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. XX.

THE children of Israel being stirred by the Levites messengers assemble all * 1.1 together in Mizpeh before the Lord, being 400000 men, but the Tribe

of Benjamin was not with them, but onely heard of this great Assembly. And they are said to have come altogether, as one man, even from Dan to Beershebah, that is, from the two utermost boundaries of the land on that side of Iordan, where the land of Canaan lay, except the Benjamites, for Dan was furthest north, and Beershebah south, and all the land of Gilead, that is, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half Tribe of Manasseh dwelling on the other side of Iordan. Mizpeh where they assembled, was not the place, where the Tabernacle then was, for it was now in Shiloh, Iudg. 18. 31. but a place, wherein there was a Synagogue or oratory to congregate to pray in, 1 Maccab. 3. 46. and the Hebrews say, that here was the first beginning of Synagogues. Some will have Mizpeh to be a City in the Tribe of Benjamin, but Ierom placeth it in Iudah, and indeed sometime it is said to bee in Iudah, as Iosh. 15. 38. and sometime in Benjamin, as Iosh. 18. 26. whereby wee may gather, that it was a bordering City betweene both, and possessed part by one Tribe and part by the other, as Ierusalem was, and so it was a fit place for the nearnesse, for all the Tribes to assemble hither about this businesse. Amongst those, that assembled and presented themselves before the Lord in this place, it is said, there were the chiefe of all the people, the Vulgar Latin hath it, omnes anguli populorum, the Princes being so called, because they are like the corner stones, in a building, holding all the building together: So likewise they are called 1 Sam. 4. 38. Zephan. 3. 6. and Hebr. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 anguli.

They being all here assembled together inquire of the Levite, how that hain∣ous * 1.2 wickednesse was committed, to whom he answereth, that the men of Gi∣beah beset the house, wherein hee was, thinking to slay him, and that they forced his concubine unto death &c. Hee saith, that they would have slaine him, meaning by Sodomitically abusing him, as they did her by ravishing her, but Josephus saith, that they threatened to slay him, unlesse hee would de∣liver her unto them. Hearing this, and being fully certifyed of so abomina∣ble * 1.3 a wickednesse committed by the men of Gibeah, they resolve with one consent to goe against Gibeah to bee revenged, and that by lot, ten being set apart out of 100. and 100. out of a 1000. to fetch victualls for all the rest, whilst they were in this expedition. But before they set upon the City, they * 1.4 send throughout the Tribe of Benjamin, desiring, that the actors in this wicked∣nesse might be delivered unto them to be put to death, but they refuse to hearken unto them, and contrariwise assemble together to defend Gibeah, being 26000. and the men of Gibeah 700. and amongst these 700. left handed, that could sling stones at an haires breadth. The Vulgar Latin, for 26000. men of Benja∣min hath 25000. and so hath the Sept. translation and Josephus, but herein, saith Lyra, it is corrupted, the translators finding v. 35. and v. 44, 45. &c. that there were slaine onely 25000. and 100. and 600. that fled to rock of Rimmon, thought, that there was an error in the Hebrew, and there fore altered it, putting a lesser number for a greater to make the reckonings to agree. But how they may bee made to agree accounting 26000. here, hee sheweth not, Tostatus saith, that 1000 of them most probably were appointed to fetch Victuals for the rest. * 1.5 Bonfrerius is bold here for to stand for the Vulgar Latin, and against the He∣brew, affirming it to be corrupt. But for so much as the Hebrew is the fountaine, * 1.6 wee must rather stand for the purity thereof, and reforme all translations here∣by. For the difference in the numbers, although 25000. and 100. onely are numbred of the slaine that day, and 600. that fled to Rimmon, in which numbers there want 1000. of that here set downe, yet there is no reason to count this number greater, then the truth, because v. 48. a company are said to bee slaine, besides all these, in every City of Benjamin, unto which 1000. at the least might well be fled, thinking to save themselves there, thus also Lyra and the Hebrews. For the 700. men amongst them said to bee left handed, * 1.7 that could sling stones out of a sling at an haires breadth, the Vulgar Latin rendreth it thus, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were 700. most va∣liant men, fighting as well with the left hand as with the right, which could sling stones, &c. Thus making all the men of Gibeah ambi-dexters, and all alike skilfull, which is incredible. There were 700. then, as the Hebrew verity hath it, a∣mongst

