Read Scripture In A Year: March 13

Passage 1: Leviticus 21

(Lev 21:1) And the Lord said vnto Moses, Speake vnto the Priestes the sonnes of Aaron, and say vnto them, Let none be defiled by the dead among his people,

(Notes Reference) And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be (a) defiled for the dead among his people:

(a) By touching the dead, lamenting, or being at their burial.

(Lev 21:2) But by his kinseman that is neere vnto him: to wit, by his mother, or by his father, or by his sonne, or by his daughter, or by his brother,

(Lev 21:3) Or by his sister a maid, that is neere vnto him, which hath not had a husband: for her he may lament.

(Notes Reference) And for his sister a (b) virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.

(b) For being married she seemed to be cut off from his family.

(Lev 21:4) He shall not lament for the Prince among his people, to pollute him selfe.

(Notes Reference) [But] he shall not defile himself, [being] a (c) chief man among his people, to profane himself.

(Lev 21:5) They shall not make balde partes vpon their head, nor shaue off the locks of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

(Lev 21:6) They shalbe holy vnto their God, and not pollute the name of their God: for the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God they doe offer: therefore they shalbe holie.

(Lev 21:7) They shall not take to wife an whore, or one polluted, neither shall they marrie a woman diuorced from her husband: for such one is holy vnto his God.

(Notes Reference) They shall not take a wife [that is] a whore, or (d) profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he [is] holy unto his God.

(d) Which has an evil name or is defamed.

(Lev 21:8) Thou shalt sanctifie him therefore, for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy vnto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctifie you, am holy.

(Notes Reference) Thou shalt (e) sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the (f) bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, [am] holy.

(e) You shall count them holy and reverence them.

(f) The showbread.

(Lev 21:9) If a Priestes daughter fall to play the whore, she polluteth her father: therefore shall she be burnt with fire.

(Lev 21:10) Also ye hie Priest among his brethren, (vpon whose head the anointing oyle was powred, and hath consecrated his hand to put on the garments) shall not vncouer his head, nor rent his clothes,

(Notes Reference) And [he that is] the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not (g) uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;

(g) He shall use no such ceremonies as the mourners observed.

(Lev 21:11) Neither shall he goe to any dead bodie, nor make him selfe vncleane by his father or by his mother,

(Lev 21:12) Neither shall he goe out of the Sanctuarie, nor pollute the holy place of his God: for the crowne of the anoynting oyle of his God is vpon him: I am the Lord.

(Notes Reference) Neither shall he go out of the (h) sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the (i) crown of the anointing oil of his God [is] upon him: I [am] the LORD.

(h) To go to the dead.

(i) For by his anointing he was preferred above the other priests and therefore could not lament the dead, least he should have polluted his holy anointing.

(Lev 21:13) Also he shall take a maide vnto his wife:

(Lev 21:14) But a widowe, or a diuorced woman, or a polluted, or an harlot, these shall he not marrie, but shall take a maide of his owne people to wife:

(Notes Reference) A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, [or] an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own (k) people to wife.

(k) Not only of his tribe, but of all Israel.

(Lev 21:15) Neyther shall he defile his seede among his people: for I am the Lord which sanctifie him.

(Notes Reference) Neither shall he profane his (l) seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.

(l) By marrying any unchaste or defamed woman.

(Lev 21:16) And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

(Lev 21:17) Speake vnto Aaron, and say, Whosoeuer of thy seede in their generations hath any blemishes, shall not prease to offer the bread of his God:

(Lev 21:18) For whosoeuer hath any blemish, shall not come neere: as a man blinde or lame, or that hath a flat nose, or that hath any misshapen member,

(Notes Reference) For whatsoever man [he be] that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath (m) a flat nose, or any (n) thing superfluous,

(m) Which is deformed or bruised.

(n) As not of equal proportion, or having in number more or less.

(Lev 21:19) Or a man that hath a broken foote, or a broken hande,

(Lev 21:20) Or is crooke backt, or bleare eyed, or hath a blemish in his eye, or be skiruie, or skabbed, or haue his stones broken.

