Herodotus calls Apries and is the Pharaoh here meant Egypt It is a famous Region of Africa so called either from Aegyptus the son of Belus or from the blacknesse of the river Nilus which formerly was called Sichor that is black The Grecians understanding this they in their language called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies black whence in time the land came to bee called Egypt Martinius In the Old Testament it is alwaies called the land of Misraim from Misraim the son of Ham for of this Misraim came the Egyptians It is a land very fruitful Publicum orbis horreum The Granary of the world Macrobius gives it this honour to bee the mother of Arts it had famous schools especially at Alexandria but abounded with superstition and idolatry The Egyptians were the first saith Polydore Virgil that set up Altars Temples Images Lib 1. de rerum inventione c. 5. and sacrificed to idol gods and taught strangers to do so Prophesy against him and against all Egypt These words shew the latitude and extent of his Prophesy it was not to bee against the King alone or his Nobles but against them and all the people He was to Prophesy against great and small Obs 1 The Lord would have men mind the time when he sets his Prophets on work and that punctually the year Moneth and day are here recorded when he gave out his word to Ezekiel that the same might bee observed by all it concerned The Jews trusted much to Egypt and the Kings thereof The Egyptians were haughty and self-confident now God records the time of his Commissioning Ezekiel to Prophesy against the King of Egypt and the Egyptians that the Jews hearing of their ruine destinated from such a time they might rely no longer upon them and that the Egyptians might consider what to do being in such eminent danger for their treachery to the Jews and confidence in what they had Obs 2 That the servants of God must impartially dispense the word committed unto them Set thy face against Pharaoh King of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt Hee must neither fear nor flatter any of what condition or rank soever but declare the mind of God and denounce his judgements indifferently towards all When Prophets and the Sons of Prophets have to do with great ones they are apt to bee discouraged and to faulter in their work which they ought not to do considering God who sends them is greater than the greatest Jeremy had something of this nature in him and therefore see how God rouses him and steels his spirit chap. 1.17 18. Gird up thy loines and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee bee not dismaied at their faces least I confound thee before them for behold I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land against the Kings of Judah against the Princes thereof against the Priests thereof and against the people of the land and they shall fight against thee Jeremy had high and low all sorts of men yea all men against him yet he must dispense the truth and all the truth impartially not fearing the faces of any least he should be confounded 3 Behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt The words may bee read Behold I am above thee thou art above others and thinkest none to bee above thy self but I am above thee and being above thee in power and greatnesse I am against thee for thy wickednesse I that am God the King of Kings that shake heaven and earth at my pleasure that tumble down Kings from their thrones and seats I even I am against thee The great dragon that lyeth in the midst of his Rivers The Hebrew word for Dragon is Tannin which Lamen 4.3 is rendred a Sea-monster in Job 7.12 a whale in Isa 51.9 a Dragon and so here it notes monstrous and great creatures in the Sea or at Land and according to the subject matter it is to bee understood of the Whale Dragon or Crocodile The Septuagint Montanus Vulgar Vatablus and our English have it Dragon Junius Piscator and Lavater a great Whale Some Interpreters make it the Crocodile which is like a Dragon or Serpent and lives in the Egyptian fens and waters chiefly in the river of Nile and may not unfitly bee called the Whale or Dragon thereof Pharaoh is likened unto this Dragon or Crocodile 1 The Crocodile is the chiefest and greatest of all that moved in the Egyptian waters no fish no Serpent comparable to it so Pharaoh was the chiefest and greatest among all the Egyptians 2 The Crocodile is cruel and ravenous seeking his prey both in the waters Dentium unguium immanitate armatum est animal Franzius and on the land being armed with sharpe claws and teeth and some of them can swallow an entire heifer as Sands reports in his travailes So the Egyptian Pharaohs were cruel and ravenous Did not Pharaoh command the mid-wives to kill all the Males of the Hebrews at their birth and when they would not do it did not he charge his people to drown them Exod. 1. and did hee not seek his prey in the red Sea when hee pursued the Israelites going through it 3 The Crocodile is subtle and useth cunning waies to get his prey he will lye as if asleep and dead with his mouth open to deceive the birds and passengers Sometimes also hee fills his mouth with water and spouts it out in the way where beasts and men do pass that so it being slippery they may fall Franzius in Historia animalum and become a prey to him So the Egyptian Pharaohs were subtle and used much cunning to make a prey of the people especially the Jews Exod. 1.10 Come let us deal wisely with them and how cunning was hee in calling forth his Magitians to dis-credit the Miracles of Moses and Aaron chap. 7. 8. That lyeth in the midst of his Rivers The Hebrew for Rivers is jeorim and notes such as are made by the Art and help of man cut out of some great river for to water the land In Egypt they had seldome any rain but cut Rivers out of Nilus by which the land was watered according to that Deut. 11.10 where Canaan is said not to bee like Egypt where they sowed their seed and watered it with the foot that is they digged trenches and little rivers and so watered Egypt by the help of their feet but Canaan was watered from heaven The Dragons or Crocodiles lay lurking in these securely and so did Pharaoh in his Kingdom which was full of artificial Rivers My River is mine own I have made it for my self The words in the Hebrew sound thus Mihi fluvius meus ego feci me To mee is my River and I have made my self The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mine are the Rivers and I have made them that is mine is Nilus
at the end thereof hee would shew them mercy This is that Jeremy speaks of chap. 46.25 26. The Lord of Hosts the God of Issael saith behold I will punish the multitude of No that was a great City in Egypt afterward called Alexandria and Pharaoh and Egypt with their gods and their Kings even Pharaoh and all them that trust in him that was Johanan and all the Jews who fled into Egypt for safety contrary to the mind and counsel of Jeremy chap. 42.19 20 21 22. and I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon and into the hand of his servants here you have the judgement of God upon Egypt Egyptians and the Jews trusting in them but now what followes And afterwards it shall bee inhabited as in the daies of old after forty years suffering Egypt should receive her scattered ones and become a Kingdome again 14 And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt Here the abstract is put for the Concrete Captivity for Captives so you have it Jerem. 48.47 I will bring again the captivity of Moab and Ezek. 39.25 I will bring again the captivity of Jacob that is the Captives of Jacob the Captives of Moab and the Captives of Egypt or Egyptian Captives And will cause them to return into the land of Pathros Maldonate makes Pathros a City towards the South borders of Egypt furthest off from Chaldaea Bonfrerius judges it to bee that City in Egypt called Babylon but here it s called The Land of Pathros and Jerem. 44.1 The Country of Pathros where the Jews which fled into Egypt dwelt and though it were distinct from Egypt Isa 11.11 for it s said there God shall recover his People from Assyria from Egypt and from Pathros yet it was in the land of Egypt Jerem. 44.15 The Jews dwelt in the land of Egypt in Pathros Junius conceives this Country to bee near unto Arabia Petraea and by Jerome it was reputed formerly to be Nemus Arabiae a wood of Arabia Pathros its most probable was so called from Pathrusim the Son of Misraim Gen. 10.14 as all Egypt was called Misraim from the father so might some part be called Pathros from the Son viz. that part lay between the Red-Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and as God had carried them out that way so he would bring them again the same way Into the land of their habitation The Hebrew for Habitation is Mecuratham Negotiationum tuarum the land of thy tradings where they did buy and sell for the word is from Machar to sell and deliver wares to others Piscator hath the words thus into the land of their commerce The Egyptians dealt in fine linnen broidered works flax silk and other rich commodities now God would bring them into the land of their trading again Obs 1 The goodnesse and mercy of God extends to heathens he hath a care of them in their Captivity and after they have suffered his appointed time hee will shew kindnesse to them The Egyptians after forty years scattering shall bee gathered Isa 19.23 24 25. In that day shall there bee an high way out of Egypt to Assyria and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians In that day shall Israel bee the third with Egypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Land whom the Lord of Host shall bless saying blessed be Egypt my People and Assyria the work of my hand and Israel mine inheritance The Assyrians Egyptians and Israelites had their daies and times of suffering and God had his daies and times of shewing mercy to those Heathen Nations as well as to Israel It s blessed bee Egypt my People and blessed be Assyria the work of my hand and blessed be Israel mine inheritance Obs 2 The afflictions of nations and Persons may be long yet not without end they may suffer seven and seven years yea twenty thirty fourty years together which is a long time and then see an end of their suffrings At the end of forty years will I gather c. the Egyptians were Captives forty years to the King of Babylon the Israelites were in bondage to the Philistims forty years Judg. 13.1 and then there came an end of their slavery they and many other Nations were captives to the King of Babylon seventy years which was a long time to sufferers but when they were run out their captivities ended Jerem. 