Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 2 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Ver. 1. Then ſang Moſes]
PReſently upon the deliverance, whiles their hearts were hot, and the merciemercy freſh. No part of the thank-offering might bee kept unſpent till the third day. Beneſits ſoon grow ſtale, and putreſie, as fiſh.
Ver. 2. I will prepare him an habitation] Or I will adorn him, I will give him ornaments and trimmings. Such God account's our poor praiſes.
Ver. 3. The Lord is a man of war] Yea hee alone is a whole Armie of men, Van and Rere both. Iſai. 52.12. Hee ſend's the ſword. Ezek. 14.17. Muſter's the men. Iſai. 13.4. Order's the ammunition▪ Jer. 50.25. Give's the victorie; Whence hee is here ſtyled by the Chaldee. The Lord and Victor of wars.
Ver. 4. In the red ſea] So called haply from that red man Eſau or Edom, who uſurped the dominion of that ſea, now called Sinus Arabicus.
Ver. 5. As a ſtone] So ſhall Rome. Rev. 15.5.
Ver. 6. Hath daſhed in pieces] It is a fearful thing to fall into the puniſhing hands of the living God. Heb. 10.31. For who knoweth the power of his anger? Pſal. 90.11.
Ver. 7. That roſe up againſt thee] Becauſ againſt thine. There is a league offenſive, and defenſive, betwixt God and his people.
Ver. 8. And with the blaſt] In celebrating God's favors, wee muſt bee punctual and particular.
Ver. 9. The enemie ſaid I will] They made account all was their own, but were ſoon confuted, as were likewiſe Siſera, and Sennacherib. Where the begining of a buſineſs is con…idence, the end is conſuſion.
Ver. 10. Thou did'ſt blow, &c.] Here it was that the Arm of the Lord put on ſtrength to cut Rahab, and wound the dragon. Iſai. 51.9.
Ver. 11. Who is like thee] One of the moſt ſtately deſcriptions of God that is found in holy-writ. God is to bee magnified: Wee muſt make room for him.
Ver. 12. The earth ſwallowed them] That is the ſea, which compaſſeth the earth about as a girdle: God having ſet the ſolid earth upon the liquid waters. See Jon. 2.6. Pſal. 24.2.
Ver. 13. Ʋnto thy holie habitation] Canaan where God choſe to dwell. This Hee is ſaid alreadie to have don, becauſ hee would certainly do it. God's promiſes are his performances, and everie former merciemercy a pledg of a future.
Ver. 14. Sorrow ſhall take hold] So it did. 1 Sam. 4.8. [Then the Dukes of Edom] See Deut. 2.4.
Ver. 15. The mightie men] See it fulfilled. Num. 22.3. [ſhall melt] So they did. Ioſh. 2.9, 10, 11.
Ver. 16. Till thy people paſs over] Over Jordan (as now they have don over the red ſea,) into Canaan.
Ver. 17. Of thine inheritance] provided and purchaſed by thee for thy firſt-born, Iſraël.
Ver. 18. The Lord ſhall reign] Gaudeo quòd Christus Dominus eſt: alioqui totus deſperâſſem, write's Miconius to Calvin, upon the view of the Churches enemies. The Lord Chriſt reigneth. Or elſ I had been out of all hope of better.
Ver. 19. For the horſ of Pharaob] A good ſoul is altogether unſatisfiable in ſanctifying God's name, and ſetting forth his goodneſs. Should I do nothing elſ all the daies of my life (ſaid that Martyr) yea as long as the daies of heaven ſhall laſt, Act. & Mon.but kneel on my knees and repete David's Pſalms, yet ſhould I fall infinitely ſhort of what I ow to God.
Ver. 20. And Miriam] Souls have no ſexes: And if ſouls follow the temperament of their bodies (as Philoſophie ſaith they do) womens bodies conſiſt of rater roomes, of a more exact compoſition then mens do.
Ver. 21. Sing yee to the Lord] This ſeem's to have been the burden of the ſong: as Pſal. 136.1.
Ver. 22. And found no water] Thirſt and bitterneſs was their firſt handſel in their voiage.
Ver. 23. They could not drink] Water they now had, but what the better? God can give us bleſſings, but with ſuch a tang, that wee ſhall have no great joie of them.
Ver. 24. Seneca.Murmured againſt Moſes] Hee muſt bear the blame of all. Publick perſons are ſure to have an ill life of it. Qui vitaverit culpam, non effugit infamiam.
Ver. 25. Shewed him a tree] A type of Chriſts ſweet croſs, and eaſie yoke, that ſweetneth and facilitateth all our light afflictions.
Ver. 26. And ſaid if thou, &c.] This God premiſeth as a preface to the law, to bee ſhortly after given in Sinai. [I am the Lord that healeth thee] Both on the inſide, by forgiving all thine iniquities, and on the outſide, by healing all thy diſeaſes. Pſal. 103. I am Jehovah the Phyſician. And omnipotenti medico nullus inſanabilis occurrit morbus. Iſidor.To an Almightie Phyſician no diſeaſ is uncurable.
Ver. 27. And they came to Elim] The Heathens ſlandered the Jews, Corn. Tacit. Annal. l. 12.that they found theſe fountains by the means of certain aſſes that guided them: Whence they are called Aſinarij by Molon and Appion of Alexandria; who affirmed that for this cauſ the Jews worſhipped the golden head of an aſs, &c.