ones . . : whom ſball he go up fi 2 unto this day in the field of Joſhua the Bethſbemire: | 975%, To minifer bitrn h2 k where the LORD fe orete £982" e This added for Explication of that foregoing Phraſe, all the | Since GOD is ſo ſevere to —_————— f : p ein bi x hs ent. 11,ly GOP: cities; either ro ſhew, that under the Name of the five Cities were | who js ſufficient and worthy to ſerve im ? an an ak = \ Hegneze comprehended all the Villages and Territories belonging to them, s e preſum
come into his preſence ? It ſeems to be a Complaint »ftula=
in whoſe Name, and a* whoſe _—_ op nay were made ; | rjon with GOD, concerning this laſt and 00a 7 _
or to expreſs the difference between this and the former Preſent, rity- ! Who will dare to receive the Ark with 1o much hazard to the Emerods being only five, according to the five Cities LE themſelves 2 | ,
| 21 T And
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Jeb. Th RD, phi ly GOD.
| Chap. VIE. l. | 21 T And chey ſent meſſengers to the inhabicants of Kirjath-jearim m, ſaying, The Philiſtines have brought again the ark of the LORD : come ye down and ferch ic up to You. . mW hither they ſent, either becauſe the place was not far off from them, and ſo it might ſoon be removed, which they mainly
S 4 M ©
' defired : or becauſe it was a place of Eminency and Strength, and
-0 be better preſerved from any new attempts of the Phili- rr _ 0 be hoes attended by the 1/razlites, who would more. freely and fiequenrly come to it at ſuch a place, than in Bcthſbmeſh, | which was upon the border of their Enemies Land : or becauſe they thought they would gladly receive it, being a pious and zealous : pzop!e : or becauſe it was in the way to Szloh, its ancient Habirati- on; and whither they might ſuppoſe it was to be carried by de- grecs, and teveral Stages, whereof this was one.
CHAP, VIL
The Ark u placed in Kirjath-jearim:Eleazar Abinadat's ſon is ſanfified ty keep it, 1 === 2. Samuel exhorts them to Repent, anda put away their Idols, rhey obey him. A Faſt at Mizpeh, 3 — 6. The Philiſtines intend to ſet upon the Iſraelites, who are afraid, 7. Samutl offereth and prayeth far Iſrael. God hearcth: Terrifieth the Philiftines with Thunder, and they ave ſmitten * Are ſubdued ; And the Cities which they had taken from the
Iſraelites are recovered, 8 ++ I4. Samuel wiſiteth all the Cities of Iſrael, and returns to Ramah : There builds an altar to the Lord,
i 17s : :
: ANd the men of * Kirjath-jearim came a and fetcht LI up b the ark of the LORD, and brought ir into Cs the houſe of * Abinadab in the hill c, and ſandtified
d Eleazar his fon e, to keep the ark of the LORD f.
a They gladly embrace the motion, as wiſely conſidering, that their great Calamity was not to be charged upon the Ark, but u- pon themſelves and their own careleſsneſs, irreverence, and pre- ſumption, inlocking into the Ark This place is elſewhere called Baalah, and Kiriath Baal, as is evident from Joſh? rs: 9, 60. and 18: 14+ and 1 Chron: 13: 6, 7- 6 i» e. Cauſed it to be brought up ; to wit, by tie Prieſts appeinted to that work, whom they could eaſily procure, and undoubtedly would do it, eſpecially ha- ving been 1o !:tely warned of the great danger of violating God s Commands in thoſe matters. In Scripture-uſe, men are common- ly ſaid to do that which they order, or cauſe others to do» «c This place they choſe, becauſe it was both a ſtrong place, where 1t would be moſt falſe; and an high place, and therefore viſible at ſome di-
ſtance, an41 ro many perſons, which was convenient for them, who were at that time to direCt their Prayers and Faces towards the Ark, 1 Kings 8: 29, 30g 35+ Pſal: 28: 2. and 138: 2. Dan: 6: 10, And for the ſame reaſon David afterwards placed it 1n the Hill of Sion. Some tranſlate the word, in Gibeah. But that was in the Tribe of B njamin, Joſh; 184 27+ Judges 19: 14. whereas this Kirjath- jearim was in the Tribe of Judah, 1 Chron: 13: 6, 7. d Not that they made him either Levite or Prieſt, as ſome would have it ; for in Iſ-ael perſor:'s were not madey but born ſuch ; and ſince the Inſtitu- tion of ' evites and Priefts, none were made ſuch, that were born of other Tribes, or Families ; but that they devoted, or ſet him apart ( as this Verb ſometimes ſignifies) wholly to attend upon this Work. e Him rtiey chole rather than his Father, becauſe he was younger ana ſtron,er, and probably freed from Domeſtick Cares, which might diierr him from, or diſturb him in this Work; or becauſe be was more eminent for Prudence or Piety. f To keep the place where it was, clean and neat, and to guard it that none might approach or touch it, but ſuch as God required, or allowed to do fo, 2 E And it came to paſs while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim g, that the time was long : for it was t twenty years þ: and all the houſe of Iſrael lamented 1 after the LORD 3. | g Where it conrinued, and was not carried to Shil»h its former Place, either becauſe thar place was deſtroyed by the Philiftinss when the Ark was taken, as may be gathered from tis Hiſtory, compa- red with Jer: 7: 2,14: and 26: 6,9. Or becauſe God would here- by punith the wi-kedneſs either of that particular place of Shiloh, or of the people of 1/-ae!, by keeping it ina private and obſcure place, and thar near to the Ph/liſtines, whither the generality of che people neither durſt, nor could ſafely come. h He faith nor, That this 20 Years was all the time of the Arks abode there, for it continued there from E/:'s time, till David's Reign, 2 Sam: 6: 2. which was 40 years, As 13: 21. but that it was fo long there e're the 1ſraelites were ſenſible of their fin and Miſery, e're they lamented, &c. as it follows. 7 te. They followed afcer God with Lamentation for his departure, and ſo long eſtrangemeat from them, and with prayers for his return. and favour to them, 2 T And Samuel ſpake unto all the houſe of Iſrael k, fayipg, If ye do return unto the LORD / with all *Joſh:24: Your heart mn, then * put away the ſtrange gods », and 14, 1,8 *X Aſhtaroth o from among you, and prepare your Jud 2"13- hearts p unto the LORD, and * ſerve him only ;
* Deut: . . : "0 24 and q he will deliver you out of che hand of the Phili- Mar: 4: 10. ſtines.