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.

CHAP. II.

1, Moses is borne, and hidden three moneths: 3, then in an Arke he is cast into the flags. 5, He is found, and brought up by Pharaohs daughter, as her owne sonne. 11, He looketh on his brethrens wrongs, and slayeth an Egyptian. 13. He reproveth an Hebrew that wronged his neighbour. 15, Hee fleeth for feare of his life, into Midian; 17, rescueth the Priests daugh∣ters from the violence of the sheepherds. 21, He dwel∣leth with the Priest, and marieth Zipporah his daugh∣ter; 22, of whom he begetteth Gershom. 12, God re∣specteth Isreels crie.

AND there went a man, of the house [unspec 1] of Levi: and hee tooke, the daugh∣ter of Levi. And the woman concei∣ved, [unspec 2] and bare a sonne: and she saw him, that he was a goodly child; and she hid him, three moneths. And she could not longer hide [unspec 3] him; and shee tooke for him, an arke of bul∣rushes; and dawbed it with slime, and with pitch. and she put the childe, therein; and put it in the flags, by the rivers brink. And his [unspec 4] sister stood, afarre off: to know, what should be done to him. And the daughter of Pha∣raoh [unspec 5] came downe, to wash at the river; and her maidens walked, by the rivers side: and she saw the arke, among the flags; and sent her hand maid, and tooke it. And she opened [unspec 6] it, and saw the child; and behold, the babe wept: and she had-compassion on him, and said; This is one of the Hebrewes children. And his sister said, to Pharaohs daughter; [unspec 7] shall I goe, and call to thee, a woman a nurse; of the hebrew women: that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaohs daughter said [unspec 8] to her, Go; and the maid went; & called, the childs mother. And Pharaohs daughter said [unspec 9] to her. Take this child away, and nurse it for me; and I will give thee thy wages; and the woman tooke the child & nursed it. And the child grew great, and she brought him unto [unspec 10] Pharaohs daughter; and he was to her, for a son; and she called his name, Moses; and she said, because I drew him, out of the water. And it was, in those dayes; when Moses was [unspec 11] growen-great, that hee went-out unto his brethren; and saw their burdens: and he saw, an Egyptian man; smiting an Hebrew man, one of his brethren. And hee looked this [unspec 12] way, and that way; and saw, that there was no man: and he smote, the Egyptian; and hid him, in the land. And he went-out in [unspec 13] the second day; and behold, two Hebrew men, strove-together: and he said to the wicked one, wherefore smitest thou thy neighbour? And hee said, who made thee [unspec 14] a man a prince and a judge, over us? sayest thou this, to kill me, as thou killedst the E∣gyptian? And Moses feared, and said, sure∣ly, the thing is knowne. And Pharaoh heard [unspec 15] this thing, and he sought to kill Moses: and Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh; and dwelt in the land of Midian, and hee sate downe by a well. And the Priest of Midi∣an, [unspec 16] had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughes; to water, their fathers flocke. And the sheed∣herds [unspec 17] came, and drove them away: and Moses stood-up, and saved them; and watred their flocke. And they came unto [unspec 18] Reguel their father: and he said, why are ye

come so soone, to day? And they sayd, an [unspec 19] Egyptian man, delivered us out of the hand of the sheepherds: and also drawing drew water for us; and watred the flocke And he sayd unto his daughters, and where [unspec 20] is he? wherefore now, have ye left the man? call him, that he may eate bread. And Mo∣ses [unspec 21] was content, to dwell with the man: and he gave Zipporah his daughter, unto Moses. And she bare a sonne, and he called his name [unspec 22] Gershom: for he sayd; I have been a stran∣ger, in a forraigne land. And it was, after [unspec 23] those many dayes, when the King of Egypt was dead; and the sonnes of Israel sighed, for the servitude, and cryed-out; that their cry came-up unto God, for the servitude. And God heard, their growning: and [unspec 24] God remembred his covenant, with Abra∣ham, with Isaak and with Iakob. And God [unspec 25] looked upon the sonnes of Israel: and God knew them.

Annotations.

