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. XII.

1, God calleth Abram to goe into another land, 2, promiseth to blesse him, and in him, all families of the earth. 4, Abram departeth with Lot, from Char∣ran to Canaan. 6, He journeyeth through the Land, 7, which is promised him in a vision; and there he buil∣deth Altars. 10, Hee is driven by a famine into Ae∣gypt. 11, Feare maketh him say his wife to be his sister. 14, For her beauty she is taken into King Pharaohs house; 17, but the Lord by plagues compelleth him to restore her.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

ANd Iehovah sayd unto Abram; Goe [unspec 1] thou, from thy land, and from thy kinred, and from thy fathers house: unto the land, which I will shew thee. And [unspec 2] I will make thee a great nation; and I will blesse thee; and will make thy name great: and be thou a blessing. And I will blesse them [unspec 3] that blesse thee; and him that speaketh∣thee-evill, I will curse: And blessed shall be in thee, all families of the earth. And Abram [unspec 4] went, as Iehovah spake unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy yeeres and five yeeres old, when hee went-out from Charran. And Abram tooke Sa∣rai his wife, and Lot his brothers sonne, and [unspec 5] all their substance that they had gathered, & the soules which they had made in Char∣ran: and they went-out, to goe to the land of Canaan; and they came to the land of Ca∣naan. And Abram passed through the land, [unspec 6] unto the place of Sechem, unto the Oke of Moreh: and the Canaanite was then in the land. And Iehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, unto thy seed will I give this land: [unspec 7] and hee builded there an altar, to Iehovah, who appeared unto him. And hee removed [unspec 8] thence, unto a mountaine, East-ward of Beth-el, and pitched his tent; having Beth-el Sea-ward, and Al East-ward; and he buil∣ded there an altar, unto Iehovah; and hee called on the name of Iehovah. And A∣bram [unspec 9] journyed; going and journying, to∣ward the South.

And there was a famine in the land: and [unspec 10] Abram went-downe to Aegypt, to sojourne there; for the famine was heavy in the land. And it was, when he was come-neere, to en∣ter [unspec 11] into Egypt; that hee sayd unto Sarai his wife; Behold now I know, that thou art a woman of faire countenance. And it will be [unspec 12] when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say, this is his wife: and they will kill me, and thee they will save alive. Say I pray [unspec 13] thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soule shall live because of thee. And it was, when Abram [unspec 14] was entred into Egypt: that the Egyptians saw the woman, that shee was very faire. And Pharaohs Princes saw her, and they [unspec 15] praised her unto Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaohs house. And he did [unspec 16] good to Abram for her sake: and hee had sheepe and oxen, and he asses, and men ser∣vants, and women seruants, and shee asses, and camels. And Iehovah plagued Pharaoh [unspec 17] and his house, with great plagues: because of Sarai, Abrams wife. And Pharaoh called [unspec 18] Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done to me? Why didst thou not tell mee, that she is thy wife? Why saidst thou, she is [unspec 19] my sister? and I might have taken her to me to wife: and now, behold thy wife, take her, and goe away. And Pharaoh commanded [unspec 20] men, concerning him: and they sent away him, and his wife, and all that he had.

Annotations.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 These three letters signifie, that here be∣ginnes the third Parashah or Section of the Law; which upon Gods first words to Abram, is called Lec leca, that is, Goe thou. See before in chap. 6. 9.

