aid; But others think this, Shallum was Jofiak's fourth Son, that Johanan died before his Father, and the People made Shalium his youngeſt Son King, calling him Jehoahax, ſo as he reigned immedi. ately after Joſiah, . ' 2 Wo. 0 33 C Wo unto him that * buildeth his houſe by un- "__0 righteouſneſs, and his chambers by wrong ; z that uſeth = 9. bis neighbours ſ{ervice without wages, and giveth him F- not for his work 8s. ; £ We have not here any certain Guidance, to let ns know whe- .ther the Propher intended Jehoahaz or Jehoiakim ; borh of them di evil in the ſight of the Lord, as we read in their Story. The Sin here zefleQed upon is manifeſtly Injuſtice and Oppreſſion. but poſſibly in the' former part of the Verſe, all unju& and oppreſſive Afts, by which either of theſe Princes endeavoured to promote their Gran- deur, may be underſtood : for we need not take building his houſe in aſtriS& lireral Senſe, but ſignifying the promotion of his Family, or eſtabliſhing his State and Dignity. 4 Inthe latter parr, a ſpecial Oppreſlion, withholding Workmens Wages, is the Sin upon which the Woe is denounced, a Sin contrary to the Law, Lev. 19. 13, Deut. 24. 14, 15. and againſt which the Judgment of God is alfo denounced under the New Teſtament. James 5. 4. An evident De- monſtration of God's Love to Mankind, ſecuring by his Law juſt Dealing betwixt Man and Man, and revenging A&s of Injuſtice, «nd particularly where Men take Advantage of their Greatneſs above, and Superiority over others, to trample them under their Feet, and to withhold their juſt Rights from them : Though ſuch Perſons may be out of the reach of humane Juſtice, yet God hath denounced a Woe againſt them» bn
T4 That faith, I will build me a wide houſe, and T large chambers, and cutteth him out || windows, and
it is Cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion 6b. & That is Woe to that Man, who ſuffering Oppreſlion in his Government, or making it his Buſineſs himſelf tro Oppreſs, yet bnildeth himſelf great Houſes and large Chambers, Cieling them with Cedar, promiſing himſelf Proſperiry and Splendour notwith nding his wicked Courſes ; for otherwiſe, it is lawful encugh fo Princes to build themſelves ſtately Houſes, &c. Yer ſome think thar Jeboiakim's Pride, and Luxury, and Magnificence, is here blame
= 0-17 4 Þ,
, .” ® . e. 27. upon which a-count their Sinning was an Apoſt:cy an: a fors |
fead of Foſtah his Father; which Phraſe ſeemeth alſo to conclude, that ; he immediately ſucceeded his Father Jeſiah. x He was carried away ;
led him captive, and ſhall ſee this land no more z. | drawn and caſt forth beyond the gates of Jeruſalem mw. 4 So as he returned no more to ſee his native Country, as 1s here
c Art thou ſo vain, as fo think that brave Iicuirs wiil contime ; thy Kirgdom * Thou ait miſtaken ; magnificent Buildings are nor thoſz things which <f1:bI'ſh a Prince's Threne. d Hcw was it with thy Father? He lived profperouſly, yer kad no- fuch ſtately Edi- tices 3 his Throne wes effabliſked by Juſtice and Judgement; thar were the right way for thee to fit ſure upin thy Throne.
16 He judged the cauſe of ihe pcor erd needy e, then if was well with him: was not this to know me,
ſaith the LORD f? |
e By himſelf in Perſon; for the Kings of 1ſ-acl and Judah often, ſar perſonal'y to judge Cauſcs; or by jetting ſuch Judges as did ir, adminiftring Juſtice unpactially, particularly ro ſuch as in r=ſpe& of their low Conditicn, were moſt expoicd to the Power of others, , and doing thus he profpered. f This was for him truly to own and acknowlede me. They only truly know Gcd who obey him ; and Men vainly pretend to Piety who are r.otoricully defcttive in Duties of Juſtice and Ctaiity.
17 But thine. eyes and thy heart are not but for thy covetouſneſs g, andfor to ſhed innocent blood, and for
oppreſſion, and for || violence to do it þ.
thy own Grandeur and Riches. b And to make thy ſelf great, thou ©2/% makeſt no Difficulty ro deſtroy thy Subj:&s that are innocent, and ' have nct deſerved Death, and to oPprets others, uſing atl manner | of Violence againſt them. Ir is nor v6 te thought that Jehorakine ' did all this in perſon, but by ſuch corrvpt and unjuſt Judges as he fervp; ſo God accounted that Ahab had Killed and taken poſi jon,
s Krrg: 21. 19, Though the Elders and Nobles were thoſe thar did ir,
werſe 11. 12, 13, Prince are reſponlible to Gcd for the ſins of their Minitters and Judges,
18 Therefore thus faith the LORD, concerning Je- hoiakim the fon of Joſiah king of Judah 3: They ſhall not lament for him, ſaying, Ah my brother, or ah m filter: they (ball not lament for him, ſaying, Ah Lord! or, ah his glory &. |
# Avery b:d Son of a good Father, whoſe Name was Eliakin,, by Pharaoh Necho turned to Jehoiakim, 2 Kings a3. 34. and by himſer up. Hz reigned wickedly. and infinitely oppreſſed the People for Money, for Pharaoh Necho that made him King, wve-ſe 35. He reigned but cleven Years; but rebelling againſt Nebuchadnezzar King of Bas bylon,zs we read,2 Kings 24. 1, 2, he was Carried by him into Babylere in fetters, 2 Chron. 36. 6. wherefore ought we read, he died. Jehoj« akim, or Jeriah, his Son, ſucceeded him, worſe g: reigning only three Months, and ten Days, & He.diednot lamented; for, as it is not probable hisEnemies would lament him,fo h: had diſobliged his own People by Violence and Oppreſlion to that degree, that it is not likely that thoſe of them who were in Babzl:z made any great Law mentation for him,
19 * He ſhall be buried with the burial of an aſs /, a+ 6