Observations Upon Genesis, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
THE Scripture the word of Knowledge, beginneth with the Story of the Creation, becauſe firſt, the firſt ſtepp towards the knowledge of God is by the Creature, Rom. 1. 20. Secondly, the Story of the Creation pleadeth for the juſtice of God, in planting and diſplacing of Nations as he pleaſeth, ſince the Earth is his owne and he made it. Thirdly, the Reſurrection is taught by the Creation, and the end of the world from the beginning, for God that made that to be, that never was, can much more make that to bee, that hath been before, namely theſe our bodies, Heaven and Earth, Center and circumference created together in …he ſame inſtant, and clouds full of water (not ſuch as we ſee made by evaporation, but ſuch as are called the Windowes or Cataracts of Heaven, Gen. 7. 11. 2 Kings 7. 19. Mal. 3. 10.) created in the ſame inſtant with them, verſ. 2. The earth lay covered with waters, and had not received as yet its perfection beauty and deckage: and that vaſt vacuity that was betweene the convex of thoſe waters, and the concave of the clouds, was filled as it were with a groſſe and great darkneſſe, and the Spirit of God moved the Heavens from the firſt moment of their creation in a circular motion, abo…e and about the earth and waters, for the cheriſhing and preſervation of them in their new be…un being, and verſe 3. Twelve hou…es did ſhe heavens thus move in darkeneſſe, and then God commanded and there appeared light to this upper Horizon, namely to that where Eden ſhould be planted [for fo… that place eſpecially is the ſtory calculated] and th…re did it ſhine other twelve houres, declining by degrees with the motion of the heavens to the other Hemiſphere, where it inlightned other twelve houres alſo, and ſo the firſt naturall day to that part of the world was ſix and thirty houres long, ſ…l…ng wa… Ioſhuaes day, Ioſh 10. And ſo long was our S…v…our clo…ded under death.
V. 6 When the l…ght began to ſet to the Horizon of Eden, & the evening or night of th… 2d. day was come, God commanded that the Ayre ſhould be ſpread out inſtead of that vacuity, which was betwixt the waters upon the Earth, and the waters in …he clouds, and in foure and twenty houres it was accompliſhed, and the Ayre ſpread through the whole univerſe with the motion of the Heavens. In this ſecond dayes worke it is not ſaid as in the reſt that God ſaw it good, becauſe whereas this dayes worke was about ſeperation of waters, they were not perfectedly and fully parted, till the waters which covered the Earth were couched in their channells, which was not till the third day: & there it is twice ſaid that God ſaw it good once for the intire ſeperation of the waters, and againe for the fructification of the ground.
Verſ. 9. In the new created ayre the Lord thundered and rebuked the waters, Pſal. 104. 7. So that they haſted away and fled all weſtward, into the channells which the Lord had appointed for them. And ſtill as they flowed away, and dry land appeared the earth inſtantly brought forth trees and plants in their ſeverall kindes. This production was onelyonly of the bodies and ſubſtances of them, for their verdure and maturity was not till the ſixt day: And now was Eden planted with the bodies of all trees fit for meat and delight, which by the time that Adam is created are laden with leaves and fruit.
Verſ. 14. The Moone and ſome ſtarres created before the Sunne: She ſhone all the night of the fourth day in her full body, and when the Sunne appeared in the morning, then was her light augmented, yet her body obſcured from the World till the ſixt day at even, which was her prime day, and ſhe ſhewed her creſcent and gave light to Adam, who was but newly got at that time out of the darkeneſſe of his fall, by the luſter of the promiſe.
Verſ. 21. Whales onelyonly of all brutes ſpecified by name, to ſhew that even the greateſt of living creatures could not make it ſelfe.
Verſ. 25. Beaſts wild and tame created, and all manner of creeping things, and the World furniſhed with them from about Eden as well as with men: of cleane beaſtes were ſeven created, three couples for breed, and the odd one for Adams ſacrifice upon his fall, but of uncleane onelyonly one couple for the propagation of the kinde.
26 Man created by the Trinity about the third houre of the day, or nine of the clocke in the morning.
CHAP. II. The three firſt verſes, that treate of the inſtitution of the Sabboth, are according to their proper Order of time, to be taken in at the end of the third chapter.
