Commentary on Deuteronomy, Commentary · Chapter 28

Commentary on Deuteronomy · Commentary · Chapter 28

p. 481CHAP. XXVIII.Chapter XXVIII.

Verſe 1. AND it ſhall come to paſs.] In this Verſe 1 Chapter he repeats, with many Enlargements, the Rewards and Penalties which he had promiſed and threatned in the Book of Leviticus, unto the Obſervance or Breach of the Covenant they had made with God. And here in this Verſe he promiſes in general the Bleſſings which are more particularly enumerated in the following Verſes.

If thou wilt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to obſerve and do all his Commandments, &c.] See VII. 12. Where the ſame thing is ſaid; only here he adds the word diligently, to make them attend with the greater ſeriouſneſs to what he delivered. See Chapt. XI. 13, 22.

That the LORD thy God will ſet thee on high above all Nations of the earth.]▪ By beſtowing on them the following Bleſſings. See VII. 14. They were already endued with ſingular Priviledges above other Nations, (XIX Exod. 5, 6.) which by their Obedience would be confirmed, continued and augmented in greater plenty of all things.

Ver. 2. And all theſe Bleſſings ſhall come upon thee, Verſe 2 and overtake thee.] Bleſſings that come unexpectedly, and when we are not in purſuit of them, are moſt welcome, and highly delight us. And ſuch God here promiſes to beſtow on them by his gracious Providence, without their laborious and anxious ſeeking after them. By which very thing he ſet them above all Nations: for what they followed after eagerly, and many times in vain, he undertakes ſhould come to them, and prevent their deſires.

p. 482If thou ſhalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.] So as to obſerve and do all his Commandments; as it is explained in the foregoing Verſe.

Verſe 3 Verſe 3. Bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the City, and bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the field.] That is, in all their Affairs within doors, or without. Or, whether they lived by Employments in the City, or by Husbandry in Tilling the Ground. It is not a natural Interpretation of theſe words, which one of the Hebrew Doctors gives of them in Bava Metzia; where he expounds bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the City; thy Houſe ſhall be ſo nigh unto the Synagogue, that thou needeſt not be troubled by going a long way to it. And bleſſed in the field; thy Ground ſhall lye ſo near to the City, that thou mayeſt quickly bring the Fruit it produces, to be ſold in the Market. But if he could have gone on in this manner, it had been ſomething tolerable; but he expounds what follows in a moſt undecent manner. See Wagenſeil upon the Gemara of Sota, Cap. III. Sect. IX. Annot. 5.

Verſe 4 Ver. 4. Bleſſed ſhall be the fruit of thy body.] This ſeems to be a Promiſe of preventing Miſcarriages, when they were with Child: for a numerous Progeny is promiſed afterwards, v. 11.

And the fruit of thy ground.] This ſignifies they ſhould have ſeaſonable Harveſts and Vintages. For fruit of the ground comprehends not only all ſorts of Corn, but Grapes, Figs, Pomegranates, and ſuch like Fruit which grow on Trees.

And the fruit of thy Cattle.] By the word Behemah is ſometimes meant all ſorts of brute Creatures, in oppoſition to Men; ſometimes tame Creatures, in oppoſition to wild Beaſts: But here all ſorts of Domeſtick Creatures (except Kine, Sheep and Goats) viz. p. 483Aſſes and Camels. Which Jacob brought with him, as well as Oxen and Sheep, when he came from Laban into Canaan, XXXII Gen. 5, 7.

And the increaſe of thy kine.] The breed of theſe was very profitable; being a conſiderable part of the Riches, not only of that but of other Countries; as appears by what Pauſanias ſaith of them. See Bochartus P. I. Hierozoicon. Lib. II. Cap. XL. in the beginning.

And the flocks of thy ſheep.] Under the name of Sheep, in the Hebrew, are comprehended Goats alſo. All which God promiſes to increaſe; that is, to make them very wealthy. And here it may be obſerved, that the Iſraelites were generally Husbandmen or Shepherds; and did not commonly follow any other Trades: and therefore no mention is made of them here, unleſs it be in v. 6. where he ſeems to ſpeak of all ſort of Buſineſs.

Ver. 5. Bleſſed ſhall be thy baſket.] The Hieruſalem Verſe 5 Targum refers this to the Basket wherein they carried up their Firſt-fruits, XXVI. 2. But the Vulgar Latin tranſlates it, thy Barns: and ſo do the LXX. foreign, the places where they laid up their Corn, and other Fruits of the Earth. Which God promiſes both to fill, and to preſerve from Fire, or Thieves, or other Diſaſters.

And thy ſtore. The LXX. and the Vulgar tranſlate it, all that was remaining; of which they had not preſent uſe; but kept till they had occaſion for it. So it is a promiſe, that they ſhould never want; but ſtill have ſomething lying by them in Store (as we tranſlate it) above what they needed.

p. 484Ver. 6. Bleſſed ſhalt thou be when thou comest in, and bleſſed ſhalt thou be when thou goest out.] This the Hieruſalem Targum interprets, of their entring into their Schools, and going home again. But it rather Verſe 6 ſignifies they ſhould have good Journeys, when they had occaſion to Travel; and find all ſafe, when they returned home. Or be proſperous both in time of Peace, and in time of War: when they are ſaid, in the Hebrew phraſe, to go out againſt their Enemies. Or, it may ſignifie in general good ſucceſs in all their Affairs; which is expreſſed by the phraſe, of coming in and going out, XXXI. 2. 2 Sam. III. 25. But I ſee no ground to think, that it relates to Traffick or Manufactures: for they were of little uſe among a People, whoſe plain way of living made few things neceſſary, but what every Man could make himſelf. And therefore we find by Ezekiel, who deſcribes (Chapt. XXVII.) the great variety of Merchandize which was brought to the Mart of Tyre; that the Iſraelites carried nothing thither, but Wheat and Honey, and Oil and Balm, (v. 17.) which are the Commodities the Earth it ſelf produceth.

Verſe 7 Ver. 7. The LORD ſhall cauſe thine enemies, that riſe up against thee, to be ſmitten before thy face.] God had promiſed before, that when they went up to ſerve him at their Solemn Feſtivals, their Enemies ſhould not ſo much as deſire their Land, XXXIV Exod. 24. and now he aſſures them, that when they did invade their Country, they ſhould not prevail, but be overthrown by them.

They ſhall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee ſeven ways.] He not only promiſes them Victory; but a complete Victory. For fleeing ſeven ways (i. e. many ways) imports a total overthrow: p. 485which made every Man ſhift for himſelf; as Souldiers do when they are entirely routed.

Ver. 8. And the LORD ſhall command the bleſſing upon thee.] Protect them in their Enjoyments by his Verſe 8 Soveraign Power and Providence; when otherwiſe they would have been in danger.

In thy ſtore-houſes.] The LXX tranſlate it foreign, and the Vulgar Cellaria: which ſignifie places wherein other Goods were laid up within doors; as Corn was in Barns without, v. 5.

And in all that thou ſettest thine hand unto.] In all manner of Undertakings and Employments.

And he ſhall bleſs thee in the Land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.] Make them live long therein.

Ver. 9. The LORD thy God ſhall eſtabliſh thee an holy Verſe 9 people unto himſelf.] Confirm them in that noble relation wherein they ſtood to him. See VII. 6. XIV. 2.

As he hath ſworn unto thee.] See VII. 12.

If thou wilt keep the Commandments of the LORD thy God.] He had ſeparated them from all People, by peculiar Laws and Priviledges; for this purpoſe, that they ſhould be governed by him, and be obedient to him.

And walk in his ways.] No body can ſee any reaſon to make this a ſpecial Precept (as the Jews do) that we ſhould walk in the ways of the LORD. Which contains all the Duty owing to him: whether by his ways we underſtand thoſe Divine qualities, of Mercy, Holineſs, Goodneſs, and Truth, whereby we approach to him; or (as the word ways is commonly uſed in Scripture) his Divine Precepts, whereby he comes (as it were) unto us, and declares his mind and will p. 486towards us; by conformity to which we become like him in thoſe Divine qualities; for that is the entire meaning of walking in his ways: ordering all our Actions according to the Direction of his holy Will; whereby we reſemble him.

Verſe 10 Ver. 10. And all the people of the earth.] Who were round about them; or ſhould have any knowledge of them.

Shall ſee that thou art called by the name of the LORD.] Be convinced that you are, after a peculiar manner, the LORD's People, XIV. 1. XXVI. 18. For whereſoever we read that a Perſon, or Thing, hath the Name of God called upon it, or is called by his Name, the meaning is, that it is his. As the City called by God's name, XXV Jerem. 29. is the City of God, where he dwelt, viz. Jeruſalem. And thus the Ark is ſaid to have the Name of God called on it, 1 Chron. XIII. 6. i. e. was the LORD's Ark, or the Ark of the Covenant. And as here the Children of Iſrael are ſaid to be a People called by his Name; ſo it is ſaid of the Chriſtian Church, XV Acts 17. For the very ſame phraſe (as Mr. Mede obſerves) is uſed of the like relation that Men have unto that which is theirs. Thus Jacob ſaith, XLVIII Gen. 16. that his Name ſhould be called on the two Sons of Joſeph: that is, they ſhould be his, as Reuben and Simeon were. Which ſhows, theſe are words of Adoption. See Diſcourſe I. p. 7.

And ſhall be afraid of thee.] Not dare to do thee any hurt; or, fear to have thee their Enemy.

Verſe 11 Ver. 11. The LORD thy God ſhall make thee plenteous in goods.] Beſtow on them abundance of all good things, that their hearts could deſire.

p. 487In the fruit of thy body.] By giving them a numerous and healthy Iſſue; whereby they ſhould be multiplied like the Stars of Heaven, or the Sand on the Sea-ſhore. According to the Promiſe made to Abraham, XV Gen. 5. XXII. 17.

And in the fruit of thy Cattle.] Which he promiſed likewiſe to increaſe exceedingly.

And in the fruit of thy ground.] Which ſhould afford large Crops of Corn, and great ſtore of all other Fruits every year.

In the Land which the LORD ſware unto thy fathers to give thee.] So that they ſhould not need to ſend unto other Countries, to procure Food (as they did in the days of their Father Jacob) but have enough in their own Land to ſupport them all, though never ſo numerous.

Ver. 12. The LORD ſhall open his good Treaſure unto Verſe 12 thee, the Heaven to give thee rain unto thy Land.] The Heaven, or the Air is called the good Treaſure of God; becauſe there he gathers together great Heaps of Clouds; from whence he inriches the Earth with fatning ſhowers of Rain. Which when he withholds, he is ſaid to ſhut up this Treaſure, XI. 17. and when he beſtows it, to open it: that his People might be ſenſible of their dependence upon his Bounty for that Bleſſing, as well as others; which he diſpenſes as he pleaſeth.

In its ſeaſon.] The former and the latter Rain, as the Scripture calls it. The former fell in Autumn after the Seed was ſown, to make it take root and ſpring up. The latter fell in the Spring time; to bring the Seed which was come up, to maturity. See XI. 14. See the Learned Dr. Prideaux upon Maimonides his Treatiſe de donis Pauperum, Cap. I. Not. 25.

p. 488And to bleſs all the work of thine hand.] By theſe ſeaſonable ſhowres he bleſſed their ploughing, and ſowing, and produced a plentiful Harveſt: which ſeems to be meant here by the work of their hand; viz. their Husbandry; which included all ſorts of Plantations, as well as Tillage, IX Gen. 20.

And thou ſhalt lend unto many Nations, and thou ſhalt not borrow.] A token of great Riches, (See XV. 6.) which all Nations lookt upon as a Bleſſing: as indeed they are, with piety. And therefore Callimachus in his Hymn to Jove, prays him to beſtow both Vertue and Riches upon them; v. 97.

—foreign.

Which puts me in mind of a pertinent Obſervation of Maimonides in his Preface to Perck Chelek, in which he treats of the Foundations of the Jewiſh Religion. This is the meaning, ſaith he, of the Promiſes and Threatnings in the Law; that if they were obedient to his Precepts, he would further them with all good things that ſhould furniſh them therein; and remove from them all that hinder them. For no Man can ſerve God as he ought, when he is ſick, or oppreſſed with Famine, or vexed with Wars. Therefore God Promiſes to remove all theſe things, and to give them Health and Tranquillity, that they might perfect their Obedience, and be worthy of the Life of the World to come. For this is not the end of the Law, to make the Earth bring forth plentifully, and to prolong Mens Life upon the Earth, and give them healthful Bodies: but that by all thoſe things they may be helpt and incouraged to perform Obedience to it, &c.

p. 489Ver. 13. And the LORD ſhall make thee the head, and not the tail.] This is a proverbial Speech, which is explained in the words following, and thou ſhalt be above only, and thou ſhalt not be beneath. For the Head Verſe 13 being the firſt and chief part of all Animals, and the Tail the laſt and loweſt; thoſe Perſons are ſaid to be the Head who command over others, and thoſe the Tail who are ſubject. And therefore this is a Promiſe that they ſhould rule over other Nations, as their Lords, (as they did in the days of David and Solomon) but other Nations ſhould not Lord it over them.