all the Benjamites Army thus expert in slinging stones, which did won∣derfully strengthen that side, and made them doubtlesse so bold, as to set upon a number so much greater then themselves. Junius thinketh the saying to bee * 1.8 hyperbolicall, they could sling stones at an haires breadth, but there is no neede herein to flee to hyperbole's: for wee doe read of matters as rare in other histories. Philostratus writeth of some of the Indians, that they did throw * 1.9 so skilfully out of a sling, that they would touch the haire of the childes head with a stone and nor hurt the head. Gothus a Souldier was so skilfull an Ar∣cher, that hee would hit an apple placed a farre off upon a staffe with his ar∣row and not misse, which he having boasted of was related to King Harold a Saxon, who would have him to try his skill upon an apple placed upon the head of his owne sonne, hee then setting the childe with his back towards him, that hee might not feare or move at the comming of the arrow; took to him three arrows, and shooting with one of them hit the marke, and be∣ing demanded by the King, why hee tooke three arrows, hee answered, that if hee should by chance have shot his sonne into the head, hee might bee re∣venged upon the head of the King by shooting the other two at him, that had beene the author of so unnaturall a murther. One Soranus having shot an arrow up into the aire, shot another at it falling and split it. Commodus the Emperor could strike any thing with dart or arrow, that hee set his eye upon, so Herodianus and Sabellianus. A certain Indian, saith Plutarch, in the dayes of Alexander the Great could shoot an arrow into a little ring and through it. Domitian, the Emperor, saith Suetonius, could shoot a wilde beast first on the one side of his head, and then on the other in the forme of a paire of hornes. And such skill hath beene attained by daily practice, as in the Balearian Islands, saith Florus, mothers would not give their sonnes any o∣ther meat, but what they had first beaten downe with a stone out of a sling. And David seemeth to have beene inferior to none in this skill of slinging when hee smote Goliah with a stone, and slew him. Whereas it is said, that these 700. were left handed, Hebr. it is, shut up their right hand, but of this phrase see before in the story of Ehud, Judg. 3. 15.

And the children of Israel went up to the house of God, and asked counsell of God, * 1.10 &c. The Israelites may seeme herein to have proceeded rightly, as also in sending before to the Benjamites to have the wicked men of Gibeah put to death, who had committed so foule a sinne, and before that inquiring of the Levite the certainty of the matter, so that it may seeme strange, that they should at the first have so ill successe, and bee repelled twice with the losse of so many men, especially being bidden by God, of whom they asked counsell, to goe against them. But as Ferus noteth, they offended in that they trusted * 1.11 to the equity of their cause and to their great multitudes, and not in God on∣ly and in his helpe, which is intimated in this that they asked not of God at the first, whether they should goe up to fight against Benjamin, and whether hee would deliver the Benjamites into their hands, but as if they were sure to prevaile through their great strength, they asked onely, who should goe first up, v. 18. and the second time although they wept, and asked, whether they should againe goe against Benjamin, yet they sought not helpe from God by fasting and prayer and sacrificing, which they did after their second great overthrow, and then prevailed, v. 26, 27. &c. The house of God, to which they went up all these times, was the Tabernacle at Shiloh, as may bee seene by comparing Ch. 21. 2. with v. 12. and therefore for more expression, v. 27. the Vulgar Latin hath it in this Ch. The Arke of God was in Shiloh in those dayes. * 1.12 And Shiloh, saith Lyra, was neare to Gibeah, so that they might easily goe thi∣ther, H. Bunting saith, it was within 2. miles, but Mizpeh, from whence they went first to Shiloh to inquire of God, was from thence 48. miles.