Ʋerſ 4 &c. On the morning of the ſixt day a miſt, that had gone up from the Earth fell downe upon it againe in raine or dew, and watered the Earth, with which watering the trees and plants budded to maturity in a trice: this dew being as a naturall cauſe thereof, yet the effect being withall exceeding ſupernaturall, becauſe ſo ſ…eedy.
Verſ. 7. Of the duſt of the Earth thus watered, God created the body of man, and to this the Pſalmiſt alludeth, The dew of thy youth, Pſal. 110. 3. And into that Earth ſo prepared, he breatheth the Spirit of Life and Grace, Epheſ. 4. 24.
Verſ. 10. Eden watered by a river that overflowed it once a yeare, after the manner of Nylus and Jordan. chap. 13. 10.
To Adam thus created and made Lord of the creature, the Lord himſelfe bringeth the creatures to receive their names, which hee giveth to them agreeable to their natures, and that at the firſt ſight, ſhewing at once his dominion over them, and his wiſedom, among them all he ſeeth no fit match for himſelfe, but by ſeeing every one of them mated, and that they came before him by paires, he is brought to bee ſenſible of his owne want of a fellow: which thereupon God provideth for him out of his owne body of a rib, which part of him might beſt be ſpared. And thus the Creation endeth in the making of the woman.
CHAP. III. The woman thinking it had beene a good Angell that ſpake in the trunk of the Serpent, ſhe entereth communication with the Devill: who perceiving her both to adde and to diminiſh to, and from the Commandement that was given them, groweth the more impudent to tempt, and ſeduceth her by the lust of the fleſh and the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life, as 1. Iohn 2. 16. And ſhee perſwadeth her huſband, and ſo they both are fallen on the very ſame day that they are created, Gen. 9. 1, 2, 3. Pſal. 49. 12.
Chriſt is promiſed before the man and the woman are cenſured: and they are queſtioned alſo before they be ſentenced, but ſo was not Satan, for God had mercy in ſtore for them, but none for him. The curſe is not upon man himſelfe but upon the Earth, to teach him to ſet his affections on things above and not on the curſed ground, and not to look for an earthly Kingdom of Chriſt on this Earth which the Lord hath curſed.
Adam apprehendeth and layeth hold upon the promiſe by Faith, and in evidence of this his faith he calleth his wives name Eve or Life, becauſe ſhee was to be the mother of Chriſt according to the fleſh, by whom life ſhould come; and of all beleevers that by faith ſhould live in him, for an outward ſigne and ſeale of this his Faith, and for a further and more lively expreſſion of the ſame; God teacheth him the rite of ſacrifice, to lay Chriſt dying before his eyes in a viſible figure: And with the skins of the ſacrificed beaſts God teacheth him and his wife to cloath their bodies. And thus the firſt thing that dyeth in the world is Chriſt in a figure.
At the end of this third chapter imagine the three firſt verſes of chapter. 2. concerning the Sabbath to be obſerved, to come in, and ſuppoſe the texture of the ſtory to lye thus. Adam thus fallen, cenſured recovered, inſtructed and expelled Eden on the ſixt day, the next day following he by Gods appointment keepeth for a Sabbath or an holy reſt, and ſpendeth it onelyonly in divine duties. Now the reaſon why it ſtandeth in the place where it doth, chap. 2. Is partly becauſe Moſes would lay the ſeven dayes, or the firſt weeke of the world altogether without interpoſition, and partly becauſe he would ſhew by ſetting it before Adams fall, that had hee perſiſted in innocency, yet muſt he have obſerved a Sabbath.
The ſeventh day or Sabbath is not bounded in the text with the ſame limits that the other dayes are, for it is not ſaid of it as it was of them, The Evening and the Morning were the ſeventh day, becauſe a time ſhould come when it ſhould have a new beginning and end, and though to the Iewes it was from Even to Even yet from the beginning it was not ſo expreſſed.
CHAP. 4. Cain and Abel twinnes of one birth; and firſt was borne he that was naturall, and after he that was ſpirituall.
The faith of Abell appeared in the very materialls of his ſacrifice; it being of ſlaine beaſts and ſo a repreſentation of the death of Chriſt: for this, it is fired from Heaven, and Caines is not, though his drye eares of Corne were materialls farie more combuſtible. Cain and Abell were both their own Prieſts, for it cannot be proved that Sacrifices were ever offered but upon emergent occaſions, till the Law fixed it for a common ſervice: and he that had ſuch an occaſion, had libertie to be his own Prieſt, even under the Law as it appeareth by Gedeon, Manoah, &c. and then much more was that liberty before.
