Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 5 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
1 Mosesrehear seth the covenant that God made with Israel at Horeb. 6 The ten Commandements; 22 the manner of the speaking and writing of them. 24 The people being afraid, did request Moses to receive the Law from God, and to speake it unto them. 28 The Lord liked their motion, 30 and sent them into their tents; 31 but willed Moses to stay, and heare the Law, which hee was to teach Israel to observe and doe, for their good.
AND Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Heare O Israel, the statutes and the judgments which I speake in your eares, this day: and yee shall learne them, and keepe, to doe them. Iehovah our God stroke a covenant with vsus in Horeb. Not with our fathers stroke Iehovah this covenant, but with us; even us, who are all of us here alive this day. Iehovah spake unto you, face to face, in the mount, out of the middest of the fire. I standing betweene Iehovah and you, at that time, to shew unto you the word of Iehovah; for yee were afraid, by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount, saying,
I, Iehovah thy God, which have brought thee out from the land of Egypt, from the house of servants. Thou shalt not have any other Gods before my face.
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven thing, any likenesse, of things which are in the heavens above, or which are in the earth beneath, or which are in the waters beneath the earth. Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe to them, neither serve them: for I, Iehovah thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers upon the sonnes, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation, of them that hate me. And doing mercy unto thousands, of them that love mee, and of them that keepe his commandements.
Thou shalt not take up the name of Ieho… …y God in vaine; for Iehovah will not hold him guiltles that shall take up his name in vaine.
Keepe thou the Sabbath day, to sanctifie it, as Iehovah thy God hath commanded thee. Six daies shalt thou labour, and shalt … all thy worke. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to Iehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not doe any worke; thou, or thy sonne, or thy daughter, or thy man-servant, or thy woman-servant, or thine oxe, or thine asse, or any of thy cattell, or thy stranger which is within thy gates, that thy man-servant and thy woman-servant may rest as well as thou.
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt; and Iehovah thy God brought thee out thence, by a strong hand, and by a streched-out arme: Therefore Iehovah thy God hath commanded thee to doe the Sabbath day.
Honour thy father and thy mother, as Iehovah thy God hath commanded thee, that thy daies may be prolonged, and that it may be well with thee, upon the land which Iehovah thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Neither shalt thou commit adulterie.
Neither shalt thou steale.
Neither shalt thou answer a false witnesse against thy neighbour.
Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbours wife, neither shalt thou desire thy neighbours house; his field, or his man-servant, or his woman-servant, his oxe, or his asse, or any thing which is thy neighbours.
These words Iehovah spake unto all your assembly in the mount, out of the middest of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thicke darknesse, with a great voyce, and he added no more: and he wrote them on two tables of stones, and gave them unto mee. And it was, when yee heard the voice, out of the middest of the darknesse, and the mountain burning with fire, that yee came neere unto mee, all the heads of your tribes, and your Elders. And yee said, Behold, Iehovah our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatnesse, and wee have heard his voyce out of the middest of the fire: this day wee have seene, that God doth speake with man, and hee liveth. And now why should wee dye; for this great fire will consume us: if we adde to heare the voice of Iehovah our God any more, then we shall dye. For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God, speaking out of the middest of the fire, as wee have, and lived? Goe neere thou, and heare all that Iehovah our God shall say, and do thou speake unto us all that Iehovah our God shall speake unto thee, and we will heare, and do it. And Iehovah heard the voyce of your words when yee spake unto me: and Iehovah said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said, all that they have spoken. Who will give that their heart may bee such in them, to feare me, and to keepe all my commandements, all daies, that it may bee well with them, and with their sonnes for ever.
Goe say to them, Get you againe into your rents. But thou, stand thou here with me, and I will speake unto thee, all the commandement, and the statutes, and the judgements, which thou shalt teach them, that they may doe them in the land which I give to them to possesse it. And yee shall observe to doe, as Iehovah your God hath commanded you: yee shall not turne aside, to the right hand or to the left. You shall walke in all the way which Iehovah your God hath commanded you, that yee may live, and (that it may bee) well with you, and yee may prolong your dayes, in the land which yee shall possesse.
Annotations.
IN your eares] that is, in your hearing, and to your understanding: the Chaldee translateth it, before you. Here Moses purposing to repeat the ten commandements, prepareth the eares and hearts of the people unto obedience. to do] or, and doe: see the notes on Gen. 2. 3.
