A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Deuteronomy · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII.
Verſ. 1. GIve ear, O ye heavens, and I will ſpeak, and hear, O earth, &c.]
That is, the ſong mentioned in the former chapter, which God gave Moſes, verſ. 19. and commanded him to teach the people. And this Rhetoricall expreſſion which Moſes uſeth in the beginning of this ſong is to imply, firſt, of what great importance it was which he was about to ſay, that it was fit all the world ſhould hearken to it; ſecondly, to imply how ſtrangely ſtupid Gods own people were, that he had as much hope that the ſenſeleſſe and unreaſonable creatures ſhould hearken to him as they.
Verſ. 2. My doctrine ſhall drop as the rain, &c.]
That is, look as the dew, the ſmall rain, and great ſhowrs diſtilling and falling down upon the graſſe and herbs, do ſoften the ground, and ſo cauſe the graſſe & herbs & plants, &c. to ſprout out and grow up ſweetly, and to bring forth abundance of fruit; ſo ſhall my words prove profitable and effectuall for the good of thoſe that heare them, ſoftening their hearts, making all grace to grow and thrive in their ſouls, and cauſing them to be abundantly fruitfull in every good work, to wit, unleſſe they fall upon hearts like ſtones, or ſandie ground, where nothing can grow: which is much at one with that which the Lord ſaith of his word, Iſa. 55. 10. As the rain cometh down, and the ſnow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, &c. ſo ſhall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, &c.
Verſ. 3. Becauſe I will publiſh the name of the Lord, aſcribe ye greatneſſe to our God.]
Some Expoſitours by publiſhing the name of the Lord, underſtand his ſetting forth the excellencies of God, to wit, his infinite power, wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, &c. and by aſcribing greatneſſe to our God, they underſtand alſo glorifying of God, and extolling his name; and ſo they conceive the meaning of theſe words to be as if Moſes had ſaid, becauſe I intend to ſhew forth the glory of the Lord, the drift of this ſong being to praiſe his name by ſhewing his faithfull & righteous dealing with Iſrael, and ſo to lay the blame of their revolt upon them, and to clear God of it, therefore let Iſrael aſcribe greatneſſe to our God, to wit, either by obeying his will, or elſe by juſtifying God and condemning themſelves if they be puniſhed for rebelling againſt them. But I rather think that by publiſhing the name of the Lord is meant onelyonly his ſpeaking to them in the name of the Lord or in Gods ſtead, and ſo by aſcribing greatneſſe to our God is meant their regarding the words he ſhould ſpeak as became them that were to heare the great God of heaven and earth ſpeaking to them; and ſo the ſenſe of theſe words to be this, Becauſe I will publiſh the name of the Lord, that is, becauſe I ſhall ſpeak to you in the name of the Lord, and what I ſhall deliver ſhall be from God, the word of God, ſpeaking by me; aſcribe ye greatneſſe to our God, that is, make it manifeſt that you reverence the Majeſtie of that great God that now ſpeaks unto you, to wit, by attending to what is ſpoken with all humility, by laying it to heart, and yielding obedience thereto. And indeed they that heare God reverently when he ſpeaks, and tremble at his word, Iſa. 66. 2. they that are deeply moved with what is ſpoken, and endeavour to obey it with all their might, their hearts are effected as they ought to be with the majeſty and greatneſſe of God: and on the other ſide, all irreverence and careleſneſſe in hearing Gods word, and all ſlighting and diſregarding of what he ſpeaks, argues a ſecret vilifying of God in the heart.
Verſ. 4. He is the rock, his work is perfect, &c.]
Theſe two verſes following contain the ſumme of the greateſt part of the ſong, to wit, that God was no way to be blamed for his dealing with the Iſraelites, but that all the blame muſt reſt upon them, who had cauſeleſly revolted from him, and ſo had given him juſt cauſe to poure out his wrath upon them. Had God failed or come ſhort in any thing that ſhould have been done, had he not made good his promiſes, or had there been any thing to be deſired that was not to be found in God, their defection from him might have been excuſed under that pretence. But no ſuch thing could be ſaid of God. No, ſaith Moſes, He is the rock, his work is perfect, &c. firſt, he is the rock, that is, he is an almighty, ſtable▪ ſure refuge and foundation to all thoſe that fly to him, and rely upon him, If God be for us, who can be against us? Rom. 8. 31. neither indeed is there any ſure ſhelter to be had but onelyonly in him. In times of danger men uſed to fly to rocks to ſhelter themſelves, 1. Sam. 13. 6. To ſhew therefore that in times of danger thoſe that flie to God, and are taken into his protection, are ſure and ſafe, and none but they, the Scripture ſtyles him the rock: as the coney that flies to the holes in the rocks doth eaſily avoyd the dogges that purſue her, when the hare, that truſts to the ſwiftneſſe of her legs, is at length overtaken and torn in pieces; ſo thoſe that ſeek rightly to God in their diſtreſſe, and truſt in nothing but his protection, do find him a ſure impregnable rock of defence, whereas they that truſt in their own policy, or wealth, &c. ſhall at length be ſurpriſed and deſtroyed, and there ſhall be none to help them. Thus God is the rock. And again, his work is perfect; for all his wayes are judgement, &c. that is, his dealing with his people hath been exactly juſt and holy in the higheſt degree of perfection, nor hath there been any the leaſt failing in any thing that he hath done, Jer. 2. 5. Thus ſaith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone farre from me, &c. And indeed becauſe God is infinite in power, and wiſdome, and goodneſſe, &c. and therefore it is not poſſible that any thing ſhould be better done then as God doth it, even in thoſe works of God that have ſome imperfection in them, as in giving children born blind, or lame, &c. yet as they are acts of providence, there is a perfection of wiſdome, holineſſe, and juſtice in them, and there is nothing at all in them for which he can be blamed.
