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.

PI-hahiroth] or, the mouth of Hiroth, that is, the straight (or passage) betweene the mountaines of Hiroth: for in Numb. 33. 8. the word Pi, (that is, Mouth,) is left out of the name. Into these streights did God lead Israel, both to free them from war with the Philistians, Exod. 13. 17. 18. and to give the Egyptians occasion hereby to pursue them, (as the verses following here shew;) as also to try the faith of his people; which even here at first was turned to unbeleefe and rebellion, verse 11. 12. Deut. 8. 2. Psalme 106. 7. Migdol] in Greeke Magdol: the name of a citie of the Egyptians, Ier. 44. 1. by interpretation it signifieth a Tower. Baal-zephon] in Greeke Beelsepphon. The Ie∣rusalemy Thargum expoundeth it, the idoll of Ze∣phon: and so it seemeth to be an idolatrous place or monument of the Egyptians; as Baal-Pehor was the Idoll of the Moabites, Num. 25. 3. and Baal∣mehon, the name whereof the Israelites chan∣ged, when it came into their possession, Num. 32. 38. For as Israel passed from Egypt to Canaan.

God did let them see the abominations and idols of the nations; whereof hee warned them to be∣ware, Deut. 29. 16. 17. 18.

Vers. 3. intangled] or, perplexed, not knowing what to doe, as the Greeke translateth, they wander [unspec 3] (or stray) and the word is used in Ioel 1. 18. of cat∣tell perplexed for want of pasture. So Pharaoh see∣ing the Israelites to take this indirect way, thought they were afraid of the wildernesse, and in per∣plexity of mind: whereupon he hardned himselfe to follow after, and bring them againe into his bondage.

Vers. 4. make strong] that is, as the Greeke saith, [unspec 4] harden: so after, verse 8 17. See Exodus 4. 21. honoured] or, as the Greeke translateth, gloried: will get me honour, by their destruction, vers. 17. 18. For God hath glory by wrath upon the wicked, as by mercy upon the elect, Roman. 9. 22. 23. So Eze∣kiel 28. 22.

Vers. 6. bound] in Greeke, joyned, to wit, the hor∣ses to his chariot: made ready. So Gen. 46. 29. [unspec 6]

Vers 7. captaines] or Princes, the third sort of governours in the kingdome: having the name of [unspec 7] three, or third: the Chaldee calleth them Mighties.

Vers. 8. a high hand] that is, powerfully, openly, and boldly, like armed men, as in Exod. 13. 18. and [unspec 8] in the sight of the Egyptians, Num. 33. 3. not like f••gitives. So to sinne with a high hand, Num. 15. 30. is to doe it boldly and openly. The Chaldee chan∣geth the phrase, saving, they went out with uncove∣red (or open) head: which meaneth, openly, bold∣ly, cheerfully: as, the covering of the head, signi∣fieth sorrow and shame, 2 Sam. 15. 30. Ier. 14. 4.

Vers. 9. army] Hebr. power: used for an army or [unspec 9] host, as the Greeke here translateth it; so in verse 17. 28. And here againe is to be understood, they followed and overtooke them.

Vers. 10. were fore afraid] or, feared vehemently. This was for want of faith and love towards God, [unspec 10] Matth. 8. 26. 1 Iohn 4. 18. But was occasioned by the straits they now were in: the congregation of Is∣rael was shut in, from the foure parts of the world: be∣fore them was the sea, behind them followed the enemy: and on each side of them were wildernesses full of fiery Serpents, which did bite and kill men with their venome: saith the Chaldee paraphrase upon Song. 2. 14.

Vers. 11. at all] or, none: a double deniall shew∣ing [unspec] the earnest passion and distemperature of their unfaithfull and unthankfull minds. Of this David said, they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies, but rebelled at the sea, at thered sea: yet he saved them for his names sake, Psal. 106. 7 8.

Vers. 12. Let us alone] or, Cease from us. They re∣turne to their former rebellious cariage in Egypt, [unspec 12] mentioned in Exod. 6. 9.

Vers. 13. feare not] the Greeke saith, be bold, (or, of good comfort.) whom ye have seene] or, as the [unspec 13] Greeke translateth, so as ye sec: meaning, they should see them no more alive, but dead, as verse 30. not againe see] Hebr. not adde to see. By these pro∣mises, God would stay their murmurings, streng∣then their faith, and shew his grace to an undeser∣ving people: for which hee is after celebrated, in Neh. 9. 9. thou heardest their cry by the red sea.

Vers. 14. shall hold your peace] or, shall bee silent, [unspec 14] shall cease from speaking or doing any thing in this battell. The originall word is often used for cea∣sing to heare or speake, as they that are deafe; but applied also to actions, signifieth silence or ceasing from deeds, as they that neglect and sit still, 2 Sam. 19. 11. Psal. 83. 2. and 50. 3. Esay 42. 14. 15. It may also be meant, hold ye your peace, that is, cease from murmuring against God and me.