If that thou hearken unto the Commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to obſerve and to do them.] This was the Condition upon which all their Happineſs depended; as he had told them in the beginning of this Diſcourſe, v. 1.

Ver. 14. And thou ſhalt not go aſtray from any of the Verſe 14 words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left.] See Chapt. V. 32.

To go after other gods to ſerve them.] This was the principal Commandment of the Law, to ſerve no other gods but the LORD alone. Which while they obſerved, he was pleaſed to bleſs them, and to bear with many other ſins which they committed. Upon which account, this Commandment is ſo often repeated, as we find it, in this very Book, VI. 14. VII. 4, 16. VIII. 19. IX. 16, 28. XI. 3, 4, 30, &c.

Ver. 15. But it ſhall come to paſs, if thou wilt not Verſe 15 hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to obſerve to do all his Commandments and Statutes which I command thee this day.] Eſpecially that great Commandment, Not to go after other gods to ſerve them.

p. 490That all theſe Curſes ſhall come upon thee, and overtake thee.] Purſue them ſo, that they ſhould not poſſibly eſcape them. The ſame phraſe is uſed of the Bleſſings, v. 2.

Verſe 16 Ver. 16. Curſed ſhalt thou be in the City, and curſed ſhalt thou be in the field.] As miſerable, that is, every where, as he intended to have made them happy, v. 3.

Verſe 17 Ver. 17. Curſed ſhall be thy basket, and thy ſtore.] The bleſſing of the Barn, was to have it full, (v. 5.) and therefore the Curſe upon it, was to make it empty.

Verſe 18 Ver. 18. Curſed ſhall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, &c.] He threatens to conſume their Children, their Corn, and other Fruits; with their Herds and Flocks.

Verſe 19 Ver. 19. Curſed ſhalt thou be when thou comest in, and curſed ſhalt thou be when thou goest out.] Have no Comfort in any Undertaking, either at home or abroad; in Peace or in War.

Verſe 20 Ver. 20. The LORD ſhall ſend upon thee curſing, vexation and rebuke.] It is very hard to know what theſe three words particularly import; the two firſt of them being very variouſly tranſlated. The firſt of them, Meera, ſeems to ſignifie in general, that God would blaſt them, in all they deſigned and went about: for although the LXX. and Vulgar here render it famine and want, yet elſewhere the LXX. renders it as we do, foreign, curſing: And the next word, Mehuma, they tranſlate hunger: but in other places the LXX. render it by ſix or ſeven words, which import the ſame with our Engliſh vexation; viz. foreign, trouble or disturbance; foreign, tumult; foreign, confuſion; foreign, horror or affrightment, &c. Which p. 491relate to great diſorder, diſquiet, and perplexity in their Mind. And the laſt word, Mighereth, the Vulgar tranſlate as we do, rebuke; but the LXX. foreign, Conſumption: which are the ſame in effect. For when God rebukes a Man for his iniquity, he makes his beauty to conſume away like a moth, XXXIX Pſal. 11. For God's Rebukes conſiſt not in Words, but in ſore Afflictions, (2 Kings XIX. 3. XVIII Pſal. 15, &c.) particularly in Diſappointments and Ill-ſucceſs in their Undertakings; and continual fear of worſe for the future.

In all that thou ſettest thine hand unto for to do.] In all their Affairs (v. 8.) they ſhould meet with trouble, perplexity, and defeats.

Ʋntil that thou be deſtroyed.] He threatens that this Curſe, Trouble, and Rebuke from God ſhould purſue them, till they had compleated their Ruin.

And until thou periſh quickly.] When God began to puniſh them, after long patience with them, he was quick in his Executions; and many times brought upon them ſudden deſtruction. So he threatens in Zephaniah I. 18. That he would make a ſpeedy riddance of all that dwell in the Land. And though the whole Nation was not rooted out ſpeedily, but by degrees; yet they enjoyed it but a ſhort time, in compariſon of what God deſigned if they had been obedient: and in that time, they were ſeldom without ſome trouble or other, till they were expelled out of their Country.

Becauſe of the wickedneſs of thy doings, whereby thou hast forſaken me.] And followed after other gods: which was the great Crime that brought them to deſolation.

p. 492Ver. 21. The LORD ſhall make the Peſtilence cleave unto thee.] The Peſtilence is threatned in XXVI Levit, 25. where he ſaith he will ſend it among them: and here adds, that it ſhall cleave unto them; that is, Verſe 21 be incurable. And ſo the Author of Schebet Judah confeſſes, that after they had been waſted and broken in pieces by Wars, they that fled into Spain in the time of Alphonſus, were ſwept away in great numbers by a Plague; and introduces one applying theſe very words, as a Prophecy of it. Which I thought fit to note, though this part of the Prophecy doth not belong to what hath befaln them ſince the laſt deſtruction of Jeruſalem (as I ſhall ſhow hereafter) but to the times before the firſt deſtruction. When he often ſent a Peſtilence to deſtroy them, 2 Sam. XXIV. 15. XIV Jerem. 12. XXI. 6, 7, 9. and many other places of that Book, V Ezek. 12. VI. 11, 12. IV Amos 10. But it muſt be acknowledged alſo, that the Greeks call ſuch unſeaſonable weather, as deſtroys the Fruits of the Earth, by the name of foreign, Peſtilence. So Plato Lib. X. de Legibus ſaith, that which is called foreign, a Diſeaſe in Bodies, foreign, &c. is called Peſtilence in the Seaſons of the Year. The Murrain alſo in Cattle is called by the ſame name; which even the Pagans thought was ſent by the anger of their gods, for the ſins of Men; as we learn from Callimachus in his Hymn to Diana, where he ſaith, verſe 125. That when ſhe was angry, Peſtilence eat up their Cattle, and Hail deſtroyed the Fruits of the Earth.

foreign.

As on the contrary, when ſhe was well pleaſed, ſhe p. 493ſent fruitful Seaſons, and all manner of Happineſs, as it follows in that Hymn.

Ʋntil it have conſumed thee from off the Land whither thou goest to poſſeſs it.] Made a great deſtruction by ſweeping away many People; the reſt being reſerved for other Judgments, which follow in the next words.

Ver. 22. And the LORD ſhall ſmite thee with a conſumption, Verſe 22 and with a fever, and with an inflammation.] Theſe three words ſignifie ſore Diſeaſes in Mens Bodies: the two firſt of which, Sachepheth and Kaddachath, we tranſlate in XXVI Levit. 16. as we do here; only the ſecond of them we render the burning Ague, which here we tranſlate Fever. Unto which is here added Dalleketh, which ſignifies ſuch an inflammation, as is accompanied with itching (according to the LXX. who tranſlate it foreign) which is extreamly grievous, becauſe the ſcratching of it increaſes the inflammation.

And with an extream burning, and with the ſword.] Theſe two ſeem to relate unto the indiſpoſition of the Air, by extream heat and drought; as we tranſlate the Word Chereb in the Margin of our Bibles. For it ſignifies both the Sword and Drineſs; as the firſt word Charchur ſignifies ſcorching heat, which frequently cauſes Diſeaſes. For it being the doubling of the word Charar, it denotes the extremity, or higheſt degree of it, as all ſuch words do; of which Bochartus hath given many Examples in his Hierozoicon. P. II. Lib. I. Cap. XIX.

And with blaſting, and with mildew.] Theſe two relate to the deſtruction of their Corn, and the fruits of the Earth; which follows upon the Corruption of the Air, as Famine follows upon the Corruption of p. 494the Fruits of the Earth. The firſt word Schiddaphon, the LXX. and the other Greek Interpreters tranſlate foreign, blaſting by biting Winds: though elſewhere the LXX. tranſlate it by foreign and foreign, which ſignifies ſuch bliting as comes by heat. And the ſecond word, Jerakon (which comes from jerek, Herb, or Graſs, or any green things) ſeems properly to be expreſſed by the LXX. who tranſlate it foreign: for Corn, and Graſs, and Herbs turn pale and wan for want of moiſture.

And they ſhall purſue thee until thou periſh.] Theſe Plagues upon their Bodies, and upon the Air, and the Corn and Herbs, he threatens ſhall come upon them one year after another, till they were conſumed.

Verſe 23 Ver. 23. And thy heaven that is over thy head ſhall he braſs.] That is, as braſs: having no more moiſture in it than braſs hath. It is remarkable that he doth not ſay the Heaven; that is, the Air, or Clouds; but thy heaven; that is, the Clouds which hung over their Country ſhould be dry; though they dropt upon other Lands. See XIV Jeremiah.

And the earth that is under thee ſhall be iron.] Hard as Iron, for want of Rain to ſoften it. See XXVI Levit. 19. The Obſervation of Maimonides is worth noting upon this part of the Law: That the Zabij, an ancient ſort of Idolaters in the Eaſtern Countries, thought the fruitfulneſs of the Earth depended upon the Worſhip of the Planets, and the reſt of the heavenly Bodies. And therefore their Wiſe-men and their Prophets (as he ſaith he found in their Books, particularly in one concerning the husbandry of the Egyptians) taught the People to keep Feſtivals in their honour; becauſe the fruitfulneſs of p. 495the Earth, by which Men ſubſiſt, depends upon their Will and Pleaſure. In oppoſition to which God ordered Moſes to tell the Iſraelites in his Name, that if they worſhipped the Stars, they ſhould have no Rain; the Earth ſhould be barren, the Trees yield no Fruit; the Seaſon prove unhealthful, and their Lives be ſhortned. On the contrary, if they worſhipped him, the LORD of Heaven and Earth, and him alone, they ſhould have ſhowres from above; the Earth ſhould bring forth abundantly; and they ſhould be bleſſed with healthful Seaſons, ſound Bodies, and long Life. For it is the very Foundation of the Law (as his phraſe is) to root the forenamed falſe Opinion out of Men's minds, More Nevochim, P. III. Cap. XXX.

Ver. 24. And the LORD ſhall make the rain of thy Verſe 24 Land powder and dust.] That is, there ſhall be ſuch a long drought, that inſtead of Rain, ſhowres of Duſt, blown up into the Air by the Wind, ſhall fall down from Heaven upon them.

From heaven ſhall it come down upon thee, till thou be deſtroyed.] This ſeems to denote ſomething more than the falling of Clouds of Duſt, wherewith the Air was filled by high Winds, viz. ſhowers of Aſhes, which have ſometimes faln in great quantities, as good Hiſtorians teſtifie. Nothing is more known than the vaſt Clouds of Aſhes which Mount Aetna hath often vomited, whereby all the Country thereabout hath been laid deſolate. And the like hath been thrown out by Mount Veſuvius, which hath reached as far as Rome, and Conſtantinople. See Bonfrerius. But if there was any ſuch thing in Judaea, it muſt be a miraculous judgment; there being no ſuch Mountains in thoſe parts of the World, to make ſuch Evomitions.

p. 496Ver. 25. And the LORD ſhall cauſe thee to be ſmitten before thine Enemies.] He ſaith the ſame in effect XXVI Levit. 17. For to ſmite in Scripture (as I Verſe 25 have before obſerved) ſignifies to ſlay or kill.

Thou ſhalt go out one way against them, and flee ſeven ways before them.] Though they marcht out in a great Body againſt their Enemies, he threatens that they ſhould ſoon be diſperſed; the hand of the LORD, as well as of their Enemies, being againſt them. For that Expreſſion is remarkable, the LORD ſhall cauſe thee to be ſmitten. See v. 7.

And ſhalt be removed into all the Kingdoms of the earth.] This is ſomething more than is threatned XXVI Levit. 33. ſignifying not only their diſperſion into the remoteſt parts of the World; but their being toſſed up and down, like Vagabonds, from one Country to another, without any certain Settlement. Which hath been notoriouſly verified ſince their laſt diſperſion by the Romans: of which they themſelves have given us large accounts in ſeveral Books, viz. Juchaſin, Schalſcheleth Hakkabala, Schebet Jehuda, and Zemuch David; wherein they have abundantly confirmed what Tertullian ſaith of them in his time, Diſperſi, palabundi, & coeli, & ſoli ſui extorres vagantur per orbem; that being ſcattered, ſtraggling up and down uncertainly, baniſhed from their own Country, they wander about the World, without any King, &c. But this belongs to the time of the firſt Captivity, when Nehemiah (I. 8.) confeſſes theſe words were fulfilled. See IX Jerem. 16. VI Ezek. 8. XII. 14, 15.