Verſ. 5. They have corrupted themſelves.]
Having in the former verſe juſtified God, and ſhown that he was not to be blam…d if Iſrael were deſtroyed, here Moſes begins to ſhew that all the blame belonged to the Iſraelites themſelves, and that becauſe they had corrupted themſelves, that is, they had broken covenant with God; though they profeſſed themſelves his people, and called him their father, yet they were degenerated from the holy wayes of their fathers, and were become a wicked and ſinfull people.
Their ſpot is not the spot of his children.]
Others tranſlate this clauſe, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, that they are not his children, that is their blot, and then the meaning muſt needs be this, that whatever they had formerly been, yet they had now brought this ſtain and diſhonour upon themſelves that they were not indeed the children of God. But the tranſlation in our Bibles doth beſt agree with the ſcope of the place, their ſpot is not the ſpot of my children, that is, their wickedneſſe is greater then can ſtand with the condition of being my children. The beſt of Gods children have their ſpots and blemiſhes, their infirmities and corruptions: But to live in the ordin…ry practice of groſſe ſinnes, and to give themſelves over to wicked courſes are degrees of evil which are not compatible with true grace: theſe ſpots are …ot the ſpots of his children, who muſt be holy as their father in heaven is holy. And this is that which Moſes here chargeth upon the Iſraelites, though in regard of outward profeſſion the Lord was their father, and they his children, as himſelf afterwards ſaith, verſ. 6. Is not he thy father that hath bought thee, &c. yet the wickedneſſe of their lives was evidence enough that they were not ſuch indeed and in truth, their ſpot is not the ſpot of his children.
They are a perverſe and crooked generation.]
Moſes calls them cr…ked, becauſe both their hearts and wayes were ſo diſſonant to the right rule of Gods will and Law; and perverſe, becauſe they were ſo untoward and untractable, that nothing would work upon them to mend any thing that was amiſſe in them; and the word generation in this clauſe, a perverſe and crooked generation, implyes both the generality of their Apoſtacy, and the ſpring from whence their wickedneſſe proceeded, to wit, originall ſinne, that corruption of nature, which they drew from their parents.
Verſ. 6. Is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and eſtabliſhed thee?]
To convince them of that groſſe ingratitude, wherewith he had charged them in the foregoing words, Do ye thus requite the Lord, oh fooliſh people, and unwiſe? he puts them in mind of that which was of all other the greateſt of the mercies which he had afforded them, natuely, that he had choſen them to be his peculiar people, and ſo had entred into a covenant with them that he would be their father, and that they ſhould be his ſonnes and his daughters: for that he ſpeaks of their being his children by adoption is manifeſt, the phraſe here uſed, thy father that hath bought thee, implying plainly that they were not his children by nature, but that he redeemed and bought them, and ſo adopted them to be his children; and the next clauſe alſo is to the very ſame purpoſe, Hath he not made thee, and eſtabliſhed thee? for it is not meant ſo much of making them men and women, as of making them his people, and by a ſure covenant eſtabliſhing them to be his ſonnes and daughters; and ſo the word is elſewhere uſed for a degree of grace after creation, as Iſa…. 43. 7. where the Lord ſpeaking of Iſrael ſaith, I have created him for my glorie, I have formed him, yea I have made him.
Verſ. 8. When the most high divided to the nations their inheritance, &c.]
Two ſeverall wayes this verſe may be probably expounded: firſt thus, That when God by his providence did diſpoſe of the ſeverall nations, that came out of the loyns of Adam, in the ſeverall parts of the world, allotting to one nation one countrey, and another to another, even as a man that hath ſome great Lordſhip divides it out by parcels to ſeverall tenants (and this the Lord did in the age after the confuſion of tongues at Babel; for every nation did then plant themſelves, according as God by his eternall decree had determined and ſet the bounds of their habitation, Acts 17. 26.) then did he ſet the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Iſrael, that is, he choſe the children of Iſrael to be his onelyonly peculiar inheritance, where they were there was his people, and where their bounds ended, there was an end of his people, and there the bounds of the heathen began. But ſecondly thus, That when God did at firſt divide the earth amongſt the ſeverall nations, and bring every one of them to countreys which by his eternall decree he had determined for their habitation, even then did he think of Iſrael before they were yet a people, and took care that they ſhould have a competent portion reſerved for them, to wit, the land of Canaan, which was for their uſe put into the hands of the Canaanites, to whom he allotted ſo much of the earth as he knew would ſerve for the Iſraelites, and ſo, as it is ſaid here▪ he ſet the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Iſrael: and indeed this laſt expoſition doth beſt agree with the words of the text, and is therefore embraced by the moſt Expoſitours.
