Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_600.lzh/4_619.TXT

Text File | 1994-09-29 | 7KB | 128 lines

hence alms in the Hebrew language is called righteous-
hess: and it must be such bread as is convenient and
fit tbr a man himself, such as he himself and his family
eat of.- and this he must cast, it must be a man's own
act, and a voluntary one; his bread mnst not be taken and
forced from him ;it must be given freely, and in such a
manner as not to be expected again; and bountifully
and plentifully, as a man casts seed into the earth .- but
here it is said to be upon the waters; bread is to be given
to such as are in distress and affliction, that have
waters of a full cup wrtmg out unto them, whose faces
are watered with tears, and foul with weeping, from
whom nothing is to be expected again, who can rnake
no returns; so that what is given thorn seems to be
cast away and lost, like what is thrown into a river, or
into the midst of the sea; and even it is to be given to
such who prove ungrateful and untbankful, and on
whom no mark or impression of the kindness is made
and left, no more than upon water; yea, it is to be
given to strangers never seen before nor after, like
gliding water; so the Vulgate Latin version renders it,
passing waters: or else to such who may be compared/
to well-watered ground, or moist ground, as Mr.
Broughton renders it; where the seed cast will grow
up again, and bring forth fruit, and redound to the ad-
vantage of the sower, as what is given to the poordoes;
they are a good soil to sow upon, especially Christ's
poor, who are partakers of his living water, grace; see
Isa. xxxii. 20. though it may be the multitude of per-
sons to whom alms is to be given are here intended,
which are sometimes signified by waters, Rev. xvii. 15.
as the next verse seems to explain it. The Targum
is," reach out the bread of thy sustenance to the poor
·  that go in ships upon the thce of the water ;" and
some think the speech is borrowed from navigation,
and is an allusion to merchants who send their goods
beyond sea, and have a large return for them. For
thou shalt find it after many days; not the identical
bread itself, but the fruit and reward of such benefi-
cence; which they shall have unexpectedly, or after
long waiting, as the husbandman for his seed; it sug-
gests that such persons should live long, as liberal per-
sons oftentimes do, and increase in their worldly sub-
stance; and if they should not live to reap the advan-
tage of their liberality, yet their posterity will, as the
seed of Jonathan did for the kindness he showed to
David: or, however, if they find it not again in tem-
poral things, yet in spirituals; and shall be recom-
pencod in the resurrection of the just, and to all eter-
nity. So the Targum, "for after the time of many
"days, then thou shall find the reward of it in this
"world (so it is in the king's Bible), and in the world
"to come ;" see Luke xii. 12, 13, 14. Jarchi instances
in Jethro. Noldius {p} renders it within many days, even
before many days are at an end; for seed sown by
waters in hot climates soon sprung up, and produced
fruit; see Dan xi. 20.
Ver. 2. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight, &c.]
Or, a parts; not the whole of a man's substance, for he
must have to support himself and his family; he that
does not take care of that is worse than an infidel; a
man may bestow all his goods on the poor, and noti
have charity; though no doubt there was true charity,
or love, in the poor widow that threw in all her sub-
stance into the treasury, which was an extraordinary
case, 1 Tim. v. 8. 1 Cot. xiii. o.. Mark xii. 44. but a
man is to give of such things that he has, ordinarily,
and not all that he has, Luke xi. 41. he is to give ac-
cording to his ability, and what he can spare from the
service of himself and family; and this is to be distri-
buted, and given in parts to the poor, according to
their necessities; not all to one, but something to every
one, to sorest, and also to eight : if seven persons apply,
give them every one a part; and, if an eighth person
comes, send him not away empty; give to every one
that asketh, Luke vi. 30. compare with this phrase
Mic. v. 5. Sotrio think this respects time, so Aben
Ezra; that a man should give constantly and conti-
nually, should be daily giving, all the seven days of
the week, and when the eighth day comes, or the week
begins again, go on in the same course. The 'Fargum
,is, "put a good part of seed in thy field in Tisri (the
"seventh tnonth), and do not cease from sowing even
"in Casleu," the eighth month. 17or thou knowest not
what evil shall be upon the earth; what calamities shall
come upon it, which may sweep away all a man'$
substance; it may be destroyed by fire, or washed
away by a deluge of Water, or plundered by an enemy;
or, however, the day of death may quickly come, as it
certainly shall, and then it will be no longer in a man's
power to do good with what he has. Moreover, the
arguments which covetous men use against .liberality,
the wise man uses for it; they argue that bad tithes
may come, and they may sustain great losses; or have
a greater charge upon them, a growing family; or
they may live to old age, and want it themselves: be
it no, these are reasons why they should give liberally
while they can; that when these things they fear shall
come upon them, they may be relieved and. supplied
by others; for those that show mercy shall find mercy;
and this is the way to make themselves friends in a
time of need, and against it; see I,uke xvi. 9.
Vet. & If the clouds be full of rain, they empty them-
selves upon the earth, &c.] They do not retain it; sad
would it be for the earth if they did; but they let it
down softly and gently, in plentiful show. ers upon the
several parts of the earth without distinction, by which
it is refreshed, and made fruitful; nor are they losers
by it, for they draw up great quantities again out of
the ocean, and so constantly answer the ends for
which they are appointed. And so rich men, who
are full of the good things of this world, should
not keep them to themselves, and for their own use
only; but should consider they are stewards under
God, and for others, and should be like the full
clouds, empty themselves; and give to those who
want of what God has given them, freely and
cheerfully, bountifully and plentifully, and that with-
out respect of persons, imitating their God and Cre-
ator, who sendeth rain upon the just and the un-
.just, Matt. v. 45. and such in the issue are no losers,
but gainers; they fill again as fast as they empty.


{p} Ebr. Concord. Partic. p. 155. No. 704.
{q} \^qlx\^ patem, Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Vatablus, Drusius,
Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.