(Notes Reference) Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, (o) or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;

(o) Or that has a web or pearl.

(Lev 21:21) None of the seede of Aaron the Priest that hath a blemish, shall come neere to offer the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire, hauing a blemish: he shall not prease to offer the bread of his God.

(Notes Reference) No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the (p) bread of his God.

(p) As the show bread, and meat offerings.

(Lev 21:22) The bread of his God, euen of the most holie, and of the holy shall he eate:

(Notes Reference) He shall eat the bread of his God, [both] of the (q) most holy, and (r) of the holy.

(q) As of sacrifice for sin.

(r) As of the tithes and first fruits.

(Lev 21:23) But he shall not goe in vnto the vaile, nor come neere the altar, because hee hath a blemish, least he pollute my Sanctuaries: for I am the Lord that sanctifie them.

(Notes Reference) Only he shall not go in unto the (s) vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

(s) Into the sanctuary.

(Lev 21:24) Thus spake Moses vnto Aaron, and to his sonnes, and to all the children of Israel.

Passage 2: Psalms 120-124

(Psa 120:1) A song of degrees. I called vnto the Lord in my trouble, and hee heard me.

(Notes Reference) "A Song of (a) degrees." In my (b) distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

(a) That is, of lifting up the tune and rising in singing.

(b) Even though the children of God should rejoice when they suffer for righteousness sake, yet it is a great grief to the flesh to hear evil for well doing.

(Psa 120:2) Deliuer my soule, O Lord, from lying lippes, and from a deceitfull tongue.

(Psa 120:3) What doeth thy deceitfull tongue bring vnto thee? or what doeth it auaile thee?

(Notes Reference) What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou (c) false tongue?

(Psa 120:4) It is as the sharpe arrowes of a mightie man, and as the coales of iuniper.

(Notes Reference) (d) Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

(d) He shows that there is nothing so sharp to pierce, nor so hot to set on fire, as a slanderous tongue.

(Psa 120:5) Woe is to me that I remaine in Meschech, and dwell in the tentes of Kedar.

(Notes Reference) Woe is me, that I sojourn in (e) Mesech, [that] I dwell in the tents of (f) Kedar!

(e) These were people of Arabia, who came from Japheth, (Gen 10:2).

(f) That is, of the Ishmaelites.

(Psa 120:6) My soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace.

(Psa 120:7) I seeke peace, and when I speake thereof, they are bent to warre.

(Notes Reference) I [am for] (g) peace: but when I speak, they [are] for war.

(g) He declares what he means by Meshech and Kedar, that is, the Israelites who had degenerated from their godly fathers, and hated and contended against the faithful.

(Psa 121:1) A song of degrees. I will lift mine eyes vnto the mountaines, from whence mine helpe shall come.

(Psa 121:2) Mine helpe commeth from the Lord, which hath made the heauen and the earth.

(Notes Reference) My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made (a) heaven and earth.

(a) He accuses man's ingratitude, which cannot depend on God's power.

(Psa 121:3) He wil not suffer thy foote to slippe: for he that keepeth thee, will not slumber.

(Notes Reference) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not (b) slumber.

(b) He shows that God's providence not only watches over his Church in general, but also over every member of it.

(Psa 121:4) Beholde, he that keepeth Israel, wil neither slumber nor sleepe.

(Psa 121:5) The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shadow at thy right hand.

(Psa 121:6) The sunne shall not smite thee by day, nor the moone by night.

(Notes Reference) The sun shall not (c) smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

(c) Neither heat nor cold, nor any inconvenience will be able to destroy God's Church, even though for a time they may molest it.

(Psa 121:7) The Lord shall preserue thee from all euil: he shall keepe thy soule.

(Psa 121:8) The Lord shall preserue thy going out, and thy comming in from henceforth and for euer.

(Notes Reference) The LORD shall preserve thy (d) going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

(d) Whatever you attempt will have good success.

(Psa 122:1) A song of degrees, or Psalme of David. I rejoiced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord.

