, chap. 38. 8, 9, 10, 11. and so also, Ruth 1. 11, 12, 13. when Naomi’s daughters in law, the widows of her two sons that died without issue, would needs go along with her into the land of Israel, she dissuaded them by this argument, that she was past hope of having son • es, at least such as might be th • ir husbands; and the Sadducees we see propounded a question to our Savior, Matth. 22. 24, 25. concerning seven brethren that successively married one and the • ame woman, purposely to raise up seed unto their bro • her. But was not this incest by the Law of nature, confirmed by Moses Law, Lev. 18. 16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brothers wife. I answer, it was doubtless incest generally for any man to marry his brothers wife; but to the Israelites in this particular case it was not so, and that because this was given them as a special exception to that general Law, peculiar only to them as being ceremonial. The firstborn were types of Christ, who is therefore called the f •• st-born among many brethren, Rom. 8. 29. and the land was to them a type of heaven: So that he who died without a first-born might seem to die without interest in the first-born Christ, and the blotting out his name out of the land of Can • an carried a kind of show of being blotted out of heaven: and therefore was barrenness counted such • heavy affliction, and the cutting of their names out of the land of Canaan reputed a most fearful judgment, Let his posterity be cut off▪ saith David, Psal. 109. 13. and in the generation following let their name be blotted out. Now therefore to teach them still to fear that heaviest of judgments, their dying without interest in Christ or heaven, they were appointed by this law to see that the name of their deceased brother were not put out of Israel.

That is, he shall be counted the legal son of his brother that died without issue: and hence Obed, whom Boaz begat of Ruth, is said to be Naomi’s so • ne, Ruth 4. 17. beca • se he was counted the legal son of Elimelech, her deceased son, Ruths for • er husband, though withal he was counted the natural son of Boaz, Luke 3. 32.

Both the woman's loosing of his shoe from off his foot that would not marry her, and likewise her spitting in his face, were appointed doubtless by way of disgracing and shaming the man that would not according as God had appointed raise up seed to his deceased brother: for though indeed in all resignations or alienations of house a • d land from one man to another this ceremony was used, that he who did resign the house or land pulled off his s • oe▪ and gave it to his neighbor, to whom he passed it over, Ruth 4. 7. thereby signifying that he would now be disabled from going anymore upon such house or lands as any part of his estate (and so also in this case of marriage it might signify that he re •• gned his right o • marriage to any other that would marry her) yet here I conceive it was done also in a way of disgracing the man, to show that he was unworthy to marry her, and to enter upon and possess his brothers inheritance; and so likewise it was much more for her spitting in his face. There is nothing that is a greater shame and reproach to a man then to have any body spit in his face, If h • r fath • r had but spit on her face should she not be ashamed seven days? saith the Lord of Miriam, Numb. 12. 14. and so, I hid not my face from shame and spitting, saith the Prophet in the person of Christ, Isai. 50. 6. and therefore the woman's spitting in the face of him that would not marry her was in effect all one as if she had openly protested him to be a man that deserved to be derested and abhorred of all men, a man that was not worthy to show his face amongst his brethren: yea indeed so foul a disgrace this was, that it was therefore never done but when the woman did claim and press her right before the Elders, and the • ext kinsman did still obstinately refuse her; for when by a free agreement the next brother or kinsman did resign his right to another, the widow also consenting, here this note of • nfamie was never put upon him, as we may see. Ruth 4. 8. where there was no spitting on the face of the next kinsman, but only by pulling off his shoe he resigned his right to Boaz, and so he married Ruth.

See the note upon Exod. 1. 21.

That is, whenever in after-times this man's family shall be spoken of, it shall be under the name of, The man that had his shoe loosed, this shall they say was the house of him that had his shoe loosed: and thus there was a note of infamy set both upon the man himself, and likewise upon his family and posterity, that men might hereby be rendered the more careful to submit herein to the direction of God's law.

Because much might be said for the woman that did in this case take hold of the secrets of the man that was fighting with her husband, as first, that the affection of a loving wife must needs make her passions stir when she sees her husband beaten, and provoke her to do what she can to rescue him; secondly, that being not able to help him by strength, she sought by taking that advantage to force the man to give over smiting him, and did what she did not out of wantonness but merely for her husbands help; and thirdly, that a weak woman is not so well able to bridle her passions, and therefore may easily be overborn by them to do that which is not fitting▪ therefore God did expressly here enjoin that by no such arguments the Judges should be moved to take pity on the woman that had herein offended, but that they should cert • inly cut off her hand, hereby giving them to understand how much he abhors all wanton, bold, impure and shameless behavior in those that profess them • elves to be his people.

To wit, a great, to buy with, and a small, to sell with; or a greater to be kept to be shown to th • Magistrate or O • ficers when they come to view & try thy weights and measures, and a less, which notwithstanding thou usest continually in selling thy wares.

There is an E • pha • is in these words, when ye were come forth out of Egypt, the noting whereof will help us much in the understanding of the passage; for herein Moses implies the reason why the Lord was so highly offended against the Amalekites, above other nations, for their assaulting the Israelites, that he did then pass sentence against them, that their whole nation should be utterly destroyed, and did now put them in mind to execute against them what he had decreed; and why also in the following verse he infers from this which Amalek did▪ that he feared not God, He met t • ee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind the • , when thou wast faint and weary, namely, becau • e this circumstance, that he did this to the Israelites, when they were newly come out of Egypt did much aggravate their sin, and their contempt of God, and that in two respects: first, in regard the Israelites had already endured so much misery; for to oppress those that had been already so grievously oppressed was an act of great inhumanity and cruelty, and a notable contempt of God, who is so constantly wont to plead the cause of those that are so barbarously used: and secondly, in regard of that which God had so lately done for the Israelites in Egypt; for when God had so immediately before manifested the special love that he bore to this people by taking such vengeance on the Egyptians for their sakes, and by those many strange signs and wonders which he had wrought amongst them, it argued a high degree of desperate boldness in the Amalekites, that yet notwithstanding they were not afraid to fight against them, and so indeed in fighting against them to fight against God.

