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.

BE fruitfull] the blessing first given to Adam, Gen. 1. 28. is here renewed, in the same words: [unspec 1] and the Greeke hereto addeth, and exercise domi∣nion (or sub due it) which the Hebrew expresseth in Gen. 1. Here it is impyled in the verse following.

Vers. 2. shall be upon every beast] or, be it upon [unspec 2] them: This is that soverainty which Adam had over the creatures before his fall; though not after the same manner; for then the creatures were sub∣ject of their owne accord, now of feare, and by constraint. And although many beasts rebel against men, and destroy them, (especially for some great sinnes, Lev. 26. 22. 1 King. 13. 24. 2 King. 2. 24.) yet as the Apostle saith, every nature of wild beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and things in the Sea, is tamed, and hath beene tamed of the nature of man, Iam. 3. 7.

Vers. 3. moving] or, creeping thing that is living: [unspec 3] that is, as the Greeke in the former verse transla∣teth, moving things which live: whereby things that dye alone, or are not lawfully killed, seeme unto some to bee excepted; as after in the Law, such are plainly forbidden to be eaten, Lev. 22. 8. Exod. 22. 31. So the law touching uncleane beasts, fowles, fishes, &c. mentioned in Lev. 11. seemeth not to be given as yet. And this was the ancient Rabbines judgement, as in Breshith rabba they say. What is that which Psal. 145. 7. teacheth us, saying: The Lord looseth the bound? All beasts which have beene forbidden as uncleane in this world, God will clense and licence them in the world to come of the Mes∣sias. Even as to the sonnes of Noe, at the first they were cleane, as it is written (Gen. 9. 3.) every moving thing that is living, to you shall bee for meat: as the greene herbe, &c. As the herbe is permitted unto all, so all beasts shall be permitted unto all. as the greene herbe] given before for meat to man and beast, Gen. 1. 29. 30.

Vers. 4. with the soule] or, in the soule, that is, the [unspec 4] life: for so the soule often signifieth, Iob 2. 6. Ioh. 10. 15. 17. the blood] this declareth what the former meant; in the soule, that is, the blood: a rea∣son whereof is shewed in the law, Lev. 17. 11. for the soule (or life) of the flesh is in the blood: and in vers. 14. the soule of all slesh, is the blood thereof. So this law against eating flesh with the life or blood; seemeth to be against cruelty, not to eate any part while the creature is alive, or the flesh not orderly mortified, and clensed of the blood: 1 Sam. 14. 32. 33. 34. and this the reason following doth confirm. Also the Hebrew Doctors make this the seventh commandement given to the sons of Noe, which all Nations were bound to keepe: as there had bin sixe from Adams time. Which they reckon thus; The first against idolatry, worship of starres, ima∣ges, &c. The second against blaspheming the name of God. The third against shedding of blood. The fourth against unjust carnall copulations, whereof they make sixe sorts: 1. with a mans own mother, 2. or with his fathers wife; 3. or with his neighbours wife; 4. or with his sister by the mo∣thers side; 5. or with mankind; 6. or with beasts. (Five of which they gather to bee forbidden by Gen. 2. 24. the other by Abrahams speech, Gen. 20. 12.) The fift precept was against rapine or robbe∣ry. The sixt to have judgement or punishment for malefactors. And unto Noe was added the seventh this here mentioned; which they understād to for∣bid the eating of any mēber, or of the flesh of a beast

taken from it alive. Whosoever in the world, trans∣gressed any of these seven commandements wil∣fully, the Iewes held he was to be killed with the sword: as sheweth Maimony in Misneh, treat. of Kings, chap. 9. But the Heathens that would yeeld to obey these seven precepts, though they recei∣ved not circumcision, nor observed the other or∣dinances given afterward to Israel; they were suf∣fered to dwell as strangers among the Israelites, and to so journe in their land, as is shewed after up∣on Exod. 12. 45. and Lev. 22. 10.

