2 It might have been rendred, the Exceliency or Glory of Iſrael, and ſo referr'd to God ; it would be a Prediftion, that God himſelf would witneſs againſt Jſ-ae]. God is ſaid to ſwear by the Excellency of F4- cb, Amos $. 7. 7. e. by himſelf ; thus interpreted it would very well accord with what follows in this 5b, 'and in the 6th. Verſe. But as it is here rendred, 'tis the Haughtinels,carnal Confidence of 1/74el grown great, under the long and proſperous Reign of Feroboam the ſecond, that they thought it impothble ſuch Calamities, as foretold by the Prophet, ſhould overtake them, vr that Ged ſhould think fo ill of that Worſhip they thought {o well of ; they neither confeſs their Sins, nor
fear Goa's Judgments. 6 Is lo full and evident Witneſs againſt J/7ael,
that no other 'leſtimony-need be produced c to convince and filence
them, 6 * They hb ſhall go with their flocks, and with their
herds to ſeek the LORD / : but they ſhall not find E7: k, he hath withdrawn himſelf from them /.
:H O \Y { A. Chap.|
b The People of Fulah ſay fome, but I rather think tis CC Ty 111 "3: ys : %: 215 YPOECTOf the Ephraimites, and either implies by what they did NpPort their
ings ſhould torce them at laſt to vffer Sacrifices to God ;' and the Fen iſh Dottors do tell us, that under //oſhea's Reign 1/7ael hail Liberts cx bringing their Offerings and ' Sacrifices to Feruſalem, Whether &; were [o or not, 7 *tis certain they did not ſeek him in right manner X was with their Flocks and Herds, but not with their Hearts, not wi lound Repentance. k Whileſt he might have been found they woy!, not leek him ; now as a Puniſhment,and to leave them remedileſ; Goa will not be found of them, he will not either accept a Sacrifice,
pardon their Sin, or return to ſave them. In Diſpleaſure hath with. : drawn his favourable Preſence from them, and with Reſolution wi leave them to the Violences of the 4ſſyrian Powers. [ 7 They m have dealt treacherouſly #» againſt the be LORD : for they have begotten ſtrange children ».- p now p ſhall a month q devour. them with their pox. i tions r, | doh | w 2 The whole Houſe of Jae), Prieſts, People and Princes, and their he Kings with them. #» Have falſified their Word and Promiſe of Fidelity th and Conſtancy,of Love and AffeRion when they entred Covenant with me, turned Idojaters, and have worſhipp'd and relied on falſe Gogz, 0 A5 it 'twere not enough that they were Idolaters, they have train " up their Children in the ſame Idolatry, partly by their InftruQicn and more by their Examples. p Or, therefore ; or, &re long, as c<, y th V. 10, let. q. q Either the New Moon, one particular Species of Ce. "_ remonial ſuperftitious Worſhip put for all the reft, as ſome interpret. ” or rather, a time not long, (as an Age ) not as to the old World. nar : + as to Nneveh, 40 Days, but a ſhorter time ; poſſibly it may refer tg _ Bk Stallum*s ſhort- time of Uſurpation, which laſted but a Month, , Fo Mcmh ſhall devour them + The Aſſyrians ſhall make a ſpeedy Conqueſt 2 5 over you. 7 Not only Perſons, but their Goods and Chattels are ex. Wi; Da poſed to ſpeedieft ſpoilings ;. and as a Token of ſuch future ſpeedy De. . -_ lolation, the Prophet points out a ſhort Reign of one of the Uſurper; | and foretels the preciſe time of his Continuance, that when they ſha * ſaw ſee this come to paſs, they might believe the reſt foretold by the Pro. and phet ſhould alſo come to paſs. Nor is this ConjeQure without ſome ground, fince we know that Shallum ſlew Zechariah before the Peogle ag 2 Kings 15. 10. implying the Peoples Concurrence herein, and thei he | accepting of Shallum with Expettation of Peace and Proſperity, to the 99 Increaſe of their Portion under his Government, all which was blaſted arm at the Month*s End. RES, 'S , = | 8 Blow ye the cornet 5 in Gibeah #, and the trumpet! ER == in Ramah *; cry aloud at Beth-aven y : after thee z, 0 WY 2, Benjamin. PHE be 8 two ? s Ye Watchmen, or who ever have the Care and Cuftody of thel poſth fortificd Towns, ſound the Alacm', for the Enemy cometh. 14 | the St Town of Benjamin, ſituate on an” Hill, built by Afiz, 1 Kings 15. 22, for Al made by him a Frontier, and likely always gariſon'd againft the Inur Applic fion of the ten Tribes. u Add to the Sound of the Corne?, the Trn Word per alſo, which is proper for War, and will be beſt underftood byti did aff People. Left they miſtake the Meaning of the Cornet, which is, af h Amb ſome, a Paſtoral Inftrument, proper for Shepherds, ſound the Trun Interpy pet. x Of which there were three, one in Naphrhali, and Rane A phi, and this of Benjamin near Gibeah, and was an Inlet into Fultof Car great Importance, as appears, 1 Kings 15.17,21, a Town of Strength thee > built on a high Hill, and fit to be as a Watch-Tower. Be you up "= your Guard when the Invader is ſo near. y As more concerned, oi weny out with more Vehemency, awaken all to prepare for Defence," =: oe howl and lament for the things that are come upon thee, O Z:rb-a1, Kine The Afhrians March will alarm thy Neighbours, but. their Such Sp againſt thee will ruine thee utterly ; let thine Inhabitants theretoreaſ -, k ern and howl, Berh-aven, if that ſituate in the Wilderneſs, this Paſa + neſs foretels the DeftruRtion of it by the Afſrians, probably in the Begit 5 Wye ning of their Invaſion ; if *twere Bethel, *twas the chief Seat of Idol rs Mgt try, and- firſt or chief in Mileries. 2 Thee, referr'd to Berb-t9th as Nr | ſpeaks thus, After thy Cries, when thou haft howled, let. Benjamin ai 14 ] Fudah too begin theirs, for they ſhall alſo fall for their Sin. young 9 Ephraim a ſhall be deſolate b in the day of rebuke: and go among the tribes of Iſrael 4 have I made known e tit bim t. which ſhall {vrely be f. = 7 The a The whole Kingdom of the ten Tribes,all Sorts and Ranks of MW MM kindled, among them. 6 A Deſation, 7, e, moſt deſolate, utterly cit of. {ome, a 1 c When Shalmaneſer ſhall come up \with his Forces, befiege, {acc a and rave captivate all thy Cities, and Samaria with the reft ; when by thele # Others : | 14ans I ſhall rebuke, j. e. puniſh; /'4 To the Houſe of 1/7ae! openly, 3UCh as a
15 -g£rown Gameſo when ca Humour,
that all might be informed. © & By 'my Prophets I have foretold vii ſhould be, and by ſome Judgments already executed, I have fart made known to them, they are ſufficiently watned, and ſhould hat conſidered in time, and prevented their own Calamities. j What