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.

GOd remembred] that is, shewed himselfe to [unspec 1] have care of Noe, and helped him out of his troubles. Things are often spoken of God, after the manner of men: as Gen. 6. 6. So after Gen. 30. 22. every beast] or, every living thing; the Greek translateth, all wild beasts, and addeth all fowles and all creeping things. a wind:] The Hebrew name Ruach, signifieth generally any spirit, or wind; and all winds are brought forth of God out of his treasu∣ries, Psal. 135. 7. and wee know not whence they come, or whither they goe, Ioh. 3. 8. but God ma∣keth the weight for them, Iob 28. 25. and raised this wind extraordinarily, in mercy. asswaged] or, were stilled, quieted. This word is applyed also to the asswaging of anger, Est. 2. 1. and of murmurings, Num. 17. 5. Wherefore this wind, (which seemeth to be extraordinary,) had a miraculous effect in as∣swaging the waters, whereas usually wind maketh them rage, Psal. 107. 25. Ion. 1. 4. Therefore one Chaldee paraphrase calleth it a wind, (or spirit) of mercies.

Vers. 2. of the deepe] the water gulfes within the [unspec 2] earth, which before were broken up: see Gen. 7. 11. stopped] thus God shewed himselfe to be hee that can stay the bottles of heaven, Iob 38. 37.

Vers. 3. going and returning] that is, continually re∣turning, [unspec 3] to weet, into their channels and treasuries

within the earth, Psal. 33. 7. Eccles. 1. 7. So after in vers. 5. going and abating, that is, continually abating, more and more. So going, is elsewhere used for con∣tinuing, and increasing, Exod. 19. 19. The like is in Gen. 12. 9. at the end] or after: as the Greeke translateth it here, and in v. 6.

Vers. 4. of Ararat] that is, of Armenia: a country [unspec 4] neere Assyria and Mesopotamia, mentioned also in 2 King. 19. 37. Esay 37. 38. Ier. 51. 27. The Greek here calleth them as the Hebrew Ararat, but in Esay 37. 38. it translateth it Armenia. Also the Chaldee here calleth them mounts of Kardu, which many Writers witnesse to be hills in Armenia. And the name Ararat seemeth to bee turned into Ar∣menia, of Aram, (that is Syria) and Minni, (wherof see Ier. 51. 27) or of Ararat & Minni compounded.

Vers. 5. tops] Hebr. the heads.

Vers. 6. that Noe opened] Hebr. and Noe opened: [unspec 5] [unspec 6] we may leave the word and, as doth the Greeke, and our English speech also beareth: which the Hebrew it selfe elsewhere sheweth may bee done, as 2 King. 14. 10. and why shouldst thou meddle? but in 2 Chron. 25. 19. and is left out: so in 2 Chron. 18. 12. and is set downe, which in 2 King. 22. 13. is left out. So it may be in many other places, as Gen. 22. 4.

Vers. 7. a Raven] an uncleane fowle, Deut. 14. 14 [unspec 7] sent forth forty dayes after the tops of the mounts appeared, to see if the waters were abated, as the Greek addeth, and as the next verse sheweth of the dove. For the Raven would have fed on the dead kar∣kasses, if any had appeared, Prov. 30. 17. retur∣ning] that is, flying to and fro, returning to the arke, but not into the same, which the Dove after did, vers. 9. whereupon the Greeke interpreters (as it seemeth) translated it returned not. Noe had no ty∣dings of the waters abating, brought by this mes∣senger, therefore he sendeth another, the Dove: which returning with an Olive leafe or branch; vers. 11. signified the glad tidings of peace, by the ministery of the Gospell, and of the Spirit, (which the Dove represented Mat. 3. 16.) but the mini∣stery of the Law & letter (which the Raven seem∣eth here to figure out,) giveth the heart of man no evidence, that the waters of Gods wrath for sinne, are any whit abated.

