Works Volume 4, Book 4 · Psalm 106
The Hundred and Sixth PSALM.
Praiſe ye the Lord.
The hundred and ſixth Pſalm, the laſt of the fourth partition, intitled Hallelujah, is chiefly ſpent in confeſſing the ſins and provocations of the Children of Iſrael, but begun and concluded with the praiſing and magnifying of God's mercies, and by the beginning and two laſt verſes of it, ſet down 1 Chron. 16.34, 35, 36. appears to be one of thoſe Pſalms which David delivered into the hand of Aſaph and his Brethren, v. 7. to record, and thank, and praiſe the Lord, in their continual or daily miniſtring before the Ark, v. 4.
1. O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is ‖or gracious foreign LXXII.g…od, for his mercy endureth for ever.
Paraphrase. 1. Let us all joyn in proclaiming the abundant goodneſs and continued mercies of God, which from time to time he hath vouchſafed, and will never fail to reach out unto us.
2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can ſhew forth all his praiſe?
Paraphrase. 2. His miraculous works of power and grace are far beyond our deſcribing or expreſſing.
3. Bleſſed are they that keep judgment, and he that doth righteouſneſs at all times.
Paraphrase. 3. O 'tis a bleſſed thing to be always engaged and exerciſed in the ſervice of ſo gracious a maſter, and by the continual practice of all duties of juſtice and mercy, to be qualified for thoſe mercies and protections, which he never fails to make good to thoſe which are thus fitted to expect or receive them.
4. Remember me, O Lord, ‖of the favour to thy— foreignwith the favour which thou beareſt unto thy people: O viſit me with thy ſalvation.
Paraphrase. 4. O bleſſed Lord, of thy great abundant goodneſs to all thy faithfull ſervants, be thou pleaſed to look favourably upon me, though moſt unworthy: O do thou afford me that pardon and that grace which I ſtand in need of, and can hope for from none but thee.
5. That I may ſee the good of thy choſen, that I may rejoyce in the gladneſs of thy nation, that I may †ſing praiſes ſee Pſal. 105. note a.glory with thine inheritance.
Paraphrase. 5. That I may experimentally feel and taſte the incomparable felicity of being in the number of thy favourites, that I may have my part of that joyous bliſsfull ſtate, that all which ſincerely ſerve thee enjoy even in this world, (as the preſent reward or reſult of their conſcientious obedience) and ſo for ever make one in that quire which ſings Hoſannahs and Hallelujahs to thee.
6. We have ſinned with our Fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
Paraphrase. 6. Meanwhile it is the preſent duty of every one of us, to caſt our ſelves down in all humility before this thy throne of grace, to confeſs before thee the many great and crying ſins, tranſgreſſions and provocations, that either every one of us, or together this whole nation, from our firſt riſe and growth into a people, have been moſt ſadly guilty of.
7. Our Fathers underſtood not thy wonders in Aegypt, they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the ſea, even at the red ſea.
Paraphrase. 7. When thou hadſt ſhewed ſo many ſigns and wonders in the ſight of our forefathers in Aegypt, which were abundantly ſufficient to convince them of thy power, and purpoſe to bring them ſafe out of thoſe tyrannical maſters hands, yet in the very beginning of their march, before they were out of the land, as ſoon as the leaſt danger approacht, when they diſcerned the Aegyptians to follow and overtake them, they were preſently amated, and faint-hearted, and ſore afraid, Exod. 14.10. and in that fit of fear and infidelity, reproached Moſes (and in him God himſelf) for looking upon them in their oppreſſions, for offering to diſquiet them in their ſlavery, deemed it much better to have ſerved the Aegyptians, than now to adventure themſelves under God's protection. (And how many provocations have we ſeverally been guilty of, in not laying to heart the ſignal mercies beſtowed on us by God, evidences of his goodneſs and his power, and in deſpight of all fallen off, on occaſion of every worldly terrour, into murmurings at his providence, and ſati…ty of his ſervice, into infidelity and Practical Atheiſm?)
8. Nevertheleſs he ſaved them for his names ſake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
Paraphrase. 8. But though they thus provoked God, and ſo well deſerved to be forſaken by him, though he had ſo little incouragement to ſhew miracles of mercy among thoſe whom neither miracles could convince, nor mercies provoke to obedience; yet that he might glorify himſelf, and give more evidences of his omnipotence to them, and the heathen people about them, he was now alſo pleaſed to interpoſe his hand in a moſt eminent manner for theſe unthankfull murmurers, and by a new miracle of mercy to ſecure and deliver them.
9. *And rebuked foreignHe rebuked the red ſea alſo, and it was dried up: ſo he led them through the depths, as through the wilderneſs.
10. And he ſaved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11. And the waters covered their enemies, there was not one of them left.
Paraphrase. 9, 10, 11. For being now at the ſhore of the red ſea, and cloſe purſued by the Aegyptians, when there was no viſible mean of their reſcue from the rage of Pharaoh on one ſide, or the ſea on the other, God then ſhewed forth his power, divided the ſea, Exod. 14.16. cauſed it to retire, and give paſſage to the Iſraelites, who marcht through the midſt of the ſea in part of the channel, as upon the drieſt firmeſt ground; and when the Aegyptians aſſayed to follow them, and were ingaged in the midſt of the ſea ſo far that they could not retire, even the whole hoſt of Pharaoh, v. 23. firſt God encompaſſed his own people with a cloud, that the enemy came not near them all night, v. 20. ſecondly, he troubled the Aegyptians hoſt, and took off their chariot wheels, v. 24, 23▪ ſo that they could neither purſue the Iſraelites, nor fly out of the ſea, and thirdly he cauſed the ſea to return to his ſtrength, and overwhelmed their chariots, horſemen, and whole army, there remained not ſo much as one of them, v. 28. Thus the Lord ſaved Iſrael that day out of the hand of the Aegyptians, v. 30.