(Notes Reference) "A Song of degrees of David." I (a) was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

(a) He rejoices that God had appointed a place where the ark would still remain.

(Psa 122:2) Our feete shall stand in thy gates, O Ierusalem.

(Notes Reference) Our (b) feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

(b) Which were wont to wander to and fro, as the ark moved.

(Psa 122:3) Ierusalem is builded as a citie, that is compact together in it selfe:

(Notes Reference) Jerusalem is builded as a city that is (c) compact together:

(Psa 122:4) Whereunto the Tribes, euen the Tribes of the Lord go vp according to the testimonie to Israel, to prayse the Name of the Lord.

(Notes Reference) Whither (d) the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.

(d) All the tribes according to God's covenant will come and pray there.

(Psa 122:5) For there are thrones set for iudgement, euen the thrones of the house of Dauid.

(Notes Reference) For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of (e) David.

(e) In whose house God placed the throne of justice, and made it a figure of Christ's kingdom.

(Psa 122:6) Pray for the peace of Ierusalem: let them prosper that loue thee.

(Psa 122:7) Peace be within thy walles, and prosperitie within thy palaces.

(Notes Reference) Peace be within thy (f) walls, [and] prosperity within thy palaces.

(f) The favour of God prosper you both within and without.

(Psa 122:8) For my brethren and neighbours sakes I will wish thee now prosperitie.

(Notes Reference) For my (g) brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace [be] within thee.

(g) Not only for my own sake but for all the faithful.

(Psa 122:9) Because of the House of the Lord our God, I will procure thy wealth.

(Psa 123:1) A song of degrees. I lift vp mine eyes to thee, that dwellest in the heauens.

(Psa 123:2) Behold, as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hand of her mistres: so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God vntil he haue mercie vpon vs.

(Notes Reference) Behold, as the eyes of (a) servants [look] unto the hand of their masters, [and] as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes [wait] upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

(a) He compares the condition of the godly, to servants who are destitute of all help, assuring that when all other help fails, God is always at hand and like himself.

(Psa 123:3) Haue mercie vpon vs, O Lord, haue mercie vpon vs: for we haue suffered too much contempt.

(Notes Reference) Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are (b) exceedingly filled with contempt.

(b) He declares that when the faithful are so full that they cannot endure the oppression and scorning of the wicked any more, there is always help above, if with hungry desires they call for it.

(Psa 123:4) Our soule is filled too full of ye mocking of the wealthy, and of the despitefulnes of the proude.

(Psa 124:1) A song of degrees, or Psalme of David. If the Lord had not bene on our side, (may Israel now say)

(Notes Reference) "A Song of degrees of David." If [it had not been] the LORD who was (a) on our side, now may Israel say;

(a) He shows that God was ready to help at need and that there was no other way to be saved, but by this means alone.

(Psa 124:2) If the Lord had not bene on our side, when men rose vp against vs,

(Psa 124:3) They had then swallowed vs vp quicke, when their wrath was kindled against vs.

(Notes Reference) Then they had swallowed us up (b) quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

(b) So unable were we to resist.

(Psa 124:4) Then the waters had drowned vs, and the streame had gone ouer our soule:

(Notes Reference) Then the (c) waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

(c) He uses proper similitudes to express the great danger that the Church was in, and out of which God miraculously delivered them.

(Psa 124:5) Then had the swelling waters gone ouer our soule.

(Psa 124:6) Praysed be the Lord, which hath not giuen vs as a praye vnto their teeth.

(Psa 124:7) Our soule is escaped, euen as a bird out of the snare of the foulers: the snare is broken, and we are deliuered.

(Notes Reference) Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the (d) snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

(d) For the wicked not only furiously rage against the faithful, but craftily imagined to destroy them.

(Psa 124:8) Our helpe is in the Name of the Lord, which hath made heauen and earth.

Passage 3: Luke 4

(Luk 4:1) And Iesus full of the holy Ghost returned from Iordan, and was led by that Spirit into the wildernes,

(Notes Reference) And (1) Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

(1) Christ, being carried away (as it were out of the world) into the desert, comes suddenly as if from heaven, having fasted for forty days and overcoming Satan three times, and thus begins his office.

