Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 10
II. SAMVEL.
CAP. I.
9 Stand upon me, I pray thee, and slay me; for anguish (or my coate of male) hindered me, that my life is yet whole in me.DOe thou put me out of paine, in killing of me; for though I have offered to do this dispatch upon my selfe, yet the coat of male which is upon me; hath hindred my weapon from freely entring into my body; So as my life is yet (to my sorrow) left whole, and entire in me.
18 Also he bad thē teach the children of Iudah the use of the bow; behold it is written in the booke of Iasher.Upon too good experience of the advantage which the Philistims had of Israel by the skill in shooting, he caused the men of Judah to be trained up in the use of the bow; as it is also recorded in the civill Annalls of Judah.
Let there upon you no fruitfull fields,21 Nor fields of offerings. that may yeeld offerings of first fruits, and tithes unto the Tabernacle of God.
CAP. II.
LEt the young men arise, and skirmish before us.14 Let them arise and play before us.
Dost thou not consider that the remembrance of so much Israelitish blood shed by their brethren will be once grievous unto thee?26 Knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the later end.
As the Lord liveth,27 As the Lord liveth, unlesse thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother. thou art the onelyonly cause of this bloodshed; for if thou hadst not made that challenge, and provoked us thereby to fight, surely in the morning the people had peaceably departed, without giving any blow to their brethren.
CAP. III.
AM I so base a person in thine eyes,8 Am I a dogges head? that thou shouldst thinke fit to charge me in this challenging fashion.
Did Abner die,33 Dyed Abner as a foole dieth? as cowards or malefactors are wont to doe.
Their hands use to be bound, and their feet fettered;34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters; as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. and so they are forced to undergoe a foreseene death; it was not so with thee, O Abner; thy hands and thy feet were free; as the valiantest man may be surprized by the violence of a wicked enemie, so wert thou surprized, and slaine.
CAP. V.
THis our Citie is so defenced of it selfe,6 Except thou take away the blinde and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither. that we care not for all thy forces; and if there were none but the blinde and the lame, impotent persons in it, thou shalt never be able to take it; those very blinde and lame doe boldly defie thee.
Because they had said (even the blind and the lame in a presumption of their strength of their forts had said) He shall not come into the city,8 Wherefore they said; (or as the margin, because they said, even) the blind and the lame, &c. or enter into our houses.
CAP. VI.
7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah.ANd the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, for his presumption in touching the Arke, which should have beene carried on the shoulders of sacred persons, not on a Cart, as the Philistims had placed it; and, though it might be carried by the sonnes of Levi, yet might it not be touched by them.
14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might, and David was girded with a linnen Ephod.And David testified the joy of his heart, by the vehement and cheerefull motions of his body, in a grave and holy manner, dancing before the Arke of God: and for the more freedome and ease of that motion, had girded a linnen garment close about him.
20 Who uncovered himselfe to day in the eyes of the handmaids of thy servants.Who casting off the robes of Majestie (which would have become his person, and this action,) and, arraying himselfe basely, exposed himselfe and his gestures to the scorne and derision, even of boyes and girles in the street.
23 Had no child untill the day of her death.Michal was punished with barrennesse all the dayes of her life.
CAP. VII.
14 I will chasten him with the rod of men.IF he offend me, I will chastise him gently and favorably, as loving parents use to correct their dearest children.
15 My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took if from Saul, whom I put away before thee.I will not utterly take away the kingdome from his posteritie, as I tooke it from Saul, to give it unto thee; but will perpetuate it spiritually to thy seed.
CAP. VIII.
2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keepe alive.HE subdued the countrey of Moab, and divided it out, as he thought good; casting downe their cities; and so proportioning his execution, that he put to death two parts of the inhabitants, and suffered one third part at the least, to live, and become tributary.
CAP. IX.
7 Thou shalt eate bread at my table continually.THou shalt be provided for, upon my charge, all thy life long.
CAP. X.
THat they had made themselves odious unto David,6 Saw that they stanke before David. in offering so soule an affront to his ambassadors.
CAP. XI.
IN the turning of the yeare, even in the spring-time,1 After the yeare was expired, at the time when Kings goe forth to battell. when Kings are wont to draw their forces out of the garrison into the field.
CAP. XII.
HE that did this thing hath well deserved death.5 He that hath done this thing shall surely die, or, is the sonne of death.
I give into thy power and command thy masters house, and thy masters wives; both the persons & houses,8 I give thee thy masters house, and thy masters wives into thy bosome, &c. and substance, that pertained to Saul, to beat thy disposing.
The chiefe officers of his house.17 The elders of his house.
And he called his name Jedidiah, Beloved of God, because of that gracious word of promise, and acceptance,25 And he called his name Iedidiah, because of the Lord. which the Lord had formerly spoken concerning him. 2 Sam. 7.14.15. &c.
