Commentary on Deuteronomy, Commentary · Chapter 33

Commentary on Deuteronomy · Commentary · Chapter 33

p. 642CHAP. XXXIII.

Verſe 1 Verſe 1. AND this is the bleſſing.] As Jacob bleſſed his Children, at his departure out of the World, when God had begun to fulfil the promiſe to Abraham, of giving him a numerous Offspring; ſo Moſes, having ſeen them vaſtly increaſed, and ready p. 643to enter upon the Land promiſed to them, (XV Gen. 18, &c.) takes his farewel of them, with a Bleſſing pronounced upon the People in general, and upon each Tribe in particular. Which is in part prophetical, as the Bleſſing of Jacob was; and delivered in the prophetick ſtile: which hath ſome difficulty and obſcurity in it; on purpoſe perhaps to excite their diligent ſtudy to enquire into the meaning. See XLIX Gen. 1, 3.

Wherewith Moſes the Man of God.] Or, the Prophet of the LORD, as Onkelos tranſlates it. For Prophets are called Men of God in the holy Books, 1 Sam. IX. 6, 7, 8. 1 Kings XIII. 1. 1 Tim. VI. 11. 2 Tim. III. 17. 2 Pet. I. 21. becauſe in the exerciſe of their Sacred Function, they did not deliver their own ſenſe, nor the ſenſe of other Men; but the Mind and Will of God who ſpake by them.

Bleſſed the Children of Iſrael before his death.] Before he went up into Mount Abarim to die, (XXXII. 49.) he prayed God to bleſs them: and alſo foretold their future State and Condition. Such had been the ancient Cuſtom among the holy Patriarchs (as we learn from the example of Jacob) to admoniſh their Poſterity upon their dying Beds of ſuch things, as they thought moſt imported them. For then they could not but be thought to ſpeak moſt ſincerely; and their words were apt to be entertained with greater reſpect, and preſerved in Mind with greater Care. Moſes therefore their Deliverer, Leader, and Lawgiver, concludes his Life in the ſame manner: and it's very likely depoſited theſe dying words with them, in writing.

p. 644Ver. 2. And he ſaid, the LORD came from Sinai.] And in the firſt place, he endeavours to make them ſenſible of what God had done already for them: and Verſe 2 the chief of all his Benefits being the Revelation of his Mind and Will to them, he commemorates that, as a common Bleſſing to them all; before he begins to ſpeak in particular to each Tribe. For that is meant by the LORD came from Sinai: where he appeared in a moſt glorious manner, and from thence promulgated his Law with the greateſt Solemnity, Exod. XX. And thus the Gentiles took an unwonted brightneſs in any place to be a token of the foreign, Appearance or Advent of ſome of their gods in that place. As alſo a great commotion in any place, they took for another token of it. See the illuſtrious Spanhemius in his Annotations upon Callimachus his Hymn to Apollo, v. 7. which they ſeem to have learnt from this appearance of God on Mount Sinai, and the quaking of that Mountain, when God appeared on it.

And roſe up from Seir unto them, and ſhone forth from Mount Paran.] There is no difficulty in the foregoing words, it being evident that God came down on Mount Sinai, and thence delivered his Commands to the Iſraelites, and eſpouſed them for his People. But how he roſe up from Seir unto them, the Country of Edom; and ſhone from Paran the Country of Iſhmael, is not ſo eaſie to underſtand. The Jews indeed, who are wont to ſolve all Difficulties, by inventing what they pleaſe, are not troubled to give an account of theſe words. Which ſignifie, they fancy, that the Divine Glory firſt reſided upon Mount Seir, where God propounded his Law to the Children of Eſau; but they would not have it, becauſe they found theſe words in it, Thou ſhalt not kill. He went therefore to p. 645Paran, and offered it to the Children of Iſhmael, but they refuſed it alſo, becauſe they found theſe words in it, Thou ſhalt not Steal. So he came to Sinai, and gave it to the Iſraelites, who ſaid, All the words which the LORD hath ſaid, will we do, XXIV Exod. 3. Thus the Hieruſalem Targum, and Pirke Elieſer, and ſome other more ancient Authors, with this addition, That he offered the Law to all the Nations of the World, but they rejected it, becauſe it is written, Thou ſhalt have none other gods but me. But this looks ſo like a Fable, that ſome of themſelves are aſhamed of it, and have given a better ſenſe of the words, though I cannot ſay the true one. For thus Abraham Peritſol expounds them, The true Law came out of Sinai to the Iſraelites, by which the Edomites were ſo inlightned, that God might be ſaid to riſe up to them alſo: and afterward the Celeſtial Influence ſhone out of this Law to the Iſhmaelites, who were the better for it. Thus Conſt. L'Empereur reports his ſenſe in his Annotations upon Bava kama, Cap. IV. Sect. III. where he endeavours to make out a plainer ſenſe of theſe words, in this manner: Though the Mountain of Paran was nigher to Sinai than Seir was, and firſt occurred to thoſe that went out of Egypt; yet there was great reaſon to mention Seir before it, becauſe Moſes had reſpect to the order of their Journeys, and not to the Site of the Places. And their Journeys were ſo directed by Divine Providence, that fetching a long Circuit, forward and backward, they ſhould come to Canaan. In all which turnings and windings they were marvellouſly preſerved and provided for, by the ſame good Providence which conducted them. Of this Moſes here makes a thankful Commemoration, how he led them from Mount Sinai to the Borders of the Land of p. 646Canaan, towards Mount Seir, as is expreſly noted by Moſes, (compare I Deut. 19. with II. 1. and XX Numb. 14.) From whence, by reaſon of their Infidelity, they were led back again towards the Red Sea; and incamped in the extremity of the Wilderneſs, XXXIII Numb. 35. where Ptolemy places Paran, (though there was another part of it called Paran near Kadeſh, XIII Numb. 3, 27.) And from thence they were led back again in a long Circuit, to the Eaſt part of the Land of Canaan. This may be one reaſon why theſe two places are mentioned together with Sinai, that God, who there appeared to them, was with them all the time they wandred about in the Wilderneſs, till he brought them to the Borders of Canaan, where they now were. And another may be, becauſe in Mount Seir the brazen Serpent was erected by God's order, for the Cure of ſuch as were bitten by Serpents, when they looked on it: which was an illuſtrious Type of our bleſſed Saviour, and the Salvation wrought by him, XX Numb. 4, 9. And in the Deſert to which Paran gave the name, (becauſe it overlookt the whole, though very large) they received the joyful news, that they ſhould march into Canaan: or, as D. Chytraeus underſtands it, in the Wilderneſs of Paran the LXX Elders received the Spirit, to make them Aſſiſtants unto Moſes in the Government, (X Numb. 12. XI. 24, &c.) and here, I may add, Moſes repeated his Law to them, I Deut. 1, 5. who ſeems in this Verſe to follow a Metaphor borrowed from the Sun; which firſt illuminates the Air; and then riſes, and then ſpreads abroad his Beams; as God by degrees declared his Preſence with his People whitherſoever they went; firſt at Mount Sinai, then at Seir, and laſt of all here in the Wilderneſs of Paran.

p. 647But it muſt be acknowledged that theſe words may be interpreted in a more ſimple manner; they being but a further amplification of what was ſaid in the firſt words, the LORD came from Sinai. When at the ſame time he roſe up from Seir, and ſhone forth from Mount Paran: for theſe Mountains were very near one to another; or rather parts of one and the ſame ridge of Mountains, as Conr. Pellicanus here obſerves; and is more clearly made out by a very Learned Man among our ſelves (Dr. Hyde, in his excellent Notes on Abrah. Peritſol, Itinera Mundi, p. 73.) for Teman (which is the ſame with Paran, III Habak. 3.) was near to Edom, whoſe chief City was Boſra, I Amos 12. as that was near to Sinai.

