Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. X.

Vers. 1. THere assembled unto him out of Israel, a very great congregation, &c.] Ezra having in publick before the Temple, to wit, in the outer court manifested such wonderfull affliction of mind, and sorrow for the sinnes of the peo∣ple by rending his garments, yea, the hair of his head and beard, casting him∣self groveling upon the ground, weeping and wailing, calling and crying upon God for mercie, as a man astonished and distracted with grief, and that no doubt purposely to discover to the people the grievousnesse of their sinne, and the danger they were in because thereof; the noise hereof was soon carried throughout the citie, and presently there came in to him of those that were afraid of those judgements threatned in the word of God against them for this sinne, some few at first, chap. 9.4. but now at last a very great assembly of them, who being affected with Ezraes grievous lamentation, did also weep very sore with him.

Vers. 2. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.] That is, there is hope that God may be reconciled to the people that are called by his name, if we use the means that he hath appointed; namely, if we believe, and repent, and forsake our sinnes, and put away the strange wives that are amongst us, and this too, there is great hope the people will be wonne to do.

Vers. 3. Let us make a covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, &c.] This is the course which Shechaniah propounds to Ezra for the pacifying of Gods wrath: namely, that they should put away their strange wives and the children that were born of them; and two particulars he addes concerning the manner of doing this, that Ezra might the readily approve of it; to wit, first, that it should be commended to the people by the advice of Ezra, and those other godly Israelites that were now assembled to him, which we have in those words; according to the counsel of my Lord, and those that tremble at the com∣mandment of our God; and thus he intimates too for Ezraes incouragement, that those that were religiously affected, & were afraid of Gods judgements because of this sin, would willingly joyn in promoting this work: and secondly, that they should man∣nage this great businesse, according to the warrant & direction of Gods Law; and let it be done according to the Law: and hereby I conceive it is evident, that where the Law did forbid the Jews to marry any infidell remaining an infidell, as Deut. 7.3. and Exod. 34.16. it did also by necessary consequence enjoyn those that had married such wives, to put them away, and in some sence their children also. Indeed the judgement of Expositours is different conerning their way of doing this: for some conceive that their wives were put away as no lawfull wives, because their marrying them was not warrantable by Gods Law: and again, others think that they were put away by bills of divorce, which they say was principally intended in that clause, and let it be done according to the Law. But now for their children born of such wives, though some conceive that they also were cast off as illegitimate, and born by unlawfull copulation, and turned out of their families, the rather that the sight of them might not by degrees winne them to receive back their mothers again; yet this I can by no means approve, for though it should be granted that such children were to be esteemed as bastards, yet surely their fathers were to provide for them; and

therefore by putting away the children born of such wives, nothing else is meant, but that they were declared no true free-born members of the people of Israel; which may be confirmed by this, that in Nehemiahs reformation, that place Deut. 23.3. An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the congregation of the Lord: is alledged as the ground why they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude, Neh. 13.1.3. concerning which, see the notes there; and questionlesse the pa∣rents of these children maintained and brought them up, and took care that they might be instructed in the truth, to the end, that afterwards as Proselytes they might be joyned to the people of God; but however, that this at the most was but a part of Moses politie, a Law not in force now, many gather from that of the Apostle, 1. Cor. 7.12, 13. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away, &c. and again, 1. Pet. 3.1. Likewise, ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be wonne by the conversation of the wives.

Vers. 6. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the sonne of Eliashib.] Eliashib was the sonne of Joiakim, and grandchild of Jeshua the high priest, Neh. 12.10. And Jeshua begat Joiakim, and Joiakim begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada: and was himself high priest in Nehemiahs time, Neh. 3.1. Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, &c.] Johanan therefore his sonne, was doubtlesse of chief ac∣count amongst the priests at this time; and for this cause it seems Ezra went into his chamber, that there with the princes he might consult how to effect that reformati∣on to which the forementioned assembly had sworn to yield.

Vers. 8. All his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation, &c.] That is, excommunicated from the number of Gods people, and this was the punishment denounced against those that would not come to the assem∣bly that Ezra had called.

Vers. 9. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin, gathered themselves toge∣ther, &c.] That is, all that inhabited in the land of Judah and Benjamin, for there were many of the ten tribes that were come from Babylon, chap. 1.5. who doubtlesse came now to this meeting together with those of Judah and Benjamin.

It was the ninth moneth, and the twentieth day of the moneth, &c.] Which was about the beginning of our December, a time usually of much cold and rain, and thence is that which follows, And all the people sate in the streets of the house of God: that is, in the place of the outer court, which was it may be not yet walled in, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

Vers. 12. Then all tht congregation answered, and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.] Yet within a few years they returned to this there vomit again.

Vers. 14. Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, &c.] That is, let the supreme rulers of all Israel, to wit, the Sanhedrim be appointed to sit dayly here in Jerusalem, for the hearing of this businesse; namely, who they were that had married strange wives that had not embraced the faith of Israel, or that were since their marriage relapsed to idolatry, and let those that are found guiltie in every citie, be brought hither in their turns to appear before them, and with them the Elders and

judges of every citie to testifie against them, and to make affidavit, that upon diligent search and enquiry made, these and these onely have been found guilty, and so let the businesse be dispatched first with the inhabitants of one citie, and then with ano∣ther untill at length all the strange wives be put away, and so the fierce wrath of our God may be turned away from us.

Vers. 15. Onely Jonathan the sonne of Asahel, and Jahaziah the sonne of Tik∣vah, were employed about this matter, &c.] To wit, besides those mentioned, vers. 14. the rulers of all the congregation, which is in Jerusalem to sit in judgement, and the Elders and judges in every citie, who used after diligent search made, to bring those they found faulty before them, and the other rulers in Jerusalem; these foure here mentioned were it seems chosen for this particular businesse in hand, either to joyn with that high Senate in Jerusalem; or else as officers to give order and dire∣ction for the managing of this matter in their severall cities, or to prepare and fit businesse for the hearing of the rulers, and two of these were Levites, that if any doubtfull case happened, they might inform them what the meaning of the Law in that case was.

Vers. 17. And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives, by the first day of the first moneth.] And so were three whole moneths employed about it: for they begin to sit about this businesse the first day of the tenth moneth, as it is said in the foregoing verse.

Vers. 18, And among the sonnes of the priests, there were found that had taken strange wives; namely, of the sonnes of Jeshua the sonne of Jozadak.] Who was the high priest.

Vers. 19. And being guilty, the offered a ramme of their flock for the trespasse.] The like must be understood also of the rest, though of each it be not expressed.

Vers. 20. And of the sonnes of Immer, &c.] These mentioned in the three fol∣lowing verses were also priests.

Vers. 23. Also of the Levites; Jozabad, &c.] That is, the Levites that mini∣stred to the priests, for the singers and porters who were also Levites, are named in the following verse.

Vers. 44. And some of them had wives by whom they had children.] As if he should have said, and yet for all that they were put away.