Verſe 26 Ver. 26. And thy carcaſe ſhall be meat unto all the fowls of the air, and unto the beaſts of the earth.] Nothing was accounted a greater Calamity among the Jews, than to have their dead Bodies lye expoſed, to p. 497be buried only in the bowels of Birds and Beaſts. And therefore Jeremiah threatens this as the utmoſt puniſhment of the King of Judah, XXII. 19. XXXVI. 30. and the Pſalmist bewails it as one of the foreſt Judgments that was befaln them, LXXIX Pſal. 2, 3.

And no man ſhall fray them away.] That is, no Man took ſo much compaſſion upon them, as to chaſe them away, and to interr the remainders which the Birds and Beaſts had not devoured.

Ver. 27. And the LORD ſhall ſmite thee.] Why the Verſe 27 Hieruſalem Targum ſhould here, in a particular manner, ſay the WORD of the LORD ſhall ſmite thee, I cannot imagine; unleſs it was to ſuggeſt, that he being their Conductor out of Egypt, was the Perſon more eſpecially concerned to puniſh them for their ſhameful ingratitude to their Deliverer. See v. 68.

With the botch of Egypt.] Some take this to ſignifie the Leproſie, unto which they in that Country were ſubject. Others, that boil breaking out with blains, wherewith God ſmote the Egyptians, IX Exod. 9, &c. For that is called Schechin, as this is.

And with the Emerods.] The Hebrew word Apholim is no where to be met with, but here, and I Sam. V. 6, 9, 11. and in the reſt of that Hiſtory. Which moſt Interpreters (and not without reaſon) think ſignifies thoſe painful tumors in the Fundament, which ſometimes turn into Ulcers. See Bochartus in his Hierozoicon P. I. Lib. II. Cap. XXXVI.

And with the Scab.] The LXX. here tranſlate the Hebrew garab (as they do alſo XXI Levit. 20.) foreign, a fierce, or malignant Scab. And the Vulgar adds the word jugis, to ſignifie that this was no ſmall puniſhment.

p. 498And the itch.] The Hebrew word cheres, ſignifies, as is generally thought, a dry Itch; which is the moſt troubleſome of all other.

Whereof thou canst not be healed.] This may refer both to the Scab, and to the Itch before-mentioned; which proceeded from ſuch a Corruption of the Blood, that they were as incurable as the Leproſie.

Verſe 28 Ver. 28. And the LORD ſhall ſmite thee with madneſs, and blindneſs, and aſtoniſhment of heart.] All theſe three relate to the Mind: The first of them importing ſuch a diſtraction in their Thoughts, that they ſhould not know what courſe to take, when they conſulted for their ſafety: The ſecond ſuch a ſtupidity, that they ſhould not diſcern the true way, but always take the wrong: The third that amazement and horror which followed thereupon, when they ſaw themſelves ruined by their own fooliſh Counſels and mad Contrivances. A famous inſtance of which was in the time of Trajan, when they committed ſuch outragious Maſſacres, both upon the Greeks and Romans (as Dion a very ſober Author relates) in Cyrene and Cyprus, (where great numbers of Jews dwelt after they were driven out of their own Country) that the Lord, no doubt, (to uſe the words of Dr. Jackson on the Creed, B. I. Chap. XXVII.) had ſmote them with the madneſs and blindneſs of heart here threatned, that they might hereby provoke that puiſſant Emperour's indignation, which otherwiſe would have ſlept: but now purſued them throughout his Dominions, not only as Enemies, or Rebels, but as noxious Creatures to Humane Society; with a Revenge ſutable to their former Outrages. And indeed this Prediction was verified in their blind Credulity, which made them follow every one that pretended to be their p. 499Meſſiah; which always brought great Calamities upon them, as R. Gedaliah himſelf confeſſes in Schalſchetheth Hakkala. Where he mentions no ſmall number of theſe Deceivers; and ſhows how many Jews periſhed who followed them. Yet they are but a few in compariſon of a long Catalogue that might be made of thoſe pretended Meſſiahs. See the Learned Wagenſeil's Confutation of R. Lipman's Carmen Memoriale, pag. 233, &c. Unto which I ſhall add only one Obſervation more out of Solomon ben Virgae, who ſaith in ſome places of Germany they were poſſeſſed with ſuch a rabies, that they cut one anothers Throats, to avoid the Oppreſſion of their Enemies; and burnt themſelves and their Neighbours in their Houſes, ſetting whole Cities on fire, and periſhing in the Flames. Such was their extream Rage and furious Revenge, on thoſe Chriſtians who preſſed them to change their Religion. Many Stories of the like nature that Author tells in his Book intituled, Schelet Jehuda; where he hath LXIV. Relations of the Calamities which befel them in that, and in other Countries. But theſe words, I doubt not, were fulfilled before in the firſt Deſolation of Jeruſalem, to which they belong. For though we have not ſuch particular Relations as thoſe now mentioned to illuſtrate them, yet the Prophets ſpeak of their being mad by drinking of the Cup of the LORD's Fury, XXV Jerem. 16, 18. and blind, Zephan. I. 17. Lament. IV. 14. and aſtoniſhed, Jerem. IV. 9. Ezek. IV. 17.

Ver. 29. And thou ſhalt grope at noon day, as the blind Verſe 29 gropeth in darkneſs.] This ſhows the blindneſs ſpoken of in the foregoing Verſe relates to their Mind; which was ſo darkned, that in the plaineſt and cleareſt things, they miſtook the way and means of their Preſervation, Zephan. I. 17.

p. 500And thou ſhalt not proſper in thy ways.] But, quite contrary, whatſoever Courſe they took it turned to their undoing.

And thou ſhalt be only oppreſſed and ſpoiled evermore.] One Oppreſſion followed upon another (as the ſame Dr. Jackson obſerves) and ſuch Rapines were committed in ſeveral places, upon them, as only made way for new ones; even when the Supream Powers endeavoured to hinder them.

And no man ſhall ſave thee.] This was ſo remarkably fulfilled in theſe parts of the World, that the Magiſtrates who had a mind in many places to preſerve them from ſuch Outrages, as none but Jews can juſtifie, durſt not venture to appear for their Reſcue. And thoſe that did take them into their Protection, were the Inſtruments of their further Wrongs, by grievous exactions for the maintenance of the War undertaken in their defence. So ſtrangely (as that excellent Perſon forenamed ſpeaks, Chap. XXIX.) did the Wiſdom of God bring that to paſs which his Servant Moſes had foretold in this Verſe, No man ſhall ſave thee. For even ſuccour it ſelf turned into their ſorrow; and it is hard to ſay, whether mens purpoſes for their good, or for their evil, brought greater plagues upon them. Thus it was before their firſt Captivity; Pharaoh King of Egypt came to help them, but was not able, XXXVII Jerem. 7. XLVI. 17.

Verſe 30 Ver. 30. Thou ſhalt betroth a wife, and another man ſhall lie with her.] Take her away from thee, before thou canſt conſummate the Marriage. This was a ſore Affliction, for all Nations accounted it a ſingular bleſſing to compleat a Marriage; and on the contrary, a Curſe to be defeated of ſuch delightful hopes. Whence Callimachus in his Hymn to Apollo, promiſing many p. 501Bleſſings to the Youths, who ſung and danced before his Altar, mentions this in the firſt place, verſe 14.

foreign—

That he would be with them and proſper them, if they were to be married.

Thou ſhalt build an houſe, and thou ſhalt not dwell therein.] But another take poſſeſſion of it, Zephan. I. 13.

Thou ſhalt plant a vineyard, and ſhalt not gather the grapes thereof.] So we rightly tranſlate the Hebrew word, which (as the Margin notes) is thou ſhalt not prophane, or make common the Grapes thereof: which was not to be done till the fifth year after the Plantation. Before which time God threatens another ſhould enter into it, and enjoy the Fruits thereof.

Ver. 31. Thine Ox ſhall be ſlain before thine eyes, and Verſe 31 thou ſhalt not eat thereof: thine Aſs ſhall be violently taken away from before thy face, and ſhall not be reſtored to thee, &c.] All theſe are but particular Inſtances of their grievous Oppreſſions in all Countries; where their Goods have been confiſcated, the Bills of Debts owing to them all cancelled. Of which the ſame pious and learned Perſon, Dr. Jackson, gives ſeveral Inſtances in the forenamed Chapter.

Ver. 32. Thy ſons and thy daughters ſhall be given Verſe 32 unto another people.] This was literally fulfilled, when the Jews were baniſhed out of Portugal in the time of King Emanuel; who ordered their Children under Nineteen years of Age to be taken from them, and brought up in the Chriſtian Religion. When In ants alſo were torn from their Mothers Breaſts, with far more grief and ſorrow, than they had at their coming out of their Womb: and many hundred p. 502years before that, when the Goths were Lords of Spain, and ſuffered no Parents to have any Commerce with their Children, after the ſeventh year of their Age; but by publick Decree they were committed to Chriſtians to be educated by them, who married them to their own Sons and Daughters. See the ſame Dr. Jackson, Chapt. XXVIII. Paragr. 1, 2.

And thine eyes ſhall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long.] Their Women filling the Heavens with more hideous ſhrieks than the Egyptians did, when all their Firſt-born were ſlain in the night. For theſe were bereft at once of all their dear Children, in the open Sun; in vain begging to have them reſtored to them. And to increaſe their Calamity (as that excellent Perſon obſerves, Chap. XXIX. Paragraph. 15.) many Moors profeſſing Mahometiſm, were tranſported out of Portugal the ſame time, without ſuch violence offered to them. What was the reaſon? (ſaith he) God would have a manifeſt diſtinction made between the Jews and other People, that this Prophecy might be fulfilled.

And there ſhall be no might in thy hand.] Either to protect, or to reſcue them from violence. Where I cannot but take notice, with the ſame Doctor, that the Moors then had ſome power in their hand, which moved the Portugals perhaps to abſtain from ſuch uſage of them; leſt the report of it coming to the African Mahometans, they might attempt to avenge their wrongs. But theſe wretched Jews had no power any where; none to avenge their Injuries: which God had ordained they ſhould ſuffer at all times, and in all places whereſoever they came, without redreſs.

p. 503Ver. 33. The fruit of thy Land, and all thy labours, ſhall a Nation which thou knowest not eat up.] This was remarkably fulfilled, when Salmaneſer came and diſpoſſeſſed the Ten Tribes; and when Nebuchadnezzar Verſe 33 carried the other two Tribes away, and placed other People in their room.

There were many ſtrange People alſo among the Romans who devoured their Labours, before their laſt deſtruction by Titus. And ever ſince they have been ſubject to depredations of various ſorts; having ſcraped up Riches, with great Care, which have often faln into the hands of Strangers. Particularly in the time of the famous Cruſado's, when divers Nations marched in great numbers to recover the Holy Land from Infidels, their buſineſs was in their way to rob and ſpoil the Jews, and to make great ſlaughter of them; as both Jewiſh and Chriſtian Writers witneſs. Particularly the Author of Schalſcheleth Hakkabala, and our Matthew Paris.

And thou ſhalt be only oppreſſed and cruſhed alway.] That they ſhould not only ſometimes, or in ſome Ages, or in ſome one or few Kingdoms; but always, in every Kingdom whither they removed (as he ſpeaks, v. 25.) ſuffer ſuch violence and wrong, as no other People hath done; muſt needs be thought to proceed rather from Divine Juſtice, than Mens inclination to Injuſtice. Which could not but have varied with the diverſity of Times and Places, and the ſeveral Diſpoſitions of Parties, among whom they have been diſperſed. And yet the brief enumeration of their particular Spoils and hard Uſage, which Dr. Jackson makes in the forenamed Chapter (whoſe words theſe are, in the beginning of it) throughout the moſt Civil and beſt govern'd States of Europe, will abundantly p. 504confirm the truth of Moſes his words in this place, Thou ſhalt never but ſuffer wrong and violence alway; as our old Tranſlation hath it. The ſame is lately obſerved by an eminently learned Perſon, J. Wagenſeil in his Confutation of R. Lipman's Carm. Memoriale, p. 241. where he takes notice, that the Jews no ſooner have grown rich, and by degrees become conſiderable in any Country, but ſome great Calamity hath befaln them. This the attentive conſideration of their Hiſtory will juſtifie; particularly, as he obſerves, in France, Spain, and England: God not ſuffering them to be quite deſtroyed, like the Amalekites, Jebuſites, and Philiſtims, of whom no Foot-ſteps remain; but be ſcattered and toſſed about through all Chriſtian Countries, (for a teſtimony to the truth of our Religion) and there only oppreſſed, cruſhed, and ſqueezed, as Moſes here foretold. One inſtance of which ſore oppreſſion I cannot forbear to add out of Schebet Jehuda, where R. Solomon Virgae confeſſes what great Miſeries they have been expoſed unto by Perſons pretending to be their Meſſiah, who have drawn the hatred of all Nations upon them. Particularly in Perſia, he ſaith, they were moſt lamentably handled upon this ſcore; being not only ſtript of all, but forced to go about, like Dogs, with a great Clog of Wood bound to their Necks; which expoſed them to the ſcorn and laughter of all Men. For while ſome threw it behind their backs, others would come and throw it down before their feet. Some dragging them backwards, and others cruelly beating them with it. This one told him who ſaw it.