The word Sinne, in verſ. 7. ſeemeth rather to ſignifie an offering or attonement for ſinne then puniſhment: For firſt God commeth not to deject Cain lower then he was, but to raiſe him from his dejection, as it appeareth both by his deigning to give him an Oracle from Heaven, and alſo by the words wherewith he beginneth. Secondly if the words, Sinne lieth at the doore, intend ſuddain Iudgement ready to devoure him, what dependance can the words following have with theſe? If thou doe not well, thou ſhalt certainely be puniſhed, and thy brothers deſire ſhall be ſubject to thee: for this were to threaten poore Abell more, or at leaſt as much as Cain. Thirdly the Originall word Chateath as it ſignifieth Sinne, ſo alſo doth it the ſacrifice for ſinne, as Hoſ. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 21. And all along Leviticus, and it was the cuſtome, according to which Moſes ſpeaketh as beſt knowne, to lay the Sacrifice at the Sanctuary doore.
Verſ. 14. Cain ſenſible of his puniſhment though he was not of his ſinne, beggeth of God, that he might die to eaſe him of it, Therefore let any one that findeth me kill mee, but this God denyeth to him reſerving him to a lingring puniſhment: and Caine being aſſured of long life, giveth himſelfe to all ſenſuality, to ſweeten it as much as he can, and this is the way of Caine, Iud. verſ. 11.
Ver. 23. Lamech in horrour of Conſcience for his Polygamy, which now began to be examplary to the generall corruption of the world, acknowledgeth his ſinne ſeaventie times greater than Cains, and his deſert of puniſhment proportionable: for Cain had ſlaine but one man and but the body, but he by his evill example had killed old and young and their very ſoules: and therefore he maketh his complaint to his two wives that had brought him to it.
CHAP. V. A Chronicle of 1556. yeares: and all the yeares are reckoned compleat but onelyonly Noahs five hundreth yeere, in ver. 32.
Ver. 3. Seth borne in Originall ſinne: the Father of all men in the new world after the floud, Numb. 24. 17.
Ver. 23. Enoch liveth as many yeares as be dayes in a yeare.
Thoſe that lived neerer the floud lived the longer unmarryed becauſe they would not generate many children for the water.
V. 29. Noah a comforter, becauſe in him liberty ſhould be given to the World to eate fleſh.
CHAP. VI. In the generall corruption of the World, Noah the eight perſon in deſcent from Enoch, in whoſe time profaneneſſe began, as 2 Pet. 2. 5. Eſcapeth the abominations and deſolation of the times.
CHAP. VII. VIII. IX. The floud: the Beaſts in the Arke live without enmity, which ſheweth how the words, Gen. 3. 15. about enmity with the Serpent, are to be underſtood, the Serpent and Noah are now friends each to other: this is alluded to, Eſay, 11. 6. 7 Noah is in the Arke juſt a compleate and exact yeere of the Sun, but reckon'd in the text by Lunary Moneths. Vniverſall darkneſſe all the fortie dayes raines. The doore of the Arke under water: The Arke draweth water eleven Cubits. The waters when they came to abate while they lay above the Mountaines, fell but one Cubit in foure dayes, but farre faſter afterward. After their comming out of the Arke for a whole halfe yeer together, Noah and his family, and all the Creatures live upon proviſion that was ſtill in the Arke, for they came out juſt upon the beginning of Winter, when there was neither graſſe corne nor fruits till another ſpring: The forbidding to eate fleſh with the bloud, condemneth the Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation.
CHAP. X. XI. Seventy Nations diſperſed from Babel, but not ſeventy Languages: the fifteene named in Act. 2. were enough to confound the worke, and they may very well bee ſuppoſed to have been the whole number. Sem as he ſtandeth in the front of the Genealogy of the new world, hath neither Father nor Mother named nor beginning of dayes nor end of life. Nahors life is ſhortned for Idolatry.
CHAP. XII. Abraham at 75. yeeres old receiveth the promiſe, and commeth into Canaan and juſt ſo many yeeres did Sem live after Abrahams comming thither and ſo might well be Melchizedeck in chap. 14.
