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.

The Preface.

BEsides this there are two other Books, which goe under the name of Ezra, or Esdras, called the 3 and 4 of Esdras: but those, as Jerome sayth, are apochryphall, whose words are, let * 1.1 no man be moved at this, that I have translated one Book of Esdras onely, neyther let him be delighted with the dreames of the 3 and 4 which are apochryphall. Because also amongst the Hebrews the words of Ezra and Nehemiah are put toge∣ther in one Book, and those things, which are not amongst them neyther, be of the 24 Elders, are to be cast far off. Where by Elders, Lyra sayth well, are meant * 1.2 the 24 Canonicall Books of the old Testament in alluding to Apoc. 4. This then is the only undoubted Book written by that learned and famous Priest Ezra, that hereby we might know, what hapned unto the people of God after license given them to return from their captivity in Babylon thence forward unto the 19 yeer of Artaxerxes, Mnemon, as Junius noteth, which was 146 yeers. For Cyrus and * 1.3 Cambyses reigned 9 yeers, the Magi 1 Darius Histaspis 36, Xerxes 22, Artax∣erxes Longimani 40, Darius Nothus 19, Artaxerxes Mnemon 19. For in the se∣venth yeare of his reigne, Ezra came out of Babylon, Chap. 7. 7, 8. and the Book * 1.4 of Nehemiah is begun Anno 20, of the same King. He wrote indeed, as Junius saith, and is most probable, the books of the Chronicles, but after them this book of his onely is acknowledged Canonicall, and no more. For the reckoning of the time see more in these Kings severall reigns, what happened after the Jewes hardening * 1.5 of themselves against Jeremiah his Prophesying, to goe down into Egypt, when Ishmael had treacherously slain Gedaliah, which was the first year after the Tem∣ple and Jerusalem destroyed, is not recorded in Holy Writ, but onely that Jere∣miah persisted to inveigh against their sins, and to threaten their destruction by Nebuchadnezer: For to shew this he tooke great stones being in Taphnes, and hid them neerer to Pharoahs gate, saying, that Nebuchadnezar set his throne up∣on those stones. And when the Jews came to dwell not onely at Taphnes, but also * 1.6 in other Cities of Egypt, and followed the manners of the Egyptians in Migdol, * 1.7 Noph and Pathros, insacrificing to their gods, he threatned them again with de∣struction for these abominations, which is supposed to have been Anno 2, of their comming into Egypt, hereupon, they impatient of his reproofs stoned him to death, as is commonly held amongst ancient writers, as Epiphanius de vita Jeremiae, ad∣ding * 1.8 that he was buried in the place where Pharoahs house stood. Dorothaeus also having written of his stoning to death, addeth, that the Egyptians did him the honour to bury him in the place where Pharoahs house stood, for the benefits by him done unto them. And Isidor saith, that Jeremiah prayed for the Egyptians, * 1.9 that the Serpents which annoyed their Countrey might be taken away and pre∣vailed, wherefore when the Jews had cruelly slain him, they buryed him honou∣rably neer the Kings Palace. Jerom also and Tertullian, and all the Martyrolo∣gies both Greek and Latine consent herein. Jeremiah being martyred, the Jews in Egypt escaped not long after the judgements threatned against them. For in the fifth yeare after the destruction of Jerusalem, saith Ios••phus, which was the 23 of Nebuchadnezar, he with great forces invaded Coelosyria, which being sub∣dued, he fought against the Ammonites and Moabites, and having brought them under also, he hastily invaded Egypt, killing the King that then reigned there, and setting up another, and carrying the Jews away into Babylon, whom he found there. And haply Baruch the the Scribe of Ieremiah, was one that was carryed

