Paraphrase Upon the Books of the Psalms, Book 3 · Psalm 78
The Seventy Eighth Psalm.
MAschil of Asaph.
Paraphrase. The seventy eighth Psalm is a reflexion on Gods various dealing, his mixtures of mercies and punishments on the people of Israel, from the time of their being in Aegypt, to Davids exaltation to the Kingdome. It seems to have been composed by Asaph, and set to the tune called Maschil. See note on Psal. xxxii. a.
1. Give eare, O my people to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,
Let all the people of God give diligent attention to what I shall now deliver, as to that which is designed for their special instruction, and gathered out of the records of Gods providence toward his own people, the Jews, (see note on Psal. xlix. 6.) that all that profess Godliness may be admonished thereby.
3. Which we have heard and known, and our Fathers have told us.
4. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength and his wonderfull works that he hath done.
And the truth of the things being so undoubtedly certain, (as well as of weighty consideration) either particularly known to us that now live, or thought fit to be by tradition conveighed down to us by our ancestors, I have all reason to communicate and propagate them to others, to whom also our Fathers designed them, as well as to us of this age; that they might joyne with us in blessing, and praising, and magnifying the glorious attributes of God, and the powerfull and gratious acts that he hath wrought for us.
5. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
For thus indeed did God himselfe appoint, when he first revealed his will and lawes unto the Jews by Moses, laying it as an obligation on the parents to be strictly carefull to instruct their children to all posterity in the knowledge of them, (see Deut. 4.9. & 6.7.)
6. That the generation to come might know them, even the children that should be borne, who should arise and declare them to their children.
That not themselves only, but even all their posterity, those that were not then borne, should first learn them themselves, and then diffuse and instill them into all others.
7. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.
And that in order to the preserving and cherishing all parts of piety in them, a chearfull relyance and dependance on him that had thus demonstrated his readiness to succour them, thanksgiving and praising of him for his works of power and mercy, and a carefull performance of all holy uniforme obedience to his commands, as to him that had wrought redemption for them, and so purchased them to be his servants.
8. And might not be as their fathers,a. a‖perverse, Apostatizing. stubborne and rebellious generation, a generation that†directed not their heart. set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
And to restrain them from transcribing their fathers copies, who when they were thus strangely obliged by God, were yet guilty of most vile provoking obstinacies unbeliefs, and rebellions, murmurings, and downright Apostasies from his law by Idolatry, &c. would either never set themselves heartily to the wayes of God, or if they did, presently relapst into soule transgressions;
9. The children of Ephraim being armed andb. *shooting with.carrying bowes, turned back in the day of battel.
Delaying in their performances with God, as they did sometimes in their warlike engagements, when they were just ready to fight, and wanted nothing toward the doing it successefully, they fainted in the very point of the assault, and fled out of the field. Thus the Ephraimites appear to have done, and consequently were defeated and assaulted by the Philistims, 1 Chron. vii. 21. And just thus did many other of these, when any service was really to be performed to God, any danger to be combated with, and vertue of patience or faith, or courage to be exercised, then were they sure to falter, and fall of shamefully.
10. They kept not the Covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law,
11. And forgat his works and wonders which he had shewed them.
And seldome or never made they good any constancy of obedience to him, were still apt to murmure and distrust his promised assistance, though ascertaind to their faith by never so many wonderfull experiments of his power and providence toward them, would not goe on in the way that God directed them, but through fear and distrust fell into mutinies and quarrels with Moses, and refused to be ruled or conducted by him.
12. Marvelous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Aegypt, in the field ofc. Zoan.
And this was a most hainous aggravated infidelity, much heightned by the many works of wonder, that God had afforded their fathers so lately, in bringing them out of Aegypt by a mighty hand, and fearfull prodigious judgments upon Pharaoh and his people.
13. He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
The conclusion of which was, that he made the very sea recede, and depart before them, and stand still like a wall Exod. xiv. 22. or like a heap Exod. xv. 8. (see note on Psal. xxxiii. b.) to secure them from all danger of approach, and so carried them through the chanel as on dry ground, and conducted them safe out of Aegypt.
14. In the day time also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
To this end he set a lightsome cloud over their heads, at once to overshadow and inviron them (see note on 1 Cor. x. a.) and this cloud so disposed, that in the night-time it afforded light to the Israelites, though not to the Egyptians that followed them, but made a clear separation between them, Exod. xiv. 20. and in the day-time, when they needed not its light, it was yet visible over them and about them, by this means miraculously directing and conducting them in their journeys.