25.11 God sometimes lengthens out the afflictions of people very much for ends best known unto himself as Gen. 15.13 God said unto Abraham know of a surety that thy seed shall bee a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years here was a long season to bee afflicted but then it had an end Jehoiachin was thirty seven years a prisoner in Babylon but in the twelfth moneth of that year hee was set at liberty Jerem. 52.31 the man in the Gospel had been afflicted thirty eight years with an infirmity Joh. 5.5 and then hee was delivered from it Though warres famines plagues Captivities diseases and other afflictions may bee long yet they are not they shall not bee for ever they must have an end Ob. 3 That God sometimes deals more favourable with heathens than with his own people At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians but it was the end of seventy years before hee gathered the Jews out of Babylon his own people were thirty years or near upon longer under the Babylonish yoak than the Egyptians There was just cause for this Gods people had sinned worse than the Heathens and so provoked him above them Ezek. 5.6 Jerusalem hath changed my judgements into wickednesse more than the Nations and my statutes more than the Countries round about her there were no people near or far off who did like unto the Jews they forsook God the fountain of living waters and trusted in Pharaoh that great Dragon and in his rivers of waters Obs 4 Nothing is too hard for God or can hinder the fulfilling of his will The Egyptians were scattered among the nations here a family and there a family and that forty years together so mingled with the people of other Countries that they had well nigh forgotten Egypt and had so drunk in the manners and customes of the places where they lived that they were naturalized thereunto they were so rooted among the Nations that it seemed impossible to pluck them up and plant them in their own Countries yet notwithstanding these things saith God I will gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered It s like the Babylonians and other Nations that had them held them under and made advantage of their labours made laws against their flight or departure and struggled hard to detain them as they of old in Moses daies did to retain the
Aristocracy After the continuation of Monarchical government amongst us neer six hundred years the Lord hath said Remove the Diadem take off the Crown this shall not bee the same hee hath put a new form upon us which must have its time and period also What the Lord hath done here and did long since in Israel hee is about to do in other kingdomes of the earth The Kiâ—gs generally are so prophane and wicked that the Lord hâ—th a controvâ—rsy with them and is speaking to this effect if not by his Prophets yet by his Providences remove the Diadem take off the Crown These shall not bee the same Seeing it is God which makes such changes let not us stumble at his Providences and dispensations wee are too apt to look at the tooles hee doth his work by and to quarrel upon that account and not to look at his hand which useth those tools if Kings loose their Crowns if their glory bee laid in the dust if posterity bee excluded if great alterations bee made it s the Lords doings and should be marvellous in our eyes and not matter of murmuring Obs 3 That as God brings down the haughty and proud ones so hee raises the humble and dejected Debase him that is high exalt him that is low God minds the oppressed Jehoiachin lay a long time in Prison and that in Babylon even thirty seven years but hee was not forgotten God moved Evilmerodach to bring him out of Prison and lift up his head Jer. 52.31 and so made that good in Job 12.18 in another sense then you heard before Hee looseth the bond of Kings hee brings them out of their disgrace restraint and misery and girds their loynes with a girdle of honour liberty and comfort Psalm 138.6 though the Lord be high yet hath hee respect unto the lowly hee advances and honours them Job 5.11 he sets up on high those that be low Mary was low and he set her among the highest which made her to sing and say Luke 1.52 Hee hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree Let us take heed of high aspiring thoughts and remember what Christ hath given out Luke 14.11 Whosoever exalts himself shall bee abased and hee that humbleth himself shall bee exalted Self exaltation makes way for abasement and self abasement makes way for exaltation Psalm 147.6 The Lord lifteth up the meek hee casteth the wicked down to the ground Those are meekened and sweetned by their afflictions the Lord lifts up but the wicked hee casts them off hee casts them down and down to the ground into extream misery 27 I will overturn overturn overturn it This Verse is a Threatning of the destruction of the kingdome and the time of its continuance in that condition which is till he come who is the right owner Montanus renders the Hebrew thus Perversam perversam perversam ponam eam Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. Iniquitatem iniquitatem ponam eam Vatablus Obliquam Obliquam Obliquam ponam eam Tigur Curvam curvam curvam Fren. A la renverse a la renverse a la renverse je la mettray Castal Ad nihilum ad nihilum ad nihilum eam ego redigam Aecolampad Distorte distorte distorte ponam eam Lav. Subversionem subversionem subversionem ponam eam The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affa from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to do crookedly perversly untowardly all which do diminish the glory of what is done and so here God would diminish the glory of the crown yea the crown it self I will overturn it and bring it to nothing for it referres to the Crown and that should fall to the ground and bee no more the kingdome shall bee utterly overthrown and laid waste The word is trebled I will overturn overturn overturn Perversitatem perversitatem perversitatem ponam eam coronam i. e. funditus eversum prostratum etit regnum delerumque ex judicio meo iteratis cladibus per Babylonium Gles in Philo l. 3. to shew not onely the certainty and evidence of the thing but the gradation and continuance of it for the kingdome of Judah by certain degrees fell from its height and was under the dominion of strangers For after that Zedekiah was deposed by Nebuchadnezzar there was no Crown nor King more in Judah After the Captivity there was no Kings but Governours Captains Rulers as Zerubâ—abel Nehemiah and others after them the High-Priests had the power in whose hands it continued even to Hyrcanus who usurping kingly Authority saith Pradus was miserably slain Herod a stranger succeeding Sanctius makes this Triplication of the word to point out the three great evils Zedekiah suffered 1 The loss of his Kingdome and revenues 2 The loss of his Sons and eyes 3 His reproachful living in Captivity A Lapide and some others understand by the trebling of the word the three notable destructions that befell the Jews after this time The first by Nebuchadnezzar the second by Antiochus the third by Tytus and the Romans Others by this Triplication judge the time of those three Assir Shealtiel and Pedajah to bee meant in whose daies the Kingdome of Judah was very low if not quite overthrown but beganne to flourish again in the daies of Zerubbabel who was the Sonne of Pedajah 1 Chron. 3.19 but Assir may bee read appellatively and not as a proper name it s in the 17. vers of that 3 Chron. thus the sonnes of Jeconiah the bound for he was then bound were a prisoner in Babylon and so the word is used Isa 42.7 to bring the Prisoner out the Hebrew is Assyr and if it be taken so this triplication is marred Chemnitius hath another exposition of this Triplication of the words which the learned may see in his Harmony upon the Gospel the first part third chapter the latter end Men are various in their thoughts about the triplicity of these words but do generally agree in this that the overthrow of the Kingdome and kingly dignity is designed out thereby It shall be no more In Hebrew thus Jam zoth lo hojah even this hath not been but here the preter tense is put for the future and so the Septuagint reads it Haec scil mutatio non accidet ante adventum Nebuchad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither shall this bee the same Vatabl hath it Etiam haec not fuit which he interprets thus This alteration shall not be before Nebuchadnezzar come to whom the judgement belongs and to him will I deliver Zedekiah so hee The French is Et ne seraplus it shall bee no more The Crown shall bee no more the Crown of Judah No King shall reign therein any more All the Sonnes of Zedekiah were slain Jeremy 52.10 and of Jehoiachin Jeconiah or Coniah its said Jeremy 22.30 Write yee this man childlesse a man that shall not prosper in his daies for no man of his seed shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David
