[A repetition of things done before.]
The
wonderfull loue of God toward his Church is liuely set foorth in this booke. For albeit through their ingratitude and sundrie rebellions against God, for the space of fourtie yeeres, Deut.9.7. they had deserued to haue bene cut off from the nomber of his people, and for euer to haue bene depriued of the vse of his holy word, and sacraments: yet he did euer preserue his Church euen for his owne mercies sake, and would still haue his Name called vpon among them. Wherefore hee bringeth them into the land of Canaan, destroyeth their enemies, giueth them their countrey, townes, and goods, and exhorteth them by the example of their fathers (whose infidelitie, idolatrie, adulteries, murmurings and rebellion, he had most sharpely punished) to feare and obey the Lorde, to embrace and keepe his lawe without adding thereunto or diminishing there from. For by his word he would be knowen to be their God, and they his people: by his worde he would gouerne his Church, and by the same they should learne to obey him: by his word he would discerne the false prophet from the true, light from darkenes, ignorance from knowledge, and his owne people from all other nations and infidels: teaching them thereby to refuse and detest, destroye and abolish whatsoeuer is not agreeable to his holy will, seeme it otherwise neuer so good or precious in the eyes of man. And for this cause God promised to raise vp Kings and gouernours, for the setting foorth of this word and preseruation of his Church: giuing vnto them an especiall charge for the executing thereof: whom therefore he willeth to exercise themselues diligently in the continuall studie and meditation of the same: that they might learne to feare the Lord, loue their subiects, abhorre couetousnes and vice, and whatsoeuer offendeth the maiestie of God. And as he had tofore instructed their fathers in all things appertaining, both to his spirituall seruice, and also for the maintenance of that societie which is betweene men: so hee prescribeth here anewe, all such lawes and ordinances, which either concerneth his Diuine seruice, or else are neceßarie for a comon weale: appointing vnto euery estate and degree their charge and duetie: aswell, how to rule and liue in the feare of God, as to nourish friendship toward their neighbours, and to preserue that order which God hath established amog men: threatning withall, most horrible plagues to them that transgresse his commandements, and promising all bleßings and felicitie to such as obserue and obey them.
2 A briefe rehearsall of thinges done before, from Horeb vnto Kadesh-barnea. 32 Moses reprooueth the people for their incredulitie. 44 The Israelites are ouercome by the Amorites because they fought against the commandement of the Lord.
1 These bee the wordes which Moses spake vnto all Israel, on [Note: [a] In the countrey of Moab. ] this side Iorden in the wildernesse, in the plaine, [Note: [b] So that the wildernes was betweene the Sea and this plaine of Moab. ] ouer against the red Sea, betweene Paran and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, & Di-zahab.
2 There are eleuen dayes iourney from [Note: [c] In Horeb, or Sinai, fourtie yeeres before this the Lawe was giuen: but because al that were then of age and iudgement were now dead, Moses repeateth the same to the youth which either then were not borne, or had not iudgement. ] Horeb vnto Kadesh-barnea, by the way of mout Seir.
3 And it came to passe in the first day of the eleuenth moneth, in the fourtieth yeere that Moses spake vnto the children of Israel according vnto all that the Lord had giuen him in commandement vnto them,
4 After that he had slaine [Note: [d] By these examples of Gods fauour their mindes are prepared to receiue the Lawe. ] [Note: Nomb.21.24. ] Sihon the king of the Amorites which dwelt in Heshbon, & Og king of Bashan, which dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei.
5 On this side Iorden in the lande of Moab [Note: [e] The second time. ] began Moses to declare this lawe, saying,
6 The Lord our God spake vnto vs in [Note: [f] In the seconde yeere and seconde moneth, Nom.10. 11. ] Horeb, saying, Ye haue dwelt long ynough in this mount,
7 Turne you and depart, and goe vnto the mountaine of the Amorites, and vnto all places neere thereunto in the plaine, in the mountaine, or in the valley: both Southwarde, and to the Sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and vnto Lebanon: euen vnto the great riuer, the riuer [Note: Or, Euphrates. ] Perath.
8 Beholde, I haue set the land before you: go in and [Note: Gene.15.18. and 17.7,8. ] possesse that land which the Lorde sware vnto your fathers, Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob, to giue vnto them and to their seede after them.
9 ¶ And I spake [Note: [g] By the counsell of Iethro my father in law, Exo.18.19. ] vnto you the same time, saying, I am not able to beare you my selfe alone:
10 The Lord your God hath [Note: [h] Not so much by the course of nature, as miraculously. ] multiplied you: and beholde, ye are this day as the starres of heauen in nomber:
11 (The Lord God of your fathers make you
[A repetition of things done before.]
a thousand times so many moe as ye are, and blesse you, as he hath promised you)
12 Howe can I alone [Note: [i] Signifying how great a burden it is, to gouerne the people. ] beare your combrance and your charge, and your strife?
13 Bring you men of wisedome and of vnderstanding, and [Note: [k] Whose godlines and vprightnes is knowen. ] knowen among your tribes, and I will make them rulers ouer you:
14 Then ye answered me and said, The thing is good that thou hast commanded vs to doe.
15 So I tooke the chiefe of your tribes [Note: [l] Declaring what sort of men ought to haue a publike charge, reade Exod.18.21. ] wise and knowen men, & made them rulers ouer you, captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer hundreds, and captaines ouer fiftie, and captaines ouer tenne, and officers among your tribes.
16 And I charged your iudges that same time, saying, Heare the controuersies betweene your brethren, and [Note: Iohn 7.24. ] iudge righteously betwene euery man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
17 Ye shal haue no respect of person in iudgement, [Note: Leuit.19.15. chap. 16.19. 1.sam.16.7. prou.24.23. ecclus. 42.1. iames 2.2. ] but shall heare the small aswell as the great: yee shall not feare the face of man: for the iudgemet is [Note: [m] And you are his Lieutenants. ] Gods: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring vnto me, and I will heare it.
18 Also I commaunded you the same time all the things which ye should doe.
19 ¶ Then we departed from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wildernesse (as yee haue seene) by the way of the mountaine of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commaunded vs: and we came to Kadesh-barnea.
20 And [Note: [n] So that the faute was in themselues that they did not sooner possesse the inheritance promised. ] I saide vnto you, Yee are come vnto the mountaine of the Amorites, which the Lorde our God doeth giue vnto vs.
21 Beholde, the Lord thy God hath layde the land before thee: go vp and possesse it, as the Lord the God of thy fathers hath saide vnto thee: feare not, neither be discouraged.
22 ¶ [Note: [o] Reade Nomb. 13 1,3. ] Then ye came vnto me euery one, and said, We wil send men before vs, to search vs out the land & to bring vs word againe, what way we must go vp by, & vnto what cities we shall come.
[Page 66]
[Who shall go into the land of promes.]
23 So the saying pleased me well, and I tooke twelue men of you, of euery tribe one.
24 [Note: Nomb.13.24. ] Who departed, and went vp into the mountaine, and came vnto the [Note: Or, valley of the cluster of grapes. ] riuer Eshcol, and searched out the land.
25 And tooke of the fruite of the land in their hands, and brought it vnto vs, and brought vs worde againe, and [Note: [p] To wit, Caleb, and Ioshua: Moses preferreth the better part to the greater, that is, two to ten. ] sayd, It is a good land, which the Lord our God doeth giue vs.
26 Notwithstanding, ye would not go vp, but were disobedient vnto the commaundement of the Lord your God,
27 And murmured in your tentes, & sayd, Because the Lorde [Note: [q] Such was the Iewes vnthankfulnes, that they counted Gods especall loue, hatred. ] hated vs, therefore hath hee brought vs out of the land of Egypt, to deliuer vs into the hand of the Amorites, and to destroy vs.
28 Whither shal we go vp? our [Note: [r] The other ten, not Caleb and Ioshua. ] brethren haue discouraged our hearts, saying, The people is greater, and taller then we: the cities are great and walled vp to heauen: and moreouer we haue seene the sonnes of the [Note: Nomb.13.29. ] Anakims there.
29 But I sayd vnto you, Dread not, nor be afrayd of them.
30 The Lord your God, [Note: [f] Declaring that to renounce our owne force, and constantly to follow our vocation, and depende on the Lorde, is the true boldnes, and agreeable to God. ] who goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did vnto you in Egypt before your eyes,
31 And in the wildernesse, where thou hast seene how the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doeth beare his sonne, in all the way which ye haue gone, vntill ye came vnto this place.
32 Yet for all this ye did not beleeue the Lord your God,
33 [Note: Exod.13.21. ] Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tentes in, in fire by night, that ye might see what way to goe, and in a cloude by day.
34 Then the Lorde heard the voyce of your wordes, and was wroth, and sware, saying,
35 [Note: Nomb.14 23. ] Surely there shall not one of these men of this froward generation, see that good land, which I sware to giue vnto your fathers,
36 Saue Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh: he shall see it, [Note: Iosh.14.6. ] and to him will I giue the land that he hath troden vpon, and to his children, because he hath constantly followed the Lord.
37 [Note: Nomb.20.12. and 27.14. ] Also the Lorde was angry with me for your sakes, saying, [Note: Chap.3.26. and 4.21. and 34.4. ] Thou also shalt not goe in thither,
38 But Ioshua the sonne of Nun which standeth [Note: [t] Which ministreth vnto thee. ] before thee, he shall go in thither: incourage him: for he shal cause Israel to inherite it.
39 Moreouer, your [Note: [u] Which were vnder twentie yeere olde, as Nomb.14.31. ] children, which ye sayd should be a praye, and your sonnes, which in that day had no knowledge betweene good and euill, they shall go in thither, and vnto them wil I giue it, and they shall possesse it.
40 But as for you, turne backe, and take your iourney into the wildernesse by the way of the red Sea.
41 Then ye answered and sayd vnto me, We haue sinned against the Lord, [Note: [x] This declareth mans nature, who wil doe that which God forbiddeth, and will not doe that which hee commandeth. ] we wil go vp, and fight, according to all that the Lorde our God hath commaunded vs: and ye armed you euery man to the warre, and were ready to goe vp into the mountaine.
42 But the Lord said vnto me, Say vnto them, Goe not vp, neither fight, (for I am [Note: [y] Signifying that man hath no strength, but when God is at hand to helpe him. ] not among you) least ye fall before your enemies.
43 And when I told you, ye would not heare, but rebelled against the commaundement of the
[Against whom Israel may not fight.]
Lord, and were presumptuous, and went vp into the mountaine.
44 Then the Amorites which dwelt in that mountaine came out against you, and chased you (as bees vse to doe) and destroied you in Seir, euen vnto Hormah.
45 And when ye came againe, ye wept before the Lord, but the Lorde would not [Note: [z] Because ye rather shewed your hypocrisie, then true repentance: rather lamenting the losse of your brethren, then repenting for your sinnes. ] heare your voyce, nor incline his eares vnto you.
46 So ye abode in Kadesh a long time, according to the time that ye had remained before.
1 Israel is forbidden to fight with the Edomites, 9 Moabites, 19 And Ammonites. 33 Sihon King of Heshbon is discomfited.
1 Then [Note: [a] They obeyed, after that God had chastised them. ] we turned, and tooke our iourney into the wildernes, by the way of the red Sea, as the Lorde spake vnto me: and we compassed mount Seir a [Note: [b] Eight and thirtie yere, as vers.14. ] long time.
2 And the Lord spake vnto me, saying,
3 Ye haue compassed this mountaine long ynough: turne you Northward.
4 And warne thou the people, saying, Ye shall go through the [Note: [c] This was the second time: for before they had caused the Israelites to returne, Nomb. 20.21. ] coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir, and they shall be afraide of you: take ye good heede therefore.
5 Ye shall not prouoke them: for I wil not giue you of their land so much as a foot breadth, [Note: Gene.36.8. ] because I haue giuen mount Seir vnto Esau for a possession.
6 Ye shall buy meate of them for money to eate, and ye shall also procure water of them for money to drinke.
7 For the Lord thy God hath [Note: [d] And giuen thee meanes wherewith thou mayest make recompence: also God wil direct thee by his prouidence, as he hath done. ] blessed thee in all the workes of thine hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wildernes, and the Lorde thy God hath bene with thee this fourtie yeere, and thou hast lacked nothing.
8 And when we were departed from our brethren the children of Esau which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the [Note: Or, wildernes. ] plaine, from Elath, and from Ezion-gaber, we turned and went by the way of the wildernes of Moab.
9 Then the Lord sayd vnto me, Thou shalt not [Note: Or, besiege. ] vexe Moab, neither prouoke them to battel: for I wil not giue thee of their land for a possession, because I haue giuen Ar vnto the children [Note: [e] Which were the Moabites and Ammonites. ] of Lot for a possession.
10 The [Note: [f] Signifying that as these gyants were driuen out for their sinnes: so the wicked when their sinnes are ripe, cannot anoyde Gods plagues. ] Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great and many, & tall, as the Anakims.
11 They also were taken for gyants as the Anakims: whom the Moabites call Emims.
12 The [Note: Gene.36.20. ] Horims also dwelt in Seir before time, whome the children of Esau chased out and destroyed them before them, and dwelt in their steade: as Israel shall doe vnto the land of his possession, which the Lord hath giuen them.
13 Now rise vp, sayd I, and get you ouer the riuer [Note: Nomb.21.12. ] Zered: and we went ouer the riuer Zered.
14 The [Note: [g] Hee sheweth hereby, that as God is true in his promes: so his threatnings are not in vaine. ] space also wherein we came from Kadesh-barnea, vntill we were come ouer the riuer Zered, was eight and thirtie yeeres, vntill all the generation of the men of warre were wasted out from among the hoste, as the Lord sware vnto them.
15 For in deede the [Note: [h] His plague and punishment to destroy all that were twentie yeere olde and aboue. ] hand of the Lorde was against them, to destroy them from among the hoste, till they were consumed.
16 ¶ So when all the men of warre were consumed [Page]
[Sihon discomfited.]
and dead from among the people:
17 Then the Lord spake vnto me, saying,
18 Thou shalt goe through Ar the coast of Moab this day:
19 And thou shalt come neere ouer against the children of Ammon: but shalt not lay siege vnto them, nor moue warre against them: for I will not giue thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession: for I haue giuen it vnto the children of Lot for a possession.
20 That also was taken for a land [Note: [i] Who called themselues Rephaims: that is, preseruers, or physicions to heale & reforme vices: but were in deede Zamzummims, that is, wicked and abominable. ] of gyants: for gyants dwelt therein afore time, whome the Ammonites called Zamzummims:
21 A people that was great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims: but the Lord destroyed them before them, and they succeeded them in their inheritance, and dwelt in their stead:
22 As he did to the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims before them, and they possessed them, and dwelt in their stead vnto this day.
23 And the Auims which dwelt in Hazarim euen vnto [Note: Or, Gaza. ] Azzah, the Caphtorims which came out of Caphtor destroyed them, and dwelt in their steade.
24 ¶ Rise vp therefore, sayd the Lord: take your iourney, and passe ouer the riuer Arnon: beholde, I haue giuen into thy hand Sihon, the [Note: [k] According to his promes made to Abraham, Gene. 15.21. ] Amorite, King of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possesse it and prouoke him to battell.
25 This day wil I [Note: [l] This declareth that the hearts of men are in Gods hands either to be made faint, or bolde. ] begin to send thy feare and thy dread, vpon all people vnder the whole heauen, which shall heare thy fame, and shal tremble and quake before thee.
26 Then I sent messengers out of the wildernes of Kedemoth vnto Sihon King of Heshbon, with wordes of peace, saying,
27 ¶ [Note: Nomb.21.21,22. ] Let me passe through thy land: I will go by the hie way: I will neither turne vnto the right hand nor to the left.
28 Thou shalt sell me meate for money, for to eate, and shalt giue me water for money for to drinke: onely I will go through on my foote,
29 (As the [Note: [m] Because neither intreatie nor examples of others could moue him; he could not complaine of his iust destruction. ] children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did vnto me) vntill I be come ouer Iorden, into the land which the Lord our God giueth vs.
30 But Sihon the King of Heshbon would not let vs passe by him: for the Lorde thy God had [Note: [n] God in his election and reprobation doeth not onely appoint the ends, but the meanes tending to the same. ] hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, because hee would deliuer him into thine hand, as appeareth this day.
31 And the Lorde sayd vnto me, Beholde, I haue begun to giue Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possesse and inherite his land.
32 [Note: Nomb.21.23. ] Then came out Sihon to meete vs, him selfe with all his people to fight at Iahaz.
33 But the Lord our God deliuered him [Note: Ebr. before vs. ] into our power, and we smote him, and his sonnes, and all his people.
34 And we tooke all his cities the same time, and destroyed euery citie, men, and [Note: [o] God had cursed Canaan, and therefore he would not that any of the wicked race shuld be preserued. ] women, and children: we let nothing remaine.
35 Onely the cattell we tooke to our selues, and the spoyle of the cities which we tooke,
36 From Aroer, which is by the banke of the riuer of Arnon, and from the citie that is vpon the riuer, euen vnto Gilead: there was not one citie that escaped vs: for the Lorde our God deliuered vp all [Note: Or, into our hand. ] before vs.
[Og vanquished.]
37 Onely vnto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor vnto any place of the [Note: Or, fourde. ] riuer Iabbok, nor vnto the cities in the mountaines, nor vnto whatsoeuer the Lorde our God forbade vs.
3 Og King of Bashan is slaine. 11 The bignes of his bed. 18 The Reubenites and Gadites are commaunded to goe ouer Iorden armed before their brethren. 21 Ioshua is made captaine. 27 Moses is permitted to see the land, but not to enter, albeit he desired it.
1 Then we turned, and went vp by the way of Bashan: [Note: Nomb.21.33. chap.29.7. ] and Og King of Bashan [Note: [a] Therefore beside the commandement of the Lord, they had iust occasion of his part to fight against him. ] came out against vs, he, and all his people to fight at Edrei.
2 And the Lorde sayde vnto me, Feare him not, for I will deliuer him, and all his people, and his land into thine hand, and thou shalt doe vnto him as thou diddest vnto [Note: Nomb.21.24. ] Sihon King of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.
3 So the Lorde our God deliuered also vnto our hand, [Note: Nomb.21.33. ] Og the King of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him, vntill none was left him aliue,
4 And we tooke all his cities the same time, neither was there a citie which we tooke not from them, euen three score cities, and all ye countrey of Argob, the kingdome of Og in Bashan.
5 All these cities were fenced with hie walles, gates and barres, beside [Note: [b] As villages and small townes. ] vnwalled townes a great many.
6 And we ouerthrewe them, as we did vnto Sihon King of Heshbon, destroying euery citie, with men, [Note: [c] Because this was Gods appointment, therefore it may not be iudged cruell. ] women, and children.
7 But all the cattell and the spoyle of the cities we tooke for our selues.
8 Thus we tooke at that time out of the hand of two Kings of the Amorites, the land that was on this side Iorden from the riuer of Arnon vnto mount Hermon:
9 (Which Hermon the Sidonians call Shirion, but the Amorites call it Shenir)
10 All the cities of the plaine, and all Gilead, and all Bashan vnto Salchah, and Edrei, cities of the kingdome of Og in Bashan.
11 For onely Og King of Bashan remained of the remnant of the gyants, [Note: [d] The more terrible that this gyant was, the greater occasion had they to glorifie God for the victorie. ] whose bed was a bed of yron: is it not at Rabbath among the children of Ammon? the length thereof is nine cubites, and foure cubites the breadth of it, after the cubite of a man.
12 And this land which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the riuer of Arnon, and halfe mount Gilead, [Note: Nomb.32.33. ] and the cities thereof, gaue I vnto the Reubenites and Gadites.
13 And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdome of Og, gaue I vnto the halfe tribe of Manasseh: euen all the countrey of Argob with all Bashan, which is called, The land of gyants.
14 Iair the sonne of Manasseh tooke all the countrey of Argob, vnto the coastes of Geshuri, and of Maachathi: and called them after his owne name, Bashan, [Note: Nomb.32.41. ] Hauoth Iair vnto [Note: [e] Meaning when he wrote this historie. ] this day.
15 And I gaue part of Gilead vnto Machir.
16 And vnto the Reubenites and Gadites I gaue the rest of Gilead, and vnto the riuer of Arnon, halfe the riuer and the borders, euen vnto the riuer [Note: [f] Which separateth the Ammonites from the Amorites. ] Iabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon:
17 The plaine also and Iorden, and the borders from Chinnereth euen vnto the Sea of the plaine, to wit, the salt Sea [Note: Or, at Asdothpisgah. ] vnder the springs of
[Page 67]
[Moses desireth to see the land of promes.]
Pisgah Eastwarde.
18 ¶ And I commanded [Note: [g] That is, the Reubenites, Gadites, and halfe Manasseh, as Num.32.21. ] you the same time, saying, The Lorde your God hath giuen you this lande to possesse it: ye shall goe ouer armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all men of warre.
19 Your wiues onely, and your children, and your cattel (for I know that ye haue much cattel) shall abide in your cities, which I haue giuen you,
20 Vntill the Lorde haue giuen rest vnto your brethren as vnto you, and that they also possesse the lande, which the Lorde your God hath giuen them beyond Iorden: then shall ye [Note: Iosh.22.4. ] returne euery man vnto his possession, which I haue giuen you.
21 ¶ [Note: Nom.27.18,19,23. ] And I charged Ioshua the same time, saying, Thine eyes haue seene all that the [Note: [h] So that the victories came not by your owne wisdome, strength or multitude. ] Lorde your God hath done vnto these two Kings: [Note: Iosh.1.5. & 10.8.25. ] so shall the Lorde doe vnto all the kingdomes whither thou goest.
22 Ye shall not feare them: for the Lord your God, he shall fight for you.
23 And I besought the Lorde the same time, saying,
24 O Lord God, thou hast begunne to shewe thy seruant thy greatnesse and thy mightie hande: for where is there a God in heauen or in earth, that can [Note: [i] He speaketh according to the common and corrupt speache of them which attribute that power vnto idoles that only apperteineth vnto God. ] do like thy workes, and like thy [Note: Or, wonders. ] power?
25 I pray thee let me go ouer & see the good land that is beyond Iorden, that goodly [Note: [k] He meaneth Zion, where the temple should bee built, and God honoured. ] mountaine, and Lebanon.
26 But the Lord was angrie with me for your sakes, and would not heare me: and the Lord said vnto me, Let it suffice thee, speake no more vnto me of this matter.
27 Get thee vp into the top of Pisgah, and [Note: [l] As before he saw by the spirit of prophesie the good mountaine which was Zion: so here his eyes were lifted vp aboue the order of nature to beholde all the plentifull land of Canaan. ] lift vp thine eyes Westward, and Northwarde, and Southward, and Eastward, & behold it with thine eyes, for thou shalt not goe ouer this Iorden:
28 But charge Ioshua, and incourage him, and bolden him: for hee shall goe before this people, and he shall deuide for inheritance vnto them, the land which thou shalt see.