15. He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
And in their journeying in the wilderness, when they wanted water, he commanded Moses to strike a rock with his rod, and by so doing there came out from thence so great abundance of water, as if the Abyss had supplyed the rock with that store.
16. He brought streams also out of the rocks, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
And from this new kinde of spring proceeded a full current, which followed them as farre as Cades (see note on 1 Cor. x. b.) and afforded them plentifull supplies of water in that place of drought.
17. And they sinned yet more against him, by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
Yet did not this miracle of mercy prevail upon them, to give them a trust and affiance in God, who had wrought such wonders for them; but they fell back after this into a new distrust of his power, and thereby provoked his wrath exceedingly.
18. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meatd. for their lust.
19. Yea, they spake against God, they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
20. Behold he smote the rock, and the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also, can he provide flesh for his people?
For when he had taken such care to convince their infidelity and supply their wants by sending them quails in the evening, and in the morning manna, Exod. xvi. both these rained down on them miraculously from heaven, and when on their murmuring for water at Rephidim, he had given them plenty of water out of the hard rock in Horeb, Exod. xvii. yet again after both these, Num. xi. 5. they fell a murmuring, and complaining, and distrusting of God, preferring their condition in Aegypt before this which God had now brought them to, and in a manner blaspheming and speaking ill of him, and requiring, as a proof of his power and presence among them, a table furnisht with flesh, as well as bread, a satisfaction to their appetites, which they pretended to be cloyed with Manna, as well as a provision for their wants.
21. Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
And this very highly displeased and provoked God, and brought down very sharp punishments upon them.
22. Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.
23. Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the dores of heaven,
24. And had rained down Manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corne of heaven.
25. ‖or, every oneMan did eate. †or bread of the strongAngels food, he sent them me at to the full.
And that most justly for their strange obsinate distrust and infidelity, even after all those signal miracles shewed for the supplying their wants, that especially of his giving them Manna, a solid, nutritive, substantial sort of bread, prepared and made ready for them in heaven, and brought them down in a showre (as it were of rain) in the greatest abundance, a very ample proportion to every person among them, and all this wrought for them signally by God, through the ministery of Angels.
26. He caused an East-wind to blow in heaven, and by his power he brought in the South-wind.
27. He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fouls like as the sand of the sea.
28. And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
Thus then God was pleased to deal with these unbelieving murmurers, at once to convince and punish them: He sent out a vehement wind, and by it brought from the sea an innumerable company of quails, and let them light in the place where they incamped, neer a dayes journey on this side, and as farre on the other side of their dwellings, where they lay strawed as thick as the sand is wont to be on the sea shore, two cubits high upon the face of the earth, Num. xi. 31.
29. So they did eat and were well filled, for he gave them their own desire.
30. They were not estranged from their lust,‖their meat was allready— foreign but while their meat was yet in their mouths,
31. †And foreignThe wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men that were in Israel.
Thus did he answer their demands to the full, restrained not their appetites, gave them what they so longed for in great abundance, and permitted them to gather it, Numb. xi. 32. to dress it, and to take it into their mouths. And then before they had chewed it, while it was yet between their teeth, v. 33. the instruments of Gods displeasure and vengeance seised on them, a very terrible plague v. 33. and destroyed the healthiest and principal men among them in very great numbers.
32. For all this they sinned still, and believed not*his for his wondrous works.
These judgments thus added to his works of mercy, might, a man would think, have wrought upon them, and deterred them from farther provoking God, convinced them of his power, and ingaged them to a full resignation, and affiance, and dependance on it. But they were not thus successfull, they had not this effect, but after this again, they were as rebellious, and mutinous, and unbelieving as ever.
33. Therefore their dayes did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
And God accordingly continued his punishments among them, kept them in a wearisome condition in the wilderness, there to be harass'd and worne out, and at length to die (all of them that came out of Aegypt, but Caleb and Joshua) and never to enter into the promised land.
34. f.When he slew them,‖and then they sought him, and†returned they returned, and inquired early after God.
35. And*remembred they remembred that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
36. ‖ThoughNevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and†lyed they lied unto him with their tongues.
37. *AndFor their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his Covenant.
Some exemplary severity God oft exercised among them, and that had some weak effect upon them, reduced them in some degree, brought them for a while into some temper of piety, and belief, and dependance on God, together with an acknowledgement of his mercies. And though this was not hearty nor durable, but formal and feigned and temporary, and so still but hypocritical,
38. ‖TetBut he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stirr up all his wrath.