Ver. 6. 7. Abraham buildeth an Altar neere, if not upon mount Gerizim the hill of bleſſing: and verſ 8. Another altar he buildeth neer unto, if not upon mount Ebal, the hill of curſing, Deut 27. And ſo taketh poſſeſſion of the land by faith in the very ſame place, where his ſonnes the Iſraelites did take poſſeſſion of it indeed, Ioſh. 8. 12. &c. 30.
V. 11. When he is ready to enter into Egypt whither famine drave him, as it did his poſterity afterward, hee is afraid of his life in regard of Sarah, who being a white woman would ſoone be taken notice of by the Aegyptians who were blackmoores. This was one mai…e inticement to Ioſephs miſtres to caſt an eye of luſtfulnes upon him, becauſe he was a white man and ſhe a Moore. Of the ſame complexion was Pharaohs daughter whom Solomon tooke to wife: of whom that in the firſt and literall acceptation is to bee underſtood, which ſpiritually is to be applied to the Church, Cant. 1. 5. 6. I am black but comely: and I am black becauſe the Sunne hath looked on mee, and that Pſal. 45. 13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within: for ſhe was a Blackmoore without.
V. 20. Pharaoh plagued for Sarais and Abrahams ſake who was an Hebrew Sheepheard, giveth charge to the Aegyptians, making it as it were a law for time to come, that they ſhould not converſe with Hebrewes nor with forraine Sheepheards, in any ſo neere familiarity as to eat or drinke with them, which the Aegyptians obſerved ſtrictly ever after, Gen. 42. 32. and 46. 34.
CHAP. XIII. Abram and Let quarrell, and part in the valley of Achor: and this is at the very ſame time of the yeare that Iſrael came into the Land, viz. in the firſt monethmonth of the yeare, or Abib,
CHAP. XIV. Noah in the bleſſing of his ſon Sem, maketh him in a ſpeciall manner Lord of the Land of Canaan, Gen. 9. Hither therefore came Sem, and built a City, and called it after his owne peaceable condition Salem: here he reigned as a King, but ſo quietly and retiredly as that he was a Prieſt alſo. In this ſequeſtration of the father from worldly cares and affaires, Elam his eldeſt ſon and heire apparent, though he were ſeated farre diſtant in the Eaſt, yet it concerneth him to have an eye to Canaan, and how matters goe there, for the land by bequeſt of his grand-father Noah, deſcended to him as by the common law. This title bringeth Chedorlaomer an heire of Elam from Perſia into Canaan, when the five Cities of the plaine rebell. Into this warre he taketh three partners younger brothers of the Houſe of Sem, Amraphel of Arphaxad, King of Chaldea, Arioch of Lud, King of Ellaſar bordering upon Babylonia and Tidal of Aſſur King of Nations, and late built Niniveh. Theſe foure thus banded together and all children of Sem, and all in claime of his land againſt the uſurping Canaanite, are reſolved to march over and ſo they doe, all that Country both within Iordan and without. Their firſt inrode is upon the Rephaims that lay moſt North and lay firſt in their way; and ſo over run, the Zuzims in Ammon, Emims in Moab, Horites or Hivites that were Troglodytes or dwelt in the rocky Caves of Mount Seir in Edom, as Ier. 49. 10. Obad. ver. 3. And all the Canaanites South-Eaſt and full South to Hazezon Tamar a point below the dead Sea: There they turne in to the land of Canaan properly ſo called, and as they had ſubdued all the Countries from North to South without Iordan, ſo now they intend to doe from South to North within. And ſo they did: but when they were come to Dan the North out-going of the land, Abram overtaketh them and conquereth the conquerours, and now he is doubly titled to the land, namely by promiſe and by victory. This Sem or Melchizedeck obſerveth upon his returne with triumph, and perceiveth that it was he and his poſterity to whom the Lord had deſigned that Land in the prophetick ſpirit of Noah, and had refuſed the heires that were more apparent in common law and reaſon: and therefore hee bringeth forth bread and wine the beſt fruites of the land, and tenders them as livery and ſeiſin of it, to him, whom he perceived that God had choſen and pointed out for the right heire.
