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.

I Ourneyed] or removed, to weet, from the okes of Mamre, Gen. 18. 1. country] or, land of the [unspec 1] south; that is, the south part of the land of Canaan: see Gen. 12. 9. Kadesh] see Gen. 16. 14. 7. Gerar] a country of the Philistines, in the southern parts of the Land of Canaan, Gen. 10. 19. Hither Isaak came afterward to so journe, for famine, Gen. 26. 1.

Vers. 2. of Sarah] the Hebrew el which properly signifieth unto, is used for of, or concerning and is so [unspec 2] translated by the Greeke, here and Ier. 27. 19. and so the Greeke pros, in like manner, Heb. 1. 7. and 4. 13. Or if we reade it, unto Sarah, the meaning is, that together with her, both he and she said it: as after in vers. 5. is manifested. See the like done before, in Gen. 12. 11. 12. 13.

Vers. 2. Abimelech] by interpretation, Father-King: a common title of the Kings of Palestina, as [unspec 2] Phar〈…〉〈…〉 was of the Kings of Aegypt: see Gen. 26. 1. Psal 34. 1. For Kings should beo Fathers to their countries: so rulers are casled fathers, 2 King. 5. 13. Iob 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 16. and 1 Sam. 1••. 15. where your fathers, is translated in Greeke, your King: see Gen. 4. 20.

Vers. 3, God came] the Chaldee saith, word came from the face of God. This serteth forth Gods care [unspec 3] for his. he suffered ••o man to doe them wrong, but re∣proved Kings for then sakes, Psal. 165. 14. a dream] which is 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 ••on that the mind of man con∣ce〈…〉〈…〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 isle 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 natural arising from the 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 of the body; or affections of the mind, are many, and have their vanities and de∣ceits, Eccles. 5. 7. Esay 29. 7. 8. But dreames super∣naturall sent of God, as here, or by his Angels, as Mat. 2. 13. are to bee regarded: for God by them signifieth what he would, or what men should doe, Gen. 41. 25. Iob 33. 14. 15. 16. &c. Dreames also are sometimes by the lying spirit of Satan: which are not to bee beleeved or regarded, Zach. 10. 2. Deut. 13. 1. 2. 3. See also Gen. 37. 5. a dead man] that is, shalt surely dye. But under such threats, conditions often are implyed: as here, if thou de∣liver not the woman. See Ezek. 33. 14. 15.

Vers. 4. come-neere] that is lyen with her: being [unspec 4] stayed by sicknesse, as it seemeth by verse 17. the Greeke saith, touched her not, the Hebrew also, in verse 6. So Paul useth the phrase of touching a wo∣man, 1 Cor. 7. 1. and Solomon, Prov. 6. 29. just nation] fearing, as it seemeth, wrath upon his peo∣ple also, vers. 9. as often commeth to passe for the Princes sinnes. So for Davids sinne, a plague came on his people, 1 Chron. 21. 14. 17. Or hee calleth his family a nation: which was now visited of God, vers. 17. 18.

Vers. 5. perfection] or, integrity, simplicy, sincerity. [unspec 5] The Chaldee interprets it truth; the Greeke, a pure heart. It is opposed to hypocrisie. innocence of my hands] or, cleannesse of my palmes: the palmes of the hands are named, as wherein filthinesse might be hidden: so purging himselfe even from se∣cret crime.

Vers. 6. with-held] the Greeke translateth, spared [unspec 6] thee It seemeth Gods chastisement restiained him, vers. 17. and so hee was not able to doe the evill, which otherwise naturally hee could, and was proneunto. from sinning] the Greeke saith, that thou shouldst not sinne. As God, for Abrahams sake, with held Abimelech from the fact; so respecting the integrity of the Kings hearr, hee kept him also from the sinne. gave thee not] that is, let or suf∣fered thee not; as the Greeke translateth. Giving is often used for suffering, as Gen. 31. 7. Exod. 3. 19. Psal. 16. 10. but it is more then bare sufferance, as implying an action also on Gods part, who giveth meanes to stay from evill, or sendeth delusions, when so it pleaseth him, as 2 Thess. 2. 7.

