Explication of the Judicial Laws of Moses, Part 1 · Chapter 43
CHAPTER XLIII. Of their VVarres.
DEVT. 20 10. When thou commeſt neare to a Citie to fight againſt it, then proclaime peace vntounto it, &c.
FIrſt let us conſider in their warres, the time when they went to battell; ſecondly, the manner how they pitched about the Tabernacle; thirdly, the manner how they marched when the Camp removed; fourthly, the Proclamation made to them at their removing; fiftly, the conditions of peace offered to the enemie; ſixtly, what they did before they joyned battell; and laſtly, the ſong which they had after the victorie.
Firſt, what time they entred to be Souldiers? theThe time that thev entred to be Souldiers. Levites entred to their Miniſtery when they were thirtie yeares, Num. 4. 42. But the Souldiers entred when they were twentie yeares, and they left off when they were fiftie; none went to the warres but they who payed the halfe ſhe kell; the Levites were exempted, becauſe they ſerved the Lord in the Tabernacle, they neither payed this halfe ſhekell, nor yet went to the warres. Women likewiſe were exempted, She that tarrieth at home, divideth the ſpoyle, Pſal. 63. 12. So were the weake, ſicke, and infirme, the yong, and the old under twentie and aboue fiftie; ſo the captiues, and Idolaters, all theſe were exempted, none of them payed the halfe ſhekell, or went to the warres.
Secondly, when they pitched about the Tabernacle, they pitched their Tents with their faces towards it, Num. 2. 2. becauſe of the reſpect that they carried to it. They pitched round about the Tabernacle when they reſted in their Tents; and David alludeth to this, Pſal. 76. 11. Let all that be about him, bring preſents unto him that ought to be feared; there were three Tribes vponupon every quarter; Iuda, Iſſachar, and Zabulon upon the Eaſt; Ruben, Simeon, and Gad upon the South; Ephraim, Manaſſe, and Benjamin upon the Weſt; Dan, Aſher, and Nephthali upon the North, Num. 23. 10. Who can number the fourth part of Iſrael? Here is an alluſion to the Campe as it was divided in foure quarters.
There were three Tribes on every quarter, and a ſpace betwixt them and the Tabernacle, and Moſes and Aaron and the Prieſts upon the Eaſt; the Coathites upon the South; the Gerſonites upon the Weſt; and the Merarites upon the North; theſe lay betwixt the Tribes and the Tabernacle to watch the holy place; So betwixt Gods throne and the foure and twentie Elders compaſſing it, were foure living creatures full of eyes, Rev. 6. 10.
In the firſt place Iudah pitched and removed firſt,The priviled…e. Iud…h. Iudah got the firſt place, of him the Kings were to come, he marched firſt, he ſacrificed firſt, Numb. 7. 12. Iudah gaue a Lyon in his Colours. Themiſtocles ſaid, it was better to hauehave a Lyon to be a Captaine to a company of Harts, than to hauehave a company of Lyons and aforeign Catulus leo foreign Leo … v…s. foreign Leo cord t…s. Hart to be their Captaine: The Lyon is firſt [Gur] Catulus Leonis; then he is [Cephir] cum incipit praedari, when he beginneth to catch the prey, and then he is [Labhi] when he groweth old. Firſt, Iudah was the LyonsWhen Iudah was the Lyons whel…, h… Lyon, and the …ierce Lyon. whelpe in Ioſhuah's time, Ioſh. 1. when they went out firſt to Conquer the Land; then he was Cephir in Davids time; and thirdly, he was [Labhi] Cordatus Leo in Salomons time.