CHAP. XV. All feare of claime by any of Sems ſonnes was now paſt, becauſe of the late conqueſt, but onelyonly of Aram the youngeſt, who had no chalengers or children, in the warre of him was Eliezer deſcended who was Abrams chiefe ſervant, and where is the title by Sems reſignation, was to deſcend to Abram and his heires, Eleazer was like to bee next if Abram had no child of his owne. When this jealouſie ſomewhat troubleth Abram, God removeth it by the promiſe of a ſonne of his owne Loynes: and by a Covenant with ſacrifice, even of all manner of creatures that were to be ſacrificed.
CHAP. XVI. Abram aſſured of a ſon of his owne body (but not whether by Sarah or not) taketh Hagar to compaſſe the promiſe, ſhe wearied out by Sarai's ſtrictneſſe, is travailing to her own Country Aegypt, and by the way hath a viſion of the Angell of the Covenant, which was ſtrange to her to have viſios out of Abrams houſe: therefor ſhe called the name of the Lord that ſpake unto her; Thou art the God of viſion: for ſhe ſaid, did I here alſo looke after a viſion, in a place ſo far diſtant from Abrams family? and the well alſo where hee ſpake unto her was called, The well of the lively one of viſion.
CHAP. XVII. Circumciſion inſtituted in Hebron, and about the time of Eaſter the place and time of the year where and when the Baptiſt was borne, who was to bring in Baptiſme inſtead of circumciſion. Abram and Sarah upon Circumciſion ſaith Rabbi Plenahem, were as new creatures, and therefore alſo muſt they have new names.
CHAP. XVIII. The three Perſons in the Trinity in the ſhape of 3. men appeare to Abraham and dine with him, and eate the First fleſh that is mentioned eaten in all the Scripture Abraham beggeth for Sodom till he thought he had bin gotten within the compaſſe of righteous ones in Lots family, and then he ceaſeth.
CHAP. XIX. The Son and the Holy Ghoſt come into Sodome to deſtroy it, and now they are called Angells, becauſe they were ſent, by the Father, Lots wife is ſtruck dead with lightning, and ſtiffened and fixed in the place where ſhe ſtood, and of a ſalt and brackiſh ſmell, and therefore called a pillar of ſalt: Sodom deſtroyed by a ſtrange fire, and the memoriall of ſo great a Iudgement preſerved to this day by as ſtrange a water; Iordan before that time had an iſſue further, but from that time it pleaſed God to ſtop it, and to lay that valley up on a fatall poole. Lot had two Daughters at the leaſt that periſhed in the fire and brimſtone, as well as he had two that eſcaped. It is obſervable how ſoon after the inſtitution of Circumciſion thoſe Cities c…me to deſtruction, which ſo hideouſlly abuſed that member, wherein the Covenant for the land was ſealed.
CHAP. 20. 21. Abraham flitteth into the land of the Philiſtims, that Iſaac might bee borne out of the land of Cannaan properly ſo called for the greater myſtery to his birth. God himſelfe commeth in viſible forme, as c. 18. Sarah hath once a greater meaſure of the Spirit of Propheſie then Abraham, namely in the matter of caſting out the bondwoman and her ſon. There is good probability of Iſmaels ſalvation. Abraham conſecrateth a grove at Beerſheba, that he might have hallowed wood, for his ſacrificing fires, as well as holy fire for his ſacrifices.
Chap. 22. Abraham paſſed through ten temptations, and the ſacrificing of his ſonne the laſt and greateſt.
Chap. 23. When Rebeccahs ſun is riſen in the laſt chap. Sarah ſets in this. The firſt foot of land, and all the land that Abraham hath in Canaan in poſſeſſion is onelyonly a place of buriall: God by this very thing drawing him, and his to looke after the ſpirituall part of the promiſe.
Chap. 25. At what time Abraham married Keturah is uncertaine: the text hath laid it after Iſaacs marriage, becauſe it was fit that all the actions of Abraham which any whit concerned the promiſe, ſhould be handled firſt and together, before the other which either did not at all or did it the leſſe. But that Abraham was married to this woman, long before Iſaacs marriage or Sarahs death, is probable upon theſe conjectures. 1. He that held it ſtrange to have a ſon at an hundred yeeres old, it is not like he would marry at an hundred and forty. 2. In c. 24. 36. when the ſervant is to make the match for Iſaac, he ſaith that Abraham had given all his eſtate to Iſaac, which had bin unneceſſary to mention, had he had no more children but Iſmael who was gone from his houſe long before.