amongst them, because he writes of himselfe as being in Babylon, Baruch 1. yet some thinke that Ieremiah being slain, he stayed not in Egypt, but went volunta∣rily away. Touching Zedekiah the King, nothing more is said after his carrying away into Babylon. But Ier. 34. 4, 5. It it is said, that he should be carryed into Babylon, yet not to die by the sword, but in peace, and that they should make a burning for him after the manner of the Kings that had reigned before him. And so Iosephus saith, that Nebuchadnezar kept him in prison, indeed, as long as he li∣ved, but then buried him, being lifted up with the Kingly pomp of a funerall. At * 1.10 what time this was, is uncertain, but most probably, the pain of the losse of his eyes, and griefe for his children slain, his Countreyes and his own miseries, suffe∣red him not long to live after. But to return to Nebuchadnezar, he having en∣larged his Empire unto Syria, Egypt, Ammon and Moab proceeded still to con∣quer more Countreyes, as it must needs be granted, because Ier. 25. 20, 21, &c. many more Countries are named which he should subdue, and finally, ver. 25. Elam, that is, Persia, and Media, and ver. 26. All the Kings of the North both far and nigh: by the far, we may understand the Arminians and Hircanians, which inhabited Mesopotamia, and by the nigh, the Assyrians inhabiting Nineveh, so that Nebuchadnezar ceases not warring till he had subdued all Nations, and which is most remarkable, the Ninevites, Assyrians, under whose Dominion the Babylonians had formerly been, untill the great overthrow of Sanneherib before Jerusalem in Hezekiahs dayes, are now brought under by the King of Babylon, which did so greatly puff him up with pride, as we may see in Daniel, for with the spoils of that rich and goodly City Nineveh, he built and inriched Babylon, so as that now Nineveh being put down, there was no City equall to it in all the World. And of this destruction of Nineveh, Nahum prophesied, which happened above a hundred years after Ionah his preaching amongst them.

When Nebuchadnezar had thus subdued all Nations, he dreamed that ad∣mirable dream recorded Dan. 2. For although it be said, Anno 2 of his reign, yet it is not to be understood of his reign reckoning from his beginning after his fathers death, for then he had not subdued all Nations, but of his universall Em∣pire, from the beginning whereof, as more glorious by far, he would thence forth have his reign counted, wherefore Iosephus saith, that it was Anno 2, after his con∣quest of Egypt, and this then must be, Anno 25 of his reign, reckoning from the be∣ginning, seeing he had then reigned 23. And this is generally followed by all Expositours, but Theodoret and Ierom proveth, that it cannot be meant of his second year, reckoning from the beginning of his reign over Babylon, because three years after his attaining to the Crown, and conquering and carrying Captives from Iudea, amongst whom Daniel was one, were expired before this, as will ap∣pear to him that compares, Dan. 1. 5. with ver. 18, 19, &c. seeing Daniel and his brethren were kept first three years, and then brought before the King, where∣fore it must needs be the second yeare of his universall Empire, and not of his reign over Babylon, and that was about seven years after the destruction of Jerusalem. Not long after, as is supposed, about three years Nebuchadnezar made that mon∣sterous image of gold, 60 cubits high, and six cubits broad, which he would have * 1.11 all men to worship, some think, that thereby he might be worshipped, but others more probably, to please his gods, whom he was told by his Caldees, that he had greatly offended, by attributing so much to the God of Daniel, some, to crosse that which was represented to him in his dream, the head whereof was of gold, the breast of silver, &c. to shew that his Empire should never suffer any alteration, but be always golden from the head to the foot: Howsoever he shewed hereby his great lenity, in that being a little while before a convert, he now fell to Ido∣latry again, and his great pride in being at such excessive cost in making so mighty and vast an Image all of gold, to which must needs go many thousand talents. And it may well be thought, that such of the Caldees as envied the honour of Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, put the King on to the making of this Image, that by this means they might be pulled down.

About the 14 year after the captivity under Zedekiah, Solon was made the Law-giver of Athens by a common consent, by reason of the miseries wherein * 1.12

they were all referring to him the sole power of Law in a King, whereupon hee * 1.13 made many good Laws, and instituted two Senates, one of the Areopagie, who were Judges, and the other of 400 Senators, repealing the bloudy Laws of Draco. who had made stealing of apples, or pears, and idlenesse, capitall, appointing death onely for murther. In the 16 yeare of the desolation, that is, Anno 27 of Jehojakims captivity, Ezekiel prophesied of Nebuchadnezars service done against * 1.14 Tyrus, and not long after he was martyred by the then Judge of the Jews in Ba∣bylon, for inveighing against their idolatry, so Epiphanius, & Dorethaeus, and Chry∣sostom opus imperfect. in Matth. saith, upon Chap. 23. I sent Esay unto you * 1.15 and yee sawed him, and Ieremiah you stoned to death, and Ezekiels brains yee caused to be dasht out, by drawing him against the stones.

