a WW «a 5 LÞ Hen 73 w Ty SS CT
Tv
XN,
&, ed, al. 1.3, 17.8,
eb.new, Cn. 49,
Heb, mged,
l, 42, 3l,
"Chap. XXX,
+ Heb.
come to my ears.
2 Yea, whereto might the ſtrength of their hands profit me f in whom oid age was perithed g ? |
} Nor was it ſtrange that I did, or would, or might refuſe to take them into any of my meaneſt Services becauſe they were Ut- zerly impotent, and therefore unſerviceable. g Or, loft, exther 1. becauſe they never attain to it, but are conſumed by their luſts,or cut off for their wickedneſs by the juſt Hand of God, or Men, in the midſt of their Days. Or, 2. becauſe they had fo waſted their.
. . . - . G 1 Strength and Spirits by their evil courſes, that when they came to |
old Age, they were feeble and decrepit, and uſclets for any labour. Oc, 3. becauſe they had not that prudence and experience which is proper and uſual in that Age, by which they might have been uſeful, ifnot for Work, yet to Oversſee and dire& others 1n their Work. But the Words may be thus rendred, I whom vigorous Ag? w3:s periſhed, i. e. who were grown impotent for ſervice. For the Word here rendred od Aze, is uſed only here, and 7ob 5. 26. where alſo it may be ſo rendred, Thou ſhalt come to thy Grave m a vigorous, or mature Age, having the vigour of Youth, even in thine old Age, and until thy Death, as Mes had. And if this word do ſignific old Age, yet it ſignifies not every, but only a flouriſhing and vigo- rous old Age ; as the Hebrews note, and the word may ſeem to 1m- ply : Whence the Seventy Interpreters alſo render it Perfettion, to wit of Age, and of the endowments belonging to Age* _
2 For want and tamine þ they ere || ſolitary :
1 - . . . . fleeing into the wilderneſs, + in former time defolate
wfernight. and wall : | 3
' þ Brought upon them either by their own ſloth or wickedneſs,or by God's juſt Judgment, Heb. I want and famine,which aggravates their following Solitude. Although want commonly drives Perſons to places of reſort and company ior relief, yertheywere ſo conſcious of taeir own guilt, and contemptibleneſs, and hatefulneſs to all Perſons,that they ſhunned all company, and for fear or ſhame fled
into, and lived 1n deſolate places.
4 Who cut up mallows z by the buſhes &, and juniper
] roots for their meat, | ; Or, P:r/lain, or Szlt, or Bitter Herbs, as the word ſeems to im-
port, which thews their extreme necefliry. & Or, by the ſbrubs, nigh unto which they grew. Or, with the barks of trees, asthe VuJgar La- tine rende.s it. / Poſſibly the word may ſignifie ſome other Plant, for the Hebrews themſelves are at a loſs for the ſignitication of the
Names of Plants.
They were driven forth from among men m, (they
cried after them, as affer a thief » )
6 To dwell in the clifrs of the valleys, in F caves of fHeb.holes the earth, and i the rocks.
m As unworthy of humane Society, and for their beggery and
diſhoneſty, ſuſpe&ed 2nd avoided of all men. » Giving one ano-
ther warning of their danger from them.
7, Among the buſhes they brayed o, under the net- tles p they were gathered together.
o Like the wild Aſſes, Fob 6. 5. for hunger or thirſt. P Which ſcem not proper for that uſe. This Hebrew Word is uſed but twice in Scripture, and it is acknowledged both by Jewiſh and Chriftian Writers, That the ſignitication of the Hebrew Words which . ex- preſs Plants, or Beaſts, or Stones, &c. is very uncertain; and therefore this is by others. and may well b- underſtood of ſome kiad of Thorns : And ſo this is the ſame t' ing with the buſbes in
the former Branch of the Verſe, 1nder which t1ey hid themſelves,
that they might not be diſcovered when they were ſought out for Al* Juſtices»
8 They were children of fools q, yea, children of fHeb.men + baſe men » : they were viler chan the earth s.
if no name. q Either 1. The genuine Children of tooltſh Parents, their Chil- dren not only by Birth.but by Imitation; as they only are eſteemed the Chilaren of Abraham, who do the works of Abraham, Tthn 8. 39. | Or, 2. Fools, by 2 common Hebraiſm, as the jons of 2nen are put for Men, and the ch:[ar-n of Wijdom, for wiſe men,e&c. r Heb. meu without name, i, e- without any degree of Credit or Reputation ; as men of name is put for renowned Perſons, Gen- 6. 4. 5 Which we tread and : ſpit upon, and are nor willing to rouch. : _—_ 6. 9 * And now am ll cneir fong ?, yea, IT amtheir by- "pg word. . ; . Lam. 3. f The matter of their ſong and deriſion : They now rejoyce in 14 63, my Calamities, becauſe formerly I uſed my Authority to puniſh ſuch Vag:ants and Miſcreants. fHeb,,ud 10 They abhor me, they flee far from me#, + and vith-bold ſpare not to {pic in my face x. wt ſpittle u In conrempt of my perſon and loathing of my ſores. x Not my literally for they kept far from him,as he now ſaid ; but figurative-
ly, # e. they ule al! manner of contemptuous and reproachful Ex- prefſions and Carriages towards me,not only behind my back, bur even to my face. .
11 Becauſe he y hath looſed my cord z, and affiited me 4, they have alſo let looſe the bridle þ before me c.
y To wit, God, for it follows, He affi#ed me, which was God's work. z Either 1. He hath ſlackned the ſtring ( as this word ſome- times ſignifies ) of my Bow, and fo rendred my Bow and Arrows uſeleſs, either to offend others, or to defend my ſelf; #, e. He hath deprived me of my Strength or Defence : So this is oppoſed to that
expreſſion, Chap. 29. 20+ Or, 2 He hath taken away from me that
Power and Authority, wherewith. as with a Cord, I bound then to the good- beiraviour, and kept them within their bounds. The like Expreſſion is uſed in the ſame Senſe, Job 12- 18. a When they perceived that God whe had been my faithful Friend, and
conſtant Defender had forſaken me, and was become mine Ene-
my, tiey preſently rook this advantage of ſhewing their malice a- gainſt me: 6 They caſt off all former reſtraints of Law, or Huma- nity, or- Moiei:y, and gave themſelves full liberty to ſpeak or a& what they pleaſed againit me. c They durſt now do thoſe rhings be- fore mine Eyes; which formerly they trembled leſt they thould
&