The Israelites comming, after that they had inquired, to fight against * 1.13 Gibeah, are by the Benjamites slaine to the number of 22000. But then they incouraged themselves, the Vulgar Latin, they trusting to their fortitude and number set the battaile in aray, but yet before this they went up to the house

of God againe, and wept, and inquired, yet notwithstanding, they are slaine the second time to the number of 18000. The cause of all this ill successe, say the Hebrewes, was, because the tribe of Dan being lately corrupted with idolatry through the Idols of Micah was not first punished by them therfore, according to the Law, and purged. But the true reason seemeth to bee that before rendred by Ferus, for they that trust in men shall fall, although their cause bee just: and happily there were many grosse offenders in the Israelites Army, who till they were rooted out, they could not proceed with any successe, as Joshua could not against Ai, till Achan was cut off; and God in his just judg∣ment had appointed this to bee the way to cut them off. For it is intolerable, that they should take upon them to punish sinne in others, who are foule of∣fenders themselves. Or happily it was displeasing to God in the whole Ar∣my, that they went about to punish sinne in the men of Gibeah, without first humbling themselves for their own sinnes, and taking them into their conside∣ration: for hee that will cast a moat out of another mans eye, must first cast the beame out of his owne eye. Therefore when they had fasted, and offered sa∣crifice for the expiating of their sinnes, at the third onset they prevailed. Whereas they are said to have wept before their second going against them, and to have humbled themselves; that was not so much out of any sense of their sinnes and unworthinesse to become chastisers of the sinnes of others, but rather out of an indignation, that they being so many, should bee beaten back by so few. Lastly, if they should at the first have prevailed, they would have been ready to attribute the victory to their owne strength, and so not to have given to God the glory; whereas, being twice defeated, they learned God to bee the giver of all victories, and to magnifie his mercy for it at length attai∣ned. And by this example wee are taught: 1 That the goodnesse [Note.] or badnesse of a cause, is not to bee measured alwayes by the good or bad successe in battail, for Benjamin had a bad cause, and yet prevailed, and Is∣rael contrariwise. 2 A good cause shall certainly prevaile at length, and the bad shall goe downe, and the abettors of it, although they may prosper and lift up their heads for a time. 3 The way to prevaile in battaile, is to hum∣ble our selves first for our sinnes in fasting and prayer, and so to proceed, with trusting not in our owne strength, but in God onely. 4 To this end wee must consider, that great Armies of men, and other warlike preparations are nothing, for God can give victory to a few over a farre greater company. Wherefore not mens preparations, but Gods favour is all in all for the getting of the victory.

When the children of Israel being twice beaten by the Benjamites, went the * 1.14 third time to the house of God, it is said, That they offered burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings, for the Arke was there; and Phinees the sonne of Eleazar ministred before it in those dayes; which is spoken, to shew that they might lawfully offer sacrifices, seeing it was before the Arke, and a lawfull Priest was there ready to minister about these sacrifices. And by this speciall mentioning of Phinees, it is made plaine at what time these things were done, viz. not long after the death of Joshua, as hath been already shewed upon Chap. 17. 1.

And Israel set lyers in waite round about Gibeah, &c. Here the manner of the * 1.15 Israelites proceeding against the Benjamites is set forth, and their destroying of them; first, generally and briefly to v. 38. Secondly, more parti∣cularly, how the lyers in waite set the City on fire, and so gave a signe to the rest; and how many perished in one place, and how many in another, and how many escaped by fleeing to the rocke Rimmon, v. 38, 39, &c. to the end of the Chapter. For their proceeding by laying of an ambush, it seemeth that they were taught of God thus to doe; for thus Joshua also did against * 1.16 Ai, when the victory was promised him; and David came upon the Philistims behinde, at Gods direction, and smote them. But that which is said, v. 33. is somewhat obscure, And all the men of Israel rose up out of their places, and put themselves in aray at Baal-Tamar; and the lyers in waite rose and came against Gibeah, and there came against Gibeah 10000 chosen men, &c. After that the bat∣taile

