Annotations upon the five bookes of Moses, the booke of the Psalmes, and the Song of Songs, or, Canticles VVherein the Hebrevv vvords and sentences, are compared with, and explained by the ancient Greeke and Chaldee versions, and other records and monuments of the Hebrewes: but chiefly by conference with the holy Scriptures, Moses his words, lawes and ordinances, the sacrifices, and other legall ceremonies heretofore commanded by God to the Church of Israel, are explained. With an advertisement touching some objections made against the sinceritie of the Hebrew text, and allegation of the Rabbines in these annotations. As also tables directing unto such principall things as are observed in the annotations upon each severall booke. By Henry Ainsworth.

Annotations.

OBserve] Hebr. To observe; the indefinite put [unspec 1] for the imperative, as is noted on Exod. 13. 3. Abib] which wee call March: the Greeke expoundeth it, the moneth of new fruits. See the notes on Exod. 13. 4. and keepe the Passeover] Hebr. and thou shalt doe (or make) that is, celebrate the feast of the Passeover, or sacrifice the Passeover; so named, because God passed over the houses of the Israelites, when hee slew the first-borne of E∣gypt: In memoriall whereof, this feast with the rites thereof, were commanded; see Exod 12. and the annotations there. It was a figure of Christ our Passeover, and of our redemption by him, whose feast wee are taught to keepe, 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8. by night] at mid-night the Angell of God slew the first-borne in Egypt, then rose they up, and began to take their journey, though they went not out of Egypt till the day following: see Exod. 12. 29, 30, 41, 42.

Vers. 2. sacrifice] or, kill; slay: so Christ our Passe∣over [unspec 2] is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5. 7. and by the preaching of Christ crucified, and shewing of his death, wee now keepe this feast, Gal. 3. 1. 1 Cor. 11. 26. the flocke] of sheepe, or goats; see Exod. 12. 5. the herd] of Bulls, or Bullocks. This differeth from the Passeover of the Lambe, which wa•• precisely commanded to be a young sheepe or goat of the first yeere, one for a company, to bee ••ate•• all of it, the same night, with bitter herbs, &c. Exod. 12. But this was an addition to the for∣mer, and was of sheepe or bullocks, so many as men would voluntarily bring for the feast; called therefore by the Iewes Chagigah, that is, the feast∣offering; as the other was called Pas••hs. An exam∣ple hereof we have in 2 Chron. 35. 7, 8, &c. where many thousands of Lambes, Kids, and Bullocks were in Iosiahs time by him and his Nobles given for the Passeover. Of this the Hebrews say; When they offer the Passeover in the first (moneth) they of∣fer it with Peace-offerings in the 14 day, of the herd, or of the flocke, great or small, males or females, with any sacrifices of peace: and this is called the Chaga∣gah (or feast-offering) of the 14 (day.) And of this it is said (in Deut. 16. 2.) thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover to the Lord thy God, of the flocke and the herd. Maimony in Korban Pesach, c. 10. s. 12. to cause his name to dwell] which the Greeke ex∣poundeth, his name to bee called upon there. The Chaldee thus, to cause his Majestie (or divine pre∣sence) to dwell there. So in v. 6. This was where the Tabernacle or Temple should bee placed; which in time was at Ierusalem, where Solomon builded the Lord an house, 1 Chron. 17. 12. that is, builded an house for his Name, 2 Sam. 7. 13. See also Deut. 12.

