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.

CHAP. XXXI.

1 Moses being ready to die, encourageth the peo∣ple that should goe into Canaan. 7 He encourageth Iosua that should be their Governour. 9 He delive∣reth the Law unto the Priests, which was to be read in the soventh yeere unto the people. 14 Moses and Iosua present themselves before the Lord, 16 who fore-telleth the peoples falling from him, and his an∣ger against them therefore. 19 Hee commandeth a song to be written, to testifie against the people. 24 Moses delivereth the booke of the Law to the Levites, to be kept in the side of the Arke, for a wit∣nesse against them and their rebellion. 28 Hee ma∣keth a protestation to the Elders.

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ANd Moses went and spake these [unspec 1] [unspec 2] words unto all Israel. And hee said unto them, I am an hundred & twen∣ty yeeres old this day, I can no more goe out and come in: and Iehovah hath said unto me, thou shalt not goe over this Iordan. Ieho∣vah thy God he goeth over before thee; hee [unspec 3] will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possesse them: Iosua he shall go over before thee, as Iehovah hath said. And Iehovah will doe unto them as hee did to Si∣hon, [unspec 4] and to Og, Kings of the Amorite, and unto the land of them whom hee destroyed.

And Iehovah will give them before you, and yee shall doe unto them according to e∣very [unspec 5] commandement which I have comman∣ded you. Be ye strong and couragious, feare [unspec 6] not, neither be discouraged because of them: for Iehovah thy God, he it is that goeth with thee, he will not faile thee, nor for sake thee.

And Moses called unto Iosua, and said un∣to him, in the eies of all Israel; Be thou strong [unspec 7] and couragious, for thou shalt goe in with this people into the land which Iehovah hath sworne unto their fathers to give unto them, and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And [unspec 8] Iehovah, he it is that goeth before thee; hee will be with thee, hee will not faile thee, nor forsake thee; feare not, neither be dismaid.

And Moses wrote this Law, and gave it un∣to the Priests, the sonnes of Levi, which bare [unspec 9] the Arke of the covenant of Iehovah, and un∣to all the Elders of Israel. And Moses com∣manded [unspec 10] them, saying; at the end of seven yeeres, in the solemnity of the yeere of re∣lease, in the feast of Boothes, When all Israel [unspec 11] is come to appeare before Iehovah thy God in the place which he shall chuse, thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their eares.

Gather together the people, men, and wo∣men, [unspec 12] and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may heare, and that they may learne, and may feare Iehovah your God, and observe to doe all the words of this Law. And that their sonnes which [unspec 13] have not knowne may heare, and learne to feare Iehovah your God all the daies that yee shall live on the land, whither ye are going o∣ver Iordan, to possesse it.

And Iehovah said unto Moses, Behold thy [unspec 14] daies approach to die; call Iosua, and present your selves in the Tent of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Iosua went and presented themselves in the Tent of the congregation. And Iehovah [unspec 15] appeared in the Tent, in a pillar of a cloud, & the pillar of the cloud stood over the doore of the Tent. And Iehovah said unto Moses, [unspec 16] Behold, thou liest downe with thy fathers, and this people will rise up, and goe a whoring af∣ter the gods of the strangers of the land, whi∣ther they are going in to be amongst them, and will forsake mee, and breake my covenant which I have stricken with them. And mine [unspec 17] anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and will hide my face from them, and they shall be de∣voured, and many evils and distresses shall finde them; and they will say in that day, have not these evils found us, because our God is not amongst us. And I, hiding will hide my [unspec 18] face in that day for all the evils which they shall have done, in that they are turned unto other gods. And now write ye this song for [unspec 19] you, and teach it the sonnes of Israel, put it in their mouthes, that this song may be a wit∣nesse for mee against the sonnes of Israel. For I will bring them into the land which I [unspec 20] sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milke and honey, and they shall eat and be fil∣led, and be fat, and they will turne unto other gods, and serve them, and despightfully pro∣voke me, and breake my covenant. And it [unspec 21] shall be when many evils and distresses have found them, that this song shall answer before them for a witnesse, for it shall not be forgot∣ten out of the mouth of their seed: for I know their imagination which they doe this day, be∣fore I have brought them in unto the land which I sware. And Moses wrought this [unspec 22]