Verſe 34 Ver. 34. So that thou ſhalt be mad for the ſight of thine eys, which thou ſhalt ſee.] So they were (as the forenamed Doctor obſerves, Chapt. XXIX. Paragraph. p. 5056.15.) when their Children were taken from them in Portugal. For ſome, being not able to reſcue or diſpatch them, killed themſelves; others, who had better opportunity, drowned their Children in Wells or Ditches. And here in England, one of their learned Rabbins, perſwaded four hundred of his Company beſieged with him in a ſtrong Tower, by the furious Multitude, to cut their own Throats, rather than fall into their Enemies hands; himſelf confirming his Doctrine by cutting his Wives Throat firſt, then his Children, and laſtly killing himſelf. And thus in the time of the forementioned Cruſado's, the Souldiers made ſuch dreadful havock of the Jews, as they went along to the Holy Land, that many of them made themſelves away, out of deſpair; as their own Authors, R. Gedaliah and David Ganz tell us ad An. 1096.

Ver. 35. And the LORD ſhall ſmite thee in the knees Verſe 35 and in the legs, with a ſore botch that cannot be healed, &c.] This is the ſame word in the Hebrew (Schechin) which is uſed v. 27. called the botch of Egypt, and here an evil botch: that is, a very grievous breaking out; which began in thoſe lower parts, and ſo ſpread (being incurable, and by no means to be ſtopt) from the ſole of the feet, unto the crown of the head.

Ver. 36. And the LORD ſhall bring thee, and the Verſe 36 King which thou ſhalt ſet over thee, unto a Nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known. This may ſeem to have been fulfilled literally, only when Jehojachin was carried away Captive to Babylon, 2 Kings XXIV. 15. and afterward Zedekiah, XXV. 7. Jerem. XXXIX. 7. LII. 11. For when they returned they had no more any Kings. But the latter part of theſe p. 506words [a Nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known] may incline us to extend this Threatning as far as to their laſt Diſperſion by the Romans. Since which they have been driven into ſeveral Countries, far leſs known to them than Babylon was (with which they had correſpondence before their Captivity thither, 2 Kings XX. 12, &c.) And though they have had no King, yet they have ſet over themſelves Rulers and Governours, who may be comprehended under that Name.

And there thou ſhalt ſerve other gods, wood and ſtone.] Either ſottiſhly following the Example of the Country to which they were carried, XLIV Jerem. 17, 18. or being compelled thereunto by their cruel Tyranny, III Daniel 6. The Author of Schebet Jehuda obſerves, that this was the juſt puniſhment of their folly in running after Idols, that they were ſent into other Countries to worſhip thoſe gods which they were ſo fond of in their own. And he refers it particularly to the time of the Captivity of Babylon; in which they continued Seventy years, according to the number of years wherein thoſe Planets, whom they had worſhipped, finiſhed their Courſe. For Saturn, as he computes, finiſhes his in One and twenty, Jupiter in as many; and ſo he proceeds with the reſt, which make up that number. But this is too curious an Obſervation, and the Jews have little skill in Aſtronomy; therefore I paſs it by, and only obſerve that Manaſſeh ben Iſrael alſo underſtands this of the Babylonian Captivity; for all the Puniſhments mentioned from v. 15. to v. 49. were fulfilled under the firſt Temple, and after the ruin of it, till the building of the ſecond. Which, though it be not exactly true, (ſome of theſe Predictions having been more p. 507compleatly fulfilled, as I have ſhown in after Times) yet it is reaſonable to think, that this Threatning particularly belongs to what they ſuffered in Babylon; the very ſame Calamity being again threatned in the 64th verſe; where I ſhall ſhow it belongs to their preſent Condition.

Ver. 37. And thou ſhalt become an aſtoniſhment.] Verſe 37 Their Neighbours, he means, who ſaw or heard of the greatneſs and ſtrongneſs of their various Plagues, ſhould be diſmayed at the ſight, or report of them; wondering that a People, who had been ſo flouriſhing, ſhould be made ſo exceeding deſolate. See 1 Kings IX. 8. XVIII Jerem. 16. XIX. 8.

A proverb, and a by-word among all Nations whither the LORD ſhall lead thee.] So that when Men would expreſs one extreamly vile, they ſhould ſay he was a Jew. The ſame is threatned by God when he appeared to Solomon, 1 Kings IX. 7. and by Jeremiah, XXIV. 9. which it is likely was fulfilled at their firſt Captivity into Babylon, (See II Lament. 15, 16.) but hath been notoriouſly fulfilled in their laſt Captivity (as they call it) ſince the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem and their Temple by the Romans. For here in England (from whence they have been baniſhed above three hundred years) their name ſerves as a perfect meaſure (to uſe the words of Dr. Jackson, B. I. on the Creed, Chap. XXX.) to expreſs the height of Impiety in any Agent; or the depth of an abject, worthleſs, forlorn condition in any Patient. Better we cannot expreſs the moſt cut-throat dealing, than thus, You uſe me like a Jew; or, none but a Jew would have done this. And when in common Speech we exaggerate wrongs done to the moſt odious, or deſpiſed People among us, we ſay, I would not have done ſo to a Jew.

p. 508Ver. 38. Thou ſhalt carry much ſeed out into the field, and ſhalt gather but little in.] This was fulfilled before they were carried Captive to Babylon; when Verſe 38 God frequently ſent ſore Famine upon them; as we read in the Prophet Iſaiah LII. 1.9. and Jeremiah XIV. 1, 2, 3, &c. and is often threatned by Ezekiel among other terrible Judgments, and by Jeremiah himſelf, XXIX. 17, 18.

For the locust ſhall conſume it.] They were a great Plague in thoſe Countries; falling ſometimes in ſuch vaſt numbers (from whence they had the name of Arbe) that they covered the whole face of the Earth, and devoured every green thing. For ſo another of their names imports, which is Chaſil; coming from Chaſal, which ſignifies to conſume and eat up; which they did ſo entirely, that they were lookt upon by all People, as a Plague ſent by God, and are therefore called by Joel his Army, II. 25. So not only the Hebrews, but the Arabians, eſteemed them; who ſay that ſome of them, on a time, fell before their Prophet, as he ſat at Meat, with this Inſcription on their Backs; I am God, and there is none other beſides me; the LORD of Locuſts, who nouriſh them; and when I pleaſe, ſend them forth that they may be food for the people; and, when I pleaſe, that they may be their plague, by eating up their food. See Bochartus in his Hierozoicon, Pars II. Lib. IV. Cap. VI.

Verſe 39 Ver. 39. Thou ſhalt plant vineyards and dreſs them.] Take a great deal of care and pains about them, after they are planted, to make them fruitful.

But ſhalt neither drink of the wine, nor eat the grapes.] Not enjoy the leaſt benefit, by their coſt and labour.

For worms ſhall eat them. The Hebrew word Tholaath, is a general name for all Worms whatſoever. p. 509But there is a peculiar ſort that infeſt Vines, which the Greeks call foreign and foreign, as Bochartus obſerves in his Hierozoicon, P. II. Lib. IV. Cap. XXVII. where he takes notice that the Latines call this Worm Volvox and Convolvulus; becauſe it wraps and rolls it ſelf up in the Buds, and eats the Grapes up when they grow towards ripeneſs; as the Roman Authors explain it.

Ver. 40. Thou ſhalt have Olive-trees through all thy Verſe 40 Coaſts, but thou ſhalt not anoint thy ſelf with the oil.] Though the Country abounded with theſe Trees, in all parts of it, they produced nothing but Leaves, and a ſhow of Fruit, which came to no perfection.

For thy Olive ſhall cast her fruit.] Being blaſted, as the Hieruſalem Targum explains it, in the very Bloſſom; or the Buds dropping off for want of Rain; or the Fruit being eaten with Worms. Maimonides obſerves, that the Idolaters in thoſe Countries, pretended by certain Magical Arts, to preſerve all manner of Fruit, ſo that Worms ſhould not gnaw the Vines; nor either Buds or Fruit fall from the Trees (as he reports their words, out of one of their own Books which he names) therefore to deterr the Iſraelites from all idolatrous practices, Moſes here pronounces that they ſhould draw upon themſelves, thoſe very Puniſhments, which they ſtudied by ſuch means to avoid, More Nevochim, P. III. Cap. XXXVII.

Ver. 41. Thou ſhalt beget ſons and daughters, but thou Verſe 41 ſhalt not enjoy them; for they ſhall go into captivity.] Which is threatned in many places of the Prophets, and fulfilled in ſeveral Invaſions of their Neighbours; for the Syrians, no doubt, carried captive more than that one little Maid, who waited on Naaman's Wife, 2 Kings V. 2. And in other inroads upon them, till p. 510the Captivity of the whole Land; this we may be confident was a frequent Calamity, 2 Kings XIV. 26. XV. 37, &c. But it was never more remarkably fulfilled, than ſince they crucified our Saviour; their Children having been taken from them (as I have obſerved before v. 32, 34.) and tranſported ſometimes, into other places. And who knows whether many of their Stock, detained by King Emanuel of Portugal before-mentioned, have not been tranſported into America; and whether many of the Spaniſh Colonies have not a mixture of the Jewiſh Progeny in them? as Dr. Jackson obſerves. Manaſſeh ben Iſrael, I am ſure, endeavours to prove (in his Book called Spes Iſraelis) that ſome of the Ten Tribes are in America; though how they came there, he can give no account.

Verſe 42 Ver. 42. All thy trees and the fruit of thy Land ſhall the Locuſt conſume.] So Onkelos and the Hebrew Writers generally tranſlate the word tzelatzal; which ſignifies a peculiar ſort of Locuſts, which falls upon Trees, as others upon the Fields. And it ſeems to have this name, becauſe theſe Locuſts come in ſuch thick Clouds, that they darken the Sun: the Hebrew word tzalal ſignifying to over-ſhadow. The Hieruſalem Targum tranſlates it, All your Trees, and the fruits of your Land, ſhall ſpoilers poſſeſs.

I ſuppoſe theſe ſeveral Judgments fell in the order wherein they are here mentioned in v. 38, 39, 40, 41, 42. There being firſt a great Dearth, of which we read 2 Kings VIII. 1, &c. and I Joel 10, 11, 12, &c. then many Invaſions of their Country, wherein ſeveral were carried Captive; by the Bands of Moab upon the Iſraelites, 2 Kings XIII. 20. and of the Chaldaeans, Syrians and Ammonites, who came upon Judah, p. 511XXIV. 2. And we read expreſly, that before this, in the days of Ahaz, a great Multitude were carried Captive by the Syrians, 2 Chron. XXVIII. 5. After which more Spoilers came upon them in the days of Jeremiah, XII. 12. and a new Famine, XIV. 1, &c. in which this 41ſt verſe may be thought to be fulfilled.

Ver. 43. The ſtranger that is within thee, ſhall get up Verſe 43 above thee very high, and thou ſhalt come down very low.] There is no ſorer Puniſhment, to a proud People, than to ſee thoſe who are not only their Inferiours, but much beholden to them (as all Strangers were to the Jews, among whom they lived meerly by permiſſion) get up above them, and become their Superiours. But ſo it was that the Jews by their fooliſh endeavours to advance themſelves, raiſed a meer Stranger to the higheſt Dignity, who humbled them into the loweſt Condition. For this (as that excellent Perſon I have often mentioned obſerves) may be applied to Veſpaſian, who was appointed to command in the Wars againſt the Jews, and being a Perſon of mean Birth and obſcure Family, had no thoughts of aſpiring to the Imperial Seat: but by the unſeaſonable deſire of the Jews to exalt themſelves above all Nations, they hoiſed him up to the moſt ſublime pitch of Greatneſs, who was ordained by God to pluck them down from their Seat, and bring them beneath all People. See Dr. Jackson, Book I. on the Creed, Cap. XXIII. Paragraph. 3, 4, &c. For he quite extinguiſhed their Glory, which was their Temple at Jeruſalem: and likewiſe ſhut up and prophaned the Temple which the Egyptian Jews had built in the Country of Heliopolis; after it had ſtood above Three hundred years.

p. 512Ver. 44. He ſhall lend to thee, and thou ſhalt not lend to him; he ſhall be the head, and thou ſhalt be the tail.] Thus the Covenant of God, to exalt this People, Verſe 44 and humble their Foes, was quite inverted, as he alſo obſerves, (See v. 12, 13.) all the Plagues threatned to thoſe who bare ill-will to Sion, lighting on them and their Friends; and all the Bleſſings promiſed to ſuch as prayed for her Peace, being heaped on thoſe that wrought her ruin.

