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.

CHAPTER I.

1, The number of the sonnes of Israel that went into Egypt. 7, Their great increase after Iosephs death. 8, Their oppression by a new King. 12, Their multiplica∣tion notwithstanding their bitter service. 15, The King commandeth the men children to be killed at the birth: 17, but the midwives fearing God, doe save them alive. 20, and are blessed of God for it. 22, Pharaoh com∣mandeth all the men children to be cast into the river.

NOw these are the names, of [unspec 1] the sonnes of Israel; which came, into Egypt: every▪ man and his house, came; with Iakob. Reuben, Si∣meon, Levi, and Iudah. [unspec 2] Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin. Dan, and Naphtali; Gad, and Aser. And all the souls, [unspec 3] that came-out of the thigh of Iakob, were [unspec 4] [unspec 5] seventy soules: and Ioseph was in Egypt. And Ioseph dyed, and all his brethren; and [unspec 6] all that generation. And the sons of Israel, were fruitfull, and increased abundantly, and [unspec 7] multiplied, and wexed-mighty, most excee∣dingly: and the land was filled, with them.

And there arose-up a new King, over E∣gypt; [unspec 8] which knew not Ioseph. And he said, [unspec 9] unto his people: behold, the people of the sonnes of Israel, are moe and mightier than we. Come-on, let us deal-wisely with them: [unspec 10] lest they multiply; and it be, when there fall out warre, then they be added also unto our enemies; and warre against us, and goe-up out of the land. And they set over them [unspec 11] taske-masters; to afflict them with their bur∣dens: and they built for Pharaoh, treasure∣cities; Pithom, and Raamses. And as they [unspec 12] afflicted thē, so they multiplyed, & so they encreased: and they were yrked, because of the sonnes of Israel. And the Egyptians, [unspec 13] made the sons of Israel to serve with rigour. And they made their lives bitter, with hard [unspec 14] service, in morter, & in bricks; and in all ser∣vice, in the field: al their service, wherin they made thē serve, was with rigor. And the king [unspec 15] of Egypt said, to the midwives of the hebrew women: of which the name of one, was Shiph∣rah; and the name of the other, Puah. And he [unspec 16] sayd, when ye do the midwives office, to the Hebrew-women; & see them, upon the stools: if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; and if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the mid∣wives, [unspec 17] feared God; and did not as the King of Egypt spake unto them: but saved alive, the men-children. And the King of Egypt, [unspec 18] called for the midwives, and said unto them; why have ye done this thing: and have sa∣ved alive, the men-children? And the mid∣wives [unspec 19] said, unto Pharaoh; because the He∣brew-women, are not as the Egiptian-women: for they are lively; and doe bring-forth, ere the midwife come-in unto them. And God [unspec 20] dealt-well, with the midwives: and the peo∣ple multiplied, and wexed very mighty. And [unspec 21] it was, because the midwives feared God; that he made them houses. And Pharaoh com∣manded, [unspec 22] all his people, saying: every sonne that is borne, ye shall cast him into the river; and every daughter, ye shall save-alive.

Annotations.

BOoke of Moses] so our Lord Christ calleth it, in Mark. 12. 26. See the first annotations on Genesis. Exodus] a Greeke word, signifying

Departing, because the first chief thing here hand∣led, is of the Departing or Out-going of Israel from Egypt, Exod. 12. 41. This Greeke word is used in Heb. 11. 22. Luk. 9. 31. Exod. 19. 1. In Hebrew the booke is named of the first words, Elle shemoth, that i••, These are the names. And here beginneth the thirteenth section, or lecture of the Law: See Gen. 6. 9.

Verse 1. Now these] Hebrew And these. This booke is a continuance of the former history of [unspec 1] Genesis, therefore it beginneth with And, as coup∣led thereunto: so likewise do Moses his two next bookes. Sometime And is used in the beginning of a story, as Esth. 1. 1. where it may in translating be omitted; as is noted on Gen 36. 24. and so the Greek omitteth it here. Egypt] Hebrew Mits∣raim; that is, the land of Mitsraim, the sonne of Cham: See Gen. 10. 6. and 12. 10. house] that is, houshold, as the Chaldee saith, the men of the house.