Vers. 1. sayd] to weet, after that Abrams father [unspec 1] was dead, Acts 7. 4. Thus God was he that redeemed Abram, Esay 29. 22. Goe thou] or, Goe for thy selfe: signifie in that though no other would, yet he should for his own good, get him out from that idolatrous place. So God calleth al from such estate. Rev. 18. 4. from thy land] or, out of thy country; that wherein he now dwelt in Charran, which was in the same land of Mesopotamia that Vr stood in, Gen. 24. 10. and 28. 2. 7. 10. compared with Act. 7. 2. Gen. 11. 28. The Hebrew Doctors expound the name Charan, by Charonaph, that is, wrathfull anger, (R. Menachem on Gen. 12.) as if hee were now to depart from the place of wrath. So wee which by nature were children of wrath, (Eph. 2. 3.)

are called and chosen of Christ out of this world, and from worldly corruption, Iohn 15. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 4. and are by him delivered from the wrath to come: 1 Thes. 1. 10. thy kinred] to weet, Nachor and the rest, excepting Lot. For although there is no expresse mention of Nachor, among others that went with Thara from Vr, in Gen. 11. 31. yet it ap∣peareth by the history following, that Nachor went so farre as Padan Aram, in Mesopotamia, and there setled: so that it was after called, Nachors City, Gen. 25. 20. and 24. 10. 15. and the same was Charran, Gen. 28. 2. 10. and there was Abrams kin∣red, and country here spoken of, Gen. 24. 4. fa∣thers house] for the father Thararah being dead, his houshold (as it seemeth) would goe no further, but stayed there with Nachor: and onely Lot and his house went with Abram, as the fourth verse, and history following doth confirme. So Tharahs house and Nachor, left following of God, and tur∣ned againe to idolatry; as appeareth by Gen. 31. 30. 53. Ios. 24. 2. From such Christ also calleth all, to follow him, Luke 14. 26. 27. and so the Spirit saith to the Church, forget thy people and thy fathers house, Psal. 45. 11. will shew thee] that is, the land of Canaan, verse 5. but God here nameth it not, for more proofe of Abrams faith and obedience. For as he raised up this man of justice from the east; so cal∣led he him to his foot, that is, to follow him and his direction, Esay 41. 2. Exod. 11. 8. But under this earthly inheritance, was typed an heavenly, which Abram looked for, Heb. 11. 9. 10. And in Salem a city of Canaan, Melchisedek raigned, and was Priest of the most high God, and blessed Abram, Gen. 14. 18. 19.

Vers. 2. a great] or, to a great nation, that is, to be∣come the father of a great nation: see Gen. 2. 7. and [unspec 2] 17. 4. Of this promise, there was no visible hope, because Sarai his wife (being 65 yeere old) was bar∣ren, Gen. 11. 30. for which Abram complained, Gen. 15. 2. 3. But under this promised Nation, was implyed also a spirituall seed, of faithfull people, Rom. 4. 11. 12. Gal. 3. 7. blesse thee] in all things: both earthly, Gen. 24. 1. 35. and heaven∣ly, Gal. 3. 14. Ephes. 1. 3. Gods blessing is his fa∣vour, and thereupon an abundant multiplication of all good things: on the contrary, his curse, is both the depriving of good, and heaping of evill things upon them whom he hateth and punisheth, Lament. 3. 65. 66. thy name] which is better then a good ointment, then great riches, Eccl. 7. 3. Prov. 22. 1. So God made David a great name, 2 Sam. 7. 9. be thou] that is, thou shalt be, (as the Greeke translateth it:) but this mannner of speech is more vehement, as whereby God commandeth the blessing, Psal. 13. 33. So Psal. 128. 5. 6. See thou.

Vers. 3. that speaketh thee-evill] or curseth thee: but here are two words used, and this first, signi∣fieth [unspec 3] evill speaking with light esteeme, or vile con∣tempt, and dishonour. Cursing also signifieth evil∣speaking by men, as Paul sheweth, Act. 23. 5. from Exod. 22. 28. The like blessing, Isaak pronounced unto Iaakob, Gen. 27. 29. and Balaam to Israel, Num. 24. 9. in thee] that is, in thy seed (Christ, who shall come of thee according to the flesh,) Gen. 22. 18. For Christ was sent of God to blesse us, in turning every one of us from our iniquities, Act. 3. 25. 26. and that wee may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, Gal. 3. 14. Wherefore this was a preaching of the gospell to Abram, Gal. 3. 8. And this covenant confirmed before of God in Christ, is ob∣served to bee foure hundred thirty yeeres before the Law, and could not by the Law be disanulled, be∣cause God gave it him by promise, Gal. 3. 17. 18.