Verse 15. wherefore] Hebr. what, that is, For what [unspec 15] criest thou? God encourageth Moses to goe on with the worke in hand, which the peoples mur∣muring began to hinder. So after (in Exod. 17. 4) hee cried unto the Lord, upon the like occasion. Though here no words of prayer bee mentioned, yet Moses might cry unto God by the Spirit, which maketh intercession for the Saints, with groanings which cannot be uttered, Rom. 8. 26. The Chaldee para∣phrast turneth it, I have accepted thy prayer: speake to the sonnes of Israel; &c. as if he had cried our for feare of wrath to come upon them for their sinne, as they deserved. So elsewhere another Chaldee paraphrast (on Song 1. 9.) more plainly saith, When Pharaoh and his host were drowned, Israel also had like∣wise perished, if Moses the Prophet had not stretched out his hands in prayer before the Lord, and turned a∣way the Lords wrath from them. A like preservation of them by Moses prayer, is after recorded in Deut. 9. 13. 14.—19. 20.

Verse 16 thy rod] where with miracles were done [unspec 16] in Egypt, Exod. 4. 2. and 7. 9. &c. the rod of God, Exod. 17. 9 it signified the Word of God, which is the rod of his mouth, wherewith hee smiteth the earth, Esay 11. 4. but feedeth his people, Mic. 7. 14 cleave it] that is, forcibly divide, and (as the Greeke translateth) rent it. It is a commandement implying a promise.

Vers. 17. honoured upon] or, as the Greeke tur∣neth [unspec 17] it, glorified in Pharaoh: get me glory and ho∣nour upon him. The Lord knew that they dealt proudly against his people, so hee made himselfe a name, as it is this day, Nehem. 9. 10.

Vers. 19. the Angell,] that is, Christ, called Ieho∣vah, [unspec 19] Exod. 13 21. So the Hebrew Doctors have acknowledged this Angell to be Michael the great Prince, who was made a wall of fire, betweene the Isra∣elites and the Egyptians; Pirkei R. Eliezer, chap. 42. And others of them say this Angell was (Shechinah) the presence (or Majestie) of God, and called an An∣gell and Prince of the world, because the government of the world to by his hand: R. Menachem upon this place. This 19. verse, and 20. and the 21. fol∣lowing; have every of them in the Hebrew, 72. letters; from which the Hebrew Rabbines have their curious speculations, of so many Angels, con∣curring in this glorious worke of dividing the sea, and leading Israel through it.

Vers. 20. a cloud and darknesse,] that is, the cloud [unspec 20] was thicke and darke to the Egyptians, and made light (or illumined) the night to the Israelites. And so the Chaldee paraphrase, and Thargum Ieru∣salemy explaineth it, the cloud was halfe light, and halfe darknesse, the light, gave light unto Israel; and the darknesse, gave darknesse unto the Egyptians.

The Greeke translateth, and there was darknesse & thicke darknesse, and the night came. A like manife∣station of Gods glorie, the Psalmist celebrateth; He set darknesse, his secret place; round about him his pavillion: darknesse of waters, (that is, of watrie clouds) thicke clouds of the skies, Psal. 18. 12.

Vers. 21. to goe backe,] O s••a what ailed thee, that [unspec 21] thou fleddest? Psalme ••14. 5. The waters saw thee ô God, the waters saw thee, they trembled: the depths al∣so were troubled, Psal. 77. 17. This worke of God figured the afflictions of this world, made easie for Christs people to passe thorow by the power of God, Ps. 66. 12. Esay 43. 2. east winde] which be∣ing violent, is used to denote Gods anger, Ier. 18. 17. Ezek. 19. 12. Psal. 48. 8. And of this worke, the Prophet saith, was thy wrath (Lord) against the sea? Habakkuk. 3. 8. and David saith, he rebuked the sea, and it was dried up, Psal. 106. 9. It figured also the power of Gods Spirit, for the salvation of his Church by Christ, Esay 11. 15. who for the help of his people, flyeth swiftly on the wings of the wind, Ps. 18. 11. dry land] Come & see the works of God he is fearfull in his doing, toward the sons of men; he turned the sea into dry-land, Psal. 66. 5. 6. cloven] or, forcibly divided, into parts, as Psal. 136. 13. from which the Iew Doctors teach, that there were 12. according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel: Pirkei R. Eliezer, c. 42. and Thar∣gum Ierusalemy, on Deut. 1. 1.