And he put them to very sore and painefull deaths,31 And put them under sawes, and under harrowes of yron, and under axes of yron, and made them passe thorow the bricke kilnes. upon the command of God, causing them be sawne to death, and to be torne with harrowes of yron, and hewne with axes, and, as they had beene guilty of burning their children in the fire to Molech, so he caused them to be used, burning them in the bricke kilne.
CAP. XIII.
EVery one that heares it will condemne thee of great wickednesse, and folly, in that, by this lewd act,13 Thou shalt be as one of the fooles in Israel. thou wilt cast thy selfe out of the likelihood of succeeding in the kingdome of Israel.
He is thy brother, and therefore,20 He is thy brother, regard not this thing. though he of all other should not have done this villany to thee, yet since he hath done it, have thou so much respect to the honor of our blood, and family, as not to prosecute it against him.
CAP. XIV.
9 My Lord O King, the iniquitie be on me and on my fathers house; and the King and his throne be guiltlesse.IF there be ought amisse in forbearing to execute revenge upon the offender, I take it wholly upon my selfe; thou, O King, and thy throne shall be herein guiltlesse.
14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up againe; because he hath not taken away his life, he hath also devised meanes that his banished be not expelled from him.Our very life consists in his, and we are vtterly lost, if such an hope of succession be rigorously cut off; which, it is a signe that God would have continued, in that he hath not (all this while of his banishment) taken him away, but hath now made this meanes unto thee for his restoring.
According to the ordinary weight of the Shekel in civill use of trade, every Shekel weighing two drams, and sixteene graines.26 After the Kings Shekel.
CAP. XV.
19 Abide thou with the King.ABide thou with this King that would be; this usurper Absalom. So also verse, 35.
CAP. XVI.
10 So let him curse; Because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David.THe Lord hath for my triall and affliction thought good to make vse of this mans tongue, to revile, and curse me; which though it be a sinne in this wicked man, yet it is most wisely and justly ordered of God, for my humiliation, and exercise of my patience.
12 It may be the Lord will looke upon mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day.It may be that the Lord will have pitie upon my sorrow, and aggravated affliction; and will gratiously reward my patient suffering with a blessing, in stead of those curses which are throwne at me, this day.
23 Was as if a man had enquired of the Oracle of God.The counsell of Achitophel was held so wise, so certaine, so succesfull, as if it had comne from the very oracle of God.
CAP. XVII.
3 The man whom thou seekest, is as if all returned, so all the people shall bee in peace.IT is but one man whom thou seekest; if he were taken away (which I shall this night undertake to doe) all will be quiet; all the people will returne to thee in peace.
9 When some of them be ouerthrowne at the first that whosoever heareth it will say, &c.When some of thy men shall be discomfited in the first encounter, the rest will be, with the noise thereof, disheartened.
He returned home and made his will, and,23 Home to his house, to his city, and put his houshold into order, and hanged himselfe. as one that tooke care for all things, save his soule, when that was done, hanged himselfe.
CAP. XVIII.
ANd the wood by reason of the thickets, and ditches,8 And the wood devoured more people that day, then the sword devoured. and pits that were in it, was the occasion, tha… more were slaine, then could have beene slaine in an open field upon a cleare pursuite, by the sword of the enemie.
And his head was caught fast within the graines of a spreading oke,9 And his head caught hold of the oake, and hee was taken up betweene the heaven and the earth, and the Mule that was under him went away. and thus (his Mule running from under him) he was hanged betwixt heaven and earth.
For he said; Those two sons which I had are now dead, & I have no meanes to keepe a remēbrance of my name;18 For he said; I have no sonne to keepe my name in remembrance; & he called the pillar by his owne name. this pillar therefore shall remaine for a monument of mee.
CAP. XIX.
GOe say to Amasa; Art not thou my neare kinsman,13 And say ye to Amasa: Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God doe so to mee and more also, if thou bee not captaine of the host before me continually, in the roome of Ioab. my sisters sonne; of the same flesh & blood with me; as I looke for any favour from God, or would avoid his heaviest judgements, my full purpose and resolution is, that thou shalt bee the Generall of all my forces; during thy life, in the stead of Joab; whom upon the just reason of his murders and insolency, I have decreed to discard.
Doe not I know that this is the day wherein I am restored unto, and setled in the Kingdome of Israel.23 Doe not I know that I am this day King over Israel.
Trouble not thy selfe about these matters; I have in my first sentence set an order in these affaires,29 Why speakest thou any more of these matters? I have said, thou and Ziba divide the lands. which I doe still decree to make good; that Ziba should till, and husband those lands to thy use, so as he may receive one moity of the profits for his labour, and the rest may accrew unto thee, whom I have made the Lord of them.
CAP. XX.
SO the men of Israel, taking advantage of that emulation which was betwixt them, and the men of J…h,2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the sonne of Bichri. fell off from their lawfull King, and followed Sheba the sonne of Bichri.