This judgment God appointed Saul to execute, 1. Sam. 15. 2, 3. but he failed in the performance of it. Afterwards God stirred up the Simeonites in Hezekiah's days, who smote the rest of the Amalekites, 1. Chron. 4. 42, 43. And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that wer • escaped, and dwelt there unto this day: and what befell Haman and his sons, who were of that race, is largely related in the third chapter of Esther.

CHAP. XXVI.

This seemeth to have been done by every m • n and that every year, either at the feast of Pentecost, call • d also the feast of weeks, as seemeth to be implied, Deut. 16. 10. And thou shalt keep the fe • st of weeks unto the Lord thy God, w • th atribute of a freewill-offering of thy hand &c. or rather at the feast of tabernacles, which is called the feast of in-gathering at the years end, Exod. 23. 16. when they brought of the first-fruits of their fruit-trees, as the bringing of them in a bushel seems to imply. And these first-fruits they thus brought unto the Lord, first, as an acknowledgement th • t it was the Lord that had freely given them this land, as he had promised to their for • fathers, which is tha • , verse. 3. I profess, &c. and that of him they still held it, and to him therefore, as by way of trib • te due to him, the Lord in chief, they brought these first-fruits; secondly, to tes • isie that the yearly fruitfuln • sse of this their land was also from his bl • ssing, &c.

To wit, as the figure of Christ, in whom only our services become acceptable wi •• God, Hebr. 13. 15. By him therefore l • t us offer the sacrifice of pra • se to God continually, that is the fruit of o • r l • ps, giving than • s to his na • e. The • ame was likewise taught them in the • etting down of this basket of first- • ruits before the altar, verse. 4.

That is, Jacob: for though he was born in Canaan, yet he was of the stock of Syrians; for Abram his grandfather came out of Ur of the Chaldees, the land of his nativity, Gen. 11. 28. which was a part of Syria, whence Laban▪ who lived in the same country, is also called a Syrian, Gen. 28. 5. Yea Jacob was not only born of Syrian parents, and only lived as his fathers had done before him a stranger and pilgrim in the land of Canaan, but also abode a great part of his time there: for there he dwelt with Laban twenty years at least in hard service, Hos. 12. 12. And Jacob fl • d into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. When he returned thence into the land of Canaan, after a few years, by the extremity of famine he was constrained to remove into Egypt, to which extremity I conceive the holy Ghost hath here special reference, in calling him a Syrian ready to perish, though withal it▪ may have respect also to the poverty and misery he underwent in Syria, and in his going thither, whe • he fled for his life because of his brother Esau. But however, this acknowledgement of the meanness of their original was doubtless thereby to magni • y the goodness of God, in raising them to such a condition as now they did enjoy.

It is said before, verse. 4. that the man that brought this basket of first-fruits was to deliver it into the hand of the priest; and therefore the meaning of this which is said here of his setting it before the Lord, is only this, that he should leave it there set down before the altar, to wit, by the priest, who with the rest of his brethren did afterwards eat them, all first-fruits appertaining to them, as we may see, Deut. 18. 4. As for that second clause, and worship before the Lord thy God, hereby is meant that after he had delivered his basket of first-fruits into the hands of the priest to be set down before the Lord, a • d had made that thankful and open profession of God's great goodness to his people, which is expressed largely in the foregoing verses, he was then to add such other duties of God's worship and service as were to be performed, as prayer, and offering sacrifices, and then bowing down before the Lord, to depart away.

Though th • s may be extended to the cheer • ull using of God's gifts all the year after, which • hey might indeed the more comfortably enjoy, when they had in this te • tifyed their thankfulness, as he had appointed; yet I conceive it is chieflly intended of their feasting together in Jerusalem, after they had done their servi • e, together with the Levites, and strangers, with the peace-offerings they had brought thither, even as they used to do at all other feasts, Deut. 16. 11, 15.

See the note upon chap. 14. 28.

Tha • is, even in my greatest wants and necessities, when I was put to the great • t straits, I have not ventured to supply myself from them: and indeed that which men will not do at other times, they will make bold to do when they are in want and di • tresse; and therefore were they appoint • d particularly to clear themselves of this: or else it may be meant of mourning for the loss of friends, I have not eat • n th • reof in my mourning, that is, in the time of my mourning for my dead friends; for hereby these hallowed things • hold have been defiled, Hos. 9. 4. Their sacrifices shall be unto th • m as the bread of mourners: all that eat thereof shall be polluted; which also shows that this is meant, not of those tithes only which were yearly paid to the Levites, whereof the owner of the land might not eat, but also of the first and second years tithes, which the owners were to eat before the Lord, Deut. 14. 22, 23.

That is, for any use besides that for which they were appointed. For any employing these hallowed things for civil uses would have defiled them, much more if they were employed naturally or legally to be deemed 〈…〉 .

That is, yea so strictly careful have I been not to alienate these holy things to any other use then that enjoined by thy law, that I have not diverted them to those uses wherein reason might sugge • t they might • e charitably and religiously employed, as for the burying the dead, for the buying of anything for that service, of love to provide anything that is to be eaten at any dead man's funeral; for indeed at funerals the kindreds friends and neighbors used to go to eat and drink with those that had lost their friends, as by way of comforting them: whence, Jer. 16. 7. Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning to comfort them for the d • ad, neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother; and Ezek. 24. 17. Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the d • ad, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men; and thereby both they and their meat were legally unclean by the law, Numb. 19. 14. This is the law when a man dieth in a tent, that all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

First they were to make that solemn protestation in the foregoing verses, that they had not failed in paying their tithes exactly according to God's law, and then they were to add this prayer, wherein they desired God to bless his people, and the land wherein they dwelt; and hereby the people were taught to assure themselves, that if they did not strictly give God his right in this matter of tithes, they could not expect a bl • ssing from the Lord either upon them or their land, yea that without this it would be in vain to pray for a blessing.

Which as it is a part of the covenant on God's behalf, so is it the work of his grace in all his people, Jer. 31. 33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, After those days saith the Lord▪ I will put my law in their inward parts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

CHAP. XXVII.