The ignorance of the Mahometans is much to be pitied, who out of this place imagine they have found as good an Authority for the Alcoran, as there is for the Law of Moſes, and for the Goſpel of Chriſt. For thus they interpret theſe words, God gave the Law from Sinai, and the Goſpel from Seir, (which they would have to be the ſame with Galilee, which our Saviour much frequented) and the Alcoran from Mount Paran. Which they fancy is a Mountain not far from Mecca. See Dr. Pocock upon Greg. Abul Pharaji p. 183. and Guadagnolus Reſp. pro Relig. Chriſtiana. But the laſt words of this Verſe, for them, are ſufficient to confute theſe Conceits; for they plainly ſhow that the whole Verſe ſpeaks of the People of Iſrael.

And he came with ten thouſand of Saints.] Or, as our Mr. Mede thinks it ſhould be tranſlated, with his holy ten thouſands, or myriads: that is, attended with an innumerable company of Angels, who waited on him at the giving of the Law. See LXVIII Pſal. 7. VII Dan. 10. of which Enoch perhaps prophecied in part, p. 648Jude 14, 15. And from hence it may be thought, that Notion of the Jewiſh Doctors, followed by St. Stephen and St. Paul, that the Law was given by Angels, had its beginning, Mede, Book II. p. 437. That is, they attended upon God, as his Miniſters, when he himſelf gave the Law.

From his right hand.] With which we are wont to deliver things to other Perſons.

Went a fiery Law for them.] For the Law of Moſes was given out of the midſt of Fire, and therefore called a fire of Law, as the words are in the Hebrew, XIX Exod. 16, 18. IV Deut. 11, 12. V. 22, 23, 24. The Cabbaliſts (as Reuchlin obſerves) fancy that God wrote the Law in a Globe of Fire, and ſent it to them. But the Hieruſalem Targum is more ſober, which thus expounds it, He ſtretched his right hand out of the midſt of flames of fire, and gave the Law unto his People. And Onkelos ſtill better, The Law written with his right hand he gave us out of the midſt of fire. Or, as Campeg. Vitringa would have this latter part of the Verſe tranſlated, On his right hand a fire, and out of the fire a Law for them. The meaning being, that God came to Mount Sinai with that fire: for in Scripture, to be on the right hand of any one, is to accompany him, Lib. II. Obſerv. Sacr. Cap. IV.

By the concluſion of this Verſe, it is apparent that the former part of it belongs intirely to God's Mercy unto the Children of Iſrael, upon whom he beſtowed his Law, in moſt illuſtrious Tokens of his Preſence. Which makes it highly probable that his riſing up from Seir upon them, and ſhining from Mount Paran, belongs to the ſame matter. That is, the Cloud wherein he deſcended on Sinai, with a vaſt Hoſt of Angels, extended it ſelf ſo far, as to cover the neighbouring Mountains p. 649of Seir and Paran. Though the meaning may be, as I have ſhown, that he continued his Preſence with them after they went from Sinai, through all their Journeys in the Wilderneſs of Seir and Paran, till they came to the place where they now were.

Ver. 3. Yea, he loved the People.] All this was the Verſe 3 effect of his Love and Kindneſs to the People of Iſrael; whom he owned for his Son, and his Firſt-born, (IV Exod. 22.) and therefore in a tender manner brought them out of Egypt (XIX Exod. 4.) that he might inſtruct them in his Laws.

All his Saints are in thy hand.] Whereby he made them an holy Nation, (as it there follows in XIX Exod. 5.) whom he took into his ſpecial Care and moſt gracious Protection, as this phraſe ſignifies in many places, IV Numb. 28, 33. And Onkelos refers it to the mighty Power, whereby he brought them out of Egypt. But it may have reſpect to God's preſervation and ſupport of them, when he gave the Law in ſuch a terrible manner, that Moſes himſelf quaked; and yet none of them received any harm. As for the change of the Perſon from his to thy, it is very frequent in this Language; particularly in IX Dan. 4.

And they ſat down at thy feet.] The firſt word (which we tranſlate ſat down) being no where elſe found but here, and I Iſa. 5. where it plainly hath another ſenſe, hath occaſioned various Interpretations of this Sentence. But moſt agree in this, of Sol. Jarchi, that, as Scholars ſat at the feet of their Maſter round about him, while he taught them their Leſſon, ſo the People encompaſſed the Mount where God was, and heard his Law, which he thence delivered. But it is a queſtion, whether there was ſuch a Cuſtom of Scholars in thoſe days; and the People did not ſit, p. 650but ſtood at the foot of the Mount, XX Exod. 18. Therefore Onkelos underſtands this of their ſitting down, or pitching their Tents, where the glorious Cloud that led them reſted, X Numb. 12, 33.

Every one ſhall receive of thy word.] This ſtill is commonly referred to the Peoples receiving the Law. But Onkelos thinks it hath reſpect to their Journeys at the commandment of the LORD, X Num. 13. For ſo he interprets it; They went forward according to thy word. And ſo the Hieruſalem Targum expounds theſe and the foregoing words: Behold, they were led and came to the foot of his Cloud, and went forward and reſted, according to the command of his word. It takes in alſo the other ſenſe of the word tucchu (as it ſignifies ſmiting in I Iſa. 5.) in this manner, Though he inflicted many Chaſtiſements upon them, yet they did not ceaſe, nor deſiſt from the Doctrine of the Law.

Verſe 4 Ver. 4. Moſes commanded us a Law.] He commanded them to obſerve that Law which God had given them, when he was about to depart from them. This he did in this very Book, I. 3. V. 1. VI. 1. VIII. 1, &c. He ſpake of himſelf in the third Perſon; which is very uſual throughout all this Book.

Even the Inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob.] As a peculiar Bleſſing which God had beſtowed on them, and on their Poſterity, above all other Nations in the World, IV Deut. 8. Who, as they had not this Law given to them, ſo they were not bound to obſerve it; as the Jews themſelves conclude from this very place. Nor did they force any Body to embrace this Law, when they made a Conqueſt of a neighbouring Country, but left them to their liberty; provided they would become Proſelytes of the Gate; that is, forſake Idolatry, and keep the common Precepts p. 651enjoyned to all Mankind. Thus Maimonides interprets the word Inheritance. See Schickard in his Jus Regium, Cap. V. Theorem. XVII. and Grotius de Jure Belli & Pacis, Lib. I. Cap. I. Sect. XVI.

The Author of Ez Hachajim (a MS. highly valued by the famous Wagenſeil) ſaith, that when a Child began to ſpeak, the Father was bound to teach him this Verſe. In which inſtead of foreign hereditary, ſome of the Jews read foreign eſpouſed: as if the Law were eſpouſed to the Jewiſh Nation. See Wagenſeil on Sota, p. 519, 520.