Verſe 45 Ver. 45. Moreover, all theſe Curſes ſhall come upon thee, and ſhall purſue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be deſtroyed.] Theſe Puniſhments, he means, ſhould not ceaſe, but follow one upon another, till they had brought them to utter ruin. Which is ſo evidently fulfilled, that would but the Atheiſts conſider it, and lay it to heart, it would wring from them a Confeſſion, of the truth of what theſe Divine Oracles have uttered, That this was a People, who had been appointed to deſtruction. For though there be a great many of them remaining, in ſeveral parts of the World, yet they have never been ſuffered to grow into a Nation; but in that ſenſe are utterly deſtroyed, as Moſes here propheſied.

Becauſe thou hearknedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his Commandments, and his Statutes which I commanded thee this day.] It hath manifeſtly appeared the hand of God is very heavy upon them, for their Diſobedience to him; there being no other reaſon, why they, who were once ſo favoured by him, ſhould be ſo long as they have been, more miſerable than any other People.

Verſe 46 Ver. 46. And they ſhall be upon thee.] That is, the Curſes before-mentioned, ſhould remain fixed upon them; and continue unremoved from Age to Age.

p. 513For a ſign, and for a wonder.] That all Men may take notice of them, and look upon them as extraordinary Tokens of God's high diſpleaſure; and take warning thereby to beware of their Infidelity and Diſobedience. For, as that great Man often ſaith, No ſign can be given equivalent to the deſolatiqn of the Jewiſh Nation; and their continuing ſtill baniſhed from their own Land, and miſerably treated in all other Countries.

And upon thy ſeed for ever.] All the World may clearly ſee (to uſe his words again) that the God of their Fathers hath caſt them off; they having no ſigns or badges of his ancient wonted favours; whilſt innumerable Marks and Scars of his fearful Indignation againſt their Fathers, remain unhealed in their Children, after more Generations, than their Anceſtors had of Proſperity in the promiſed Land.

Ver. 47. Becauſe thou ſervedſt not the LORD thy Verſe 47 God with joyfulneſs, and gladneſs of heart, for the abundance of all things.] Or, In the abundance of all things: for this is oppoſed to the hunger and thirſt, in which (he ſaith in the next Verſe) they ſhould ſerve their Enemies, as a puniſhment for their wanton abuſe of God's Mercies. Which being ſo exceeding great, juſtly required not only their obedience, but cheerfulneſs and delight therein.

Ver. 48. Therefore ſhalt thou ſerve thine Enemies, Verſe 48 which he ſhall ſend againſt thee.] He doth not call the LORD their God, as he did before; now they were abandon'd by him for their ſins.

In hunger, and thirſt, and nakedneſs, and in want of all things.] This ſhows what he meant before by abundance of all things: plentiful proviſion of Food and Raiment, and all other things belonging to the Comfort of Life.

p. 514And he ſhall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck.] The loſs of Liberty was as great a Miſery as any other; which ended alſo in hard Servitude. And it was but juſt, that they ſhould be Slaves in the Land of their Enemies to cruel Maſters, who would not in their own Country ſerve ſo gracious and loving a Father as the LORD their God.

A yoke of iron.] Signifies an unſupportable Yoke, which could not be broken. See XXVIII Jerem. 13, 14.

Verſe 49 Ver. 49. And the LORD ſhall bring a Nation againſt thee from far.] This evidently belongs to the Romans, as Manaſſeh ben Iſrael acknowledges; who thinks that at this Verſe begins his Prophecy of their Calamities under the ſecond Temple, as in the foregoing he deſcribes their Calamities under the firſt. And in this, I think, he ſaith right, That there is ſcarce any thing mentioned in the following part of this Chapter, but what relates to what they ſuffered under the ſecond Temple (as he ſpeaks) and ſince its deſtruction: though I cannot ſay, as he doth, of the foregoing part of it, that it was fulfilled in the Calamities which befel them under the firſt Temple; for many things were never ſo compleatly fulfilled, as ſince they crucified our Saviour.

From the end of the earth.] This ſhows he ſpeaks of the Romans, rather then of the Chaldaeans; who did not come from far, much leſs from the end of the earth; but out of the North Country, which was not very far diſtant from Judaea. Whereas the Romans, by whom they were laſt deſtroyed, came literally from far, and from the end of the earth. Particularly Julius Severus was called by the Emperour Adrian, to their deſtruction, out of this Iſland of Britain. p. 515Wherein Veſpaſian alſo had given great proof of his Conduct. And Adrian himſelf, and Trajan by whom they were ſtill more cruſhed, after Veſpaſian had deſtroyed their City and Temple, were both Spaniards by birth. And therefore Manaſſeh ben Iſrael ſays peremptorily in his Book de Termino Vitae, (Lib. III. Sect. III.) this is to be underſtood of the Souldiers in Veſpaſian's Army, which he brought out of England, France and Spain, and other remote parts of the World.

As ſwift as the Eagles.] Which every one knows the Romans carried in their Enſigns. And theſe Birds are obſerved to fly upon their Prey with great force and violence; to whom therefore fierce Souldiers (ſuch as the Romans were) are compared, when they ſet upon their Enemies. So Homer deſcribes Achilles falling upon the Trojans, foreign— in Iliad Φ. where foreign ſignifies foreign, furious aſſaults, as the Scholiaſt interprets it. And ſo he ſpeaks concerning Hector, Iliad. X. As David alſo ſpeaks of Saul and Jonathan, 2 Sam. 1.23. and the Chaldaeans are ſo deſcribed coming againſt Jeruſalem, IV Jerem. 13. XLVIII. 40. XLIX. 22. I Lament. 19 XVII Ezek. 3. and ſee VII Daniel 4. and Bochartus in his Hierozoicon, Pars I. Lib. II. Cap. IX. P. II. Lib. II. Cap. II.

A Nation whoſe tongue thou ſhalt not underſtand.] The Roman Tongue was more ſtrange to them than the Chaldaean; eſpecially the Language of many Nations of which the Roman Army was compoſed. And being a People whom their Anceſtors perhaps never p. 516heard of, Dr. Jackson juſtly looks upon the Deſtruction and general Deſolation of their Country, made by the Romans and their Tributaries in theſe Weſtern Parts of the World, as an Everlaſting Monument of the truth of Moſes his Prophecy, in this and in the following Verſes.

Verſe 50 Ver. 50. A Nation.] This word Nation being uſed thrice in this and the foregoing Verſe, Manaſſeh ben Iſrael (in the place forenamed) is ſo critical, as to obſerve that this Repetition ſhows, Jeruſalem was to ſuffer thrice by the Roman power. First, In the time of Pompey; and ſecondly, when Soſius came to the aſſiſtance of Herod againſt Antigonus; and thirdly, when it was beſieged and overturned by Veſpaſian and his Son Titus.

Of a fierce countenance.] So we tranſlate this Phraſe, VIII Daniel 23. which in the Hebrew is, a ſtrong, or hard face. Accordingly we tranſlate it impudent (or in our language brazen-faced) VII Prov. 13. and hard, XXI Prov. 29. and bold of face, VIII Eccleſ. 1. All which ſet forth a People ſtern, fierce, undaunted, cruel and hard-hearted; that had neither mercy nor modeſty, but inflexibly purſued their deſigns; which is the true Character of the old Romans.

Which ſhall not regard the perſon of the old, nor ſhow favour to the young.] Theſe are wont to be pitied, being unable to hurt others; but in their Wars with the Jews the Romans ſpared no body: their Rage and fury extinguiſhing all reverence to grey hairs, and all tenderneſs to young babes.

Verſe 51 Ver. 51. And he ſhall eat the fruit of thy Cattle, and the fruit of thy Land, until thou be deſtroyed.] For they brought ſuch vaſt Armies, as devoured all the Proviſions in the Country.

p. 517Which alſo ſhall not leave thee corn, wine, or oil, or the increaſe of thy kine, or flocks of thy ſheep, until he have deſtroyed thee.] He repeats it again, in more particular words; to ſet forth the Deſolation to be ſo great, that nothing ſhould remain for their ſupport.

Ver. 52. And he ſhall beſiege thee in all thy gates.] Verſe 52 The Country being waſted, the Jews fled into their fenced Cities, where they had laid up ſome Proviſions, to enable them to hold out a ſiege.

Ʋntil thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou truſtest, throughout thy Land.] This was literally fulfilled by the Romans, to whom the beſt fortified places were forced to yield; as may be ſeen in Joſephus his Hiſtory of the Jewiſh War; which is the beſt Commentary on this part of the Prophecy. The Walls of Jeruſalem particularly were razed by Pompey; and Soſius took it again by force in the time of Auguſtus. But Tacitus tells us, That the Jews took ſuch advantage of the Covetouſneſs of Claudius, that they purchaſed of him the liberty to fortifie their City again. Which they did ſo well, that they truſted, as Moſes here ſpeaks, to its ſtrength; which was ſo great, that Titus could not take it, but by a long ſiege, which concluded in its utter ruin.

He ſhall beſiege thee in all thy gates, throughout all the Land which the LORD thy God hath given thee.] He repeats it again, that they might not think to find ſecurity in any place whatſoever, though never ſo ſtrongly fortified, and well provided with all things neceſſary for its defence.

Ver. 53. And thou ſhalt eat the fruit of thine own body, Verſe 53 the fleſh of thy ſons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the ſiege, and in p. 518the ſtraitneſs wherewith thine enemies ſhall diſtreſs thee.] This was fulfilled to a tittle by Veſpaſian and his Son Titus; who after they had vanquiſhed them in the Field, begirt them ſo cloſe in Jeruſalem, that they could not ſtir out; and rather than Surrender, periſhed by a lamentable Famine. For there were vaſt Multitudes of People ſhut up in the City, which run thither from all parts for ſafety. Who brought the Famine ſooner upon them, and made it more ſevere when it came. If we may believe R. David Ganz, it was further'd alſo by a Fire, which the ſeditious People kindled; whereby Fourteen hundred Magazines were conſumed, ſtored with Proviſions to ſerve two hundred thouſand People for twenty years. For this he quotes Joſephus, though no ſuch thing is to be found in him.

Verſe 54 Ver. 54. So that the man that is tender, and very delicate among you.] The two Hebrew words for tender and delicate, ſignifie a Man that had lived in pleaſure, and fared daintily, like the rich Man in the Goſpel.

His eye ſhall be evil toward his brother, and towards the wife of his boſom, &c.] Grutch every bit which he ſees his neareſt Relations eat; being ready to ſnatch it out of the Mouth of his dear Conſort and Children, and put it into his own. For this is the effect of a ravenous hunger.

And toward the remnant of his Children, which he ſhall have.] This imports that they ſhould ſee many of them die in the ſiege. For Famine forced them to feed on bad Food, and that bred Peſtilential Diſeaſes, which ſwept away many; and increaſed ſtill more by the Carcaſes of thoſe that were famiſhed. If any credit may be given to one of their own Authors p. 519David Ganz, there were above an hundred and ſixteen thouſand dead Bodies of the rich and honourable Men of Jeruſalem, carried out at one Gate of the City, which was that of the Brook Kedron, beſides thoſe which were carried out at other Gates, and thrown over the Walls. And this he pretends to have out of Minchas the Son of Seruk, who was a faithful Regiſter in that City. Joſephus mentions almoſt the ſame number, Lib. VII. de Bello Judaico, cap. ult.

Ver. 55. So that he ſhall not give to any of them of Verſe 55 the fleſh of his Children whom he ſhall eat.] This is a deſcription of the ſoreſt Famine, which forced them, after they had eaten up their Horſes, Dogs, Cats, and ſuch like Creatures, and their very Belts and Shoes; to eat even their own Children. Which Fathers, who uſed to live deliciouſly, Moſes prophecies ſhould eat up themſelves privately, and let none ſhare with them.

Becauſe he hath nothing left in the ſiege, and in the ſtraitneſs wherewith thine enemies ſhall diſtreſs thee in all thy gates.] They were ſo ſorely pincht with Famine, in a long ſiege, that they had nothing elſe remaining but their own Off-ſpring, and one another, wherewith to ſatisfie their hunger. Joſephus obſerves (Lib. VII. de Bello Judaico, Cap. 18.) that Jeruſalem had been taken five times before this; but never ſuffered ſo dreadfully as by Titus; whom the Talmudiſts therefore call by the name of impious. Which Epithet belonged rather to themſelves, who having with wicked hands (as St. Peter ſpeaks) crucified and ſlain their Redeemer, were, by the juſt Judgment of God upon them for their Infidelity, hardned in an obſtinate belief and expectation of a Deliverer from the p. 520Romans, till they were reduced to thoſe Extremities.

Verſe 56 Ver. 56. The tender and delicate Women among you, that would not adventure to ſet the ſole of her foot upon the ground, for delicateneſs and tenderneſs.] A deſcription of the greateſt ſoftneſs and delicacy; which both the Chaldees expreſs by a word that ſignifies the niceſt motion, and going ſo ſlow a pace, as if they were loth to touch the ground. See Bochartus in his Phaleg. Lib. IV. Cap. XIX.