Verſ. 9. For the Lords portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.]
That is, the Iſraelites are that portion of mankind whom he was pleaſed to redeem out of the bondage of Satan, to make them his peculiar people, and therefore it was that he took ſpeciall care of them. They are called his portion and inheritance, firſt, becauſe they were to be entirely his, they were to acknowledge no other Lord, &c. ſecondly, to ſignifie that not onelyonly they, but their children after them, were to be the Lords ſucceſſively; thirdly, to intimate the precious account the Lord made of them, that the Lord would delight in them, and would keep them, and plead for them as men do for their inheritance, as we know what Naboth ſaid unto Ahab, 1. Kings 21. 3. The Lord forbid it me, that I ſhould give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. Again, they are called the lot of his inheritance, or as it is in the Hebrew, the cord of his inheritance, in alluſion to the cuſtome of thoſe times, when they uſed to divide land amongſt men by lots, and to meaſure it out with a line or cord, and the rather happely becauſe the land of Canaan was ſo divided amongſt the Iſraelites. See Numb. 26. 55, 56.
Verſ. 10. He found him in a deſert land, and the waſt howling wilderneſſe.]
The wilderneſſe is called the waſt howling wilderneſſe, becauſe of the howling both of beaſts and birds, that uſually keep in ſuch wild and deſolate places; and it may be alſo becauſe of the dolefull complaints of thoſe that travelling thoſe deſerts do often periſh for want of food. But why is it ſaid that the Lord found the Iſraelites in a deſert land, and in the waſt howling wilderneſſe? Not becauſe the Lord never took them to be his people till they were in the wilderneſſe; for they were the Lords people when they were in Egypt. I have ſeen, ſaith the Lord to Moſes, the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, Exod. 3. 7. and it was the Lord that brought them thence out of the tender compaſſion that he had of them: but either becauſe it was in the wilderneſſe, to wit at Sinal, that he firſt entred ſolemnly into a covenant with them, that he would be their God, and they ſhould be his people, and ſo gave them his laws to which they were bound to ſubmit themſelves; or elſe rather, onelyonly to imply the deſperate danger wherein the Iſraelites were when they were in the wilderneſſe, but that God came to their ſuccour when they were ready to periſh: for indeed I do not think that the drift of this word found, was to ſhew when God began to take pity of Iſrael, or when they firſt began to be his people; but onelyonly to ſet forth how likely they were to periſh there, but that God delivered them, to wit, that they were then like a poore helpleſſe infant laid forth in a deſert, whom ſome man caſually ſinds and preſerves, when before he lay ready every moment to periſh. Yea beſide, under this which is ſaid concerning their outward danger in the deſert, I doubt not but the ſpirit of God intended alſo to imply the deſperate danger of their ſpirituall condition, when God firſt ſet his love upon them, and choſe them to be his people, to wit, that they were in the ſtate of corruption and death, but that God received them: for thus the Lord by the prophet Ezekiel ſets forth the danger of their naturall eſtate, by comparing them to a new-born infant laid out in ſome deſperate place, Ezek. 16. 4. As for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born, thy navel was not cut, neither waſt thou waſhed with water to ſupple thee: thou waſt not ſalted at all, nor ſwadled at all. None eye pitied thee to do any of theſe unto thee, to have compaſſion upon thee, but thou waſt caſt out in the open field, to the loathing of thy perſon, in the day that thou waſt born.
He led him about, he inſtructed him, &c.]
This place may be read, he compaſſed him, he inſtructed him, &c. and then the firſt clauſe muſt be meant of the Lords providence, wherewith they were compaſſed about as with a wall, even when they were travelling towards Canaan, ſo that none of their enemies could come at them to hurt them. But reading it, as it is in our bibles, He led him about, he inſtructed him, the firſt clauſe muſt either be meant of that we reade, Exod. 13. 18. when it is ſaid that God led the people about through the way of the wilderneſſe of the red ſea, purpoſely to avoid a nearer way there was through the land of the Philiſtines, leſt the people ſho…ld be diſcouraged, if at the very firſt they ſhould be encountred with warre; or elſe of the whole time of their wandring about for fourty year… together in the wilderneſſe, wherein the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire, Exod. 13. 21. till he had brought them at laſt to the land of Canaan. As for the following words, he inſtructed them, either is it meant ſolely of the Lords giving them the law in Sinai, or elſe joyntly of his inſtructing them both by his word and works, the ſeverall diſpenſations of his providence towards them in this time of their paſſing through the wilderneſſe: for all theſe were to inſtruct them; their afflictions, to teach them to fear God, Heare ye the rod, and who hath appointed it, ſaith the prophet, Mich. 6. 9. and the mercies God afforded them, to teach them to love God, and to delight in his ſervice, &c.
Verſ. 11. As an Eagle ſtirreth up her nost, fluttereth over her young, &c.]