Ver. 5. And he was King in Jeſhurun.] Or, For he Verſe 5 was King; that is, under God, the Supreme Ruler and Governour of Iſrael; and therefore in his Name, and by his Authority, required them to obſerve theſe Laws. Which plainly ſhows him to have had the Supream Power in all things, both Civil and Sacred. Which is excellently expreſſed by our Mr. Thorndike in his Review of the Rights of the Church, &c. p. 68. where he obſerves, That the Iſraelites being made a free People by the Act of God, bringing them out of Egypt, and intitling them to the Land of Canaan, upon the Covenant of the Law, had Moſes not only for their Prophet and their Prieſt (for by him Aaron and his Succeſſors were put into the Prieſthood, the Tabernacle and all belonging to it conſecrated) but alſo for their King, their Lawgiver, their Judge, and Commander in chief of their Forces, under God, if not rather God by Moſes. For we find that, after Moſes his deceaſe, either God by ſome extraordinary ſignification of his Will and Pleaſure, ſtirred up ſome Man in his ſtead for the time; or if there was none ſuch, ruled their proceedings himſelf; by Ʋrim and Thummim anſwering their Demands, p. 652and directing what to do, and what courſe to follow, in all the Publick Affairs that concerned the State of that People. Whereupon, when they required Samuel to make them a King, he declared it was not Samuel, but himſelf, whom they had rejected: Becauſe they had rejected him whom God had immediately ſet over them in his own ſtead; by whoſe death the power returned to God, as at the beginning.

Concerning the word Jeſhurun, ſee XXXII. 15. and Selden Lib. II. de Synedr. Cap. II. N. 2.

When the Heads of the People, and the Tribes of Iſrael were gathered together.] To renew their Covenant with God, and to receive his laſt Commands. See XXIX. 1, 2, 9, 10. XXXI. 28, 29.

Verſe 6 Ver. 6. Let Reuben live, and not die, and let not his Men be few.] In the laſt Clauſe of this Verſe, we repeat the word not (which is wanting in the Hebrew) without any neceſſity. For the words may be thus tranſlated exactly, Let Reuben live and not die, though his Men be few. Which ſeems to be a confirmation of the Prophecy of Jacob, XLIX Gen. 4. That he ſhould not excel; and yet ſhould live and not periſh. That is, be in ſome meaſure a flouriſhing Tribe, though not ſo numerous as ſome others. See there. And poſſibly it may be here ſuggeſted, that though they paſſed armed over Jordan before their Brethren, to ſettle them there, (according to their engagement XXXII Numb 27. IV Joſh. 12, 13.) yet none of them ſhould periſh; but both they, and their Wives and Children, that ſtand behind them, ſhould be all preſerved.

p. 653Ver. 7. And this is the bleſſing of Judah.] As much as to ſay, Judah ſhall be remarkably bleſſed. For theſe words [this is the bleſſing] are uſed of none of the reſt of the Tribes; either of Reuben which went before, Verſe 7 or the others that follow after. Here is no mention made of Simeon, (who was next to Reuben) becauſe that Tribe was included in Judah, with whom their Poſſeſſions were mixed, XIX Joſh. 1. and therefore they went together to make Expeditions, I Judg. 3. Judah alſo is here put before Levi, becauſe it was to be the Royal Tribe, according to the Prophecy of Jacob; which Moſes was aſſured God would fulfil, and therefore prays as follows; And he ſaid, hear LORD the voice of Judah. Grant his Petition, when he calls for help againſt his Enemies. So Onkelos paraphraſes it, Hear his Prayer, when he goes forth to war.

And bring him unto his People.] Return him home in peace unto his People; as the ſame Onkelos expounds it.

Let his hands be ſufficient for him.] To avenge him of his Enemies; as he alſo explains it.

And be thou an help to him from his Enemies.] Suffer them not to prevail over him; but give him the victory, when he fights with them. So the Hieruſalem Targum paraphraſes theſe two laſt paſſages; Let his hands exerciſe Revenge upon his Enemies in battles; and do thou ſupport and ſuſtain him against thoſe that hate him. This was notoriouſly fulfilled in this Tribe; which was the moſt valiant and ſucceſsful of all other. For in all their Wars this Tribe was the principal; and the ſafety of all the reſt ſeems to have depended upon this. See I Judg. 1, 2, &c. XX. 18. And as theſe places ſhow that this was the moſt conſiderable Tribe, before they had Kings; ſo after that, it was p. 654able, together with Benjamin, to maintain its ground againſt the other ten Tribes, and all other Oppoſers.

Ver. 8. And of Levi he ſaid, let thy Thummim and Verſe 8 thy Ʋrim be with thy holy one.] Continue in this Tribe the high dignity of Conſulting with thee, and receiving Directions from thee, by the High Prieſt, concerning the Publick Safety. Or, as ſome take it, (becauſe Thummim is here ſet before Ʋrim, which is not in any other place) make them upright and faithful, as well as underſtanding and knowing in the diſcharge of their Duty. For though by holy One be principally meant the High Prieſt, who was in a peculiar manner anointed to be ſeparated to the Service of God; eſpecially in this part of it, to approach him with Ʋrim and Thummim, (which gave Aaron the name of the Saint of the LORD, CVI Pſal. 16.) yet it comprehends all the reſt of the Prieſts and Levites, in conjunction with him; for they were all ſeparated unto the LORD; having ſignalized themſelves (as we ſpeak) by their early Zeal for the LORD, when their Brethren apoſtatized to Idolatry. Of which Moſes takes notice in the next Verſe, Who ſaid unto his Father, &c. I have not ſeen him, &c. regarded, that is, no Relation, when they executed the Commands of God againſt the Worſhippers of the Golden Calf. See our Learned Dr. Spencer de Leg. Hebr. Lib. III. Cap. VII. Diſſert. VII. where he treats alſo of theſe words, as they may be applied to our LORD Chriſt, the true holy one of God; who is indeed a Prieſt for ever, holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, &c. VII Hebr. 26.

Whom thou didst prove at Maſſah.] Or, whom thou haſt thorowly proved. For the words in the Hebrew are, Whom in proving thou didst prove: the ancient p. 655Interpreters not taking Maſſah for the name of a place (as we do) but for trying or proving. And ſo indeed the words in the Hebrew ſeem to import: the Particle (beth) before Maſſah, being different from that before Meribah (which is al) though we tranſlate them both alike by the word at. And thus the Hieruſalem Targum paraphraſes, Whom thou didst prove, or try; and he ſtood in the trial; that is, approved himſelf perfect or upright, as Onkelos expreſſes it. This procured that Tribe a Bleſſing from the LORD, XXXII Exod. 26, 29. and brought them into ſpecial grace and favour with him, as the word we tranſlate holy one ſignifies. For it is not kadoth, but chaſid.

And with whom thou didst ſtrive at the waters of Meribah.] Though God did ſeverely chide and reprove Moſes and Aaron (who were the Heads of this Tribe) when they were tried at the Waters of Strife, XX Numb. 12, 13. yet they did not forfeit their Office by the Offence they then committed; and therefore Moſes prays it might ſtill continue in Aaron's Poſterity.