29 So wee abode in the valley ouer against Beth-Peor.
1 An exhortation to obserue the lawe without adding thereto or diminishing. 6 Therein standeth our wisedome. 9 Wee must teach it to our children. 15 No image ought to be made to worship. 26 Threatnings against them that forsake the Lawe of God. 37 God chose the seede because he loued their fathers. 43 The three cities of refuge.
1 Nowe therefore hearken, O Israel, vnto the ordinances and to the lawes which I teache you to [Note: [a] For this doctrine standeth not in bare knowledge, but in practise of life. ] doe, that ye may liue and goe in, and possesse the lande, which the Lorde God of your fathers giueth you.
2 Ye shal [Note: [b] Thinke not to be more wise then I am. ] put nothing vnto the word which I command you, neither shal ye [Note: [c] God wil not be serued by halues, but will haue full obedience. ] take ought there from, that ye may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I commande you.
3 Your [Note: [d] Gods iudgements executed vpon other idolaters ought to serue for our instruction, reade Nom.25.3,4. ] eyes haue seene what the Lord did because of Baal-Peor, for al the men that folowed Baal-Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed euery one from among you.
4 But ye that did [Note: [e] And were not idolaters. ] cleaue vnto the Lord your God, are aliue euery one of you this day.
5 Behold, I haue taught you ordinances, and lawes, as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should doe euen so within the land whither ye goe to possesse it.
6 Keepe them therefore, and doe them; for
[Against images.]
that is your [Note: [f] Because all men naturally desire wisdome, he sheweth now to attaine vnto it. ] wisdome, and your vnderstanding in the sight of the people, which shall heare all these ordinances, and shall say, [Note: Or, surely. ] Onely this people is wise, and of vnderstanding, and a great nation.
7 For what nation is so great, vnto whome the gods come so neere vnto them, as the Lorde our God is [Note: [g] Helping vs, and deliuering vs out of all dangers, as 2.Sam.7.23. ] neere vnto vs, in all that we call vnto him for?
8 And what nation is so great, that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous, as all this Lawe, which I set before you this day?
9 But take heede to thy selfe, and [Note: [h] He addeth all these wordes to shewe that we can neuer be carefull ynough to keepe the Lawe of God and to teach it to our posteritie. ] keepe thy soule diligently, that thou forget not the thinges which thine eyes haue seene, and that they depart not out of thine heart, all the dayes of thy life: but teach them thy sonnes, and thy sonnes sonnes:
10 Forget not the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said vnto me, Gather me the people together, and I wil cause them heare my wordes, that they may learne to feare me all the dayes that they shal liue vpon the earth, and that they may teache their children:
11 Then came you neere and [Note: Exod.19.18. ] stoode vnder the mountaine, and the mountaine [Note: [i] The Lawe was giuen with feareful miracles, to declare both that God was the authour thereof and also that no flesh was able to abide the rigour of the same. ] burnt with fire vnto the mids of heauen, and there was darkenesse, cloudes and mist.
12 And the Lorde spake vnto you out of the middes of the fire, and ye heard the voyce of the wordes, but sawe no similitude, saue a voyce.
13 Then hee declared vnto you his couenant which he commanded you to [Note: [k] God ioyneth this condition to his couenant. ] doe, euen the ten [Note: Or, wordes. ] commaundements, and wrote them vpon two tables of stone.
14 ¶ And the Lord commanded me that same time, that I should teach you ordinances & lawes, which ye should obserue in the lande, whither ye goe, to possesse it.
15 Take therefore good heede vnto your [Note: Ebr. soules. ] selues: for ye sawe no [Note: [l] Signifying that destruction is prepared for all them that make any image to represent God. ] image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middes of the fire:
16 That ye corrupt not your selues, and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure: whither it be the likenes of male or female,
17 The likenes of any beast that is on earth, or the likenesse of any fethered foule that flieth in the aire:
18 Or the likenesse of any thing that creepeth on the earth, or the likenesse of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth,
19 And lest thou lift vp thine eyes vnto heauen, and when thou seest the sunne & the moone and the starres with all the host of heauen, shouldest bee driuen to worship them and serue them, which the Lord thy God hath [Note: [m] He hath appointed them for to serue man. ] distributed to all people vnder the whole heauen.
20 But the Lorde hath taken you and brought you out of the [Note: [n] He hath deliuered you out of most miserable slauerie, and freely chosen you for his children. ] yron fornace: out of Egypt to be vnto him a people and inheritance, as appeareth this day.
21 And the Lord was angrie with me for your words, and sware that I should not goe ouer Iorden, and that I should not goe in vnto that good land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee for an inheritance.
22 For I must die in this land, and shall not go ouer Iorden: but [Note: [o] Moses good affection appeareth, in that that he, being depriued of such an excellent treasure, doeth not enuie them that must enioy it. ] ye shall goe ouer, and possesse that good land.
23 Take heede vnto your selues, least ye forget [Page]
[They are threatened that forsake the Lawe.]
the couenant of the Lorde your God which hee made with you, and least ye make you any grauen image, or likenes of any thing, as the Lorde thy God hath charged thee.
24 For the Lorde thy God is a [Note: [p] To those that come not vnto him with loue and reuerence, but rebel against him, Ebr.12.29. ] consuming fire, and a ielous God.
25 ¶ When thou shalt beget children and childrens children, and shalt haue remained long in the land, if ye [Note: [q] Meaning hereby all superstition and corruption of the true seruice of God. ] corrupt your selues, and make any grauen image, or likenes of any thing, and worke euill in the sight of the Lord thy God, to prouoke him to anger,
26 I [Note: [r] Though men would absolue you, yet the insensible creatures shalbe witnesses of your disobedience. ] call heauen and earth to record against you this day, that ye shall shortly perish from the land, whereunto ye goe ouer Iorden to possesse it: ye shall not prolong your dayes therein, but shall vtterly be destroyed.
27 And the Lord shall [Note: [s] So that his curse shall make his former blessings of none effect. ] scatter you among the people, and ye shall be left few in nomber among the nations, whither the Lord shall bring you:
28 And there ye shall serue gods, euen ye worke of mans hand, wood, and stone, which neither see, nor heare, nor eate, nor smell.
29 But if from thence thou shalt seeke the Lord thy God, thou shalt finde him, if thou seeke him with all thine [Note: [t] Not with outward shewe or ceremonie, but with a true confession of thy fautes. ] heart, and with all thy soule.
30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come vpon thee, [Note: Ebr. in the latter dayes. ] at the length if thou returne to the Lorde thy God, and bee obedient vnto his voyce,
31 (For the Lord thy God is a mercifull God) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the couenant of thy fathers, which hee [Note: [u] To certifie them the more of the assurance of their saluation. ] sware vnto them.
32 For inquire now of the dayes that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man vpon the earth, and [Note: [x] Mans negligece is partly cause that he knoweth not God. ] aske from the one ende of heauen vnto the other, if there came to passe such a great thing as this, or whether any such like thing hath bene heard.
33 Did euer people heare the voyce of God speaking out of the middes of a fire, as thou hast heard, and liued?
34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from among nations, by [Note: [y] By so manifest proofes that none could doubt thereof. ] tentations, by signes, and by wonders, and by warre, and by a mightie hand, and by a stretched out arme, & by great feare, according vnto all that the Lord your God did vnto you in Egypt before your eyes?
35 Vnto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest [Note: [z] He sheweth the cause, why God wrought these miracles. ] knowe, that the Lorde hee is God, and that there is none but he alone.
36 Out of heauen hee made thee heare his voyce to instruct thee, and vpon earth he shewed thee his great fire, and thou heardest his voyce out of the middes of the fire.
37 And because [Note: [a] Freely, and not of their deserts. ] hee loued thy fathers, therefore hee chose their seede after them, and hath brought thee out of Egypt in his sight by his mightie power,
38 To thrust out nations greater and mightier then thou, before thee, to bring thee in, and to giue thee their land for inheritance: as appeareth this day.
39 Vnderstande therefore this day, and consider in thine heart, that the Lord, he is God in heauen aboue, and vpon the earth beneath: there is none other.
40 Thou shalt keepe therefore his ordinances, and his commaundements which I commaunde
[Three cities of refuge.]
thee this day, that it may [Note: [b] God promiseth reward not for our merits, but to incourage vs, and to assure vs that our labour shall not be lost. ] goe well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayst prolong thy dayes vpon the earth, which the Lord thy God giueth thee for euer.
41 ¶ Then Moses separated three cities on this side of Iorden toward the sunne rising:
42 That the slayer should flee thither, which had killed his neighbour at vnwares, and hated him not in time past, might flee, I say, vnto one of those cities, and liue:
43 That is, [Note: Iosh.20.8. ] Bezer in the wildernesse, in the plaine countrey of the Reubenites: and Ramoth in Gilead among the Gadites: and Golan in Bashan among them of Manasseh.
44 ¶ So this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel.
45 These are the [Note: [c] The articles and points of the couenant. ] witnesses, and the ordinances, and the lawes which Moses declared to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt,
46 On this side Iorden, in the valley ouer against Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon King of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel [Note: Nomb.21.24. chap.1.4. ] smote, after they were come out of Egypt:
47 And they possessed his land, and the lande of [Note: Nomb.21.33 chap.3.3. ] Og King of Bashan, two Kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Iorden towarde the sunne rising:
48 From Aroer, which is by the banke of the riuer Arnon, euen vnto mount Sion, which is Hermon,
49 And all the plaine by Iorden Eastwarde, euen vnto [Note: [d] That is, the salt sea. ] the Sea, of ye plaine, vnder the [Note: Chap.3.17. ] springs of Pisgah.
5 Moses is the meane betweene God and the people. 6 The Law is repeated. 23 The people are afraide at Gods voyce. 29 The Lord wisheth that the people would feare him. 32 They must neither decline to the right hand nor left.
1 Then Moses called all Israiel, and saide vnto them, Heare, O Israel, the ordinances and the lawes which [Note: Ebr. I speake in your eares. ] I propose to you this day, that yee may learne them, and take heede to obserue them.
2 [Note: Exod.19.5,6. ] The Lord our God made a couenant with vs in Horeb.
3 The Lorde [Note: [a] Some reade, God made not this couenant, that is, in such ample sort and with such signes and wonders. ] made not this couenant with our fathers onely, but with vs, euen with vs all here aliue this day.
4 The Lord talked with you [Note: [b] So plainely that you neede not to doubt thereof. ] face to face in the Mount, out of the middes of the fire.
5 (At that time I stoode betweene the Lorde and you, to declare vnto you ye word of the Lord: for ye were afraid at the sight of the fire, and went not vp into the mount, and he said,
6 ¶ [Note: Exod.20.2. leuit.26.1. psal.97.7,9. ] I am the Lorde thy God, which haue brought thee out of the lande of Egypt, from the house of [Note: Or, seruants. ] bondage.
7 Thou shalt haue none [Note: [c] God bindeth vs to serue him onely, without superstition and idolatrie. ] other gods before my face.
8 Thou shalt make thee no grauen image or any likenesse of that that is in heauen aboue, or which is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters vnder the earth.
9 Thou shalt neither bowe thy selfe vnto them, nor serue them: for [Note: Exod.34.7. iere.22.18. ] I the Lord thy God am a [Note: [d] That is, of his honour, not permitting it to be giuen to other. ] ielous God, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children, euen vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me:
10 And shewing mercie vnto thousandes of
[Page 68]
[The ten Commaadements.]
them that [Note: [e] The first degree to keepe the commandements is, to loue God. ] loue me, and keepe my commandements.
11 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine: for the Lorde will not holde him giltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine.
12 Keepe the Sabbath day, to sanctifie it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.
13 Sixe dayes [Note: [f] Meaning, since God permitteth sixe dayes to our labours, that we ought willingly to dedicate the seuenth to serue him wholly. ] thou shalt labour, and shalt doe all thy worke:
14 But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: thou shalt not doe any worke therein, thou, nor thy sonne, nor thy daughter, nor thy man seruant, nor thy mayd, nor thine oxe, nor thine asse, neither any of thy cattel, nor the stranger that is within thy gates: that thy man seruant and thy mayde may rest aswell as thou.
15 For, remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lorde thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hand and a stretched out arme: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to obserue the Sabbath day.
16 ¶ [Note: [g] Not for a shew, but with true obedience, and due reuerence. ] Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath comanded thee, that thy dayes may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee vpon the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
17 [Note: Mat.5 21. ] Thou shalt not kill.
18 [Note: Luke 18.20. ] Neither shalt thou commit adulterie.
19 [Note: Rom.13.9. ] Neither shalt thou steale.
20 Neither shalt thou beare false witnesse against thy neighbour.
21 [Note: Rom.7.7. ] Neither shalt [Note: [h] Hee speaketh not onely of that resolute will, but that there be no motion or affectio. ] thou couet thy neighbours wife, neither shalt thou desire thy neighbours house, his fielde, nor his man seruant, nor his mayd, his oxe, nor his asse, nor ought that thy neighbour hath.
22 ¶ These wordes the Lorde spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the mids of the fire, the cloude and the darkenes, with a great voyce, and [Note: [i] Teaching vs by his example to be content with his word, and adde nothing thereto. ] added no more thereto: and wrote them vpon two tables of stone, & deliuered them vnto me.
23 And when ye heard the voyce out of the middes of the darkenes, (for the mountaine did burne with fire) then ye came to me, all the chiefe of your tribes, and your Elders:
24 And ye sayd, Beholde, the Lord our God hath shewed vs his glory and his greatnes, and [Note: Exod.19.19. ] we haue heard his voyce out of the middes of the fire: we haue seene this day that God doeth talke with man, and he [Note: Chap.4.33. ] liueth.
25 Now therefore, why should we dye? for this great fire wil consume vs: if we heare ye voyce of the Lord our God any more, we shall dye.
26 For what [Note: Or, man. ] flesh was there euer, that heard the voyce of the liuing God speaking out of the middes of the fire as we haue, and liued?
27 Go thou neere and heare all that the Lord our God saith: and declare thou vnto vs all that the Lorde our God saith vnto thee, [Note: Exod.20.19. ] and we will heare it, and doe it.
28 Then the Lorde heard the voyce of your wordes, when ye spake vnto me: and the Lorde sayd vnto me, I haue heard the voyce of ye wordes of this people, which they haue spoken vnto thee: they haue well sayd, all that they haue spoken.
29 Oh [Note: [k] He requireth of vs nothing but obedience, shewing also that of our selues we are vnwilling thereunto. ] that there were such an heart in them to feare me, & to keepe all my commandements alway: that it might go well with them, and with their children for euer.
[To keepe the Commandements.]
30 Go, say vnto them, Returne you into your tentes.
31 But stand thou here with me, and I wil tell thee all the commaundements, and the ordinances, and the lawes, which thou shalt teach them: that they may doe them in the land which I giue them to possesse it.
32 Take heede therefore, that ye doe as the Lord your God hath commaunded you: [Note: [l] Ye shal neither adde nor diminish, Chap.4.2. ] turne not aside to the right hand nor to the left,
33 But walke in all the wayes which the Lord your God hath commaunded you, that ye may [Note: [m] As by obedience, God giueth vs all felicitie: so of disobeying God proceede all our miseries. ] liue, and that it may goe well with you: and that ye may prolong your dayes in the land which ye shall possesse.
1 An exhortation to feare God, and keepe his commaundements, 5 Which is, to loue him with all thine heart. 7 The same must be taught to the posteritie. 16 Not to tempt God. 25 Righteousnes is conteined in the Lawe.
1 These now are the commandements, ordinances, and [Note: Or, iudgements. ] lawes, which the Lorde your God commanded me to teach you, that ye might doe them in the land whither ye go to possesse it:
2 That thou mightest [Note: [a] A reuerent feare and loue of God, is the first beginning to keepe Gods commandements. ] feare the Lorde thy God, and keepe all his ordinances, and his commandements which I commaund thee, thou, and thy sonne, and thy sonnes sonne all the dayes of thy life, euen that thy dayes may be prolonged.
3 Heare therefore, O Israel, and take heede to doe it, that it may go well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily [Note: [b] Which hath abundance of all things apperteining to mans life. ] in the land that floweth with milke and hony, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
4 Heare, O Israel, The Lord our God is Lord onely,
5 And [Note: Mat.22.37. mar.12.29,30. luke 10.27. ] thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy might.
6 [Note: Chap.11.18. ] And these wordes which I commaund thee this day, shalbe in thine heart.
7 And thou shalt [Note: [c] Some reade, thou shalt whet them vpon thy children: to wit, that they may print them more deepely in memorie. ] rehearse them continually vnto thy children, and shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest downe, and when thou risest vp:
8 And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand, and they shalbe [Note: Or, signes of remembrance. ] as frontlets betweene thine eyes.
9 Also thou shalt write them vpon ye [Note: [d] That when thou entrest in, thou mayest remember them. ] postes of thine house, and vpon thy gates.
10 And when the Lord thy God hath brought thee into the land, which he sware vnto thy fathers, Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob, to giue to thee, with great and goodly cities which thou buildedst not,
11 And houses full of all maner of goods which thou filledst not, and welles digged which thou diggedst not, vineyards & oliue trees which thou plantedst not, and when thou hast eaten and art full,
12 [Note: [e] Let not wealth & ease cause thee forget Gods mercies, whereby thou wast deliuered out of miserie. ] Beware least thou forget the Lord, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
13 Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God, and serue him, and shalt [Note: [f] We must feare God, serue him onely, and confesse his Name, which is done by swearing lawfully. ] sweare by his Name.
14 Ye shall not walke after other gods, after any of the gods of the people which are round about you,
15 (For the Lorde thy God is a ielous God [Page]
[To destroy idoles.]
among you:) least the wrath of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from the face of the earth.
16 ¶ Ye shal not [Note: [g] By doubting of his power, refusing lawful meanes, and abusing his graces. ] tempt the Lord your God, as ye did tempt him in Massah:
17 But ye shal keepe diligently the commandements of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his ordinances which he hath commanded thee,
18 And thou shalt doe that which is right and good in the [Note: [h] Here he condemneth all mans good intentions. ] sight of the Lord: that thou mayest prosper, & that thou mayest go in, & possesse that good land which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers,
19 To cast out all thine enemies before thee, as the Lord hath sayd.
20 When [Note: [i] God requireth not onely that we serue him all our life, but also that we take paine that our posteritie may set forth his glory. ] thy sonne shall aske thee in time to come, saying, What meane these testimonies, and ordinances, and Lawes, which the Lorde our God hath commaunded you?
21 Then shalt thou say vnto thy sonne, We were Pharaohs bondmen in Egypt: but the Lord brought vs out of Egypt with a mightie hand.
22 And the Lord shewed signes and wonders great and euill vpon Egypt, vpon Pharaoh, and vpon all his housholde, before our eyes,
23 And [Note: [k] Nothing ought to moue vs more to true obedience then the great benefites which we haue receiued of God. ] brought vs out from thence, to bring vs in, and to giue vs the land which he sware vnto our fathers.
24 Therefore the Lord hath commanded vs, to doe all these ordinances, and to feare the Lord our God, that it may goe euer well with vs, and that he may preserue vs aliue as at this present.
25 Moreouer, this shall be our [Note: [l] But because none could fully obey the law, we must haue our recourse to Christ to be iustified by fayth. ] righteousnes before the Lorde our God, if we take heede to keepe all these commandements, as he hath commanded vs.
1 The Israelites may make no couenant with the Gentiles. 5 They must destroy the idoles. 8 The election dependeth on the free loue of God. 19 The experience of the power of God ought to confirme vs. 25 To auoyde all occasion of idolatrie.
1 When the Lorde thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possesse it, [Note: Chap.31.8. ] and shall roote out many nations before thee: the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hiuites, and the Iebusites, seuen nations greater and mightier then thou,
2 And the Lord thy God shal giue them [Note: [a] Into thy power. ] before thee, then thou shalt smite them: thou shalt vtterly destroy them: thou shalt make no [Note: Exod.23.32. and 34.12. ] couenant with them, nor haue compassion on them,
3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them, neither giue thy daughter vnto his sonne, nor take his daughter vnto thy sonne.
4 For [Note: Or, any of them. ] they wil cause thy sonne to turne away from me, and to serue other gods: then will the wrath of the Lord waxe hote against you and destroy thee suddenly.
5 But thus ye shal deale with them, [Note: [b] God would haue his seruice pure without all idolatrous ceremonies and superstitions. ] Ye shal ouerthrowe their altars, and breake downe their pillars, and ye shall cut downe their groues, and burne their grauen images with fire.
6 [Note: Chap.14.2. and 26.18, 19. ] For thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God, [Note: Exod.19.5. 1.pet.2.9. ] the Lorde thy God hath chosen thee, to be a precious people vnto himselfe, aboue all people that are vpon the earth.
7 The Lord did not set his loue vpon you, nor chose you, because ye were mo in number then any people: for ye were the fewest of all people:
[Gods power.]
8 But because the Lord [Note: [c] Freely, finding no cause in you more then in others so to doe. ] loued you, and because hee would keepe the othe which hee had sworne vnto your fathers, the Lord hath brought you out by a mightie hand, and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt,
9 That thou mayest knowe, [Note: [d] And so put difference betweene him and idoles. ] that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithfull God which keepeth couenant and mercie vnto them that loue him and keepe his commaundements, euen to a thousand generations,
10 And rewardeth [Note: [e] Meaning, manifestly, or in this life. ] them to their face that hate him, to bring them to destruction: he wil not deferre to reward him that hateth him, to his face.
11 Keepe thou therefore the commaundements, and the ordinances, and the lawes, which I commaund thee this day to doe them.
12 ¶ For if ye hearken vnto these lawes, and obserue and doe them, then the Lorde thy God shal keepe with thee the couenant, and the [Note: [f] This couenant is grounded vpon his free grace: therefore in recompensing their obedience he hath respect to his mercie & not to their merites. ] mercie which he sware vnto thy fathers.
13 And he wil loue thee, and blesse thee, and multiplie thee: he will also blesse the fruite of thy wombe, and the fruite of thy land, thy corne and thy wine, and thine oyle and the increase of thy kine, and the flockes of thy sheepe in the land, which he sware vnto thy fathers to giue thee.
14 Thou shalt be blessed aboue all people: [Note: Exod.23.26. ] there shall be neither male nor female barren among you, nor among your cattell.
15 Moreouer, the Lorde will take away from thee all infirmities, and will put none of the euill diseases of [Note: Exod.9.14. and 15.26. ] Egypt (which thou knowest) vpon thee, but wil send them vpon all that hate thee.
16 Thou shalt therefore consume all people which the Lord thy God shall giue thee: [Note: [g] We ought not to be mercifull where God commaundeth seueritie. ] thine eye shall not spare them, neither shalt thou serue their gods, for that shalbe thy [Note: Exod.23.33. ] destruction.