Her eye ſhall be evil toward the Husband of her boſom, and toward her ſon, and toward her daughter.] This is only an higher inſtance of the cruel Effects of their Diſtreſs by Famine. For Women, eſpecially of the better ſort, are naturally more tender and pitiful than Men; and have the moſt paſſionate Love to their Children; which Moſes here prophecies ſhould be quite extinguiſhed by hunger. And it was literally fulfilled, both in the ſiege of Samaria, wherein a Woman boiled her Son, 2 Kings V. 28, 29. as a Man did in the firſt ſiege of Jeruſalem by the Babylonians, II Baruch 3. and ſee II Lament. 20. IV. 10. But never ſo exactly fulfilled as in the laſt ſiege by the Romans, when a noble Woman (which fully anſwers to this Prophecy, ſuch Perſons being very delicate) did the very ſame; as Joſephus relates in his Book of the Jewiſh War, Lib. VII. Cap. VIII. A moſt unnatural fact, as he obſerves, which was never committed, either by Greek or Barbarian; and which he would not have related, becauſe it might ſeem incredible, if there had not been many Witneſſes of it beſides himſelf.

Verſe 57 Ver. 57. And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet.] Toward her new-born Babe; which is wont to be welcomed into the World with p. 521great joy; but in this ſiege diſpatcht out of it, to aſſwage the rage of their hunger. In the Hebrew (as we take notice in the Margin) the word we tranſlate young one, properly ſignifies the after-birth: And ſo the LXX. tranſlate it, foreign. Which makes this paſſage moſt plain; that their hunger ſhould make them ſo unnatural, as firſt to eat the After-birth which came from them, and then the Child which was wrapped in it.

And towards her children which ſhe ſhall bear.] The reſt of their Children; whoſe cries for Food they had no way to ſtop, but by killing them, and making them their own Food. So it follows in the next words.

For ſhe ſhall eat them for want of all things.] Having nothing elſe left to eat. For they had devoured, not only the leather of their Girdles, and their Shoes, and which covered their Shields; but the very ſtale Dung of Oxen, and ſuch things as the moſt ſordid of all living Creatures would not eat. See Joſephus Lib. III. foreign, Cap. XVI. Lib. VII. Cap. VII.

Secretly.] It was not done ſecretly for any other reaſon, but leaſt any body ſhould have a ſhare with them; and ſo make their hunger return the ſooner. And yet it was a hard matter to conceal what they had done of this kind: for the ſeditious People preſently ſmelling there had been ſomething boild, got into the Houſe, when ſhe had eaten one half of her Child, and found the other half, which ſhe had left till another time; of which ſhe invited them to eat.

In the ſiege and ſtraitneſs.] Theſe two words which are uſed here, and v. 53. and 55. may both relate to the grievous Miſeries they ſhould endure, when they were beſieged (v. 52.) and may be tranſlated, in the p. 522preſſure, and ſtraits, wherewith thine Enemies, &c.

Wherewith thine enemies ſhall diſtreſs thee in thy gates.] We have not ſuch an account of their diſtreſs in other Cities, as we have of what they ſuffered in Jeruſalem; where, foreign, an innumerable multitude periſhed by Famine, (as Joſephus tells us, L. VII. foreign, Cap. VII.) and ineffable Calamities thereupon hapned. For in every Houſe, where the leaſt ſhadow of Food appeared, a War immediately began; and the deareſt Relations fell to blows, ſnatching away from each other the miſerable Supports of Life. Nor would they let thoſe that were dying expire quietly, not believing what they affirmed, when they told them they had no Food in their Houſes; but the Cut-throats came and ſearcht their very Boſoms, as they lay drawing their laſt breath, whether they had not there hid ſome Food.

Verſe 58 Ver. 58. If thou wilt not obſerve to do all the words of this Law, which are written in this Book.] Among which, thoſe words are moſt remarkable XVIII. 15, 18, 19. A Prophet ſhall the LORD thy God raiſe up unto thee, like unto me, unto him ſhall ye hearken, &c. Whoſoever will not hearken unto the words which he ſhall ſpeak in my Name, I will require it of him.

That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful Name, the LORD THY GOD.] That is, fear the great LORD of Heaven and Earth, and their ſpecial Benefactor: who is moſt glorious in himſelf, and to be moſt humbly reverenced by us. For the Name of God, is God himſelf: from whence it is that he is ſometimes called HASCHEM, the Name, XXIV Lev. 11. This ſhows the reaſon why Moſes repeats this Name, the LORD THY GOD, ſo often as he doth in the Preface to this Book, Chapt. VI, VII, VIII, IX, &c. p. 523In ſome of which there is ſcarce a Verſe wherein we do not meet with theſe words: and it is ſometimes repeated no leſs than three times in one and the ſame Verſe, XII. 18. XVI. 15. that God might be in all their Thoughts; and the fear of him might poſſeſs their Hearts.

Ver. 59. Then the LORD.] If they ſtill perſiſted Verſe 59 in their Infidelity and Diſobedience, after Jeruſalem and the Temple were deſtroyed, and ſuch unheard of Calamities as they had ſuffered during the ſiege of that place, he threatens to bring upon them more aſtoniſhing Judgments.

Will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy ſeed, even great plagues, and of long continuance.] Though their great Plagues, under Veſpaſian, by Famine, Sword and Peſtilence, had leſſened their numbers exceedingly; yet by the time of Trajan and Adrian, they had, like Traitors taken for a while from the Rack, (to uſe Dr. Jackson's words) recovered ſtrength enough to be put to greater torture. For then they were made a Spectacle to the World of the Divine Vengeance again; which they brought upon themſelves by their Rebellion; and ſhow'd therein their natural ſtrength, by their grievous lingring pains in dying. For not only in Meſopotamia and in Cyprus, but eſpecially in Cyrene, and throughout all Egypt, they broke out into ſuch outrages, foreign, as if they had been poſſeſſed with ſome fierce and ſeditious Spirit (as Euſebius ſpeaks, Lib. IV. Eccleſ. Hiſt. Cap. II.) whereupon Marcius Turbo was ſent againſt them, and ſetting upon them both by Sea and Land, with Horſe and Foot, made a vaſt deſtruction of them. See Dion Lib. LXVIII. and Xiphilinus; who deſcribe their p. 524ſlaughter to have been ſo great, that now was fulfilled (as the forenamed Dr. Jackson thinks) what Moſes foretold in this place, The LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, great plagues, and of long continuance. And indeed Euſebius ſaith in the forenamed place, that Turbo deſtroyed many thouſands of them, foreign, &c. in many battles, and in no ſmall time; the War being protracted a great while, to compleat their deſtruction. And the application of this Prophecy to this Time, may be confirmed by a ſtrange Relation which we meet withal in their own Books. For in the Hieruſalem Talmud, one of their Doctors tells us, That when Trajan came upon them with his Army, they were reading theſe very words of the Law, v. 49. the LORD ſhall bring a Nation against thee from far, from the ends of the earth, &c. which he underſtanding (having askt them what they were doing) he cried out, Here is the man (pointing to himſelf) who am come five days ſooner than I intended. And immediately compaſſing them about with his Legions, ſlew them all. Then he went to their Wives and offered them Mercy, if they would ſubmit themſelves: But they replyed, What thou haſt done to the ground, do to the ſtubble. So he diſpatcht them alſo; and ſhed ſo much Blood that it ran into the Sea, as far as Cyprus. At this time (ſo he concludes his Story) the Horn of Iſrael was cut off from Iſrael, never to be reſtored into its place, till the Son of David come. This paſſage I find alledged by Joh. Benedictus Carpzovius out of Maſſec. Sanhedr. in explication of another matter in Schickard's Miſchpat Hammelek, Cap. III. Theor. X. p. 199.

And ſore ſickneſſes, and of long continuance.] Such as Gonorhaea's, Leproſies, and burning Fevers; as p. 525the Author of the old Nitzacon, ſet forth by J. Wagenſeil explains it, p. 131.

Ver. 60. Moreover, he ſhall bring upon thee all the diſeaſes of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of, and they Verſe 60 ſhall cleave unto thee.] The ſame Diſeaſes he foretells ſhould infeſt them in, and after, their deſtruction by the Romans, which had done formerly under the Chaldaeans, and other Oppreſſors, v. 27. What theſe Diſeaſes were, Pet. Cunaeus Lib. II. de Republ. Jud. Cap. ult. hath expreſſed in theſe words, Vitiligines, pſoraſque & tetra ulcera, &c. Leproſies, Itches, Botches, and foul ſtinking Ulcers, the greateſt Phyſicians have anciently aſcribed to the Egyptians and Syrians, as Plagues proper to thoſe Nations; unto which Diſeaſes, he obſerves, the Jews were ſtrangely obnoxious.

Ver. 61. Alſo every ſickneſs, and every plague which Verſe 61 is not written in the Book of this Law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be deſtroyed.] It had been too long to have ſet down all the Diſeaſes and Calamities that Mankind are ſubject to: but he tells them, they ſhould not eſcape any one of them, though very numerous; and be afflicted with them till their deſtruction was compleated. For they were of ſuch long continuance, as was ſaid before, and purſued them ſo cloſely whitherſoever they went, that they are no longer a Nation, but a ſcattered, forlorn People, abandon'd and forſaken by him that formerly protected them. Of this they themſelves are ſo ſenſible, that they have confeſſed the truth of this part of the Prophecy, in theſe latter Ages. For Solomon ben Virgoe having related (in the fiftieth Section of his Book called Schebet Jehuda) how they were tranſported out of Paleſtine into Spain, and ſo miſerably handled, that not one of a thouſand remained; and then p. 526how they were deſtroyed in Germany and France, where, of innumerable Multitudes, (equal to the number which came out of Egypt) ſcarce Five thouſand ſurvived that Calamity; and what he himſelf ſaw in Caſtile and Portugal (where they ſuffered ſuch things as cannot be expreſſed, nor conceived, by Famine, by Depredations, by Tranſportations, and by being ſold for Slaves, or drowned in the Sea) he thus at laſt concludes his ſad Story, that they who fled to avoid that dreadful Tempeſt in Caſtile, found the truth of this Oracle, Every ſickneſs and plague which is not written in the Book of this Law, ſhall the LORD bring upon thee, till thou be deſtroyed.

Verſe 62 Ver. 62. And ye ſhall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the ſtars of heaven for multitude.] The multitude of the Jews killed in the Wars, was equal to the number of living Men in Iſrael. in the time of King David. For Joſephus ſaith, That in the ſiege of Jeruſalem there were deſtroyed, by Peſtilence, Famine and other ways, Eleven hundred thouſand; beſides above Ninety thouſand carried Captive. For they being come from all Countries to keep the Paſſover, the whole Nation (as his words are, Lib. VII. foreign, Cap. XVII.) were ſhut up here by a fate foreign, as in a cloſe Priſon: or rather driven thither (as Dr. Jackson ſpeaks) into a Slaughter-houſe; after they had been foild by the Romans in the Field. And yet after this they recovered ſtrength (as I obſerved before) meerly to be more tormented, and miſerably deſtroyed. For in the reign of Adrian (who ſucceeded the Emperour Trajan) they ſhook the Roman Empire by their rebellious Commotions; as Dion, who lived not long after, relates in his Hiſtory, Lib. LXIX. which moved Adrian to exerciſe the greater p. 527Severity upon them, in their puniſhment; there being ſlain of them in Battles and Skirmiſhes, Five hundred and eighty thouſand, beſides a vaſt number conſumed by Famine, and Sickneſſes, and Fire, during the time of this lingring War; which Julius Severus, a famous Commander, ſent for on purpoſe out of Britain, deſignedly protracted to a great length, not being willing to try it out in the Field in one Battle, with a deſperate Multitude. And now, as Moſes foretold, they were left few in number: For Dion, as if he had intended to expound theſe words, ſaith that Severus ſo beſet and attacked them ſeparately, in ſeveral Parties, that very few of them eſcaped; fifty of their ſtrongeſt Fortreſſes being utterly razed; and nine hundred eighty and five of their moſt noble and populous Towns ſackt and conſumed by fire; with the ſlaughter of the forementioned number. Inſomuch, that, as his words are, all Judaea was in a manner laid waſte, and left as a Deſert. This we may truly call the last Conflict of this Nation with Death and Deſtruction in their own Land; out of which they were now almoſt totally expelled.