12. Then believed they his words, they ſang his praiſe.
Paraphrase. 12. And this ſo viſible a prodigie of mercy ſo ſeaſonably and undeſervedly afforded them, did indeed at the time work upon them, convinced them of the power and mercy of God; they ſaw that great work, and feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his ſervant Moſes, Exod. 14.31. and joyned with Moſes in the anthem, or ſong of victory that he compoſed on this occaſion, Exod. 15. bleſſing God for the wonders of this deliverance.
13. They ‖made haſte, they forgat foreignſoon forgat his works, they waited not for his counſel;
14. But luſted exceedingly in the wilderneſs, and tempted God in the deſert.
Paraphrase. 13, 14. But after this, when they came into the wilderneſs, they fell a murmuring again, firſt on occaſion of the bitterneſs of the water at Marah, Exod. 15.24. then in the wilderneſs of Sin, ch. 16. upon remembrance of their fleſh-pots in Aegypt; and when they had theſe ſo many convictions of God's power and providence over them, which ſhould in reaſon have charmed them into a full, chearfull reſignation, and dependance on him, they on the contrary, without any conſideration of any thing that God had wrought for them, without ever addreſſing themſelves humbly to God, or his ſervant Moſes, to learn his pleaſure and purpoſes concerning them, were tranſported praecipitouſly by their own luxurious appetites, and becauſe they had not that feſtival plenty which could not be expected in the wilderneſs, they again reproached Moſes for having brought them out of Aegypt, to die, as they called it, in the wilderneſs, v. 3. and now forſooth God muſt ſhew more miracles, not for the ſupply of their wants, but to pamper and ſatisfy their luſt, (Pſal. 78.18.) he muſt give them fine feſtival diet in the wilderneſs, (Pſal. 79.19.) or elſe they would no longer believe his power, or ſerve him.
15. And he gave them their requeſt, but ſent leanneſs into their ſoul.
Paraphrase. 15. And at this time alſo God was pleaſed to magnify his power and providence among them: at Marah he directed Moſes to a tree, which ſweetned the waters, Exod. 15.25. and ſoon after brought them to Elim, where there were twelve wells, &c. and he rained down bread (as it were ready baked) from heaven, a full proportion for all of them every day, Exod. 16.4. and not onelyonly ſo, but in anſwer to their importunity for fleſh, he ſent them whole ſholes of quails, which covered the camp, Exod. 16.13. Num. 11.31. as thick as duſt, Pſal. 78.27. But then when they had gathered great plenty of theſe, at leaſt ten homers to a man, juſt as they were ready to eat them, the wrath of God came out againſt them, and puniſhed their murmuring with a terrible plague: And ſo this (as all other inordinate deſires) coſt them full dear, and brought them not any the leaſt benefit.
16. They envied Moſes alſo in the camp, and Aaron the ſaint of the Lord.
17. The earth opened, and ſwallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram:
18. And a fire was kindled in their company, the flame burnt up the wicked.
Paraphrase. 16, 17, 18. After this they brake out in a mutiny againſt Moſes and Aaron, Num. 16. not allowing them to have any commiſſion of preeminence, or authority, more than any other of the people had, every one pretending to be holy, and, upon that account, free from ſubjection to any other. But for the repreſſing and refuting of this vain plea, and vindicating the authority of thoſe that God had ſet over them, both in the Church and State, two terrible eſſays of God's wrath were here ſhewed; the opening of the earth, and ſwallowing up all that belonged to Dathan and Abiram, v. 32. and a fire from heaven, coming down upon them that preſumed without miſſion from God to offer incenſe, to aſſume the Prieſt's office, v. 35. And when both theſe did but make the people murmur the more at Moſes and Aaron, v. 41. God avenged this yet more ſeverely with a plague, that ſwept away fourteen thouſand and ſeven hundred of them.
19. They made a calf in Horeb, and worſhipped the molten image.
20. Thus they changed their glory into the ſimilitude of an oxe that eateth graſs.
Paraphrase. 19, 20. After this, when God was delivering the Law to Moſes on Mount Sinai, and therein made a ſtrict prohibition of making them any graven image, or ſimilitude of any creature in the world, in order to worſhip, God exhibiting himſelf to them in a thick cloud, and they ſeeing no ſimilitude, but only hearing a voice, yet, while Moſes was abſent from them, they made them a molten calf, calling it their Gods, and that it might go before them in God's ſtead, and accordingly worſhipt it, and made a ſacrifical feaſt unto it, Exod. 32.6. and committed great abominations (ſee note on 1 Cor. 10. c.)
21. They forgat God their Saviour, which had done great things in Aegypt.
22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the red ſea.
Paraphrase. 21, 22. Such haſte they made to caſt off the ſervice of that God which had ſo lately delivered them out of their Aegyptian ſlavery, and in order to that ſhewed forth ſuch prodigies of his power, and vengeance on Pharaoh and the Aegyptians, both before he diſmiſt them, and when he purſued them in their march out of the land.
