聖書注解書

And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

In the days of Amraphel, — i.e., Nimrod, as R. Salomon saith: or Ninus, as others.

King of nations. — Of a people made up of sundry nations, saith Lyra. Symmachus rendereth it, King of Scythians: others, of Pamphylia.

return to '

[That these] made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

That these made war. — War is the slaughter house of mankind, and the hell of this present world. It hews itself a way through a wood of men, and lays "heaps upon heaps" (as Samson did, Judges 15:16 ), not with "a jaw-bone of an ass," and one after another, but in a minute of time, and by the mouth of a murdering piece. Alphonsus D. of Ferrara had two of these cannons Peacham’s Valley of Varieties. Revelation 9:17 "Fire, smoke, and brimstone," seem to note out the Turks’ guns and ordnance. For the drawing of that gun that Mohammed used in besieging Constantinople, seventy yokes of oxen and two thousand men were employed. of a wonderful size; the one whereof he called Archidiabolo, the other, the Earthquake. The Turks battered the walls of Rhodes, with twelve basilisks, so aptly named of the serpent, basiliscus , who, as Pliny writes, killeth man or beast with his very sight. But before these bloody instruments of death were heard of in the world, men could find means to slaughter one another in war; witness these five kings, that came with Chedorlaomer, and smote the Rephaims or giants, the Zuzims or Zamzummims, Deuteronomy 2:20 and the Emims or terrible ones, as their name imports. These they slew by the way, besides what they did in the vale of Siddim, where they joined battle with the five kings, and cut off many. If we may judge one battle by another, hear what was done in a bloody fight between Amurath III, king of the Turks, and Lazarus, despot of Servia. Many thousands fell on both sides; the brightness of the armour and weapons was as like the lightning; the multitude of lances and other horsemen’s staves shadowed the light of the sun. Arrows and darts fell so fast, that a man would have thought they had poured down from heaven. The noise of the instruments of war, with the neighing of horses, and outcries of men, was so terrible and great, that the wild beasts in the mountains stood astonished therewith; and the Turkish histories, Turk. Hist., fol. 200. to express the terror of the day, vainly say, that the angels in heaven, amazed with that hideous noise, for that time, forgot the heavenly hymns wherewith they always glorify God. In conclusion, Lazarus was slain, and Amurath had the victory, but a very bloody one, and such as he had no great joy of. For he lost many of his Turks; as did likewise Adrian the Emperor of the Romans, when he fought against the Jews and had the better: but with such a loss of his own men, that when he wrote of his victory to the Senate, he forbore to use that common exordium, that the emperors in like ease were wont to use, Si vos liberique vestri valeatis, bene est: Ego quidem et exercitus valemus. Dio in Adriano. There was no such thing, believe it, nor but seldom is there. But as the dragon sucks out the blood of the elephant, and the weight of the falling elephant crushes the dragon, and both usually perish together; Plin. so doth it many times fall out with those that undertake war. These four kings beat the five; but, when they got home, became a prey to Abram and his confederates. The Low-countrymen are said to grow rich - whereas Heylin’s Geog., p. 253. all other nations grow poor - with war. But they may thank a good queen, under God (Queen Elizabeth, I mean), who first undertook their protection against the Spaniard. For the which act of hers, all princes admired her fortitude: and the King of Sweden said, that she had now taken the diadem from her head, and set it upon the doubtful chance of war. Anno 1585. Camden’s Elisab. Dubia sane est Martis alea, nec raro utrique parti noxia , saith Bucholcerus. Bucholc. Chron., p. 583. And I cannot but - as the case stands with us, especially at this present, by reason of these unnatural uncivil wars stirred up amongst us - go on, and give my vote with him. Ideo pons aureus (ut vulgato proverbio dicitur) hosti fugienti extruendus est et magno precio, precibus, patientia ac prudentia alma pax redimenda, ne infoelicitatis portas, pacis tempore clausas, infaustum bellum aperiat . War is sweet, they say, to them that never made trial of it. Dulce bellum inexpertis. But I cannot sufficiently wonder at Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, of whom Justin witnesseth, that he took as much pleasure in war, as others do in supreme government. Nulli maiorem ex imperio quam Pyrrho ex bello voluptatem fuisse. He might have better learned of his own prophets; so St Paul calleth their poets. Titus 1:12 Homer, the prince of them, ever brings in Mars, as most hated of Jupiter above any other god, as born for a common mischief, and being right of his mother Juno’s disposition, which was fierce, vast, contumacious, and malignant. We that are Christians, as we cannot but, with the prophet Isaiah, count and call war a singular evil; so we must acknowledge with him, that it is an evil of God’s own creating. Isaiah 45:7 "I make peace, and create evil," Malum per αντονομασιαν ut bellum, quia minime bellum per antiphrasin . that is, war. I, is emphatic and exclusive, as who should say, I, and I alone. Whencesoever the sword comes, it is bathed in heaven. Isaiah 34:5 God is pleased for this to style himself, "A man of war". Exodus 15:3 The Chaldee expresseth it thus, "the Lord and victor of wars". Genesis 17:1 God elsewhere calleth himself, El Shaddai. Aben-Ezra interpreteth Shaddai a conqueror. And indeed the Hebrew word Shadad signifieth to dissipate and destroy: both which he must needs do that becomes a conqueror. Eundem victorem et vastatorem esse oportet . God seems to glory much in his workings about warlike affairs. Hence, - "Who Psalms 24:8 is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty; the Lord mighty in battle." He is in Scripture said to "send the sword"; Ezekiel 14:17 to "muster" the men; Isaiah 13:4 to order the ammunition; Jeremiah 50:25 to bring up both van and rear; Isaiah 52:12 to give wisdom, valour, and victory. Psalms 144:1 Ezekiel 30:24 Ecclesiastes 9:11 The whole battle is his. 1 Samuel 17:47 And he oft thereby "revengeth the quarrel of his covenant". Leviticus 26:25 So he hath done already upon the Jews and Germans: so he is now doing, alas, upon Ireland and England. And here I cannot but insert that which I find observed by a prime preacher of our kingdom. The late battle at Edgehill was fought in a place called "the Vale of the Red Horse," as if God had said, "I have now sent you the red horse, to avenge the quarrel of the white"; Revelation 6:2 ; Revelation 6:4 the blood spilt at Edgehill the same day of the month in which the rebellion broke out in Ireland, the year before, October 23. Yea, and upon the self-same day, if our intelligence be true, in which that bloody battle was fought near Leipsic, in Germany. This conjuncture is a sad presage, that England is to drink deep in Germany’s and Ireland’s cup. "Father, if it be thy will, let this cup pass from us." "A cup of trembling" it is, surely, to myself, among many others; such as maketh my pen almost to fall out of my fingers, while I write these things; and affects me no otherwise - when I consider of the many fearful convulsions of our kingdom, tending doubtless to a deadly consumption-than the siege of Rome did St Jerome. For hearing that that city was besieged, at such time as he was writing a Commentary upon Ezekiel, Hieron. com. in Ezekiel. - Proem. and that many of his godly acquaintance there were slain, he was so astonished at the news, that for many nights and days he could think of nothing. When I think Haec scripsi cordiciuts dolens . - August 21, 1643 of what should move the Lord to make this breach upon us, and notwithstanding that he hath been so earnestly besought; yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still; that of Cajetan comes before me; who, then commenting upon Matthew when the French soldiers having broken into Rome, offered all manner of abuse and violence to the clergy, inserts this passage into his Notes on Matthew 5:13 - "Ye are the salt of the earth," - as my former author Mr Arrowsmith, ubi supra, Ep. allegeth, and rendereth him: - "We, the prelates of Rome, do now find the truth of this by woeful experience, being become a scorn and a prey, not to infidels but Christians, by the most righteous judgment of God, because we, who by our places should have been ‘the salt of the earth,’ had ‘lost our savour,’ and were good for little else but looking after the rites and revenues of the Church. Evanuimus, ac ad nihilum utiles, nisi ad externas caeremonias, externaque bona ,& c. - Heylin’s Geog. Hence it is, that together with us, this city comes to be trodden under foot, this sixth of May 1527." That city, till it became idolatrous, was ever victorious: but since it hath been the nest of Antichrist, it was never besieged but it was taken and sacked. The God of heaven purge out of our Church, daily more and more, that land desolating sin of idolatry, and make good his promise, "That there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts," Zechariah 14:21 no evil spirit left in the land. Fiat, fiat . For of England we may now well say, as he once did of Rome: Nunquam magis iustis iudiciis approbatum est, non esse curae Deo securitatem nostrum, esse vindictam. Tacit. Hist., lib. i. cap. 1.

return to '

All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

The salt sea. — So it was afterwards called. See Trapp on " Genesis 19:25 " See Plin., lib. v. cap. 16.

return to '

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

They rebelled. — Which they ought not to have done, if they had promised fidelity, unless in case of extreme necessity: and then also, at first, to have been on the defensive only. Alsted.

return to '

And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that [were] with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

Chedorlaomer. — King of Persia; he was commander in chief; and upon his sword might have been written, as was upon Agamemnon’s, ουτος μεν φοβος εστιν ανθρωπων , this is the common terror. Pausan.

return to '

And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which [is] by the wilderness.