The Lords dealing with the Iſraelites, in carrying them from Egypt to Canaan, is here compared to the Eagles dealing with her young ones, when ſhe firſt carrieth them forth abroad: and therefore having told us how the Eagle ſtirreth up her nest, that is, her young ones in her neſt, rowſing them up with the cry that ſhe makes; how ſhe fluttereth over them, and spreadeth abroad her wings, as it were preparing her ſelf to flight, teaching, and provoking her young ones to do as ſhe did, and to fly along with her; and then at laſt yet farther to encourage them, how ſhe takes them, and beareth them on her wings, then in the next verſe he applyes all this to the Lords carrying the Iſraelites towards Canaan, ſo, ſa…th he, the Lord alone did lead him, that is, with ſuch tenderneſſe and care did the Lord carry them to the land of promiſe, ſtirring them up and quickning them by his promiſes and threatnings, encouraging them with manifold mercies, defending them from all dangers, and bearing with them in their many infirmities: and at laſt he concludes, and there was no ſtrange God with him, that is, no ſtrange God had any hand in this which was done for the Iſraelites; and ſo thereby he implyes how injurious they were in giving away that glory which was due onelyonly to the Lord to theſe ſtrange gods that had done nothing for them. See alſo the notes upon Exod. 19. 4.
Verſ. 13. He made him ride on the high places of the earth.]
That is, to conquer and ſubdue the mountanous places, and high-walled cities of their enemies, and to poſſeſſe a land farre excelling others for all commodities whatſoever: and by riding or treading upon the enemies high places is meant the ſubduing of their ſtrong holds, as chap. 33. 29. Thine enemies ſhall be found lyars unto thee, and thou ſhalt tread upon their high places: for riding is often uſed for conquering and ſubduing, Pſal. 45. 8. And in thy majesty ride proſperouſly, &c. Rev. 6. 2. And I ſaw, and behold, a white horſe, and he that ſate on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he…went forth conquering, and to conquer. Iſa. 58. 14. I will cauſe thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, &c.
He made him to ſuck ho…y out of the rock, and oyl out of the flinty rock.]
That is, hony of bees neſtling in the holes of rocks, or trees in rocks; or hony-fruits growing on trees in rocky places. The drift of the words in doubtleſſe in generall to ſet forth the admirable fertility of Canaan, where even the moſt barren places ſhould yield ſuch ſtore of royall dainties.
Verſ. 14. With fat of lambs, and rammes of the breed of Baſhan.]
The choice…t fatted lambs, rammes, &c.
With the fat of kidneys of wheat.]
That is the fineſt of large, plump, and full kernel… of the ſweeteſt and choiceſt wheat, which are like kidneys in ſhape. The very word here rendred, the fat of wheat, is elſewhere tranſlated in our Bibles, the fineſt of the wheat, as Pſal. 81. 16. He ſhould have fed them alſo with the fineſt wheat.
And thou didſt drink the pure bloud of the grape.]
That is, pure wine, red like bloud.
Verſ. 15. But Jeſurun waxed fat, and kicked.]
That is Iſrael, Deut. 33. 5, 26. And he was King in Jeſurun, when the heads of the people, and the tribes of Iſrael were gathered together. There is none like unto the God of Jeſurun, &c. Eſa. 44. 2. Fear not oh Jacob my ſervant, and Jeſurun whom I have choſen. It is derived from Joſher, an Hebrew word ſignifying righteouſneſſe, and is a name given them, to ſhew that by their calling they were to be a righteous people, and ſo had been in ſome meaſure, but is here given them by way of upbraiding them for being ſo unlike the people that by their calling they ſhould have been, yea ſo farre degenerated from what they had been.
Verſ. 16. They provoked him to jealouſie with ſtrange gods.]
That is, made him by their ſpirituall fornications exceeding angry; for jealouſie is the rage of a man, Prov. 6. 34.
Verſ. 17. They ſacrificed unto devils, not to God.]
See Levit. 17. 7.
To gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.]
Two circumſtances are here noted in the Iſraelites idolatry, by way of aggravating their ſinne: the firſt is, that they worſhipped new gods that came newly up; and the ſtrange gods of the heathens, which the Iſraelites worſhipped, though they had continued in the world many hundred years, are yet termed new gods, newly come up, becauſe indeed they were no better if compared with the eternall ever-living God, who is called the ancient of dayes, Dan. 7. 9. and who is indeed onelyonly to be worſhipped; and alſo becauſe this way of religious worſhip was but a new invention in compariſon of the true worſhip, wherewith the true God had been worſhipped in his Church from the firſt beginning of time, &c. That onelyonly which is from the beginning is truly ancient, and of this therefore it is that the Prophet ſpeaks, Jer. 6. 16. Thus ſaith the Lord, Stand ye in the wayes, and ſee, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, &c. and whatever is erroneus in religion, though of never ſo long ſtanding, it is but a novelty. The ſecond is, that they were fallen to the worſhipping of gods whom their fathers feared not, that is, ſuch as their fathers ſlighted as vanities, gods that could do neither good nor hurt, Jer. 10. 5. and were not therefore worthy their fear; and this too did make their ſinne farre the worſe, and that becauſe though it be not alwayes ſafe for men to follow the way of their fathers in matters of religion, yet when their fathers worſhipped God aright, and ſo they had not onelyonly the word of God for their rule, but alſo the example of their fathers to encourage and lead them on, then to decline from the way of the truth, from their fathers conveyed to them, merely out of a fickle and inconſtant ſpirit, muſt needs greatly aggravate their ſinne.
