q lent Storm fall on them and deſpoil them. c For thoſe that dwelt within them; theſe People dwelt in Tents, and theſe made up on the ſides with Curtains. d People of the Land. e A People ſprung from one of Abraham's Sons, by Keturah, who gave his Name Midtan to the Land, as well as to the People. f Were ſore afraid of the Arms of 1ſrael, which at laſt by God's expreſs DireQion were em- ployed againſt Midian, and cur off five Kings, and deſtroyed the Coun- try. Theſe terrible things our God, whoſe ways are everlaſting, hath done to carry our Fathers from Egypt to Canaan ; let him who | "me 15 our God ſtill revive his work, (9c.
$ Was the LORD diſpleaſed g againſt the rivers þ?| was thine anger againſt the rivers? way thy wrath againſt the ſea z, that thou didſt ride &# upon thine
horſes /, azd || thy chariots #2 of ſalvation ?
g The Prophet recals to memory the miraculous dividing of the Red Sea and Jordan, when God divided them to make a Paſſage for his People, when by a Miracle he made the devouring Element to be a Safeguard to his People z when'twas not diſpleaſure againſt rhe Sea or the River, but favour to Iſrael, that moved him to do this. The Prophet repeats the Quſtion to impreſs the Mind of the Captive Zews with deeper Apprehenfſions of the Mercy of their God. h Sce Nahum 1. ver. 4.lct. d. 7 The Red Sea, hþ As a General in the head of his Army, leading them forward on ſome great Exploit. 1 Al- luding to the manner of Men, with whom Horſes are of greateſt, ſtrongeſt and ſtatelieft Preparations againſt an Enemy, but theſe were not deſigned againſt the Sea as againſt an Enemy. m But with theſe Horſcs are joined ( for the Decorum of the Figure ) Chariots, that are Chariots of Salvation for his People chear up then, the | Lord hath the ſame Love and Power ſtill. |
' ; "F: u o *1
I
' %
| Or, thy charits were ſal- Valli.
9 Thy bow 7 was made quite naked o, according to the oaths of the tribes p, even thy word gq. Selah 7.
[| Or. Thou || Thou didit cleave the earth with rivers s. aidſt cleave n One part of Armour put for the whole, or elſe the Lord here the rivers is repreſented as armed, in readineſs to ſmite through all Enemies,
to be uſed, there might be nodelay. þ In purſuance of his Oath, made to our Fathers he promiſed and confirmed the Promiſe by Oath,
v1.44 Oarhs, becauſe repeated and renewed art ſeveral times ; and 'tis Oaths (114 of, 7.e. to the Tribes, to raiſe their Hope in their preſent low Con- OOARA | dition: not Abraham here mentioned, leſt they ſhould be upbraided *1!'" "T7Y with degenerating, and lofing the Right to rhe Promiſes 3 but 'tis {84 Tribes, the Right is in them. g Of Promiſe. r Note it well. s When they were to march through a dry and thirſty Land, where no water was, how ſhould they ſubfift? What Good to be defended from periſhing by the Sword of an Enemy, and be left to periſh for want of refreſhing waters? This then 1s added ro 'compleat the Mercy ; our God made Rivers in the Deſert for them, and ſatisfied them 7 PR with Streams out of the flinty Rock.
HABAKKUK
Chap. 11
the deep 4 uttered his voice b, and lift up his hands c on high d.
t Litterally taken 'tis an elegant Hyperbole, expreffing to us the glorious Effets of God's Power and Preſence: and thus Sinati,and the contiguous Hills, the whole Mount, Exod, 19. 18. are intended ; o if you take it figuratively, theſe are Kings and States, whoſe Hiero- glyphicks in Scripture are Mountains. « Were ſenſible of, ſhewed they were affe&ed with his approach and preſence. x Were prie- ved; ſo 'twill well ſure to Mountains Metaphorically taken, it was grief to the Kings and Stares to ſee God own, condu@ and proſper Iſrael, Numb. 22. 3. Joſh. 2. 9, 10, 11. or trembled, z. e. were ſhaken as with an Earthquake, Exod. 19. 18. and Pſal. 68.8. and 114. 4,6, ſo it ſutes the Letter of the Text. y The Inundation which at thar Seaſon was wont to be very great, the mighty Floods on Fordan, z Paſſed away, 7. e. at the Word of God the waters below flowed, and ran away from thoſe above, which ftood on a heap to make x Path for Iſrael. a Either the deep Channel in which Fordan flowed,
| the very bottom of the River appeared, or the deep, 7. e. the Red
Sea; b With dreadful roaring like a mighty Voice, parted its wa- ters; divided, but withgreat and terrible Noiſe, in this unuſual Com- motion. c Teſtifitd its Obedience to the Command of Gad, as by lifting up the Hand, one doth at diſtance ſignifie his ready Compli- ance with the Command, or DireRion, or Hands, 2. e. Sides : fo when the upper waters ſtood on a heap both in Fordan and the Red Sea, they appearcd as with Sides or Flankers unto the 1ſraelites. d Like a Mountain, viſible and conſpicuous to all.
11 Thy ſun and moon ſtood e {till in their habitati- on f: || at the lighr of thine arrows they went g, andat "Ot: the ſhining of thy glittering ſpear. | matt]