Vers. 5. And surely your blood] This the Greeke [unspec 5] translateth, For even your blood: so making it a cause and reason of the former prohibition. of your soules] that is, your life blood, whereby your persons are kept alive. Or, of your soules, that is, of your selves; meaning, that whoso killeth himselfe, God will require his blood at his owne hands, and judge him as a murderer. So the Iewes expound these words: Maimony in Misn. tom. 4. treat. of Murder, chap. 2. S. 3. require] or, seeke out; and conse∣quently punish, as Gen. 42. 22. Hereupon God is called the requirer (or seeker out) of bloods, Psalm. 9. 13. and so the punisher. For where Moses saith in Deut. 18. 19. I will require it of him: Peter ex∣poundeth it, he shall be destroyed from among the peo∣ple, Act. 3. 23. every beast] So God ordained in the law, that the beast which killed a man, should be put to death; Exod. 21. 28. But the Iewes apply this against such men as procure their neigh∣bours death by any wilde beast: Maimony in the foresaid place. of every mans brother] this the Chaldee translateth, of the man that shall shed his bro∣thers blood. By brother, is meant any other man, (as the next verse sheweth:) for God made all man-kind of one blood, Act. 17. 26. The Iew Doctors un∣derstand this of such as lend or hire another man to kill their neighbour, Maimony ibidem.

Vers. 6. He that sheddeth, &c.] meaning wilfully: [unspec 6] for he that killed his neighbour unawares: his life was provided for by the law, in Num. 35. 11. by man shall his blood be shed] that is, by the Magi∣strate; whose power is here stablished, for killing all wilfull murderers: as the Chaldee expresseth it, saying, with witnesses by sentence of the Iudges, shall his blood be shed. This was one of the seven com∣mandements given to the sonnes of Noe, foremen∣tioned. And this accordeth with the law, Num. 35. 29. 30. but private men may not use the sword, Mat. 26. 52: Rom. 73. 4. image of God] and so the injury is not onely to man, but to God him-selfe. The image of God in men, is defaced by sin; but not wholly: and mans nature having a soule spirituall, vnderstanding, immortall, &c. still re∣maineth, wherein part of Gods image is yet to bee seene in man. So the Apostle useth a like reason against the cursing of men, Iam. 3. 9. And the law after commandeth, that no satisfaction should bee ta∣ken for the life of a murderer, which was guilty of death, Num. 35. 31. yea (as the Iew Doctors write) though he could give all the riches in the world, and though the avenger of blood were willing to free him, yet hee was to be put to death, because the soule (or life) of the party murdered, is not the possession of the avenger of blood, but the possession of the most holy God, Maimony, treat of Murder. chap. 1. S. 4.

Vers. 11, to destroy] Hebr. to corrupt: the Greek [unspec 11] saith, to corrupt all the earth. This sheweth that the covenant was against the universall drowning of the world, not but that some particular countries may so perish. Also by saying a flood, he reserveth other meanes to consume the whole world, as by fire, 2 Pet: 3. 7. 10. See the notes on Gen. 8. 21.

Vers. 12. is the signe] or shall be the token. The use [unspec 12] of a signe, is to confirme mens faith in Gods pro∣mises, Esay 7. 11. and 38. 7. 22. doe give] or, am giving; that is, doe put, or set: as the holy Ghost translateth giving, Esay 42. 1. by putting, Mat. 12. 18. So in the Hebrew, that is expressed by the word set, 1 King. 10. 9. which elsewhere is written given, 2 Chron. 9. 8. See Gen. 1. 17. And the Chal∣dee, for betweene me and you, saith, betweene my word and you: as oftentimes for the Lord, he putteth his Word; by which name Christ is called, Ioh. 1. 1. in whom al Gods promises are yea & Amen: 2 Cor. 1. 20

Vers. 13. my bow] that which we call the Raine-bow, [unspec 13] because it is in the cloud in the day of raine, Ezek. 1. 28. which God calleth his, for the wonderful∣nesse thereof, and for the sacramentall signe by his speciall ordinance. The Heathen Poets therefore called it Thaumantias, as being the worke of the wonderfull God. It is called a bow, for the likenesse: and hath many colours, partly waterish, and partly fiery; to put us in mind both of the watry flood, whereby the old world perished, and of the fire, wherewith the world that now is shall bee burnt, Iob 22. 15. 16. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 5. 6. 7. 10. And as the bow is an instrument of war, and so used in Scrip∣ture for a signe of wars, Gen. 48. 22. Ps. 7. 13. Lam. 3. 12 Zach. 9. 10. Rev. 6. 2. so the raine-bow natu∣rally signifieth waters in the clouds, but is made of God a signe that the waters shall no more drowne us: and though he seemeth to bend his bow like an enemy, (Lam. 2. 4.) yet in wrath hee remembreth mercy. I have given] or, doe give: for which the Greeke saith, I doe put. As the covenant made with Noe concerning the waters, is applied to the spirituall covenant made with us in Christ, Esay 54. 9. 10. so the raine-bow, (the signe of that cove∣nant) is also applyed for the signe of grace from God to his Church, Rev. 4. 3. and 10. 1. Ezek. 1. 28 the earth] that is, all people in the world: See Gen. 11. 1.

