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COMMENTARY 

UPON 

G  E  N  E  S  I  S. 


Imprimatur;, 


Lambeth*, 

JMaii 


COMMENTARY 

U  PON    THE 

FirftBookof  MOSES, 

CALLED 

GENESIS. 


505695 

B    Y  ai.  3.50 

The  Right  Reverend  Father  sn  GOD,\ 

S YMO  N>  Lof d  BifHop  of  ELY. 


E  0  N  D  0  Ns 


Primed  for  EK  Cljlflaell,   at  the  ^  and  Crown  in 
St.  ^W's  Ckurch'TanL  MDCCIV, 


THE 


AVING  been  perfaaded   to  pnt 

together   fome    fcattered     Notes  , 

which  I  long  ago  made   upon   fe* 

veral  f  laces  of  Holy  Scripture^  I 

began  the   laft    Tear   to  conftder  fome  Texts   in 

the   Book  AGENESIS.     Where    I 

foon  found   there  would  be  a  nee e flit y   of  ma- 

tyng  an  entire    Commentary,  upon  a  good  fart 

of  it :    And  therefore  J  refolded   to  go  throngh 

the  whole,  in  the  fame  manner  as  I  had  done 

the  three  fir  ft  Chapters. 

After  I  had  fimfied  the  better  half  of  nty 
Work^  I  was  informed  that  Monfleur  TClerk 
had  pnblifud  a  Critical  Commentary  upon 

A  the 


r  a  E  p  A  G  E. 

the  fame  Bvokj  But  whether  lhave  concurred  its 
any  thing  with  him^or  contradt&ed  him  J  am  not 
able  to  fry,   having  wanted  lei  fife  to  pentfe  his 
W<n\>  by  reafon  of  the  Publicly  Bti/inefs,  which 
came  upon  me  in  the  end  of  the  lear  When  I  lify- 
ivife    under  flood    that  a  very   Learned  Friend 
and  brother    had  put  into   the  Prefs,   Annota 
tions  nfon    all   the    Five    Bool^s     of  Mofes. 
But  by    wwwnnictting  fame  of  our  Papers  to 
each  othjr,   r^fq^iAd  tkefa    frvuld    be   no  rta* 
fon,     that    eitfter    of  uf  fhould   lay   a  fide  our 
Defign  ^   but   go    on^  in  our  federal  ways^   to 
make    the    Scriptures    better    under  flood ,     by 
all  forts    of  Perfons  :  >Fot  till   hetpf  lyre  little 
enough  in  thi*  Age  ^   which  feems  to  takg  plea- 
fure  in    being    ignorant  of  the  moft    important 
Truths. 

In  which  vre  are  fo  particularly  inftrn&ed  by 
Mofes5  as  by  no  other  Author^  nor  by  all  the  Au 
thors  that  are,  or  have  been  known  to  be^  extant 
in  the  World.  For  to  him  we  owe  the  Knowledge  of 
the  beginning  of  the  Worlds  of  the  fir  ft  Parents 
ef  Mankind  i  the  Inverters  of  Arts ,  the  Original 
of  Nations  ;  the  Founders  of  Kingdoms  and  Em 
pires  ;  t he  Inftitution  vf  Laws  ,  the  Fountain  of 
Religious    Rites ,  Yea,  of  all  the  ancient  My- 
thology\  and)   which  is    ntoft  conftderable^  the 

means 


PREF 

means  of  propagating  that  Senfe  of  God  and  of 
Religion  j  which  Mankind  brought  into  the 
World  with  them  ,  and  how  rt  came  to  be  cor 
rupted. 


Jhsre  have  beeittl&fe  whobwe  tatyn  the  It- 
btrty  to  fay  ^t hat  it  is  impojjihfavo  give  aty  Me\ 
rable  Account  of  the  Creation  'of  the  World,  in 
Six  Days ;  pfthe  Situation  of  Pafadife,  the  Fall 
of  our  ^t^^rMtf\byth^fedn&iohof^  Serpent^ 
&c.     But,  I  hope,  I  have  made  it  appear ,  there 
is  no  ground  for  fuch  prefuffipiuous  Words  :  But 
wry  good  neafea  to  bdi&ve  every  thing  that  Mo* 
fes%ath  Y  elated  ^with^t  for  faking  the  literal  Sence^ 
and  betaking  ow  felvesto,  I  do  not  fyiow  titha*, 
Allegorical  Interpretations^  articularly^  I  find  the 
Truth  of  what  I  have  noted  concernifrgP&radiki 
very  much  confirmed  by  a  Learned  and  Judici* 
ous  Dijccurfe  of  Monf.  Huetfus ;  which  I  did 
not  meet  withal^   till  /  had  made  an  end  of  thefe 
rCommentaries:  But  thentovk^a  review  of  what 
I  had  written^  aud  found cattft  to  correct  what  I 
bad  noted  out  of  Mr. Carver \concernirig  the  Spring 
^/Tigris  a#d  Euphrates.  1  might  alfo  have  given 
^aclearer  Account  of  the  ^Deluge,  if  lhad  obferved 
fo we  things )  which  are   come  to  my  notice  fwte 
thefe  fapers  went  to  the  frefs ;  But^  I  hope,    I 

A  a  have 


The  PR. EF  A  c  E. 

have  fa  id  enough  to  wince  that  it  is  not  fo  in  ere* 
dible,  as  fowe  have  pretended.  F0r,  having  made 
thetargeftConceJpons  concerning  the  height  b  of  the 
highefi  Mountains**  which^according  to  the  old  0- 
pinMX*  frhave  allowed  way  he  thirty  Miles  high, 
Gen.VH  19.  (whereas  if  infleadof  thirty ^1  bad 
faidnot  above  three  perpendicular,  I  had  had  the 
be  ft  of  the  Modern  Philofopbers  to  defend  me)  it 
appears  there  might  be  Water  enough  to  cover 
the  loftiest  of  them  \  <*$  Mofes  hath  rela 
ted. 

Whofe  acccunt  of  the  Families  by  whom  the 
Earth  wot  peopled  after  the  Flood)  is  fo  furpri- 
fwgly  agreeable  to  all  the  Records  that  remain  in 
any  Language  $ the  fever  al Nations  of  theEarth% 
that  it  carries  with  it  an  uncontrouLble  Evi 
dence  of  his  Sincerity  and  frnrfe,  as  well  as  of  his 
admirable  IJniverfal  Knowledge.      For  of  there 
is  no  Writer  that  h#th  given  u$  an  Account  of  fo 
many  Nations <>and  fo  remote  as  he  bath  done  :  So 
he  hath  not  fatted  hiwfelfwitb  naming  them  \ 
but  acquainted  m  with  their  Original^  and  told 
w  at  what  r/we,   and  from  what  place,  and  on 
what  occasion  they  were  differ  fed  into  far  diftant 
Countries.     And  this  with  /uch  brevity ,  that  he 
hath  informed  n$  of  more  in  one  Chapter  jhan  we 
eanfnd  in  the  great  Volumes  of  all  other  Authors : 

Having 


The   PR  E  F  A  C^E; 

Uwing  fhownw  from  whom  all  thofe  People  de» 
fcetidtd\  who  are  jpread  over  the  Face  of  the 
Earth,  from  the  Cafpian  and  Perfian  Sea^  to 
Hercules  his  Pillars  (as  the  Ancients  fpeak^) 
that  is,  all  the  World  over. 

to  fart,  what  foe  ver  is  wo  ft  ancient  in  thofe 
Countries,  'which  are fart  heft  from  all  Commerce 
with  hit  own,  is  clearly  explained  by  Mofeg  -° 
wkofe  Writings  therefore  cannot  but  be  highly  va 
lued  by  all  thofe  who  will  apply  their  Minds  feri- 
oufly  to  the  fludy  of  them.  For  if  they,  who  now 
have  no  regard  to  him?  would  but  compare  what 
he  hath  written  on  the  fore-named  Subject)  with 
what  they  find  inthvf^'tfeafhen  Writers^  whom 
they  have  in  the  greateft  veneration^  they  would 
be  forced  to  confefs  him  to  be  a  Man  of  wonder 
ful  ^nderjkanding  ;  and  could  not  rzafonably 
doubt  he  had  an  exaSl  kpowledge  of  the*  Truth 
of,  thofe  things >  whereof  he  wrote*  To  this 
pu*po(er  I  rttmmber^  the-jawows  Bochartus 
fpeakfy  who  hath  given  the  greateji  Li%ht  to 
the  Tench  of  Genefis  y  wherein  theft  things  are 
delivered. 

And  truly,  it  is  fowe  wonder,  That  they  who 
(oWnchcry  up  the  Egyptian  Learnwg,  fbouldnot 
eajily  grant  (unlefs  they  will  bdteve  all  Hiftori* 
ansbxt  only^ofe  whom  we  acccurt  Sacred)  that 

Mofes 


.     "The  P  R  E  F  AC  EC 

Mofes  mnft  needs  be  qualified^  even  without  the 
help  of  Divine  Revelation  (which  he  certainly 
had^)    to  write  both  of  their  Original,  and  of  all 
thofe  who  were  related  to  them  »   being  bred  up  in 
their  Country  }  nay,  in  their  Court  till  he  wo*  XL 
Tears  old j  and  well  verftdin  all  the  Wifdomfhat 
was  to  be   found    among  them,    A &s  VII.  22* 
Whith  Wijdom  of  theirs,  I  doubt  not,  was  much 
augmented  by  Abraham'/  living  among  them<>(a$ 
1  have  obferved  upon  XI J I  2.)  but  efpecially  by 
JofephV  long  Government  of  that  Country  Jor  the 
fpace  of  LXXX  Tears  :Wh&wat  indued  with  fuch 
an  incomparable  Spirit, that  the  wifeft  Men  among 
them  learnt  of  him  \for  he  taught  their  Senators 
Wifdom*  ffalm  CV.  22.    And^  in  lify  manner , 
Mofts  lived  XL  Tears  more  among  the  Midia- 
nites5  rvhere,  it  appears  by  Jethro,  there  wanted 
not  Ferfons  of  great  Knowledge.  And  from  thence 
he  might  enfily  be  inftm&td  in  all   that  the  A- 
rabians^f?en?  *•  Who  were  no  mean  People  (it  ap 
pears  by  the  Story  of  job  and  his  three  Friends^ 
and  Elihu,   who    is  Juppofed  by  fonie  to  have 
wrote   that    admirable    Book^)    and  were    near 
Neighbours  to  the  mojl  famom  Nations  of  the 
Kaftern  Conntries  5   From  whom,    it  is  evident 
by  this  Hijlory,  aft  Learning^  Art s^  and  Sciences 
originally  came, 

I 


The   PR  E  FA  c  E;      .-,,-, 

I  could  add  a  great  deal  more  to  this  purpofe  ; 
bat  the  Keader^  I  hope^  will  find  enough  to  fa- 
titjie  him  in  the  Commentary  it  felf.  And  there 
fore  I  jkall  only  tnakg  this  one  Kequeft  to  hinh 
That  he  would  taty  his  Bible  and  read  every 
Verfe  intirdy  along  with  /^Commentary  ••  For 
I  have  not  fet  down  every  Word  of  the  Text ,  for 
fear  of  {welling  this  Work^nntotoo  great  a  Bulk* 

April  10.  1694, 


AN 


t 

Chapter 
I. 


A 

COMMENTARY 

UP  ON     THE 


CALLED 


GENESIS, 


THat  MOSES  wrote  this  and  the  Four  fol 
lowing  Books  hath  been  fo  conftantly  be 
lieved,  both  by  Jews,  Chriftians,  and  Hea 
thens,  that  none,  I  think,    denied   it,  till 
Aben  Ezra  (a  Jewifh  Doftor,  who  lived  not  much 
above  five  hundred  Years  ago)  raifed  fome  Doubts 
about  it,  in  his  Notes  upoti  the  Ftrjl  of  Deuteronomy  ^ 
out  of  XII  Paffages  in  thefe  Books  themfelves :  Which 
he  pretended  could  not  be  his,  but  the  Words  of  a 
later  Author.    But  when  1  meet  with  thofe  places, 
I  (hall  make  it  appear,  that  all  fuch  Exceptions  are 
very  frivolous,  and  ought  not  to  (hake  our  belief  of 
this  Truth,  That  thefe  Five  Books  were  penned  by 
MOSES  and  no  Body  elfe. 

The  firft  is  called  GENESIS,  becaufe  it  con 
tains  the  Hiftory  of  the  Creation  of  the  World,  with 

B  which 


2  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    which  it  begins  $  and  the  Genealogy  of  the  Patri- 
I,        archs,  down  to  the  Death  of  Jojepb,  where  it  ends. 
L/"VNJ  It  comprehends  an  Hiftory  of  Two  thoufand  three 
hundred  and  fixty  nine  Years,  or  thereabouts:  The 
truth  of  all  which  it  was  not  difficult  for  Mofes  to 
know  ,  becaufe  it  came  down  to  his  time5  through 
but  a  very   few  Hands.     For  from  Adam  to  Noah% 
there  was  one  Man  (Metbufdali)  who  lived  fo  long 
as  to  fee  them  both.     And  fo  it  was  from  Noah  to 
Abraham:  Shew  converted  with  both.     Aslfaacdidi 
with  Abraham  and  Jojeph  :  From  whom  thefe  things 
might  eafily  be  conveyed  to  Mofes^  by  Amram  ^  who 
lived  long  enough  with   Jofeph.    In  (hort,   Mofes 
might  have  been   confuted,  if  he  had  written  any 
thing  but  the  Truth,  by  learned  Men  of  other  Na 
tions,  who  fprang  from  the  fame  Root,  and  had  the 
like  means  of  being  acquainted  with  the  great  things 
here  reported  by  Tradition  from  their  Fore-fathers  : 
Who  lived  fo  long  in  the  beginning  of  the  World, 
that  they  more  certainly  tranlmitted  Things  to  their 
Pofterity.     Befides,  it  is  not  reafonable  to  think,  they 
had   not  the  ufe  of  Writing  as  we  have  5  whereby 
they  conveyed  the  knowledge  of  Times  foregoing,  to 
thofe  that  came  after. 

Verfe  i.  Verfe  i.  In  the  beginning."]  The  World  is  not 
eternal,  but  had  a  beginning,  as  all  Philofophers  ac 
knowledged  before  Ariftotle.  So  he  himfelf  informs 
us,  L.  1.  de  Ccehy  cap.  2.  (fpeaking  of  the  ancient 


Opinions  concerning  the  Original  of  the  World) 
T&6/A&W  fjwv  Sv  a7TO7fc£  *T)  pacJv,  they  all  f  aid  it  had  a 


beginning  :  But  fome  thought  it  might  have  no  End  5 
others  judged  it  to  be  corruptible. 

God  created."]  He  who  is  Eternal  gave  a  Being  to 
this  great  Fabrick  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  out  of  No 

thing. 


ttpon    GENESIS,  5 

thing.     It  is  obferved  by  Eufebiu*  (in  the  beginning  Chapter 
of  his  Book  De  Prapar.  Evang.   p.  21,  €^25.  Edit.        I. 
Parif.)    That  neither  the  ancient  Hiflorians,  nor  the 
Philofophrs,  do  fo  much  as  mention  GOD,  *>&  p*%gi 
&QiAcil&.,  no,  not  fo  far  as  to  name  him,  when  they 
write  of  the  beginning  of  the  World.     But  this  Di 
vine  Law-giver,  defigning  to  hang  the  whole  Frame 
of  his  Polity,  upon   Piety    towards  GOD,  and  to 
make  the  Creator  of  all,  the  Founder  of  his  Laws, 
begins  with  him.     Not  after  the  manner  of  the  fc~ 
gyptiaMs  and  Phoenicians,  who  be  do  wed  this  adora 
ble  Name,  upon  a  great  Multitude :  But  puts  in  the 
Front  of  his  Work,  the  Name  of  the  fole  Caufe  of 
all  Things  :  the  Maker  of  whatfoever  is  feen  or  un- 
feen.     As  if  he  had  told  the  Hebrew  Nation,  That  he 
who  gave  them  the  Law  contained  in  thefe  Books, 
was  the  King  ani  Law-giver  of  the  whole  World  : 
Which  was,  like  a  great  City,  governed  by  him. 
Whom  therefore  he  would  have   them  look  upon, 
not  only  as  the  Enafter  of  their  Laws  5  but  of  thofe 
alfo  which  all  Nature  obeys.     See  L.  VII.  De  Pr<epar. 
Evang.  c.  9, 10.  &  L.  XII.  r.  1 6. 

The  Heaven  and  the  Earth."]  The  Hebrew  Particle 
Eth,  put  before  both  Heaven  and  Earth,  fignifies  as 
much  as  with,  if  Maimonides  underftood  it  aright} 
and  makes  the  Sence  to  be  this :  He  created  the  Hea 
vens,  with  att  things  in  the  Heavens,  and  the  Earth  with 
all  things  in  the  Earthy  as  his  Words  are  in  More Ne- 
vocMm,  P.  H.  cap.  50,  Certain  it  is  thefe  two 
words,  Heaven  and  Earth,  comprehend  the  whole 
vifible  World.  Some  would  have  the  Angels  compre 
hended  in  the  word  Heaven^  particularly  Epiphan/M, 
H9eref.LXV-n.45-.  £>*  %&*&  £  yy  £  vA/eAoi  o«7id&ii- 
But  others  of  the  Fathers  are  of  a  different 
B  2  Opi- 


4  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  Opinion,  as  Petavms  there  obferves.  It  is  a  pretty 
I.  Conceit  ofTbeofhlltts  Antiochenvs,  L\\.  ad  Atttolychuvr, 
^x-v^^  That  the  Heavens  are  mentioned  before  the  Earth^  to 
fliovv  that  God's  Works  are  riot  like  ours :  For  he 
begins  at  the  top,  we  at  the  bottom:  That  is,  he  firft 
made  the  firft  Stars  and  all  beyond  them,  (To  I  take 
the  word  Heaven  here  to  fignifie)  for  they, had  a  > 
beginning,  as  well  as  this  lower  World,  though  they 
do  not  feem  to  be  comprehended  in  ^  fix  days 
Work*  which  relates  only  to  this  Planetary  World^  as 
I  may  call  it,  which  hath  the  Sun  for  its  Center.  And 
thus  Phth  underftood  the  firft  word  Berefchjth,  in  the 
beginning,  to  refpeft  the  order  wherein  things  were 
created.  God  began  his  Creation  with  the  Heaven^ 
as  the  moft  noble  Body,  and  then  proceeded  to  the 
Earth  5  an  account  of  which  follows. 

Verfe  2^  Ver,  z.  And  the  Earth  was  without  form,  &C.1]  Some 
conned  this  Verfe  with  the  foregoing,  by  tranflating 
the  firft  Verfe  in,  this  manner,  When  God  firft  created^ 
or  began  to  create,  the  Heaven  and  the  Earth ,  the  Earth 
was  without  form,  S>c.  That  is,  at  firft  be  only 
created  a  rude  Matter  of  thofe  things,  which  after 
wards  were  fafhioned  as  we  now  fee  them. 

Without  form. ~\  A  confufed,  indigefted  heap,  with 
out  arvy  order  or  fhape. 

Andvold^]  Having  no  Beafts,  nor  Trees,  nor  Herbs, 
nor  any  thing  elfe,  wherewith  we  now  behold  it 
adorned. 

So  thefe  two  words,  Tohn  Vabohu,  are  ufed  in  Scrip 
ture,  where  we  meet  with  them  ("which  is  not  of 
ten)  for  confufeon  and  emptinefs,  XXXIV.  Ifaiab  n. 
IV.  jfer.ij.  Beingadefcriptionof  that  which  the  An 
cients  called  the  CHAOS  (of  which  the  Barbari 
ans  had  a  Notion,  no  lefs-  than  the  Greeks)  wherein 

the 


upon    GENESIS  5 

the  Seeds  and  Principles  of  all  things  were  blended  Chapter 
together.    This  is  called,  in  the  Pagan  Language,  by         I. 
Epicharvtvt,  Tr/saw  0^,  the  firft  of  the  Gods:  Be-  ^~ 
caufe  all  things  fprang  out  of  this  $  which  wasindeed 
the  firft  of  the  Works  of  God,   who,  as  Mofes  (hows 
in  the  fequel,  produced  this  beautiful  World  out  of 
this  CHAOS. 

And  darknefs  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep.~\  No 
thing  was  to  be  feen,  for  want  of  Light :  Which  lay 
buried,  as  all  things  elfe  did,  in  that  great  Abyfs,  or 
vaft  confufed  heap  of  Matter  before-mentioned.  So 
the  Hebrew  word  Tehom  fignifies  (which  we  tranf- 
late  deep)  tumult  and  turbid  confufion  :  The  firft  Mat 
ter  being  very  heterogeneous,  as  they  fpeak,  i.  e.  of 
various  forts  and  kinds,  hudled  together  without  di- 
ftin&ion. 

And  the  Spirit  of  God  moved."]  Men  have  been  ex- 
treamly  fanfiful  in  the  Expofition  of  thefe  plain 
Words:  Some underftanding  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
the  Sun^  which  gives  Spirit  and  Life  to  all  things  up 
on  Earth}  others  the  Air,  or  the  Wind:  When  as 
yet  there  was  no  Sun  in  the  Firmament,  nor  any  Wind 
that  could  ftir,  without  the  Power  of  the  Almighty 
toexcite  it.  This  therefore  we  are  to  underfhnd  to 
be-  here  meant }  The  Infinite  Wifdom,  and  Power 
of  God,  which  made  a  vehement  Commotion,  and 
mighty  Fermentation  (by  raifing,  perhaps,  a  great 
Wind)  upon  the  FacecftheWaters:  That  is,  on  that 
fluid  Matter  before-mentioned,  to  feparate  the  parts 
of  it  one  from  the  other. 

Waters^]     That    which  Mofes  before    called    the 
Deep,  he  now  calls  the  Waters.-  Which  plainly  (hows 
that  fome  Parts  of  the  confufed  Mafs,  wcre////d  and 
tight  5  as  other  Parts  vt&zfolid  and  heavy*     The  hea 
vy 


6  A   COMMENT4RT 

Chapter    vy  naturally  funk,  which  he  calls  the  Earth  ^  and  the 
I.        lighter  Parts  got  above  them,  which  he  calls  theff*- 

L/"VNJ  tcrs:  For  it  is  clearly  intimated  the  Waters  were  up- 
pemnoft, 

The  Word  we  here  tranflate  moved,  fignifies  lite 
rally  brooded  upon  the  Waters,  as  an  Hen  doth  upon 
her  Eggs.  So  the  ancient  and  modern  Interpreters 
hive  obferved  :  And  Morinus,  who  oppofes  it,  hath 
faid  nothing  to  make  us  doubt  of  this  Sence  of  the 
Phraie.  From  whence  fome  have,  not  unhappily, 
conje&ured,  the  Ancients  took  their  Notion  of  a 
^ff&lvywov  <x>%v,  a  fir  (I  laid  Egg,  "out  of  which  all 
things  were  formed.  That  is,  the  CHAOS  Cout 
of  which  all  the  old  Philofophers,  before  Ariftotle, 
thought  the  World  was  produced)  confifting  of  Earth 
and  Water,  of  thicker  and  thinner  Parts,  as  an  Egg 
doth  of  20/4  and  White. 

Now  the  Spirit  of  God  thus  moved  upon  the  Wa 
ters,  that  by  its  incubation  (as  we  may  call  it)  k 
might  not  only  feparate,  as  I  faid,  thofe  Parts  which 
were  jumbled  together  3  but  give  a  vivifick  Virtue 
to  them,  to  produce  what  was  contained  in  them. 
The  Souls  and  Spirits,  that  is,  of  all  living  Crea 
tures,  were  produced  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  Por 
phyry  faith  Nuwemttf  underftood  it.  For  his  Opini 
on,  he  tells  us,  was,  That  all  things  came  out  of  the 
Water  Sioi&vfy  w1i,  being  Divinely  infpired  :  For 
which  he  quoted  thefe  words  of  the  Prophets,  as  he 
called  Mofes.  See  Porphyry,  -mfi  Tfc  Ny/jp'Awpa,  on 
thofe  words  of  Homer: 


Which  gives  us  to  underftand,  that  the  Spirits  of  all 
living  Creatures  (  which  we  call  their  Aftive  Forms) 

did 


upon    GENESIS.  7 

did  not  arife  out  of  Matter,  for  that  is  ftupid;  butCharter 
proceeded  from  this  other  Principle,  the  Powerful  I. 
Spirit  of  God,  which  moved  upon  the  Face  ofthe 
Waters,  by  a  vital  Energy,  (as  St.  Chryfoftom  fpeaks) 
fo  that  they  were  no  longer  (landing  Waters,  but  mo 
ving*  having  ^ornxZw)  rivet,  VKJUOL^V,  a  certain  living 
Power  in  them.  From  whence  we  may  alfo  ga 
ther,  that  the  Spirits  of  living  Creatures  are  diftinft 
things  from  Matter  3  which  of  it  felf  cannot  move 
at  all,  and  much  lefs  produce  a  Principle  of  Mo 
tion. 

And  thus  indeed  all  the  Ancient  Philofophers  ap 
prehended  this  Matter:  And  fome  of  them  havemoft 
lively  exprefled  it.  For  Laert  twin  the  Life  of  Ana- 
xagoras  tells  us5  that  he  taught  among  other  things, 


all  things  were  hndled  together  :  And  then  the  Mind 
came  and  fet  them  in  order.  Ahd  Thales  before  him 
(zsTully  informs  us,  L.I.  de  Nat,  Deor.)  Aquam  dixit, 
ejje  initium  rerum  :  Deum  autem  earn  mentew  qua  ex 
aqub  cunfta  fingerett)  faid,  Water  was  the  beginning  of 
wings  :  And  God  that  Mind  who  formed  all  things  out 
of  the  Water. 

By  the  Spirit  of  God  fome  of  the  ancient  Jews  have 
under  flood  the  Spirit  of  the  Mejfiak,  fas  Hacfapa* 
obferves  in  his  Cabala  Judaica,  n.  LXVI.  out  of  Baal 
Hatturim^  the  Hierufalem  Tdrgum,  8cc.)  which  ex 
plains  the  Evangelift  St.  John^  who  in  the  beginning 
of  his  Gofpel  fays,  all  things  were  made  by  the  Eter 
nal  AOFOS  or  WORD  of  God,  (the  fame  with 
theN&  of  the  ancient  Philofophers)  whofe  Almighty 
Spirit  agitated  the  vaft  confufcdMafs  of  Matter,  and 
put  it  into  Form* 


8  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  3.  And  Godfaid^]    Thefe  words  are  taken 

I.       notice  of  by  Longmn^  *&*),  84**,  as  a  truly  lofty  ex- 

L^VNJ  preffion  5  wherein  appears  -the   Wifdom  of  Mofit, 

Verfe  3.   who  reprefentsGbd  like' himfelf,  commanding  things 

into  Being  by  his  Y/ofd  $  that  is,  by  his  Will:  For 

wherefoever  we  read  thefe  words  in  the  Hiftory  of 

the  Creation,  Hifaid,  the  meaning  muft  beunderftood 

;  to  be  He  willed,  as  Mdmomdes  interprets  ic,  More 

-  Nev.  R  I.  cap.  65.     This  Juftin  Martyr  demonft rates 

Orphetts  had  "learnC'oiit  of  Mofcs   his  Books,  when 

he  fwears   by  the  Heaven,  the  Work  of  the  Great 

;  and  Wife  God,  and  by  the  Word  of  the  Father,  which 

hefpakeatfirji,  when  he  eftablifo'd   all  the  World 

by  his  Couniels.    So  his  words  are  in  n*e£^T-  & 

*E/9wa$,  p.  1 6. 

And  as  there  is  nothing  more  famous  in  Antiquity 
than  the  TD  'Of^r  <wi»,  Orpheut  his  Egg,  which  I  be 
fore  mentioned  5  fo  it  is  remarkable  that  the  F-gypti- 
ans  famong  whom  Orpheus  travelledj  defcribed 
their  God  KENEPH,  with  an  Egg  corhing  out  of 
his  Mouth:  Which  was  a  lively  Reprefentation  of 
this  World  (noted  by  the  Egg)  produced  by  God's 
Omnipotent  Word.  For  how  richly  foever  the 
CHAOS  was  furniQied  with  Materials,  it  would 
have  brought  forth  nothing,  without  his  Powerful 
Motion,  and  Wife  Contrivance,  by  whom  it  was 
created.  So  Anaxagoras  himfelf  refolved  v£v  JMV  «^!M? 
Hwhivs-i  that  Mind  was  the  Principle  of  Motion,  (as 
Laertivs  tells  us  in  his  Life)  by  which  Mind  he  un- 
derftood  God,  as  others  have  reported  his  Opinion 
more  largely  in  thefe  admirable  words.  The  Begin 
ning  of  aU  things  is  5  NSs,  the  Mind,  who  is  the  Caufe 
and  the  Lord  of  the  whole  World  ^  and  gave  m%v  TO^ 
%  uwvff  TO?; -aMfflJims,  &c.  order  to  things  in 

difordtr, 


upon    GENESIS.  9 

and  motion  to   things  iwmoveabh,  and  di-  Chapter 
to  things  confttfed^  and  beauty  to   things  de*        I. 
formed. 

Let  there  be  Light  J]  Having  fpoken  of  the  Crea 
tion  of  all  things,  now  follows  an  account  of  their 
Formation  out  of  that  rude  Matter  which  was  at  firft 
created.  And  the  firft  thing  produced  was  Light  ; 
\v\\\ch  Greg.  Nazianzen  (Ontf.  XLIII.  £.699.  a.)  calls 
a-rw ,ua,Tov  ^  ani Aioi>,  becaufe  it  was  not  yet  colleffed  in 
to  a  Body,  as  it  is  now  in  the  Sun.  Others  think  it 
to  have  been  a  dimmer  fort  of  Light  from  the  Sun, 
not  yet  perfe&ly  formed.  Abarbind  (upon  the  XL 
ofExodxt)  takes  this  to  be  the  SCHECHINAH, 
the  moft  excellent  of  all  created  things,  called,  in 
Holy  Scripture,  the  Glory  of  the  LORD  5  which  God, 
faith  he,  fealed  up  in  his  Treafures,  after  the  Lumi 
naries  were  created,  to  ferve  him  upon  fpecial  Oc- 
caiions,  (for  inftance,  to  lead  the  Ifraelites  in  the 
Wildernefs,  by  a  cloudy  Pillar  of  Fire)  when  he 
would  make  himfelf  appear  extraordinarily  Prefent. 
And  becaule  of  the  Perfe&ion  of  this  Light  he  fanfies 
it  is  that  Mofes  fays  in  the  next  Verfe,  That  God  Jaw 
the  Light  ("repeating  the  word  Light)  that  it  VHK 
good  :  Whereas  in  all  the  reft  of  the  Six  Days  Work, 
he  only  fays,  He/in?  it  was  good^  without  naming  a- 
gain  the  thing  he  had  made. 

But  it  feems  to  me  moft  rational  by  this  Light^  to 
underftand,  thofe  Particles  of  Matter,  which  we  call 
F/re,  (whofe  two  Properties,  every  one  knows,  are 
Light  and  Heat)  which  the  Almighty  Spirit  that 
formed  all  things,  produced  as  the  great  Inftrument, 
for  the  Preparation  and  Digeftion  of  the  reft  of  the 
Matter }  which  was  ftill  more  vigoroufly  moved  and 
agitated,  from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  by  this  reft- 

C  lefs 


IQ  A   COMMENT  A  RT 

Chapter    lefs  Element,  till  the  purer  and  more  (bining  Parts 
I.        of  it,  being  feparated  from  the  grofler,  and  united 

L/'V'NJ  in  a  Body  fit  to  retain  them,  became  Light. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  God  faw  the  Light,  that  it  was  good.~] 
He  was  pleafed  in  this  Work  of  his,  as  agreeable  to 
his  Oefign.  Which  for  the  preient  was  (we  may 
conceive)  to  influence  the  upper  Parts  of  the  CHA 
OS,  and  to  be  the  Inftrument  of  Karefaftion,  Sepa 
ration,  and  all  the  reft  of  the  Operations,  which 
were  neceflary  to  mold  it  into  fuch  Creatures,  as 
were  afterwards  made  out  of  it. 

And  God  divided  the  Light -from  the  Darknefs.~\  Ap 
pointed  that  they  fhould  conitantly  fucceed  one  ano 
ther  5  as  we  fee  they  do  now,  that  this  Light  is  em 
bodied  in  the  Sun  3  and  as  they  did  then,  by  the  cir 
cular  Motion  of  this  firft  Light  of  Fire,  round  a-- 
bout  the  CHAOS,  in  the  fpace  of  Twenty-four 
Hours}  which  made  it  Day  to  thofe  Parts  where  it 
Chined^  and  Night,  where  it  did  not.  It  is  remark 
able  how  Mofes  afcribes  every  thing  to  GOD,  the 
Former  of  all  things  5  who  by  making  this  Light  move 
round  about  the  Chaos,  (till  more  prepared ,c  and  ex 
alted  the  remaining,  indigefted, Parts:  of  Matter,  for 
their  feveral  ufes. 

Verfe  5  Ver.  5.  And  God  calkd  the Tight,  day^  ajtdthe  darkc 
nefs  he  called  Night.'}  He  fetled  them  (that  is)  ia 
fuc.h  a-conftant  Courfe,  that  it  gave  them  thefe  di- 
fti,n£f  Names, 

And  the  Evening  and,  the  Morning  were  the  firft  Day-^ 
In  the  Hebrew  Language,  Evening  and  Morning  figni- 
fi^  a  whole  Day  5,  which  the:  Motion  of  this  Light 
n6a"4e,  if  we  conceive  it  to  have  been  formed  about 
Noon,  and  to  have  gone  round  the  fore-mentioned 
Heap  of  Matter  in  Twenty-four  Hours. 

How 


upon    GENESIS.  ii 

How  long  all  things  continued  in  mere  Confufi-  Chapter 
on,    after  the  CHAOS   was  created,    before  this        I. 
Light  was  extra&ed  out  of  it,  we  aje  not  told.     It  L/"V\J 
might  be  (for  any  thing  that   is   here  revealed)  a 
great  while  $  and  all  that  time  the  mighty  Spirit  was 
raaking  fuch  Motions   in  it,  as  prepared,  difpofed, 
and  ripened  every  Part  of  it,  for  tuch  Productions 
as  were  to  appear  fucceffively  in  fuch  fpaces  of  time, 
as  are  here,    and  afterward   mentioned  by  Mofes  5 
who  informs  us,  That  after  things  were  fo  digefted, 
and  made   ready  (by   long  Fermentations  perhaps) 
to  be  wrought  into  Form,  God  produced  every  day, 
for  fix  davs  together,  fome  Creature  or  other,  till 
all  was  finifhed  ^  of  which  Light  was  the  very  firft. 
Th\saMazMmldes  hath  very  happily  illuftrated,inhis 
More  Nevochim,  P.  II.  c.  30.  where  he  obferving  that 
all  things   were  created  at  once,  and  then  were  af 
terwards  feparated   one  from   another  fucceffively  $    • 
he  fays,  their  wife  Men  referable  this  proceeding  to 
that  of  a  Husbandman,  who  fows  feveral  Seeds  in 
the  Earth  at  the  fame  moment  5  fome  of  which  are 
to  come  up  after  one  day,  others  after  two,  and 
others  not  till  three  days  be  paft  $  though  the  whole 
fowing  was  in  one  and  the  fame  moment.     Thus 
God  made  all  things  at  the  firft,  which  did  not  ap 
pear  together  ^  but,  in  the  fpace  of  fix  Days,  were 
formed  and  put  in  order  one  afcer  another:  Light 
being  the  Work  of  the  firft  Day. 

Ver.  6.  And  God  faid,  Let  there  'be  a  firmament!]  Verfe  6. 
•  The  next  thing  that  God  commanded  to  come  forth  of 
the  Chaos,  was  the  Air }  particularly,  that  Region  next 
to  us,  wherein  the  Fowls  fly,  as  it  is  expounded  after 
wards,  verfe  20.  The  Hebrew  word  Rachia  properly 
fignifies  a  Body  expanded,  or  fpread  forth,  (as  may  be 

C  i  feen 


A  COMMENTARY 

feenin  FaW. XXXIX,  ^Ifai.  XL.I9-  jfer.X.p.  where 
it  can  have  no  other  meaning)  but  is  by  the  LXX. 
tra Dilated  ztpiu^,  and  from  thence  by  us,  Firma 
ment  5  became  the  Air,  though  vaftly  extended  and 
fluid,  yet  continues  firm  and  ftable  in  its  place. 

In  the  wrJ.ft  of  the  Waters,  and  let  it  divide  the  Wa 
ters  from  the  (-'I  aters.']  This  Region  pf  the  Air,  ma- 
nifeftly  parts  the  Waters  above  it  in  the  Clouds,  from 
thofe  below  it,  here  upon  Earth  5  the  one  of  which 
Waters  bear  a  good  proportion,  and  are  in  fome  mea- 
fure  equal  unto  the  other  5  for  there  are  vaft  Treafures 
of  Water  in  the  Clouds;  from  whence  the  Waters 
here  below,  in  Springs  and  Rivers  are  fupplied.  This 
appeared  afterwards  in  the  Deluge,  which  was  partly 
made  by  continued  Rains  for  many  days.  The  great 
Objeftion  againft  this  Expofition  is,  That  now  there 
were  no  Clouds,  neither  had  it,  after  this,  rained 
on  the  Earth,  Gen.  II.  6.  But  itmuft  be  confidered, 
That  neither  were  the  Waters  below,  as  yet  gathered 
into  one  place  :  And  therefore  Mofes  here  fpeaks  of 
the  Air,  as  a  Body  intended  to  be  ftretched  between 
the  Waters  above  and  beneath,  when  they  Ihould  be 
formed. 

That  the  Clouds  above  are  called  Waters  in  the 
Scripture- Language,  is  plain  enough  from  PfalwClV. 
3.  Jer.X.  13,  and  other  places. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  God  made  the  firmament,  and  di 
vided,  &c."]  What  his  Divine  Will  ordered,  his 
Power  effe&ed  5  by  that  Light  which  rowled  about 
the  CHAOS,  and  that  Heat  which  was  excited 
within  it  5  whereby  fuch  Exhalations  were  rai fed,  as 
made  the  Firmament.  That  is,  the  thicker  Parts  of 
them  made  this  Region  of  the  Air^  which  is  the  low>- 
er  firmament^  verfe  20.  And  the  thinner  Parts  of 

them 


upon    GENESIS-  13 

them  made  the  JEther,  or  higher  Firmament^  where-  Chapter 
in  the  Sun  and  the  Planets  are  feated,  verfe  14,  15.  I. 

Ver.  8.  And  God  caOcd    the  firmament  Heaven^]  o^\^*^-* 
Made  it  fo  different  from  the  reft  of  the  Mafs,  cal-  Verfe  8. 
led  Earth,  that  it  had  the  Name  of  Heaven,  to  di- 
fti nguifh  it  from  the  other.    So  all  above  the  Earth 
is  called,  as   appears  by  the  following  part  of  the 
Chapter^  in  the  Verfe  s  now  mentioned.     And  that's 
the  very  import  of  the  word  Schamaim,  which,  in  the 
Arabic^  Language,  (as  JEben  Ezra  obferves)  fignifies 
heighth  or  altitude. 

And  the  Evening  and  the  Morning  were  the  fecond 
Day^]  This  was  the  Work  of  another  whole  Day. 
Concerning  which  it  is  commonly  noted,  That  it  is 
not  faid  of  this,  as  of  all  the  Works  of  the  other  five 
Days,  Godfaw  that  it  was  good.  What  thereafon  of 
this  (hould  be,  is  enquired  by  all  Interpreters  5  and 
the  mod  folid  Account  that  I  can  find  of  it,  is  this  $ 
That  the  Waters  mentioned  upon  this  Day,  were  not 
yet  feparated  and  diftinguilhed  from  the  Earth .-  And 
therefore  in  the  next  Day's  Work,  when  he  did  ga 
ther  the  Waters  together,  verfe  10.  and  when  he  com 
manded  the  Earth  (which  was  become  dry)  to  bring 
forth,  verfe  12.  thefe  words,  God  faw  that  it  was 
good,  are  twice  repeated.  Which  made  Picherellw 
and  Ger.Fcffiw,  think  the  two  next  Verfes  (9,  10.) 
belonged  to  the  fecond  Days  Work  5  and  that  the  firft 
words  of  the  ninth  Verfe  (hould  be  thus  tranflated, 
And  God  had  faid^  Let  the  Waters  under  the  Hea 
ven..  &c.  And  fo  the  words  in  the  end  of  the  tenth 
Verfe  >  Godfaw  that  it  was  good>  relate  to  the  fecond 
Day.  L.2,de  Orig.  Idolol.  c.  67, 

Ver, 


A  COMMENT ART 

Ver.  9.  And  God  faid^   Let:  the  Waters  under  the. 
Heaven^     All  the   Waters  which  continued  mixed 
with  the  Earth,  and  covered  the  Surface  of  it. 
Verie  9.        Be  gathered  together,  &c.]     Colle&ed  into  one  Bo 
dy  by  themfelves. 

And  let  the  dry  Land  appear."]  Diflrinft  and  feparate 
from  the  Waters. 

There  being  fuch  large  Portions  of  Matter  drawn 
out  of  the  CHAOS,  as  made  the  Body  of  Fire  and 
Air  before-mentioned,  there  remained  in  a  great  Bo 
dy,  only  Water  and  Earthy  but  they  fo  jflmbled  to 
gether,    that  they  could  not  be  diftinguifhed.     It 
was  the  Work  therefore  of  the  third  Day,  to  malre  a 
'Separation  between  them }  by  comparing  together  all 
the  Particles  which  make  the  Earth,  which  before  was 
Mud  and  Dirt  $  and  then,  by  rafifing  It  abdve  the 
Waters  which   covered  its  Superficies,  (as  the  Pfd- 
t»ift  alfo  defcribes   this  Work,  Pfalm  CIV.  6.)  atid, 
lajlly,  by  making  fuch  Caverns  in  it,  as  were  fufficient 
to  receive  the  Waters  into  them.     Now  this  we  may 
conceive  to  have  been  done  by  fuch  Particles  of  Fire 
as  were  left  in  the  Bowels  of  the  Earth  :  Whereby 
fuch  Nitro-fulphureous  Vapours  were  kindled,  as 
roadeian  Earth-quake  5-  which  both  lifted  up rtie  Earth, 
aindailb  made  Receptacles  for  the  Waters  to  run 
into  5  as   the  Pfalmift  (othefWife  I  fhou Id  not  ven 
ture  to  mention  this)  feems  in  the  fore- mentioned 
place  to  'illuftrate  it^  Pfalm  CIV.  7.  where  he  fays, 
At  thy  relmfy  they  (i.e.»the  Waters)  fled  5  at  the  voice 
of :  thy"  tlmnder 'they  haft-ed'away.     And  fo  God  himfelf 
(peaks,  Job  XXX VII I.  10.  rbrakeupfor  it  (i.e.  for 
the  Sea)  my  decreed  place,  and  fet    bars,  and  doors. 
Hifcories  alfo  tell  us,  of  Mountains  that  have  been, 
in  feveral  Ages,  lifted  up  by   Earth-quakes  ^  nay, 

Iflands 


npon    GENES!  S.  15 

Iflands  in  the  mid  ft  of  the  Sea  :  Which  confirms  this  Chapter 
Conjecture,  That  poffibly  the  Waters  were,  at  the        I. 
firft,  feparated  by  this  means,  and  Co  feparated,  that  L/~Y"NJ 
they  fhould  not  return  to  cover  the  Earth.     For  the 
Word,  in  the  beginning  of  this  Verfe,  which  we  tran- 
flate  gathered^  comes   from   Kav,    which  fignifies  a 
Square,  a  Rule,  or  perpendicular  Line :  And  therefore 
denotes  they  were  moft  exaftly  collefted,  and  fo  poi- 
fed  in  (uch  juft  Proportions,  that  they  fhould  not  a- 
gain  overflow  the  dry  Land. 

This  Work  of  God  (" whereby  the  Waters  were 
fent  down  into  their  proper  Channels,  and  the  Earth 
made  dry,  and  fitted  for  the  Habitation  of  fuch  Crea 
tures,  as  were  afterwards  created)  is  obferved  by 
Strabo  in  his  Geography  as  an  Aft  of  Divine  Provi 
dence,  L.  XVII.  Becaufe,  fays  he,  the  Water  covered 
the  Earth,  and  Man  is  not  Iv'jfr&v  ££ev,  a  Creature 
that  can  live  in  the  Water,  God  made  c%o%a$  e^  ry 
yy  ^73?v\as  ^  G^O;^,  See.  many  Cavities  and  Kecepta- 
des  in  the  Earth  for  the  Watery  and  raifed  the  Earth 
above  it,  that  it  might  be  fit  for  Man's  Habitation. 

Ver.  10.  And  called  the  dry  Land^  Stcf)  This  i$yerfe  i 
fufficiendy  explained,  by  what  hath  been  faid  upon 
Ferfe  5,  &  8;  only  this  may  be  added,  That  the  word 
Eretz,  Earth,  in  Arabic^  fignifies  any  thing  that  is  low 
and  funk  beneath,  oppcfite  to  Schamajm,  Heavens, 
which  in  that  Language,  as  I  noted  before,  fignifies. 
high  and  lifted  up. 

Ver.  n.  And  God  fatd,  Let  the  Earth  bring  /orfAVerfe  II 
grafs,  the  Herb  yielding,  8cc«3  Or,  rather,  it  (hould 
be  tranflated,  and  the  Herb  yielding^  Sec.  though  the 
copula  be  omitted,  which  is  ufual  in  Scripture :  Parti 
cularly  in  Habak:  III.  1 1 ,  the  Sun,  Moon,  5.  e.  the  Sun 
and  Muon. 

Mo- 


16  AGO  UME  NT  ART 

Chapter        Mofes  having  fhown  how  the  firft  Matter,  (ver.  2. 
I.       and  then  the  Elements  of  things,  as  we  call  them  (ver. 

L/'WJ  3,6,9, 10.)  were  produced,  he  proceeds  to  the  Pro- 
du&ion  of  more  compounded  Bodies.  And  here  an 
account  is  given  of  all  forts  of  Vegetables,  which  are 
ranged  under  three  Heads  :,  Grafs,  which  comes  up 
every  Year  without  fowing^  Herbs,  bearing  a  Seed, 
which  comprehends  (as  Abarbinel  here  notes)  all 
fort  of  Corn,  and  whatfoever  is  fown^  and  Trees, 
which  alfobear  Fruit.  There  are  feveral  kinds  of 
all  thefe  :,  which  iome  have  caft  into  Eighteen^  others 
into  Si xand  thirty  Clafles;  none  of  which  could  at  the 
firft  fpring  out  of  the  Earth,  of  it  felf,  by  the  power 
of  external  and  internal  Heat,  and  of  the  Water 
mixed  with  it,  (no,  not  fo  much  as  one  fingle  Pile 
of  Grafs)  without  the  Almighty  Power  and  Wifdom 
of  God}  who  brought  together  thofe  Parts  of  Mat 
ter,  which  were  fitted  to  produce  them  ^  and  then 
formed  every  one  of  them,  and  determined  their  feve 
ral  Species  ^  and  alfo  provided  for  their  continuance, 
by  bringing  forth  Seed  to  propagate  their  Species  to 
the  end  of  all  things.  And  here  it  is  very  remarka 
ble,  how  God  hath  fecured  the  Seeds  of  all  Plants, 
with  fingular  Care  :  Some  of  them  being  defended  by 
a  double,  nay,  a  treble  inclofure. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  the  Earth  brought  forth  Grafs ,  and  the 
Herb^  &c.]  Thefe  things  did  not  grow  up  out  of 
Seed,  by  fuch  a  long  procefs,  as  is  now  required  to 
bring  them  to  Maturity  5  but  they  fprung  up  in  their 
Perfe&ion,  in  the  fpace  of  a  Day,  with  their  Seeds 
in  them,  compleatly  formed,  to  produce  the  like 
throughout  all  Generations.  Thus  Mofes  gives  a 
plain  Account  of  the  firft  Produftion  of  things,  ac 
cording  to  the  natural  Method  :  For  fuppofing  they 

had 


upon    GEN  E  S  I  S.  17 

'had  a  Beginning,  the  Herb  and  the  Tree  muft  natural-  Chapter 
ly  be  before  the  Seed  they  bear:  As  the   Hen  is  be-        I, 
fore  the  Egg   (lie  lays.     And  to  make  a  Queftioh,  L/*V*NJ 
which  was  firft  (as  fome  of  the  Philofophers  did)  is 
very  frivolous  $   becaufe  that  Power    which  alone 
could  produce  the  Seeds  of  all  things.,  could  as  ea(I- 
ly  make  the  things  themfelves,  with  a  power  to  pro 
pagate  their  Kind,  by  Seed. 

It  is  therefore  moft  judicioufly  noted  by  Abarbi- 
nel,  a  learned  jfnr,  That  theProdudtionof  Plants  ih 
the  beginning,  differed  from  their  Produ&ion  ever 
fince  in  thefe  two  things :  Firft^  That  they  have 
fprung  ever  fince  out  of  Seed,  either  fownbyus,  or 
falling  from  the  Plants  themfelves  5  but  at  the  be 
ginning  were  brought  out  of  the  Earth,  with  their 
Seed  in  them,  to  propagate  them  ever  after.  And,  £> 
cvndly^  They  need  now,  as  they  have  done  fince  the 
firft  Creation,  the  influence  of  the  Sun,  to  make  them 
fprout :  But  then  they  came  forth  by  the  Power  of 
God,  before  there  was  any  Sun,  which  was  not  form 
ed  till  the  next  Day.  Of  this  laft  Theophilw  Antio- 
chenv*^  long  before  Abarbinel  took  notice,  jL  II.  ad 
Autolycu^  where  he  fays,  God  produced  things  in 
this  order  5  forefeeing  the  Vanity  of  Philofopbers, 
who,  faying  nothing  of  him,  made  all  things  to  be 
produced  by  the  Sun,  Sare  iff  ror^&tcw,  out  of  the 
Elements.  Porphyry  himfelf  alfo  (£,.  II.  TO£/  ^ra- 
$s)  could  obferve  out  of  Theophraftvs,  That  the 
Earth  brought  forth  Trees  and  Herbs  before  Beads, 
Siv$£&  {MV  $  $»  Tff%3  tyw  dvlSbxt  *  y^  5cc.  Which 
Eufebivs  remembers  in  his  Prapar.  Evang.  L.  I.  c.  9. 
p.  ^8. 

Ver.  14.  Let  there  be  Lights.*]    This  is  a  different  Verfe  24. 
word  from  what  we  had,  verfe  3,  fignifying,  as  Pan 
to  It* 


1 8  A*  C 

Chapter  /^r  Fagiw  obferves,  that  which  is  made  out  of  Light ;  I 
I.  luminous  Bodies,  whereby  Light  is  comn-unicated  to 
us :  The  Hebrew  Particle,  Mem,  before  a  word,  be 
ing  ufed  to  exprefs  the  Inftrument  of  an  Aftion  : 
And  lo  now  we  are  to  conceive,  that  the  Light  pro 
duced  ac  firft,  having  for  three  Days  circulated  about 
the  Earth,  and  that  near  unto  it,  to  further  the  Pro- 
duftion  of  the  things  before-mentioned,  was  on  this 
fourth  Day  diftributed  into  feveral  Lunrinarhs,  at  a 
great  diftance  from  the  Earth.  So  it  follows  $  In  the 
firmament  of  Heaven ,  in  the  upper  Region,which  we 
call  the  JEther-QtSkyi  where  the  Sun  and  the  Pla* 
nets  are  placed. 

To  divide  the  Day  from  the  Night  ~]  By  a  conti 
nued  circular  Motion,  finifhed  in  four  and  twenty 
Hours,-  in  one  part  of  which,  by  the  prefence  of  the 
Sun,  the  Day  is  made  ^  and  in  the  other  part,  by 
the  Sun's  abfence,  Night  is  made,  in  a  conftant  fuc- 
ceffion. 

And  let  them  be  for  Signs  and  for  Seafons.~]  That  IS, 
for  Signs  of  the  Times  or  Seafons  ^  as  Ger,  Vofllv?  ex 
pounds  it,  by  the  Figure  of  \v  §«x>§vtiv.  And  by 
Times  are  meant,  the  Spring,  Summer,  Autumn,  and 
Winter:  And,  by  confequence,  the  Seaibns  for 
Ploughing,  Sowing,  Planting,  Pruning,  Heaping, 
Vintage,  Sailing,  dv.  L.  de  Scienttis  Mathemat* 

c-  38- 

And  for  Days^  and  Tears']  By  a  fpeedy  fwift  Mo 
tion  round,  in  twenty-four  Hours  to  make  Days^  and 
by  a  (lower,  longer  Motion  to  make  Years  5  and  a 
grateful  variety  of  Seafons  in  the  feveral  Parts  of  the 
Earth,  which  by  this  annual  Motion  are  all  vifited 
with  the  Sun's  Beams, 

¥er. 


-Apia    G  E  N  E  !§  1  S.  i£ 

Ver.  15.  'And  let  them  be  for  Light,  &c/]    'i.e.   Let  Chapter 
them   there   continue  to   give  conftant  Light  and        I, 
Warmth   to  the  Earth  :  And  fo  they  do  irnmova-  iv^yXJ 
bly.  Verfe  15. 

Ver.  1 6.   And  God  made  two  great  Light s~]     It  is  Verfe  1 6. 
obfervable,  that  nothing  is  faid  to  have  been  created, 
fince  the  firft  Matter,  out  of  which  all  things  were 
made  or  formed.      And  the  two  great  Lights,  or   Lu 
minaries,  Iniightners,  (as  the  wordfignifies)  are  the 
Sun,  which    Enlightens  us  by  Day  5  and  the  Moon, 
'-.which  inlightens  us  by  Night.     The  Moon  indeed  is 
not  to 'great  as  the  reft  of  the  Planets,   ("for  it  is  the 
'leaftof  all,  except  Mercury.*)  but  it  affords  the  great- 
eft  Light  to  us  $  by  reflecting  the  Beams  of  the  Sun  to 
!us,  in  its  abfence  ^  and  thereby  very  much  abating  the 
difconfolate  Dirknefs  of  the  Night. 

He  made  the  Stars  alfoJ]  That  is,  the  reft  of  the 
Planets,  and  their  Attendants. 

Ver.  17.  And  God  fet  them  in  the  firmament  of  He  a.-  Verfe  17. 
<ven^  &c^  By  the  repetition  of  this  fo  often,  Mofet 
intended  to  fix  in  the  Peoples  Mind  this  Notion  $ 
That  though  the  heavenly  Bodies  be  very  Glorious, 
yet  they  were  but  Creatures,  made  by  God,  and  fee 
or  appointed  by  his  Order,  to  give  us  Light:  And 
therefore  he  alone  is  to  be  wor(hippedy  not 
they. 

It  is  commonly  taken  notice  of,  that  there  is  no 
mention  of  the  Creation  of  Angels,  in  all  this  Hifto* 
ry$  nor  was  there  any  need  of  it.  For  the  anci 
ent  Idolatry  confiding  in  the  Worftiip  of  the  Sun, 
Moon,  and  Stars,  (as  appears  from  the  very  Names  of 
the  moft  ancient  Idols  in  the  Old  Teflament^  fuch  as 
Moloch,  Afl}taroth,&nd  the  like,)  which  they  believed 
to  be  Eternal  Beings :  The  great  Defign  of  Mofes 

D  z  was 


A  COMMENtART 

Chapter    u*as  to  confute  this  Opinion,  by  reprefenting  them? 
I.        (over  and  over)  as  the  Work  of  the  Eternal  God  5, 

L^VNJ  which  ftruck  at  the  very  Root  of  Idolatry.  The  wor- 
fhip  of  Angels  was  a  Jater  Invention, 

Verfe  18.  Ver..i8-  Audio  rule  aver  the  day,  and  over  the 
Night."]  Some  have  fanfied,  that  the  ancient  Idolatry 
fprung  from  this  word  Rule:  Men  looking  uponthefe 
glorious  Lights,  as  having  a  Dominion  over  them. 
Whence  the  Sun  was  called  Baal,  that  is,  Lord,or  Go 
vernor,  by  the  Eaftern  People  5  and  Moloch,  that  is, 
King,  by  the  Egyptians.  But  one  word  fure  was  not 
the  ground  of  fo  foul  an  Error  y  when  the  Scope  of 
Mofes  was  to  (how  that  thefe  things  were  made  by 
an  higher  Being,  and  made  not  to,  rule  over  Men, 
but  over  the  Day  and  the  Night  5  which  the  SRQ 
makes  when  it  rifes  and  fets,  by  the  order  and  ap* 
pointment  of  God. 

And  God  farv  that  it  wo*  gooJI}  He  was  plfcafed 
with  this  Work,  asfuitable  to  the  end&for  which  he 
intended  it.  The  firft  Light  was  gaod  (ver.  4.^  for* 
the  purpofe  to  which  it  ferved  $  which  was,  by  its 
heat,  to  agitate,  rarifie,  and  feparate  the  Matter  of 
the  CHAOS,  for  the  making  of  Air^  and  gather 
ing  together  the  Waters,  and  drying  the  Earth,  and- 
producing  Grafs,  Herbs,  and  Trees ;  which  made  it 
neceflary  it  (hould  continue  fome  Days  near  to  the 
Earth,  that  it  might  powerfully  penetrate  into  the 
Matter  it  was  to  digeft  :  But,  if  it  (hould  have  con 
tinued  longer  fo  near  to  the  Earth,  it  would  not  have 
been  good  for  it  5  becaufe  it  would  have  burnt  up 
all  the  Plants,  that  the  Earth  had  brought  forth  3 
and,  by  its  too  fcorching  heat,  havehindred.  the  Pro- 
duaion  of  thofe  living  Creatures,  which  were  rea 
dy  on  the  next  Day  to  be  made  3  or,  at  leaft,  made 

tfe 


upon    GEN  E  S  I  a 

the  Earth  unfit  for  their  Habitation.    For  the  Air,  Chapter 
which  alL  living   things,    even  Fifties  themfelveS}        L 
need,  Cnay,  the  Plants  alfo^   which  have  Veffels  for  WV\J 
conveying.  Air  to  all  their  Parts,)  would  have  been 
fo  very  hot,  that  it  would  have  afforded  no  refrefti* 
menttothem:  Therefore  it  VMS  good  that  it  ftiould 
be  advanced  into  the  Firmament  of  the  Heaven, 
and  there  embodied  in  thofe  Luminaries,  which,  be 
ing  removed  further  from  us>  give  fuch  a  moderate 
heat  as  is  neceflary.  for  the  prefervation  of  us,  and 
of  all  things  living  that  dwell  upon  the  Earth. 

Ver.  19,  And  the  Evening^  &c.7|.    Thus  the  fourth  Yerfe  19, 
Day  concluded. 

Ver.  20.  ArtdGodfaidi>  Let  the  Waters,  &c.]  Now  Verfe  ttfc 
God  proceeded  to  form  the  lower  fort  of  Animals^ 
or  living  Creatures,  viz.    The  Ftft9  and  the  fowl\ 
which  are  in  many  refpefts  inferior  to  Beafts*.    And 
the  Fifties  are called  moving  fin  the  Hebrew^  creep 
ing')  Creatures  v  becaufe  their  Bellies  touch  the  Wa» 
ter,  as  creeping  things  do  the  Earth.     Both  Fi(hes> 
and  Fowls  were  made  out  of  theWaters-$  that  is,  out 
of  fuch  Mat  ter  as  was  mixed  with  the  Waters>  which1 
contained  in  them  many  things  befides  fimpk  Wa 
ter  5  for  the  Sea.  and  Rivers  are  ftill  very  richly  fur- 
nifhed  with  various  Compounds,  for  the  nourifhment 
of  an  innumerable  multitude  of  Fifties.     The  great, 
congruity  that  there  is  between  Filh  and  Fowl  in* 
many  particularSj  will  not  let  us  doubt  they  had  the 
fame  Original:  For  they  are  both  oviparotM^  which ^ 
makes  them  more  fruitful  than  the  Beafts  of  the 
Earth  3  neither  of  them  have  any  Teats \  they  both  - 
direflr,  (and,  as  I  may  fay,  fteer)  their  Courfe  by  their 
Tail,  &c.     See  Gm  Rffim,  de  Orig.  8f  Protr+Idolol. 
&.  III.  c.  78, 

Ering 


A  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter  Bring  forth  abundantly."]  That  is,  various  forts  of 
i;  both  kinds  5  there  being  many  hundred  kinds  of 
V^NOwVF/^/,  and  Birds'^  or  Fowls  $  many  of  the  latter  of 
which  live  in  the  Water,  (which  (hows  their  Origi 
nal  to  have  been  from  thence,)  and  others  of  them 
live  both  in  the  Air  and  Water.  The  Formation  of 
theu?  Creatures  is,  in  every  part  of  them,  very  won 
derful,  especially  in  thole  parts  whereby  they  are 
fitted  to  fwim,  and  to  fly.  Which  demonftrate  a 
molt  wife  Agent,  by  whofe  infinite  Power  they  were 
fo  contrived,  as  to  be  able  alfo  to  propagate  their 
Kind. 

'Verfe  21.  Ver.  2-1.  And  God  created  great  Whales']  The  vafl> 
•C-»  ill  nefs  of  thefe  Creatures,  perhaps,  made  Mofes  again 
ufethe  word  Create,  ( which  he  had  not  done  fmce 
the  beginning  of  thz  Chapter,)  notbecaufe  they  were 
tnade  as  the  C  HAG  S  was,  out  of  Nothing  5  but 
becaufe  it  required  a  greater  Power  to  make  out  of 
the  precedent  Matter,  moving  things  of  fo  huge  a 
Bulk,  and  of  fuch  great  Agility,  than  to  make  any 
other  thing  hitherto  formed. 

>     The   Hebrew  word   Tanim,    which  we  tranflate 

Wfalef,  comprehends  feveral  forts  ot  great  Fifhes,  as 

Bochartw  obferves  in  his  Hierozoic.  P.  I.  L.  I.  c.  7. 

where  he  (hows  the  prodigious  bignefs  of  fome  of 

them.    But  he  fhould  have  added,  that  this  word 

alfo  fignifies  Crocodiles^  which,  he  himfelf  fliows,  are 

fet  forth  in  Job  XLI.  as  the  moft  aftonifhing  Work 

of  God.     For  Job  Ludolplw^  I  think,  hath  demon- 

ftrated,  that  nothing  but  the  Crocodile  can  be  meant 

by  this  word  Tanim,  in  £2,4.  XXIX.  3.  and  XXXII. 

2.  and  fome  other  places.     Vid.  L,  I.  Comment,  in 

.Hiftor.  Mtbhf.  Cap.  XI.  n.  86. 

And 


upon    GEN  E  S  I  S.' 

And  Godfaw  that  it  was  goad.}  Was  pleafed  with  Chapter ' 
the  Stru&ure  of  thefe  feveral  Creatures:  Of  the  I. 
Birds^  who  were  fiumfhed  with  Wings  to  fly  in  the 
Air  5  and  of  the .'FiJhSs,  wtrofe  Fins  ferve-  them  to 
iwim  in  the  Watery'  and  of  Water-fowl^  whofe 
Feet  are  formed  fo,  as  to  ferve  for  the  fame  ufe  ; 
and  fome  of  them  (fuch  as  dive  under  Water)  co 
vered  fo  thick  with  Feathers,  and  thofe  fo  fmooth 
and  flippery,  (as  the  Learned  and  Pious  Mr.  Ray 
hath  obferved)  that  the  Bodies  are  thereby  de 
fended  from  the  cold  of  the  Watery  which  cannot 
penetrate  or  moiften  them.  See  Wifdom  of  God  in 
the  Creation^  P.  I.  p.  135-. 

Ver.  22.  And  God  blejjed  them,  &c.]     His  bleffing  Verfe 
them,  was  giving  them  a  Power  to  multiply  and  in- 
creafe,  till  they  had  filled  the  Water  with  Fi(h,   and 
the  Air  With  Fowl.     Which  required  a  particular 
Gare  of  Divine  Providence,  as  Abarbinel  obferves  y 
becaufe  they   do  not  bring  forth  young  ones  per- 
feftly  formed,  as  the  Beafts  do ;  but  lay  their  Eggs 
in  which  they   are  formed,  when  they  are  out  of 
their  Bodies.     This,  faith  he,  is  a  wonderful  thing,. 
That  when  the  Womb,  as  we  may  call  it,  is   fepa- 
rate  from  the  Genitor,  a  living  Creature  like  it  felf 
fhould  be  produced.     Which  is  the  reafon,  he  fan- 
fie  ,  that  a  Bkffing  is  here  pronounced  upon  them,  and 
not  on  the  Beafts,  that  were  made   the  next   Day. 
The  ancient  Fathers  are  wont  to  obferve,  That  the 
Jfrjt  r Effing  was  given  to  the  Waters,  as  a  Type  of 
Baptilm.     Theop&lus  ad  Autolyc.  L.  II»  and  Tertuffiaiv 

J  D  -L'/~ 

de  Uapttjwo,  cap,  3. 

And  lei  Fowl  multiply  intheEarthT}  There,  for* 
the  moft  part,  they  have  their  Habitation  and  their; 
Food  5  though  fome  live  upon  the  Water* 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  23.  See  verfe  19. 

I.  Ver.  24.  ^W  Godfaid,   Let  the  Earth  bring  forth.*] 

<L/V^sJ  Thus  by  a  gradual  Procefs,  the  Divine  Power  rpro- 
Verfe  2  3.  duced  Creatures  dill  more  Noble  :  The  Matter  be- 
Verfe  24.  jng  mOre  digefted  and  prepared  in  five  Days  time, 
than  it  was  at  firft.  I  do  not  know  whether  there 
beany  weight  in  the  Note  of  Abarbinel^  who  obferves 
that  Mofes  here  ufes  a  new  word,  which  we  tran- 
flate  bring  forth  ^  to  fhow  the  difference  between 
Plants  and  Animals.  The  former  of  which  fpriqg  out 
of  the  Earth  indeed,  but  continue  fix'd  in  it,  and 
;peri(h  if  they  be  feparated  from  it:  Whereas  Ani- 
ntdls^  though  made  out  of  the  Earth,  and  living  up 
on  it,  have  a  feparate  evidence,  and  do  not  ftill  ad 
here  to  it. 

After  his  /{ind."]  Three  forts  of  living  Creatures 
are  immediately  mentioned,  which  were  formed  out 
of  fuch  Matter,  as  rtie  Earth  afforded,  (not  fimple 
Earth,  we  mu ft  underftand,  no  more  than  before 
fimple  Water  5  for  it  was  impregnated  with  many 
other  Principles  3)  the  firft  of  which,  Belevtah,  which 
we  translate  Cattle,  always  fignifies  the  Flocks  and 
Herds  of  tame  Beads,  when  it  is  diftingui(hed  from 
Chaja^  which  we  tranflate  in  the  end  of  the  Verfc^ 
Beafts  of  the  Earth^  that  is,  wild  Beads  :  Between 
which  two,  he  mentions  a  third  kind  of  living  Crea 
tures  on  the  Earth,  which  he  calls  Rewe/h,  creeping 
things  5  becaufe  whatever  Feet  they  have,  they  arc 
fo  (hort  and  fmall,  that  they  feem  to  the  naked  Eye 
to  have  none  at  all }  but  to  crawl  on  their  Bellies  up 
on  the  Ground.  Of  all  thefe  three  kinds,  there  are 
various  forts  wherewith  God  hath  repleniftied  the 
Earth:  And  of  every  kind,  fome  vaftly  great,  and 
-others  very  little .5  as  Abarbinel  notes  even  among 

-Reptiles, 


upon    GENESIS.  35 

Rtptilef,  there  being  Serpents  of  a  prodigious  length,  Chapter 
and  other  creeping  things  far  fmaller  than  Ants.  I. 

Ver.  25.  And  God  ma.de,  &c]     The  Earth  did  L/VXJ 
not  bring  them  forth  by  Virtue  of  the  Influence  of  Ver^e  25' 
Heaven,  upon  prepared  Matter :  But   God  framed 
them  out  of  the  Matter  fo  prepared,  and  produced 
them  in  their  full   perfection,  after    their  feveral 
kinds. 

And  Godfaw  It  was  good."]  Was  pleafed  with  the 
great  variety  of  thefe  Creatures,  and  their  compleat 
Stru&ure,  fitting  them  for  their  feveral  ufes. 

Ver.  26.  Let  us  ntake  Man."]  God  not  only  re-  Verfe  26, 
ferved  Man  for  the  laft  of  his  Works}  but  doth,  as  it 
were,  advife  and  confult  about  his  Produ&ion.  Not  to 
fignifie  any  Deliberation  within  himfelf,  or  any  Dif 
ficulty  in  the  Work  $  but  to  reprefent  to  us  the  Dig 
nity  of  Man,  and  that  he  was  made  (as  Abarbinel 
glofles)  with  admirable  Wifdom,  and  great  Pru 
dence.  To  the  fame  purpofe  S.  Chryfoftom  here  fpeaks. 
And  fee  Greg.  Nyjfin^  de  Opjficio  Homiwsj  cap.  3. 
and  Orat.  I.  on  thefe  words :  With  Greg,  tfazianzev. 
Orat.  XLIII  p.  699.  who  obferves  that  God  brought 
him  into  this  World,  as  into  a  noble  Palace,  ready 
furnifhed  with  all  manner  of  things.  Which  is  the  No 
tion  alfoof  Methodius:  SzzEpjphanius^  H<eref.  LXIV. 
n.  1 8.  It  is  to  be  obferved  a!fo,  That  God  doth  not 
fay,  Let  the  Earth  bring  forth  Man,  as  he  faid  before, 
verfe  24.  of  other  Animals  ^  for  the  fame  Reafon  : 
To  reprefent  Man  as  a  far  more  noble  Work,  than 
any  other  upon  Earth.  For  though  he  was  made 
(as  we  read  in  the  next  Chapter]  of  the  duft  of  the 
ground  $  yet  a  greater  Power  and.Skill  was  imployed, 
in  producing  a  Creature  of  fuch  Beauty  and  Ma- 
jefty. 

E  Let 


^  C&MMENTARr 

Chapter        Let  u*7\    The  ancient  Chriftians  look'd  upon  this 
L       as  a  plain  intimation  of  a  Plurality  of  Perfons  in  the 

L/"V"NJ  Godhead,     Infomuch  that  Epiphantw  fays,   This  w 
the  Language  of  God  to  his   WORD  and  only  Begot 
ten,  a€  all  the  faithful  believe^  HaoWTXXHI;  n.  x.  and 
fee  Htref.  XLI V.  n.  4.  and  Haref*  XL VI.  ».  3.  where 
he  fays,  Adam  was  -TnTfXct^iv^  w  %&&  n&l&s,  % 
ifS,  ^  a'^/a  wljpuvr©^)  formed  by  the  Hand  of  the  Fa 
ther,  and  the  £?«,  and  the  Holy  Ghoft.     To  which  one 
cannot  but  incline,  who  confiders  how   poorly  the 
Jews   expound  this  place:  Who  fanfie  a   kind    of 
Senate  or  Council  of  Angels^  without  whom  God  doth 
nothing,  (which  they  ground  uponD^.  IV.  14.) 
whereas  there  is  not  the  leaft  fignification  as  yet  of 
any  fuch  Beings  3  much  leis,  that  they  had  any  hand 
in  the  making  Man  5  who  was  not  made  in  their 
Image,  but  in  the  Image  of  God.     Yet  thus  Satur* 
mitt*  foolifhly  expounded  thefe  words,  as  Fpjphaniuf 
informs   us,    in  the    fore-named  H<eref.  p.  62.  fi- 
dit.  Parif.    And  Mofes  Gervndenfc  ftill  more  foolifb- 
ly  imagines  God  fpake  to  the  Earth,  that  it  fhould 
bring  forth  Man,  as  it  had  done  other   Creatures. 
But  b&aimonides,  who  magnifies  that  Saying  of  (heir 
Matters,  (That  God  doth  nothing  without  his  Coun 
cil,.)  is  forced  to  acknowledge,  (More  Nevoch.  P.  IF. 
cap.  6  )  Thatit  is  notto  be  underftood,  asifheaskt 
their  Advice,  or  was  affifted  by  their  Judgment,  but, 
only  that  he  ufed  them  as  Instruments  in  the  pro 
ducing  of  every  thing.     Which  is  direftly  contrary 
to  the  very  words,  which  are  not  in  the  form  of  a 
Command^  but  of  a   Confutation    before  Execution. 
Others  therefore  think  God  fpeaks  after  the  manner 
of  Kings  $  who  advife  with  their  Council,  but  do 
things  themfelves:    And   are  wont  to  fpeak  in  the 

Pin- 


upon    GENE  S  I  S.  ij 

Plural  Number,  when  they  declare   their  Pleafure.  Chapter 
But  I  take  this  to  be  a  Cuftom  much  later  than  the       I, 
Days  of  Mofes  }  when  they  fpake  as  the  King  of  £-  L/"V\J 
gypt  doth  tojojeph,  Gen.  XLI.  41,  44.  1  am  Pharaoh  $ 
and  fee  I  have  fet  thee  (not  we   have  fet  thee)  over 
the  Land  of  Egypt.     In  which  Stile  the  King  of  Per- 
fa  writes  long  after  this,  Ezra  VI,  8.  /  Daritts  mak? 
a  decree. 

All  thefe  poor  fhifts  are  a  plain  Confeffion,  that 
they  found  it  very  hard  (as  the  Socinians  do  at  this 
day)  to  give  any  account  of  this  way  of  fpeaking., 
without  granting  a  Plurality  of  Perfons  in  the  God 
head.  And  therefore  Menajjeh  Ben  Ifrael  in  his  Con 
ciliator,  mentions  one  of  their  Doftors,  who,  in  Be- 
refchhh  Rabba,  fays,  That  when  Mofes  by  God's  Di- 
reftion  was  about  to  write  thefe  words,  Let  us  makz 
Man,  he  cryed  out,  0  Lord  of  the  World,  why  wilt 
thou  give  Men  occaflon  to  err,  about  thy  moft  fimple 
Unity?  To  which  he  received  this  Anfvver,  Write  as 
I  bid  thee  $  and  if  any  M.an  love  to  err,  let  him  err. 
The  fame  Scory  is  told  by  Jofeph  Albo*  Which  (how$ 
that  their  Doftors  have  been  long  puzzled  with  thii 
manner  of  Speech,  which  unavoidably  fuggefted  to 
their  Thoughts,  more  than  One  Perfon  in  the  Dei 
ty  :  Which  till  they  believe,  they  are  at  a  lofs  what 
to  fay  about  it. 

In  our  Image,  after  our  Ukgnefs."}  Two  words  (fome 
think)  to  exprefs  the  fame  thing  :  With  this  diffe 
rence  only,  as  Abarbinel  explains  it,  That  the  laft 
words,  after  our  lifymfi,  give  us  to  underftand,  that 
Man  was  not  created  properly  and  perfectly  in  the 
Image  of  God  $  but  in  a  refemblance  of  him.  For 
he  doth  not  fay,  in  aur  lll^nefs  (fays  that  Author,)  as 
he  had  faid  m  our  Image,  but  after  our  likenefs : 

E  z  Where 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    where  the  Caph  of  Similitude  (as  they  call  it)  abates 
I.       fomething  of  the  Sence  of  what  follows^  and  makes 
it  figntfie  only  an  approach  to  the  Divine  Likenefs, 
in  TJnderftanding,  freedom  of  Choice ,  Spirituality,  Im 
mortality,  &c.      Thus  Tertullian  explains  it,  Habent  it- 
las  utique  Uneas  Dei,    qua  immortalis  anrnta,  qua  libe- 
ra  &  fui  arbitrii,  qua  prafcia  pleruntque,   qua  rationa- 
lis,  capax   intellect  us    &  fcienti<e>   L.  IL  contra  Mar 
riott,  cap.  9.      And    fo  Gregor.  Nyjjen.  cap.   16.   De 
Qpific.  Horn.  Yldvlts  Ta  $ICLVQ£\&CVI  fy  7T£ji£x/\£jtiv  SujuafjjLy 
fyxav,  8cc.     All  have  a  Power  of  Confidering  and 
Defigning,  of  Confulting  and  Fore-appointing  what 
we  intend  to  do.     Purity  and  Holinefs  likewife  feem 
to  be  comprehended  in  this :  As  may  be  gathered 
from  the  Apoftle,  Colojf.lll.  ic.     For  the  new  Man 
confifts  in  Right eoufnejs,  and  true  holinefs,  Ephef.  IV. 
24.     But  though  he  was  created  with  a  Faculty  to 
judge  aright,  and  with  a  Power  to  govern  his  Ap 
petite,  which  he  could  controul  more  eafily  than  we 
can  do  now  5  yet  he  was  not  made  immutably  good, 
(quit  hoc  Sail  Deo  cedit^  which  belongs  to  God  alone, 
zsTertuIIian  excellently  difcourfesin  that  place,)  but 
might,  without  due  care,  be  induced  to  do  evil,  as  we 
fee  he  did.     For  an  habituated,  confirmed  eftate  of 
Goodnefs,  was  even  then  to  have  been  acquired  ty 
Watchfulnefs  and  Exercife  :  Whereby  in  procefs  of 
time,  he  might  have  become  fo  ftedfaft,  that  he  could 
not  have  been  prevailed  upon  by  any  Temptation,  to 
do  contrary  to  his  Duty. 

And  let  them  have  dominion^  Sec."]  Some  have 
thought  the  Image  of  God  confifted  in  this  alone.  fSee 
Greg.  Nyjfin.  cap.  4.  DeOpipc*  Horn.  p.  133.)  Which 
rather  follows  upon  Man's  being  made  in  God*s 
Image,  z/fc.  An  Intelligent  Being  $  which  gave  him 


Hfon    GENESIS. 

Dominion  over  other  things,  that  are  not  indued,  with  Chapter 
fuch  Underftanding.  I  conclude  this  Note  with  a  I. 
very  pertinent  Observation  of  his  in  that  Book,  cap.i6, 
That  Mofes  fpeaks  more  magnificently  of  Man,  than 
any  Philofopher  ever  did :  For  they  could  fay  nothing 
of  him  beyond  this,  That  he  was  Mixg^c  Ko^@o,  a 
little  World  :  But  according  to  the  Churches  account, 
his  Greatnefsconfifts  not  in  his  Likenefs  to  the  crea 
ted  World;  but  in  his  being  made  ^T  &J»oW  #79 
ittiffBtrf^  $u0w>$i  after  the  Image  of  the  Nature  of  the 
Creator  of  all  things. 

Over  all  the  Earth.']  Over  all  four-footed  Crea 
tures  in  the  Earth,  though  never  fo  wild  $  as  Bochar- 
tus  obferves. 

Ver.  27.  And  God  created  Mart  in  his  own  Imaged]  Verfe 
From  thefe   words  Or/gen  gathers  there  is  a  great 
deal  of  difference  between  E&ay,  Image,  and  fO/uuo&- 
juuzy  Likenefs  5  becaufe,  though  God  faid,  verfe  26. Let 
us  make  Man  in  our  Image,  and  after  our  Likencfs^  yet 
here  he  is  faid  to  have  made  him  only  in  his  own 
Image ;  and  not,  for  the  prefent,  after  his  Likenefs. 
For  that,  faith  he,  (Lib.  IV.  contra  Celfuvi)  is  refer- 
ved  to  the  other  World  ^  when,  as  St.  John  fays, 
I  Ep/Jl.  III.  2.  o/uuoiot.  tiumA  iav/M&ot,  we /hall  belike  him. 
But  this  feems  toa  curious.     No  doubt  God  made 
Man  juft  as  he  defigned,  in  fuch  a  compleat  refem- 
blance  of  himfelf,  that  there  is  no  Creature  like  to 
Man,  no  more  than  God  hath  any  equal  to  himfelf  i 
As  fome  of  the  Hebrew  Doftors  explain  this  Matter. 
And  therefore  Mofes  repeats  it  again,  In  the  Image  of 
G^d  created  he  him:  To  imprint  upon  the  Minds  of 
Men,  a  Senfe  of  the  great  Dignity  of  Humane  Na 
ture:,  which  was  foully  debafed  by  worihippingany 
Creature* 

Mate 


#   COMMENT A R 

Chapter         Male  and  Female  created  be  them.~]  He 

I.        the  fame  Day  he  made  Man^  as  he  did  both  Sexes 

.C/"V*SJ  of  all  other  living  Creatures,  and  as  he  made  Herbs 
and  Plants  with  Seed  in  them  to  propagate  their 
Species,  on  the  fame  Day  they  were  produced.  It  is 
plain  by  this  alfo,  That  Woman  as  well  as  Man  was 
made  in  the  Image  of  God.  And  it  feems  to  be  per 
tinently  obferved  by  Abarbinel^  That  Mofes  here 
again  ufes  the  word  Create,  (and  that  three  times) 
to  denote  the  Original  of  Humane  Souls  5  which  are 
not  made  out  of  pre-exiftent  Matter,  as  our  Bodies 
are  }  but  by  the  Power  of  God,  when  they  had  no 
Being  at  all. 

'Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  AttXGodBefcdthems&c^  The  former 
part  of  this  Blefling,  be  fruitful  and  multiply,  God 
had  beftowed  before  (verfe  22 .)  upon  other  Crea 
tures  :  Unto  which  he  adds  two  things  here,  replenift 
the  Earth  and  fitbdue  it.  He  gives  them  the  whole 
Earth  for  their  Poffeffion,  with  a  Power  tofnbdueit; 
That  is,  to  make  it  fit  for  their  Habitation,  by  bring 
ing  under,  or  driving  away  wild  Beafts.  For,  Se 
condly,  he  gives  them  the  Dominion  (unto  which  he 
defigned  them  in  their  Creation)  over  all  other 
Creatures  5  whether  in  the  Water,  Air,  or  Earth. 
And  he  fpeaks  to  them  in  the  Plural  Number;  which 
is  a  demonftration,  that  -Man  and  Woman  were  both 
created,  and  received  his  Blefling,  on  the  fame  Day. 
Verfe  29,  Ver.  29.  Behold^  I  have  given  you ^  &c.]  Here  be 
afligns  them  their  Food  5  and  makes  no  mention  at 
all  of  Beafts,  but  only  of  Plants  and  Fruits  of  the 
Earth.  For  Beafts  being  made  by  pairs,  in  their  fe- 
'  veral  Species,  f  we  may  well  fuppofe)  as  Man  and 
Woman  were,  and  not  being  yet  multiplied  ^  the 
billing  of  Beafts,  Birds,  and  Fifhes,  would  have  been 

the 


upon    GENESIS. 

the  Deftrudtion  of  the  kind  :  Whereas  there  were  Chapter 
Plants  innumerable,  and  great  variety  of  Fruit  for  L 
their  Suftenance.  And  therefore  here  being  no  grant 
made  to  them  of  Animals  for  their  Food,  though  no 
prohibition  neither,  it  is  very  probable  they  abftained 
from  eating  Flelh,  till  after  the  Flood,  (when  God 
exprefly  gave  them  every  living  thing  for  Meat,  as 
much  as  the  Herbs,  IX.  2.)  unlefs  it  were  upon  fome 
fpecial  occafions  :  As,  perhaps,  when  they  facrificed 
living  Creatures  $  which  they  did  in  procefs  of  time, 
(IV.  4.)  though  not  at  the  firft. 

Ver.  30.  And  to  every  Beaft,  &C."]   Here  he  gives  to  Verfe 
the  Beafts,  and  Fowl,  and  Creeping  things,  all  Herbs 
for  their  Food,  but  faith  nothing  of  fritft ;  from 
which  we  cannot  well  think  the  Birds  would  abftain: 
And  therefore  they  are  included  in  the  Phrafe,  of 
every  green  Herb. 

Ver.  31.  Very  good.']  From  thefe  words  Eptyha-  Yerfe 
mut  confutes  the  Manichees,  H<eref.  LXVI.  n.  18. 
where  there  is  an  explanation  of  this  Phrafe  (God 
faw  that  it  was  good)  throughout  this  whole  Chapter. 
Where  it  being  faid  at  the  end  of  every  Day's  Work^ 
God  faw  it  was  good-^  and  particularly  here  on  the 
Sixth  Day,  before  he  had  quite  ended  the  Work  of 
it,  he  faith  foof  the  formation  oftheBeafts,  ver.  25, 
Abarbinel  will  have  this  to  relate  particularly  to  the 
Creation  of  Man  and  Woman.  But  the  beginning •- 
of  the  Verfe  plainly  (hows  that  he  fpeaks  of  every 
thing  that  he  had  made :  And  therefore  their  Doftors 
in  BeriCchethRabba  (whom  he  mentionsj  fay  a  great 
deal  better,  That  Man  is  meant  in  the  firft  and  prin 
cipal  place,  when  Mofes  fays,  Godfaw  every  thing  that 
he  had  made  5  and  behold^  it  was  very  good. 

GHAP,'. 


A   COMMENTARY 


Chapter 
II. 


CHAP.     II. 

MOSES  having  given  a  ftiort  Account  of  the 
orderly  Production  of  all  Things,  from  the 
meanefl  to  the  nobleft,  explains  more  largely  in  tfrs 
Chapter  fome  things,  which  were  delivered  briefly  in 
the  foregoing,  becaufe  he  would  not  too  much  in 
terrupt  the  coherence  of  his  Difcourfe  about  the 
Works  of  the  Six  Days.  Particularly  he  relates  how 
Eve  was  made  5  and  alfo  further  illuftrates  the  Pro- 
duftion  of  Adam i  Sec. 

Verfe  i.        Ver.  I.  Thu*  the  Heavens ,  and  the  Earth."]  /.  e.  The 
vifible  World, 

Were  fin  foed.~]  Brought  to  that  Perfection  where 
in  we  fee  them. 

And  all  the  hofl  of  them7\  That  is,  all  Creatures 
in  Heaven  and  in  Earth  5  which  are  called  Hoft,  or 
Army^  becaufe  of  their  vaft  variety,  and  excellent 
order. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  on  the  feventh  Day  God  ended  his 
Work^\  Or  rather,  had  ended^  (as  it  may  be  tran- 
flated)  for  he  did  not  work  on  the  Seventh  Day : 
But,  refted  from  all  his  Work^  which  he  had  made  $  ha 
ving  focompleatly  finifned  it,  that  there  remained  no 
more  to  be  done.  An  Emblem  of  the  Reft  that  we 
(hall  have,  when  we  have  done  our  Work  faithfully, 
and  left  none  undone,  as  Qrigens  words  are,  L.  VI. 
contra  Cdfum. 

Verfe  3.        Ver.  3.  And  God  blcjfid  the  feventh  Day,  andfanfti- 
fied  it.~]     As  God  fandtified  Jeremiah  in   after- times 

from 


upon  GENES  IS. 

from  his  Mother's  Womb,  (Jer.  I.  5.)  by  ordaining  Chapter 
him  to  be  a  Prophet  .•  So  he  now  determined  and  a\)-        If. 
pointed  the  Seventh  Day,  from  the  very  beginning  of  l^VNJ 
the  World.,  to  be  obferved  in  Memory  of  its  Creation. 
And  this  fettingit  apart,  and  confecrating  it  to  that 
Holy  life,  was  h\sblejji*g  it,  or  recommending  it  to 
be  obferved,  as  a  Day   of  blefling  and  praifing  him, 
in  all  his  Works  of  wonder  :    And  (I  know  not  why 
I  fhould  net  add)  of  his  beftowing  Bleffings  upon 
all  his  pious  Worfhippers. 

There  is  no  men  ion,  indeed,  made  Q$  Adam's,  or 
Abel's,  Scc.obfervingthis  Day  ;  which  hath  inclined 
many  to  conclude  thefe  words  to  have  been  written 
by  way  of  anticipation  :  This  Diy  being  fet  apart  in 
after- times  by  the  Law  of  Mofes  for  God's  Service  $ 
but,  in  their  Opinion,  not  till  then.  To  which  I  can 
not  agree  $  becaufe  it  feems  to  me  far  more  reafona- 
ble  to  think,  That  God  took  Care  to  preferve  the 
Memory  of  the  Creation  in  the  Minds  of  Mankind  $ 
and  the  Worftiip  of  Him,  the  One  Only  God,  by 
whom  it  was  created  .-  Which  could  not  be  done  by 
any  means  more  effe&ually,  than  by  letting  apart 
this  day  for  that  purpofe.  Which  if  he  had  not  ap 
pointed,  yet  Men  being  made  Religious  Creatures,  I 
cannot  but  think  they  would  have  agreed  upon 
fome  fet  time  for  the  Exercife  of  their  Religion,  as 
well  as  fome  fet  place  (though  that  be  not  men 
tioned  neither)  where  to  meet  for  Divine  Service  .• 
And  what  time  more  proper,  wherein  to  Honour 
their  Creator,  with  their  Sacrifices,  Praife%  and 
Thanksgivings,  than  this  Day?  Which  Phllo  well 
ftiles  T«^(T^8  ytviaov,  the  birth- day  of  the  World  : 
Which  was  fo  much  obferved  all  the  World  over, 
(though  they  forgot  the  reafon^)  that  the  Seventh 

F  Day, 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Day,  he  obferves,   may  be  truly  called  PEofn* 

I  f.        f*@^  the  Univerfal  Feftival,  kept  by  all  People.    Jo- 
jfy/6//.rfpeaks  to  the  fame  purpote,  and  there  is  a  great 
deal  more  faid  by  Artftobulus  a  Pmpatetick.  Philo- 
fopher,  out  of  He/fed,  Homer,  and  others,  in  Ettfett- 
its  his  Pr<epar.  Evang.  L.  XIII.  c.  12.    concerning  the 
Sacred nefs   of  the   Seventh,  Day.     Which  though 
Mr.   Sdden  (L.  Ml.de  Jure  N.  &G.  cap;  17,    &c.); 
endeavours  to  prove  is  meant  of  the  Seventh  Day  of 
the  Month,    not  of  the  Seventh  Day   of  the  lVeek$.\ 
y,et  we  may  look  upon  that  as  a  Remain  of  this  an 
cient  Tradition.     Which,  in  time,  Men  forgot,  as 
they  did  the  moft  Natural  Duties  v  having   fo  cor 
rupted  their  ways,  (as  we  read  Gen.  VI.  10,  n.) 
that  there  was  nothing  good  among  the  generality 
of  them*     And  therefore   no  wonder    if  they  did- 
not  regard  the  Service  of  God,  every  Seventh  Day  i- 
To  which  I  (hall  (how  in  due  place,  AWA,.the  only 
righteous  Man  among  them,  had fome regard.  Which; 
continued  in  the  Family  of  Abraham  after  the  Flood  : 
Mofis  fpeaking  of  it,  not  long  after  their  coming  out 
of  Egyft)  (where  it  is  likely  they  were  not  fuffered 
to  cbferve  it,  having  no  time  free  from  their  intole 
rable  Labours,)  as  a  Day  known  to  them  before  the 
giving  of  the  Law  at  Mount  Sinai,.  Exod.  XVL  23, 
25,  26; 

Which  is  not  to  be  underftood,as  if  the  Patriarch 
before  and  after  the  Flood,  kept  fuch  a  Reft,  as 
God  enjoyned  the  Ifraelites  by  Mofes:  For  that  was 
proper  to  them,  for  a  peculiar  reafon  ^  becaufe  they 
had  been  Slaves  in  Egypt;  and  therefore  were  com 
manded  tot  keep  the  Sabbath,  without ,  doing  any 
wanner  of  work,  upon  tha^  Day,  Dent .  V.  1 5.  Which 
&  all  the  Chriftian  Fathers  tnean>  when  they  fay  the 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  1  S, 

Patriarchs  did  not  Sabbatizare^   keep  the  Sabbath  as  Chapter 
the  Jews  did.   (See  Tertullian  adv.  Judteos^    cap.i^&        U. 
4.  Iren&us.^  and  others.)    For  in  Religious  Offices  I  U/VNJ 
doubt  not  they  obferved  the  Seventh  Day  ^    as  a 
.proper   time  for   that  Sacred  Hymn  ^    which  Galen 
himfelf  (L.  III.  de nfii  partiuni)  fays,  we  (hould  all 
fing  to  the  Creator  of  all  $  //  we  ourfelves  firft  know^ 
an 'd  then  t -ell  other 's  $  ct@L  pJiv  76£t  r!w  onp&i/,    Sec.   how 
wonderful  he  is  tn\Vifdom^    how  great  in  Power  ^   and 
how  rich  in  Goodnefs. 

Bee  ait fe  that  in  it  he  had  refled  from  all  his  Work^\ 
This  is  the  reafon  why  this  Day  was  diftinguifhed 
from  the  other  Six  5  That  a  remembrance  of  Cod's 
refting  from  all  his  Works  on  this  Day,  might  be  pre- 
ferved  5  by  Mens  laying  afide  their  other  Employ 
ments  fo  long  as  to  praife  him  Solemnly,  by  whom 
this  great  World  was  made. 

Which  God  created,  and  Made.']  Or,  as  the  Hebrew 
phrafe  is,  created  to  wake,  i.  e,  refted  from  all  the  Six 
Day's  Work.  For  he  created  fomething  atthefirft,out 
of  which  to  vtakeM  the  reft,  in  fix  Days  fpace  ^  and 
now  he  ceafeth  from  all. 

Ver.  4.  Thefe  are  the  generations^  &c.~]  That  is,  this  Verfe  4* 
is  a  faithful  Account  of  the  Original  of  the  World. 
Which  Mofes  here  repeats,  more  deeply  to  imprint 
on  the  PeoplesMinds,  that  the  World  was  not  a  God, 
buttheWorl^tfGod:  Which  they  were  to  acknow 
ledge  every  Seventh  Day. 

In  the  Day.]  i.e.  At  that  time  (fo  Day  often  fig- 
nifiesj  when  the  LORD  God  made  the  Earth  and  the 
"Heavens.  It  is  obferved  by  Tertullian^  That  exinde 
Dotninus  qni  retro  Dens  tantnm^  &c.  from  hencefor 
ward  (verfej,  8,9,  15,  &c.)  he  is  called  Lo  a  D, 
'who  hitherto  was  called  only  God  :  Of  which  he 

F  2  en- 


A  COMMENT  4  fit: 

Chapter  endeavours  to  give.a  reafon,  L.  adv.  Hertttog.  cap.  5. 
II.        The  Hebrew  Doftors  obferve,  that  Jehovah  Elohim 
'v/'VNj  L  o  R.  D  God}  joyned  together,  is  the  full  and  per 
fect  Name  of  God  :    And  therefore  fitly  referved  till 
this  place,  when  the  Woiksof  God  were  perfected, 
and  not  before. 

Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  every  Plant  in  the  Field,  before  it  was 
in  the  Earth^  8cc.]  That  is,  before  there  was  any 
Seed  to  produce  them,  God  made  them  tofpringup, 
with  their  Seed  in  ihem$  as  was  faid  before,  in  the 
firft  Chapter.  And  Mofes  here  mentions  thefe  alone, 
becauie  they  were  the  firft  Productions  our  of  the 
Earth  5  without  which  there  had  been  no  Food  for 
living  Creatures. 

lr  or  the  LO  R  D   God  had  not  caufed  it  to  rain  on 
the  Earth,  and  there  was  not  a,  Man  to  till  the  Ground7\ 
Here  are  two  Reafons  to  confirm,    that  Plants  were 
not  produced,  in  the  way  they  are  now  .•    For  there 
had  been  nothowers  of  Rain  5    nor  was  there  any 
Man  to  prepare  the  Earth  to  receive  the  Seed,    (~if 
there  had  been  anyj  both  which  areneceflary  in  the 
ordinary  Method  of  Divine  Providence,   ever  fince 
the  World  was  made.     From   hence  fome   collect 
there  was  no  Pr#adar/ijtes,    (People   before   Adam,*) 
for  then  Mofes  could  not  have  faid,  there  was  no  Man 
to  tillthe  Earth. 

Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  But  there  went  up  a  Mift,  Sccf]  Many  think 
this  will  bed  cohere  with  what  went  before,  by  tran* 
dating  it,  nor  did  there  ("taking  the  Particle  8*7  vot, 
from  the  foregoing  Verfe,  as  is  ufualj  a  Mift  go  u$ 
from  the  Earth.  Sec  Drnfius,  Levit.  X.  6.  and  Hot- 
linger  \n  Hexapl.  Parif.  p.  89.  But  J  fee  no  necef- 
fityofthis^  and  think  it  moie  likely  there  did  go 
up  bVtyoHTQi  Steam  out  of  the  Earth,  when  it  came 

reek- 


upon    GEN  E  S  f  &  37 

reeking  out  of  the  Waters,  (as  was  fa  id  upon  Verfe  9.  Chapter 
of  the  i.  Chap.)  to  moiften  the  Superficies  of  it  5  be-        II. 
fore  any  Clouds  were  ra'ifed,  by  the  Power  of  the  L/"V\J 
Sun,tp  give  Rain. 

Ver.  7.  Out  of  the  Dpft  of  the  Ground^]     Not  dry,Verfe  7. 
but  moid  Duft,as  theLXX*  have  it,  r,lp^?o^i*j£j# 
^m  j*fe.  From  whence  the  Apoftle  calls  him  avS^wTrw 
Xp'incv,  i  Corinth.  XV.  47.  which  teaches  us  this  Duft 
was  mixt  with  Water  :    For  fo  %5$  fignifies  ,    Limus^ 
as  the  Vulgar  Latin  hath  it.     Which  agrees  with   the 
Hebrew  jatzar,  formed  3    which   is   ufed  concerning 
Potters,  who  make  their  Veffels  of  Clay,  not  of  dry 
Earth.     Dhdorus  Sicnlus  feems  to  have  had  foine 
Notion  of  this,  when  he  faith  Man  was  made  out  of 
the  Slime  or  Mud  of  Nik.    Upon  which  Original  of 
Man's  Body,   the  ancient  Fathers  make  many  Pious 
Refleftions  .•    But  none  better  or  (horter  than  that 
of  Nazlan&etfs,   who  fays,  it  is  to  teach  us,  °v  omv 
r  rf^oi/a  &a  %•    3v  au?t\\vuutS'z,    that 


when  we  are  apt  to  be  lifted  up  becaufe  we  are 
made  after  God's  Itnage^  the  thoughts  of  the  Dirt  out 
of  which  we  were  taken,  may  humble  and  lay  us 
low. 

And  God  breathed  into  hisNoftrrts  the  breath  of  life^ 
This  being  faid  of  no  other  Creature,  leads  us  to  con 
ceive  not  only  tha;t  the  Soul  of  Man  is  a  diftind: 
thing,  of  a  different  Original  from  his  Body  5  but 
that  a  more  excellent  Spirit  was  put  into  him  by  God 
(as  appears  by  its  OperatipnO  than  into  other  Ani 
mals.  For  though  the  finilple  Speech  of  tnfpiring  him 
with  the  breath  of  Life  would  not  prove  this,  yec  Mofes 
fpeaking  in  the  Plural  Number,  that  God  breathed 
into  him  Nifchmath  chajim,  the  Breath  or  Spirit  of 
Lifts,  it  plainly  denotes  not  only  that  Spirit  which 

makes 


f8  A  COMMENT  4  KT. 

Chapter  makes  Man  breathe  and  move  ,  but  think*  alfo  -reafon 

•11.       and  cljfcoitrfe. 

t/"V"SJ       ^W  /;e  became  a  living  &?///.]  This   is  the  imme 
diate  refnlt  of  the  Union  of  the  Soul  with  the  Bo 
dy.     Which  Eufebim  thus  explains,    JL.VJI.  Prspar. 
Evarrg.cap.  ID.     M0/e.r  having  laid  the   Foundations 
of  Religion  before- mentioned,  vfa.  The  Knowledge 
of  God,  and  of  the  Creation  of  the  World,  proceeds 
to  another  Point  of  DoftrVne  molt  -neceffary  to  be 
underftood  5    which  is  the  Knowledge  of  a  Man's 
felf  5    to  which  he  leads  him  by  (bowing  the  diffe 
rence  between  his  Soul  and  his  Body  :    His  Soul   be 
ing  an  Intelligent  Subftance,    made  after  the  Image 
of  God  ^  his  Body,  only  an  Earthly  Coveringof  the 
Soul.     To  which  Mofes  adds  a  third,    rnvdw  £<»?£ 
ivurmtw  rivet,  %  fftw&'&Tiidw  SWa/x^  &c.     A  certain 
Vital  Breath,  whereby  the  other  two  are  united  and 
linked  together  by  a. powerful  Bond,  or  ftrong  Tie. 
His  Soul,  it  is  manifeft,    did  not  come  out  of  the 
Earth,  or  any  power  of  Matter  5  but  from  the  Power 
of  God,    who  infufed  it  into  him  by  his  Divine  In- 
fpiration. 

And  this  was  the  Original  of  Eve's  Soul  alfo, 
though  it  be  not  mentioned:  For  if  her  Soul  had 
been  made  out  of  Adam^  as  her  Body  was,  he  would 
have  faid  not  only,  She  is  Bone  of  my  Bone,  but  Soul 
of  my  Soul  5  which  would  have  mightily  ftrengthned 
the  Bond  of  Marriage,  and  exceedingly  heightned 
Conjugal  Affe<3ion. 

Verfe  8.        Ver.  8.    A*d  the  LO  RD  God  planted^    Or,  had 
planted  5  for  it  doth  not  feem  to  be  a  new  thing. 
A  Garden."]  A  moft  pleafant  part  of  the  Earth. 
EaftrvardsJ]    Or,   as  others  tranflate  it,    before^  in 
beginning,  viz.  On  the  Third  Day,  when  he  made 

all 


ttpm  GENESIS.. 

all  Vegetables.    And  it  cannot  be  denied  that////'^-  Chapter 
kgdem  may  fignifie  tzwe,  as  well  zsplace  :   But  as  the        IL 
greateft  part  of  Interpreters,    Ancient  and  Modern, 
take  it  here  to  fignifie  place  $    fo  Mofes  hinifelf  ufes  it 
in  the  following  part  of  this  Book,   III.   24.  XI.  2. 
XII.  8.  XIII.  ii. 

In  Eden,"]  A  Country  (as  moft  underftand  it) 
fo  called,  perhaps  from  its  Pleafure  .•  ToWm>  Sidpo&v 
PATH,  Slctuyt  tiiigjL  Aa^t^^T^fSi*,  PUZO?;  7ray^cAo^,as  Theo- 
philus  ad  Autolyc  fpeaks,  L.  II.  Where  Eden  was,  there 
are  two  or  three  places  of  Scripture,  that  give  fome 
direftion  to  our  fearch,  2  Kings  XIX.I2./A.XXXVII. 
12.  Ez*k:  XXVII.  23.  which  (how  there  was  a  Coun 
try,  that  for  many  Ages  after  this,,  retained  the 
Name  of  Eden:  And  that  Eaftward,  as  Mofes  here 
tells  us  it  was  fituated.  That  is,  Eajlwardoi  Jud<eay 
or  of  the  Defart  of  the  Amorites^  where  he  wrote 
thefe  Books.  For  the  Scripture  calls  thofe  People, 
the  Children  of  the  Eaft,  who  dwelt  in  Arahi^  Mefo<- 
fotamia,  m&Perfia.  But  in  what  Country  of  the 
EaftEde^was,  will  be  beft  underftood  from^  wr* 

ID, 

And  there  he  put  the  Man*    whom  he  had  formed ."J 
He  was  formed  we  muft  fuppofe  in  fome  other  place ;. 
and  conduced  hither  by  God,  in  Token  of  his  fin- 
gular  Kindnefs  to  him.  Where  he  declared  him,  faith 
a  Syriae  Writer  mentioned  by  Hottinger^  (in  his  Dif- 
fert.  ,de  Hexaplij,  Parif.p.  1 1 5.)    an  Heir  of  Paradife^ 
and  made  him  #311  sr\Dl  83^0  a  King,  a  Prieft^  and 
a  Prophet. 

Ver.  9.  AnAoutof  the  Ground.']    Of  that  Garden  Verfe 
before-mentioned. 

Made  the  L  0  R  D  God  to  grow  every  Tree^  &c/] 
The  greateft  variety  of  the  choiceft  Plants,  Flowers^ 


A  CO  MM  EN  TAR? 

and  Fruit.'   For  Tree  comprehends  every  thing   that 
grows  out  of  the  Earth. 

Pkafant  to  the  fight?]  He  gratified  Man's  Eye,  as 
well  as  his  Tafte,  and  his  Smell. 

The  Tree  of  Life?]  So  called,  becaufe  there  was  a 
Virtue  in  it,  as  feveral  of  the  ancient  Fathers  think, 
not  only  to  repair  the  Animal  Spirits,  as  other  Nou- 
tifhment  doth  5  but  alfo  to  preferve  and  maintain 
them,  and  all  the  Organs  of  the  Body,  in  the  fame 
equal  Temper  and  State,  wherein  they  were  created, 
without  any  decay  :  Until  Man  fiiould  have  been  fit 
to  be  tranflated  into  another  World.  To  this  pur-" 
pofe  Iren&us^  St.  Chryfbjlbm^  Theodoret,  but  efpecially 
Greg.  NazJanzenfyeak)  'Et-fuvSv  l^eW^sv,  &c.  If  there* 
fore  we  had  continued  what  we  were,  and  kept  the  Cow- 
mandment^  we  flwuld  have  been  what  we  were  not  by 
coming  to  the  Tree  of  Life,  ci7rzS<zvct,Ti£jiv1t$  ^  0sd2> 
TTAtftnaffut/TK,  being  Made  immortal,  and  approaching 
nigh  to  God.  Orat.  XLIII.  p.  699.  D.  And  why  we 
{hould  think  it  impoffible  or  unlikely,  that  God 
(hould  make  fuch  a  Fruit,  I  do  not  fee.  Nay,  it 
feems  neceffary  there  {hould  have  been  fuch  a  kind  of 
Food  y  unlefs  we  will  fuppofe  God  would  have  pre- 
ferved  Adam  (had  he  continued  innocentj  from  dy 
ing,  by  a  continual  Miracle  .•  Which  is  a  harder  Sup- 
pofition  than  the  other. 

But  this  Garden  being  alfo  a  Type  of  Heaven  5 
perhaps  God  intended  by  this  Tree  to  reprefent  that 
immortal  Life,  which  he  meant  to  beftow  upon  Man 
withhimfelf,  Revel.  XXII.  2.  And  fo  St.'dufKn  in 
that  famous  Saying  of  his,  Erat  el  in  c<eterh  lignis 
alimentum^  in  ifto  autew  Sacrawentum^  L.  VIII.  deGen. 
ad  Lit.  cap.  4.  In  other  Trees  there  was ' tfourijhment 
for  Man  5  but  in  this  alfo  a  Sacrament.  Per  it  was 

both 


upon  G  B  N  E  S  I  S.  41 

toth  a  ty#/<W  of  that  Life,  which  God  had  already  Chapter 
beftowed  upon  Man,  (who  was  hereby  put  in  mind,        II. 
that  God  was  the  Author  of  his  Being,    and  all  his  C/'VSJ 
En  joymentsj  and  of  that  Life  he  was  to  hope  for  in 
another  World,  if  he  proved  Obedient. 

In  the  mtdftof  the  Garden."]  This  fignifies  either 
its  Situation,  or  its  Excellence*-  For  that  which  is 
moft  Eminent  in  any  place,  the  Hebrews  fay  is  in  the 
midji,  XXIII.  10. 

The  Tree  of  Knowledge  of  Good  and  Evil"]  So  caK 
led,  as  I  take  it,  becaufe  God  intended  by  this  Tree 
to  prove  Adam  and  Evey  whether  they  would  be 
good  or  bad  :  Which  was  to  be  made  known, by  their 
abftaining  from  its  Fruit,  or  eating  of  it.  It  is  gene 
rally  thought  indeed  by  Interpreters,  (of  which  I 
leave  the  Reader  to  judge,)  that  it  had  this  Name 
afterward  5  either  becaufe  the  Tempter  pretended 
it  would  make  them  fo  wife,  as  to  know  all  things, 
(Tor  fo  g ood  and  evil  may  be  expounded,  (III.  5.) 
to  fignifie  as  much  as  alt  things  whatfoever^)  or  be 
caufe  in  the  event,  upon  the  eating  of  this  Fruit, 
they  did  actually  know  by  miferable  experience, 
(which  they  would  not  learn  without  it  J  the  great 
difference  between  obeying,  and  difobeying  God's 
Commands.  That  is,  they  who  did  not  fufficiently 
attend  to  their  Duty,  nor  confider  what  it  was  to 
Sin,  and  what  the  effeft  of  it  would  be  $  prefent- 
ly,  upon  the  eating  of  this  Fruit,  reflected  upon  both. 
For  they  faw  how  grievous  it  was  to  incur  God's 
Difpleafure,  by  believing  a  Creature  rather  than  Him, 
and  by  being  fo  ungrateful  as  not  to  acknowledge 
his  Bounty  in  all  the  Bleflings  they  enjoyed  $  with 
out  thinking  Him  envious  in  denying  them  one,  as  a 
proof  of  their  Obedience. 

G  Some 


A  COMMENTARY 

Some  think  it  was  fo  called,  as  a  Caveat  to  them, 
not  to  ftudy  Craft  and  Subtilty  ^  but  to  content 
themfelves  in  a  fimple,  plain  way  of  life,  ( wherein 
God  made  them,)  without  any  Curiofity  to  know 
more  than  was  needful  for  them.  Which  they  think 
is  confirmed  by  III.  6.  Shefaw  it  was  good  to  make  one 
wife  $  i.  e.  cunning  and  wily. 

Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  a  River  went  out  of  Eden,  &c.]  Thefe 
words  affords  us  fuch  a  Key  to  open  tons  the  Place 
where  this  Garden  was  planted,  that  one  can  fcarce 
doubt  whereabout  it  was;  though  the  precife  fpot 
of  Ground  be  not  marked  out  in  this  defcription  of 
it.  For  it  lay  in  the  Country  of  Eden\  and  we  are 
direfted  to  find  that  out  by  this  remarkable  Circnm- 
ftance,  That  a  River  went  out  of  it.  Which  doth 
not  fignifie  that  the  Spring  of  the  River  was  in  Eden; 
but  that  the  River  run  through  that  Country  into 
the  Garden,  to  water  it.  The  Garden  therefore,  it 
ispropable,  was  a  part  of  the  Province  of  Eden$ 
and  was  water'd  by  that  River  which  came  from  it. 
The  only  difficulty  is  to  find  what  River  this  was. 
Our  Country-man  Mr,  Carver,  in  his  learned  Difcourfe 
of  the  Terrejlrial  ParaJtfe,  chap.  VII.  endeavours  to 
prove,  that  the  two  great  Rivers,  Euphrates  and 
Tigris,  having  but  one  and  the  fame  Fountain  in  A- 
wcnia  the  greater,  run  along  for  fome  time  in  one 
Stream  called  Tigris  :  Upon  which  he  thinks  this 
Garden  was  feated,  before  this  River  parted  into 
two  Streams,  Euphrates  and  Tigris:  This  he  confirms 
out  of  the  Two  Epiftles  of  the  Neftorian  Cbriftians 
written  to  Rome  1552.  and  tranflated  by  Mafius $ 
where  they  called  Tigris  the  River  tfEden.  And  there 
are  indeed  fome  ancient  Authors,  particularly  Lucan^ 
and  Boetius>  who  fay  that  thefe  two  Rivers  come  out 

of 


upon    GENESIS,  4. 

of  the  fame  Spring:  But  their  miftake  arofe,  its  like- 
ly  from  hence,  That  they  fprung  (as  Strata  tells  us  ^haP 
out  of  one  and  the  fame  Mountain,  viz.  Ntyhates^        "• 
which  is  a  part  of  Taurus  :  And  Euphrates  fprung  out 
of  the  Northern  fide  of  it,    and  Tigris  out  of  the 
Southern  5    as  Salmafius  obferves   upon  S0//#//j,    p. 
621,  Sec.  Certain  it  is,    that  the  bed:  Authors,    both 
Ancient  and  Modern,    make  them  to  have  different 
Springs,    from  whence  they  hold  different  Courfes, 
Euphrates  toward  the  Weft,   and  Tigris  toward  the 
Eaft  :   And  do  not  make  one  River,  till  (after  they 
have  run  through  many  Countries^  they  meet  and 
joyn  together  about  Apamia  according  to  Ptolomy. 
And  then  indeed  they  make  for  a  long  way,    but  one 
great  Stream  /    Which  I  take  to  be  the  River  here 
mentioned  by  Mofes,  and  run  through  the  Country 
of  Eden,  which  perhaps  lay  on  both  fides  of  the  Ri 
ver  5    as  the  Garden  it  is  plain  by  verfe  8.    did  on 
fa*  E  after*  fide  of  it  $  extending  it  felf  to  the  place, 
where  thefe  united  Rivers  parted  again.     For  fo  it 
follows. 

And  from  thence."]  i.e.  Below  the  Garden. 
It  farted."]  Or,  was  divided  again,  as  it  had  been 
before  into  two  other  Streams.  By  which  words  we 
feem  to  have  found  the  Place  where  the  Garden  end 
ed  5  but  being  not  told  where  it  began,  nor  how  far 
it  fpread  it  felf  Eaftward  from  the  River  fide,  I  will 
not  prefume  to  fay  what  Country  or  Countries  it 
included.  Certain  it  is  there  was  a  Country,  as 
I  obferved  before,  called  Eden  in  after-times, 
which  was  part  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ajjjria^  2  Kings 
XIX.  12.  And  that  Kingdom  then  comprehended 
not^only  the  Country  anciently  called  AJhar,  but 
Mefopotamiti,  and  Babylonia^  &c.  In  fome  part  of 

G  2  which 


44  A  COMMENT  ART. 

Chapter    which  laft  Province  it  is  probable  this  Garden  was> 
If.       fcated. 

And  became  hit o  four  Heads?]  He  doth  not  fay 
was  parted  into  four  Heads*  but  became  into  four; 
Heads,  (whofe  Names  here  follow,)  two  before  they 
united,  viz.  Tygris,  and  Euphrates  v  and  two  after 
they  again  parted,  vfe.  Pifon,  and  Gihon.  Thefe  he 
calls  Beads,  or  Principal  Rivers,  as  David  Chytr<ew, 
I  think,  rightly  underftands  it,  quatuor  illuftria  & 
magnafluwiriaejjiciebant,  made  four  famous  and  great 
Rivers.  For  all  Divifions  from  the  main  Stream  are 
called  the  Heads  of  a  Water  5.  as  Sir  W.  Raleigh  ob- 
ferves  out  of  Ulpianus*  And  it  is  indifferent  whe 
ther  the  Water  come  out  of  aFountain^  or  out  of  a 
River,  oraLake.-  For  that  part  of  the  River  (Tup- 
pofej  where  the  Branch  forfakes  the  main  Stream, 
is  called  the  Head  of  that  Branch  $,  which  becomes  a 
new  River.  Ifc  like  manner  may  Euphrates  and  Ti 
gris  be  called  the  Heads  of  that  River  which  they 
made  at  their  meeting :  As  where  they  part  again, 
the  beginnings  (as  the  LXX.  tranflate  the  word)  of 
the  other  two  Rivers*  Pifon  and  Giho*%  are  properly 
called  the  Heads  of  them, 

M»  Ver.  n.  The  name  of  the  frft  is  Pifon,  orPhifon7\ 
This  is  that  Branch  which  runs  Wefterly  ^  and  being 
neareft  to  the  place  where  Mofes  wrote,  on  the  other 
fide  of  Jordan,  is  firft  mentioned  by  him.  It  is  a 
long  time  fince  both  this  River  and  Gihon  have  loft 
thefe  Names -.-•  The  Greek^  and  Roman  Writers  cal 
ling  them  ftill,  after  their  parting,  by  the  Names  they 
had:  before  they  met,  Euphrates  and  Tigris.  But 
there  was  a  remainder  of  the  Name  of  Pifon  prefer- 
ved  in  the  Eaflerly  River  called  Pafetigris,  which  is 
the  fame  with  Oroatis,  as  Salmafius  obferves  in  his 

Exerc* 


upon    GENESIS,  4$ 

Exerc.  Pliniante  in  Solin.  f.  701,  702.     And  is  called  Chapter 
fas  Mr.  Carver  notes)  by  Xttiopbon  (imply  Phyfcus  $        If. 
in  which  the  Name  of  Phifott  is  plainly  enough  re-  U'VNJ 
tained.     Which  continued  till  the  time  of  Alexander 
the  Great :  For.  SL  Curtius,  as  he  further  notes,  com 
monly  calls  Tigris  it  felf,  by  the  Name  of  P/ta/j,and 
fays  it  was  fo  called  by  the  Inhabitants  thereabouts. 
Which,  in  all  probability,  was  at  firft  the  Name  of 
this  other  Ri ver  Phifon  $  but  loft  by  the  many  alte 
rations  which  were  made,    for  a  long  time,     in  the 
courfe  of  it,   as  Pliny  tells  us.     For  he  fays,  the  Or- 
cheni^  and  other  neighbouring  Nations,  made  great 
and  deep  Cuts  or  Canals  to  carry  the  Water  of  Eu 
phrates  (meaning  this  River)  into  their  Fields,  and 
fo  it  loft  its  courfe,    and  run  through  Tigris  and  the 
Marfhesinto  the  Sea.     Sir  aba-  faith  the  fame,  that 
from  thefe  $i&gjy<q,  as  he  calls  them,  deep  Trenches 
which  carried  the  Water  of  Euphrates  into  Tigris? 
came  the  Name  vfPafitigris  5    that  is,    Pife&  mixed 
with  Tigri*.     See  Salmafius  in  the  fore-named  Ex- 
ercitations*  fag.  703.  where  he  (hows  this  River  was 
not  perfectly  reftored  to  its  Courfe  till  the  times  of 
Alexander  the  Great. 

Thai  if  it)  which  compajfith  the  whole  Land  of  Ha* 
vilah.]  By  finding  where  this  Country  was,  we  cer 
tainly  find  the  River  PIrifon.  Now  Mofes  makes 
mention  of  two  HaviUKs  5  onedefcended  from  6//S, 
Gen.  X.  7.  and  the  other  from  Jottan,  ver.  29,  The 
latter  of  thefe  cannot  be  here  meant,  for  his  Pofte- 
rity  were  planted  Eaftward  ^  but  the  former,  who 
were  a  more  Weftern  People,  in  that  part  of  Arabia. 
Fcelix  which  bordered  upon  this  Stream,  For  the 
Jfhmadites  (who  inhabited  Arabia  Deferta')  are  de- 
feribed  by  Mofes ^  XXV.  18*  as  bounded  by  Shur  to- 


A  COMMENTARY 


Chapter  wards  Egypt^    and  by  Havilah  in  the  way  to 

II.        And  Saul  found  Havilah  in   after-times  in  the  very 

L/"VNJ  fame  fituation,  i  Sam.  XV.  7.    And  (till,  much  later, 

Strabo  mentions  the  XaeAo7a?Q«  ("  which  are  certainly 

the  Pofterity  of  Chavilalf)  among  the  People  of  Ara 

bia.     See  Boc  hart's  Pbaleg.  L.  IV.  c.  I  r. 

Where  there  is  Gold.~]  Nothing  is  more  famous 
than  the  Gold  of  Arabia.  :  Where  Dhdortts  Skttlus 
fays  it  is  digged  up  in  great  Lumps,  as.  big  as  a  Chef- 
nut,  L.  II.  p.  93.  Edit.  H.  Stepb. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  the  Gold  of  that  Land  is  good."]  t.e. 
Is  excellent  :  For  the  fore-named  Author  fays,  it  isof 
fuch  a  flaming  Colour,  that  it  adds  much  to  the 
Lufti  e  of  precious  Stones,  that  are  fet  in  k. 

There  is  Rddltu.ttt^\    The  Hebrew   word  being  Be- 
delach,  ibme  have  thought  Bdellium  to   come  from 
thence,    which  is  an  Aromaticl^  Gunj.    Others  think 
Bedolach  to  be  Chryftaly    otheiS  Amber  ^     but  ftochart 
rather  thinks  it  fignifies  Pearl:    Which  he  -proves  fin 
his  Hkrozoic.  P.  IL  L.  V.  r.  25.)   from  the  Country 
it  felf  here  mentioned,  viz.  Bavilah,  which  he  looks 
upon  as  that  Part  of  Arab/a,     which  lies  upon  the 
Per/ian  Gulfh  :    Where,   ztCatipha^  there  is  a  great 
Pearl-fifiing.     The  Manna  alfo  wherewith  the  Ifrae* 
lites  were  fed  in  the  Wildernefs,    is  defcribed  Numb. 
XI.  7.     to  be  round  like  Coriander-Seed,  and  of  the 
Colour  of  Bedolach.    Now  in  his  former  Defcripti- 
onMofeshys  it  was  white,  Exod.  XVI,  14.    which 
agrees  to  Pearls,    as  alfo  doth  roundnefs,   but  not  to 
the  fweet  Gum  called  Bdellium:     Of  which  fee  S*/- 
maptts  in  his  Exerc.  Plin.  p.  1  150, 

And  the  Onyx  Stone  ~]  This  Country  alfo  was  fa 
mous  for  precious  Stones  5  as  appears  by  the  Report 
which  Ncarchus  (Alexanders  Admiral  )  made  of  the 

Weflern 


up*n  G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  47 

Wcftern  Coaftof the  Per/**  Gnlph,  \nStral>o,JL.  XVf.  Chapter 
But  Brannms  (L.  II  De  Veftitu  Sacerd.  Hebr   cap.  1 8.)         {I. 
thinks  Schoham  fhould  rather  be  rranilued  the  Sar-  L/"VNJ 
do^yx.     Which  foever  it  be,    Arabia  was  famous  both 
for  jtheO/fpcand  Sardonyx^   as  Salmafms  obferves  out 
of  Pliny,  Ib.p.   562,  563. 

Ver.  15.  The  name  of  the  fecond  River  is  Gihon7\  Verfe  13* 
There  are  no  footfteps  of  this  Name  remaining  that 
(can  find  $  but  we  are  directed,  by  the  Country  it 
is  faid  to  compafs,  to  take  it  to  be  the  Eaftern  Stream 
that  arofe  from  the  parting  of  Euphrates  and  Tigris  ; 
as  Pifov  I  faid  was  the  Weflern. 

Cowpajfith,  OT  runneth  along  by  the  whole  Land  of 
JEthiopia^]  QrCHfo:  VVho  was  feared  more  Eafiward 
than  his  Sons,  Havilah,  Seka,  and  the  reft,  .(menti 
oned  Gen.  X.  6,  7.)  upon  the  Borders  of  this  River. 
For  when  People  firft  began  to  fpread  themfelves, 
they  kept  as  near  to  great  Rivers  as  they  could  5 
for  the  better  communion  one  with  another,  and 
afbrding  mutual  Succour  and  Affiftance.  ft  is  prp- 
bj&le  that  he  gave  Na-me  to  the  Country  of  Stifiana  5 
which  the  Greeks  called  K/te<«,  and  is  now  called  by 
the  Perfi&ns  Ch^zeflan^  i.  e.  The  Province  of  Chus. 
And  when  his  Pofterity  multiplied,  they  went  more 
WeJJward  toward  the  A^i/rfw  Sea :  From  whence  his 
Brother  Miter a;m  parted  into  Egypt.  Our  Tran- 
flators  follow  the  LXX.  in  rendring  the  Hebrew 
NameG/S,  by  JEthiopia  :  Not  meaning  that  in  Afri 
ca^  but  this  in  Afia.  For  the  Ancients  frequently 
mention  a  double  ^Ethiopia,  as  many  haveobferved^ 
particularly  Job  Ludolphus,  who  herein  juftifies  the 
LXX.  in  great  part,  L.  II.  Comment,  in  Hrfior.  JEthicp. 
Ctp.lll.  n.  1 6. 

Ver. 


A  COMMENTARY 

Ver.  14.  The  name  of  the  third  if  Hiddetgl.']  Which 
River  being  called  by  Daniel,  X.  4.  the  great  Rivbr  $ 
cannot  be,  as  many  have  fanfied,  Nahar-malcai  For 
that  was  but  a  Cut,  made  by  Trajan  to  waft  his  Ar 
my  out  of  Euphrates  into  Tigris,  (as  Amman.  Mar- 
tdlinus  tells  us,)  and  therefore  HidJekel^  is  Tigris  it 
felf.  Which,  as  Pliny  fays,  was  called  Digtito,  in 
thofe  Parts  where  its  Courfe  was  flow  5  and  where  it 
began  to  be  rapid,  it  took  the  Name  of  Tigris.  And 
fo  the  Arabians  call  this  River  Deglat,  and  Degela^ 
from  the  Hebrew  word  Hiddekel.  Which  Salmafius 
derives  from  Hadda^  or  Chadda^  (harp  pointed  5  and 
KalY  fwift  5  becaufe  of  its  very  quick  and  hatty  Mo 
tion  „•  And  thence  the  Greeks  he  obferves  derive  the 
Name  of  Tigris ',  ^CTO  £  o|uT7/7(|k,  Exerc*  inSolin.p.  694, 
Rauv>oljf\n  his  Travels^  P.  II.  c.  9.  fays,  That  when 
he  was  at  Caruch,  on  the  Confines  of  Media,  (which 
was  about  an  hundred  Years  ago,)  Tigris  was  ftill 
called  in  their  Language  Hiddekel* 

Which  goeth  toward  the  Baft  of  Ajjyria.^  If  it  make 
a  great  bend  Northward,  (as  Pliny  faith  it  doth  about 
Apamia^  it  muft  needs  run  toward  the  Eajt  of  Affj- 
ria,  for  fome  time.  But  this  is  not  the  Courfe  of 
the  River  ^  and  therefore  the  LXX.  tfanflatc  the 
word  Kidt&ath^  which  we  Englifh  toward  the  Eaft, 
fimply  toward  :  And  it  is  certain  Tigris  did  run 
by  Ajjyria  5  for  Nineveh,  the  chief  City  of  AJfyria* 
ftood  upon  the  Eajt  fide  of  this  River,  as  Ro- 
chart  hath  demonftrated  in  his  Phaleg.  L.  IV.  cap. 

20. 

The  fourth  River  is  Euphrates."]  None  doubt  that 
the  River  called  here  in  the  Hebrew  Perah  or 
Phrath,  is  the  fame  that  hath  been  called  for  many 
Ages  Euphrates.  The  Courfe  of  which  was  fo  well 

known 


upon    GENESIS 

known  in  thofe  Days,  that  Mojes  gives  no  Defcription  Chapter 
of  it.  II. 

Ver.  15.  And  the  LORD  God  took,  the  Man."]  w*"V~SJ 
After  fuch  a  manner  as  he  took^  David  from  the  Verfe  *5' 
Sheepfolds,  (Pfalm  LXXVIII.yo.)  by  an  extraordina 
ry  Motion.  For  as  a  Prophet  was  fent  from  God  to 
anoint  him  5  fo  God  himfelf,  I  fuppofe,  appeared  to 
Adam,  in  a  vifible  Glorious  Majefty,  which  the  Jews 
call  the  SCHECHINAH,  (as  was  noted  before, 
I.  3.)  becaufe  it  was  a  Token  of  God's  Jpecial  Prefence^ 
and  by  it  he  dwelt  among  hit  People.  It  feems  to  have 
been  a  very  ftintng  Flame,  or  amazAng  Splendour  of 
Light,  breaking  out  of  a  thick  Cloud  :  Of  which 
we  afterward  read  very  often,  under  the  Name  of 
the  Glory  of  the  LORD  5  which  at  firft  appeared  to 
Mofes,  as  aflame  of  Fire  out  of  the  mid  ft  of  a  BuQi, 
Exod.  III.  2.  To  this  I  cannot  think  our  firft  Pa 
rents  to  have  been  Strangers ;  but  look  upon  it  as 
highly  probable,  that  this  Divine  Majefty  conduced 
Adam  from  the  place  where  he  was  formed,  into  the 
Garden  of  Eden. 

And  put  him."]    Or,  placed  him  there. 

To  drefs  ft,  and  to  keep  it."]  To  preferve  it  by  his 
Gare  and  Labour,  in  the  Condition  wherein  he  found 
it.  Theophilw  Antiochenvt  thinks  it  is  not  without  a 
Myftery,  that  God's  putting  Man  into  Paradife  is 
twice  mentioned,  (here,  and  verfe  8  )  to  fignifie 
that  after  Man  was  caft  out  of  one  Paradife,  he  fhould 
ftill  have  a  right  to  another:  By  being  well  inftru&ed 
in  hts  Banifhment,  and  prepared  for  a  Restitution^  at 
the  general  Refurreflion  and  new  Creation ^  L.  II.  ad  Au- 
tolycum. 

Ver.  1 6.  And  the  LORD  God  commanded  tke  Verfe  \6. 
Man.~]    This  is  a  further  Indication,  that  the  Divine 

H  Atf- 


50  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Majefy  appeared  to   Adam  and  fpake  to  him  5  as  he 
II.      did   to   Mofes^  out  of  the  flame  in   the  Bufti,  fay- 
L/""VNJ  ing, 

Of  every  Tree  In  the  Garden  thou  ntai ft  freely  eat.'] 
A  very  liberal  Conceffion  5  which  was  abundantly 
fufficient  to  demonftrate  that  it  was  not  Envy  (of 
which  the  Divine  Nature  is  not  capable)  which  mo 
ved  their  Creator  to  abridge  our  firft  Parents  Liberty, 
in  one  particular. 

Verfe  17*     Ver.  1 7 .  But  of  the  Tree  of  the  Knowledge  of  Good  and 
Evil^  (why  fo  called  fee  ver.  9.)  thouftalt  not  eat  of  it."] 
This  fmall  reftraint  it  was  fit  to  lay  upon  Adam^  to 
make  him  fenfible,  that  though  he  had  Dominion  over 
all  things,  yet  he  was  not  their  Lord  $  but  a  Servant 
to  the  moft  High:  Who  required  this  AbftSnence  in 
token  of  his  Subje&ion,  and  to  prove  his  Obedience 
to  him.     This  Account  many  of  the  Fathers  give  of 
it  $  particularly  Tertullian^  who  calls  this  the  Primor 
dial  Law  }  which  was,  qnap  matrix  omnium  precept o  » 
rum  Dei,  (adv.Jtfddos,  cap.  2.)  including,  as  it  were, 
in  its  Womb,  all  the  Natural  Laws  of  God.    For, 
as  in  obferving  this  Law  he  had  teftified  his  unfpotted 
Love  and  Obedience  to  God  ^  fo  in  violating  it,  he 
threw  off  the  Divine  Government,  and  oppofed  his 
own  Will  to  God's.     But  ftill  fome  ask,  Why  (hould 
his  Obedience  be  tried,  in  fuch  an  Inftance  as  this  > 
Not  considering  that  an  Experiment  of  it,  could 
fcarce  have  been  made  in  any  of  the  Moral  Precepts  .: 
Which  there  was  no  occafion  to  violate.    For  what 
(hould  tempt  him  to  Idolatry,  or  to  take  God's  Name 
in  vain,  or  to  murder  his  Wife?  How  was  it  poffible 
to  commit  Adultery,  when  there  was  no  Body  but  he 
and  (he  in  the  World  >  How  could  he  Steal,  or  what 
room  was  there  thea  for  Coveting,  when  God  had 

put 


upon    GENESIS.  51 

put  him  in  poffeffion  of  all  things?  It  had  been  in  Chapter 
vain  to  forbid  that,  which  could  not  be  done  $  and       II. 
it  had  not  been  Vertue  toabftainfrom  that  to  which 
there  was  no  Temptation }  but  from  that  which  invi 
ted  ihem  to  Tranfgrefs.     I  fpeak  in  the  Plural  Num 
ber  $  becaufe  it  muft  be  reirombred  that  this  Prohibi 
tion  was  given  not  only  to  Adam  but   to  Eve  alfo, 
(HI.  1,2.)  An  Account  of  whofe  Piodu&ion  imme 
diately  follows. 

Theophiltts  Antiochenttf  in  the  place  before- named, 
hath  feveral  pretty  Refle&ions  upon  this  Prohibition  5 
and  this  among  the  reft:  That  Adam  and  Eve  being 
but  newly  brought  into  the  World,  were  in  fimplici- 
ty,  to  be  wholly  ordered  and  governed  by  the  Will 
and  Pleafure  of  their  Heavenly  Parent  5  and  nor  af- 
feft  much  Knowledge,  (as  not  agreeable   to   their 
Infant  State,)  but  to  grow  up  in  it  by  degrees,  and 
not  ^f'  T  $\ueix9  QZJV&V,  to  aim  at  Wifdom  above 
their  Age.     To  which  purpofe  Greg.  Nazianzen  al 
fo  difcourfes  in  many  places:  Or^.XXXVlII.p.  619. 
Odf.XLII.p.  681.  and  Carm.  Arcan.VU.p.  162.  And 
indeed  many   excellent  Meditations   may  be  raifed 
from  hence  5  particularly,  That  Chriftians  new-born 
(hould  not  be  fo  greedy  of  Knowledge,  as  careful  and 
felicitous  of  well-doing:  For  many  have  been  ruin'd 
by  early  Speculations.  Which,  if  one  could  pick  any 
good  Senfe  out  of  fuch  fluff  as  the  Vahtimans  uttered, 
I  (hould  think  they  intended  to  reprefent$  when  they 
faid,  The  laft  of  their  .#?<?#/,  whom  they  called  Wif 
dom,  labouring  to  comprehend  the  B^Jx,  or  Depth, 
(i.  e.  the  Father  of  all)  had  like  to  have  loft  it  felf,  till 
it  was  helpt  by  P/O/>©,,  or  Limit.  That  is,  we  are  pre- 
ferved  byfetting  fame  Bounds  to  our  Defires  after  Know 
ledge. 

H  2  Ihou 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Thou  /halt  furely  die.*]     In  the  Hebrew^  dying  thou 
II.     ft  alt  die  $  to  thow  the  certainty  of  it,  as  we  rightly 

L/*W;  tranilate  it.  Which  doth  not  fignifie,  as  appears  by 
the  event,  that  he  (hould  inftantly  die  $  but  become 
Mortal  5  lofe  the  Immortality  wherewith  he  was  in- 
\efted,  Gen.  III.  19.  And,  as  Athanafiut  thinks,  the 
doubling  the  Expreffion  denotes,  M«  /uubvov  Scro&tf- 
extiv,  a/9va  %  £*  rip  T£  <3"ayaT«  (pdnpot  Slzjuuiv&iv,  (L. 
DC  In  earn.  I'erbi^)  he  fhould  not  only  die^  but  remain 
in  the  Corruption  of  Death }  as  we  {hould  all  have 
done,  had  not  the  Second  Adam  obtained  for  us  an 
happy  Refurreftion. 

I  need  not  add,  That  Difeafes,  Sickneffes,  and 
Pains,  the  fore-runners  of  Death,  are  included  in  this 
Threatning. 

Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  the  LORD  God  fold.]  Or,  had 
faid^  as  it  is  by  fome  tranflated ;  the  berter  to  (how 
that  the  foregoing  Precept  was  given  to  both.  And 
to  fay  in  this  place,  is  as  much  as  to  refolve  and  de 
cree:  As  Melanflhon  well  explains  it,  in  one  of  his 
Epiftles,  Dicere,  hoc  loco  fignifie aty  miranda  fapientia 
fancire^  ©  nobfc  hoc  decretum  tradere  ^  to  fay^  here 
fignifies  to  eftablilh  with  wonderful  Wifdom,  and  to 
deliver  this  Decree  to  us.  L.  I.  Eptft.  126.  Where 
he  again  repeats  it,  The  LORD  fatd,  that  is,  by  hit 
wife  Cottnfel  and  immutable  Decree^  he  eftablifted  this 
Order. 

It  is  not  good  that  the  Manfhonld  be  alone."}  Uncom 
fortable  to  want  Society,  and  unfit  there  (hould  not 
be  an  increafe  of  Mankind.  Concerning  which  Pla 
to  hath  left  thefe  wonderful  Words,  L.  VI.  De  Legi- 
bus :  This  is  the  Encouragement  to  Marriage,  not  on 
ly  that  humane  Race  may  be  perpetuated  5  but  a 
Man  may,  ^aiSfcs  <5ra*3^v  «et  Taf  ©gdo  *j&^ (TO;  dv&* 

cctn/ 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  *    53 

^5&oy,  leave  Children*  Children  behind  him  Chapter 
when  he  is  gone,  tofirve  God  in  his  ftead. 

I  will  make  him   an  he!p.~]     For  all  the  Neceffities  U^V^vJ 
and  Ufes  ot  Life. 

Meet  for  him  ]  In  whofe  Company  he  fliall  take 
Delight  $  fo  the  Hebrew  Phrafe,  ^k/#re  him,  imports  3 
being  as  much  as,  anfwerable  to  him,  every  way  fit 
ted  for  him  5  not  only  in  likenefs  of  Body,  but  of 
Mind,  Difpofition,  and  Affeftion:  Which  laid  the 
Foundation  of  perpetual  Familiarity  and  Friendfhip. 
Or,  as  the  Author  of  CetherSchem  Tobh^  mention'd  by 
Hackjpan,  interprets  it,  She  fiatt  always  be  ready  toob- 
ferve  andferve  him.  For  to  ft  and  before  any  one,  in  the 
Hebrew  Language,  fignifies  to  do  what  is  defired.  See 
more  on  verfe  15. 

Ver.  19.  And  out  of  the  Ground  the  LORD   God  Verfe  19. 
formed."]     Or,  had  formed^  1.20.25. 

Every  Be  aft  of  the  Field  ,  &c/]  The  Ground  here 
muft  be  uoderftood  to  comprehend  the  Water  alfoj 
out  of  which  the  /wlwere  made. 

And  brought  then*  unto  ADAM.']  It  is  common- 
ly  thought  that  this  Name  of  Adam,  given  to  the 
firft  Man,  fignifies  as  much  as  red  Earth.  But  Job 
Ludolphw  hath  made  it  far  more  probable,  that  it 
imports  Elegant  ^  or  Beautiful.  See  his  Hiftor.  JEthiop. 
L.l.  cap.  15.  n.  17,  1  8.  and  his  Commentaries  upon 
that  Chapter,  N.  107.  How  the  Beafts  and  Birds  were 
brought  to  him,  we  are  not  told  :  But,  it  is  likely,  by 
the  Miniftry  of  Angels  5  who  were  perpetual  Atten 
dants  upon  the  SCHECHINAH,  or  Divine 


o  fee  what  te  would  call  them."]    To  •cercife  and 
improve  his  Underftanding. 

And 


4  COMM£NT/fRr 

Chapter        And  whatever  Adam  called^  &c/]    God  approved  of 

II.       it. 

VVVV  Ver.  20.  And  Adam  gave  Nantes,  &c.~]  Or,  though 
Verfe  20.  Adam  gave  Names,  to  all  Creatures  3  yet  among  them 
all,  when  they  were  brought  before  him,  there  was 
not  a  fit  Companion  found  for  him.  It  doth  not 
jollow  from  \\\$  giving.  Names,  that  he  knew  the  Na 
ture  of  all  thote  Creatures  :  For  the  Names  of  them 
in  Scripture  (which  they  who  are  of  this  Opinion 
generally  fnppofe  were  the  Names  given  by  Adam} 
are  taken  from  their  Voice,  their  Colour,  their  Mag 
nitude,  or  tome  fuch  External  Difference,  and  not 
from  their  Nature.  Therefore  this  impofing  Names 
upon  them,  denotes  rather  his  Dominion,  than  his 
Knowledge.  The  Anonymous  Author  of  the  Ckron. 
Excerpta.  before  Joh.  Antiochenut  Malala  fays,  That 
Adam  impofed.Naines  upon  all  Creatures, 
nv  0«8,  bv  the  Commandment  of  God, 


but  his  own  Name  and  his  Wife's  were  told  him  by  an 
Angel  of  the  Lord. 

Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  And  the  LORD  God  canfed  a  deep 
Jleep,  Sec.]  Whereby  he  was  made  lefs  fenfible  of  the 
Pain,  which  otherwife  he  would  ha\e  felt  in  the 
opening  his  Side  5  if  his  Mind  had  not  been  wholly 
intent  upon  fomething  elfe.  As  it  was  in  this  Sleep  s> 
which  was  accompanied  with  an  Ecftafie^  (fo  the  LXX 
tranflate  this  Word,  and  it  is  agreeable  to  what  we 
read  Job  IV.  i^O  wherein  was  'reprefented  to  his 
Mind,  both  what  was  done  to  him,  and  the  Myftery 
of  it  5  as  appears  by  verfe  23,24.  Vid.  Epjfhan.Htfref. 
XLVIII.  ^.-4,5,6. 

And  he  took,  one  of  hfc  Ribs.']    Tho.  Bartholinw^  a 
late  famous  Phyfidan,  thinks  it  probable  that  Adam 

had 


upon    GENESIS. 

XIII  Ribs  on  each  Side,  and  that  God  took  away  Chapter 
one  pair,  with  the  Mufculous  Parts  that  adhere  to        II. 
them  5  and  out  of  them  made  Eve.     For  commonly 
Men  have  but  XH  Ribs,  though  .fometimes  there  have 
been  found  fas  Galen   and  Riolanvs  upon  him  tefti- 
fiej  thofe  who   have  had  XIII.  and,    very   rarely, 
fome  who  have  had  but  XI :  As  Bartholin  himfelf  ob- 
ferved  in  a  Jufty  ftrong  Man  whom  he  differed.  An. 
1657.  who  had  but  XI  on  one  fide,  and  a  fmall  ap 
pearance  of  a  XHth  on   the  other.     Hi/tor.  An  atom. 
&  Medic.  Centur.  V.  cap.  ^.     It  is  fit  here  to  be  ob- 
ferved,   That  God  did  not  form  Eve  out  of  the 
Ground,  as  he  had  done  Adam  $  but  but  of  his  Side: 
That  he  might  breed  the  greater  Love  between  him 
and  her,  as  the  Parts  of  the  fame,  Whole.  Whereby  he 
alfo  effeftually  recommended  Marriage  to   all  Man 
kind.,  as  founded  in  Nature  y  and  as  the  re-union  of 
Man  and    Woman.     It  is  likewife  obfervable,  That 
there  is  no  mention  here  of  his  breathing  a  Soul  into 
her,  as  into  him:  For  Mofes  only  explains  what  was 
peculiar  to  Eve,  ("which  was  her  being  made  out 
of  his  Side,)  the  reft   is  fuppofed  in  thofe  Words, 
verfe  19.  I  will  make  him  an  help  meet  for  him  ^  which 
the  vulgar  Latin  rightly  tranflates/^/Ve  ei\  like  unto 
him.     For  fo  the  Hebrew  word  KenegJo\$  ufed  by  the 
Jewifh  Writers,  particularly  by  Benjamin  in  his  'Iti 
nerary  5  where,  fpeaking  of  the  Jews  ztGermttda,  and 
naming  feveral,  he  fays  there  were  many  more  Ke- 
negdem,  like   unto  them.     And  fo  the  word  aVn  a- 
mong   the  Greelis  denotes  likenefs  and /im/litHcJe,  as 
well  as  contrary.     Of  which  fee  Conft.  L*  Bmpereur, 
Annot.  m  Benj.Tudel.  p.  138.     The  Woman  there 
fore  was  in  all  things  like  him  ^  only  he  made  out 
of  the  Earth,  the  out  of  him:  That  he  might  cleav% 

to 


A   COMMENT/fRr 

Chapter    to  her  with  the  deareft  Love  and  Affeftion.     It  was 
H.       alfo  faid  before  this,  I.  27.  That  both  Man  and  Wo- 
Lrf^V'SJ  man  were  made  in  the  lil^enefs  of  God. 

And  clofed  up  the  Flefl^  ivftead  thereof. ~]  Made  the 
Flelh  as  firm,  as  it  was  before. 

Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  And  the  Rib,  &c.  Made  he  Woman.']  Which 
was  as  eafie  for  the  Divine  Power  to  do  5  as  to  make 
the  Man  himfelf  out  of  the  Earth. 

And  brought  her  to  him~\  Not  merely  by  ccn- 
duftingher  to  the  fame  place  where  he  was 5  but  the 
Divine  Majefty  (which  now  appeared  to  Eve*)  pre- 
fented  and  gave  her  to  him,  to  be  his  Wife.  God 
himfelf  made  the  Efpoufals  (if  I  may  fo  fpeak)  be 
tween  them,  and  joyned  them  together  in  Marriage. 

Verfe  23.  ver.  23.  And  Adam  faid,  &c.j  Now  indeed  I 
have  found,  what  I  could  not  fee  before  among  all 
God's  Creatures,  another  felf. 

She  fiall  be  called  Woman,  See.]  Partake  of  my 
Name,  as  (hedoth  of  my  Nature.  For  he  called  her 
Jjfiha,  as  he  was  called  Iffcb.  From  whence  Sephtr 
Cofri,  and  Abarbinel  endeavour  (in  a  very  long  Dif- 
courfej  to  prove  the  Hebrew  to  be  the  Primitive  Lan 
guage.  And  Abarbinel  obferves  the  Chriftians  to  be  of 
the  fame  Opinion,  quoting  fora  proof  of  it,  St.  AH- 
flm's  Book,  DeCivitate  Dei. 

Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  Therefore  foall  a  Man  leave  his  Father  and 
Mother,  and  cleave  to  his  Wife.]  Cohabit  with  her, 
rather  than  with  his  Parents,  (if  they  cannot  all  dwell 
together,)  and  be  joyned  to  her  in  the  clofeft  and 
moft  infeparable  Affeftion :  As  if  they  were  but  one 
Perfon,  and  had  but  one  Soul  and  one  Body.  That's 
the  meaning  of  the  next  words. 

And 


upon    GENESIS  57 

And  they  foall  be  one  Flefi."]  Moft  intimately  con- Chapter 
joyned  in  entire  and  infeparable  Love.  Which  arofe  II. 
from  the  fingular  Union  of  the  Flefh  of  our  firft  i^/"V\J 
Parents  5  one  of  them  being  taken  out  of  the  other. 
From  whence  Maimonides  and  other  Hebrew  Doftors 
infer  all  mixture  with  Beafts  to  be  contrary  to  Na 
ture  5  who  are  neither  one  Flefh  with  us,  nor  one 
with  another.  For  in  this  our  Bodies,  as  well  as  our 
Souls,  have  a  preheminence  above  theirs  ^  which 
were  not  made  one  Flefh  after  fuch  a  manner  as  Man 
and  Woman  were.  They  hence  alfo  conclude  all 
inceftuous  Marriages^  &c.  to  be  unlawful,  as  may  be 
feen  in  Mr.  Selden^  D.  Jure  N.  &  G.  Lib.  5.  cap.  2. 
Their  Obfervation  is  more  pertinent  who  take  no 
tice,  That  God  creating  and  joyning  together  but 
one  Man  and  one  Woman  in  the  beginning  ^  intend 
ed  Mankind  fhould  be  fo  propagated,  and  not  by 
Polygamy.  Which  in  procefs  of  time  indeed  became 
the  general  practice  -5  but  from  the  beginning  it  was  not 
y#,as  our  Saviour  fpeaks  in  the  Cafe  of  Divorces.Which 
he  concludes,  from  th«fe  very  words,  were  againft 
the  Divine  Inftitution,  which  made  two  to  be  one 
Flefh,  (Matth.  XIX.  5  6,  8.)  So  he  interprets  thefe 
words,  fandSt,  Paul  doth  the  fame,  i  Cor.  VI.  i6.J 
theyjhattbe  one  Flefh:  And  fo  doth  Jonathan's  Para- 
phrafe,  and  the  Samaritan  Code,  as  Mr.  SeMcn  ob- 
ferves  in  the  place  now  named. 

Ver.  25.  And  they  were  both  naked ,  the  Man  andy&fe.  25 
his  Wife!]    They  did   not  yet  find  any  neceffity  of 
Cloths. 

And  t hey  were  not  aflamed."]  Did  not  blufti  5  no 
more  than  little  Children  do,  when  they  behold  one 
another  naked  and  embrace  with  an  innocent  Af* 
feftion.  Befides3  there  was  no  Body  but  they  two 

I  who 


A  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    (who  in   effeft   were  as  One)    to   behold  them: 
III.      And  therefore  they  had  no  more  reafon  to  blufh, 
than  a  Man  doth  when  he   is  naked  alone  by  him- 
felf. 


C  H  A  P.     III. 

EVfibiw  obferves,  (JL.  VII.  Pr^epar.  Evang.  cap. 
9,  ic.)  That  Mofes  having  fettled  the  great 
Do&rines  of  the  Creation  of  the  World,  and  the  Dig- 
nityofMaK)  made  in  the  Image  of  God  5  proceeds 
very  wifely  to  inftruft  the  Israelites,  that  there  are 
none  fo  happy,  but  without  due  Care  and  Watch- 
fulnefs,  may  become  moft  miferable:  There  being 
Ilowf^  ^u'tuyy,  (as  his  words  are)  a  wicked  Daemon 
at  every  Man's  Elbow,  /3a<7^v©u  £  jjutoj»&h@^  %  £ 
a>/9^»7toup  d%%Yi3tv  S^r7o«A@^  <iry7wf/a^,  envious,  a  ha 
ter  of  thofe  that  are  good,  and  from  the  beginning 
a  wily  undernainer  of  Mens  Salvation. 

Now  this  following  immediately  after  the  relati 
on  of  the  formation  of  Eve,  hath  madefome  fanfie, 
that  our  firft  Parents  fell  the  very  fame  day  they 
were  made.  And  thus  much,  I  think,  muft  be  fup- 
pofed,  That  they  did  not  continue  v«ry  Jong  in  their 
happy  ftate:  For,  if  they  had  perfifted  ftedfaftly  in 
tiieif  Duty,  for  a  confiderable  time  ^  they  would 
have  acquired  fuch  an  habit  of  well-doing,  as  would 
DOC  have  been  fo  eafily  loft.  But  that  they  conti 
nued  longer  than  a  Day,  there  are  many  Circum- 
flances  to  induce  us  to  believe.  For  it  required  fome 
time  for  AAam  to  be  acquainted  with  nil  other  Crea- 
tnd  to  impofe  Names  upon  them;  And  there 

being 


G  E  N  E  S  I  & 

being  none  of  them  a  meet  help  for  him,  he  flept  Chapter 
Ibme  time,  till  Eve  had  taken  her  Beginning  out  of      III. 
him.     Whom,  when  he  faw,  he  received,  and  own'd  u^VNJ 
her  for  his  Wife  ^  and  no  doubt  made  more  Refledti- 
onsupon  God's  Wifdom,  Power,  and  Goodnefs,  than 
are  fet  down  in  this  Sacred  Story.     They  both  alfo 
received  a  Command  from  God,  not  to  eat  of  one 
Tree  in  the  Garden :  Into  which,  when  they    were 
brought,  we  cannot  but  think  they  walk'd  about  it> 
and  took  fuch  a  view  of  it,  as  to  be  convinced,  by 
the   bountiful   Provifion  God  had  made  for  them, 
they  had  no  reafon  to  complain  of  the  fmall  Reftraint 
he  laid  upon  them.     All  which  could  not  be  per 
formed  fo  fpeedily  as   fome  have  imagined  5    for 
though  God  can  do  what  hepleafes  in  an  inftant,  yet 
Man  cannot ;  and  God  himfelf  did  not  in  one  Day 
create  the  World.     And,  befides,  that  fome  time  was 
neceflary  for  tranfa&ing  all  thefe  things  ^  it  is  not 
likely  the  Devil  would  immediately  fet   upon  Eve, 
as  foon  as  the  Command  was   laid  upon  them,-  but 
rather  let  it  be  a  little  forgotten.     And   if  the  time 
be  obferved  when  he  affaulted  her,  it  will  much  con- 
firnrthis  Opinion,  which  was  in  the  abfence  of  her 
Husband  5  for  that  we  cannot  eafily  believe  to  have 
been  upon  the  fame  Day  they  were  created.     The 
extraordinary  Kindnefs  they  had  one  for  the  other, 
will  fcarce  allow  us  to  think  it  poffible,  they  {hould 
be  fo  foon  feparated.     It  is  plain  alfo,  God  fanffified 
thefeventh  Day  before  their  fall :  Which  it  is  highly 
probable  they  fpent  in  admiring  and  praifing  the  Al 
mighty  Goodnefs. 

Ver.  I.  Now  the  Serpevt.~]    Or,  that  Serpent  (as  fome  Verfe  i 
think   it  (hould  be  tranflated)  which  the  Tempter 
made  ufe  of,  as  his  Inftrument  to  deceive. 

I  2  ^Was 


6o  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Was  more  fubtlll}     The  whole  Species  of  Serpents 
TIL       is  noted  by  Anjiotle  (L. I.  Hiftor.  Animal,  c.i.)  to  be 
t/~y^sJ  fjwbufa,  t^&X&i  extremely  infidious:  But  this  was 
extraordinary  wily.     What  fort  it  was,  is  not  here 
exprefied  :  But  all  agree  there  is  now  none  like  it  5 
the  Curfe  of  God  having  degraded  it     St.  Bafil.m 
his  Book  of  Paradtfe,  (p.  62 7. )  faith  it  was  not  a 
frightful  Creature,  as  it  is  now,  dfax  srg^owJte  %  YIJLM- 
p(§0,  but  mild  and  gentle :  Not  crawling  and  wind 
ing  about,  in  a  terrible  manner,  upon  the  Ground, 
a?v\3  J-vjMJs  £3rJ  -Ttvcfcv  &t£mu$9  but  lofty,  and  going 
upright  upon  its  Feet.     Several  of  the  Jews  have 
been  of  this  Opinion  $  and  our  famous  Mr.  Mede  in 
clines  to  it,   DifcoMrfe  XXXVIIL  p.  291,  &c>     But  I 
take  the  conjefture  of  another  very  learned  Perfon, 
now  a  Bifhop  of  our  Church,  to  be  far  more  proba 
ble  :  Which  I  (hall  endeavour  to  ftrengthen.    There 
were  (and  ilill  are  in   the  Eaftern  and  Southern  Parts 
of  the   World,)  Serpents  having   Wings,  and  (hi- 
ning  very  brightly,  like    to  Fire,     So  we  read,  Ifaf. 
XIV.  29.  of  aflyingfiery  Serpent.     Which  fiery  Ser- 
fents  are  called  Seraphims^  in  Numb.  XXI.  6,  8.  and 
termed  fiery ^  not  merely  with  refpeft  to  their  Ve 
nom,  which  made  fore  Inflammations  in  the  Bodies 
of  thofe  who  were  bitten  by  them  $  but  becaufe  they 
appeared  fhining  like  Fire,  when  they   flew  in  the 
Air. 

Whence  Seraphim  is  the  Name  alfo  of  the  higheft 
fort  of  Angels,  (called  the  Angels  of  the  Prefence,*) 
Ifai.  VI.  2,  6.  Who  appeared,  I  fuppofe,  in  fome 
fuch  form  with  flaming  Wings.  For  otherwife,  I 
cannot  think  Serpents  would  have  been  honoured  as 
Sacred  things  in  fo  many  Countries,  as  we  find  they 
anciently  were  5  unlefs  they  had  been  the  Symbols  of 

Angels 


upon    GENESIS.  61 

Angels.    The  Devil  therefore,  I  conceive,  made  ufe  Chapter 
of  fome  fuch  Serpent,    (but  of  a  more  furpaffing       III. 
brightnefs,  than  any  now  extant,)  that  he  might  re-  L/'VNJ 
femble  one  of  the  moft  illuftrious  Angels,  who  ap 
peared  fometimes  in  the  like  fhape.     Which  moved 
Eve  the  more  readily  to  hearken  unto  the  Voice  of 
the  Serpent  $  taking  it  to  be  one  of  the  heavenly 
Seraphim  s,  which  (he  had  feen  fometime,  in   fuch  a 
fplendid  form,  attend  upon  the  Divine  Glory,  or  Ma- 
jefty  :  For  the  Angels  always  made  a  part  of  the 
ScHECHINAH.     And  thus,  one  would  think, 
Tertullian  underftood  this  matter,  when  he  faid  in 
this  Book  De  Prefcript.  B<eret.  C.  XLVIl.  Iftttm  $$$k 
Serpentem^  cuiEva,  utfilio  Dei  crcdiderat,  this  was  the 
Serpent,  to  whom  Eve  gave  credit,  as  to  the  Son  of 
God.     Which  if  any  one  take  to  be  the  words  of 
the  Hereticks  he  is  there  fpeaking  of }  yet  thofe  are 
not,  which  we  find  in  this  Book  againft  die  Falenti- 
nians,  cap.  2.  where  he  faith  the  Serpent  was  a  Pri- 
mordio  Divina  imagink  frado,  an  Ufurper  of  the 
Divine   Image  from  the  beginning.     See  Bp  Tenifon 
of  Idolatry^  p.  356.     To  which  that  paflage  in   Epi- 
phanitts  may  be  added,  who  mentions  fome  Hereticks 
C  who  might  have   fome  Truth  among  them)  that 
faid,  the  Woman  liftned  to  the  Serpent,  £  i^et^  fife 
45  0«£,  and  believed  him,  or  was  perfuaded  by  him, 
as  the  Son  of  God,  H<eref.  XXXVII.  n.  x$.  And,  one 
would  think,  Rabbi  Bechai  had  this  Notion  in  his 
Mind,  when  he  faid  (upon  the  i4th   Verfe  of  this 
Chapter,}  this  is  the  Secret  (or  Myftery)  of  the  Holy 
Language,  that  a  Serpent  is  called  SAR.APH,    as 
an  Angel  is  called  SARAPH.     For  which  he  quotes 
the  fore-named  place,  Numb.  XXI.  6.  and  then  adds, 
The  Scripture  calls  Serpents  Seraphim^  becaufe  they 

were 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  were  Toledoth  hanacaf/j  hakadwoni,  the  off-  fpring  of 
HI.  this  old  Serpent :  Underft and  this,  (fo  he  concludes, 
as  our  Saviour  fpeaks  in  another  Cafe,  whofo  readeth^ 
let  kirn  under  ft  and^)  as  a  Matter  of  great  concernment. 
Which  can  have  no  other  meaning,  I  think,  but  this } 
That  the  Devil  ("whom  St.  John  alfo  calls  the  old 
Serpent,  Revel.  XI  I.  9.)  in  this  Sevpent^here  fpoken 
of,  counterfeited  a  glorious  Seraphim,  and  thereby 
feduced  Eve  to  give  Credit  to  him. 

However  this  be,  it  is  moft  reafonable  to  fup- 
pofe,  it  was  fome  beautiful  Creature,  whom  Eve 
thought  an  Angel,  who  wifh'd  them  well,difcourfed 
with  her:  For  (lie  was  not  fo  fimple  as  to  think  that 
Beafts  could  fpeak  5  much  lefs,  that  they  knew  more 
of  God's  Mind  than  her  felf.  Nor  doth  it  feem  at 
all  credible  to  me,  that  (he  (hould  have  been  other- 
ways  deceived,  but  by  fome  Creature  which  appea 
red  fo  glorioufly,  that  (he  took  it  for  an  heavenly  M5- 
mfter^  who,  (he  thought,  came  to  explain  to  them 
the  meaning  of  the  Divine  Command. 

Tea,  hath  Godfaid.~]     This  doth  not  look  like  the 
beginning  of  a  Difcourfe,  but  the  conclufion  :  As  the 
Jews  themfelves  have  obferved.     And,  it  is  not  im- 
'  probable,  that  the  Tempter,  before  he  fpake  thefe 
words,  reprefented  himfelf  as  one  of  the  heavenly 
Court  $  who  cime,or  was  fent,  to  congratulate  the  hap- 
pinefs  that  God  had  beftowed  upon  them  in  Paradtfe : 
Which  was  fo  great,  that  he  could  not  eafily  believe 
he  had  denied  them  any  of  the  Fruit  of  the  Garden. 
He  defired  therefore  to  be   fatisffed  from  her  own 
Mouth,  of  the  Truth  of  what  he  pretended  to  have 
heard  :,  or  to  know  how  they  underftood  the  Com 
mand  of  God.     For  fo  thefe  words  may  be  tranfla- 
ted,  Is  it  true  indeed,  hath  God  faid,  Te /hall  not  eat 

of 


upon    GENESIS.  63 

of  every  Tree,  6cc.     Which   is  a  very  ancient  Inter-  Chapter 
pretation,  and  more  probable  than  theirs,  who  would       III. 
have  the  Hebrew  Particles,  aph  fy,  fignifie  as  much  L/"V^SJ 
as  ut  nt  :  Although  God  hath  f aid,  ye  fh all  not  eat,  not- 
withjia nding ye  fhatt  not  die.     So  they  fuppofe  he  was 
going  to  add,  but  before  he  had  fpoken   the  latter 
part  of  the  Sentence,  Eve  interrupted  him  faying, 
We   may  eat  of  the  Fruit  of  the   Tree  of  the  Garden. 
This  had   been  too  grofs,  flatly   to  contradift  what 
God  had  faid :  Whereas   the  beginning  of  the  Verfe 
tells  us,  he  went  morzfttbtily  to  work. 

Ver.  i.  And  the  Woman  faid  unto  the  Serpent,  We  Verfe  2. 
may  eat  of  the  Fruit  of  the  Trees  of  the  Garden."]  She 
feems  to  have  underftood  him,  as  if  he  thought  God 
had  forbid  them  to  eat  of  any  Fruit  in  the  Garden, 
And  indeed  the  foregoing  Queftion  is  ambiguous  ^ 
like  thofe  Oracles  of  his  which  made  him  be  called 
Aogjflfe,  (oblique  or  crooked J  by  the  ancient  Hea 
then  ^  becaufe  they  had  two  meanings.  She  truly 
therefore  reports  the  Sence  of  God's  Prohibition,  in 
this  and  the  following  Verfe.  Though  there  are  thofe 
who  think,  (he  pronounced  thefe  words,  We  may  eat 
of  the  Fruit,  Sec.  with  feme  admiration,  that  they 
fhould  be  retrained  from  one  Fruit,  when  God  had 
moft  liberally  granted  them  all  the  reft.  The  reafon 
of  which  flie  did  not  know,  and  (bowed  her  deftre 
perhaps  to  underftand  it. 

Ver.  3.  But  of  the  Fruit  of  the  Tree,  which™  mtheVerk  3. 
midftofthe  Garden,   God  hath  faid,  ye  jhallnot  eat  of 
ft,  nor  twch  it,  kft  ye  dlt7\    Some  fiunfiethe  Woman 
here  began   to  prevaricate  in  two  things :  Frrff,  In 
faying  they  might  not  touch  it :  Secondly,  In  faying 
only  there  was  danger,  if  they  nreddted  vrithit,  and 
not  an  abfolute  threatning.     Of  which  the  Devilv 

they 


A    COMMENT  A  KT 

Chapter    they  think,  took   advantage  ;   and  immediately   af- 
IH.       fured   her,  there   was  no   danger  at  all.     This  laft 

t^/V^SJ  they  ground  upon  the  Hebrew  Particle  pen,  which  we 
tranllate  lej}^  and  exprefies  a  doubting.  But  I  do 
not  think  either  of  thefe  Obfervations  are  folid  :  For 
"  that  Particle  doth  not  always  imply  a  Doubt,  as  we 
may  learn  from  the  Second  Pfalm,  the  laft  Verfe,  and 
many  other  places :  And  the  touching  of  the  Fruit, 
fignifies  the  plucking  it  off  from  the  Tree,  in  order 
to  eat  it :  Which  was  exprefly  forbidden. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  Te  flal!  not  furely  d/e.~]  You  are  under  a 
miftake  :  Death  will  not  be  the  certain  Confequence 
of  your  eating  this  Fruit.  For  God  is  too  Good 
to  inflift  fuch  an  heavy  Punilhment,  for  fo  fmall  a 
Fault. 

Verfe  5,  Ver.  5.  For  God,  &c."]  The  Particle  #,  which  we 
tranflate/0r,  fignifies  here  as  much  as  but,  (as  Abarbi- 
nel  and  others  obferve,)  juft  as  in  PfalmCKV.  i. 
So  che  meaning  is,  you  (hall  be  in  no  danger,  but 
quite  contrary,  be  great  gainers  by  tafting  of  this 
Fruit :  As  God  himfelf  knows,  who  only  keeps  you  in 
Awe  by  his  Threatning,  but  will  not  be  fo  fevere 
as  to  execute  it  5  when  he  fees  you  much  improved, 
not  impaired  by  eating  it. 

Then  your  Eyes  (hall  be  opened."]  For  you  will  im- 
.mediately  difcover  abundance  of  things,  whereof  you 
are  now  ignorant. 

And  ye  {hall  be  as  Gods.']  Like  unto  us,  the  An 
gels  of  God :  Who  are  frequently  called  Elohirn^  i.  e. 
Gods,  in  Scripture.  Thus  Maiwonides  underftands 
it.  More  Neuoch.  Pars  1.  c.  ^.  and  Onk$los->  who 
tranflates  it  Princes^  meaning  Angels,  who  are  called 
Principalities  and  Powers^  &C. 


owing 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S. 

Knowing  Good  and    Evil."]     i.  e.    All  manner  of  Chapter 
things.  Or,  as  fome   of  the  Hebrews  underftand  it,       III. 
•know  what  is  fit  for  yon  to  do,  without  any  Advice  or  In- 
-. ft  mill  on,   and  without  any  Reftrittion  ^    being  fubjeS  to 
none,  but  enjoy  freely  what  you  pleafe.     For  to  know  is 
fometimes  as  much  as  to  enjoy,  in  the  Scripture-Lan 
guage  :    So  that  according  to  this  Interpretation,  he 
promifes  them  likenefs  to  God  himfelf  3  who  is  abfo- 
lutely  free,  and  fubjeft  to  none. 

But  in  this  Suggeftion  the  Devil  proved,  what  our 
Saviour  fays  of  him,  That  he  was  a  Lyarfrom  the  begin 
ning  :  For  there  are  no  lefs  than  four  Lyes  (as  fome 
reckon  them)  in "thefe  two  Verfes.  Which  makes  it 
feem  ftrange  that  Eve  {hould  give  Credit  tothefe  Sug- 
geftions,  which  were  very  foolifh  :  It  being  incredi 
ble  that  God  (hould  envy  them  any  thing,  who  had 
given  them  their  Beings,  and  innumerable  Bleffings. 
I  can  give  no  account  of  it,  but  this:  that  when  we 
are  fearching  after  the  Reafon  of  things  (as  fne,  I 
fuppofe,  was  of  this  Prohibition )  and  cannot  find  it  3 
if  one  be  fuggefted  to  us,  which  never  came  into  our 
Mind  before,  though  in  it  felf  unlikely,  we  are  rea 
dy  to  catch  at  it,  and  to  bepleafed  with  it.  For  when 
the  Mind  is  weary  with  enquiring,  it  is  fatisfied  with  a 
falfe  Reafon,  rather  than  have  none.  The  Promife 
alfo  of  Knowledge  was  very  tempting  ;  efpecially  of 
fuch  Knowledge  as  he  gave  her  hope  would  raife  and 
advance  her,  to  a  more  noble  Condition.  And  it  is 
likely  (tie  thought  an  heavenly  Minifter  (as  (he  took 
him  to  bej  might  underftand  God's  meaning  better 
than  her  felf. 

Ver.  6.  And  when  the  Woman  faw  the  Tree  was  Verfe 
good,  &c,"]  This  Verfe  gives  a  further  account  of  that 
which  feems  very  ftrange,    the  Difobedience  of  our 

K  firft 


Chapter  firft  Parents.  She  look'd  fo  long  upon  the  forbid- 
III.  den  Fruit,  till  (he  not  only  had  an  Appetite  to  it,  as 
excellent  Food,  but  was  taken  with  its  beautiful  Co 
lour  $  and  wasalfo  ftrongly  poffefled,  by  the  perfua- 
fion  of  the  old  Serpent,  that  her  Mind  would  be  no 
lefs  pleafed  than  her  Palate,  by  an  increafe  in  Know 
ledge  and  Wifdom.  Thefe  are  powerful  Tempta 
tions,  (expreffed  inthefe  wOrds,  good  for  Food,  plea- 
fant  to  the  Eyes,  and  to  be  defired  to  make  one  wife,} 
and  (he  could  fee  no  Evil  in  the  thing  it  (elf  5  it  be 
ing  the  mere  Pleafure  of  God,  of  which  (he  did  not 
apprehend  the  Reafon,  that  made  the  eating  of  it  a 
Crime.  This  Fruit  alfo  was  planted,  not  in  an  ob- 
fcure  place,  but  in  the  ntidft  of  the  Garden,  (Verfe  3  J 
near  to  the  Tree  of  Life  /  Which  made  it  the  more 
inviting  $  by  its  being  always  in  her  Eye,  as  well  as 
very  beautiful  5  and  raifed,  perhaps,  the  greater  won 
der  in  her,  that  God  (hould  forbid  a  thing,  which  he 
hati  made  fo  eminent  for  its  Beauty.  Hereupon  (he 
yielded,  and  (as  it  followsj  took,  of  the  Fruit  thereof 
and  did  eat. 

And  gave  unto  her  Husband  with  her.']  Who  re 
turned  to  her,  it  is  likely,  as  (he  was  eating  the  Fruity 
and  was  foon  perfuaded  to  bear  her  company  -y  for  it 
immediately  follows,  and  he  did  eat. 

Ft  is  a  quefkion  whether  he  debated  the  Matter 
tvith  her,  till  he  was  fatisfied  with  the  Arguments 
that  moved  her  to  eat  3  or,  his  great  Affe&ion  to  her 
drew  him  in,  to  do  as  (be  did  .•  Without  any  other 
Confideration,  perhaps,  than  this ;  That  he  chofe  ra 
ther  to  die,  than  out-live  one,  whom  he  loved  moft 
pafTionately.  To  this  laft,  the  Apoftle's  words  feem 
to  incline,  iTim.  II.  14.  Adam  was  not  deceived  : 
Though  they  do  not  neceflTarily  (ignifie,  it  muft  be- 

con- 


upon    GENESIS, 

confefled,  That  he  was  not  feduced  by  the  Tempter's  Chapter 
Arguments,     but  only   that  Eve  was   firft  feduced,      .IU. 
and  thenhelp'd  to  feduce  him.  So  that  he  might  be  L/~VXJ 
wrought  upon,  both  by  thofe  Arguments,  and  by  his 
Affeftion  alfoto  his  Wife  :    But  could  have  been  de 
ceived  by  neither,    had  he  not  been  firft  guilty  of  a 
great  dvrsjttfa  and  patSt/juist,  (""as  St,  Chryfoftom  calls  it) 
heedlefnefs  and  non-attention^    arifing  from  jloth  and 
negligence.     The  Reflexion  which  Grcgor.  Nazienzet? 
makes  upon  her  gazing  upon  the  beautiful  Fruit,  is 
this  3  Q&jyDuuzv  m<;  iv y£0is£  &$  Yifj^^dur^^^liroo/jucv^ 
&c.  Or  at.  XLVHL  p.  700.  D. 

Ver.  7.  And  the  Eyes  of  them  loth  were  opened."]  Not  Verfe  7* 
in  the  Senfe  the  Serpent  promifed,  but  a  very  much 
different :  For  they  foon  faw  their  Folly,   and  made 
fad  Reflections  upon  what  they  had  done. 

And  they  knew  ("or  feltj  that  they  were  naked~]  A 
cold  (hivering  feized  on  them  }  and  they  perceived 
alfo  that  they  were  ftript  of  their  intellectual  Orna* 
ments,  (as  Athanafius  expounds  it,  contra  Gentes^  p. 

4.)  and  blufh'd  alfo  at  their  Bodily  Nakednefs,  of 

which  they  were  not  before  at  all  afhamed. 

And  they  few  ed  Fig-leaves  together."]     Of,  twifted 

the  young  Twigs  of  the  Fig-tree,  with  the  Leaves  on 

them  .•  Which  are  very  broadin  t he Eaftern Countries. 

Pliny  reckons  this   among  the  Trees  that  have  the 

largeft  Leaves,  L.  XVI.  cap.  24,  And  cap.  26.  where  he 

faith,  it  hath  folmm  maximum,  umbrofiiJimurnqHe*  the 

greateft  and  moft  (hady  Leaf  of  all  other. 

And  made  themfelves  Aprons."]  A  Covering,  which 

they  girt  about  them. 

Ver.  8.  And  they  heard  the  Voice  of  the  LO  R  D  Verfe  80 

walking  in  the  Gardev.~]  The  Sound  of  the  Majeflatick. 

Presence,  or  the  Glory  of  the  LORD,    approaching 

K  2  nearer 


69  A  COUMET^TAKT 

Chapter  nearer  and  nearer  unto  the  place  where  they  were.  For 
III.       the  waling  may  be  referred  to  Voice*  as  well  as  to  the 
LORD:  Signifying  that  the  Sound*   as  I  faid  (for  fo 
Voice  is  often  ufed  in  Scripture)  of  the  Divine  Ma- 
jeflys  approach,  came  flill  nearer,  and  made  a  louder 
Nolle,  to  terrifie  them.     For  thus  the  word   walk,  is 
applied  to  the  Voice*  (*•  e.  SoundJ  of  the  Trumpet  at 
the  giving  of  the  Law,  when  Mofes  fays  of  it,  (hxod. 
XIX.  I9jpmi  ^Tft  it  walked  orjncreafed*  and  grew 
ftronger. 

Juft  fo,  I  conceive,  the  Sound  which  the  Motion  of 
the  SCHECHINAH  made,  did  at  this  time.  And 
that, 

In  the  cool  of  the  Day^]  When  the  Wind  began  to 
rife,  (foit  is  in  the  Hebrew,  in  the  wind  of  the  Day,) 
that  is,  towards  the  Evening,  as  moftunderftand  it.- 
For  then  there  was  wont  to  be  a  gentle  breath  of 
Wind  ;  as  Ariftotle  obferves  of  his  Country,  -r  Zi$u- 
%c,v  m%£$%  $&\ijw  TVV&V,  the  Weft  Wind  was  wont  to 
blow  towards  theclofe  of  the  Day.  Which  being  a 
foftand  gentle  Gale,  the  Sound  they  heard  was  the 
more  aftonifhing,  which  feemed  to  threaten  a  dread 
ful  Storm. 

Onkelos  thus  paraphrafes  the  fir  ft  words,  they  heard 
the  Voice  of  the  WORD  of  the  LORD:  That  is, 
of  the  Son  of  God  ^  who  appeared  in  very  glorious 
Clouds  3  or  rather,  inflaming  Fire,  of  fuch  an  amaz 
ing  Brightness,  that  they  were  not  able  to  endure 
the  fight  of  it.  For  fo  it  follows  .- 

Adam  and  his  Wife  hid  themfelves  from  theprefence  of 
the  L  0  R  D  God^  Sec.}  It's  plain  by  this  there  was 
the  appearance  of  an  extraordinary  Prefence  .•  Which 
affrighted  them,  and  made  them  run  among  the  Trees  of 
the  Garden^  i.  e.  into  the  Thickets,  or  the  clofeft 
places  they  could  find  there.  I 


N    upon  GENESIS, 

I  cannot  but  think  the  SCHECHINA  H, 
Divine  Majefty,  appeared  quite  otherwife  than  for 
merly  .•  That  is,  not  in  fomild  a  Luftre  as  when  they 
were  firft  acquainted  with  him  5  but  in  a  more  terri 
ble  burning  Light,  as  if  it  would  confume  them.  For 
fo  we  read  in  after- times,  that  the  fame  L  o  a  D  who  • 
appeared  unto  Mofes  in  aflame  of  Fire  out  of  the 
midft  of  a  Bu(h,(£*W.  III.  2.)  camedown  in  a  more 
dreadful  manner,  at  the  giving  of  the  Law,  from 
Mount  Sinai.  When  the  Mountain  was  altogether  on 
a  fmoak*  (Exod.  XIX.  18.)  becauje  the  LORDde- 
fcended  upon  it  in  Fire:  And  that  Fire  fo  great,  that  it 
flamed  unto  the  midft  of  Heaven,  (Deut.  IV.  n.)  with 
darknefs,  clouds,  and  thick^  darknefs. 

Ver.  9.    And  the  LORD  God  called  unto  Adam.~\  Verfe  9. 
As  he  did  to  Mofes  out  of  the  Bufh,    Exod.  III.  4. 
and  to  Ifrael  out  of  the  midft  of  the  Fire,    Dent. 

IV.  12. 

And  faid  unto  him.']  With  a  Majeftick  Voice,  a- 
gainft  which  he  could  not  ftop  his  Ears. 

Where  art  thou?~]  Why  doft  thou  run  into  Co 
verts,  like  the  wild  Beafts  >  Such  Queftionsdo  not 
argue  Ignorance  in  him  that  asks  them  5  but  are  in 
tended  to  awaken  the  Guilty  to  a  confeffion  of  their 
Grimes.  As  appears  from  IV.  10.  Where  is  Abel  thy 
Brother  ?  Of  whom  Cain  ftubbornly  refufing  to  give 
an  account,  the  LORD  faid  immediately,?  ("to  (how 
h  needed  not  to  be  informedj  the  Voice  of  thyBro* 
thers  Blood  crieth  unto  me,  from  the  Ground. 

Ver.  IO.  And  he  faid,  I  heard  thy  Voice,  andlwas 
afraid,  becaufe  Iwas  naked,  Scc.^  The  very  Sound  of 
the  approach  of  thy  Prefence,  fo  affrighted  me,  be- 
cauie  I  found  I  had  loft  my  Innocency -,  that  I  hid  my 
felf  from  thee.  This  was  a  foolifh  and  vain  attempt  $ 

but 


;o  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter    but  as  Guilt  makes  Men  fearful,  fo  that  bereaves  them 
IV.      of  all  Confederation. 

t^VNJ       Ver.  i  iT   And  he  fad,    Who  told  thee  that  thou  waft 

Verfe  *i' naked?]  Divefted  of  thole  noble  Endowments, 
which  I  befrowed  on  thee. 

Haft  thou  eaten,  &c.]j   TranfgrelTed  my  Command 
ment  ? 

Verfe  1 2.  Ver,  12.  And  the  Man  fad,  The  Woman  whom  thon 
gave  ft,  &c.]  I  confefs  my  Guilt ;  into  which  I  was 
drawn  by  her,  whom  thou  gaveft  me  for  an  help. 
Thus  we  are  apt  to  excule  and  palliate  our  Faults ; 
by  laying  that  Lead  upon  others,  with  which  we 
ought  to  charge  our  felves. 

Verfe  i  3.  Ver.  1 3.  And  the  LORD  God  fad  unto  the  Wo 
man,  &c.~]  What  moved  thee  to  violate  my  Com 
mand  > 

Andfljcfad,  The  Serpent  legtoiltd  we.~]  My  Weak- 
nefs  was  deceived,  by  theCunningof  the  Devil. Thus 
(he  allb  threw  the  blame  upon  another.  But  God,  no 
doubt,  convinced  them  both,  of  the  greatnefs  of  their 
,v  Guilt,  and  the  rniferable  Condition  into  which  they 
were  fain  by  (heir  Tranfgreffion  ^  before  he  ended 
this  Difcourfe  with  them.  Which  fhows  the  Infinite 
Mercy  of  the  Creator  of  all,  who  would  not  abandon 
them  $  but  fought  after  them,  to  fave  them,  when 
they  had  loft  themfelves. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  the  LORD  fad  unto  the  Serpent,  Thou 
art  curfid,  Src."]  It  is  obferved  by  Tertullian,  That 
though  God  inflicted  Punifhmenrson  Adamm&  Ew, 
yet  he  did  not  curfe  them,  as  he  did  the  Serpent,  //* 
jreftitutionJs  canditalos,  they  ftanding fair  fora  Refti- 
tution  to  his  Favour,  L.  II.  adv.  Marcion,  c.  25.  And 
I  may  add,  God  did  not  begin  with  them  5  but  firft 
Sentences  the  Serpent,  before  he  proceeds  to  Judgment 

upon 


upon  GENESIS.  71 

upon  them  :    VVhich  denotes  that  he  .  (the  okl  Ser-    Chapter 
pent)  was  the  great  O.fender,  being  the  firfi:  Mover        IIL 
to  Sin  $    which  made  his  Crime  more  grievous  than 
theirs. 

Now,  to  be  Curfid,  is  to  be  deprived  of  what  was 
before  enjoyed,  and  doomed  to  a  miferable  wretch- 
ed  Condition  of  life  :  The  particulars  of  which  fol 
low.  The  only  Difficulty  is,  Why  the  Serpent  (lite 
rally  fo  called)  fhouid  be  curled,  as  it  manifeftly  is, 
(though  the  Devil  alfo,  I  (hall  (how  is  intended  J 
being  but  an  Inftrument  which  the  Evil  Spirit  ufed  ^ 
and  had  neither  Will  to  Sin,  nor  yet  underfhnding 
or  Knowledge  of  what  the  Devil  did  ?  It  is  com 
monly  anfwered,  That  this  is  no  more  than  the  Curfe 
which  God  inflifted  upon  the  Earth,  (which  was  not 
capable  of  Sinning)  for  Adams  fake,  vcrfe  1 7.  f3ut 
ftill  the  Reafon  of  that  Curfe  is  required  ^  which  is 
evident  enough  .•  Man  hi mfelf  being punifhed  by  the 
Curfe  upon  the  Earth  :  Which  did  not  yield  its  Fruit 
fo  plentifully  and  fo  eafily,  as  it  had  done  before  his 
Tnnfgreffion.  And  the  Reafon  of  this  Curfe  upon 
the  Serpent^  may  be  the  better  difcerned  by  another 
Inftance  which  we  find  Exod.  XXI.  28.  where  an  Ox 
which  gored  a  Manor  a  Woman.,  that  they  died,  is 
ordered  to  be  ftoned,  ani  his  Flefi  not  to  be  eaten. 
This  fure  was  to  fhow.  the  great  value  God  fet  upon 
Man's  Life  :  VVhich  he  fecured  alfo  by  this  Punifh- 
menc^  which  moved  all  Owners  to  iook  well  to 
their  Beads  that  might  indanger  it.  Even  fo  was  the 
Serpent  condemned,  in  Mercy  to- Adam  and  his  Wife, 
("whom,  it  is  manifeft  by  what  follows,  God  intended 
to  reftore  into  his  Favour,)  that  they  might  be  ever 
mindful  of  the  foulnefs  of  their  Gilt,  and  excited 
t'O  Repentance^  by  feeing  a  noble  Creature,  ('who 

was 


?l  A    COMMENT  ART 

Chapter  was  but  the  Inftrumentofit,)  fo  extreamly   debafed 
m.       into  a  moft  vile  Condition. 

^?~v-*~»  Upon  thy  Belly  fialt  thougo."]  This  (hows  the  Serpent 
was  a  more  noble  Creature  before  this  Faft  .•  But 
changed  after  it,  from  a  flying  Seraph  (as  the  word  is 
Nnr,jL  XXI.  6.)  into  a  foul  creeping  Serpent  5  not 
moving  aloft  in  the  Air,  but  crawling  upon  the 
Earth,  and  licking  the  Duft.  So  it  follows. 

And  duft  {halt  thou  eat,  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  ] 
There  is  no  viler  Food  than  this  „•  Which  doth  not 
fignifie  the  Serpent  fhould  feed  upon  nothing  elfe.- 
But  that  creeping  on  the  Ground  it  cannot  but  lick 
up  much  Duit  together  with  its  Food,  whatsoever 
that  be. 

All  this  5s  literally  the  Curfe  of  the  Serpent :  But 
as  the  Devil  lay  hidden  under  the  Covert  of  the  Ser- 
pent)  though  he  be  not  named  }  fo  his  Curfe  is  in 
tended  in  this  Curfe  of  the  Serpent,  though  it  be  not 
feparately  mentioned.  As  appears  by  the  following 
•Perfe,  which  hath  a  peculiar  refpeft  to  the  Devil, 
under  the  Name  of  the  Serpent.  And  the  Devils 
Curfe  in  general  was  this  5  to  be  thruft  down  further 
than  before,  from  his  ancient  Heavenly  Habitation  5 
and  condemned  to  live  in  the  lower  fmoaky  Regi 
on  of  the  Air  :  Where  he  hath  loft  all  relifh  of  Ce- 
leftial  Enjoyments,  and  pleafes  himfelf  only  in  his 
vile  Endeavours  to  make  Mankind  as  wicked  as  him 
felf. 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  Wo 
man,  and  between  thy  Seed  and  her  SeectJ]  An  irre- 
concileable  Feud,  throughout  all  Generations.  Which 
is  true  of  the  Serpent,  literally  underftood,  between 
whom  and  Mankind  there  is  fuch  an  Antipathy,  that 
:it  difcovers  it  .felf  both  in  the  natural  znAfenJitive 

Faculties 


.upon  GENESIS.  73 

faculties  of  them  both  .*  Their  Humours  being  Poi-  Chapter 
fon  to  each  other  }  and  Man  being  aftonifhed  at  the  HI. 
fight  of  a  Serpent  more  than  any  other  Creature  ^ 
and  the  Serpent  in  like  manner  at  the  fight  of  a  Man, 
efpecially  (if  Naturalifts  fay  true)  of  a  naked  Man. 
Thus  Mr.  Mede,  Difcourfe  XXXIX.  p.  295.  But  this 
is  far  more  true  and  certain  of  the  Spiritual  Serpent^ 
the  Devil,  and  his  Angels,  (who  joyned  with  him  in 
his  Apoftafie  J  and  the  Woman  and  her  Seed,  in 
whom  thefe  words  are  more  literally  fulfilled.  For 
Maimonides  juftly  admires,  rhat  the  Seed  of  the  Wo 
man  (hould  be  only  mention'd,  and  not  ofAdaw, 
(^without  whom  {he  could  have  no  Seed  5  which 
therefore  muft  be  bis  Seed  J  and  that  it  ftiould  be  faid 
of^erSeed,  not  of  hte9  that  it  bruifed  the  Serpent's 
Head.  MoreNevochivt,  P.  II.  cap.  30.  Thfr,  faith  he> 
is  one  of  the  Pajjages  in  Scripture  which  is  moft  won- 
derful^  and  not  to  be  underftood^  according  to  the  Letter ; 
but  contains  greatWifdom  in  it.  In  which  Words  he 
wrote  more  Truth  than  he  was  aware  5  but  was  not 
able  tounfold  this  hidden  Wifdom,  as  we  Chriftians, 
bleffed  be  God,  are  able  to  do.  For  this  Seed  here 
fpokenof  is  Chrift,  as  both  the  Tar  gums  (that  afcri- 
bed  to  Jonathan,  and  that  called  the  Hierufalenf)  ex 
pound  it  3  and  as  we  are  taught  to  underftand  it,  by 
God's  Words  to  Abraham^  when  he  renewed  this 
Promife  .•  In  thy  Seed  (that  is  Chrift,  faith  the  Apo- 
b\e)jhatt  all  Nations  be  ble/ed,  Gen.  XXII.  18.  Gal. 
III.  8,  1 6.  For  he  vanquished  the  Devil,  who  had 
now  vanquifhed  Mankind.  So  it  here  follows. 

ItjhallbntifethyHead.~\  \.e.ThatSEED  of  the 
Woman  (hall  defpoil  thce  of  thy  Power,  (meaning 
the  Devil,)  and  abolifh  thy  Tyranny.  For  in  the 
Head  of  the  Serpent  (to  which  there  is  here  an  allu- 

L  fion) 


74  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter    fion)  lies  his  ftrength :    As  Epaminondas  reprefented 
III.     to  the  Thebans,   when  he  exhorted  them  to  fee  upon 
E^nd  of  Lacedemonians^  by  (bowing  them  the  Head 
of  a  vaft  Snake,    which  he  had  cruftied,  (r  Jt*paAko 
T£  «3«eJ»  frzotfe^Jo*.)  &ying,  Loofye,  the  Body  can  do 
no  hurt,  now  the  Head  if  gene  .-Meaning,  That  if  they 
routed  the  Lacedemonians,  the  reft  of  the  Confede 
rates  would  fignifie  nothing.    Pofyen.  L.  II.  Strateg. 
And  therefore  Mr.Mede  hath  rightly  interpreted  the 
Serpent's  Head,    to  fignifie  the  Devil's  Soveraignty, 
(DifcovrfeXXV.p  143.  and  XXXIX. p.  ifi.)  and 
that  Soveraignty,    is  the  Power  of  Death  :     Which 
Head  (hip  of  the  Devil,  theSW  of  the  Woman   fthat 
is  Chrift  the  Lord)  hath  broken  in  pieces,   and  at  laft 
will  utterly  deftroy,  i  Cor.  X'^.  25,  26. 

There  is  a  notable  Example  of  this  Enmity,  in  the 
ftruggle  between  Chrift  and  the  Devil  for  the  Empire, 
in  Rev.  XII.  7,  8.  where  Chrift  deftroyed  the  Sove 
raignty  of  the  Serpent  in  the  Roman  Empire  fo  ef- 
feftually^  that  there  was.**  more  place  found^  for  the 
Dragon  and  his  Angels,  in  Heaven  $  i.e.  The  Devil 
utterly  loft  his  Soveraignty  in  that  State  3  as  Mr.  Mede 
interprets  it. 

AndthoH  /halt  brnife  his  Heel.~]  This  Viftory  over 
the  Devil  was  not  to  be  gotten  without  Blood  .•  For 
the  Devil  did  all  that  he  was  able  to  deftroy  this 
Seed.  But  that  was  impoffible  to  be  done  5  he  could 
only  aflault  hislowerpart,  (called  here  the  Heel,) 
viz.  His  Body  or  Flefli :  Which,  by  his  Inftruments, 
he  perfecuted,  defpitefully  ufed,  and  at  laft  crucified. 
By  which  very  means  (fo  admirable  was  the  Wif- 
dom  andGoodnefs  of  God)  the  Seed  of  the  Woman 
conquered  the  Devil  as  the  Apoftle  (hows,  Heh.  II. 
14,  i  j.  For  itmuft  be  here  noted,  That  Chrift  was 

pro- 


npon  GEN  E  S  1  S.  75 

properly  and  literally  the  Seed  oftkeWomati^  andChapter 
not  at  all  of  the  Man  :  Being  born,  without  him,   of       lf-- 
a  pure  Virgin.  The  tender  Mercy  of  God  alfo  muft  ( 
here  be  acknowledged  ^  which  gave  our  firft  Parents 
hope  of  a  recovery,  as  foon  as  they  were  fain  .•     By 
making  them  this  moft  gracious  Promife.     Which, 
though  here  fomething  obfcurely  delivered,    grew 
clearer  and  clearer,  in  every  Age,  till  Chrift  came. 

It  cannot  be  deniedTikewife,  but  that  by  Seed,  may 
beunderftood  (colle&ively)  all  the  Faithful,    who 
by  the  Power  of  the  Lord,  vanquifh  all  the  Power 
of  their  Spiritual  Enemy.    (See  Luke  10.  19.)  Yet  fo, 
that  we  muft  confefs,  there  was  one  Eminent  Seed  here 
primarily  intended,    by  whom  they  overcome.  Un 
to  whom  another  Seed  is  not  here  oppofed  in  this 
laft  part  of  the  Verfe^  (as  in  the  former  part,)   but 
the  Serpent  himfelf:  Which  points  at  a  jingle  Corn- 
bate  fas  I  may  call  it)    between  this  promifed  Seed 
and  the   Devil     But  if  we  will  take   in  the  other 
Sence  alfo,  unclerftand  by  Seed,  Chrift  with  all  his 
Members,   then  the  brni/tng  their  Heel  fignifies,    ("as 
Mr.  Mede  expounds  it,)  the  Devil's  deceit  and  guile 
in  aflaulting  us  unawares :  As  they  do  who  come  behind 
others,    when  they  do  not  obferve  them,  and  catch 
hold  of  their  Heel.     For  that  this  is  an  Emblem  olf 
guile  and  deceitful  dealing,  appears  from  the. Story 
of  Efau  and  Jacob  3  the  latter  of  whom  had  his*Nacne 
from  catching  his  Brother  by  the  Heel  at  his  Birth, 
which  Efau  took  for  an  indication  of  his  beguiling 
him,  as  he  did  two  times.    See  Difcourfe  XXXVII. 
p.  184, 

It  is  fit,  I  think,  here  to  note  further,  (what  the 
learned  Mr,  ^//>,  hath  obferved,)  That  God  in  this 
Promife  did  a  particular  Kindnefs  to  our  Father 

L  2  Adam, 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Adam.  Who  having  been  feduced  by  his  Wife  to 
eat  the  forbidden  Fruit,  it  might  have  occafioned  & 
Breach  between  them  v  had  not  God  taken  Care  to 
prevent  it,  by  making  this  gracious  Promife  of  a 
Redeemer,  to  depend  upon  this  Union  with  his  Wife  .- 
Frohi  whom,  he  affures  them,  one  fliould  defcend, 
that  mould  repair  their  Lofles, 

The  time  likewife  when  this  Promifc  was  made  is 
remarkable  „•  Which  was,  before  God  had  reje&ed 
'din  and  preferred  Setkto  him ,  and  long  before  any 
reftri&ion  made  to  Noah's  Family,  or  Sem\  (who 
derived  from  him,)  that  all  the  World  might  look 
upon  the  MESS  I  AH  as  a  common  Benefit  to  all 
the  Sons  of  Adam. 

Verfe  1 6.  Ver.  16.  Unto  the  Woman  he  faid.~]  Next  to  the 
Serpent,  the  Woman  receives  her  Sentence,  fas  MR 
Mede  well  notes,)  becaufe  flie  was  more  in  the 
fault  than  Adam :  Being  guilty,  as  his  words  are 
(Difcourfe  XXXVIII.  p.  287.)  both  of  her  own  per- 
fonai  Sin,  and  of  her  Husband's  alfo.  Whence  it  is 
that  he,  who  had  only  finned  himfelf,  and  not  caufed 
others  to  fin*  had  his  Judgment  laft  of  all.  This 
fliould  be  a  little  more  confidered  than  it  is,  by  all 
thofe,  who  not  only  do  Evil  themfelves,  but  draw 
others  into  the  fame  Guilt 

1 r  y>iU  greatly  multifly  thy  farrow  and  conception**] 
i.  e.  Thy  forrow  in  thy  Conception  .•  Which  in 
cludes  all  the  time  of  Womens  going  with  Child  § 
when  they  frequently  naufeate  all  their  Food  5  or 
have  troublefome  Longings  5  and  endure  many  o- 
ther  things  which  are  very  grievous  to  them  $  efpe- 
cially  when  they  arc  in  danger  to  mifcarry  of  their 
Burden* 

7* 


upon    GENESIS.  77 

In  forrow  /halt  thou  bring  forth  Children.]  Brute  Chapter 
€reatures  are  obferved  to  bring  forth  their  Young,  III. 
with  far  lefs  pain,  and  difficulty,  and  danger,  than 
Women  commonly  have  in  their  Labour.  Who,  after 
they  are  delivered  of  their  Children,  are  ftill  in  dan 
ger,  by  many  Accidents  :  Efpecially  when  that  ftays 
behind  which  (hould  follow  the  Birth,  (as  it  fome- 
times  doth  from  various  Caufes,  noted  by  Bartholinus^ 
in  his  Hiftor.  Anotow.  &  Medic.  Cent.  V*  Htft. 
XXXII.  n.  3.)  which  occafionsforc  Torments,  and 
puts  their  Lives  in  thegreateft  hazard. 

And  thy  de/ire  Jhall  be  to  thy  Husband?]  That  is,  it 
(hall  be  fubjedt  to  him  5  as  the  Vulgar  Latin  and 
AbenEzra  expound  thisPhrafe:  Which  is  fo  ufed, 
IV.  7. 

And  he  Jhall  rule  overtkee^]  Have  Power  to  con- 
troll  thy  Defire.  This  looks  like  putting  her  more 
under  the  Will  of  her  Husband,  than  was  intended 
in  her  firft  formation:  Becaufe  (he  had  not  given. 
a  due  regard  to  him  ;  but  eaten  the  forbidden 
Fruit,  without  flaying  to  confult  him  and  ask  his 
Advice. 

Ver»  17.  And  unto  Adam  he  faid^  Becaufe  thou  haft  Verfe 
Learkped  to  the  voice  of  thy  Wife^  &c]   Been  fo  weak, 
as  to  mind  her  more  than  me. 

Curfed  Jhall  the  Ground  be^  It  (hall  not  bring 
forth  fo  plentifully,  nor  fo  eafilyas  it  did. 

For  tfyfake.]  Becaufe  of  thy  Sin  $  which  (hall  be 
puniflied  partly  by  its  barrennefs. 

In  forrow  flak  thou  eat  of  it.]  It  Ihallcoft  thee  a 
great  deal  of  Labour  and  Toil.,  before  thou  reaped 
the  Fruits  of  it. 

All  the  days  of  thy  life.']  Every  part  of  the  Year* 
(hall  bring  along  with  it  new  wearifom  Labours 


78  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  18.  Thorns  and  Thiflles,  &c.]  It  (hall  coft  thee 
III.      abundance  of  Pains  to  root  up  the  Thorns,  Thirties, 

IXV%J  and  unprofitable  Weeds  5  which  (hall  come  up  in  (lead 

Verie  1 8- Of  better  Plants. 

And  thou  flult  eat  the  Herl  of  the  Field.']  Be  con 
tent  with  fuch  things  as  the  common  Field  produces  $ 
inftead  of  the  delicious  Fruits  of  Paradife.  Here 
the  Rabbins  cry  out  Menfurafro  menfura,  behold  the 
Juftice  of  God,  who  ftrved  Man  in  his  kind.  He 
was  not  fatisfied  with  the  choice  Fruits  of  the  Gar 
den  in  which  God  put  him  ,•  and  therefore  he  took 
them  from  him,  .and  fent  him  to  eat  the  ordinary- 
Food  of  Beafts  3  and  that  not  without  hard  Labour. 
Maitnon.  More  Nevoch.  P.  I., cap.  2. 

Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  In  thefweatofthyface,  Src.^j  Some  con 
clude  from  hence,  that  the  Earth  brought  forth,  be 
fore  the  Fall,  without  any  Pains  to  cultivate  it.  And 
indeed  there  needed  none ;  all  things  being  pro 
duced  at  the  firft,  by  the  Divine  Power,  in  full  Per- 
feftion.  But  what  Labour  would  have  been  necef- 
fary  in  time,  if  Man  had  continued  Innocent,  we  do 
not  know  :  only  thefe  words  fignifie,  that  lefs  Toil 
would  have  ferved  than  Men  muft  now  take  for  their 
Suftenance. 

Some  of  the  Jews  reckon  up  Nine  Punifhrnents  be- 
fides  Death,  which  God  infii&ed  upon  Adarn^  and 
as  many  upon  Eve.  See  Pir^e  Eliefer>  cap.  XI  V«  and 
Vorjtius  upon  him. 

Till  then  return  to  the  Ground."]  i.e.  Till  thou  dicft, 
and  mouldreft  into  Duft. 

For  out  of  it  thou  waft  takenT]  From  whence  thou 
waft  taken,  as  it  is  explained,  verfe  23.  which  (hows 
the  Particle  ty  is  not  always  to  be  tranflated  for  5 
but  focnetime  8>fo#re,  or  who/v,  as  IV.  25.  God  hath 

given 


Hpon    GENESIS. 

given  me  another  Seed  inflead  of  Abel^  irn  ^D  whom  Chapter 
Cain  flew.  in. 

The  reft  of  this  Verfe  needs  no  Explication.  l/VNJ 

Ver.  20.  Called  her  name  Eve.']  Some  think  (he  was  Verfe  20. 
called  Ijfcha  before,  and  now  he  changed  her  Name 
intoEz;e:  In  belief  that  God  would  make  her  the 
Mother  of  all  Mankind  5  and  of  the  promifed  Seed 
particularly  $  by  whom  fas  D.  Chytraus  addsj  he 
hoped  to  be  raifed  from  the  Dead,  to  immortal 
Life. 