Moses having assembled the people that he might give them a charge for the building of a monument of great stones at their first entrance into Canaan, whereon the law was to be written, he first begins with this Exhortation, Keep all the commandments tha • I command you this day, thereby to give them a hint of the end for which this monument was to be erected, namely, that it might be a memorial to put them in mind of keeping God's law.

For the better understanding of the charge here given for the setting up of this monument, whereon the law was to be written, we must know first, that though it be said here that they should do this on the day they pas •• d over Jordan, yet thereby was not meant the very day they went over Jordan • ut only that they sh • uld do it at their first entrance into the land of Canaan. Day in the Scripture • s ordinarily used for time, as Luke 19. 42. If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! and so it is here. The meaning is only this, that after they were once gotten over the river Jordan▪ they should take care at their first opportunity to see that this were done: and so it is expressed, verse. 4. when ye be gone over Jordan ye shall set up these stones. And indeed in the history of Joshua we may see, chap. 8. 30. that this monument was not erected till after the taking of A • : secondly, that though the text speaks on • lie of setting • p great stones▪ and plastering them with mortar, yet it is most probable that thereby is meant the setting up or building of some notable monument with these stones, which should be then plastered over with plaster for the more conveniency of writing the law thereon, which could not so well have been done upon the rough stones: thirdly, that though it be not expressed what law of God it was that was to be written on this monument, and therefore some conceive that it was the ten commandments, others the curses and the blessings, which were then also to be pronounc • d upon mount Ebal and mount Gerizim, and others this whole book of Deuteronomy, the law which Moses had now given them, and for the proving thereof they urge much, that it is so of • en called, this law, as verse. 3. Thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, and so again, verse. 32. it is said that he wrote there upon the ston • s a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel; yet it is most probable that either the cursings and blessings are here meant, or else the ten commandments, called the ten words, Exod. 34. 28. which are the sum of the whole law, and that because we cannot conceive how this whole book of Deuteronomi • could be written upon this monument in such fair plain characters that everyone might read it, and yet this was expressly enjoined them, verse. 8. And thou shalt write upon these stones all the words of this law v • ry plainly: and fourthly, that the end of erecting this monument whereon the law was thus written was twofold; first, that it might be a memorial to put them in mind, that when God did at first bring them into the land it was upon these co • ditions, that they should serve him as his peculiar people, and keep all those laws which he had given them in charge; secondly, that finding also hereby how far they had been from doing exactly what God had required of them, and that hereby they were left under the curse, this might lead them to seek salvation in Christ, the promised Messiah. And for this very reason it was also that this monument was set up in mount Ebal, verse. 4. the mount whence the curse was denounced, verse. 13. against them that continued not • n all things written in the law, to signify that those that sought salvation in the law must needs be left under the curse; and secondly, together with this monument there was an altar built, and set up, verse. 5. whereon they offered sacrifices, verse. 6, 7. to teach them, that the righteousness and salvation which could not be attained by the works of the law was to be sought in Christ, of whom this altar was a type, and who is indeed the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth, Rom. 10. 4.

See the note upon Exod. 24. 4.

See the notes on Exod. 20. 24, 25.

To wit, because they had at this time in a solemn manner renewed their covenant with God.

Moses here enjoins the people that when they had set up the monument of stones on mount Ebal, whereon the law was written, and the • ltar, mentioned verse. 5. and had offered sacrifices thereon as God had commanded them, they should then afterwards in a solemn manner give their consent to the blessings and curses that should be pronounced by the priests upon those that should keep, and upon those that should break God's laws; and the manner enjoined for the doing hereof was this: Six of the tribes were to stand upon mount Gerizim, to wit, Simeon and Levi, and Judah and Issachar, and Joseph and Benjamin (where by the tribe of Joseph is meant the two distinct tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, who are here joined together as one, because Levi is here reckoned as one of the twelve) and these were all the posterity of Leah and Rachel; and then the six other tribes were to • tand upon mount Ebal, to wit, Gad and Asher, Dan and Naphtali, who were the sons of the handmaids, and with them the Tribes of Reuben, who for his sin lost his birthright, and Zebulun the youngest of Leah's sons: and so the tribes being thus divided, the priests came with the ark, Josh. 8. 32. into the little valley that was betwixt these two mountains, and there first they pronounced the blessings (happily turning their faces towards mount G • rizzim) and then all the tribes that stood on mount Gerizim answered Amen, and then turning again to mount Ebal they pronounced the twelve curses, that are afterwards set down in the latter end of this chapter, and then all the tribes that stood on mount Ebal answered Amen. Indeed in Josh. 8. 33. it is not said that the tribes stood upon mount Gerizim and upon mount Ebal, but that they stood half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal: But hereby one and the same thing is meant, only it is so expressed in Joshua, either to intimate that th • tribes stood the one company right opposite against the other, or else rather because the people, at least their rulers and officers, stood on the first ascending of the hills, and so indeed rather over against them then upon them. Besides, though there is no mention made here of the priests pronouncing the blessings, but only the curses, yet in Joshua 8. 33. it is expressly said that Joshua read (that is, the priests by Joshuas appointment) the blessings and the curses: and therefore doubtless the blessings were read by the priests as well as the curses, only Moses passeth over the blessings, either because they might be easily enough gathered from the contrary curses which are expressed, or else (as some conceive) by this his silence in not mentioning the blessings, to lead his prudent reader to look for the blessings by another, which is Christ, Acts 3. 26. God having raised up his son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning everyone of you away from his iniquities: for silence in the holy story often implieth great mysteries, as the Apostle showeth from Moses silence concerning Melchizedek’s parents, Heb. 7. 3, &c. As for the reasons why the Lord would have the people in such a solemn manner to give assent to these blessings and curses thus pronounced in their hearing, we may probably conceive it was, first, to teach them hereby that the law of God was just, the sinner himself being judge, and that he who breaks them must needs be self-condemned even by the light of a natural conscience; and secondly, the better to restrain them from breaking these laws, where there was no danger of being punished by the Magistrate, by putting them in mind that these sins would however expose them to God's curse. And indeed the rather may we think that this God intended in this solemn service, because most of the sins here particularly accursed are secret sins, as secret idolatry, verse. 15. the secret removing of the land-mark, verse. 17. incest, and bestiality, and such other sins as men are usual to conceal. Some add besides, that mount Gerizim being on the right hand of the priests, and mount Ebal on the left, hereby that day was shadowed forth, when a blessing shall be pronounced on them at the right hand, and a curse upon them at the left. But whether there was any ground for this mystery, I question much: What is fit to be further observed concerning this passage, we may see in the foregoing note upon chap. 11. 29.