And in placing of theſe Tribes, ye ſhall obſerue that alwayes wit… …he feebler Tribes there is a warre-like and a couragious Tribe placed, as with Iſſachar and Zabulon two feeble Tribes, Iudah is placed; Iſſachar wasA warrelike Tribe placed with the more feeble. dull like the Aſſe, and loved to co…tch betweene two burdens, Gen. 49. 14. So Iudg. 15. 16. Why abodeſt thou amongst the ſheep-folds, to heare the bleating of the flockes foreign Sibilare.(or delighting to whiſtle by the flockes) having no minde to helpe thy brethren in the warres. Zabulon had no skill in the warres, he dwelt by the Sea-ſide, and gaue himſelfe onelyonly to ſhipping, therefore Iudah was joyned to helpe theſe two weake Tribes; ſo in that viſion, Eſa. 21. 7. The Aſſe and the Camell are joyned together; the Camell ſignifying the Medes, the more generous people, and the Aſſe the Perſians, the more dull people.
In the ſecond companie was Ruben, Simeon, and Gad; Ruben unſtable as water, Gen. 49. 4. So Simeon a weake Tribe divided in Iacob and ſcattered in Iſrael, Gen. 49. 7. now to helpe theſe they had the warre-like Tribe of Gad joyned with them, Gen. 49. 19. Gad jedud jegudennu foreign Elegans paranoma…ia.vehu jagud gnakabh, Gad a troupe ſhall overcome him, but he ſhall overcome at the laſt: the men of Gad, were mightie men of warre, and had faces like Lyons, 1 Chron. 12. 8.
In the third companie were Ephraim, Manaſſe, and Benjamin, and Ephraim the moſt warrelike of the three, Ephraim had skill to handle the Bow, Pſal. 78. 9. but Benjamin was [Ittorjad] he could ſling with both the hands.foreign Ambidexter. 1 Chron. 12. 2.
In the fourth companie were Dan, Aſſer, and Nephthali; and of theſe three, Dan was the moſt valiant: Zabulon and Nephthali were a people that jeoparded their liues unto the death, Iudg. 5. 18. but Dan was their Captaine, he came in to ſaue the taile of the hoaſt, and he was called the gathering hoaſt; and the Lord alludeth to this forme, Eſa. 51. 11. I will goe before you and gather you in: they left none of the weake behinde them, Num. 12. 15. and Miriam was ſhut out of the Campe ſeven dayes for Leproſie, and the people journeyed not, till Miriam was brought in againe: David alludeth to this, Pſal. 27. 10. Though my father and my mother ſhould forſake me, yet thou wilt gather me up: Amalek cut off the taile of the Hoſt, Deut. 25. 17. theſe are called the hind most of the Hoſt, Ioſh. 10. 19.
Every one of theſe quarters had their Captaine, andEvery one of the Quarters had their Captaine he was the wiſeſt and moſt couragious, for ſtrength and counſell are for the warres, Prov. 10. 5. 2 Sam. 23. 8. the Tachmonite, for his wiſedome is [Ioſhebeang] he ſat in the Councell, and for his valour and courage he is called Hadino the Eznite, that is, who delighted to lift up the ſpeare; young and raſh youths are not fit to be Captaines, ſuch as was Alexander the Great, who ran violentlyQuando animali additur geniti…us famini…s pluralis, tu… ſignificatur animal illud teuer… eſſe, Gen. 38. 7. rather thorow the world, than by skill or wiſedome, therefore Dan. 8. 21. he is called Hircus caprarum, that is, a young Goat.
There were foure memorable things to be obſerved in this Campe; firſt, their order; ſecondly, their cleanlineſſe, thirdly, Salus caſtrametantium; and laſtly, how the Lord provided meat and cloath for them.
Firſt, the order that was in this Campe; this was Acies The order of this Campe.benè ordinata, and God who is the God of order and not of confuſion ſet them in this order. Balaam ſaw this when he ſaid, Num. 24. 5. How goodly are thy Tents, O Iacob, and thy Tabernacles O Iſrael. As the vallies are they ſpread forth, as Gardens by the River ſide, as the trees of Lign-aloes, which the Lord hath planted, and as Cedar trees beſide the waters.