Mother  of  all  living."]  Of  all  Men  that  fhould  live 
hereafter 5  or  of  him  that  (hould  give  Life  to  Mankind. 
So  Havah  may  be  interpreted,  viva  or  vivificairix : 
Becaufe  (he  was  the  Mother  of  all  Mankind,  or  be- 
caufe  Mankind,  now  fentenced  to  death,  were  by  her 
Seed,  to  be  made  alive. 

Ver.  2 1 .  Vnto  Adam  and  his  Wife,  did  the  LORD  Verfe .  a  i, 
God  make  coats  ofskjns,  Scc.^    The  firft  Cloaths   of 
Mankind  were  of  the  Leaves  of  Trees^    which  they 
made  themfelvesv  being  ready  at  hand,  woven  by 
Divine  Art.     The  next  were  of  t^Q  Skins  ofBeafts  $ 
which  were  much  warmer,  and  better  able  to  defend 
them  from  the  injury  of  the  Cold  and  Weather  :  And 
thefe  were  made  by  God's  Direftion.     Who  having: 
made  a  moft  gracious  Covenant   with  our  firft  Pa 
rents,  (verfii$)    it  feems  not  unreasonable  to  fup— 
pofe,  that  he  alfo  fignified  to  them,  they  fiiould,  for 
the  confirmation  of  it,  offer  to  him  Sacrifices  .•    By 
the  Blood  of  which,  Covenants  were  ratified  in  after- 
times,  from  this  Example.    For  it  is  not  likely,  that 
the  Beafts,    of  whofe  Skins  thefe  Coats  were  made, 
died  of  ihemfelves  $  or,  that  they  were  killed  mere 
ly  for  this  ufe,  or  for  their  food.    And  therefore 
what  is  fo  probable,  as  that,   by  God's  Order,  they 


8o  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    wereflainfora  Sacrifice  to  him,  (the  better  to  re- 
IH.      prefent  to  them  their  Guilt,  and  that  the  promifed 

l/"WJ  Seed  (hould  vanquifh  the  Devil,  and  redeem  them, 
by  (hedding  his  Blood  J  and  that  of  the  Skins  of 
thofe  BeaftsGod  dire&ed  Coats  to  be  made,  to  cloath 
them  >  But  whether,  by  dreffing  them  and  making 
Leather  of  them  $  or,  only  by  drying  them,  and  Jet 
ting  the  Hair  ftill  continue  on  them,  we  cannot  tell. 
Certain  it  is,  that  this  was  a  very  ancient  fort  of 
Cloathing  5  as  we  learn  not  only  from  Profane  Au 
thors,  but  from  the  Sacred  :  Particularly,  HeL  XL 
37.  The  Jewtfh  Do&ors  have  carried  this  Matter  fo 
far,  as  to  fay,  That  Adam  being  a  Prieft,  thefe  were 
his  Prieftly  Garments.  The  Skin  indeed  of  the 
Burnt-Offering  under  the  Law,  is  given  to  the  Prieft, 
Lev.  VII.  8.  but  not  to  make  him  Cloaths :  And  Eve, 
if  this  were  true,  mud  tjave  been  a  Prieftalfo$  for 
(he  had  a  Coat  made  of  Skins,  no  lefs  than  Adam. 
Who,  they  fanfie,  left  this  Coat  to  his  Pofterity  5  fo 
that  Noah,  Abraham^  and  all  the  reft  of  the  Patriarchs 
(as  Abel  they  faid  did}  facrificed  in  the  very  fame 
Coat,  till  Aaron  was  made  High-Prieft,  and  hadfpe- 
cial  Garments  appointed  him  by  God.  Among 
which,  one  beingcalled  by  this  very  Name  of  njro 
(Exod.  XXVIIIJ  it  gave  ground  to  this  idle  Con 
ceit. 

Verfe  22.  Vet.  22.  Behold  the  Man  is  become,  &c.]  Man,  in 
this  place,  includes  Woman:  And  thefe  words  are  ge 
nerally  thought  to  be  fpoken  Sarcaftically  3  to  reprove 
their  great  Folly,  in  thinking  tocncreafe  their  Know 
ledge,  whether  God  would  or  no. 

jLlhf  one  ofusi\    Thefe  words  plainly  infinuate  a 
Plurality  of  Perfons  in  the  Godhead  5  and  all  other 
Explications  of  them,    feera  to  be  forced  and  unna 
tural  i 


'upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S,  81 

tural:  That  of  Mr.Cahms  being  as  difagreeable  to  Chapter 
the  Hebrew  Phrafe,  as  that  of  Socinwto  the  Excellen-      III. 
cy  ot  the  Divine  Nature.  This,  I  think,  is  well  pro-  L/"VNJ 
ved  by   Theodoricl^  Haclypan,  Diffut.  IV.    De  Locut, 
Sacris,  n.  15,  Sec. 

And  now,  left  he  put  forth  hi?  Hand,  Sec."]  This  feems 
an  abrupt  kind  of  Speech  5  fomething  being  kept 
back:  As,  let   us  turn  him  out,  (or  fome  fuch  like 
words,)  left  he  take  alfo  of  the  Tree,  of  Life^  and  live 
for  ever.     Which  many  of  the  ancient  Fathers  look 
upon  as  a  merciful  Difpenfation  5    that  Man  might 
not  be  perpetuated   in  a  State  of  Sin.     So  Irdneut, 
L.  Ill  cap.  37.  and  Greg.  Nazianzen.  Orat.  XXXVIII. 
p.  619.  God  thus  ordered,  *lv&  pti  a&dvcflov  YI  TO  w 
w*v->    £j  yun£)   ^«Aa^9^Wa  YI  TifAw&ct,,  &C.      That  Sin 
might  not  be  Immortal^  and  the  Punishment  might  be  a, 
Kindnefs.    Which  he  repeats,  Orat.  XLII.p.  68 1.  So 
Eflfbaniifg  alfo,  Htref.  XXXVIL*.  i.  When  Man  had 
fpoiled  himfelf,  God  unmade  him,  that  he  might  make 
him  better.     And  Methodius  in  him,  H<eref.  XLIV.  n. 
24,  2?,  8cc.  and  29.  where  he  proceeds  fo  far  as  to 
fay,  That  Death  was  not  fent  upon  Man, .  £sH  *a- 
K$  TO),  out  of  any  evil  Defign  to  him,  but  as  a 
Mercy. 

Ver.  23.  Therefore  God  fent  him  forth,  &c.]     Or5Verfe  23, 
caft  him  out  5  and  that  with  reproach  and  difgracej 
as  Aben  Ezra  obferves  the  Hebrew  word,  in  this  form, 
to  fignifie.     And  fo  caft  him  out,  that  he  (hould  not 
return  again. 

To  till  the  Ground,  from  whence  he  was  tak$n7\  This 
confirms  what  I  faid  upon  the  Second  Chapter,  ver.  8. 
That  Adam  was  made  in  another  place,  and  thence 
brought  into  Paradife:  From  whence  being  now 
expelled,  he  was  fent  back  to  the  place,  where  he 

M  was 


8a  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    was  firft  formed  ^  there  to  labour  in  all  the  Toils  of 
III.      Husbandry.      Though    it  muft  be  confeffed,  thefe 

IXVNJ  words  may  fignifi-  no  more,  than  thofe  Verfe  19.  of 
rfihCA^ter,  That  he  had  his  Original  from  the  Earth: 
By  the  tilling  of  which  he  was  put  in  Mind  of  his 
return  thither. 

Verfe  24.  Vena 4.  So  he  drove  out  the  Man.']  (With  his  Wife) 
or,  as  Aben  Ezra  tranflates  it.  After  he  had  driven 
him  out ^  he  placed,  &c.  This  word  unji  is  that  which 
the  Hebrews  properly  life  in  Divorces :  And  there 
fore  denotes,  they  think,  that  the  Lord  put  him  a«- 
way  from  his  Prefence,  as  a  Man  did  his  Wife,  to 
whom  he  gave  a  Bill  of  Divorce :  Or,  as  a  Prince 
banifhes  a  Subjeft  that  hath  rebelled  again  ft  him, 
whom  he  fends  into  Exile  out  of  his  own  Country. 

And  he  placed  at- the  Eaft  of  the  Garden."]  This 
fhows  the  Entrance  into  Paradjfe,  was  from  the  Baft.: 
At  which  Entrance  Adam,  being  caft  out,  it  is  likely 
he  afterwards  inhabited  feme  of  the  Eattern  Coun 
tries.  Eutychius,  Patriarch  of  Alexandria^  faith  a 
Mountain  in  Indra>  which  the  Mahometans  common 
ly  call  Sarandib,  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  L.  I.  De  Sy- 
nedr.  cap.  2.  p. 45 2,  &c.  But  Aben  Ezras  Conjefture 
feems  more  reasonable,  That  hedwelt  in  fome  Coun 
try,  not  far  from  Paradife. 

Cherubims.']  Some  of  the  heavenly  Minifters^  that 
waited  upon  the  Divine  Majefty  :  Who  were  called 
by  this  Name  in  Mofes  his  time,  when  he  wrote  this 
Hiftory  in  the  Wildernefs,  after  the  giving  of  the 
Law.  For  the  Glory  of  the  LORD,  I  take  it,  here 
appeared,  at  the  expulfion  of  Adam  and  Eve^  in  a 
moft  dreadful  manner  5  to  deter  them  from  at 
tempting  to  come  near  this  place  again  3  for  fear  of 
being  conftmred. 

And 


upon    GENESIS 

And  a  flaming  Srvordr\  Or,  flame  of  a  Sword.  Con-  Chapter 
cerning  which  ftlatnttoiiAes  thus  difcourfes,  P.  I.  More  HI- 
Ncvoch  cap.  4.  Our  wife  Men  underftand  by  lahat 
(flame)  an  Angel:  According  to  tharof  the  VJj&mifa 
He  wakcth  his  Angels  Spirits  :  His  Minifters  (lobet^ 
a  flaming  Fire,  Pfalm  CIV.  4.  That  is,  one  of  the  Se- 
rafhiws,  or  a  flaming  Angel,  in  the  form  of  a  flying 
fiery  Saraph,  (or  Serpent,)  whofe  Body  moving  in  the 
Air,  refembled  the  vibrations  of  a  Sword,  was  ap 
pointed,  with  the  Cherubivrs,  to  guard  the  Entrance 
of  the  Garden.  For  the  Cherubims  and  Seraphims^ 
are  frequently  mentioned  in  Scripture,  as  Attendants 
upon  the  SCH'ECHINAH,  or  Divine  Majefly : 
Which  appeared  here  in  great  Glory,  at  the  Paffage 
into  the  Garden  of  Eden  $  as  it  did  in  after- times  at 
the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation  of 
Ifrael,  to  their  great  aftonifhment. 

Which  turned  everyway."]  Angels  fays  Maiwonides, 
in  the  fore-named  place,  can  turn  themfelves  into  all 
forms  and  (hapes :  Some  of  which  ftrike  greater  Ter 
ror  into  thofe  that  behold  them,  than  others  do.  But 
I  take  this  Expreffion,  not  to  fignifie  mutation  of 
Shapes,  but  the  motion  of  the  Angel :  Which  was 
fo  very  fwift  and  glittering,  that  devouring  Flames 
feemed  to  come  ftreaming  out  on  every  fide. 

To  keep  the  way  of  the  Tree  of  Life.']  To  fecurethe 
PafTage  into  the  Garden  of  Eden^  where  this  Tree 
was  3  that  none  (hould  dare  to  attempt  a  re- entrance. 
H>\\tAdam  was  fo  far  from  thinking  of  this  5  that,  if 
thzEaftern  Traditions  were  to  be  credited,  I  (hould 
add.  He  plunged  himfelf  into  the  deepeft  Sorrow  for 
a  long  rime$  bewailing  his  Sin,  begging  Pardon,dta 
till  God  difpatcht  an  Angel  to  comfort  him,  and  fur 
ther  aflure  him  of  his  Favour.  Which  being  but 

M  2  pro- 


84  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    probable  Conjectures,  I  fay  no  more  of  fuch  Matters, 
III.      Nor   can  I  affert  with  any  degree  of  Confidence, 
what  our  great  Primate  of  Ireland  fays  in  his  Annals^ 
That  it  feems  to   have   been  the  tenth  Day   of  the 
World's  Age,  when  Adam  was  caft  out  of  Paradife  : 
In  Memory  of  which  Calamity,  the  Solemn  Day  of 
Expiation,  and  the  great  Faft  was  inftituted  in  after- 
times,  wherein  all  were  toaffiift  their  Souls,  JlezOt VI. 
29.     This  indeed  is  the  Dodrine  of  the  Jews,  who 
fay,  The  great  Day  of  Expiation  ("which  was  on  the 
tenth  of  September)  was  appointed  and  fanftified  from 
the  Creation  of  the  World  ;  But  there  is  no  other  Au 
thority  for  it. 

It  will  be  more  ufeful,  I  think,  to  obferve  what 
Footfteps  there  are  of  thefe  things  remaining  in  the 
Gentile  World.  I  will  mention  but  two.  One  of 
which  is  noted  by  Eufebivf,  who  (hows  (L.XII.  Pr<e- 
par.  Evang.  cap.  1 1  >)  that  Plato  in  his  Sympofium  hath 
preferved  the  Memory  of  Paradife  :  His  ww(&,  Asos, 
Garden  of  Jupiter,  being  the  fame  with  this  Garden 
of  God,  in  which  Man  was  at  firft  placed.  The  other 
by  St*  Auftm^  who  fays  Plxrecydes,  the  Scholar  of 
Pythagoras,  called  the  Beginner  of  Evil,  'Qpjoon'a  : 
That  is,  a  Daemon  in  the  Shape  of  a  Serpent.  So 
Heideggeru*  obferves  out  of  him,  Exercit.  IV.  De. 
Adatno 


CHAPc 


upon    GENESIS.  85 

Chapter 

; iv. 

C/W 
CHAP.     IV. 

Ver.  I.   A  ND  Adam  knew  Eve  his  Wife,  &c.]  After  Verfe  i. 

£\  they  were  thrown  out  of  Paradife ;  not 
before,  (whatfoever  fome  of  the  JewXhDo&ors  fan- 
lie  to  the  contrary  5)  nay,  as  fome  will  have  it,  after 
they  had  fpent  fome  time  in  A&s  of  Repentance, 
which  is  not  an  improbable  Opinion. 

I  have  gotten  a  Man  from  the  LORD."]  i.  e.  The 
promifed  Mejfia-h  5  which  (he  imagined  would  have 
been  her  Firft-born.  For  the  words  of  the  Promife, 
(III.  15.)  might  as  well  be  expounded  of  the  firtl 
Seed  the  Woman  had,  as  of  any  of  his  Pofterity. 

Ver,  2.  She  bare  his  Brother  Abel.~]  But  gives  no  Verfe  2 
reafon  of  his  Name,  which  fignifies  Vanity  $  as  (he 
did  of  Cains,  which  fignifies  Acquisition,  or  Pojfijfion. 
Nor  is  it  faid  who  gave  this  Second  Son  the  Name  of 
Abel:  But  it  feems  they  made  no  account  of  him,  in 
comparifon  with  the  Firft-born.  Quod  non  pofuerunt 
in  eofpem  fa£l<e  fromifponi*  de  Sevtjne,  ut  in  Kain,  (as 
Joh.  Forfterus  judicioufly  fpeaks,  in  his  Lexicon, 
on  the  word  Hevel^)  becaufe  they  did  not  place  in 
him  their  hope  of  the  promifed  Seed^  as  they  did  in 
Cain. 

And  Abel  was  a  keeper  ofSheep^  Sec."]  The  younger 
Son  was  a  Shepherd  5  and  the  elder  an  Husbandman 
and  Planter.  For  this  laft  feems  to  have  been  Adam's 
chief  Imployment,  both  before  and  after  his  Fall, 
(Gen.ll.  15.  111.23.)  and  therefore,  either  chofen 
by  Cain  in  Imitation  of  his  Father,  or  put  upon  him 
by  his  dire&ion,  3S  the  more  noble  of  the  two* 

Whence 


95  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter         Whence  the  Eaftern  People  gave  him  the  Name  of 
IV.       Abdalcariths  ^  which  (bme  miftook  for  another  Son 

^.V'VNJ  °f  Adam  :  But  in  truth  was  another  Name  of  Caw y 
fignifying  a  tiller  of  the  Field,  as  Mr.  Leiden  (hows, 
I.  V.  DC  Jure  N.  &  G.  cap.  8. 

The  Patriarchs  indeed  after  the  Flood,  at  leaft  in 
Abrahams  Family,  chofc  to  feed  Cattle  :  But  that  was 
becaufe  it  was  lefs  Laborious,  and  more  fuitable  to 
that  unfettled  Condition  wherein  they  lived  for  ma 
ny  Years,  removing  like  the  ancient  £\oMadcs>  from 
one  Country  to  another. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  3.  In  procefs  of  tir/te^}  In  the  Hebrew  ^  the 
words  are,  In  the  end  of  Days  :  That  is,  in  the  con- 
clufion  of  the  Year :,  or,  after  Harveft.  So  Days  fig- 
nifie  in  many  other  places,  particularly,  Judg.  XL  4. 
where,  after  Days,  is  after  a  Tear.  This  was  a  veiy 
feaibnable  time  to  make  their  grateful  acknowledg 
ments  to  God  j  who  had  given  them  a  fruitful  Year, 
and  blefled  them  with  increafe.  Accordingly  God 
ordained  in  future  times,  that  the  Jfraelites  (hould 
keepafolemn  Feaft,  in  the  Years  end,  to  thank  him 
for  the  ingathering  of  their  Fruits,  Exod.  XXIII.  16. 
XXXIV.  zx.  But  in  what  Year  of  the  World  it  was 
that  Cam  and  Abel  brought  thefe  Sacrifices,  we  have 
no  means  to  know.  It  was,  no  doubt,  when  they 
were  grown  Men  5  and  perhaps  had  more  Brothers 
and  Sifters  befides  themfelves.  See  Verfe  17. 

Cain  brought  of  the  Fruit  of  the  Ground^  an  offering 
unto  the  LORD.~\     Thefe  were  the  moft  ancient  Sa 
crifices  among  the  Gentiles,  both  Greeks  and  Rowans^ 
as  their  Authors  tell  us  5  and  therefore  it  is  moft  like 
ly  that  Adam  began  with  thefe  Oblations,  of  Herbs^ 
Flowers,  Frankincenfe,  Meal,  &C.  in  which  Cain  fol- 
Jowed  him  5  being  of  the  fame  Profeffion,  and  pro 
vided 


*pon    GENESIS.  87 

vided  with  ftore  of  fuch  things.  Now  as  there  were  Chapter 
fomzfblemn  Times  of  making  their  devout  Acknow-  IV. 
ledgments  to  God  :  So,  I  doubt  not,  there  were  fome 
fet  Places,  where  they  met  for  that  purpofe.  For  the 
word  in  Hebrew  for  brought,  is  never  ufed  about 
Domeftick  or  Private  Sacrifices,-  but  always  about 
thofe  Publick  Sacrifices,  which  were  brought  to  the 
Door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation,  to  be 
offered  by  the  Prieft.  As  Lev.  IV.  4.  HejhaU  bring 
the  Bullocl^to  the  door^  6cc.  Which  occurs  all  along, 
efpecially  in  the  ninth  Chapter  of  that  Book. 

And  therefore,  I  fuppofe,  they  brought  thefe  Sacri 
fices  here  mentioned,  to  fome  fixed  Place  5  looking 
towards  the  SCHECHINAH,  or  Glorious  Pre- 
fence  ofGod^  at  the  Entrance  of  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
from  which  Adam  had  been  expelled.  For  there  be 
ing,  no  doubt,  fome  fettled  Place,  where  they  perfor 
med  Sacred  Offices  $  it  is  moft  reafonable  to  think  it 
hadrefpeft  to  the  SCHECHINAH,  or  Divine 
Majefty.  Wherefoever  that  appeared,  there  they  ap 
peared  (as  the  Scripture  fpeaks)  before  God  .•  Becaufe 
there  he  manifefted  his  fpecial  Prefence,  which  mo 
ved  them  to  go  thither  to  Worfhip  him,  to  give  him 
Thanks,  or  to  enquire  of  hivt^  as  we  read  Rebefaak 
did,  XXV.  2x. 

What  kind  of  Sacrifices  thefe  were,  is  aQueftion 
among  learned  Men.  The  Talmudifts  are  of  Opi 
nion  they  were  whole  Burnt-Offerings^  and  that  there 
were  no  other  before  the  Law  wasgiveny  ("which  I 
(hall  not  now  examine, )  nor  would  the  Jews,  after 
the  giving  of  the  Law,  permit  the  Gentiles  to  offer 
any  other  at  their  Temple. 

It  is  their  Opinion  alfo,  That  Cain  and  Abel  brought 
thefe  Sacrifices  to  Adam9  to  be  offered  by  him.  For 

which; . 


''88  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    which  I  fee  no  convincing  Reafon:  But,  rather,  they 
IV.       themfelves  feem   to   have  offered  them.     And  then 
X/"V"NJ  this   place  effe&ually  confutes  their  Opinion,  who 
fay  the  Firft-born,  were  feparated  to  the  Office   of 
Priefthood  :  For  by  thefe  words  it  is  plain,  the  young- 
ett  facrificed,  as  well   as   the  eldeft.     And    ib  they 
did  in  following  Ages  5  when  we  find  Jacob  per* 
forming  the  Office   of  a  Prieft,  Gen.  XXVIII.  18. 
XL VI.  i.     Which  proves  their  Opinion  rather  to  be 
true,  who  fay,  That  every  Man  anciently   had  the 
Power,  in  his  own  Family,  to  do  the  Office  of  a  Prieft, 
as  Job  did,  I.  5.    But  when  Families  combined  toge 
ther,  under  one  Head,  Prinde,  or  Governor,  he  had 
the  fole  Right  of  Sacrificing  devolved   to  him,  as 
their  common  Father.     Thus  Mdchfaedecl^  was  both 
King  of  Salem^  and  Prietf  of  the  moft  High  God. 
All  which  was  taken  away  by  the  Law  of  Mofes, 
which  permitted  none  to  officiate  among  the  Ijrae- 
lites,  but  the  Family  of  Aaron  $  and  no  Sacrifices  to 
be  offered,  but  at  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congrega 
tion,  Lev.  XVII.  3,4,  5. 

It  is  a  much  harder  Queftion,  How  they  came  to 
facrifice  at  all  5  either  Meal  or  Beafts  :  Since  we  read 
of  no  Command  from  God  requiring  them  to  bring 
him  fuch  Oblations:  Which  had  led  fome  to  con 
clude,  That  Men  did  this  out  of  a  grateful  Inclina 
tion,  to  return  him  fome  of  his  owfa  Bleffings^  though 
they  had  no  Directions  from  him  about  it.  But  if 
this  were  true,  how  earned/  to  believe  that  his 
Sacrifice  of  aBeaft,  would  be  fo  acceptable  to  God, 
as  the  Apoftle  fays  it  was  by  Faith?  Heb.  XI.  4.  That 
Faith  had  fomething  elfe  to  warrant  it,  than  barely 
his  own  Reafon.  Adam^  in  all  likelihood,  had  re 
ceived  fome  order  concerning  it  5  and  began  to 

facrifice 


upon    GENESIS.  8-9 

Sacrifice  fas  I  noted  before,  III.  21.)  by  dire&ion  Chapter 
from  the  SCHECHINAH,  or  Divine  Majeffy:  IV. 
From  whence  a  Voice  fpake  to  him  upon  feveral  oc-  vVV%J 
cafions,  II.  16,  17.  III.  8,  9,  ($c.  This  Order  in 
deed  is  not  recorded,  no  more  than  many  other 
things  which  Mofer  in  this  fhort  Hiftory  omitted, 
fas  Enoch's  Prophecy,  Noah's  Preaching,  the  Peopling 
of  the  World,  &c.  SezPerfe  15.)  but  it  doth  not  feetn 
probable  that  Adam  would  have  prefumed  to  invent 
a  way  of  Worflnp,  by  killing  Beafts,  and  burning 
their  Fat :  Efpecially  fince  one  cannot  perceive  any 
Inclination  to  it  in  Nature.  And  therefore  Eufebiw 
very  judiciouOy  refolves,  in  my  opinion,  that  this 
way  of  Worfhip  was  not  taken  up  by  chance,  or 
by  a  Humane  Motion,  ^m  rS^a?  ^  %3nvoia,v  \l&ro/Sg- 
/gAH/^ov,  but  fuggefted  to  them  by  a  Divine  Intimati 
on,  L.  I.  Demonflr.  Evang.  Cap.  10.  Of  which  Plato 
one  would  think  had  fome  Notion.,  when  he  forbids 
his  Law-Maker  (in  tiisEfmoMJs)  to  make  any  altera 
tion  in  the  Rites  of  Sacrificing,  becaufe,  8  bvuj<ttw&&- 
vcq  rjj  Swry  <pi)<ru  rff  TTH&TW  Tfigji,  it  is  not  poflible  for 
our  Mortal  Nature  to  know  any  thing  about  fuch  Mat 
ters. 

Ver.  4.  And  Abel  he  alfo  brought  of  the  Firftlings  of  Verfe  4 
his  flock^  &c.]  Many  have  fanfied  from  hence, 
that  Cain's  Guilt  lay  in  this,  that  he  did  not  bring 
theyfr/?  of  his  Fruit,  as  he  ought  to  have  done,  and 
as  the  Heathens  ever  did,  or  were  bound  to  do  by 
their  Pontifical  Laws,  (as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,Chap.  I. 
of  his  Hift.  of  Tythes)  in  their  Pr<entejjkm,  i.e.  the 
Firft- fruits  of  their  Corn,  or  their  Calpar,  which  was 
the  richeft  of  their  Wine.  For  it  is  only  faid,  he 
brought  of  the  Fruit  of  his  Ground,  when  AM  brought 
of  the  Firftlings  of  his  Flock:  And  Mofes  alfo  adding, 

N  that 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    that  Abel  brought  of  the  Fat  thereof,    that  is,   the 
IV.      very    beft  ^    they  think  Cams  Fault  was,    that  he 
brought  not  the  fulleft  Ears  of  Corn,  (which  he 
kept  for  himfelf,)  but  the  lankeft,  or  brought  them 
with  a  niggardly  Hand,  or  a  grudging  Mind.  Thus 
Pattadiw  in  his  Life  of  St.  Chryfoftovt  fays,  He  was 
the  firft   that  tafled  the  Firft- fruits,  and  kept  the  be  (I 
things  for  his  own  Belly,  Toy  dur&px&v  dTny^urtTD^^ 
T^U,  ?y  istjuTV  faqjULcipytqp,  TO  9i£orr&c  £L>Aa|a$,  p.  1 08. 
But  there  is  no  certainty  of  this$  and  the  Apoftle 
to  the  Hebrews  hath  dire&ed  us  to  a  better  account, 
XL  4.     Abel  offered  with  a  pious  Mind  -y  Cam  with 
out  a  due  Senfe   of  God,  and   fincere  Affeftion  to 
him.     He  offered   the   Fruit   of  his  Ground  $    but 
did  not  devote  himfelf  to  God.    Therefore  it  fol- 
lows, 

The  LORD  had  refpeff  unto  Abel  and  his  Offering.'} 
He  gradoufly  accepted  them :  and  his  Offering  was 
accepted,  becaufe  he  himfelf  was  accepted.  It  is  a 
Metaphor  from  thofe  who  when  a  Prefent  is  made  to 
them,  look  kindly  upon  the  Perfon  that  brings  it,  if 
they  like  him  and  his  Prefent  5  or  turn  away  their 
Face,  if  they  difdain  them.  . 

How  God  teftified  his  Acceptance  of 'Abel's  Sacri 
fice,  is  the  only  difficulty  :  Which  the  Jews  fay 
was  by  Fire  coming  from  Heaven  (or  rather,  I 
think,  by  a  Stream  of  Light,  or  a  Flame  from  the 
SCHECHINAH,  or  glorious  Prefence  of  God, 
to  whom  it  was  offered)  which  burnt  up  his  Sacri 
fice.  Thus  Theodotjon  oif old  tranflated  thefe  Words, 
9A7ji£A&\£«'  ^i  TO$  <$i/ows£  'A€lA5  ^  dnTrpttt:,  He  looked 
upon  Abel'/  Sacrifices ,  andfet  them  on  Fire.  Which 
St.  Hierom,  and  other  ancient  Writers  approve.  The 
Footfteps  of  which  we  meet  withal  in  Gen.  XW  17. 

and 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  i  S.  91 

and  Examples  df  it  very  many,  in  future  times  :  Chapter 
When  Mofes  offered    the  firft  great  Burnt-offering      IV. 
according  to  the    Law,  I  ev.  IX  24.     When  Gideon  L/"V*SJ 
ofter'cl  upon  the   Rock,  Judg  VI.  21.      And  David 
flayed   the  Plague,    i  Chron.  XXI.  56.  and  Solomon 
confecrated  the  Temple,  2  Chron.  VII.  13.  and  when 
Elijah  contended  with  the  Baalites,  i  Kings  XVIII. 
38,  dv.  Whence  the  Ifiaeljtes>  wifibingall  Profperity 
to  their  King,  pray  that  God  would  accept  ('in  the 
Hebrew,    turn  into  AJhes)    his  burnt  Sacrifice^    PfaL 
XX.  4.     And  we  find  fome  Relicks  of  this  among 
the  Heathen.     For  when  the  Gretas  went  on  Ship 
board  to  the  Trojan  War,  H0«?er*reprefents  Jupiter 
promifing  them  good  fuccefs  in  this  manner,  Iliad.  2. 
*;.  354. 


by  lightning  on  the  Right-hand  of  them  (as  it  may  be 
tranflated)  or  fhining  gracioufly  upon  them,  fas  the 
ancient  Scholiast  expounds  it)  and  making  favourable 
Tokens  appear  to  them.  In  like  manner  he  gave  the 
fame  encouragement  to  the  Trojans^  when  they  were 
going  to  fet  upon  the  Greek?,  Iliad.  X.  v.  236,  237- 


3  erpJv 


avjuutTx  fzvow, 


Jupiter  giving  them  good  figns,  lightmd  upon  them, 
And  Thunder  fometimes  accompany  ing  thefe  Flafties 
of  Lightning  (as  it  did  on  Mount  Sinaf)  Virgil 
makes  him  to  have  eftablifhed  Covenants  in  that  man 
ner,  JEneid.  XII.  v.  200.  Where  after  JKneas  had  cal- 

N  2  led 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    led  the  Sun  to  witnefs,  &c.    Latinut  lifts  up  his  Eyes 
IV.      and  Right-hand  to  Heaven,  faying, 


Audi  at  htfc  genitor^  qui  fader  a  fulmine  fancit. 

Let  the  (Heavenly)  Father  hear  what  I  fay,  who 
blrfies  Covenants  with  Thunder. 

If  fuch  Paffages  as  thefe  were  attended,  no  confi- 
dering  Man  would  think  the  Books  of  Mofes  to  be  of 
lefs  Antiquity  than  they  pretend  to  }  they  opening  to 
us  the  very  Fountains  of  things,  particularly  of  the 
ancient  Religion. 

Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  But  unty  Cain  and  his  Offering  he  had  not 
refyeft^\  He  did  not  fo  much  as  (hine  upon  his 
Sheaves,*  much  lefs  make  them  afcend  up  to  Heaven 
in  a  Scnoak:  Though  he  were  the  Elder  Brother,  and 
brought  his  Offering  firft. 

And  Cain  was  very  wroth."]  This  highly  incenfed 
him  again  ft  Abel  :  When  he  fhould  have  made  fevere 
Reflexions  on  himfdf,  and  confidered  what  it  was 
that  provoked  God  to  flight  his  Sacrifice  $  that  fo  he 
might  amend  it,  and  procure  his  favour.  Unto  which 
he  had  not  a  Title  by  his  Birthright,  but  by  his  Piety. 
It  is  poffible  indeed  that  Eve  might  have  inftilled  an 
Opinion  into  him,  that  he  being  the  Firft-born,  was 
the  Blefled  Seed  which  God  had  promifed.  And  then 
this  may  be  conceived  to  have  enraged  him  the  more 
againft  his  Brother  5  when  he  faw  fuch  a  diftinguifti- 
ing  mark  of  God's  fpecial  Favour  to  him  in  the  very 
aft  of  Sacrificing.  Which  made  him  look  upon  Abel 
with  a  jealous  Eye,  and  tempted  him  to  kill  him  5  that 
he  might  not  fupplant  him  in  his  hope,  of  being  the 
Fulfiller  of  the  Oracle  before-mentioned.  III.  15. 

And 


upon    GENESIS. 

And  hi*  Countenance  fell.~]  He  did  not  meerly  look  Chapter 
dejeftedly Through  grief  5  but  knit  his  Brows,  and       IV, 
had  a  down-look  (as  we  fpeak)  lowring  and  cloudy  :  WV% 
Like  thofe  who  have  evil  Defigns  in  their  Heads,  and 
meditate  nothing  but  Revenge. 

Ver.  6.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Cain,  &c.]  He  Verfe  6. 
did  not  intend  wholly  to  caft  off  Cafo,  by  refuting 
his  Sacrifice,  it  is  plain,  I  think,  by  this  Queftion. 
Which  was,  in  effeft,  to  tell  him,  He  had  no  reafon 
to  be  angry,  or  out  of  humour  5  but  only  to  become 
a  better  Man :  And  then  God  would  have  refpeft 
unto  him  alfo.  So  it  follows, 

Ver.  7.  If  thou  doft  well,  (halt  thoti  not  be  accep- 
ted?  8cc.]  There  are  vaft  varieties  in  the  Interpre 
tation  of  this  Verfe,  with  which  I  (hall  not  trouble 
the  Reader.  (See  Theodorick,  Hack/pan,  L.  I.  Mifcel 
C.  4.  Mercer,  and  L.  de  Dieu^  different  from  all,  with 
Dr.  Lightfooi)  but  only  give  the  Sence  of  our  Tran- 
flation.  If  thou  doft  wett,  (halt  thou  not  be  accepted? 
Canft  thou  doubt  that  I  have  an  impartial  Refpeft  to 
true  Goodnefs,  wherefoever  I  find  it> 

But  if  thou  doft  not  well^  Sin  (that  is,  the  Punifhment 
of  Sin,  as  Verfe  13.  XIX.  15.  and  many  other  pla- 
cesj  lieth  at  the  doorJ}  Is  ready  to  follow  the  Of 
fence. 

And.  unto  thee  {hall  be  hfe  de/ire^  and  thou  /halt  rule 
over  himl}  He  is  ftill  thy  younger  Brother,  and  fhall 
be  fubjeft  to  thee,  (See  III.  16.)  and  thou  (halt  be 
his  Superiour.  So  here  are  Three  things  fuggefted 
to  Cain,  to  appeafe  his  Anger  againft  his  Brother. 
jRrtf,  That  the  reafon  of  his  not  being  refpefted, 
was  not  in  his  Brother,  but  in  himfelf:  Who,  if  he 
would  do  well,  as  Abelhzd  done,  (houldfind  favour 
no  lefs  than  he.  Secondly ^  That  there  was  no  reafon 

he 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    he  that  did  ill.ihould  fare  like  him  that  did  well  5 
IV.       but  quite  contrary,  {hould   feel  the  marks  of  God's 
U'VSJ  Dilpleafure.     And  yet,  Thirdly,  This  (hould  not  al 
ter  his  civil  right,  nor  give  Abel  any  Authority  over 
him:  But  he  (hould  ftill  retain  the  Priviledge  of  his 
Birth-right  ^  and  need  fear  no  harm  from  his  Brother, 
who  was  his  inferiour. 

Verfe  8.         Ver.  8.  And   Cain  talked  with   Aid  his   Brother^] 
Asked  him  in  a  friendly   manner  (as  one   Brother 
fpeaks  to  another)  if  he  would  walk  into  the  Fields. 
This  feems  more  likely  to  me,  than  that  he  told  him 
how  the  LORD  had  chidden  him,  fas  Abcn  Ezra 
interprets  it)  or  that  he  difputed  with  him  about  the 
other  World,  and  the  Judgment  to  come,  as  others 
of  them  expound  it;     Which  Mr.  Selden  very  judici- 
oufly  concludes  to  have  arifen  from  Onkelos  his  Pa- 
raphrafe  on  the  foregoing  Verfe,  which  is  this  3  If 
thou  amend  thy  Worfoip  (or  Service  of  me)  (halt  thou 
not  be  pardoned?  but  if  then  doft  not  amend  /V,  thy  Sin 
foatt remain  to  the  day  of  Judgment ,  in  which  thou  ft  alt 
be  punifhed,  jfthon  doft  not  repent.     Upon  which  fol 
lows  in  fome  Editions  of  the  Pentateuch^  the  difpute 
which  Cam  had  with  Abel  about  the  Day  of  Judgment, 
as  a  traditional  Explication  of  this  8  Vkrfe.     L.  VII. 
de  Jure  N.  &  Gent.  cap.  4. 

When  they  were  in  the  Ffeld^]  When  he  had  drawn 
him  from  Company,  and  had  him  alone. 

Cain  rofe  up  againft  Abel  his  Brother."]  Aflaulted  him 
on  a  fudden  $  took  him  at  an  Advantage. 

And  flew  him.']  Gave  him  a  ftab  $  or  fome  other 
way  wounded  him  5  fo  as  to  (bed  his  Blood. 
Verfe  n. 

Verfe  9         ver.  9.  The  LORD  faid  unto  Cam,  Where  is  thy 
Brother  f]    Which  is  not  fpoken,  as  if  he  was  Ig 
norant  $ 


upon   GENESIS. 

norant}  but  to  awaken  Cain,  and  make  him  fenfible,  Chapter 
that  he  knew  what  had  pafled.  IV. 

And  hefaid,  I  &ov>  not>~\     I  can  give  no  account  V-/"VNJ 
of  him. 

Am  I  My  Brother  s  Keeper ?"]  Was  he  committed 
like  a  little  Child,  to  my  care  5  to  look  after  him, 
and  fee  he  took  BO  harm  ?  Rage  made  him  rude  $ 
and  not  mind  what  he  faid,  nor  to  whom  he  fpake. 
Salvian  indeed  (L.  I.  de  gubern.  Dei)  thinks  this 
Speech  proceeded  from  Atheifnt  ^  and  that,  in  thofe 
early  days  the  Opinion  fprung  up,  which,  in  his  time, 
had  infefted  many,  Deum  terrejtria  non  refpicere,  8tc. 
That  God  did  not  mind  what  we  do  on  Earth  $  but 
the  fouleft  Faft  may  be  covered  ,$ith  a  Lye.  But  this 
Conceit  is  confuted  by  the  very  queftion  which  is  put 
to  Cain. 

Ver.  10.  And  he  faid,  What  haft  thou  done  .^]  Con-  Verfe  1C. 
fider,  \\hat  an  heinous  Crime  thou  haft  committed  y 
which  cannot  be  concealed  from  me.     For, 

The  Voice  of  thy  Brothers  Blood  cryeth^  &c]  Calls 
for  fpeedy  and  fevere  Vengeance.  In  the  Hebrew 
\i\sBloods,  in  the  Plural  Number,-  becaufe,  fay  the 
Hebrew  Doftors,  he  killed  Abel  and  all  his  Pofterity, 
which  were  in  his  Loins:  According  to  what  we 
read  2  Kings  IX.  26.  Ihavefeen  the  Blood  of  Naboth, 
and  the  Blood  of  his  Sons,  (though  we  read  of  no  body 
Honed  but  Naboth  himfelf)  faith  the  LORD,  and 
I  will  requite  thee  in  this  Plat,  &c.  See  Sanhedrim^ 
Cap.  IV.  and  Excerpt.  Gemara,  Cap.  VL  N.  7.  a^ 
Joh>  Coch. 

Ver.  II.  And  now  thou   art  curfed  from  the  £*?'£>  Vcr& £§•• 
which  hath  opened^  Scc.^     I  pafs  a  Sentence  of  perpe 
tual   banUhment  upon  thee,    from  this  Country  $ 
which  hath  drunk  in  the  Blood  of  thy  Brother.    Hi 
therto 


4   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    therto  Adam  and  his  Children  had  lived  together $ 

IV.       but  now,  as  Aben  Ezra  well  obferves,  Cain  was  ba- 

L/"V*\J  nifhed  into  a  Region  far  off  from  his  Father  :  Who 

dwelt  in  the  Neighbourhood  of  Paradife. 
Verfe  12.      Ver.  12.  And  when  thou  tilleft  the  Ground,  Sec/] 
And  wherefoever  thpu  (halt  flee,  the  Earth,  which 
thou  tilled,  (hall  be  barren  5  and  not  bring  forth  an- 
fwerable  to  thy  Labour. 

A  Fugitive  and  a  Vagabond/halt  thou  be  in  the  Earth."] 
In  that  ftrange  Country  thou  (halt  have  no  reft  5  but 
wander  up  and  down  unquietly,  and  not  know  where 
to  fettle:  Or  as  the  LXX.  tranflate  the  Words,  go  a- 
'bout  groaning  and  trembling^  full  of  Anguifh  in   thy 
Mind,  and  with  a  continual  (baking  in  thy  Body.  Thus 
St,  Bajil  in  his  //0>//#?againft  Drunkennefs  underftood 
it,  when  he  faid,  A  Drunkard  draws  upon  hiwfelfthe 
Curfe  ofCa/n,  TpifA&v  ;£  ^xr^ji^^iMv©^  £)a  TTZJWTD^  /S/»» 
Staggering  and  turned  about  uncertainly  all  his  life  long. 
Hen.  Vahfiw  thinks  his  Brother's  Ghoft  haunted  him 
whitherfoever  he  went :  Which  made  him  run  from 
place  to  place  to  avoid  its  Perfecution.     So  he  para- 
phrafes  thefe  Words,  (Annot.  in  L.  III.  Eufeb.  Hrft* 
Ecclef.  Cap.  6.)  Umbra  fratr is  tut  quern  occiJifti,  per~ 
fequeterte  ubique^  &  aderit  infefta.     And  fo  he  inter 
prets  the  foregoing  Words,  The  Voice  of  thy  Brother's 
Blood  cryeth  to  me  from  the  Ground.     Thy  Brother, 
whom  thou  haft  impioufly  flain,  requires  me  to  a* 
venge  him,  and  exaft  the  Puni(hment  of  thee,  which 
is  due  for  his  Murder.     And  indeed  it  was  a  Notion, 
not  only  among  the  Pagans  but  among  the  Jews  alfo 
(as  he  (hows)  that  the  Ghoft  of  thofe  who  were  mur 
dered,  perfecuted  their  Murderers,  and  required  Pu* 
smfhmentofthem* 

Ver* 


upon  GENESIS.  97 

Ver.  13.  My  punijhment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear.']  Chapter 
This  is  too  heavy  a  Punifhment,  for  I  fink  under  the       IV. 
weight  of  it.    Others  interpret  it,  fas  appears  by  the  <VV"NJ 
Margin  of  our  Bible?)  My  finis  unpardonable  $  or,  too  Verfe  1 3. 
great  to  be  forgiven.    Thus  he,  who  at  fir  ft  was  not 
io  fenfibleof  his  Sin  as  to  confefs  it,  now  thinks  it  to 
no  purpofe  to  beg  Mercy. 

Ver.  14.  Behold,  thoti  haft  driven  me  this  day  from  Verfe  14. 
the  face  of  the  Earth.']   Baniftied  me  (as  was  faid  be 
fore,  Verfe  n.)  from  my  own  Native  Country. 

And  from  thy  Face  fhall  I  be  hid."]  And  more  than 
that,  lam  banifhed  from  thy  bleffed  Prefence,  (as  ap 
pears  from  verfe  16.)  and  (hall  not  have  the  liberty 
to  come  before  thy  Glorious  Majefty.  With  refpeft 
to  which  he  may  be  faid  to  have  been  Excommuni- 
cated,  though  not  in  the  full  fence  of  that  word, 
as  Mr.  Seldm  (hows,  L.  I.  deSynedr.  cap.  x.  p.  446, 
455,  &c. 

And  Ifoall  be  a  Fugitive^  See."]  Wandring  up  and 
down  in  unknown  Regions. 

And  it  Jhall  come  to  pafs  that  every  one  that  fndeth 
me,  jhallflay  me7\  I  (hall  be  look'd  upon  as  a  Com- 
njon  Enemy  /  So  that  whofoever  lights  upon  me,  ta 
king  me  for  a  dangerous  Perfon,  will  kill  me.  To 
find  another,  in  Scripture-language,  fignifies  to  fall 
upon  him  by  chance  or  unawares  5  without  any  pre 
cedent  hatred  .•  As  Bochart  obferves  from  i  Sam. 
XXIV.  14.  and  other  places,  L.  \\.Hierozoic.P.l. 
cap.  2 1 . 

Ver.  1 5.  And  the  LOR  Dfaid  unto  him,  Therefore  Verfe  If* 
whofoflayeth  Cain^  &c-"]    Or,  (as  the  word  we  tran- 
flate  therefore  may  be  rend  red,)  not  fo  :    It  (hall  not 
be  as  thou  fufpedteft.     But  Lud.  de  Diett  gives  ma 
ny  Inftances  where  this  word  p'1?  is  ufed   as  an  Af- 

O  firmative9 


98  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  firmative,  fignif  ying  as  much  asfetrely.  So  the  mean- 
IV.  ing  is,  Take  it  for  a  certain  Truth,  that  if  any  Man 
flay  Cain,  he  (that  is  Cam, )  {hall  be  avenged  feven. 
fold  ;  or,  rather,  through  feven  Generations.  God  will 
puni(h  the  f laughter  of  Cam  a  long  time  :  For  the 
Number/e^e#  is  do&zu  T&dSus  sH/uAttftx&,  (as  the 
Chronic.  Except,  before  Job,  Antiochenus  fpeak,)  an 
Indication  of  an  indeterminate,  but  great  Number  ^ 
fignifyingas  much,  as  he  (hall  endure  many  Punifh- 
ments.  For  God  intended  the  Life  of  Cam  (hould  be 
prolonged,  in  a  miferable  eftate,  as  an  Example  of  his 
Vengeance  5  to  deter  others  from  committing  the 
like  murder. 

And  the  LOR  D  fet  a  marl^iipon  Cain,  &c.~)  What 
this  Mark,  was,  we  muft  be  content  to  be  ignorant. 
Some  think  God  (ligmatized  him  with  a  Letter  of  his 
Name.,  in  his  Forehead  $  ("or,  rather,  I  (hould  think, 
fet  fuch  a  Brand  upon  him,  as  fignified  him  to  beac- 
curfed  $)  others,  that  he  look'dmott  frightfully,  fo 
that  every  Body  avoided  him  5  or,  that  his  Head 
(haked  continually  $  or,  fas  othersj  he  had  a  trem 
bling  in  his  whole  Body  5  or,  his  Face,  perhaps,  was 
blafted  by  Lightning  from  the  Prefence  of  the  Lo  a  D. 
Certain  it  is,  that  it  was  fome  notorious  Mark  of 
God's  Difpleafure-'  Which  made  Men  fhun  him* 
For  we  muft  not  imagine  there  was  no  Body  in  the 
World,  at  this  time,  but  Adam,  Eve,  zn&Cain:  But 
confider  that  the  Defign  of  this  Holy  Book  is  not  to 
give  us  a  particular  Account  of  the  whole  Race  of 
Mankind  defcended  from  Adam,  (who,  no  doubt, 
had  a  great  many  more  Children  than  Cam  and  Abel$ 
and  they  alfo  had  Children  before  this  hapned ,Jf  but 
onlyofthofe  Perfons  who  were  moft  remarkable  $ 
and  wjhofe  Story  was  neceffary  to  be  known,  for  the 

under- 


upon    GENESIS.  99 

underftanding  of  the  Succeffion  down  to  Mofcs  his  Chapter 
time.  Accordingly  we  read,  prefently  after  this,  that      IV. 
Cam  had  a  Wife  5  and  more  than  that,  he  built  a  Ci-  vx"v-v^ 
ty :  Which  fuppofes  a  great  Company  of  People  to 
inhabit  it,  verfe  17.  And  here,  by  the  way,  we  need 
not  wonder,  there  is  no  mention  made  of  the  Infti- 
tution  of  Sacrifices  3   when  the  firft  Peopling  of  the 
World  is  only  fuppofed,  not  related. 

Ver.  1 6.  And  Cam  went  out ^  Not  voluntarily,  but  Verfe  16. 
by  the  force  of  the  Divine  Curfe. 

From  the  frefence  of  the  LO  R  D.~]  There  was  a 
Divine  Glory,  called  by  the  Jews  the  SCHECHINAH, 
which  appeared  from  the  beginning,  (as  I  have  of 
ten  faid  before,)  the  fight  of  which  Cam  never  after 
this  enjoyed  ;  but  was  baniftied  from  it.-  And  God 
withdrawing  his  gracious  Prefence  from  him,  (fo 
St.  Chryfoftow^)  he  was  alfoforfaken  by  him,  and  put 
out  of  his  fpecial  Prote&ion.  If  Cam,  after  this, 
turned  a  down-right  Idolater  fas  many  think)  it  is 
very  likely  he  introduced  theWorlhipof  the  SW, 
(which  was  the  moft  ancient  fort  of  Idolatry,)  as  the 
bed  refemblance  he  could  find  of  the  Glory  of  the 
LO  R  D:  Which  was  wont  to  appear  in  a  flaming 
Light.  And  in  after-times  they  worshipped  Fire  in 
the  Eajiern  Countries  5  as  the  beft  Emblem  of  the  Sun, 
when  it  was  abfent. 

And  dwelt  In  the  Land  of  Nod?]  At  laft  he  fettled 
in  a  Country,  which  had  the  Name  of  Nod ;  from 
his  wandring  up  and  down,  like  a  Vagabond,  till  he 
fixed  here.  Where  it  feems,  he  ftill  continued  reft- 
lefs,  moving  from  one  part  of  the  Country  to  ano 
ther,  till,  in  conclufion,  he  built  a  City,  (for  his  fe- 
curity,  fome  think,)  as  we  read  in  the  Verfe  follow 
ing. 

O  2  Some 


,oo  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter         Some  translate  it,  in  the  Land  of  Vagabonds  .-And 
IV.      £•  Solomon  fanfies  the  very  Ground  (hak'd  under  him, 
v'-v'*^  and  made  People  run  away  from  him,  faying,  Thk  fa 
the  cruel Maa^  that  lotted  hw  Brother. 

OntheEaftofEden^\  He  ftill  went  Eaftwardirom 
that  Country,  where  Adam  fettled  after  he  was  thruft 
out  of  Paradife.  SeeIIL24.     Which  Juntos  thinks 
was  in  that  Traft  of  Ground  where  fatNomadts  af 
terwards  dwelt,  bordering  upon  Sufiana.  Which  is  far 
more  probable  than  the  Conceit  of  the  Author  oC 
the  Book  Gj/r/,.    (Pars  II.  §  14.)   who  would  have 
Cain's  going  from  theprefence  of  the  LOR  D  nothing 
elfe,  but  his  Expulfion  out  of  the  Land  of  Canaan^ 
where  Adam  dwelt  after  he  was  thruft  out  of  Para~ 
dife  :  And,  confequently,    the  Land  of  Nod  was  not 
far  from  the  Land  of  Canaan.  Nothing  can  be  more 
ungrounded  than  this  y  which  overthrows  alfo.all 
that  Mofes  faith  of  Eden^  and  the  Garden  planted 
there,  from  whence  Adam  went  out  on  the  £<?/?  Jide^ 
and  therefore  not  toward  Canaan  which  was  wefl- 
ward. 

Verfe  1 7.  Ver- r  7-  ^*J  Cam  knew  his  Wjfe^]  There  hath  been 
no  mention  hitherto  of  any  Woman  in  the  World 
but  Eve^  much  lefs  of  Cains  having  a  Wife.  And 
therefore  it  is  uncertain  whether  this  were  a  Wife 
he  took  before  he  killed  his  Brother,  or  after.  It  is 
moft  probable  before -y  becaufe  we  may  well  think 
all  the  World  abhorred  the  thoughts  of  Marriage, with 
fuch  an  impious  Murderer,  whom  God  alfo  had  ac- 
curfed.  But  whether  it  were  before  or  after  y  I  fee 
no  reafon to  conclude  that  this  Wife  was  his  Sifter: 
There  being  Women  enough  in  the  World  befide^ 
before  this  time,  as  we  faid  before,  verfe  15.  For 
tveu  in  our  Coyntry,  in  the  Age  before  us,  there 

fprung 


upon    GENES  IS.  101 

fprung  from  two  Perfons,  Three  hundred  fixty  feven  Chapter 
Children,   within  the  fpace  of  eighty  Years-     And        IV. 
therefore,  the  World  being  now  (when  Cam  ftew  L/* 
Abel)  an  Hundred  and  twenty  eight ,    or  an  Hundred 
and  thirty  Years  old,  according  to  Archbilhop  Vfber, 
and  Jac.  Capellvis  Chronology,    we  cannot  but  con 
ceive  there   were  a  great  Number  of   People  in  it, 
defcended  from  all  thofe  Sons  and  Daughters  which 
<&{*#/  begot,  Chap.  V.  4.  We  are  not  told  how  ma 
ny,    but  feme  of  the  ancient  Eajlern  Traditions  (in 
Cedrenus)    fay,    he  had  thirty  three  Sons,    and  twenty 
feven  Daughters. 

It  is  true  indeed,  That  at  the  firft  Cain  could  mar 
ry  none  but  his  own   Sifters.      Which    was    then 
Lawful,    becaufe  abfolutely  necefiary  /    But  prohi 
bited  by  God,  when  that  Neceffity  ceafed.  Of  which 
the  Eajlern  People  were  fo  fenfible,   that  they  took 
care  to  have  it  thought,  thatd//*  and  Abel  did  not 
marry  thofe  who  were  neareft  of  Kin  to  him,    but 
thofe  that  were  at  forae  diftance.     For  their  Tradi 
tion  is,  ThatEt/e,    at  her  two  firft  Births,    brought 
Twins,  a  Son  and  a  Daughter,  viz,.  Cain  with  his  Si 
fter  Azron,  and  Abel  with  his  Sifter  Awin  $  as  Saidus  yerfe 
Patricides  Patriarch  of  Alexandria  reports.  Now,  fuch 
was  their  Caution,  not  to  match  with  thofe  that  were 
neareft  in  Blood,  but  with  thofe  furthfer  oft,  as  much 
as  was  then  poffible  3  Cam  was  not  fuffered  to  marry 
his  Twin-Sifter,  nor  Abelhis  :   But  Adam  gave   Awn 
to  Cam,  and  Az>ron  to  Abet.  I  cannot  vouch  the  truth 
of  this  Story  .•   Which  I  mention  only  to  fhow,  That 
Mankind  have  had   a   Senfe,    that  all  poffible  Care 
(hould  be  ufed,   to  avoid  Marriages  with  the  neareft 
Relations:  For  though  this  Story  was  derived,  per 
haps,  from  the  jfea?/,  yet  it  was  believed   by  other 

People. 


A    COMMENT^KT 

Chanter    People.     See  Mr.  Selden,    L.  V.  De  Jure  N.  &  G. 
y      c.  8.     Whence  Diodorus  Statins  fays,    Lib.  I.  it  was 


the  common  ufe  of  M 
that  Brothers  and  Sifters  (hould  not  be  joyned  in 
Marriage.  And  Plato  (L.  VIII.  de  Legib.}  calls  fuch 
Marriages  fjundttfjuSs  oW  %  Stojuuafa  by  no  means  holy, 
but  hateful  to  God.  For  though  they  were  not  fo  in 
the  beginning  of  things,  they  became  fo  afterwards  : 
That  being  natural  m  one  flate  of  things  (as  Grot/us 
well  obferves,  Lib.  de  Jure  B.  d^P.  t-  IO.J  which 
is  unnatural  in  another  flute. 

And  he  built  a.  City~\  Not  as  foon  as  he  came  into 
this  Country  ^  but  when  he  had  a  numerous  Proge 
ny,  able  to  People  it:  And  consequently  in  his  old 
Age.  His  end  in  building  it,  fome  think,  was  to 
crofs  theCurfe  of  wandring  too  and  fro  :  Others,  to 
defend  himfelf  againft  thole  whom  his  guilty  Con- 
fcience  made  him  fear  5  or,  to  fecure  the  Spoils  which 
by  force  and  violence  (zsjofephus  relates,  L.  I.  An- 
tiq.  c.  3.)  he  had  taken  from  others.  There  are 
thofe,  who  imagine,  that  when  he  attempted  to  build 
the  City,  he  often  broke  off  the  Work,  out  of  a  pa- 
nick  fear  .-  Such  an  one  as  Romulus  felt,  after  he  had 
killed  his  Brother  Remus. 

And  called  the  Name  of  the  City^  after  the  Name  of 
his  Son.']  Sortfe  think  he  declined  his  own  Name, 
becaufehe  knew  it  to  be  odious  every  where.  But 
it  is  more  likely,  it  was  for  that  reafon,  which  moved 
Men  in  after-times  to  do  the  fame.  For  it  hath  been 
a  very  ancient  Ufage,  for  great  Men  to  call  the  Ci 
ties  which  they  built  by  the  Name  of  their  Sons,  ra 
ther  than  their  own  :  Out  of  the  great  Love  they 
bare  to  their  Children.  Thus  Nimrod  called  Nineveh 
after  the  Name  of  his  Son  Ninus.  Which  the  PJat- 

mijl 


upon  GENESIS.  103 

mil  notes  as  a  piece  of  the  Vanity  of  Mankind,    to  Chapter 
call  their  Lands  ( that  is,  the  Hotifes  where  they  dwelt,     .  IV. 
as  R.   Solomon  Jarchi  interprets    it)     by  their   own 
Name**  to  be  a  lading  Monument  of  them  and  of 
their  Family. 

Enoch.~]  There  were  an  ancient  People  called  by 
Pliny  ^  Heniochi  5  by  Mela,Emochi  }  .and  by  Luc  an, 
Enochii:  Some  of  which  lived  fo  far  Eaflward,  that 
Sir  W.  Raleigh  fanfies  they  might  be  the  Pofterity  of 
this  Enoch. 

Ver.  1 8.  And  unto  Enoch  was  born  Irad,  Scc.^  Itisyerfe 
remarkable,  that  though  Mofes  gives  us  fome  account 
of  the  Defendants  of  Cain^  yet  he  faith  not  a  word 
of  the  Years  that  they  lived,  and  carries  their  Ge 
nealogy  but  a  little  way.  Whereas  he  deduces  the 
Genealogy  of  Setkdown  to  the  Flood,  and  fo  to  his 
own  time,  &c.  And  alfo  relates  particularly ,  (Chap.. 
V.)  to  what  Age  the  Life  of  his  principal  Pofterity 
was  prolonged.  Itfeems,  he  look'd  upon  Cains  Race, 
as  fuch  a  Reprobate  Generation,  that  he  would  not 
number  them  in  the  Book  of  the  Living  ^  as  St.  Cyril 
fpeaks. 

Ver.  19.  Lantech  took,  unto  him  two  Wives.']  By  ayerre 
fmall  tranfpofition  of  Letters,  Lantech  being  the  fame 
with  Malecb,  which  fignifies  a  King  5  fome  of  the 
jtap/ fanfie  him  to  have  been  a  great  Man  :  For  none 
but  fuch,  they  fay,  had  two  Wives  in  thofe  ancient 
Times  .•  Though  they  hold  it  was  lawful  fas  Selden 
(hows,  L.  V.  De  Jure  N."&  G.  cap.  6.)  for  any  Body 
that  could  maintain  them,  to  have  had  more.  But 
it  is  more  likely  that  Lamech  was  the  firft,  that  ad 
ventured  to  tranfgrefs  the  Original  Inftitution: 
Which  was  obferved  even  by  the  Cainites  till  this 
time.  Whenx perhaps,  his  earneft  defire  ofieeing 

that 


io4  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  ^thztbleffedSeed  which  was  promifed  to  Eve,  might 
IV.      induce  him  to  take  more  Wives  than  one:  Hoping, 

U^VNJ  by  multiplying  his  Pofterity,  fome  or  other  of  them 
might  prove  (o  happy  as  to  produce  that  Seed.  And 
this  he  might  poffibly  perfuade  himfelf  was  the  more 
likely  5  becaufe  the  Right  that  was  in  Cain  the  Firft- 
born,  he  might  now  conclude  was  revived  in  him- 
felf  .•  Who  being  the  Seventh  from  Cain,  had  feme 
reafon  to  imagine  the  Curfe  laid  upon  him,  of  being 
pumfazd^fevenfold,  i.e.  for  Jeven  Generations,  was 
now  expired  5  and  his  Pofterity  reftored  to  the  Right 
of  fulfilling  the  Promife. 

Verfte  20.  Ver.  20.  He  was  the  Father^  The  Hebrews  call 
him  the  Father  of  any  thing  $  who  was  the  firft  In- 
venter  of  it  5  or,  a  moft  excellent  Matter  in  that  Art. 
Such  was  Jabal  in  the  Art  of  makftig  Tents,  folding 
Flocks,  and  all  other  parts  of  Paftorage.  Which 
though  begun  by  Abel,  was  not  by  him  brought  to 
Perfedion.-  Or,  if  it  were,  Jabal  was  the  firft  in 
the  Family  of  Cain,  that  was  Eminent  in  the  follow 
ing  Inventions*, 

Of  fuch  as  dwell  in  Tents?]  Taught  Men  to  pitch 
Tents  5  which  were  movable  Houfes,  that  might  ea- 
fily  be  carried  from  place  to  place,  when  there  was 
occafion  to  remove  for  new  Pafture.  Under  this  is 
comprehended  all  that  belongs  to  the  Care  of  Cattel, 
in  their  breeding,  feeding,  and  preferving,  as  appears 
by  what  follows.  * 

And  of  fitch  as  have  Cattel.']  In  the  Hebrew  the 
words  are,  andofCattel.  Where  the  copulative  Vau^ 
which  we tranflate  and,  fignifies  as  much  as  with: 
And  fo  the  words  are  to  be  here  tranflated,  fuch  as 
dwelt  in  Tents,  with  Cattel  ThusBochartus  obferves 
sit  is  ufed,  I  Sam.  XIV.  18.  The  Ark,  of  God  was  at 

that 


upon  GENES  IS.  105 

ihat  time^  with  the  Children  oflfrael  $  as  we,  with  the  Chapter 
Ancients,  truly  tranflate  it.  And  fo  it  fhould  be  IV* 
tranflated,  Exod.  I.  5.  All  the  Souls  that  came  out  0/L/"VSJ 
Jacob's  Loms  were  feventy  Souls,  withjofeph.  For  Jo- 
feph  is  not  to  be  added  fas  we  feem  to  underftand 
it)  unto  t\\z  Seventy  $  but  made  up  that  Number,  as 
appears  from  Gen.  XLVL  27.  So  that  the  Sence  of 
this  whole  Verfe  feems  to  be,  That  though  Men  fed 
Cattel  before  in  good  Failures  5  yet  Jabel  was  the 
firft  that,  by  the  Invention  of  Tents,  made  the  more 
Defart  Countries  ferviceable  to  them  .•  Where,  when 
they  had  eaten  up  all  the  Grafs  in  one  place,  they 
might  in  a  little  time  take  up  their  Tents,  and  fix 
them  in  another.  To  this  purpofe  R.  Solomon  Jarchj. 
And  in  thefe  Tents,  it's  likely,  he  taught  them  to  de 
fend  their  Cattel,  as  well  as  themfelves,  from  Heat 
and  Cold,  and  all  other  Dangers  to  which  they  were 
expofed  in  thofe  Defart  Places. 

Ver.  'L  i .  Father  of  fitch  as  handle  the  Harp  and  Or-  Verfe  2 1 
ganJ]  The  firft  Inventer  ofMufical  Inftruments,  and 
that  taught  Men  to  play  upon  them.  What  Cinnoris, 
(which  we  tranflate  //dr/>,)fee  in  Bochartu*  his  Canaan^ 
L.  II.  cap.  7.  p.  808. 1  believe  the  firft  word  includes  in 
it  all  Stringed,  the  latter  all  Wind  Mufical  Inftruments, 

It  is  poffible  that  Apollo,  or  Linus,  or  Orpheus  (for 
there  are  all  thefe  various  Opinions)  might  be  the 
Inventer  of  the  Harp  among  the  Greeks :  But  it  was 
their  Vanity  that  made  them  fanfie  fuch  Inftruments 
had  their  Original,  in  their  Country. 

Ver.  22.  Tubal-Cain.~]  The  Arabians  ftill  call  a  Plate  Verfe  2  2 
of  Iron  or  Brafs,  by  the  Name  of  Tubal,  ("as  Bwharttts 
obferves  out  of  Avlcenna^  and  others,  JL.  III.  Phaleg, 
oip.  12.)  who  as  it  follows  in  the  Text,  was 

P 


,od  A   COMMENT  A  KT 

Chapter        An   Inftrufter  of  every  Artificer  in  fyrafs  andiron."] 
IV.      *•  *•  Found  the  Art  of  melting  Metals,    and  making 
^x-v^  all  forts  of  Weapons,  Arms,  and  other  Inftruments 
of  Iron  and  Brafs.    Many  think   that  Vulcan  is  the 
fame  with  Tubal-Cain,    (their  Names  being  not  un 
like,)  particularly  Gerh.  Vofljus^    DC  Or/g.  Jdolol.  L.  L 
cap.  1 6. 

His  Sifters  Name  wa*  Naamah.']  Whom  Vcffius, 
(/<&.  cap.  1 7.)  takes  to  have  been  the  Heathen  Miner 
va,  or  Venus.  Her  Name  fignifies  Beautiful,  or  Fair, 
one  of  zfaeet  AfpeS  :  And  the  Arabians'  fay,  (he  in 
vented  Colours  and  Painting^  as  Jabaldid  Mufick.  See 
Elm acinus ,  p.  8. 

Verfe  23.  Vcr.  23.  And  Lantech  faid  unto  his  Wives,  &c 
Hear  ntj  Vbice^  ye  Wives  of  Lantech^  hearken  unto  nty 
Speech.']  Something  had  preceded  thefe  Words, 
which  was  the  occafion  of  them  ••  But  it  is  hard  to 
find  what  it  was.  Jacobus  Capel/us  indeed  (in  his 
Hijtoria  Sacra  &  Exotica)  hath  a  Conceit  that  La 
ntech  was  now  in  a  vapouring  Humour,  being  puffed 
up  with  the  glory  of  his  Son's  Inventions  $  to  whofe 
M*/M_and  other  Arts,  he  endeavoured  to  add  Poetry  : 
Which  he  exprefled  in  the  following  Words,  that 
feem  to  him  a  Thrafonical  Hymn,  wherein  he  brags 
what  Feats  he  would  do.  For  fo  he  reads  the  Words, 
(with  E£e*  E*r<0  not  I  have  flain,  but  I  will  k^U  a 
Man  with  one  blow  of  my  Fift,  &c.  But  I  can  fee 
no  warrant,  for  this  Tranflation,  without  a  Violence 
to  the //e£ra*>  Text,  and  therefore  we  muftfeekfor 
another  Interpretation. 

/  havejlain  a  Man  to  my  wounding^  &C.3  Thefe 
words  would  have  a  plain  Expofition,  (which  other- 
wife  are  difficult,.)  if  we  could  give  Credit  to  the 
Hebrew  Tradition  3  which  St.  Hhrom  fays  feveral 

Chrifti- 


upon  GENESIS.  107 

Chriftians  followed  .•  That  Lantech  being  informed  Chapter 
by  a  certain  Youth,  as  he  was  a  Hunting^that  there  was  IV. 
a  wild  Beaft  lay  lurking  in  a  fecret  place,  went  thi-  *s~>s*^ 
ther  5  and  unawares  killed  &/*,  who  lay  hid  there  : 
And  then,  in  a  Rage  at  what  he  had  done,  fell  upon 
the  Youth  that  had  occafion'd  this  Mirtake,  and  beat 
him  to  Death.  But,  as  there  is  no  certainty  of  this  ^ 
fo  it  doth  not  agree  with  ihe  next  ferfe  :  Which 
feems  to  fuppofe  Cain  to  be  now  alive.  Therefore  Lud* 
de  Dieu,  following  Qnkelos,  reads  the  Words  by  wdy 
of  Interrogation  }  Have  IJlain  a  Man  ?  Or,  fo  ntuck 
as  a  Boy  ?  that  you  (hould  be  aftraid  of  my  Life  >  It 
feems  the  ufe  of  Weapons  being  found  out  by  one  of 
his  Sons,  and  grown  common  5  his  Wives  appre 
hended  that  fome  Body  or  other  might  make  ufe  of 
them  to  flay  him.  But  he  bids  them  comfort  them- 
felves,  for  he  was  not  guilty  of  flaying  any  Body 
himfelf}  and  therefore  might  reafonably  hope,  no 
Body  would  hurt  him. 

And  then  the  Meaning  of  the  nextFer/e  is  eafie. 

Ver.  24.  If Cain  Jh all be  avenged  fey  en  fold  ^  fra/yVerfe  24. 
Lantech  feventy  and  feven  fold7\  If  God  hath  guarded 
Cam  fo  ftrongly,  who  was  a  Murderer,  as  to  threaten 
great  and  long  Punifhments  to  thofe  that  flay  him  5 
he  will  punilh  them  far  more,  and  purfue  them  with 
a  longer  Vengeance,  who  (hall  flay  me,  being  aguilt- 
JefsPerfon. 

There  are  divers  other  Interpretations,  which  I 
(hall  not  mention  ;  becaufe  this  is  moft  pertinent  to 
the  preceding  Difcourfe. 

Ver.  25.  Bare  a  Son.~]  The  Jews  think  he  was  born  Verfe  2$. 
a  Year  after  Abelvti&  killed. 

And  called  his  Name  Seth.~]  Mothers  anciently 
gave  Names  to  their  Children,  as  well  as  the  Fathers. 

P  2  And 


iq8fr  A  COMMENT  ART. 

Chapter    And  Eve  gave  this  Son,  the  Name  of  Seth  3    becaufe 
IV.      (he  look  d  upon  him  as  appointed    (fo  the  word  fig- 

f**~*~>  nifies)  by  God,  to  be  what  Cain^  (he  thought,  Ihould 
have  been  5  till  God  rejefted  his  Sacrifice,  and  he 
flew  Abel.  In  whofe  room  (he  believed  God  had 
fubftituted  this  Son,  to  be  the  Seed  from  whom  the 
Redeemer  of  the  World  (hould  come. 

The  Arabians  fay ^  ( particularly  Elm<Lcinus,  p.  7.) 
That  Seth  was  the  Inventer  of  Letters  and  Writing, 
(as  Jubal  was  of  Mufkk,  and  Tubal-Cain  of  Arms,) 
which  fo  much  furpaffed  all  other  Inventions,  that 
fome  fas  Cedrenus  tells  usj  called  him,  a  God  5  /'.  e. 
the  higheft  Benefactor  to  Mankind.  Which,  if  it 
were  true,  we  might  think  that  thence  his  Children 
were  called  the  Sons  of  God,  VI.  I.  But  it  is  luoft 
likely  this  miftake  arofe  from  Symmachus  his  Tranfla- 
tion  of  the  laft  Words  of  the  next  Ferfe,  which,  if 
we  may  believe  Stiidas,  was  thus,  Then  began  Seth  to  be 
called  by  the  Name  of  God.  For  which  there  is  no 
Foundation  either  there,  or  any  where  elfe  in  Scrip 
ture.  For  though  it  be  faid  that  Mofes  was  made  a 
God  toPharaoh^y^  he  is  never  fimply  called  a  God,  as 
Jacobus  CapeUtis  well  obferves.  Nor  is  any  King,  or 
Prince  called  by  that  Name  particularly,  in  Scripture, 
though  ia  general  it  fays  of  them  all,  That  they  are: 
Gods. 

Verfe  26,  Ver.  26.  To  him  alfo  was  born  a  Son.']  When  he 
was  an  Hundred  and  five  Years  old,  as  we  read, 
V.  6. 

And  he  catted  his  Name,  Enos.~]  Signifying  the 
weak  and  miferable  Condition  of  Mankind  5  which 
be  feemed,  by  giving  him  this  Name9  to  deplore. 


upon    GENES  I  S,  109 

Then  began  Men   to   call  upon  the  Name  of  //>£  Chapter 
LORD."]    This  doth  not  import  that  Men  did  not        IV. 
call  upon  the  LO  RD  (which  includes   all  his  Wor- 
(hip  and  Service^  before  this  time  :    But  that  now 
fas  Jac.  Capellus  conceives)  they  were  awakened,     by 
the  Consideration  of  their  Infirmity  before- menti 
oned,    to  be  more  ferious  and   frequent  in  Religi 
ous  Offices .-    Or,  rather,  (as  others  underftand  it,) 
they  began  to  hold  more  Publick  Affemblies.     For 
Families  being  now  multiplied,    to  which  Religion 
was  before  confined,   they  joyned  together  and  met 
in  larger  Societiesand  Communion,   for  the  folemn 
Worfhip  of  God  by  Sacrifices,    and  other  Religious 
Services.  For,  to  call  upon  God,  comprehends,  as  1  laid* 
all  Religion  .-Which  confifts  in  acknowledging  him 
to  be  the  LORD  of  all  $  in  lauding  all  his  Glorious 
Perfections ;  giving  him  Thanks  for  his  Benefits,  and 
befeeching  the  Continuance  of  them. 

But  it  being  fcarce  credible,  that  Publick  Affem- 
blies  were  not  held  long  before  this,  (it  being  pro 
bable  that  even  when  Cain  and  Abel  facrificed,  their 
Families  joyned  together  to  worfhip  God,)  it  hath 
moved  fome  Men  of  Note,  (fuch  ^Bertram  and  Hack* 
fpanj  to  follow  our  Marginal  Tranllation  }  then  be~ 
ganMen  (i.e.  the  Children  of- Set h^  to  call  them* 
felves  by  the  Name  of  the  LORD  :  That  is,  the  Ser 
vants  or  Worfhippers  of  the  Lord  5  in  diftinftion 
from  the  Cainites^  and  fuch  prophane  Perfons,  as  had 
forfaken  him. 

And  indeed  a   great  number  of  the  Jewiflj  Wri 
ters,  with  whom  Mr.  SelJen  joyns,in  his  DeD'ris  Syrte^ 
Prolegofft.  5.  would  have  the  Words  expounded  thus^ 
to  fignifie  that  Apoftafie  ^  then  was  there  Profanation v 
fey  invoking  the.  Name  of  the  LORD,  For  the  word 


#  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  hochal,  which  we  here  tranflate  began,  fignifying  pro- 
IV.  phaned,  in  lei;.  XIX.  12.  (Thou {halt  not  prophane  the 
awe  of  the  LO  KD  thy  GodJ  they  take  Mofes  his 
meaning  co  be,  That  the  tnoft  Holy  Name  vokicl  belongs 
to  the  Creator  and  Poffkffor  of  Heaven  and  Earth  alone, 
was  now  impioufly  given  unto  Creatures  :  Particularly 
to  the  Sun.  And  thus  the  Arabhk  Interpreter,  in  Er- 
peniushis  Edition,  Then  began  Men  to  apoftatfaefrom 
the  Worjbip  of  God.  But  a  great  Number  of  very 
Learned  Men  have  qppofed  themfelves  to  this  Inter 
pretation  ^  and  with  much  Judgment.-  Mofes  being 
here  f peaking  of  the  Pious  Family  ofSeth,  and  not  of 
Impious  Cain's  :  And  the  word  hochal  (as  Halifax 
obfervesj  with  the  Prepofition  le  following  in  the 
next  word,  being  conftantly  ufed  in  the  Senfe  of  Be- 
ginnings,  notQfProphanatfonAnd  therefore  they  con- 
tept  themfelves  with  our  Marginal  Translation  .•  Or, 
elfe  think  that  God  was  now  firft  called  upon  by  the 
Name  of  Jehovah  :Or,  that  Liturgies^  as  we  call  them, 
or  Publick  Forms  of  VVorfhip  were  now  appointed,  at 
let  Hours:  Or,  fome  other  confiderable  Improve 
ments  made  in  Religious  Offices.  For  the  Arabian 
Chriftians  reprefent  this  Enos  as  an  excellent  Cover* 
nor.- Who,  while  he  lived,  preferved  his  Family  in 
good  order,  and  when  he  died,  called  them  all  toge 
ther  ^  and  gave  them  a  Charge  to  keep  God's  Com 
mandments,  and  not  to  aflbciate  themfelves  with  the 
Children  of  Cain.  So  Elw&cintts, 


CHAP. 


GENESIS. 


CHAP.    V. 


Ver.  li'TTYffirjir  the  Book,  of  tie  Generations  of  A-  Verfe  i 

JL  damT^  i.£.  Here  follows  a  Catalogue 
of  the  Pofterity  of  Adam.  So  the  word  Book  %ni- 
fies,  Matth.  Li.  An  Account  of  thofe  from  whom 
Chrift  the  Second  Adatnczmzi>  as  herein  Account 
of  thofe  who  came  from  the  Firft  Adam.  Yet  not  of 
all,  but  of  the  principal  Perfons,  by  whom  in  a  Right 
Line,  the  Succeflion  was  continued  down  to  Noabfcc. 
As  for  the  Collateral  Lines,  which,  no  doubt,  were 
very  many,  by  the  other  Sons  and  Daughters  which 
the  Perfons  here  mentioned  begot,  they  are  omitted  „• 
Becaufe  no  more  than  I  have  faid,  was  pertinent  to 
Mofes  his  purpofe. 

In  the  Day  that  God  created  Man.']  This  is  repeated 
again,  only  to  imprint  on  their  Minds,  that  Adamvizs 
not  produced,  like  other  Men,  by  Generation,  but  by 
Creation. 

In  the  likenefs  of  God  created  he  him.~\  This  alfo  fe 
again  mentioned  $to  remember  Men  how  highly  God 
had  honoured  them,andhow(hamefully  they  had  re 
quited  him. 

Ver.  a.  Male  and  Female  created  he  thew,  kc.~]  Of  Verfe  3 
different  Sexes,  to  bejoyned  together  in  Holy  Marri 
age  .•  As  Mofes  had  fhown,  Chap.  H.  22,  23,  &c. 

Calledtheir  Name  Adam  f}  The  common  Name  to 
both  Sexes  ^  like  Homo  in  Lat*n>  &c. 


Ver, 


n,2  A  COM  ME  NT  ART 

Chapter        Ver.  3.    And  Adam  lived    an  hundred  and  thirty 
V:       Tears7\  This  doth  not  affure  us  he  had  no  Children 
U^V^V,1  but  Cam  and  Abel  till  now  :    But  only   acquaints  us 
with  his  Age,  when  Setb  was  born. 

And  begat  a  Son  in  his  own  likenefs^  after  his  image7\ 
Not  fo  perfed  as  himfelf,  when  he  was  created  3  but 
with  thofe  Imperfe&ions  which  impaired  him,  after 
he  had  eaten  the  forbidden  Fruit  .•  That  is,  inclined 
to  Sin,  and  fubjeft  to  Death.  For  hk  own  Likenefs 
^nd  Image,  wherein  this  Son  was  begotten,  feems  to 
be  oppofed  to  theLtkenefs  and  Image  of  God,  wherein 
Adamwzs  made,  I  26.  which,  though  not  quite  loft, 
was  lamentably  defaced. 

Maimonides  will  have  this  to  refer  to  Seth's  Wif- 
dom  and  Goodnefs ;  he  proving  truly  a  Man  like  to 
his  Father  Adam :  Whereas  the  reft  before  him  proved 
rather  Beafts.  More Nevochim^  Par.  I.e.  7. 

Called  his  Name  Seth.']  He  intends  to  give  here  an 
Account  of  thofe  defcended  from  Seth  alone,  not  of 
his  Pofterity  by  Cu/«,  (who  are  only  briefly  men 
tioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter,  verfes  17,  i8.J  be- 
caufe  in  Seth  the  Pofterity  of  Adam  were  preferved, 
when  all  the  Children  of  Cam  perifhed  in  the  De 
luge. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  An  A  he  begat  Sons  and  Daughters^]  After 
the  Birth  of  Seth  he  begot  more  Children,  (fas  he  had 
done,  it's  probable,  many  before)  whofe  Names  are 
not  here  recorded  :  Becaufe  Mofes  fets  down  only 
that  Race  of  Men,  from  whom  Noah  and  Abraham^ 
("the  Father  of  the  Faithful,)  and  the  Melfiah  were 
derived. 

Verfe  5,  Ver.  5.  Lived  nine  hundred  and  fifty  Years.]  It  is 
not  reafonable  to  take  a  meafure  of  the  length  of  the 
Lives  of  the  Patriarchs^  by  the  (hortnefs  of  ours. 

For, 


upon    GENESIS.  113 

For,  as  Jofephu*  well  obferves,  (X.I.  j4ntjq.eaf.  4.  Chapter 
and  out  of  him,  E«/e&/#f,  L.  IX.  Pr<epar.  Evang.  cap.  V. 
13.)  they  being  Men  much  beloved  of  God,  and  iWNJ 
newly  made  by  him,  with  a  ftrongConftitution,  and 
excellent  Temper  of  Body,  and  ufing  better  Diet, 
the  Vigor  of  the  Earth  ferving  at  the  firft,  for  the 
Production  of  better  Prints  :  All  thefe  things,  joyn- 
ed  with  their  Temperance,  conftant  Exercife  and  La- 
bour,  a  fweet  Temper  of  Air,  their  Knowledge  in 
the  Nature  of  Herbs  and  Plants,  &c.  might  well 
contribute  very  much,  to  as  long  a  Life  as  is  here  men 
tioned.  Which  was  but  neceflary  alfo,  (and  there 
fore  GodJs  Providence  took  fpecial  Care  of  them,) 
that  the  World  might  be  the  fooner  peopled  ^  Know 
ledge  and  Religion  mbre  certainly  propagated,  by 
the  Authority  of  Living  Teachers  $  Arts  and  Sciences 
brought  to  a  great  Perfe&ion,  which  could  not  have 
been  effe&ed  in  a  (hort  Life,  like  ours.  And  there 
fore  Jofephu*  fhows,  that  herein  Mofes  hath  the  Tefti- 
mony  of  all  the  Greeks  and  Barbarians  alfo:  Who 
have  wrote  about  ancient  Affairs :  Of  Manethw  ("for 
inftance)  who  wrote  the  Egyptian  Hiftorys  Bero- 
y#f,  who  wrote  the  Chaldean  $  Mochw^  Heftitivs^ 
&c.  who  wrote  the  Phoenician  $  with  a  great  Num 
ber  of  GreeJ^  Writers  whom  he  mentions :  Who  all 
fay,  Men  lived  anciently  a  thoufand  Years.  None 
indeed  came  up  to  that  full  Summ  $  but  fome  fo 
near  it,  that  they  who  were  not  exa£Hy  acquainted 
with  the  Sacred  Story,  might  well  fpeak  in  that 
manner. 

And  this  ought  not  to  feem  incredible  to  us  in 
thefe  Days,  when  we  confider  how  Jong  feveral  have 
lived  in  the  later  Ages  of  the  World  5  as  Pliny  re 
ports  in  his  Natural  Hiftory,  L.  VII.  cap.  48.  Nay,  in 

Times 


i/4'  £  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    Times  nearer  to  us,  there  are  Inftances  of  this  kind,. 
V.      as  the  Lord  Bacon  obferves  in  his  Hi/I.  Vit£  &  Mor- 
and  Bartholin.  ID  his  Biftor.  Anatom.  Rariorumr 


But  nothing  is  more  remarkable  than  that  which 
Gajfindu*  reports  in  the  Life  of  Nicol.  Peiresk*Wy 
L.  V.  That  he  received  a  Letter  from  Aleppo,  no  lon 
ger  ago  than  the  Year  1636.  of  a  Man  then  in  Per- 
jia,  known  to  feveral  Perfons  worthy  to  be  believed, 
who  was  Four  hundred  Years  old  :  iJque  ipfis  omnino- 
effe  exfloratuW)  atque  indubnim  :  And  the  Perfons  that 
wrote  this,  were  fully  affured  of  the  undoubted 
Truth  of  it. 

Such  Inftances  indeed  are  rare  ,  and  there  is  one 
that  thinks  Men  did  not  generally  live  to  fuch  a  great 
Age  in  the  old  World.  For  Maitnontdes  is  of  Opi 
nion,  That  none  attained  to  fo  many  Years  as  are 
here  mentioned  5  but  only  the  particular  Perfons  ex- 
prefly  named  by  Mofes  :  All  the  reft  of  Mankind, 
in  thofe  Days,  living  only  the  ordinary  term,  which 
Man  did  in  after-  times.  Or,  in  other  words,  this  ex 
traordinary  length  of  Days,  was  the  Priviledge  on 
ly  of  thefe  fingular  Individuals,'  either  from  their 
accurate  way  of  Living  and  Diet,  or  God's  fpecial 
Favour  in  Reward  of  their  eminent  Vertue  and  Pie 
ty,  More  Nevoch.  Pars  II.  cap.  47.  But  Nachwamdes 
(another  great  Jewijh  Doftor)  oppofes  this  with  much 
Reafon^  For  that  their  eminent  Vertue  was  not  the 
Caufe  they  only  had  this  Priviledge,  appears  by 
Enoch)  the  moft  holy  Man  of  them  all,  who  did  not 
live  to  the  Age  of  Four  hundred  Years.  And  as  there 
is  no  ground  to  believe  thefe  were  the  only  Perfons 
who  lived  exaftly  Temperate  in,  all  things:  So  it  is 
manifeft  Mofes  doth  not  defign  to  give  us  an  Ac 

count 


upon    GEN  E  S  I  \  rie; 

count  of  thofe  that  lived  longeft,  but  of  thofe  from  Chapter 
whom    Noah  defcendtd,    and   it  is  incredible  that       V.  . 
they  alone  (hould  be  very  long  lived,  and  no  Body  IXVNJ 
elfe,  though  defcended  from  the  fame  Parents. 

Ver.  6.  And  Seth  lived  an  hundred  and  five  Years,  yerfe  5 
and  begat  EnosJ]  We  muft  not  think  he  lived  fo 
long,  before  he  begat  any  Children  $  No  more  than 
that  Adam  had  none  till  he  was  an  Hundred  and 
thirty  Years  old,  when  he  begat  Seth,  (verfe  %.)  foi 
we  know  he  had  Cain  and  Abel,  and,  in  all  likelihood, 
many  others  before.  Therefore  to  explain  this  and 
other  things  that  follow,  verfe  18.  and  28.  which 
feem  more  ftrange  (forjared  is  faid  to  have  lived  an 
Hundred  jixty  two  Years,  before  he  begat  Enoch  5  and 
Lamech  an  Hundred  eighty  two  Years  before  he  begat 
Noah,}  we  rnuft  confider,  as  was  noted,  verfe  4. 
that  Mofes  fets  down  only  thofe  Perfons  by  whom 
the  Line  of  Noah  was  drawn  from  Seth,  and  Abrahams 
Line  from  Noah,  by  thtir  true  Anceftors  5  whether 
they  were  the  Eldelt  of  the  Family  or  no.  Seth 
it's  likely  had  many  other  Children  before  Enos  was 
born,  as  Noah,  we  may  be  confident  had  before  he 
begat  Sem,  Ham,  and  Japhet :  Which  was  not  till  he 
was  Five  hundred  Years  old,  verfe  32.  As  Lamech 
alfo  had  feveral  before  Noah  was  born  :  Though  Mo 
fes  doth  not  mention  them  5  becaufe  he  was  here 
concerned  only  to  inform  us,  who  was  the  Father  of 
Noah. 

Begat  Enos.']  The  Arabian  Chriftians,  as  I  obferved 
before,  (IV.  26.)  make  him  to  have  been  a  Man  of 
fingular  Goodnefs. 

Ver.  9.  Begat  Cainan."]     The  fame  Writers  fepre-  Verfe  9. 
fent  him  to  have  been  like  to  his  Father  5  and  fay,  he 
gave  his  Children  a  Charge  not  to  mingle  with  the 

Q.  2  Seed 


n6  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Seed  of  Caw.     So  Eh/acinus.    Yet  there  is  but  little 
V.      difference  between  his  Name,  and  that  of  Cains  $  no 
L/"V"NJ  more  than  between  Jrad  and  Jared,  and  fome  other 
of  6Ws  Pofterity  and  Cain's.     Which  may  teach  us, 
fays  Jac.  Capellus,  (in  his  Hiftor.  Sacra  &  Exotica^) 
Ne  ftitale  nefcio  quod  omen  nominibus  fropriis  effinga- 
MU*  ^  that  we  ftiould  not  fanfie  there  is,  we  do  not 
know   what,  fatal   Omen  in  Proper  Names.     The 
Wickednefs  of  Jttdas  Ifcariot  did  not  make  the  other 
Judas,  called  by  that  Name,  to  think  the  worfe  of 
it.     And  therefore  Jared  feared  not  to  call  his  Son 
Enoch,  by  the  very  Name  of  Cams  eldeft  Son,  IV.  17. 
And  Methufelah  alfo  gave  his  Son  Lantech,  the  Name 
of  one  of  Cams  Grand-children,  IV.  18. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  Begat  MahalaleeL"]  This  Name  imports  as 
much  as  a  Praifer  of  God :  Which  Cainan  impofed  upon 
this  Son  of  his,  (as  Jacobus  Capelltts  fanfiesj  becaufehe 
was  born  after  he  had  lived  ten  Weeks  of  Years,  (i.e. 
when  he  was  Seventy  Years  old)  in  the  beginning  of 
the  Stbbatick.  Year :  Which  was  the  Eighth  Jubilee 
from  theCreation.  For,  as  there  were  Sacrifices,  and 
a  diftinchon  of  clean  Beafts  and  unclean^  fo  he  con 
ceives  there  might  be  a  diftribution  of  Years  by  Se 
vens  or  Weeks,  fas  they  fpake  in  after-times,J  from 
the  very  beginning  of  the  World.  But  there  is  no 
certainty  of  this :  Nor  of  what  the  fore-named  Ara 
bian  Writers  fay  of  this  Mahalaleel^  that  he  made  his 
Children  fweai\  by  the  Blood  of  Abel,  ("fo  Patri- 
tides,)  not  to  come  down  from  the  Mountainous 
Country  where  they  dwelt,  to  converfe  with  the 
Children  of  Cain. 

He  is  mentioned  alfo  by  iht Mahometans ^  zsHottin- 
ger  obferves  in  his  Hiftor.  Orient,  p.  20. 

Ver, 


upon   GENESIS.  117 

Ver.  1 5.  Begat  fared.']    The  fame  Arabian  Writers  Chapter 
makehimalfoa  ftridly  Pious  Man,  and  an  excellent 
Governor:  But  fay,  That  in  his  Days  fome  of  6W//S  vv*V"VJ 
Pofterity,  (about  an  hundred  in  number  J  notwith-  Verfe  iy. 
(landing  all  his  Perfuafions  to  the  contrary,  would 
go  down   and  converfe  with  the  Children  of  Cain; 
by  whom  they  were  corrupted.     And   thence  they 
fanfie  he  was  called  fared,  (~which  fignifies  defcend- 
ing  ;)  either  becaufe  they  went  down  from  the  Ho* 
ly  Mountain,  as  they  call  it,  where  Seth's  Pofterity 
dwelt  5  or  Piety,  in  his   time,  began  very  much  to 
decline.     See  Hotttngers  Smegma  Orient.  L.I.  cap.  & 
p.  235,  8cc. 

Ver.  1 8.  Begat  Enoch.']  Whom  the  Arabians  call  Verfe  1.8;. 
Edrfr  $  and  reprefent  him  as  a  very  learned  Man,  as 
well  as  a  Prophet :  And  efpecially  skilled  in  Aftrono- 
niy.  See  Hottinger,  Hi/for.  Orient.  L.  I.  c.  3.  and 
Smegma  Orient,  p.  240.  The  Greeks  anciently  had  the 
fame  Notion  of  him,  as  appears  by  a  Difcourfe  of 
Eupolemu*,  which  Eufebivf  quotes  out  of  Alexand. 
Polyhiftor.  L.  IX.  Pr<epar.  Evang.  c,  17.  where  he  fays 
Enoch  was  the  firft  who  taught  the  knowlege  of  the 
Stars,  and  that  he  himfelf  was  taught,  Si  *A.-$?w»  ®&^ 
by  the  Angels  of  God  ^  and  was  the  fame  Perfon  whom 
the  Greeks  call  Atlas.  Certain  it  is  his  Story  was  not 
altogether  unknown  to  the  ancient  Greeks  3  as  appears 
in  what  they  fay  of  'Awa^fe,  or  Kawa^V,  which  is  the 
fame  with  Enoch,  whofe  Name  in  Hebrew  is  Chanoch. 
For  Stephanas  in  his  Book  De  Urbibv*  fays,  that  this 
Annacuf  lived  above  Three  hundred  Years,  and  the 
Oracle  told  the  People,  that  when  he  died  they  fhould 
all  perifh  ,  as  they  did  in  the  Flood  of  Deucalion  : 
In  which  he  confounds  theHiftory  of  Enoch  and  Me- 
thttfelah,  as  Bochart  well  obferves,  L.II.  Phaleg.c.1%. 

Ver.. 


^ii8  4   COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  21.  Begat  Methttfelah.']    Enoch  being  a  Pro- 
V.       phet,  (as  we  learn  from  St.  jfW*,)  and  forefeeing  the 
VV^SJ  Deftru&ion  that  was  coming  upon  the  Earth  by  a 
Verfe  21.  Deluge,  immediately  after  the  Death  of  this  Son  of 
his,  gave  him  this  Name  of  Methufeld)  which  im 
ports  as  much.     For  the  firft  part  of  it,  Methtt,  evi 
dently  carries  in   it  the  Name  of  Death  ^  being  as 
mochas,  he  dies  :  And/e/rf  fignifies,  the  fending  forth 
of  Water,-  in  Job  V.  10.    And  therefore  Methufela,  is 
as  much,  as  when  he  is  dead,  fhMenfue  an  ewi$ion  or 
inundation  of  Waters,  to  the  deftrudion  of  the  whole 
Earth.  Which  ingenious  Conje&ure  of  Bocharttts,  in 
his  Phaleg,  L.  II.  c.  13.  is  far  more  probable  than  any 
other  Account  of  his  Name. 

Werfe  22.      Ver.  22.  Enoch  walked  with  Gad  after  he  begat  Me- 
thufelah.']      Of  all   the  reft  Mofes  only  faysy  they  li 
ved  after  they  begat  thofe  Sons  here  mentioned  ^  but 
of  this  Man,  that  he  walked  with  God:  i.e.  Was  not 
only  fincerely  Obedient  to  God,  (as  we  fuppofe  his 
Fore- fathers  to  have  been,)  but  of  an  extraordinary 
Sanftity,  beyond  the  rate  of  other  Holy  Men  ^  and 
held  on  alfo  in  a  long  courfe  of  fuch  fihgular  Piety, 
notvvithftanding  the  wickednefs  of  the  Age,  where 
in  he  lived.     And  the  very  fame  Chara&er  being  gi 
ven   of  Noah,,  VL  9.  it  may  incline  us   to  believe, 
That  as  Noah   was  a  Preacher  of  Righteoufnefs  ^    fo 
Enoch,  being  a  Prophet,  was  not  only  Exemplary  in 
his  Life,  but  alfo  Severely  reproved  the  Wickednefs 
of  that  Age,  by  hjs  Word. 

"¥trfe  24.  Ver.  24,  And  Enoch  walked  whhGod^]  Perfevered 
in  that  Courfe  before-mentioned,  to  the  end  of  his 
Days. 

And  was  not."}    He  doth  not  fay,  that  he  died,  (as 
he  doth  of  the  reft  in  this  Chapter,  both  before  and 

after  J 


upon    G  EN  ESI  S.  itp 

after,)  but  that  he  was  not,  any  longer  among  Men  Chapter 
in  this  World.     For,  V. 

God  tool^  him.']  Tranflafed  him  to  another  place.  U'VNJ 
Which  plainly  fignifies  the  different  manner  of  his 
leaving  this  World  5  in  fo  much  that  the  Apoftle 
faith,  he  did  not  fee  death,  Heb.  XL  5.  Which  con 
futes  the  Conceit  of  Aben  Ezra,  ^ft&'Ri$6lbaojL  and 
others, who  would  have  this  word  tool^  to  tignifie,  that 
he  was  fnatcht  away  by  an  untimely  death.  Contra 
ry  to  the  Opinion  of  their  other  better  Authors,  parti* 
cularly  Menachem ;  who  in  his  Commentary  on  this 
place  faith  5  that  God  too\  from  Enoch  kit  bodily  Cloatha^ 
and  gave  bim  Spiritual  Raiment. 

But  whither  he  was  tranllated  we  are  'not  told; 
The  Author  of  the  Book  otErr/t//^/a//,  Chap.XLlV. 
(according  to  the  Vulgar  Tranflation^)  faith  into 
Paradife.  And  upon  this  Suppofition,  the  SLthiopici^- 
Interpreter  hath  added  thefe  words  to  the  Text: 
God  translated  him  into  Paradife,  as  LvdolphtM  ob- 
ferves,  L.  III.  Commentar.  in  fEth'tcp.l-lift.Cap.  V.  #,•• 
40.  And  accordingly  we  find  in  the  Calendar  of  that 
Church,  aFctfival  upon  July  XXV.  called,  The  Afcm- 
fion  ^/Enoch  into  Heaven,  (for  the^  were  not  fo  foo- 
li(h  as  to  underfbnd  by  Paradifc  a  place  upon  Earth, 
but  a  Heavenly  Manfion,)  unto  which  he  was  ad 
vanced,  £i  OLKOC/LV  a^sT^s  TiAei^wy,  (as  EufcbJits  fpeaks^ 
L.  VII.  Prepar..Evang.  cap.  8.)  becaufe  of  his  confurn- 
raate  Vertue. 

And  it  is  no  unreafonable  Conjecture,  That  God 
was  gracioufly  pleafed  to  take  'him  untQ  hlrnfelf  at 
this  time,  to  fupport  and  comfort  Mankind  in  their 
State  of  Mortality,  {Adam,  the  Father  of  them  all; 
being  dead  not  above  fifty  feven  Years  before,)  with 
the  hope  of  a  better  Life,  in  the  other  World.  For 

which-:? 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    which  reafon  it  is  not  improbable,  that  he  was  tran- 
V.       dated  in  fome  fuch  vifible  manner,  as  Elijah  afterward 

V^/'VVJ  was,  by  a  glorious  Appearance  of  the  SCHECH I- 
N  AH,  from  whence  fome  heavenly  Minifters  were 
fent  to  carry  him  up  above. 

Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  Begat  Lamech~\  The  fame  Name  with  one 
of  Cains  Pofterity,  IV.  1 8.  But,  as  he  was  of  ano 
ther  Race,  fo  he  was  the  Grand-child  and  the  Fa 
ther  of  the  beft  Men  in  thofe  Days,  viz.  Enoch  and 
Noah. 

Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  All  the  days  of  Methufelah,  .&c.]  What 
was  wanting  in  the  Days  of  his  Father,  God,  in  fome 
fort,  made  up  in  his  Age:  Which  was  extended  to 
the  longeft  term  of  all  other  Men.  He  died  in  the 
very  Year  of  the  Deluge,  according  to  the  import  of 
his  Name.  See  Verfe  2 1. 

Verfe  29.  Ver.  2,9.  He  called  fw  Name  Noah.']  Which  fig- 
nifies  Reft,  or  Refrefintent  $  which  proceeds  from  Reft 
and  Quiet.  Becaufe,  fays  he, 

This  fame  /hall  comfort  us,  concerning  our  work^and 
toil  of  our  Hands.*]  He  expefted,  fome  think,  that 
he  (hould  be  the  blejfid  Seed,  promifed  III.  if.  Or, 
that  it  {hould  fpring  immediately  from  him.  But 
the  laft  words,  toil  of  our  hands,  feem  to  import  fome 
inferiour  Confolation,  which  he  expefted  from  No 
ah  :  And  the  Hebrew  Interpreters  generally  expound 
it  thus  5  He  (hall  make  our  Labour  in  tilling  the  Earth, 
more  eajie  and  lefs  toilfome  to  us.  Which  agrees  to  what 
follows. 

Becatife  of  the  Ground  which  the  LORD  hath 
curfed.~]  There  was  a  general  Curfe  upon  it,  for 
the  Sin  of  Adavt^  and  a  particular  upon  fome  part 
of  it,  for  the  Sin  of  Cain :  Now  God,  he  foretells, 
would  take  them  both  off  in  great  mcafure  5  and 

blefs 


upon    GENESIS.  121 

blefs  the  Earth  to  the  Pofterity  of  this  fame  Man:  Chapter 
Who  perfefted  the  Art  of  Husbandry,  and  found  out       V. 
fitter  Inftruments   for  plowing   the  Earth,  than  had  W'VNJ 
been  known  before.     When  Men  being  chiefly  em 
ployed  in  digging  and  throwing  up  the  Earth  with 
their  own   Hands,  their  labour  was  more  difficult  : 
Which  now   is  much  abated,  becaufe  the  pains  lie 
more  upon  Beafts  than  upon  Men.    And  indeed  Noah 
is  called,  IX.  20.  Jfch  haadawah,  a  Man  of  the  Ground 
(which  we  tranflate  an  Husbandman)  one  that  im 
proved  Agriculture^  as  other  famous  Men  had  done 
Pattorage,  and  found  out  other  Arts,  IV.  20,  &c. 

In  the  fame  place  alfo  (IX. 20.)  we  read  that  Noah 
planted  a  Vineyard  :  With  refpeft  to  which,  if  he  was 
the  firft  Inventer  of  making  Wine,  he  might  well  be 
fa  id  here,  to  comfort  them  concerning  their  TV  or \  and 
toil  of  their  hands :  Wine  chearing  the  Heart,  and  re 
viving  the  Spirits  of  Men,  that  are  fpent  with  Labour. 

But  if  the  laft  Words  of  this  Verfe  be  expounded 
of  the  LORD's  Cur/ing  the  Ground^  by  fending  a 
Flood  upon  it,  as  Enoch  had  foretold  $  then  Noah  is 
here  called  their  Comforter,  with  refpeft  to  his  being 
the  Reftorer  of  the  World,  after  it  had  been  difpeo- 
pled  bv  that  Inundation.  And  fo  Jacobus  CappeOus% 
not  unreafonably  interprets  them  to  have  relation  to 
both  Curfes,  a  malediflione,  quam  Terra  infltxit,  &  in- 
fliflurus  eft  Dens.  He  (hall  give  Men  reft  from  the 
Curfe  which  God  hath  infli&ed,  -and  intends  further 
to  inflift  upon  the  Earth.  H/ft.  Sacra  &  Exot.  ad 
A.M.  1053. 

Ver.  32.  And  Noah  was  Five  htindredYears  old.~\  Verfe  32, 
SeeFer/e  6.  where  I  have  faid  enough  to  (hew,  it  is 
not  reafonable  to  think  he  had  no  Children  till  this 
Age  of  his  Life. 

R  And 


A  GO. 

And  Noah  begat  Shsm,  Haw,  and  f}aphet\]  Herfc  ends 
t.be  Line  of  Adam,  before  the  Flood.  For  thotrgh  tlKrfe 
Three  were  married,  it  appears  (VII.  15.)  before  the 
Flood  came^  yet  they  either  had  no  jQrildren,  or 
they  did  not  live:  For  they  carried  none  with  then? 
into  the  Ark. 

It  doth  not  follow  that  Shtm  was  the  Eldeft  of  thefe 
Three,  becaufe  he  i.s  here,  and  every  where  elfe  in  this 
Book,  mentioned  firft :  For  I  (hall  (how  plainly  in  its 
due  place  that  Japhet  was  the  Eldeft.  (X.  2*.)  '  Scali* 
gcr  indeed  would;  have  this  a  fettled  Rule,  that,  Hunc 
Or  dine  m  Filii  m  ScrrptHrfr  habent^  quern  illk  nqtum  de~ 
djt  That  Children  are  placed  in  Scripture,  accord 
ing  to  the  Order  which  Nature  hath  given  them.  But 
it  is  apparent  from  many  Inftances,  that  the  Scripture 
hath  regard  to  their .pig-nity  otherways,  and  not  to  the 
Order  of  their  Birth.,  As  Abraham  is  mentioned  be 
fore  Nahorand  Haran,  meritoexctl/enti^  with  refpe£t 
to  his  Excellence  (as  St.Auftin  fpeaks)  to  which  God 
r^aifed  him,  though  he  was  not  the  Eldeft  Son  of  Te- 
rah,  Gen.  XI.  2.8*  Thus  Jacob  is  mentioned  before 
j^«,  Mai.  I.  i.  and  Ifaac  before  Iftmatl,  i  Clwon*  I. 
28.  Thus  Shems  Eminence  in  other  refpefts,  placed 
him  before  Japket^  tp  wliom  he  waainferiour  inth^ 
qrder  06  Nature  :  A^appear^  even  from  their  Genea- 
/^/both,in:G€:iw.X,  and' i  Ghren.  I;  where>$&ew's  Po- 
ft.erity.  are  plac^4ibelpw  thpfe  p£  bo(ih  his  other 


fTr"  A  *  o 


upon  G  E  N  E  S  I  'S. 


CHAP.    VL 

Ver,  i.T  \JH™  Men  began  to  nulfyly?±    To  en- Verfe 

VV  creafe  exceeding  fa  ft  ^  for  they  were 
multiplied  before,  bat  not  fo  as  to  fill  the  Earth.  Or 
the  Word  Men  may  be  limited  to  the  Children  of 
Gr/#,  (fee  Ferfe  2.)  who  now  began  to  be  very  nu 
merous. 

And  Daughters  were  born  to  tkew.~]  In  great  num 
bers:  For  Daughters  no  doubt  they  had  before  $  but 
now  fo  many  more  Daughters  than  Sons,  that  they 
had  not  Matches  for  all:  No,  though  we  (hould  fup- 
pofe  they  folio  wed  the  ftepsof  Lamech^  (IV.  19.)  and 
took  more  Wives  than  one. 

Ver,  2.  The  Sons  of  God.~]  There  are  two  famous  Verfe 
Interpretations  of  thefe  Words,  (befides  that  of  fome 
of  the  Ancients,  who  took  them  for  Angels.)  Some 
underftand  by  the  Sons  ofGod,  the  great  Men,  No 
bles,  Rulers,  and  Judges,  whether  they  were  of  the 
Family  of  Set h  or  of  Cain:  And  fo  indeed  the  word 
Elohim  fignifies  in  many  places,  Exod.  XXI.  6.  XXII. 
28,  &fc.  and  the  ancient  Greel{  Verfion,  which  Philo 
and  St.  Auftin  ufed,  perhaps  meant  no  more,  where 
thefe  words  are  tranflated,  of  a^gAoi  iS  0sa,  The  An* 
gels  of  God,  his  great  Minifters  in  this  World  5  who 
in  after-times  were  miftaken  for  Angels  in  Heaven. 
Thefe  great  Perfons  were  taken  with  the  Beauty  of 
the  Daughters  of  Men,  z  e.  of  the  meaner  fort,  (for 
fo  fometimes  Men  fignifies,  PfaL  XLIX.2,  (§cf)  and 
took*  by  Force  and  Violence,  as  many  as  they  plea- 
fed  3  being  fo  potent  as  to  be  able  to  do  any  thing 

R  i  with 


IH  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    with  impunity.     For  they  that  (hould  have  given  a 
VI.      good  Example,  and  punifhed  Vice,  were  the  great 
Promoters  of  it. 

But  there  are  other  ancient  Interpreters,  and  moft 
of  the  latter,  who  by  the  Sons  of  God  underftand  the 
Pofterity  of  Seth,  who  were  the  Worfhippers  of  the 
true  God.  IV.Vlt. 

They  faw  the  Daughters  of  Men."]  Converfed  with 
the  Daughters  of  Cain.  So  Tho.  Aquino*  himfelf  in 
terprets  it.  Pars  \.  41.  5 1.  Art.  3.  ad  6. 

That  they  were  Fair.~]  Being  exceedingly  taken 
with  their  Beauty. 

And  they  took,  them  Wives.']  Made  Matches  with 
them,  and  perhaps  took  more  than  one  apiece. 

Of  all  that  they  chofeJ]     Whomsoever  they  liked, 
(fo  the  word  chafe  is  ufed  in  many  places,  Pfal.  XXV. 
I2,®6-.)  without  regard   to  any  thing  elfe  but  their 
Beauty.     Some  of  the  Hebrews   by  Daughters  under- 
ftand  Virgins,  which   they  diftinguifh   from  Najim^ 
Wives  or   married  Women  ,  whom  they   alfo  took 
and  abufed  as  they  pleafed.    But  there  is  no  evidence 
of  this.     The  plain  Sence  is,  that  they  who  had  hi 
therto  kept  themfelves  (unlefsit  were  fome  few,  fee 
f^erfei^.)  unmingltd  with  the  Pofterity  of  Cain,  ac 
cording  to  a  Solemn  Charge  which  their  godly  Fore 
fathers  had  given  them,  were  now  joined  to  them  in 
Marriage,  and  made  one  People  with  them.     Which 
was  the  greater  Crime,  if  we  can  give  any  credit  to 
what  an  Arabjck,  Writer  faith,  mentioned  firft  by  Mr. 
Seldenin  his  Book  de  DTK  Syris,  Cap.  3.  Prolcgovt.  & 
de  J*re>N.  &  G.  L.  V.  Cap.  8. /  578.)  that  the  Chil 
dren  of  Seth  had  fworn  by  the  Blood  of  Abel,  they 
would  never  leave  the  mountainous  Country  which 
they  inhabited,  to  go  down  into  the  Valley  where  the 

Children 


upon    G  E  N  E  SI  S.  1-1,5- 

Children  of  Cain  lived.  The  fame  Author  (viz*  Pa-  Chapter 
tricides  with  Elmacinw  alfo)  fays,  that  they  were  VI. 
inveigled  to  break  this  Oath,  by  the  Beauty  of  Naa-  WV%J 
mah  before-mentioned,  IV.  22.  and  the  Mufick  of  her 
Brother  Jubal  For  the  Cainites  fpent  their  time  in 
Feafting,  Mufick,  Dancing,  and  Sports :  Which  al 
lured  the  Children  of  Set h  to  come  down  and  marry 
with  them.  Whereby  all  manner  ci  impurity,  Impi 
ety,  Idolatry,  Rapine  and  Violence,  filled  the  whole 
Earth,  and  that  with  Impunity,  ttEitfebiw  obferves, 
L.  VII.  Pr#par.  c.  8.  This  Mofu  here  takes  notice  of, 
that  he  might  give  the  reafon,  why  the  whole  Pofte- 
rity  of  Seth,  even  thofe  who  iprang  from  that  holy 
Man  knock  (except  Noah  and  his  Family )  were  over 
flown  with  the  Deluge,  as  well  as  the  race  of  Cain  : 
Becaule  they  had  defiled  themfelves  with  their  curfed 
Affinity  }  and  thereby  were  corrupted  with  their 
wicked  Manners. 

Ver.  3,  And  the  LORD  faid.*]     Refolved  with  Verfe  3, 
himfelf. 

My  Spirit. ~]  Either  fpeaking  by  his  Prophets,  fuch 
&s  Enoch  had  been,  and  Noah  was :  Or  working  in 
wardly  in  all  Men's  Hearts. 

Shall  not  always  ftr/ve  with  Man7\  Chide  and  Reprove 
them,  and  thereby  endeavour  to  bring  them  to  Repen 
tance  5  but  proceed  to  punifhthem.  There  are  feveral 
other  Interpretations,  which  may  be  feen  in  all  Com 
mentators  :  Which  to  me  feem  more  forced  than  this. 
For  that  he  alfo  is  Flefl}.~]  For  that  befides  his  wicked 
Actions,  he  is  grown  wholly  Flefhly  in  his  Inclina 
tions  and  Affeftions.  He  favours  nothing  but  carnal 
things  ^  and  confequently  is  incurable.  Or,  as  others 
expound  it,  even  the  bed  of  them  (the  Children  of 
Seth)  are  become  flefhly  Men. 

Tet 


A  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter       let  .his  days  fiati  l?£  an  Hundred  and  twenty  years. ~\ 
VL       I  will  not  deftroy  Mankind  prefently  3  but  have  pa- 

.•tXV%J  tience  with  them  fo  long,  that  it  may  appear  I  would 
•willingly  have  faved  them. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  There  were  Giants  in  the  Earth."]  Men  of 
vaft  Stature  and  Strength,  which  tempted  them  to 
o.pprefs  others  by  Violence :  For  fo  feveral  of  the  An- 
ciciics  tranflate  the  Hebrew  word  Nifhllrm  by  B/ayw, 
Vwltnt  Men,  who  carried  all  before  them  by  main 
force  :  Tyrants  who  filled  the  World  with  Rapines 
and  Murders,  and  all  manner  of  Wicked.nefs,  having 
Society  with  the  Devil,  (as  Evfebiw  underftands  it, 
I.  VII.  pr£par.  c.  8.J  in  infernal  Arts,  which  they 
introduced .  Jofefhut  calls  them  -JSgx^aV  fc,  Tmvlk 
'vL'^poTTiKs  £^A«,  infolent  Contemners  of  all  the  Laws 
of  God  and  Maw.  Which  made  Origen  look  upon 
them  only  as  impiowAtheifts :  But,  no  doubt,  the  ex 
traordinary  Bulk  and  Strength  of  their  Body  is  alfo 
intended. 

In  thofe  days."}  /.  e.  Before  the  Sorts  of  God  married 
with  the  Daughters  of  Men.  For  thefe  Giants  were 
produced  by  thofe  who  went  down  and  mixed  with 
the  Pofterity  ofCW#  in  the  days  of  Jared  :  As  both 
ElwdciMM  and  Patricides  underftand  it. 

And  alfo  after  that,  when  the  Sons  of  God  came  in  unto 
the  Children  of  Men ^  and  they  bare  Children  to  them7\ 
The  word  Children  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  :  and  it  bet 
ter  agrees  with  what  goes  before  to  tranflate  it,  Even 
they  bare  Giants  unto  them.  Befides  thofe  which  were 
before,  there  was  a  new  Race  of  Cigantick  Perfons 
begot  by  the  Sons  of  God  on  the  Daughters  of  Men. 

The  fame  became  mighty  Men.']  Of  great  Power, 
as  well  as  Strength  of  Body. 

Which 


ufon    GENESIS. 

Which  were  of  old "]    This  may  refer  either  to  what  Chapter 
goes  before,  or  to  that  which  follows.  VI. 

Men  of  renown. ~\  Of  great  Undertakings,  and.  ad-  s^^v^- 
venturous  A&ions :  Which  got  them  a  great  Name  irt 
Ancient?  tinw.  But  they  were  no  left  famous  for  their 
Wickednefs,  than  for  their  valorous  and  great  £x- 
ptoitis}  for  by  their  means  all  Mankind  were  over* 
run  with  Impiety,  as  it  follows  in  the  nextVerfe. 

Ver.  5.  Godfaw  the  Whfydncfs  of  Man  that  H  ivas  Verfe  5, 
great^Stc.']  AM  forts  of  Wicked  neis  in.an  high  degree 
overfpread  the  whole  Earth*. 

And  that  &uery>  imagination  of  the  thoughts  o^  his: 
heart,  &c.]  And  that  there  were  no  hopes  o.f  tlkir 
amendment  5  their  very  Minds  being  fo  fet  upon 
Wickednefs,  that  they  thought  of  nothing  ejfe  but 
how  to  fattefie  their  Luffe.  Ifc  the  Margin  it  isv  tktir 
whole iMttginattott,)  i.e.  aHv  the  Defigns,  and'Contjriv,an- 
ces  of  alii  the  Men  of  that-  Age,  and  this  continnatty* 
Day  and  Mighty  were  only  Rapine,  Filthineft,fand  all 
manner  of  Evil. 

Ver.  6.  Atod.G&d  repented^  &cQ;    God  can  neither  y€rfe  ^ 
properly  repent,  nor  be  grieved':  But  fuch.Expre'ffir 
ons  fignifie  he  refolved  to  do,  as  Men  dd^  who  vvhen 
they  repent  of  any  thing,  endeavour  to  undo  ii.  And 
(Q  it  here  follows. 

V<?r.  7^  The  LORD  fad,  I  u>?!}  'deftroy  Man  whom  ZVerfe-  7. 
fwve  created,  Stc."]    Though  they  be  my  Creatures,  I 
am  refolved  to  have  no  pity  upon  them,  but  tr>  abo- 
lift  them,  and  all  things  elfe  upon  the  Earth.     For 
that  fort  of  Punifbment which  Cod  intended,  would; 
in  its  own  nature  fweep  all  away. 

For  it  reftttteth  me  that- 1  have  wadk  thet&J]  See 
Verfe  6.  This  reprefems-  how  highly  God  was  of-- 
fendedv  that  he  would  leave  nothing  of  the  old 

World 


*   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    World  remaining,  but  only  to  prefer ve  the  Seed  of  a 

VI.       new  one. 

^/•VSj      Ver.  8.  But  Noah  found  Grace,  &c.]     This  fingle 
Verfc  8»  perfon  God  refolved  to  fpare,  becaufe  (as  it  follows) 
he  continued  untainted  in  the  midft  of  an  univerfal 
Contagion. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Thefe  are  the  generations  of  Noah."]  An  ac 
count  of  his  Family.  Or  as  Pattlus  Fagitts  ("who  up 
on  XXXVII.  2.  expounds  the  Word  we  tranflate  Ge 
nerations,  to  fignifie  Events)  Thefe  are  the  things  which 
befelNoah  and  his  Family.  Which  way  foever  we  ex 
pound  this,  the  next  Words  are  inferted  by  a  Parenthe- 
fs  as  a  Character  of  Noah^  who  was, 

Ajuft  Man."]  Free  from  that  Violence,  which  the 
reft  committed. 

And  perfeff  m  hi?  generations^  Not  guilty  of  any 
of  thofe  other  Sins,  which  every  where  abounded. 

And  Noah  walked  with  God.~\  Not  only  did  well, 
but  was  addi&ed  (as  we  fpeak)  to  it  5  continuing 
conftant  in  the  way  of  Righteoufnefs. 

Verle  IO.     Ver.  io/]  And  Noah  begat  three  Sons ,  &C/]  V.  32. 

Verfe  if.      Ver.  3CI'J  ^he  Earth  alfo  was  corrupt  before  God."] 

*  The  Jewifi  Doftors  fay,   That  by  Corruption  is  always 

underftood  either  Filthinefs  (or  forbidden  mixtures) 

or  elfe  Idolatry.     Some  take  the  firft  to  be  here  meant, 

and  then  the  next  words,  Filled  with  Violence^  denote 

their  perverting  of  Juftice,  taking  Bribes,  and  op- 

prefling  Men  by  open  force.     But  others  think  it 

better  by  Corruption  to  underftand  Idolatry :  And  then 

this  Generation  is  accufed  of  the  two  higheft  Crimes 

that  can  be  committed  5  the  one  of  which  is  between 

Man  and  his  Neighbour,  and  the  other  between  Man 

and  God.     The  higheft   degree  of  the  former  is, 

when  they  that  fit  in  Judgment  make  Unrighteous 

Decrees : 


upon    GENESIS. 

Decrees.-     Which/?.  Solomon  thinks   is  principally  Chapter 
meant  in  thefe  words,  the  Earth  was  filed  with  Violence.        V  f. 
See  Mr.  Selden,  L.  V,  De  Jure  N.  &  G.  cap.  9.    latter  fXA^. 
end.  However  we  undeiftand  the  words,  they  point 
at  fomefpecial  enormous  Sins,  which  are  only  com 
prehended  in  general  words  before. 

Ver.  11.  God  looked  npon  the  Earth,  8tc.]  No  Verfe  12. 
Fruits  of  God's  long-fu-fering  appearing,  herefolved 
tj  vifit  Men  for  their  Wickednefs  .•  Which  had  ra 
ther  encreafed,  than  been  leflened,  by  his  forbearing 
them  One  hundred  and  twenty  Years  .•  which  now 
we  muft  fuppofe,  drew  near  to  an  end,  Verfe  \  3. 
The  obfervation  of  fome  of  the  Hebrew  Doftors 
perhaps  is  too  curious,  which  is  this  :  That  the 
Name  of  Jehovah^  which  we  tranflate  LORD,  is  u- 
kd.Ferfe  3.  where  the  firft  mention  is  made  of  this 
matter  $  for  it  betokens  inclemency  of  the  Divine 
Majefty$  till  the  One  hundred  and  twenty  Years 
were  out,  and  then  Mofes  ufes  the  Word  Elohtm^ 
which  is  a  Name  of  'judgment-,  the  time  of  which 
was  come. 

For  all  Fle/h,  i.e. all  Men,  had  corrupted  his  way  upon 
EarthT]  Wholly  departed  from  the  Rule  of  RJghte- 
oufnefs}  or  had  made  their  way  of  Life  abominable 
throughout  the  whole  World. 

Ver.  13.  The  end  ofallflefh  is  come  before  me.']     I  Verfe  13 
am  determined  to  make  an  end  of,    7.  e.  to  deftroy 
all  Mankind  fhortly,    So  it  follows. 

Iwill  deftroy  them  with  the  Earth."]  i.  e.  With  all 
the  Beafts  and  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth.  Or,  from  the 
Earth^  as  it  is  in  the  Margin. 

Ver.  14.  Make  thee  anArkJ]  This  Veflel  was  not  in  Verfe   14 
the  form  of  one  of  our  Ships,  or  Boats :    for  it  was 
not  made  (harp  forward  to  cut  the  Waves,  but  broad 

S  like 


J  C&MMENT4RT 

Chapter  \\fe  a  Cheft  5  and  therefore  had  a  flat  bottom,  with  a 
Cover  or  a  Roof.  We  do  not  find  it  had  any  Rud- 
"  der,  being  fteered  by  Angels. 

Of  Gopher  wood.]  There  are  various  Opinions 
about  Gopher,  which  fome  take  for  Cedar,  others  for 
Pine,  &c.  but  our  learned  Nic.  Fuller  in  his  Mifcel- 
lanies  hath  obferved,  that  it  is  nothing  elfe  but  that 
which  the  Greek*  call  KwTra&wj©,,  the  C^re/j  Tree. 
For  taking  away  the  termination,  Cuper  and  Gophar 
differ  very  little  in  their  found.  Bochartus  hath  con 
firmed  this,  and  (hown  that  no  Country  abounds  fo 
much  with  this  Wood,  as  that  part  of  AJfyria  which 
was  about  Babylon  :  Where  Arrianus  fays  Alexander 
built  a  Navy  of  thefe  Trees,  T£TTM  $  /uubvov  T&V  <J£y- 
fyw  lum^v  2)e*t#  %»&  7$f  'Aaj^eV,  Sec.  (L.  VII.) 
for  there  is  great  plenty  of  thefe  Trees  alone  in  the 
Country  ofAjfyria,  but  of  other  fit  for  making  Ships, 
there  is  great  fcarcity.  Strata  faith  the  fame,  JL.  XVI. 
from  whence  Bochart  thinks  it  probable,  that  Noah 
and  his  Children  lived  Hi  this  Country  before  the 
Flood  5  for  it  is  not  likely  that  fuch  a  vaft  Bulk  as 
the  Ark,  was  carried  far  from  the  place  where  it  was 
made:  And  the  Mountains  of  Ararat,  which  he  will 
have  to  be  the  Gordtean  Mountains,  are  upon  the 
Borders  of  Affjria,  North  ward  5  which  way  the  Wind 
blew  C if  there  were  any)  in  all  likelyhood  3  the 
Rain  coming  from  the  South  Sea,  JL.  I.  Phaleg.  c.  4. 

Rooms  fodtthou,>make.~]  Little  Cabbins  or  Cells  5 
to  fever  the  Beafts  from'the  Birds  $  the  clean  Beafts 
from  the  unclean  j  and  to  preferve  their  feveral  forts, 
©f  Food. 

And  ftull pitch  it,  &c.]  So  the  A^/V^Tranflation 
exprefly,  pitch  it  with  pitch.  For  the  bitumen,  which 
was  plentiful  thereabouts  (*which  others  think  is  here 

meantji 


upon    GENESIS,  131 

meant)  was  of  the  fame  nature,  and  ferved  for  the  Chapter 
fame  ufe  with  Pitch  :    Being  very  glutinous  and  te-        VI. 
nacious,  to  keep  things  clofe  together.     But  not  on-  fV^/wH 
ly  the  Chinks  were  filled  with  it  3     but  the  whole 
Body  of  the  Ark  feems  to  have  been  all  over  daub 
ed  with  it. 

Within.~\  To  give  a  wholfome  Scent,   fome  think, 
among  fo  many  Beads. 

And  withoHtl}  To  make  the  Ark  more  glib  and  flip- 
pery,  tofwim  in  the  Water  more  eafily. 

Ver.  15.  Andthfristhefajhion,  &c.]  There  areVerfe  15* 
thofe  who  take  thefe  for  Geometrical  Cubits  5  every 
one  of  which  contains  Six  of  the  common.  But 
there  is  no  need  of  fuch  ;  For  taking  them  for  com 
mon  Cubits,  containing  each  only  one  Foot  and  an 
half,  it  is  demonftrable  there  might  be  room  enough 
in  the  Ark,  for  all  forts  of  Beads  and  Birds,  with 
Noah's  Family,  and  their  neceflary  provifion.  See 
Verfe  20.  r 

Ver.  1 6.  AWindow  (halt  thou  make  to  the  Ark;~]  ToVerfe  l6b 
let  in  the  Light  into  the  feveral  Apartments  :  For 
which,  (hould  we  conceive,  that  one  great  Window 
might  be  fo  contrived  as  to  be  fufficient  $  I  do  not 
fee  how  that  would  exclude  many  little  ones,  here 
and  there,  for  greater  convenience. 

And  in  a  Cubit  foali  than  finifi  it  above."]  That  is,  fi- 
nifh  the  Ark  5  which  had  a  Cover  it  is  plain  From 
VIII.  1 3.  and  was  made  (helving,  that  the  Rain  might 
flide  oft. 

And  the  Door  of  the  Arl^  /halt  thou  fit  in  ike  fide 
thereof^}  But  on  what  fide,  or  whereabouts  on  the 
fide,  is  not  certain.  It  is  probable  on  one  of  the  long 
fides,  and  in  the  middle  of  it.  Patricides  calls  it  the 
Eaftern  fide* 

S  2  With 


133  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter         With  lorver^  fecond^  and  third  Stories,  &c.]    That 
Vf.      Arabian  Author,  and  Pirk*  Eltefer  '(cap.  23.)    place 

1/"VNJ  Noah  and  his  Family  in  the  uppermoft  Story  $-.  the 
Birds  in  the  middle  -y  and  the  Beajls  in  the  loweft. 
But  they  forget  to  leave  a  place  for  their.  Provifion  A 
And  therefore  they  make  a  better  diftribution  who 
think  the  Beafts  were  beftowed  in  the  lower  Story,  and 
that  the  third  ferved  for  the  Birds,  with  AW>andhis: 
Family  .-  Thefecond  between  bothvbeing  left  for  the 
Stores  that  were  to  be  laid  in  of  Meat  and  Drink  for 
them  all.  The  creeping  things,  fome  think,  might  well 
live  in  the  fpace  between  the  lower  Story,  and  the 
bottom  of  the  Ark, 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  And  behold^  J^evenl,  do  bring  a  Flood  of 
Waters^  &c.]  /.  e.  They  (hall  unavoidably  be  all 
fwept  away  ^  for  I  my  felf  will  bring  a  Deluge  upon 
them:Notan  ordinary  Flood,  but  one  of  which  I  will 
appear  to  be  the  Author.  All  Nations,  it  plainly  ap 
pears,  by  fuch  Records  as  remain,  had  heard  fomething 
of  this  Flood.  Lucianin his  DeaSyriatzlls  a  long  fto- 
ry  of  it,  out  of  the  Archives  of  Hierapolis  very  like 
to  this  of  Mofes,  only  he  puts  the  Name  of  Deuca 
lion  inftead  of  Noah.  Plutarch  mentions  the  Dove 
fent  out  of  the  Ark.  And  fo  doth  Abydenus^  men 
tioned  by  £/*/££////,  fL.IX.  Pr<cpar.  Evang.  cap.  12.) 
fpeakof  B/Wx  in  general,  which  being  font  out,  re- 
tnrned  again  to  the  Ship,  finding  no  place  to  reft  in 
but  there  only.  Jofephus  mentions  a  great  many  more, 
not  only  Berofus  theChaldtfanJaut  Hkronynws  JEgyptius 
who  wrote  the  Ancient  Phceniciax  Hiftory,  Mnafeat^Ni- 
cholans  DaMafcentiS)W\th  many  others.  St.Cyril  alfo^L.I. 
againft  Julian,  quotes  a  pal&ge  out  of  Alexander  Po- 
lyhiftor^  wherein  is  part  of  the  Story  5  only  he  calls 
Noah  by  the  Name  of  Jfifuthrof)  (as  Abydenus  calls 

him 


upon  GENESIS.  133 

Him  Seifithrw)  inTthe  Dialeft  of  the  Ajfyrians,  as  fome  Chapter 
conjefture.    And  now  it  appears  that  the  Americans       VL 
have  had. a  Tradition  of  it,    (as  credible  Authors,  L/*V"NJ 
Acofla,  Herrera,  and  others  inform  us  J    which  faith 
The  whole  Race  of  Mankind  was  deftroyed  by  the 
Deluge,   except  fome  few  that  efcaped.     They  are 
the  words  of  Augujtin  Corata,  concerning  the  Peruvi 
an  Tradition.  And  Lupus  Gomara  faith  the  fame  from 
thofe  of  Mexico.     And  if  we  can  believe  Mart.  Mar- 
tinius  his  Hiftory  of  China,  there  is  the  like  among 
the  People  of  that  Country. 

Ver .  1 8.  And  with  thee  I  will  eftablifi  my  Covenant.']  Verfe  1 8. 
I  will  make  good  the  Promife  I  have  made  to  thee,  to 
preferve  thee  and  all  that  are  with  thee  in  the  Ark. 
For  fo  the  word  Covenant  is  fometimes  ufed  :  And  it 
is  reasonable  to  think  Godjmade  him  fuch  a  Promife  } 
which  is  plainly  enoqgh implied  inverfe  8.  Or>  other- 
wife,-  we  muft  unde/ftand  thisof  the  Covenant  about 
the  promifed  Seed/III.  15,  Which  he  faith  he  will  e- 
ftablifh  with  him }  and  confequently  preferve  him 
from  perifhing. 

Thouy  thy  Sons ^  and  thy  Sons  Wives  wltt>thee."]Th\S 
Paflage  (hows  the  Ark  was  not  an  hundred  Years  in 
building,  as  fome  have  imagined :  For  none  of  thefe 
Sons  were  born  aa  hundred  Years  before  the  Flood  5 
and  we  muft  allow  fome  Years  for  their  growth,  till 
they  were  fit  to  take  Wives.  Compare  V.  52.  with 
VII.  6.  And,  if  we  obferve  how  Sem^  though  he  had 
a  Wife  before  the  Flood,  yet  had  no  Children,  ffor 
Arphaxad  his  firft  Child  was  not  born  till  two  Years 
after  the  lood,  XI.  10.)  it  will  incline  us  to  think, 
that  Noah  received  the  Command  for  building  the 
Ark,  not  long  before  the  Flood  catne, 

Ver, 


Chapter        Ver.  19.  Two  of  every  fort. "]  /.  e.  Of  unclean  Beads, 
VI.     as  it  is  explained,  VII.  2. 

<s~\s^*j      They  /hall  be  Male  and  Female.']    To  preferve  the 

Verie  19.  Species.  Luciaa  in  his  Book  of  the  Syrian  Goddefs, 
where  he  defer ibes  the  Flood,  faith,  all  Creatures  went 
into  the  Ark,  &t  ^4J>ea,  by  pairs. 

Verfe  20.       Ver.  20.    Of  bowls  after  their  kind,  &c.]    In  fuch 
Numbers  as   is  diredted  afterward,   VII.  3.    Which 
Teems  to  fonie  to  be  fo  very  great,    there  being  ma 
ny  forts  of  living  Creatures,  that  they  could  not  pof- 
fibly  be  crowded  into  the  Ark  5    together  with  Food 
fufficient  for  them.    But  fuch  Perfons  never  diftindt- 
ly  confidered  fuch  things  asthefe.  Firfl,  That  all  thofe 
which  could  live  in  the  Water,  are  excepted  :    And 
To  can  feveral  Creatures  befides  Fifties.  Secondly  >  That 
of  the  Species  of  Beafts,  including  alfo  Serpents,  there 
are  not  certainly  known  and  defcribed  above  an  hun 
dred  and  fifty,  (as  Mr.  Ray  hath  obferved,)    and  the 
Number  of  Birds  above  five  hundred.     Thirdly,  That 
that  there  are  but  a  few  Species  of  very  vaft  Creatures, 
fuch  as  Elephants,  Horfes,    &c.  And  Fourthly,    That 
Birds  are  generally  of  fofmall  a  bulk,  that  they  take 
up  but  little  room.  And,  Fifthly,  That  if  we  fuppofe 
creeping  Infedls  ought  to  be  included,    they  take  up 
Ms,  though  very  numerous.    And,  Laftly,  That  lefs 
Provifion  would  ferve  them  all,  when  they  were  (hut 
up  clofe,  and  did  not  fpend  themfelves  by  Motion  5 
and  befides,  were  in  a  continual  confufed  Agitation, 
which  paird  their  Appetites.    From  all  which,    and 
rainy  more  Confiderations,    it  is  eafie  to  demonftrate 
there  was  more  than  room  enough,    for  all  forts  of 
Creatures  that  God  commanded  to  be  brought  into 
the  Ark.-  And  for  their  Food,  during  the  time  they 
flayed  in  it.  <* 

Two 


nfon  GENESIS.  135 

Two  of  every  fort  /hall  come  untothee,  Sccf]  In  the  Chapter 
foregoing  Verfe  he  had  faid,  Two  of  every  fort  fi  alt  thou  VI. 
bring  into  the  Ark;  Which  he  might  think  impoflible  5  L^V\i 
for  by  what  means  (hould  he  get  them  all  together  > 
Therefore  hereit  is  explained  in  thefe  wovds9tt>eyjhal/ 
come  unto  thee$  by  the  Care  of  God,  who  made  them 
and  moved  them  to  it.  JR.  Eliefer  (?.  13.  of  his  P/V^e) 
is  commonly  cenfured  for  faying,  The  Angels  that  go 
vern  every  Species  of  Creatures,  brought  them  thither. 
But  (Tetting  afide  the  Opinion  of  Angels  peculiarly 
prefiding  over  every  kind  of  CreatureJ  I  fee  no  in 
congruity  in  affirming  that  God,  by  the  Miniftryof 
his  Angels,  brought  them  to  the  Ark;  But  it  is  rather 
agreeable  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  reprefent  the 
Divine  Majefty,  as  employing  their  Service  in  all  Af 
fairs  here  below. 

Ver.  2 1.  Take  unto  thee  of  all  Food  that  is  eaten,  &G]  Verfe  2  rv 
Either  by  Man  or  Beaft  :Food  fuitable  to  every  Crea 
ture.  Among  which,  though  there  be  many  that 
feed  on  Flefh  $  yet  other  Food,  as  feveral  Hiftories 
teftifie,  will  go  down  with  them,  when  they  are  ac- 
cuftom'd  to  it.  See  Philoftratus,  L.  V.  c  j  5.  Tzetzer 
Chil.  V.  Hift.  9.  Sulpit.  Severn*,  De  Monacha  Thebaid* 
Dial  I.  c.  7. 

Ver.  12.  Thus  did  Noah,  according  to  all  thatGodVzife  22 
commanded  Mm,  &C.3    He  made  the  Ark   of  fuch 
Dimenfions,  and  laid  up  Provifions  for  all  Creatures, 
as  he  was  direded.    This  he  did  when  the  hundred 
and  twenty  Years  drew  towards  an  end.  See  Ver. 


CHAR 


A  COMMENTARY. 


CHAP.     VII. 

Verfe  i.    Ver.  i.f~^0v/e  than  and  all  thy  Honfe  into  the  Ark~j 
\^j  When  the  time  of  God's  Patience  was 
expired,  he  required  him  to  enter  into  the  Ark  which 
he  had  prepared  ^  and  unto  which  -all  ibrtsof  Crea 
tures  were  gathered. 

For  I  havefeen  thee^  Sec.]  I  have  obferved  thee  fin- 
cerely  Obedient,  when  all  the  reft  of  the  World 
were  impious. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Of  every  clean  Beaft,  Sec.]  The  diftindion 
of  Beafts  clean  and  unclean  being  made  by^the  Law 
of  Mofes,  hath  given  fome  a  colour  to  fay  that  he 
wrote  this  Book  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt  and 
received  the  Law  :  Which  made  him  fpeak  in  that 
Style.  But  it  may  be  anfwered  to  this,  That  though 
with  refpeft  to  Mens  Food  the  diftin&ion  of  clean 
and  unclean  Creatures  was  not  before  the  Law  -5  yet 
fome  were  accounted  fit  for  Sacrifice,  and  others  not 
fit,  from  the  beginning.  And  then  clean  Beafts  in 
this  place,  are  fuch  as  are  not  rapacious }  which  were 
not  to  be  offered  unto  God.  In  fhort,  the  rite  of 
Sacrificing  being  before  the  Flood,  this  difference  of 
Beafts  was  alfo  before  it.  The  only  Queftion  is, 
How  Men  came  to  make  this  difference?  Some  ima 
gine,  That  they  confidered  the  Nature  of  Beafts,  and 
by  common  Reafon  determined  that  ravenous  Crea 
tures  were  unfit  for  Sacrifice:  But  it  is  more  likely 
that  they  had  Diredions  from  God  for  this,  as  they 
had  for  Sacrificing.  Which  though  they  be  not  re 
corded,  yet  I  think,  are  rather  to  be  fuppofed,  than 

imagine 


upon  G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  137 

-imagine  Men  were  left  in  fiich  Matters  to  their  own  Chapter 
Difcretion,     Abarbinel  indeed  here  fays,   That  Noah      VII. 
out  of  his  pro  found  Wifdom  difcerned  clean  from  unclean  :  C/"VNJ 
And  if  he  had  ftop'd  here,  and  not  added,    That  he 
difcerned  the  difference,  from  their  Natures^  he  had  faid 
the  truth.  For,  he  being  a  Prophet,  may  be  thought 
to  have  had  Inftruftionsfrom  above  about  fuch  Mat 
ters  ;  though  others,  who  firft  were  taught  to  facrifice 
had  them  before  him. 

By  fevens7\  Seven  couple,  it  is  moft  probable,  that 
they  might  have  fufficient  for  Sacrifice  when  they 
came  out  of  the  Ark  5  and,  if  need  were,  for  Food 
if  other  Provifion  did  not  hold  out.-  At  leaft  for 
Food,  after  the  Flood,  when  God  inlarged  their  for 
mer  Grant,  IX.  3. 

Ver.  4,  For  yet  feven  Days ',  &r/]   So  much  time  he  Verfe  4. 
gave  him  for  the  difpofinghimfelf3and  all  things  elfe 
in  the  Ark. 

Ver.  5.  And  Noah  did  according  unto  all  that  the  Verfe  5. 
LORD  commanded  him.]  He  had  faid  the  fame  be 
fore,  VI.  22.  with  refped  to  the  preparation  of  the 
Ark,  and  provifion  of  Food  .•  And  now  repeats  here 
again  with  refpeft  to  his  entring  into  it  himfelf,  with 
all  other  Creatures.  For  fo  it  follows,  verfe  7,  8,&c. 

Ver.  6.  Noah  was  fix  hundred  years  old,  &c.]  Cur-  Verfe  6. 
rent,  as  we  fpeak,  not  compleat,  as  appears  by  com 
paring  this  with  IX.  28,  29.  where  he  is  faid  to  have 
lived  three  hundred  and  fifty  Years  after  the  Flood, 
and  in  all  nine  hundred  and  fifty.  Whereas  it  (hould 
have  been  nine  hundred  fifty  one,  if  he  had  been  full 
fix  hundred  Years  old  when  the  Flood  began. 

V.  10.    And  H  came  to  pafs  after  feven  Days,  Sec.]  Verfe  ia 
As  he  had  faid,  verfe  4. 

T  Ver. 


138  A  C'ffJttMENTART 

Chapter        Ver.  1 i.  In  thefecond  Month^]  Of  the  Year,  and  of 
VII.      the/x  hundreth  Year  of  Noah's  Life  :   i.  e.  In  Ottober ; 

t^V^VJ  for  anciently  the  Year  began  in  September  :     Which 
•  1  *•  was  changed,  among  the  7/r^e//Ye/,  in  Memory  of  their 
coming  out  of  Egypt,  into  March,  Exod.  XII.  2. 

The  feventeenth  Day  of  the  Month.']     Which  was 
the  beginning  of  our  November. 

All  the  Fountains  of  the  great  deep  were  broken 
up^  Scc,^  Here  are  two  Caufes  affigned  of  the  De 
luge.-  F/V/2,  The  breaking  up  the  Fountains  of  the 
great  Deep;  And,  Secondly^  The  openingthe  Windows 
of  Heaven.  By  the  great  Deep  is  meant,  thofe  Waters 
that  are  contained  in  vaft  quantities,within  the  Bowels 
of  the  Earth.  Which  being  preffed  upward,  by  the 
falling  down  of  the  Earth,  or  fome  other  Caufe  un 
known  to  us,  gufhed  out  violently  at  feveral  parts  of 
the  Earth,  where  they  either  found  or  made  a  vent. 
For  that's  meant  by  breaking  up  the  Fountains  of  the 
great  Deep  :  The  great  holes,  or  rather  gaps  that 
were  made  in  the  Earth  $  at  which  thofe  fubterrane- 
ous  Waters  burft  out.  This  joined  with  the  continual 
Rains  for  forty  Days  together,  might  well  make  fuch 
a  Flood,  as  is  here  defcribed.  For  Rain  came  down 
not  in  ordinary  Showers,  but  in  Floods  5  which  Mo- 
fes  calls  opening  the  Windows^  or  Flood-gates  of  Hea 
ven  .•  And  the  LXX  tranflite  CataraSs.  Which  they 
can  beft  underftand,  who  have  feen  thofe  Fallings  of 
Waters  in  the  Indies,  called  Spouts:  Where  Clouds 
do  not  break  into  Drops,  but  fall  with  a  terrible  Vio 
lence,  in  a  Torrent.  In  (liort,  it  is  evident  from  this 
Hiftory,  that  the  Waters  did  once  cover  the  Earth, 
£we  know  not  how  deep,)  fo  that  nothing  of  the 
Earth  could  be  feen,  till  God  feparated  them,  and 
mi  fed  Come  into  Glouds5  and  made  the  reft  fall  into 

Ghan*- 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S, 

Channels,  which  were  made  for  them,  and  comman-  Chapter 
deddry  Land  to  appear,  Gen.  1.2,7,  10,  Therefore      VII. 
it  is  no  wonder,  if  thefe  Waters  were  raifed  up  again, 
by  Come  means  or  other,  to  cover  the  Earth  as  before  .• 
Efpecially    when  the  Waters  above  the  Firmament, 
came  down  to  join  withthofe  below,  as  they  did  at 
the  beginning. 

This  fome  wife  Heathens  look'd  upon  as  apoilible 
•thing.  For  Seneca  treating  of  that  fatal  Day ,   fas  he 
calls  it,  L.  III.  Nat.  gueft.  c.  27.)    when  the  Deluge 
flail  come,  (for  he  fanfied  it  ftill  Future,)  queftions 
how  h  may  come  to  pafs.  Whether  by  the  force  of 
the  Ocean  overflowing  the  Earth  5  or,  by  perpetual 
Rains  without  intermiffion  }  or,  by  the  fwelling  of 
Rivers,  and  the  opening  of  new  Fountains  $  or,  there 
(hall  not  be  one  Caufe  alone  of  fo  great  a  mifchief  5 
but  all  thefe  things  concur,   uno  agmine  ad  exitiuvi 
human*  generis ,  in  one  Troop  to  the  Deftru&ionof 
Mankind.     Which  laft  Refolution,  he  thinks,  is  the 
Truth,  both  there,  and  in  the  laft  Chapter  of  that 
Book.     Where   he  hath  thefe  remarkable  Words  5 
Where  hath  not  Nature  diffofed  Moifture,    to   attack^  us 
on  all  fides,  when  it  pleafes  ?  Immams  funt  in  abdito 
Sec.     c  There  are  huge  Lakes  which  we  do  not 
fee  5  much  of  the  Sea,  that  lies  hidden  $   many  Ri- 
vers  that  Hide  in  fecret.  So  that  there  may  be  Caufes 
of  a  Deluge  on  all  fides,  when  fome  Waters  flow 
in  under  the  Earth  5    others  flow  round  about  it, 
which  being  long  pent  up  overwhelm  it ,  and  Ri- 
vers  join  with  Rivers,  Pools  with  Pools,  &c.  And 
as  our  Bodies  fometimes  diflblve  into  Sweat,    fo  the 
Earth  (hall  melt,    and  without  the  help  of  other 
Caufes,  (hall  find  in  it  felf,  what  will  drown  it,  &c. 
There  being  on  a  fudden,    every  where,   openly, 

T  2  c  and 


A  COMMENTARY. 

and  fecretly,  from  above,  and  from  beneath,  an  E- 
ruption  of  Waters.  Which  words  are  written  as  if 
he  had  been  direfted  to  make  a  Commentary  upon 
Mofes. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  the  Earn  was  upon  the  Earth  forty 
Days,  &c-3  It  continued  raining  fo  long,  without 
any  intermiffion. 

Verfe  13-  Ver«  1B-  Inthefelf-faweDay^  &c.]  In  that  very 
Day,  when  the  Rain  began,  did  AW;  and  his  Fami 
ly,  &c.  finifh  their  going  into  the  Ark.  Which 
could  not  be  done  in  a  Day  or  two  5  but  required  a 
good  deal  of  time  :  And  now  he  had  compleated 
it  ^  the  very  laft  Creature  being  there  beftowed.  For, 
it  is  likely,  he  put  in  all  other  things  firft  5  and  then 
wentinhimfelf,  with  his  Wife,  and  Children,  ard 
their  Wives  .•  Who  were  no  fooner  entred,  but  the 
Waters  brake  in  upon  the  Earth  from  beneath  ^  and 
came  down  pouring  from  above. 

Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  The  LORD ff^t  him  in."]  Or,  (hut  the 
Door  after  him  :  Clofed  it  fo  faft,  that  the  Waters 
could  not  enter,  though  it  was  not  pitched,  as  the 
reft  of  the  Ark.  How  this  was  done,  we  need  not  en 
quire.  It  is  likely  by  an  Angelical  Power  ;  which, 
I  fuppofed  before,  conduced  the  feveral  Creatures 
into  the  Ark. 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  And  the  Flood  was  forty  Days  upon  the 
Earth, &c."]  After  forty  Days  Rain,  the  Waters  were 
fo  high  5  that  they  bare  up  the  Ark,  fo  that  it  did  not 
touch  the  Earth. 

Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  theWaters prevailed.']  By  more  Rain, 
which  fell  after  the  forty  Days,  the  Inundation  grew 
ftrong  and  mighty,  fas  the  Hebrew  word  fignifies,)  fo 
ftrong,  that  the  Waters  bore  down  Houfes,  and  Trees, 
as  fome  expound  it. 

And 


upon    GENES  IS,  141 

And  were  increafed  greatly  7\     He  faid  before,  verfe  Chapter 
17.    they  were  increafid,   but  now,    that  they  were      Vil. 
greatly  increafed.    Which  muft  be  by  more  Rain  ftill  PVwV^i 
tailing  on  the  Earth  ^  though  not  in  fuch  uninterrup 
ted  Showers,  as  during  the  forty  Days. 

An  d  the  Arkwent  upon  the  face  of  the  \Vaters.~]  Moved 
from  place  to  place,  as  the  Waves  drove  it.  . 

Ver.   19.  And  the  Waters  prevailed  exceeding lyupon  Verfe  IQ 
the  Earth?}  This  is  an  higher  Expreffion  tha^n  before  • 
fignifying  their  rifing  ftill  toa  greater  pitch  by  contir 
nued  Rains. 

All  the  high  Mountains,    that  were  under  the  whole 
Heaven,  were  covered.*]  There  were  thofe  anciently, 
and  they  have    their  Succeffors  now,     who  imagi 
ned  the  Flood   was  not   Univerfal,    aftf-  <& -&.o? . 
TOTS  <Zv$0w7mt.  fioxw,.  but  only  there,    where  Men  then 
dwelt  5   as  the  Author  of  the  Queftions,    Ad  Ortho- 
doxos^  tells  us,  Q  34.  But  they  are  confuted  by  thefe 
Words,  and  by  other  Paflages,  which  fay  all  Flefli 
died.     For  the  Truth  is,  the  World  was  then  fully 
peopled,  as  it  is  now,  and  not  only  inhabited  in  fome 
Parts  of  it,    as  may  be  eafily  demonftrated,   if  Men 
would  but  confider,  That  in  thefpace  of  Onethou- 
fand  fix  hundred  fifty  fix  Years,  when  Men  lived   fo 
long  as  they  then  did,   their  increafe  could  not  but 
be/*  times  more  than  hath  been  in  the  fpace  of  Five 
thoufand  Years  fince  Mens  Lives  are  fliortned,    as  we 
now  fee  them.     Therefore  it  is  a  ftrange  Weaknefs  - 
to  fanfie,   that  only  Pal<eftine^  Syna^  or  Mefopotamia, 
or  fome  fuch  Country,  was  drowned  by  the  Flood  5 
no  more  of  the  Earth  being  then  inhabited  :     For 
thofe  Countries  could  not  have  held  the  fortieth 
part  of  the  Inhabitants,    which  were  produced  be 
tween  the  Creation  and  the  Flood :  no,  all  the  Earth  \ 

was. 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter    was  not  more  than  fufficient  to  contain  them  ^    as 
VII.      many  have  clearly  proved. 

Plato  hys,  there  were  in  his  days,  rfctA«/o/  A<fyoi, 
ancient  Traditions,  which  affirm'd  there  had  been 
fundry  Deftruftions  of  Mankind  by  Floods,  as  well 
as  other  ways  .•  In  which  @&,%u  n  •?$  dvfytiir&v  A&f- 
<7rsK&fle/  yii'dH,  a  fmall  parcel  of  Mankind  were  left. 
And  particularly  he  faith  concerning  Floods,  That 
they  were  ib  great,  that  only  crjLuxegi  ^vm^c.,  fome 
very  little  Sparks  of  Mankind  were  laved,  and  thofe 
upon  the  tops  of  Mountains :  And  the  like  he  faith 
of  Beads,  That^t/j^raum,  very  few  of  them  were 
left,  to  fupport  the  life  of  Mankind.  JL  III.  DeLe- 
gib.  p.  677.  Edit.  Seran.  But  this  appears  to  have 
been  an  imperfeft  Tradition,  the  higher  Mountains 
having  been  covered  with  the  Waters,  as  well  as  the 
Idw  Countries :,  and  that  all  the  Earth  over.  Which 
need  not  feem  ft  range  if  we  confider  what  was  faid 
before  upon  Verfe  u.  And  withal  obferve  that  the 
^Diameter  of  the  Earth  being  feven  thoufand  Miles ^ 
and  consequently  from  the  Superficies  to  the  Cen 
ter,  no  lefs  than  Threethottfandfive  hundred  Miles,  it 
is  not  incredible4  fas  Sir  W*  Raleigh  difcourfes,  L.  I. 
c.-}.§.  6.)  that  there  was  Water  enough  in  the 
'great  Deep,  which  being  forced  up  from  thence, 
might  overflow  the  loitiert  Mountains:  Efpecially, 
when  Water  came  pouring  down  alfo  from  above  fo 
faft,  that  no  Words  can  exprefs  it.  For  there  is  no 
Mountain  above  thirty  Miles  high,  upright5  which 
thirty  Miles  being  found  in  the  Depths  of  the  Earth, 
One  hundred  and/fxtecn  times$  why  fliould  we  think 
it  incredible  that  the  Waters  in  the  Earth  (Three 
thoufandfiw  hundred  Miles  deep)  might  be  well -able 
to  cover  the  fpace  of  thirty  Miles  in  heighth  ?  ft 

would 


upon  G  E  N  E  S  1  S.  14:3 

would  help  Mens  unbelief,  if  they  would  likewife Chapter 
confider  the  vaft  Inundations,  which  are  made  yearly      VIL 
in  Egypt,   only  from  the  Rains  that  fall  in  JEthio-  L/^VXS 
pia:     And  the  like  Overflowings  yearly  in  America, 
of  the  great  River  Orenoqne  ^  whereby   many  Iflands 
and  Plains,     at  other  times  inhabited,      are    laid 
twenty  Foot  under  Water,  between  May  and  Septem 
ber. 

Ver.  20.  Fifteen  Cubits  upwards  did  the  Waters  pre-  Verfe  2O, 
vail,  Sccf)  Mofes  doth  not  here  plainly  fay,  That 
the  Waters  prevailed  j?//ee«  Cubits  above  the  higheft 
Mountains  5-  though  I  do  not  fee,  but  there  might 
be  Water  enough  heaped  up,  by  the  fore-mentioned 
means,  to  cover  them  fo  high  .•  And  the  whole  Vcrfe 
be  thus  interpreted,  The  Waters  prevailed  fifteen  Cu 
bits  upwards^  after  the  Mountains  were  covered.  Other- 
wife,  by  the  high  Hills  in  the  Perfe  before,  we  rauft 
underfland  only  fuch  fingle  Hills,  as  are  in  feveral 
Countries  5  and  by  Mountains  in  this  Verfe ^  thofe 
long  Ridges  of  Hills  (fuch  as  Caucasus  and  Tan* 
rtts,  8cc.)  which  ftretch  themfelves  many  hundreds  • 
of  Miles,  through  a  great  part  of  the  Earth.  See 
VIII.  5, 

Ver.  24.  And  the  Waters  prevailed  upon  the  Earth  Ve'rfe'~  24.' 
an  hundred  andfifty  days.']  Thefe  v/ords  feem  to  me 
to  import.  That  whatfoever  (lion  Jntermiffions  there 
might  be,  yet  the  Rain  continued  an  Hundred  and 
ffty  Days.  Otherwife,  if  is  hard  to  explain  how  the 
Waters  increafed  more  and  more,  as  it  isfaid,  Vtrfi 
17,18,  19.  Befides,  had  the  Rain  ended  as  we  com 
monly  fuppofe,  at  forty  Days  end,  .the  Waters  could 
not  have  prevailed  an  Hundred  and  fify  Days,  but  ' 
would  have  funk  much  before  that  time  5  by  rea- 
fon  of  the  Declivity  of  the  Earth,.  And  yet  they 

wtre  v 


144  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    were  fo  far  from  falling,     that  fas  Mr.  Ray  hath  ob- 
VI  If.      fervedin  his  pious  and  learned  Difcourfe  of  the  Dtffb- 
"      info*  of  the  World  )  the  tops  of  Mountains  were  not 
feen,  till  the  beginning  of  the  tenth  Month  5  that  is, 
till  Two  hundred  andfeventy  Days  were,  pafled. 


CHAR     VIII, 

Verfe  i.  Ver.  i.  A  ND  God  rewembred  Noah,  Sec.]  Took 
/A  CompafEon  upon  him,  and  heard  his 
Prayers,  which  we  may  well  fuppofe  he  made  for 
himfelf,  and  for  all  Creatures  that  were  with  him. 
Thus  the  word  rev/ember  is  ufed,  XIX.  29.  XXX.  22. 
The  Hebrew  Doftors  here  again  take  notice  of  the 
word  Elohim>  f  See  VI.  1 2.)  which  is  the  Name  for 
Judges  5  and  obferve  that  even  God's  Juftice  was  turn 
ed  to  Mercy.  Juftice  it  felf  was  fatisfied,  as  Sol.  Jar- 
chi  expreffes  it. 

And  God  made  a  Wind  topafs  over  the  Earth,  &c.] 
Some  gather  from  hence,  that  during  the  fall  of  the 
Rain,  there  was  no  Storm  or  violent  Wind  at  all  5 
but  the  Rain  fell  down-right.  And  confequently 
the  Ark  was  not  driven  far  from  the  place  where  it 
was  built  .•  It  having  no  Mafts,  or  Sails,  but  moving 
as  a  Hulk  or  Body  of  a  Ship,  without  a  Rudder,  up 
on  a  calm  Sea.  Philo  indeed  (in  his  Book  De  Abra- 
hamo)  gives  a  quite  different  Defcription  of  the  De- 
luge  5  reprefenting  the  inceflant  Showers,  to  have 
been  accompanied  with  dreadful  Thunder  and  Light 
ning,  Storms  and  Tempefts.  But  there  is  not  a  word 
in  this  Story  to  countenance  it. 

This' 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  IS.  145 

This  Wind  it  is  very  probable  was  the  North-wind,  Chapter 
which  is  very  drying,  and  drives  away  Rain,  (Prov.     VII. 
XXV.  130    which    came,    perhaps,    out    of   the  L/"V\J 
South,    as  I  faid  upon  VI.  14.     Thus  Ovid  repre- 
fents  it  in  the  Flood  of  Deucalion ,  where  he  faith 
Jupiter, 

Nffb/la  difjecH,  nimbifqite  Aqttilone  remotify  &C. 

And  the  Waters  ajjwaged."]  This  drying  Wind,  and 
the  Sun,  which  now  began  to  (bine,  with  great  pow>- 
er,  made  the  Waters  fall.  For,  if  the  Second  Month, 
when  the  Flood  began,  was  part  of  our  OSober  and 
November }  then  the  Flood  abated  ("after  an  Hun- 
dred  and  fifty  Days)  in  the  beginning  of  A%,  when 
the  Summer  came  on  apace. 

Yer.  2.  The  Fountains  alfo  of  the  Deep."]     There  Verfe  2. 
was  no  further  irruption  or  boiling  up  of  the  Wa^ 
ter  out  of  the  Bowels  of  the  Earth. 

And  the  Rain  from  Heaven  was  reftrained.~]  So  that 
the  Rains  ceafed  at  the  end  of  an  Hundred  and  fifty 
Days. 

Vef.  3.  And  the  Waters  returned  from  v/  the  Earth  Verfe  3. 
continually.  Sec.]  The  Waters  rolling  to  and  fro  by 
the  Wind,  fell  by  little  and  little  :  And  after  the  end 
of  the  Hundred  and  fifty  Days  began  to  decreafe.  So 
the  Vulgar  Latin  well  tranflates  the  lattei*  end  of  this 
Verfe,  were  abated,  i.  e.  began  fenfibly  to  decreafe. 

Ver.4,  And  the  Ark  reftedin  thefeventh  Month ^8cc.]  Verfe  4. 
Of  the  Year,  not  of  the  Flood. 

Upon  the  Mountains  of  Ararat^]    i.e.    Upon  one  bf: 
the  Mountains,  as  XIX.  19.  God  overthrew  the  Cities .. 
in  which  Lot  dwelt;  i.e.  In  one  of  which  he  dwelt. 
Judg.  XII.  7.  Jephtah  was  buried  in  the  Cities  ofGi~< 

V  leadi 


A   COMMENT  A KT 

Chapter  fc^,  *•  *•  In  one  of  the  Cities.  For  there  was  no 
VII.  one  Mountain  called  by  this  Name  of  Ararat :  But  it 
belonged  to  a  long  Ridge  of  Mountains,  like  the  Atpt 
or  Pyrettdan,  which  are  Names  appertaining,  not  to 
one,  but  to  all.  And  Sir  W.  Raleigh,  I  think,  truly 
judges  that  all  the  long  Ridge  of  Mountains,  which 
run  through  Armenia,  Mefopotamia,  Ajfyria,  Media, 
Snjiana,  8tc.  i.  e.  From  Cilicia  to  Paraponifa,  are  cal 
led  by  Mofes,  Ararat,  as  by  Pliny  they  are  called  Tau 
nt*.  And  that  Author  thinks  the  Ark  fettled  in  fome 
of  the  Eaftern  Parts  of  Taurus,  becaufe  Noah  planted 
himfelf  in  the  Eaft  after  the  Flood,  ("and  it  is  likely 
did  not  travel  far  from  the  place  where  the  Ark 
refted,)  as  appears^  he  thinks,  from  Gen.  XI.2.  where 
we  read  his  Pofterity,  when  they  began  to  fpread, 
went  WeftwardznA  built  Babel.  The  common  Opi 
nion  is,  That  the  Ark  refted  in  fome  of  the  Moun 
tains  of  Armenia,  as  the  Vulgar  Latin  tranflates  the 
word  Ararat  5  i.  e.  faith  §t+Hierom,  upon  the  higheft 
part  of  Taurw.  Bat  Epiphanius  (who  was  before 
him)  faith,  Upon  the  Gordiaan  Mountains  5  and  fo 
Jonathan,  and  Onkelos,  and  the  Nubien/ian  Geographer, 
and  many  others  mentioned  by  Bothartw :  Who  is 
of  this  Opinion,  as  having  the  moft  Authority.  Many 
of  which  fay,  That  fome  Relicks  of  the  Ark  were 
remaining  upon  thofe  Mountains:  Which  (as  Theo* 
doret  obferves  upon  Ifa.  XIV.  i^.J  were  accounted 
the  higheft  in  the  whole  World,  V.  Phaleg.  L.  II.  c.  %. 
and  1.1  V.  c.  38. 

There  were  fuch  Remainders  of  this  Hiftory  among 
the  ancient  Scythians,  that  in  their  difpute  with  theE- 
gyptians  about  their  Antiquity,  they  argue  it  partly 
from  hence  5  that  if  the  Earth  had  ever  been 
drown'd^  their  Country  nmft  needs  be  firft  inhabited 

again, 


upon  GE  N.-EH&  I  S.  147 

again,  becaufe  it  was  firft  clear'd  from  the  Water  $  Chapter 
being  the  higheft  of  all  other  Countries  in  the  World.     VII. 

Thus  their  Argument  runs  in  Jujliny  L.  II.  cap.  i.  ^~\r^ 
where  he  hath  given  us  a  brief  relation  of  \t9  (If  we 
had  Trogvt,  whom  he  Epitomizes,it's  likely  we  (hould 
have  underftood  their  Tradition  more  perfectly,) 
in  this  manner,  If  all  Countries  were  anciently  drown  d 
in  the  Deep,  profe&o  editiffimam  quamque  partem, 
we  muft  needs  grant  the  higheft  parts  of  the  Earth,  were 
jir(l  uncovered  of  the  Waters,  that  ran  down  from  them  ; 
And  tie  fooner  any  part  was  dry,  the  fooner  were  Ani 
mals  there  generated,  Now  Scythia  if  fo  much  raifcd 
above  all  other  Countries,  that  all  the  Rivers  which  rife 
thereyrun  down  into  the  Mc£Qt\S,andfo into  the  Pontick 
And  Egyptian  Sea,  8cc. 

Ver.  5.   And  the  Waters  decreafed  continually  until  Verfe  $» 
the  tenth  Month.]    For  the  Summer's  heat  muft  needs 
very  much  dry  them  up,  when  there  was  no  Rain. 

In  the  tenth  Month  were  the  tops  of  the  Mountains 
feet?."]  This  (hows  the  Mountain  on  which  the  Ark 
refted  was  the  higheft,  at  leaft  in  thofe  Parts :  Becaufe 
it  fettled  there  above  two  Months  before  the  tops  of 
other  Mountains  were  feen.  And,  perhaps,  the  Ark, 
by  its  weight,  might  fettle  there,  while  the  top  of 
that  Mountain  was  covered  with  Water  :  Which, 
it's  poffible,  might  not  appear  much  before  the 
reft. 

Ver.  6.  At  the  end  of  forty  days."]   Forty  Days  after  Verfe  6. 
the  tops  of  the  Mountains  appeared,  i.e.  onthee/e- 
venth  Day  of  the  eleventh  Month  5  which  was  about 
the  end  of  our  July. 

Ver.  7.  Hefentfortha  Raven."]  For  the  fame  End,  Vtrfe  f. 
tio  doub^  that  the  Dove  was  fent  forth  :  To  make 
tlifcovery  whether  the  Earth  were  dry  :  For  if  it 

V  a  were 


148  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    were,    the  fmell  of  the  dqad   QrcafeSj    he  knewy 
VII.      would  allure  it  to  fly  far  from  the  Ark  :  Which  it  did, 
L/"V%J  not,  but,  only  hover'd  about  it,  a.s  it  follows  in  the 
next  Words* 

Went  forth  to  and  fro.']     In  the  Hebrew  more  plain^ 
ly,  going  forth)  and  returning.    That  is,  it  often  went; ; 
from  the  Ark,  and  as  often  returned  to  it.    For  af 
ter  many  flights,  finding  nothing  but,  Water,,  it  ftill ; 
betook  it  felf  ,unto  the  Ark :  either  entring,  into  it> 
or  fitting  upon  it  $  till  at  laft  the  Waters,  being  drW 
ed  up,  it  returned   no  more,    That  is,  Fifty  Days 
after  its  firft  going, forth,  Vetfe  1 3.     All  which  time 
it,  fpent  in  going, out,  and  coming  back.     Bochar* 
indeed  approves  of  the  Greek,  Verfion  5  which  makes 
the  Raven,  not  to  have  returned:  For  which  he  gives 
fome  fpecious  Reafons,  (L.  II.  cap.  12.  P.  IL  Hiero- 
*oic.)  and  hath  fqch  of  the  Hebrews  to  countenance 
him^  as  R.  Elhfer^  who  faith,  (Pirke,cap.  23.)  That 
the  Raven  found  a  Car  cafe  of  a  Man  uf  on  a  Mountain^ 
andfo  would  return  no  mere. 

Butthe  next  words  .(which  in  the  .Greek,  and  He 
brew ^  are  both  alike)  confute  this  Trandation. 

Until  the  Waters  mrt  dried  np  from,  the  Earth ^] 
Which  make  this  plain  and  eafie  Sence,  in  connexion 
with  the  foregoing,  (as  they  run  in  the  Hebrew,} 
that  while  the  Earth  continued  covered  with  Wa 
ter,  the  Raven  often  flew  from  the  Ark,  but  find 
ing  no  convenient  place  to  reft  in,  returned  thither 
again:  Till  the  Ground  was  dry.  Whereas,  accords- 
ing  to  the  Greek  we  muft  fuppofe  the  Raven  to  have 
returned  to  the  Ark,  when  the  Waters  were. dried 
up  from  the  Ground.  Which,  is  very  abfurd  :  For, 
if  it  had  fome  time  fat  upon  a  Carcafe  floating  in 
fcfce  Waters,  before  they  were  dried  up,  or  upon  the 

top 


upon   G-E":N-  E  S  I  £ 

of  fome   Mountain  which   already  appeared :  Chapter 
what.fliould  make  it  return  when  all  the  Waters  were     VII. 
gpne  every  >  where,  and   not  rather  while  they  >  re- L/"V*sJ 
mained  uppn  the  Ground  > 

Ver.  8.  Alfo  he  fent  forth  a  Dovel}  As  a  proper  Crea-  Verfe  8. > 
ture  to  make  further  Difcoveries :  Being  of  a  ftrong 
flight,  laving  to  feed  upon  the  Ground,  and  pickup 
Seeds }  and  conftantly  returning  to  its  reft,  from  the 
remoteft  places.     Thefe  two  Birds,  (the  Raven  and  < 
the  Dove,),  fome  imagine  were  fent  forth  upon  one 
and  the  fame  Day^  or   but  a  Day  between  }  as  Bo- 
charts  conjectures.     But  this  doth  not  agree  with 
Verfe  xo.  where  it  is  faid,  Noah  flayed  yet  other  feven 
Daysi>  and  then    fent  out  the  Dove  again:  Which- 
relates  to   feven  Days  preceding  5    which   feem  to  ^ 
have  pafled  between  the  fending^out^  oi ^  the  Raven 
and  of  the  Dove.,.. 

Ver.  9.  .The  Dove  found  no  r^Scc/]   For,  'though  Verfe  9*.:» 
the  tops  of  the  Mountains  appeared,  yet  they  con 
tinued  muddy,  a&*  fome  conceive  ^  or,  they  were  fo 
far  off,. that  the  Dove  could  noteafily  reach  them.  5 

Ver.  IO.  And  he  ftatdyet  other  feven  days."]  It  ap-  Verle  to. 
pears  by  this,  that  on  thefeventh  Day,  AWAexpefted 
aBleffing  rather  than  on  another  Day  :  It  being  the 
Day  devoted  from  the  beginning  to  Religious  Ser 
vices.  Which  he  having  (it  is  likely)  performed, 
thereupon  fent  out  the  Dove  upon  this  Day,  as  he 
had  done  before,  with  hope  of  good  Tidings. 

Ver.  1 1 .  AnJ,  /0,  in  her  Mouth  was  anOlive- leaf  ',(br  Verfe  2  F&- 
Branch  the  word  fignifies)  pluckt  off\~\  Bochart  thinks 
the  Dove  brought  this  out  of  Affyrla,  which  abounds 
with  Olive-Trees,  and  lay  South  of  Ararat;  the  Wind 
then  blowing  towards  that  Country  from  the  Worth. 
(See  Hierowic*  L>  r.  ,c.  6:.  p.  i.)  where  he  (bows  out 


#  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  of  many  Authors,  that  not  only  Olive-Trees,  bu'tfome 
VTL     other  alfo,  will  live  and  be  green  under  Water.    All 

t/V'VJ  the  difficulty  is,  how  the  Dove  could  break  off  a 
Branch  (as  the  Vulgar  tranflates  it)  from  the  Tree. 
But  it  is  eafily  folved,  if  we  allow,  as  I  have  faid 
before,  that  now  it  was  Summer  time ,  which  brought 
ftew  Shoots  out  of  the  Trees,  that  were  eafily 
cropt. 

bo  he  kpew  the,  Waters  were  abated.']  The  tops  of 
Mountains  were  feen  before,  verfe'$.  but  now  he  un- 
derftood  the  Waters  had  left  the  lower  Grounds. 
Yet  not  fo  left  them  that  the  Dove  would  ftay  ^  the 
Earth  it  is  likely,  remaining  very  chill. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  he  staid  yet  other  feven  days']  See 
'Verfe  10.  The  Obfervation  there,  being  confirmed  by 
what  is  repeated  here. 

Returnedwot  again  to  him  any  tnore7\  There  want 
ing  neither  Fbod,  nor  a  Neft  wherein  to  repofe  it  felf* 
By  which  Noah  underftood,  the  Earth  was  not  only 
dry,  and  fit  to  be  inhabited :  But  that  it  was  not 
quite  fpoiled  by  the  Flood,  but  would  afford  Food 
for  all  Creatures. 

Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  Noah  removed  the  covering  of  the  ArkJ] 
Some  of  the  Boards  on  the  top.  For  he  could  fee 
further  by  looking  out  there,  than  if  he  look'd  out 
at  the  Door,  or  the  Window,  which  gave  him  a  pro- 
fpeft  but  one  way. 

The  face  of  the  Ground  was  dry?]  Quite  freed  from 
Water,  but  yet  fo  foft  and  muddy,  that  it  was  not 
fit  to  be  inhabited  :  As  appears  by  his  flaying  (till,  al- 
moft  two  Months  more,  before  he  thought  fit  to  go 
out.  So  the  following  Verfe  tells  us. 

Verfe  14.     Ver.  14.  In  thefecond  Month,  See]  Iftheir  Months 
werefuch  as.  ours,  twelve  of  which  make  Three  hun 
dred 


GENESIS 

dred  fixty  five  Days,  then  Noah  ftaid  in  the  Ark  a  Chapter 
whole  Year  and  ten  Days,  as  appears  by  comparing      VII. 
this  Ferfe  with  VII.   n.     But  if  they    were  Lunar 
Months,  which  is  mod  probable,  then  he  was  in  the 
Ark  juft  one  of  our  Years:  Going  out  on  the  Jhree 
hundred  and  Jixty  fifth  Day  after  his  entrance  into  it. 

Wa*  the  Earth  dried.]  Perfedly  dried,  fo  that  no 
moifture  remained  3  and  Grafs,it  is  likely,was  fprung 
up  for  the  Cattle. 

It  need  not  feem  a  wonder,  that  Mofes  gives  fo 
punctual  and  particular  an  Account  of  this  whole 
matter,  and  of  all  that  follows }  for  he  lived  within 
Eight  hundred  Years  of  the  Flood  :  And  therefore 
might  very  well  know  what  had  been  done  within 
that  Period,  and  eafily  tell  how  the  World  was  peo 
pled  by  the  Pofterity  of  Noah.  Which  could  not 
but  be  frefh  in  memory,  when  Men  lived  fo  long  5 
that  not  much  above  three  Generations  had  paffed> 
from  the  Flood  to  Mofes.  For  &hem,  who  faw  the 
Flood  was  contemporary  with  Abraham^  as  he  was 
with  Jacob,  whofe  great  Grand-child  was  the  Fa 
ther  of  Mfffef. 

Ver.  1 6   Go  forth  out  of  the  Ark^\    Though  he  faw  Verfe 
the  Earth  was  fit  to  be  inhabited  -y  yet  he  waited  for 
God's  Order  to  go  out  of  the  Ark,  as  he  had  it  for  his 
entring  into  it. 

Thou  and  thyWife^&c^  I  do  not  think  the  Obferva- 
tion  of  fome  of  the  Jews  is  abfurd}  who  by  comparing 
thisFerfe  with  VII.  15.  make  this  Collection  :  That 
while  they  were  in  the  Ark,  the  Men  did  not  coha 
bit  with  their  Wives  5  it  being  a  time  of  great  Af- 
fliftion :  And  therefore  they  kept  afunder  in  fepa- 
rate  Apartments.  So  R.  Elteferin  his  P/r£e,  Cap.  XXII!. 
where  JR.  Levitas  thus  gathers  it :  When  they  went 

mto 


r^2  A  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    into  the  Ark  it  is  faid,  VIL-ij.  Noah  and  his  Sons  en- 
VII.     *red,  and  then  Noah's  Wife,  and  /;#  SW  Wives  :  Be- 
ty'WJ  hold,  faith  he,  here  the  Men  are  put  together,  arid 
the  Women  together.     But  when  they  come  out  it 
is  here  faid,  Go  forth  ^thott  and  thy  Wife^  <ind  thy  Sons, 
and  thy  Sons  Wives,  with  thce  5  lo,  here  they  are  cou 
pled  together,  as  before  they  were  feparated.     And 
io  we  find  them  again,  verfe  1 8.  where  it  is  faid, -Noah 
went  forth  and  his  Wife,  &C. 

:  Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  Bring  forth  every  living  Creature,  &c.  that 
they  way  breed,  Sec.]  One  would  think,  by  this,  that 
no  Creature  bred  in  the  Ark,  no  more  than  Men: 
But  now  are  Cent  forth  to  breed  and  multiply  in  the 
Earth. 

Verfe  20.      Ver"  2a  ^n^  Noah ttj? ban  Altar  to  the  LO  RDJ] 

*  We  never  read  of  any  built  before  this  time :  Though 

we  may  reafonably  conclude  there  was  an  Altar  upon 

which  Ctijr-and  Abel  offered  3  in  the  place  appointed 

for  Divine  Woi  (hip. 

Offered  Burnt-offerings^  He  reflores  the  ancient 
Rite  of  Divine  Service  }  which  his  Sons  and  their 
Pdfterity  followed.  Some  think  thefe  Burnt-Offer 
ings  had  fomething  in  them  of  the  Nature  of  a  Pro 
pitiatory  Sacrifice,  as  well  as  Euchartftical,  which 
they  certainly  were  for  their  Deliverance  from 
the  Flood.  Their  Reafon  is  taken  from  what  fol 
lows. 

Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  The  LORD  fuelled  a  faeet  favour.*] 
That  is,  as  Munfter  underftands  it, -he  ceafed  from 
his  Anger  and  was  appeafed.  So  the  5yr/^4alfo, 
and  Jofeph**,  I .  I.  Antiq.  c.  4.  But  it  may  fignifie  no 
more,  but  that  his  Thankfulnefs  was  as  grateful  to 
God,  as  fweet  Odors  are  to  us. 

And 


upon  GENESIS. 

And  the  LORD  f aid  in  his  heart.~]     He  determi-  Chapter 
ned,  or  refolved  in  himfelf.   The  W^r  underftands     VIII. 
this,  as  if  the  L  o  &  D  fpake  comfortably  to  Noah^  ^xv*.-* 
(which  in  the  Hebrew  Phrafe  is,Jpealtfxg  to  ones  heart) 
aud  faid, 

/  will  not  again  Curfe  the  Ground  any  more.']  i.  e.  Af 
ter  this  manner,  with  a  Deluge. 

For  the  imagination  of  Mans  heart  is  evil  from  his 
youth.']  Such  a  proclivity  there  is  in  Men  to  evil, 
that  if  I  (hould  fcourge  theai  thus,  as  often  as  they 
deferve,  there  would  be  no  end  of  Deluges.  But 
the  Words  may  have  a  quite  different  fence,  being 
conneded  with  what  went  before  in  this  manner  $  I 
will  not  curfethe  Ground  any  more  for  Mans  fake  5  tho 
he  befo  very  evilly  difpofeJ^  &c. 

Thofe  Words,  from  hit  Touth^  fignify  a  long  radi 
cated  corruption,  as  appears  from  many  places,  Ifa. 
XLVIL  12, 15.  Jeretn.  III.  25.  Ezel^.  XXIII.  8, &c. 
Sol.  Jarchi  extends  it  fo  far  as  to  fignifie,  from  his  Mo 
thers  Womb. 

Ver.  22.  While  the  Earth  remaineth.~\     While  MenVerfe  22* 
(hall  inhabit  the  Earth. 

Seed-time  and  Harveft,  &c.]  There  (hall  not  be 
fuch  a  Year  as  this  laft  has  been  :  In  which  there 
was  neither  Sowing  nor  Reaping  5  nor  any  diftinfti- 
ons  of  Seafons,  till  the  Rain  was  done. 

Day  and  Night  flmU  not  ceafe."]  One  would  think 
by  this  Expreffion,  that  the  Day  did  not  much  differ 
from  Night  5  while  the  Heavens  were  covered  with 
thick  Clouds,  which  fell  in  difmal  Floods  of  Rain. 


CHAP, 


A    COMMENTARY 


CHAP.     IX. 

Verfe  I.  Ver.  i.  A  ND  God  blefed  Noah  and  Im  Sons,  See.] 
JL\,  The  Divine  Majefty  appeared  now  to 
Noah  and  his  Sons  3  to  aflure  them  of  his  Favour  and 
Protection  $  and  to  renew  the  Bleffing  beftowed  up 
on  Adam  fas  after  a  new  Creation^  faying,  Increafe 
and  Multiply. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  The  fear  of  you^  Sccf]  He  feems  alfo  to 
confirm  to  them,  the  Dominion  which  God  gave  to 
Adaw^  at  firft,  over  all  Creatures,  I.  26. 

Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  Every  moving  thing  that  liveth  [hall  be  meat 
for  you,  &C.1]  Here  the  firft  Grant  made  to  Mankind 
concerning  Food,  is  enlarged,  as  St.  Baftl  obferves,  « 
ttrp&TH  vojuuoSsna,  7$  %&p7c£v  *&zv\ou>viv  0iujs%clpai^  The 
firft  Legislation  granted  to  them  the  ufe  ot  Fruits  5  but 
now  of  all  living  Creatures  $  which  they  are  as  free 
ly  permitted  to  eat  of,  as  formerly  of  all  the  Fruits 
of  the  Garden.  For  God  feeing  Men  to  be  apa^&i$, 
contumacious,  as  Greg.  NyJJl  exprefles  it  (Tom.l.p.i  57.) 
%3n  Trdrr&v  r  ~$m\ct,vnv  ffu^^^ip^^Q  conceded  to  them 
the  enjoyment  of  all  things.  This  is  the  general  fence 
of  the  Jews,  and  of  the  Chr'ifttan  Fathers ^  and  of  the 
firft  Reformers  of  Religion.  They  that  would  have 
this  only  a  renewal  of  fuch  an  old  Charter,  are  of  la 
ter  ftanding  5  and  can  (hew  us  no  Charter,  but  are  led 
by  fome  reafonings  of  their  own,  not  by  the  Scrip 
ture  :  Unlefs  we  will  admit  fuch  a  Criticifm  upon 
Gen.  L  3$..as  feems  to  me  very  forced.  And  they 
would  have  this  alfo  underftood  only  of  clean  Crea 
tures  :  But  I  do  not  find  any  Ground  for  the  diftin- 

ftion 


upon  GENESIS.  155 

ftionof  Clean  and   Unclean  Creatures,  withrefpeft  Chapter 
to  Food,  but  only  to  Sacrifice,  as  was  faid  before.  IX. 

The  reafon  why  God  now  granted  the  liberty  to  ^v~^ 
eat  ¥hfh,Abarb/nel thinks  was,  becaufe  otherwife  there 
would  not  have  been  Food  enough  for  Noah  and  his 
Sons:  The  Fruits  of  the  Earth,  which  before  were  a- 
bundant,  being  all  deftroyed  5  fo  that  for  the  prefent 
there  was  not  fufficient  for  their  Suftenance.  Others 
think  the  reafon  of  it  was,  becaufe  the  Fruits  of  the 
Earth,  were  not  now  fo  nutritive  as  they  had  been, 
before  the  Salt-water  of  the  Sea  very  much  fpoiled 
the  Soil. 

Ver.  4.  Butflefh  with  the  life  thereof y  &c.]  Here  is  Verfe  4. 
one  Exception  to  the  foregoing  large  Grant,  that  the 
Blood  of  Beafts  (hould  not  be  eaten :  Juft  as  at  the 
firft,  one  Fruit  in  the  midft  of  the  Garden  was  ex- 
cepted,  when  all  the  reft  were  allowed.  The  He 
brew  Do&ors  generally  underftand  this  to  be  a  pro 
hibition  to  cut  off  any  Limb  of  a  living  Creature, 
and  to  eat  it  while  the  Life,  that  is,  the  Blood  was 
in  it :  Dum  adhuc  vivit^  &  palpitat,  fen  tremit^  as  a 
Modern  Interpreter  truly  reprefents  their  fence. 
Which  is  followed  by  many  Ghriftians.  See  Mercer, 
Mnfculuf^  efpecially  Mr.  Selden,  L.  VII.  c.  i.  de  Jure 
N.&G.  who  think,  y&Maimomdes  doth,  that  there 
were  fome  People  in  the  old  World  fo  fierce  and 
barbarous,  that  they  eat  raw  Fleth,  while  it  was  yet 
warm  from  the  Beaft  out  of  whofe  Body  it  was  cut : 
And  he  makes  this  to  have  been  a  part  of  their  Ido 
latrous  WorQiip.  (See  More tfevochi^Parslll.  £.48. ) 
But,  fuppofing  this  to  be  true,  there  were  fo  few  of 
thefe  People,  we  may  well  think,  (for  he  himfelf 
faith,  it  was  the  Cuftoru  of  the  Gentile  Rings  to  do 
thus)  that  there  needed  not  to  have  been  a  Precept 

X  2  given 


A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter   given  to  all  Mankind,  to  avoid  that,  unto  which 
IX.      Humane  Nature  is  of  it  felf  averfe. 

*x-V^-*  St.  Chryfoflow  therefore  expounds  this,of  not  eating 
things  ftrangled :  And  L.  de  Dim  of  not  eating  that 
which  died  of  it  felf :  For  Nepheft  in  Scripture  fignifies 
fometime  a  dead  Carcafe.  But  it  is  manifeft,  it  was 
not  unlawful  for  all  People  to  eat  fuch  things  ^  for 
God  himielf  orders  the  Ifraelites,  to  give  that  which 
died  of  it  felf  to  a  Stranger,  or  to  fell  it  to  an  Ali 
en,  Dart.  XIV.  21.  And  therefore  the  fimpleft  fence 
feems  to  be,  that  they  fhould  not  eat  the  Blood  of 
any  Creature:  Which  was  a  pofitive  Precept,  like 
that  of  not  eatingof  the  Tree  of  Knowledge  of  Good 
and  Evil.  And  the  reafcn  of  it,  perhaps,  was,  that 
God  intending  in  after-times  to  referve  the  Blood, 
for  the  Expiation  of  Sin,  required  this  early  abfti- 
nence  from  it,  that  they  might  be  the  better  prepared 
to  fubmit  to  that  Law,  and  underftand  the  reafon  of 
it :  Which  was,  that  it  was  the  Life  of  the  Beaft,  which 
God  accepted  in  (lead  of  their  Life,,  when  they  had 
forfeited  it  by  their  Sins; 

And  there  is  another  plain  Reafon  given  of  this 
Prohibition,  immediately  after  it  $  that  they  might 
be  the  more  fearful  of  fhedding  the  Blood  one  of 
another  $  when  it  was  not  lawful  fq  much  as.  to  tafte 
the  Blood  of  a  Beaft. 

Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  Andfurely.~]  Or  rather,  for  furely,  as  the 
LXX.  the  Vulgar  Latin^  and  a  great  number  of  learn 
ed  Men,  expound  the  Particle  Van  as  a  Caufal^  not 
as  a  Copulative  in  this  place.  So  that  the  fence  is  this  : 
Therefore  I  command  you  to  abftairr  from  the  Blood 
of  living  Creatures,  that  you  may  be  the  farther  off 
from  fhedding  the  Blood  of  Men.  For  that  is  fo  pre 
cious  in  my  account,  that  I  will  take  care  he  be  fe- 

verely 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  &  157 

verely  punifhed,  by  whom  it  is  (bed  5  yea,  the  very  Chapter 
Bead  (hall  dye  that  kills  a  Man.     So  it  follows,  IX. 

At  the  hand  of  every  Beaft  mil  1  require  it.~]  Not  as 
if  Beads  were  to  blame,  if  they  killed  a  Man  $  ("for 
they  are  capable  neither  of  Vice  nor  VemieJ  but 
this  was  ordained  with  refpeft  to  Men,  for  whofe.ufe 
Beads  were  created.  For,  Firft,  fuch  Owners  as  were 
not  careful  to  prevent  fuch  Mifchiefs  were  hereby  pu 
mped :  And,  &econdiyy  others  were  ad monifhed  by 
their  example  to  be  cautious:  And,  Thirdly,  God 
hereby  inftrufted  them  that  Murder  was  a  molt  grie 
vous  Crime,  whofe  Pianifhment  extended  even  to 
Beafts.  And  Laffljr,  the  Lives  of-  Men  were  hereby 
much  fecured,  by  the  killing  fuch  Beafts,  as  might 
otherways  have  done  the  like  Mifchief  hereafter.  See 
Bochart  ift  his  Hierozoic.  P.  I.  L,  I.  c.  40. 

At  the  hands  of  every  Mans  brother^  Sec.]  And 
therefore  much  more  will!  require  it  at  the  Hand  of 
every  Man.  Whom  he  calls  Brother,  to  (how  that 
Murder  is  the  more  heinous  upoa  this  account  5  be- 
caufe  we  are  all  Brethren.  Or  the  meaning  may  be^ 
(as  fome  will  have  it}'  that  though  he  be  as  nearly  re 
lated  as  a  Brother,  he  (hall  not  go  unpuniChed. 

Ver. 6.  Whofo  (beds  Mans  blood."]     He  repeats  it  o-  Verfe 
ver  again,  to  enaft  this  Law  moreftrongly.  Or,  as  the 
Hebrews  underftand  it,  he  fpake  before  of  the  puni(h- 
ment  he  would  inflift  himfelf  upon  the  Murderer  5 
and  now  of  the  care  we  fhoutd  take  to  punifh  it. 

By  Man/hall  his  blood  be  fhed~]  That  is,  by  the 
Magiftrate  or  Judges.  For  God  had  kept  the  pa- 
nifhment  of  Murder  in  his  own  Hand  till,  now  5 
as  we  may  gather  from  the  ftory  of  Cam,  whom  he  ba- 
nifhed,  butfufFered  no  Body  to  kill  him.  Btit  here 
gives  authority  to  Judges  to  call  every  Body  to  an 

account . 


A  COMME^TART 

Chapter  Account  for  it,  and  put  them  to  death.    They  that 
IX.     would  fee  more  of  the  Senfe  of  the  Jews  about  thefe 

t/*WJ anc*  ^e  foregoing  words,  may  read  Mr.  Selden  de 
Jure  N.  &  G.  L.  I.  cap.  5.  and  L.  IV.  cap.  i.  and  de 
Synedrifc)  L.I.  cap.  5. 

I  will  only  add,  That  they  rightly  conclude,  that 
as  Courts  of  Judicature  were  hereby  authorized  ;  fo 
what  was  thus  ordained  againft  Murder,  by  a  parity 
of  Reafon,  was  to  be  executed  upon  other  great  Of 
fenders  3  there  being  fome  things  which  are  no  lefs 
dear  to  us  than  Life  $  as  Virginal  Chaftity,  and  Ma 
trimonial  Fidelity,  &c. 

Form  the  Image  of  God  made  he  Man."]  Not  with- 
ftanding  the  Sin  of  Man,  there  remained  fo  much  of 
the  Image  of  God  in  him,  as  intitled  him  to  his  pe 
culiar  prote&ipn. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  ye,  be  ye  fruitful,  8tc.]  You  need  not 
doubt  therefore  of  the  bleffing  I  now  beftowed  upon 
you,  (Verfe  i .)  for  you  fee  what  care  I  take  of  the 
prefervation,  as  well  as  the  propagation  of  Mankind. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Irvill  eftablifo  my  Covenant  with  you.'}  Be- 
caufe  Beafts  cannot  Covenant,  moft  understand  by 
that  Word  fimply  a  Promife  $  as  Jer.  XXXIII.  25. 
But  there  is  no  need  of  this  Explication  5  the  Cove 
nant  being  made  direftly  with  Noah^  including  all  o- 
ther  Creatures,  who  were  to  have  the  benefit  of  it. 

Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  From  all  that  go  out  of  the  Ark^  to  every 
Beaft  of  the  Earthr\  That  is,  it  (hall  extend  not  only 
to  thofe  which  now  go  out  of  the  Ark ,  but  to  all 
their  breed  in  future  Ages. 

Verfe  n.  Ver.  n.  And  I  will  effablifl}  my  Covenant  with  you^ 
&c/]  Doubt  not  of  it$  for  I  tell  you  again,  I  will 
faithfully  keep  this  folemn  promife. 

Any 


upon    GENESIS. 

Any  more  be  a  Flood  to  deflroy  the  Earth.]    That  is,  Chapter 
the  whole  Earth}  for  particular  Inundations  there      IX. 
have  been  often,  w-v^ 

Ver.  12.  And  the   LORD  faid,  This  is  the  Token  Verfe  12. 
of  the  Coven  ant, &£.~]     I  do  not  only  give  you  my 
Word  5  but  a  Token  or  Sign  that  I  will  keep  it. 

Ver.  13.  Idofetmy  Row  m  the  Clouds,  &c.°]  Moft  Verfe  1 3, 
think  this  doth  not  fignifie  there  never  had  been  a 
Rain-bow  before  the  Flood  $  for  fince  there  was  both 
Sun  and  Clouds,  it  is  likely,  they  fay,  there  was  a 
Rain-bow  alfo :  Only  now  it  was  appointed  for  a  Srgn^ 
which  it  was  not  before.  But  as  this  Opinion  hath 
nothing  in  Scripture  to  enforce  it,  fo  grounds  in  Na 
ture  there  are  none  to  warrant  it  3  unlefs  we  will  af- 
fertthis  manifeft  untruth,  That  every  difpofition  of 
the  Air,  or  every  Cloud  is  fitly  difpofed  to  produce 
a  Rain-bow.  They  are  the  words  of  that  great  Di 
vine,  Dr.  'jackson^  (Book  I.  upon  the  Creed,  c.  16.) 
who  adds,  That  if  other  Natural  Caufes,  with  their 
Motions  and  Difpofitions  depend  upon  the  final  ("as 
Scripture  Philofophy  teaches  us)  they  who  acknow 
ledge  the  Scripture,  have  no  reafon  to  think  that  either 
the  Clouds  or  the  Air  had  that  peculiar  difpofition  be 
fore  the  Flood,  which  is  required  to  the  produ&ion 
of  the  Rain-bow :  When  this  wonderful  Effeft  had  no 
fuch  ufe  or  end,  as  it  hath  had  ever  fince.  For 
it  was  appointed  by  God,  to  be  a  Witnefs  of  his  Co 
venant  with  the  new  World  ^  a  Meflenger  to  fecure 
Mankind  from  Deftrudion  by  Deluges.  Now  if  it 
had  appeared  before  the  Flood,  the  fight  of  it  after 
the  Flood  would  have  been  but  a  poor  comfort  to 
Noah  and  his  timorous  Pofterity :  Whofe  Fear  leaft 
the  like  Inundation  might  happen  again,  was  greater 
than  could  be  taken  away  by  a  common  or  ufual 

Sign, 


,60  A   COMMENT  A &r 

Chapter  Sign.     The  ancient  Poets  had  a  better  Philofophy 
IX.     (though  they  knew  not  the  original  of  it)  when  they 

.L/VNJ  feigned  Im  to  be  the  Daughter,  or  (as  we  would 
now  fpeak)  the  Mother  of  Wonderment,  (Qavjuutvl©^ 
ixyovw]  theMeflenger  of  the  great  God  Jupiter,  and  his 
Goddekjttno:  whom  Hvmer  fas  he  obfervesj  repre- 
fents  as  fent  with  a  peremptory  command  to  Neptune 
not  to  aid  the  Grecians  5  by  the  fwelling  we  may  fup- 
pofe,  of  Waters,  which  much  annoyed  the  Trojans. 

My  Bow.']  It  is  called  His,  not  only  becaufe  he  is 
the  Author  of  all  things,  which  have  Natural  Cau- 
fes,  as  there  are  of  this  :  But  becaufe  He  appointed  it 
to  a  fpecial  end  $  as  a  fignification  and  an  afTurance  of 
his  Mercy  to  Mankind. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  When  I  bring  a  Cloud  over  the  Earth.'] 
i.  e.  When  there  are  great  figns  of  the  Rain,  which 
come  out  of  the  Clouds. 

That  the  Bow  {hall  be  feen  in  the  Cloud."]  Not  always 
but  at  certain  times ;  often  enough  to  put  Men  in 
mind  of  this  promife,  and  ftir  up  their  belief  of  it. 
For  it  doth  as  it  were  fay,  I  will  not  drown  the  Earth 
again,  though  the  Clouds  have  thickned  as  if  they 
threatned  it.  Common  Philofophy  teaches  us,  that 
the  Rain-bow  is  a  natural  fign  there  will  not  be  much 
Rain  after  it  appears  $  but  that  the  Clouds  begin 
to  difperfe.  For  it  is  never  made  in  a  thick  Cloud, 
but  in  a  thin :  So  that  if  it  appear  after  Showers, 
which  come  from  thick  Clouds,  it  is  a  Token  that 
now  they  grow  thin.  But  the  God  of  Nature 
chofe  this  to  be  a  fign,  that  he  would  never  let 
them  thicken  again  to  fuch  a  degree  to  bring  a 
Deluge  upon  the  Earth.  And  indeed  the  admira 
ble  Form  or  Compofition  of  thisgloriow  Circle  (as  the 
Son  of  Syrtcb  calls  it,  Eccluf.  XLIII.  I2.J  bent  by  the 

Hands 


upon    GENES  IS-  161 

Hands  of  the  moft  High,  doth  naturally  excite  one  to  Chaptef 
look  beyond  the  material  and  efficient  caufe  of  it,  un-       IX. 
to  the  final  (as  the  fore-named  Author  fpeaks.)  And  U^VNJ 
now  that  we  have  Mofes  his  Commentary  upon  it, 
we  may  fee  in  the  mixt  Colours  of  the  Rain-bow, 
thefe  two  things  }   the  Deftruftion  of  the  old  World  by 
Water,  and  ti\z  future  Consumption  of  theprefent  World* 
by  Fire  5  whofe  flaming  Brightnefs  is  predominant  in 
the  waterifh  Humour* 

Ver.  15.  And  J  will  remember  my  Covenant ,   See."]  Verfe  15. 
Look  upon  it  as  a  Token  of  my  Faithfulnefs  to  my 
Word. 

Ver.  1 6.    I  mil  look^upon.  it,    that  I  may  remem-y&k  16. 
ber,  &c.^    This  is  fpoken  after  the  manner  of  Men  $ 
the  more  to  confirm  their  belief,  that  God  would  not 
go  back  with  his  Word. 

Ver.  17.  AndGodfaid,  This  is  the  Token,  8cc.]  As  Verfe  17. 
the  Promife  is  repeated  twice,    to  exprefs  its  certain 
ty,  ver.  9,  1 1.  So  is  the  Token  of  it  as  oft  repeated,  for 
the  famereafon,  ver.  12.  and  here  ver.  17. 

Ver.  1 8.  And  the  Sons  of  Noah,  &c.]  They  are  here  Verfe  18. 
again  named,  with  refpeft  to  what  follows :  But  not 
in  their  order,  as  (hall  be  proved  in  its  proper  place, 
(X.  2i.J  for  Japhet  was  the  Eldeft. 

And  Ham  Is  the  Father  of  Canaan."]  This  Son  of  Ham 
is  here  all  alone  mentioned,  becaufe  he  was  concerned 
in  the  following  wicked  Fad  of  his  Father  :  And  his 
Pofterity  were  thofe  wicked  People  whofe  Country 
God  gave  to  the  Ifraelites. 

Ver.  19.  And  of  them  was  the   whole  Earth  over-  Verfe  19- 
fpreadJ]    By  this  it  appears,   that  though  Noah  lived 
above  three  hundred  years  after  he  came  out  of  the 
Ark,  yet  begat  no  more  Children  5    or  if  he  did, 
none  of  them  lived  to  have  any  Pofterity 

Y  Ver. 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  Ver.  30.  Began  to  be  an  Husband-man^]  To  im 
prove  the  Art  of  Husbandry  5  which  wasunderftood 

LX"yXJ  before,  but  he  much  advanced  it  :  There  being 
20-  nothing  in  old  time,  which  the  greateft  Men 
thought  more  worthy  their  ftudy  ^  as  we  fee  by  the 
Romans  themfelves,  'till  they  were  corrupted  by  the 
Luxury  which  their  Conquefts  brought  in  among 
them. 

And  he  planted  a  Vineyard.']  There  were  Vines  here 
and  there  before  the  Flood  $  but  Noah  feems  to  have 
been  the  firft  that  made  a  Vineyard,  and  put  them  in 
order.  And  the  firft,  perhaps,  that  invented  Wine- 
Prejfis^  toprefsout  the  Juice  of  the  Grapes,  and  make 
Wine.  If  he  was  not  the  Inventer  of  thefe  two, 
(planting of  Vineyards^  and  making  Wine}  yet  we  may 
well  allow  him  to  be  the  Improver  of  them,  as  he  was 
of  Husbandry. 

Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  And  he  drank  of  the  Wine,  and  was  drun 
ken^  Being  unacquainted  with  tfoe  ftrength  of  the 
Liquor,  ("as  feveral  of  the  Fathers,  as  well  as  of  the 
Jewifh  Doftors,  think)  or  elfe  being  old  and  unable 
to  bear  its  ftrength  .•  As  Eptymwus  underftands  'it. 
See  Haref.  LXIII.  n.  3.  For  it  is  manifeft,  from  what 
follows,  that  this  hapned  a  great  while  after  the 
Flood  ^  Ham  having  a  Son  5  nay  more  than  one,  for 
Canaan  was  not  his  firft-born. 

And  he  was  uncovered  in  his  Tent^]  The  heat  of  the 
Weather,  or  of  the  Wine,  perhaps,  made  him  throw 
off  the  Clothes:  Or  he  was  negligent  being  not  him- 
felf. 

