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.

BEthel] that is, Gods house; a place distant from [unspec 1] Sechem, about 30. English miles, southward: of it, see Gen. 28. 11. 19. an altar] that is, offer sacrifice and pay thy vow with thanksgiving for thy former deliverances, and strengthen thy faith, against thy present feares; Gen. 28. 20. 22. & 31. 13. and 34. 30.

Vers. 2. his house] the folke of his house, whom [unspec 2] hee carefully clenseth of idols, (which have no a∣greement with the house of God, 2 Cor. 6. 16.) and informeth in Gods wayes, as did other saints, Gen. 18. 19. Ios. 24. 15. with him] this may be meant of the captived Sechemites, Gen. 34. 29. strange Gods] or strangers Gods: the Hebrew signifieth either Gods of alienation, that is, aliene or strange Gods, as the Greeke explaineth it, or Gods of the ali∣en, that is, of a stranger, or strange nation; and so the Chaldee turneth it, Idols (or erroncous Gods) of the peoples. By these strange Gods are meant idols, ima∣ges, or representations of God, as appeareth by ver. 4. So those which are called the Philistims Gods, which David burned, 2 Chron. 14. 12. are by ano∣ther Prophet said to be their Idols, in 2 Sam. 5. 21. among you] either privily brought from La∣bans house, whence Rachel had stollen her fathers Gods, Gen. 31. 19. or lately taken from, and come with the captive Sechemites, which were idola∣ters. After this example, Iosuah, Samuel, and others, purged the church of idols, when by repentance and faith, they turned and were reconciled to the Lord, Ios. 24. 23. 2 Sam. 7. 3. 4. Iudg. 10. 16. clense] or purifie, which outwardly was (according to the law) by washing in water, and other carnall rites, Levit. 15. 13. Numb. 31. 23. inwardly, by the grace and spirit of God, Psal. 51. 4. 12. Ezek. 36. 25. Heb. 10. 22. It behoveth all, to take heed to their feet, when they goe to the house of God, that they give not the sacrifice of fooles; E••cles. 5. 1. garments] another signe of renuing by faith and re∣pentance: for when men came before God, their garments were either changed if they were unde∣cent, 2 Sam. 12. 20. or otherwise, washed, Exod. 19. 10. 14. Lev. 15. 13. So are wee exhorted to clense our selves, from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit, 2. Cor. 7. 1. and to hate even the garment spotted by the flesh, Iude, v. 23. From this practice of Iakob the Hebrew doctors have gathered a pollution by Idols, saying: Idols doe defile, by the doctrine of the Scribes, and it is closely-signified in the law, (Gen. 35. 2.) put away the strange Gods that are among you, and clense your selves, and change your garments. And therein are foure principall uncleannesses; by the Idol it selfe, and by the ministeriall instruments thereof, and by the Oblation offered thereto, and by the wine that is powred unto it. And they defile men and vessels, by touching them, &c. Deut. 7. 26. Esay 30. 22. Psal. 106. 28. Deut. 32. 28. Maimony in Misn. tom. 3. in Aboth Hatumoth, chap 6 S. 1. &c.

Vers. 3. answered me] the Chaldee translateth, [unspec 3] received my prayer, in the time of my distresse, and his word was my helpe in the way which I have gone. Gods answering of his people, is when by word or work, he granteth their request: as he is said to answer by fire, when by such a signe hee testifieth his ap∣probation, 1. King. 18. 24. so he answereth by gi∣ving men his blessings, Esay. 41. 17. 18. or delive∣ring them from miseries, Psal. 22. 22. it is therefore more then bare hearing, as Esay 30. 19. when hee heareth thee, he will answer thee. So here Iakob cal∣leth the vision and oracle of God, (Gen. 28. 12. 13. &c.) his answer.

