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. VII.

Vers. 1. ANd it came to passe when the king sat in his house, &c.] This clause when the king sat in his house, is here inserted, First, to imply, though▪ more obscurely, what is afterwards more fully expressed, to wit, that David for the present had rest from warre, he sat quietly in his house, the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies, (as it follows in the next words) and so being freed from former troubles, he began to think of further promoting the cause of religion, and of building a temple for the ark, which he had lately brought to Jerusalem. And secondly, to intimate what it was that made him think of building a temple, to wit, that he was come to dwell in that stately house, which he had built for himself (for the building whereof Hiram had sent him, both cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons, chap. 5.11,) and so sitting in this his palace, he began to think with himself, how unreasonable it was, that he should dwell in such a state∣ly house, and the ark of God should be lodged the whilest in a poore tent or taber∣nacle: for though when the people of Israel removed from one place to another, the Lord chose to dwell in a tent which might be removed, yet now that Israel had been a long time settled in the land which God had given them, it was no longer necessary that Gods dwelling place should be a tent; and therefore David conceived, that his purpose of building a settled house for God, would not be a crossing of that which God himself had ordered▪ in choosing a tent to be his dwelling place.

Vers. 3. And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart, &c.] Yet afterwards by expresse direction from God, he was appointed to crosse this which now he said; whereby is manifest, that the Prophets had not alwayes the spirit of prophecy upon them, but spake sometimes as private men, as Samuel did, 1. Sam. 16.6. And it came to passe when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lords anointed is before him: and 2. Kings 4.27. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone, for her soul is vexed within her; and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. But before Nathan came to David with that message, this present approbation had encouraged him to bind his resolution with a solemne vow, to wit, that which we reade of, Psal.

132.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Lord remember David, and all his afflictions. How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob. Surely, I will not come into the tabernacle of my house: nor go up into my bed. I will not give sleep to mine eies, or slumber to mine eye-lids; Untill I find out a place for the Lord; an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

Vers. 5, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?] That is, thou shalt not. The Lord purposed to have a house built which should be the peculiar place of his worship and service, and had made known so much long since to his people, Deut. 12.11. Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose, to cause his Name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you: your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices, &c. But David was not the man he had ap∣pointed for this work, and therefore though the Lord commended David for this holy intention, as is evident, 1. Kings 8.18. And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my Name, thou diddest well that it was in thine heart, and made many gracious promises unto him at this time, ver. 10, 11, 12, &c. to testifie how well he took it that he had such a purpose in his mind: yet withall he made known to him, that he meant not that it should be done by him▪ but by his sonne, and shewed him also the reasons why he might not do it, (though they be not here expressed) to wit, First, because he should still be so en∣cumbred with warres, that he should not have leasure or opportunity to effect so qreat a work: 1. Kings 5.3. Thou knowest how that David my father, could not build an house unto the Name of the Lord his God, for the warres that were about him on every side, untill the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. Secondly, because he had been a man of warre, and had shed bloud; 1. Chron. 22, 7, 8. And Da∣vid said to Solomon, My sonne, as for me it was in my mind to build an house unto the Name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed bloud abundantly, and hast made great warres; thou shalt not build an house unto my Name, because thou hast shed much bloud upon the earth in my sight: and it must be a peaceable king that was to build the Temple, that he might be a type of Christ, the Prince of peace, Isa. 9.6.

Vers. 6. Whereas I have not dwelt in any house▪ since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, &c.] Though Davids intent was generally in it self good, insomuch that the Lord himself commended him for it, as is manifest in that place before cited, 1. Kings 8.18. yet it was not without some mixture of er∣rour: for herein he failed, because he undertook to do it without any particular dire∣ction or warrant from God, led hereto onely by the judgement of his own reason, that it was not fit God should dwell within curtains, when he dwelt in an house of cedar; and therefore though the Lord told him that his purpose was in the generall commendable, yet withall he rejected his purpose, and discovered thereby that he should have waited his leasure and direction, and disproved his reason, shewing that till he required a Temple to be built, the ark was altogether as well in a tabernacle, as in a Temple; which was evident, because he had never charged any of the Judges with this fault, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? See the note upon 1. Chron. 17.6.