17 If thou say in thine heart, These nations are moe then I, how can I cast them out?
18 Thou shalt not feare them, but remember what the Lord thy God did vnto Pharaoh, and vnto all Egypt:
19 The great [Note: Or, plagues, or, trials, as Chap.29.3. exod.15.25. and 15.4. ] tentations which thine eyes sawe, and the signes and wonders, and the mighty hand and stretched out arme, whereby the Lorde thy God brought thee out: so shall the Lord thy God do vnto all ye people, whose face thou fearest.
20 [Note: Exod.23.28. iosh.24.12. ] Moreouer, the Lorde thy God will send [Note: [h] There is not so small a creature, which I will not arme to fight on thy side against them. ] hornets among them vntil they that are left, and hide themselues from thee, be destroyed.
21 Thou shalt not feare them: for the Lorde thy God is among you, a God mightie & dreadful.
22 And the Lord thy God wil roote out these nations before thee by little & little: thou mayest not consume them at once, least the [Note: [i] So that it is your commoditie that God accomplish not his promes so soone as you would wish. ] beasts of the fielde increase vpon thee.
23 But the Lord thy God shall giue them before thee, and shall destroy them with a mightie destruction, vntill they be brought to naught.
24 And he shall deliuer their Kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from vnder heauen: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, vntill thou hast destroyed them.
25 The grauen images of their gods shall ye [Note: Chap.12.3. exod.23.24. ] burne with fire, and [Note: Iosh.7.1, 21.2. mac. 12.40. ] couet not the siluer and golde, that is on them, nor take it vnto thee, least thou [Note: [k] And be intised to idolatrie. ] be snared therewith: for it is an abomination before the Lord thy God.
26 Bring not therefore abomination into
[Page 69]
[God chastiseth his children.]
thine house, lest, thou be accursed like it, but vtterly abhorre it, and count it most abominable: for it is [Note: Chap.13.17. ] accursed.
2 God humbleth the Israelites to trie what they haue in their heart. 5 God chastiseth them as his children. 14 The heart ought not to be proud for Gods benefites. 19 The forgetfulnesse of Gods benefites causeth destruction.
1 Ye shall keepe all the commandements which I command thee this day, for [Note: [a] Shewing that it is not inough to heare the word, except we expresse it by example of life. ] to doe them: that ye may liue, and be multiplied, and goe in, and possesse the land which the Lord sware vnto your fathers.
2 And thou shalt remember all ye way which the Lorde thy God led thee this fourtie yeere in the wildernesse, for to humble thee and to [Note: [b] Which is declared in afflictions, either by patience, or by grudging against Gods visitation. ] proue thee, to knowe what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no.
3 Therefore he humbled thee, and made thee hungry, and fed thee with MAN, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know it, that he might teache thee yt man liueth not by [Note: [c] Man liueth not by meate onely, but by the power of God, which giueth it strength to nourish vs. ] bread onely, but by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth a man liue.
4 Thy raiment waxed not olde vpon thee, neither did thy foote [Note: [d] As they that goe bare footed. ] swell those fourtie yeeres.
5 Knowe therefore in thine heart, that as a man nourtereth his sonne, so the Lord thy God [Note: [e] So that his afflictions are signes of his fatherly loue towarde vs. ] nourtereth thee.
6 Therefore shalt thou keepe the commaundements of the Lorde thy God, that thou mayest walke in his wayes, and feare him.
7 For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land in the which are riuers of water and fountaines, and [Note: Or, meres. ] depthes that spring out of valleis and mountaines:
8 A land of wheate and barley, and of vineyards, and figtrees, and pomegranates: a land of oyle oliue and hony:
9 A land wherein thou shalt eate bread without scarcitie, neither shalt thou lacke any thing therein: a land [Note: [f] Where there are mines of metal. ] whose stones are yron, and out of whose mountaines thou shalt digge brasse.
10 And when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe, thou shalt [Note: [g] For to receiue Gods benefites, and not to bee thankefull, is to contemne God in them. ] blesse the Lord thy God for the good land, which he hath giuen thee.
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lorde thy God, not keeping his commandements, and his lawes, and his ordinances, which I commaunde thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe, and hast built goodly houses & dwelt therein,
13 And thy beastes, and thy sheepe are increased, and thy siluer and golde is multiplied, and all that thou hast is increased,
14 Then thine heart [Note: [h] By attributing Gods benefites to thine owne wisdome and labour, or to good fortune. ] be lifted vp and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage,
15 Who was thy guide in the great and terrible wildernes (wherein were fierie serpents, & scorpions, and drought, where was no water, [Note: Nom.20.11. ] who brought forth water for thee out of ye rock of flint:
16 Who fed thee in the wildernesse wt [Note: Exod.16.15. ] MAN, which thy fathers knewe not) to humble thee, and and to proue thee, that he might doe thee good at thy latter ende.
17 Beware least thou say in thine heart, My power, and the strength of mine owne hand hath prepared me this abundance.
18 But remember the Lorde thy God: for it is
[The free mercies of God.]
he which [Note: [i] If things concerning this life proceede onely of Gods mercie: much more spirituall giftes and life euerlasting. ] giueth thee power to get substance to establish his couenant which he sware vnto thy fathers, as appeareth this day.
19 And if thou forget the Lord thy God, and walke after other gods, and serue them, and worship them, I [Note: [k] Or, take to witnesse the heauen and the earth as Chap.4.26. ] testifie vnto you this day that ye shal surely perish.
20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before you, so ye shall perish, because ye woulde not be obedient vnto the voyce of the Lord your God.
4 God doth them not good for their owne righteousnesse, but for his owne sake. 7 Moses putteth them in remembrance of their sinnes. 17 The two tables are broken. 26 Moses prayeth for the people.
1 Heare O Israel, Thou shalt passe ouer Iorden [Note: [a] Meaning, shortly. ] this day, to goe in and to possesse nations greater and mightier then thy selfe, and cities great and walled vp to heauen,
2 A people great and tall, euen the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast [Note: [b] By the report of the spies, Nom.13.29. ] heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak?
3 Vnderstand therefore that this day ye Lorde thy God is he which [Note: [c] To guide thee and gouerne thee. ] goeth ouer before thee as a consuming fire: he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them downe before thy face: so thou shalt cast them out and destroy them suddenly, as the Lord hath said vnto thee.
4 Speake not thou in thine heart (after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out before thee) saying, For my [Note: [d] Man of himselfe can deserue nothing but Gods anger, and if God spare any it commeth of his great mercie. ] righteousnesse the Lorde hath brought me in, to possesse this land: but for the wickednesse of these nations the Lorde hath cast them out before thee.
5 For thou entrest not to inherite their lande for thy righteousnesse, or for thy vpright heart: but for the wickednesse of those nations, the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee, and that he might performe the worde which the Lord thy God sware vnto thy fathers, Abraham, Izhak, and Iacob.
6 Vnderstand therefore, that ye Lord thy God giueth thee not this good land to possesse it for thy righteousnes: for thou art a [Note: [e] Like stubburne oxen, which will not endure their masters yoke. ] stifnecked people.
7 ¶ Remember, and forget not, howe thou prouokedst the Lord thy God to anger in the wildernesse: [Note: [f] He proueth by the length of time, that their rebellion was most great and intollerable. ] since the day that thou diddest depart out of the land of Egypt, vntill ye came vnto this place ye haue rebelled against the Lord.
8 Also in Horeb ye prouoked the Lorde to anger so that the Lord was wroth with you, euen to destroy you.
9 When I was gone vp into the mount, to receiue the tables of stone, the tables, I say, of the couenant, which the Lord made with you: and [Note: Exod.24.18. and 34.28. ] I abode in the mount fourtie daies & fourtie nights, and I neither ate bread nor yet dranke water:
10 [Note: Exod.31.18. ] Then the Lorde deliuered me two tables of stone, written with the [Note: [g] That is, miraculously, and not by the hand of men. ] finger of God, and in them was conteyned according to all the wordes which the Lorde had said vnto you in the mount out of the middes of the fire, in the day of the assemblie.
11 And when the fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes were ended, the Lorde gaue me the two tables of stone, the tables, I say, of the couenant.
12 And the Lord said vnto me, [Note: Exod.32.7. ] Arise, get thee downe quickly from hence: for thy people which [Page]
[Moses prayer for the people.]
thou hast brought out of Egypt, haue [Note: [h] So soone as man declineth from the obedience of God, his wayes are corrupt. ] corrupt their wayes: they are soone turned out of the way, which I commanded them: they haue made them a molten image.
13 Furthermore, the Lord spake vnto me, saying, I haue seene this people, and beholde, it is a stifnecked people.
14 [Note: [i] Signifying that the prayers of the faithful are a barre to stay Gods anger, that he consume not all. ] Let me alone, that I may destroy them, & put out their name fro vnder heaue, & I wil make of thee a mightie nation, & greater then they be.
15 So I returned, and came downe from the Mount (and the Mount burnt with fire, and ye two Tables of the couenant were in my two handes)
16 Then I looked, and beholde, ye had sinned against the Lord your God: for ye had made you a molten calfe, and had turned quickly out of the [Note: [k] That is, from the Lawe: wherein he declareth what is the cause of our perdition. ] way which the Lord had commanded you.
17 Therefore I tooke the two Tables, and cast them out of my two handes, and brake them before your eyes.
18 And I fell downe before the Lorde, fourtie dayes, and fourtie nightes, as before: I neither ate bread nor dranke water, because of al your sinnes, which ye had committed, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lorde, in that ye prouoked him vnto wrath.
19 (For I was afraide of the wrath and indignation, wherewith the Lord was mooued against you, euen to destroy you) yet the Lord heard me at that time also.
20 Likewise ye Lorde was very angrie with Aaron, euen to [Note: [l] Whereby he sheweth what danger they are in, that haue authoritie, and resist not wickednesse. ] destroy him: but at that time I prayed also for Aaron.
21 And I tooke your sinne, I meane the calfe which ye had made, and burnt him with fire, and stamped him and ground him small, euen vnto very dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the riuer, that descended out of the [Note: [m] Horeb, or Sinai. ] mount.
22 Also [Note: Nom.11.1,3. ] in Taberah, & in [Note: Exod.17.7. ] Massah [Note: Nom.11.34. ] and in Kibrothhattaauah ye prouoked ye Lord to anger.
23 Likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, Goe vp, and possesse the land which I haue giuen you, then ye [Note: [n] At the returne of the spies. ] rebelled against the commandement of the Lord your God, and beleeued him not, nor hearkened vnto his voyce.
24 Ye haue bene rebellious vnto the Lorde, since the day that I knewe you.
25 Then I fell downe before ye Lorde [Note: [o] Whereby is signified that God requireth earnest continuance in prayer. ] fourtie dayes & fourtie nightes, as I fell downe before, because ye Lord had said, that he woulde destroy you.
26 And I prayed vnto the Lorde, and saide, O Lord God, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatnesse, whom thou hast brought out of Egypt by a mightie hand.
27 [Note: [p] The godly in their prayers ground on gods promes, and confesse their sinnes. ] Remember thy seruants Abraham, Izhak, & Iaakob: looke not to ye stubburnes of this people, nor to their wickednes, nor to their sinne,
28 Lest the countrey, whence thou broughtest them, say, [Note: Nom.14.16. ] Because ye Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, or because he hated them, he caried them out, to slay them in the wildernesse.
29 Yet they are thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mightie power, and by thy stretched out arme.
5 The seconde tables put in the Arke. 8 The tribe of Leui is dedicate to the seruice of the Tabernacle. 12 What the Lord requireth of his. 16 The circumcision of the heart. 17 God regardeth not the person. 21 The Lord is the praise of Israel.
[Our duetie toward God.]
1 In the same time the Lord said vnto me, [Note: Exod.34.1. ] Hewe thee two Tables of stone like vnto the first, and come vp vnto me into the Mount, and make thee an Arke of wood,
2 And I will write vpon the Tables ye wordes that were vpon the first Tables, which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the Arke.
3 And I made an Arke of [Note: [a] Which wood is of long continuance. ] Shittim wood, and hewed two Tables of stone like vnto the first, and went vp into the Mountaine, and the two Tables in mine hand.
4 Then he wrote vpon the Tables according to the first writing (the tenne commandements, which the Lord spake vnto you in the Mount out of the middes of the fire, in the day of the [Note: [b] When you were assembled to receiue the lawe. ] assemblie) and the Lord gaue them vnto me.
5 And I departed, and came downe from the Mount, and put the Tables in the Arke which I had made: and there they be, as the Lorde commanded me.
6 ¶ And ye children of Israel tooke their iourney from Beeroth of the children of Iaakan to [Note: [c] This mountaine was also called Hor, Nom.20.28. ] Mosera, where Aaron dyed, and was buried, and Eleazar his sonne became Priest in his steade.
7 ¶ From thence they departed vnto Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Iotbath a land of running waters.
8 ¶ The same time ye Lord separated the tribe of Leui to beare the Arke of the couenant of the Lord, and to stand before ye Lord, to [Note: [d] That is, to offer sacrifices and to declare the Lawe to the people. ] minister vnto him, and to blesse in his Name vnto this day.
9 Wherefore Leui hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren: for the Lord is his [Note: [e] So God turned the curse of Iaakob, Gen.49.7. vnto blessing. ] inheritance, as the Lord thy God hath promised him.
10 And I taried in the mount, as at ye first time, fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes, and the Lorde heard me at that time also, and the Lorde would not destroy thee.
11 But the Lord said vnto me, Arise, goe forth in the iourney before the people, that they may goe in and possesse the land, which I sware vnto their fathers to giue vnto them.
12 ¶ And nowe, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God [Note: [f] For all our sinnes and transgressions God requireth nothing but to turne to him and obey him. ] require of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, to walke in all his wayes, & to loue him, and to serue the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thy soule?
13 That thou keepe the commaundements of the Lord, and his ordinances, which I commaunde thee this day, for thy wealth?
14 Beholde, heauen, & the heauen of heauens is the Lords thy God, and the [Note: Psalm 24.1. ] earth, with all that therein is.
15 [Note: [g] Although he was Lord of heauen and earth yet would he chuse none but you. ] Notwithstanding, the Lord set his delite in thy fathers to loue them, and did choose their seede after them, euen you aboue all people, as appeareth this day.
16 [Note: [h] Cut off all your euill affections, Ierem.4.4. ] Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and harden your neckes no more.
17 For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lordes, a great God, mightie and terrible, which accepteth no [Note: 2.Chro.19.7. iob 34.19. rom.2.11. ] persons nor taketh reward:
18 Who doeth right vnto the fatherlesse and widowe, & loueth the stranger, giuing him foode and rayment.
19 Loue ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
20 [Note: Chap.6.13. mat.4.10. ] Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God: thou shalt serue him, and thou shalt cleaue vnto him, and [Note: [i] Reade Chap. 6.13. ] shalt sweare by his Name.
[Page 70]
[Their commodities that serue God.]
21 He is thy praise, and hee is thy God, that hath done for thee these great & terrible things, which thine eyes haue seene.
22 Thy fathers went downe into Egypt [Note: Gen.46.27. exod.1.5. ] with seuentie persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee, as ye [Note: Gen.15.5. ] starres of ye heauen in multitude.
1 An exhortation to loue God, and keepe his lawe. 10 The praises of Canaan. 18 To meditate continually the word of God. 19 To teach it vnto the children. 26 Blessing and cursing.
1 Therefore thou shalt loue the Lord thy God, and shalt keepe that, which he commandeth to be kept: that is, his ordinances, and his lawes, and his commandements alway.
2 And [Note: [a] Yee, which haue seene Gods graces with your eyes, ought rather to be mooued, then your children, which haue only heard of them. ] consider this day (for I speake not to your children, which haue neither knowen nor seene) the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatnesse, his mighty hande, and his stretched out arme,
3 And his signes, and his actes, which hee did in the middes of Egypt vnto Pharaoh the King of Egypt and vnto all his land:
4 And what he did vnto the hoste of the Egyptians, vnto their horses, and to their charets, when he caused the waters of the red Sea to ouerflowe them, as they pursued after you, and the Lord destroied them vnto this day:
5 And [Note: [b] As well concerning his benefites, as his corrections. ] what he did vnto you in the wildernesse, vntill yee came vnto this place:
6 And what he did vnto Dathan & Abiram the sonnes of Eliab ye sonne of Reuben, when the earth opened her mouth, & swallowed them with their housholds and their tents, and all their substance that [Note: Ebr. was at their feete. ] they had in the middes of al Israel.
7 For your eyes haue seene all the great actes of the Lord which he did.
8 Therefore shal ye keepe [Note: [c] Because ye haue felt both his chastisements and his benefites. ] all the commandements, which I commaunde you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possesse the land whither ye goe to possesse it:
9 Also that ye may prolong your daies in the land, which the Lorde sware vnto your fathers, to giue vnto them and to their seede, euen a lande that floweth with milke and honie.
10 ¶ For the land whither thou goest to possesse it, is not as the lande of Egypt, from whence ye came, where thou sowedst thy seede, and wateredst it with thy [Note: Or, labour. ] [Note: [d] As by making gutters for the water to come out of the riuer Nilus to water the land. ] feete as a garden of herbes:
11 But the land whither ye goe to possesse it, is a land of mountaines and valleis, and drinketh water of the raine of heauen.
12 This land doth the Lord thy God care for: the eies of the Lord thy God are alwaies vpon it, from the beginning of the yeere, euen vnto the ende of the yeere.
13 ¶ If yee shall hearken therefore vnto my commaundements, which I commaund you this day, that yee loue the Lorde your God and serue him with all your heart, and with all your soule,
14 I also wil giue raine vnto your land in due time, [Note: [e] In the seede time, and toward haruest. ] the first raine & the latter, that thou maist gather in thy wheat, and thy wine, & thine oyle.
15 Also I will send grasse in thy fieldes, for thy cattel, that thou maist eate, and haue inough.
16 But beware lest your heart [Note: [f] By deuising to your selues foolish deuotions according to your owne fantasies. ] deceiue you, and lest yee turne aside, and serue other gods, and worship them,
17 And so the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he shut vp the heauen, that there be no raine, and that your lande yeelde not her
[Blessing and cursing.]
fruit, and yee perish quickly from the good land, which the Lord giueth you.
18 ¶ Therefore shal ye lay vp these my words in your heart and in your soule, and [Note: Chap.6.6. ] binde them for a signe vpon your hand, that they may be as a frontlet betweene your eyes,
19 And ye shall [Note: Chap.4.10. & 6.6. ] teach them your children, speaking of them, whe thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest downe, and when thou risest vp.
20 And thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house, and vpon thy gates,
21 That your daies may be multiplied, and the daies of your children, in ye land which the Lorde sware vnto your fathers to giue them, as long as [Note: [g] As long as the heauens endure. 2.Pet. 3.10, 12. ] the heauens are aboue the earth.
22 ¶ For if ye keepe diligently all these commandements, which I command you to doe: that is, to loue the Lord your God, to walke in all his waies, and to cleaue vnto him,
23 Then will the Lorde cast out all these nations before you, and ye shall possesse great nations and mightier then you.
24 [Note: Iosh.1.3. ] All the places whereon the soles of [Note: [h] This was accomplished in Dauids & Salomons time. ] your feete shal tread, shalbe yours: your coast shalbe fro the wildernes & from Lebanon, & from the Riuer, euen the riuer Perath, vnto ye vttermost [Note: [i] Called Mediterraneum. ] Sea.
25 No man shall stande against you: for the Lorde your God shall cast the feare and dread of you vpon all the land that ye shal treade vpon, as he hath said vnto you.
26 ¶ Beholde, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse:
27 [Note: Chap.28.2. & 30.1. ] The blessing, if ye obey the commandements of the Lorde your God which I command you this day:
28 And ye [Note: Chap.28.15. ] curse, if ye wil not obey the commandements of the Lord your God, but turne out of the way, which I commande you this day, to go after other gods, which ye haue not [Note: [k] He reprooueth the malice of men which leaue that which is certeine, to folow yt which is vncerteine. ] knowen.
29 ¶ When the Lord thy God therefore hath brought thee into ye lande, whither thou goest to possesse it, then thou shalt put the [Note: Chap.27.13. iosh.8.33. ] blessing vpon mount Gerizim, and the curse vpon mount Ebal.
30 Are they not beyond Iorden on that part, [Note: [l] Meaning, in Samaria. ] where the sunne goeth downe in the land of the Canaanites, which dwel in the plaine ouer against Gilgal, beside the [Note: Or, plaine. ] groue of Moreh?
31 For yee shall passe ouer Iorden, to goe in to possesse the land, which ye Lorde your God giueth you, and ye shall possesse it, & dwell therein.
32 Take heede therefore that ye [Note: Chap.5.32. ] doe all the commaundements and the lawes, which I set before you this day.
3 To destroy the Idolatrous places. 5.8 To serue God where he commandeth, and as he commandeth, & not as men fantasie. 19 The Leuites must be nourished. 31 Idolaters burnt their childre to their gods. 32 To adde nothing to Gods word.
1 These are the ordinances and the lawes, which ye shall obserue and doe in the lande (which the Lord God [Note: [a] Whereby they are admonished to seeke none other God. ] of thy fathers giueth thee to possesse it) as long as yee liue vpon the earth.
2 [Note: Chap.7.5. ] Yee shall vtterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shal possesse, serued their gods vpon the hie mountaines and vpon the hilles, and vnder euery greene tree.
3 [Note: Iudg.2.2. ] Also ye shall ouerthrowe their altars, and breake downe their pillars, & burne their [Note: [b] Wherein they sacrificed to their idoles. ] groues with fire: and ye shall hew downe ye grauen images [Page]
[To serue God as he willeth: and not as the heathen do.]
of their gods, and abolish their names out of that place.
4 Ye shal [Note: [c] Ye shal not serue the Lorde with superstitions. ] not do so vnto ye Lord your God,
5 But ye shal seeke the place which the Lord your God shall [Note: 1.Kin.8.29.2. chro. 6.5. & 7.12, 16. ] chose out of all your tribes, to put his Name there, and there to dwell, and thither thou shalt come,
6 And ye shall bring thither your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the [Note: [d] Meaning the first fruits. ] offring of your hands, and your vowes, and your free offrings, and the first borne of your kine and of your sheepe.
7 And there ye shall eate [Note: [e] Where his Arke shall be. ] before the Lorde your God, and ye shall reioyce in all that yee put your hand vnto, both ye, and your housholdes, because the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.
8 Ye shall not doe after all these things that we doe [Note: [f] Not that they sacrificed after their fantasies, but that God would be serued more purely in the land of Canaan. ] here this day: that is, euery man whatsoeuer seemeth him good in his owne eyes.
9 For ye are not yet come to rest, and to the inheritance which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
10 But when ye goe ouer Iorden, and dwell in ye land, which the Lord your God hath giuen you to inherit, & when he hath giue you [Note: [g] It had not bene inough to coquer, except God had mainteined them in rest vnder his protection. ] rest from al your enemies round about, & yee dwel in safetie,
11 When there shalbe a place which the Lord your God shall chose, to cause his name to dwell there, thither shall yee bring all that I commaund you: your burnt offrings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offring of your hands, and all your [Note: Or, that which yee chuse out for your vowes. ] speciall vowes which ye vowe vnto the Lord:
12 And ye shall reioyce before the Lord your God, yee, and your sonnes & your daughters, and your seruaunts, and your maidens, and the Leuite that is within your gates: [Note: Chap.10.9. ] for hee hath no part nor inheritance with you.
