and wherein we have sinned. I beseech [unspec 12] thee, let her not be as one dead; of whom when hee commeth out of his Mothers wombe, halfe his flesh is even consumed. And Moses cried out unto Iehovah, saying; [unspec 13] O God, I beseech thee, heale her now.
Annotations.
MArie] in Hebrew, Mirjam; in Greeke, Mari∣am; she was a Prophetesse, sister of Moses and [unspec 1] Aaron, Ex. 15. 20 & she it was that began the quar∣rell, as in the originall it appeareth; Marie she spake: therefore she, not Aaron, was plagued with leprosie, v. 10. As Satan prevailed first with Eve, then by her with Adam, Gen. 1. 3. so here first with Marie, and then by her, with Aaron the high Priest. And as the former sin of lust for flesh, began among the ba∣ser sort, Num. 11. 4. so this sin of ambition and vain glory, began among the chiefest of the Church: for these three, Moses, Aaron and Mary, were the chief guides, whom God sent before his people, Mic. 6. 4. because] or, upon occasion, for the sake. Ae∣thiopian] Hebr. Cushite, which the Greeke transla∣teth, Aethiopian. This seemeth to be no other than Zipporah the Midianiresse, who Moses had marri∣ed, Ex. 2. 16, 21. & because the Midianites dwelt in Cush his land, they were called Cushites (or Aethi∣opians,) and it may be also because they were tawny coloured like them. For otherwise Cush was the son of Cham, Gen. 10. 6. whereas Midian was the son of Abraham the son of Sem, Gen. 25. 1, 2. The Chaldee, in stead of Cushith, saith Faire, which may be spoken by the contrary. Iosephus, Philo, and some others, take this wife not to be Sipporah, but another Aethiopians taken] to wit, to wife; that is, married: so in 1 Chron. 2. 19, 21. 2 Chron. 11. 20. Nah. 6. 18. and 10 30. By this it seemeth, the marrying of that woman, (who was not of the stocke of Israel, and who hindred him from cir∣cumcising his son, Exod. 4. 24, 25, 26.) was the oc∣casion of their murmuring. Howbeit, the Hebrew Doctors make his not companying with his wife, to be the occasion: for that he being a Prophet, dai∣ly conversant with the Lord, and frequenting his Tabernacle, abstained from her, lest he should have legall pollution, which would have kept him from the Sanctuary, Levit. 15. 16—31. Compare also Ex∣od. 19. 15. Thus the Chaldee expoundeth it, for hee had put away (or, abstained from) the faire wife which he had taken. And Sol. Iarchi thus, for he had taken a Cushite woman, and had now put her away.
Verse 2. by Moses] or, in Moses; as speaking of [unspec 2] inward revelation by the Spirit: The Targum cal∣led Ionathans, paraphraseth thus; Hath the Lord spoken onely indeed with Moses, who is separated from copulation of the bed, meaning with his wife. also by us] or, in us: as David said, The spirit of Ieho∣vah spake in me, 2 Sam. 23. 2. Here Sol. Iarchi addeth for explanation, hath he not spoken also by us, and yet we have not separated our selves from the way of the earth: meaning, from mutuall societie, such as is be∣tween man and wife; a phrase taken from Gen. 19. 31. But it may be understood, as before is noted, that they would not have Moses esteemed the one∣ly Prophet, who had so stained himselfe by marri∣age with a strange woman. Their drift was, by dis∣gracing Moses for his infirmitie, to grace and ad∣vance themselves; against which it is said, Let us not be desirous of vaine-glory, provoking one another, envying one another, Gal. 5. 26. heard it] that is, took notice of this their speech, to reprove and pu∣nish it. So of Reubens sin, it is said, Israel heard it, Gen. 35. 22. Or, God is said to heare it, as a witnesse of that which it may be they murmured in secret: as in Psal. 59 8. swords are in their lips, for who (say they) doth heare? and in Psal. 55. 20. God will heare and afflict them. See also Psal. 94. 7 8 9.
Vers. 3. meeke] the originall word hath affini∣tie [unspec 3] with affliction and lowlinesse; for by affliction this vertue is furthered, Lam. 3. 27, 28, 29, 30. and is seated in the heart and spirit, as the Apostle men∣tioneth a meeke and quiet spirit, 1 Pet. 3. 4. As Mo∣ses, so Christ is set forth for an example of meeke∣nesse, Mat. 21. 5. and 11. 29. It is a vertue which keepeth a meane in anger, and avenging of our selves when we are offended, wronged, and con∣temned. above all the men] or, more than any man. This commendation the Spirit of God gi∣veth of Moses, though by Moses owne pen, (as the Apostle also writeth in his own behalfe, 2 Cor. 11. 5, 6, 10, 22, &c. and 12. 11, 12.) although Moses is noted to have been very angry, sundry times, Exod. 11. 8. and 16. 20. and 32. 19. Levit. 10. 16 Num. 16. 15. and 31. 14. and 20. 10, 11. compared with Psal. 106. 32, 33.
Vers. 4. said suddenly] so shewing the great∣nesse [unspec 4] of his displeasure against them, which suffered no delay, Psal. 64. 7. Prov. 6. 15. Esai. 30 13. and preventing any that mought thinke Moses com∣plained to God and sought revenge. Thus God who will be a swift witnesse against evill doers, Mal. 3. 5. suddenly rose to plead the cause of his meekest ser∣vant. Compare Psal. 50. 19, 20, 21. yee t••ree] both parties are judicially summoned to appeare before the Lord, in the Tent of his habitation: as he riseth up to judgement, to save all the meeke of the earth, Psal. 76. 9 So in Num. 16. 16.
Verse 5. came downe] in Chaldee, revealed him-selfe: [unspec 5] see Gen. 11. 5. of the cloud] as the throne o•• his glory, out of which he used to appeare & speake unto them, Psal. 99. 7. Num. 16. 42. Vnto these ap∣paritions, those visions of Iohn hath reference, Rev. 10. 1, 2, 3. and 14 14, &c.
Vers. 6. a Prophet among you] or, of you; Hebr. your Prophet: which the Chaldee expoundeth, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there shall be Prophets to (or among) you. What