23. ‖And he ſpoke of deſtroying them foreignTherefore he ſaid that he would deſtroy them, had not Moſes his choſen ſtood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath leſt he ſhould deſtroy them.
Paraphrase. 23. Upon this provocation of theirs, God communed with Moſes, Exod. 32.10. about deſtroying this whole people that thus rebelled, promiſing to make of him a great nation. But Moſes moſt earneſtly beſought him, v. 11. to turn from his fierce wrath, v. 12. and repent of this evil againſt his people; and God was attoned by his importunity, and repented of the evil, v. 14. and he deſtroyed them not.
24. Yea they deſpiſed the pleaſant land, they believed not his word;
25. But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.
Paraphrase. 24, 25. After this, when they came near their Canaan, that moſt fruitfull poſſeſſion promiſed them by God, and when Moſes had ſent out ſpies to deſcry the land, and they brought back word as of the great fertility of the land, ſo of the giantly ſtrength and ſtature of the men, their fortifications, and their eating up the inhabitants, Num. 13.26, 27, &c. they fell into a great paſſion of fear, ch. 14.9. and ſorrow, v. 1. and murmured againſt Moſes and Aaron, and God himſelf, v. 2, 3. and reſolved to give over the purſuit of Canaan, and make them a Captain, and return back to Aegypt, v. 4. and ſo utterly to forſake the ſervice of God.
26. Therefore he lifted up his hand †ab…t, or, becauſe of them.againſt them to deſtroy them in the wilderneſs;
27. To overthrow their ſeed alſo among the nations, and to ſcatter them in the lands.
Paraphrase. 26, 27. This again moſt juſtly provoked God to that degree of wrath againſt them, that he ſaid, he would ſmite them with peſtilence, and diſinherit them, deſtroy the whole people, and make of Moſes a greater nation, v. 12. ſee Ezech. 20.23. But Moſes again interceding for them, and urging that argument, formerly uſed by him with ſucceſs, that the Aegyptians and other nations would ſay, that God was not able to bring them into the land which he had ſworn to them, v. 16. he again prevail'd for their pardon, v. 20. but that with this reſerve, which he bound with an oath, v. 21, 28. that all they that having ſeen his miracles in Aegypt, had now tempted him ten times, ſhould die before they came to this good land, v. 23, 29. And accordingly after this the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites, and ſmote them and diſcomfited them, v. 45. and Arad King of Canaan fought againſt them and took ſome of them priſoners, ch. 21.1. (to this Kimchi applies the ſcattering both here and in Ezekiel.)
28. They joyned themſelves alſo to Baal-peor, and ate the ſacrifices of the dead.
Paraphrase. 28. After this they mixed themſelves with the Moabitiſh women, Numb. 25.3. and by them were ſeduced to their Idol-worſhip, partaking and communicating in their ſacrifices offered to the Moabitiſh Gods, which were but dead men.
29. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions, and the plague brake in upon them.
Paraphrase. 29. On this foul provocation of Idolatry and uncleanneſs, God's judgments fell heavily upon them, a terrible plague, that ſwept away four and twenty thouſand of them.
30. Then ſtood up Phinees and *made … atonementexecuted judgment, and ſo the plague was ſtayed.
Paraphrase. 30. OnelyOnly in the very point of time, Phinees the ſon of Eleazer did an act of ſpecial zeal, took a j…velin, and killed an Iſraelitiſh man and Midianitiſh woman in the very act of their uncleanneſs; And this zeal of his propitiated God, and ſo the plague ceaſed.
31. And that was counted to him for righteouſneſs unto all generations for evermore.
Paraphrase. 31. And this act of his was ſo acceptable to God, that, beſide the dignity of being an inſtrument of appeaſing God's wrath toward the people, God thought fit to reward it with the honour of the High-prieſt's office, to be annexed to his family for ever, if they walked not unworthy of it.
32. They angred him alſo at the waters of ſtrife, ſo that it went ill with Moſes for their ſakes.
33. Becauſe they provoked his ſpirit, ‖and he ſpake with.ſo that he ſpake unadviſedly with his lips.
Paraphrase. 32, 33. Before this, is ſet down (Num. 20.) another murmuring of our Fathers againſt God, occaſioned by ſome want of water at Meribah, a place ſo called from their chiding and contending with Moſes, where in their rage they wiſhed they had died in that former plague, Numb. 11.13. And this their peeviſhneſs was a provocation to Moſes, who, though he were a meek man, brake out into a paſſionate ſpeech, v. 10. Hear ye now, ye rebels, ſhall we fetch you water out of this rock? Wherein as he ſpake with ſome diffidence, as if it were impoſſible to fetch water out of the rock, when God had aſſured him, v. 8. that at his ſpeaking to the rock, it ſhould bring forth water ſufficient for them all, and is accordingly challenged of unbelief, v. 12. ſo he ſeems to have aſſumed ſomewhat to themſelves, [ſhall we?] and ſo did not ſanctifie God in the eyes of the people of Iſrael, v. 12. did not endeavour, as he ought, to ſet forth God's power and glory, and attribute all to him. And this paſſionate ſpeech coſt Moſes very dear, and was puniſhed with his excluſion out of Canaan, v. 12. Deut. 1.35. and 3.26. and 4.21. and 34.4.
