Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Verſe 1. Theſe are now the chief of their fathers.
THe chieftaines of thoſe that went up with Ezra, beſide thoſe that went up at firſt with Zerubbabel.
Verſe 2. Of the ſonnes of Phineas] The ſonne of Eleazar, the ſonne of Aaron, that renowned Zelot, with whom, and his ſeed after him, God gave a Covenant of peace, even the Covenant of an everlaſting Prieſthood, Num. 25.12, 13.
Daniel] Not the Prophet Daniel, Gods darling, Dan. 9.23. but another of the ſame name, which might be ſome help to him.
Of the ſonnes of David] ſc. Of David the King. See 1 Chron. 3.22.
Verſe 3. Of the males an hundred and fifty] Great account was made of males under the Law,Blounts voyage. more then of the females: and ſo there is to this day among the Jewes, who hold women to be of a lower creation, made onelyonly for the propagation and pleaſure of man, &c. This their conceit is their folly, yet their poſterity approve their ſayings. He did better who ſtiled woman the ſecond Edition of the Epitome of the whole world. Sure it is, that ſoules have no ſexes; and in Chriſt, there is no reſpect had more to the male then female, Gal. 3.28.
Verſe 4. Of the ſonnes of Pahath-Moab] Haply ſo called, becauſe ſome of his progenitours had dwelt in Moab. He was a Covenanter, Neh. 10.14.
Verſe 5. The ſonne of Jahaziel] The father is named, but not the ſonne: but why, who can tell? Et patet & lucet pagina ſacra.
Verſe 6. Of the ſonnes alſo of Ad…i] A Covenanter too, Neh. 10.16.
Verſe 7. Jeſbaiah] Of the ſame name, but not the ſame man that is mentioned, verſe 19.
Verſe 8. The ſonne of Michael] A name afterwards given to Jeſus Chriſt, Dan. 10.13. Rev. 12.7. ſignifying, Who is as God? Hence ſome conceive, that it is not ſo fit to call a childe Michael, Emmanuel, &c.
Verſe 9. Obadiah the ſonne of Jehiel] This Obadiah, (as alſo Zechariah, verſe 11. and Azgad; verſe 12.) ſealed the Covenant, Nehem. 10. not without oath, and execration. It is both lawful, and in ſome caſes needful, for good people, ſolemnely to binde themſelves to bounden duties. Hereby, ſaith a grave Divine, as true intention, earneſt deſire, prudent jealouſie and holy zeale are manifeſted, ſo is a dull ſpirit much quickened, and the weak, wayward, revolting fleſh bridled and curbed: yea, and bound to her good behaviour.
Verſe 10. The ſonne of Joſiphiah] See verſe 5.
Verſe 11. Zechariah the ſonne of Bebai] See verſe 9.
Verſe 12. And the ſonnes of Azgad] See verſe 9.
Verſe 13. And of the ſonnes of Adonikam] Some of his ſonnes went up before with Zerubbabel, ch. 2.13.Epoſteris poſterioribus Tremel Theſe not till now, together with Ezra. They might want either age or hearts to go at firſt with their brethren. Second thoughts are beſt many times: and Nunquam jerò, ſi ſeriò. That ſonne in the Goſpel, who being bidden go work to day in the Vineyard, anſwered and ſaid, I will not, but afterwards repented, and went, wanted not his commendation, Matth. 21.29. A learned man deſcanteth thus upon this Text: The lot of Adonikam was below his brethren, becauſe he was the laſt that ſet foot forward toward their returne.
Verſe 14. And with them ſeventy males] The whole company conſiſted of one thouſand four hundred, ninety and ſix males: a good addition to thoſe that went up before with Zerubbabel; yet nothing ſo many as might have beene, but that they wanted hearts.
Rari quippe boni; numero vix ſunt totidem, quot
Thebarum portae, vel divitis oſtia Nili.Juvenal. Sat. 13.
Verſe 15. And I gathered them together to the River] There was their firſt Rendevous, at the meeting of two Rivers; whereof that Countrey was full, Pſal. 137.1 and therefore fertile as the Garden of the Lord, whereof it was a part, as moſt Geographers are of opinion.
And there abode we in tents] Glad we had our faces ſet toward Zion (going weeping, &c. Jer. 50.4, 5) and our backs upon Babylon; of which we might well ſay, as the Philoſopher afterwards did of Athens, that it was a pleaſant place to travel thorough, but not ſafe to dwell in.