They said in the beginning of this warre;18 Then she spake saying; They were wont to speake in old time, saying; They shall surely aske counsell at Abel, and so they ended the matter. surely they will treat with the men of Abel, for peace, according to the charge which God hath given in his Law; which if you had done, this businesse had beene at an end.
CAP. XXI.
ANd Saul thought to slay the Gibeonites, in a misgrounded zeale to the children of Israel,2 And Saul sought to slay them in his zeale to the children of Israel and Iudah. and Judah; in that …e desired to free the land of all that were strangers in blood; according to the mis-applied charge which they had of old received from God; and to put it clearely into the hands of the Israelites.
CAP. XXII.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled, the foundations of heaven moved and shooke becaus… hee was wroth.GOd did by manifest tokens declare his power, and his gracious will, to deliver me; and to avenge mine enemies; he caused the earth therefore to tremble and shake; and the very heavens seemed to be moved in the sense of his heavy displeasure against my adversaries.
9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured, coales were kindled by it.He gave testimonies of his fury, and indignation against mine enemies; so vehement was his wrath, that even smoake seemed (to speake after the manner of men) to come out of his nostrills, and so hot a fire out of his mouth, that even coales were kindled by it.
This lower part of the heaven was so affected, as if God had in the demonstration of his power,10 He bowed the heavens also & came downe; and darknesse was under his feet. come down into it; and (if we may describe him by our weake humane representations;) under his feet, in the lowest region of his ayre there was a palpable darknesse.
11 He rode upon a Cherub and did flie; and hee was seene upon the wings of the winde.He used the ministration of his Angells, and of his windes to exhibite his powerfull presence unto men; and in them was this mighty power acknowledged.
And, as we men are wont by tents and pavilions to shelter our selves from the view of others,12 He made darknesse pavilions round about him, darke water and thicke cloudes of the skies. so did he cast darknesse, and thick cloudes round about the place of his appearance.
Then the Lord sent abroad his flashes of lightnings, with the flames whereof much combustible matter was consumed.13 Through the brightnesse before him were coales of firekindled.
He sent out his thunderbolts out of his clouds, as arr…wes from his bow.15 He sent out arrowes.
He delivered me from many troubles, and persecutions, which as some deepe and violent waters would have drowned me.17 He drew me out of many waters.
I was sound, and sincere in my intentions,24 I was also upright before him, and have kept my selfe from mine iniquity. and carriages before him; and have, by his grace, kept my selfe free from giving full scope to those sinnes, whereto I am inclined.
Therefore the Lord,25 The Lord hath recompensed me according to my righteousnesse. who hath graciously wrought this sincerity in me, will crowne his owne worke; and will deale with me according to my righteousnesse.
Oh Lord, thou art such to men,26 With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy selfe mercifull, &c. as they doe approve themselves to thee; with the mercifull thou wilt shew thy selfe mercifull, &c.
With those that are wicked,27 And with the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe unsavory. and walke perversely in their evill wayes, thou wilt deale severely, and by thy heavie judgements wilt let them feele the weight of thy displeasure.
By thy power I have broken through the troupes of my enemies, and have discomfited the Moabites,30 For by thee I have runne thorow a troupe; by my God have I leaped over a wall. and Ammonites, and Philistims, and other my professed adversaries; and when they have betaken themselves to their strong forts, by thine helpe I have scaled, and won them.
Thou hast given me agility of body,34 He maketh my feet like hindes feet, and setteth me upon my high places. and quicknesse of motion to surprize mine enemies inexpectedly, and hast by this meanes setled me in the possession of their strongest holds.
Those strangers,46 Strangers shall fade away; and they shall bee afraid out of their close places. which for feare have dissembled their submission to me, are ready, upon every occasion, to fall off from me; but when they have thus revolted, they shall be stricken with feare of me, even in their most retired, and defenced places.
CAP. XXIII.
HE that is the sure refuge and defence of Israel,3 The Rocke of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must bee just. hath said of me, to Samuel his prophet, that I whom my God hath appointed to rule over Israel, should be upright and just in my government.
Although I have not in every point beene answerable to that, which God hath required of me,5 Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant. and foretold concerning me, yet, in his great mercy he hath made an everlasting covenant with me.
Is not this water purchased with the extreme hazard of the blood and life of those men which went to fetch it?17 Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?
CAP. XXIV.
1 And againe the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel; and he moved Dauid against them, to say, Goe number Israel and Iudah.AFter God was appeased for his former displeasure, and had taken away the famine from Israel, God was againe moved to anger, by the sinnes of Israel, and thereupon he left David to himselfe, and gave power unto Satan, to suggest unto David thoughts of presumption, stirring him up to number the people of Israel,See 1 Chron. 21.1. and Judah; that he might raise unto his owne heart a proud confidence in his owne strength.
The Lord did (as men doe when they repent them of what they have done) inhibite any further proceedings of that plague.16 The Lord repented him of the evill, &c.
23 All these did Araunah as a King give.All these did Arannah in a bountifull and royall manner offer to give unto King David.