Vers. 3. Issachar] hee is named in the fift place, because he was the fift of the same mother Leah; [unspec 3] though Iakob had other sonnes before him: see Gen. 35. 23. Benjamin] hee, though yongest, is set before the foure children of the bondwo∣men. In the wall of the heavenly Ierusalem, the Iasper on which his name was graven, is the first foundation, Rev. 21. 19. Exod. 28. 20. And in Deut. 33. Moses giveth Benjamin a blessing, be∣fore his elder brother Ioseph.

Vers. 5. soules] that is, persons: and in Hebrew soule, put for soules: See Gen. 12. 5. thigh] [unspec 5] loynes, or seed: See Gen. 46. 26. seventie] the Greeke addeth 75. and so the Holy Ghost in Act. 7. 14. the reason whereof is noted on Gen. 46. 20. 27. And this small number when they came in, commendeth Gods blessing in multiplying them so greatly when they went out, Exo. 12. 37. Deut. 10. 22. and Ioseph] that is, with Ioseph who was in Egypt already, as the Chaldee explaineth it: wher∣fore the Greeke version putteth this clause before the former, to shew Ioseph to be of the number, he and his children: as Gen. 46. 20. 27.

Vers. 6. brethren] who were caried out of Egypt, and buryed in Sychem, in the land of Canaan, [unspec 6] Act. 7. 16. generation] that is, the men of that generation or age; both Israelites and Egyptians: see Gen. 6. 9.

Vers. 7. increased] or, bred-swiftly, as the fishes or ceeping things of the earth, which of this word [unspec 7] have their name: See Gen. 1. 20. And this was, when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworne to Abraham; Act. 7. 17. wherof see Gen. 12. 2. and 15. 5. &c. most exceedingly] Hebrew, with vehemency vehemencie: as Gen. 7. 19. and 30. 43. They became a nation, great, mighty, and popu∣lous, Deut. 26. 5.

Vers. 8. new] another King, saith the Greek versi∣on; which Stephen followeth, Act. 7. 18. [unspec 8] knew not] this word is used both for knowledge and understanding with the mind, & for acknow∣ledging & regard with the affections: both which might be in this King, Eccles. 2. 19. Psa. 31. 8. Hos. 2. 8. T〈…〉〈…〉 Chaldee expoundeth it thus, which con∣firmed not the decree of Ioseph.

Vers. 10. with them] or against them, (as the Gr. [unspec] word, which also Stephen useth in Act. 7. 19. im∣plieth:) that is, wisely keepe them under. At this time, the sonnes of Israel began to corrupt their religion, and to commit whordome with the idols of Egypt, for which God was angry with them, Ezek. 23. 8. and 20. 5. 7. 8. Ios. 24. 14. And he turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people, to deale-craftily with his servants, Psal. 105. 25. warre] or understand occasions of warre: the Greeke saith, when warre befalleth us. goe up] to weet in∣to Canaan. Thus Satan sought to hinder the ful∣filling of Gods promise, Gen. 46. 3. 4.

Vers. 11. task-masters:] Hebrew princes of taskes [unspec] (or of tributes:) that is commissaries to exact of Is∣rael, tasks, and servile works; as the Greeke transla∣teth, masters over works; the Chaldee calleth them rulers evill doers. So because Israel served not the Lord their God with gladnesse of heart, hee made them serve their enemies with much affliction, & put a yoke of yron upon their necke, as he threat∣ned againe after this; Deut. 28. 47. 48. And thus the oracle was fulfilled, Gen. 15. 13. treasure cities] or cities of store, wherein to lay up both the fruits of the earth, as 2 Chron. 32. 28. and other provision of armory and warlike furniture: wher∣fore the Greeke translateth, fortified cities. Raamses] this differeth in writing, from Rameses spoken of in Gen. 47. 11. and Exod. 12. 37. the Ie∣rusalemy Thargum calleth it Philusin, (otherwise named Pelusium: and the former Pithom, he cal∣leth Tenis (or Tanis.)

