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.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Here beginneth the fifteenth Section or Lecture of the Law, see Gen. 6. 9.

Vers. 1. for I] or, though I have made heavy, that is, hardned: see Exod. 7. 14. of him] of Phara∣oh [unspec 1] and his servants: therefore the Greeke transla∣teth it, them; saying, that these signes may hereafter come upon them.

Vers. 2. thou] this also meaneth Moses and the [unspec 2] Israelites; as after he saith, yee; and so the Greeke translateth here. And in Deut. 6. 20. 22. Moses wil∣leth Israel to tell their sonnes, of the signes and won∣ders, great and evill, which the Lord had brought upon Egypt. The like is in Psal. 78. 5. 6. 7. &c. the things,] the Chaldee saith, the miracles.

Vers. 3. Hebrewes] in the Chaldee Iewes. hum∣ble [unspec 3] thy selfe] The Greeke translateth, how long wilt thou not reverence me?

Vers. 4. Locusts] or Grashoppers: the Hebrew is [unspec 4] Locust; put generally for a multitude of Locusts; (as tree, for trees, Gen. 3. 2.) And the originall Arbeh, hath the denomination of a multitude, because their nature is to be many together, as Prov. 30. 27. the Locusts have no king. yet goe they forth all of them by heapes: and huge multitudes are therefore resembled to Locusts, Ier. 46. 23. Iudg. 6. 5.

Vers. 5. the eye] put for the whole face, or upmost [unspec 5] part of the earth, which is seene with the eye: as the Greeke translateth it, the sight, or superficies. The Chaldee explaines it, of hiding the sight of the sunne from the earth: so in verse 15. Humane wri∣ters testifie, that the great Locusts flie, and make great noise with their wings, as if they were birds, and doe darken the Sunne. Plinie, booke 11. chapter 29. that which is escaped] Hebr. the escaping, or, evasion.

Vers. 6. houses] the Locusts are reported to gnaw [unspec 6] all things, even the doores of houses: Plinie, booke 11. chapter 29. Some of the Hebrewes write, that these Locusts did not onely hurt the fruits of the earth, but men also; as the author of the booke of Wise∣dome, c. 16. vers. 9. saith, the bitings of Locusts and of flies, killed them; neither was there found any remedy for their life.

Vers. 7. servants] the nobles and counsellors of [unspec 7] Egypt. a snare] that is, a destruction, by the plagues that he bringeth vpon us. This word snare, usually signifieth the meanes of destruction; as Ex∣od. 23. 33. Ios. 23. 13. 1 Sam. 18. 21. which here the Egyptians impute unto Moses; whereas a snare is in the transgression of an evill man, Prov. 29. 6. knowest thou;] the Greek interpreteth it, or wouldest thou know?

Vers. 9. we have] Hebr. to us is: whereby is [unspec 9] meant we have; as is noted on Genes. 12. 16. The word is, is supplied here in the Greeke version. feast of Iehovah] so called, because it was com∣manded by him, Exod. 5. 1. and was to bee kept unto him; as the Chaldee expounds it, a feast before the Lord; and as elsewhere it is said, a feast unto Ie∣hovah, Exod. 32. 5.

Vers. 10. so with you, &c.] It is an imprecation or [unspec 10] curse, because he purposed not to let them goe: but as God forced him to send them away, so turned he his curse into a blessing to them, Exod. 12. 30. 31. and 13. 21. 22. The Chaldee paraphraseth, the Word of the Lord so be your help. Here Satan, who had before sought the death of Israels Infants, Ex∣od. 1. seeketh to retaine them at lest in bondage: and when he cannot hinder the redemption of the whole Church, yet to hinder it in part. So in Re∣vel. 12. 13.—17. when the Dragon could not hurt the woman; he maketh warre with the remnant of her seede. evill] this word is used both for sinne, and for the punishment of the same, as Ierem. 18. 8. if they turne from their evill, I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them. Both may be here implied by Pharaoh, but the latter chiefly; threatning more affliction, if they left not off their intended course. The Chaldee expoundeth it thus; see how the evill which you thinke to doe, sitteth before your faces. he drove] that is, Pharaoh drove, or caused them to be driven out of his presence. Or, he drove, is put for they were driven: see the notes on Gen. 16. 14.