Vers. 2. stroke] Heb. cut a covenant, the reason of which phrase is shewed on Gen. 15. 18. in Horeb] or, at Choreb, called also Sinai: see Exod. 19. 20. and 24. 8. God, though he might absolutely command, yet vouchsafed to enter into covenant with his people, that by mutuall stipulation and promises, he might have not constrained, but free and voluntarie obedience performed by them, to his glory, and their further good.
Vers. 3. fathers] which are dead: hereby all the Patriarchs unto Adam may be meant, who had the promise of the covenant of Christ; but the covenant of the Law came after, as the Apostle observeth, Gal. 3. 17. Or it may meane, our fathers onelyonly, as Iarchi here expoundeth it, such as died in the wildernesse, after the Law was given. See also Deut. 11. 2. even us] or, we are they, which are here this day, the Greeke translateth, & you are here all alive this day. So the covenāt was yet fresh in memorie. Also they had a greater benefit than their fathers: for though the Law could not give the life, yet was it a Schoolemaster unto Christ, Gal. 3. 21. 24.
Vers. 4. face to face] that is, openly, clearely, plainly; as Exod. 33. 11. Gen. 32. 30. Deut. 34. 10. 1 Cor. 13. 12. opposed to the darke visions, by which God before time revealed his will.
Vers. 5. I standing] or, stood, as the Greeke translateth, And I stood between the Lord, which the Chaldee calleth, the Word of the Lord. Thus the Law was given in the hand of a mediator, Gal. 3. 19. for God and the people were not one; by reason of their sinnes: therefore they were afraid.
Vers. 6. servants] in Greeke and Chaldee, servitude. God redeemed Israel; not onelyonly from outward slaverie, but from the idolatrie of Egypt, Ezak. 20. 5.—9, and … their gods, 2 Sam. 7. 23. therefore he commanded them to have no other gods, before his face. See the annotations upon, Exod. 20. where these commandements are more largely opened.
Vers. 7. any other gods] or, another god: see the notes on Deut. 4. 7.
Vers. 8. graven thing] the Chaldee translateth it Image. any] the Greeke saith, nor the likenesse of any thing. The word or, is in Exod. 20. 4.
Vers. 10. his commandements] or, his commandement; meaning all and every one of them, or, the whole Law in generall: see the notes on vers. 31. The like is in Deut. 8. 2. and 27. 10. The Greeke and Chaldee translate, my commandements, and so Moses wrote in Exod. 20. 6. but here he changeth the person, as Daniel also in his prayer faith, O Lord, &c. keeping covenant and merciemercy to them that love him, & to them that keepe his commandements, Dan. 9. 4. We may also observe such changes in the other Prophets; as, to make him a name, 2 Sam. 7. 23. for which, in 1 Chron. 17. 21. is written, to make thee a name: so in 2 Sam. 14. 22.
Vers. 12. Keepe] or, Observe; for this, in Exod. 20. 8. he said, Remember. as Iehovah, &c.] this sentence is added, more than in Exod. 20. 8. So againe in the fift commandement, vers. 16. And these two charges onelyonly are affirmative, all the other are prohibitions.
Vers. 14. Oxe, &c.] these particulars are also here added, for explanation. as well as thou] or, even as thou. This reason was not expressed in Exod. 20. 10. And it sheweth that the Sabbath was commanded in part for the ease of servants, which were of the heathens that were round about them, Lev. 25. 44.
Vers. 15. to doe] that is, to celebrate: the Greeke translateth, to keepe the Sabbath day, and to sanctifie it. In Exod. 20. 11. the creation of the world is there rendred as a reason, which is here omitted; and the comming out of Egypt (which seemeth to be on the Sabbath day) is here made a reason of observing this day. For it was a figure of deliverance out of spirituall bondage by Christ (as is shewed upon Exodus,) and lo fit to bee meditated on upon the Sabbath.
Vers. 16. be well with thee] or, good may be done unto thee. This branch of the promise is more than was expressed in Exod. 20. 12. and this addition the Apostle also citeth, in Ephes. 6. 3. but putteth it there in the first place, changing the order of the words, which the Scripture often doth, as may be seene, in 2 King. 11. 8. compared with 2 Chron. 23. 7. Ioel 2. 28. with Act. 2. 17. 1 King. 19. 10. with Rom. 11. 3. Esai. 65. 1. with Rom. 10. 20. Mat. 21. 13. with Marke 12. 8.
Vers. 18. Neither shalt thou] or, And thou shalt not: and so in the precepts following; all which are joyned to the former, with this copulative And, (otherwise than was in Exod. 20.) to teach the conjoyning of all these commandements, as into one bodie of the Law: which must be likewise in our obedience. Because, Whosoever shall keepe the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guiltie of all. For hee that said, Doe not cemmit ad…tery; said also, Doe not kill, &c. Iam. 2. 10, 11.
