Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII.
Ver. 1. NOw theſe are the names of the tribes] Who are in this chapter aſſigned their ſeveral ſeats, and the land divided amongſt them: but this diviſion is much different from that of old, which was a plain prediction of a perfect and total abrogation of the Moſaical polity and Levitical worſhip; together with a new ſtate of the Church of God after the coming of Jeſus Chriſt.
To the coaſt of the way of Hethlon] Chap. 47.15, 16, 17. Judaea was not, ſay Geographers, above 200 miles long, and 50 miles broad: But R. Kimchi here noteth that the Talmudiſts affirm that the poſſeſſion of Iſrael ſhall extend unto the utmoſt coaſts of the earth:Oecol. id quod ex spiritu dictum exiſtima: This was well and truely ſpoken, though they underſtood not what they ſpake; as dreaming only of an earthly Kingdom.Pſal. 89.11, 12. But as elſewhere, ſo here, the land of Canaan is put for the whole world, whereof all true believers are heires together with faithful Abraham, Rom. 4. whether they be Jews or Gentiles. Chriſts Kingdom runs to the end of the earth, Pſal. 28. & 72.8.
A portion for Dan] This tribe which was (for their ſhameful revolt from the true religion, Judg. 18.) cut out of the roll, as it were, 1 Chron. 7. & Rev. 7. is here reckoned firſt of thoſe who had partem & ſortem, part and lot amongſt Gods people. So true is that of our Saviour, Many that are firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt, Mat. 19.30. & 20.1. Judge not therefore according to the appearance, &c. Repent and God will reaccept. The ſable of Antichriſt to come of this tribe, is long ſince exploded.
Ver. 2. From the Eaſt ſide to the Weſt] The longitude is deſcribed, not the latitude: for why? Chriſts Kingdom is limitleſs, and his dominion without dimenſion.
Ver. 3. A portion for Naphthali] There are many portions of inheritance in Chriſts Kingdom: there are alſo in heaven many manſions, Joh. 14.2. all which ſhall be divided among the Elect.
Ver. 4. A portion for Manaſſeh] Which they do not of their own accord, and as they ſee good, ſeize upon: but take their ſhare ſet them out of the divine ſentence.
Ver. 5. A portion for Ephraim] An equal portion with his elder brother Manaſſeh. In Chriſts Kingdom all is of grace, nothing of merit.
Ver. 6. And by the border of Ephraim] There is a continuity and conjunction of all the portions; to ſet forth the communion that is betwixt the Saints: a ſweet mercy, a heaven aforehand.
Ver. 7. A portion for Judah] Who is ſet next to the ſanctified oblation of the Lord, wherein were the portions of the Prieſts, Levites, City and Prince. He muſt be a Jew inwardly, a confeſſour and witneſs of the truth, who ſhall have part and portion in the priviledges of Gods people.
Ver. 8. Shall be the offering] Whereof ſee chap. 45.1, 2, 3, &c.
Of 25000. reeds] Which being exactly caſt up, ſaith one, come to 45. miles, and therefore cannot be meant of any City to be built by the Jews again after their return from Babylon, but muſt be underſtood of the Church under the Goſpel.
Ver. 9. Ʋnto the Lord] As diſtinguiſhing it from other oblations: here ſtood the Sanctuary.
Ver. 10. And for them even for the Prieſts] No mention is here made of Cities of refuge, as of old; for they ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all Gods holy mountain: but the earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the ſea, Eſa. 11.9.
Ver. 11. Of the ſons of Zadok] See chap. 44.15, 16, &c.
Which went not aſtray] To be faithful with God in a common defection, is a ſingular praiſe. See my Righteous mans Recompenſe, pag. 695.
Ver. 12. And this oblation of the land] Miniſters of Gods Word may lawfully take maintenance of the Church, 1 Cor. 9.
Ver. 13. The Levites ſhall have] But after the Prieſts. There are degrees of officers in the Church, and good order muſt be well obſerved there.
Five and twenty thouſand in length] Theſe ſeveral portions ſet together make up a perfect ſquare: which ſerveth well to ſet forth the beauty and firmity of the Church of Chriſt.
Ver. 14. And they ſhall not ſell of it] This law is here occaſionally, and by the way inſerted. It ſeemeth to hold forth, that lands given to the Miniſters of Chriſt under the New Teſtament, may never be again taken away or put to any other uſe, but to their maintenance for ever. See Mr. Clarks Mirrour, chap. of Sacriledge.
The firſt-fruits of the land] i. e. This part thus conſecrated to God, as the firſt-fruits of the earth were.
Ver. 15. Shall be a profane place] i. e. A common place: and ſo all Iſrael were profane in a ſenſe, ſc. as compared to the Prieſts and Levites, thoſe conſecrated perſons. Symmachus and Theodotion reader it foreign. See Deut. 20.6.
And the City ſhall be in the midſt thereof] Ten miles at leaſt diſtant from the Temple; ſome ſay many more: to ſhew, ſay they, what a long way he muſt go, that would attain to eternal life: he muſt get above the world howſoever, who would ſerve God acceptably.