Vers. 22. went in] following the Lord by faith: [unspec 22] for he led them by the right hand of Moses, with his glorious arme dividing the water before them, to make himselfe an everlasting name, Esay 63. 12. and, by faith they passed through the red sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians assaying to doe were drowned, Heb. 11. 29. And in this sea they were baptized, 1 Cor. 10. 2. a wall] standing up stedfast, as an heape, Psal. 78. 13. so they went safely: God led them through the deepe, as an horse in the wildernesse, that they should not stumble: as a beast goeth downe in∣to the valley, the Spirit of the Lord quietly led the people, to make himselfe a glorious name, Esay 63. 13. 14.

Vers. 24. watch,] or ward, custodie; so called be∣cause men kept watch and ward there certaine [unspec 24] houres in the night. As here, and in 1 Sam. 11. 11. is mentioned the morning watch; so in Lam. 2. 19. the beginning of the watches; and in Iudg. 7. 19. the middle watch is spoken of: in Luk. 12. 38. the second and third watch; and in Matt. 14. 25. the fourth watch of the night; which in Mar 13. 35 are named, evening, midnight, cock-crowing and day-dawning. See also after in v. 27. looked,] and manifested his presence with Israel, and wrath against Egypt; for the clouds streamed downe waters, the skies gave out a sound; Gods arrowes also (or hailestones) went abroad, the voice of his thunder was in the aire, lightnings lightned the world; the earth trembled & quaked, Psal. 77. 18. 19. pillar of fire,] wherein God did as it were ride upon his horses, his chariots of salvation, for his people, Habak. 3. 8. 9. troubled the campe] or made a tumult in their host; and terribly strooke them downe. The Ierusalemy Thargum here saith, God threw downe upon them pitch, and fire, and haile-stones, and astonished the host of the Egyptians. This word is after used, when God promiseth to de∣stroy the Canaanites from before his people, Deut. 7. 23. And David in like sort, celebrateth his victo∣ries, saying; he sent out his arrowes, and scattered them: and he hurled forth lightnings, and troubled them, Psalme 18. 15.

Vers. 25. heavily,] Hebrew, with heavinesse: Greeke by force. For the raine and tempest so soft∣ned [unspec 25] the ground, that they could drive but slowly, and with much adoe. Egyptians] Hebrew, the Egyptian said, let meflee: spoken as of one man, to note their joynt consent. So in v. 26.

Vers. 26. shall returne] the Greeke translateth, [unspec 26] let the water returne and cover the Egyptians. The word cover, is borrowed from v. 28. This was done with a wind, as before, v. 21. Exod. 15. 10.

Vers. 27. the looking forth, or, turning towards of [unspec 27] the morning, at the day dawning: which time the Scripture noteth, both for judgement upon the wicked, as in this place; and for mercy to the city of God, as in Psal. 46. 6. It was also the time of Christs resurrection, Matt. 28. 1. 2. The like phrase, is, of the evening, in Gen. 24. 63. shooke off,] that is, cast away, destroyed: so this word is elsewhere used, Iob 38. 13. Nehem. 5. 13. Herein God re∣compenced them, according to their workes: for they had drowned the children of Israel in the river, Exod. 1. 22. and now they themselves were drowned in the sea. This overthrow of the Egyp∣tians, was also a figure of Christs victory over our spirituall enemies, by subduing our iniquities, and casting al our sinnes into the depths of the sea, Micah. 7. 15. 19.

Vers. 29. walked] or went on dry land, as before, so whiles the waters retired and drowned the E∣gyptians. Of this miracle Asaph sung, O God, thy way was in the sea, and thy pathes in the many waters; and thy foot-steps were not knowne: thou didst lead thy people like a flocke, by the hand of Moses and Aaron, Psal. 77. 20. 21. Alike marvellous worke, was at the river Iordan, when Israel entred in Canaan, Ios. 3. 16.

Vers. 30. shore] Heb. lip of the sea.

Vers. 31. hand,] that is, handy worke; so in Psalme 109. 27. the Chaldee translateth it, the power of the great hand. in Iehovah] the Greeke transla∣teth, beleeved God: so in Gen. 15. 6. where is shew∣ed, that the Apostles approve the version. in Moses,] that is, in the word which Moses taught them from God: as the Chaldee explaineth it, they beleeved in the word of the Lord, and in the pro∣phesie of Moses his servant. So in 2 Chro. 20. 20. it is said, beleeve in Iehovah, &c. beleeve in his Prophets; and in Exod. 19. 9. that they may beleeve in thee. It meaneth trust or confidence in the faithfulnesse of any; as in 2 Cor. 2. 3. Gal. 5. 10. A like speech is of Sion, in Esay 14. 32. the poore of his people shall trust in it. So, in 1 Sam. 12. 18. the people feared Iehovah and Samuel. See further in the notes on Exod. 19. 9.