Vers. 4. went] By faith, Abraham being called did [unspec 4] obey, to goe out unto a place which hee should after re∣ceive for an inheritance: and he went-out, not knowing whither he should come, Heb. 11. 8. old] Hebr. sonne of five yeeres, and seventy yeeres, that is, going in his 75 yeere: See Gen. 5. 32. And his father Tha∣rah being two hundred and five yeeres old when he dyed, it appeareth that he begat Abram at 130 yeeres, and so not hee but Haran was begotten at Tharahs 70 yeere, Gen. 11. 26. Abram after an 100 yeeres pilgrimage more, died, Gen. 25. 7. and Isaak his son, then 75 y. old, is left heire of Canaan.

Vers. 5. substance] or, gathered-goods: for of get∣ting [unspec 5] and gathering it hath the name: and is a gene∣rall word for cattell, money, or other like goods. the soules] Hebr. the soule: put for soules, that is, persons of men and women, as Gen. 14. 21. and 46. 26. Rom. 13. 1. and often in the Scripture. So in the Hebrew text, man, 1 Chron. 10. 1. is put for men, 1 Sam. 31. 1. wizard, 2 Chron. 33. 6. for wi∣zards, 2 King 21. 6. See before, Gen. 3. 4. and 4. 20. and 10. 16. The Greeke translateth, every soule, As here soules, so elsewhere flesh and spirit, (Act. 2. 17. 1. Iohn 4. 1.) are put for the whole persons. had made] that is, had gotten, to weet, into their possession, as the Greeke manifesteth. But this may be meant, not onely of getting them to their service, (as 1 Sam. 8. 16) but also of winning them to the faith of God; as the Chaldee paraphrast saith, had subdued unto the law: which is very pro∣bable by that example of his houshold souldiers, Gen. 14. 14. and his commendation for teaching his house, Gen. 18. 19. and their receiving the wound of circumcision, Gen. 17. 23. So Thargum Ierusalemy also calleth these, soules of proselytes, (or converts) land of Canaan] a country in Asia the lesse; possessed by Canaan (the son of Cham, the son of Noe) and his sonnes; but for their wic∣kednesse the land was to spue them out, Levit. 18. 25 and it is now promised to be given to Abrams seed, vers. 7. and was thereupon called the land of promise, Heb. 11. 9. a goodly country it was, having water-brooks, fountaines, and springing depths, moun∣taines and vallies, and mines; corne, and wine, and oyle, & honey, & other fruits; it lacked not any thing; it was watered with the raine of heavē, cared for of God, whose eyes were alwayes on it, Deut. 8. 7. 8. 9. & 11. 11. 12. so that it was the pleasantest of all lands, & flowed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 milk and honey, Ezek. 20. 6. In it God had prepared a place where he would dwell among his people the sons of Abram, the land being his, and they strangers and sojourners in it with him, Exod. 15. 17. Leviticus 25. 23. called therefore Iehovahs land, Hos. 9. 3. and the holy land, Zach. 2. 12. the land of Immanuel, that is, of Christ, Esay 8. 8. a figure of an heavenly

country, Heb. 11. 9. 10. the borders of it reached to the great River Euphrates, Gen. 15. 18. And A∣bram who dwelt beyond the river, (without Gods territories) Ios. 24. 2. is now brought of the Lord, into this good land. And the Hebrew Doctors have acknowledged the land to be a figure of hea∣ven, saying, it is written, And thy people shall bee all just, they shall inherit the land for ever, (Esay 60. 21.) this land is a parable, as if he should say, the land of the living, and that is the world to come. Maimony in treat. of repentance, chap. 3. S. 5. So R. Menachem on Gen. 12. referreth it to the land which is above, wa∣tered with waters that are above, &c. And in Thalmud Bab. in Sanhedrin. chapt. Chelek, it is written, All Israelites have their portion in the world to come; as it is said, And thy people shall be all just, they shall inherit the land for ever.