Abrahams diſpoſing of his ſons into the Eaſt Countries or Arabia, was not upon uſurpation, but upon juſt claime by conqueſt, c. 14. All theſe countries were of the land of Canaan, & of the promiſe and therefore are circumciſed ones ſeated in them inſtead of Canaanites.
When the text hath recited theſe ſons of Abraham and their ſettlement, it bringeth him and Iſmael to their graves: Not that they died before the birth of Iacob, and Eſau as the text hath laid it, for Abraham lived till they were fifteen yeeres old, and Iſmael till they were at their climactericall yeer of 63. but now hath Moſes no more to ſay of them, and therefor he concludeth their ſtory at once. Eſau borne all hairy over like a kid, but of a reddiſh colour, and therefore they called him Eſau, Factus, made, and perfected already as having both his beard and pubes as ſoone as he was borne.
In a ſore yeere of famine in the land, Eſau ſelleth his birthright for want of meate.
Chap. 26. The famine that had cauſed him to part with his birth-right cauſeth Iſaac his father to part out of the land of Canaan. The Philiſtims Africans by deſcent Gen. 10. 14. and tawny like them) doe ſoone eſpy the beauty of Rebeccah a white woman.
Chap 27. Iſaac being arrived at the age of 137. yeeres, at what age Iſmael his brother had died, by his example, beginneth to thinke of his own death, and to diſpoſe himſelfe for that. He ſendeth Eſau to hunt for veniſon for a triall, whether he ſhould bleſſe him or no, for miſſing of veniſon before, hee had loſt his birth-right, and if he miſſe to day as he did then, it would be a ſure ſigne that he muſt loſe the bleſsing: And ſo though Iſaac had paſſed away the maine bleſsing at unawares, yet when Eſau commeth home ſped of a prey, he ſeeth that it was the will of God he ſhould have ſome bleſsing, and ſo bleſſed him alſo. Eſaus garment, in which Iacob obtained the bleſsing, were the garments of the Prieſthood which belonged to the firſt borne.
Chap. 29 30. Iacob stronger then three men, and rolleth away the ſtone from the wells mouth alone, which they could not doe with all their ſtrength united he is deceived by Laban by a ſuborned perſon, and imbraced Leah thinking hee had imbraced Rahel, as he deceived his father by a ſuborned perſon, taking on him to be Eſau when he was Jacob: He ſerveth in hardſhip in his marriage weeke, & bringeth feſtivity to other; but labour to himſelfe; Ioſeph, Zebulun and Aſher were in their mothers wombes at the ſame time, but Ioſeph borne laſt, Dinah was not borne in theſe ſeven yeeres unleſſe ſhe were a twin with Zebulun. Reuben about five yeeres old following the reapers findeth Mandrakes and bringeth the Apples thereof to his mother, for which poore rate Iacob is in manner ſold for a time by Rahel.
Chap. 31. Rahel ſte…leth Labans Teraphim for a civill uſe: to preſerve the memory of ſome of her anceſtors whereof they were the pictures, and which Laban had impiouſly Idolized.
Chap. 32. Iacob for diſtruſt in the promiſe ſo farre upon Eſaus approach that he ſendeth him above a thouſand cattell of all ſorts of which he had vowed the tithes to the Lord, and before he paid them, is met by the way by the Lord, and in danger to be killed by him: but by prayer and ſupplication he prevaileth with the Lord, and eſcapeth onelyonly with a lame leg. This lameneſſe of Iacob was not reputed to him for a m…ime, but like the honourable ſcars of a valiant Captaine, for a ſpeciall dignity. For at Bethel he exerciſeth the part and office of a Prieſt, which if his halting had bin reputed for a maime he had been diſabled to doe, and his poſterity in all ſucceeding ages, reſerve the honourable memory of this his lameneſſe, in not eating the ſinew that ſhranke. That was the first Cereremonie that diſtinguiſhed Iſrael for a peculiar people, becauſe with this his lameneſſe Iacob is firſt dignified with the name of Iſrael. Circumciſion differenced them not from the other ſeed of Abraham, by Hagar and Keturah, but this curioſity in meates firſt beginneth Iudaiſme. They refrained not to eat the joynt where the ſinew was, as a leg of Mutton or of Beefe, for the legs of the Paſſeover were to be eaten, Exod. 12. 10. but they ſpared the ſinew. And that not in abomination or abhorring of it, but in honour and ſpeciall reſpect, becauſe it bare the memoriall of their firſt naming Iſrael: The portion of meat that Elkanah gave to his beloved Hannah, Manah Ahhath Appaijna the portion of repreſentation may not unfitly be underſtood of this joynt and the ſame peece of the meat did Samuel reſerve from for Saul, in honour, The Cooke tooke up the leg, 1 Sam. 9. 24.