A Man] named Amram, the sonne of Kohath, the sonne of Levi: Exod. 6. 16. 18. 20. To [unspec 1] this religious family, rather then any other, God now appeared: which mercy is remembred in 1 Sam. 2. 27. tooke] to wife, Exod. 6. 20. the daughter] named Iochebed, sister unto Kohath, and next daughter to Levi: aunt unto Amram her husband, Exod 6. 20. Numb. 26. 59. So Thargum Ierusalemy saith, hee tooke Iochebed his aunt, to him to wife. Such mariages with their neere kindred, were afterwards forbidden, when the tribes and families were multiplyed: Levit. 18. 12. a sonne] this was not their first childe, for Marie a daughter, and Aaron a sonne were both borne before him: Verse 4. Numb. 26. 59. Exod. 7. 7.

Vers. 2. a goodly childe] or fayre proper child, so the Apostle (following the Greeke version) [unspec 2] translateth it, in Hebr. 11. 23. the Hebrew be∣ing good, meaning in forme and beauty; as Gen. 24. 16. and Stephen addeth goodly (or faire) to God: Act. 7. 20. that is, exceeding faire, or ha∣ving divine beauty and g••••dlinesse: and there be of the Iew Doctors which write to the like effect, that hee had the forme of an Angel of God: Pirkei R. Elie〈…〉〈…〉 chap. 48. And heathen writers make mention also of his beautifull personage, Iustin. hist. b. 36. This Moses was, by the father, the seventh generation from Abraham; (as Enoch was the seventh from Adam: and Abraham the Hebrew, was the seventh from Heber:) and con∣sidering his mi••••des upon Egypt, and his lawes unto Israel; hee may be likened to that manchild, who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to rule all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Rev. 12. 5. 〈…〉〈…〉 together with his father: there∣fore the Greeke translateth they hid. And Paul saith, By faith Moses was hid of his parents three mo∣neths, because they saw hee was a goodly childe, and they were not afraid of the kings commandement, Heb. 11. 23. This hiding was in his owne fathers house, Act. 7. 20. in the yeare from the crea∣tion of the world, 2433.

Vers. 3. longer] or any more: by reason they [unspec 3] [unspec \2] dwelt mixed with the Egyptians, Exod. 3. 22. and the kings commandement was strait, and dange∣rous to transgresse, Exod. 1. 22. Heb. 11. 23. arke] or coffin, whereof see Gen. 6. 14. Thus Mo∣ses, as Noe, was saved in an arke from drowning, what that figured, see Gen. 6. 15. &c. bul∣rushes:] a thing there growing, of which the Egyptians used to make leight botes and vessels to goe upon the waters, Esay, 18. 2. flags] or, sea weeds, or sedge: such as grew by that river, and in the red sea, and other seas; Ion. 2. 5. Hereof the Redsea had the name, see Exod. 10. 19. brinke] Hebr. lip.

Vers. 4. his sister] named Marie, or Miriam, [unspec 4] of whom see Exod. 15. 20. Numb. 26. 59. stood] or, set her selfe to stand and looke; or espied (as the Greek translateth it) to learne what should be∣fall him.

Vers. 6. saw the child] or, saw him, (namely) the [unspec 6] child. had compassion] or, mercifully spared him: see this word, in Cen. 19. 16. Hebrewes] so the Israelites were called, of Heber: see Gen. 14. 13. and 39. 14. The Chaldee translateth it Iewes: so after verse 7. 11. 13. &c.

Vers. 7. a woman a nurse] an Hebrew phrase, the [unspec 7] word woman may in English bee omitted: as the word man, in verse 11. 14. See Gen. 13. 8. & 38. 1.

Vers. 10. for a sonne] adopted to be as her owne child, and trained up in all the wisedome of the Egyp∣tians; Act. 7. 21. 22. Moses] in Hebrew Mo∣sheh; but the Greeke of the new Testament writ∣eth him Moses, and Moyses, Mat. 19. 8. Act. 7. 20. 35. 37. his name signifieth Drawen-out: What name his parents had given him before is not recorded. I drew] Hebrew, Masithi: of this, the childe had his name: and it is not used againe in Scripture, but in Davids case, who saith of God, he drew me out of many waters, Psal. 18. 17. waters, signifying troubles.