Vers. 8. a Dove from him] the Greeke saith, after him, meaning the Raven. This Dove seemeth to be [unspec 8] sent out seven dayes after the Raven, as may bee gathered by the 10. verse, where is mentioned Noes waiting other seven dayes. Of the sending forth of this Dove, and of her returning unto Noe, (whom heathens name Deucalion) there is express mention in humane Writers, Plutarch. dialog. de industr. animal. abated] Hebr. lightned: that is, decreased: so in v. 11.

Vers. 10. he waited] or, patiently abode: so in v. [unspec 10] 12. did againe send] or, added to send: so in v. 12. did not adde to returne: and verse 21. I will not adde to curse; that is, not curse any more.

Vers. 11. leafe] or branch: as it is elsewhere eng∣lished, Nehem. 8. 15. a signe that the waters were [unspec 11] low: and spiritually a token of grace and peace in Iesus Christ, brought in the mouth, that is, the word and doctrine of the Ministers of the Gos∣pell, compared unto Doves, Mat. 10. 15. Esay 60. 8. Romanes 10. 15. which came unto the Church in the evening of times, in these last dayes, Heb. 1. 1.

Vers. 13. the 601 yeere] to weer, of Noes life: as [unspec 13] the Greeke expresseth. in the first] to weet, the first moneth, as the Greeke addeth; and the He∣brew before in v. 4. and after in v. 14. plainly spea∣keth; but affecting brevity, such words are often omitted. So after: the first of the moneth, that is, the first day, as the first of the feast, Mat. 26. 17. is expoun∣ded by the holy Ghost, the first day of the feast, Marke 14. 12.

Vers. 14. the 27 day of the moneth] By this it ap∣peareth [unspec 14] that Noe was in the arke a full yeere (or yeere of dayes) containing 365 dayes, according to the course of the Sunne. For he entred the ark, the 17 day of the second moneth, in the 600 yeere of his life, Gen. 7. 11. 13. and there he continued till the 27 day of the second moneth in the 601 yeere of his life, as the 13 and 14 verses of this 8^th Chapter shew. Now the twelve moneths of the Hebrewes had 354 dayes, (for sixe moneths had each of them thirty dayes, and the other sixe mo∣neths had each 29 dayes, which make 354:) to which adde 11 dayes, (till the 27 of the 2 moneth full ended) and there are dayes 365.

Vers. 19. after their families] that is, the male with [unspec 19] his female, not confusedly rushing out all together, but in order, and after their kind, as the Greeke translateth. Families are here attributed to the bruit creatures, as before, man and wife, Gen. 7. 2.

Vers. 20. built an Altar] of earth, as is probable [unspec 20] by the Law after given in Exod. 20. 24. an Altar of earth shalt thou make unto me. And such the Nati∣ons after used, mentioning Altars of grasse, and of turfe, Uirgil. Aeneid. 12. Horat. l. 1. od 19. An Al∣tar is called in Hebrew, Mizbeach, that is, a sacri∣ficatory, or place of slaying the sacrifice, for the sacri∣fices were killed, upon it, or by it, Gen. 22. 9. 10. Lev. 1. 11. It was a holy place, and sanctified the offering. Mat. 23. 19. Exod. 29. 37. and so was a fi∣gure of Christ, by whom we offer the sacrifice of praise alwayes to God, Heb. 13. 10.—15. And it is a tradi∣tion of the Iewes, that the place where Noe built this altar, was the place where Abraham afterward built an Altar to offer Isaak, Gen. 22. 2. and where Kain and Abel offered before. See the notes on Gen. 4. 3. every cleane beast] of the bullocks, sheep, and goats: see the notes on Gen. 7. 2. So in Pirke R. Eliezer, chap. 23. it is said, Noe brought of the kind of cleane beasts, a bull, a sheepe, and a goat, and of the kind of cleane fowles, turtle doves and young Pige∣ons, and built an Altar, and offered, &c. burnt∣offrings:] named in Hebrew gnoloth, that is, ascen∣sions, for that they went up in fire to the Lord, all (except the skin) upon the altar, as Moses sheweth, saying, It is the burnt-offring, because of the burning u∣pon the altar all the night, unto the morning, Leviti∣cus 6. 9. Therefore the Holy Ghost in Greeke calleth them holocautomata, that is, whole burnt∣offerings, and sheweth how they figured Christs body offered up unto God for us, Hebrewes 10. 6. 10.

and our reasonable service of God by him, whiles we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and ac∣ceptable unto God, Rom. 12. 1. Externall burnt of∣ferings were in use in the Church, before the Law given at mount Sinai, as appeareth by this, and Exod. 10. ••5. and 18. 12.