About the same time also, most probably, Nebuchadnezar had his second Dream of a great tree, which Daniel expounded of him, shewing that he should * 1.16 be driven from amongst men, and living amongst the beasts seven years, which within twelve moneths came to passe accordingly; and in that time he is said, to have eaten grasse with the beasts, and then his understanding was restored unto him, and he came again to his Kingdom, and within one yeare dyed. All which History is by some turned into an allegory, as not seeing how it can be historically true, that a King should live amongst beasts, lying and feeding as they doe seven years together, because also in the Caldee Histories no mention is made hereof. But we must certainly, as Ierom saith, hold it to be an history of that which was truly done, or else the verity of any other historicall narration in holy Writ may as well be called in question, and so the Scripture it selfe shall be uncertain. And why should we doubt of Gods power to deprive him of his understanding for a time, and to make him to turn wilde, and to run out amongst the beasts, going upon all foure, and feeding as they did, and to sustain his life all the time that hee did so, seeing many Eremites have lived upon herbs and roots, 50 or 60 years, and lyen in dens or under trees in the open aire. And for the Caldee Histories, it is not altogether untouched in them: for Eusebius saith, that one Alpheus a writer of the Assyrian History, writeth thus, Megasthenes saith that Nebuchadnezar was * 1.17 stronger then Hercules, and having subdued all Asia, as far as the Armenians, he returned home, and was by God stricken with madnesse, &c. The next remark∣able thing happening in these 70 years was, Jechonia his freeing from prison, and preferment in Evilmerodachs Court, who succeded his father Nebuchadnezar in the the Kingdom, of which see before, upon 2 Kings 25. 27. and this was Anno 26 of Jerusalems desolation, for it was Anno 37 of his captivity, that is, 11 years * 1.18 before this time began. And how long Evilmerodach reigned, hath also been shewed upon 2 Kings 25. 9. and the Kings that succeded him till the first of Cyrus. Yet some there are that mention onely three Kings of Babylon, that reigned in the time of this captivity, viz. Nebuchadnezar 25, Evilmerodach 23, and Bel∣shazzar 21. as Theodoret, Sulpitins, Eusebius, Heb. Chron. Cap. 28. Genebrard and the rather because no more are spoken of in the Sacred History, nor, Ier. 27. 7. but Nebuchadnezar and his son, and sons son. In the dayes of Evilmerodach some think that those things happened which are related of Bell and the Dragon, con∣founded by Daniel, and of Daniels casting into, and abiding in the lyons den six dayes, when Habacuk was brought miraculously to him with food. But one thing makes against the credit of that History, as Iunius noteth, viz. that Daniel is said to have been a familiar friend of Cyrus, and after that, that these things fol∣lowed, which could not be in the Persians, but Babylonians times.

Anno 30 of Ierusalems desolation, there was one Ezra or Esdras, who com∣plained before God of the miseries of his people, and had divers revelations as he * 1.19 saith, but he was not this Ezra, for he was not yet borne, seeing from hence to the end of the captivity were 40 years, from thence to the seventh of Artaxerxes when this Ezra came to Ierusalem 134 years, as appears by the computation be∣fore going, that none may be deceived by the name, to regard the contents of that book, which the most learned have never esteemed of. But from hence we learn that Salathiel the sonne of Iehojakim, was now Prince of the Jews, because Chap 5. 16. he is called by this name, & it is said that he came unto him, so that Iehojakim