(Luk 4:2) And was there fourtie dayes tempted of the deuil, and in those dayes he did eate nothing: but when they were ended, he afterward was hungry.

(Luk 4:3) Then the deuil saide vnto him, If thou be the Sonne of God, commaund this stone that it be made bread.

(Notes Reference) (2) And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

(2) Christ, being tempted by Satan, first to distrust in God, secondly to the desire of riches and honour, and lastly to a vain confidence in himself, overcomes him three times by the word of God.

(Luk 4:4) But Iesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not liue by bread only, but by euery word of God.

(Luk 4:5) Then the deuill tooke him vp into an high mountaine, and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world, in the twinkeling of an eye.

(Luk 4:6) And the deuill saide vnto him, All this power will I giue thee, and the glory of those kingdomes: for that is deliuered to mee: and to whomsoeuer I will, I giue it.

(Notes Reference) And the devil said unto him, All this (a) power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is (b) delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

(a) By this word "power" are meant the kingdoms themselves which have the power: and so this is said using the figure of speech metonymy.

(b) This is surely so, for he is prince of the world, but not absolutely, and is the sovereign of it only by permission and request, and therefore he does not truly say that he can give it to whom he will.

(Luk 4:7) If thou therefore wilt worship mee, they shalbe all thine.

(Notes Reference) If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be (c) thine.

(c) Out of a high place, from which would be seen a good and first-class country, and thus the devil showed him all countries.

(Luk 4:8) But Iesus answered him, and saide, Hence from mee, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him alone thou shalt serue.

(Luk 4:9) Then hee brought him to Hierusalem, and set him on a pinacle of the Temple, and said vnto him, If thou be the Sonne of God, cast thy selfe downe from hence,

(Luk 4:10) For it is written, That hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee:

(Luk 4:11) And with their handes they shall lift thee vp, least at any time thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone.

(Luk 4:12) And Iesus answered, and said vnto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

(Luk 4:13) And when the deuil had ended all the tentation, he departed from him for a litle season.

(Luk 4:14) And Iesus returned by the power of the spirite into Galile: and there went a fame of him throughout all the region round about.

(Luk 4:15) For he taught in their Synagogues, and was honoured of all men.

(Luk 4:16) And hee came to Nazareth where hee had bene brought vp, and (as his custome was) went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stoode vp to reade.

(Notes Reference) (3) And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

(3) Who Christ is and for what reason he came he shows from the prophet Isaiah.

(Luk 4:17) And there was deliuered vnto him the booke of the Prophet Esaias: and when hee had opened the booke, hee founde the place, where it was written,

(Notes Reference) And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had (d) opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

(d) Their books in those days were rolled up as scrolls upon a ruler: and so Christ unrolled or unfolded it, which is here called "opened".

(Luk 4:18) The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee, because he hath anoynted me, that I should preach the Gospel to the poore: he hath sent mee, that I should heale the broken hearted, that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues, and recouering of sight to the blinde, that I should set at libertie them that are bruised:

(Luk 4:19) And that I should preache the acceptable yeere of the Lord.

(Luk 4:20) And hee closed the booke, and gaue it againe to the minister, and sate downe: and the eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastened on him.

(Luk 4:21) Then he began to say vnto them, This day is the Scripture fulfilled in your eares.

(Luk 4:22) And all bare him witnes, and wondered at the gracious wordes, which proceeded out of his mouth, and said, Is not this Iosephs sonne?

(Notes Reference) (4) And all (e) bare him witness, and (f) wondered at the (g) gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

(4) Familiarity causes Christ to be condemned and therefore he often goes to strangers.

(e) Approved those things which he spoke with common consent and voice: for this word "witness" signifies in this place (and many others) "to allow and approve a thing with open confession".

(f) Present at this meeting of the scriptures were not only the learned, but also the common people: and besides that, their mother tongue was used, for how else could the people have wondered? Paul appointed the same manner for doing things in the Church at Corinth; (1Co. 14:1-40).