Vers. 11. growen great] both in yeeres, and [unspec 11] in authoritie, being full sorty yeeres old; and mightie in words and in deeds: Act. 7. 23. 22. There fore In those dayes, may hee read, After those daies: as in verse 23. went-out:] it came into his heart to visit his brethren the sons of Israel, Act. 7. 23. and hee after this, renounced his honours and pleasures in Pharaohs Court, and associated him-selfe to Gods afflicted people: for by faith, heere∣fused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter cho∣sing rather to to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to injoy the pleasures of sinne for a season; esteem∣ing the reproach of Christe, greater riches then the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recom∣pense of the reward, Heb. 11. 24. 25. 26. saw their 〈◊〉〈◊〉] he Greek translateth, considered their labour: in Chaldee their ser〈…〉〈…〉de.

Vers. 12. smote] that is, killed him, (as is shewed on Gen. 14. 17) so defending and avenging his op∣pressed [unspec 12] brother; supposing that his brethren would have vnderstood, how that God by his hand would deli∣ver them: but they understood not. Act. 7. 24. 25. And because his calling was not yet manifested, he did this action secretly, and hid the Egyptian in the sand. From this action of Moses, the Iew Doctors did gather a law, that if an heathen smote an Israelite, he was to die. Maimony in Misneh, tom. 4. treat. of Hurt and dammage, chap. 5. S. 3.

Vers. 13. the second day] the day next after the former, Act. 7. 26. so prosecuting diligently the [unspec 13] worke which God had secretly called him unto. to the wicked one] that is, to him that did the wrong, as the Greeke translateth it; and Stephen appro∣veth the same, saying, The next day hee shewed him-selfe unto them as they strove, and earnestly exhorted them unto peace, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren, why doe ye wrong one to another? Act. 7. 26.

Vers. 14. he] that did his neighbour wrong, hee [unspec 14] thrust Moses away; Act. 7. 27. a man a prince] or, constituted thee a prince; omitting the word man, as Stephen (following the Greeke version) doth. See also Gen. 13. 8. This refusall of Moses, by one, is imputed to the rest of the Israelites, Act. 7. 35. And God for their unthankfulnesse, withdrew Moses from them 40. yeeres, before he sent him a∣gaine to deliver them: verse 23. sayest thou] to wit, in thy heart; (as Gen. 27. 41.) that is, intendest thou, thinkest thou; or, wilt thou kill me? as the Greeke translateth it; and so Stephen alleadgeth it, Act. 7. 28. And other scriptures have the like phrase, 2 Sam. 21. 16. the Egyptian] the Greek addeth, yesterday, and so it is in Act. 7. 28. the thing] Hebr. the word: Gr. this word: So in the verse following.

Vers. 15. fled] at this saying Act. 7. 29. Of this first departure, as well as of the second, some doe [unspec 15] understand that speech of the Apostle; By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he indured, as seeing him who is invisible, Heb. 11. 27. dwelt] or, seated, namely as a stranger, Act. 7. 29. and so here in vers. 22. and Exod. 12. 40. Midi∣an] Madiam, as the Greeke calleth it, or Ma∣dian, as in Act. 7. 29. a people that came of Madian the sonne of Abraham, Gen. 25. 2.

Vers. 16. Priest] or, Prince, as the Chaldee trans∣lateth [unspec 16] it; but the Greeke saith priest: See Gen. 41. 45. father] the Greeke addeth his name Iothor, that is, Iethor, as Exod. 3. 1.

Vers. 17. them] the daughters, as the Greeke ver∣sion [unspec 17] plainly sheweth: but the Hebrew here and af∣ter is masculine, as if it were them men, which some understand to be the shepherds that looked to the flocke, under these women: but the Hebrew put∣teth sometime one gender for another: see the notes on Exod. 1. 21. saved] in Greeke delive∣red them daughters. Compare this fact of Moses, with Iakobs, Gen. 29. 9. 10.