13 Take heede that thou offer not thy burnt offrings in euery place that thou seest:
14 But in ye place which the Lord shall [Note: [h] As was declared euer by ye placing of the Arke, as in Shiloh 243. yeeres, or as some write more then 300. yeres, and in other places til the temple was built. ] chose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offrings, and there thou shalt doe all that I commaund thee.
15 Notwithstanding thou maiest kill and eate flesh in all thy gates, whatsoeuer thine heart desireth, according to the [Note: [i] As God hath giuen thee power and abilitie. ] blessing of the Lorde thy God which he hath giuen thee: both the vncleane and the cleane may eate thereof, [Note: [k] Euery one might eate at home as wel the beast appointed for sacrifice as the other. ] as of the roe bucke, and of the hart.
16 Onely ye shal not eat the blood, but powre it vpon the earth as water.
17 ¶ Thou maist nor eat within thy gates the [Note: [l] Meaning, whatsoeuer was offered to the Lord might not be eaten, but where he had appointed. ] tithe of thy corne, nor of thy wine, nor of thine oyle, nor the first borne of thy kine, nor of thy sheep, neither any of thy vowes which thou vowest, nor thy free offerings, nor the offering of thine hands,
18 But thou shalt eate it before the Lorde thy God, in the place which the Lorde thy God shall chuse, thou, & thy sonne, & thy daughter, & thy seruat, and thy maid, and the Leuite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt reioyce before the Lord thy God, in all that thou puttest thine hand to.
19 [Note: Ecclus.7.31. ] Beware, that thou forsake not the Leuite, as long as thou liuest vpon the earth.
20 ¶ When the Lorde thy God shall enlarge thy border, as [Note: Gen.28.14. chap. 19.8. ] hee hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I wil eate flesh, (because thine heart longeth to eate flesh) thou maiest eate flesh, whatsoeuer thine heart desireth.
21 If the place which the Lord thy God hath
[To serue God as he willeth: and not as the heathen do.]
chosen to put his Name there, be farre from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy bullockes, and of thy sheepe which the Lorde hath giuen thee, as I haue commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates, whatsoeuer thine heart desireth.
22 Euen as the roe bucke, and the hart is eaten, so shalt thou eat them. both the vncleane and the cleane shall eate of them alike.
23 Onely bee [Note: Ebr be strong, or constant. ] sure that thou eate not the blood: for the blood [Note: [m] Because the life of beastes is in their blood. ] is the life, and thou maiest not eate the life with the flesh.
24 Therefore thou shalt not eat it, but powre it vpon the earth as water.
25 Thou shalt not eat it, that it may go wel wt thee; and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt doe yt which is right in the sight of the Lord:
26 But thine [Note: [n] That which thou wilt offer in sacrifice. ] holy things which thou hast, and thy vowes thou shalt take vp, and come vnto the place which the Lord shall chuse.
27 And thou shalt make thy burnt offerings of the flesh, and of the blood vpon the altar of the Lorde thy God, and the blood of thine offerings shall bee powred vpon the altar of the Lorde thy God, and thou shalt eate the flesh.
28 Take heede, and heare all these woordes which I commaund thee, that it may goe [Note: [o] God by promes bindeth him selfe to doe good to them that obey his woorde. ] well with thee, & with thy children after thee for euer, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God.
29 ¶ When the Lorde thy God shall destroy the nations before thee, whither thou goest to possesse them, and thou shalt possesse them and dwell in their lande,
30 Beware, lest thou be taken in [Note: [p] By folowing their superstitions and idolatries, and thinking to serue me thereby. ] a snare after them, after that they be destroied before thee, and lest thou aske after their gods, saying, Howe did these nations serue their gods, that I may doe so likewise?
31 Thou shalt not doe so vnto the Lorde thy God: for al abomination, which the Lord hateth, haue they done vnto their gods: for they haue [Note: [q] They thought nothing to deare to offer to their idoles. ] burned both their sonnes and their daughters with fire to their gods.
32 Therefore whatsoeuer I command you, take heede you doe it: [Note: Chap.4.2. iosh.1.7. pro.30.6 ier.22.18. ] thou shalt put nothing thereto, nor take ought therefrom.
5 The inticers to idolatrie must be slaine, seeme they neuer so holie, 6 so neere of kinred or friendship, 12 Or great in multitude or power.
1 If there arise amog you a prophet or a dreamer of [Note: [a] Which sayeth that he hath things reueiled vnto him in dreames. ] dreames, (and giue thee a signe or wonder,
2 And the signe and the wonder, which hee hath tolde thee, come to passe) saying, [Note: [b] He sheweth whereunto ye false prophets tende. ] Let vs go after other gods, which thou hast not knowen, and let vs serue them,
3 Thou shalt not hearken vnto the wordes of the prophet, or vnto that dreamer of dreames: for the Lord your God [Note: [c] God ordeineth al these things that his may be known. ] prooueth you, to knowe whether ye loue the Lord your God with al your heart, and with all your soule.
4 Yee shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him, and shall keepe his commaundements, and hearken vnto his voyce, and yee shall serue him, and cleaue vnto him.
5 But that prophet, or yt dreamer of dreames, he shall [Note: [d] Being couict by testimonies, & condemned by the iudge. ] be slaine, because hee hath spoken to turne you away from the Lord your God (which brought you out of the lande of Egypt, and deliuered you out of the house of bodage) to thrust
[Page 71]
[Punishment for inticers to idolatrie.]
thee out of the way, wherein the Lorde thy God commanded thee to walke: so shalt thou take the euill away foorth of the middes of thee.
6 ¶ If [Note: [e] All naturall affections must giue place to Gods honour. ] thy brother, the sonne of thy mother, or thine owne sonne, or thy daughter, or the wife, that lyeth in thy bosome, or thy friend, which is as thine owne [Note: [f] Whom thou louest as thy life. ] soule, intice thee secretly, saying, Let vs goe and serue other gods, (which thou hast not knowen, thou, I say, nor thy fathers)
7 Any of the gods of the people which are round about you, neere vnto thee or farre off from thee, from the one ende of the earth vnto ye other:
8 Thou shalt not cosent vnto him, nor heare him, neither shall thine eye pitie him, nor shewe mercie, nor keepe him secret:
9 But thou shalt euen kill him: [Note: [g] As the witnes is charged, Chap 17 7. ] thine hand shall be first vpon him to put him to death, and then the handes of all the people.
10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he dye (because he hath gone about to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of ye land of Egypt, from ye house of bondage)
11 That [Note: Chap.17.13. ] all Israel may heare and feare, and doe no more any such wickednesse as this among you.
12 ¶ If thou shalt heare say (concerning any of thy cities which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee to dwell in)
13 [Note: Ebr. children of Belial. ] Wicked men are gone out from among you, & haue drawen away the inhabitants of their citie, saying, Let vs go and serue other gods, which ye haue not knowen,
14 Then [Note: [h] Which art appointed to see fautes punished. ] thou shalt seeke, and make searche and enquire diligently: and if it be true, and the thing certaine, that such abomination is wrought among you,
15 Thou shalt euen slay the inhabitants of that citie with the edge of the sworde: destroy it vtterly, and all that is therein, and the cattel thereof with the edge of the sworde.
16 And [Note: [i] Signifying that no idolatrie is so execrable, nor more grieuously to be punished, then of them which once professed God. ] thou shalt gather all the spoyle of it into the middes of the streete thereof, and burne with fire the citie and all the spoyle thereof euery whit, vnto the Lorde thy God: and it shall be an heape for euer: it shall not be built againe.
17 And there shall cleaue nothing of ye [Note: [k] Of the spoyle of that idolatrous and cursed citie, Reade Chap.7.26. and Iosh.7.11. ] damned thing to thine hand, that the Lord may turne from the fiercenes of his wrath, and shewe thee mercie, and haue compassion on thee and multiplie thee, as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers:
18 When thou shalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God, and keepe all his commandements which I command thee this day, that thou do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord thy God.
1 The maners of the Gentiles in marking themselues for the dead may not be followed. 4 What meates are cleane to be eaten, and what not. 29 The tithes for the Leuite, stranger, fatherlesse, and widowe.
1 Ye are the children of the Lord your God. [Note: Leuit.19 28. ] Ye shall not cut yourselues, nor make you any baldnesse betweene your eyes for the dead.
2 [Note: Chap.7.6 and 26 18. ] For thou art an holy people vnto ye Lorde thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a [Note: [a] Therefore thou oughtest not to folowe the superstitions of the Gentiles. ] precious people vnto himselfe, aboue all the people that are vpon the earth.
3 ¶ Thou shalt eate no maner of abominatio.
4 [Note: [b] This ceremoniall Law instructed the Iewes to seeke a spirituall purenesse, euen in their meate and drinke. ] These are the beastes, which ye shall eate, the beefe, the sheepe, and the goate,
5 The hart, and the roe buck, and the bugle,
[Vncleane beasts, fishes and birdes.]
and the wilde goate, and the vnicorne, & the wilde oxe, and the chamois.
6 And euery beast that parteth ye hoofe, and cleaueth the clift into two clawes, and is of the beasts that cheweth the cudde, that shall ye eate.
7 But these ye shall not eate, of them yt chew the cud, and of them that deuide and cleaue the hoofe onely: ye camell, nor the hare, nor the cony: for they chewe the cudde, but deuide not ye hoofe: therefore they shall be vncleane vnto you:
8 Also the swine, because he deuideth the hoofe, and cheweth not the cud, shalbe vncleane vnto you: ye shal not eate of their flesh, nor touch their dead carkeises.
9 ¶ [Note: Leuit.11.9. ] These ye shall eate, of all that are in the waters: all that haue finnes and scales shall ye eate.
10 And whatsoeuer hath no finnes nor scales, ye shall not eate: it shall be vncleane vnto you.
11 ¶ Of all cleane birdes ye shall eate:
12 But these are they, whereof ye shall not eate: the egle, nor the goshawke, nor the osprey,
13 Nor the glead nor the kite, nor the vulture, after their kind,
14 Nor all kinde of rauens,
15 Nor the ostrich, nor the nightcrow, nor the [Note: Or, cuckowe. ] semeaw, nor the hawke after her kinde,
16 Neither the litle owle, nor the great owle, nor the redshanke,
17 Nor the pellicane, nor the swanne, nor the cormorant:
18 The storke also, and the heron in his kinde, nor the lapwing, nor [Note: Leuit.11.19. ] the backe.
19 And euery creeping thing that flieth, shall be vncleane vnto you: it shall not be eaten.
20 But of all cleane foules ye may eate.
21 Ye shall eate of nothing that [Note: [c] Because their blood was not shed, but remaineth in them. ] dieth alone, but thou shalt giue it vnto the [Note: [d] Which is not of thy religion. ] stranger that is within thy gates, yt he may eate it: or thou maiest sell it vnto a stranger: for thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not [Note: Exod.23.19. and 34 26. ] seethe a kid in his mothers milke.
22 Thou shalt [Note: [e] The tythes were ordeyned for the maintenance of the Leuites, which had none inheritance. ] giue the tithe of all the increase of thy seede, that commeth foorth of the fielde yeere by yeere.
23 And thou shalt eate before the Lorde thy God (in the place which he shall chose to cause his Name to dwell there) the tithe of thy corne, of thy wine, and of thine oyle, and the first borne of thy kine and of thy sheepe, that thou maiest learne to feare the Lord thy God alway.
24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to cary it, because the place is farre from thee, where the Lord thy God shall chose to set his Name, [Note: [f] When he shall giue thee abilitie. ] when the Lorde thy God shall blesse thee,
25 Then shalt thou make it in money, and [Note: Or, binde vp. ] take the money in thine hand, and goe vnto the place which the Lord thy God shall chose.
26 And thou shalt bestowe the money for whatsoeuer thine heart desireth: whether it be oxe, or sheepe, or wine, or strong drinke, or whatsoeuer thine heart desireth: [Note: [g] After the Priest hath receiued the Lords part. ] and shalt eate it there before the Lord thy God, and reioyce, both thou, and thine household.
27 And the Leuite that is within thy gates, shalt thou not forsake: for he hath neither part nor inheritance with thee.
28 At the end of three yeere thou shalt [Note: [h] Besides the yeerely tythes that were giuen to the Leuites, these were layed vp in store for the poore. ] bring foorth all the tithes of thine increase of the same yeere, and lay it vp within thy gates.
[Page]
[Of the poore, and freedome of seruants.]
29 Then ye Leuite shall come, because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee, and the stranger, and the fatherlesse, and the widowe, which are within thy gates, and shall eate, and be filled, that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in al the worke of thine hand which thou doest.
1 The yeere of releasing of debtes. 5 God blesseth them that keepe his commandements. 7 To helpe the poore. 12 The freedome of seruants. 19 The first borne of the cattell must be offered to the Lord.
1 At the terme of seuen yeeres thou shalt make a freedome.
2 And this is the maner of the freedome: euery [Note: [a] He shall onely release his dettors, which are not able to paye for that yeere. ] creditour shall quite ye lone of his hand which he hath lent to his neighbour: he shall not aske it againe of his neighbour, nor of his brother: for the yeere of the Lords freedome is proclaimed.
3 Of a stranger thou mayest require it: but that which thou hast with thy brother, thine hand shall remit:
4 [Note: [b] For if thy dettor be riche, he may be constreined to pay. ] Saue when there shall be no poore with thee: for the Lorde shall blesse thee in the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, for an inheritance to possesse it:
5 So that thou hearken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to obserue and doe all these commandements, which I commande thee this day.
6 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee, as he hath promised thee: and [Note: Chap.28.12. ] thou shalt lend vnto many nations, but thou thy selfe shalt not borow, and thou shalt reigne ouer many nations, & they shall not reigne ouer thee.
7 ¶ If one of thy brethren with thee be poore [Note: Or, any of thy cities. ] within any of thy gates in thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother:
8 [Note: Mat.5.42. luke 6.34. ] But thou shalt open thine hand vnto him, and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath.
9 Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart, to say, The seuenth yeere, the yeere of freedome is at hand: therefore [Note: Ebr. thine eye is euill. ] it grieueth thee to looke on thy poore brother, and thou giuest him nought, and he crie vnto the Lorde against thee, so that sinne be in thee:
10 Thou shalt giue him, and [Note: Ebr. let not thine heart be euill. ] let it not grieue thine heart to giue vnto him: for because of this the Lord thy God shal blesse thee in al thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand to.
11 [Note: [c] To trie your charitie, Matth. 26.11. ] Because there shall be euer some poore in the land, therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt [Note: [d] Thou shalt be liberall. ] open thine hand vnto thy brother, to thy needie, and to thy poore in thy land.
12 ¶ [Note: Exod.21.2. iere. 34.14. ] If thy brother an Ebrewe sell himselfe to thee, or an Ebrewesse, and serue thee sixe yeere, euen in the seuenth yeere thou shalt let him goe free from thee:
13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him goe away emptie,
14 But shalt [Note: [e] In token that thou doest acknowledge the benefite which God hath giuen thee by his labours. ] giue him a liberall reward of thy sheepe, and of thy corne, and of thy wine: thou shalt giue him of that wherewith the Lorde thy God hath blessed thee.
15 And remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt, & the Lord thy God deliuered thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.
16 And if he say vnto thee, I will not go away from thee, because he loueth thee & thine house, and because he is well with thee,
[The three solemne Feastes.]
17 [Note: Exod.21.6. ] Then shalt thou take a naule, and perce his eare through against the doore, and he shall be thy seruant [Note: [f] To the yeere of Iubile, Leui.25.40. ] for euer: and vnto thy maid seruant thou shall doe likewise.
18 Let it not grieue thee, when thou lettest him goe out free from thee: for he hath serued thee sixe yeeres, which is the double worth of [Note: [g] For the hired seruant serued but three yeeres and he sixe. ] an hired seruant: and the Lorde thy God shall blesse thee in all that thou doest.
19 ¶ [Note: Exod.34.19. ] All the first borne males that come of thy cattell, and of thy sheepe, thou shalt sanctifie vnto the Lord thy God. [Note: [h] For they are the Lordes. ] Thou shalt do no worke with thy first borne bullocke, nor sheare thy first borne sheepe.
20 Thou shalt eate it before the Lord thy God yeere by yeere, in the place which the Lord shall chose, both thou, and thine household.
21 [Note: Leuit.22.20,22. chap 17.1. ecclus.35.12. ] But if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or haue any euill fault, thou shalt not offer it vnto the Lord thy God,
22 But shalt eate it within thy gates: the vncleane, and the cleane shall eate it alike, [Note: [i] Thou shalt as well eate them, as the roebucke, and other wilde beasts. ] as the roe bucke, and as the hart.
23 Onely thou shalt not eate the blood thereof, but powre it vpon the ground as water.
1 Of Easter, 10 Witsontide, 13 And the feast of Tabernacles. 18 What officers ought to be ordeyned. 21 Idolatrie forbidden.
1 Thou shalt keepe the moneth of [Note: [a] Reade Exod. 13.4. ] Abib, and thou shalt celebrate the Passeouer vnto the Lord thy God: for in the moneth of Abib ye Lord thy God brought thee out of Egypt by night.
2 Thou shalt therefore [Note: [b] Thou shalt eate the Easter Lambe. ] offer the Passeouer vnto the Lord thy God, of sheepe and bullockes [Note: Chap.12.5. ] in the place where the Lord shall chose to cause his Name to dwell.
3 Thou [Note: Exod.12.14. 15. ] shalt eate no leauened bread with it: but seuen dayes shalt thou eate vnleauened bread therewith, euen the bread of [Note: [c] Which signified that affliction, which thou hadst in Egypt. ] tribulation: for thou camest out of the land of Egypt in haste, that thou maist remember ye day whe thou camest out of the land of Egypt, all the dayes of thy life.
4 And there shalbe no leauen seene with thee in all thy coastes seuen dayes long: neither shall there remaine the night any of the flesh vntil the morning which thou offeredst ye first day at euen.
5 Thou maist [Note: [d] This was chiefly accomplished, when the temple was built. ] not offer ye Passeouer within any of thy gates, which ye Lord thy God giueth thee:
6 But in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his Name, there thou shalt offer the [Note: [e] Which was institute to put them in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt: and to continue them in the hope of Iesus Christ, of whom this lambe was a figure. ] Passeouer at euen, about the going downe of the sunne, in the season that thou camest out of Egypt.
7 And thou shalt roste & eate it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, and shalt returne on the morowe, and goe vnto thy tentes.
8 Six daies shalt thou eate vnleauened bread, and ye seuenth day shall be a solemne assemblie to ye Lord thy God thou shalt do no worke therein.
9 ¶ Seuen weekes shalt thou [Note: [f] Beginning at the next morning after the Passeouer, Leuit.23.15. exod.13.4. ] nomber vnto thee, and shalt beginne to nomber ye seuen weekes, when thou beginnest to put the sickel to ye corne:
10 And thou shalt keepe the feast of weekes vnto the Lord thy God, [Note: Or, as thou art able, willingly. ] euen a free gift of thine hand, which thou shalt giue vnto the Lorde thy God, as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.
11 And thou shalt reioyce before the Lord thy God, thou and thy sonne, and thy daughter, and thy seruant, and thy maide, and the Leuite that is within thy gates, & the stranger, & the fatherles,
[Page 72]
[The feast of Tabernacles.]
and the widowe, that are among you, in the place which the Lorde thy God shall chuse to place his Name there,
12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a seruant in Egypt: therefore thou shalt obserue and doe these ordinances.
13 ¶ Thou shalt [Note: [g] That is, the 15. day of the seuenth moneth, Leu.23.34 ] obserue the feast of the Tabernacles seuen daies, when thou hast gathered in thy corne, and thy wine.
14 And thou shalt reioyce in thy feast, thou, and thy sonne, and thy daughter, and thy seruant, & thy maid, & the Leuite, & the stranger, & the fatherlesse, and the widow, that are wtin thy gates.
15 Seuen daies shalt thou keepe a feast vnto the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lorde shall chuse: when the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thine increase, and in all the workes of thine hands, thou shalt in any case be glad.
16 ¶ [Note: Exod.23.15. & 34.23. ] Three times in the yeere shall all the males appeare before the Lorde thy God in the place which he shall chuse: in the feast of the vnleauened bread, and in the feast of the weekes, and in the feast of the Tabernacles: and they shall not appeare before the Lord [Note: Ecclus.35.4. ] emptie.
17 Euery man shall giue according to the gift of his [Note: [h] According to the abilitie that God hath giuen him. ] hand, and according to the blessing of the Lord thy God, which he hath giuen thee.
18 ¶ [Note: [i] He gaue auctoritie to that people for a time to chuse themselues magistrates. ] Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall iudge the people with righteous iudgement.
19 Wrest not thou ye Law, nor respect any person, neither take rewarde: for the reward blindeth ye eyes of the wise, & peruerteth ye worde of ye iust.
20 That which [Note: [k] The magistrate must constantly follow the tenor of the Law, and in nothing decline from iustice. ] is iust and right shalt thou follow, that thou maiest liue, & possesse the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
21 ¶ Thou shalt plant thee no groue of any trees neere vnto the altar of the Lorde thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
22 Thou shalt set thee vp no [Note: Or, image. ] pillar, which thing the Lord thy God hateth.
2 The punishment of the idolater. 9 Hard controuersies are brought to the Priest and the Iudge. 12 The cotemner must die. 15 The election of the King. 16. & 17, What things he ought to auoide, 18 And what he ought to imbrace.
1 Thou shalt offer vnto the Lorde thy God no bullocke nor sheepe wherein is [Note: Chap.15.21. ] [Note: [a] Thou shalt not serue God for facions sake, as hypocrites doe. ] blemish or any euill fauoured thing: for that is an abomination vnto the Lord thy God.
2 ¶ If there be founde among you in any of thy cities, which the Lorde thy God giueth thee, man or [Note: [b] Shewing that the crime can not be excused by the frailtie of the person. ] woman that hath wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his couenant,
3 And hath gone and serued other gods, and worshipped them: as the sunne, or the moone, or any of the hoste of heauen, which I haue not [Note: [c] Whereby he condemneth all religion & seruing of God which God hath not commanded. ] commaunded,
4 And it be tolde vnto thee, and thou hast heard it, then shalt thou inquire diligently: and if it be true, and the thing certaine, that such abomination is wrought in Israel,
5 Then shalt thou bring foorth that man, or that woman (which haue committed that wicked thing) vnto thy gates, whether it be man or woman, & shalt stone them with stones, til they die.
6 [Note: Nomb.35.30. chap.19.15. mat.18.16. 2.cor.13.1. ] At the mouth [Note: Ebr. of two witnesses or three witnesses. ] of two or three witnesses shall he that is woorthie of death, die: but at the mouth of one witnesse, he shall not die.