Ver. 9. Who ſaid unto his Father and to his Mother, Verſe 9 I have not ſeen him, neither did he acknowledge his Brethren, nor know his own Children.] This relates unto the impartial Execution of Judgment by the Levites, upon the Worſhippers of the Golden Calf, without reſpect of Perſons, XXXII Exod. 26, &c. And as ſome will have it, to Phinehas his Zeal mentioned in Numb. XXV. But that it hath any reſpect to a more ancient Judgment, given in the Caſe of Judah and Thamar, (as the Hieruſalem Targum fancies) there is no ground to believe. See Selden Lib. II. de Synedr. Cap. VIII. N. 2.

p. 656For they have obſerved thy Word, and kept thy Covenant.] XXXII Exod. 28, 29. Abarbinel and others make this to be the reaſon of what follows.

Verſe 10 Ver. 10. They ſhall teach Jacob thy Judgments, and Iſrael thy Law.] Becauſe they were ſo upright, as to take no notice of their deareſt Relations, in Judgment; therefore they were intruſted with this Office of Teaching the People the Statutes of God. That is, deciding all Controverſies which aroſe about any thing in the Law. So the Jews expound it; and it is agreeable to what we read in the Seventeenth Chapter of this Book, v. 9, 10. and many other places; as Mr. Selden ſhows in the place forenamed, p. 372, &c. and our Mr. Thorndike in his Religious Aſſemblies, Chap. II. where he obſerves, the TEACHING here mentioned conſiſted in declaring the meaning and obligation of the Law, in matters doubtful; as is apparent from X Levit. 8, 9, 10, 11. For though others might be Members of their Courts of Judgment, yet they conſiſted chiefly of Prieſts and Levites. As for teaching the People in their Religious Aſſemblies, that was not ſo much the Office of the Prieſts and Levites, as of the Prophets. For though the Prophets and the Diſciples of the Prophets, were commonly Prieſts and Levites (who being moſt free from the Care of Eſtates and Inheritances, and by their Office, in his Ceremonial Service, came neareſt to God of all other Men, were moſt likely to be endued with an extraordinary degree of Knowledge and of the Fear of God) yet it is certain that the charge of teaching the People in their Aſſemblies, belonged as well to thoſe Prophets who were not Prieſts and Levites, as to thoſe that were. See him p. 25. And this was one reaſon, as Maimonides obſerves, why the Tribe of p. 657Levi might have no Inheritance in the Land, that being free from the trouble of ploughing and ſowing, &c. they might wholly attend to the Study of the Law, and be able to teach Iſrael God's Judgments. More Nevochim, P. III. Cap. XXXIX.

They ſhall put incenſe before thee, and whole Burnt-offerings upon thine Altar.] This was the peculiar Office and Honour of the Prieſts alone; to offer Incenſe on the Golden Altar, and Burnt-offerings upon the Brazen. The Hieruſalem Targum thus paraphraſes it, They ſhall put Incenſe of precious Spice before thee, to pacifie thine Anger, and offer a most acceptable Sacrifice upon thine Altar.

Ver. 11. Bleſs, LORD, his Subſtance.] The word Verſe 11 we here tranſlate Substance, is tranſlated Wealth, VIII. 17, 18. which conſiſted moſt in Cattle, (they having no Land to till) which he prays God to increaſe, that they might have ſufficient Suſtenance for themſelves and their Family. It is a ſtrange fancy of ſome of the Jews, that whoſoever offered Incenſe grew rich; and therefore no Prieſt was ſuffered to offer Incenſe more than once, that ſo Riches might be derived to them all. Thus they trifle, while their hearts are ſet on getting Money, and not on growing good. See Sheringham on Joma, p. 35, 36. and Mauritius de Sortitione Hebraeorum, Cap. XXIV. Sect. IV.

And accept the work of his hands.] All their Miniſtry at the Altar, where the Prieſts officiated; or about the Tabernacle, of which the Levites had the care.

Smite through the loins of them that riſe againſt him, and of them that hate him, that they riſe not again.] For they who were Enemies to the Prieſts and Levites, were Enemies to Religion, and to all Civil p. 658Government; which was chiefly adminiſtred by them, as was before obſerved. See XVII. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

Ver. 12. And of Benjamin he ſaid.] He mentions Verſe 12 him next to Levi; becauſe the Temple, in which the Prieſts officiated, was partly ſituated in his Lot.

The beloved of the LORD.] Or, being beloved of the LORD, as the LXX. interpret it, foreign.

Shall dwell in ſafety by him.] i. e. By the LORD. Which ſignifies the ſtability of his Portion, which had Jeruſalem the Holy City in it, as we read XVIII Joſh. 28. For though Mount Sion was in the Tribe of Judah. and ſo the Sanctuary was there, (LXXVIII Pſal. 68.) yet the City wherein it ſtood was not. Nay, the Ancients think the Altar of Burnt-offering was in the Tribe of Benjamin, as Kimchi obſerves upon that place before-mentioned in Joſhua. See upon XLIX Gen. 27. And there are reaſons to make one think, that Sion, in the place forenamed and in others, is to be taken in a large ſenſe, comprehending Mount Moriah alſo (on which the Temple was built, 2 Chron. III. 1.) which was in the Tribe of Benjamin; and conſequently the Temple was ſituated in this Tribe.

And the LORD ſhall cover him all the day long.] The Glory of the Majeſtical Preſence of the LORD ſhall be a Shield over him (to defend him) continually; as the Hieruſalem Targum expounds it.

And he ſhall dwell upon his ſhoulders.] For the Divine Majeſty (ſaith Onkelos) ſhall dwell in his Country. It being in the Temple, and the Temple in the Tribe of Benjamin: where it ſtood upon Mount Moriah, as the Head of a Man doth upon his Shoulders; as Dr. Lightfoot gloſſes in his Temple Service, p. 145. Edit. 1. Or the word we tranſlate here ſhoulders may ſignifie, as p. 659it is tranſlated in other places ſides (XXXIV Numb. 11.) or borders. And nothing is more certain, than that the Divine Habitation was in the Borders of Benjamin; whoſe Lot touched Judah's at Jeruſalem: and was ſo united to it, that when the reſt fell off from Judah, the Tribe of Benjamin always adhered to it.

This being the ſenſe which the ancient Interpreters give of this Verſe, and very agreeable to the words, I ſhall not trouble the Reader with any other. But only mention a Conceit of Conradus Pellicanus, who, by the beloved of the LORD here underſtands David, who dwelt in ſafety by Benjamin, though the King of that Tribe perſecuted him; for God covered and protected him continually from violence, &c. It is ſtrange that a Man otherwiſe judicious, and well acquainted with the Jewiſh Learning, ſhould propound this as the beſt interpretation he could think of; when there is nothing of a Bleſſing upon Benjamin in it.

Ver. 13. And of Joſeph he ſaid.] This Tribe follows Verſe 13 next, his Lot falling near to Benjamin; who lay between Judah and Joſeph.

Bleſſed of the LORD be his Land.] He foretels that this Tribe ſhould be ſituated in a moſt plentiful Country, and enriched by the Divine Bleſſing upon it.

For the precious things of Heaven.] Sending fruitful ſhowers from Heaven.

For the dew.] Together with the Evening and Morning Dews; which are no leſs refreſhing to the Earth than Rain.

And for the deep that coucheth beneath.] He means Springs of Water which burſt out of the Bowels of the Earth, for the uſe of Man and Beaſt.

p. 660Ver. 14. For the precious fruits of the Sun.] Whoſe kindly heat brings them forth, and makes them grow to maturity.