Verfe  22,  Ver.  ax.  And  Ham  the  Father  of  Canaan^  Sec."]  There 
are  fome  Circumftances,  which  follow,  that  make 
the  Opinion  of  the  Hebrew  Doftors  not  improbable  $ 
that  Canaan  firft  faw  Noah  in  this  indecent  pofture 

and 


upon    GENESIS,  1*3 

and  made  fport  with  it  to  his  Father  .•   Who  was  fo  Chapter 
far  from  reproving  him,    as  he  ought  to  have  done,       IX. 
that  he  alfo  did  the  fame.  L/~V\J 

And  told  his  two  Brethren  without."]  In  the  Street, 
publickly  before  the  People,he  proclaimed  his  Father  s 
iliame,  and  mock'd  at  it.  For  it  is  hard  to  think 
that  God  curfed  him  meerly  for  his  Irreverence,  but 
there  was  fomething  of  Derifion  joined  with  it,  and 
perhaps  of  Prophanenefs  and  Irreligion  :in  laughing 
(we  may  conceive)  at  the  promife  of  the  Meffiah, 
which,  it  is  likely,  he  heard  his  Fatheroften  fpeak  of$ 
but  now  thought  him  incapable  to  beget.  For  Ham 
is  generally  thought  to  have  been  an  impious  Man  ^ 
and  Come  take  him  to  have  been  the  firft  Inventer  of 
Idols  after  the  Flood  5  nay,  of  Magick,  which  he 
learnt  of  the  wicked  Cafaites  before  the  Flood.  Thus 
Gafpar  Schottus,  L.  I.  de  Magra,  cap.  3.  frolegom. 
Where  he  endeavours  to  (how  he  was  the  fame  with 
him  whom  the  Per/tans  call  Zoroafter. 

Ver.  23.  And  Shemand'jafhet  took^  a,  Garment,  &c.]  Verfe  23- 
A  great  Argument  of  their  Piety,  and  dutiful  Affedti- 
on  to  their  Father  5  which  God  therefore  greatly  re 
warded. 

Ver.  24.  And  knew  what  his  younger  Son  had  done."]  Verfe  24* 
Finding  himfelf  covered  with  Clothes  that  were  not 
his  own,  he  enquired,  it  is  likely,  how  it  came  about  „• 
And  was  informed  how  he  had  been  abufed  by  one  of 
his  Sons,  and  honoured  by  the  other. 

His  younger  Son.']  Some  make  this  an  Argument 
that  Canaan  was  the  firft  made  himfelf  merry  with 
his  Grandfather  .-  And  is  here  called  his  younger  or 
tittle  Son,  (nothing  being  more  common  than  to  call 
thofe  theSons  of  another,  who  were  his  Grand-Chil 
dren,  as  Coufin-Germans  are  called  Brothers)  for  Har,t 

Y  2  was 


^   COMMENTS  RT 

Chapter  was  neither  little^  nor  hisjw/ffger  Son  ,•  but  the  middle* 
moft,  as  he  is  always  placed.  Nor  doth  it  feem  at 
'w'VNj  ail  pertinent  to  the  matter,  to  mention  the  Order  of 
his  Birth  $  but  very  fir,  if  he  fpake  of'the  Grandfon, 
to  diftinguifh  him  from  the  reft.  And  what  follows 
is  a  farther  proof  of  it. 

Verfe  2  jr.  Ver.  25."  Cnrfid  be  Canaan,  S^cf]  If  whatlfaid 
before,  (verfe  22,  24)  be  allowed,  it  makes  it  eafie 
to  give  an  account  why  Canaan  iscurfed  rather  than 
li&m  }  becaufe  he  was  firft  guilty.  Ham  indeed  was 
punilhed  in  him  :  But  he  had  other  Sons,  on  whom 
the  Punifhment  did  not  fall,  but  only  on  this.  For 
which  I  can  find  no  reafon  fo  probable  as  that  be 
fore-named.  Which  if  it  be  not  allowed,  we  muft 
have  recourfe  to  an  harfh  Interpretation  ;  and  by  Ca 
naan  underftand  Canaans  Father,  as  fome  do. 

A  Servant  of  Servants."]     That  is,    the  bafeft  and 
vileft  of  Servants.     See  the  next  Verfe. 

Verfe  26.      Ver.  26.  Ble/ed  be  the  LORD  God  ofShew.~]    The 
Lo  R  D  was  the  God  ofShem^  after  a  peculiar  manner 
juft  as  he  was  the  God  of  Abraham,   becaufe  of  the 
gracious  Covenant  made  with  him.-  For  God  fettled 
his  Church  in  the  Family  of  Shem  5    and  Chrift  was 
born  of  his  Pofterity  5    and  he  himfelf  in  all  likeli 
hood,  kept  up  the  Worfhip  of  the  true  God,    and 
oppofed  Idolatry.     In  ftiort,    to  be  the  God  of  Shem^ 
was  to  beftow  all  manner  of  Bleffings  upon  him  3 
which  N0#Hiere  prophefies  to  him,  by  bleffing  the 
LoaD  for  them.-  Whom  he  acknowledges  to  be  the 
Author  of  them,  out  of  his  fpecial  Grace  and  Favour 
towards  him.     For  he  was  the  younger  Brother  of 
Japhet,  as  I  (hall  (hew,  X,  21.    Thus  Jacob  interprets 
thisPhrafe,  XXIX,  19,  20. 

And 


upon  GENESIS.  165 

And  Canaan  fljall  be  his  fervant."]  This  was  fulfil- Chapter 
led  eight  hundred  Years  after,  when  the  Ifraelites,  IX. 
("who  were  defcended  from  Shem)  tookpoffeflion  of  U^VNJ 
the  Land  of  Canaan  •->  fubduing  thirty  of  their  Kings  5 
killing  raoft  of  the  Inhabitants  ,•  laying  heavy  Tri 
butes  upon  the  Remainder  3  and  ufing  the  Gibeonjtes 
(who  faved  themfelves  by  a  wile)  though  not  as  Ser 
vants  to  them,  yet  as  mere  Drudges  for  the  fervice  of 
the  Tabernacle.  Whofe  Name  David  is  thought  to 
have  changed  into  Nethinim,  (Ezra  VIII.  20.)  Peo 
ple  who  had  voluntarily  furrendred  themfelves,  (as 
they  did  to  Joflwa  when  he  had  difcovered  their 
Fraud }  to  do  what  he  would  with  them.  Solomon  alfo 
made  all  the  Remainders  of  the  People  of  Canaan 
fubjeft  to  fervile  Labours,  when  all  the  Israelites  were 
free,  as  is  plainly  fignified,  2  Chron.  VIII.  7,  8,  9.  And 
fee  Jofeph.  Antiq.  L.  VIII.  c.  2.  Thus,  as  the  Bleljing 
promifed  to  Abraham,  was  not  fulfilled  in  his  own 
Perfon,  but  in  hisPofterity,  many  Generations  after 
his  Death  $  fothis  Curfe  upon  Cham,  did  not  take  place 
till  the  fame  time  .•  The  Execution  of  God  YCurfe  up 
on  the  one,  being  his  conferring  of  a  Bkjfing  upon 
the  other. 

Ver.  27.  Godftallinlargejaphet^]  i.  e.  His  Habita-  Verfe  27; 
tion  5  for  God  gave  him,  for  his  Poffeffion,  all  the 
Ides  of  the  Sea  Weftvurd,  and  thofe  Countries  near 
to  them,  as  Spain,  Italy,  Greece,  Afia  the  lefs,  &c.  as 
Bochart  hath  obferved  in  his  Phaleg.  L.I.c.i.  Who 
further  notes,  That  in  the  Hebrew  word  for  inlarge 
there  is  a  plain  Allufion  to  Japhet's  Name  5  as  there 
is  to  many  others  in  Scripture  ;  Noah,  verfe  19.  JH- 
dah,Dan,  Gad,  8cc.  XLIX.  8,  16,  19.  'They,  that 
tranflatethis  word  perfitade,  (as  it  is  in  the  Margin,) 
did  not  confider>  that  it  is  commonly  taken  in  a- 

bad 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter  bad  Sence,  when  it  is  fo  ufed,  for  deceiving  andyj- 
IX.  during  :  And  that  it  governs,  as  Grammarians  fpeak, 
an  Accufative  Cafe,  and  not  a  Dative,  fas  it  doth 
here,)  when  it  fignifies  to  allure  or  perfuade.  In 
(hort,  this  is  a  Promifeof  a  very  large  Portion  to 
Japhet's  Pofterity  in  the  Divifion  of  the  Earth.  Which 
was  but  neceffary  5  for  that  part  of  the  World  which 
bends  to  the  North  being  afligned  to  him,  vaft  Re 
gions  were  requifite  for  fuch  a  numerous  Offspring 
as  were  likely  to  come  from  him  :  The  Fruitfulnefs  of 
People  being  wonderfully  great  in  cold  Climates. 
And  accordingly,  befides  all  Europe,  and  the  lefler 
Afia,  there  fell  to  the  (hare  of  his  Pofterity,  Media, 
part  of  Armenia,  Iberia,  Albania,  and  the  vaft  Re 
gions  towards  the  North,  which  anciently  the  Scy~ 
tkians,  now  the  Tartars,  inhabited  :  From  whom 
the  People  of  the  New  World,  (as  we  call  itj 
feem  to  be  derived  $  the  Scythians  going  thither 
by  the  Streights  of  Anian.  Of  which  more  upon 

X.?2. 

Mofes  hath  not  told  us,  what  were  the  Names  of 
any  of  their  Wives,  but  the  Greeks  have  given  to 
Japetus  his  Wife  the  Name  of  KAi^w,  (as  Hejiod 
calls  her, }  becaufe  (he  was  the  Mother  of  fo  many 
famous  Nations.  So  Vojfius,  L.  I.  De  Orig.  Idolol.  c.  18. 
And  Cawpanella's  Oblervation  in  this  Verfe  is,  That<*# 
Empires  defcended  from  the  Sons  of  Japhet.  L.  De 
Monarchist  Hifpan.  c.  4.  Which  may  be  true  of  the 
great  Empires,  but  the  Egyptians  feem  to  have  been 
the  firft  confiderable  Princes,  and  NimroJ  was  of  the 
Race  of  Ham. 

And  he  /hall  dwell  in  the  Tents  of  Shem.~]  i.e.  His 
Territories  (hall  be  fo  dilated,  that  in  future  times 
he  fhall  poffcfs  fome  of  his  Brother's  Countries; 

Which 


upon  G  E  N  E  S  I  S. 

is  alfo  prophefied  of,  Numb.  XXIV.  24.  where  Chapter 
it  is  faid  they  of  Cittim  JbaO  «ffl!3  the  Children  of  Af-  IX, 
for  andEber  :  i.  e.  Afflict  the  Affyrians  and  the  Pie- 
brews,  who  were  of  the  Pofterity  of  Shew.  And  fo 
boththeGree4r  and  the  Romans  did,  who  invaded 
and  conquered  that  part  of  Apa  which  belonged  to 
Shem.  The  Chaldee  Paraphraft  gives  a  Spiritual  In 
terpretation  of  this  Paffage,  which  is  very  apt,  That 
the  Gentiles  fhould  come  into  the  Church,  which  was  in 
the  Family  of  Shem.  And  it  is  very  remarkable, 
C which  is  obferved  by  our  Mr.  Mede,  B.  I.  Difc.  48.) 
That  all  the  Offspring  of  Japhet  are  at  this  day  Chri- 
ftians,  Magog  only  excepted  (/.  e.  the  Turks,*)  whom 
God  feems  to  have  referved,  as  he  did  fome  of  the 
Canaanites  in  the  Land  of  Ifraet,  to  prove  and  punifh 
us  withal.  Our  Learned  N.  Fuller  gives  a  quite  dif 
ferent  Interpretation  from  all  ihefe,  making  God 
the  Subjeft  of  this  Speech,  not  Japhet  5  and  thus 
tranflates  it  .•  God  /hall  dwell  in  the  Tents  of  Shem  5 
among  them  fhall  be  the  Schechinah^  or  the  Divine 
Majefty.  But  this  doth  not  agree  with  what  fol 
lows. 

And  Canaan  flail  be  his  Servant."}  The  Greeks  and 
Romans  defcended  from  Japhet  conquered  Canaan  : 
And  whatfoever  Relicks  there  were  of  them  any 
where,  ("for  inft  mce  at  Tyre^  built  by  fazSidonians  5 
at  Thebes ^  by  Cadmus  ^  at  Carthage,  by  Dido  3)  they 
were  all  cut  off  by  the  Greeks  or  Romans.  It  is 
obferved  by  Campanella^  That  None  are  defcended 
from  Cham,  but  Slaves  ^  and  Tyrants^  who  are  indeed 
Slaves,  Cap.  IV,  De  Mon.  Hifpan.  But  Mr.  Medes 
Obfervation  is  more  pertinent,  (in  the  fore-named 
Difcourfe.p.^^)  There  hath  never  yet  been  a  Son 
of  Chamy  that  hath  (haken  a  Scepter  over  the  Head 

of 


1 68  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter  of  Japhet.  Sew  hath  fubdued  Jabhet,  and  Japhet  fub- 
X.  dued  Sem :  But  Cham  never  fubdued  either.  Which 

<-*"v*(o  madeHrftfff/W,  a  Child  of  Canaan,  cry  out  with  a- 
raazementof  Soul,  Agnofco  fatum  Carthagints,  I  ac 
knowledge  the  Fate  of  Carthage.  Livy,  L  XXVII. 
in  fine. 

Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  And  Noah  lived  after  the  Flood  three  hun 
dred  andffty  Tears.']  Which  was  of  great  Advan 
tage  for  the  certain  Propagation  of  the  Knowledge  of 
thofe  things  before  related,  and  of  thofe  that  follow 
in  the  next  Chapter.  For  he  died  not  above  two  and 
thirty  Years  before  Abraham  was  born. 


CHAP.     X. 


Verfe  i.  Ver.  i.  IV  TO  W thefe  are  the  Generations  of  the  Sons 
l\l  of  Noah,  &C.1]  As  he  had  often  before 
mentioned  the  three  Sons  of  Noah,  fo  now  he  men 
tions  them  again,  being  to  give  an  Account  of  their 
Children,  by  whom  the  Earth  was  peopled  after  the 
Flood.  And  he  reckons  them  in  the  fame  order  he 
had  always  done,  (VI.  icv  VII.  13.  IX.  18.)  firft 
Shew^  then  Havt,  and  laft  of  all  Japhet.  But  itisob- 
fervable,  that  in  the  next  Verfe  he  gives  an  Account 
firft  of  the  Sons  of  Japhet  :  Who  was  indeed  the  el- 
deft.  There  is  great  ufe  of  this  Genealogy,  as  Mai- 
monides  (hows,  (Par.  III.  More  Nev.  c.  50.)  becaufe 
the  Dodrine  of  the  Creation  of  the  World,  which  is. 
the  Foundation  of  the  Law,  (i.  e.  of  Religion  J 
would  not  have  been  fo  eafily  believed  5  if  Mofes 
had  not  given  an  Account  of  the  Succeffion  of  Man 
kind, 


upon    GENE  SI  S,  169 

kind,   from  the  firft  Man  to  the  Flood  $    and  from  Chapter 
the  Flood  to  his  own  time  .•   Showing  from  whom      X. 
all  Nations  were  derived,  and  how  they  came  to  be 
difperfed. 

Shew,  is  named  fir  ft  of  Noah's  Sons,  becaufethe 
blefled  Seed  was  to  fpring  out  of  his  Family  :  In 
which  the  true  Religion  was  preferved  :  Which  was 
foon  loft  in  the  Pofterity  of  the  other  two  ,*  among 
whom  their  Names  remained  in  great  Honour. 
For, 

Ham  was  the  Heathen  Jupiter  ,  who  was  called 
Hammon  in  Egypt,  which,  it  will  appear,  was  part  of 
Hani*  Portion,  and  is  called  the  Land  of  Ham,  as  eve 
ry  one  knows,  in  many  places  of  the  Pfalms.  And 
accordingly  the  fame  Country  is  called  by  Plutarch 


Japhet  alfo  feems  to  have  been  the  fame  with  Jape- 
tfts,  whom  theGrfe'4/  own  to  have  been  their  Fa 
ther.  Nor  do  they  know  any  Name  of  greater  An 
tiquity  ^  which  made  them  give  it  to  decrepit  Per- 
fons,  (as  many,  particularly  Bochart,  have  obferved,) 
and  it-became  a  Proverb  in  that  Country,  Older  than 
Japetus.  Whom  their  Poets  feign  to  have  attempted 
War  againft  Jupiter  5  becaufe  of  the  Diflentions 
which  the  unlikenefs  of  their  Manners  begat  between 
them.  Which  feems  to  be  nothing  but  the  Story  in 
Chapter  IX.  of  this  Book,  verfe  12.  For  Ham,  as  I 
faid,  is  the  Heathen  Jupiter. 

Ver.  2.  The  Sons  of  Japhet.~]  Were  feven  3  the  el- 
deft  of  which,  Gotner%  had  three  Sons  ^  and  the  fourth 
Javan,  had  four  .•  Whole  Names  we  have  in  the  fol 
lowing  Verfes. 

Gower.~]  It's  hard,  at  this  diftance,  to  find  what 
Country  was  peopled  by  his  Pofterity  5  but  Bochar- 

Z  tits 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  tus  in  his  PhaJeg  hath  madefuch  probable  Conjeftures, 
X.  ^  about  this  and  all  that  follow,  from  other  Scriptures, 
and  from  Neighbouring  Places,  and  the  Relicks  of 
their  Names  in  ancient  Geographers,  and  fuch  like 
things,  that  they  carry  a  great  appearance  of  Truth 
in  them.  Our  famous  Catnden  (in  his  Account  of 
the  firft  Inhabitants  of  Britain)  thinks  that  the  dm- 
bri  and  Cimmern  defcended  from  this  Gomer,  who 
gave  them  their  Name  5  and  that  the  old  Britams 
came  from  him,  becaufe  they  call  themfelves  Knmero, 
Cymro,  and  Kumeri  3  which  feems  to  denote  them 
the  Pofterity  of  Gomer.  But  this,  asalfo  the  Notion 
ot  Ludov.  Cappellns  in  his  Chron.  Sacra,  p.  104.  ( whot 
if  this  of  Mr.  dWe^-be  not  accepted,  propounds 
another,  of  the  Comari  and  Chowari,  a  People  in  Scy- 
thia  (mentioned  by  Ptolomy}  within  the  Mountain 
Ijnavs,  near  Baftriana,)  is  confuted  by  what  we  read 
in  Ezekfel^  who  makes  Gomer  to  have  been  a  Neigh 
bour  of  Torg&mah^  Ezek.  XXXVIII.  6.  And  Torga- 
vtahwzs  a  Nation  thatufually  went  to  the  Marts  of 
Tyre^  XXVII.  14.  and  confequently  were  not  feated 
in  thefurthermoft  part  of  the  North  5  but,  as  will 
appear  afterward,  not  very  far  from  Tyre.  And  in 
fome  Country  thereabouts  we  muft  feek  for  Gomer  :• 
who,  it's  likely,  gave  Phrygia  its  Denomination.  For 
a  part  of  it  was  called  Ka7a^^ty/x^w,  by  Diodorus 
and  Hejychittf,  becaufe  it  look'd  as  if  it  were  burnt. 
Such  was  all  the  Country  about  Cayfter,  M<eanderr 
and  the  City  Philadelphia.  Now  this  is  the  very 
fignification  ofGower.  For  in  the  Hebrew  Gamar  is 
to  confume  5  and  fo  the  Chaldee  and  Syriack  frequent* 
ly  ufe  it  .-•  Whence Gumra,  or  Gumrov*  a  Coal.  &nd 
Phrygia  is  of  the  fame  fignification,  (for  yglyw  in 
is  to  torrifie^  which  being  the  Name  of  part 

of 


upon  GENESIS.  iji 

of  the  Country,  ia  time  became  the  Name  of  the  Chapter 
whole.  X, 

Magog-']  The  fecond  Son  of  Japbet,  was  in  all 
likely  hood  the  Father  of  the  Scythians  $  which  is  the 
Opinion  of  Jofephus,  Theodoret,  St.  Hurom,  and  o- 
thers.  For  all  that  is  faid  in  Scripture  about  Magog 
exa&ly  agrees  to  them$  as  Bochartus  hath  (hown  at 
large,  out  ofEzekiel:  L.  III.  Pbaleg.  c.  13. 

Madai."]  From  him  the  Country  of  Media  took 
its  Name :  Where  he  and  his  Children  fettled.  And 
it  is  the  farthermoft  Country  Eaftward,  where  any 
of  the  Pofterity  of  Japhet  inhabited.  What  is  the 
Name  of  this  Country  at  prefent,is  not  eafie  to  tell  $ 
the  ancient  name  and  limits  of  Countries  fo  remote, 
being  quite  worn  out  of  memory.  But  it  is  no 
improbable  Conjefture  of  Bochartus^  (L.  III.  c.  14.^ 
That  the  ancient  Sarntata  took  their  Name  from  this 
Man,  Sear  or  Sar-Madai,  being  mCbaldee,  as  much 
as  the  Relicksof  Madai^  or  the  Medes.  Dr.  Jackc 
fony  I  think,  hath  well  obferved,  (Book  I.  c.  16.) 
that  Scythia  or  the  North  part  of  Afia-Niinor^  and  o- 
ther  parts  adjacent,  were  inhabited  by  the  Sons  of  Ja- 
phet,  before  they  came  into  Greece,  (where  the  next 
Son  fettled  J  or  the  other  parts  of  Europe. 

Javan.~\  Planted  himfelf  in  Greece^  under  which 
word  is  comprehended^  not  only  Acha?a&r\A  the  reft 
of  the  Countries  thereabout  ^  but  even  Macedoma, 
and  the  Nations  neighbouring  to  it,  towards  the 
Weft  :  The  Sea  that  wafhes  them,  being  called  the  Io 
nian  Sea.  And  indeed  the  Hebrew  word  P"1  taking 
away  the  Vowels,  may  be  either  read  Java*  or  Ion. 
From  whence  the  lones^  whom  Homer  calls  J&omt, 
which  is  near  to  Java*  5  which  a  Per  fan  in  Arifie- 
phanes  his  Acharnenfes  pronounces  Jaonau  •  As  Gro- 

Z  2  tins 


i;2  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter  tius  obferves.  Annot.  in  L.  I.  De  V.  R.  C.  Hence  Da- 
X.       niel  calls  Alexander,  who  came  out  of  Macedonia,  the 
Kwgtfjavan,  VIII.  2i.  And  the  GMtfeefPeraphrafc 
hath  here  inftead  otjavan,  Macedonia.    See  Bochark 
L.  III.  ^/?.  3. 

T»/>*/  rfW  Me/heck."]  Thefe  two  are  conftantly 
joyned  together  by  Ezekjelin  many  places,  XXVII. 
13,  XXXII.  26,  &c.  Which  is  a  fign  thefe  two  Bro 
thers  planted  themfelves  not  far  from  one  another. 
And  noCon)efture  feems  fo  probable  as  that  of  Bo~ 
chartus^  who  takes  thefe  to  be  the  People,  whom  the 
Greeks  call  Mofihi  and  Tibareni  :  who  are  as  con* 
ftantly  joyned  together  in  Herodotus,  as  Mafchech  and! 
Tubal  are  in  Ezekiel.  And  none  need  wonder  that 
Tubal  was  changed  into  Tubar,  and  then  into  Tibar: 
For  nothing  was  more  common  among  the  Greeks^ 
than  to  thange  the  Letter  L  into  R,  as  B^Aiap  for  Beli- 
al>  and  $r£»p  for  Phicol^  8cc.  The  Mofchi  inhabited 
the  Mountains  called  Mofchict,  North-eaft  ofCappado- 
^,and  all  the  Mountains  fas  Bochart  thinksj  from 
the  River  Pbafis  to  the  Pontus-Cappadocicus.  The  7/V 
bareni  were  in  the  middle  between  the  Trapezuntnm& 
the  Inhabitants  of  Armenia  \hz  lefs.  SoSiraho  defcribes 
them,  who  was  born  not  far  from  thefe  Countries-, 
and  had  reafon  to  know  them.  Nor  is  this  a  new 
Opinion  of  Bocharfs,  that  the  Tibareni  came  frort> 
Tubol :  For  Epiphanms  in  his  Ancorats,  mentions  a- 
mongthe  Defcendantsof  Japhet^  Ti£a&tv%$,  together- 
with  the  Chafybes  and  Moffyn&ci :  whom  our  Bwugh- 
ton  follows. 

Tlras."]  Or,  Thirty  the  youngeft  of  the  Sons  of 
Japhet,  poffeffed  Thrace  and  My/ia,  and  the  reft  of£w 
rope  towards  the  Narth.  For  ®g£%  is  Thiras  or  Thras 
by  the  change  of  the  Letter  Samech  into  Xi :  Which 

in 


upon  G  E  N  E  S  I  S 

in. the  Greek^  Alphabet  (received  from  the.  Plotnict*  Chapter 
rf///)anfwers  to  the  Letter  Samec h  5.  ib  that  (ome   of       X. 
the  Hebrews  write  Thracia  with  an  i,  Thrajtn  :    And  a 
Thrac'nm  Woman  is  called  by  the  Greeks  themfelves 
0£#cxju  and  ©£u<Ma.:     Which  comes  very    near  to 
Thiras.  And  that  great  Man  Bochartus  fays  a  great  deal 
more  to  confirm  this ,    which  was  the  Opinion,    he 
(hows,  of  many  of  the  Ancients,  Pbaleg.   L.,MLc.  2- 
And  in  late  times,    of  Ludovtcus  Capeltus,    who  adds 
that  poffibly  Troj  and  Trees  were  derived    from  this 


Ver.  3,  And  the  SONS  o/Go.#/er.~]  Now  follows  arvVerie  g* 
Account  ofthofe  that  defcended  from  the  eldeft  Soa 
of  Japhet.     A/bfanaz  was  the  eldeft  Son   of  dower  ; 
whofe  Pofterity- fettled  in  Bithyni^    (where  we  find 
the  foot-fteps  of  his  Name,  in  the  Sinus .Afianius,  and 
Afcamus  LacHS^  and  Amms^)  and  in  Troas,    and   the. 
leffer  Phrygia  :     In   which  is  a  Country  and  a  City 
called  Afcani*)  and  Afcania  /»////<£.  Into  which  Coun 
try  the  Offspring  of  Afok^naK  brought  Colonies  from 
Gomer,  or  the  greater  Phrygia  :,  And  extended  them- 
fel.ves  to  the  Sea.    Which- being  caHed  by  the  Peo 
ple  upop  theCoaft^/2'^^&,  was  pronounced  by  the 
6rt£Jy,*A%&@(*.     Which   being  an  odious  ^ame  in 
their  Language,  fignifying  inhofphable,  they  changed. 
it  into  the  contrary,  and  called  it  BU|G«*©U,  the  £*- 
xin  Sea.  Seemoreinthe  fore-named  Author,  L.  III. 
r.  9,    Ludov.  CapMtts  hapned  upon  the   fame  Con- 
jefture.     Riphath,    or  Diphath,    as  it  is   written  in 
I*  Ckfon.  1.6.  whofe  Pofterity  Jofephus  thinks  to  have 
inhabited  Paphlagonia  :    which   is  a  Country  near  to 
Phrygia,   upon  the  Evxine  Sea.:   And    there  are.  re 
mainders  of  the  Name  in  feveral  places,    both  ways 

written,  with  Reft,  or  withD^/e/> ;  zs.Bacbart  (hows3 , 

*  *  *  * 

L.  ILL 


i>4  J  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    L.  lll.c.  i  o.  Mela  places  the  Rjphaces  in  this  Country 
X.       as  Grotius  obferves,  Annot\  in  L.  I.  de  V.  R.  C. 

t^V^SJ  Togarmah,~]  His  Pofterity,  it  is  manifeft,  fettled 
Northward  of  Jnd<ea,  by  that  place  in  Ezel{.  XXXVIIL 
6.  where  the  Greel^  Scholiaft  faith,  fome  hereby  un- 
derftand  the  Cappadocians  and  Galatians.  And  in 
deed  Cappadocia  lies  near  to  Corner  or  Phrygia,  with 
whom  Togarmah  is  wont  to  be  joyn'd  .•  And  in  re- 
fpeft  of  JuJtfa  it  lies  Northward:  And  was  molt  fa 
mous  for  excellent  Horfes:>  which  the  Prophet  faith 
came  from  Togarwah,  Ezek-  XXVII.  14.  The  Greek. 
Interpreters  conftantly  write  itTorgav/a,  or  Tborga- 
wa^  from  whence  the  Name -of  theTr^m  or  Troc- 
wi  may  well  be  thought  to  be  derived  :  Who,  Stra- 
bo  faith,  L.  XII.  lived  near  Pontus  and  Cappadocia  : 
And  it  appears  by  Ptolomy,  they  pofleffed  fome  Ci 
ties  in  Cappadoc'id  it  felf.  This  People  are  called  by 
Stephamts,  Trocmeni,  and  in  the  Council  of  Chalcedcn^ 
Trocwades^  or  Trogmades  :  For  their  Bi (hop  is  often 
mentioned  'ETnV^OTrigi.  T&xjuulbw.  See  Bochart  in  the 
fame  Book,  cap.  n. 

Verfe  4.  vef0  ^^  ^^  tfa  Sons  of  Javan^\  Having  told  us 
what  Sons  Gomcr  had,  he  informs  us  who  had  de» 
fcended  from  Javan  :  Who  had/^/r  Sons^  that  gave 
Names  to  four  Provinces. 

Elifoa."]  His  Firft-born  inhabited  Peloponnefus  ; 
In  which  there  was  an  ample  Country,  called  by  the 
Ancients  £//'/  /  and  one  part  of  it  called  by  Hower, 
Alifinm.  I  omit  the  other  Arguments  whereby  Bo- 
chartus  proves  this  to  be  the  part  of  the  Earth, 
where  El/foas  Pofterity  fettled,  not  far  from  their 
Father  Javan.  Nay,  L^ldoviclts  CapeUus,  p  105.  Chro- 
nol.  Sacra,  thinks  the  At'oA^,  JEoles,  and  the  Coun 
try  jfEolia  had  its  Name  from  thence. 

Tar- 


upon    GENES  IS.  275 

(Or,  7>/f.)    Neither  peopled  Glicia  Chapter 
where  we  meet  with  a  like  Name,    nor  the  Coaft  a-       X, 
bout  Carthage,  as  fome  of  the  Ancients  thought  5  but, 
as  Eufebiusy  and  from  him  our  Broughton^  and  fately 
Bochart,  have  obferved,    from  him  came  the  Ibcri  in 
Spain.     0«p<7&fe  c£  5  yl£»/Dfc$      Which  Name  oflberi 
came,  as  Bochart  thinks,    from  the  Phoenicians^  who 
called  the  Bounds  and  utmoft  Limits  of  any  thing 
Ehrim  or  llrim,    a   word  often   ufed   in  the  Syriac 
Verfion  of  thePfalws  and  the  New  Jeftawent.    From 
whence,  it  is  not  unlikely,   the  Spaniards  were  cal 
led  by  this  Name  of  Iberi,  becaufe  they  were  thought 
to  poffefs  the  utmoft  Ends  of   the   Earth    Weftward. 
However  we  may  well  think  Tarfoffi   to  be  Spain  v 
or  that  part  of  it  which  was  moft  frequented  by  the 
Phoenicians,  viz.  about  Gades  and  Tarteffiis  :  As  Bo- 
chartus,  I  think,  hath  proved  by  evident  Arguments  y 
fetched  chiefly  from   what   Ezefyel  fays  of    Tar/is> 
(XXVII.  12.)  and  comparing  it  with  this  Country., 
L.  III.  Phaleg.  c.  7. 

Kittim7\    The  fame  Author  hath  proved  by  folid 
Arguments,  and  by  good  Authority,   that  from  him 
came  the  People  who  inhabited  Italy :     In  which 
there  were  anciently  many  footfteps  of  this  Name. 
For  there  was  in  Lalmm  itfelf  a  City  called  Ke-nar 
as  Halycarnafaus  tells  us :  Which  was  one  of  thofe 
feven  great  and  populous  Cities  taken  by  Coriolanus, 
as  Plutarch^  in  his  Life,  tells  us.    There  was  a  River 
called  KfcTos about  Cutn<e  5  mentioned  by  Ariftotle,    as 
turning  Plants  into  Stones.     And  the  very  Name  of 
JLtf/«e.f  anfwers  to  Chittint:     For  moft  fay  it  comes 
a  latendo,  being  formed  to  exprefs  this  ancient  Scrip 
ture  Name.     For  Chetema  in  Arabic^  (which  is  a 
branch  of  the  Hebrew  Tongue)    is  to  hide  :    And 


#    COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    Cheiim  is  hidden^  and  latent.  And  fo  no  doubt  it  was 

X.        anciently  ufed  in  Hebrew  :  For  what  better  fence  can 

+s-\s**-*  we  make  of  thofe  words  of  Jeremy  II.  22.  thy  iniquity 

•uU'rOJl,  fr  hidden  or  laid  up  with  me :  According  to  an 

ufual  Expreilion^in  Scripture,  Dent.  XXXII.  34.  Job 

XXI.  9.  Jfe/TXflLia.    where  there  are  words  of  the 

like  import  with  this.     That  famous   Man,   Bochart, 

faith  a  great  deal  more,  to  affertthis,  L.  HI.  r«  5. 

Dodanjx*^  He  is  called  Rhodanint^  in  i  CAr0#.  I.  7, 
By  whom  the  6ree^  Interpreters  underftand  the  Peo 
ple  of  Rhodes,  .(and  fo  do  feveral  of  the  Ancients,^ 
but  the  Name  of  that  Hland  is  much  later  than  Mo- 
fes  his  time  /  And  therefore  it  is  better  to  underftand 
hereby,  that  Country  now  called  France  :  Which 
was  peopled  by  the  Pofterityqf  this  Son  of  Javan. 
Who  when  they  came  to  this  Goad,  gave  Name  ("as 
Bochart  conjectures^  to  the  great  River  Rhodanus. 
Where  it  is  likely  they  firft  feated  themfelves,  and 
called  the  adjacent  Coaft  Rhodanufla:  which  had 
anciently  in  it  a  City  of  the  fame  Name,  menrion'd 
by  Stephanas  ^  and  faid  to  be  feated  hi  MaworaA/^  in 
tratiu  MaQilienfi,  where  now  ftands  Marfetlles.  See 
Bochart)  L.  Ill,  c.  6  Thefe  Dodanites  were  never  men 
tioned  in  any  other  places  of  Scripture,  which  makes 
it  the  more  difficult  where  to  find  them  :  But  this 
Account  feems  more  probable  than  that  of  our  learn 
ed  Mede,  who  places  them  in  Epirus^  (where  there 
was  a  City  called  'Dzdona^)  and  part  of  Peloponne- 
JHS  :  All  which,  and  feveral  Countries  thereabout, 
feem  to  be  comprehended  under  the  Name  of  Ja 
va??. 

Verfe  5.  Ver.  5*.  By  thefe  were  the  Ifles  of  the  Gentile r  di- 
tyided^]  By  the  word  Ifles  we  commonly  underftand 
Countries  compared  round  about  by  the  Sea.  But 

there 


upon  G  EN  E  S  I  S. 

there  were  not  fuch  I/lands  enough  to  contain  the  Sons  Chapter 
ofjaphet,  (though  thefe  were  part  of  their  Portion,) 
and  therefore  we  muft  feek  for  another  fence  of  this 
word.  Which  the  Hebrews  ufe  (asMr.Mede  hath  ob- 
ferved)  to  fignifie,  aSthofe  Countries  divided,  from  them 
by  the  Sea;  or,  fuch  as  they  ufed  not  to  go  to,  but  by 
Sea*  See  Bookl.  Difc.  47.  Many  places  teftifie  this, 
Ifai.  XI.  10,  n.  XL.  15.  Jcr.  II.  10,  &c.  Now  if 
Mofes  wrote  this  Book  in  Egypt ^  (as  he  thinks  it  pro 
bable)  they  commonly  went  from  thence  to  Phrygia, 
Cappadocia,  Paphlagonia  by  Sea,  as  well  as  to  Greece, 
Italy,  See.  To  Media  indeed,  he  thinks,  they  did  not 
ufe  to  go  by  Sea,  and  therefore  makes  this  an  Ob- 
jeftion  againft  Madai  being  the  Father  of  the  Medes ; 
For  their  Country  cannot  be  called  an  Ijle.  But  the 
far  greater  part  of  the  Regions,  peopled  by  the  Sons 
o£Japhet>  being  fuch  as  he  confeffes  the  Hebrews  call 
Ijles  $  Mofes  might  well  fay,  the  IJles  of  the  Gentiles 
were  parted  among  them,  though  Media  be  compre 
hended  which  was  not  fuch  an  Ijle.  But  there  is  no 
need  of  all  this,  if  we  take  the  word  we  tranflate  Ifle^ 
for  a  Region,  Country,  or  Province.  And  fo  it  plain* 
ly  fignifies,  J^XXII.  30.  Ifai.  XX.  6.  where,  in  the 
Margin,  we  tranflate  it  Country.  And  then  the  word 
GOJW,  which  we  render  Gentiles^  fignifies  a  multitude 
of  People  5  as  it  doth  often  in  Scripture  :  Particularly 
Gen.  XVII.  4,  16.  And  fo  we  tranflate  it,  Nations^ 
in  the  laft  word  of  this  Verfe  ^  and  in  the  laft  Claufe 
of  this  Chaffer  :>  by  thefe  were  the  [Goim~\  Nations 
divided  in  the  Earth.  Which  may  ferve  to  explain  this 
Phrafe  here  ^  which  we  may  thus  interpret,  by  thefe^ 
or  among  thefe,  were  divided  the  Regions  of  the  People 
or  Nations  (defcended  from  Japhet*)  in  their  Lands  $ 
in  the  feveral  Countries  which  they  pofTefled. 

A  a  £>/- 


i78  A  COMMENTART 

Chapter  Divided*]  It  appears  by  the  following  words,, 
X.  ("according  to  his  Language^  Family^  and  Nation^)  this 
great  Divifionof  the  Earth  was  made  orderly  ;  and 
not  by  a  confufed  irregular  Difperfion,  wherein  eve* 
ry  one  went  whither  he  lifted,  and  feated  himfelf 
where  he  thought  good.  This  Mr.  Mede  thinks  is 
alfo  fuggefted  in  the  very  word  we  tranllate  divided  :-. 
Which  fignifies  not  a  fcattered,  but  a  diftinft  Parti 
tion. 

Every  one  after  his  Tongue,  or  Language."]  The  fame 
is  faid,  ver.  20.  and  ^.3 1 .  of  the  Pofterity  of  Cham  and 
Shem.    Which  fignifies  they  did  not  all  fpeak  the  fame 
Language,  but  doth  not  prove  that  every  one  of  the 
fore- mentioned  People,  had  a  Language  peculiar  to 
themfelves,  diftinft  from  the  reft,  and  notunderftood 
by  them.  As  when  Ahafuerus  is  faid  to  have  caufed 
Letters  to  be  written  to  an  hundred  twenty  feven  Pro^ 
vinces,  according  to  their  Language  and  their  Wri 
ting,  (Efth.  XIII.p.)  it  doth  not  prove  there  were  fo 
many  Teveral  forts  of  Writing,  and  fo  many  feveral 
Languages  in  his  Empire:  But  only  that  to  each  of 
them  was  direfted  a  Letter,  in  that  Language  which 
they  fpake. 

After  their  Families^  in  their  Nations."]  The  Parti 
cle  in  denotes,  as  Mr.  Mede  obferves.  Families  to  be 
fubordinate  to  Nations^  as  parts  to  a  whole.  Fami 
nes  are  parts  of  a  Nation^  and  a  Nation  is  an  Off- 
fpring  containing  many  Families.  So  here  was  a  two 
fold  order  in  this  Divi/ion.  Firfl,  They  were  ranged 
according  to  their  Nations  }  and  then  every  Nation 
was  ranked  by  his  Families.  So  that  every  Nation 
had  his  Lot  by  himfelf  5  and  in  "every  Nation,  the 
Families  belonging  to  it,  had  their  Portion  by  them 
felves.  The  number  of  Nations  defcended  from  Ja- 


Hfon    GENESIS, 

phet  were/k>etf,  according  to  the  number  of  his  Sons,  Chapter 
who  were  all  Founders  of  feveral  Nations.     But  the       X. 
number  of  Families  is  not  here  entirely  fet  down  :  L/"WJ 
For  Mofes  names  only  the  Families  of  Gomer  and  Ja- 
van.  \    Whofe  Children  perhaps  are  rather  to  be  lookt 
upon  as  Founders  of  Nations  3  and  therefore  men 
tioned  by  Mofes ,  when  the  Pofterity  of  the  reft  are 
omitted. 

Ver.  6.  And  the  Sons  of  Ham.']    Having  given  any^rfe  6* 
account  of  the  Sons  and  Grand-Sons  of  Japhet,  the 
elded  Son  of  Noah,  he  next  proceeds  to  the  Sons  of 
'Ham,  the  fecond  Son  of  Noah,  which  were  Four :  And 
gives  an  account  alfo  of  every  one  of  their  Sons,  and 
of  fome  of  their  Grand-Sons. 

Cujh.]    Gave  name  to  a  Country  very  often  men- 
tion'd  in  Scripture  3  which  moft  of  the  Ancients  take 
for  JEthiopia,  and   fp  we  commonly  tranflate  the 
word  Cufl).    But,  if  by  ^Ethiopia  they  meant   that 
Country  South  of  Egypt^  and  not  an  Eaftern  Coun 
try,  (which  may  be  a  queftion,)   Jonathan  is  rather 
to  be  followed,  who  here  Paraphrafes  it  Arabia.    For 
Cufh  is  the  fame  with  Chufan^  (only  this  latter  is  a 
diminutive,)  which  is  made  the  fame  with  Midian^ 
Habak:  HI-  7-     And  fo  Mofes  his   Wife  is   called   a 
Cufhite,    (we  read    it  lEthiopian^    for   (he    was  a 
Midianite,    Exod.  II.  1 6,  21.  and  therefore  was  of 
Arabia^  not  of  JEthiopia  :  And  fo  we  (hould  tran 
flate  it,  (JfHmb.  XII.  2.)  an  Arabian  Woman.     And 
there  is  a  Demonftration  of  it  in  Ezek,  XXIX.  10, 
that  tu/b  cannot  be  ^Ethiopia  3  for,  when  God  faith 
he  will  make  Egypt  defolate,  from  theTomr  ofSyene, 
,to  the  Border  ofCu/h^ifwe  (hould  underhand  by  Cujb 
the  Country  of  ./Ethiopia,    it  will  be  as  if  he  had 
faid,  from  JEthiopia  fo  ^Ethiopia.     For  every  one 

A  a  2  knows 


i8o  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter  knows  Sjene  was  the  Border  of  Egypt  towards  JtLthio- 
X,  fia  :  And  therefore  here  being  two  oppofite  Borders, 
it  is  manifeft  that  £/*/&,  which  is  the  oppofite  term  to 
Syenc,  cannot  be  JEthiopia,  but  Arabia  :  Which 
bounded  that  part  of  Egypt ^  which  is  moft  remote 
from  Ethiopia.  A  great  number  of  other  Arguments, 
out  of  the  Scriptures,  evince  this:  Which  Bochartvs 
hath  collected,  L.  IV.  Phaleg.c.  2.  and  Philip.  Beroal* 
dus  aflerted  the  fame  thing,  before  him. 

Mizraivt."]  The  Father  of  them  who  inhabited  E- 
gypt,  whofe  Metropolis  \_Alcairo~]  the  Arabians  at  this 
Day  call  Mefer  5  and  the  firft  Month  among  the  an 
cient  Egyptians  was  called  Mefori  :  And  Cedrentt*  calls 
the  Country  it  felf  Meftra,  as  Grotiu*  obferves  in  his 
Annot.  m  L.  I.  De  V.  R.  C.  and  Lud.  Cappettw  in  his 
Chron.  Sacra  p.  109.  And  this  word  Mfaraim  be 
ing  of  the  Dual.  Number,  (which  (hows  it  to  be  the 
Name  of  the  Country  rather  than  of  aPerfon,)  de 
notes  two  Egjpts^  as  Bockart  obferves.  For  fo  there 
were,  the  higher  and  the  lower.  All  that  Coun 
try  was  called  the  higher^  where  Nile  runs  in  one 
Stream  :  The  lower  was  that,  where  it  is  divided  into 
many  :  Which  the  Greek?  call  Delta,  from  its  trian 
gular  form. 

P/Mtf.]  All  Africa  was  divided  between  Mfaraim 
and  Phut,  as  Bocharitts  obferves.  For  all  Egypt^  and 
feveral  other  parts  of  Africa,  as  far  as  the  Lake  Tri- 
tonides,  (which  divides  .^/ravnnto  twoalmoft  equal 
parts)  fell  to  Mfaraim.  The  reft,  beyond  that  Lake, 
to  the  Atlantick,  Ocean,  was  the  Portion  of  Phut. 
Of  which  Name  there  are  fome  footfteps,  in  the  City 
Putea,  which  Ptolemy,  L.IIL  c.  i.  calls  $aW.  And 
the  River  called  Phut,  mentioned  by  Pliny,  zsGrotitts 
notes,'  and  a  Country,  which  St  ftierom  in  his  time 

fays 


upon    GENESIS,  i8g 

fays  was  called  ReghPhutenfis  .•  Which  Iks  not  far  Chapter 
from  Fez.  Another  name  of  Africa  is  Lub,  which  we      X. 
often  meet  withal  in  Scripture:  Whence  the  Name  of 
Lybia.    Concerning  which,  and  a  great  many  other- 
Proofs  that  Phut  was  planted  in  Africa,  fee  the  famous 
Bochartu*,  L.  IV.  Phaleg.  c.  33. 

Canaan."]  The  youngeft  Son  of  Ham,  everyone 
fcriows,  gaVe  Name  to  that  Country,  which  God  gave 
afterwards  to  the  Israelites.  Which  the  Phoenicians •, 
who  defcended  from  the  CanaAnitcs,  called  Xj>a,  by  a 
contraction  of  the  word  Canaan,  as  many  have  ob~ 
ferved  out  of  Eufibius,  L.  I.  Prtpar.  c.  10.  who 
quotes  Sanchnniathon  and  Phito  Bybliu*  for  it.  It  is 
fo  certain  that  the  Phoenicians  had  their  Original 
from  the  Canaanites^  that  the  LXX  ufes  their  Names 
promifcuoufly.  For  example,  Shanl  is  called,  Gen. 
XL VI.  10.  the  Son  of  a  Canaanitijh  Woman :  Whom 
in  Exod.  VI.  15.  they  call  the  Son  of  a  Phoenician 
Woman.  And  fo  in  the  New  Teftament,  the  Woman 
whom  St.  Matthew  calls  &  Woman  of  Canaan,  XV.  ax. 
St.  Mark^  calls  a  Syrophoenician,  VII.  26.  We  never 
indeed  find  the  Phoenicians  called  Canaanites  by  the 
Greeks  :  For  their  Pofterity  being  aihamed  (as  we 
may  fuppofe)  of  that  Name,  beCaufe  of  the  Curfe 
pronounced  upon  Canaan,  chofe  to  be  called  rather 
Syrians,  or  Ajfyrians,  or  Sidonians,  or  Phoenicians. 
For  Syria,  which  was  a  common  Name  to  a  great 
many  People  round  about,  was  at  firft  proper  to  them  $ 
from  the  Metropolis  of  Phoenicia^  which  was  Tyre,  in 
Hebrew  Sor  or  Sttr  ^  from  whence  Surim,  and  thence 
the  Grie^.  Srfg^i .  They  that  would  fee  more  of 'this, 
may  read  the  fore-named  Author,  L.  IV.  Phaleg. 
'•34- 

Ver. 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  7.  In  this  Verfe  Mofes  acquaints  us,  what  Peo 
X.       pie  descended    from    the  eldeft  Son  of  Ham,  viz, 
UTNTSJ  Citfa  who  had  Jive  Sons:  And  the  fourth  of  them 
Verfe  7.  had  two. 

Seta.*]  There  were  four  Nations,  that  had  the  Name 
of  Seba  or  Shebah,  as  Bochart  obferves,  L.  II.  ^.25. 
Three  of  them  are  mentioned  here  in  this  Chapter. 
The  firft  of  them,  this  Son  of  Cujh\s  written  with 
Satnecbs)  all  the  reft  with  &•&*.•  viz.  The  Grand-fon 
of  C///&,  who  was  the  Son  of  Raamah  or  Rhegma,  iti 
the  end  of  this  Fer/e.     The  fA*W  was  the  Son  of 
'  tyctyani  the  Son  of  Stew,  verfe  28.     And  the  fourth 
was  a  Grand-Child  of  Abraham^  by  his  Son  ^ockshan 
XXV.  3.    They  that  defcended  from  the  f£r<?e  firft 
of  thefe,  were  a  People  .given  to  Trade  5  from  the 
jfatfrf/j  came  a  People  addided   to   Robbery.     The 
frft,  thefecond,  and  the  fourth^  were  feated  near  the 
Perfian   Sea  $  the  f£/r^  near  the  Arabian.     Whence 
•Pliny  faith  the  Sab<eans  ftretched  themfelves  to  both 
Seas,  L.V.  c, -i'8.     For  all  thefe  four  People,  were 
comprehended  under  the  Name  of  Sah#ans>  though 
very   different  one  from  another.     But  it  may  t>e 
doubted  whether  the  Sabaans^  who  defcended  from 
Jocly/jan'tiie  Grand-  Child  of  Abraham,  did  live  near 
theFer/^«Sea.  And  I  (hall  fhow  upon  XXV.  3.  that 
Bochart  himfelf  thought  otherwife,    upon  further 
Confideration. 

And  as  for  this  Seba,  he  was  the  Father  of  a  Peo 
ple  in  Arabia  called  J.emamites,  as  Alcawut  an  Ara- 
blan  Writer  tells  us.  Whofe  words  are,  A  certain 
Man  called  Saba  gathered  together  the  Tribes  of  the  je- 
mamites:  •/.  e.  He  was  the  Founder  of  the  People 
called  by  that  Name,  from  a  famous  Queen  of  that 
.Country  called  Jemama.  SzzBochartw,  L.IV.  c.  8. 
*  where 


upon    GENESIS.  if 3 

where  he  (hows  where  they  were  fituated  :  And  that  Chapter 
they  are  the  Sabaans  who  are  faid  by  Agatharchles  to       X, 
have  been  a  very  tall  proper  People,  mentioned  Ifai. 
XLV.  14. 

Havilab."]  Or,  Chavttah.  There  were  two  Havi- 
lahs  alfo :  Onethe  Son  ofCufh  here  mentioned  5  ano 
ther  the  Son  of  Jockfan,  verfe  29.  From  this  Havi- 
lah  feem  to  have  come  the  People  called  Ckauloth^^ 
by  Eratofthenes  :  Who  were  feated  in  Arabia  F%l/xy 
(as  Strabo  teJls  us,)  between  the  Nabat<et  and  the 
Agrai,  i.  e.  the  Hagerens.  ByP/;>ythey  are  called 
Gfwveldi,  (which  comes  neareft  to  the  He^ren?Name,) 
tvho  were  feated  in  that  part  of  the  Country,  which 
lay  \owards  Babylon.  As  appears  by  this,  that  in  the 
Scripture  the  Wildernefs  of  Shur  ( nigh  Egypt)  and 
Havtlah  are  oppofed,  as  the  mod  remote  oppofite 
Bounds  of  Arabia.  Thus  the  Ifhmaetites  are  faid  to 
have  dwelt/r^^  Havtlah  to  Shur,  Gen.  XXV.  18.  that 
is  before  Egypt ^  k  Regions  Kgypti^  over-againft  Egypt , 
as  Bochart  trandates  it.  That  is,  Havllah  bounded 
them  on  the  North-Eaft  5  andS/wron  thz  South-Weft ; 
Which  Shur  was  near  to  Egypt.  And  To  Saul  is  faid 
to  have  fmitten  the  Amalekjtes  from  Havilah  to  Shur^ 
&c.  i  Sam.  XV.  7.  where  we  trandate  the  laft  words, 
over  againft  Egypt. 

SabtaJ]  Or  Sabtha,  fwhom  the  Ancients  call  Saba- 
'tha,  or  Sabathes^}  feems  to  have  been  fettled  in  that 
part  of  Arabia  Foelix  called  Learntis^  upon  the  Per- 
fian  Sea.  Where  there  was  a  City,  not  far  diftant 
from  the  Sea,  called  by  ttohnty  25kpiaS*  From  whence 
they  fent  Colonies  over  the  Sea  into  Per/ir,  as  Bo- 
chart  (hows  by  feveral  Arguments,  L.lV.e.  10,  For 
there  is  an  Ifland  on  that  Coaft  called  Sophtha^  and 
a  People  called  Meffabate  or  Mejjabatlw  upon  the 


A  O 

Chapter  Confines  of  Media  :  From  the  Chaldean  wofd 
X.       (which  fignifies  middle)  and  Sab#iha$  as  if  one  would 
hy->  the  Mediterranean  Sabte. 

Raamah~\  Or,  as  the  Ancients  pronounce  his 
Name,  Rhcgma,  wasfituated  in  the  fame  Arabia^  up 
on  the  Perfean  Sea.  Where  there  is  a  City  mention 
ed  by  Ptolewps  Tables  RktgAwa.  5  in  the  Greek^  Text 
exprefly  'Plyjuut,  Rhegwa.  And  (oStephat?#f  mentions 
both  rp?fyfcut  7rv\i<;  and  ^'AvrgL  'Fify^,  about  ithe  Per- 


Gulph. 

Sabtecha7\  Or  Sabtheca,  as  fome  read  it,  was  the 
youngeft  Son  of  Cujb  $  except  Nimrod,  who  is  men 
tioned  by  himfelf.  It  is  hard  to  find  the  place  of 
his  Habitation  :  But  the  reft  of  the  Sons  of  Cufli  be 
ing  feated  about  the  Per/ian  Sea,  (except  Nlmrod^ 
who,  as  Mofcs  tells  us,  went  to  Babylon)  Bocharttts 
thinks  it  reafonable  to  feek  for  him  in  that  part  of 
Caramania,  where  there  was  a  City  called  Sawydace, 
and  a  River  SaMydacIw  :  ,Which,he  thinks  may  have 
come  from  Sabetecha^  by  the  change  of  the  Letter 
B  into  M:  Which  was  very  frequent  in  Arabia,  and 
the  Neighbouring  Countries.  For  Merodach,  is  alfo 
called  Berodach,  in  the  Book  of  Kings.  And  in 
the  Chaldee  Paraphrafe,  Bafan  is  called  Bathnan  and 
Math  nan  :  And  Abana  (the  famous  River  of  Dawaf- 
is  expounded  Amana.  :  And  Meccha  and  Bee* 
are  the  fame  City  among  the  Arabians.  In  like 
manner  Sabtecka  or  Sabithace^  might  be  changed  into 
Samydace.  Now  into  Caramania  there  was  a  fhort 
cut  over  the  Streights  of  the  Perjian  Gulph,  out  of 
Arabia.  I  fee  nothing  any  where  more  probable  than 
this  Conjecture  of  that  very  Learned  Man.  L.  IV. 
P  ha  leg.  c.  4. 

And 


upon    GENESIS.  185 

And  the  Sons  ofRawah  5  Sheba  and  Dedan.~]     He  Chapter 
gives  an  Account  of  none  of  Cujh's  other  Sons  po-       X, 
fterity,but  only  of  this  :  Whofe  two  Sons  were  feated  U'VNJ 
near  him,  and  one  other.    For  the  younger  of  them, 
Dedan,  feems  to  have  left  his  Name  in  a  City  now 
called    Dadan^    hard  by   Rhegma,    upon  the   fame 
Shore,  Eaftward.     And  from  this  Dadan  the  Coun 
try  now  hath  its  Name :  Of  which  Ezefyel  fpeaks, 
XXVII.  15.   as  Bochart  (hews  plainly,  L.  IV.  c.  6. 
And  Sheba  for  as  others  read  it5  Seba,  orSaba)  his 
elder  Brother,  was  feated  in  the  fame  Country,  not 
far  from  Dedan,  where  Powponius  mentions  a  Peo-   \ 
pie  called  Sab&i  5  and   Arrianus  fpeaks  of  a  great 
Mountain  not  far  off,  called  Sabo,  from  this  Saba  : 
Whofe  Pofterity  eafily  paffing  over  the  Straits  be 
fore-mentioned,  into  Caratvania,  might  poffibly  give 
Name  to  a  City  there,  which  Ptolemy  calls  Sabis  : 
And  Pliny  mentions  a  River  of  the  fame  Name : 
And  Dionyf.  Periegttes  fpeaks  of  a  People  called  Sa- 
b<e.    Of  whom  the  Scripture  feems  to  fpeak  in  thofe 
places  where  Sheba  and   Seba  are  joyned  together, 
LXXILio.  The  Kings  of  Sheba  (i.e.  of  this  Coun 
try)  and  Seba  fhaff  offer  Gifts.     And  fometimes  She- 
ba  and   Raavtah    (or  Rhegnta)   are  joyned,  Ezeb 
XXVII.  22.  where  the  Prophet  fpeaks  of  this  Sheba 
the  Son  of  Rhegma  5  who  brought  thofe  precious 
Commodities  there  mentioned,  out  of  Arabia  :  They 
lying  very  commodioufly  for  Traffick  upon  the  Per- 
fan  Gulph.    And  thefe  are  the  People  alfo  mention 
ed,  verfe  23.  of  that  Chapter,  with  fundry  other  Na 
tions  5  who  lived  upon  Tigris  and  Euphrates^  which 
run  into  the  Perjian  Sea  5    and   therefore  it  is  rea- 
fonable  to  think   that  Shebas  Pofterity  lived  near 
the  fame  Sea. 

B  b  Ver, 


1 8(5 


A  COMMENTARY 


Chapter        Ver.  8.  And  Cuff}  begat 


Befides  all   the 


X. 


Verfe  8 


fore- mentioned,  he  alfo  begat  this  Son  :,  whom  Mo— 
fes  diftinguifhes  from  the  reft,  and  mentions  him  a- 
lone  by  himfelf,  becaufe  he   was  the  moft  eminent 
among  his  Brethren,  though  born  the  lad  $  a  migh 
ty  Commander,  as  Mofes  here  defcribes  him.     Thus 
in  the  Title  of  Pfal.  XVIII.  it   is  faid  David  was 
delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  all  his  Enemies,  and 
out  of  the  hand  of  baul :  Who  is  particularly  men 
tioned  by  himfelf,  becaufe  he  was  his  Chief  Enernyo 
Sir  W.  Raleigh  thinks  he  was  begotten  by  Cujb,  when 
his  other  Children  were  become  Fathers  5  and  fo  be 
ing  younger  than  his  Grandfons,  he  is  named  after 
an  account  is  given  of  every  one  of  them. 

Niwrod.~\    The  Author  of  the  Chronicon  Alexandr. 
thinks  he  was  the  fame  with  Nivw :  But  Voffiw  rather 
takes  him  for  him,  whom  the  Greek,  Writers  call  Beln^ 
that  is,  Lord:  And  that  Nrnvt  was  his  Son,  fo  called 
from  the  very  thing  it  felf,  Nin  in  Hebrew  fignifying 
a  Son,  L.  I.   de  IdoloL  cap.  24.     The  fame  Chronicon 
faith,  that  Niwrod  taught  the  Ajfyrians  to  worfhip 
the  Fire  :  And   both    Elmacinw  and  Patricides    af 
firm  the  fame.     See  Hotting.  Smegtna  Orient.  L.  I.  c.S. 
p.  271.     Which  if  it  be  true,  J  doubr  not  was  as  an 
Emblem  of  the  Divine  Majefty  5  which  ufed  to  ap 
pear  in  a  glorious  Flame,     Vr  a  City   of  Chaldta 
feems  to   have  had  its  name  from  the   Fire  which 
was  there  worftipped  :    And  that  Vr  alfo    from 
whence  Abraham  came,  the  Hebrews  fanfie  had  the 
fame  original  5  for  their  Fable  is,  That  Abraham  was 
thrown  into  the  Fire,  becaufe  he  would  not  Wor- 
(hip   it'}  and  by   the  power  of  God   delivered,  as 
St.  Hierom  tells  us  in  his  Que (lions  upon  Genefis. 


H* 


upon    GENESIS,  187 

He  began  to  be  a  mighty  one  in  the  Earth."]     He  was  Chapter 
the  firft  great  Warrior  and  Conqueror  $  fo  Gwbor      X. 
is  to  be  underftood,  not   fora  Giant •,  or   Man  o 
great  Stature  ^  but  for  a  potent  Perfon  :  And  as  fome 
will  have  it,  a  more  fevere  Governour  than  they  had 
been,  who  only  exercifed  Paternal  Authority.  For  he 
was  the  firft  that  put  down  the  Government  of  Elder- 
(bip,  or  Paternity  (as  Sir  W.Raleigh  fpeaksj  and  laid 
the  Foundation  of  Soveraign  Rule. 

Ver.  9.  He  was  a  mighty  Hunter^]  Or  rather, 
mighty  in  Hunting  :  For  the  word  tzid  doth  not  fig* 
nifie  a  Hunter,  but  Hunting.  Which  (hows  by  what 
means  he  came  to  be  fo  great  a  Monarch.  He  hard- 
tied  himfelf  to  Labour  by  this  Exercife  (which 
was  very  toilfomj  and  drew  together  a  great  Com 
pany  of  robuft  Young  Men,  to  attend  him  in  this 
fport :  Who  were  hereby  alfo  fitted  to  purfue  Men4 
as  they  had  done  wild  Beafts.  For  this  was  lookt 
upon  in  all  Ages,  as  the  rudiment  of  Warfare,  (as 
Bochdrt  (hews  out  of  a  great  many  Authors,  L.  IV. 
cap  12.)  All  the  Heroes  of  old,  fuch  as  Neflor,  The- 
feus,  Catfor,  Pollux,  Ulyjfis,  Diomedes,  Achilles,  JE~ 
neat,  tec.  being  all  bred  up  to  hunting,  zsXenophott 
informs  us.  And  it  was  not  without  fome  fuch  rea- 
fon,  that  noble  Families  carry  in  their  Coat  of  Anns 
(as  Enfignsof  their  valorous  Atchievements)  Lyons ^ 
Bears,  Tygers,  5cc.  from  their  killing  fuch  like  fierce 
Creatures.  For  it  muft  be  farther  noted,  that  in 
this  Age  of  Niwrod,  the  Exercife  of  Hunting  might 
well  be  the  more  highly  efteemed,  and  win  him  the 
Hearts  of  Mankind  ;  becaufe  he  delivered  them,  by 
this  means,  from  thofe  wild  Beafts,  whereby  they 
were  much  infeiled,  and  very  dangerouily  expofed, 
while  they  were  but  few,  and  lived  fcattered  up 

B  b  i  and 


i88  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  and  down,  in  the  open  Air,  or  in  Tents,  but  weakly 
X.  defended.  The  deftroying  of  wild  Beafts,  (and  per- 
haps  of  Thieves  whom  he  hunted  alfo)  was  a  great 
Service  in  thofe  times,  and  made  many  joyn  with 
him  in  greater  Defigns  which  he  had  at  laft  5  to  fub- 
due  Men,  and  make  himfelf  Mafter  of  the  People^ 
who  were  his  Neighbours,  in  Babylon!,  Sufiana,  and 
Ajjyria.  The  memory  of  this  Hunting  of  his,  was 
preferved  by  the  Ajjyrians  (who  made  Nirr/rod  the 
fame  with  Orion)  who  joyned  the  Dog  and  the  Hare 
(the  firft  Creature  perhaps  that  was  hunted)  with  his 
Conftellation.  This  Mr.  Selden  obferves  in  his  Ti 
tles  of  Honour,  Part.  I.  cap.  i.  where  he  farther  notes 
that  he  is  to  this  day  called  by  the  Arabians?  Alge- 
bar,  the  mighty  Man,  or  the  Giant :  From  the  He 
brew  Gibbor  here  in  the  Text. 

Before  the  LOR D.]  i.  e.  To  the  higheft  degree. 
For  fo,  a  great  City  to  God,  is  a  very  great  City,  Jonah 
III.  3.  and  a  Child  very  beautiful  is  called  &$&©» 
©e£  fair  to,  or  before  God,  A8s  VII.  20.  Or  the 
meaning  may  be,  he  was  truly  fo,  not  only  in  com 
mon  Opinion.  For  that  is  faid  to  be  before  God, 
which  really  is :  Becaufe  God  cannot  be  deceived 
with  falfe  Appearances. 

Wherefore  it  if  faid,  even  at  Nimrod  the  Mighty,  &C."] 
/.  e.  Thence  came  the  common  Proverb :  Which  Mofes 
alledges  as  a  proof  of  the  Truth  of  what  he  deli 
vered.  Nothing  being  more  ufual  in  his  days,  than 
for  Men  to  fay  when  they  would  exprefs  how 
exceeding  great  any  Man  was,  He  is  like  Nimrod, 
the  mighty  HunUt  before  the  LO  R  D>  Thus  com 
mon  Sayings  are  quoted  in  other  places,  nothing  be 
ing  more  notorious  than  fuch  Proverbial  Speeches,' 

.  12, 

It 


upon    GENESIS. 

It  is  not  improbable   that  Nimrod  is  the   fame  Chapter 
with  him  whom  the  Greek/  calls  Bacchus  $    whofe       X. 
Conquefts   in  the  Eaft,  as  far  as  Indla^  are  nothing 
elfe  but  the  Expeditions  of  Nimrod  and  his  Succef- 
fors.    The  very  Name  of  Bacchus  imports  this,  which 
was  made  out  of  Bav-Ghus  the  Son  of  G//&,  as  Dam- 
mafel{,  (i.  e.  Damafcvs^)   was  out  of  Darmafek:    Ma 
ny  other  Arguments  for  this,  are  colle&ed  by  Bochar- 
tw,  L.  I.  Phaleg.  cap.  2. 

Verio.   The  beginning  of  his  Kingdom  was  Babel.~]  Verle 
(See  XI.  5,8.)  Which,  according  to  the  Gentile  Wri 
ters,  was  built  by  Belw,  (the  fame  with  Nimrod,  who 
was  called  Belw,  as  I  noted  before,  from  Baal.,  be* 
caufe  of  his  Dominion  and  large  Empire,  over  which 
he  was  an  abfolute  Lord?)   They  that  fay,  his  Son 
Ninus  (or,  as  Philo-Byblius^  his  Son  Babylon)  was  the 
Builder,  may  be  thus  reconciled  with  the  fore- men- 
tion'd  Opinion  $  That  Belv*  began  it,  and  his  Son 
much  augmented  it.    See  Voff.  L.  I.  de  Idol.  cap.  24. 
&  L.  VII.  c.  9.    There  are  thofe  that  fay  it  was 
built  by  Semiramis^  but  as  they  have  it  only  fronj  Cte- 
Jtas,  who  is  not  to  be  relied  on  againft  Berofus^nd 
Abydenut,  who  wrote  the  Hiftory  of  that  Country 
out  of  the  ancient  Records,  and  fay  Relw  built  it  5 , 
fo  if  it  be  true,  we  muft  underftand  it  of  her  re 
building  it,  after  it  was  decayed,  or  adding  greater 
Splendor  to  it.     And  this  alfo  muft  be  underftood 
not  of  the  Wife  of  Ninw  3  for  it  is  a  queftion  whe 
ther  he  had  any  Wife  of  that  Name:  Or,  if  he  had, 
(he  was  different  from  her  whom  the  Greeks  fo  much 
magnifie,  who  lived  almoft  Two  thonfand  Years  after 
the  Son  of  Belus,  as  Salma/ias  obferves  (Exercit.  in 
Solin.  p.  1x28.)  out  of  Pkilo-ByttiHs. 

And, 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter         dad  Erec,  &c.]     Having   built  Babel,  which  he 
X.       made  the  chief  City  of  his  Kingdom,  he  proceeded  to 
build  three  Cities  more,  in  the  fame  Country.  Which, 
they  that  think  he  won  by  Conqueft,  imagine  alfo 
that  he  made  Babe!  the  Head  City,  becaufe  he  won 
it  firft,  and  then  the  other.     And  all  this,  fay  fome 
before  the  difperfion  we  read  of  in  the  next  Chap 
ter  :  which  others  think  hapned  after  the  difperfion. 
Erec  feems   to  have  been  the  City,  which  Ptolemy 
calls  Arecca^  and  Awnrianw  Arecha :  Which  lay   in 
the  Country    of  Sufiana    upon   the    River   Tigris. 
Whence  the  Arecc^i  Cawpi  in  TibuUw^  as  Salwajiw 
obferves  in  his  Exerdt.  in  Sol'mum*  p,  1194.     From 
whence  Huetiw  thinks  the  Country  below  it  was 
called  Iraque  $  mentioned  by  Alferganuf^  and    other 
Arabian  Writers. 

Acchad.~]  It  is  an  hard  matter  to  give  any  account 
of  this  City  $  but  the  LXX.  calling  it  Archad,  from 
the  Chaldee  Idiom,  which  is  wont  to  change  the 
Daghes,  which  doubles  a  Letter,  into  R,  fas  Dar- 
wtafek  for  I^ammafek^  5.  e.  Dawafcus  ^  and  by  th< 
famereafon,  Archad  forAcchad^)  thefootfteps  of  thii 
Name  may  be  thought  to  remain  in  Argad^  a  Rivei 
of  Sittacene  in  Per/ia.  For  nothing  is  more  common, 
than  to  change  eh  intO£. 

Chalne.~]     It  is  foraetimes  called  Chalno^  Ifai.K.  9, 
and   Change,  Eze^.  XXVII.  23.     From  whence  th< 
Country  called  ChalonJiis^  ("mentioned  by  Pliny,  an< 
Strabo^  Polybins,  and    Dionyf.   Pericgetes^)  may  well 
be  thought  to  have  taken  its  Name  :  Whofe  chief  Ci 
ty  was  called  Chalne^  or  Chalone,  (which  is  the  fame.J 
and  afterwards  changed  by  Pacorus^  King  of  Per/ia, 
into  Ctefyhon. 

Ver. 


Hpon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S;  1^1 

Ver.  II.  Out  of  that  land  went  forth  A/hut  7]     This  Chapter 
Tranllition  is  not  fo  likely,  as  that  in  the  Margin,       X. 
He  went  out  into  Ajfyria.      For  Mofcs  is  f peaking  of  *w^VS 
what  Niwrdd   the" Son  of  Cujh  did,  and  not  of  the  Verfe 
Sons  of  Shem>  among  whom   Aflutr  Was  one.     Nor 
is  it  agreeable  to  the  order  of  Hiftory  to  tell  us  here 
what  Afhur  did,,  before  there  be  any  mention  of  his 
Birth,  which  follows,  verfe  22.     Befides,  it  was  not 
peculiar  to^/Zwr,  the  Son  of  Shew,  that  he  went  out 
>f  che  Land  of  Shinar:  For  fo  did  alrnoft  all  Men 
who  were  difperfed  from  thence.     Add  to  this,  that 
Ajfyria  is  called  the  Land  ofNimrod  by  Micah,   V.  6. 
Ihey  jhall  wafte  the'  Land  of  Ajjyria  with   the  Sword ^ 
and  the  Land  of  Nimrod  with  their  Lances ;  or,  In 
the  entrance  thereof,  as  we  tranflate  it.     Therefore  ic 
is  very  reafonable   to  take  Afbinr  here,  not  for  the 
Name  of  a  Man,  but  of  a  Place,  as  it  is  frequent 
ly:  And  expound  the  word  Ajhur,  as  if  it  were  Lea- 
Jhur  into  Afhur  }  zsbeth  in    2  Sam.  VI.  10.  is  put  for 
Ubeth;  other  Examples  there  are  of  this,  2  Sam.  X, 
2.  I  Chron.  XIX.  2.     By  going  forth  into   Aflwr^  Bo- 
chart  thinks  is  meant  (iimrod's  making   War  there  : 
For  fo  the  Hebrew  Phrafe,  go  forth,  imports  in  2  Sam. 
XI.  i.Pyi/wLX.  12.  Ifii.  XL1I.  Zach.  XIV.  3,     So 
Nimrod  went  forth  into  Affyrl^  which  belong'd  to 
the  Children  of  Shew:  But  was  ufurped,   he  thinks, 
by  this  Son  of  Cu[h  5  who  had  no  right  to  it,  but 
what  he  got  by  his  Sword.  If  this  be  true,  Mr.  Mede'-s 
Obfervation  which  I  mentioned  upon  verfe  27.    of 
the  foregoing  Chapter,  QThat  the  Po (Verity  of  Cham 
never  fubdued  either  thofe   of  Japhet,  or   Shent^] 
muft  be  underftood  of  inch  large  Conquefts  as  they 
two  made  over  one  another.,  and  over  him, 

And 


15?2  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter         -And  builded  Nineveh.~\     Which  Nimrod  fo  called 

X*       from  his  Son  Ninus:  The  very  word  Niniveth  being 

l-/*V*\j  as  much  as  Ninus  his  habitation,  mu  p.    Thus  Cam 

built  a  City,  and  called  it,  not  by  his  own,  but  his 

Son's  Name,  IV.  1 7.  This  was  the  chief  City  of  Affyria^ 

and  flourifhed  in  great  Glory  till  it  was  utterly  razed 

by  the  Medes,  and  never  again  re-built.     It  flood  on 

the  Eaft-Jtde  of  Tygrit. 

Rehobofh.']    There  was  a  City  of  this  Name  upon 
Euphrates,  which  was  famous  for  the  Birth  of  Sauly 
one  of  the  Kings  ofEdom,  Gen.  XXXVI.  37.  which 
the  Arabians  \va\\  Rahabath-Melic^  i.  e.  Rahabath  of 
the  T&ngs^  a  little  below  Cercufium^  at  the  Mouth  of 
the  River  Chaboras.    But  this  being  too  far  diftant 
ftomNinivtb,  (to  which  this  and  the  two  following 
Cities  were  Neighbours)  Bocharfs  Conjefture  is  not 
unreafonable,   That  this  is  the  City  which  Ptolemy 
calls  Birtha,  on  the  WeftotTigrn,  at  the  Mouth  of 
the  River  Lycus.    For  in  the  Chaldee  Tongue  Streets 
are  called  Birtha  $   and  that  is  the  fignification  of 
Rehoboth,  as  the  Margin  of  our  Bible  will  inform  the 
Reader. 

Calah,  or  Calach.~]  Seems  to  have  been  the  chief 
City  of  the  Country  called  Calachene  ;  about  the 
Fountain  of  the  River  Lycus  :  Which  Strobe  often 
mentions. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  Refin,  Sec."]  The  fore-named  great 
Man  conjectures  this  to  have  been  the  City,  which 
Xenophon  calls  Larffa,  fituate  upon  the  Tigris:  Which 
Mofes  might  well  call  a  great  City.  For  fo  Xenophon 
fays  it  was,  and  defcribes  the  heighth  of  the  Walls 
to  have  been  an  hundred  Foot,  the  breadth  five  and 
twenty ,  and  the  compafs  of  it  eight  Miles  about.  The 
Greeks  found  it  in  Ruins?  and  uninhabited,  when 

they 


upon  GENESIS. 

they  came  into  thofe  parts  $  being  deftroyed  by  the  Chapter 
Per/ians,   when  they  fpoiled  the  Medes  of  their  Em-       x. 
pire.    And  it  is  poflible,    as  Bochart  goes  on,   the  i^v% 
Greeks  asking  whofe  City  that  was,  and  the  Ajjyrians 
anfweringLere/etf,  i.  e.  Refen\  ( adding,  asisufual, 
/e,  the  Note  of  the  Genitive  Cafe)  they  might  thence 
call  it  Lariffa.    Such  a  Miftake,  he  (hows,  there  is  in 
the  Vulgar  Tranflation  of  the  Bible  $    which  takes 
this  Particle  le  for  part  of  the  Name.  For,  in  i  Chron. 
V.  26.  where  it  is  faid  the  King  of  Ajjyria^  carried 
the  Ifraelites  to  Hatah,    the  Vulgar  fays  unto  Lahelah. 
Whereas  it  is  certain  from   2  Kings  XVII.  6.  that  it 
fliouldbeunto  Halahyor Ffelah.     However  it  is  rea- 
fonable  to  think,  that  thefe  words,    this  is  a  great 
City,  belongs  to  Refen,  not  toNineveh :  Whofe  great- 
nefs  as  well  as  Babylon*  was  very  well  known  }  and 
therefore  thefe  words  feem  to  be  added,     to  denote 
Refen  to  be  a  great  deal  bigger  than  the  two  before- 
named,  Rehoboth  and  Calah.  See  Bochart^  L.  IV.  c.  23. 
They  that  think  NtmroJ  fettled  his  Kingdom  in  Ba- 
bel  before  the  Difperfion,  by  confufion  of  their  Lan 
guages,  imagine  that  he  made  this  Expedition  into 
AffyriA)  (where  he  built  Niniveh,  and  the  reft  of  the 
Cities  here  mentioned)    after  they  were  forced  to 
leave  off  their  vain-glorious  Building  at  Babel,  and  to 
difperfe  themfelves  into  other  Countries. 

Ver.  13.  And  Mfcraim  ("the  fecond  Son  of  Cham)  Verfe  13. 
begat  Ludim7\  By  whom  we  are  to  underftand  the 
lEthiopians,  as  Bochart  hath  proved  by  many  Argu 
ments,  (" which  I  (hall  not  mention)  and  therefore 
underftands  by  thefe  words,  that  the  JEthiopianf  were 
aColonyof  the  Egyptians^  L.  IV.  Phaleg,  c.  26.  For 
it  appears  by  Diodorus  that  they  were  near  of  kin  3 
having  many  things  common  to  both  Nations  5  which 

Cc  he 


IP4  ACOMMENTAKY 

Chapter    he  reckons  up,    and  are  fufficient   to  perfuade  thofe 
X.       who  confider  them,  that  they  have  the  fame  Original  .• 

IXV"\J  The  only  difference  among  them,  being  this ;  which 
of  them  was  of  greateft  Antiquity.  The  Egyptians 
fanfied  they  were  the  firft  of  all  Men  $  and  the  1E- 
thiopians  pretended  that  they  living  more  Southerly^- 
had  a  ftronger  Sun  ^  which  contributed  more  cffida- 
cioufly  to  natural  Generation .-  And  that  Egypt 'vrw 
a  Country  thrown  np  by  the  Mudd  which  Nihs 
left,  and  Sfo  got  out  of  the  Sea.  But  Mofes  hath  de 
termined  this  Controverfie  in  thefe  words,  and  by 
the  reft  of  his  Hiftory.  Which  (hows  that  the  firft 
Men  after  the  Flood,  came  from  the  Mountains  of 
Armenia^  which  is  in  the  North  5  and  confequently 
they  went  to  the  Southerly  Countries  by  degrees, 
through  AJfyria,  Babylon^  Syria^  and  Egypt  into  HLthi- 
opi(t:  And  their  difcourfe  is  ridiculous  about  the  Ori 
ginal  of  Egypt)  unto  which  we  fee  nothing  added  by 
the  Nile,  in  many  Ages, 

Anamim7\  Our  Broughton  takes  thefe  to  be  the 
Ntiwidians,  among  whom  he  finds  Annbis.  Others 
take  them  for  the  Anait<e  in  JEthhpia.  Hut  thefe  And- 
mints  being  derived  from  Mizrai^  we  are  rather  to 
feek  them  about  Egypt :  And  the  Opinion  ofBochar- 
tusis  probable,  that  they  are  the  Nomades^  who  lived 
about  Antmon  and  Nafamonitis  ^  and  called  Anamn 
from  Anam,  which  fignifies  a.Sheep  among  thb  ancient 
Egyptians ^  as  it  doth  among  the  Arabians.  For  the 
Nomades  fed  Sheep,  as  Herodotus  tells  us,  and  lived 
Hpon  them,  (whereas  they  abftained  from  eating  Gw 
or£*v//e,)  and  their  Garments  alfo,  as  he  tells  us, 
were  of  Sheep-Skins. 


G  E  N  E  S  I  S,  tp$ 

Lehabim.']  Thefe  are  thought  to  be  the  Lybians  5  Chapter 
butthat  being  a  Name  which  belongs  to  the  greateft       X. 
part  of  Africa,  it  cannot  be  well  thought  that  fo  great  L/" 
a  Portion  fell  to  this  Son  ofMizraim,  or  that  fo  ma 
ny  People  were  defcended  from  him,  Therefore  Bo- 
chart  with  great  reafon  thinks  the  Lehab<ei  were  not 
all  the  Lybians  $  but  thofe  whom  Ptolemy,  Pliny,  and 
others  call  Lybi<egyptii :    Becaufe  they  lived   next  to 
Egypt  on  the  Weft  ofThebais,  in  a  fandy,    aduft  Soil, 
burnt  by  exceffive  heat  $  from  whence  he  thinks  they 
had  the  Name  of  Lehabim.    For  Lehaba  fignifies  both 
a  Flame  and  Heat.  As  in  Joel  I.  19,  The  flame  (leha- 
tain  the  Hebrew)  mfcorching  heat,  hath  burnt  all  the 
trees  of  the  field. 

Naphtuhint.~]  Thefe  feem  to  be  the  People  of 
Nephthuah  5  and  what  that  is,  we  may  learn  from 
Plutarch  :  Who  in  his  Book  De  Ijtde  &  Oftride,  fays, 
the  Egyptians  call  the  Country  and  the  Mountains 
that  lie  upon  the  Sea,  Nephthun,  which  may  incline 
us  to  think  that  the  Naphtuhim  were  thofe  People 
that  lived  upon  the  (hoar  of  the  Mediterranean  in 
Marntarica  :  For  the  People  upon  the  Red-Sea  be 
longed  to  Arabia,  not  to  Egypt.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  from  hence  came  the  Name  of  Neptune,  who  ori 
ginally  was  a  Lybian  God ;  and  known  to  none  but 
that  People. 

There  was  a  City  called  Nepata  by  Pliny  ^  which 
Grotiuf  thinks  may  explain  this  Name:  But  it  was  in 
HLthiopia$  and  Mofes  isfpeaking  of  the  Sons  of  Mfc- 
raim. 

Ver.  14.  AndPathrufem.~\   Who  were  the  Inhabi-  V-erfe  1 
tants,  it  is  likely,  ofPatfos:    Which  was  a  part  of 
Egypt  $  though  reprefented  fometime  in  Scripture  as 
a  Country  diftinft  from  it :  Juft  as  Thebais  is  in  fome 

Cc  2  Au~ 


A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter  Authors  faid  to  be,  whereas  it  was  the  upper  Egypt. 
X.  Bocbart  hath  brought  a  great  many  Arguments  to 
prove  this-  Particularly  from  Ezelyel  XXIX.  14. 
which  (hows  clearly  that  Pathros  belongs  to  Egypt : 
For  the  Prophet  foretelling  that  God  would  bring 
again  the  Captivity  of'Egypt,  he  faith  he  would  caufe 
them  to  return  into  the  Land  of  Pathros ,  into  the  Land 
of  their  Habitation^  or  Nativity :  That  is,  into  The- 
bais^  which  Nebuchadnezzar  had  principallyafflifted 
carrying  moft  of  the  Inhabitants  ofr  Thebes  into  Cap-, 
tivity.  This  feems  a  more  probable  Account  of  the 
Pathriijim>  than  theirs  who  take  them  to  be  the  Pha- 
rufi,  fas  Grotius  doth )  or  Phatttujii  5  who  were  a  Peo 
ple  of  JEthiopia. 

Cafluhim^  or  CaJ}iichim.~\  Thefe  were  the  Colchi^  who 
though  they  lived  far  from  Egypt ,  from  whence  they 
are  faid  here  to  defcend,  yet  there  are  a  great  many 
Arguments,  that  they  had  their  Original  from  that 
Country.  For  feveral  ancient  Authors  fay  fo,  as  He- 
rodotujyDiadoruSyStrabo^znA.  Ammianus  :  All  of  great 
Credit  And  there  are  many  Keafons  whereby  He 
rodotus  proves  it,  (as  Bochart  (hows  in  his  admirable 
Work>  often  mentioned,  L.  IV.  Pfaleg^  c.  31.)  they 
agreeing  in  fo  many  things,  efpecially  in  their  Man 
ners  and  Language,  that  one  can  fcarce  have  any  doubt 
of  it.  Thefe  People  were  feated  at  the  Baft-end  of  the 
Euxine  Sea. 

Out  of  whom  cante  Pkiliftint^  They  were  the  Off- 
fpring  of  the  People  of  Colchis,  as  will  appear  in  what 
follows. 

And  Ctyhtorim^  Thefe  were  a  People  near  to 
Cokhir*  te  appears  from  hence  $  that -  tne  Pbilijtixn9 
who  are  faid  here  to  come  from  Cafluckim^  in  other 
places  are  faid  to  have  come  from  Caphtor,  ier>, 

XLVIt 


nfon    GENESIS. 

XLVII.  4.  AmosYL.  7.  And  Mofes  himfelf  relates  Chapter 
how the  Avims  nigh  to  Gaza  (a  famous  City  of  the  X. 
Philiftiii*)  were  driven  out  by  the  CaphtoriM^  Dent.  *s^s*** 
H.  23.  All  the  Ancients  therefore  are  in  the  right, 
who  take  the  Caphtorim^  for  the  Cappadocianf  ••  Yet, 
not  all  the  Inhabitants  of  that  Country,  (part  of 
which  was  pofleffed  by  other  People,  as  was  faid  be 
fore)  but  that  part  of  Cappadoda,  which  was  next 
to  Colchis,  viz,.  About  Trapezund,  where  Colchis  end 
ed.  For  there  we  find  the  City  called  Side,  and  the 
Country  Sidene,  mentioned  by  Strabo.  Now  Side  in 
Greek{ as  Bochart  ingenioufly  obferves)  fignifies  the 
fame  with  Caphtor  in  Hebrew^  viz.  Malum  punicum  : 
And  therefore  in  all  likelihood,  the  fame  Country  was 
called  by  the  Hebrews  Caphtor,  and  by  the  Greeks 
Sidene. 

What  invited  the  CafKtori'm  out  of  Egypt  into  this 
Country,  is  hard  to  tell  at  this  diftance  of  time. 
But  Strabo  thinks  it  was  the  Fame  of  the  Gold, 
wherewith  the  Country  abounded.  And  as  thi* 
drew  them  thither,  fo  perhaps  the  Coldnefs  of  the 
Country  very  much  different  from  that  wherein  they 
were  born  $  or  elfe  their  Neighbours  the  Scythians^ 
and  Mefech&nd  Tubal^  (vfa.  theM0/Htf  and  TibareniJ 
who  dwelt  near  them,  and  might  be  troublefome  to 
them,  made  them  think  of  returning  back  again. 
And  in  their  way  through  Paleftine,  they  fell  upon 
the  Avlm^  whom  they  difpoffefled  of  their  Country, 
and  fettled  there,  (Deut>  IL  25.*)  by  the  Name  of 
fhittftim. 

Ver.  15.  AndCanaan^]    Now  follows  an  account  Verfe  1 5 
of  the  Pofterity  of '»H*»f%  youngelt  Son. 

Sidon.~\  Was  his  Firft^born .-  Who  was  the  Foun- 
der  of  the  famous  City  called  by  his  Name,   Side*  / 

Which 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter    Which  Trogus  faith  was  fo  called  horn  plenty  of  Fifh 
X.        on  that  Coaft.     And   fo    the  prefcnt  Name  of  it, 

WV1^  Said^  fignifies  Fijhing  or  Fifhery  :  As  the  Town  in  Ga 
lilee  called  Bethfaida,  is  as  much  as  the  place  ofFf/h- 
ing:  For  that  Sea  upon  which  it  lies,  the  Hebrews 
fay,  abounded  with  Fifti.  However  the  Sidomans 
came  from  this  Son  of  Canaan  5  and  fome  of  them, 
("if  he  did  not  found  it  himfelf,)  called  the  City  by 
this  Name,  in  memory  of  him.  It  was  far  more  an 
cient  and  famous  than  Tyre  :  For  we  read  of  it  in 
the  Books  of  Mofes  and  Jo/hua,  and  the  Judges  :  But 
nothing  of  Tyre  till  the  Days  of  David.  Nor  doth 
Hewer  mention  Tyre  5  though  he  fpeaks  of  Sidon,  and 
the  Sidonians  in  many  places. 

Heth."]  His  fecond  Son,  was  the  Father  of  the  Hit- 
tites,  or  the  Children  of  Heth,  often  mentioned  in 
Scripture  .•  Who  dwelt  about  Hebron  and  Beer/beba,\n 
the  South  of  the  Land  of  Canaan.  They  were  a  very 
Warlike  People,  and  ftruck  a  Terror  in  to  their  Neigh 
bours  .-  From  whence  the  word  Hittha^  feems  to  be 
derived,  which  fignifies  fright  and  fitdden  Conftern a- 
tion^  fuch  as  came  upon  the  Syrians,  when  they 
thought  the  Kings  of  theHi/titer  were  comingagainft 
them,  2  Kings  VII.  6.  This  was  the  Country  of  the 
Anatyms  :  For  from  Arba,  who  was  an  Hittite,  de- 
fcended  Anafa  and  from  him  thofe  three  Giants,  Ahi* 
man,  Shejhai^  and  Talmai,  and  the  reft  of  the  Ana- 
kims^  Numb.  XIII.  22,  33.  Jo/b.  XV.  13,  14. 

Verfe  16.  Ver- I^'  The  Jehu/ite."]  This  People,  who  were 
*  fituated  near  to  the  former,  defcended  from  Jehus 
the  third  Son  of  Canaan:  And  were  a  very  Warlike 
People  alfo  5  for  they  kept  JerufaleM  and  the  For- 
trefs  of  Z/0«,  to  the  times  of  David  3  notwithftand- 
ing  all  the  Power  of  the  Benjamttes.  And  when 

David 

• 


upon  GENESIS.  199 

David  befieged  it,  th:ey  mock'd  at  his  Attempt,  z  Sam.  Chapter 
V.  8.  X. 

And  the  Eworite.']  They  'came  from  £mor,  the  L/VSJ 
fourth  Son -of  &»**#,  and  are  commonly  called  A- 
morites  :  Who  pofleffed  the  Mountainous  Parts  of 
Jtidda^  and  many  of  them  pafied  over  Jordan^  and 
making  Wa*  upon  the  Moabites  and  AmmonHes^  fei- 
zed  upon  Bafoan  and  Hefolon^  and  all  the  Country 
between  the  Rivers  of  Jabbok.  and  Arnon,  Numb. 
XIII.  29.  5fy/&-  V.  i.  In  memory  of  which  Vidto- 
ry  fome  Canaanitt  Poet  made  a  Triumphing  Song, 
which  -Mofes  hath  recorded,  Numb.  XXI.  2  7.  What 
a  mighty  People  thefe  were  we  learn  from  Amos 
II.p. 

Gergafite.~\  There  was  a  Remnant  of  this  People 
about  Gerafa  or  Gadara  beyond  Jordan  in  our  Savi 
our's  time,  Af*M&.Vni.  28.  ALHV.  i.  ZMeVIIL 
26.  And  they  were  called,  perhaps,  by  this  Name 
from  the  fat,  clayie  Soil  of  the  Country  where  they 
lived  £  for  garges  in  Hebrew  is  n?toe  C/^y. 

Ver.  17.  Andth&Hivite^  or  Hevite.~]  They  lived  Verfe  1:7 
in  and  about  Mount  Hermon^  as  we  read  jfy/7j.  XI.  3, 
which  being  toward  the  Baft  of  the  Land  of  Canaan^ 
they  arecall'd  Kadmonites^i.  z.Orientah^or  Eafterlings, 
Gen.  XV.  19.  The  Giheoniies  and  Sichetnttes  were 
Colonies  for  them,  fjf<?/7;.  XI.  19.  6e^.  XXXIV. 
2.^)  who  dwelt  more  Weftward:  The  former  of 
them,  Neighbours  to  Jerufalem  •  and  the  latter  to  5^- 
maria. 

ArkiteJ]  This  People,  Bochart  thinks,  inhabited 
Mount  Libams^  where  Ptolemy  and  Jofephus  men 
tion  a  City  called  ^4  or  Jr^e  .•  In  which,  he  thinks, 
was  the  Temple  Veneris  Architidis,  worfhipped  by 
the  Phanmant)  as  Macr.obius  tells  us,  X.  I.  Saturn. 


2oo  <*  COMMENTARY 

c.  27.  Ptinj  alfo  mentions  Area  among  the  Cities  of 
the  Decapolitan  Syria^  and  faith  it  was  one  of  thofe 
which  had  a  Royal  Jurifdi&ion,  under  the  Name  of 
a  Tetrarchy,  as  Salwa/ius  obferves  in  his  Exerc.  in 
Solin.  p.  576. 

Sinite."]  St.  Ukrom  faith,  that  not  far  from  Area 
there  was  a  City  called  Sin  5  where  we  may  fuppofe 
thefe  People  to  have  dwelt.  But  Bochart  rather  by 
the  Smites  underftands  the  Peleu/lots,  whofe  City  was 
called  Sin  $  which  is  of  the  very  fame  fignification 


Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  An  A  the  Arvadite.~\  Thefe  People  are 
the  fame  with  the  Aradii,  who  pofiefled  the  Ifland 
called  Aradus  upon  the  Coaft  of  Phoenicia^  and  part 
of  the  Neighbouring  Continent  .•  Where  a  place  cal 
led  Antaradus^  oppofite  to  the  Ifland,  was  feated. 
Strabo  and  others  fpeakof  this  Ifland,  and  mention 
another  of  the  fame  Name  in  the  Perfian  Gulph,  ("as 
Salmajius  obferves  upon  Solinus,  p.  1023.)  whofe  In 
habitants,  faid,  they  were  a  Colony  from  this  Ifland  I 
now  fpeak  of,  ajid  had  the  fame  Religious  Rites  with 
thefe  Aradians.  Who  were  very  skilful  in  Naviga 
tion,  and  therefore  joyne4  by  Ezeltfet  with  Zidon, 
XXVIF.  8.  where  he  makes  them  alfo  a  Warlike  Peo 
ple,  verfc  u. 

Zemarite^}  They  who  make  thefe  the  fame  with 
the  Samaritans  5  do  not  obferve  that  thefe  Names 
are  written  quite  differently  in  the  Hebrew.  And  that 
the  Samaritans  fo  much  fpoken  of  in  Scripture,  had 
their  Name  from  Somron.  And  therefore  Bochart 
thinks  thefe  are  the  Samaritans  mentioned  by  St.  Hie- 
rom,  who  fays,  they  inhabited  the  Noble  Cify^of 
Edeffa  in  Ctelofyria  (it  (hould  be  the  City  of  Emefa 
ifa^  which  was  in  that  Country,  but  Edeffa  in 

Mefi* 


upon  G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  20 1 

beyond   Euphrates')  and  fo  both  the  Chapter 
Chaldee  Paraphrafes  have  here  for  Zemarite^  Evtifiei.      X, 
But  I  do  not  fee  why  we  (hould  not  rather  think  this 
Son  of  Canaan  (Zemartts^)  from  whom  the  Zewar/tes 
came,  was  the  Founder  of  the  City  of  Zemaraim. 
.(Jofo.  XVIII.  22.)  which  fell  to  the  Lot  of  the  Tribe 
of  Benjamin. 

Hamathite^]  Thefe  were  the  Pofterity  of  the  laft 
Son  ot Canaan:  From  whom  the  City  and  Country 
of  Hamath  took  its  Name.  Of  which  Name  there 
were  Two  ,  one  called  by  the  Greeks  Anthcha,  the 
other  Eptphanza :  The  former  called  the  Great,  Amos 
•VI.  2.  todiftinguilh  it  from  this,  which  St.  Hierom. 
fays  in  his  time  was  called  Epiphania^  and  by  the  A- 
rabians  (in  the  Nubian  Geographer)  Havta.  This 
is  the  City  which  is  meant  when  we  fo  often  read 
that  the  bounds  of  Jud#a  were  to  the  Entrance  ofHtt- 
math,  Northward,  Numb.  XIII.  xi.  XXXI V.  8.  and 
other  places.  For  it  is  certain  they  did  not  reach  to 
Antiochia,  but  came  near  to  Epfphanta. 

Afterwards  were  the  Families  of  the  Canaanttes  fpread 
abroad.~\  In  procefs  of  time  they  enlarged  their 
bounds:  For  they  pofleffed  all  the  Country,  which 
lies  from  Unman  and  Paltfftine,  to  the  Mouth  ofO- 
rontes  :  Which  they  held  for  Seven  hundred  Years, 
or  thereabout.  Mofes  indeed  confines  the  Land  of 
Canaan  in  narrower  bounds  toward  the  North^.  (#s 
hath  been  faidj  but  we  muft  ccnfider  that  he  de- 
fcribes  only  that  part  of  Canaan^  which  God  gave  to 
the  Ifraelites  for  their  Portion.  Now*  there  being 
Eleven  Nations  who  had  their  Original  (as  appears 
from, this  and  the  foregoing  Verfes)  from  fo  many 
Sons  of  Canaan  ^  we  do  not  find  that  the  F/V/r,  and 
the  Five  laft  were  devoted  by  God  to  deftruftion, 

Dd  & 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter    as  the  reft  were.    For  we  read  nothing  of  the  ZV- 
X.         donians,  Arlytes^  Smites  ^Aradites,  Zewarites^    and 

«*"-V^  Hdwathites,  among  thofe  Nations  upon  whom  the 
Sentence  of  Excifion  was  pronounced  by  God,  and 
their  Country  beftowed  upon  the  Ifraelites.  But  we 
read  of  Two  others  not  here  mentioned,  who  made 
up  the  Seven  Nations,  whom  God  ordered  to  be 
cut  off,  viz.  the  Per/zzttes,  and  thole  who  were  pe- 
culiarlf  called  Canaan/tes,  who  fprang  from  fbme  of 
the  fore-named  XI.  Families  ^  but  we  do  not  know 
from  which.  We  (hall  meet  with  it  in  the  XV.  Chap- 
ter  of  this  Book. 

Verfe  19.      Ver.  19,  And  the  border  of  the  Canaanitres^  & 

Here  Mofes  defcribes  the  Bounds  of  that  Country', 
which  was  given  by  God  to  the  Jews. 

From  Sidon7\  i.  e.  The  Country  of  Sidon^  which 
extended  it  felf  from  the  City,  fo  called,  towards 
the  Eaft,  as  far  as  Jordan,  or  near  it.  This  there 
fore  may  belookt  upon  as  the  Northern  bounds  of 
the  promifed  Land. 

As  thoiicomeft  ta  Geras  unto  Gaza,  &c.^  Thefe 
and  all  the  reft  belonging  to  the  Southern  bounds :  For 
thefe  two  were  Cities  near  to  the  Philiftwis.  We 
often  read  of  Gaza  ^  and  Gerar  was  famous  for  Abra 
hams  andlfaat's  fojourning  there  (Gen.  XX.  i. 
XXVI.  ij  and  for  the  overthrow  of.  the.  Cuprites^ 
2  Chro*.  XIV.  i  j. 

Sodom  and  Gomorrha,  &C.3  Thefe  Four  Cities,  are 
femous  for  their  deftruftion,  by  Fire  and  Brimftone 
from  Heaven^ 

Even,  unto  LafhahJ]  Or  Lafa9  which  St.  Hieron* 
lakes  for  CaBhrhoe^  as  doth  Jonathan  alfo .-.  A  place 
famous  for  hot  Waters,  which  run  into  the  dead 
But  Boehartus  (L.  IV.  Phateg,  €.  yr+)  doubts 

o£ 


upon  G  fc  N  fe  SIS. 

of  this,  becaufe  C^ZC/rr^e  was  not  in  the  Southern  part  Chapter 
of  Jud<eai  as  La/bob  was:    He  propounds  it  there-     X. 
fore  to  confederation,  whether  it  may  not  be  a  City  CX"Wl 
of  the  Arfta  called  £*/*:    Which  Ptolemy  places  in 
the  middle  way,   between  the  Dead  Sea,  and  the 
Red. 

-  Ver.  20.  Thefe  are  thefons  of  Ham^  after  their  Fa-  Verfe  20. 
milts,  Sec.]  This  is  fufficiently  explained  by  what 
wasfaid  upon  verfe  5.  where  Mufes  concludes  his 
account  of  the  Sons  of  Japhet.  Only  it  may  be  ob- 
ferved  in  general,  that  thefe  Four  Sons  of  Ham  and 
their  Children,  had  all  Afi'ica  for  their  Portion 
(Mfer*7*m  having  Egypt,  and  Phut  the  reft)  and  no 
(mall  part  of  Spa  which  fell  to  the  (hare  of  Cujh  and 
Canaan. 

Ver.  21.  Unto  Shew  alfo,  the  Father  of  all  the  CM-Verfc  2r' 
drenofEber.']  That  is,  of  the  Hebrew  Nation,  whom 
Mofes  would  have  to  know  from  what  an  illuftrious 
Original  they  fprung}  and  therefore  breaks  off  the 
Thread  of  his  Genealogy,  to  give  a  (hort  touch  of 
it.  I  can  give  no  reafon  fo  likely  as  this,  why  he 
calls  Shew  the  Father  of  Ewer's  Children,  rather  than 
of  any  other  defcended  from  him.  He  having  told 
them  before,  that  H*m  was  the  Father  of  Canaan, 
(IX.  21.)  whom  God  curfed,  and  at  the  fame  time 
bleffed  Shem :  He  now  tells  them,  that  this  bit  flVd 
Man  was  the  Father  from  whom  their  Natron  was 
defcended}  that  they  might  comfort  thcmfetves  in 
their  noble  Stock,  and  believe  Canaan  (hould  be  fub- 
dued  by  them. 

The   Brother  of  Japhet    the  Elder."]    Scal/ger  tran- 

.flates  thefe  words,   §em  the  Elder  Brother  of  Japhet: 

But  the^c  which  is  prefixt  to  Gadol,   /.  e.  Greater,, 

plainly  direfts  us  to  refer  the  word  Greater  or  Elder 

Dd  2  to 


2 04  A  C  0 M  ME  N  T  A  RY. 

Chapter    to  him  who  was  laft  fpoken  of,  vfa.  Japhet.     Who. 
X.        maybe  plainly  proved   to  have  been  the  Elded:  Son 

<**~v*^  of  Naab,  from  this  obfervation,  That  Noah  was  Fivt- 
hundred  years  old,    before  any  of    his  Three  Sonsj.. 
&#/,  Ham,  and  Japhet  were  born,  V.  32.  When  he 
was  Six  hundred  Years  old  he  entred  into  the  Ark 
with  them,  VII.  n.     And  when  he  came  out,   two 
Years  after  the  Flood,  Shem  begat  Arphaxad,    being 
then  mHundred  Years  old,  XI.  10.  and  consequent- 
ly  Noah  was  Six  hundred  and  two.     From  whence  it  - 
follows,  that  Shem  was  born  when  Noah  was  Five 
hundred  and  two  Years  old.-     And  therefore  Japhet 
mutt  be  Two  Years  older  than  he  $  for  Noah  began  to 
have  Children  when  he  was  Five  hundred*    But  God  ; 
preferred  Shem  before  him  3    giving  hereby  an  early 
demonftration  (of  which  there  were  many  inftan- 
ces  afterward)  that  he  would  not  be  confined  to  the 
order  of  Nature,    in  the  difpofal  of  his  Favours  $ 
which  he  frequency    beftowed  upon  the  younger 
Children:   As  he  did  upon  Jacob,  and  in  after-times  ^ 
upon  David,  who  was  the  youngeft  and  meaneft  of; 
all  his  Father's  Children. 

Even  unto  him  were  Children  born.']  Perhaps  ta 
was  the  laft  of  his  brethren  that  married  5  and  then 
Mofes  (hews  in  the  following  Verfes,  had  Five  Sons : 
the  Progeny  of  Two  of  which  are  mentioned,  but  the 
reft  pafled  over  in  filence. 

V£rfe  22.  ^er-  22-  ElamJ]  Was  his  Firft-born 5  from  whom 
came  the  Elamites,  mentioned  A&s  II.  9.  whofe  Me 
tropolis  was  the  famous  City  of  Elymais.  They  lay 
between  the  Medes  and  Mefopotamian-s  (as  Bochartns 
(hows,  L.  II.  Phaleg.c.i.)  and  were  a  very  Warlike 
and  Fierce  People,  zslfaiah,  Jeremiah, ^  and  Ez>ek*el 
teftifie.  The  Sufeans  were  a  Neighbouring  People, 

but 


upm-  GENESIS,  205 

biit  different  from  them  :    And  therefore  when  Drf-  Chapter 
nkl  fays  Suftian   was  in  the  Province  of  Elam,    he       X. 
takes  Elant  in  a  large  fence  $     as  Pliny  and    Ptolemy  L/*V\J 
alfo  do ,    who  mention  Ehtnhcs  at  the  mouth   of 
the  River  EuUus  (Vlai\n  Darnel)    which  was  be 
low  Sufi  ana.     See  S  alma/ins  Exerc.  m  Sotin.  p.  1193, 
1194.    And  thus    Jofephus  may  be  allowed   to  fay 
the Elamites  were  Tltganv  *f%*S*&i    the  Founders  of 
the  Per/tans^  who  were  a  dittindt  People  from  them  .• 
Though  often  comprehended  under  this   Name  of 
Ehm. 

A(Imr.~]  From  whom  came  the  People  called  at 
jfirft^^re/,  and  afterward  Ajfyrians  :  Which  was  a 
Name  as  large  as  their  Empire,  comprehending  even 
Syria  it  felf  5  which  in  feveral  Authors  is  the  fame 
with  AJJyria.  But  in  proper  fpeaking  it  was  only 
that  Country,  whofeHead  was  Nixivebj  called  fome- 
timzsAdiabene,  and  Aturiaor  AJJyria. 

ArphaxadJ]  Many,  following  Jofepkus^  make  him 
the  Father  of  tbe.CbaUees.  But  1  find  no  good  rea- 
fon  for  it  |  and  it  feems  more  probable  that  the  Chal~ 
dees(inHebreW)Chafdtw}c&n\?from  Chefed  one  of 
Abrahams  Brother's  Sons,  Gen.  XXII.  22.  which  St, 
Hierotv  pofitively  afSrms.  Therefore  it  is  more  rea- 
fonable  to  think  A/>Ad.xW  gave  Name-to  that  Coun 
try,  which  Ptolemy  calls  Arraphacbitis  :  which  was  a  - 
part  of  AJJyria. 

Lud.~]  Seems  to  have   given   Name  to  the  Coim-' 
try  of  L^/X  which  lay  about  M<candtr  ;  and  inclu* 
ded  in  it  Myjia  and  Caria^  which  lay  on  the  South  "- 
fide  of  that  River.     Which  having  the  mod   Wind 
ings  and  Turnings  in  it,  of  any  River  in  the  World 
(for  it  returns  fometimes  towards  its  Fountain)    the 
call  this  Country,  and  another,    vi*.  /E- 

thiopja. 


a-o-6  %  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  '-'thiopfa,  that  lay  upon  die  Nile  (which  next  to 
X.      i  <W*r  is  the  mod  crooked  of  all  Rivers)  by  the  Name 

L/~V%J  ofLud:    which  in  their  Language  fignified  bending^ 
or  crooked.  SzzBochart.  L.  If.  Phaleg.  c.  12. 

Aram."]  From  whom  fprung-the  Syrians,  whofe 
Name  anciently  was  Aramei  •  the  Children  of  ^4- 
ram.  A  Name  not  unknown  to  the  ancient  Gr<e- 
c'lans  5  for  Homer  mentions  the  *A&tjuoi  in  his  fecond 
Book  of  Iliads ^  and  fo  doth  He/tod;  and  5/r^ 
alfo  faith,  that  many  underftood  by  the  Arim^  the 
Syrians.  And  the  Syrians  at  this  day  call  them- 
felves  Aramaeans.  But  5)r/<i  being  fo  large  a  Name, 
that  ancient  Authors  extend  it  to  all  thofe  Countries 
that  lay  between  Tyre,  and  Babylon;  we  muft  not 
take  all  the  People  of  them  to  have  been  the  Pofte- 
rity  of  Aram.  For  it  is  evident  fome  of  them  de- 
fcended  from  Canaan,  others  from  A/hnr^  others 
from  Arphaxad.  Therefore  thofe  are  to  be  thonght 
to  have  come  from  him,  to  whom  the  Name  of 
Aram  is  prefixt  or  fubjoyned,  as  Aram-Naharajim^ 
and  Pad  an- Aram  (/,  e.  the  Mefopotatttians)  Aram- 
Soi^a  (the  People  v&  Palmyra,  and  the  Neighbouring 
Cities )  Aram-Damefil^  (fituated  between  Libanus 
and  Ariti-Libanus,  whofe  chief  City  was  T*<imaf- 
cits)  and  perhdps  Aravt-Maacha,  and  Aram-Beth- 
rehob  $  which  were  places  bevond  Jordan,  one  of 
which  fell  to  the  (hare  of  Manajjeh,  the  other  of 
A/er. 

Verfe  22.      Ver.  23.    And  the  Children  of  Aram,   &c.]    The 

'*Four  Perfdtis  that  follow  in    this  Verfe,    are  called 

the  Sons  of  Shew,  i  Chron.  I.  17.     Nothing   being 

more  ordinary  in  Scripture,  than  to  call  thofe  the 

Sons  of  any  Pcrfon,  who  were  his  Grandfons^  XXIX. 


Hfon    GENES  FS, 
Vz.']  Or  Vtz,  the  Firft-born  of  Aram,  is  gene- Chapter 
rally  faid  to  have  been  the  Builder  of  Dawafcns :       X. 
The  Bailey  belonging  to  which,   is  by   the  Arabians 
at  this  day  called  GUirf,    and   Ganta,    which  differs 
from  Vtz  in  the  Letters,  but  not  ia  the  Pronunci 
ation  }  it  being  common   to  pronounce   the  Letter 
Ajin  by  our  G.  as  in  the  words  Gaza  and   Gomor- 
rha.     Accordingly  the  Arabick^  Paraph  raft   for    Utz, 
hath  here  Algauta.     There  were  two  other  £Vs  be- 
fides  this,  one  the  Son  of  Nahor  (Abrahams  Brother } 
Gen.  XXII.  21.  whofe  Country  was  Auptus  in  Ara 
bia,  Deferta  :  The  other  was  of  the  Pofterity  of  Edom^ 
Gen.  XXXVI.  28. 

Hull.*]  Or  Chul.  Grotius  cbferves  out  of  Ptole 
my  that  there  was  a  City  in  Syria  called  CholU,  which 
he  thinks  might  be  founded  by  this  fecond  Son  of 
Aram.  But  Bochart  more  probably  conjectures  that 
his  Pofterity  poffefled  the  Country  called  Cholobctene^ 
which  was  a  part  of  Armenia.  For  the  Armenians , 
and  Arabians >  and  Syrians  were  much  alike,  as  Stra- 
bo  faith,  in  their  (hape  of  Body,  Speech,  and  Man 
ner  of  Life.  And  there  are  divers  Cities,  which 
Ptolemy  places  in  this  Country,  that  begin  with 
Hoi  or  Choi  $  bsCholus^  Cholttata^Cholana :  And  Cho- 
lobetene  (the  Name  of  the  Country)  which  in  their 
Language  is  Cholbeth^  fignifies  as  much  as  the  Honfe 
m  Seat  of  Choi. 

Gether^]  It  is  hard  to  give  any  account  of  the 
Country  where  his  Pofterity  fettled,  unlefs  they  gave 
the  River  Getrl  its  Name,  which  the  Gree^  call 
Kiy/e/™  5  which  runs  between  the  Carducki,  and  the 
Armenians^  as  Xenophon  tells  us.  This  is  Bochart's 
Conjedure,  which  is  a  little  nearer  than  that  of 
Grotius,  (Ann&  in  L.  I.  fa  F.  R.  C.)  who  explains 

this 


208  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter   ^'^  by  the  City  Gindarus,  in  Ptolemy,  and  the  Peo- 

X.        pie  called  by  Pliny ,   Gindanni,    in  Casio  -  Syria  f    But 

U^V%jaftfralK  itmayfeem  as  probable  that  Gadara,    the 

chief  Gity  of  Per&a,    which   Ptolemy  places  in   the 

Decapol'/s  of  Ccclo  Syria^   had  its  Name  and  Original 

from  this  Gether. 

Ma/h."]  Who  is  called  Mefcch,  in  i  Chron.  L  17. 
feated  hitnfelf,  as  Borhart  thinks,  in  Mefopotamra, 
about  the  Mountain  Mafias,  (which  is  Grotius's  con- 
jefture  alfo)  from  whence  there  flowed  a  River 
which  Xcnophon  calls  Mafca.  The  Inhabitants  of 
which  Mountain  Stephamts  calls  Mafr&tl;  and  per 
haps  the  Mofcheni^  whom  Pliny  (peaks  of,  between 
Adiabene  and  Armenia,  the  greater,  were  defcended 
v  ~  from  this  Mafh  or  Mefech. 

•  ?4»  Ver.  24.  Av^  .Arphaxad  begat  Salah.']  Having  gi 
ven  an  account  of  thePofterity  of  Shews  youngeft 
Son  s  he  now  tells  us  what  People  defcended  from 
hisj/j/WSon. 

Salah.']  In  Hebrew  Shelah.  His  Father  being 
born  but  two  Years  after  the  Flood,  (XL  10.)  feems 
to  have  given  this  Name  to  his  Son,  to  preferve  the 
Memory  of  that  dreadful  Punifhment  :  That  his 
Pofterity  might  not  incur  the  like  by  their  Sins.  For 
Sela  iignifies  the  letting  forth  of  Waters,  Job  V.  10. 
He  is  thought  to  have  been  the  Father  of  the  Sufi* 
am :  The  chief  City  of  their  Country,  next  to  S*fi% 
being  called  Sela,  as  we  find  in  Ammfan.  Marcelli* 
nus :  Either  becaufe  he  was  the  Founder  >of  it,  or 
in  Memory  of  him. 

And  Sdah  begat  Eber.~\     The  Father  of  thofe  from 

•whom  came  the  Hebrew  Nation  (as  was  fa  id  before, 

%rfe  21.)   Abraham  being  defcended  from  him    in 

-.the  Sixth. Generation.     All  other  derivations  of  the 

Name 


Hpon    GENESIS.  so? 

Name  of  Hebrew  have  great  Obje&ions  He  again  ft  Chapter 
them  5  but  this  hath  none,  that  I  can  fee  $  and  is  moft       X. 
agreeable  to  the  Grammar  of  that  Language,  in  which  U/"VSJ 
all   fuch  Names  ending  in  Jod  (as  HDJ;  doth)  are 
noted  to  come  either  from  a  Place,  or  Country,  or 
People,  or  Author:  Therefore  fince  there  is  no  Coun 
try,  or  Place,  from  which  the  Name  of  Hebrew  can 
be  derived,  it   is  moft  reafonable  to  deduce  it  from 
the  Author  of  this  People,  Heber.     And  it  is  autho 
rised  by  that  Speech  of  Balaam,  Nnmt.  XXIV.  24. 
Where  as  by  AJIwr  is  meant  the  Affyrians^  fo  by  He- 
her,    in  all    reafon,  we  are  to  underftand   the  He* 
brews. 

Ver.  25.  Peleg,"]  Either  he,  or  feme  of  his  Pofte*  Verfe  25 
my  in  memory  of  him,  it  is  not  unlikely^  gave 
Name  to  a  Town  upon  Euphrates ,  called  Phalga  ,  not 
far  from  the  place,  where  the  River  Chaboras  runs  into 
it:  Upon  which  Charrah  ftood,  biiilt  by  Charan  the 
Brother  of  Abraham. 

Form  his  Days  was  the  Earth  divide  d.~\     The  great 
Difperfion,  which  we  read  of  in  the  following  Chap 
ter,  fell  out  )uft  when  he  was  born,  which  made  his 
Father  call  him  by  this  Name,  fignifying  D*Y'//£W,and 
Separation.     Which  it  appears,  by  the  Account  given 
of  his  Ancellors,  (XL.  tromverfe  10,  to  i6J  hjipned 
in  the  hundred  and  fir  ft    Year  after  the  Flood.      In 
that  Year   the  Tower   of  Eabd  and  their  Language 
were  confounded  ^  upon  which  neceffirily  followed 
the  Separation  here  mentioned     The  Age  that  pre 
ceded,  from   the  Deluge  to  this  Dlvifion,  is  called 
by  the  ancient  Poets,  the  Golden  Age,  (as  Bochart  ob- 
forrves,  I.I.  Phakg.  c.  y.)  btcaufe  the  Earth  not  be 
ing  divided,  they  enjoyed  all  things   in  common. 
And   Noah    (whom   they  called  Satnrn)  governing 

E  e  them. 


sic  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    them,  not  as  Kings  do  their  Subje&s,  but  as  Parents 
X.        their  Children,  not  fo  much  with  Fear  and  Dread,  as 
C/'V'NJ  with  Love  and  Reverence  to  his  Fatherly  Authori 
ty  $  it  made  the  World  fo  happy  as  it  hath  not  been 
fince. 

Jokfan  or  Jektav.']     The  Brother  of  Peleg,  had  & 
numerous  Offspring,,  of  thirteen  Sons  $  all  feated  in 
the  inmoft  parts  of  Arabia  Ftflzx.     So  the  Arabians^ 
it  is  certain,  derive  their  own  Original :  Who  in  this 
may  as  well  be  credited,  as  the  Europeans  who  de 
rive  themfelves  from  Jafetus,  or  Japhet,  and  the  Afri 
cans  from  Cham  or  Hamtnon.     They  call  him  Cahta»r 
(as  our  Mr.  Pocock^  as  well  as  others,  obfervesj  by 
which  Name  the  Arabick.  Paraphraft  upon  this  place,, 
explains  that  ofjektan.     And  this  Cahtan  they  fay 
exprefly  was  the  Son  of  Eber^  the  Son  of  Salab,  &c 
From  whence  the  Name  of  Catanit<e>  a  People  in  Ara 
bia  F&lix  mentioned  by  Ptolemy  $  and  a  City,  in  the 
Territory  of  Mecha,  ftill  remains  the  very  Name  of 
Jetyan,  being  called  Batfath-Jefyan  $  i.  e.  the  Seat  or 
Habitation  oijekfan^  in  the  Arabian  Geographer.  See 
Mr.  Poco,cl(s  Notes  upon  Abul-Farajus  concerning  the 
Original  of  the  Arabians^  p.  38,  39. 

Yfcrfe  26.  Ver.  26.  Altnodad'.]  Theeldeft  Son  of  Jokfankzms 
to  have  given  Name  to  the  People  whom  Ptolemy 
calls  9Ato»fAcu£3i  in  the  middle  of  Arabia  Fcelix,  near 
the  Original  of  the  River  Lar,  which  runs  into  the 
Per/ian  Gulph.  The  Greeks  who  knew  little  of  this 
People,  who  lived  a  great  way  from  the  Sea,  might 
eafily  mifpronounce  their  Name  5  calling  them  AUn* 
m£ot<e^  inflead  of  Almod&i. 

Shelefh,  or  Saleph.']  Was,  it  is  likely,  the  Father 
©f  the  Sahtpvrt.  For  fuch  a  People  there  were,  men 
tioned  by  PtofcMy*  who  calk  them  SaAa^o/ : 

Wh* 


i 


GENESIS,  in 

Who  were  remote  from  the  reft,  about  the  Neck  Chapter 
of  Arabia  $  not  far  from  the  Spring  of  the  River      X. 

BttJHS. 

Hatzermaveth."]    Though  the  Arabians  write  this 
Name  with  the  very   fame  Letters,  yet  it  founds  a- 
mong  them  thus,  Hadramnth,mChadrawuth.  Which 
the  Greek?  pronounce  divers  ways,  becaufe  of  the 
ambiguous  Sound  of  the  two  Letters,   T&adi  and 
Cheth :  For  fometimes  he  is  called  Afar  moth,  fometimes 
("without  an  A)    Sarwouth,  and  Armoih,  and  Ater- 
moth,  as  Bochartus  hath  obferved.     Who  thinks  the 
Country  called  Chatramitte  or  Atr&matw,  Chair  atnotis 
or  Atrametis^  to  have  been  peopled  by  the  Children 
of  this  Hadramnfh,  as  the  Arabians  pronounce  this 
Name  Hatazmaveth.     5A^e$tjwx>7a,  Salmafius  (hows  is 
the  Name  of  a  City  or  Place,  and  'A^^uT),  of  a 
People  or   Nation,  Exercit.  in  Solin.  p.  498.     And 
the  fame   People  he  obferves  (p.  490.)  are  called 
by   Artemidorus,  'Ar&./Mrn'?),    whole  Country  was 
that  part   of  Arabia  which  abounded  with  Frankjn- 
cenfe,  Myrrh,  Cajjia,  and  Cinnamon^  as  Thevphrajlus  tells 
us.    And  Strabo  calls  them  (as  he  there  notes)  X&- 
r^jU^-n^,  and  Uranins  in  Stephanus  X<zrgp.[M)^) :  So 
differently  was  this  hard  word  pronounced.     Who 
were  fo    famous,  that  Euftathius   Antioch.  Enfebms, 
and  others,  make  this  Hatzerwaveth  the  Father  of  the 
Arabians,  'and    Efiphanws  derives    their  Language 
from  him  ^  which  they  (as  was  faid  before)  derive 
from   Jektan  himfelf ;   looking  upon  the  Dialed  of 
Chadramitis  as  barbarous.     See  Bochartns,  L.  II.  Pha- 
leg.  c.  1 6.    Where  he  obferves  that  Hafaertnaveth  in 
Hebrew  fignifies  the  Entrance  of  Deaih,  and  Hadhra- 
maitth  in  Arabic!^  the  Region  of  Death  :  Becaufe  the 
Air  of  that  Country  was  very  thick  and  foggy,  (and 

E  e  2  corv- 


2i3  A  COMMENTS  Kr 

Chapter    confequently  unwholfom)  as  Arrianw  relates  5  who 
X.        faith,  that  the  Frankincenfeand  Myrrh,  were  there- 
fore  gathered  only  by  the  King's  Slaves,  and  by  con 
demned  Perfons. 

Jerah,  or  Jerach."]     From  whom  came  the  People 
called  Jeracfwr,  who  lived  near  the  Red-Sea  $  called 
by  Agatharcides  and  others,  'AA/Aalbi,  AliUl  :  Which 
is  the  very  fame  in  Arabic!^,  with  the  other  in  He 
brew.    For  Hilal  is  the  Moon  in    that  Language,  as- 
Jerach  is  in  Hebrew.     And    the  Nttbiettjian  Geogra 
pher  mentions  a  People  about  Mecha,  who  at  this 
day  are  called  Bene-hilal,  the  Children  of  Jerach,  as 
the  Hebrews  would  have  exprefled  it.     It  feems  they 
are  come  more  towards   the  Eaft,  when  anciently 
they  dwelt  in  the  South.    Ptolemy  mentions  alfo  an 
)  upon  the  Coaft  of  theAliki,  which  he  calls 
&ff@(.  :  But  it  doth  not  fignifie  the  Ifle  of 
,  (as  the  Greeks  fanfied,  who  imagined  all  thefe 
old  words  to  come  from  their  Tongue)  but  of  the 


Verfe  27*  Ver.  17.;  Hadoram^}  He  Teems  to  have  fixed  his 
Ssat  in  the  utmoft  Corner  of  Arabia  to  wards  the  Eajt,. 
where  there  was  a  People,  whom  Pliny  calls  Dr/wa- 
ti  :  A  Name  eafily  made  from  Hadoratntts.  And  the 
extream  Promontory  of  that  Country  is  called  by  the 
Greeks  C0ra/rf«r0tf,  by  tranfpofing  the  Letters  D  and 
R  from  Hadoramut.  I  can  find  nothing  more  likely, 
than  this  Conjefture  of  that  great  Man  Bochartvs^  who 
hath  out-done  all  that  went  before  him  in  this  Argu 
ment,  L.  II.  Pbakg.  c.  20. 

Vzal.~]     Abraham  Zachrtt,  as  he  alfo  obferves,  fays- 
the  Jews  (who  in  his  time  dwelt  there)  called   the 
chief  City  of  Atjewan,  by  the  Fjame  of  TJzaL     Now 
the  Kingdom  of  Aljzman  or  Jeman>  is  the  South- 

part 


*p*n  GENE  S  IS.  213 

part  of  Arabia  F&l/x :  As  the  very  Name  of  Jema* Chapter 
imports,  which  fignifies  both  the  Right-hand  and  the     X, 
South. 

Diklah.']  Both  in  the  Chaldee  and  Syriack,  Lan 
guage  D/r/rf  fignifies  a  Palm,  QV  z  Grove  of  Palms  : 
Which  led  Bochartw  to  conclude  that  the  Mtn&i,  a 
People  of  Arabia  Felix*  whofe  Country  abounds  with 
fuch  Trees,  were  the  Pofterity  of  this  Dil(lab.  Both 
Pliny  and  Strabo  mention  them.  And  this  is  far  more 
probable  than  the  Conjefture  of  Lvdovicw  Cappelltts, 
That  the  Country  of  Dangala  in  jEtfapf*,  near  £- 
gypt,  might  have  its  Name  from  this  Man :  For  that- is 
too  remote  from  the  reft  of  this  Man's  Pofterity  :  And 
fo  is  Aifcitoetoi'  mentioned,  as  heobferves,  ty  Herodo- 
tttf,  Chronolog.  Sacra^  p.  108. 

Ver.  z8.  And  Ohal.']  -Which  in  the  Aralack^  Pro-  yerfe 
nunciation  is  Aubal^  as  Cocab,  &  Star  in  Hebrew,  is  in 
Arab-icl^Cancab^  6cc,  The  Pofterity  of  ihis'-Aubal  or 
Qbal>  Bochart  thinks,  pa  fled  over  the  Streights  of  the 
6///«/  ArabictiSi  out  of  Arabia  Felix ^  into  Arabia  Tr0- 
glodytica  ^  where  we  meet  with  this  Name,  in  the  £/- 
nut  Abalitet,  (which  Bothers  call  A**lHtf)  and  in  a 
great  Trading  Town  called  by  Arriaw*  "hua^T^  ^ 
and  in  a  People  who  lived  in  that  £/*#/,  called  by 
Ptolemy^  cAL»aATr^,  and  'A^8A?ro/ ;>  I  believe  it  fhould 
be  'A/SbArr^  from  this  0£*/. 

Abiwael^  Which  the  Arabians  pronounce  Alimal^ 
i.  9.  the  Father  gf  Mali^  or  the  Matite  ;  a  People  in 
Arabia  next  to  the  Mw<ei  before-mentioned.  77?e^-' 
p.-br*J}0f  faith,  Mali  \s  the  Metropolis  of  a  Country  in 
Arabia  the  Spicy.  From  whence  the  People  called 
Mdlitt^  whom  Ptolemy  calls  Manit^  fey  an  ufual 
change  of  the  •  Letter  L  into  N,  as  N*bonidM~\s  the 
fame  with  Labonidus^  8cc.  And  it  is -probable  that 


A  COMMENTART 

Chapter  M#If\s  the  Contraction  of  Abiwali:  Nothing  being 
X.  more  common  than  in  compound  Names  to  omit 
the  firft  part.  At  Sittim^nmb.  XXV.  i.  for  Abel- 
Sittim,  XXX.  49.  Hermon  very  often  for  Baal- Her- 
won,  Jxdg.  III.  9.  Nivtrim  for  Betb-Nimrim%  and 
Salem  for  Jertifalem. 

Sheba.~]  From  whom  came  the  Sabatns,  who  fome- 
times   comprehend  a  great  many   People,  but  here 
are  to  be  taken  (trictly  for  thofe,  upon  the  Red-Sea  $ 
between  the  Min#i  and  the  Catabanes  :  Whofe  Me- 
tropli*)  which  ftood  upon  an  high  Mountain  full  of 
Trees,  is  called  by  ancient  Authors  Saba  and  Saba?> 
Sabo  and  Sabot,  as  Salma/ius  (hows  out  of  Stephanns^ 
Agatharcides,  and  others  ^  who  fay  that  this  City  was 
sroAu  ^>^^cj/,  much  the  faireft  of  all  in  Arabia.   Ex- 
cerc.  in  Solln.  /?.  491,  492,  &c.    In  latter  times  this 
Name  was  changed  into  Mfritka^  the  ancient  Name 
being  loft,  as  the  fame  Salma/ius  there  obferves,  p. 
497,  &  1118.    Which  Pliny  iaith  fignifies  as  much 
as  Dominos  omnium,   the  Lords  of  all :   For  from 
Rabba,  to  rule,  comes  Marab,  which  fignifies  in  their 
Language,  (as  Bochart  obferves)  $the  Seat  of  thofe  that 
Rule  .•  That  is,  the  Royal  City,  where  their  Kings 
lived.     The  Nubienfian  Geographer  faith,  the  Queen 
of  Sheba  came  from  hence  to   hear  the  Wifdom  of 
Solomon. 

29-  Ver.  29.  And  OphirJ]  Which  the  Arabians  pro 
nounce  Attphir^  fignifying  abundance:  Gold  being 
found  there  in  fuch  plenty  that  they  exchanged  it 
for  Brafsand  Iron,  giving  a  double  or  triple  propor 
tion  of  Gold  for  them.  Bochart  thinks  he  gave  the 
Name  of  'Owppw  to  an  Ifland  in  the  Red  Sea,  menti 
oned  by  Eupolemtu  in  Eufebhts.  And  obferves  that 
'there  were  two  Ophirs^  one  belonging  to  India^  whi 
ther 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S,  2*5 

ther  Solomons  Ships  went  once  in  three  Years,  (which  Chapter 
i  he  takes  for  Taprobana^  now  Zeilan)  and  the  other       X- 

belonging  to  Arabia,  where  the  Pofterity  of  this  0- 
;  fhtr,  here  mentioned,  fetled.     Whofe  Country  .he- 
takes  to  have  been  near  to  the  Sabaans  their  Bre- 
?  thren  $  which  Stephanus  and   Ptolemy  call   Caffkttitfr. 
The  fame  in  fenfe  with  0/?/>/>  5  for  Lhofan  is  a  Trea- 
I  fure,  which  the  Arabians  write  Chazan^  from  which 
|  comes  the  word  Gaza>  for  abundance  of  Riches. 

Havilah)  or  Cbavilat.']  See  /^r/e  7.  where  we  had 
I  this  Name  before,  among  the  Sons  of  Cujh ,  from 
whom  the  Havilah  here  fpoken  of  is  very  different : 
Giving  Name,  it  is  probable  to  the  Country  which 
the  Nubienjian  Geographer  calls  Chaulan:  And  fays 
it  was  a  part  of  Arabia  Fcelix^  nigh  alfo  to  the  Saba- 
ans  3  which  he  accurately  describes.  See  Phalsg.  L.  1L 

Jobab.*]  The  Father  of  the  Jobabites*  near  to  the 
Sachalites^  as  Ptolemy  exprefly  fays  5  if  inftead  of  Jo- 
^r//<einhim,  we  fliould  read  Jobabtte,  as  Bcclartns 
correfts  the  Paflage,  with  great  R^afon,  A-nd  thinks 
alfo  the  Reafon  of  this  Name  to  be  plain  :  For  Jebab 
in  Arabzck,  fignifies  a  Defart :  And  there  are  many 
Cuch  in  the  Country  of  the  Jobabites-zbove  the  Sinus  of 
Sachalites. 

Ver.  30.  And  their  dwelling  was  from  -Mefij,  Scc.^  Verfc 
Their  Conclufion  confirms  what  hath  been  faid,  that 
all  the  thirteen  Sons  of  Jokfan  were  feared  in  Arabia 
Fcelixtj  except  Obal  ^  who  went  it's  likely,  after-M^- 
fes's  time,  over  anto  Abatites^  the  Paffage  being  fliort 
crofs  that  Streight  before-mentioned,  (lrerft  cS.J 
which  was  not  above JW  or^e  Miles  broad.  For 
Arabia  Fozlix  lies  between  the  Red^Sea  and  the  Pev- 
pan  Gulph.  Now  Mefa.  or  Mxfa^  or  Al«s^,  was  a 

famous- 


s  f6  %  C  OMMEtifA  RT 

Chapter    famous  Port-Town  in  theifo4-&4,  which 

X.        rftf/and  Ethiopians  frequented  in  their  way  To  the 
Country  of  thzSapharites  in  the  Eaft$  from  whom 
they  brought  Myrrh,Frankincenfe,and  fuch  like  things. 
Ptolow/s  Tables  plainly  (how  this>That  from  Mufa  the 
Sapharit<e  lay  direftly  Eaftward  5  and  Saphar  was  the 
Metropolis  of  the  Country  at  the  foot  of  the  Moun 
tain  Climax:   Which  anciently,  it's  likely,  was  called 
Saphar,  from  the  City  at  the  bottom  of  it.    And  thus 
we  are  to  underftand  Mofes  when  he  fays  here,  that 
Sepher  was  a  Mountain  of  the  Eaft  5  not  Eaftwwd  from 
Jttdtea,  but  from  Mefba,  which  was- in  the  Weft.    See 
Bochart,L.l\.  Phaleg.  c.  50.  where  he  obferves  that  the 
Arabic!^  Paraphraft  (of  the  Paris  Edition)  takes  Me/ha 
to  be  Meccha,  and  in  [lead  offrotit  Me/ha  to  Septwr  faith 
from  Meccha  to  Medina.  Which  is  nearer  Truth  than 
their  Opinion,  who  place  the  Children  of  Jokfdn  a- 
bout  Otyhetes,  upon   the    Coaft  of  Irtdia*     But  he 
fhow7s  that  fome  of  the  Children  of  Cujh  fetled  be 
tween   Meccha  and  Medina:  And  it  fufficiently  ap 
pears  that   Jokfan*  Children  dwelt  in    the  inmof 
part  of  Arabia  F&lix  5  and  are  the  Genuine   Ard- 
bians . 

31,       Ver.  91.  This  is  explained,  J^erfc  5. 

;j2»  Ver.  32.  By  thefe  irere  the  Nations  divided  after  the 
Flood^]  They  and  their  Defcendanfs  (bared  the 
whole  Earth  among  them  as  it  is  (aid  exprefly,  IX.  18. 
Of  them  was  the  whole  Earth  over-fpread.  But  according 
to  the  foregoing  Account  we  find  only  three  parts  of 
the  Earth,  Europe,  AJia,  and  Africa  pofleflfed  by  the 
three  Sons  of  Noah  and  their  Children.  Which  hath 
made  fome  fo  bold  as  to  fay,  there  were  other  Peo 
ple  in  America,  who  were  not  drovv'n'd  by  the  Flood. 
And  one  of  their  Pveafons  why  it  was  not  peopled 

from 


upon  GE  N  E  S  !  S  217 

from  any  of  the  other  three  parts  of  the  Earth  is,  that  Chapter 
we  can  give  no  Account  how  Lyons,  Bears,  Wolves,        X. 
Foxes,  and  fuch  like  Creatures  fhould  get  thither : 
For  none,  fure,  would  carry  them  by  (hipping,  though 
Men  themtelves  might,  by  that  means,  pafs  over  into 
thofe  Regions.     But  this  difficulty  is  not  fo  great  as 
they  make  it.     For  it  is  manifeft,  That  though  the 
Continent  of  America,  was  found  full  of  fuch  Beafts, 
when  the  Spaniards  firft  came  thither,  yet  none  of 
the  Iflands,  though  very  large,  whi<h  lay  remote 
from  the  Land,  had  any  Lyons^  Tigers,  or  fuch  l;ke 
Creatures  in  them.     Which  is  a  demonftration,  that 
thefe  Creatures,  were  not  originally  from  that  part 
of  the  Earth  5  for  then  the  Iflands  would  have  been 
furnifhed  with  them,  as  well  as  the  Continent  3  juft 
as  they  are  with  all  forts  of  Vegetables :  And  confe- 
quently  the  Continent  it  felf  was  ftored  with  thefe 
Creatures  from  fome  other  part  of  the  Earth.  Which 
might  be  done  by  fome  Neck  of  Land  not  yet  dif- 
covered  $  which  joy  ns  fome  part  Q(  Europe,  wAfia^ 
to  the  Continent   of  America.     Or,  if  there  be  no 
fuch  Neck  of  Land  now  extant,  yet  there  may  have 
I  been  fuch  a  Bridge  (as  we  may  call  it)  between  the 
Northern  parts  of  Apt,  or  Europe,  and  fome  Northern 
part  of  America^  or,  between  the  Swth-Eaft  part  of 
China,  or  the  Philippine  Iflands,  and  the  Southern  Con 
tinent  of  that  other    part  of  this  World  :  Though 
now  broken  off  fas  many  fuppofe  England  to  have 
been  from  France*)  by  the  violence   of  the  Sea,  or 
by  Earthquakes  3  which  have  made  great  alterations 
in  the  Earth.     And  truly,  he  that  obferves  (as  that 
great  Man  the  Lord  Chief  Juftices  Hales  fpeaks,  in  his 
Book  of  the  Origin  of  Mankind,  §  II.  c.  7.)   the  in 
finite  number  oif  Iflands,  lying  between  the  Conti- 

F  f  nent 


ai8  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  nent  of  China,  and  Nova  Guinea,  the  moft  contiguous 
XI,  to  each  other  ^  hath  probable  reafons  to  believe, 
that  thefe  were  all  formerly  one  Continent,  joyning 
China,  and  Nova.  Guinea  together:  Though  now,  by 
the  irruption  of  the  Sea,  crumbled  into  many  fmall 
Iflands. 


CHAP.     XL 

Verfe  i.   Ver.r.  \ND  aU  the  Earth.']   i.e.   The  Inhabitant? 
jf\  of  the  Earthy  as  i  Kings X.  14.  all. the- 
Earth  is  explained  2  Chron.-Yf^  23.. all  the  Kings  of 
the  Earth. 

Were  of  one  Language."]  In  the  Hebrew  of  one  Lip  5 
which  is  one  Inftrument  of  Speech,  comprehending 
the  reft.  Their  Mouth  formed  the  fame  words.  So  it 
follows. 

And  of  one  Speech  7\  Or,  Word>  as  the  Hebrew  hath 
*  it.  Some  diftinguifh  thefe  two  fo  fubtilly,  as  to  fay,, 
they  had  not  only  the  fame  Language,  but  the  fame 
manner  of  pronunciation  5  which  is  often  very  dif 
ferent  in  the  fame  Language.  The  Heathens  them- 
felves  acknowledge  there  was  but  one  Language  an-  - 
ciently,  (kzjofephus^  and  out  of  him  Eufebiust  L. 
IX.  Prsf.  Evang,  c.  14,  1 5.)  which  in  all  likelyhood 
was  the  fame  that  had  been  from  the  beginning,which 
Adam  himfelf  fpake.  For  Methufelah,  the  Grand 
father  of  Noah,  lived  fome  time  with  him,  and  fpake, 
we  may  wellfuppofe,  the  fame  Language  that  he  did. 
And  we  caniiot  but  think  the  fame  of  Noah  :  who 
propagated  it  among  his  Pofterity  till  this  time.  But 
whether  this  was  the  Hebrew  or  no,  we  cannot  be 

certain. 


upon    GENES!  S.  219 

certain.     The  ChaUee  Paraphraffo,  and  the  Hebrew  Chapter 
Writers  generally  fay   it  was  $   and   nioft  Chrillian     XL 
Writers  have   been    of   their   Opinion  :    Infomuch  L/"V-NJ, 
that  R.  Gedal/ah,  upon  thefe  words,  faith  5  The  wife 
Men  among  the   Chriftians  have  fiarched  what  rras  the 
!  firft  Tongue  ^  and  all  the  World  confejjes  that  from  Adam 
to  the  Flood  they  fpak?  the  Holy  Language.     Which  it 
is  not  to  bethought,  we  have  now  entire  and  pure^ 
but  that  a  considerable  part  of  it  ftiil  remain  in  the 
Bible.     As  may  be  proved  by  no  contemptible  Argu 
ments  $  particularly  this,  that  Shew  the  Son  of  Noah, 
was  forfome  time  con  temporary  with  Abraham ,   who 
defcendecj/fromhim}  and  in  whofe  Family  continu 
ed  the  fame  Language  which  they  both  ipake,  unto 
Mofes  his  days. 

They  that  have  fanfied  there  were  more  Languages 
than  one,  at  this  time,  grounded  their  mi ftake  upon 
thofe  words,  Gen.  X.  5,  20,  31.  where  the  Sons  of 
Noah  are  faid  to  have  had  the  Earth  divided  among 
them,  according  to  their  Tongues.  Not  confidering, 
that  he  fpeaks  of  this  very  Divifion,  of  which  he  is 
going  to  give  an  account  5  and  briefly  mentioned 
there,  verje  25.  For  the  thirteen  Sons  of  Joktan,  im 
mediately  after  mentioned,  (who  had  their  (hare  in 
the  divifion,)  were  not  in  being,  when  their  Uncle 
Peleg  was  born  3  as  the  nioft  learned  Primate  Vfitr* 
hath  demonftrated  in  his  Annals,  A.  M.  1757. 

Ver.  2.  Asthey  journeyed  from  the  Eafl.~\  He  doth  Verfe  2. 
not  fpeak  of  all  the  Pofterity  of  Noah,  who  after  the 
Flood  planted  in  the  Ea$  3  much  lefs  Noah  himfelf : 
But  of  a  great  Colony  of  them,  who  when  the  Eatt 
was  much  peopled^  chofe  to  go  Weftward.  By  the 
East,  moft  underftand  Armenia,  where  they  fuppofe 
the  Ark  retted,  and  Noah  with  his  Sons  planted.  But 

F  f  ^  this 


A    COMMENT  ART 

Chapter  this  hath  great  difficulty  in  it,  for  the  Mountains  of 
XI.  Armenia  lay  North  of  Shinar,  or  Affyrla,  and  not  Eafl. 

-' Which  Bochart  folves  in  this  manner:  A/yrza  being 

divided  into  two  parts  ^  one  on  this  fide,  the  o» 
ther  on  the  further  fide  of  Tigris,  they  called  all  that 
part  beyond  Tigris,  the  Eafl  Country  5  though  a 
great  part  of  it  towards  Armenia  was  really  North- 
wards  and  that  part  on  this  fide  they  called  IVefl, 
though  fome  of  it  lay  to  the  &*?£,.  L.  i.  Phakg.  c.  j. 
But  there  is  no  need  of  the  help-  of  this  folution  $ 
the  Mountains  of  Ararat  running  a  long  way  Eaft- 
wardi  From,  which  when  Noah  and  his  Sons  defcend 
ed,  they  fettled,  it's  likely,  hi  Countries,  which  were 
very  much  Eaftward  of  Affyria. 

They  found  a  plain  J]  They  continued  to  dwelt  in 
the  Mountainous  Countries  of  the  Eafl,  where  the 
Ark  refted,  till  they  grew  very  numerous,  and  wan 
ted  room  $  and  then  defcended  into  the  Plain,  and 
fome  of  them  went  Wejfaardty  into  the  Land  of  Shi 
nar,  that  pleafant  Plain,  (as  Mr.  Mede  fanfies)  where 
God  at  the  Beginning  had  placed  the  firft  Father  of 
Mankind,  Adam. 

Shinar.~]  By  this  Name  we  are  to  underftand  not 
only  that  part  of  Ajfiria,  where  Babylon  flood  5  but 
all  that  Country  which  bordered  upon  Tigrfr  unto 
the  Mountains  of  Armenia^  from  whence  Noah  and 
his  Sons  are  fuppofed  to  have  defcended,  when  the 
Earth  was  dry,  and  not  to  have  gone  far  from  thence 
at  firft  till  they  were  multiplied }  and  then  fome  of 
them  came  into  this  Country ;  which  Noah  had  in> 
habited  before  the  Flood,  Thus  Bochart,  in  the  place 
before-named.  But  therein  no  certainty  the  Ark  retted 
in  Armenia  5  it  might  be  further  ^aftward,  upon  fome 
other  part  of  that  long  Ridge  of  Mountains,  called 

Ararat ' 


Hfon    GENESIS  221 

Ararat:  From  whence  they  defcended  when  the  Earth  Chapter 
was  dry,  and  dwelt  in  the  lower  Grounds,  which      XI. 
were  warmer  and  more  fruitful  than  the  Mountains.      *s~v~++* 

But  that  from  the  Eaft  Mankind  were  propagated, 
is  apparent  from  the  increafe  of  Arts  and  Sciences, 
which,  as  Dr.  Jackson  obferves,  (Boot I.e.  16.)  were 
in  fome  meafure  perfefted  there,  (in  Times  as  anci 
ent  as  any  prophane  Hiftory  can  point  us  unto,)  and 
thence  derived  as  from  a  Center,  to  more  remote 
parts  of  the  World.  The  ripenefsof  Literature,  Civil 
Difcipline,  and  Arts  among  the  Eaftern  People,  be 
fore  they  did  fo  much  as  bud  forth  in  Greece  or  Italy 
(I  may  add  Egypt  either)  is  a  demon  fixation,  that 
thefe  were  the  Stock,  and  the  other  but  Slips  or  Bran 
ches  tranfplanted  from  thence.  Nay,  the  State  and 
Grandure  of  thofe  Eaftern  Countries,  before  Greece 
or  Italy-)  or  any  other  Wejlern  People,  grew  into  the 
fafhion  of  a  Kingdom,  (hows,  that  the  Eastern  Peo 
ple  were  the  Heirs  of  the  World,  and  ethers  Nations 
but  as  Colonies  from  them. 

Ver.  3.  They  f aid  on*  to  another."}     i»  e.    Confulted  Verfe  y, 
together. 

Go  to."]  And  ftirred  up  one  another  to  lay  all  their 
Hands  to  this  Work. 

Let  us  make  Brick:"]  In  that  low  and  fat  Soil,  there 
was  no  Stone,  as  is  intimated  in  the  next  Words, 
and  they  had  Bricl^for  btone.  No  Body  doubts  but 
this  is  a  true  Tranflation  of  the  Hebrew  word  Lake- 
nah :  For  Herodotus,  and  Juftin^  and  many  others, 
defcribe  the  Walls  of  Babylon  as  made  of  fuch  Mate 
rials.  What  Chemar  is  ("which  was  the  Cement  to 
joynthe  Bricks  rogetherj  doth  not  fo  plainly  ap 
pear.  We  tranllite  it  Slime  5  following  herein  a 
great  many  of  the  Hebrews:  Particularly  Kimch*^ 

who 


•3  s~2  d   &  O'M'M  JE  N  T  A--K  T 

Chapter    who  fays  it  is  Mortar,  made  of  Satid  and  Lime.     Bat 
XL       there  is  much  reafon  to  think  it  was  that  which  the 
L/"V*S~  Ancients  calledyA^A7@u,  a  kind  of  Pitch,  (as  Kim- 
chi  himfelf  acknowledges  ibaiennderftand  it, j  which 
is  defcribed  by  Aurhors  as  a  very  glewy  thing,  an< 
therefore  u-fed  by  Noah,  by  Gcd's  Dire&ion,  about 
the  Ark.     There  was  great  plenty  of  it  in  Affyria,  as 
TheoJoret  here  obferves,  from  fome  Fountains  which 
vomited  it  up  with  the  Water.     And  fo  Strabo  and 
Dion  affirm,  that  it  was  very  fit   for  this  purpofe  ^ 
and  Herodotu*  fays  exprelly,  that  the  Walls  of  Ba 
bylon  were  cementeA^vkh  it  5  and  fo  do  many  others, 
both  Greel^  and  Roman  Authors,  mentioned  by  Bo* 
chartus,  L.  L  Phaleg.  c.i$.     And  it  is  very  obferva- 
ble,  that  Arrianw  faith,  L.  VII.   The  Temple  of  Be- 
lus  in  the  mid  ft  of  the  City  of  Babylon,  of  a  vaft 
bignefs,  was  made   of    Brick,    cemented    with 
phaltttf. 

'•  Verfe  4,  Ver.  4.  And  they  faid,  Go  to  now7\  At  the  firft  per 
haps  they  fpake  only  of  building  themfelves  Houfes  ^ 
but  now  they  laid  their  Heads  together,  and  confulted 
tq  make  a  huge  Monument  of  their  Greatnefs. 

A  City  and  a  Tower."]  Some  fanfieone  thing  to  be 
expreffed  in  two  words :  A  City  and  a  Tower ^  being  a 
City  with  Turrets.  But  both  this  Ferfe  and  the 
next,  exprefs  them  fo  feverally,  that  we  ought  to 
think  them  to  have  been  diftinft.  Yet,  that  the  Tow 
er  was  part  of  the  City,  is  plain  by  verfeQ.  where  it 
is  faid,  they  left  off  to  build  tke  City,  making  no  men 
tion  of  the  Tower :  Which  was  contained  in  the  Ci 
ty,  as  a  part  of  it  5  and  may  well  be  thought,  to 
have  been  the  Acropolis,  (as  the  Greeks  fpeak,)  a 
ftrong  Place,  in  the  higheft  part  of  the  City  ^  fuch 
;as  we  call  a  CittadeL  For  the  Scripture  by  a  Tower, 

means 


upon    GENE  S'I'S;" 

means  fome  Fortrefs  to  keep  out  an  Enemy,  which  was  Chapter 
wont  to  be  built  in  themidit  of  the  City,  that  it  might 
command  every  part  of  it. 

Some  fanfie  the  Temple  of  -Belus,  before-menti 
oned,  was  afterward  built,  where  this  Tower  flood  } 
and  was  nothing  elfe  but  the  Tower  perfected  for  ano 
ther  ufe.  Or;  rather,  a  Temple  was  built  round  a- 
bout  the  Tower,  which  (food  in  the  mtclftofit,  as 
Herodotus ;  defcribes  it,  L.  I.  'Ev  /miey  3  TV  itf£fxv$y(§k 
s^gJf,  6cc.  in  the  mid  ft  of  the  Temple,  was  aftrong 
Tower,  &c. 

Whofe  top  may  reach  up  unto  Heaven.~\  i.  e.  To  the 
Clouds.  As  much  as  to  fay,  an  exceeding  high  Tow 
er.  For  the  fame  is  faid  of  the  Walls  of  the  Cities 
of  Canaan?  Deut.l.  28.  IX.  i.  and  therefore  can  mean 
no  more  here.  And  is  an  ufual  Phrafe  in  Scripture  5 
as  when  the  Pfalmift  fays,  They  that  fail  upon  the 
Sea,  are  fometime  lifted  up  to  Heaven^  CVII.  25. 
which  is  a  Language  that  other  Authors  fpeak  5  for 
Homer  mentions'?.  Fir-tree  which  was  uggeyo/u&ff^  ex 
tended  to  Heaven,  /.  e.  very  tall.  Which  I  note  to 
(how  the  fenflefs  fpite  of  ftttia*  the  Apoftate,  who 
endeavours  to  difcredit  this  Sacred  Story,  by  the 
Poetical  Fiftion  of  the  Grants  warring  with  Heaven  : 
As  if  there  were  no  more  Truth  in  the  one,  than  in 
the  other.  But  St.  Cyril  in  his  Fourth  Book  againft 
him,  truly  obferves,  That  in  Scripture,  this  Phrafe, 
ek-ag^iv  to  Heavev,  is  put  dvri  T£  Si^,  for  that 
which  is  highly  elevated  $  as  this  Tower  was.  Which 
being  half  a  quarter  of  a  Mile  in  breadth  and  length, 
had  another  Tower  ftood  upon  it  3  and  a  third  up 
on  that  3  and  fo  on,  f*&%gj,  5  $%!<»  Tnpyw,  ^as  Hero 
dotus  fpeaks,)  till  there  were  eight  Towers  in  all  : 
Which  made  it  of  a 


A  COMMENT AKT 

Chapter  Let  us  make  M  a  Naive,  Sec.]  Here  he  plainly  ac- 
XI.  qvuints  us  with  their  Intention  in  building  this  City 
and  Tower :  which  was  to  be  a  perpetual  Monu 
ment  of  their  Fame.  To  fpread  it  far  and  wide, 
while  they  were  alive  $  and  that  their  Names  might 
live  in  this  Monument  when  they  were  dead :  All 
Pofterity  faying,  fuch  and  fucb  Perfons  were  the 
Founders  of  the-F/V/?  and  Mother  City  of  the  World. 
So  David  is  faid  to  have  got  hiwfelf  a  Name,  2  Sam. 
VIII.  13.  7.  e.  extended  his  Fame  by  his  great  At' 
chievements.  And  God  is  faid  to  do  the  fame,  Ifai. 
LXIII.  12, 14.  Therefore  there  was  no  occafion  for 
affigning  other  Reafons  for  the  building  of  this  Tow 
er  $  when  Mojes  gives  one  fo  clearly.  That  which 
hath  been  commonly  fanfied  is,  That  they  might  fe- 
cure  themfelves  agairift  another  Inundation  :  From 
which  they  were  fecured  by  the  Divine  Promife,  (if 
they  would  believe  it,)  together  with  the  addition 
of  a  Sign  to  it,  IX.  12.  And  if  they  did  not  believe 
it,  why  did  they  come  down  from  the  Mountains  in 
to  the  plain  Country,  to  build  this  Tower  }  which 
might  more  rationally  have  been  erefted  upon  the 
top  of  the  higheft  Mountains,  if  their  meaning  had 
been,  by  this  means,  to  preferve  themfelves  from  fu 
ture  Floods.  If  there  were  any  other  meaning  be- 
fides  that  mentioned  by  Mofes,  I  fhould  think  that 
moft  probable  which  I  find  in  Dr.  Jackson,  (BooJ^L 
on  the  Creed,  c.  1 6.)  That  it  might  be  a  Refuge  where- 
unto  they  might  refort^  and  continue  their  Combination  : 
Something  of  which  feems  to  be  intimated  in  the  next 
words.  There  is  a  Conjecture  alfo  made  by  a  moft 
worthy  Friend  of  mine,  a  good  while  ago,  Dr.Tent- 
fon^  now  Archbifhop  of  Canterbury,  in  his  Book  of  Ido 
latry  (which  is  notinconfiftent  with  thefe,)  That  this 

Tower 


upon   GENESIS.  225 

Tower  was  confecrated  by  the  Builders  of  it  to  the  Chapter 
Sun,  as  the  caufe  of  drying  up  the  Waters  of  the 
Deluge  (or  rather,  as  the  moft  illuftrious  and  near-  WVN 
eft  refemblance  of  the  Schechinah,  as  I  noted  on 
Chap.  IV.)  and  that  it  was  intended  as  an  Altar 
whereon  to  Sacrifice  to  it.  But  it  is  propounded 
only  as  a  Conjecture  .•  Which  thofe  Jews  feem  alfo 
to  have  had  in  their  Minds,  who  by  the  Word  .Shem^ 
(Name)  underftand  God  :  As  if  their  meaning  were, 
Let  us  make  us  a  God }  and  raifehim  a  Temple.  And 
perhaps  future  times  did  convert  it  to  that  ufe. 

Leaft  we  be  featured  abroad  upon  the  Face  of  the 
whole  Earth^]  Here  they  fpeak  as  if  they  feared  a 
Difperfion  $  but  it's  hard  to  tell  from  what  caufe,  un- 
lefs  it  were  this,  That  Noah  having  projeded  a  divi- 
fion  of  the  Earth  among  his  Pofterity,  (for  it  was  a 
deliberate  bufinefs,  as  I  noted  upon  X.  5^)  thefe 
People  had  no  mind  to  fubmit  unto  it ;  and  there 
fore  built  this  Fortrefs  to  defend  themfelves  in  their 
Refolution  of  not  yielding  to  his  defign.  Thus  the 
moft  learned  V/her,  ad  A.  M.  175*7.  But  what  they 
dreaded,  they  brought  upon  themfelves  by  their 
own  vain  attempt  to  avoid  it.*  And  now  there  is 
no  memory  preferved  of  the  Names  of  thofe  that 
confpired  in  this  attempt.  Thus  what  Solomon  faith, 
was  long  before  verified,  Prov.  X.  14.  The  fear  of  the 
Wicked  fhall  come  upon  him.  But  this  evil  by  God's  Pro 
vidence  was  attended  with  a  great  Good  .-  For  by  this 
difperfion  the  whole  Earth  was  peopled,  and  the  foun 
dation  laid  of  feveral  great  Nations  and  Kingdoms. 

Ver.  5.  And  the  L  0  R  D  came  down  to  fee,  See.]  ^erfe  5 
This  is  an  Accommodation  to  our  Conceptions  ^  and 
means  no  more  ^  but  that  by  the  effefts,  he  made  it  ap 
pear,  that  he  obferved  their  Motions,  and  knew  their 
Intentions.  G  g  Which 


J  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Which  the  Children  of  Men  builded."]    It  is  general- 
XL      ly  agreed  that  Children  of  Men  in  Scripture,    is  op* 
pofed  to  Children  of  God :    As  bad  Men  and  Infidels, 
are  to  the  good  and  the  Faithful.    Which  gives  us  to 
under ftand,  that  neither Noah^  nor  Shew, nor  Arphax- 
ad,  Salah  or  Heber  were  engaged  in  this  Work :    But 
fome  of  the  worfer  fort  of  People  who  degenera 
ted  from  the  Piety  of  their  Anceftors.     It  is  pro 
bable  Tome  of  the  Race  of  Ham  5   who  its  likely; 
carried  much  of  the  Spirit  of  Cain  with  him    into 
the  Ark:    Otherwife  he  could  not  have  behaved- 
himfelf  fo  vilely  towards  his  Father  after  they  came 
out  of  it.    For  that  terrible  Judgment,    it  Teems, 
had  not  reformed  him  $  and  then  it  is  no  wonder  if 
he  grew  more  wicked  after  it  was  over.    Jofephus 
and  others,  take  Nitnrod  (his  Grand-child )  to  have 
been  the  C^Q&JK,  as  his  Word  is,  Ring-leader  ol 
this  Crew,  who  combined  in  this  defign.    But  I  take 
it  to  be    more  probable  that  he    came  and   fetl< 
here  after  the  Difperfion.     For  there   being  not 
much  above  an  Hundred  Years  befcveen  the  Flood 
and  this  time,   it  is  not  likely  fuch  a  great  Kingdom 
could  beereftedin  that  fpace,  as  we  read  of,    Gen. 
X.  10,    And  therefore  he  grew  fo  great  after  this 
Difperfion,   when  he  came  out  of  Arabia^  or  fome 
Neighbouring  Couhtry,    and  fetled  here  in  Babel  :~ 
Which  was  called  by  this  Name,    upon  occafion  of 
the  Gonfufion  of  Languages,  and  had  it  not  before. 
Which  is  an  Argument  that  what  we  read,  X.  10,  n* 
mutt  be  underftood  to  have  hapned  after  this  time. 
But,  if  all  this  be  true  that  fome  of  Chaafs   Race 
began  this  defign,  which  other  bad  People  were  too 
muchdifpofed  to  follow,  and  that  they  who  retain^ 
ed  the  true  Religion(from  whom  Abraham  defcended) 

were 


upon   GENE  §  I  S. 

were  not  of  the  number,  it  is  credible  that  they  efcaped  Chapter 
,  the  Punilhment  here  mentioned,  (in  the  next  Verfes) 
1  retaining  ftill  their  ancient  Seat,  and  the  ancient  Lan- 
guagealfo  5  which  continued  in  the  Family  of  Hcber, 
and  was  called  Hebrew. 

Ver.6.  AndtheLORDfaid,    &c.]    This  Verfe Verfe  6, 
only  expreffes  a  Refolution  to  fpoil  their  Project  ^ 
and  the  neceflity  of  fo  doing. 

Ver.  7.  Let  usJ]  The  Rabbins  fanfie  this  is  fpoken  Verfe  f. 
to  the  Angels.  But  it  i&beyond  the  Angelical  Power 
to  alter  Mens  Minds  fo  in  a  moment,  that  they  (hall 
not  be  able  to  underftand  what  they  did  before. 
Therefore  God  fpaketo  himfelf.-  And  this  Phrafe 
fuggefts  to  us  more  Perfons  than  One  in  the  God 
head.  In  (hort,  None  but  he  who  taught  Men  at 
firft  to  fpeak,  could,  in  an  inftant,  make  that  variety 
of  Speech,  which  is  described  in  the  next  words.  No- 
vattanus  therefore  anciently  took  it,  that  this  was 
fpoken  by  God  to  his  Son. 

Confound  their  Language.']  The  word  Confound  is 
to  be  mark'd :  For  God  did  not  make  every  one 
fpeak  a  new  different  Language,  but  they  hadfuch 
a  confufed  remembrance  of  the  Original  Language 
which  they  fpake  before,  as  made  them  fpeak  it  very 
differently/  So  that  by  the  various  Inflexions,  and 
Terminations,  and  Pronunciations  of  divers  Diale&s, 
they  could  no  more  underftand  one  another,  than 
they  who  underftand  Latin  can  underftand  thofe  who 
fpeak  French,  Italia*,  or  Spanifh  5  though  thefe  Lan 
guages  arife  out  of  it. 

And  yet  it  is  not  to  be  thought,  there  were  as 
many  feveral  Dialedts  as  there  were  Men  $  fo  that 
none  of  them  underftood  another  :  For  this  would 
not  meerly  have  difperfed  Mankind,  but  deftroyed 

Gg  2  them. 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    them.     It  being  impoffible  to  live  without  Society, 

XI.      or  to  have  Society  without  underftanding  one   am> 

U'VNj  ther  :    For  if  the  Father  could  not  have  underftood 

the  Son,  nor  the  Husband  his  Wife,  there  could  have 

been  no  comfort  in  living  together.     Therefore  it  is> 

likely  that  every  Family  had  its  peculiar  Dialed  5 

or  rather  the  fame  common   Dialeft    (or   way  o£ 

fpeaking)   was  given  to  thofe  Families,  whom  God: 

would  have  to  make  one  Colony  in  the  following 

Difperfion.     Unto  which  Difperfion  they  were  con- 

ftraine^  by  their  not  being  able  to  have  fuch  Pamir 

liarity    as  they  had  before  with  every  body  ;    but 

only  with  thofe  who  underftood  their  particular 

Speech. 

Into  how  many  Languages  they   were  divid< 
none  can  determine.     The  Hebrews  fanfie  into  LX! 
which  Opinion  hath  much  prevailed  .-Being  grounded, 
upon  the  foregoing  Chapter  $  where  the  Defendants, 
from  the  Sons  of  Noah  are  juft  fo  many.    The  Greek 
Fathers  make  them  LXXII.  becaufe  the  Greek^  Verfion 
adds  two  more  (Elifa  among  the  Sons  of  Japhet^  and: 
Cainan  among  the  Sons  of  Sheni)  and  the  Latin  Fa 
thers  follow  them.  Butthisis  a  very  weak  Founda 
tion  \  it  being  apparent  that  many  of  the  Sons  of  Gt- 
naan  ufed  the  very  fame  Language  in  their  Country,, 
and  fodid  Javan  and  Elijhah  in  Greece  :  And  in  other 
places  fo  many  concurred  in  the  life  of  the  fame: 
Speech,  that  fcarce  Thirty  remains  of  the  Seventy  to  be: 
diftinft,  zsBoehart  hath  obferved.  See  Seldeny  L.  It 
deSynedr.  cap.  9.  Se£L  III. 

Yerfe  8.       Ver.  8.    So  the  LORD  fcattered  them^     Broke 
their  Combination  by  making  them  fpeak  feveral  Lan-- 
guages  3  which  cut  off  the   common  bond  of  one 
Society.     For  as  the  Unity  of  one  common  Lan 
guage 


upon    GENESIS. 

guage  (to  ufe  the  Words  of  Mr.  Mede.p.  362.)  had  Chapter 
knit  all  Mankind  into  one  Community  :     So  God  in       XL 
his  Wifdom  faw  that  Plurality  of  Languages  was  the  L/"V\J 
beffc  means  to  force  them  into  a   Plurality  of  Socie 
ties. 

Abroad  front  thence."}  Into  all  the  Regions  of  the 
North^  South^  and  Weft:  The  Effacing  inhabited 
before  by  Noah  and  iuch  of  his  Offspring  as  abode 
with  him.  Which  is  not  to  be  underflood  as  if  they 
were  immediately  Scattered  into  the  remoteft  places 
from  Babel :  But  firft  into  the  neighbouring  Coun 
tries  ^  and  by  degrees  into  thofe  which  were  further 
off,  according  as  their  Families  increafed. 

How  long  this  Difperfion  hapned  after  the  Flood, 
cannot  be  certainly  determined.  But  we  can  de- 
monftrateit  was  not  much  above  100  Years.  ForPeleg 
(in  whofe  days  this  came  to  pafs,  X.  25.)  was  born 
but  an  Hundred  and  one  Years  after  .•  As  was  ob- 
ferved  before  upon  that  place.  Now  fome  think  this 
Divifion  was  juft  made  at  his  Birth  .-.  Which  St.  Auftin 
takes  to  have  been  the  reafon  why  his  Father  called 
Kim  Pelegj  quiaJunc  ei  natv*  efl^  quando  per  Itnguas  ter 
ra  divifa  eft,  becaufe  he  was  then  born  to  him,  when 
the  Earth  was  divided  by  their  Languages.  But  the 
T^xt  doth  not  make  this  out,  for  it  only  fays  in  his 
Days  the  Earth  was  divided..  And  the  Thirteen  Sons 
ofjofyan  (Pelegs  Brother^  who  had  their  (hare  in 
this  divifion,  being  not  then  born,  we-muft  conclude 
that  if  this  divifion  began  at  Pelegs  Birth,  it  was  not 
finiftied  till  fome  Years  after.  Elmacinns  fays  in  the 
Fortieth  Year  of  Pelegs  Age  $  ib& Hebrews  generally 
fay  at  his  Death. 

See  Hottingers Smegma  Orieat. p.  62.  and  1 66. 

And 


-*  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        And  they  left  of  to  build  the  Tower  J]     I   fee  no  rea- 
XL      fon  to  believe  that  God  over-turn'd  it  by  a  terrible 
IXVV)  Tempeft,  as  BpiphoKJiu  expreffes  it,  Jwmpyov  dvi/M>v 
£oAy}  ^?f*4&.     Which  is  the  Opinion  ot  Jofephus^ 
L.  I.  c.  5.    dntiq.  and  Abydetws  mention'd  by  Eufe- 
/>/'#/,  L.  IX.  c.  4.  Pr<epar.  Evan,  and  divers  others  of 
the  Ancients.     Nor  is  there  any  ground  for  what  O- 
thers  fay,  (particularly  Benjamin  Tudal,  in  his  Itine- 
vary,  p.  77.)    that  it  was  burnt  by  Fire  from  Hea 
ven.     For  Mofes  doth  not  intimate  that  this  was  ei 
ther  burnt,  or  over-turn'd  .•   But  only  that  they  de- 
fifted  from  their  Enterprize  .•  Which  naturally  cea- 
fed,  when  they  could  no  longer  joyn  to  carry  on  the 
.Building.     Which  may  rather  lead  us  to  think,  that 
the  City  and  Tower  flood  long  after  this  .•    And 
thatBtfc/^rf's  Conjeftureisnotunreafonable,  That  it 
<was  the  very  Tower  which  was  afterward  confecrated 
4o  Belt**}  defcribed  by  Herodotus,  L.  I.   For  it  is  evi 
dent,  that  though  this  City  and  Country  lay  wafte 
*for  fome  time,   Men  being  frighted  by  the  confufion 
of  their  Languages  from  living  there,  yet  NimroJ,  a 
bold  Man,  came  and  made  this  the  Seat  of  his  Empire  : 
And,  it's  very  probable,  carried  on  that  Work  which 
was  broke  off  by  the  DHferfion.     For  it  is  not  faid, 
Ge».  X.  10.  that  he  built  Babel,  (as  he  did  Niniveh^ 
and  other  Cities,  verfe  n.)  but  only  that  it  was  the 
beginning  of  his  Kingdom^    the  head  City,  where  he 
made  his  refidence. 

Verfe  9*  Ver.  9.  Therefore  is  the  Name  of  it  called  Babel.~\ 
Which  (ignifies  in  Hebrew  Confu/lon:  So  frivolous  is 
their  Conceit,  who  make  it  to  have  been  called  by 
this  Name,  from  Babylon,  the  Son  ofBelus.  All  the 
difficulty  is  to  know  who  called  ic  by  this  Name. 
Some  think  the  Children  of  Heber,  in  whofe  Family 

the 


upon    GENESIS.  231 

the  original  Language  continued.    But  it  may  be  as  Chapter 
rationally  conceived,  that  in  the  confufion  of  Lan-      XL 
guageS;,  all  retained  fome  of  the  ancient  words,  and  L/"V*\ 
particularly  this .-    By  which  they  all  commonly  cal 
led  this  Place. 

Confound  tbe  Language  of  all  the  Earth.  That  iSj 
the  Language  of  all  thofe  People  who  were  in  this 
Wejlern  Colony  $  not  the  Language  of  Noah,  and  his 
Plantation  more  Eafterly,  who  kept,  as  Ifaid,  the 
Primitive  Language. 

Scatter  them  abroad  upon  the  face^  &C."]  This  Dir 
fperfion  was  fo  ordered,  that  each  Family  and  each 
Nation  dwelt  by  it  felf  .•  Which  could  not  well  be 
done,  as  Mn  Mede  obferves,  but  by  dire&ingan  or* 
derly  Divifion  .-Either  by  cafting  of  Lots,  or  cha 
fing  according  to  the  Birth-right,  after  Portions  of 
the  Earth  were  fetout  according  to  the  Number  of 
their  Nations  and  Families.  For  other  wife,  fome 
would  not  have  been  content  to  go  fo  fa  North  as 
Magog  did,,  and  others  fuffered  to  enjoy  more  plear 
fant  Countries* 

Ver.  1C.  Thefe  are  the  Generations  of  Shent?]\tz$»V&fe  i 
pears  from  the  foregoing  Chapter,  that  thefe  here  men 
tioned,  were  not  all  the  Perfonswho  defcended  from 
him  .•  But  thefe  were  the  Ancettors  of  Abraham^  whom 
Mofes  derives  by  thefe  from  Shew. 

Ver.  n.  Lived  after  he  begat  Arphaxad,five  hundred  Verfe  I 
Tears.*]  So  that  as  he  had  kznMethufelah  and  Lantech 
before  the  Flood,  he  might  alfo  fee>  not  only  Abraham, 
but  his  Son  Ifaac^  who  by  this   Account  was  one  and 
twenty  Years  old  when  Shew  died. 

Ver.  14.  Begat  Eber.~]     Who   was  the  Father  of 
thofe  from  whom  came  the  Hebrew  Nation  .•  Abraham^ 
being  defcended  from  him  in  the  fixth  Generation. 

And 


23a  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    And  that  Nation  being  called  Eber,  JV/^i.XXIV.  24. 

XI.      and  the  Children  ofEber,   Gen.  X.  21.    It  is  not  rea- 

L/""V\J  fonable,  as  I  obferved  before,  to  feek  for  any  other 

derivation  of  the  Name  of  Hebrews. 

Verfe  16,  Ver.  16.  Pelcg,  or  Phaleg.~]  It  is  not  unlikely  that 
either  he,  or  fome  of  his  Pofterity  in  memory  of 
him,  gave  name  to  a  Town  upon  Euphrates  called 
Phalga  :  Not  far  from  the  place  where  Chalorusruns 
into  it,  upon  which  Harah,  (or  Charrali)  ftood,  built 
by  Haran*  Abrahams  Brother. 

Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  Rett,  or  -Regan."]  ( As  foitie  pronounce  the 
Hebrew  word,)  gave  Name  to  a  Field  near  AJJyria, 
Judith  I.  5.  or,  as  Tobit  faith,  in  Media:  Where 
Strabo  mentions  a  City  called  Raga9  and  fo  dothS/e- 
phanus^  TPa)"^  ^Ai;  2^  .MxiSzf.  In  the  Hundred  and 
thirtieth  Year  of  his  Life,  if  wemay  belie  vzElfnacinM^ 
(p.  29.)  Niwrod  began  to  Reign  in  Babylon.  And  in 
his  days  alfo  he  fays,  the  Egyptian  Kingdom  began. 
Which  need  not  feem  ftrange,  though  fcarce  two  hun* 
dred  Years  werepafled  fincethe  Flood,  when  we  con- 
fider  the  vaft  increafe  of  People  in  thefe  Ages,  from 
a  few  Planters,  within  fuch  a  compafs  of  time  .•  And 
likewife  the  extraordinary  Fruitfulnefs  which  God 
after  the  Flood  beftowed  upon  them  for  the  Peo 
pling  ofthe  Earth.  For  he  fays  twice  to  Noah,  and 
his  Sons,  immediately  after  they  came  out  ofthe  Ark, 
increafe  and  multiply,  Y£.  I,  7.  and  replenfjh  the  Earth. 
From  this  Antiquity  of '  ^Egyptian  Kingdom,  it  is, 
that  the  later  Pharaohs  called  themfelves  the  Sons  of 
ancient  Ktngs^  Ifa,  XIX.  1 1. 

In  Reus  time  alfo  both  the  Egyptians  and  Babyloni 
ans  now  began  to  make  Images  and  worlhip  them,  if 
Patricides  may  be  credited.  See  Hotting.  Smegwa. 
Orient,  cap.  8.  n.  16. 

Ver. 


Hpon    GENESIS,  233 

'Ver.  20.  Begat  Seng.*]     From  whom  (Bochartu*  Chapter 
thinks)  fomeofhis  Defcendants  might  call  the  Ci-     XL 
ty  Sarug  :    which  the  Arabian  Geographer  fays  was  L/WJ 
near  to  Charr<g  or  Haran.  He  firft  began  to  celebrate 
every  Year  the  Memory  of  famous  Men,  after  they 
were  dead  }  and  commanded  them  to  be  honoured  as 
Benefa&ors  $  if  we  may  believe  Suidas  in  the  word 
2tp;£,  and  Dawafien,  and  a  long  Roll  of  other  Au 
thors  mentioned  by  Jacobus Gen/ius,  Par.  I.e.  2.  De 
Viftimis  Httntanis. 

Ver.  22.   Begat  Nahor."]   The  fame  Writers  fay,  Verfe  22* 
That  Idolatry  increafing  much  in  his  days,  there  was 
a  great  Earthquake  ( the  firft  that  had  been  obferved) 
which  overturned  their  Temples,  and  broke  their  I- 
mages  in  Arabia. 

Ver.  24.  TerahJ]  Whom  they  make  to  have  been  Verfe  24. 
an  Idolatrous  Prieft  $  but  to  have  repented  and  been 
converted  to  the  Worfhip  of  the  True  God.    See 
Verfe  31. 

Ver.  26.  And  Terah  lived  feventy  Years,  and  begat  Verfe  26. 
Abraham^  Nahor,  and  Haran."]  i.  e.  He  was  feventy 
Years  old  before  he  had  any  Children  5  and  then 
had  three  Sons  one  after  another :  Who  are  not  fet 
down  in  the  order  wherein  they  were  born.  For 
Abrahams  being  firft  named  doth  not  prove  him  to 
have  been  the  eldeft  Son  of  Terah  $  no  more  than 
Shems  being  firft  named  among  Noah's  three  Sons, 
proves  him  to  have  been  the  Firft-born,  IX.  18.  For 
there  are  good  Reafons  to  prove  that  Abraham  was 
bornyftcfp  Years  after  Haran  $  who  was  the  eldeft  Son  5 
having  two  Daughters,  married  to  his  two  Brothers, 
Naborand  Abraham:  Who  feems  to  be  the  youngeft, 
though  named  firft,  both  here  and  in  the  next  Verfe^ 
becaufeof  his  preheminence.  See'Fer/e  32. 

Hh  Ver. 


A   COMMENTAR-r 


Chapter        ^er*  2^'  H*?**  died  before  hfs  Father,  &.CJ]  In  his 
*X  I.       own7  Country,  (as  it  here  follows  J  out  of  which  he 
t^V-'sj  did  not  go,  as  the  reft  of  this  Family  did. 
Verfe  28,      In  Vr  of  the  Chaldees."]  That  part  of  Mefopotamia^ 
which  was  next  to  Ajfyria^  is  called   thz  Land  of  the 
Chaldees.     For  Vr>  as  Abarbwelobkrves,  was  in  Me- 
fvpotamia  :  Lying  in  the  way  from  Tigris  to  Nijihis* 
And  therefore  St.  Stephen  makes  Mesopotamia  and  the 
Land  of  the  Chaldees   the  very  fame,    Aits  VII.  2,  4. 
Eupolemus  indeed,  as  Bochart  notes,  places  this  TJr^ 
from  whence  Abraham  came,  (Verfe  31.")  in  Babylon  :. 
But  AmmiAnus  fpeaks  of  an  Vr  in  MefofotamJa,  fi- 
tuated  as  before-mentioned  5  which  we  have  reafon 
to  think  was  the  place  from  whence  Abraham  came, 
becaufe  from  thence  to  Canaan  the  way  lay  ftraight 
through  Charran  (or  Haran-^)  but   it  did  not  do  fo, 
if  he  came  from  Babylon.     And  no  good  account  can 
be  given  why  he  fhould   go  about  through  Mefopo- 
tar/na^  and  Charran  5    when  there  was  a  (horter  way 
through  Arabia^  if  he  came  from  Babylon. 
Verfe  29.     ^er-  29*  ^e  ^at^er  oflfcah^]?.  e.  Of  Sarxt,  whom 
Abraham   married  5    (he  being  his  eldeft   Brother's 
Daughter,  Sifter  to  Lot.     For  H*rj#  had  three  Chil 
dren,  L0J,  ^er/e  27.  and  Milchah^  whomNahor  mar 
ried,    and  SWA  whom  Abraham  married.     That  is, 
Haran  dying,    the  two  remaining  Brethren  married 
his  two  Daughters.     For  if  we  ihould  underftand 
any  Body  elfc  by  Ifcah^  but  Sarah  ^  there  is  no  ac 
count  whence  flie  defended  :..   Which  Mofes  fure 
would  not  have  omitted  5  becaufe  it  very  much  con 
cerned  his  Nation  to  know  from  whom  they  came, 
both  by  the  Father's  and  the  Mother's  fide.     It  is  no 
wonder  (he  flbould  have  twoNames  5  one  perhaps  be 
fore  they  came  out  of  Chald<ea,  and  another  after. 

Ver, 


upon    GENESIS. 
Ver.  9 1 .  Went  forth  from  Vr  of  the  ChaldeesJ]     See  Chapter 
•what  was  faid  Verfe  26.   unto  which  I  have  nothing 
to  add  but  this,  That  this  Country  was  fo  famous  for  VXV"VJ 
Superftirion,  that  the  Chaldeans  in  Daniels  time  were  ^e™ 
reckoned  as  a  diftinft  fort  of  Diviners,  from  Magici 
ans  y   Aftrologers,  and  Soitth-fayers,  or  Sorcerers ,  {Dan. 
II  2,  10.  IV.  7.  V.  ii.)  And, it's  likely,  from  fome 
fiich  fort  of  Men  Terah  and  his  Family  learnt  the 
worfhipof  Idols,    Jofb.  XXIV.  2.     But  though  he 
had  been  an  Idolater,     yet  it  may  be  probably  con 
cluded  from  his  leaving  Vr  of  the  Chaldces,  with  an 
intention  to  go  to  Canaan,   (as  it  is  here  faid)  that 
now  he  was  become  a  Worfhipper  of  the  True  God. 
For  what  (hould  move  him  to  it,    but  Obedience  to 
the  Divine  Direction,  which  Abraham  received,  (as 
we  read  in  the  next  Chapter,)  to  which  he  would  not 
have  agreed,   if  he  had  not  believed  in  God.     As 
Lot  it's  plain  did,    whom  he  took^  along  with  him. 
That  word  is  much  to  be  remarked  ^  which  makes 
him  the  principal  Agent  in  their  removal :     Abraham 
himfelf  being  governed  by  his  Motion.     For  Mofes 
fays,  He  took^Abrahaw,  and  Lot,  the  Son  ofHaran,  &c. 
And  though  Nabor  did  not  now  go  along  with  his  Fa 
ther  toHaran,  ("being  left  behind  perhaps  to  look  af 
ter  fome  concerns,)  yet  afterwards  he  followed  him, 
with  all  his  Family.  Asappears  from  Chapter  XXVIL 
43.  and  the  following  Chapter.     And  he  alfo  forfook 
Idolatry;   for  Rcbel^ah  his  Grand-child  was  married 
to  Ifaac,  and  his  great  Grand-children,     Rachel  and 
Leah,  nay,  their  Father Laban^m  tohave  been  wor- 
fhippers  of  the   true  God,    (though  with  a  mixture 
•  of  fome  Superftition  J  for  he  makes  mention  of  Je 
hovah  upon  feveral  occafions,  Gen.   XXIV.  31,  50, 

5*. 

H  h  2  And 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        And  they  came  unto  Haran.~\  It  is  poffible  that  Te* 
XI.      rah  going  from  Vr  to  Canaan,   and  ftaying  in  this 
place,  called  the  City  X*pp*f,  (ffanrr*)  after  the  Name 
of  his  Son  Haran^(ovCharan)   who  died  a  little  be* 
fore,verfe  28,  For  both  the  Greek,  and  Rowan  Wri~ 
terscall  a  City,   famous  for  the  death  of  Crajfiis,  by, 
the  Name  of  Charrte  :  Situate  on  a  River  of  the  fame 
Name.     It's  likely  from  Abrahams  Brother  were  de 
rived  both  the  Name  of  the  River  and  of  the  City, 
which  the  Arabians  to  this  day  Gall  Charanor  Char- 


And  dwelt  thereJ]  It's  plain  he  intended  to  go  to 
Canaan,  and  not  to  fettle   here  :    But  being  arreftedi 
with  the  Sicknefs  of  which  he  died,  could  go  no< 
further. 

Verfe  32.      Ver.  32.   And  the  days  of  Ter  ah  were  two  hundred 

and  five  Years.~]  Mofesdoth  not  fumm  up  the  Years 

of  any  Man's  Life  mentioned  in  this  Chapter,  fas  he 

doth  mChapterV.)  but  only  of  Terah's.     Which  he 

doth  on  purpofe  that  we  may  know  when  this  new 

Period  of  Time  began,    ("of  Abrahams  leaving  his 

own  Country,  and  thereby  becoming   the  Father  of 

the  Faithful,)    which  we  are  not  to  count  from  the 

time  when  Terah  began  to  have  Children,  (Ver.  26  .) 

but  from  the  time  of  his  Death  ^  immediately   after 

which  Abraham  went  on  towards  Canaan.  See  Uffer. 

Chronol.C.ll\.*i\AC.Vll. 

From  this  alfo  we  learn  when  Abraham  was  born. 
For,  \ffeventyfive  Years  ("which  was  Abrahams  Age 
when  his  Father  died9  and  he  went  from  Haran^  XII. 
4.)  be  fubdufted  from  Two  hundred  and  five^  it  is 
znanifeft  that  he  was  born  when  his  Father  was  an 
Hundred  and  thirty  Years  old  .•  That  is,  Threefcore 
Years  after  his  Brother  Haran^  as  I  faid  on  Verfe  26. 

CHAR 


upon   GEN  E  S  I  S.  237 

Chapter 
XII. 


C  H  A  P.     XII. 

MAny  ancient  Authors  fpeakof  Abraham,  as  Jo* 
fephus  obferves,  and  out  of  him  Eufebius :  who 
names  others  alfo,  L.  IX.  Pr<epar.  Evang.  c.  1 6, 1 7,&c. 
All  that  I  (hall  note  is,  That  one  great  Defign  of 
Mofes  being  to  lead  the  Jews  to  underftand  the  Ge 
nealogy  of  this  noble  Anceftor  of  theirs  ,  he  haftens 
to  it :  Relating  other  Matters  briefly  5  but  fpending 
many  Pages  about  him.  For  he  comprifes,  for  in- 
ftance,  the  Hiftory  of  the  World  from  the  Creation 
to  the  Flood,  containing  One  thoufandfix  hundred 
fifty  fix  Years,  in  the  compafs  of  fix  Chapters  :.  But 
beftowson  the  Hiftory  of  Abraham  nineteen  Chapters  ; 
though  it  continue  no  longer  fpace  of  time  than  an 
Hundred  and f evenly  five  Years. 

Ver.  i.  Now  the  LORD  had  fad  unto  Mra 
While  he  lived  in  Vr  of  the  Chaldees  $  from  whence 
it  is  certain  he  called  him  while  his  Father  was  alive, 
XI.  31.  We  are  not  told  how  he  fpake  to him$  for 
here  is  no  mention,  as  Maimonides  obferves,  (P.  II. 
£.41.)  of  his  fpeaking  in  a  Dreant^  Qi&Vifien,  or 
by  the  Hand  of  an  Angel :  But  only  (imply  and  ab- 
folutely  that  the  LORD  faldto  him.  By  a  Voice, 
when  he  was  a  wake,  Ifuppofe,  fron  theSehech/nah, 
or  Divine  Glory  :  For  St.  Stephen  faith  exprefly ,  The 
God  of  Glory  appeared  to  him^  before  he  dwelt  inCharran^ 
AGsVII.  2. 

Get  thee  out  of  thy  own  Country^  fcrc^  Which  be^an 
a  good  while  ago  to  be  infefted  with  Idolatry,  fSee 
XI.vi8,  xa.)  Some  of  Shew's  Pofterity  forgetting 

the 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    the  Creator  of  All,  and  worfhipping  the  Sun,  as  the 
XII,      great  God,  and  the  Stars  as  leffer  Gods.     So  Maimo- 

LS^/*\3nides'm  his  More  Nevoch.  P. III.  e.  29.     where   he 
faith  the  Zabii  relate  in  one  of  their  Books,  (which 
he  there  name*,)    That  Abram  contradicting  their 
worfhip,    the  King  of  the  Country  imprifon'd  him, 
and  afterward  banifhed  him  into  the  utmoft  parts  of 
the  Erf/?,  and  confifcated  all  his   Eftate.  A  Tale  in 
vented  to  take  away  from  him  the  Honour  of  his 
voluntary  leaving  his  Country  5  and  todifcredit  this 
Sacred  Hiftory,  which  tells  us  he  diredted  his  Courfe 
quite  another  way  ,    towards  the  Weft.     Abarbinel 
and  others  will  not  have  this  Call  of  God  to  Abram 
to   have  been  when  he  was  in  Vr,  but  after  they 
came  to  Haran  $    to  which  he  fanfies  Terah  came, 
becaufe  of  fome  Misfortunes  he  had  in  Vr.    But  this 
is  invented    to  contradift  St.  Stephen ,    Afts  VII.  2. 
with  whom  Aben  Ezra  agrees,  who  expounds  thefe 
words  of  his  calling  out  of  Vr.  For  it's  hard  to  find 
any  other  reafon  why  he  defigned   to  go  to  Canaan^ 
(XL  3  i.J  the  place  whether  he  went  after  Terah  was 
dead. 

Into  a  Land  that  I  will /hew  thee.~\  He  had  the  Di 
vine  Dire&ion,  it  feems,  all  along,  toconduft  him 
in  his  Journey.  But  it  argued,  astheApoftle  ob- 
ferves,  a  great  Faith  in  God,  that  he  would  follow 
him,  not  knowing  the  Country  to  which  he  would 
lead  him. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  I  mil  make  of  thee  a  great  fJatfon^] 
Fkrft,  by  multiplying  his  Pofterity  5  and  then  by  ma 
king  them  a  feleft,  peculiar  People  .•  whom  he  di- 
ftinguiftiedby  his  Favours,  from  all  other  Nations. 
So  it  followso 


nfon    GENESIS. 

IwUblefs  thee.']  Beftow  many  Benefits  both  Tern-  Chapter 
poral  and  Spiritual  upon  him.  XiL 

And  make  thy  Name  great.~]  Make  him  famous  U"VN 
throughout  the  World  5  as  he  is  to  this  day,  not  on 
ly  among  the  Jeves^  but  among  Chriftians  and  Maho 
metans.  So  Maimonides  obferves  5  that  all  Man 
kind  admire  Abraham,,  even  they  that  are  not  of  his 
Seed. 

And  thoufialt  be  a  Blelfing^]  Others  (hall  be  the 
better  for  thee  5  as  Lot  was,  and  the  Ring  of  So- 
dom^  &c.  Or,  as  the  Hebrews  underftand  it  5  thcu 
{halt  be  fo  profperous,  that  when  Men  would  wifh 
well  to  others,  they  (hall  ufe  thy  Name,  and  fay ;  The 
Lord  blefs  thee  as  he  did  Abraham, 

Ver.3.  1  will  blefs  them  that  blefs  thee,  &c.]  TheVerfe  3 
higheft  Token  of  a  particular  Friendfhip,  which  he 
here  contrails  withAbraw  (who  is  called  the  Friend 
efGoJ)  in  promifing  to  efpoufe  his  Intereft  fo  far,  as 
to  have  the  fame  Friends  and  Enemies  that  he  had. 
Which  is  the  form,  wherein  Rings  and  Princes  make 
the  ftrifteft  Leagues  one  with  another. 

AndCurfe  them  that  Curfe  thee."]  Maifftonides  will 
have  it,  (in  the  place  before-named)  that  the  Za- 
btanr  loaded  Abram  with  all  manner  of  Curfes  and 
Reproaches,  ("when  he  was  fent  out  of  their  Coun 
try)  which,  he  bearing  patiently,  God  turned  upon 
themfelves.. 

And  m  thee  {hatt  all  the  Families  of  the  Earth  be 
blejfid."]  Which  was  moft  eminently  fulfilled  in 
Chrift.  An  \  here  it  muft  be  remarked  that  this  Pro- 
mife,  of  Bleumg  all  the  World  in  Abram^  was  made 
to  him  before  he  received  Circumcifion,  while  he 
was  in  Vr  of  the  Chaldees,  and  before  he  had  any  Iffue, 
(for  Sarai  was^rrearand  had  no  Child \  XI.  30.)  And 

there- 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    therefore  before  any  preference  of  Jfaac  to  Ifomaeh 

XII.     or  any  diftinftion  made  between  his  Pofterity,  and 

LXVNJ  the  reft  of  Mankind.     In  token  that  they  were  all 

concerned  in  this  Promife  }   whether  defcended  from 

Abraham^  or  not.     In  (hort,  this  Promife  only  limits 

the  Birth  of  the  Mejfiah  to  the  Seed  of  Abraham  ^  but 

declares  that  his  Benefits  fhould  be  common  to  all  o- 

ther  Nations. 

Verfe  4,        Ver.  4.    So  Abram  departed^    &c/]    Having  ftaid 
fome  timeia  Harm,  where  his  Father  fell  fick  and 
died,  he  profecuted  his  Journey  from  thence  to  Ca- 
naan^  after  his  Father  was  dead.    So  St.  Stephen  tells 
usexprefly,  A£ls  VII.  ^.  from  thence  (i.e.  from  Char- 
ran)  when  his  Father  was  dead^  he  removed  him  into  this 
Land^&e.     It  was  a  wonderful  effeft  of  Abrahams 
Faith  (lobferved  before J  to  move  him  to  leave  his 
own  Native  Country  to  go  to  Ear  an  :    But  it  wj 
ftill  a  greater,  after  he  had  travelled  a  long  way  from 
1)r  hither ;  to  go  three  hundred  Miles  more  from  hena 
to  Canaan  .5    a  Country  of  which  he  had  no  know 
ledge,   nor  had  fent  any  Body  before  him  to  difc 
verit.-   Taking  his  Journey  through  the  dangeroi 
^nd  barren  Defarts  otPalmyrena^  and  having  nothinj 
to  fupport  him,  but  only  the  Promife  of  God.  Whicl 
made  him  climb  over  the  high  Mountain,    either 
.Libanus^  Hermon^  or  Gi  lead:  For  in  that  part  of  thi 
Country  heentred,    as  Sir  W.  Raleigh  hath  obferve< 
.See  Verfe  5. 

And  Lot  went  with  him7\  He  might  conclude  per 
haps,  that  Abram  being  called  in  a  fpecial  manner  out 
of  Chald<ea,  was  thereby  diftinguiflied  from  the  reft  of 
Shem  s  Pofterity  $  and  that  he  joyning  with  him  in 
obeying  the  fame  Call,  might  claim  the  priviledge  of 
fulfilling  the  Promife  of  theMeJ//d£5no  lels  than  Abram. 

And 


upon    GENESIS. 

And  Air  am  wasfeventy  and  five  Tears  old^  when  he  Chapter 
departed  out  of  Haran.~]     See  XL  ult.  XII. 

Ver.  5.  All  the  Souls  they  had  gotten.  (Hebr*  had  LXVNJ 
vtaAi)  inHaran^]    i.e.    All  the  Slaves  born  in  their  Verfe  5. 
Houfe,  or  bought  with  their  Money,     The  Chaldee 
Paraphraft  interprets  this  of  the  Profelytes  they  had 
won  to  God:  For  fuch  only   would   Abram  carry 
with  him.     And  fome  of  the  Hebrew  Doftors  are  fb 
nice,  as  to  fay,  That  Abram  inftrufted  the  Men,  and 
Sarai the  Women,  in. the  true  Religion:  Concerning 
which  he  wrote  a  Book,  (if  we  may  believe  Maitno- 
nides,  Deldolol.  c.  i.)  and  left  it   to  his  Son  Ifaac. 
We  read  alfoin  Pirltf  Eltezer,  c.  25.  that  he  took  a 
Houfe,  which  fronted  Charran,  where,  according  to 
the  ancient  Piety,  he  kept  great  Hofpitality  :  And  in 
viting  thofe  that  went  in  or  came  out  of  the  Town,  to 
refrefh  themfelves  if  they  pleafed,  fet  Meat  and  Drink 
before  them  5    faying.  There  is  but  one  God  m  the 
World. 

And  into  the  Land  of  Canaan  they  ca#*e.~]  We  are 
told  before,  XI.  31.  that  Terah  went  forth  to  go  to 
this  Country,  but  could  not  reach  it,  as  Abram  did. 
Who  entred  into  it,  at  the  North  part  of  it,  as  appears 
by  the  following  part  of  the  Story :  Where  we  read  he 
went  to  Sichem  and  the  Plain,  zndverfey,  went  onfttl/ 
towards  the  South. 

Ver.  6.  Sichem  and  the  plain  of  Moreh.']  Or,  as  Mr.  Verfe  & 
Mede,  following  the  LXX.  will  have  it,  the  Oal^  of 
Moreh :  Underftanding  by  Oak,  not  only  one  (ingle 
Oak,  butafiW*  or  Grove  of  Oaks.  See  XIII.  1 8. 
Where,  I  fuppofe,  he  intended  to  have  fixed  his  dwel 
ling  5  had  not  the  Temper  of  the  People,  who  inha 
bited  that  Country,  made  it  inconvenient. 

I  i  AnA 


A    COMMENTARY 

And  the  Canaanite  was  then  in  the  Land"].  It  was 
very  pertinent  to  Mofes  his  Defign,  fpeakingof  A- 
brattis  Paflage  through  this  Country,  to  tell  who  was 
at  that  time  poffefled  of  it.  But  it  is  dubious  whe 
ther  he  mean  by  the  Canaanite  a  particular  Peopl^  de- 
fcended  from  Canaan,  as  he  doth  XV.  z\t  or,  in  ge 
neral,  all  the  Nations,  which  the  Jfraelites  afterward 
deftroyed.  It  feems  tome  the  firft  of  thefe  is  meant, 
and  that  by  Land  he  means  only  that  part  of  the 
Country  where  Sichem  lay,  which  was  then  poflefled 
by  this  particular  People.  For,  in  the  n^xt  place 
that  Abram  went  to,  it  is  faid,  The  Canaanite  and,  the 
Pertzzite  dwell  then  in  the  Land,  (XIV.  7.  )  /.  e.  in 
that  part  of  the  Country.  Where  we  do  not  read 
what  Entertainment  Abram  met  wtth^  5  but  I  take 
it,  as  an  Argument  of  .4foWs  great  Faith,  that  he 
would  adventure  among  fuch  a  rough  and  fierce 
People  .•  Who  had  no  kindnefs  for  the  Pofterity  of 
Shevtnpon  arc  aid  Score  $  and  if  the  ancient  Tradi 
tion  inEpiphanius  be  true,  upon  a  frefli  Account.  For 
hefaithfH^re/:LXVI.w.84.)  that  this  Country  cal 
led  Canaan,  did  really  belong  to  the  Children -of  Shem^ 
by  Virtue  of  the  Divifloa  made  among  the  Sons  of 
Noah  :  But  the  Children  of  Canaan  had  difpoflefled 
them.  So  that  thefe  words,  the  Gaxaanite  was  then 
in  the  Land,  figtiifies,  they  had  already  invaded  this 
Country,  before  Abraham  came  thither.  To  whom 
God  promifing  to  give  itr  he  only  reftored  the  Po 
fterity of  Shem^  (from  whom  Abram  defcended)  un 
to  that  which  the  Children  of  Ham  had  wrongfully 
feized. 

By  all  which  it  is  eafie  to  fee  how  frivolous  their 
Reafonings  are.,  who  from  this  place  conclude  Mofe* 
did  not  write  this  Book :  Becaufe  thefe  words  feem 

to 


upon  GENESIS.  343 

to  fignifie  the  Writer  of  them  lived  after  the  Canaanitet  Chapter 
were  thrown  out  of  this  Land:  Which  was  after     XII. 
Mofes  his  Death.  U^sTV 

If  thefe  Men  had  not  a  greater  Inclination  to  Cavil, 
than  to  find  out  the  Truth,  they  would  rather  have 
faid  the  meaning  is,  The  Canaanite  was  poflefled  of 
this  part  of  the  Country  in  Abraham's  time,  though 
thrown  out  of  it  by  Jacob's  Sons,  (Ge«.XXXIV.)  be 
fore  the  Times  of  Mofes.  Which  is  another  way  of 
explaining  thefe  words :  Againft  which  I  fee  no  Ob- 
jeftion  but  this,  That  their  Prince  is  called  an  Hivite, 
XXXIV.  2.  To  which  there  is  an  Anfwer,  verfe  §c. 
which  (howS'the  Peopk  were  partly  Cannanites. 

Ver.  7.   And  tfe  LORD  appeared  unto  AbramJ]  Verfe  7. 
As  he  had  done  before,  (Verfe   i)  but  now,  it  is 
likely,  in  a  more  glorious  manner  5  to  eftablifh  him 
in  Faith  and  Obedience. 

And  fad,  unto  h\m^  &c.*]  There  was  a  Voice  came 
From  the  Shechinah,  or  Divine  Glory  ^  which  now  ap 
peared  to  him  $  and  told  him  this  was  the  Country 
he  intended  to  beftow  upon  his  Pofterity.  It  is  very 
remarkable  that  he  no  fooner  entred  Canaan,  but  God 
renewed  his  Promife  to  him,  made  before  he  came 
out  of  his  own  Country. 

And  it  is  further  obfervable,  (  as  we  (hall  fee  in 
the  following  Story )  that  Abrawt's  Obedience  was 
conftantly  rewarded  in  kind,  according  to  the  qua 
lity  of  the  Service  he  performed :  Though  in  quan 
tity,  the  Reward  far  exceeded  the  Service.  Thus 
having  left  his  own  Country  and  Father's  Houfc, 
(which  was  the  firft  trial  of  his  Obedience)  God 
promifes  to  give  him  the  whole  Land  of  Canaan^  and 
to  make  his  Pofterity  a  mighty  Nation.  See  XVH.  6. 
XXII.  16. 