[The kings charge.]
7 The handes of the [Note: [d] Whereby they declared that they testified the truth. ] witnesses shall be first vpon him, to kill him: and afterward the hands of all the [Note: [e] To signifie a common consent to maintaine Gods honour and true religion. ] people: so thou shalt take the wicked away from among you.
8 ¶ If there rise a matter too harde for thee in iudgemet betweene blood & blood, betweene plea and plea, betweene plague and plague, in the matters of controuersie within thy gates, then shalt thou arise, and goe vp vnto the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse,
9 And thou shalt come vnto the Priestes of the Leuites, and vnto the [Note: [f] Who shall giue sentence as the Priests counsel him by the Lawe of God. ] iudge that shall be in those daies, and aske, and they shall shewe thee the sentence of iudgement,
10 And thou shalt do according to that thing which they of that place (which the Lorde hath chosen) shewe thee, and thou shalt obserue to doe according to all that they informe thee.
11 According to the Lawe, which they shall teach thee, & according to the iudgement which they shall tell thee, shalt [Note: [g] Thou shalt obey their sentence that the controuersie may haue an ende. ] thou doe: thou shalt not decline from the thing which they shall shew thee, neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
12 And that man that wil doe presumptuously, not hearkening vnto the Priest (that standeth before the Lorde thy God to [Note: [h] So long as he is the true minister of God, and pronounceth according to his woorde. ] minister there) or vnto the iudge, that man shall die, and thou shalt take away euill from Israel.
13 So all the people shall heare and feare, and doe no more presumptuously.
14 ¶ Whe thou shalt come vnto ye land which the Lorde thy God giueth thee, and shalt possesse it, and dwell therein, if thou say, I will set a King ouer me, like as all the nations that are about me,
15 Then thou shalt make him King ouer thee, whome the Lorde thy God shall chuse: from among thy brethren shalt thou make a King ouer thee: thou [Note: Or, maiest not. ] shalt not set a [Note: [i] Who is not of thy nation, least he change true religion into idolatrie, and bring thee to slauerie. ] stranger ouer thee, which is not thy brother.
16 In any wise he shall not prepare him many horses, nor bring the people againe to [Note: [k] To reuenge their iniuries, and to take them of their best horses, 1.King. 10.28. ] Egypt, for to encrease the number of horses, seeing the Lord hath sayd vnto you, Ye shal henceforth goe no more againe that way.
17 Neither shall hee take him many wiues, lest his heart [Note: [l] From the Lawe of God. ] turne away, neither shal he gather him much siluer and golde.
18 And when he shall sit vpon the throne of his kingdo, then shal he write him this [Note: [m] Meaning the Deuteronomie. ] Law repeted in a booke, by the [Note: [n] Hee shall cause it to be written by them, or he shall write it by their example. ] Priests of the Leuites.
19 And it shall be with him, and he shall reade therein all daies of his life, that he may learne to feare the Lord his God, & to keepe all ye words of this Lawe, and these ordinances for to doe them:
20 That his heart be not lifted vp aboue his [Note: [o] Whereby is meant, that kings ought so to loue their subiects, as nature binedeth one brother to loue another. ] brethren, and that he turne not from the commaundement, to the right hand or to the left, but that he may prolong his daies in his kingdom, he, and his sonnes in the middes of Israel.
3 The portion of the Leuites. 6 Of the Leuite comming from another place. 9 To auoide the abomination of the Gentiles. 15 God wil not leaue them without a true Prophet. 20 The false prophet shalbe slaine. 22 Howe he may be knowen.
1 The Priests of the Leuites, and all the tribe of Leui [Note: Nomb.18.20. ] shall haue no part nor inheritace with Israel, [Note: Chap.10.9. 1.cor.9 13. ] but shall eate the offerings of the Lorde made by fire, and his [Note: [a] That is, ye Lords part of his inheritance. ] inheritance.
2 Therefore shall they haue no inheritance among their brethren: for the Lorde is their inheritance, as he hath sayd vnto them.
[Page]
[The Leuites portion.]
3 ¶ And this shalbe the Priests duetie of the people, that they, which offer sacrifice, whether it be bullocke or sheepe, shall giue vnto the Priest the [Note: [b] The right shoulder, Nom.18.18. ] shoulder, & the two cheekes, & the mawe.
4 The first fruites also of thy corne, of thy wine, and of thine oyle, and the first of the fleece of thy sheepe shalt thou giue him.
5 For the Lorde thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stande and minister in the Name of the Lord, him, and his sonnes for euer.
6 ¶ Also when a Leuite shall come out of any of thy cities of all Israel, where hee remained, and come with [Note: [c] Meaning, to serue God vnfainedly, and not to seeke ease. ] all the desire of his heart vnto the place, which the Lord shall chuse,
7 He shall then minister in the Name of the Lorde his God, as all his brethren the Leuites, which remaine there before the Lord.
8 They shal haue like portions to eat [Note: [d] Not constrained to liue of him selfe. ] beside that which commeth of his sale of his patrimonie.
9 When thou shalt come into ye land which the Lorde thy God giueth thee, thou shalt not learne to do after ye abominatios of those nations.
10 Let none be founde among you that maketh his sonne or his daughter to [Note: [e] Signifying they were purged by this ceremonie of passing betweene two fires. ] [Note: Leuit.18.21. ] goe thorough the fire, or that vseth witchcraft, or a regarder of times, or a marker of the flying of foules, or a sorcerer,
11 Or [Note: Leuit.20.27. ] a charmer, or that counselleth wt spirits, or a soothsaier, or yt [Note: 1.Sam.28.7. ] asketh counsel at ye dead.
12 For all that doe such things are abomination vnto the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lorde thy God doeth cast them out before thee.
13 Thou shalt be [Note: [f] Without hypocrisie, or mixture of false religion. ] vpright therefore with the Lorde thy God.
14 For these nations which thou shalt possesse, hearken vnto those that regarde the times, and vnto sorcerers: [Note: Ebr. but thou not so. ] as for thee, the Lorde thy God hath not [Note: Ebr. giuen or appointed. ] suffred thee so.
15 ¶ [Note: Act.7.37. ] The Lorde thy God will raise vp vnto thee a [Note: [g] Meaning a continuall succession of Prophets, till Christ the ende of al Prophets come. ] Prophet like vnto me, from among you, euen of thy brethren: vnto him ye shall hearken,
16 According to al that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the assemblie, when thou saidest, [Note: Exod.20.19. ] Let me heare the voice of my Lorde God no more, nor see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17 And the Lord sayde vnto me, They haue well spoken.
18 [Note: Iosh.1.45. act.3.21. ] I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren like vnto thee, and will put my woordes in his [Note: [h] Which promes is not onely made to Christ, but to all that teach in his name, Isa.59.21. ] mouth, and he shall speake vnto them all that I shall commaund him.
19 And whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my wordes, which he shall speake in my Name, I will [Note: [i] By executing punishment vpon him. ] require it of him.
20 But the prophet yt shall presume to speake a worde in my name, which I haue not commanded him to speake, or that speaketh in the name of other gods, euen the same prophet shall die.
21 And if thou thinke in thine heart, Howe shall we knowe the worde which the Lorde hath not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the Name of the Lorde, if the thing [Note: [k] Vnder this sure note he compriseth all the other tokens. ] followe not nor come to passe, that is the thing which the Lorde hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not therefore be afraid of him.
2 The franchised townes. 14 Not to remoue thy neighbours bounds. 16 The punishment of him that beareth false witnes.
[The punishment of a false witnes.]
1 When the Lorde thy God [Note: Chap.12.29. ] shall roote out the nations, whose lande the Lorde thy God giueth thee, and thou shalt possesse them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses,
2 [Note: Exod.21.13. nom.35.9, 11. iosh.20.2. ] Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the middes of thy lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee to possesse it.
3 Thou shalt [Note: [a] Make an open and readie way. ] prepare thee the way, and deuide the coastes of the land, which the Lorde thy God giueth thee to inherite, into three parts, that euery [Note: [b] Which killeth against his wil, and bare no hatred in his heart. ] manslaier may flee thither.
4 ¶ This also is ye cause wherfore the manslaier shal flee thither, and liue: who so killeth his neighbor ignorantly, and hated him not in time passed:
5 As hee that goeth vnto the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, & his hand striketh with the axe to cut downe the tree, if the head slip fro the helue, and hit his neighbour that he dieth, the same [Note: [c] That murther be not committed vpon murther. ] shall flee vnto one of the cities, and liue,
6 Least the [Note: Nomb.35.12. ] auenger of the blood followe after the manslaier, while his heart is chafed, and ouertake him, because the way is long, and slaie him, although he be not [Note: Or, cannot be iudged to death. ] worthy of death, because he hated him not in time passed.
7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt appoint out three cities for thee.
8 And when the Lorde thy God [Note: [d] When thou goest ouer Iorden to possesse the whole land of Canaan. ] enlargeth thy coastes (as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers) and giueth thee all the lande which he promised to giue vnto thy fathers,
9 (If thou keepe all these commaundements to doe them, which I commaund thee this day: to wit, that thou loue the Lord thy God, and walke in his waies for euer) [Note: Iosh.20.7. ] then shalt thou adde three cities moe for thee besides those three,
10 That innocent bloude be not shed within thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite, [Note: [e] Lest thou be punished for innocent blood. ] lest bloud be vpon thee.
11 ¶ But if a man hate his neighbour, and lay waite for him, and rise against him, and smite any man that he die, and flee vnto any of these cities,
12 Then the [Note: [f] The Magistrates. ] Elders of his citie shal send and set him thence, and deliuer him into the hands of the auenger of the blood, that he may die.
13 Thine [Note: [g] Then whosoeuer pardoneth murther, offendeth against the worde of God. ] eye shall not spare him, but thou shalt put away the crie of innocent blood from Israel, that it may goe well with thee.
14 ¶ Thou shalt not remooue thy neighbours marke, which they of olde time haue set in thine inheritance, that thou shalt inherite in the lande, which ye Lorde thy God giueth thee to possesse it.
15 ¶ [Note: Chap.17.6. mat.18.16. iosh.8.17. ] One witnes shall not rise against a man for any trespasse, or for any sinne, or for any fault that hee offendeth in, [Note: 2.Cor.13.1. ebr.10.28. ] but at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be stablished.
16 ¶ If a false witnesse rise vp against a man to accuse him of trespasse,
17 Then both the men which striue together, shal stand before ye [Note: [h] Gods presence is where his true ministers are assembled. ] Lord, euen before the Priests and the Iudges, which shall be in those daies,
18 And the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition: and if the witnesse be found false, and hath giuen false witnes against his brother,
19 [Note: Prou.19.5. dan.13.62. ] Then shall yee doe vnto him as hee had thought to doe vnto his brother: so thou shalt take euil away forth of the middes of thee.
20 And the rest shal heare this, and feare, and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickednes
[Page 73]
[Of going to warre.]
among you.
21 Therefore thine eye shall have no compassion, but [Note: Exod.21.23. leuit.24.20. matt.5.38. ] life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foote for foote.
3 The exhortation of the Priest when the Israelites go to battell. 5 The exhortation of the officers shewing who should go to battell. 10 Peace must first be proclaimed. 19 The trees that beare fruite, must not be destroyed.
1 When [Note: [a] Meaning, vpon iust occasion: for God permitteth not his people to fight when it seemeth good to the. ] thou shalt go forth to warre against thine enemies, and shalt see horses & charets, & people moe then thou, be not afrayde of them: for the Lorde thy God is with thee, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
2 And when ye are come nere vnto the battel, then the Priest shal come forth to speake vnto the people,
3 And shal say vnto them, Heare, O Israel: ye are come this day vnto battell against your enemies: [Note: Chap.28.7. ] let not your heartes faynt, neither feare, nor be amased, nor adread of them.
4 For ye Lord your God [Note: [b] Is present to defend you with his grace & power. ] goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, & to saue you
5 ¶ And let the officers speake vnto the people, saying, What man is there that hath buylt a new house, and hath not [Note: [c] For when they entred first to dwell in an house they gaue thanks to God, acknowledging that they had that benefite by his grace. ] dedicate it? let him go and returne to his house, least he dye in the battel, and an other man dedicate it.
6 And what man is there that hath planted a vineyarde, and hath not [Note: [d] The Ebrewe word signifieth to make common or prophane, Leuit. 19.25. ] eaten of the fruite? let him go & returne againe vnto his house, least he die in the battel, and another eate the fruite.
7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and returne againe vnto his house, lest he die in the battell, and another man take her.
8 And let the officers speake further vnto the people, and say, [Note: Iudg.7.3. ] Whosoeuer is afrayde and faynt hearted, let him go & returne vnto his house, least his brethrens heart faynt like his heart.
9 And after that the officers haue made an ende of speaking vnto the people, they shal make captaines of the armie to gouerne the people.
10 ¶ When thou commest neere vnto a citie to fight against it, [Note: Nom.21.22. chap.2.26. ] thou shalt offer it peace.
11 And if it answere thee againe [Note: [e] If it accept peace. ] peaceably, and open vnto thee, then let all the people that is founde therein, be tributaries vnto thee, and serue thee.
12 But if it will make no peace with thee, but make war against thee, then shalt thou besiege it.
13 And the Lord thy God shall deliuer it into thine handes, and thou shalt smite all the males thereof with the edge of the sworde.
14 Onely the women, & the children, [Note: Iosh.8.8. ] & the cattel, & all that is in the citie, euen all the spoyle thereof shalt thou take vnto thy selfe, and shalt eate the spoyle of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee.
15 Thus shalt thou do vnto all ye cities, which are a great way off from thee, which are not of the cities of these [Note: [f] For God had appointed that the Canaanites should be destroyed, & made the Israelites executers of his will, cha.7.1. ] nations here.
16 But of the cities of this people, which the Lorde thy God shall giue thee to inherite, thou shalt saue no person aliue,
17 But shalt vtterly destroy them: to wit, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, & the Perizzites, the Hiuites, and the Iebusites, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee,
18 That they teache you not to doe after all
[Inquisition for murther.]
their abominations, which they haue done vnto their gods, & so ye should sinne against the Lorde your God.
19 ¶ When thou hast besieged a citie long time, & made warre against it to take it, destroy not the trees therof, by smiting an axe into them: for thou mayest eate of them: therfore thou shalt not cut them downe to further thee in the siege, (for the [Note: [g] Some reade, For man shalbe in steade of the tree of the fielde, to come out in the siege against thee. ] tree of the field is mans life)
20 Onely those trees, which thou knowest are not for meate, those shalt thou destroy and cut downe, & make fortes against the citie that maketh warre with thee, vntil thou subdue it.
2 Inquisition for murther. 11 Of the woman taken in warre. 15 The birthright cannot be changed for affection. 18 The disobedient childe. 23 The body may not hang all night.
1 If one be founde [Note: [a] This law declareth how horrible a thing murther is, seeing that for one man a whole coutrey shalbe punished except a remedy be found. ] slaine in the lande, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it, lying in the field, & it is not knowe who hath slaine him,
2 Then thine Elders & thy Iudges shal come forth, and measure vnto the cities that are round about him that is slayne.
3 Aud let ye Elders of that citie, which is next vnto the slaine man, take out of the droue an heifer that hath not bene put to labour, nor hath drawen in the yoke.
4 And let the Elders of that citie bring the heifer vnto a [Note: Or, rough. ] stonie [Note: [b] That the blood shed of the innocent beast in a solitary place, might make them abhorre the fact. ] valley, which is neyther eared nor sowen, and strike off the heifers necke there in the valley.
5 Also the Priests the sonnes of Leui (whom the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister, & to blesse in the name of the Lorde) shal come forth, & by their word shal all strife & plague be tried.
6 And all the Elders of that citie that came neere to the slayne man, shal wash their hands ouer the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
7 And shal testifie, and say, Our handes haue not shed this blood, neither haue our eies seene it.
8 [Note: [c] This was the prayer, which the Priests made in the audience of the people. ] O Lord, be mercifull vnto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay no innocent blood to the charge of thy people Israel, and the blood shalbe forgiuen them.
9 So shalt thou take away the cry of innocet blood from thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.
10 ¶ Whe thou shalt go to warre against thine enemies, & the Lord thy God shal deliuer them into thine hands, & thou shalt take the captiues,
11 And shalt see among the captiues a beautifull woman, and hast a desire vnto her, & wouldest take her to thy wife,
12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house, [Note: [d] Signifying that her former life must be changed before they could be ioyned to the people of God. ] and she shal shaue her head, and pare her nayles,
13 And she shal put off the garment that shee was taken in, and she shal remaine in thine house, [Note: [e] As hauing renounced parents and countrey. ] and bewaile her father & her mother a moneth long: and after that shalt thou go in vnto her, & marry her, and she shalbe thy [Note: [f] This only was permitted in the warres: otherwise the Israelites could not marry strangers. ] wife.
14 And if thou haue no fauour vnto her, then thou mayest let her go whither she will, but thou shalt not sell her for money, nor make marchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.
15 ¶ If a man haue two wiues, one loued and another [Note: [g] This declareth that the pluralitie of wiues came of a corrupt affection. ] hated, and they haue borne him children, both the loued and also the hated: if the first borne be the sonne of the hated,
16 Then when the time commeth, that hee [Page]
[Diuers ordinances.]
appointeth his sonnes to be heires of that which he hath, he may not make the sonne of the beloued first borne [Note: Or, while the sonne of the hated liueth. ] before the sonne of the hated, which is the first borne:
17 But he shall acknowledge the sonne of the hated for the first borne, and giue him [Note: [h] As much as to two of the others. ] double portion of all that he hath: for hee is the first of his strength, and to [Note: [i] Except he be vnworthy, as was Reuben Iaakobs sonne. ] him belongeth the right of the first borne.
18 If any man haue a sonne that is stubburne and disobedient, which wil not hearken vnto the voice of his father, nor the voyce of his [Note: [k] For it is the mothers duetie also to instruct her children. ] mother, and they haue chastened him, and he would not obey them,
19 Then shall his father and his mother take him, & bring him out vnto the Elders of his citie, & vnto the gate of the place where he dwelleth,
20 And shall say vnto the Elders of his citie, This our sonne is stubburne and disobedient, and he wil not obey our admonition: he is a ryotour, and a drunkard.
21 Then all the men of his citie shall [Note: [l] Which death was also appointed for blasphemers & idolaters: so that to disobey the parents is most horrible. ] stone him with stones vnto death: so thou shalt take away euill from among you, that all Israel may heare it, and feare.
22 ¶ If a man also haue committed a trespasse worthy of death, and is put to death, & thou hangest him on a tree,
23 His body shal not remaine [Note: [m] For Gods Law by his death is satisfied, and nature abhorreth cruelty. ] all night vpon the tree, but thou shalt bury him the same day: for the [Note: Gal.3.13. ] curse of God is on him that is hanged. Defile not therfore thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite.
1 He commandeth to haue care of our neighbours goods. 5 The woman may not weare mans apparell, nor man the womans. 6 Of the damme & her yong birds. 8 Why they should haue battlements. 9 Not to mixe diuers kinds together. 13 Of the wife not being founde a virgine. 22 The punishment of adulterie.
1 Thou [Note: Exod.23.4. ] shalt not see thy brothers oxe nor his sheepe go astray, & [Note: [a] As though thou sawest it not. ] withdraw thy selfe from them, but shalt bring the againe vnto thy brother.
2 And if thy brother bee not [Note: [b] Shewing, that brotherly affection must be shewed, not only to them that dwell neere vnto vs, but also to them which are farre off. ] neere vnto thee, or if thou knowe him not, then thou shalt bring it into thine house, and it shal remaine with thee, vntill thy brother seeke after it: then shalt thou deliuer it to him againe.
3 In like maner shalt thou do with his [Note: [c] Much more art thou bound to doe for thy neighbours person. ] asse, and so shalt thou do with his rayment, & shalt so doe with all lost things of thy brother, which he hath lost: if thou hast found them, thou shalt not withdraw thy selfe from them.
4 ¶ Thou shalt not see thy brothers asse nor his oxe fal downe by the way, and withdrawe thy selfe from them, but shalt lift them vp with him.
5 ¶ The [Note: [d] For that were to alter the order of nature, and to despite God. ] woman shal not weare that which perteineth vnto the man, neither shal a man put on womans rayment: for all that doe so, are abomination vnto the Lord thy God.
6 ¶ If thou finde a birdes nest in the way, in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be yong or egges, and the damme sitting vpon the yong, or vpon the egges, [Note: [e] If God detest crueltie done to litle birdes, howe much more to man, made according to his image? ] thou shalt not take ye damme with the yong,
7 But shalt in any wise let the damme go, & take the yong to thee, that thou mayest prosper and prolong thy dayes.
8 ¶ When thou buildest a newe house, thou shalt make a battlemet on thy roofe, that thou lay not blood vpo thine house, if any man fal thence.
[The punishment of adulterie.]
9 ¶ Thou shalt not [Note: [f] The tenor of this Lawe, is to walke in simplicitie, & not to be curious of newe inuentions. ] sow thy vineyard with diuers kinds of seedes, lest thou defile the increase of the seede which thou hast sowen, & the fruite of the vineyarde.
10 ¶ Thou shalt not plow with an oxe and an asse together.
11 ¶ Thou shalt not weare a garment of diuers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.
12 ¶ [Note: Nom.15.28. ] Thou shalt make thee fringes vpon the foure quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou couerest thy selfe.
13 ¶ If a man take a wife, and when he hath lyen with her, hate her,
14 And laye [Note: [g] That is, be an occasion that she is slaundered. ] slaunderous thinges vnto her charge, and bring vp an euill name vpon her, and say, I tooke this wife, and when I came to her, I found her not a mayde,
15 Then shal the father of the mayde and her mother take and bring the signes of the maydes virginitie vnto the Elders of the citie to the gate.
16 And the maydes father shall say vnto the Elders, I gaue my daughter vnto this man to wife, and he hateth her:
17 And lo, he layeth slaunderous things vnto her charge, saying, I founde not thy daughter a mayde: loe, these are the tokens of my daughters virginitie: and they shal spreade the [Note: [h] Meaning, the sheete, wherein the signes of her virginitie were. ] vesture before the Elders of the citie.
18 Then the Elders of the citie shal take that man and chastise him,
19 And shall condemne him in an hundreth shekels of siluer, & giue them vnto the father [Note: [i] For the fault of the childe redoundeth to the shame of the parents: therefore he was recompensed whe she was faultles. ] of the mayde, because he hath brought vp an euill name vpon a mayde of Israel: and she shalbe his wife, and he may not put her away all his life.
20 ¶ But if this thing be true, that the mayde be not found a virgine,
21 Then shall they bring forth the mayde to the doore of her fathers house, & the men of her citie shal stone her with stones to death: for shee hath wrought follie in Israel, by playing ye whore in her fathers house: so thou shalt put euill away from among you.