Vers. 4. earrings] idolatrous jewels, and supersti∣tious [unspec 4] moniment, which are to be abolished as well as idols; & which may easily be turned into Idols themselves, Hos. 2. 13. Iudg. 8. 24.—27. Deut. 7. 25. and 12. 2. 3. Exod. 32. 3. 4. So by the Hebrew ca∣nons, It is commanded (they say) in Deut. 12. 2. 3. to destroy Idolatry, & the ministeriall instruments thereof,

and what soever is made for the same. And it is forbid den (by Deut. 7. 26.) to have any use (or profit) by any of these things. Maimony treat. of Idolatry, c. 7. S. 1. 2. the oke] or, as the Greeke and Chaldee doe translate it, the Terebinth, (or Turpentine tree,) the tree under which afterwards Iosua set up a stone for a witnesse, when having clensed the people of their idols, he made a covenant with them & gave them a law in Sechem, Ios. 24. 23. 25. 26. There al∣so he hid them from the knowledge of his family, under an oke, that they might not easily be found: okes and other trees being consecrated in those times to religious uses, and therefore stood long unfelled. Deut. 12. 2. see Gen. 21. 33. Vnder such also, they sometimes buried the dead, as after in v. 8. The Greeke version here addeth, Iakob hid them under the Terebinth tree in Sechem, and abolished them unto this day.

V. 5. they journeyed] the Gr. explaineth it, And [unspec 5] Israel removed from Sechem. terror of God] that is, a mighty terror sent of God upon the cities. The Chaldee saith a terror from before the Lord. Other∣wise all the cities round about, would and easily might have destroyed Iakobs family, for the mas∣sacre done at Sechem.

V. 7. El Bethel] that is, the God of Bethel before [unspec 7] he called it Bethel, that is, Gods house, Gen. 28. 19. now for addition of graces from God, hee addeth to the name, calling the place God, figuratively, as being his house. The like is in Exod. 17. 15. was revealed] or, were revealed, that is, did appeare in more manifest sort. Here againe a word plurall, is joyned with the name of God, to signify the myste∣rie of the Trinity in the unity of the godhead: see the notes on Gen. 20. 13. The Gr. translateth it sin∣gularly, was revealed (or did appear:) so also doth the Chaldee, save that for God, it saith, the angel of God.

V. 8. nurse] sent with her from her fathers house, Gen. 24. 59. How she came to be in Iakobs family, [unspec 8] is uncertaine: the Iewes say, she was sent to call Ia∣kob home, as was promised in Gen. 27. 45. She might also come thither upon other occasion, af∣ter Rebekahs death. The oke of weeping] Hebr. Allon Bacuth: this name sheweth his griefe, for the death of this matron; the place also being the safe∣est and most honorable that there hee could have for such a purpose; see the notes on v. 4. & on Gen. 23. 2. The Chaldee paraphrast, for Oke, translateth the Plaine (or vally) of weeping. But the Greeke tur∣neth it an Oke: and so doth the Ierusalemy Thar∣gum. See also Gen. 12. 6.

V. 9. again] the Gr. addeth, in Luz: where he had appeared to him before, Gen. 28. 11. 12. 19. [unspec 9]

V. 10. Israel] the name given him before of the Angel, is here againe given & confirmed of God: [unspec 10] for the strengthning of Iakobs faith, and assurance of Gods grace unto him, See Gen. 32. 28.

Ver. 11. Almighty] or Alsufficient: see Gen. 17. 1. [unspec 11] The Gr. translateth it, thy God. an assembly] or company: church of nations: the Chaldee saith, an as∣sembly of tribes. Here God confirmeth the blessing given to Iakob by his father Isaak: and amplifieth it, see Gen. 28. 3. and 48. 3. 4. Kings] the Chal∣dee addeth; that shall rule over the peoples: thus God giveth him the blessing of Abraham, Gen. 28. 4. and 17. 6.

Ver. 12. and] or, that is to thy seed: see Gen. 13. 15. [unspec 12] The Chaldee explaineth it, and to thy sonnes: the Greeke addeth through their generations.