Vers. 3. Leavened bread] which signified cor∣ruption [unspec 3] in heart, word, or deed; as hypocrisie, mali∣ciousnesse, false doctrine, or any other wickednesse, or wicked persons: see Luk. 12. 1. Matt. 16. 6, 12. 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8. 13. and the annotations on Ex. 12. 15. seven daies] after the Paschal Lambe, Levit. 23. 5.—8. see the notes on Exod. 12. 15. bread of affliction] or, bread of povertie: so cal∣led, because it was a memoriall of their affliction in Egypt, and of their hasty comming out from thence before their bread had time to be leavened, Exod. 12. 34. 39. Hereupon the Israelites used, after the eating of the Paschall Lambe, to breake a cake of unleavened bread, and the father of the family gave every man a peece, and said, This is the bread of affliction which our fathers did eat in the land of Egypt, &c. as is shewed at large in the notes on Exod. 12. 8. That bread Christ consecrated to bee a memoriall to us of his afflictions and death for our sakes, whereby his body was broken for us, 1 Cor. 11. 24, 25, 26. in haste] this word impli∣eth a trembling, and an hasty flight for feare of dan∣ger, Deut. 20. 3. 2 Sam. 4. 4. 2 King. 7. 15. See the notes on Exod. 12. 11.

Vers. 4. seene with thee] or, seene (appeare) unto [unspec 4] thee. Leaven might not be eaten, nor so much as left within their dwellings, but carefully sought out and put away before the feast began. The man∣ner of doing it, and meaning thereof, is shewed on Exod. 12. 15. 19. thy coast] or, thy border; the Greeke saith, thy coasts. Leaven might no way bee reserved for any use till after the Passeover, but was purged out the day before, and abolished, either burnt, or otherwise made away, as is noted on Ex∣od. 12. 15. of the flesh] the Greeke translateth plurally, of the fleshes, to imply the other sacrifi∣ces of the feast, as well as the Paschall Lambe; whereof whatsoever was left till morning, was to bee burnt as a polluted thing, Exod. 12. 10. The Hebrewes explaine this Law thus: The feast∣offering (Chagigah) of the fourteenth (day) is at (mens) liberty (to offer) but not bound. And it is eaten

for two dayes and one night, like all the sacrifices of Peace-offerings, (Lev. 7. 15, 16, 17.) And it is unlawfull to leave of the flesh of the Chagigah of the 14. day, unto the third day; as it is said (in Deut. 16. 4.) neither shall (any thing) of the flesh, which thou shalt sacrifice in the evening, in the first day, remaine all night untill the morning. By word of mouth wee have learned, that this is a prohibition for leaving the flesh of the Chagigah of the fourteenth day, unto the sixteenth day; as it is said, unto the morning, till the morning of the second day. Maimony in Korb. Pesach, ch. 10. s. 13: Of this was that practise of the Iewes, in Ioh. 18. 28. they went not into the Iudgement hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passeover; meaning the Chagigah (or Feast-offering) of the Passeover; for the Paschall Lambe was eaten the night before, Marke 14. 12, &c.

Vers. 5. not sacrifice] or, not kill. thy gates] [unspec 5] that is, as both the Greeke and Chaldee expound it, thy cities. This was a perpetuall Law for the Pasche, as the Hebrewes declare, from this Law, thus; They kill not the Passeover but in the Court, as the rest of the holy things: yea, in the time when the high places were permitted, they sacrificed not the Passeover in a private high place: & who so offereth the Passeover in a private high place, is beaten. For it is said (in Deut. 16. 5.) Thou maist not sacrifice the Passeover in any of thy gates: we have beene taught, that this is a prohibition to kill it in a private high place, although it be in the time when high places are permitted. Maimony in Korban Pesach, ch. 1. s. 3.

Vers. 6. about the going downe of the Sunne] that [unspec 6] is, in the afternoone, before Sunne setting; for at Sunne setting the day ended. For the time of kil∣ling, see the notes on Exod. 12. 6.

