Part 32 (1/2)
e. How sadly they fail who look at the thing commanded 293.
* How the Papists neither understand nor keep G.o.d's commandments 294.
* What we are to think of the holiness of the Papists 295.
f. All G.o.d commands is good, even if it seems different to reason 296.
* How the Papists do harm by the works of their wisdom, and only provoke G.o.d to anger, as king Saul did 297.
g. How in his obedience Noah held simply to G.o.d's Word and overcame all difficulties 298.
VII. THE ANIMALS AND THEIR FOOD, AND NOAH'S OBEDIENCE.
A. THE ANIMALS NOAH TOOK INTO THE ARK.
Vs. 19-20. _And every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive._
271. Here again a dispute arises, as is the case when in historical narratives one proceeds to the application and incidental features.
Our text appears to vindicate the view that here two and two are spoken of; but in the beginning of the seventh chapter seven and seven. Hence, Lyra quarrels with one Andrea, who believed fourteen specimens were included in the ark, because it is written: ”Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven.” But I approve Lyra's interpretation, who says seven specimens of every cla.s.s were inclosed in the ark, three male and three female, and the seventh also male, to be used by Noah for purposes of sacrifice.
272. When Moses says here that two and two of the several species were brought into the ark, we must necessarily understand the seventh chapter as speaking only of the unclean animals, for the number of clean animals was the greater. Of the unclean seven of every species were inclosed in the ark.
273. It is also necessary that we here discuss the signification of terms as ”all life,” ”beasts,” ”cattle.” Though these are often used without discrimination, still at various places the Scripture employs them discriminatingly; for instance, when it says, ”Let the earth bring forth living creatures.” Gen 1, 24. ”Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures.” Gen 1, 20. In those places the words of the genus stand for all living beings on the earth and in the waters.
Here the const.i.tuent species are named--_chayah_, _remes_, and _behemah_--though frequently used without discrimination.
274. The cattle he calls here _behemoth_, though in Ezekiel, first chapter, those four animals are called by the common name, _hachayoth_, a word by which we commonly designate not so much animals as beasts, subsisting not on hay or anything else growing out of the earth, but flesh; as lion, bear, wolf and fox. _Behemoth_ are cattle or brutes which live on hay and herbs growing from the earth; as sheep, cows, deer and roe.
275. _Remes_ means reptile. The word is derived from _ramas_, which means to tread. When we compare ourselves with the birds, we are _remasian_, for we creep and tread upon the earth with our feet like the dogs and other beasts. But the proper meaning is, animals which do not walk with face erect. The animals which creep and which we term reptiles have a specific name, being called _sherazim_, as we see in Leviticus from the word _sharaz_, which means to move, hereafter used in the seventh chapter. The word _oph_ is known, meaning bird.
276. Such are the differences among these terms, although, as I said before, they are not observed in some places. The interpretation must be confined, however, to the time after the flood; otherwise the inference would be drawn that such savage beasts existed also in paradise. Who will doubt that before sin, dominion having been given to man over all animals of earth, there was concord not only among men but also between animals and man?
277. Though the first chapter clearly proves that these wild beasts were created with the others, on account of sin their nature was altered. Those created gentle and harmless, after the fall became wild and harmful. This is my view, though since our loss of that state of innocent existence it is easier to venture a guess than to reach a definition of that life.
278. But, you ask, if because of sin the nature of animals became completely altered, how could Noah control them, especially the savage and fierce ones? The lion surely could not be controlled, nor tigers, panthers and the like. The answer is: Such wild animals went into the ark miraculously. To me this appears reasonable. If they had not been forced by a divine injunction to go into the ark, Noah would not have had it within his power to control such fierce animals. Undoubtedly he had to exercise his own human power, but this alone was insufficient.
And the text implies both conditions, for at first it says: ”Thou shalt bring into the ark,” and then adds: ”Two of every sort shall come unto thee.” If they had not been miraculously guided, they would not have come by twos and sevens.
279. That two by two and seven by seven came of their own accord is a miracle and a sign that they had a premonition of the wrath of G.o.d and the coming terrible disaster. Even brute natures have premonitions and forebodings of impending calamities, and often as if prompted by a certain sense of compa.s.sion, they will manifest distress for a man in evident peril. We see dogs and horses understand the perils of their masters and show themselves affected by such intelligence, the dogs by howling, the horses by trembling and the emission of copious sweat. As a matter of fact it is not rare that wild beasts in danger seek refuge with man.
280. When, therefore, there is elsewhere in brute natures such an intelligence, is it a wonder that, after having been divinely aroused to a sense of coming danger, they joined themselves voluntarily to Noah? For the text shows they came voluntarily. In the same manner history bears witness, and our experience confirms it, that, when a terrible pestilence rages or a great slaughter is imminent, wolves, the most ferocious of animals, flee not only into villages, but, on occasion, even into cities, taking refuge among men and humbly asking, as it were, their help.
B. THE FOOD NOAH TOOK INTO THE ARK.
V. 21. _And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them._
281. Inasmuch as the flood was to last a whole year, it was necessary to remind Noah of the food to be collected from the herbs and the fruits of trees in order to preserve the life of man and of animals.
Though the wrath of G.o.d was terrible, to the destruction of everything born on earth, the goodness of the Lord s.h.i.+nes forth, notwithstanding, in this an awful calamity. He looks to the preservation of man and the animals, and through their preservation to that of the species. The animals chosen for preservation in the ark were sound and of unblemished body, and through divine foresight, they received food suitable to their nature.