any wickedness In Psal 50.17 18 19 20. many sinnes of the Jews are recited and what was the ground of those sinnes they forgat God vers 22. Consider this ye that forget God See Psalm 106.19 Sicut memoria dei excludit cuncta flagitia ita dei oblivio convehit omnium vitiorum catervam Hierom. 20. Jerem. 13.25 ch 18.15 when men forget God they forget his Law which should regulate their lives and so they live without God and without law they follow the lusts of their own hearts and lye exposed to all evils 13 Behold therefore I have smitten my hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made and at thy bloud which hath been in the midst of thee 14 Can thine heart indure or can thine hands be strong in the daies that I shall deal with thee I the Lord have spoken it and will do it 15 And I will scatter thee among the Heathen and disperse thee in the Countries and will consume thy filthiness out of thee 16 And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thy self in the sight of the Heathen and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Having rehearsed Jerusalems sinnes here the Lord comes to set down his dislike of their waies the judgements should come upon them and the end of those judgements 1 His dislike in the 13. vers 2 The Judgements in the 14. and 1.5 v. 3 The End of them in the 15. and 16. 13 Behold therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made Smiting of hands is sometime a signe of joy as ch 21.17 and sometimes of grief and anger as here God was so provoked with the heinousnesse of their sinnes that hee smites his hands together both to testify his indignation against them and readiness to take vengeance on them when Parents smite their hands at the lewd doings of their children Percurere manus hoc loco non est exhortari sed dolere Mald. Irascentâ— figuram habitum dâ—scribit oratio Prad En signe de dueil French Pecuniam vâ— malis artibus quaesitam it s an argument of Anger and grief not of joy God hath no hand but it s spoken after the manner of men The word for dishonest gain is bitzah from Batzah opened before Montanus renders it avaritiam Covetousness Others mony gotten by fraud and force such gain is dishonest gain The French is avarice that gain comes in by over-reaching by forcing or sinking of others that is dishonest gain when we do not as we would be done unto And at thy bloud which hath been in the midst of thee Here bee onely two sinnes mentioned of all that went before but the other are intended also God smit his hands against them though Principally against these Jerusalem had shed much innocent bloud which cryed to God for vengeance and caused him to smite his hands at her Obs Covetousnesse and Cruelty are sinnes Notavit R David ex majorum traditione â—4 sceleta esse numerata in hoc capite nulli eorum nili soli avaritiae tribui eversionem urbis Prad that do sorely provoke God hee smote his hands at their dishonest gain and bloudy doings His spirit boiled up against them and hee was comming to bee avenged on them The Hebrews say there bee twenty four sinnes reckoned up in this Chapter and that God threatens the destruction of the City onely for Covetousnesse The Jews were a people greedy of gain given to Covetousnesse which makes men cruel and oft bloudy Prov. 1.19 those are greedy of gain they take away the life of the owners they suck their bloud Amos 8.4 they swallow up the needy Mic. 3.2 3. they pluck off their skins break their bones and eat their flesh and if covetous men bee not cruel and bloudy yet they are abhorred of God for their Covetousnesse Psalm 10.3 the wicked blesse the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth the word for Covetous and that here for dishonest gain are both of the same verbe and differ very little God abhorres the Covetous and smites his hands at Covetousness and so hee doth at bloudiness Psal 5.6 He will abhor the bloudy and deceitful man The Lord abhors them at the present and hee will make it manifest that hee doth abhor them God hath done it in the Gospel 1 Cor. 6.10 Rev. 22.8 there it appears that neither the Covetous nor the bloudy shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven let us learn of God to smite our hands against these sins 14 Can thine heart indure The Hebrew for indure is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Montanus and Aecolampad render stabit will thy heart stand or consist when I shall deal with thee The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if thine heart shall stand it out but the interrogation is more emphatical Can thine heart stand or indure and carries the force of a negation O Jerusalem thou thinkest that when my judgements come thou shalt bee able to stand under them but bee thine heart never so stout or strong my judgements will be too heavy for thee to bear them when they come thine heart will fail thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Illiad fail thee of counsel that thou shalt not know what to do and fail thee of strength that thou shalt not bee able to do what thou knowest thine heart will bee in thine heels thou wilt bee more forward to flie than to consult or stand it out upon consultation Can thine hands bee strong Thou thinkest to do some great matters if Nebuchadnezzar draw neer to thy gates thou wilt call upon thy strong men to appear and make resistance but their hands will bee feeble and unserviceable not fit to handle or use weapons of war Jerusalem thou art deluded consider with thy self can thine hands bee strong when I have smitten mine hands against thee canst thou withstand me or bear my judgements when I shall thunder and throw them upon thee with a strong hand what ever phansies possesse thine head thou art not able to do it In the daies that I shall deal with thee In the daies that men have dealt with thee thy Counsell and power have prevailed but what wilt thou do In the daies that I shall deal with thee I that am wonderful in Counsel excellent in working Isa 28 29. I that work and none can hinder ch 43.13 I that am terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.12 I that plead with fire and sword in my hand Isa 66.16 I that make mountains flow and nations to tremble at my presence Isa 64.1 2. I that make fruitful plâ—ces wildernesses and break down Cities Jer. 4.26 what wilt thou do then Those daies are comming upon thee and they will be the saddest daies thou ever mettest with I the Lord have spoken it and will do it Thou maiest hope it shall not bee that I will deal severely with thee in whom I have delighted and upon whom I have bestowed so many mercies
it 2 King 17.5 6. and after burnt it as Lavater observes Vers 11 And when her sister Aholibah saw this shee was more corrupt in her inordinate love than shee and in her whoredomes more than her sister in her whoredomes 12 Shee doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours Captains and Rulers cloathed most gorgeously horse-men riding upon horses all of them desirable young men 13 Then I saw that shee was defiled that they took both one way 14 And that shee increased her whoredomes for when shee saw men pourtrayed upon the wall the images of the Chaldaeans pourtrayed with vermilion 15 Girded with girdles upon their loines exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads all of them Princes to look to after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldaea the land of their nativity 16 And as soon as shee saw them with her eies shee doted upon them and sent messengers unto them into Chaldaea 17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of Love and they defiled her with their whoredome and she was polluted with them and her minde was alienated from them 18 So shee discovered her whoredomes and discovered her nakedness then my mind was alienated from her like as my mind was alienated from her sister 19 Yet shee multiplyed her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the daies of her youth wherein shee had played the harlot in the land of Egypt 20 For shee doted upon their paramours whose flesh is as the flesh of asses and whose issue is like the issue of horses 21 Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdnesse of thy youth in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth Having set out Aholahs sins in the former verses here he comes to Aholibahs sinnes and the events of them Her sinnes were 1 Her not taking warning by her Sister to amend but growing worse ver 11. 2 Her Confederacy and Idolatry with 1 The Assyrians ver 12. who are described 1 From their nearnesse neighbours 2 From their Titles or Offices Captains Rulers 3 From their habit cloathed most gorgeously 4 From their ranke horse-men riding upon c. 5 From their age and comlinesse all of them desireable young men 2 The Chaldaeans vers 14. which idolatry is set out 1 From the occasion of it viz. pictures or images which are described vers 14. 1 From their colouring vermilion 2 Their form girded dyed attire c. 3 Aspect Princes to look to 4 Pattern and place ver 15. 2 From the haste she made thereunto vers 16.17 3 The Egyptians vers 19. which is aggravated from the violence of her affection ver 20. The Events were 1 Gods displeasure ver 13. 2 Alienation of his minde from her ver 18. 