Secondly, Mundities, the cleaneneſſe and nea…neſſe of this Campe, for the Lord commanded them when they were to eaſe nature to goe without the Campe, and to take a padle with them, and dig in the ground to cover their excrements. Deut. 23. 12.
duplicate page duplicate page Thirdly, Salus caſtrametantium, there was none feeble in their Tribes, Pſal. 105. 37. and pes tuus non fuit fermentatus, thy foote did not ſwell theſe fortie yeares, Deut. 8. 4.
Fourthly, the Lord provided well for this Campe,The Lord provided meat and cloths for this Campe. both meat and cloths; meat, He rained downe Manna from the heavens, and fed them with the bread of Angels, and for their clothes they waxed not old, Deut. 8. 4. And it is moſt probable that their cloaths did grow with them as they grew, & their ſhoes waxed not old upon their feete, Deut. 29. 5. Their ſhoes did grow with their feet,foreign noninveterârunt. and it ſeemeth that the childrens clothes were made of the clothes of them who died.
The foure Captaines pitched their Tents at the foure corners of the Campe, Iudah pitched in the Northeaſt corner; Ruben in the Southeaſt; Ephraim on the Southweſt; and Dan on the Northweſt corner. Num. 2. 2. Every man of the children of Iſrael ſhall pitch by his own ſtandard, with the Enſigne of their fathers houſe, farre off about the Tabernacle of the Congregation ſhall they pitch.
A figure to ſhew the Enſignes, Motto's, and order of the Tribes pitching about the Tabernacle.
Returne, O Lord, unto the many thouſands of Iſrael. Num. 10. 36.
WEST.
quaſi prim… Genti …auri vu…h ritudo …u…
Ephraim
Duo fi… tui &c. mei erunt.
Manaſſes
Lupus Rapax.
Beniamin
fi…t coſuber in …. Ce…ſtes in ſemita.
Dan
Gad A…cinotus p…ſiabi… tar.
Gad
gerſonitae
Meraritae.
Non est Deus ui Deus. Jeſhurun.
Aſser
SOVTH.
NORTH.
Diuidam eos in Ia…ob et diſperdam eos in iſrael
Simeon
Coathitae
Moſes Aron et Saserdotes
Dans eſoquia pulchritu…inis.
N…y.
Eſſuſ es Sicut aqua
Ruben
in littore maris …ebitabis
Zabuſon
Accumbeus inter Terminos
Issacher
…a…u…us …eonis
…th
EAST.
Riſe up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be ſcattered, Num. 10. 35.
They had their Colours, their Enſignes, and their Motto's.
Firſt, their Colours; their Colours were accordingTheir Colours were anſwerable to the ſtones in Aarons breſtplate. to the Colours of the ſtones in the breaſtplate of Aaron: Iudah gaue a greene Colour like the Smarag: Ruben a red Colour like the Sardius; Ephraim a golden Colour like the Chryſolite; Dan gaue partie coloured of white and red like the Iaſper.
Their Enſignes were; firſt, Iudah gaue a Lyon; Ruben In their Enſignes they had the Emblems of Beaſts.the head of a man, becauſe he was the firſt borne, and the head of the familie; Ephraim gaue the head of an Oxe, becauſe he was the ſonne of Ioſeph, who was called Bos Dei, Deut. 33. 17. His glory is like the firſtling of his Bullocke; and Dan gaue an Eagle in his Colours, becauſe the Eagle is an enemy to Serpents, the Serpent ſhould not be put in his Colours but the Eagle, an enemy to the Serpent; Dan ſhall judge his people, Gen. 49. 16. Dan is a Lyons whelpe, he ſhall leape from Baſhan. Here he is commended both for his wiſedome and his ſtrength, the Serpent doth not expreſſe theſe two well, but the Eagle doth expreſſe them very fitly.
Thirdly, their Motto, Iuda's Motto was this; Iuda is Their Motto's in their Enſi…nes were out of the Teſtament of Iacob, or of the ſong of Moſes.a Lyons whelpe, Gen. 49. 8. Ruben had this, Vnſtable like water, Gen. 49. 4. Ephraims Motto was, his glorie is like the firſtling of his Bullocke, Deut. 33. 16. Dan had this Motto, he ſhall be a Serpent by the way, an Adder in the path, and ſo every one of the Tribes had their Motto.