Vers. 13. over the land of Egypt] the Greeke ex∣poundeth [unspec 1] it, towards heaven. the east winde,] which is a strong and violent winde, with it God

drove hacke the sea, Exodus 13. 21. and by it his judgements are often signified, Gen. 41. 7. Psalme 48. 8. Esay. 27. 8. Ezek. 19. 12. Ier. 18. 17. L••••ust••,] or Grashoppers; and with them caterpillers also, as David sheweth in Psal. 105. 34. 35. and 78. 46. They are of Gods heavy judgements upon sinners, Deut. 28. 38. 1 King. 8. 37. and unto this eight plague of Egypt, the army of Antichrist is re∣sembled, that tormented men, Rev. 9. 3. 5. 7. &c.

Vers. 14. heavy,] both grievous for the hurt they [unspec 14] did, and for the multitude of them; as the Greeke explaineth it, many. such.] Yet great judge∣ments upon Israel, are mentioned by Locusts, Iocl 1. 2. 3. 4. and by humane writers it is said, that in India there are some of three foot long: Plinie, booke 11. chapter 29.

Vers. 15. the eye,] the face, as verse 5. dark∣ned,] [unspec 15] that is, hid and defaced; and as the Greeke transl••teth, corrupted.

Vers. 17. death,] that is, deadly plague; so 2 King. 4 40. death is in the pot. [unspec 17]

Vers. 19. sea winde,] that is, west winde, as the [unspec 19] Chaldee explaines it: the Greeke saith, from the sea. For the maine sea lay westward: see Genes. 12. 8. fastened,] or, pitched them in, the Greeke and Chaldee translate cast them: but the word meaneth, that they were so throwne in, as there to remaine and rise no more; as when a Tent or other thing is pitched and fast nailed. After this manner God of∣ten destroyeth Locusts in other places; being taken up by heapes with the winde, they fall into seas or lakes, saith Plinie, b, 11. c. 29. red sea;] or, weedy sea: called in Hebrew, the sea Suph; which word signi∣fieth sedge, or sea-weedes, that grew therein, and whereof it seemeth it had the name: see Exod. 2. 3. Ion. 2. 5. The Holy Ghost in Greeke calleth it, Eruthran, the Red sea, Act. 7. 36. Heb. 11. 29. ei∣ther of the red sand of that sea, or red mountaines by it; or of one Erythras a king, as Strabo writeth in his 16. booke. But the Latines called it Rubrum m••r••, that is, the Redsea, Plinie Hist, b. 13. c. 25. Pomp. Mela. b. 3. chap. 7. and by that name it is usu∣ally knowne in these parts of the world. In this sea, Pharaoh, himselfe with his armie, were afterward drowned, Exod. 14.

Vers. 20. made strong,] that is, hardned, as the Greeke translateth, see Exod. 4. 21. [unspec 20]

V. 21. there shal be] or as the Gr. translateth, let there be darknesse. Of this plague also, God warneth not [unspec 21] Pharaoh before hand: see Ex. 8. 16. that one may feele] or ••nd ••e (that, is Pharaoh, or every one) shall feele, meaning, as the Gr. translateth it, palpable darke∣ness••, such as may hee felt with the hand, for the thicknesse of the ••yre. The Hebrew word signifi∣eth so••etime to f••ele, Iudg. 16. 26. sometime on the contrary to take away, or, remove, Exod. 13. 22. in which latter sense the Chaldee paraphrase here expoundeth it, after the darkenesse of the night is re∣〈…〉〈…〉d; meaning that the day should be turned to 〈…〉〈…〉▪