Ver. 16. And theſe ſhall be meaſures thereof] This repreſentation is meerly figurative and myſtical: ſhewing us how ſpecious and spacious the Church of Chriſt is.
Ver. 17. And the ſuburbs of the City] Theſe were much larger then the ſuburbs of the Temple, as may be obſerved by comparing, chap. 40. See chap. 45.2.
Ver. 18. For food to them that ſerve the City] To all the Citizens; who all are to turn ſervitours to their fellow-brethren that come to the publike meetings, to ſerve one another in love: which they that do, ſhall not loſe their reward; but verily they ſhall be fed.
Ver. 19. Shall ſerve it out of all the tribes] i. e. At the common charge; and by a general contribution.
Ver. 20. Ye ſhall offer the holy oblation foure ſquare] See on ver. 13. All our dealings muſt be ſquare: or elſe we are not of the holy portion,Epilogus eſt. of the new Jeruſalem, Rev. 21.16.
Ver. 21. And the reſidue ſhall be for the Prince] His occaſions are many, and therefore his proportion is very large: yet muſt he not be Regni dilapidator, the Waſter of the Kingdom by his profuſeneſs, as our Henry the third was called, whereby he became ill beloved of his people.
Ver. 22. Being in the midſt of that which is the Princes] The Prince was taught by this poſition of his portion, to have an equal care of Church and State.
Ver. 23. Benjamin ſhall have a portion] The diviſion of the land as it ended with Judahs portion in ſpeaking of the ſeven former tribes, ver. 8. ſo here it beginneth with Benjamins, in ſpeaking of the five following.
Ver. 24, 25, 26, 27.] See the Notes on ver. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Ver. 28. Even from Tamar] Not Jericho, but Palmira, called afterwards Adrianople of the Emperour Adrian, who rebuilt and beautified it.
And to the river] The river of Egypt called Sihor, Joſh. 13.3.
Ver. 29. This is the land] This is the Epilogue of the whole chapter, as to the greatneſs of the holy City. It remaineth only to touch at the ſituation and meaſures thereof, the gates alſo and the Miniſters, together with their uſe and maintenance, the elegancy (laſtly) and perpetuity of the City.
For inheritance] Not from the brook, as Tremellius mis-tranſlateth it.
Ver. 30. And theſe are the goings out of the City] That is the utmoſt bounds, as Rabbi Solomon gloſſeth.
Ver. 31. And the gates of the City] Through which all the Iſrael of God, both Jews and Gentiles from all parts, Qua data porta, ruunt, do enter into the Church of Chriſt; flowing and flocking thereto, as waters do to the ſea, and as the doves to their windows.
Three gates Northward] Twelve in all: the reaſon whereof, ſee in the Note on Rev. 21.13.
One gate of Levi] Who though he had no lot in the land, yet he had a gate into the City, as Vatablus here noteth.
Ver. 32. Four thouſand and five hundred] And the like on each ſide; of all which are made up fifty and four miles at the leaſt: ſo large is the City of God: Niniveh was nothing to it, no more is Alcair, Scandereon, or Cambalu, the Metropolis of Tartary, which yet is ſaid to be twenty eight miles about.
Ver. 33. One gate of Simeon] Here all along the tribes are reckoned, not as they were before in this Chapter, but as they are ſet down in Numbers, at the marching of the Tabernacle in the midſt of them; ſaving that whole Joſeph hath here but one gate, and Levi is taken into the number of the twelve tribes. And foraſmuch as it entreth not into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that love him, and ſith this City is a type of heavens happineſs, which is fitter to be believed then poſſible to be expreſſed, therefore I am the leſs troubled, ſaith good Oecolampadius here, that I underſtand no more of this ſurmounting matter.
Ver. 34. At the Weſt-ſide, &c.] See on ver. 32, 33.
Ver. 35. It was round about eighteen thouſand meaſures] See on ver. 32. and on Rev. 21.16.
The Lord is there] Jehovah-ſhammah: this is the true Churches name, and the true Chriſtians happineſs; ſuch as no good can match, no evil overmatch, viz. that whereſoever he is there God is, and therefore there heaven is: like as where the King is, there his Court is: this very name implyes Gods everlaſting being with his Church, according to thoſe precious texts of Scripture, every ſyllable whereof dropeth myrrh and mercy, Lev. 26.11, 12. Mat. 18.20. & 28.20. Joh. 14.23. 1 Cor. 15.28. Rev. 7.14. &c & 21.3, 4, 5. & 22.3, 4, 5, 6. This is the truth of that, which the Temple whil'ſt it ſtood as a type or figure did repreſent, This is my reſt for ever; here will I dwell, Pſal. 132.14. God will not forſake his Church as he did the Synagogue, but have it up to heaven to him, Rev. 21. where are crowns, ſcepters, Kingdoms, beatifical viſions, unutterable exſtaſies, ſweeteſt varieties, felicities, eternities; and all becauſe Jehovah ſhammah, the Lord is there: to him be glory and praiſe everlaſting. Amen. So be it.
Soli Deo Gloria.
The Jews having finiſhed a book, adde,
Benedictus qui dat fatigato robur.
FINIS.