That is, the priests, the Levites, for so it is expressed, Josh. 8. 33. and indeed the Levites in general stood upon mount Gerizim amongst their brethren of the other tribes, verse. 12.

Under this all sins against the first table are likewise accursed, and so under the following particulars all sins against the second table.

So subscribing to the justice of God's law, and as it were wishing that the curse might befall them, if they should in any of these things transgress God's commandments.

And so also much more they that mislead simple men and women into any dangerous and damnable error, pernicious to their souls.

CHAP. XXVIII.

That is, thou shalt excel all other nations both in r • gard of temporal blessings, and especially in regard of spiritual and heavenly advancements.

They shall come upon thee unexpectedly.

That is, in all places.

That is blessed shalt thou be in all thy possessions.

That is, blessed shalt thou be in the use of all that thou hast.

That is, in all thy employments, public or private.

This chiefly is meant of spiritual blessings, of being God's peculiar people, and the firm perpetuity of • he covenant made with them; and it is added in the last place, as the chief • iece 〈◊〉 their happ • nesse.

That is, that thou art the peculiar people of God: for the meaning is, that all nations should plainly perceive by the singular blessings that shall be heaped upon this people, that God did indeed own them for his special people▪ and that they were called by his name, as sons are called by the name of their 〈…〉 and wives by the names of their husbands.

Mos • s calls the heavens the Lord's good treasure, because he keeps there in store those things wherewith he causeth the earth to yield abundance of increase for the enriching of those that dwell therein, as the rain to water the ground, the heat of the sun, and the influence of the moon and stars, to make all things therein to grow and prosper, &c.

That is, thou shalt be highly esteemed above other nations, and not scorned and despised as a base and contemptible people.

That is, there shall be no avoiding these judgments: though thou triest all ways, and with all the skill and diligence that can be used dost endeavor to escape and fly from these miseries, yet it shall not be; thou mayest sometimes think that thou art gotten out of danger, but thy hopes shall be in vain, these judgments shall still pursue thee, and at last overtake thee.

That • s, God will send the pestilence into thy cities and towns, and you shall be no ways able to rid yourselves of it when it is among you; in vain shall any means be used to stay the spreading of the infection, because the Lord shall command it to cleave unto you, and to continue amongst you.

It is not without cause that Moses saith not, The heavens shall be brass, and the earth iron, but, the heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron; for the Lord intended that this should give them a hint of fear, by showing them how God had hemmed them in with judgments on every hand, if they should walk rebelliously against him.

That is, instead of rain there shall fall upon thy grounds, trees, plants, &c. powder and dust, which the wind and other things raise in times of drought.

It is a spiritual madness and blindness and astonishment of heart which God here threatens, to wit, when God deprives men of the use at least of their understanding, that they stand in a manner like a blind man, or one that is suddenly amazed or astonished, not knowing which way to turn themselves; or shall do such things which if they were not bewitched (as S. Paul saith of the Galatians Gal. 3. 1.) if they were not blind or drunk or mad, as we use to say, they would never. Accordingly therefore by groping at noon-day, in the following verse, all the effects are meant of this brutish stupidity and spirit of giddiness, wherewith the Lord in his just judgment doth many times strike men, as when they shall cast themselves headlong into manifest dangers, and shall not be able to apprehend the occasions of helping themselves, or doing good to themselves, though never so clearly proffered unto them, when men shall run on securely in those sins which the very light of nature must needs tell them are the high-way to hell, and when God's anger is clearly discovered by his judgments, yet they will not see it, when they shall live under plentiful means of grace, and yet shall continue ignorant, or willfully reject both Christ and heaven: and indeed in this regard we may well say that the Jews did thus, through God's just judgment, grope at noon-day, and so still do unto this hour, in that the light of the Gospel shining upon them, they would not nor will yet acknowledge Christ their promised Messiah, which makes the Apostle say, 2. Cor. 3. 14. that until this day there is a veil over their minds in the reading of the old testament, and Rom. 11. 8. God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this day.

The sting of the judgment here threatened lies in this, that their enemies should lie with those they had newly betrothed to be their wives, before themselves had enjoyed them: and so it is likewise in the particulars following, that they should be bereaved of their new-built houses before they had dwelt a day in them, and of their vineyards before themselves had eaten of the fruit of them. Though it be misery enough at any time to have those things taken away by enemies, wherein we delight▪ yet it is a great aggravation of this misery, when after we have taken much pains to get them, and have set our hearts upon them, and are filled with hope and expectation of enjoying the fruit of our labors, then on a sudden they should be snatched away, and so all our hope should be quite dashed, and others should enjoy all the swee • we had labored for.

The judgment here threatened is first, that they should behold with their eyes when their children were carried away captive which is a great aggravation of this calamity; for it is not so great a vexation to hear of the loss of goods, or children, as to have them taken away before our eyes: and therefore also is that added, verse. 24. So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see, because doubtless the sorrow that enters to the heart by the eye doth usually cut deeper then tha • which enters by the ear • : and secondly, that their eyes should look, and fail with longing for them, &c. whereby is meant either the failing and marring of their eyes by their extreme mourning and weeping for their children, or else (because there is mention made of longing for them) that they should expect and wait for some help for the rescuing of their children (even till eyes fail with waiting) but all in vain, in that they should never be able to deliver them.

From whom the less mercy can be expected: and withal God implies how vain their hope of peace should be, grounded with their friendship with all the nations about them, since he was able to bring a nation upon them whom they know not, and whom therefore they never feared.