I  i  2  And 


244        V          A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  And  there  he  built  an  Mar,  &c.  J  This  was  fo  glo- 
XII.  rious  an  Appearance,  that  it  moved  him  to  offer  up 
L/*V*SJ  a  folemn  Sacrifice  to  God  5  for  which  he  built  an 
Altar  here  in  Sichem.  And  it  being  the  firft  that  he 
built  in  this  Country,  it  made  this  become  the  firft 
place  that  was  eftabliftied  for  Publick  Worfhip,  af 
ter  the  Ifraelites  conquered  the  Land  of  Canaan.  For 
here  was  the  Sanftuary  of  God  in  Jo/hua's  time,  near 
this  very  Grove  where  Abram  firft  pitched  his  Tent, 
and  built  an  Altar,  Jofh. XXIV.  i,  25,  26.  It  conti 
nued  famous  alfo  in  after-times,  as  appears  from 
Jndg.  IX.  6. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  he  removed  from  thence  unto  a  Moun 
tain,  8cc-3  Though  the  LORD  here  appeared  to 
him,  yet  he  did  not  think  fit  to  truft  himfelf  among 
the  Canaanites,  (who  were  the  chief  of  the  wicked 
Nations,  that  pofleffed  this  LandJ  or,  he  thought 
fit  to  fee  the  reft  of  the  Country,  which  God  pr 
mifed  to  give  him:  And  therefore  came  hither,  which 
was  about  twenty  Miles  further  Southward. 

And  there  he  built  an  Altar.']  Upon  the  Mountain 
where  they  anciently  chofe  to  facrifice,  rather  than  in 
other  places.  And,  it  is  likely,  God  again  appeared 
to  him  here,  to  encourage  and  ftrengthen  him  againft 
all  his  Fears.  Which  made  him  build  a  new  Altar 
and  offer  Sacrifices  of  Thankfgiving  to  God,  to  im 
plore  his  continued  Favour. 

And  it  is  obfervable,  That  the  Promife  which  God 
made  in  the  former  place,  verfe  7.  he  renewed  again 
in  this,  and  more  at  large,  after  became  out  ofEgjfff 
XIII.  3,4,  14, 15,16. 

On  the  Ea(l  of  Bethel."]  So-  it  was  called  in  after- 
times* 


upon    GEN  E'STS?  245- 

Ver.  9.  And  Abram  journeyed,  Scc/J     H.e  did  not  Chapter 
think  fit  to  fix   yet  in    the  fore- named  place  :  But     XII. 
made  a  further   progrefs  into  the  Southern  parts  of  ^^f*^ 
the   Country.     Yet,    after  he  had    been  in   fe,g#f,  ?• 

(the  Story   of  which   follows)  he  returned  to   this 
place. 

Ver.  10.  A  Famine  In  the  Land.']  Of  Canaan.  Verfe   1C. 

He  went  down^\  Egypt  lay  low  in  companion  with 
Canaan. 

Tofojonrn^]  Not  to  dwell  there :  For  he  doubted 
not  of  God's  Promife  to  him,  of  poffeffing  the  Land 
which  he  had  left. 

Ver.  1 1.  Thou  art  a  fair  Woman,  Sccf)  She  was  now  Verfe  1 1. 
threefcore   Years  old  :   But  having  comely    Features, 
and  being  of  a  fair  Complexion,  (in  comparifon  with 
the  Egyptians,  who  were  fallow)  (he  feemed  to  be 
younger  than  (he  was. 

Ver.  ix.    They  will  fytt  me7\     Knowing  them  to  Verfe  12. 
be  a  libidinous  People,  he  was  afraid  they  might  be 
tempted  to  make  him  away  ^  that  they  might  have  his 
Wife, 

Ver.  13.  Say^thon  art  my  Sitter."]  He  himfelf,  upon  Verfe  15* 
another  occafion,  explains  in  what  fence  (he  was  fo, 
XX.  12.     Therefore  he  teaches  her  not  to  tell  a  Lye, 
but  to  conceal  the  Truth. 

Ver.  15.  Pharaoh.~]  The  Egyptian  Kingdom  began  Verfe  15. 
about  three  hundredYzMS  before  this,  (in  the  days 
©f  Ragati)  XI.  1 8.  if  the  Arabian  Writers  fay  truej) 
and  now  was  grown  to  be  very  powerful,  by  the 
means  of  fome  King  of  this  Name  ^  which  (it  appears 
by  this  place)  was  very  ancient,  and  continued  to 
be  the  Name  of  all  the  Kings  of  Egypt >  till  the  Cap 
tivity  of  Babylon  5  and  we  know  not  how  much  lon 
ger.  Juft  as  Ptolemy  was  their  Name  after  the  times 

of 


^  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    of  Alexander:   And   C<efar  and  Auguftw  were  the 
XII.      Names  of  all  the  Emperours  of  Rome  5  and  Candace  of 

~^v~*~>  all  the  Queens  of  JEthiopia  \  and  the  like  may  be  ob- 
ferved  in  feveral  other  Countries.  Ludolphus  takes 
Pharaoh  to  be  a  compound  word,  fignifying  as  much 
as  Father  of 'the Country  :  For  that's  the  meaning  of 
Phar-ot^  jn  the  JEthiopick^  Language ,  as  Phartnut  is 
Mother  of  the  Country. 

The  Princes  alfe,  &c.]  The  Courtiers  who  ftudied 
to  gratify  their  Prince's  Pleafure. 

Was  taken  into  Pharaoh's  Ho  fife.']  Into  the  Houfe 
of  the  Women,  it  is  probable,  (for  the  Egyptian 
Kings  were  now,  as  I  faid,  very  great  $  like  thofe  of 
Per/la  in  after-times)  intending  to  make  her  one  of 
his  Concubines. 

Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  he  had  Sheep  and  Oxen,  &C.3  By  the 
Gift  of  the  King  5  befides  thofe  he  had  of  his  own 
before. 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  And  he  plagued  Paraoh,  &c/]  'Some  of 
the  Hebrews  think  they  had  grievous  Ulcers  in  the 
Secret  Parrs  5  which  made  both  him  and  his  Ser 
vants  uncapable  to  enjoy  either  her,  or  any  one 
elfe. 

HK  Houfel}  His  Courtiers  partake  of  the  Punifli- 
ment,  becaufe  they  were  Partners  in  the  intended 
Sin. 

'Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  Why  didft  thov  not  tell  me,  &c.]  Some 
think  he  fpeaks  this  fubtilly  toAbrtham,  to  fee  what 
he  would  fay  ;  not  knowing  yet  that  ftie  was  his 
Wife.  Or,  that  his  Priefts  and  wife  Men  had  con- 
fult^d  the  Oracles  about  the  Caufe  of  their  Plagues. 
But  the  fimpleft  Account  is,  That  Sarai  being  inter 
rogated  about  it,  confefied  the  whole  Truth.  Where 
upon  he  expoftulated  thus  with  Abram^  who  being 

filent, 


upon    GENESIS,  347 

filent,  betook  it  for  granted,  that  indeed  (he  was  Chapter 
his  Wife.  XIII. 

Ver.  19.  Now  therefore  behold  thy  Wife,  &C.]     He   *s-\s*^s 
difclaims  all  Intention  of  abufing  another  Man's  Wife^  Verfe  1 9. 
;  (fo  Vertuous  they  were  in  thofe  days)  but    would 
have  made  her  his  own,  (as  he  faith  in  the  forego 
ing  words,  /  might  have  taken  her  to  me  to  Wife  5  ) 
that  is,  a  fecondary  Wife,  as  the  manner  was  in  thofe 
days  $  for  it  is  not  likely  he  had  no  Wife  at  all 
before. 

Ver.  20.  Pharaoh  commanded  his  Men  concerningVzife  20. 
£*'*»,  &£.*]  Gave  ftrift  Orders  none  (hould  hurt  him, 
or  any  thing  belonging  to  him  .-.  But  conduct  him 
fafely,  whether  he  had  a  mind  to  go.    And  accord 
ingly  the  next  words  tell  us  they  did. 

They  fent  htm  avpay^c."]  Not  with  Violence,  but 
gave  him  a  fafe  Conduft :  Sending  him  away,  per 
haps,  with  a  Guard  for  his  Security.  Such  was  the 
Generofity  of  the  Egyptian  Princes  in  thofe  times. 


CHAP.    XIII. 

Ver.  i.  \Nto  the  Smth.']    Info  the  Southern  part  of  Verfe  i* 

X  Canaan,  where  he  had  been  before,  XII.  9, 
Ver.  2.  Very  rich.  &c/]  His  Riches  were  increafed  yerfe  2t 
fince  he  went  into  Egypt ,  by  the  Bounty  of  Pharaoh^ 
XII.  16.  And,  (if  we  could  believe  Jofephus,  L.  I. 
Anttq.  c.  8.)  by  the  Rewards  he  had  for  teaching 
them  feveral  Pieces  of  Learning,  which  he  brought 
out  of  ChaUUa.  The  Author  of  Schalfch.  Hak&b. 
quotes  Eufebiw  his  Pr<epar.  Evang.  L.  IX.  c.  4,  to  prove 
this,  And  indeed,  I  find  Ejifebiut  quoting  Jofephus 

in 


348  *   CVM MENTOR t 

Chapter    in  the  XVI.  Chapter  of  that  Book  $  who  fays  he  taught 

XIII.      Arithwetick.  and  AJtrology^  of  which   the  Egyptians 

\S*S\J  were  ignorant  before :  And  in  the  XVIIth  Chapter 

Eupolemvs,  who  fays  that  Abram  was  familiarly  con- 

verfant  with  the  Egyptian  Priefts  at  tjeliofolis^  (when 

he  went  thither  by  reafon  of  the  Famine  in  Canaan) 

and  taught  them  many  things^  particularly  the  CK- 

leftial  Sciences  $  which  he    calls  Attrology^  5.  e.  the 

Knowledge  of  the  Stars. 

r¥erfe  3.  Ver:  3.  Unto  Bethel,  Sec/]  Which  was  the  fecond 
Place  wherein  he  dwelt,  after  his  firft  entrance  into 
Canaan^  XII.  8. 

Werfe  4.        Ver.  4.  Unto  the  place  oj  the  Altar  ^  Sec."]  This  feems 

-to  intimate  that  the  Altar  it  felf,  was  either  fain  or 

thrown  down.     Some  think  demoliOied  by  Abram 

himfelf,  when  he  left  the  place  ,  others  by  the  Canaa- 

nites  when  he  was  gone. 

And  there  Abram  called  on  the  Name  of  the  LORD' 
Commended  himfelf,  and  all  he  had,  to  God's  Pro- 
te&ion :  Who  had  promifed  to  beftow  this  Countn 
upon  him.     Perhaps  he  built  the  Altar  again,  and  oi 
fered  Sacrifice  thereon. 
>Vsrfe  5.        Ver.  5.  And  Lot  alfo,  Sec.]     God  had  blefled  him 
likewife  as  a  faithful  Companion  of  Abraham  in  his 
Travels  5  and  Partaker  alfo  of  his  Faith. 

Werfe  6.  Ver.  6.  The  Land  was  not  able  to  bear  hivt^  &C."] 
There  was  not  fufficient  Pafturage  for  them  both,  in 
that  part  of  the  Country. 

Werfe  f.  Ver.  7.  And  there  was  aftrffe,  Sec.*]  Wealth  com 
monly  breeds  Contentions.  Yet  here  was  no  diffe 
rence  between  the  Majiers  5  but  between  their  Ser 
vants:  Each  endeavouring  to  get  the  beft  Paftures, 
and  the  beft  watering  Places  for  their  FJocks. 

And 


upon  GENESIS.  24? 

And  the  Canaanite  find  the  Perizzite,  See."]     This  Chapter 
part  of  the  Country,  was  inhabited   by  the  People,     XIII. 
peculiarly  called  Canaanites^  and  by  the  Perizzites,  (a  L/'VNJ 
very  rugged  and   barbarous  Nation.     See  XV.  20,^) 
among  whom  Contention  would  have  been  danger 
ous,  at  leaft  very  fcandalous. 

Ver.  8.  AbramfaidtoLot.~]     The  beft,  the  wifeft,  Verfe  8. 
and  Men  of  greateft  Experience  in  the  World,  are 
mod  inclined  to  Peace  3  and  moft  yielding  in  order 
to  it. 

Let  there  be  no  flrife  between  me  and  thee~\  There 
had  been  none  yet  5  but  their  Servants  Quarrel,  might 
have  proved  theirs  at  laft. 

And  between  my  Herds-men,  &c.]  And  here,  figni- 
fiesor.-  As XIX.  1 2.  ExW.XII.  5. 

For  we  are  Brethren."]  Near  Kinfmen,  whom  the 
Hebrews  call  Brethren. 

Ver.  9.  Is  not  the  Land  before  thee,  &c]     There  is  Verfe  9. 
room  enough,  though  not  here,  yet  in  other  parts  of 
the  Country:  Now,  fince  we  cannot  remain  toge 
ther,  take  thy  choice  which  way  thou  wilt  go,  &c. 
A  wonderful  Condefcenfion   in  Abram,  to  let   the 
younger,  and  leaft  in  Eftate,  pleafe  himfelf.     And 
be  did  not  defire  Lot  to  leave  the  Country,  but  only 
to  fettle  himfelf  in  what  part  of  it  he  liked  beft  5 
hat  he  might  be  near  to  help  him,  as  he  did  af 
terwards. 

Ver.  10.  Beheld  all  the  Plain  of  Jordan,  Sec.]     A  Verfe  ID. 
Tuitful  and  pleafant  Country,  well  watered  by  the 
Streams  of  Jordan:  Which  in   many  windings  and 
urnings  run  through  it,  and  at  fome  times  overflow 
ed  it  $  which   made  the  Ground  very  rich.     And 
herefore  Mofes  compares  this  Plain  to  the  Garden 
of  Eden,  (as  moft  underftand  thofe  words,  the  Garden 

Kk  of 


250  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    of  the  IDR-D,}  which  was  well  watered  by  a  Ri- 
XIII.     ver  running  through  it :  And  to  the  Land  of  Egypt ; 

L/~V"NJ  which  is  fatned  by  the  overflowing  of  Nik,  as  this 
was  by  the  overflowing  of  Jordan. 

As  thoH  comejt  to  Zoar.~]  Thefe  words  are  not  to 
be  referred  to  the  Land  of  Egypt,  immediately  fore 
going,  ffrom  which  Zoar  was  at  a  great  diftance,) 
but  to  thofe  words  in  the  beginning,  a  Plain  well  wa 
tered  every  where  5  even  to  the  utmoft  Skirts  of  it, 
which  was  Zoar. 

Verfe  1  x.  Ver.  1 1.  And  Lot  chafe  him  all  the  Plain  of  Jordan.} 
He  was  invited  by  the  richnefs  of  the  Soil  ^  without 
regard  to  the  Manners  of  the  People  :  Which  proved 
afterwards  a  great  Affii&ion  to  him. 

And  Lot  journeyed  Eaft.~]     For  the  Plain  of  Jordan 
lay  Eajl  from  Bethel^  where  they  now  were. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  Abram  dwelt  in  the  Land  of  Canaan, 
8cc.]  In  that  pare  of  the  Country,  where  the  People 
peculiarly  called  Canaanites  (Verfe  /.and  XII.6.)  were 
feated :  Otherwife,  if  the  Land  of  Canaan  be  ta* 
ken  largely,  the  Plain  of  Jordan  was  alfo  a  part  of 
it. 

Verfe  1 3.  Ver.  1 3.  The  Men  of  Sodom  were  wicked,  &c.]  Their 
Sins  were  grown  ripe  for  Puniihment  $  having  been 
brought  (as  it  were)  before  the  LORD  ,  and  fen- 
tenced  at  his  Tribunal,  to  the  Judgment  which  fhortly 
after  befel  them. 

Verfe  14.  Ver,  14,  And  the  L  0  R  D  fatd  unto  Abram^c."} 
It  is  likely  the  Lo&D  appeared  again  to  htm,  fas 
he  had  done  formerly,  XII.  7.)  after  Lot  was  fepa- 
rated  from  him  :  Both  to  comfort  him  in  his  abfence, 
by  renewing  his  Promife  in  larger  words  5  and  to 
affure  him  that  his  Pofterky,  not  L^Js?  (hould  inherit 
this  Country, 

Dff 


upon    GENESIS,  251 

Lift  up  thine  eyes^  8cc/]     He  dwelt  now,  it  is  like-  Chapter 
ly,  upon  the  Mountain,  which  was  on  the   Baft  of     XIII. 
Bethel,  (where  he  pitched  his  Tent  before  he  went  t/*V"NJ 
into  Egypt,  XII.  8.  and  returned  to  it  when  he  came 
from  thence,  Ver.  3,4.  of  this  Chapter,')  which  gave 
him  the  advantage  of  a  fair  and  long  profpeft  of  the 
Country  every  way. 

Ver.  15.  For  all  the  Land  thou  faft,  &c."]     ThatVerfe  15* 
whole  Country,   fome  Parts  of  which  he  faw  a  great 
way,  in  every  Quarter  of  it,  and  all  the  reft  conti 
guous  to  them,  were  hereby  affured  to  him. 

For  ever."]  It  doth  not  fignifie  ftri&ly  Time  with 
out  end  :  But  a  very  long  Period.  The  Jews  indeed 
fay  that  this  word  Qlam,  when  it  is  written  full,  as 
they  fpeak  $  that  is,  with  Van,  denotes  Eternity  5 
though  without  Van  they  confefs  it  fignifies  only  a 
long  time.  But  this  fmall  Obfervation  is  quite  over 
thrown  by  many  Examples  to  the  contrary.  For, 
Exod.  XV.  1 8.  where  the  Lord  is  faid  to  reign  for 
evtr^  this  word  Olam\s  without  zVau^  and  yet  de 
notes  Eternity.  And  Dent.  XV.  17.  where  it  is  faid, 
hejhall  he  thy  Servant  for  ever  $  it  is  written  with  a 
VAU^  and  yet  denotes  only  a  term  of  fifty  Years  at 
the  moft. 

Ver.  16.    7  mil  make  thy  Seed  as  the  Juft  of  the  Verfe  16. 
Edrf£,8cc»3    More  than  could  be  contained  in  that 
Land. 

Ver.  17*  Arlfe,  walk,  t hrtwgh  the  Lattd,ikc."]  He  Verfe  17. 
would  have  him,  for  his  fatisfaftion^  go  and  view  it 
all  more  nearly,  in  every  part  of  it.  Or,  he  gives 
him  leave  (if  he  delired  to  underftand  more  fully, 
both  the  Quality  and  Quantity  of  the  Inheritance  he 
beftowed  on  him)  to  go  and  furvey  it:  Prornifing 
he  would  protect  and  preferve  him  in  his  peratnbu- 

Kk  2  lation. 


s$2  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter    lation.    Nay,  fome  look  upon  this,  as  giving  him  a 
XIII.    Warrant  to  take  pofieffion  of  the  Country,  though 

s^\/~^  he  (hould  not  yet  enjoy  it. 

Verfe  18.  V7er.  18.  Then  Air  am  removed  his  Tent.~]  ,  To  a 
place  about  Twenty  four  Miles  from  Bethel,  where  he 
was  before. 

And  dwdt  in  the  Plain.']  Here  the  word  we  had 
before  Xlt,  6.  is  in  the  Plural  Number }  and  is  taken 
by  many  for  Oaks,  i.  e.  for  an  Oaken  Grove  :  So  the 
Arabic^  Interpreter.  The  LXX.  tranflate  it,  TTSL^.  r 
S"PK£,  bytheOa^  in  the  Singular  Number  }  for  there 
feems  to  have  been  one  Oak^  more  eminent  than  the 
reft.  Under  which  Abram  pitched -his  Tent,  and  built 
an  Altar  unto  the  LORD. 

This  is  confirmed  by  XVIIL  i.  compared  with 
Verfe  8.  And  indeed  the  Ancients  very  much  reve 
renced  an  Oak  an<3  thererefore  planted  this  Tree  very 
frequently.  Jacob  buried  the  Idolatrous  Trumpery 
of  his  Family  under  an  Oak,  (XXXV.  4.)  which  was 
by  Sthechem^  where  the  place  of  Publick  Worfhip 
feems  to  have  been  fix'd  in  Jo/hua's  time,  Jojh.  XXI U. 
1,26.  The  Angel  of  the  L  o  a  i>  alfo  appeared  to 
Gideon  under  an  Oak^  Jndg*  VI.  11,19,25.  IX.  6. 
And  of  all  other  Trees,  an  Oak  was  held  moft  Sacred 
by  the  Heathen  $  particularly  by  the  Druids.  SeeP//- 
ny,  L.  XVI.  c.  44.  Max.  Tyriw,  Dffert.  34.  And 
Paufanzasin  his  Account  of  Arcadia  fays,  the  Anci 
ents  made  the  Images  of  their  Gods  of  0*4,  being  the 
moft  durable  Wood. 

This  0^4 fome  fanfie  was  in  being  in  the  time  of 
Conftantine^  and  there  was  great  refort  to  it.  See  «fo- 
zowev,  L.II.  cap.  4.  Here  Abram  dwelt  a  long  time, 
and  many  great  things  paffed  here,  before  he  removed 
to  any  other  place, 


upon    GENESIS  253 

?  ~)  Was  the  Name  of  a  Man  among  the  Chapter 
Atnorites,  as  appears  from  the  next  Chapter,  verfe  XIII. 
13, 

Which  is  in  Hebron."]  Or  rather,  by  or  near  He- 
bron,  (for  iothe  Particle  Beth  is  often  ufed,J  which 
was  a  very  ancient  City,  built  feven  Years  before 
Zoar,  i.  e.  the  famous  City  of  Tank  in  Egypt,  Numb. 
XIII.  22.  It  was  called  Arba,  or  Kirjath-Arba  at 
the  firft,  XXIII.  2.  but  in  Mofes  his  time,  Hebron. 
There  are  thofe  indeed  who  fay  it  was  not  called 
Hebron  till  the  time  of  Jofhnai  who  gave  it  to  Caleb 
for  his  Portion,  Jojh.  XV.  13,  15*  And  thence  con 
clude  this  PaflTage  was  not  wrote  by  Mofes,  but  put 
in  by  fome  other  Hand,  after  his  time.  But  I  fee  not 
the  lead  proof  of  this  Afiertion,-  that  Caleb  was  the 
firft  who  gave  it  this  Name.  His  Grandfon,  menti 
oned  i  Chron.  II.  4X5  43.  may  rather  be  thought  to 
have  taken  his  Name  from  this  Place,  than  to  have 
given  a  Name  to  it.  Befides,  there  have  been  two 
Occafions  of  giving  one  and  the  fame  Name  5  as  ap 
pears  by  what  is  laid  of  Beer/heba,  XXI.  31.  XXVI. 
33.  And  therefore  this  City  might  have  the  Name 
of  Hebron  in  Mofes  his  time  3  and  it  might  be  confirm* 
ed  in  JoJIma's* 


G  H  A 


•X  COMMENT  ART 


Chapter 
XIV. 


CHAP.     XIV. 

Verfe  i.  Ver.  i.  \  ND  it  came  to  pafs,  8cc.^  It  is  v£ry  e&» 
JL\  fie  to  give  an  account  of  this  War,  which 
the  Kings  of  the  Baft  made  upon  the  King  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah^  Sec.  if  what  was  faid  before,  XII.  6. 
be  admitted  5  that  the  Ganaanites  had  invaded  the 
Rights  of  the  Children  of  Shew,  and  gotten  pofleffi- 
on  of  a  Country  belonging  to  them  $  which  they 
now  endeavoured  to  recover,  (as  they  had  attempted 
before,  verfe  4.)  For  Elam*  of  which  Chedorkomr 
was  King,  defcended  from  Shew,  Get*.  X.  21. 

Amraphel  King  of  Sh/nar."]    i.  e.    King  Of  Babylon^ 
as  it  is  commonly  underftood.  But  it  cannot  well  be 
thought  that  fo  potent  a  King,  as  he  is  fuppofed  to 
have  been  in  thofe  days,  fhould  need  any  Aflbciatcs 
in  a  War  againft  fuch  petty  Princes,  as  thofe  menti* 
oned  verfe  2.     Or,  that  the  King  of  Elam  ( whofe 
Quarrel  this  was,  as  appears  from  verfe  4.)  fhould 
not  be  able  of  himfelf  to  grapple  with  them :  Or, 
that  the  Kings  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha^  8cc.  durft  have 
adventured,  with  a  handful  of  People  in  comparifon, 
to  rebel  againft  him,  after  he  had  brought  them  un* 
der  his  fubjeftion.     Therefore  we  muft  either  take 
Amraphel  to  have  been  fome  fmall  Prince  in  the  Coun 
try  of  Shinar^  i.  e,  Ajfyria:   Or,  if  he  were  King  of 
Babylon^  that  Monarchy  was  not  very  great  in  the 
days  of  Abram.     And  we  muft  alfo  look  upon  the 
reft  as  Names  of  fome  particular  Places  (like  Sodom 
and  Gomorrha)   over  which  Arioch  and  Chedorlaomer 
reigned  :  Who  were  fuch  Kings  as  thofe  in  Canaan 

when 


upon    GENESIS. 

when  Joflma  conquered  it:  Or  elfe,  Commanders  of  Chapter 
Colonies,  which  they  had  led  out  of  Affyri*  and  Per-  XIV. 
fia,  and  fettling  thereabouts  endeavoured  to  inlarge 
their  Plantations.  As  the  manner  was  in  thofe  and 
in  fucceeding  Times  5  when  the  Captains  of  a  Troop, 
and  Leaders  of  a  fmall  Body  of  Men,  were  called 
Princes  or  Kings. 

Arioch  King  of  EUafarJ]  There  was  a  City  (men 
tioned  by  Stephanta  de  TJrbibw)  called  El/as,  in  Ccelo- 
Syria.,  on  the  Borders  of  Arabia  3  where  Arioch  per 
haps  commanded. 

Chedorlaomer  KingofElam."]  Concerning  this  Coun 
try  feeX.  2z,  where  Chedorlaomer  was  either  Gover 
nor  of  fome  little  Province  or  City  3  or,  a  Commin- 
der  of  fome  Troop  of  that  Nation. 

Tidal  King  of  Nations^]  Some  take  Gojiw  in  this 
place,  which  we  tranflate  Nations,  for  a  Country  or 
City.  But  it  is  mere  agreeable  to  the  common  ufe 
of  the  word  in  Scripture,  to  take  it  to  fignifie  a  Peo^ 
pie :  Who  either  wanted  a  fixed  Habitation,  or  were 
gathered  out  of  fundry  Regions. 

Thus  part  of  Galilee  being  inhabited  by  a  mixed 
People  of  divers  Countries,  was  thence  called  Galilee 
of  the  Nations,  or  Gentiles,  Matth.  IV.  15.  There 
were  alfo,  as  Sir  W.  Raleigh  obferves,  feveral  petty 
Countries  which  adjoyned  to  Phoenicia,  (viz.  Palmy- 
rena,  Batanea,  Apamena,  Laodicene,  &c.  which  lay  to 
wards  Mefofotamia  on  the  North,  and  Arabia  on  the 
Eafl,)  over  which  we  may  fuppofe  Tidal  reigned. 
Eupolemut,  an  ancient  Greek  Writer,  relating  this  Sto 
ry,  calls  them  Armenians,  who  made  this  Jnrode  up 
on  the  Phoenicians,  as  Eufebhts  tells  us  out  of  Alexan 
der  Polyhiftor.  L.  IX.  Prspar.  Evang,  c.  17. 


A   COMMENTARY 

Ver.  2.  Thefe  made  War  with  Bera  King  of  Sodom  ^ 
Sec.]  They  were  Lords  of  the  Country  called  Ten- 
tapolfc,  or  five  Cities.  Which  were  (6  fmall,  that  there 

Verfe  i.  vvas  no  great  need  to  bring  a  great  King  from  beyond 
Tigris,  with  fuch  a  mighty  Monarch  as  he  ofBabjlm, 
is  thought  now  to  have  been  ^  and  feveral  other  Na 
tions  between  thefe  Kings  and  Euphrates^  to  fubdue 
their  petty  Province.  It  had  been  madnefs  alfo  for 
thefe  Kings  to  refift  fuch  powerful  Armies,  as  the  Ea- 
ftern  Kings  are  commonly  fuppofed  to  have  brought 
againft  them.  And  therefore  I  think  it  reafonable 
by  the  Kings  in  the  frft  Verfe  to' underftand  fome 
fuch  petty  Princes  as  thefe  mentioned  in  the  fe- 
cond. 

Verfe  3,  Ver.  3.  VaUey  of  Siddfte.*]  The  five  Cities  ftood 
in  this  goodly  Valley,  which  now  is  the  Salt-Sea  or 
Lake:  Since  the  overthrow  of  thefe  Cities  by  Fire 
and  Brimftone  from  Heaven.  Some  will  not  have 
•Siddim  a  proper  Name,  but  tranflate  it  ploughed  Lands^ 
in  which  this  Valley  was  very  rich. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  Twelve  Tears  theyferved  Chedorlaomer,  8cc.] 
This  (liows  he  was  the  Principal  in  this  War :  And 
if  he  had  been  King  of  all  that  Country  called  Elam^ 
we  cannot  think  he  would  have  pafled  through  fo 
great  a  part  of  the  World,  as  Aflyria,  Mefopotamia^ 
and  part  of  Arabia  to  conquer  five  Towns.  All  whofe 
Riches  could  not  countervail  the  Charge  3  though -he 
-had  fent  only  one  of  his  Lieutenants,  with  a  fmall 
Force  to  bring  them  under. 

Verfe  5.  Ver,  5.  Smote  the  Rephaiws.~]  In  their  way  to  So- 
dom,  they  fubdued  thefe  Warlike  People,  who7  it  is 
likely,  oppofed  their  Paflage  into  Pentapolh./  And 
thefe  Rephatets9  it  appears  by  XV.  20.  were  a  part  of 
Cavaans  Pofterity,  fituate  ^as  one  may  gather  from 

Jojb. 


upon   GENESIS. 

Jofh.  XII.  4. XIII.  12.)  on  the  other 'fide  Jordan,  in  Chapter 
Bafhan,  or  Batanea.  They  were  of  a  Giant-like  Sta-  XIV. 
ture  .•  And  therefore  the  LXX.here  and  in  otter  pla-  W"W 
ces,  in  (lead  of  Rephaim,  have  G/'^/zf  .r . 

Ajhtaroth'K.arnaim.']  It  is  plain  from  the  fore- 
named  place,  and  fromDeut.  1.4.  that  Aflrtaroth  was 
a  place  in  Bafhan.  Whether  fo  called,  becaufe  the 
Goddefs  Aftarte,  \.  e.  Diana  or  Juno,  was  here  wor- 
(hipped,  no  Body  can  refolve.  They  that  are  of  this 
Opinion  fanfie  that  Karnaint,  which  in  Hebrew  fig- 
nifies  two  horned,  denotes  the  New  Moon.  But  this 
word  may  as  well  note  that  Ajhtaroth  was  a  City  in 
the  form  of  a  half  Moon. 

And  the  ZUZJMS."]  Another  Warlike  People  there 
abouts  .•  Who,  fome  think,  are  the  fame  with  the 
ZawLummims,  Dent.  II.  10. 

The  Emims.'}  It  appears  from  Dent.  If.  9,  10,  &c. 
that  thefe  were  alfo  a  Gigantick  People,  and  near 
Neighbours  to  the  Horttes,  mentioned  in  the  next 
Verfe.  For  the  Emims  poflefled  Ar  and  the  Field  of 
Kirjath-jeariM  5  and  the  Horttes  poflefled  Mount  6W>  5 
till  the  former  were  driven  out  by  the  Moabttes,  and 
the  latter  by  the  Children  of  Efau  :  And  then  the 
Country  of  the  ILmims  was  called  Moab,  and  the 
Country  of  the  Horttes  was  called  Edom. 

Ver.  j .  And  they  returned.*]  From  the  Conque ft  of  Verfe  7 
the  fore  named  People. 

And  came  to  En-mjfopat.~]  Fell  upon  this  Country, 
which  was  called  afterward  by  this  Name  ;  becaufe 
God  \i&zjudged  the  Israelites  for  their  Murmurings, 
and  Contention  with  Mofes.  From  whence  alfo  it 
was  called  Kadefo,  becaufe  here  the  Lord  was  fantti- 
fed  among  them,  AW.  XX.  13. 

LI  All 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter         AH  the  Country  tf  the  Awakkttes^]    The  Country 

XIV,      which  was  afterwards  poffefled    by  the   Amalekites'y 

L/"V*NJ  who  were  not  yet  in  being  .•  For  they  were   the  De- 

fcendants  of  Ffau,  as  Mofes  (hows,  Gen.  XXXVI.  i<$. 

And  alfothe  Amdrites^  who  dwelt  m  Hazezon-  Tamar.'J. 

Which  is  the  fame  with  En-Gaddi^  near  the  dead  "Sea,. 

2  Chron.  XX.  2. 

Verfe  10.  V(?r.  lO.Full  of  Slime-pit  s7\  Into  whfch  they  hoped 
their  Enemies  might  fall,  and  fo  be  broken  :  Which 
made  them  draw  up  their  Army,  and  wait  for  them 
in  this  place. 

And- the  Kings  of  Sodom  and  Goworrhaficd.~}  Were 
routed,  as  we  now  fpeak.  Of  the  word  Slime  fee 
XL  3. 

And  fett  there.]  i.e.  A  great  daughter  was  made 
of  their  Armies  /  For  they  thtmfelves  efcaped,  it  ap 
pears  by  the  following  part  of  the  Story.  Some  will 
have  it,  that  many  of  them  fell  into  thofe  Slime-pits, 
in  which  they  hoped  to  have  feen  their  Enemies 
plunged.  But  the  fimpleft  Sence  is  5  many  of  them 
wereflain,  and  the  reft,  as  it  follows,  efcaped  to  the 
"Mountain.  Bur  made  fuch  ill  ufe  of  their  Prefervati- 
on,  from  being  killed  with  their  Fellows,  that  they 
only  lived  tofuffer  a  greater  Vengeance. 

Verfe  11.  Ver.  n.  And  they  took^all  the  Goods ^  &c.]  This  is 
a  further  proof  that  Chedorlaower,  and  the  reft  of  his 
Confederates  in  this  War,  were  but  petty  Princes, 
(like  the  Kings  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha^  &c.)  for  ha- 
.,  ving  broken  the  Army  of  the  five  Kings,  they  refted 
contented,  and  march'daway  with  the  Priibners  and 
Booty  5  but  took  not  one  of  their  Cities :  Which,  if 
they  had  been  fuch  great  Kings,  as  is  imagined,  they 
would  have  certainly  fack'd,  and  perhaps  burnt,  if 
they  had  not  thought  fit  to  keep  them.  But  we  read, 

Verfi 


upon   GENESIS. 

J^erfe  17.  the  King  of  Sodom  ftill  reigned  after  this  Chapter 
vidtory,  and  went  out  of  his  City,  to  meet  A-  XIV, 
Iram.  (*/~V~\J 

Ver.  12.  And  they  took.Lot,  &cfj  Who  is  here  cal-  Verfe  12, 
led  his  Brother  s  Scn^  and  Verfe  14,  and  16.  Abrams 
Brother,  This  was  the  Foundation  of  Abr'am'%  Quar- 
rel  with  the  Pour  Kings  5  whofe  War  was  juftagainft 
the  King  of  Sodom  and  his  Confederates.-  But  they 
unjuftly  feized  upon  Lot  and  his  Goods.}  who  was 
but  a  Sojourner  in  that  Country,  and  had  no  hand  in 
their  Revolt.  ig, 

Who  dwelt  m  Sodom  ~]  In  the  Country  of  Sodow, 
where  he  hired  ibme  Ground  for  his  Cattel  5  hut  it  is 
not  likely  he  yet  dwelt  in  the  City,  ("for  then  he  had 
not  been  taken  Captive,)  but  afterwards,  for  more  fe- 
curity,  betook  himfelf  thither. 

Ver.  13.  Told  Abram  the  Hebrew,'}  So  called  fromVerfc  13. 
his  Anceftor,  Heber^  as  was  before  obferved.  To 
which  may  beadded,  That  if  he  had  been  called  by 
this  Name,  as  many  think,  only  from  his  pafling  over 
Euphrates,  (which-  the  LXX.  took  to  be  the  reafon, 
when  they  tranflatedit  Ti^^WJ  ft  would  not  have 
defcended  to  all  his  Pofterity,  vyho  did  not  come 
from  beyond  the  River.  So  little  a  thing  as  that?  • 
would  not  have  given  a  Name  to  a  whole  and  eminent 
Nation .5  who  are  ufually  denominated  from  fome  e- 
minent  Progenitor. 

And  thefe  were  confederate  with  Abram^]  The  three 
fore-named  Families  were  near  Neighbours  to  Abrant ; 
who,  it  is  likely,  farmed  (as  we  now  fpea^;  iome 
Ground  of  them:  and  fo  entred  into  a  Leuj.;-.  of 
Mutual  Defence,  having  the  fame  Intereft.  1  (hould 
think  alfo,  that  having  the  Prieft  of  themoft  High 
God  not  far  from  them,  Verfe  18.  they  were  good, 

L  1  2  pious 


^   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    pious  People,  ("rather  than  conclude,  as  I  find  fome 
XIV.     do,  that  they  were  utter  ftrangers  to  the  true  Religi- 
L/^VNJ  on)  which  made  Abram  more  forward  to  embrace, 
if  notto  court,  their  Friendfhip.   For  the  Sins  of  the 
Anioritesbzmg  not  yet  full,  (XV.  16.)  there  might 
be  fome  remainders  of  true  Piety  among  them  :  And 
it  is  no  Argument,    that  becaufe  thefe  three   Familes 
were  of  that  Nation,  they  were  wicked  Idolaters. 
Verfe  14*      Ver.  14.  Armed  his  trained  Servants.']  Drew  forth 
a  fele&  number  of  his  Servants,  whom  he  iiad  inftruft- 
ed  to  handle  Arms  $  in  cafe  of  any  Aflaults  by  Rob 
bers  or  injurious  Neighbours.    We  read  before,  XII, 
5.  of  the  Servants  they  brought  with  them  from  Haran^ 
and  now  they  were  more  increafed,  as  their  Cattel 
were,  (XII.  i6.XIII,  2,  6.)  fo  that  he  might  well 
make  a  fittle  Army  out  of  them. 

And  purfued  them  to  Dan.']  As  far  as  that  place, 
where  one  of  the  Heads  or  Springs  of  Jordan  breaks 
forth,  called  Dan,zs  Jofephus relates,  where  he  fpeaks 
of  this  very  Hiftory,  L.  L  Antiq.  c.  jo.  This  plain 
and  (hort  Account  of  this  word  Dany  Overthrows  the 
Argument  which  Cavellers  draw  from  hence  to  prove 
thatM0/ex  did  not  write  thbBook^ 
15.  Ver.  1 5.  And  he  divided  hintfelf  againft  them,  he  and 
Ins  Servants  by  night.]  The  Vulgar  Latin  here  reads, 
f/jf  Companions  being  divided^  he  fell  upon  them  ly 
Night :  Minding  rather  the  fence^  than  the  words. 
For  here  is  no  mention  of  any  but  Air  am  and  his  Ser 
vants*.  Though  it  appears  by  the  laft  Verfe  of  the 
Chapter,  that  his  Confederates  before-mentioned, 
Perfe  I  j.  Aner,Efficol^  and  Mamre>  )oyned  with  him 
in  this  Expedition.  Which  they  managed  with  great 
Judgment,  (for  Stratagems  in  War  were  never  want- 
itog,.  from  the  beginning)  Abram  and  his  Servants 

making 


upon    GENESIS. 

making  one  Troop,  or  Battalion,  (as  they  now  fpeak)  Chapter 
and  the  Confederates  making  three  more.    Who,  di-      XIV. 
viding  themfelves,  fell  upon  thejW  Kings,  in  the/wr  L^VNJ 
Quarters  of  their  Camp.-  That  they  might  the  more 
i  diftraft  them  $  &nd  make  them  apprehend  their  For 
ces  to  be  more  numerous,    than  indeed  they  were. 
They  were  put  alfointo  the  greater  Confufion,    be- 
caufe  this  Affault  was  made  in  the  Night  :     When, 
perhaps,    they  were  buried  both  in  Wine  and  in 
Sleep. 

Ver.  15.  Vnto  Hobah."]    Which  lay  in  the  Vale  Verfe  15.  , 
between  Libanus  and  Antilibantts  :  Called  by  Amos  I. 
y.  the  Valley  ofAven,  and  Beth  Eden,   or  the  Seat  of 
Pkafure.  In  this  Vale  was  Damafcus  feated. 

Ver.  1 6.  He  brought  bac^all  the  Goods,  &c.]    All  Verfe  16. 
the  Prey,  whether  in  Money,  Cattle,  or  other  things, 
which  the  four  Kings  had  carried  away. 

The  Women  alfo,  and  the  Peopled]  It  feems  they  had 
carried  away  all  the  People  of  Pentapolis,  who  did 
not  flee  to  the  Mountains,  or  fenced  Cities.  And 
Women^  in  thofe  days,  were  a  fpecial  part  of  their 
Booty. 

Ver.  17.  Went  out  to  meet  him."]    To  congratulate  Verfe  17. 
his  Vi&ory  3  and  to  defire  his  People  might  be  refto- 
red  to  him. 

At  the  Valley  of  Shaveh.~]  This  feems  to  have  been 
a  pleafant  Place,  wherein  the  King  (that  is  Melch/ze- 
decl{,  I  gU€f§  by  what  follows)  took  delight.  Whence 
it  was  called  the  Kings-Dale.  In  which  the  King  of 
Sodom  met  Abram  $and  Me/fteedcc^entertained  him 
with  Bread  and  Wine. 

Ver.  1 8.  And  Melchizedec^  The  Jews  generally  Verfe  18^ 
fay  this  was  Shem,   the  Son  of  Noah.     But   we  have 
teafon  to  look  upon  this  Opinion,   as  proceeding 

from 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    from  their  Pride  and  Vanity  :    Which  could  not  en- 
XIV.     dure  to  think  the  Father  of  their  Nation  had  any  Su- 
ior  in  another  Nation,    efpecially  among  the  (V 
naanhes.     And   therefore  they  will   have  j4fov*;»  to* 
have  been  blefled  by  his  great  Anceftor  Shew  $    to 
whom  alfo  he  paid  Tithes :  Which  is  a  fancy  fo  plain 
ly  confuted  by  the  Apoftle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  it  is 
ftrangeany  Chriftianstbould  follow  it.    For  he  faith 
expreily,  that  Melchfaedeck.  was  not  yto&tfojgiwevfSk 
$,  auuftov,    VH.  6.  his  Defcent^  or  Pedigree,    was  not 
counted  from  them  ;  Which  is  not  true  of  Skew.  Nor 
could  Shembz   faid  to  be  without    Father  or  Mother  ; 
whofe  Genealogy  is  evident  from   Adam.     Nor  was 
Shews  Priefthood,  if  he  had  any,   of  a  different  Or 
der  from  Levfs ;  who  was  in  his  Loins,  as  well  as  in 
the  Loins  of  Abram.     And  therefore  it  could  not  be 
faid  that  Levi  paid  him  Tithes  in  the  Loins  of  Abram, 
but  it  would   be  as  true  that  he  received  Tithes  in 
the  Loins  of  Shem  :     For,  according  to  this  Interpre 
tation,  he  was  in  the  Loins  both  of  him  that  received 
Tithes,  and  of  him  that  paid  them  $  and  fo  the  whole 
Argumentation  of  the  Apoftle  falls  to  the  Ground. 
But  letting  afide  thefe  and  other  Chriftian  Reafons, 
f  which  areftrongly  urged  by  Bocharttts,  L.  II.  Phaleg^ 
c.  i.)  there  is  no  Caufe,   that  we  can  difcern,   why 
Mofes  Qiould  call  Shew  (whom  he  fo  often  mentions) 
by  any  other  Name*  than  his  own  .•    Nor  is  it  likely 
thftf  jAtife  reigned  in  the  Land  of  Canaan -^  which  now 
was  in  thepofleifion  of  his  Brother's  Son  .'Nor  could 
Abram  be  faid  to  fojourn  there  as  in  a  jlrange  Country, 
if  his  Noble  Anceftor,    Shem,  had  been  a  Ring  there. 
Nor  is  this  an  ancient  Opinion  among  the  Jews^t  leaft 
not  conftantly  believed  /   For  Jofepfats  fays  exprefly, 
that  Melchizedeck  was  TLxvcLvawv  Sujudzw^  a  Potentate 

of 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S, 

of  the  Canaanites^  L.  VII.  de  Bella,  Jud.  c.  18.  And  Chapter 
yet  it  was  fo  common  that  it  went  to  the  Samaritans,  XIV. 
as  Btptyhantus  tells  us,  H#ref.  LV.  n  6.  (though  not 
to  the  Arabians,  who  fay  he  was  the  Son  ofPeleg.  See 
Hotting.  Smegma  Orient.  256,  169,306.)  and  many 
Chriftians  have  embraced  it,  merely  (as  far  as  I  can 
difcern)  becaufe  they  would  not  acknowledge  any 
good  Man  to  have  been  then  among  the  Canaamtes. 
Some  Hereticksheld  him  to  be/x^Ako  TW*  SWCJCLUULV^ 
as  Eflfhwius  tells  us  in  the  place  fore-mentioned, 
Num.l.  Which  was  the  Opinion  of  Rkracas,  a  great 
Scholar  and  famous  Phyfician  mE,gypt,  H<eref.  LXVII. 
n.  3.  And  fome  of  the  Church  took  him  to  have  been 
the  Son  of  God  himfelf,  who  then  appeared  to  Abram, 
dv  i$ia,  aV9/3»7r8i  in  the  form  of  a  Man,  H<eref.  LV. 
n.  7.  But  the  plain  truth  is,  he  was  a  King  and  Prieft 
C for  thofe  two  Offices  anciently  were  in  the  fame 
Perfon)  in  that  Country  ••  Where  Men  were  not 
as  yet  wholly  degenerated,  and  fain  from  the  true- 
Religion. 

King  of  Salem.']  It  is  a  great  Error  to  think  that 
this  Salem  was  the  fame  with  Jerufalem.  For  it  is 
plain,  as  Bochart  obferves,  (JL II.  Phaleg^  c.  4.^  that 
6We#/was  In  the  way  which  led  from  the  Valley  of 
Da;nafcusur\to  Sodom:  Which  we  learn  from  this 
very  place  of  Scripture.  And  fo  St.  Hierow  fays, 
that  he  learnt  from  the  Jew  in  his  time,  that  it 
was  fcated  on  this  fide  of  Jordan  :  And  it  retained  it's 
Name  in  our  Saviour's  days,  as  appears  by  the  Story 
of  Johns  Baptizing  near  Soling  Joh.  HI.  23.  Several 
of  the  Fathers  are  of  the  fame  Mind,  quoted  by  Mr. 
Stlden  in  his  Review  of  the  Hi/lory  ofTithesy  p.  432. 

Brought 


J  COMMENTS  Rr 

Chapter        Brought  forth  Bread  and  Wine.'}    This  he  did  as  a 
XIV.    Kiffgi  not  as  a  Priejt:  For  it  was  not  an  Aft  of  Re- 
L/"V"NJ  ligion,1>ut  of  Hofpitality.  Thus  Heathens  themfelves 
underftood  this  HiQory.,    as  we  find  by  Eupolemus^ 
(quoted  by  Etifcbrus,    L.  IX.  c.  17.^)  who  faith  he  re 
ceived  Abram  as  they  were  wont  to  do  Strangers  3  in 
a  City  called  Argartzm,  which  he  interprets  the  Mount 
of  the  ntoft  High  :  We  know  not  in  what  Language  it 
fo  fignifies,  or  whether  it  bemifprinted  for  Harelion: 
But,  I  think,  the  pla\n  fence  is,  that  he  treated  Abram 
and  his  Followers,  by  caufing  Provifions  to  be  brought 
forth  for  their  Refreshment  after  the  Fight.  For  Bread 
and  Wine  comprehended  all  fort  of  Provifion  for  their 
Repaft  :  As  to  eat  Bread  with  another,  in  this  Book, 
is  to  feafl  with  him,  XLIII.  25.     And  thus  Tertullian 
it  is  certain  underftood  it  5    who  faith  exprefly,  he 
brought  them  forth  to  Abram^  and  offered  them  to 
him,  and  not  to  God,  L.  adv.  Jud&os,  c.  3.    And  E- 
ptyhanius  obferves  that  the  word  in  the  Greek,  is  not 
•jgrffifojjw,  but  ^eSaAs,  not  he  o/ered,  but  brought  out. 
So  it  feems  his  Copy  had  it. 

Verfe  .19*  Ver.  19.  And  he  blejjed  him."}  This  he  did  as  a 
Prieft,  (which  Office  isjuft  before-mentioned)  as  he 
did  the  other  as  a  King. 

Blejjkd  be  Abram  of  the  mofl  high  God."]  He  prayed 
'God  to  confirm  the  Bleffing,  which  he  had  pronoun 
ced  upon  him. 

Pojfijjbr  of  Heaven  and  Earth."]  Rather  Creator,  as 
the  LXX.  and  Vulgar  Latin  tranllate  it.  See  Dr.  Spen 
cer  ^  L.  I.  de  Leg.  Hebr.  c.  4.  §  IO.  and  Lud.  de  Dieu 
before  him,  in  his  Notes  on  this  place,  and  Hotting. 
Smegma  Orient,  p.  87.  By  this,  and  the  next  f^erf^ 
wherein  he  gives  Glory  to  the  moft  high  God  for 
Abram 's  Viftory,  it  is  apparent  that  he  was  a  Wor- 

(hipper 


upon    GENESIS. 

fhipper  of  the  One  only  True  God,  the  Maker  and  Chapter 
Governor  of  all  things  .•  To  whom  he  alfo  miniftred  XIV, 
in  the  Office  of  a  Prieft  3  who  bleffed  Men  in  his 
Name. 

And  he  gave  htw.']  5.  e.  Abraham  gave  to  Mel- 
k,  as  the  Apoftle  explains  it,  Hebr.  VII.  2. 
But  the  words  are  fo  doubtful  as  they  lie  here, 
that  Eupolemus  (in  the  place  above-mentioned  J 
thought  Melchizedecl^  had  beftowed  Gifts  upon  A- 
Iravz. 

Tithes  of  aUJ\  He  doth  not  fay  of  what  all  $ 
but  that  which  goes  before  leads  us  to  think  he  means 
Tithes  of  all  the  Spoil,  which  he  had  taken  from  Che- 
dorlaomer,  &c.  For  he  had  nothing  elfe  there  to 
Tithe  $  unlefs  it  were  the  remainder  of  the  Provi- 
fions  he  had  carried  along  with  him  in  this  Expedi 
tion  /  All  the  reft  of  his  own  Eftate  being  many 
Miles  off,  ztMamre.  And  thus  Jofephns  interprets 
it,  &t<J,T!w  ^Aeias,  the  Tithe  of  what  was  gotten  by 
War.  And  thus  the  Apoftle  himfelf  feems  to  ex 
pound  it,  Hebr.  VII.  For  having  faid,  Ferfe  2.  he 
gave  him  the  tcnthpartofall :  When  he  comes  to  ar 
gue  from  this,  he  calls  it  the  tenth  part  of  the  Spoils^ 
lferfe  4.  And  indeed  it  was  a  very  ancient  Cuftom 
to  offer  to  God  fwhofe  Prieft  Melchfaedeck  was)  the 
tenth  part  of  what  they  took  in  War.  Dhdorus 
Sknlits  reports  it  of  the  Greeks  ^  and  many  Authors 
ofthe  Rowjns.  From  whence  we  cannot  infer 
that  they  gave  only  Tithe  of  fuch  things  3  but  ra 
ther,  that  thefe  were  extraordinary  Acknowledg 
ments  of  God's  Mercy  to  them.*  Which  it  wasufual 
to  make,  out  of  thole  PofleHions  which  he  had  blef 
fed  them  withal.  For  why  (hould  they  give  Tithe 
ofthe  Spoils,  If  they  were  not  wont  to  pay  Tithe 

Mm  of 


e  '&  m  m  E  NT  ART 

Chapter    of  other  things?   And  therefore  St.  Chryfoftont  makes  •, 
Xl\r.      this  Refleftion  upon  this   Prafticeof  Abram^    That 
C/*V**SJ  it  (hould  teach  us  to  be  willing  and  ready  to  offer 
unto  God,  a^rz^ct^  the  Firft-Fruits  of  all  that  he 
hath  beftowed  on  us.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  Story 
of  Jacob  :  Which,  together  with  this  of  Abram,  (hows 
plainly  the  Cuftom  of  paying  Tithes  was  before  the 
Law  of  Mofes  :  •  And  that  not  only  of  the  Spoils  of 
War^but  of  their  Flocks,  Corn,  and  other  Fruit,which 
Jacob  vowed  unto  God,  XXXIII  X2.  See  there. 
Verfe  21^      Ver.  21.  Give  me  the  Perfons^  8rc/)    A  truly  gene 
rous  Difpofition  becoming  a  King  ^   to  love  the  Per- 
fonsof  his  Subjects  better  than  their  Goods. 
Verfe  22.      Ver.  22,  I  have  lift  up  my  Hand.~\  L  e.  Sworn,  as  ; 
the  Phrafe  is  ufedinmany  places,  Exod.  VI.  %.Nnwb. 
XIV.  30,  &c. 

Pojfijfor  of  Heaven  and  Earth."]  See  Ferfeig. 
Vtrfe  2  3 .     Ver.  2  3. 7  mil  not  take  from  a  Tbred,  8cc.]  / .  e.  The 
meaneft  thing. 

I  have  made  Abram  rich.~]    He  would  have  thista> 
be  only  the  Work  of  God  5  who  promifed,  a  great 
while  ago,  to  blefs  him,    and  had  now  renewed  his 
Promifeby  Melchfaedeck;     And  he  would  not  have 
it  thought  that   love  of  Spoil  had  carried  him  to  the 
War  ^  but  only  love  of  JulHce.     In  ftiort,  here  is  as 
moft  noble  Example  ("as  Maiwonides  obferves,  P.  III. 
More  Nevoch.c.  50.,)  of  Contentednefs  with  what  he 
had,  of  defpifing  Riches,   and  feeking  Praife  rather 
from  Virtue. 

24.  Ver.  24.  Except  only  that  tohich  theyoungMen  (i.  e. 
the  SoldiersJ  have  eaten.']  For  which  he  did  not  think 
k  teafonable  they  (hould  pay- 

AxM 


upon   G  E  N  E  SIS.  2*7 

And  the  Portion  of  them  that  went  with  me^}     He  Chapter 
i  could  not  bind  his  Confederates  by  his  own  Aft  5  but 
i  left    them  to  deal  with  their   Countrymen   as  they  v 
pleafed.-  In  either  keeping  their  (hare  of  the  Spoil, 
or  parting  with  it,  as  he  had  done.     The  Jews  truly 
jobferve,  that  they  who  ftaid  with  the  Stuff  and  Car 
riages,    had  their   Portion   equal   with  thofe   that 
fought :  As  we  read  in  the  Story  of  David^    i  Saw. 
XXX.  25.  But  it  is  not  certain  that  this  Cuftom  was 
as  old  as  Abravis  time  $   which  they  would  gather 
from  this  place.     For  here  they  take  the  young  Men 
for  thofe  who  fought  and  purfued  the  Enemy  :  And 
Aner,  EJhcol,  and  Mamre,  ftaid  to  guard  the  Carriages, 
But  I  fee  no  ground  for  this  ;  it  being  moft  proba 
ble,  as  I  obferved  before,   that  they  attack'd  the  Ene 
my,  as  well  as  Abraw's  Servants  5  and  thereby  acqui 
red  a  Title  to  part  of  the  Spoil.     But  whether  we 
confider  it  this  way,  or  the  other,  Abram  could  not 
-give  away  their  Right,    when  he  generoufly  parted 
with  his  own. 


CHAP.     XV. 


Ver,  i,  \ND  after  tf^fe  things.*]     After  this  great  Verfe 

Ji\  Viftory,  and  his  generous  refufal  ot  the 
Ring  of.  Sodom**  offer. 

The  Word  of  the  LORD  came  to  Abram.~]  God 
revealed  himfelf  more  clearly  to  him.  For  this  is 
the  fir  ft  time  we  read,  of  the  Word  of  the  LOR  D 
coming  to  him  }  and  of  his  having  a  Vifion  .•  That  is, 
being  made  a  Prophet,  and  that  in  an  high  Degree  j 

M  m  2  God 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter  God  revealed  his  Mind  to  him,  not  ina  Dr^;?/,  but 
XV.  in  a  Vifion  ^  when  he  was  awake,  but  having  his 
l^V^NJ  Senfes  (as  Mainonidcs  explains  itj  bound  up  from 
their  ordinary  Functions}  during  the  time  that  the 
heavenly  Influence  came  upon  his  Mind,  and  diffufed 
itfelf  to  his  Imagination  5  where  it  reprefented  fe- 
veral  things  to  him  3  More  NevochiM,  P.  II.  c.  41; 
But  thefe  woads  may  be  underftood,  of  his  having 
thefe  things  reprefented  to  him,  by  the  Divine  Ma- 
jefty  v  when  he  wasperfe&Iy  awake,  and  ufed  all  his 
Senfes. 

Fear  not,  Abram.']  He  heard  thefe  words,  while 
he  was  in  the  Ecftafie,  (according  to  Maiwonide\- 
Explication)  incouraging  his  hope  in  God,  that  he 
and  Lot  (hould  be  fafe  from  any  new  Invafion  by 
thefe,  or  any  other  Enemies.  For,  perhaps  there  were 
fome  Rumours  abroad  of  thzAjfyrians  recruiting  their 
Forces  5  with  an  Intention  to  renew  the  Wan 

I  am  thy  Shi  eld  ?\  I  will  proteft  and  defend 
thec. 

And  thy  exceeding  great  Reward."]  Will  give  thee 
far  more,  than  thou  haft  lately  denied  to  take,  for 
my  fake. 

Terfe  2.        Ver.  2.  L  0  R  D  God^  what  wilt  thou  give  me,  &c.^; 
What  good  will  all  the  Riches  in  the  World  do  me, 
if  I  have  not  a  Child  to  inherit  my  Eftate  > 

To  go  childlefs.~]  Is  to  die,  (to  go  out  of  the 
World  without  Children)  as  Luke  XXII.  22.  truly 
the  Son  ofMangoeth^  i.  e.  muft  die  fliortly-  He  doth 
not  flight  God's  Promifemade  in  the  foregoing  Ferfe ; 
but  only  defires  him  to  be  fo  gracious  as  to  give  him  a 
Child  for  his  Remrd* 

And 


upon    GENESIS  169 

And  the  Steward  of  my  Houfe  is  this,  Sec.]]      He  that  Chapter 
takes  care  of  all  I  have,  (and  therefore  defervesbeft  of     XV. 
mej  is  not  of  my  Kindred.  L/"V~VJ 

Elzczer  of  Dam.ifcus^]  Some  think  this  fignifies 
no  more,  but  that  he  was  born  of  a  Syrian  Wo- 
man. 

Ver.  3.     And  Air  am  f aid.    Sec.]     He  repeats  the  Verfe  3* 
fame  again,    out  of  a  great  Concern  to  have  God's 
Promife  fulfilled  .•    Which  he  did  not  disbelieve,  but 
earneftly  long'd  for,   more  than  for  all  the  Kiches  in 
the  World. 

One  born  in  my  Houfe  is  an  Hetr.~]  It  is  likely,  that 
EHezer  was  one  of  thofe  Souls  ("\.  e.  ServantsJ)  gotten 
in  Haran^  (XII.  5.)  and  had  been  fuch  a  wife  and 
faithful  Manager  of  all  things  committed  to  his  Care, 
that  Abram  intended,  before  the  Promife  made  to 
him,  to  have  left  him  his  Heir  :  Thinking  he  {hould 
have  no  Child  of  his  own  5,  Sarah  being  barren,  as 
we  read,  XI.  30. 

Ver.  4.   And  behold,  the  Word  of  the  LORD  came  to  Verfe  4^ 
to/,  Scc-1     Anew  AiTurance  is  given  him,   from  the 
Schechinah^  or  Divine  Majefty^  that  he  fhould  have  an 
Heir  begatten  by  himfelf; 

Ver.  5.  And  he  brought  him  firth  abroad ,  and  Verfe  5^ 
fazd)&C.~]  Maimonidcs  thinks  fM<?re  Nev.  P.  II.  c.  46.) 
that  all  this  which  follows  was  done  in  a  Vifion.  But 
others  will  have  it,  that  he  was  really  conducted  out 
of  his  Tent  into  the  open  Air,  and  look'd  upon  the 
Stars.  The  former  Opinion  is  more  probable,  be- 
caufe  the  Sun  was  not  yet  gone  down,  verfeii,  and 
therefore  the  Stars  were  not  to  be  feen  with  the  Eye; 
but  were  reprefented  only  in  a  Villon. 

So  flail  thy  Seedbel]  Nchew.  IX.  2;.    He  not  only" 
promifes  him  an  Heir  5     but  that  this  Heir  {hould 

have 


^  COMMENT  ART 
Chapter    have  a  numerous  Pofterity.   Which,  as  before  XIIL 
XV.      16.  he  compared  to  theDuft  of  the  Earthy  To  here 
he  compares  ro  the  Stars  of  Heaven.     Showing  ("fay 
fome  of  the  Jews)  by  the  former  their  Humiliation  5 
and  by  this  their  Exaltation  and  Advancement,  And 
indeed,  in  this  Chapter,  hefpeaksof  both. 
6.        Ver.  6.    He  believed  in  the  L  0  R  £>.]    Was  folly 
perfuaded  that  God  both  could  and    would  perform 
his  Promife  $  though  it  feemed  to  be  very  difficult,  if 
not  impoilible,  according  to  the  ordinary  courfe  of 
Nature  .•  He  and  Sarah  both,  being  very  old. 

And  he  accounted  It  to  him  fir  Right  eoitfneff.~]  The 
Ilord  efteemed  it  a 'moftnoble  Ad,  and  high  Expref- 
fion  of  a  pious  Confidence  in  him,  (as  that  Aft  of 
Phineaswqs^  in  after- times,  Pfalm  CVI.  31.)  and 
thereupon  gracioufly  owned  him  for  a  righteous  Per- 
fon  .•  Though  he  was  not  free  from  all  Sin  whatfo- 
ever  ^  but  was  guilty  of  fome  that  were  not  confident 
with  perfeft  Righteoufnefs. 

It  is  here  to  beconfidered,  That  Alram  believed 
this  Promife  before,  ("XIL  \\  2,3,  4.)  but  now  his 
Faith  was  the  more  remarkable  ^  becaufe,  notwith- 
{landing  fome  time  had  paifed  fince  the  firft  making 
of  the  Prornife,  and  he  had  noIlTue  ^  he  (till  perfifted 
in  the  belief,  that  God  would  beftow  a  Son  upon 
him  ^  though  it  grew  every  day  more  and  more  un 
likely. 

'Ver.  7.  lam  the  LORD  that  brought  thee,  &c.]  He 
fe-minds  him  of  what  he  had  already  done  for  him-, 
that  he  might  confirm  him  in  the  belief  of  what  he 
promifed  further  to  do. 

To  gi>ve  thee  this  Land,  Scc.^  To  beftovv  it  upon 
thy  Children  for  their  Inheritance. 

Ver. 


GENE  SI  S'  271 

Ver.  8.  Whereby  foall  Ilytvw,  Sec."]  This  is  not  fpo  Chapter 
k£n  doubtingly  ,  for  the  ftrength  of  his  Faith  is  high-      XV. 
ly  commended  $   buthedefires  to  have  it  more  and  L/"VN 
more  ftrengthned  and  confirmed  .•  Asfomegood  Men  Verfe  8 
did  in  after-times,  when  they  were  put  upon  very  dif 
ficult  Services.   SoGideon^  Jndg.  VI.  37,  &C. 

Ver.  9.  And  he  faJd  unto  him ,  Take  nte  an  Hei-  Verfe  o. 
/er,  Sec."]  /•  e.  Offer  unto  me  (To  it  (hould  be  ren 
dered,  as  Mr.  Mede  obferves,  Boo!^  II.  p.  ^72.)  the 
following  Creatures :  Which  are  of  four  forts.  From 
whence  the  Hebrew  Doftors  would  perfuade  us  the 
rife  and  the  fall  of  the  four  Monarchies  are  fignified 
in  thefe  words.  But  it  is  a  better  Observation.,  That 
God  hereby  fore-fignified  their  Sins  fhould  be  expia 
ted  by  Sacrifices.  For  thefe  were  the  Creatures,  and 
thefe  alone,  which  were  appointed  to  be  offered  in 
facrifice  to  God,  by  the  Law  of  Mofes.  And  it  jufti- 
.fi<ts  their  Opinion,  who  think  there  were  clean  and 
Hvclean  Beafts,  with  refpeft  to  Sacrifice,  before  the 
Law  $  though  not  with  refpect  to  Meat. 

Yet  here  is  fomethingfingular,  That  God  required 
Abram  to  offer  an  Heifer  of  three  Tears  old,  with  a 
Goat  and  a  Ram  of  the  fame  Age  ;  whereas  after 
wards,  under  the  Law,  they  were  commonly  of  one 
Tear  old.  I  know  not  the  reafon  of  this  difference  5 
but  certain  it  is,  that  a  Ram  of  threeTearsold^\s\n  its  - 
full  ftrength,  and  the  vigour  of  its  Age  ^  zsBochart 
obferves.  Whence  it  is  that  Lucian  introduces  Gany 
mede  proffering  to  offer  unto  Jupiter,  fif  he  would  I 
difmifs  him )  -r  re/aryf,  T*  fjuiyoat^  &c.  A  Ram  of  three 
Tearsold^  a  bfg  one^  the  Lender  of  the  Flock*  fiiero&wc- 
P.I.-L/A.-II.  c.  46. 

A  • :" 


37§  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ayoung  Pigeon^  The  Hebrew  word  Gozal,  fignifies 
XV.      the  young  Ones  of  Ring-  Doves,  Wood-Pigeons,  or  any 
L/*WJ  other  of  that  kind  5  as  he  alfo  obferves. 
Verfe  10.     Ver.  10.  And  he   tookjunto  him^]     Now  we  muft 
fuppcfe  he  was  come  out  of  his  Ecftafie  $   and  really 
performed  all  that  follows  /  Until  he  fell  into  it  more 
yrofoundly  than  before. 

Divided  them  in  the  ntidft.~]    There  is  no  fbotftep 
of  this  Rite  any  where  in  the  Scripture,    fave  only  in 
the  Prophet  Jeremy,  XXXIV.  18,  19.     But  this  place 
thows  it  to  have  been  very  ancient  .•    And  St.  Cyril  in 
his  Tenth  Book  againft  Julian,  derives  thisCuftom 
from  the  ancient  Cbatct&atis.    As  others  derive  the 
very  word  Beriih,  [n^Tal  which  fignifies  a  Covenant, 
from  the  word   ufed  both  here  and   in  Jeremy,  viz. 
in^,  Batar,   which  is  the  very  fame  by  Tranfpofition 
of  Letters,    and    fignifies  to  divide  or  cut  afunder. 
Becaufe  Covenants  were  made   by  dividing  a  Beafi\ 
and  by  the  Parties  covenanting,  pafling  between  the 
parts  of  the  Beaft,  fo  divided  /    Signifying,    that  fo 
fhould  they   be  cut  afunder  who  broke  that   Cove 
nant.     Thus  Mr.  Mede  in  the  place  fore-  mentioned, 
truly  explains  thisPviie  ;  which  was  as  much  as  if 
they  had  fair!  ;  Thus  let  we  Ic  divided  (indent  in  pie 
ces,  if  I  violate  the  Oath  I  have  novpma.de  in  the  prefenct 
of  my  God, 

We  find  in  Zenobhts  that  the  People  called  Molotii. 
retained  fomething  of  this  Cuftom  ;,  for  they  con 
firmed  their  Oachs;  when  they  made  their  Covenants, 


CUttlDg 


into  little  bits. 

Laid  each  piece  one  again  ft  another,  ~]  So  that  there 
was  a  fpace  left  between  them  5  through  which  the 
Parties  covenanting'  might  pafs.  Which  feems  to  be 

meant 


upon  GENESIS. 

meant  by  Homer  when  he  fays,  Iliad,  d.  v.  461.  that  Chapter 
i  after  the  Prieft  had  prayed  to  Apollo^  the  Sacrifice     XV, 
|  was  ilain  and  flea'd,  and  then  they  cut  it  up,  '  ^^ 


making  Duplicates,  which  were  exaftly  anfwerable  one 
to  the  other. 

But  the  Birds  divided  he  notJ]  Thus  it  was  pre- 
fcribed  afterwards,  Levit-  1. 17.  becaufe  they  were 
but  an  appendage  to  the  Sacrifice,  and  their  Blood  was 
not  fprinkled  upon  the  Altar.  It  is  likely,  not  with- 
ftanding,  that  the  Birds  were  laid  one  againft  the  o- 
ther,  as  the  pieces  of  the  Beads  were*  And  there  being 
a  Prophecy  of  the  ftate  of  Abrams  Family  in  future 
times,  verfe  1 3, 14.  Some  fanfie  that  the  Divifion  of 
thefe  Beafts  represented  the  Difperfion  of  his  Pofte- 
rity  into  divers  Countries. 

Ver.  1 1 .  And  when  the  Fowls  came  down^  &c.~]  The  Verfe  1 1 
Birds  of  prey.  For  the  Hebrew  word  Ajlty  fignifies 
Avis  rapax  &  carnivora^  ravenous  Birds,  that  feed 
on  Flefh.  Whence  Bochartus  thinks  an  Eagle  is  cal 
led  in  Greek  *ht™$  and  'A/STOS,  as  the  principal  Bird  of 
prey.  Hterozo.  P.  I.  L.lII.^.  iz.  And  by  thefe  Fowls 
fome  think  the  Egyptians  are  reprefented,  who  fell 
upon  the  Ifradites^  as  rapacious  Birds  do  upon  dead 
Carcafies,  and  endeavoured  to  hinder  their  offering 
Sacrifices  unto  God. 

Abram  drove  them  away^\  He  fat  by  the  pieces  of 
Flefh  (as  the  LXX  tranflate  it)  to  watch  left  Vul 
tures,  or  fuch  like  Creatures,  (hould  fnatch  them  a- 
way.  For  he  looking  upon  them  as  things  hallowed, 
watched  to  fee  what  God  intended  in  them. 

N  n  Yen 


Chapter        Ver.  n.  Adeepjleep,  &c]     Some  would  have  It; 
XV.      That  he  being  tired  with  the  great  Labour  of  fetch- • 

^"y^"*  *mg  fhe  Sacrifices,  cutting  them  up,  and  watching 
I2t  them,  naturally  fell  into  a  Sleep.  But  Mtimonides, 
more  reafonably,  looks  upon  this  as  the  continuance 
of  what  was  begun  before  in  vVifion :  Which  at  laft 
was  converted  into  a  profound  Jleep  $  wherein  things 
were  reprefented  to  him  in  a  Dream.  And  therefore 
their  wife  Men  fay,  this  was  a  Prophetical  Sleep.  More 
Nevoch.  P.II.c.  45. 

An  horror  of  great  darknefsfell  upon  him7\  Prophecy 
faith  the  fore- named  Author,  begins  fometimes  in  Vi- 
fion ;  afterwards  that  Terror  and  vehement  Paffion, 
which  follows  the  high  working  of  the  imaginative 
Faculty,  being  multiplyed,  it  ends  in  a  deep  Sleep, 
as  it  did  here  in  Abraw.  Such  a  Terror  alfo  pof- 
feffed  Daniel  in  fome  of  his  Vifions,  while  he  was 
awake,  Dan.  X.  8.  as  the  fame  Maimonides  obferves 
in  the  XLI.  Chapter  of  that  Book. 

This  Horror  of  great  Darknefs,  many  think  figtiified 
the  difmal  Condition  of  Abrav/s  Pofterity  in  Egypt : 
Which  God  now  reprefented  to  him.  And  this  Hor* 
ror  coming  upon  him,  at  tte  going  down  oftheSunjNQ&i 
they  think,  a  further  Signification  of  it.  For  we  fay,a 
Man's  Sun  is  fet,  when  he  falls  into  great  Calamities. 
And  it  fignified,  fome  imagined,  thefe  Calamities 
fliould  come  upon  them  a  great  while  hence. 

Verfe  rj.  Ver.  13.  And  he  f aid  unto  Abram,&c.~]  Here  he 
informs  him,  what  the  State  of  his  Family  (hould 
be,  from  the  birth  of  Ifaac :  (which  he  had  promifed 
to  him,  Ferfe  5 )  for  the  fpace  of  Fonr  hundnA 
Years. 

Thr 


upon  GENESIS. 

Thy  Seed,']  This  (hows  from  whence  the  Four  hun-  Chapter 
dred  Years  are  to  commence  :  viz.  From  the  time  of     XV, 
his  having  a  Son. 

Be  aftranger  in  a  Land  that  j$  not  theirs.']  i.  ?.  So 
journ  partly  in  Canaan  and  partly  in  Egypt.  There 
are  thofe  indeed  who  fanfie  Canaan  cannot  be  faid  to 
I  be  a  Land  that  was  not  theirs ;  God  having  beftowed 
it  upon  Abram.  But  God  himfelf  teaches  us  other- 
wife,  Exod.  VI.  4.  where  he  calls  it,  the  Land  of  their 
Pilgrimage,  wherein  they  were  ftntngers  :  Becaufe  they 
were  not  at  prefent  poffeffed  of  it,  though  they  had 
a  good  Title  to  it. 

And  they/hall  affl/£t  them  four  hundred  Tears."]  Thefe 
four  hundred  Years  are  not  to  be  referred  only  to 
what  immediately  goes  before,  [jheyjhallafflitt  them} 
but  to  all  the  reft,  their  fojourning  in  a  ftrangeLand, 
and  their  being  in  Servitude.  Thefe  three  things 
were  to  come  to  pafs  within  that  fpace:  So  that  it  is 
as  if  he  had  faid,  Thy  Seed  (hall  not  poffefs  this  Land 
till  four  hundred  Years  hence.  During  which  time, 
they  (hall  be  Sojourners  in  this  Land  and  in  Egypt, 
andalfo,  fome  part  of  it,  be  no  better  than  Slaves, 
nay  endure  fore  Affli&ion. 

It  muft  here  be  noted,  That  from  the  Birth  of  /- 
faac,  when  thefe  Years  began,  to  their  Deliverance 
out  of  the  Egyptian  Bondage,  was  juft  Four  hundred 
and  Jive  Years.  But  t\\zfive  odd  Years  are  not  men 
tioned  $  it  being  the  manner  of  all  Writers  to  take 
no  notice  of  broken  Numbers,  (as  they  call  them) 
when  they  name  a  round  Sum.  Thus  the  Greck^ 
Interpreters  of  the  Bible  are  commonly  called  the 
LXX :  Though  there  were  Seventy  two  of  them.  And 
the  "Roman  Writers  call  thofe  CentuMviri^  who  were 
in  all  an  Hundred  and  five.  And  Mofes  in  another 

N  n  2  place, 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter    place,  Numb.  XL  21.  faith,  the  Ifraelites  were  Six 
XV.      hundred  thoufand  5  not  reckoning  the  Three  thoufand 

<*'~v~**J  five  hundred  and  fifty  above  that  Number,  as  appears 
from  Numb.  L  46*  and  II.  3,2. 

If  it  feems  a  difficulty,  that  their  fojourning  is  faid 
in  Exod.  XII.  40.  to  have  been  Four  hundred  and  thirty 
Years,  it  is  removed  by  confidering,  that  in  thofe 
Years  is  comprehended  the  time  of  Abram\  fojourn 
ing  alfo  5  as  well  as  his  Seed.  And  it  was  juft  twenty 
five  Years  from  his  coming  into  Canaan  to  the  Birth 
oflfaac:  Which,  added  to  Four  hundred  and  five 
Years  before-mentioned,  make  up  the  Number  of 
Four  hundred  and  thirty.  And  this  is  fo  exaftly  true,, 
that  if  we  divide  this  Sum  of  Four  hundred  and  thirty 
into  equal  parts,  it  is  computed  by  the  beft  of  the  an 
cient,  as  well  as  later  Writers,  that  the  Hebrew  Nati 
on  fojourned  juft  Two  hundred  and  fifteen  Years  in 
Canaan,  (reckoning  that  (hort  time  Abram  was  in  E- 
gypt,  Ghap.  XII.)  and  as  many  after  they  went  into  E- 
gypt.  See  'Uffir,  ChronoL  Sacra,  C.  X. 

Verfe  14.      Ver.  14.  I witt judge^  i.e.  Punifti  them, 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  15-.  Goto  thy  Fathers."}  i.  e.  Die,  and  depart 
to  the  other  World. 

In  Peace."]     And  fee  none  of  the  fore- named  Cala 
mities. 

Verfe  i6«  Vet.  16.  The  Iniquity  of  the  Amorites,  &c.]  Air  am 
now  lived  among  the  Amorites,  XIV.  13.  But  un^ 
der  their  Name  is  comprehended  all  the  other  Na 
tions  of  Canaan.  Who  were  very  wicked  }  but  God 
forbare  them  till  their  Wickednefs  had  overflow 
ed  the  whole  Country,  and  that  to  the  greateft 
heighth.  Their  moft  heinous  Iniquities,  were  abo 
minable  Idolatries,  Cruelty,  beaftly  Filthinefs,  to  a 
prodigious  excefs,  Lwit.  XVIIL  12,  25,  &c.  See 

Theo* 


upon    GENESIS,  277 

fheodoret  upon  Pfal/n  CV.  44.  and  P.  Fagiw  upon  Chapter 
Levit.V.i.  XV. 

But  in  Abravis  time  their  Iniquity  was  not  full,  i.e.  L/"V%J 
There  were  feveral  good  Men  ftill  remaining  among 
them,  as  Mamre^  Efocol,  and  Aner  feem  to  have  been, 
who  were  confederate  with  Abram  5  and  Melchizedel^ 
certainly  was,  who  being  Pried  of  the  moft  high 
God,  had  fome  People  fure  worfhipped  together  with 
him.  And  therefore  God  ftaid  till  there  was  an  uni- 
verfal  Corruption,  and  they  were  all  ripe  for  De- 
ftruftion.  For  we  read  of  none  but  Rahah  whofe 
Faith  faved  her  and  her  Family,  when  the  time  of 
their  Deftru&ion  came. 

Ver.  17.  Behold,  dfaoktng  Furnace. ~]  If  the  great  Verfe  ijr. 
Horror,  ver.  12.  reprefented  the  extream  Mifery  of 
the  Children  of  Ifrael  in  Egypt :  Then  this  feems  to 
fignifie  God's  Vengeance  upon  the  Egyptians,  for  op- 
preffing  them  in  the  Furnaces,  wherein  they  wrought, 
Exod.lX.8. 

A  burning  Lamp,  or  a  Lamp  of  F?re.~]  i.  e.  The 
Schechinah,  or  Divine  Majefly,  appeared  in  great 
Splendor,  (fo  Maimonides  rightly  explains  it,  P.  I. 
More  Nev.  cap.  2 1.)  like  to  a  flaming  Fire.  So  it  ap 
peared  to  Mofes,  when  God  came  to  deliver  them  from 
the  Egyptian  Bondage,  Exod.  III.  2,  6,  &c. 

Pajfid  between  the  pieces.']  In  Token,  as  it  follows, 
verfe  18.  that  he  entred  into  a  Covenant  with  Arrant 
and  with  hisPofterity:  Forpaffing  between  the  pieces, 
he  confumed  them,  (as  St.  Chryfoftom  rightly  uader- 
ftands  it)  and  thereby  teftified  his  Acceptance  of 
the  Sacrifices  which  Abram  offered.  I  noted  before, 
that  there  is  no  fuch  Rite  we  read  of  any  where  in 
Scripture,  but  in  Jeremiah,  of  making  a  Covenant 
in  this  manner,  But  there  are  thofe  who  think  they 

find; 


^4   CO  MM E  NTdRY 

Chapter    find  this  Cuftotu  in  other  Nations:  For  if 

XV.      Cretenfis  do  not  Lye,  after  the  manner  of  the  Creti- 

lXVg'X;  anst  fas  Bochart  fpeaks)  both  the  Greeks  and  Tro 
jans,  from  the  time  of  Homer,  did  make  Covenants, 
in  this  fafhion.  Certain  it  is,  the  B&ottaxs  and  Mace 
donians  pa-fled  on  fofne  occaficns,  through  the  parts 
of  a  Bea-ft  di  Hefted  :  But  it  was  for  Li/ftratioii9-notfot 
Covenanting,  as  the  hmt  Bochart  obferves,  P.  I.  Hie- 
rozoic.  L.  II.  f.  46. 

Verfe  1 8.  Ver.  1 8.  <LW0  %  Sea/  will  I  give  this  Land,  &c.] 
Here  is  the  utmoft  extent  of  the  Donation  made  to 
Abrdm :  Which  began  to  be  fulfilled  in  David^ 
(x  Sam.  VIII.  3,6cc.J  for  till  then  they  did  not  in- 
large  their  Borders,  as  far  as  Euphrates. 

The  River  ofEgyfL]  So  Nile  is  commonly  called, 
but  cannot  be  here  meant  5  becaufe  the  Ifraelites  ne 
ver  enjoyed  all  the  Land  ofEypf,  on  this  fide  Nile. 
Therefore  we  are  to  underftand  by  it,  that  little  Ri 
ver,  which  came  out  of  that  Branch  of  Nile,  called 
Peleufiacttm  brachzttm  :  From  whence  a  fmall  River 
not  Navigable,  ran  toward  Judaea  ^  falling  into  the 
Egyptian  or  Phoenician  Sea.  For  this  River  was  the 
Bounds  of  Palefline  ^  and  is  mentioned  by  Strabo  and 
others,  whom  G.  Voffiw  cites,  L.  II.  De  Idolol  c.  74. 
It  is  called,  Amos  VI.  14.  the  River  of  the  Wltdentefs  ; 
becaufe  it  run  through  the  Wildernefs,  which  is  be 
tween  Egypt  and  Palafiine,  into  the  Sea. 

Verfe  19,  Ver.  19  TheKcnhes^  and  Kewzzftes."]  Thefe  are 
put  into  the  Number  of  the  Nations,  whofe  Coun 
try  God  gave  to  Abram^  but  whether  they  were  de- 
fcended  from  any  of  the  Sons  of  Canaan  we  cannot 
tell  :  Nor  are  we  certain  where  they  dwelt.  Only 
Eitftathiu*,  Bifhop  of  Antioch,  lays  the  Kenttes  dwelt 
about  L/£rftf&f  and  Amanw  :  And  the  Kenizz/tes  its 

likely 


upon    GENES  IS, 

likely  were  their  Neighbours.  But  the  Names  of  thefe  Chapter 
People  were  quite  extinft  between  the  times  of  Abram     XV. 
and  Alofes,  for  we  find  no  mention  of  them  by  Jo-  L/V^vJ 
fina  in  the  Divifion  of  the  Land  of  Canaan  $  nor  in 
the  Account  he  gives  of  the  Nations  he  conquered*. 
We  read  indeed  of  the  Kenezites^Nnmb.  XXXII.  12. 
Joft.  XIV.  6,  14.  but  they  were   of  the  Children  of 
ifrael.     And  of  the  Kemtes^  Judg.  1. 16.  IV.  1 1,  17. 
but  they  defcended  from  the  Father-in-Law  of  Mc~ 
fet.    And  therefore  thofe  whom  Mofes  here  fpeaks  of, 
it  is  probable  loft  their  Name,  being  incorporated 
into  fome  of  the  feven  Nations  who  inhabited  this 
Country  when  Joftua  fubdued  it. 

The  Kadmonites.~]     Thefe  are  no  where  elfe  men 
tioned  :  But  are  thought  by  Bochartvs  to  be  the  fame 
with  the  Hivites :  Who   living   about  Mount  Her- 
mon,  toward  the  Eaft  of  the  Land  of  Canaan,  were  .. 
thence  called  Kadmonites^  5.  e.  Orientals.  See  IX.  1 7. 

Ver.  20.  HittitesT]     See  X.  15.  Verfe  20. 

Perizzttes.~]  They  were  a  People  inhabiting  the 
Mountainous  and  woody  Country  of  Canaan^  as  ap 
pears  fror^i  Jo/h.  XI.  3.  XVII.  13.  From  whence  we 
may  gather  they  were  a  wild  fort  of  People,  who 
lived  far  from  Cities,  in  little  Villages  $  and  thence 
perhaps  had  their  Name :  For  Pherazoth  in  Hebrew 
fignifies  Pagi,  Villages.  But  from  which  of  the  Sons 
of  Canaan  they  defcended,  there  is  not  the  leaft  fignifir . 
cation  in  Holy  Scripture. 

Rephaz*<~]  They  dwelt  in  Bafban  ;  and  perhaps  in 
other  Countries  thereabouts.     See  XIV.  5. 

Ver.  21.  AMorites*]  Thefe  were  the  mightieft  Peo-  Verfe  2i% 
pie  in  the  Land  of  Canaan.     See  X.  16. 

Canaan'jtes.~]     Thefe  were  fome  of  the  Pofterity  of 
Canaan^  who  peculiarly  inherited  his  Name  :,  living 

upon 


280  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    upon  the  Sea-Coaft,  and  upon  the  Banks  of 

£VI.  Nnmb.  XIII.  go.  Dent.  I.  7.  XI.  30.  And  it  is  a  rea 
L/"WJ  fonable  Conjefture,  That  they  iprang  from  fuch  of 
Canaan  $  Sons,  as  had,  for  a  time,  the  greateft  Power 
and  Authority  in  that  Country  :  And  therefore  had 
the  Prerogative  of  being  called  by  his  Name.  Or 
elfe,  they  were  fo  called,  becaufe  they  were  Merr 
chants,  and  great  Traders  by  Sea.  For  fo  the  word  is 
ufed  in  Scripture. 

Gergafie.']     See  X.  16. 

^     See  there  alfo. 


CHAP.    XVI. 

Verfe  i.    Ver.  i.QArai  bare  him  no  Child."]  Still  the  fulfilling 

C5  of  God's  Promife  was  deferred  $  lor  the 

greater  trial  of  Abrams  Faith.     Which  now  had  held 

out  ten  Years,  (Verfe  3.)  without  feeing  any  Fruit  of 

it. 

She  had  an.  handmaid^  an  Egyptian?]  An  Egyptian 
by  Nation  5  but  a  Profelyte  to  the  true  Religion. 
St.  Chryfoftom  thinks  Pharaoh  beftowed  her  upon  Sa- 
rai^  when  he  took  her  into  his  Houfe,  or  when  he 
fent  her  away,  XII.  15,  20.  Which  he  learnt  from 
the  Jew,  who  fay  the  fame  5  as  may  be  feen  in  Pirkf 
Eliefer^  c.  26.  who  fays  alfo,  as  R.  Solomon  Jarchi 
doth,  that  (he  was  Pharaoh's  Daughter,  by  his  Con 
cubine.  But  it  is  more  likely  (lie  was  fuch  a  Servant  to 
,  Sarai  as  Eliezer  was  to  Abram  5  born  in  his  Houfe  of 
an  Egyptian,  as  he  was  of  a  Syrian  Woman. 

Ver, 


upon  GENESIS.  a8i 

Ver.  2.  And  Sarai  Jaid  unto  Air  am,  &c.]  It  is  like-  Chapter 
ly  he  having  acquainted  her  with  the  Promife,  (he     XVI. 
crew  impatient  to  have  it  fulfilled,  fome  way  or.  ty"V"N 
other.  Verfe  i. 

Go  in  unto  my  Maid.']  i.  e.  Take  her  to  Wife, 
Verfe  3. 

It  may  be  I  may  obtain  Children  by  her.]  Being  born 
of  her  Bond-Have,  they  would  be  Sarai's  Children  ; 
according  to  the  Cuftom  of  thofe  Times,  XXX.  3. 
Exod.  XXI.  4. 

And  Abram  hearkned  to  the  voice  of  Sarai. ~]  Think 
ing,  perhaps,  that  God  might  fulfil  his  Promife  this 
way  $  becaufe  he  had  only  told  him  he  fhould  have 
Seed,  but  had  not;  as  yet,  faid  by  Sarai. 

Ver.  3,  Gave  her  to  her  Husband  Abram  to  be  hit  Verfe  3, 
Wife."]  A  fecondary  Wife.,  (which  was  a  Liberty  they 
took  in  thofe  days)  who  was  not  to  be  Miftrefs  of 
the  Houfe  }  but  only  to  bear  Children,  for  the  in- 
creafeof  the  Family.  Now  I  can  fee  no  good  Rea- 
fon,  why  Sarai  her  felf  fhould  perfwade  her  Husband 
(contrary  to  the  inclination  of  all  Women)  to  rake 
another  Wife,  which  (he  her  felf  alfo  gave  him  }  but 
only  the  eager  defire  fhe  was  poffefled  withal  of  ha 
ving  the  promifed  Seed.  Which  gives^  good  account 
alfo  of  Jacob's  Wives  contending  fo  earneftly,  as  they 
did,  for  his  Company. 

Ver,  4.  Her  Miftrefs  wot  defyifed  in  her  Eyes."]  Ha-  Verfe  4, 
gar  began  to  take  upon  her,  as  if  fhe  had  been  Mi 
ftrefs  of  the  Houfe  5  at  leaft  much  more  favoured  by 
-  God,  who  had  made  her  Fruitful :.  Which  was  ac 
counted  a  great  Bleffing,  and  Honour  in  thofe  days  5 
efpecially  in  a  Family  that  had  no  Heir. 

Ver.  5-.  My  wrong  be  upon  thce.~]   Thou  art  the  caufe  Verfc  5. 
of  this  Injury  (or  thefe  Affronts)  which  I  fuffer,  by 

O  o  be- 


A  COMMENTAKT 

Chapter    being  too  indulgent  to  my  Maid,  and  not  repreffing 
XVI.    her  Infolence.     Or,  it  is  incumbent  on  thee,  to  fee 
*^v"^  me  redrefled  of  the  Wrong  that  is  done  me.    See  Ltd* 
de  Dieu. 

The  Lord  judge  between  me  and  thee.']  Sometimes 
this  Phrafe  fignifies  an  Appeal  to  God,  as  the  Aven 
ger  of  Wrongs :  But  here  it  feems  only  to  denote  her 
committing  the  Equity  of  herCaufe  to  the  Judgment 
of  God. 

Verfe.  6.        Ver.  6.  Behold,  thy  Maid  n  m  thy  hand.']  Is  fubjeft 
unto  thee. 

Do  with  her  as  fleafes  thee."]  Ufe  her  as  thy  Maid, 
and  not  as  my  Wife. 

And  when  Sarai  dealt  hardly  with  her.~]  Beat  her 
perhaps  $  or,  impofed  on  her.,  too  much,  or  too  fer- 
vile  Labour. 

She  fled  front  her  face*~]  Run  away,  to  avoid  her 
cruel  ufage. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LOR  D,8cc.]  This 
is  the  firft  time  that  we  read  of  the  Appearance  of  an 
AngeL  By  whom  Maimonides  will  fcarce  allow  us  to 
underftand  more,  than  a  Meffenger,  (More  Nevoch+ 
P.  II.  c.  42.)  But  fome  Chriftians  go  fo  far  into  the 
other  extream>  as  to  underftand  hereby,  the  Eternal 
AOTOS,  or  Son  of  God.  It  .feems  to  me  more 
reafonable,  to  think,  that  though  the  Schechinah,  or 
Divine  Majefty,  did  not  appear  to  her  5  as  it  had  of- 
ten  done  to  Abram  t  Yet  one  of  the  heavenly  Mini- 
fters,  who  were  Attendants  upon  it,  and  made  a  part 
of  its  Glory,  was  fent  to  ftop  her  Proceed  ings.  And 
a  great  Favour  it  was,  that  the  Lo  R  B  would  difpatch 
fuch  a  Meflenger  after  her*  Who  was  fufficient  to  do 
the  bufinefe. 


n  G  E  N  E  S  I  S. 

In  the  u><y  to  ShnrJ]  She  was  flying  into  Egypt^  her  Chapter 
own  Country,  (upon  which  the  Wildernefs  of  Shttr     XVL 
bordered)  and  only  refted  a  while  at  this  Fountain,,  to  U'VNJ 
refrefh  her  felf. 

Ver.  8.  And  hefaid,  Hagar,  Sarafs  Maid.']  He  takes  Verfe  8. 
notice  of  her  being  Sarafs  Maid,  rather  than  Abraris 
Wife  5  to  put  her  in  mind  of  her  Duty  $  and  that  (he 
could  not  honeftly  leave   her  Miftrefs  without  her 
Confent  :  For  fo  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe. 

Ver.  9.  Return  to  thy  Miftrefs,  andfubmit,  Sec.]  It  is  Verfe  9. 
the  fame  word  here  tranflated/#/>/##,with  that  Verfe  6. 
where  it  is  rendred  dealt  hardly  :  Signifying  that  (he 
fliould  be  Patient,  and  indure  theHardfhip  of  which 
(he  complained,  (or,  fuffer  her  felf  to  be  afflifted  by 
herj 

Ver.  10.  1  will  multiply  >  Sec]  I  will  make  thee  par-  Verfe  10. 
taker  of  the  Promife  to  have  made  to  Abram^  XV.  5. 
The  Angel  delivers  this  Meffage  to  her,  in  the  Name 
of  God,  whofenthim. 

Ver.  n.  Behold^  tbon  art  with  Child,  Scc.^     Do  not  Verfe  u. 
doubt  of  what  I  fay  $  for  thou  art  with  Child  of  a 
Son,  who  (hall  be  the  Father  of  a  great  People.  This 
Promife  was  renewed  to  Abram  in  the  next  Gb^pter^ 
XVII.  20.  and  we  find  was  performed,  XXV.  12,. 

Shalt  call  lw  Name  IfitxaeL']  Some  of  the  Jews 
take  notice  of  the  Honour  which  was  here  done  him, 
in  calling  him  by  his  Name  before  he  was  born  : 
There  being  but  Six,  they  fay,  who  were  thus  diftin- 
guiflied  from  others  ^  the  two  firft  were  the  Sons 
of  Abrnw^  (I/hwael,  and  Tfaac,)  and  thelaft  was  die 


The  LORD  hath  heard  thy  affl,8iott,]  Thy  Com 
plaint  under  the  AffMion  thou  haft  endured  from 
thy  Miftrefs,  and  here  in  the  Wildernefs.  This  Paf- 

O  o  x  fage 


A    COMMENTARY 

(hows  it  was  an  Angel  which  appeared  and  fpake 
to  her  from  the  LORD,  and  not  the  LORD  him- 
felf. 

Verfe  12.  Ven  I2-  A  wild  Ma  ft."]  The  Hebrew  word  Pherc 
here  joyned  with  Man,fignifiesa  wild  Afs,  And  fo  is 
well  tranflated  by  Bochart,  Tamferus  quam  onager^  as 
wild  as  a  wild  Afs.  Which  loves  to  ramble  in  De- 
farts  3  and  is  not  eafily  tamed,  to  live  in  Society. 

His  Handftall  he  agahjft  every  Man,  &C."]  He  (hall 
be  very  Warlike :  And  both  infeft  all  his  Neighbours, 
and  be  infefted  by  them. 

He  {hall  dwell  in  the  prefence  of  his  Brethren."]  Be  a 
Nation  by  himfelf}  near  to  all  his  Brethren,  whether 
defcended  from  Ifaac,  or  from  the  reft  of  Abrams 
Sons  by  Keturah:  Who,  though  annoyed  by  him, 
(half  not  be  able  to  difpoflefs  him.  This  is  fuch  an 
exaftDefcriptionof  the  Pofterityof  Iflwael,  through 
out  all  Generations,  that  none  but  a  Prophetick  Spi 
rit  could  have  made  it }  as  Doftor  Jackson  truly  ob- 
ferves,  (Book^l.  on  theCreed^  c.  XXV.)  wildnefs  be 
ing  fo  incorporated  into  their  Nature,  that  no  change 
of  Times  hath  made  them  grow  tame. 

Verfe  13.      Ver.  13.  She  called  the  Name  of  the   LORD  that 
fpa^e  to  her."]     By  his   Angel,  for  (he   look'd  upoir 
the  Prefence   of  the  Angel,  as  a  Token  of  the  Di 
vine  Prefence  ,•  though  (he  faw  it  not  in   its  full 
Glory. 

Thou  God  feejl  me7\  Takeft  Care  of  me,  where- 
foever  I  am. 

For  foe  f aid ,  Have  1  alfo  here  looked  after  htm  that 

feeth  me  f\   There  are  various  Interpretations  of  thefe 

words :  The  plaineft  is  that  of  De  Diett:  Who  ob- 

ferves  that  the  word  Halom  always  fignifies  Place,  not 

Xlfare^.or,  that  which  is  done  in  any  Place}  and  fo 

we 


upon    GENESIS, 

we  tranflate  it  by  the  word  here.    But  there  he  makes  Chapter 
a  ftop,  after  that  word,  by  way  of  admiration  ,•  in     XVI. 
this  manner:  And  even  here  alfo !  Or,  even  thu*  far!  «^"V*-' 
I  It  had  been  lefs  wonder,  if  God  had  taken  care  of  me 
!  in  my  Matter's  Houie  $  but  doth  he   follow  me  with 
I  his  Favour   even  hither  ?  This  is  wonderful.     And 
|  then  the  next  words,  (have  I  looked  after  him   that 
feethmi)  carried  this  fence,  Have  I  beheld  God,  who 
taketh  care  of  me?  What  a  Favour  is   this  that  he- 
would  fo  far  condefcend  to  me  ?  It  ought  never  to  be 
forgotten  $  therefore  (lie  called  his  Name,  Thou  God 
feeft  me. 

Ver.  14.  Beer-lahai~roi~\  Some  would  have  thisVerfe  14 
refer,  both  to  Hag'ar^  and  to  God  :  in  this  manner : 
The  Well  of  her  that  liveth,  and  of  him  that  feeth^  (i.  e. 
who  preferves  me  in  Life.)  So  it  was  an  acknow 
ledgment  that  (he  owed  her  Life  and  Safety  to 
God. 

Ver.  15.  Abr am  called  his  Son  s  Name,  &cC\     Ha-Verk  15 
gar  having  told  him  at  her  return  the  foregoing  Sto 
ry,  he  gave  his  Son  this  Name  $   in  Obedience  to  the 
Angels  Command,  Ferfe  n.    .<-•)• 

Ver/l6.  Fourfcore  and  fix  years  old.~]  He  was  Seven-  Verfe  1 6 
tyfive  Years  old  when  he  came  \^o  Canaan^  XII.  4. 
and  had  been  ten  Years  there  when  he  took  Hagar  to 
Wife,  (Verfe  3.  of  this  Chapter)  and  therefore  was 
\hzn  eighty  five  Years  old  :,  and  confequemly  eighty 
fix ..the  next  Year,  when  I/hmaelwas  born. 


CHAP. 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter 
XVII.      


CHAP.     XVII. 

Verfe  i.    Ver,  i.T  T  Tfle«  Abram  was  ninety  nine  years  old.] 

V  V    Thirteen  Years  after  IJhmael's  Birth. 
TZe  LO  RD  appeared  to  AbramI}    In  a  vifible  Ma- 
jefty  ^  to  fatisfie  him  that  the  Promife  made,  (X  V.4, 
5.)   (hould  not  be  fulfilled  in  J/hmaet. 

I  am  the  Almighty  God.~]  Or,  All-fufficient.  This 
is  the  firft  time  we  meet  with  this  Name :  Which 
was  moft  fitly  ufed  here,  when  he  fpeaks  of  a  thing 
very  difficult  to  be  done  $  but  not  beyond  the  Power 
of  God,  who  can  do  all  things,  and  needs  none  to 
affift  him. 

Walk  before  vte.']     Go  on  to  pleafe  me. 
And  be  thou  perfefl.']     Till  thou  haft  compleated 
thy  Faith  and  Obedience. 

Verfe  i.  Ver.  2.  And  I  will  make  my  Covenant^  &c.~\  Efta- 
blifti  and  perform  my  Covenant :  For  it  was  made  be 
fore,  and  now  only  confirmed,  by  a  Sign  or  Token 
of  it,  verfe  n. 

Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  Abram  fell  on  his  face.]  Being  aftonifhed 
at  the  Brightnefs  of  that  Majefty  which  appeared  to 
him,  verje  I. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  As  for  me,  behold,  nty  Covenant ,  &c.]  Be 
not  afraid,  for  it  is  I,  who  am  confront  to  my  word, 
and  now  again  ingage  my  felf  unto  thee. 

Thoufoalt  be  a  Father  of  many  Nations^]     Not  only 
of  Jews,  and   Ifljmaelites,  and  others  3    but,  in  the 
Spiritual  Sence,  of  all  thzGentile  World. 
Verfe  5.       Ver.  5.  Neither /lull  thy  Name&c.']  Abram  is  com 
monly    interpreted,  high  Father,  and  Abraham  the 

Father 


npon    GENESIS.  287 

Father  of  a  Multitude.     So  the  very  Text  expounds  Chapter 
the  reafon  of  this  Name :  For  a  Father  of  many  Nations     XVII. 
Ifwel  made  the$.     There  are  many  ways  of  making  L/VXJ 
out  this  meaning^  but  none  feems  to  me  fo  plain,  as 
that  of  Hottingers^  who  makes  it  a  compofition  of 
A\>,  (a  Father)  and  the  old  word  Raham,  which  ftill 
in  Arabick.  fignifies  a  great  Number -,  Smsgma  Orient. 
cap.  8.  S  19- 

Ver.  6.  And  Iwittmakg  thee  exceeding  fruitful,  &c.]  Verfe  6* 
1  obferved   before,  XII.  7.  that  Abram's  Obedience 
was  conftantly  rewarded  in  kind,  &c.  of  which  here 
is  a  new  proof,    For  upon  his  fubmiffion  to  be  Cir- 
cutncifed,  (wherein  his  Obedience  was  next  tried  J 
which  might  feetri  to  weaken  the  power  of  Gene 
ration,  (as  Maintonides  affirms  it  doth,  MoreNevpch* 
P.  III.  c.  49, }  God  promifes  that  he  would  make  him 
fo  exceeding  Fruitful,  that  Nations  and  Kings  fhould 
proceed   from  him  :  As  there  did   both  by    IJraet, 
EdoW)  and  Ifimael^  from  whom  the  Saracens  came,. 
&c. 

Ver.  7.  An  everlasting  Covenant^  The  word  Olaw,  yerfe  %, 
which  we  tranflate  Everlafllng^  hath  often  a  limited 
fignification,  to  the  end  of  fuch  a  Period,  (asExoJ. 
XXI.  6.  a  Servant  for  ever,  is  till  the  Year  of  Jubilee) 
though  with  refpeft  to  the  thing  fignified,  this  Co 
venant  is  abfolutely  everlafting  5  and  continues  now 
that  the  fign  is  aboliflied.  The  next  words  tell 
us  what  was  fignified  in  this  Covenant  of  Circum- 
cifion* 

To  be  a  God  unttt  thee,  &c/}  I  think  Maimonide* 
hath  truly  obferved,  that  in  Circumcifion,  they  co 
venanted  with  God,  to  have  no  other  God  but  him  : 
Or,  in  his  Phrafe,  they  covenanted  concerning  the  be* 
Kef  of  the  Unity  of  God,  More  Ntwch.  P.  HI.  cap.  49* 

Who 


,288  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Who  promifed  to  be  their  God  ^  that  is,   to  beftow 
XVII.  all  manner  of  Bleffings  upon  them,  and  at  laft  to 

-~""V-^  fend  the  Mcjfiah. 

Verfe  8. :'  Ver.  3.  "And.  I  w?U  give  thee,  &c]  Here  he  again 
renews  his  Promife,  (XII.  7.  XIII.  15.  XV.  18.)  and 
confirms  it  by  this  Covenant,  to  give  him  that  Land, 
wherein  he  was  at  prefent  a  Stranger,  and  to  put  his 
Seed  in  poffeffion  of  it. 

An  everlafting  pojfijjiott.~]     If  they  did  not  forfeit  it 
by  their  Difobedience  to  him. 

Verfe  9.         Ver.  9.  Thou  flialt  keep  wy  Covenant  therefore,  Sec.] 
'Now  follows  Abrahams  part  of  this  Covenant,  which 
was  mutual  between  God  and  him. 

Verfe  10.  Ver*  10.  Tim  is  my  Covenant.'}  Which  the  next 
Verfe  explains,  by  the  Sign  or  Token  of  the  Covenant. 
As  the  Pafchal  Lamb  is  called  the  Pajfover.ofthe  Lord, 
Exod.Xll.ii.  That  is,  the  memorial  of  the  Angel's 
.paffing  them  by,  when  he  killed  the  Egyptian  Chil 
dren,  XIH.  9.  But  Circumcifion  was  fuch  a  Sign, 
that  they  entred  thereby  into  a  Covenant  with  God 
to  .be  . his  People.  For  it  was  not  a  mere  Mark, 
whereby  they  fhduld  be  known  to  be  Abrahams  Seed, 
and  diftinguifhed  from  other  Nations;  But  they  were 
made  by  this,  the  Children  of  the  Covenant,  and 
Sntitled  to  the  Bleffings  of  it.  Though,  if  there  had 
been  no  more  in  it  but  this,  That  they  who  were  of 
the  fame  Faith,  as  Maimonides  fpeaks,  fhould  have 
one  certain  Character,  whereby  they  fho-uld  be  known 
and  joyned  one  to  another,  without  the  mixture  of 
any  other  People  ^  it  had  been  a  very  wife  appoint 
ment.  And  -this  Mark  was  very  fitly  chofen,  be- 
caufe  it  was  fuch  a  Token,  as  no  Man  would  have 
fet  upon  himfelf  and  upon  his  Children  $  unlefs  it 
were  for  Faith  and  Religion  fake.  For  it  is  not  a 

Brand 


vpon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S. 

*Br<md  upon  the  Arm,  or  anincifion  in  the  Thigh;  but  Chapter 
a  thing  very  hard,  in  a  mod  tender  part  .•  Which  no     XVII, 
-Body  would  have  undertaken,  but  on  the  fore -named  U*V\ 
account,  ?.  III.  More  Nev.  ^.49. 

It  may  be  proper  here  to  add  $  That  Covenants 
'Were  anciently  made  in  thofe  Eaftern  Countries,  by 
dipping  their  Weapons  in  Blood,  fas  Xenophon  tells 
^us)  and  by  pricking  the  Flelh,  and  fucking  each 
others  Blood,  as  we  read  in  Tacitus-.  Who  obferves, 
.( L.  XII,  Annul)  that  when  Kings  made  a  League, 
they  took  each  other  by  the  Hand,  and  their  Thumbs 
being  hard  tied  together,  they  prick'd  them,  when 
the  Blood  was  forced  to  extream  parts,  and  each 
Party  lick'd  it  .•  Which  he  faith,  was  accounted  Area.- 
numfadus^  quafimutuo  cruorefacratum,  a  myfterious 
Covenant,  being  made  Sacred  by  their  mutual  Blood. 
How  old  this  Cultom  had  been,  we  do  not  know  .- 
But  it  is  evident  God's  Covenant  with  Abraham  was 
folemnized  on  Abrahams  part.,  by  his  own  and  his 
Son  I^afs  Blood,  and  fo  continued  through  all  Ge 
nerations,  by  cutting  off  the  Fore-skin  of  their  Flefb, 
fas  it  follows  in  the  next  Ferfe)  whereby  as  they 
were  made  the  Seleft  People  of  God:  So  God  in 
conclusion,  fent  his  own  Son,  who  by  this  very  Ce 
remony  of  Circumcifion,  was  confecrated  to  be  their 
God  and  their  Redeemer. 

Ver.  1 1 .  Tefhall  circutttcife  the  Flcjh  of  your  Foreskin^]  Verfe  1 1 
*.  e.  The  Foreskin  of  your  Flelh  :    For  that  Member, 
which  is  the  Inftrumentof  Generation,  is  peculiarly 
called  by  the  Name  of  Flejh,   in  many  places,  Lev. 
XV.  i.  Ezek.  XVI.  26.     In  which  part  of  theJBody, 
rather  than  in  any  other,  God  appointed  the  Mark  of 
his  Covenant  to  be  made  5  that  they  might  be  deno 
ted  to  be  an  Holy  Seed^  confecrated  to  him  from  the 

Pp  be* 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter  beginning.  The  Pagans  made  Marks  in  feveral  parts 
XVII.  of  their  Bodies,  (fome  in  one,  fome  in  another) 
whereby  they  were  confecrated  to  their  Gods:  But 
the  Character  which  God  would  have  imprinted  up 
on  his  People,  was  in  one  peculiar  part  and  no  other, 
(from  which  they  never  varied,)  viz.  In  that  part 
which  ferved  for  the  Propagation  of  Mankind.  Of 
which  fome  have  given  Natural,  others  Moral  Rea- 
fons  5  but  the  moft  plain  and  obvious  is,  That  it 
might  be  an  apt  Token  of  the  Divine  Covenant 
made  with  Abraham  and  his  Pofterity  .•  That  God 
would  multiply  their  Seed,  and  matte  them  as  the  Stars 
of  Heaven^  XV.  5.  It  is  probable  alfo,  that  this  part 
was  chofeti,  rather  than  any  other  5  to  make  them 
fenfible,  that  this  was  a  Divine  Sacrament  :  For  no 
thing  but  God's  Inftitution,  could  at  firft  engage 
Men  to  lay  that  part  bare,  which  Nature  hath  co 
vered. 

It  is  of  late  indeed  made  a  Queftion  by  feme 
learned  Men,  whether  this  were  the  Original  of  Cir- 
cumcifion:  Which  they  fanfie  the  Jews  borrowed 
from  the  Egyptians^  and  not  the  Egyptians  from  the 
Jews.  Certain  it  is,  that  not  only  the  Egyptians^ 
but  feveral  other  Nations,  did  very  anciently  ufeCir- 
cumcifion.  Now  it  is  improbable,  fay  they,  that  the 
Egyptians^  (who  feem  to  have  had  it  the  moft  early 
of  all  NationS?who  fprang  not  from  Abraham)  would 
borrow  this  Cuftom  from  the  Hebrews  ^  whom  they 
perfectly  hated,  (Shepherds  being  an  abomination  to 
them,  XLVI.  34.)  and  therefore  they  gave  them- 
felves  the  liberty  to  fay,  That  God  did  not  now  en- 
joyn  Abrahams  new  thing,  when  he  ordered  him  to 
be  circumcifed  5  but  only  made  this  a  Sign  of  his 
Covenant  with  him,  which  it  was  not  with  other 

Na- 


upon    GENESIS. 
Nations.     But  unlefs  it  can  be  proved  that  Circutn-  Chapter 
cifion  was  in  ufe  before  Abrahams  time,  (which  doth     XVII. 
not  appear  from  any  good  Authors,    though  fuch  as 
'Celfits  werefo  bold  as  to  affirm  it,    as  we  find  in  Qri- 
gen,  L.  V.)  fuch  Arguments  as  thefe  will  not  per- 
fuade  us  to  believe,  that   it  came  from  the  Egyptians 
or  any  other  Nation  .-  But  they  had  it,    if  not  from 
the  Hebrews,    yet  from  the  Pofterityof  1/hmael,   or 
other  People  defcended  from  Abraham.     Who  being 
highly  beloved  of  God,  *it  is  not  credible  that  God 
would  fetthe  Mark  of  Haw's  Race  upon  him  and  his 
Pofterity  .•  Much  lefs  make  it  the  Token  of  his  Co 
venant  with  them.  See  J.  Ludolphus,  L.  III.  Comment, 
in.  Hiftor.  JEthiop.-c.  i.  n.  3.  The  only  Authority  up* 
on  whom  the  broachers  of  this  Novelty  rely  is  He- 
rodotus  :     Who  in  his  Second  Book^    cap.   104.  fays, 
c  The  People  of  Colchis  and  the  Egyptians,  were  the 
c  only  Nations  that  were  circumcifed  ,     drf  «f  £tfe, 
'  from  the  beginning:    The  Syrians  and  Phoenicians 
6  who  live  in  Paleftine  acknowledging  they  had  this 
c  Rite  from  them.     Which   is  juft  fuch  a  Tale  as  he 
tells  in  theSecond  Chapter  of  that  Book,  that  the  £- 
gyptians,  were  the  firft  inhabiters  of  the  Earth,  unlefs 
perhaps   the  Phrygians.     This   Opinion    proceeded 
from  their  own  vain  Conceit  5   which  made  them 
loath  to  confefs  they  received  Circumcifion  from 
any  other  People.    Though  I  think  there  is  a  con 
vincing  Argument  of  it  in  Mofes  himfelf ;    who  tells 
us  in  Chapter  X.  14.    that  the  Philiftim  came  from 
the  Caflucbim,  i.  e.  the  People  of  Colchis  5  as  that  Peo 
ple  came  originally  from  Egypt.     (So  Herodotus  him 
felf,  Diodorus,  and  abundance  of  other  credible  Au 
thors,  teftifie.)   This,    it   appears  by  what  I  noted 
there,    was  before  the  time  of  Mofes^  nay,  before 

Pp  2  Abra- 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Abraham  :  For  the  Philiftim  had  a  King  among  them: 
XVII.    in  his  days  ;    As  we  read  in  this  Book*    XX.  and; 

u^VNJ  XXVI.    Now  thefe  Phttijiim  were  an  undrcumcifed 
People,  and  therefore  the  People  of  Colcbfrno  doubt 
were  fo  alfo,  when  they  went  out  of  their  Country^ 
and  drove  the  Avim  out  of    Paleftine.     Andconfe- 
qiaently  the  Egyptians  had  no  fuch  Rite  among  them,, 
when    the  Cajluchim  came  from  Egypt 5    but  put  a 
grofs  cheat  upon  Herodotus  when  they  made  him  be 
lieve  they  had  been  circumcifed,  «V  af;$$,  from  the 
beginning.     And, in  like  manner  they  impofed  upon 
him,    who   told  him  the  Inhabitants  of    Paleftine, 
C whom   he  calls  Syrians  and  Phtevicians)    confefled^ 
they  received  Cifcumcifion  from  the  Egyptians.     For 
there  were  no  Inhabitants  of  Paleftine  circumcifed 
but  the  Jews,  who  always-profefled  they  received  it 
from  Abraham.     Who,  we  may  be  confident  was  the 
firft  Perfon  in  the  World  that  was  circumcifed  .-There 
being  nothing  to  induce  any  Body  to  ufe  fuch  a  Rite, 
unlefs  they  had  been  direfted  to  it  by  God,   zs  Abra 
ham  was.     From  whom  the  Iflimaelties  received  it; 
and  from  them  the  Arabians  :  And  from  thdfe  Coun 
tries^  from  Abraham's  Children  by  Keturah,   it  was 
derived  (as  feems  moft  probable  to  mej  to  the   E- 
gyptians  :   From  whom  the  People  of  Colchis,  \vho 
knew  themfelves  to  be  an  Egyptian  breed,    imbraced 
it  5  in  imitation  of  their  famous  Anceftors.    But,  af 
ter  Abrahams  time,   who  found  no  fuch  Rite  among 
the  Philiftim^  a  Colony  of  theirs  5    to  whom  in  all 
likelihood  they  would  have  communicated  it,  as  the 
Egyptians  <&&  to  them,  if  it  had  been  then  ufed  in 
that  Country. 

Verfe  12.      Ver.  12.    And  he  that  is  eight  day  sold,  &C.J  Mai- 
"  monides  thinks  that  if  Circumcifion  had  not  been 

per- 


upon.  GENES!  S, 

performed  in  their  Infancy,    it  might  have  been  in  Chapter 
danger  to  have  been  neglefted  afterward.     For  an    XVII. 
Infant  felt*  not  fo  much  pain  as   an  adult  Perfon  L/*VNJ 
would  have  dorre  5  in  whom  the  Flefh  is  more  com- 
pa6t>  and  his  Imagination  ftronger,  The  Parents  al- 
fo,  fefpecially  Fathers }  have  not  fo  ftrong  an  Af- 
feftionto»a»  Child  when  he  is  newly  born,   as  they 
have  when  he  is  grownup  .•  And  fo  more  eafily  fub- 
mitted  to  this  harlh  Rite,  at  their  firft  appearance  in 
th-e  World  v  than  they  would  have  done,  after  they 
were  more  endeared  to  them,     But  the  Child  could 
not  be  circumcifed    before  the  eighth  D&y  after  his? 
Birth  5  becaufe  till  then  he  was  look'd  upon  as  im- 
perfeft  ;and  not  yetfufficiently  cleanfed  and  purged  Ov 
For  which  reafon  Beafts  were  not  accepted  by  God,, 
till  feven  Days  were  paft,   after  their  Birth,    ExedJ 
XXII.  30.  See  More  Nevoch.  P.  III.  cap.  49.  ' 

And,  as  the  Child  was  not  to  be  circumcifed  be* 
fore  the  eighth  Day,  fo  he  was  not  (unlefs  perhaps 
in  cafe  of  great  weaknefs)  to  be  kept  uncircumcifed 
beyond  that  Day,  On  which,  if  the  Parents  did  not 
caufeit  to  be  circumcifed,  the  Houfe  of  Judgment^  as 
the  jfen?/  fpeak^  were  bound  to  do  it.  And  if  they 
did  not  ("being  ignorant  perhaps  of  the  negleft)  the 
Child  when  he  came  of  Age,  (L*<  was  thirteen  Years 
old)  was  bound  himfelf  to  get  it  done.  If  he  did 
not,  the  Judges  (if  it  were  known  to  them)  were 
obliged  to  take  care  of  it .-  As  Mr.  Selden  obferves, 
L.  I.  de  Synedr.  cap<  6.  p.  96,  97* 

Ver.  1 3.  He  that  is  born  in  thy  Houfe,  or  bought  with  Verfe  1 3.;- 
Money,  wuft  needs  be  circumcifed.']  Not  whether  they 
would  or  no.-  For  Men  were  not  to  be  compelled  to 
Religion  ^  which  had  been  a  profanation  of  this  Co 
venant,    ^t  Abraham  was  toperfuade  them  to  it  $ 

and. 


•A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  |and,  if  they  confented  not,    to  keep  them  no  longer 
XVII.  in  his  Houfe:    But  to  fell  them  to  fome  other  Peo- 

L/*"V"\J  pie.  So  Maiwonides  expounds  it,  in  his  Book^  of  Cir~ 
cuMcifionCap.  I.  which  is^rueboth  of  Servants  born 
in  the  Houfe,  and  bought  with  Money  .•  But  as  for 
the  Children  of  thefe  Slaves,  they  were  to  be  cir- 
cumcifed  whether  their  Parents  would  or  fio  .•  Be- 
caufe  they  were  the  poffeffion  of  their  Mafters,  not 
of  their  Parents.  For  which  caufe,  when  the  Pa 
rents  were  fet  free,  their  Children  were  left  -behind, 
as  their  Mafters  Goods,  Exod.  XXI.  4. 

Verfe  14,  Ver.  14.  That  Soul /hall  be  cut  of  from  hte  People."] 
That  is,  if  when  became  to  the  Age  of  thirteen 
Years,  he  did  notcaufe  it  to  be  done. 

What  it  is  to  be  cutoff  is  very  much  difputed.  The 
fimpleft  Sence  feems  to  be,  he  (hall  not  be  accounted 
one  of  God's  People.  But  the  Hebrew  Doftors  ge 
nerally  take  this  to  have  been  aPunifhment  inflifted 
by  the  Hand  of  Heaven,  i.  e.  of  God  .•  Though  they 
be  much  divided  in  their  Opinions  about  it.  Of 
which  Mn  Selden  treats  at  large  in  L.  VII.  De  Jure 
N.  &  G.  c.  9.  and  De  Synedr.  L.  I.  c.  6.  and  more 
briefly  L'Empereur  in  his  Notes  upon  Cornel.  Ber 
tram  De  Republ.  Jud.  p.  351.  Some  fay  it  was  the 
ftiortning  of  the  Man's  Life  5  others  fay  it  was  the 
making  him  Childlefs  $  fo  that  his  Family  and  Name 
perifhed  in  Ifrael.  Matmonides  would  have  it  the 
extin&ion  both  of  Soul  and  Body,  like  a  Brute.  And 
Abarhinel  fates  it  for  the  lofsof  the  Happinefs  of  the 
World  to  come.  Some  Chriftiaus  would  haveit,  to 
be  Excommunication :  which  cannot  be,  becaufe 
fuch  a  Perfon  never  was  a  Member  of  the  Church, 
which  he  was  to  be  made  by  Circumcifton.  The 
firft  of  thefe  Opinions  feems  more  probable  than  the 

reft.- 


upon  GENESIS; 

reft .-  For  God  himfelf  faith  of  feveral  Offenders,  to  Chapter 
whom  he  threatens  this  Punifhment,  /  witt  icut  him  XVII. 
off,  and  Iwillfet  my  face  againft  him,  Lev.  XVII.  10.  L/V"NJ 
XX.  5,  6.  XXIII.  30.  Yet  in  other  places,  it  muft 
be  confefled,  this  Ccreth,  or  cutting  off,  .fignifies  more 
largely,  a  Punifhment  by  the  Judge,  and  not  by  the 
Hand  of  God.  And  therefore  the  fignification  of  it 
muft  be  determined  by  the  Matter,  with  which  it  is 
yoyned.  Thus  the  violationof  the  Sabbath  is  threat- 
ned  with  cutting  off,  Exod.  XXXI 14.  which  was  to 
be  done  bv  (toning  him  :  And  fo  were  inceftuous 
Perfons,  Blafphemers,  Idolaters,  and  others,  to  be  ju 
dicially  cut  off  by  the  Rulers. 

Ver.  15.  Sarah  fi'all  be  her  Name.']  The  fame  Let- Verfe  15. 
ter  is  added  to  her  Name,    that  was  to  Abraham  s^ 
and  for  the  fame  reafon  3  for  in  the  next  Ferfe  it  is 
faid,  /he  fiatt  be  a  Mother  of  Nations. 

Ver.  1 6.  Give  thee  a  Son  alfo  of  her."}    Here  now  Verfe  16. 
the  promifed  Seed  is  determined  to  fpring  from  Sa 
rah.  See  XVI.  2. 

Ver.  17.  Abraham  fell  on  hh face.']  Worlhipped  God  Verfe  17. 
with  the  humbleft  Reverence. 

And  laughed^}  Not  doubting  of  the  Promife,  (for 
the  Apoftle  tells  us  quite  contrary,  ROM.  IV.  19,^ 
but  out  of  the  exceeding  great  Joy  wherewith  he 
wastranfported  ;  and  the  Admiration  wherewith  he 
was  furprized.  Which  produced  the  following  Que- 
ftions. 

Shall  a  Child  he  born  unto  him^  who  is  an  hundred 
Tears  old  ?  &c/]  As  if  he  had  faid,  ftrange  !  that  I 
and  Sarah  at  this  Age  fhoulcl ^  have  a  Child.  What 
joyful  News  is  this  f  Accordingly  the  Chalclee  tran- 
flates  the  word  laughed  }  herejoyced, 

Ver; 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  18.  0  that  Ijhmael  might  live  before  <thee  !]  ffi 
XVII.   his  Pofterity  $  as  appears  by  God's  Anfwer  to  this 
{^y^/^J  Petition,  ferfe  20. 

Verfe  18.      Ver.   19.  Callhh  Name  Ifaac.']  He  had  this  Name 
Verfe  19.  from  Abraham  s>  not  from  Sarah's  Laughter :.-  For  that 
was  after  this  ^    and  proceeded   not  from  the  fame 
Caufe  with  Abrahams. 

Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  /  have  heard  ihee.~]  He  (hall  'have  a  nu 
merous  Pofterity.  See  Doftor  Jackson's  FirftBook.on 
the  Creed,  c.  26.  where  he  (hows  .how  the  Hagerens 
grew  a  mighty  Nation  v  And  at  laft  (when  they 
were  called  Saracens)  became  the  Scourges  of  all 
thefe  parts  of  the  World. 

'Verfe  21.     Ver.  21.    But  my  Covenant  will  I  eftablifo  with  £ 

faac.~]  The  great  Bleffings  I  have  promifed  in  the 

Covenant  I  have  made  with  thee,  (hall  come  to  thy 

Pollerity  by  Ifaac,  not  by  Jfomad  :    Particularly  the 

Metfiah. 

Verfe  22.  Ver.  2 2.  And  God  went  up  from  Abraham.*]  That 
vifible  Majcfty  wherein  he  appeared  to  him,  (Verfe 
•I.)  called  often,  in  after-times,  the  Glory  of  the 
LORD,  went  up  to  Heaven  from  whence  it 
came. 

Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  Iftwael  was  thtrteenTears  old^  &C."]  From 
hence  it  was  that  the  Saracens,  defcended  from  him, 
did  not  circumcife  their  Children  till  they  were 
teen  Years  old.  So  it  was  in  the  days  of 
L.  I.  Antiq.  c.  13.  And  the  Saracens  in 
Afrkk^  obferved  the  fame  Cuftom. 
-26.  Ver.  26.  Inthe  f elf -fame  day.']  The  Jews  will  have 
this  to  be  the  fame  with  the  great  Day  of  Expiati 
on,  inftituted  in  Mofes  his  time.-  So  that  God  every 
Year  remembred,  fay  they,  the  Covenant  of  Circum- 
But  this  is  an  ungrounded  Fancy. 

Ver, 


upon    GENESIS 

Ver.  27.  And  all  the  Men  of  his  Houfe.~]     Maimo-  Chapter 
nides  under  ftands  by  the  Men    of  his  Houfe^   thofe   XVIII. 
whom  Abraham  had  converted  from  Idolatry,  and  L/*WJ 
made  Profelytes  to  the  true  Religion.    So  do  others  Verfe  27 
among  the  Jem  (fee  his  Treatife  of  the  Worjhif  of 
the  Planets,  c*l.$  9.    But  it  is  more  proper  to  un- 
derftand  by  the  Men  of  Hi*  Honfe^    all  his  Family  in 

feneral.  Who  were  either  (as  it  follows)  born  in 
is  Houfe,  ( and  therefore  it  is  likely  were  bred  up 
in  the  true  Religion,  and  fo  eafily  perfuaded  to  re 
ceive  the  Mark  of^Circumcifion)  or  bought  with  his 
Money  ^  who  fubmitted  to  Abraham's  Arguments,  not 
to  his  Authority  „•  For  Religion  is  to  be  chofen,  not 
compelled. 


C  H  A  P.    XVIII. 

Ver.  i.  \N  Dthe  LOR  D  appeared  to  him^]  Tire  Verfe  t 

£\  Glory  of  the  L  o  a  D,  or  the  Divine 
Majefty,  which  the  Jews  call  the  Schechinah^  as  it 
had  done  lately, XVII.  i.  And  as  the  L  o  a  D  then 
appeared  to  eftablifh  his  Covenant  with  him,  by  Cir- 
cumcifion  /  So  fome  of  the  Jews  imagine  he  again 
appeared  to  vifit,  comfort,  and  heal  him,  now  that 
he  was  very  fore  of  his  Circumcifion.  Or,  rather,  I 
fhould  think,  to  teftifie  by  this  illuflrious  Manifefta- 
tion  of  his  Glory,  (Verfe  2.)  his  high  Approbation 
of  Abrahams  ready  Obedience  to  fo  harlh  a  Com 
mand.  So  thejFen?/themfelvesefteem  it,  and  there 
fore  think  that  by  receiving  it,  Abraham  fulfilled 
that  Precept,  which  goes  juft  before  it,  XVIL  i.  be 

Qjq  ikon 


&  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    thottperfeff.  Which  may  have  forae  truth  in  it,  if  right- 
XV  III.     ]y  underftood  .•  For  his  Faith  and  Obedience  grew 
L/"V*SJ  more  per  felt,  by  fubmitting  to  this  Command  3   and 
was  compieated,    when  he  facrificed  his  Son. 

However  this  be,   I  think  it  is  plain  from  ferfe  10. '. 
that  this  Appearance  of  the  Divine  Majefty,  fwas  not 
long  after  the  former. 

In  the  Plain."]     Or,  the  Oaks,    of  Mamre $.  men 
tioned  before,  XIII.  18.     This  Place  continued  fa 
mous  till  the  time  of  Conftantine  5  both  Jews^  Gentiles, 
and  Chrjftians^  meeting  here  once  a  Year,   not  only 
for  Traffick,  but  for  Religion  :Chriftians  here  calling 
upon  God  v  and  there  being  an  Altar  here  alfo,  on 
which  the  Gentiles  facrificed,   and  invoked  the  An 
gels.     Of  which  Superftition  Conftantine  being  in 
formed  by  his  Mother,  hecaufed  that  Altar  to  be  de- 
moliilied,  and  a  Church  to  be  built  in  its  place.   See 
Sozowen,  L.  II. cap.  ^.Eufeb.  in  vita  Conjl ant.   L.  III., 
cap.  53. 

And  he  fat  in  the  Tent  door."]  To  obferve  what  Stran 
gers  pafled  that  way. 

In  the  heat  of  the  Day ^]  In  the  Afternoon,  when 
Travellers.fought  for  places  of  IVefrefhment. 
¥erfe  2,  Ver.  2.  And  he  lift  up  his  Eyes,  and  looked-"]  Having 
fain  down  on  his  Face,  (ifuppofe)  and  worfhipped 
the  Divine  Majefty,  as  he  did,  XVII.  17.  he  beheld, 
when  he  rofe  up  again. 

Andlo^  there  flood  three  Men  by  hint7\  Three  An 
gels,  in  theftiapeofMen,  (forfothe  Apoftle  to  the 
Hebrews  calls  them,  XIIL  2.  And  to  Mofes  himfelf 
calls  two  of  them,  XIX.  i)  who  were  part  of  the 
heavenly  Retinue,  as  I  may  call  it,  waiting  upon  the 
Divine  Majefty,  mentioned  in  the  Ferfe  foregoing, 
1 here  is  a  maxim  among  the  Jews  that  no  Angel  per* 

forms 


upon    G  E  N  B  S  I  \ 

forMstwoMinrfteries,  (is  fent,  that  is,  on  two  Meffa-  Chapter 
ges)   nor  are  two  Angels  fent  upon  one  EmbaJJy,   fas    XVIII. 
MaJmonides  fpeaks,  More  Nevoch.  P.  II.  cap.  6.)  and 
therefore  they  think  thefe  three  Angels  were  difpatch'd 
for  different  purpofes  ^  one  of  them,  and  the  prin 
cipal,  to  bring  a  Confirmationof  the  Birth  of  IJaac  5 
another  to  bring  Lot  out  of  Sodom ,   and  a  third   to 
overthrow  the  Cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha.     And 
therefore  when  one  of  thefe  Angels  had  delivered 
that  Meffage  to  Abraham,    there  were  but  two  that 
went  to  Sodom,  XIX.  I.    and  Lot  fpeaks  to  one  of 
them,  as  taking  a  particular  care  of  him,  verfe  1 9,  &c. 
and  then  it  is  faid,    The  Lord  rained  Fire  and  Brim- 
ftonejrom  the  Lord  out  of  Heaven ,  verfe  24.     That  is, 
that  Angel  of  the  Lord,  who  was  fet  by  the  Lo  R  D 
of  Heaven  and  Earth  over  that    Work.     Some  of 
v  them  indeed  aflign  another  Work  for  one  of  them, 
(as  we  find  in  that  Title  of  the  Tdmud  called  Bava- 
Metzia,cap.  7,)  but  they  agree  in  the  main  Notion, 
That  they  had  different  Offices  with  which  they  were 
intruded.    Butfome  Chriftians,  and  thofe  of  great 
Authority,  have  made  a  Queftion  whether  they  were 
all  created  Angels  5  one  of  them  at  leaft,  feeming  to 
be  the  LORD  of  all.     Kay,    St.  Cyrtliu  his  firft 
Book  agairift  Julian  thinks  there  was  a  Reprefenta- 
tion  of  the  bkfled,    individed  Trinity  $   for  Abram 
fpeaks  to  them,  verfe  4.  of;  &$  Zv-nc,  Ol  rp&s9    as  if  the 
three  were  but  one.     But    St.  Hilarys  Opinion    f  and 
Eufebius's,  L.  V.Devtonflr.  c.  9.)  is  more  likely.  That 
the  Son  of  God  only  appear'd  with  two  Angels  at 
tending  on  him:  Which  many  think  is  evident  from 
verfe  21,  and  25.  of  this  Chapter.     Yet,  I  think,  ano 
ther  Account  may  be  given  of  thofe  Verfes^  and  if 
we  (hould  make  that  an  Argument  that  one  of  them 

2  was 


300  A  COMMENrART 

Chapter    was  the  increated  LORD^  another   of  them  muft 
XV  III.     be  fo  alfo  .•  For  he  is  called  likewife  by  the  Name  of 
UT\T\J  Jebovah.Gen.  XIX.  24.     See  St.  AvjtinJL.  II.  de  Trin. 
cap.  ii.  and  L.  III.  cap.  ii.  where  he  confutes  the 
fore- named  Opinion. 

And  when  he  faw  them  ^  he  ran  to  meet  them"]  Was 
forward  to  invite  them  to  refrefh  themfelves  with 
him  :  For  he  took  them  to  be  confiderable  Perfons,as 
appears  by  what  follows. 

And  bowed  himfelf  towards  the  grounds]     After  the 

manner  of  theEaftern  People  $  in  Token  of  th«  Re- 

fpeft  and  Honour  he  had  for  them.     For  this  was  a 

Civil  A&ion  ("not  Religious  J  it  is  manifeft  by  this  .• 

That  he  did  not  know  them  to  be  Angels  5  but  only 

Perfons  of  Quality,  (as  we  now  fpeak)  their  Afpeft 

and  Habit,  I  fuppofe,  being  extraordinary. 

Verfe  3.        Ver.  3.  My  Lor d^  If  now  I  have  found \  Sec/]  One 

of  them  appeared  more  Honourable  and  Superior  to 

the  other  two  $  and  therefore  he  makes  his  addrefs  to 

him,  as  the  chief  /    Praying  him,  if  he  thought  him 

worthy  of  fuch  a- Favour,  tO'honour  him  with  their 

Company. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  vwjh  your  Feet.~]  f.  e.  To  wafh  your 
Feet.  For  this  was  performed  by  Servants ,  and  not 
by  the  Guefts  themfelves. 

And  reft yourfelves  under  the  TreeJ]  In  an  Arbour 
under  a  great  Tree :  Where  they  were  wont  to  eat, 
for  coolnefs  fake.  See  Dr.  Hammond  upon  Pfalm 
CXXVHLj.  St.  Hierom  fometimes ^^  calls  this  Tree,an 
Oak  5  fometimes  a  Turpentine-Tree ,  fas  J.  Filefa- 
cm  obferves ,  L.  I.  Setett.  c.  13.}  Unlefs  we  will  fay, 
that  he  thought  Abraham  dwelt  under  the  one  ,  and 
entertained  them  under  th$  other.  And  fo  Eufebiuty. 
.  Evang.  c.  9,  exprefly  relates  it*  That 

God 


upon  -GENESIS.  jor 

Cod  appeared  to  him  under  theO^where  he  dwelt.-  Chapter 
; And  that  he  entertained  the  Angels  under  zTurpen-    XVIII, 
tine-Tree  $  which  was  had  in  great  Honour   in  his  Lr^V^NJ 
time. 

Ver.  5.  1  will  fetch  aworfdofBread']     Or,rather,  Verfe  5. 
a  Loaf  of  Bread $as  de  Dieu  fhows  the  word  imports: 
j  Under  which  is  comprehended,  all  neceflary   Provi- 
fion  at  a  Meal. 

And  comfort  ye  yonr  hearts^]  Refrefti  you  rfelves. 

For  therefore  are  ye  come  toyourfcrvant."]  Divine 
Providence  hath  directed  you  to  come  this  way,  at 
this  time  a  day  $  that  I  may  havean  opportunity  to 
entertain  you  hofpitably. 

Ver.  6.  Make  Cakes  upon  the  Earth."]     Many  inter-  Verfe  6. 
pret  it  upon  the  Coals  or  hot  Embers  $   according  to 
what  we  read,i  Kings  XIX.  6.     But  Bocktrtm  thinks 
the  wordthere  ,    fignifies  as  it  doth  here,  upon   hot 
Stones*    Others  will  have  it,  that  they  were  laid  up 
on  the  Hearth  and  covered  with  hot  Embers  ,  (P.  I. 
Hierozok.  L.  II.  c.  340  and  fo  they  prepare  them  at 
this  Day  ,  as  Leon.  J^n?nWjftells  us  in  his  Travels  , 
P.  IL  c.  9,  where  he  faith,  Thatas  he  wentthrough 
a  Country,  that  lies  between  Mefopai am/a  and  Media, 
a  Woman  prefently  made  them  Cakes,  about  a  Fin 
ger  thick,  and  of  the  bignefs  of  a  Trencher-;  Which? 
fte  firft  laid  upon  hot  Stones  ,  and  turned  them  ot- 
ten  $.  and  th^n  threw  Afhes  and  Embers  over  them  ?.: 
Which  he  fays  were  very  favour?. 

Ver.  7.  A  Calf  tender  and  good."]    Which  was   averfe  7." 
noble  Entertainment  in  thofe  Countries. 

Ver.  8.    And  he  took  Butter.)     Though  we  read  Verfe  8; 
of  CheefeinHoffter,  EuripiJes^rheGcrita?,  and  others  5 
ytt  they  raver  mention  Butter  .•  Nor  hath  Ariftorte 
a  word  of  it  9  (at  Bochart  obferves,  Hmw>ic<  P.  I- 

f*  2, 


Chapter    ^.  2.  r.  4iO  though  he  hath  fundry  Obfervations  a- 

XVIII.    frout  Cheefe :    For  Butter  was  not  a  'thing  then  known 

IVVNJ  among  the  Greek*  $  though  we  fee  by  this  and  many 

other  places,  it  was  an  ancient  Food  among  the  Ea- 

jlern  People. 

And  he  flood  by  tlem.~]  Waited  upon  them,  and 
miniftred  to  them. For  he  did  not  ftand  unmovable  5 
but  as  Servants  do  that  attend  upon  the  Table,  who, 
as  there  is  occafion,  bring  or  take  away,  &c.  See  P. 
Fagius  on  Dent.  1. 38. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  they  f aid  unto  him,  Where  is  thy  Wife  .<?] 
One  of  them  (the  reft  fignifying  fome  way  their  Con- 
fent)  ask'd  him  for  his  Wife;  not  being  ignorant,  but 
to  introduce  the  following  Difcourfe. 

In  theTent.']  In  her  Apartment:  For  Women  had 
their  Apartments  by  themfelves. 

Verfe  10.     Ver.  10.  Andhefaid.]    The  principal  of  the  three 
Angels  5  or,  rather  the  L  o  R  D  himfelf,    as  it  is  ex 
plained,  verfe  13.    For,  as  Theodorick.  Hack* fan  ;u- 
dicioufly  obferves,  this  appearance  of  the  Divine  Ma- 
jefly  was  different  from  the  foregoing  .•    Not  being 
immediate  by  himfelf  alone,    like  that  XVII.  i.  nor 
merely  mediate  by  an  Angel,  like  that  XVI.  7,  10,  u, 
12,  &rc.     But  mixed,  the  Lo  R  D  himfelf  (ver  r.) 
being  conjunft  with  the  Angels,  whom  he  imployed 
in  this  Embaffy. 

I  mil  certainljLretnrntothee^  To  fulfil  the  Promife 
which  I  m^de  thee,  XVII.  19. 

According  to  the  time  ofltfe7\  Nine  Months  hence  5 
which  is  the  time  of  perfefting  the  Life  of  a  Child 
in  the  Womb.  This  appears  to  be  the  Sence  from 
verfe  14.  where  he  calls  it  the  time  appointed^  or  a  fet 
time*  /  ".-.  -^.* 

In 


vpon   G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  303* 

In  the  Tent  door,  which  was  behind  him.'}  The  An- Chapter 
gels  fat  with  their  Backs  to  Sarah's  Tent  .-    Unto  the   XVIII. 
JDoor  of  which  (he  was  come  to  Hften,  having  heard  WV"VJ 
that  they  ask'd  for  her. 

Behind  him7\  This  fhows  the  Truth  of  what  Hack? 
ffan  notes,    That  this  was  a  mixt  Apparition:    For 
this  word  him  plainly  relates  to   the  Angel,    whofe 
words  were  in  truth  the  LORD'S,  who  was  there  pre- 
fent.  For  as  he  obferves  in  another  place,    (Dljfnt* 
II.  de  Nominibus  Divmis,  n.  15.)    the  Scripture  re- 
llates  thefe  Matters  fo,  that  fometitties  it  mentions  the 
principal  Caufe,  whofe  words  are  related  5  fometimes 
only  the  fecondary  Caufe  :  In  which  latter  Cafe,  it 
muftbe  underftoodb    That  when  the  words  exceed 
the  Dignity  of  the  Minifter,    the  Lo  R  B  himfelf 
fpakethem.     For    the  Sacred   Writers  mind  more 
by  whofe  Authority ^any  thing  is  fpoken,  than  by  whofe 
Mimftry :  So  that  it  is  not  much  material,  from  whofe 
Mouth  any  Meflage  comes  5  but  what  is  faid,  muft  be 
attended.    This  will  be  made  plainer,  when  I  come 
toGe*.  XXII. n,  12,  &c. 

Ver.  ii.    It  ceafed  to  be  with  Sarah  after  the  manner  Verfe  n0 
of  Women.~\    She  was  no  longer  capable  of  Con 
ception  5    according  to  the  ordinary  courfe  of  Na 
ture. 

Ver.  12.  Laughed  within  herfelf."]  Not  as  Abraham  Verfe  12 
for  joy  ^  but  out  of  Incredulity :  Not  thinking  it 
poffible  for  an  old  Woman,  to  Conceive  by  an  old 
Man.  And  her  fmiling  at  this,  was  the  more  excu- 
fable,  becaufe  (he  did  not  know  them  to  be  Angels  of 
the  L  o  R  D,  but  took  them  only  for  feme  great 
Men. 

Ver.  15.    And  the  LORD  faid."]     The  Divine Vak  13 
Majefy  (mentioned  Verfe  i.)    faid,  Why  doth  (he 

nor 


*  co  MM  E  N 

Chapter  not  believe  myMeflenger?  The  Angel  fpake  thefe 
XVHL  words,  but  the  words  were  the  LORD'S  ,  (not  his) 
ISV\J  who  was  now  prefent  with  the  Angels,and  in  a  little 

time  appeared  without  them,  v.  17,  &c. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  At  the  time  appointed  will  I  return  to  thee.*] 
Take  it  from  my  felf,that  what  hath  been  told  thee  by 
them,  (hall  be  effefted. 

Verfe  if.  Ver.  15.  Sarah  denied*"]  Fear  (as  it  follows)put 
her  into  a  confufion  .•  So  that  (he  did  not  mind  what 
(he  faid.  Otherwife  (he  would  not  have  denied, 
what  fhe  might  well  think  they  knew.  Therefore 
(he  is  only  made  fenfible  of  her  Fault ,  by  a  frniple 
Affirmation,  of  what  (he  denied  3  without  any  further 
Reproof. 

Nay,  but  thou  didfl  laugh^  The  perfon  that  fpeaks 
feems  to  have  turned  to  her,  and  faid,  Do  not  deny, 
what  I  know  to  be  true. 

Verfe  1 6.     Ver.  1 6. Looked  toward  Sodom?]  As  if  they  intended 
to  travel  that  way. 

And  Abraham  went  with  them  ^  to  bring  them  on  the 
r»ay-~]  A  piece  of  Civility  like  the  former  :  Having 
entertained  them  ,  he  accompanied  them  fo  far  as  to 
direct  them  in  the  Road  to  Sodom. 

Verfe  17.  Ver- 1 7-  And  the  LORD  faid.']  The  Divine 
M.ajejlyy  mentioned  Verfe  i.  began  now  to  difcourfe 
plainly  and  openly  with  him.-  not  by  the  Miniftry 
of  Angels,  but  by  himfelf.  For,  I  take  it ,  the  three 
Angels  had  now  left  Abraham  alone :  Who  returning 
towards  his  Tent,  faw  the  Glory  of  the  LORD  ,  and 
head  him  fpeak  what  follows. 

Shall  I  hide  from  Abraham, &c.~]  Thefe  words  feem 
to  have  been  fpoken  to  Abraham  :  Otherwife ,  how 
came  he  to  expoftulate  with  the  LORD,  as  he  doth, 
verfe  23,  &c.  unlefs  we  will  conceive,  (as  we  may) 

verfe 


upon  GENESIS. 

Verfe  20,  21.  td  be  the  declaration  of  God's  Intend-  Chapter 
onto  deftroy  Sodom:  And  th^fe  words  and  the  next,   XVIII. 
to  be  his  refolution  within  himfelf,  to  acquaint  Abra-  L/"V%J 
ham  with  that  Intention. 

Ver.  1 8.  Seeing  t hat  Abraham  fiall  furely&cl]  ThisVerfe  180 
is  one  reafon  why  the  Divine  Majefty  refolves  to  ac 
quaint  Abraham  with  his  intended  Proceedings:  Be- 
caufe  he  had  already  revealed  to  him  greater  things, 
and  made  him  moft  gracious  Promifes. 

Ver.  19.  Forlknow,&c.~\  This  Verfe  contains  ano-'Verfe  19. 
ther  reafon  }  becaufe  he  knew  Abraham  would  ap 
prove  himfelf  fo  faithful  to  him  :  That  Ire  would 
not  fail  to  enjoy  all  that  he  had  promifed. 

To  keep  the  way  of  the  LORD.~]  Is  to  petfift  in 
the  True  Religion  and  Worfhip  of  God. 

•To-do  Juftice  and  Judgment."]  Includes  in  them 
all  thofe  Vertues  which  were  oppofiteto  the  Sins  of 
Sodom. 

Ver.  20.  Eecanfe  the  cry.~]  Of  their  Sins:  Which  Verfe  1C. 
are  faid  to  cry,  Firft,  To  (how  the  enormous  Greatnefs 
and  Impudency  of  them  :  For  grandn  abfque  dubio 
clamor  eft,  qui  a  terra  afcendit  ad  cesium  .•  As  Salvian 
fpeaks.  And,  Secondly,  to  (how  that  the  Goodnefs  of 
God  could  no  longer  bear  with  them }  their  Sins  com 
pelling  him,  as  one  may  fay,  to  punifh  them.  For  De^ 
us  eos  noluent  perdtre,  fed  ipji  extorferint,  ut  ferirent. 
They  not  only  called,  but  cried  to  him  for  Venge 
ance,  as  he  alfo  fpeaks,  L.l.de  Gubern.  Del,  p.  19,  20. 
Edit.  Baluzii  $  and  L.  IV.  p.  75.  L.  V.p.  113. 

Of  Sodom  and  Gomorrba,']  As  they  were  tfie  prin 
cipal  and  greateft  Cities,  fo  they  were  the  moft 
wjcked  5  and  led  the  reft  into  all  manner  of  Impie 
ty  ;  Who  therefore  alfo  periftied  with  them. 

R  r  Fery 


A  COMMENTARY 


. 


Chapter        Very  grkvons.~]    Not  to  be  tolerated  any  longer. 
XVI1L    There  are  prodigious  Stories  related  of  the  Wicked- 

^^v"^  nefs  both  of  their  Judges  and  of  the  People,  in  the 
Gemara  Sanhedrim,  cap.  XI.  which  are  there  alledged 
as  an  Explication  of  this  Verfe. 

Verfe  21,  Ver.  n.  I  will  go  down  now,  &c."]  Heufes  the  Lan 
guage  of  a  good  Judge,  (Verfe  15.}  who  never  pafles 
Sentence,  much  Ms  executes  it,  till  he  hath  examined 
the  Caufe. 

Whether  they  have  done  altogether^  Sec  °]  Whether 
they  are  come  to  the  higheft  pitch  of  Wkkednefs  : 
Or,  (as  de  Dieti)  whether  they  are  fo  refolved  to  go 
on  in  Sin,  that  there  is  no  hope  of  them. 

If  not,  I  witt  know.~]  That  fo  I  may  ufe  means  for 
their  Reformation. 

Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  And  the  Men^\  The  three  Men  menti 
oned  Verfe  2.  It  is  commonly  faid  that  only  two  of 
them  went  away  from  Abraham,  and  that  the  third- 
remained  and  held  difcourfe  with  him.  But  I  fee 
no  reafon  for  this:  They  that  came  in  and  eat  with 
him,  and  rofe  up  from  the  Table,  (Verfe  1  6.)  who 
no  doubt  were  all  three,  being  the  Perfons  that  are 
here  faid  now,  to  have  turned  their  Faces  from  t  hence  y 
i.  e.  From  the  place  where  they  had  been  entertain 
ed  by  Abraham  :  Or,  where  he  parted  with  them. 

And  wwt  towards  Sodom.]  As  they  in  tended  T 
Verfe  16. 

But  Abraham  flood  yet  before  the  LORD.~\  Not 
before  any  of  thofe  three,  but  before  the  Divine  Ma- 
jefty  :  Who  appeared  to  him,  verfe  i.  and  had  fpo- 
ken  to  him,  verfe  13.  and  difcourfed  with  him,  verfe 
17,  20-  in  whofe  Prefence  he  ftill  continued.  Some 
by  flood  under  ftand>  he  prayed  :  But  that  follows  in 
the  next  Verfe. 

Ver 


upon  GENESIS.  go; 

Ver.  23.   Abraham  drew  near]     Approached  to- Chapter 
wards  the  Divine  Majefty,  to  make  his  Addrefies  by   XVIII. 
Prayer  and  Supplication  to  him.     Perhaps  the  Di-  t/"V"NJ 
vine  Majefty  remained  in  the  place  where  it  firft  ap-  Verfe  i^. 
peared,  verfe  i.  and  Abraham  by  conducting  the  three 
Men  fome  part  of  their  way,  being  gone  further  from 
it,  now  came  nearer  to  it.    Though  the  Phrafe  doth 
not  neceffarily  import  it,  to  draw  njgh  to  God,  in 
the  Holy  Language,  fignifying  no  more  but  to  wor* 
(hip  him. 

Wilt  thon  deflroy  the  righteous  with  the  wielded  ?*]  As 
much  as  to  fay,  I  know  thou  wilt  not.  For  fuchQue- 
fiionsftrongly  deny;  as  in  verfe  17. 

Ver.  24  Fifty  righteou*  within  the  City  I]  Of  So-  Verfe  24* 
dom,  which  was  the  Chief,  and  comprehended  the 
red  of  the  Country  of  Pentapolis  :  Which  one  would 
guefs,  by  Gen.  XIV.  17.  depended  upon  Sodom  as  the 
Metropolis.  So  what  is  faid  here  of  it,  I  take  to  refer 
to  the  whole  Region. 

Wilt  thon  nbtfpare  the  place  for  the  fifty,  &c.]  He  de- 
fires  two  things  of  God.  Firfl,  That  he  would  not 
deftroy  the  Righteous  with  the  Wicked.  Secondly, 
That  he  would  fpare  the  Wicked  for  the  fake  of  the 
Righteous }  if  any  confiderable  Number  of  them  were 
found  among  the  Wicked. 

Ver.  25.  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  do  Verfe  15, 
right?]  This  refers  (as  we  tranllate  it)  only  to 
the  firft  part  of  his  Requeft,  not  to  deflroy  the  Right  c- 
OIM  with  the  Wicked.  Which  was  contrary  to  com 
mon  Ju Price,  much  more  to  that  exaft  Juftice, 
which  is  admtniftred  by  the  Supreme  Lord  of  the 
World  :  From  whom  there  lies  no  Appeal.  But,  ac 
cording  to  the  Vulgar  Tranflation,  which  is  this, 
[Thon  vho  judgcft  all  the  Earth,  wilt  by  no  means  exe* 

R  r  2  cut* 


A  COMMENT A KT 

Chapter    cute  this  Jydgwent.~]  it  refers  to  the  other  part  alfo  :.- 
XVIII.    That  God  would  not  be  fo  fevere  as  to  deftroy  ft 

^*v~^  whole  Country  -?.  whilft  -there  were  many  good  Men 
dill  remaining  in  it:  And  fo  the  word  Right,  in 
cludes  in  it  .Clemency.  And  indeed  this  PafTage  feems 
to  relate  to  both  parts  of  his  Requeit  :  And  is  to  be 
interpreted  thus$  Shall  not  the  Supreme  Judge  /how 
Mercy ^  as  wel/.as  do  Juflice? 

Verfc  26,  Ver.  36,  And  the  LORD  faid,  If  I  find  fifty,  &c. 
then  will  Ifpare,  Sec.]  This  fhows  the  foregoing  In 
terpretation  to  be  right :  God  promifing  moft  gra~ 
cioufly  to  be  merciful  to  all,  for  the  fake  of  a  few,  in 
comparifon  with  the  Multitude  of  Offenders. 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  27.  Who  am  hut  Duft  and  Aftes.]  Very  mean 
and  vile. 

Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  Lack  five  of  the  fifty  right eota.']  A  great 
Argument  of  Abrahams  Modefty  ^  who  durft  not 
prefume  to  ask  too  much  at  once  }  but  by  degrees 
proceeds,  in  the  following  Verfes,  to  petition  for  grea 
ter  Abatements  .•  And  that  with  Fear  and  Trembling, 
leaft  the  LORD,  fhould  be  angry  with  his  Importu 
nity. 

Verfe  32.  \V£t*3'i'Iwittnotdeftroyitfortensfake.~]  A  won 
derful  Reprefentation  of  the  tender  Mercy  of  the 
raoft  High  5  who  condefcended  fo  low  as  to  grant 
a  Reprieve  to  the  whole  Country,  for  the  fake  of  fo 
fmall  a  Number,  if  they  could  have  been  found  in 
ft.  And  his  Mercy  was  ftill  greater,  even  beyond  A- 
brafcam's  defire  5  for  he  fpared  one  of  the  jfoe  Cities :- 
For  the  fake  of  three  or  four  Perfons,  as  we  read  XIX< 

20,    2,1. 

We  do  not  find,  that  Abraham  makes  exprefs  men* 
tion  of  Lot  in  any  of  the  foregoing  Petitions :  But 
k  is  plain  from  XIX*  29,  that  he  was  in  his  Thoughts* 

which 


upon    GENESIS,  309 

which  God  knew  3  and  he  is  comprehended  in  thofeChapter 
words,  Fer/e  ^3.  of  this  Chapter,  Wilt  thou  Jeftroy  XIX. 
the  righteous  with  the  wicked  .<?  L^V^SJ 

Ver.  35.  And  the  LORD  went   his  way  ^     TheVerfe  33 
Divine  Majejly^  or  the  Glory. of  the  Lord,  difappeared 
j(and  afcended  perhaps  towards   Heaven)  after  this 
Communication  with  Abraham  was  finiftied. 

And  Abraham  returned  to  bis  place.  ~]     In  the  Plain 
of  Mature,  verfe  I  * 


CHAP.     XIX. 

Ver.  i.   \ND  there  came  two  Angels. ~]  There  were  Verfe  i* 

£\  three  at  the  firft,  (XVIII.  2.)  but  the 
Chief  of  them  was  gone  ^  having  difpatch'd  hisMef- 
fage  to  Abraham  5  unto  whom  he  was  peculiarly  fent, 
See  XVIII. 

At  even."]  They  had  been  with  Abraham  in  the 
heat  of  the  Day  :  And  were  now  come  to  the  Gates 
of  Sodom. 

Lot  fat  in  the  Gate  ofSodom.~]  The  Hebrew  Doctors' 
will  have  it,  that  he  was  made  a  Judge  in  this  City  $ 
and  the  prime  Judge  of  all  :  For  they  adventure  to 
name  five  (in  Berefchith  Rabba^)  and  fay  Lot  was 
the  Prefident  of  the  Court,  which  fate  in  the  Gate  of 
the  City.  But  this  is  only  a  fanfie  of  theirs :  He  ra 
ther  fat  in  the  Gate  of  Ms  City,  zs  Abraham  did  at 
his  Tent  door  3  to  invite  Strangers  to  his  Houfe,  ("ac 
cording  to  the  Hofpitality  of  thofe  days)  which  was 
the  greater  Charity,  becaufe  he  knew  the  City  to  be- 
fo  wicked,  that  (if  we  may  believe  the  Hebrew  Do- 
ftors)  they  not  only  denied  them  all  affi fiance,  bur 

abufecl* 


3ro  A  COMMENT  A  KT/ 

Chapter    abufed  them,  and  were    cruel  to  them,  (fee 
XIX.      Sanhedrim,  C.  X I. •&>  Pirkp  Eliefer,  cap.  25.)  for  Which 

l/V~SJ  laft,  they  quote  thofe  words  of  Ezefal,  XXII.  29. 
f/fcy/  have  ofprejfed  the  ftr  anger  wrongfully*  Which  are 
fpoken  of  Ifrael,  whom  XVI, 49.  he  had  compared 
vi\t\\  Sodom  :  One  of  \yhcfe  Sins  he  fays  was,  want 
of  Compaffion  to  the  poet  and  needy. 

Rofe  ^p  to  Meet  them,  &c/]  Juft  as  Abraham  did  $ 
whole  Civility  he  imitates,  as  well  as  his  Charity. 
For  the  bow/vg  hiwjclf'fo  lowly,  was  a  Token  of  the 
great  Honour  he  paid  tneiif:  Who  had  the  appearance 
of  great  and  noble  Perfons.  And  therefore  he  calls 
them  Lords  in  the  next  Verfe. 

Ver-fe  ^.  Ver.  2.  Turn  in,  I  pray  yoifj^and  tarry  affntgt>t,'&cJ] 
It  is  late,  and  the  Night  draws  on,  take  up  your 
Lodging  with  me,  and  refrefK  your  felves  5  and  go 
away  as  early  as  you  pleafe. 

And  theyfaid^  Nay,  Sec.]  It  was  as  great  a  Civility 
in  Strangers,  not  to  be  forward  to  accept,  as  it  was 
in  him  to  invite.  And  therefore  they  refufe  him  at 
firft,  to  try  his  Kindnefs:  But  intending,  no  doubt, 
to  embrace  his  Offer,  if  he  prefled  them  further.  So 
the  following  words  are  to  be  underftood. 

We  will  abide  in  the  ftrect  all  night. ,]  Unlefs  you 
perfiil  in  your  Invitation.  In  thofe  hot  Countries, 
it  was  not  unufual  to  lie  in  the  open  Air,  efpecially 
in  Summer.  And  in  a  City,  they  were  fafe  from  being 
infefted  by  wild  Beads,  or  Robbers. 

Concerning  wafting  tkcfcet."]    See  X  VIII.  4. 

Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  Heprejfed  upon  them  greatly"]  Would  not 
be  denied,  but  wasib  earneft  that  they  yielded.  It  is 
the  fame  word  with  that  verfe  9. 

Bakp  unleavened  Bread."]  Which  would  be  fooneft 
ready,  that  fo  they  might,  in  good  time,  repofc  them- 
felves.  Ver. 


uyon    GENESIS,  511 

Ver.  4.  And  before  they  lay  down^\     To  take  their  Chapter 
reft.  XIX. 

Both  old  and  yoitngT]    A  manifeft  Token  of  an  uni-  L/^VNJ 
erlal  Depravation  ot  Manners,  and  Diffolution  of  Verfe  4. 
Government. 

from  every  quarter."]  Or,  as  fome  underftand  it, 
from  the  mod  extream  parts  of  the  City  :  As  in  Pfalw 
XIX.  4.  One,  k  feems,  told  another,  what  goodly 
Perfons  were  come  to  their  City :  And  ail  ran  to  the 
Houfe  where  they  heard  they  were$  with  the  fame 
wicked  Inclinations.  This  is  a  proof  there  were  not 
ten  righteous  Perfons  in  Sodom. 

Ver.  5.  That  we  may  kpvw  thew.~]  A  modeft  word  Verfe  5* 
for  a  lewd  Faft.  Some  indeed- will  have  it  underftood 
firaply,  of  their  examining  what  they  were,  whence 
they  came,  and  what  their  bufinefs  was.  Which  might 
perhaps  be  their  pretence  ^  but  Lot's  anfwer  to  them, 
verfe  7,  8.  interprets  their  meaning- to  be  filthy. 

Ver.  6.  Went  out  at  the  doorl}     To  try  if  he  could  Verfe  6- 
perfuade  them   to  depart.     From  whence,  perhaps, 
the  Jews  gathered  he  was  a  Man  of  Authority  among, 
them. 

Ver.  7.  Do   not  fo  wickedly"}    As   to   break  the  Verfe  7* 
Rights  of  Hofpitality  ,  and  violate  the  Laws  of  Na~ 
lure. 

Ver,  8.  Behold  now,  I  have  trva  Daughters,  &C/}Verfe  8. 
This  mutt  be  underftood  to  have  been  (poke n  in  a 
great  Perturbation  and  Perplexity  of  Mind  5  and  out 
of  a  vehement  Deflre  to  preferve  the  Men  whom  he 
had  entertained :  Which  made  him  fay,  he  had  ra 
ther  they  (hould  abufe  his  awn-  Daughters,  than  thofe 
Strangers, 


312  A   COWMEN  TART 

Chapter         For  therefore  came  they  under  the  foadow  of  my  roof] 
XIX.      He  pleads  the  Laws  of  Hofpkality,  which  obliged  him 

LX"V*SJ  to  proteft  them  5  though  he  himfelf  fuffered  by  it. 

Verfe  9.         Ver.  9.  And  they  faid^  Stand  back^\  Give  way  to  us. 

T/w  one  fellow,  &c."]     Here  is  one,  and  he  but  a 

Sojourner  5  who  takes  upon  him  to  be  a  Cenfor  Mo* 

mm,  and  controul  the  whole  City..     This  (hows  he 

was  no  Judge. 

Now  will  we  deal  worfe  with  thee,  Stcf]  Abufe  thee 
more  than  them.  For  it  is  the  fame  word  with  verfe 
7.  doing  wickedly. 

Verfe  li.  Ver.  n.  Smote  the  Men  with  blindnefs.~]  Not  with 
a  total  Blindnefs,  ( for  then  they  would  not  have 
fought  for  the  Door  of  Lot's  Houfe,  but  rather  have 
groped  for  the  way  home)  but  fuch  a  Dimnefs  that 
they  could  not  fee  any  thing  diftinftly,  or  in  its  right 
place :  But  there  feemed  to  be  a  Door,  fuppofe,  where  : 
there  was  none  :  Or,  there  was  fuch  a  Confufion  in 
their  Brain,  that  all  things  were  turned  topfie  turvy, 
fas  we  fpeak^)  in  their  Imagination  ^  and  appeared 
quite  otherwife  than  they  were. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  Son-in-law,  and  thy  Sons,  andthyDaugh- 
\ters7]  Here  the  Copulative  and,  muft  be  expounded 
or:  As  it  is  ufed  in  many  places,XIII.8.  Let  there  be  no 
ftrife  between  me  and  thee,  or  between  my  herds-men,  and 
thine.  And  fo  we  tranflate  it,  Exod.  XII.  5.  Thouflialt 
take  it  oat  of  the  Sheep,  or  out  of  the  Goats  :  And  Exod. 
XXI.  i$.He  thatfmiteth  hi*  Father,  or  his  Mother,  Jhtll 
be  fut  to  death.  And  fo  it  (hould  be  tranllated  here, 
Haftthott  any  here  befides,  Son-in-law^  or  thy  Sons,  or  thy  • 
Daughters:  As  niuch  as  to  fay,  we  aredefirous  tofave 
all  that  are  nearly*  related  to  thee?  for  thy  fake.  ?  -  . 

Ver. 


upon  GENESIS*  313 

Ver.  14.  Which  warned  his  Daughters."]  Had  efpou-  Chapter 
•Ted  them  for  their  Wives,  but   had  not  yet  confum-     XIX, 
mated   the   Marriage  5    as  <fome  tinder ftand   it.     O-  LXVNJ 
thers   will  have  it,  that,  Befides  thofe  two  Virgin  Verfe  14* 
Daughters  at  home  with  him,  he  had  other  Daugh 
ters,  who  were  actually  married  in  the  City.  Which 
1  they  gather   from    the  next  f'erfe^   take  thy  Wife  and 
'two  Daughters^  which  are  here  -:  As    if  he  had  more 
Daughters  elfewhere.     And  R.Jehuda  (in  Pirke  E- 
Ihfer,  c.  25.)  names  one  of  them  married  to  one  of 
the  great  Men  of  Sodom,  and  calls  her  Pelothit.     But 
^his  feems  rather  to  have  been  the  Name  of  one  of 
them  who  were  faved  by  the  Angels,  and  thence  fo 
called  :   For  it  fignifies  delivered^  otfnatch'd  from  de- 
.ftruftion. 

He  feemed  as  one  that  mocked^]  Who  was  not  in 
*arneft$  but  only  made  fport  with  them,  and  fpake 
in  jeft.  For  it  is  the  fame  word  from  whence  Ifajft 
is  derived,  which  fignifies  Laughter. 

Ver.  15.  And  when  the  morning  arofe.~]    At  break  of  Verfe  15. 
Day  :  For  the  Sun  did  not  rife,  till  Lot  was  got  into 
Zoar,  verfe  23. 

Takf  thy  Wife^  and  thy  two  Daughters,  which  are 
here."]  Thefe  laft  words,  which  are  here^  are  not  with 
out  Emphafis .-  And  paraphrafed  thus  by  the  Chal- 
dee  Interpreter,  which  are  found  faithful  with  thee:  Are 
not  corrupted  by  the  common  Wickednefs  of  this 
place}  or,  that  believe  what  we  threaten. 

Ver.  1 6.  While  he  lingred^     Being  loth  to  leave  Verfe  16. 
his  Goods,  or  his  Sons-in-law,  and  Children:  Or, 
as  fome  think,  praying  God  to  fpare  the  City. 

The  Men  laid  hold  upon  hi?  hand^  &C.3  One  of  the 
Angels  laid  hold  upon  him  and  his  Wife^  and  the 
other  upon  his  two  Daughters.-  Whom  they  pulled 

Sf  out 


&  eOMMENTART 

out  of  the  Houfe  with  fome  kind  of  constraint}  and 
led  them  out  of  the  City. 

yen  ljt  Hefald."]     That  Angel  who  had  a  pecu- 
verie  1  7  liar  Charge  of  preferving  Lot  and  his  Family.     See 
XVIII.  2. 

Efcapejorthy  life."]  Make  hade,  if  thou  loveft  thy 
Life. 

Loot^  not  behind  thee.~]  To  fee  what  becomes  of 
thy  Goods  $  or,  as  if  thou  waft  loth  to  leave  Sodom. 
Make  no  delay,  no  not  fo  much  as  to  turn  about  and 
look  back. 

Neither  Stay  thou  in,  the  Plain."]  Do  not  reft,  until 
thou  haft  got  out  of  the  Plain  :  For  every  Place  in 
it  is  to  be  deftroyed. 

Verfe  18.  Ver.iS.  And  hefaidunto  them,  8tc.]  Both  the  An 
gels  were  ftill  with  him  :  But  he  feems  particularly 
to  fpeak  to  him  that  led  him  and  his  Wife  out  of 
Sodomy  who  had  fpoken  before  to  him,  and  bid  him 
make  hafte,  verfe  17.  But  there  are  thofe  (Franzlw 
for  inftance)  who  would  have  the  word  Adonai 
tranflated  not,  myLord^  but  my  Lords  ^  as  if  he  fpake 
to  both. 

Verfe  I  Q»  Ver.  19.  I  cannot  efcape  to  the  Mountain,  Sccf]  He 
that  lingred  before,  verfe  16.  now  thought  he  could 
not  make  hafte  enough.  Either  being  crazy  $  or, 
tired  with  fitting  up  all  Night,  or,  fearing  the  de- 
ftru&ion  would  overtake  him,  before  he  could  reach 
the  Mountain  3  and  defiring,  perhaps,  to  have  a  bet 
ter  dwelling  than  that. 
Verfe  10,  Ver.  10.  MySoHlfhattlrve.~\  Rejoyce,  and  be  ex- 

'  ceeding  thankful. 
Verfe  21*     Ver-  2*«  ^>  1  have  accepted  thee^]    Granted  thy 


I  will 


upon  G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  3 '  $ 

overthrow ^t.}  A  wonderful  Inftance  of  Chapter 
the  Divine  Clemency :  Which  in  the  midft  of  Wrath  XIX, 
remembred  Mercy.  L/"VNJ 

Ver.  xx.  Haftethee.']  Make  no  more  delates  .•  No,Verfe  12. 
not  to  make  any  further  Petitions. 

I  cannot  do  any  thing  tillthoit  be  come  thither.']  Ha 
ving  made  thee  this  Promife,  I  muft  defer  the  Venge 
ance  till  thou  art  fafe  there. 

Called  ZoarJ]  In  after-times  it  had  this  Name  ^ 
from  the  fmalnefs  of  it  5  which  he  twice  mentions, 
verfe  20. 

Ver.  24.  The  LORD  rained  from  the  LOR  £>.]  Verfe  14. 
It  cannot  be  denied  that  here  is  an  Intimation  of  a 
Plurality  of  Perfons  in  the  Deity.  Yet  there  are  ma 
ny  both  ancient  and  modern  Interpreters,  who  think 
the  meaning  is  no  more,  than  the  LORD  fent  this 
Rain  from  himfelf,  it  being  the  manner  oif  the  Scri 
pture  Phrafe,  to  repeat  the  Noun  inftead  of  the  Pro- 
noun  ("as  Grammarians  fpeak)  of  which  Cocceivs  (up 
on  theGemara  of  the  Sanhedrim,  C.  IV.J  gives  thefe 
Inftances,  Gen.  II.  20.  ivSW.XII.  n.Zecb.  I.  16. 
And  there  are  others,  which  come  nearer  to  thefe 
words,  Exod.  XXIV.  and  he  (i.e.  the  LORD*  verfi 
3.)  faid  unto  Mofes,  Come  up  unto  the  LORD.  Hof. 
I.  7.  Iwtllfave  them  by  the  LORD  their  GoJ.  Zech. 
X.  iz.  I  willftrengthen  them  in  the  LORD,  &c.  The 
Council  of  Sirmium  indeed  anathematizes  thofe  who 
thus  interprets  thefe  words,  and  do  not  fay,  the  Son 
rained  from  the  Father,  Socrat.  L.  II.  c.  30.  Yet 
St.  Chryfotfom  did  not  fear  to  fay  this  is  an  Idiom  of 
the  Scripture-Language,  which  intended  only  to 
(how,  <fa  *»&(&,  r'77|w^e/^  l-Mytyiy  that  the  LORD 
brought  this  Puniftiment  upon  them.  Others  alfo 
have  obferved,  that  the  Scripture-Phrafe  being  very 

S  f  2  con- 


- 

316  v*  COMMENTARr 

Chapter    concife,  by  the   LORD  (in  the  beginning  of  the 
XIX,     forfe)  may  be  meant  the.  Angel  of  the  LORD.     For 
wherefoever  mention  is  made  of  the  LORD  it  is 
to  be  underftood  of  him,    UH   nm,  and  his  houfe  of 
judgment,  (as  the  Jewifi  Doftors  fpeak )  ?.  e.  of  the 
-Angels  which  attend  his  Divine  Majefty.     And  thus 
I  find  Arethas,  ("or  Andreas  Cdfarienfiis )  in  his  Com 
mentaries  upon  the  Revelation,  p.  729.  under ftand 
tjiefe  words.     For  he  there  compares  that  Captain 
who  was  over  the  Locufts,  Revel.  IX.  1 1.  to  the  An* 
gel  that  was  fent  to  cut  off  the  Army  of  Senacherib± 
and  to  this  Angel,  cO>?$f  SbS^jUAv  -r  Si^^v  cA^pcv 
^75^rtt^  who  had  the  Charge  of  executing  the  fiery 
deftrudhon  upon  Sodom  committed  to  him.     For  all 
Angels,  faith  he,  are  not  miniftring  Spirits,  &?$  <^a^- 
vioiv  cvTv&tw,  for  Mens  Prefervation,  but  fome  ferve, 
w  TifMveJiav,    for   Punifhment,     And  that  they  can 
bring  Fire  from  Heaven,  and  raife  Storms  and  Tern- 
pefts,  appears  by  the  Story  of  Job. 

Ovt  of  Heaven.']  From  the  Lord  whofe  Seat  is 
in  Heaven*  The  like  expreiEon  we  have,  Revel. 
XX.  9. 

^Upon  Sodom  and  upon  Goworrha.~]  And  the  neigh 
bouring  Cities,  Admah  and  Ztboim  y  as  appears  from 
Dent.  XXIX.  23. 

Brimftone  and  Fire.']  A  moft  hideous  Shower,  or, 
rather  Storm  of  Nitre,  Sulphur ,  or  Bitumen^  mingled 
with  Fire,  fell  upon  this  Country  from  above  $  and, 
as  the  Tradition  was  among  the  Heathen,  accompa 
nied  with  a  dreadful  Earthquake  :  Which  made  an 
irruption  of  thofe  bituminous  Waters,  whereby  this 
Country  was  turned  into  the  Lake  called  Afphaltites^ 
or  thejkfr,  or  dead  Sea.  So  Strabo,  L.XVI.  in  his 
defcription  of  that  Lake.  And  indeed  it  doth  not 

feens 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  8.  917 

feern  improbable,  that  the  Earth  quaked,  while  the  Chapter 
Heavens  did  fo  terribly  frown,  and  the  Almighty's  XIX, 
Voice  thundred  from  the  Clouds,  as  Dodor  Jackson 
fpeaks,  Rook\-on  the  Creed,  c.  15.  For  the  word  ^c- 
Tttcppn,  (which  St.  Peter  ufes,  i  Pet.  II.  6.)  may  be 
thought  to  import  ibme  fuch  Subverfion.  But  it  was 
his  ignorance  of  the  Sacred  Tradition  in  the  Scri 
ptures,  which  made  Strabo  wholly  afcribe  the  defo-* 
lationof  that  Country  to  the  Earthy  and  not  at  all 
to  the  Heavens.  Whereas  Tacitus  was  better  infor 
med  :  Who  fays  thefe  Judaical  Cities  (as  he  calls  * 
them)  fulminant  jaftu  (or  iftit)  arj/ffe,  were  burnt 
by  the  ftroke  of  Thunder -bolts  from  Heaven :  And, 
a  little  after,  jgne  c#lcftiflagraffe^  were  fet  on  fire  and 
confumed  by  Lightning,  L.  V.  Hiftor.  With  which 
fell  fuch  abundance  of  bituminous  Stuff,  that  the 
Valley  which  had  only  fome  Pits  of  Bitumen  in  it  be 
fore,  XIV.  £,  10.  became  a  Lake  of  it. 

Ver.  25.  And  he  overthrew  thofe  Cities ^  &c]     Super 
impium    $o$ulum  gehennam   mijit   %  c&lo^    as  Salvian. 
gloffes,  L.  L  6T  L.  IV.  de  Gttbern.  Dei.     He  fent  Hell 
from  Heaven  upon  an  impious  People.     Ofwhofe 
deftru&ion   there  remains  an  everlalting  Monument 
in  the  Salt-Sea :  Inco  which  that  plain  Country  is 
turned.  The  quality  of  which,  and  of  the  Soil  about 
it  is  fo  contrary  to  the  Nature  of  all  other  Seas,  or 
Inland  Lakfs^  that  no  Philofopher can  give  an  account 
of  it,  like  that  which  Mofes  hath  given  us :  As  the 
fame  Doftor  Jackson  truly  obferves.     He  that  will 
read  Tacitus  in  the  place  forementioned,  or  Plinj^ 
or  Diodorut,  may  be  fatisfied  of  this.     The  Coun 
try  where  thefe  Cities   ftood,  being  become  a  Pan^ 
or  Receptacle  (as  the  fore-named  Doftor  well  calls 
it)  of  fuch  a  ftrange  Moifture,  that  it  may  be  cal» 

led' 


3iS  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    led  Liquid  Pitch,  rather  than  Water.     For  it  is  fo 
XIX.      ftiffthat  no  Wind  will  move  it  5  nor  will  a  Camel 

L/'VNJ  fink,  if  thrown  into  it}  nor  any  Fi(h,  or  Bird,  that 
ufes  the  Water,  live  in  it :  And  therefore  called  the 
Dead-Sea,  and  Salt-Sea,  asSalwafius  thinks,  (Exerc. 
Plinian.  Pag.  577,  614.)  becaufe  no  creature  can 
live  there,  and  becaufe  the  noifom  Steams  that  come 
from  it,  blaft  all  that  grows  of  it  felf,  or  is  fown  in 
the  Earth  about  it.  Nor  do  the  Rivers  that  run  in 
to  it,  at  all  alter  it^  but  it  infefts  all  their  Waters, 
with  the  loathfom  Qualities  of  thofe  Dregs  of  God's 
Wrath  ("to  ufe  Doftor  Jackson  $  words  once  morej 
which  firft  fettled  in  it,  at  this  overthrow:  Juft  like 
bad  Humours,  when  they  fettle  in  any  part  of  our 
Bodies,  plant,  as  it  were,  a  new  Nature  in  it,  and 
turn  all  Nourifhment  into  their  fubftance. 

Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  His  Wife  looked  back,  from  behind  hi m^\ 
She  not  only  lagg'd  behind,  as  we  fpeafc,  but  turned 
about  and  ftood  ftill  a  while,  bewailing  perhaps  the 
lofs  of  all  there.-  Or,  as  fome  of  the  Jews  fanfie,  to 
fee  what  would  become  of  her  Kindred,  and  whe 
ther  they  would  follow  her  or  no. 

Became  a  fillar  ofSalt.~\  Or,  as  fome  underftand 
it,  an  everlafting  Monument :  Whence,  perhaps,  the 
Jews  have  given  her  the  Name  of  Adith,  (as  they 
call  her  in  Pirke  Eliefer^  cap.  25.)  becaufe  (he  remain 
ed  a  perpetual  Teflimony  of  God's  juft  Difpleaiure. 
For  (he  (landing  ftill  too  long,  fome  of  that  dreadful 
Shower  before-mentioned,  overtook  her  ^  and  fal 
ling  upon  her,  wrapt  her  Body  in  a  Sheet  of  Nitro- 
"Sulphureous  Matter  :  Which  congealed  into  a  Cruft 
^as  hard  as  Stone:  And  made  her  appear  like  a  Pillar 
of  Salt,  her  Body  being,  as  it  were  candied  in  it. 
J&mchi  calls  it  an  heap  of  Salt  5  which  the  Hebrews 

fay 


upon    GENESIS.  319 

ifay  continued  for   many  Ages.     Their  Conjecture  isChapter 
not  improbable,  who  think  the  Fable  of  friobe  was      XIX. 
hence  derived  :  Who  the  Poets  feign,  was  turned  in-  L/"V"V) 
jto  a  Stone,  upon  her  exceilive  Grief  for  the  death  of 
'her  Children. 

Ver.  17.   Gat  to   the  place,  where  he  flood  before  fAe  Verfe  17* 
LORD.~]    Where  he  prayed,  (ay  the  Jews,  or  commu 
ned  with  God,  XVIII.  22,  33. 

Ver.  28.  Tfofa0l%rftheCcHntrj,fc£.~]  Some  think,.  Verfe  28. 
the  Hebrew  word  fignifies,  lik$  the  fwokc  of  a  Lfiwe- 
Kilv$  or  of  a  boiling  Cauldron.  After  the  Showre 
was  over,  the  Reek  or  Steam  of  it  remained  :  And 
made  that  Country  look  difmally,  which  before  was 
like  the  Garden  of  God,  (XIII.  10.)  but  now  be* 
come  a  (linking  Puddle  of  filthy  Water,  ^  '&$- 
SoAke)  £f<jayw,  as  Diodorta  fpeaks,  noiibm  beyond  ex- 
preffion. 

Ver.  29.  Overthrew  the  Cities,  wherein  Lot  dwelt,']  Verfe  29. 
In  one  of  which  he  dwelt:  Which  is  an  ufual  man 
ner  of  Speaking  in  Scripture,  Gen.  VIII.  4.  the  Arl^ 
rejled  on  the  Mountains,  (i.  e.  on  one  of  the  Moun 
tains)  of  Ararat,  Jitdg.  XII.  7.  Jepthah  was  buried  in 
the  Cities  (\.  e.  one  of  the  Cities)  of  Gilead.  Which 
explains  that  of  St.  Matthew,  XXVI.  8.  when  his 
Difctples,  (i.  e.  one  of  his  Difciples,  Jttda*}  faw  it 
he  had  indignation,  &C. 

Ver.  30.  And  Lot  went  up  out  of  Zoar,  &G.]  It  Verfe 
appears  from  hence,  that  this  good  Man  was  very  ti- 
ruerous,  not  having  fo  ftrong  a  Faith  as  his  Uncle  J- 
krahaw*  For  he  that  had  lately  obtained  a  Pardon 
for  this  Place,  becaufe  he  was  afraid  he  (hould  not 
have  time  enough  to  get  to  ttte  Mountain,  now  tor- 
fakes  it:  For  fear,  I  fuppofe,  a  new  Showre  {hould 
come  from  Heaven  and  deftroy  it,  after  the  reft  5 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    becaufe  the    Inhabitants,  perhaps,  continued    unre- 
XIX.      formed,  though  they  had  feen  inch  a  terrible  Exam- 

U'"V"NJ  pie  of  the  Divine  Vengeance  upon  their  wicked 
Neighbours,  If  his  fear  to  dwell  in  Zoar  proceeded 
from  this  Caufe,  it  was  the  more  reafonable  5  be 
caufe  he  might  think,  though  God  had  fparexl  them 
for  the  preient,  yet  they  taking  no  warning  by  the 
Calamity  of  their  Country,  would  fhortly  perifh  as 
the  reft  had  done.  And  fo  Jheodoret  and  others 
think  this  City  was  afrerwards  deftroyed  .-  Of  which 
there  is  no  certain  Record  $  and  if  the  Tradition  be 
true,  it  was  not  fpeedily  fwallowed  up,  as  they  re 
port,  but  retained  for  fome  time  the  Name  of  Zoar  $ 
being  before  called  Bel*,  XIV.  2. 

Dwelt  in  the  Mount am.']  It  is  not  £aid  what  Moun 
tain  $  but  it  is  probable  one  of  the  Mountains  in  the 
Country  afterward  called  Moab  $  from  one  of  his 
Children,  which  he  here  begat.  For  Eptyhan?#s  H<c- 
ref.Llll.  defcribes  the  Country  of  Moab,  as  lying 
*ni$2.v  £  &AvKfi<;,  6cc.  beyond  the  Salt,  or  Dead  Sea.  See 
Salmaf.  Exerc.  Plin.  />.  6 1 5 . 

Verfe  31.  Ver.  31.  There  is  not  a  Man  in  ail  the  Earth.  ~]  Nat 
one  remaining  of  their  Kindred,  that  they  knew: 
For  they  were  not  much  acquainted,  we  may  fup- 
pofe,  beyond  that  Country  which  was  deftroyed  ^ 
and  thofe  of  Zoar  were  fo  wicked,  that  they  look'd 
upon  them  as  Beads,  rather  than  Men. 

Verfe  32.  Ver.  32.  Let  us  make  him  drink^  Wine.']  Which 
they  brought  with  them  out  of  Sodom,  to  fup- 
port  their  Spirits  in  their  flight}  or,  elfe  got  at  Zo 
ar  :  Of  which  they  invited  their  Father  to  drink 
liberally,  and  chear  himfelf  under  his  ex tr earn  great 
Sorrow. 

That 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S,  321 

That  we  May  preferve  Seed  of  our  Father.^     This  Chapter 
Tad  of  theirs  being  objeded  by  Celfns  againftour     XIX. 
Religion,  Origen  gives  this  account  of  it,  (L/i.  IV.  L/*VNJ 
contra  Celf.)    That  thefe  two  Maids  having  learnt 
fomething  of  the  Conflagration  of  the  World,  and 
-feeing  their  own  City  and  Country  deftroyed  by  Fire, 
imagined  tyrw%$%  T£  ywu*,  £$  «V9f tewv,   that  the  Se 
minary  of  Mankind  remained  only  in  their  Father  and 
them.  And  if  what  they  did  was  upon  this  fuppofi- 
tion,    That  there  was  no  other  way  to  reftore  the 
'World  $  they  did  no  worfe  than  the  Stoicfa  thought 
their  wife  Men  might  do,    if  the  Race  of  Mankind 
wereextind,  To  that  none  but  he  and  his  Daughter 
were  left  alive.     Jren<eus  makes  the  fame  Excufe  for 
them,  and  fays  they  did  this  innocently,  and  in  their 
fimplicity,    believing  all  Mankind  were  deftroyed, 
L.  IV,  cap.  51.     But  f  take  their  Conjedure  to  be 
highly  probable,  who  conceive  tha.t  the  eager  De- 
fire,  vvhkh  then  poflefled  the   Hearts  of  good  Peo 
ple,   to  fulfil   the  Promife  of  the  Meffiah,    was  that 
which  put  them  upon  this,   other wife-monftrous, 
Crime.    For  which  there  are!  thefe  Ps,eafons.    f/rf?, 
That  they  had    lived  fo  chaftly  in  the  midft  of  the 
Impurities  of  Sodorn^  that  one  cannot  think  a  Spirit 
of  Uncleannefs  now  entred  into  them,  and  carried 
them  to  this  Adion.     And  indeed,  Secondly,,  Their 
joyning  together  in  this  Contrivance,  (whereas  Mat 
ters  of   this  Nature  ufe  to  be  carefully  concealed 
from  the  neareft  Friends,   or  make  them  fall  out,    if 
they  find  themfelves  ingaged  in  the  fame  Intrigue) 
(hows  that  they  were  aded  by  Counfej.  and  Defign, 
and  not  by  brutiih  Luft.     And,  Thirdly.,  Their  per 
petuating  the  Memory  of  this  Fad,    in  the  Nimes  of 
their  Children,  is  a  Demon ftration  there  was  fome- 

T  t  thing 


A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter   thing  extraordinary  in  it}  and  that  they  were  not 
XIX.      afhamed  of  it,  but  rather  gloried  in  it  5  defiring  it 

%^^v^^  might  be  remembred  that  thefe  Children  were  defcen- 
ded  from  Lot.  Who  they  thought,  perhaps,  might 
pretend  to  fulfil  the  Promife  as  well  as  Abraham^  Be 
ing  the  Son  of  Abrahams  elder  Brother  ;  and  called 
out  of  Sodom  by  the  Miniftry  of  Angels,  as  Abraham 
was  called  out  of  Chald<ea. 

Verfe  33.  Ver.  33.  He  perceived  not  whenjhelay  dorvn^  &c] 
This  feems  hard  to  be  underftood  .•  But  it  muft  be 
noted  ,  That  Mofes  only  fays  he  did  not  perceive 
when  (he  came  to  bed  to  him  ,  and  when  (he  got  up 
again  ;  not  that  he  did  not  perceive  when  he  lay  with 
her ,  of  which  he  could  not  but  have  fome  percep 
tion. 

Chough  MMontaigne  in  his  Effays^  relates  a  Story 
of  k  Widow  ,  who5  being  drunk  ,  wasabufed  by  a 
Hind  in  herHoufe  ,  and  afterward  finding  her  felf 
with  Child,  could  not  remember  how  it  came  to  pafs. 
But  the  Fellow  atlaft  confefled  his  Fa£L-  Of  which, 
whatfoever  Senfe  (he  had  then,  (he  had  perfeftly  for^ 
got  it  when  (he  awaked. 

Verfe  34.  Ver.  34'  Gothotiin,&c^]  If  he  had  retained  any 
remembrance  of  what  he  had  done  the  Night  before, 
one  cannot  think  he  would  have  fain  into  the  fame 
Snare  fo  foon  again.  For  which  reafon,  it  is  pro 
bable,  he  did  not  think  he  had  been  intoxicated,but 
only  drank  fo  freely  ,  as  to  make  himfleepfoundly, 
and  forget  his  Sorrow. 

Verfe  37-  Ver.  37.  Moab."]  Moft  will  have  this  word  to  fig  - 
nifie,  pom  my  Father.  But  Drujiw  in  Dent.  II.8.  takes 
the  import  to  be,  Aqna  Patrfr* 

Ver. 


upon  GE  N  E  S  I  S.  323 

j8.  Ben-ammi.']    This    fignifies  as  much  as,  Chapter 
the  Son  of  my  People.    Which  doth  not  acknowledge     XX. 
fo  plainly,  as  the  other,    That  this  Son  was  begot-  L^V^J- 
ten  by  her  Father .-   But  only  that  he  was  the  Son  of  VerU 
one  of  her  own  Nation,  or  Kindred  5  not  by  a  Stran 
ger. 


CHAP.     XX. 

Ver.   i. ^TOurneyed  from  thence.']    i.  e.  From  Mamre^  Verfe  i. 

J  where  he  had  dwelt  a  great  while,  and 
where  many  remarkable  Paflages  had  hapned,  XIII. 
1 8.  XVIII.  i. 

Toward  the  South  Country.']  Toward  Egypt :  For 
fome  fanfie  the  very  Stench  of  the  Lake  ot  Sodom  was 
ofFenfive  to  him  in  Mamre. 

Sojourned  in  Gerar."]  The  Metropolis  of  Paleftine  $ 
and,  as  fome  compute  it,  not  much  above  fix  Miles 
(mm  Mamre. 

Ver.  2.  Abraham  faid  of  Sarah,  &c.]  Juft  as  he  y  + 
had  done  in  Egypt ^  XII.  13.  when  there  was  greater 
reafon  for  it  3  fhe  being  then  thirty  Years  younger 
than  now  $  when  fhe  was  no  lefs  than  ninety  Years 
old.  But  it  feems  her  Beauty  remained  at  this  Age  5 
being  healthful,  and  having  born  and  fuckled  no 
Children.-  And  Women  in  thofe  days  living fo  long 
that  they  were  as  frefh  at  ninety,  as  they  are  now  at 
forty  or  fifty.  Where  many  that  are  of  excellent  Con- 
ftitutions,  and  naturally  handfom,  continue  very 
lovely. 

Ablmelech^]  The  Name  of  all  the  Kings  of  Pale- 
fane  3  as  Pharaoh  was  of  the  King's  of  Egypt.  It  is 

T  t  2  not 


324  *  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  not  improbable,    as  the  Author  of  Tzemath  David*. 
XX,      conjeOures,  that  the  fucceeding  Kings  took  the  Name 
lyv^w  of  him  who  was  the  firft  Ring  of  the  Country  :  Ad- 
A.  M.  2600'. 

S'ent  and  took,Sarah.'}     By  violence,  fome  think  $ 
but  I  fee  no  ground  for  it.     Hedefired  to  have   her  5 
and  might  tmvte:Akrahaw  would  look  upon  it   as  a 
great  Honour  ,  to  have  his  Sifter  become  Wife  to  a 
King  :   And  Abraham  it  is  likely  (howed  no  unwil? 
lingnefs,  not  being  in  a  condition  to  deny  him* 
Verfe  3*        Ver.  3-   AnA  God  came  to  Abimdech  m  a  dream  by 
Nigh."]    Two  differences  are   obfcrved  by  Mat  mo? 
nides  ^  between  this  manifethtion,  which  God  made 
of  his  Mind  to  Abimekth^    and  that  which  he  made 
to  the  Prophets.     For  it  is  only  faid  here ,  God  came 
to  Abimdech  ,  and  that  he  came  in  a  dream  by  night. 
The  very  fame  is  laid  oi: Labati "the  Syrian^  who  doth 
not  feem  to  have  been  fo  good  a  man  as  Abitnelecfy 
XXXI.  24.     But  of  Jacob  it  is  faid,  God  fpake  mtv 
Ifrael  ,    and  he  fpake  to  him  in  the  Vifions  of  the 
Islight  ,  CNotin  a  Dream  J  and  faid;,  Jacob,  Jncob9 
XLVI.  2.    See  More  Nevoch.  P.  IF.  c.  41:     God  was 
not  a  Stranger  to  other  Nations,  when  he  was  pecu 
liarly  kind  to  Abraham .:  But  {pake  to  them  in  Dreams, 
and  fometimes  in  Vifions  3    as  appears  in  Elfphaz  and 
Elihu,  JoblV.  13.  XXIII.  14,  15,  8rc. 

Thou  art  but  a  dead  Mm.]  viz.  If  thou  doft  not 
reftore  Abraham  his  Wife,^erp  7. 

She  it  a  Mans  Wife.']  Or,  married  to  a  Hatband, 
(as  wetranflate  it  in  the  Margin)  fo  compleatly, 
that  he  hath  enjoyed  her  as  his  Wife.  For  from  this 
place  the  Jewijh  Dodlors  prove  ,  that  the  Marriage 
Contraft  was  not  perfefted  in  thele  days,  till  the  Par 
ties  had  lain  together  :  After  which  if  any  other  Per- 

fon 


upon    GENE  SI  S.  325 

ibn  lay  with  the  Woman,  he  was  to  be  puttodeath^Chapter 
as  an  Adulterer  3  but  not  5  if  he  lay  with  her  after     XX, 
the  Contract  ,  before  it  was  confummated  by  aftual  W*V"NJ 
Enjoyment.     See  Mr.  Selden,  dejure  N.  &G.  £.  W 
^4,>55i: 

Ver.  4;  But  Abimelech  had  not  come  near  her."]     To  Vene  4, 
ufe  her  as  his  Wife. 

Wilithonflay  alfo  a  righteous-Nation  ?  ~]  He  was 
afraid  (as  became  a  good  Man  and  a  good  K'mg) 
left  his- People  ftiould  fuffa$upon  his  account- 5  who 
in  this  particular,  had  no  Guilt  upon  them. 

Ver.  $;Saidhenotunto  me&cl]      The   Fault  is  ia  Verfe  5* 
them,  not  in  me  :  For  I  had  both  their  words  for  it, 
that  he  was  their  Brother  5  and  he  faid  nothing  of  her 
being  his  Wife. 

In  the  integrity  of  my  hearth]  Not  with  any  inten 
tion  to  Defile  her  5  but  to  make  her  my  Wife. 

And  innocence  of  my  hands']  I  did  not  take  her 
by  Violence  from  Abr aham  5  but  he  and  (heconfented 
to  it. 

Ver.  6.;  And  God  faid  nnto  him  in  a  dream,'}     The  Verfe  6. 
fame  Expreffion  is  ftill  retained  ,  which  we  had  verfe 
3.  to  (how  that  this  was  a  lower  Degree  of  Divine 
Manifeftation,  than  was  in  Abrahams  Family. 

I  know  thoH  didft  thfc  in  the  integrity^  &C."]  /.  e.Thet 
thou  didft  not  defign  any  Evil. 

tor  I  alfo,  5cc.j  Or,  rather,  And  I  alfo  withheld 
thee.  I  dealt  well  with  thee,  becaufe  of  thy  integri 
ty.  Some  think  he  was  withheld  by  a  Difcafe  in  the 
Secret  Parts,  verfe  17. 

From  finning  again  ft  me."]  From  committing  A- 
dultery. 

Ver.  7.  He  if  a  Prophet^]  This  is  the  fir  ft  time  we  Verfe  7, 
meet  with  the  word  AW>/va  Prophet  ,•  And  Abrahdte 

is 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    is  the  firft  that  is  honoured  with  this  Name.  Which 
XX.      fignifies  one  familiar  with  God  5  who  might  come  to 

*^v*^  him ,  to  confult  him  upon  all  occafions  $  and  be  ap- 
thorifed  to  declare  God's  Mind  and  Will  to  others  5 
and  alfo  prevail  with  him  by  his  Prayers  for  a  Blef- 
fing  upon  them.  So  it  here  follows. 

tie  ftall pray  for  thee."}  Obtain  Life  and  Health  to 
thee.  The  greater  any  Prophet  was,  the  more  pow 
erful  he  was  in  Prayer  .•  As  appears  by  the  Stories  of 
Mofes,  Ellas,  and  Samuel.  See  Pfalm  XCIX.  6. 

It  appears  by  this  whole  Hiftory  of  Abimelechfozt 
he  was  a  Man  of  great  Vertue  in  thofe  Days  .•  And 
not  an  Idolater  ,  but  a  Worlhipper  of  the  true  God, 
as  Melchifedeckfa  High-Prieft  of  that  Country  was : 
Yet  not  fo  well  acquainted  with  Divine  Revelations 
as  Abraham  was. 

Verfe  8,  Ver.  8.  Abiwelech  rofe  up  early  In  the  worning.^Ttiis 
is  a  farther  Token  of  his  Goodnefs,  that  he  delayed 
not  to  obey  the  Divine  Command. 

Called  all  bis  Servants."]  His  Privy  Council,  (as  we 
fpeakjwho  were  all  of  the  fame  Mind  with  him^That 
this  was  a  Divine  Admonition  5  which  it  was  notfafe 
to  difobey.  From  whence  we  may  probably  gather, 
his  Court  was  not  fo  corrupted  ,  as  Abraham  fufpeft- 
ed. 

Verfe  9-  Ver.  9.  What  haft  thou  done  unto  vs?~]  Into  what 
Danger  haft  thou  brought  us.<? 

Thou  haft  brought  on  me  and  my  Kingdom  a  great 
Sin.  3  Run  me  into  the  hazard  of  committing  a 
great  Sin  ,  or  fuffering  an  heavy  Punifhment  ,  (for 
fo  Sin  is  fometimes  taken)  in  not  telling  me  the  truth. 
Thou  haft  done  deeds  unto  me,  that  ought  not  to  be 
done.~]  This  is  not  fair  dealing;  fuch  as  I  might  have 
expe&ed  from  thee. 

Ver. 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S:  327 

Ver.  10.  Whatfaweft  thott,&c.~]     What  did  ft  thou  Chapter 
obfcrve  in  my  Country ,  that  made  thee  think   we      XX. 
would  meddle  with  thy  Wife  ?  What  Tokens  of  In-  •x-v1^ 
juftice,  or  Impurity  didftthou  fee  among  us  ?  Verfe  10. 

Ver,  1 1 .  Becaufe  I  thought  furely,  &c.]     The  word  Verfe  1 1 . 
Rak. which  we  tranflatey/ire/j>,lignifies  only  .-and  may 
be  thus  well  tranflated  here  ,  This  only  I  few  wanting 
$n  jour  Country, ike  fear  of  God  :  i.  e.  A  Sence  of  Reli- 
;ion  ,  which  reftrains  Men  from  all  manner  of  Wick- 
dnefs.  It  feems  the  People  were  not  fo  good  as  their 
ing. 

Ver.  n.  And  yet  indeed  foe  is  my  Sifter^]    Do  not  Verfe  12. 
ondemn  me  of  telling  a  Lye  $    for  (he  is  truly  my 
Sifter.     Such  was  the  Language  of  thofe  Days ,  to 
call  their  Wives,  Sifters  5  and  their  Nephews  ,  Bro- 
hers.  As  he  calls  Lot,  XIIL  8.  who  was  his  Nephew* 
and  the  Brother  of  Sarah  y  as  was  obferved   upon 
I.  29. 

She  is  the  Daughter  of  my  Father^]  i.  e.  His  Father's 
Grand-daughter }  who  are  frequently  in  Scripture 
called  the  Children  of  their  Grand- fathers.  For  (he 
was  Daughter  to  Haran  ,  elder  Brother  of  Abra 
ham. 