34. They did not deſtroy the nations concerning whom the Lord commanded them:
35. But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
36. And they ſerved their idols, which were a ſnare to them.
37. Yea they ſacrificed their ſons and daughters unto devils;
38. And ſhed innocent blood, even the blood of their ſons and of their daughters, whom they ſacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.
39. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
Paraphrase. 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39. After all this, when at length they were come into the promiſed land, and had received particular command, Deut. 7.2. that they ſhould utterly deſtroy all the idolatrous inhabitants thereof, for fear they ſhould be inveigled by them, and drawn away to their idol-worſhip, and thoſe abominable pollutions they were infamouſly guilty of; yet contrary to this expreſs command of God's, they did not execute this ſeverity, they ſpared them, and drave them not out, but permitted them to live amongſt them, Jud. 1.21. (and ſo 'tis oft mentioned through that book) and by this means they were corrupted, and brought into their heathen ſins, ſee Jud. 3.6.7. worſhipt their Idols and falſe Gods, and obſerved thoſe abominable rites which infernal ſpirits had exacted of their worſhippers, the ſlaying and ſacrificing of men, innocent perſons, yea their own deareſt children; and ſo to idolatry and worſhip of the Devil they added blood-guiltineſs, of the higheſt degree, the deepeſt dye, even the moſt barbarous and unnatural, and to all theſe yet farther adding fornication, and thoſe abominable ſins that thoſe nations were guilty of, and for which the land ſpued them out, Lev. 18.28.
40. Therefore was the wrath of God kindled againſt his people, in ſo much that he abhorred his own inheritance.
Paraphrase. 40. This great ſin adding to all the former provocations, moſt juſtly inflamed the vehement anger and diſpleaſure of God againſt this people, of which he had before reſolved, and promiſed Abraham, that he would own them for ever as his peculiar; and ſo a long while he did, and bare with them very indulgently, but they growing ſtill worſe and worſe, 'twas but reaſonable, and according to the contents of his (not abſolute, but) conditionate covenant, at length to reject and caſt them off, or withdraw his protection from them.
41. And he gave them into the hands of the heathen, and they that hated them ruled over them.
42. Their enemies alſo oppreſſed them, and they were brought in ſubjection under their hand.
Paraphrase. 41, 42. And accordingly ſo he did, he ſuffered the heathen nations about them to invade and overcome them, the King of Meſopotamia, Jud. 3.8. who had dominion over them eight years, the Midianites and Amalekites, Jud. 6.3. the Philiſtims and Amorites, Jud. 10.6. the Philiſtims, Jud. 13.1.
43. Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counſel, and were brought low for their iniquity.
Paraphrase. 43. In each of theſe deſtitutions and oppreſſions, God ſtill reteined his wonted reſpect to them ſo far as from time to time to raiſe them up Captains to undertake their battels, and to reſcue them out of their oppreſſors hands; but then ſtill again they fell to their ſinfull idolatrous courſes, and again forfeited and deveſted themſelves of God's protection, and were again ſubdued by the ſame or ſome other of their heathen neighbours.
44. †And he beheld when diſtreſs was upon them foreignNevertheleſs he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry.
45. And he remembred for them his Covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.
46. He made them alſo to be pitied of all thoſe that carried them captives.
Paraphrase. 44, 45, 46. And yet then alſo he did not utterly deſtitute them, but in their times of diſtreſs, and flying to him for ſuccour, he looked upon them with pity again, remembred the covenant made with their Fathers, and in infinite mercy returned from his fierce wrath, and ſo inclined the hearts of thoſe that had conquered them, that inſtead of increaſing, they compaſſionated their miſeries;
47. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks to thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praiſe.
Paraphrase. 47. O bleſſed Lord, be thou now pleaſed to return our captivity, to reduce us from the hands of our heathen enemies, that we may live to enjoy thoſe bleſſed opportunities of making our moſt ſolemn acknowledgments to thee, and bleſſing and magnifying thy holy name in this or the like form.
48. Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael from everlaſting to everlaſting; and let all the people ſay, Amen. Praiſe ye the Lord.
Paraphrase. 48. To the almighty Lord of heaven and earth, that hath made good his covenant of mercy to all his faithfull ſervants, be all honour and glory from all and to all eternity; And let all the world join in this joyfull acclamation, adding every one his moſt affectionate Amen, and Hallelujah.
Annotations on Pſal. CVI.
foreignTit. Praiſe the Lord] foreign is here no part, but onelyonly the title of this Pſalm. This appears by two competent evidences: 1. By the joint ſuffrage of all the ancient Tranſlators, of which the Syriack renders it not at all, but in ſtead of it gives (as their uſe is) a large ſyllabus, or contents of the Pſalm; but the Chaldee retein it as a title, and the LXXII. and Latin retein the Hebrew words, putting them into one, in the direct form of a title, foreign, Alleluja, and the Arabick more expreſly, ſuch a Pſalm, noted with the title of Alleluja. 2. By expreſs teſtimony of Scripture, 1 Chron. 16. There we reade, v. 7. On that day David delivered firſt (not this Pſalm, as we reade, but) theſe, viz. three Pſalms to thank the Lord, into the hands of Aſaph and his brethren. The firſt of theſe Pſalms is the 105. recited there in the firſt thirteen verſes, the ſecond Pſal. 96. the laſt is that which we have before us. And as the firſt begins v. 8. the ſecond v. 23. ſo doth this third follow v. 34. Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever, (and then as in a breviate, v. 35, 36. the two laſt verſes of it) and ſo 'tis evident, the Alleluja in the front was not uſed, but left out, as being no part, but onelyonly the title of the Pſalm: which by the way teacheth us, that in the offices of the Church, the titles of the Pſalms were not wont to be uſed in the Jewiſh Church, but deſigned for other purpoſes, either to ſignifie the Authour, or Occaſion, or Matter, or Kind of the Pſalm. This being thus cleared of this preſent Pſalm, will be in all reaſon applicable to all thoſe other Pſalms which have this form of Alleluja, Praiſe the Lord, in the front of them, as the Title in every of them, and not any part of the Pſalm.
