e This is all but a deſcription of the march of an Army, fo ter-
away to ſave themſelves looking upon themſelves as loſt, and un- able to protect their Children, ;
4. Becauſe of the day that cometh to ſpoil all the Philiſtines f, and to cut off from Tyrus and Z1don every helper that remainethg : for the LORD will ſpoil the Philiſtines, the remnant of - the countrey j m_ of Caphtor. .*. OT
f The day which God hath ſet, and appointed for the ruine of the Philiſtines. g Tyre and Sidon were neighbouring to the Phz- liſtines, as appears trom Gen. 10. 14, I5. Foel 3. 4. and fo were often called to their help. God threatneth both to deſtroy them, and alſo thoſe that helped them ; .*. it appeareth trom Gen. 10. 14. that the Philiſtines and Caphtorims were related, tor their firſt Progenitors Philiſtim and Caphtcrim, were both the Sons of Miz- raim the Son of Ham one of the Sons of Noah. It appears from Deur. 2, 23. that they expelled che Ares, and dweltin Hagerim to Az3ah, whether their Country be what was atrer wards called Cappadecit or Damiata is not much material for us to know, they were a People confederate with the Philiſtines, whom God here threatneth to deſtroy with them.
5 * Baldncf:
S; ? s TOR Ee Ws OE:
2 Thus faith the LORD, Behold, * waters riſe * If. 8.7. S
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the fulneſs
FERE
"@hap. XLVIIL
"*Mie.r.15. « * Baldneſs is come upon Gaza z * Aſhkelon 15 cut », ofFw;th the remnant of their valley g : how long wilt; 25+ 20. * cut thy ſelf b? " thou * CUT CNY IC p FE . Chap. 6. g Both Gaza and Aſhhelon were two principal Cities betonging
A to the Philiſtimes, taken by Judah, Fud. 1. 18. Weread ot them, 1 Sam. 6. 19. Both Amos, Zephaniah and Zechariah propheſied their ruine, Amos 1. 8. Zephaniah 2 4, 7+ Zach. 9. 5. as well as this Prophet. By the remnant of the Valley, moſt underſtand thoſe who lived in the Vallies near about Aſhkelon. þ Goncerring the aft clauſe inthis Verſe there is ſome difference, whether the words ſhould be joyned with the next Verſe, and read, How lorg wilt thou cur thy elf, O thox Sword of the Lord? or as tney lie 11 our Bibles, and then the ſence is, Why will you1n lo deſperate a manger afflit your ſelves, when all your mourning will do you no good ? -
6 ©O thou ſword of the LOR D., how long w#/! zt ab. be cre thou be quiet? - put vp thy ſelf into thy {cab- z@tr' bard ; reſt, andhe ſtill . ſelf. i Some meke the words of the 6th. Verſe, to bs the words of be] the Phitiſtines in their mourning and curting themſelves, crying | to God to ſtop the Sword drawn againſt them, and to return 1t again into its Scabbard : Others make them the words of tie Prophet, Jainenting che havock which he by the eye of the Pro phecy ſaw was like to be made among{t the the Philiſtines by the Cha!deans (for goo: Men are affect:d with the Milſeries even ot the worſt of Mea.) ; :
7 + How caa it be quiet, ſeeing the LORD hath BET ow given it a charge againſt Aſhkelon, and againlt the tea-ſhore ? there hath he appointed 1t &.
+ The latter Verſe maſt be expounded according to the for- mer ; for if the words of the former Verſe be underſtood as the words of the Philittines, thole of this vere muſt be underſtood as
=al-
EO, the words of the Prophet putting them our of hopes of the Wd Swords ſtopping, becauſe what it did was by Commithon from 42 God which it muſt execute. If the words of the former Verle be
be to be underſtood as the Prophet's words, the words of this Verſe are either the Propher's words correcting himſelf, and con- | cluding that this Sword could not be quiet becaule it was edged
by God himſelf, who had given i tthis Commiſſion which it muſt execute : Or the words of God, letting the Prophet Know that he had given this Sword its Commiſſion, and therefore it could
M1AH Chap. XLVIIL
4 Moab 1s deltroyed, her little ones have cauſed a cry to be heard f. f Moab was both the Name of the who!- Co:ntry, and of a principa! City in it. Some by it here underſtand the City ; by her little ones, fome unde: ſtand little Children; others interior Ma- giltrates, or the common People. - 5 For1a the going up of Luhith + contiaual weep- T Ye. ing ſhall go up; tor in the going down of Horonaim F275, the enemies have heard a cry of deſtruction 5. ya "hc g Of Luhith we read only in this place, and Iſa. 1 5- 5. It was 2 hs City of Afoab, and ſituated upon an Hill, as appears both here and wherett is mentioned in Iſaz2h. Sone think that to this City the Meabites fled for Sanctuary from the Chaldeans, and flying made lo great an out-cry that their Enemies who purſued them heard their cry.
6 Flee, ſave your lives, and be like || the * heath || Or, 4 in the wilderneſs h. nahed prez, þ Itis of nogreat moment whether we underſtand theſe as the * CR4Þ- words of the Moabites, calling ons to another to fl:e, and fave *7: ©* their Lives, though they loſt all they had, and left themlelves as dare as a naked Tree ; or as the words of the Prophet ſpeaking to the Moabites to the fame ſerie.
7 «| For becauſe thou haſt truſted in thy works and 1n thy treafures, thou ſhalt alſo be takeaz, and Chemoſh ſhall go forth into captivity with his * * Chap, prielts and his princes together &. 49. 3» # Whether by Works 1n this place be meant their Riches got by the labour of their hands; or their Ido/s which often are called by way of Detamition, The works of their own hands, or their for- tifications, is not much conſiderable. A confidence in. Creatures, oppoled co a confidence in God, doubtleſs the fin here intended, whatever t2e ground of it was, whether their Idols, or Riches or tortified places. k Chemoſh was their principal 1dol as appears by Numb 21. 29. Fud. 11. 24. 1 King. 11. 7, 33. 2 King. 23. 13. God ſheweth them the vanity of this 1dolatry, by telling them that this Ido! ſhould go into Captivity, and be to fac from being able to protect tem, that he ſhould not be able to prote& him- ſelf or his own Prieſts, or the Princes that favoured him, |
8 And the ſpoiler ſhall come upon every city, and
PN Opy rot ſtop till ſpkelonaud the People on the Sea-ſhore were deſtroy- no city ſhall eſcape : the valley alfo ſhall periſh, agd
ed by it. yy CHAP. XLVHE
The Fudgment of Moab, 1, 6. for their Pride, 7, Io. for their Securlty and humane Confidence, 11, 25.tſpecially for their Contempt of God, and inſolence towards his People, 26,
46. Their Keftauration, 47»