song in that day, and taught it the sonnes of Israel. And he charged Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and said; Be strong and couragious, for [unspec 23] thou shalt bring in the sonnes of Israel unto the land which I sware unto them, and I will be with thee. And it was when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this [unspec 24] Law in a booke, untill they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites which bare the Arke of the covenant of Iehovah, [unspec 25] saying: Take this booke of the Law, and put it in the side of the Arke of the covenant [unspec 26] of Iehovah your God, that it may be there for a witnesse against thee. For I know thy re∣bellion, [unspec 27] and thy stiffe necke: Behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, yee have beene rebellious against Iehovah, and how much more after my death? Gather together unto [unspec 28] mee all the Elders of your Tribes, and your Officers, that I may speake in their eares these words, and call the heavens and the earth to witnesse against them. For I know, [unspec 29] that after my death, corrupting yee will cor∣rupt (your selves,) and will turne aside from the way which I have commanded you, and evill will befall you in the latter daies, because yee will doe evill in the eyes of Iehovah, to provoke him to anger through the worke of your hands. And Moses spake in the eares [unspec 30] of all the Church of Israel the words of this song, untill they were ended.

Annotations.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Here beginneth the two and fiftieth Section or Lecture of the Law: See the notes on Gen. 6. 9. And here Moses set∣teth the state of Israel in order before his death.

OLd] Hebr. sonne of an hundred and twenty [unspec 2] yeeres; of which phrase see Gen. 5. 32. So long while Noe preached to the world, building the Arke, Gen. 6. 3, 14. 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20. Of these 120. yeeres, Moses lived 40. in Pharaohs court in Egypt, Acts 7. 20, 23. forty in the land of Madian, Acts 7. 29, 30. Exod. 7. 7. and 40. yeeres he governed Israel. I can no more goe out] that is, no more administer in my office: see the Anno∣tations on Num. 27. 17. This inability of Moses was not so much for his age, (for his eye was not dim, nor his naturall moisture fled, Deut. 34. 7.) as for the ordinance of God next mentioned. and Iehovah] or, for Iehovah hath said; as is shew∣ed in Num. 20. 12. Deut. 3. 25, 26. And is often in stead of For, as is noted on Gen. 12. 19. Or it may be taken as another reason, why Moses might no longer governe them.

Vers. 3. Ioshua] in Greeke, Iesus, who was sub∣stitute [unspec 3] in Moses place, Num. 27. 16, 17, 18. &c. A figure of our Lord Iesus, who by grace and truth bringeth us into Gods eternall rest, after the en∣ding of Moses Law, Iohn 1. 17. Rom. 10. 4. Thus the people are comforted in respect of their sor∣row for Moses death, by promise of the Lords pre∣sence among them, and Ioshuahs succeeding go∣vernment under him.

Vers. 4. of the Amorite] that is, of the Amo∣rites, [unspec 4] as the Greeke translateth: by whose destru∣ction (before mentioned in Numb. 21. 23. &c. Deut. 2. and 3.) Israel is encouraged against their other enemies. the land] that is, the people of the land.

Vers. 5. commanded you] which was, to root [unspec 5] them out, and let none remaine, Deut. 20. 16, 17.

Vers. 6. Be ye strong] or, Be confirmed, Hold [unspec 6] fast, to wit, your faith in God: in Greeke, Quit you like men; which word Paul useth in 1 Cor. 16. 13. So after, in vers. 7. couragious] or, be hardy, strong, valiant in heart and carriage. This word is applied to the heart in Psal. 27. 14. and armes, in Prov. 31. 17. and signifieth an increase and stedfastnesse, Prov. 24. 5. Ruth 1. 18. The like exhortation is often used, as Ios. 10. 25. 1 Chron. 22. 13. 2 Chron. 32. 7. hee it is] in Chaldee, his Word it is. So in vers. 8. faile thee] or, let thee goe, leave thee to thy selfe, but will hold thee fast. So vers. 8. and Ios. 1. 5. Heb. 13. 5.

Vers. 7. strong and couragious] or, confirmed and strong, as vers. 6. Iosua being to beare the charge [unspec 7] and toile of the people; hath the same exhortation and promise in particular, that was before unto all: and it was in the eyes of all, lest any after Moses death should deny his authority. A like speech Davide made to Salomon, 1 Chron. 28. 20.

Vers. 8. he will be with thee] the Chaldee para∣phraseth, [unspec 8] his Word will be thy helpe.