3 Alienation of Aholibahs minde from the Chaldaeâ—ns ver 17. Vers 11 She was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she The Hebrew is Corrupit amorem suum prae illa shee corrupted her love more than shee The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shee corrupted her desire shee was more filthy and vile in her dotings and violent loves than her sister Corruptiùs exarsit amore suo quam illa Pisc Jerusalem was more addicted unto idols than Samaria And in her whoredomes more than her sister in her whoredomes In the Original its her whoredomes were before or more than the whoredomes of her sister shee exceeded Samaria and other places in her idolatries as you may see Ezek. 16.47 thou wast corrupt more than they all in thy waies Vers 12 She doted upon the Assyrians For Assyrians the Text saith the Sonnes of Assur this you have verified 2 King 16.7 8. when Ahaz hired Tiglath Pilezer King of Assyria with the gold and silver of the Temple to come and help him Cloathed most gorgeously In the Hebrew its Lebushe miclol cloathed with an absolute garment with every kinde of comely cloathing Junius hath it cloathed most perfectly with every kinde of pretious garments Desireable young men Bachure chemed the elect of desire saith the Text such men as desire it self would choose they were no ordinary men but such as were comely amiable even men of desires very desirable Vers 14 Pourtrayed with vermilion The Hebrew for vermilion is shashar which signifies red colour with which any thing is painted The Rabbies say its minium red lead it s but twice used in the holy Scriptures in Jer. 22.14 and here Some render it Indico which abounds in those parts and the French hath it peints d'azure painted with blew 15 All of them Princes to look to The word for Princes is sholishim which Montanus renders Triarii quasi tertii a rege Those that were of the third rank or dignity from the King 2 King 7.2 then a Lord on whose hand the King leaned answered the word is hashalish one that was a man in place third from the King 17 The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love and defiled her with their whoredome This is spoken of Metaphorical whoredome the Jews sent to the Babylonians to enter into league with them and that being done they brought in their Babylonish Idols and worship amongst them and taught the Jews to sacrifice unto them and so defiled the Temple and Ordinances the bed of love Ahaz brought in the Altar from Damascus which did defile 2 King 16. Her mind was alienated from them In the Hebrew it is Her soul was removed from them the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Her soul departed from them The French Son desir se de partit d'iceux Her desire departed from them shee grew weary of them and fell in with the Egyptians 2 King 24. those shee had doted upon before now shee affected no longer Luxata est anima ejus her soul was loosed from them and as a thing out of joynt 19 In calling to mind the daies of her youth That is shee remembred and together with her remembring exercised her former spiritual whoredome 20 She doted upon their paramours The word for Paramours is Pillagshehem pilgesh or pillegesh is a Concubine or half wife one for the bed not for the government of the house Montanus renders the word here Pellices corum their harlots The Egyptians had the nighbouring Nations leagueing it with them and imitating their idolatry these were Egypts Concubines whores Now Aholibah or Jerusalem doted upon these also or rather thus shee doted above their paramours above their Concubines more than they shee was carried more strongly towards the Egyptians than other Nations Whose flesh is as the flesh of Asses and whose issue is as the issue of Horses Here Rem inhonestam honest is verbis exprimit The Egyptians were great of flesh Ezek. 16.26 they were like Asses and Horses Quae inter omnia animalia habent maxima genitalia burning in lust given to filthinesse and idolatry hereby is set out the strength and wealth of Egypt which provoked the Jews to make leagues with them As whores lust after those are strongest and ablest to satisfy their
work is thine and thou hast determined to see it done yet upon second thoughts thou maiest change thy resolutions when thou shalt consider that I Jerusalem am thy City and the onely City thou hast chosen in all the world and wilt thou bring an Heathenish King and an Army to destroy mee and the Temple where thou dwellest and art worshipped surely it cannot bee Lam. 4.12 This conceit of hers is blown away by these words I will not go back thou art a bloudy City thy scum is not gone out of thee thou art filthy and in thy filthinesse is lewdnesse obstinacy thou goest not back from thy wicked doings I will not go back from doing what I have purposed The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not retract what I have said and purposed Non subtraham me I will not withdraw my self from it Avenarius renders the words thus Non feriabor I will not make holy daie and cease to prosecute what I have determined Neither will I spare 5. Jerusalem might yet say The Lord is merciful though hee bee angry and in his anger bring the enemy to my Gates hee will not keep his anger alwaies when I shall fast weep pray hee will bee intreated hee will pardon spare and not suffer mee to bee destroyed This refuge is here made uselesse Neither will I spare fasting prayers and tears shall do her no good Jerem. 14.12 when Jerusalems children should fast God would not hear their cry no nor Jeremy for them cha 11.14 nor Ezekiel cha 9.8 9 10. though themselves their Prophets should importune God hee saith As for mee my eye shall not spare neither will I have pitty thou hast caused my fury to come up to take vengeance and I will bee avenged on thee I will not abstain from revenge so the word signifies Neither will I repent 6 Thou hast oft repented thee when thou hast been upon destroying designes Jonah 3.10 Hos 11.8 Ezek. 20.8 9.13 14 17 22. and I hope thou wilt repent thee of what thou art about if thou dost not repent before my destruction thou wiâ—t repent after it that thou hast dealt so by me This strong-hold is here battered down Neither will I repent what though I have oft repented mee of the evil I purposed to bring upon thee and thy Children must I alwaies bee upon those tearms with thee No no Jerusalem my repentings have not causâ—d thee to repent my repenting shall now cease Jer. 15.6 I will stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee I am weary with repenting I will neither repent when thou art destroying nor when thou art destroyed it will bee an case to me to see thee and thy children consumed Repentance sometimes in Scripture is attributed to God and then it s spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men and it must warily bee understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as God may not bee wronged in mens apprehensions thereby In mens repentance there is griefe change quia fefellit eventus non antea Previsus something falls out they did not foresee David Repents of murthering Vriah defiling Bathshebah because that fell out in it hee did not foresee as the blaspheming Gods name and the sword it brought upon his house hereupon hee changed his minde was affected with grief these things are not in God hee foresees all events he grieves not hee changes not therefore in this sense he cannot bee said to repent Theodoret speaks right when he saith Panitentia in Deo nihil aliud est quam mutatio dispensationis ejus it is a change of Gods dispensation if God had not destroyed Jerusalem hee should have been said to repent His repentance is alteration of things and actions no change of his purpose and will In humane Repentance there is the change of the will in divine Repentance there is the willing of a change and that in the thing not in the will or Counsel of God which are unchangeable Here God would not change the thing I will not repent According to thy waies and according to thy doings shall they judge thee 7 Jerusalem might yet say if it bee so that thou wilt not repent and shew mercy unto mee thou wilt shew thy self a cruel and mercilesse God This imputation is here prevented According to thy waies and doings shalt thou bee dealt with all if thy judgements bee sharpe and dreadful thou hast deserved them the equity of my proceedings shall bee so conspicuous that all the world shall clear mee and say the fault is thine own that thou sufferest such hard things thou hast done such wickednesses lewdnesses abominations that God is righteous in consuming of thee all is suitable to thy waies These words They shall judge thee By the Septuagint are rendred in the first person singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will judge thee and so by the Vulgar By Junius in the second person judicaberis Thou shalt bee judged By others as here they shall judge thee that is the Babylonians and these several readings or rendrings of the word make up but one and the same sense Thou shalt bee judged that is by the Lord and the Babylonians who are his instruments to execute his pleasure Ezek. 23.24 I will set judgement before them and they shall judge thee I will make known to them my purpose of utter destroying thee and they shall do it Obs 1 Great sinners do not beleeve judgements threatned but are apt to shift them off and flatter themselves with hopes of mercy Jerusalem had great scum God threatned to consume her and her scum in the fire but shee beleeved it not shee shifted off all threatnings shee still expected peace and safety Jerusalems Prophets had so bewitched and possest her with thoughts of peace and security from evil coming upon her Jerem. 23.17 that nothing Jeremy or Ezekiel threatned could bee heard therefore saith God here I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to pass c. thou thinkest I will not do it that I will recal my threats spare thee and repent such vain thoughts lodged in Jerusalem Jerem. 4.14 and such vain speeches were uttered by Judah Thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger shall turn from mee Jer. 2.35 Jerusalem and Judah thought said they were innocent and therupon shifted off all was threatned flattered themselves with hopes of mercy but they were guilty yea more guilty than all the Nations and Cities round about them Ezek. 5.5 6. and had such judgements comming upon them as never had any the like vers 9 10. which they would not beleeve though the Lord himself told them thereof for Jerem. 5.12 They belyed the Lord and said it is not hee neither shall evil come upon us neither shall wee see sword nor famine We shall do well enough in this City and if they should come wee will appear before him with our sacrifices and wee shall bee delivered Jerem. 7.10 wicked men do flatter themselves
