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.

OF Sin] after they had beene againe by the red [unspec 1] sea; which journey here omitted, Moses ex∣presseth in Num. 33. 10. 11. It had the name of Sin a strong citie of Egypt, neere which this wil∣dernesse lay, Ezek. 30. 15. 16. The wildernesse whereinto God brought his people, was a place of great wants and afflictions, as is noted on Exod. 3. 18. therein God tried their faith and patience, and suffred their manners forty yeeres, Act. 13. 18. It fi∣gured [unspec] the peoples of the world, through whom God leadeth his Church; as it is said, I will bring you into the wildernesse of the peoples, and there will I plead with you face to face, as I pleaded with your fa∣thers, in the wildernesse of the land of Egypt, Ezek. 20. 35. 36. Sinai] the mount called also Horeb, where the Law was given; see Exod. 3. 1. and 19. 1. 18. after] or, from their departing: so an whole moneth, they lived of their provision brought out of Egypt: which being spent, they murmure. Here the Hebrew letseth, of departure, is put for mitseth, from or after their departure: so in Exod. 19. 1. Num. 33. 38. Ezr. 3. 8. The Scripture sometime sheweth this, as laleketh, 1 King. 12. 24. is explained mille∣keth, from going, 2 Chron. 11. 4.

Vers. 3. O we wish] Hebr. who will give: which is a wish, oh that some would give; or, that God would grant; namely, to have ones request, as is explained in Iob 6. 8. by the hand;] the Chaldee saith, by the word: the Greeke explaineth it, smitten of the Lord. This was in them a desperate unthankful∣nesse, with contumelious cariage against God and his ministers: and is written for an ensample to us, not to doe the like; as 1 Cor. 10. 10. 11. So they murmured againe, Num. 14. 2. this whole as∣semblie] or, all this Church. The wildernesse where∣into God brought his people, was a land of drought, and of the shadow of death; a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt, Ier. 2. 6. They that wandred there, hungry and thirsty, their soule ••••inted in them, Psal. 107. 5. There the Lord affli∣cted Israel, and suffered them to hunger, that he might prove them, and doe them good at their latter end, Deuteronomie 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. 16. But as yet, this generati∣on had not prepared their heart ar••ght, and their spirit was not faithfull with God, Psal. 78. 8.

Vers. 4. bread,] Manna, the wheat of heaven, [unspec 4] whereof they made themselves bread or meat, Psal, 78. 24. portion,] Hebr. word: put for any thing: and here for the portion of meat by the day. Wher∣by God taught them also, to take no thought for the morrow, what they should eat or drinke; as Matth. 6. 31. 34. prove them] or tempt them▪ Heb. him, meaning the peoples, spoken of as of one man. Therefore the scripture useth these indiffe∣rently, as is shewed on Gen. 22. 17. And this end of proving (or tempting) the people, is also mentio∣ned in Deut. 8. 2. Exod. 15. 25.

Vers. 5. then they shall] Hebr. and they shall pre∣pare. [unspec 5] This is meant of every sixt day, the evening of the Sabbath; then were they to make ready their food, that there might bee no working, or fire kindled on the Sabbath day; as verse 23. and Exod. 35. 3. day by day,] that is, daily: see Ge∣nesis 39. 10.

Vers. 6. Iehovah hath brought] and not we of our [unspec 6] selves, as was objected, verse 3. So hee assureth them (by the miracle of Quailes which God would give) that their calling into that place and stare, was of the Lord.

Vers. 7. the glory] a visible signe of Christs glo∣rious [unspec 7] presence among them, appearing in the cloud; as vers. 10. to assure them, that the Lord was with them in the midst of all their wants: (whereof they also doubted now, as againe after∣ward, in Exod. 17. 7.) and that hee heard their murmurings. By such apparations God used to represse the peoples tumultuous rage, Num. 14. 10. and 16. 42. and 12. 5. But when he withdrew the cloud, it was a signe of his face and favour with∣drawne from them, Exod. 33. 7. 9. 10. Or by the glory of Iehovah, may be meant that glorious worke of his, the Manna which they saw in the morning, verse 15. So Christs divine worke, in raising La∣zarus from the dead, is called the glory of God, Ioh. 11. 40. So glory is used for glorious workes, in Num. 14. 21. 22.

Vers. 8. This shall be,] or understand from verse [unspec 8] 6. ye shall know this. Such wants are often to bee supplied, as in Exod. 45. not against us,] to wit, us onely, or, us so much as against the Lord: for it was also against them, verse 2. The like speech is in 1 Sam. 8. 7. Ioh. 12. 44. See also Gen. 32. 28. against Iehovah,] the Chaldee expounds it, against the word of the Lord.

