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. III.

Vers. 1. ANd when the seventh moneth was come, &c.] That is, when the seventh moneth approached, for they began to offer burnt offerings on the first day of the moneth, vers. 6. From the first day of the seventh moneth began they to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord, &c. because there were many fe∣stivals by the law appointed to be kept on this moneth (which were the first after their return out of Babylon) to wit, the feast of trumpets on the first day, Levit. 23.24. the feast of expiation or day of attonement on the tenth day, Levit. 23.27. and the feast of Tabernacles, on the fifteenth day, Levit. 23.34. and besides the first feast of the dedication of the Temple was on this moneth, 1. Kings 8.2. &c. there∣fore the people having spent some time in settling their own domesticall affairs in the severall towns and cities where they were to dwell, at least the seventh moneth ap∣proaching they did unanimously assemble together unto Jerusalem, that they might build the altar, and prepare for the keeping of these solemnities.

Vers. 3. And they set the altar upon his bases, &c.] That is, they built the altar upon the foundations of Solomons altar which were still standing, and the reason of this is added in the following words (for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries) that is, they laid not a new foundation for haste, be∣cause they feared, that if it were not soon dispatched, they should be hindred by the Samaritanes the neighbouring inhabitants of that countrey, who already it seems began to threaten them, and to bandy against them. Yet some conceive that in these words a reason is given, not why they built the altar upon the old bases or foun∣dations of Solomons altar, but why they would not stay the building of the altar till the temple was built: it was, because they were afraid of the Samaritanes; and so they hastened the building of the altar, that by offering up sacrifices to God, they might seek his favour and assistance against those their envious and malignant neighbours.

Vers. 4. They kept also the feast of tabernacles, &c.] With what extraordi∣nary solemnity this feast was afterward kept, we see, Neh. 8.13.18.

Vers. 6. From the first day of the seventh moneth began they to offer burnt of∣ferings, &c.] Which was the day appointed by the law for the feast of trumpets,

Levit. 23.24. In the seventh moneth, in the first day of the moneth, shall ye have a sabbath, a memoriall of blowing of trumpets.

Vers. 9. Then stood Joshua, with his sonnes and his brethren, &c.] Not the sonne of Josedech the high priest, but a Levite of the same name, of whom mention is made before, chap. 2.40.

Vers. 11. Giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercie en∣dureth for ever towards Israel, &c.] To wit, singing the 118. or the 136. Psalme. See 2. Chron. 5.13. and 7.3.

Vers. 12. Ancient men that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, &c.] To wit, both because many of the holy things that were in the former house were like to be wanting in this, and especially because the glory of this building was not likely to equall the glory of the first which Solomon built; a shadow intimating the wearing away of the legall ceremonies. Yea thus it continued to be with the people, when afterwards the building of the Temple went forward in the dayes of Darius, whence it was that Haggai the Prophet, who prophesied in the second yeare of Darius the king, Hag. 1.1. did encourage and comfort the people with that promise, Hag. 2.9. The glory of this latter house shall be greater then of the former; which yet he meant not of the glory of the building; but of the glorious appearance of Christ the promised Messiah herein: nor needs it seem strange that some were now living that had seen the for∣mer Temple; for that was destroyed in the eleventh yeare of the captivitie, 2. Kings 25. and therefore it was but threescore years after that when the foundations of this new house were laid.