Vers. 8. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took the from the sheep-cote from fol∣lowing

the sheep, &c.] That David might not be discouraged, and fear that this in∣hibition that he should not go forward in the work intended, did proceed from the Lords disregarding of him, or from any displeasure the Lord had conceived against him (as a loving wife will grieve if her husband refuse any service she proffers to do him) in these following words he shews how well he esteemed of him, both by re∣counting what he had done for him, & by promising what he would do more. But yet withall, in these words, I took thee from the sheep-cote, &c. to be ruler over my peo∣ple, the Lord implies, that in doing this, for which he had exalted him, in ruling his people, he might sufficiently approve his thankfulnesse to God, and leave the care of building a Temple, to whom God should choose.

Vers. 10. (Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, &c.] This passage included in our Bibles in a Parenthesis, is very intricate and obscure. According to our translation, the meaning I conceive is this. Because the glory and happines of a king, depends much upon the pro••perous and flourishing estate of his people; therefore the Lord doth promise David, that the Israelites should be now settled peaceably and quietly in the land of Canaan, and should not be mo∣lested and oppressed, as they had formerly been in the dayes of the Judges; I will appoint a place, saith the Lord and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more, that is, I will now settle them so in the land of Ca∣naan, that they shall quietly enjoy it, as their own lawfull inheritance, and not be dispossessed and tossed up and down, as formerly they have been; neither shall the children of wickednesse afflict them any more, as before time; that is, neither shall they be molested and vexed continually by their oppressing neighbours, as in former times they have been (and observable it is, that speaking of those that had afflicted and distressed the poore people of God, he terms them in that respect, children of wickednesse) and as since the time that I commanded Judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies, that is, and as they have been oppressed, ever since that I appointed Judges to govern and defend them, even unto this time, that I have now given thee peace and rest, from thine enemies round about. This I conceive must needs be the meaning of this passage, according to our translation: for though it may be questioned, why the Lord should say, I will ap∣point a place for my people Israel—that they may dwell in a place of their own. Since God had done this long since (he had long since appointed the land of Canaan to be theirs, and had driven out the inhabitants that had dwelt in it before, & had put them into possession of it, and they had enjoyed it as their own for many years toge∣ther) yet for answer to this, we must know, that because hitherto the Philistines and other of the old inhabitants of Canaan, had still kept some good part of the land from them, and by them and other neighbouring nations, they had been hitherto ever and anon molested, they being still ready upon all advantages to challenge their land, and to seek to wrest it from them; therefore the Lord speaks of the peaceable posses∣sion of the land, as a thing that was not yet made good to them; but should be now in the dayes of David and Solomon. And whereas again it may be objected, that much seems here to be promised, which was never made good to the Israelites, as that the Lord would so plant them in a place of their own, that they should thence move no more, and that the children of wickednesse should not afflict them any more,

as before time. &c. whereas we see, that after Solomons dayes, both the kingdome of Israel and Judah, were often invaded and wasted by many of the neighbouring nati∣ons, and that the Israelites were at last carried captive to Assyria and Babylon, and other countries; to this the answer must be, that either this must be restrained to the time of David and Solomon his sonne, in whose time the Israelites did at last peaceably enjoy their land as their own, without any molestation from the neigh∣bouring nations; or else it must be understood as a conditionall promise, God reser∣ving liberty to himself, to deal otherwise with them, if they should rebell against him (and indeed accordingly we see how marvelously they flourished, till in the end of Solomons reigne they fell again to idolatry) or else we must expect the full accom∣plishment hereof, when this people shall come in to Christ, and so shall be planted again in their own land, never to be removed thence any more, nor ever more to be afflicted by the children of wickednesse.

Vers. 11. Also the Lord telletb thee, that he will make thee an house.] That is, that he will rear up of thy posterity, on whom the kingdome shall be established af∣ter thee, from one generation to another, till it comes at last to be established in Christ: see the note, Exod. 1.21.

