Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Verſ. 1. FOr behold, &c.] The Prophet having cloſed the foregoing Chapter with an exhortation not to truſt on man, Ceaſe from man whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, &c. here he adds this as a reaſon of that exhortation, to wit, that God would deſtroy all the power of man, and of all humane helps and ſupports, whereon they did with ſo much confidence rely. And obſervable it is, that he ſpeaks of this deſtruction, as of a thing which they might ſee immediately and ſuddenly coming upon them: For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hoſts doth take away from Jeruſalem, and from Judah; that is, it ſhall be as certainly done, yea, and that ſuddenly too, as if it were doing already: the ſtay and ſtaff; that is, all things wherewith your ſtate is ſupported, and whereon you do for your preſervation and ſafety reſt and rely (and ſo under this general expreſſion may be comprehended all thoſe ſtays of their ſtate, which in this and the two following Verſes are particularly mentioned), or all things requiſite for the ſupport of mans life; and if we underſtand the words ſo, then the following words are added to ſhew what he meant here by the ſtay and the ſtaff, to wit, the whole ſtay of bread, and the whole ſtay of water, that is, all meat and drink neceſſary for the preſervation of mans life; for the phraſe here uſed, the ſtay of bread and water, ſee the Notes, Levit. 26.26. And how this was accompliſhed, we may ſee, 2 King. 25.3. where it is ſaid of Jeruſalem when it was beſieged, That the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. See alſo Jer. 38.9. & Lam. 5.4.
Ver. 2. The mighty man, and the man of war, the Judg and the Prophet, and the prudent and the ancient.] By the mighty man may be meant ſuch as were great men amongſt the people for power of command; ſee the Note, Gen. 10.8. or rather men of great ſtrength, valour and courage; as indeed we find it expreſly mentioned that at the taking of Jeruſalem, the King of Babylon carried away all the Princes, and all the mighty men of valour, 2 King. 24.14. Again by the Prophet may be meant all their Teachers, or more particularly thoſe that had the ſpirit of Prophecy to foretel future things; which how it was accompliſhed, you may ſee in the Note, Pſal. 74.10. when the Eyes of a Nation, thoſe which are the Rulers and Teachers are put out, that Nation muſt needs be in a ſad condition. And then by the prudent is meant men of a piercing judgment, able to bolt out the truth of things in the moſt difficult caſes, and to give a ſhrewd gueſs at things that ſhould afterward come to paſs. But for this ſee the Notes, Prov. 16.10. & 1 Chron. 12.32.
Ver. 3. The captain of fifty, &c.] By mentioning this, which was one of the moſt inferior places of command, the Prophet implies that there ſhould ſcarce be a man left, that was fit to undertake the meaneſt and the loweſt charge for the leading forth and governing of their armies. As for the following words, and the honourable man and the counſellor, that which is tranſlated in our Bibles, the honourable man, is in the Hebrew, a man eminent in countenance, and thereby is meant men that for their birth and place, their gravity, parts and vertue, were ſo reverenced, and of ſo great eſteem amongſt the people, that the very ſight of them cauſed an awe in the hearts of thoſe that came before them; they carried authority with them in their very countenance. See the Note, Eccleſ. 8.1. And then the cunning artificer is mentioned amongſt others, becauſe thoſe that were more than ordinary skilful in ſuch arts, were of great uſe in a State, as for the fortifying of their Cities, and making engines of war, and many other things both in civil and warlike imployments, that did contribute much to the upholding of the State, yea, and to the preſervation of mens lives; and the cutting off ſuch therefore muſt needs be a great invenience and loſs to a people. And accordingly indeed we read that when the Babylonians had taken Jeruſalem, amongſt others they carried away all the Craftſmen and Smiths, 2 King. 24.14. As for the laſt here named, and the eloquent Orator, or, the man of ſpeech, as it is in the margent, (which is in the Original, skilled in charms), the taking of theſe is mentioned, becauſe ſuch are very able to diſſwade from evil, and to perſwade to good, to reſtrain, to ſtill and ſuppreſs, and (as I may ſay) to charm the ſeditious, (as Abigal by her good language charmed David, and as the woman of Abel charmed Joab firſt, and afterward the whole City) and to bow the minds of men to thoſe things that may be for publick good.
