among the thouſands, to have a Captain or Ruler of a Thouſand in Fu- dab, it is much greater Honour which ſhall be put upon thee, out of thee ſhall come he that is to be chief Ruler and Head of all the Peo- ple of God, the Meſſiah; much like Phraſe is that 2 King. 20. 10, and 1/4. 49. 6+ there is an Expoſition of the Word 7ſair in the Text, as denoting the contrary to our uſual Notion of it ; ſo Fer. 43. 4. the Chald. Paraphr.explains it by Sultans or Princes : but I queſtion whe- ther one Initance from the Scriptures can be given in which T/air ſig. nifies Great, Notable or Chief 3 our Tranſlators have better rendred it with ſupplying the Adverſative Though, and make the Senſe plain and eafie, As for Beth-lebem-Ephratah, ſhe is ſo little that ſhe is ſcarce to be ranged among the Cities of Fudah which go out by a thouſand, or are led out by one that is Head, Prefett or Captain of a thouſand. 0 This was the Royal Tribe from which the Meſſiah was to riſe, this (as other Tribes) was divided into thouſands, and a Head appointed to each thouſand, and of theſe the thouſand, or in oux Language, the Regiment of Berb-lehem was one of the leaft tothe Eye. p Out of the Tribe of Fudah, and out of the City Beth-lehem ſhall he come, 72. e. be born. q For to do that great Work God hath deſigned to do by the Meſſiah. 7 King and Soveraign. $s Amidft the Jae) of God, the whole Jſrael as well that after the Faith, as that after the Fleſh. Chriſt the Lord in the midft of them, ch-4. 7. # Whoſe Generati- on, as he is the Son of God Equal with his Father, is eternal, This afſerts the eternity of his Divine Nature. |
3 Therefore « will he x give them up y, until the time z that ſhe that travaileth a hath brought forth b : then the remnant of his brethren c ſhall return unto the
Children of Iſrael d.
u Or, nevertheleſs, as the Particle will bear. x God the God of J/- rael, y To the Chaldeans, to be waſted by them, and to be led into Captivity, and to be afflicted there for their Sins committed in their own Land againft God. x Until 70 Years be expired ; this the time appointed for the puniſhing the Jews. 4 The Daughter of Zzo7 com- pared here to a Woman in Travail. & Be delivered out of Captiyi-
4 ty, compared here to a Woman's bringing forth, as chap. 4. 9, 10. c
Z. e- The Brethren of the Meſſiah, thoſe of Fudah and Benjamin, who were carried Captive, 4 Being ſet free by Cyrus, ſhall return to their own Land and be there eftabliſhed 3 and they shall return with 1/744} rather than 0: all this referring in the Letter to their Redemption out of Babylon, (which was the Effet of the Mefſſhah's Power and Mer- cy towards them, as chap. 4.wv. 10. and chap. 5, v. 2.) hath a farther Reference toa more glorious Redemption, and to intervening Af- flitions which ſhould fall upon the Fews from after their Reſtitution, and reſetling in Canaan, unto the coming of Meſſah in the Fleſh,when born of the Virgin ; and that of Jſaiab 7. 14. $hall be fulfilled when Meſſiah, Ben David $hall ſet up his Kingdom, and deliver the whole 17/rgel of God from their Captivity under Ignorance, Sin and Hell, and $hall bring in the Gentiles, that Remnant of his Brethren, and unite them to the true Jaz}, and make them one Church to God,
of the LORD g, in the Majeſty h of the Namez of the LORD his God k, and they ſhall abide: for mz now # ſhall
he o be great unto the ends of the earth p. e The Ruler born in Bethlehem, the Meſſiah ſhall and ; ſometimes
this Poſture denoteth the Miniſtry of a Servant, but here it ſpeaks the readineh, chearfulnels, firmneis and ftability of both the Ruler, his Plelies, 1/2. 8. 6, 7, 8,9, 10, 11- And this Paſſage of Micah may alſo | Government. and Kingdom. f As a Shepherd that does diligently
&r refer to the Babylonian Army under Nebuchadnezzar, under-| watch over, guide, preſerve and feed his Sheep, or as Rulers are ca]- led Shepherds, Chriſt is that good Shepherd, Fokn 10. 14. and he is
the Jews $hould have a glorious Deliverance e're long. c O Nineveh, | the righteous and holy Goyernour, and his Government sball have no
Daughter of Troops. From her firſt Founder she was a City full of | end, J/a. 9. 7. g In the Afiſtance which God hall give him, for Chrift-Man was carried through this great Work, redeeming, ſetting
Ordinarily ſo under Pul-Tiglath, Pileſer, Shalmaneſer and Senacherib for | up, eftablishing his Church by the Power of the Father, who was
with him, and upheld. him, as was promiſed 7/2. 61. 1,2, 3+ All
Power in Heaven and Earth was given to Chriſt eur Mediator, who
© ©o2 Strength
Vol, 1
muſt o_ Daughter of Troops alſo. 4 That is the Enemy, either | being Eternal God, of equal Power with his Fat2cr, doth in his own
2 Bur k thov, * Beth-lehem 1 Ephratah 2», though thou * Joh, 7, be little » among the thouſands of Judah 0, yet out of 42 thee ſhall he come forth p unto me q, that #5 to be ruler y
kt And Heb. 1 Not in the Tribe of Zebulwn, Foſh. 19. 15. but in 49s of 6+
4 < And he ſhall ſtand e and || feed f inthe ſtrength [! Or;74/2.
Bae 6 O25 7 2 ere
—trr hm men —m—_ po_— _ — 4 -
—_-
Chap. V.
4. Heb, Princes 0
Mews
+ Heb.
ear tip.
| Or,witþ the ſivord b, and the Land of Nimrod c in || the entran-
ker own mailed ſword,
called many, when 'tis ſaid of Nebuchadnezqur, . that God gave him |
M IT C
A H.
Strength overcome all Enemies, remoreth all Difficulties, gathereth all Nations and Kingdoms, Fer. 27. 6, 7, 8. (or elſe amid}? the Nati.
and governeth his Church, and will do ſo to the end of the World. | ons) their Neighbours after their return and re eſtabliſhment jn þ Such vilible, convincing Tokens of a Divine Power and Glory work- | own Land ; this Remnant wherever they are. k Either ſubfitin ing in him, and with thoſe he ſengeth to preach the Goſpel, I mean | multiplying as the Dew ; or elſe as the Dew refreſheth the G: 2'; Apoſtles, and all managed to the Glory of God. 7 By Commiſhan js beneficial to it, fo where this Remnant is, it ſhould be a Bleff; from the Lord, in whoſe Name Chrift came, preach'd, wrought NMi- | thoſe about them that uſe them friendly, ſo Hoſe 14.5. I