Vers. 13. He shall build an house for my name.] That is, a house for my wor∣ship and service; of which see the note, Deut. 12.4. and it is meant of Solomons building the Temple; for though David in his life time prepared great store of ma∣terialls for this great work, 1. Chron. 22.14. and did also give unto Solomon the pattern of the house, and the services thereof, which he had received from the Lord, 1. Chron. 28.11. Then David gave to Solomon his sonne the pattern of the porch, &c. and again, vers. 19. All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern, yet David laid not so much as the foundation of the building, but Solomon began and finished the work, 1. Kings 5.1. &c. But withall it is meant likewise of Christ the sonne of Da∣vid, by whom onely the Church is built, that house of God of which the Temple was a type, 1. Pet. 3.5. Ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Vers. 14. I will be his father, and he shall be my sonne, &c.] This clause is al∣so meant both of Solomon, and Christ. That it is meant of Solomon is clear, 1. Chron. 28.6. where this prophesie is repeated, Solomon thy sonne he shall build my house, and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my sonne, and I will be his father; and that it is also meant of Christ is as evident, Heb. 1.5. where the A∣postle proves by this place, that Christ was farre above the angels; For unto which of the Angels said he at any time, Thou art my sonne, this day have I begotten thee? and Again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a sonne? Indeed the following clause cannot be meant of Christ, If he commit iniquity I will cha∣sten him, &c. for though sinne was imputed to Christ, Isaiah 53.6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all: yet it cannot be therefore said of Christ, that he did commit iniquity. The rule therefore for understanding these propheticall pas∣sages, is this, That onely those passages are to be applyed to Christ wherein Solo∣mon was a type of Christ; the first therefore is meant both of Solomon and Christ, I will be his father, and he shall be my sonne, but in a different respect, God was

a father to Solomon by adoption and grace, to Christ, by naturall generation; but then the second, is meant onely of Solomon, If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men, and thereby some understand that men should be the rods wherewith Solomon should be chasti∣sed; and so indeed it was with Solomon when he fell to idolatry in his latter dayes, God corrected him for this, by the rebellions of Hadad, and Rezon, and Jeroboam against him, 1, Kings 11.14, &c. but rather I conceive the meaning is, either gene∣rally, that as men use to correct their sonnes, whom they love most dearly, so God would correct Solomon, though he would not cast him off as he cast off Saul, yet he would make him smart for it, if he sinned against him; or else that God would cor∣rect him with moderation and gentlenesse: for indeed, gentle correction may well be termed the rod of men, and the stripes of the children of men, both because such correction is fitted to the weaknesse of men, and because men are wont so to correct their children with a light and gentle hand; or else in opposition to the strokes of Gods revenging justice: for as the heavinesse of Gods judgements upon Babylon is implyed in that expression, Isa. 47.3. I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man; so on the contrary, Gods gentlenesse may be well intended by this expres∣sion, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. If God should plead against us with his great power, as Job speaks, chap. 23.6. it would soon grind us to powder; but his purpose in smiting his children is onely to amend and not to destroy, and therefore he doth it with great moderation and pitie.

Vers. 15. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, &c.] That is, I will not cast him off from being king, as I did Saul: It is not that mercy which is the portion of Gods redeemed ones, of which the Lord saith here, that it should not depart away from Solomon, as he took it from Saul; for Saul never had any share in this mercy, and where God affords this mercy, he never takes it away. But the mercy here spo∣ken of, is onely that of continuing the kingdome to him: this mercy the Lord saith should not depart from Solomon, he would not utterly cast him off from being king as David had seen Saul cast off, whence is that last clause, whom I put away be∣fore thee.

Vers. 16. And thine house and thy kingdome shall be established for ever before thee, &c.] These words before thee, are added, because his kingdome should be esta∣blished in him unto the day of his death, and should whilest he yet lived, be settled upon his sonne, and so should continue in his posterity, they seeing and enjoying it till the coming of Christ, in whom it should be established for ever.

Vers. 17. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.] And herein did Nathan approve his integrity and fi∣delity; he was not ashamed at Gods command to unsay and recant what he had for∣merly said, and to contradict the counsel which himself had given to David, ver. 3. And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart, for the Lord is with thee.