The Jews stored up theirs in the house of God 2 Chron. 23.9 They set forth thy comelinesse This added much to the beauty and glory of Tyrus that it had strong men in it who were expert warriours and store of Armes hung up orderly Solomon tells you an Armory is very comely where there hangs shields and bucklers of mighty men Cant. 4.4 such hangings become an Armory as well as Tapestry or Arras do any room 11 The men of Arvad with thine Army were upon thy walls round about Of the Arvadites was touched before they with the Tyrians and those they had hired for military services kept watch upon the walls of Tyrus continually Though it were a strong City seated upon a rock in the midst of the Seas yet they thought it wisdome to have a watch on all sides not knowing but enemies might come by Sea and do them mischief Chomah est murus quasi muniens robur a defensive strength these Tyrians trusted not only to their Walls a livelesse strength but had watches of their Souldiers which were living strengths The Gammadims were in thy Towers There is some dispute among interpreters who these Gammadims were The Vulgar renders the word Pigmies and so doth Shindler whom authors affirm to bee a people of three Cubits or Spans in stature but its impossible the Tyrians should imploy such who had sought the strongest and skilfullest of men in other Nations to bee an ornament and defence unto them what glory was it to have such dwarfes among their valiant men Some make them to seem Pigmies and little ones because they were in high Towers this favours more of phansy than of truth why should not the Tyrians have stout men in their Towers as weâ—l as on their walls The Chaldee reads it Cappadocians The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepers and Jerome though hee renders the word Pigmies yet he addes quasi bellatores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lucta certamine because they were forward to fight and were notable fift-fighters Gammadim is from Gomed a Cubite which occasioned many to think them to bee Cubit-men but Gomed may note the arm wherein mans strength lies and hence they are called Viri brachiales quod brachio potentes robusti essent because they were men of their armes And Junius calls them viros lacertosos Buxtor in verbo Gammadim Vid. de Dien in locum men of armes and strength fit to defend what they undertook Doubtlesse they were men of stature and strength Otherwise what should they have done with shields they would have been burdensome to little and weak men Quistorpius saith these Gammadims were a warlike people not inferiour to the Persians Lydians or Arvadians so called from a region of that name A Lapide conceives Gammadim may bee from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stare and so these Gammadims to bee milites stationarii standing Souldiers a standing garrison in the Towers of Tyrus They hanged their shields upon thy walls round about The word for shields differs from that in the former verse there its magen and here its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shelet Whence our English word shield comes it s from shalat dominari posse because those used shields were like men of power and inabled to incounter their enemies They have made thy beauty perfect The French is Ils t' ont fait parfaite en beaute they have made thee perfect in beauty The Vulgar is Compleverunt pulchritudinem tuam they have filled up thy beauty the Sidonians Arvadians Gebalites Persians Lydians Lybians Gammadims every one added something which made up the beauty of Tyrus You may confine it to their shipping and armes Obs 1 That even amongst Heathens were wise and experienced men Zida Arvad Tyrus Gebal were Heathenish yet had they their wise men and ancients Chacamim and Sekenim all wisdome and experience were not shut up in Judaea the Lord gave gifts unto Heathens so that many of them excelled in wisdome and had great skill in natural and humane things The word Chacam imports knowledge and wisdome in divine and humane things Heathens fell short in the first but went beyond most in the second Solomon acknowledged that there was none among the Jews that had such skill in hewing of Timber as the Sidonians 1 King 5.6 and you may read how skilful a Tyrian was 2 Chron. 2.14 Hee was Ish Chacam vers 13. it s a cunning man in our translation but rather it should bee a man of wisdome a man of skill hee was so skilful as to finde out any thing put unto him There were wise men in the Nations Jerem. 10.7 Edom had hers Obad. 8. So Babylon Dan. 5.7 Egypt had the like Exod. 7.11 and Tyre and Sidon had not onely wise men but those were very wise Zech. 9.2 Obs 2 Matters of importance are to bee committed to men of wisdome and experience Tyrus put her Naval affairs in the hands of wise men and ancient she would not trust young raw unexpert men to bee her Marriners Pilots or Calkers shee looked not to kindred friends and relations as states now do but unto those were fit and able wise and experienced in the affairs they were to bee imployed in Wisdome directs Eccl. 10.10 wisdome builds up and establisheth Prov. 24.3 Obs 3 Wise States as they will make use of Forrainers to advance their affaires and secure themselves so especially they will promote their own unto the principal places Thy wise men O Tyrus that were in thee were thy Pilots Sidonians and Arvadites were her Marriners the Gibalites her Calkers but Tyrians themselves were her Pilots So Persians Lydians and Phutians were in the Army of Tyrus but they were not the Commanders thereof Tyrus was careful and shewed her great wisdome in placing men of her own Those were Natives in the chief places of her Navy and of her Army When strangers are set in chief places it discontents the Natives causes envy grudgings and animosities so that those under them oft plot against them and so the work they are in is made unsuccesseful Solomon set his own people over the work 1 King 5.16 and Pharaoh set Egyptians over the Iews and Jewish Officers Exod. 1.11 5.14 Obs 4 The glory of a State and City is made up of and set out by external things Ships souldiers shields helmets they made up the beauty of Tyrus they made it perfect they became her and set forth her comelinesse Such Comelinesse such beauty have heathenish States and Cities but there is another beauty another Comelinesse which would far exceed these and make States Cities very glorious viz. True Doctrine pure worship holinesse of life execution of justice and provision for the Poor these things would make the beauty of a City perfect and set forth the comelinesse thereof unto the life Sion that had these things in her was the Perfection of beauty Vers 12 Tarshish was thy Merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches with silver
ruine The words are spoken of God humano more as men search and find out things so God is here said to do his finding out is making known things Obs 1 Princes and men in supream power are honourable they are Cherubs or Cherubims next unto God In whose word they have many honourable Titles given them They are called shields Hos 4.18 the word for Rulers is shields in the Hebrew and shields of the earth Psalm 47.9 they protect the state where they live Ezek. 17.3 they are named Eagles and Cedars Psal 82.6 they are termed gods and children of the most high God ownes them for his children and calls them Gods which is an height of honour Obs 2 That Kings and potentates have their places priviledges and power that they may bee protectors of the people Thou art the annointed Cherub that covereth hee was on the throne that hee might spread his wings of protection over his subjects both at Sea and land Magistrates should bee as Hens to the Chickens as fathers to their children they are called not onely Fathers but Nursing fathers Isa 49.23 the word in Hebrew is Omenajick thy Nursers or Nourishers and notes faithful nursing they should make it their businesse to preserve and provide for their people as Nurses do for their Nurse-child seeing daily that it bee kept from dangers and want nothing such a Nurseing-father was David Psal 78.72 hee fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulnesse of his hands Davids heart and hands were at work for the good of the people Such a Nursing Father was Moses whom the Lord would have to carry the People in his bosome as a Nursing father beareth the sucking childe Numb 11.12 God would have Kings Princes Magistrates to deal tenderly with the People they should bee as Cherubs unto them spreading the wings of protection and justice over them and when they do otherwise hee is wroth with them Zeph. 3.1 2 3. Mic. 3.1 2 3 4. when instead of fathers they are Lyons instead of Angels they are Devils to the people God is sorely displeased and will destroy them Obs 3 That Princes are exalted by God and depend upon him I have set thee so its God that raises them and cloaths them with honour and Majesty Prov. 8.15 16. By mee Kings reign and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth Here is mention of Kings Princes Nobles Judges what Power soever any or all of these have the highest or subordinate they have from God who is the fountain of all power as well as of being Hee is Lord of heaven and earth hee is chief governour among Angels and men Psalm 22.28 and he sets up in Tyrus and in Babylon in Egypt and in Jerusalem whom hee pleases They should consider who sets them up on whom they depend and serve him with fear ruling for the Lord Which because they do not they grow proud insolent tyrannical and therefore the same hand that set them up throws them down Dan. 2.21 Obs 4 God mindes the places were Princes dwell and the pompe they live in Thou waste upon the holy Mountain of God thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire Thine habitation hath been in a strong fortified City thou hast lived in great state and glory having thy Pallace glistering with Carbuncles and other pretious stones 1 King 22.39 God took notice of the Ivory house which Ahab built for his state Solomons house throne overlaid with the best gold his Pompe and State God observed and caused to bee recorded 1 King the 7. and 10. chap. and because great ones pride themselves in their seats and Palaces God threatens to smite their winter houses and their summer houses and tells them that their ivory houses shall perish and their great houses have an end Amos 3.15 Obs 5 Princes and States are prosperous and successeful in their undertakings whilst they are free from iniquities Thou wast perfect in thy waies from the day thou wast created till iniquity was found So long as thou keptst thy self from unjust and wicked acts thou didst speed well in all thy enterprises at Sea and Land The Lord blesses Heathen Kings while they do just things It s righteousnesse exalts a Nation even any Nation Prov. 14.3 4. David told Solomon what was the way for him and his Kingdome to prosper 2. Chron. 