Vers. 7. a Prophet] therefore doe him no harme, [unspec 7] Psal. 105. 15. A Prophet in Hebrew Nabi, in Greek Prophetes, from which we have the word Prophet, so named of speaking, interpreting or uttering words and oracles that come from God, Deut. 18. 15. 16. 18. as of seeing or receiving them by visions, such were named Seers, 1 Sam. 9. 9. So Moses interpreter is called his Prophet, Exod. 7. 1. and all interpreters of the Scriptures, 1 Cor. 14. 29. In speciall, a Pro∣phet was one indued with the Spirit of God, and could foretell things to come, Deut. 18. 22. Psalm. 74. 9. Ier. 29. 15. Such are called holy men of God, which spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1. 20. The Hebrew Doctors say; It is one of the foundations of the Law, to know that God maketh the sonnes of men to prophesie: and prophesie resideth not, but in a man that is great in wisedome, mighty in his vertuous qualities, so that his affections overcome him

not, in any worldly thing; but by his knowledge he over∣commeth his affections continually; and he is a man ex∣pert in knowledge, and of a very large vnderstanding: &c. On such a man, the holy spirit commeth downe; and when the spirit resteth upon him, his soule is associa∣ted unto the Angels, and he is changed to another man; and perceiveth in his owne knowledge, that hee is not so as he was, but that hee is advanced above the degrees of other wise men: even as it is said of Saul (in 1 Sam. 10. 6.) and thou shalt prophesie with them, and shalt be turned into another man. Maimony in Iesudei hato∣rah, ch. 7. S. 1. shall pray] This was a speciall worke of the Prophets, to pray for the people, Ier. 14. 11. and 15. 1. whereupon it is said; If they bee Prophets, and if the word of the Lord be with them, let them intreat the Lord, &c. Ier. 27. 18. Praying or in∣terpellation, hath the first signification of judging, and so meaneth the presenting of the person and cause of any unto God as the judge; and the judg∣ing of ones selfe. live thou] that is, thou shalt live: but it is a powerfull manner of speech: (wher∣upon God is said to command his mercy, and the salvation and blessing of his people, Psal. 42. 9. and 44. 5. and 133. 3.) The like is often used, as Amos 5. 4. seeke me and live: that is, yee shall live, and dwell for ever, Psal. 37. 27. dying] that is, shalt surely die: see Gen. 2. 17.

Vers. 9. that should not] the Chaldee translateth, that are not meet to be done; the Greeke saith, which [unspec 9] none should doe.

Vers. 11. Surely or, Onely. The Greeke translateth, [unspec 11] Lest there be not the feare of God: so making it an un∣perfect speech, implying doubt, as in Mat. 25. 9. By the feare of the Lord men depart from evill: Prov. 16. 6.

Vers. 12. of my father] The Iewes opinion from [unspec 12] hence is, that Sarah was the same that Iseah, men∣tioned in Gen. 11. 29. and had two names: and that she being the grandchild of Thara, by another wo∣man then Abrahams mother, is so spoken of here. became] Hebr. was to me, for a wife.

Vers. 13. they euen God] Aelohim the name of God, in forme plurall, is usually joyned with a [unspec 13] word singular, as hee created, Gen. 1. 1. here and in some few other places, it is coupled with a word plurall ••no without mystery of the Trinity: which the Gentiles not understanding, they fell to hold many gods, contrary to the truth, Deut. 6. 4. A like speech of God is after used, in Gen. 35. 7. and in 2 Sam 7. 23. they even God went: which an other Prophet relating saith singularly, God hee went, I Chron. 17. 21. so that though words of the plurall number be joyned, yet the plurality of gods is no way intended; one Scripture clearing another: yea sometime the very same text, explaining it selfe, as Ios. 24. 19. Aelohim holies (or holy ones) he. The Greek translateth here singularly, when God brought mee out from my father house: the Chaldee other∣wise thus, And it was when the peoples wandered, (that is, committed idolarry,) after the workes of their hands, the Lord applyed mee unto his feare, out of my fathers house. is thy kindnesse] or shall be thy mercy, that is, thy worke of mercy: so love, (1 Iohn 3. 1.) is put for the benefits proceeding from love; and wrath, (Mic. 7. 9. Rom. 13.) is for punishment proceeding from wrath.