Vers. 14. when I make cloudy the cloud] that is, [unspec 14] when I bring many thicke and watry clouds: which na∣turally signifie store of raine, 1 King. 18. 44. 45. Therefore clouds are often used in Scripture to de∣note afflictions and dangers unto men, as Ezek. 30. 3. 18. & 32. 7. & 34. 12. Soph. 1. 15. Ioel 2. 2. the bow shall be seen] the use whereof is, on Gods part, to re∣member his covenant, (as the next verse sheweth) and on mens part, that they rest in faith upon his pro∣mise, that hee will no more drowne the world. Hereupon it is a custome amongst the Iewes, that when any seeth the bow in the cloud, hee blesseth God, that remembreth his covenent, and is faithfull therein, and stable in his promise. Maimony treat, of Blessings, ch. 10. S. 16. So Ben Syrach saith, looke upon the Rain-bow,

and praise him that made it, Ecclus. 43. 11.

Vers. 18. Cham] or Ham: Ch, is to be pronoun∣ced, not as we commonly doe in the word cham∣ber, [unspec 18] but as in the name Christ; as if it were written Cam. And so in other proper names, written after this manner: as Chaldea, or Caldea; Chanaan, or Canaan, and the like. father of Canaan] called in Hebrew Cenaghnan. And though Cham was fa∣ther of many moe sonnes, Gen. 10. 6. yet Canaan onely is named, because he was cursed, as here fol∣loweth in vers. 25.

Vers. 20. began to be] This speech doth not ne∣cessarily import as if hee had never beene an hus∣bandman [unspec 20] before; but that now after the Flood, he was one: as of Christ it is written, he began to say, Luke 12. 1. that is, he said, Mat. 16. 6. he began to cast out, Mar. 11. 15. that is, he did cast out, Mat. 21. 12. and of others, they began to disdaine, Mark. 10. 41. that is, they disdained, Mat. 20. 24. and sun∣dry the like. a husband man] or lands man: in Hebrew, a man of the ground; that is, giving him-selfe to husbandry or tillage: as the Chaldee saith, working in the earth: so a man of warre, is a soldjer, Ios. 5. 4. a man of blood, is a murtherer, 2 Sam. 16. 7. a man of cattell, is a shepheard, or grasier, Gen. 46. 32. a man of words, Exod. 4. 10. that is, eloquent.

Vers. 21. hee uncovered himselfe] that his shame [unspec 21] and nakednesse was to be seene: which sheweth, that wine is a mocker, Prov. 20. 1. and to be drunke therewith is a riotous excesse, Ephes. 5. 18. This fell out (in likelihood) some yeeres after his comming out of the Arke, as appeareth by the increase of his childrens children: after Canaan was borne. Noes sinne may be compared with Adams, who trans∣gressed by eating, as Noe doth by drinking the fruit of a tree: upon that, Adam saw himselfe na∣ked, and was ashamed; upon this, Noe is naked, and his shame discovered. Now, by drinking the fruit of the vine, wee have a signe and seale of the covering of our shame, the forgivenesse of our sins in Christ: Mat. 26. 27 28. 29. Vpon this similitude of Noes sinne with Adams in part, the Rabbines say, that Noe found a vine, that was cast out of the gar∣den of Eden: R. Menachem on Gen 9.

Vers. 22. he told it] and this (as the sequell shew∣eth) with a mockage of his aged father. [unspec 22]

Vers. 23. Sem] in that Sem the younger is named before his elder brother Iapheth, and after blessed [unspec 23] before and above him, vers. 26. 27. it is most like∣ly, that he was principall in this good counsell and worke.

Vers. 24. his younger son] which the Hebrew cal∣leth lesser, meaning in yeeres. [unspec 24]