And found there none of the ſons of Levi] None but what he afterwards ſent for; no voluntiers: this was lamentable, that Levites ſhould be ſo backward to ſo good a buſineſſe. Here was nomen inane, crimen immane.
Verſe 16. Men of underſtanding] Of ſpecial note for their wiſedome and eloquence: ſuch as could preſent to the people good matter well habited, and could well expreſſe their expoſitions of the Law; being themſelves wiſe, and willing to wiſe others, as the Hebrew word ſignifieth, Dan. 12.3. Men of underſtanding and ready to inſtruct many, Dan. 11.33. Such a man as this, is worth his weight in gold.
Verſe 17. At the place Caſiphia] Where it may ſeem that there was a Colledge of Levites, and Iddo was their Preſident.
And to his brethren the Nethinims] Who were now become men of Mark, brethren to Iddo, and much ſought for by Ezra: ſee Chap. 2.43. for the ſervice they did about Gods houſe.
Verſe 18.Pauſanias. And by the good hand of God upon us] God was in all this good mans thoughts: he ſet upon every paſſage, (as the Ancients did upon every ſpecial piece of work they did) foreign. This was the onelyonly way to make his journey comfortable thus to converſe with God all along, & Paradiſum mente deambulare, as Hierome counſelled the young Hermite; aſſuring him that ſo long as he had Paradiſe in his mind, and God in his apprehenſions, tamdin in eremo non eſſet, ſo long he ſhould not be in a deſert.
They brought us a man of underſtanding] The Hebrew word Shacal ſignifieth three things, 1. To underſtand. 2. To inſtruct. 3. To proſper. Thoſe that underſtand themſelves, and teach others, ſhall do much good to themſelves and others. See the Note on verſ. 16. This egregiè cordatus homo was Sherebiah, as it followeth here, and Sherebiah or, even Sherebiah, confer Neh. 8.7. and 9.4, 5.
Verſe 19. And Haſhabiah] A man ready to every good work, Neh. 3.17. and 10.11. and that's no ſmall commendation.
Verſe 20. Whom David and the Princes had appointed i.e. continued, confirmed, and ordered them: for they were firſt appointed and deſigned to that ſervice by Joſhuah; and thence called Nethinims.
All theſe were expreſſed by Name] Verbis non ſolùm difertis, ſed & exſertis.
Verſe 21. Then I proclaimed a faſt there] A day of reſtraint from food, fine cloathes, and other delights of life. There is a three-fold-faſt, ſaith One; from meat, from mirth, and from ſin: this laſt crownes all. Unleſſe God ſees turning, he ſees no work in a faſt, ſaith another, deſcanting upon that Text, Jon. 3.10. God ſaw their works, that they turned. Of a Faſt ſee the Notes on Joel 2.12.
That we might afflict our ſelves before our God] Not outwardly onelyonly (that's but the ſhell Iſ. 58.3.) but inwardly, alſo, for that's the kernel of this exerciſe, Jer. 16.29. which elſe is but bodily, and profiteth little; ſomething, it may, as it did Ahab: But if rightly performed though it weakeneth the body, yet it ſtrengtheneth the ſpirit, making it vigorous and victorious.
To ſeek of him a right way for us] To edge our prayers and give wings to them: for faſting inflameth prayer, and prayer ſanctifieth faſting: hence they go coupled for the moſt part, Luk 2.37. Matth. 17.21. 1 Cor. 7.5. And ſurely, if with faſting and prayer we can ſeek of God direction and protection as here, we ſhall ſpeed of both.
And for our little ones] Theſe ſhould be a main part of our care, to lay up prayers for them, to commend them to Gods ſafe-keeping, foraſmuch as puerilitas eſt periculorum pelagus, Little ones are liable to a thouſand deaths and dangers.
And for all our ſubſtance] Our ſtock and our ſtore, all the goods that we have got and gathered together. Our Engliſh word Riches anſwereth to the Hebrew Recuſh.
Verſ. 22. For I was aſhamed] Heb: I bluſht and was abaſht, I knew not how to put on the face to do it, neither could I bring my mind to crave a convoy, though it might have been of great uſe to us: leſt the name of God ſhould thereby be diſhonoured, and his excellencies queſtioned. It is the ingenuity of Saints to ſtudy Gods ends more then their own, and to be far more troubled when any thing croſſeth him, then when themſelves are croſſed or diſappointed. Propter te Domine, propter te, is the good mans Motto. Choice and excellent ſpirits are all for God, whatever becometh of themſelves.