was begun, how could they rise out of their places? and if all Israel rose and set upon them now, who were those ten thousand chosen men? or how is it said, first they rose against the Benjamites, and then the lyers in waite came up∣on Gibeah: whereas by that which followeth, it appeareth, that the lyers of waite came first against the City, and gave a signe to the rest? By all Israel, we may understand the maine body of the Army, which lay at Baal-Tamar, a village, as Jerome saith neare Gibeah, whilst some were sent out to begin the battail; by the 10000 chosen men, so many going foremost out of this great body, or placed elswhere most conveniently to come on, when they should see their opportunity; and whereas the lyers in waite, comming against Gibeah behinde it, are spoken of after the rising up of the maine body of the Army; here the order is a little inverted, and therefore the same story is againe repea∣ted in the particular relations following, and all things are put in due order. Whereas the lyers in wait are said to have come out of the meadows of Gibeah, the Vulg. Latine hath it, from the west part of Gibeah, so also the Septuagint, but the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying a denne or lurking place, and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying the west. Junius hath, à denudatione Gibeae, i. after that it was left destitute of men, who issued out against Israel. How the word commeth to be rendred a meadow, or denudation, I see not. Pagnin and Polanus render it, a denne, and this doth very well agree as fit to hide them in.

The number of the Benjamites slaine is said to bee 25000, and 100, and yet * 1.17 v. 46. they are summed up onely 25000; but this is, because in the second numbring, regard is not had unto so small a number as that of 100, to set it downe againe, because the whole summe had been so exactly set downe before. For the difference between these sums, and that of 26000, v. 15. see what hath been already said upon that verse.

Touching the more particular description of their proceedings in this war, when the ambush had given a sign of the City being taken by fire, the Benjamites looking back and seeing it, & the men of Israel, who seemed to flee before, to re∣turn upon them, they were greatly terrified, and sought to flee into the wilder∣nesse, but they were prevented, because they were inclosed on every side, and slain * 1.18 to the number of 18000. Then in their fleeing to the rock of Rimmon, they slew 500 men, and to Gidom 2000 more. Touching Rimmon, Jerome saith it was 15 miles from Jerusalem; Josephus calleth it the rock Rhea. For these words, They pursued them to Gidom, the Vulg. Latine hath it, They pursued them when they went further; but Gidom, if it bee not taken properly, signifieth their oc∣cision, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whereof it commeth, signifieth to kill, and so it may better bee rendred, to their destruction; the Sept. retaine the Hebrew word, whereby it appeareth, that they tooke it for a proper name.

Out of this great destruction, 600 are said to have escaped, that fled to the * 1.19 rocke Rimmon, and they abode there foure months. And the men of Israel turned againe and smote them in every City, both men and beasts, and burnt * 1.20 their Cities. This may seeme to bee a point of great cruelty, to rage thus a∣gainst all ages and sexes, and the very beasts, leaving nothing alive, and Tosta∣tus * 1.21 condemneth it therefore; but others justifie it, holding that both this, and the destruction of Jabesh Gilead in the chapter following, was done according to the will of God, for the great abomination committed amongst the Benja∣mites, and by them maintained. And this is most probable, both because they made not this warre without consulting with the Lord, and with his Priest Phinees, an holy man, who would have otherwise opposed such proceedings; and after this destruction, they were grieved for the cutting off of this Tribe, which sheweth that they would not have done it but for Gods command. And lastly, the like was sometimes done before against places accursed for sinne, as, Numb. 31. 17. Josh. 7. 24. and is commanded for idolatry, Deut. 13. which was so appointed, that the greater terror might be stricken into all men against sinning likewise, and in some sort to represent the destruction to come at the last day, when no sex, age or degree shall be spared.

Notes

• * 1.1

  V. 1, 2, 3.
• * 1.2

  V. 3, 4.
• * 1.3

  V. 8, 9.
• * 1.4

  V. 12, 13. 14.
• * 1.5

  Tostatus.
• * 1.6

  Bonfrerius.
• * 1.7

  V. 16.
• * 1.8

  Iunius.
• * 1.9

  Philostr. vita Apollonit lib. 2. c. 12.
• * 1.10

  V. 18.
• * 1.11

  Ferus.
• * 1.12

  Lyra. Patriar. tra∣vailes.
• * 1.13

  V. 20, 21. V. 22
• * 1.14

  V. 27, 28.
• * 1.15

  V. 29.
• * 1.16

  Iosh. 8. 2 Sam. 5. 23. V. 33.
• * 1.17

  V. 35.
• * 1.18

  V. 38, 39, 40 41, &c. Hieron. de locis Hebr.
• * 1.19

  V. 47.
• * 1.20

  V. 48.
• * 1.21

  Tostatus. Dionys. Carthu∣sian.