The Lord as their Generall dwelt in the midſt of theirThe Lord was their Generall. Campe, and his Enſignes were the Cloud and the pillar of fire; the Cloud to direct them by day, and the pillar by night, then he was the guide of their youth, Iere. 3. 4. The motto which they gaue him was this, Mi camocha foreignba…lohim Iehova, quis ſicut tu Iehova inter Deos; and hence they made the name of the Macchabees, Mem, Caph, Beth, Iod: and they were called Macbei at the firſt, and afterward Macchabaei: and like unto this was that abbreviation, Agla, attagnebher legnolam adonai, Tu fortis in aeternum Domine.
When they marched, they kept not the ſame orderTheir marching was different from their pitching about the Tabernacle. as when they pitched about the Tabernacle, for when they marched, Iuda, Iſſachar, and Zabulon went before; and the Gerſonites and the Merarites next them ſet forward, bearing the Tabernacle, Num. 10. 17. In the ſecond place came Ruben, Simeon, and Gad, who lay upon the South; and next them came the Cohathites with the Arke, Num. 10. 21. After them Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manaſſe; and David alludeth to this, Pſal. 80. 2. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manaſſeh, ſtirre up thy ſtrength, and come and ſaue us; he ſaith, before Ephraim, for when they carried the Arke Ephraim came behinde the Arke, and the Arke was before him, and when they reſted, Ephraim was upon the Weſt ſide of the Arke, which Num. 2. 18. is called [jammah] the Sea-ward, becauſeforeign the Sea lay towards the Weſt, ſo that the Arke both when they pitched and when they marched was ever before Benjamin, Ephraim, & Manaſſeh. In the laſt place came Dan, Aſſer, and Nephthali; Dan was in the Reareward of all their Camps throughout their Hoſts, Num. 10. 25.
When they marched Aſcendebant Chamuſſhim, Exod. The manner of their Marching. foreign13. 18. Aquila & Symmachus, foreign, qui quintam coſtam habebant cinctam, becauſe they carried their ſword at the fift rib, but Theodoſion tranſlateth it foreign, they went fiue in rankes, when they marched they were ſaid to be Accincti, Gen. 49. 19. Num. 32. 17. 1 King. 10. 11. And Salomon alludeth to this Prov. 30. 31. ſpeaking of the horſe girt in his loines, a warlike beaſt, fit for the battell, and contrary to this is diſcinctus when they lay aſide their armour.
Thirdly, they made a Proclamation in the Campe,In their marching they made a Proclamation for foure ſorts of people. that he who had built a new houſe, and had not dedicared it, ſhould goe backe: Secondly, if he had planted a Vineyard, and had not made it common, he ſhould goe backe: thirdly, if he had betrothed a wife, and had not lien with her, he ſhould goe backe: and fourthly, they cryed that all thoſe who were fearfull and faint hearted ſhould returne.
He who built a new houſe, and had not dedicated it,What new houſe was meant in this Proclamation. he ſhould goe backe, which they expounded thus, if he had built a new houſe, either for his dwelling, or for his Cattell, or his Corne, then he was to goe backe to it, but if he had built a new houſe for pleaſure, and let it and taken hyre for it, then he was not to goe backe.
Secondly, if he had planted a Vineyard and had not made it common, then he was to goe backe; where there is an Alluſion to that forme ſet downe in the Law, that the firſt three years after that a man had planted a Vineyard, he might not eat of the fruits thereof, then the fourth yeare they were the Lords, and in the fift yeare they were made common, and then turned to the planters owne uſe, and it was all one whether he planted the Vineyard, bought the Vineyard, or had gotten it by inheritance or by gift.