Vers. 22. obscure darkenesse,] Hebr. darkenesse of [unspec 22] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that is, most obscure blacke and thicke. The Gr〈…〉〈…〉sseth it by three words, darkenesse, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 darkenesse. This ninth plague, David celebrateth, in Psal. 105. 28. and unto it, the fift plague of the spirituall Egypt is compared, Rev. 16. 10. where the kingdome of the Beast is full of darkenesse, and men gnaw their tongues for paine. A righteous judgement of God upon those that oppressed his people, the light of the world, Matth. 5. 14. and rebelled against the light; as Iob 24. 13.

Vers. 23. saw not,] neither by sunne or stars from [unspec 23] above, neither by fire beneath, had they any light. So, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the sparke of his fire shall not shine; the light shall bee darke in his tabernacle, Iob 18. 5. 6. from his place,] or, from under him: the Greek translateth, from his bed. Thus in them the saying was fulfilled, the wicked shall bee silent in darkenesse, 1 Sam. 2. 9. was light;] so they had beene freed from former plagues, see Ex∣odus 9. 26. and God promiseth like mercie to his Church by the Gospell, saying, Arise thou, bee in∣lightned, for thy light is come, &c. darkenesse shall co∣ver the earth, and grosse darkenesse the peoples, but Ie∣hovah shall arise upon thee, &c. Esay. 60. 1. 2.

Vers. 25. doe sacrifice,] or, offer. The word sacri∣fice, [unspec 25] here understood, is elsewhere expressed, as in 1 King. 12. 27. and when the word doe (or make) is joyned with sacrifices, as in this place, it signifi∣eth to offer, as Levit. 9. 7. 22. and 16. 9. Exodus 29. 36. 39. 41. 42.

Vers. 26. not an hoofe,] not any thing, saith the [unspec 26] Chaldee. Thus Iakob went before out of Mesopo∣tamia into Canaan, with all his cattell and sub∣stance, Gen. 31. 18. And Moses constancie to keep the commandement of God unto the smallest things, in every particular, is an example of the o∣bedience which wee all owe unto the Lord, and from which no persecution or tyranny should stay us. And the not leaving of an hoofe behinde, signifi∣ed their full departure out of Egyptian bondage; leaving nothing to tempt or occasion them to re∣turne thither againe: which God after forbade them, Deut. 17. 16. and 28. 68. Hos. 9. 3.

Vers. 27. made strong,] that is, hardned, as the [unspec 27] Greeke translateth. See Exod. 4. 21. would not,] or, was not perswaded, consented not to send them, notwithstanding all these plagues. This word is not used in all this historie, untill now: it setteth forth Pharaohs wilfulnesse.

Vers. 28. no more] Hebr. adde not to see: so in the [unspec] verse following. Here Pharaoh is inraged against Moses, and more fully manifesteth his hardnesse of heart: unto whom Moses answereth, with no lesse courage and faith in God; not fearing (as Paul saith) the wrath of the king, but induring, as seeing him who is invisible, Heb. 11. 27. Therefore ere hee went out of his presence, he denounceth the last plague, (in the chapter following) and departed, neuer seeing him more. As Pharaoh by all these plagues, is not bettered, but worse hardned: so when the beasts throne and kindome is darkened, they g•••••• their tongues for▪ paine; and blaspheme the God of hea∣ven, because of their paines and their sores; and repent not of their deed, Rev. 16. 10. 11.

Vers. 29. well] or right: the Greeke translateth, [unspec 29] as thou hast said. So it was not an approbation of

Pharaohs evill speech, but a signification that it should so come to passe. Wherein Moses shewed great faith in God, and courage against the king, whose wrath he feared not, as the Apostle observeth in Hebr. 11. 27. For before his departure, hee threatneth the last plague, and goeth out very an∣gry, Exod. 11. 4. 8.