Observable it is that it is so expressly noted, that not only they, but their King also should be carried into captivity: for first, hereby is implied the universality of the judgment, in that not so much as their King should be able to escape out of the hand of those over-bearing enemies; and secondly, it is a great aggravation of any people's misery when their Kings are cut off, that are the chief hope of any state: when the head is under water, the whole body must needs be in great danger, and therefore we shall find in public judgments the people of God have still lamented above all for the loss of their prince, as Lam. 4. 20. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pit, of whom we said, Under his shadow shall we live among the heathen.

[To wit, either being seduced by the enticing persuasions of those idolaters, amongst whom you shall live there, or else forced to it by the tyranny of your Lor • s and masters. In either of these cases it was a heavy judgment to God's people, as being an evil that endangered their souls and their eternal well-being, as so it is here threatened as the most grievous of all miseries; yet withal there is couched in these words too an exprobration of this people's proneness to idolatry, intimating that then they should • ave gods enough, and b • • lutted with superstitious will-worship, to which they were so strongly 〈◊〉 ▪

There is much included in this threatening, as that their calamities s • old be so great that their very enemies should be astonished at them, and that they should be the common table-talk of those that had vanquished them. But the chief thing intended is, that they should be slouted, and scorned, and made a laughing-stock in all places where ever they came.

Moses had before threatened that the enemies of their land should prevail against them, and tyrannize over them; but now he adds, as a farther degree of misery, that the very strangers, that formerly lived amongst them only by permission as sojourners▪ should come to lord it over them, and be in far better condition then themselves: and indeed it doth much increase men's distress when they come to be so far beneath those that were formerly as far beneath them.

See the foregoing note upon verse. 15.

Their bondage is here compared to a yoke of iron, not only because it should be so heavy and insupportable, by reason of the many g ievous miseri • s they should suffer there, but also because they should be no way able to break the yoke from off their necks, that is, to rid themselves out of their bondage, but should continue under it, until it had utte • lie co • sumed them.

Th • t is, sudde • lie▪ unexpectedly, and with unresistable violence. And indeed the Babylonian, the nation here intended, is described to be a lyon with eagles wings, Dan. 7. 4. and Nebuchadnezzar is likened to a great eagle with great wings, as we • ay see, Ezech. 17. 3, 12. and there is of • en mention made of their swiftness, as Jer. 4. 13. Behold▪ he shall come upon us as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirl wind; his horses are swifter then eagles. Lam. 4. 19. Our persecutors are swifter then the eagles of the heaven, they pursued us upon the mountains, &c.

So that it shall not be possible to call for mercy at his hand.

This last clause, wherein thou • rustedst, is added not only to intimate that the enemy that God would bring against them would batter down their strongest walls & bulwarks, but also by way of upbrayding them▪ for putting too much confidence in such things as these, which alas should be no help at all to secure them against those enemies that God would send to destroy them.

The Heb • ew word signifieth her af • er-birth, and implieth that the mother should devour both that and the child with it, which much aggravates the judgment.

Which being dire • tly contrary to that which God had promised, must needs be an evident sign of God's displeasure against them.

The drift of these words is to imply how great the indignation of the Lord against them should be, that should make him not only destroy, but also rejoice in destroying a nation that had formerly been so precious in his eyes, and for whom he had done such great and wonderful t • ings. Nor doth this contradict what the Lord saith, Ezek. 33. 11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, &c. for though God doth not delight in the destruction of his creatures, yet as there is an execution of justice done upon wicked men that despise his mercy, the Lord is pleased with it, and rejoiceth to destroy them.

To be carried away from their native country is to all men a heavy judgment, but much heavier to the Jews then to any others, their land being the inheritance given them of God; therefore their expulsion out of Canaan was a loss of the pledge of their adopt • on, and a sign, as it were, that their heavenly father had disinherited and cast them off.

That is, you shall not only be carried away captive into a strange land, but also when you come thither you shall be dispersed and scattered abroad into several places. A great degree of their misery: when they were carried captives out of their native country, had they dwelt all together in the land of their captivity, it had been the less grievous; but to be dispersed into s • verall places, where they should not see the faces of their brethren, that was a • ore calamity indeed.

That i • , when you are brought into a strange country, ye shall be there as far from being settled as ye were before, because there ye shall be continually removed and carried ab •• t from one place to another. And indeed it was just with God, that this people, which would not serve him in the land of his rest, Psal. 95. 11. which was to t • em also a pledge of eternal rest prepared in heaven, should be driven from t • ence, and live forever after in a restl • sse cond • tion.

That is, thou shalt be in a continual doubt and • ear of losing thy life: for so it is explained in the following words, thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have no assurance of thy life. Now this their fear was occasioned partly by the savage cruelty of their lords and masters, and partly by the guilt that lay upon their consci • nces, which made them continually look that God should cut them o • f in his wrath and di • pl ••• ure. And indeed observable it is that the • eathen Poet should in this regard 〈◊〉 them by the name of Judea treme • s, that is, Judaei trementes, trembling Jews, Juven. Sat. 6.

That is, the Lord shall cause you to be carried again by ships into Egypt, whither he had said you shall not return no more (as is noted, chap. 17. 16. the place to which these words have reference) though there be mention both there and here of returning into Egypt by the way through which they came when they came out of Egypt, to wit, because that was the ordinary way betwixt Canaan and Egypt, yet both places are to be understood generally of any returning into Egypt, and not only of returning by the same way. It is true indeed that when the Jews, after the destruction of Jerusalem, were sold for slaves by the Romans, though many of them were then carried away by shipping into Egypt (and so that was then accomplished which is here threatened) yet it might be well enough said that they were brought back into Egypt • y the way whereof God said, thou shalt see it no more, to wit, by the way of the wilderness, and that because we may suppose that being brought by shipping near to the plains of Moab, they were then set on shore, and so were carried the r • st of the way on foot through the wilderness. But I say there is no necessity that we should understand this precisely of their being carried into Egypt by the way they went out from thence: That which is here threatened is only this, that God would bring them to be slaves again in Egypt; and we need not wonder that this is threatened in the last place, as a most remarkable judgment, if we consider how terrible the very name of Egypt must needs be to them in regard of those grievous miseries their fathers had already endured there; and that God's undoing of that which he had done, and bringing them back to that bondage from which he had rescued them, when he at first took them to be his peculiar people, was a kind of discharging them from being any longer his people, as if he had quit • cast them off, and meant no more to take any care of them, or to own them for his people.