Vers. 9. this Law] in Greeke, all the words of this [unspec 9] Law in a booke. which bare the Arke] they had the chiefe charge to looke to the Arke, and other holy things; and though the Levites bare it, as ap∣peareth by Num. 3. 31. and 4. 15. and 10. 21. yet sometime the Priests themselves also bare it, as when they passed over Iordan, Ios. 3. 6, 17. when they compassed Iericho, Ios. 6. 12. So after in v. 25. Moses spake to the Levites. the Elders] the Ma∣gistrates: as the Priests by teaching, so the Elders by governing are to look that the Law of the Lord be observed, Mal. 2. 7. Hos. 4. 6. Mich. 3. 1. 2 Chron. 19. 6, 8, 9, 10.

Vers. 10. of seven yeeres] that is, of every se∣venth [unspec 10] yeere, which was a yeere of release, Deu. 15. 1. the solemnity] or, the set time; as the Greeke and Chaldee translate it, the time. release] of debts, Deut. 15. 1, 2, &c. that being freed from worldly cares, they might apply their mindes to Gods Law. A figure of the yeere of grace, and re∣mission of our debts by Christ; whereupon wee should give our selves to holinesse, Luke 4. 18, 19, 21. Rom. 6. 10, 11, 12, 13. Boothes] or Ta∣bernacles, whereof see Lev. 23.

Vers. 11. which he shall chuse] to set his Arke [unspec 11]

and Tabernacle, and so to place his name there, Deut. 16. 2. thou shalt reade] speaking to Is∣rael generally, and it was performed in speciall by the chiefest of them, either the high Priest, as Ezra (the chiefe of them that returned from Baby∣lon) read it, Nehem. 8. 1, 2, 3, &c. or as the He∣brewes say, the King himselfe (when they had a King) used to reade. For this Commandement was to Ioshua, and therefore the King read it, saith Chaz∣kuni upon this place. Which is by others of them declared thus, The King was he that read in their eares, and they read in the womens Court; (which was the outer Court-yard of the Temple.) And the King read sitting, and if he read standing, it was the more commendable. He read from the beginning of Deuter••nomy, &c. When he read, they blew trum∣pe••s through all Ierusalem, for to assemble the people. And they set up a great Pulpit of wood, [as is menti∣oned also in Nehem. 8. 4.] and set it in the midst of the Court-yard, and the King went up and sate ther∣on, that they might heare him reade; and all Israel that went up to the feast, gathered round about him. And the Minister of the Synagogue (such as wee reade of in Luke 4. 17. 20.) tooke the booke of the Law, & gave it to the Ruler of the Synagogue, (such as is mentioned in Luke 13. 14.) and the Ruler of the Synagogue gave it to the Sagan, (or second chiefe Priest, called in Acts 5. 24. the Captaine of the Temple,) and the Sagan gave it to the High Priest, and the High Priest to the King, for to honour him before the multitude. And the King tooke it standing, and if he would he sate downe and opened it, and seeing it, he blessed God, (as is recorded of Ez∣ra in Neh. 8. 5, 6.) and after read till hee made an end: Then he ••olded it up, and blessed (God) againe after it, as the manner was to blesse in the Synagogues. Both the reading and the blessing was in the holy tongue. The hearers were bound to prepare their hearts, and to make their eares attentive to heare with feare and reverence, and with joy and trem∣bling, as in the day when (the Law) was given on (mount) Sinai: though they were great wise men, which knew the whole Law every whit, they were bound to heare with great attentivenesse, &c. for the King is the Messenger (of the Congregation) to cause the words of God to be heard. If the day of assem∣bling (the people) began to be on the Sabbath, they de∣ferred it till after the Sabbath, because of the blowing with Trumpets, &c. which might not put away (the keeping of) the Sabbath. Maimony in Misneh, tom. 3. in Chagigah, chap. 3. sect. 3, 4. &c. in their eares] that they may heare and understand it, as the Chaldee translateth, and cause them to heare it: which hearing is often used for understanding, as is noted on Gen. 11. 7. So in Neh. 8. 8. they read in the booke, in the Law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand in the reading.

Vers. 12. women and children] which though they were not bound to come up at the yeerely [unspec 12] feasts, Exod. 23. 17. yet to this reading they were bound, such as could understand, Neh. 8. 3. The Hebrew canons say, Whosoever is free from appea∣ring (before the Lord, Exod. 23. 17.) is free from the commandement of Gather together, (Deut. 31. 12.) except women and children, and the uncircumci∣cised; but the uncleane is free from this commande∣ment, as it is written (in vers. 11.) when all Israel is come; but the (uncleane) was not fit to come. And it is cleare, that such as were of neither sex, or of both sexes, were bound to come, seeing women were bound. Maimony in Chagigah, chap. 3. sect. 2. thy gates] in Greeke and Chaldee, thy cities.