Chap. 33. 34. Shechem an Hivite by originall, c. 34. 2. is an Amorite by habitation c. 48. 22. So Anah the Hivite by deſcent, c. 36. 2. Beeri the Hittite by habitation in one place, c. 26. 36. and an Horite by habitation in another, chap. 36. 30. 24.
Iudah was not at the murder at Shechem, but at Chezib upon the borders of the Philiſtims, married and reſident there, many miles diſtant.
Chap. 35. The Proſelytes of Shechem admitted to Iacobs family by Baptiſme, for circumciſion to the Shechemites was become deadly.
Benjamin borne by the ſtrength of the promiſe, v. 11. for Iacob was now paſt the naturall vigor of generating, and therefore he juſtly calleth his name Benjamin, the ſon of the right hand.
Chap. 36. Strange alteration of names in this chapter, from what they are in others, Iudith chap. 26. 34. called Aholibamah becauſe of her Idolatry. Anah her father, chap 36. 2. an Hivite by originall, is Beeri an Hittite chap. 26. 34. becauſe he dwelt among them about Beer-la-hai-roi. Baſhemath c. 26. 34. is Adah here, to ſhew Gods diſlike againſt Eſaus matches Mahalath, is Paſhemath to ſhew the Canaanitiſh qualities of a daughter of Iſmael.
Compare this genealogy in this chapter with the ſame in 1. Chron. 1. and Timna which is here a woman and a mans concubine, is there made that mans ſonne, for the Scripture uſeth to ſpeake ſhort in knowne ſtories.
Chap. 37. When the text hath diſpatched with Eſau the hater of his brother that loſt his birth-right by his own fault, it falleth upon Ioſeph the hated of his brethren, that obtained the birth-right by the fault of another. Hee feeding the flocks with his brethren joyneth in company with the ſonnes of the handmaides, for Leahs children cared little either for them or him. Among them where he thought to have reſpect, hee found hardſhip for they made him as their ſlave or ſervant, Vehu nagnar, and he was a ſervant with the ſonnes of Bilhah and zilpah, ver. 2. This evill report of his brethrens uſage of him he told his father, whereupon he made him acoate of divers colours as abadge of the birth-right which his father intended to conferre upon him, that his brethren for this ſhould reſpect him the more. But this procureth their greater hatred, Reuben only excepted who ſought his good though hee had gotten his birth-right, which ſheweth that the inceſtuous man was now become a penitent and holy.
Chap. 38. Iudah puniſhed in his children and his owne ſhame for the ſale of his righteous brother. He was married about eight yeeres before Ioſeph was ſold, being then not above twelve yeeres of oge if he were ſo much. Therefore the words in the beginning of the chap. At that time, have not ſo much any reference to the exact time of Judahs marriage, as to the miſcarriage of Er and Onan, which befell not long after Ioſeph was ſold, and ſo teach of his requitall in his children for the ſale of his righteous brother.
Chap. 39. 40. 41. Ioſeph made a ſlave: his Blackmoore miſtreſſe luſteth after his beauty and whiteneſſe. By the interpretation of other mens dreames he is promoted as by the relating of his owne he was ſold into miſery. Pharaoh giveth him a new name after their Oracular God Baal Zephon, Zophuath-Paanea.
Chap. 42. Ioſephs words foreign v. 15. 16. not an oath by the Creature bnt an apprecation and prayer for Pharaohs life: So let Pharaoh live as ye are ſpies as Lev: 25. 36. helpeth to explain the verb.
Chap. 47. Pharaoh having never ſeene ſo old a man as Jacob, nor ſo grave a head nor ſo gray a beard in all his life, in admiration asketh him no other queſtion but concerning his age.
Chap. 48. The birth right which Iacob intended for Ioſeph before his ſale is conferred and confirmed upon him, when Ephraim and Manaſſeh are taken by him for his ſons, as Reuben & Simeon: and hence came Ephraim to be firſt borne among the tribes, and therefore Moſes choſeth Ioſhua one of that tribe for their conductor into Canaan.