39. †And remembredFor he remembred that they were but flesh, a*or spirit, or breath, foreign wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
Yet such was Gods abundant mercy and compassion, and love to the posterity of Abraham, to whom his promises were made, that he would not destroy them all at once, but left a seed and remnant, from whom might come a succession of such whom he might bring into the promised land, and so make good his covenant to Abraham &c. which could not have been, in case he had at once destroyed them all.
40. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert?
This they very often deserved, by their distrusts and murmurings, even ten several times, Num. xiv. 22. in the forty years space which they spent in the wilderness.
41. Yea they turned back and tempted God, and limited the holy one of Israel.
Sometimes expressing a desire to go back again into Aegypt; sometimes demanding some evidence of his power; sometimes resolving their wants to be so great, that God was not able to supply them.
42. They remembred not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy;
And so shewing themselves to have forgotten the power of his mighty works toward them, when he rescued them out of the slavery and oppression of Pharaoh,
43. How he had wrought his signes in Aegypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan;
And wrought such miraculous signal judgments on the Aegyptians.
44. And had turned their rivers into blood, and their floods that they could not drink.
Such was the turning all their rivers and springs into blood, and so leaving them no water to drink, Exod. vii. 21.
45. He sent‖mixtures diverse sorts ofg. flyes among them, which devoured them, and froggs which destroyed them.
Such the mixt multitude of noxious creatures, Ex. viii. 21. such the frogs, Exo. viii. 5.
46. He gave also their increase untoh. the†consumer. Caterpillar, and their labour unto the Locust.
Such the Locusts Ex. x. 4. which devoured the fruit of their ground, for which they had laid out their seed and labour, and by this means lost all their expected harvest.
47. He destroyed their vines with haile, and their sycomore-treesi. with*congealed reize. frost.
48. He gave up their cattel also to the haile, and their flocks to‖tales of fire, see …e i. hot thunderbolts.
Such the plague of haile and fire mixt together, Ex. ix. 22. which destroyed and burnt up their trees, and whole flocks of cattell.
49. He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation and trouble,†the— byk. sending evil angels among them.
Such was that great expression of his highest displeasure, and that sorest plague to them, the sending the destroyer into every house of the Aegyptians, Exod. xii. 23, 29. a multitude of angels, ministers of his wrath.
50. He*weighed made a way to his anger, he spared not their soule from death, but gavel. their‖catell. life over to the pestilence:
51. And smote all the first borne in Aegypt, the chief ofm. their strength in the tabernacles of Ham.
Which executed his vengeance with great discretion on the very lives both of man and beast of the Aegyptians; sent a sore disease among them, which destroyed all the first born both of men and cattel, through all their dwellings; not one meanwhile of the Israelites being involved in it. (see note k.) Thus dealt he with that people (which sprang from Cham by Mizraim) when they opposed his power, and oppressed his chosen people.
52. But made his own people to goe forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
Whereas his mercy, and care, and signally favourable providence attended the children of Israel, both in their passage from Aegypt, and journeying through the wilderness, went before them in a remarkable manner, in a pillar of cloud and fire, conducting them day and night, as a shepheard going before his flock leads them into their pastures; and continually waited over them, and provided supplies for all their wants.
53. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
And the same sea that gave them a safe and fearless passage, as soon as they were gone, returned violently, and drowned all their enemies that pursued them.
54. And he brought them ton. the†mountain border of his sanctuary, *this mountain his right hand hatheven to this mountain which his right hand had purchased.
And the same conduct of his special providence hath he afforded them from time to time, till at last he hath brought them to the possession of mount Sion, where now his worship is set up; a place of special strength taken from the Jebusites by David, through that victorious overruling hand of Gods, which obtained this conquest for him.
55. He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them‖by line for an inheritance. o.an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
Thus when they entred Canaan, the whole worke was Gods, first in dispossessing the heathen inhabitants, then in appointing their lands to be by Joshua divided among the tribes of Israel, and then giving them a quiet and safe possession of them.
56. Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies;
But all Gods wonderfull mercies had no effect on them; whilst he thus obliged them, they still distrusted him, and thereby, and by their obstinate unruliness and disobedience, extremely provoked his displeasure.