(g) Words full of the mighty power of God, which appeared in all his doings, and as well allured men marvellously unto him; see (Psa 45:2), "grace is poured into thy lips".

(Luk 4:23) Then he said vnto them, Ye will surely say vnto mee this prouerbe, Physician, heale thy selfe: whatsoeuer we haue heard done in Capernaum, doe it here likewise in thine owne countrey.

(Luk 4:24) And he saide, Verely I say vnto you, No Prophet is accepted in his owne countrey.

(Luk 4:25) But I tell you of a trueth, many widowes were in Israel in the dayes of Elias, when heauen was shut three yeres and sixe moneths, when great famine was throughout all the land:

(Notes Reference) But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the (h) land;

(h) Land of Israel; See Mar 15:33.

(Luk 4:26) But vnto none of them was Elias sent, saue into Sarepta, a citie of Sidon, vnto a certaine widowe.

(Luk 4:27) Also many lepers were in Israel, in the time of Eliseus the Prophet: yet none of them was made cleane, sauing Naaman the Syrian.

(Luk 4:28) Then all that were in the Synagogue, when they heard it, were filled with wrath,

(Notes Reference) (5) And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

(5) The more sharply the world is rebuked the more it openly rages: but the life of the godly is not always subject to the desires of the wicked.

(Luk 4:29) And rose vp, and thrust him out of the citie, and led him vnto the edge of the hil, whereon their citie was built, to cast him downe headlong.

(Luk 4:30) But he passed through the middes of them, and went his way,

(Luk 4:31) And came downe into Capernaum a citie of Galile, and there taught them on the Sabbath dayes.

(Luk 4:32) And they were astonied at his doctrine: for his worde was with authoritie.

(Luk 4:33) And in the Synagogue there was a man which had a spirit of an vncleane deuill, which cryed with a loude voyce,

(Luk 4:34) Saying, Oh, what haue we to doe with thee, thou Iesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy vs? I know who thou art, euen the holy one of God.

(Notes Reference) (6) Saying, Let [us] alone; what have we to do with thee, [thou] Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

(6) Christ astonishes not only men, be they ever so stupid, but even the demons as well, whether or not they want to be.

(Luk 4:35) And Iesus rebuked him, saying, Holde thy peace, and come out of him. Then the deuill throwing him in the middes of them, came out of him, and hurt him nothing at all.

(Luk 4:36) So feare came on them all, and they spake among themselues, saying, What thing is this: for with authoritie and power he commaundeth the foule spirits, and they come out?

(Luk 4:37) And ye fame of him spred abroad throughout all the places of the countrey round about.

(Luk 4:38) And he rose vp, and came out of the Synagogue, and entred into Simons house. And Simons wiues mother was taken with a great feuer, and they required him for her.

(Notes Reference) (7) And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

(7) In that Christ heals the diseases of the body with only his word, he proves that he is God Almighty, sent for man's salvation.

(Luk 4:39) Then he stoode ouer her, and rebuked the feuer, and it left her, and immediatly she arose, and ministred vnto them.

(Luk 4:40) Now at the sunne setting, all they that had sicke folkes of diuers diseases, brought them vnto him, and he layd his hands on euery one of them, and healed them.

(Luk 4:41) And deuils also came out of many, crying, and saying, Thou art that Christ that Sonne of God: but he rebuked them, and suffered them not to say that they knewe him to be that Christ.

(Notes Reference) (8) And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking [them] suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

(8) Satan, who is a continual enemy of the truth, ought not to be heard, not even when he speaks the truth.

(Luk 4:42) And when it was day, he departed, and went foorth into a desart place, and the people sought him, and came to him, and kept him that he should not depart from them.

(Notes Reference) (9) And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

(9) No zealous response on the part of the people ought to hinder us in the race that God has appointed unto us.

(Luk 4:43) But he sayd vnto them, Surely I must also preach the kingdome of God to other cities: for therefore am I sent.

(Luk 4:44) And hee preached in the Synagogues of Galile.