22.13 hee must fulfil the Statutes and judgements of the Lord and then hee should prosper in all that hee did and whither soever hee turned himself 1 Kin. 2.3 Hezekiah was free from iniquities unjust and cruel acts and hear what the Spirit of the Lord saith of him 2 Chron. 32.30 he prospered in all his works Ob. 6 Great and grievous sins may bee in Princes and States undiscovered but the Lord will search them out and make them known Till iniquity was found in thee The Prince of Tyrus his sinne was secret and hidden from the world kept within doors in his own chamber Palace City or Territories but the Lord found it out and made discovery of it to the Prophet and the Prophet to the world The great ones of Judah thought themselves innocent yet God found the bloud of innocents upon their skirts and hee found it not by secret search by digging that is by taking much pains to find it out but so soon as hee came hee spied it upon their skirts and made it known Jerem. 2.34 men plot mischief do works of darknesse and think they shall not bee seen Isa 29 15. but the Lord sees will finde it out and bring it into the light David sinned in secret but the Lord saw it and proclaimed it to the world Obs 7 Wickednesse blasts prosperous Princes and flourishing States Thou wast perfect in thy waies till iniquity was found in thee That caused all to wither His exalting himself to bee as God his insulting over others in their misery and his injust actions caused the Lord to threaten and bring desolation Iniquity is the canker and plague of prosperity Many Princes and States which were fat and flourishing have been made lean thereby Jeroboams iniquities lost him five hundred thousand men at once 2 Chron. 13.8 9 17. When iniquity was found in Zedekiah breaking with Nebuchadnezzar and relying upon the King of Egypt what said the Lord shall hee prosper or shall hee scape that doth such things Ezek. 17.15 no hee shall never prosper more It s said of Jotham that hee became mighty hee prospered greatly and what was the cause 2 Chron. 27.6 it was because hee prepared his waies before the Lord or established them before him hee lookt to it that hee did nothing but what God commanded and approved hee would not defile his heart or hands with iniquity therefore hee grew mighty and left a flourishing Kingdome But when Ahaz his Son came to it who did wickedly you may see how the Syrians Israelites
how was this done by drowning them in the midst of the Sea v. 27 28 and God is glorified when others take notice of his power justice judgements and praise and fear him as it is Exod. 15.1.14 When men do conquer others all the friends of the Conqueror do rejoyce and triumph with him they go or send to him as 2 Sam. 8.10 and give him thanks for what hee hath done which is an honouring of him and it is no lesse that his enemies fear him And they shall know that I am the Lord when I have executed Judgements in her The End of Gods judgements is to bring men to a right knowledge of him When Zidon should receive the punishments due to her sinnes then shee would know that is acknowledge God to bee above all Idol gods that hee onely was worthy to bee feared adored praised and obeyed And shall be sanctified in her In chap. 20.41 wee had these words I will bee sanctified in you where they were opened They may bee taken here actively or passively I will sanctify my self in her that is I will do that in Zidon execute such judgements in her as shall declare to all Nations that I am an holy God hateing all sin that my name is holy and reverend in this sense they are taken actively passively thus whereas my name hath suffered by the Zidonians and many have thought mee no better than the Idol gods that I take little care of the world wink at men in their wickednesse and am like unto them when my judgements are upon Zidon it will bee otherwise then they will have high and honourable thoughts of mee then they will declare mee to bee a just and righteous God and so the holy God shall bee sanctified in Righteousnesse as it is Isa 5.16 that is made known to bee holy for his righteous judgements 23 For I will send into her Pestilence These are the judgements with which God would visit Zidon The word for Pestilence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deber which Interpreters make to signifye speech death and order as well as the Plague and that to have all these in it for the Plague is a speaking judgement it speaks out Gods severity it speaks unto us to repent presently It s a dreadful judgement few scape that have it and it hath order in it for that it goeth from house to house City to City and oft sweeps away all And bloud into her streets The Babylonians should besiedge Zidon and after the Pestilence had devoured many they should take the City stay the Citizens and fill the streets with blood dead and wounded bodies And the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her When Towns and Cities are besiedged many from within make attempts to raise the siedge or break through whereupon they come to bee wounded if not slain so here many were wounded upon such attempts and after the City was taken they were judged to death The Hebrew is veniphlal chalal cadet vulneratus the wounded man shall fall in the midst of her and so the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Sword upon her on every side There should neither bee any articles or tearms of peace offered them nor any way of escape bee left them The Souldiers should compass her about on every side so that whoever attempted to flye and get away should fall into their hands Obs 1 That great flourishing and strong Cities may have God their enemy and so their enemy as to declare and proclaim war against them Son of man set thy face against Zidon tell that great City what the Lord saith Behold I am against thee O Zidon I am comming in a martial way against thee and will consume thee to ashes Obs 2 Gods aim and end in his judgements is to make himself known what a dreadful just and holy God he is and that hee may bee declared by men to bee so God would destroy Zidon by pestilence and warre that hee might be glorified and sanctified in her shee would not give glory to God before the Lord would therefore fetch his glory out of her by his judgements and cause others should see the same to confesse him to bee a God of power justice and holinesse Psalm 9.16 The Lord is known by the judgement hee executeth There bee characters of his power justice and holinesse in them that men must needs take notice of them if they bee not Atheistical If others will not fear praise worship adore the Lord whose hand hath lately been lifted up so eminently yet let us do it God must be glorified and sanctified one way or other Let us therefore say Great and marvailous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy waies O thou King of Saints who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorify thy name Obs 3 What judgements soever come into or upon Cities and persons it s the Lord that sends them thither that brings them upon them I will send into her Pestilence and blood into her streets It s the Lord gives commissions as to the Prophets to prophesy judgements against a City so to the judgements themselves to come to and upon them If in Worcester dead bodies and bloud filled the streets if all houses were plundered if armies bee routed thousands slain it s the Lords doing let none stumble by looking at the instruments they are the sword in Gods hand he causes it to wound and to kill Vers 24 And there shall bee no more a pricking bryar unto the house of Israel nor any grieving thorne of all that are round about them that despised them and they shall know that I am the Lord God 25 Thus saith the Lord God when I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered and shall bee sanctified in them in the sight of the Heathen then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. 26 And they shall dwell safely therein and shall build houses and plant vineyards yea they shall dwell with confidence when I have executed judgements upon all those that despise them round about them and they shall know that I am the Lord their God These verses are a Prophesy of grace and mercy to the Church of God being the last general part of the Chapter where first you have the things prophesied of which are 1 Freedome from molestations by enemies v. 24. 2 Collection of the Jews out of the places they were dispersed into v. 25. 3 Habitation in the land given to Jacob v. 25. 4 Safety and Prosperity v. 26. 2 The Time when these things shall bee v. 26. after judgements executed upon their enemies 3 The End of this comfortable Prophesy and sweet Promises in it and that is the knowledge and profession of God ver 24. 26. There shall be no more a pricking bryar The word for Bryar in the holy language is Sillon a thorn a sting a bryar and metaphorically