Thirdly, if he had betrothed a wife, and had not lien with her, whether ſhee had beene a maide or a widow, he was to returne home: and this Immunitie from the warres laſted for a whole yeare to thoſe who were new married; but they ſay, if the high Prieſt had married a widow he was not exempted, ſo if an inferiour Prieſt had married a repudiate woman, or a common Iſraelite if he had married a baſtard, then he was not exempted.
Fourthly, all thoſe who were fearfull and faint-hearted, Qui mollis eſt corde, Hebraicè, he ſhould returne, lest he make his brethrens heart faint alſo, Deut. 20. So all thoſe who were guiltie of any crime were ſent away,All that were knowne for notorious ſinners, were diſcharged from the warres. for ſinne alwayes makes a trembling and a faint heart, but the miſery is now that the moſt lewd take themſelues to this calling, Pſal. 68. 30. Rebuke the company of the ſpearemen, Hebraicè, rebuke the beaſts of the reedes; the Lord accounteth thoſe profane Souldiers for all their ſpeares but like beaſts amongſt the reeds, there are few like unto the Centurion, or Cornelius, who hauehave good Souldiers.
Gideon made a Proclamation, Iudg. 6. Whoſoever is Gideons Proclamation.fearefull, let him returne, and ſo there remained but ten thouſand; and he tryed his Souldiers againe, and all that bowed downe to drinke he ſent them away, & he tooke with him onelyonly thoſe who lapped like dogges, which were but three hundred.
Whether made he choiſe of theſe as the moſt cowardly, Queſt. or the moſt couragious?
It is commonly holden that they were the moſt couragious Anſw. who lapped like dogges, and lay not downe to glut themſelues; but if we will looke to the Lords in…ention here, we ſhall ſee that the moſt feeble were kept here, and not the moſt couragious, for the Lord would not hauehave Iſrael to bragge here, and to ſay, Mine owne hand hath ſaved me▪ Iudg. 7. 2. The Lord would onelyonly …aue the whole prayſe of the Victory. Now whether made it more for the praiſe of God, when he overcame with a few c…wards, than if he had overcome with a number of valiant Souldiers: were not they moſt cowardly, who durſt not lie downe to take leaſure to drinke? But ran and lapped as the dogs doe about Nilus; the Lord made choiſe of the moſt fearefull and cowardly for his glorie; But Marcus Craſſus amongſt the Romans, cauſed to let bloud of the cowards, & he giues this to be the reaſon, that that bloud which they would not ſhed in defence of their Countrey, ſhould now be ſhed to their diſgrace and ſhame.
They had two ſorts of warres; the firſt were bella There are two ſorts of warres.ſpontanea, and the ſecond was bella praecepti, new married men and thoſe who planted a vineyard were exempted from the firſt warre, but not from the ſecond warre which was againſt the Canaanits, the Bridegroome was not exempted from this neither.
Fourthly, before they joyned battle with the enemy to deſtroy them or to ſacke their Citie, they offered conditions of peace to the enemies that were not to be deſtroyed, if they ſought peace of them; we hauehave one example, in the Cherethites, that were Davids guard; they were called Curetae by Virgil, Curetum allabimur oras: So they were called Cretenſes, theſe came of the Phenicians or Philistins; Creta was a Colonie belonging to them, ſee Act. 27. 12. Phenice which is a haven of Creet. Deut. 20. 10. And the conditions were three eſpecially. Firſt, that they ſhould receiue the ſeven precepts of Noah: Secondly, that they ſhould be tributaries to them; And thirdly, that they ſhould bee ſervants to them.
The Moabites and Ammonites were ſtill excepted Object. Deut. 3. 3. but Deut. 2. 9. diſtreſſe not the Moabites neither contend with them in battle, how then ſhall wee reconcile theſe two places, when hee bids them not to ſeeke the peace of the Ammonite.
The reconciliation is this, thou ſhalt not ſeeke the Anſw. peace of the Moabite or Ammonite, but if they ſeeke it of thee, then thou ſhalt not diſtreſſe them, nor contend with them in battell.