This last clause, and no man shall buy you, is added, to imply either that there should be so many of them to sale that there should not be buyers enough to buy them (as we read in the Hi •• ories of those times, that after the dest • uction of Jerusalem by Titus there were nin • y and seven thousand captives of the Jews, so that they scarce knew where to sell them) or • lse that the Jews should be so vilified and despised, that no man should profer any money for them. And indeed why else should this be here added? when a man is once in bondage, the likelihood of being passed to another master dot • rather increase his sorrow then otherwise. He knows the worst where he is; what he may suffer elsewhere, he knows not, and there • fore one would think it should be a comfo • t to him that no one would buy him. But I say, it is the base esteem, which men o • all nations should have of the Jews, which the holy Ghost here aims at, it being to all men a great vexation to be slighted and vilified, as if they were not worthy the looking after.

CHAP. XXIX.

Either this hath reference to all that went before in this book, to wit, that the law which he had repeated and explained amongst them was the covenant which the Israelites were to enter into, that is, that which they were now by covenat to bind themselves to do; or else they may have reference to that which follows after, to wit, in the sequel of the chapter, The words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel, that is, the words he was to use to the people when he was now to prepare them for the solemn renewing of their covenant with God, the work which they were immediately to enter upon. Hitherto Moses had repeated the Laws of God, and now • hey were to renew the covenant which God had made with their fathers in Horeb, at the first giving of the Law; and this is that for which in this chapter he now bends himself to prepare the people.

See the note chap. 8. 4.

The more miraculously God had preserved them, the more evident was God's care over them, and the more reason they had to be circumspectly careful of yielding obedience to all his commandments; and therefore it is that Moses puts them in mind how the Lord had sustained them without bread, or wine, and strong drink, feeding them with manna from heaven instead of bread; and doubtless ordinarily they had no other bread, though at sometimes they might; of which see the note, Deut. 2. 6.

That is, into the covenant confirmed with an oath.

That is▪ no less with him that is not here with us, that is, your posterity that is not yet born, t • en with him that standeth here with us this day.

This hath reference to that which went before, verse. 12. 13. where he told them that they were now met together that they might enter into covenant with the Lord their God: and the reason why this is added may be twofold: first, to show how requisite it was that they should renew their cov • nant with God, because having dwelt in the land of Egypt (at least many of them in their younger years) and having gone through many idolatrous nations in their passage towards Canaan, and seen their several idolatries and abominations, there was some cause of fear lest perhaps some of them were tainted by this means, and therefore it was fit, to prevent this, that they should all solemnly renew their covenant with God, and hereto agrees that which follows▪ verse. 18. Lest there should be among you man or woman or family whose heart turneth this day • rom the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of these nations: or secondly, to persuade them to be willing to enter into this • ovenant, to wit, both from the experience they had of the gross abominations of these idolatrous people, and the Lord's severity in punishing them, and likewise from the consideration of God's fatherly providence in carrying them safe through so many dangers.

The ga • l and wormwood here meant, or the poisonful herb and wormwood, as it is in the margin▪ is idolatry, of which Moses spake in the foregoing words, or more generally all sins of rebellion against God, and they are so c • lled, either b • cause they are displeasing and distasteful to God, even as gall and wormwood are to us, or because they will prove to the sinner and such as shall by him be infected bitterness in the end, yea as deadly • oyson to his and their souls: and thus the Scripture speaks of sin in other places, as Amos 5. 6, 7. Seek the Lord—ye who turn • udgement to wormwood; and Heb. 12. 15. Lest an • root of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be desi • ed. And as sor the root that beareth gall and wormwood, thereby is meant either the evil apos • atizing heart forementioned, lest there should be among you man or woman, &c. whose heart turneth away from the Lord our God▪ &c. of which also the Ap • stle speaks after the s • me manner, Heb. 3. 12. Take heed▪ brethren, lest • here be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing • rom the living God: and this is called the root, that beareth this gall and wormwood, because it is hidden from men as the root is hidden under the earth, and yet is the very spring from whence idol • try an • all other sins do grow, so that when men give over their evil ways▪ and yet purge not sin o • t of the heart, it is but as the cropping of weeds in a ga • den, when the roots are left behind; or • lse rather, the root here intended is • ome close idolaters that might be amongst them, who concealing themselves from the public view, as the root is hidden under the ground, would secretly by their example and persuasions in • ect and poison many, and cause their wicked practices to grow and spread amongst the people, till at length they brake forth openly to the ruin of all. And indeed the whole series of the words, both before and after, seem plainly to be spoken of some dangerous persons that might be amongst them, the mischief whe • eof he desires to prevent, by causing them all to enter into a solemn covenant with God, Lest, saith Moses, there should be amongst you man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day srom the Lord our Go • to go and serve the gods of these na • ions; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood. (and then mark what follows) And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, &c. All the way he speaks of some false-spirited men that might be amongst them.

This is the voice of the s • cure sinner, that despiseth the curse, and presump •• ously assures himself of peace and imp • nitie, though he doth that which he hears accursed in God's law; I shall have peace, saith he, though I w • lk in the imaginations of mine heart, that is▪ though I do what I list myself, or wh • t seems good in mine own eyes, to add drunkenness to thirst. Now men thus imboldning themselves with hope of impuniti • may be said to add drunkenness to thirst in two respects: First, because whereas naturally they thirst aster sin • e, but yet are restrained by the light and checks of conscience, this makes them add sin to sin in abundance, to drink iniquity like water, Job 34. 7. to work all uncleanness with greediness, as the Apostle speaks, Eph. 4. 19. it makes them let loo • e themselves even to take their fill and glut of sin, till they become at length, like drunken men, vo • d of all sense and reason and remorse of conscience, not having anything left in them to keep them in from the prosecuting of any villainy whatsoever: and secondly, because the longer and further men proceed to satiate themselves with sin, the greedier they will still be upon it, this giving of themselves to take their • ill of sin being as sure to make their desires after sin more eager then they were before, as drunkenness is to increase thirst.