Vers. 18. Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, &c.] That is, he went into the tent where the ark was, and continued there before the Lord: for the Hebrew word here used, signifies as properly and usually to remain and abide in a

place, or at a thing, as to sit, as Gen. 27.44. Lev. 14.8. 1. Sam. 1.22. and 20.19. I deny not but that perhaps David might in these his private soliloquies, even sitting (as elsewhere walking, and lying in his bed) powre forth his soul unto the Lord in prayer, as Moses prayed sitting, Exod. 17.12. But Moses hands were heavy, and they took a stone and put under him, and he sat thereon: and Elijah, 1. Kings 19.4. But he himself went a dayes journey into the wildernesse, and came and sat down un∣der a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life. But the more probable opinion is, either that by this word (sat) is meant, tarried before the Lord, or else that he at first sat down in the tabernacle, and meditated of Gods goodnesse and mercy to him, and af∣terwards addressed himself to pray unto the Lord, & that kneeling, as the greatest of Gods servants were wont to do; Psal. 95.6. O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker: 1. Kings 8.54. It was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from the altar of the Lord▪ from kneeling on his knees, with his hands spread up to heaven.

Vers. 19. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God?] That is, this is not the manner of man. And some Expositours understand this thus, that the settling of such blessings, as God had promised, upon his posterity, was not according to the law of nature, that children should inherit the estates and honours of their parents, but of Gods mere grace and good will to them. But there is more I conceive then this intended in these words: David having acknowledged the great goodnesse of God, in promising the kingdome to his seed after him, and especially in assuring him that his seed should be the Sonne of God, and should rule over his people for ever, he breaks forth at length into an admiration of this wonderfull goodnesse and mercy of God, And is this the manner of man, O Lord God? thereby implying either that it was not the manner of man to afford such favour of mere grace, above all desert, or to deal so freely and familiarly with those that are beneath them, as God had dealt with him; or else that this goodnesse and mercy of God, especially in giving his own Sonne to be made man▪ that he might redeem them to himself, that were before the enemies of God▪ and the slaves of Sathan, and so rule over them as his own peculiar people, was far above the mercy that could be expected from the most gracious and mercifull man; or else▪ that poore base man could not be in any degree worthy of such mercies as those were, nor indeed capable of them, according to the ordinary condi∣tion of man; and so is this place parallel with that Psal. 8.4. What is man that thou art mindfull of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him? which the Apostle ap∣plies particularly to Gods mercy, in the incarnation of his onely begotten sonne; and the advantages and honour that redound to man by this, and by the work of our re∣demption performed by him▪ Heb. 2.6 &c.

Vers. 20. And what can David say more unto thee? for thou Lord God knowest thy servant.] The first clause here, And what can David say more unto thee? may be understood two severall wayes, either that David knew not how to ask more then God of his own free grace had promised him, and was ready to conferre upon him, and indeed as this passage of Davids prayer is expressed, 1. Chron▪ 17.18. it seems best to bear this sense, And what can David speak more to thee, for the honour of thy servant? But then the meaning of the next clause

is this, For thou knowest thy servant, that is, thou knowest what is good for me, thou knowest my wants and desires better then I can discover them to thee, accord∣ing to that of our Saviours, Matth. 6.8. Your father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask them: or else, that he was not able to expresse how highly he esteemed of that goodnesse and mercy he had shewne to him; and then the next words, for thou Lord knowest thy servant, are added to imply, that God knew well enough the motions and desires of his heart to praise his name, though with his tongue he was not able to expresse them.

Vers. 21. According to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things to make thy servant know them.] That is, of thine own free grace hast thou made all these glorious promises to me and mine, that thy servant might know what thou meanest to do, for him and his, in time to come.

Vers. 23. And to do for you great things and terrible, &c.] By a certain figure called Apostrophe, David being now speaking to God, turneth his speech as it were abruptly, to the people of God, And to do for you (that is, for you O Israel) great things, and then in the next words directs his speech again to God, for thy land, be∣fore thy people which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations, and their gods, delivering them from all the nations that fought their ruine, and from the false gods on whom their enemies relyed for help: so that here David joyns to∣gether the deliverance of the Israelites both from the Egyptians, and from the Ca∣naanites, and other nations that sought to oppresse them; as it is also expressed, 1. Chron. 17.21. What one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatnesse and terrible∣nesse, by driving out the nations from before thy people whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt? See the note upon, Exod. 12.12.