| 13 0 || Becauſe # « a trial, and what p if rhe anc; 2 il: contemn even the rod? it ſhall be no more, faith the! Lord GOD. -
oIt is a fore Trial, therefore ſhew all the ſigns of Grief and Sor. ;.. 1 . Maul row : Or it may refer to what follows in the Verſe thus; inc: this is,, che Exploration or Trial, which I will make in ſo ſevere manner to, bring them to Repentance, mourn for them, leſt they ſhould harden ,;, themſelves. p The addition of Sword, which is not in the Origina, ;, hath perplexed the words in my Thoughts. I wouldread them thus.” And what if the Rid conremn ? It ſhall be ne more, that the ſenſe run thus; But if the King arid Kingdom of Judah deſpiſe this Trial, and harden themſelves againſt this.Sword, both ſhall be deſtroyed and ly no more, for nothing bur a right uſe of this laſt Trial could help them. Or elſe, if we muſt adhere to our Verſion, whar if it 4. mount to this, All this 1s for Probation and Trial, got for utter ex. tirpating 1ſ-2el, ſairh God to his Prophet, who might p:opoſz this, What if the Sword contemn thoſe Bounds, and deſpiſe the King and Kingdom, and reſolve to deſtroy them from being a Nation ? as /z, ro. 6,7, To this God gives anſwer thus; This he ſhallnever ef:&, and in due time ths Sword ſhall be no more, Babylon ſhall be de. ſtroyed ; in ſo perplex'd a place I rather conje&tare than affirm. | 14+ Thou therefore, fon of man, propheſie, and 9 finite thine F hands together, and Jet the ſword be doubled the ti y third time, the ſword of the ſlain; s it the ſword of'** the great men t that are ſlain, which entreth « into their "IE privy chambers. £ 9 Either in token of Amazement and Sorrow, or elſe to ſigniji: what Pleaſure it ſhould be to ſee Juſtice executed on obſtinare Reb:'s, or rather, as wer. 17. clap thy hands to awaken and hearten the 3/1 /ans on to the Slaughter. » Perhaps 'tis too curious to ſearch out what particular Calamities are pointed out by this trebled Sword ; whether, I. Zedekiah's Captivity with many of the Princes. And,
EI
does it bode Evil to others, orto us? « for the news that 1s ro! me from Heaven, for the certaia Rumour of Nebuchadnz2ar's Prepa- rations, and tarch againſt y ou. » The ſaddeſt News you ever heard 53 coming. "will molt afſured!ly come. s The Courzge of the ſtout. eft Hes: t ial! fail, which ſhall appear in the fecbleneſs of their Hands, dejcHedncts of thiir Spirit, and their Knees not able to fupport the Body; ſuch Terrors thall ſeize them as ſhall make them unable to ſhifc from, or ro make Head againſt the Evils that come againft chem. ; None can prevent it. t It ſhall have its ſull Efett, nothing ſhal! be wanting to yeur compleat undoiog, and then, as I do for a Sign to you, fo you and yours ſhall do under the Sorrows ſignified, ſigh, and weep, to their breaking your very Hearr.
8 Apain, x the word. of the LORD came unto me, f:ying, ; =: |
x ] bis I ſuppoſe is a farther Explication of what was faid already of rhe Sword God draweth out againſt them ; with a farther DireC&1i- en. or: Command how the Propher ſhould note out the nearnets of the Ev1!, is bad to ſpeak phinly, and rell them that they may ſee 2.
© Son of man, prophelie, and ſay, "Thus faich the LORD, Say, * A y ſword, a 15 ſharpned, and alſo 2 furbilhed.
y Ax if hepointed to it, crying out 2s one that ſuddenly ſeerh ſome |
ng ied
[neſs of the Afffi&ion. s Wherewith many ſhall be ſlain.
2. Taking of the City. 3. Killing of Gedaliah, and thoſe with him, To be ſure it ſpeaks both the certainty of the Thing, and the greir- e Which were Princes, and Captains, and Rulers. « Searcheth the moſt {ecr:r Rooms, where they ſlew ſuch as they found hidden in hope to eſcap:. is I x have ft the || point of the ſword againſt al'i0 cheir gates, that zheir heart may & faint, and rbeir ruines'®” be 4 muitipled : ah, i 7s made bright, 5 it is || wraptc up” for the ſlaughter. 0 x The Lord hath gathered them together round abqut 7ernſa'tm, with cheir Swords ſharpned and drawn at every Gate to ſlay whoiv attempt to come out, or to flay all they meer with when rhey take the City. y Both of meaner Cities, of their Palaces, and privat? Houſes. z As what Heart can be thought able to retain its Courag? when beſet with Death by an Enemy's Sword, which killeth all that come out, and entreth to kill all char ſtay within. » For Nunmb*r made many, for Nature made very great. 6 Prepared, brightn*d. and ſharpned. c And haty been caretully kept in the Scabbaid, thi! it might keep its Edge, and not be blunted.
15 Go thee 4 ons way or other, either on the nit hand, - or on the Icft, whitherſoever thy face # fer. #6
ad O Sword, take thy own courſe ; O ye Slaughter-men, ze Baby"! /on: an Souldiers, all is open b:fore you, go which way you wil! ; 3”
a.
drcadful fight. A mighty Sword or many, ſorhe Ingemination may | 1nply the Forces of Nebuchadnrzzar and ls Confederares. z Prepared to wont, flay, and thar with greatsr Speed and Sureneſs.- z To teriifie the weaker Courage, to dazie rhe Eyes of ſuch as encounter 1t:
have brought you to waſte the Land from South to North, begin where yau will, and progeed as you will, none ſhall be able to revilt you..
mirth ? || « ic contemneth f the rod of my fon, as every; q,, x
ro offer whole Herds of wicked Men in Sacrifice to the offended }y. 4,
a
OR "7 OG ES CF
WW 4
ig ..* to + appoint þ + captains
. the ſlaughter,
Fl
TYx | | 28 OG ro I will alſo Imite my hands © together, and I will
cauſe my fury f to reſt : I che LORD have ſaid it. | In token of my Approbation, and Well-pleaſedneſs in thoſe Exe.
; Hands that ions, which the Chaldeans ſhall finiſh againſt you, thoſe — reſtrain and check, thall excite and encourage your
Enemies. f See chap. 5. 13. let. c, d. |
18 & The Word of the LORD came unto mo again, wn thou fon of man, appoint, g thee two ways, that the ſword of the king of Babylon may come : both
ewain + ſhall come forth out of one # land, and chooſe
k thou a place, chooſe 3t at the head / of the way to the]: