A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. XV.

BƲT it came to passe within a while after in the time of wheat-harvest, that Sam∣son visited his wife with a Kid, &c. Although being so provoked, hee was

angry with her, yet now hee putteth all anger away, and returneth to his wife in all love and kindnesse, giving herein an example to all men, and marryed men in speciall, not to dwell in anger, but soone to bee reconciled againe, and [Note.] specially to the wife the husband ought to bee reconciled, considering the wo∣mans weaknesse, wherein hee ought to be are with her as with the weaker vessell. And this is noted to have been in the time of wheat-harvest to pre∣pare to the relation following of burning up their standing corne. This was the placable mind of Samson, who thought to forgive and forget all former in∣juries, supposing that the Philistims would doe likewise. But when hee came unto her with his Kid, as a token of his kindnesse, hee found it otherwise with the Philistims; for shee was given to another man, and hee was not permitted to goe in unto her, which was a manifest injury, because although hee went from her for a while, yet hee did not put her away, and therefore shee ought not, leaving him, to have been marryed to another. So that herein was a second occasion of quarrell with the Philistims given unto Samson, which hee being set to revenge not his owne wrongs onely, but the wrongs of the people of God, ought not to neglect, being also appointed by God, before he was born, to deliver Israel from the Philistims: wherfore the apology made by her father, v. 2. I thought that thou hadst hated her; & his offering another daughter unto him that was fai∣rer, would not satisfie him, but for this injury done him by the Philistims, he took 300 Foxes, and tying two & two together by their tailes, he put them into their standing corn, with firebrands fastened between them, and so burnt up their shocks, standing corn, olives, and vineyards. Her Parents and kinsfolks, saith Fe∣rus, most probably consented about the taking of his wife from him, and giving her to another, and amongst the Philistims there were none that prohibited it, therefore hee imputeth this fault to the Philistims of that place in generall. But what hee did in way of revenge, is not lawfull for us ordinarily to doe, for wee must not revenge our selves, but love our enemies, and suffer wrongs. It is then to bee considered, that he had an extraordinary calling in hostile man∣ner to invade the Philistims, in which case it was lawfull for him, both to spoile their goods and to destroy them, as it is lawfull for all others to doe against e∣nemies, against whom they may lawfully make warre. For his burning up of their olives and vineyards, this ought not to bee done in an enemies land, Deut. 20. 19. but this of Samson was such a way of infesting the enemy, as that it was out of the compasse of that Precept, the hurt intended here, being to their standing corne onely, and that other following upon it accidentally to their vineyards. If it shall seeme marvailous that Samson could take so many Foxes at one time, Lyra answereth, that it is not likely that he took them alone, but used men skilfull in taking them with nets, who might soone, in a Coun∣trey so full of them, furnish him with so many, as well as a Warrener can take in a short time 300 Conies. For his tying fire-brands betweene their tayles, hee saith also, that was by something put betweene them, which might not burne asunder, and which might keep the fire from burning the Foxes, through the space betwixt tayle and tayle.

Then the Philistims said, Who hath done this? and they answered, Samson the sonne in law of the Timnite, because hee tooke his wife and gave her to his companion; then they came up and burnt her and her father with fire. The com∣panions of Samson had before threatened this unto her, Chap. 14. 15. unlesse shee learned for them the resolution of Samsons riddle, and now it commeth ac∣cordingly upon her and her father. Whence note, that they who yeeld to [Note.] doe any wickednesse for the avoyding of a danger, shall surely fall into it, for shee did wickedly, in treacherously seeking the resolution of the riddle to be∣tray Samson, and now shee smarteth for is: and so likewise the Jewes, who fea∣red, if they let Christ alone, that the Romans would come and take away their City, wherefore they crucified him, and had their City destroyed indeed.

And Samson said, Although yee have done this, yet I will bee revenged on you, &c. and he smote them hippe and thigh, with a great slanghter, &c. Hereby it ap∣peareth that Samson set himselfe against the Philistims, not so much to revenge

the wrong offered unto him about his wife, (for then hee would have ceased as fully satisfied, when her owne Countrey-men to revenge that wrong offered him, had burnt her and her father, and as Josephus saith, all her kindred) but that by destroying the Philistims hee might doe the publike office, to which hee was appointed of God, tending to the deliverance of his people from their tyranny. Therefore when hee saith, Although yee have done this, yet I will bee revenged on you; his meaning is, hereby I will not bee stayed from hostilly inva∣ding you, but as yee for your tyranny and oppressions of Israel deserve, I will smite your persons as wel as I have done your goods, now that ye have by your unjust dealing with mee made me your enemy. For Samson knew well enough, that what they had done against his wife and her father, they did not in taking his part, but for vexation at the great losse which they had sustained: They did it not, as Ferus hath it, out of zeale against unrighteousnesse, but in sury and madnesse for their losse. But what this meaneth, Hee smote them hip and thigh, divers conjecture diversly; some Hebrewes, because the horseman sitteth with his hips upon his horse, and the footman goeth upon the strength of his thighs and legs, say, that hereby horsemen and footmen are meant. Some Hebrewes more anciently, as Burgensis hath it, that Samson without any weapon, onely by kicking them upon the hip and thigh, made a great slaughter of them. Some following the Vulg. Latine, which is, so that being amazed, they laid their hip upon their thigh, that hee smote them so grievously, that they sat downe astoni∣shed, and laying one leg over another, studyed how to be revenged upon him therefore, so Augustine, Lyra, &c. As if one should say, saith Augustine, hee smote them hand upon the cheek, that is, so as that leaning the cheek upon the hand, they studyed what to doe. Hee mentioneth also another exposition, because it is not Hebr. hip and thigh, but hip upon thigh, he smote them with the hip or leg of some beast upon the thigh, and so slew them, as afterwards with the jawbone of an Asse: But hee resteth not in this, because it is not pro∣bable that he smote them all in one place. Ferus, he smote them so, that they shrunke up their bodies together, if they might any way avoid his strokes. Of all these expositions, that seemeth to mee to bee best, which is for his smiting of them with his feet and heeles, and thus Junius understandeth it, who rendreth the words, percussit eos crure vibrato in femur; and he expoundeth it, he set upon them with no other weapon then with his foot, as being a cowardly people, and herewith hee smote them upon the thigh or side; for so also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth, and thus hee destroyed them. And this ought not to seeme incredible, consi∣dering his great strength, and his slaying of a fierce Lyon before, when he had no weapon in his hand. If hee had slaine them with the thigh of any other creature, it should surely have been mentioned, as the jawbone of an Asse is afterwards; if footmen and horsemen had been meant, there were other words whereby to expresse this more plainly, and it is least probable that their sitting downe as astonished is meant, or the shrinking up of their bodies to a∣void his strokes, because this was no time thus to doe, but rather, if they could, to betake themselves to flight. And hee went downe and dwelt in the top of the rocke Etam, the Vulg. Latine, bee descended and dwelt in a denne in the rocke Etam, that is, saith Comestor, in a strong Hold there. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bisgnaph properly signifieth in the bough or branch, that is, a part which most probably was a den fit to dwell in, and of some good strength. This Etam was in the tribe of Ju∣dah, where, as H. Bunting hath it, was a rock or strong Hold in which Samson dwelt, and being decayed, it was afterward repaired by Jeroboam, 2 Chron. 11. 6. But how is hee said to descend thither, and yet the Philistims are said to have come up against Judah, where hee was? Answ. Because it was a place lower then other parts of Judah, and then Zorah where Samson dwelt before, yet higher then the Philistims Countrey, who dwelt by the sea.

Then the Philistims went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi, that is, 6 miles from Etam, a place here called Lehi by anticipation, for Lehi signifieth a jawbone, and it was so called, because Samson slew here with the jaw∣bone of an Asse 1000 men, v. 15. it is called, v. 17. Ramath-Lehi, that is the lif∣ting up of a jawbone.

The men of Judah fearing the Philistims, and knowing that their quarrell was against Samson, came at their request 3000 of them to Etam, and bound Samson with two new cords, and so brought him to the Philistims at Lehi: but first Samson causeth them to sweare unto him, that they would not fall upon him: Hee yeelded himselfe unto them to bee bound, saith Lyra, that the Phili∣stims might not slay them for his sake: for the comming up of their great Ar∣my, (to denote the greatnesse whereof, it is said, They spread themselves in Lehi; as covering a great breadth of ground) was either to bind and carry Samson away captive, or if their desire were not fulfilled this way, to fight against Ju∣dah. And hee caused them to sweare unto him, lest by attempting any thing against his life themselves, they should bee indangered of being destroyed by him. The Philistims had already seen, saith Ferus, the hand of God in Sam∣son, against which there was no resisting but by penitency and humiliation, yet they, as men insensible, harden themselves, to the procuring of a greater blow from Samsons hands; so wicked men sometime punished by the hard∣nesse [Note.] of their hearts and impenitency, procure unto themselves greater destru∣ction. And here was a great deal of pusillanimity and unbeliefe in the Isra∣elites, in that seeing the Philistims come up they feared, when God had stirred them up so mighty a Champion, for they could not bee ignorant of his ex∣ploits, so that there was no reason that they should now bee affraid, but have sticked to their Champion, trusting by him to bee delivered from this great Army. But they contrary wise for feare binde him, and so doe what in them lyeth, to bereave themselves of this great benefit, shewing herein both in∣gratitude towards Samson that had so well deserved of them for killing up their enemies, and infidelity towards God, for which they had no full deliverance by him, but onely as it is said, hee began to deliver Israel, the Philistims being still permitted many yeares after, to rule over them, as hath been shewed upon Judg. 13. 1. Thus want of faith hindereth men from enjoying the good [Note.] they should, and the well-deserving are ill requited amongst evill men, yet they ought not hereby to bee discouraged, or use their power to revenge them∣selves, as Samson did not. For although hee was able, hee smote not the men of Judah, to helpe whom hee had received his strength, neither should [Note.] any faithfull person use his power against the people of God, but against his enemies, and for them. The saith of Samson was most strong, for although hee were delivered bound into the Philistims hands, yet hee feared not but hee should prevaile against them, as appeareth by his speech to the men of Judah. But those that were in danger for his sake, hee would rather suffer any thing himselfe, then not bring them out of it againe. It is a marvaile that Samson being of so great strength, as to encounter with an whole Army, did not com∣fort the men of Judah comming to binde him, willing them rather to forbear, and saying, that hee would goe and abate their courage, which in reason he might seeme to bee more able to doe, being free, and taking a weapon in his hand, then when he was bound. But partly, because they were fearfull and unbe∣leeving, & partly, that the power of God in him might the more appear, he was thus first disabled, and then to their greater astonishment and confusion he brake these bands, and fell upon them and slew them with that which came next to hand. Thus God suffereth the case of his to be brought to that, that it [Note.] seemeth desperate, and then sheweth his power, that hee may bee the more glo∣rified, and trusted in.

And when hee came to Lehi, the Philistims shouted against him; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and the cords became as flaxe, &c. They shouted for joy, doubting not but that they should now worke their will upon Samson, but it fell out cleane contrary, so the hope of the wicked perisheth. And Samson was supplyed with strength sufficient in the time of need, against which all binding could doe nothing, so the Lord will bee neare unto his that trust in him to supply them with help when they have most need thereof.

And he found a new jawbone of an Asse, and took it, and therewith he slew 1000 men.

This was miraculous, that one man having so many armed men about him,

without any weapon onely with a brittle jawbone should knock downe and kill so many men, and put all the Army to flight, as must needs bee under∣stood, and Comestor hath it. And when hee had thus done, hee sung a tri∣umphant song unto the Lord, as Moses and Deborah had done before, which was very short, or as Lyra hath it, the beginning of it onely is set downe, in Hebrew there is an elegant paranomasy in the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Josephus and Ambros. say, that these words were vauntingly spo∣ken by Samson, in the praise of his owne strength, and therefore God punisht him with so great thirst, that he was in danger of death hereby, but Lyra and Ferus, Jerom and Comestor hold it to have beene a song of praise unto God: and this is most probable, because his thrist came upon his great labour, & here∣in he most piously sought to God for succour, without acknowledging any fault, and was heard, v. 18, 19. Touching the words there is a difference, our translation hath it, with the jawbone of an Asse heapes upon heapes, with the jawbone of an Asse I have slaine 1000 men. but the Vulgar Latin, with the jawbone of an Asse, with the jawbone, pulli asinarum, of the young of shee Asses, I have slaine &c. Ours is followed by the Rabbins, Pagnine, Vatablus, Junius, Ti∣gurini interpretes, &c. and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifyeth an heape as well as an Asse, and the second word is of the duall number to shew, that this heape was great enough to make two heapes, and according to this reading it is more elegant the same word being brought againe aptly in a divers signifi∣cation, whereas if it should be read, shee Asses, there can bee no reason given why it should be put in the feminine gender in the plurall number. And hee called that place Ramath Lehi that is, the lifting up of a jawbone, that by the very name this miraculous slaughter of the enemies might be alwayes remembred to the praise of God.

And hee was soare athirst and called on the name of the Lord, &c. and God clave the hollow place of the jaw and there came water out of it, &c. Some by the hol∣low place, out of which this water came, understand a place indented in the ground by the jawbone cast out of Samsons hand, but it is plainely said to have beene the hollow of the jawbone, or the hollow, that was in the jaw, that is, the place, where one of the grinders stood, and from hence water flow∣ed out miraculously, as out of the head of a Fountaine, and when Samson had drunke hereof, his spirit revived, and hee called the name hereof En-hakoreh, it is in Lehi to this day. En-hakoreh signifying the fountaine of one calling; and because it is said to bee in Lehi to this day it is held still to have remained a fountaine flowing with water from age to age, for both the writer of this booke, who wrote it some yeares after this was done, affirmeth to have con∣tinued untill his time. And Hieronymus saith, that it remained a spring of wa∣ter, till his time,and Glyeas saith, in the suburbs of Eleutheropolis is still seene a spring called the jawbone.

And Samson judged Israel in the dayes of the Philistims 20 yeares: see the same againe, Ch. 16. 31. in the dayes of the Philistims, to shew that his 20 yeares were part of the time, that the Philistims had dominion over Israel, as was shew∣ed upon Ch. 13. 1.

Notes

• V. 1.
• Ferus.
• V. 2.
• V. 4, 5.
• Ferus.
• Lyra.
• V 6.
• Joh. 11. 48.
• V. 7, 8.
• Josephus.
• Ferus.
• Hebraei.
• Burgensis.
• August. qu. in Judic. Lyra.
• Ferus.
• Junius.
• H. Bunt. Patria. travailes.
• V. 9.
• V. 10, 11, 12, 13.
• Lyra.
• Ferus.
• V. 14.
• V. 15.
• Eceles. Historia
• Lyra. V. 16. Ioseph. Ambros.
• Ferus. Hieron Scholast. histor.
• V. 18.
• Arias Montan. Chald. Paraphr.
• V. 19.
• Hieron. epi∣taphio Pauloe. Glycas aun. P. 2. V. 20.