Harmony Upon 1 Samuel, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
1. Quest. v. 1. Of these words, there was no manifest vision, &c.
1. GOd for the sinne of his people brought vponupon them a famine, not of bread or water, but of his word, as he threatneth by his Prophet Amos, 8.12. Osiand. 2. Although there might be some priuate and particular visions and reuelations, as to Manoah, Iud. 13. yet the publike office of Prophets was ceased and intermitted: for this is not to be vnderstood of the written word, for they had the bookes of Moses, but of the word of prophesie. Iun. 3. And if any such visions were they were darke, hid, and obscure: Pellic. as the Septuag. read, there was no foreign, no distinct vision: that is, opened, vnfolded, and applied. 4. Christ Iesus the word of God, by whome the Lord spake to Samuel, v. 21. and to Dauid, 2. Sam. 7.21. did sparingly reueale and manifest himselfe to his seruants the Prophets.
2. Quest. Of the light of God, which burned in the Temple.
1. This light was the candlesticke with seuen lampes, which was appointed for the vse of the Tabernacle. Osiand. 2. Some expound these words, yer the light went out, of midnight, when the lampe beganne to waxe dimme: Pellican. but the lampe was watched all night, and kept burning till the morning, and continually supplied with oyle, Exod. 27.20. and so not suffered to goe out of it selfe. 3. It was rather toward the morning: for the lampe was to burne from the euening to the morning, Exod. 27.21. 2. Chron. 13.11. Iun. 4. Now in that they vsed not to burne the lampe by day, but it serued for the vse of the night;Against the superstitions vse of candles. herein the superstition of the Romanists appeareth, who doe vse to burne tapers vponupon their altars by day, therein exceeding the ceremonious obseruations and prescripts of Moses law.
3. Quest. Of the place where Samuel slept.
1. The vsuall reading is, Samuel slept in the Temple of God: B. Gen. but beside that in the Tabernacle; the Leuites had no cabbines appointed them to lie in, the distinction athnah comming betweene, doth hinder the ioyning of these two clauses together: so that in the Temple of God, must rather be referred to the first braunch of the sentence, yer the light went out in the Temple of God, &c. sic Iun. Vatab. 2. But Samuels place was among the Leuites, not in, but neare vntounto the Tabernacle, as the priests also had their celles without the Tabernacle, but somewhat nearer: Iun. so the Chalde expresseth the sense, that Samuel lay in atrio Levitarum, in the Leuites ward or court. 3. It seemeth that Samuel was appointed by Eli to keepe the lampes, and to tend them in the night: Pellican. for the Leuites continually kept the Lords watch. 2. Chron. 13.11.
4. Quest. v. 7. In what sense Samuel is said, not to hauehave knowne the Lord.
1. Some read, Thus did Samuel before he knew the Lord. P. Gen. S. but the sense is more perfect, to read thus, Samuel yet knew not Iehovah, or the Lord: as I.C.Ar. V.B. the word teres signifieth both, not yet, and before that: but the first is more proper here, which maketh the sense full without any other addition: but in the other reading something must be supplied. 2. Now there is a double kinde of knowledge of God, ordinarie, and extraordinarie; that common to all the seruants of God, this peculiar to the Prophets, when the will of God is reuealed concerning things to come: Samuel was not without the other before, but the latter he had not experience of till now: as the next words shew, the word of Iehovah was not reuealed vntounto him, which the Chalde interpreteth of the word of prophesie: Bor. therefore Heli giueth him instruction, and informeth him, that it was the Lord that spake vntounto him. v. 9. Iun.
5. Quest. v. 13. Of these words, they brought a curse vponupon themselues.
1. Some read as though this were referred to the scandall and offence, which they came into: indigne faciebant, they did vnworthily. L. they ranne into slaunder. G. they dispised or abased themselues. P. 2. Some vnderstand it of the people, that they cursed them. Bor. 3. Some referre it vntounto God, that they cursed God: foreign. S. and so some thinke, that first the Hebrewes, for lahem, to them, did read li, to him, meaning God. Vatab. Kimchi. 4. But the true reading is, maledixerunt sibi, they accursed themselues: A. that is, brought a curse vponupon them. Iun. and as the Chald. they prouoked to thē selues: 1. the wrath of God.
6. Quest. v. 13. In what sense Heli is said, not to hauehave restrained or staied his sonnes.
1. Some read, he corrected them not: L. B. others, he admonished them not: S. he did not make them sorrowfull: V. but it is better read, he did not restraine them: I. or stay them: G. or forbid them: A.P.C. cahah is so taken, Isa. 61.3. spiritus contractus, a restrained or contracted spirit. 2. The meaning is,Reconcil. that although he did admonish them, c. 2.25. yet it was out of season, he did it not soone enough, he suffered them to hauehave their will too long: he dealt not with them, till they were growne impudent in their sinne, and all Israel rang of them: Bor. neither was his admonition seuere enough, according to his authoritie, beeing both their father, high Priest, and Iudge: Iun. yea, it seemeth that he gaue them not … angrie or frowning looke; as the word cahah also signifieth, to frowne, to wrinkle. Osiand. And howsoeuer it was, he did not correct them for their sinne, and so stay them by punishment from sinning further. Pellican. 3. A good example for domesticall discipline, that parents take heede, least by too much lenitie, they spoile their children, and incurre the heauie displeasure of God, as Heli did. Borr.