Vers. 12. as they] that is, the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied. There is no wisdome, prudency or counsell against the Lord; Prov. 21. 30. encreased] or spred abroad: Hebrew brake forth with sudden increase; see Gen. 30. 30. 43. and 28. 14. The Greek and Chaldee translate it, wexed strong. This mercy of God David celebrateth, saying, And hee increased his people mightily; and and made them stronger then their distressers. Psal. 105. 24.

Vers. 13. rigor] or fiercenesse (which English word [unspec] commeth of the Hebrew Pherec:) the Greek tran∣slateth it force; the Chaldee hardnesse. The Israelites were forbidden to rule after this manner, one over another, Levit. 25. 43. 46. Hereupon Egypt is cal∣led, the house of servants (or bondmen) Exod. 20. 2. and for the hardnesse of the servitude, an yron for∣nace; Deut. 4. 20. and because King Pharaoh caused this bondage, it is called the house of Pharaoh, 1 Sam. 2. 27.

Vers. 14. bitter] in Greeke sorrowfull. [unspec]

Ver. 15. Shiphrah] in Greeke Sepphora: and the other, Phoua. These seeme to be the chiefe of the midwives. The Thargum Ierusalemy maketh them to be Hebrew women of Levi, Iochebed, and Miriam.

Vers. 16. stooles] a peculiar round seat for women [unspec] in travel; the Hebrew word is not used elsewhere, but in Ier. 18. 3. for a wheele or frame which pot∣ters worke upon. The Greeke translateth not the word but the sense, saying, and they bee about to

bring forth. kill him] this hath alwayes beene Satans subtiltie, to labour the death of the men children, the strongest and valiantest of Gods peo∣ple. So the great red Dragon (of the Romane Em∣pire) stood ready to devoure the manchild, which the woman (the Church of Church Christ) was about to bring forth, Rev. 12. 3. 4. 5. as here Pha∣raoh King of Egypt, (likened to a great Dra∣gon, lying in the midst of his rivers, Ezek. 29. 3.) would have devoured the males of Israel.

Vers. 19. Pharaoh] this was a name of honour; common to all the Kings of Egypt: as is noted on [unspec 19] Gen. 12. 15. unto them] Thargum Ierusalemy expounds it thus, ere the midwife comes at them, they pray to their Father which is in heaven; and he answe∣reth them, and they doe bring forth.

Vers. 21. that he] Hebrew, and he them:] the Hebrew lahem, is properly them men, and so may [unspec 21] be understood of the Israelites who being spared by the midwives, lived to have families. Or it is put for lahen, them women: the couragious mid∣wives, to whom God made houses, that is, gave them children and families. So the Prophets some time vary the gender, as in 1 King. 22. 17. lahem: for which in 2 Chro. 18. 16. is written lahen. Also in 1 Chron. 10. 7. bahem: which in 1 Sam. 31. 7. is written bahen. And so the Gr. here, & Thargum Ierusalemy, referreth it to the women saying; be∣cause the midwives feared before the Lord, therefore they got them a good name in a strange nation, and made them houses; the house of the Levites, and the house of the High priesthood. See the like after in Exod. 2. 17. also in Iudg. 21. 22. and before, noted on Gen. 4. 7.

Vers. 22. all his people] so from secret oppression, [unspec 22] proceeding to open tyranny; evill intreating our fathers, making their babes to bee cast out, that they might not be saved-alive, Act. 7. 19. which though Israels sinne did deserve, Ezek. 20. 5. 7. 8. yet God after repayed to the Egyptians, in turning the wa∣ters of their river into blood, and slaying all their firstborne, Exod. 7. 20. 21. and 12. 29. 30. that is borne] namely to the Hebrewes (or Iewes:) as the Greeke and Chaldee doe expresse.