22 ¶ [Note: Leuit.10.10. ] If a man be found lying with a woman marryed to a man, then they shall dye euen both twaine: to wit, the man that lay with the wife, & the wife: so thou shalt put away euil from Israel.
23 ¶ If a maid be betrothed vnto an husband, & a man finde her in the towne & lye with her,
24 Then shall yee bring them both out vnto the gates of the same citie, and shall stone them with stones to death: the mayde because she cried not, being in the citie, & the man, because he hath [Note: Or, defiled. ] humbled his neighbours wife: so thou shalt put away euill from among you.
25 ¶ But if a man finde a betrothed mayde in the field, and force her, and lye with her, then the man that lay with her, shal dye alone:
26 And vnto the mayd thou shalt do nothing, because there is in the mayde no [Note: Or, no sinne worthie death. ] cause of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour & woundeth him to death, so [Note: [k] Meaning, that the innocent can not be punished. ] is this matter.
27 For he found her in the fieldes: the betrothed mayde cryed, and there was no man to succour her.
28 ¶ [Note: Exod.22.10. ] If a man finde a mayde that is not betrothed, and take her, and lye with her, and they be founde,
29 Then the man that lay with her, shall giue vnto the maydes father fiftie shekels of siluer: and
[Page 74]
[To auoyde all vncleannes.]
she shalbe his wife, because he hath humbled her: he can not put her away all his life.
30 ¶ No man shal [Note: [l] He shall not lie with his stepmother: meaning hereby all other forbidden, Leui.18. ] take his fathers wife, nor shall vncouer his fathers skirt.
1 What men might not be admitted to office. 9 What they ought to auoyde when they goe to warre. 15 Of the fugitiue seruant. 17 To flee all kinde of whoredome. 19 Of vsurie. 21 Of vowes. 24 Of the neighbours vine & corne.
1 None that is hurt by bursting, or that hath his priuie member cut off, [Note: [a] Either to beare office, or to marrie a wife. ] shall enter into the Congregation of the Lord.
2 [Note: [b] This was to cause them to liue chastly, that their posteritie might not be reiected. ] A bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lorde: euen to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the Congregation of the Lord.
3 [Note: Nehe.13.1. ] The Ammonites and the Moabites shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord: euen to their tenth generation shal they not enter into the Congregation of the Lord for euer,
4 Because they [Note: [c] Hereby he condemneth all, that further not the children of God in their vocation. ] met you not with bread & water in the way, when yee came out of Egypt, and [Note: Nom.22.5,6. ] because they hyred against thee Balaam the sonne of Beor, of Pethor in Aram-naharaim, to curse thee.
5 Neuerthelesse, the Lorde thy God would not hearken vnto Balaam, but the Lord thy God turned the curse to a blessing vnto thee, because the Lord thy God loued thee.
6 Thou [Note: [d] Thou shalt haue nothing to doe with them. ] shalt not seeke their peace nor their prosperitie all thy dayes for euer.
7 ¶ Thou shalt not abhorre an Edomite: for he is thy brother, neither shalt thou abhorre an Egyptian, because thou wast a strager in his land.
8 The children that are begotten [Note: [e] If the fathers haue renounced their idolatrie, and receiued circumcision. ] of them in their thirde generation, shall enter into the Congregation of the Lord.
9 ¶ When thou goest out with the host against thine enemies, keepe thee then from all wickednesse.
10 ¶ If there be among you any that is vncleane by that which commeth to him by night, he shall goe out of the hoste, and shall not enter into the hoste,
11 But at euen he shall wash him selfe with water, and when the sunne is downe, he shall enter into the hoste.
12 ¶ Thou shalt haue a place also without the hoste whither thou shalt [Note: [f] For the necessitie of nature. ] resort,
13 And thou shalt haue a paddle among thy weapons, & when thou wouldest sit downe without, thou shalt shalt digge therewith, and returning thou shalt [Note: [g] Meaning hereby that his people shoulde be pure both in soule and body. ] couer thine excrements.
14 For the Lord thy God walketh in the mids of thy campe to deliuer thee, and to giue thee thine enemies before thee: therefore thine hoste shalbe holy, that he see no filthie thing in thee and turne away from thee.
15 ¶ Thou shalt not [Note: [h] This is meant of the heathen, who fled for their masters crueltie and imbraced the true religion. ] deliuer the seruant vnto his master, which is escaped from his master vnto thee.
16 He shall dwell with thee, euen among you, in what place he shal chuse, in one of thy [Note: Ebr.gates. ] cities where it liketh him best: thou shalt not vexe him.
17 ¶ There shalbe no whore of the daughters of Israel, neither shal there be a whore keeper of the sonnes of Israel.
18 Thou shalt neyther bring the [Note: [i] Forbidding hereby that any gaine gotten of euil things should be applyed to the seruice of God, Mich.1.7. ] hyre of a whore, nor the price of a dogge into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for euen both
[A bill of diuorcement.]
these are abomination vnto the Lord thy God.
19 ¶ [Note: Exod.22.25. leuit.25.36. ] Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother: as vsurie of money, vsurie of meate, vsurie of any thing that is put to vsurie.
20 Vnto a [Note: [k] This was permitted for a time for the hardnesse of their heart. ] stranger thou mayest lend vpon vsurie, but thou shalt not lend vpon vsurie vnto thy brother, that the Lord thy God may [Note: [l] If thou shewe thy charitie to thy brother, God will declare his loue toward thee. ] blesse thee in all that thou settest thine hand to, in the land whither thou goest to possesse it.
21 ¶ When thou shalt vowe a vowe vnto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slacke to paye it: for the Lorde thy God will surely require it of thee, and so it should be sinne vnto thee.
22 But when thou absteinest from vowing, it shalbe no sinne vnto thee.
23 That which is gone out of thy lippes, thou shalt [Note: [m] If the vowe be lawfull and godly. ] keepe and performe, as thou hast vowed it willingly vnto the Lord thy God: for thou hast spoken it with thy mouth.
24 ¶ When thou commest vnto [Note: [n] Being hired for to labour. ] thy neighbours vineyard, then thou mayest eate grapes at thy pleasure, as much as thou wilt: but thou shalt put none in thy [Note: [o] To bring home to thine house. ] vessell.
25 When thou commest into thy neighbours corne [Note: Mat.12.1. ] thou mayest plucke the eares with thine hand, but thou shalt not moue a sickle to thy neighbours corne.
1 Diuorcement is permitted. 5 He that is newly married is exempted from warre. 6 Of the pledge. 14 Wages must not be reteined. 16 The good must not be punished for the bad. 17 The care of the stranger, fatherlesse and widowe.
1 When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, if so be shee finde no fauour in his eyes, because hee hath espyed some filthinesse in her, [Note: [a] Hereby God approueth not that light diuorcement, but permitteth it to auoyde further inconuenience, Mat.19.7. ] then let him write her a bill of diuorcement, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
2 And when she is departed out of his house, & gone her way, and marrie with an other man,
3 And if the latter husband hate her, & write her a letter of diuorcement, & put it in her hand, and send her out of his house, or if the latter man die which tooke her to wife:
4 Then her first husband, which sent her away, may not take her againe to be his wife, after that she is [Note: [b] Seeing that by dimitting her, he iudged her to be vncleane and defiled. ] defiled: for that is abomination in the sight of the Lord, and thou shalt not cause the land to sinne, which the Lord thy God doeth giue thee to inherite.
5 ¶ When a man taketh a new wife, he shall not goe a warfare, [Note: [c] That they might learne to knowe one anothers conditions and so afterward liue in godly peace. ] neither shalbe charged with any businesse, but shalbe free at home one yeere, and reioyce with his wife which he hath taken.
6 ¶ No man shal take the nether nor the vpper [Note: [d] Nor any thing, whereby a man getteth his liuing. ] milstone to pledge: for this gage is his liuing.
7 ¶ If any man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh marchandise of him, or selleth him, that thiefe shal die: so shalt thou put euil away from among you.
8 ¶ Take heede of the [Note: Leuit.13.2. ] plague of leprosie, that thou obserue diligently, and doe according to all that the Priestes of the Leuites shall teach you: take heede ye doe as I commanded them.
9 Remember what the Lord thy God did vnto [Note: Nom.12.10. ] Miriam by the way after that ye were come out of Egypt.
10 ¶ Whe thou shalt aske again of thy neighbour [Page]
[The poore and stranger. To raise seede to the kinsman.]
any thing lent, thou shalt not goe [Note: [e] As though thou wouldest appoint what to haue, but shalt receiue what he may spare. ] into his house to fet his pledge.
11 But thou shalt stand without, and the man that borowed it of thee, shall bring the pledge out of the doores vnto thee.
12 Furthermore if it be a poore body, thou shalt not sleepe with his pledge,
13 But shalt restore him the pledge when the sunne goeth downe, that he may sleepe in his raiment, and blesse thee: and it shalbe righteousnesse vnto thee [Note: [f] Though he would be vnthankefull, yet God will not forget it. ] before the Lord thy God.
14 ¶ Thou shalt not oppresse an hyred seruant that is needie and poore, neyther of thy brethren, nor of the stranger that is in thy land within thy gates.
15 [Note: Leuit.19.13. iob.4.14. ] Thou shalt giue him his hire for his day, neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it: for he is poore, and therewith susteineth his life: lest he crye against thee vnto the Lorde, and it be sinne vnto thee.
16 ¶ [Note: 2.King.14.6. 2.chro.25.4. iere.31.29,30. ezek.18.20. ] The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children put to death for the fathers, but euery man shalbe put to death for his owne sinne.
17 ¶ Thou shalt not peruert the right of the [Note: [g] Because the worlde did least esteeme these sortes of people, therefore God hath most care ouer them. ] stranger, nor of the fatherlesse, nor take a widowes rayment to pledge.
18 But remember that thou wast a seruant in Egypt, and howe the Lorde thy God deliuered thee thence. Therefore I commaund thee to doe this thing.
19 ¶ [Note: Leuit.19.9. and 23.22. ] When thou cuttest downe thine haruest in thy fielde, and hast forgotten a sheafe in the fielde, thou shalt not goe againe to fet it, but it shalbe for the stranger, for the fatherles, & for the widowe: that the Lorde thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thine hands.
20 When thou [Note: Or, gatherest thine oliues. ] beatest thine oliue tree, thou shalt not goe ouer the boughes againe, but it shalbe for the stranger, for the fatherlesse, and for the widowe.
21 When thou gatherest thy [Note: Or, the grapes of thy vineyarde. ] vineyard, thou shalt not gather the grapes cleane after thee, but they shalbe for the stranger, for the fatherlesse, and for the widowe.
22 And remember that thou wast [Note: [h] God iudged them not mindfull of his benefite, except they were beneficiall vnto others. ] a seruant in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to doe this thing.
3 The beating of the offender. 5 To rayse vp seede to the kinseman. 11 In what case a womans hand must be cut off. 13 Of iust weightes and measures. 19 To destroy the Amalekites.
1 When there shall be strife betweene men, and they shall come vnto iudgement, [Note: [a] Whether there be a plaintife or none, the magistrates ought to trie out faults & punish according to the crime. ] and sentence shall be giuen vpon them, and the righteous shall be iustified, and the wicked condemned,
2 Then if so be the wicked be worthy to bee beaten, the iudge shall cause him to lie downe, [Note: [b] When the crime deserueth not death. ] and to be beaten before his face, according to his trespasse, vnto a certaine nomber.
3 [Note: [c] The Iewes of superstition afterwarde tooke one away, 2.Cor. 11.24. ] Fortie stripes shal he cause him to haue & not past, lest if he should exceede and beate him aboue that with many stripes, thy brother should appeare despised in thy sight.
4 ¶ [Note: 1.Cor.9.9. 1.tim.5.18. ] Thou shalt not mousell the oxe that treadeth out the corne.
5 ¶ [Note: Ruth.4.3. matth.22.24. mark.12.19. luke 20.28. ] If brethren dwell together, and one of them dye & haue no sonne, the wife of the dead
[To raise seede to the kinsman.]
shall not marry without: that is, vnto a stranger, but his [Note: [d] Because the Ebrewe worde signifyeth not the naturall brother, and the worde, that signifieth a brother, is taken also for a kinsman: it seemeth that it is not meant that the naturall brother should marry his brothers wife, but some other of the kinred, that was in that degree which might marrie. ] kinseman shall goe in vnto her, and take her to wife, and doe the kinsemans office to her.
6 And the first borne which she beareth, shall succeede in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
7 And if the man will not take his kinsewoman, then let his kinsewoman goe vp to the gate vnto the Elders, and say, My kinsman refuseth to rayse vp vnto his brother a name in Israel: hee will not doe the office of a kinsman vnto me.
8 Then the Elders of his citie shall call him, and commune with him: if he stand and say, I wil not take her,
9 Then shall his kinswoman come vnto him in the presence of the Elders, and loose his shooe from his foote, and spit in his face, and answere, and say, So shall it be done vnto that man, that will not buylde vp his brothers house.
10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him whose shooe is put off.
11 ¶ [Note: [e] This lawe importeth, that godly shamefastnesse be preserued: for it is an horrible thing to see a woman past shame. ] When men striue together, one with another, if the wife of the one come neere, for to ridde her husband out of the handes of him that smiteth him, and put foorth her hand, and take him by his priuities,
12 Then thou shalt cut off her hande: thine eye shall not spare her.
13 ¶ Thou shalt not haue in thy bagge two maner of [Note: Ebr. stone and stone. ] weightes, a great and a small,
14 Neither shalt thou haue in thine house diuers [Note: Ebr. Ephah and ephah: reade Exod. 16.36. ] measures, a great and a small:
15 But thou shalt haue a right & iust weight: a perfite and a iust measure shalt thou haue, that thy dayes may be lengthened in the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
16 For all that doe such things, and all that doe vnrighteously, are abomination vnto the Lord thy God.
17 ¶ [Note: Exod.17.8. ] Remeber what Amalek did vnto thee by the way, when ye were come out of Egypt:
18 How he met thee by ye way, & smote ye hindmost of you, all yt were feeble behind thee, when thou wast fainted & weary, & he feared not God.
19 Therefore, when the Lorde thy God hath giuen thee rest from all thine enemies round about in the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee for an inheritance to possesse it, then thou shalt put out the [Note: [f] This was partly accomplished by Saul, about 450. yeres afterwarde. ] remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen: forget not.
3 The offring of the first fruites. 5 What they must protest when they offer them. 12 The tithe of the third yeere. 13 Their protestation in offring it. 19 To what honour God preferreth them which acknowledge him to be their Lord.
1 Also when thou shalt come into the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee for inheritance, and shalt possesse it, & dwell therein,
2 [Note: [a] By this ceremonie they acknowledged that they receiued the land of Canaan as a free gift of God. ] Then shalt thou take of the first of all the fruite of the earth, and bring it out of the lande that the Lord thy God giueth thee, and put it in a basket, and goe vnto the place, which the Lorde thy God shall chose to [Note: [b] To be called vpon, serued, and worshipped spiritually, Chap.12.5. ] place his Name there.
3 And thou shalt come vnto the Priest, that shall be in those dayes, and say vnto him, I acknowledge this day vnto the Lord thy God, that I am come vnto the countrey which the Lorde sware vnto our fathers for to giue vs.
4 Then the Priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, & set it downe before the altar of the
[Page 75]
[The offring of the first fruites.]
Lord thy God.
5 And thou shalt answere and say before the Lord thy God, A [Note: [c] Meaning Iaakob, who serued 30. yeres in Syria. ] Syrian was my father, who being ready to perish for hunger, went downe into Egypt, and soiourned there with a smal company, and grew there vnto a nation great, mightie [Note: [d] Only by Gods mercy, and not by their fathers deseruings. ] and full of people.
6 And the Egyptians vexed vs, and troubled vs, and laded vs with cruell bondage.
7 But when we [Note: [e] Alledging the promises made to our fathers, Abraham, Izhak and Iaakob. ] cried vnto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voyce, & looked on our aduersitie, and on our labour, and on our oppression.
8 And the Lord brought vs out of Egypt in a mightie hande, and a stretched out arme, with great terriblenesse, both in signes and wonders.
9 And he hath brought vs into this place, & hath giuen vs this land, euen a lande that floweth with milke and hony.
10 And now, lo, I haue [Note: [f] In token of a thankfull heart, & mindefull of his benefite. ] brought ye first fruites of the land which thou, O Lorde, hast giuen me, and thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, & worship before the Lord thy God:
11 And thou shalt reioyce in all the good things which the Lord thy God hath giuen vnto thee & to thine [Note: [g] Signifying that God giueth vs not goods for our selues onely, but for their vses also which are comitted to our charge. ] houshold, thou and the Leuite, and the stranger that is among you.
12 ¶ When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tythes of thine increase, the thirde yeere, which is the yeere of tithing, and hast giuen it vnto the Leuite, to the stranger, to the fatherlesse, & to the widowe, that they may eate within thy gates, and be satisfied,
13 Then thou shalt [Note: [h] Without hypocrisie. ] say before the Lord thy God, I haue brought the halowed thing out of mine house, & also haue giuen it vnto the Leuites & to the strangers, to the fatherlesse, & to the widow, according to all thy [Note: Chap.14.27. ] comandements which thou hast commanded me: I haue [Note: [i] Of malice and contempt. ] transgressed none of thy comandements, nor forgotten them.
14 I haue not eaten therof [Note: [k] Or, for any necessitie. ] in my mourning, nor suffred ought to perish [Note: [l] By putting them to any prophane vse. ] through vncleannes, nor giuen ought thereof for the dead, but haue hearkened vnto the voyce of the Lord my God: I haue done [Note: [m] As farre as my sinfull nature would suffer: for else, as Dauid and Paul say, there is not one iust, Psal. 14.3. rom.3.10. ] after al that thou hast comaded me.
15 Looke downe from thine holy habitation, euen from heauen, and blesse thy people Israel, & the lande which thou hast giuen vs (as thou swarest vnto our fathers) the land that floweth with milke and hony.
16 ¶ This day the Lord thy God doeth command thee to do these ordinances, & lawes: keepe them therefore, & do them with [Note: [n] With a good & simple conscience. ] al thine heart, and with all thy soule.
17 Thou hast set vp the Lorde this day to be thy God, and to walke in his wayes, and to keepe his ordinances, and his commandements, and his lawes, and to hearken vnto his voyce.
18 [Note: [o] Signifying that there is a mutuall bond betweene God & his people. ] And the Lorde hath set thee vp this day, to be a [Note: Chap.7.6. & 14.2. ] precious people vnto him (as hee hath promised thee) and that thou shouldest keepe all his commandements,
19 And to make thee [Note: Chap.4.7. & 26.1. ] high aboue al nations (which he hath made) in praise, & in name, and in glory, [Note: Chap.7.6. & 14.2. ] & that thou shouldest be an holy people vnto the Lord thy God, as he hath said.
2 They are commaunded to write the Lawe vpon stones for a remembrance. 5 Also to builde an altar. 13 The cursings are giuen on mount Ebal.
[The Law written on stones.]
1 Then Moses with the Elders of Israel [Note: [a] As Gods minister and charged with the same. ] commanded the people, saying, Keepe all the comandements, which I command you this day.
2 And when ye shal passe [Note: Iosh.4.1. ] ouer Iorden vnto the lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee, thou shalt set thee vp great stones, and playster them with plaister,
3 [Note: [b] God would that his Law should be set vp in the borders of the land of Canaan, that all that looked thereon, might knowe that the land was dedicate to his seruice. ] And shalt write vpon them all the words of this Lawe, when thou shalt come ouer, that thou mayest go into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee: a land that floweth with milke and hony, as the Lorde God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
4 Therefore when ye shal passe ouer Iorden, ye shal set vp these stones, which I command you this daye in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.
5 [Note: Exo.20.25. iosh. 8.31. ] And there shalt thou build vnto the Lord thy God an altar, euen an altar of stones: thou shalt lift none [Note: [c] The altar should not be curiously wrought, because it should continue but for a time: for God would haue but one Altar in Iudah. ] yron instrument vpon them.
6 Thou shalt make the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones, and offer burnt offerings thereon vnto the Lord thy God.
7 And thou shalt offer peace offrings, & shalt eate there and reioyce before the Lord thy God:
8 And thou shalt write vpon the stones al the words of this Law, [Note: [d] That euery one may well reade it, and vnderstand it. ] well and plainely.
9 ¶ And Moses & the Priestes of the Leuites spake vnto all Israel, saying, Take heede & heare, O Israel: this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.
10 Thou [Note: [e] This condition God hath bound thee vnto, that if thou wilt be his people, thon must keepe his lawes. ] shalt hearken therefore vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God, and do his commandements and his ordinances, which I commande thee this day.
11 ¶ And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,
12 These shal stand vpon mount Gerizzim, to blesse the people when ye shal passe ouer Iorden: Simeon, and Leui, and Iudah, and Issachar, and [Note: [f] Meaning, Ephraim and Manasseh. ] Ioseph, and Beniamin.
13 And these shall stand vpon mount Ebal to [Note: [g] Signifying, that if they would not obey God for loue, they should be made to obey for feare. ] curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14 And the Leuites shal answere and say vnto all the men of Israel with a loude voyce,
15 ¶ Cursed be the man that shall make any carued or molten [Note: [h] Vnder this he conteineth all the corruptio of Gods seruice, and the transgression of the first table. ] image, which is an abomination vnto the Lord, the worke of the hands of the craftesman, and putteth it in a secrete place: And all the people shal answere, and say: So be it.
16 Cursed be he that [Note: [i] Or, contemneth: and this apperteineth to the second table. ] curseth his father & his mother: And all the people shal say: So be it.
17 Cursed be he that remoueth his neighbors [Note: [k] He codemneth all iniuries and extorsions. ] marke: And all the people shal say: So be it.
18 Cursed be he that maketh ye [Note: [l] Meaning, that helpeth not and counselleth not his neighbour. ] blinde go out of the way: And all the people shal say: So be it.
19 Cursed be he that hindreth the right of the stranger, the fatherles, and the widow: And all the people shal say: So be it.
20 Cursed be hee that lyeth with his fathers wife: for he hath vncouered his fathers [Note: [m] In committing villany against him, Leui.20.11. & ezek.22.10 & chap.22.30. ] skirt: And all the people shal say: So be it.
21 Cursed be he that lieth with any beast: And all the people shal say: So be it.
22 Cursed be he that lyeth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother: And all the people shal say: So be it.
23 Cursed be he that lyeth with his [Note: [n] Meaning, his wiues mother. ] mother in law: And all the people shal say: So be it.
[Page]
[Cursings, and blessings.]
24 Cursed be hee that smiteth his neyghbour [Note: [o] For God, that seeth in secret, will reuenge it. ] secretly: And all the people shal say: So be it.
25 [Note: Ezek.22.12. ] Cursed be he that taketh a reward to put to death innocent blood: And all the people shal say: So be it.
26 [Note: Galat.3.10. ] Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the wordes of this Law, to do them: And all the people shal say: So be it.
