(hall at laſt die by Sword, Famine, Peftilence and Captivity. o The Contagion of her Sins, and the Indignation of God againft it, and the Enemies Succeſſes, viz. Senachertb's or Nebuchadnezzar s, like a Flood, have reached to Judah allo; and this is the Reaſon why the Prophet foretels ſuch Mourning, and is willing to perſonate it to awaken both Kingdoms to repent, and turn to God. p The inſulting, conquering, and cruel Enemy 3 or in the Neuter Geader,#e ; 7. e, the Evil is come, | 7, e. in the Prophetick Stile will certainly and ſuddenly come. q E1- ther ſignifying the Aries beſieging Jeruſalem, as Senacherts Son of Shalmaneſer did ſome few Years after the Sack of Samaris ; or elſe by Gate of my People is meant the City where the Sovereign Court of Ju- dicatur2 to the whole Kingdom is,denoting the Vidtories of the Aſſyrian over the ret of the Kingdom of Judah, or elſe the ViRories of Nebus+
chadnezzar. 7 This ſeems added to explain the former Phraſe. 10 © Declare ye it not at Gath s, weep ye not at all 7 : in the houſe of |} Aphrah « * roll thy ſelf x in the duſt,
5 Do what you can to keep your Griefs to your ſelves, let them not he publick, that the Philiſtines your bitter Enemies ſhould know how ſad'tis with you, and rejoice at it : Gath was a principal City of the Philiftines ; and though this only is mentioned, the reft are underſtood ; ſuch Phraſe yon have, 2 S4M.1.20. t You that are of J/r2c} or Judah, make no publick Weeping, that your Cries and Tears ſhould inform your Enemies in Paleſtine how deplora"le your State 1s 5 let not your Griefs be their Joys. u We render it as a proper Name of ſome City or Town, though of no great Note; yet we meet with one, 1 S4M.13.
2. in the Tribe-of Benjamin z a ſecond we find in Manaſſeb's Lot,and was the Place where Gideon's Father dwelt, Fudg. 6. 11. theſe Towns were ſomewhat remote from the Philiſiines, and there the Prophet loes dire them to weep with the greateſt Expreſſions of it, and to
Wcepit private from the Philiſtines : Others account the word to be a ommon name denoting Duſt, and ſo give the Senſe, in the Houſe of Dyft roll thy ſelf in Duff, x Or, I have rolled my ſelf, viz, in Com-. paflion to the miſerable J/raclites, or as a Pattern to which they ſhall onform 3 fo the word as written : But as by Dire&ion of the Maſo- 21s it is read, and as here *tis rendred vol thy ſelf, it direts and fore- ds; it foretels what they ſhall do at laft, and direts what they bould do at preſent : They ſhall be brought to ſit, nay to wallow in he 4, and in foreſight of this, it would become them fit in the ut NOW «
11 Paſs ye away y, ||thou | Inhabitant of Saphir z, aving thy * ſhame naked a; the Inhabitant of || Zaanan b ame not forth c in the mourning of || Beth-ezel d, he e
all receive of you his ſtanding f.
The Imperative is here put for the Future, and the Prophet does ere foretel and threaten what ſhall hefal this People, they ſhall gov efore the Enemy into Captivity. x Denotes either the 5eauriful and leaſant Habitation, and ſo may be applied to any pleafant Seat ; ſuch $ were many in Fudea, ſuch was Samaria and Ferujalem, which per- japs are here intended ; Or elſe 'tis the proper Name of ſome particu- ar Town or City : who read Euſebius will meet ſuch a Village in the lountains between Aſphelon and Hebron, or (as later 'tis called) Eleu- keropolis, a Stript by thy conquering Enemy, ſo that thou ſhalt not ave ſo much left as ſhall cover thy Nakedneſs ; with Shame ſhalt hou be thus led into Captivity, andchange all thy Beauty into ſhame-
f Nakedneſs. 6b A Place rich in Paſtures and Sheep ſay ſome, 0-
ers take it for the proper Name of a particular Place in the Tribe of
udah; it is likely at tais time it might be ſome conſiderable Gari-
n full of People and Souldiers. c Neither ſent out Succours to re- eve their Neighbouring beſieged Town Beth-ezel, but ſtood on their dwn Guard, nor yet durit ſend out any to condole the Captive State of
cir Neighbours. d A ſtrong Town taken and waſted by the Aſſyr/ans,
be People carried Captive under the Eye of the Inhabitants of Zaa- |
2n,who mean time dare not ſtir, or make any Signs of Sorrow. e The nvading Enemy, ſay ſome ; others ſay 'tis the Inhabitant of Zaa- an, f Who refer this to the Enemy, make this the Senſe z viz. That he Enemy ſhould make his Stay among them till he had conquered, polled, and captivated tham : Or, that he ſhould by tevere Dealing nake them pay dear for their O'ftinacy in defending their Town a- zanſt his Forces z that he ſhould ſtrip them of all to recompenſe his xpences of Treaſure, Time and Blood, in taking them. But they mat refer this to Zaman and its Inhabitants, make this the Senſe ; L hat they ſhould take their Meaſures, and judge what the Enemy 'ould do againft them, by that which he had done againſt Bezh-exel neir Neighbour,
12 For f the Inhabitant g of Maroth þ || waited careful- } i for good k ;, but * evil m came down #: from the RDo unto the gate of Jeruſalem p.
1 Yet,or, certainly,as the Heb. Particle is often to be rendred. g One dnt for all, becauſe all ſhould fare alike. b Some ſay *tis by tran(- ling the Letters put for Kamoth; others ſay 'tis, as the word im- Ports, the gricving embittered Cities z others take. it for the proper
ame of [ome lefſer Place in Fudab, i Long, earneftly, and patient-
t For Peace, Proſperity, and what might make them happy.
"A * Trouble, Sword, Famine, and Peftilence ; all ſorts of Evil com-
FINCL In this one. 7 Tn mighty Tewp -ts, or as a ſweeping Rain.
would intimate the near Approach of the Aſſy-ian Lion | thirfting, and purſuing the Prey: As the Jackall runs Lion, ſo this Wailing of the Prophet ſhould be enly with the Roaring of the Lion. m melancholy and loves Night, and makes a moſt unpleaſant Noiſe ;
Others render it Ofirick, which makes a doleful Cry
o For || her wound ts incurable », for it is come unto c tep is come unto the gate q of my people, ever
M IC A&M
- © od - bh) <> My, "#8 4 . © a \ Wolf for Bigneſs, and ſeem ſomewhat like each in Qualities
7
r
[
[
of Mareſhah þ : || he ſhall come unto Adullam z the glory of Iſrael k.
Wars, to the The 4 and poſſeſſing of the Cities of J/r4e} and the
Chap. It.
0 By his ſpecial Command anf Charge, and as 2 Puniſhment inflicted
on them trom*Heaven* p The Flood of Affiction by the A{[;riun
lwallowed up other Towns and Cities, and ſwelled high to the head
Cat
Citizens captive to Babylon,
were found 1n thee y.