But  not  the  Daughter  of  my  Mother^  It  feems  Te- 
rah  had  two  Wives ,  by  one  of  which  he  had  Haran^ 
the  Father  of  Lot  and  Sarah  ^  and  by  the  other  he 
had  Abraham.  So  Sarah  was  Daughter  to  one  who  was 
his  Brother  by  his  Father's  fide  ,  but  not  by  his  Mo 
ther  :  And  with  fuch  a  Niece  they  thought  it  not  un 
lawful  then  to  marry.  No  regard  being  had  toCon- 
fanguinity  (if  we  may  believe  R.Solomon  Jar  chf)  by 
the  Father's  fide,  before  the  Law  of  Mofes,  but  only 
by  the  Mother'*, 

Ttie 


-.3iS  A   COMMENTAKr 

Chapter        The  more  received  Opinion  indeed  of  the 

XX.  Doftorsis.,  (as  Mr.Selden  obferves,  L.  V.  de  Jure  N. 
iyV^VJ  ^  Q-  *v#.«  2")  th^  SW<*A  was  indeed  the  Daughter 
ofTerah  by  his  feccnd  Wife,  and  fo  Abrahams  half 
Sifter.  And  Sakl  Batricides  (Patriarch  of  Alexan 
dria  above  feven  hundred  Years  ago)  in  his  Arabic!^ 
Hi  (lory,  tells  us  the  Name  of  Terah's  firft  Wife  was 
Jofga  '•>  and  the  Name  of  his  fecond  Tevhha,  by  whom 
he  had  Sarah.  But  there  is  no  other  Authority  for 
this. 

Yerle  13.      Ver.  I  j,  WhenGod  caufed  me  to  wander^]  The  He 
brew  word  which  we   tranflate  wander,    being    in 
the  Plural  Number,  the  LXX.  render  the  word  Elo- 
fam  (God)  the  Angels  :  Who  by  the  Command  of 
God  led  him  from  his  Father's  Houfe,  through  di 
vers  Countries.     But  the  Chaldce  tranflates  it,  when 
becaufe  of  the  Idols  ofChald<ea  I  was  called  away  from 
my  own  Country,  e£v.  For  fo  the  Gods,  thatis,  the 
Idol  Gods,  might  befaid  to  caufe  him  to  wander :  Be- 
caufe  it  was  by  reafon  of  them,  that  God  would  not 
have  him  flay  any  longer  in  his  own  Country.    But 
there  is  no  need  of  thefe  Devices:    Nothing  being 
moreufual,    in  the  Hebrew  Language,  than  for  the 
Plural  Number  to  be  put  inftead  of  the  Singular ^ 
efpecially  when  they  fpeak  of  God,   as  Boehart  ob 
ferves  in  many  places,  G^.XXXV./.  Exod.  XXXII. 
4.  PJalm  CXLIX.    a.  Ecckf.  XII.  i.     See  Hierozotc. 
P.  I.  L.  II,  c.  34.  Nay,  Hacks^an  hath  rightly  obfer- 
ved,  that  there  are  Nouns  of  the  Plural  Number  in 
their  Termination,which  infignificationare  Singular 5; 
with  which  it  is  ufual  to  joyn  a  Ferbof  the  Plural 
Number;  becaufeof  the  Plural  Termination  of  the 
Noun.  A  plain  Example  of  which  we- have  Gen.  IV, 
6.  Why  is  thy  Countenance  (in  the  Hebrew  Faces}  fain. 

The 


m 

upon  GENESIS. 

The  like  he  obferves  in  the  Syriack  Language,  John  Chapter 
I.  4.  The  life  (in  the  Syriacl^  lifes)   was  the  light  of    XX^ 
Men. 

Ver.  16.  I  have  given  thy  Brother  a  thoufand  pieces 
ofSilver.']  The  word  pieces  is  not  in  the  Hebrew. 
But  by  CefephSilver,  all, in  a  manner,  underftand  She 
kels.  For  anciently  there  were  no  Shekels  of  Gold  or 
Brafs,but  only  of  Silver.  Yet  there  are  thofe  who  think 
he  did  not  give  him  thus  much  in  Money  ^  but  in  the 
Goods  before-mentioned,  verfe  14.  which  were  worth 
a  thoufand  Shekels.  See  XXIIL  1 6. 

He  is  nnto  thee  A  covering  of  the  Eyes,  Sccf)  Thefe 
words  are  very  varioufly  expounded,  according  as  the 
firft  word  hu  is  interpreted  .•  Which  may  relate  either 
to  the  Gift  before-mentioned,  and  be  tranflated,  thh$ 
or,  to  Abraham,  and  be  tranflated,  he,  as  it  is  by  us. 
If  they  refer  to  the  former,  then  the  Sence  is  $  I  have 
given  him  that  Sum  of  Money  to  buy  thee  a  Veil,  that 
all  who  converfe  with  thee  here,  or  in  any  other  Country \ 
(where  tkon  /halt  come)  may  know  thee  to  be  a  married 
Woman.  For  a  Veil  was  worn  in  Token  of  Subjedrion 
to  the  Power  of  the  Husband  5  and  that  thereby  their 
Chaftity  might  be  preferved  fafe  from  the  Snares  of 
others.  As  G,  Vorftitts  obferves  upon  Pirk?  Eliefer^ 
Cap.  XXXII.  Or,  as  others  interpret  it,  Tbit  Money 
willbe  a  covering  to  thine  Eyes,  ("that  is,  a  defence  to 
thy  Modefty)  it  being  a  tejlimony  that  Abimelechfaid 
dear  for  taking  thee  into  bis  Hwfe. 

If  they  refer  to  Abraham,  then  the  meaining  is  $ 
ThoH  needefl  no  other  defence  of  thy  Modefty  and  Chafti 
ty  than  he,  nor  haft  any  reajon  to  fay  hereafter,  he  it 
thy  Brother  ^  for  he  is  fo  dear  to  God  that  God  will 
defend  him,  and  he  will  defend  thee,  without  fnch^Jhiftf 
AS  this  thou  haftufed  :  Nay,  not  only  thee->  but  all  that 

V  V  4W 


330  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    are  with  thee  $  and  that  even  agafaftftravgers.     I  omit 
XXI.     other  Interpretations  .•  ?And  refer  the  Reader  to  L. 

^^v^-*  de  D/en. 

Thus  Jhe  was  reproved^  Or,  inftruSed^  (as  fome 
tranflate  it)  not  to  diffemble  her  Condition,  Or 
this  was  the  Reprehenfion  he  gave  her,  for  faying 
Abraham  was  her  Brother. 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  So  Abraham  frayed  unto  God,  &c^  Be- 
feeched  God  to  reftore  them  all  to  their  Health,  now 
that  his  Wife  was  reftored  to  him.,  verfe  14. 

Verfe  1 8.  Ver.  1 8.  For  the  LORD  had  faft  clofed  ///>,  &c.] 
By  fuch  Swellings  (fome  underftand  it)  in  the  Se 
cret  Parts,  that  the  Men  could  neither  enjoy  their 
Wives }  nor  the  Women  who  were  with  Child,  be 
delivered. 


CHAP.     XXI. 


Ver-  r-         ND  the  LORDvted  S*r^Scc    Be* 


Verfe  i.      e-  r-    A 

JL\  ftowed  upon  her  the  Bidding  he  had 

promifed  her,  I  e.  made  her  conceive.  For  fo  the 
word  vijptfiffAGes  ;  either  in  a  bad  Sence  to  inflift 
Puniftiment,  (Exod.  XX.  sO°r>  ina  good  Sence,  to 
confer  Bleffings  5  as  here,  and  Exod.  III.  1  6.  and  ma 
ny  other  places. 

And  he  did  unto  her  as  he  %adfpoken.~]  Performed 
his  Promife,  by  making  her  bring  forth  a  Child  /  For 
fo  it  is  explained  in  the  next  Verfe,  Sarah  conceived 
and  bare  Abraham  a  Son. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Sarah  conceived,  &c^\  God  not  only  made 
her  Wamb  fruitful,  but  brought  the  Fruit  of  it  to 
perfe&ion  5  and  then  brought  it  into  the  World. 

At 


-upon  GENESIS.  331 

Atthefet  f/V/e,    of  winch  God  had  ffoken  to  him^  Chapter 
XVIII.  14.  It  is  not  faid,  where  Ifaac  was  born;  For     XXI, 
we  are  not  told  here,  whether  Abraham  departed  from  t/"VNJ 
Gcrar  into  any  other  part  of  this  Country,  as  Abime- 
lech  kindly  offered  and  gave  him  liberty  to  do,  XX. 
i  f .  But  it  appearing  by  the  latter  end  of  this  Chapter, 
that  he  continued  a  long  time  in  Abimelech's  Country, 
though  not  at  Gerar  ;  it  is  probable  Ifaac  was  born  at 
Beer/heba,  Ferfe  31. 

Ver.  6.  God  hath  made  me  t0lat/gh.~]  ?.  e.  To  rejoyce  Verfe  6* 
exceedingly. 

So  that  all  that  hear,  will  laugh  with  we  7\  All  my 
Friends  and  Neighbours,  will  congratulate  my  Hap- 
pineft,  and  rejoyce*  with  me. 

Ver,  7.  Give  Children  fuck^]  It  is  ufual  to  put  the  Verfe  •). 
Plural  Number  for  the  Singular,  as  was  obferved  be 
fore  XIX.  29.  Or,  (he  hoped  perhaps  to  have  more 
Children  after  this.  And  her  giving  him  fuck,  was 
a  certain  proof,  that  (he  had  brought  him  forth  of  h^r 
own  Womb  5  and  that  he  was  not  a  fuppofititious 
Child,  as  Menochms  well  obferves.  Others  note, 
That  the  greateft  Perfons  in  thofe  ancient  Days,  fuck- 
led  their  own  Children :  Which  Favorinus,  a  Greek 
Philofopher,  prefled  as  a  Duty  upon  a  Noble  Wo 
man  by  many  ftrong  Arguments  .•  Which  are  record 
ed  by  A.  Gellius,  who  was  prefent  at  his  difcourfe,  L. 
XII.  Nott.  Attic,  up.  i. 

Ver.  8,  The  Child  grew >    and  was  weaned.]    At  the  Verfe  8* 
Age  of  Jive  Years  old,    at  St.  Hierom  reports  the  Opi 
nion  of  fome  of  the  Hebrews. 

Made  a  great  Feafl  the  fame  day.'}  Rather  now,  than 
at  his  Nativity  $  becaufe  there  was  greater  hope  of 
life,  when  he  was  grown  fo  ftrong,  as  to  betaken  from 
his  Mother's  Breaft. 

Vv  a  Ver. 


A  COMMENTARY 

Ver.  9.  Sarah  faw  the  Son  ofHagar,  &C.  mocl$ng~\ 
He  laugh'd  and  jear'd,   perhaps,    at  the  great  bulUe 
which  was  made  at  Ifaxcs  weaning  r     Looking  upon 
Verle  9.  himfelfas  the  Firft-born,   and  by  the  right  of  that, 
to  have  the  privilege  of  fulfilling  the  Promife  of  the 
Meffiab.    This  gives  a  good  account  of  Sarah's  Ear- 
neftnefs  for  the  Expulfion,    not  only  of  him,  but  of 
his  Mother  alfo$  who,  it's  likely,  flattered  and  bare 
him  up  in  thofe  Pretenfions.     Many  think  he  did 
more  than  ^^4him,becaufe  St.  Paul  calls  it  Perfection, 
Gal.  IV.  29.  which  St.  Hierom  takes  for  beating  Ifaac : 
Who,  perhaps,  refenting  his  Flouts,  might  fay  fome- 
thing  that  provoked  Ifivtael  to  ftrike  him.    And  it  ft 
very  probable  his  Mother  encouraged  him  to  this,  or 
maintained  him  in  hislnfolence  :  Which  was  the  rea- 
fon  Sarah  preffed  to  have  them  both  turned  out  of 
doors. 

Some  think  he  jetted  upon  his  Name,  and  made  it 
a  matter  of  Merriment.  For  fo  the  word  is  ufed,  XIX. 


Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  Caft  out^  Scc.^  Let  them  not  dwell  here 
any  longer  $  nor  continue  a  part  of  thy  Family. 

Shall  not  be  Heir ^  &c]  She  judged,  by  what  (he 
had  feen  of  his  fierce  and  violent  Spirit,  that  it  would 
not  be  fafe  for  her  Son,  to  let  Ifht/ael  have  any  (hare  in 
his  Father's  Inheritance:  For  (he  was  afraid  he  would 
make  himfelf  Matter  of  all. 

Verfe  n.      Ver.  n.  Grievous  ^  becanfeofhis  Son."]  His  Wife  is 
"not  here  mentioned  $  becaufe  his  principal  Concern 
was  for  her  Son  .•  But  it  appears,  by  the  next  Verfe,  he 
had  fome  Confederation  of  her  alfo. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  Godfa&unto  Abraham,  &C.3  By  this  he 
was  fatisfied  that  Sarah's  Motion  proceeded  not  merely 
from  her  Anger  j  but,  from  a  Divine  Incitation. 

For 


upon    GENESIS.  333 

For  m  Ifaac  fhati  thy  Seed  be  called^  Here  the  Blef-  Chapter 
fing  promifed  to  Abrahams  Seed,  XVII.  7,  8.  is  limi-      XXI. 
ted  to  the  Pofterity  of  Ifaac :    And  the  meaning  of  L/"WI 
the  Phrafe  is ,  they  that  defcend  from  Ifaac  ^  and  not 
they  that  defcend  from  lfamadft&\\  be  owned  by  me 
forthe  Children  of  Abraham  $    particularly  the  Mefi 
ftttk  (hall  be  one  of  his  Seed. 

Ver.  13.  Alfo  of  the  Son  of  thy  hand-maid,  &C,]HeVerfe  13. 
renews  the  Promifehe  made  him  before,   XVII.  20. 
that  Ifontael  (hould  have  a  numerous  Pofterity  ••    Be- 
caufe  he  wasdefcended  from  Abraham. 

Ver.  14.  Rofe  up  early  in  the  morning.']     Delayed  Verfe  14* 
not  to  fulfil  the  Divine  Will. 

Took  Bread  and  a  bottle  ofiVater.~]    Which  includes 
all  fort  of  Provifion  for  their  prefent  necedity  .•    Till 
they  came  to  the  place  unto  which,   in  all  probabili 
ty,  he  direfted  them  to  bend  their  Courfe.     For  it  is 
not  reafonable  to  think,    that  he  fent  them  to  feek 
their  Fortune  (as  we  fpeak)  without  any  care  what 
became  of  them.    It  may  feem  ftrange  rather,  that  he 
did  not  fend  a  Servant  to  attend  them,   but  let  Hagar 
carry  the  Provifion  her  felf.-    Which  I  fuppofe  was 
done  to  humble. her  $  and  to  (how  that  her  Son,   was 
to  have  no  Portion  of  Abrahams  Inheritance,  nor  of 
his  Goods  ^  of  which  Servants  were  apart.    Doftor 
Jaclyon,  Bool^l.  on  the  Creed^chap.  25.  thinks  that  A- 
brahtm  would  fcarce  have  fuffered  them  to  go  into  a 
Wildernefs^  fo  poorly  provided,  when  he  had  ftore  of 
all  things,  unlefs  he  had  been  direfted  by  fome  fecret 
Inftinft  5  prefaging  the  rude  and  (harking  kind  of  life, 
unto  which  his  Progeny  was  ordained,  Yet,  it  is  pro 
bable,  he  was  as  kind  to  him,  as  he  was  to  the  Sons  he 
had  by  Keturah,     and  Tent  him  fome  Tokens  of  his 
JLove  afterwards.     See  XXV.  6. 

Ver. 


334  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter         Ver.  15.    She  caft  the  Child  under  one  of  the  Shrubs."]  \ 
XXI.      He  being  faint,  and  ready  to  die  with  Third.    A  Pre- 

IXVNJ  fage  (faith  the  great  Man  before-named)    that  his 

Verfe  I5.pofterity  fhould  be  pinched  with  the  like  Penury  .• 
Scantinefsof  Water  fwhich  was  their  beft  Drink :) 
ftreightning  their  Territories  in  Arabia^  as  S'trtiboob- 
ferves,  L.  XVI.  And  after  they  had  inlarged  their 
Bounds,  even  in  Mefopotatnla  it  felf,  they  were  ftill 
confined  to  the  dry  and  barren  Places  of  it. 

Verfe  \6.  Ver.  16.  And  /he  went  and  fat  her  d,own^  Sec.]  Her 
Strength  carried  her  further  than  he  could  go/  But 
her  Affeftion  ftill  kept  her  within  light  of  the  place 
where  he  was. 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  And  God  heard  the  Yoke  of  the  Lad.'] 
Who  cried,  it  feems,  as  well  as  his  Mother.-  And  it 
moved  the  Divine  Pity  to  fend  an  Angel  to  their 
Relief. 

Fear  not."]  Do  not  think  I  come  to  terrific  thee  .• 
Or,  do  not  fear  the  Death  of  thy  Child, 

Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  Lift  up  the  Lad,  &c«3  It  feems  he  was 
fo  faint,  that  he  was  not  able  to  ftand  without  f up- 
port. 

Verfe  19,  Ver.  19.  Opened  her  Eyes."}  Made  her  fee  what  (he 
did  not  obferve  before  ^  by  reafon  of  her  Tears,  or 
the  great  difturbance  of  her  Mind. 

Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  And  God  was  with  the  Lad."]  Preferved 
and  profpered  him  :  So  that  he  grew  to  be  a 
Man. 

Became  an  Archer. ~]  A  skilful  Hunter  and  Warri- 
our  alfo,  with  Bow  and  Arrows.  Am.  Marcellinus^ 
L.  XIV.  tells  us,  that  the  Saracens^  who  were  of  the 
Pofterity  of  IJhmael^  never  fet  their  Hands  to  the 
Plough,  but  got  their  Living  for  the  moft  part, 
by  their  Bow.  For  fuch  as  they  were  themfelves, 

fuch 


ufon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  935 

fuch  was  their  Food,  (VjStis  univtrfis  caro  feri-  Chapter 
na,  &c.)  they  all  lived  upon  wild  Fle(b,  or  Venifon,  XXI. 
and  fuch  wild  Fowl  as  the  Wildernefs  afforded,  with 
Herbs  and  Milk.  Dr.  Jackson  obferves  that  he  com 
pares  them  to  Kites  $  ready  to  fpy  a  Prey,  but  fo  wild 
withal  that  they  would  not  ftay  by  it,  fas  Crows  or 
other  ravenous  Birds  do  by  Carrion  j  but  prefently 
fled  with  what  they  caught  into  their  Nefts. 

Ver,  21*    He  dwelt  in  the  Wildernefs  of  Paran.~]  Verfe^ 
Which  was  near  to  Arabia  :    In  which  Country  all 
the  Oriental  Writers  fay  thePofterity  ofl/fwtael  lived. 
Particularly  Patricides,  who  fays  he  went  into  the 
Land  of  Jathreb  5    which  is  that  part  of  Arabia,  in' 
which  is  the  City  of  Medina. 

A  Wife  out  of  Egypt."]  Out  of  her  own  Country, 
where  (he  was  beft  acquainted.    The  fevi/b  Doftors 
fay  he  had  two  Wives,    whofe  Names  they  tell  us 
were  Aifchab  and  Phatimah :   The  firft  of  which  re 
ceived  Abraham  churlifhly  when  he  went  to  vifit  his 
Son  5   and  therefore  he  put  her  away  and  took  the 
other,  who  proved  more  civil,   when  he  made  a  fe- 
cond  Journey  thither.     Which,  though  it  look  like 
a  Fable,  yet  I  think  it  not  improbable  that  Abraham 
might  go  to  fee  how  his  Son  lived,  and  that  Ifomad 
might  fometimes  wait  upon  him,  (as  the  Author  of 
Schalfihali.  Hakab.    *nd  Pirkg  Eliefer  affirm )  for  we 
cannot  think  they  were  fo  unnatural,    as  never  to 
have  any  correfpondence  .•   Efpecially  fince  we  read  = 
that  Ifomad^  as  well  as  Jfaac^  took  care  of  Abrahams 
Funeral,  XXV,  9.     After  which,  it  is  not  improba 
ble  Bagar  might  have  another  Husband  .•   Which  is  « 
the  account  Aben  Ezra  (upon  Pfalm  LXXXIII,  6.) 
gives  of  the  People  called  Hagarews^  who  are  there  : 
mentioned  as  diftinafrom  the  Ifhtt/Aelitcs :    They 

were,, 


336  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    were,    faith  he,    defcended  from  Hagar  by  another 
XXI.      Husband,   not  by  Abraham. 
L/*W)       Ver.  22.  Abimelech  and  Pichol^  See."]  It  is  plain  by 

Verfe  22. this  that  Abraham  ftill  lived,  if  not  in  the  Country  of 
Gerar,  yet  very  near  it. 

God   is  with  thee  In  all  that  then  doft.~]     They  faw  j 
him  fo  thriving  and  profperous,  that  they  were  afraid 
he  might  grow  too  ftrong  for  them ;    if  he  fhould 
have  a  mind  to  difturb  them. 

Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  Swear  that  thou  wilt  not  deal  falfly,  Sec.} 
That  as  there  hath  been  a  long  Friendlhip  between 
me  and  thee,  fo  thou  wilt  not  violate  it  j  but  al  way 
preferveit,  even  when  I  am  dead  .-  According  to  thy 
frequent  Profeffions,  and  (perhaps)  Promifes. 

According  to  thekindnefs^  &C/]  Abimelech  thought 
he  .might  claim  this  Oath  from  Abraham  }  by  Virtue  of 
the  Obligations  he  had  laid  upon  him. 

*  Verfe  24.  Ver,  24.  Iwllfwear.']  He  was  as  forward  to  con 
firm  his  Promifes,  as  to  make  them. 

Verfe  25.  Ver. 2 5.  And  Abraham  reproved  Abimelech.~\  But 
before  he  fware,  he  thought  it  neceffary  to  fettle  a 
right  Underftanding  between  them  .-  And  therefore 
argued  with  Abitnelech  fas  it  may  be  rendred)  about 
a  WeH  of  Water  digged  by  Abrahams  Servants, 
which  AbimdtcKs  had  injurioufly  taken  from  him. 
This  was  Wifdom  to  complain  of  Wrongs  now,  be 
fore  they  entred  into  a  Covenant,  that  they  being 
redrefled,  there  might  remain  no  occafion  of  Quarrels 
afterward. 

'VerTe  26.  Ver.  2(5.  Abimelech  fa?d^  I  wot  not^  &c]  This  is 
the  firft  time  I  heard  of  it.  If  thou  hadft  complained 
before,  I  would  have  done  thee  right. 

Ver.  xi.  And  Abraham  toe^Sheep,  &c.]  Some  think 
they  were  a  Prefent  he  made  to  Abimdech  ,   in  gra 
titude 


upon  GENESIS.  337 

titude  for  what  he  had  be  (lowed  on  him,(XX.i4.)  or  Chapter 
in  token  of  Friendfhip  with  him.     But  others  think   XXL 
they  were  defigned  for  Sacrifice  ^  by  which  they  made  C/*V"NJ' 
a  Covenant  one  with  another.   At  leaft,  fome  of  them 
ferved  for  that  ufe. 

Ver.  28.  And  he  fetfeven  Ew-lambs  by  thetnfelves.~\  Verfe  28. 
The  meaning  of  this  is  afterwards  explained,  verfe  30. 
That  though  they  were  part  of  the  Prefent  he  made 
him  }  yet  they  fhould  be  underftood  alfo  (being  fet   ;;: 
apart  frbm  the  reft)  to  be  a  purchafe  of  a  quiet  poffef- 
fion  of  that  Well. 

Ver.  30.*  A  wltnefs  unto  me  that  I  have  Jigged  this  Verfe  30, 
Wei/.]  By  this  Token  it  (hall  be  remembred  hereafter, 
that  I  digged  this  Well,  and  that  thou  didft  grant  me 
quiet  poffeffion  of  it. 

Ver.  31.  Called  the  place  Beer-jheba^]     The  H^m?  Verfe  31. 
word  Sheba  fignifies  both  an  Oath,  and  z\fofeven.  Per-^ 
haps  for  both  reafons  this  Place  had  this  Name.    We 
are  fure  for  the^/fr/?,  which  is  here  mentioned  .•  Becaufe 
they  fware  to  each  other. 

Ver.  32.  Thus  they  made  a  Covenant ,  8cc.]  By  giving  Verfe  31. 
and  excepting  thofe  Sheep  and  Oxen,mentionedz>.27< 
and  perhaps  by  offering  Sacrifices  3  or,  at  leaft,  by  eat 
ing  and  drinking  together :  As  Ifaac  and  Abimelech 
did  in  after-times,  XXVI.  30. 

Here  fome  obferve  it  was  not  unlawful,  by  the  Law 
of  Nature,  to  make  Covenants  with  Infidels  and 
Idolaters,  for  mutual  Defence  and  Commerce,  or  fuch 
like  reafons.  But  I  fee  no  proof  that  Abimelech  was 
fuch  a  Perfon.  In  future  Ages  the  People  of  Canaan 
were  fo  corrupted  by  this,  as  well  as  other  Sins,  that 
God  commanded  them  to  be  exterminated,  and  made 
it  unlawful  to  enter  into  a  Covenant  with  them, 
Exod.  XXXIV.  15.  But  as  the  Philiftims  were  none 

Xx  of 


A  COMMENTARY 

of  them:  So  it  ftill  remained  lawful  to  make  Leagues 
vvith  other  Gentiles,  who  were  not  of  the  fever?  Na- 
tions  of  Canaan,  as  we  fee  by  the  Examples  of  David 
and  Solomon,  and  others. 

They  returned  into  -the  Land  of  the  PhiljftinesT]  Into 
that  part  of  the  Country, where  they  dwelt :  For  both 
Abiwekch  and  Abraham  were  now  in  that  Land,  as  ap 
pears  from  the  laft  Ferfe  of  this  Chapter. 

Verfe  33.  Ver.  33.  Abraham  planted  a  GroveJ]  For  a  folemn 
and  retired  place  wherein  to  wor(hipGod.  Foi*as6er- 
vi us  fays  upon  the  IX.  JfLneid.  Nunquam  eft^  Litcutfine 
Religion*.  There  never  was  a  Grove,  in  ancient  times, 
without  Religion.  And  therefore  here,  we  may  well 
fuppofe  Abraham  built  an  Altar  :  Which  was  fenced 
and  bounded  with  anlnclofure,and  (haded  with  Trees, 
as  Mr.  Mede  (Dtfcourfe  XIX.)  obferves  their  Profeuch's 
or  Places  of  Prayer  to  have  been  in  after- times.  For  that 
this  was  intended  for  a  Place  of  Prayer  appears  by  the 
following  words,  and  called  there  on  the  Name  of  the 
Lord,  &c. 

From  hence,  fome  think,  the  Cuftom  of  planting 
Groves  was  derived  into  all  the  Gentile  World  :  Who 
fo  prophaned  them  by  Images,  and  Filthinefs^  and  Sa~ 
erifices  to  D&Mons^  that  God  commanded  them,  by 
the  Law  of  Mofes,  to  be  cut  down.  But  Abraham 
made  ufe  of  a  Grove  before  this,  XII.  6,  8.  where  we 
find  he  built  an  Altar  on  a  Mountain,  which  I^fue- 
ftion  not  was  compafled  with  Trees.  See  XIH.  18. 
therefore  I  take  this  only  to  have  been  the  firft  Grove 
that  he  planted  himfelf. 

Called  upon  the  Name  of  the  LO  RD,  the  everlaft- 
ing  God~\     I  find  that  maimomdes  in  feveral  places, 
of :.his  More  tfevochim±  tranflates  the  laft  words,  The 
LORD ^God  of  the  World,  <n  the  LORD  the  Al 
mighty 


upon  G  E  N  E  SI  S.  33$ 

mighty  Creator  of  the  World.  For  this  was  the  great  Chapter 
Article  of  Faith  in  thofe  Days,  That  God  made  the  XXII. 
World,  Par.  II.  cap  30.  &  Par.  III.  c.  29.  L/"VNa 

Ver.  34.  Sojourned  many  day s^  &c."]  The  word  IXyu  Verfe  34 
often  fignifies  Te^r/  ••  And,  it  is  likely,  fignifies  fo 
in  this  place.  For  here  Ifaac  was  born,  and  here  he 
was  weaned  :  And  after  that  Abraham  found  fo  much 
friendlhip  from  Abimelech^  and  fo  many  conveniencies 
of  Life,  that  they  invited  h$m  to  ftay  a  long  time  in 
this  Country. 


CHAP.     XXII. 


Ver.  i.    A  ND  it  came  to  pafs  after  thefe  ftAfg^Vcrie 

£\  That  which  follows,  fell  out  while  A- 
braham  dwelt  at  Beer-fljeba,  or  near  it,  verfe  19. 

God  did  tempt  Abraham.]  Proved  or  tried  his  Faith, 
in  a  very  difficult  Inftance.  The  Hebrews  take  great 
notice,  that  the  Name  of  Elohim  ( which  they  call 
Nomen  Judicn)  is  here  ufed  5  as  it  is  in  feveral  of  the 
following  Verfes. 

And  f aid  unto  him^  Abraham^  I  fuppofe  there  was 
fuch  a  vifible  appearance  of  the  Divine  Majefty  to  him, 
as  he  had  often  feen,  XV.  i.  XVII.  i.  XVIII.  i. 

Here  lam."]  A  Phrafe,  expreffing  readinefs  to  hear 
ken,  and  to  give  anfwer,  ver.  7,  12. 
Ver.  2.  Take  now.~]     Immediately.  Verfe 

Thy  Son."]     A  hard  thing,  had  it  been  IftmaeL 
Thy  only  Son  Ifaae.~]     His  only  Son  by  Sarah^  and 
the  Child  of  the  Promife,  XXI.  12. 

X  x  2  Whom 


340  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Whom  thon  bvcft.']     Who  was  far  dearer  to  him 
XXIL    than  any  thing  in  this  World  }  dearer  than  his  own 
Life  :  For  Men  will  venture  that  to  preferve  their 
Children.     According   to    an  old  faying  in  Eurl- 

fjdes:          >?<' 


p' 
Children  arc  to  all  Manfynd^  their  very  Life,  or 

Whence  it  was  that  Pacatm  Drepaniu*  faid  in  his 
Panegyrick  to  Theodojius  the  Great,  Inftitttente  Natura 
ylus  ferk  fillos  quant  nofmetipfos  djljgjviuf.  We  are 
taught  by  Nature  to  love  our  £ons,  jn  amanner,more 
than  our  felves.  But  the  love  of  God  in  Abraham  was 
ftronger  than  either. 

Get  thee  into  the  Land  ofMoriah.~]  So  it  was  called 
afterwards,  from  God's  appearing  there  (verfe  14) 
for  the  Deliverance  oflfaac,  as  many  think.  Certain 
it  is,that  the  Temple  of  Solomon  was  built  upon  Mount 
Morjah,  iChron.\[\.i.  But  this  Name  belonged  not 
only  to  that  Mountain  $  but  to  all  the  Mountainous 
Country  thereabouts  :  Which  is  here  called  the  Land 
of  Mcriah.  Which  Aquila  tranflates  jwrfapawt,  confpi' 
cuous:  For  it  is  derived  from  the  word  Rash,  to  fee. 
And  the  LXX.  tranflate  it  not  araifs,  yh£*fyMu$,  high 
Country:  Which  is  very  confpicuous.  But  Mount; 
Sion,  and  Acra,  and  other  neighbouring  Mountains, 
being  alfo  very  high,  this  Name  of  Moriah  belonged 
to  them  5  becaufe  they  were:  \ery  confpicuous.  In- 
fomuch  that  Mount  Sion  is  often  ufed  in  Scripture  for 
Mount  Month  :  For  all  that  Mountainous  Country, 
went  by  one  and  the  fame  Name. 


ufon-  GENESIS,  341 

And  offer  him  there.~]  The  Hebrews  obferve  the  word  Chapter 
is  ariibiguous^and  may  be  translated,  mak$  him  to  go  up:      XXII. 
But  Abraham  underfiood  it  in  the  ufual  fence,  That  he  L/'V^J 
(hould  kill  him,  as  they  did  the  Hearts  for  Sacrifices. 
A  very   hard  injunction  $  which  fome  think  God 
would  not  have  laid  upon  Abraham,  if  he  had  not 
had  a  power  thus  to  difpofe  oflfaac,  inherent  in  him, 
as  his  Father.     See  Dr.  Taylor,  Duct.  Dubit.  L.  III.  c.  5. 
Ride  2.  n.  i. 

Upon  one  of  the  Mountains."]     There  were  more 
Hills  than  one   thereabouts,   (Pfalm  CXXV.  i.)  as 
I  obferved  on  the  foregoing  Ferfe.     And  it  may  be 
further  here  noted,  That,  in   ancient   Times,  they 
chofe  Mountains,  or  high  Places,  whereon  to  wor- 
(hip  God  and  offer  Sacrifices,  XII.  8.     Which  God 
himfelf  approved  of,  till  they  were  prophaned,  as 
the  Groves   were,  (fee  XXI.  33.)  and  then  he  com 
manded  Abrahams  Pofterity,   not  to  worfhip  in  -high 
Places,  but  only  in  one  certain  Mountain,  where  he 
ordered  his  Temple  to  be  (eated.     Nothing  is  plainer 
in  the  Gentile  Writers,  than  that  they  chofe  Moun~ 
tains  for  Places  of  WorQiip:  And  herein  Celfw  the 
Epicurean  compares  them  with  the  Jews$-  obferving, 
particularly  out  of  Herodotus,  that  the  Perfans  of 
fered  Sacrifices  to  Jupiter,  going  up-,  l£3n  rd  J%f*Ao7^7a 
?$  upivvi  to  the  top  of  the  higheft  Mountains,  as  his 
words  are   in  Origen,  L.  V.  contra  Celf.     It  is    vv'ell 
known  alfo  that  thefe  Mountains  were  well  (haded 
with  Trees  5  fa  that  commonly  Groves  and  Moun 
tains  are  mention'd  together,  as  Places  for  Religious 
WorOiip. 

Ver.  3.  And  Abraham  rofe  up  early   in   the  Morn-  Verfe  3. 
ing,  &C.J     Some  here  take  notice  of  the  readinefs  of 
bis  Obedience,  in  feveral  Inftances.     Fir  ft  ^  That  he 

rofe 


A  CO  MM  E  NT  A  RT 

Chapter    rofe   up  early.     Secondly,    Sadled  his  Afs  himfelf, 

XXII.      (though  the  Phrafe   doth  not  certainly  import  fo 

U^VNJ  much.)  Thirdly,  Carried  Wood  ready  cleft  along  with 

:  him,  for  the  Offering  $  left  he   (hould   find  none 

,  there, 

And  Ifaac  his  Son."]  It  is  an  Enquiry  among  the 
Jews,  how  old  Ifaac  was  at  this  time.  Some  of  them 
fay  (even  and  thirty,  whom  the  Arabic^Chritthn  Wri 
ters  follow,  Patricides  and  Elniacinw.  Alen  Ezra 
more  probably  faith  he  was  thirty.  But  there  is  no 
certainty  of  fuch  things.  For  I  find  in  the  Gentara 
Sanhedrim,  .cap.  10.  n.  4.  it  is  faid,  this  fell  out  a  lit 
tle  after  he  was  weaned.  See  verfe  9. 

And  went  unto  the  placed]  That  is,  toward  the 
Place :  Which  he  did  not  fee,  till  the  third  Day  af 
ter  he  fet  out. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  On  the  third  day.'}  It  was  not  much  above 
one  Days  Journey  from  Beerflwbato  Moriah:  But  an 
Afsgoesflowlys  efpecially  being  loaded,  as  this  was, 
with  a  burden  of  Wood  $  and  with  Provifions,  we 
muftfuppofe,  for  their  Journey:  And  Abraham,  and 
his  Son,  and  Servants,  went  on  foot,  and  could  not 
travel  far  on  a  Day,  (Ifaac  being  but  youngj  for  it 
doth  not  appear,  they  had  more  than  one  fingle  Afs, 
verfe  $. 

And  faw  the  place  afar  off.'}  It  is  moft  reafonable 
to  fuppofe,  that  God  had  given  him  fome  Token  or 
Sign,  whereby  he  (hould  know  it.  And  I  cannot  but 
think  it  highly  probable,  that  the  Divine  Glory  ap 
peared  in  the  place,  where  he  was  to  make  the  Ob 
lation.  Which  Conjefture  I  find  confirmed  by  R. 
Eliefer,  among  other  of  the  Jews,  who  fays,  Tha.c 
when  God  bad  him  go  to  the  place,  he  would  tell 
him  of,  verfe  x.  and  there  offer  his  Son  3  he  akt  how 

he 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S,  543 

he  (hould  know  it?  And  the  Anfwer  was,  Wherefo- Chapter 
ever  thoufeeft  my  Glory  ^  there  I  will  ft  ay  ^  and  wait  for      XXII. 
thee,  Sec.     And  accordingly  now,  He  beheld  a  Pillar  U^V*VJ 
of  Fire  reaching  from  Heaven  to  the  Earth^  and  thereby 
knew  this  was  the  place.     See  Pirke  Eliefer^  c.  31. 

Ver.  5.  Go  yonder  and  worfhzp."]     This  confirms  the  Verfe  5.-, 
fore-mentioned  Conjedhire,  That  the  Divine  Qlory 
appearing  upon  the  Mountain,  he  went  .thither  to 
worfaip  God. 

And  co we  again  to  you."]  He  either  fpeaks  of  him- 
felf  alone  ^  or,  believed  God  would  re ftore  JfaactQ 
Life,  though  he  did  Hay  him. 

Ver.  6.  And  laid  it  upon  Jfaac  frfr  Son.^     A  Figure  Verfe  6, 
of  Chrift,  who  carried  his  own  Crofs,  John  XIX.  17. 
according  to  the  Rowan  Cuftom.    Philo's  Refledtion 
upon  Ifaacs  carrying  the  Wood  for  hisown  Sacrifke 
is,  That  nothing  is  more  laborious  than  Piety. 

Ver.  7.  Behold,  the  Fire  and  t he  Wood>&c.~]     It  ap- Verfe  7* 
pears  by  this,  that  he  had  not  hitherto  acquainted 
Iftac  with  his  Intention. 

Ver.  8.  So  they  went  both  of  them  together."]  It  feems  Verfe  80 
they  ftaid  a  while,  (as  they  were  going  together,^. 6.) 
till  Ifaaff  had  finifhed  this  Difcourfe  with  his  Father  3 
and  then  they  proceeded. 

Ver.  9,.  Emit  an  Afar  there.']  Of  Turf,  fome  think  -y  Verfe  9- 
or,  of  fuch  Stone  as  he  could  gather  there. 

Aud  bound  Ifaac  his  Son."]  Both  his  Hands,  and  his 
Feet  5  as  it  is  explained  in  Pirkt  Eliefer,  cap.  31. 
When  the  Gentiles  offered  Humane  Sacrifices,  they 
tied  both  their  Hands  behind  their  Backs,  as  appears 
from  Ovid,  L.  III.  d*  Pwt.Eleg.  2.  and  other  Au 
thors.  Whether  Ifaac  was  thus  bound,  it  matters , 
not,  but  we  cannot  doubt  that  Abraham  had  now 
acquainted  him  vniththe  Will  of  God,  and  perfuaded 

hina 


344  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter  him  willingly  to  comply  and  fubmitunto  it :  Where* 
XXII*  in  he  prefigured  Chrift  the  more  exa&ly,  who  laid 
t/"V"\J  down  his  Life  of  him/elf?  and  no  Man  (without  his 
Confenr)  could  take  it  from  him,  as  he  fpeaks,  'John 
X.  17,  1 8.  We  have  reafon  to  believe  this  of  Ifaac, 
becaufe  he  being  younger  and  ftronger,  could  have 
made  refiftance,  had  he  been  fo  minded.  Jofepbw 
fays  he  was  twenty  five  Years  old,  L.I.  Antiq.  14. 
And  Bochartus  makes  him  twenty  eight  5  the  word 
Naar,  which  we  tranflate  Lad,  being  ufed  for  one 
of  that  Age  ^  nay,  Jofeph  is  called  fo  when  he  was 
thirty  years  old,  Hierozoic.  P.  I.  L.  III.  c.  9,  This  is 
certain,  That  he  was  old  enough  to  carry  fuch  a  load 
of  Wood,  (Verfe  6.)  as  was  fufficient  to  make  a  fire 
to  offer  up  a  Burnt-offering.  There  are  thofe  al- 
fo,  who  think  Ifaac  was  laid  upon  the  Altar  to  be  of 
fered,  in  that  very  Place  where  Chrift  was  crucified, 
And  thus  much  is  true,  That  though  Mount  Calvary 
was  without  Jerufalem,  and  therefore  different  from 
Mount  Moriah,  on  which  the  Temple  flood  5  yet 
they  were  fo  near,  and  it's  likely  only  parts  of  one 
and  the  fame  Mountain,  that  they  were  ancient 
ly  both  comprehended  under  the  Name  of  Mo- 
riah. 

Verfe  IO.  Ver.  10.  Abraham  flr  etched  forth  lw  Hand^  &c.] 
His  Obedience  proceeded  fo  far,  that  it  evidently  ap 
peared  he  was  fully  refolved  to  do  as  he  was  bid 
den  :  For  the  Knife  was  juft  at  Ifaac  $  Throat,  ready 
to  do  the  Execution.  Infomuch  that  God  made  ac 
count  of  it,  as  if  it  had  been  aftually  done,  and  ac 
cepted  his  Obedience  as  fafafap(jk  ^  -TTai/kAJte,  as  in- 
tirely  perfefl,  and  abfolutely  coMpleated,  as  Philo  fpeaks. 
And  yet  there  have  been  thofe,  who  difparage  this 
Obedience,  by  endeavouring  to  make  the  World  be 
lieve, 


upon  GENESIS.  345 

lieve,  that  the  Sacrificing  of  Children  was  in  ufe  be-  Chapter 
fore  Abrahams  time.  And  the  very  firft  thing  that  XXII. 
hath  been  alledged,  as  a  proof  of  it,  is  the  very  Ob- 
jeftion  in  Philo,  made  by  cavilling  Calumniators  fas 
he  calls  thenO  whofaid,  Why  fhould  fuch  Praife  be 
beftowed  on  Abraham,  w<;  ty%&fY\r!ju)  'x&tcuvufiyHfMims 
*&&$£&*>•>  M  tf  he  had  attempted  a  thing  altogether  newy 
which  private  Men,  and  Kings,  and  whole  Nations  do 
upon  occafion?  The  learned  Reader  cannot  but  know 
that  one  of  our  own  Countrymen,  (Sir  jF.  Mar/fiaw 
in  Canon.  Chronic.  §  V.)  hath  fet  this  in  the  front  of 
all  his  Arguments,  to  prove  that  Abraham  was  not  the 
firft  who  facrificed  his  Son  :  Without  acquainting 
the  Reader  with  Philo's  Anfwer  to  this,  which  quite 
overthrows  all  his  Pretenfions.  For  he  fays  (Lib.  de 
Abraham,  p.  375,  376.  Edit.  Parif.)  That  fome  Bar 
barians  have  done  this,  following  the  Cuftom  of  their 
Country,  or  being  in  great  diftrefs,  &c.  But  no 
thing  of  this  Nature  could  move  Abraham  to  it,  for 
the  Cuftom  of  Sacrificing  Children  was  neither  in 
Babylon^  nor  Mefopotamia,  nor  Chald<ea^  where  he  had 
lived  a  long  time  :  No,  nor  (as  it  follows  a  little 
after)  in  that  Country  where  he  then  lived  $  But 


,  he  was  to  be  the  Beginner  ofaper- 
feffly  new  and  unufnal  Example.  What  plainer  Con 
futation  can  there  be  of  what  the  fore-  named  Au 
thor  pretends,  than  this:  Which  he  moft  difingenu- 
oufly  concealed  ?  Nor  is  there  more  ftrengthin  what 
follows  in  him,  out  ofSanchnniathon^  who  fays  that 
Saturn  offered  his  only  Son.  For  by  Saturn  it  is  evi 
dent  he  meant  Abraham^  as  appears  by  the  Name  of 
that  Son,  whom  fuch  like  Authors  call  JEUD$ 
which  is  plainly  the  very  fame  with  J  E  HI  A  as 

Y  y 


Af  COMM  ENT'JKT 

Chapter    (fa^  '1S  called  in  the  Second  Verfe  of  this  Chaffer.     I 
XXIL      omit  the  relt,  which  is  of  the  like  ftarflp. 
w~>^-^       Ver.  ii.  And  the   Angel  of  the  LO  RD  ctUcd  to 
Vcrfe  ii.hiot,  Sec]     That  is,  the  LORD  himfelf,  by  his  An 
gel.  See  upon  XVIII.  10.  To  which  I  (hall  here  add, 
That,  whether  it  be  faid  in  thefe  Holy  Books,  the 
LORD  faid  any  thing,  or  an  Angel  fpake,  we  are 
always   to  underftand  both  to   have  been  prefent:. 
For  the  Angels  ever  attend  upon   the  Divine  Maje- 
fly  5  and  being  minifters  of  his,  do  nothing  but  by 
his  Order.     Therefore  when  he  is  faid  tofpeak,  it  is 
by  them  3  and  when  they  are  faid  to  fpeak,  it  is  from 
him.     It  is  the  LORD  therefore  that  fpeaks,  who- 
foever  be  the  Minifter.     Of  which  St.  A^-jlin  gives  a 
demonftration  from  this  very  place,  L.  III.  de  Trini- 
Me,  Cap.  XI.     In  the  beginning  of  this  Chaffer,  verfe 
i,  2.      4  We  read  that  God  tempted  Abraham^  and  bad 
c  him  go  and  offer  to  him  his  Son  .•  But  here  the  Angel 

*  of  the  LORD  called  to  him  and  bad  him  not  to  do 
c  it.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  Will  they  ( whofe 

*  Opinion  he  there  oppofes)  fay  that  God  commanded 
c  Ifaac  to  be  flain,  and  that  his  Angel  forbad  it :  And 

*  that  Abraham  obeyed  the  Angel  who  bad  him  fpare 
c  his  Son,  againft   the  Command  of  God,  who  bad 

*  him  flay  him?  This  Sence  is  ridiculous  and  not  to  be 

*  endured.     The  plain  meaning  is,  lhat  God  fpake 
$  both  times  ^  in  the  oneGafe  and  in  the  other  :  But 

*  by  an  Angel  who  was  his  Minifter.    That's  the  rea- 

*  fon  Angels  fometimes  fpeat  as  if  they    were  the 

5  LORD,  becaufe  they  fpeak  in  his  Name:  Juft  as 

6  when  a  Publick  Crier  pronounces  the  Sentence  of 

*  a  Judge,  NonfirjbJtur  in  geftis,  ille  pr<eco  dixit,  fed 
iUe  JudeX)  it  is  not  written  in  the  Records,  That 

Crier,  but  the  Judge  pronounced  that  Sentence. 

And 


upon  GENES  I  &  347 

And  thus  R.Jehudah  underftood  this  Paflage,whofe  Chapter 
glofs  is  this  (inPzrfyEliefer,cap.$iJ)  He,  i.e.  the   XXH» 
Lord,  made  his  f^oice  to  be  heard  from  between  the  two 
Cherubim*,  and  J 'aid ,  Lay  not  thy  hand  upon  the  Lad. 
I  do  not  know  whether  it  be  worth  obferving,  That 
Cod  is  not  called  in  all  this  Story  (as  the  Jews  note) 
by  the  Mime  of  Jehovah,  till  now:  Which   being, 
fay  they,  Nomen  vtifericprdfa]  is  moft  agreeable  to  this 
part  of  the  Story,  as  Elohim  was  to  the  former  part, 
verfe  i. 

Abraham,  Abraham."]  He  ingeminates  his  Name, 
that  he  might  make  him  attend  to  what  he  faid,  and 
put  a  (top  to  his  proceedings. 

Ver.  12.  Now  I  kpow  thou  fearefl  God,  Sec.]  Thou  Verfe 
haft  given  fufficient  proof  of  the  regard  thou  haft 
to  God  and  his  Commands.  It  is  apparent  from  what 
thou  haft  done  5  and  thou  needed  do  no  more  to 
evidence  it,  And  fo  Hakspan  tranflates  the  word 
know  in  this  place,  now  I  have  proved,  or  approved,  as 
Pfalm  \.ult.Matth.V\\.  23.  Which  Proofs  do  not 
argue  Ignorance,  no  more  than  gueftions  do,  Gen.  III. 
9.  John  VI.  5,  6. 

No  Body  (that  I  know  of)  hath  better  explained 
this  whole  Matter  than  Mofes  Matmontdes,  whofe 
words  are  thefe,  ( More  Nevochim,  P.  III.  c.  24.) 
This  Story  of  Abraham  makes  good  two  great  Foun 
dations  of  the  Law.  c  One  is,  to  (how  us  how  far 
c  the  Fear  and  Love  of  God  extends  it  felf.  For  here 
c  was  3  Command  to  do  that,  with  which  the  lofs  of 
1  Monev,  or  of  Life  it  felf  is  not  to  be  compared  3 
'  nay,  that  from  which  Nature  abhorred,  viz.  That  a 
'  Man  very  Rich  and  in  great  Authority,  who  earneft- 
*1y  defired  an  Heir,  which  was  born  to  him,  when 
''he  had  no  hope  of  one,  in  his  old  Age  5  fhould  fo 

Y  y  3  over- 


^  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    c  overcome  his  natural  Affection  to   him,    (which 
XXII.   c  could  not  but  be  exceeding  great)  as  to  forego  all 
c  the  Expectations  he  had  from  him,  and  Confent,  af- 
c  ter  a  Journey  of  three  Days,  to  flay  this  Son  with 
6  his  own  Hands.     This  is  the  greateft  thing  that  ever 

*  was  performed.    For,  if  he  had  done  it,  in  that  mo- 

*  ment  when  he  was  commanded,  it  might  have  been* 
c  thought  a  fudden,  precipitant,  and  inconfiderate 

*  Aft  :  But  to  do  it,  fo  many  days  after  he  received 
fc  the  Command,    upon  mature  deliberation,  is  the 

*  higheft  Proof  of  his  Obedience  5  and  that  this  Aft 
*•  proceeded  from  nothing  but  from  the  Fear  and  Love 
4  of  God.     For  he  did  not  make  hafte  to  flay  his 
4  Son,  out  of  any  fright  he  was  in,  left  God  (hould 
c  have  flain  him,  or  taken  away  his  Eftate,  if  he  had 
c  difobeyed  .:  But  took  time  to  confider  of  it,  that  he 
'might  (how  to  all  Men  what  one  ought  to  do  for 
c  the  Love  and  Fear  of  God,  and  not  for  fear  of 

*  Puniftiment,  or  hope  of  worldly  Reward:  For  the 
V  Angel  faith,  Now  I  know  thou  fzarejl  GocL 

'  The  Second  thing  we  are  taught  by  this  Hiftory  is, 

*  That  the  Prophets  were  fully  ajfitred  of  the  Truth  of 
c  thofe  things,  which  God  fpake  to  them,  either  in 

*  Dreams,  or  in  Vifions,  or  any  other  way  :  Which 

*  they  believed  as  ftrongly,  as  things  of  Senfe.     For 
4  if  Abraham  had  in  the  lead  doubted,  whether  this 
1  were  the  Will  of  God  or  no,  which  he  received  ei- 
4  ther  in  a  Vifion,  or  a  Drea^  he  would  never  have 
4  confented  to  a  thing,  which  Nature  abhorred. 

This  very  Story  is  told   by  Alexandria  Polyhiftor> 
as  Eufebiy*  -.relates  out  of  him,  L.l 


15?.    Ver.  1-3*  Abraham  lift  up  hi?  EptJ]  From  looking 
upon  Ifact  or  upon  the.  Angel, 

Ant* 


upon    GENESIS. 

And  lookeJ."]  He  heard,  we  may  fuppofe,  a  buftfing  Chapter 
Noife,  which  the  Ram  made,  when  it  was  caught  in  XXII. 
the  Thicket:  Which  made  him  look  that  way,  from 
whence  the  Noife  came. 

And  behold ,  behind  him  a  Ramy  8cc/]  Bochart  gives 
many  Reafons  to  prove  that  the  moft  ancient  read 
ing,  and  much  better  was,  Behold^  one  Ram  :  Achar* 
which  we  tranflate  behind^  being  put  for  Achad,  one 
or  a  fingular  Ram,  P.  L  Hierozo/c.  L>  II.  £.49.  But 
it  is  not  material  which  way  we  take  it:  Nor  need 
we  enquire  how  the  Ram  came  there.  Nothing  is 
more  common  than  for  Sheep  to  go  aftray  3  and  by 
God's  Providence  this  Ram  was  caught  in  a.  Thicket 
mot  far  from  Abralwm:  Whereby  he  made  good 
what  Abraham  had  told  his  Son,,  God  will  provide  a 
Lamb  for  a  Burnt-Offering.  In  which  this  Ram  was  & 
notable  Type  of  Chrift,  who  was  a  Sacrifice  provided 
by  God,  not  by  Man  5  as  this  Ram  was  brought 
by  Divine  Providence  to  be  offered,  not  by  Abva- 
ham. 

And  Abraham  tookjhe  Ram,  and  offered  turnup  for  &• 
burnt- offer  ing)  inftead  of  his  Son."]     Saying,  as  R.S.. 
reprefents  it,  Lord,   accept   this  Sacrifice,  as  if  m^ 
Son  himfelf  were  flain^  and  his  Blood  (bed,  and  hi$.s 
Skin  flea'd  offi^  and  he -were  burnt  and  reduced  to 
Afhes. 

And  the  Ram  being  accepted  inftead  of  his  Son5 
may  be  thought  to  fignifie  that  the  offering  of  the 
Ue/ed  Seed,  God's  only  Son,  fhould  be  fufpended  tili? 
future  times*  and  that  in  the  mean  feafon  the  ofFerr 
ing  the  Blood  of  Beads  fhould  ferve  as  a  Pledge  fta 
ufe  the  words  of  Mr.  Medt)  of  that  Expiation  which 
the  ikjjed  Setd:  tf  Abraham  fhould  one  day  make,. 
e  XXV..  where  he  obferves,  that  the  more 

lively 


^  COMMENT  A  KY 

Chapter    lively  to  exprefs  this,  God  fo  difpofed,That  the  very 
XXIL     Place  where  the  Ram  was  offered  inftead  of  Ifaac, 

w^v^->  fhould  be  the  Place  of  Sacrifice  for  Ifrael.  For  there 
it  was,  where  the  LORD  anfwered  David  by  Fire 
from  Heaven  (t  Chron.  XXL  26.)  and  fo  defigned 
it  for  the  Place  he  had  chofen  for  his  Altar:  There 
David  pitched  him  a  Tabernacle,  i  Chron.  XXIL  i. 
and  there  Solomon  built  him  an  Houfe,  2  Chron. 
.  HI.  i. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  \^  Jehovah-jireh.~]  The  LORD  will  fee  or 
provide:  That  is,  take  care  of  their  Safety  who  fted- 
faftly  obey  him. 

As  it  is  faid  to  this  day7\  Which  is  thus  called  to 
this  day.  Or,  as  others  interpret  ic,  now  it  is  a  pro 
verbial  Speech  when  Men  are  in  great  (traits,  in  the 
Mount  of  the  LORD  it  [hall  he  feen  :  Where  a  dou 
ble  variation  is  obferved,  from  what  was  faid  be 
fore  :  For  here  is  Jehovah  inftead  of  Elohim,  (verfe 
i%.)  and  then  Jeraeb,  inftead  of  }/reh,  i.  e.  the  Pajfive 
inftead  of  the  Active  :  Signifying,  that  the  LORD 
will  not  only  fee  or  provide,  but  make  himfelf  con- 
fpicuous,  by  fo  providing,  that  all  (hall  behold  the 
Care  he  takes  of  thofe  that  fear  him. 
'1,5.  Ver.  1-5.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  called,  &c.] 
This  confirms  what  was  noted  on  verfeii.  that  it 
was  God  himfelf,  who  called  to  Abraham  to  ftay  his 
Hand,  and  now  fays,  By  my  felf  have  I  fworn,  faith 
the  LO  R  D,  Sec.  What  can  be  clearer,  as  Hack/fA 
glofles,  (Difput.  II.  de  Nominibw  Divinis,  n.  16.) 
than  that  we  are  to  turn  away  our  Eyes  from  the 
Angel,  and  fix  them  upon  God  v  who  blefled  Abra- 
har/t,  and  is  called  the  LORD.,  for  whofe  fake  (verfe 
-12.)  Abraham  fpared  not  his  only  Son.  In  all  like 
:Cafes  therefore,  which  exceed  the  Angelical  Digni- 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S  351- 

ty,  we  are  always  to  underftand,  fame  fuch.wftnls  as  Chapter 
thefe,  here  mentioned,  Nenmjthovah,  thus  faith  the  XXII. 
LOBiD.  ^s^* 

Ver.  1 6.  By  My  felf  hive  I  feorn,  kc.]  !  obferved  Verfe  16* 
upon  XII,  7.  and  XVII  6.  Thu  God  inlarged  his 
Mercies  to  Abraham,  proportionable  to  his  Obedience. 
Which  is  apparent  in  this  great  and  la  ft  Tryal  of  all, 
the  offering  his  Son  .•  Which  was  rewarded  by  the 
Ratification  of  God's  former  Prdnflife  or  Covenant, 
by  a-moft  folernn  Oath:  By  my  filfhave  I  fa  or  x^  I 
will  multiply  thy  Seed,  fkc.  This  was  promifed  before, 
but  not  confirmed  by  an  Oath  :  And  befides  the  ve 
ry  Promife  is  now  more  Affectionate,  fif  I  may  fo 
ftileit)  in  bleffing  I  will  kiefs  thee,  and  in  multiplying 
I  will  multiply  tkee,  8cc.  In  the  latter  end  alfo  of  the 
Bkfling,  there  feems  to  be  couched  the  higheft  of  all 
Bleffings,  That  God  would  make  Jm  own  only  Son  fuch 
a  Sacrifice  as  Abraham  tea*  read)  to  have  made  hit  So& 
Ifiac:  That  all  the  Nations  of  the  World  fverfe  l8J 
might  he  klejfid  in  him,  i.  e.  all  that  would  follow  the 
Faith  of  Abraham,  So  Abarbind  himfelf  interprets 
upon  XII.  3. 

^  Ver.  17.  Poffefs  the  Gste,  thai  b,  the  Cities  of  IM  Verfe  17. 
Entmhs7\     And  confequfenfl}"  their  Country.     For 
the  Gates  being  taken,  thereby  they  entred  into  their 
Cities:  And  their  Cities  being  furrendred,  the  Coun 
try  was  conquered. 

Ver.  1 8.   /;;  thy  Seed  fiall  all  the  Nttrons  of  the  Earth  Verfe  1 8, 
k*  b!ejfid.~]     God  promrfed  to  make  Abrahams  Seed 
as  numerous  as  the  Stars  of  Heaven,  XV.  5.  which 
Promife  he  affures  him  here  (hall  be  fulfilled  in  Ifaac, 
vtrfe  17.     But  moreover  direfts  him  to  expeft  after 

the  multiplying  of    his   Pofterity,   One  particular 
who  (hould  bring  a  Blefiing  to  all  Mankind, 

This 


352  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    This  Singularity  St.  Paul  obferves  and  prefles  very 

XXII.      much,  Gal.lll.  16.  applying  it  to  the  Mejjiah.     And 

U*WJ  it  is  further  obfervable,  that  there  is  an  increafe  of 

Sence  in  thefe  words,  as  there  isin  the  former.     For 

he  doth  not  fimply  fay,  HD:u,  they  foallbebleffed,  but 

1D*nnn,  (hall  blefs  themfelves,  or  count  themfelves  blef- 

fed  m  him :  To  (how,  as  Jacobus  Altingiw  thinks,  that 

this  Perfon  fhould  not  ftand   in  need  of  any  Blef- 

fing  himfelf,  as  the  reft  of  Abrahams  Seed  did  5  But 

be  the  Author  of  all  Bleffings  unto  others,  who 

(hould  derive  them  from  him  alone,  L.  II.  Schilo. 

c.  2. 

Becaufe   thou    haft  obeyed,    &c]      As  a  Reward 
fthe  word  in  the  Hebrew  fignifies)  for  obeying  my 
Voice. 
Verfe  19.      Ver.  19.  Went  together  to  Beer-fieba.']     Whefirhe 

had  for  fome  time  fetled  his  abode,  XXL  33. 
Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  Milcah  hath  bar n  Children ^  &c/]  The  fol 
lowing  Genealogy  is  fetdown  to  (how,  whence  Re- 
bekah  the  Wife  of  Ifaac  was  defcended.  For  (he 
alone  of  all  Bethuefs  Daughters  (which  is  probable 
were  many)  is  mentioned,  verfe  23. 

Verfe  ii.  Ver.  21.  Huz,  his  firft- born. ~\  There  were  twoo- 
ther  of  this  Name.  One  the  Son  of  Aram,  X.  23, 
another  of  the  Pofterity  of  Efau,  XXXVI.  ^S.  But 
this  Vz,  here  mentioned,  is  he  from  whom  Job  de 
fcended  :  Whofe  Country  was  called  Aufitk,  (fo  the 
LXX.  tranflatelte,  Job  1. 1.)  and  his  Pofterity  cal 
led  Attjita  by  Ptolemy  5  who  were  a  People  of  Ara 
bia  Deferta,  near  Chald<ea^  not  far  from  Euphrates. 

Buz.']  From  whom  came  Elihu  the  Buzite,  Job 
XXXII.  2.  a  People  in  fome  part  of  the  fame  Country, 
or  near  it. 

Aram.1} 


upon  GENESIS.  353 

Who  inhabited,  perhaps,  fome  part  ofChapter 
Syria  :  Which  had  the  Name  of  Aram  from  another,  XXIII. 
mentioned  X.  23.  tVVNJ 

Ver.22.  Chefed.']  He  was  the  Father  of  the  CfoA  Verfe  22- 
d<eans^  w ho  are  called  Chafdim  in  Scripture  from  this 
Chefed  or  Chafad,  as  fome  read  it.  Where  the  reft 
that  followed  fettled,  or  whether  they  had  any  Pofte- 
rity,  or  no,  I  cannot  find.  It's  likely  they  never  grew 
to  make  a  Nation  or  a  Family ,  and  fo  left  no  Name 
behind  them. 

Ver.24.  And  his  Concubine."]  This  was  not  .an  ill  Verfe 
Name  in  thefe  ancient  Times  .•  But  fignifies  a  Wife, 
who  was  not  the  Miftrefs  of  the  Family  $  but  only 
taken  for  theincreafe  of  it,  by  Procreation  of  Chil 
dren.  Such  Wives  were  generally  Servants  5  where 
as  the  prime  Wife  was  a  Free  Woman  $  or  made  fo 
by  being  married  to  govern  the  Family,  and  bring 
Children  to  inherit  theEftate. 


C  H  A  P.    XXIII. 

Ver.  i.  \NDSarahwajatt  hundred  andfeven  and  Verfe  i. 

JL\  twenty ,&c.~]  The  whole  ^er/emay  be 
thus  tranflated,  And  the  years  of  the  life  of  Sarah,  were 
fin  the  wholej  an  hundred  twenty  and  feven years: 
It  being  ufual  with  the  Hebrews  to  repeat  a  word  (as 
Life  is  herej  when  they  would  fignifie  any  thing  to 
be  compleat.  And  Sarah  is  the  only  Woman  whofe 
intire  Age  is  fet  down  in  Scripture. 

Ver.  2.  Kirjath  arba."]  i.  e.  The  City  of  Arba,  who  Verfe  2. 
was  a  famous  Man  among  the  Anakints^  fas  we  read, 


354  <*  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Jofi.  XIV.  »&.)  and  either  built  this  City,  or  made  it 
XXIII.   the  place  of  his  Refidence  $  from  whence  he  took  his 

wV*-'  Name. 

It  doth  not  appear  when  Abraham  left  Beer-fieba, 
and  removed  to  this  place. 

The  fame  h  Hebron.~]  A  very  ancient  City,  as  ap 
pears  from  Numb.  XIII.  22.  When  it  is  aflumed  this 
Name,  infteadof  Kirjath-Arba,  is  not  certain  .-  But 
fome  conjedure  it  might  be  after  Abraham  purchafed 
a  Burial-place  in-  this  Country.  See  XIII.  18. 

Abraham  earned]  Some  fanfie  he  was  in  fome  other 
part  of  the  Country,  when  his  Wife  died.  And  fe- 
veral  of  the  Jews  have  a  Conceit,  that  he  came  from 
Mount  Moriah,  (which  is  confuted  by  what  we  read 
XXII.  19.)  where  Sarah  hearing  he  was  gone  to  fa- 
crifice  her  Son,  died  with  Grief.  But  Maimonides 
fpeaks  better  fence,  when  he  hy$,  Abraham  came  from 
his  own  Tent,  which  was  feparate  ("as  I  noted  before, 
XVIII.  9.)  from  his  Wife's :  As  appears  further  from 
XXIV.  67. 

To  mourn  for  Sarah,  and  it  weep  for  her.1]  The  firft 
relates  to  private  Sorrow  .-•  The  other  to  the  publick, 
efpecially  at  the  Funeral  Solemnities ;  when  they  made 
great  Lamentation*  After  Abraham  had  performed 
the  former,  he  made  preparations  for  the  latter :  But 
what  the  Rites  of  Mourning  were  in  thofe  days,  we 
do  not  know.  It's  likely  they  (hut  themfelves  up  from 
Company,  negle&ed  the  Care  of  their  Bodies,  ab- 
ftained  from  their  ordinary  Food  .•  Which,  with  ma* 
ay  others,  were  the  Cuftom'sof  Abrahams  Pofterity , 
who  made  it  a  part  of  their  Religion,  to  mourn  for 
the  dead. 

Terfe  2*       Ver.  3.  And  Abraham  flood  up  from  before  his  dead*^ 
By  this  itfeems  to  be  apparent,   that  in  Abrahams 

time 


upon  GENESIS.  3515 

time  they  fat  upon  the  Ground  while  they  mourned,  Chapter 
as  it  is  certain  they  did  in  future  Ages.  In  which  Po-   XXIII. 
fture  they  continued  till  they  had  fatisfied  natural  Af-  CXV^Vi 
fe&ion,  and  the  decent  Cuftpm  of  the  Age  and  Coun 
try  where  they  lived.    Then  they  rofe  wpte  Abraham 
here  did,  to  take  care  of  the  Interment  of  his  Wife. 
Seven  Days,  in  after  Ages,  werethe  commontime  of 
Mourning:  And  for  illuftrious  Perfons,  they  mourn 
ed  thirty  Days. 

Spake  unto  the  Sons  of  HethI}  In  whofe  Country 
he  now  lived  .•  Concerning  whom  fee  X.  15.  By 
the  Sons  are  meant  the  principal  Perfons  of  that  Na 
tion. 

Ver.  4.     I  am  a  Stranger  and  a  Sojotirner  8>//Ajw.]  Verfe  4. 
Though  I  am  not  a  Native  of  your  Country  5    yet  I 
have  lived  long  enough  among  you,  to  be  known  to 
you. 

Give  we  po/ejjlon  of  a  burying  place,  &C.]  I  do  not 
defire  any  large  Pofleffions  among  you,  being  but 
a  Sojourner,  let  me  only  have  a  place,  which  I  may 
call  my  own,  wherein  to  bury  thofe  of  my  Family, 
which  dye. 

Ver.  5.  And  the  Children  COT  SonsJ  of  Heth  an-  Verfe  $> 
fwered,  Scc.^  By  one  of  their  Body,  whofpake  in  the 
Name  of  the  reft  .•  As  appears  by  thefirft  words  of  the 
next  Perfe.  Hear  UF,  my  Lord  ;  In  which  form  they 
were  wont  to  addrefs  themfelves  to  great  Men,  ver. 
ii,  ij,  15,  16. 

Ver.  6.  Thou  art  a  might jf  Prince^]  We  haye  a  great  Verfe  t$ 
Honour  for  thee. 

In  the  choice  of  our  Sepulchres ,  5cc.3  Make  choice 
©f  any  one  Sepulchre  }  and  no  Body  will  deny  to 
let  thee  have  it.  Every  Family  (at  lead  great  onesj 
had  their  proper  place  for  Burial :  Which,  I  fuppofe, 

Z  i  2  were 


^  COMMENTAKT 

Chapter    were  fometime  fo  large,  that  they  might  fpare  others 
XXIII.    a  part  of  them  $   or,  of  the  Ground  wherein  they 

*x"v~^   were  made. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  Abraham  flood  up."]  It  feems  they  had  de* 
fired  him  to  fit  down  among  them,  while  they  trea 
ted  this  bufinefs :  Which  when  they  had  granted,  he 
ftood  up  to  thank  them. 

And  bomd  himfelf]  The  Hebrew  word  fignifies 
the  bowing  of  the  Body  ;  Ancjl  there  are  other  words 
in  that  Language  proper  to  the  bowing  of  the  Head^  or 
of  the  Knee. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.8.  Intreatfor  me  toEphron,  Sec.]  He  defires 
them  to  mediate  between  him  and  this  Man  (who  per 
haps  was  not  then  prefentin  the  Affembly)  for  a  Pur- 
chafe  of  a  convenient  Place  in  his  Ground. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Cave  of  Machpelah.']  We  take  this  word 
Macbpelah  fora  proper  Name,  as  many  others  do  : 
But  the  Talmudifts  generally  think  it  to  have  been 
ff  dune  am  duplicem,  (as  the  Vulgar  Latin  alfo,  with  the 
LXX.  understand  it)  a  double  Cave.  Yet  they  cannot 
agree  in  what  fenfe  it  was  fo  $  whether  they  went 
through  one  Cave  into  another  5  or,  there  was  one 
above  another.  For  that  by  zCave  is  meant,  a  Vault r 
arched  over  with  Stones,  or  Wood,  wh'ich  the  An 
cients  called  Crypta,  no  Body  doubts.  Salmajius  hath 
defcribed  them  in  his  PlimExercit.  p.  1208.  where 
he  fays  this  Gave  is  faid  to  have  been  double,  in  the 
fame  fence  that  the  Greeks  called  theirs  tm'XhqcL  df*- 
pj§$tyut,  becaufe  they  had  a  double  Entrance,fo  that 
one  might  go  into  them  at  both  Ends,  as  Hefychius 
expounds  it.  Which  (hows,  as  he  adds,  it  was  a  large 
place,  and  would  contain  many  Bodies.  And  of  this; 
he  is  fo  confident  as  to  fay,  Non  quarenda  eft  aliadu- 
flich  ffeluttcti  interpret  atio.  No  other  Interpretation 

of 


upon    GENESIS,  357 

of  this  double  Sepulchre  ought  to  be  fought  after.  Chapter 
But  learned  Men  will  not  hearken  to  fuch  Dictates  }    XXIII. 
and  particularly  Theodorick^H^cb^fan  maintains  Mach-  L/*V"\J 
pelah  to  be  a  proper  Name  (as  we  take  it)  by  thefe 
two  Reafons.     kirft,  Becaufe  the  Field  it  felf  where 
in  this  Cave  was,     is  called  the  Field  of  MachpeUh^ 
verfe  19.    Which  doth  not  fignifie    fure  that  there 
was  a  double  Gate  to  this  Field,  but  that  it  was  in 
that  Trad  of  Ground,  called  Machpelah.     And,   Se 
condly  ^  This  Field  in  Machpelah,    is  faid  to  be  before 
Mamre,  verfe  17.    Which  plainly  denotes  it   to  be 
a  place  fo  called,  Mifcell.  Lib.  I.  cap.  10.   For  which 
laft  Reafon,  GniL  Vorfljus  alfo  takes  it  to  have  been 
the  Name  of  a  Country,  or  Province,  in  which  this 
Field  and  Cave  lay,  Animadv.  in  Pirke  Eliefcr^  p. 
179. 

Whisk  is  in  the  end  of  his  Field."]  Burying  places 
were  not  anciently  in  the  Cities,  much  lefs  in  their 
Temples v  but  in  the  Fields,  in  Caves,  or  Vaults 
made  to  hold  a  good  number  of  Bodies.  And  fo 
they  continued  it's  mamfeft  in  our  Saviour's  Time 
among  the  Jews  $  as  appears  by  Lazarus  his  Monu 
ment,  John  XL  30,  31.  and  by  the  Burying  places 
for  Strangers,  Mttth.  27.  7.  and  their  carrying  the 
Widows  Son  out  of  the  City,  Luke  VII.  12,  8cc, 

This  feems  to  have  been  in  the  corner  of  the  Field 
before- mentioned^  which  perhaps  was  near  the  High 
way  :  For  there  they  fometimes  affetbed  to  bury  their 
dead,  as  appears  from  Gen.  XXXV.  8, 1 9.  Jojb.  XXIV. 
30. 

Ver.  10.    And  Ephron  dwelt."}   The^  Hebrew  word  Verfe  io> 
for  dwelt  fignifies   literally  fat.     Which  hath  made 
fome  think  that  Ephron  was  a  great  Man  (a  Ruler, 
or  Governor)  among  the  Children  of  Heth  :     Who 

(at 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    fat  as  a  Prince  or  Judge  in  this  Affembly.     And  that 
XXilL    this  was  the  reafon  why   Abraham  (ferfeS.)  addref- 
fed  himfelf  to  others  of  the  fame  Rank,    that  they 
would  make  way  for  him  into  his  Favour. 

In  the  audience  of  the  Children  ofHeth^  Scc,^  It  is 
judicioufly  obferved  by  Cornel.Bertram,  that  all  weigh 
ty  Matters  in  thofe  days  were  determined  by  the  King, 
C if  they  had  any)  or  the  Elders,  with  the  Confent  of 
the  People,  <sfe  Repub.  Judaic,  cap.  3.  Marriages  were 
a  Matter  of  Publick  Right,  XXIX.  12.  as  Sepulchres 
were  it  appears  by  this  place  .•  Both  of  them  being 
held  to  belong  to  Religion. 

e  II.  Ver.  1 1 .  In  the  prefence  of  the  Sons  of  my  People^  Sec.] 
Contrads,  or  Grants,  were  wont  to  be  made  before 
all  the  People,  or  their  Reprefentatives,  till  Writings 
were  invented. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  Abraham  bowed,  &c/]  Becaufe  by  their 
Interceffion  this  Favour  was  granted  him. 

Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  J&i&givethee  Money  for  the  Field.~\  This 
was  the  fureft  Title,  he  thought,  by  Purchafe.  And 
it  was  btlt  reafonable  he  fhould  buy  it,  if  he  would 
have  any  Land  in  Canaan  }  for  the  time  of  poflef- 
fing  it,  according  to  God's  Promife,  was  not  yet 
come. 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  The  Land  is  worth  four  hundred  Shekels?] 
This  is  the  firft  time  we  meet  with  the  Name  of  She- 
kel.  -  Mention  was  made  of  Money  before  in  general, 
XVII.  12,13.  and  of  pieces  of  Silver.  XX.  16.  (which 
(hows  the  ufe  of  Money  was  found  out  in  thofe  ear 
ly  days,  and  they  did  not  Trade  merely  by  the  Ex 
change  of  one  Commodity  for  anotherj  but  we 
have  no  Name  for  the  Money  till  now  „•  And  cannot 
exaftly  tell  of  what  value  a  Shekel  of  Silver  was. 
But  Jofyhns,  L  III.  Antiq.  c.  10.  faith 


Hfon    G  E  N  E  S  F  S.  359 

™>sz-&-*>->  it  was  as  much  as  four  Attkk  Chapter 
Drachms  $  that  is,  half  an  Ounce.*  Which  in  our  XXIIT. 
Money  wants  not  much  of  half  a  Crown. 

What   is  that  between  me  and  thee  .<?]     Some   will 
have  this  to  fignifie,   as  much  as,    This  is  not  worth 
fpeaking  of  between  Friends  ^    and  therefore  I  had  rather 
thoH  wouldft  accept   it  as  a  gift.     But  it  is  more  rea- 
fonable  to  think,  that  he  only  pretended  to  ufe  him 
kindly,  and  not  to  exaft  upon  his  Necefiity.     It  be 
ing  as  much  as  to  fay,    This  is  no  great  Price^    but 
A  friendly  Bargain  :     Pay  it  therefore^     and  bury  thy 
dead. 

Ver.  1 6.  Abraham  weighed  to  Ephron^  &c.~]    TheyVerfe 
did  notfe#Money  as  we  do  now,  but  weigh  it ;  for 
it  was  not  ftampt  anciently,    as  Ar'jftotie  obferves  .• 
But  in  the  beginning  of  the  World  was  received,  fj&- 
yifaty  ?c&ju,q),     by  its  bulk  and  its  weight.     Which 
being  very  troublefome,  they  learnt  in  time  to  feta 
Mark  upon  it,    to  free  them  from  that   inconveni- 
tnce.     PO  y5  ^ag^^p  IT?^  T§  trie*  MJUL&QV,  for  that 
Mark  was  fet  upon  it  to  denote  its  Quantity,    /.  e. 
how  much  it  is  worth.     For  having  the  Publick 
Stamp^  that  made  it  current,  at  a  known  value.  Which 
muft  not  be  underftood  of  Foreign  Money,   which 
was  ftill  weighed,    though  ftampt.-   But  oftliatof 
their  own  Country,  which  they   were  affured   was 
worth  fo  much  as  the  Mark  expreffed.     Yet  it  is  con 
tinued  to  be  weighed  among  the  Jews  in  David's 
time,  i  Chron.  XXI.  25.  nay,  till  the  Captivity  of  Ba 
bylon,  Jerem.  XXXII.  9.    And  indeed  the  very  word 
iSie^e/comes  from  Shakgl  to  weigh.     And  may  be  in- 
terpretred  as  Wafer -us  obferves,  the  weight. 

From  all  which  Flerw.  Conringius  well  concludes 
there  is  no  Truth  in  what  the  Jews  fay,  in  Berefchith 


360  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Rabb<t,    and  other  Booksv  that  Jofhua,  David,  and 
XXIIF.    MorJecai)  nay  Abraham')  coined  Money  in  their  days. 

U^V%J  To  fupport  which  Fi&ion  they  have  counterfeited 
fome  Coins,  with  thelnfcription  of  Senex  &  Anus. 
on  one  fide,  and  Juvemts  &  Virgo  on  the  other.  As 
-iflfaac  and  Rebekph  were  now  married  ;  Or  Abraham 
had  power  to  coin  Money  in  a  Country  where  he  did 
but  fojourn  and  was  no  Soveraign. 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  Which  were  before  MamreJ]  Over  againft 
Mamre.  See  XIII.  18. 

Were  made  fur e.~\  By  a  folemn  Contrad,  in  a  Pub- 
lick  Aflembly,  (verfe  1 1.)  where  the  Money  was  ten 
ded  and  accepted  ^  and  all  there  prefent  defired  to  be 
Witnefs  to  it. 

Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  In  the  Defence  of  the  Children  of  Heth.~] 
See  Verfe  II. 

Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  after  this  Abraham  buried  Sarah,  &c.] 
It  is  not  likely  that  Ephron  had  ever  buried  any  of 
his  Family  here,  but  had  only  begun  to  make  a  Vault 
in  this  Field  which  Abraham  bought  of  him,  with  all 
the  Trees  therein,  (verfe  \j.)  or,  if  it  were  finilhed, 
he  fold  it  before  he  had  made  ufe  of  it.  For  we  can 
not  think  Abraham  would  lay  his  Wife's  Body  among 
thofe  of  the  Hittites  :  But  in  a  vacant  place  where  he 
intended  to  be  interred  himfelf  :  As  his  Family  after 
him  alto  were,  XLIX.  50,  31. 

Verfe  20-  Ver.  20.  Was  made  fure^\  He  repeats  this,  which 
had  been  faid  verfe  1 7.  becaufe  now  the  Purchafe  was 
more  confirmed,  by  the  laying  Sarah's  Body  in  this 
place  :  It  being  a  kind  of  taking  aftual  poffeffion  of  it. 

CHAP. 


upon 

G 

E 

N 

E 

S 

I 

S. 

36.1 

Chapter 

,.,  .    xxiv, 

CHAP.     XXIV. 

Ver.  i.   A  ND  Abraham  was  old.']     Some  of  the  #o  Verfe  i. 

ji\  brews^  and  Chriftian  Writers  alfo,  refer 
this  to  his  Wifdom  $  as  the  next  words  [rvellftrjcken 
in  Tears']  unto  his  Age :  No  Body  being  called  Zak$* 
(though  far  more  aged)  in  the  Holy  Scripture  till 
now :  And  therefore  they  tranflate  it  Elder  $  which 
is  the  Name  of  a  wife  Man.  See  Selden,  L.  I.  dv  Sy- 
nedr.  cap.  14.  f.  $56,  &c.  Certain  it  is  that  Abraham 
was  now  an  hundred  and  forty  Years  old :  For  he  was 
an  hundred  when  Ifaacwas  born,  XXI.  5.  and  Ifaac 
was  forty  when  he  married  Rebel^h^  XXV.  20. 

Ver.  2.  And  Abraham  faid  unto  his  eldejt  Servant  Verfe  -l. 
of  his  Houfe.']  Or,  rather,  as  the  LXX.  tranflate  it, fie 
faid  to  his  Servant  ^  the  Elder  of  his  Houfe  :  That  is,  the 
Steward,  or  Governor  of  his  Family,  as  the  Hieruf. 
Targum  tranllates  it.  See  Mr.  Selden,  L.I.  de  Synedr. 
cap.  14.  p.  55*0.  And  Dr.  Hammond  upon  A8.  XI. 
not.  b.  All  take  this  Servant  to  have  been  Elfezer,  men 
tioned  XV,  i. 

Put  thy  Hand  under  my  Thigh.~]  Some  will  have 
this  Phrafe  to  import  no  more  than,  Lift  me  ;//?,  that 
I  may  ft  and,  and  call  God  to  rvitnefs.  But  Abraham^  no 
queftion,  was  nowfo  vigorous,  as  to  be  able  to  rife 
of  himfelf :  Having  many  Children  after  this,  O- 
thers  therefore  follow  the  Opinion  of  the  Jewifi 
Doftors,  which  is  this,  in  fliort  ^  Before  the  giving  of 
the  Law,  the  ancient  Fathers  ftvore  by  the  Covenant  of 
Circumci/ion.  They  are  the  words  of  R.  Eliefer  in  his 
Pf'r^e,  cap.  49.  And  it  is  not  improbable  that  this 

A  a  a  man- 


362  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    manner  of  Swearing,  by  putting  the  Hand  under  that 
XXI V.   part  which  was  the  fubjeft  of  Circumcifion,  had  re- 
C/WJ  fpeft  to  the  Covenant  God  made  with  that  Family, 
and  their  right  to  accomplifh  the  Promife  of  the  Mef- 
fiah.  But  this  was  not  a  Cuftom  peculiar  to  Abraham's 
Family,  for  we  find  it  among  other  Eaflern  People: 
And  therefore,  it  is  likely,  more  ancient  than  Gircum- 
cifion.     For  which  Caufe,   Aben  Ezra  himfelf,  thinks, 
putting  the  Hand  under  the  Thigh,  was  a  Token  of 
Subje&ion  and   Homage,  done  by  a  Servant  to  his 
Lord/  He  fitting,  and  the  Servant  putting  his  Hand 
under  him.     Grotiut  imagines,  that  the  Sword  hang 
ing  upon  the  Thigh,  (PfafaXLV. .%*}  this  was  as 
much  as  to  fay,  If  I  faljifie^  k^U  me.     Which  is  very 
witty  ^  but  the  ether  feems   plainer  $  fignifying  as 
much  as,  /  am  under  thy  power  ^  and  ready  to  do  what 
thoH  commandeft, 

Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  Swear  by  the  L07MV]  It  was  not  law* 
ful  tofwear  by  any  Creature  5  but  only  by  him  that 
made  them  all.  For  they  took  the  greateft  Care  to 
declare,  that  they  worftiipped  him  alone. 

That  thou  wilt  not  take  a  Wife  unto  thy  Son^}  It  feems 
he  intended  to  leave  the  Guardianfhipof  his  Son  to 
him,  fifhefhould  die,  before  he  had  difpofed  of 
him)  as  unto  a  wife  and  faithful  Servant,  who  had 
managed  his  Affairs  abovejjy/y  Years  3  and  we  do  not 
know  how  much  longer. 

Of  the  Daughters  of  the  Canaanites.]  For  though 
there  were  fome  good  People  among  them,  as  ap 
pears  by  Melchfaedec^  and  Abimelech  5  yet  he  faw  them 
degenerating  apace  into  all  manner  of  Wickednefs$ 
efpecially  into  Idolatry  :  Which  would  bring  them, 
he  knew,  to  utter  Defolation,  when  they  had  filled ; 
up  the  meafure  of  their  Iniquity,  XV,  i£ 

Ver, 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  363 

Ver.  4.  But  go  into  nty  Country^  /.  e.   Into  Mefopo-  Chapter 
a^  where  he  lived  for  fome  time  inHaran^  after   XXIV. 
became  from  Vr:  Which  was  alfo  in  that  Country,  L^Wf 
as  I  obferved  upon  XI.  3 1 ,     It  feems  alfo  his  Brother  Verfe  4. 
had  removed  hither :  Following  his  Father  Terah's 
and  Abrahams  Example.    See  XI.  31. 

And  my  lyndred^]  The  Family  of  his  Brother  Na- 
hor^  which  he  heard  lately  was  increafed,  (XXII. 
20.)  who,  though  they  had  fome  Superftition  among 
them,  retained  the  Worfhipof  the  True  God  ^  as  ap 
pears  from  this  very  Chapter,  verfe  31,  50. 

And  tab?  a  Wife  unto  my  Son  Ifaacf]  Which,  no 
doubt,  was  by  Ifaacs  Content,  as  well  as  his  Father's 
Command. 

Ver.  5.  Muft  I  needs  bring  thy  Son  again  into  the  Verfe  5* 
Land  from  whence  thou  cameft?"]  He  de fires  (like  a 
confcientious  Man)  to  underftand  the  full  Obligation 
of  his  Oath,  before  he  took  it.  And  his  doubt  was, 
whether,  if  a  Woman  would  not  come  with  him  in 
to  Canaan^  he  fhould  be  bound  to  go  again,  a  fecond 
time,  and  carry  Ifaac  to  her. 

Ver.  6.  Beware,  that  thou  bring  not  my  Son  thither  Verfe  6. 
< again. ~\     He  would  by  no  means  his  Son  fhould  go  to 
that  Country,  which  God   commanded  him  to  for- 
fake  :  That  Command  obliging  not  only  himfelf,  but 
his  Pofterity.     See  Verfe  8. 

Ver.  7.  The  LORD  God  of  Heaven,  8cc/]  He  who  Verfe  7. 
rules  all  things  above,  as  well  as  below,  who  brought 
me  from  my  own  into  this  Country,  and  hath  promi- 
fed,  and  confirmed  that  Promife  with  an  Oath,  that 
my  Pofterity  (hall  inherit  it,  will  profper  thy  Journey, 
and  difpofe  fome  of  my  Kindred  to  come  hither,  and 
;be  marrred  to  my  Son. 

A  a  a  2  Send 


g<$4  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Send  fa  Angel  before  thee."]    Good  Men  were  ever 

XXIV.   very  fenfible    of  God's  Providence,    governing  all 

L/^VNJ  things,  and  profpering  their  Proceedings,  by  the  Mi- 

niftry  of  Angels :    Which  Abrahams  Servant  takes 

particular  notice  of,  verfc  40. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  if  the  Woman  will  not  be  willing  1ofol- 
hwthee^  &c]  If  it  fall  out  otherways  than  I  hope, 
thou  haft  done  thy  Duty :  If  thou  bring  not  my  Son 
into  that  Country  again.  He  fpeaks  (both  here  and 
verfe  6.)  as  if  Ifaac  had  once  been  there:  Becaufe 
Abraham  himfelf  came  from  thence,  and  this  Servant 
alfo,  andagreat  many  of  his  Family,  ("XII.  5.)  who 
if  IJaac  went  to  fettle  there,  mud  have,  gone  with 
him,  as  part  of  his  Subftance. 

Verfe  IQ.  Ver.  10.  And.the  Servant  took^  ten  Camels  f<c^]  Ca 
mels  were  of  great  ufe  in  thofe  Countries,  as  they  are 
at  this  day  :  Some  of  them  being  made  for  carriage 
of  Burdens  y  and  others  for  fwift  travelling  $  which 
latter  fort  were  called  by  a  peculiar  Name,  A^ta^s, 
Dromedaries^  &$  Salmajiw  obfervesin  hisPlznzan.  Ex- 
ercit.p.  987.  Thefe  perhaps  were  of  that  kind,  for 
the  greater  expedition:  Like  thofe ^  we  read  .of  I  Sam. 
XXX.  17. 

For  all  the  Goods  of  his  Majter  were  in  his  Hands."] 
He  might  chufe  what  Accommodations  he  pleafed  for 
his  Journey  $  having  every  thing  belonging  to  his 
Mafter  at  his  Command  .•  Who  being  a  great  Perfon, 
it  was  fit  his  principal  Servant  (hould  be  well  attend 
ed,  fas  it  appears  he  was,  verfe^i.)  efpecially  when 
he  went  upon  fuch  an  Errand,  as  to  court  a  Wife  for 
hisMafterYSon.  Moft  refer  this  to, the  Prefents  he 
carried  along  with  him  :  And  R.  Solomon  will  have 
if  that  he  carried  a  Writing  with  him  under  his  Ma- 
Hand,  fan  Inventory ^  we  call  it}  fpecifying  all 

his 


upon    G  E  N  E  SIS. 

his  Goods  and  Hiches,  that  they  might  know  what  a  Chapter 
great  Match  his  Son  was.  XXIV, 

City  tfNakor.']  Which  was  Haran>  from  whence  L/*V%J 
Abraham  came,  XI.  31.  and  to  which  Jacob  went  to 
find  his  Kindred,  XXVIII.  10.  How  far  it  was  thi 
ther  we  are  not  told,  nor  how  long  they  were  go 
ing  to  it:  And  Mofes  omits  alfo  whatfoever  pafled  in 
the  way,  as  not  pertinent  to  his  Story. 

Ver.  ii.  Camels  kneel  down^\  The  Po  (hi  re  wherein  Verfe  II 
they  reft  themfelves. 

Ver.  12.  0  LORD  God  of  my  Matter  Abra-V&k  I  2, 
ham,  8tcf]  He  had  obferved  the  Kindnefs  of  God  to 
b^ve  been  fo  great  to  Abraham,  and  Abraham  to  have 
fuch  a  peculiar  Intereft  in  his  Favour  5  that  in  con 
fidence  he  would  make  good  Abrahams  words, 
(verfe  7,  &  40.)  he  not  only  begs  he  might  have 
good  Succefs  in  his  Journey,  but  defires  a  fign  of  it, 
to  confirm  his  Faith  ;  and  fuch  a  fign  as  was  mofc 
appofire  to  denote  the  Perfon  that  would  make  a 
good  Wife$  by  her  Couftefie,  Humility,  Condelcen- 
fion,  Hofpitality,  prompt  and  laborious  Charity  : 
All  which  are  included  in  what./je  defires,  and./Je 
did, 

Ver.  14.  Thereby  fliall  1  know  thai  thox  haft  {hewed  Verfe  14;, 
k}ndnefs  to  my  MafterJ]     He  had  no  Confidence  that 
God  would  do  any  thing  for    his  own  fake,    but 
for  his  Matter's  3  whom  God  had  mod  wonderfully 
blefTed. 

Ver.  15.  And  it  came  to  pafs  before  he  had  •  done  Vetfe  15*- 
fpe^kixgi&t^]  This  (hows  it  was  by  a  Divine  Sug- 
geftion,  that  he  made  this  Prayer  ^  which  was  an- 
fwer^d  immediately.  Such  is  the  Divine  Goodnefs 3 
or,  rather,  ("to  ufe  the  words  of  SaM.BocharttM,  upon 
occafion  of  many  fuch  InftancesJ  Stc  enim  parata  & 

obvia 


A   COMMBNTdRT 

Chapter    obvia  ejfe  folent  Dei  beneficia^  it  a  ut  preces  noftras  non 
XXIV.    taw  Jequantur^  quam  occufent  atque  antecedant^  P.I. 
.   ^  ^      Hierozoic.  L.  i.  cap.  4^.     So  forward  is  God  to  be- 
ftow  his  Benefits  upon  us,  that  they  do  not  fo  much 
follow  our  Prayers,  as  prevent  and  go  before  them. 

*-»          rr      /" 


With  her  Pitcher  upon  her  Shoulder. ~\  Behold  the  Sim 
plicity,  Frugality,  and  Induftry  of  that  Age. 
Verfe  10.  Ver.  20.  Drew  for  all  hfr  Camels. ,~]  There  were  ten 
of  them,  (verfe  10)  and  they  are  a  very  thirfty 
fort  of  Creatures :  And  therefore  (he  took  a  great 
deal  of  Pains  to  ferve  him  who  was  but  a  ftranger,  in 
this  manner.  Which  (hewed  extraordinary  Goodnefs, 
and  a  mod  obliging  Difpofition  5  at  which  he  might 
well  be  amazed,  as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe. 

Verfe  2*.  Ver.  21.  Wondring  at  her^  held  his  peace ^  Sccf)  He 
was  fo  aftonifti'd  at  her  Rindnefs,  readinefs  to  do 
Good,  and  laborious  Diligence,  &c.  and  alfo  at  the 
Providence  of  God  in  making  things  fall  out  fo  pat  to 
his  Defires  5  that  for  the  prefent  he  could  not  fpeak  : 
Having  his  Mind  employ'd  in  marking  and  obferving 
every  Paflage  5  where  he  might  judge  how  to  con 
clude,  whether  this  was  the  Woman,  or  no,  whom 
God  defigned  for  his  Matter's  Son. 

Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  The  Man  took^}  Gave  her,  as  the  Phrafe 
is  often  ufed.  But  he  firft  asked  her  whofe  Daughter 
(he  was,  as  appears  from  verfe  47. 

A  golden  Ear-ring^]  Or,  rather,  (as  the  Margin 
hath  it)  a  Jewel  for  the  Forehead.  And  fo  we  tran- 
flate  the  Hebrew  word,  Ezek,  XVI.  12.  and  this  Per- 
fon  himfelf  expounds  it,  verfe  47.  I  put  the  Ear-ring 
or  Jewel^  upon  her  Face,  i.  e.  her  Forehead.  For  fuch 
Ornaments  were  ufed  in  thofe  Times  and  Countries, 
hanging  down  between  the  Eye-brows,  over  the  Nofe. 

Two 


upon    GENESIS. 

Two  Bracelets  for  her  Hands.']  i.e.  Wrefts,  Chapter 

Ver.26.  Bowed  htf  Head,  and  wor/hipped  the  LORD."]    XXIV. 
Gave  folemn  Thanks  to  God  for  hearing  his  Prayer  .•  WVSJ 
And  acknowledged  that  by  his  Providence  he  was 
conduced  to  the  execution  of  his  Defires,  as  it  fol 
lows  in  the  next  Verfe. 

Ver.  27.  Mercy  and  Truth.]     Mercy  in  promifing,  Verfe  27, 
and  Truth  in  performing:  Or,  hath  truly  been   mer 
ciful  to  him    according  to   his  Promife^  verfe  7.     See 
Verfe  49. 

The  Houfe  of  my  Mafters  Brethren.'}  i.  e.    His  near 
Kindred. 

Ver.  28.  Told  them  of  her  Mother's  Houfe^  The  Verfe  2& 
Women  in  the  Eaflern  Countries,  had  their  Apart 
ments  by  themfelves}  as  was  before  obferved,  and 
appears  again,  verfe  67.  Thither  it  was  proper  for 
Rebekah  to  go,  and  acquaint  her  Mother  with  what 
had  pa(Ted. 

Ver.  30.  When  he  fan  the  Ear-ring,  &c."]   This  was  Verfe  397 
the  reafon,  why  he  ran  to  invite  the  Man  to  their 
Houfe. 

He  flood  by  the  Camels  at  the  WeUT\     Expefting  to 
fee  the  iflue. 

Ver.  3 1 .  Come  in,  thoa  blejfed  of  the  LORD.']  Whom  Verfe  3 1  a 

od  favoureth,  and  I  pray  may  ftill  continue  in  his 
savour.  For  it  refers  both  to  the  time  paft  and  fu 
ture. 

Ver.  31.  Water  to  wa/h  his  Feet,  &c.]     As  the  Cu-  Verfe  32, 
lorn  was  in  thofe  Countries.   See  XVIII.  4. 

Ver.  33.  I.  mil  not  eat,  &c.]     An  excellent  Ser-  Verfe  33. 
vant;>  who  preferred  his  Matter's  Profit,  to  his  own- 
Pleafure. 

Ver. 


3  68  "A   COM  ME  N  TAKY 

Chapter      "  Vef.  35.  The  LORD  bath  ble/ed  my  Maftcr 
XXItf,   ly,  Sec.]     Inriched  him  exceedingly,  fothat  he  is  be- 
LX'VNj  come  a  Perfon  of  great  Eminence,  XXIII.  6. 
Verfe  35.       ^er.  36.  Given  all  that  he  hath.']  Declared  him  his 
Verfe  36.  Heir,  and  fetled  his  whole  Eftate  upon  him. 
Verfe  40.      Ver.  40.  The  LORD  before  whom  Iwalki]  Whom 
I  worfhip  and  ftudy  to  pleafe  3  keeping  a  grateful  re 
membrance  of  his  Benefits  always  in  my  Mind.  For  fo 
Abraham 's   own  words   are,   verfe  7.   The  God  which 
brought  mz  from  my  Father  s  Houfe^  &c. 

v  Verfe.;  41.  Ver..  41.  Thou  {halt  be  clear  from  this  my  OathI}  Or 
Curfe,  as  the  Hebrew  word  imports  :  For  all  Oaths 
were  made  anciently  with  fome  Imprecations  upon 
themfelves,  if  they  fware  falfly. 

>•  Verfe  i42'  Ver.  41.  0  LO  R.D  God  of  my  Mafler,  Abr*. 
ham,  &c.]  He  doth  not  relate  juft  the  very  words 
which  he  faid  5  but  the  Senfe  of  them,  and  moft  of 
the  words. 

Pro/per  nty  way  which  I  go.']     The  Defign  in  which 
I  am  engaged. 
v Verfe  48.      Ver.  48.    My  Mafters  Brother's  Daughter^     The 

Grand- Daughter  of  his  Brother  Nahor. 

"Verfe  49.      Ver.  49.  If  ye  will  deal  kindly  and  trudy^\  Be  really 
and  fincerely  kind. 

'That  I  may  turn  to  the  right-hand,  or  to  the  left?] 
A  kind  of  proverbial  Speech  ^  fignifying,  that  I  may 
take  fome  other  courfe  (which  way  God  {hall  direff)  to 
fulfil  my  Mafters  defire.  It  is  the  fancy  of  fome 
of  the  Hebrew  Dofrors,  that  he  meant,  he  might 
go  either  to  the  Ifomaelites^  or  the  Children  of 
Lot. 

'Yerfe  50.  Ver.  50.  Laban  andBethnel.~]  The  chief  Manager 
of  this  Affair  was  Laban  ;  for  Bethuel  is  not  men 
tioned  till  now  3  becaufe,  perhaps,  he  was  old,  and 

unfit 


•upon  GENESIS.  369 

unfit  for  Bufinefs:  But  confents  to   all  that    is  de- Chapter 
fired.  XXIV, 

The  thmg  proceeded  from  the  LOR  D.~]   It  appears  IX"V*\J 
to  be  the  Divine  Will  and  Pleafure. 

We  cannot  fpeal^nnto  thee  good  or  bad."]     No  way 
contradift  it. 

Ver.  51.  Rebekah  if  before  thee.~]  Is  by  us  delivered  Verfe  51, 
to  thee,  to  be  difpofed  of  according  to  thy  defire: 
As  the  Phrafe  is  ufed  XX.  1 5*. 

As  the  LORD  hathfpoken.']     Declared,  by  thofe 
Signs  which  thou  haft  related  to  us. 

Ver.  52.  Worfhipped  the   LORD,    to  the  Earth.']  Verfe  52. 
Gave  the  moft  humble  Thanks  unto  Almighty  God, 
for  his  Goodnefs  to  him. 

Ver.  5-3.  Gave  to  her  Brother  and  Mother.*]  Here  is  Verfe  53. 
no  mention  of  the  Father :  Which  hath  made  fome 
think,  as  Jofephvs  did,  that  the  Father  was  dead  5  and 
Bethuel,  mentioned  verfe  50.  was  her  younger  Bro 
ther.  But  I  take  it  to  be  more  likely,  that  her  Fa 
ther  being  Infirm,  had  committed  the  Care  of  his 
Daughter  to  Laban  and  his  Wife  :  Andfo  appeared 
no  more,  than  was  juft  abfolutely  neceffary  in  this 
Treaty  of  Marriage.  Which  was  carried  on  princi 
pally  by  Lab  an,  who  is  mentioned  therefore  before 
her  Mother, 

Precious  things.]    Prefents  of  great  value. 

Ver.  55.  Let  the  Damfel  abide  whh  u*  afeiv  days>  Verfe  5*5. 
at  leaft  ten^]  There  is  nothing  more  common  in  Scrip 
ture,  than  by  Days  to  exprefs  a  Tear.  And  there 
fore  we  have  exactly  tranflated  thefe  words  in  the 
Margin,  afallYear,  or  ten  Months.  See  IV.  $>Lev. 
XXV.  19.  i  Sam.  I.  3.  compared  with  verfe  7,  and 
20.  Some  think  this  cannot  be  the  meaning,  becaufe 
the  Servant  was  in  fuch  hafte  to  return  to  his  Iviafter. 

B  b  b  But 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    But  it  was  as  fit  for  them  to  (how  their  Love  to  Rebe- 
XXIV.   l^ih,  as  it  was  for  him  to  (how  his  Concern  for  his 

<*TV^-  Matter.  Befides,  there  was  fomething  of  Decency  in 
it,  the  Cuftom  being  in  all  Countries,  for  her  that 
was  efpoufed  to  a  Husband,  to  ftay  fome  time  with  > 
her  Parents,  before  the  Confurnmation  of  the  Marri 
age.  And  one  would  think  the  Cuftom  then  was, 
for  to  keep  her  a  Year  or  near  it  3  which  makes  them 
defire  (he  might  ftay  at  leaft  ten  Months,  that  they 
might  not  depart  too  far  from  the  common  Ufage,and 
that  (he  might  have  the  longer  time  to  fit  her  felf  with 
the  ufual  Nuptial  Ornaments.  Thus  Onkglos  it  is  cer 
tain  underftood  it,  and  the  Paraphrafe  of  UzidiJes, 
and  tiitmauritaniau  Jews,  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  £.V. 
de  JureN.&G.cap.  5. 

Verfe  56.      Ver.  56.  ThatImaygotoMyMafier.~\     Whom  he 
would  have  to  rejoyce  with  him. 

Verfe  57*  Ver.  5  7.  Enquire  at  her  MontL~]  Let  her  refolve 
how  it  (hall  be.  St.Awbrofe  obferves  upon  this  Paf- 
fage,That  .they  do  not  confult  her  about  the  Marriage, 
for  that  belonged  to  the  fodgment  of  the  Parents,  but  a- 
bout  the  time  of  going  to  cpmpleat  it.  Upon  which  > 
occafion  he  quotes  the  words  of  Hermione  when  fhe 
was  courted  by  Oreftes,  (\n  Ettrjpjdesliis  Androntacha} 
which  he  thinks  were  taken  from  hence, 


K 


My  Father  will  take  care  of  my  Marri 
age  :  Thcfe  things  do  not  belong  to  my  determinati 
on,  Lib.  I.  de  Abrahawo  Patrtarcha,  cap.  ult. 
¥erfe  580  'V«r.  58.  Wilt  than  go  withthit  Man?"]  Thatis,  pre- 
fently,  as  he  defires.  For  that  (he  (hould  be  Ifaac's 
Wife  was  agreed  already  between  them  5  and  we  are 
to  fuppofe  (he  had  confented.  The  only  Queftion 
was.  Whether  fo  foon  as  the  Man  defired  ?  . 

And 


"upon  G  E  N  E  S  1  S. 

And  flx  faid,  I  will."]  I  agree  to  go,  without  any  Chapter 
delay:  Which  no  doubt,  very  much  indeared  her  to  XXIV, 
Jfaac.  C/-VM 

Ver.  59.  And  her  Nurfe.~\  Whofe  Name  was  De-  Verfe  50.. 
borah^  XXXV.  8.  who  did  not  fuckle  her,  perhaps  : 
But  was  (as  we  fpeak)  her  Dry-Nurfe  /  For  whom, 
it  is  likely,  (he  had  a  great  Affedion.  It  being  a  piece 
of  ancient  Piety  and  Gratitude,  to  keep  fuch  Per- 
fons  as  long  as  they  lived,  who  had  taken  care  of 
thetp  irf  their  Infancy.  It  is  probable  alfo  (he  was 
-'femarkable  for  Prudence,  and  other  eminent  Quali 
ties  ^  or,  elfe  Mofes  would  fcarce  have  let  her  Name, 
and  her  Death  and  Burial  had  a  place  in  this  Hiftory, 
XXXV.  8. 

Ver.  60.  And  they  blejfed  Rebekah,&c.~]  Her  Fa-  yerfe  66. 
ther  and  Mother,  with  all  the  reft  of  their  Family 
and  Kindred,  prayed  God  to  make  her  exceeding 
Fruitful  ^  and  to  make  her  Pofterity  Victorious  over 
their  Enemies:  Which  were  the  great  things  they 
defired  in  thofe  days.  The  Hebrews  look  upon  this 
(as  Mr.  Selden  obferves  in  the  place  before-named 
on  verfe  55.)  asan  Example  of  the  folemn  Benediftion, 
which  was  wont  to  be  given  (even  before  the  Law  of 
Mofes*)  when  theSpoufe  was  carried  to  her  Husband. 

Thou  art  our  S/Jler.~]  Near  Coufin  or  Kinfivoman  : 
For  all  that  were  near  of  Kin  called  one  another  Bro 
thers  and  Sifters. 

Ver.  61.  Her  Dar,tfels.~\    Who  waited  upon  her  5  Verfe  6r. 
and  were  given  as  part  of  her  Portion. 

Ver.  62.  Well  of  Lahai-roi.~]     Mentioned  XVI.  14.  Verfe  62, 
By  which  it  appears  that  Abraham,   after  the  death  of 
Sarah,  returned  ro  live  at  Beer-Jbela,  or  thereabouts, 
for  that  was  nigh  this  Well :  And  it  is  probable  Abra 
ham  and  Ifaac  were  not  parted. 

Bbbc*  Ver. 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  63.  To  meditate^  Sec.]   The  cool  of  the  Even- 

XXIV.   ing  and  Solitude,  are  great  Friends  to  Meditation. 
vX~V~*T*       ^er'  ^4"  ^^e  ti&h^doffthe  CameL"]  As  they  always 
Verie  63'did,  who  met  any  Perfon  whom,  they  honoured 
Ver      64,      Ver  6?<   ToQ^  a  yM^    Not  only  out  of  Moderty, 
Verie  65..^  jn  j0fcenof  jjer  Subjection  to  him.     Many  will 
have  this  to  have  been  a  peculiar  Ornament  belong 
ing  to  a  Bride,  called  by  the  Romans  tUmeum,  by 
the  Greeks  ©/pi^v,  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  L.V.de 
Jure  N.  &  G.  cap.  5..    Whence  thofe  words  of.  Ter- 
tuUiaH)  de  Feland*  Plrgjtt.  c.i.  Etiam  apud  Eihnicos 
velat£,  (i>e>ft<»if&)  advirumducuntur.  Even  among 
Heathens^  Brides  are  brought  to  their  Husbands  with 
a  Veil  over  their  Faces. 
Verfe  66.     Ver.  66.  And  the  Servant  told  Ifaac  all  things  that  h 

had  done^\  How  (he  had  confented  to  be  his  Wife. 
Verfe  67*,     Ver.  67.  Brought  her  into  his  Mother  Sarah's  Tent^] 
That  Apartment  wherein  his  Mother  dwelt :  Which 
was  diftinft  from  that  of  the  Husband's. 

And  Ifaac  was  comforted  after:  the  death  of  hfe  Mo 
ther.']  The  Love  he  had,  to -bis-  Wife  helpt  to  alle 
viate  the  Sorrow  he  had  conceived  at  his  Mother's 
death:  Which  was  fo great,  that  now  it  had  conti 
nued  three  Years.  Such  was  the  pious  affeftion  Chil 
dren  had  for  their  Parents,  in  ancient  Days. 

Ifaac  was  forty  Years  old  when  he  married  Rebekah> 
(XXV.  20.)  and,  if  we  can  believe  the  Jews,  (in  6V 
i  (he  was 


CHAP. 


upon    GENES  I  S. 

Chapter 
XXV. 


C  H  A  P.     XXV. 


Ver.  i.^T^HEN   again   Abraham   took  a    £F//e.]  Verfe  i» 

JL  Sarah  being  dead,  and  Agar  long  ago 
fent  away,  and  his  Son  Jfaac  lately  married,  he  want 
ed  a  Companion  in  his  old  Age.  For,  having  given 
up  Sarah's  Tent  unto  Rebe^ah  (XXIV.  ////.)  it  is  pro 
bable  he  gave  up  his  own  to  Ifaac,  and  fo  dwelt  in  a 
Tent  by  himfelf  3.  where  he  found  it  neceffary  to  have 
a  Wife  to  look  after  his  Family. 

And  her  Name  was  Keturah."]:  We  a*e  not  told 
what  Family  fhe  was  of:  But  it  is  not  unlikely  (he 
had  been  born  and  bred  in  his  own  Houfe,  as  Eliefer 
his  Steward  was  y  and,  perhaps,  was  Chief  among 
the  Women,  as  he  among  the  Men-Servants.  Many 
of  the  Jews  will  have  her  to  be  Hagary  whom  (Sarah^ 
who  was  the  Caufe  of  her  Expulfion,  being  dead) 
he  now  received  again.  So  the  Hiernfalem  Paraphrafe, 
and  Jonathan  alfo  :  But  Aben  Ezra  confutes  this  Opi 
nion  with  good  reafon  3  for  no  account  can  be  given 
of  Abrahams  having  more  Concubines  than  one  (verfe 
6.)  unlefs  we  make  Keturah  diftinftfrom  Hagar.  Nor 
can  any  Body  tell  why  he  (hould  call  Hagar  by  the 
Name  of  Keturah  here,  when  he  calls  her  by  her  own 
Name,  verfe  12. 

Ver.  2*  And/he  bare  him^\     He  was  now  an  hun-  Verfe  2. 
dred  and.  forty  Years  old  :  But  fo  vigorous  as  to  be 
get  many  Children.     Which  need  not  feem  ft  range, 
confidering  the  Age  to  which  they  then  lived,  (for 
he  Jived  thirty  and  five   Years   after  this  Marriage, 

verjpc 


374  A  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    verfe  7.  and  that  now,  in  our  time,  Men  have  had 
XXV.      Children  after  they  have  beenfeventy,  nay  eighty  Years 
of  Age. 

To  the  Truth  alfo  of  this  Hiflory  we  have  the  Te- 
ftimony  of  Pagan  Writers.  For  Alexander  Polyhtflor 
(mentioned  by  Jofephw  and  by  Eufebittf,  L.  IX.  Pr<e- 
par.  Evang.  cap.  20.)  tells  us  that  Cleodewvs  (called 
by  fome  Malchas)  writing  the  Hiflory  of  the 
reports  juft  as  Mofes  doth/'O-Ti  vx.  XgTls'g^  y 
£y*vovlo  i&cfiSte;  it&vot.  That  Abraham  had  a  good 
Children  by  Keturah :  Three  of  which  he  mentions  by 
Name. 

ZimranT]  This  Son  of  his,  with  all  the  reft  of  his 
Brethren,  were  fent  by  Abraham  into  the  Eaft  Coun 
try  (as  we  read  verfe  6.)  and  therefore  we  muft  feek 
for  them  in  thofe  Parts,  .viz.  in  Arabia,  and  the  Coun 
tries  thereabout  $  where  fome  footfteps  of  them  have 
remained  for  many  Ages  5  particularly  of  Zimran, 
from  whom  we  may  well  think  the  Zamareni  were 
defcended,  a  People  mentioned  by  Pliny,  with  their 
Towns  in  Arabia  Fcelix^  L.  VI.  cap.  28. 

And  Jockshan^]  Concerning  whom  I  can  find  no 
thing  but  only  this,  That  Theophanes  a  Chronogra- 
pher,  in  the  beginning  of  the  IX.  Century  ^far  he  hath 
treated  of  the  IfoMadites  and  Madalnhes^  (the  latter 
-of  which  came  from  one  of  K.eturah*s  Children)  and 
the  Parts  of  Arabia  where  Mahomet  was  born  ^  im 
mediately  adds,  that  there  were  other  People,  o^m- 
£p/,  more  in  the  Bowels  of  Arabia^  defcended  from 
Jetfan^  called  Am<iHit&,  that  is  Homtrite.  Perhaps  it 
fiiould  be  written  Jokshan^  not  Jettan:  For  PMo- 
ftorgiw  exprefly  fays  of  the  Homerites^  'E^J  Q  TD  g!5- 
y@i.  -rffi  WL  X^b£^^,  &c.  That  they  are  one  of  the 
Nations  defcended  from  K>///nz.6and  Abraham,  jL.III. 

mn. 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  IS- 

Hift.  Ecclefi  §  4.   where  he  relates  a  famous  Embaffy  Chapter 
which  Conftantivs  fent  to  them,  to  win  them  to  Chri-      XXV. 
ftianity,  and  the  good  fuccefs  of  it.    And  there  is  this  L/*WJ 
|  ftrong  proof  of  their  defcent  from  fome  of  Abraham's 
\  Family,  that  they  retained  the  Rite  of  Circumcifion, 
1  even  when  they   were  Idolaters.    For  he  fays  ex- 
prefly,  That  it  was  a  circiimcifed  Nation^  i&lai  %  oy- 
Stfjuu  Trs&ltiuivQfMtov  Y\[Mg$.v^  and  circuwcifed  alfo  onthe 
eighth  Day.     Which  was  not  the  Cuftom  of  all  the 
Arabians^  if  we  may  believe  Jofephus^  L.I.  Antiq.c.^^. 
and  Euftathiw  in  Hexaemeron^  &c.  who  fay  the  Ara 
bians  (laid  till  they  were  thirteen  Years  old  before  they 
were  circumcifed. 

Medan^]  From  whom  the  Country  called  Madia- 
nia>  in  the  Southern  part  of  Arabia  Fcelix,  it's  likely, 
had  its  Name. 

M.idian.~]  From  whom  Midanitis^  in  Arabia  P<£- 
tr<ea,  had  its  Denomination. 

And  Ifibak^]    I  can  find  no  Footfteps  of  his  Pofte- 
rity,  unlefs  it  be  mBacafcami^  which  Pliny  fays  was 
one  of  the  Towns  of  the  Zamareni-,   who  defcended 
from  hiseldeft  Brother  Zimran.     There  were  a  Peo- 
le  alfo  hard  by,  called  Bachitit<e,  as  he  tells  us,  L.VL 
rat.  Hift.  tap.  28. 

AndShnah.'}  Perhaps  he  had  no  Children,  or  fo 
ew  that  they  were  mixt  with  fome  of  their  other 
Brethren,  and  left  no  Name  behind  them.  Yet  P//'- 
in  the  next  Chapter,  mentions  a  Town  called  Suafa, 
n  that  part  of  Arabia  which  is  next  to  Egypt,  L.  VI. 
cap.  Q^. 

Ver.  3.  And  Jokshan  begat  Sheba.']     I  obferved  be-  Verfe  3 
:ore  upon  X.  7.  that  there  are  four  of  this  Name, 
or  near  it,  all  comprehended  by  the  Gree^and  iloman 
Writers  under  the  Name  of  Sab<zans,    One  of  them 

Uie  . 


)le 

Na 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  the  Son  of  Raawab  had  a  Brother  called  Dedan,  a$ 
XXV.  this  Shebd  here  hath.  But  they  were  the  Fathers  of 
a  diftinft  People,-  as  is  evident  from  the  Scripture- 
Story,  and  from  other  Authors.  For,  befides  the 
Sabdi  in  the  furthermoft  parts  of  Arabia^  near  the  Per- 
pan  and  the  Rcd-Sca>  there  were  alfo  a  People  of  that 
Name  (defcended,  it  is  very  probable,  from  this  Son 
ofjokfhan)  in  the  very  Entrance  of  Arabia  Fcelix  5 
as  Strabo  tells  us.  Who  fays,  that  they  and  the  Na- 
batai  were  the  very  next  People  to  Syria  :  And  were 
wont  to  make  Excnrfions  upon  their  Neighbours. 
By  which  we  may  underftand,(  which  otherwife  could 
not  be  made  out}  how  the  Sal&ans  broke  into  Job's 
Country,  and  carried  away  his  Cattle.  For  it  is  not 
credible  they  could  come  fo  far  as  from  the  Per/tan 
or  Arabian  Sea :  But  from  this  Country  there  was  an 
eafie  Paflage,  through  the  Defarts  of  Arabia,  into 
the  Land  of  Uz,  or  Aufitis,  which  lay  upon  the 
Borders  of  Euphrates.  SeeBocbartin  his  Phaleg.  L.IV. 
cap.  9. 

And  Dedan^  There  was  one  of  this  Name,  fas  I 
faid  before }  the  Son  of  Rbegfffa,  Ge«.X.  7.  who  gave 
Name  to  a  City  upon  the  Per/tan  Sea,  now  called  DA- 
dan.  But  befides  that,  there  was  an  Inland  City 
called  Dedan  in  the  Country  of-Idum**  :  mention 
ed  by  Jmmub,  XXV.  23.  XLIX.8.  whofe  Inhabi 
tants  are  called  Dedanim^  Jfai.  XXI.  13.  And  this 
Dedan  here  mentioned,  may  well  be  thought  to  be 
the  Founder  of  it,  as  the  fame  Bocbart  obferves,  LIV. 
cap.  6. 

And  the  Sons  of  Dedan  were  Aflmrim,  and  Letttftj^ 
and  Leummim.~\  If  thefe  were  Heads  of  Nations,  or 
Families,  the  Memory  of  them  is  loft.  For  it  is  a 
miftake  of  Cleodemw  (who  mentions  the  firft  of 

thefe 


upon  GENESIS,  977 

thefe  in  Eufeb.  Pr<epar.  Evang.  L.  IX.  c.  20.)  to  de-  Chapter 
rive  the  Affynans  from  this  AJburim-:  They  having    XXV. 
their  Original  from  Afhur^  one  of  the  Sons  of  Shew,  L/"V"V» 
X.  22. 

Ver.4.  And  the  SonsofMidian,Ephah*]  The  Name  Verfe  4. 
of  Ephab,  the  eldeft  Son  ofMidfan,  continued  a  long 
time  }  for  thefe  two  are  mentioned  by  Ifaiah  as  near 
Neighbours,  LX.  6.  And  not  only  Jofet>hu*y  Eufebi- 
fcf,  and  St.  HieroM,  but  the  Nubienfian  Geographer 
alfo,  tells  us  of  a  City  called  Median  in  the  Shoar  of 
the  Red-Sea  :  Near  to  which  was  Ephab  in  the  Pro 
vince  ofMadian.  ns^,  Epba  or  Hip  ha  is  the  fame 
with  that  Place  the  Greeks  call  "ITTTT^,  and  Ptolo- 
my  mentions  both  a  Mountain  and  a  Village  of  this 
Name,  on  the  fame  Shoar,  a  little  below  Madiane 
which  is  the  Madiaa  here  mentioned,  as  Bachart  ob- 
ferves  in  his  Hierozoic.  P.  I.  L.  2.  <:<*/>.  3. 

And  Epber."]  I  can  find  no  remainders  of  his  Fa 
mily,  unlefs  it  be  among  the  Homeritx  before-men 
tioned,  whofe  Metropolis  was  called  Tdfctyp  :  In 
which  Theophilns  (fent  by  Conftantivs  to  convert  that 
Country)  built  a  Church }  as  Philoftorgiu*  relates, 
I.  III.  Hl/l.  Ecclef.  §  4.  Which  City  is  mentioned 
by  many  other  Authors,  as  Jacobus  Gotofredus  ob- 
ferves  in  his  Dffertations  upon  Philoflorgius  ;  Parti- 
culary  by  Arrianus  in  his  Periplus  of  the  Red-Sea^ 
where  he  calls  the  Metropolis  of  the  Homerit<e  ex- 
predy  by  the  Name  'ApaJf :  Which  one  cannot  well 
<loubt  came  from  this  Epher. 

And  Hanoch.']  In  that  part  of  Arabia  Ecelix  where 
the  Adranitd  were  feated,  there  was  a  great  trading 
Town  called  Cane  as  Ptolowy  tells  us,  and  (hows  its 
diftance  from  Alexandria.  Kzvxj  e^^^oi/  ^  ajc^pv.  L. 
VIII,  P//Vy  alfo  mentions  a  Country  in  A^/'a  which 

C  c  c  lie 


378  A*  C&WMENT  ART 

Chapter    he  calls  Regi*  Canauna^  which  may  be  thought  to 
XXV,    have  taken  its  Name  from  this  Peribn  and  his  Po- 

And  Atidah^  The  Reiicks  of  this  Name  remain 
(if  the  two  laft  Syllables,  as  is  ufual,  be  inverted) 
in  the  People  called  Albwo),  who  lived  in  an  Ifland 
called  Ai£J  or  Ai£S$,  which  lay  between  Arabia  and 
India^  and  is  by  Authors  faid  to  belong  fometimes 
to  the  one,  and  fometimes  to  the  ottter.  Philoftor- 
gjus  faith  only  they  bear  the  Name  of  Indians,  ("m 
the  place  before-named,  where  he  faith  Theophilut^ 
who  was  fent  to  cx>nvert  the  Howerites,  was  born 
here.)  But  Pliny  reckoning  up  the  Trafts  of  Arabia 
places  the  Ifle  called  Bevada  ("which  I  take  to  be 
this)  over  againft  the  fore-named  Region  called 
Canavna>  L.  VI.  cap.  28.  And  Straboj  (zsG 
fred  obfervesj  Agatharcides,  and  others  call  it 


I  know  not  where  to  find  any  Re 
mains  of  this  Name,  unlefs  it  be  in  the  City  Elana, 
(which  might  eafily  be  formed  from  Eldaah,  by  lea 
ving  out  the  Daleth  and  -turning  the?  Atn  into  A7^, 
than  which  nothing  more  common  }  which  was  fea- 
ted  in  the  Sinus  Arabic^  toward  the  Eaft  v  called 
by  others  9Ai\<zv&y  (JElana*)  from  whence  the  Sinus 
itfelf  wars  called  Elan  it  es,  and  the  People  that  lived 
in  it  Elamt#,  as  Salnta/iv*  (hows  out  of  many  Au 
thors,  Exercit.  in  Solinum,  p.  482. 

Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  Gave  all  he  had  to  IfaacJ]  As  he  defigned 
long  before,  XXIV.  36. 

Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  Sons  of  his  Concubines?}  Which  were  Ha- 
gar  and  Ketttrah  .•  Who  were  Wives  5  but  of  an  in* 
ferior  fort,  according  to  the  manner  of  thofe  Times 
and  Countries.  Keturah  is  exprefly  called  his  Con- 


upon  G  E  N  E  51  S.  379 

e^  i  Chron.  I.  32.   as  (he  is  above,  verfe  i.  of  Chapter 
this  Chapter  called  his  Wife.     Which  R.  Bechai  pn    XXV. 
Mr.  SelJen,  cap.  3.  */e  Succeffionibus)  thus  explains.  U/VV 
:£/ta  n?^r  /$•  Concubine,  becaufe  of  a  fervile  Condition  5 
£/jf  Im  \Vrfe  ^  becaufe  married  with  Coven  ants  ^  to  fro- 
vide  for  her  and  her  Children^  though  they  were  not 
'to  heir  his  Eftate.     The  Talmudifts  indeed  do  not 
perfectly  agree  in  this  matter:  For  though  they  all     • 
agree  (and  prove   it  evidently)  that  they  were  real 
Wives  ^  yet  forne  fay  they  were  made  fo  only  by 
'Solemn  Efponfals^  without  any  Marriage  Settlement  in 
Writing,  as  the  principal  Wives  had  :  Others  think 
they  had  a  Writing  alfo,  but  not  with  fuch  Conditi 
ons  as  the  principal  Wives  enjoyed.     Abarbinel  hath 
an  accurate  Difcourfe  about  this,  which  Btfxtorfhath 
tranflated  into  his  Book  deSponfalibttt^  n.  17.     And 
fee  alfo  Mr.  Selden,  L.  V.   de  Jure  N.  &  G.  cap.  7. 
p.  570,  8cc.  and  G.  Sckickard,  de  Jure  Regio>  cap.  3. 
p.  70. 

Gave  gifisl}  Some  Portion  of  his  Money,  or  move- 
able  Goods:  Or,  perhaps,  of  both.  Which,  in  all 
probability,  he  gave  to  Ifomad,  as  well  as  to  thefe  Sons, 
(though  it  be  not  mentioned  Gen.  XX 1. 1 4.)  becaufe 
Mofes  here  faith,  he  gave'  Gifts  to  the  Sons  of  his 
Concubines^  of  which  Hagar  was  one. 

Into  the  Eajl  Country?]  Into  Arabia  and  the  adja 
cent  Countries,  as  was  faid  before.  For  the  Midia- 
titts  are  called  the  Children  of  the  Eafl  in  Judg.  VI.  3, 
33.  VII.  ix.  VIII.  TO. 

Ver.  7.  Thefe  are  the  Days  of  the  Tears  of  Abra-  Verfe  7, 
ha#t9  &c/]  This  is  fpoken  by  anticipation,  (to  finifh 
the  Story  of  Abraham}  for  Efan  and  Jacob  were  born 
before  he  died :  And  were  now  fifteen  Years  old. 
For  Ifaac  was  but  fixty  Years  old  when  they  were 

Gcc  x  born. 


A   COMMENT  ART 

born,  verfe  26,  and  fevcnty  five  when  Abraham  di 
ed  :  Who  was  an  hundred  Years  old  at  Ifaac  $  birth> 
and  lived  to  the  Age  of  one  hundred  fevcnty  and  five. 

Verfe  8         Ver.  8.  Abraham  gave  up  the  ghoft.~\  Died  of  no  Dif- 
eafer  but  old  Age. 

In  a  good  old  Age.']  Without  Pain,  or  Sicknefs. 
Full  of  Tears."]  The  Hebrew  hath  only  the  word 
full.  We  add  Tears  to  make  up  the  Sence.  Which 
fome  think  rather  to  be  this,  That  he  was  fatisfied  and 
had  enough  of  this  World,  defiring  to  live  no  lon 
ger.  Like  thatExpreffion  in  Seneca,  Epift.  LXI.  ft, 
xi)  Lucili  Charjffima,  quantum  fatte  eft  5  mortem  flenus 
expeffo. 

Gathered  to  hfa  People."]  It  doth  not  relate  to  his 
Body,  which  was  no$  buried  with  them  3  and  there 
fore  muft  relate  to  his  Soul,  which  is  fuppofed  by 
this- (till  to- live  in  that  place,,  where  his  pious  Fore 
fathers  were  gone.  Or  elfe,  it  is  an  Hebrew  Uiotifm, 
fignifying  no  more,  but  that  he  left  this  World  as  all 
his  Fathers  had  done  before  htm. 

Verfe  9,  Ver.  9.  His  Sons,  Ifaac  and  Ifiwael,  8cc.]  By  this  it 
appears  that  Ifaac  and  Ifhvtael  were  not  Grangers  one- 
to  another.  Nay,  fome  of  tilt  Orientals  tell  us,  that 
Abraham  went  to  fee  Ifhmael  at  his  Houfe,  and  that 
Ijhmael  came  to  fee  him  after  he  was  fent  away  ? 
Which  is  not  at  all  improbable.  For  no  doubt  Abra 
ham  provided  for  him  fuitable  to  the  Condition  of 
his  Birth:  And  Ifomad could  not  but  be  convinced 
that  the  Inheritance  of  his  Father  belonged  of  right 
to  Ifaacy  who  was  the  Son  of  a  Free- Woman^  and  he 
only  pfa  Bond- Woman.  Nor  could  he  well  be  ig 
norant  that  Ifaac ,  was  to  be  Heir  of  Abr alum's  Eftate, 
by  God's  Defignation, 

In  the  Field  ofEfbran^.']  See  XXIIL  17. 

VCE, 


*p<m    G  E  N  E  S  I  S  381 

Ver.  n.  IJaac  dvett  by  the  Well  Lahai  rot.'}  He  Chapter 
continued  after  Abrahams  death,  his  former  Habita-  XXV. 
tion  which  he  had  when  he  married,  XXIV.  62.  ~"*-x/-^ 

Ver.    12.    Now  thefe   are    the   Generations   of  Iff}-  Verie   1 1, 
mad,  &c.]    Having  mentioned  the  Bleffing  of  God  Verfe  iz, 
which  went  along  with  Ifaac,  after  his  Father's  death 
fin  the  foregoing  Verfe)  he  takes  this  occafion  to 
(how,  that  God    was  not  unmindful  of  his  Promile 
made  to  Abraham  concerning  Jjbmaela\(o9  XVIf.  20. 

Ver.  13.  Nebahth.~\  As  he  was  the  firft-born  of  Verfe  13 
Jfomael,  to  his  Pofterity  gave  the  denomination  to 
the  whole  Country  of  Arabia  Pctrxa  (in  the  beft 
part  of  which,  fte  verfe  3.  they  inhabited)  which 
Pliny ,  Strdbo^  and  Ptolowy  call  Nabataa^  and  fome- 
times  other  Authors  call  Nabathis :  As  the  Inhabitants 
were  called  Nabat<ei  ^  who  are  mentioned  alfo  by  DJO- 
nyfius  Per/egetes  in  his  Defcription  of  the  World, 
and  by  Plutarch  in  the  Life  of  Demetrius  5  who,  he 
faith,  was  fent  to  fubdue  the  Arabs  called  Nabat&iy 
(r^  ^Aa/^i/as  Nfl^8a7a*W)  where  he  was  in  great  dan 
ger  to  perilh,  by  falling,  efe  jwt*$af$p&i  into  places 
where  there  was  n^  Water.  Thefe  are  coairnonly 
called  in  Scripture  I/h'0taelJtes,  as  if  they  had  been 
the  fole  Heirs  of  their  Progenitor/  And  they  dwelt 
near  to  thzMidiamtes,  (their  half  Brethren)  for  in 
the  Story  of  Jofiph,  he  is  faid  in  one  place  to  be  fold 
unto  the  Iftwaelite^  in  another  ta  the  MttUanhes, 
(Gen.  XXXVII.  27,  28,  36.)  they  being  Neighbours, 
and  Co-partners  in  Traffick.  The  Country  of  Moab 
alfo  was  near  to  thefe  Nabat&i,  as  appears  from  E/?/- 
fhanius^  H<enf.  LIII.  where  fpeaking  of  the  Coun 
tries  that  lay  beyond  the  Dead-Sea  he  mentions  this, 
which  he  calls  Na/SccnK*  Xc^^the  Region  ofNebaiot/^ 
,  and  Moabitis.  $£zSalmafiHS>Prtn.  Exercit.  p.6 1 5,. 

Kedar^ 


A  COMMENT ART 

Kedar.']  His  Pofterity  called  Kedareni  were  affo 
feated  in  Arab/a  Petwa,  together  with  their  elder 
Brother.  And  their  Name  alfo  was  fo  famous,  that 
fome  Authors  call  the  whole  Country  Kedar.  For 
the  Language  of  Kedar  is  ^Arabian  Language:  And 
when  David  complains  that  he  had  dwelt  long  in  the 
Tents  of  Kedar ,  the  Chaldee  expounds  it,  in  the  dwel 
ling  of  the  Arabians.  But  thole  Arabians  called  See- 
n'jt<e  were  properly  the  People  of  Kedar.  And  yet 
not  all  the  Scenit<e,  (/.  e.  all  the  Arabs  who  dwelt  in 
Tents)  but  thofe  only  who  dwelt  in  Arabia  Petr#a. 
For  there  were  divers  kinds  ofthem,.  ('all  called  '2«w- 
j/5)  fome  n^ar  Euphrates,  others  in  Arabia  Fcelix,  &c. 
as  Sdlmafu*  (hows  in  his  Plin.  Exercit.  p.  484.  Some 
take  them  to  be  the  fame  with  thofe  whom  Ptolomy 
calls  Pharanita:  For  what  the  Pfalmift  calls  dwelling 
among  the  Tents  of  Kedar,  is  called,  i  Sam.  XXVI 
I.  dwelling  in  the  Wilder  nefs  of  Par  an.  Pliny  only 
fays  Pharanitis  bordered  upon  the  Arabs,  (in  or  a  con* 
termina  gentw  Arabi<e)  and  fo  later  Writers  make 
P  bar  an  and  Arabia  Petr&a  to  be  near  Neighbours,  as 
the  fame  Saltnafius  (hows,  p.  485. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.i4.  Dumth.']  He  feems,  by  Ifawh  XXT/tf. 
to  have  been  feated  near  Idutȣa. 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  15  Hadar.~]  Some  think  the  Athrite  in  Ara 
b/a  F&lix  came  from  him.  In  which  likewife  there 
was  a  City  called  Tewa,  from  the  next  Son  of  IJh* 
wael.  And  jfetar  the  next  Son  to  him,  may  well  be 
thought  to  have  been  the  Father  of  the  -Iturxi  in 
Ctfo-Syrfa.  And  Kedemah  the  laft  of  his  Sons  to 
have  dwelt  near  his  Brother  Kedar.  For  fo  Jacobus 
Capellw  expounds  thofe  words,  Jer.  XL1X.  18.  G^  up 
to  Kedar )  and  fpoil  the  Mm  df  Kedem,  ("which  we 
tranflate  the  Men  of  the  E*/?.)  And  there  are  fome 

other 


.  upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  383 

other  People  in  thofe  Countries,  whofe  Name  found  Chapter 
fomething  like  the  reft  of  the  Sons  of  Ijbmael,  but     XXV. 
not  krlike  as  thefe  I  have  mentioned.     Whirh  makes  *s~v~*+* 
me  omit  all  further  fearch  after  them,  enough  having 
been  faid  to  (how  the  truth  of  this  Account  which 
Mofes  gives  us  of  Ifhmaefs  Pofterity, 

Ver.  1 6.  Thefe   are  their   Names,  by  their  Towns  1}  Verfe  16, 
Though  fome  of  them  dwelt  in  Tents  fand  thence 
were  called  Scenite  Arabes)    yet  they  did   not  live 
fo  fcatteringly  5  but  pitched  them  together  and  made 
a  Town. 

And  their  Co/Iks']  They  had  even  then  Places  of 
Defence :  Which  may  make  it  probable,  that  they 
had  alfo  walled  Towns,  to  which  they  reforted  from 
their  Tents  in  the  Fields,  when  they  were  in  any 
danger,  Ifai.  XLII.  n.  For  it  muft  be  here  noted, 
That  as  there  were  divers  People  of this  Name  office- 
nit<e  Arabes  $  fo  there  was  this  difference  among 
them  ("as  Salmafi**  obferves  in  the  fore-named  place^ 
I  that  fome  of  them  were  Novtades>  who  wandred 
from  place  to  place  ,•  others  of  them  were  not.  Par 
ticularly  tbe&6*«*  Scenit<e9  and  moft  of  the  reft 
dwelt  in  Tents,  but  were  fixed  in  their  Habitations, 
and  did  not  remove  from  one  place  to  another  : 
As  thofe  that  dwelt  in*  Mefofotamia  did,  who  were 
both  Scenit<e  and  alfo  Nomades.  They  therefore  who 
were  fettled  in  Tents,  as  the  Sons  of  IJhwael  were, 
had  reafon  to  build  Fortress  for  the  fecurity  of  their 
(lender  Habitations. 

Twelve  Princes  according  to  their  Nations.']  Or,  ra 
ther,  (as Dr.  Jack*on  well  glofles,  Bookl-  on  the  Creed, 
c.  2$J  twelve  Heads  of  fo  many  feveral  Houfes, 
Tribes^  or  Clans.  Which  kind  of  Government  they 
continued  till  fonr  hnndred  Years  after  Chrift  5  and 

is 


584  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    is  better  expreflfed  by  Heathen  Writers  than  by  many 
XXV.     Chriftian  Interpreters,  when  they  call  them  StfAo^of 

WX''"*-'  A*g$i£<w  Rulers  of  their  Tribes,  zsStrabo  fpeaks,  L. 
XVI.  in  his  Defcription  of  Syria.  And  fo  the  later 
Writers  fpeak  of  the  Saracens  f  who  were  the  fame 
People  formerly  called  Scenit<e  Arabes)  whofe  Gover 
nors  they  called  Phylarchi  Saraeenorum,  as  may  be 
feen  in  Sextvt  Rufuf^  and  Jornandes. 
See  Salwaf.  as  before,  p.  484,  485. 

Verfe  1 7.  Ver.  1 7.  Gathered  unto  his  People.*]  The  fame  Phrafes 
being  tifed  here  of  the  Death  of  Ifomael,  that  were 
VerfeS.  of  the  death  of  Abraham  5  they  fhow  the 
meaning  is  no  more,  but  that  they  left  the  World  as 
others  had  done  before  them.  We  do  not  read 
where  Ifimael  was  buried.  It  is  likely  in  his  own 
Country,  not  in  the  Cave  otMachpelah  :  For  that  had 
been  to  give  his  Pofterity  a  claim  to  a  Qiare  in  the 
Land  of  Canaan. 

'  l8«  Ver.  iS.  They  dwelt  from  Havilah  unto  Shur,  &c.] 
See  Gen.  X.  7.  Jofephus  L.I.  Antiq.  cap.  12.  makes 
the  IJbmaelites  to  have  poflefied  the  whole  Traft  be 
tween  Euphrates  and  the  Red-Sea  .*  Which  appears  by 
this  place  not  to  be  true.  For  between  them  and 
Euphrates  were  the  Awalekites  and  Moabites,  who 
did  not  reach  to  Euphrates  neither.  The  Ifhmadlies 
therefore  pofleffed  the  Country^  which  in  that  part 
EaJlwarJ,  that  was  next  to  the  Amahtytes^  was  called 
the  Wildernefs  of  Havilah  ^  and  in  that  part  next  to 
Egypt  was  called  the  Wildernefs  of  Shur.  And  in  0- 
ther  places  of  Scripture  'is  called  Kedar,  the  Wilder- 
mfs  of  Par  an  5  and  the  Wilder  nefs  of  Sin.  A-ll 
which  was  comprehended  afterward  under  the  Name 
ot  Arabia.  For  Stephanus  ("as  Salmajius  obferves, 
Plin*  Exerc.  p.  488.,)  makes  but  two  Arabia '/.  Ofie 

which 


upon    GENE  S  I  &  3$  5 

which  he  calls  the  Spicy ^  between  the  Per/fan  and  the  Chapter 
'Arabian  Sea  :  The  other  on  one  end  of  it  Weftward,    XXV. 
was  next  to  Egypt }  on  the  other  end  Northward,  next  W"V\J 
to  Syria. 

As  thoti  goeff  towards  AJfiria.*]  The  Wildernefs  of 
Shur  was  over  againft  Egypt  $  and  touched  it  in  that 
part,  by  which  the  Way  lay  from  Egypt  to  Affyria. 
Or,  as  fome  underftand  the  whole  Verfe^  The  Sorts  of 
Ifomael  dwelt  from  Shur^  which  if  towards  Egypt  5  nnt'o 
Havilah,  which  if  towards  Affjria  }  in  the  way  from  E- 
••gypt  thither. 

He  died  (Heb./eZQ  in  the  prefence  of  all  hi?  Brethren.] 
Of  all  his  Relations,  or  Kindred:  Which  are  call'd 
Brethren  in  Scripture.  But  his  Death  has  been  fpoken 
of  before,  and  in  this  forfe  mention  being  made  only 
of  the  Situation  of  his  Country,  fome  interpret  it  in 
this  manner,  ffe  Lot  fell,  i.e.  he  had  his  Portion  in 
the  prefence  of  all  his  Brethren:  According  to  the  Pro- 
mife  made  to  his  Mother,  XVI.  1 2.  The^Children  of 
Keturah  lying  on  the  Eaft  of  his  Country,  and  Ifaac's 
Seed  on  the  Weft.  Or,  if  we  take  it  to  relate  to  his 
Death,  it  may  have  the  fame  Sence :  Till  Death  he 
dwelt  m  the,  prefence  of  all  hif  Brethren^  and  was  in  a 
flourifltfirg  Condition. 

Ver.  19.  Thefe  are  the  Generations  of  If aacl]     His  Verfe  19. 
principal  defign  being   to  give  an  Account  of  thofe 
defcended   from  Abraham  by   Ifaac  5    Mofes  returns 
to  that,  after  a  fhort  Account  of  his  other   Pofte- 
rity. 

Ver.  20.   The  Syrian,  ofPadan-Aram,  &C.]     BethuelV&k  20. 
and  Ldban  are  called  Aramites  or  Syrians;   not  be- 
caufe  they  were   of  that  Nation,  but  becaufe  they 
lived  in  the  Country  of  Aramvt  Sjri*,  that  is  5nP^- 
dan  Aram  5  as  it  is  here  explained,  and  appears  more 

Odd  fully 


£  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    fully  from  Rebekah's  difcourfe  with  her  Son  Jacob, 

XXV.     when  (he  fent  him  thither,  XXVIH.  2,  5.  where  he 

\^/~V~\j  Jiving  twenty  Years  with  his  Uncle  Laban,  was  upcn 

that  account  called  a  Syrian,  though  born  in  Canaan, 

|fc*l.XXVI.  5. 

Padan-Aram,  was  a  part  of  Mefopotaw/a.     I  fay  a 
fart  of  it  }  for  Mefopotamia  it  felf  was  called  Arf*#- 
Naharazvt  5  that  part  of  tyr/d  (for  there  were  many 
other  Aram's)  which  lay  between  the  two  great  Ri 
vers  of  Euphrates  and  Tigris.     Which  Country  had 
two  parts  alfo:  One  toward   the   North,  from  the 
Mountains  of  Armenia,  to  the  River  Chaboras,  i.  e.  A- 
raxes,  (from   whence   Balaam  feems   to  have  been 
fetcht,  Nuwb.  XXIII.  7.)  which  was  exceeding  fruit 
ful,  and  upon  that  account  called  Pedan.   Which  fig- 
nifies  in  Arabic^  the  fame  that  Sede  doth  in  Hebrev>y 
i.e.  a  Field.     And  therefore  what  Mofes  calls  going 
toPadan-Araw,   Gen.  XXVIII.  2.  the  Prophet  Ho* 
fea  calls  fleeting  to  Sede- Aram,  into  the  Country,  or 
Field  of  Syria,  Hofea  XII.  12.     This  being  a  culti 
vated  Country,  abounding  with  all   plenty.     The 
other  part  of  Mefopotar/ita  was  Southerly,  from  the 
fore-named  River  unto  Babylon  :  And  was  very  fto 
ny  and  barren      The  Syrians   lived  in  the  former: 
And  the  Arabians  in  the  latter  5  as  Bockart  obferves, 
L.  II.  Phaleg.  cap.  6. 

Verfe  ai.  Ver.il.Ifaac  intreated  the  LORD  for  hi*  Wife,  Sec.} 
The  Hebrew  word  ./4tar  doth  not  fignifie  barely  to 
intreat  or  pray  :  But  to  befeech  with  earneftnefs,  ve 
hemence,  and  importunity.  It's  moft  likely  he  con 
tinued  thefe  importunate  Prayers  feveral  Years :  The 
defire  of  feeing  the  Mejfiah,  making  them  very  un- 
eafie  under  Barrennefs,  And  fome  of  the  Hebrews 
fanfie,  That  (he  remaining  barren  twenty  Years,  Ifaac 

at 


upon    G  E  N  E  §  I  $.  387 

atlaft  carried  her  with  him  to  Mount  Moriah  (where  Chapter 
he  (hould  have  been  offered  J  and  there  made  moft   XXV. 
fervent  Supplications  for  a  Son  :  As  if  he  would  re-  C/"V"NJ 
member  God  of  the  Promife  he  had  there  made  him, 
that  he  would  multiply  Abraham  sSeed,  as  the  Stars  of 
Heaven,  XXII.  17. 

Ver.  22.  And  the  Children   pntggted  together  within  Verfe  22 
her.']    Sometime  before  her  delivery  (verfe  24)  (he 
felt  as  if  two  were  wreftling  together  in  her  Womb  : 
And  put  her  into  Pangs,   by  (hiving  which  (hould  get 
cut  firft. 

If  it  befo^  why  am  Ithtts?~]  If  I  cannot  be  delivered, 
why  did  I  conceive? 

And  foe  went."}  The  Struggling  and  Pangs,  we  muft 
fuppofe,  ceafed  for  fome  time :  So  that  (he  was  able  to 
go  and  confult  the  Divine  Mujefly^  about  this  unufual 
Conteft. 

To  enquire  of  the  LO  RD."]  There  was  fome  Place 
where  the  Divine  Majefty  ufed  to  appear,  which  was 
the  fetled  Place  ofWorthip.  See  IV.  3.  Malmonlde* 
will  have  it,  that  fhe  went  to  the  School  of  Sem,  or 
Heber,  who  were  Prophets,  to  defirethem  to  confult 
the  Divine  Majefty  about  her  Cafe,  MoreNevoch.  P.  II. 
vap.  41.  And  it  is  very  probable,  that  there  was  fome 
divinely-infpired  Perfon  attending  the  SCHECHI- 
NA  H  wherefoever  it  was :  Such  as  Melchfaedek.  was 
ztSalem.  Whom  Patricides  takes  to  have  been  the  Per 
fon,  to  whom  Rebekah  retorted,  for  refolution  other 
Doubt. 

Ver.  23.    And  the  LORD  faid  unto  her.']     By  Verfe  a£ 
Melch/zedc^  faith  the  fore-named  Patricides  :  By  an 
Angel,  faith  Maimonides.    Who  tells  us  (in  the  place 
now  mentioned)  their  Matters  are  fo  fettled  in  their 
Opinion,  that  (he  went  to  enquire  of  the  fore-named 

D  d  d  2  Pro- 


388  A  COMMENT  A  RT 

Chapter    Prophets,  and  that  by  the  LORD  is  meant  his  An- 
XXV.     gel  5    that  they  will    have  Heber  to    be   him   that 
t/~W>  gave  theanfwer,  (Tor  Prophet  s^  fay  they,  are  fometimes 
called  Angels)  or  the  Angel  that  fpake  to  Heber  in  this 
Prophecy.     But  it  is  moft  reafonable  to  think  that  the 
LORD  fpake  to  her  by  an  Angel,,  from  the  SC HE- 
CHIN AH. 

Two  Nations  are  in  thy  IVombC]     The  Heads  of  two 
Nations* 

Two  manner  of  People  fhall  be  fepar at ed^~\  Greatly  dif 
fering  in  their  Difpofitions,  Manners,  courfeof  Life, 
and  Country:  Which  will  make  them  perpetually; 
difagree. 

From  thy  Bowels."]     Shall  ifllie  from  thee. 
The  elder  ftall ferve  the  younger C]     In  his  Pofterity, 
not  in  his  own  Perfon. 

Verfe  24.  Ver.  24,  When  her  days  to  be  delivered  were  fulfi&ed*\ 
This  demonftrates,  the  time  of  her  Delivery  was  not 
come,  when  the  ftrugling  firft  began. 

V^rfe  25.  Ver.25.  Red  all  over  >~]  Some  will  have  it  with 
red  Hair,  not  only  on  his  Head,  but  all  over  his 
Body. 

Like  an  hairy  Garment."}  As  rough  as  Hair-Cloth: 
Juftasthe  Poets  defcribe  Satyrs.  He  was  hirfutus  $  not 
only  hairy  all  over,  but  thofe  Hairs  as  ftiff  asBrifUes, 
arguing  great  ftrength  of  Body  :  And  a  rough,  fierce 
Temper. 

They  called  his  Name  EfauJ}  Which  fignifying 
made  in  Hebrew^  that  is  commonly  taken  for  the  rea- 
fon  of  his  Name  5  that  he  was  as  full  of  Hairs  when  he 
was  born,  as  others  are  at  Man's  Eftate.  But  I  think  it 
may  as  well  denote  his  a&ive  Genita,  which  they 
thought  this  prefaged, 

Ver, 


G  E  N  E  s  l  S; :  &• 

Ver.  26.  jf*™£.]  He  certainly  had  his  Name,  from  Chapter 
his  taking  his  Brother  by  the  Heel  at  his  birth  :  As  if  XXV. 
he  would  fupplant  him:,  as  he  afterwards  did.  ^X^" 

Was  three/core  Tears  old."]     God  exercifed  $4&jF$  2° 
Faith  and  Patience  (juft  asiie  had  done  Abrahams)  for 
the  (pace  of  twenty  Years,  before  he  gave  him  a  Chi!d_. 
For  he  was/0r)^  Years  old    when  he  married  (fcrfe 
20.J  a°d  no\v  fixty. 

Ver.  27.  A  canning  Hunter^]     Had  great  Skill  in  Verfe  27* 
Hunting,  in  which  his  active  Genius  delighted. 

A  Man  of  the  Field.']  That  took  pleafure  to  be 
abroad,  purfuing  wild  Beafts,  in  Woods  and  Moun 
tains  •*  Where  afterwards  he  had  his  Habitation. 

A  plaza  Man,  dwelling  In  Tents."]  He  loved  not 
violent  Exercife,  but  kept  at  home  5  or  lookt  after 
the  Flocks  of  Sheep,  and  the  Breed  of  Cartel. 

Ver.  28.  And  Ifaac  loved  Efau,  Sec.]  Not  only  Verfe  a8. 
becaufe  he  was  his  firfk-born,  and  becaufe  his  love  of 
Hunting  argued  him  to  beaMan  of  great  Activity  and 
Valour,  who  was  likely  to  prove  a  great  Perfon  :  But 
becaufe  he  alfo  took  care  frequently  to  entertain  his 
Father  with  Venifon,  (which  was  of  divers  forts)  and 
afforded  him  fuch  variety  at  his  Table,  as  gave  his  Fa 
ther  frequent  occafion  to  commend  him. 

But  Rebekah  loved  Jacob.']  Being  a  Man  of  a  more 
meek  and  quiet  Temper,  fuitable  to -her  own  Diipo- 
fition  5  and  more  at  home  alfo  with  her,  than  hfau 
was }  and  defigned  by  God  to  inherit  the  Promiie, 
verfe  23.  It  is  likely  Efan  made  great  court  fas  we 
fpeakj  to  his  Father }  and  Jacob  to  his  Mother: 
Whereby  they  won  their  Affection. 

Ver.  29.  He  was  faint."}  With  too  violent  and  long  Veffe  20.  } 
purfuit  of  his  Sports. 

Ver,. 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.jo.  Feed  me,  I  fray  thee,  with  that  fame  ra/,&c] 

XXV.     It  was  made  ofLentiles,  as  we  learn  from  the  laft  Verfe 

L^-N^NJ  of  this  Chapter.     And  St.  Anfttn  upon  Pfalm  XL VI. 

Verfe  30.  faith  they  were  Egyptian  Lentiles ;  which  were  in  great 

efteem,  and  much  commended  by  Athenem^  and  A. 

GeUiut :  And  gave  the  Pottage,  it  is  probable,  a  red 

tin&ure.  Some  think  Ffau  did  not  know  what  it  was, 

and  therefore  calls  it  only  by  its  Colour  $  asking  for 

that  red,  that  fame  red,  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew. 

Therefore  rpas  his  Name  called  Edom^]  This  repeated 
eager  defire  6f  he  knew  not  \\hat,  for  which  he  fold 
his  Birth-right;,  gave  him  the  Name  of  Edom  :  Which 
fignifies  red.  Whence  the  City  which  he  built,  and 
the  whole  Gauntry  his  Pofterity  inhabited,  was  cal 
led  by  the  fame  Name  }  and  by  the  Greeks  ldum<ea  $ 
bordering  toward  the  South  upon  Judaa^Arabza,  and 
Egypt. 

Verfe  31,  Ver.  31.  Sell  me  this  day  thy  Birth-right."]  Theeldeft 
Son  had  feveral  Priviledges  belonging  to  him  above 
the  reft :  The  chief  of  which  was  to  have  a  double 
Portion  of  his  Father's  Eftate.  As  for  the  right  of 
Prkftkood,  there  are  many  reafbns  to  prove  it  did  not 
belong  thereunto.  But  whatfoever  they  were,  Jacob 
cunningly  made  an  Advantageof  £/^//'s  Neceffity,  to 
purchafe  them  all  fora  fmall  matter.  In  which  fome 
think  he  did  notamifs/  About  which  I  (hall  not  dif- 
pute. 

32.  Ver.  32.  What  profit  foall  this  Birth-right  do  to  we  ?~\ 
He  fpeaks  very  flightly,  if  not  contemptuoufly  of  it : 
Preferring  the  prefent  Satisfaftion  of  his  Appetite,  be 
fore  his  future  Dignity  and  Greatnefs.  For  fome  are 
of  Opinion  he  pretended  to  be  fainter  than  really  he 
was  v  out  of  a  vehement  longing  for  the  Pottage  $ 
which,  perhaps,  was  a  rarity. 

Vef. 


upon    GENES!  S. 

Ver.  33.  Swear  to  me  this  day^]  That  I  (hall  peace-  Chapter 
able  enjoy  the  Prerogative  of  the  Birth-right.  XXVI. 

Efau  feems  to  have  been  very  violent  in  all  things  $  WY~\J 
and  to  have  purfued  this  as   eagerlv  as  he  did    his^erfe  33 
Sports  :  Jacob,  on  the  contrary,  very  fedate  and  craf 
ty  to  make  the  beft  ufe  of  the  Opportunities  he  met 
with,  to  promote  his  Ends. 

Ver.  34.  Rofe  up  and  went  his  way  ~]     Well  fatif-  Verfe  34 
fied,  and  without  any  trouble  for  what  he  had  done. 
Which  the  Apoftle  cen fares  as  a  piece  of  Prophane- 
nefs:  Parents  being  wont  to  give  a  fpecial  Bleffing  to 
their  Firft-born. 

Defftfe  his  Birth-right^]  He  thought,  perhaps,  he 
could  recover  that  by  Force,  which  he  had  loft  by  his 
Brother's  Craft. 


CHAP.     XXVI. 

Ver.  I.    A  ND  there  was  a  famine  in  the  Lattd,  &C.3  Verfe   i, 

JL\  Such  a  Scarcity  of  Provisions,  as  were 
in  Abraham's  days  ("XII.  ic.J  when  he  was  newly 
come  into  Canaan^  happened  again  in  the  days  of 
Ifaac. 

And  Ifaac  went.']  It  is  not  faid  from  whence  he 
went :  But  it  is  probable,  after  the  Death  of  Abraham, 
he  went  and  dwelt  where  his  Father  had  often  done, 
at  Mamre  near  Hebron.  For  he  was  not  now  at  Beer- 
fheba,  or  the  Well  Lahai-roi,  (which  was  the  hft  place 
of  his  Habitation  that  we  read  of,  XXV.  1 1 J  for  that 
was  in  this  very  Country  of  Ger.tr,  to  which  he  now 
went. 

Vnto 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter  Unto  Abj?nelech.~]  The  Son,  it  is  raoft  likely,  of  him 
XXVI.  to  whom  Abraham  went :  For  he  is  not  to  be  thought 
the  fame  $  it  being  an  hundred  Years  fince  that  time. 
And  all  the  Rings  of  that  Country  were,  for  many 
Ages,  called  by  the  Name  of  Abintekch~$  as  appears 
from  the  Story  of  David  :  Who  fled  to  one  of  that 
Name  called  Ackifh  in  i  Sam.  XXI.  10.  but  Abimelech 
in  the  Title  of  {he  XXXIV.  Pjfife/.  See  Gen.  XX.  2. 

'Ver.  2.  And  (or  for')  the  LORD  appeared  to  him7\ 
He  intended  to  have  gone  into  Egypt,  as  Abraham 
his  Father  had  done  in  the  like  Cafe,*  XII.  10.  But 
God  forbad  him,  (appearing  to  him  either  in  a  Vi 
llon,  or  a  Dream,  or  as  the  Glory  of  the  LORD  ap 
peared  after  ward  -to-Mofes  and  the  Congregation  of 
Ifrael  upon  fevcral  occafionsj  and  direfted  him  to 
ftay  in  this  Country,  which  was  in  the  way  to  Egypt: 
Where  he  promifes  to  provide  for  him. 

Though  Egypt  was  a  mod  plentiful  Country  $  yet 
the  King  of  it  at  this  time,  was  not  fo  good  a  Man, 
perhaps,  as  him  that  reigned  in  the  Days  of  Abra 
ham. 

Verfe  ,3,  Ver.  3.  Sojourn  in  this  Land,  Sccf]  He  not  only 
promifes  to  take  care  of  him  at  prefent,  during  the 
Famine  :  But  renews  the  Promifes  made  to  Abraham 
his  Father  at  fundry  times,  and  in  divers  places*  XII. 
3.XV.5.  XVII.ijS.  and  at  laft  confirmed  by  an  Oath, 
XXII.  16,17. 

I  will  be  with  thee,  and  blefs  thee.~]    Thefe,  and  fuch 

like  words  Maintonides  (hows  exprefs  zfpecfal  Provi- 

•  dence   over  thofe  to  whom  they    are  fpoken,  and 

overall  belonging  to  them.    More  Nevoch.  Par.  III. 

cap.  18. 


Unto 


upon  GENESIS. 

Unto  thy  Seed  will  I  give  allthefe  Countries^  Which  Chapter 
he  repeats  again  in  the  next  ferfe  $  having  mention-   XXVK 
1  ed  the  vaft  multiplication  of  his  Seed.  VXVNJ 

Ver.  4.  In  thy  Seed  Jhallali  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  Verfe  4. 
teblejjed."]  In  this  is  contained  the  Promife  of  the 
Meffiah ,  the  higheft  Bleffing  God  could  beftow  / 
Which  he  aflured  Abraham  (hould  fpring  out  of 
his  Family,  XXII.  18.  and  now  aflures  the  fame  to 
Ifaac* 

Ver.  5.  Becaufe  that  Abraham  obeyed  my  Voice.~]    In  Verfe  5. 
going  out  of  his  own  Country,    when  God  called 
him;  in  circumcifing  himfelf  and  his  Family  5   but 
efpecially  (XXII.  i8J  in  offering  his  Son  Ifaac. 

And  kept  my  charged]  i.  e.  Obferved  the  Sabbath- 
Day,  faysMeva/fihBen-Ifrael,  out  of  the  Hebrew  Do- 
ftors,  L.de  Great.  Problem.  VIIF.  But  it  feemsmore 
rational  to  understand  by  this  word  which  we  tran- 
flate  charge,  all  that  he  commanded  him  to  obferve : 
The  Particulars  of  which  follow. 

My  Commandments,  my  Statutest  and  my  Laws.'] 
Thefe  are  nicely  diftinguilhed  by  feme  of  the  Jews  * 
efpecially  Abarbmel :  Who,  by  Commandments,  Under- 
ftands  not  only  that  of  Circumcifion,  but  of  Expel 
ling  Ifomael :  And  by  Statutes,  (Hebr.  Chukkothai, 
which  always  relates  to  Ceremonial  Things)  not  on 
ly  binding  his  Son  Ifaac  to  offer  him  in  Sacrifice, 
but  his  offering  a  Ram  afterwards  in  his  ftead  .•  And 
by  Laws,  (which  include  the  Judicial  part  of  Mofes 
his  Writings^  his  taking  a  Wife  for  Ifaac  out  of  ano 
ther  Country  $  and  beftowing  Gifts  upon  the  Chil 
dren  of  his  Concubines,  referving  the  Land  for  Ifa 
ac.  But  this  may  feem  too  curious;  And  fo  many 
words  may  be  thought  rather  to  be  ufed,  only  to 
cxprefs  his  exa&  Obedience  to  God  in  every  thing, 

E  e  e  whe- 


•4. .     rA   COMMENT  ART 

Chapter   whether  belonging  to  Religion,  or  to  Juftice,   Mer- 
XXVI.   cy,  or  any  other  Duty  :  According  to  what  he  requi- 

w"'v-»w  red  of  him.  XVII.  i.  Walk  before  me.  and  be,  thon 
pcrfttt. 

Verfe  6,  Ver.  6.  And  Ifaac  dwelt  in  Gerar.']  This  is  a  frefh 
Inftance  of  his  conftant  Obedience  5  in  trufting  ro 
God's  Providence  here,  and  not  going  down  into 
Egypt  i  as  he  was  inclined. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  She  is  my  Sifter."]  Or,  Coufn  5  for  fo  (he 
was.  He  told  part  of  the  Truth,  but  not  all. 

For  he  feared  to  fay  0  8cc.3    He  Imitated  his  Father  5 
as  Children  are  apt  to  do. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  S for  ting  ivith  Rebekah  his  Wife.']  Ufing 
fuch  familiarity  with  her,  and  blandifhments,  as  were 
not  allowable  between  Brethren  and  Sifters  5  but  com 
mon  between  Man  and  Wife,  even  openly*  As  em 
bracing  her  in  his  Arms,  and  killing  her,  perhaps,  ve 
ry  often.-  He  having  an  exceeding  great  love  to  her, 
XXIV.  67. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Of  afurety  fheisthy  Wife.']  Itfeemshe  took 
Ifaac  to  be  fo  good  a  Man,  that  he  lookt  upon  the 
Liberties  he  took  with  Rebekah,  as  Tokens  of  Conju 
gal  Love,  not  of  inceftuous  Defires. 

Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  Brought  guiltinefs  upon  us.*]  It  is  likely 
the  Punifhment  inflifted  upon  his  Father  and  Family, 
(XX.  1 7.)  only  for  taking  Sarah  into  his  Houfe,  with 
an  intention  to  make  her  his  Wife,  was  yet  in  memo 
ry  among  them. 

Verfe  1 1.  Ver.  1 1.  He  that  toucheth  this  Man  or  his  Wife,  &c.} 
This  looks  like  a  modeft  word,  as  it  is  ufed,  XX.  6.  ; 
and  i  Cor.  VII.  i.  But  the  Chaldee  Paraphraft  (and 
the  Hebrew  Doftors_)  interpret  it  of  not  doing  them 
any  injury  „•  Becaufe  he  fpeaks  of  the  Man,  as  well  as 
his  Wife  3  and  fo  it  is  explained,  verfe  29. 

Ver. 


upon  GENESIS. 

Ver.  n.  Then  Ifaac  forved  in  that  Land."]  Moft  take  Chapter 
this  to  have  been  in  the  time  of  Famine:    Which   XXVf. 
makes  it  the  greater  wonder,  that  the  Ground  (hould  t/"VNJ 
then  bring  forth   fo  plentifully.     But  it  feerns  more  Verfe  12. 
likely  to  me,  that  the  Dearth  was  at  an  end  .•    For  it 
isfaid  Verfe  8.  that  he   had  been   in  that  Country  a 
•long  time,  when  Abimelech  faw  him  fporting  with  his 
Wife. 

An  hundred  fold  ~]  This.,  in  it  felf,  is  not  wonder 
ful  5  though,  at  this  time,  it  was  a  fingular  Blefiing 
of  God,  after  there  had  been  fome  time  ago  a 
Dearth^  and,  perhaps,  the  Soil  not  rich,  which  af 
forded  fo  large  a  Crop.  Otherwife,  Varro  fays,  (L.I. 
de  re  Ruftica^c.  44..)  that  in  Syria.,  about  Gadera^  and 
in  Africa  about  By&acium^  they  reap'd  an  hundred 
Bulhels  for  one,  (ex  modio  nafci  centum.)  Pliny  and 
Solinus  fay  the  fame  of  that  Country  ByLacmm,  :  In 
fo  much  that  Bochartus  fanfies  the  Metropolis  of  that 
rich  Country,  viz,.  Adrumentum^  had  its  Name  from 
hence }  fignifying  in  the  Phoenician  Language,  as  much 
as,  the  Region  of  an  hundred  fuld^  Lib.  I.  &'#/z#«/z,  cap. 
14.  Nay,  fome  places  in  Africa  were  fo  rich  that 
they  produced  two  hundred,  yea  three  hundred  fold, 
as  he  (hows  out  of  feveral  good  Authors  in  the  25^ 
Chapter  of  that  Book.  Whence  he  thinks  Africa 
had  its  Name  $  being  as  much  as  *Ei/s>  «;$/$;  J^5  Terra 
Spicarum,  a  Land  of  Ears  of  Corn.  All  which  I  have 
noted,  that  this  Pafiage  may  not  feem  incredible  to 
any  Reader. 

And  the  LOR  Dble/ed  him.']  Or,  for  >he  Lo  R  D 
blefled  him.  This  is  the  reafon  of  the  fruitiulnefs  of 
that  Soil  $  which  naturally  would  not  have  yield 
ed  fo  much. 


-O 


M;Eeea  Ver. 


A   CO MME NT  ART 

Chapter       Ver.  13.  And  the  Man  waxed  great,  &c.]  I  fuppofe 
XXVI.   he  had  many  fuch  fruitful  Years  5  fo  that  his  Riches 

WV"*^  increafed  till  he  grew  very  great \    and  bought  more 

Verfe  13.  Cattel  than  he  had  before.     For  in  them  confifted 
the  ancient  Riches,  as  Servhu  tells  us  on  the  firft  of 
Virgil's  Eclogues.     Omne    Patriwonium    apud  majores 
,  feculmm  dicebatur,   a  pecor'ibus  5  in  quibus  univerfa  eo- 

ruwfubftantjaconftabat.  Unde  etiam  PECTJNIA 
diStfmt,  a  PECVLIO.  The  fame  alfo  we  find 
faid  by  Columdla. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  Great  ft  ore  of  Servants. ~\  The  Margin  hath, 
(lore  of  Husbandry.  Which  is  very  likely  5  becaufe 
he  was  incouraged  in  it,  by  his  great  Crops  .-  Which 
could  not  likewife  but  increafe  the  Number  of  his 
Servants.  The  Arabjck.  fet  forth  by  Erpenius  hath  on 
ly,  a  great  revenue,  or  vaft  increafe  :  Which  among 
the  Eajlern  People,  as  I  faid,  was  principally  from 
their  Cattel.  But  God  bleffed  him  with  abundance  of 
Corn  alfo. 

Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  Thou  art  much  mightier  than  we-"]  As  the 
People  envied  him,  verfe  14.  fo  the  King  himfelf,  it 
feems,  began  to  fear  him.  And  therefore  defired 
him,  in  a  friendly  manner,  to  leave  his  Country.  For 
they  were  not  yet  grown  fo  wicked,  as  to  attempt 
to  deftroy  thofe  who  lived  quietly  among  them  5 
when  they  apprehended  they  would  become  richer 
and  ftronger  than  themfelves. 

Verfe  17.     Ver.  17.  The  Valley  of  Gerar.'}     Where   that  was, 
'is  uncertain  ^  but  at  fome  diftance  from  the  City  where 
Ablmelech  dwelt,  and  near  to  which  Ifaac  had  inhabi 
ted  before. 

Verfe  18.  Ver.  1 8.  Wtich  they  had  digged  in  the  days  of  Abra 
ham.'}  He  chofe  to  open  the  old  ones,  rather  thar* 
dig  new  5  both  becaufe  he  was  certain  there  to  find  a 

Spring 


Hpon    GENESIS  397 

Spring  of  Water,  and  becaufe  it  was  moftenfie,  and  Chapter 
lefs  obnoxious  to  Cenfure  or  Envy  :   And  becaufe  he  XXVI. 
would  preferve  his  Father's  Memory  $  for  which  rea-  vx-^^^ 
fon  he  did  not  give  them  new  Names3but  thofe  they 
had  in  his  Father's  Days. 

Ver.  19.  They  digged  in  the  Valley  ^  &C."]    In  pro- Verfe  19. 
cefs  of  time,  they  found  a  neceffity  of  more  Water } 
and  fo  digged  till  they  met  with  a  new  Spring,    in 
the  Valley. 

Ver.  20.    The  Water  is  oursl]  Becaufe  it  was  found  Verfe  20. 
in  their  Soil,  as  Menochitts  obferves.  But  they  having 
let  the  Ground  to  Ifaac,  the  Water  was  truly  his,  as 
long  as  the  Contract  lafted. 

Ver.  21.  And  they  digged  another  Wett-"}   I  fuppofe  Verfe  2F. 
in  the  fame  Valley  .•  For  rather  than  contend,    he  re 
ceded  from  his  Right  in  the  other  WelL 

Ver.  22.     He  removed  from   thence.]     To  avoid  Verfe  ox 
ftrife,    he  quitted  that  part  of  the  Country,   and 
went  to  another  .-  Where  he  was  not  ditturbed  in  his 
Pafturage., 

For  now  the  LORD  hath  made  room  for  us."]  He 
was  ftrcightned  before  for  want  of  fufficient  Wa 
ter  for  his  Flock  .•  Which  now  he  enjoyed  in  abun 
dance. 

And  we  jhall  be  fruitful  in  the  Land*']  Increafe  more 
than  formerly :  Now  that  they  could  water  their 
Flocks  quietly  and  plentifully. 

Ver,  23.  Went  upfrom  thence  to  Beer-fheba."]  Where  Verfe  23* 
he  and  his  Father  had  anciently  lived,     XXI.  33, 
XXV.  ii, 

Ver.  24.  And  the  LORD  appeared  unto  him  the  Verfe  24* 
jame  Night..']    As  he  had  done  before  he  came  to  Ge- 
verfe  2,. 

1  am 


4  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter       /  dm  the  God  of  Abraham']     Who  was  fo  kind  to 
XXVI,    him,  and  made  a  Covenant  with  him. 

tX"V"NJ  I  AM  w/th  thee.~]  My  fpecial  Providence  is  over 
thee  $  as  was  explained  before,  verfe  3. 

Verfe  a  J.  Ver,  25.  Built  an  Altar  there.']  To  offer  Sacrifice 
unto  the  LORD. 

Called  upon  the  Name  of  the  LO  R  D."]  As  Abraham 
had  done  before  him,  in  this  very  place,  XXI.  33. 

And  pitched  hisTent  there.']    Refolved   to  fettle  in 
this  place. 

Verfe  26.  Ver.  2  6.  P£/V<?/,  8tc.]  The  fame  Name  and  the 
fame  Office  that  he  had,  who  is  mentioned  XXI.  22. 
but  he  was  not  the  fame  Man,  no  more  than  Abinteleck 
the  fame  King.  It  is  probable  this  was  a  Name  of 
fome  Dignity  among  them  5  like  that  of  Tribunus  or 
Diffator  among  the  Rowans  /Which  paifed  from  one 
to  another. 

Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  Wefaw  certainly  the  L  0  R  D  was  with 
thee,&c.~]  We  have  obferved  fucha  fpecial  Provi 
dence  over  thee,  that  we  come  to  eftablifli  a  perpe 
tual  Friendfhip  with  thee,  by  a  folemn  Oath,  if  thou 
wilt  confent  to  our  defire.  They  were  afraid,  it 
feems,  left  being  difobliged  by  their  fending  him  out 
of  their  Country,  he  (hould  fall  upon  them  one  time 
or  other  5  being  mightier  than  they,  as  they  acknow 
ledged,  verfe  18. 

Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  Have  fent  thee  away  in  peace."]  They  re 
member  him  how  they  difmiffed  him  peaceably  5  and 
did  not  go  about  to  feize  upon  his  Eftate,  while  he  li 
ved  among  them  :  Which  they  make  an  Argument, 
why  he  fhould  contraft  a  nearer  Friendfbip  with  fuch 
Civil  People. 

Thou  art  now  the  blejfid  of  the  LO  RDJ]  This  looks 
like  an  high  Complement,  or  flattering  Expreflion. 

Ver. 


upon    GENESIS, 

.  Ver.  50.  He  made  them  a  Feaft,  Sec.*]  So  Covenants  Chapter 
were  made,  by  eating  and  drinking  together.  XXVI. 

Ver.  32.  Told  him  concerning  the  Well  they  had  dig-  ^s^s"^* 
ged,  Sec.]    They  had  begun  to  dig  before  Abitndechv^  3°- 
and  -Phicol  cams,  verfe  ^.    and   now  they  came  at  a^er*e  82' 
Spring  of  Water. 

Ver.  33.  He  called  it  Sbeba.~]  From  the  Oath  which  Verfe  33. 
was  lately  made  between  him  and  Abimelech.     It  had 
been  called  fo  before  by  Abraham,  XXI.  31.  but  that 
Name,  perhaps,  was  forgotten,  and  fo  he  revived  it, 
as  he  had  done  others,  verfe  18. 

Ver.  34.  The  Daughter  of  Been  the  Hittitey  See.]  Verfe  34. 
Jofefhus  faith  thefe  two  Men,  Been  and  £/<?#,  whofe 
Daughters  Efau  married,  were  Dyndfttf^  powerful 
Men  among  the  Hittites  :  Which  is  not  improbable. 
But  his  Father  fure  had  given  the  fame  Charge  to 
him,that  Abraham  had  done  concerning  his  own  Mar 
riage,  XXIV.  3.  and  then  it  was  a  very  undutiful, 
nay,  an  impious  aftion,  to  marry  with  thofe  People, 
who  were  under  the  Curfe  of  God.  The  Scripture 
might  well  call  him  frophane  :  Who  feems  not  to 
have  regarded  either  the  Curfe  or  the  Bleffing  of  the 
Almighty. 

Ver.  35.  Agrkfofmmdl}  His  very  marrying  with  Verfe  35. 
them,  forely  af&i£ted  his  Father  and  Mother.    Or,  as 
others  interpret  it,    their  Idolatrj'   and  bad  Manners  . 
extreamly  grieved  them. 


CHAR 


400  A  COMMENTARY. 


Chapter 
XXVII. 


CHAP.     XXVII. 

fen  Jfaac  nas  olcf]    A 

and /even  Years  old,  as  many  have  de- 


Verfe  i.    Ver.  i.T  1C  JHen  Jfaac  was  old]    An  hundred  thirty 


monftrated. 

He  faid  unto  him,  My  Son,  &a]  It  appears  by  this 
and  what  follows^  that  though  Efau  had  difpleafed 
him  by  his  Marriage  ;  yet  he  retained  his  natural  Af- 
fedtion  to  him,  which  he  had  from  the  beginning. 

Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  Thy  Quiver.']  Some  take  the  Hebrew  word 
to  fignifie  a  Sword  :  Which  was  as  neceflary  for  a 
Huntfman,  as  a  Bow  and  Arrows. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  Make  mefavorymeat,  &c/]  To  raife  his 
feeble  Spirits,  and  enable  him  to  deliver  his  laft  and 
foiemn  Benedi&ion,  with  the  more  vigour. 

My  Soul  may  blefs  thee  before  Idk^  It  feems  Jfaac 
did  hot  underftand  the  CXivine  Oracle,  XXV.  25.  as 
Rebel(ahdid$  Or,  (he  had  not  acquainted  him  with 
it.  For  he  intended  to  beftow  upon  Efau  the  pro- 
mifed  Land  5  which  was  that  God  told  Abraham  he 
would  blefs  his  Poflerity  withal.  Fcr  the  laft  Bene 
diction  of  thefe  great  Men,  was  the  fettling  of  their 
Inheritance  3  and  making  thofe  their  Heirs  upon 
whom  they  beftowed  their  Blefling.  Now  the 
Birth  right  which  Efau  had  fold  Jacob  gave  him 
right  only  to  thegreateft  part  of  Jfaac  s  Eftate  .•  But 
not  to  the  Land  of  Canaan,  which  was  to  be  difpofed 
of  by  Ifaac,  according  to  Divine  Diredion. 

Verfe  7.        Ver,  7.  And  blefs  thee  before  the  LOR  D.]   Thefe 
words  fhow  it  was  not  a  common  Blefiing,  but  a  fo- 

kmn 


upon    GENE  S  IS,  40 1 

kttm  Benediftion,  and  by  Divine  Authority  or  Ap-  Chapter 
probation,  which  7/i^meantto  give  his  Son  Efau.     XXVII. 

Ver.  8.  ObeyntyVoice^  &c.]  Rebekah  hiving  juft  *~^s^* 
reafon  to  conclude,  that  Efau  had  forfeited  the  Blef-  Verle  8. 
fing,  which  (he  was  defirous  to  preferve  in  her  Fa 
mily,  by  marrying  with  the  People  of  Canaan,  who 
were  curfed  by  God  5  thought  of  this  Device  to  get 
Jacoh  preferred  before  him.  And  indeed,  it  cannot 
be  denied,  that  it  was  a  prophane  thing  (as  I  noted 
before)  to  marry  with  a  Daughter  of  Heth.  And 
he  feems  afterwards  to  have  had  no  good  Defign  in 
marrying  with  a  Daughter  of  Ifhwael,  (XXVIII.  9 .} 
for  it  looks  as  if  he  went  about  to  fet  up  the  Pretenfi- 
ons  of  that  Family,  againft  Ifaac's. 

Ver.  9.  Two  good  Kids  of  the  Goats.~]  Two  fatVerfe  9. 
fucking  Kids,  as  Aben  Ezra  expounds  this  Phrafe,  Kid 
of  the  Goats,  ( upon  Exod.  XXIII.  1-9.)  which  in  old 
time  were  accounted  very  delicious  Meat:  A  Prefent 
fit  fora  King,  i  Sam.  XVI.  20.  and  which  Manoah 
prepared  for  the  Angel,  whom  he  took  for  a  Noble 
Gueft,  Judg.  XIII.  15.  And  C which  is  moft  proper 
to  be  here  confidered)  allowed  to  decayed  and  weak 
People,  as  an  excellent  Nourilhment. 

Both  thefe  Kids  were  not  prepared  for  Ifaac  :  But 
foe  took  the  moft  tender  and  delicate  parts  of  both, 
and  dreffed  them  for  him. 

And  I  will  make  them  favory  Meat.']  Drefs  it  fo, 
as  tOvpleafe  his  Palate  ^and  not  to  be  diftinguifhed  by 
him  for  Venifon.  For,  we  know,  the  natural  tafte 
of  things  may  be  quite  altered,  by  various  forts  of 
Seafonings,  as  we  call  them :  And  ordered  in  fuch 
manner,  that  Bochartus  fays,  he  knew  skilful  Hunts* 
men  take  a  Party  made  of  Beef,  for  Venifon, 

Fff  Ver. 


4:  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  M.  An  hairy  Man."]  In  the  Hebrew,  ifch  Satr, 
XXVII.    a  rough  Man,  hairy.like  a  Goat  For  the  fame  word 

V^-fe^      S^r  fi8nifies'a  Goat>  Getf.XXXVII.  31.  iez;.  IX,  15. 
•  "•  :f  V  and  other  places. 

Ver.  I*.  A  deceiver'.]  One  that  cheats  his  Father  5 
impofing  on  his  Age,  and  on  his  Blindnefs  :  Which, 
he  wifely  confiders,  would  have  been  an  high  Pro 
vocation  if  it  had  been  difcovered. 

Verfe   13,      Ver,  13.  Vf  on  me  be  thyCurfe.~\    L  e.  There  is  no 

danger:  I  will  warrant  the  fuccefs. 
*5-  Ver.  15.  Took,  goodly  Raiment,  &c.]  His  beft 
Clothes  5  which  molt  fuppofe  were  laid  up  in  a  Cheft, 
among  odoriferous  Flowers,  or  other  Perfumes  .• 
Both  to  preferve  them  from  Moths,  and  to  comfort 
the  Brain  when  they  were  worn  .•  For  their  Smell  is 
mentioned  verfe  27.  It  is  a  groundlefs  Fanfie  of  the 
Jew,  that  thefe  werq  Sacerdotal  Garments,  ( and  the 
very  fame  that  Adam  wove,  which  descended  to 
Noah,  &c.)  for.  as  there  was  no  Sacrifice  now  to  be 
made,  fo  the  Primogeniture  did  not  make  him  4 
Prieft,  more  than  Jacob  j.te  was  noted  before.  One 
may  rather  fay,  thefe  were  'Garments  belonging  to 
him,  as  Heir  of  the  Family :  Between  whom  and 
the  other  Sons,  it's  very  probable  the  Affe£Hon  of 
Parents  was  wont  to  makefome  difference  in  their  Ap 
parel. 

Verfe  16.  Verf  16.  Put. the  Skin  of  the  Kids  of  the  Goats.']  It 
isobferved  by  Bochartus,  That  in  the  E'aftem  Coun 
tries,  Goats-Hair  was  very  like  to  that  of  Men,  P.I. 
Hzerozoic.  L.  2.  c.  51.  So  that  Ifdac  might  eafily  be 
deceived,  when  his  Eyes  were  dim,  and  his  Feeling 
no-left  decayed  than  his  Sight. 

Verfe  1 8*  Ver,  1 8.  Who  art  thou,  my  Son  f]  He  fufpefted  him5. 
from  his  Voice,  and  returning  fofoon  from  Hunting^ 

Ver, 


upon  GENE  S  LS.  ,403 

Ver.  19.  I  amEfau  thy  firft- born,  8cc.]  Here  are  Chapter 
many  Untruths  told  by  Jacob,  befides  this,  ( for  his  XXVII. 
Father  did  not  bid  him  go,   get  him  force  Venifon,  U^NTV 
nor  did  God  bring  this  Meat  to  him,  which  he  hadVerfe  19* 
prepared,  0v.)   which  cannot  be  wholly  excufed  : 
But  it  muft  be  confefied,    he  and  his  Mother  were 
poifeffed  with  a  falfeOpinicn,   That  they  might  de 
ceive  Ifaac,  for  the  good  of  his  Family.  :j  * 

Aipjfo  Ifraythee^  and  fit  and  eat  ^  8cc.3  He  was 
lying  upon  his  Bed,  one  would  guefs  by  this,  being 
aged  and  infirm  „•  And  he  intreats  him  to  arife  up 
himfelf,  and  fit  :  Forfo  they  did  in  thpfeDays  (~as 
wedonowj  at  their  Meals.  This  appears  after 
wards,  when  Jofeph's  Brethren/**  down  to  eat  Bread, 
XXXVII.  25.  and  fat  when  they  eat  with  Jofeph  in 
Egypt* XLIII.  33.  And  fo  Homer  makes  ajl  his  He-, 
ros  fit  at  their  Feafts,  as  Athenaus  obferv.es  /  Which 
Cuftom  continued  among  the  Macedonians  in  the 
days  of  Alexander,  as  Bochartus  obferve-9  ift.  his  -Hie*. 
rozoic.P.  I..JL.  II.  c.  50. 

Ver.  21.  Cotnenear^  Sccf]  Ifaac  ftill  fafpe£ted;by  Verfe  21. 
this  long  difcourfe  with  him,  wherem  he  obferved 
his  Voice,  that  it  was  not  Efau.  And  the  Hebrews^ 
in  Berefchith  Rabba,  fay,  that  he  fell  into  a  great  fweat> 
and  his  Heart  melted  in  him  like  Wax,  while  he  talked 
with  him .-  So  that  an  Angel  came  to  fupport  hiro^ 
from  falling  down. 

Ver.  23.  So  he  blejjed  Um7\  After  he  had  onCeVerfe  23. 
more  askt  him  whether  he  was  his  very  Son  Efau^ 
which  Jacob  affirmed,  verfe  24.  who.  was  puniftied 
for  this  Deceit,  when  he  was  cheated  himfelf  by  La+ 
ban^  in  the  bufinefs  of  his  Wives,  as  well  as  in  other 
things  :  And  fas  the  Hebrews  obferve)  he  that  de 
ceived  his  Father  by  the  Skins  of  the  Kids  of  Goats, 

F  f  f  2  was 


404  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter   was  deceived  himfelf  into  a  falfe  opinion  that  Jofeph 
XXVII.   was  killed  5  by  his  Brethren  dipping  his  Coat  in  the 
U"V~\j  Blood  of  a  Kid  of  the  Goats,  Gen.  XXXVII.  31. 
Verfe  26.      Ver.  26.    Come  now  and  fyfi  me^\     Some  think  he 
had  adefire  to  be  fatisfied  that  way,  whether  he  was 
Efau  or  not.     But  I  take  it  rather,   to  be  a  Token  of 
his  great  Love  and  Affe&ion,  wherewith  hebeftowed 
his  Bleffing  upon  him. 

Verfe  27*  Ver.  27.  He  fmelledtheSmell  of  his  Raiment. ~]  As 
he  embraced  him,  he  perceived  the  Fragrancy  of  his 
Garments.-  Which  he  could  not  before,  while  he 
ftood  remote  }  his  Senfes  being  weak  and  dull.  The 
Jews  who  fanfie  thefe  to  have  been  the  Garments 
wherein  Adam  miniflred  5  imagine  alfo  that  they  re 
tained  the  fcent  which  they  had  in  Paradife.  So  Be* 
.'  refchith  Rabba9  and  R.  Sol.  Jarchi^  as  Braunius  ob- 
fcrves,  L.  I.  de  Veflib.  Hebr.  Sacerd.  c.  4. 

See  thefaelloffxy  Son."]  The  apprehenfion  of  one 
Senfe,  is,  in  this  Language,  often  ufed  for  the  appre- 
henfionof  another,  ("as  Mtf/w<?/;/We/  fpeaks,  P.  I.  More 
Nevoch.  cap.  46.)  as,^e  theWordoftheLOR  D,  Jer. 
II.  gi.i.  e.  Hear  his  Word.h&A  fo  in  this  place,  Seethe 
fvtellisas  much,  as  Smell  the  Odour  of  my  Son ,  8cc.  But 
it  may  fimply  fignifie,  Behold^  orobferve  $  no  Field  that 
God  hath  adorned  with  the  greateft  variety  of  the  moft 
fragrant  Flowers^  fmdls  Jweeter  than  my  Son. 
Verfe  18.      Ver.  28.  Therefore  God  give  thee^  &c.}  I  take  it  for 
afignthat  God  will  give  thee^  (for  fo  it  may  betran- 
flated,  as  a  Prophecy,  as  well  as  a  Prayer)  the  grea 
teft  abundance  .•    Which  proceeds  from  a  rich  Soil, 
well- watered  from  Heaven.    Thefe  two  are  the  Gaa- 
fes  of  Plenty* 

It* 


upon  GE  N  E  S  I  S.  405- 

The  Dew  of  Heaven."]    Rain  fell  only  at  certain  Chapter 
Seafons,  in  that  Country  .•    But  there  was  a  recom-   XXVIL 
pence  for  it  by  large  Dews  $  which  very  much  re-  WVNJ 
frefhedthe  Earthy  and  are  reprefented  in  Scripture 
as  a  Divine  Gift,    Job  XXXVIII.  28.   Mteat>  V.  7. 
which  God  threatens  fometimes  to  withhold,  becaufe 
of  Mens  Offences,  i  Kings  XVII.  i. 

Ver.  29.  Let  People  ferve  thee,&c.~]  As  \\\z  former  Verfe  29* 
part  of  the  Bleffing  relates  to  Wealth  :  So  this,  to 
Dominion  and  Empire  :  Which  was>  fignally  fulfil 
led  in  the  days  of  David,  when  the  Maabites,  Ammo* 
nltes^  Syrians^  Philiftines,  and  Edomites  alfo^  were 
fubdued  under  him. 

Let  thy  Mothers  Sons  bow  down  to  thee^]    This  is  a 
third  part  of  the  Bleffing,    giving  him  a  Prerogative 
in  his  own  Family  :    And  in  the  next  words-he  pro-     y^ 
nouncesa  Bleffing  upon  all  that  (hould  be  Friends  to 
him  5  as  on  the  contrary,  a  Curfe  upon  his  Enemies. 

Ver.  33.  Ifaac  trembled  very  exceedingly^   What  the  Verfe  33* 
Eebrewt  fay  upon  verfeii.  (fee  there)  had  been  more 
proper  here  .•  That  his  Heart  melted  5  and  he  was  rea 
dy  tofwoon  away. 

Who?~]  A  broken  form  of  Speech.' 

Tea,  andbefiaVbeblefed.']  He  had  bleffed-  him 
fo  ferioufly,  and  with  fuch  Affeftion,  and  (it  is  like 
ly)  extraordinary  Confidence  in  Gods  Approbation, 
that  he  would  not  revoke  it.  For  he  felt,  as  I  take  it, 
the  Spirit  of  Prophecy  upon  him,  when  he  pronoun 
ced  this  Bleffing  :  And  it  inlightned  him  to  under- 
ftandthe  Oracle  formerly  delivered,  XXV.  23. 

Ver.  35,  Taken  away  thy  Ek/ing."}  Which  I  intend-  Verfe  55* 
ed  to  have  beftbwed  on  thee  ^  looking  upon  it  s 
thine,  by  the  right  of  being  my  Firft-bprn. 

Vcn 


4od>  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter       Ver,  37.  All  his  Brethren."]     His  Kindred. 

XX VI  I.        What  ft) a// 1  now  do  unto  thee,    my  Son  .<?]     Having 

VVVNJ  given  Jacob  fo  much  }    it  was  but  a  fmall  matter  he 

Verfe  37.  could  do  for  him. 

Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  Behold^  thy  dwelling  fhall  be  thefatnefs^  &c.] 
Some  have  tranflated  it.  Thy  dwelling  jhall  be  without 
the  fatnefs  of  the  Earth,  and  the  Dew  from  above:  But 
by  thy  Sword  /halt  thoti  livey  &c.  i.  e.  He  prophefies 
that  he  fhould  inhabit  a  poor  Country/  But  maintain 
himfelf  plentifully  by  his  Sword;  For,  otherwife 
("they  think)  hisBleffing  would  be  the  fame  with  Ja 
cob's,  verfe  28.  But  if  we  retain  our  Translation,  there 
is  a  manifeft  difference  between  this  and  jtao^'sBene- 
di&ion.  For  here  he  makes  no  mention  of  plenty  of 
Com  and  Wine  5  and  gives  him  no  fuch  Dominion  as 
he  did  to  Jacob,  (the  Jews  obferve  other  differences J 
and  whatfoever/dtoe/}  was  in  the  Soil  of  his  Coun 
try,  it  did  not  laft,  as  appears  by  Mai.  I.  3. 

Verfe  40.  Ver.  40.  By  thy  Sword  fl^altthoHliveJ]  Live  upon 
Spoil.  Or,  as  others  interpret  it,  be  in  perpetual  War 
to  defend  thy  Country. 

Andfljaltferve  thy  Brother^]  Here  Ifaac  fpeaks  out, 
the  very  words  of  the  Oracle  mentioned  before, 
XXV.  23.  which  was  fulfilled  in  the  days  of  David> 
2  &*».VIII.  1 4.  and  i  Chrm.XVlll.  13.  (the.Cir- 
cumftances  of  which  Conqueft  are  more  fully  de- 
fcribed,  i  KfvgsXl.  15.  &c]  And  again,  after  they 
had  recovered  fome  ftrength,  Amaziah  made  great 
flaughters  among  them52  Kings  XIV.  7.  As  theAf^- 
cabees  did  afterwards,  I  Mace.  V.  65.  andatlaft  were 
utterly  difabled  by  Hircanus^  the  Son  of  Simon  Mac- 
.as  we  read  in  Jofephus,  L.  XIIL  Antiq.  c. 17. 

When 


upon    GENESIS,  407 

If  heft  thottf/jalt  have  the  Dowinion7\  St.  Hicrom  and  Chapter 
,  the  LXX.donot  underftand  this  oftheir  having  any  XXVII. 
!  Dominion  over  the  -Seed  of  Jacob,  (which  we  never  L/^VNJ 
read  of)  but  only  oftheir  re- gaining  Power  to  (hake,  • 
offSubjeftion  to  them,  as  it  follows  in  the  next  words. 
Ihoufljalt  break,  his  Toke  from  off  thy  Neck^]  Which" 
hey  did  in  the  days  of  Joram^  as  \ve  read,  2  Kings 
II.  20,  22.    2  Lh-on.  XXL  8,  &c. 

Ver.  41.  And  h(anfaid  m  his  Heart. ~\  Defigned  and  Verfe  41. 
fefolved  within  hirmelf  .•  And,  as  it  fhould  feem,  was/ 
(b  full  of  it,    that  he  could  not  contain  his  Purpofe 
within  his  own  Breaft,    but  in  his  Anger  blurted  it 
eut  to  iome  Body^.  who  told  it  toRebek^h. 

The  dajs  of  mourning  for  my  Fat  her  ?  Scc.^  He  will 
die  fhortly,  (hi  which  he  was  deceived,  for  he  lived 
and  forty  Years  after  this)  and  then  I  will  be  re 
venged.  He  had  fome  regard  to  his  Father  ftill  re- 
nv'ning  (whom  he  would  not  grieve )  but  nocon- 
fidcration  of  his  Mother,  who  had  helpt  Jacob  to 
fnpplant  him. 

Ver.  44.  Tarry  with  him  a  few  daysT]     A  Year  or  Verfe  44, 
two.     But  herein  (he  alfo  was  miftaken  .*  For  he  did 
not  return  in  twenty  Years  time. 

TJntJlthy  Brother's  Fury7\  Time,  in  which  various 
things  happen,  very  much  allays  Fury  and  Rage. 

Ver.  45.  And  he  forget,  8cc.]  The  metaoryofit  be  Verfe  45.; 
much  worn  out,  and  grown  weak. 

Why  fhonld  1  be  deprived  of  you  both  in  one  day  / J 
She  had  reafon  to  think,  that  ifEfaa  killed  Jacob,  and 
the  Publick  Juftice did  not  punifh  it  (according  to  the 
Precept,  IX.  6.  which  had  fetled  Courts  of  Judica 
ture)  God  himfelf  would  profecute  Efat  with  his 
Vengeance,  as  he  did  Cain. 


#   CO  MMENTART 

Chapter  Ver.  46.  lam  reearyofmy  life,  becaufeoftheDau$- 
XXVIIL  tersofBeth.]  The  two  Wives  of  E/*«5  who  were 
^  V~^  Hittites,  were  fuch  a  continual  Vexation  to  her  5  that 
Vcrie  46.^  wjfllt  rather  to  die,  than  tolive  among  them. 

If  Jacob  take  a  Wife^  &C."]  She  pretends  only  this 
reafon  for  fending  Jacob  among  her  Kindred  5  and 
fays  not  a  word  of  the  danger  his  Life  was  in  :  For 
(he  would  not  afflift  her  Husband  5  but  only  pre- 
lerve  her  Son. 

What  good  fiatt  my  life  do  me  ?"]  I  had  rather  die 
than  live  in  fuch  perpetual  Vexation :  Therefore  let 
him  go  and  take  a  Wife,  as  Abraham  did  for  thee,  of 
our  Kindred* 


C  HAP.     XXVIIL 

Verfe  i.    Ver.  i.  A  N  D  Ifaac  called  Jacob^]  Sent  for  him  to 

JL\  come  to  him. 

A-  And-bleffed  htm7\  Renewed  and  confirmed  the  Blef- 

fifig  he  had  already  given  him  .-  That  it  might  not  be 
thought  to  be  of  lefs  force,  becaufe.procured  by  Arti 
fice  and  Subtilty,  XXVII.  3 5. 
.       Ver.  2.  To  P*da*-Aram*]  See  XXV.  20. 
.        Ver.  3.   And  God  Almighty  blefs  thee,  &c.]     This  is 
the  folemn  Bleffing  mentioned  Verfe  i.    wherein  ta 
ratifies  what  he  had  done  .•    And  more  fully  and  di- 
ftinftly  fettles  the  Land  of  Promife  upon  him  5  and 
makes  him  the  Father  of  the  promifed  Seed. 
Vsrfe  4.       Ver.  4.    Give  thee  the  Bleffing  of  Abraham."]    The 
Bleffing  of  Abraham  was,   that  he  fhould  inherit  the 
•t'Lan&of  Canaan  j  and  that  in  his  Seed  all  the  Nations 

of 


GENESIS,  409 

of  the  Earth  (hould  be  bleffed,  Gen.  XV.  j8.  XXIL Chapter 
18  :  Both  which  he  now  confirms  to  Jacob.  XXVIII. 

Vcr.  5.  And  Ifaac  fent  away  Jacob."]    In  fome  hafle,tW*VJ 
as  the  LXX.  tranilate  verfe  ^.  Arife,  flee,  i.e.  de-Verfe  *. 
part  without  any  delay.     Which  looks  as  if  Rebe- 
kah  had  at  laft,  (uggefted  fomething  to  him  of  the 
Danger  he  was  in. 

And  he  went  to  Padan-Aram^]  Prepared  himfelf 
to  go,  and  fet  forward.  Or,  elfe  it  isfpoken  by  an 
ticipation  }  for  he  did  not  come  thither  till  after  fe- 
veral  Pa(ftges$  which  are  related  in  this  and  in  the 
next  Chapter. 

Son  ofBethuel  the  Syrian."]     See  XXV.  20. 

Jacob's  and  Efatis  Mother.]  Now  Jacob  is  put  firft  ; 
as  being  lately  declared  Ifacs  Heir,  and  Heir  of  all 
the  Prornifes. 

Ver.  9.  Then  went  Efan  nnto  IflMiael^  &c.]  To  the  Vcrfe  9. 
Family  oil[htnael$  for  he  himfelf  died  fourteen  Years 
ago.  And  therefore  Nebawth  (his  eldeft  Son,  XXV. 
ij.)  is  here  mentioned,  as  the  prefent  Head  of  the 
Family:  Whofe  Sifter  Efan  married.  Whereby  he 
fhowed  himfelf  not  to  have  any  great  regard  to  the 
Divine  Revelation :  Otherwife  he  could  not  but  have 
known,  that  this  Family,  being  defcended  from  a 
Bond- Woman,  was  not  to  inherit  the  Promifes  made 
to  Abraham  and  Ifaac. 

Ver.  10.  Jacob  went  out  from  Beer-flseba^  &c/|  Quite  Verfe  10. 
alone,  without  any  Servants  to  attend  him,  and  with 
out  any  Prefents  to  court  a  Wife,  or  gain  the  Kind- 
nefs  of  Laban:  Neither  of  which  were  wanting, 
when  Abraham  fent  Eliefer  to  take  a  Wife  for  Ifaac. 
But  as  he  was  fent  away  in  hafte^  fas  I  noted  before, 
vwfe  SO  fo  hereby  the  Anger  of  Efau  was  mitiga 
ted,  who  at  prefent  was  left  the  fete  Poffcflbr  of 

G  g  g  all 


4io  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    all  Ifaacs  Riches,  and  faw  Jacob  depart  in  a  poorCon- 
XXVIII.  dition.     This  alib  was  an  aft  of  Divine  Faith,  that 
would    take  a  fingular  Care  of  him,,  and  let 
him  want  nothing.     And  as  they  could  not  but  hope 
thatLrfidw,  being  fo  near  a  Relation,  would  be  glad 
to  fee  him  and  entertain  him :  So  it  is  probable  he  * 
might   carry  Letters  of  Credence   with  him,    that 
he  was  to  be  Heir  to  lfa*c-\  as  Etiefir  affured  them 
Jfaac  was  to  be  to  Abraham,  XXIV.  36.     We  are  to 
fnppofe  likewife,  that  he  was  not  fent  without  Mo 
ney  to  bear  his  Charges,    fas  we  fpeakj  and  had 
fome  Provifibn  with  him :  For  we  read  of  0/7,  verfe 
1 8.  which  he  poured  on  the  top  ofthfc  Pillar. 
1 1.      Ver.  1 1.  And  he  lighted  upon  a  certain  place,  Ssc.] 
A  -.convenient  place,  ("(haded  with  lovely  Trees;  fee 
verfe  19.^  to  lodge  in  :  Unto  which  he  did  not  go 
by  defign  }  but  hapned  (as  we  fpeak)  upon  it,  when  ? 
he  did  not  think  of  it. 