Vers. 13. God] the Chaldee saith, the glory of the [unspec 13] Lord: meaning the vision which now appeared unto Iakob. See Gen. 17. 22.

Vers. 14. set up] this he had done before, and [unspec 14] now repeateth it: or as is likely, being ruinated, he new repaireth it, see Gen. 28. 18. drinke of∣fring] or, a powred out-offring, an effusion: usually called a drinke offring, because it was onely of li∣quors or moist things, as the Minchah or meat-offe∣ring was of dry. And this drink-offring by the law of God, was of wine, or Sechar, Exod. 29. 40. Num. 28. 7. among the heathens sometime of blood, Psal. 16. 4. oile] to consecrate it, see Gen. 28. 18.

Vers. 15. Bethel] that is, Gods house: see Gen. 28. [unspec 15] 19. Thus hee renewed the memoriall of his faith and thankfulnesse to God, as God did before of his promises to him, v. 10. 11. 12.

Vers. 16. they journeyed] the Greeke version ad∣deth, [unspec 16] Iakob journeyed from Baithel, and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Gader: borrowing these words from the 21. verse. a little peece] or, about a mile, as the Chaldee paraphrase explaineth it, This word is so used also in Gen. 48. 7. 2 King. 5. 19. and not elsewhere. Ephrath] a towne cal∣led usually, Bethlehem, that is, The house of Bread: v. 19. some thinke it to have the name Ephrath of Calebs wife, so called, 1 Chron. 2. 19. 24. It hath both names in Mic. 5. 2. Bethlehem Ephrata: there Christ was borne, Matt. 2. 1. the bread of God that came from heaven, Ioh. 6. 33. had hard child-birth] Hebrew, shee was hard in her child-bearing: that is, had sore and painfull labour. According to the chastisement layd on Eve and her daughters, Gen. 3. 16. It is daily to be seene, and the Philo∣sopher observeth it, that no creature suffreth such strong paines in trauell, as woman doth, (Aristot, de Animal. l. 7.) notwithstanding shee shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue in faith, &c. 1 Tim. 2. 15.

Ver. 17. midwife] named in Hebrew, of helping [unspec 17] the woman in child-birth: so Exod. 1. 15. 16. thou shalt have] or, this also (shall bee) to thee a sonne: as Ioseph before was. And this was according to Rachels desire; see Gen. 30. 24.

Vers. 18. departing] or going-out, from the body [unspec 18] to God that gave it, as Eccles. 12. 7. Psal. 146. 4. This sheweth the Soule of man to bee a spirituall immortall substance, distinct from the body. The heath ens acknowledged this, saying, that death is nothing else, but the departing of the soule from the body, Aristot. in his book of Death: and that the soules of men are divine, and when they goe out of the body, they returne unto heaven: Cicero lib. de Amicit. Ben. oni] the Greek and Chaldee interprets it, Son of my sorrow. In that shee answered nothing, but thus named her son; it sheweth she received no comfort. The like case, was in 1 Sam. 4. 20. 21. The word oni, is after used by Iakob for his painfull strength: Gen. 49. 3. Benjamin] that is, Son of

the right hand: meaning loved, tendered, and especi∣ally regarded. So man of the right hand, in Psal. 80. 18. for one loved and much regarded of God. This only of all Iakobs children, was borne in the land of Canaan.

V. 20. unto this day] the time when Moses wrote [unspec 20] this, and after in Sauls daies, 1 Sam. 10. 2. About this place, at Christs birth, many infants were murdered by Herod: then Rachel wept for her children, and would not bee comforted because they were not, Ier. 31. 15. Mat. 2. 16. 18.

V. 21. Geder] or Gader as the Gr. writeth it: by [unspec 21] interpretation the flocke or herd. A tower of this name is also mentioned in Mic. 4. 8.