Vers. 6 passed through,] to survey his land wher∣in [unspec 6] he was but a pilgrim, Heb. 11. 9. Sechem] or Sychem; that is, the place where Sychem after was: of which see Gen. 33. 18. This was about the mid∣dest of the country. the oke] that is, the okes, (as it is written in Deut. 11. 30.) meaning a grove or plaine set with okes: the Chaldee therefore calleth it a plaine: but the Greeke, an oke; and it is named in Hebrew, Aelon, of strength. Moreh] this see∣meth to be the name of some man, (as after is men∣tioned the okes of Mamre, Gen. 13. 18.) or of some hill, as in Iudg. 7. 1. The Greeke translateth it, an high oke. Moreh signifieth also a Doctor, Iob 36. 22. the Canaanite] that is, Canaanites, as Gen. 10. 16. 18. So the Greeke saith, the Chanaanites dwelt in the land. An idolatrous and wicked people, as the Chaldeans from whom Abram came, Deut. 12. 30. 31. So Gen. 13. 7. But when God promiseth the clensing of his Church, he saith, the Canaanite shall be there no more, Zach. 14. 21.

Vers. 7. thy seed] that is, to all the children of pro∣mise [unspec 7] (the elect) who onely are counted Abrahams seed, Rom. 9. 7. 8. and in Christ are heyres by pro∣mise, as well the Gentiles as the Iewes, Gal. 3. 26. 28. 29. Therefore the strangers are appointed their lot of inheritance among the Israelites, Ezekiel 47. 22. not in the earthly land, but the heaven∣ly, which Canaany represented, Heb. 11. 9. 10. 14. 16. See Gen. 13. 15. an altar] for sacrifice and thankes to God, (as Gen. 8. 20) who, after his weary travell, had appeared, and comforted him with gracious promises of heyres, and an inheri∣tance: neither of which he had as yet, but onely by faith. Thus he beleeved, and received the promi∣ses thankefully: as Heb. 11. 13. and was the sonne of God, and a light in the mids of a crooked and perverse generation, Phil. 2. 15. Abram is the first man in the world unto whom God is said to appeare or be seen: first in Vr of the Chaldees, Acts 7. 2. next here in Canaan.

Vers. 8. eastward,] or on the east of Bethel: a City [unspec 8] after called by Iakob Beth-el, that is, Gods house: at this time it was named Luz: Gen. 28. 19. his tent] shewing by this, that he abode there as in a strange country, Heb. 11. 9. Psal. 105. 12. for a tent is opposed to an house, or setled dwelling, 1 Chron. 17. 1. 5. seaward,] that is, on the West: for be∣cause the maine sea was the westerne border of the land of Canaan, Num. 34. 6. Ios. 23. 4. therefore the sea is often put for the West: so Gen. 28. 14. Ex. 10. 19. and 26. 22. Ezek. 48. 1. 2. &c. For like rea∣son, the desert is used for the south, in Psal. 75. 7. A••] a city, whereof see Ios. 8. called on] which the Chaldee translateth, prayed in the name: it may also signifie, preaching in the name of the Lord: for, calling or crying unto God, meaneth prayer, Ioel 2. 32. unto men, it is preaching, Esay 40. 3. 6. The cal∣ling on the name of the Lord, is a signe of true faith and godlinesse, Rom. 10. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 2.

Vers. 9. going and journying] that is, continually [unspec 9] journying: see Gen. 8. 3. the south] as towards the Sunne: whereby may be figured his progresse in faith and grace, as Prov. 4. 18. 2 Cor. 3. 18. So the building of the City which Ezekiel saw in vision, was toward the south: Ezek. 40. 2. The Hebrew Doctors say, that Abraham cleaved unto the condion of mercy, for that is the south of the world; and there∣fore all Abrahams journeyes were towards the south: R. Menachem on Gen. 12. The North on the con∣trary, figured the place whence evill proceeded, Ier. 1. 13. 14. And thus Abram passed from place to place, till God had brought him through all the land of Canaan, Ios. 24. 3. The Greeke translateth, camped in the desert. The South (Negeh) is named of Drynesse, for that part of Canaan wanted waters, Iudg. 1. 15. Psal. 126. 4. For this, it may bee, they translated it desert: so in Gen. 13. 1. 3.