Vers. 9. before Iehovah] that is, assemble toge∣ther [unspec 9] before the cloud: wherein Iehovahs glori∣ous presence was manifested, verse 10. So Vzzah died before God, 1 Chron. 13. 10. that is, by the Arks of God, 2 Sam. 6. 7. And the commandement to appeare before the Lord Iehovah, Exod. 23. 17. was at the place which hee did chuse to put his name there; namely, the Tabernacle, or Temple, Deut. 12. 5. 6. Levit. 17. 4. 5. 1 King. 14. 21.

Vers. 10. the wildernesse] where the cloud went [unspec 10] before the people to guide them, Exod. 13. 21.

Vers. 12. betweene the two evenings,] towards even∣tide, [unspec 12] as the Greeke explaineth it: see Exodus 12. 6.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 came evening, for naturally they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the day. time over the sea, and came to land towards even▪ see Num. 11. 31. And Manna came [unspec 4] 〈…〉〈…〉ing because it fell with the morning dew. The Quailes are not in Scripture noted to be a spi∣〈…〉〈…〉, 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 Manna, 1 Cor. 10. 3. the flesh therefore which was to fill their bellies came towards night the time of darknesse: but the bread of heaven came in the morning, which usually signifieth th〈…〉〈…〉 of grace from the Lord, Psal. 30. 6. and 143. 8. Lam. 3. 22. 23. filled with bread,] in ea〈…〉〈…〉ng with Manna, a figure of Christ, the Bread of life that came downe from heaven, Ioh. 6. 48. 58. Vnto this speech Moses seemeth to have reference, in Psal. 90. 14. Fill us in the mor∣ning with thy mercy.

Vers. 13. the quailes,] Hebr. the quaile: put for a multitude of quailes: (as frog, for frogs, Exod. 8. 6.) [unspec 13] A like miracle God wrought for them about a yeere after this, Num. 11. 31. This David rehear∣seth, in Psal. 105. 40. they asked, and he brought the Quaile. that lay,] or, that lay poured out: Hebr. a••bed (or, an effusion) of dew: the Chaldee transla∣teth a descension of dew, that is, dew which descended or fell downe; which agreeth with Num. 11. 9. And the Psalmist saith, God opened the doores of heaven and rained upon them Manna, Psal. 78. 23. 24. The dew is often used to signifie the blessing and favour of God, as Genes. 27. 28. Iob 29. 19. Esa. 26. 19. Hos. 14. 6. Mich. 5. 7. Zach. 8. 12. and in mysti∣call speech of the birth of Christ, (figured by this Manna) the dew is mentioned, Psal. 110. 3. And as the preaching of the Word is likened to the dew, Deut, 32. 2. so Manna falling in and with the dew, figured Christ given unto us by the preaching of the Gospell, Rom. 1. 16. 17. and 10. 8. 14. Gal. 3. 1. 2. The Hebrew Doctors say of the dew, that the holy blessed God will raise up the dead unto life there∣with, in the time that is to come: and that is the Man∣na prepared for the just in the world to come. R. Mena∣chem on Exod. 16.

Vers. 14. went up,] into the ayre, vanishing with the heat of the Sun. So going up is used for going a∣way, [unspec 14] or vanishing, in Ierem. 48. 15. round∣thing,] or bare thing, as the Chaldee translateth it, pilled. The Greeke saith, like coriander; according to verse 31. So that the Manna was covered, and as it were hidden with the dew upon it, till it ascended, and lay also upon dew under it, Num. 11. 9. to which it seemeth the Scripture hath reference, when it promiseth Manna that is hid, Revel. 2. 17. Manna,] so the Chaldee and the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Greeke calleth it, Ioh. 6. 31. of the Hebrew Man▪ which by interpretation signifieth a prepa∣red (or distributed) portion: for it was a ready meat 〈…〉〈…〉 as it was gathered, if they would, or to beat, g〈…〉〈…〉de and bake, as the people liked, Num. 11. 8. And the Iew Doctors, some of them so explaine it, calling it Angels food; a prepared bread sent from hea∣ven, without 〈…〉〈…〉an labour, able to content every mans 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to every taste, Wisd. 16. 20. O∣thers at the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Greeke interpreters, Philo. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2. 〈…〉〈…〉 of the Law, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Solomon, &c. and o∣thers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it, What is this▪ because (as Moses saith) they know not what it was. The Manna where∣of Galen and other Physitians write, and which at this day is used for medicine, not for meat, diffe∣reth in many things, from this Manna which God gave unto Israel every day, the space of 40 yeeres, till they came into the land of Canaan, Ios. 5. 12. God by it both fed their bodies and soules, tea∣ching them hereby, that man liveth not by bread one∣ly, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, Deut. 8. 3. and it was a spirituall meat, 1 Cor. 1. 30. and a figure of Christ, the true Bread, whom the Father hath given us from heaven, Ioh. 6. 31. 32. 48. 49. 51. and of the spirituall comforts which Christ filleth his people with, Reve. 2. 17. And so the Iewes (though now ignorant of this grace) have heretofore acknowledged it to bee a figure of the food of just men in the world to come; R. Isaak on Gen. 1. and R Menachem on Exodus 16. See more in Num. 11. 7. 8. Psal. 78. 23.—25.