foreignV. 7. At the Sea] For foreign by the Sea, the LXXII. ſeem to have read foreign, the participle preſent from foreign to aſcend, rendring it foreign, aſcending; but that not very fit to be accorded to the context, which ſpeaks of their murmuring at the red ſea, into which they could not with any propriety be ſaid to aſcend. And yet herein the Latin (and Arabick) follow them, though they do alſo truly render foreign in mare, aſcendentes in mare, mare rubrum, aſcending into the ſea, the red ſea. But the Syriack departs from them, (as the Chaldee) and reads foreign near the waters.
foreignV. 13. They ſoon forgat] foreign doth queſtionleſs ſignifie making haſte; and if here it did ſo, there is no neceſſity it ſhould be joyned with the following verb, and ſignifie adverbially, for all the ancient Interpreters reade it as a verb; foreign, they made haſte, ſay the LXXII. citò fecerunt, they did ſuddenly, the Latin, foreign the Chaldee, foreign the Syriack, both uſed for making haſte, from the Syriack foreign being in commotion and perturbation. And ſo the ſenſe will beſt bear, they made haſte, i. e. took it ill, that they were not preſently brought into the plenty they were promiſed (ſo after this we ſee, Numb. 20.5. that this was their form of expoſtulation with Moſes, Wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Aegypt to bring us to this evil place? it is no place of ſeed, or figgs, or vines, or pomegranates, the plenty promiſed them in Canaan:) and then thus to make haſte, was to be impatient to ſtay God's time of giving them this inheritance; but becauſe they had it not ſtreight, wiſhing themſelves back again in Aegypt. And this well agrees to the context, they made haſte, they forgat his works, they waited not for his counſel, making an oppoſition betwixt the firſt and the two laſt of theſe; they made haſte, i. e. weighed not, conſidered not what God's purpoſes or promiſes concerning them were, could not attend the performance of God's promiſe in his own time, went on paſſionately in purſuit of their plenty which they lookt for, and as ſoon as they deſcried any difficulty (want of water, a deſart place) concluded preſently, that they were betrayed, and ſhould be utterly undone, and loſt, neither remembring what God had formerly done for them, by interpoſition of his power, nor waiting with patience till God's time, or till concerning their preſent exigence he ſhould make known his purpoſes to them. This is very agreeable to the notion of this word in Kal for making haſte, and in Niphal, applied to the mind, for doing all things raſhly, inconſiderately, praecipitouſly, and ſo fooliſhly. So Job 5.13. the counſel of the froward foreign is haſty, inconſiderate; we render it, is carried headlong. So Hab. 1.6. the Chaldeans are called a bitter nation, foreign and paſſionate, inconſiderate. And ſo for that other paſſion of fear, moſt oppoſite to faith, or truſt in God (in which ſenſe that is moſt true, Iſa. 28.16. he that believeth will not make haſte) 'tis uſed Iſa. 35.4. ſay unto the foreign haſty or praecipitous in heart, i. e. thoſe which becauſe they had not preſently what they hoped, feared they ſhould never have it, for ſo it follows, be ſtrong, have ſome conſtancy of mind, fear not. And this ſeems to be the full importance of the word here, their paſſionate fear and diſtruſt of God's promiſes, becauſe they were not inſtantly performed, made them haſty, praecipitous, inconſiderate: and in that fit of paſſion, they forgat his works —
V. 15. Leanneſs] For foreign maciem, foreignleanneſs, the LXXII. are deemed by ſome to have read foreign pleaſure, or deſire, becauſe they render it foreign, ſaturity, as if that were ſet to ſignifie as much as they could, or did deſire; and this not diſagreeable to the ſtory, which mentions it in this ſtyle, Exod. 16.8. The Lord ſhall give you in the evening fleſh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full, and Pſal. 78.25. he ſent them meat to the full, and v. 29. they ate and were well filled, for he gave them their own deſire, they were not eſtranged from their luſts. In this rendring of the LXXII. the Syriack and Latin, &c. agree: the Syriack reads foreign, and ſo the Latin, ſaturitatem, ſaturity; And without changing the Hebrew word foreign into any other, this probable account may be given of their rendring. 