Becauſe thou wouldſt not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.] Who had ſpoken to them by that great Prophet, his Eternal WORD, promiſed in the eighteenth Chapter of this Book, v. 15, &c. but they would not hearken to him. For which Cauſe he gave them up to liſten unto falſe Chriſts, whom they followed to their deſtruction. Particularly Barchocheba, who in the time of Adrian took upon him the Title of their King, and ſet up his Throne at Bitter, in the Tribe of Benjamin; which the Jews had made their cheaf Seat after the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem; and had in it, as they pretend, four hundred Synagogues. p. 528Here the Romans made ſuch a ſlaughter of them, when they took it, that the Jews themſelves cannot find Expreſſions tragical enough to repreſent it. Twice as many, they tell us, periſhed now, as came out of Egypt; great Rivers ran with the Blood of the ſlain, which (ſay ſome of them) carried great Rocks along with it in the ſtream. With theſe, and many other ſuch like hyperbolical Speeches, they themſelves exaggerate their Calamities, as many have obſerved out of Juchaſin and Gittin; particularly Conſt. L'Empereur in his Annotations on Jacchiades, XI Dan. 34.

But though now they were left few in number in Judaea, yet in other Countries where they were diſperſed, they multiplied again; that God's Plagues might continue to be multiplied upon them, and this Prophecy more perfectly fulfilled. For ſome Ages after this (An. 1009.) they had ſo incenſed Chriſtian People againſt them, by bringing the Perſians upon them, who deſtroyed the Churches dedicated to our Saviour at Jeruſalem, that it was reſolved by the common conſent of all Chriſtians, that no Jew ſhould live in their Territories; but be driven out of them throughout all the World. By which means the greateſt part of them died of ſeveral kinds of death, or made away themſelves, ſo that vix pauci reſidui fierent in orbe Romano, there remained but a very few of them in the Roman World. They are the words of Glauber, who relates this Lib. III. Cap. VII.

Verſe 63 Ver. 63. And it ſhall come to paſs, as the LORD rejoyced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; ſo the LORD will rejoyce over you to deſtroy you, and to bring you to nought.] The ſtate of the Jews from the time of Adrian, till the expiration of the Roman Empire, p. 529cannot be gathered from the Roman Writers; but the Fathers of the Church often mention their Miſeries, and ſo do their own Authors. Particularly the Author of Schebet Jehuda; who ſaith, It is not in the power of Man to tell all the Kingdoms and Cities where they were ſcattered; in which they ſuffered things ſo horrid, that it is fitter to paſs them over in ſilence, than to relate them. But therein was verified the Divine Prediction, XXVI Lev. 38. Ye ſhall periſh among the heathen, and the Land of your Enemies ſhall eat you up. Sect. XLIX. And Dr. Jackſon to explain this hath more particularly obſerved, That as God raiſed up Cyrus, in teſtimony of his rejoycing to do them good, who releaſed them from their Captivity in Babylon; ſo to give the World a proof of his rejoycing to deſtroy them, and bring them to nought, he advanced Philip Auguſtus to the Crown of France (about An. 1179.) to defeat all the hopes, which ſome kindneſs ſhown unto them had put into their hearts. For he ſpoiled their Synagogues of all their Donatives and Ornaments; confiſcated all their Lands and immoveable Goods; and granted a Releaſe of all Debts due unto them from Chriſtians. See Book I. upon the Creed, Cap. XXVIII. Paragr. 13.

And ye ſhall be plucked from off the Land whither thou goest to poſſeſs it.] This was wonderfully fulfilled by Adrian; who, after the ſtrange Deſolation before-mentioned, prohibited by a Publick Decree, ratified with the Senates conſent, any Jew to come within ſight of Judaea. This he did out of a politick reſpect, leſt the ſight of their Native Soil might inſpire them with ſome freſh deſperate Reſolutions to endeavour their Settlement there again: but herein he was unwittingly the Angel of God (as the ſame excellent p. 530Perſon ſpeaks) to keep this wicked Race, out of that Paradiſe; the good Land, out of which he had driven them.

Verſe 64 Ver. 64. And the LORD ſhall ſcatter thee among all people.] That was the effect of Adrian's ſevere Decree, of not coming within view of their own Country; which made them diſperſe all the World over, where they could find any admittance.

From the one end of the earth even unto the other.] Such as were carried Captive in Adrian's War, were tranſported by his order into Spain, his own native Country; which was then accounted the End of the World weſtward. And many of them, it is evident by their own Books, fled to Babylon, and the Countries thereabout, which was as far as they knew Eaſtward. In Spain they continued many years in great abundance; as it were, expecting a Wind for their Paſſage to ſome place more diſtant from their ancient Seat. And who knows whether many of them have not, ſince the diſcovery of America, been tranſported thither, as I before obſerved? Certain it is, that the Jews themſelves are ſenſible this Prophecy was not fulfilled, till this their laſt diſperſion after the deſtruction of Jeruſalem by the Romans. For thus R. Iſaac, who had occaſion to mention theſe words (in his Munimen Fidei lately brought to light by Wagenſeil, Perek VI.) gloſſes upon them: In the Roman Captivity, the Jews were diſperſed and diſſipated, through all the Regions of the East and of the West: For every Nation of which the Roman Army conſiſted, when they returned to their own Countries, carried ſome of them along with them, into Greece, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and all other Countries which either Chriſtians or Mahometans now poſſeſs.

p. 531And there thou ſhalt ſerve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and ſtone.] Here that excellent Perſon I have ſo often mentioned, (Dr. Jackson) commends it to the Readers conſideration, whether this part of Moſes his Prophecy may not be underſtood of the Convert Jews throughout the Pope's Dominions, who are often urged to commit Idolatry with Stocks and Stones, upon more tyrannical terms (if they gain-ſay) than their forefathers were, either by the Aſſyrians, Chaldaeans, Egyptians, Romans, or any whatſoever that led them Captive out of their Land.

If it be ſaid, There is a great difference between the Heathen Idolatry, and the preſent Image-worſhip in the Roman Church; it is granted the Idolatry is of a divers kind, and ſo it ſeems Moſes meant, when he threatens the Jews, after their final Tranſportation into theſe Weſtern Countries, ſhould ſerve ſuch gods as their fathers had not known: for their Fore-fathers, before Moſes his time and after, had known the Heathen gods too well; but were perfect Strangers to this Image-worſhip now in uſe. And to ſtrengthen this interpretation, it ought to be obſerved, that theſe words, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, are omitted in the thirty ſixth Verſe of this Chapter; where he ſpeaks of their ſerving of other gods of wood and ſtone, as he doth here. But that part of the Prophecy belongs to what they did in the firſt Captivity into Babylon, as Manaſſeh ben Iſrael obſerves. Who underſtands theſe words to be a Prophecy of what they have ſuffered in this laſt Diſperſion. For reciting theſe words (Lib. III. de Termino Vitae, Sect. 3. p. 131.) as containing the greateſt Calamity that hath befaln them, he ſaith, This we ſee fulfilled, after a ſingular p. 532manner, in this preſent Captivity; becauſe of all thoſe Evils wherewith the Hebrews have been afflicted in France, and England, and Spain. For they had been often preſſed, either to renounce their Religion, or to be undone: and many times choſe rather to comply with the Idolatrous Worſhip in the Roman Church, then be baniſhed, and have their Goods confiſcated.

Verſe 65 Ver. 65. And among theſe Nations ſhalt thou find no rest.] This was wonderfully fulfilled in the Ages which followed that in which Adrian lived; when they both diſturbed others, and could find no reſt themſelves. For in the third Century they raiſed Sedition in the Reign of Severus; by whom they ſuffered very much, about the Year 202. after our Saviour's Birth: And in the next Century we are informed by St. Chryſoſtom, in his ſecond Oration againſt the Jews, (Tom. VI. Edit. Savil. p. 333.) That they rebelled again in the Time of Conſtantine; who cauſing their Ears to be cropt off, diſperſed them, foreign, as vile Fugitives and Vagabonds, into various Countries; where they carried this Mark of Infamy along with them, that all might be inſtructed to make no more ſuch Attempts. But in the fifth Century they made new Commotions, and were driven out of Alexandria for their Seditious Practices, where they had been ſettled ever ſince the time of Alexander the Great, and diſperſed into ſeveral Countries; as Socrates obſerves in his Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, Lib. VII. Cap. XVI. And in the next Chapter relates how miſerably they were deluded in Crete by one that pretended to be Moſes, come down from Heaven to lead them to their own Land, through the Sea, into which many threw themſelves, and periſhed. p. 533That Expulſion out of Alexandria is mentioned by David Ganz alſo, one of their own Authors. In the ſixth Century, as Elmacinus tells us, they again rebelled in Paleſtine againſt the Romans, who ſlew a great number of them. And in the ſeventh they were expelled from Antioch by Phocas, and out of Hieruſalem by Heraclius: and out of Spain (An. 604.) by Siſebutus, or, as ſome call him, Siſebodus King of the Goths: And they flying in great numbers into France, were ſhortly after put to this hard choice, either to renounce their Religion, or loſe all they had. Which Perſecution Dr. Jackson obſerves in the Book often mentioned (Cap. XXVIII. Paragr. 1.) is recorded by thoſe who wrote the Life of Dagobert, as one of the chief Memorables of his Reign. What their ſtate was in the next three Centuries, he ſaith, he had obſerved nothing remarkable. Nor can I find any thing notable in the eighth, but the appearance of a falſe Meſſiah, by whom they were deluded, and brought into trouble. As for the ninth there were no learned Men among them in that Age, nor in the Chriſtian World. And in the tenth they were in the ſame condition; inſomuch that they were fain to make a Weaver the Head of one of their Univerſities.

Neither ſhall the ſole of thy foot have rest.] They being not able to obtain a long Settlement any where; but were toſſed up and down, and forced from one Country to another. For ſo it was, that in the beginning of the eleventh Century, about the Year of our Lord One thouſand, they were ſo vexed throughout the moſt part of Europe, that quid agerent, aut quo ſe verterent neſciebant, they knew not what they ſhould do, or which way they ſhould turn themſelves, as the forenamed Doctor obſerves (Paragr. 4.) out of Papirius p. 534Maſſonus, who hath it out of Glauber. To which I will add this Teſtimony out of David Ganz, in his Book called Tzemach David, that in the latter end of this Century (An. MXCVI.) when there was a famous Expedition for the recovery of the Holy Land, the Jews felt it a most calamitous time, (as he ſpeaks) being robbed, and pillaged, and killed by the Souldiers as they went along. And indeed, ſo much Cruelty was exerciſed upon them, that it moved St. Bernard's Compaſſion, to write to the Biſhop, Clergy, and People of Spire, not to perſecute them, much leſs kill them, or drive them out of their Country: For they are diſperſed, ſaid he, into all Lands, that while they ſuffer the just puniſhment of their horrid wickedneſs, they may be witneſſes of our redemption. Epist. CCCXXII. And the Author of Schebet Juda mentioning their Baniſhment out of Savoy, Piedmont, Lombardy, Sicily, and other Countries, quotes theſe very words of Moſes (among thoſe Nations thou ſhalt find no rest, &c.) as a Prophecy of that Exile; which was accompanied with many other Miſchiefs. For as they fled to other Countries, an immenſe multitude of People fell upon them, and pillaged them of all the Gold and Silver they were carrying away with them; as he relates there Sect. XI.

And the LORD ſhall give thee a trembling heart.] They being always in dread of ſome new Miſery; their Condition ſtill growing more diſmal in the twelfth Century. For as there is a progreſs in Moſes his Prophecy of the increaſe of their Calamities; ſo it proved in the event, that their Sufferings grew greater and greater. They themſelves (in Tzemach David and other Books) relate that in the Year 1142. an Hundred and twenty of their Congregations, were p. 535utterly ſubverted and diſperſed. And in the Year 1170. they were expelled again out of France, and ſpoiled of their Treaſure: which was renewed in the Year 1198. How they were uſed here in England, our own Chronicles tell us: and the like ill uſage they met withal in Germany and Spain. So that R. Zacut complains of no leſs than ten grievous Perſecutions in this one Age, to aboliſh the name of Jews out of the World. This could not but give them a very trembling heart.

And failing of thine eyes.] Which looked for ſome relief; inſtead whereof they were ſtill more hardly uſed in the thirteenth Century: being in the Year 1253. again expelled out of France, whither they had returned; and again in 1295. when they expected ſome reſt, there was a freſh Expulſion, mentioned by R. Levi ben Gerſom: who ſaith they were ſpoiled of all their Goods, and ſent away only with their Clothes upon their backs. Which he affirms with the more confidence, becauſe it was done in his time; when he ſaith there was ſuch a number of them, that they exceeded thoſe that came out of Egypt. So he writes in his Expoſition of thoſe words XXIII Numb. 10. Who can count the duſt of Jacob? I will forbear to mention how they were treated here in England (1290.) and in Germany: into which they flying out of France, were moſt cruelly uſed.

