heard againe of their comming; and Satan ende∣voured hereby to discourage Israel, that as their fa∣thers through unbeleefe being afraid, entered not into the promised land, Deut. 1. 27, 32, 35. so the children also might be deprived. And God for a chastisement of their sins, and for the triall of their faith, suffereth the enemie at first to prevaile, that his people might know that they should not conquer the land by their owne strength, or for their owne worthinesse, Psal. 44. 3, 4. Deut. 9. 4.
Vers. 2. vowed a vow] calling upon God for [unspec 2] helpe, and religiously promising to devote unto him their enemies and all their substance. See the Annotations on Gen. 28. 20. If giving thou wilt give] that is, if thou wilt indeed give; and it impli∣eth a prayer, which often is uttered after this man∣ner: as, Iabez called on the God of Israel. saying, If blessing thou wilt blesse me, &c. 1 Chron. 4. 10. utterly destroy] or, devote; in Greeke, anathema∣tize: things devoted after this manner, the persons were to die, their goods confiscate to the Lord, Le∣vit. 27. 28, 29. So when Iericho was devoted, the people and beasts were killed, the citie burnt, the goods carried into the Lords treasury, Ios. 6. 17, 19, 21, 24.
Vers. 3. hearkned to the voice] that is, as the Chaldee explaineth it, received the prayer of Israel. [unspec 3] gave up the Canaanite] to wit, into their hand, as the Greeke here repeateth from vers. 2. they utterly destroyed] Hebr. he utterly destroyed, or de∣voted, speaking of Israel, as of one body. But how could they being so farre off in the wildernesse, de∣stroy their cities, lying within Canaan, Numb. 33. 40. into which they came not, till after Moses death? It seemeth the accomplishment of this vow was performed long after, when they were come in∣to the land. For the King of Arad is reckoned for one of those that Iosua conquered, Ios. 12. 14. See also Judg. 1. 16, 17. They now conquered the Ca∣naanites armie that came out against them, and de∣voted the spoiles which they tooke; and when their cities came into their possession, they utterly destroyed and devoted them, and so payed their vow, which now they promised. he called] or, they called, meaning Israel; unlesse it be applied in speciall to Moses. The Greeke translateth, they called. Hormah] or Chormah; in Greeke, Ana∣thema, that is, Devotement, or utter destruction. By this name they both set up a memoriall of Gods mercy, who gave their enemies into their hand; and of their dutie, to keepe the vow which they had promised.
Vers. 4. to compasse the land] because Edom had denied them passage thorow it, Numb. 20. 18, 21. [unspec 4] by reason whereof their travell was increased. soule of the people was shortned] or, was straitned, that is, was grieved, or discouraged. This word, when it is applied to the hand, signifieth inability, as in Numb. 11. 23. Esay 37. 27. 2 King. 19. 26. unto the soule (as in this place) it meaneth griefe, vexation, or discomfort; so in Iudg. 16. 16. Sam∣sons soule was shortned (that is, vexed) unto death; and in Judg. 10. 16. the Lords soule was shortened, (that is, grieved) for the misery of Israel: and some∣time it is with a kinde of loathing, as in Zach. 11. 8. my soule was shortned for them, that is, loathed them. A like phrase is of the shortnesse of the spirit, which also signifieth anguish, trouble, and vexation, as in Exod. 6. 6. Iob 21. 4. and want of power, as in Asic. 2. 7. The Greeke here translateth, the people was feeble minded, or of small soule, or courage. be∣cause of the way] or, in the way: but In often no∣teth the cause of a thing; as, the Lords soule was grie∣ved in (that is, for, or because of) the misery of Is∣rael, Iudg. 10. 16. or according to the like phrase in Zach. 11. 8. their soule loathed the way, both for the longsomnesse of it, and for the many wants and troubles that they found therein, as in vers. 5. So the Greeke interpreteth it, for the way: and Iarchi in like manner, saying, Because it was hard unto them, they said, we were now neere to enter into the land, and we turne backward: so our fathers turned, and lingred 39. yeares, unto this day; therefore their soule was shortned for the afflictions of the way. This way into the land of promise, figured the way into the kingdome of God, thorow the wildernesse of this world, (the wildernesse of peoples, as in Ezek. 20. 35.) into which kingdome wee cannot enter, but through much tribulation, Act. 14. 22. because the gate is strait, and the way is narrow that leadeth unto life, Matth. 7. 14. and we are to go thorow fire and thorow water, Psalm. 66. 12. The discourage∣ment of this people, sheweth humane frailty and infirmitie, through want of faith and patience: for as they erred in heart, and knew not the Lords waies, Psal. 95. 10. so many, when tribulation or per∣secution ariseth because of the Word, by and by they are offended, Matth. 13. 21.
Vers. 5. spake against God] The Chaldee ex∣poundeth [unspec 5] it, murmured before the Lord, and conten∣ded with Moses, and so in vers. 7. This was their wonted carriage, in their tentations: see Exod. 14. 11. and 15. 24. and 16. 2, 3. and 17. 2, 3. Num. 11. 1, 4, 5. & 16. 13, 14. and 20. 3, 4, 5. By God here is meant Christ, the Angell of Gods face or presence, in whom his name was, Exod. 23. 20, 21. Esay 63. 9. as the Apostle openeth this place, say∣ing, Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them al∣so tempted, and were destroyed of serpents, 1 Cor. 10. 9. this light bread] meaning Manna; as the Chaldee explaineth it, this Manna the light meat: in Greeke, this vaine (or empty) bread. So they call it, either because it was light of digestion, that they felt it not in their hot stomackes; or in contempt, counting it base and vile, in comparison with other meats: See Numb. 11. 5, 6, 8. This Manna being rained upon them from heaven, Psal. 78. 23, 24. was both corporall and spirituall food unto them, a figure of the hidden Manna, which Christ seedeth his people with, unto life eternall, Rev. 2. 17. Ioh. 6. 48, 49, 50, 51. So the contempt thereof, was the contempt of Christ and his grace: and into this sin doe all they fall, that loath and leave Christ and has Gospell, for the momentany pleasures of this life; the enemies of the crosse of Christ, whose end is de∣struction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who minde earthly things, Philip. 3. 18, 19.