57. But turned back and dealt unfaithfully, like their fathers, they were turned aside like a deceitfull bow.
As they which were brought out from Aegypt did frequently apostatize from God, and wisht themselves back in Aegypt again, and never were sincere in their affections to, and their service of God; so did they still continue to doe, when they were setled in Canaan, they fell off from God, Deut. xxii. 15.18. and at every turne diverted to Idol worship, and cannot be more fitly compared than to a crooked bow, which never sends the arrowes to the marke to which they are directed; professing the service of God, and styling themselves his people, all their actions were quite contrary to what he required and expected from them.
58. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousie with their graven images.
They foulely fell into the highest and grossest sins of idolatry and superstition, worshipping false Gods, i. e. devils or evil spirits, and images of the heathen in high places, where altars were erected, and sacrifices offered to them, Deut. xxxil. 16, 17.
59. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel.
This could not choose but provoke Gods displeasure in a very high degree. And so indeed it did: And the effect of it was,
60. So that he forsook the tabernacle in Shilo, the tent which he placed among men;
That God assisted not their armies, but permitted the Philistims to rout them, and carry away the Arke 1 Sam. iv. 10, 11. that Tabernacle which God had pitched among that people for himself to dwell in, and so to conduct them and protect them.
61. And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand.
And thus by Gods chastising hand, did the greatest and most profest enemies of God, the Idolatrous Philistims, take possession of that Arke, wherein God was wont most powerfully and gloriously to exhibite himself to his people.
62. He gave his people also unto the sword, and was wroth with his inheritance.
In that rout thirty thousand of the people were slaughtered, (an evidence of his great wrath against them.)
63. The fire consumed their young men, and their maidensp. were not†celebrated. given in marriage.
And among them the choisest flower of their youth, by whom their families were to have been supported, and the people multiplyed.
64. Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
And withall Hophni and Phinehas were slain 1 Sam. iv. 11. and the wife of Phinehas fell in travel for grief, and did not long survive him, v. 20.
65. Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty manq. that*rouseth himselfe from wine. shouteth by reason of wine:
This sad calamity was an evident token that God had been sore displeased, and withdrawn his protections from his people, that he did no more espouse their cause, or goe out with their armies, or conduct and assist them, then a General doth when he is asleep, or the most puissant warrier when his senses are fast bound with wine. Yet at length, as he that was asleep awakes, and he that was overcome with wine returns to his senses again, so did God again return in mercy to his people, and in the exercise of his soveraign power, which he was now pleased to shew forth for them against their enemies;
66. And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts, he put them to a perpetual reproach.
Pursuing the Philistims with his plagues, who had taken the Arke (not only destroying of Dagon, but farther) smiting them with Emrods, a reproachful disease, and that which assured them that Gods wrath was against them whosoever detained the Arke, 1 Sam. v. 7, 8, 9. and the memorials of this plague, the five golden Emrods and five golden mice, continued as testimonies of this, c. vi. 4. and 11. and a stone was set up for the remembrance of it, c. vi. 18. to the great reproach of the Philistims, and the magnifying of Gods power.
67. Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim.
68. But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Sion which he loved.
And the Arke being thus returned to Kiriathjearim, 1 Sam. vii. 1. and there continued all the time of Samuel and Saul, David fetcht it from thence 2 Sam. vi. 2. and leaving it a while at the house of Obed-Edom, at length by the appointment of God, he brought it up to Jerusalem the Metropolis of Judaea, and there placed it in Mount Sion, the place which God preferred both before Shiloh, a city in the tribe of Ephraim, one of Josephs sonns, where before it was, and before all other places.
69. And he built his Sanctuaryr. like high palaces, like the earth which he established for ever.
And there a structure was built on the top of the hill, where the Arke was put as in a most conspicuous place; and though it were built so high, yet was it so firmely pitcht, that it should not fear that the most violent stormes should be able to beat it down. (An eminent type of the Church of Christ, conspicuous and durable, by force of that promise, that the gates of Hades should not prevail against it.)
70. He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
71. From‖behinde foreign following the†or, milch ewes foreign ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance.
And as Sion in the Metropolis of Judah was the chosen place for his Arke, so was David also of that tribe, taken from the mean trade of a shepheard, to be the King of all the tribes of Israel and Judah.
72. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
And this faithfull servant of his governed his people with great uprightness and skill, being a very just and wise manager of all affairs that were intrusted to him.
Annotations on Psalm LXXVIII.