Verſe 14 And the precious things put forth by the Moon.] For all Fruits are plumped by the Moons cool and fatning Moiſture in the Night, which is digeſted by the Sun in the Day. Or, this paſſage may relate to the ſeveral ſorts of Fruit, which are produced every Month. So Onkelos interprets it, It produceth alſo ſweet fruits at the beginning of every Month. For the word jerachim in the Hebrew, being in the Plural Number, ſignifies Moons; i. e. Months. And ſo the Hieruſalem Targum tranſlates it in every New Moon, which comprehends the whole Month.

Verſe 15 Ver. 15. And for the chief things of the ancient Mountains, and for the precious things of the laſting hills.] Such as Mount Ephraim and Samaria, and Baſhan: which were exceeding fruitful in Grapes, and Olives, and ſuch like excellent Fruit. And called ancient and laſting, becauſe they were made together with the Earth, in the beginning; and not Mounts caſt up by the Art of Men. See XLIX Gen. 20.

Verſe 16 Ver. 16. For the precious things of the Earth.] This ſeems to relate to their Arable Land; which he foretels ſhould bring forth great ſtore of all ſorts of Corn.

The word Meged, which we tranſlate precious, is repeated five times in theſe three laſt Verſes: ſignifying that which in its kind is most excellent and eximious; as that great Man Ezekiel Spanhemius obſerves upon Callimachus his Hymn to Diana, V. 245. where mentioning ſeveral Inſtruments of Muſick among the Greeks, whoſe names came from the Hebrew, he thinks one called foreign (which was foreign, as Athenaeus ſaith, but he could not tell whether a wind p. 661or ſtringed Inſtrument) came from this Hebrew word Meged, for it was not of a Greek Original. And in IV Cant. 13. this word is tranſlated pleaſant, as all Muſick is; but that eſpecially which was made by this Inſtrument foreign. For Plato, who took it for a ſtringed Inſtrument, calls it foreign, Anacreon ſaying he had one of twenty Strings; as Spanhemius notes upon the Hymn in Delum, p. 472.

And fulneſs thereof.] By the fulneſs of the Earth, may be meant either the Plenty and Abundance of its Fruits, or the Ripeneſs thereof; as Bochartus obſerves in his Canaan.

And for the good will of him that dwelt in the buſh.] That is, of God: whoſe Majeſty (as Onkelos paraphraſes) dwells in the Heavens, and was revealed to Moſes in the Buſh, III Exod. 2, 4. That is, the SCHECHIMAH there appeared in a moſt glorious manner, and the LORD told Moſes he was there preſent. Whoſe good will, which is the Fountain of all Bleſſings, (for to it they owed their Deliverance out of Egypt, which God then promiſed to Moſes out of the Buſh) he wiſhes may be the peculiar Portion of Joſeph.

Let the bleſſing come upon the head of Joſeph.] The word bleſſing is not in the Hebrew: but this being connected with the foregoing words, may be thought a Prayer, that the good will of God, the Fountain (as I ſaid) of all Bleſſings, may reſt upon Joſeph. Or, as Onkelos tranſlates it, Let all thoſe things (beforenamed) come upon the head of Joſeph. And ſo the Hieruſalem Targum expounds it, Let all theſe Bleſſings come, and be made perfect upon the head of Joſeph.

Ʋpon the top of him that was ſeparated from his Brethren.] That is, ſaith the ſame Targum, Ʋpon him that was made Ruler over all the Land of Egypt; and p. 662ſplendid in the honour given him by his Brethren. See this explained upon XLIX Gen. 26.

Ver. 17. His glory is like the firſtling of his Bullock.] Verſe 17 The Ancients thought there was ſo much Majeſty in the Countenance of a Bull, eſpecially of a young Bullock in its prime, lifting up its Head, that they made it an Emblem of Kingly Power; as Bochartus hath ſhown out of ſeveral good Authors, in his Hierozoicon, P. I. Lib. II. Cap. XXIX. And accordingly here it ſignifies, that the Tribe of Ephraim ſhould have Royal Authority eſtabliſhed in it. For he doth not compare the Perſon of Joſeph to a young Bullock (though he was a goodly Man, eminent for his Beauty and comely Proportions, XXXIX Gen. 6.) but the Tribes which ſprang from him; as appears from the laſt words of this Verſe. Whoſe glory he here comparing to that of a young Bullock, and its glory conſiſting in its ſtrength, the power of the Tribes of Joſeph is hereby denoted; which was ſo great, that they were the chief Support of the Kingdom of Iſrael. Which began in Jeroboam, who was King of ten Tribes: after whom there followed a long Race of Kings till the Captivity. There may be alſo ſome reſpect in theſe words unto Joſhua, the firſt Governour of all the People, who was of the Tribe of Ephraim; as of Manaſſeh, were Jair, Jephthah, and Gideon, who were famous Men among the Judges.

It is remarkable alſo here, that Joſeph is compared to the Firſtling of a Bullock; becauſe Reuben being ſet aſide for his Inceſt, Joſeph had the Right of Primogeniture, in part, tranſlated unto him, 1 Chron. V. 1, 2. and in conſequence of it, had a double Portion in the Land of Canaan.

p. 663It is to be noted likewiſe, that he is ſaid to be like unto the Firſtling of his Bullock; becauſe there were not more goodly Bullocks any where, than in Baſhan (IV Amos 1.) which fell to the ſhare of ſome of the Children of Manaſſeh, XVII Joſh. 5.

There have been ſome great Men, who from this place and other Conjectures, have fancied that Joſeph was worſhipped in Egypt after his Death, under the form of an Ox, by the name of Serapis. Which Bochartus hath confuted in the Book forenamed, Cap. XXXIV.

And his horns are like the horns of an Ʋnicorn.] This is a further deſcription of the power and ſtrength of the Houſe of Joſeph: for an Horn is every where an Emblem of mighty Power and Force; and an Ʋ nicorn (as we tranſlate the word Reem) is a very ſtrong, as well as ſtately Creature. But Bochartus hath alledged a great many things to prove that Reem is a ſort of wild Goat in Arabia, as big as a Deer, and of the ſame colour; which they now call Gazellus, P. I. Hierozoicon Lib. III. Cap. XXVII. There were ſome of them ſent lately to the French King, by the Divan of Tripoli; which had black Horns, in ſhape like thoſe of a Goat; only they were round and pointed. But the tallneſs, ſtrength, and ſwiftneſs of this Creature, together with its fierce, untameable Nature, hath made Ludolphus (who at firſt was of Bochart's opinion) to conclude, upon ſecond thoughts, that Reem in Scripture ſignifies the Rhinoceros, as the Vulgar Latin here tranſlates the word. See Lib. I. Commentar. in Hiſtor. Aethiop. Cap. X. N. 74. Which ſeems not ſo well to agree with theſe words of Moſes; which ſuppoſe the Creature here ſpoken of to have two Horns, (he uſing the Plural Number) with which p. 664the two Tribes deſcended from Joſeph are very fitly compared. And ſo David mentions the Horns of the Reem, XXII Pſal. 22. But whatſoever Creature it was, Princes and great Men were wont to be compared to it; as appears from XXXIV Iſa. 7. where the Grandees, (as we now ſpeak) of Edom, are called Ʋnicorns; as in the following words they are compared to Bullocks and Bulls.

