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. XIII.

Vers. 1. ANd behold, there came a man of God out of Judah, by the word of the Lord, &c.] That is, by the command of the Lord. And thus the Lord did betimes give Jeroboam warning, and called him to repentance, as he did also often afterward by Ahijah, Chap. 14.7, 8. and by Iddo the prophet, 2 Chron. 9.29. In the book of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the visions of Iddo the Seer, against Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat. Indeed the most Expositours from Josephus hold, that Iddo was this man of God here spo∣ken of; but that cannot be, for this man of God was immediately after slain by a lion, in the very beginning of Jeroboams reigne, whereas Iddo lived to write the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, 2 Chron. 12, 15. and 13.22.

Vers. 2. And he cryed against the altar in the word of the Lord, &c.] That is, in Gods name, or with the word or message which God had given him in charge, to wit, that which follows in the next words, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord, Be∣hold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name, &c. wherein he directed his speech to the altar, thereby covertly to imply, that it was in vain to speak to Jeroboam, and repeated the word altar twice, O altar, altar, to signifie the observablenesse of what he had to say, and the zeal and fervencie of his spirit, in the observablenesse of what rivall altar, set up, as it were, in defiance against the altar of God.

And upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places, and burn incense upon thee, &c.] That is, the dead bones of the priests, that do now, and shall hereafter burn incense upon thee: for so the accomplishment of this prophecy is related in the story of Josiah, about three hundred years after it was foretold by this man of God, 2 King. 23.16. and indeed therefore is the next clause added here, by way of ex∣plaining this, and mens bones shall be burnt upon thee: but howsoever this he calls an offering of the priests upon the altar: first, as in scorn of their idolatrous altar, which should one day have such a goodly sacrifice burnt upon it, even a sacrifice of dead mens bones: secondly, by way of deriding their priests, that should one day be themselves burnt as a sacrifice upon their altar, as they had turned their Creator

into a beast, a calf; so their bones, as the bones of so many beasts and calves, should be burnt as an offering upon their altar: and thirdly, to intimate, that the defiling and polluting of this their idolatrous altar, should be indeed as a sacrifice most acceptable unto God.

Vers. 3. Behold, the altar shall be rent, &c.] And thereby was signified the fu∣ture demolishing of that altar; and rooting out that superstitious worship which Je∣roboam had now established, at the command of Josiah.

Vers. 4. He put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him, &c.] His stretching forth his hand, was as a signe of that which he spake; namely, that he would have had the people lay hold upon the Prophet: and so likewise the Lords causing his hand to be so suddenly dried up, was not onely to disable him from hurting the Prophet, but also that all the people might be scared from aiding their king in what he required.

Vers. 5. The altar also was rent, &c.] First Jeroboams hand was withered, and then afterwards his altar was rent; and thus the Lord was pleased to shew how tender he was of the safety of his servant, in that he would first revenge the violence intended to him, ere he revenged the dishonour that was done to himself in that their idolatrous altar.

Vers. 9. Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.] One reason why the Lord would not have the Prophet eat nor drink in that place, might be, that the Prophet might not, by receiving any kindnesse or curtesie there, seem to mind himself, or his own benefit: and so also the reason why he was forbidden to return the way he came, might be, (as some conceive) that he might not seem to come back, as afraid, or ashamed to do what he was enjoyned, according to that, 2. Kings 19.33. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return. But indeed the chief ground of this whole charge, I rather conceive was to signifie how the Lord detested both the place and the people, because of their idola∣try, that he would not suffer his Prophet to eat or drink amongst them, nor return the way he came, but go thence some other way; as abhorring the very way that had brought him to the sight of such abominations.