Verſ. 22. Becauſe we had ſpoken to the King, ſaying] They had ſpoken good of Gods Name, and amply ſet forth his power, providence, goodneſſe, and other Attributes, being no whit aſhamed ſo to do before Kings, as Pſal. 119.46. ſo did Chryſoſtome, Baſil, Latimer, Lambert, John Colet, Dean of Pauls, and Founder of the Free-ſchool there. He, for the bold and faithful diſcharge of his duty, in a Sermon before Hen. the eighth at the ſiege of Tournay was called to his trial by the Kings Counſellours: but the iſſue proved happy: for he gave ſo great content to the King,M. Clark in his Life. that he taking a cup of Wine ſaid, Deane, I drink to you: let every one take whom he will for his Confeſſour, you ſhall be my Doctour. Holy Ezra found no leſſe favour with this might Monarch, whom he had well informed in the manifold excellencies of God, as appeareth by this and ſundry other preceding paſſages.
The hand of our God is upon all them, &c.] To hide them in the hollow of it till the indignation be overpaſt; to hold them by their right hand, and ſo to guide them by his Counſel, that he may afterwards take them to his glory, Pſal. 73.23, 24.
But his power and his wrath] Id eſt, His powerful wrath, his anger armed with power; for vanae ſine viribus irae; Pſal. 90.11. Jam. 4 10.But who knoweth the power of thine anger, ſaith Moſes? even according to thy fear ſo is thy wrath. Let him fear thee never ſo much, he is ſure to feel thee more, if once he fall into thy fingers; into that mighty hand of thine (as St. James ſtileth it) before which ten thouſand Kings cannot ſtand. Let God-forſakers therefore do as thoſe Elders of Iſrael did, 2 Kings 10.3, 4, 5.
Is againſt all them that forſake him] Such are all they, 1. That forſake not their ſins, Job 20.17. Iſa. 55.7. 2. That know not God, Iſa. 1.3, 4. Eph. 4.18. 3. That truſt to idols, or creature-comforts, arm of fleſh. 1 Kings 9.9. Joſh. 24.20. Jer. 2.13. 4. Church-forſakers, and Apoſtates, Heb. 10.25, 38. God hath againſt all theſe, and will conſume them after that he hath done them good, Joſh. 24.20. Pſal. 73.27. 1 Chron. 28.9. Jon. 2.8. Jer. 17.13. Deut. 31.16. 2 Chron. 12.5. and 15.2. and 24.20.
Verſe 23. So we faſted] They put their holy reſolution into execution: purpoſe without practiſe is like Rachel, beautiful, but barren.
And beſought our God for this] And they had it,2 Sam. 1.22. Verſe 31. For faſting and prayer are like Jonathans bow and Sauls ſword, that never turned back, or returned empty. God is a liberal Rewarder of all ſuch as in this ſort diligently ſeek him, Heb. 11.6. 2 Chron. 15.2. He will turn their faſting into feaſting, their prayers into praiſes, Ezek 36.37. Zech. 8.19. They ſhall have out their prayers either in mony, or monies-worth: either in the very thing they deſired, or at leaſt ſtrength to ſtay themſelves upon God, with good aſſurance that his grace ſhall be ſufficient for them, and that he will be their ſhield, and their exceeding great reward.
Verſe 24. Then I ſeparated twelve] I ſingled them and ſet them apart for this great truſt, vide cui fidas.
Sherebiah, Hoſhabiah] Heb. With Sherebiah, Hoſhabiah, (men of known integrity, Verſ. 18.19.) and ten of their brethren with them] four and twenty in all, a complete company of faithful Truſtees.
Verſe 25. And weighed unto them] Heb. I ſcaled it out unto them: Cyrus taled it out to Zerubbabel. Chap. 1.8, 9, &c.
And his Lords] Called Mighty Princes, Chap. 7.28. ſee Iſa. 10.8.
And all Iſrael there preſent] Heb. There found at that time, or that had found in their purſes, found in their hearts.
Verſe 26. Six hundred and fifty talents of ſilver] That is, 243750 pounds ſterling.
An hundred talents] That is 37500 pounds ſterling.
Verſe 27. Of a thouſand drammes] 312 pounds and 10 ſhillings. The Hebrew (or rather Chaldee) word here rendred a Dramme ſeemes to be taken from the Greek word foreign.
And two veſſels of fine Copper] Ex orichalco praeſtante, Of ſome choyce mixt mettle, Auro contrâ non caro.