Verſ. 20. And he ſaid, I will hide my face from them, I will ſee what their end ſhall be.]
That is, I will let them ſee what a miſerable end they will come to when I forſake them, Pſal. 73. 17, 18. Ʋntill I went into the Sanctuary of God, then underſtood I their end. Surely thou didſt ſet them in ſlippery places, thou caſtedst them down into deſtruction.
For they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.]
That is, no faith truly to believe any thing that God ſaith to them, and no faith nor fidelity in keeping ſtedfaſtly their covenant with God.
Verſ. 21. They have moved me to jealouſie with that which is not God.]
The ſumme of that which is here threatned is this, that ſince they had mobed him to jealouſie, that is, provoked him to diſpleaſure, with that which was not God, that is, by giving away the worſhip which was due onelyonly to him, to gods which were indeed no gods, ſo preferring mere vanities, perhaps ſtocks and ſtones, before their creatour, therefore he would move them to jealouſie, that is, would vex and diſquiet them, with thoſe which are not a people, even with a fooliſh nation, that is by preferring as it were the heathen before them that had been his peculiar people. And this the Lord did to the Iſraelites two ſeverall wayes: firſt, when he took part with the heathens, and made them victorious over the Iſraelites, when the Aſſyrians, the Babylonians and other heathen people, which were deſpiſed by the Iſraelites as poore, blind, ſilly wretches, that knew nothing of God, nor had any intereſt in God, were by the help of Gods providence crowned with one victory after another in their warres againſt the Iſraelites, and did at laſt make them their bondſlaves, and tread them down as dirt in the ſtreets: this muſt needs mightily vex and diſquiet them; for why, think they, ſhould the uncircumciſed thus trample upon the Iſrael of God? and thus did God move them to jealouſie with thoſe which were not a people, &c. But ſecondly, the Lord did this moſt eminently when he cu… off the Jews, and took the Gentiles in their ſtead to be his people: for herein S. Paul notes that this threatning was made good, Rom. 10. 19. And indeed if a Prince ſhould take ſome baſe beggar to his bed and board to vex his wife, that had formerly plaid the harlot with ſome baſe unworthy groom, this could not be a greater vexation to her, then it was alwayes to the Jews to think that the Gentiles, whom they deſpiſed for their blindneſſe and folly, ſhould come to be eſpouſed to God in Chriſt, and enjoy the priviledges of Gods Church and people, and they ſhould be caſt off. Even the believing Jews were not without much ado brought to yield to this truth of the Gentiles calling, Act. 11. 2, 3. and much more was it a matter of great vexation and indignation to the reſt, and indeed ſo it is unto this day. See 1. Theſſ. 2. 15, 16. Who both killed the Lord Jeſus, and their own prophets, and have perſecuted us: and they pleaſe not God, and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to ſpeak to the Gentiles, that they might be ſaved, to fill up their ſinnes alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
Verſ. 22. For a fire is kindled in mine anger and ſhall burn unto the loweſt hell, &c.]
Some Expoſitours underſtand this of the eternall torments of hell, to wit, that the Lord would in his juſt anger not onelyonly poure out upon them his judgements here, but alſo throw their ſouls afte…wards to hell, where the unquenchable fire burns, Matt. 3. 12. But though this be a truth, that the wicked ſhall not onelyonly be puniſhed here but alſo eternally in hell-fire hereafter; yet it ſeems not ſo probable that this is intended here, but that all which is here threatned is this, that the judgements, which God in his anger would bring upon them, ſhould utterly deſtroy the land: for the laſt branch of the verſe, and ſhall conſume the earth with her increaſe, and ſet on fire the foundations of the mountains, ſeems to be added by way of ex…laining theſe, and to ſhew us what was meant by the burning of this fire unto the loweſt hell.
Verſ. 23. I will heap miſchiefs upon them, I will ſpend mine arrows upon them.]
That is, I will ſtrike them with many plagues, and they ſhall be wounded with them as with arrows, ſuddenly and unexpectedly, according to that Za…h. 9. 14. The Lord ſhall be ſeen over them, and his arrows ſhall go forth as the lightning, &c.
Verſ. 24. They ſhall be burnt with hunger.]
That is, conſumed, as with a fire, by famine, which maketh mens viſages blacker then a cole. &c. Lam. 4. 8. Their viſage is blacker then a cole, they are not known in the streets, their skinne cleaveth to their bones: it is withered, it is become like a stick.
And devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction.]
By burning heat, as moſt Expoſitours conceive, is meant the burning carbuncle or plagueſore, a fiery ulcer on the body; and therefore the ſame word, though there tranſlated burning coles, is joyned with the peſtilence, Hab. 3. 5. Before him went the peſtilence, and burning coles went forth at his feet; and ſo likewiſe by bitter deſtruction is meant the peſt, and other terrible ſickneſſes, whereby God ſoon cutteth off the life of man with bitterneſſe, Pſal. 91. 5, 6. Thou ſhalt not be afraid for the terrour by night, nor for the arrow tht flieth by day: Nor for the peſtilence that walketh in darkneſſe, nor for the deſtruction that waſteth at noon-day.
I will alſo ſend the teeth of beaſts upon them, with the poiſon of ſerpents of the dust.]