V. 8. Stubborn and rebellious] The difference and distinct importance of these two words, foreign foreignand foreign, may be here observed, the former fitly rendred by the Lxxii. foreign crooked, or perverse, those that the New Testament dialect styles foreign disobedient, those against whom Gods oath was, that they should not enter into his rest Heb. iii. 19. the murmuring Israelites, who were all excluded Canaan. Then for foreign foreign, that is the actual Apostate, the LXXII. render it foreign provoking, from whence the Apostle hath his foreign Heb. iii. 16. Some when they had heard provoked, i. e. apostatized in heart, and desired to cast off all obedience to Gods Law, referred to v. 12. foreign in apostatizing from the living God, to their Aegyptian Idols. Thus is Apostasy stiled foreign the gall of bitterness, Act. viii. 23. foreign a root of bitterness, Heb. xii. 15. And accordingly foreign, so frequently discourst of by the Talmudists, are foreign Apostates. In the end of this verse, where the Hebrew hath foreign and we, with the Chaldee and LXXII, render, whose spirit was not stedfast with God, the Syriack read foreign and confided not in the God of its spirit, rendring foreign foreignby a masculine verbe: and thus indeed the sense will very well bear, and the change of genders is not unusual, and God is frequently known by that title, the God of the spirits of all flesh, see Num. xvi. 22.
V. 9. Carrying bowes] Of the Ephraimites 'tis here said, that being armed, foreign foreignshooting with bows, from foreign to cast, or dart, or shoot, they turned back in the day of battel. Of their being archers we have an intimation Gen. xlix. 24. where in Jacobs blessing of Joseph, the father of Ephraim, it is said, his bow abode in strength &c. But of their cowardly flight, the Scholion of Kimchi may deserve to be considered, foreign, this was done, saith he, in the wilderness, in the desert it was that they were put to flight, foreign &c. and although the story be not mentioned in the law, or books of Moses, yet it is written in the books of the Chronicles, viz. 1 Chron. vii. 21. where on occasion of Zabad the Ephraimite, and Shutelah, and Ezer, and Elead, it is added, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because &c. and Ephraim their father mourned many dayes, and his brethren came to comfort him. The manner of this relation shews, that it was a very sad and considerable slaughter, & the greatness of it Kimchi collects probably, by comparing the summe of the Ephraimites, Num. ii. 19. when they came out of Aegypt; with that of them in the plains of Moab, Num. xxvi. 37. In the former, the host of the Ephraimites was 40500, in the latter but 32500, eight thousand short, whereas in that space the other tribes were considerably encreased. And to this flight, and defeat, and slaughter, an effect of their cowardise and unbelief, and want of dependance on God, the Psalmist here refers most probably.
V. 12. Zoan] foreign foreign, the name of a city in Egypt, Numb. xiii. 22. though it be not set down in the story in Exodus, is twice specified by the writer of this Psalm, here, and v. 43. as the scene wherein the wondrous works were wrought on Pharaoh by Moses; either because really the first and principal of the miracles were shewed Pharaoh there, this city being the seat of the King, and a most antient city, as appears by the expression used of Hebron Num. xiii. 22. where to set out the antiquity of that city, where Abraham the tenth from Noah dwelt, 'tis said, that it was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt; or perhaps only in poetical style, as the field or countrey of Zoan, is all one with the land of Egypt, foregoing. Thus in other prophetick writings, when judgments are threatned, instead of Egypt sometimes we finde Zoan alone, Isa. xix. 11. where the Princes of Zoan are all one with the wise Counsellors of Pharaoh: sometimes the Princes of Zoan, with the addition of some other city, as v. 13. the Princes of Zoan, the Princes of Noph, i. e. again, the Counsellors of that Kingdome, which, as it there follows, have seduced Aegypt, brought the whole nation to ruine. So Isa. xxx. 4. where they send to Aegypt for relief, 'tis said their Princes were at Zoan, their Embassadors at Hanes. But elsewhere Ezek. xxx. 13. &c. we have a larger enumeration of many cities of Aegypt, Noph, Pathros, Zoan, No, Sin, Aven, Phibeseth, Tehaphnehes, all to express the same thing, the land of Aegypt (after the manner of the Hebrews) by some one or two, or more cities of it. For Zoan the Chaldee and Lxxii. and Latine read foreign Tanis, which certainly is but a light change from foreign, the צ, as 'tis ordinary, being turned into T, and they ע left out. Of this saith Stephanus Byzant. foreign, it is the name of a great city of Aegypt.
