12 The ſpoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderneſs b : for the ſword of the LORD ſhall devour from the oze end of the land, even unto the other end of the land : no fleſh ſhall have peace c.
b The Prophet (as very uſually) ſpeaketh of a thing as already done, which was very ſhortly to be cone, he ſaith they were come up becauſe they ſhould'come up, and no pJaces ſhould be ſo high but they ſkould climb them ; none ſo ſtrong,but they ſhould ſub- due them. c The ſword of the Ene:ay is called the ſword of the Lord, becauſe he ordereth and ſucceeds it, though the Enemy manageth it,and he faith it ſhall be againſt all, of all ranks and orders, no fleſh ſhould haye peace ; by no fl:ſh he meaneth no ranks, no orders of Men.
13 * They haveſown wheat, but they ſhall reap * Micah thorns 4 ; they have put themſelves to pain, bur 5: 75: ſhall not profit e: and|| they ſhall be aſhamed of #8: 7- 6: your revenues, becaule of the fierce anger of the * FY LORD f.
d If theſe words be underſtood literally, they only fignifie, that God would blaſt the Labours of the Husbandman, and curſe them 1n the Field. The Earth bringing forth Thorns and Thiſtles was partof the Curle for the firſt tranſgreſlion of Man ; Gen. 3. 18, God's blaſting the Labours of Husbandmen is often threatned as a puniſhment of Sin. Vide Lev. 26. 16. Deut. 28, 38. if it be taken metaphorically, it is expounded by the next words. e That they ſhould labour in vain,all the Works of their hands, all their Countels and Deliberati ons ſhould be ot no profit, or avail unto them. f The fierce anger of God againſt them ſhall be ſo ſhewed, chat the returns of their Labours or Eſtates, the profits of their -—_ &. ſhall be fo ſmall that they ſhall be aſhamed of them,
14 Þ Thus faith; the LORD againſt all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have cauſed my people Iſrael to inherit 9, behold, I will * * Deut.3o. pluck them out of their land, and piuck out the houſe 3: Cape of Judah from amongſt them h ? oc
g God will not be angry for ever with his own People, nor ſut- fer the rod of the wicked for ever to ref# upon the back of the righteous, for ſaith he for thoſe that are my evil Neighbours, the
Nations bordering upon Fudea, which God calls his Inheritance, upon which account he calleth them his Neighbours, who touched
+ or portion cefire.
+ Heb. 2i- »r That {s, the reaſon why my heart [s alſenated from them, is weth out its becauſe they are altered, thoſe that were as my Sheep, following
VGce. me their chief Shepherd, and the guidance of thoſe Prophets and ji Paſtors which I ſet over them,are become like Lions in the Foreſt | roaring again{t me, and rending and tearing the Prophets which | I ſent unto them. ; | ; Or, 2at- , 9 Mine heritage is unto me s a || ſpeckled bird /,
i tried, the birds round about are againlt her z, come ye, af- | || Or, cauſe emble all the beaſts of the field, || * came to de-
a them tg VOUr 7, come. { The word in the Heb. tignifies to die, or colour, and Inter- iq * Chap. 7. preters are here divided, whether to interpret it of a Bird coloured 33s by Nature, (to our Tranſlators underftood it, and therefore have
franſ]-ted it Ipeckled) or by accident, as ravenous Birds are C0- lonred by. the blood of other Birds killed by chem. Hence ſome interpret the Text as a reflection upon the Fers tor their Cruelty, colourcd by their oppreflioa and innocent bloodſhed. Others of their tinture by a variety of Superſtition and Idolatry, the latter {eemeth to me moſt probable, becaule of what tollows, it being what is ulizal and natural for other Birds t to flock about a ſtrange colcured Bird,fuci as they have not been uſed to ſee,but rather to fly from, than to come at a Bird of prey. that hath already ſtained
his Inheritance, not ſo much by contiguity of Habitation, as by rapacious Fingers, to do them hurt, inſulting over them when the Hand of God was upon them, and contributiog to their affliction and miſery, by helping their Enemies againft them, as did the Edomites, Philiſtines, Moabites, 8c. h I will alſo pluck them out of their Lands, I will bring the ſword upon them alſo, and they ſhall be led into Captivity, and though they may have made ſome Inroads upon my People, and have carried away ſome of them into Captivity, yet I will fetch them out of their Cap- vity.
15 And it ſhall come to paſs, after that 1 bave plucked chem our, I will return and have compaſſion on them, and will bring them again every man to his heritage, and every man to his land z.
i This ſeergeth not to be a Prophecy only of the Fews return in- to their Land after the tulfilling of the Years of their Captivity, but alſo of the bringing back of cheſe Nations after that they ſhould be plucked vp, and feems to relate to the calling of the Gentiles, but this Prophecy muſt be limired by what followeth in ns next Verle, and not underſtood of all the Inhabitants of thoſe NATIONS.
16 And it ſhal! come to paſs, if they will diligently
her Fra'ters with the blogd of other Birds. 4 But,it may be un-
learn the ways of my people to firear by my name,
_ FE
Chap. XIII
FEREMIA H.
the LORD liveth #, (as they taught my people to| g Waetherthe Proper really made ſuch a journey, or all this
ſwear by Baal) / then ſhall they be builc inthe mid{t of my people m. © | ; { Thy tet peonle be Heathens, yet if they will leavetheir Idolarries,a0d luperſticio.:s ways of Worſhip,and learn to worſhip an. te:ve me a5 my People do, and ought io wortkhip me. / And (w:4r by my Name the Lord liveth, taat 1s, Pay chat Homage which they pay to the Divine Being to me, the living and true
God ; owing me alone as tne fountain of life, and ſearcher of, ] 114
the hearts (tor there is a great Homage paid to the true God To twearing by his Naive only, which ſheweth the great impiety and protanenels of other Oaths.) m Then, faich God, I will blels ad proper thera alſo, and they ſhall nor on]y have a portion In he Earth but amongſt my People, which was eminently ful-
flled in the Converſion of the Gentiles, Rom. 11. 17. They|