That is, that hide themſelves in the duſt, or that feed of the duſt, implying that as the wild beaſts ſhould kill them by force, ſo the ſerpents alſo by ſecret ſubtil…y.
Verſ. 25. The ſword without and terrour within ſhall deſtroy both the young man, &c.]
That is, they that are abroad ſhall be ſlain with the ſword, and they that are within ſhall die with very terrour and fear: thus according to the very letter of the words, we may very well underſtand this place; but yet ſome by terrour underſtand the terrible ſword.
Verſ. 26. I ſaid, I would ſcatter them into corners, &c.]
God ſpeaketh here after the manner of men: but the generall drift of the words is this, that their wickedneſſe provoked him almoſt utterly to deſtroy them, but that he had reſpect to his own glory.
Verſ. 27. Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, leſt their adverſaries ſhould behave themſelves ſtrangely, &c.]
Two ſeverall wayes theſe words may be underſtood: for firſt, by the wrath of the enemy may be meant the exceſſive fury and rage of thoſe their enemies whom God ſhould imploy in puniſhing the ſinnes of the people; and then that which follows, leſt their adverſaries ſhould behave themſelves ſtrangely, muſt be underſtood of the enemies ſtrange and inhumane dealing with his people, and ſo that this is alledged as one reaſon why the Lord did not let looſe the enemies to deſtroy his people, though their ſinnes did mightily provoke him thereto, to wit, leſt the enemy ſhould in their boundleſſe fury uſe them with ſuch ſtrange unheard of cruelty, as God could not, though angry, endure his people ſhould ſuffer: and then the laſt branch contains another reaſon, leſt they ſhould ſay, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this. But ſecondly, by the wrath of the enemy may be meant the proud inſolency and madneſſe of their enemies, puft up with the good ſucceſſe of their warres againſt Gods people; and this the moſt of Expoſitours agree to. And if we underſtand it thus, then the words following are added by way of explaining this, leſt their adverſaries ſhould behave themſelves ſtrangely, to wit, in ſaying, our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this, wherein their aſcribing the glory of their victories to their own proweſſe and power, and not unto God, is termed a ſtrange behaviour, either becauſe therein they did, as we may ſay, make ſtr…n…e of the matter, as if all thoſe evils that had befallen the Iſraelites were not the effects of Gods diſpleaſure againſt them, as if he had no hand at all in it, but that all was to be aſcribed to themſelves; or elſe, becauſe in this their pride they did ſo ſtrangely exalt themſelves above that they did before, as if they were not the ſame men they were before, or as if they had forgotten indeed themſelves to be men: and ſo then the drift of this verſe is this, that the reaſon why God would not by their enemies bring his people ſo near to utter deſtruction as their ſinnes deſerved, was onelyonly this, leſt their enemies ſhould hereupon exalt and advance themſelves, and boaſt as if without Gods help they had done all they had done: of which mad and ſtrange inſolency it is that David ſpeaks, Pſal. 140. 8. Grant not, O Lord, the deſires of the wicked; further not his wicked device, leſt they exalt themſelves.
Verſ. 28. For they are a nation void of counſel, neither was there underſtanding in them.]
Some referre this to the enemies of Gods people, of whom he had ſpoken in the foregoing words; but it is doubtleſſe ſpoken of the Iſraelites, as is manifeſt in the following words, O that they were wiſe, &c. and it is added as a reaſon why God was ſo ready to have brought ſuch an overflowing ſcourge upon them, as to make the remembrance of them ceaſe from among men, as he had ſaid before, verſ. 26. even becauſe they were a nation void of counſel, neither was there any understanding in them, that is, they were ſo blinded, and hardened in their ſinnes, that they could not or would not ſee either what was like to be for their welfare here, or eternally hereafter; when the Lord did puniſh them, what it was that had brought thoſe plagues and miſeries upon them.
Verſ. 29. Oh that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end!]
That is, oh that they would beforehand conſider what the end will be of ſuch ſtubborn rebellious courſes, that ſo by true repentance they might prevent theſe miſeries which in the end will elſe certainly come upon them.
Verſ. 30. How ſhould one chaſe a thouſand? &c.]
That is, ſeeing the Lord had promiſed the Iſraelites that a hundred of them ſhould put ten thouſand of their enemies to flight, Levit. 26. 8. and this they had found true in many ſtrange victories they had gotten, wherein a handfull of them, to ſpeak of, had defeated whole armies of their adverſari…s, how ſhould it come to paſſe quite contrary that one of their enemies ſhould chaſe a thouſand of them, and that two of their enemies ſhould put ten thouſand of them to flight, except their rock had ſold them, and the Lord had ſhut them up, that is, except the Lord who is their rock, and their onelyonly ſtay, ſtrength and refuge, had delivered them up into the power and hands of their enemies to be their ſlaves and vaſſals; for ſo this phraſe of ſhutting up is elſewhere uſed, as Pſal. 31. 7, 8. Thou hast known my ſoul in adverſities, and haſt not ſhut me up into the hand of the enemie. Now Moſes uſeth this figurative expreſſion, Except their rock had ſold them, to implie that it was not ſo much from the ſtrength and proweſſe of their enemies, that the Iſraelites became their bondſlaves, as from the Lords delivering them into their hands; and ſecondly, that by delivering them up thus into bondage to their enemies, the Lord did as it were renounce all intereſt in them, as if he meant no longer to be their Lord, but had left them to the power of other lords that ſhould have dominion over them. Indeed elſewhere it is ſaid that the Iſraelites ſold themſelves, Iſai. 52. 3. Ye have ſold your ſelves for nought, and ye ſhall be redeemed without money, to wit, becauſe by their ſinnes they brought themſelves into thraldome; but here it is ſaid that the Lord ſold them, becauſe it was the Lord that brought this judgement upon them.