Vers. 25. Cursea be Canaan] or Cursed shall hee be. It is thought of some, that Canaan told Cham [unspec 25] his father, of Noes nakednesse; and therefore had this curse upon him and his posterity, rather then the other sonnes of Cham, mentioned in Gen. 10. 6. or then Cham himselfe. And although by Canaan, may be understood or implyed Canaans fa∣ther, (as the Greeke translation hath Cham, and as elsewhere in Scripture Goliath is named, for Goli∣aths brother, 2 Sam. 21. 19. compared with 1 Chr. 20. 5.) yet the event and history after sheweth, that the Canaanites also were indeed under this curse, when the Israelites conquered their land. And that Noe pronounced this judgement by Gods spirit. But Cham is not exempted hereby from the curse, although his sonne be named: as Sem is not exempted from the blessing in the next verse, where Iehovah his God is named. So Iakob is said to blesse Ioseph, Gen. 48. vers. 15. when Iosephs children had their blessing, verse 16, &c. And the curse of the wicked, reacheth unto the fruit of their body, Deut. 28. 18. a servant of ser∣vants] that is, a most base and vile servant: the Chal∣dee saith, a working servant: Canaans name did also portend his condition, being of Canagh to humble, bow, or presse downe. And as servitude is here brought upon men for a curse, so the Scriptures under the name of servants signifying sinfull men, doe shut such out from the kingdome of God; Ioh. 8. 34. 35. Gal. 4. 30. 31. Among the Heathens also, such an estate was counted miserable: God ta∣keth away halfe the understanding of those men that are brought into servitude: saith Plato in his 6 booke of Lawes, from Homer.

Vers. 26. the God of Sem] under this, Sem also [unspec 26] himselfe receiveth a blessing, for, blessed is the peo∣ple whose God Iehovah is, Psal. 144. 15. and eter∣nall life is implyed herein, for God hath prepared for them a City, of whom hee is not ashamed to bee called their God, Heb. 11. 16. and Sem is the first man in Scripture, that hath expresly this honour. By the God of Sem, also may bee meant Christ, who came of Sem, according to the flesh; but is also God over all blessed for ever, Amen, Rom. 9. 5. Sem by inter∣pretation is a Name, (which is also used for re∣nowme, Gen. 6. 4.) and Christ hath a name above every name, whereat all knees bow, Phil. 2. 9. 10. servant to them] or, to him: that is, to Sem, and Iaphet, and specially to Sem: the Hebrew sig∣nifieth both them and him. So in the verse follow∣ing: the Chaldee translateth, to them: the Greek, his servant.

Vers. 27. perswade] or, shall perswade: or (as the [unspec 27] Greeke and Chaldee translate it) inlarge. The ori∣ginall word properly signifieth to perswade, entise, or allure, by faire and kind words, and is applied to Gods drawing of men unto him by the Gospell, Hos. 2. 14. and in the Hebrew there is allusion to his name, Iaphth le Iepheth: Perswade the perswa∣sible: It meaneth by fayre alluring words to per∣swade unto faith and obedience: and so is a pro∣phesie or prayer, that the Gentiles which come of Iapheth, should be brought to the faith of the Gos∣pell. This word of perswading, is often used for drawing men to Christ, Act. 17. 4. and 18. 4. and 19. 8. and 28. 23. 24. and it is the speciall worke of God, Ioh. 6. 44. Act. 11. 18. Inlarging also, is not on∣ly of roomth to dwell in (which may be implyed in this blessing of Iapheth, who had moe sons then either Cham, or Sem) but oftentimes of the heart by wisdome, love, and comfort; as in 1 King. 4. 29. 2 Cor. 6. 11. Esa. 60. 5. But it is another Hebrew word in those places. hee may dwell] or, and hee shall dwell in the tents of Sem: that is, be united with the Churches of the Iewes, (the

posterity of Sem) which was fulfilled when the Gentiles became joynt heyres, and of the same body, and joint partakers of Gods promise in Christ, the stop of the partition wall being broken down, &c. Ephes. 3. 6. and 2. 14. 19. Although it may further imply the graffing of Iaphets children into the stocke of the Church, when Sems posterity, the Iewes, should be cut off, as Paul sheweth in Rom. 11. 11. 12. 15. 17. &c. So the Reubenites are said to dwell in the Hagarims tents, after the Hagarims were subdued and falne, 1 Chron. 5. 10. The Church of Christ, is here and often called Tents, (or Tabernacles) which are a flitting and movable dwelling, because such is our estate on earth; here we have no continuing City, but wee seeke one to come, which hath foundations, &c. Heb. 13. 14. and 11. 9. 10. So, the tents of Iudah, Zach. 12. 7. signifie the Church; and the tents of Iakob, Mal. 2. 12. and the tents of the Saints, Rev. 20. 9. The Hebrew Doctors have gathered from this prophesie, that they should speake in Iaphets tongue, (which in the ages follow∣ing was the Greeke) within the tents of Sem: Thal∣mud Hierosol. in Megilah. This was fulfilled by the Apostles speaking and writing the Gospell in Greeke.

Vers. 29. he died] in the yeere from the worlds creation 2006. and did see Tharah the father of [unspec 29] Abram, the tenth generation after him, before his death.