wildernesse and there leave him to bee a prey unto the enemy when hee and his Army were spread over the wildernesse then they should be deserted of God and left to spoil Thee and all the fish of thy Rivers As a fish drawn out of the water left upon the land dies and becomes a prey so should the King of Egypt and the Egyptians Thou shalt fall upon the open fields thou shalt not bee brought together nor gathered Thine Army shall bee so beaten routed and overthrown as no one part of it shall bee joyned to another there shall be no rallying no recruiting no gathering up for burial but all shall bee meat for the beasts of the field and for the fowls of Heaven Some fishes when they are drawn out of the waters are taken up much use is made of them others are thrown away Mat. 13.48 but here they were so bad that all should bee thrown to the beasts and birds of prey Obs 1 When God is wroth with Princes and people he makes and takes occasions to execute his judgements upon them Pharaoh and his people had sinned greatly against God and hee stirred up the Cyreneans to invade their neighbour countrey the Lybians Whereupon hee and his are drawn out to warre and fall thereby He and his thought to live securely in Egypt but God had hooks to draw them out and judgements to inflict upon them being so drawn out The Elder Pharaoh in Moses daies having greatly provoked God by deteining the Jews in Egypt God made an occasion by dividing the waters of the red Sea for him to follow them and then hee and his being in the red Sea took occasion to bee avenged on him by causing the waters to swallow up him and all his host Exod. 14. God drew Zerah with his huge host of one thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots out of Ethiopia unto Maresha which was a City in the Tribe of Judah Joshuah 15.44 and there hee smote the Ethiopians and overthrew them 2 Chron. 14. God made Ramoth in Gilead an hook to draw out wicked Ahab to war against the Syrians and when hee was there hee was slain and his army wholly routed 1 King 22. God wants not hooks to draw Leviathans Dragons and Crocodiles out of their holes fens or rivers nor swords to peirce them when they are drawn out Hee had hooks for Hamilton and the late King of Scots to draw them into England and judgements to inflict upon them being come forth for their iniquities Let great and small take heed how they offend the Lord hee hath hooks enough and can make new if hee want them to drag sinners out of their lurking holes and vials of wrath to poure out upon them being haled out Obs 2 In those actions men do freely the wise providence of God acts powerfully and accomplisheth his designes Pharaoh and his subjects go out freely to war against their enemies yet God had a hook in their chaws and drew them toth at work Rhehoboam freely refused the counsel of the wise men and freely followed the counsel of the young men yet Gods hand was in these actions his hook was in his chaws 1 King 12.15 The cause was from the Lord. Rhehoboam carried on freely his own design and God powerfully carried on his though Rhehoboam discerned it not neither aimed at it God sent the Assyrians against the Hypocritical Jews hee charged him to take the spoil and tread them down like mire in the streets Hee came freely though Gods hook were in his nostrils hee came to do his own will not Gods that hee aimed not at for hee meant not so his heart did not think so Isa 10.6 7. yet Gods providence over-ruled so that he did the work of God This is a great mystery all wicked men act freely drive on their own interests yet God powerfully moves in these actions brings to pass his own purposes and counsells and that without sin Obs 3 The Counsels and strength of Princes and Armies comes to nothing where God doth not assist but desert I will leave thee thrown into the wildernesse thee and all the fish of thy River thou shalt fall Pharaoh was a great Dragon wise and subtle hee had wise Counsellors strong Souldiers a great Army but neither their Counsel nor strength stood them in stead when God had drawn them into the field he left them and they fell Humane wisdome and strength can do nothing without God Saul had a great Army all Israel were gathered together to fight against the Philistims but did they prevail no they fled and fell down before their enemies and what was the reason Saul tells you 1 Sam. 28.15 The Lord is departed from mee hee is neither with mee nor mine Army all Israel can do nothing against uncircumcised Philistims when God had forsaken them Jeroboam had an Army of eight hundred thousand men mighty men of valor Abijah meets him with an Army of four hundred thousand even half so many and slew of Jeroboams Army five hundred thousand They were strong men on that side and two to one yet more fell by an hundred thousand than Abijahs Army consisted of And what was the cause hereof 2 Chron. 13.3 12. The cause was God was with them Behold God himself is with us for our Captain he guides us and girds us with strength said Abijah Jeroboam by his golden Calves had driven God from him so then where God is not there can bee no successe 1 Sam. 2.9 by strength shall no man prevail Let men have strong horses strong Armes strong bodies strong Counsels strong Armies strong treasures if they have not El-shaddai the strong Almighty God with them all their strengths will prove weaknesse wee have seen this made good in our daies most eminently Obs 4 God in his just judgements brings Princes and Armies who confide in an arme of flesh to open shame and utter ruine Thou shalt fall in the open fields thou shalt not bee gathered nor brought together thou shalt lye unburied and be meat for beasts and fowles This Egyptian great Dragon and all the fish of his Rivers were such as God cast out for naught and gave to bee meat to Kites Crowes Vultures Dogs Swine and wild beasts their shame was open their end was miserable Pharaoh that intreated the Israelites so cruelly did not God bring him to open shame and his great Army did hee not drown this Dragon and all adhered to him in the deeps did hee not give their Carkasses to bee meat to the Sea-Dragons and Sea-Leviathans Absolom and his Army met with shame scorn and misery enough 2 Sam. 18. Jehoiakim was buried with the burial of an Asse Jerem. 22.19 that is hee had no burial but was cast out to shame scorn and feeding of birds and beasts 6 And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord. In this verse the Event of the former judgement upon Pharaoh and his Army is laid down together with
was between the shoare and Tyrus with solid materials so that the Souldiers might foot it even to the walls of Tyre which cost much sweat and labour and was a great service besides all the rest of their labour watchings and sufferings of heat and cold To lye so many winters and Summers there doing ordinary and exâ—raordinary things was a great service especially their filling up the Sea which the Tyrians laughed at and thought impossible Every head was made bald The Hebrew for bald is Mukrach from karach to pull off the haires and it notes natural baldnesse as well as accidental the shedding of the hair and the plucking off the hair The Souldiers by continual wearing their head-peices did shed and wear off their hairs Some through sicknesse and upon other occasions might become bald And every shoulder was peeled By the daily carrying of stones timber earth and other things necessary for the siedge and taking of Tyrus their shoulders were peeled Cethepth signifies not onely the shoulder but the side also and Piscator renders the words omne latus every side was made naked their garments were worn out and their sides bare worn and peeled Yet had he no wages nor his Army for Tyrus This long siedge cost Nebuchadrezzar dear it exhausted the Babylonish Treasure greatly insomuch that had hee taken Tyrus with all the wealth of it it would hardly have recompenced his vast expences but the Tyrians when they saw themselves in danger conveighed away by Sea their choicest things to Carthage and neighbouring Islands as Lavater insinuates and when they could hold their City no longer threw their remaining substance into the Sea so that when it was taken Nebuchadrezzar and his Army found little or nothing considerable therein therefore it s here said he had no wages nor his Army For the service he had served against it The King and Souldiers having lain thirteen years before Tyrus which shewed their resolutenesse and looked for answerable recompence for so long difficult dangerous and expensive service but because they were disappointed in Tyrus therefore the Lord thought upon them and provided for them elsewhere 19 Behold I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar Egypt was a rich Countrey abounding with Corn Cattle and wealth of all sorts this Countrey did the Lord give unto Nebuchadrezzar and his Army for that they had done him service in executing his judgements upon the Tyrians He shall take her multitude Multitudes of men were worn out and consumed in the long siedge of Tyre and therefore God would give the King of Babylon Egypts multitude shee was populous and her multitude must serve him forty years The Hebrew word Hamon signifies multitude of people and multitude of riches Nebuchadrezzar should take both And take her spoile The Hebrew is Shalal Shelalah spoliabit spolium ejus hee shall spoile her spoil Spoile is whatsoever may bee removed taken or driven away as Corn Cattle housholdstuffe garments Jewels plate plants ware c. The Babylonian should strip Egypt of all her glory And take her prey In Hebrew its bazaz bizzah praedabitur praedam ejus hee shall prey her prey The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall captivate her Captivity The French is Ravira but in he shall take away the booty or prey The words being doubled before and here import that Nebuchadrezzar should throughly spoil and prey upon Egypt It shall be the wages for his Army Seeing his Army had so little in Tyre it shall have enough in Egypt nothing here shall bee conveyed away imbezelled or kept from him and his Army the whole wealth of Egypt shall be theirs 20 For his labour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peullah sometimes signifies the thing produced by work and labour as Psalm 17.4 but here and in other places it notes ipsam operationem the very working and efficiency it self 2 Chron. 