With them he ſhall puſh the people together.] Throw down all that oppoſe him: particularly the Canaanites. For theſe (ſaith the Hieruſalem Targum) are the great Men of the Amorites, whom Joſhua the Son of Nun ſlew, who was of the Tribe of Ephraim; and the Captains which Gideon the Son of Joaſh ſlew, who was of the Tribe of Manaſſeh.

To the ends of the Earth.] Of the Land of Canaan.

And they are the ten thouſands of Ephraim, and they are the thouſands of Manaſſeh.] Theſe things ſhall be performed by the numerous Armies of Ephraim and Manaſſeh. Or theſe are the Benedictions of theſe two Tribes: the younger of which, he ſignifies, ſhould be more powerful than the elder, according to the Prophecy of Jacob, XLVIII Gen. 19.

Verſe 18 Ver. 18. And of Zebulun he ſaid, rejoyce Zebulun in thy going out.] About their buſineſs, as the Hieruſalem Targum expounds it; that is, their Merchandiſe; which they exerciſed upon the Sea of Geneſaret, where they were ſituated, and not far from the Mediterranean. In which, he prays, they might have ſuch good Succeſs, as to fill their hearts with joy. There are thoſe who underſtand this of their going out to War againſt their Enemies; which is the Expoſition of Onkelos. And ſo this Phraſe is often uſed; particularly in XIV Gen. 8. and the Valour of this Tribe p. 665is, upon one occaſion, celebrated in V Judges 18. But Jacob's Prophecy determines us rather to the other ſenſe, XLIX Gen. 13. where he repreſents this Tribe as Mariners, rather than Soldiers. Though it muſt be acknowledged that there were greater numbers among them, in David's time, who were expert Warriors, 1 Chron. XII. 33. and that the Iſraelites generally were not addicted to Traffick: the Sea-coaſt being poſſeſſed by the Philiſtims and the Canaanites; ſave only what belonged to this Tribe.

And Iſſachar in thy Tents.] The ſame Hieruſalem Targum expounds it, Rejoyce ye Houſe of Iſſachar when ye come into your Schools: for this was a Learned Tribe, at leaſt in ſome Ages; as appears from 1 Chron. XII. 32. But Jacob's Prophecy rather determines us to another ſenſe; which is, that they ſhould grow rich by feeding Cattle, and by Husbandry: for which their Country being very proper, they choſe rather that quiet kind of Life, then Merchandiſe. Though they were near Neighbours to Zebulun, and for that reaſon, as well as becauſe they were Brethren by the ſame Mother, are here put both together in one Benediction. This ſeems alſo beſt to agree with the Phraſe of rejoycing in their Tents: in which they are ſaid anciently to dwell, who fed Cattle, IV Gen. 10. And perhaps the Learning that the Children of Iſſachar are ſaid to have had, (in 1 Chron. XII. 32.) which conſiſted in the understanding of the times, was nothing elſe, but their skill in the proper Seaſons for Sowing, and Planting, and Pruning, &c. to know what Iſrael ought to do, in the management and improvement of their Land; which was of great uſe, eſpecially in that Country.

p. 666Ver. 19. They ſhall call the People unto the Mountain.] Here Moſes predicts the Houſe of God ſhould be ſet upon a Mountain; unto which he ſaith Zebulun (for Verſe 19 the latter end of the Verſe ſhows he ſpeaks particularly of them) ſhould invite the reſt of their Tribes, by their forwardneſs and zeal, to go up to worſhip God at the three great Feſtivals. So the Hieruſalem Targum paraphraſes, Behold, the People of the Houſe of Zebulun ſhall be ready to go to the mount of the holy Houſe of the LORD. Or by the People, perhaps he means the Gentiles their Neighbours, whom they ſhould endeavour to bring to the Service of the true God. Which was eſpecially fulfilled when Chriſt came, IV Matth. 15, 16.

There they ſhall offer Sacrifices of Righteouſneſs.] Liberal Sacrifices, out of their honeſt gains by Merchandiſe.

For they ſhall ſuck of the abundance of the Seas.] Import abundance of various Commodities, and grow rich by their Traffick.

And of Treaſure hid in the Sand.] This is a further amplification of the ſame thing; relating particularly to their importation of Gold, and Silver, and precious Stones, which are digged out of the Earth. Some think it hath reſpect to the rich Mines which were in this Country; but of that I can find no proof.

Verſe 20 Ver. 20. And of Gad he ſaid, bleſſed be he that inlargeth Gad.] That is, bleſſed be God, who hath allotted to him ſuch a large Inheritance; which he afterward alſo further enlarged, as we read 1 Chron. V. 18, 19, 20.

He dwelleth as a Lion.] Lives ſecure and fearleſs, though encompaſſed with Enemies; whom the Gadites tore in pieces (as it here follows) if they offered p. 667to moleſt them. For this was a very warlike Tribe, as we learn from 1 Chron. XII. 8. and therefore here compared to a Lioneſs (ſo Labi ſignifies) which equals a Lion, if not exceeds him in ſtrength and fierceneſs; as Bochartus hath obſerved out of good Authors, in his Hierozoicon P. I. Lib. III. Cap. L. And ſo Onkelos here tranſlates it, He dwelleth as a Lioneſs: And the Hieruſalem Targum puts in both, after this manner; He remains quiet, as a Lion and a Lioneſs; neither is there People or Kingdom, that ſhall ſtand before them.

And teareth the arm with the Crown of the Head.] Kills the Princes with their Kings, as Onkelos truly expounds it. For by Arms are meant Men of Strength and Power; and by the Crown of the Head is properly to be underſtood, the chief Commander, Ruler, or King. And therefore the LXX. alſo tranſlate Crown of the Head by foreign, Prince or Supream Governour.

Ver. 21. And he provided the first part for himſelf.] Verſe 21 He firſt received his Portion in the Land which they conquered, as Onkelos expounds it. Which he is ſaid here to provide for himſelf; becauſe this Tribe (with Reuben and part of Manaſſeh) deſired to be poſſeſſed of the Country of Sihon; which was accordingly given to them, XXXII Numb. 1, 2, 33.

Becauſe there, in a portion of the Law-giver.] Which Moſes (who was their Lawgiver) gave them by God's order; whereas the other Nine Tribes and a half, had theirs given them by Joſhua.

Was he ſeated.] The word in the Hebrew ſignifies hid, i. e. protected, when, going to the War in Canaan, they left their Wives and Children and Cattle, without any defence, but God's Providence: according p. 668to the Promiſe they made to Moſes, XXXII Numb. 16, 17, &c. What the Hieruſalem Targum, and Onkelos, and ſeveral of the Rabbins, even Abarbinel himſelf, here ſay, of Moſes being buried in this Tribe (which they make the ſenſe of theſe words) I think is no more to the purpoſe, than what the Cabbaliſts obſerve upon this place; that in the Bleſſing of Gad the whole Alphabet is found; becauſe Moſes our Maſter (ſaith Baal. Hatturim) was buried in his Territory, who obſerved the whole Law from Aleph to Tau; i. e. from the beginning to the end. See Theodorick Hackſpan. Cab. Judaica, N. 10.

And he came.] He ſpeaks of this as a thing already done; becauſe he certainly foreſaw they would perform their Engagement.