And the Horites in their mount Seir. — Their Seir could not secure them, when once they fell into the hands of these Ardeliones , Ezekiel 21:31 burning or "brutish men," skilful to destroy.

return to '

And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which [is] Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.

And smote all the country. — Great is the woe of war. See Trapp on " Genesis 14:2 " Great also was the goodness of God to Abram, in giving so many, and so victorious, nations into his hands.

return to '

And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same [is] Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

And there went out the king of Sodom, … — These five neighbouring kings were combined against the four kings that invaded them. It was not then a civil dissension, that worst of wars, such as was that of France (and is now, alas, of England), wherein the sons fought against their fathers, and brothers against brothers; and even women took arms on both sides for defence of their religion. Hist. of Counc. of Trent, 647. That was not more monstrous, that the Suevian women threw their young children at the Romans, their enemies, instead of darts, Heyl. Geog., p. 289. than that other was piteous between the Romans themselves, those that were for Vitellius, and the other for Vespasian; that, when the women brought the Vitellians food by night, into the camp, they not only refreshed themselves, but their adversaries also, with food and drink. Each man called to his adversary by name, and said, Accipe, mi commilito, ede: Non enim tibi gladium proebeo, sed panem. Accipe rursum et bibe: Non enim tibi scutum, sed poculum trado: ut, sive tu me interficias, sive ego te, moriamur facilius: atque ut ne me, enervata atque imbecilla manu occidas, aut ego te. Hae nostrae sunt exequiae, nobis adhuc viventibus. Dio in Vita Vitellii. Thus they greeted over night, and the next day despatched one another; they gave wounds, and took wounds; they slew, and were slain, as the same author hath it. ετιτρωσκον ετιτρωσκοντο: εφονευον, εφονευοντο . - Dio. Which as oft as I think on, I cannot but highly commend that speech of Otho the Emperor to his soldiers, a little before he took his end: I hate civil wars, though I were sure to overcome. Mισω πολεμον εμφυλιον, καν κρατων . - Dio in Vita Othonis. I know not why any Englishman should love it, that shall call to mind, that in the civil dissensions between the houses of York and Lancaster, there were slain (ere the quarrel ended) fourscore princes of the blood royal, and twice as many natives of England as were lost in the two conquests of France. Daniel’s Chron. continued by Trussel., fol. 249. War is easily taken up, saith the wise historian, Omne bellum sumitur facile, caeterum aegerrime desin it. Non enim in eiusdem potestate est initium belli, eiusque finis . - Salust, in Jug. but not so easily laid down again; neither is the beginning and the end of a war in any one man’s power. If the Scots should come in on the one side, and the French or Irish on the other, what an Aceldama should we soon become! what an Ireland, a seat of wrath, because a seat of war! It is never to be forgotten by us, that the dissension between England and Scotland consumed more Christian blood, wrought more spoil and destruction, and continued longer than ever quarrel we read of did between any two people of the world. Our Edward I adjured his son and nobles, that, if he died on his journey into Scotland, they should carry his corpse about Scotland, and not suffer it to be interred, till they had absolutely subdued the country. A desire more martial than Christian; a design of revenge beyond his life. Such spirits are raised in men "that delight in war". Psalms 68:30 "Oh! pray for the peace of Jerusalem." So saith David. Psalms 122:6 And so doth David in the next verse, "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces." The Athenians, when they had gotten the better at sea of the Lacedemonians, were so overjoyed, that they then first set up altars to the public peace; and appointed a cushion to be laid thereon, for that goddess to rest upon. Tum primum arae Paci publicae sunt factae, eique Deae pulvinar institutum . - Cornel. Nepos. Oh, would the Lord but once more grant us, that "righteousness and peace might kiss each other, and mercy and truth meet" in our land, Psalms 85:9-10 how happy should we hold ourselves; how infinitely obliged to sing, Servati sumus, ut serviamus ! Luke 1:74 How should we prize our restored peace, and improve it as Abram did here, to the paying of tithes, in token of thankfulness; yea, to the setting up of altars, not to public peace, as those heathens, but to the God of peace, as Abram after this did, when he had concluded a peace with King Abimelech, and his general, Phichol! Genesis 21:32-33

return to '