I Either thoſe 2 Kings 25.4. or thoſe 2 Chron: 32. 5. in both which Places we read of two wal!'s. 2 To receive the Waters conveyed into it by Pipes from the old Pool. » Either, 1. of the Water; for both the Springs and the Rain which filleth rhe Pools are from God alone ; or, 2, of feruſal?m, expreſſed in the foregoing verſe, and eaſily underſtood here,becauſe all theſe Works were undertaken
for the Pronoun Relative to be put by it ſelf, without any expreſs mention of the Perſon or Thing to whichit belongs, which is left to the Reader to gather out of the foregoing or following Words; of which ſee the Notes on Pſal: 87: 1. Cant: 1.1. o Heb. the former, or framer of it , God, who made it a City,and the Place of his ſpecial Preſence and Worſhip; which alſo he had undertaken to proteR, if the People would obſerve his Commands ; to whom therefore they ſhould have reſorted and truſted in this time of their diſtreſs. Pp Which Clauſe may be added to aggravate their Sin, in diſtruſting that God who had now for a long time given proof of his Care and Kindneſs in defending this City.
12 And in that day did the Lord GOD of hoſts call q to weeping,and to mourning;and to baldneſs r,and to girding with ſackcloth.
q Tnvite and oblige them by the Courſe of his Providence, and require this by the Precepts requiring theſe things in ſuch Times and Conditions. r to make themſelves bald, by plucking or ſha- ving off the Hair of their Heads, as was uſual in great Sorrows, as Ezrag. 3. Jos 1: 20: Mich: 1: 16. although it was forbidden in caſe of the Death of Relations, for a ſpecial Reaſon; of which ſes on Lev: 19: 27, *8. @ 21; 5. :
13 And behold, joy and gladneſs, ſlaying Oxen,and killing ſheep, eating fleſb /, and drinking wine ; F let us eat and drink for to morrow we lhall die z.
{ Not only for Neceſlity, but to exceſs and Luxury, as eating and drinking are taken Mat:24.38. & The Prophets tell us, that we ſhall certainly and ſuddenly be deſtroyed ; it concerns us therefore to make our beſt of the preſent time, and ro be merry whilſt we have the opportunity. A moſt perverſe and deſperare Conclaſion, pro» ceeding from obſtinat profaneneſs,and contempt ofGod's judgments
14 And it was revealed in mine ears « by the LORD of hoſts, ſurely this iniquity ſhall not be purged from you, till ye die x, faith the Lord GOD of hots. ;
u What I am ſaying is not my own Invention, nor uncertain Reports; but what I heard with theſe Ears of mine. The like Phraſe we have 1 Sam: 9: 15. the Lord hath rolgfSamuel in his ear. x You ſhall feel the ſad EffeQsof this wickedffſs, and my juſt di- pleaſure for it, as long as you live. This is not ſpoken excluſively, as ifit ſhould be purged after their death,which is abſurd and im- pious to imagine, at leaſt concerning ſuch as lived and died in this deſperate and impenirent Condition; bur empharically,to ſhew that God will have no, mercy upon them in that time of Life, in which he uſeth and delighteth to give Repentance and Remiſſion of Sins unto Mankind.
15 Thus faith the LORD GOD of hoſts, Go, * get thee unto this treaſurer y, even unto Shebna z, which 3s
over the houſe a, and ſay,
y Which the Prophet might boldly do, becauſe he had the Pro- tection not only of God, who ſent him upon this Errand,bur pro- bably of Hezekiah alſo, who at the time of this Prophecy was either King,or his Fathers Viceroy, or at leaſt Heir-appareng to the Crown. z Who ſeems to have been advanced by wicked 4haz, and to have been 2 great Patron of Impiety and Injuſtice in his Reign, and by politick Compliance with Hezekiah, thought to gain his Favour; and ſo to keep his place and power at Court. 4 Over the Houſe of Da- wid, as is more fully expreſſed bellow, v, 22. Poſſibly he was nor only the Lord Treaſurer, but alſo the Kings Prime Minifter of State,
16 What haſt thou here>? and whom c haſt thou here, that thou haſt hewed thee out a ſepulchre 4 here
» Ch:56;12 \Cor:15:32
FR raveth an habitation g for himſelf in a rock 4,
h Or, What doſft thou here ? what right haſt thou to this Place and Office ? c Either, 1+ Whar friends in whom thou canſt confide ? Thou haſt ſo ill managed thy ſelf and thy Afairs,that thou art uni- verſally hated. Or, 2, What Kindred or Relations? For the Jews ay, he was a Stranger by Birth 3 which is the more probable, be- cauſe hisPedegree is not mentioned in any ot thoſe places of Scrip- rure where he is named. &d As great and ambitious men uſed to do. e Not in thine own country,the proper place for ſuch a Monument; but in Feruſalem, which ſhould not be defilled nor diſparaged with ir. f In an high andeminent place, as 1/a: 57:7: g Either, x. a Sepulchre, which is called a mans houſe, Job 30: 23. or, 2.a dwell- ing-Houſe. He ere&ed, or is compared to one that doth ereCt, a ſtately Houſe to live in, and a ſtately Sepulcher to receive him when he dies. And theſe two are hily joined together, becauſe their Sepulchres were commonly builr 1n or near their Houſes. See Iſa: 14: 18. Fob: 19:41. þ A fit P:ace both for Strength and State. Thus we read of « Sepulchre hewed ous of a Rock, Mat; 27: 60.
17 Behold, |] the LORD will carry thee away with
+a mighty captivity z, and will ſurely cover thee &. WRD who 4 Will cauſe theeto be carried into Captivity by a ſtrong Hand, Mered or by the Hand of a mighty man,from which therefore thou ſhalt the wich mot be able to eſcape. Or, will caff the away with the caſting of a migh« excels ty man, 1:8. With great force: or, 21 caſting wall caſt thee away, O. at cover thou mighty man, k To wit, with confuſion, as is here implied, %;,ond clo= and as this phraſe is more fully exprefled, Pſal: 89. 40, & 109. 29* thed thee Or, covering may be put for obſcuring his Glory, which he defign- $"z-0u//y, ed to publiſh, and to that end erefted ately Monuments, &'c: Or, urely, this may be an alluſion to the ancient Cuſtom of covering the Faces c of Condemned perſons ; of which ſee Ef/* 7; 8: Compare Job g: } Heb: he 24. Ezeck: 12. 6, 12.
Or, he
for Jeruſalems Defence and Proviſion, And it is uſual in Scripture ,
| ly Care and AffeCion,
e [| as he that heweth him out a ſepulchre on high f,and']|
my
ball / inco a Þ large country ys there Hhalt thou die, fHeb:la1
! Heb: Wraprng he will wrap hee up like a Ball, which conſiſts of Materials wrapped and bound together, that it may be tofſ:d far 2« way. Or, Rolling he will Roll thee with the Rolling of a Ball. m Liko -