righteoulneſs, but are ready co expoſtulate and diſpute with God, þ, yiolens- and to call him to account why he hath dealt fo with them, as if iy taken God had dealt unjuſtly» Bur (faith God) if thou ſhouidſt have away. any ſuch thoughts in thine heart,” do but remember thine iniqui- ties , how many and how great they have been, thy nakednejs is diſcovered becaule of theſe, and for theſe thou art expoſed tocon- tempt and ſhame. Probably theſe Phraſes are fetched from the uſual Practice of Soldiers, when they have conquered a plzce and taken Pritoners, to {trip them, and leave thole of either Sex, ej» ther no Cloaths to cover their nakedneſfs, or nothing bar their own Rags, not ſufficient to cover their nakednels. By Skirts is 7 meant the lower part of their Bodies covered with the lower part ot their Garments.
23 Canthe Ethiopian change his skin, or the leo- pard his ſpots 4? then may ye alſo do good, that are | accuſtoined to do evil ec. + Heb.
d In the Hebrew it is, Can the Cuſhite, &c. from whence it is taught. well concluded, as learned Men judge, that the Ethiopians are of the poſterity of Cuſh the Son of Cham, Brother to Miſraim, the Father of the Egypt:ans, Gen. 10. 6. For theſe were the only People of old noted for their black colour in Scripture, as the E:h10912ns are now. e God ſheweth that the Jews by their conti- nued cuftomary finning had to inured themſelves to wicked pra- Ctices, that 1t was as. much labour in vain to endeavour to reclaim them, as to g0 abont to waſh a Blackamoor, or to take out the na- tural ſpots of the Beaſts called Leopards.
24 Therefore will I ſcatter them as the ſtubble that paſſeth away by the wind of the wilderneſs f.
f The words denote a great, and clear diſperſion, like that of the ſcattering of Stubble by a fierce Wind.
25 This zs thy lot, the portion of thy meaſures
even groſs darkneis, | from me, faith the LORD ; becauſe thou haſt forgot-
17 But if ye will not hear itt, my ſoul ſhall weep 1.. 1.1n fecrct places for yo Pride ts and mane eye ſhall -,15.& 2 weep ſore, and 1un down with tears, becauſe the 18, Lords flock is carried away capuve Þ.
ten me, and truſted in falſhood g. ' & Tiis1s, what thou ſhalt havear the Lord's Hand, the diſpenſa- 'tion which thou ſhalt meet with, and thou mayeſt thank thy ſelf for it ; for hadſt thou remembred either my former kindneſs to thee, or the Law that I gave thee, this had not come unto thee ;
: That is, if you will not liſten to whatT lay, take heed to what! ye thou haſt torgotten me, and truſted in lies, or in idle, vain and
I ay, and obey the counſel which I give you. «TI ſhall {eriouſly ;
[i 1
preſumptuous hopes, therefore I have given thee but a juſt lot,and
and ſecretly mourn for your rebellion and obſtinacy which 15 root-j qeaſured to thee a juſt meaſure.
ed in your pride, and lifting up your {elves againſt the Lord's Mo- | nitions and Counlels. + And I ſhall allo mourn for your cala. |
when it comes upon you. I ſhall have a perſonal and family con. ce:n with you, but that will not lo much trouble me as to confi.
der that you, who are the Church and People of God, ſhould be |
ied into Captivity. 18 Say unto the King and to the Queen, Humble 0.195 Your ſelves x, fit down; for your || principalities ſhall come down, ever the crown of your glory x. x The Author of Holy Writ 1s diſcernible by th1s as by other, things, that the Scripture equally ſpeak; to the greateſt Perſons, as
whether it was at this time Jehojakim, or his Son Jebojakin, 1$ uncertain. x By Principa/ities he means borh their drgniy, and their liberty that which he often calleth the Crown of their glory.
i '
to Perſons of m<aner rank. Got here calls to the King of Judah, J
26 Therefore * will I diſcover thy skirts upon thy «x ar. 6. (face that thy ſhame may appear h. Ezek. 16.
þ Therefore I will expoſe thee co all manner of ſhame and con- 37. & 23. ' tempt, without any regard to thy honour. Thoſe that honour 2 9.
od, God w1ll honour, but thoſe that deſpiſe and diſhonour him, Hol, 2.10:
ſhall not be able to maintain their own honour,
27 | have ſeen thy adulteries, and thy * neighings, « Chap. the lewdneſs of thy whoredom, zd thine abomina- +. gs.
'OnS * on the Hills, 1n the fields & : woe unto thee, O * Ifa.c5.6.
Jeruſaiem, wilt thou not be made clean? + when ſhall Ihe 60s it once be | ? + Heb, pl | # Some think the Prophet. here refle&ts upon them for their cor- ,,,., yet ? poral Adulteries, and their madnels upon them, which he compa- *
i reth to the neighings of Horſes, but thoſe words on the hills, in the
Some expound it bead-tires. becauſe the word derlveth from a felds.n the next clauſe ſeem to inform us. k That he means here
word which fgnifies the Head, i9 The citics of the ſouth ſhall be ſhut up, and none ſhall open eberry;, Judah ſhall be carried away
| only their 1dolatries which are in holy Writ often compared to
' Adulteries, which are the greateſt ſins in their kind, the greateſt viojetions of the Marriage Covenant, and provocations of Perſons
In conjugal Relation, and the only caule of lawful divorce. 1 He
captive all of it, it ſhall be wholly carried away cap-' concludes with patherical Interrogations,intimating,hat yet there
tlyvc.
dea, and therefore their *nemies in the next Verſe are fajd to come from the North, and this great evil 151a1d to have come from the North; or (as fome would nave 1t) the Cities of Egypr, which! {1 yet more Sourbward 1045s the Egyptians ſhould neither come « 1:h iufficient force to raile the Siege,nor ſhould there be any San- ©tuary or refuge for them in E2yps, but they ſhould certainly be holly carrie into Captivity.
20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come! {rom the north =: where z- the flock tat was given ihce, thy beautiful flock a ?
3 He jpeakstothemas if their Enemy was even then upon their March, that ifthey d1d but Jook they might ſee him coming. a The: Prophet either ſpeaks to the Ring, or tothe Rulers, or catet of the'
was hope it they would reform ; and though giving over their caſe
y Eicher the Cities of Fudab which lay Southward from Cha1-' almoſt as deſperate, and not knowing what would nor be, ler he
leaves no means untried, bur asks chem if ic was not yet time, or when ſuch a thing might be hoped for at their hands ?
CHAP. XIV.
A grievous Famine propheſied: It's Miſeries, 1, —— 6. The Prother prayeth, but God will not be entreated for them, 7, — 12, Lying Prophets no Excuſe for them, 13, —— 16, The Prophet's Com- fplaint, 17, — 22.