If they would not receiue the peace offered, thenforeign Let him fl…e that wil… fl…e. they cryed, dedat ſe qui vult, fugiat qui vult, pugnet qui vult.
Before they joyned battell they comforted the Souldiersforeign he that will hauehave peace, let him hauehave peace. foreign He that will make warre let him make warre. after this manner, truſt in him who is the Saviour of Iſrael in affliction, Ier. 14. 8. this day thou fighteſt, pro confeſsione vnitatis divinae, quòd deus unus est, that thy God is one, therefore, thou mayeſt carrie thy life in thy hand ſecurely, Iob. 13. 4. and thinke neither upon thy wife nor thy children, but put the care of them out of thy heart. And the Apoſtle allud…th to this, 2 Tim. 2. 4.Lam. 5. 9 in animae noſtrae ferimus panem, id eſt, in perien… animae. ſo Pſal. 119 animae mea in maenu mea. that he who goeth to the warres, entangleth not himſelfe with the cares of this world. And they exhorted them to caſt the care of their houſes, wiues, children, and familie upon the Lord, who will provide for them: 1 Sam. 25. 28. 29. The Lord will provide a ſure houſe for my Lord the King, becauſe he fights the battles of the Lord, and his ſoule ſhall be bound up in the bundle of life.
When they marched neerer their enemie, they raiſedWhat they did when they were at the ſhocke of the battell. the duſt with their feete which was the neereſt ſigne of warre: and Chriſt alludeth to this forme Mat. 10. When you come into a houſe offer your peace, and if they refuſe it, ſhake off the dust of your feete, and let your peace returne to your ſelfe: when the enemies were overcome, they fell downe at the Conquerours feete, and ſeemed to licke the duſt under his feete, Pſal. 18.
And ſo they uſed to caſt a fire-brand within the enemies land, and the Prophet Obadiah alludeth to this, verſ. 18. there ſhall not one be left aliue in the houſe of Eſau, the Seventie tranſlate it foreign, that ſhall carrie a fire-brand. Such were thoſe faeciales amongſt the Romanes, who threw a ſpeare into the enemies land in defiance of the enemie.
After the victory they divided the ſpoile, and then they ſung foreign, or carmen triumphale.
It was their manner after the victory to ſing a ſong ofWhen the ſong of tryumph was ſung. praiſe, as Moſes and Miriam did, Exod. 15. ſo Barak and Deborah, Iudg. 5. ſo David after he had conquered all his enemies ſang the eighteenth Pſalme, ſo Revelation 19. when all the enemies of the Church ſhall bee ſubdued, they ſhall ſing a ſong of praiſe to the Lambe who ſitteth upon the throne.
The women eſpecially did ſing this ſong, and thereforeThe women did ſing the for… of victorie. Pſal. 68. 11. it is ſaid, great were the company, [hammebhaſſheroth,] of thoſe that publiſhed it, in the faeminine gender, of the women that publiſhed it.
In this ſong of victory the King is commended, that he aſcended on high, and led captivitie captiue, and received gifts or ranſomes from the captiues, Verſ. 18. And the Apoſtle applieth this to Chriſts victory over all his enemies, he aſcended on high, and gaue gifts to men, Ephe. 4. 8. And in this ſong of victory, they ſung this Carmen amabaeum, a ſong by intercourſe, I will bring againe from Baſan, I will bring my people againe from the depths of the Sea, Verſ. 22. They remembered theſe two deliverances in all their ſongs of thankeſgiving for deliverance: firſt, how the Lord delivered them out of the red Sea; and ſecondly, that deliverance from Og King of Baſhan when he came againſt them.
That ſong of Deborah, Iudg. 5. firſt, containeth a praiſeThe ſubject of Deborabs ſong. to God, who gaue the victory. Secondly, it maketh mention of the inſtruments which he uſed in this victory, as the ſtarres. Thirdly, it condemneth thoſe who would not come, as Meroſh: and fourthly, it commendeth thoſe who came willingly. And laſtly, a prayer againſt the enemies of the Church, Verſ. 28.