And  he  took,  of  the  Stwestfihatplace.']   One  StotiCj , 
from  among  many  others  that  were  there :  As  ap 
pears  from  verfe  18.     The  fame  form  of  Speech   was 
obferved  before,  XIX.  29.  XXI.  7. 
ia.:     Ver.  12.  Andhe  dreamed.']     He  had  the  following 
Reprefentation  made  to  him  in  a  Dream. . 

Behold,  a  Ladder,  Scc.^  It  is-  judicioufly  obferved 
by  Maimonides  in  his  Preface  to  More  Nevvchivr^ 
that  there  a*e  two  forts  of  Prof  hetick  Parables  (a$  he 
calls  them,)  in  one  of  which,  every  word  hath  fome 
peculiar  fignification  :  In  the  other,  the  whole  Para 
ble  reprefents  the  thing  intended,  but  every  word 
hath  not  its  weighty  .fomeferving  only  for  Elegance, 
Among  the  firft  fort  he  reckons  this.-  In  which  ifa 
Ladder  may  be  thought  to  reprefent  the  Divine  Pro 
vidence,  which  governs  all  things  5  and  particularly 

now 


upon    GENESIS.  411 

now  direfte,d  Jacob  in  his  Journey,  every  iicp  of  Chapter 
which  .was  under  God's  Guidance.  It  being  fet  ///KXXVIIL 
on  thz  Earth  denoted,  he  thinks,  the  ftedfaftnefs  of  (*/~V~\J 
Providence^  which  nothing  is  able  to  (hake.  And 
the  top  of  it  reaching  to  Heaven  fignifies,  that  it  ex 
tends  it  felf  all  the  World  over$  to  every  thing, 
great  or  fmall,  high  or  low:  And  the  kvmlfteps 
in  the  Ladder,  the  Motions  and  Actions  of  Divine 
Providence.  The.  Angels  which  went  up  and  down, 
fignifies  that  they  are  the  great  Minifters  of  God's 
Providence,  by  whom  he  manages  all  things  here  be 
low:  And  that  they  are  never  idle,  but  always  in 
motion  to  ferve  thofe  efpecially  who  ferve  God  faith 
fully.  Their  tf/^W/#g; represents  their  going  to  re 
ceive  the  Divine  Orders  and  Commands  5  and  their 
defcendmg,  the  execution  of  his  Orders.  Or,  (with 
a  peculiar  refpect-to  Jacob's  prefent  Condition)  the 
one  fignified,  their  fafe  Condud  of  him  in  his  Jour 
ney  to  PaJdti'Aravt^  and  the  other,  their  bringing 
him  fafe  home  again. 

This  is  infinitely  more  folid,  than  the  Conceit  of 
almoft  all  the  ancient  Rabbins,  that  God  reprefented 
in  this  Ladder,  ther//e,  and  the  fall  of  ihzfottr  great 
Monarchies.  For  where  is  there  any  mention  in  this 
Dream  of  four  Angels  ?  Or,  of  feventy  Steps  repre- 
fenting  the  feventy  Years  Captivity  \nBabylon?  Or, 
of  two  and  fifty  Steps  reparefenting  the  time  of  the 
Reign  of  the^r  Kings  ofPerfia  and  Media,  accord 
ing  to  their  computation  >  8cc.  All  this  is  the  pure 
invention  of  idle  Men,  who  dream  upon  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

Ver.  15.  And  behold  the  LOR  D  flood  above  It.7]  Verfe  j 
Finally,  he  faw  the  Dwine  Majefty  or  Glory,  ( fo  the 
Targum  here  expounds  itj  as  the  unmovable  Mover 

G  g  g  z  of 


4i2  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    of  all  things.     From  whom  all  comes  as  the  firft 
XXVIII.  Caufe,  and  to  whom  all  returns,  as  the  laft  End. 
L/"VNJ      lam  the  LORD  God,  &c.]     This  is  the  firft  time 
that  we  read  of  God's  appearing  to  Jacob  :  And  it 
was  only  in  a  Dream.     But  it  made  fuch  a  deep  im- 
preffion  upon  him,  that  he  doubted  not  of  the  Truth 
of  what  was  now  exprefly  promifed  him  by  God; 
himfelf  ^  that  he  (hould  have  the  bk$ing  ofAbrafximr 
as  his  Father  had  told  him,  verfe  4. 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  Behold  1  am  with  theel}  Or,  will  be  with 
thee,  7.  e.  My  peculiar  Providence  (hall  be  over  thee, 
and  take  Care  of  thy  fafety,  as  Mawonides well  ex 
pounds  it  5  in  his  More  Nevoch.  P.  III.  cap.  18. 

I  will  not  leave  thee^  &cJ]  This  (hows  the  intent 
of  the  Dream  was  to  comfort  J,acob,  in  his  folitary 
and  poor  Condition,  by  an  aflurance  that  God's 
watchful  Providence  (hould  attend  him,  till  he  had' 
accompliftied  all  his  Promifes  to  him. 

Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  Surely  The  LORD  is  in  this  place."]  By 
his  fpecial  extraordinary  Prefence  :  For  here  he  had 
manifefted  himfelf  to  him,  and  given  him  fingular 
Aflurances  of  his  Favour  $  and  that  the  very  firft 
Night,  after  he  went  from  home :  Which  made  this 
place  more  acceptable  to  him  than  his  Father's  Houfe. 
For  now  he  was  become  a  Prophet,  as  Maiwonides 
obferves.  More  Nevoch.  P.  IL  cap.  45.  where  he  fays, 
That  they  who  Prophecy  in  a  Dream  do  not  call  it 
a  Dream  after  Prophecy  is  come  to  them  in  a  Dream, 
but  fimply  fay,  it  was  a  Prophecy.  Thus  the  Patri 
arch  Jacob,  after  he  awakned  out  of  his  Prophetick 
Dream,  (wherein  he  heard  the  LORD  fpeak  to  him, 
verfe  13, 14.)  he  doth  not  call  it  a  Dream,  but  round 
ly  fays,  Surely  the  LORD  &/V*  J/MT />/*«?,  &c. 

And 


upon    GENESIS.  4*3 

And  I  knew  it  not.']    I  did  not  expeft  to  meet  with  Chapter 
fuch  a  Divine  appearance  and  Revelation  to  me.         XXVIII. 

Ver.  17.  And  he  was  afraid^    Pofleifed  with  a  Re-  ^O^. 
;  ligious,  Awful  Apprehenfion  of  God.     Which  made  Ve™ 
him  fay, 

How  dreadful  if  this  place ?~]  With  what  Reverence 
j  ought  L  here  to  behave  my  felf  > 

This  is  none  other  but  the  Houfe  of  GodJ]  The  Di 
vine  Majefly  dwells  here :  This  is  not  a  common 
Place,  but  a  Sacred  3  having  a  Divine  Prefence  in 
it. 

And  this  is  the  Gate  of  Heaven.']  Here  God  keeps 
his  Court  attended  by  his  Holy  Angels:  Whom  he 
had  feen  come  from  Heaven  hither,  and  go  up  from 
hence  thither.  So  Mr.Mede  explains  it,  jBo04.II.  p. 
436.  The  Prefence  of  God  in  one  Place  more,  than 
another,  confifts  in  his  Train  or  Retinue.  A  King  is 
there,  where  his  Court  is :  And  fo  God  is  there  Jpe- 
cially  frefenty  where  the  Angels  keep  their  Station. 
Which  is  the  meaning  of  the  Gate  of  Heaven^  i.-.e. 
Heaven's  Court  .•  For  the  Gate  was  wont  to  be.  the 
Judgment-Hall,  and  the  Place  where  Kings  and  Se>- 
nators  ufed  to  fit,  attended  by  their  Guards  and  Mi- 
nifters, 

Ver.  1 8.  Took  the  Stone  andfet  it  up  for  a  Pillar^  ,Up-  Verfc,  1 8* . 
on  the  top  of  feme  other  Stones,  which  he  heaped 
up  together :  That  it  might  remain  as  a  Monument 
of  the  Divine  Mercy  to  him  5  and  preferve,  the  Me 
mory  of  this  Heavenly  Vifion  :  And  that  by  this 
Token  he  might  know  this  Place,  when  God  brought 
him  back  again,  and  commemorate, his  Goodnefs  to 
him  here. 

This  Stone  was  held  in  great  Veneration  by  the 
Jem  in  future  times,   and  tranflated  to  jernfuhm. 

Afttc 


41-4  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    After  the  deftruftion  of  which  by  Titus,  they  were 
XXVHI.  wont  ('upon  that  Day  when  it   was  taken,  which 
•"VV  was  t'ie  only -Day  they  were  permitted  to  come  thi 
ther)    with  great  Lamentation  and   rending  their 
Garments,  to  go  and  anoint  this  Stone,     Such  is  the 
Power  of  fond  Superftition.     See  Voffiw^  de  Idolol. 
Lib.  VI.  cap.  38. 

Poured  OH  on  the  top  of  it.']  Not  in  honour  of 
this  Stone,'  (as  Bonfrenv*  hitnfelf  confeffes)  much 
jefs  of  any  Idol  to  which  it  Was  dedicated  :  But  to 
confecrate  it  as  a  Monument  of  God's  great  Mercy 
to  him,  in  the  before-mentioned  Celefiia!  Vifion. 
Oil,  it  appears  by  this,  was  anciently  ufed,  in  confe- 
crating  things,  before  the  Law  ofMofes  :  And  not  oq- 
ly  in  this  Family5butin  others  alfoit  i$  probable^  from 
whence  the  Pagan  Cuftom  came  of  anointing  Scones, 
which  by  Theophraftv?  are  called  AiTrzgo}  A^c/,  upon 
which  Superftitious  People  were  wont  when  they 
met  with  them  in  the  High-ways,  to  pour  Oil  and 
fall  down  and  worfhip.  A  great  many  Authors  meq- 
tion  them,  which  are  collected  by  Elmenhorftius  in 
his  Obfervations . ^^upon  Arnobiw,  p.  37.  Ttey  th$t 
would  be  fatisfied  how  wretchedly  fome  of  the  Ro- 
mift  Writers  plead  for  tliewr/S//?  of  Images  from  this 
very  place,  may  read  Dr.  Jackson  $  Treatife  of  the 
Original  of  Vnhelkf,  C%.  XXXV.  where  he  excel 
lently  y  explains  this  aftion  of  Jacob,  n.  5, 6,7. 
Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  he  called  the  Name  of  that  place  Be- 
ihcl.*]  From  this  word  Bethel,  capie  the  word  B^- 
-n;%a  (as  Scaliger  in  his  Ammadv.  upon  Eufeb.  p.  198. 
and  others  thinkj  among  the  Heathen:  Whereby 
they  denoted  rude  Stones,  which  they  worshipped 
either  a§  Symbols  vof  Divinity,  or  as  true  Gods,  aei- 
tnated  by  fome  heavenly  Power.  Of  which  worfliip 
-  -V  fee 


upifo    O  E  N  E  S  I  «.  415 

:fee  Phofite  in  his  -Bibijoifaca,  CGXL1I.     But  efpeci- Chapter 
ally  Bvchartttf,  L.  ll.'Canxan,  cap.  !.  Where  he  ftiowsXXVIII, 
|  the  Ph&nicikns  (at  leaft  as  the  Jews-  think)  fit  ft  wor- 
I  {hipped   this   very    Stone    which   Jacob   anointed: 
!  And  afterward  cohfecraied  others,  which  they  called 
ifctytoi)  and  Batyli,  in  memory  of  this  Stone  anom- 
jted  at  Bethel.     See  p.  785,  ;8<5.     Certain  it  is,  this 
Idolatrous.Praftice  came  very  early  into  the  World  : 
Which  made  Mofes  forbid  the  ereftittg  of  fuch  Pil 
lars,  they  being  in  his  time  converted  to  a  prophane 
ufe,  Lev.  XXVI.  i.  Dent. XII.  3.  XVI.  22. 

But  the  Natoe  of  that  City."}     Which  was  near  to 
the  place,  where  this  Pillar  was  fet  up. 

Was  Lnz  at  thefirfl."}  So  ed led ^  perhaps,  from  the 
marty  Almond- trees  which  grew  there,  (for  Litz 
fignifies  an  Almond,  fee  XXX.  37.)  atttong  which  it 
is  probable  Jacob  took  up  his  lodging,  becaufe  they 
were  a  kind  of  Covering  to  him.  Both  this  Luz  iti 
Tribe  of  Benjnritfo^  and  the  other  among  the 
te*  in  the  Tribe  QfBphraw^  JtiAg.  1. 16.  Bochart 
doubts  not  had  there  Name  from  this  Original,  L.  I. 
aan,  cap.  3  5 . 

Ver.  20.  Jacob  wfoed aVou>7\  This  isthe  firft  Vow  Verfe 
that  we  read  of  in  Scripture :  Which  all  Men  allbW 
is  a  part  of  Religion,  and  fo  was  acknowledged  by 
the  Law  of  Mofis,  Dtfit.  XXIII.  xi.    Pfalm  L.  li. 
Pfalb  LXV.  a,  &c. 

Perhaps  Jacob  was  the  firft,  that  in  this  manner  ck-  - 
prefled  hfe  devout  Affeftion  towards  God. 

odixiUbewHhmei&z^    Perform  his  Promift 
fo  me,  wrfe  15; 

Give  me  Bread  to  eat,  &c]    Support  and  maintain 
which  is  the  explication  of  the  Promife, 


4i6  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.ai.  Then  fiall  the  LORD  be  nty  God.']    \ 
XXVIII.  will  moft  Religioufly  worfhip  and  ferve  him.  Which 
iVVNJ  doth  not  imply,  that  he  would  not  worfhip  him,  if 
Verfe  21.  he  did  not  bring  him  home  in  Peace  :  But  that,'  if 
he  did,  he  would  perform  fome  fpecial  Service   to 
him,  and  worfhip  him  with  extraordinary  Devotion  : 
Confecrating  (as  it  follows)  this  Place  to  his  Ho 
nour  $    offering  him  Sacrifice,  and  giving  him  the 
Tenths  of  all  he  had,  to  maintain  his  worfhip. 
Verfe  22.      Ver.  22.  And  thk  Stone,  winch  I  have  fet  for  a  Ptl* 
lar.']     All  Pillars  were  not  unlawful,  but  fuch  only 
as   were  for  Idolatrous    ufes:    As   Maimamdes  re- 
folves,    L.Je  Idol.  cap.  VI.  §  8,     And  therefore  the 
Jews  fo  expound   thofe  words,    before  mentioned, 
Thoufialt  not  fet  thee  ftp  any  Statue  or  Pillar^  which 
the  LORD  thy  God  hateth,  Dent.   XVI.  22.  con 
cerning  Pil/ars  fet  up  for  worfitp,  not  of  thofe  for 
memorial. 

Shall  be  Gods  Houfe.~\  Here  will  I  fet  apart 
a  Place  for  Gods  Solemn  Worfhip  and  Ser 
vice:  Build  art  Altar,  and  offer  Sacrifice,  &c.  See 
XXXV.  3. 

Give  the  tenth  unto  thee."]  A&t&rlw  7$f  TOTOP/J- 
Ijuiv&v9  faith  Jofepfw,  the  Tithe  of  all  his  In-come  $ 
for  the  maintenance  of  Burnt-Sacrifices,  and  fuch  like 
pious  Ufes  $  and,  perhaps,  for  the  relief  of  the  Poor. 
As  for  the  Priefts  we  do  not  yet  read  of  any  Tithe 
given  to  them :  Though  Mr.  Selden  (in  his  Hiftoryof 
Ttthes,  p.  4,  Sec.  and  Review^  p.  45 1.)  thinks  they 
were  paid  to  Ifaac,  who  was  then  Prieft  of  the  Fa* 
mily.  And  fo  Bifhop  Mont  acute  in  his  Book  againft 
him,  p.  199.  who  obferves  that  we  read  only  of  Abra* 
ham  and  Jacob  paying  Tithe,  not  oflfaac  ;  Becaufe 
Tfaac  was  a  more  fpecial  Type  of  Chrift  than  either 

of 


upon    GENESIS.  417 

of  thefe.     And  Abraham  and   Jacob  were  Types  of  Chapter 
thofe  two  People  who  were  to  have  part  in  the  trueXXVIII. 
Jfaac  ;  for  Abraham  was  Father  of  all  the  Faithful  ^ 
.-and  Jacob  was  the  Type  of  the  Synagogue^  as  St.  Am- 
Irofe  handles  thefe  Matters  in  the  Life  of  Abraham.  Yet 
the  fame  Bilhopconfefles,  That  many  doubt  whether 
Jacob  paid  the  Tenth  of  all  to  Ifaac,  or  immediately 
to  God  :  Becaufe  Jacob  alfo  was  a  Prieft  himfelf.     See 
f.  205,  Sec. 

This,  I  think,  we  may  certainly  conclude  from  this 
place,    That  Jacob,   the  Grand-child   of  Abraham, 
vowing  the  Tenth  of  all,  as  Abraham  had  given  the 
Tenth  of  the  Spoil,  he  was  induced  to  it,  by  the  Cu- 
(torn,  which  was  then  among  Religious  People.  How 
they  came  to  pitch  upon  this  Portion,  rather  than  a 
Fifth,  Sixth,  or  any  other,  is  not  fo  eafie  to  be  refol- 
ved.     But   they  feem  to  fpeak  with  milch   reafon, 
who  obferve  that  in  this  Number  Ten,  all  Nations  in 
a  manner  end  their   Account  (Ariftotle  in  his  Pr<?- 
blews,  §  XV.  L.1II.)  and  then  begin  again  with  com 
pound  Numbers.     Or,  as  other  phrafe  it,  This  is  the 
end  of  lefs  Numbers,  and  the  beginning  of  greater. 
So  that  it  was  lookt  upon  as  the  moft  perfeft  of  all 
other  $  and  accordingly  had  in  great  regard.     But, 
after  all,  it  feems  moft  likely  to  me,  that  they  had  fome 
Divine  Direction  for  it,  as  they  had  for  Sacrificing. 
And  it  may  be  further  noted,  That  what  they  gave 
to  their  Kings  was  the  Tenth  Part,  as  well  as  what 
they  gave  to  God.     And  nothing  more  common  a* 
mong  the  Gentiles  than  Tenths  paid  to  their  Kings  ^ 
and  that  very  anciently,  for  it  appears  from  i  Sam* 
VIII.  14, 15,17.   that  it  was  part  of  the  Jus  Regi- 
uw  among  the  Eaflern  People.    Ariftotle  himfelf  men 
tions  it  under  the  Name  of  naAaios  *o/^5  an  anci- 

Hhh  em 


4i8  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    ent  Law  in  Babylon  :  And  it  was  alfo  ufed  in  Athens  > 
XXIX.    which  was  a  Commonwealth,  as  Dr.  Spencer  (hows 

in  his  Learned  Work,  de  Leg.  Hebr.  Ritual.  L.  III. 

cap.  10.  §  i.  And  Bifhop  Mount  ague  (hows  they  were 

paid  among  the  Romans ,  p.  248,  &c. 


C  H  A  P.    XXIX. 

Verfe  i.  Ver.  I.  A  ND  Jacob  went  onhisjonrney.'}  Becaufe 
JL"X  the  Hebrew  Phrafe,  for  went  on^  is  liftnp 
hfcfeet  $  fome  will  have  it  that  he  proceeded  raoft 
cheerfully  in  his  Journey,  after  this  Glorious  Vifion. 
Which  we  may  believe  to  be  true,  though  not  figni- 
fied  by  this  manner  of  fpeaking. 

To  the  People  of  tbeEaft{]    ToMefopotawitt,  which 
lay  Eaftmard  from  Canaan. 
Verfe  2.       Ver.  2.  Agreat  Stone  upon  tlx  Wells  Month.']     To 

keep  the  Water  clean  and  cool. 

Verfe  5-  Ver.  5.  Laban  the  Son  of  Nahar.J  Grandfon  of 
Nahor:  Who  is  mentioned  rather  than  Bethwl^  be- 
caufe  he  was  the  Head  of  the  Family. 

Verfe  6*  Ver.  6.  Rachel  his  Daughter^  Her  Name  in  He- 
brew  fignifies  zSheep.  For  it  was  anciently  the  man 
ner  to  give  Names,  even  unto  Families,  from  Cattle 
both  great  and  fmall.  So  Varro  tells  us,  Lib.  II.  de  Re 
Rnfttca^  c.  i . 

Mult  a,  nomina  hab&tnw  ab  Htroqne  pecore^  &c.  a  mi" 
nore  PORCIVS,  OVILIVS,  CAPRILI- 
VS$  a  majore,  E&V1TIVS,  TAVRVS, 
&c.  See  Bochart,  P.  I.  Hierozoic.  Lib.  II.  cap.  43. 

Ver, 


upon    G  E  M  E  £  t  S.  419 

Vet.  7.  7f  *r  jef  £/£&  day,  &c.]     A  great  deal  of  Chapter 
the  Afternoon  yet  remains.     It  was  the  Cuftom  of  XXIX. 
thofe  Etfern  Countries.,  where  the  Sun    had  great  t-/*VNJ 
I  power  in  Summer  time,  to  bring  their  Flocks  towards  Verfe  7. 
Noon  into  (hady  places,  where  there  was  Water  to 
refrefh  them:  Otherwife  the  extream   Heat  would 
ihave  killed  them.     There  they  relied  (it  appears  by 
itflany  places  oLScripture^  particularly  Cantic.  I.  /.J* 
till  the  Heat  of  the  Day  was  over,  and  then  having 
watered  them  again,  they  carried  them  out  to  feed 
till  Sun  fet. 

Ver.  9.  For  fie  kept  them.']  It  was  a  noble  Employ-  Verfe  f 
ment  in   thofe  Days  to  keep  Sheep:  Whence  God 
himfelf  hath  the  Name  of  the  Shepherd  of  Ifrael.     She 
b^d  thofe  under  her,  we  are  to  fnppofe,  who  took  ^y 

th£  greateft  pains  about  them^  but  (he  was  thfe  Chief 
Shepherdefs,  who  infpeded  them  all. 

Ver.  10.  Went  near,  and  rolled  the  Stone"]     He  wasVerfc  icv 
ftronger,  or  more  dextrous  at  fuch  things,  than  any 
|Body  there:  Or,  the  meaning  is,  he  affiftcd  in  this 
Work  5  and,  perhaps,  was  the  firft  that  fet  to  his 
Hand  about  it. 

Ver.  n.  Jacob  ktjfed  Rachet.~]  Having  told  her  Verfe  it. 
Who  he  was,  and  fatisfied  her  of  the  Truth  of  it, 
then  (after  the  Cuftom  ufed  among  near  Relati 
ons,  at  their  firft  meetiiig)  he  faluted  her:  And 
that  with  more  than  ordinary  Affeftion,  for  he  wept 
for  joy  to  fee  her.  Laban  in  like  manner  kifled 
him. 

Ver.  12.  Her  Fathers  Brother.']    So  all  near  Rela-  Verfe  12. 
tions  are  called  verfe  1 5. 

Ver.  13.  He  told  Laban  attthefe  things^      Which  Verfe  13. 
are  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  and  this  Chapter ; 
The  reafon  of  his  coming  from  home  5  God's  Pro- 

H  h  h  2  vidence 

7 


4^0  A  COMMENTS  RT 

Chapter    vidence  over  him  in  his  Journey  3  and  his  happy  meet- 
XXIX.    ing  with  Rachel. 

L/"VNJ       Ver.  14.  Surely  tkou  art  my  Bone  And   my :  Flefo.~] 
Verfe  14.50  very  near  of  Kin  to  me,  that  I  can  deny  thee  no-/ 

thing, 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  Becaufe  thou  art."]  Or,  as  de  Dhu  tran- 
flates  the  word  'Had,  (and  gives  many  Inftances  of  itj 
Art  thou  not  nty  Brother  $  It  is  fit  then,  that  thou, 
(houldft  ferve  me  for  nothing? 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  Leah  wo*  tender-eyed.*]  Some  translate  it,, 
had  delicate  Eyes.  So  the  Chaldee :  And  then  the  mean 
ing  is,  All  her  Beauty  lay  In  her  Eyes. 

Beautiful  and  well- favoured^  Was  every  way  ami 
able.-  Being  well  fhaped,  having  good  Features,  and 
a  fine  Complexion. 

Verfe  1 8.     Ver.  1 8.  /  wil/ ferve  theefeven  years  for  Rachel^  6<c,] 
He  had  not  brought  Money  enough  with  him  to  pur- 
chafe  a  Wife,  fas  the  manner  was  in  thofe  Days)  and 
therefore  offers  his  Service,  for  feven  Years^  inftead; 
of  it, 

Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  It  is  better  that  I  give  her  thee,  &c.]  He 
feems  to  anfwer  cunningly :  And  yet  one  cannot  but 
take  it  for  a  Contraft  5  as  it  appears  .to  have  been,  by 
verfe  21, 

Verfe  20^  Ver.  ^o.  They feewed  unto  him  but  a  fen?  Days.']  He 
valued  Rachel  fo  much,  that  the  Price  at  which  he 
pur-chafed  her  Teemed  inconsiderable. 

Verfe  2 1  *     Ver.  2  * »  Give  me  my  Wife\~]    So  (he  had  been  by 

Gontraft,  ever  fince  :it  was  -made  (verfe  19.)  and  he 

doth  not  now  demand  that  he  might  have  her  to  Wife  5 

,-ttV  but  that  he  might  enjoy  her  -.  Being  already  his  Wife 

by  that  folemn  Agreement  made  feven  Years  ago., 
Verfe  22*;    V^r.  22.  Laban  gathered  together  the  Men  of  the 
flace^ )  AU'fuch^pfivate  Contra^s  were  compleated, 

by 


Hpon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  421 

by  the  Elders  or  Governors  of  the  Place,  in  the  pre- Chapter 
fence  of  all  the  People.     We  had  an  Inftance  of  this  XXIX. 
before  in  Abrahams  purchafe  of  a  Sepulchre  for  his  Fa- 
mily,  XXIIf.  ii,  18.     Which  was  a  Sacred  and  Re 
ligious  thing,  as  well  as  the  Rites  of  Marriage 5  and 
therefore  both  of  them  Public!  Juris  ^  as  Cornel.  Bertram 
fpeaks,  part  of  the  Publick  Care. 

Ver.  13.  In  the  Evening."]     At  Bed  time. 

Brought  her  to  /&/>//]  The  Modeity  of  thofe  Times 
made  them  bring  the  Bride  to  her  Husband's  Bed, 
veiled,  and  without  lights :  So  that  it  was  the  eafier 
for  Laban  to  deceive  Jacob  by  bringing  Leah  to  him. 
Whom  he  could  not  hope  To  readily  to  difpofe  in 
Marriage,  zsRachel^  becaufe  (lie  was  homely. 

Ver.  24.  Gave  unto  his  Daughter,  ZilpahhwMaid^ 
&c.^  A  very  poor  Portion:  Yet  all  that  he  gave  to 
Rachel  aftzrward.verfe  29. which  made  them  lay,  That 
he  ufed  them  as  Strangers,  not  as  his  Children  5  put 
ting  them  off  without  any  Portion,  XXXI.  14,  1 5. 

Ver; 76.  It  mujl  not  befo  done  in  4itr  Country  ^&c] 
We  do  not  read  of  any  fuch  ancient  Cuftom  .-  And 
therefore  this  feems  a  mere  (hift,  or  a  je(i.  Or,  if  it 
had  been  true,,  he  fhouLd  have  fold  it  Jacob-  before^ 
hand. 

Ver.  2  7.  Fulfil  her  week,,  Sec.]  "Per feO'  'this'  Marriage  Verfe 
with  Leah  by  keeping  zfeven  Diys  Feaft,  (^  the  Cu- 
ftom  was)  and  then  thou  (halt  have  Rachel  alfo.     For'  * 
"he  doth  not  (peak  of  a  Week  of  Tears',-  but  of  Days ^ 
asMr.5e/<5/e«(h6'vvsout  of  many  Authors,  L.V,  de  Ju 
re  N.  &  6.  cap.  5-.,  where  he  hath  this  plain  Commen 
tary  upon  thefe  words. 

Marriages  are  to  be  celebrated^  according  to  Cnjiow, 
by  afcven  Days  Feaft  :    Cowpleat  thfe  Marriage:  thou  * 
haft  began  with  Leah,  and  then  upon  Condition  of  ano 
ther  v 


A  COWMEN  TART 

Chapter  the?  feven  Tears  Service^  than  foalt  viarry  Rachel  alfo* 
XXIX,  and  !{ecp  her  Wedding  Fe aft  five n  Days. 
U/^VNJ  Ver.  go.  Andfirved  with  'MM yet  other  f even  Tears'] 
Verfe  30.  After  he  had  folemnly  married  Rachel,  and  bedded 
her,  (as  we  fpeak)  for  that  he  did,  feven  Days  after 
his  Marriage  w'uh  Leah  was  accompliftied.  So  this 
ferfe  begins,  And  he  went  in  alfo  unto  Rachel,  and  then 
began  his  other  feven  Years  Service.  There  was  no 
•pofitive  Law,  as  yet,  againft  fuch  Marriages  as  this, 
(with  two  Sifters J  which  were  afterwards  exprefly 
condemned:  But  at  prefent  indulged  3  as  the  Mar 
riage  of  a  Man's  own  Sifter  was  in  the  beginning  of 
the  World.  Whence  that  faying  of  the  Jews  in  the 
Gevtara  Hzerofol.  upon  the  Title  Sanhedrim,  The  World 
vow  built  by  Indulgence.  And  Jacob,  it  is  very  likely, 
thought  there  was  an  unavoidable  neceffity  for  his 
marry  ing  thefe  two  Sifters.  For  Rachel  was  his  true 
Wife  }  Leah  being  impofed  upon  him  by  a  Cheat, 
But,  having  known  her,  he  concluded  he  could  not 
honeftly  leave  her  ^  no  more  than  he  could  Rachel, 
to  whom  he  was  fir  ft  contracted. 

Verfe  31.  Ver.  31.  Leah  was  hated.~]  Comparatively,  notab- 
folutely.  For  Leah  having  joyned  with  her  Father 
to  deceive  him,  he  could  not  love  her  fo  well  as  Ra 
chel  5  to  whom  he  had  engaged  his  firft  Affeftion. 
Verfe  32.  Ver.  32.  Reuben?]  The  Name  of  this  Son,  and  of 
all  the  reft  that  follow,  are  derived  from  the  Hebrew 
Tongue:  Which  {hows  that  Labans  Family  fpake  the 
fame  Language  with  Abrahams  $  with  fome  little  va 
riation,  as  appears  afterward,  XXXI.  47. 


CHAP. 


upon   GENESIS. 

Chapter 
XXX. 


CHAP.    XXX. 

Ver.  i .  T^Nvied  her  Sifter.']    Was  fo  grieved,  that  it  Verfe  i , 

iV  made  her  fret,  into  Impatience  and  Rage. 
For  it  is  a  frantick  Speech  which  follows. 

Give  me  Children  or  I  die.']  I  (hall  make  my  felf 
away,  (as  we  now  fpeak)  or  die  with  Grief.  See 
here  the  great  danger  of  too  eager  and  impati 
ent  Defires.-  The  fulfilling  of  which  was  her  death 
indeed. 

Ver*  2.  fficob's  Anger  was  kindled."]   He  conceived  yerfe  33. 
a  juft  Indignation  againft  her  Impatience,  which  he 
exprefles  with  fome  heat. 

Am  I  in  God's  flead^  &c.]  Isit  in  my  power  to 
give  what  God  thinks  fit  to  deny  ?  Thus  he  puts  her 
in  mind  of  what  the  P/*/a»//2  faid  afterward,  Children 
are  a  gift  that  cotneth  of  the  LORD,  as  the  old  Tranf- 
lationhathit,CXXVH.3. 

Ver.  3.  Behold  nty  Maid  Bilhath,  go  in  unto  her.~\ Verfe  3? 
She  followed  the  fteps  of  Sarah^Jacob's  Grand-mother, 
(XVI.  i.)  in  adopting  the  Son  of  her  Maid-Servant  .- 
Whom  ftie  gave  to  Jtcob  out  of  the  fame  Principle, 
that  Sarah  %zvzHagar  to  be  Abrahams  Wife  5  a  vehe 
ment  defire  to  fulfil  the  Promife,  that  their  Seed  fhould 
fce  as  the  Stars  of  Heaven  ^  and  efpecially  the  Promife 
of  the  Mejfiah  5  which  made  them  fo  extreamly  trou^ 
bled  at  Barrennefs. 

She  /half  bear  upon  my  Knees."]  Bring  me  a  Child, 
whom  I  may  fet  upon  my  Knees,  as  my  own.  For 
fo  it  follows. 


.424  - 

Chapter        TJW  7  m%y  have  Children?]     Though  not  by  my 
XXX.      own  Body,  yet  by  her.     For  (he  being  Rachel^  Ser- 
L/^V^SJ  vant,  the  Children  that  were  born  of  her,  were  Ra 
chel's  Children,  not  her  own. 

Verfe  4.         Ver.  4.  And'  foe  -gave  him  Bilhah  her  hand- maid  to 
Wife.']     Of  fuch  kind  of  Wives  as  this  and  ZilpaL 
<vetje.<).  fee-XXV.  6. 

Verfe -6.       "Ver.  6.  G0d  hath  judged  meT^     Decided1  the  Con 
n-overlie  between  me  and  my  Sifter  5  and-grven  Sen 
tence  on  riiy  fide. 

She  called  hff  name  D##."]     The  Mothers  fometimes 

-  gave  Names  to  theirChildren,  fas  Leah  had  done  to 

rites,  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter)  but  wii!h 

the  Approbation  of  the  Father,  who  fometime  con- 

,  13-    trolled  them,  XX'XV.  18. 

Werle  8 .    ;  rVTer.8.  With  great  wrcftlingt,  &c.]     I  have  ftrug- 
led  exceeding  hard  ( /.  e.  in  inceflant,  vehement  De- 
'fires,  and  perhaps  in  Prayers  to  God)  to  have  ano- 
ther  Child,  before  my  Sifter^  and  have  prevailed, 
•Verfe  ^.-/      Ver.  9.  Took,  Zllpah  her  Maid^  and  gave  her  to  Ja 
cob  to  Wife."]  Imirating  her  Sifter,  and  perhaps  out  of 
the  fame   Principle  x  .hoping  fome  or  other  of  her 
^li«,V  r,Children  might  be  the  Father  of  the  Meffiah:  And 
therefore  the  more  Children  the  had,  the  more  likely 
iome  of  them  might  be  fo  happy. 

Werfe  n.  [<  Ver.  1 1.  A  troop  cometh^]    The  Hebrew  Writers-ge- 
nerally  expbund  it,  Goo'd  fortune  cometh:  as  Mr.  &/- 
•Jen  (hows  in  his  Syntagm.  de  D/*f  SyrK^cdp.i.   And 
theLXX.  trandate  it  G^  ™jy^  in  a  lucky  hour  :  And 
•other  Greek  Verfioras  Ts7J^xa,  as  in  St.  Chryfoftow, 
(How.  LVI.  on  this  Book)  who  expounds  it  l-rrivjyw 
TV    <7X07T^,    /   have  obtained    wy   aim.     Others  have 
\dt$v)fllf*l  which  is  the  fame :  Whence  the  Latin  an 
ciently  had  it,  Beatafaffa,  or  Fozlixfum^  as  in  St.  Au- 


upon  GENES!  S. 

^  4J.XCI.  in  Gen.  And  this  feems  to  fome  to  be  Chapter 
nearer  to  thef/eimr  than  any  other  Translation  5  XXX, 
becaufe  what  ether  way  foever  we  expound  the  CXVNJ- 
word  Gad  either  for  a  Troof,  or  Fortune^  we  muft 
make  two  words  of  Ragad^  as  the  JAaforltcs  do,  and 
take  a  to  fignifie  as  much  as  NH,  according  as  we 
tranflite  it,  A  Troop  cotneth^  or  Good  Fortutee  conteth. 
But  I  fee  no  neceffity  of  this,  for  taking  Gad  for  a 
Troop,  it  may  be  (imply  translated,  Wit'haTroop  $  a 
Troop  (hall  follow  this,  i.e.  a  great  many  more 
'Children.  And  it  muft  be  confeffed  that  Jacob  in 
his  Bleffing,  XLIX.  19.  doth  allude  to  this  iignifica- 
ti on  of  the  word,  which  I  doubt  not  is  the  trueft. 
For  Gad)  or  Gada  never  denotes  Fortune  any  where, 
but  in  the  Targum  of  Onfylos  and  "Jonathan ^  and  a- 
mong  the  Rabbins  who  follow  them  -:  And  therefore 
this  may  be  lookt  upon  as  a  later  not  the  ancient 
fignificationof  the  word. 

Ver.  14.    In  the  days  of  Wheat- harve[l.~\   Which  Verfc  14* 
>cgan  at  Pentecoft,  when  the  Firlt-Fruits  of  it  were 
ffered  ^  as  Barley-harveft  began  at  the  Paffbver. 
Mandrakes^]  In  the  Hebrew  the  word  is  Dudaifft  : 
Which  here  Cgnifies  ihe   Fruit  of  a  Tree  or  Plant, 
whatfoever  it  be^)  and  in  the  Book  of  Canticles  VII. 
3.  it  fignifies  the  Fkrvers  $    and  thefe  are  the  only 
wo  places  where  this  word  is  found  in  the  Bible. 
Which  Job  "Lndolfkus  gives  many  reafons  to  prove, 
annot  lignifie  a  Mandrake :  For  the  Flowers  of  that 
ave  a  bad  fmell,  and  the  Fruit  of   it    a  bad  tafte. 
And  therefore  after  great  variety   of  Opinions,    he 
oncludes  it  to  be  that  which  in  Syria  they  call  A&fe? 
Which  is  an  excellent  fort  of  Fruit,  growing  upon  a 
^lant,  in  the  top  of  which  there  aife  great  Bunches 
of  it,  Hkea'CV/wmcr.    From  whence  hefanfies  this 

I  i  i  Fruit 


4atf  ACOMMENTAKT 

Chapter  Fruit  was  anciently  called  Dudaim  :    From  the  He- 
XXX.     brew  word  Dud,  which  fignifies,  propinquas  cognatus^ 
w v^  ar/ricus,  a  Neighbour,    Kinfman,    or  Friend.     Such 
were  thefe  Ditdaim,  which   he   calls  Cognatos  ant  pa 
ir  neks  ah  unaflir^Q  profeSos^     vide  Somntent.  m  L.  I. 
Hzjior.  JEthivp.  cap.  9.  n.  72. 

Verfe  15.       Ver.  i  5.  Taken  away  my  Husband."]  It  feems  he  had 
eftranged  himfelf,  for  fome  time,   from  Leah's  Bed, 
out  of  his  great  Love  to  Rachel^    or  becaufe  he  took 
little  Delight  in  her.     Or,  Rachel's  envy  at  her  ha 
ving  fo  many  Children,  when  (he  her  felf  had  none  $ 
made  her  contrive  ways  to  keep  him  from  Leah. 
Verfe  16.      Ver.  16.    Thou  muft   come  intome^  &c.j  I  cannot 
think  of  any  goodReafon,  either  of  this  Contention 
among  Jacob's  Wives  for  his  Company, ,  or  their  gi 
ving  him  their  Maid's  to  be  his  Wives,  or  for  Mofes 
his  taking  fuch  particular  notice  of  all  this  5    but  on 
ly  the  earneft  Defire  they   had  to  fulfil  the  Promife 
made  to  Abraham^  That  his  Seed  fhould  be  as  the  Stars 
ofHeaven  for  Multitude  5    and  that  in  one  Seed  of 
hisfthe  MejfiaH)  all  the  Nations  .of  the  Earth  fhould 
be  blefTed.     It  had  been  below  the  Dignity   of  fuch, 
a  Sacred  Hiftory,  as  this  is,  to  relate  fuch  things,  if 
there  had  not  been  fomething  of  great  Confideration 
in  them.     And  what  can  that   be,    but  chiefly   the 
Birth  of  the  btejjed  Seed  5     which  was  the  Objeft  of 
the  Hopes  of  all  pious  people  in  thofe  Days.     For 
it  is  evident,    both  by  Rachel  and  her  Sifter,    that  it 
was  Children    they  defired,     and    not  meerly  the 
Company  of  their  Husbands  .•  As  it  here  follows. 
Verfe  17.     Ver.i;.  God  hearkened  to  Leah.']     To  her  earned 
Prayer,  or  vehement  Defire  :  And  gave  her  another 
Son,, 

Ver. 


upon  GENESIS.  427 

Ver.  1 8.  God  hath  given  me  my  hire."]    I  purchafed  Chapter 
my  Husband's  Company,  and  God  hath  repayed  me,    XXX. 
by  the  Gift  of  another  Son.     Unto  which  (he  adds  V-/*VNJ 
a  further  Reflection.'    as  if  this  was  the  Reward  of  Verfe  18. 
her  Kindnefs.to  her  Husband,  in  beftowingher  Maid 
upon  him,  to  be  his  Wife. 

Ver.  19.  Conceived agam^]    The  birth  of  this  Son  Verfe  19. 
begat  a  greater  Rindnefs  between  them  $  and  made 
him  lefs  a  ftranger  to  her  Bed. 

Ver.  20.  God  hath  endowed  me  wit h  a  good  Dowry.']  Verfe  20* 
By    refloring  her  Husband   to  her,    and  beftowidg 
new  Fruitful nefs  upon  her  .•    For  (he  had  ceafed  to 
bear,  XXIX.  ult.  • 

Ver.  2 1 .  Dinah7\  No  reafon  is  given  of  her  Name  /  Verfe  2 1 . 
But  it  feems  to  have  the  fame  with  that  of  Rachel's 
Firft'born  by  Bilhah,  verfe  6.   For,  as  if  (he  had  now 
got  the  better  of  Rachel,    (he  calls  this  Child  by  a 
Name,  importing  Judgment. 

Ver.  22.  God  remembred  RacheF.~]    He  would  not  Verfe  22. 
have  Leah  infult  over  her,   nor  triumph  too  much  5 
and  therefore  bleffed  Rachel  with  a  Son  out  of  her 
own  Womb.  For  that  was  to  remember  her. 

Ver.  24.  Jofeph.*]  His  Name  feems  to  have  been  Verfe  24. 
taken  both  from  ending  her  Reproach,    which   (he 
mentions  before,  verfe  23.  The  LORD  hath  taken  away 
(Afaph)  the  Hebrew  word  is)  my  reproach:  And  from 
adding  another  Son  to  this. 

God  Jhall  add  tome  another  Son.']  This  was  a  great 
Expreffion  of  her  Faith  5  more  than  we  find  in  all  the 
former  Births. 

Ver.  25.  Send  me  away.'] It  is  plain,by  this,  that  the  Verfe  25. 
feven  Years  Service  for  Rachel  were  now  finifhed  ;  juft 
when  Jofeph  was  born  :  And  therefore  he  defires  to 
be  difmifled,  havinglived  with  him  fourteen  Years. 

I  i  i  2  To 


43  8  A  COM  MEN  TAR  IT 

Chapter        To  my  own  PI  ate,  and  to  my  Country^]  \  h  e.  .To  his 
XXX.     Father's  Houfe  in  Canaan  :    Which  was  his  Country, 
becaufe  he  was  born  there* 

Ver.  26.    For.  thou  kpowefi  what  fervice  I  haw-dene : 
thee.*]    He  appeals  tohimfelf,    whether  he  had  not 
ierved  him    with  all  Diligence  and  Fidelity  :    And, 
therefore  deferved  to  ..be  difmified  .after  fuch  long 
Labours., 

27.  Ver.  27.  I  have  learned  by  experience.']  Orr.as  the 
Ancients  underftood  the  word  Nichafktt,  I  have- 
found  by  Divination  .-And  AbeaEzra  thinks  he  learnt 
it  by  confultingvwith  h\$Teraphim,  But  there  need 
ed  no  fuch  advice  with  them  5  the  thing  was  plain 
in  it*  felfy  that  he  had  brought  Profperity  along  with 
h.ira  into  hi3  Houfe. , 

Vverfe  19,  Ver.  29.  Thou  knomfihow  Ihaveferved  thee.~]  With 
how  much  Care  and  Fidelity,  as  he  had  admonilhed 
him  before,  verfe  26. 

And, how  thy  Cattle  was  witb  me  ~\    How  they,  pro- 
fpered  under  my  Care. 

30...     Ver^  3,0.  BleJJed  iheefiuczwy  c0Mtng.~]  So  St.  Hie- 
rom  explains  the  Hebrew  Phrafe,  at.  my  Foot :    Ever 
fincel  fet  my  Foot  within  thy  Doors  5   or,   fince  I 
entred  into  thy  Service.    Others  expound  it,    Where* 
foever  I  went*  or  by  wy  hading  thy  flock.     But  M*/~ 
mwides  fays  this  Phrafe,  Lcragli  (at  my  Fooi)  figni' 
fies,  becaufe  ofme^  for  my  fake.     And  fo  he  explains - 
the  like  Phrafe,  XXXIII.  14.  P.  l.More  Ntvoch.caf.rt. 
3:!*      Ver.  3  ][,    Thou  foali  not  give  MC  anything^  6cc»3  I 
will  take  nothing  of  thee  at  prefent  5  but  make  this 
fbllawipg: Bargain  with  ttee,  for  the  future. 
32.      Ver.  3^.  All  theft  eckled  and  fatted.  Sec.]   In  this 
ptace^  and  in  XXXf.  10.  there  are^»r  diftind  words 
T.ifed  taexprefs  what  (hould  be  his,, 

Tfie  •' 


upon    G  EN  E  S  I  S.  4:9 

Thefirft  of  them  is  Nakpd,  which  we  well  tran-  Chapter 
fattfpeckled.     For  the  word  fignifies  little  Points  or    XXX. 
1  Pricks,  which  the  Greeks  call  ziy^m :  As  many  have 
obferved.}  .particularly  Bocbart'inhis Hierozo/c.  P.I. 

L.  II.  c.  45. 

The  fecond  is  Tain,  which  fignifies  broader  and 
larger-Spots  ^.which  we  frequently  fee  in  Cattle. 

The  next  is  Akod,  which  fignifies  fpotted  with  di 
vers  Colours  :  But  moft  properly,  Spots,  or  rather 
Circles,  or  Rings  about  the  Feet  or  Legs  (which  we 
tranllate  Ring-ftraked)tfo  Syntmachus  renders  it  A<$L- 
MOTrvSkS,  white-footed :  And  Onkelos  and  Jonathan,  ha 
ving  Marly  on  the  tr  Feet^  rather  Lifts  ronnd  their 
Legs  or  Feet  5  for  the  word  denotes  binding  or  twi- 
$ing  about. any  thing. 

And  then  the  laft  word  Barud  Ggrii&Swhiti/h  Spots 
like  Hail  ForBarud,  in  Hebrew,  5s  Hail. 

This  f/)alLbe.Myhire.~]Re  dothrifct  mean,  thatthofe 
Cattle  which  were  already  fpectyed  and  fpotted,  &c. 
ftiould  be  given  him  :  For  that  doth  not  agree  with 
what  went  before,  thou  Jhalt  not  give  me  any  thing, 
(i,  e.  I  will  take  nothing  that  is  now  thine)  and  be- 
fides,  it  would  have  been  no  wonder,  if  thofe  that 
were  fpotted already,,  (hould  bring  forth  others  like 
to  themfelves.  Thereofre  the  Sence  is,  That  he 
would  feparate  all  the  Spotted  Sheep  and  Goats  5  and 
then  out  of  thofe  which  were  of  one  Colour,  he 
would  have  all  ihat  ftiould  prove  hereafter  at  all 
marked  with  any  of  the  fore-mentioned  variety.  , 
Now  this  was  a  thing  fo  unlikely  to  happ^rr,  that  La- 
\)An,  in  the  next  Verfe,  embraces  the  motion  very  gree 
dily  ••  Thinking  that  white  or  black  Cattle,  would  • 
bring  forth  none  but  fuch  as  were  Hke  themfelves.. 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  Ver.  33.  Softallmy  Righteoufnefs^  Stc.^  This  fe- 
3QCX.  paration  being  made,  it  would  appear  that  if  he  had 

\Jr~VT\j  znyfpottcd,  they  were  not  taken  from  Labatfs  Flock ; 

Verfe  3  3.  but  given  to  him  by  God  out  of  them,  as  a  Reward 
of  his  honeft  Diligence. 

Verfe  34.  Ver.  34.  I  would  it  might  be  according  to  tly  word>~\ 
He  thought  this  fo  good  a  Bargain,  that  he  was  afraid 
Jacob  would  not  ftand  to  it. 

Verfe  3 5 .  Ver.  3  5 .  Into  the  hands  of  his  Sons\]  i.  c.  of  La- 
ban's  Sons,  who  were  now  grown  up  .•  Though,  per 
haps,  when  Jacob  firft  came  to  him,  they  were  fo  lit 
tle  as  not  to  be  able  to  look  after  the  Flocks ;  which 
his  Daughter  therefore  fed,  XXIX.  9.  As  for  J*- 
cob's  Sons.,  the  eld  eft  of  them  was  farce  Jeven  Years 
old  j  and  therefore  could  not  be  fit  for  fuch  Em 
ployment.  Laban  therefore  went  and  feparated  the 
fpotted  Cattle  from  the  reft  5  and  then,  left  Jacob 
fhould  get  any  of  them  to  mix  with  thofe  of  one 
Colour,  he  committed  tham  to  his  own  Sons,  to  be 
fed  apart  by  themfelves.-  And,  as  it  follows  in  the 
next  'fcrfi,  made  a  diftance  of  three  days  journey,  be 
tween  the  one  and  .the  other  5  that  none  might  be 
in  danger  to  ftrayv the  Flock  which  was  fed  by  Ja 
cob:  Unto  whofe  Care  were  committed  all  that  had 
no  Spots  at  all. 

V    fe  a£»     ^er*  3^'    ^et  ^ree  day*  journey^  &c.^     That  they 
'might  be  fure,  not  to  come  near,    fo  much  as  to  fee 
one  another. 

Verfe  37.  Ver.  37.  Of  the  Bafel.~\  The  Hebrew  word  Lu% 
fignifies  an  Almond^  as  Bochart  proves  at  large,  out  of 
•a  great  many  Authors.  And  therefore  St.  lirerom 
here  rightly  tranflates  it,  Virgas  Awygdalinas.  And 
the  Hebrew  Interpreters,  who  will  have  it  fignifie  an 
^  confefs  that  herein  they  depart  from  the 

Opinion 


upon    GEN  ESI  S,  431 

Opinion  of  thofe  that  went  before  them.    .  So  Aben  Chapter 
Ezra  and  Kimcht^   who  both  acknowledge  that  the    XXX. 
ancient  Doftors  expound  it,  Alston-rods.  ^O^"^ 

And  filled  white  ftrahs  m  them.']  He  had  three  Ar- Ver{e 
tifices  to  compafshis  end.  The  firft  was  this-  To 
peel  off  the  Bark  from  the  Rods,  at  certain  diftances. 
till  the  white  appeared  between  the  B.ark,  which  was 
of  a  different  Colour.  And  thefe  Rods,  thus  dif- 
coloured,  h£  laid  in  the  Channels  of  Water,  at  that* 
time  when  the  Cattle  were  wont  to  couple,  (as  it 
follows  in  the  next  Verfe)  that  their  Fancies  might  be 
painted  with  fuch  divers  Colours,  as  they  faw  in  the 
Rods.  See  verfe  40,  41. 

Ver.  30.  And  the  Flock*  conceived  before  the  Rods,  Verfe  39. 
and  brought  forth,  &c.]  The  Greek,  Fathers  afcribe 
this  to  the  miraculous  Operation  of  Gbd,  as  Bochart 
obferves  in .,  his  Hierozwc.  P.  I.  I; II.  cap*  49.  >  But 
the  Latin  Fathers,  particular!^  St.  tfierom,  look  upon 
it  as  done  by  the  natural  Operation  of  the  Imagina 
tion.  For  which  he  alledges  the  like  thing  done  in 
Spam  among  Horfes  and  Mares  .•  And  brings  Sinin&i- 
Uan  and  Hippocrates*  to  jiaftifie  the  like  Conception^ 
in  Women.  Which  he  backs  with  a  great  Number 
of  Authorities,  out  of  Gilcn  and  other  Writers : 
Who  have  obferved  indelible  Marks,  to  have  been 
impreiTed  upon  Children,  by  the  Objefts  that  were 
prefented  to  their  Mother's  Imagination,  at  the  time 
of  her  Conception. 

And  St.  Auftm  faysthe  Egyptians,  by  the  like  De 
vice  with  this  of  Jacob's,  had  (till  a  new  Apti,  or  Phd- 
B«//,  to  fucceed  that  which  died '.•  To  whom  they 
gave  Divine  Honour.  But  whatfoever  Power  there 
might  be  in  natural  Imagination  to  produce  fuch 
Effefts,  it  muft  be  acknowledged  that  God  gave  an 

extra-  - 


432  A  COMME  NT^RT 

Chapter  extraordinary  Bleffing  to  this  Contrivance.'  Asap- 
XXX.  p^ars  by  the  Vifion  which  Jacob  fays  he  had,  where- 
V*VNj  inGod  ("who  had  direfted  him  -to  this  Invention) 
promifed  to  give  it  fuccefs,  -XXXI.  'icyn,  12. 'For 
Beafts  have  very  rarely  fuch  a  ftrong  and  vehement 
Imagination,  as  produces  fuch  EfFefts  5  unlefs  it  be 
moved  by  forae  unufual  Paffion.  And  therefore  we 
muft  confefs  that  God  excited  and  ftirred  up  their 
Imagination  }  which  orherwife  would  not  have 
wrought  in  that  manner  ^  at  leaft,  not  in  all  the  Ca 
rle.  For,  let  any  Shepherd  now  try  this  Device, 
and  he  will  not  find  it  do,  what  it  did  then  by  a 
Divine  Operation.  Vide  G.  Voftns^  L.  IIL  de  IdoM. 
cap.  22. 

\Verfe  40.  Ver.  40.  And  Jacob  did  fiparate  the  Lambs,  &c.] 
One  Species  is, put  for  all :  And  the  meaning  is,  That 
thbfe  young  Cattle( whether  Lambs,  or  Kids  of  the 
Goats,  e£r.)  which  were  thus  broughrforth  fported, 
he  did  not  fufFer  to  remain  with  the  Flock  of  Laban  $ 
left  he  fhould  fay  that  he  did  him  wrong  by  letting 
them  mix  together,  and  To  bring  forth  fpofcted  Cat 
tle,  (and  perhaps  he  might  alfo  think  that  they  look 
ing  upon  Labans  one-coloured  Cattle,  might  bring 
forth  young  ones  like  to  them)  But,  inftead  of  this 
way  of  inriching  himfelf,  he  had  a  fec&nd  Artifice  5 
which  was  to  put  the  (potted  Cattle,  (produced  by 
ithe  former  Device)  foremo»(l  .•  So  that  Labans  Flock 
fhould  always  look  upon  them,  and  thereby  be  the 
more  apt  to  conceive  the  like.  And  then  it  follows, 
in  the  end  of  this  fer/e. 

,  He  put  his  own  Flocks  by  themfelves,  and  put  them 
^ot  to  LabaHS  Cattle^}  Which  looks  like  a  repetition 
of  what  was  faid  in  the  beginning  of  the  Ferje :  But 
the  meaning  is,  that  thofc  which  brought  forth 

fpotted, 


upon  G  E  N  E$  I  S.  433 

fpotted,  by  this  fecond  Artifice,  he  alfo  put  by  them- Chapter 

felves  $  andfufFered  them  not  to  be  mingled  with  La-    XXX. 

\  bans  Cattle,    as  before  he  had  feparated  thofe   that 

I  Were  brought  forth  fpotted,    by  looking  upon  the 

Rods. 

Vcr.  \\.AnditCAmt  topafi,  when  theftronger  Cattk Verfe 
did  conceive,  that  Jacob,  Sec.]  This  was  his  third  Ar 
tifice.-  Which  is  thus  expounded  by  the  Chaldee  and 
a  great  number  of  other  Authors,  (which  may  befeen 
in  Bochart,  P.  I.  ttierozoic.  L.  II.  cap.  46.)  that  he 
laid  the  Rods  before  the  Cattle  only  in  the  Spring- 
time,  when  the  Sun  was  afcending,  and  the  Cattle 
luftyand  vigorous;  But  let  them  alone  when  the 
Cattle  'came  together  in  Sefiewler,  or  the  declen- 
(ion  of  the  Year,  (for  they  bred  twice  a  Year  in 
thofe  Countries)  at  which  time  they  were  become 
more  feeble.  If  he  had  always  laid  the  Rods  befb're 
the  Cattle,  there  might  have  been  none  but  fpotted, 
and  fo  Lab  an  have  been  quite  impoverifhed.  There- 
ore  he  chofe  to  do  it  only  in  their  firft  and  prime 
Copulatiom,  which  was  in  the  Spring-time  .•  And  o- 
mtttedit  in  the  latter,  which  was  in  the  AutumnB 
Our  famous  Mr.  Mcde  follows  this  Interpretation, 
bifiourfi  XLV.  p.  355.  But  there  is  no  certainty 
in  it :  For  Pliny  and  GoluMelta  prefer  thefe  begot  in 
Autumn,  to  thofe  begot  in  the  Spring.  And  there 
fore  our  Tranflation  is  moft  proper,  which  reprefents 
Jacob,  asulingthis  Artifice,  of  laying  the  Rods  be 
fore  their).,  only  when  the  ftronger  Cattle  came  toge 
ther,  and  not  when  the  weaker.  And  fo  the  LXX. 
underftood  the  words,  without  refpeft  to  the  former' 
or  latter  breed  .•  And  fo  the  Hebrew  words  import, as 
(hows  in  the  place  before  named,  p.  514. 

K  k  k  Ver, 


434 

Chapter       Ver.  43.  And  the  Man  increafed  exceedingly y   &C.J 

XXXI.    Some  have  made  it  a  quefton,  whether  he  gp^alUhis 

WV"\J  Riches  honeftly  $  becaufe  Laban  did  not  think  of  his 

Verfe  43»ufingany  Art,  but  only  of  barecafual  Produ&ions. 

But,  as  what  was  not  direftly  again  ft  the  Contraft, 

may  be  thought  to  be  allowed  by  it  5  foit  is  certain 

that  Jacob  might  lawfully  take  what  God  beftowed 

upon  him  .•  Who  feems  to  have  dire&ed  hrm  by  an 

Angel  to  ufe  this  Artifice  5  or,  atleaft,  teftified   his 

Approbation  of  it :  Intending  to  transfer  unto  Jacob 

the  Wealth  of  Labany    as  he  gave  the  Riches  of  the 

Egyptians  toihe  Ijraelites.Vor  the  World  is  his,  and  the 

Fulnefs  thereof.-  And  he  may  difpofe  of  every  thing 

in  it,  as  he  pleafes. 

Maid-Servants^  &c.}  To  look  after  his  Cattle  $ 
and  after  his  Camels  and  Afles,  which  he  alfo  pur- 
chafed. 


CHAP.    XXXI. 

Verfe  i.   Ver.  t.T  TE  heard  the  words  ofLaban's  Sons."]  Who 

JL  x  uttered  fuch  difcontented  or  threatning 

Speeches,  as  made  him  fear  they  would  fall  upon  him 

and  do  him  rnifchief.  This  was  the  firft  Caufe  of  hii 

Eefolved  flight. 

Hath  tak$n  away  all  that  was  our  Fathers."]    They 
fpeakof  him,  as  if  he  had  been  a  Thief :  which  made 
him  fufpeft  they  would  ufe  him  accordingly. 
AUthis  Glory."]  All  thefe  Riches,  verfe  \6. 
Verfe  x.        Ver.  2.    And  Jacob  beheld  the  Countenance  of  La- 
bo*,  &c.]  This  was  the  fecond  Caufe  of  his  Refolu- 

tion 


upon    GENESIS.  455 

tionto  be  gone  $  That  he  faw  by  Laban's  looks  things  Chapter 
were  not  likely  to  go  well  with  him  if  he  ftayed  any    XXXI. 
longer.  ^^r^^ 

Ver.  3.  And  the  LOR  Dfaid  unto  Jacob,  8cc.]  This  Verfe.  3. 
was  the  third  Caufe,  the  Divine  Majefty  appeared  to 
him,  and  bad  him  be  gone.  And  as  he  had  his  War 
rant,  fo  hefeals  it  with  his  Promife  to  proteft  him  in 
his  Return  to  his  own  Country. 

Ver.  4.    Jacob  fent  and  called  Rachel  and  Leah."]  Verfe  4. 
!  Rachel  is  firft  mentioned  as  his  chief  Wife/    forfo 
(he  was  in  his  defignment  .•    And  fo  the  Pofterity  of 
Leah  afterward  acknowledged,  naming  her  firft  in  the 
Blefling  of  Ruth,  IV.  u. 

To  the  Field  unto  his  Flock~]  That  he  might  dif- 
courfe  them  privately /Fearing  alfo,  it  is  likely,  that 
tie  might  be  feized  byLaban  and  his  Sons,  if  he  went 
o  the  Houfe. 

Ver.  5.  The  God  of  my  Fathers  hath  been  with  me."]  Verfe  $. 
Hath  appeared  to  me,  (verfe  3..,)  and  bid  me  not  fear 
your  Father. 

Ver.  6.  With  all  my  power.']  I  have  omitted  nothing  Verfe  6. 
hat  1  could  do,  to  promote  his  Intereft. 

Ver.  7.  Hath  deceived  we."]    Dealt  unjuftly   with  Verfe  7. 
me,  in  not  (landing  to  his  Agreement. 

Changed  my  Wages  ten  times!]  i.  e.    Very  of ten  $  as 
many  interpret  it  from  like    Eypreffion  in   other 
>laces,  particularly  Levit.  XXVI.  26.  where  ten  Wo 
men  are  put  for  a  great  number  of  Women.     But 
others  think  that  he  really  changed  his  Wages,    juft 
en  times.     For  he  ferved   him  fx  Years,    after  he 
made  the   Agreement  with   him,   mentioned  in  the 
foregoing  Chapter ,  verfe  31,  &c.     And  the  firft  Year 
heftood  to  his  Bargain.-    But  feeing  him  thrive ex- 
eedingly,  he  altered  the  form  of  their  Covenants, 

Kkk  2  a* 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    at  the  end  ofthat  Year.     And  ip  like  manner,  everp 
XXXI.    half  Year,  whenthe  Ews  brought  forth  young  ones, 
vrv-^  ("which  they  did  twice  a  Year)  arid  he  faw  them  fpot* 
ted  5  he  broke  his  Contract*  and  made  a  new  one,  lefs 
advantageous  to  Jacob  :    Sometimes  re  (training  it  to 
one  fort  of  Cattle,   fometimes  to  another  :    And  not 
letting  him  have  the  whole  benefit  of  his  Contract 
Which  is  not  at  all  improbable  :  For  Jacob  mentions 
his  ill  dealing  with  him  in  the  very  fame  words,  verfi 
41.     And   in  the  next  Verfe  to  this  he  relates  how 
Laban  would  fometimes  let  him  have  only  the  fpecl^ 
led  ,  at  another  time,     none  but  the  rjng:jlraked .-, 
and   fo    we  may  fuppofe    of   the    reft.      See  this 
explained  by  St.  tiierom  m  §>u<eft.  Heir,  and  by  St.  An* 
Jtm&JiCV.inGen. 

But  God  fitffered him  not  to  hurt  we."]  To  defraud 
me  of  my  Wages,  by  thefe  changes  which  he  made 
in  them. 

¥erfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Thus  hath  God  taken  away^ ,  &c/]  He  pru* 
dently  conceals  his  own  Artifice,and  only  relates  what 
hand  God  had  in  the bufinefs,  fwMch  indeed  was^ht 
Chief,  for  without  his  Bieffing.it  could  not  have  pro* 
fpered)for  fear  perhaps  that  they  fhould  any  way  di 
vulge  it,  and  bring  him  into  danger  with  Laban.  For 
every  Rody  cannot  keep  a  Secret,  fthe  Hebrews  make 
too  fevere  and  foolifh  Refleftions  on  Women  upon 
this  occafionj  and  his  whole  Eftate  depending  on 
this,  he  thought  it  be  ft"  to  keep  it  to  himfclf  for  the 
prefent. 

Yerfe  1C,  Ver,  10.  R&tMMtopafi,  at  the  time  the  Cattle  con- 
cejved^  &c.]  to  confirm  them  in  the  Opinion,  that 
the  hand  of  God  had  transferred  all  the  Riches  of 
their  Father  unto  him  •  he  relates  what  was  reprefen* 

ted.  to  him  in  a  Dream. 

The 


upon    GENES  IS;  43 jr 

The  Rams  that  leaped,  Sec.]    He  behtld  them  fuch,  Chapter 
as  he  had  agreed  to  have  for  his  Hire  5  and  therefore    XXXI. 
likely  to  procjuce  others  fpotted^    and   finked,  like  L/"V"\J 
themfelves.  According  to  the  common  Obfervation 
of  the  Poet  .- 

i^- 

Sic  cattilos*  canibns  fa/tiles ,-  yfr  matribns  htedos, 

For  in  the  Hebrew  the  words  ring-ftr-akgd  zndfpeckled^ 
may  be  referred  to  the  Ews  as  well  as  to  the  kams: 
And  it  is  probable  he  had  this  Vifion  before  he  made 
his  Agreement  with  Laban  $ whereby  he  was  directed,' 
to  the  Artifice  of  which  he  made  ufe  :    Or,  elfe  God  • 
reprefented  to  him  afterward,  that  he  approved  it,  and 
would  make  it  fuccefsful.; 

Grtzled."]  This  word  (Barud^  is  not  u fed  before ^ 
But  I  took  notice  of  it,  in  the  foregoing  Chapter ^  verfe 
52.    that  it  fignifies  as  much  as  great  white  or  grey 
Spots^  like  to  Hatl-ftones.    It  is  juft  the  quite  contra 
ry  to  Nakpd;  fpeekkdor  fprinkled,  with  little  black- 
Spots,  which  were  upon  the  Sheep  that  were  white : 
Asthefe  were  whitijb  orgrrfled  Spots,  upon  thole  that 
were  black. 

Ver.  ii.  And  the  Angel  of  God fydke  unto  we ^  &c]Verfe  11.- 
Id  the  Name  of  God,  as  his  Ambaffadour  :  Cod  being 
fuppoftd  to  be  prefenr,    where  his  A-iigels,    who.  are 
his  Retinue,  are  faidto  appear,  as  I  have  often  noted „ 
SeeXXVIlL  17. 

Ver.  12.   Lift  up  now  thine  eyes."}    He  fold  verfe  iorVerfe   I- 
that  he  did  lip  up  his  Eyes  :    Therefore  the  meaning-. 
here  is,  Obfervenow^  and  nw\  what  thou  feeft. 

Ihavefeen  all  that  Lab  an  doth  unto  -tkee.~]     Taken 
fuch  notice  of  ity  that  I  v/illdothee  Right, 

Ver, 


H COMMENT ART 

Chapter      Ver.  13.  I  am  the  God  of  Bethel.']    It  is  plain  by 
XXXI.   this,  that  though  the  Angel  only  appeared,  verfe  n. 
^fy~***  Tet  God  hiBjfelf  was  prefent  and  remembred  him,how 
Verfe  1 3.  he  had  appeared  unto  himiin  Bethel,  XXVIII.  If> 
I2,&c.  and  how  Jacob  had  anointed  the  Pillar -,    and 
vowed  avow  unto  him.     So  Maimonides  expounds  it  $ 
for  Jaco^  no  doubt,  faith  he,  made  the  Vow  to  God, 
and    not  to  the  Angel;  And  therefore  the  Angel 
(as  he  underftands  it)  fpeaks  here  in  the  Name  of 
God  and  notofhimfelf,  More  Nevtch.  P.  i.  cap.  27 
See  Chapter  II.  n,  15.  But    I   fee   no  reafcn   why* 
we  (hould  not  fuppofe  the  Divine  Majefty  himfelf  to 
have  appeared  alfo,  as  he  did  at  Bethel :     When  Ja 
cob  faw  the  Angels  afcending  and  defcending  upon 
the  Ladder,  and  the  L  o  a  D  himfelf  (landing  at  the 
top,  andfpeaking  to  him,  as  he  doth  here.     For  up 
on  a  ferious  Consideration  of  all  the  Circumftances, 
this  Vifion,  here  mentioned,    feems  to  me  to  be  di- 
ftinft  from  what  was  represented  by  an  Angel  in  a 
Dream,  verfe  1 1.  For  he  had  that  it  is  evident,  at  the 
beginning  of  his  la  ft/*  Years  Service  3   this,    at  the 
conclusion  of  them  •>  But  he  puts  them  both  together, 
becaufethey  belong  to  the  fame  Matter. 

And  God  now  remembers  his  Vowjo  (how  him  that 
he  was  well-pleafed  with  it  5  and  to  excite  him  toper- 
form  it,  when  he  had  brought  him  (as  he  aflures 
him  he  would)  to  that  place  again. 

?¥erfe  14.  Ver.  14.  Rachel  and  Leah  anfaered>  Sec.]  They  im 
mediately  confented  to  go  along  with  him  $  and  not 
fo  much  as  to  acquaint  their  Father  with  it  ••  For  they 
knew  he  would  give  them  nothing. 

//  there  any  Portion,  &c/]  We  (hall  get  nothing  by 
flaying  with  him  :The  reafcn  of  which  follows. 

Ver. 


upon  G  E  N  ESI  S;: 

Ver.  IJ.  Are  we  not  counted  as  Strangers  ?  &ic.*]  He  Chapter 
hath  not  dealt  with  us  as  if  we  were  his  Children:  XXXI. 
But  as  if  we  were  of  fome  other  Family  ^  whom  he  CXV"NJ 
had  bought,  and  fold  again.  Verfe  15. 

Sold  H*.'}  Not  fo  much  giving  us  in  Marriage  3  as 
felling  us  for  the  Price  of  Jacob's  Labour. 

§>ujte  devoured  our  Money"]  Kept  to  himfelf  all 
the  Money  he  got  by  thy  Service  3  and  given  us  not 
a  Far  tiling  of  it. 

Ver.  1 6.   For  all  the  Riches,  &c.]   God  hath  but  Verfe  16. 
given  us  that  which  was  our  own  :    And  therefore 
thou  maift  lawfully  keep  it,  and  go  away  with  it. 

Ver.  17.  Jacob  rofe  up  J}    Prepared  himfelf  for  the  Verfe  17* 
Journey. 

Andfet  his  Sons.']  As  was  but  needful  .•  Reuben. 
his  eldeft,  being  fcarce  fourteen  Years  old  ,•  and  Jofefh 
hisycwngeft,  fcarce/^:. 

Vpon  Cantels^]  They  ufed  to  ride  upon  Camels  in 
the  Eaft-Country  5  efpecially  when  they  made  long 
Journeys,  See  XXIV.  10. 

Ver.  18.  He  carried  away  all  his  Cattle."}    But  no- Verfe  i& 
thing  of  L*ban$  ;   as  Jofephus,  without  any  reafon, 
fanfies. 

Ver.  19.  Labanwent  to/hear  hts  Sheep.~]  Which  gave  Verfe  19, 
Jacob   the  better  opportunity  to  efcape,    whilft  he 
was  bufie  about  that  5   and  feafting,    perhaps,    his 
Shearers. 

And  Rachel  had  ftolen^]ln  all  likelyhood  hi^Wivea 
returned  to  the  Houfe,  to  fetch  what  they  had  left 
there,  when  Jacob  fent  to  fpeak  with  them  in  the 
Field,  (verfe  4. }  and  then  Rachel  took  away  thefe 
Images. 

The  Images  that  her  Father  had,"]  Thefe  Images  in- 
the  Hebrw  are  called  TE  R  A  P  HIM:  Of  which 

we 


440  A  COM  ME  NT  ART 

Chapter   we  read  very  often,  afterward,  in  the  Holy  Scripture. 
XXXI.    Mercer  and  Simeon   de  Mais  take  it   for  an  exotick 
VV\J  word  .*  But  others  derive  it  from   the  Hebrew  word 
Rapha,   which  fignifies  to  cure  or  heal  ^    as  if  chefe 
were  lookt  upon  as  Salvatoret^   Saviours  and   Deli 
verers,  or  Prefervers  from  Mifchief. 

There  are  other  Derivations,  of  which  .there  is  no 
certainty :  But  mod  agree  they  were  a  kind  of  Pe- 
nates,  as  the  Romans  called  them,  Honftold  Golds:  In 
which  ftyle  Laban  fpeaks  of  them,  when  he  fays,  verfe 
"30.  Wherefore  haft  thon  ftolen  my  Gods  .<?  But  it  is  a 
great  Queftion  among  the  Hebrew  Doftors,  Whether 
in  thefe  ancient  Tirn'es,tfeey  worftiipped  them  as  Gods, 
or  only  ufed  them  as  Inftruments  of  Divination  $  as 
Mt.Selden  obferves,  de  Dns  Syris  Syntagm.  L  cap.  2. 
Where  he  (hows,  thatfeveral  of  the  Hebrew  Doctors 
ta-ke-them  to  have  been  Figures  in  Humane  {hape, 
(i  Sam.  XIX.  13.)  made  by  Aftrologers  to  be  capa 
ble  (as  they  fanfied)  of  the  heavenly  Influences. 
And  for  this  reafon,  they  think,  Rachel  ftole  them, 
t\\ztLaban  might  not  enquire  by  them,  which  way 
Jacob  and  his  Family  were  gone.  HottingerMv  hath 
many  ingenious  Arguments  to  prove,  that  they  were 
the  fame  with  the  Arabian  Tatifmans,  in  after  times : 
which  were  Images  made  under  fuch  or  fuch  Con- 
ftellations,  to  receive  the  heavenly  Influences  .'Either 
to  be  a  Phylaftery,  or  an  Oracle.  See  L.  I.  Hifto*. 
Orient,  cap.  8. 

But  the  Conjefture  of  Lud.  de  Dieu  upon  this 
place,  feems  to  rne  far  more, probable,  that  they  were 
the  Keprefentations  of  feme  Angelical  Powers,  (Te- 
raphim  and  Seraphin  being  the  very  fame,  by  the 
change  only  of  a  Letter)  who,  they  imagined,  de* 
dared  the  Mind  of  God,  by  them.  For,  in  thofe 

Coun- 


Hfon    GENESIS,  441 

Countries  where  the  SCHECHINA  H,  or  Pre-Chapter 
fence  of  the  Divine  Majefty  did  not  appear,  as  it  did  XXXI. 
in  Abrahams  Family,  they  had  at  lealt  fome  Tradi-  '^ 
tion  of  it,  and  of  the  Angels  that  were  its  Atten 
dants:  The  refemblance  of  which  they  made,  in 
hope  they  might  by  that  means  have  a  Communica 
tion  with  them,  and  gain  Intelligence  from  Heaven. 
Of  which,  evil  Spirits  made  their  Advantage  $  and 
abufed  Mankind  by  the  lying  Anfwers  they  gave  to 
their  Enquiries.  For  there  is  no  reafon  to  think  that 
God  allowed,  much  lefs  appointed  the  making  ofthefe 
Teraphiw :  Which  Gaffarel  adventures  to  fay,  were 
Pioully  ufed  before  the  Law  of  Mofes,  and  God  ma- 
nifeftecl  his  Mind  and  Will  by  them.  This  had  been 
to  lead  Men  into  Idolatry,  by  Image- wor (hip:  Un 
to  which  they  were  too  prone  of  themfelves. 

Expofitors  differ  very  much  about  Rachel's  Inten 
tion  in  dealing  them.    Some  fanfie,  (he  ftill  retained 
a  tang  of  Superftition  :  But  I  take  it  to  be  more  like 
ly,  that  Jacob^  who  loved  her  extreamly,  and  was  no 
lefs  beloved  by   her,  had  brought  her  off  from  the 
falfe  Notions  and  bad  Cuftoms  of  her  Country.  And 
then  fhe  did  not  carry  them  away,  for  fear  Laban 
(hould  enquire  by  them,  which  way  they  were  gone: 
(for  (he  knew  they  were  but  vain  Idols,  which  could 
give  no  Direction)  But,  rather  defigned  to  convince 
her  Father  of  his  Superftition  ^  by  letting  him  fee, 
that  his  Gods  (as  he  called  them)  could  not  preferve 
themfelves,  much  lefs  do  any  fervice  to  him.     Or, 
perhaps,  fhe  intended  to  give  her  felf  fome  Portion 
of  his  Goods,  which  (lie  thought  juftly  belonged  to 
her :  And  fo  took  thefe  Terafhim^  which  were   of 
fome  value  ("though  fmall  Images  J  becaufe  they  are 
.generally  fuppofed  to  have  been  madeof  Silver- 

LI  1  Ven 


442  A  COMMENTART 

Chapter        Ver.  20.  Jacob  ftole  away  unawares7\    Without  the 
XXXI.    knowledge  of  Laban.     For  the  word  Heart  ("as  it  is 

WWJ  in  the  Hebrew)  is  here  put  for  the  'Understanding  and 
Verfe  2O.jfv//. 

Laban  the  Syrian!^  There  being  no  neceflity  of 
mentioning  his  Country,  ( which  was  well  known 
from  the  preceding  Story  J  feme  think  he  is  htre 
called  the  Syrian,  to  denote  that  as  cunning  as  he  was, 
Jacob  was  too  hard  for  him.  For  the  Syrians^  in  an 
cient  Authors,  are  obferved  to  have  been  a  very  craf 
ty,  fubtil  People.  But  there  is  no  certainty  of  this  $ 
there  being  a  frequent  redundance  very  obvious  in 
this  Language.  See  verfe  2  5-. 

Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  So  he  fled,  See},  Pack'd  up  his  Baggage 
(as  we  now  fpeak)  and  made  all  ready  for  a  fpeedy 
flight:  And  (as  it  follows)  rofe  up^  and  made  all  the 
hafte  he  could  to  get  over  the  River. 

And  pajfid  over  the  River.]  i.e.  Euphrates^  fre 
quently  called  in  Scripture,  the  River,  in  regard  of 
its  eminence. 

Mount  Gilead.~]  So  called  afterward,  from  what 
Jacob  and  Laban  did  there,  verfe  48.  Injoyned  to 
Mount  Libanits; 

Verfe  22       Ver.  22.  On  the  third  day."]     There  was  fuchadi- 

'ftance  between  Jacob's  Flock  and  his   (~XXXIL  36.) 

that  he  could  not  hear  fooner :  Efpecially  when  he 

was  taken  up  with  other  bufinefs,  (verfe  19^  and  did 

not  make  enquiry. 

¥£rfe  22*     Ver.  23..  Tookhw  Brethren*]  Some  of  his  near  Kin 
dred. 

They  overtook. him~\  The  .Hebrew  word  imports, 
They  came  clofe  up  to  him* 

24,,      Ver.  24.  And  God^  came  to  Laban  the  Syrian  in  a 
Dream,  &C.1]  See  concerning  this  Expreffion5XX.  3. 


upon    GENESIS,  445 

Speal(  not  to  Jacob  either  good  or  bad.~]     About  his  Chapter 
return  to  thee.     Unto  which  God  charges  htm,  he  XXXi. 
fhould  neither  allure  him  by  Promifes,  nor  affright  u'VNJ 
him  by  Threats. 

Ver.  15.  ThenLabanovertookJjacob^  This  is  a  dif-  Vcrfe  2>> 
ferent  word  from  that  in  verfe  23.  fignifying  he  came 
near,  or  approached  juft  to  him :  So  that  they  might 
confer  one  with  another* 

Now  Jacob  had  filched  his  Tent,  8cc.^  For  Jacob 
and  Laban  had  both  pitched  their  Tents  in  the  fame 
Mount :  not  far  from  one  another.  This  Jofephus 
thinks  they  had  done,  in  the  Evening;  when  Laban 
came  up  fo  clofe  to  him,  that  if  the  Night  had  not 
parted  them,  they  might  then  have  difcourfed  toge 
ther  :  Which  they  did  the  next  Morning,  when  they 
came  nearer  one  to  another  $  after  God  had  warned 
Laban  not  to  ftop  his  Journey. 

Here  Gilead  is  redundant,  as  the  word  Syrian  was 
before  in  verfe  20,  2^. 

Ver.  2  6.  As  Captives  taken  with  the  Su>ord.~\  As  Prizes  Verfe  2  6. 
in  War  ^  which  are   wont  to  be   carried  off  with 
force  and  violence. 

Ver.  18.  Thou,  haft  now  done  fooliflily  in  fo  */0/#g/]  Verfe  ^8» 
He  feems  to  pretend,  that  he  would  have  been  very 
kind  to  him,  if  they  had  parted  with  mutual  Con- 
fent :  And  would  have  him  think  he  had  loft  by 
ftealing  away,  not  only  the  Mufick  and  Merriment, 
("before-mentioned,  verfe  17.)  but  fuch  Gifts  as  he 
would  have  beftowed  upon  him. 

Ver.  29.  The  God  of  your  Father  fpakg  unto  me,  &c^]  Verfe  zg. 
There  is  no  ground  to  think  that  the  S CHEC  HI± 
N A  H,  or  Dlvme  Majefty  appeared  to  him  ,  for  we 
do  not  read  either  here  or  verfe  24.  of  his  feeing  any 
thi-ng,  but  hearing  one  fpeak  to  him,  and  that  in  a 

t,  1 1  2  -Dream  „* 


444  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter   Dream.-  Who  told  him,  I  fuppofe,  that  he  was  the 

XXXI.    God  of  Ifaac,  and  of  Abraham.     Or,  if  he  faw  a  glo- 

L^VNJ  nous  Appearance,  it  was  in  his  fleep  only  ^  not  when 

he  was  awake. 

Verfe  30,      Ver,  30.  Stolen  my  Gods."]  See  verfe  19. 
Verfe  31.     Ver.  31.  Becaufe  Iwa*  afraid.]     This  is  an  An- 
fwer  to  the  firft  part  of  Labans  Expoftulation,  verfe 
26,27,  See. 

Verfe  32.  V&.qi.  With  who wfoever  thoufindeft^&c.~]  This  is 
an  Anfwer  to  the  laft  part  of  it.  From  which  fome 
gather.,  that  Theft  was  punifhed  with  death,  in  thofe 
days.  Sacrilege  perhaps  was. 

Verfe  33.      Ver.  33.  Laban  went  into  Jacob's  Tent^  8cc.]   This 
{hows  that  Men  and  Women  had  every  one  of  them, 
their  diftinft  Tents,  apart  by  themfelves  3  as  was  no 
ted  before,  XXIV.  ult. 

Verfe  34.  Ver.  34.  Camels  Furniture!]  The  Saddle  upon  which 
they  rode,  or  laid  their  Carriage. 

Searched  alt  their  Tent.]     Except  that  place  where 
(he  fat. 

Verfe  25.  Ver.  35.  Let  it  not  difpleafe^&c.']  She  begs  his 
Pardon  that  (he  did  not  ftand  up  to  do  him  Reve 
rence,  as  became  a  Child  to  her  Father,-  And  excufes 
it,  by  an.  Infirmity  which  was  upon  her. 

And  he  fearched.~]     He  looked  all  about  the  place 
where  (he  fat. 

Verfe  36.  Ver.  36.  Jacob  anfaered  andfaid^&z.]  He  pro 
ceeded  farther  in  his  Anfwer;  and  expoftulates  with 
Laban^  as  he  had  done  with  him  .•  Setting  forth  the 
cauflefnefs  of  his  Purfuit,  the  injuftice  of  Charging 
him  with  Theft,  and  all  his  unkind  ufage  of  him, 
from  the  time  he  came  to  him,  till  his  Departure  5 
notwithftanding  his  faithful  Services,  which  he  re- 
prefents  moft  admirably* 

Ver. 


upon  GENESIS.  44$ 

Ver.  38.  Thy  Ews  and  She-Goats  have  not  c*ft  then  Chapter 
j  I  lookt  fo  carefully  after  them,  and  fuch  was  XXXI, 
the  Bleffing  of  God  upon  my  Care,  none  of  them  L/^V^O 
mifcarried.     A  mod  high  Commendation  of  hisSer- Verle  $ 
vice,     Who  would  not  have  valued  fuch  a  Servant, 
for  whofe  fake  God  beftowed  fuch  an  unwonted  Fe 
cundity  upon  Lab  an  s  Flock  ? 

TheRamsofthyFlocl^hdve  I  not  eaten,"]  Under 
Rams  are  comprehended  the  Lambs  Mo  :  For  if  he  ' 
had  eaten  any  of  them,  it  had  been  no  great  Com 
mendation  to  abftain  from  the  Rams.  But  he  con 
tented  himfelf  with  Pulfe,  or  fuch  like  mean  Diet, 
to  promote  his  Matter's  Profit. 

Ver.  39.  That  which  was  torn  of  Be  aft  s^  Sccf]  And  Verfe  39 
that  alfo  which  was  ftolen  by  Theft,  was  not  brought 
to  Labans  Account 5  but  Jacob  made  them  good. 
Which  was  not  only  an  unjuft  exadion,  but  an  in 
humane:  For  the  moft  careful  Shepherd  in  the 
World  could  not  have  his  Eye  every  where,  to  pre 
vent  fuch  things,  efpecially  in  the  dark  5  as  it  fol 
lows. 

Whether  ftolen  by  day  or  by  night. ~]  A  mo  ft  barba 
rous  ufage  of  a  Nephew,  and  a  Son-in-law,  to  make 
him  pay  for  that  which  wild  Beafts  devoured,  or 
Thieves  ftole-againft  his  will ;,  when  no  Body  could 
fee  their  approach  in  the  Night.  Some  queftion 
where  Jacob  got  Money  to  pay  fv>r  them.  But  it 
is  to  be  confidered,  that  he  did  not  come  quite  un 
provided,  from  his  Father's  Houfe  $  with  which  al- 
fo,  we  may  reafonably  think,  he  ftill  held  fome  Cor- 
refpondence. 

Ver.  40.  Thus  was  7,  in  the  day  the  drought,  Sec.]  Verfe  4, 
While  I  ferved   thee,  the  Heat  confumed   me  in  the 
Day-time,  and  the  Froft  nipt  me  by  Night,     For  m 

thole 


446  ^   COMMENT ART 

Chapter    thofe  Countries  Shepherds  were  wont  to  watch  their 
XXXL    Flocks  ^    efpecially  about  the   time  that  Ews  were 
L/"VNJ  likely  to  yean  :   As  we  read  Lnkf  II.  8.     See  Bochart 
in  his  Hierozoic.  P.  I.  L.  II.  cap.  44. 

My  Sleep  departed  from  wine  Eyes.~]  Many  times 
he  took  no  reft  ^  being  awakned  by  wild  Beaft,  or 
by  Thieves,  or  kept  awake  by  his  great  folicitude  for 
his  Flock. 

Verfe  41.  Ver.  41.  Thw  have  I  been  Twenty  Tears  m  thj 
H0ufe.~]  This  hath  been  my  manner  of  life,  for  no 
lefs  than  twenty  Years,  that  I  have  been  a  Servant  in 
thy  Family. 

Verfe  42.  Ver.  42.  The  fear  of  Ifaac^  The  God  whom  Ifaac 
feared  5  that  is,  worihipped  :  As  the  Chaldee  inter 
prets  it. 

Thou  hadjlfetit  me  away  now  empty. ~]  Without  Goods, 
Wives  or  Children  :  For  he  feems  to  have  been  fa 
barbarous,  that  if  he  had  been  left  to  himfelf,  he 
would  have  made  them  all  his  Slaves. 

God  hath  feen  my  afflift/on.']  How  ill  thou  haft 
treated  me -5  and  taken  care  to  relieve  me.  For 
fo  the  wordyee/z  fignifies  in  many  places  5  particular 
ly,  XVI.  13- 

Verfe  43.  Ver.  43.  Thefe  Cattle  are  my  Cattle,  &c.]  Becaufe 
they  belonged  to  his  Daughters,  and  their  Children^ 
therefore  he  calls  them  his.  That  is,  now  he  is  in  a 
good  mood,  and  pretends  the  fame  Care  of  every 
thing  that  Jacob  had,  as  if  it  were  his  own.  So  it 
follows. 

And  what  can  I  do  this  day  unto  thefe  my  Daugh 
ters?  8cc.]  How  can  I  do  them  any  harm^  when 
they  are  fo  very  dear  to  me  ? 

44.     Ver.  44.  Let  us  make  a  Covenant,  &c."]     Enter  in 
to  a  flrift  League,  by  forne  Monument  or  other* 

that 


upon    GEN  'E  S  I  S,  447' 

that  (ball  remain  as  a  Teftimony   of  our  Friend- Chapter 
(hip.  XXXI. 

Ver.  45.  Set  H  up  for  a  Pillar^]  For  a  Monument  of  ^^T^J 
what  Laban  defired.  Verfe  45- 

Ver.  46.  Jacob  faid  to  his  Brethren  gather  Stones^  &c.]  Verfe  46. 
\  He  prays  every  one,  whom  Laban  had  brought  with 
1  him,  to  bring  a   Stone 3  and  they   did  fo,  and  laid 
them  together  on  an  heap :,  which  was  flat  at  the  top 
like  a  Table:  So  that  they  did  eat  upon  it  the  next 
Morning,  verfe  54. 

Ver.  47.  Laban  called  it  Jegar-Sakadutha,  Sec]  One  Verfe  47, 
of  them  gave  it  a  Syriac  Name,  fignifying  the  heap  of 
Teftjmoxy  :  The  other  an  Hebrew,  fignifying  the  heap 
of  Witnefs.  For  Gal  is  an  Heap  in  Hebrew,  and  Ed, 
a  Witnefs.  Thefe  two  Languages  were  different  : 
But  not  fo  much  that  they  did  not  underftand  one  a- 
norher,  as  appears  by  the  whole  Story. 

Ver.  48.  This  heap  K  a  Witnefs  between  me  and  thee  Verfe  48. 
tkfr  day^\     It  (hall  remain  as  a  Monument,  that  we 
agree  ^  not  to  tranfgrefs  thefe  Bounds,  as  it   is   ex 
plained,  verfe  52. 

Ver.  49.  MizpahS]  A  Watch-Tower.  This  (hows  Verfe  49.; 
that  Laban  underftood  Hebrew  as  well  as  Syriac  : 
Or,  rather,  that  thefe  were  two  Dialefts :  Which 
differed  in  pronunciation,  and  in  many  words,  (as 
thofe  mentioned  verfe  47. -)  but  in  moft,  had  the  fame 
common  to  them  both. 

The  LORD  watch  between  me  swdthee"]  Obferve 
how  we  behave  our  felves,  when  we  cannot  fee  one 
another.  Here  he  ufes  the  Name  of  Jehovah  ;  which  < 
(hows  he  was  acquainted  with  the  Religion  offacob, 
as  well  as  his  Language^  and  wcrrtiipped,  it's  likely, 
the  LORD  of  Heaven  and  of  Earth  5  though  not 
without  fomefuperftitious  mix'.ureSo 

Ver,' 


448  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  50.  Ifthou/hatt  affliSf  my  Daughter,  &c]     It 
XXXI.    feems  to  be  a  (hort  form  of  Speech,  importing  $  God 
^^y1^  who  cbfervesall  things  will  punilh  thee  for  it. 

Tie   50.      jj  tj}OH    taj^Q    otf)€r    Wives  fa faM  my  Daughters^ 

Which  might  have  been  worfe  for  them  and  their 
Pofterity  :  And  therefore  he  lays  this  reftraint  upon 
him. 

No  Man  is  with  /&,  &c.]  Though  here  be  no  Man 
befidts  ourfelves,  to  be  Witnefs  of  this  Agreement  5 
yet,  confider  -that  God  (which  is  infinitely  more) 
knows  it,  and  will  punifti  him  that  tranfgreffes  it. 

fnthefe  two  laft  Perfes,  he  difcourfes  very  Religi- 
oufly^  which  revived  alfo  his  natural  Affedion  to 
his  Children. 

'-Verfe  -51.  Ver.  51.  Thfr  heap  be  wttnefs,  and  ihi*  Pillar  be  wit- 
nefs^  $cc.3  it  feems  that  Lab  an  and  his  Company  fet 
up  an  Heap,  made  of  the  Stones  which  every  one 
brought  $  and  Jacob  fet  up  one  fingle  large  Stone 
(verfe  45.)  in  the  form  of  a  Pillar.  And,  it's  likely, 
his  Pillar  lookt  towards  the  Land  of  Canaan  5  and 
their  Heap  towards  Haraw. 

;••  .pt-  That  I  will  not  pafs  over  thif  heap,  &c.]  As  Stones 
were  fet  in  the  Confines  of  Fields  to  be  Boundaries, 
and  Land-marks  fas  we  call  them)  to  diftinguifh 
Mens  Poffeflions,  and  limit  them  from  incroaching 
one  upon  another:  So  were  this  Heap,  and  this  Pil 
lar  intended  to  be  in  the  nature  of  fuch  Boundaries , 
beyond  which  neither  of  them  (hould  pafs  armed,  to 
offend  the  other. 

'Verfe  53.  Ver.  59.  The  Godof  Abraham^  and  the  God  6f  AV 
bor.~]  Thefe  two  were  Brethren,  (for  he  doth  Dot 
mean,  fure,  their  Grand- father,  the  Father  of  Te- 
,  XL  24.)  and  before  Abraham^  was  called  out  of 
t  they  both  w.orfhipped  other  Gods,  Jofi.  XXiV.2. 


upon    GENESIS,  449 

But  then  Abraham  renounced  thofe  Gods,  and  wor-  Chapter 
(hipped  only  the  Creator  of  Heaven  and  Earth.     As  XXXL 
Nahor,  I  have  formerly  conjeftured,  alfo  did  $  when  U^Wi 
he  followed  him  to  Haran.     Therefore,  I  think,  we 
need  not  make  aqueftion  by  which  of  Abrahams 
Gods  Lab  an  now  fvvears:  For  I  take  him  to  have  been 
)red  up  in  the  true  Religion,  which  made  Abraham 
delire  his  Son  (hould  have  a  Wife  out  of  his  Family  ^ 
for  which  reafon  Ifaac  alfo  fent  Jacob  hither. 

The  God  of  their  Father.'}  As  much  as  to  fay,  by  the 
God  of  our  Anceftors:  Who,  after  God's  appearing 
to  Abraham  and  calling  himout  of  his  own  Country, 
became  the  Worlhippers  of  the  LORD  of  Heaven 
and  Earth  alone.  See  XL  31, 

Jacob  five ar  by  the  fear  of  his  Father  Ifaac.~]  By  him 
whom  Ifaac  wor  (hipped,  verfe  42.  He  mentions  the 
fear  of  Ifaac  rather  than  the  God  of  Abraham-*,  to  de 
clare  more  plainly  and  undoubtedly,  by  what  God 
he  fware.  For  Abraham  had  been  an  Idolater  }  but 
Ifaac  never  was. 

Ver.  54.  Jacob  offered  Sacrifice.']  Peace -Offer  ings,  Verfe  54* 
(as  they  were  afterward  called)  part  of  which  were 
eaten  by  him  that  offered  them,  and  by  his  Friends. 
This  further  (hows  they  were  of  the  fame  Religion, 
by  their  partaking  of  the  fame  Sacrifice  :  Which  Ja 
cob  no  doubt  offered  to  the  True  God. 

Called  his  Brethren  to  eat  Bread."]  Invited  them  to 
Teaft  viith  him  upon  that  Sacrifice  :  Whereby  they 
confirmed  the  Covenant  lately  made  between  them. 

Ver.  5^.  Laban  blejfed  them^  Prayed  God  to  pre-  Verfe  55, 
ferve  and  profper  them. 

Returned  to  his  place."]  Viz.  Harax* 


Mmm  CHAP 


A  COMMENT^KT 


Chapter 

xxxn. 


CHAP.    XXXIL 


Verfe  i.  Ver.  i.'TpHfi  Angels  of  God  mtt  him.']  To  in- 
X  courage  and  comfort  him,  with  the  at- 
furance  that  God  was  with  him.  Th5s  is  a  remark 
able  PaflTage,  (bowing  the  fingular  Care  God  had  of 
him  :  Who,  as  he  appeared  to  him  when  he  went 
from  Canaan  $  fo  now  appeared  to  him  again  in  hi* 
return  thither  $  that  he  might  depend  upon  the  Pro- 
mife  he  then  made  him,  XXVIII.  13,  14,  15. 

Verf«  2.  Ver.  2.  This  is  God's  hofi.~]  Which  attend  upon  the 
ScHECHINAH,  or  Divine  Majefty  ^  to  execute  his 
Commands. 

Mahanaim.']  i.  e.  TwaHofts,  or  Camps,  as  it  is  in 
the  Margin.  Either,  becaufe  there  werefeveral  Squa 
drons  (aswefpeak)  of  the  Angels  5  drawn  up  like 
an  Army,  ready  for  his  defence:  Or,  becaufe,  befides 
his  own  Family,  which  was  pitched  here  in  order 
like  a  Camp,  there  was  that  of  the  Angels  alfo.  The 
former  feems  moft  probable,  becaufe  this  Name  re 
lates  to  God's  Hoft)  mentioned  before  5  which  con* 
fitted  of  feveral  Troops  of  Angels. 

Verfc  3*  Ver.  3.  And  Jacob  fent  Me/fingers  before  him^  &C.J 
As  he  was  about  to  pafsover  'Jordan  (verfi  10.)  he 
fent  fome  to  wait  upon  his  Brother. 

VntotheLandofSeir.']  Which  Efau,  it  feems,  had 
conquered  in  Jacob's  abfence,  according  to  the  Blef- 
fing  of  his  Father,  XXVII.  40.  By  thy  Sword  fialt  tho* 
live.  This  Jacob  thought  fit  to  congratulate  to  him  5 
and  at  the  fame  time  to  try  how  he  ftood  affe&ed 
towwds  himfelf* 

J& 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  1  &  45 1 

The  Country  ofEdom.]    So  it  was  called  in  Mofes  Chapter 
his  time.  XXXII. 

Ver.  4.  Thv*  fhaS  ye  fpeal^  to  my  Lord,  Efau."]     He  L^VN 
calls  him  his  Lord,  that  he  might  mollifie  his  Anger,  Verfe  4. 
if  any  remained,    by  humble    Language.     Which 
I  (bunded  as  if  he  had  no  thoughts  of  the  Birth-right 
!  he  had  purchafed  of  him.      This  alfo  was  the  Style 
wherein  others  addreffed  themfelves  to  E/i/*,  afier 
he  had  won  the  Principality  of  Stir. 

Thy  fervant  Job."]  Thefe  are  fubmiffive  words 
alfo,  importing  his  Inferiority. 

/  have  fojottrned  with  Laban,  &c.^  This  hath  the 
fame  defign  with  the  foregoing  words  5  to  infinuate 
that  he  was  much  inferior  to  Efan  }  having  been  a 
Servant  a  long  time  to  Laban. 

Ver.  ^.  And  I  have  Oxen,  &c.}    Yet  he  adds  this,  Verfe  5. 
That  he  was  plentifully  provided  for,  left  Efan  (hould 
think  he  came  a  begging,  and  might  prove  a  burden 
to  him  ^  fo  the  Hebrews  underftand  it.     And  Mai- 
monides  obfervesthat  he  mentions  only  Oxen,  Ajfif, 
and  Flockj,  (/.  e.  of  Sheep  and  Goats)  becaufe  thefe 
were  the  common  Pofleffions  of  all  Men,  and  in  all 
"Countries,  thattiad  anything.     But  Horfes  and  Ca 
mels,  were  not  ordinary  Goods,  but  the  Pofleffions 
of  a  few-great  Perfons,  and  in  fome  Countries  only. 
More  Nevoch'wt,  Par.  III.  cap*  39.    Jacob  indeed  had 
Caarels  (verfe  7,  15.  and  XXXI.  1 7.)  but,  it  is  likely, 
they  were  not  many,  and  he  had  no  great  breed  of 
them. 

Men- Servants  And  Maid-Servsnts.~]  Thefe  were  a 
part  of  their  Potfeffions,  as  Oxen  and  Sheep  were  5 
which  they  bought  and  fold  ^  and  were  no  where 
more  plentiful  than  in  Syria,  ffrom  whence  jf*- 
•cob  came)  if  it  were  then  fuch  a  Country,  as  it 

M  m  m  2  was 


A   COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    was  in  after-times,  when  the  Roman  Writers 

XXXII.  they  wazfervituti  natj,  born  to  flavery. 

W^V^NJ        That  1  may  find  grace  in  thy  fight.']     He  courts  his 

Friendship,  and  defires   he  would  favour  hira,  and: 

not  hinder  him  in  his  Paflage  to  their  old  Father. 

Verfe  6.         Ver,6.  We  came  to  thy  Brother  Efatt^  and  a  If  a  he 

eoweth  to  meet  thee.~]  They  reported,  no  doubt,  what 

he  reply'd  to  Jacob's  Meflage  $  and  this  coming  to  meet 

him   fignifies,  that   he  gave  them  a  civil  reception  : 

And  pretended,  at  leaft,  to  be  glad   to  hear  of  his 

Brother's  return  5   and    therefore  prepared  to  corns 

and  welcome  him  into  his  own  Country, 

Four  hundred  Men  with  him."]  Nobly  attended  y 
partly  to  (how  his  Greatnefs,  and  partly  to  do  ho* 
nour  to  Jacob  by  a  Publick  Salutation. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  Then  Jacob  wo*  greatly  afraid,  Sccf)  Being 
confciousto  himfelf  whatcaufe  Efau  had  not  to  love 
him.  He  interpreted  his  coming  to  meet  him,  with 
fuch  a  Number,  otherwife  than  it  was  represented. 
The  Vifion  of  Angels  indeed,  who  meet  him,  (verfe  K). 
might  have  fortified  him  againft  all  fear  of  Efatts 
meeting  him  :  But  the  firft  Motions  of  fuch  Paflions 
cannot  always  be  prevented. 

He  divided  the  People  that  were  with  him,  C&c.^  Put 
his  Family  and  all  belonging  to  him,  in  as  good  a 
Poflure,  as  he  was  able. 

¥erfe  9,  Ver.  9.  OGod  of  my  Father  Abraham,  &c.]  As  he 
had  prudently  difpofed-  all  things  for  the  prefer- 
vation  of  his  Family,  at  leaft  of  fome  of  them  .•  So 
he  addreffes  himfelf  to  God,  fof  whofe  Goodnefs 
both  Abraham  and  Ifa<tc  had  had  very  long  experience) 
without  whoCe  Favour,  he  knew  the  Angels  them- 
felves  could  do  nothing  for  him.  For  they  are  hn 
i  verfe.*,  and  aft  only  by  his  Command, 

Return 


upon  GENESIS.  453 

.  Return  unto  thy  Country^]  He  represents  to  God  that  Chapter 
he  was  in  the  way  of  Obedience  to  his  Orders :  And  XXXLL 
then  remembers  him  .of  his  gracious  Promife,  /  ^/^L/VSJ 
deal  well  with  thee. 

Ver.  10.  I  am  not  worthy^  Sec."]   Next,  he  acknow-  Verfe  10. 
i  ledges  what  God  had  done   for   him  already  5  and 
how  unworthy  he  was  of  the  fmalleft  part  of  it. 

With  my  Staff.']  As  a  poor  Traveller,  having  no 
more  than  I  could  carry  about  me.  Travellers  ufed 
Staffs  then,  as  they  do  now  3  for  their  Eafe,  and  for 
their  Defence. 

Ver.  n.  The  Mother  with  the  Children.']    i.e.     My  Verfe  if* 
whole  Family  :  Which  could  not  confift  with  God  s 
Promife,  mentioned  in  the  next^r/e. 

Ver.  12.  As  the  Sand  of  the  Sea.*}  The  words  of  Verfe  12. 
God's  Promife  are  as  the  duft  of  the  Earth,  XXVIII.  14. 
But  that  fignified  the  fame  with  what  God  had  faid 
to  Abraham^  XX H.  17.  which  this  Promife  authori 
zed  him  to  apply  to  himfelf,  as  the  Seed  whom  he 
intended  to  blefsr 

Ver.  13.  He  lodged  there."]'  Le.    In  Mahanaim,   or  Verfe  1 3,  - 
thereabouts:    Where  he   hoped    God    would  com 
mand  the  Angels.,  which   he  had    feen,  to   protect 
him. 

And  took^of  that  which  ca-me  to  his  handi^  &cf]     Ac 
cording  to  this  Tranflation,  he   took   what  he  firft  ^ 
light  upon,  without  any  choice  5  being  ftill  in  a  Paf- 
(ion  of  Fear.    But  the  Hebrew  Phrafe  ITD,  that  which 
was  in  his  Hand,  fignifies  what  was  in  h's  Power  to 
prefent  him  withal,  viz,.  Such  Cattle  as  are  after  men 
tioned  5  though  he  had  no  Jewels,  or  precious  Rai 
ment.      And   it  appears  that  he   chofe    them    with' 
great  Confederation,  in  exaft  Proportions:  Forha- 
ving  commended  himfelf,  upon  fuch  good  Grounds, 


454  "'#  COM  MEN?  ART 

Chapter   to vtlie  Protection  of  the  Almighty,    his  Fear  va- 
XXXII.  nifhed. 

Ver.  14.  Two  hundred  She-Go  at  *>  and  twenty  He* 
l^  Goats,  &c.]  The  M*/«  bear  the  proportion  of  m 
to  /e#  Females.  And  fo  it  was  in  the  Rams  and  B0#/  j 
which  was  the  proportion  Varro  faith  was  obferved 
in  his  Days  and  Country.  See  Boohart  in  his  Him- 
zoic.  P.  I.  L.  II.  cap.  54. 

'  Verfe  15.  Ver.  1 5 .  Milch  Camels.']  Who  had  lately-foaled  : 
For  nothing  was  more  delicious  in  thofe  Countries 
("as  Bochart  obferves  out  of  AriftoHe^  Pliny ,  and  ma 
ny  other  Authors,  Ib.  lib.  II.  cap.  ^.}  than  Camels 
Milk. 

*' Verfe  >i8.  Ver.  18.  It  is  a  prefent.~]  With  which  he  hoped 
to  fweeten  him  $  there  being  a  great  Power  in  Gifts 
to  win  Mens  Hearts,  even  when  they  are  difaffefted: 
As  the  wife  Man  obferves  in  many  places,  Prov.  XVII. 
8.  XVIII.  1 6,  &c. 

And  behold  he  is  behind  us^\     He  would  not  have 
Efau  think  that  he  was  afraid  to  fee  him. 

^Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  Andfo  he  commanded  the  fecond,  &c/]  He 
therefore  diftributed  them  into  feveral  Droves,  that 
they  might  make  a  greater  appearance  $  and  that  he 
might  ftill  be  more  and  more  pleafed,  with  the  Re- 
fpeft  which  was  fhown  him,  and  the  Prefent  intended 
him.  For  every  new  Drove,  and  new  Speech,  made 
a  new  Impreffion  upon  him. 

Verfe  21 •      Ver.  2i.  Lodged  that  night  in  the  company. ~\     Or, 
•Camp,  i.  e.  where  he  pitched  the  Tents  for  his  Fa 
mily. 

Verfe  a2.      Ver.  22.  Herofe  up  that  night ^]  Before  it  was  Day  $ 
in  the  laft  Watch  of  the  Night. 

His  Eleven  Sons.']  /.  e.    All  his  Children :  For  the 
Daughter  is  comprehended. 


upon  GENESIS. 

Pajfed  over  the  ford  JMak^\     This  was  a  little  R.i-  Chapter 

i  ver,  flowing  from  the  Country  of  the  Ammonites,  XXXII. 

!  and  falling  into  Jordan ,  where  it  comes  out  of  the  L/*V\J 
Lake  of  Genefareth.     It  was  in  one  place  fordable  5 

j  and  there  Jacob  firft  parted  over  himfelf,  to  try  the 

!  depth  of  it. 

Ver.  23.  And  he  took  them,  andfent  them  over ^  8cc/]  Verfe  03  8 
Having  tried  the  Ford,   he  returned  :    and  caufed 
them  all  to  pafs  over  :  And  fo  (as  it  follows)  was 
left  alone,  on  the  Eaft-Jide  of  the  Brook* 

Ver.  24.  And  there  wreftled  a  Man  mthhim^  He  Verfe  24. 
ftaid  alone,  in  all  likelihood,  that  he  might  commend 
himfelf  and  his  Family  to  God,  by  earned  Prayer.- 
Which  feems  to  be  confirmed  by  the  Prophet  Hofea^ 
XII.  4.  And  as  he  was  Praying,  or  when  he  had 
done,  a  Man  encountred  him,  with  whom  he  gra* 
pled  5  taking  him,  perhaps,  for  fome  of  Efaus  Atten 
dants  come  to  furprife  him.  For  it  was  fo  dark, 
that  he  could  not  fee  what  kind  of  Countenance  he 
had:  Or,  if  he  could,  Angels  were  wont  to  appear 
fo  like  to  Men,  that  at  the  firft  they  did  not  difcera  •< 
the  difference.  Maimonides  fanfies  all  this  was  done 
in  a  Prophetick  Vifion,  More  Newel*  P.  II  cap.  42 . 
but  the  whole  Narration  confutes  this.  The  only 
queftion  is,  whether  this  was  a  created  Angel,  or  the 
Eternal  AOFO2,-  as  many  of  the  ancient  Fathers 
underftood  it.  Whofe  Opinion  is  oppofed  by  St,  AH- 
Jim,  fas  I  obferved  upon  the  XVIII.  Chapter)  and 
feems  tome  not  fo  probable,  as  that  this  Angel  was 
one  of  God's  Hoft,  mentioned  verfe  2.  tent  from  the 
SCHECHINAH,  or  Divive  Majefly  :  By  whofe 
Order,  and  in  whofe  Prefence,  he  ftrove  with  Jacob 9 
in  fuch  manner,  as  is  here  defcribed;  In  fhort,  t 
take  him  to  be  OE«  of  thpfe  whom  the  Jews  call 

Angds 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Angels  of  the  Prefence^  that  wait  continually  upon 

XXXII.  the  Divine  Majefty,  and  make  a  part  of  his  Retinue 

^^^^  See  XXXV.  10.  ' 

Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  And  when  he  faw  that  he  prevailed  not  a- 
gainji  hiw.~]  Though  Jacob,  no  doubt,  was  extraor 
dinarily  ftrengthned  by  God,  in  this  Combat,  (Jtiofk* 
XH.  5.)  yet  the  Angel  who  reprefented  God,  could 
have  prevailed  againft  him,  if  his  Orders  had  not 
.been  to  let  Jacob\\wt  the  better. 

He  torched  the  hollow  of  his  Thigh."]  The  Angel 
gave  over  the  Combat  ^  but  made  him  know,  by 
this  light  touch,  what  he  could  have  done,  if  he  had 
.pleafed,  i.e.  quite  overthrown  him,  as  eafily  as  he 
made  him  go  limping.  This  difcovered  to  Jacob 
that  he  was  more  than  a  Man,  who  wreftled  with 
him:  And  that  he  had  riot  prevailed  againft  him 
by  his  own  Strength  $  but  by  the  Power  of  God. 

The  hvllow  of  Jacob's  Thigh  was  out  of  joyntJ]  The 
Thigh  Bone  ilipt  out  of  the  Cavity,  or  Socket,  into 
which  it  was  inferted. 

"'Verfe  16.  ^er'  ^  And,  hefaid,  Let  me  go']  Though  the  An 
gel  ceafed  to  wreftle  any  longer,  yet  'Jacob  would  not 
let  go  his  hold  :  And,  the  more  to  fet  off  his  Vifto- 
ry,  the  Angel  feems  not  to  be  able  to  break  from 
him,  without  his  Confent. 

For  the  Day  breads.']  It  is  time  for  thee  to  follow 
thy  Family  over  the  Brook.  ]<^i\ 

And  hefaidy  I  will  not  let  thee  go,  except  thon  blefs 
me.~\  By  this  it  plainly  appears,  Jacob  began  to  un- 
derftand  who -he  was. 

27.     Ver-  27-   ^hdt  ™  *fy  ^ur/lQ  0     T<'le  AnSel  t1oth 
*nbt  yet  own  his  Quality  }  but  fpeaks  as  if  he  were 

^unacquainted  with  Jacob. 

Ver 


upon  GENESIS.  457 

Ver.  28.    Thy  Name  {hall  be  called  no  more  Jacob,  Chapter 
lut  Ifrael.']  i.  e.     Not  only  Jacob,    (as   this  Expreffi* XXXII,  . 
on  is  ufed  I  Sam.  VIII.  7.)    or  not  fo  much  Jacob,  l~/V*i-* 
telfrad.     Which  Name  abolifhed  the  other,   inhisVerfe  l8 
Pofterity:  Who  were  called  Jfraelites^  but  never  Ja 
cobites. 

For  as  a  Prince  haft  thou  fower  with  God^  and  with 
MenJ]  Thefe  words  explain  the  End  and  Intention 
of  this  Combat ,  which  was  to  (how,  That  he  having 
fuch  Power  with  God,  as  to  prevail  over  one  of  his 
Minifters,  needed  not  fear  his  Bi other  Efau.  So  the 
Vulgar  jLzf/#exprefles  it,  If  thou  haft  been  ftrong  againft 
tjW,  how  much  more  {halt  thou  prevail  whh  Men  ?  And 
it  is  the  Sence  of  our  Tranflation,  which  more  lite 
rally  renders  the  Hebrew  words,  Thou  haft  behaved  thy 

flik?  a  Prince  ("fo  the  word  Scharitha  imports) 
with  God,  and  with  Men,  &c.  That  is,  haft  (bowed 
fuch  an  Heroick  Spirit  ("as  we  fpeakj  in  this  Com 
bat,  that  thou  need-eft  not  fear  Efan  and  all  his  fol 
lowers.  This  Viftory  is  anaffurancethat  thou  (halt 
get  the  better  of  him. 

There  is  no  Body  skilled  in  the  Original  Lan 
guage,  but  eafily  fees  no  other  Derivation  of  the  Name 
of  Iff  ad  is  to  be  fought  for,  but  what  is  contained 
in  this  word  Scharitha:  Which  gives  thereafon  of  it. 
For  &zr,  as  St.  Hierom  obferves,  fignifies  a  Princes  and 
the  Jod  in  the  beginning,  is  the  common  note  of  a 
proper  Name.  So  *he  meaning  of  Ifrael  is  as  much 
as  a  Prince  with  God. 

Ver.  29.  Jacob  askt  hiwandfaid,    Tell  me,  1  prayV&fe  29. 

ee>  thy  Name."]  Jacob  having  told  him  his  own 
Name,  defires  him  to  requite  him  in  the  fame  kind  : 
That  thereby  he  might  more  certainly  know,  whe 
ther  he  was  an  Angel  or  a  Man.  For  thefe  words 

N  n  n  feem 


NT  A  K  T. 

Chapter   feem  to*  demonftrate,  he  did  not  think  him  to  be  God 

-XXXII.    himfelf. 

U'VNJ  Wherefore  doft-  thou  ask^  after  my  Name  .<?]  Do  not 
enquire  after  it.  Rafi  thinks  Angels  changed  their 
Names  according  to  the  Offices  and  Funftions  to 
which  they  were  affigned. 

And  he  blejfid  him .  there."]  Renewed  the  Blefling 
which  God  had  promifed  to  Abraham  and  his  Seed  :.- 
Whereby  Jacob  was  fully  fatisfied  who  he  was.  For 
he  pronounced  this  Blefling  in  the  Name  of  God, 
from  whom  he  came. 

Verfe  30.  Ver.  30-  Ihavefeen  God  face  to  face."]  Been  admit 
ted  to  the  neareft  Familiarity  with  him.  For  he 
lookt  upon  this  Angel,  as  a  part  of  thzSCHECHI- 
NAH$  which*  now  alfo,  it's  likely,  vifibJy  appeared, 
and  made  him  call  this  Place  Peniel>  the  Face  of  God. 
Whichdothnot  import  that  the  &CHECHINAH 
appeared  in  an  humane  Figure,  (for  it  never  didj 
but  that  he  lookt  upon  it  as  a  Token  of  the  Divine 
Prefence,  and  that  it  approached  very  near  him  $  as 
when  one  Friend  fpeaks  to  another  face  to  face,  as  the 
ancient  Phrafe  was. 

And  my  life  fspreferved."]  This  is  commonly  inter 
preted  by  the  Opinion,  which  was  in  old  time,  that 
if  they  faw  one  of  the  heavenly  Minifters,  they  were 
to  be  no  longer  Men  of  this  World,  but  die  prefent- 
ly.  But  it  raay  refer  (zsMenochius  obferves)  to  the 
principal  Scope  of  the  Combat,  which  was  to  con 
firm  Jacob  againft  the  fear  of  Efau  :  And  fo  the  mean~ 
ing  is,  I  doubt  not,  I  a#*  fafe$  God  will  freferve  m 
from  any  hurt  by  Efau. 

Yerfe  31.     Ver.  3 1 .  He  halted  upon  his  Thigh.']  Becaufe  the  Hip- 
Bone  was  out  of  its  place.     Many  think  thislafted 
only  for  a  time  .-And  fome  will  have  it,  that  the  An 
gel 


I  upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  45? 

gel  cured  him  before  he  gat  to  E/i*.     But  there  is  Chapter 
nocertainty  of  either  of  thefe  Conjectures.  XXXIII. 

Ver.  32.  Therefore  the  Children  oflfradeat  not  of  the  o-N/^-* 
\  Sinew  which  ftranl^  &c.]    That  Sinew  (or  Tendon)  Verfe  32. 
!  which  fattens  the  Hip-Bone  in  its  Socket  .•    Which 
\  comprehends  the  Flefh  of  that  Mufcle,  which  is  con- 
netted  to  it.     He  that  eat  of  this  was  to  be  beaten, 
as  the  Jewjh  Matters  tell  us.     See  Mr.  Selden,  Lib.  II. 
deSynedriisf.  552.  Hottinger  de  Leg.  Hebr.  §  3.  Vor- 
ftittfupon  Pirke  Eliefer,  p.  221. 


CHAP.    XXXtIL 

Ver.  i.'Tdcobliftedup  hisEyes,  &c.]  Being  come  to  Verfe  r. 

J  his  Family,  (whom  he  fent  before  him 
over  the  Brook,  XXXII.  23.)  and  looking  about 
him,  he  beheld  Efau  and  his  Train,  at  fome  diftance : 
And  put  himfelf,  his  Wives,  and  Children,  in  good 
order  to  meet  him. 

Ver.  2.   Jofeph  hinderMoft,~\  As  more  dear  to  him,  Verfe  2* 
than  any  of  the  reft.-  For  he  did  not  yet  know  that 
the  Mejfiah  was  to  proceed  from  Jvdah,    one  of  the 
Sons  of  Leah. 

Ver.  3.  And  he  faffed  over  before  them^\    Put  hi 
felf  in  the  front  of  them. 

Bowed  hiwfelftothe  Ground  feven  times."]  At  fome 
convenient  diftance  he  began  to  bow  5  and  fo,  at 
every  other  ftep,  or  more,  he  bowed  again  (feven 
times  J  till  he  cart*  near  to  his  Brother.'],  This  was  to 
teftifie  the  great  Honour  he  had  for  him  .•  And  to 
take  out  of  Efa*$  Mind  all  fufpicion,  that  he  lookt 
upon  himfelf,  as  the  elder  Brother. 

N  n  n  2  Ver, 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  Ver.  4.  Efau  ran  to  meet  him.']  This  declares  the 
XXXIII.  forwardnefs  of  his  Affeftion  :  Which  would  not  let 
jf^y~**^  him  proceed  fo  ceremoniously  as  Jacob  did. 
Verle.  4.  Kijfid  hwi7\  This  word  is  mark'd  in  the  Hebrew 
Text  fas  fourteen  other  words  in  the  Bible  are)  with 
four  unufual  Points  over  it-.--  To  denote,  as  the  He- 
brew  Doftors  think,  fome  remarkable  thing  $  which 
fome  of  them  take  to  be,  the  fincerity  of  kfaus  Re 
conciliation  to  his  Brother.  And  truly,  if  be  hearti 
ly  pardoned  the  Injury,  which  he  conceived  Jacob 
had  done  him,  it  is  much  to  be  noted  $  and  ought  to 
be  lookt  upon  as  a  fignhe  was  become  a  good  Man. 
And  fo  Mart.Bucerl  remember underflood  it,  in  his 
Commentaries  upon  the  Epiftle  to  the  Romans :, 
Where  he  makes  this  an  Argument  thatE/^0  was  not 
a  Reprobate,  as  fome  are  apt  to  imagine^  It  it  be 
faid  that  God  deterred  him  from  doing  his  Brother 
any  hurt,  it  is  more  than  can  be  proved*  For  it  is 
recorded  indeed  that  God  threatned  Laban  in  fuch 
a  manner,  that  he  durft  not  meddle  with  him  .•  But 
no  fuch  thing  is  faid  of  Efau  3  though  it  would  have 
been  of  more  concern  to  have  recorded  the  fame  here, 
if  Mofes  had  known  of  any  fuch  Divine  Apparition 
to  him. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  jofefh  and  Rachel]  The  Hebrew  Doftors 
here  obferve,  that  Jofepb  goes  before  his  Mother  5 
but  the  Mothers  of  all  the  reft  went  before  their 
Children  .•  Of  which,  I  think,  it  is  not  needful  to  feek 
a  reafon.  For  it  is  likely  Mofes  did  not  take  care  to 
place  his  words  exa&ly.  Or,  if  he  did,  no  more 
ought  to  bs  made  of  it  than  this,-  that  Jofepb  being 
a  goodly  Child,  his  Mother  put  him  before  her ,  as 
we  commonly  do,  when  we  would  (how  a  Child  to 
advantage.  Or,  he  being  very  young  and  a  forward 

Child, 


upon    GENESIS. 

€hildrftept  before  his  Vlother  5  as  Children  are  wont  Chapter 
to  do,  whenfome  fine  (how  appears  which  they  ea-  XXXIII. 
gerly  defire  to  behold.  ^S~y\j 

'  Ver.  8.    What  nteaneft  thou  by  all  this  drove  .<?    &c.]  Veri'e  8. 
The  Servants,  no  doubt,  had  told  him,  fas  their  Ma- 
fter  had  ordered,  XXXII.  1 7,  &c.)    but  he  asks  Ja- 
cvl?)  that  he  might  have  an  opportunity  to  declare 
how  little  he  needed  or  defired  fuch  a  Prefent. 

Thefe  are  to  find  grace  in  the  fight  of  my  Lord.']  To 
teftifie  my  refpeft  to  thee,  that  I  may  obtain  thy  Fa 
vour  and  Good-will  towards  me.  For  Inferiors 
were  wont  to  approach  to  their  Superiors  with  Pre- 
fents,  to  make  thernfelves  the  more  kindly  accep 
ted.  And  it  is  obfervable,  that  as  he  and  all  his  made 
fuch  Obeyfance  to  Efau,  as  fignified  he  was  his  Ser 
vant,  (as  he  calls  himfelf,  verfi  5 .)  fo  he  ftill  Ho 
nours  Efait  by  the  Name  of  his  Lord. 

Ver.  9.  I  have  enough  my  Brother,  &c.]  In  this  he  Verfe  9*. 
(hows  himfelf  not  to  be  of  a  covetous  Humour  :  But 
as  free  from  that  Vice,  as  from  Revenge. 

Ver.  10,  If  I  have  found  grace  in  thy  fight.]  If  thou  Verfe  10. 
loveft  me. 

As  though  I  had  feenthe  face  of  God.']  For  Efaus- 
kind  Reception  of  him,  he  could  not  but  look  upon 
as  a  Token  of  the  Divine  Favour  towards  him.  Some 
think  by  God  may  be  meant  an  Angel,  or  a  great 
Man  .•  Intowhofe  prefence,  Inferiors,  as  I  faid,  were 
wont  to  approach  with  Prefents. 

And  thou  waftfleafedwithffte."]  Received  me  kindly.  Vetfc  I X 
Ver.  1 1 .  Take  my  Ble$ng7\  L  e.  My  Prefent,  as  we 
expound  it  in  the  Margin  of  i  SW.XXV.  27. 

I  have  enough^*]    It  is  a  larger 'wordih  the  Hebrew^ 
than  that  ufed  by  Ffau,  verfe  9.  fignifying  that  he  had 
enough  to  fpare  of  all  forts  of  things  ,•    And  there 
fore  ; 


%   COMMENT  ART 

Chapter  fore  Efau  need  not  fear  his  impoveri foment,    by  ac- 
XXXIII.cepting  thisPrefent. 

w  «\/-%^       Ver.  12.  Andhefaid^  Let  us  take  our  journey  &C.] 
Verfe  ii*Efau  invites  him  to  go  along  with  him,  to  the  Land 
of  &*>,  and  there  refrefh  himfelf. 

I  will  go  before  thee."]  Show  thee  the  way  and  con- 
dud  thee. 

Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  be  fad  unto  him,  &c.]  i.e.  Jacob 
faid  this  in  excufe,  that  he  could  not  go  fo  faft  as 
Efau  5  and  therefore  defired  to  follow  after  byeafie 
Journies. 

Children  are  tender^    Jofeph  was  not  above  fix  or 
feven  Years  old. 

Flocks  and  Herds  with  young.'}    The  Hebrew  word 
Aloth  (in  i  Sam.  VI.  7.}  fignifies  Kine  that  had  fuck 
ing  Calves.  Unto  which  Sence  Bochart  inclines  in  this 
place  }  and  fo  do  Jonathan  Qnkelos^  and  other  ancient 
Interpreters.  See  his  Hierozoic.  P.  I.  Lib.  II.  cap.  30. 
Are  with  me.~]  Muft  be  lookt  after  very  carefully. 
All  the  Flock,  will  die]    /.  e.  All  that  are  big  with 
young  5  or  have  newly  brought  forth  young. 
Verfe  14*     Ver.  14.  /  mil  lead  onfoftlyl]    Follow  thee  with  a 
gentle  pace  3   fuch  as  the  Flocks  and  Children  can 
-bear. 

According  as  the  Cattle  that  go  before  me.~\  It  was  ob- 
ferved  before,  XXX.  30.  that  Maiwonides  interprets 
this  Phrafe  [Leregel~\for  the  fake  :  And  fo  he  under- 
ftands it  here,  with  refpetf  to  the  Cattle  andChildren. 
More  Nevoch.  P.  I.  cap,  28.  Or,  becatife  of  the  Cat 
tle^  Sec.  that  they  may  not  be  over-driven. 

Until  I  come  to  wy  Lord,  untoSeir^]  Mofes  omits 
this  Journey  toSetr^  as  hedothhisVifit  to  his  Father, 
Which  one  cannot  think  he  deferred  for  fo  many 
rYears,  as  were  between  his  return  to  Canaan^  and  the 

men- 


upon  GE  N  E  S  !  S? 

mention  of  his  coming  toMawre,  XXXV.  27.  Or,  Chapter 
Jacob  was  hindred,  perhaps,  by  fomething  which  he  XXXIII. 
could  not  forefee,    from  performing  this  Promife  to  L/"V*NJ 
his  Brother  .-Of  which,  no  doubt,  he  gave  him  an  ac- 
count,that  he  might  not  be  thought  to  break  his  word. 

Ver.  15.  Let  we  now  leave  withthee,  &c.^  He  would  Verfe  1 5. 
have  left  fome  of  his  Followers  with  Jacob^  to  (how 
him  the  way,  and  to  be  a  Guard  to  him  5    or  honou 
rably  attend  him. 

Let  Me  find  grace  in  the  fight  of  my  Lord.~]    In  this 
alfo  be  fo  kind,  as  to  gratifie  my  defire,  XXX! V.  i  r. 

Ver.  16.    Efatt  returned  that  day^]    The  fame  day  Verfe  1 6. 
they  met  together  5  becaufe   he  would  not  be  a  bur 
den  to  Jacob. 

Ver.  17.  Journeyed  toSuccothr\  After  he  had  been  Verfe  17* 
with  his  Brother  in  Seir,  if  he  did  follow  him  thither  $ 
as  it  .-is  likely  he  did,  though  not  here  mentioned  ^ 
No  more  than  the  Entertainment  he  gave  him,  and 
fuch  like  things  $  which  one  cannot  think  were  want 
ing  at  this  meeting. 

Built  him  an  Houfe."]  Intending  to  make  fome  ftay 
in  this  place. 

Ver.  1 8.  And  Jacob  came  to  Shalem,  a  City  ofSche-  Verfe  i80 
chtM-"]  Or,  he  came  fafe  and  found  (fo  the  Hebrews 
generally  underftand  the  word  Shalew)  to  that  City 
called  Schechem.  And  it  may  refer  either  to  the 
foundnefsof  his  Leg  ^  which  was  perfectly  well,  fo 
that  he  halted  nolonger :  Or,  to  the  fatety  of  his 
Perfon  }  in  that  he  was  not  at  all  hurt  by  Efau :  Or, 
rather,  to  the  fafety  of  everything  he  had,  no  evil 
accident  having  befallen  him,  of  any  fort,  fince  he 
left  Laban.  Which  is  the  rather  now  mentioned,  be^ 
caufein  the  nextCta/tfer,  Mofes  givesa  relation  of  a 
very  &d  misfortune,  which  befel  his  Family. 

Wk* 


464  ^  COMMENT  A  KY 

Chapter       When  he  came  frout  Padan-Aram.~]  Some  think  this 
XXXIII.  needed  not  to  have  been  added  :  Whereas  it  expref- 
\S~\T\J  fes  more  fully  what  was  faid  before,  that  he  came  fafe 
all  the  way  from  thence  thither. 

And  pitched  his  Tent  before  the  City.']  Becaufe  it  was 
the  Sabbath-Day,  faith  Menajfih  ben  Jfrael,  out  of  the 
Hebrew  Doftors  (Probl.  VIM.  de  Creatione)  which 
made  him  ftopand  reft  here,  and  not  enter  the  City, 
till  it  waiended.  But  this  is  a  mere  fancy,  for  the 
Reft  from  all  Labours  on  this  Day,  was  not  command 
ed  to  be  qbferved  tilt  they  came  out  of  Egypt  $  And 
the  true  reafon  of  pitching  his  Tent  here,  was  for 
the  convenience  of  Pafturage. 

Verfe  1 9  -  Ver,  1 9.  And  he  fought  a  parcel  of  a  Field."]  He  made 
a  fmall  purchafe,  ihat  he  might  be  the  lefs  impofed 
upon  by  the  Inhabitants  of  that  Country  .•  Who 
had  difturbed  Abraham  and  Ifaac,  about  the  Wells 
they  digged  in  the  Ground  they  hired  of  them. 

For  an  hundred  pieces  of  Money.'}  The  Margin  hath 
an  hundred  Lambs.  But  this  is  the  right  Tranflati- 
on,  it  appears  from  ^Att-  VII.  16.  And  Bochart  hath 
taken  a  great  deal  of  Pains  to  (how  that  Xe/ft<*  doth 
not  fignifie  a  Lamb,  but  fome  fort  of  Money  : 
Though  of  what  value  is  uncertain,  P.  I.  Hierozoic* 
Lib.  I.  cap.  2.  and  Lib.  II.  cap.  43.  For  a  great  while 
before  this  time,  money  was  in  ufe  3  with  which  they 
trafficked,  and  not  by  exchanging  one  Commodity 
for  another.  See  XXIII.  16. 

Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  Called  it  El-Elohe-Ifrael.']  This  Altar  is 
dedicated  to  God,  the  God  of  Ifrael^  who  had  de 
livered  him  from  Laban  and  Efau^  and  lately  honou 
red  him  with  with  a  new  Name$  importing  his 
great  Power  with  him. 

CHAR 


upon    GENESIS.  465 

Chapter 

XXXIV. 

WVSJ 
CHAP.     XXXIV. 

Ver.  i  -T  7E  TEnt  out."]    From  her  Mother's  Tent,  Verfe  i. 

V V    which    was     without    the    City, 
XXXIII.  18. 

To  fee  the  Daughter  of  the  I  and.]  Into  the  City  of 
•Shechem,  to  look  about  her  with  the  young  Women, 
(as  the  Hebrew  word  imports)  who,  as  Jofepkus  re 
lates,  celebrated  a  Feftival  at  this  time,  where  fome 
fine  Spectacles  were,  prefented. 

Ver.  i.  Andwben  Shechem."}  lErorn  whom  the  City,  Verfe  2, 
3erhaps,  had  its  Name. 

Prince  of  the  Country^]  Or,  one  of  the  Prime  Nobi- 
ity  of  the  Country,  verfe  19. 

Toother,  Sec.]  By  force,  fas  both  the  7*rg#«'s, 
and  many  others  underftand  it)  and  raviftied  her, 
?rom  whence  we  learn,  that  this  was  done  feme  Years 
after  Jacob's  return  into  Canaan  :  For  then  Dinah  was 
not  much  older  than  Jofepk  ,  and  now  we  muft  fup- 
pofe  her,  at  \zzfcjifteen.  And  indeed  the  bloody  Faft 
of  her  Brethren  (hows  as  much,  who  muft  be  grown 
up  to  be  Men ..-  Which  they  were  not  when  Jacob  re 
turned  to  Canaan  $  the  eldeft  of  them  being  then  fcarce 
a  (tripling  of  fourteen  Years  old. 

Ver.  3.    His  Said  clave  unto    Dinah.']     He  could  Ver»e 
think  of  nothing  elfe  but  her  .-    For  he  loved  her  ex- 
treamly,  as  it  follows  in  the  next  Words. 

Speak  kindly  to  the  Dawfef]  Courted  her  to  mar* 
jy  him  ,  with  fuch  Profeffions  of  flncere  Affedion, 
as  might  gain  her  Heart,  notyvithftanding  the  Injury 
he  had  done  her. 

O  o  o  Ver 


466  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter       Ver.  4.  Get  me  this  Dawfel  to  Wife7\     Treat  with 

XXXIV.  her  Fatherabout  our  Marriage. 

U^VXJ      Ver,_s.  And  Jacob  heard,  8tc.]  By  fome  of  D/W/s 

Verfe  4.   Servants,  or  Companions  5  for  it  is  not  to  bethought, 

Verfe  5.    that  (he  went  out  alone. 

AW  his  Sons  were  with  the  Cattle  in  the  Field.~] 
which  he  had  lately  purchafed^XXXIII.  19.  or,  in 
fome  hired  Ground  remote  from  the  City. 

Held  his  peace,  Jkc."]  Took  no  notice  of  what  he 
heard  ,  till  he  could  have  their  Advice  and  Affi- 
ftance. 

Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  Hamorwent  out.']  Of  the  City,  to  treat 
with  Jacob  in  his  Tent,  XXXIII.  18. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  the  Sons  of  Jacob.,  8cc.]  As  they  were 
treating,  in  came  Jacob's  Sons  /  Who,  hearing  how 
their  Sifter  had  been  abufed,  were  very  much  affiifted, 
and  no  lefs  angry. 

Wrought  Folly  in  Ifrael."]  Or,  againft  IJracl.  Com 
mitted  a  Wickednefs,  highly  to  the  difgraceand  inju 
ry  of  Ifrael's  Family. 

Which  tkingought  not  to  le  dom7\  Contrary  to  the 
Law  of  Nations  5  That  a  Virgin  ftiould  be  violated 
without  Punifhment.  So  Raj/. 

Verfe  8,        Ver.  8.    Hawor  communed  with  them.']     With  the 
whole  Family,  Jacob^  Leah,  and  Dittah's  Brethren. 
Longeth."]  Is  extVeamly  in  Love. 
For  your  Daughter."]    The  Daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Leah  ^    unto  whom  he  fpeaks  in  the  prefence  of  her 
Brethren. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  make  ye  Marriages  with  us,  &c.  ]  Be 
come  one  People  with  us,  Verfe  1 6. 

Verfe  10,  Ver.  10.  And  ye  Jhall  dwell  with  us.*]  Settle  your 
felvs  among  us. 

And 


upon    GENESIS,  467 

And  the  Land  fiaU  be  before  yon.']  In  any  part  of  our  Chapter 
Country.  XXXIV. 

Dwell  ye.']  He  repeats  it  again,   to  beget  in  them  a  *>******. 
confidence  of  a  Settlement  among  them  5  in  the  En 
joyment  of  all  their  Rights  ancTPrivileges  ,•  as  much 
as  if  they  had  been  Natives. 

And  frWe^e.^Exercife  what  Traffick  you  pleafe  up 
and  down  the  Country,  without  any  Lett  or  Impedi 
ment. 

AndgetyoH  Pojfejfions  therein^  Purchafe  Land. 

Ver.  ii.  Let  me  find  Grace  in  yonrEyes^\    GrantVerfe  n« 
this  Petition,  which  my  Father  makes  in  my  behalf, 
XXXIII.  15, 

And  what  ye  foattfay  unto  me,  &c.]  Make  your  own 
Terms,  I  will  agree  to  them. 

Ver.  12.  Ask  me  never  fo  much  Dowry  and  G////]  Verfe  12. 
This  (hows  more  fully,  That  the  Cuftom  of  thole 
times  was  (as  was  noted  upon  XXIX.  i8.J  for  Men 
to  give  Money  for  their  Wives.  But  there  was  a 
greater  reafon  for  a  Dowry  now,  and  a  large  one 
too  $  that  he  might  make  Compenfation,  for  the 
Wrong  he  had  done.  For  there  was  a  natural  Equi 
ty  in  thofe  Laws  of  Mofes,  (Exod.  XXII.  16.  Deut. 
XXII.  28.)  by  which  Men  were  bound  to  make  Sa- 
tisfaftion  to  the  Fathers  ^  if  either  by  Inticement  or 
Violence,  they  had  abufed  their  Daughters. 

Dowry  and  Gift,  feem  to  be  diftind  things  :  The 
Dowry  being  given  to  the  Parents  3  the  Gift,  to  the 
Kindred. 

Ver.  13.  The  Sons  of  Jacob  anfaered,  &c/]     Hence  Verfe  9. 
fome  infer  that  by  the   Cuftom  of  thofe  Days,  the 
Confent  of  the  Brethren  was  required,    rather  than 
of  the  Parents  .•    For  the  Sons  of  Jacob  here  make 
the  Contract,  as  L^«had  done  with  AbrahamsSt*- 

O  o  o  2  vant 


468  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    vant  XXIV.  50.     But  it  is  more  reafonable  to  think, 
XXXIV.  that  Jacob  left  ic  to  them  to  confider  what  was  fit  to 
WVNJ  be  done,  .in  a  matter  which  required  great  Delibera 
tion  :  and  then  to  report  their  Opinion  to  him  .•  Who 
had  the  greateft  intereft  in  her,    and  right  to  difpofe 
of  her. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  We  cannot  do  this  thing?]  It  is  againft  our 
Religion.  Which  was  partly  true  $  for  though  Ja 
cob  himfeH  had  married  one  whofe  Father  wasuntir- 
cumdfed  (as  Ifaac  had  done  before  him)  yet  by  de 
grees  this  Opinion  prevailed  among  them  $.  till  it  was 
eftablifhed  by  the  Law  of  Mofes. 

For  that  were  a  reproach  to  us,~\  They  plead  Honour, 
as  well  as  Confdence, 
Verfe  15.     Ver.  15.    In  this  will  we  confent-  untoyoH.~\  Upon 

thefe  Terms,  we  will  agree  to  the  Match. 
Verfe  I7«      Ver.  *7-  Wiwyidfour  Daughter  >   andbt  gtneC\ 
By  this  it  appears  they  treated  in  their  Father's  Name, 
as  was  noted  before,  Verfe  13. 

Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  their  words  f leafed  Hanior,  Sec."]  It 
may  feem  ftrange,  they  fhouldfo  eafilyconfent  to  be 
circumcifed,  till  we  confider  how  paffionately  She- 
chev*  loved  Dinah,  and  the  great  Affeftion  HamorhzA 
to  Shechem  .-Who  was  his  beloved  Sen,  verfc  19.  Be- 
fides,  this  was  but  a  poor  Prince,  and  his  City  little 
and  mean  .•  Which  he  thought  to  inrich  and  ftrength- 
en  by  Jacob's  Family  (*who,were  very  wealthy )  being 
incorporated  with  them,  verfe2%. 

Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  He  was  more  honourable.]  In  greater  efteern 
with  his-Father,  and  all  the  Family,  than  any  other 
belonging  to  it. 

Verfe  ao.  Ver.  10  Came  into  the  Gate  of  the  City.9]  Where  all 
Publick  Affairs  were  tranfafted. 


upon  GENESIS. 

And  communed  rv/th  the   Men  of  the  City.*]     Such  Chapter 

freat  Matters  could   not  be  concluded  without  the  XXXIV* 
ublick  Confenr.     See XXIII.  18.  XXIX.  22.  U'WJ. 

Ver.  21.   Tbefe  Men  are  peaceable.*)  They  uie  many  Verfe  21 
Arguments  to  perfuade  the  People  to  Confent  .•  And 
thej7r/Hs   that  the  Ifradites  had  hitherto  lived  inof- 
fcniively  among  them. 

Let  them  dwell  in  the  Land  and  trade  therein."]  By  a 
Publick  Decree,  or  Law. 

For  the  Land  is  large  enough^]  This  is  the  fe- 
cond  Argument,  there  was  Land  enough  in  their 
Country  uncultivated  3  which  thefe  Men  would  im 
prove. 

Ver.  23.  Shall  not  their  Cattel,  &c.]  This  is  the  Verfe  23. 
greateft  Argument  of  all  5  taken  from  the  Profit 
they  fhould  have  by  them  5  the  gain  of  no  lefs  than 
all  they  had.  Which  is  not  to.be  under ftaod,  as  if 
they  intended  to  over-power  them,  and  feize  upon 
all  their  Stock:  But  that  by  Intermarriages,  their  E- 
ftates  would  be  inheited  by  them,  as  much  as  by  the 
Israelites. 

Ver.  24.  All.  that  went  out  of  the  Gate  of  his  City^}  Verfe  24* 
i.  c.  All  the  Citizens  (XXIII.  18.)  who  were  met  to 
gether  in  the  Common -Hall,    (or  Place  of  Publick 
AfTemblies)  and  werefoon  perfuaded  to  yield  to  the 
Reafons,  which  had, perfuaded  their  Rulers. 

Ver.  25.  Oft  the   third  Day,   when  they  were  fore.~]  Ver^e  a5' 
And  began   to  be  a  little    Feverifh.     For  the  grea- 
teft  Pain  and  Anguifh,   the  Jews  obferve,   was  upon 
the  third  Day  after  Circumcifion  ^  which  very  much 
ndifpofed  them.     See  Pirl$  Elief.  cap.  29,  and  For* 
his  Annotations^    p.   195.     And   i  ndeed  Hippo* 
the  fame  of  all  Wounds  and  Ulcers  5 

that 


470  A   CO  MM  E  NT  ART 

Chapter  that  they  are  then  moft  inflamed,  by  a  conflux  of  (harp 
XXXIV.  Humours  to  them. 

WV-XM*  Two  of  the  Sons  of  Jacob^  Sec.]  With  their  Ser 
vants.-  For  they  two  alone,  could  not  deftroy  a 
whole  City,  though  but  (mail. 

Slew  M  the  Males.~]  The  Women  and  Children 
in  thofe  Days  were^always  fpared  in  the  moft  dead 
ly  Wars  :  As  when  the  Midianitcs  were  killed, 
Numb.  XXXI.  7,  9.  and  the  Edomites,  I  Kings  XI. 
16-  And  foMofes  commanded  they  (honld  do  even 
with  th?Cttaa#ttes9Deut.1£X.  15, 14,  SezBocKart,  P.I. 
ffierozorc.  L.  II.  c.  56.  Selden  de  Jure  N.  &  G.  Lib. 
VI.  c.  16.  /?.  745.  and  de  Synedr.  L.I.p.8i. 

Verfe  26.     Ver.  26.     70*4  !>/»**  out  of  Shechems  Houfe.~] 
Where  it  feems  (he  remained  after  the  Rape  he  had 
committed,  in  hope  of  a  Marriage. 
And  went  out.]  Carried  her  home. 

Verfe  27.  Ver.  2  7.  And  the  Sons  of  Jacob.']  The  reft  of  his 
Sons  (who  were  able  to  bear  Arms)  came  after  the 
(laughter;  andhelptto  plunder  the  City.  Thus  they 
were  all  involved  in  the  Guilt }  which  was  very  great 
and  manifold  5  as  Bonfrerms^  and,  out  of  him,  Meno- 
chins  have  obferved. 

Becaufe  they  had  defiled.^  Their  Prince  had  defiled 
her/  Whofe  Faft,  it  feems,  they  did  not  disapprove ; 
And  therefore  it  is  imputed  to  them  all,  as  the  canfe 
of  their  flaughter. 

Verfe  28.  Ver-  2^.  They  tool^  their  Skeep,  &c.]  It  is  a  rea- 
fonable  Conjecture  of  Bonfrerius^  That  Jacob  caufed 
all  thefe  to  be  reftored  to  the  Wives  and  Children  of 
the  flain  :  Whom  he  fet  at  liberty. 


AnA 


upon  GENESIS.  471 

And  fpoiled  even  all  that  TO  as  in  the  Hottfe^Qf  Ham  or  Chapter 
zndShechem  :  Which,  perhaps,    they  kept  to  them- XXXIV. 
felves,  in  eompenfationof  the  Wrong  he  had  done  5  WVNJ 
and  none  of  the  Family,  perhaps,  furvivingto  own 
them. 

Verfe  30.  Te  have  troubled  me7\   Difturbed    my  Verfe  30. 
Quiet,    and  made  it  unfafe   for  me  to  live  in  this 
Country  }   where  I  hoped  to  have  fettled. 

Made  me  toftink^  Sec,]  Made  me  odious  to  all  the 
Country,  as  a  Murderer,  a  Robber,  and  a  Breaker  of 
my  Faith. 

Ver.  31.  Should  he  deal  with  our  Sifter ,  as  with  an  Verfe  31. 
Harlot^]  As  with- a  common  Whore,  that  profti- 
tuted  her  felf  to  his  Luft  .<?  If  (he  had  done  fo5  there 
had  been  no  ground  for  their  Quarrel,  (according  to 
the  Hebrew  Doftors)  becatrfe  Shechem  had  not  then 
offended  againftthe  Laws  of  the  Sons  of  Noah,  (as 
they  fpeakj/.e.  The  right  of  Nations.-  Which  was 
not  violated  by  a  Man's  lying  with  a  fingle  Woman, 
by  her  free  Confent.  But  Dinah  beijig  forced  and 
violently  ravifhed,  (as  they  takeihefence  of  verfe  2. 
to  be)  they  tell  their  Father  they  might  right  them- 
felves  by  making  War  upon  them.  For  there  was  no 
other  way  to  deal  with  Princes,  whom  they  could  not 
ittiplead  in  any  Court  5  and  therefore  betook  them- 
felves  to  Arms.  See  Mr.  Selden,  L.  VII.  de  Jure  N. 
&G.-jftxtaHel>r.  cap.  5. 


CHAP, 


A  COMMENTARY 


Chapter 
XXXV. 


CHAP.     XXX  V. 

Verfe.  i.  Ver.  r.  A  ND  God  faid  untojacob^  There  were 
£\  feveral  ways,  as  MarmonrJes  obferves, 
whereby  God  communicated  himfelf  unto  the  Pro 
phets.  Unto  whom  he  is  faid,  fometimes  to  (peak 
by  an  Angel  in  a  Dream,  as  he  did  to  Jacob,  XXXI. 
TI.  Sometimes  by  an  Angel,  without  any  mention 
how  it  was,  whether  in  a  Dream  or  Vifion,  or  not: 
Of  which  he  takes  this  place  to  be  an  Instance  $  and 
verfe  the  i  oth  of  this  Chapter,  and  XXII.  1 5.  Third* 
ly,  In  other  places  there  is  no  mention  of  an  Angel, 
but  of  God  alone  fpeaking  $  yet  in  a  Vifion,  or 
Dream,  XV.  I.  And,  Laftfy,  God  is  faid  to  fpeak  ab- 
folutely,  neither  in  a  Dream,  nor  Vifion,  nor  by  An 
gel,  XII.  I.  XXXI.  3.  More  Nevochlnt,  P.  II.  cap.  .42. 
In  which  Claflis,  I  think  he  might  have  put  this  Apa- 
rition  to  Jacob,  as  well  as  thatlaft  mentioned.-  For 
there  isno  difference  between  them,  but  this  $  That 
in  the  former  place  ("XXXI.  3.)  it  is  faid,  The  LORD 
faid  unto  Jacob  ^  and  here,  God  faid  unto  Jacob. 

Arife^goup  to  Bethel^  and  dwell  t her eJ]  By  this  ad 
vice  God  fhowed,  he  ftill  took  Care  of  hira$  and 
delivered  him  from  the  Fear  he  was  in  of  the  Ganaa- 
nites  and  Pertzites.  Who,  one  would  think,  de- 
tefted  the  Faft  of  Shechem  ^  or,  elfe  it  may  feem 
ftrange  that  they  did  not  immediately  cut  off  Jacob 
and  his  Family,  who  had  taken  fuch  a  terrible  Re 
venge  for  it }  but  let  them  remove  quietly  to  Bethel 
&utMofes  gives  us  the  true  reafon  of  th\$+ Verfe  5. 

AM? 


upon    GENESIS.  473 

Make  there  an  Altar  J]  Perform  the  Vow  which  Chapter 
thou  madeft  in  that  place,XXVIII.  20, 1 i, 22.  Some  XXXV. 
wonder  Jacob  made  no  more  hade  to  this  place,  after  L/VN 
his  return  to  his  own  Country,  (for  now  he  had 
been  about  nine  Years  in  Canaan)  and  fome  of  the  He 
brew  Doftorsfanfie,  God  punifhed  him  for  deferring 
folong  to  go  thither  (where  he  promifed  to  wor- 
[hip  him,  if  he  profpered  his  Journey  and  brought 
him  back  again  in  fafetyj  by  fuffering  his  Daughter 
Dinah  to  be  raviftied.  But  it  is  more  probable,  that 
he  met  with  obftruftions,  which  made  it  notfafe  for 
him,  as  yet,  to  go  thither }  or,  that  he  waited  till 
God,  who  had  conduced  him  hitherto,  (hould  direft 
him  to  take  his  Journey  to  that  place.  For,  it  is 
very  probable,  he  enquired  of  him  about  his  re 
moval. 

Ver.  2.    Then  Jacob  fad  unto  his  hottfiold,  &c.]  Verfe  2. 
Being  to  perform  a  folemn  Sacrifice  to  God,  he  calls 
upon  his  Family  to  prepare  themfelves  for  it, 

And  to  all  that  were  with  himT^  Hired  Servants  who 
lived  with  him. 

Put  away  the  flrange  Gods.']  Rachel  had  her  Fa- 
thers's  Terafhim,  which  now,  it  is  to  be  fuppofed,  (he 
confeffed.  And  he  fufpefted  there  might  be  fome 
among  the  Men-Servants  and  Maid-Servants,  he 
brought  with  him  out  of  Mtfofotanti^  (XXXII.  $*) 
where  there  was  much  Superftition  :  And  that  in 
the  facking  of  Shechem  they  might  bring  away  fome 
Images  with  them  (for  the  fake  of  the  Silver  and 
Gold)  which  they  kept  fecretly  among  them. 

And  be  clean.*]  Wafh  your  Bodies,  as  Aben  Ezra, 
truly  interprets  it :  For  this  was  the  ancient  Rite  of 
cleanfing.  Wherein  he  feems  to  have  followed  Jo 
nathan,  who  thus  paraphrafes  it,  Purifie  your  felves 

P  p  p  from 


474  J  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter  from  th*  potntion  of  theflain,  whom  you  have  touched 
XXXV.  referring  it  to  the  foregoing  (laughter  of  the  People 
WVNJ   of  Shechem. 

And  change  your  Garments^]  Put  on  clean  Cloaths. 
Which  was  but  a  reafonable  Injunction,'  being  to 
appear  before  the  Divine  Majefty  :  In  whofe  Prefence 
it  was  rudenefs  to  be  feen  in  iordid  Raiment :  Efpe-^ 
cially  in  thofe,  wherein  they  had  newly  defiled  them- 
felves,  by  a  bloody  (laughter.  Thefe  two,  I  doubt 
not,  were  pious  Cuftoms,  which  their  godly  Ance- 
ftors,  had  obferved,  from  the  beginning  of  offering 
Solemn  Sacrifices.  It  being  very  unfcemly  to  appear 
before  a  great  Man,  in  dirty  Apparel,  or  with  a 
fweaty  Body.  And  I  do  not  fee,  why  we  fhould 
not  look  uponthefe,  as  an  external  Profeffion,  of  the 
like  Purity  in  their  Minds  and  Hearts.  All  Natiois 
retained  thefe  Wafhings,  and  white  Raiment ,  when 
they  performed  the  Solemn  Offices  of  Religion  .- 
Which  were  not  derived  from  Idolaters,  but  from 
the  pureft  Antiquity. 

Vterfe  4*  Ver.  4,  And  they  gave  unto  Jacob  all  the  ftrange 
Gods.']  Which,  it  feems  by  this  Expreffion,  were  nu 
merous. 

And  the  Ear-rings  that  were  in  their  Eart{]  In  the 
Ears  of  the  Idols  5  for  there  was  no  harm  in  the  Ear- 
Rings  they  wore  themfelves.  So  fome  interpret  it  5 
not  confidering,  that  befides  the  Ear-Rmgs  which; 
were  Ornaments,  there  were  others  worn  in  the  na^ 
ture  of  Amulets  5  or,  for  fome  other  fuperftitiou* 
Ufes :  Having  the  Effigies  of  fooie  God  or  other  $ 
©r,  fome  Symbolical  Notes,  in  which  they  fen0ed 
there  was  fome  Power  to-  preferve  them  from  feve* 
ral  Mifchiefs.  Maimonide*  in  his  Book  of  Idolatry 
mentions  fuchJdotolatrical  Rings,  as  were  ut 
terly 


upon    GENESIS.  475 

tcrly  unlawful  to  be  ufed  $  and  Veffels  marked  with  Chapter 
the  Image  of  the  &#,  the  Moon,  or  a  Dragon  :  Which  XXXV. 
were  Symbols  of  Divinity  among  the  Heathen  $  who  l/VN 
made  Marks  alfo,  in  feveral  parts  of  their  Bodies. 

Awd  Jacob  hid  thent.~\  Buried  them  in  the  Earth  $ 
after  he  had  firft  broke  them  in  pieces  fas  fome  think) 
or  melted  them,  as  Mofes  and  Hezekiah  did,  Exod. 
XXXIf.  20.  2  Kings  XVIII.  4.  Which,  if  it  be  true, 
it  is  but  a  Tale  which  is  told  of  the  Samaritans  $ 
that  they  digged  upthefe  Idols  and  worfhipped  them. 
See  Hottinger  Smegma,  Orient,  f.  359. 

Under  an  Oak.  which  was  by  ShechemJ]  It  was  fo 
unknown  under  what  Oak  this  was,  that  there  is  no 
ground  for  their  Opinion,  who  think  this  was  the 
fame  Oak  mentioned  in  Jo/h.  XXIV.  26.  For  he  in 
tended  to  abolifh  the  memory  of  thefe  Idols  5  and 
therefore  hid  them,  where  he  thought  no  Body  would 
find  them. 

It  took  up  fome  time  to  do  all  this  $  and  yet  the 
People  of  the  Land  did  not  fall  upon  Jacob's  Family.- 
The  Providence  of  God  watching  over  him,  as  it 
follows  in  the  nextKer/e. 

Ver*  $.  And  they  journeyed :  And  the  terrow  of  the  Verfe  5 
L  0  R  D  was  upon  the  Cities  round  about  them,  &c.]] 
Here  is  the  true  reafon  why  the  Country  did  not,  at 
lead,  fall  upon  the  Rear  of  Jacob's  Family,  when 
they  marched  away :  Becaufe  God  made  a  panick 
Fear  to  fall  upon  them.  Who,  otherwife  (one  would 
guefs  by  this)  had  an  inclination  to  be  revenged  for 
the  deflruftion  of  Shechem.  For,  though  they  could 
not  juftifie  the  Faft  of  Shechem  $  yet  they  might  think 
Jacob's  Sons  too  cruel  in  the  Punifhment  of  it:  For 
their  own  Father  was  of  that  Opinion. 

P  p  p  2  Vef> 


476  A   COMMENT  A  KT 

Chapter        Ver.  6.  So  Jacob  c*we  to  Luz.°]  See  XXVIII.  19. 
XXXV-       Ver.  7.  Built  there  an  Altar,  Sec,]    And  offered  Sa-,' 
'w^VNJ   crificesof  Thankfgiving  to  God,  for  performing  his 
Verfe  6.  Promife  to  him,  befeeching  him  ftill  to  continue  his 
Verfe  7.   Care  of  him. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  Deborah  Rebekah's  nurfe  died.]  She  went 
to  attend  Rebek&h^  when  (he  was  married  to  Jfaac  ;. 
Which  troubles  the  Jews  to  give  an  account  how  fhe 
came  here  into  Jacob's  Family.  R.  Solowon  folves  it 
thus  3  That  Rebel{ah  having  promifed  Jacob  when  he- 
went  away,  to  fend  for  hi m,  ("XX  VII.  45.)  (lie  per 
formed  this  Promife  by  Deborah  :  Whom  fhe  fent  to 
Vadan-Aram  to  invite  him  home  5  and  in  her  return 
fhe  died  here.  But  it  is  more  reafonable  to  fuppofe, 
that  Jacob  had  been  at  his  Father's  Houfe,  before  this 
time  :  And  Rebekah  being  dead,  ("whether  before  or 
after,  is  uncertain)  Deborah  was  defirous  to  live  with 
his  Wives,  who  were  her  Country- Women.  And 
that  her  death  is  here  mentioned  (though  we  read 
nothing  of  Rebet^atis)  to  give  an  account  how 
this  Oak  came  by  the  Name  of  Atton-Bacitth^  in  after- 
times. 

Vnder an  Oak~]  There  were  many  about  Bethel : 
Near  to  which  there  was  a  Wood,  orForeft}  out  of 
which  the  Bears  came,  who  devoured  the  Children 
that  curfed  Eli/ha,  2  Kings  II.  23.  And  under  an  Oak 
alfo,  the  old  Prophet  found  the  Man  of  God  fitting, 
as  he  went  from  Bethel,  i  Kings  XIII.  14. 
Verfe  9*  Ver.  9.  And  God  appeared  unto  Jacob  again,  StC.] 
The  SCHECHINAH,  or  Divine  Majefy,  who 
bad  him  go  to  Bethel^  verfe  i,  appeared  to  him  when 
he  came  there  5  in  a  moft  glorious  manner  -•  As  he 
had  done  when  he  lodged  there  in  his  Journey  to 


upon  GENESIS;  477 

Ver.  10.  Ifrael  fliall  be  thy  NaweJ]     Tliis  is  a  far  Chapter 
more  honourable  Name  than    that  of  Jacob  :  And  XXXV, 
therefore  by  it  thou  (halt  be  commonly  called.     For  u/^V^NJ 
the  Name  of  Jacob  was  given  him  from  the  fupplant-  Verfe  10. 
ing  of  his  Brother,  and  getting  the  advantage   of 
him .-  But  this  of  Ifrael  from  his  prevalence  over  the 
Angel  of  God. 

And  he  called  bk  Name  IfraelJ]  He  folemnly  con 
firmed  that  Name,  which  v/is  given  him  before  by 
his  Angel,  XXXII.  28; 

This  feems  to  me  to  prove,  That  it  was  no  more 
than  an  Angel,  who  wreftied  with  Jacob,  and  told 
him  his  Name  (hould  be  changed.  For,  if  it  had 
been  God  himfelf;  Jacob,  was  as  much  fatisfied  then, 
as  he  could  be  now,  that  Ifrael  (hould  be  his  Name. 
But  I  take  it,  God  referved  the  declaration  of  it 
from  his  own  Mouth,  till  this  time:  When  he  ratified 
what  he  had  before  fpoken  by  his  Angel. 

And  thus  I  find  (fince  I  noted  this)  St.  Hierom 
under ftood  this  Paflage :  Whofe  words  are  thefe* 
DuAum  nequaqnam  ei  nomen  ab  Angela  imponitur,  6CC. 
This  Name  was  not  heretofore  impofed  on  him  by  the 
Angel ^  who  only  foretold  that  God  would  impofe  it  on 
him :  That  therefore  which  -was  there  prowrfed  foould 
be,  we  are  taught  was  fulfilled. 

Ver.  n.  lam  God  Almighty,  &c.]  Here  God  re-  Verfe 
news  his  Promife  to  him,  as  he  had  often  done  to 
Abraham.  He  had  firft  bleffed  him  by  Ifaac,  XVIII. 
3.  when  he  fent  him  from  home,  Then  he  himfelf 
blefled  him  when  he  appeared  to  him,  the  firft 
Night  of  his  Journey,  verfe  13.  of  that  Chapter.  And 
now  again,  when  he  was  come  back  to  the  very 
fame  place  $  where  he  bleifed  him  before.  And  he 
fpeaks  to  him,  by  the  Name  of  El-fljadda'^  i.  e.  God 

AUS- 


478  ^  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Ati-fufficknt :  The  very  fame  whereby  his  Father  had 

XXXV.  bleffed  him,  XXVIII.  3.  and  whereby  God   blefied 

+S*S***  Abraham,  XVII.  I. 

Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  God  went  up  from  him.'}  It  is  evident 
by  this,  that  a  vifible  Majefty  or  Glory  appeared  to 
him  at  this  time  .-  From  whence  the  foregoing  words 
were  fpoken  to  him :  Which  being  done,  it  went  up 
towards  Heaven.  In  the  Hebrew  the  words  are,  wert 
up  from  upon  him,  or,  over  him  5  and  'the  very  fame  is 
faid  vi  Abraham,  XVII.  21.  as  if  the  SCHECHI- 
NAH  appeared  over  his  Head,  in  great  Luflre$ 
whilft  he,  perhaps,  lay  proftrate  upon  the  Ground. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  Set  up  a.  pillar  in  that  piacs.~]  To  be  a 
Monument  of  the  Divine  Goodnefs^  Who  there  ap 
peared  to  him  $  and  made  him  fuch  gracious  Pro- 
mifes,  as  thofe  before- mentioned,  verfe  n,  12.  And 
to  ferve  for  an  Altar  whereon  to  offer  Sacrifice. 
For  fo  the  word  Matzektih  fignifies,  Hof€a  III.  4.  And 
therefore  Ifaiah  feems  to  make  an  Altar  and  a  Pillar 
the  fame  thing,  XIX.  19. 

Poured  a  drink:  offering  thereon.]  To  confecrate  it 
unto  the  Solemn  Service  of  God.  For  which  end  he 
poured  Oil  upon  it,  as  he  had  done  upon  the  Stone, 
(XXVIII.  18.)  which,  in  all  likelihood^  was  a  prin 
cipal  part  of  this  Pillar.  And  having  done  all  thi?, 
we  are  to  fuppofe  he  not  only  oifered  Sacrifice  $  but 
paid  the  Tenth  of  all  that  God  had  given  him,  ac 
cording  to  his  Vow,  XXVIII.  tdt. 

Verfe  1-5.  Ver.  15.  Called  the  Nawe  of  t/je place."]  Or,  rather, 
of  that  place^  that  famous  Place,  which  God  had  made 
fo  remarkable  by  his  Gooclnefs  to  him.  For  the  He 
brews,  not  without  Reafon,  make  the  He  before  Ma- 
k$m^  to  add  an  Emphafis  to  that  word, 

Bethel.'] 


upon  GENESIS.  479 

Bethel.']   /.  e.    The  Houfe  of  God.     So  he  faid  heChaptd1 
would  make  this  Place,  XXVIII.  12.  and  now  he  is  as  XXXV. 
good  as  his  Word,  by  renewing  the  Name  he  had  gi-  iXWi 
ven  it  thirty  Years  before,  when  he  firft  went  into 
JAefopotami*. 

Ver.  1 6.  And  there  was  but  a  little  way  to  come  to  Verfe  16. 
Ephrath."]  When  they  were  come  within  a  little  of 
Ephrath.  The  Hebrew  word  for  a  little  is  Chibrath  : 
Whofe  precife  fignification  is  uncertain.  Benjamin 
Tndelenfis  faith,  this  Place  was  within  half  a  Mile  and 
a  little  more  of  Ephrath.  See  his  Itinerar.p.  47.  and 
Conp.  L.  Empereur  on  the  Place,  p.  176. 

Ver.  17.  rear  not  :  Thou  ft  alt  have  this  Son  alfo~]  Verfe  17* 
The  Midwife  feems  to  comfort  Rachel  with  her  own 
Predidtion,  XXX.  24. 

Ver.  1 8.  She  called  his  Name  Ben-  onl~]  Rachel  feems  Verfe  .18. 
to  give  her  former  Hopes  of  a  fecond  Son  for  loft  5 
at  leaft  (he  expefted  no  Comfort  from  him  :  Being 
ready  to  expire.     And  therefore  (he  called  him  a  Son 
of  Sorrow  :  His  birth  being  her  death. 

But  hh  father  called  him  Benjamin.']  To  comfort 
Rachel\n  her  Sorrow,  and  to  avert  the  finifter  Omen, 
Jacob  immediately  changed  his  Name  into  Benjamin,  ,* 
fignifyingTAe&tftf/fer  Right-hand,  or  of  his  Strength, 
as  it  is  commonly  interpreted.  Though  others  will 
have  it,  The  Son  of  Tear  s^  i.e.  of  his  old  Age:  or,  put 
ting  both  together,  the  fupport  and  ftay  of  his  old 
Age. 

Names  are  oft-times  ftrangely  adapted  to  things; 
and  the  Prefages  of  Parents  have  anciently  been  ot»  - 
fexved  to  be  fulfilled. 

—Hew  mtnqttam  vana  farentun* 


480  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Which  is  in  no  Inftance  more  verified  than  in   this 
XXXV.  Child  of  Jacob's :  Who  did  not  bear  either  of  thefe 
*********  Names  for  nought.    There  being  two  very  different 
Fates  of  his  Pofterity  (as  Dr.  Jackson  obferves  in  a 
Difcourfe  of  his  upon  St.  Matth.ll.  17, 18.)  anfwera- 
ble  to  the  contrary  importance  of  the  Names  given 
him  by  his  Father  and  his  Mother.     No  Tribe  in  If- 
rael  more  Valorous,  yet  none  fo  fubjedt  to  forrow- 
ful  Difafters  as  this  Tribe  of  Benjamin.    It  was  al- 
moft  extirpated  in  the  time  of  the  Judges,  XX.  35, 
&c.  and  yet  before  the  conclufion  of  that  Age,  Ben- 
jamln  became  the  Head  of  his  Brethren :  The  firft 
King  of  Ifrael  being  chofen  out  of  that  late  defolate 
Tribe.     And  though  that  King  proved  at  laft  but  a 
Ben-oni*.)  yet  this  Tribe  ftuck  clofe  to  Judah,  when 
all  the  reft  revolted  to  his  Brother  Jofeph. 
Verfe  20.      Ver.  20.  Jacob  fet  a  pillar  upon  her  Grave.}     After 
that  Law  was  made  (Deut.  XVI.  22.J  againft  ere- 
fting  Pillars  3  the  Jews  did  not  think  all  Pillars  un 
lawful  3  but  only  thofefor  Superftitious  Ufes :  Not 
thofe  which  were  in  Memory  of  fome thing}  as  Mai- 
monideshis  words  are,  L.  de  IdoloL  cap.  6. 
Verfe  XT.      Ver.  21.  And  Ifrael  journeyed^]     This   is  the  firft 
time  that  Mofe s  calls  him  Ifrael  $  after  this  Name  was 
given  him  by  God.     Which  he  repeats  twice  in  the 
nextFerfe:  And  then  calls  him  Jacob  again,  in  the 
latter  end  of  it.    It  is  in  vain  tofearchfor  a  Rea- 
ibn.    Some  of  the  Jews  will  have  it,  That  he  calls  I 
him  Ifraely  becaufe  he  bear  the  death  of  his  beloved 
Wife,  with  admirable  Patience  and  Submiffion  to  j 
God's  Will.    But  they  cannot  give  fo  good  a  Rea-  | 
fon,  why  he  immediately  alters  his  Style,  and  calls 
him  Jacob  again.     See  Ferfe  12. 

Beyond 


upon    GENESIS, 

Beyond  the  Tower  of  Edar.~]     i.  e.  The  Tower  of  the  Chapter 
as  fome  translate  it.     Who  think  there  was  XXXV. 
fuch  a  Tower  near  Jerufalem,  becaufeof  thofe  words  L/VNJ 
of-Micahj  IV.  8.  0  tower  of 'the  Flock ,  the  ftrong-hold 
of  tie  Daughter  ofZion.     Which  if  it  be  true,  it  doth 
not  prove  there  was  no  Tower  in  Jacob's  days  called 
by  that  Name.'  But  rather,  that  in  future  Ages  this 
Tower  was  renewed,  in  the  fame,  or  a  neighbouring 
Place  5  and  called  by  the  ancient  Name,  which  it  had 
in  the  days  of  Jacob. 

Ver.22.  Went  and  lay  with  Bilhah,  his  Fathers  Con-  Verfe  12 
cubme^]  She  is  called  his  Wife,  XXX.  4.  and,  accord 
ing  to  the  Laws  of  thofe  Times,  was  truly  fo ;  as  I 
have  often  obferved  all  thofe  called  Concubines  were : 
Though  not  the  principal  Wives,but  of  a  lower  Rank. 
See  Mr.  Selden,  de  Jure  N.  &  G.  L.  V.  cap.  7,  p.  570, 
571,  &c. 

Andlfrael  heard  jf/Tj  And  highly  refented  it,  as  we 
find  XLIX.  4.  But  in  this  fhort  Hiftory  Mvfes  pafles 
over  Ifraefs  Cenfure  of  this  Inceft  till  he  came  to  die : 
Which  (hows  fufficiently,  how  he  was  affefted  when 
the  Fad  was  committed.  Or,  perhaps,  thefe  words, 
Ifrael  heard  it,  may  fignifie }  That  though  Reuben 
thought  to  have  committed  this  Sin  fo  fecretly,  as  to 
have  concealed  it  from  his  Father  5  yet  he  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  it :  And  gave  him  fuch  private  Re- 
buke*,  as  were  fitting  5  but  proceeded  not  to  Publick 
Punifhment,  to  avoid  Scandal. 

Now  the  Sons  of  Jacob  were  twelve?]  Their  Number 
being  now  compleated  by  the  Birth  of  Benjamin^  after 
whom  he  had  no  more  Children  $  Mofes  thought  good 
here  to  enumerate  them.  And  they  being  all  bora 
(fave  Benjamin  alone)before  he  had  the  Name  oflfrael, 
it  may  be  the  reafon,  perhaps,  why  he  calls  him  Jacob. 

Qqq  Ver. 


482  A  COM  MEUTAR  T 

Chapter        Ver.26.  Which  were  born  to  him  in  Padan-Arxm.']hM 
XXXV.  except  Benjamin  5  who  (as  was  faid  juft  before,  verfa 
VVNJ  1 8.)  was  born  in  Canaan. 

Verfe  26.      Ver.  27.  Jacob  came  tolfaac-  his  Father,  &c]     To. 
Verfe  27.<iWell  with  him,  and  to  be  the  Comfort  of  his  old       ?• 
Age.     For  it  is  not  to  be  doubted,  he  had  been  with 
him  before,  fince  he-came  from  Mefopotamfa :  But  now       {> 
came  to  ftay  with  him,  till  Death  parted  them, 

Unto  the  City  of  Arba,  &C.]     Called  Kirjath-Arbaf       J 
XXIII.  i.  from  a  great  Man  (Jofi.  XIV.  15.)  among 
the  AnaktmS)  whofe  Name  was .Arba  5  and  either  was       p 
born,  or  dwelt,  or  ruled  here.  It  was  afterward  cal-.- 
led  Hebron^  where  Abraham  dwelt  a  long  time,  XIIF.,      r 
1 8.  and  where  he  bought  a  Burying- place  for  his  Fa 
mily  ,  XXIII.  19. 

Verfe  28.      Ver.  28:  The  dtys  oflfiacwere  an  hundred  and four •-- 
fcore  Tears."]     He  lived  five  Years  longer  than  his  Fa 
ther  Abraham^  XXV.  7. 

Verfe  ^Q.     ^er*  2  9*  Hfo  Sons  Efatt  and  Jacol  buried.~]  As  Ifaac> 
y'and  I{hwad\&&  done   Abraham,  ("XXV.  9.)  and  no 
doubt  in  the  fame  place.-  He  fojourning   there  fas 
was  faid  before)  as  his  Father  had  done  before  him,. 
By  this  it  appears,  the  Friendihip  between  Efau  and 
Jacob  continued;  after  theinterview  they  had  at  J&* 
'  return  into  this  Countryc , 


CHAP. 


GENESIS-  485 

Chapter 
—  -  ~  XXXVL 


CHAR    XXXVL 

Ver.  \.'~^HefearetheGenerationsofEfau!]  Which  Verfe  I 

JL     are  here  fet  down,  to  (how  how  ef- 
fe^ual  his  Father's  Bleffing  was,  XXVII,  29.     And, 
as  Maiwonides  thinks  (P.  Ill,  c.  50.  More  Nevoch?)  to 
prevent  the  deftruftion  of  any  of  the  Family  ofEfau, 
but  only  thofe  of  Amaleck?    Who  defcended  from  the 
Firft-born  of  Efau  by  a  Concubine,  the  Sifter  of  Lo- 
tan^  an  Horite^  one  of  the  ancient  Inhabitants  of  Se/r, 
Verfe  12,  8c  21.  His  Defendants  were  to  be  deftroyed, 
by  an  exprefs  Precept,  for  a  particular  Offence,  (Exod. 
XVII.)  but  the  Divine  Juftice  took  Care  of  the  reft, 
by  diftinguiftung  them  thus  exaftly  from  him:  That 
they  might  not  perifti  under  the  Name  of  Amak- 


. 

Ver.  2.  Efau  took,  his  Wives,  Sec.]  the  Names  of  Verte 
thefe  Wives  are  not  the  fame  with  thofe,  he  is  faid  to 
have  married,  XX  VI.  34.  Therefore  it  is  probable 
his  former  Wives  died  without  Iffue  :  And  fo  he  took 
another  Daughter  of  Elon  ("when  Judith  was  deadj 
called  Adah  :  And  the  Daughter  of  a  Man  called 
Anahs  by  whom  he  had  fuch  Children  as  here  fol 
low. 

The  Daughter  ofZibeon^  The  word  Daughter  here 
fignifies  Neice  }  or,  the  is  called  Zibeons  Daughter, 
becaufe  he  bred  her  :  As  the  Children  of  Michael  are 
mentioned,  2  &*;*/.  XXI.  8.  Though  (he  had  none  at 
all$  but  only  educated  the  Children  of  her  Sifter:  As 
Zibeon,  perhaps,  did  -his  Brother  Anah's  Daughter, 
verfe  20. 

Qq  q  2  Ver, 


484  A  COM  MENTOR  r 

Chapter        Ver.  3.  Ba/beatath,  I/hwael's  Daughter. ~]  She  iscal- 
XXXVI.  led  by  another  Name,  XXVIII.  9.     But  it  is  likely 
i^WJ  Efan  changed  her  Name  from  Mahalah,  which  figni- 
Verfe  3.   G&j/dfy  and  infirm,  into  this  of  Bafiwath,  which  fig- 
nifies  Arowath\  and  Fragrant.     Either  becaufe  the 
Name  better  pleafed  him,   or  he  thought  would  bet 
ter  pleafe  his  Father:  Or,  (he  grew  more  healthy  after 
Marriage  $  or,  perhaps,  (he  had  two  Names  given  her 
at  the  firft. 

Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  Went  into  the£ountry  jrom  the  face  of  his  Bro 
ther  Jacob.']  Into  another  Country  out  of  the  Land  of 
Canaan:  Into  which  he  lately  came  to  bury  his  Farfier, 
as  we  read  in  the  latter  end  of  thelaft  Chapter.  Which 
being  done,  he  and  Jacob,  no  doubt,  agreed  about  the 
divifion  of  Ifaacs  Eftate:  Out  of  which  a  large  (hare 
came  to  Efan  :  Who  had  fomething  alfo  of  his  own 
there  before,  (all  his  Sons  before-mentioned  being 
born  to  him  in  Canaan,  verfe  5.)  befides  what  he  had 
in  Sew. 

His  Brother  Jacob.']  He  knew  of  no  other  Name  his 
Brother  had  5  that  of  IJrael,  it's  likely,  being  not  yet 
publiftied,  and  commonly  ufed. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  For  their  Rkhes  were  more  than  that  they 
might  dwell  together."]  There  was  not  room  enough 
in  the  Land  of  Canaan  (where  they  were  but  fojour- 
ners,  and  could  have  no  more  than  the  prefent  Poflef- 
fors  would  let  to  them)  for  fuch  a  vaft  Stock  as  they 
had  between  them:  And  therefore  were  conftrained  to 
feparate,  as  Abraham,  for  the  fame  reafon,  had  done 
from  Lot,  XIII.  6,  8cc,  And  Efau  having  begun  be 
fore  to  fettle  in  Stir,  did  not  think  fit  to  bring  what 
he  had  there  hither  .•  But  carried  what  his  Father  left 
him  thither.  Where  he  had  enlarged  his  Dominion, 
fince  Jacob's  return  to  Canaaw. 

Ver, 


upon  GENESIS. 

Ver.  8.  Thus  dwelt  Efau  in  Mount  Seir.~]  It  is  a  Que-  Chapter 
ftion  how  he  couid  be  faid  to  have  gone  to  dwell  in  XXXVI, 
Seir,  upon  this  occafion :  Seeing  we  find  him  there  LXV^O 
before,when  Jacob  came  out  of  MefopotamiaX%3M.%.  Verfe  8. 
But  the  Anfwer  is  eafie5  That  then  he  had  only  Come 
part  of  the  Country,  and  not  the  beft  of  it  neither  : 
And  therefore,  perhaps,  had  fome  of  his  Eftate  ftill  in 
Canaan^  while  the  reft  of  it  was  in  Se/r.     And  it  feems 
remarkable  to  me,  that  he  isnotfaid  till  now,  to  dwell 
in  Mount  Seir,  but  only  in  the  Land  ofSeir^  or  barely 
in  Sezr,  to   which   he  invited   Jacob  at  his  return, 
(XXXII.  3.  XXXIII.  14,  1 6.)     This  Mountainous 
Country,  which  was  richer  than  the  other,  he  got 
into  his  poffeffion  after  that  time. 

Efau  is  Edom^\     The  Father  of  the  Edowite-f,  as  it 
follows,  Verfe  9. 

Ver.  12.  She  bare  to  Eltphaz,  AmahckJ}  This  was  Verfe  12, 
neceifary  to  be  fet  down  fas  I  obferved  on  verfe  i.J 
that  there  might  be  a  diftinftion  between  the  Amah- 
tytes,  who  were  to  be  deftroyed,  and  the  reft  of  the 
Pofterity  of  Efau:  Concerning  whom  it  is  faid,  Thou 
ftalt  not  abhor  an  Edomite^  becaufe  he  is  thy  Br other ^ 
Dent.  XXIII.  7.  Thus  Jofeph  Albo.  For,  though 
they  made  a  diftinft  People  from  the  Edomites-,  and 
.lived  in  a  Neighbouring  Country  5  yet  they  pofTefTed 
that  part  of  Mount  Seir  which  was  near  Kadeft  Bar- 
mti,  as  may  be  gathered  from  Numb.  XIII.  29.  and 
XIV.  43. 

Ver.  15.  Thcfe  wertD*J(ejJ]     The  word  Allouphe^V&fe  15 
if  we  may  believe  TH. Solomon  jarchL>  fignifies  Heads^ 
Chiefs ,  or  Rulers  of  Fatuities.     Who  may  be  called 
Princes  $  though  their  Government  was  not  yet  Re-; 
gal,  but. a  kind  of  Ariftocracy  in  the  beginning. 

Ver,, 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter       Ver;  16.  Duke  Korah.']    He  is  not  reekon'd  among 

XXXVI.  the  Sons  of  Eltphaz,  verfe  n.  but  called  the  Son  of 

trO'"^  Aholibamah,  verfe  14.  and  accordingly  faid  to  Rule 

xover  a  Family  defcended  from  hers,  wrfi  i&     We 

mud  fuppofe  therefore,  there  were  two  Korah's  $  one 

the  Son  of  Aholibamah  5  the  other  a  Nephew  of  E//- 

phaz,  by  fome  of  his  Sons  or  Grand-Sons  v  Who  came 

to  be  a  great  Ruler,  and  to  get  the  Government  of 

fome  of  thefe  Families.-  And,  according  to  the  Style 

of  Scripture,  is  reckoned  for  El/phaz  his  Son. 

Verfe  20.      Ver.  20.  Thefe  are  the  Sons  ofSeir  the  Horite.~]  From 

this  Serr  the  Country  had  its  Name.-  But  from  whom 

he  defcended  is  not  recorded. 

Who  inhabited  the  Land?]  Who  were  the  ancient 
Inhabitants  of  this  Country,  before  Efau  conquered 
it :  And,  perhaps,  were  the  firft  that  poflefled  it  after 
the  Flood.  Whofe  Genealogy,  T  fuppofe,  is  here 
mentioned,  becaufe  Efarts  Pofterity  married  with 
fome  of  them:  Particularly  his  eldeft  Son  Eltyhaz 
took  Timna,  Sifter  of  Lot  an  (one  of  &/V'sSons)  for 
his  Concubine,  verfe  2x.  Yea,  Efan  himfelf  feems  to 
have  married  one  of  his  Family,  vfa.  Aholibamah  / 
Whofe  Father  and  Uncle  are  faid  to  be  Hivites^  ver.i* 
but  here  plainly  called  Horites :  Being  defcended 
from  Sefr  the  Hortte,  though  dwelling  then  among 
the  Hivites. 

¥erfe  n«  Ver.  21.  Thefe  are  the  Dukes  of  the  Horites.']  The 
Heads  of  their  Families  3  who  governed  the  Coun 
try,  before  Efan  and  his  Pofterity  difpoffefled  them  : 
And  fettled  themfelves  in  the  fame  form  of  Govern* 
ment,  which  they  found  among  thefe  Horites. 

In  the  LandofEdom.'}  So  it  was  called  in  the  days 
of  Mofes* 

Ver, 


upan  GENESIS.  487 

Ver.  24.   This  is  that  Anah,  who  found  the  Mt/les  in  Chaps  er 
the  WildernefsJ]    Not  by  Accident,  but  by  his  Art  and  XXX  VI. 
Induftry*  he  invented    (as  we  fpeak)    this  mixture,  (V"VSj 
and  produced   this  new  kind  of  Creature.     So  it  isVerfe  24. 
c-ommonly  interpreted.    But  the  word  found^  though 
\\k&  four  hundred  times  in  Scripture,  never  fignifies 
("as  Bochart  hath  obferved,  P.I.  Hierozoic.  Lib.  II.  cap. 
xi.)  the  Invention  of  that  which  was  not  before  5 
but  the  finding  that  which  already  is  in  being.     Nor 
doth  Jemim  fignifie  Ajjes  in  Scripture :  And  there 
fore  others  have  read  the  Hebrew  word  as  if  it  had 
been  written  Jamim,  (as  St.  Hierom  obferves)  ima 
gining  that  as  Anah  fed  his  Father's  Afles,  he  found  a 
great  collection  of  Waters,  (Tee  Pofliw^  L.  III.  de 
IdoloLcap.  75.)  which  fome  fanfie  to  have  been  hot 
Waters,  or  Baths,  as  the  Vulgar  Latin  interprets  it.  But 
then  we  muft  read  the  Hebrew  quite  otherwife  than 
we  do  now :  And  Bochart  gives  other  Reafons  a- 
gainft  this  Interpretation  $  and  endeavours  to  efta- 
blifh  another  Opinion.    That  by  Jenrim  we  are  to 
underftand  Emim,  a  Gigantick  fort  of  People,  men 
tioned  in  Scripture,  and  next  Neighbours  to  the  Ho* 
rites.     Thefe  ^»^is  faid  to  find,  /.  e.  to  meet  with 
al  and  incounter  3  or,  rather,  to  havefall'n  upon,  on 
a  fudden  and  unexpededly  3  as  this  Phrafe  he  fhows 
fignifies  in  Scripture.  This  Opinion  he  hath  confirmed 
with  a  great  many  Reafons  3  to  which  another  late 
learned  Writer  (Wagenfeir)  thinks  an  Anfwer  may 
be  given:  Though  he  inclines  to  it,  if  one  thing 
were  not  in  the  way  3  which  makes  him  think,  here  v 
is  rather  meant  fome   Herb  or  Planfl  called  IOL^V 
which  word  the  LXX.  retains;  not  knowing  how  to 
tranflate  it.     And  thus  Aben  Ezra  affirms  many  In-! 
terpreters  of  the  Scripture   have  underftood   it.- 

Which*- 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Which  feems  to  be  the  moft  probable  Conjecture  of 
XXXVL  all  others.     See  W^agenfeil  in  his  Annot.  upon  that  Ti- 
*s°*s^  tie  of  the  Talmud,  called  Sot  a,  p.  117,  2i8,8tc. 

As  he  fed  the  Ajfis  ofZibeon  his  Father.']  The  Sons 
of  Princes  were  wont  to  follow  this  Imployment,  in 
ancient  Times,  as  Bochart  (hows  out  of  many  Au 
thors^:  Particularly  theScholiaft  upon  Homers  Odyjfes. 
Ti  TraActyov,  fc,  ol  7$P  BaojAtav  *&&i&$  tTrvfaajvov.  Hiero- 
z,otc,  P.  I.  L.  II.  Cap.  44. 

Verfe  28.  Ver,28.  The  Children  of  D/fian-  are  thefe.:  Vz,  8tc.] 
From  this  Man  the  whole  Country,  or  a  great  part  of 
it,  is  called  by  the  Name  ofVz.Lament.  IV.  21.  which 
was  in  Arabia,  Petr&a^  in  the  Borders  of  the  Land  of 
Canaan. 

Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  Thefe  are  the  Dukes  that  came  of  Hon.'] 
This  Hori  was  the  Anceftor  of  Seir  ^  by  whom  this 
Country  was  firft  planted. 

Among  their  Dttkes.~\  Or,  according  to  their  Fami 
lies  5  or  Principalities. 

Verfe  31.  Ver.  31.  And  thefe  are  the  Kings  that  reigned  in 
the  Land  of  Edow^\  It  appears  by  this,  that  after  fe- 
veral  Dukes  (as  we  tranflate  it)  had  ruled  the  Coun 
try  $  the  Edomites  changed  their  Government  into 
a  Monarchy.  And  here  follows  a  Catalogue  of  their 
Kings.  For  I  can  find  no  ground  for  the  Opinion 
of  the  Hebrew  Do&ors,  that  Alluph,  a  Duke,  differed 
in  nothing  from  Mdech^  a  King  5  but  that  the  latter 
\  was  crowned,  the  former  not  crowned. 

Before  there  reigned  any  King  over  the  Children  of 

.) 


Mofes  having  a  little  before  this  (XXXV,  n 
mentioned  the  Promife  of  God  to  Jacob,  That  Kings 
fiould  come  out  of  his  Loins  5  obferves  it  as  a  thing 
remarkable,  being  a  great  exercife  of  their  Faith, 
that  Efaus  Pofterity  fhould  have  fo  many  Kings  : 

And 


upon    GENESIS. 

And  there  was  yet  no  King  in  Ifrael  when  he  wrote   Chapter 
this  Book,  nor  (as  it  is  commonly  interpreted)  along  XXXVI. 
time  after.     This  Mofes  might  well  write  without  a  v**v~^ 
Spirit  of  Prophecy  ,  nor  is  there  any  reafon  to  fay, 
this  Paflfage  wasinferted  by  fome  Body  elfe,  after  the 
death  of  Mofes.    We  might  rather  affirm,   if  it  were 
needful,  that  Mofes  his  meaning  is.,  AUthefe  were  Kings 
in  Edom,  before  his  own  time:  Who  was  the  firft  King 
in  Jfrael.Dettt.  XXXIII.  5.     For  he  'truly  exercifed 
Royal  Authority  over  them,    as  Mr.  Selden  obferves, 
L.  II.  de  Synedr.  cap.  1,2. 

Ver.  32.  The  name  of  his  City  was  Dinhabah^     Of  Verfe  32. 
which  he  was  Governor,  perhaps,  before  he  was  made 
King  $  and  wherein  he  reigned. 

Ver.  33.  OfBozrah."]     Which  was  afterward  the  Verfe  33. 
principal  City  of  the  whole  Country  5  as  we  read  in 
the  Prophet  Ifaiah.  XXXIV.  6.  and  Jeremiah  XLIX.3, 
and  Amos  I.  12. 

It  feems,  by  this  Lift  of  their  Kings,  that  the  King 
dom  at  this  time  was  EledHve  5  for  the  Father^tua 
not  fucceedr/une  Son.  Which  may  have  been  the 
reafon,  perhaps,  why  it  lafted  but  a  while,  before 
their  Government  was  altered  again,  verfe  40.  Mai- 
monides  hath  an  Opinion  different  from  all  others, 
that  none  of  thefe  Kings  were  of  the  Race  of  E- 
Jau ,  bm  ftrangers,  who  oppreffed  the  Edowites  : 
And  and  here  fet  down  by  Mofes  to  admoni(h  the 
Ifraelites^  to  obferve  that  Precept,  Dent.  XVII. 
1 5*.  Not  to  fet  a  ftr  anger  to  be  a  King  over  them,  who 
is  not  their  Brother,  i.  e.  One  of  their  own  Na 
tion. 

Ver.  35.  Who  f wot e  Midian  m  the  Field  of  Moab^  Verfe  35. 
The  Midianites,  perhaps,  came  to  invade  them  5  and 
Hadad  march'd  out  and  met  them  in  the  Frontiers 

R  r  r  of 


A  COMMENTARY, 

Chapter    of  their  Country,    which  joyned  to  that  of  Moot : 
XXX  VL  Where  he  got  a  great  Viftory  over  them. 
U'Wj        Ver,  37.    And  Saul  of  Rehoboth  by  the  River  reign- 
Verfe  37.  ed,  &c.]     If  by  the-R/^rwe(hould  underftand  Eu 
phrates,  ('as  itufually  fignifiesj  near  to  which  flood 
the  City  of  Rehoboth,  (Gen.  X.    n.)  it  may    feem 
ftrange  that  one  (hould  be  chofen  from  fo  remote  a 
Country,  to  be  King  of  Edom:     Unlefs  we  fuppofe 
him  to  have  been  born   there,   but  to  have  lived  in 
Edom:  And  by  his  great  Atchievements,  to  have  got 
into  the  Throne.    Otherwife,  we  muft  take  this  for 
fome  other  City  5  which  Rood  by  the  moft  known 
River  of  this  Country. 
Verfe  38.     Ver.  38.  Baal-hanan^   This  Name  is  the  reverfe 

(as  I  may  call  it)  of  Hani-ball. 

Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  His  Wifes  name  was  Mehetabel,  &c.]  None 
of  their  Wives,  much  lefs  their  Pedigree,  are  named 
befides  this  alone  :  Which  (hows  (he  was  an  eminent 
-Wjoman  in  thofe  times,  and  that  Country  $  either 
for  Wifdom,  or  Parentage,  orEftate,  ,oj:  fome  other 
Excellence. 

Verft  40,  Ver.  40.  And  thefe  are  the  names  of  the  Dukes  that 
came  ofEfau^  They  feem  now  to  have  returrad  to 
their  firft  Conftitution  5  and  Rings  were  laid  afide  for 
fome  time.  But  in  future  Ages,  we  find  they  chang- 
ed;again,  and  then  Kings  reigned  fucceffively,  the  Son 
alter  the  Father,  as  they  didmlfrael.  Some  think, 
thefe  were  the  great  Men,  who  ruled  in  Edom,  id  Mo- 
fes  his  time. 

According  to  their  Families ^  &c.]  They  were  the 
Heads  of  different  Families  y  and  lived  indifferent 
Places  $  and,  perhaps,  reigned  at  the  fame  time,  in  fe- 
veral  Parts  of  the  Country  :,  So  thf  words  feem  to 
import 

Ver. 


npon    GENESIS.  491 

Ver.  43.  In  the  Land  of  their  Pojfejjton."]  In  their  Chapter 
own  County^  whilfl  the  Seed  of  Jacob  fojpurned  in  a  XXXVII 
ftrange  Country,  and  poffefled  no  Land  of  their  own.  v-<-v->w> 

He  is  Efaa,   &c.]    He  ends  as  he  began.     ThisisVerie  43 
the  Account  ofEfau  -y   the  Father  of  the  People  who 
are  now  called  Edomites. 


CHAP.     XXXVII. 

Ver.  I.  \ND  Jacob  dwelt  in  the  Land,  Sec.]  Ha- Verfe  i. 

£\  ving  given  us  an  Account  of  Efaus  re 
moval  to  Sefr,  ("XXXVI.  6,  7.)  and  of  the  Profperity 
of  his  Family  there  .•  He  now  goes  on  to  tell  us,  that 
Jacob  dill  continued  in  the  Country,  where  his  Fa 
ther  had  fojourned,  in  the  Land  of  Canaan. 

Ver.  2.  Thefe  are  the  Generations  of  Jacob^}  Thefe  v  erfe  2, 
words  are  to  be  connected  with  the  latter  end  of 
XXXV.  2  3, 24,  &c.  where  he  relates  how  many  Sons 
Jacob  had  5  and  then  gives  an  account  of  the  Family 
of  Efan,  (in  the  XXVI  Chapter)  which  being  ended, 
he  returns  to  finifli  the  Hiftory  of  Jacob. 

And  the  Lad  was  with  the  Sons  ofBilhah,  &c.]  Thefe 
words  vehu  naar^  fignifie  he  was  very  young,  in  the 
fimplicity  of  his  Chi  Idifh  Years  5  and  come  in  by  way 
of  a  Parenthefis,  in  this  manner.  Jofepb  being  ft- 
vevteen  Year  sold,  was  feeding  the  Flock  with  his 
Brethren,  (and  he  was  but  a  Touth,  unexperienced, 
and  therefore  called  a  Child,  verfe  30.)  with  the  Sons  : 
vfBilhah^  &c.  Which  laft  words  are  an  Explication 
of  the  former,  (howing  with  which  of  his  Brethren 
he  was.  Not  with  the  Sons  of  Leah^  but  with  the 

R.  r  r  2  Sons 


A  COMMENT  ART. 

Chapter   Sens  of  his  Hand-Maids:  Particularly  with 
XXX  VH;  whom  we  may  look  upon  as  a  Mother  to  him,    now 
C/'VNj  Rachel  was  dead,   having  waited   upon    her.     And 
Zilphas  Sons  were  alfo  mentioned  in  the  fecond  place, 
as-thofe,  it  is  likely,  who  were  thought  tohavelefs 
emulation  to  him,    than  the  Sons  of  Leah.     But  we 
fee  by  this,  how  much  our  greateft  Prudence  often 
fails :  For  Reuben  and  Jtidah^  the  Children  of  Leah±. 
had   more  kindnefs   for  Jofeph    than  any  of   the, 
reft. 

Their  evil  report."]    What  evil  Lives  they  led; 
¥erfe  2..        ^er'  3*  Becaufe  he  was  the  Son  of  his  old  Age.']  Ben* 
jamin  was  more  fo  than  he  3  and  the  reft  were  born 
not  many  Years  before  him  .-.  But  he  is  fo  called,  be- 
caufe  he  had  been  married  a  good  while  to  Rachel 
before  he  had  him  .•  And  he  was  the  greateft  Comfort 
of  his  old  Age  5  Benjamin  not  being  yet  grown   up, 
to  give  any  proof  of  his  future  worth. 

He  made  him  a  Coat  of  many  Colours.']  It  is  com 
monly  thought  to  fignifie  a  Garment  wrought  with 
Threds  of  divers  Colours  $  or  made  up  of  pieces  of 
Silk  or  Stuff,  which  had  much  variety  in  them  5  or, 
wrought,  as  fome  think,  with  Figures  of  Fruit,  or  o- 
ther  things.  See  Salma/ins  upon  Flav.Vopifius,  p.  396; 
But  Braun'ms  (jde  Veftib.  Sacerd.  Hebr.  L.  I.  cap.  17.) 
hath  proved,  I  think,  that  the  Hebrew  word  Pajjim 
here  figniffes  a  long  Garment,  down  to  the  Heels  or; 
Ankles  5  and  with  long  Sleeves,  down  to  the  Wrefts.- 
Which  had  a  border  at  the  bottom,  and  a  Facjng  fas 
we  fpeak)  at  the  Hands,  of  another  Colour,  different 
from  the  Garment.  See  verfe  23. 

¥erfe  4,  Ver.  4.  Couldnot  fpeak.  peaceably  to  him?]  In  a  kind 
and  friendly  manner.-  But  churliftily,  and  with  evi 
dent  figns  of  hatred.  A#  Esnzfanfies,  they  would 

not: 


upon  GENESIS*  493 

not  fo  much  as  falutehim,  or  wifhhim  peace  (as  the  Chapter 
Phrafe  then  was,  peace  he  tothee}or,  ask  him  how  he  XXXVII. 
did  $  as  our  Cuftorn  is.  IWNJ 

Vcr.  5.  Jofifh  dreamed  a  Dream."}  This  was  ufual  Verfe  5. 
among  the  ancient  Patriarchs^  and  others  alfo,  as  ap 
pears  by  Elihfi :  Who  (hows  that  all  Dreams  were 
not  Illufions  of  Evil  Spirits,  Job  XXXIII.  14,  15,  &c. 
And  long  before  his  time  Abimelech  was  warned  by 
God  in  a  Dream,  Chapter  XX.  of  this  Book.,  Verfe  3, 
6,  7.  Upon  which  Confideration,  (as  Dr.  Jackson 
well  obferves)  we  fhould  not  miftruft  the  Reports 
of  feveral  ancient  Hiftorians  5  who  tell  us  how 
Princes  and  Fathers  of  Families  have  had  Fore- warn 
ings  of  future  Events :  Either  concerning  themiel  ves, 
their  Kingdoms,  or  Pofterity,  Book  I.  upon  the  Creed, 
chap.  9. 

He  told  his  Brethren*"}  This  argues  his  great  Inno 
cence  and  Simplicity  5  that  he  had  not  yet  under- 
ftanding  enough  to  confider,  how  ill  this  Dream 
might  be  expounded  ;  or,  not  Prudence  enough  to 
conceal,  what  might  be  ill  interpreted  by  them. 

They  hated  him  yet  more.}  The  firft  ground  of 
their  Hatred  was,  their  Father's  great  Love  to  him  5 
and  then,  his  informing  their  Father  of  their  bad  Be 
haviour  .-Which  was  ftill  increafed  by  the  fine  Clothes 
his  Father  beftowed  on  him  5  and  now  moftof  all, 
by  this  Dream  5  which  they  interpreted  to  fignifiehis 
Superiority  over  them. 

Ver.  7.    Tour  Sheaves  flood  round  about  ^  and 
obeyfance,    &C."]   Or,   gathered  round  about  mine  „• 
Which  was  fulfilled,  when  they  came  for  Corn  into 
Egypt ;  of  which  thefe  Sheaves,  fome  think,  were  an 
apt  Reprefentation. 


494  A    co  M  M  EN  r  ART  | 

Chapter  Ver,  8.  Shalt  thou  indeed  reign  over  us  <Q  It  feems 
XXXVI!. they  could  readily  interpret  the  meaning  of  a  Dream: 
•^  A/-^  Which  (hows  how  common  they  were  in  thofe 
Verle  8.  r\,frc 


-> 


bis  Dreams^  and  for  his  Words."]  This  feems  to 
import,  that  he  had  more  Dreams  of  like  nature  ^  and 
was  wont  to  talk  of  them  :  W'hich  they  thought 
favoured  of  Arrogance. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  He  dreamt  yet  another  Dream."]  Which  con 
firmed  the  former  5  by  repeatingthe  fame  thing,  under 
different  Figures.  For  as  the  former  was  tak£n  from 
the' Earth  $  fo  this  from  Heaven  :  And  is  more  com- 
prehenfive  than  the  former  $  for  it  concerns  his  Fa 
ther  as  well  as  his  Brethren. 