Vers. 21. the smell] or, the odour savour: It hath [unspec 21] the name originally of respiration, and it signified Gods gracious acceptation of the sacrifice offered; as 1 Sam. ••6. 19▪ let him smell an offring: Lev. 26. 31 I will not smell the smell of your sweet odours: So in Amos 5. ••1. Wherefore the Chaldee translateth, the Lord accepted with favour his oblation. The Scrip∣ture speaketh of God, after the manner of men, who are delighted with sweet odours, Esay 3. 24. Song 1. 〈…〉〈…〉 of rest] that is, of sweetnesse, or of sweet savour, which refresheth, comforteth, and quieteth the sense. The Hebrew word is of the same root that Noes name was of, which signified rest and comfort, Gen. 5. 29. The Greeke here, and usually, turneth it eu••di••s, of sweet-savour: which the Apostle followeth, saying; Christ hath gi∣ven himselfe for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a smell of sweet savour, Ephesians 5. 2. where this sacrifice of Noe, and all other in the Law, are shewed to have their accomplishment in Christs death: for otherwise, as it was unpossible that the blood of buls and goats should take away sinnes, Heb. 10. 4. so was it unpossible that the smoake of such flesh burned, should be a sweet odour to God. in his heart] or, unto his heart, that is, hartily, minding and purposing this thing which followeth. Some understand it, unto Noes heart, as spoken to his comfort: but the Hebrew (el) unto, is often used for in: as Gen. 6. 6. 1 Sam. 27. 1. and the Greek explaineth it in the former sense. The Chal∣dee translateth in (or by) his word: which may bee understood as an oath; as not onely the Hebrew Doctors say, that God stretched out his right hand, and swar••, &c. (Pirke R. Eliezer, chap. 23.) but the Prophet also witnesseth, I have sworne that the wa∣ters of Noe▪ shall no more goe over the earth, Es. 54. 9. not againe curse] or, not adde to curse: This ta∣king away of the curse (notwithstanding mans cor∣rupt heart remaining) is a notable testimony of Gods rich mercy in Christ, by whom we are freed from the curse, Gal. 3. 13. Rev. 22. 3. Zach. 14. 11. For the covenant now made concerning the waters with Noe▪ was a figure of that spirituall and eter∣nall covenant of peace with us in Christ, as is shew∣ed in Esay 54. 8. 9. 10. for mans sake] the Greek saith, for mens workes. for the imagination] or, though the fiction: See Gen. 6. 5. where from mens merits, the contrary is concluded to that which here God in mercy promiseth. youth] or child-hood: so that it meaneth not onely mans age, but infancy or childs age, as the word▪ whence youth here is derived, is spoken of Moses when he was a babe, Exod. 2. 6. and we all are transgressors from the womb, Esay 48. 8. Psal. 51. 7. and 58. 4. In Breshith rabba (an Hebrew commentary upon this place) a Rabbine is said to bee asked, When is the evill imagination put into m••n? And hee answered, From the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he is formed. as I have done] to weet, universally with water: howbeit, fire shall consume the remnant, Iob 22. 20. for the heavens and the earth now, are by Gods word kept-in-store, reserved unto fire, against the day of judgement; and perdition of ungodly men: 2 Pet. 3. 7.

Vers. 22. Henceforth, all dayes of the earth] that is, [unspec 22] Hereafter, so long is the earth endureth. It is a pro∣mise to conserve the orderly course and state of the world through all ages, unto the end: under which also the promise of stability of grace in Christ, is spiritually covenanted unto the faithfull: as Ier. 33. 20. 21.