15.7 your work shall be rewarded that is your labour and pains Because they wrought for me They looked at their King who commanded and carried them forth to that work not unto Jehovah the Lord of heaven and earth who set both him and them on work to execute his judgements threatned against Tyre and in that they did fulfil them they are said to work for God Materially they did serve his purpose and providence in the destruction of Tyre but formally and intentionally they did serve their own wills and lusts God had a righteous end and attained it by them they had an evil end and obtained it vitioso modo Vid. Aquin. 1. 2 q. 114. in an ill way Isa 10.6 7. the ssyrians had one meaning God another yet he wrought for the Lord. Obs 1 That men in misery keep account exactly of their sufferings Ezekiel was in Captivity and many other Jews who diligently heeded how the years passed in the 27 year that was of the Captivity Ezekiel and the rest forgot not how long they had been under the Babylonish yoke Men are best Chronologers in adversity Obs 2 When God is upon doing great things usually hee doth make them known unto some of his servants one way or other When hee was upon destroying Sodome hee made it known unto Abraham Gen. 18.17 when about to destroy Elies house hee revealed it to Samuel 1 Sam. 3.11 12. the strange things befell Nebuchadnezzar were revealed to Daniel chap. 4. and the Lord shewed John things to come Rev. 1 1-and here hee hides not from Ezekiel that hee will give all Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar This was so frequent of old that Amos said surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secret to his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 hardly did God ever any considerable things but hee gave some hints of it to his servants The drowning of the world the Jews Captivity in Egypt their comming out of it their suffering by Nebuâ—hadnezzar their return out of Babylon c. were all hinted and made known to Noah Abraham Moses Isaiah Jeremy and others Obs 3 Princes have power to lead out and imploy their subjects against forrainers when there is cause of warring with them The King of Babylon caused his Army to serve against Tyrus and before that against Jerusalem many hundred of miles did he bring out his Army to do him service against the Jews and Tyrians Had hee no particular cause this was cause enough that God stirred up his spirit to execute his judgements upon those had desperately provoked him Obs 4 That Heathenish souldiers have undergone very hard things yea hazarded their lives to please their heathenish Commanders and all for a temporall reward Nebuchadrezzars Army served a great service thirteen years together to lye before a City was hard their heads were made bald their shoulders were peeled they laboured hard carried heavy burdens they watched they suffered heat and cold and all this for hope of good plunder in Tyrus If Heathens would do and indure so much for their Commander who was an Idolater an
enemy to God and his people how much more should Christians do and indure any thing for Christ their King and heavenly Commander if hee say go wee should go if come wee should come if pluck out your right eye cut off your right hand or right foot we should do so if hee calls us to indure affliction and suffer hard things wee should not stick at them no though it be the jeoparding of our lives knowing hee hath a spiritual and eternal reward for us Seeing men have done and suffered so much for heathens how can wee do or suffer too much for Christ Scipio Africanus had three hundred Souldiers who would clime a Tower if hee bid them or throw themselves from the top of a Tower at his command what dishonor will it bee to Christ if his souldiers will not do as much at his command as others have done at their Lords Commands Obs 5 Armies with their Generals and Commanders may serve long labour soâ—ely suffer hard things and after all these bee dis-appointed of their expectations Nebuchadrezzar caused his Army to serve a great service thirteen years so that their heads shoulders sides were bald and peeled and what then yet had hee no wages nor his Army they expected great matters in Tyrus which was so rich and full of all sorts of Commodities but found nothing considerable nothing answering their expectation or sufficient to recompence their charge and suffering This undertaking could not be without millions of money hopes they had that Tyrus being now the Mart of Nations would repay them with advantage but Tyrus wealth was dispersed and there was no money in Cash Sometimes armies find rich spoil and fat prey in the Towns and Cities they take and sometimes they find empty houses Obs 6 Nations Lands Kingdomes are the Lords and he disposes of them to whom hee pleases Behold I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar Hee would take it from Pharaoh King thereof and give it to another Neither did the Lord do any wrong unto Pharaoh because he was tenant at will and held upon these tearmes quam diu se bene gereret to bee King while hee carried himself well but hee grew proud insolent and like a Dragon lay in the midst of his rivers saying my River is mine and I have made it for my self God therefore took away his Kingdome from him and gave it to the King of Babylon hee looseth the loines of King and dis-misseth them from their Kingdomes Hee rejected Saul 1 Sam. 15.23 and gave his Kingdome to David chap. 16.1.13 hee rent ten Tribes from Rhehoboam and gave them to Jeroboam 1 Kin. 11.31 hee cast out many Kings and gave their lands to Nebuchadrezzar Jerem. 27.3 7. and v. 5. you may see upon what ground hee doth so I have made the earth the man and the beast that are upon the ground by my great power and by my stretched out arm and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto mee and now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar hee made the earth hee may give it to and take it from whom hee please it s his not ours no man is owner of the earth or any part of it it s the Lords therefore if hee break in peices mighty men without number and sets others in their stead hee wrongs hee oppresses none Job 34.24 Let not us be troubled that God hath done such things in our daies Obs 7 God in his holy and wise Providence makes use of Heathens or any instruments to do his work Nebuchadrezzar and his Army wrought for him they were his servants hee set them on work though they knew it not When Armies of Heathens do plunder Townes take Cities lay waste Kingdomes they are working for God they are executing his judgements though they minde it not God carries on his work let instruments bee what they will He can make use of the worst of men as well as of the best Hee can promote his interest by an Army of heathens as well as by an Army of Christians and let Armies bee what they will good or bad when they are at work they work for God they wrought for mee saith God It s good therefore not to stick upon the instruments which work but to look at the hand in which they are how that directs and regulates them look at him whose tooles whose servants they are This will quiet mens spirits and keep their tongues within compass Obs 8 The Lord suffers not any no not heathens and Infidels to labour for him in vain Hee gave the land of Egypt with all the wealth of it to Nebuchadrezzar and his Army who were the worst of the Heathen Ezek. 7.24 because they served and wrought for him God is just not like those Masters who set men on work and then will give them no wages whosoever works for God shall have his penny when the mid-wives would not destroy the male children of the Jews but save them alive because they feared God â—e dealt well with them and gave them houses Exod. 1.17 20 21. hee gave them habitations and blessed their families They were Infidels yet God rewarded their work Jehu was wicked yet because hee did the work of the Lord in rooting out Ahabs Family in destroying Baal with all the Priests and Temple of Baal therefore the Lord rewarded him and that largely 2 King 10.30 Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel which was made good in Jehoahaz Joash Jeroboam and Zachariah who came out of his loines and reigned after him 2 King 13 14 15. chapters How should this stir us up to do good and serve the Lord if Heathens shall not labour for him in vain much lesse shall Christians who know how to act from a right principle in a right manner and for a right end if they meet with hardship in his service hee will remember and reward it fully not with a temporal Kingdome but with an eternal the land of Egypt shall be given to Babylonians because the kingdom of Heaven shall bee given to Christians Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome let us therefore bee stedfast and immoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as wee know our labour shall not bee in vain A cup of cold water two mites cast into the treasury a sigh a tear laid out for God and his interest shall not bee forgotten what Paul told the Hebrews I may tell you that God is not unrighteous to forget your work men may forget or reward poorly but God will not forget because hee cannot bee unrighteous nor reward poorly because he deals bountifully with his servants Psal 116.7 Obs 9 Execution of judgement upon proud