'Tis known in Phyſick, that upon the ingeſtion of meats in their quality unwholſome, or of two much of thoſe which are healthfull, Nature with much violence ſeeks to diſcharge it ſelf by the ſeveral evacuations, upon which follows a ſuddain and almoſt incredible dejection of ſtrength, and falling away in fleſh. To this the ſtory, Num. 11.20. ſeems to refer, where 'tis ſaid, that the Quails ſhould come out at their noſtrils, for that is a ſymptome not unuſual in violent vomitings, ſuch as accompany great and dangerous ſurfeits; ſo that the plague which then befell the Iſraelites, ſeems to be that affection which Phyſicians name cholera, and is then properly ſtyled foreign, ſaturity, or ſurfeit by the LXXII. and thoſe tranſlators that follow, or accord with them, and ſo not very unfitly ſet to expreſs that emaciation which was an effect of this foreign, or ſaturity. But the Chaldee render it more to the letter foreign leanneſs. The paſſage viſibly belongs to the immediate conſequents in the ſtory of Quails, ſet down Num. 11.33. and Pſal. 78.30. (though not in Exodus) viz. that while the fleſh was yet between their teeth, e're it was chewed, the Lord ſmote the people with a very great plague, (the judgment whereof was never the leſs diſcernible, that it was an effect of their diet, when even miracles admit the ſubſerviency of uſual means) whereupon the place was called Kibroth hataavah, becauſe there they buried the people that luſted. By this means they were deprived of the fruit of this their feſtival table, even when he gave them what they luſted for. The word foreign to attenuate, emaciate, is uſed alſo for deſtroying, Zeph. 2.11. when God threatens that he will emaciate, i. e. deſtroy all the Gods— And then foreign may be rendred more generally deſtruction or plague, and ſo R. Tanchum on Zeph. 11. renders it deſtruction. The Hebrew Arabick Gloſſary interprets foreign by foreign defect; The Jewiſh Arab verſion hath leanneſs into their body, as foreign is ſometimes taken for the body. Accordingly for ſending leanneſs here, the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 78.31. uſeth this plainer ſtyle, of ſlaying the fatteſt of them, and ſmiting the choſen men in Iſrael.
foreignV. 20. Glory] For foreign their glory, which we now reade, and ſo is followed by ſome copies of the LXXII. foreign, their glory, (and though others have foreign, his, yet from the former both the Syriack have foreign and the Latin gloriam ſuam, their glory) the original copies are by the Jews ſaid to have read foreign his glory. What heed … to be given to the Jews herein I ſhall not now define, but onelyonly obſerve, that the notion of foreign here being that of a thick cloud, wherein God was pleaſed to exhibit or preſentiate himſelf, foreign their glory may well enough have been the original word, meaning by it God's preſentiating himſelf to them, that when God had ſpoken to them out of the midſt of the fire with darkneſs, clouds and thick darkneſs, Deut. 4.11. and they ſaw no ſimilitude, onelyonly they heard a voice, v. 12. they turned this majeſtatick preſence afforded to them, i. e. their glory, into the ſimilitude of a calf — the image of one of their Aegyptian Gods. Thus the word may be interpreted as we now have it, foreign their glory, for which the Chaldee reade foreign the glory of their Lord; it being yet clear, that this very thing is elſewhere in Scripture frequently ſtyled foreign his glory, Deut. 5.24. the Lord hath ſhewed us his glory and his greatneſs, and we have heard his voice out of the midſt of the fire. So Exod. 24.16. the glory of the Lord abode upon the mount, and v. 17. the ſight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the ſight of the children of Iſrael. So Exod. 33.18. ſhew me thy glory, and ch. 40.34. a cloud covered the tent, and the glory of the Lord (this bright cloud) filled the Tabernacle; and Numb. 14.10. the glory of the Lord — Thus Rom. 1.23. in the like matter and ſtyle as here, they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image— by foreign glory here meaning the glorious preſence and exhibitions of God, which he was wont to afford them, which being in radient fiery clouds, wherein Angels appeared, God himſelf remaining perfectly inviſible, Deut. 4.15. the making and ſetting up any figure or image of an oxe or calf, (whether to ſignifie Apis an Aegyptian falſe God, or the image or ſimilitude of the true God, whoſe voice they heard, but ſaw no kind of ſimilitude) and the proclaiming before it, Theſe be thy God's, O Iſrael, which brought thee out of Aegypt, Exod. 32.4. and theſe to go before them and conduct them, in ſtead of Moſes, v. 1. was a great abomination and provocation. That this is the meaning of God's glory, ſee 2 Pet. 1.17. where the voice from heaven [This is my beloved ſon—] is ſaid to have come from the magnificent glory, which the text tells us, Mar. 9.7. came out of the cloud, that overſhadowed them. So in thoſe places of Exodus praemiſed, where the glory of the Lord is certainly the thick cloud, &c. on the mount, by which God exhibited himſelf, called in the Targum and among the Jewiſh writers ſo frequently the majeſtick preſence or foreign inhabitation of God (of which ſee more Annot. on Matt. 3. k. and Rom. 1. f.) one text there is that uſeth the word glory of the viſible throne of God the Father in heaven, Act. 7.55. he looked into heaven, and ſaw the glory of God, and Jeſus ſtanding at the right hand of God, by glory meaning that viſible ſatellitium of Angels, which appearing to him in a radiant manner were an evidence of God's ſpecial preſence there, according to which it is that among us the raies about the name foreign are ordinarily ſtyled a glory.