With the Heads of the People.] With the chief Commanders of the reſt of the Tribes of Iſrael. Or, as the words may be tranſlated more literally, He came with the Heads of the People, i. e. the Gadites marched in the Front before the Children of Iſrael. For ſo was the Agreement between Moſes and them, as we read in XXXII Numb. 17. that they ſhould go ready armed before the Children of Iſrael. Of which engagement Joſhua put them in mind, when they were entering into Canaan, I Joſh. 14. and they ſtood to it, v. 16, 17.

He executed the Juſtice of the LORD.] Upon the Seven Nations of Canaan, whom God commanded them to extirpate.

And his Judgments with Iſrael.] Going in the foremoſt of the Iſraelites to Battle, till the whole Country was ſubdued to them, XXXII Numb. 21, 22, 29. XXII Joſh. 1, 2, 3, &c.

p. 669Ver. 22. And of Dan he ſaid, Dan is a Lions whelp.] Courageous as a young Lion: So Onkelos. Which was moſt eminently verified in Sampſon, who was of this Tribe; and whom the Spirit of the LORD began Verſe 22 to move in the Camp of Dan, XIII Judges 25.

He ſhall leap from Baſhan.] The Tribe of Dan had no Inheritance near Baſhan: but he compares them to the young Lions of that place. For Lions haunted Mountains, (IV Canticles 8.) and this Mountain in particular was famous for them, and bred very fierce ones. Which, every one knows, leap upon their Prey, when they aſſault it, and faſten their Nails and their Teeth in it. So Bochart obſerves many ancient Authors deſcribe them, P. I. Hierozoicon L. III. Cap. II. p. 739. And thus did the Danites on a ſudden leap from one end of Judaea to another, and ſeized on the City of Laiſh, near to the Fountain of Jordan, calling it by the Name of Dan, as we read XVIII Judg. 29.

Ver. 23. And of Naphtali he ſaid, O Naphtali, ſatiſfied Verſe 23 with favour.] That is, with the Favour of God: which is explained in the next words.

And full with the bleſſing of the LORD.] The word full, as Maimonides obſerves, ſignifies that which is moſt perfect and abſolute in its kind, More Nevoch. P. I. Cap. XIX. Such was the Country of Galilee wherein this Tribe had their poſſeſſion; which was foreign, &c. (as Joſephus ſpeaks, L. III. de Bello Judaico, Cap. IV.) fat throughout in all its parts, and very fertil; planted with all manner of Trees: inſomuch that it invited him to Husbandry, who was averſe to Labour: and by that means was intirely inhabited, and had no void ſpace in all the Country, &c.

p. 670Poſſeſs thou the West and the South.] The ſame Joſephus makes this Tribe to have poſſeſſed the Eaſt and the North in the upper Galilee, (Lib. V. Antiq. Cap. I. p. 142.) which is directly contrary to what Moſes here ſaith. Therefore Bochartus (in his Hierozoicon P. I. Lib. III. Cap. XVIII.) judiciouſly expounds theſe words of Moſes, not with reſpect to the whole Land of Canaan, but to the Danites before mentioned. For the portion of Naphtali extended from the South of the City called Dan, or Laiſh, to the Sea of Tiberias. And ſo the three Chaldee Paraphraſts expound the Hebrew word jam (which we tranſlate Weſt) by the Sea of Tiberias, or Geneſaret; which is the ſame. For the Hebrews call great Lakes by the name of Seas: and by this Sea, is not meant the Mediterranean, but the Sea of Galilee, or Tiberias or Geneſaret: for by all theſe Names it is called, as Mr. Selden obſerves in his Mare Clauſum, p. 21.

Verſe 24 Ver. 24. And of Aſher he ſaid, Let Aſher be bleſſed with Children.] With a numerous and beautiful Iſſue.

Let him be acceptable to his Brethren.] All the reſt of the Iſraelites ſhall court them, for their goodly aſpect. Or (as ſome rather think) he prophecies this Tribe ſhould win the favour and affection of others, by their affability and obliging behaviour. For which Jacob predicts they ſhould be famous, XLIV Gen. 21.

And let him dip his foot in Oil.] Be planted in a rich Soil, full of Olive Trees; which ſhould make Oil ſo plentiful, that they might not only waſh their Faces, but their Feet in it. Onkelos tranſlates, He ſhall be nouriſhed with the delights of Kings.

p. 671Ver. 25. Thy ſhoes ſhall be iron and braſs.] Or, as in the Margin, Ʋnder thy feet ſhall be iron. Which hath made ſome think theſe Minerals were digged out of Libanus; near to which lay the Tribe of Aſher. Verſe 25 Who, according to this Expoſition, trod upon a Soil full of Iron and Braſs. But no Author, Bochartus ſaith, mentions any ſuch thing as the Braſs of Libanus; and therefore ſome underſtand by theſe Expreſſions, the barbarous People that dwelt in Galilee of the Gentiles, who preſſed the Aſſerites, as an Iron Shoe or Fetters do the Feet. But the Arabick here by Minal, which we tranſlate Shoe, underſtands a Bolt or Bar; and renders this paſſage, Thy Bolts ſhall be Iron and Braſs. That is, as Onkelos expreſſes it, They ſhould be as ſtrong as Iron and Braſs. And ſo Kimchi expounding the words of Jonathan (who interpret it, Thy habitation ſhall be as ſtrong, &c.) ſaith the meaning is, Their Country ſhould be as well fenced, as if it had been ſhut up in braſen, or iron walls. And R. Solomon to the ſame purpoſe. See Hierozoicon P. II. Lib. VI. Cap. XVI. But I have obſerved, that the ſame Bochartus acknowledges in his Phaleg, that Sarepta (which the Hebrews call Zarephath, 1 Kings XVII. 9.) a City of Sidon, had its Name from the Braſs and Iron which was here melted; being in great plenty in that Country, as the Hebrews gather from this Bleſſing of the Tribe of Aſher (who were the Inhabitants of thoſe places) Iron and Braſs are under thy Shoe; as he there interprets it, Lib. IV. Cap. XXXIV. And ſo a very Learned Man, long before him, David Chytraeus, expounds theſe words, and adds this obſervation; Nam Sidon & Sarepta, quae à Metallis excoquendis nomen habet, in Tribu Aſſer fuerunt. For Sidon and Sarepta, which had its Name p. 672from the Melting of Metals there, were in the Tribe of Aſher.

And as thy days, ſo ſhall thy ſtrength be.] The ſame Chytraeus expounds it, All the time of their life, they ſhould retain the ſame vigour of Body and Mind. Which ſeems to be the ſenſe of Onkelos, As the days of thy youth, ſo ſhall thy ſtrength be: And the Hieruſalem Targum more expreſly, Such as they were in the days of their youth, ſuch they ſhould be in their old age. Or ſimply, theſe words ſignifie, That this Tribe ſhould grow ſtronger and ſtronger. Which Hottinger ſeems to have aimed at, when he propounded this Expoſition in his Smegma Orientale, Cap. VII. As are thy days, ſo are thy riches and wealth. Maſius quite contrary upon XIX Joſh. 31. interprets theſe words to ſignifie, that they ſhould have perpetual Conflicts with the old Inhabitants of the Country. All which various Interpretations proceed from the uncertain ſignification of the Hebrew word Daba, which we render ſtrength.