Verſe 28. Ye are holy to the Lord] Heb. Ye are holineſſe unto the Lord: and muſt ſanctifie the holy God in righteouſneſs, Eſa. 5.16.
The veſſels are holy alſo] Id eſt, ſet apart to ſacred uſes; and therefore to be kept carefully, uſed reſpectively. The Turks ſpare and keep better then ordinary,Grand Sign. Serag. thoſe very Aſſes of theirs that have been uſed for carriage to Mecha, where their Mahomet lyeth buried: Neither will they put paper to any baſe uſe, becauſe that both the Name of God, and the Mahometan Law are written upon the like.
Verſe 29. Watch ye] with utmoſt care, and ſolicitude, as the word ſignifieth. How much more ſhould we watch and trebble watch, (as Luk. 12.37, 38, 43.) to keep our veſſels (bodies) in ſanctification and honour, Not in the luſt of concupiſcence, &c? eſpecially ſince,Aug. Adverſus majora vigilantibus quaedam in cautis minutiora ſurrepant, and Satan worketh ſtrongeſt on the fancy, when the ſoul is ſleepy, or a little drowſy. Watch ye therefore and keep: This leſſon had need to be often rung in our ears.
Verſe 30. So took the Prieſts and the Levites] The great charge committed to them, and laid upon them, did not weaken, but waken their heroik ſpirits.
Tu non crede malis, ſed contrà audentior ito.
Verſe 31. And of ſuch as lay in wait by the way] Enemies they had not a few (when was it otherwiſe?) but ſome, that purpoſely way-laid them;M Clarks Lives. but were defeated by a gracious providence. So were the Manichees who lay in wait for Auſtin: and thoſe that purſued Jewel about the beginning of Q. Maries Raign, as he was going from Oxford to London. Both theſe had been caught, and made a prey to their Enemies, but that they loſt their way; What ſaith the Prophet? As Birds flying, ſo will the Lord of hoſts defend Jeruſalem (like as when the young are in danger of the kite, the Bird flies to ſave them) defending alſo, he will deliver it and paſſing over, he will preſerve it.
Verſe 32. And abode there three dayes] For neceſſary refreſhment, after ſo long a journey. The body is the ſouls ſervant, and muſt therefore be kindly and fairely dealt with,Corpus ſive corpor, quaſi cordis por, id eſt, paer, ſive famulus. ut ſit par negotio, that it may be neither above not below its buſineſſe; but even with it, meet for it.
Verſe 33. Now on the fourth day] Viz. of their fifth monethmonth. After a ſhort repoſe they ſet cloſe to work. To recreations God allowes men to ſtoop for their bodyes ſake, as the Eagle to the prey: or as Gideons Souldiers to ſoop their handfull, not to ſwill their belly full.
Verſe 34. By number and by weight, &c.] In reference to this Text, Let thy confeſſion be full, ſaith a reverend man: bring out thy ſins as thoſe in Ezra did the veſſels of the Temple, by number and by weight, 1. By Number, Lev. 16.21. Aaron was to confeſſe over the ſcape goat all the iniquities of the children of Iſrael. 2. By weight he was to confeſſe all their trangreſſions in all their ſins: that is, laying open how many tranſgreſſions were wrapped up in their ſeveral ſins, and their circumſtances.
Verſe 35. Alſo the children of thoſe that had been] In token of preſenting their bodies a living ſacrifice, holy and acceptable to God their Deliverer, Rom. 12.1. Let us that are freed from ſins ſlavery, become the ſervants of righteouſneſſe, Rom. 6.18. and being delivered from the hands of our Enemies, ſerve God without fear in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the dayes of our lives, Luk. 1.74.75.
Verſe 36. And they furthered the people] Heb. They gave them a lift, lent them an helping hand: not out of love to the work, but for fear of the King, and in purſuance of his commands and commiſſions. Thus the Devil and his impes ſometimes do Gods will, though with an ill will, Pſal. 119.91. They continue this day according to thine Ordinances: for all are thy ſervants. How much better were it to work from a right principle, not by conſtraint, but willingly; not for fear of wrath, but of a ready mind,1 Pet. 51 to love to be Gods ſervants taking hold of his Covenant, Iſai. 56.6. and ſaying to him, as the people did to Joſhua, Chap. 1.16. or as the Rulers and Elders to Jehu, 2 Kings 10.5. We are thy ſervants, and will do all that thou ſhalt bid us?