Vers. 7. shall boile] or, seeth: so the Hebrew [unspec 7] word properly signifieth; and so both the Greeke and Chaldee doe translate it, though the Greeke addeth another word, thou shalt boile, and rost, and eat. Therefore this cannot be meant of the Paschal Lambe, which might not be boiled, but rosted on∣ly, Exod. 12. 8, 9. but is spoken of the Chagigah (or Feast-offering) forementioned, which might be boiled if they would: and so they practised in Iosiahs Passeover; they rosted the Passeover (that is, the Lambe) with fire, but the holy offerings they boi∣led in pots and in cauldrons, &c. 2. Chr. 35. 13, &c. unto thy tents] that is, as the Greeke and Chal∣dee explaine it, unto thy houses, or dwellings. See the notes on Num. 24. 5.

Vers. 8. solemne assembly] called in Hebrew [unspec 8] Gnatser••th, of retaining the people, or of restrai∣ning them from worke: in Greeke, Exodion, the Out-going of the feast: in Chaldee, an Assembly, or Congregation. See Lev. 23. 36. any worke] to wit, any servile worke, as is expressed in Levit. 23. 8. Num. 28. 25. but worke about dressing meat or drinke might be done on the feast dayes, but not on the Sabbath: see the notes on Lev. 23. 3, 7.

Vers. 9. Seven weekes] or, Seven sevens, to wit, of daies. The Greeke addeth, Seven intire weekes. [unspec 9] See Lev. 23. 15. where they are called seven Sab∣baths. into the standing corne] that is, from the sixteenth day of Nisan (or March,) at which time the Magistrates of Israel sent messengers to reape the sheafe, the first-fruits of Barley harvest, to wave it before the Lord: from which day precisely, they were to number these seven weekes, untill Pente∣cost, which was the fiftieth day, as is shewed more largely in the Annotations on Levit. 23. 10. 15, 16.

Vers. 10. shalt observe] Hebr. doe or make, to [unspec 10] wit, holy: see the notes on Exod. 34. 22. So after in vers. 13. of weekes] so called, because it was seven weekes after the bringing of the sheafe at the Passeover: and it was fifty dayes, whereupon it is called in Greeke Pentecost, Acts 2. 1. See Lev. 23. 15, 16. a tribute of a voluntary offering] or, a contributiō of voluntarinesse, that is, a voluntary con∣tribution of thine hand, which the Greek translateth, as thine hand is able. The Hebrew Missah (which is onely found in this place) is a contribution, (as Mas is often used for a tribute:) or it is a suf∣ficiency, or enough: as in Deut. 15. 8. enough for his want, is by the Chaldee there expounded Missath, the word which the Chaldee useth also here. Wherefore this contribution here spoken of, is nei∣ther the sacrifice appointed for the feast day, in Num. 28. 27.—31. nor the two loaves and sacrifi∣ces with them, commanded in Lev. 23. 17.—20. for these were not voluntary offerings, but bounden duties which might not be omitted. But over and beside thē, God here appointeth men to bring un∣to him voluntarily, what they could and would.

Vers. 11. shalt rejoyce] this they were bound to [unspec 11] doe, and it was one of the three things required of the Israelites at every solemne feast: see the notes on Ex. 23. 15. and after here on v. 14. his name] in Chaldee, his Divine presence, or Majestie.

Vers. 12. and thou shalt] and, may here imply [unspec 12] the reason, therefore thou shalt observe. For they came out of Egypt to keepe a feast to the Lord in the wildernesse, Exod. 5. 1, 3. which they kept at mount Sinai, where the Law was given at this time of Pentecost, or of Weekes, Exod. 19. 1. 11. and 24. 5.—11. In memoriall whereof this day was kept holy every yeere. And when they were come into Canaan, they brought two loaves of the first-fruits of their wheat harvest, with many sacrifices unto them adjoyned, Lev. 23. 17.—20. which in∣creased the solemnity. Last of all, the Law of Christ was given by the Spirit in fiery tongues, to his A∣postles, on this festivall day, Act. 2.

Vers. 13. Boothes] or Tabernacles, made with the [unspec 13] boughes of trees, Lev. 23. 34, 40. See the Annota∣tions there. of thy floore, and of thy winepresse] that is, thy fruits, the corne which is threshed in the floore, and the wine pressed out of the fat: therfore it is called the feast of ingathering, in the going out of the yeere; when thou gatherest in thy labours out of the field, Exod. 23. 16.