V. 18. Lust] foreign foreignthe soule is generally set to signify the sensitive or animal faculty, as that is distinguished from the spirit, the upper or rational faculty. And so here, when their wants were abundantly supplied, and yet they remained unsatisfied and querulous, it is fitly said, that they demanded meat foreign for their souls; i. e. not for their real wants, which they might rationally desire to have supplied, but for their phansies, their sensitive and carnal appetites, not restrained by reason. Thus the Jewish Arab took it, rendring it foreign without need. And this in the story Num. xi. 4. is called foreign lusted a lust, and so here v. 29, 30. and accordingly in sense it is not unfitly here rendred by our English, meat for their lust.
V. 25. Angels] The word foreign strong or robustuous, is applyable to any creature that is such, oxen, horses, souldiers, and may here not improbably refer to the Israelites groundless complaint against the Manna, as thin light food, assuring us that it was meat for the healthiest appetite, noble food, saith the Jewish Arab; and accordingly they were fed with it (as athletae) to saturity, as it follows in this verse; and v. 31. the wrath of God fell on the fattest of them, their murmurings being most unexcusable. But besides this the word being used first of God, may be here secundarily applyed either to heaven, or therein to the Angels, and so it is taken by all the antient Interpreters; foreign the bread of Angels, say the LXXII. and all the rest accord; the bread of heaven, saith Abu Walid, and Kimchi. As for the meaning of the phrase foreign foreignbread of Angels (who we know neither eate nor drink) the Chaldee gives a full account of it, foreign the food that descends from the dwelling of Angels, and so it signifies no more than foreign wheat or corne of heaven v. 24. only foreign corne relates onelyonly to the matter of it, whereas foreign addes the dressing of it, which without question is the importance of the Hebrew foreign from foreign praeparavit, and accordingly is rendred by the author of the book of Wisdome, foreign c. xvi. 20. bread prepared from heaven, as an explication of foreign the food of Angels preceding there. Of this 'tis here said foreign, which is capable of a double interpretation; either that man eat that food which was brought by Angels, as a special dignity to the murmuring Israelites, to be so royally attended; or else that as foreign signifies quilibet, every one, and is rendered foreign Isa. xxxvi. 16. so here every one did eat, in reference to the great abundance of this manna, as it here follows, he sent them meat to the full.
V. 34. When he slew them] The full and clear importance of these 6. verses from the beginning of ver. 34. to the end of ver. 39. will be best fetcht from the various acception of the particle וו, which is sometimes copulative, and then must be rendred and; sometimes is the note of an foreign introducing the latter part of a disjunctive or comparative speech, and then is sometimes best rendred yet, sometimes than. If the period begin with foreign foreignwhen, or if, then ו that introduceth the latter part must be rendred then: If the period being begun thus consist of many members, one involved in the other by way of parenthesis, and ו be still continued as the means of connecting them, then they will best be rendred by though and yet. And so it is most probably here. For there being very many parts of this period, each of them begun with ו, the context directs to carry the sense suspended for the foure former verses 34, 35, 36, 37. and to begin the foreign v. 38. after this manner, foreign— If, or, when he killed them, foreign and they sought him, and returned — foreign and remembred— foreign though they flattered him with their mouth, foreign and with their tongues lied unto him, foreign and their heart was not right with him, foreign and they were not faithfull in his Covenant: foreign (there the foreign will best begin) Yet he being mercifull, or compassionate, forgave their iniquity— foreign and remembred that they were but flesh— And then here is a full and excellent description of Gods foreign, long suffering to a provoking nation, not cutting them off presently in every of their rebellions; because if he doth thus, there is a total dispatch or end of them (foreign the animal spirit, or breath in their nostrils being once taken away, returneth not again:) but often chastising them, destroying some for their murmurings and provocations, and upon the but seeming reformation of the rest, though he see it be not sincere, yet interposing mercy and compassion, not proceeding to utter destruction of them, but still giving them time to repent sincerely, at least permitting them to live, and beget others that may be more tractable and obedient, and capable of the promised Canaan. And this exactly was the course taken by God with the people of Israel, punishing the provokers, and not permitting any of them to come into Canaan, but yet taking them away by such degrees, that their sons came up in their steads, and at length possest that which was justly denied their Fathers.