Chap. 49. Iacob bleſſeth every one of the Tribes v. 28. therefore in his words to Reubē Simeonō & Levi which are the moſt bitte…, we muſt find a bleſſing or we loſe his ſēce. His words alſo concern the futur events of the Tribs, as much or more then the twelve Patriarks that ſtood before him. v. 1. Theſe ground-workes being then thus laid for the underſtanding of theſe his laſt words as neceſſarily they mnſt, let it bee tolerated to touch upon ſome of them of the moſt difficulty, as farre as Grammaticall conſtruction, and truth of hiſtory will warrant and juſtifie.
Reuben thou art my first born, my might & the beginning of my strength. there is a remnant of dignity for thee, and a remnant of ſtrength: For ſo the word foreign ſignifieth many times in the Bible, and ſo was Reuben dignified in leading the Van in the warres of Canaan, Ioſh. 4. 12. And ſo had he a reſidue of ſtrength in being frontier againſt the Hagarens, 1 Chron. foreign Ne relinquas foreign Venditionis ſipſorum.5. 10.
V. 4. Ʋnſtable as water in affecting the Prieſthood. Num. 16. 1. 2. and in refuſing of the land of promiſe, Num. 32. foreign Leave no remnant of thine inſtability, &c.
Ʋ. 5 Simeon and Levi brethren, their traffickings are inſtruments of cruelty for their pretence of trading with Shechem they made an inſtrument to execute their bloodineſſe▪
duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page V. 6. For in their anger they ſlew a man, as for their will they would bough an oxe. For they uſed circumciſion, as a means to maſter & murder me, as if they ſhould have cut the ſinews of an oxe to bring him under to their will. V. 13. Zebulon ſhall dwell at the haven of the Seas: the Sea of Galilee or the lake of Genezaret Eaſt, & the Sea of Phaenicia or the Mediterrania North-Weſt. V. 14. Iſſachar is an Aſſ. of bone couching down between two burdens of the Kingdome of Phaenicia on the one ſide, and the Kingdome of Samaria on the other. V. 22. Ioſeph is a ſonne of fruitfulnes, his fruitfulnes in ſons ſhall be by the well: In Daughters it goeth even to the Enemy. This Interpretation of that part of Ioſephs bleſſing be referred to the cenſ…re of the learned Reader as conjectured at, rather thē boldly averred, & that upon theſe conſiderations. Firſt that there is a plain Antitheſis betwixt Ben & Bavoth, and therefore is to be conſtrued accordingly of ſon▪ & daughters. Secondly, that the word Ben is by his place in regimine, but by his vowel not, ſo is Porah by his laſt letter in regimine, but not by his place: & therefore both of them to be rendered ſomething anſwerable to this their double conditiō, Ben-Porath Ioſeph is a ſon of fruitfulnes, here they have the due of their place, and Porath Ben fruitfulnes of ſons: here they have the due of their vowels and letters. Thirdly, that Porath alſo is to be underſtood in the latter clauſe, Porath Bavoth fruitfulnes in daughters. Fourthly, that Shur ſignifieth natively in Hebrew an Enemy pſ. 92. 12. and it is but from the Chaldee idioms that it betokeneth a wall. Ioſephs fruitfulnes in ſons then did chiefly ſhew it ſelf by the well of Shechem where Ioſhua of Ioſeph aſſembleth all the tribes as Prince over them, & there alſo Ieroboā of Ioſeph raiſeth up that houſe to a Kingdome. From theſe words of Iacob the inhabitants of Sychar had their warrant to maintaine, that their well was Iacobs well & that his ſons & cattell drank of it. For it might not have bin digged of a 1000. yeers after Iacob was dead & gone, for ought any Samaritane alive could tell, if he fetched not his authority from theſe words of Iacob; who having given that portien of ground to Ioſeph. Gen. 48. 22. doth here intimate that there was a well in it, & beſides that well in his houſe ſhould riſe to honour. His fruitfulneſſe by daughters you may ſee in Iudg. 21. where the daughters of Iabeſh Gilead and of Shiloh both of Ioſeph make up the breach of an hoſtile tribe the tribe of Benjamin, or elſe it had decayed.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Lightfoot, Observations Upon Genesis (1642)