1 The promises to them that obey the commandements. 15 The threatnings to the contrary.
1 If [Note: Leuit.26.3. ] thou shalt obey diligently the voyce of the Lord thy God, and obserue and do all his commandements, which I commande thee this day, then the Lorde thy God wil [Note: [a] He will make thee the most excellent of all people. ] set thee on high aboue all the nations of the earth.
2 And all these blessings shal come on thee, and [Note: [b] When thou thinkest thy selfe forsaken. ] ouertake thee, if thou shalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the [Note: [c] Thou shalt liue wealthily. ] citie, & blessed also in the fielde.
4 Blessed shalbe the fruite [Note: [d] Thy children and succession. ] of thy body, and ye fruite of thy ground, & the fruite of thy cattel, the increase of thy kine, & ye flocks of thy sheepe.
5 Blessed shalbe thy basket and thy dough.
6 Blessed shalt thou be, whe thou [Note: [e] All thine enterprises shal haue good successe. ] commest in, and blessed also when thou goest out.
7 The Lorde shall cause thine enemies that rise against thee, to fall before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and shall flee before thee [Note: [f] Meaning, many wayes. ] leuen wayes.
8 The Lord shal command the blessing to be with thee in thy store houses, and in all that thou settest thine [Note: [g] God wil blesse vs, if we doe our duetie, and not be idle. ] hande to, and wil blesse thee in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
9 The Lorde shal make thee an holy people vnto himself, as he hath sworne vnto thee, if thou shalt keepe the commandements of the Lord thy God, and walke in his wayes.
10 Then all people of the earth shall see that the Name of the Lord is [Note: [h] In that he is thy God, and thou art his people. ] called vpon ouer thee, and they shalbe afrayde of thee.
11 And the Lord shal make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruite of thy body, and in the fruite of thy cattell, and in the fruite of thy grounde, in the land which the Lorde sware vnto thy fathers, to giue thee.
12 The Lorde shall open vnto thee his good treasure, euen the [Note: [i] For nothing in the earth is profitable, but when God sendeth his blessings from heauen. ] heauen to giue rayne vnto thy kind in due season, and to blesse all the worke of thine handes: and [Note: Chap 15.6. ] thou shalt lende vnto many nations, but shalt not borow thy selfe.
13 And the Lord shal make thee the head, & not the [Note: Or, the lowest. ] tayle, & thou shalt be aboue onely, and shalt not bee beneath, if thou obey the commandements of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to keepe and to do them.
14 But thou shalt not decline from any of the wordes, which I command you this day, either to the [Note: Iosh.23.6. ] right hand or to the left, to goe after other gods to serue them.
15 ¶ [Note: Leuit.26.14. lament.2.17. mala.2.2. baruc.1.20. ] But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God, to keepe & to do all his commandementes and his ordinances, which I command thee this day, then al these curses shal come vpon thee, and ouertake thee.
16 Cursed shalt thou bee in the towne, and cursed also in the fielde.
17 Cursed shal thy basket be, & thy [Note: Or, store. ] dough.
18 Cursed shall be the fruite of thy body, and
[Cursings, plagues and threatnings.]
the fruite of thy land, the increase of thy kine, & the flockes of thy sheepe.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou commest in, and cursed also when thou goest out.
20 The Lorde shall sende vpon thee cursing, trouble, & [Note: Or, rebuke. ] shame, in all that which thou settest thine hand to do, vntil thou be destroyed, and perish quickely, because of the wickednesse of thy workes whereby thou hast forsaken me.
21 The Lord shall make the pestilence cleaue vnto thee, vntill he hath consumed thee from the land, whither thou goest to possesse it.
22 [Note: Leuit.26.16. ] The Lorde shall smite thee with a consumption, and with the feuer, and with a burning ague, and with feruent heate, & with the sworde, and with [Note: Or, drought. ] blasting, and with the mildew, & they shal pursue thee vntill thou perish.
23 And thine heauen that is ouer thine head, shall be [Note: [k] It shal giue thee no more moisture then if it were of brasse. ] brasse, and the earth that is vnder thee, yron.
24 The Lorde shal giue thee for the rayne of thy land, dust & ashes: euen from [Note: Or, out of the aire, as dust raised with winde. ] heauen shal it come downe vpon thee, vntil thou be destroyed.
25 And the Lorde shall cause thee to fall before thine enemies: thou shalt come out one way against them, and shalt flee seuen wayes before them, & shalt be [Note: [l] Some reade, thou shalt be a terrour & feare, when they shall heare how God hath plagued thee. ] scattered through all the kingdomes of the earth.
26 And thy [Note: [m] Thou shalt be cursed both in thy life and in thy death: for the burial is a testimonie of the resurrection, which signe for thy wickednesse thou shalt lacke. ] carkeis shall be meate vnto all foules of the ayre, & vnto the beasts of the earth, and none shal fray them away.
27 The Lord wil smite thee with the botch of Egypt, & with the emeroids, & with the skab, and with the itche, that thou canst not be healed.
28 And ye Lorde shal smite thee with madnes, and with blindnes, and with astonying of heart.
29 Thou shalt also grope at noone daies, as the [Note: [n] In things most euident and cleare thou shalt lacke discretion and iudgement. ] blinde gropeth in darknes, and shalt not prosper in thy wayes: thou shalt neuer but bee oppressed with wrong and be powled euermore, & no man shal succour thee.
30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, & another man shal lye with her: thou shalt builde an house, and shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not [Note: Ebr. make it common. ] eate the fruite.
31 Thine oxe shalbe slayne before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eate thereof: thine asse shall be violently taken away before thy face, and shal not be restored to thee: thy sheepe shalbe giuen vnto thine enemies, and no man shal rescue them for thee.
32 Thy sonnes & thy daughters shalbe giuen vnto another people, and thine eyes [Note: [o] When they shal returne from their captiuitie. ] shal still looke for them, euen till they fall out, and there shalbe no power in thine hand.
33 The fruite of thy land and all thy labours shall a people, which thou knowest not, eate, and thou shalt neuer but suffer wrong, and violence alway:
34 So that thou shalt be madde for the sight which thine eyes shal see.
35 The Lord shal smite thee in the knees, and in the thighes, with a sore botche, that thou canst not be healed: euen from the sole of thy foote vnto the top of thine head.
36 The Lord shall bring thee and thy [Note: [p] As he did Manasseh, Ioachim, Zedechias and others. ] King (which thou shalt set ouer thee) vnto a nation, which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen, and there thou shalt serue other gods: euen wood and stone,
[Page 76]
[Threatnings and plagues for transgressing the Lawe.]
37 And thou shalt [Note: Iere.24.9. & 25.9. 1 king.9.7. ] be a wonder, a prouerbe and a common talke among all people, whither the Lord shall carie thee.
38 [Note: Mich.6.15. Hag.1.6. ] Thou shalt carie out much seede into the fielde, and shalt gather but litle in: for the grashoppers shall destroy it.
39 Thou shalt plant a vineyard, and dresse it, but shalt neither drinke of the wine, nor gather the grapes: for the wormes shall eate it.
40 Thou shalt haue Oliue trees in all thy coastes, but shalt not anoynt thy selfe with the oyle: for thine oliues shall [Note: Or, be shaken before they be ripe. ] fall.
41 Thou shalt beget sonnes, and daughters, but shalt not haue them: for they shall goe into captiuitie.
42 All thy trees and fruite of thy land [Note: [q] Vnder one kinde he conteineth all the vermine, which destroy the fruites of the land: and this is an euident token of Gods curse. ] shall the grashopper consume.
43 The straunger that is among you, shall clime aboue thee vp on hie, and thou shalt come downe beneath alow.
44 He shall lend thee, and thou shalt not lend him: he shalbe the head, & thou shalt be ye tayle.
45 Moreouer, all these curses shall come vpon thee, and shall pursue thee and ouertake thee, till thou be destroyed, because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lorde thy God, to keepe his commaundements, and his ordinances, which he commanded thee:
46 And they shalbe vpon [Note: [r] Gods plagues shalbe euident signes that he is offended with thee. ] thee for signes & wonders, and vpon thy seede for euer,
47 Because thou seruedst not the Lorde thy God with ioyfulnesse and with a good heart for the abundance of all things.
48 Therefore thou shalt serue thine enemies which the Lord shal send vpon thee, in hunger & in thirst, and in nakednesse, and in neede of all things? and he shall put a yoke of yron vpon thy necke vntill he haue destroyed thee.
49 The Lord shall bring a nation vpon thee from farre, euen from the ende of the world, flying swift as an Egle: a nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand:
50 A nation of a [Note: Or, barbarous, cruel, or impudent. ] fierce countenance, which will not regarde the person of the olde, nor haue compassion of the yong.
51 The same shall eate the fruit of thy cattell, and the fruite of thy land vntill thou be destroyed, and he shall leaue thee neyther wheate, wine, nor oyle, neither the [Note: Or, first borne of thy bullockes. ] increase of thy kyne, nor the flockes of thy sheepe, vntill he haue brought thee to nought.
52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy cities, vntill thine hie and strong walles fall downe, wherein thou trustedst in all the lande: and hee shall besiege thee in all thy [Note: Or, gates. ] cities throughout all thy lande, which the Lorde thy God hath giuen thee.
53 [Note: Leuit.26.29. 2.king.6.29. lamen 4.10. baruk.2.3. ] And thou shalt eate the fruite of thy bodie: euen the flesh of thy sonnes and thy daughters, which the Lorde thy God hath giuen thee, during the siege & straitnesse wherein thine enemie shall inclose thee:
54 So that the man (that is tender and exceeding deintie among you) [Note: Chap.15.9. ] shalbe grieued at his brother, and at his wife, that lieth in his bosome, and at the remnant of his children, which hee hath yet left,
55 For feare of giuing vnto any of them of the flesh of his children, whom he shall eate, because he hath nothing left him in that siege, and
[Threatnings and plagues for transgressing the Lawe.]
straitnesse, wherewith thine enemie shall besiege thee in all thy cities.
56 The tender and deintie [Note: [s] As came to passe in the dayes of Ioram, King of Israel, 2.king.6.29, and when the Romanes besieged Ierusalem. ] woman among you, which neuer woulde venture to set the sole of her foote vpon the grounde (for her softnesse and tendernesse) shalbe grieued at her husbande that lieth in her bosome, and at her sonne, and at her daughter,
57 And at her [Note: [t] Hunger shall so bite her, that she shalbe ready to eate her childe before it be deliuered. ] afterbirth (that shall come out from betweene her feete) and at her childre, which she shall beare: for when all things lacke, she shall eate them secretly, during the siege and straitnesse, wherewith thine enemie shall besiege thee in thy cities.
58 ¶ If thou wilt not keepe and doe [Note: [u] For he that offendeth in one, is guiltie of all, Iam. 2.10. ] all the wordes of the Lawe (that are written in this booke) and feare this glorious and feareful name The Lord Thy God,
59 The the Lord wil make thy plagues wonderfull, and the plagues of thy seede, euen great plagues and of long continuance, and sore diseases, and of long durance.
60 Moreouer, he will bring vpon thee all the diseases of Egypt, whereof thou wast afraide, and they shall cleaue vnto thee.
61 And euery sickenesse, and euery plague, which is not [Note: [x] Declaring that God hath infinite meanes to plague the wicked, besides them that are ordinarie or written. ] written in the booke of this Lawe, will the Lorde heape vpon thee, vntill thou be destroyed.
62 And ye shall be left few in nomber, where ye were as the [Note: Chap.10.22. ] starres of heauen in multitude, because thou wouldest not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God.
63 And as the Lord hath reioyced ouer you, to doe you good, and to multiply you, so he will reioyce ouer you, to destroy you, and bring you to nought, and ye shalbe rooted out of the land, whither thou goest to possesse it.
64 And the Lorde shall [Note: [y] Signifying that it is a singular gift of God to be in a place where as we may worship God purely, and declare our faith and religion. ] scatter thee among all people, from the one ende of the worlde vnto the other, and there thou shalt serue other gods, which thou hast not knowen nor thy fathers, euen wood and stone.
65 Also among these nations thou shalt finde no rest, neither shall the sole of thy foote haue rest: for the Lord shal giue thee there a trembling heart, and looking to returne till thine eyes fall out, and a sorowfull minde.
66 And thy life shall [Note: Or, thou shalt be in dout of thy life. ] hang before thee, and thou shalt feare both night and day, and shalt haue none assurance of thy life.
67 In the morning thou shalt say, Woulde God it were euening, and at the euening thou shalt say, Would God it were morning, for ye feare of thine heart, which thou shalt feare, and for the sight of thine eyes, which thou shalt see.
68 And the Lorde shal bring thee into Egypt againe with [Note: [z] Because they were vnmindfull of that miracle, when the sea gaue place for them to passe thorowe. ] shippes by the way, whereof I saide vnto thee, Thou shalt see it no more againe: and there yee shall sell your selues vnto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and there shalbe no byer.
2 The people are exhorted to obserue the commaundements. 10 The whole people from the hiest to the lowest are comprehended vnder Gods couenant. 19 The punishment of him that flattereth him selfe in his wickednesse. 24 The cause of Gods wrath against his people.
1 These are the [Note: [a] That is, the articles, or conditions. ] wordes of the couenant which the Lorde commaunded Moses to make [Page]
[The punishment of the obstinate.]
with the children of Israel in the lande of Moab beside the couenant which hee had made with them in [Note: [b] At the first giuing of the lawe, which was fourtie yeeres before. ] Horeb.
2 ¶ And Moses called all Israel, and said vnto them, Ye haue seene all that the Lorde did before your eyes in the lande of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto all his seruantes, and vnto all his lande,
3 The [Note: [c] The proofes of my power. ] great tentations which thine eyes haue seene, those great miracles and wonders:
4 Yet the Lord hath not [Note: [d] He sheweth that it is not in mans power to vnderstande the mysteries of God, if it be not giuen him from aboue. ] giuen you an heart to perceiue, and eyes to see, & eares to heare, vnto this day.
5 And I haue led you fourty yere in the wildernesse: your clothes are not waxed olde vpon you, neyther is thy shooe waxed olde vpon thy foote.
6 Ye haue eaten no [Note: [e] Made by mans arte, but manna, which is called the bread of Angels. ] bread, neither drunke wine, nor strong drinke, that ye might know how that I am the Lord your God.
7 After, ye came vnto this place, and Sihon King of Heshbon, and Og King of Bashan came out against vs vnto battell, and we slewe them,
8 And tooke their lande, and gaue it for an inheritance vnto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the halfe tribe of Manasseh.
9 [Note: Chap.4.6. 1.king.2.3. ] Keepe therefore the wordes of this couenant and doe them, that ye may prosper in all that ye shall doe.
10 Ye stand this day euery one of you before the Lord your [Note: [f] Who knoweth your hearts, and therefore ye may not thinke to dissemble with him. ] God: your heads of your tribes, your Elders & your officers, eue al ye me of Israel:
11 Your children, your wiues, and thy stranger that is in thy campe from the hewer of thy wood, vnto the drawer of thy water,
12 That thou shouldest [Note: [g] Alluding to them, that when they made a sure couenant, deuided a beast in twaine, and past betweene the partes deuided, Gene. 15.10. ] passe into the couenant of the Lord thy God, & into his othe which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day,
13 For to establish thee this day a people vnto him selfe, and that he may be vnto thee a God, as he hath said vnto thee, and as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers, Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob.
14 Neither make I this couenant, & this othe with you onely,
15 But aswel with him that standeth here with vs this day before the Lord our God, as with him [Note: [h] Meaning their posteritie. ] that is not here with vs this day.
16 For ye knowe, how we haue dwelt in the land of Egypt, and how we passed thorowe the middes of the nations, which ye passed by.
17 And ye haue seene their abominations and their idoles (wood, and stone, siluer and golde) which were among them,
18 That there should not be among you man nor woman, nor familie, nor tribe, which should turne his heart away this day from the Lorde our God, to goe and serue the gods of these nations, and that there shoulde not be among you [Note: [i] Such sinne, as the bitter fruite thereof might choke and destroy you. ] any roote that bringeth forth [Note: Act.8.23. ] gall & wormewood,
19 So that when he heareth the words of this curse, he [Note: Or, flatter. ] blesse him selfe in his heart, saying, I shall haue peace, although I walke according to the stubburnes of mine owne heart, thus adding [Note: [k] For as he that is thirstie, desireth to drinke much, so he that followeth his appetites, seeketh by al meanes, and yet can not be satisfied. ] drunkennesse to thirst.
20 The Lord will not be mercifull vnto him, but then the wrath of the Lorde and his ielousie shall smoke against that man, and euery curse that is written in this booke, shall light vpon him, and the Lorde shall put out his name from vnder heauen,
[Mercie promised to the repentant.]
21 And the Lord shall separate him vnto euil out of all the tribes of Israel, according vnto all the curses of the couenant, that is written in the booke of this Lawe.
22 So that the [Note: [l] Gods plagues vpon them that rebel against him, shall be so strange, that all ages shall be astonished. ] generatio to come, euen your children, that shall rise vp after you, and the stranger, that shall come from a farre lande, shall say, when they shall see the plagues of this lande, and the diseases thereof, wherewith the Lord shall smite it:
23 (For all that land shall burne with brimstone and salt: it shall not be sowen, nor bring forth, nor any grasse shall growe therein, like as in the ouerthrowing of [Note: Gen.19.24,25. ] Sodom, and Gomorah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord ouerthrewe in his wrath and in his anger)
24 Then shall all nations say, [Note: 1.King.9.8. iere.22.8. ] Wherefore hath the Lorde done thus vnto this lande? how fierce is this great wrath?
25 And they shall answere, Because they haue forsaken the couenant of the Lorde God of their fathers, which he had made with them, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt,
26 And went and serued other gods and worshipped them: euen gods which they knewe not, and [Note: Or, which had not giuen them a lande to posseße. ] which had giuen them nothing,
27 Therefore the wrath of the Lorde waxed hot against this land, to bring vpon it euery curse that is written in this booke.
28 And ye Lord hath rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and hath cast them into another land, as appeareth this day.
29 The [Note: [m] Moses hereby reproueth their curiositie, which seeke those things that are onely knowen to God: and their negligence that regard not that, which God hath reueiled vnto them, as the Lawe. ] secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things reueiled belong vnto vs, and to our children for euer, that we may doe all the wordes of this Lawe.
1 Mercie shewed when they repent. 6 The Lorde doeth circumcise the heart. 11 All excuse of ignorance is taken away. 19 Life and death is set before them. 20 The Lorde is their life which obey him.
1 Nowe when all these things shall come vpon thee, either the blessing or the curse which I haue set before thee, and thou shalt [Note: [a] By calling to remembrance, both his mercies and his plagues. ] turne into thine heart, among all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath driuen thee,
2 And shalt returne vnto the Lord thy God, and obey his voyce in all that I commaund thee this day: thou, and thy children with all thine [Note: [b] In true repentance is none hypocrisie. ] heart and with all thy soule,
3 Then the Lord thy God wil cause thy captiues to returne, and haue compassion vpon thee, and wil returne, to gather thee out of all the people, where the Lord thy God had scattered thee.
4 Though thou werest cast vnto the vtmost part of [Note: [c] Euen to the worldes ende. ] heauen, from thence will the Lorde thy God gather thee, & fro thence wil he [Note: [d] And bring thee into thy countrey. ] take thee,
5 And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, & thou shalt possesse it, and he will shewe thee fauour, and will multiplie thee aboue thy fathers.
6 And the Lorde thy God will [Note: [e] God will purge all thy wicked affections: which thing is not in thine owne power to doe. ] circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seede, that thou mayest loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart, and with al thy soule, that thou maiest liue.
7 And the Lorde thy God will lay all these curses vpon thine enemies, and on them, that hate thee, and that persecute thee.
[Page 77]
[Exhortations to loue the Lord.]
8 [Note: [f] If we will haue God to worke in vs with his holy Spirite, we must turne againe to him by repentance. ] Returne thou therefore, and obey the voyce of the Lorde, and do all his commaundements, which I commaund thee this day.
9 And the Lorde thy God will make thee plenteous in euery worke of thine hande, in the fruite of thy bodie, and in the fruite of thy cattel, and in the fruite of the lande for thy wealth: for the Lord will turne againe, & [Note: [g] He meaneth not that God is subiect to these passions, to reioyce or to be sad: but he vseth this maner of speach to declare the loue that he beareth vnto vs. ] reioyce ouer thee to do thee good, as he reioyced ouer thy fathers,
10 Because thou shalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God, in keeping his comandements, and his ordinances, which are written in the booke of this Law, when thou shalt returne vnto the Lord thy God with all thine heart & with al thy soule.
11 ¶ For this commandement which I commande thee this day, is [Note: [h] The lawe is so euident that none can pretend ignorance. ] not hid from thee, neither is it farre off.
12 It is not in heauen, that thou shouldest say, [Note: Rom.10.6. ] Who shall go vp for vs to heauen, & bring it vs, and cause vs to heare it, that we may doe it?
13 Neither is it beyonde the [Note: [i] By heauen and the sea he meaneth places most farre distant. ] sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go ouer the sea for vs, & bring it vs, & cause vs to heare it, yt we may do it?
14 But the [Note: [k] Euen the lawe and the Gospell. ] word is very nere vnto thee: euen in thy mouth and in thine heart, for to [Note: [l] By faith in Christ. ] do it.
15 Beholde, I haue set before thee this day life and good, death and euill,
16 In that I commaunde thee this day, [Note: [m] So that to loue and obey God, is onely life and felicitie. ] to loue the Lorde thy God, to walke in his wayes, & to keepe his commaundements, and his ordinances, and his lawes, that thou mayest [Note: [n] He addeth these promises, to signifie that it is for our profite that we loue him, and not for his. ] liue, and be multiplied, & that the Lorde thy God may blesse thee in the land, whither thou goest to possesse it.
17 But if thine heart turne away, so that thou wilt not obey, but shalt be seduced and worship other gods, and serue them,
18 I pronounce vnto you this day, that ye shal surely perish, ye shall not prolong your dayes in the lande, whither thou passest ouer Iorden to possesse it.
19 [Note: Chap.4.26. ] I call heauen and earth to recorde this day against you, that I haue set before you life & death, blessing and cursing. therefore [Note: [o] That is, loue and obey God: which thing is not in mans power, but Gods Spirit onely worketh it in his elect. ] chuse life, that both thou and thy seede may liue,
20 By louing the Lorde thy God, by obeying his voyce, and by cleauing vnto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy dayes: that thou mayest dwell in the lande which the Lorde sware vnto thy fathers, Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob, to giue them.
2. 7 Moses preparing him selfe to die, appointeth Ioshua to rule the people. 9 He giueth the law to the Leuites, that they should reade it to the people. 19 God giueth them a song as a witnes betweene him & them. 23 God confirmeth Ioshua. 29 Moses sheweth them that they wil rebel after his death.
