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.

PLead] This properly is to contend or debate a matter with many words, as the next word, war [unspec 1] or fight, is with deeds. But Gods pleading o〈…〉〈…〉imes is in action; as he pleaded Davids cause against Na∣bal, when he slew him, 1 Sam. 25. 39. And as here David prayeth, so God elsewhere promiseth to plead with those that plead with his people, Isa. 49. 25. warre] which in the originall tongue hath the name of cutting, biting or devouring, for warres devoure and consume many. So the sword is said to have a mouth, that is, an edge, Iob 1. 15. Heb. 11. 34. and to eat, that is, to kill and consume, 2 Sam. 11. 25.

Vers. 3. drawout] or, as the Hebrew phrase is, [unspec 3] empty, that is, unshead; the like is of the sword, Exod. 15. 9. Levit. 26. 33. sword] or close wea∣pon, as the name signifieth. This interpretation see∣meth best, because of the Hebrew pause, which joy∣neth this word with the former, speare: thus also these two weapons of offence are answerable to the former two of defence, the shield and buckler: and of this Hebrew name Segor, the Greeke Saga∣ris (and perhaps the Latine Securis,) seemeth to be borowed, for a sword or axe. And in Iob 28. 15. this word is used for a close treasure, or stored gold; as here for a close weapon. Otherwise wee may reade according to the Greeke, and other versions, close thou, or stop, to wit, the way or passage.

Vers. 4. that seeke my soule] that is, my life to [unspec 4] take it away: for so this phrase commonly meaneth, as Psal. 38. 13. and 54. 5. and 70. 3. Exod. 4. 19. Mat. 2. 20. and sometime is so explained, as Psal. 63. 10. 1 King. 19. 10. they seeke my soule to take it away. Yet somtime this phrase intendeth seeking the soule for ones good, as Psal. 142. 5. turned backward] a token of feare, shame, and discomfiture, as Psal. 129. 5. and 40. 15. and 70. 3. and 9. 4. Isa. 42. 17. Ier. 46. 5.

Vers. 6. Darknesse, &c.] that is, most darke and [unspec 6] slippery: meaning, fearfull, dangerous, troublesome, &c. Nahum 1. 8. Psal. 88. 7. and 107. 9. Prov. 4. 19. So elsewhere it is said, their way shall be unto them us slippernesses in the darknesse; they shall be dri∣ven and fall therein, Ier. 23. 12.

Vers. 7. the corruption, &c.] that is, their cor∣rupting [unspec 7] pernicious net, or their insnaring corruption: or understanding the word in, we may reade, they hid their not for me in a pit, (or, in a corrupting ditch;) as Psal. 7. 16. have digged] to wit, a pit to fallin; so Iob 6. 27. Or, have diligently sear∣ched, and laid wait. So digging is used for seeking, Iob 3. 21. and 39. 32.

Vers. 8. tumultuous ruine] calamitie, wasting or [unspec 8] desolation that is with noise and sonnd as of waters, Isa. 17. 12, 13. So Psal. 63. 10. Prov. 1. 27.

Vers. 10. my bones] that is, my strong and solid mem∣bers [unspec 10] (as the Chaldee translateth it members,) delive∣red out of danger: meaning that with all his strength he would praise God: So the bones are said to rejoyce, Psal. 51. 10. the loines to blesse, Iob 31. 20. the spoiler] or robber, that by open violence taketh away. Compare Iob 5. 15.

Vers. 11. of cruellwrong] that is, cruell, violent, [unspec 11] or (as the Greeke saith,) unjust witnesses. So Exod. 23. 1. Deut. 19. 16.

Vers. 12. the bereaving of] that is, to deprive, [unspec 12] bereave or rob me of my soule or life; or, to bereave my soule of comfort. The word properly signifieth the bereaving or losse of children.

Vers. 13. s••ck••loth] used to bee worne in signe [unspec 13] of sorrow, Psal. 69. 12. Gen. 37. 34. Mat. 11. 21. Rev. 11. 3. Here 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are to understand the word was, on gave, as is expressed, Psal. 69. 12. even as the word afflicted, here expressed, is there under∣stood, Psal. 69. 11. with fasting] another signe and cause of sorrow: wherefore mourning & fasting are used for the same, Matt. 9. 15. with Mark. 2. 19. returned up on 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bosome] or, into my bo∣some. The meaning may be, I prayed ••ften for them, secretly, and with hearty laving affection. For, the re∣turning of the prayer seemeth to meane the often minding and repeating of it; the bosome signifieth se∣crecie, Prov. 21. 14. and 17. 23. Psal. 89. 51. and inward affection, Num. 11. 12. Ioh. 1. 18. Or wee may reade it thus; Let my prayer returne into thy bosome, that is, I wished no worse to them than to my selfe, let me receive of God such good as I pray∣ed for them. See Psal. 79. 12.