And ſorrow of mind.] Which muſt needs ſeize upon them heavily, to find their Miſeries ſo far from abating. that they ſtill increaſed in the fourteenth Century. When they were baniſhed again out of France, and ſpoiled of their Goods 1306. and once more 1395. which the Jews call their fourth and laſt Baniſhment. About the ſame time they were baniſhed out of Germany, p. 536An. 1392. In Caſtile indeed they redeemed their Lives with Money, (which they could not part withal, without much ſorrow of mind) but in Catalonia, Arragon, and in other parts of Spain, ſuch a terrible Storm fell upon them, that they themſelves, in Juchaſin, ſay, there were no leſs than Two hundred thouſand turned Chriſtians, with heavy hearts. It would be too tedious to mention all that they ſuffered in the fifteenth Century in Germany, Hungary, Polonia; and in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. I will only obſerve what befel them in the Country laſt named, in the next Century, An. 1506. when all that is ſaid in this Verſe is fulfilled, by that dreadful Maſſacre which was made of them at Lisbon, for three days together. Where Men were not ſuffered to die of their deadly wounds, but were dragged by their mangled Limbs into the Market Place, where the Bodies of the living and the ſlain, with others half alive, half dead, were burnt together in heaps. The Spectacle was ſo horrible, that it quite aſtoniſhed the reſt of this wretched People; two thouſand of which periſhed in this barbarous manner. Parents durſt not mourn for their Children, nor Children ſigh for their Parents, when they ſaw them haled to the place of Torment: ſo that their hearts, no doubt, were ready to break with Grief and Sorrow. In ſhort, Sic eos metus exanimaverat, ut vivi non multum à mortuorum ſimilitudine diſtarent. Fear had ſo diſpirited them, that the living, in their Aſpect, did not much differ from the dead. Which words of Oſorius (in his fourth Book de Rebus Emanuelis) our Dr. Jackson, who relates this ſad Story out of him, looks upon as a Paraphraſe upon theſe words of Moſes (though Oſorius did not think of them) I will give thee a trembling heart, and failing of the eyes, and ſorrow of mind.

p. 537There are thoſe, who by a trembling heart, underſtand the Terrors of an Evil Conſcience. So D. Chytraeus p. 131. And by failing of the eyes may be underſtood, the conſtant diſappointment of their Hopes, wherewith they were ſometimes fed by falſe Meſſiahs in ſeveral Ages. Which diſappointment bred great ſorrow of Mind, when after earneſt expectation of ſome Good, the quite contrary came upon them.

Ver. 66. And thy life ſhall hang in doubt before thee.] Verſe 66 That is, it ſhould be doubtful whether they ſhould live or die the next moment. As it manifeſtly happened in the forenamed Maſſacre; when they durſt not fetch a ſigh, and yet could hardly avoid it, at the ſight of their Parents or Childrens Tortures; for fear they ſhould ſuffer the ſame before the Breath was out of their tortured Bodies.

And thou ſhalt fear day and night, and ſhalt have no aſſurance of life.] So it was then: none of them knowing who would be next ſeized, in thoſe three days Butchery. And ſo it was in ſome of their Baniſhments, which they were told ſhould be the best remedy for the evils impending over them, as the Author of Schebet Juda ſpeaks: who tells us (Sect. XXIII.) that the reaſon which ſome Princes gave for their Expulſion out of their Territories, was to prevent their being torn in pieces by the People, who were moſt furiouſly ſet againſt them.

Ver. 67. And in the morning thou ſhalt ſay, would Verſe 67 God it were even.] That they might not ſee thoſe miſerable Spectacles, which they hoped would end in the night, when Men went to reſt.

And at even thou ſhalt ſay, would God it were morning.] Being afraid of unſeen Dangers, to which the Night might give an opportunity: or, that they might p. 538not ſee their way, when they fled by Sea and Land, from one Country to another; as they were forced to do very often. For Abarbinel in his Commentary upon XL Iſaiah 11. reckons up four univerſal Baniſhments, out of the Countries where they lived. The first out of England; the next out of France; the third out of Aſia, Germany, Tuſcany, Lumbardy, and Savoy; and the last out of Spain; when he himſelf was one of thoſe who were conſtrained to leave that Country, and knew not whither to go. He hath given us a lively deſcription of that Calamity (like to which, he ſaith, none had ever befaln them ſince they were baniſhed their own Country) in his Preface to his Commentary upon the Book of the Kings; which he wrote the very next Year after their Expulſion (1493.) and the Author of Schebet Juda hath tranſcribed in his own words. A Decree was made and proclaimed publickly, that all the Jews ſhould either change their Religion, or quit the Country in three Months time. Abarbinel had then a place in the Court; where he petitioned the King, and beſought his Miniſters and Counſellors to revoke the Edict, and be content with their Eſtates, which they offered to him: but all in vain. For Three hundred thouſand, old and young, Men and Women, and he among the reſt, went away on foot, upon one day; not knowing whither to go. Some went into Portugal; others into Navar: where they conflicted with many Calamities. For ſome became a Prey, or periſhed by Famine and Peſtilence. And therefore others committed themſelves to the Sea, hoping to find a quiet Seat in ſome other Countries. But on the Sea they met with new Diſaſters; for many were ſold as Slaves, when they came on any p. 539Coaſt; many were drowned; many burnt in the Ships which were ſet on fire: in ſhort, all ſuffered the juſt Puniſhment of God the Avenger, as he ſpeaks. For after all this, a Plague came and ſwept away the reſt of theſe miſerable Wretches, who were hated by all Mankind: ſo that all that vaſt number periſhed by one Calamity or other, except a very few. He that would ſee more of the woful Miſeries of this People, may look into Schebet Juda, Sect. LIII. where he ſhows what befel thoſe who went to ſeek new Habitations in the Kingdom of Feſs; where they lived a long time upon Graſs, and eat its very Roots, and then died; and their Bodies lay expoſed, none being ſo charitable as to bury them.

For the fear of thine heart wherewith thou ſhalt fear, and for the ſight of thine eyes which thou ſhalt ſee.] The one of theſe ſeems to refer to their dreadful apprehenſions in the Night; and the other to the lamentable Spectacles they beheld in the day. And the ſimple meaning of the former part of the Verſe may be, that they ſhould be weary of Life; having no Comfort either Day or Night.

Ver. 68. And the LORD ſhall bring thee into Egypt Verſe 68 again.] The Hieruſalem Targum tranſlates it, The WORD of the LORD ſhall bring thee back again. He, that is, who conducted them out of Egypt in a glorious Cloud, would puniſh them for their foul Offences againſt him, by bringing them again into Bondage there. This was firſt fulfilled after the Deſolation made by Titus; when there was, as I obſerved before (v. 62.) above Ninety thouſand carried Captive; and many of them tranſported into Egypt, as Joſephus relates in the concluſion of the ſixteenth Chapter of his Seventh Book concerning the War of the Jews. p. 540And here Manaſſeh ben Iſrael hath a very pertinent obſervation, that Veſpaſian tranſported them into many and various Regions; but Egypt is only here named, the more to reproach the Jews: as if he had ſaid, Ye ſhall be carried into that Land as Captives, out of which you came in a triumphant manner, Lib. III. de Termino vitae, Sect. 3. Which may incline one to think, that he was of the ſame mind with our Dr. Jackson, who obſerving how cruelly they were uſed here in England, and many other Countries, concludes that this Iſland, and every place of Europe, wherein their Condition of Life hath been more hard and burdenſome than their Forefathers was in Egypt, may be ſaid to be that Egypt into which God threatens here to bring them in Ships.

And indeed, we do not read of their being carried into Egypt after Veſpaſian's time; though it is ſet down here as a Puniſhment to come upon them after a long train of other Miſeries; and muſt relate to their rigorous uſage, which I have obſerved in many Countries in ſeveral Ages down to theſe latter times. The Hieruſalem Talmud, it muſt be obſerved, mentions another bringing into Egypt (literally underſtood) in the Maſſechta before-named upon v. 59. where they ſay, That as God forbad them three times to return into Egypt (which they there ſet down) ſo they were forced thither three times for their Tranſgreſſions againſt God: first in the days of Senacherib King of Aſſyria, XXXI Iſa. 1, 3. ſecondly in the time of Johanan the Son of Kareah, XLII Jerem. 16. and laſtly, in the time of the Emperour Trajan. But this I look upon as a miſtake; for Trajan rather killed all thoſe whom he found there, than carried them thither; as I noted before.

p. 541With Ships.] Which ſeems to put them in mind, how different their Condition was now become, from what it was when they came out of Egypt without any Ships; for the Sea gave them a paſſage through it, by being made dry Land. Their being carried alſo thither by Ships, made their Condition the more deplorable, becauſe there was no means of eſcaping out of them, as there might have been, if they had gone by Land.

By the way whereof I ſpake unto thee.] Or, To the way, (ſo the Particle beth often ſignifies, XI Gen. 4. XVI. 22.) that is, to the place, whereof I ſaid, Ye ſhall ſee it no more again. For it ſeems to be a manifeſt alluſion to what we read in the Seventeenth Chapter of this Book, v. 16.

And there ye ſhall be ſold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen.] Expoſed to ſale like Beaſts in the open Market; and that at ſo vile a price, that thirty of them (as both Prophane and Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtorians relate) were ſold for one ſmall piece of Money: Joſephus giving a particular account how the Captives were diſpoſed of by Titus, ſaith that the moſt goodly young Men he reſerved to attend his Triumph; of the reſt he ordered thoſe above ſeventeen years old to be ſent bound into Egypt, to labour in the Works there; many he diſtributed in the Provinces to periſh in the Theatre by the Sword and wild Beaſts: and all under Seventeen years old he commanded to be ſold. But while they were making this diſtribution, Twelve thouſand of them died of Famine; partly by the hatred of their Guards, who gave them no Food; and partly by the weakneſs of others, whoſe Stomachs could not receive it, L. VII. Cap. XVI. By which a Judgment may be made, p. 542how little worth theſe vile Wretches were, as it here follows. In after times, I have obſerved in the courſe of this Commentary, how they were ſold for Slaves in ſome places, and in all uſed as no better. Benjamin Tudelenſis, who went a Pilgrimage to viſit his Countrymen, repreſents their Condition as moſt miſerable throughout the Eaſtern Empire. And particularly complains of their hard uſage among the Greeks at Conſtantinople. Within the Walls of which City they were not ſuffered to live, nor to come thither, but on occaſion of Traffick and Buſineſs; and that only by Boat, (for they had their Habitation in a kind of an Iſland) not a Man being permitted on Horsback, except only one Solyman the Emperour's Phyſician. Whoſe advancement was their ſole Comfort in that miſerable Servitude under which the reſt groaned, without any difference of good or bad, (as he acknowledges) who were daily beaten and abuſed in the open Streets. Thus he confeſſes, though his principal deſign was to ſet forth the power they retained in the world. Itinerarium, p. 27, 28. Edit. L'Empereur.

And no man ſhall buy you.] Though ſome, as I ſaid before, were ſold at a very vile rate, next to nothing; yet others hung upon the Sellers hands, (as we ſpeak) the Market being either ſo overſtockt with their numbers, that none would cheapen the greateſt part of them; or they were ſo contemptible that no body would give what was askt for ſuch uſeleſs Slaves. For as no Money could purchaſe their Peace and Security from Calamities, ſo neither could their Calamities, though continually moſt grievous, (they are the words of Dr. Jackson) redeem their eſtimation in the world; nor all the Blood of their Slain (tho' their Maſſacres were numberleſs) extinguiſh that hateful p. 543and loathſome Conceit, which moſt Men had entertained of them. For in the fifteenth Century they were become ſo abominable, that ſeveral Doctors began to hold it unlawful for Chriſtians to let them live among them. Particularly the famous Thomas Turrecremata, Inquiſitor General, forbad all Men to have any dealings with them, or to afford them Meat, or Drink, or any thing elſe. Whence proceeded the direful Proſcriptions which we read of in that Age, whereby they were forced out of Spain, Poland, Hungary, and divers other Countries; where they were not ſuffered to live, though with a Note and Character upon them, to diſtinguiſh them from all other Men.

I conclude my Obſervations on this Chapter, with the Remark which the ſame great Man (Dr. Jackson) makes, Chapt. XXII. Paragr. 6. That the extraordinary Bleſſings and Plagues which were to overtake this People, being here ſet down by Moſes; although their Bleſſings might have been more, and more admirable than the Curſes that have befaln them; yet he either foreſeeing, or fearing what would be, rather than hoping the best that might be, is almoſt four times as long in enumerating their Plagues, as he is in their Bleſſings. And ſo have the Miſeries of the latter Jews been four times as long, as the Proſperity of their worthy Anceſtors. And ſince our Saviour's Death, all the Plagues which were in part fulfilled before, have been more than ſeven times multiplied upon them. For in their former Overthrows or Captivities, though they ſuffered the Violence of War, yet after that Storm was paſt, ſo they did but ſubmit to their Conquerers, they lived well enough, nay uſually found more than ordinary favour at their hands: But ſince our Saviour's Death, they have through all Ages been more and p. 544more miſerable;Chapter XXIX. the memory of their foregoing Plagues having been but an invitation to the like, or worſe; and their continual bad uſage preſcribing the lawfulneſs of their abuſe.