V. 45. Divers sorts of flies] From foreign miscuit, is foreign foreignhere, and Exod. viii. 21. and Ps. cv. 31. the title of one of the plagues that fell on the Aegyptians; and it is not certain what is meant by it. The Chaldee read foreign a mixture of living creatures of the wood, the Syriack foreign mixture (from foreign miscuit) which the interpreter rendring muscas caninas, did certainly but divine, and take his rendring of the Syriack from the LXXII. For thus do our copies of the Lxxii. read, foreign, the dog-fly, or terrible biting fly. But S. Jerome ad Suniam & Fretellam saith, it is to be read foreign, from whence the Latine hath coenomyiam, as Aquila foreign. The word, I suppose, comprehends all creatures of aequivocal generation, which so frequently change from reptil to flying, and back again, that they are more fitly exprest by some common word as mixtures, or the like, then of animals of any distinct species, unless it be that of insectiles, of which every year seems to bring forth variety; of which Ulysses Aldrovandus hath written very accurately.
V. 46. The Caterpillar] foreign foreignfrom foreign consumpsit, signifies any kinde of vermine that consumes or devours the fruit of the ground, and is here set not a several species from the locust following, but (by the figure foreign, two words to signify one thing) to joyne with that, and signify the consuming locust, or the locust which is such a consumer (just as v. 47. two words are used to signify but one thing, the plague of the haile, see note g.) For beside the locust Exod. x. 4. there is no several plague to which this of the consumer can be affixt. The Lxxii. render it foreign, and the Latine aerugo, because as the rust eats and consumes metals, so the locust doth corne or fruits, Exod. x. 5.
V. 47. Frost] foreign foreignsignifies haile, or congealed rain, so doth foreign foreignalso, saith Kimchi, citing R. Saadias that renders it in Arabick foreign (as doth Abu Walid also, and the Jewish Arab) whether that be a kinde of hoar frost, or of hail; and so both together signify but one thing, the plague of hail, Exod. ix. 22. with which there being fire mixed, that is here added to the mention thereof v. 48. under the title of foreign to the fires: foreign, to the fire simply, say the Lxxii. (see note on Psal. Lxxvi. a.) but the Chaldee with the addition of foreign fire to foreign, thereby denoting some matter wherein the fire was, to distinguish it from the bare flash of lightning, which is but the aire inflamed.
V. 49. By sending evil Angels] The Hebrew foreign foreignfrom foreign to send, is no more then sending or immission, and being joyned by way of apposition to the precedents, wrath and indignation and trouble, denotes most fitly the particular judgment to which those severe titles are affixt, the destroying of the first-born, which was wrought by immission of so many Asmodei or evill angels. Thus the Chaldee reads, wrath and extermination and distress, foreign, &c. which were sent by the hands of evil angels; so the Lxxii. foreign, a message by evil angels; the weapons of evil angels, saith Abu Walid; by sending Angels of punishment, punishing Angels, or by the message of punishing Angels, saith the Jewish Arab. Aben Ezra here phansies the foreign foreignto be Moses and Aaron, as messengers of evill to Pharaoh, (when they aforehand denounced them to him) as when Ahijah the Prophet makes use of the like phrase, when Jeroboams wife came to him to enquire concerning her sonne, foreign I am a messenger to thee of hard things, 1 King. xiv. 6. But the former is the more probable meaning of the words, and exactly agreeable to the story Exod. xii. 23. where it is said, the Lord will pass through to smite the Aegyptians, &c. where the Lords passing must denote the ministery of his Angels; and so it follows there, in reference to the Israelites, The Lord will not suffer the destroyer (the evil angels here) to come into your houses to smite you. Whereby we may better understand the full meaning of foreign foreignin the beginning of ver. 50. (from foreign to librate, to weigh, to direct exactly) he weighed ou, or exactly directed the way to his wrath. For so in those latter plagues God separated between the Israelites and the Aegyptians, especially in that of the slaughter of the first-borne.
V. 50. Their life] foreign foreignis by all the antient interpreters rendred in the notion of their cattel: foreign saith the Chaldee, foreign the Lxxii. jumenta eorum the Latine, foreign the Syriack, all to the same sense, their cattel; so the Jewish Arab, their beasts, or living creatures, referring to that part of the plague on their first-borne, which fell not only upon the men, but upon the cattel, Ex. xii. 29.