V. 23. foreignThe breach] What foreign the breach or rupture here ſignifies, muſt be reſolved by the uſe of both verb and noun in other places, Eccl. 3.3. foreign to break, is applied to an houſe, and oppoſed to the building of it, and ſo evidently ſignifies the pulling down, or ruinating it; ſo the Chaldee renders it, foreign to pull it down. So 2 Sam. 5.20. foreign the Lord hath broken, i. e. deſtroyed, mine enemies before me, foreign according to the breaking, i. e. deſtruction, of waters, which carry all away before them, a ſweeping deſtruction; upon which that place was called foreign the place of ruptures, i. e. ruines or deſtructions. So Exod. 19.24. foreign leſt he break on them, i. e. deſtroy them, foreign kill them, ſaith the Chaldee, foreign, deſtroy, the LXXII. Thus is the verb frequently rendred foreign, deſtroying, by the LXXII. and the noun foreign, ruine, Job 16.14. he breaketh me with breach upon breach, one ruine and deſtruction on the heels of another. So Jud. 21.15. God's making foreign a breach in the tribes of Iſrael, is his having deſtroyed one of the tribes, that of Benjamin being lacking, v. 3. and cut off, v. 6. So Ezech. 22.30. ſtanding, as that oft ſignifies praying, interceding with God, in the foreign rupture, is explained by that which follows, that I ſhould not deſtroy it, i. e. ſaving or reſcuing it from deſtruction. So 2 Sam. 6. God's ſmiting of Ʋzzah that he died, v. 8. is called foreign God's breaking a breach upon Ʋzzah; and from thence the place is called Perez Ʋzzah, the breaking of Ʋzzah, i. e. his deſtruction. And thus is the word here to be underſtood, He ſaid he would deſtroy them, or ſpake of deſtroying them, had not Moſes ſtood before him, i. e. prayed, foreign in, or about the rupture or ruine, in that very point of time, leſt he ſhould deſtroy them. The Chaldee expreſs it paraphraſtically, if Moſes had not ſtood before him, foreign and prevailed in prayer, i. e. thereby averted the deſtruction. So here again, v. 29. foreign brake in upon them, i. e. deſtroyed a multitude of them. And v. 30. where the Hebrew reads the plague ceaſed, the LXXII. read foreign, the ſame word which here they uſe to render foreign.
foreignV. 26. Lifted up his hand] What foreign and lifted up his hand becauſe of them, here ſignifies▪ is beſt underſtood by the Chaldee, who render it foreign and he lifted up his hand with an oath foreign becauſe of them; ſo the Jewiſh Arab, And he ſware by his power to them, that he would, &c. Thus we know the lifting up the hand is the ſign of ſwearing, and thus the ſtory to which this refers, exacts. For though it is at firſt ſaid onelyonly, (and not under oath) Numb. 14.12. I will ſmite them with peſtilence — and that again retracted by God, as to the whole people, v. 20. yet it follows, v. 21. (in form of oath, when it is uſed by God) As truly as I live, all theſe men that have ſeen my glory — v. 22. ſhall not ſee the land, v. 23. and again, v. 28. As truly as I live, your carcaſſes ſhall fall in this wilderneſs, ye ſhall not come into the land, v. 29. and your children ſhall wander in the wilderneſs fourty years, and bear your whoredoms untill your carcaſſes be deſtroyed in the wilderneſs, v. 33. which is the full interpretation of what is here ſaid of deſtroying them in the wilderneſs, overthrowing their ſeed among the nations, and ſcattering them in the lands. This being the very ſame paſſage which is referred to, Pſal. 95. Ʋnto whom I ſware in my wrath, that they ſhould not enter into my reſt, that land where God had provided a reſt for his people.
foreignV. 28. Baal-Peor] That foreign Baal-Peor both here and Numb. 25.3. is the Moabites falſe Idol-God, there can be no queſtion. Peor, which the LXXII. expreſſing ע by γ, tranſlate foreign, was a mountain of Moab, Numb. 23.28. and Deut. 34.6. and foreign ſignifying Lord, muſt be that Idol-God peculiarly which the Moabites worſhipt. The Jewiſh Arab renders it Peor the Idol, making Peor, the name of that mountain, the name of their Idol alſo, as well it might be, the mountain taking its denomination from the God that was worſhipt there. Of this ſaith the ſtory in Numbers, the people bowed down to their Gods, v. 2. which is here called joyning to that God Peor, or of Peor or Moab; foreign, ſay the LXXII. were initiated to the rites of that Idol. And as it is there ſaid, They called the people to the ſacrifices of their Gods, ſo here, they ate the ſacrifices of the dead, (where again the Jewiſh Arab reads of Idols) theſe their Baalim being ſome dead Heroes, whom they had deified, and continued to offer ſacrifice to them.