Vers. 18. Reguel] in Greeke, Ragouel: hee was a [unspec 18] Madianite, father to Hobab or Iethro the next fa∣ther of these daughters: Num. 10. 29. All grand-fathers and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, are called fathers: 2 Kin. 14. 3. & 16. 2. & 18. 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so soon] Heb. hastned to come.

Vers. 19. drawing drew] that is, drew readily and [unspec 19] enough; the Greeke saith, and drew for us.

Vers. 20. now] or, at this time; it being so Iate. [unspec 20] The Greeke translateth it, thus.

Vers. 21. was content] or began; as the word is [unspec 21] Englished, Deut. 1. 5. The Greeke omitteth it, say∣ing, And Moses dwelt with the man: and the Holy Ghost often omitteth the like, as some Evange∣lists say of Iesus, he began to say, Luk. 12. 1. Mark. 13. 5. another writeth, Iesus said, Matth. 16. 6. and 24. 4. so, he began to cast out, Mark. 11. 15. that is, he cast out, Mat. 21. 12. he began to crie, Mark. 10. 47. that is, he cried, Luke 18. 38. they began to beseech, Mark. 5. 17. that is, they besought him, Matth. 8. 34. and sundry the like. gave Zipporah] to wife, as the Greeke addeth; and calleth her Zemphora, as the letter m, is often put in such Greeke names; as Abbakuk the Prophet, is Amb••koum in Greek, Ab. 1. 1. so Chiun, Amos 5. 26. is Remphan, Act. 7. 43. the interpreters mistaking a 1.1 R. for b 1.2 C. and inter∣posing M. And in the Hebrew, Berodach, 2 King. 20. 12. is called also Merodach, Esa. 39. 1. that such change of letters, should not seeme strange unto us. Concerning this wife of Moses, his sister and brother afterwards spake against him, Num. 12. 1. where she is called a Cushite.

Vers. 22. Gershon] by interpretation, A desolate [unspec 22] stranger; the reason whereof followeth. Here the Greeke addeth, And she conceived againe, and bare a second sonne; and he called his name Eliezer, saying; for the God of my father is my helper, and hath delive∣red me from the hand of Pharaoh. This addition is borrowed from Exod. 18. 4.

Vers. 23. after those many daies] that is, as Stephen [unspec 23] openeth it, when forty yeeres were expired, Act. 7. 30. Exod. 7. 7. So the Hebrew Doctors also reckon the time: they say Moses was Iethroes shepherd 40. yeeres; and the wilde beasts spoiled not his sheepe, but they were fruitfull and multiplied greatly. Pirkei R. Eliezer, c. 40. Thus Moses had lived 40. yeeres in Pharaohs court; was 40. yeeres a stranger & shep∣herd in Midian; and after this, he fed Gods people Israel 40. yeeres, Act. 7. 36. Deut. 8. 2. and 34. 7. Here the Hebrew c 1.3 In, is rightly translated in Greeke After, as it elsewhere also plainely signi∣fieth, Numb. 28. 26. So in the new Testament, Marke 13. 24. in those daies, that is, after them, as is explained, Matth. 24. 29. after the tribulation of those daies. So in Dan. 2. 44. In (that is, After) the daies of these Kings, was dead] both the King, and all other that sought Moses life, Exod. 4. 19. servitude] or, bondage: in Greeke workes: which, as appeareth, continued though the King was dead. The Chaldee addeth, servitude which was hard upon them. came up] or ascended up to heaven. This their misery, and Gods mercy in re∣leasing them, is often mentioned; and was by the Israelites remembred in their land, every yeere, Deut. 26. 6. 7. 8. Num. 20. 16.

Vers. 24. covenant] whereof see Gen. 15. 14. and [unspec 24] 26. 13. and 46. 4. which God is said to remember (after the manner of men) when hee sheweth care, of performance: See Gen. 8. 1.

V. 25. knew] namely their sorrowes, as is expressed [unspec 25]

in Exod. 3. 7. or, knew them, in their sorrowes, that is, cared for them; as knowing often signifieth, Psal. 31. 8. and 1. 6. Prov. 12. 20. The Greek trans∣lateth it, hee was knowne unto them; The Chaldee, he said by his word, that he would deliver them.

Notes

• a 1.1

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• b 1.2

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• c 1.3

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