was now dead three or foure years after his deliverance from prison, and it seems that Salathiel his sonne succeeded in his Princely honour through the same Evil∣merodachs favour. About 20 years after this Evilmerodach was slain by his si∣sters husband, called Niglissoroor, so Berosus and Iosephus, and then he reigned in his stead foure years. From hence forward, that is, from Anno 48 of Ierusalems * 1.20 desolation, we read not insacred History of any other Babylonish King till Bel∣shazzar, although both Funccius and some others, place others between, as Re∣gassar and Labasardac. But to say nothing of them of whom we are ignorant, and if any thing memorable were in the times of any such Kings done, it is not re∣corded in the first year of Belshazzar, Daniel had his Vision of Chap. 7. of foure beasts, one headed like a Lyon, two like a Bear, three like a Leopard, four more ter∣rible then any of these with iron teeth, representing four Monarchies of the World, and their destruction at the last day.

In the third year of Belshazzar, Daniel had another Vision of a Ram and a Goat having one great horne, which when it was broken off, foure sprung up in∣stead of it, whereby the Persian Monarchy was set forth, and the Grecian after Alexander divided into foure, amongst whom Antiochus Epiphanes is specially set forth, as exercising most cruelty towards Gods peculiar people. From hence ther being 18 years still to come of the 70, the sacred History saith nothing of that which was done in any of them: But because Cyrus is here said to have reigned at the expiration of this time and to have been upon his first year, and yet Dan. 6. Belshazzar being slain, it is said that Darius reigned, it will be necessary before we come to speake of the liberty given by Cyrus, to say somwhat of this mighty King, and of his gests before his comming to the Kingdom of Babylon. He was the son of Astiages his daughter, who was King of the Medes and Persians, but before he was borne, Astiages dreamed that he saw a vine growing out of his daughters belly, which overspread all Asia, and being told by his Wizards, that hereby was shewed that shee should beare a son that should reign over all Asia, and put him from his Kingdom, he thought to prevent this by adopting Darius a Kinsman, that he might succeed him in his Kingdome, because he had no sonne but a daughter onely, whose issue he would not have come to that honour. Then he gave his daughter in marriage, not to a great man, because the sonne that shee should have by the helpe of his kinsmen should aspire to the Crown, but to an ordinary Souldier, and when shee had a sonne by him, he caused the infant to be brought unto him, and delivered it to Harpagus one of his Nobles to be slain. But he fearing that the Kingdom might afterwards come to the mother durst not doe it, but cast it in a Wood, into which there came, by a singular providence, a Bitch which gave suck, and sucked and defended the infant from the fowls and beasts til that the Kings shepheard accidentally found it, and brought it home to his wife to be nourished up. The child thus preserved and growing up to a lad of some bignesse, was in playing chosen by other lads, be their King, and behaved himself so severely towards such as offended, as that they complained to their parents, and their parents to the King. Hereupon the King sent for him, by whom he being as∣ked, why he dealt so with them, answered with an undaunted courage, that hee did it, as their King. Astiages admiring the lad, as not likely to be of a shep∣herds race, sent for the shepherd and of him learned the truth, and so came to know, that this was his daughters son. Yet his wrath was pacified towards the lad, supposing the prediction to have been already fulfilled in his being King of the boyes, and he delivered him to the same Harpagus to be brought up. But for his disobedience formerly, hee caused his sonne secretly to be murthered. This comming to his knowledge, he yet wisely dissembled his anger against the King, till that divers years after, the King having committed an Armie to him to goe a∣gainst his enemies, hee perswaded them to make Cyrus King in way of revenge for his sonne; Astiages hearing this gathered an Army, and fought against Cyrus, and at the first prevailed, but at the next encounter was overcome by Cyrus, who so moderately used his victory, that he suffered his Grand-father to continue King of the Hircanians, and Darius his Uncle King of the Medes, he holding the Kingdom of the Persians onely during their lives, but afterwards conditioning to enjoyall.

