i That theſe are the anſwer of God to the Prophet, is reaſonably well agreed by the beſt Interpreters, as alſo that this is a Proverbial expreſſions but as to theapplication of it in this place, there is ſome difference : Some make it this. If thou doſt not underſtand what is done by the Men of thine owa City, how canſt thou think to fa- thom 'my Diſpenſations of Providence in the Government of the World 2 Bur this ſenfe ſeemeth not very probable, becauſe the ſenſe of the Proverb ſeemeth ro be, If thou beeſt not able te encounter lefler dangers, how wilt thou be able to overcome greater ? I rather agree with thoſe who make the ſenſe this. Feremy, I have greater dangers for thee to encounter than thoſe thou art expoſed to at Anathoth, if thou beeſt ſo diſturbed with them, who are but as Foet- men, how wilt thou be able to grapple with thoſe far greater Ene- mies which thou art like to meet with at Hieruſalem., k Anatheth alſo ſeemerh to be underſtood by the land of thypeace, that is, the Land of thy Friends wherein thou hadſt a confidence : If thy Enemies thou haſt there mer with, tire thee, what wilt thou do 7» the ſwellings of Jordan? That is in a place in which thou art like to meet with an in- creaſe of greater Troubles, like the ſwelling of Jordan ( which in Harveſt uſed to overflow its Banks) Many other things are ſaid by Interpreters, both with reference to the ſenſe ofthis Text, and the Explication of theſe proverbial expreſſions, but the ſenſe above. mentioned ſeemerh to me leaſt ſtrained, and beſt agreeing with what went before, and what follows.
6 For even * thy brethren, and the houſe of thy fa- ther, even they have dealt treacherouſly with thee Z, yea || they have called a multicude after thee m, * be- lieve them not, though they ſpeak + fair words unto
thee »: | 52,
1 The Men of 4nath+th, thine own Townand Countrey, and thoſe of thy own Family have conſpired Evil againſt thee ſecretly, » Ei ther they have expoled thee ro the rage and rudeneſs of a multitude,
* Toſh. 3. IF.
Ch. 9. 4+ || Or, cried . after thee wly. L Prov. 26, 25+ + Heb. . good things.
4 |all the beaſts of the field, || * come to devour s.
M IT A H. ' Chap. X1y.
or they have accuſed thee to a multitude. » Tho' therefore they give thee many fair words, yet repoſe no truſt nor confidence in them, but look to thy ſelf.
7 I have forſaken my houſe o, IT have left mine he-
ritage p, I have given Þ the dearly beloved of my ſoul jx.,, | into the hands of her enemies 4. o God by his Houſe here underſtandeth the Temple, which God is {aid here to have forſaken with reſpe& to his gracious manifeſta« tions 1n it to the People that came thither to worſhip him. p By | his heritage he means the whole Body of the Iſraelites, called God's | Heritage not in this Chapter only, but Chap. 2. 7. Joel 2. 19, Mic. 74
14. whom God threatneth to leave with retpeC& to his ſpecial Provi«
dence, by which he had taken care of them, upon which account
Canaan is called the Land which God cared for, Deut. 11. 12, that is
ſo cared for, as in compariſon with them, he might ſeem to negle&
all other Countries. 4 That is, he had given that Nation which
was ence his dearly beloved into the hands or power of their Ene=
mies.
8 Mine heritage is unto me, as a lion in the forreſt,
it [| + crieth out againſt me : therefore have I hated it r. |Oryel:h;
7 That is, the reaſon why my heart is alienated from them, is, T Hebgi- becauſe they arealtered, thoſe that were as my Sheep, following me %## out its their chief Shepherd, and the guidance of thoſe Prophets and Paſtors V9. whickr I ſect over them, are beceme like Lions in the Foreſt roaring againſt me, and rending and tearing the Prophets which I ſent unto
them. ſpeckled bird /; the j os «2;
the loves
9 Mine heritage is unto me as a || birds round about are againſt her z, come ye, aſſemble /ented
S The word in the Hebrew ſignifies to die, or colour, and Inter- Le, af
preters are here divided, whether to interpret it of a Bird coloured by ,,,,, Nature, ( fo our Tranſlators underſtood it, and therefore have tranſs » £1. lated it ſpeckled ) or by accident,as ravenous Birds are coloured by the blood of other Birds killed by them. Hencz ſome interpret the Text as a reflection upon the Jews for their Cruelty, coloured by their oppreſſion and innocent bloodſhed. Others of their tinQture by 2 variety of Superſtition and Idolatry, the Jatter ſeemeth to me moſt - probable, becauſe of what follows, it being what is uſual and naty. ral for other Birds z to flock about a ſtrange coloured Bird, ſuch as they have not been uſed to ſeey bur rather to fly from, than to come at a Bird of prey, that hath already ſtained her Feathers with the
Chap. 7. 33*
from thee denounced. Concerning the meaning of expreſſions of
4 How long ſhall che land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedneſs of them that dwell therein g ? * The beaſts are conſumed, and the birds,
when it is brought to an ill complexion, and looketh unpleaſantly, . the Graſs and green Herbs in it being deſtroyed by Enemies, or |
blood of other Birds. » But it may be underſtood of either, for the Jens were notoriouſly guilty of both, and it is God that | -—"qvctin the Birds to come againſt her, and the Beaſts of the field to ; CEVOULr,
' Io Many paſtors have deſtroyed my vineyard w, ; they have croden my portion under foot, they have
made my Þ pleaſant portion, a deſolate wilder- + 1x6; nels x. portion of
, w By Paſtors moſt here think Civil Perſons, not Eccleſiaſtical Of- deſire» - ' ficers are m*ant; but they are divided, ſome interpreting it of the
\ Rulers and Princes of Nebuchaanezzar's Army, who took Jeruſalem,
and deſtroyed Judah, called God's Vineyard, Ija. 5. 1, 2. others un-
derſtanding it of the Rulers of the Fews, who by their wicked Go- ; |
,vernment,and as wicked Example had ruined their Countrey. x And , Cauſed God to turn the Countrey which he had choſen for his por- (t10n, and declared ſuch a pleaſure in, into a Wilderneſs,and ſuch a | Wilderneſs as was nor only thinly inhabited, bur wholly deſolate.
11 They have made it deſolate y, and being deſolate 1t mourneth unto me z, the whole land is made deſo- late, becauſe no man layeth #r to heart 4.