V. 51. Strength] foreign foreignstrengths, from one notion of foreign for robur (of which there be several examples, Gen. xLix. 3. Deut. xxi. 17. Hos. xii. 3.8. Psal. cv. 36. Isa. xl. 25, 28. Prov. xi. 7.) is yet by the Chaldee rendred here foreign their labour, as if it belonged to the fruits of their ground, produced by their labour; and so by the Lxxii. and Latine, foreign, laboris eorum, their labour, from the notion of foreign for doluit. But the Syriack have departed from them, and pitcht on the right rendring, foreign the beginning of their strength, by foreign every first-borne of theirs: and accordingly the Chaldee on Psal. cvi. 36. a place exactly parallel to this, renders foreign by foreign their strength.
V. 54. Borders] From foreign foreignterminavit, to bound or limit, the Arabs use foreign for an high mountain, because such are generally the boundaries of nations, and from thence foreign, that pertains to the mountains. This is an argument that thus antiently the word was used in Hebrew, of which the Arabick is but a dialect. And so it seems to signifie here foreign, not the border, but the mountain or hill of his sanctuary, viz. mount Sion, where the Ark was now fixt. For thus the next words inforce, foreign this mountain his right hand hath purchased: which must needs belong as the relative to this antecedent foreign, and so conclude that and foreign this mountain to be the same.
V. 55. An inheritance] From foreign foreigncecidit to fall, is the use of the word for dividing, because as the lot fell, so the division was made. So Jud. xviii. 1. the Danites sought them an inheritance, for unto that day foreign it had not fallen to them among the tribes; where the Chaldee reads, foreign divided. So Num. xxxiv. 2. this is the land which foreign shall fall to you (the Chaldee again foreign shall be divided to you) for an inheritance. So Jos. xiii. 6. OnelyOnly foreign cast it, or make it fall (in Hiphil) foreign say the Chaldee, divide it unto the Israelites for an inheritance; the same that v. 7. is foreign divide it. So Jos. xxiii. 4. Behold foreign I have cast, i. e. divided to you these nations. By these (especially last) uses of the phrase, we may best resolve the meaning of foreign foreignliterally, and he made them fall, i. e. divided the nations foreign (as in Joshuah) immediately foregoing; and this was done foreign foreignby the line (as inheritances or possessions are ordinarily divided by measuring lines) and this foreign an inheritance or possession, as in Joshua the phrase was. By this 'tis clear what the rendring must be, viz. this, He divided them by line for an inheritance, & then fitly follows, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents, i. e. in the tents or dwelling places of these nations, whom, i. e. whose land he thus divided among the Israelites, to every tribe a set portion of it.
V. 63. Given in marriage] From foreign to praise and celebrate, is foreign foreigna marriage song, foreign marriages, and foreign the wedding house; and so proportionably foreign (spoken of virgins here) they were not celebrated with verses and dances and Epithalamia, to signifie that they died unmarried, and that, as an effect of the destruction of the foreign foreigntheir choise, or their young, the flower of their youth. The Chaldee renders it foreign they were not praised. The Lxxii. in proportion v. 64. read foreign bewailed them not, as in the acctive, taking it for a foreign or mourning song; but the Syriack reads foreign they were ravisht, from foreign rapuit, discerpsit, by that, I suppose, designing to express the same thing that the Hebrew meant, such rapes being not accompanied with the honourable nuptial rites. These wedding-songs were likewise called foreign. So Job xxxvi. 11. They shall spend their years in pleasure; the Targum reads foreign in marriage-songs.
V. 65. Shouteth] From foreign clamavit, to cry out or make a loud noise, is foreign foreignhere, one that makes a noise, and thereby rouses and awakes himselfe; and so here spoken of a gyant, and foreign from wine joyned with it, it denotes his awaking out of a deep sleep, such as wine had caused. Thus the antient Interpreters understood it. The Chaldee renders it foreign from foreign that opens his eyes or eares, awakes, returns to himself, grows sober again. So the Lxxii. foreign, as a mighty man that hath been drunk with wine, i. e. who having been overcome by mine, now awakes out of that drunkenness: and so the Syriack, and as a gyant foreign who hath shaken off his wine, from foreign excussit, to shake off. And thus it best corresponds to the former part of the verse, of his awaking as out of sleep, with which the shouting by reason of wine, making a drunken or rude noise, bears no proportion.
V. 69. Like high palaces] foreign foreignis literally, as high or lofty buildings; so the Syriack foreign on high: but the Chaldee, foreign the horne of an Unicorne, as if it were foreign Unicornes; and so the Lxxii. foreign as of Unicornes, making this of the tabernacle on the top of mount Sion, to be as the horne on the head of the Unicorne. The Jewish Arab interpreter reads firmely as the heavens.