Vers. 16. an Omer,] or Gomer as the Greeke cal∣leth it Gomer: the tenth part of an Epha or bushell; see verse 36. an head] or skull, poll: that is, for a person; the head being put for the whole man. So in Exod. 38. 26.

Vers. 17. both he that did gather more,] or, some did gather more, and some lesse: but the former ex∣position the Greeke followeth, here and in the 18. verse, which the Apostle also approveth, 2 Corin∣thians 8. 15.

Vers. 18. nothing over,] to wit, besides an Omer full for a man, according to the number of persons in his familie: and so there was an equality both for poore and rich; and hereupon the Apostle ga∣thereth a reason to perswade unto liberality, and communication of Gods blessings one with ano∣ther, 2 Cor. 8. 14. 15. It figured also the equall portion which all sorts of beleevers have in Christ our heavenly Manna, Gal. 3. 28. 29. 2 Pet. 1. 1.

Vers. 20. it bred,] Hebr. wormed wormes, that is, bred abundantly, or crawled full of wormes. This miraculous judgment God sheweth for their un∣beleefe, curiositie, and disobedience; and taught them to be contented with things present, with∣out covetous caring for the morrow; as Heb. 13. 5. Matthew 6. 31. 34. Compare also the law of the Passover, whereof nothing might be left till the morning, Exod. 12. 10. Iesus said unto the Iewes, Moses gave you not the bread from heaven, but my Fa∣ther giveth you the true Bread from heaven, Ioh. 6. 32. so Manna was but a shadow and figure, which when the truth is come by Christ, is (as all other shadowes) become vaine and unprofitable, to the corruption and hurt of those that retaine them, Col. 2. 16. 17. Gal. 4. 9. 10. 11. Heb. 13. 10.

Vers. 21. and when,] or, for when the Sunne waxed hot, and so heated the Manna, it melted; therefore they were to gather it in the morning: whereby God taught them diligence to provide for the food of their bodies and soules, whiles they had time and meanes. Compare Pro. 10. 4. 5. and 6. 6. 8. Ioh, 12. 35. Gal. 6. 10. The like here followeth, for no Manna to bee found on the Sabbath day, verse 25. 26.

Verse 23. sabbatisme,] that is, rest, or cessation:

but 〈…〉〈…〉 the 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 〈…〉〈…〉ath, is retained by the 〈…〉〈…〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sabb〈…〉〈…〉. Matth. 12. 5. 8. so the Hebrew Sha••bat••••••, (here used) is by the Apostle Sabbatismos 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sabbatisme, in Heb. 4. 9. by [unspec] interpretation, a Rest whereof see Gen. 2. 2. Here∣by it appeareth, that the keeping of the Sabbath [unspec] was before the Law given at mount Sinai, Ex. 20. of 〈◊〉〈◊〉] that is, an holy Sabbath & both these joyned together, signifie an exact and carefull rest. So Exod. 35. 2. Levit. 23. 3. for a reservation] that is, to be reserved or kept: so in vers. 32. 33. 34.

Verse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that to day,] as they that laboured [unspec] in the sixt day, had what to eat on the Sabbath: so they that in this life (whiles God giveth time to worke,) doe labour in Christ, shall have in the life to come, the fruition of their labours, with eter∣nall rest in heaven, Ioh. 6. 27. 29. 58. Gal. 6. 7. ••0.

Vers. 26. there shall be none] This life and world is [unspec 26] the time and place of working; the world to come is for reward, when it will be too late to seeke for Manna, if we have gathered none before, Matth. 25. 8 9. 10. And thus the Hebrewes of old under∣stood this figure, saying; As in the sixe daies a man must prepare for the Sabbath, both in respect of food and of worke: so if a man prepare not aright his workes in this world, he shall have nothing to eat in the world to come. Againe they say, The Sabbath, in it there shall be none, [unspec] Exod. 16. this signifieth the world which shall bee all Sabbath; for there shall bee there no doing of the Law, but receiving of reward; as our Doctors of blessed me∣mory have explained it, Who so laboureth in the eve∣ning of the Sabbath, he shall eat in the Sabbath. R. Eli∣as, in Sepher reshith chochmah, treat. of Holinesse, cap. 2. foli•• 194▪ b.

