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. IX.

Vers. 1. NOw in the twenty and fourth day of this moneth, the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, &c.] To wit, the next day but one after the solemnity of the feast of tabernacles was ended: for the last and great day of the feast was the two and twentieth day of this moneth: seeing they were so carefull ac∣cording to the Law to keep the feast of trumpets on the first day of this moneth, and the feast of tabernacles on the fifteenth day, chap. 8.1, 2.—14. it is likely also that they omitted not to keep the day of atonement enjoyned by the same Law, which was a publick fast day, whereon they were to afflict their souls, and was to be kept on the 10. day of this moneth, Lev. 23.27. some five dayes before the feast of ta∣bernacles began; but yet having had the Law day by day all the feast of tabernacle-expounded to them, chap. 8.18. and finding thereby how grievously they had sinned, and how farre short they were still from that which God required them to be, they resolved to keep a publick fast, before the people now assembled at Jerusalem were departed thence (onely affording them one day to prepare themselves for it) where∣in they would bewail their sinnes, seek to God for mercy, and make a solemne cove∣nant with God, having first separated themselves from their strange wives and their children, whereof it seems they were particularly convinced by the reading of the Law, as is implyed in the following words, vers. 2.

Vers. 2. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers.] That is, from their strange wives and the children they had by them. This is again re∣peated, chap. 13.3. When they had heard the Law they separated from Israel all the mixt multitude: yea, some conceive that that which is before related concerning the Jews putting away their strange wives at the perswasion of Ezra, was done now; Ezra being still living, as is noted in the former chapter, vers. 2. but of this see the note, Ezra 10,

Vers. 3. And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law, &c.] That is, the whole congregations stood up in their severall places, and then the priests and Levites read in the law of God one fourth part of the day, and prayed and praised God another fourth part. The day consisted among the Jews of twelve houres, John 11.9. Are there not twelve houres in the day? the first three houres were allotted to the morning sacrifice, the three last to the evening sacrifice; and the other two fourth parts were allotted to these duties of Gods worship and service.

Vers. 4. Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua and Bani, &c.] The people being divided it seems into eight severall congregations, accordingly these eight Levites stood up, each of them upon a scaffold or pulpit, erected in their severall assemblies, and prayed unto the Lord, and stirred up the people to joyn with them in praising God, as is expressed in the following verse: for those there mentioned, are the same that are here named, though three of them are there called by other names: for Bunni Bani and Chenani, are there called Hashabniah and Hodijah and Pethahiah.

Vers. 6. Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, &c.] See 1. Kings 8.27.

And the host of heaven worshipeth thee.] Not the Angels onely, but the sunne, moon, and starres, &c. are said to worship God, because in their kind they honour him, by being subject to his will and command.

Vers. 20. Thou gavest also thy good spirit, &c.] To wit, to their governours and teachers; not Moses onely, but the seventy Elders also, Numb. 11.17. by whom they were accordingly instructed and governed in the right way.

Vers. 22. Thou gavest them kingdomes and nations, and didst divide them in∣to corners.] That is, thou didest plant them in the severall parts and corners of the land of Canaan, some within Jordan and some without; yet some understand this of the heathen that were driven out of their dwellings before the Israelites.

So they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, &c.] Which was also, at that time when the Israelites took it, in the possession of Sihon, who had formerly taken it from the Moabites, Numb. 21.26. For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the king of Moab, &c.

Vers. 29. And hearkened not unto thy commandements, but sinned against thy judgements, (which if a man do, he shall live in them.] See the note, Levit. 18.5.

And withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.] That is, they refused to submit to Gods government, but were stubborn and rebelli∣ous against him. It is a metaphoricall expression taken from oxen and other cattell, that will struggle and will not take yoke upon them; the like phrase we have, Zach. 7.11. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away their shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they would not hear; and so in many other places.

Vers. 32. Let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us.] That is, take compassion on us, and put an end to the miseries that we have a long time suffered, and resolve not to bring any more evil upon us, as if we had not yet suffered enough.

Vers. 36. And for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers, to eat the fruit

thereof, and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it.] This is mentioned as a great aggravation of their misery, that they were servants in their own land, in the land which God had given their fathers for their inheritance; so that we reap not (say they) the benefit of the lands fruitfulnesse, but the kings that reigne over us, as is expressed in the following words, vers. 37. And it yeeldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us, &c.

Vers. 38. We make a sure covenant, and write it, and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.] To wit, in their own name, and in the name of all the people.