The name Cyrus was first given unto him by Harpagus, when he made him King, for before he was called Spectaticus, that is, Catulus, or Whelpe, because a Bitch nourished him. When Cyrus was grown to this greatnesse, Croesus King of the Lydians being in a most rich and prosperous condition, for he had subdued unto himselfe 14 Nations in Halim in Asia, as Herodotus sayth, would not suffer Cyrus * 1.21 quietly to enjoy his Kingdom, but passing over the River, which divided their Kingdoms, hee made war upon him, and when they had fought fiercely on both sides one day, they were parted by the comming on of the night, neyther part pre∣vayling, but many on both sides being slain. Croesus then retyring to Sardis, sent to the Egyptians and Babylonians, with whom he was in league, for aid, not once suspecting, that Cyrus would come against him in his chief City, with whom hee had fought in open field with equall successe, wherefore hee appointed his Confe∣derates to come unto him not till the fifth moneth after. But Cyrus with all speed gathering his forces together went against Sardis. Croesus hearing of his com∣ming called together his Lydians, who were then counted the valiantest men in all Asia, and the best horsmen. Cyrus against them commeth with many Camels, whose sight or smell horses cannot endure, and so brake the order of their battell. Then the Lydians leaving their horses fought on foot, but at length were put to flight, and so the City was besieged, and within fourteen days taken, and Croesus the King taken. Cyrus then condemned him to be burnt to death, but when hee was set upon the pile of wood prepared, and fire was now putting to, hee cryed, Solon, Solon, at which words Cyrus caused him to be brought unto him, and asking the cause of his so crying out upon Solon, he sayd, That wise Solon upon a time de∣nyed him in the midst of all his wealth and prosperity to be happy, saying, He knew not, what should happen to him before he died. Cyrus hearing this, and and withall considering his own case and the uncertainty of these worldly things, spared him and made him his Counsellour, doing many things both in warre and peace by his advice. Not long after Cyrus appointing Harpagus to fight against the Ionians and Eolians, went himself against the upper parts of Asia, and having subdued all, he lastly bent his forces against the Egyptians and Babylon, which was the seat of the greatest Monarch in the World, where Belshazzar the son of Evilmerodach now reigned by Herodotus called Labinitus. But before hee could * 1.22 come thither, he must necessarily passe the River Gindes, which runneth into the River Tigris. This River Gindes, not being passable on horsback, but by boat on∣ly, Cyrus devised by making 365 ditches to carry the water away, being offended for one horse in attempting to passe over was drowned there, and about this work was spent one whole yeare. Then he went on with a mighty Armie and besie∣ged Babylon, but they within the City at the first derided him, as thinking them∣selves safe against all the Forces of the world. For Babylon called the great City, was so great and strong, as that it was held to be invincible. The situation of it was in a plain foure square, every side being 120 furlongs, according to Herodotus, Plany, and Philostratus, but Diodorus Siculus makes the whole compasse to be but 365 furlongs, the reason of wich difference happily was, for that Diodorus describes it as it was first built by Semiramis, Herodotus as it was inlarged by Nebuthad∣nezar, and if it were 120 furlongs long and broad, that was 15 miles either way, it was a monsterous City, and about all this length and breadth was a wall of incre∣dible thicknesse, viz. 50 cubits thick, that is, 75 foot, and 200 cubits high, saith Herodotus, beyond all credit, yea, and he addeth of the Kings cubits, one of which is longer then the ordinary by three fingers, so that six chariots might goe abreast upon the wall. But Diodorus more moderately, 32 foot thick, and 50 cubits high, so that two chariots might safely passe by one another upon it. Without the wall was a ditch full of water, out of which the bytuminous stuffe, where∣with the brick for the wall was made was digged, 100 foot broad, and as much space of ground was between the wall and ditch for gardens and orchards. There were 100 gates of brasse, and as many Towers, and the great River Euphrates ran through the midst of the City, so that hereby it was divided into two, and on each side of the river there was a wall as thick as the other, and in the midst a bridge 30 foot broad of five furlongs, and yet the river, as Strabo saith, was but

