f God gives this Name to all the Occaſions of the Jews Ruin, he expoſeth them, or ſuffereth ſuch things to be laid in their way, as ſhal be the Occaſign of their Deſtruftion ; ſuch rhings which they ſhal not get over; or an Hypallage,” T will bring Deſtruion upon them ; as the Hebrews ule to ipeak, they have ſent a City inro the Hire,
his judgements to Traps, wherein they ſhal be taken, which they thought eaſily to have evaded: What theſe Scumbling-blccks are, ſeem to be expreſſed in the following Verſes. g As well the Fa- thers, that have more Prudence and Policy, as the Chi!dren that are more inadyertent, or poſſibly may count themſelves lſs guiltyy Thal periſh by theſe Stumbling-blocks; no recovering for them- ſelves, -Iſaiah 8. 14, 15-. Þ Men of all forts and conditions, the reateſt Intimates and Aſſociates, tho all lay their Heads together or Counſel, yer ſhal they not be able to help one another, but a promiſcuous D:ſtruftion there ſhal be, werſe 11. chap. 13» 14-
22 . Thus faith the ; LORD, Behold,a people cometh
be 1 raiſed from the m ſides of the earth.
; Now the Prophet is ſhewing what theſe deſtru&ive Stumbling- blocks hal be; of which he had propeſfied 4o years already, and yer they would not be warned. k See verſe 1, I God ſhal ſtir up the Chaldent like a great Storm or Tempeſt, cap. 1+ 15. and 25. 32. See Ezck. 23+ 22, # The remote and uttermolt parts of the Babylonj« an Territories, tho at the greateſt diſtance, yer God will bring them ; which may note the greatneſs of God's Diſpleaſure againſt Circumſtance being noted among the Curſes, Deur. 28. Oc. chap. 5. I5.
23They ſhal lay hold on bow and » ſpear : they are cruel, and have no o mercy: their voice roareth like
the p ſea, and they ride upon q horſes, ſet in r ar-
Zion. » :Or they ſhal carry ; they ſhal not want Military Ammunition of all ſorts for the diſpatch of this great work ; Synecdcchically expreſ-
not be entreated, or have any pity to Sex or Age, Poor or Rich, chap. 21» 7. See the like, Jaiah 13; 17, 18. And this was as duly | eſied, 2 chron. 36, 17. p Which as it is very
5 E-R B M 1 4 H.
_ Chap. VI. | chap- the rearing of the Devils, James 2+ 19. Poſſibly it may intimate, they would not hearken to the Voice of his Prophets, now they ſhal hear the Terrifying Noiſe of Armies like the roaring of the Sea.
q Which is a Creature in eſpecial manner adapted by God for War,
as he is deſcribed, Jeb 3g. 19, 20, &c. implying their $ | F[4.fo 2: Strength, and Fliercenefſs,. chap. 50. 42%. r The 45M Nation x G | = refu) It were 1N Battalia againſt them, that they may perceive thev have fuer,
to do with Soldiers. The LXX reading WN eſþ fire tor UR iſh |
man, render it as Fire to the War. ſ* Or Jeruſalem ; for theſe twa
Titles are promiſcuouſly uſed fcr the ſame place; and the Term Daughter 1s often given to Cities and Countries,as P/al.45.12.and r37 |
8. 1ja. 23. 12. and 47. 1. : |
24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax : feeble : * anguiſh hath taken hold of us, and Pain, As ® Chap; of a woman in « travai). | Jl. pa
# The Prophet perſonates the Peoples AffeQion, 9. 4. at the very 24+ & 50,
Report of the Approach 2nd Fierceneſs of this People, we are dif. 43* | mayed, and diſcouraged, onr Hearts melt within us; all warlike Courage is taken fiom vs, 2 Sam. 4+ t+ or he modeſtly reckons him- ſe}f among the reſt. « A Deſcription of the Exquititeneſs of their Sufferings chap. 13. 21»
25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the x ; for the ſword of the enemy and fear is on y eve- ry ſide.
x Expreſſing the great danger that there would be every where, there would be no ſtirring out of their fenced Cities or Houſes. chap. $ 14. but grear danger to them that go out, and to thoſe thar come 11 they would find Death every where; now ſeek out ſome by.
Way Sy venture not in common Roads, Fudges 5.6.yThe Language of one ſpe:king ro another ; ir ſeems to be a proverbial Speech, frequently ulcd ro expre$s unavoidable Dangers, Pſal. 31. 13. chap. 20. 3, 10. . and 49. 29. All places will be full of Soldiers, ſo that all Attempts | will be very difficult, Lam. 5. g.
26 O daughter of my z people, * gird thee with ſack- . Ch cloth, and a wallow thy ſelf in aſhes : * make thee ,- ug x mourning ; as for an only ſon; moſt bicter lamentation; * Zech; for the b ſpoiler ſhall ſuddenly come upon us. 12, 10,
z z.e. O my People, that art beloved as a Daughter. a He calls vpon them to Mourning in the deepeſt manner wherein they can | expreſs it, girding with Sackcloth, cloſe Mourning, chap. 4. 8. wal- Al | lowing in Alhes, chap. 25. 34. Mz. 1.10. ly ng low in Humiliation 'Þ and proſt:ating themſelves before him, he farther. deſcribes the Na« E ture of it 1n the following Expreſſion, ſuch as is for the Death of a Chiid, a Son, an only Son, Amos 8- Io. and then ſeems to ſum ir up 1n this bitrer, moſt bitter Lamentation, Heb. Watling of Bitterneſs ; noting the higheſt degrees of Lamentation: he ſeemsto want Words ; ; te expreſsit. See chap 9.17, 18. And itis likely the Prophet doth ] not {o defignedly exhort them to repent, as rather deſcribe the ſtate of Perſ-ns in a loſt and deſpairing Condition. For here the Pro- h : pher t-kes upon himſelf the Perſon of one denouncing War : and * Chap. 18. Sackcloth andAſhes is ofren mentioned where there is 1, Hove ofCone 1, & 26, _ or Repentance. 6 The King of Babylon and his Army, chap, i
. s , 27 * I have ſet thee for a tower, and a c fortreſs a> "lm | mong my people,that thou mayeſt know and try 4 their ,, wY | c way. | | :
c Here God ſpeaks by way of Encouragement to the Prophe tells him, he had made him a fortified , "ongea} that he wo diſcover the Carriages of his People, which is one uſe of an high : Tower I/a.21.5, 8. Hab. 2+ 1. and alſo to aſſure him, tho they ſhal c make ſeveral Artempts againſt him, yer he ſhal be kepr ſafe, as ina Caſtle, or Fortreſs, chap. 15. 20. & Their Courſes, Aftiors, and Man« Gs ners, and which way they ſtand affe&ed,thou mayeſt bring all ro thy c ſtrict Obſervation and Scrutiny, as Goldſmiths or Refiners do Tr: Metals; for ſo is the Word Try uſed, Pſale 66. 10. and elſewhere : Id Hereby he ſhal be encouraged to reprove them more freely,and with rl Authority, becauſe God doth promiſe to defend him, that they ſhal C nor hurt him; God will give him Prudence to ſce what is amiſs, and F Undauntedneſs to oppoſe it. d