Vers. 11. Now there dwelt an old Prophet in Beth-el, &c.] There he dwelt at present, having formerly removed from Samaria thither, whence it is that he is cal∣led the Prophet that came out of Samaria, 2. Kings 23.18. It is very questionable what this old Prophet was, the rather because it seems that his sonnes were present at Jeroboams idolatrous worship, for here it is said, that his sonnes came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Beth-el, and the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also; to wit, those vers. 8, 9, 10. that if the king would give him half his house he would neither eat nor drink in that place; and that because the Lord had given him an expresse charge to the contrary: all which must needs imply, that either they joyned with the rest in that idolatrous worship, or were at least faulty, in that they could please themselves with seeing the solemnitie of a service so dishonourable to the Lord; and indeed Gods displeasure against them for this was discovered, in that their presence there proved the occasion of such a grievous sinne to their father; some Expositours conceive that this old man was no Prophet of the Lords, but a false prophet, and an upholder of the ido∣latry

of Beth-el, and that fearing lest Jeroboam should henceforth disregard him, and be scared by that which had happened from this their new erected religion, he laid that plot which is here afterwards related to deceive the Prophet, hoping that (as it fell out) upon his disobeying Gods command, some judgement would fall upon him, and that then both Jeroboam and the people would sleight his predictions, and be ra∣ther confirmed in their idolatrous courses: again, others conceive that he was indeed a Prophet of the Lords, but a vicious wicked man, and that because he framed so grosse a lie, vers. 18. to deceive the man of God that came from Judah: and others that he was both a true Prophet, and a good man; and that onely at this time, be∣ing left of God, he was shamefully overcome by the devils temptations, and the cor∣ruptions of his own heart: for hearing what had passed in the kings chappell at Be∣th-el, and finding himself touched in that particular, that the Lord would not suffer the Prophet to eat or drink in Beth-el, wherein he lived constantly with his children and familie; he had above all a desire to try him in this, whether God had indeed given him such a charge or no: and so through the subtilty of Sathan, was drawn to pretend that God had appeared unto him, and appointed him to fetch him back, vers. 18. and indeed this to me seems most probable; first, because he is expressely called an old Prophet: secondly, because the Lord by him, did afterward denounce the punishment that should fall upon the deceived Prophet, vers. 21.22. thirdly, be∣cause of the great respect he afforded the Prophet, both dead and living; and be∣cause he assured his sonnes, that what he had prophesied against the altar at Beth-el, should surely come to passe, vers. 31.32.

Vers. 14. And found him sitting under an oak, and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God? &c.] The Prophets sitting under an oak, was doubtlesse from weari∣nesse and faintnesse; the rather, because he had been restrained from eating and drinking in Beth-el: nor need it seem strange, that the old Prophet having never be∣fore seen him, should so presently guesse him to be the man he looked after: for be∣sides the description his sonnes might give of him, even by some mantle or other at∣tire, peculiar to the Prophets in those times, he might know him to be a man of God.

Vers. 19. So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water, &c.] And thus by that he, which the old Prophet did tell him, he was wonne to do, what no perswasions of the king could winne him to do. Indeed he should not have credited the uncertain report of a Prophet, so directly contrary to that which he was sure God had already given him in charge; but, first, the specious name of a Prophet deceived him: secondly, the thing which the old Prophet desired of him, was like to be a charge and trouble to him, but could be no way any advan∣tage to him, and why (might he think) should an old Prophet lie, when he could not hope to any thing by it: and thirdly, it was not altogether improbable, but that God might have countermanded what he had formerly enjoyned him: to encline him to judge so, he might remember how the Lord countermanded what he had formerly enjoyned Abraham, concerning the sacrificing of his sonne; and might think that now the Lord had proved him, and found him faithfull, he was willing to take off this charge, as pitying his faintnesse for want of food; and that though God would not suffer him to eat of the kings meat, yet he would permit him to refresh himself in a Prophets house. These and other considerations, mighth move

him to believe what the old Prophet had said, the rather, because his desire of some re∣freshing, after such a time of abstinence and travell, must needs make him the rea∣dier to hearken to him.

Vers. 20. The word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back.] To wit, by some intemall inspiration, or prophetick extasie, whereby he was, as it were, constrained to denounce against his seduced guest, even whilest he sate at his ta∣ble, the judgement that should fall upon him for his eating and drinking with him; and so consequently, to condemn himself for that grosse lie wherewith he had deceived him.