Vers. 20. false] or, rash, vaine. The same word Shav, used before in verse 11. but for it in Exo. 20. Moses useth the word Sheker, false: and so the Chaldee hath in this place.
Vers. 21. wife] in Exod. 20. 17. our neighbours house is put in the first place, and his wife in the second, otherwise than here. So they that would divide this commandement into two, cannot shew which is the ninth, and which is the tenth, seeing Moses hath purposely changed the order. desire] Here againe Moses useth another word, …veh, whereas in Exod. 20. 17. he keepeth one word in all the particulars, tachmod, covet: which are two words in sound, but one in signification; (though it may be with some difference of degree) whereof there be sundry other examples in Scripture; as Hinneh, Behold, 1 Chron. 17. 1. for which another Prophet saith, Reeh, See, 2 Sam. 7. 2. Chajath, a troope, in 2. Sam. 23. 13. or Machanah, an host, in 1 Chron. 11. 15. he returned, jashab, 2 Sam. 6. 20. or, hee turned againe, jissob, 1 Chron. 16. 43. Iaghnal, he offered up, 2 Sam. 6. 17. or, Iakrib, he offered, 1 Chron. 16. 1. and many the like: so that from two words of like sense, here cannot be gathered two sundry commandements. The like was in the ninth commandement before, in vers. 20. And if this Desire be another commandement, there were but nine given in Exod. 20. Or if there were ten, as is avouched in Exod. 34. 28. then here must be eleven, contrary to Deut. 10. 4. But degrees of the same sinne, make not here severall precepts. The Hebrewes make this desire to be lesse than coveting, and say, Desire bringeth a man to coveting, and coveting bringeth him to unjust taking away; for if the owners be not willing to sell, though he would give them a great price, and hee is urgent upon them, then he falleth to taking by violence; as it is said (in Mic. 2. 2.) And they covet fields; and take them by violence. Maimony tom. 4. treat of Rapine, &c. c. 1. s. 10, 11. his field] the Greeke saith, nor his field: this also is added more than in Exod. 20. 17. And usually, when any thing it repeated, either by the Prophets or Evangelists, i… … with varietie of words and phrases; of which, being compared, there is very great use, for the understanding of the Scriptures.
Vers. 22. added no more] meaning, no moe commandements of this sort, (for they were but ten … Deut. 4. 13.) or no more unto the people; there were spoken to Moses, Exod. 21. 1. &c. The Chaldee translateth, ceased not: see the notes on Nam. 11. 25. of stones] both to have them perpetuall to his Church, Iob 19. 23, 24. and in mysterie, to shew the stonie nature of mens hearts: see the annotations on Exod. 31. 18. unto mee] that Moses might carry them to the people, and see then duly executed. So the Magistrate is the keeper of both the tables of the Law; for Moses was … in Ieshurun, Deut. 33. 5.
Vers. 23. and the mount] understand, and saw the mount, as Deut. 18. 16. Exod. 20. 18. The things which the people heard and saw, were terrible unto then, because they were sinners; but a meane to humble them, and drive them unto Christ, H…. 12. 18.—24. Gal. 3. 19.—24. Elders] in Greeke, Senate, or Eldership. The people all, and even the greatest and best, fled from before the Lord, and came to Moses for to be a Mediator. See Exod. 20. 18, 19. in the annotations.
Vers. 24. his voice] the Chaldee saith, the voice of his Word. So in vers. 25.
Vers. 25. why should we die?] The Greeke translateth, let us not die: so it is a deprecation. This speech implieth the sentence of death also, which their owne hearts pronounced against them for their sinnes: for such a question is likewise an affirmation; as, Why doth hee speake blasphemies? Mark. 2. 7. is expounded, this man blasphemeth, Matt. 9. 3. And this sheweth the effect of the Law in our consciences; it causeth the spirit of bondage to feare, Rom. 8. 15. and when the voice of God in his Law is heard and understood of men, it terrifieth and killeth; before that, they thinke they are alive without the Law, Rom. 7. 9, 10. fire] which signified the force of the firie Law, Deut. 33. 2. that it is in mans heart, as a burning fire shut up in his bones, as Ier. 20. 9. both manifesting sinnes, and tormenting the conscience; wherein it differeth from the Gospell, Heb. 12. 18. then] or, surely; Heb. and we shall dic. Thus there was not a law given which could give life, Gal. 3. 21. but the letter killeth, 2 Cor. 3. 6. and the law is not of faith, Gal. 3. 12. the hearing of it, and escaping death, caused them not to beleeve: but the just shall live by faith, through the Gospell of Christ, Rom. 1. 16, 17. unto whom the Law was a Schoolemaster, Gal. 3. 24.