one furlong broad. The invinciblestrength and greatnesse of this City at the first, stounded Cyrus, when he heard also that they had brought in provision for more then 20 years, for he thought to force them to yeeld through famine. But there being high a place made somtime by Samramis to hold water 1200 furlongs square, and 35 foot deep, he sent his men to scoure it, and making greattrenches, dreaned the waters of Euphrates into it, placing his men some at one end of the City, and some at the other, that they might be ready to enter when the water should be falne solow that they might wade through, which they did accordingly, and took the City, after that in one night the water was let out into the drains before prepa∣red. And it fell out so, that the same night the Babylonians were generally drun∣ken, having kept a great festivall the day before, of which Cyrus not being igno∣rant, chose that time purposely for this exploit. The Hebrews say that Belshazzar the King knowing of the Prophesie of their deliverance from their captivity, and supposing the time to be now expired, and therefore their hopes frustrated, made that day his great Feast commemorated Dan. 5. and in way of insulting over the God of Israel, caused the precious vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebu∣chadnezar had carryed away to be brought fourth, and carowsed in them toge∣ther with his Princes and Concubines, but vengeance presently befell him there∣fore. However whether it were a Feast made for this cause, or according to their usuall manner at that time of the yeere to the honour, of some Idoll, it seemeth, that they slighted much the danger, in which they were, in that they would not for it intermit their usuall feasting and making merry unto such excesse. But God certainly had an hand in it, who had by Jeremiah foretold many par∣ticulars now happening long before, as first, that the Kings of the * 1.23 Medes should be the agents in this destruction. 2 That her waters should be * 1.24 dryed up. 3 That they should be drunken, and so sleep a perpetuall sleep. 4 That one yeere there should be a rumour of destruction comming first, and the next yeer both rumour and violence. 5 That the Princes and Captains and Ru∣lers should all be drunken, and so without fighting sleep a perpetuall sleep. 6 That they should run one after another to tell the King, that Babylon was taken: for in some parts of the City it was not known, till three dayes after, through the vast∣nesse of the place. If it shall seem that the Prophet erred somewhat in that hee spake of the Kings of the Medes, that should do this exploit, whereas it was the Persian King, it is easily resolved, Cyrus was so the King of Persia, that he was King of the Medes also, Darius, that thereby his permission reigned, not being counted the King of that people, because but for a short time, as appears before, and then the Kingdom was to come to Cyrus and his issue. Thus the King of Babylon was slain, and Cyrus became an universall Monarch, and yet suffered Darius, to whom he had given the kingdome of the Medes before to reigne, here also during his life, as being his Uncle, but within one yeer he dyed, and Cyrus reigned, as it is here sayd, and gave the Jews leave to return to Ierusalem just at the time before prophesied of that is, at the end of seventy yeers. And thus we may see the rea∣son of Daniels speaking of none but Darius reigning after Babylon destroyed, till chap. 10. where hee mentions Cyrus, and why Ezra omitting him altogether, speaks only of Cyrus. And how Daniel understanding by the prophesie of Iere∣miah, that the time was now come, prayed unto God for deliverance, see Dan. 9.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hierenymi: prolog.
• * 1.2

  Lyra.
• * 1.3

  Iunius.
• * 1.4

  Nehem. 1. 1.
• * 1.5

  What hapned before the 70 yeers captivity expired.
• * 1.6

  Ier. 43 8.
• * 1.7

  Ier. 42.
• * 1.8

  Epiphanius. Dorothaeus.
• * 1.9

  Isidor. de vita & obi•••• Pro∣phetarum.
• * 1.10

  Iosephus.
• * 1.11

  Dan. 3.
• * 1.12

  Plutarch.
• * 1.13

  Solon. The Areopagie began.
• * 1.14

  zech. 29. 17.
• * 1.15

  Epiphanius. Dorethaeus.
• * 1.16

  Dan. 4.
• * 1.17

  Euseb. l. 9. de praepar. Evan.
• * 1.18

  Anno 26.
• * 1.19

  4 Esdr. 3. 1.
• * 1.20

  Berosus.
• * 1.21

  Herodotus.
• * 1.22

  Herodotus.
• * 1.23

  Ier. 51. 11.
• * 1.24

  Vers. 36. Vers. 39. Vers. 46. Vers. 57, Vers. 31.