That is, it will break forth with great fury and terror against him. Moses alludes in this Metaphor, of the smoking of God's anger and jealousy against such men, either to the breath which will break from the nostrils of some men, especially when they are in a great chafe and fury; whence is also that expression of David's concerning the Lord's high displeasure and indignation, there went up a smoke out of his nostrils, Psal. 18. 8. or else to the terror and violence of smoke, which will arise and break forth from any combustible matter when it is first set on fire, even hiding and covering the light of the heavens with its bl •• k clouds.

That is, dried up, barren and good for nothing. Brimstone and salt, where ever they abound, will so dry up the moisture of any grounds that they will be extremely parched and barren; and hence is this expression here used, not unlike that also, Jer. 17. 6. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wild • rnesse, in a salt land, and not inhabited.

The last clause of this verse may be diversely translated: If we read it as it is in the margin of our Bibles, Who had not given to them any portion, then it contains an exprobration of the ingratitude and folly of the Is • aelites in forsaking the Lord, who had given them the land of Canaan, and many o •• er ways done so much for them, to go and worship other gods, who had done, and indeed could do, nothing for them. But if we read it, a • it is in our text, And whom he had not given unto them, then it contains the reason why they did so highly provoke God by their idolatry, to wit, bec • use the Lord had not appointed them any such way of worship: for we must know that the Israelites in all their idol-worship did still pretend the worshipping of the true God under those id • l-gods▪ and therefore against that pretence this is opposed, that he had not given unto them any such gods, nor prescribed them any such way of worshipping him.

These are • till the words of the natious that should thus in time to come talk of God's judgments upon the Israelites after they were carried away as captives into a strange country.

The meaning of these words is plain and easy; but yet why they are inserted here, and what was Moses drift herein, is not easily discerned. Some say that this is not unfitly subjoined to the foregoing exhortation for observing carefully the laws of God, because it discovers, and so gives us a hint to take heed of an ordinary root of disobedience, to wit, when men are ambitious to know and busily search after God's secret counsels, which they have nothing to do with, and by that means are taken off from minding those revealed duties which do so nearly concern them. But I rather conceive that this clause is here inserted, either by way of explaining what he had formerly delivered, to wit, that he said not that they should certainly be thus destroyed, as is before mentioned; No, whether your posterity (saith he) will by their rebellion thus provoke God, and so bring this heavy indignation upon the land, that is only known to God, • nd secret things belong • nto the Lord, we must not meddle with them: but that which he had said was only this, that if they did thus provoke the Lord, then all this ruin should certainly befall them, this God had revealed, and that which God had revealed it became them and their children seriously to lay to heart: or else by way of preventing an objection; for if against all this that he had threatened they should object, that God was infinitely merciful, and would not therefore destroy his people; to this he an • wers, Secret things belong unto the Lord, how far he will show mercy either in forbearing you, or giving you grace to repent, that depends only upon his secret counsel, and we cannot search into it; those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children forever, and that which is revealed is, that if we rebel against him, he will pour out all these judgments upon the land, except by repentance and turning to him we prevent this ruin: which is that therefore we must look to▪ that so by avoiding the sin we may prevent the judgment. And this most probably is the full drift of this clause. And so Mo • es • aches way likewise to those promises of mercy to the penitent, which follow immediately in the next chapter.

CHAP. XXX.

As if he had said, when thou hast had experience both of the one and the other, thou shalt by proof see how much be • ter it is to serve God then to rebel against him, this will then bring thee • o tur • • o the Lord, and the Lord will then again be favorable to thee.

That is, upon their serious repentance. So that it is of God's▪ mercy and compassion rather then anything else that those that do most seriously r • pent find favor at his hand.

See chap. 10. 16.

That is, he will not bestow these outward blessings upon thee, but it shall be for thy good that thou hast them: Many are the worse for abundance of outward things; then only are they true bl • ssings when they are given men for their good.

By the commandment given them in charge, which Moses here speaks of, is not meant the law only, but the whole doctri • e of Mo • es, wherein he had revealed unto them the will of God concerning the way and means of salvation, to wit▪ faith in Christ, the Messiah, and new obedience following thereupon: and this, • e saith, they could not now neglect unde • a pretence of ignorance, that they knew it not, because God had so fully and effectually made it known unto them. Thus the Apostle teacheth us under this place, Rom. 10. where he telleth us that this commandment which Moses here speaketh of is the speech of the righteousness which is of faith, verse. 6. But the righteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? and calleth it therefore the word of faith, verse. 8. And besides it is plain that Moses intended this by his own words here used: for why else doth he say that the commandment which he commanded them was plain and ea • ie, that they might hear it and do it, verse. 12. and that it was very nigh unto them, in their mo • ths, and in their hearts, verse. 14. Since no perspicuity of the Law can make it easy to be done, but as it is given by the hand of a Mediator Evangelically to be kept by us; nor is the Law written in our hearts, but as we are in covenant with God in and through Christ. That therefore which Moses saith was not hidden from them, the doctrine of • alvation by faith in Christ, and the law as it was the rule of new obedience that ever accompanieth true faith: for though the righteousness which is of faith was not so clearly then revealed as it is now, and in that regard comparatively is said to have been then hid, Col. 1. 26. The mystery • hich hath been hid from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints; and far off, Heb. 11. 13. These all died in faith, not having re • eived the promises, but having seen them afar off, &c. yet it was not so hid that it was impossible for them to attain, and the law was plain and easy to be per • ormed evangelically.

That is, you cannot say that God hath not revealed his will • nto you, that you would do it if you knew it, or that he hath given you a dark and obscure law, which you are not able to reach, Esa. 45. 19. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. How these passages are applied by S. Paul, see Rom. 10. 6. 7.