V. 22. concubine] a secondary wife; see Gen. 22. 24. [unspec 22] She is called also his wife, Gē. 37. 2. By this shame∣full crime (such as is not once named among the hea∣thens, 1 Cor. 5. 5.) Reuben lost his first-birth: 1 Chron. 5. 1. Gen. 49. 4. Iakob also himselfe, having abused Bilhah, contrary to the first institution of mariage, Gen. 30. 4. is here chastised of God: So Absalom lying with his father Davids cōcubines; God thereby chastised Davids sins, 2 Sam. 12. 10. 11. and 16. 22. heard it] the Greek version ad∣deth, and it appeared evill in his sight. But in the He∣brew, nothing is said; onely an empty space is left in the line, with this marke o to move considera∣tion: as before in Gen. 4. 8. Sometime sorrow is so great, as words or signes, cannot expresse it, Ezek. 24. 23. and such might here be Iakobs case. Here also is a pawse & breaking off, as to a new matter, even in the midst of the verse: so in Deut. 2. 8. twelve] which becomming fathers of many fami∣lies, are called the twelve Patriarehs, Act. 7. 8. and the peoples that came of thē, are named the twelve tribes, Act. 26. 7. and although many great evills, have already and will hereafter more appeare in these sons of Israel; yet God in mercy pardoned them, and hath honoured them in the scriptures with great dignities, that their names should bee graven on twelve precious stones, and caried upon the hie priests heart, Exod. 28. 21. 29. and that the gates of the heavenly Ierusalē should be after the names of these twelve sons of Israel, Ezek. 48. 31. Rev. 21. 12. And their number as it was answera∣ble to the twelve Princes that came of Ismael, Gen. 25. 16. so is it remembred by the twelve Apostles of Christ, Luk. 6. 13. Rev. 21. 14. And although of Io∣seph there came two tribes, Gen. 48. 5. 6. so that af∣ter a sort, there were thirteene: yet the scripture in naming or rehearsing them, usually setteth downe but twelve; omitting the name now of one, then of another, as may in sunday places bee observed, Deut. 33. Ezek. 48. Rev. 7. &c.

V. 23. Issachar] of the naming and interpretation [unspec 23] of these, see the notes on Gen. 29. and 30. Here is to be observed how Issachar & Zabulon, are set next after Iudah, though Dan & Naphtali, Gad & Aser, were borne between them, Gen. 29. 35. and 30. 6. 8. 11. 13. 18. because all the sonnes of one mother should be set together: so they are placed also in Gen. 46. 8. 14. 15. and 49. 3. 14. (where Zabulon is before Issachar,) and Exod. 1. 2. 3. Numb. 1. 5. 9. 26. 28. 1 Chron. 2. 1. And in this order, were they graven and set on the stones upon Aarons Ephod; see Exod. 28 10 21. in the annotations.

V. 26. were borne] so the Gr. expresseth it, the He∣brew [unspec 26] being singular, was borne. So in Gen. 46. 22. Padan Aram] or Mesopotamia, see Gen. 25. 20. But here except Benjamin; for he was borne in Ca∣naan, ver. 18. Iakobs sons, though borne out of the land, yet come thereinto, it being promised them of God, Gen. 28. 13. when Esaus sons borne in the land, do goe out and give place, Gen. 36. 5. 6.

Ver. 27. Mamre] see Gen. 13. 18. and 23. 2. the [unspec 27] Greeke addeth, he being yet alive, to Mambre.

V. 29. his peoples] his godly forefathers: see Gen. [unspec 29] 25. 8. buried him] so Isaak and Ismael buried Abraham: Gen. 25. 9. Esau & Iakob were now 120 yeeres old, Gen. 25. 26. the world was 2288. yeere old. And Isaak had lived blind, above 40. yeeres before his death, Gen. 27. 1. Which death is here mentioned, to make an end of Iakobs history: for otherwise the things following in Gen. 37. & 38. about Ioseph & Iudah, fell out before Isaak dyed.