Vers. 22. Thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.] And herein was implyed, that he should die in his return, before he gat home to his own land; a gracious warning, that he might repent of his sinne before his death.

Vers. 23. He sadled for him the asse. That is, for the Prophet whom he had brought back he sadled his own asse: for we read not, but that hitherto the man of God that came from Judah had gone on foot; and doubtlesse the more officious and kind he was, because he considered the mischief he had done him, and was trou∣bled for it; yet withall, observable it is, that he did not accompany him home∣ward; which might well be for scare of being involved with him in the judgement that was to come upon him.

Vers. 24. A lion met him by the way, and slew him.] And thus, first, the Lord chastised his servant for his sinne: secondly, he confirmed the certainty of what this man of God had formerly spoken in his name: he told the king that God had char∣ged him not to eat in that place: so that, when such a hand of God was upon him, for not persevering to obey this command, every one might hereby be assured, that he was indeed a prophet of God: and that all the rest that he had spoken concerning Jeroboams altar should in its season come to passe too, as the old Prophet did after∣ward from hence conclude, vers. 32. and thirdly, he shewed how he abhorred that place, in that he slew his own Prophet for eating and drinking amongst them.

And the asse stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.] That the asse should not sly from the lion, and that the lion should neither prey upon the living asse, not the Prophets dead body; but should rather stand as a guard to preserve the dead body from being torn by other creatures, and as it were to force the asse not to stir thence, but to stay there in a readinesse to carry back his masters body to be buried in Beth-el, I say both these are miraculous passages; and were as signes to manifest unto all men, first, that it was not hunger that had provoked the beast to this violence, but the over-ruling command and providence of God: and secondly, that God loved his Prophet dead, and would miraculously preserve him for buriall, though he had testified his displeasure against his sinne, (for the exam∣ple of others) even by taking away his life.

Vers. 29. And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, &c.] Either therefore the lion went away as soon as the old Prophet came, as having now done what he stayed for; or else the Prophet was by the evident proofes he saw of Gods over-ruling hand in this businesse, heartened against the fear of that beast, and so took and carried away his body to be buried.

Vers. 30. And he laid his carcase in his own grave, &c.] And so that was per∣formed

which God had said, vers. 22. Thy carcase shall not come to the sepulchre of thy fathers. As for that which followeth, and they mourned over him, saying, Alas my brother: this was according to the usuall manner of bewailing their dead friends in those times, Jer. 22.18. Therefore thus saith the Lord, concerning Jehoiakim the sonne of Josiah king of Judah: they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother, or Ah Sister, they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah Lord, or Ah his glory.

Vers. 31. Bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried, lay my bones beside his bones.] To wit, that his bones might be suffered to lie at rest, and might not be digged up and burnt by Josiah, to which end it seems also, he took order to have a superscription engraven on the sepulchre, whereby it might be known, who it was that was buried there, and indeed herein he had his desire, 2 King. 23.17.18.

Vers. 32. The cities of Samaria.] That is, the cities of the kingdome of Israel, which was afterwards called the kingdome of Samaria, from a city so called, built by Omrie, and which was in his dayes the chief citie of that Kingdome, Chap. 16.24.

Vers. 33. After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, &c.] That is, though the Lord used such a singular means to reclaim him from his idolatry, yet he still continued therein; one would have thought, that his hand being so miracu∣lously strucken dead, and then as miraculously healed again, upon the prayers of the prophet, he should presently with that hand have pulled down his Calves and his al∣tars; but neither the withering nor the healing of his hand, nor the cleaving of his altar asunder, nor this strange death that befell the prophet, whereby the truth of what he had spoken was singularly confirmed, could do any good to withdraw him from that idolatry, whereby he sought to assure his kingdome to himself and his posteritie: yea indeed, it is like enough, that from this violent death that befell the prophet, he took occasion to harden himself in his evil wayes.