Verſ. 31. For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themſelves being judges.]
That is, their gods are not as our God, and that the Heathen themſelves cannot denie. He had ſaid that a few of their enemies could not have overcome multitudes of the Iſraelites if God had not delivered them up into their enemies hands; and now the reaſon of this is given in theſe words, to wit, becauſe the God of the Iſraelites was another manner of God then the idol-gods of the Heathens: as if he had ſaid, It is no wonder though multitudes of the Heathen ſhould be put to flight by a few of their enemies, and that becauſe their rock, their idolgods, can do nothing at all for their defence, for their rock is not as our Rock, our God is of infinite power, and therefore able to make his people victorious over all their enemies, ſo that it could not be that their enemies ſhould vanquiſh them except their God did withdraw his help, and give them up into the hands of their enemies. Now this, he ſaith, was ſo clear that their enemies themſelves muſt needs con…ſſe it. I know the meaning of thoſe words, even our enemies themſelves being judges, may be this, that the deſtruction of the Iſraelites enemies in all ages, the Egyptians, Amalekites, &c. did ſufficiently prove this truth, that their gods were not to be compared with the God of Iſrael; but I ſee no reaſon why we ſhould not underſtand it of the confeſſion of their enemies, ſince the marvellous works which God did for the Iſraelites could not but convince their idolatrous adverſaries, though for the moſt part they held the truth in un…ighteouſneſſe, as we ſee they did, Pharaoh and his Egyptians, Exod. 14. 25. The Egyptians ſaid, Let us flee from the face of Iſrael, for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
Verſ. 32. For their vine is the vine of Sodome, and of the fields of Gomorrah.]
That is, their lives are abominable, like thoſe of Sodom and Gomorrah (whence alſo is that of the prophet, Iſai. 1. 10. and therefore no wonder though God be ſo highly offended with them.
Their grapes are grapes of gall, &c.]
Their works are here compared to gall, the poyſon of dragons, and the venome of aſps, verſ. 23. becauſe they were ſo diſtaſtfull to God, and ſo deadly to themſelves and others that ſhould be infected by their example; of which ſee the note on chap. 29. 18. but withall theſe expreſſions may have particular reſpect to their bitter and deadly malice againſt the prophets, and other the faithfull ſervants of God in future times, but eſpecially againſt Chriſt and his Apoſtles, &c.
Verſ. 34. Is not this la…d up in ſtore with me, and ſealed up amongst my treaſures?]
Some underſtand this thus, That what he had ſaid in the foregoing words concerning the bitter malice of the Jews againſt Chriſt their Meſſiah, and againſt the ſervants of Chriſt, was one of thoſe ſecrets known now beforehand to God, to whom all future things are known, and which by the event would be found to be true, though now it would hardly be believed. But I rather conceive that this is ſpoken of the certain puniſhment that did abide this people for theſe their horrible ſinnes; Is not this laid up in ſtore with me, ſaith the Lord, and ſealed up amongst my treaſures? that is, though for a time I forbear to puniſh theſe curſed and bitter fruits and works of theirs, yet let them not therefore think to eſcape; for all their tranſgreſſions are laid up in ſtore with me, I keep a perfect account of every one of them, and will be ſure at laſt to bring them all forth, and charge them full heavily upon them. But what is meant by that laſt clauſe, and ſealed up amongst my treaſures? I anſwer that the meaning of this is either, that a memoriall of their ſinnes was kept in the unſearchable treaſuries of his wiſdome and knowledge, as ſafely and carefully as men keep their treaſures, and ſo this place is parallel with that, Job 14. 17. My tranſgreſſion is ſealed up in a bag, and thou ſewest up mine iniquitie; or elſe, that he kept remembrance of their ſinnes together with thoſe treaſure… of wrath and vengeance which he had in ſtore for wicked men, which therefore he would bring forth together with their ſinnes, when the time came of calling them to an account, and ſo give them the juſt reward of their wickedneſſe. And indeed we reade of treaſures of ſnow, and of hail reſerved againſt the time of trouble, againſt the day of battel and warre, Job 38. 22, 23. and that they who abuſe Gods forbearance, and thereby embolden themſelves to ſinne, do treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath, Rom. 2. 5.
Verſ. 35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence.]
That is, the work of puniſhing wickedneſſe, and conſequently the wicked wayes of this my people; and therefore as their ſinnes are known to me, ſo they ſhall be undoubtedly puniſhed by me.
Their foot ſhall ſlide in due time.]
That is, they ſhall fall into ſome miſchief, they ſhall not ſtand ſtedfaſt in the proſperous eſtate which now they do enjoy.
For the day of their calamitie is at hand, &c.]