Verſe 26 Ver. 26. There is none like unto the God of Jeſhurun.] And now, having bleſſed every particular Tribe, he concludes with this general demonſtration of their happineſs, That their God was not like the gods of other Nations, but ſupereminent in all Perfections. And therefore they muſt needs be bleſſed (as the ſame Chytraeus explains it) who had him propitious to them, as their Father, their Keeper, their Defender, Avenger, and Saviour from all their Enemies.

Who rideth upon the Heavens in thy help.] Who commandeth in the Heavens, as well as in the Earth: and ſends help and ſuccour to thee, from thence, by Thunder, Lightning and Hailſtones; as we read he did in many places, XVIII Pſalm 8, 9, &c. p. 673LXVIII 33, 34, 35. And as he that rides upon an Horſe, turns him this way, and that way, as he pleaſeth, (they are the words of Maimonides in his More Nevochim, P. I. Cap. LXX.) ſo God by his Power and Pleaſure Commands the Heavens: and is not fixed to them, as the Soul of them, (which was the fooliſh Opinion of the Zabij) but as the Rider is far more honourable and excellent than the Beaſt on which he ſits, and of a quite different Species from it; So God is repreſented by this Metaphor (though but in a weak manner) as ſeparate from the Heavens, and of a more Excellent Nature, far tranſcending them; which are but the Inſtruments he uſes, to fulfil his Will and Pleaſure.

And in his Excellency on the Sky.] Or, as it may be tranſlated word for word, And in his magnificence, the Clouds. From whence he ſends ſuch Storms and Tempeſts, as demonſtrate his Power.

Ver. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge.] Or, dwelling Verſe 27 place; to whom they might alway betake themſelves for ſafety, and never fail of it, XC Pſalm 1. In the Hebrew the words are, The eternal God is the habitation, or dwelling place. From whence the Jews have framed this Maxim, to preſerve all Men from having low thoughts of God, as if he was contained in any thing, God is the place wherein the world dwells, and not the World the place where God dwells. So Maimonides obſerves in the place above-named, out of Bereſchit Rabba.

And underneath are the everlaſting arms.] To ſupport all thoſe, with an unwearied Power and Care, who commit themſelves unto him.

p. 674And he ſhall thrust out the Enemy from before thee.] As he had carried them through the Wilderneſs with an unwearied Care; ſo he promiſes God would expel the Canaanites, and make room for them in their Country.

And ſhall ſay, Deſtroy them.] Give the Iſraelites Power, as well as Authority, to root them out. For to ſay here, is as much as to do, and therefore ſignifies executing their deſtruction.

Verſe 28 Ver. 28. Iſrael, thou ſhalt dwell in ſafety alone.] Live in quiet and peace, ſeparate from all other People. Or, the Divine Protection ſhall be ſufficient for their Security. This Raſi thinks was fulfilled in the days of Solomon, 1 Kings IV. 25. But others of them think it is ſtill to be fulfilled.

The fountain of Jacob.] That is, his Poſterity; who flowed from him as a River from a Fountain, XLVIII Iſaiah 1. LI. 1. Cocceius thinks theſe words ſhould be joyned to the foregoing, in this manner, Iſrael ſhall dwell in ſafety alone, by the Fountain of Jacob: that is, by God. But though this may have ſome countenance from the ancient Interpreters, (as I ſhall obſerve preſently) yet moſt go the other way: there being the like Expreſſion in LXVIII Pſal. 26. Bleſs the LORD in the Congregation, from the Fountain of Iſrael: or, as it is in the Margin, Ye that be of the Fountain of Iſrael; i. e. are derived from him as your Father.

Shall be upon a Land of Corn and Wine, alſo his Heavens ſhall drop down dew.] In a fruitful Country, upon which the Heavens ſhall drop down refreſhing Dews. Onkelos paraphraſes the whole thus, Iſrael ſhall dwell ſecurely alone, according to the Bleſſing wherewith Jacob his Father bleſſed them, in p. 675a Land of Corn, &c. And ſo the Hieruſalem Targum (making more expreſs mention of the word Fountain) Iſrael ſhall dwell by himſelf ſecurely, from the Fountain of Benediction, wherewith Jacob bleſſed them, in a Land producing Wine and Oil: and the Heavens above are commanded to ſend Dews and Rain upon them.

Ver. 29. Happy art thou, O Iſrael.] He was not Verſe 29 able further to expreſs their Happineſs, and therefore breaks out into admiration of it: exciting them thereby to be deeply ſenſible of it, and affected with it.

Who is like unto thee.] Who had the LORD for their God, as he ſaid before v. 26, &c. and IV. 7, 8.

A People ſaved by the LORD.] Who have been redeemed by his mighty Power. So the Hieruſalem Targum, Whoſe Redemption (I ſuppoſe he meant out of Egypt) is from the preſence of the LORD. Who had preſerved them ever ſince, and would ſtill protect them, as it here follows.

This R. Iſaac (in Chiſſuk Emuna, P. I. Cap. XVIII.) ſaith, ſignifies the Spiritual Bleſſings God beſtowed on them. For true Felicity, ſaith he, doth not conſiſt in Victory over Enemies, and Plenty of Corn, or ſuch like things, of which he had ſpoken before in the foregoing Verſe; but in the Salvation of the Soul, of which no Nation in the World was ſecure, but the Jews. Which made Moſes, ſaith he, break out into theſe words, O happy People, ſaved by the LORD. As much as to ſay, among all People, is there any ſaved like to thee? This he ſaith, becauſe Chriſtians were wont to tell them, that they fixed their Minds wholly on the Corporal Felicity, which p. 676their Law promiſed them: which made him look about to find out all that he could draw to an higher ſenſe. And he fixes ſo much upon theſe words, that he repeats it again, a little after, that the Salvation here promiſed is everlaſting. And yet his Eyes could not be opened to ſee, that this Salvation was to be brought to them by the MESSIAH: and that our LORD Jeſus is he, whoſe Goſpel is as full of ſuch Promiſes, as their Law is of the Promiſes of Corn, and Wine, and Oil.

The ſhield of thy help.] To defend them from all the Aſſaults of their Enemies. He adds this, ſaith the ſame R. Iſaac, to ſhow that they to whom he promiſes Spiritual Bleſſings, are not thereby put out of hope of Temporal: For the People that are ſaved by the LORD, have him alſo for their Shield and their Sword, as it here follows.

And who is the ſword of thy excellency.] To cut their Enemies in pieces; ſo that they ſhould glory and boaſt in magnificent Victories over them. Or, as Onkelos tranſlates it, From his preſence are all the Victories of thy valiant Men.

And thine enemies ſhall be found liars unto thee.] Find themſelves deceived in all their vain hopes of ſaving themſelves, or hurting the Iſraelites. Or, ſhould be ſo afraid of them, that with feigned Stories they ſhould court their Friendſhip, as the Gibeonites did. Or, more ſimply, ſhould ſubmit to them, though not heartily, yet out of fear; as this Phraſe is uſed, XVIII Pſal. 44. LXVI. 3. and other places.

And thou ſhalt tread upon their high places.] Upon the Necks of their Kings, as both Onkelos and the Hieruſalem Targum underſtand it: taking bamoth here for great Men, in high ſtations. And thus Joſhua p. 677did, as we read X Joſh. 21.Chapter XXXIV. But this word commonly ſignifies, either ſtrong holds, or places of idolatrous worſhip: which neither their great men, nor their gods themſelves, ſhould be able to preſerve from ruin.