Behold  the  Sun  and  the  Moon^  8tc,]  They  feemed  to 
defcend  to  him,  or  he  to  be  carried  up  to  them  : 
Where  they  bowed,  and  layed  at  his  Feer. 
-Verfe  10  Ver.  10.  His  Father  rebuked  him.]  Gave  him  a 
ctteck  5  that  fifeph  might  not  grow  conceited  of  him- 
felf -^  and  his  Brethren  might  not  be  provoked  to 
hate  him. 

Whatfc  this  Dream  that  thou  haft  dreamed  /]  What 
an  idle  Dream  is  this  ? 

Shall  /,  and  thy  Mother,  and  Brethren,  &c.]  Who 
can  believe  this  ?  Thy  Mother  is  dead,  (which  is  fuf- 
ficient  to  ftiow  the  vanity  of  this  Dream)  and  thy 
Father  fure  is  not  to  truckle  unto  thee  3  no,  nor  thy 
elder  Brethren. 

'  Verfe  i  j.     Ver.  n.    His  Brethren  envhd  him.]   Though  Ja- 
'  cob  feemed  to  flight  what  he  faid  5  it  incenfed  his  Bre 
thren  againft  him. 

But  his  Father  obferved  the  Sayingl]  He  [did  not 
look  upon  it  as  a  mere  fancy  $  but  thought  there 
might  be  fomething  in  it.  And  therefore,  though 

he 


GENESIS, 

he  thought  fit  publickly  to  (light  it,  yet  he  took  fuch  Chapter 
notice  of  it  privately,    that  he  preferved  it  inMind,XXXV{|. 
and  laid  it  up  in  his  Heart  5  as  the^Scripture  elfewhere  WVNJ 
fpeaks.     And   it  really  was  fulfilled,   when  he  went 
down  into  Egypt  $  and ,  no  dobbt,  (howed  that  Refpeft 
which  was  due  to  the  Vice-Roy  of  the  Country  :  And 
fo  did  his  Mother  Btlbath,  and  all  his  Brethren. 

Ver.  ix.  His  Brethren  went  to  feed  their  F^tkersflocl^Vzrk  12* 
in  Shechem.']  As  their  Flocks  increafed,  fo  they  inlar- 
ged  their  Pafture  :    And  they  often  removed  to  find 
fre(h  Pafture.    Befides,  he  had   made  a  Purchafe  in  .  Jfe 

this  Place  $     where  they  fed  his  Flocks  in  his  own 
Ground. 

Ver.  13.  Corne^  I  will  fend  thee  unto  them.~]  MakeVerfe  13.  > 
thy  felf  ready,  that  I  may  fend  thee  to  inquire  of  thy 
Brethrens  welfare,  About  which  he  was  now  the 
more  folicitous  $  becaufe  they  were  gone  to  a  place, 
where  they  had,  fome  Years  ago  given  great  provoca 
tion  to  the  Country,  and  their  barbarous  Cruelty. 

Ver.  15.  A  certain  Man  found  him."}  Some  rake  Ver fe  15*, 
this  to  have  been  an  Angel :  Who  took  care  of  him, 
when  he  was  at  a  lofs,  which  way  to  go.  So  Maimo- 
nides,  P.  II.  More  Nevoch.  cap.  42.  Where  he  makes 
this  Pafiage  the  very  fame  with  that  XVI.  7.  The  Angel 
of  the  LORD  found  her,  &c, 

Ven  1 8.  They  confptred  again  ft  h\m7\    The  He^mVerfe  1 8V 
word  fignifies,  they  took  fubtil  and  crafty  Counfel  a- 
gainft  him  to  ilay  him.     Laid  their  Heads  together 
(as  we  now  fpeak)    to  kill  him  fo,    that  the  Murder 
might  be  concealed  from  their  Father. 

Ver.  19.  Beholdythis  dreamer coweth.~]   In  the  He-  Verfe  19, 
im*>,  This  Mafterof  Dreams ;  or,  a  frequent  Dreamer  y 
one  that  hath  Dreams  at  command* 


*    COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  20.  Caft  him  into  fomepitT]  Which  they  were 
XXXVII.  wont  to  dig  frequently  in  thofe  Countries,  to  hold 
w^y-^  Rain-  Water  for  their  Cattle,    when  they  could  not 
Verle  20.  fjncj  a  Spring,  or  were  near  to  a  River. 
Verfe  2  1  .      Ver  f  e  zi.He  delivered  him  out  of  their  Hands.']  Pre- 
ferved  him  from  being  murdred  by  them,  as  they  in 
tended  :  Which  he  did  by   the  following  CounfeJ, 
Wliich  feemed   to  have  Comething  of  Humanity  in 
it  5  and  yet  would  effeft  what  they  refolved. 
Verfe  22.     Ver.  22.  Caft  him  into  this  fit.']  That  he  might  pe- 
rifh  with  Hunger. 

And  lay  no  hands  upon  him,  &C.]  Let  US  not  kill 
him.  This  he  faid  that  he  might  fave  his  Life  5  in 
tending  fecretly  to  draw  him  out  of  the  Pit,  and  re- 
ftorehim  fafe  to  his  Father.  By  which  piece  of  good 
Service,  fRw£?«  ,  perhaps,  hoped  to  reconcile  his  Fa- 
thertohim  5  who  was  juftly  angry  with  him,  for  de 
filing  his  Bed,  XXXV.  22. 

Werfe  23.  Ver.  23.  His  Coat  of  many  Colours.'}  By  this  itfeems 
he  was  dirtinguiihed  from  the  reft  of  his  Brethren  .• 
Being  not  yet  grown  up  to  fuch  laborious  ImpJoy- 
rnents  as  they  followed  abroad;  an4  therefore  in 
dulged  to  wear  a  richer  fort  of  Garment,  with  his 
Father  at  home.  For,  according  to  the  common  No 
tion,  it  was  wrought,  or  embroidered  with  Flow 
ers  5  which  was  accounted  Noble,  as  well  as  Beauti 
ful,  in  ancient  Times.  As  appears  by  Plato,  who,  com 
mending  the  Government  then  admired  in  Greece^ 
compares  it  to  fuch  a  Garment  that  hath  variety  of 
Colours  in  it,  I.  VIII.  de  RepM.  p.  557. 


oiv  avSsn  'Tr&rwuteMvcV     *i&      8,urrn  TrSin 


Ver. 


upon  GENESIS.  497 

Ver.  24.  The  pit  was  empty  ^   there  was  no  Water  in  Chapter 
it.'}  This  (hows,  the  ufe  of  fuch  Pits  was  to  hold  Wa-  XXXVII. 
ter  .•  Which  at  this  time  was  dried  up,  for  want  of  t/V\J 
Rain.  Verfe  24. 

Ver.  25.  A  company  oflffwaelites.*]  In  the  Language  Verfe  15. 
of  thefe  Times,  it  is  called  a  Caravan :   Merchants  not 
daring  to  travel  alone,  or  in  ftnall  Numbers,  in  thofe 
Eaftern  Countries,  through  the  Defarts  5  for  fear  of 
Robbers,  or  of  wild  Beafts. 

From  Mount  Gilead.]  They  came  from  Parts  be 
yond  that  :>  but  patted  that  way  to  Traffick  there. 

With  their  Camels^]  Which  were,  and  ftill  are,  the 
moft  proper  Beafts  for  Carriage  in  thofe  Countries  : 
Being  able  to  travel  a  great  way,  in  the  Defarts, 
without  Drink,  And  the  Midianites  ("who  are  here 
the  fame  with  the  IjhMaelites^  #.  28.)  had  ts  great  a 
breed  of  them,  as  any  other  Country  :  As  Bochart 
obferves,  P.I.  Hterozoic.  L.  II.  cap.  3. 

Bearing  Spicery^]  The  word  Necoth,  which  we,  and 
a  great  many  others  tranflate  Splcery  in  general,  feems 
to  fignVfie  feme  particular  fort  of  Spicery,  as  the  fol 
lowing  words  do.  A  great  many  Conjeftures  there 
are,  what  fort  5  and  Bochart  moft  probably  concludes 
it  to  be  Storax.  See  the  fore-named  Book,  P.  II.  L.  IV, 
cap.  12. 

'Balm.']  SoKi»/chi,  whom  the  Modern  Interpre 
ters  generally  follow,  expounds- the  Hebrew  word  Tze» 
ri :  Which  the  Ancients  interpret  Re/In  5  and  Bochart 
juftifies  them,  by  fuch  Reafons  as  thefe.  That  there 
was  no  Balm  in  G/lead  in  thefe  Days  $  but  it  was 
brought  thither  out  of  Arabia  Falix  in  the  Reign  of 
H\ngSolowoM  :  And  then  it  grew  on  this  fide  ^ordan^ 
about  Engaddiznd  Hierzcho  $  not  beyond  Jordan  in 
th«  Land  of  G/lead.  Ib.  Par.  \.Lib.  II,  cap.  51. 

Sff  Ver, 


<*  co  MM  EN  TART 

Chapter        Ver,  26.  What  profit  is  ft,  if  we  flay  our  Brother  f  &C.] 
XXXVII.  We  (hail  get  nothing  by  letting  him  dye  in  the  Pit  .- 
-vWA/>^  Had  we  not  better  make  Money  of  him  > 
Verfe  26.      And  conceal  his  Blood."]  Though  we  thould  beable 

to  conceal  his  Murder  $  which  is  not  eafie  to  do. 
Verfe  27.     Ver.  27.  Far  he  &  our  Brother,  and  our  fleffj."]  Na 
tural  Affe&ion  perfwaded  to  this  5  rather  than  to  the 
other. 

And  his  Brethren  were  content!]  As  many  of  them 
as  were  then  prefent  5  for  Reuben  was  not  among 
them  at  this  Confutation. 

Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  Then  faffed  by  Midianites.']  They  are  cal- 
led  lJbnHieIitejjto&.  before,  verfe  25.  And  fo  they  are 
immediately  in  this  very  Ferfe,  [Sold  Jofepb  to  the  Ifi- 
maelites.]  For  they  were  very  rear  Neighbours, 
and  joyned  together  in  Trade,  making  now  one  Ca- 
rxvan,  with  a  Joynt  Stock,  as  this  Story  intimates* 
Read  Judg*  VIII.  1,9,  22,  23,24,26.  and  it  will  ap 
pear  the  Scripture  fpeaks  of  them,  as  one  and  |he 
fame  People,  in  after-times. 

For  twenty  pieces  of  SifoerJ]  Moft  underftand  fo 
many  Shekels  /  Which  was  a  very  (mall  Price  3  but 
therefore  demanded  and  no  more,  that  the  Bargain 
might  be  clapt  up  the  fooner. 

Verfe  29-  Ver.  29.  Reuben  returned  to  the  fit. ~]  He  pretend 
ing  fome  bufinefs,  ted  withdrawn  himfelf  from  the 
Company,  with  an  intention,  when  his  Brethren  were 
gone  from  the  Pit,  to  come  privately  and  take  Jofeph 
out,  and  carry  him  to  his  Father.  Upon  that  Defign 
he  now  came  thither, 

Rent  his  Clofhes.~]  As  they  ufed  to  do,  when  they 
mourned  for  the  dead  .•  Whereby  he  exprefled  his 
real  Grief  for  his  Brother, 

Ver. 


upon  GENESIS. 

Ver.  30.    The  Child  Is  not."}    He  is  dead  $    as  this  Chapter 
Phrafe  commonly  fignifies.  XXXVII- 

Whether  /hall  I  go?]  I  know  not  whether  to  flee,  WVNJ 
to  hide  my  felf  from  my  Father's  Anger.  Who  might  Verfe  30. 
juftly  exped  the  eldelt  Son  (hould  take  the  greateft 
Care  of  him. 

Vtt.^i.  And  they  took.  Jofeftt* Coat,  &c.]  His  Bre-  Verfe  31. 
thren  it  feems  perfwaded;  Reuben  alfo,    to  joyn  with 
them,  in  concealing  the  Sale  ofjofeph  5  and  making 
their  old  Father  believe  he  was  devoured  by  fome 
wild  Beaft. 

Ver.  32.  Theyfent  the  Coat,  &c.]  They  firft  fent  it  Verfe  32. 
by  a  Meflenger  5    and  immediately  followed  thera- 
felves,  with  the  Tale  which  is  here  related. 

Ver.  33.   An  evil  Beaft.]  Some  wild  Beaft,  of  which  Verfe  33. 
there  were  great  ftore  in  thofe  Countries,  (fuch  as  Li 
ons,  and  Bears)  for  he  could  not  fufpe&  his  Brethren 
would  kill  him. 

Ver.  34.  Rent  his  Clothes,  and  put  Sackcloth  on  his  Verfe  34. 
LefasJ]  This  was  the  higheft  degree  of  Mourning  in 
thofe  Days.  We  read  often  of  putting  on  Sackcloth 
in  future  Ages,  upon  fuch  fad  Occafions  .•  But  this  is 
the  firft  time  we  meet  with  it  5  which  (hows  the  great 
Antiquity  of  fuch  Cuftoms. 

Mourned  for  his  Son  many  days. ~\  Beyond  the  or 
dinary  time  of  Mourning.  Many  Years  (as  the  word 
Days  fometimes  fignifies")  perhaps,  till  he  heard  he  was 
alive.  So  the  following  Ferfe  feems  to  denote  5  that 
he  refolved  not  to  ceafe  Mourning  for  him,  as  long  as 
he  lived. 

Ver.  35.  All  his  Sons  and  Daughters.']  He  had  but  Verfe  35. 
one  Daughter  :  Therefore  the  meaning  is,  his  Sons, 
Wives,  or  their  Daughters. 

Sffft  Imtt 


500  A    COMMENT  ART 

Chapter        1  mil  go  down  into  theGraver  &c."]    If  Scheol  here 
XXXVII.be  expounded  Grave,  then  the  next  words  muft  be 
V  v^-r  thus  tranilated,  mourning  for  my  Son  5    as  R.  Solomon 
interprets  them.     For  Jofeph  was  not   buried    in  a 
Grave  5  and  therefore  he  could  not  think  of  going 
down  to  him  thither.     And  thus  Chriftophortts  a  Ca- 
ftro  upon  the  Second  of  Btruch  acknowledges  Scheol 
fignifies  in  this  place,   and  interprets  it  in  8  this  man 
ner.     Lugere  non  definam^  donee  me  fepulturd  deman* 
detis.     I  will  not  ceafe  to  mourn,  till  you  lay  me 
in  my  Grave.    But  if  we  follow  our  Tranflation, 
which  is  moft  common,    /  mil  go  down   to  my  Son, 
then  Scheol  muft  fignifie  the  State,   or  Place  of  the 
Dead  5  as  it  often  doth  .•  And  particularly  IfaiahX\V+ 
fwhere  the  King  of  Babylon  is  exprefljr  denied  the  ho 
nour  of  a  Grave,  verfe  19,  20.)  Scbeolis  faid,  to  be 
wovedfor  him^  and  to  meet  him>  and  to  far  up  the  dead 
forhiw^Verfeq.  r.iil.^i   ^ >. 

Thns  his  Father  wept  for  fam.~]  Continue^  his 
Mourning^  not  only  by,  wearing  Sackcloth,  but  in 
fuch  paffionate  Expreffions  as  thefe. 

¥erfe  36.      Ver.  56.  And  the  MidianftesJ]   In  the  Hebrew  ti\z 
word  is  Medanim  (a  diftinft  Name  from  thofe  Perfi. 
38.)  who  were  a  People  derived  from  Medan,  one 
of  the  Sons  of  Keturab,    and  Brother  to  Midian^ 
XXV.  2.     They  and  the  Midianites  lived  near  toge 
ther  in  Aratia,    not  far  frpm  the  Ijhmaelites  :  Who^ 
ail  joyned  together  in  this  Caravan^  and  made  one 
Society  of  Merchants  y  confifting  QiMedanites,  Mi- 
dianites,  and  Ijhmaelites. 

An  Officer."]  The  Hebrew  word  Saris,  often  times 
fignifies  an  Eunuch  :  By  whom  the  Eaftern  Queens 
were  attended.  But  it  likewife  fignifies  all  the  great 
Courtiers^  (as  thfeC&i/tfet.here  tranflates  it)  fuch  as 

the 


upon    GENESIS. 

the  Bed- Chamber-Men^  the  Lord  Chamberlain ^   (as  we  Chapter 
now  fpeak)    and  fuch  like  Officers  of  State  .•     And  XXXVII 
therefore  is  rightly  tranflated  here,  for  Potiph^r  had  a 
Wife,     The  truth  is,  this  was  the  prime  fignificauon 
of  the  word  .•    Till,  in  after  times,   the  depravation 
of  Manners,  and  the  jealoufie  of  the  Eaftcrn  Kings, 
made  them   fet  none  but  Slaves,    who  were  caftra- 
ted,    to  attend  their  Queens  $  by  whom  they  were 
preferred  to  great  Offices  3  and  fo  came  to  enjoy  this 
Name. 

Pharoah7\    This  was   a  common  Name  to  all  the 
Kings  of  Egypt.  See  XII.  15. 

Captain  of  the  Guard.']  TheLXX.  tranflate  it,  Ma- 
fterCooh^:  And  fo  Epiphanius  calls  his  Wife,  r  iS'Af- 
%i,ua,ydpu,  H<eref.  XXVI.».  17.  Our  Margin  hath  it, 
Chief  of  the  Slaughter-men,  or  Executioners.  But  the 
word  Tabachim  may  better  be  tranflated  Soldiers^ 
than  Butchers^  or  Executioners :  And  here,  fome  think., 
may  denote  him,  whom  we  call  the  Provoft-MarJhah 
Others,  will  have  it,  The  Mafter  of  the  Horfe.  But  I 
fee  no  more  proper  tranllation  than  ours,  Captain  of 
the  Guard :  Or,  rather,  Chief  Commander  of  the 
Kings's  Guard  5  fuch  an  one  as  Nebuzaradan  was, 
x  Kings  XXV.  20.  For  Schar  is  more  than  one  whom 
we  now  call  a  Captain.  See  XL.  9.  This  Phrafe 
Schar-Hatabachim  is  explained  by  Hottinger  out  of  the 
See  Smegma  Orient,  p,  85. 


CH.A.P, 


A  COMMENTARY. 


Chapter 
XXX  VIII 
L/-VVJ 


CHAP.     XXXVIII. 


Verfe  i.    Ver.  i.   A  Tthat  tiwe.~\  It  is  uncertain  whether  he 

±\  mean  at  the  time  Jofeph  was  fold  (which 

is  juft  before-mentioned  )  or,  at  thetime  Jacob  return 

ed  from  Mefopotawrato  live  in  Canaan,  XXXIII.  iS.or 

when  he  went  to  fettle  with  his  Father  at  Mamrey 

XXXV.  ^J.  But,  take  it  any  of  thefe  ways,  there  was 

time  enough  for  all  the  Events  following,  before  they 

went  into  Egypt  ^  fuppofing  Judah's  Children  to  have 

married  very  young  .•  As  may  be  feen  in  moft  Inter 

preters. 

Judahwent  down  from  his  Brethren.]    Either  upon 
fome  bufinefs,  or  in  fome  difcontent. 

Adul/an*2te.~]  A  Citizen  of  AdttUam  5  which  was  a 
femous  Town  or  City,  that  fell  afterwards  to  the 
Tribe  of  Jnda  h:  Whofe  King  was  flain  by  Jo/hua, 
XII.  19.  And  where  there  was  a  famous  Cave,  in 
which  David  hid  himfelf,  i  Sam.XXll.-i. 
Verfe  2.  v^r.  2.  Judahfaw  there^]  So  as  to  fall  in  Love 
with  her.  For,  according  to  the  old  Saying,  5E*  r« 


A  Daughter  of  a.  certain  Canaanite  ]  It  was  notfo 
bad  for  a  Man  circumcifed  to  marry  the  Daughter  of 
one  uncircumcifed  5  as  it  was  to  give  their  Daughters 
in  Marriage  to  an  uncircumcifed  Husband,  (  XXXIV. 
1  4.^  For  an  uncircumcifed  Man  was  accounted  unclean,, 
though  he  had  renounced  Idolatry  .•  But  a  Woman 
born  of  uncircumcifed  Parents,  was  not  (b  accounted  ^ 
if  (he  embraced  the  worfhip  of  the  True  God.  Whence 

Salmon 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S 

Salmon,  a  great  Man  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  married  Chapter 
Rahab  who  was  a  Canaanite.  Such  a  one  we  mufl  fup-  XXXVIII 
pofe  this  Woman,    whom  Judah  married,  to  ha\e 
been  $  oreife  he  had  offended  his  Faiher,  as  much  as 
Efan  did  Jfaac,  by  marrying  the  Daughters  of  Heth. 

Whofe  name  wat  Shuah."]     Her  Father's  Name  was 
Shuah)  verfe  12. 

He  toother."]  To  be  his  Wife,  verfe  12. 

Ver.  5.  And  be  was  at  Chezib  when  fie  bare  /;/#// 
Some  think  this  Town  the  fame  with  Achzi^  belong 
ing  to  Judah^  Joflj.  XV.  44.  But  why  Mofes  menti 
ons  his  Abfencewhen  this  Child  was  born,  and  why 
he  fets  down  the  Place  where  he  then  was.  we  cannot 
give  an  account :  Though  there  was,  no  doubt,  fome 
{pecial  Reafon  for  it.  Perhaps  it  is  to  ftiow,  why  (he 
gave  the  Name  to  this  and  to  her  former  Son,  ( where 
as  he  himfelf  named  the  firtt,  verfe  gjbecaufe  he  was 
not  at  home  when  they  were  born. 

Ver.  6.  W hofe  nam e  was  Tawar."]  She  feems  alfo  to  Verfe  6. 
have  been  a  Woman  of  Canaan  5  but  not  an  Idolater. 

Ver.  7.  Was  wicked  in  the  fight  of  the  LORD.']  Verfe  7. 
i.e.  Exceeding  impious  3  and  thatnotorioufly.  See 
Gen.  X.  9.  What  particular  Sins  he  was  guilty  of, 
is  but  conjeftured.  Some  fanfie  they  were  of  the  fame 
Nature  with  his  next  Brothers.  See  Bonfrcre^  or  Me- 
nochins  out  of  him. 

And  the  LORD  flew  hlmJ}  Cut  him  offfudden- 
ly,  by  fome  unufual  ftroke. 

Ver.  8.  Go  in  unto  thy  Brother  s  Wife,  Sec.]  This  Verfe  8. 
(fay  the  Hebrew  Doftors )  was  an  ancient  Cuftom,  in 
force  by  the  Law  of  Mofes  :  Which  only  enafted 
what  had  been  formerly  pra&ifed,  (Maimon.  P.  III. 
cap.  49.  More  Nev&ch.)  that  when  a  Man  died  with 
out  Ifftie,  his  next  Brother  ftiould  marry  his  Wife, 

Deat, 


504  ^  COMMENT  ART. 

Chapter    Deut.  XXV.  5.    Which  Cuftom  afterward  extended 

XXX  VIII  to  the  next  Coufin,  if  no  Brother  remained. 
IX'VNJ  And  raife  up  Seed  unto  thy  Brother.']  Preferve  thy 
Brother's  Name  and  Family  5  by  begetting  a  Child, 
which  may  be  accounted  his,  and  inherit  his  Eftate. 
For  fo  the  Law  was;  that  the  Firft-born  offuch  a 
match  was  not  to  be  lookt  upon  as  a  Child  of  him 
that  begat  him  ,  but  as  his  Brother's,  who  was  the 
Mother's  firft  Husband.  AU  the  following  Children 
were  to  be  his  own. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Onan  knew  that  the  Seed  jhould  not  be  his.] 
i.e.  The  Firft-born  fhould  be  reputed  his  Brother's 
Child. 

Left  heflwuld  give  Seed  to  his  Brother^]  Or,  left  a 
Child fhonld  be  born  In  the  name  of  his  Brother,  as  the 
Vulgar  Latin  interprets  it  very  exaftly,  according  to 
the  Opinion  of  the  Hebrews  5  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves, 
L.  Vll.  de  Jure  N.&G.  cap.  %. 

Vsrfe  10.  Ver.  10.  The  thing  which  he  did  difpleafed  the 
LOR  D."]  This  made  his  Sin  the  more  heinous,  that 
he  afted  againft  the  Divine  Promife  made  to  Abraham^ 
concerning  the  multiplying  of  his  Seed  5  Efpecial- 
ly  againftthe  Belief  of  the  Promife  of  the  Metfiah  5 
that  Seed  For  which  all  good  Men  longed. 

Verfe  1 1 .  Ver.  1 1 .  Remain  a  Widow  in  thy  Fathers  Houfe,  &C.  ] 
It  feems  the  Contraft  of  Marriage  at  firft,  was  fo  un- 
derftood  in  thofe  Days,  that  if  the  Husband  died 
without  Iffue,  the  Woman  muft  marry  his  next  Bro 
ther  5  and,  as  long  as  any  of  his  Brethren  remained, 
they  were  bound  to  marry  his  Wife,  and  preferve 
their  Brother's  Memory  .•  Or,elfe  folemnly  renounce 
her,  to  their  great  infamy  and  difgrace.  This  was 
fo  well  known,  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  Law, 
that  enjoyns  any  new  folemn  Contraft  in  fuch  a 

Cafe  .• 


npon    GENESIS,  505 

Gafe  :  Becaufe  the  firft  Husband  being  dead,  (he  and  Chapter 
the  next  Brother  were  Man  and  Wife,  Without  any  XXXVIIL 
further  Agreement,  by  Virtue  of  the  Original  Law  : 
Until  he  renounced  her.     Yet  by  the  Conftitutions 
afterwards  made  by  their  Elders,  it  was   ordained, 
that  he  (hould  efpoufe  and  endow  her  folemoly  be 
fore  Witneffes:  As  Mr.  Selden  (hows  in  his  Vxor 
Hebr.  Lib.  I.  cap.  12.  and  Lib.  2.  cap.  2.  and  10. 

But  Judah  thought  Selah  was  too  young  to  per 
form  this  contraft  5  and  therefore  defired  her  to  ftay 
till  he  was  grown  up.-  And  to  abide  in  her  own  Fa 
ther's  Houfe,  rather  than  in  his$  that  Selah  might 
not  think  of  Marriage  too  foon. 

For  hefaid^  Left  peradventure  he  die  alfo^]  This 
fome  make  an  Argument,  that  he  never  intended  to 
give  her  his  Son.  But  it  is  more  agreeable  to  verfe 
2,4,  and  26.  to  think  that  according  to  the  Cuftom 
of  thofe  Days,  he  could  not  refufe  it.  And  there 
fore  he  thought  it  was  their  youthful  Folly,  which 
made  his  two  other  Sons  perifti  :  Which  made  him 
refolve  to  keep  this  till  he  had  more  Difcretion,  and 
was  better  inftrufted  in  his  Duty.  Or,  if  we  imagine 
their  Sin  was  known  to  none  but  Tamar^  the  mean 
ing  may  be,  that  he  thought  their  marrying  too  young 
was  the  caufe  of  their  death:  And  therefore  he  de 
termined  to  keep  this  only  remaining  Son,  till  he 
was  of  a  riper  Age. 

Ver.  ix.  In  procefs  of  timt^}     In  the  Hebrew  the  Verfe 
words  are,  The  Days  were  multiplied^  i.  e.  after  fome 
Years. 

70  Tintndth.~]  A  Town  not  far  from  Adulhm,  it  is 
probable,  for  it  was  alfo  within  the  Lot  of  the  Tribe 
,  Jofi.XV.  57. 

Ttt  He 


•$o5  A  COMMENTS  KY 

Chapter        He  went  up  to  Tiwnatb."]     Some  have  made  a  diffi- 
XXXVHI.culty  about  this  Phrafe:  For  Sawpfon  is  faid  to  have 
v-/"W»  gone  down  to  Timtfatt^Judg.  XI V.  5.   But  they  (hould 
have  coniidered    (as  Bochan  obterves,  P.  I.  Hiero- 
zo/c.    L.  III. .cap. 4.*)  that    thefe  were  two  different 
Places,    one   called  T'unnah,  the   other  Timnathah :  : 
This  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah  :,  the  other  iin  the  Tribe 
of  Dan.     To  this  they  went  up,  becaufe  it  was  in  a 
mountainous  Country :  To  the  other  they  vrent  down, 
becaufe  it  was  in  a  Valley. 

To  h?s  Sheep '/hearers."]     It  was   the  Cuftom  at  fuch 
times  to  make  a  Feaft,  (as  we  do  now)  and  to  in- 
vite  their  Kindred  and  Friends  to  it,  (as  he  doth  his 
Friend  Htrah')  which  appears  fufficiently  from  the 
Story   of  dbfaloM^    2  Sam.  XIII.  2  3.    For   in  thofe 
Countries,  where  they  had  vaft  Flocks,  Sheep-jhearing 
was  a  kind  of  Harveft :  Which  made  that  time  to 
be  obferved  with   fuch  Joy,  as  there  ufed  to  be  m, 
Harveft,    Whence  David's  Servants  faid  to  Nabal, 
that  they  were  come  to  him  on  a,  good  Day  ^  for  he 
was  (hearing  Sheep,   i  Sam.  XXV.  8.     Accordingly 
Jtidab  having  finiQied  the  time  of  mourning  for  his 
Wife,  went  to  recreate  himfelf,  with  his  Friends,  at 
this  Feftival  Seafon. 

Verfe  1 4.  ^er-  *  4-  ^e  PHt  °ffher  Widows  Garments.]  In  which, 
itfeems,  fuch  Perfons  continued,  till  they  were  mar 
ried  to  the  next  Brother.  But  (he,  at  this  time,  laid 
them  afide,  that  he  might  not  have  the  leaft  fufpicion 
(he  was  the  Perfon  whom  he  courted. 

Covered  her  with  a  Veil.']  As  all  Women  did,  in 
the  Eaftern  Countries,  when  they  went  abroad:  And 
there  are  Examples  of  it  alfo  in  the  Weftern  Parts 
of  the  World  5  as  Mr.  Selden  at  large  fhows,  in 
his  Uxor  Hebraica,  L.  III.  cap.  1 7.  Where  he  pro 
duces 


Hpon    GENESIS- 

duces  feveral  Paflages  out  of  the  Alcoran  requiring  Chapter 
this.  .;  XXXVIII, 

Wrapt  her  felfJ]     Muffled  her  Face  with  it,  as  we 
fpeak,  that  (he  might  not  be  known. 

And  fat  in  an  open  place. ~]  Where  two  Ways  met, 
as  the  Hebrew  words  feem  to  import:  Unlefs  we  take 
it  for  a  proper  Name,  as  it  is  in  the  Margin  of  our 
Bibles.  Either  way,  it  fignifies,  in  a  Publick  Place, 
where  every  Body  might  fee  her.  It  is  commonly 
noted,  That  there  was  fo  much  Modefty  left,  in  thofe 
ancient  Days,  that  Harlots  both  went  veiled,  and 
alfo  fat  without  the  Cities,  (fee  Origen  L.  IV.  contra 
Celfunt)  p.  206.)  But,  however  the  latter  part  of  this 
Obfervation  be,  the  former  part  of  it  is  not  true. 
For,  as  Bochartw  obferves,  (P.  L  Hierozoic.  Lib.  IL 
cap.  46.)  Proprittm  frit  vteretricHfft  non  velari,  fed  re- 
velari  5  it  was  proper  to  Harlots  not  to  be  covered, 
but  to  go  bare-faced  :  As  appears  from  Ifai.  XLVII. 
9.  Nahum.  III.  5,  &c.  All  that  can  be  anfwered  to 
this  is,  That  it  might  be  otherwife,  in  very  ancient 
Times.  Which  I  do  not  take  to  be  true :  For  all 
Women,  as  I  obferved  before,  were  covered  5  and 
therefore  Harlots  were  diftinguifhed  only  by  their 
fitting  in  the  High- ways,  not  by  their  \feils. 

For  Jhe  Jaw  that  Selah  wo*  grown^  and  (he  ivas  not 
given,  &c.]  She  refolved,  if  (he  could,  to  have  a 
Child  by  one  of  this  Family  5  and  hoped,  perhaps, 
that  Selah  might  come  along  with  his  Father,  and 
have  the  fame  Defires  his  Father  had  :  And  in  thofe 
Days  (as  I  noted  before^  there  were  no  fuch  So 
lemnities  required,  as  the  Jews  afterwards  tifed 
(though  the  Law  did  not  enjoyn  it)  to  the  making 
a  Marriage  with  one's  Brother's  Wife.  Which  was 
to  be  contra&ed,  they  fay,  before  two  Witnefles,  and 

T  1 1  *  by 


$08  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    by  giving  a  piece  of  Money v  or  a  Writing;  But  this -: 
XXXVIII.  was  ordained  only  by  their  Elders,  not  by  the  Om, 
L/"V*VJ  g'mal  Law.    Szsverfe  n.     And  therefore  (he  thought 
if  (he    could, have  caught   Selah   by   this  Device,  it-?, 
would  have  been  held  Lawful  :  But  this  Plot  failing 
her,  (hefo  far  tranfgrefled,  as  to  admit  Jadah  himfelf- 
to  lie  with  her. 

Verfe  15*.      Ver.  15.   Becaufe  Jhe  covered  her  face."]    This  is  not 
the  reafon  why  he  took  her  for  an  Harlot  $  but  why 
he  did  not  know  her  to  be  his  Daughter-in-law,  (as 
Mr.  Selden  obferves  in  the  place  before-named,  verfe- 
14,)  becaufe  he   could   not  fee  her  Face:  And  he; 
thought  her  to  be  an  Harlot,  becaufe  (he  fat  in  tri- 
vio,  in  the  High-way  5.. where  (he  publickly  expofed 
her  felf. 

Verfe  16.  Ver,i6.  Letwecoweinuntothse.~]  There  was  an, 
exprefs  Law  that  there  (hould  be  no  Kedefiah  for 
Whori)  among  the  Daughters  of  Ifiael^  \.  e.  none 
who  (hould  proftitute  her  Body  without  Marriage, 
Dcut.  XXIII.  iB.Zewf.  XIX.  29.  But  before  the 
giving  of  the  Law  (faith  Maimomdes}  if  a  Man 
found  a  fingle  Woman  in  a  Publick  Place,  and  they 
agreed  on  certain  terms,  to  lie  together  without  be 
ing  married,  they  were  notpuni(hed.  See  Mr.  Sd- 
den,  L.  V.  de  Jure  N.  ®!G.  cap.  4.. 

What  wilt  thoti  give  me  f]  That  which  made  fuch 
Fafts  not  to  be  punifhed,  was  (faith  the  fame  Mai- 
monuhi)  becaufe  of  the  Contraft  which  pafled  be 
tween  them.  This  Reward  which  he  gave  the  Har 
lot  for  the  ufe  of  her  Body,  being  like  the  Dowry  a 
Man  gave  his  Wife,  when  he  put  her  away  .-  Which 
being  paid,  it  was  thought  he  did  her  no  wrong. 
More  Nevoch:  P.  III.  cap.  49.  They  that  would  now 
have  then?  wicked  Practices  warranted  by  fuch  Ex 
amples^ 


ufrn    O  EN  E  S  I  S. 

amplest  (hould  confider  that  every  thing  not  punifh-  Chapter 
ed  by  Men,  was  not  allowed  by  God.:  And  that  weXXXVIIL 
no.v  live  under  another  Difpenfation,  which  exprefly  vyv^NJ 
forbids  fuchundeannefs  $  and  declares,  that  not  on 
ly  Adulterer  sy  but  Whoremongers,  Cod  will  judge  ^  i,  e». 
punifh,  Hebr.  XIII.  4.  See  verfe  23. 

^er.  17,  A  Kid.  from  the  Flock;']  Which  was  look t  Verfe -'-17. 
upon  as  a  valuable  Prefent,  in  thofeDays-:,  as  1  have 
obferved  before,  XXVII. 9.. 

Wilt  thon  give  we  a  Pledge^  Scc.~]  A  Pawn,  as  we 
now  fpeak,  to  be  returned,  when  he  fent  what  he 
prpmited. 

Ver.  18,    Thy  Signet7\     His  Ring,  wherewith  he-Verfe  18, 
fealed. 

Thy  Bracelets^]  The  Hebrews  generally  underiland 
by  this  word,  his  Cloak,  or  fome  fuch  Garment.  O-. 
thers,  his  Girdle, 

And  thy  Staff.&zC]  Which,  it  is  likely,  had  fome- 
thing  in  it,  to  diftinguifh   it  from  other  Mens  Staffs, 
And  (he  asks- fo  many  things,  that  by  fome  or  other  ; 
of  them  f  if  not  by.allj  it  might  be  xrertainly  known, 
who  was  the  Father,  if  fhe  proved  with  Child* 

And  he  came  muntoher^\  Not  pnblickly  5  but  in 
fooie  by  place,  to  which  they  retired. 

And  fie  conceived  by  h)m~]     Though   he  did  not 
know  her,  yet  (he  knew  him  :   Which  aggravated  her 
Crime,  and  made  it  Inceft  in  her,  though  only  Forni 
cation  in  him.     Unto  which,  one, would  think,  fhe 
was  tempted,    by  her  vehement   defire  to  have  a    * 
Child,  by  one  of  this  Fatailv  5  unto  which  the  Pro- 
mife  of  the  Mejflah  belonged.     For  though  foe  Ceenis 
to  have  been  one  of  the  Seed "of  Canaan,  (as  I  fa  id 
before,  verfe6.)  yet  embracing  the  Reiigion-of  Jacob^  C7  ' 
'  (he  renounced   the  Impiety  of  thz.Cavaamtes  :.  And   * 

fo 


5  i  o  '  V   0  0  M  M  ENT4KY 

Chapter    fo  is  mentioned  in  the  Genealogy  of  our  Saviour,  as 

XXXVIII.  well  as  Rahab  and  Ruth. 

u^VNJ       Ver.  19.  Lard  ly  her  Vail  from  her,  Sec."]     Retired 

Verfe  19.  jn|-0  |jer  father's  Houfe  ("for  wiihin  Deors  they  did 
not  wear  Veils)  where  (he  cloathed  her  felf  again, 
like  a  Widow. 

Verfe  21.  Ver.  11.  H'fore  # /Ae  Harlot  ?~]  By  this  it  is  appa 
rent  that  the  word  Kedefchah,  fignvfies  a  common 
Whore  (as  we  fpeakj  who  publickly  proftituted 
her  feH  for  hire :  As  the  Hebrew  Doftors  obferves  up 
on  this  place,  and  upon  Dc;/r.  XXIII.  17.  But  whence 
this  Name  fhould  be  given  to  Harlots  is  a  great  doubt  $ 
it  coming  from  a  Root,  which  fignifies  that  which'is 
Sacred.  Which  hath  inclined  fome  learned  Men  to 
think,  that  the  Women-Prhfts  confecrated  to  the  Ser 
vice  of  Baalphegor^  or  Priapus,  who  were  no  bet 
ter  than  Whores ;  ;and  the  Men-Priefts,  who  ferved 
Afcteroth,  mentioned  2  Kings  XXIII.  7.  made  all 
Whores  be  called  Kedcfchiw,  which  was  the  Name 
for  thofe  devoted  to  fuch  impure  Minifteries.  See 
Mr.  Seldcn^  De  dm  Syrh  Syntag.  I.  cap.  5.  and  Syn- 
tag.  II.  cap.  ^.  But  fuch  beaftly  Idolatry,  furely,  was 
not  fo  old,  as  the  Days  of  Jacob:  And  it  feems  more 
reafonable  to  me  to  think,  that  the  Original  word 
fignifying  Separation ;  it  was  applied  either  to  thofe 
who  were  feparated  unto  Holinefs,  or  unto  Unclean- 
nefs,  as  Harlots  were. 

And  they  faid  there  WM  no  Harlot  in  thir  place."] 
They  knew  of  hone,  that  publickly  profeffed  to  be 
a  Proftitute  :  Nor  had  they  feen  any  one  fit  publick 
ly  to  invite  Cuftomers. 

-Verfe  ^3.     Ver. -25.  Let  her  take  it  to  her.~]     Keep  the  Pledge 
to  her  felf. 


upon    GENE  SIS.  5  fi 

le/?  we  be  a/hawed^  Though  the  Fact  he~had  corn-Chapter 
mitted  was  in  thofe  Days  Lawful,  (faith  Maimonid 
that  is,  was  n <>t  punifhed    by    the  Judges  5  yet  Men 
did  not  publickly  b:  aft  of  it,  nor  were  willing    to 
own  it  ,•    but  we  e  aihamed    it  fhould    be   known, 
(which  was  a  fign  they  were  fen  fib!  e  there  was  a  mo 
ral  turpitude  in  it}  and  therefore  endeavoured   to 
hide  and  conceal  it}    even   with  the  iofs  of  thofe 
Goods  which  were  of  greateft  value.     For  the  Sence, 
faith  he,  of  Jadah's  words  is  this,  It  is  better  to  loft 
what  ftie  hath  of  ours,  than,  by  inqHiJition  after  /Y,  to  di 
vulge   the  bu/inefs,  and  increafe  our  fljawe,  More   A7e-. 
vochini,  P.  III.  cap  49.  where  he  bids  his  Reader  ob- 
ferve,  this  is  the  Moral  Vertiie,  which  ought  to  be 
learnt  from  this  Hiftory^    together  with  Juftice  and 
Equity  5  Which  appears  in   his  performing  the  A- 
greement  he  made  of  fending  a  Kid  $  of  which  he 
defires  his  Friend  to  be  a  Witnefs,  that  he  might  not 
lie  under  any  fufptcion  of  having  offered  Violence 
to  her. 

Ver.  24.  Bring  her  forth.']     Out  of  her  Father's  Verf^ 
Houfe,  into  the  place  of  Judgment:  Where  he  would 
have  her  fentenced  to  the  fevered  Punifhment. 

Let  her  be  l>tirnt~\  Not  prefently,  ffor  that  had 
been  the  higheft  InjuQice  and  Cruelty,  to  burn  the 
Child  in  her  BellyJ  but  after  (he- was  delivered  :' 
Till  which  time  he  would  have  her  kept  io.ftich  fafc 
Cuftody,  that  this  Execution  might  be  done  upon 
her.  Some  think  burning  was  the  Punifhment  for 
Adultery  in  thofe  Days.  Others  think 'the  Punifh 
ment  depended  on  the  Will  of  the  Supreme  Gover 
nor,  whofoever  he  was.-  Whom  forr^aiib  take  to 
have  been  JxdahhimMf  x  as  Chief  in  his  own  Fami 
ly:  And  that  he  was  fo  fevere  agaiuft  her  becaufe 

.  •-. 


5 1^  ''*   C&M  M  E  N  T  A:-R'T 

Chapter  (he  had  difgraced  his  Family,  and  he  was  glad  to  be 
XXXVIII.  rid  of  her,  that  he  might  not  give  his  Son  Selah  to 
c/fV"\J  her.  But  there  are  thofe,  who  think  by  burning  is 
meant  no  more,  but  branding  her  in  the  Fore-head, 
to  denote  her  to  be  an  Whore.  See  Mr.  Selden,  L. 
VII.  de  Jure  N.  &  G\  cap.  ?.  If  Judah  did  mean 
burning  her  at  a  Stake,  fas  we  now  fpeakj  it  was  a 
Punifhment  not  then  commonly  ufed,  but  infli&ed 
fas  his  words  are  L.  III.  TJxor  Hebr.  cap.  n.J  ex 
wore  feu  Icge  alzqi/a  fingulari :  By  fome  fingular  Cu- 
ftom  or  Law. 

All  this  proceeds  upon  a  fuppofition,  that  (he  real 
ly  was  Selatfs  Wife,  though  not  folemnly  married 
(as  the  Jews  pretend  it  was  neceflary,  after  the  Law 
was  given)  by  Virtue  of  the  firft  Contraft  with  his 
eldeft  Brother.  Which  was  the  reafon  of  her  being 
kept  at  her  Father's  Houfe  5  that  no  Body  elfe  might 
.pretend  to  her,  but  (he  be  referred  for  him  /  Other- 
wife  there  could  have  been  no  ground  for  proceed 
ing  agahrft  her  as  an  Adulterefs. 

:Verfe  %6.  Ver.  26.  She  ha*  been  more  righteous  than  II}  Thefe 
words  do  not  fignifie,  that  (he  had  in  this  matter 
committed  a  lefs  Sin  than  he,  (for  (he  had  commit 
ted  a  greater)  but  that  in  another  matter,  which 
was  the  occafion  of  this,  he  had  broken  his  word 
with  her,  when  (be  had,  till  now,  kept  her  Faith 
with  him^  and  lived  a  Widow  honeftly  in  expecta 
tion  of  his  Son.  Befides,  (he  committed  this  Fad, 
out  of  defire  to  have  a  Child  ,  he,  to  fatisfie  his 
Luft. 

J(nd  he  knew  her  no  wore.']  Which  fome  have  trail- 
flated  quite  contrary,  and  he  ceafed  not  to  know  hcr> 
L  e.  he  iolcmnly  married  her,  and  took  her  to  be  his 
Wife  :  Which  was  unlawful  after  the  Law  of  M&jes 

was 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S-  513 

was  given,  but  as  lawful  before,  as  many  other  things  Chapter 
which  they  praftifed.     And  two  of  the  Cbaldec  Pa-XXXIX. 
raphrafts  have  feigned  a  Bath-coll  to  have  come  from  L/*V"NJ 
Heaven,  to  countenance  the  Fact.     See  Mr.  Selden^ 
L.  V.  Je  Jure  N.    &  G,    cap.  9.  and  L.  VII.  cap.  5. 
But,  it  is  not  likely,  he  would  take  his  Son's  Wife, 
to  be  his  own.     And  likewife  having  known  her, 
though  by  an  Error,  mod  think  Selab  himfelf  after 
ward  had  her  not  to  Wife :  But  (he  rather  did  Pe 
nance  fas  we  now  fpeakj  in  Widowhood  all  her 
Days.     For  Selah,  we  find,  had  Children  by  another, 
Numb.  XXVI.  19, 

Ver.  28.  Thfr  came  out  firft.~\  Perceiving  there  were  Verfe  28, 
Twins  ftruggling  in  her  Womb,  the  Midwife,  to  di- 
ftinguifti  this  from  the  other,  as  the  Fir  ft- born,  bound 
this  Thred  about  his  Wrift. 

Ver.  29.  How  h*ft  thoH  broke  forth  ?~\  What  is  the  Verfe  29. 
Caufe  of  this  >  Or,  what  a  Violence  is  this  >  Speak 
ing  as  one  aftonifhed  at  his  Eruption.  For  it  was 
without  Example  5  and  therefore  the  Novelty  of  the 
thing,  made  her  break  out  into  this  Exclamation, 
Though,  if  it  be  true  which  a  learned  Anatomift  af 
firms  5  that  where  Twins  are  of  the  fame  Sex,  they 
are  wrapped  in  the  very  fame  Secundines,  as  they  call 
ibera,  (whereas  thofe  that  are  of  a  different,  are  fepa- 
rated  by  diftinft  Inclofures)  the  other  Son  being 
ftronger  and  more  vigorous,  might  force  his  way  the 
more  readily,  when  his  Brother  was  nearer  to  the 
Birth.  Fernelivf ,  L.  VII.  Pbyfiolog.  cap.  1 2. 

This  breach  be  upon  thee.]  Take  thy  Name  from  this 
Breach.  Be  thou  ever  called  Eruption  or  Breach  ^  as 
Bochart  interprets  it.  Hterozotc.  P.  I.  L.  II.  cap.  30* 

V  v  v  Ver, 


$i4  A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  30   Called  Zarah.']     Which  moft  think  figni- 
XXXIX.  fiesas  much  as,  he  arifeth,  (being  ufed  commonly  of 
LXVNj  the  Sun's  rifing)  bccaufe  this  Child  appeared  firft,  by 
Verfe  3O.pUtting  out  h;s  Hand  before  the  other. 


CHAP.     XXXIX. 

Verfe  i.   Ver.  i.  \ND  JofefhJ]    Having  ended  this  Story 

JLJL  of  Jttdah,  he   returns  to  that  of  Jofeph, 

which  he  had  begun  before  in  the  XXXVII  Chapter  ^ 

repeating,  where  he  left  off,  how  he  was  fold  to  Po- 

tiphar. 

Brought  down.']     It  is  a  defcent  from  Judta  to  E- 
gyft :  Which  lies  very  low. 

v    f  Ver.  2.  And  the   LORD  was  with  Jofeph.~\     To 

2*  guide  him  in  his  Deportment,  and  in  rhe  Manage 
ment  of  all  Affairs  committed  to  him .-  So  that,  as  it 
follows,  he  was  a  profperow  Man. 

He  was  in  the  Houfe  of  his  Mafter.']  One  of  his  Do- 
meftick  Servants. 

Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  His  Matter  faw that  the  LORD  w^s  with 
him,  8cc.]  Found  by  Obfervation  and  Experience, 
that  he  was  an  extraordinary  Perfon.  It  is  not  like 
ly  that  Pottpharknew  God,  by  the  Name  of  Jehovah  : 
But  the  meaning  is,  he  obferved  the  happy  Fruits  of 
Jofeph's  Service  5  which  Mofe*y  not  he,  afcribes  to  the 
Loan's  peculiar  Bleffing. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4,  And  heferved  him.']  Found  fuch  Favour 
with  his  Mafter,  that  he  took  him  to  wait  upon  his 
Pcrfon. 

And 


upon    GENESIS,  515 

And  he  made  him  Overfeer  over  his  HottfeJ]    In  time  Chapter 
he  advanced  him  to  a  higher  Station,  to  be  (as  they  XXXIX* 
now  fpeak)   his  Major  Domo  3  to  whom  all  the  Ser-  \*SV\J 
vailts  in  the  Family  were  to  be  obedient. 

And  put  all  he  had  into  his  Hand."]  Committed  all 
his  Eftate,  both  within  Doors  and  without  fas  ap 
pears  by  the  next  Verfe)  to  his  Care  and  Manage 
ment. 

Ver.  6.  He  left  *#  he  had  in  Jofeph's  Hand^     Did  Verfe  6. 
not  call  him  to  a  daily  Account,  nor  concerned  him- 
felf  about  any  Bufinefs :  But  trufted  intirely  to  his 
Prudence  and  Fidelity. 

And  he  knew  not  ought  he  had,  fave  the  Bread  whids 
he  did  eat.']  This  is  the  higheft  Expreffion  of  Confi 
dence  $  fignifying  that  he  was  utterly  carelefs  about 
any  thing  that  concerned  his  Eftate  :  Not  minding 
what  hisExpence  or  Receipts  were  5  but,  taking  his 
Eafe,  left  all  tojofeph'%  Honefty.  In  (hort,  he  thought 
of  nothing,  but  only  to  enjoy  what  he  had,  without 
any  Care  or  Trouble. 

And  Jofeph  was  a  geodly  Perfon,  Scc.^  Being  the  Son 
of  a  beautiful  Mother. 

Ver.  7.  C*ft  her  Eyes  upon  JofephI}     Lookt  upon  Verfe  7.] 
him  Amoroufly,  or  rather  Lafcivioufly:  He  being 
young  as  well  as  handfom. 

Ver.  9.  How  can  I  do  this  great  Wickednefs  ?  Sec.]  Verfe  9. 
Here  are  three  He  Hejedias^  as  the  Hebrews  call  them  5 
pointing  us  to  fo  many  remarkable  things.  How  (hall 
I  commit  fuch  a  Wickednefs  as  Adultery  >  Such  a  great 
Wickednefs  >  Againft  fokind  a  Matter,  who  fo  intire 
ly  trufts  in  my  Integrity?  Efpecially,  fince  it  can 
not  be  committed  without  the  higheft  Offence  to 
Cod? 


V  v  v  2  Vere 


$16  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  10.  Day  by  day.]    Took  all  occafions  to  fo- 
XXXIX.  licite  him. 

WVNJ      Or  to  be  with  her.~]  He  avoided,  as  much  as  waspof- 
Verfe  lo.fible,  to  entertain  any  Difcourie  with  her,  (humling 

her  Company,  &?c. 

Verfe  1 1.     Ver.  1 1,  About  this  time.'}    The  Phrafe  in  the  -He 
brew  (where  there  are  again  two  He's,  of  the  fame 
kind  with  the  former)  fignifies  fome  remarkable  Day; 
R.  Sol<jMon-and  Jofephtw  think  it  was  fome  FeftivaI3x 
when  theMafter  and  the  reft  of  the  Family  were  gone 
to  the  Temples  5  and  (he  ftaid  at  home,  feigning  her 
felf  not  well.    But  the  Vulgar  tranflates  it  (imply,  upon  ] 
a  certain  Day.     Or,  it  may  fignifie,  having  the  like  Op-  \ 
portunity,  as  formerly,  and  Jofeph  being  about  his  hiii 
finefs  in  the  Houfe,  (he  caught  him,  &e. 

To  do  hn  bu/inefs^]   To  caft  up  his  Accounts  5  faith  < 
the  Chaldee  Interpreters.- 

None  of  the  Men  of  the  Houfe  were  within?]     In  t hat 
part  of  the  Houfe,  where  he  was. , 

Verfe  19.  Ver.  12,  Left  the  Garment  in  her  Hand."]  If  he  had 
ftruggled  to  get  the  Garment  a  way  from  her  3  the 
Accufation  might  have  been  more  fpecious,  that  he 
went  about  to  ravifh  her.  Epiphanius  hath  made  a 
good  Refleftion  upon  this  Example. 
TO  ijuutTix,,  ^  TD  cSfJUk.W  c&rvfauoiVi 
TDTrcy,  Iv&fjw  Triey  rjf  •sra^,  &C.  vzd. 
n.  9,  He  left  hfe.  Gar went ,  that  he  might  not  lofe  his 
Body.  Andflmnttd  the  Place,  that  he  might  not  fall  in 
to  the  Snare.  And  indeed  it  was  dangerous,  to  ad 
venture  himfelf  in  her  Company  5  much  more  to  touch 
her,  left  he  fhould  fall  into  Temptation. 
14.  Ver,  14.  She  called  unto  the  Men  of  her  Hottfe."}  Cried 
to  them,  who  were  in  her  Apartment,  to  come  and 
hslpher. 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  $17 

He  hath  brought  /».]   In  her  Rage,  fhe  reflefts  upon  Chapter 
Her  Husband,  as  aeceffory  to  her  danger,  that  (he  XX  XIX. 
might  the  more  incenfc  him  again  ft  Jofeph.     There  is  U/'V^vJ 
fomething  like  this  in  Apuleius  his  Story  (L.  X.  Me- 
faworph.^)  of  the  Step-Mother's  Love  to  her  Son- in- 
Uw  3  which  was  turned  into  Hatred,  and  made  her 
contrive  juft  fuch  a  Lye  as  this,  when  he  would  not 
yield  to  her. 

To  mock.  w*~]  To  abufe  our  Family. 
I  cried  with  a  loud  Voice~]  An  improbable  Story* 
(for  no  Body  heard  it) '-but  was  eafily  believed  a- 
gainft  a  Servant  $  whom  they  all,  perhaps,  envyed. 
If  (he  pretended  it  was  done  in  Jofeph's  Apartment, 
the  Queftion  might  have  been  askt  her  5  What  (he 
did  there  > 

Ver.  1 7.  Came  m  unto  me  to  mock.  ^0    To  offer  Verfe  177 
Violence  to  me  (as  the  Hebrew  Phrafe  fignifies)  and 
rob  me  of  my  Chaftity. 

Ver.  18.  He  left  his  Garment  wlthme^  Phllo  ob-  Verfe  i8*;. 
ferves,  that  this  was  an  Argument  rather,  that  (he 
laid  hands  on  him  :  For  he  could  have  eafily  taken 
his  Garment  from  her^  if  he  had  not  fled  haftily  from 
her  Importunity.  But  her  Husband's  Jealoufie  made 
him  credulous. 

Ver.  20.  Jofeph' s  Mafter  took  ktm,  &c.]     Caufed  Verfe  .zo^ 
him  to  be  apprehended,  and  carried  to  Prifon.    Du 
ring  his  Anger,  he  would  not  hearken  to  the  Apolo 
gy,  which  we  cannot  but  think  he  offered  to  make 
for  himfelf.    Unlefs  we  fuppofe  (which  is  not  un- 
likelyj  that  his  Mafter  would  not  fo  much  as  fee 
him$  but  ordered  him  immediately  to  be  hurried  to  < 
the  Goal. 

A  place  where  the   Kings  Prifoners    were  bound.]  } 
Where  the  King  himfdf  ciufed  thofe,  who  had  of 
fended 


*d  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter   fended  Mm,  to  be  committed.    This  (hows  Pottphar 

XXXIX.  was  a  great  Man,  (fee  XL.  3  J  and  that  he  lookt  up- 

L/VNJ  on  the  Crime  as  very  great :   For  this  Prifon,  we  muft 

think,  was  moft  ftridly  guarded,  that  they  who  were 

thrown  into  it,  might  not  efcapePuniflhment.     And 

it  appears  by  what  the  Pfalmift  fays,  CV.  18.  that  the 

Prifoners  were  hardly  ufed  :  And  that  Jofeph  (XL. 

15.)  was  thruft  into  the  lowed  part  of  the  Prifon  : 

Which  was  the  moft  difmal  ,  as  well  as  of  greateft 

difficulty  to  make  an  efcape  out  of  it. 

And  he  was  there  in  the  Prifon.']  His  Mafler  pro 
ceeded  no  further  againft  him;  But  there  he  left  him. 
Perhaps,  Jofeph  found  means  to  let  him  know  the 
truth  j  which  made  him  not  form  any  Procefs  to 
take  away  his  Life,  or  inflid  any  other  Punilhment  on 
him:  And  yet,  to  fave  his  Wife's  Credit,  he  let  him 
lie  in  the  Prifon. 

Verfe  xi.  Ver.2i.  The  LORD  was  with  Jofeph."]  The  fame 
Wifdom,  and  Vertue  appeared  in  him,  now  he  was 
in  Prifon  :  That  his  Matter  difcerned,  when  he  came 
fir  ft  into  his  Houfe,  verfe  2. 

Give  him >  favour  f]  So  that  he  had  more  liberty 
than  the  reft,  after  fome  (hort  Confinement. 

Keeper  of  the  Prifon.~]  The  llnder-keeper,  it  ap 
pears  from  XL.  4. 

22.  Ver.  1 2 .  Committed  to  Jofeph' s  Hand^  &c/]  His  Fa 
vour  increafed  fo  much  ("as  it  had  done  in  his  Ma- 
fter's  Houfe,  verfe  4  J  that  he,  ineffeft,  was  the  Kee 
per  of  the  Prifon  3  not  a  Prifoner. 


CHAP. 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.< 

Chapter 
XL. 

C  H,A  P.     XL 

i .  T_Tp4  D  offended  their  Lord."]   In  the  Hebrew  Verfe  I, 

J[jL  is  a  word  of  the  Plural  Number  for 
Lordr\\T.  Adonim  ^  ratione  dignitatw,  faith  Bochar- 
tvs  $  becaufe  of  his  high  Authority.  And  fo  it  is  ufed 
not  only,  when  he  fpeaks  of  the  King,  but  of  great 
Men  5  particularly  of  Jofeph's  Mafter,  XXXIX.  2. 

Interpreters  do  butguefs  at  their  Offence  .-  Which 
might  as  well  be  an  attempt  upon  his  Life,  ("by  Poi- 
fon,  or  other  waysj)  as  any  thing  elfe. 

Ver.  2 .  Wrath  againfl  two  of  his  Officers']    They  are  Verfe  a* 
called  by  the  fame  Name  of  Dignity  (vi&.Sarisy  which 
we  met  withal  before, XXX VII.  36.  For  in  allGourts 
fuch  Officers  had  a  principal  Place.  See  verfe  4 

Chief  Butler."]  Or,  Cup-bearer  to  the  King,  verfe  1 3. 
He  (Imply  named  the  Butler  and  Baker  in  the  fore 
going  Verfe  :  But  now  the  Schar  ("as  the  Hebrew  word 
isj  which  in  the  next  Perfe  we  tranfiate  Captain^  i.  e. 
the  Principal  Officer  of  thofe  kinds.  Which  would 
incline  one  to  think,  that  fome  Under- Butler  and  Ba 
ker  wereaccufed  of  a  great  Fault,  for  which  the  Head- 
Butler  and  Baker  were  to  anfwer :  Who,perhaps,  were 
difcovered  to  have  ordered  them  to  do  what  they 
did. 

Chief  Baker."]     Who  took  care  of  all  baked  Meats, 
and  Confeftions,  &c.  verfe  17. 

Ver.  3.  He  put  them  in  Ward,  &cfj     To  be  kept  Verfe  3. 
clofe  Prisoners. 

In 


$20  A   COMMENT4RT 

Chapter        In  the  Honfe  of  the  Captain  of  the  Guard,  Sec.]  In  that 
X  L.       Prifon,  of  which  Potiphar  had  the  chief  Guftody.  Who 
IXWJ  by  this  appears  to  have  been  fuch  an  Officer,  as  we  call 
Lieutenant  of  the  Tower. 

Into  t he  Prifon i  where  Jofeph  was  bound."]  Into  that 
very  place  where  Jofeph  had  been  bound.  For  now 
he  was  at  liberty,  in  the  Prifon. 

Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  the  Captain  of  the  Guard  charged  Jo- 
feph,  8tc.]  By  this  it  appears  Potiphar  $  Anger  was 
mitigated  towards  him  (having  heard  the  Truth,  it 
is  likely,  before  this  time)  and  was  of  the  fame  Mind, 
with  the  Under-Keeper  of  the  Prifon  :  Who  intrud 
ed  all  in  JofepKs  hand. 

And  he  ferved  them7\  Attended  upon  them  (which 
ftiows  they  were  great  Perfons)  to  provide  them 
what  they  wanted,  &c. 

And  they  continued  afeafon."]  The  Hebrew  word  is, 
Jamim,  i.e.  Days:  Which  frequently  fignifiesa  Year  5 
as  hath  been  obferved  before,  XXIV.  5-5. 

'••Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  Each  Man  according  to  the  Interpretation  of 
hfcDream^  Suitable  to  the  Office  which  he  had  held^ 
and  to  the  Events,  which  were  (hortly  to  befal  them. 
Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  Jofeph  came  unto  them  in  the  Morning^  To 
fee  that  they  were  fafe,  and  to  know  what  they 
wanted. 

And  behold  they  were  fad.']  It  was  very  extraordina 
ry,  that  they  (hould  both  of  them  dream,  in  the  fame 
.  Night,  fuch  Dreams  ashad  a  great  refemblance,  one  to 
the  other,-  and  feemed  to  import  a  great  Change  in 
their  Condition :  Which  made  fuch  a  deep  Impreffion 
upon  them,  that  they  were  felicitous  to  know  the 
meaning. 

Verfe  8.       Ver.  8.  We  have  dreamed  a  Dreaw,  and  there  is  no 
Interpreter  of  it, ,]  i.e.   Here  in  Prifon,  we  have  not 

the 


upon    GENESIS.  52  t 

the  opportunity, of  getting  them  interpreted.  If  they  Chapter 
had  been  at  liberty,   there  were  Men  in  thofe  Coun-      XL. 
tries  who  pretended  to    the  Skill  of  Interpreting 
Dreams.  Which  for  the  moft  part  were  not  to  be  re 
garded  $  but  fome  Dreams  carried  fuch  lively  repre- 
fentations  in  them,    and  fo  fuitablc  to  their  prefent 
Condition,  and  made  likewifefo  great  a  Commotion 
in  their  Spirits  ^    that  they  could  not  but  attend  to 
them  .•  Nay,  think  God  had  fent  them,  and  therefore 
dcfire  to  know  the  meaning  of  them. 

Tims  we  find  Achilles  advifing  Agamemnon  (in  Ho- 
Homers  Iliadl.*)  to  confult  with  the  Interpreters  of 
their  Gods,  for  what  Offence  they  had  fent  the  Plague 
among  them  }  faying,  TowhatPrieft,  or  to  what  Pro 
phet/hall  we  go  ? 


Or  to  what  vender  of  Dreams  ?    For  even  Dreams  come 
from  Jupiter. 

Do  not  Interpretations  belong  to  God  ?"]  Who  can 
(how  the  meaning  of  Dreams,  but  he  that  fent  them  ? 
viz,.  God.  This  (hows  that  God  did  fometime  admo- 
ni(h  other  Nations  (as  we  faw  XX.  6.  XXXI.  24.) 
as  well  as  the  Jews  by  Dreams  .•  Until  they  forgot  (as 
Dr.  Jackson  judicioufly  fpeaks)  that  Interpretations 
were  from  God^  and  laboured  to  find  out  an  art  of  In- 
terpreting.'lThzn  they  either  ceafed,  or  were  fo  mix 
ed  with  delufions,  that  they  could  not  be  difcerned  .- 
Or,  if  their  Events  were  in  fome  fort  forefeen  5  yet 
Men,  being  ignorant  of  God's  Providence,  common 
ly  made  choice  of  fuch  means  for  their  avoidance,  as 
brought  upon  them  the  Events  which  they  feared, 
.  on  the  Creed ,  chap.  9. 

X  x  x  Ver. 


522  J  COMMENT  ART. 

Chapter        Ver.  12.   The  three  Branches^  are  three  Days,~]  i.e. 

XL      Signifie  three  Days.    So  he  underftood  their  meaning 

L^V^Xj  to  be,  rather  than  Months  or  Tears  ^  because  of  their 

Verfe  12.  fudden  budding,  bloflbming,  knitting,  and  ripening 
of  the  Grapes,  verfe  10. 

Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  Shaffl/ftup  thy  Head.~]l e.  Advance  thee  j, 
or,  as  it  is  in  the  Margin,  recfytt  thee  $  number  thee 
among  his  Servants  (as  thePhrafeisufed,  Exod.K  XXI, 
12.)  For  there  being  a  Roll,  or  Catalogue  of  all  the 
Officers  of  the  Court,  with  their  feveral  Salaries,  they 
were  all  called  over  on  fome  certain  Oay  (it  ftiould 
feem  by  verfe  10.  before  the  King's  Birth*  Day)  and 
fummoned  to  give  their  Attendance.  And  then  fuch 
as  the  King  was  offended  withal^  were  ftruck  out,  and 
punifhed  according  to  their  deferts  $  or  pardoned  and 
gracioufly  reftored  to  their  Places.  This  Expofition 
beft  agrees  with  the  Event,  verfe  20.  where  the  Heads 
of  both  thefe  Officers  are  faid  to  be  lifted  up  :  Though 
one  of  them  only,  was  advanced  to  his  former  Sta 
tion. 

¥erfe  14.  Ver.  14.  But  think^on  tne,  when  it  flwll  be  well  with 
thee^  8cc-3  When  my  Prediftion  is  come  to  pafs,  I 
ask  no  other  Reward  of  thee,  but  that  thou  wilt 
be  an  Inftrument  of  delivering  me  from  my  Im- 
prifonment.  Jofcph  was  not  only  grown  expert  in 
interpreting  Dreams,  (which  he  was  not  before  he 
came  into  Zgypt,  XXX VII.  6,  8cc,)  but  fully  aflured 
he  knewthc  right  meaning  of  them  y  as  appears  by 
this  Paffage.  And  fuch  kind  of  Predictions  by 
Dreams  were  frequent  in  ancient  Times,  among  the 
Heathen^  as  well  as  among  the  Hebrews:  Though  in 
after  Ages  they  grew  rare  in  both.  For  (as  Dr.  Jack- 
fon  admirably  fpeaks,  in  the  place  before- named^  the 
of  Wicfydnefs  in  the  World  3  multiplicity  of 

Enjinefs  ^ 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  '£  $t$ 

Buftnefs  ^  folicitnde  of  Mind  about  worldly  Affairs  3  Chapter 
and  Mens  too  much  defending  on  Politick.  Devices  to      XL. 
accomplifh  their  Ends  5    caufed   the  defedt  of  true  ^*~v~*+* 
Dreams,  and  of  other  Divine  Admonitions ,  for  the  wel 
fare  of  Mankind. 

Ver.  15.  Iwasjlolen^]  Carried  away  by  Violence,  Verfe  if. 
without  the  knowledge  of  my  Father  5    and  fold  for 
a  Slave.    His  Brethren,    in  felling  him,    committed 
that  Crime,    which  the  Latins  call  Plaghtm.     For, 
£>ui  hontinem  libertim  vendit^  plagiaries  eft. 

Out  oj  the  Land  of  the  Hebrews.']  Some  Men  would 
have  it  thought,  that  thefe  words  were  added  by  Jo- 
ftwa^  or  fome  other.,  after  Mojes  his  time  .•  Becaufe 
Canaan  was  not  called  the  Land  of  the  Hebrews  in  his 
days,  much  lefs  in  Jefeph's.  But  they  ftiould  have 
confidered,  that  Jofeph  doth  not  call  all  the  Land  of 
Canaan  by  this  Name  5  but  only  that  part  of  it, 
where  Abraham^  Ifaac,  and  Jacob  had  very  long  li 
ved,  viz.  about  Hebron.  There  Abraham  f  who  was 
the  firft  that  is  called  an  Hebrew)  fettled  with  his  Fa 
mily,  when  he  came  out  of  ChalJ<ea^  XIII.  17,  18. 
There Ifaac dwelt  alfo,XXXV.27-and  jf^iXXXVIL 
i,  14.  where  it  is  faid  indeed,  they  were  Strangers  or 
-Sojourners^  in  this  Country  >*  But  they  vVere  Strangers 
t)l  great  Note  and  Name  (as  Jacobns  Altingins  hath 
well  ohferved)  who  were  treated  as  Princes,  XXlIIc 
6.  lived  by  their  own  Laws  x  made  Leagues,  not  on 
ly  with  private  Men,  but  wich  Cities  and  with  Rings, 
XXL  22,23.  XXVI.  28.  XXXiV,  6.  and  the  Fame  of 
them  could  not  but  be  fpread  abroad,  both  by  the 
Victory  which  Abraham  got,  in  a  Battel,  over  feveral 
Kings  ^  and  by  the  facking  of  Shechew,  which  the 
Neighbours  durft  not  revenge.  All  which  might 
well  make  that  part  of  the  Country  wherein  they 

X  x  x  2  had 


534  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter    had  refided  for  three  Generations,  be  called  the  Land 
XL.     of  the  Hebrews  :  Where  they  were  at  firft  planted,  by 

U^VNJ  theconfent  of  the  Natives  3    who  were  confederate 
with  Abraham,  XIV.  13. 

That  they  fiottld  put  me  into  the  Dungeon, T]IntQ  which 
he  was  thrown  at  the  firft,  as  a  great  Malefactor  :  For 
this  was  the  lowed  and  darkeft  place  in  the  Prifon, 
being  underground.  So  the  Hebrew  word  commonly 
fignifies,  a  P/f,  either  with  or  without  Water  in  it  .-. 
And  thence,  this  part  of  a  Prifon.  Which  Bochartus 
well  tranftates,  cryptamfubterraneam  3  and  fometimes 
fignifies  a  Grave,  Pfal*  XXVIII.  i.  Hierozoic.  P.  L 
L.  III.  cap.  4. 

Verfe  16*  Ver.i6.  The  chief  Bak$rfau>  the  Interpretation  was 
good."}  !t  was  well  the  chief  Butler  propounded  his 
Dream  firft,  which  had  a  good  fignification  .•  For  if 
this  Man  had  fpoken  firft,  the  other,  it  is  likely, 
would  not  have  propofed  his  Dream. 

Three  white  Baskets.']  Or,  as  we  now  fpeak,  three 
Wicker  Baskets,  and  (as  the  Margin  hath  it}  the 
Twigs  fotwifted,that  they  were fuU of 'holes  3  as  ours 
many  times  are  wrought. 

Verfe  1 7^  yen  1 7.  In  the  upperntofl  Basket.]  They  were  fet  one 
upon  another  :  In  the  lowermoft  of  which,  we  may 
fuppofe,  was  Bread  3  in  the  middlemoft  Pies  3  and  in 
the  higheft,  the  finer  fort  of  Paftes  of  all  forts,  Bisket, 
Tarts,  &c. 

Verfe  19.     Ven  ,  ^  JJQ  ^  tty  Head.']  The  fame  Phrafe  which 

was  ufed  of  the  other,  (verfe  i%.)  but  with  this  addi 
tion,  from  offthee.  To  fignifie,  that  his  Name  (hould 
be  called  for  another  purpofe  3  that  he  might  not  on 
ly  have  his  Name  ftrnck  out  of  the  Roll,  but  his  Head 
ftruck  off  from  his  Body.  Though  there  is  no  necef- 
fity  fo  to  underftand  it  3  but  only  fimply,  that  he 
frtttld  lofe  his  life* 


•upon  GE  N  E  S'l  S.  ip$ 

Andjhall  hang  thee  on  a  Tree."]  They  that  fanfie  his  Chapter 
Head  was  firft  cutoff,  will  have  the  Body  only  hang-      XL. 
ed  on  a  Gibbet.     But  it  is  more  likely  he  was  hanged  IX"VNJ 
by  the  Neck,  as  Malefa&ors  are  now  among  us,  upon 
a  Gallows. 

And  the  Birds  fhall  eat  thy  Flejh.~]  He  was  left  there, 
to  be  devoured  by  Birds  of  Prey. 

Ver.  20.  Pharaoh's  Birth-day  f]  Either  the  Day  on 
which  he  was  Born,  or  the  Day  on  which  he  came  to 
the  Crown  :  Which  was  Natalis  Imperil^  the  Birth-day 
of  his  Empire.  Both  of  them  were  wont  to  be  cele 
brated  with  Rejoycing  and  great  Feafts  5  in  ancient 
time,  as  well  as  now.  See  the  Commentators  upon 
Matth.  XIV.  6. 

Ver.  21.  And  he  gave  the  Cup^]  His  Fault  we  may  Verfe  21 
fuppofe,  was  of  a  fmaller  Nature  5  or,  there  was  not 
evident  proof  againft  him  $  or,  he  had  better  Friends^ 
who  interceded  for  him  :  So  that  he  was  not  only 
pardon'd,  but  reftored  to  his  Office. 

Ver.  22.  But  he  hanged  the  chief  Baker  ~]    Ordered  Verfe  22 
him  to  be  hanged,  being  found  guilty  ot  what  he  was 
accufed,  &c. 

Ver.  23.  Tet  did  not  the  chief  Butler  remember  Jo-  Verfe  23 
feph^but  forgat  him.'}  He  repeats  it,  to  (how  how  ve 
ry  unmindful  he  was  of  him/  After  the  manner  of 
thofe  vain  Courtiers,  whohave  no  value  for  Wifdom 
or  Vertue,  but  are  wholly  given  up  to  their  PJeafures. 
It  would  have  coft  him  nothing,  to  mention  Jofeph  to 
Pharaoh :  But  hefeermto  have  been  one  of  thofe  who 
will  fpend  their  Intereft,  as  we  trow  fpealc,  for  no  * 
Body  but  themfelves.    Of,  as  it  may  be  interpreted, 
he  did  not  as  foon  as  he  came  to  his  Place  call  him  to 
mind,  who  foretold  his  good  Fortune:    And  fo,  in 
procefs  of  time,  he  quite  forgot  him, 

CHAP; 


A    COMMENT  ART 


Chapter 
XLL 


CHAP.     XLI. 

Verfe  i.   Ver.  i.  A  T  the  end  of  two  full  Tears.*]  It  is  uncer- 
±\  tain  whether  two  Years  after  Jofeph  was 
firftput  in  Prifon,    or  after  the  Chief  Butler  was  ta 
ken  out  of  Prifon.     It  feems  to  relate  to  the  latter, 
being  connected  immediately  with  that  Hiftory. 

Pharaoh  dreamedr\  Had  an  extraordinary  Dream  ^ 
fentfrom  God. 

He  flood  hy  the  River7\  Where  they  were  wont  to 
recreate  themfeives  ^  efpecially  in  hot  Weather,  and 
when  they  expefted  its  Rife  tofuch  a  Degree^  as  to 
give  hopes  of  a  plentiful  Year. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  i.  Behold^  there  came  up  out  of  the  Rfver."]  This 
is  a  moft  apt  and  lively  Figure  $  reprefenting  things 
exaftly  conformable  to  the  (late  of  that  Country  : 
Which  was  inriched  by  the  yearly  overflowing  of 
the  River  Nilus.  Without  which  the  Beads  would 
have  had  no  Grafs  to  feed  them,  much  lefs  to  fatten 
them.  But  Bochart  thinks  the  Htbrerv  word  Jear 
(which  we  tranilate  River)  properly  fignifies,  a  Cut^ 
as  we  fpeak,  or  a  Canal  out  of  Nile :  Of  which  there 
were  many,  for  the  drawing  its  Water  intofeveral 
Parts  of  the  Country,  Hierozorc.  P.  I.  Lib.  l\,cap.  42. 
Well-favoured  Kine,  &cfj  Or,  Oxen.  By  which 
the  Fields  being  ploughed,  and  all  the  bufinefs  of 
Husbandry  managed,  their  farnefs  was  a  proper  To 
ken  of  Fertility  $  as  their  leannefs  was  of  Famine. 
So  Bochart  obferves  5  and  fee  V_o$tns  de  IdoloL  Lib.  I. 
cap.  29. 

And 


upon  GENESIS  5^7 

And  they  fed  in  a  Meadow.']  This  reprefented  Nile  Chapter 
as  having  overflowed  a  great  way  ,  to  the  inriching     XLI. 
of  a  Pafture,  at  adiftancefrom  the  River.  tyVN 

Ver.  3.    Stood  by  the  other   Kine."]    This  fignified,  Verfe  3. 
the  Events  denoted  hereby,    to  be  near  one  to  the 
other. 

Upon  the  Brink^of  the  River .*]  Not  feeding  in  a 
Meadow  ("as  the  former  did)  but  picking  up  Grafs 
here  and  there  near  the  River.  For  this  was  a  fign, 
it  had  not  overflowed  at  all,  or  very  little.'  There 
being  no  Food  for  the  Cattle  $  but  on  the  River's 
Bank :  Where,  perhaps,  he  faw  them  eating  the 
Flags. 

Ver.  j.  Came  up  upon  one  StalkJ]  A  Token  of  great  Verfe  5.* 
Plenty. 

Ven  6;  Blafted  with  the Eaft-wind~]  To  this  Wind  Verfe  6. 
(which  the  Hebrews  call  Kadim}  is  afcribed  in  Scrip 
ture,  all  the  Mifchief  that  was  done  to  Corn,or  Fruit  $ 
by  Blafting,  Smutting,  Mildews,  Locufts,  &c~  and 
was  more  pernicious  in  Egypt,  than  other  places,  be- 
caufe  it  came  through  the  vaft  Defarts  of  Arabia. 

Ver.  7.  And  behold^  it  was  a  Dream.']     Or,    behold  Verfe  7*. 
the  Dreaw^  continued  to  run  in  his  Mind.  When  he 
was  awake,  he  could  not  put  it  out  of  his  Thoughts* 
but  it  perpetually  prefented  it  felf  to  him  $    as  it  had 
done,  when  he  was  afleep.     This  (hew'd  it  to  be  one 
of  thofe  Dreams,  which  ihtGreekj  called  OaoT^/^Tr?^, 
fint  from  God  :   As  the  Interpretation  and  the  Event: 
(hewed  afterward  more  evidently.     Bochart    notes 
out  ofjofefhusi  L.  XVII.  a  Dream  of  Arcbelaus  (men 
tioned  Matth.  II.  2x.)  compofed  of  both   thefe  Fi* 
gures.     For  he  faw  re«Ears  of   Corn    very  plump    - 
and  ripe,    devoured  by  Oxen.     Which  Simon  Ejfaus 
interpreted  tofignifie,  that  he  (hould  live  ten  Years  5 

and 


A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter  and  then  there  (hould  be  a  great  turn  of  Affairs,  (  be- 
XLI.     caufe  Oxen  turn  up  the  Ground,  by  the  Plough)  and 
accordingly  it  came  to  pafs,  Hicrozoic.  P.  I.  Lib.  II. 


Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  His  Spirit  was  troubled."]  He  could  not  reft 
fatisfied  till  he  underftood  the  meaning  of  thefe 
Dreams  .•  Which  he  thought  imported  iome  great  Al* 
tension,  in  the  State  of  his  Country. 

Catted  for  all  the  Magicians  of  Egypt  \]  The  word  in 
Hebrew^  (or  rather  Chaldee)  for  Magicians,  had  a  bad 
fignification  in  after  times/  But  what  kind  of  Men 
they  were  now,  we  do  not  know.  Whether  they 
profefled  to  interpret  Dreams  and  expound  Things 
fecret,  by  natural  Observations  $  or,  fuch  Rules  as  are 
now  found  in  the  Books  of  Oneirocritkks  $  or,  by 
confultingD^0/<?#.f  ^  or,  only  by  the  toolifh  Art  of 
Aftrology^  to  which  they  were  muchaddided  in  future 
Ages. 

Our  learned  Ntc.  Fuller^  Lib.  V.  Mifceli.Sacr.  cap. 
II.  thinks  the  Hebrew  word  Ckartummim  imports, 
fuch  as  divined  by  certain  Superftitious  Characters, 
Piftures,  Images,  and  Figures  $  which  they  engraved 
with  Magical  Rites  and  Ceremonies. 

All  the  wife  Men  thereof^  Thefe  were  the  fame,  I 
fuppofe,  with  thofe  who  were  called  Philofophers  in 
Greece.  From  whence  feveral  great  Men  went  to  learn 
of  the  Egyptian  Priefts  :  Who  were  famous  for  Wif- 
dom  before  it  came  into  Greece. 

Told  them  his  Dream.']  He  told  them  both  his 
:Dreams,  as  appears  from  what  follows  .-  But  Mofes 
fpeaks  in  the  Singular  Number,  becaufe  they  were, 
in  efFeft,  but  one  and  the  fame  Dream. 

But  there  was  none  that  could  interpret  tbem^]  Either 
they  were  amazed?  and  did  not  attempt  an  Expofi- 

tion, 


upon  GENESIS. 

nion,as  beyond  their  Skill  5  or,   what  they  faid  gave  Chapter 
no  fatisfaftion  to  the  King.     Thzjeven  Rive,  and  the     XL!. 
feven  Ears,  it  is  likely  they  thought  had  a  great  My- 
-ftery  in  them  ,   if  the  worfhip  of  the  Planets  were 
then  among  them.     Which  they  invoked  with  fecret 
or  inutterable  Invocations,  KA^fir^n  d$$*yxTOL(;r  (as  the 
•Oracle  mentioned  by   Porphyry  fpeaks)    which  were 
in  vented  by  that  mofl  excellent  of  all  Magicians  (faith 
the  fame  Oracle)  the  King  of  the  feven  Sounds,  whom 
all  Men  kptv>->  *•  e.  Qftanes  or  Hcanet. 


By  which  feven  Sounds  (of  which  he  was  the  Ifr- 
ventor  and  Governor^  Mr.  Selden  thinks  is  meant  the 
Harmony,  which  the  Ancients  fuppofed  the  Seven 
Planets  to  make.  Whom  thefe  Magicians  called  up 
on  vnloMt$Jt»lM9  with  feven  Invocations  to  each  Pla 
net,  upon  its  proper  Day.  As  he  (hews,  Lib.  HI.  de 
Jure  N.  &  G.cap.ig.  But  the  more  they  laboured 
to  find  out  this  Myftery,  the  more  they  were  puz 
zled  and  perplexed  in  their  Thoughts .-  Nor  could 
their  Prayers  (if  they  went  that  way  to  work)  help 
them  to  difclofe  the  Secret. 

Ven  9.  I  do  remember  my  Faults  this  dayJ}    Call  to  Verfe  9. 
mind  the  Offences  I  committed  againft  Pharaoh :  Or, 
asfome  will  have  it,  my  Ingratitude  to  one,  who  was 
in  Prifon  with  me. 

Ver.  n.  Each  Man  according  to  the  Interpretation  0/Verfe  M« 
his  Dreaw."]   Ju ft  according  to  the  Event,    was  each 
of  our  Dreams. 

Ver.  13.  As  he  interpreted  to  «/,  fo  it  was.]  Here-  Verfe  13. 
peats  the  thing  often  ^   to  (how  how  exaftly  Jofeph 
hit  the  Truth  in  his  Interpretation. 

Yyy  Afe 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter        Me  he  reftored  to  my  Office.  See.]  He  told  me,  that  on 
XLI.     fuch  a  Day,  I  (hould  be  reftored  to  my  Office  $  and 

U/"V"\J  he  told  the  other  he  (hould  be  hanged. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  Brought  him  haftily^}  With  all  fpeed  5 
that  Pharaoh  might  not  continue  in  fufpence. 

Out  of  the  Dungeon.~]  It  is  reafonable  to  think, 
That  though  he  was  thrown  into  the  Dungeon  at  the 
firft,  (XL.  15.)  he  did  not  continue  there,  when  he 
lookt  after  all  the  Prifoners,  and  did  the  whole  bufi- 
nefs  of  a  Keeper,  XXIX.  Z2,  25.  Therefore  this 
Part,  as  isufual,  is  put  for  the  Whole.-  Signifying 
no  more,  than  that  they  brought  them  out  of  Prifon^ 
where  he  had  been  in  the  Dungeon. 

And  hefiaved  himfelfc  &c.]  It  was  the  Cuftom  in 
moft  Countries,  when  Men  were  in  a  mournful  Con 
dition,  tonegleft  their  Hair,  both  of  the  Head  and 
the  Beard  .•  And  not  to  fhift  their  Clothes,  as  in  Pro- 
fperity  $  but  to  continue  in  a  rueful  Drefs,  where 
by  they  exprefled  the  Sence  they  had  of  their  Cala 
mity. 

Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  It  is  not  in  we.']  A  modeft  anfwer.  I 
do  not  pretend  to  more  Wifdom,  than  thofe  then  haft 
already  confulted. 

God  flail  give  Pharaoh  an  anfwer  of  peace."]  But  God, 
I  doubt  not  will  direft  me  to  give  the  King  a  fatif- 
faftory  anfwer  .-Nay,  an  anfwer  that  (hall  be  fervice- 
able  to  him  and  his  Kingdom. 

Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  AndPharaoh  faid  untojofeph,  &c.]  We 
may  well  fuppofe  that  Jofeph  defired  to  know  the 
Dream  .-  Which  Pharaoh  repeats  in  this,  and  the  fol 
lowing  Verfes,  fomething  more  fully  than  it  is  fet 
down  before. 

Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  When  they  had  eat  en  them  up  it  could  not 
be  kpown  that  they  had  eaten  them>  8cc.]  An  Emblem 

of 


upon    GENESIS.  331 

of  a  very  grievous  Famine  .•  Which  is  reprefented,  Chapter 
not  only  by  the  lean  Kine  devouring  the  Fat,  (as  XLL 
much  as  to  fay,  the  barren  Years  confuming  all  the  vx>r-v^ 
growth  of  the  Fertil)  but  by  their  remaining  Lean, 
as  if  they  had  eaten  nothing  :  Which  reprefents  what 
often  happens  in  Famine:  that  Men  eat  greedily, 
but  are  notfatisfied  .•  Becaufe  God  break?  the  Staff  of 
Bread^  Levit.  XXVI.  26.  i.  e.  takes  away  its  nourith- 
ing  Virtue  5  as  Bochart  expounds  it,  Hierozotc.  P.  I. 
Lib.  II.  cap.  41.  But  this  feems  to  be  a  draining  of  that 
Phrafe,  breal^  the  Staff  of  Bread  :  Which  fignifies  no 
more,  than  want  of  Bread  to  fupport  Man's  Life.  And 
all  that  can  be  gathered  from  this  part  of  the  Dream> 
is  $  That  there  (hould  be  fuch  exceeding  great  fear- 
city,  that  Men  (hould  have  but  juft  enough  to  keep 
them  alive. 

Ver.  25.  The  Dream  of  Pharaoh  is  one.']    One  and  Verfe  2f* 
the  fame  thing  is  reprefented,    by  two  feveral   Fi 
gures. 

God  hathfhewn  Pharaoh  what  he  if  about  to  do.']  God 
hath  in  thefe  Dreams  revealed  by  Pharaoh^  what  he 
intends  (hortly  to  bring  to  pafs. 

Ver.  26.  The  feven  good  kjne>  &c.]  He  reprefents  Verfe  2<5. 
in  this,  and  in  the  following  Verfe>  how  one  thing  is 
fignified  by  two  Dreams.  Seven  good  Kine,  and  fe- 
ven  Good  Ears,  reprefenting  feven  Years  of  plenty  5 
and  feven  lean  Kine,  and  feven  empty  Ears,  as  many 
Years  of  fcarcity. 

Ver.  28.  Ihisisthethingwhichlhavefpoken,  &c.] Verfe  28. 
I  have  told  the  King  in  (hort,   what  the  Divine  Pro 
vidence  is  about  to  effeft. 

Ver.  29.  Behold  there  come  feven  Tears ^&c.]  I  will  Verfe  29. 
repeat  it  more  at  large.    Take  notice  then,    that  in 
the  next  feven  Years  to  this,    there  (hall  be  very 

Y  y  y  2  great 


53*  A    COM  MEN  TART 

Chapter  great  crops  of  Corn,,   every  where,.,  throughout  the* 
XLI,     whole  Country. 

w:' V-N^      Ver.  30.   And  there Jhatt  arife  after  them,  &c/]  And, 

Verfe  3o.jmrnediately  after  they  are  ended,  (hall  follow  feven 
Years  as  barren  as  the  former  were  fruitful  5  the  Earth 
bringing  forth  little  or  no  Corn.  Which  will  make, 
fo  great  a  Famine,  that  there  (hall  be  no  memory  of 
the  foregoing  plenty  $  for  there  (ball  be  no  Corn 
left,  but  all  eaten,  up,  throughout  all  the  Land  of 
Egypt. 

Verfe  31.  Ver.  31.  Arid  the  plenty  foall  not  be  known,  Sec.]  I 
fay,  there  (hall  be  no  mark  remaining  of  the  fore 
going  Plenty  -y  by  reafon  of  the  extream  Scarcity,  in 
the  following  Years,  which  will  be  very  heavy. 

Verfe  32,  Ver.  33.  And  for  that  the  Dream  was  doubled, &£,~$1ihz 
repetition  of  the  Dream  fignifies  the  certainty  of  what 
I  fay :  God  having. fo  determined  $..  who  will  (hortly 
jdftifie  the  Truth  of  my  Predidions.  But  here^ 
and  in  the  foregoing  Difcourfe,  verft  25,  28.  he  di 
rects  Pharaoh  to  look  up  unto  God,  as  the  Author  of 
a[j  thefe.  Events  5  and  that  not  in  an  ordinary,  but- 
extraordinary  manner.  For  fuch  Fertilty,  and  fuch 
Famine  did  not  proceed  from  mere  Natural  Caufes  ^ 
but  from  an  Over-ruling  Providence.  It  is  obferved 
by  Pliny  >  L.  V.  Nat.  Hi  ft.  cap.  9.  that  when  Nik  rofe 
only  twelve  Cubits,  a  Famine  followed  .•  Whe»7/>/>- 
teen>  great  Scarcity  .•  Whznfiurteen,  they  had  a  good 
Year :  Wheny5y/ee#,  a  very  good  .•  And  if  it  rofe  Jfx« 
teen,  it  made^e//V/^,  luxuriant  Plenty  .•  And  the 
greateft  increafe  they  ever  knew,  was  to  eighteen  Cu 
bits.  Now  that  this  River  Ihould  overflow  fo  large 
ly  for  feven  Years  together,  as  to  make  vaft  Plenty  $ 
and  then  for  the  next  feven  Years  not  to  overflow 
5ts  Banks  at  all  or  very  little,,  and  fo  make  a  fore 

and 


upon    GENESIS.  533 

and  long  Famine;  could  be  afcribed  to  nothing  but  Chapter 
an  extraordinary  Hand  of  God  ^   it  beingquite  out     XL1. 
of  thecourfe  of  Nature.     And  indeed  the  Dream ^s~v^* 
feemsto  fignifie  fomething  beyond  that;    for  it  is 
unnatural  for  Oxen  to  devour  one  another. 

Ver.  33.  Lookout  a  Man  difcreet  and  wife.']  OneVerfe  33. 
fit  to  manage  fo  great  an  Affair.  He  that  could  fore- 
tel  fuch  Events,  was  fit  to  advife  what  was  to  be 
done  upon  the  forefight  of  them .-  But,  it's  probable, 
he  did  not  prefume  to  give  fuch  Directions,  till  he 
was  askt  his  Opinion.  *j 

Ver.  34.     Let  Pharaoh  do    tbi*.']     When  this  isVerfe  34*, 
done. 

Let  him  appoint  Officers."]  Let  that  chief  Ruler  ap 
point  Officers  under  him,  in  the  feveral  Provinces 
of  the  Kingdom.-  Such  as  the  Rowans  called  Prtfeffos 


Take  up  a  fifth  part."]  Some  have  askt  why  not  the 
half,  fince  there  were  to  be  as  many  Years  of  Famine, 
as  of  Plenty.  To  which  fuch  anfwers  as  thefe  have 
been  given  by  Interpreters.:  That  the  greater  and 
richer  fort  were  wont  in  time  of  Plenty  to  fill  their 
Store-Houfes  ,  95  a  Provifion  againft  a  fcarcer  Year,  * 
which  (ometimeshapned.  And,  Secondly,  That  in 
time  of  Famine,  Men  are  wont  to  live  more  frugal* 
ly  5  and  not  fpend  fo  much  as  they  do  in  better  times. 
And,  Thirdly,  That  even  in  thofe  Years  of  greateft 
Famine^  fomething  might  be  fown  .•  at  lead  near  the 
Banks  of  Nile.  But  the  plained  Anfwer  is,  That  ten 
Parts  being  the  Tribute  due  to  Kings  in  many  Coun 
tries,  and  it  is  likely  here,  (as  I  obferved  upon 
XXVIII.  ft//.)  Pharaoh  was  advifed  to  double  this 
Charge,  in  the  Years  of  extraordinary  Plenty  :  When 
Part  was  not  more  than  the  tenth  in  other 

Years. 


$34  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter   Years.     Or,    (which  is  rather  to  be  fuppofed  from 

XLI.     a  good  King  and  a  good  Councellor)tobuy  as  much 

^'V^more  as  was  his    Tribute'*    Which  he  might  do  at 

an  eafie  rate,   when  vaft   Plenty   made  Corn  very 

cheap. 

Verfe  35.  Ver.  25.  Gather  aU  the  Food  ofthofegood  Tears  that 
coweT]  The  fifth  Part  of  the  growth  ot  the  next  fe- 
vcn  Years. 

And  lay  ///?  CornI}  In  places  provided  for  that  pur- 
pofe. 

"Under  the  Hand  of  Pharaoh.'}  Not  to  be  medled 
withal,  but  kept  by  Pharaoh9*  order  5  to  be  difpenfed 
hereafter,  as  need  (hall  require. 

And  let  them  keep  Food  in  the  Cities.']  Let  this 
Food  be  referved  in  the  feveral  Cities  of  the  King 
dom. 

Verfe  36.  Ver.  36.  And  that  Food  fhall  be  for  ftore.']  Shall  not 
be  f  pent  5  but  laid  up  and  prefer ved  again  ft  the  time 
of  Famine. 

That  the  Land,  &c.]  The  People  of  the  Land  do 
notperiQi. 

Verfe  37.  Ver.  37.  And  the  thing  was  good  in  the  Eyes,  &C."] 
The  King  and  all  the  Court  were  pleafed  with  this 
Advice.  Butfomemay  wonder  that  Pharaoh  and  his 
Minifters  (hould  fo  readily  believe  a  young  Man, 
and  a  ftranger  5  of  a  Nation  whom  they  did  not  con- 
verfe  withal,  and  lately  accufed  of  a  great  Crime. 
But  they  may  be  fatisfied,  by  confidering,  that  Jofeph 
had  cleared  himfelf  in  the  Opinion  of  the  Keeper  of 
the  Prifon  5  where  he  had  been  known  already  to 
have  interpreted  Dreams  exaftly  according  to?  the 
Events,  in  two  notorious  Cafes,  which  the  chief  But 
ler  had  reported,  verfe  12,13.  And  befides,  his  Ex- 
pofition  of  the  Figures  which  Pharaoh  faw  in  his 

Dream, 


upon  GENESIS.  535 

Dream,  was  fo  natural,  that  it  was  apt  to  beget  be-  Chapter 
lief,  if  he  had   not  been  an  Expounder  of  Dreams     XLI. 
before.     And  above  all  it  is  to  be  confidered,  that  WWJ 
God  who  fent  the  Dreams,    and  made  them  ftick  in 
Pharaoh's  Thoughts,    difpoled  his  Mind  alfo  to  re 
ceive  the  Interpretation,  with  a  deep  Senfe  of  its 
Truth. 

Ver.  38.  Pharaoh/aid  to  his  Servants."}    The  great  Verfe  38 
Minifters  of  the  Kingdom,  and  Officers  of  the  Court, 
who  flood  about  him. 

In  whom  is  the  Spirit  of  God."]  Without  which,  he 
could  not  forefee  and  foretel  fuch  things. 

Ver.  39.  And  Pharaoh  faidunto  Jofeph^]     It  feems  Verfe  39 
all  his  Servants  were  of  Pharaoh's  Mind,  andconfen- 
ted  to  whathefaid  .•    Being  amazed  at  the  Wifdom, 
which  appeared  in  Jofeph. 

Farafwitch  as  God  hath  fhewed  thee  all  thtsJ]  God 
wrought  in  him  the  higheft  Opinion  of  Jofeph^  as  a 
Man  Divinely  infpired. 

There  is  nonefo  difcreet  and  wife  asthon  art.']  Thou 
thy  felf  art  the  only  Perfon,  whom  thou  advifeft  me 
to  fet  over  the  Land,  verfe  33. 

Ver.  40.  Thotifhalt  be  over  my  Houfe.~]  Be  the  chief  Verfe  40, 
Minifter  in  my  Court  „•    For  that  is  meant  by  his 
Honfe. 

And  according  to  thy  word^\  As  thou  (halt  give 
Orders. 

Shall  all  my  People  be  ruled^]  The  Margin  tran- 
Hates  it  armed  5  as  if  he  put  the  whole  Militia  of  the 
Kingdom  into  his  Hands  .•  But  this  feems  too  narrow 
aSence  5  nor  was  there  any  thoughts  of  War  at  this 
time,  but  of  the  Government  of  the  Kingdom  in 
time  of  Peace.  And  therefore  we  alfo  tranflate  it 
fi>  i.  e.  obey,  as  the  LXX  and  Vulgar  well  tranflate 

it  *. 


A  COMMENTARY, 

Chapter    it  ,  a°d  as  it  fignifies  in    Pfalm  \\.nlt.  ktfs  the  Sow ,> 
XLl.     3-  e,  tubmit  to  him,  and  obey  him. 

t/~V\J      ©«&  in  the  Throne  will  I  be  greater  than  thon, "]• Thou 
(halt  have  no  Superiour,  but  only  my  felf. 

Verfe  41*  Ver.  41.  See,  I  have fetthee  over  all 'the  Land  of  E- 
gypt~\  He  had  advifed  Pharaoh  only  to  feta  Man  to 
be  the  chief  Infpeftor  of  the  Stores  of  Corn,  verfe 
33.  j£fdr  which  Pharaoh  thought  none  fo  fit  as  Jofeph 
hblUelf,  2^/239.)  but  he  now  conftitutes  him  Chief 
Governor,  under  him,  in  all  Affairs  of  the  whok 
Country. 

Verfe  42.  Ver.  42.  Took,  off  his  Ring,  Sec.]  This  is  well  ex 
plained  by  Vojjius^  Lib.  I.  de  Orig.  &  Progr.  Jdolol. 
cap<  9.  in  thefe  words,  T£/#  ut  Symbolum  dignitath^ 
tHK^  ad  liter  as  &  diplomats  pnblico  nowine  fignandas  : 
Both  in  Token  of  the  Dignity  to  which  he  was  pre 
ferred  3  and  that  he  might  feal  Letters  and  Patents  in 
the  King's  Name. 

Fefture  of  fine  LinnenJ]  So  the  Hebrewword  Schefch 
fignifies,  rather  than  5/74,  Cas  it  is  tranllated  in  the 
Margin}  though  not  the  Common  Linen,  but  that 
which  the  Ancients  called  Byflits  :  Which  Pollux  faith 
was  A/5/8  7ia^@L,  a  fort  of  Linen,  very  pure,  and 
ibft  ^  and  very  dear  5  becaufe  it  did  not  grow  every 
where.  Linum  tenmffimHm&  pretio/ijfimum,  as  Brau- 
nius  (hows,  Lib.  I.  de  Veftib.  Sacerdot.  Hebr.  cap.  6.  In 
Garments  made  of  this,  great  Men  only,  not  the 
Vulgar  People,  were  Cloathed.-  Kings  themfelves, 
k  appears  by  Solomon,  being  arrayed  in  fuch  Ve- 
fttires. 

Put  a  gold  Chain  about  his  Neck^]  Another  Token 
of  the  higheft  Dignity. 

Verfe  43.  Ver.  43.  Made  him  ride  in  the  fecond  Chariot  which 
fo  had.]  In  the  belt  of  the  King's  Coaches  (as  we 

now 


Kpm    GENESIS. 

fpeak)  except  one,  which  Pharaoh  referred  for  Chapter 
himfelf:  And   attended,   no  doubt,  with  a  fuitable    XLI. 
Equipage,    of  Foot-men,  and  Horfe-men,  perhaps,  L/'VSJ 
for  a  Guard  to  his  Perfon.  ' 

Cried  before  him^  Bow  the  KneeJ]  They  that  went 
before  his  Chariot,  to  make  way  for  him,  required  all 
to  do  him  fuch  Reverence,  as  they  did  to  the  King 
himfelf,  when  he  appeared:  Which  was  by  bowing 
their  Knees  or  their  Body.  .The  word  they  ufed  to 
this  purppfe,  as  they  went  along,  was  Abrech:  Which 
we  tranflate  bow  the  Knte^  deriving  it  from  the  He- 
brew  word  Barach,  which  hath  that  Signification, 
Though  others  will  have  it  to  fignifie  the  Father  of 
the  King  :  For  Rack  in  the  Syrian  Language  fignifies 
a  King,  if  we  may  believe  R.  Solomon.  Others  tran 
flate  it,  a  tender  Father  5  v/z.  Of  the  Country  which 
he  had  preferved.  .("See  Voffiw,  L.I.  deldoloL  c.  19.) 
And  Hottinger  will  have  it  as  much  as  God  fave  the 
Rjng$  or,  a,  Blejfing  light  on  you.  See  Smtgma  Ori 
ent,  p.  131.  But  unlefs  we  underftood  the  old  Egyp 
tian  Language,  I  think  we  had  as  good  reft  in  the 
Hebrew  Derivation,  as  in  any  other  $  according  to 
our  own  Tranflation, 

And  he  made  him  Ruler  over  all  the  Land  ofEgypt.'] 
After  this  manner  he  conftituted  him  Supreme  Gover 
nor  of  the  whole  Country,  under  himfelf  .•  Accord 
ing  to  his  Resolution,  verfe  41. 

Ver.44.  /*»  Pharaoh.^    This  is  my  Will  and  Verfe  44. 
Pleafure  j  who  am  King  of  Egypt. 

Without  thee  ffjal/  no  Man  lift  up  his  hand  or  foot^ 
Sec/]  A  Proverbial  Speech.  Let  no  Man  prefume  to 
do  thefmalleft  thing,  in  Publick  Affairs,  without  thy 
Order. 

Z  z  z  Ver. 


jftc"  A*      ,/16'  .^V-'-^qf  "  1'rjf*~  W^    ^  T  T^*      J     "W     >V» 

qgm  *¥  €  OM  MENJART 

Chapter        Ver.  45.  And  Pharaoh  called  Jofeptis  Nave.*]     He 
LXI.     gave  him  a  new  Name  $  partly,  becaafe  he  was  a  Fo^ 
L^VNJ  reigner^  and,  partly*  to  honour  him, -.and  yet  tode- 
Verfe  45 'note  him  to  be  his  Subjeft,  thougfo  Ruler  of  every 
Body  elfe.    We  find  Nebuchadnezzar-did  the  fame  in  > 
Babylon,  Dan.  I.  7.   And  it  is  ftill  the  Cuftom  in  the 
Eaftern  Countries;  Where  the  Mogul  never  advances 
any  Man,  but  he  gives  him  a  new  Name  $  and  that 
fignificant  of  fomething  belonging  to  him.     As  not 
long  ago,  he  called  his  Brother-in-law  Afaph  Chan^ 
the  gathering^  or  the  rich  Lord •••:  And  his  Phyfieian  * 
Macrod:Chan^  the  Lord  of  my  Health,  Sec.  as  Peter  de 
laValle  relates  in  his -Travels,  ^465.  where  he  ob-  - 
ferves  the  fame  of  his  Wives,  p.  470.  . 

Zaph-natk  Paaneah*]   Which St;  f^rer^^interprets^ •-. 
the  Saviour *of  the  World.     But  the  whole  Stream  of 
Interpreters  carry  it  for  another  Signification,  which 
is  the  Interpreter  of  Secret s^  or  the  Rcvealer  of  future 
things.   See  Sixt.  Awama,  and  Atlxan.  Kirker  his  Pro-  - 
&rom*t\ca$.  5.  ^md  our  Country  man  jGrtgorji,fhap.  , 
i£.  of  his  Obfervations.     Who,   with  Mr.  Calvin^  . 
thinks  it  is  ridiculous  to  attempt  to  make  this  Senfe  out , 
of  the  Hebrew  Language:  And  yet  there  are  thbfe  who  » 
think  they  have  done  it  with  fuceefs.     Tzapkan  being  \ 
to  hide  or  cover  3  whence  Tzaphnath,  that  which  is 
bidden^  or  ficret •  :  And  P#nah  fignifying,  to  look  into  ? 
or  contemplate.     So  that  Campeg.Vitrjgna  thinks  Jo- 
fepbt#  and  PA/fo^nottohave  ill  interpreted  this  word,  . 
3O^«f QK£J.TH$  and  xptciSfw  ivpvrw;.  (Obferv.  Sacr.  Lib.  I. 
cap.  5.)  an  Interpreter  of  Dreams,  and  a  Finder  out  oft 
things  hidden.  Bat  as  jfrfov&/We.r  obfervesupon  Dan^l.j. 
that  the  Egyptian  and  Perftan  Kings  gives  Names,  far 
Honour  and  Glory ,  fin  token  of  their  Supreme  Great- 
nefs  and  Authority)  fo  it  was  moft  for  their  Gloiy^ 

tot 


-up**    GENE  S  1  "  S. 

to  give  them  out  of  their  own  Language.     And  there-Chapter 
fore  if  this  be  the  meaning  of  Zaph-tttth  P.aaneah,  the     XLI. 
Egyptian  Tongue  and  the  Hebrew  had  a  great  Affinity  U^WJ 
one  to  the  other. 

And  be  gave  htm  to  Wife.]  Either  the  King  then 
difpofed  of  the  great  Noble-Mens  Daughters,  when 
their  Parents  were  dead,  (as  our  Kings  lately  did  of 
their  Wards*)  or  Afcnath  was  of  Pharaoh's  Kindred, 
and  fo  he  provided  her  a  Husband,  and  gave  her  a 
Portion.  Or,  the  meaning  (imply  is  5  he  made  this 
match  for  him. 

The  Daughter  of  PotipherahJ]  This  is  a  different 
Name  from  his,  who  was  Captain  of  the  Guard  5  and 
was  of  a  different  Quality.  And  therefore  there  is  no 
ceafon  from  fome  likenefs  in  their  Names,  to  think 
that  Jofeph  married  the  Daughter  of  him  who  had 
been  his  Matter :  For  he  would  have  abhorr'd  to 
match  with  one,  that  was  bom  of  fo  lewd  a  Woman 
as  his  Miftrefs}  as  Voffius  well  obferves  in  the  place 
fore-named. 

Prhfl  of  On^  Or,  Prince  of  0*,  (as  the  Margin 
hath  It)  for  the  word  Cohen  fignifies  both  Prieft  and 
Prince,  (fee  i  Sam.  VIII.  */f.)  Priefts  being  anciently 
the  Prime  Men  of  the  Kingdom  $  for  Kings  themfelves 
were  Priefts. 

On  was  a  famous  City  in  Egjft,  called  afterwards 
Heliopolif :  Which  gave  Name  to  one  of  the  N<fy*ei, 
i.t.  Provinces  of  Egypt,  whereof  this  P&ti-pbcrM 
was  Governor,  or  Lieutenant.  Concerning  which  Pro 
vince,  and  Afenatk,  and  Poti-pheraA,  fee  Mr.  Selden, 
£.  III.  de  Synedrils^  p.  406. 

And  Jofeph  went  out  over  all  the  Ltind  of  Egypt!] 
Cee  what  places  were  fitted  for  Stor ej. 

Z  z  z  2 


$40  A   COMMENTARY* 

Chapter         Ver.  46.  Jofeph  was  thirty  Tears  old*"]     So -he  had* 
LXI.     been  out  of  his  own  Country  thirteen  Years  ,•  for  he* 
VVVNJ  was  but  fe-venteen  Years  old  ptXXVII.  2.)  when  he 
Verfe  46.was  foij  ;nto  Eg-^j.     In  which  time,  we  may  well 
think,  he  had  learnt  the  Language  of  that  Country, 
and  gained  much  Experience  5  but  never  fent  to  hii 
Father :  In  which  there  is  vifibly  a  fpecial  Providence 
of  God:,  for  his  Father  might  have  ufed  means  for 
his  Deliverance,  and  then  he  had  never  come  to  this 
Greamefs. 

When  he  flood  before  Pharaoh?]  When  Pharaoh  mads 
him  his  Prime  Minifter.  For  the  great  Connfellors 
and  Minifters  alone,  were  admitted  into  the  King's  , 
Prefence,  (in  the Eaftern  Countries,  and,  its  like,  the 
fame  State,  was  kept  herej  and  are  faid  to  ftand  be* 
fore  the  King,  Dan.  1,2-9,  and-,  to  ^  the  Kings  .Puce, 
Eft  her  I.  14, 

And.  went  throughout  all  the  Land  of  Egypt ^]     He 
feems  to  have  only  taken  a  general  view  of  the  Coun 
try  before,  verfe  45.  but  now  a  more  particular  ;  ,to 
give  Orders  for  the  Building  of  Store-Houfes,  againft* 
the  plenteous  Years  came. 

Verfe  47*  Ver.  47.  Brought  forth  by  handfuls.']  Such  large 
Ears,  that  a  few  of  them  would  make  a  Sheaf:  Which 
our  Tranflation  feems  here  to  mean  by  handfuls  : 
For  Sheaves  are  bound  up  with  Mens  Hands.  And 
fo  it  may  be  interpreted,  it  brought  forth  Sheaves, 
or  Heaps  :  Qr, .  more  literally,  handfnls  upon  one 
Stalky  ?•  e.  vaft  abundance.  Some  conceive  the  Corn 
was  laid  up  in  Sheaves,  heaped  up  very  high,  5 
and  not  thrafh^d  out :  For  fo  it  would  keep  the  lon 
ger. 

48.     Ver.  48.  And  he  gathered  up  all  the  Food.']  The  fifth 
Part,,  as  he  had  propofed,  verfe  34,.^.  e,  he  bought  it^ 

which 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  SV  541 

which  he  might  do  at  a  fmall  Price,  >when  there  was  Chapter 
unufual  Plenty.  XLL 

And  laid  up  the  Food  m  the  Cities.']  It  is  very  pro-  L/*WJ 
table  he  laid  it  up,  as  it  was  gathered,  unthralh'd  : 
That  there  might  be  Food  for  the  Cattle  alfo.  So 
the  Vulgar,  In  .vtanifulos  redttftfi  fegetes  congregate 
funt  in  horrea.  And  what  was  laid  up  in  the  firft 
Year  of  Plenty  $  ie  is  reafonable  to  think  was  dif- 
penfed  in  the  firft  Year  of  Famine,  &c. 

Round  every  City-"]  This  was  very  wifely  ordered , 
for  it  was  lefs  charge  to  Pharaoh  tor  the  prefent,  and 
more  eafie  to  the  Country,  when  they  wanted  Pro*- 
vifion. 

Ver.  49.  Gathered  Com  a&>  the  Sand  of  the  Sea."]  The  Verfe  49* 
following  words  explain  this  Hyperbolical  Expreffir 
on.     And  the  reafon  of  his  heaping  up  fo  much  was, 
that  there  might  be  fufficient  to  fupply  the  Neceffities 
of  other  Countries,  as  well  as  of  Egypt. 

Ver.  51.  God  hath  made  me  forget  all  my  toil"]    The  Verfe  J  |v 
great  Affliftion,  and  hard  Labour  he, endured  in,Pri- 
fon. 

And  all 'my  Father  s  Houfe^]  The  Unkind nefs  of  his 
Brethren,  who  were  the  caufe  of  all  his  Trouble. 
By  impofing  this  Name  on  his. Firft-born,  headmo- 
niflied  himfelf  in  themidft  of  his  Profperity,  of  his 
former  Adverfity  .-Which  he  now  thought  of  with  \ 
Pleafure. 

Ver.  J2.  In  the  Land  ofmyAffiiftion.']  In  the  Coun- Vcrfc  52. 
try  where  I  have  fuffered  much  Affliaion. 

Ver.  53.  And  thefeven  Tears  ofPlenteoufnefs,  were  Verfe  53, 
ended."]    It  was  befide  the  Intention  of  Mofet  to  re 
late  any  of  the  Affairs  of  that  Country,  but  what  be 
longing  to  this  Matter :  And  therefore  he  pafles  over 
all  other  Tranfaftions  of  thefe  feven  Years  ^    as  he 

doth 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter    doth  all  the  things  that  hapned  in  Jacob's  FamHy,  ever 

XLI.      fince  Jofeph  came  from  it. 

V/VNJ       Ver.  54.  The  Dearth  wot  in  4$  Lands  ?\     In  all  the 
\Verfe  54.  Countries  thereabouts,  Canaan,  Syrjaf&c.   'It  feeros 
there  was  a  general  want  of  Rain. 

But  in  all  the  Land  of  Egypt  there&as  Bread.']   They 
did  not  feel  the  Famine  prefemly,  becaufe  they  had 
much  to  fpare  from  the  former  Years  of  plenty. 
Verfe  f£.      Ver.  ^  And  when all  the  Land  of  Egypt  wasfamijh- 
\d.~\     When  they  had  eaten  up  all  their  own  Stores ; 
Which,  we  may  fuppofe,  failed  in  two  Years  time. 

The  People  cried  to  Pharaoh,  Sec/]  Madeearneft  Peti 
tions  to  the  King,' for  relief  of  their  Neceffities. 
^  Vetfe  56.      Ver.  56.  And  the  Famine  TOM  over  all  the  face  of  the 
Earth J]    Grew  (till  greater  in  all  the  Neighbouring 
Countries. 

And  the  Famine  waxed  fere  in  the  Land  of  EgyptS] 
For  the  E^pf«f#j  themfelves,  having  fpefit  all  their 
own  Stores,  were  forely  p'mch'd. 

'Verfe  f 7.      Ver.  5  7.  And  all  Countries  cante  to  buy  Corn^  &C.]j 
H.  e.  The  Neighbouring  Countries,  as  was  faid  before, 
verfe  54.  For,if  the  moft  diftant  had  come,  the Store- 
Houfes  had  been  foon  emptied. 

Becaufe  the  Famine  was  fore  In  all  Lands."]  It  in- 
creafed  more  and  more,  in  thofe  Countries  before- 
named  :  Which  were  grievoully  afflifted  by  it. 


G  H  A 


upon   G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  543 

Chapter 
-  _  j  --    XLII. 


CHAP.     XLII. 


Ver.  i  •  A  ND  when  Jacob  faw  that  there  was  no  Corn  in  Verfe  I  * 

JL\  Egypt  >&c.~]  He  faw,  perhaps,  fome  pafs 
by  laden  with  Corn,  which  they  had  bought  there. 
Or,  one  Senfe  (as  is  freqiuept  in  Scripture)  is  put 
for  another  .-  Seeing  for  Hearing  }  as  it  is  expreffed, 
verfe  2. 

Why  do:ye  lookout  upon  another?']  As  idle  People  ufe 
to  do,  while  none  of  them  will  ftir  to  (eek  Relief.  - 
Or,  rather,  as  Men  that  know  not  what  courfe  to  * 
take,  expefting  who  would  begin  to  axivife  for  their 
Prefervationj 

Ver,2.  That  vot  ntay  live^  andnot  die."]    He  exciteSVerfe  2. 
them  to  make  no  further  delay,  by  the  great  Neceflity 
wherein  they  were^  no  lefs  than  danger  of  p^riftv-* 
iiig. 

Ver.  4..  Left  MI  f  chief  befal  him.']   He  being,  as  yet,  Verfe  4 
but  young,  and  not  ufed  to  travel,  Jacob  was  afraid 
the  Journey  might  be  hazardous  to  him.     Befides,  he  * 
could  notbutdefire  to  have  fome  of  their  Company  -3 
though  this  was  not  his  principal  Reafon. 

Ver»5.  Came  to  bay  Corn  twong  thofe^t^at  earner]  Peo-  Verfe  $. 
pie  came  from  all  Parts  thereabout,  upon  the  fame 
btifinefs:    And  Jacob's  Sons  among  others  5   whom,  * 
perhaps,  they  met  withal  upon  the  Road. 

Ver.  6.  And  Jofepk  was  the  Governor  fccJ]  The  He-  Verfe  6 
brew  word  Sehallit  -'(ighifies  fometimes,  one  that  hath 
abfolute  Power  :  And  feems  to  be  ufed  here  to  fet 
forth  the  high  Authority  which  Jefep  h  exercifed  un-  •«-• 
der  Phataeh.  ".-. 

Ht  * 


544 

Chapter          He  it  was  that  fold  to  fill  the  People  of  the  L 
XLII.     Appointed    at  what  Pvates  Corn  ihould-  be  Told,  hi 

U/*WJ  every  Part  of  the  Country,  For  it  is  not  to  be  fup- 
poled  that  he  iirFJsfion,  -could  treat  with  every  Man 
that  came  to  buy  :  But  he,  by  his  Deputies,  who  ob- 
ferved  his  Orders, 

And  Jofepfts  Brethren  cawe.~]  It  fhould  feem  by 
this,  that  ail  Foreigners,  were  ordered  to  tome  to 
him  5  in  the  Royal  City,  where  he  refided  :  Or,  at 
lead,  their  Names  were  brought  to  him,  chat  he  might 
{peak  with  fuch  as  he  thought  fit:  And  thereby  get 
the  better  Intelligence  of  the  State  of  their  feveral 
Countries ,  and  be  fare  to  fee  his  Brethren,  who,  he 
,knew,  would  be  conftrained  to  come  thither. 

••They  bowed  themfdvzs  before  him,  &c^  Unwitting 
ly  fulfilled  his  Dream.  This  feems  to  have  been  done 
after  the  manner  of  their  own  and  other  Raftem 
Countries^  .not  of  Egypt,  where  they  only  bowed 
the-Knee,  XL1.4O. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  Spake  roughly  to  ttxmJ]  Gave  them  hard 
words,  as  we  fpeak.  Or,  fpake  in  harfh  Tone  to 
them,  and  with  a  ftern  Countenance. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.8.  And  they  l^iew  noi~him?\  They  had  not  feen 
him  in  twenty  Years:  In  which  time  a  Youth  alters 
far  more  than  grown  Men  do  5  To  that,  though  he 
knew  them,  they  might  not  know  him.  Who  ap- 
.peared  alfo  in  fuch  Pomp  and  State,  that  it  made 
.them  not  think  of  him:  And  he  fpake  alfo  to  them 
by  an  Interpreter,  verfe  23.  Which  reprefented  him 
as  a  Stranger  to  them. 

Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Te  are  Spies.']  He  did  not  think  they  were 
TuchPerfons,  but  faid  this  to  provoke  them,  to  give 
an  account  of  themfelves,  and  of  his  Father.  Nor 
3s  there  any  reafon  to  look  upon  this  as  a  Lye.  For 

they 


upon    GENESIS, 

they  are  not  words  of  Affirmation,  but  of  Probation  Chapter 
or  Trial:    Such  as  Judges  ufe,  when  they  examine    XLIL 
fufpefted  Perfons,  or  inquire  into  a  Crime,  of  which  L/"V"SJ 
Men  are  accufed.     And  therefore  have  the  force  of 
an  Interrogation  ^  Are  ye  not  Spies  .<?  Or,  I  tnuft  take 
you  for  Spies,  till  you  prove  the  contrary, 

To  fee  the  nakednefs  of  the  Land  are  ye  covte^]  The 
weak  Places  of  the  Country  ,  which  are  leaft  defen- 
fible.  Or,  as  others  will  have  it,  the  Secrets  of  the 
Land :  For  it  is  the  fame  word  that  is  ufed  to  exprefs 
the  Privy  Parts* 

Ver.  n.  We  are  all  one  Mans  SonsJ]    There  needed  Verfc  r  t * 
no-more  than  this  to  take  off  his  Sufpicion.    For  no 
Man  would  have  fent  feis  Sons,  but  rather  his  Ser 
vants,  if  they  had  come  upon  an  ill  Defign  :  Or,  at 
leaft,  not  all  his  Sons }  or,  not  all  of  them  together 
in  a  Company:  But  difperfed  them  rather  about  the 
Country.     Nor  was  it  probable,  that  one  Man  could 
have  a  Defign  upon  Egypt  $  but  all  the  great  Men  of 
Canaan  tnuft  have  joyned  in  it  :    And  then  they         £p3 
would  have  fent  Men  of  different  Families,  not  all  of 
one  alone. 

We  are  true  Men."]  This  was  a  good  Argument, 
that  they  faid  true,  when  they  told  him  (vtrfe  io.J 
they  had  no  other  bufinefs  in  Egypt  but  to  buy  Corn. 

Ver.  12.  And  he  faid  unto  them,  Nay,  &C."]  UnlefsVerfe 
you  have  better  Arguments  than  this,  I  muft  take  you 
for  Spies.  He  flights  their  Argument,  as  great  Men 
fometimes  do,  when  they  know  not  prefently  how 
to  anfwer  it.  He  had  a  mind  alfo  to  have  them  give 
a  further  account  of  their  Family,  that  he  might  be 
informed  what  was  become  of  his  Brother  Benjamin. 

A  a  a  a  Ver* 


*  c O'M MENTART 

Chapter         Ver.  13.  Thy  Servants  are   twelve   Brethren,    &c.] 

LXlL    They   inforce  their  former   Argument,  by    relating 

U^V^vj  their    Condition    more  fully    and    diftinftly.      But 

*3' -ftill  it  amounts  to  no  more  than  this  5  That  it  was 

not  likely  a  Parent  would  venture  all  his  Children, 

in  fuch  a  DeSgn,  as  they  were  fufpeftcd  to  come  a- 

bout. 

The  youngcftis  this  day  with  our  Father^]  This  was 
the  thing  he  defined  to  know. 

And  one  is  not. ~]  Is  dead.  So  they  thought,  be- 
caufe  they  had  heard  nothing  of  him  in  twenty  Years 
fpace. 

Verfe  14.  Ver*  H*  ^*  *  *&**  Ifp*k*  **"*<>  you,  &c.J  This 
confirms  what  I  faid,  and  gives  me  juft  ground  for 
fufpicion,  that  you  are  Spies :  Becaufe  you  pretend 
to  have  another  Brother,  which  is  not  likely  5  for 
why  (hould  not  your  Father  fend  all,  as  well  as  fa 
many?  This  was  but  Cavil  $  but  ferved  to  compafs 
his  end  :  Which  was  to  fee  his  Brother. 
15.  Ver.  iy.  Hereby  jhatt  ye  be  proved']  By  this  very 
thing  fhall  you  be  tried  3  whether  you  be  honeft  Men., 
or  no. 

Bf.the  Life  of  Pharaoh,  Sccf]  As  fure  as  Pharaoh 
lives  $  or,  itafalvw/it^  fo  let  Pharaoh  be  fafe  and  in 
health,  as  I  will  keep  you  here,  till  I  fee  your  youn* 
ger  Brother.  Others  expound  "it,  If  Pharaoh  have 
any  Authority  here^  \.  e.  be  Ring  of  this  Country,  you 
fhall  not  ftir  from  hence,  &c.  But  moft  Authors 
take  this  for  an  Oath  /  The  Original  of  which  is  well 
explained  by  Mr.  Selden  in  his  Titles  of  Honour^ 
fi'45>  where  he  obferves,  that  the  Name  of  Gods  be- 
ihg  given  to  Kings  very  early,  S?  c?p£T%  •&$&()?&&, 
("as  Ariftotle  fpeaks,  L.  VI.  Ethic,  cap.  i.)  from  the 
excellence  of  their  Heroick  Vertue,  which  made 

them 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S, 

them  anciently  great  Benefaftors  to  Mankind :  Thence  Chapter 
arofethe  Cuftom  of  Swearing  by  them  }  which  Abm    XLIL 
Ezra  faith  continued  in  his  time  (about  1170.)  when  U^VXJ 
Egypt  was  governed  by  Caliphs.     If  any  Man  fwore 
by  the  King's  Head,  and  was  found  to  have  fworn 
falfly,  he  was  punifhed  capitally.     And  then  Schach 
Jfmael^  the   firft  Sophz,  got   the  Per/ian  Empire,  no 
Oath  was  held  fo  Sacred  (as  Leunclavfw  reports)  as 
to  Swear  by  his  Head,  /.  e.  in  effeft,  by  his  Life. 

But  St.  Bafil  will  not  have  this  to  be  an  Oath  :  But 
a  folemn  Afleveration  to  perfwade  Belief.  For  faith 
he,  Tom.  I.  Horn,  in  Pfal.  XV.  p.  155-.)  yE<jz  riv^  Ao- 
yoi  ^juutTse.  fjilv  opwv  fyovlt^  B^  Spnoi  3  oi/7^,8cc.  There 
are  certain  Speeches  which  have  thefafhion  of  Oaths, 
and  yet  are  not  Oaths :  But  SsgpiTreia  TT^  r«$  a*&- 
ov1a,<;,  ferve  only  to  perfwade  the  Auditors.  Such  he 
takes  this  to  be  $  and  that  of  St.  Paul,  Nw  r  v/M7t£&v 
*&ti%YinVi  by  our  rejoycing,  i  Corinth.  XV.  31.  where  he 
faith  the  Apoftle  was  not  unmindful  of  the  Evange 
lical  Commandment,  nottofaear:  But  by  a  Speech, 
in  form  of  an  Oath,  he  would  have  them  believe 
that  his  glorying  in  them  ("or  rather  in  Chrift)  was 
dearer  to  him  than  any  thing  elfe.  And  the  truth  is, 
Judabfeems  to  have  taken  thefe  words  ofjofeph,  on 
ly  for  a  folemn  Proteftation,  XLIII.  3.  wherein  he 
expofed  the  Life  of  Pharaoh  (which  was  moft  dear 
to  himj  unco  Execration,  if  he  was  not  as  good  as 
his  word.  So  G.  Calixtus  under  (lands  it. 

Ver.  1 6.  Send  one  of  you,  and  let  him  fetch  ^//rVerfe  16 
Brother^     At  firft  he  propofed,  that   only  one  of 
them  (hould  return  home,  to  bring  their  Brother  to 
him  5  and  all  the  reft  remain,  in  the  mean  time,  Pri- 
foners  in  Egypt. 

A  a  a  a  2  Ver. 


$48  A   COMMENTART 

Chapter         Ver.  17.  Andhe  put  them  all  together  into  Ward,  &C-3 

LXII.    That  they  might  confult  one  with  another,  which  of 

W*W3  them  (hould  go  to  ktcfa  Benjamin  $  about  which,  it 

Verfe  17-feems,   they  could  not  agree:.  Every  one  fearing  to 

be  the  Meffenger  of  fuch  fad  Tidings  to,  their  Father  5 

who  might  fufpeftthey  were  all  loft* 

Verfe  18.     Ver.  18.  Jofeph  faid,  unto*  them  ike  third  day,  Sec."]  \ 
I  have  no  mind  to  deftroy  you:  For  I  know  there  is 
a  Godv  who  will  puaifli  all  Injuftice  and  -Cruelty* 
Therefore  I  make  this  new  Propofiticn  to  you. 
Verfe-  1-9,..     Ver,  19.  Let  one  af  your  Brethren ,  Sec,]     This  (hall  r 
be  the  proof  of  your  Honefty.     Inftead  of  fending 
one  of  you  to  your  Father^  you  fhall  all  go  but  one  ^  t 
who  (hall  remain  bound  in  Prifon  till  you  bring  your 
younger  Brother.-  And  in  the  mean  time  carry  Pro<- 
vifion  for  your  Families. 

20.,.  Vet.  2Q.  But  bring  your  yoitttgeJtBrot:her,&.c.~]  Fail 
not  to  let  me  fee  your  youngeft  Brother :  And  ib  (hall 
you  juftifie.your  felves  to  be  no  Spies  ^  and  fuffer  no 
thing. 

And. they  djdfir\     They  confented  to  this, Pro-  * 
ppfal.- 

2 1 .  Ver.  21.,  And  they  fad  one  to  another^  They  -  that 
had  the  chief  Hand,  in  the  Confpiracy  againft  jb/ep£, 
began  upon  this  occafion  to  make  the  following  Re- 
fleftions  on  it. , 

We  are  verily  guilty y&c.]  See  the  Power  of  Con- 
fcience,  which  flies  in  their.  Face;  and  reproaches  them 
for  a  Fa&  committed  above  Twenty  Years  ago. 

In  that  wefawthe.anguifo  of  his  Soul,  Scc.^  We 
would  have  no  pity,  when  he  befought  us  with  Tears$ 
and  .now*,  nothing ,  that  we  can  fay,  will  move  this 
Man.  They  obferve  their  Guilt  in  their  Punilhment. 
For,  ..as- they  had  thrown  Jofeph  into  a  Pit,  fo  they 

had 


upon    GENESIS.  54P 

had  been  thrown  into  a  Prifon  themfelves :  And  as  Chapter 
nothing  he  could  fay,  would  incline  them  to  fpare  XLII. 
him,  fo  now  they  found  Jofeph  inexorable  to  them.  ^^VNJ 

This  Anguifh  of  his  Soul,  and  his  Entreaties  are  not 
mentioned  before,  (C&ap.XXXVII.)  but  could  not 
but  be  fuppofed,  if  they  had  not  been  mentioned 
here. 

Ver.  ^'2.  And  Reuben  anfwered  them,  Sec.]     YouVerfe  ^^. 
ftiould  have  hearkned  unto  me,  and  then  you  had  not 
come  into  this  Diftrefs. 

Behold  alfo,  his  Blood  is  reqtt/red.']  You  killed  him, 
and  now  you  muft  pay  for  it  with  the  lofs  of  your 
Lives.  For  he  thought  him  to  be  dead. 

Ver.  2^.  Spake  to  them  by  an  Interpreter.]  This  (hows  Verfe  23 
the  Egyptian  Tongue  and  the  Hebrew  were  different , 
though  in  fome  words  they  might  agree. 

Ver. 24.  And  he  turned  hi mfelf  about  from  them7\Vttk  24 
And  went  into  fome  other  Room. 

And  wept."]  Natural  Affeftion  was  too  ftrong  for 
the  Perfon  he  put  on :  And  would  not  fuffer  him  to 
counterfeit  any  longer. 

Returned  to  them^  and  communed  with  them."}  When 
he  had  vented  his  Paffion,  a°d  compofed  himfelf  to 
his  former  Temper,  he  repeated  to  them  what  he  had 
told  them  before:  But  added  withal,  That  if  they 
brought  Benjamin  with  them,  they  naight  Traffick  in 
the  Land,  Verfe  34. 

And  took,  from  them  Simeon.']  Who,  the  Hebrews 
fay,  was  the  Perfon  that  put  Jofeph  into  the  Pit  .•  And 
therefore  was  now  ferved  in  his  kind.  This,  I  think,  , 
may  be  fairly  conje£lured,  That. Reuben  being  refol- 
ved  to  fave  him,  and  Judah  alfo  inclined  to  favour 
him 5  if  5W0;*  had  joyned  with  them,  their  Autho 
rity  might  have  prevailed  to  deliver  him. 


^   CO M MENTOR T, 

Chapter         And  bonnd  him  before  their  eyes."]     Caufed  him  to 
XLIL     be  bound  in  their  prefence$    to  ftrike  the  greater 
LXVNJ  Terror  into  them. 

Vcrfe  25,  ^er.  25.  To  give  t hem  Provifion  for  the  way."]  That 
they  might  carry  what  they  bought  intire,  for  the  ufe 
of  their  Family. 

And  thw  he  did  unto  themT]     Thus  the  Perfon,  to 
whom  Jofeph  gave  that  Command,  did  unto  them. 
Verfe   26.      Ver.  26.  And  they  laded  their  Affes  with  Corn,  &C.] 
It  is  not  faid  how  many   AiTes  they  laded;  but  one 
would  guefs  by  what  follows,  only  each  Man  one. 
For  they  went  only  to  fetch  a  prefent  Supply:  Not 
thinking  of  providing  againft  a  long  Famine. 
Verfe  27.      Ver.  27*  ^nd  as  one  of  them  opened  his  Sack,  &C-3 

Wherein  was  their  Provifion  for  the  way,  verfe  25. 
Verfe  28.  Ver.  x8.  He  faid  unto  his  Brethren,  Sec.]  Who  all 
prefcntly  opened  their  Sacks,  and  found  their  Money 
there.  For  fo  the  Story  is  told  by  Judah  at  their  re 
turn  to  Egypt,  XLIII.  n.  And  both  by  that  place 
and  this,  it  appears  this  hapned  to  them  when  they 
came  unto  their  Inn,  to  reft  themfelves,  in  their  firft 
day's  Journey. 

And  their  'Heart failed  thew,&c.']  Their  Guilt  made 
them  afraid  5  otherwife  they  would  have  rejoyced. 
But  all  things  terrific  an  evil  Confcience  :  Which 
made  them  think  fome  Defign  was  laid  to  undo  them 
all. 

What  is  this  that  God  hath  done  unto  us  ?~]  Now  God 
was  in  all  their  Thoughts,  as  the  Chief  Governour  of 
all  things  $  whofoever  was  the  Inftrument. 
Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  The  Man  who  is  the  Lord  of  the  Land."] 
By  this  it  appears  Jofeph  was  little  lefs  than  a  King,  i.e. 
in  his  Authority  and  Sway,  which  he  bare  in  that 
Country.  -7^ 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S;  55  * 

/*r Spies, ,"]  In  the  He/>ren>  it  is,  He  £<me  #f ,  Chapter 
h  e.  treated  us  as  Spies }  by  delivering  us  to  be  put  XLII. 
in  Prifon.  v^VNJ 

Ver.  34.  And  ye  flail  traffic^  In  tie  Land.]     Buy  Verfe   }4« 
Corn,  or  any  thing  elfe  the  Country  affords }  with 
out  any  letter  impediment. 

Ver.  35.    When  both  they  and   their  Fathers  J aw  the  Verfe   35% 
bundles  of  Money,  8cc.]    They  had   feen  the  fame  be 
fore:  Therefore  this  is  fet  down  to  exprefs  the  Fear 
which  Jacob  himfelf  was  in,  at  the  fight  of  the  Mo 
ney  5  though  we  may  well  fuppofe  their  Fear  was  in- 
creafed,  when  they  perceived  him  to  have  the  fame 
Apprehenfions  which  they  had,  of  fome  defign  that 
might  be  laid  again  ft  their  Lives,  when  they  returned 
to  Egypt,  though  they  brought  their  younger  Brother 
with  them. 

Ver.  36.  Simeon  is  not."]     He  lookt  upon  him  as  Verfe  36* 
dead  $  being  in   the  power  of  fo  rough  a  Man,  as 
they  defcribed  the  Lord  of  the  Land  to  be :  Efpecially 
if  he  did  not  fend  Benjamin  thither,    as,  for  the  pre- 
fent  he  was  refolved  not  to  do. 

All  thefe  things  are  against  me7\  Or,  itfon  me^  as 
the  Hebrew  words  carry  it.  Thofe  are  heavy  Burdens, 
which  lie  qpon  me,  not  upon  you  :  Who  can  be 
content  to  have  Benjamin  go,  after  I  have  loft  two 
erf  my  Sons  already. 

Ver.  37.  Slay  my  two  Sons  if  I  bring  him  not  ^  Verfe  27* 
thee."]  Nothing  could  be  more  fooliQily  faid  5  for 
what  Good  would  it  do  Jacob  fnay,  what  an  in- 
creafe  of  his  Affliction  would  it  have  been)  to  lofe 
two  Grand-children,  after  he  had  loft  another 
Son?  But  it  was  fpoken  out  of  a  paflionate  Defire 
to  redeem  Simeon,  and  to  make  more  Provision  for 
their  Family:  Being  confident  that  Jofeph  (who 


A   COMMENTARY 

J  J 

Chapter    profefled  tofear  God,  verfe  18.)  would  be  as.goodas 
XLIII.    his  word. 

tVy^SJ      Ver.  38.  Be  is  left  alone.]     The  only  Child  of  his 
Verfe  38, Mother. 

Bring  down  my  grey  Hairs  mthforrow  to  the  Grave?] 
You  will  make  me,  who  am  worn  away  already,  die 
with  Grief. 


C  H  A  P.     XLIIL 

Verfe  i.    ^er«  *•  A  ND  the  Famine  was  forest?]     Still  in- 
JLJL  creafed  to  a  greater  Scarcity, 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  When  they  had  eaten  up  the  Corn^  that  they 
brought  out  of  Egypt.*]  So  that  they  had  nothing  to 
live  upon,  but  only  the  poor  Crop,  that  their  own 
Country  produced:  Which  could  not  long  fuftain 
them. 

Buyw  *  little  Food.'}  He  hoped,  it  is  likely,  the 
next  Year  would  be  better }  and  fo  only  defired  a 
fupply  of  their  prefent  Neceffity. 

Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  Judahfpake  unto  him^  &c.^  Reuben 
had  fpoken  to  him  in  vain,  ("XLII.  37,  38.^  and  Le- 
vi,  perhaps,  had  not  yet  recovered  his  Intereft  in  him, 
fince  the  barbarous  Aftion  ztShechem  :  And  therefore 
Judab  took  upon  him  to  perfwade  his  Father  5  being 
next  in  Birth,  and  of  no  fmall  Authority  among  his 
Brethren. 

Te  jhatt  not  fee  my  Face."]  But  be  taken  for  Spies  5 
and  (b  lofe  their  Lives. 

"¥erfe  $•  Ven  '5-  ^/e  w^  not&°  ^own^  Becaufe  it  would  not 
only  have  been  to  no  purpofe  :  But  alfo  indangered 

.their  iives. 

Ver. 


upon  GENESIS.  553 

Ver.  6.  Wherefore  dealt  ye  fo  ill  with  me,  8cc.]  It  was  Chapter 
unkindly  done  of  you,    to  tell  him  of  another  Bro-     XLIII. 
then     For  what  need  was  there  to  fay  any  thing  of  u^v^SJ 
one  who  was  not  with  you  ?  Verfe  6. 

Ver.  7.  The  Man  askt  usftraitly,  5cc.]  They  having  Verfe  7. 
told  him,  they  were  all  one  Man*  Sons,  XLII.  1 1.  he 
might  well  ask  them,  what  Mans  ?And  whether  there 
were  any  more  of  them  >  And  whether  their  Father 
and  Brother  were  yet  living? 

And  we  told  him  according  to  the  tenor  of  thefe  words."] 
Anfwered  every  queftion,  as  Truth  required. 

Ver.  8.  Send  the  Lad  with  me.~\  Trnft  him  with  me.  Verfe  8. 
He  calls  him  Lad,    becaufe  he  was  the  youngeft  of 
them  all  ^  and  one  of  whom  his  Father  was  as  tender, 
as  if  he  had  been  a  little  Child  :  Though  indeed  he 
had  Children  of  his  own,  XL VI.  21. 

That  we  may  live,  Sccf)  Thefe  were  very  moving  Ar 
guments  $  the  Prefervation  of  a  whole  Family  $  Benja 
min  and  all  .-  who,  if  he  went,  might  return  in  fafety  5 
but  if  he  ftaid  at  home,  muft  perifh  with  all  the  reft. 

Ver.  9.  Iwillbe  fnrety  for  him^]  Be  bound  in  what  Verfe  9. 
Penalty  thou  pleafeft,  to  bring  him  back. 

Ofmyhandjfhalt  thon  require  him."]  Punifh  me  (who 
will  be  anfwerable  for  him)  if  he  mifcarry. 

Bear  the  blame  for  ever."]  Lye  under  thy  Difpleafure, 
aslong'as  I  live.  All  this  fignifies  only,  that  he  would 
do  his  utmoft  to  fecure  him  ;  And  rather  fuffer  the 
heavieft  thing  himfelf,  than  lofe  Benjamin. 

Ver.io,F<?r  except  we  had  lingred,  8tc.]If  thon  had  ft  Verfe  i  o. 
not  hindredusby  thefe  Scruples  about  Benjamin,  we 
had  been  there  and  at  home  again,  by  this  time. 

Ver.  ii.  Take  ofthebeft  Fruit s.~]  The  Hebrew  word  Verfe  n. 
Mizzimrath  fignifies,  of  the  mofl^raifed }  or,  as  Bochart 
more  literally  interprets  it,  qua  in  hac  terra  feint  maxitn\ 

B  b  b  b  «fc- 


554  *    COMMENTARY 

Chapter  decatttata^  (P.  II  Hierozoic.  Lib.  V.  cap.  y.^thofe  Fruits 
XLIH.  which  are  w  oft  celebrated  in  the  Landoj  Canaan/Which 
was  as  famous  for  the  things  following,  as  Egypt  was 
for  Corn.  And  it  feems  at  this  time  did  not  want 
them  $  which  might  make  them  more  acceptable  in  E- 
gypt,  where  they  grew  at  no  time.  For  Egypt  being  a 
low  and  plain  Country,  znd.Canaa*  an  hilly  3  it  made, 
their  Produds  very  different. 

Rather  Re/in,  as  we  obferved  on  XXXVII, 


Honey?]  For  which  this  Country  was  famous  $  e- 
fpecially  in  fome  parts  of  it,  about  Tekpah,  as  Bochart 
alfo  obferves.  And  therefore  was  a  fit  Prefent  fora 
King,  as  we  fee  in  the  Story  of  David,  2  Sam.  XVIL 
29.  And  wascarried  from  hence,  to  the  Marts  of  Tyre, 
E*4.  XXVII.  17. 

Species.']  The  word  Necotb  fignifies  Storax,  as  was 
alfo  obferved  before,  XXX  VI  I.  25. 

MyrrheJ]  Which  Bochart  tranflates  Mafticht. 

Nuts.]  He  alfo  proves  by  many  Arguments,  that 
the  word  Botnim  fignifies  thofe  Nuts  we  cMPiJlacbfo's. 
Which  may  well  be  numbrtd  among  the  beft  Fruits  of 
the  Land  :  Being  very  friendly  to  the  Stomach  and 
Liver  $  powerful  againft  Poifon  $  and  highly  efteem- 
ed  by  the  Ancients,  as  a  delicious  Food.  And  fo 
Maimonides  and  Kimchi  expound  the  word. 

Almonds^  They  are  fitly  joyn'd  with  Piftacbio\  as 
he  obferves  ^  being  fruflus  congeneres  :  And  therefore 
Diofcorides  treats  of  them  together  .•  And  Theophajlus 
defcribes  tfaPiftachio  ast/uLomreSs  apififcttdois,  like  un 
to  Almonds.  Vide  Canaan,  Lib.  I  cap. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  n.  Take  double  Money!]  O:he  Money  bf  fides 
their  firft.  Which,  if  it  fignifie  as  much  more  is  rhe 
firft  3  the  reafon  was  becaufe  he  thought.  Corn  might 
mow  be  grown  dearer.  Ver. 


upon  GENESIS. 

Vcr.   14.  Iflbe  bereaved,  1  am  bereaved."]  I  fubmit  Chapter 
unto  it,  and  will  bear  it  as  patiently  as  I  am  able.  Or,     XLHI. 
as  fome  paraphrafe  it  3  as  I  have  been  bereaved  of  Jo-  WVNJ 
fefh  and  Simeon^  fo  now  I  am  of  Benjamin  :  No  new  Verfe  14. 
thing  happens  to  me  5  but  I  have  been  ufed  to  fuch  Af- 
fliftions  .•  Which  I  may  therefore  bear  more  equally. 

Ver.  15.  Stood  beforejofej>h.~]  Prefented  themfelves  Verfe  if. 
to  him  in  his  Office,  (as  we  fpeak)  or,    in  the  Place, 
where  he  gave  Audience  to  tbofe  who  came  to  Peti 
tion  him,   or  to  buy  Corn  of  him.  For  it  is  plain,  by 
the  next  Ferfe,  that  he  was  not  at  his  own  Houfe. 

Ver.  1 6.    Bring  thefe  Men  home.'}     Conduft  them  Verfe  16. 
to  my  Houfe. 

And  flay7\     The  Hebrew  Phrafe   fignifies  a  great 
Jlaughter^  of  feveral  forts  of  Creatures  perhaps  $   that 
here  might  be  a  plentiful  Provifion. 

Ver.  1 8.  And  the  Men  were  afraid,  &c/]  Every  thing  Verfe  1 8. 
(as  was  obferved  before,  XLII.  28. }  terrifies  a  guilty 
Confcience. 

And  fall  nfon  us."]  L  e.  Kill  us. 

And  take  us  for  Bond-men^  &c/]  Rather,  0r,  take  us 
for  Bond  men  and  our  Affes. 

Ver.  19.  They  came  mar  to  the  Steward^  &c.]  They  Verfs  19. 
defired  tofpeak  with  him,  before  they  entred  into  the 
Houfe.-  That  they  might  fet  themfelves  right  in  his 
Opinion. 

Ver.  20.  We  cameatthefirfttimetobuyfood^]  And  Verfe  20« 
we  paid  for  it  what  was  demanded. 

Ver.  2 1  When  we  came  to  the  /««,&c.]There  we  found  Verfe  2 1. 
that  very  Money,to  afarthing.in  our  Sack's  mouth,@V. 

Ver.  n.We  cannot  tell  who  put  our  Money,  &c]  We  Verfe  22* 
are  ignorant  how  it  came  there  $  but  fuppofe  it  was  by 
fome  mi  (take  :   And  therefore  have  brought  it  again, 
with  new  Money  for  another  Purchafe. 

B  b  b  b  2  Ver, 


556  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  23.  Peace  be  toyou.~]    Trouble  not  your  felves 
XLIU.     about  that  Matter. 

^  ^s^**      Tour  God.,  and  the  God  of  your  Fathers,  See.*]    This 

Verfe  23. Steward  had  learnt  of  Jofeph  the  knowledge  of  the 
True  God  :  To  whofe  Kindnefs  he  bids  them  afcribe 
this  Event. 

And  he  brought  Simeon  out  unto  them."}  Unbound  5 
as  free  as  themfelves. 

Verfe  24.     Ver.  24.  Gave  them  Water."}  Ordered  Water  to  be 
"  brought,  as  the  Cuftom  was,  to  wafti  their  Feet.    See 
XVIII.  4. 

Verfe  26.     Ver.  26.  Bowed  themfihes  to  the  ground^  &C.1]  Here 
'again  was  Jofeph9*  Dream  fulfilled.  See  XLH.  6. 

Yerfe  28.  Ver.  28.  Thyfervant  our  Father,  &c.]  Here  they 
made  a  Reverence  to  him,  in  the' Name  of  their  Fa 
ther  :  Whereby  that  part  of  the  Dream  (XXXVII.  9, 
10.)  which  concern'd  him,  was  alfo  fulfilled.  And 
they  fpeak  likewife  of  him  in  an  humble  ftyle  3  figni- 
fying  his  inferiority  to  Jofeph. 

Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  Saw  his  Brother  Benjamin."]  He  had  feen 
*  him  before,  verfe  16.  but  did  not  think  fit  to  take  no 
tice  of  him  at  the  firft  :  Or,  perhaps,  was  then  full  of 
Bufinefs,  when  they  prefented  themfelves  at  their 
firft  appearance  5  and  had  not  leifure  to  fpeak  with 
them  cill  Dinner  time. 

God  be  gracious  unto  theey  my  Son."}  He  bleffed  him, 
as  Superiors  were  wont  to  do  thofe  below  them  .• 
Whom  they  called  their  &»/,  with  refpeft  to  them 
felves,  as  Fathers  of  the  Country. 

v    r  Ver.  30.  His  bowels  did  yern^]  He  felt  a  great  com- 

•re  3°*  motion  within  himfelf  5  which  he  was  not  able  to 
keep  from   breaking  out ."    And  therefore  he  made 
hafte  out  of  the  Room  where  they  were  5   as  if  fome 
other  bufinefs  called  him  a  way, 
i  Ver. 


ufon    GENESIS  557 

Ver.  31.    Set  on  bread."]   Set  the  Dinner  upon  the  Chapter 
Table.  XLill. 

Ver.  3  2  ..And  theyfet  on  for  him  by  himfi //,&C.3There 
feems  to  have  been  fAreeTables.One, where  he  fat  alone 
in  State  $  another  where  his  Brethren  fat  5  and  a  third 
where  the  great  Men  of  Egypt  were  entertained. 

.F<?r  the  Egyptians  might  not  eat  Bread  with  the  He 
brews,  8cc.]  Becaufe  the  Hebrews  (faith  Jonathan}  did 
eat  thofe  B«ilh  which  the  Egyptians  worftiipped.  And 
to  the  fame<purpofe  writes  Onkelos.  In  which  regard 
the  Egyptians  were  as  fcrupplous  to  eat  with  a  Grecian 
in  after  times,  as  now  with  an  Hebrew.  So  Bochart  ob- 
ferves  out  of  Ath#neusL.  VII.  Deipnof.  where  Anaxan- 
dridcs.b  Comedianjeers  fatEgyptians  for  worfcipping 
an  Eel,  as  a  great  God,  whom  we,  faith  he,  think  to  be 
moft  excellent  Meat.  And  out  of  Herodotus,  who  in  his 
Euterpe,  tup.  41.  faith,  no  Egyptian  Man  or  Woman 
would  kifs  the  Mouth  of  a  Greeks  nor  make  ufe  of  a 
Knife,  a  Spit,  or  a  Pot  belonging  to  them  ,  nor  take  a 
bit  of  Beef  cut  with  a  Greeks  Knife.  See  Bocharfs  Hie- 
rozoic.P.  I.  Lib.  II.  cap.  5*3^  And  Dr.  Spencer,  de  Rit. 
Hebr.p.\i$.  But  though  it  appear  by  fuch  Paflages, 
that  in  the  time  of  Herodotus,  and  other  fore- named 
Writers,feveral  Animals  were  held  fo  Sacred  among  the 
Egyptians  jhzt  they  would  not  eat  them  jet  it  may  well 
be  queftioned  whether  it  were  foin  the  days  ofjofeph. 
For  there  is  not  the  lead  fign  of  it  in  this  ftory  $  much 
lefs  of  their  wor(hipping  fuch  Creatures :  The  wor- 
(hip  of  the  famous  Ox,  called  Apis,  being  a  much  later 
Invention,  as  many  learned  Men  have  demonftrated  .* 
And  fomeof  themhavinggiven  probable  Reafons  that 
Jofeph  himfelf  was  the  Perfon  at  firft  reprefented  by 
that  Figure  under  the  Name  of  Ab,  i.  e.  Father  of  his 
Country.  See  G*r.  Voflitts,  L.  L  de  Idol.  cap.  29. 

There- 


*A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter  Therefore  it  is  mod  likely  that  this  Abhorrence5is  to 
XLIII.  be  refolved  only  into  the  very  different  Manners  of  the 

U/V%J  Hebrews  from  the  Eg#>/Mtf/.-Particularly  at  ttair  Meals, 
in  the  way  of  dreiling  their  Meat,  or  in  their  eating. 
For  we  know  fome  of  the  Jews  themfelves  afterwards 
fcrupled  to  eat  with  thofe  who  had  unwaftien  Hands  5 
and  feveralNations  have  avoided  fuch  familiarity  with 
others,mere]y  on  the  account  of  their  different  cuftoms. 
Of  which  the  Egyptians  were  exceeding  tenacious,  as 
Herodotus  \\imkli  informs  ^particularly  in  their  eat 
ing.  For  he  concludes  his  Difcourfe  about  their  Feafts 
with  this  Observation,  (in  his  Book  before-mention'd, 

£*/?,  28.)  rfct7£/OJ<n   §%y*tofMVQtV$pUOl<*,    aMoi>  89^&  £?b- 

fc7fc'ett£).llfing  their  own  Country  Cuftoms,they  receive 
no  other.  And  in  the  Ninety  firft  Chapter  of  the  fame 
Booths  faith,that  as  they  would  ufe  no  Greet^  cuftoms, 
fo(tofpeakall  in  a  word)  JAM^  a  faw  jwfajua  ^.Nei 
ther  would  they  ufe  the  Cuftows  of  any  other  Men  in  the 
World  whatfoever.Nay,  one  part  of  Egypt  differed  ex- 
treamly  from  another.-For  in  the  Theban  Province  they 
abftained  from  Sheep,and  facrificed  Goats  5  but,  in  the 
Mendefian^  quite  contrary,  they  abftained  from  Goats, 
and  facrificed  Sheep.-  As  he  tells  us  in  his  Euterpe^  cap. 
42.  And  the  wifeft  of  them  were  fo  nicely  Superfti- 
tious,  that  fome  of  them  thought  it  unlawful  to  eat 
of  the  Head  of  any  living  Creature  5  others  of  the 
Shoulder-blade  5  others  of  the  Feet  5  others  of  fome  like 
part.  So  SextusEtnpiricus  tells  US,  L.  III.  Pyrrh.  HypoL 
£.24.  hfyrjflh* 3  T$  <n*?£v  tjj  VO{JU£O/M®V,  ol  JMV  *ui$ct/\!w 
%oix  tpay£v  dvk^jv  tt)  vo{M<Z<nw,  &c.  Upon  which  fcore 
I  do  not  know  but  tiich  a  kind  of  People  might  be  fo 
whimfical,  as  to  refufe  to  eat  with  one  another. 
Verfe  §j.  Ver.  33.  They  fat  before  him^  For  that  was  the  Cu- 
ftom  before  the  way  of  lying  upon  Beds  was  inven 
ted,  See  XXV1L  19.  XXXVII.  25.  And 


upon    GENESIS 

And  the  Men  marvelled  one  at  another^  That  they  Chapter 
(hould  be  fo  exa&ly  d'upofed,  according  to  the  order   XLIIL 
of  their  Birth  5  and  fo  kindly  treated  by  one  that  had  v-oir*^- 
lately  ufed  them  very  roughly, 

Ver.  54.  And  hetookandfint  mejfes,  Sec]  Ordered  Verfe  34. 
thofe  that  waited  to  take  and  carry  MeiTes  from  his 
own  Table,  unto  theirs.  For  fuch  was  the  ancient  Cu 
ftom,  for  great  Men  to  honour  iuch  as  were  in  their 
Favour,  by  fending  Dithes  to  them,  which  were  firft 
ferved  up  to  themfelves  .•  From  whence  they  were  cal 
led  MISSA,  Mejfis,  things  fent.The  ancient  way  of  eat 
ing  alfo  is  to  be  obferved,  which  was  not  like  ours  .• 
As  appears  by  Plutarch  in  his  Sympof.  L.  II.  ^ult. 
where  he  difputes,  which  was  the  better  Cuftom,  to 
eat-out.of  one  common  Difh  ^  or  every  one  to  have  a 
Di(h  toliimfelf  .•  As  the  manner  was  in  old  time» 
When  all  the  Meat  being-let  on  the  Table,  the  Matter 
of  the  Feaft  diftributed  to  every  one  their  Portion. 

Benjamin  sMefs  was  five  times  as  much ,  &c.^j  He  had 
five  Difhes  to  their  one  :  Which  was  intended  as  a  pe 
culiar  refpeft  to  him.  Or,  as  others  underftand  it, 
there  was  five  times  as  much  Meat  in  his  Mefs,  as  in 
one  of  theirs.  Which  might  well  be  part  of  the  caufe 
of  their  wonder,  verfe^. 

And  they  drank^}  After  they  had  dined;  plenty  of 
Wine  was  brought  in,  for  every  one  to  drink  as  much 
as  they  pleafed.For  fuch  is  the  Cuftom  of  the  Abyfllnts 
at  this  Day  =,  not  to  drink  or  talk  at  Dinner  ^  but  after 
the  Meat  is  taken  away  .-•  As  Ludolphus  aflures  us  from 
Telezius.  Who  takes  it  to  have  been  the  ancient 
Cuftom  among  other  Nations  ^  particularly  the  Ra 
mans  :  For  which  he  alkdges  thofe  Verfes  of  Virgil^ 
fEneid.  L 

Poft- 


A  COMMENT  ART. 

Chapter 

XLIV.  Poftquam  primaqities  cpuUs^  wenfaque  remote 

Crateras  magnas  jlatuunt,  &  vino,  coronant. 

I  mention  Wine  here  in  Egypt  :For  though  Herodotus 
faith  in  his  days  they  had  noFi'»e.f,but  ufed  drink  made 
of  barley,  i.e.  fuch  as  ours,  (L//>.II.rrf/>.77.)yetin  the 
time  of  Jofeph  it  feems  to  have  been  otherwise.  For  it 
it  is  not  likely  thechief  Butler  would  have  dreamt  of  a 
F/Veand  Grapes,  zn&prelfing  them  into  Ptar/wA'sCup, 
(XL.  9,  10,  ii.J  if  h£  had  never  feen  them  \nEgypt, 
And  were  merry  with  him7\  So  we  well  tranllate  the 
laft  words  of  this  Chapter  $  which  fignifies  their  drink 
ing  plentifully  ^  more  liberally  than  at  home:  Not  till 
they  were  drunk  (as  R.  Soloman  faith  fome  ufed  to  a- 
bufe  this  place,  to  countenance  that  Vice)  but  till  they 
were  very  cheerful.  For  they  could  not  be  fo  fenflefs, 
as  before  fo  great  a  Man,  in  a  ft  range  place,  where 
they  were  alfo  full  of  fear,  to  make  th^mfelves  drunk. 


CHAP.     XLIV. 

X 

Verfe  i.  Ver.  i.T""V//  the  Mens  Sacks  with  Food^  as  much  as 

they  can  carry."]  This  feems  to  be  an  or 
der,  to  load  them  more  liberally  than  at  their  firft 
coming,  XLII.  2f. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  ^.  And  put  my  G//>,&c.]The  Hebrew  word  Ga- 
blah  fignifies  anembofled  Cup,  (as  we  now  fpeakj  or 
a  Bowl^or  Goblet  with  a  great  Belly  :  which  Sr.  Hierom 
tranflates  5^^«j-.This  he  ordered  hisSteward  to  put  in 
Benjamins  Sack,  that  he  might  make  a  trial  of  his  Bre- 
threns  Concern  for  him3and  Affeftion  both  to  him  and 

to 


upon  GENESIS. 

to  their  Father  :  And  whether  they  would  difcover  Chapter 
any  Envy  to  Benjamin^  becaufe  of  his  extraordinary  XLIV". 
Kindnefs  to  him.  WVNJ 

Ver.  3.    The  Men  were  fent  away.~]  Had  a  Pafs,  we  Verfe  3. 
may  fuppofe,  from  Jofeph  }  to  carry  fo  much  Corn  out 
of  the  Country,  as  their  Afles  were  loaded  withal. 

Ver.  4.  Wherefore  have  ye  rewarded  evil  for  good  ?~\  Verfe  4. 
Being   entertained  fo  kindly  at  my  Matter's  Table  3 
why  have  ye  dole  his  Cup  > 

Ver.  5.    Is  not  tins  it,  wherein  my  Lord  drmi^th  .<?]  Verfe  5. 
Did  you  not  think,  this  would  be  prefently  enquired 
after  > 

And  whereby  indeed  he  divineth  .^The  Hebrew  word 
Nachaft^ which  we  tranflate  D/t//#e,itis  very  likely  was 
anciently  of  an  indifferent  fignification.  And  therefore 
Grotius  thinks  that  Jofeph  meant  by  thisSpeech,thathe 
ufed  this  Cup  in  his  Drml^Qfferings  $  when  he  facri- 
ficed,  to  prepare  himfelf  to  receive  Divine  Prefages. 
But,  I  think,  we  had  better  fay,  there  was  a  kind  of  Di 
vination  by  Cups  (though  we  know  not  what  it  was) 
as|weare  certain  there  was  by  many  other  things  among 
theGn?<?4f,  (who  borrowed  much  of  their  Religion 
from  the  Egyptians)  than  give  this?  or  other  fuch  like 
Interpretation  of  thefe  words .-  Particularly,  their  ob- 
ferving  the  fparkling  of  the  Wine  in  their  Libations. 
For  it  feems  plain  to  me,that  Jofeph  fpeaksof  the  Gup 
he  ufed  at  his  own  Table/And  it  is  not  probable  that 
he  ufed  the  fame  in  Sacrifices  to  God.  Such  Veflelsas 
were  ufed  in  Divine  Service,  were  not  ufed  in  their 
own:Being  held  Sacred,  and  therefore  feparated  from 
common  ufe  $  and  kept  fo  fafe,  no  doubt,  that  it  was 
not  eafie  to  fteal  them.  He  fpeaks  therefore  of  fome 
Divination  that  was  ufed  at  their  Meals  .•  Which  doth 
not  fignifie  that  Jofeph  praftifed  i^nor  doth  hisSteward 

C  c  c  c  fay 


56s  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter   fay  he  did  $  but  only  asks  fuch  aQpeftion,    asmight 
XLIV.   make  them  think  he  did. For,  being  a  known  Trnerpre- 

^  v~^  ter  of  Dreams  5  People,  perhaps,  thought  he  was  skil 
led  alfoin  the  Arts  of  Divination.  But  the  words  are 
ftill  capable  of  a  more  fimple  Interpretation.  For  Na- 
/^fometimes  fignifies  no  more  than  to  make  an  Expe 
riment  :  As  in  the  words  of  Laban,  XXX.  27.  And  fo 
the  meaning  may  be,  (as  Men  Ezra  expounds  this  Paf- 
fage)  might  you  net  have  confidered,  that*^  Mafier 
made  a  trial,  ("fo  we  interpret  in  the  Margin)  by  lay 
ing  this  in  your  way,  whether  you  were  honeft  Men,  or 
Filchers,  as  you  are  now  proved  to  be  ?  Or,  as  o- 
thers  will  have  it,  This  is  the  Cvp  wherein  he  drinks 
himfelf^  and  finds  out  what  is  in  other  Men,  when  they 
drink  liberally  with  him  at  his  Table  $  as  you  lately 
did.  But  the  former  is  more  likely  to  be  the  meaning. 
TCe  have  done  evil,  info  doing7\  You  have  rendred 
your  felves  very  criminal  by  this  Faft.  Or,  you  have 
done  very  foolifhlyin  ftealinga  thing  of  this  Nature  .• 
Which,  oeing  in  continual  ufe,  would  be  foon  miffed. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  j.GodforbidthatHy  Servants,  &c.~\  They  dif- 
claim  the  Charge,  with  thegreateft  Vehemence. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  Behold,  the  Money,  Sec.]  And  bring  a  very 
good  Proof  of  their  Honefty. 

Verfe  c^  Ver.  9.  Both  let  him die^  and  we  alfo-,  8cc.]  Sometimes 
Innocence  makes  Men  too  Confident  5  and  lets  cauti 
ous  than,  in  Prudence,  they  ought  to  be.  For  their 
Money  having  been  put  into  their  Sacks,  they  knew 
not  how,  it  was  reafonable  to  have  fufpe&ed  this  al 
fo  might  prove  true. 

Verfe  I O.  Ver.  I  o.  Now  alfo, let  it  be  according  to  your  word,&c.~] 
I  defire  not  fo  much  .•  But  only  that  he  with  whom 
the  Cup  is  found.,  be  my  Bond-man  $  as  you  pro 
pound. 


upon  GENESIS,  563 

My  bond-man."]  He  fpeaks  in  the  Name  and  Place  Chapter 
of  his  Matter  $  by  whom  he  was  fent  after  them,  and  XLIV. 
for  whom  he  afted.  WV\J 

Ver.  1 1.  Then  they  ffeedily  took^  down^  Scc.^   They  Verfe  1 1* 
were  defirous  to  have  their  Innocence  cleared,  with 
out  delay. 

Ver.  13.  Rent  their  Clothes,']   As  the  manner  was,  Verfe  13 
when  any  fad  thing  befel  them,  XXXVII-  29,  34. 

Ver.  14.  Judah  and  his  Brethren  came,  &c.]  He  is  Verfe  14* 
mentioned  by  Name,  though  not  the  eldeft  Son  $  be- 
caufe  he  was  chiefly  concerned  for  Benjamin^  (XLILI. 
9.)  and,  as  the  Jews  fanfie,  flood  to  him  in  this  di- 
ftrefs,  when  the  reft  would  have  delivered  him  up 
as  a  Bond-man  :  Refolving  either  to  fet  him  free,  or 
to  be  a  Bond- man  with  him. 

For  he  was  yet  there.]  Not  gone  from  home,  fince 
he  gave  order  to  his  Steward  to  purfue  them. 

They  fell  before  him  on  the  ground."]  The  Dream  of 
Jofeph  was  again  fulfilled.  See  XLII.  6. 

Ver.  1 5.  Wot  not  thatfuch  a  Man  as  lean  certainly  Verfe  15. 
divine  .<?]    Could  not  I  who  foretold  this  grievous 
Famine,  difcover  fuch  a  Theft  as  this,  which  you  have 
committed  "> 

Ver.  1 6.  And  Judah  faid^]  He  (landing  bound,  as  I  Verfe  16, 
faid  (verfe  14.)  for  Benjamin  to  his  Father,  took  upon 
him  to  plead  his  Caufe :  Which  Benjamin,  being 
young,  could  not  do  fo  well  himfelf.  And  indeed 
Jtidah  feems  to  have  been  a  Man  of  the  beft  Senfe, 
Courage,  and  Eloquence  among  them. 

What  ft  all  we  fay  to  my  Lord  ?  What  fiallwe  ffeak^  ? 
or  kow.)&.c.]  A  mod  pathctical  beginning :  And  very 
apt  to  move  Companion. 

God  hath  found  out  the  iniquity  of  thy  Servants  $££."]  Ha 
ving  made  tome  paufe,after  thofe  words,  [^tlowfiallwe 

Ccc  c  2  cle*r 


564  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter   char  oar  fdves  f]  he  proceeds   to  an  ingenuous  ac- 
XUV.  knowledgment,  that  he  and  his    Brethren  had  been 

W'A/-**X  guilty  of  many  Sins  $  for  which  God  had  now  brought 
theai  hither  to  differ  the  Punifhment  of  them.  Yet,  he 
neither  confeffes  this  particular  Guilt,  nor  denies  it, 
nor  excufes  it:  But  acknowledging  God's  Juftice, 
cafts  himfelf  and  his  Brethren  upon  Jefeph's  Mercy. 

Verfc  1 8.  Ver.  iS.Then  *Jitdah  came  near  to  />/#/.]  The  Equi 
ty  which  appeared  in  Jofeph  (exprefied  in  the  words 
foregoing)  emboldned  Judah  to  approach  nearer  to 
him.  For  hefeems  to  have  fpoken  the  former  words, 
as  foon  as  he  entred  the  Room/When  he  and  his  Bre 
thren  caft  themfelves  down  on  the  Ground,  wrfe  14. 
Speak,  a  word  in  nty  Lord's  Ears.']  Have  a  favouiable 
Audience  for  a  few  words  more.For  he  doth  not  mean 
to  fpeak  to  him  privately  .•  And  by  a  ffWhe  means 
all  the  following  Speech,  which  he  makes  as  (hort  as 
it  was  poffible. 

And  let  not  thy  Anger  burn  againft  thy  Servant."]  And 
be  pleafed  to  hear  me  out,  with  Patience. 

For  thoH  art  even  as  Pharaoh^]  I  know  before  whom 
I  fpeak :  And  therefore  will  not  impertinently  trouble 
thee  ;  But  barely  lay  the  ftate  of  our  Cafe  before  thec. 

Verfe  20.      VTer.  20.  A  little  one~]  So  Benjamin  was^  in  compa- 
rifon  with  themfelves* 

He  alone  isleftcfbif  Mother^  &C.3  We  do  rot  read, 
that  they  had  faid  this  (o  Jofeph  before  ^  but  only  that 
the  youngeft  was  with  their  Father>XLU.  13,  32. But 
no  doubt,  Jndah  remembers  him  now  of  nothing,  but 
what  had  been  then  delivered  x  but  related  more 
briefly  than  it  is  here. 

27.  Ver.  27.  My  Wife  bear  me  two  Sons.]  He  called  Ra 
chel  his  Wife  $  as  if  he  had  no  other  .•  Becaufe  (he  was 
the  only  Perfon  he  defigned  to  marry  j  and  was  by 
confequencehis  principal  Wife,  Yen 


upon    GENESIS.  765 

Ver.  30.  His  life  is  bound  i/p  in  the  Lacfs  lift.']  It  to  Chapter 
depends  upon  the  Life  of  his  Son  ^  that  if  lie  think    XLV. 
he  be  dead,  he  will  die  with  Grief  alfo.  \TY^f 

Ver.  33.  Let  thy  Servant  abide  inftead  of  the  ZW,&CC,]  ^erie  3° 
It  will  be  the  fame  to  thce,   (nay,  1  may  be  able  to  do  Verle  33- 
thee  more  Service)  and  the  greateft  aft  of  Pity  to  our 
aged  Father. 

Ver.  34,  For  low  foall  I  go  ?;/?  to  my Father ',  &C.*]  I  Verfe  3.4. 
muft  abide  here  too,  if  thou  wilt  notdifmifs  him  .- 
For  I  am  not  able  to  fee  my  Father  die. 

There  is  nothing  could  be  faid  more  moving,  than 
what  is  delivered  in  this  Speech  of  jf//^/^which  flow 
ed,  any  one  may  fee,  from  fuch  Natural  Pailions,  as  no 
Art  can  imitate;  Which  makes  me  wifh  that  they  who 
think  thefe  Hiftorical  Books  of  Scripture  were  written 
vvkh  no  other  Spirit,  but  that  with  which  honeft  Men 
now  write  the  Hiftory  of  theirCountry,or the  Liv.es  of 
any  famous  Perfons^would  ferioufly  read  andconfider 
thisSpeech  ofjudah's  to  jfy/e/^together  with  the  fore 
going  Dialogue  between  ^r^  and  his  Sons,(froftthe 
igthyerfe  of  the  \LHChaptcr,to  thei  $thof  theXLlII.) 
and,  lhope.it  may  make  them  change  their  Opinion  „• 
And  be  of  the  Mind  of  Dr.  Jackson,  B.  1.  on  tbeCreed^ 
cap.  4. c  That  feeing  fuch  Paflages  are  related  by  Men, 
c  who  affeft  no  Art5and  who  lived  long  after  the  Par- 
c  ties  that  firft  uttered  them  ^  wq  cannot  conceive  how 
'  all  Particulars  could  be  fo  nattirally  and  fully  record- 
c  ed^unlds  they  had  been  fuggefted  by  his  Spirit, who 
c  gives  Mouth  and  Speech  to  Men.  Who  being  alike^ 
c  prefent  to  all  Succe(Iions,isable  to  communicate  the 
c  fecretThoughtsofFore-fathersto  theirChildren^and. 
c  put  the  very  Words  ofthe  deceafed  (never  regiftred 
c  before)  into  the  Mourhs  or  Pens  of  their  Succeflbrs, 
c  for  many  Generations  after  :  And  that  as  exactly  and 


•566  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter  c  diftindly  %s  if  they  had  been  caught  in  Charafters  of 
XLV.  c  Steel  or  Brafs,  as  they  iflbed  out  of  ther  Mouth.  For 

t/"V"\J  c  it  is  plain,  every  Circuraftance  is  here  related,  with 
c  fuch  natural  Specifications  fas  he  fpeaks)  as  ifAiofes 
c  had  heard  them  talk  5  and  therefore  could  not  have 
c  been  thus  reprefented  to  us,  unlefsthey  had  been 

*  written  by  his  Direction,  who  knows  all  things,  as 

*  well  fore-paft,  as  prefent,  or  to  come. 

Philo  juftly  admired  this  Speech,  which  he  hath  ex- 
preffed  in  an  Eloquent  Paraphrafe :  And  Jofephus 
hath  endeavoured  to  out-do  him. 


CHAP.     XLV. 


Verfe  i.  Ver.i.S^ 

V_vdown  his  Cheeks  }  or,  were  ready  to  burft 
out  with  fuch  Violence  that  he  could  not  hinder  them. 
Caufe  every  Man  to  go  out  from  me7\  He  would  not 
have  the  Egyptians,  to  be  Witneffes  of  his  Brethrens 
Guilt,-  nor  did  it  become  his  Dignity  to  be  feen  by 
them  in  fuch  a  Paffion  :  And  therefore  he  command- 
ed  thofe  that  attended  him,  to  leave  him  alone  with 
his  Brethren. 

Verfe  2.  Ver.  x.  He  wept  aloud.'}  Which  weexprefs  very  pro 
perly  in  our  Language,  he  cried.  For  Tears  having 
been  long  fuppreffed,are  wont,  when  they  breakout, 
to  be  accompanied  with  fome  Noife. 

And  the  E^gyptians^  and  the  hotffe  of  Pharaoh  keard.~] 
They  whom  he  fent  forth,  being  in  the  next  Room, 
heard  him  cry  :  And  reported,  what  a  Paffion  he  was 
in,  to  the  whole  Court. 

Ver. 


upon    GK  N  E  SIS  767 

Ver.  3.  law  fifeph']   This  word  made  them  dart,  Chapter 
as  appears  by  the  next  Verfe.  XLV. 

Doth  wy  Father  yel  l/ve  .<?]  May  I  believe  what  you^~v~*** 
havetold  me?XLIII.  28.    He  faith  not  this,   becaufeVerIe  3- 
he  doubted  of  it :  But  to  exprefs  his  Joy  at  that  good 
News. 

And  they  could  not  anfwerhim.~]  Being  aftonifh'd,  as 
it  follows,  at  his  Prefence.  For  they  could  not  but 
refleft  upon  their  cruel  ufage  of  him  5  and  now  faw 
him  in  full  Power  topunilh  them. 

Ver.  4.  Come  near  to  me,  I  pray  youT]  This,  I  think,  Verfe  4* 
fignifies,  that  they  had  ftarted  back,  as  Men  affrighted  .• 
And  therefore  he  invites  them  kindly  to  approach  him. 

lam  Jofephyottr  Brother."]  This  word  Brother^  ad 
ded  to  what  he  faid  before,  verfe  3.  was  a  Comfort  to 
them.  For  it  (bowed  that  his  Greatnefs  did  not  make 
him  forget  his  Relation. 

Whom  you  fold  inloEgypt^]  Nor  their  Unkindnefs 
alienated  his  AflTeftion  from  them. 

Ver.  5.  Now  therefore  be  not  grieved^  8cc.]]    Do  not  Verfe  §, 
affiift  your  felves  too  much  for   your  Sin  .•    Becaufe 
God  hath  turned  it  into  Good. 

Godfent  me  before  you,  &c.j|  When  you  thought  on 
ly  to  be  rid  of  me,  God  intended  another  thing.- 
Which  is  now  come  to  pafs.  For  he  hath  made  me  an 
Inltrument  of  preferving  all  your  Lives.  A  mott 
happy  Event  of  a  moft  wicked  Deed. 

Ver.  6.  Neither  earing,  nor  harveft."]  Or,  no  Plough-  Verfe  6. 
ing,  Sowing, or  Harveft.  For  to  what  purpofe  fhould 
they  fow,  when  they  knew   (if  they  believed  JofcpH) 
that  nothing  would  come  of  it. 

Ver.  7.  And  Godfent  me  before  you,  Sccf]  Fie  repeats  Verfe 
what  he  had  hid.verfe  5  concerning  the  Hand  of  God 
in  this  bufinefs-'That  by  fixing  their  Thoughts  upon  his 

Pro* 


$68  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter   Providence, they  might  be  the  lefs  opprefied  with  the 
XLV.     weight  of  their  own  Guilt. 

t/"V~VJ      To  fave  your  lives  by  a  great  deliverance^]  In  a  won 
derful  manner. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  It  was  not  you  but  God^  Sec.]  He  mentions 
this  a  third  time, that  they  might  fee  he  did  not  think 
fo  much  on  their  Unkindnefs,  as  on  God's  great 
Goodnefs:  And  therefore  be  confident,  he  would 
not  remember  what  they  had  done  to  him  3  but 
what  God  had  done  for  them  all. 

Hath  made  a  Father  untoPharaoh~\G\vzr\  me  the  Au 
thority  of  a  Father  with  him  .•  So  that  he  Honours  me, 
and  doth  nothing  without  my  Advice  and  CounfeL 
And  there  was  very  good  Reafon  for  it,   his  Wifdom 
being  fo  great  and  experienced,^*  non  ab  hominefed  n 
Deo  refponfa  dari  viderentur^  (asTrdg///,  an  ancient  Hi- 
ftorian  among  the  Heathen^  obferves)  that  his  Anfwers 
feemed  not  to  be  given  by  a  Man,  but  by  God.  Which 
made  him  Regi  Percharum^  very  dear  to  the  King,  as 
the  fame  Author  relates  :  Who  tells  alfo  the  Story  of 
his  being  fold  by  his  Brethren,  who  envied  his  ex 
cellent  Wit.  See  Juftin,  Lib.  XXXVI.  cap.  2. 
LordofalthtsHoufe.JThe  principal  Perfon  in  hisCourt. 
And  Ruler  throughout  alt  the  Land  of 'Egypt \]    Chief 
Governor  of  the  whole  Country  .•  In  which  were  fe- 
veral  Provinces,  which  had  diftind:  Governors  5  who 
were  all  under  the  Government  ofjojepb. 
Verfe  10.     Ver.  10.  Thou  foalt  dwell  in  the  LandofGofhen'jThis 
was  that  part  of  the  lower  Egypt  9  which  lay  next  to 
Arabia,  and  Palejline  5  abounding  with  fair  Paftures  : 
Being  watred  by  many  Streams  from  the  Nile.  Certain 
it  is,  it  lay  next  to  Canaan  $    for  Jaeob  went  dire&ly 
thither,  when  he  came  into  Egypt  ^    and   ftaid  there 
till  Jofeph  came  to  him,  XLVI.  28. 

And 


upon    GENESIS- 

And  thonftdt  be  near  unto  me7\  Therefore  the  Royal  Chapter 
City  (where  Jofeph  refided,  'that  he  might   be  always    XLV. 
near  to  Pharaoh)  was  at  this  time  in  the  lower  Egypf^  L/"V*VJ 
at  Zoan,  Pfalw  LXXVIII.  43.  which  other  Authors  call 
•IfanK.  Which  was  fituated,  not  far  from  that  Mouth  <bf 
Nile  which  Plutarch  calls  TKWTIKOV  ZQU&,.  For  that  part  of 
Egypt  is  called  the  higher,  where  tf/le  runs  only  in  one 
Stream:  That  the  lower,  where  it  divides  into  many  $ 
and  from  its  triangular  Form  is  called  by  the  Greek/ 
AeATK.    In  the  Eaftern  Part  of  which,  or  very  near  it, 
toward  the  Red  Sea,  was  this  Country,  called  the  Land 
•of  G often.  Y  * 

This  argues  the  great  Authority  of  Jofeph,  that  he 
makes  fuch  Promifes  as  thefe,  before  he  had  askt  the 
Confent  of  Pharaoh. 

Ver.  n.  And  behold^  your  Eyes  fee,  &c.]  You  cannot  Verfe  12. 
but  be  convinced,  by  the  Lineaments  you  fee  in  my  Face, 
and  by  the  Language  which  I  fpeak,  agd  by  all  the 
things  which  I  have  related  concerning  the  ftate  of  our 
Family  5  that  indeed  it  is  your  Brother  Jofeph,  who 
fpeaks  to  you.  Or,  more  (imply  3  you  have  it  not  by 
Hear-fay,  which  might  deceive  you  5  but  are  Eye-wit- 
neffes  that  I  am  alive,  and  fay  thefe  things  to  you. 

Ver.  13.  Teff  my  Father  of  aU  my  gloryJ\  Of  the  great  Verfe  13* 
Honour  which  is  done  me  in  Egypt. 

Ver.  1 5.  His  Brethren  talked  with  Mm7\  After  their  Verfe  15. 
fright  was  over,  and  he  had  fo  affe&ionately  embraced 
them  5  they  converfed  freely  and  familiarly  with  him; 
Acknowledging,  it's  likely,  their  Crime  $  and  acquaint 
ing  him  with  what  had  paffed  in  their  Family  fince  they 
committedit. 

Ver.  1 6.  And  the  fame  thereof,  Sec.*]     All  the  Court  Verfe  1 6. 
rang  (as  we  fpeak)  with  the  News  ofjofeph's  Brethren 
being  come  5  and  that  they  were  to  fetch  their  Father 

D  d  d  d  and 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    and  fettle  in  Egypt.     For  Jofeph   (it  appears  by  the  next 
XLV.    Verfe)  went  and  acquainted  Pharaoh  with  his  Define. 
W"V%vj       And  It  pleafed  Pharaoh  wel/,    and  his  Servants^     No 
wonder  that  Pharaoh,  who  had  raifed  Jofeph  fo  high, 
was  pleafed  to  be  kind  to  his  Father  and  Family  :  And 
the  Court  follows  the  Pleafure  of  the  King. 
Verfe  1 7.      Ver.i  7.  Pharaoh  faid  unto  Jofeph  fac,~]  This,  no  doubt 
was  the    Anfwer  Pharaoh  made   to  'fofepfcs  Petition  : 
Wherein  he  grants  him  not  only  what  he  askt  ,  but  all 
conducing  to  it. 

Verfe  18.     Ver.  18.  /  mil  give  you  the  good  of  the  Land,  Sec."} 
Thericheft  Part  of  the  Country,  which  produces  the 
nobleft  Fruits. 
Verfe  19.     Ver.  19.  Nowthou  art  comManded.]    Now  that  thou 

haft  my  Warrant  for  it,  go  about  it  prefently. 
Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  Reg  ard  not  your  fluff.']  If  there  be  not  Wag 
gons  enough,  to  bring  all  your  Stuff,  do  not  matter  it  $ 
you  (hall  have  better  here.  But  the  Vulgar  feems  to 
take  it  in  a  quite  contrary  Senfe  $  as  if  he  had  faid, 
Leave  nothing  behind  you  5  but  bring  all  y6u  have  with 
you,  if  you  think  good  :  Though  whatfoever  the  Land 
of  Egypt  affords,  is  all  yours. 

All  the  good  of  the  Land  of  Egypt,  8tc.]     You  (hall 
not  want  when  you  come  hither,  if  it  be  to  be  had  in 
Egypt. 
Verfe  2 1 .     Ver.  2 1 .  Gave  them  Waggons. ~\  And  Horfes,  no  doubt, 

to  draw  them  ;  with  which  Egypt  abounded. 
Verfe  X2.     Ver.  22.  To  each  Man  changes  0f  Rat/aeM."]  Two^e/?/, 
or  Robes,  as  St.  Hkrom  tranflates  it:  Otherwife  there 
would  not  have  been  a  change.    Thefe  were  part  of  the 
ancient  Riches,  as  much  as  Money. 

Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  After  this  manner^  The  Hebrew  word  Ce- 
zoth  fignifies,  according  to  that  which  he  had  given  to 
Benjamin^  i.e.  Money,  and  fever al  changes  of  Raiment  .• 

Be- 


upon    GENESIS- 

Befides  what  follows,  ten  Affes  laden  with  the  good  things  Chapter 
of  Egypt,  &c.  XLV. 

Bread  and  Meat.*]  i.  e.  All  manner  of  Provifion.       L/"V"*vJ 

Ver.  24.  See  that  ye  fall  not  out^&c~\  About  what  you  Verfe  24. 
have  formerly  done  to  me  $  or,  any  thing  elfe,   that  I 
havefaid  to  you.    But  when  you  refleft  upon  your  fel 
ling  me,  adore  the  Providence  of  God  ;  which  by  that 
means  brought  about  your  Happinefsand  mine. 

Ver.  z6.  Hit  Heart  fainted^     At  the  mention  of  Jo-  Verfe  i& 
feplfs  Name,  he  fell  into  a  Swoon:  Being  fully  per- 
fwaded  he  was  dead,  and  giving  no  Credit  to  what 
they  faid  of  his  being  alive. 

Ver.  2  7.  And  they  told  him  all  the  words  of  Jofeph.']  Verfe  27. 
When  he  was  come  to  himfelf,  they  related  all  that  had 
pafTed  between  them  and  Jofeph:  How  great  a  Man  he 
was,  and  how  defirous  to  fee  him,  &c.  verfe  13. 

And  when  he  [aw  the  Waggons^]  Had  not  only  heard 
their  Relation,  but  faw  alfo  thofe  Carriages  (which,  no 
doubt,  were  fplendid,  and  fuitable  to  Jofeph's  Quality) 
that  were  come  to  bring  him  intoEg^f,  he  lookt  upon 
them  as  a  fufficient  Confirmation  of  the  good  News. 

The  Spirit  of  Jacob  revived^]  Which  Bochart  tran- 
flates  Priftino  vigon  reftitutu*  eft,  he  was  reftored  to 
his  former  Vigor.  Not  only  recovered  perfectly  from 
his  fainting  Fit  5  but  raifed  to  a  greater  Livelinefs  than 
he  had  felt  fince  the  lofs  of  Jofeph. 

Ver.  28.  It  if  enough,  8cc.]   I  with  for  no  more,  but  Verfe  28 
to  live  to  fee  him  5  and  then  I  (hall  be  content  to  die. 


D  d  d  d  x  CHAP. 


A  COMMENTARY 


Chapter 
XLVI. 


C  H  A  P.    XLVL 

Verfe  i.   Ver,  i.f^Ame  to  BeerffjebaJ]     Which  was  in  his  way 

\^_j  from    Hebron    ("where    he    now    lived, 

XXXV.  27.)  into  Egypt:  Lying  in  the  moft  Southerly 

Parts  of  Canaan  5  near  that  Wildernefs  through  which 

the  Ifraelites  went,  when  they  came  from  Egypt. 

And  offered  facrifice.~]  Recommended  himfelf  and  his 
Family,  unto  God's  Protection  in  his  Journey  to  Egypt  9 
and  unto  his  Prefervation,  when  he  came  there.  And 
he  the  rather  called  upon  God  in  this  place,  becaufe 
both  his  Father  and  Grand-Father  had  found  Favour 
with  him  here,  XXI.  33.  XX  VI,  23, 

Unto  the  God  of  hh  Father  Ifaac."]  Who  was  his 
immediate  Anceftor,  and  had  conferred  the  Bleffing  of 
Abraham  upon  him  :  And  therefore  he  mentions  him  ra- 
ther  than  Abraham. 

Verfe  2,,  Ver.  2.  In  the  ftjtbns  of  the  Night.'}  See  upon  XX.  3. 
Jacob)  Jacol~]  He  redoubles  his  Name  to  awaken  his 
Attention  5  and  he  calls  him  J$cob  rather  than  Ifrael, 
(as  he^is  called  in  the  begirinirig  of  the.VerfeJ  to  re 
member  him  what  he  was  originally,  and  that  by  his 
Favour  he  was  made  Ifrael. 

Ver.  3.  Fear  not  to  go  down  into  EgyptT]  He  was  afraid, 
perhaps,  that  •  if  jfy/cpMhouId  die,  his  Family  might  be 
made  Slaves*  For  which  he  had  fome  reafon,  from 
what  was  faid  to  Abraham^  in  a  like  Vifion,  XV.  13. 

I  v>iU  make  of  thee  a  great  Nation.']  He  renews  the 
Promife,  which  at  the  fame  time  was  made  to  Abraham, 
That  his  Seed  (hould  be  as  numerous  as  the  Stars  of 
Heaven,  XV.  f  . 


upon    GENESIS.  $73 

Ver.  4.  I  will  go  down  with  thee,  &c,]  Take  care  of  Chapter 
thee  in  thy  Journey,  that  no  Evil  (hall  befalthee^  and  XLVI. 
preferve  thee  and  thy  Family  there.  v^^^ 

And  bring  thee  up  again!]    i.  e,    His  Pofterity,  who  Verle  4' 
{hould  multiply  there  :  For  the  Scripture  fpeaks  of  Pa 
rents  and  Children,  as  one  Perfon. 

Put  his  Hands  upon  thine  Eyes.']  Be  with  thee  when 
thou  leaveft  this  World  5  and  take  care  of  thy  Funeral, 
when  thou  art  dead.  For  this  was  the  firft  thing  that 
was  done,  when  one  expired,  to  clofe  his  Eyes:  Which 
was  performed  both  among  Greekj  and  Romans  (as  ma 
ny  Authors  inform  us)  by  the  neareft  Relations,  or 
deareft  Friends.  See  Mr.  Selden,  L.  II.  deSynedr.  cap.  7. 
n.  l^.  and  Menochiu*,  de  Repub.  Hebr.  L.  VIII.  cap.  4, 
$£.  II. 

In  (hort,  by  thefe  words  God  affbres  him,  that  Jo- 
feph  {hould    not  die,  while  he  lived,    fas  Mr.  Selden  > 
obferves  out  of  Baal-haturim^  in  his  Additions  to  the 
fore-named  Chapter,  p.  737.)  and  that  he  (hould  diein 
Peace,  having  his  Children  about  him. 

Ver.7.  His  Daughters."]  He  had  but  one  Daughter,  and  Verfe  7.  , 
therefore  the  Plural  Number  is  ufed  for  the  Singula^ 
(as  verfe  23.  Sons  is  put  for  Son)   or,  elfe  he  includes  his 
Grand- Daughter,  who,  in  Scripture-Language,  is  called 
the  Daughter  of  her  Grand-Fathers    But  the  firft  feems 
the  trueft  Account,  if  what  is  faid  verfe  15,  beconfider- 
ed.  Where  the  whole  Number  of  his  Defendants  from 
Leah  being   fummed  up,  Dinah  (under  the  Name  of 
Daughters)  muft  be  taken  in,  to  make  up  three  and 
thirty  5  reckoning  Jacob  himfelfalfo,  for  one  of  them. 

Ver.  9.  Hjtnoch?]    From  whom  came  the  Family  of  Verfe  9. 
the  Hd#0£A/Yejy  as  we  read  Numb.  XXVI.  5. . 

PhaUti."]  From  whom,  in  like  manner,  fprung  the  Fa 
mily  of  the  fbdiititesi  as  Mofes  there  not^s :  And  fays 

the 


$74  ^  co M'ME N TART 

Chapter    the  fame  of  the  reft  of  Reubens  Sons,  that  they  were 
XLVI.     the  Fathers  of  Families,  when  they  came  into  Egypt. 
VV"V"NJ      Ver.  10.  fywmel^     This  Son  of  Simeon  is  called  Ne- 
Verfe  \Q.mHd  in  A^>.XXVI.  12.  and  i  Chron.  IV.  24. 

Oh'aJ."]  He  is  named  among  the  Sons  of  Simeon,  when 
Afo/e-r  was  fent  to  bring  them  out  of  Egypt,  ExoJ.  VI. 
1.5.  But  either  he  had  no  Pofterity,  or  tfiey  were 
extinft  :  For  Qiortly  after  there  is  no  mention  of  him, 
in  Numb.  XXVI.  12.  Nor  is  he  to  be  found  among  his 
Sons  in  i  Chron.  IV.  14. 

Jachin.]  Is  called  Jarib  in  i  Chron.  IV.  24.  and  is 
thought  by  fome  to  have  been  the  Grand-Father  of 
Zitttri,  whom  Phineas  flew  in  his  Fornication  with 
the  Midianitifl)  Woman. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  Er  and  On  an  died  in  the  Land  of  Canaan."] 
And  therefore  are  not  to  be  numbred  among  them,  that 
went  down  into  Egypt:  But  inftead  of  them  the  two 
Sons  of  Pharez  are  fet  down,  though,  perhaps,  not 
now  born }  to  fupply  the  place  of  Er  and  Onan. 

The  Sons  of  Pharez,  were  Hezron  and  Hamul^\  When 
'Jacob  went  down  into  Egypt,  Pharez  was  fo  young,  that 
one  can  fcarce  think  he  had  two  Sons  at  that  time.-  But 
they  were  born  foon  after,  before  Jacob  died.  And 
St.  Auftin  feems  to  have  truly  judged,  that  Jacob's  de- 
fcent  into  Egypt,  comprehends  all  the  feuenteen  Years, 
which  he  lived  after  it.  Or,  we  may  conceive  it  poffi- 
ble,  that  their  Mother  was  with  Child  of  them,  when 
Jacob  went  down  into  Egypt.  For  then  Pharezis  thought 
to  have  been  fourteen  Years  old  5  at  which  Age  it  is 
fb  far  from  being  incredible  that  he  might  have  two 
Sons,  that  in  thefe  latter  Ages,  fome  have  begotten  a 
Child  when  they  were  younger.  Jul.Scaliger,  a  Man 
of  unqueftionable  Credit,  allures  us,  that  in  his  me 
mory,  there  was  a  Boy,  not  quite  twelve  Years  old,  who 

had 


upon    G  E  N  E  SI  S.  $75 

had  a  Daughter  by  a  Coufin  of  his,  who  was  not  quite  Chapter 
ten.  Rem  not  am  narro,  &.  CHJUS  me  wort  a  adhuc  recens  e$t    XL  VI. 
in  Aquitania.  This  was  a  known  thing,  the  Memory  of  vyVNJ 
which  was  then  frefti  in  Aqtiitain. 

Ver.  15.  And  the  Sons  of  Jjfachar,  Tola.~]  Some  haveVerfe  13. 
wondred  that  he  fhould  give  his  eldeft  Son  a  name  that 
fignifies  a  Worm.  Perhaps  it  was  (as  Bochart  conje- 
ftures)  becaufe  he  was  a  poor  (hriveled  Child  when  he 
was  born,  not  likely  to  live.  And  yet  it  pleafed  God, 
that  he  became  a  great  Man,  from  whom  fprang  a  nu 
merous  Off-fpring,  Numb.  XXVI.  23.  and  fo  fruitful, 
that  in  the  days  of  David  there  were  numbred  above 
two  and  twenty  thoufand  of  them,  I  Chron.  VII.  2.  who 
were  Men  of  Might  and  Valour. 

Ver.  15.  Which  Jhe  bare  unto  Jacob  in  Padan-AraM."]Vetk  15. 
She  bare  the  Fathers  of  them  there :  But  the  Children 
were  born  in  Canaan. 

AH  the  Souls  of  his  Sons  and  Daughters  ^  Scc.^     See 
verfe  7. 

Ver.  19.   Rachel,  Jacob's  Wife^     She  was  his  only  Verfe  19. 
choke,  as  was  noted  before  on  XL1V.  27. 

Ver.  71.  The  Sons  of  Benjamin,  &c.]  He  being  now  Verfe  21. 
but  abodt  twenty  four  Years  old,  we  cannot  well  think 
he  had  all  thefe  Sons  when  he  went  down  into  Egypt  : 
But  fome  of  them  were  born  afterward,  before  Jacob 
died  5  as  was  faid  before,  verfe  12.  Yet  they  are  all 
here  mentioned,  becaufe  they  were  moft  of  them  now 
born,  and  all  became  the  Heads  of  Families  in  their 
Tribe.  It  is  poffible  he  might  begin  fo  early  to  beget 
Children,  as  to  have  all  thefe  before  they  went  into 
Egypt.  SeePer/eii. 

Ver.  26.  Came  out  of  his  Loins.'}    In  the  Hebrew ,  out  0/Verfe  160 
bis  Thigh.   A  modeft  Expreffion :  The  Parts  ferving  for 
the  Propagation  of  Mankind,  being  placed  between  the 
Thighs.  Alt 


576  A   COMMENT4RT 

Chapter         AS  the  Souls  were  threefcore  and  fix.~]  i.  e.  Leaving  out 
XLVL    Jofeph  and  his  two  Sons  (who  did  not  come  with  Ja- 

LXVNJ  cob  into  Egypt,  but  were  there  alreadyj  and  Jacob 
himfelf,  f  who  could  not  be  faid  to  come  out  of  his 
own  LoinsJ  they  made  juft  this  Number. 

Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  AH  the  Souls ,  which  came  Into  Egypt ,  were 
threescore  and  ten.~\  There  is  a  remarkable  difference  be 
tween  this  Verfe  and  the  foregoing.  There  (verfe  26.) 
they  only  are  numbred  who  came  with  Jacob  into  £- 
gypt:  Which  were  no  more  than  threefcore  and  fix.  But 
here  are  numbred  all  that  came  into  Egypt,  (viz.  firft 
and  laft)  which  plainly  comprehend  Jacob,  Jofeph  and 
his  two  Sons :  And  make  up  threefcore  and  ten. 

Werfe  28.  ;  Ver.  28.  And  hefent  Jttdah  before  hint.'}  Who  feems 
by  the  whole  Story,  to  have  been  the  moft  eminent  a- 
mong  Jacob's  Children,  when  Jofeph  was  gone  3  as  was 
noted  before,  XLIV.  14. 

To  dheft  his  way,  8cc.]  To  give  Jofeph  notice  of  his 
coming  5  and  to  receive  Directions  from  him,  in  what 
part  of  Gofoen  he  ftiould  expeft  him. 

>v*«        And  they  came  into  the  Land  ofGoftenJ]     Into  that 
part  of  it  which  Jofeph  had  appointed. 

'Verfe  .29.  Ver.  29.  Prefented  hivtfelf  to  him~\  With  fuch  Re 
verence,  ^s  a  Son  owes  to  his  Father :  Who  embraced 
him  moft  tenderly.  For  fome  refer  the  next  words  to 
Jacob,  he  fell  on.  his  Week?  &C.1]  Which  expreffes  the 
higheft  Affeftion. 

And  wept  on  his  Neck.a  good  while.']  We  read  before 
how  Jofeph  fell  upon  Benjamins  Neck,  and  wept^  which 
was  anfwered  by  the  like  Endearments  on  Benjamins 
part,  XLV.  14.  But  the  Affeftion  wherewith  Jacob  em 
braced  Jofeph,  fas  y[aimonldes  underftands  itj  or  (as 
R.  Solomon  Jarchi)  Jofeph  embraced  his  Father,  far  fur- 
pa(Ted  that.  For  they  continued  longer  infolded  in  one 

another's 


upon    GENESIS.  $77 

another's  Arms  3  where  Tears  of  Joy  flowed  fo  faft,  Chapter 
that  for  a  good  while  they  could  not  fpeak.  XL VI. 

Ver.  30.  And  Ifraelfaid  unto  Jofepb.']  Some  make  this  WVVJ 
an  Argument,  that  it  was  Jofeph,  who,  lighting  out  of  Verfe  30. 
his  Chariot,  threw  himfelf  into  his  Father's  Arms  and 
wept,  &c.    Which  made  Mofes  now  more  diftin&Iy 
mention  who  faid  the  following  words. 