Ver. 14. rejoyce in thy feast] this is meant both of inward joy for the mercies of God, past, present, & to come by Christ; and of outward manifestation of their joy, by sacrifices of thanksgiving unto God, and holy banquetting with the poore, and ministers of the Lord, as after he commandeth.

Verse 15. keepe a feast] by offering of sacrifi∣ces, in thankfulnesse to God for his blessings up∣on [unspec 15] them and their land. surely joyfull] or, one∣ly joyfull; with spirituall mirth serving the Lord. So the Apostle saith, Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies; againe I say rejoyce, Phil. 4. 4.

Vers. 16. Three times] the times before and af∣ter mentioned; the Passeover, or vnleavened [unspec 16] cakes; the Feast of Weekes, or Pentecost; and the Feast of Boothes, or Tabernacles: see Exod. 23. 14.—17. and 34. 22, 23. Of the speciall sacrifi∣ces of these Feasts, see Levit. 23. and Numb. 28. and 29. chapt. he shall not appeare] that is, no man of Israel: the Greeke saith as before, thou shalt not appeare: in Exod. 23. 15. it was said, they shall not appeare before me, emptie. Thus here are three things required, appearing, keeping a feast, vers. 15. and rejoycing, vers. 14. every of which implied a sacrifice, as is noted on Exod. 23. 15.

Vers. 17. according to the gift of his hand] that is, Let every man appeare with a gift (or oblation) [unspec 17] as he is willing, and his hand can give: which the Greeke explaineth, Every one according to the abi∣lity of your hands.

Here beginneth the 48. section 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Law: See Genes. 6. 9. and 28. 10.

Vers. 18. Iudges and Officers] in Chaldee, Iudges and Avengers. These were to judge cau∣ses, [unspec 18] and to execute the judgements: the Officers are called in Hebrew Shotrim, in Greeke Gramma∣teis, and Grammatoeisagogeis, that is, Scribes, and as Hierom calleth them in Latine, Masters. Their worke was to speake and proclaime unto the peo∣ple what they ought to doe, Deut. 20. 5.—9. Ios. 1. 10, 11. and 3. 2, 3. and as the Hebrewes generally hold, to see good orders kept, lawes exe∣cuted, malefactors punished, and the like. There∣fore they carried rods and weapons, to execute ju∣stice, as Praetors, and Lictors in the ancient Ro∣mane Common-wealth, and as Sheriffes and Con∣stables in England. There were both Iudges and Officers of all tribes, and of the Levites, 1 Chron. 23. 4. The Officers (Shotrim) had staves and whips; and they stood before the Iudges, and went about in the streets, and into shops, for to looke to right weights and measures, and to smite all that did wrong: and all that they did, was by the mouth (or commandement) of the Iudges. And in whomsoe∣ver they saw any foule matter, they brought him to the Iudgement. Hall, where he was judged according to his wickednesse. Maimony in Sanhedrin, cha. 1. sect. 1. shalt thou give] that is, shalt make, or constitute, as the Greeke translateth. The manner of making them, is shewed in Deut. 1. 13, 15. and what manner of persons were to be chosen, is de∣clared on Exod. 18. 21. thy gates] the Greeke and Chaldee expound it, thy cities. But accor∣ding to the bignesse of every citie, so they appoin∣ted in Israel Courts of judgement: the Hebrewes reckon three; 1 The great Court in the Sanctu∣ary, called the great Synedrion, where they set seventy (Iudges) and one, as in Numb. 11. 16. &c. where seventy were added unto Moses. 2 The Court of three and twenty, of which (they say) there were two about the Temple, the one at the Court-doore of the Sanctuary, and the other at the doore of the mountaine of the Temple. And in every citie of Israel, wherein were 120. men, or moe, the lesser Synedrion (of 23.) sate in the gate of the citie. 3 A citie wherein there were not 120. men, they set therein three Iudges; for there is no Court of lesse than three, as Maimony shew∣eth in Sanhedrin, ch. 1. sect. 3, 4. giveth unto thee] so within their owne Land Israel had this charge, but not without the same, as when they were dispersed into other nations. Wee are not bound (say they) to constitute Iudgement H••lls (or Courts,) in every countrey, and in everie citie, but in the land of Israel onely, &c. as it is said, in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth unto thee. Maimony in Sanhedrin, chap. 1. sect. 2. judge∣ment of justice] that is, as the Greeke translateth it, just judgement; which is, when there is an equall and indifferent course of proceeding, when the truth of the cause is discerned, and when judgment passeth according to the Law, Psal. 82. and 58. 2, 3. So Christ saith, Iudge not according to the appea∣rance, but judge just judgement, Ioh. 7. 24. The Hebrewes say, that the justice of judgement is, an equality towards both parties, in every matter: that they let not the one speake so much as he seeth needfull, and say to the other, Be briefe in your speech: and that they shew not a friendly counte∣nance to the one, and speake gently to him; and frowne upon the other, and speake roughly unto him. That the one doe not sit, and the other stand; but both of them stand, or if the Iudges please, that they both sit; and that the one sit not on high, and the other below; but one besides another. It is un∣lawfull for the Iudge to heare the words of one of the parties before his fellow be come, or out of the presence of his fellow: and so the one partie is to be admonished that he relate not his cause to the Iudge, before his fellow the other party be come, &c. Maim. in Sanhedrin, ch. 21.