1 Then Moses went and spake these wordes vnto all Israel,
2 And said vnto them, I am an hundreth and twentie yeere olde this day: I [Note: [a] I can no longer execute mine office. ] can no more goe out and in: also the Lorde hath saide vnto me, [Note: Nom.20.12. chap.3.26. ] Thou shalt not goe ouer this Iorden.
3 The Lord thy God he will go ouer before thee: he will destroy these nations before thee, and thou shalt possesse them. [Note: Nomb.27.18. ] Ioshua, he shall goe before thee, as the Lorde hath said.
4 And the Lord shall doe vnto them, as he did to [Note: Nomb.21.24. ] Sihon and to Og Kings of the Amorites: and vnto their lande whome he destroyed.
5 And the Lord shal giue them [Note: [b] Into your handes. ] before you that ye may do vnto them according vnto euery
[Of reading the Lawe.]
[Note: Chap.7.2. ] commandement, which I haue comanded you.
6 Plucke [Note: Or, be of good courage. ] vp your hearts therefore, and be strong: dread not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lorde thy God him selfe doeth goe with thee: he will not faile thee, nor forsake thee.
7 ¶ And Moses called Ioshua, and said vnto him in the sight of all Israel, Be [Note: [c] For he that must gouerne the people, hath neede to be valiant to represse vice, and constant to maintaine vertue. ] of a good courage and strong: for thou shalt go with this people vnto the lande which the Lorde hath sworne vnto their fathers, to giue them, and thou shalt giue it them to inherite.
8 And the Lorde him selfe doeth [Note: [d] Signifying that man can neuer be of good courage, except he be perswaded of Gods fauour and assistance. ] go before thee: he will be with thee: he will not faile thee, neither forsake thee: feare not therefore, nor be discomforted.
9 ¶ And Moses wrote this Lawe, and deliuered it vnto the Priestes the sonnes of Leui (which bare the Arke of the couenant of the Lorde) and vnto all the Elders of Israel,
10 And Moses commanded them, saying, [Note: Nehem.8.2. ] Euery seuenth yeere [Note: Chap.15.1. ] when the yeere of freedome shalbe in the feast of the Tabernacles:
11 When all Israel shall come to appeare [Note: [e] Before the Arke of the couenant, which was the signe of Gods presence and the figure of Christ. ] before the Lorde thy God, in the place which he shall chuse, thou shalt reade this Lawe before all Israel that they may heare it.
12 Gather the people together: men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may heare, and that they may learne, and feare the Lorde your God, and keepe and obserue all the wordes of this Lawe,
13 And that their children which [Note: [f] Which were not borne when the lawe was giuen. ] haue not knowen it, may heare it, and learne to feare the Lorde your God, as long as ye liue in the lande, whither ye goe ouer Iorden to possesse it.
14 ¶ Then the Lorde saide vnto Moses, Beholde, thy dayes are come, that thou must die: Call Ioshua, and stande ye in the Tabernacle of the Congregation that I may giue him a [Note: Or, commandement. ] charge. So Moses and Ioshua went, and stoode in the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
15 And the Lorde appeared in the Tabernacle, in the pillar of a [Note: [g] In a cloude that was facioned like a pillar. ] cloude: and the pillar of the cloude stoode ouer the doore of the Tabernacle.
16 ¶ And the Lorde said vnto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers, and this people will rise vp, and goe a whoring after the gods of a strange land (whither they goe to dwell therein) and will forsake me, and breake my couenant which I haue made with them.
17 Wherefore my wrath will waxe hote against them at that day, and I will forsake them, and will [Note: [h] That is, I will take my fauour from them: as to turne his face toward vs, is to shew vs his fauour. ] hide my face from them: then they shalbe consumed, and many aduersities and tribulations shall come vpon them: so then they will say, Are not these troubles come vpon me, because God is not with me?
18 But I will surely hide my face in that day, because of all the euill, which they shall commit, in that they are turned vnto other gods.
19 Now therefore write ye this [Note: [i] To preserue you and your children from Idolatrie, by remembring Gods benefites. ] song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouthes, that this song may be my witnesse against the children of Israel.
20 For I will bring them into the land (which I sware vnto their fathers) that floweth wt milke and honie, and they shall eate, and fil them selues, and waxe fat: [Note: [k] For this is the nature of flesh, no longer to obey God, then it is vnder the rod. ] then shall they turne vnto other gods, and serue them, & contemne me, & breake [Page]
[Ioshuas charge.]
my couenant.
21 And then when many aduersities and tribulations shall come vpon them, this song shall [Note: [l] That these euils are come vpon them, because they forsooke me. ] answere them to their face as a witnesse: for it shall not be forgotte out of the mouthes of their posteritie: for I knowe their imagination, which they goe about euen now, before I haue brought them into the lande which I sware.
22 ¶ Moses therefore wrote this song the same day and taught it the children of Israel.
23 And God gaue Ioshua the sonne of Nun a charge, and said, [Note: Iohn.1.6. ] Be strong, and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the lande, which I sware vnto them, and I will be with thee.
24 ¶ And when Moses had made an ende of writing the wordes of this Lawe in a booke vntill he had finished them,
25 Then Moses commaunded the Leuites, which bare the Arke of the couenant of the Lorde, saying,
26 Take the booke of this Lawe, and put ye it in the side of the Arke of the couenant of the Lorde your God, that it may be there for a [Note: [m] Of thine infidelitie, when thou shalt turne away from the doctrine conteined therein. ] witnes against thee.
27 For I knowe thy rebellion and thy stiffe necke: beholde, I being yet aliue with you this day, ye are rebellious against the Lorde: howe much more then after my death?
28 Gather vnto me all the Elders of your tribes, and your [Note: [n] As gouerners, iudges, and magistrates. ] officers, that I may speake these wordes in their audience, and call heauen and earth to recorde against them.
29 For I am sure that after my death ye will vtterly be corrupt and turne from the way, which I haue commaunded you: therefore euill will come vpon you at the length, because ye will comit euill in the sight of the Lorde, by prouoking him to anger through the [Note: [o] By idolatrie, and worshipping Images, which are the worke of your handes. ] worke of your hands.
30 Thus Moses spake in the audience of all the congregation of Israel the wordes of this song, vntill he had ended them.
7 The song of Moses conteining Gods benefites towarde the people, 15 and their ingratitude toward him. 20 God menaceth them, 21 and speaketh of the vocation of the Gentiles. 46 Moses commandeth to teach the Law to the children. 49 God forewarneth Moses of his death.
1 Hearken, ye [Note: [a] As witnesses of this peoples ingratitude. ] heauens, and I will speake: and let the earth heare the words of my mouth.
2 My [Note: [b] He desireth that he may speake to Gods glorie, and that the people, as the greene grasse, may receiue the dewe of his doctrine. ] doctrine shall drop as the raine, and my speach shal stil as the dew, as the showre vpo the herbes, and as the great raine vpon the grasse.
3 For I will publish the name of the Lorde: giue ye glorie vnto our God.
4 Perfect is the worke of the [Note: [c] The Ebrewe worde is rocke, noting that God onely is mighty, faithfull, and constant in his promes. ] mighty God: for all his wayes are iudgement. God is true, and without wickednesse: iust, and righteous is he.
5 They haue corrupted them selues towarde him by their vice, not being his children, but a frowarde and crooked generation.
6 Doe ye so rewarde the Lorde, O foolish people and vnwise? is not he thy father, that hath bought thee? he hath [Note: [d] Not according to the common creation, but he hath made thee a newe creature by his Spirite. ] made thee, and proportioned thee.
7 ¶ Remember the dayes of olde: consider the yeeres of so many generations: aske thy father, and he will shewe thee: thine Elders, and they will tell thee.
8 When the most hie God deuided to the nations
[Moses song.]
their inheritance, when he separated the sonnes of Adam, he appoynted the borders of the [Note: [e] When God by his prouidence deuided the world he lent for a time that portion to the Canaanites, which should after be an inheritance for all his people Israel. ] people, according to the nomber of the children of Israel.
9 For the Lordes portion is his people: Iaakob is the lot of his inheritance.
10 He found him in ye land of ye wildernes, in a waste, & roaring wildernes: he led him about, he taught him, and kept him as ye apple of his eye.
11 As an eagle stereth vp her nest, [Note: [f] To teach them to flie. ] flootereth ouer her birdes, stretcheth out her wings, taketh them, and beareth them on her wings,
12 So the Lorde alone led him, and there was no [Note: Or, god of strange nation. ] strange god with him.
13 He caryed him vp to the hie places of the [Note: [g] Meaning, of the lande of Canaan, which was hie, in respect of Egypt. ] earth, that he might eate the fruites of the fieldes, and he caused him to sucke [Note: [h] That is, abundance of al things euen in the very rockes. ] hony out of the stone, and oyle out of the hard rocke:
14 Butter of kine, and milke of sheepe with fat of the lambes, and rammes fed in Bashan, and goates, with the fat of the graines of wheat, and the red [Note: Ebr. blood. ] licour of the grape hast thou drunke.
15 ¶ But he that should haue bene [Note: [i] He sheweth what is the principall ende of our vocation. ] vpright, when he waxed fat, spurned with his heele: thou art fat, thou art grosse, thou art laden with fatnes: therefore he forsooke God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his saluation.
16 They prouoked him with [Note: [k] By changing his seruice for their superstitions. ] strange gods: they prouoked him to anger with abominations.
17 They offred vnto deuils, not to God, but to gods whome they knew not: [Note: [l] Scripture calleth newe, whatsoeuer man inuenteth, be the error neuer so olde. ] new gods that came newly vp, whome their fathers feared not.
18 Thou hast forgotten the mightie God that begate thee, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
19 The Lorde then sawe it, and was angrie, for the prouocation of his [Note: [m] He calleth them Gods children not to honour them, but to shewe them from what dignitie they are fallen. ] sonnes and of his daughters.
20 And he said, I will hide my face from the: I will see what their ende shalbe: for they are a frowarde generation, children in who is no faith.
21 They haue moued me to ielousie with that which is not God: they haue prouoked me to anger with their vanities: [Note: Rom.10.19. ] and I will moue them to ielousie with those which are no [Note: [n] Which I haue not fauoured, nor giuen my lawes vnto them. ] people: I wil prouoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
22 For fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burne vnto the bottome of hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines.
23 I will spend plagues vpon them: I will bestowe mine arrowes vpon them.
24 They shalbe burnt with hunger, and consumed with heate, and with bitter destruction: I will also sende the teeth of beastes vpon them, with the venime of serpents creeping in the dust.
25 The sworde shall [Note: [o] They shalbe slaine both in the fielde and at home. ] kill them without, and in the chambers feare: both the yong man and the yong woman, the suckeling with the man of gray heare.
26 I haue said, I would scatter them abroade: I would make their remembrance to cease from among men,
27 Saue that I feared the furie of the enemie, least their aduersaries should [Note: [p] Reioycing to see the godly afflicted, and attributing that to them selues which is wrought by Gods hand. ] waxe proude, and least they should say, Our hie hande and not the Lorde hath done all this:
28 For they are a nation voide of counsel, neither is there any vnderstanding in them.
29 Oh yt they were wise, then they would vnderstand
[Page 78]
[Moses song: He blesseth the tribes.]
this: they would [Note: [q] They would consider the felicitie, that was prepared for them if they had obeyed God. ] consider their latter ende.
30 How should [Note: Iosh.23.10. ] one chase a thousand, & two put ten thousande to flight, except their strong God had sold the, & the Lord had [Note: Or, deliuered them so their enemies. ] shut them vp?
31 For their god is not as our God, euen our enemies being iudges.
32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the vines of Gomorah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters be bitter.
33 Their [Note: [r] The fruites of the wicked are as poyson, detestable to God, and dangerous for man. ] wine is the poyson of dragons, and the cruel gall of aspes.
34 Is not this laide in store with me, and sealed vp among my treasures?
35 [Note: Ecclus 28.1. rom.12.19. hebr.10.30. ] Vengeance and recompence are mine: their foote shall slide in due time: for the day of their destruction is at hand, and the things that shall come vpon them, make haste.
36 For the Lorde shall iudge his people, and [Note: O, change his minde. ] repent towarde his seruants, when hee seeth that their power is gone, and none [Note: [s] When neither strong nor weake in a maner remaine. ] shut vp in holde nor left abroad.
37 When men shal say, Where are their gods, their mighty God in whome they trusted,
38 Which did eate the fat of their sacrifices, & did drinke the wine of their drinke offring? let them rise vp, & help you: let him be your refuge.
39 Behold now, for I, I am he, and there is no gods with me: [Note: 1.Sam.2.6. tob. 13.2. ] I kill, and giue life: I wound, and I make whole: [Note: Wisd.16.13. ] neither is there any that can deliuer out of mine hand.
40 For I [Note: [t] That is, I sweare, read Gen.14.22. ] lift vp mine hand to heauen, & say, I liue for euer.
41 If I whet my glittering sworde, and mine hand take holde on iudgement, I will execute vengeance on mine enemies, and will rewarde them that hate me.
42 I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood, (& my sword shal eate flesh) for the blood of the slaine, and of the captiues, when I beginne to take vengeance of the enemie.
43 [Note: Rom.15.10. ] Ye nations, praise his people: for he will auenge the [Note: [u] Whether the blood of Gods people bee shed for their sinnes, or tryall of their faith, he promiseth to reuenge it. ] blood of his seruants, and will execute vengeance vpon his aduersaries, and will bee mercifull vnto his lande, and to his people.
44 ¶ Then Moses came and spake all ye words of this song in the audience of the people, he and [Note: Or, Ioshua. ] Hoshea the sonne of Nun.
45 When Moses had made an end of speaking all these wordes to all Israel,
46 Then hee said vnto them, [Note: Chap.6.6. and 11.18. ] Set your heartes vnto all the wordes which I testifie against you this day, that ye may commande them vnto your children, that they may obserue and doo all the wordes of this Lawe.
47 For it is no [Note: [x] For I will performe my promes vnto you, Isa.55.10. ] vaine worde concerning you, but it is your life, and by this worde ye shall prolong your dayes in the land, whither yee go ouer Iorden to possesse it.
48 [Note: Nom.27.12. ] And the Lord spake vnto Moses the selfe same day, saying,
49 Goe vp into the mountaine of Abarim, vnto the mount Nebo, which is in the lande of Moab, that is ouer against Iericho: and beholde the lande of Canaan, which I giue vnto the children of Israel for a possession,
50 And die in the mount which thou goest vp vnto, and thou shalt be [Note: Gene.25.8 ] gathered vnto thy people, [Note: Nom.20.25,28. and 33.38. ] as Aaro thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered vnto his people,
[Moses song: He blesseth the tribes.]
51 Because ye [Note: Nom. 20. 12,13. and 27.14. ] trespassed against me among the children of Israel, at the waters [Note: Or, of strife. ] of Meribah, at Kadesh in the wildernesse of Zin: for ye [Note: [y] Ye were not earnest and constant to maintaine mine honour. ] sanctified me not among the children of Israel.
52 Thou shalt therefore see the lande before thee, but shalt not go thither, I meane, into the land which I giue the children of Israel.
1 Moses before his death blesseth all the tribes of Israel. 26 There is no god like to the God of Israel: 29 Nor any people like vnto his.
1 Nowe this is the [Note: [a] This blessing conteineth not onely a simple praier, but an assurance of the offect thereof. ] blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death, and said,
2 The Lord came from Sinai, & rose vp from Seir vnto them, & appeared clearely from mount Paran, & he came with ten [Note: [b] Meaning, infinite Angels. ] thousands of Saints, and at his right hand a firie Lawe for them.
3 Though hee loue the people, yet [Note: [c] Ebr his saints, that is, the children of Israel. ] all thy Saints are in thine handes: and they are humbled at [Note: [d] As thy disciples. ] thy foete, to receiue thy words.
4 Moses commanded vs a Lawe for an [Note: [e] To vs and our successours. ] inheritance of the Congregation of Iaakob.
5 Then [Note: Or, Moses. ] he was among the righteous people, as King, when the heades of the people, and the tribes of Israel were assembled. [Note: Or, Israel. ]
6 ¶ Let [Note: [f] Reuben shalbe one of the tribes of Gods people, though for his sinne his honour be diminished and his familie but small. ] Reuben liue, and not die, though his men be a small nomber.
7 ¶ And thus he blessed Iudah, and said, Heare, O Lord, the voyce of Iudah, and bring him vnto his people: his hands shalbe [Note: [g] Signifying that he should hardly obtaine Iaakobs promes, Gene.19.8. ] sufficient for him, if thou helpe him against his enemies.
8 ¶ And of Leui he said, Let thy [Note: Exo.28.30. ] Thummim and thine Vrim be with thine Holy one, whome thou diddest proue in Massah, and didst cause him to striue at the waters of Meribah.
9 Who said vnto his father and to his mother, [Note: [h] He preferred Gods glorie to all naturall affection, Exod.32.29. ] I haue not seene him, neither knewe he his brethren, nor knewe his owne children: for they obserued thy word, and kept thy couenant.
10 They shall teach Iaakob thy iudgements, & Israel thy Lawe: they shall put incense before thy face, and the burnt offring vpon thine altar.
11 Blesse, O Lorde, his substance, and accept the worke of his handes: [Note: [i] He declareth that the ministers of God haue many enemies, and therfore haue needs to be praied for. ] smite through ye loynes of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not againe.
12 ¶ Of Beniamin he said, The beloued of the Lord shall [Note: [k] Because the temple should bee buylt in Zion, which was in the tribe of Beniamin, he sheweth that God should dwel with him there. ] dwell in safetie by him: the Lord shall couer him all the day long, and dwell betweene his shoulders.
13 ¶ And of Ioseph hee sayde, Blessed of the Lord is his land for the sweetenesse of heauen, for the dewe, and for the [Note: Or, fountaines. ] depth lying beneath,
14 And for the sweete increase of the sunne, and for the sweete increase of the moone,
15 And for the sweetenes of the top of the ancient mountaines, and for the sweetenes of the olde hilles,
16 And for the sweetenesse of the earth, and abundance thereof: and the good will of him that dwelt in the [Note: [l] Which was God appearing vnto Moses, Exod. 3.2. ] bushe, shall come vpon the head of Ioseph, and vpon the toppe of the head of him that was [Note: Gene.49.26. ] separated from his brethren.
17 His beautie shalbe like his first borne bullock, & his [Note: Or, strength. ] hornes as the hornes of an vnicorne: with them hee shall smite the people together, euen the endes of the world: these are also the ten thousands of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh.
[Page]
[Moses blesseth the tribes, and dieth. Ioshua.]
18 ¶ And of Zebulun he sayd, Reioice, Zebulun, in thy [Note: [m] In thy prosperous viages vpon the Sea, Gen.49.13 ] going out, and thou Isshachar in thy tents.
19 They shall call ye people vnto the [Note: Or, mount Zion. ] mountaine: there they shall offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse: for [Note: [n] The tribe of Zebulun. ] they shal sucke of the abundance of the sea, and of the treasures hid in the sand.
20 ¶ Also of Gad he said, Blessed be hee that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, that catcheth for his praye the arme with the head.
21 And hee looked to himselfe at the beginning, because there was a portion of the [Note: [o] So that the portion of ye Gadites, and others on this side Iorden was Gods, though it was not so knowe ] Lawe-giuer hid: yet hee shall come with the heades of the people, to execute the iustice of the Lord, and his iudgements with Israel.
22 ¶ And of Dan he said, Dan is a lions whelp: he shall leape from Bashan.
23 ¶ Also of Naphtali he sayd, O Naphtali, satisfied with fauour, and filled with the blessing of the Lorde, possesse [Note: [p] Meaning, neere the sea. ] the West and the South.
24 ¶ And of Asher he saide, Asher shalbe blessed with children: he shalbe acceptable vnto his brethren, and shall dippe his foote in oyle.
25 Thy shooes shalbe [Note: [q] Thou shalt be strong, or thy countrey full of metal. It seemeth that Simeon is left out, because hee was vnder Iudah, and his portion of his inheritance, Iosh.19.9. ] yron and brasse, and thy strength shal continue as long as thou liuest.
26 ¶ There is none like God, O righteous people, which rideth vpon the heauens for thine helpe, and on the cloudes in his glory.
27 The eternall God is thy refuge, and vnder his armes thou art for euer: hee shall cast out the enemie before thee, and will say, Destroy them.
28 Then Israel [Note: [r] Who was plentifull in issue as a fountaine. ] the fountaine of Iaakob shal dwell alone in safetie in a lande of wheat, & wine: also his heauens shal drop the dewe.
29 Blessed art thou, O Israel: who is like vnto thee, O people saued by the Lorde, the shielde of thine helpe, and which is the sword of thy glorie? therefore [Note: [s] Thine enemies for feare shall lye and fayne to bee in subiection. ] thine enemies shall bee in subiection to thee, and thou shalt tread vpon their hie places.
1 Moses seeth all the land of Canaan. 5 He dieth. 8 Israel weepeth. 9 Ioshua succeedeth in Moses roume. 10 The praise of Moses.
[Moses blesseth the tribes, and dieth. Ioshua]
1 Then Moses went from the plaine of Moab vp into mount [Note: [a] Which was a part of mount Abarim, Nom. 27.12. ] Nebo vnto the top of Pisgah that is ouer against Iericho: and the Lorde shewed him [Note: Chap.3.27. 2.mac.2.4. ] all the land of Gilead, vnto Dan,
2 And all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Iudah, vnto the vtmost [Note: [b] Called, Mediterraneum. ] sea:
3 And the South, and the plaine of the valley of Iericho, the citie of palmetrees, vnto Zoar.
4 And the Lord said vnto him, [Note: Gen.12.7. and 13.15. ] This is the lande which I sware vnto Abraham, to Izhak and to Iaacob saying, I will giue it vnto thy seede: I haue caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not goe ouer thither.
5 So Moses the seruant of the Lord dyed there in the land of Moab, according to the worde of the Lord.
6 And [Note: [c] To wit, the Angel of the Lord, Iude 9. ] hee buried him in a valley in the land of Moab ouer against Beth-peor, but no man knoweth of his sepulchre vnto [Note: [d] That the Iewes might not haue occasion thereby to commit Idolatry. ] this day.
7 Moses was nowe an hundreth and twentie yeere olde when hee died, his eye was not dimme, nor his naturall force abated.
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plaine of Moab thirtie dayes: so the dayes of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
9 And [Note: [e] Hereby appeareth the fauour of God that leaueth not his church destitute of a gouernour. ] Ioshua the sonne of Nun was full of ye spirit of wisedome: for Moses had put his hands vpon him. And the children of Israel were obedient vnto him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.
10 But there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses (whome the Lord knew [Note: [f] Vnto whome the Lord did reueale him selfe so plainely, Exo.33.11 ] face to face)
11 In all ye miracles & wonders which ye Lord sent him to do in ye land of Egypt before Pharaoh & before all his seruantes, and before al his land,
12 And in all that mightie [Note: [g] Meaning, the power of God working by Moses in the wildernesse. ] hand and all that great feare, which Moses wrought in the sight of all Israel.