Now  let  me  die,  fkc.^  Thefe  words  fignified  that  he 
now  enjoyed  the  utmoft  Happinefs  he  could  defire  on 
Earth  ^  which  therefore  he  was  willing  to  leave,  becaufe 
nothing  could  be  added  to  it.  Thefe  were  the  firft 
Thoughts  which  his  Paffion  fuggefted  to  him  *  though 
to  live  with  Jofeph,  and  to  enjoy  his  Converfation,  was 
far  more  than  barely  to  fee  his  face. 

Ver*  3 2.  The  Men  are  Shepherds,  8co]  He  feemstoVerfe  32. 
have  been  afraid,  left  Pharaoh  fliould  have  preferred  his 
Brethren,  and  made  them  Courtiers/  or  Commanders  in 
the  Army,  &c.  which  might  have  procured  them  the 
Envy  of  the  Egyptians:  And,  befides,  have  feparated 
them  one  from  another.  Whereas  by  profeffing  them- 
felves  Shepherds,  and  Traders  in  Cattle,  they  kept  all 
together  in  a  Body,  feparate  from  the  Egyptians.  Which 
two  Reafons  were  fuggefted  by  Jofephut. 

Ver.  33.  What  is  your  Occupation  .<?]   Your  way  of  li-  Verfe  33; 
ving :  For  Men  did  not  live  idly  in  thofe  days. 

Ver.  34.  Tefliallfay.Thy  Servants  Trade  hath  been,  &c.]  Verfe  34. 
He  dire&s  them  to  juftifie,  what  he  told  them  he  would 
inform  Pharaoh. 

That  ye  may  dwell  in  the  Land  of  Go/hen."]  A  -rich 
Country^  abounding  with  Pafturage,  and  alfo  next  ad- 
joyning  to  Canaan  (as  was  noted  before,  XLV.  lo.J 
unto  which,  when  the  time  came,  they  might  the  more 
eafily  return. 

E  e  €  e 


$78  d  eOMMENTART 

Chapter        For  every  Shepherd.']    Not  univerfally,  without  limi- 
XLVI.    tation,  but  every  Foreign  Shepherd.    For  a  conliderable 
tXV"VJpart  of  the  Egyptian  People  were  Shepherds,  as  Dlodorus 
Siculvs  tells  us,  f  L.  I.  §  i.  p.  47.  Ed/f.  &epj&. J  where  he 
faith  the  Country  being  divided  into  three  Parts,  the 
Priefts  had  one,  their  King  a  fecond,  and  the  Soldiers  d 
third:  And  there  were  three  other  Ranks  of  Men  un 
der  thefe,  viz.  Shepherds,  Husbandmen,  and  Artificers. 
The  Husbandmen,  he  faith,  ferv'd  their  King,  and  Priefts, 
and  Military  Men  in   tilling  their  Ground,  for  fmall 
Wages,  and  fpent  all  their  time  in  it.   And  the  like,  ac 
count,  he  faith,  is  given  of  their  Shepherds,  who,  from 
their  Fore-fathers,  followed  that  way  of  living.  Which 
makes  it  plain  they  could  not  abominate  thofe  who  were 
fo  ferviceable  to  them  5  though   they  might  contemn 
them  as  mean  People^  who  never  rofe  to  any  higher 
Employment.  But  we  need  not  go  to  him  for  the  proof 
of  this :  It  being  apparent  from  this  very  Book,  that  the 
Egyptians  had  Sheep,  and  Oxen,  as  well  as  Horfes  and 
Afles,  which  they  fold  to  Jofeph  for  Corn  in  the  time  of 
Famine,   (XLVII.  17.)  and  that  Pharaoh  fpake  to  Jo* 
feph  to  make  fuch  of  his  Brethren  as  were  Men  of  Skill, 
Rulers  over  his  Flocks,  f  XLVII;  6.)  which  is  a  demon- 
ftration  they  bred  Cattle   as  well  as  other  Nations. 
And  therefore  if  we  will  underftand  this  to  be  true  of 
all  Shepherds,  without  exception,  then  by  Egyptians  (to 
whom  Shepherds  are  faid  to  be  an  abomination^)  we 
rauft  not  underftand  all  the  People  of  the  Country  of 
Egypt,  (Shepherds  being  a  part  of  themj  but  only  the 
Courtiers  and  great  Men,  as  in  XL V.  2.  the  Egyptian* 
are  faid  to  hear  Jofeph  weep,  i.-e.-  thofe  that  belonged 
to  the  Court.-  Who,  it  is  likely,  defpifed  Shepherds,  (as 
Rupertus  Tuitienfis  long  ago  expounded  this  PaflageJ 
but  that  is  far  (hort  of  abominating  them,  which  the  He^ 

brew 


Hpon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S, 

brew  word  imports.  But  after  all  this,  I  do  not  fee  how  Chapter 
they  could  be  contemptible,  if  it  be  true  which  the  XLVL 
fame  Diodoru*  faith,  p.  58.  That  when  they  buried  a 
Corps,  and  made  the  Funeral  Encomium,  they  never 
mentioned  the  Parentage  of  ^  the  deceafed,  'TwoAa^a- 
vovfas  3.7zw>1cL$  QJUUOMS  ivytv&$  */)  r«£  i&T  Afy^7oi>,  making 
account  that  all  the  People  of  Egypt  were  alike  well-born. 

We  mud  confine  therefore  this  Aflertion  to  Foreign 
Shepherds  5  and  it  is  not  eafie  to  give  the  reafon  why 
they  were  an  abomination  to  the  Egyptians^  who  were 
Shepherds  themfelves.  Onkelos  and  Jonathan^  with  a 
£reat  many  others,  think  that  they  would  not  converfe 
("for  that  is  meant  by  abomination)  with  the  Hebrew 
Shepherds,  becaufe  they  had  no  greater  regard  to  thofe 
Creatures  which  the  Egyptians  worlhipped,  than  to 
breed  them  up  to  be  eaten.  But  there  is  no  good  proof 
that  they  worihipped  Sheep  or  Oxen  in  thofe  Days  $ 
and,  on  the  contrary,  it  appears  both  out  of  Herodo- 
tttfi  and  Diodorus  Sicnlus^  that  they  facrificed  fuch 
Creatures,  in  their  days.,  and  alfo  eat  of  the  Sacrifices, 
when  they  had  done.  See  Herodot.  in  Ettterpe,  £.40,41 , 
And  therefore  the  reafon  given  by  others  for  this  Ab 
horrence  is  not  folid  5  that  the  Egyptians  did  eat  no 
Flefh,  and  upon  that  fcore  could  not  endure  thofe  that 
did.  This  is  the  Account  which  Aben  Ezra  gives  of 
this  Matter }  who  fanfies  they  were  like  the  Indians^ 
in  his  time,  who  abominated  Shepherds,  becaufe  they 
drunk  Milk  ^  contrary  to  their  manners,  who  tafted 
nothing  that  came  from  any  living  Creature.  But,  as  it 
cannot  be  proved  that  this  Superftition  was  fo  old  as 
Jacob's  time  }  fo  the  contrary  is  evident  from  this  very 
Book,  XLIII.  16.  where  Jofeph  bids  his  Steward  go 
home  and  flay  and  Make  ready  a  Dinner  for  his  Bre 
thren  .*  Whom  he  did  not  intend  to  entertain  after  the 

E  e  e  e  2  Hebrew , 


$80  A  COMMENTART 

Chapter  Hebrew  but  after  the  Egyptian  fadiion  5  that  he  migh t  no£ 
XLVF.  be  known  by  them.  And  fo  Herodotus  informs  us,  that 
in:  his  days,  though  they  abftain'd  from  fomc  Animals^ 
yet  they  eat  of  others,  both  Fi(h  and  Birds,  Euterpe,  c.j&. 
And  Diodorus  giving  an  account  after  what  manner 
their  Kings  lived,  faith  they  ufed  a  fimple  Diet,  eating 
Veal  and  Geefe,  &C.  L.  I.  §  2.  p.  45,  Edit.Steph, 

$of.  Scaliger  therefore  thinks  this  fort  of  Men>  were 
abominable,  becaufe  they  had  often  raifed  Rebellion  in 
Egypt*  ar)d  made  a  King  of  their  own  ,  who  erefted 
that  which  is  called  the  Pajtoral  Kingdom.    This  is  em 
braced  by   many  great  Men,  who  have  only  the  Au 
thority  of  Manethofor  it  5"  who  fays-  ttrefe  were  Ph&* 
nlcim  Shepherds  (as  Jofephus  tells  us,  L.  I.  contra  Appi- 
an.*)    who  reigned  in  Egypt^  and   burnt   their  Cities, 
threw  down  their   Temples  $    in   (hort,  omitted  no 
fort  of  Cruelties.    Upon  this  account  the  famous  Bo~ 
chartus  (^Db.lV.Canaan^cap.^  thinks  it  poffible  the 
Egyptians  hated  Shepherds,  who  had  done  fo  much 
Mifchief:    And,  I  may  add,  the  Hebrew  Shepherds  Jo- 
feph  might  think  would  be  more  abominated,,  becaufe 
they  came  out  of  that  very  Country,  from  whence 
thofe  Phoenician  Rovers  made  their  In vafion.     But  as 
it.  doth  not  appear  that  they  who  did  the  fore-named 
Mifchief  were  all  Foreigners  5  fo  the  time  which  is  af- 
figned  for  this  Paftoral  Kingdom,  doth  not  agree  with 
the  Scripture  Story.     For  it  is  faid  to  have  been  in. the 
One  thoufand  one  hundred  and  twelfth  Year  before  the 
Ifraelites  going  out  of  Egypt  5  in  the  XFth  Dynafty,  as 
.  they  call  it;  That  is,  about  Two  and  forty  Years  after  the 
Flood,  when  Mi^ralm  the  Father  of  the  Egyptians  was 
fcarce  born,  or  was  very  young, 

Our  great  Primate  "Djffer  endeavours  to  avoid  this  ab- 
•fiirdity,  by  placing  this  Invafion  (which  he  thinks  was 

out 


upon    GENES  I  S.  581 

out  of  Arabia)  three  hundred  Years  after  the  Flood  .-Chapter 
When  they -took  Memphis:  Over-run  all  the  lower  XLVL 
Egypt  $  and  their  firft  King,  there  reigned  nineteen  years. 
But  I  have  this  to  except  5  that  Abraham  cominga  good 
while  after  this  into  Egypt 9  was  well  entertained  there  ^ 
though  he  was  as  much  a  Shepherd  as  his  Grand-child 
Jacob.  See  Gen.  XII. 

From  whence  I  conclude,  That  if  this  Story  of  Ma* 
netho  be  true,  it  hapned  after  the  time  of  Abraham  ;  and' 
fo-was»fre(h  in  their  memory.  Such  a  third  Rebellion 
of  the  Shepherds  the  fame  Manetho  mentions,  within  lefs 
than  two  hundred  Years  before  the  Children  of  IfraeFs 
departure  out  of  Egypt.  But  this  feems  to  be  a  Story 
framed,  from  that  departure  of  the  Ifraelites  themfelves 
(who  were  Shepherds)  out  of  Egy.pt  under  the  Con 
duit  of  Mofes.  And  fo  Jofephus,  and  feveral  of  the  an 
cient  Chriftians  (Tatianus^  Juftjn  Martyr,  and  Clem.  A- 
kxand.)  underftood  it.  SeeZJ/Ter.  ad  An.  M.  2179. 

All  this  confidered  Gaulmin  (in  his  Notes  upon  the 
Book  called  the  Life  of  Mofes,  p.  267,  Sec)  hath  more 
probably  conjeftuKed,  that  this  averfation  to  Shepherds 
arofe  from  their  being  generally  addifted,  in  thofe 
parts,  to  Robbery  :  Which  way  of  Life  made  them  a- 
bominable.  This  he  juftifies  out  of  Hdiodoms,  L.  I.  and 
Achilles  Tatius,  L.  III.  who  defcribe  the  Seat  of  thefe 
BfcfcoAoj  and  Tlotfuvst  (whom  the  Egyptians  called  Hyfch) 
and  the  manner  of  their  Life.  To  which  Opinion  I  find 
BochartM*  himfelf  inclined  before  he  died,  and  confirms 
it  fin  his  Hierozoic.  L.  \L  c.  44.  P.I.J  by  many  Proofs, 
that  Shepherds  anciently  were  fur  ax  hom'mum  genus ,  a 
thievifh  fort  of  People  ,  which  made  them  odious.  A- 
gainft  which  I  fee  no  exception  but  this  ^  that  Aulus 
Gel/ins  tells  us  (Lib.  XI.  cap.  18.)  out  of  an  ancient 
Lawyer,  That,  the  .old  Egyptians  .held  all  manner  of 

Thefts 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  Thefts  to  be  lawful,  and  did  not  punifh  them,  And 
XL VI.  Djodoru*  Slculm  mentions  this.  Law  among  them,  That 
they  who  would  live  by  Robbery,  were  to  enter  their 
Names,  and  bring  what  they  ftole,  immediately  to  the 
Prieft,  who  mulft  the  Man  that  was  robb'd  a  fourth 
part}  and  gave  it  to  the  Thief.  By  which  means  all 
Thefts  were  difcovered,  and  Men  were  made  more 
careful,  to  look  well  after  their  Goods.  But  one  cannot 
believe  this  Law  was  of  fuch  Antiquity,  as  the  Times 
of  Jofeph :  Or,  if  it  was,  thofe  Out-Laws  (as  I  may  call 
them)  who  robb'd  upon  the  Borders,  were  not  con- 
cern'd  in  it :  Nor  had  their  Neighbours,  who  were  no 
lefs  addifted  to  Theft,  the  benefit.of  it*  Particularly 
thofe  in  Paleftine^  from  whence  Jacob  came  $  one  would 
guefs  by  what  we  read  i  Chron.  VII.  21,  22.  were  then 
much  addifted  to  Robbery.  For,  before  this  Genera 
tion  ended,  we  are  told  there  the  Men  ofGath  flew  fe- 
veralofthe  Sons  of  Ephraim^  (who  himfelf  was  then 
alive)  far  they  came  down  to  take  their  Cattle^  faith  that 
holy  Writer;  that  is,  to  get  what  Plunder  they  could 
in  Gofien;  Where  the  Ephramites  defending  their  Gat- 
tie,  were  fome  of  them  killed  by  the  PhHiftines^  to  the 
great  grief  of  their  Father.  The  Ethiopians  alfo  are 
noted  by  Strabo  (Lib.  XVII.  p.  787 .}  to  live  for  the 
moft  part,  No^ut&xo*  %  ^o/w?,  after  a  very  poor,  (hark 
ing,  roving  manner,  by  feeding  Cattle,  wher*  they 
could  find  Food  for  them.  And  immediately  adds,  Toft 
c?  Afyrifffas  S-Tmvlx  mvauMtt  ff'jjugiSvia,  that  all  things 
were  quite  contrary  among  the  Egyptians^  who  were  a 
more  civilized  People,  inhabiting  certain  and  known 
Places,  &c.  Which  (hows  that  their  Manners  were  ve 
ry  different^  which  eafily  bred  hatred.  Which  appears 
by  what  Plutarch  faith,  (in  his  Book  de  Jjid.  &  0/r.} 
that  the  Egyptians  avoided  the  Converfation  of  blacl^ 

People  : 


upon    GENE  SIS,  $83 

People:  Which  was  the  Complexion  of  the  Ethiopians. Chapter 
And  for  fome  fuch  reafon,  he  faith,  in  the  fame  Book,   XLVIL 
they  avoided  all  Mariners  (of  others  Nations,  that  is)  L/"WJ- 
as  here  Mofes  fays  they  did  Shepherds,  upon  fome  or 
other  of  the  accounts  before-mentioned. 

It  looks  like  a  piece  of  great  Generofity  in  Jofeph^  not 
to  conceal  from  Pharaoh  the  quality  of  his  Family  .• 
Though  fuch  kind  of  Men  were  under  a  very  ill  Cha~ 
rafter.  He  hoped  they  would  diftinguifh  themfelves 
from  fuch  vile  Shepherds,  a.s  had  made  the  Name  odi 
ous:  And  if  they  did  not  gain  the  Love  of  the  Egyp 
tians,  they  would  be  the  more  fecured  in  the  Love  of 
God,  by  not  learning  their  evil  Manners  and  Superfti- 
tions^  from  which  they  would  be  preferved,  by  having 
no  Converfation  with  them. 


CHAR     XLVIL 

Ver.  i .  ~TOfeph  came  and  told  Pharaoh,  &c.]    He  had  his  Verfe  i  *• 

J  Warrant  fome  time  ago,  to  fend  for  his  Fa 
ther  and  his  Family,  XLV.  i7,&c.  But  it  was  good 
Manners  to  acquaint  him  they  were  come,-  and  to  know 
his  pleafure,  how  he  fhould  difpofeofthem. 

Behold^  they  are  in  the  Land  of  Gofoenl}  They  frop 
there  (which  was  the  entrance  of  Egypt)  till  they  know 
thy  pleafure. 

Ver.  2 .  And  he  tookfome  of  his  Brethren,  Sec,]  The  He*  Verfe  2 , 
Irew word  Mifyfe  (which  we  tranflate/^e)  fignifiesin 
common  Language,  de  extr  emit  ate  ^  from  the  fag-end,  as 
we  fpeak,  of  his  Brethren.  Which  hath  made  fome  ima 
gine,  heprefented  the  meaneft  of  his  Brethren  to  Ph'd- 
r*0£-.j.that  he  might  neither  be  afraid  of  them;  nor 

think. 


584  ^   COMMENTARY 

Chapter  think  of  advancing  them  to  Employments  in  the  Court 
XLVIL  or  Gamp.  But  this  is  a  mere  Fancy  5  the  word  here 
denoting  only,  that  he  took  from  among  all  his  Bre 
thren  five  of  them/  As  Bochart  obferves,  who  tran- 
flates  it  ex  omnibus  fratribvs  fats  $  taking  it  to  be  like 
that  Phrafe,  XIX.  4. -where  we  tranflate  it,  from  att 
Quarters,  P.  I.  Hkrozotc.  Lib.  II.  cap.  34. 

Ver.  3.  Both  we  and  our  Fathers?]  It  is  not  an  Em 
ployment  we  have  lately  taken  up,  but  were  bred  to  it 
by  our  Anceftors :  Who  followed  the  fame  Profeffion, 
For  this  was  the  moft  ancient  way  of  living,  as  Colu- 
#/€&*  obferves  in  his  Preface:,  In  rufticatione  antjquif- 
fima  eft  ratio  pafcendi,  eadewque  qu<eftttofijpma.  In  Coun 
try  bufinefs,  the  moft  ancient,  as  well  as  moft  gainful, 
is  the  way  of  feeding  Cattle.  From  whence  he  thinks 
came  the  name  of  PECUNIA  for  Money,  and  PECV- 
LIVM,  for  Riches,  a  pecoribitf,  from  Cattle  ;  becaufe 
the  Ancients  had  no  other  Pofleffions.  Et  adhuc  apud 
»  quafdam  gentes  nnum  hoc  reperitur  dwitiarum  genv*. 
And  to  this  day,  faith  he,  there  is  no  other  Riches  to 
be  found  among  fome  Nations.  Which  isftill  true  of 
the  Abyjfines,  efpecially  of  the  Bek}enfes,  zsLudolphw 
allures  us,  L.  I.  H&.  JEthiop.  cap.  10.  §  8.  and  Com 
ment,  in  Hiflor.  L.  IV.  cap.  4.  n.  13. 

\Verfe  4«  Ver.  4.  Tofojonrn  in  the  Land  are  we  come.~\  We  do 
not  defire  to  fettle,,  but  only  to  fojourn  here,  during 
the  Famine. 

For  the  Famine  if  fore  in  tie  Land  ofCanaan.~]  It  was 
an  high  Country,  in  comparifon  with  Egypt  $  and  the 
Grafs  fooner  burnt  up  there,  than  in  Gofoen :  which  be 
ing  a  very  low  Country,  they  found  fome  Pafture  in  it 
for  their  Flocks,  and  therefore  befeech  him  to  fuffer 
them  to  dwell  there.  For,  as  St.  Auftin  obferves,  from 
thofe  that  knew  the  Country  5  there  was  more  Grafs  in 

the 


upon  GE  N  E  S  I  &  585 

the  Marfoes  and  Fenny  parts  of  Egypt,    when  the  Nile  Chapter 
did   not  overflow   enough  to  make  plenty  of  Corn.   XLVII. 
guejl.  CLX.  In  Gen.  t/V\J 

Ver.  6.  The  Land  of  Egy ft  is  before  thee."]  It  is  all  in  Verfe  6. 
thy  Power  *  difpofe  of  them  as  thou  pleafeft. 

Any  Man  of  atfivity.~\  Vigorous  and  induftrious  $ 
and  that  under  (lands  htebufinefs. 

Makf  them  rulers  over  my  Cattle.']  Such  as  Doeg  was  to 
Saul^  i  ifc/w.XXI.  7.  And  thofe  great  Officers  mention 
ed  i  Chron.  XX VII.  19,  30,  31.  were  t6  King  David. 
For  the  Eafter*  Kings  raifed  part  of  their  Revenue  from 
Cattle  $  and  fo  did  the  Egyptian  (it  appears  by  this 
place J  who  had  fome  prime  Officer*,  to  overfee  the 
lower  fort  of  Shepherds.  This  (hows  that  all  Shepherds 
were  not  an  abomination  to  the  Egyptians ,  but  only  thofe 
of  other  neighbouring  Nations  ("the  Arabians -,  Phenici- 
ans^  and  ^Ethiopians*)  who  were  either  an  ill  fort  of 
People  5  or,  forbidden  by  the  Laws  of  Egyft  (which 
abounded  with  Cattle)  to  Traffick  with  them  there. 

Ver.  7.   Jacob  blejfid  Pharaoh.']   Gave  him  Thanks  Verfe  7, 
for  his  Favour  *  and  prayed  for  his  Health  and  Safety  .• 
For  that's  the  Bleffing  of  an  Inferior  to  a  Superior. 
Thus  Naaman  prays  El/fba,  Tak$  a  Blejfing  of  thy  Servant \ 
i.  c.  an  acknowledgment  of  my  Obligations  to  thce. 

Ver.  o.  Pilgrimage.']  So  good  Men  are  wont  to  call- Verfe  9. 
their  Lite  3  tho'they  never  ftirfrom  their  Native  Soil  .• 
Looking  upon  it  as  a  Psffrge,  not  a  Settlement.  But  Ja- 
^hadreafon  to  cal|  his  life  fo  more  literally  :  Having 
been  tofled  from  place  to  place,  ever  fince  he  went  from 
his  Father's  Houfe  into  Mefopotamia,  and  returned  from 
thence  into  Canaan.  Where  he  dwelt  a  while  at  Sue* 
coth  5  and  then  at  Shechem  $  and  after  that  removed 
to  Bethel ;  and  fo  to  Hebron  unto  his  Father  Ifaac  5 
from  whence  he  was  now  come  into  Egypt. 

Ffff  Fern 


586  A    C  OMMENTARr 

Chapter        Few  and  evil,  have  been  t'hd  Days.,  &c.^  They  had  been 
XLV1I.  few*    in  comparifon  with   his  Fore-fathers  5    and  cvilr 

w-v^w  becaufe  full  of  Labour  and  Care ,  Grief  and  Sorrow 
upon  many  occafions. 

Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  J4P$>  tleffed  Pharaoh.']  At  meeting  and  at 
parting,  fuch  Salutations  were  ufual.  See  Verfe  7. 

Verfe  li.      Ver.  n.  In  the  Land  of  Rawefes.~]   .In  that   part    of: 
Gofien^  which  in  the  days  of  Mofes  was  called  Rawe- 
fes  5  from  the  Name  of  the  City  which  the  Hebrews - 
built  there  for  Pharaoh.    Unlefs,  perhaps,  the  City  was 
called  fo  frorn  the  Country  of  Ramefes^     wherein    it 
flood. 

Verfe  1 2 .      Ver.  1 2 .  And  Jofeph  nottrified  bh  Father  f^cT]  Though 
there  was  fome  Pafture  in  this  Country  for  their  Cattle, 
yet  not  Food  enough  for  themfelves  ^    which  .JofepK- 
therefore  took  care  to  fupply  them  withal. 

According  to  their  'Fawilics.']  According  s$  their 
Children  were  more,  or  fewer,  fo  he  proportioned 
their  allowance. 

Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  There  was  vo  Bread  In  att  the  Land^]  This 
was  the  third  Year  ofthe  Famihe  (XLV.^.3  inwhith 
all  the  Corn,  which  fen  had  ftored  u'p  in  their  "fe- 
veral  Families,  was  wholly  fpent. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  iq.AndJofeph  gathered  tip  all  tht  Money ^  &cQ 
'As  iong.  as  the  Egyptians  had  any  Money  left,  rhey 
bought  Corn  of  Jojeph  :  Which  fupporteil  them  all 
tt&.i.hird  ,  and,  it  is  probable,  the  fourth  and  fifth 
Year, of  the  Famine. 

And  Jofeph  brought  the  Money  into  Pharaoh's  Honfe.~] 
.Into  the  Treafury  $  which  he  filled,  and  not  his  own 
Coffers,  as  Philo  obfefves. 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  iy.  And  when  Monty  failed?]  This  we  may  pro 
bably  conceive,  was  in  the  fixth  Year  ,of  the  Famin^  : 
When  they  vtere  forced  to  fell  their  Cattle  for  Food. 

Ver. 


•lijxaTG'E.N-E  SI  S.  587 

Ver.  1 8.  They  came  the fecondTear^  i.  e.  The  next  Chapter 
Year  after  the  fale  of  their  Cattle  3  which  was  the  laft  XLVIL 
of  the  Famine,  as  appears  from  the  next  Verfe.  i/VNJ 

Ver.  19.  Wherefore  jbouldwe  d*e\  we  and  our  Land  ?*]  V.erfe  1 8. 
The  Land  is  faid  to  die,  (as  Bochart  obferves,  in  the  be-  Verfe  19. 
ginning  of  his  HieroZokon.}  cvminculta  jacet  &  defa- 
Ufa,    when  it  lies  until'd   and  defolate  .•    As  he  {hows 
by  example  out  of  fome  Poets. 

We,  and  our  Land  will  be  Servants  unto  Pharaoh.']  We, 
that  were  free,  will  become  the  King's  Bond  men  : 
And  our  Land,  which  was  our  own,  we  will  hold  of 
him. 

And  give  us  Seed,  jScc.]  This  (hows  it  was  now  the 
laft  Year  of  {he  Famine :  They  defiring  Corn  not  mere 
ly  for  Food,  butalfo  to  fow  5  in  hopes  to  have  a  Crop 
the  next  Year.  For  Jofefh  had  told  them,  there  (hould 
be  but  feven  Years  of  Famine  :  And  it  is  likely  Nilus 
had  now  begun  to  overflow  the  Country,  as  -former 
ly  3  which  confirmed  his  word.  rno1 

Ver.  20.   And  Jofefh  bought  all  the  Lapd  of  Egypt  for  Verfe  20. 
Pharaoh]    So  the  whole  Country  became  the  King's 
Demeafne}  in  which  no  Man  had  ar^y   Propriety  but 
himfelf. 

Ver.  21.  As  for  the  People^  he  removed  the  w  to  Cities.~\  Verfe  21. 
Remote  from  thofe  wherein  they  had  formerly  dwelt. 
Under  the  word  Cities,  is  comprehended  all  the  Vil 
lages  about  them. 

From  one  end  of  the  borders  of  Egypt  ^  Stc.^  Tranfplanted 
them  into  far  diftant  Parts  of  theCountry-  from  whence 
he  brought  others,  in  like  manner, » into  their  places  .- 
That  they  might  in  time,  forget  the  Dominion  they  for 
merly  had  in  the  I^ands  they  had  fold  3  and  that  there 
might  be  no  Combination  afterwards  to  regain  them--  . 
The  old  owners  being  feparated  far  one  from  another. 

Fff  f  2  Ver. 


5S8  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter  Ver.  22.  Only  the  Land  of  the  Priefts  bought  he  not.'] 
XLVII,  This  is  commonly  noted,  as  a  great  piece  of  Religion«in 
*-•  "v^^^  Jofcph,  that  he  took  not  away  the  Land  of  thofe  wha 
Verfe  22 -were  God's Minifters  .•  Tho' engaged,  it's  thought,  in 
Superfiitious,  if  not  Idolatrous  Services,  (for  that  the 
word  Cohanim  here  fignifies  Pr/e/?/,  not  Princes^  as  fome- 
times  it  doth,  the  ancient  Verfions  generally  agree.)  But 
it  is  plain  they  were  in  nonecefTity  to  fell  their  Lands, 
having  their  Diet  continually  from  the  King  :  Which  is 
given  as  the  reafon  (in  the  following  part  of  this  Verfe} 
why  he  did  not  buy  them.  This  therefore  is  rather  to 
beobferved,  that  the  Priefts  had  anciently  fome  Pub- 
lick  Lands  allotted  to  them  for  the  fupport  oi  their 
Dignity.  For  both  Herodotus  and  D?<fcfan»*telJ$  us,  they 
had  a  Publick  Maintenance^  Fojfius  obferves,  Lib.  f. 
de  Idolol.  ctp.  19.  The  Priefthood  being  confined  to  cer 
tain  Families,  (as  it  was  in  Ifrtel  to  that  of  Aaron)  and 
held  in  fuch  Veneration,  that  they  were  all  not  only 
«T5A«^,  free  from  paying  Tributes,  and  W^^'onrK  fj&* 
TO  r  B^cnAea,  next  to  the  King  in  Honour  and  in  Power  $ 
but  received  a  third  of  the  Royal  Revenues :  Out  of 
which  they  maintained  the  Publick  Sacrifice^  and  their 
Servants,  and  w$  i&ts  JcFfa^Xyfy***  provided  for  their 
own  Necefikies.  Thus  Diodorns  Sicnlus^  L.  Las  I  find 
him  alledged  by  Jac.  Cafettus  in  his  Htft.  &tcra  &  Exot. 
ad  A  M.  2294.  C&nftantinefaz  Great,  in  part,  imitated 
this  Confutation,  in  that  Law  of  his,  which  made  even 
all  the  Profeffors  of  Learning  free  from  all  Publick 
Charges  of  any  fort,  befides  the  Salary  he  allowed 
them  $  that  they  might  the  more  chearfully  follow 
their  feveral  Studies 

Vctfe  22.      Ver.  ^.  Behold^  I  fatvs  bought  you  this  day,  and  your 
*  Land,  &c.^  The  Bargain  could  not  be  denied  3   but  he 
not  be  fo  rigid  as  totye  them  ftriftiy  to  it.    For 

ia 


upon    GENESIS. 
in  the  next  Verfe  ^  required  only  a  fifth  part  of  the  in-  Chapter 
creafe  of  their  Gt9und   for  the  King}  and  tells  them,  XLVII. 
the  reft  fnould  be 'their  own.    An  ad  of  great  Humani-  ^^V^^ 
ty  and  Equity:    Wherein  he  (how'd  himfelf,    both  a 
good  Man,    and  a  wife  States-man  $  ia  taking  away  all 
mitter  of  complaint  from  the  People.    For  a  tent-6  part 
of  tke  increafe  was  due,  in  all  likelihood,  to  the  King 
before,  (XXVIII.  22.)    which  he  now  only  doubles: 
When  he  might  have  taken  all  5  or,  given  them  but 
one  or  two  parts,  and  kept  all  the  reft  for  the  King. 

Ver.  25.7*200  haftfaved  otir  lives,  &c]  We  owe  our.Verfe  25. 
very  Lives  to  thee$  and  therefore  let  us  but  have  thy 
Favour,  and  we  (hall  willingly  be  Pharaoh's  Servants. 
This  is  an  high  Expreffion  of  their  Thankfulnefs,  for 
fuch  good  Terms  as  he  offered  them  $  which  they 
readily  accepted  .•  With  Profeffions  of  their  Obligati 
on-  to  be  Ph*raoh\  Bond-men. 

Ver.  26.  Jofeph  made  it  a  Law."]  By  his  Advice  this  Verfe  26. 
Law  was  enafted  5  whereby  the  Power  of  the  Egyptian. 
Kings  was  mightily  increafed  5.  for  we  read  not  of  the 
like  Conftitution  m  any  other  Nation.  Thucydides 
indeed  relates  that  the  People  of  Attica  paid  to  P//?- 
Jlratus-ihe  twentieth  part  of  their  Corn,  $  and  Appianns 
Akxandr.  fays,  the  old  Romans  paid  the.  tenth  of  their 
Corn,  andthe^fjfrA  of  their  Fruit.*  But  it  was  the  pe 
culiar  Prerogative  of  tite  Egyptian  Kings,  to  have  the 
ffth  of  all  the  increafe  of  the  Field  .-  Which  Jpfeph 
procured  them.by  this  admirable  Management. 

Ver.  27.  And  IfraU  .  dwelt  in  the  La^  &c.]     See  Verfe  27- 
Verfe  n. 

And   they  had   poffeQlons  therein.']  They  couldhave 
no  Land  of  their  own,   ffor  aH  the  Country,  was  be 
come  Pharaoh's)  but  the   meaning  is,  they   farmed  (as 
we  fpeak)  Land  of  the  King  ^    to -whom,  they  became 
Tenants.,  And 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter  And  grew  and  multiplied  exceedingly."]  And  confe- 
XLVII.  quently  inlarged  their  habitation  beyond  the  Territo- 
t/VNJry  ofRawefes,  where  they  were  firft  placed,  into  o_ 
ther  Parts  ofGoJhen.  Which  we  muft  not  fanfie  to  have 
been  a  Country  now  empty  of  People  .•  For  though 
perhaps,  about  Rantefes  there  might  be  fome  vacant 
Ground,  fufficient  for  Jacob's  Family,  when  they  came 
firft  to  plant  there  .•  Yet  when  they  increafed  very 
much,  no  doubt,  they  lived  among  .the  Egyptians 
where  they  could  find  admiffion.  This  plainly  appears 
at  their  going  from  thence,  Exact.  XII.  22,  23.  where 
God  commands  them  to  fprinkle  their  Door-Pofts  with 
the  Blood  of  the  Pafchal  Lamb,  to  fecure  them  from 
the  Deftruftion,  which  was  coming  upon  their  Neigh 
bours,  who  wanted  this  Mark  of  Safety. 

Verfe  29.  Ver.  2  9.  Tjf  /  have  now  found  grace  m  thy  fight.'}  This  is 
a  Phrafe  ufeda  little  before,  ver.  25-.  in  a  little  different 
Sence.  For  there  it  fignifies  the  Favour  (hown  to«ano- 
ther  .•  But  here  is  as  much,  as  iftbou  lovefl  t»e. 

Put  thy  Hand  under  my  Thigh."}  i.  e.  Swear  to  me  as 
it  is  explain'd  in  verfe  31.  See  XXIV.  2. 

Deal  fyndty  and  truly  with  me^\  Show  me  true  Kind- 
nefs,  in  promifing  arid  performing  what  I  defire.  See 
XXIVV27,  49- 

Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  I  will  lie  with  my  Fathers^  &c.]  So  all  Men 
naturally  defire  to  do :  But  he  had  a  peculiar  reafon  for 
it.  Which  was  his  belief  that  the  Country  where  their 
Bodies  lay,  was  his  in  Reverfion  5  and  that  God,  in  due 
time,  would  put  his  Children  into  pofleffion  of  it.  For 
which  time  they  could  not  but  the  more  earneftly 
long,  becaufe  the  Bodies  of  their  Anceftors  were  there 
buried.  See  L.  5.  which  explains  the  reafon  why  Jacob 
exafts  an  Oath  of  Jofeph  5  not  becaufe  he  doubted 
he  might  not  otherwife  fulfil  his  Defire  3  but  that 

Pharaoh 


upon    GENES  IS: 

Pharaoh  might  be  willing  to  let  him  carry  his  Body  Chapter 
thither,  when  he  found  he  lay  under  fo  facred  an  XLVIJ. 
Obligation  to  do  it. 

Ver.  31 .  And  Ifr ad  bowed  hi tufelf  upon  the  Bed's  head.']  Verfe 
Raifed  up  hisHead  from  his  Pillow,  and  bowed  .-  Either 
to  Jofeph,  in  Thankfulnefs  for  his  Promife  }  or,  to  God,  • 
for  the  Affurance  he  had  receiv^  that  he  [hould  be  bu 
ried  with  his  Pious  Fore- fathers :  Or,  elfe  this  lowing 
was  the  ufual  Ceremony,  wherewith  an  Oath  was  at 
tended.  The  Chaldee  Paraphraft  thinks  the  Divine  Glo 
ry  now  appeared  3  which  Jacob  devoutly  worlhipped. 
But,  if  the  Author  to  the  Hebrews  had  not  underftood  ' 
his  bowing  to  be  an  aft  of  Worfhip,  the  Interpretation 
of  fome  modern  Writers  might,  perhaps,  have  been 
thought  reafonable  ••  Who  tranllate  theie  words  thus,, 
He  laid  hiMfelfdowvuponhis  Pillow:  As  weak  Men  are 
wont  to  do  $  after  they  have  fat  up  a  while,  to  difpatch 
feme  bufinefs.  For the  Hebrew  word  Schacah^  which 
fignifies  to  bow  the  Body  }  fignifies  alio  to  fall  down  upon 
the  Earth:  And  therefore  might  here  be  tranflajted  lie 
down.  But  the  Apoftle,  as  I  faid,  hath  over- ruled  all 
fuch  Conceits,  if  we  fappofe  him  to  tranflate  this  Paf- 
fage,  Heb.  XI.  2 1 .  Which  to  me  indeed  doth  not  feetu 
evident.  For  the  Apoftle  is  there  fpeaking  of  another 
thing  $  not  of  what  Jacob  did  now,  when  Jofeph  fware 
to  him  ;  but  of  what  he  did  after  thefetthings,  (KLV1II. 
i;)  when  he  blefied  Jofeph's  Sons.  Then  the  Apoftle 
ftys,  he  worshipped  uponthetopofbis  Staff]  Which  is  not 
the  Tranflation  of  Mofes  his  words  in  this  place.-  But 
words  of  his  own,  whereby  he  explains  the  following 
Story  5  and  (hows  how  ftronghis  Faith  was,  when  his 
Body  was  fo  weak  that  he  was  no  able  to  bowhimfelf 
and  worfhip,  without  the  help  of  his  Staff.  This  clear 
ly  removes  all  the  difficulty,  which  Interpreters  ;have 

made. 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapte  r  made  about  reconciling  the  words  of   Mofes   here  in 
XL VI II.  this  Verfi^  to  the  Apoftle's  words  in  that. 
L/'VY/     But  however  this  be,  Jacob's  bowing  here,  I  doubt 
not,fignifies  worihipping  $  as  the  Vulgar  Latin  takes  it  .• 
Where  the  word  God  is  added,    (which  is  not  in  the 
Hebrew)  and  thefe  words  thus  tranflated,  Ifiael  worfiip- 
pecl  GW,  turning  hitnfelftotke  Bed's  head. 


CHAR     XLVIIt 

Vcrfe  i,  Ver.i.  \Fterthefethings.']    Sometime  after,  though 

£\  not  long    (for  Jacob  was  nigh   his  end, 

when  he  fcntforjofepk  to  make  him  fwear  he  would 

bury  him  with  his  Fathers  J    he  grew  fo  weak,    that  he 

concluded  he  could  not  live  long, 

One  toldjofeph.]  A  Meflenger  was  fent  from  his  Fa 
ther's  Houfe,  to  acquaint  Jofeph  with  his  weak  Condi 
tion.  So  the  next  Verfe  teaches  us  to  underftand  it. 

He  took,  with  him,  8cc.]  Immediately  he  went  to  re 
ceive  his  Bleffing,  and  took  with  him  his  two  Sons, 
that  he  might  blefs  them  alfo. 

Vcrfe  2.  Ver.  2.  One  told  Jacob,  &c.]  Jofeph  fent  a  Meflenger 
before  him,  to  let  his  Father  know,  he  was  coming  to 
vifit  him. 

Ifrael  flrengthned  hitxfelf^]  This  MefTage  revived 
him  $  and  made  him  ftir  up  all  his  Spirits  to  receive 
him  chearfully. 

And  fat  upon  hit  led.']  Leaning,  it's  likely,  upon  his 
Staff,  for  the  fupportof  his  feeble  Body.    SeeXLVII. 

v    r          *** 

Verfc  j.       Ver.  $.  Appeared  to  we  at  Luz.'j  He  appeared  twice 

to  him  in  this  place.    Firft,  when  he  went  to  Padan- 


upon   GENESIS, 

Aram,  XXVIII.  13.  (upon  which  he  gave  this  Place  the  Chapter 
Name  of  Bethel,  verfe  19.)   and  when  he  returned  from  XLVJlI 
thence,  XXXV.  6.9,  8cc.  and,   both  times,  made  him  v-x*v^>^ 
the  Promife  which  here  follows  5    and  therefore  it  is 
likely  he  hath  refpeft  to  both. 

And  blejfed  me7\  Promifed  to  me  the  Bleffing  which 
follows. 

Ver.  4.  For  an  everlaftingfojjeljion.']  We  do  not  read  Verfe  4. 
this  in  either  of  the  Appearances,  in  fo  many  words  : 
But  hefaid  it  ineffeft,  when  he  told  him,  in  the  laft  Ap 
pearance  there,  XXXV.  12.  The  Land  which' I  gave  to 
Abraham,  and  Ifaac,  to  thee  will  I  give  it^  &C.  Now  he 
gave  it  to  Abraham  and  his  Seed  for  ever,  XIII.  1 5. 

Ver.  5.    And  now  thy  two  Sons ,  &c.]  Having  aflured  Verfe  5-. 
him  God  would  be  as  good  as  his  Word,  in  giving  the 
Land  of  Canaan  to  his  Pofterity  $    he   tells  him   what 
(hare  his  Children  (hould  have  in  it. 

Are  r,iine.~\  Thy  two  Sons  (hall  be  reckoned  as  if  I 
had  begotten  them  :  And  accordingly  have  each  of 
them  an  Inheritance,  equal  with  the  reft  of  my  Sons, 
and  be  diftinft  Tribes. 

At  Reuben  and  Simeon^fhall  they  be  mine."]  He  inftances 
in  them,  becaufe  they  were  his  eldeftSons  :  Who,  he 
fays,  (hould  have  no  more  than  Ephraitn  and  Manajjeh. 
And,  perhaps,  the  meaning  may  be  $  thefe  two  (hall  be 
accounted  as  the  Firft-born  of  my  Family.  For  he 
gives  Jofeph  the  Primogeniture,  (who  was  indeed  the 
Firft-born  of  his  firft  intended  WifeJ  andbeftowsa 
double  Portion  upon  him  5  by  making  his  two  Sons 
equal  to  the  reft  of  his  Children. 

Ver.  6.  And  thyiffne  which  thou  begettejl  after  them^ 
foallbe  thine."]  I  will  make  no  diftinft  Provifion  for 
them,  as  I  have  done  for  thefe  two  :  But  they  foaU  be 
called  after  the  Name  of  their  Brethren  in  their  Inheri- 

G  g  g  g  tance, 


A    COMMENTARY 


Chapter  tanct,  \.  e.  be  reckoned  among  thefe  two, 

XLVI1I.  Manajjeh^  and  not   make  diftindt  Tribes  as  they  (hall, 

^-  v^  bot  be  comprehended  in  them. 

Verie  7.  Ver,  7.  And  as  for  me,whenlca»ie  from  Padan-Aram, 
Rachel  died  by  me>  Sec,*]  He  mentions  her  death  (which 
dcth  not  feem  to  belong  to  the  foregoing  difcourfe) 
becaufe  it  hapned  prefently  after  that  laft  Promife  in 
Bethel,  (XXXV.  1  8.)  and  he  thought  it  would  be  grate 
ful  to  his  Son,  to  hear  him  remember  his  dear  Mother. 
For  it  is  as  if  he  had  faid  ,  And  now,  my  Son,  this  puts  me 
in  wind  of  thy  Mother,  who  died  immediately  after  that 
fromife  of  multiplying  my  Seed  :.  And  yet  I  fee  it  fulfilled 
in  thofe  Children  which  God  hath  given  thee.  Or,  we  may 
look  upon  thefe  words,  as  giving  the  reafon  why  he  took 
Ephraim  and  Manajjeh  to  be  his  own  Children  5  and  the 
Sence  to  be,  as  if  he  had  faid  .-  Thy  Mother  indeed,  and, 
my  Moved  Wife,  diedfoon  after  Jke  began  to  bear  Children  ^ 
when  Jf}€  might  have  brought  me  many  more  :  And  there 
fore  I  adopt  thefe  her  Grand-  Children,  and  look  upon 
them  as  if  they  had  been  born  of  Rachel.  And  I  do  it 
in  Memory  and  Honour  of  her  $  foppfyivg  by  adoption, 
ivfeat  &tfs  wanting  in  Generation. 

And  1  buried  her  there."]  He  could  not  carry  her  to  the 
Cave  of  Machpelah,  where  he.  de-fired  to  be  laid  himfelf  5 
becaufe  fhe  died  in  Child-bed  .-  Which  conftrain'd  him 
to  bury  herfooner,  than  otherwife  he  might  have  done. 
And  it  is  to  be  fuppofed  he  had  net  in  his  Travels,  all 
things  neceflary  to  preferve  her  Body  long  5  by  em- 
bilmingher,  as  Jofeph  did  him. 

Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  Ifrael  beheld  Jofeph'  s.  Sons,  &c]  He  faw 
two  others  ftand  by  Jofeph  5  but  could  not  difcern  di- 
fiinftly  who  they  were,  by  reafon  of  the  dimnefs  of 
his  Sighr,  verfe  10.- 

Ver, 


upon  Gt  N  E  S  I  §.       v 

Ver.  9.    And  I  mil  blefs  them.']    As  he  jiad  jiift  be-  Chapter 
fore  promifed,  verfe  5.  XL VIII. 

Ver.  10.    And  he  brought  them  near  unto  him?}     And  WVSJ 
made  them  kneel  down  before  him  :    as  the  twelfth  Verfe  9, 
•Verfe  feems  to  intimate.  Verfe  10. 

And  he  kiffed  them,  8cc.]  ExprefTed  the  greateft  Affe- 
ftion  to  them. 

Ver.  11.  Brought  them  out  from  between  his  Knees."]  It  Verfe  12. 
appears  by  Verfe  2.  that  Jacob  fat  upon  his  Bed  $  and  his 
Legs  hanged  down,  they  kneeled  between  his  Knees  / 
From  whence  Jofeph  took  them.  And  then  feems  to 
have  placed  himfelf  in  the  fame  pofture,  bowing  himfelf 
with  his  Face  to  the  Earth  (as  the  following  words  tell 
us)  to  give  his  Father  Thanks  for  his  Kindnefs  to  his 
Children.  Or,  rather,  we  may  conceive,  that  while  Ja 
cob  embraced  them  in  his  Arms,  and  kifled  them  with 
more  than  ordinary  Affeftion,  Jofeph  was  afraid  that 
they  might  lie  too  long,  or  prefs  too  hard  upon  his  Fa 
ther's  Breaft  5  and  create  fome  trouble  to  a  ^feeble  old 
Man:  And  therefore  he  withdrew  them  from  thence, 
and  difpofed  them  to  receive  his  Bleiiing. 

Ver.  1 3.  And  Jofeph  took  them  both.  Sec.]     Made  them  Verfe  i  g. 
kneel  down  by  himfelf,  before  Jacob:  Placing Ephraim 
towards  Jacob's  LeftHattd,  &c.    . 

Ver.  14.  Stretched  out  his  right  hand,  and  laid  it  on  E-  Verfe  14. 
phraims  head.]  Laying  Hands  on  the  Head  of  any  Per- 
fon,  was  always  ufed  in  this  Nation,  in  giving  Bleflings, 
and  defigning  Men  to  any  Office  5  ^nd  in  the  Confecr^- 
tionof  Publick  and  Solemn  Sacrifices.  This  is  the  firft 
time  we  meet  with  the  mention  of  it  5  but  in  after- 
time  we  often  read  of  it  5  particularly  when  Mofes  con- 
ftituted  70/2w*  to  be  his  Succeflbr,  God  orders  him  to 
do  it,  by  laying  his  Hands  on  him,  Numb.  XXVII.  18, 
23. Deut. XXXIV.  9.  Thus  Children  were  brought  to 

G  g  g  g  2  our 


A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter   •ur  bleffed  Saviour,  that  he  might  lay  his  Hands  on  them 
XLVill.   and  blefs  them  $  and    fo  he  did,    Matth.  XIX.  13,  15. 
U^V^vj  And  the  Right  Hand  being  the  ftronger,  and  that  where 
with  we  commonly  perform  every   thing  ^  the    laying 
that  on  Epbraim9s  Head   was  giving  him  the  prehemi- 
nence. 

Who  was  the  younger^]  It  is  obferved  by  Theodoret  upr 
on  i  Saw.  XVI.  that  God  was  wont  from  the  beginning 
to  prefer  the  younger  before  the  elder.  As  Abel  be 
fore  Cain  $«&;»  defore  Japhet  ••>  Ifazc  before  Ifbmael^  Ja 
cob  before  Efait  5  Judah  and  Jpfeph  before  Reuben  5  and 
here  Ephraim  be  fore  ManaJJeh^  as  afterwards  Mofes  ber 
fore  Aaron  ^  and  David,  the  youngeft  of  all;  before  his 
elder  Brethren.  Which  was  to  (how  that  the  Divine 
Benefits  were  not  tied  to  the  Order  of  Nature  ,•  but 
difpenfed  freely  according  to.  God's  mod  wife  Good- 
nefs. 

Guidinghis  Hands  wittingly.']  He  did  not  miftake,  by 
reafon  of  his  blindnefs  ^  but  forefeeing  by  the  Spirit  of 
Prophecy,  how  much  Epkraim  would  excel  the  other, 
he  defignedly  and  on  purpofe,  thus  laid  his  Hands  a- 
crofs:  So  that  the  Right  Hand  lay  upon  the  Head  of 
Ephraim,  who  was  next  to  his  Left,  &c. 

Verfe  1 5.     Ver.  15.  He  Meffe'd  Jofeph^}  In  the  Blefling  he  beftbw- 
ed  on  his  Children. 

All wy  life  long^}   The  Hebreto  word  Mehodi  fignifies 
a.  die  quo  ego  fuw  (as  Bochart  interprets  it,    Hiero&oic. 
P.  I.  Lib*  II.  c.  I4«J  ever  face  I  had  a  being. 
¥erfe  \6.      ^er*   I^''   The  Angel  which  redeemed  .we.']  Who  by 
'God's  Order,  and  as  his  Minifter,  preferved  me  in  all 
the  Dangers  wherein  I  have  been.    Many  of  the  an- 
eient  Ftahers  (as  Athanafius  L.  IV.  contra  Arianos^  Cyril 
upon  this  place  3  Procopws  Gaz<eys^  &c.J  underftand 
kereby  an  increated  Angel>zw,  The  Second  Perfon  of 

the 


Hf0n  G  E  N  E  S  I  S 

the  blefled  Trinity.    c  But  the  Difcourfeit  not  con-  Chapter 

*  cerning  the  fending  of  the  Soaof  God,  in  our  Flelh   XLVIIl. 
*"  to  redeem  Mankind,  but  only  concerning  the  Prefer- 

*  vation  and  Profperity  of  one  Man  ^   and  therefore  I 
c  do  not  know  whether  if  be  ftfe  to  call  him  an  Angel, 
c  7.  e.  a  Minifter,  or  Meffenger,  left  we  detraft  fro  mhis 
4  Divinity.  For  in  conferring  Bleffings^  he  is  not  a  Mef- 
'  fenger  or  Minifter  $  but  a    principal   Caufe  together 
6  with  the  Father.    They  are  the  words  of  that  famous 
Divine  Georg.  Calixtus  \  who  follows  St.  Chryfoftom,  who 
takes  this  Angel  to  be  one  properly  fo  called  :    And  < 
thence  proves  the  heavenly  Minifters  take  careof  Pious 
People.     And  fo.doth  St.  Baftl  in  no  Ids. than  three 
places  of  his  Wbrks  .•  Which  (brow  it  was  his  fetled  Opi 
nion.     But  it  did  not  enter  into  their  Thoughts  that 
Jacob  here  pray'd   to  an  Angel  ^  but  only  wiiht  thefe 
Children  might  have  the  Angelical  Protection,   by  the 
fpecial  Favour  of  God  to  them.    For  it  is  jaft  fuch  an 
Expreffion  as  that  of  David,    to  a   contrary  purpofe, 
Pfalm  XXXV.  6.     Let  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  perfecnte 
them.    Where  no  Body  will  fay  he  prays  to  an  Angel  5 
though  his  words  are  exaftly  like  thefe  ofjacobl 

And  let  my  Name  be  named  on  them "]  Here  he  plainly  • 
adopts  them  to.be  his  Children,    as  he   faid  before  he 
would,  verfe  5.  For  to  be  called  by  one's  Name,  (which' 
is  the  fame  with  having  hisNawe  named !  on  them)  is  as 
much  as  to  be  one's  Children;.    For  thus  they  that  are 
faid  to  be  called  by  God's  Name,    became  his  peculiar 
People.     Therefore  Toftatus  well  interprets  it,  Stntducr 
Capita tribuum  inter  Filtos  Jacob:  Let  them  be  the  Heads 
of  two  Tribes  among  the  Sons  of  Jacob.     But  none  fo 
plainly  as  DavidChytr<eus,  whofe  words  are  thefe^r*  &' 
Jimplicijjimafententia  h#c  eft  ^  Jfki  pueri,  a  me  adopt  at  i%  &C. 
The  true  and  mofl  fiwple  Sence  is,  Thefe  Touths,  Mauaffeth' 


-A  COMMENTS  Rt. 

Chapter   <wd  Ephraifb,  who  are  adopted  by  me,  foall  not  hereafter  be 
XLVIII.   catted  the  Sons  of  Jofefh,  but  my  Sons  :  And  be  Heirs^  and 
t/^V^SJ  in  the  division  of  the  Inheritance  of  the  Land  of  Canaan^ 
receive  an  equal  Portion  with  my  Sons. 

Grow  into  a  multitude.']  The  Hebrew  word,  as  Onfylos 
interprets  it,  fignifies  increafe  like  Fifies  (as  we  alfo  in 
the  Margin  tranflate  itj  which  are  themoft  fruitful  of  all 
Creatures,  as  Authors  commonly  obferve.  See  Bochart. 
P.  I.  Lib.  I.  cap.  6.  Hiero&oic. 

Verfe  19.  Ver*  19.  His  younger  Brother  foall be  greater  than  t>e\] 
His  Family  multiplied  farter,  according  to  the  fignifica- 
tionof  hisName:  As  appears  from  Numb.  I.  33,  35-. 
And  theJKingdom  was  afterward  eftablifted  in  him, -and 
all  the  ten  Tribes  called  by  the  Name  of  Efhraim. 

Shall  become  a  multitude  of  Nations'^  In  the  He  brew  the 
words  are/#/#e/x  of  Nations^  i.  e.  of  Families.  As  much 
as  to  fay,  his  Seed  (hall  replenifh  the  Country  with  nu 
merous  Families  :  For  that  which  replenifhes  the  Earth, 
is  called  t\\zfitlnefs  of  the  Earth,  Pfalm  XXIV.  i.  and  that 
which  replenifties  the  Sea,  thefnlnefs  of  the  Sea>  Pfalte 
XCVI.  1 1.  Ifai.  XLIL  ic.  See  L.de  Dieu. 

Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  And  he  btejfcd  them  that  day.'}  He  concluded 
with  a  folemn  Benedi&ion  upon  them  both.-  And  when 
he  pronounced  it,  worCbipped  God  (as  the  Apoftle  tells 
us,  Hebr.Xl.  11.)  leaning  upon  the  top  of  his  Staff. 
Whereby  he  was  fupported  from  falling  5  of  which 
he  would  have  been  in  danger,  when  he  bowed,  if  he 
had  not  leaned  on  it. 

In  thee/hall  Ifraelblefs."]  When  my  Pofterity  would 
wi(h  all  Happincfs  to  others,  they  (hall  ufc  this  form 
of  Speech  5  God  mafy  yon  like  Ephraim  and  Manaf- 
feh.  Which  continues,  they  fay,  among  the  Jews  to 
this  Day. 

Ver. 


upon    GENESIS,  $99' 

Ver.  21.  Bring  you  again  into  the  Land  of  your  Fathers**]  Chapter 
W here  your  Fathers  fojourned .-  and  which  God  be-XLVIIL 
ftowed  upon  them  in  reverfion.  ^~*r/~**' 

Ver.  22.    Which  I  took  out  of  the  Hand  of  the  Amo- Verie  ai- 
r/Ye,  Sec/]   He  doth  not  mean  the  City  of  Shecketx  •  Verle- 22. 
which  his  Sons  took  unjuftly  and  cruelly  (and  not  from 
the  J^0r/Ve/,butthe  Hivites) without  his  knowledge,and 
contrary  to  his  will.-  But  that  piece  of  Land,  which  he 
bought  ofHamor  the  Father  of  Shechew,  Gen.  XXXIII. 
19.  compared  with  St.  John  IV.  j.    Which  feems  to  be 
the  reafon  why   Jofeph  was  himfelf  here  buried  in  his 
own  Ground,    given  by  his  Father,  Jofi.  XXIV.  32. 
and  not  in  the  Cave  of  Machpelah.    The  only  difficulty 
is,  how  he  could  fay,    that  he  took  this  Land  from  the 
Aworite  by  his  Sword^and  by  his  Bow^  ("which  comprehend 
all  warlike  Inftruments)  when  he  bought  it   for  an 
hundred  Pieces  of  Silver  of  Hamor  the  Hivite.     It  is  to 
be  fuppofed  therefore  that  he  took,  ft,  '•  e.  recovered  it 
from  VSsAnwrittSi  who  hadfeized  on  it,  after  his  remo 
val  to  another  part  of  Canaan,  and  would  not  reftoreit, 
but  conftrain'd'him  to  drive  them  out  by  force.     We 
read  nothing  indeed  in  the  foregoing  Hiftory,  either  of 
their  invading  his  PoiTelfion,  or  his  expelling  them 
thence  .•   But  the  Scripture  relates  many  things  to  have 
been  done,    without  mentioning  the  circumftances  of 
Time  and  Place  5    as  Bochartus  obferves.     And  among 
otherlnftances  gives  that  in  XXXVI.  24.  where  Ana  is 
faid  to  have  met  with  \hzEmims  (fo  he  underftands  it) 
in  the  Wildernefs  :     Of  which  encounter  we  find  no 
mention  in  any  other  place.     See  his  Hierozo/c.  P.  II. 
L.  IV.  cap.  13,  And,  as  I  take  it,  we  have  a  plainer  In- 
ftance  in  the  place  a  little  before  mentioned,  Hebr.Jil* 
21.  where  the  Apoftle  fays,  Jacob^    when  he  was  a  dy 
ing,   blefled  both   the  Sons  of  Jofepb   and  worfifpped, 

leaning 


#    COMMENTARY 

Chapter  leaning  upon  the  top  of  his  StaffJ]   Of  which  there  is  not 
XLIX.    a  word  in  this  Hiftory,  but  only  of  his  blefling  them, 
verfe  20. 
"There  arethofe  who,  with  St.  H7'er0«*,underftandby 

>  Sword  and  Bov>>  his  Money  .-  Which  he  calls  by  thofe 
warlike  Names,  to  fignifie  this  was  the  only  Inftrument 
he  ufed  to  acquire  any  thing.  Juftas  the  Romans,  when 
they  would  fignifie  they  had  got  any  thing,  without  a- 
ny  other  help,  but  their  own  Induftry  alone,  fay  they 

<  obtained  in  Proprio  Marte  }  ufing  a  fimilitude  from  Mili 
tary  Expences  and  Labours.  If  this  do  not  feem  harlh,  it 
is  not  hard  to  give  an  account  why  he  calls  thofe  Amo- 
rites,  who  before  were  called  Hivites :  For  Amorites 
feems  to  have  been  the  general  Name  of  all  the  feven 

'Nations  of  Canaan,  they  being  the  Chief  ^  juft  as  all  the 
People  of  the  feven  united  Provinces,  are  now  com 
monly  called  Hollanders,  who  are  the  moft  Potent  of 
allthe  reft. 


i^f 
J 


CHAP.     XLIX. 

Acob  called  unto  his  Sons^]  When  he  had  done 
fpeaking  with  Jofeph^  perceiving  his  end  ap 
roaching,  he  fent  one  to  call  the  reft  of  his  Sons  to 
come  to  him. 

Gather  your  felves  together^}  Come  all  in  a  Body  to 
me.  Let  me  fee  you  all  together  before  I  die. 

Whatfiall  be  in  the  laft  Days.']  The  Condition  of  your 
Pofterity  in  future  Times.  Jacob  is  the  firft,  that  we 
read  of,  who  particularly  declared  the  future  ftate  of 
everyone  of  his  Sons,  when  he  left  the  World.  But  it 
hath  been  an  ancient  Opinion,  That  the  Souls  of  all 

excellent 


upon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S.  60 1 

eel  lent  Men,  the  nearer  they  approached  to  their  de- Chapter 
parture  from  hence,  the  more  Divine  they  grew  ^  and   XLIXe 
had  a  clearer  profpeft  of  things  to  come.     Whence  WVNJ 
Xenopbon,  L.  VIII.  makes  his   Cyrus  fay,  when  he  was 
near  his  end,  That  the  Souls  of  Men,  at  the  point  of 
death,  become  Prophetic!^     Which  never  wasuniverfal- 
ly  true  5    for   Prophecy  is   not  a  natural  thing  5  nor 
were  all  excellent  Men  partakers  of  it  ^  and  God  com 
municated  it  in  what  meafures  he  pleafed,  to  thofe  who 
had  any  thing  of  it  5  and  to  Jacob  more  than  had  been 
beftowed   upon  his  great  Anceftors.     For  thefe  laft 
words  of  his,  may  be  called  Prophecies   rather  than 
Benediffions  :  Some  of  them  containing  no  Bleffing  in 
them  ,  but  all  of  them  Predictions. 

Ver.  ^.  Gather  your  felves  together. ~]  This  is  repeated,  Verfe  &. 
tohaftenthem$  as  the  two  next  words,  hear  and  hear- 
ken^  are  ufed  to  excite  their  Attention.  It  was  the  man 
ner  of  good  Men  among  the  Hebrews,  to  call  all  their 
Children  before  them,  and  give  them  good  Counfel, 
together  with  their  Bleffing,  when  they  drew  near  to 
their  end:  The  words  then  fpoken,  being  likely  to 
ftick  faft  in  their  Mind. 

Ver.  3.  Reuben  >&c.~]  It  is  commonly  obferved,  that  Verfe  §. 
the  Style  wherein  he  fpeaks  to  his  Sons,  is  much  more 
lofty  than  that  hitherto  ufed  in  this  Book.  .Which  hath 
made  fome  fanfie  that  Jacob  did  not  deliver  thefe  ve 
ry  words  ^  but  Mofes  put  the  Senfe  of  what  he  faid 
into  fuch  Poetical  Expreffions.  But  it  feems  more 
reafonable  to  me,  to  think  that  the  Spirit  of  Prophe 
cy  now  coming  upon  him,  raifed  his  Style  as  well  as 
his  Underftanding :  As  it  did  Mofes 's  alfo ;  who  de 
livered  his  Benediftions  (in  Deut.  XXXIII.)  in  a  ftraia 
more  fublime,  than  his  other  Writings. 

Hhhh  Tkon 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Thou  art  my  jirft-born.~]    So  we  read  XXIX.  32.    To 
XLIX.    whom  the  Jews  commonly  obferve  belonged  three  Pre- 
rogatives,  a  double  Portion  of  the  Father's  Eftate,  the 
Priefthood,  and  the  Kingdom,  fas  they  fpeak)  /.  e.  chief 
Authority  among  his  Brethren.   The  firft  of  thefe,  faith 
the  Chaldee  Paraphraft  was  given  to  Jofeph,  the  fecond 
to  Lev?,  the  third  to  Judith,  becaufe  Reuben  had  for 
feited  all  the  Rights  of  his  Primogeniture,  by  his  Inceft 
with  his  Father's  Wife.     But  Mr.  Selden  himfelf  (who 
gives  a  full  account  of  the  Jews  Opinion  in  this  mat 
ter)  acknowledges  the  Priefthood  was -not  confined 
to  the  Firft-born  before  the  Law,  as  appears  by  Abel's 
offering  Sacrifice  as  well  as  Cain,  and  Mofes  being  a 
Prieft  as  well  as  Aaron  (Pfalm  XCIX.  6.)    unlefs  we 
underftand  thereby  the  Office  of  Chief  Prieft.     And  fo 
Jonathan  here  reports  the  ancient  Opinion  of  the  Jews, 
that  Reuben  loft  the  High-Priefthood.  L.  I.  de  Synedr. 
cap.  1 6.  p.  645,  &c. 

My  ntight^  Whom  I  begot,  when  I  was  in  my  full 
Vigour. 

The  beginning  (or  the  fr ft- fruits )  of  my  ftrength.~] 
The  fame  thing,  in  more  words.  Or,  it  may  be  in 
terpreted,  the  prime  fupport  of  nty  Family.  The  Firft- 
born  is  called,  the  beginning  of  ftrength  in  Deut.  XXL 
17.  Pfalm  CV.  36. 

The  Excellency  of  Dignity^]  Who  had  ft  the  Prehe- 
minenCe  among  thy  Brethren,  (being  the  Firft-born) 
if  thou  hadft  hot  fall'n  from  it  by  thy  Folly  5  as  it  fol 
lows  afterwards. 

And  the  Excellency  of  Power ^  Who  waft  born  to  the 
higheft  Authority  among  them.  The  Hebrews  refer 
Dignity  to  the  Priefthood,  and  Power  to  the  Kingdom, 
Bat  there  being  no  folid  ground  to  think  the  Prieft- 
iood,  as  I  faid  before.,  was  confined  to  the  eldeft  Bro 
ther  5. 


upon    GEN  E  S  I  £  603 

*  I  take  Dignity  to  fignifie  the  double  Portion  of  Chapter 
the  Eftate  }  and  Pomr^  Authority  among  them,  while  XLIX. 
they  remained  in  one  Family.  WVN 

Ver.  4.  Vnftable  a*  Water  ^  The  Hebrew  word  Pa- Verfe  4 
c7j*z,  fignifying  hafte,  and  in  the  Chaldee  having  the  fig- 
nification  of  leaping  s>  the  Interpretation  of  St.  Hierom 
feemsmoft  reasonable  $  which  is,  poured  out  like  Water 
out  of  a  VefTel  upon  the  Ground.  And  then  it  denotes 
Reubens  falling  from  his  Dignity,  and  lofing  his  Prer 
heminence^  as  Water  fuddenly  difappears,  when  it  is 
poured  out  on  the  Earth,  and  fuckt  up  into  it.  Many 
refer  it,  particularly  Ca.  Vitringa  in  his  late  Sacred  Ob- 
fervations^  (Lib.  I.  cap.  12.)  unto  his  unbounded  Luft  •.• 
But  that  is  taken  notice  of  in  the  latter  part  of  this 
Verfe^  and  given  as  a  reafon  of  his  being  degraded.  O- 
thers  therefore  tranflate  the  Hebrew  word  Pachaz  by 
the  Latin  word,  Levh;  a  light  or  vain  Perfon  ("as  we 
fpeak  at  this  day)  and  then  the  meaning  ftill  is,  Water 
is  not  more  prone  toflow^  when  it  is  poured  outr  than  thou 
waft  to  lofe  thy  Dignity.  So  Georg.  Calixtu*. 

Thou  ftalt  not  excel."]  There  is  nothing  Great  faid  to 
be  done  by  this  Tribe  in  Scripture.  And  they  were 
not  fo  numerous  (to  which  the  Vulgar  Latin  refers 
thisj  by  more  than  a  third  part,  as  the  Tribe  of  Ju- 
dah  fto  whom  God  gave  part  of  Reubens  PrerOga- 
tivej)  when  Mofes  by  God's  Command  took  the  Sum 
of  all  the  Congregation,  Numb.  I.  21,  27. 

Becaufe  thou  rventeft  up  to  thy  Father  s  Bed.']  Commit- 
tedft  Inceft  with  my  Wife,  XXXV.  22. 

Then  dcfiledft  thou  it :  He  went  up  to  my  Couch.]  Or, 
rather,  When  thou  defiledft  my  Conch,  it  vanlfted,  i.e.  his 
Excellency  departed.  For  the  word  Hatah,  which  is 
here  trantlated  to  go  up,  fignifies  often  in  Scripture,  to 
or  perifo.  As  in  Pfalm  CII.  25*.  Ifa.  V.  24.  which 
H  h  h  h  2  makes 


&>4  A  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    makes  the  eafieftSenfeof  this  place,  in  thismanner^ 
XUX.     c  quo  polln'jfti  thorum  menm^  afcendik  ut  vapor -ant 
L/"V"SJ  c  excellentia  &  dignitas  tua^  i.  e«  dilapfaefl^  extinffa  ejl^ 
c  evanuit.  From  the  time  that  thoudefiledfimy  Couch, 
4  thy  Excellency  and  Dignity  went  up  like  a  Vapour  or  r 
c  Smoak,  Le.  it  flidaway,Jt  v/as  extinftr  it  vanifhed. 
They  are  rhe  words  of  the  fore- named  Calfatw.    Who  > 
well  obferves  that  this  is  explained  in  i  Chron.  V.  i.- 
¥erfe  S»       Ver.-5-.  Simeon  and  Levi  are  .Brethren^]     So  were  all 
the  reft  5  but  the  meaning  is,  they  are  alike  in  their  Dif- 
pofitions,,  and  linfct  together  in  the  fame  wicked  De- 
(igns^  for  fo.  the  word  Brother  fometimes  fignifies,  a 
Companion  or  Affoclale^  that  agrees  in  the  fame  Inclinati 
ons  or  Undertakings  with  others.  As  Pr^.XVIII.  9. 

Injtruments  of  Cruelty  are  in  their  Habitations. ~]     The 
wordMecheroth  (which  we  tranflate  Habitations}  is  no 
where  elfe  found  :>  nor  is  there  any  root  in  the  Hebrew 
Language,  from  whence  it  may  derive  that  Signification. 
Therefore  Lnd.dttDkU)  from  the  JUibiapick  Language, 
tranflates  it  Own/ek:  For  fo  the  word  fignifies  in  that 
Tongue.^  ;and  in  an  ilLSenfe,  Confpirations,  Machina 
tions,  or  mifchi^vouSrPe vices;    This  Job  Ludolphu*  ap 
proves  pfr  and  tranflates  this  Sentence  after  this  manner, 
Gonplmeorum  nibil  funbni/i  vis  &  arwa  :   Their  Coun- 
fels  amjnothing,  but  Force  and  Arms.   Vid.  Comment,  in 
Hiffor*r.JEthiop.  Lib.  I.  cap.  15.  n.  106.     Aben  Ezra  is 
not  much  different,  who  tranflates  it,  their  Compacts : 
As  G.  Vorftiw  notes  upon  Pirfy  Ellefer,  cap.  38.  where 
there  are  other  various  Interpretations :  With  which 
I  fhall  not  trouble  the  Header,  becaufe  I , have  given 
that  which  I  think  moft  naturaL;. 

¥*rfe  6.  Vet.6..,  0  my  Soul,  come  not  thou,  &C."]  He  utterly  di{- 
Glaims  all  knowledge  of  their  wicked  Fadt  before-hand  : 
ory  approbation  of  it  afterward.  For  by  Soul  is  meant' 


upon    GENESIS.  <5o$ 

Hirafelf  5  and  fo  the  word   Honour  or  Glory  feems  to  Chapter 
mean,  in  the  following  words  $  which  are  but  a  Re-   XLIX. 
petition  of  this.     Or,  elfe  it  fignifies  the  Tongue^  as  in  L/"V-sv- 
many  places  of  Scripture,  (particularly  Pfalm  XXX. 
I2.J  and  the  meaning  is,  He  never  in  Thought,  much 
lefs  in  Word  afiented  to  .what  they  did.    They  gloried 
in   the  llaughter  they   made  $  but  God  forbid  that  I 
fhould  fo  much  as  approve  it. 

Secret  fignifying  the  fame  with  Affemlly  is,  in  reafon, 
to  be  interpreted  a  Secret  place^  or  Clofet  ^  where  Cabals 
(as  we  now  fpeakj  are  wont  to  be  held. 

Slew  a  Man."]  i.e.  Shechem^  a  great  Man:  Or,  the 
Singular  Number  is  put  for  the  Plural. 

In  their  felf-wiU^]  The  Hebrew  word  Ratfon  may  well 
be  tranflated  Humour.  When  they  were  in  a  Fit  of 
Rage* 

They  digged  down  a  Wall7\  Broke  into  ffamors  Houfe, 
where  Shechem  was.  In  the  Margin  we  tranflate  it  hough 
ed  Oxen:  And  indeed  the  Hebrew  word  Schor  fignifies 
an  Ox,  notzWattj  which  they  call  Shur.  Yet  the  Vul 
gar •,  the  Syriack-t  Arabick^  ChaldeeyaT}d  a  great  number  of 
the  Hebrew  Authors  interpret  it  a  Wall.  And  though 
the  LXX.  tranflate  it  &£j£pt07nm*  TKU%JV,  they  ham- 
firing  d  an  Ox$  yet  the  Author  of  the  Greek,  Scholhn.  < 
(as  Bochart  acknowledges^  tranflates  it  dkiffifymv  r£- 
%@»>  they  underwind  a.  WaU.  The  truth  is,  we  read  of 
neither  in  the  Story,  but  only  of  their  taking  their  Sheep 
and  their  Oxen,  XXXI W  28.  which  fignifies  not  their 
houghing  them  5  but  their  driving  them  away.  Perhaps, 
they  both  broke  down  a  Wall  to  come  at  their  Flocks  5 
and  alfo  houghed  thofe  which 'they  were  afraid  would  \ 
otherwife  have  efcaped  their  hands  and  got  away. ' 

Ver.y.  Curfed  be  their  Anger."]  Their  Fury  was  moft  ex-  Verfe  j 
ecrables  and  deteftabk :  And  brought  a  Gurfe  upon 
them, ,  For  r 


666  ^   COMMENT AR t 

Chapter  For  it  was  fierce^]  Outragious  5  or,  as  the  Vulgar 
XLIX.  fcranflates  it,  pertinaciovy.  Not  a  fudden,  impetuous 
Paffion,  that  was  foon  over:  But  a  fetled,  inflexible 
Rage.  So  he  condemns  them  upon  a  double  account* 
JRrr/Z, '  that  they  had  fuch  an  implacable  defire  of  Re 
venge  $  and  then^  that  their  Revenge  was  too  cruel. 

I  will  divide  them  in  Jacob,  See/]  This  is  the  Punifti- 
ment,  which  by  a  Prophetick  Spirit  he  foretells  God 
would  inflid:  upon  them  :  That  they  who  were  alTo- 
ciated  in  Wickednefs,  fhould  be  disjoyned  one  from 
another  $  when  his  Children  came  to  inherit  the  Land 
of  Canaan.  And  fo  it  fell  out  $  for  Simeons  Pofterity 
had  not  a  feparate  Inheritance  by  themfelves,  but  only 
a  Portion  in  the  mid  ft  of  rhe  Tribe  ofjudah,  as  we  read 
Jofli.  XIX.  1,9,  and  accordingly  we  find  them  affifting 
one  another,  to  enlarge  their  Border,  Judg.  I.  3, 17.  and 
their  Portion  being  too  ftrait  for  them,  we  read  how  in 
after- times  they  acquired  Pofleliions,  where  they  could, 
far  from  the  reft  of  their  Brethren.-  Five  hundred  of 
this  Tribe,  under  feveral  Captains,  going  to  Mount 
Seir^  and  there  fetling  themfelves,  I  Chron<  IV.  39, 41. 
It  is  a  conftant  Tradition  alfo  among  the  Hebrews  (as 
P.Fagiv*  obferves)  that  a  great  many  of  this  Tribe 
wanting  a  livelihood  applied  themfelves  to  the  teach 
ing  of  Children  ^  and  were  employed  as  School-Ma 
ilers  in  all  the  other  Tribes  of  Ifrael:  Where  few  fol 
lowed  this  Employment  but  Simeonites.  If  this  be  true, 
it  is  a  further  Proof  of  their  fcattered  Condition. 

As  for  the  Tribe  of  Levi^  it  is  manifeft  they  had  no 
Inheritance  allotted  to  them,  among  their  Brethren,  but 
were  difperfed  among  all  the  Tribes:  Having  certain 
Cities  affigned  to  them,  with  a  little  Land  about  them. 
This  indeed  did  not  prove  a  Curfe  to  them  }  they  ha 
ving  the  Tenth  of  all  the  Increafe  of  the  Land,  through* 

out 


upon    G  E  N  E  SIS.-  6d>  * 

out  the  whole  Country.     For  this  Curfe  fee'ras  to  haveChapter 
been  taken  off,  upon  that  eminent  Service  they  did  in   XLIX. 
falling  upoxi  the  WorChippers  of  the  Golden  Calf  5  and  U'^V'S 
thereby   correlating   themfelves   unto    the   LORD, 
ExW.XXXIJ.2<5,S9,  Upon  which  account  M0/e.r  bleffes 
this  Tribe,  a  little  before  he  died,  Deri.  XXXIII.  9. 
whereas  he  gives  no  Bleffing  at  all  to  the  Tribe  of  £/- 
meon\  but  leaves  them  under  this  Curfe  :  A  great  ring 
leader  of  the  Idolatry  with  Baal-Peor,  being  a  Prince 
of  this  Tribe  5  whom  Phineas,  of  the  Tribe  of  Levt9 
flew  in  his  Zeal  for  the  Lord  Numb,  XXV.  1 i,  14. 

Ver.  8.  Judah,  thon  art  he  whom  thy  Brethren  JhaltV&k  8 
praife.']  Or,  thou  art  Judah  5  and  well  maift  thou  be  fo 
called,  for  thy. Brethren  (hall  praifethee.  The  Name  of 
Judah  fignifies  Praife,  unco  which  his  Father  alludes.  It 
was  given  him  by  his  Mother,  in  Thankfulnefs  to  God 
for  him,  XXIX.  35.  and  now  his  Father  gives  another 
reafon  of  his  Name  5  becaufe  all  his  Brethren  fhould 
applaud  his  worthy  Afts,  and  praife  God  for  them. 
Which  is  not  fpoken  ofjudafrs  Perfon  5  but  of  his 
Family,  or  Tribe:  Who  in  future  times  were  very 
famous 

Thy  Hand  fi all  be  m  the  Nee  1^  of  thy  Enemies."]  To 
overthrow  them,  and  bring  them  under:  Which  was 
eminently  fulfilled  in  David^  as  he  himfelf  acknow 
ledges,  Tfdm  XVIII,  40.  And  fo  were  the  foregoing 
words }  when  all  the  Daughters  of  Ifrael  came  forth  of 
their  Cities  finging  his  Praifes  in  fuch  an  high  ftrain,  as 
offended  Saul,  i  Sam.  XVIII.  6,  7. 

Thy  Father  s  Children  foall  bow  down  to  thee."]  Ac 
knowledge  thee  their  Superior. 

Ver,  9.  Judah  is  a  Lions  Whelp,,  8tc.]  He  fets  forthin  Verfe 
this  Verfe^  the  Warlike  Temper  of  this  Tribe,  and  their 
undaunted  Courage,  and  Terriblenefs  to  their  Enemies. 

And 


A   COMMENT4KT 

Chapter    And  he  feems  to  exprefs  the  beginning,  increafe, 
XLIX.    full  growth  of  their  Power  $  by  z young  Lion,  a 
L/~V"NJ  and  zlJonsfs  ••>  which  is  the  fierceft  of  all  other. 

A  Lions  Whd$7\  This  Tribe  gave  early  proof  of 
their  .Valour  5  being  the  firft  that  went  to  fight  againft 
the  CanaaniteS)  after  the  Death  of  JofhiM,  $udg.  I.  i,  z. 
And  David)  who  was  of  this  Tribe,  when  he  was 
but  a  Youth,  killed  a  Lion,  and  a  Bear,  and  the  great 
Giant  Goliah. 

From  the  prey,  my  Son,  thou  art  gone  up^\  He  fpeaks 
as  if  he  faw  .them  returning  in  Triumph  5  with  the 
Spoils  of  their  Enemies:  Alluding  unto  Lions,  who 
having^gotten  their  Prey  in  the  Plain,  return  iatiated 
to  the  Mountains.  As  Bochartus  obferves,  P.  I.  JLIIL 
.cap..i.  Hiewzoic. 

Heftoopeth  down,  he  coucheth  at  a  Lion^]  The  Hebrew 
word  An  fignifies  a  grown  //V«,come  to  his  full  ftrength. 
^By  wbokftoopwg  down  (bending  his  Knees  the  Hebrew 
word  fignifiesj  and  couching  to  take  his  reft,  (which 
all  four-footed  Beafts  do,  but  the  Lion  is  obferved,  to 
deep  whole  days  in  his  Den,  or  in  Thickets,  that  he 
may  be  freftier  for  his  Prey  in  the  Night)  Jacol  fets 
forth  the  Eafe  and  Quiet  that  Jndah  (hould  enjoy  af 
ter  their  Vi&ories,  without  any  fear  of  Difturbance. 

And  as  an  old  Uon7\  I  think  Bochart  hath  plainly  de- 
monftrated  that  Labi,  fignifies  a  Lionefs:  Which  is  ra 
ther  fiercer  than  a  Lion  5  as  he  obferves  out  of  Herodo- 
tw^  and  other  Authors,  P.  I.  Hierozoic.  Lib.  III.  c.  i. 

Who  {hall  rottfe  him  up  ?~]  Having  overcome  his  Ene 
mies,  he  fliall  live  in  fecure  Peace  3  free  from  their  In- 
curfions :  None  daring  to  invade  him }  no  more  than 
to  ftir  up  a  fleepy  Lion. 

Verfe  TO.      Ver.  10.  The  Scepter /hall  not  depart  from  Judah^&C.~\ 
That  the  firft  word  Schebet  is  rightly  tranflated  Sceptefi 

we 


upon    GENES  I  S,  60? 

we  have  the  unanimous  Teftimony  of  the  three  Targums  Chapter 
of  the  ancient  Book  Rabboth,  with  a  great  many  of  the    XLIX, 
modern  Rabbins,    (Tuch  as  Chaskuni,  Beckai,    Abarbi- 
nel,  Sec.)  who  all  think  the  word  fignifiesa  Scepter^ and 
not  a  Tribe,  as  fomefew  would  have  it  .-   Whom  fome 
Chriftians  follow  5 particularly  Jac.  Altmgiushath  lately 
afferted  it  in  Schilo;    but,    in  my   judgment,  againft 
the  cleareft  evidence  for  the  other  fignification.     For, 
as  Schebet  doth  not  originally  fignifie  a  Tribe^  but  a  Rod 
or  Wand  (hooting  from  the  Root  of  a  Tree,   (from 
whence  it  was  tranllated  to  fignifie  a  Tribe,  who  fpring 
out  of  a  common  Stock?  /.  e.  the  Father  of  the  Family) 
fo  the  Ferfe  foregoing  being  a  plain   Predi&ion  of  Ju- 
dah's  Dominion,  not  only  over  external  Enemies,   but 
over  his  Brethren,  what  can  we  fo  reafonably  think  to 
be  the  Defign  of  this  Verfe,    as  to  foretel  the  Continu 
ance  and  Duration  of   that  great  Power  and  Authority 
promifed  in  the  foregoing?  ft  is  obfervable  alfo,  that  the 
very  famePhrafe  is  ufed  in  this  Sence,  and  cannot  have 
another,  Zachar.  X.  n.    The  Scepter  of  Egypt  flail  de 
part  away:    Where  there  are  two  of  the  words  here 
ufed  5   fignifying  the  Dominion,  which  the  Egyptians 
then  exercifed  over  the  poo*  Jen?.f,   fhould  quite  ceafe. 
And  if  Mofes  had  meant  a  Tribe  in  this  place,  he  would 
not  have  faid  theTribeJhall  not  depart  from  Judah^    but 
the  Tribeofjudahfiallnot  ceafe :    For  the  former  looks 
like  a  tautology. 

The  meaning  of  this  word  then  being  fetled,  it  isma- 
nifeft  Jacob  here  give$  Judahthz  higheft  Superiority  over 
his  Brethren 3  and  informs  them^  that  from  the  time  his 
Authority  fhould  be  efl;ablt(heci,  there  ftiould  continue 
a  Form  of  Government  in  this7V;te,  till  the  coming  of 
the  Mejfiah.  The  word  Scepter  is  more  ufed  in  ancient 
Times  (as  Mr.  Sdden  obferves  in  his  Titles  ef  Honour) 

I  i  i  i  to 


tfio  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter  to  fignifie  Kingly  Power,  than  either  Crown  or  Diadem* 
XLIX.  which  have  been  ufed  more  in  latter  times.  And  there 
fore  the  LXX  tranflate  it  *Af v^v,  of  whofe  Authority 
the  Rod,  Stajfc-or  Scepter  was  the  Enfign.  And  accord 
ingly  in  the  Prophecy  of  Amos  I;  5.  Be  that  holdcth  the 
Scepter^  is  ufed  abfolutely  for  a  King.  Now  this  Regal 
Power  began  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  when  David  was 
King  over  all  Ifrael,  i  Chron.  XXV1H.  4.  and  his  Pofte- 
rity  held  it,  till  the  Captivity  of  Babylon. 

But  then  the  next  word  in  this  Verfe,  Mechokek£wh\di 
we  tranflate  Larv-giver)  fignifies  a  diminution  of  this 
Dignity,  before  the  finifhing  of  this   Prophecy.     For 
Mechoi$rsi  were  not  of  equal  Power  with  Kings  3    and 
therefore  we  tranflate  the  word  elfe  where  Governors* 
Judg.V.y,  14  who  were  not  indued  with  an  abfolute 
Power,  but  depended  on  the  Power  of  another.    And 
thus  R.  Solomon  Jarchi  expreflyfays  (in  his  Commentaries 
on  the  Sanhedrim)  that  as  Schebet  fignifies  the  higheft 
Authority,  fo  Mechokek  fignifies  a  leffer  Magiftrate  or 
Ruler  $  who  was  fet  over  the  People  by  the  Authority 
and  Licence  of  the  Kings  of  Per/ia.     For  this  kind  of 
Power,  was  fettled  among  them,  at  their  return  from  Ba 
bylon,  when  Ztrobabel  was  made  their  Governor.     And 
afterjthey  were  invaded  by  the  SeleHctd&  this  Autho 
rity  was  recovered  and  maintained  by  the  Maccabees  $ 
till  they  Were  deprived  of  it  by  Herod  and  the  Romany 
At  which  time  Chrift  came  $    when  it  is  evident  they 
were  become  Subjefts  to  the  Romans ^  by  the  very  en 
rolling  that  was  made  of  them  at  theJBirth  of   our  Sa 
viour  /  Which  was  a  publicb  Teftimony  ofAuguffus  his 
Sovereignty  over  them.    So  that  the-meaning  of  this 
Prophecy  is  3  There  flail  be  either  Kings ,    or  Governors 
among  the  Jews  till  Chrijt  come.    So  J.  Chriftoph.  Wagen* 
fsil  (who  hath  difcufled  this  place,  with  great  exaft- 

nefs) 


upon   GENESIS.  61 1 

nefs)  gives  the  Sence  of  thefe  words  $  and  it  is  literally  Chapter 
true  ^  Till  the  Captivity  they  had  Kings;  after  their  re-  XL1X. 
turn  they  had  Governors,  under  the  Per/tans^  Greek* 
and  Rowans.  See  his  Confut.  Carm-  Memorial™  Libri 
Nitzachon.  R.  Lipmanni,  fag.  293,  &C. 

To  ftrengthen  which  Interpretation  he  makes  this  ju 
dicious  Remark,  in  another  place  of  the  fame  Book. 
pag.  373.  That  the  whole  time,  from  the  beginning  to 
the  end  of  JxdaKs  Authority,  was  well  nigh  equally 
divided  between  Kings  ^  and  Governors.  For,  accord 
ing  to  Jofepkus,  L.  XI.  Antiq.  cap.  4.  they  lived  under 
Kings,  from  David's  time  to  the  Captivity,  Five  hundred 
thirty  two  Years  5  and  under  the  Mechokfrim  or  Gover- 
nor*)  after  the  Captivity,  much  about  the  fame  number 
of  Years.  For  there  being  Five  hundred  eighty  and 
eight  Years  from  the  Captivity  to  our  Saviour's  Birth  ^ 
iffrventy  Years  be  dedufted  (which  was  the  time  their 
Captivity  laftedj  and  ten  be  added,  fin  which  after 
theJJirth  of  Chrift,  fferodznd  his  Son  Archelaus  reigned 
in  Jud<ea,  and  it  was  not  yet  reduced  into  the  Form  of 
a  Province)  there  were  ju ft  Five  hundred  twenty  and 
eight  Years }  that  is,  the  fpace  in  which  they  were  un 
der  Kingly  Authority,  and  under  fubordinate  Gover 
nors,  was  in  a  manner,  of  the  fame  length.  Which 
makes  it  the  more  wonderful,  that  Jacob  (hould  fo  ma 
ny  Ages  before  exa&ly  divide  the  whole  Power  he 
forefaw  would  be  in  Judah,  between  them  that  weild- 
ed  a  Scepter  3  and  thofe  who  were  only  fubordinate 
Governors. 

That  the  Letter  Van  before  the  word  we  tranflate 
Law-giver,  hath  the  force  of  a  Disjun&ive^  and  is  not  a 
mere  Copulative,  all  allow  .•  And  there  are  many  Exam 
ples  of  it  in  other  places,  particularly,  in  the  Tenth 
Commandment, .Exod.  XX.  14.  Thegreateft  Objection 

I iii.  a  that 


<5i2  A    COMMENTdRT 

Chapter  that  I  can  find  againft  this  Interpretation  is,  That  though? 

XLIX.     Zerohabel,  the  fir  ft  Governour  fitter  the  Captivity,;  was  c€ 
the  Tribe  of  Judah;  yet  the  MaMdbees,  who  were 'their 
Governors  moft  of  the  time  after  the  Captivity,    were  of 
the  Tribe  of  Lea*.  But  it  is  to  be  confrdered,    that  the 
Prophecy  doth  not  fay  thefe  Rulers  or  Q^m^r/^ftiotild 
be  of  the  Tribe  of  Jadah  ;     but  only  in  that   Tribe, 
which  had  a  Government  of  their  own, till  the  coming 
ofChrift.  Befides,    by  Jttdahis  not  to  be  underftood 
merely  the  Peopleofthat  Tribe }    but    all  thofe  that 
were  called  ^ew,  confiding  alto  of  the  Tribes  of    Ben 
jamin  and  Levt  $  who  were  incorporated  with  them  : 
And  were  all  called  Judak^in  oppofition  to  the  Kingdom 
of  Ifrael.  For  Benjamin  it  is  evident,    was  fo   near  to 
Judah^  that  they  were  reputed  'the  very  fame.    Whence 
it  is  that  Mordecai^  who  was  of  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin, 
is  called  IJch  Jehudi^  a  Jew^'m  Efther  II.  5.    becaufe  that 
Tribe  was  comprehended- under  Jndah,    fromthe  time 
that  the  reft  rent  themfelves  from  the  Houfe  of  David. 
When  Jeroboam  alfo  fet  up  the  meaneft  of  the   People 
forPriefts  $•  who  were  not  of  the  Tribe  of  Levi,  \King. 
XII.  33.  This  made  the  Levites  fly  to  Judah  and  be 
come  one  with  them.     And    therefore  the   Maccabees 
were,  in  effedt,  Jews,  who  held  the  chief  Authority;  a-, 
mong  them,    till  Anttgonus  was  driven  out  and  killed 
by  Herod  :  Who  was  an  Edomite^   fet  over  them  by  the 
Romans. 

From  between  his  Fett~]  The  common  Interpretation 
every  Body  knows,  which  is,  of 'his  Seed^  or  Pofterity  : 
But  Ludolfhus  inftead  of  Ragtag  Feet,  would  have  us 
read  Daglau,  Banners,  according  to  the  Samaritan  Copy. 
Which  is  well  confuted  by  the  fore-named  Wagenfeil,  p. 
269.  of  the  fore-named  Book  :  Where  he  trantlates  thefe 
words  thus.  Even  to  the  Ujl  end  of  that  State.  For  fo  the 

People 


Hfon-G  E;  N  E  S  I  S.  413 

People  at  the  Feet  fignifies  (Exod.  XI,  8.  2  Kings  III.  Chapter 
9.)  thofe  that  bring  up  the  K$ar,    as  ,We  now'fpeak, 
And  10  feme  ancient    Interpreters  in  the  Talmud,    he 
(hows,  expound  it  here,  of  the  laji^ofte^ofjHclah^nd 
the  times  when  their  .Commonwealth    was  coming   to 
a^ondufion.  . 

VntilShilohcoMz^  Let  the  original  :  of  this  word 
Shjloh  be  what  it  will,  ("which  fometrapflate  to  be  fentj 
others  his  So*,  or  Child,  or  ha  Seed,  others  £>uie,t,  Pe^ce- 
able,  Pacific^  Profpervtis,zi\A  coniequencly  Ren<)wtied.^A%* 
gufl\  to  whom  G//^or  Offerings  (hall  be  made,  as ...R. 
Solomon  takes  it  5  others,  rvhofe  'is,  viz.  the  Kingdom) 
the  Meffiahor  Chrift  is  certainly  hereby  meant  .•  As  alt 
the  three  Targttws  agree ;  and  the  Talmud  in  the  Title 
Sanhedrim,  cap.  XL  and  Baal-Halturitn^  Bsrejchit-RMa^ 
and  many  other  ancient  and  modern  Jews.  I  will  men 
tion  only  the  words  of  R*  Bechai  ^  who  confefies^  It  is 
right  to  under/land- this  frerfe  of  the  Mejjiah^  the  I  aft  Re~ 
deewer.  "  Which  is  meant  when  it  faith,  //'// ..-Shjlo  cowe 

4  /^.His  Son,  proceeding  from  his  Seed%  lAud.  the  rea- 
'  fon'why  the  word  l>en-0  i^  not  u(ed  in  this  Prophecy, 
c  but  Sh'do,  is,  becaufe  he  would  emphatically  exprefs  a 
*  Son,  who  fhould  be  brought  forth   of  his  Mother's 
c  Womb,  after  the  manner:p£  att  ihofe,  that  are  born  of 

5  a  Woman.;   Of  this  Interpretation  .they  are  fo  con 
vinced,  that  to  evade  the  Argument  we  urge  from  hence, 
to  prove  the  Mejfiah  is  come,  they  have  invented  a  great 
many  Tales  of  the  Power  they  have  ftill  in  fame  re 
mote  Parts  of  the  World.  There  is  a.  Book,  written  on 
pnrpofe,  called,  The  Voice  of  glad  Tidings^  wherein  they 
labour  to  prove,  they  have  a.  Kingdom  ftill  remaining. 
Which  if  it  (hould  be  granted,    fignifies  nothing  ;  for 
this  Prophecy  is  concerning  their  Government  in  their 
©wn  Country,  the  Land  of  Ctwian  :  M  they  themselves 

very 


6*4  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  very  well  know  $  which  makes  them  fo  dcfirous  to  re- 
XLIX.  *urn  thither  again,  that  the  Hand  ofjndab  may  be  up- 
on  *he  Neck  of  his  Enemies,  and  he  may  go  up  from  the 
prey  like  A  Lion,  and  tie  his  Afs  to  the  Vint^  and  wa/h  his 
Garments  in  Wine^  &c.  as  the  words  are  in  the  reft  of 
this  Prophecy.  And  whatfoever  fome  of  them  are  plea- 
fed  to  fay  concerning  their  Power,  no  Body  knows 
where  5  they  arefornetimes  in  a  contrary  humour  .•  For 
in  the  Gentar  a  Sanhedrim  they  fay,  Cap.  XI.  $  32.  There 
/hall  not  be  the  leaft  Magiftrate  in  Ifrael^  when  theMejfiah 
comes. 

Unto  him  Jhall  the  gathering  of  the  People  he."]  So  this 
Claufeis  expounded  by  Abartinel  himfelf,  vvhofe  words 
are  5  The  People  of  the  Nations  jhall  be  gathered  to  worfoip 
him,  i.  e.  the  Mejfiah.  See  L*  Empereur  in  Jacchiad.  p. 
164.  and  Codex  frliddoth,p.  106,  107.  Wagenfeil  indeed 
thinks  the  moftliterallnterpretationto  be  this,  To  him 
/hall  be  the  Obedience  of  the  People  :  Which  is  the  Inter 
pretation  of  Onkelos  and  the  Hierufalem  ParaphrafK 
Kitnchi  alfo  (Lib.  Radio?)  fo  expounds  it,  The  People 
fhall  obey  him  }  taking  upon  them  to  obferve  what  hefiall 
command  them.  And  in  Prov.  XXX.  17.  which  is  the 
only  place  befides  this,  where  this  word  Jikfah  is  found, 
it  feems  to  fignifie  Obedience. 

See  Confut*  Carm.  R.  Lipmanni^.  295*  where  Wagen 
feil  after  the  examination  of  every  particular  word  in 
this  Ferfe,  thus  fumms  up  the  Sence  of  it  in  this  Pa- 
raphrafe. 

That  Royal  Power  and  Authority  which  /hall  be  eftabli/hed 
in  the  Pofterity  of  Jtidah^foatt  not  be  tah^n  from  them  $or> 
at  leaft)  they  fiaU  not  be  deftitute  of  Rulers  and 


Governors, 

no  not  when  they  are  in  their  declining  Condition  :  Until 
the  coming  of  the  Mejjiah.  But  when  he  is  come,  there 
(hall  be  no  difference  between  the  Jews  and  other  Nations  : 

Who 


upon  GE  N  -E  S  I  S.  615 

Who  {hall  all  be  obedient  unto  the  Meffiah.  And  after  that  Chapter 
the  Pofterity  0/Judah  fiaUhave  neither  King,  nor  Ruler  XLIX. 
of  their  own  :  Bnt  the  whole  Commonwealth  of  Judah/haH 
quite  lofe  all  Form  ^and  never  recover  again. 

The  Truth  of  this  Expofition  appears  exa&ly  from 
their  Hiftory  :    Of  which  it  will  be  ufeful  here  to  give 
an  account.  For  from  David  to  the  Captivity  of  Baby 
lon  they  held  the  Scepter •,  for  five  whole  Ages  and  more, 
as  I  obferved  above.  After  which,  when  feventy  Years 
were  finifhed  in  that  Captivity.,  they  lived  by  their  own 
Laws  in  their  own  Country/  But  had  noabfolute  Au 
thority  of  their  own,   independent  upon  others  5  ~nor 
ever  enjoyed  a  full  Liberty.   For  they  were  at  firft  un 
der  the  Per/tan -Monarchs :  Afterwards,  upon  the  Con- 
queft  made  by  Alexander,  under  the  Greeks:   And  then 
under  the  Kipgs  of  Afta  Minor  and  Egypt  $  til!  the  Romaa 
Yoke  was  impofed  upon  them.  Yet  all  this  time,    while 
they  were  under  the  Empire  of  others,   they   enjoyed 
Governors  or  Rulers  of  their  own  .•     Who  adminiftred 
their  Affairs,  under  thofe  Monarchs.     The  firft  was  Ze- 
robabel,  called  thzCaptainpt  Prince  ofjudah,  Haggai^l.t, 
After  hirti  Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  ..  And  before  them  it 
is  likely  there  were  fome  others,    as  Jof.Scaliger  gathers 
from  Nehem.  V.  15.  After  the  death  of   tfebemiah  the 
Government  came  into  the  Hands  of  the   High  Priefts, 
as  appears  from  Jofephusj  L.  XT.  cap.  8.  where  he  (hows  , 
how  Jaddus  the  High-PHeft  met  Alexanders  his  Expe<> 
dition  againftFer/^  :  Which  Power  was  confirmed  in 
that  Order,  by  the  Maccabees,  as  we  corpmonlycall  thenio 
It  begainin  Mattathias  5  and  was  continued  in  his  Sons. 
The  third  of  which,  &0w»,  raited  it  tofucha  Splendor, 
that  he  looked  like  a  Prince,  as  the  Reader  may  fee  it 
described  in  i  Maccab.  XI V. ^  From  whence  his  Grand- 
Child  Ariftobuluj  feems  to  have  taken  occafion  to  affeft 

the  c 


6i6  d    COMMENTAKY 

Chapter   the  Name  bf  King :  Though  he  had  but  the  Shadow  of 
XLIX.  that  Power.  Yet  hisPofterity  kept  that  Name,   to  the 
time  of  Herod  :  Who  ftript  them  of  all  their  Power, 
and  deftroyed  their  Family.    After  his  death  the  King 
dom  was  divided  by  Auguflus  into  Tetrarchies  :    Arche- 
latts.  being  made  Tetrarch  of  Jud#a  }  and  the  reft  of  the 
Country  divided   between  Philip  and  Anttyas.   But  A- 
chelans  misbehaving  himfelf,  he  was  deprived  of  his  Go 
vernment,  and  banvlbed  to  Vunne  in  trance  :  And  then 
Jud<ea  was  reduced  into  the  Form  of  a  Province,    and 
ruled  by  Rowan  Governors.  After  which  there  was  no 
'King.,  nor  Ethnarch  of  Judda  :  So   that  after  this  time 
we  may  fafely  conclude,  the  Jews  loft  even  their  Me- 
chokk/vtor  Governors  ,   as  they  had  long  ago  loft  the 
Scepter^:  And  had  no  Power  remaining  among  them,  of 
adminiftring  the  Affairs  of  their  Commonwealth. 

Now  at  this  time  our  bleffed  Lord  and  Saviour,  Je- 
fus  Chrift,  the  true  6&70/J  came :  Who  was  the  Founder 
of  a  new  and  heavenly  Kingdom.  And  nothing  more 
was  left  to  be  done  for  the  fulfilling  of  this  Prophecy, 
but  after  his  Crucifying,  to  deftroy  Jernfalem  and  the 
TeMpk,  and  therewith  the  whole  Form  of  their  Go 
vernment,  both  Civil  and  Sacred.Then  all  Power  was  in- 
tirely  taken  from  Judah,  when  Chrift  had  erefted  his 
Throne  in  the  Heavens,  and  brought  many  People,  in 
feveral  Parts  of  the  Earth,  unto  his  Obedience,  and 
made  them  Members  of  his  Celeftial  Kingdom.  Till 
which  time  this  Prophecy  was  notcompleatly  fulfilled  : 
Which  may  be  the  reafon  poffibly,that  it  is  notalledged 
by,Chriftand  his  Apoftles  ^  becaufe  the  Jews  might  have 
faid,  We  have  ftill  a  Government  among  us  .•  Which 
could  not  be  pretended  after  the  deftruftion  by  Ti- 
4us.  Which  is  now  above,  Sixteen  hundred  Year5 
ago.  And  there  is  not  the  leaft  fign  of  their  reftitution. 

Which 


GE  N  E  S  I  a  61.7 

Which  fo    perplexed  R.  Samml  Maroccanus,    that  it  Chapte* 
made  him  write  thus  to  a  Friend    of   his,    above  Six  XLIX. 
hundred  Years  fince.  tuX-v^ 

I  would  fain  learn  from  thee^  out  of  the  Teflimonies  of 
the  Law,  and  the  Prophet /:,  and  other  Scriptures  ^  why  the 
]zwsare  thus  f mitten  in  this  Captivity  wherein  we  are  : 
Which  rimy  be  properly,  called,  ttx  P  E  R  P  ET  V  A  L 
ANG&  R  OF  GO  D,becatife  it  hath  no  end.  Eft  it 
is  now  above  aThoufand  Tears 5  Jfn-ce  we  teere  carried  cap 
tive  by  T  I T  U  S  5  and  yet  our  Fathers  who  worflripped 
Idols •,  kitt'd  the  Prophets^  and  caft_  the  Law  Ibehind  their 
Back^  were  only  funifted  with  a,  Seventy  Tears  Captivity ^ 
audthen  brought  home  again:  .But  now  1  here  is  no  end. 
of  our  Calamities^  nor  do  the  Prophets  pH*ot&ife  any. 

If  this  Argument  was  hard  to  be  anfwered  then  in 
his  days,  it  is  much  harder  now  in  ours  .•  Who  ftili 
fee  them  purfued  by  God's  Vengeance  ^  which  can  be 
for  nothing  elfe  but  rejecting,  and  crucify  ing  the  Mff- 
fiah,  the  Saviour  of  the  World. 

Ver.  II.  Binding  hit  Foal  unto  the  Vine ,  Sec."]  ThisVerfe  «. 
verfe  fets  forth  the  great  Fertilty  of  Judah's  Country 
(abounding  with  Vineyards  and  Paftures)  by  two  Hy 
perbolical  Expreffions.  Firft,  That  Vines  (hould  be  as 
common  there,  as  Thorn-Hedges  in  other  places  5  fo 
that  they  might  tie  Afles,  with  their  Colts  to  them: 
Or,  as  Tome  will  have  it,  lade  anAfs  with  the  Fruit  of 
one  Vine.  Secondly,  That  Wine  fhould  be  as  common 
as  Water^  fo  that  they  (hould  have  enough,  .not  on 
ly  to  drink,  but  to  wa(h  their  Clothes  in  it.  Which 
doth  not  imply,  that  they  made  it  Cerve  for  that  u'fe  3 
but  only  denotes  its  plenty  .•  Which  was  fo  very 
great,  that  in  treading  the  Qrapes,  ,and^  preffing  out 
the  Juke/  their  Garments  were  all  fprinkled  with 
Wine  5  which  one  might  wring  out  of  them* 

Kkkk  Choice 


<5i8  A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter       Choice  Pine.']    The  Vine  of  Sorely  (which  we  here 
XLIX.   tranlkte  choice,  and  in  Jererv.  II.  n.  wife  Vine)  was  the 

w~  v-**>  moft  excellent  in  all  that  Country.  For  Sorek  was  a 
place,  not  above  half  a  Mile  from  the  Valley  of  Efchol  $ 
from  whence  the  Spies  brought  the  large  Bunches,  as 
a  Sample  of  the  Fruitfilnefs  of  the  Country.  See  Bo- 
cfrart,  P.  I.  Hierozoic.  Lib.  HI.  cap.- 13. 

Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  His  Eyes  Jhal/ be  red  with  Wine,  &c.]  This 
Verfe  fets  forth  the  Healthfulnefs  and  Vigour  of  the  In 
habitants  of  that  fertile  Country.  But  Dr.  Caftell  thinks 
this  not  to  be  a  good  Tranflation  5  becaufe  it  can  be  laid 
of  none  but  a  Drunkard,  that  his  Eyes  are  red  with  Wine. 
And  therefore  it  ought  to  be  tranflated  his  Eyes  (or  his 
Countenance^  for  fo  Eyes  fometrmes  fignifies).fhall  be 
brighter  and  more  jlrining  than  Wine.  So  the  word  we 
render  red  fignifies  in  the  Arabick,  Tongue,  as  he  (hows 
in  his  Oratioin  SchoLTheolbg.  p.  51.  and  in  \mLexicon. 
Yetthefame  word  in  the  Proverbs^  XXIII.  ^g^  cannot 
have  any  other  fignificatron  than  red  ^  and  the  red  Co 
lour  of  the  Ey^s,  anfwers  well  here  to  the  wbiten&fs  of 
the  Teeth,  whfch  follows  ^  and  there  is  no  more  rea- 
fon  to  think  he  means,  they  ftiot^d  make  their  Eyes 
r-ed  with  drinking  Wine,  than  that  they  ftipuld  wafi- 
their  Clothes  in  it  .•  But  it  may  only  exprefs  the  great 
abundance  of  Wine  3  to  ferve  not  only  their  neceffi- 
ty,  feutexcefe. 

Md  hk  Teeth  vskfa  ivith  M//^.]  Milk  doth  not  make 
the  Teeth  white  5,  ''but  gives  fuch  an  excellent  Nxmrifh- 
ment,  that  they  who  live  upon  it  are  healthy  and  ftroug  : 
And  their  Teeth  not  fo  apt  to  rot,  as  theirs  who  feed 
Mpon  greater  Dainties.  So  the  meaning  b^  the  rich  Pa- 
ftures  in  that  Country,  fhould  feed  great  Flocks,  and 
confequently  they  ftionld  have  abundance  of  Milk,  fa 
good  and  nonrifhtng,  that  the  Teeth  of  the  Country- 


upon  GENESIS.  619 

men  who  lived  upon  it,    (hould  be  as   white  as  the  Chapter 

Milk  they  drank.    Or,     if  the  foregoing   words  be   XLIX. 

tranflated,    His  Eyes  fliatt  te  brighter  than  Wine  }  thefe 

are  to  be  tranflated,  His  Teeth  whiter  than  Milk; 

Out  of  thefe  three  Verfes  foregoing,  Bochartus  thinks 

the  whole  Story  of  Silenus  was  forged  by  the  Poets. 

See  his  Canaan ,  Lib.  I.  cap.  18.  p.  482. 

Ver.  13.  Zebulun  Jball  dwell  at  the  Haven  oftheSea.~]Vtfk 

Near  the  Lake  of  Tiberias  3  called  in  Scripture  the 
*Sea  of  Galilee. 

He  fhallbe  an  Haven  for  Ships .1  The  Lot  that  fell  to 

him    extended  from    thence    to  the  Mediterranean : 

Where  there  were  Ports  for  Ships. 

His  border  foatt  be  unto  Zidon.}    He  doth  not  mean 
the  City  of  Zidon,   for  the  Tribe  oiZebulnn  did   not 

extend  themfelvcs  beyond  Mount  Cartel,  which  is  forty 
Miles  at  leaft  from  thence  „•  But  the  Country  of  Zidon^ 
i.  e.  Phoenicia,  (as  Bochart  obferves  in  his  Phaleg.  L.  IV. 
cap.  340  which  the  Zebulonites  touched.  For  as  the 
Phoenicians  were  called  Syrians  from  Sur,  i.  e.  Tyre  : 
fo  they  were  called  Sidonians  from  Sidon,  as  Hefychius 
tells  us-  Who  interprets  Zt&woi,  by  *omiw?.  Whence 
the  LXX  have  Phoenicians  for  Sidonians^  Deut.  III.  9^ 
and  Ph&nicefotSidon,  J/i.XXIII.  2. 

It  is  very  much  to  be  admired,  That  Jacob  (hould 
foretelfo  many  Years  before  hand,  the  Situation  of  his 
Pofterky  in  the  Land  of  Canaan  $  when  their  feveral 
Portions  fell  to  them  by  Lot,  and  not  by  their  own 
choice,  $ojh.  XIX.  io5 1 1 .  This  could  not  have  been, 
but  by  the  Spirit  of  Prophecy.  And  it  is  remarkable 
alfo,  that  he  mentions  Zebulon  before  Iffachar,  who  was 
his  elder  Brother,  (XXX.  1 1.)  for  no  other  reafon,  that 
I  can  difcern,  but  becaufe  Zebulons  Lot  was  to  come  up 
before  Jffachars,  in  the  Divifion  of  the  Land  :  His  be- 

K  k  k  k  2  ing 


A  COMMENTARY. 


Chapter  ing  the^W,  and  Iffachars  the  fart  hjofh  •'XIX.  ioy  17. 
XLIX.   By  this  they  were  taught  that  their  Habitation  in  the 

t«^VNJ  Land  of  Canaan^  was  the  Gift  of  God  5  and  did  not 
come  by  chance:  Their  Fore-father  having  fo  long  be 
fore,  predidfced  the  very  Portion  they  fliould  inherit. 

Verfe  14.  Ver.  14,  JffavharhaftrongAfs^  As  he  compared  J^ 
dah  to  a  Lion^  becaufe  of  his  Valour,  fo  he  compares 
Iffkchar  toan  J/},  and  zflrong  Afs^  becaufe  he  fore- 
faw  they  would  be-  very  patient  and  unwearied  in 
ruftical  Labours  .•  In  which  AfTes  were  principally 
employed  in  thofe  Countries. 

Couching  down  betmentwo*  bwdtns*}  There  are  vari 
ous  Opinions  about-  the  Signification  of  that  word, 
which  we  tranflate  Burdens.  But  none  feem  to  me  fo 
apt  as  that,  to  exprefs-the  great  ftrength  of  an  Afs: 
Which  lies  down>  with  its  Load  hanging  down  on 
both  fides.  W-hetice  a^  (he  Afs  is-  called  Athon  fas 
Bochart  obfervesj  from  the  word  Ethan  ^  which  fig* 
mfies  Strength  ':  Becaufe  no  Beaft  of  that,  bignefe  can 
carry  fuchhe^vy  BurdenSr 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  iy.  And  he.,  fa®  that  w(t  was  good.'}'  Of,  as 
fome  will  have  it,  their-  refting.  place  5  the  Country 
that  Tell  to  their  (hare  in  the  Land  of  Gantani  no^part 
of  which  was  more  fruitful,  than  fome  parts  of  Ijfit- 
char's  Portion.  Which  way  foeve*  we;take  it;  he<:fe^ms 
to  foretel  they  would  chufe  toi  foliov/  Husbandry  ra-^ 
therthan  Merchandize  fas  ZMon  did)  :and  Itfve 
Quiet  and  Peacey  as  Husbandmen  do  /  Efpecially  wh«n 
they  live  in  a  rich  Soil;  'as  this;  Tribe  did.  For  fo^ 
follows* 

And  ^  the  Land  thai  H  WAS  fleafaat^*  The  famous  Val 
ley'  of  Jewed  was  in  this  Tribe  .•  Whofe  Border  ex 
tended  as  far  as  Jordan  5  where  there  was  a  very 
pkafaht  Country  ,  Jt^toXlX,  18,,  22. 

Bowed 


po*  GE  N;E.  si  s. 

is  Should^  to  b?ar^\  Taking  any  Pains  to  till  Chapter 
Afe  Land  3     and   ta  carry  in.  the  Corn,    with  other  XLIX. 
Fruits  of  the  Earth.  WVNJ 

And  became  a  Servant  unto  Tribute."]  Submitting  to  the 
heavieft:  Taxes^ratter  than  lofe  their  Repofe.  For  the 
Prefervation 'of  which  they  were  content  to  give  any 
Money  ^  that  they  niight  redeem  their  Services  in  the 
Wars,  or.otherways,  by  large  Contributions. 

Vet.:  i6t  Ban /halt judge  fas- People  ^Stt^  In  the  wdrd  Verfe  16 
Judge  he  alludes  to  tfibWanw  of  Dan :  Which  lignifies 
Jttdging)  i.e.  RulingJatid  Governing,  A  great  many  fol 
low  Onkel'of,  who ^expounds it. thus  ^  A  Maufhall  artfe 
out  of  the  Tribe  of  Dan^  iriwhofe  days  the  People  flxtll  be 
delivered,  &c.  ;  And ; accordingly  we  read  thzt.SaMpfon^ 
who  was  of  this  Tribe  judged  Jfrael  twenty  Years.  So 
she-  meankig.is,  thfe  Tribe  of  Dan  (bail  have  the  Honour 
t^jproduce  a^Mfe,  as  welLas;  other  Tribes.  But  there 
is  this  Exception  to  Ais  Interpretation  ^  that  all  the 
Tribes -did  nbt  ^prodtice  fudges  :  And  zillfracl  (whom 
ih&  Judges  governed)  cannot  be  faid  td  be  Davs  Peo 
ple.  But  .by >  his  ^People  (whom  he  is  faid  here  to  judge^) 
are  properly  meant  thbfe  of  his  Tribe.  And  therefore 
jf^r^'s  meaning', isr?4lHt>  though  he.  were  therSon  of 
a  Concubine,  yet  his-  Pdfterity.  (hould  be  governed  by 
a.; Hud  X)f  their/ owft,  Tribe 5,  as. the  other/Tribes  of 
Jfiaet  were.  Sb  rby 'this  he. took  away  all  diftin6tion 
the  Softs  of  hiS'Goncubineis  f  of  whorn  Da& 
ajaxLithofei. Which -^ier, ^had ;by  Leah  and 
.;  w  |x>O  ^-fj^ 

{W  The  next 

words  ftiow*  /what  kind  oS \  Serpsnt  he  ffhould  be  like, 
AV  Adder  w  tAef-rthv  fI8fcfftSwhri^j  WQT&,Schepbiphon^ 
fome take  for  a  Bafilisk^ ^  'others  for  aiii-^ppiori  ^Viper  5 
others  %Sft<iJtew>Adde  8tc,  vThe  Wf!ranflates  it 


A  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter  &/*/?*/, 'which  is  a  kind  of  Viper:  And  Bochartys  (in 
XLIX.  his  Hierozoicoa,  P.  II  X.  IIL  c.  12.)  hath -confirmed  this 
Tranflation  5  by  (bowing  how  well  it  agrees  to  the  Cha- 
rafters  which  Authors  give  of  it.-  That  it  lies  in  Sand, 
and  in  the  Ruts,  which  Cart-wheels 'make  in  the  High 
way  5  and  fo  is  ready  to  bite  Travellers,  or  their 
Horfes.  Which  is  the  harder  to  be  avoided.,  becaufe  it 
is  of  a  Sandy  Colour  3  fo  that  of  -TTO^O/  qrynSmz  -wriim, 
naany  tread  upon  it  unawares .-  And  Niotxder  fays,  the 
Poifonof  thefe  Serpents  is  chiefly  felt  in  the  Thighs 
and  Hams  of  thofe  they  bite.  Which  perfe&ly  agrees 
with  what  Jacob  faith  in  the  following  words. 

That  biteth  the  Horfe-heelt,  fo  that  this  Rider  fi  all  fall 
backpardJ]  The  Horfe  not  being  able  to  ftand,  when 
the  Venom  works  in  his  Legs,  the  Rider  muft  needs  fell 
with  him.  All  this  fomemaketo  be  a  defcription  of 
Sampfon,  who  led  no  Armies  again  ft  his  Enemies,  but 
overthrew  them  by  Subtilty  and  Craft.  But  it  rather 
belongs  to  all  the  Danites  (as  what  was  faid  before  to 
all  the  Zdwlvnites  and  Iffacbtrkms)  who  Jacob  fore* 
faw  would,  oftHprtius,  quam  aperto  Marte  remgerere* 
Manage  their  Wars,  rather  by  Cunning  and  Graft,  than 
by  open  Hoftility,  as  Bochart  fpeaks.  An  Example  of 
which  we  liave  in  $ndg.  XVIII.  27. 

Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  I  have  waited  for  thy  Salvation ,  O  LORD. I 
They  that  refer  the  foregoing  words  to  Samtfon^  make 
an  eafie  Interpretation  of  this  farfe.  Which  is,  That 
Jacob  forefeeing  his  great  Atchivements  for  the  Deli 
verance  of  his  Children,  prays  that  God  would  upon  all 
Qccafions,  vouchfafe  to  fend  foch  Deliverers  unto  them, 
from  their  Oppreflbrs.  And  the  Chddee  Paraphrafts 
make  him  look  beyond  fuch  Deliverers  unto  Chrift,  the 
great  Saviour  of  the  World.  For  thefe  are  the  words 
of  OnkeJof  (In  the  Contfatenfian  Edition^  for  they  are 

not 


upon   GENESIS. 

not  to  be  found  in  Buxtorfsor  Bowbergs)  I  do  not  wait   Chapter 
pr  the  Salvation  0/Gideon,    the  Son  of  Joafb,    which  h  XLIX. 
temporal  Salvation,    or  of  Sampfon  the  Son  0/Manoah,  <s\r*** 
which  is  alfo  a  tranfitory  Salvation  5    but  I  expeft  the  jRe- 
demotion  of  Chrift,  the  Son  0/David,  8tc.  Jonathan  and 
the  Hiernfalem  Targum  fay  the  fame.    And  if  we  take  afl 
this-  Prophecy  to  belong  to  the  whole  Tribe,  (as  I  be 
lieve  it  doth)  that  doth  not  exclude  fuch  a  Senfe.    But 
jtadfcb  forefeeing  the  DiftrefTes  wherein  they  would  be, 
f  ]f0jft.  XIX.  47.  Jttdg.  1-340  prays  God  to  help  them, 
and  deliver  them,   and  teach  them  to  look  up  to  him 
in  all  their  Straits  and  Neceffities  /    And  efpecially  to 
wait  for  the  Mejfiah*     Yet  after  all,  I  think,  thewords^ 
may  have  another  meaning,  which  is  this.    Jacob  per* 
ceiving  his  approaching  death,  and  hisSpirits  beginning, 
to  fail  him,    in  the  middle  of  his  Speech  to  his  Sons, 
breaks  out  into  this  Exclamation,    (which   belongs  to 
none  of  them)  feying,  I  wait,  O  L  0  R  D,  fir  a  hap- 
$y  Deliverance  out  of  this  Worlet^  into  a  better  Place. 

And  thenhaving  refted  himfelf  a  while,  to  recover 
his  Strength,  he  proceeded  to  blefs  the  reft  of  his 
Sons. 

Ver.  19.  6ad,  a  Troty /ball overcome  hitn^]  Or,  invade  Verfe 
him.  There  is  an  Allufion  in  every  Word  to  the  Name 
of  Gad :  Whofe  Inheritance  being  in  a  Frontier  Country 
beyond  Jordan^  was  very  much  expofed  to  the  Incurfions 
of  the  Ammonites^  an&Moabites,  and  the  reft  of  thofe  en* 
vious  Neighbours,  that  dwelt  in  or  near  Arabia.  And 
fome  think  the  word  Troop  hath  a  great  Propriety  in 
it  5  fignifying  not  a  juft  Army,  but  a.  Party,  as  wefpeak, 
a  Band  of  Men,  that,  came  oft-times,  to  rob  and  fpoil. 
But  it  appears  by  the  Prophet  JeremiaK,  XLIX.  r.  that' 
the  Ammonites  fotnetime  pofleffed  themfelves  of  the 
Country  of  Gad,  or,  at  leaft,  of  fom^  pare  of  it,  and 

ex- 


624  A    COMMEHTA^r 

Chapter  exercifed  great  Cruelties  there,   Amos<\.  13.   ;  Long -be* 
XLIX.   fore  which  the  Book  of  Judges  informs  us,  how  they 
w^V"**/  were  oppreffed  by  this  People  for  tfghteen  Years  toge 
ther,  X.  8.  and  came  with  a  great  Army  and  encamped  • 
inGilead  (verfe  i 7.)  which  was  inr-the-  Tribe  of  Gad. 

But  he  JhaU overcome  at  tfolafi^  ,  This  ^as' eminently 
fulfilled,  wtieniJfep/tfA/f  the  Gihadite^    fought'  w,ith  the 
Children  of  Ammon^  m&fubdued  them  kejvre  the  Children 
oflfrael.Judg.  XL  5 ?.  :and'whe»  thisr^rjbe  (together 
with  their  Brethren  of   #€//£#*  ja.Bd  Mawffeti).  .made 
War  with  the   Hagarites^    and  ppfiefled  themfelvesof 
their  Country  v  .   Which  they  kept  til!  the  Captivity 
Itfzattfethe  Warwas pf  God^  '1  Chron.  V.  22. 
<Verfe  20.    ,Ver.2-o/  Ont^f  Mer.']  i.  e,-  Of  his  Country. 

His  Bread fozll be  'fat."]  StKvll  be  -excel Jen t  Pro vifionv 
of. all  forts,  for  the  Suftenanee  of~Humane  Life.  For 
Bread  comprehends  not  only  Corn,  but  Wine  and 
Oil,  and  all  fortsof  Victuals,  XXI.  14, 

And  he  Jhall yield  royal  daintiest]  His  Country  (hall 
afford  not  only  all  things  neceflary  $  but  the  choiceft 
Fruits, ,  fit  to  be  ferved  up  to  the  Table  of  Kings.  For 
part  of  it  lay  about  Carmd,  ($oft).  XIX.  16.)  where 
diere-was  a  moft  delicious  Valleyo 

21.  Ver.si.  Naphtaliisa.Hindletlwfe.']  As'hehadcom- 
pared  Judah  to  a  JJlon^  and  Ijffachar  to  an  Afs^  and  Dan 
to  a  Serpent  5  fo  he  compares  this  Son  to  a  Hind,  which 
is  not  confined  within  Pales  or  Walls.-  -But  runs, at 
large,  whether  it  pleafeth.  Whereby  is  fignified  that 
this  Tribe  would  be  great  Lovers  of  Liberty. 

Heglveth goodly  (or  ^leafing)  words^\  Which  denotes 
their  Addrefs  (as  we  now  fpeatr)  charming  Language, 
and  Affability,  to  win  the  Favour*of  others :  And,  there 
by  .preferye  their  Peace  and  Liberty.     Mercer   makes ; 
rfe  to  fignifie  their fpeed  and  fwiftnefs  in  difpatch 


upon   GENESIS,  62$ 

of  Bufinefs }  and  their  fmoothnefs  in  the  management  of    Chapter 
it  /  which  might  render  them  acceptable  to  all  Men.    XL1X. 
There  are  no  Inftances  indeed  in  Scripture  to  make  out  ^^^^^ 
this  Character .-  For  Barak^  who  was  of  this  Tribe,  was 
very  flow  in  undertaking  the  Deliverance   of  Ifrael. 
Nor  do  we  read  they  were  more  zealous  Aflfertors  of 
Liberty  than  others.     But  yet  this  will  not  warrant  us 
to  alter  the  punftation  of  the  words  (as  Bochart  doth 
P.  I.  Htcrozoic.  L.  III.  cap.  18.)  to  make  a  quite  different 
fence,  which  is  this  :  Naphtali  is  a  well-fpreadTree^  which 
puts  out  beautiful  branches.     For  we  do  not  find  that 
they  were  either  more  beautiful,    or  numerous  than 
other  Tribes .-  But  we  find,  quite  contrary,  that  Simeon^ 
Judah^  Iffachar,  Zebulon,  and  Dan,  were  all  more  nu 
merous  than  they  when  Mofes  took  an  account  of 
them,  N#/#6.I.  23,27,29,31,39.  Befides,this Interpretati 
on  makes  thisaer/e,in  a  manner,  the  very  fame  with  the 
next,  concerning  Jofeph.  Therefore  though  the  LXX. 
agree  toBochart's  Verfion,  we  had  better  ftick  to  our 
own  }  which  makes  a  Sence  clear  and  proper  enough. 

Ver.  21.  Jofephif  a  fruitful  Bough. ~\  Or,  young  Plant,  yerfe  22. 
It  is  an  Allufion  to  his  Name  5  which  imports  growth 
arid  increafe  :  And  may  well  be  underftood  of  the  great 
Dignity  to  which  he  was  rifen  in  Egypt.  Unto  which 
he  was  advanced  in  a  Ihort  time,  after  Pharaoh  took  no 
tice  of  him  .•  Like  a  Bough  or  young  plant,  which  (hoots 
up  apace  5  and  thence  compared  in  the  next  words  to 

A  fruitful  Bough  by  a.  Well.]  Or,  Spring  of  Water: 
which  in  thofe  dry  Countries,  made  the  Plants  which 
were  fet  near  them,  to  grow  the  fafter,  and  to  a  greater 
heighth,  (Pfal.l.%.)  and  therefore  figmfies  his  extra 
ordinary  advancement. 

Whofe  Branches  run  over  the  Wall."]  Cover  the  Wall 
that  furrounds  the  Spring  $  or,  the  Wall  againft  which 

LI  11  the 


6*6  A  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter  the  Tree  is  planted*  Which  feems  to  denote  the  two 
XLIX.  TnbesofEphratwandManajfleh  5  which  fprang  from 
L/^VNj  him,  and  were  very  flourifhing  :  As  appears  from  Joft. 
XVII.  14,17.  wherethey  tell  him,  they  were  a  great 
'People,  whom  the  LORD  had  blejfid  hitherto.  And 
JO/IM*  there  acknowledges  as  much,  {faying,  Thou  art  a 
great  People^  and  haft  great  Power  :  And  therefore  afligns 
them  a  larger  Portion  of  Land,  than  they  had  at  firft. 
The  Hebrew  word  Banoth^  which  we  tranflate  Boughs 
literally  fignifying  Daughters  5  fome  think  that  as  he 
fpeaksof  theSWrof  Jofeph  in  the  foregoing  part  of 
thefarfe^  fo  in  this  he  fpeaks  of  his  Daughters  that 
they  fhould  go  to  the  Wall,  L  e.  faith  Dr.  Lightfoot,  even 
to  the  Enemy  :  To  repair  the  Hoftile  Tribe  of  Benja 
min  5  which  otherwifehad  decayed  for  want  of  Wives* 
For  fo  the  word  Schur  fignifies5  and  is  tranflated  by  us 
an  Enemy  :  PfalmXClL  n.  And  D.  Chytrsus  under- 
ftands  hereby  Daughters,  the  Of/ex  of  the  Tribe  of  E- 
yhraim  which  (hould  be  well  governed,  though  forne 
(hould  fetthemfelvesagainft  it. 

Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  The  Archers^  In  the  Hebrew  the  words 
Baale  chitfim  fignifie  Mafters  in  the  Art  of  Shooting  $ 
and  therefore  denotes  thole  here  fpoken  of;  to  be  skilful 
in  doing  Mifchief:  Such  were  his  Brethren,  who  were 
full  not  only  of  Envy,  but  Hatred  to  him,  XXXVIII.  4. 
5,  ii.  Some  refer  it  alfo  to  Potiphar's  Wife  5  who 
wickedly  flandered  him.  And  others  to  the  whole 
Tribe  of  Ephraim  5  who  were  incompafled  with  Ene- 
mies  (who  in  general  are  meant  by  Archers*)  when  the 
Kingdom  was  fettled  in  them,  over  the  ten  Tribes. 

Have  forely  grieved  him.']  fiy  their  unkind,  or  rather 
churlith  Behaviour  towards  him  3  for  they  could  not 
ffeak  peaceably  ta  hiw,  (XXXIII.  4.)  and,  its  like 
ly,  they  reviled  him,  ^and  threw  out  bitter  words  a- 

gainft 


upon   GENESIS.  627 

gainft    him :    which  were  properly  compared  to  Ar-  Chapter 
rows,  Pfaln*  LXIV.  3.  XLIX. 

And  {hot  at  him.']   Defigned  to  deftroy  him  5  and  v>*V-s-* 
did  aftually  throw  him  into  fore  Afflictions,  XXXVIII. 

22,  24.  28. 

And  hated  him7\  Which  arofe  from  their  hatred  to 
him. 

Ver.  24.  But  his  Bow  abode  in  flrength."]  He  armed  Verfe  24. 
himfelf  with  invincible  Patience  $  having  nothing  elfe 
tooppofe  unto  their  malicious  Contrivances.  Itfeems 
to  be  a  Metaphor  from  thofe  Soldiers,  who  have  Bows 
fo  well  made,  that  though  often,  never  fo  often  bent, 
they  neither  break,  nor  grow  weak.  Such  was  the 
Temper  of  Jofepb's  Mind. 

And  the  Arms  of  his  Hands  were  madejlrong.'}  /.  e.  He 
was  ftrengthned  and  fupported  :  Being  like  to  a  ftre- 
nuous  Archer,  the  Mufcles  and  Sinews  of  whofe  Arms 
are  fo  firm  and  compaft,  that  though  his  Hands  draw 
his  Bow  continually,  he  is  not  weary. 

By  the  Hands  of  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob.~\  Which 
Fortitude  he  had  not  from  himfelf,  but  from  the  Al 
mighty  5  who  had  fupported  J&cob  in  all  his  Adverfi- 
ties;  and  made  all  that  Jofeph  did  (when  he  was  fold 
andimprifoned)  to  profper  in  his  Hands,  XXXIX.  3. 
22,  X3«  The  Hebrew  word  Abir,  which  fignifies  Potent 
or  Powerful,  and  we  tranflate  mighty  One^  is  as  much  as 
the  LO  RD  of  Jacob.  For  from  Powgr  it  comes  to 
fignifie  Poteflas^  Authority  and  Dominion  alfo,  as  Bo- 
chart  obferves. 

From  thence."]  From  the  Divine  Providence  over 
him,  before- mentioned. 

Zr  the  Shepherd."]  Jofeph  became  the  Feeder  and  Nou- 
rilher  of  his  Father,  and  of  his  Family,  and  of  their 
Flocks  and  Herds  /  Preferving  them  all  from  being  fa- 
milhed.  L 1 1  1  2  And 


A  COMMENTARY. 

,  Chapter  A*d  the  Stone  of  Jfrael^]  Who  upheld  them  all,  and 
XLIX.  kept  them  from  being  ruin'd.  Or,  Shepherd  may  figni- 
fie  his  being  made  Governor  of  all  the  Land  of  Egypt  ^ 
andthe'Stone  of  Ifrael,  the  Support  of  his  Family.  For 
Shepherd  is  a  Name  of  Dignity  and  Authority  .•  And 
Stone  fignifies  the  Foundation  (as  Abarbinel  here  ex 
pounds  it)  upon  which  the  whole  Building  regies  .• 
As  Jacob  and  all  his  Children  did  upon  Jofeph  for 
their  Suftenance. 

Some  I  find  (particularly  D.  Chytr&us}  refer  the 
words  from  thence  unto  Jofeph  :  And  then  by  the  Shep 
herd  and  Stone  of  Ifrael  underftaftd  thofe  excellent  Men 
who  by  their  Wifdom  and  valour  fupported  the  Com 
mon-  wealth  of  Ifrael.  Such  as  Jojhua,  the  Captain  of  the 
Lord's  Hoft,  and  Abdon,  one  of  the  Judges,  who  were 
of  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim:  And  Gideon,  Jatr^  and  Jeph- 
thaht  who  were  of  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh.  But  the  fol 
lowing  words  incline  rather  to  the  former  Sence. 
Verfe  25.  Ver.  25-.  Even  by  the  God  of  thy  Father. ~\Qr^from\\\m 
that  bleffed  me,  and  advanced  thee,  to  be  the  Support 
of  my  Family.  For  it  refers  to  all  that  went  before. 

Who  foall  help  thee."]  Having  faid  what  God  had  al 
ready  done  for  him  $  he  now  foretels  what  he  would 
do  hereafter  .•  which  relates  to  all  his  Pofterity  5  whom 
God  would  Prote&  and  Defend. 

And  by  the  Almighty^]  Or,  from  him  who  is  all-fufji- 
dent ;  by  whicb  Name  he  revealed  himfelf  unto  Abra 
ham,  when  he  entred  into  Covenant  with  him  and 
with  his  Seed,  XVII.  i. 

And  blefs  thee  wtih  the  blejfings  ofhe&vtn  above ,  bleffings 
of  the  deep  that  Ihth  under7\  The  meaning  feems  to  be, 
that  his  Pofterity  (hould  be  planted  in  a  very  fertile 
Soil  .•  watred  from  above  with  the  Dew  of  Heaven 
and  with  Showers  of  Rain  5  and  watered  beneath Vith 

Springs 


upon  GENES  I  S.  619 

Springs  and  Rivers.    As   G.  Voflius  well   interprets  if,  Chapter 
/,.  l.de  Idolol.  cap.  77.  XLIX. 

Blejfings  of  the  Breafts,  and  of  the  Womb.~\    A  promife  L/"V"\J' 
of  a  numerous  and  thriving  Progeny.     Or,  of  a  vaft 
increafeof  Cattle,  fowell  fed,  that  they  fhould  bring 
up  their  Young  profperoufly,    as  well  as  bring  them 
forth  abundantly. 

Ver.  ^6.  The  bleffings  of  thy  Father.}  Either  the  Blef-  Verfe  26,   : 
fings  beftowed  by  God  upon  Jacob  5    or,  the  Bleflings 
Jacob  conferred  on  his  Son  Jofeph. 
Have  prevailed.]  Are  greater. 

Above  the  blejflngs  of  my  Progenitors^]  Than  the  Blef- 
fings,  God  beftowed  upon  Abraham  and  Ifaac  :  who 
had  not  fo  many  Sons,  as  God  had  bleffed  him  withal  : 
Upon  every  one  of  whom  alfo  he  conferred  a  fhare 
in  the  Inheritance  of  the  Land  of  Canaan  5  whereas 
Ijhmad  was  excluded  by  Abraham,  and  Efaubj  Ifaac. 
Or,  the  meaning  may  be,  I  have  done  more  for  thee,  than 
they  for  me,  i.e.  thou  (halt  be  happier  than  I.  For 
Jacob  led  an  unfettled  Life  ,  but  Jofeph  flourifhed  in 
great  Splendour  in  Egypt,  to  the  end  of  his  days. 

Unto  the  utmoft  bounds  of  the  everlafting  Hills.']  As,  long 
as  the  World  (hall  laft.    For  perpetuity  is  exprefled  in  - 
Scripture  by  the  durablenefs  of  Mountains,  Ifai.  LIVT.  10.  , 
And  here  he  feems  to  allude  to  the  noble  Mountains 
which  fell  to  be  the  Portion  of  Jofeph's  Children,  viz. 
Bafoan  and  Mount  Ephraim.    But  there  are  thofe  who 
think,  he  hath  not  refpeft  to  the  durablenefs  of  thefe  - 
Mountains  $    but  to  their  fruitfulnefs  ,•    translating  the 
Hebrew  word  Tavath  not  Bounds,  but  Defires,  as  the  Pu!- 
gar  Latin  doth.    And  then  theSenceis,  'Unto  dl  that  Is 
moft  defireable,  in  thofe  ancient  Hills  $     which  abounded 
with  the  moft  excellent  Fruit.     And  this  Transition  is 
grounded  on  Mofes  his  Bleffing^  which  feems  to  be  an 

In- 


630  *A    COMMENTARY 

Chapter    Interpretation  of  Jacob's,  Deut.  XXXIII.  15.  where  he 
XLIX.   bleffeshim^   for  the  chief  things  of  the  ancient  Moun- 

W*V~**->  tains^  and  for  the  precious  things  ofthelaftingHills. 

Of  him  that  was  feparate  from  his  Brethren  J]  The  word 
Naztr,  which  we  tranflate  feparate  5  fignifies  one  that  is 
feparated  from  others,-  vel  Voto,  vel  Dignitate.,  fas  Bo- 
chart  obferves,  P.  II.  Hierozotc.  L.  V.  cap.  6.)  either  by  a 
Vow,  or  by  his  Dignity^  And  in  the  latter  fence  Jofeph 
is  called-  Nazir,  becaufe  of  his  eminent  Dignity  $  where 
by  he  was  advanced  above  all  his  Brethren!  :  Being  the 
Vke-Eloy  of  Egypt. 

Verfe  2  7.  ^er.  2  7*  Benjamin  fiall  raven  as  a  Wolf.']  This  fets  forth 
'the  warlike  Temper  of  this  Tribe  .•  A  Wolf  being  both 
a  ftrong  and  undaunted,  and  alfo  a  very  rapacious  Crea 
ture  .•  And  thence  in  after  times  dedicated  to  Mars. 
From  whence  Wolves  are  called  Martii  and  Martiales 
in  Virgil  and  in  Horace :  And  warlike  Men  are  called  by 
the  Greeks  AVKC$&V^  of  a  Wolf-like  Temper.  And  the 
Hiftory  juftifies  this  Character  :  The  Tribe  of  Benfctnin 
alone  maintaining  a  War  with  all  the  other  Tribes  5  in 
which  they  overcame  them  in  two  Battles,  though  they 
had  fixteen  to  one  againftthem.  And  they  killed  then 
more  Men  of  Ifrael,  then  they  had  in  their  whole  Ar 
my.  See  Bochart,  P.  I.  Hierozoic.  L.  Ml.  cap.  10. 

In  the  morning  he  fiall  devour  the  prey,  and  at  night  he 
Jhall  divide  the  fpoilJ]  This  doth  not  figniffe  (as  the 
fore-named  Author  obferves,  in  the  fame  place)  the 
whole  Day^  but  the  whole  Night  :  One  part  of  which 
js  the  Evening,  and  the  other  the  Morning.  And  there 
fore  the  Particle  and  fignifies  here  as  much  as  after  :  And 
this  is  the  fence.  The  Tribe  0/BenjaminyZ7rf#  be  like  a  ra- 
vening  Wolf  ^  who  foall  have  his  prey  to  eat  till  morning 
light  5  after  he  hath  divided  it  in  the  evening.  For  the 
divifion  of  the  Prey,  goes  before  the  eating  of  it.  This 

Paflage 


upon  GENESIS, 

Paffage  is  like  that  Jojh.  VII.    They  flurnt  them  with  Chapter 
fire,  and  ftoned  them  with  ft  on$s,   i-  e.  burnt  them,  after   XLIX. 
they  had  ftoned  them  ^  as  we  there  rightly  tranflate  it.  t/VNJ 
And  this  apply ed  to  Benjamin^  fignifies  fuch  fuccefs  in 
their  Wars,  that  they  (hould  come  home  loaded  with 
the  Spoils  of  their  Enemies. 

I  omit  the  fancy  of  the  Talmudifts^  who  imagine 
Benjamin  is  compared  to  a  Wolf*,  becaufe  the  Altar  of 
Burnt-offering,  where  the  Morning  and  Evening  Sa 
crifices  were  daily  confumed,  ftood  in  this  Tribe. 
They  that  would  know  what  they  fay  of  this,  may 
look  into  Codex  Middoth^  cap.  3.  §  I.  and  L'Empe- 
reurs  Annotations  there. 

Ver.  28.  All  thefe  are  the  twelve  Tribes  oflfrael."]  From  Verfe  28. 
thefe  fprang  the  Twelve  Tribes  of  Ifrad :   Or,  thefe  are 
the  Bleffings  of  the  Twelve  Tribes:    For  thefe  words 
plainly  (how,  that  what  he  had  faid,  was  not  to  be  ful 
filled  in  their  Perfons,  but' in  their  Pofterity. 

And  blejjed  them  3  every  one  according  to  his  bleffingy 
8cc-3  He  did  not  give  them  a  new  Bleffing  after  all 
this.-  But  the  meaning  is,  he  blefled  them  ("in  the  man 
ner  fore-goingj  every  one  according  to  the  Bleffing 
defigned  by  God  for  them.  There  feems  indeed  to 
be  noBenediftion  beOowed  on  the  three  firft  Tribes  3 
but  that  it  is  to  be  underftood  only  comparatively  :  For 
he  provided  for  them  all  a  Portion  in  the  Land  of 
Cannaan. 

Ver.  29.     /  am  to  be  gathered  to  myPeo$h7\   Muft  Verfe  29, 
die  flaortly. 

Bury  mewith  my  Fathers,  Sec.]  The  reafon  of  this  In 
junction  is  well  explained  by  Mercery  to  whom. I  re 
fer  the  Reader. 

Ver.  30,  In  the  Cave  that  is,  Sec.}    He  defcribes  the  Verfe  jo, 
place  fo  particularly,    in  this  and  the  two  next  Verfe f  $ 

becaufe 


A    C  OMMENT  ARr 

Chapter  becaufe  he  would  not  have  them  miftake  it5  whsn  they 

XLIX.    went  to  bury  him  :    And  that  he  might  fhowliis  Title 

\&  V^  to  it,  if  the  Inhabitants  of  Canaan  (from  which  he  had 

been  abfent  fome  Years)  (hould  difpute  the  laying  his 

.Body  there. 

<Verfe  33,      Ver.  33.  When  Jacob  had  made  an  end  of  command 
ing  his  Son*r\    Concerning  his  Burial  5    which  he  brief- 
-ly  ad<led  to  his  Prophecy. 

-  He  gathered  tip  his  Feet  into  the  Bed."]  The  Hebrews 
think  that  out  of  Reverence  to  God  he  fat  up  when  he 
pronounced  a  Bleffing  on  his  Sons  .•  His  Feet  hanging 
down  upon  the  Ground.  And  indeed  it  is  very  pro 
bable  he  endeavoured  to  put  himfelf  into  a  Pofture  of 
Authority  at  leaft  :  And  therefore  fat  on  his  Bed-fide 
while  he  fpake.  And  now  the  Prophetick  Spirit,  which 
had  raifed  his  Natural  Spirits  above  their  ordinary 
pitch,  departing  from  him,  they  prefently  funk  fo 
much  the  lower  $  and  in  a  (hort  time  he  expired. 

Yielded  up  the  Ghoft.~]     The  Hebrews  will  have  it  to 
exprefs  an  eafie  death. 

And  was  gathered  to  his  People.9]  To  his  Anceftors. 
From  whence  there  are  fome  (particularly  Theodorei) 
who  infer  the  belief  they  had,  in  thofe  days,  of  ano 
ther  Life  :  In  fociety  with  thofe  who  \vere  departed 
out  of  this  Life.  For  Brutes  are  never  faid  tobega- 
.thered  to  thofe  of  their  Kind,  that  died  before  them. 


CH  A  P. 


Hpon    GENESIS, 

Chapter 

•  JLr 

U^TVJ 


CHAR    L. 

Ver.  i.TO/epA  fell  on  his  Father  s  face.  ~]  He  was  traaf-  Verfe  i 

J  ported  by  his  Affeftion,  to  the  tendereftEx- 
preffions  of  it  :  Though  he  was  a  Man  in  great  Dig 
nity  and  Authority. 

And  kijfid  him^}  It  is  likely  he  firft  clofed  his  Eyes, 
as  God  promifed  he  (hould  do,  XLVI.  4.  (and  as-  the 
Cuftom  wasj  and  then  parted  from  his  Body  with  a 
Kifs.  Of  which'we  find  many  Examples  both  among 
Heathen  and  Chriftian  People  :  But  they  will  not  war 
rant  us  to  fay  that  it  was  done  by  every  Body  5  for  all 
that  1  have  obferved  were  fuch  near  Relations  as  Jo- 
feph  was  to  Jacob.  Thug  Ovid  reprefents  tfiobe  as  kif- 
fing  her  (lain  Sons  5  and  Meleagers  Sifters  kiffing  him 
when  he  lay  dead  :  And  Corippu*  reprefents  Jnflin  the 
younger  falling  upon  Ju$linian,  and  weeping,  and  kif 
fing  him,  juft  as  Jofeph  did  here  : 


friu*  ingredient  corpus  venerabile  vidit\ 
Jncubuit  lachrymanS)  atque  ofcula  frigida  carpfit 
Divini  patrfc. 

Yet  Dionyf.  Areopag.  cap.  7.  Ecclef.  Hierarch.  defcribing 
the  Funeral  of  Chriftians,  faith,  the  Bifliop  prayed  o- 
ver  the  Corps  when  it  was  brought  into  the  Church, 
and  after  Prayer,  'Ai/7o$  dcmi^  *  X*W/W/*AQV,  6cc.  both 
he  hiwfelf  kljjed  the  dead  petfon,  and  after  him  all  that 
were  prefent  did  the  fame  :  So  it  feems  to  have  been  their 
taking  a  folemn  leave  of  the  Dead,  till  they  met  in 
another  World. 

M  m  m  m  Ver» 


*  COMMENTARY. 

Chapter        Ver.  2.  H&  Servants  the  Pbyjiciani.~]    Great  Men  an- 

L.       clently,  among  other  Servants  that  waited  on  them,  had 

W"WJ  a  Phyfician.     And  Jofeph^  being  Vice-Roy  of  Egypt, 

Verfe  2.  may  wej[  be  fuppofed  to  have  kept  more  than  one  in 

his  Retinue. 

To  embalm  bis  Father^]    Of  which  there  was  now  the 
greater  necefiity  $  becaufe  his  Body  was  to  be  carried  a 
great  way  to  its  Sepulchre.     And  both  Herodotus  and 
Diodorus  Sicnlu*  tell  us,  there  were  thofe  in  Egypt  who 
profeffed  the  Art  of  Preferving  Bodies  from  Corrupti 
on.  Which,  it  is  likely,  was  part  of  their  Phyficians  Em 
ployment  :  For  the  word  Rofheim  f  which  we  tranflate 
Phyficians}  conftantly  fignifies  in  Scripture,  fnch  as  cure 
or  heal  fick  Bodies.    But  the  LXX.  here  aptly  enough 
tranllate  it  <£*lafiafoky  (thofe  that  prepared   and  fitted 
Bodies  for  their  Interment,  by  embalming  them,  as  w^ 
tranflate  itj)  becaufe  this  now  was  their  proper  bufinefs, 
Whence  it  is  that  Pliny  faith,  Z,/£.XI.  cap.  37.  Mos  es 
fEgyptitt  cadaver  a  ajfirvare  ntedicata,  it  is  the  Cuftom 
of  the  Egyptians  to  preferve  dead  Bodies  ordered  by  the 
Phyficians  Art.     In  which  Art  they  excelled  all  other 
People  .•  Bodies  of  their  Embalming  remaining  to  this 
Day  $  and  are  often  brought  into  thefe  Countries,  un 
der  the  name  of  Mummy:  Concerning  which  a  late 
German    Phyfician    (Joach.  Struppiw)  hath  written  a 
peculiar  Treatife. 

And  the  Phyficians  embalmed  IJrael.']  The  fore- named 
Authors  (Herodotus  and  Diodorus  Sicnlui)  tell  us  the 
manner  how  it  was  performed  \  and  at  what  Rates  : 
There  being  three  feveral  Prices,  according  to  the  Coft 
that  Men  would  beftow  upon  their  Friends.  Upon  the 
firft  Rank  of  Funerals  they  fpent  a.Talent  of  Silver : 
The  fecond  coft  about  Twenty  pound :  About  the  third 
i ;madc  final  1  Expence,  as  b/^r/Af  exprefly  tells  us, 

Jw«  I* 


upon.   GENESIS- 

L.  I.  §  2.  p.  5  7.  E*te.  S?;/.  £f <?/?/?.  And  Herodotus  in  three  Chapter 
diftinft  Chapters,  (hows  how  they  ordered  the  Bodies      L. 
of  the  better,  middle,  and  meaner,  fo  as  to  preferve 
them  5  and  yet  with  a  greater  or  lefler  Expence.  ViA< 
Euterpe,  cap.  86, 87,  88.     If  things  were  thus  in  Jofeph's 
Days,  it  is  not  to  be  thought  that  he  would  fpare  any 
coft,  but  had  his  Father's  Body  embalmed  in  the  no- 
bled  manner. 

Ver.  3.  And  forty  days  were  fulfilled  for  fa#t.~]  That  is,  Verfe 
for  his  Embalming :  Which  could  not  be  finiftied  in  a 
little  time  :  For  Diodortft  tells  us  of  feveral  Officers 
who  were  employed  about  it,  one  after  another  :  And 
fays  expredy,  they  fpent  more  than  thirty  Days  in  it. 
Which  differs  fomething  from  what  is  here  related  :  But 
it  is  likely,  in  future  times  (when  Dwdorus  lived)  they  , 
might  have  attained  to  a  greater  Perfection  in  this  Art; 
and  made  their  Spices  penetrate  the  whole  Body  in  lefs 
than  forty  Days,  but  more  than  thirty.  And  Herodotus 
doth  not  really  differ  from  this,  when  he  faith,  in  the 
place  before-named,  Tothzc  Trcrfoaifas,  when  they  had 
done  thefe  things,  (ftuft  the  Body  with  Myrrt,  Cajfia, 
and  other  Spices,  except  Frankincenff)  m&ty<Cu<n  vfof$% 
xgj^auflts  £/&t£$?  !S£b/Am0v7a,  they  pickled  it  in  Nitre, 
where  it  lay  tasking  fevexty  Days.  That  is,  thirty  Days 
more  5  till  the  forty  were  mzdeupfeventy  :  Longer  than 
which  neither  the  Bodies  of  the  better,  nor  the  meaner 
fort  were  to  be  faked.  But  after  that  they  were  wrapped 
in  fine  Linnen  and  Gums  5  to  make  it  ftick  like  glue : 
And  fo  they  delivered  the  Body  to  the  Kindred  of  the 
deceafed  intire  (as  Diodoru*  writes,  p.  58.)  in  all  its  Fea 
tures,  the  very  Hairs  of  the  Eye-lids  being  preferved. 

There  have  been  fome  fo  morofe,  as  to  cenfure  Jofeph 
for  following  the  perverfe  Cuftoms,  as  they  call  them,of 
the  Egyptians :  Who  fpent  too  much  upon  dead  Bodies-., 

M  m  m  m  ^  feut 


A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter  But  they  fhould  have  considered  how  much  more 
L.  perverfe  it  is,  not  to  follow  the  decent  Cuftoms  of  the 
Country  where  we  live:  And  that  dead  Bodies,  efpe- 
cially  of  the  Faithful,  are  not  to  be  neglefred,  but  trea 
ted  (as  St.  Anjtin  fpeaks,  L.  l.deGv.Del,  cap.  13  J  as 
the  Organs  of  the  Holy  Ghoft:  Which  the  Ancients, 
he  thinks,  did  well  to  carry  to  their  Funerals,  officiosb 
PreMe. 

And  the  Egyptians  mourned  for  him  f evenly  dayi7\    L  e. 
All  that  time  they  were  preparing  his  Body,  in  the  man 
ner  before  related,  for  its  Funeral  :  Which  Herodotus 
fays,  was  juft  feventy  Days.    He  alfo  and  Dhdorw*  de- 
fcribe  their  manner  of  Mourning  $  and  fay  that  they 
daubed  their  Heads  with  Mud  (as  the  Jews  fprinkled 
Athes  on  their  Heads)  and  went  about  lamenting  till 
the  Corps  was  buried :  Abftaining  from  Bathing,  and 
from  Wine,  and  from  all  delicate  Food,  or  fine  Clothes. 
Which  latter  part  of  their  Mourning,  it's  likely,  might 
be  in  ufe  in  Jofeph's  time  3  though  not  the  former,  of 
befmearing  their  Heads  and  Faces  with  Mud.     But  it  is 
Sufficient  to  fay   that  they  appeared  in  the  Habit  of 
Mourners,   (all  the  time  the  Body  was  Embalming^ 
which  was  very  various  in  different  times  and  places: 
And  continued  in  fome  Countries  a  great  many  Days 
longer  than  in  others.     This  time  of  feventy  Days  may 
feem  to  fome  too  long  :  but  Jacobus  Capellus  propofes 
this  to  their  Consideration  (Hijl.  Exot,  &  bacra.  ad- A. 
M.  1310.)  thatjfo/epA  being  next  to  their  King,  theE- 
gyptians  honoured  his  Father  with  a  Royal  Funeral,and 
a  Mourning  at  feventy  days  5  which  he  thinks  is  around 
Number  for  Seventy  two  .•   For  Diodoms  fays  fo  many 
were  the  Days  of  Mourning  for  their  King.     c  It  feem- 
c  ing  reafonable  to  them,  that  as  they  gave  the  Fifth 
6  part  of  thtlncreafe  of  their  Land,  to  their  King  when 

*  he 


upon    GENESIS.  637 

6  he  was  alive  ^  fo  they  (hould  beftow  the  fifth  part  of  Chapter 

c  the  Year  upon  him,  in  Mourning  for  him  when  he       L- 

6  was  dead  .•  which  was  juft  Seventy  two,  not  reckon-  L^WJ 

c  ing  the  five  odd  Days,  which  did  not  come  into  their 

*  account.     As  to  thole  who  objeft,  that  this  was  im- 

c  moderate  Mourning,  having  more  of  Ambition  than 

«  Piety  in  it  ^  his  Anfwer  is,  That  (granting  it  to  be 

'  true)  Jofeph  did  not  bring  in  this  Cuftom  -.,  and  had 

c  peculiar  reafon  to  follow  what  he  found  in  ufe  there: 

c  That  they  might  be  the  more  condemned  who  vex- 

c  ed  the  innocent  Pofterity  y  on   whofe  Parent  they 

c  had    beftowed    Royal    Honours.     Befides,  there  is 

4  fomething  due  to   Lings  and  great  Men,  to  diftin- 

c  guifti  them  from  the  Dregs  of  the  People. 

Ver.  4,  And  when  the  Days  of  Mourning  were  paft.~]  Verfe  4 
That  is,  the  feventy  Days  before-named. 

Jofephfyake  unto  the  Hoafe  of 'Pharaoh."]  To  the  great 
Officers  of  the  Court,  unto  whom,  it  is  moft  probable, 
he  fpake  by  a  Meflenger :  Strift  Mourners  (fuch  as  Jo- 
fep h  was)  ufingto  keep  clofe  in  their  Chambers,  and 
not  to  appear  in  Publick,  or  make  Vifits.  At  leaft  it 
was  againft  the  Cuftom  to  appear  in  the  Court  f  if  the 
fame  ufage  was  there  in  thefe  Days,  which  was  in  the 
Perfian  Court  in  Mordecai's  time  5  and  fuch  rational 
Cuftoms  one  cannot  but  think  were  very  ancientj  in 
the  Habit  of  a  Mourner,  Efth.  IV.  i,  2.  For  which 
reafon  he  did  not  go  himfelf  to  make  the  following 
Requeft  to  Pharaoh :  They  who  were  in  the  (late  of 
Mourning  being  lookt  upon  as  defiled. 

Ver.  5.  My  Father  made  me  fwear,  &c,]    See  XLVII.  Verfe  5 
29,  30.  where  Jacob  engaged  him  by  an  Oath  to  carry 
his  Body  into  Canaan^  to   be  buried   there:  That  he 
might  keep  up  fome  Claim  to  that  Country,  by  Ver- 
t»e  of  the  Sepulchre,   which   his  Grand-father  had 

there. 


*  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    there  purchafed  3  and  where  his  Father  Ifaac  lay  bu- 
L.       ried. 

L/"VSJ  Which  I  have  digged  for  nte7\  In  the  Cave  that  A* 
brahant  had  bought,  Gen.  XXIII.  ("which  was  a  large 
place)  Jacob^  itfeems,  had  taken  care  to  have  a  Grave 
digged  for  himfelf.  From  which  and  fuch  like  Ex 
amples  St.  Auftin  argues  (in  the  place  quoted  above,  on 
verfe  3.)  the  Bodies  of  the  dead,  efpecially  of  good 
Men,  are  to  be  treated  with  fuch  a  Regard,  as  they 
themfelves  thought  was  due  to  them. 

Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  According  as  he  made  thee  faear.~\  The  Re- 
figion  of  an  Oath,  it  appears  from  hence,  wasinthofe 
Days  fo  Sacred,  that  the  King  who  had  not  fworn 
himfelf,  would  not  have  another  Man  violate  it,  for 
his  fake  .•  Who  might  have  pretended  he  could  not 
fpare  Jofeph  fo  long  from  his  bufinefs,  being  his  Chief 
Minifter  in  the  Land  of  Egypt.  Such  Heathen  Kings  as 
thefe  will  rife  up  in  Judgment  againft  thofe  Chriftian 
Princes,  who  make  a  Jeft  of  their  Oaths. 

Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  All  the  Servants  of  Pharaoh.']  This  feems  to 
be  explained  by  the  next  words,  the  Elders  of  his  Houfe; 
the  Principal  Officers  of  Court.  For  the  word  all  muft 
be  underftood  with  fome  limitation,  as  ufually  in 
Scripture :  Some  being  left  behind,  no  doubt,  to  wait 
upon  the  King.  Thus  in  Mattk.lll  5.  alljnd<ea  is 
faid  to  have  gone  out  to  Johns  Baptifm,  /.  e.  a  great 
many. 

The  Elders  of  hi*  Houfe,  &c.]  I  have  obferved  before 
on  XXIV.  2.  that  Elder  is  a  Name  of  Dignity  :  As  the 
Hhrufahm  Targum  there  expounds  it  inftead  of  his  Ser 
vant  the  Elder  of  his  Honfe,  having  thefe  words,  JFfe 
Principal  Servanty  who  wa*  fet  over  all  the  reft,  ay  their 
Governor.  And  it  appears  by  this  place  that  this  was 
ufed  not  only  by  the  Hebrew*,  but  by  the  ftgfptians. 

long 


upen    GENESIS. 

Song  before  Mofes  his  time,  as  a  Title  of  Honour,  and  Chapter 

Dignity  :  As  it  hath  fince  been  by  all  Nations  whatfo- 

ever.     See  Mr.  Selden^  L.  I.  de  Synedr.cap.  14.  L/V%J 

AH  the  Elders  of  the  Land  of  Egypt 7\  The  Principal 
Perfons  in  Authority  and  Dignity,  throughout  the 
whole  Country,  as  well  as  thofeof  the  Court :  Such  as 
%vvere  Governors  of  Provinces,  and  Cities,  and  Coun- 
fellors,  &c.  Which  Honour  they  did  to  Jacob^  in  all 
likelihood,  by  Pharaoh's  Command  :  For  how  well  fo- 
ever  they  might  ftand  affefted  to  Jofeph,  they  could  not 
of  their  own  accord  defert  their  Charge. 

Ver.8.  All  the  Eoufe  ofjofeph,  &c.]     Their  whole  Verfe  8. 
Family  5  except  fuch  as  were  neceflary  to  look  after 
their  little  Ones  and  their  Flocks,  &c.   This  verfe  alfo 
Ihaws,  the  word  all  muft  have  a  limited  Sence. 

Ver.  9.  And  there  went  up  with  him  both  Chariots  and  Verfe  9* 
Harfemen^  Asa  guard  to  him  $  which,  it  is  likely,  al 
ways  attended  him,  as  Vice-  Roy  of  the  Kingdom :  But 
now  might  be  neceffary  for  his  Safety,  as  he  pafled 
through  the  Defarts^  or,  in  cafe  he  (hould  meet  with 
any  oppofition,  when  he  came  to  challenge  his  Bury 
ing  Place.  Though  it  was  probable  that  Matter  was 
fettled  before-hand  with  the  Canaanites^  who  were  in 
no  Condition  to  oppofe  the  Kingdom  of  Egypt:  Which 
was  grown  very  Rich,  and  they  very  Poor  by  the  late 
Famine. 

And  it  was  a  very  great  company^}   That  he  might  ap 
pear  in  greater  State,  at  fuch  a  Solemnity. 

Ver.  10.  And  they  came  to  the  threfhtng  floor  of  AtaJ^  Verfe  1 
Some  take  At  ad  for  a  Place,  and  tranflate  the  word  be 
fore  it  in  the  fame  Sence,  as  if  he  had  faid  they  came  to 
Goren-Atad.  But  Forfteru*  in  his  Lexicon  thinks  At  ad 
was  the  proper  Name  of  a  Man,  who  was  eminent  in 
that  Country  for  his  Threfhing- floor.  Though  there 

are 


A   COMMENTARY 

Chapter  are  thofe  who  take  it  for  a  Brawlle,  with  which  that 
L.  Floor  was  fenced  in :  For  fo  the  word  fignifies,  Judg. 
IX.  14.  And  the  Africans  called  a  Bramble  Atadtm  (as 
Bochart  obferves,  L.  II.  Canaan,  cap.  15-.)  which  is  the 
Plural  Number  of  Atad.  But  the  Talvtudifls  are  fo  fan 
ciful,  that,  not  fatisfied  with  fuch  reafons,  they  fay 
Jacob's  Coffin  was  here  furrounded  with  Garlands 
(Crowns  they  call  themj  juft  like  a  Threfhing-floor, 
which  is  hedged  about  with  Thorns.  For  the  Tra 
dition,  they  fay  is,  that  the  Sons  of  Efau,  Ifoviael,  and 
Keturah  all  met  here  5  and  feeing  Jofep/Ss  Crown 
hanging  over  the  Coffin,  they  all  pull'd  off  theirs, 
and  hanged  them  up  in  the  fame  manner.  So  the  Ex 
cerpt.  Geward  in  Sota,  cap.  I.  §.  45* 

Beyond  Jordan?]  Some  tranflate  it,  On  this  fide  Jor 
dan.  Both  are  true,  with  refpeft  to  feveral  Places :  For 
it  was  on  this  fide  Jordan  with  refpeft  to  thofe  in  Ca 
naan  :  But  beyond  Jordan  with  refpedt  to  thofe  who 
came  unto  Canaan,  through  the  Defarts^  asjofeph  did 
now,  and  the  Ifraetites  afterward.  Why  Jofeph  pafled 
this  way,  which  was  very  much  about  3  and  not  the 
direft  Road,  which  was  a  great  deal  fhorter,  is  hard 
to  tell.  Perhaps  it  was  a  better  way  for  Chariots  : 
For  it  is  not  probable  they  feared  any  oppofition  from 
the  Philiftines,  or  Edomitts  5  with  whom  the  Matter 
might  have  been  concerted  (as  we  now  fpeak)  before 
hand,  if  they  had  apprehended  their  paflage  would 
meet  with  any  hindrance  from  them. 

There  they  mourned,  &c.]  Wherein  this  great  and 
fore  Lamentation  confined,  we  are  not  able  to  give  a 
certain  account :  But,  in  after  times,  they  fat  with  their 
Faces  covered  5  having  Afhes  fprinkled  on  their  Heads  3 
crying  out  with  a  mournful  Voice ,  fometimes  wring 
ing,  fometimes  clapping  their  Hands  together  5  fmiting 

their 


upon    G  E>N  E  S  I  S. 

their  Breads,  or  their  Thighs  5  .with  many  other  Ex- Chapter 
preffions  of  Grief  and  Sorrow.  But  why  they  made  L. 
this  Lamentation  at  the  Floor  of  Atad,  rather  than  at 
the  Grave,  is  harder  to  refolve.  Perhaps  it  was  a 
more  convenient  place  to  ftay  in  feven  Days,  than 
that  where  he  was  to  be  buried :  And  the  Mourning 
being  made  in  the  Country  where  the  Body  was 
laid,  was  the  fame  as  if  it  had  been  made  at  the  Grave. 
Or,  it  was  the  Falhion,  perhaps,  at  the  very  entrance 
of  the  Country,  where  they  carried  a  Corps  to  be  bu 
ried,  to  fall  into  a  Lamentation  :  And  they  made  the 
fame  again,  when  they  came  to  the  Place  where  it  was 
interred  .•  Though*  there  is  nothing  of  that  here  men 
tioned. 

Seven  Days.*]  That  that  was  the  time  of  Publick 
Mourning  among  Jews  in  fucceeding  Ages,  it  appears 
from  many  Inftances :  Particularly  \  Sam.  XXXI.  13. 
Eccluf.  XXII.  13.  Judith  XVI.  29.  And  juft  fo  long 
their  Joy  lafted  at  folemn  Weddings  5  as  we  read  in 
XXIX.  of  this  Book,  verfe  27. 

Ver.  1 1 .  This  is  a  grievous  mourning  to  the  Egypt i-  Verfe  1 1 . 
ans.~]  By  this  it  appears  this  was  a  folemn  Publick 
Mourning,  in  which  the  Egyptians  themfelves  joyned, 
though  not  related  to  him.  And  therefore,  it's  like 
ly,  confided  in  fuch  Wailings,  and  outward  Expreffi- 
ons  of  Sorrow,  as  were  made  even  by  thofe  who  had 
no  inward  Grief.  For  in  following  times  there  were  a 
fort  of  Men  called  ownSD,  Lawenters,  (from  the 
Hebrew  word  Saphad  ufed  in  the  foregoing  Verfe) 
who  had  a  Publick  Office,  as  our  Bearers  have,  to  at 
tend  upon  Funerals  and  make  doleful  Lamentations. 
See  Buxtorf.  Lex  Talmud./.  1724. 

dbel-MitzraiM.~]  This  (hows  the  Lamentation  was 
exceeding  great,  that  it  chang'd  the  very  Name  of 

N  n  n  n  the 


A  COMMENT  ART 

Chapter    the  Place    where  it  was  made:  Or,  at  leaft,  gave  a 

L.        Name  to  it. 

U/'VNJ       Ver.  1 4.    And  Jofeph  returned  into  Egypt ,  Sec.]  They 

Verfe  14. had   a  profperous  Journey:  And  there  is  no  ground 

for  what  fome  Jews  bid  us  here  note;  that  not  one 

Man  was  loft,  though  they  had  a  Battle  with  the  Edo- 

ntites  in  their  way  to  Canaan. 

Verfe  15.  Ver.  15  Jofeph  will  peradventure  hate  #y>Scc/]  Their 
Guilt  was  fo  great,  that  it  continued  to  make  them 
fufpicious. 

Verfe  16.      Ver.  16.  And  they  fent  Mejjengers  unto  Jofeph.  J  The 
fame  Guilt  made  them   fearful  to  go  themfelves:  But 
they  firft  tried  how  he  would  anf  wer  a  Meffenger  they, 
lent  to  him  (for  it  doth  not  appear  there  was  more 
than  one,)  in  all  their  Names  ^  with   a   Letter,  per 
haps,    confirming    what  he  delivered    by    word   of 
Mouth.     Some  think  this    Meffage  was  fent  before 
they  went  to  bury  their  Father:,  while  the   time  of 
Mourning  lafted  :  When  JofepKs  Heart,  they  thought, 
was  tender,  and  his  Father  frefh  in  memory.     But  this 
is  not  a  fufficient  reafon,  to  make  us  think,  it  was  not 
done  in  order  of  time,  as  it  is  here  placed  in  the  Story. 
Thy  Faiher  commanded  before  he  died."]     This  was  a 
feigned  Story  „•  For  we  do  not  find  that  Jofeph  had  ac 
quainted  his  Father  with  their  ufageofhim.     Or,  if 
he  did,  it  would  have  been  more  proper  to  have  left 
this  Charge  with  Jofepb^  than  with  them  5  or,  rather, 
he  knew  him  fo  well,   that  he  needed  not  to  com 
mand  him  to  take  no  Revenge. 

I7»  ^er>  17*  F°rS^e  *he  trefpafs.*]  So  we  well  tranflate 
the  Hebrew  Phrafe,  Take  way  the  Trefpafs  :  Which  is 
ufed  elfewhere  in  this  Book,  XVIII.  24,  26.  and  in 
Hofea^  XIV.  2.  And  by  forgive  is  meant,  Remitte  p$- 
nam  qiiam  ab  lilts  pojfis  jure  exigere  propter  peccatum  m 

1e 


upon    GENES!  S.  £43 

te  commiffum:  As  Bochart  well  explains  this  PafTage,  Chapter 
P.  I.  Hierozoic.   Lib.  IF.  cap.  41.    Rem'it  the  Puniflment^       L. 
which  thou  maijljuflly  exaff  of  them,  for  the  Offence  they  WVNJ 
committed  againft  thee. 

Of  the  Servants  of  the  God  of  thy  Father.]  They  urge 
befides  the  Command  of  their  Father,  and  the  Rela 
tion  they  had  to  him  as  his  Brethren  $  that  they  were 
of  the  fame  Religion  with  him.-  Which  makes  the 
greateft  conjunftion  of  Minds  and  Affeftions,  if  it  be 
rightly  underftood  and  praftifed.  For  how  can  the 
Worrfiippers  of  the  fame  God,  hate  one  another?  There 
are  thofe  who  think  they  call  themfelves  the  Servants 
of  God,  not  merely  upon  the  account  of  their  worftiip- 
ping  the  True  God  $  but  becaufe  they  were  Teachers 
alfo  of  the  True  Religion  :  For  this  made  them,  above 
other  Israelites,  to  be  the  Servants  of  God.  So  Jac. 
Alting.  L.  III.  Schilo,  cap.  14. 

And  Jofeph  wept  when  they  fpake  unto  him^\  By  their 
Meffenger.  Which  (hows  he  was  fo  far  from  being  An 
gry  at  them  5  that  he  pitied  them,  and  had  a  tender 
Affeftion  to  them. 

Ver.  1 8.  And  his  Brethren  alfo  went,  &c]  The  Mef-  Verfe  18, 
fenger  acquainting  them,  how  he  flood  affefted  to 
them,  and,  it's  likely,  carrying  back  a  kind  Meflage 
from  him,  and  an  Invitation  to  come  to  him  ^  they 
went  to  his  Houfe,  and  humbled  themfelves  at  his  Feet. 
In  which  Jofeph's  Dream  was  ftill  further  fulfilled. 

We  are  thy  Servants^]  They  had  not  yet  overcome 
their  Fear  (fo  clofe  did  their  Guilt  ftick  to  their  Con- 
fciences)  and  therefore  call  themfelves  his  Servants  $ 
not  his  Brethren.  They  had  fold  him  to  be  a  Servant  5 
and  now  they  offer  themfelves  to  be  fo  to  him. 

N  A  n  n  *  Ver, 


^44  A  COMMENTARY 

Chapter        Ver.  1 9.  For  am  I  in  the  place  of  God  .<?]   His  Father 
L.        Jacob  had  faid  the   fame  to  Rachel,  XXX.  2.  to  per- 

Iw^VNJ  fuade  her  to  fubmit  to  Divine  Providence:  Which 

Verfe  i9-feems  to  be  the  fcope  of  the  words  here.     bhaK I  pre- 

futne  to  oppofe  my  f elf  to  what  is  come  to  pafs  :  As  if  I 

were  God,  and  not  He,  who  hath  ordered  things  fo  much 

for  our  Good  ?  This  appears   to  be  the  Senfe  by  what 

follows:  And  may^  be  thus  exprefled  ^  Shall  Ipunifo 

you  for  that  (for  that  may  be  meant  by  being  in  the 

place  of  God,  to  whom  Vengeance  belongs)  which  God 

hath  turned  fo  much  to  all  our  Advantage?  Though  the 

words  may  be  fimply  rendred,  I  am  in  the  place  of  God^ 

without  an  Interrogation.     As  much  as  to  fay,  I  have 

nourifoed   and  fujlaincd  you   all  this  while,  and  can  you 

thinly  I  will  now  do  you  hurt  ?• 

Verfe  20.  Ver.  zo.  But  at  for  you,  ye  thought  evilagainft  /^e,&c.J 
It  is  true  indeed,  ye  thought  todeftroy  me:  But  God 
defigned  by  that  very  evil  Contrivance  of  yours,  to 
bring  about  the  greateft  Good  both  to  you  and  me. 

To  Iring  to  pafs,  as  it  is  this  Day,  Scc.^  To  accom- 
plifti  what  you  now  fee,  the  Prefervation  of  our  whole 
Family  :  Which  he  underftands  by  much  Peaple^  in  the 
next  words,  who  by  this  means  werefaved  from  pe- 
rifliing.  Herein  appears  the  wonderful  Wifdom  of 
God's  Over-ruling  Providence:  Which,  contrary  to 
the  Nature  of  Sin,  and  the  Will  of  Sinners,  turns  the 
Evil  they  do  into  Good  :  And  dire&s  it  to  the  mo  ft 
excellent  Ends. 

Verfe  zi.  Ver.  21.  Now  therefore  fear  yon  nol7\  He  again  in- 
courages  their  Hope 5  by  repeating  what  he  had  faid, 
verfe  19. 

I  will  nourift  you,  &c.]  I  will  ftill  take  care  of  you 
all,  as  I  have  done  hitherto. 


npon    G  E  N  E  S  I  S. 

*,    And  he  comforted  them,  Sec.]   With  fuch  Difcourfe  asChapter 
this,  he  raifed  up  their  drooping  Spirits :  For  he  fpake       L. 
moft  kindly  to  them.  c/*WJ 

Ver.  22.  And  Jofephdxelt  in  Egypt,  &Q^}  He  conti-  yerfe  22* 
nued  mEgypt^  and  fo  did  his  Brethren,  to  their  dying 
Day.  And,  no  doubt,  made  his  Word  good  to  them: 
Being  one  of  the  greateft  Examples  of  Heroick  Ver- 
cue:  To  which  none  can  arrive,  unlefs  they  be  meek 
and  placable  as  he  was.  For  Nihil  eft  magnum,  quod 
non  idem/it  placidumi)  as  Seneca  truly  faid. 

Jofeph  lived  an  hundred  and  ten  Tears.']  Not  fo  long 
as  his  Fore- fathers  $  for  he  was  the  Son  of  his  Father's 
old  Age,  and  lived  a  great  part  of  his  time  full  of 
Thought  and  Care :  Having  the  Weight  of  a  great 
Kingdom's  Affairs  lying  on  him.  For  eighty  of  thefe 
Years  he  fpent  in  Egypt,  f  being  but  thirty  Years  old 
when  he  firft  ftood  before  Pharaoh*)  in  great  Profperi- 
ty  indeed  5  but  in  no  lefs  Solicitude  to  difchargc  fa 
great  a  Truft  as  was  committed  to  him. 

Ver.  23.  Ephrainis  Children  of  the  third  Generation.^  Verfe  25. 
i.  e.  His  great  Grand-Children.  In  which  Jacob's  Predi- 
ftion  began  to  be  fulfilled,  XLVIII.i9,20.XLIX.i5.We 
find  indeed  that  after  Jofepfrs  death  (I  fuppofe)  E^hralm 
had  fome  of  his  Children  (lain,  i  Chron.  WI.2  i>&c.  But 
God  fo  blefled  thofe  who  remained,  that  when  Mofes 
took  an  account  of  them  after  their  coming  out  of  £- 
gypt  5  they  were  increafed  to  above  eight  thoafand,  more 
than  {he  Children  of  ManaJJeh,/NHmb.  I.  33,  35, 

Brought  up  upon  Jofeptis  Knees."]  He  lived  to  em 
brace  and  dandle  them  fas  we  now  fpeak)  in  which 
old  Men  and  Women  much  delight.  Machir  had  on 
ly  Gilead  by  his  firft  Wife  5  but  he  had  more  Chil 
dren  by  a  fecond,  as  we  read  i  Chron.  VII.  16.  All 
which  were  born  before  Jofeph  died  3  and,  perhaps, 

by, 


X  COMMENTARY 

Chapter    by  Children  he  means  the  Children  of  his  Grand-Chil- 
L.       dren. 

WV\J  Jofeph's  great  Authority,  and  his  Children's  great 
Increafe,  over-awed  his  Brethren  fo  that  they  never 
durft  difpute  their  Father's  Will :  In  which  he  gave  a 
double  Portion  unto  them.  Which  one  would  guefs 
by  their  Temper,  was  as  difpleafing  to  them,  as  their 
Father's  Kindnefs  to  Jofeph  anciently  had  been:  But 
they  durft  not  oppofe  it$  nor  do  we  find  they  quar 
relled  at  it. 

'Verfe -24.  Ver.  24.  God  will  fitrely  vifit  jou^  He  explains  his 
meaning  by  what  follows  ^  and  bring  yon  out  of  this 
Land,  Sec.  For  the  word  vi/it  is  ufed  indifferent 
ly  either  for  beftowing  good  things,  or  infiifting 
evil.  Thus  he  died  in  the  fame  Faith  with  his  An- 
ceftors :  That  God  would  make  good  his  Promifes 
to  them. 

Verfe  25.  Ver.  2 5.  And  Jofeph  to^  an  Oath^  As  his  Father 
had  done  of  him,  XLVII.  30,  31. 

Of  the  Children  of  IfraelJ]  Not  only  of  his  Brethren 
mentioned  before,  verfe  24.  but  of  all  their  Fami 
ly,  who  were  to  fucceed  them  ^  and  might  live 
(when  his  Brethren  were  dead)  to  carry  his  Body  out 
of  Egypt  ^  which  hedefired,  for  the  fame  realbn  his 
Father  had  done. 

Carry  up  my  Bones  front  hence.~\  He  did  not  defire  to 
be  carried  immediately  after  his  Death,  as  his  Father 
was  when  his  Embalming  was  finiftied  5  but  that  they 
.  (hould  carry  him  when  they  themfelves  returned  to 
Canaan  :  By  which  time  he  knew  his  Flelh  would  be 
quite  dried  up,  and  nothing  left  but  Bones.  The  rea- 
fon  why  he  did  not  defire  to  be  carried  away  prefent- 
ly,  was,  that  his  Body  remaining  with  them,  they 
might  look  upon  it  as  a  Pledge  and  Security  of  the 

Promife 


upon    GENE  SIS.  647 

PromifeGod  had  made,  of  giving  them  the  Poffefli-  Chapter 
on  of  that  Land  5  wherein  he  defired  to  be  buried, 
or  not  buried  at  all.  But  he  had  repeated  it  twice,  L/*V-N 
that  God  would  furdy  vifit  them,  verfe  24,  25.)  and 
was  fo  confident  of  it,  that  he  defired  to  be  kept  un- 
buried,  till  the  time  of  that  Vifitation,  Perhaps  alfo 
he  confidered  that  they  could  not  be  of  fuch  Authori 
ty,  as.hehad  been  $  to  prevail  to  have  his  Body  carried 
to  Canaan,  as  his  Father's  was:  And  therefore  defired 
them  not  to  think  of  laying  him  there  5  till  that  time 
came,  when  theyvfhould  make  a  folemn  and  univerfaj 
departure  thither. 

We  read  nothing  what  became  of  the,  reft  of  his 
Brethren,  but  Jofephw  faith  they  were  all  carried  in 
to  the  Land  of  Canaan  to  be  buried  :  For  they  had  the 
fame  defire,  in  all  likelihood,  and  gave  the  fame  charge 
concerning  their  Bodies,-  to  keep  Pofterity  in  hope, 
that  God  would  certainly  bring  them  thither.  Which 
the  words  of  St.  Stephen  alfo  may  feem  to  import  : 
when  he  faith  Afls  VII.  15,  16.  Jacob  died,  and  our 
Fathers,  and  wire  carried  over  into  Sichem,  8cc.  though 
we  read  of  none  of  their  Fathers  befide  Jofeph,  yet  it 
feems  the  Tradition  was,  that  they  were  all  carried 
thither,  after  his  Example.  And  fo  St.  Hierom  faith, 
That  he  faw  at  Sichcm  the  Sepulchres  of  the.  XII,  Pa 
triarchs.  Epitaph.  Paul*,  cap.  6> 

Vzr*i6.SojoJcphdjed7\     After   he  had  taken  the  Verfe  ,2 
fore-named  Oath  of  them,  and  a flared  them  again  of 
the  Truth  of  God's  Promife:  Which  were  the   laft 
things  he  did. 

Some,  perhaps,  may  think  it  ftrange  that  fo  wife  and 
great  a  Man  as  Jofeph,  whofe  dying  words,  one  cannot 
but  think,  would  have  left  a  deep  Impreffion  upon  his 
Brethren,  fhould  not  give  them  abundance  of  good 

Counftl :-..: 


A  COMMENT  A  KT 
Chapter  Gannfel  at  his  departure  from  this  World :  And  Jay 
fome  other  Charge  upon  them,  befides  this  of  carry- 
t/V\J-iag  up  his  Bones  to  the  Land  of  Canaan.  But  Mofes 
did  not  intend  to  write  all  that  excellent  Men  faid  and 
did :  And  we  may  very  well  think,  when  he  decla 
red  his  ftedfaft  Faith  in  the  Promife  made  to  Abraham 
(which  the  Apoftle  takes  notice  of,  Hebr.  XI.22.J 
andaffured  them  God  would  perform  it  5  he  enlarged 
himfelf  on  that  Subjeft,  in  more  words  than  are  here 
related. 

•feeing  an  hundred  and  ten  Tears  old^\  This  was  faid 
before,  verfe  21.  but  here  repeated  to  fignifie  he  did 
not  live  a  Year  beyond  it  5  and  fo  died  juft  fifty  four 
Years  after  his  Father  $  and  an  hundred  forty  four  Years 
before  their  departure  out  of  Egypt. 

And  they  embalmed  him."}  His  Brethren  took  the  fame 
care  of  his  Body,  that  he  had  done  of  his  Father's,  v  2. 
See  there.  For  that  Jofeph  died  before  any  of  his  Bre 
thren,  the  Jews  gather  from  Exod.  1. 6.  where  it's  faid, 
Jofeph  Jied^  and  all  his  Brethren.  He  firft,  and  they  fol 
lowed  him.  But  not  content  with  this,  fome  of  them 
adventure  to  tell  us  how  many  Years  every  one  of 
them  lived  5  nay,  the  very  Month  and  Day  of  their 
Birth,  as  may  be  feen  in  R.  Bechai.  Reuben,  for  in- 
ftance,  they  fay  was  born  the  XIV.  Day  of  Ctfleu,  and 
died  when  he  was  CXXV.  Years  old,  &c. 

And  he  was-  put  in  a  Coffin  in  Egypt."]  To  be  pre- 
ferved  in  that  Cheft  or  Ark,  (as  the  Hebrew  word  is 
commonly  tranflated)  till  they  themfelves  went  from 
thence.  Herodotus  in  the  Book  above-named  (Euterpe 
tap.  86,  90. }  fpeaks  of  the  Qma^  Chefts  wherein  dead 
Bodies  were  inclofecj,  after  their  Embalming :  Which 
they  laid  G^  oi/eJijuutn  $vii&ty->  in  the  Houfe  or  Cell, where 
thefe  Chefts  were  repofited,  reared  againft  the  Wall  of 

it. 


upon  GENESIS. 

lit.  Whether  Jofeph's  Coffin  was  put  into  fuch  a  eom-  Chapter 
frion  Repofitory,  or,  rather,  preferved  in  a  place  by  it  L. 
felf,  we  cannot  determine.  But  the  Chaldee  hath  an  odd 
conceit  (as  G.  Schikjtard  obferves  inhisjf*/  Regiuw^  p. 
'159.)  that  it  was  kept  in  the  River  Nile.  Which  arofe, 
perhaps,  from  a  miftake  of  the  Relation  which  that 
Author  had  met  withal,  of  the  Place  where  they  laid 
their  Bodies.-  Which  were  let  down  very  deep  H^e///, 
or  Vaults  fomz  call  them  (Tome  of  which  were  not  far 
from  the  River  Nile)  and  fo  put  into  a  Cave,  which 
was  at  the  bottom  of  thofe  Wdls.  For  fo  F.  T^a^Jleb 
and  others,  who  have  gone  to  fearch  for  Mnmmhs^ 
defcribe  the  Places  jwhere  they  lye  .•  And  tell  us  they 
found  fome  of  the  Coffins  made  of  Wood  (not  putre 
fied  to  this  PayJ  and  others  of  Clothes  parted  toge 
ther,  forty  times  double  5  which  were  as  ftrong  as 
Wood,  and  not  at  all  rotten. 

The  Reader  cannot  but  obferve,  That  from  the  time 
of  Jofepfcs  advancement  to  the  Government,  till  the 
tjmeofhis  Death,  /.  e.  for  eighty  Years,  there  is  no 
rtiention  of  the  Death  of  any  King  in  Egypt.  For  it 
was  not  Iftafes  his  Intention  to  write  the  Hiftory  of 
that  Kingdom,  or  to  give  us  the  Series  of  their  Kings  .- 
But  only  to  acquaint  us  with  the  Series  of  the  Patri 
archs,  and  give  fome  account  of  them,  from  the  Crea 
tion  to  his  own  time.  All  other  things  mutt  be  learnt 
out  of  other  Authors.  And,  according  to  Eufebius,  whom 
Jac.  Capeltus  follows,  the  firft  King  of  the  XVIIIth 
Djnafty  ("when  the  Egyptian  Hiftory  he  makes  account 
ceafed  to  be  fabulous^  was  AMOS  :  Whofe  Dream  Jo- 
feph  interpreted,  as  was  by  him  preferred.  After  he 
had  reigned  XXV  Years  he  left  the  Kingdom  to  Che- 
bros  5  who  reigned  XIII  Years.  Next  to  whom  was 
(as  much  as  to  fay,  a  Servant  ofNoph,  i.  e. 
O  o  o  o  Mew- 


A  COMMENTS Rr,  Sec. 

Chapter  Memphis}  who  reigned  XXI  Years :  And  then  left 
the  Kingdom  to  Mephres,  who  held  it  XII  Years.  To 
whom  JofephuS)  out  ofManetho,  fubftitutes  Amerfis,  and 
fays  he  reigned  XII  Years.  And  then  fucceeded  Me- 
fhramntho/iS)  who  reigned  XXVI  Years  .•  In  the  begin 
ning  of  whofe  time  Jofeph  died. 


The  END  of  the  BooJ^of  GENESIS* 


written  by  S  Y  M  O  N  P  A  T  K  I  G  K,  D.  D* 
now  Lord  Bifoop  of  E  L  Y  i  ,dW  printed  for  Richard 
Chifwelh 

TT  H  E  Parable  of  the  Pilgrim,  written  to  a  Friend.  The  Sixth  Edition.  4/0. 

_, M&tfa  Myflica  :  Or,  a  Bifcourfe  concerning  the  Sacrament  of  the 

Lord's  Supper  :  In  which  the  Ends  of  its  InfUtution  are  fomanifefted,  our 
Addreflcs  to  itfo  direftedj.our  Behaviour  there  and  afterward,  fo  compofed, 
that  we  may  not  foofe  the  Profits  which  are  to  be  received  by  it.  With 
Prayers  and  Thankfgivings  infewed.  To  which  is  annexed. 
*  AquA  Genitdisi-  A.Difcourfe  concerning  Baptifm:  In  which  is  inferted 
a  Difcourfeto  perfwads  to  a  confirmation  of  the  Baptifmal  Vow.  8w. 

Jevrifi)  Hypocrifie :  A  Caveat  to  the  prefent  Generation.  Wherein  is 
fhewn  both,  the  falfe  and  the  true  way  to  a  Nations  or  Perfons  compleat 
Happinefs  -r  from  the  licknefs  and  recovery  of  the  Jewifli  State.  To  which 
is  added,  A  Difcourfe  uponMicah  6.  8.  belonging  to  the  fame  matter.  8w.. 

—— Divine  Arithmetick  :  A  Sermon  at  the  Funeral  of  Mr.  Samuel  Jacomb^ 
Minifter  of  St.  Mjry-Wwlnrtb*L\i\\ic\\  in  Lombard- jlreet,  London.  Witli  aft. 
Account  of  his  Life.  81/0. 

AQ  Expofitiou  of  the  Ten  Commandments.  8w. 

*-«— •Heart's  Eafe  ;  Or,  a  Remedy  againft  all  Troubles.  With  a  ConfoJatory 
Difcourfe,  particularly  directed  to  thofc  who  have  loft  their  Friends  and  Re 
lations.  To  which  is  added  Two  Papers,  printed  ia  the  time  of  the  late 
Plague.  The  fixth  Edition  corrected,  izmo.  169$. 

— — The  Pilhrand  Ground  of  Truth.  ATreatifc  (hewing  that 'the  Ro 
man  Church  falfly  claims  to  be  That  Church,  &r,d  the  Pillar  of  That  Truth 
mentioned  by  St.  Paul,  in  j  Tim.  3.15.  4*0. 

*»•  •  M.  An  Examination  of  Bellamiirii  Second  Note  of  the  Church,  v/<.  A  N- 
T1QJVITT.  ^c» 

Aa 


;"-An  Examination  of  the  Texts  which  Papifts  cite  out  of  the  BiBle  to 

prove  the  Supremacy  of  St.  Pettrand  of  the  Pope,   over  the  whole  Church. 

In  Two  Parts.  4*0. 
L  ...—A  private  Prayer  to  be  ufed  in  difficult  Times. 

A  Thankfei  ving  for  our  late  wonderful  Deliverance  from  Popery  and  Sla 
very. 

— -%A  Prayer  for  Charity,  Peace  and  Unity  •,  chiefly  to  be  ufed  in  Lent. 
—A  Sermon  Preach'd  upon  St.  Peter's,  Day;  printed  with  Enlargements,  4^. 
—A  Sermon  Preached  in  St.  James's  Chappel,    before  the    Prince  of 

Orange,  Jan.  20.  1688.  on  Jfatah  11.6. 
•—•A  Second  Part  of  the  Sermon  before  the  Prince  of  Orange,  on  the  fame 

Text.  Preached  in  Covent-Garden. 

——A  Sermon  Preached  before  the  Queen  in  Marcb  16895.  oa  C°W  3- 
_— .A  Sermon  againft  Murmuring,  Preached  at  Covens-Garden  in  Lent, 

on  i  Cor.  10. 10. 
—A  Sermon  againfl  Cenfuring,.    Preached  at  Covent-Gwden   in  Advent, 

1688.   on  i  Cor.  4.  10. 
»—  A  Faft-Sermon  before  the  King  and  Queen,  April  16.1690.  on  Proverbs 

14.  §4. 
^_  A Thankfgiving-Sermon  before  the  Lords,    AT<n>.  26. 1691.  for  reducing. 

of  Ireland,  and  the  King's  fofe  return.    On  Vent.  4.  9. 

A  Faft-Sermon  before  the  Queen,  April  8.  1692,  On  tiumb.  10.  9. 

— — £d/?er-Sermon  before  the  Lord  Mayor,  1695.  on  2  Tim.  2.  8. 
— —A  Sermon  before  the  Lords,  Nov.  5.  1695.  on  Dan.  4.  35. 
*— A  Commentary  on  the  Five  Books  ofMofes  in  $  Volumes.  4*0. 
•—-A  Commentary  on  Jofiua,  Judges  and  Ruth.  4/0. 
—A  Commentary  ou  the  i/?.and  2^.  Books  of  Samuel. 

SCR1PTORUM  ECCLESIASTICORUM  Hiftori*  Literaria  facili  fy  per* 
fpkua  methodo  digefta.  Pars  Altera.  Qua  ftyfouam  DC.  Scriptores  noyi,  turn  E- 
flitiquamManu/criptirecenfentur',  Priori  bus  flttrimaadditntur-,  brtviter  aut  ob- 
fcure  difta  illuflrantur  ;  rette  ajjerta  vindicantur.  Accedit  ad  fnem  cHJufvh  5Ve- 
wli  CONCILIORUM  omnium  turn  Generalium  turn  Particular ium  Hiflorica  Notitia., 
Ad  Calcem  veroOperis  Dijjertatior.es  tres,  (ij  De  Scriptoribus  Ecdefiaflicls  in- 
certe  tetatis.  (2)  De  Libris  &  officiis  Eccleftafticis  Gr&corum.Cl)  Vt  Eufebii  Ctfari- 
enfis  Ariariifmo  adverfvs  Joannem  Clericum.  Adjefii  funt  Indicies  utHiffimi  Scrip- 
twum  Alphabctico-ChronologicL  Studio  &  Labore,  Gulielmi  Cave,  S.  T.  P.  Canon. 
Windejori&fis.  Folio. 

THIRTEEN  Volumes  of  Archbifliop   Tillotbn's  Sermons  j    Publiflied  from 
the  Originals  by  Dr.  Barker. 
We  1 4th.  Vd.  is  in  the  Preft  with  a  large  and  and  nfeful  Table  to  the  whole. 

Dr.  Cave's  Primitive  Chriftianity.    The  hfth  Edition.  1698. 

Dr.  Conanfs  Sermons,  published  by  Dr.  Williams,  Lord  Bifhop  olChicfxjler. 
In  two  Vol.  Bvo. 

A  Difcourfe  of  the  Government  of  the  Thoughts,  by  Geo.  lull?,  Sub^Dean  of 
York.  la  12/00.  The  third  Edition.  1699. 

WJk?rrr/;'s  Sermons  in  Lambeth  Chappel,  before  Archbifhop  Sancroft,  in  the 
Year  1^583,  1689,  1690.  In  2  Vol.  Bvo.  with  his  Life.  SecondEdit.  1700. 

A  new  account  of  India  and  Per fl.t,  being  Nine  Years  Travels, ^began  1672, 
and  finilhcti  1681.  Containing  obiervations  made  of  thole  Countries  :  Name 
ly,  Of  their  Government.  Religion,  Laws,  Cufloms  :  Of  their  Soil,  Climates, 

5eafons> 


Health,  Difeafe?.  Of  their  Animals,  Vegetables,  Minerals,  Jewels* 
.Ot  their  Houfmg,  Cloathing,  Miiimfaftures,  Trades,  Commodities.  And  of  the 
Coins,  Weights  and  Meafures  uied  in  the  principal  places  of  Trade  in  thofe 
Parts.  By  John  fryer,  M.  D.  Cantabridg,  and  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society. 
Folio.  i<5p3.  3° 

The  Lite  of  Henry  Chkhele>  Afchbifhop  of  Canterbury  ^ '  in  which  there  is  par 
ticular  Relation  of  many  Remarkable  Paffages  in  the  Reigns  of  Henry  V.  and 
VI.  Kings  of  England  :  Written  in  Latin  by  Dr.  Arthur  Ducl^  L.  L.D.  Chan 
cellor  of  the  Diocefi  of  London,  and  >  Advocate  of  the  Ceurt  of  -Honour  -,  Now 
madefy///?;,  and  a.  Table  of  Contents  annexed.  8^5, 1699. 

Short  Memorials  of  Thomas  Lord  Fairfax,  Written  by  himfelf.  Publifhed  l5co. 

.The  Lire  of  John  Whitgift  Archbifoop  of  Canterbury,  in  the  times  of  queen  £- 
litybeth  and  King  James  I.  Written  by  Sir  Geo.  Paul,  Comptroler  of  his  Grace's 
Houfliold.    To  which  is  annexed  a  Treatife  Entituled,  Confpiracy  for  pretend 
ed  Reformation.  Written  in  the  Year  1591.   By  Richard  Cofm.  L.  L.  D.  Dean 
-  of  the  Arches,  and  Official  Principal  to  Bifliop  Whitgift.  Qvo.  1699. 

The  Work*  of  Jofephus,  theLeained  Jew,  Containing,  i.  The  Life  of 
Jofephus,  by  himfelf.  2.  The  Jewifl)  Antiquities,  in  Twenty  Books.  3.  The 
Wars  .-.•wUh  the  Romans,  in  feven  Books.  4.  His  Book  againft  Apion,  in  de 
fence  of  the  Antiquities  of  the  Jews,  in  two  Parts.  5.  The  Martyrdom  of 
theMaccabes:  As  alfo,  6.  Philo*  Embaffy  from  the  Jews  of  Alexandria  to 
Cains  Caligula.  Compared  with  the  Original  Greek,  and  ilhiftrated'with  a 
new  Mapof  the  Holy  Land,  and  divers  other  Sculptures.  Folio.  1701. 

The  Third  Part  of  Mr.  Rufh worth's  Hiftorical  Collections;  Containing  the 
Principal  Matters  which  happened  from  the  meeting  of  the  Parliament 
tfovemb.  3.  1640.  to  the  end  of  the  Year  1644.  Wherein  is  a  particular  ac 
count  of  the  Rife  and  Progrefs  of  the  Civil  War  to  that  Period,  With  Alpha- 
beticalTables.  In  Two  Vol.  Fol. 

The  Fourth  and  kft  Part  of  Mr.  Ruflrt&ttfi  Hiftorical  CoIIeftions,  Contain 
ing  the  principal -Matters  which  happen'd  from  the  beginning  of  the  Year 
1 64  5.  f  where  the  third  Part  ended)  to  the  Death  of  King  Charles  the  Firfr, 
Jan*  30  1648.  In  two  Vol.  Fol.  1701. 

The  Trial  of  Thomas  Earl  of  Stafford,  upon  an  Impeachment  of  High 
.Treafon  by  the  Commons  in  Parliament,  in  the  Names  of  themfelves  and  all 
the  Commons  of  England,  1641.  (hewing  the  Form  of  Parliamentary  Proceed 
ings  in  at*  Impeachment  of  Treafon.  Publifhed  by  John  Rufiworth  Efq;  The 
Second  Edition.  Folio.  1700. 

The  Memoires  of  the  Reign  of  King  Charles  I.  With  a  Continuation  to 
the  Reftauratien  of  King  Charles  II.  By  Sir  Phillip  Warwick*  Knight. 
-8t>0. 1701. 

An  Expofition  of  the  39  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  ByDr'ltofri?* 
Bi/hop  of  Sarum.foL  2d  Edition.  1 702. 

A  Treatife  concerning  theCaufes  of -the  prefent  Corruption  of  Chriftians, 
and  the  Remedies  thereof.  2d  Edition.  1702. 

Directions  for  leading  a  Devout  Life.  Written  by  a  Lady  tawro.  1702. 

Elifia  Coles  Englifh- Latin,    and  Latin-Engtifi  D^ionary.    The  Fifth  Edi 
tion  Enlarged.   1703. 

Wilhelmi  Schk^ard'  Horologmm  Ebr&um  Edith  ultim*.  Prioritus  omnibus  dc- 
twatiorfo  pleniort  Linear  urn  Grxcx  Latin*  me  -non  Anglican*  cttm  Habrmc*, 


H