That is, it is so clearly reve • led that thou mayest confess it with thy mouth, and believe i • with thy heart, to wit, being the • eto en • bled by the spirit of regeneration.

See Deut. 4. 26.

CHAP. XXXI.

That is, having caused the people to be assembled together according to the usual manner, he then went unto the assembly, and spake unto them that which here followeth.

One main reason of calling this assembly was that Moses might in a solemn manner substitute Joshua to succeed in his room: and accordingly in the first place he addresseth his speech to persuade the people not to be troubled at this change; for though the people had often murmured and rebelled against Moses, yet being at length brought by him to the borders of the land of Canaan, and having had such good experience of his faithfulness in governing, it could not but be an occasion of much grief and fear to be deprived now of him, to lose him just now when they were entering the land; and therefore he seeks now to comfort them and to prevent their excessive sorrow, and that first by putting them in mind of his years, not that he was already by reason of his years unfit for this weighty office, Deut. 34. 7. but that by the course of nature they might well expect he must now grow weak, and decay, and wax unfit for such great labors, though God had hitherto miraculously preserved him. As for that phrase, I can no more go out and come in, see Numb. 27. 17.

This is a second argument whereby he persuades them to be content to part with him, Also the Lord hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan: as if he should have said, Had I been never so young, never so able to go in and out before you, since God hath determined that I must not c •• ry you over Jordan, but must here end my days, it is fit that we should all yield to his good pleasure.

As if he had said, It was God before by whom ye prevailed against your enemies, even when I was with you, and he will not leave you but destroy your enemies as formerly, and therefore you shall have no cause to be dejected because I am taken away, for your God will still be with you.

That is, be not dis • aid either at the strength of the enemies, against whom thou must lead this people; or at any other troubles that shall befall thee in executing this place of Magistracy whereto thou art called: and indeed Captains and Magistrates have of all other most need of courage and faith in God's providence and assistance.

That is, when Moses had written this book of the law, the book of Deuteronomy, he delivered it solemnly in the sight of the people, unto the priests, and unto all the Elders of Israel, even thereby to give them to understand that they were the men to whose charge it did especially appertain to see that this original book of the law were safely kept, and that the laws contained therein were duly observed, both by them and by the people. The priests were to teach the people the knowledge of this law, and to them it did belong to uphold and maintain his truth and will therein revealed, that it might not be overborn or trodden under soot by any possessed with a spirit of error and profaneness; and therefore was the law delivered to them: and the Elders, they were to assist the priests and the Levites, and to see that the people regarded them in their places, and withal to see that the judicial laws were executed: and therefore to them also the law was delivered. As for the description of the priests, the sons of Levi which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, it may also be added to imply another reason why the book of the law was given to them, namely, because they were to lay up this book in the side of the ark, verse. 26. And though the Levites did usually bear the ark, Numb. 3. 31. and 4. 15. yet sometimes, especially upon extraordinary occasions, the priests also carried it, as when they passed over Jordan, Josh. 3. 16, 17. and when they compassed Jericho, Josh. 6. 12. and they had always the chief charge to look to the ark and the other holy things.

The sum of this passage is briefly this, that Moses commanded the priests to read this book of the law every seventh year, which was the year of release, amongst the people, and that upon the feast of tabernacles that year. Concerning the year of release, and the phrase here used, At the end of every seven years, see the note upon chap. 15. 1. But besides for the fuller understanding of this passage we must note, first, That the law, which the priests were here enjoined to read amongst the people every seventh year on the feast of tabernacles, was the original copy of this book of the law which Moses wrote, and which he now delivered to the priests to be kept by them. Doubtless some part of the book of the law was read amongst them by the Levites every Sabbath day, Acts 15. 21. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day; nor can it be questioned but that the people had books of the law, in the reading whereo • they did daily in private exercise themselves: if this were required of their kings, chap. 17. 18, 19. much more may we think it was required of them that were of inforiour rank. But yet once in seven years God would have this book to be read by the priests, from the beginning to the end, amongst the people, both that being read in such a solemn manner it might take the deeper impression in them, and so cause them to fear the Lord their God, and to observe to do all the words of this law, as it follows, verse. 12. and perhaps also that it might be made manifest to all Israel that those copies of the law which they had, and which were read and expounded to them every Sabbath day, did agree with this original which Moses wrote: and secondly, that the reason why God appointed this to be done on the year of release, was not only because that year they had most liberty of mind to intend that service, the l • nd lying that year at rest, and themselves being freed from the danger of having their debts exacted of them; but also because it was a holy year, the Sabbath of years, and so the fitter for this extraordinary duty: and thirdly, that this was appointed to be done at the feast of tabernacles that year, because then all Israel came to appear before the Lord, as it is said, verse. 11. for though the males only were bound to come up at the feast, Exod. 23. 17. yet they did usually carry with them their women also, and therefore it is said, verse. 12. Gather the people together, men and women and children, &c. that they may hear, and that they may learn, &c.

This was thus done, that the people might be fully satisfied that he was called of God to this place, and that Joshua himself might be put in mind that he was but God's deputy, and so might still acknowledge God's sovereignty over him, and be the more faithful in discharging the trust which God had put into his hands.

The gods whom they have vanquished, as it were, that could neither preserve themselves, nor the people that served them, for the worshipping whereof the land had spewed out these her inhabitants.

That is, I will cast them off, and take no more charge of them as my people: and so when all kind of miseries do then come upon them, though they seek for me to help, yet I will hide my face from them, a • d will not regard them.

To wit, that which followeth in the following chapter, containing a prophecy of their falling away from God, and God's just judgment upon them for this their apostasy. It was given in a song, that it might be the better remembered, and might the more work upon their affections: and the Israelites were to learn and sing it, that in time to come, when they should so provoke God by their sins, as is there set forth, and God should thereupon punish them with those very evils which are there foretold, this song as out of their own mouths might be a witness for God against them, to wit, that the evils they suffered were of God's sending, as being the very judgments which God had long since threatened; and that God had in that song given them warning enough, and they were therefore inexcusable, because notwithstanding this warning they had brought these miseries upon themselves.