foreignV. 30. Executed judgment] The notion of foreign in this place is much queſtioned. That foreign the Radix ſignifies to judge, or ſeparate, diſcern, or divide, or take audience of a cauſe, there is no doubt: 1 Sam. 2.25. foreign and God ſhall judge him, Ezek. 28.23. foreign ſhall be judged in the midſt of thee, Ezek. 16.51. foreign thou haſt judged thy ſiſter. But all the ancient interpreters take it here in another ſenſe, for praying, or interceding, atoning; foreign and prayed, ſaith the Targum, and the Syriack in the ſame word; the LXXII. have foreign, propitiated, the Latin, placavit, appeaſed. And the uſe of the Hebrew word in Hithpael in this ſenſe for appeaſing or propitiating, is an argument that the theme originally had ſome ſuch notion. Thus in that 1 Sam. 2.25. it follows, If a man ſin againſt God, foreign who ſhall intercede for him? the Targum reads foreign from whom ſhall he requeſt that it may be remitted him? Hence foreign is the ordinary word for prayer, and among the Rabbins for a proſeucha or oratory. And if we look into the ſtory, we ſhall find two things ſaid of Phinees, one, v. 7. that he took the javeline, and thruſt them through; for which, if he was one of the Judges of Iſrael, as 'tis not unlikely he was being the ſon of Eleazar the ſon of Aaron, then he had a clear commiſſion from Moſes for what he did, Numb. 25.5. Moſes ſaid to the Judges of Iſrael, ſlay you every one his men, and then the Jus zelotarum among the Jews, which is thought to take its riſe from Phinees, is a great deviation from the pattern. The like ſharp proceeding, upon expreſs warrant, wee ſee Exod. 32.27. Slay every man his companion. Secondly, that God ſaith of him, v. 11. he hath turned my wrath away from the children of Iſrael, that I conſumed them not. Both theſe are again ſet down, and joyned together, v. 13. he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Iſrael. And the latter of theſe, that of turning away God's wrath, making the atonement, doth better anſwer the acception of foreign, than the zeal for God, as that ſignifies running through Zimri and Cosbi with the javelin. And therefore the beſt and fulleſt rendring of the word ſeems to be, neither he executed judgment, nor he prayed, but (which is the work of prayer ordinarily, but here alſo of zeal to God in killing the malefactours) made an atonement, appeaſed, or propitiated God. The Jewiſh Arab reads foreign, and did what was juſt and right.
V. 31. foreignCounted to him] The phraſe foreign and it was accounted to him for righteouſneſs, may here deſerve to be briefly noted, that it ſignifies much more than juſtification, as in the forinſeck ſenſe that is oppoſite to condemning: for thus it ſhould note no more than acquitting or pardoning him to whom it was here ſo accounted; whereas by the ſtory it is evident, that as God was atoned to to the people by this act of his, and not to him, ſo God thought fit to reward him and his poſterity for this, Behold, ſaith God, Numb. 25.12. I give him my Covenant of peace: And he ſhall have it and his ſeed after him, even the Covenant of an everlaſting Prieſthood, becauſe he was zealous for God — Here his zeal's being accounted to him for righteouſneſs, is bringing this high reward upon him. The Chaldee therefore renders it foreign it was counted unto him either for righteouſneſs, or for merit, i. e. for a very rewardable act. So foreign in Chaldee ſignifies both juſt, and worthy, and meritorious; not ſpeaking of perfect righteouſneſs, or ſinleſs merit, but ſuch as God in his goodneſs is pleaſed to reward: and the LXXII. reade foreign, it was reputed to him for righteouſneſs, the phraſe ſo frequently uſed in the New Teſtament for rewarding men richly and infinitely above their merit, yet this as the reward of ſomewhat performed by his faithfull ſervants, which he looks upon with ſpecial favour in the Second Covenant.
V. 33. Spake unadviſedly] How Moſes's fault, which was ſo great as to be puniſhed by God with excluſion from Canaan, is here expreſt by theſe words,foreign foreign he ſpake or pronounced with his lips, is not eaſily reſolved. The word foreign is uſed, Lev. 5.4. and there ſignifies to declare, to pronounce, to ſpeak. Now if it were that he ſpake with his lips onelyonly, but doubted in his heart, when he ſtruck the rock, and ſaid, Shall we fetch you water out of this rock? then this will note his Infidelity; and perhaps the LXXII. may refer to that, reading foreign, he doubted in his lips, i. e. did by his words ſignifie his diffidence. But there is no reaſon that when in the Hebrew here it is onelyonly ſaid, that he ſpake with his lips, we ſhould thence conclude his hearts diſagreeing with his tongue. 'Tis therefore moſt reaſonable, that ſpeaking with his lips being in it ſelf indifferent and innocent, ſhould onelyonly be concluded ill from the influence that the words precedent ſeem to have on it, They provoked his ſpirit, and he ſpake with his lips, i. e. he ſpake paſſionately as one provoked. And then as S. James ſaith, the wrath of man worketh not the righteouſneſs of God, ch. 1.20. ſo here we may conclude of Moſes; God had appointed him to ſpeak to the rock, and it ſhould bring forth water. And he being exaſperated in his ſpirit, put into a paſſion by the people, goes and ſtrikes the rock twice, and ſaith, Hear ye rebels, ſhall we fetch you water out of this rock? This paſſion of his was it ſelf a fault, and diſturb'd him ſo, that it is not to be believed that he could diſcharge that duty now incumbent on him from God, in that manner as he ought to do, with that faith and affiance in God, with that care of ſetting out the power and mercy of God to theſe provokes; and theſe two are the crimes charged on him by God, Numb. 20.12. his unbelief, and his not ſanctifying God in the ſight of the people. This therefore is Moſes his crime here, briefly intimated, not largely ſet down in this verſe, that they provoked his ſpirit, and he ſpake, i. e. he ſpake in a provocation, not as a meek and faithfull ſervant of the Lord, that deſired to glorifie God before the people, ought to have done. And this being here but imperfectly toucht, was left to be explicated by the ſtory where the fact was recorded, and from thence, more than by the words, we may conclude this to be the meaning of this verſe. The Jewiſh Arab here, differently from all others, hath it, becauſe they contradicted his prophecy [which] he ſpake to them in his ſaying.
The End of the Fourth Book.