Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 2 · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Ver. 1. When a man ſhall ſteal, &c.]
THe Perſians at this daie puniſh theft and man-ſlaughter ſo ſeverely, The Preachers Travels by Cartwright.that in an age a man ſhall hardly hear either of the one or the other. The Turk's juſtice will rather cut off two innocent men, then let on thief eſcape.
Ver. 2. If a thief bee found] So if an adultereſs bee taken, as ſhee was. John 8.4. foreign, in the verie theft.
Ver. 3. If the ſun bee riſen] Chaldee hath it, If the eie of witneſſes: if hee can raiſ the town, and call in aid.
Ver. 4. Hee ſhall reſtore double] In Solomon's time it was ſeven-fold. Prov. 6.31.
Ver. 5. To bee eaten] By unadviſed turning in of his cattle, through miſtake or neglect.
Ver. 6. Or the field] The ſtubble.
Ver. 7. Or ſtuff] Heb. Veſſels, inſtruments, ornaments, apparel, furniture, weapons, &c.
Ver. 8. To ſee whether] ſc. by putting him to his oath Ver. 11. Som think that a private oath may bee in ſuch a caſe as this lawfully taken for the ſatisfaction of another, if hee will not otherwiſe bee ſatisfied.
Ver. 9. Before the Judges] Heb. the Gods: So Judges are called, if good eſpecially. Pſal. 82.6. And the ſeat of Judicature is called the holie place. Eccleſ. 8.10.
Ver. 10. Or anie beaſt to keep] As Jacob kept Laban's cattle. Gen. 31.39.
Ver. 11. An oath of the Lord] Who is called in, as a witneſs and as an avenger: how hateful then is that Popiſh proverb and practiſe, Mercatorum eſt, non regum, ſtare juramentis?
Ver. 13. Let him bring it] A leg, or a limb of it, as Amos 3.12.
Ver. 14. And if a man borrow] God hath ſo ordered humane condition that one man muſt bee beholden to another.
Ver. 15. It came for his hire] q. d. Hee ſhall paie the hire onelyonly and no more, though the owner bee not by, when it miſcarrieth.
Ver. 16. Entice a maid] Heb. Over-perſwade with her, by fair words, which make fools fain.
Ver. 17. Hee ſhall paie] No mulct is laid upon her, becauſ ſhee had nothing of her own; and ſhee had loſt her honor, in loſing her virginitie. 1 Theſ. 4.4. See the Note there.
Ver. 18. A witch] An enchantreſs, ſorcereſs, whoſe help was ſomtimes ſought, in inticing young maids to follie. The man-witch alſo is here meant, Vatab.but the woman-witch mentioned; both becauſ women are more inclinable to that ſin; and alſo becauſ the weaker ſex is not to bee ſpared for this fault.Junius.
Ver. 19. Bee put to death] Heb. Put him to die. Gr. kill him with death, as God threatneth to do Jezabel's children. Rev. 2.23.
Ver. 20. Hee ſhall bee utterly deſtroied] As an execrable and accurſed creature.
Ver. 21. Thou ſhalt not vex a ſtranger] The right of ſtrangers is ſo holie (ſaith one) that there was never nation ſo barbarous that would violate the ſame. When Stephen Gardner had in his power the renowned Divine Peter Martyr, Acts and Mon fol. 1783.then teaching at Oxford, hee would not keep him to puniſh him; but when hee ſhould go his waie, gave him wherewith to bear his charges.
Ver. 22. Or fatherleſs childe] With God the fatherleſs findeth merciemercy. Hoſ. 14.3. Widdows and orphans are God's clients taken into his protection.
Ver. 23. And they crie at all unto mee] A vine, whoſe root is uncovered, thrive's not: ſo a widdow, whoſe covering of eies is taken away, Mercer. in Proverb.joie's not. In Hebrew ſhee is called Almanach of Alam to bee dumb; becauſ ſhee hath none to ſpeak for her. But if ſhee call and crie to God, hee will ſpeak for her in the hearts of her oppreſſors.
Ver. 24. Your wives ſhall bee widdows] God delight's to puniſh crueltie in kinde, as hee did in Agag. 1 Sam. 15.33.
Ver. 25. Thou ſhalt not bee to him as an uſurer] Heb. as an exacting creditor, Qui nullum diem gratìs occidere creditori permittit. The uſurer's monie is to neceſſitie, like cold water to a hot ague, that for a time refreſheth, but prolongeth the diſeaſ. [Laie upon him uſurie] Heb. Biting uſurie. Uſurers are men-eaters. Pſalm 14.4. Like pickrels in a pond, or ſharks in the ſea that devour the leſſer fiſhes. Theſe oſtriches can digeſt anie metal, eſpecially monie. Ariſt. Ethic. lib. 4. cap. 1.Ariſtotle in one page condemneth the uſurer and the dicer; and yet ſom Chriſtians bluſh at neither.
Ver. 28. Thou ſhalt not revile the Gods] Blaſpheme dignities. This is blaſphemie in the ſecond Table.Jude 8.
Ver. 29. Thou ſhalt not delaie] True obedience is prompt and preſent, readie and ſpeedie, without demur and conſults, Zech. 5.9. wings and winde in their wings. [On the eighth daie] When a Sabbath had once gon over it, ſaie the Hebrews.
Ver. 30. Holie men] Heb. Men of holineſs, which ſhould run through our whole lives, as the woof doth through the web.