which hath the name, (as Chazkuni saith) of So∣le•••• the Rocks, on which they keepe: the Greeke calleth it Attakes: the Chaldee Rashona, and Re∣sh••••a, It is not mentioned in scripture, but in this place. locust-Chargol] this word also is not found any other where: the G. translateth it Ophio∣miches, that is, the Serpent fighter: and that there are Locusts which kill serpents, Plinie mentioneth, in b. 11. c. 29. Chazkuni interpreteth the name Char∣gol, as striving with the feet to skip with them. locust-Chagab,] or grashopper; which the Greeke nameth Akris, that is, a Locust, so in Numb. 13. 33. Esay 40. 22. Eccles. 12. 5. after his kinde] this being spoken foure times, the Hebrewes thinke it implyeth foure other sorts of Locusts, which they call Zipporeth cramim, and Iothana Ierushalemith, and Gnartsubja, and Razbanith; all which are also cleane for to eat; Thalmud Bab. in Cholin, ch. 3. So Maimony in Forb. meats, c. 1. s. 21. where he calleth the two latter by other names, Gnotsaranja, & Du∣canith: and so maketh eight sorts of Locusts, which the Law permitteth to be eaten.
V. 23. every creeping thing] to weet, every other, [unspec 23] save those Locusts aforesaid.
Vers. 24. for these] or, by these; meaning as Solom. [unspec 24] Iarchi explaineth it, these which follow, that not only by eating, but by touching of them dead, they should be defiled. See before on v. 8. The unclean∣nes by touching, spoken of in any place, whether it be of a dead man, or of other uncleane things; is, when a man with his flesh toucheth the uncleane thing it selfe; whe∣ther it be with his hand, or with his foot, or with any o∣ther part of his flesh; though it be with his tongue, loe he is uncleane. And it seems to me, he is defiled if he touch with his nailes or with his teeth, whiles they are joyned to the body, they are as the body; saith Maim. in treat. of Poll. by the dead. c. 1. s. 3. till the evening] that is, till the end of that day and beginning of a new: for the Iewes day began at evening, as is noted on Gen. 1. 5. And so it figured mans pollution by sins, till hee come to the new day of salvation by Christ, and become a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. & 6. 2. It signified also, those legall pollutions to con∣tinue but during the day (or time) of the law: wch in the day of Christ should be abolished, Coloss. 2. 16. 17. 20. 21.
V. 25. beareth] the Hebr. canons say, although [unspec 25] he touch it not, though there bee a stone betweene him and it, for asmuch as he hath borne it, he is unclean, whe∣ther he beare it on his head, or on his hand, or on any o∣ther part of his body. Whether hee hath taken it up him-selfe, or an other hath laid it on him; yea though the un∣cleane thing hang by a threed, or haire, and that threed hang on his hand; he beareth it, and is uncleane. Maim. treat. of Pollut. by the dead, ch. 1 sect. 6. wash his clothes] that is, all the clothes that are upon him. Sol. Iarchi not eth, that uncleannes by bearing, is more then the uncleannes by touching, for a man is charged for this, to wash his clothes. This washing was a signe of sanctification, as in Exodus 19. 10. for sinne de∣fileth men, and all that is about them: but by re∣pentance and faith, our clothes are washed, & made white in the blood of the Lambe (Christ) Revel. 7. 14. The Hebrew doctors say, Every place where it is said in the law, of the uncleane, that hee shall wash his clothes: it is not to teach us, that onely the clothes which are upon him are uncleane: but to teach that every cloth or vessell, which that uncleane person toucheth, in the time whiles he is joyned to the thing that makes him un∣cleane, is uncleane also. Maim. treat. of the Red heiffer, chap. 5. sect. 2.
Vers. 26. them] that is, their dead carkasses, as the [unspec 26] Gr. here expresseth, and rightly from ver. 24.
Vers. 27. pawes, or palmes; which the Greeke [unspec 27] translateth hands. And to explaine this, Sol. Iarchi instanceth, the dog, and the beare, and the cat.
Ver. 29. upon the earth] this is spoken, as Chazku∣ni [unspec 29] saith to expect those that are in the sea. weasell] named in Hebrew, Choled; in Chaldee, Chulda; of running hastily from place to place. Iarchi explai∣neth it by the Latine name Mustela: in Greeke it is called Galee. mouse] in Hebrew, Gnachar, of troubling, gnawing and rooting things in the house and fields. With such, God marred the Phi∣listians land, 1 Sam. 6. 5. and the eating of such is expresly condemned, in Esay 66. 17. tor〈…〉〈…〉] or, as the Greeke translateth, the land crocodile; in Hebrew Tsab, so called of the shell that covere〈…〉〈…〉 it; for Tsab is also used for a coach, or covered wagon, Numbers 7. 3. Of this creature Sol. Iarchi saith, it is like a frog. after his kinde] the Greeke transla∣teth, and things like unto it.
Vers. 30. ferret] or weasell-mouse, as the Greeke [unspec 30] translateth it Mugalee; which the Latines call Mus araneus, (the Shrew, as Gaza saith in hist. animal. l. 8. c. 24. It is of the colour of a weasell, and bignesse of a mouse, saith Aetius, in l. 13. c. 14. The Hebrew name is Anakah, which signifieth groaning; and the Chaldee, Iela, of yelling. The scripture mentioneth it not elsewhere. Chamaeleon] so the Greeke translateth it; others, the lisard. In Hebrew it is named Coach, of Strength. lizard] or, stellio, which is like a lizard, spoted on the backe as with stars: and to this latter, the Greek Askalabotes a∣greeth. In Hebrew, Letaah, which Sol. Iarchi ex∣poundeth Lisard. snaile] or lisard, in Hebrew Chomet; in Greeke Saura, that is the Lisard: others thinke this to be the chamaeleon. These creatures names are not elsewher found in scripture. The Rabbins say, There are eight creeping things spoken of in the Law, the weasell &c. who so eateth of their flesh the quantity of a lentel (or little pease) is to bee beaten. Maim. in Forb. meats, c. 2. s. 7. Moll] in Hebr. Tinshemeth, in Chaldee Ashshutha; which Iarchi explaineth by the Latine name Talpa; but Thar∣gum Ionathan calleth it Sallamandra.
Vers. 31. toucheth] Creeping things (as the Hebr. [unspec 31] doctors observe) doe defile men and vessells when they are touched, and earthen vessells by the aier: but defile not when they are caried, (as other creatures do v. 25) and the measure of their vncleannes, is by (touching) so much as a lentell. Maim. in Aboth hatumoth, c. 4. s 2. are dead] There is no kinde of living creature that is defiled whiles it is alive, or that defileth whiles it is alive, save man only, saith Maimony, in treat. of Pollu∣tion by the dead, c. 1. s. 14. The creeping thing defileth not untill it bee dead. All other abominable creeping things, as frogs, serpents, scorpions, and the like, though