7. Quest. v. 14. How the Lord is said to sweare.
1. The most read here, I hauehave sworne: and all the rest of this speech which the Lord had with Samuel, they read in the preter tense, as hauing relation vntounto the former prophesie, c. 2. as v. 12. I hauehave spoken, v. 13. I hauehave told him: so here, I hauehave sworne: but because there is no such oath mentioned before, c. 2. it is better interpreted in the present tense, I doe sweare. Iun. 2. Now the Lord sweareth vponupon two occasions, either for the confirmation of his promises, as he sware to Abrahā, Gen. 22.16. or for the more certentie of his iudgements, as Numb. 14.28. vponupon the people, that murmured against the Lord after the returne of the spies; as also in this place. 3. And the Lord hauing not a greater to sweare by, sweareth by himselfe, Hebr. 6.13. which forme of the Lords oath sometime is expressed by these wordes, I sweare by my selfe, Gen. 22.16. sometime thus, as I liue, Numb. 14.28. sometime it is not expressed, but vnderstood, as in this place. 4. Now, whereas the words are, I sweare, if the iniquitie &c. here must be vnderstood the other redditiue part: as let me not be God, or let me not be true, or such like. Mar.
8. Quest. v. 14. Of these words, if the iniquitie of Helies house shall be purged, &c.
There are three seuerall readings of these words: 1. some doe expresse them negatiuely, the wickednes &c. shall not be purged, as L.V.B.G. but the Hebrew particle im, signifieth si, if; it is not taken for non, not. 2. Sometime im is an interrogatiue particle, as it is taken 2. Sam. 19.35. and so sometime Iunius readeth c. 14.46. as Iehovah liueth should one haire of his head fall. 3. But the best reading is, if the wickednes &c. and then the forme of the oath must be supplied, as let me not liue, or let me not be God, if &c. Iun. so also S.C. A. P. This reading I preferre for these reasons: 1. because the Apostle so expresseth the Lords oath, Heb. 3.11. I sware in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest. 2. As also in other the like oathes made by men, the like clause is supplied, as God doe so and so vntounto me, if &c. which clause is sometime expressed, as in this place, v. 17. and 1. king. 20.10. Benhadad sweareth by his gods, the gods doe so and so vntounto me, if &c. 3. Vnlesse some such clause be here supplied and vnderstood, it hath not the forme of an oath: but seeing the Lord is said to sweare, the forme of an oath must be conceiued.
9. Quest. v. 14. How it is said, the wickednes of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice for euer.
1. Some of the Hebrewes thinke, that though their sinne could not be purged with sacrifices, yet they might by praier, almes deedes, and keeping of the lawe: but sinnes are not purged or redeemed by good workes, which notwithstanding are pleasing vntounto God, as proceeding from a liuely faith: but sinnes are onelyonly purged by faith in Christs blood, who was prefigured in the sacrifices. 2. The sacrifices then if they were not offered in faith, did not purge the conscience: they might be thereby externally purified, and by that outward rite continued in the societie of the people of God: but inwardly they were not purged, but by faith in Christ. 3. And that Christs death was shadowed forth in the sacrifices, it is euident: for the sinne of man deseruing death, could not be satisfied by the death of any inferiour vntounto man, as were the bruit beasts: therefore it was necessarie, that thereby should be shadowed forth the death of him, that should make a full and perfect sacrifice. 4. And this was the faith of all the holy men vnderunder the law, who vrging so often the promise and couenant made to Abraham, looked vntounto the Messiah: but such as were carnall, saw not this mysterie. Mar. 5. Now two waies the sinne of Eli his house is said not to be purged: in respect of the personall sinne of his wicked sonnes, which was a sinne of that nature, that their impenitent heart could finde no remission, as is shewed before, c. 2. q. 8. Iun. and in regard of the punishment, that howsoeuer his posteritie vponupon their repentance might be forgiuen, yet the sentence of God concerning the losse of the Priests office should neuer be reuersed. Mar. Genevens.
10. Quest. v. 15. What doores of the house of Iehovah Samuel opened.
1. Some thinke, that whereas yet the Tabernacle consisted of courtaines and couerings, and so had vailes in stead of doores: that the house of God, and the Tabernacle were not the same, as the Arke was in one place, and the Tabernacle in an other in the time of Dauid and Salomon, before the temple was built: Pellican. and hereunto this giueth some probabilitie, because it is called here not the Tabernacle, but the Temple of the Lord, v. 3. and the house of the Lord, v. 15. But this is not like: for the Tabernacle was set vp in Shiloh in Ioshuahs time, c. 18.1. and so it had continued in the time of the Iudges, Iud. 21.19. and there it was now in Helies time. c. 1.9. 2. Therefore it is more like, that though the Tabernacle, while it was in the desert, for the better transporting and carying from place to place, had vailes onelyonly hanging in the entrance in stead of doores: yet now beeing setled in a certen place, it might also be made sure with doores. Osiand. 3. These were the doores onelyonly of the outward court, whether the people might come in to worship, Iun. and the charge whereof belonged to the Leuites. 1. Chron. 26. Osiand.
11. Quest. v. 19. Of the prerogatiue and excellencie of Samuels calling.
Three things are expressed, wherein the excellencie of Samuels gifts, and the prerogatiue of his calling appeare. 1. The certentie of his predictions, and prophesies, that they all came to passe, none of them were spoken in vaine: so that Samuel needed not any other signes or miracles for the demonstration of his calling, the effect and accomplishment of his prophesies beeing a sufficient approbation. Pellic. 2. He was faithfull, without any partialitie or accepting of persons, in deliuering the word of God to Israel: Osiand. as Moses is said to hauehave beene faithfull in the Lords house, Numb. 12.3. After the Lord had thus begunne to reueale himselfe to Samuel, he proceeded still and added further to reueale vntounto him his will, and to appeare vntounto him, v. 21. Iun. 4. Samuel therefore was an honourable Prophet, because in him the word of prophesying decaied, was reuiued: and therefore it is said, 2. Chron. 35.18. that there was no passeouer like vntounto that of Iosias, since the time of Samuel the Prophet; who restored religion, beeing then greatly corrupted. Mar.