That is, after they once grow thus deſperately wicked, it ſhall not be long ere this calamitie here foretold ſhall come upon them.
Verſ. 36. For the Lord ſhall judge his people, and repent himſelf for his ſervants.]
That is, the Lord as a judge ſhall puniſh the rebellious, and ſhew merciemercy to the good and penitent, and ſo will defend them againſt their opp…eſſours, and take vengeance on them for the wrong they have done his people. And thus by the generalitie of this word, judge, he paſſeth from ſpeaking of Gods juſtice in puniſhing his people, to ſpeak of his merciemercy in taking pitie on them in the height of their miſerie, and of the vengeance he would poure forth upon their enemies.
When he ſeeth that their power is gone, and there is none ſhut up or left.]
That is, none ſhut up in the enemies hand, as captives and priſoners, and no…e left at libertie; or none ſhut up in houſes, towers, or cities to eſcape the enemie, and none left eſcaped from deſtruction: and ſo this phraſe is elſewhere uſed, 1. Kings 14. 10. The meaning is, that when they are in a manner utterly overthrown and ruined, then will God come to their help: for indeed ſuch extremities are uſually the beſt opportunities which God takes of ſhewing merciemercy to his people. See 2. Kings 14. 25, 26.
Verſ. 37. And he ſhall ſay, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they truſted, &c.]
Some underſtand this of the gods of the heathen, the enemies of his people, to wit, that the Lord, by deſtroying thoſe heathen people, ſhould as it were triumph over their idol-gods, that could no way help them when God came to take vengeance on them. But it is better underſtood by others as ſpoken to his people, and that by way of upbraiding them for their follie in forſaking him, the everliving God, to follow after thoſe idol-gods that were able to do nothing for them in the time of their danger. And he ſhall ſay, Where are their gods, &c. which did eat the fat of their ſacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offerings? the meaning is, that God by ſuffering the enemies of the Iſraelites to bring them to ſo low an ebbe, that there ſhould be none …ut up or left, as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, the Lord would diſcover to them what a groſſe folly it was in them to go after thoſe idol-gods, and to give them the ſ…crifices which they ſhould have offered to him: for as for that phraſe of their idol-gods eating the fat of their ſacrifices, &c. all that is intended therein is onelyonly that their ſacrifices were offered to them as meat and drink-offerings, as in that regard the ſacrifices which God required of his people are called the food of his meat-offerings.
Verſ. 39. See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no God with me; I kill and I make alive, &c.]
As if he had ſaid, by the experience you now have had both of the bliſſe you enjoyed whileſt you ſerved me, and of the miſeries I brought upon you when you fell away to idolatry, from which your idol-gods were no way able to free you, by the experience I ſay that you have had of theſe things you may plainly ſee that I am the onelyonly true God, and that there is none el…e can do either good or hurt.
Verſ. 40. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and ſay, I live for ever.]
God ſpeaks here of himſelf after the manner of men, who uſed in ſwearing to lift up their hands to heaven, as a ſigne that they called God to witneſſe the truth of what they ſaid, Gen. 14. 22. And Abram ſaid to the King of Sodom, I have lift up my hand unto the Lord the moſt high God, the poſſeſſour of heaven and earth; and thus God confirmeth his threatnings by an oath, to ſhew the immutabili…y of his counſel, Heb. 6. 16, 17. For men verily ſwear by the greater, and an oath for co… firmation is to them an end of all ſtrife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to ſ…ew unto the heirs of promiſe the immutability of his counſel, confirmeth it by an oath. Now the oath which God here takes is, I live for ever, that is, as ſure as I live for ever I will do that which I now ſay.
Verſ. 42. I will make my arrows drunk with bloud, and that wi…h the bloud of the ſlain, and of the captives.]
That is, both with the bloud of thoſe that are ſlain, and of thoſe that are hurt in battel, and ſo thereupon are taken captive.
From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.]
That is, from the time that I began to take vengeance upon thoſe that are both mine and my peoples enemies; or from the time when I ſhall revenge upon the enemie all the wrongs which from the firſt beginning they have done unto my people, implying that God doth for a while ſuffer the enemies to runne on without controul, but at laſt, when he begins to puniſh them, he reckons with them for all the old ſcore.
Verſ. 43. R…joyce, O ye nations, with his people; for he …ill avenge, &c.]
Both Jews and Gentiles are here exhorted to bleſſe God for this his goodneſſe to his people in avenging them upon their enemies: and in this exhortation is implyed, firſt, that this which God ſhould do for the Iſraelites ſhould be ſo wonderfull even in the eyes of the Heathen that they ſhould ſpeak of it to the magnifying of God; and ſecondly, that the time ſhould come when both Jews and Gentiles ſhould together rejoyce in the goodneſſe of God to them, his Church and people, and therefore S. Paul alledgeth this pl…ce to prove the calling of the Gentiles, Rom. 15. 10.
Verſ. 44. And Moſes came and ſpake all the words of this ſong in the ears of the people, he and Ho…ea, &c.]
This was noted before, chap. 31. 30. but is here again repeated by way of tranſition to that which follows, and to note that Joſhua their elect Judge ſtood by when this ſong was repeated by Moſes, as it were to aſſent to that which Moſes ſaid and did.