Vers. 10. a famine] a new affliction for Abram al∣so, [unspec 10] who was hereby caused to leave his land, and goe as a pilgrim to another barbarous country: so walking from nation to nation, from one kingdome to ano∣ther people, Psal. 105. 13. Although Canaan was a most fruitfull land, Deut. 8. 7. 8. 9. yet God now made it barren, for the wickednesse of them that dwelt therein, Psal. 107. 34. Aegypt] called in Hebrew Mizraim, here and alwayes in the Scrip∣ture: but in the Greeke, the New Testament al∣wayes hath Aegypt. See Gen. 10. 6. And Mizraim is put for the land of Mizraim, by an usuall figure of speech; which the holy text sometime manife∣steth, as 2 Chron. 5. 10. when they came from Ae∣gypt (or Mizraim) for which in 1 King. 8. 9. is writ∣ten, the land of Aegypt: againe there in v. 16. from Aegypt: and in 2 Chr. 6. 5. from the land of Aegypt.

Vers. 11. now] or, I pray thee: a word not of time, [unspec 11] but of request: so ver. 13. and often in the Scripture. of faire countenance] or faire of looke, or visage: Sarai was a figure of the new Testament, and of Ie∣rusalem the mother of us all, Galat. 4. 24. 26. That Spouse of Christ is faire, Song 1. 14. and 4. 1.

Ver. 12. that they] Hebr. and they: so after v. 14. but [unspec 12] and is often put for that: as the Hebrew text shew∣eth, 1 Chr. 17. 10. and the Lord will build: for which in 2 Sam. 7. 11. is written, that he will. See Gen. 27. 4.

Vers. 13. my soule shall live] that is, I, or my selfe [unspec 13] shall live. The word soule is used for any person. That Sarai was indeed Abrams sister, is after mani∣fested, Gen. 20. 12. yet this fact of his, seemeth to be not without humane infirmities.

Vers. 16. Pharaoh] a common name for all the [unspec 16] kings of Aegypt, from these daies of Abram, til after

the returne out of Babylon, when in the begin∣ning of the Grecian Monarchy, they were called P••olomees. And Pharaoh was an Aegyptian title of Soveraignty, Gen. 41. 10. 44. and the Pharaohs had other proper names, as Pharaoh Necoh, 2 King. 23. 29. Pharaoh Hophra, Ier. 44. 30. and the like. By interpretation, Pharaoh signifieth free, and an A∣venger; the first in respect of himselfe; the other of his subjects, whom Kings ought to judge, and take vengeance of evill doers, Rom. 13. 4.

Vers. 16. he did good] or, dealt well with: as the [unspec 16] Greeke translateth, he used well. hee had] or, there was to him: such is the Hebrew phrase usu∣ally. But the Hebraisine is opened by the holy Ghost: as, There is not to us, Luke 9. 13. that is, wee have not, Mat. 14. 17.

Vers. 17. plagued] or touched, stroke Pharaoh with [unspec 17] great strokes. This great deliverance David celebra∣teth, in Psal. 105. 14. He suffered no man to doe them wrong, but reproved Kings for them.

Vers. 19. and I] or, for I. And, is often in stead [unspec 19] of For: as, and he heard, Esay 39. 1. that is, for hee heard, 2 King 20. 12.

Vers. 20. sent away] This word is often used for [unspec 20] sending, or conveighing away with honour, as Exod. 28. 27. and so with accompanying and bringing them on their way, as the Greeke and Chaldee translate it here.