Vers. 14. sad] or blacke, to wit, in blacke and [unspec 14] mournfull attire, and with sad and heavy counte∣nance, as the Greeke here translateth it, Scuthropa∣zon, which word the new testament also useth, Matt. 6. 16. Luke. 24. 17. So after in Psal. 38. 7. and 42. 10. and 43. 2. bewaileth his mother] mourneth at her funerall. In this case the affections are most strong. Therefore the Priests were permit∣ted to mourne for such, Levit. 21. 1, 2, 3.

Vers. 15. my halting] that is, my calamitie and [unspec 15] infirmitie, whereby I seemed ready to fall. So in Psal. 38. 18. Ier. 20. 10. the smiters] that smote me with the tongue, as Ier. 18. 18. and as here fol∣loweth, they rent, &c. The Seventy in Greeke turne it Scourges, alluding (as I thinke) to the scourge of the tongue, as Iob 5. 21. and another Greeke versi∣on hath plectai, smiters. It may also be read the smit∣ten, that is, abjects, vile persons, Iob 30. 8. (as the Chaldee expresseth it, the wicked;) or understand smitten on their feet, as 2 Sam. 4. 4. that is, lame, so faining themselves: or smitten in spirit, as Esai. 66. 2. that is, grieved in outward shew. they rent] to wit, me with reproaches, as Matt. 7. 6. or rent their garments, counterfeiting sorrow for me, Iob 2. 12.

Vers. 16. hypocrites] or, close dissemblers, which [unspec 16] outwardly cover and cloke their wickednesse, wherewith inwardly they are defiled, Matt. 23. 27, 28. or which have their hearts covered, Iob 36. 13. The Greeke also (from whence our English word hypocrisie is borrowed,) signifieth an under judgement, that is, dissimulation. scoffers] or, of scoffes, that is, men that make scoffs; as in Psal. 36. 12. pride is for proud persons. for a cake of bread] that is, for good cheare, for their bellies: or, at their belly cheare, at banquets. So Solomon speaketh of some that will transgresse for a peece of bread, Prov. 28. 21. The originall word Mag••nog is a cake, 1 King. 17. 12. and as bread is used for all food, Psal. 136. 25. so a cake seemeth to be used for all juncates or dainty meats; as in Hos. 7. Ephraim is likened to a cake, and their enemies to banketters that greedily eat them up, verse 8, 9. so here Da∣vid matcheth his adversaries with hypocriticall and scoffing parasites, whose God was their belly, as Phil. 3. 19. Or wee may figuratively take this word for a mocke jest, or mer••ment, and so reade it, with hypocriticall jesting scoffers: and this the Greeke favoureth, saying, they mocked me with mockage. gnashing] or, they gnashed: Hebr. to gnash; but a word thus indefinite, following another with per∣son, is it selfe of the same, by proprietie of the He∣brew tongue. So Psal. 49. 15. their teeth] the teeth of them and him, that is, of every of them. See Psal. 2. 3.

Vers. 17. returne] or, reduce, restore stay my soule [unspec 17] or life: so Iob 33. 30. alonely] or solitarie, de∣solate soule: See Psal. 23. 21,—23.

Vers. 18. a mightie people] or, a strong, to wit, [unspec 18] in number, that is, a great multitude. The word Ghnatsum, as it is mighty in strength, Psal. 135. 10. Prov. 30. 26. so is it many in number, Psal. 40. 6. 13. and 105. 24. and 137. 17.

Vers. 19. enemies with falsitie] that is, for a false [unspec 19] cause; or (as the Greeke explaineth it) unjustly. winke] make secret signes by the winking of the eye, which argueth both privie and scoruefull gesture; therefore this alwaies is a signe of evill, Prov. 10. 10. and 6. 13. not peace] that is, not peaceably or friendly, which yet some hypocrites doe, Psal. 28. 3. or, not speake to come to any sound composition, or peaceable end which one may trust unto. But God speaketh peace to his people, Psal. 85. 9. words of deceits] deceitfull words or things.

Vers. 21. hath seene] or, seeth, to wit, the evill of [unspec 21] David, or, that which we desired. In speeches of evill cases, often the Hebrew useth silence. So af∣ter in Psal. 54. 9. and 59. 11. and 118. 7.

Vers. 23. to my judgement] that is, to judge and [unspec 23] avenge me of mine enemies: so after, to my plea, is, to plead my cause, as vers. 1.

Vers. 25. aha our soule] that is, aba•••• have our [unspec 25] desire. Soule is sometime put for desire, Psal. 41. 3.

Vers. 26. cloathed with bashfulnesse] meaning [unspec 26] their confusion on every side, when nothing but their shame appeareth and so continueth. So Psal. 109. 29. and 132. 18. Iob 8. 22. that magnifie] to wit, their mouthes, as is expressed, Hobad. 1. 12. Ezek. 35. 13. that is, speake great things and boast∣fully, as the Greeke explaineth. So after in Psal. 38. 17. and 55. 13. delight my justice] whom my justice and innocency pleaseth or delighteth, and the defence thereof.