Vers. 26. all flesh] or, who is any flesh, that is, any fraile man: for, all flesh is grasse, Esa. 40. 6. The Greeke translateth, For what flesh? Which word flesh is often used for unregenerate man, as is noted on Gen. 6. 3. and to such especially, the Law is the terrours of death: though all humane nature being in sinne, is here condemned. So in Psal. 143. 2. the living God] The Hebrew words are both plurall, implying the mysterie of the Trinitie, as is noted on Gen. 1. 1. and he is called the living God, (as here, so in Ios. 3. 10. 1 Sam. 17. 26. Esa. 37. 4. Psal. 42. 3. Hos. 1. 10. and in sundry other places) to oppose him unto all false gods, which are called the dead, Psal. 106. 28. whereupon it is said, Yee turned to God, from Idols, to serve the living and true God, 1 Thess. 1. 9. Also to shew that God is powerfull in operation, being not only living in himselfe, (so that he only hath immortalitie, 1 Tim. 6. 16.) but the giver of life unto all; For in him wee live, and move, and have our being, Act. 17. 28. and he is the fountaine of living waters, Ier. 17. 13. who continually and abundantly refresheth his people. It signifieth also his eternitie, as he that liveth for ever and ever, Revel. 10. 6. of whom it is said, For he is the living God, and continuing for ever, Dan. 6. 26. Wherefore that speech of Iob, My Redeemer liveth, Iob 19. 25. is translated in the Greeke, The Eternall is he that shall unloose mee. and lived] Men till they be redeemed by Christ, are through feare of death, all their life time subiect to bondage, Heb. 2. 15. Though God came not now to judge them, neither so much as up braided them with their sinnes past, yet could they not heare his voice, but (as the Apostle noteth) they that heard it, intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more, for they could not endure that which was commanded, Heb. 12. 19, 20.
Vers. 27. Goe neere thou] The people being terrified, seeke for a Mediatour; and that is the end and use of the Law, to drive men unto Christ. Wherefore their affection now pleased God, vers. 28, 29. and he gave them Moses to helpe them for the present, and further promised them a Prophet like unto him, which was Christ, Deut. 18. 15.—18. Act. 3. 22. 26. thou speake unto us] The office of a Mediatour, as he is a Prophet, (Deut. 18. 15.) is here described; which is, to goe neere unto God, & having received the word from him, to speake it unto the people. This was fulfilled in Christ, Ioh. 1. 18. and 3. 13. and 8. 28. Here in the Hebrew doe thou speake, the words are in the feminine gender, as if they had spoken to a woman; which is thought to be a note of the peoples troubled minde: see the like in Num. 11. 15. and doc] The like they promised before God spake these words, Exod. 19. 8. not knowing the impossibilitie of the Law: but how farre they were from performing this, the golden calfe which they made ere fortie dayes were expired, is a witnesse; for which sinne Moses brake the Tables of the covenant, Exod. 32. Deut. 9. 9. &c. yet their good affection pleaseth the Lord.
Vers. 28. well said] The Greeke translateth, they have spoken all things rightly (or well.)
Vers. 29. Who will give] An Hebrew phrase, meaning, O that some would give, or, O that there were; and so the Chaldee explaineth it. The like is in Iob 6. 8. Psal. 14. 7. and 55. 7. and otherwhere. to feare, &c.] The things that God approveth in men, are, feare, humilitie, distrust in themselves, and a confidence in him, with love unto his Law. Hereunto God called them, by this his covenant, drawing them unto Christ.
Vers. 31. all the commandement] that is, the Law in generall, or commandements, as the Greeke translateth it, the singular being often put for the plurall; or, every commandement. So in Deut. 6. 1. and 8. 1. also in 2 Pet. 2. 21. and 3. 2.
Vers. 32. observe to doe] or, and doe, as this phrase often signifieth: see the notes on Gen. 2. 3. right hand or to the left] This signifieth an exact care to walke in Gods Law, as in the high way, from which men may not turne aside; as in Deut. 2. 27. Therefore all aberration from the right way, is noted by the turning to the right hand or to the left, Esa. 30. 21. So after in Deut. 17. 11. 20. and 28. 14. Prov. 4. 27.