Vers. 15. before thee] exposed to thy choice: See [unspec 15] Gen. 13. 9. good in thine eyes] that is, as the Greek translateth, where it pleaseth thee.

Vers. 16. a 1000 shekels] or shistings. The word [unspec 1] shekels understood in the Hebrew, is expressed by the Chaldee interpreter: so in 2 Sam. 18. 12. and 2 King. 6. 25. and the Greeke also hath a 1000 di∣drachmes, meaning shekels, for so in Gen. 23. 15, 16. and in many other places, the Hebrew shekels are turned in Greeke didrachmes, (or double drams:) and usually where silver is set downe, and not the summe, shekels are understood, as appeareth by Num. 7. 13. 85. where the shekell of the sanctuary na∣med after, sheweth the same to bee meant before. Also where shekels are set downe, and the mettall not expressed, silver is understood, not gold or any other: as is manifest by Exod. 30 13, 15. compared with Exod. 38. 25, 26. A shekel (comming of Sha∣kal, he weighed, from whence our English skole and skale to weigh with, is derived,) is by interpreta∣tion a weight, as being the most common in pay∣ments, in which they used to weigh their money, Gen. 23. 16. Ier. 32. 9. And the shekel of the sanctu∣ary, weighed twenty gerahs, Exod. 30. 13. and a Ge∣rah by the Iewes records, weighed sixteen graines of barley: so the holy shekell weighed 320 graines: as Maimony sheweth in treat. of Valuations, &c. ch. 1. S. 4. But the common shekel weighed they say, halfe so much, viz. 160. graines; which make two drammes and 16. graines. The Chaldee calleth a shekel Silghna, and Selang, (from whence our Eng∣lish shilling, seemeth to be borrowed:) and the quan∣tity of the common shekel differed not much from our shilling, as the shekel of the sanctuary was about two shillings. This Chaldee name came in use among the Iewes after their captivity in Babylon, and was somewhat more in weight, then the shekell of Moses, which weighed 320 graines of barley: but now our wise men have added thereto, (saith Maimony in treat. of shekels, ch. 1. S. 2.) and made the weight of it equall to the coine called Selangh, in the time of the se∣cond Temple: and that Selangh weighted 384. com∣mon graines of barley. to thy brother] that is, to Abraham, thy husband, whom thou calledst thy brother: to him rather then to her, was it given, lest suspition should arise that she was defiled. he is to thee, &c.] that is, he is, (and shall be) thy hus∣band to defend thee from injury, and to whom thou must professe subjection. For the covering of the eies and face with a vaile, was a signe of the womans sub∣jection to the man, and of his power over her. Gen. 24. 65. 1 Cor. 113, 6, 7, 10. Or thus, it shall be to thee: that is, this gift of mine to thy brother, shall bee a recompence of the injury done in taking thee from thy husband. The Hebrew is ambiguous, and may in∣differently bee read, he or it; and so the Chaldee; though it favoureth most this latter, saying, behold it is to thee a covering of honour, for that I did send to take thee, and have seene thee and all that are with thee. The Greek more plainly thus, these (1000 didrach∣mes)

shall be to thee, for an honour of thy face, and to all the (women) that are with thee. and all that, &c.] that is, and all (this is) that (thou maist be) rebu∣ked, and warned to cary thy selfe otherwise: and so they are the words of Abimelech. Or, if they be the words of Moses, wee may read, and all (this was) that (shee might bee) rebuked. The Chaldee translateth, and for all that thou hast said, and be thou rebuked: the Greeke thus, and all things speake thou truely.

Vers. 18. closing closed] that is, fast closed. See the [unspec 18] like phrase, in Gen. 2. 17.