Vers. 14. thy dayes approach] or, are nigh, at [unspec 14] hand: and so the terme of his life fulfilled; as where it is written, the kingdome of heaven approa∣cheth, Matth. 4. 17. another explaineth it, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdome of God approacheth (or, is at hand,) Marke 1. 15. to die] under∣stand, for thee to die: of such want of the person, (easie to be understood by the context,) see the notes on Genes. 6. 19. and 23. 8. and 47. 29. The Greeke translateth, Behold, the dayes of thy death approach. and I will give] or, that I may command him, or charge him: which being done in the Tabernacle, and by Gods appearing in the cloud, vers. 15. served both for Iosuahs own con∣firmation, and to assure all Israel that he had au∣thority from God over them. Compare Numb. 27. 18, 19.

Vers. 15. Iehovah appeared] that is, a glorious [unspec 15] signe of his presence; as in Thargum Ionathan it is expounded, the glory of the divine majestie of the Lord. pillar of a cloud] out of which he was wout in favour to speake: see Exod. 33. 9. Psal. 99. 7.

Vers. 16. liest downe] to wit, to sleepe, that is, to [unspec 16] die: as Iob 14. 12. Acts 7. 60. 1 Thess. 4. 13. thy fathers] the faithfull of former times, signifi∣ing the immortality of the soule, as is noted on Gen. 25. 8. Wherefore Thargum Ionathan para∣phraseth on this place thus; thou liest downe in the dust with thy fathers, and thy soule shall be treasured up in the treasury of eternall life with thy fathers. goe a whoring] or fornicate, that is, commit ido∣latry, as the Chaldee explaineth it. gods of the strangers] in Greeke, the strange gods of the land; in Chaldee, the idols of the peoples of the land. they are going] Hebr. he is going; speaking of the people as of a man; so after often in this Chapter. The rea∣son hereof is noted on Gen. 22. 17.

Vers. 17. will hide my face] in Chaldee, will take [unspec 17] away my divine presence. So in vers. 18. devou∣red] or eaten up, to wit, of their enemies, made a prey, Hebr. to eat, which is used passively, as to beare, Eccles. 3. 2. that is, to be borne. See the notes on Gen. 6. 20. and 16. 14. finde them] that is, befall, or come upon them: so after, and in Psal. 119. 143. Neh. 9. 32. found us] Hebr. found mee, because my God is not in the midst of me.

Vers. 18. other gods] in Chaldee, idols of the peo∣ples: [unspec 18] so in vers. 20.

Vers. 19. this song] in Greeke, the words of this [unspec 19] song; after described in Chap. 32. containing a pro∣phesie of their falling away, & of Gods judgments following. It was given in a song, that it might the more easily be learned, and kept in memory, with delight, & might move their affections. against] or in, that is, amongst the sonnes of Israel: so in vers. 26.

Vers. 20. and be fat] the like is prophesied in Deut. 32. 15. and shewed to have come to passe in [unspec 20] Neh. 9. 25, 26.

Vers. 21. answer before them] that is, testifie be∣fore [unspec 21] (and against) them. their imagination] the thing forged in their heart; which the Greeke translateth, their maliciousnesse (or naughtinesse.) This imagination is before the thoughts or cogitati∣ons, as appeareth by 1 Chron. 28. 9. and 29. 18. See Gen. 6. 5.

Vers. 23. I will be with thee] in Greeke, he will be with thee; as being the words of Moses (whom [unspec 23] the Greeke before named) concerning God. The Chaldee translateth, my Word shall be thy helpe. See vers. 8.

Vers. 25. the Levites] especially the Priests the [unspec 25] sons of Levi, as in vers. 9.

Vers. 26. in the side] or, by the side: which in [unspec 26] Thargum Ionathan is expounded, in a coffer by the right side of the Arke.

Vers. 27. stiffe necke] or, hard necke; which else-where [unspec 27] is likened to an iron sinew, Esay 48. 4. See Exod. 32. 9.

Vers. 28. Elders of your Tribes] in Greeke they [unspec 28] are named by one word Phularcha••, that is, Rulers (or Princes) of your Tribes.