b i- e: When trouble comes, in ſtead of truſting and hopin comforting himſelf in God, as good Men Go in ea an 39. 6+ he1s full of torment and dread of the. iſſue of it, and con- cludes it will end in his utter ruine, as he hath great reaſon to do, c Or, prepared or furniſhed ; or diſpoſed with his army round about him as this wordſcems to ſignifie. | ST
25 For d he ſtretcheth out his hand againſt God e, and ſtrengthneth himſelf f againſt the Almighty g.
d Now he gives the reaſon of all the forementioned Calamities which befel him, which was his great wickednefs in the time ofhis peace and proſperity, e i-e- He commonly and cuſtomarily ſinned againſt God with an high and our-ſtretched hand; i. e- boldly and preſumptuouſly,as one that neither deſired his favour,nor feared his anger. f 1 e- He putteth his forces in array, as if he would fight with him. g Which aggravates the madneſs. of this poor cons temptible Worm that durſt fight againſt the Omnipotenr God: ..
26 He runneth upon him h, even on bis neck 5, u- pon the thick boſſes of his bucklers &:
h 1- e. Afſaults him,or ruſheth upon him with great ſwiftneſs and fury ; as this Phraſe ſignifies; Dan. 8- 6- This he, is either 1: God; who was expreſſed twice in the laſt verſe,and who is here produced as entring the Liſts and fighting with his daring Adverfary- Or ra« ther, 2+ The wicked man, of whom and whole ſin and miſery he ſpeaks in the whole Context, both before and after this; who in the laſt verſe was introduced. as preparing for the Battel, and here as actually and impudently fighting with him- i As a ſtout warrier who cometh cloſe to his Adverſary and graples with him,and taketh him by the neck to throw him down. *Compare 2 Sam- 2+ 16- Job. 16- 12. Or, with hisneck- So itis a Metaphior from a mad and raging Bull; which runs upon his Enemy with an hard and ſtiff neck. &k i-e, E- ven where his Enemy is ſtrongeſt : He is not diſcouraged with the Enemies thick and ftrong,and eminent Shields, but boldly ventures in upon them, and amongſt them- Or, with the thick boſſes (Heb- the thickneſs and eminency) of his ſhields, wherewith he invaded the enemy, that ſo he might both defend himſelf, and offend his enemy ; for the ancient Shields were uſeful both ways, becauſe they had a ſharp Iron or Steel in the midſt of them. — £4 "M2
27 Becauſe he coyereth his face with his fatneſs /, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks ». SY
/ This 1s mentioned as the reaſon ofhis inſolent carriage towards God, becauſe he was fat; i.e.rich and potent, and ſucceſsful,as that expreſſion ſignifies, Deut. 32-15. Pſal.78.31. Jer.q6.21. His great pro= ſperity made him proud and ſecure, and regard'!eſs of God and Men! m His only care and ſtudy is to pamper and pleaſe himſelf, and obey his own mind and Juſfts, and in defence and purſuance of them he contends with God, | 5
28 And he dwelleth in deſolate places », «nd in hou- ſes which no man inkabiteth, which are ready to bes come heaps s. | | |
» Theſe words may noteeither, r His tyranny and cruelty, where« by he makes the places of his abode and dominion deſolate by his frequent Murders, Spoils and Opprefſions, wherewith he deſtroyeth great numbers of his People, and forceth others to flee out of his reach. Or, 2. His Pride and Power, and Wealth; which enabled an engaged him to build deſolateHovuſes and Cities for his own glory, and ſafety, and conveniency ; Of which ſee the Notes, on Ch. Jo I Fo Or,z.His Puniſhment and Miſery,that for his Impiety towards God, and oppreſſion of Men, he was driven out of his Deminions and Pofleſſions, and forced to flee into deſolate places for ſafety and an habitation. This ſeems beſt to agree with the Hebrew words, which run thus; But (for ſo the particle and,is commonly uſed as hath bee oft ſaid) he ſhalldwell, &c. And ſo this is fitly oppoſed td this laſk mentioned Proſperity, and is the beginning of the deſcription of his Miſery, which is continued in the following verſes. o Which were ready to fall, and to be turned into an heap of Stones.
29 He ſhall not berich p, neither ſhall his ſubſtance continue q, neither ſhall he prolong the perfection thereof » upon the earth. > i
? 1. e. Not abide rich, but ſhall become poor» 9 What he hid gotten ſhall be raken from him. » 1. e. The perfe&ion of his Sub» fttance, or that compleat Eſtate and Glory which he hath attained, ſhall not be continued to him and to his Poſterity. Or, neither ſha their perfeion ( i» e. that Proſperity and Wealth, and Power wherein they placed their Perfe&ion or Happineſs) ſpread it ſelf, or be propa gated or ſpread abroad, but ſhall be diminiſhed and taken away : Ir 1S a Metaphor from a Tree. Compare Job 8. 16. |
20 He ſhall not depart out of darknefs s, the flame z (ball dry up his branches #, and by the breath of || his mouth x ſhall he go away y. p; ee TNT
s His Miſery ſhall have no end. t God's Anger and Judgmentu- pon him. « Either 1. His Children; Or, 2. Wealth, and Power,and Glory, wherewith he was encompaſſed and 2dorned and ſecured, as Trees are with their Branches. x i. e. Of God's Mouth, as appears both by comparing this with v. 25; where God is expreſſed as the Adverlary with whom this wicked wretch contendeth : and by the nature of rhe thing,and the whole Context all this Mans Calamities being manifeſtly the effe&ts of God's anger ; and by other p'aces of
' Scripture, where the breath of God's mouth or lips are mentioned,
as that whereby he deſtroyeth wicked men ; as 4b 4 9: {3. 11: 4. 2 Theſſ: 2. 8. And this exprefſion intimats tops, with how mECY fa- 4F 4 a
mY W
[| That God's.
mouth,
18 D- XVI. ciliry Gold ſubdneth his enemies, he needsno Armsor Inſtruments; his Word; his Baft, on A& ofhis Will is more than ſufficient to do it. y Heb. gobzck; 1+ e. retreat and run away from God faſter than he did run towards and upon him, wv. 26. So it is a continuatioh of the former Metaphor of a Battel or Confli& Between two perſons.