V. 29. Out of his place] The Sabbath was sanctified [unspec] with an holy convocation, or assembling of the peo∣ple in Synagogues, Lev. 23. 3. Act. 15. 21. This place therefore whereto God restraineth them, was not their private tents, but the camp of Israel: out of which they might not goe on the Sabbath. From hence the Hebrewes gathered a generall prohibi∣tion of going out of towne on such dayes; and held it unlawfull to travell beyond the suburbs of any citie, which suburbs they set to be two thousand cu∣bits, from the Law in Num. 35. 5. and a like space was betweene the Arke of God and the people, at their passage over Iordan, Ios. 3. 4. The Chaldee paraphrase on Ruth 1. 16. (in the Masorites Bible,) saith, Naomi said unto Ruth, we are commanded to keep the Sabbaths & good daies, (that is feasts,) & not to goe above two thousand cubits. The like measure is set in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Thalmud, in Eurobin, c. 4. And R. D. Kimchi ••n his annotatiōs on Eze. 48. 7. saith, two thousand cu∣bits are a mile; meaning an Italian (or English) mile. Hereupon in the Apostles dayes the speech was common of a Sabbath dayes journey: and so farre Mount Oliver was from Ierusalem, Acts 1. 12. where the Syriak explaineth it, almost seven fur∣longs. In the Hebrewes canons it is said; Who so go∣eth out of the limits of a citie on the Sabbath day, is to be beaten: for it is said, Let no man goe out of his place in the seventh day, (Ex. 16. 29.) this place is the limits of the time, &c. By the doctrine of the Scribes no man may goe out of a citie above two thousand cubits; to goe further, is unlawfull for 2000. cubits, are the 〈…〉〈…〉 of a 〈…〉〈…〉, &c. Maimony in Misneh, treat of the Sabbath, c. ••7. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. 2.

V. 31. like cortander] in shape & quantity: but the [unspec 31] colour white as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or crystall, Num. 11. 7. The Heb. Gad is not found in this signification, but here and in Num. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 7. some think it to be 〈…〉〈…〉d: [unspec 1] but the Greeke cor〈…〉〈…〉, and the Chaldee Cusbar, (in Thargum Ierusalemy,) which is the Arabik name of Coriander, doe confirm the common translation. taste of it] to wi••, as it was gathered and un∣coqued, was like 〈…〉〈…〉; but being baked, &c. it tasted like 〈…〉〈…〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈…〉〈…〉.

V. 33 golden pot,] so the Apostle in Heb▪ 9. 4. (fol∣lowing [unspec 33] the common G〈…〉〈…〉 version) translated this word, which is not found but in this ••oly place. put there,] Heb. give there the fulnesse of an Omer. before Ieh vah:] that is before the Arke of testimonie, which was a signe of Gods presence. So it is explai∣ned in v. 34. And in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Chro. 20. ••3. all Iudah stood before Iehovah, 〈…〉〈…〉hat is, in the house of Iehovah, verse 5.

Vers. 34. Testimonie,] that is, the tables of Gods [unspec 34] law which were in the Arke, which testified Gods will to the people: see Exod. 25 16. 21. These were given afterward at mount Sinai, and there the Arke was made; although therefore Moses rehearseth the thing here, to make a full end of the storie of Manna, yet the performance of this was not till after.

Vers. 35. did eat Manna:] all of them for their [unspec 35] naturall food, and it preserved their life: but many of them pleased not God, by reason of their unbe∣leefe, 1 Coriathians 10. 5. Iude verse 5. therefore though they did eat Manna, yet they are dead, Ioh. 6. 49. even as they that now eat the Lords Sup∣per unworthily, are guilty of his body and blood, and doe eat judgement to themselves, not discerning the Lords body, 1 Cor. 11. 27. 29. but they that by beleeving in Christ, doe eat the true bread which came downe from heaven, doe not die, but have life eternall, and he will raise them up at the last day, Iohn 6. 35. 47. 51. 54.

Vers. 36. Ephah,] a common measure, much [unspec 36] like and English bushel; containing three Seahs (or pecks) mentioned in Gen. 18. 6. as the Chaldee here translateth, an Omer is one of ten (that is, the tenth part) of three Seahs: so also the Greek saith, the tenth of three measures. The Ephah therefore contained so much as 432. hens egges; about 7. gallons and a halfe of our measure. So the Omer was more than twice so much as the Chaenix▪ (a measure spo∣ken of in Rev. 6. 6.) which Chaenix was wont to be a mans allowance of bread corne for a day. By which Gods bounty appeared to his people, in al∣lowing for every of them daily, an Omer of Manna (verse 16.) which contained so much as 43. hens egges, and somewhat more.