Vers. 19. not wrest judgement] not decline (or [unspec 19] pervert, turne aside) judgement, not give wrong judgement for any cause, as did Samuels sonnes, who turned aside after lucre, and tooke bribes, and wrested (or perverted) judgement, 1 Sam. 8. 3. See Deut. 24. 17. respect persons] or, acknowledge faces, that is, be partiall, respecting one more than another: see Lev. 19. 15. Deut. 1. 17. Prov. 24. 23. take a gift] or, a bribe: this is repeated from Exod. 23. 8. see the Annotations there.

Vers. 20. Iustice justice] that is, all manner ju∣stice, [unspec 20] and nothing but justice, exactly, carefully and continually shalt thou follow: the Greeke transla∣teth, Iustly that which is just shalt thou follow. The doubling of the word, is for more vehemency: see Deut. 2. 27. and when a word is trebled, it is most vehement, as in Ezek. 21. 27. Esay 6. 3.

Vers. 21. not plant thee] or, not plant unto thee, [unspec 21] or for thy selfe: see the like phrase in Exod. 20. 4. a grove] called in Hebrew Asherah, of Felicity

or happinesse, a blessed grove: such the heathens used for the service of their gods, as is noted on Exod. 34. 13. but the Lord would not have such neere his altar, in his service: notwithstanding the Israelites corrupted themselves herewith sundry times, as Iudg. 3. 7. and 6. 25. 1 King. 14. 23. and 16. 33. 2 King. 21. 3. 7. and there were prophets of the groves, 1 King. 18. 19. For this sin God threat∣ned to root up Israel out of the good land, which he gave to their fathers, 1 King. 14. 15. The He∣brewes say, He that planteth a tree neere unto the Altar, or in any (part) of the Court-yard, whether it be barren tree, or tree that beareth food, although he doe it for to adorne the Sanctuary, and beautifie it, he is to be beaten, Deut. 16. 21. Because this was the manner of Idolaters, they planted trees by the altars side, that the people might assemble there. Maimony treat. of Idolatrie, ch. 6. s. 9.

Vers. 22. set thee up a pillar] or, set up for thy selfe a statue, or standing image: whereof see the [unspec 22] annotations on Lev. 26. 1.