Ver. 4. And I will give children to be their Princes, &c.] As if he had ſaid, Inſtead of thoſe men of worth that ſhall be taken away, ſilly and childiſh men ſhall be brought to rule over them. And this might be ſpoken with reſpect to Ahaz and Manaſſeh, or rather to the four laſt Kings of Judah, that did indeed manage their affairs very weakly. But ſee the Note, Eccleſ. 10.16.
Ver. 5. And the people ſhall be oppreſſed every one by another, and every one by his neighbour, &c.] This is added to ſet forth what tumults, diſorder and confuſion there ſhould be in the land amongſt people of all ranks, without any reſpect of age or ſtate, of neighbourhood or friendſhip, when thoſe that were the ſtay of the State were taken away, and men ſo unfit to rule ſhould have the reins of Government put into their hands, when there ſhould be no Governour, or ſuch as ſhould be as bad as none.
Ver. 6. When a man ſhall take hold of his brother, &c.] The drift of this paſſage is to ſhew, that in that confuſion deſcribed in the foregoing verſe, the ſtate of things ſhould be ſo miſerable, and in ſuch a deſperate condition, that no man ſhould be willing to undertake the Government, (a thing which at other times men are wont moſt ambitiouſly to affect), though he were never ſo earneſtly preſſed to do it. When a man ſhall take hold of his brother of the houſe of his father; as if he had ſaid, In that confuſion men ſhall be ready to tender the Government to ſome one of their fathers family and kindred. And ſo too it may imply, that this ſhould be done factiouſly in ſeveral places, to the diſturbance of the common peace, ſome chuſing one, and ſome another, every one ſeeking to advance one of his own family, without any reſpect to the publick good. However this expreſſion of taking hold, a man ſhall take hold of his brother, doth clearly imply, how earneſtly they ſhould urge and preſs, and importune him, as thoſe that would have no denial, but would in a manner force him to undertake that Government, ſaying, Thou haſt clothing, that is, thou haſt better apparel than any of us have; an expreſſion which may imply, that they ſhould be brought to ſuch a low and poor condition, that if any man was but a little better clothed than the common ſort were, they ſhould proffer to make him their ruler: Or clothing may be mentioned figuratively, to imply an eſtate fit for a chief Magiſtrate, Thou haſt clothing, as if they ſhould have ſaid, Thou art well bred, and haſt been generouſly brought up, thou haſt an eſtate convenient for a Governour; at leaſt thou art not ſo low brought as we are, but haſt ſomewhat left to maintain thy ſtate. Be thou our ruler, as if they ſhould have ſaid, We chuſe thee to be our ruler, and therefore without any delay undertake this charge, and let this ruin be under thy hand, that is, undertake thou the charge and ſupport of this ruinous and declining ſtate. The meaning is, that they ſhould endeavour to affect him, to compaſſionate them in their miſery, ſaying, Thou ſeeſt we are like to be utterly ruined, put to thy helping hand to prevent it; by thy power do what thou canſt to bear us up and to uphold us from that ruin that is apparently coming upon us.
Ver. 7. In that day, &c.] That is, in that day of Gods vengeance before mentioned; or in that very day, when the ſupreme Government ſhall be tendered to men, as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, the man to whom it is tendered ſhall preſently, ſo ſoon as the motion is made to him, without taking any time to deliberate or conſult about the buſineſs, refuſe the tender that is made to him, he ſhall ſwear, ſaying, I will not be an healer; that is, he ſhall not only refuſe the Government, but to ſhew how reſolved he was herein, he ſhall refuſe it with an Oath. It is in the Original, In that day ſhall he lift up, to wit, his hand; but thereby is meant, In that day ſhall he ſwear, for which ſee the Notes, Jer. 14.22. & Deut. 32.40, ſaying, I will not be a healer, in the Hebrew it is, a binder up, but for that ſee the Note, Pſal. 147.3. the meaning is, that to make them know, that he would never be drawn to take the Government upon him, he ſhould tell them plainly, that he was no way able to heal the breaches that were in their ruined State; I will not be a healer; as if he had ſaid, Theſe wounds and breaches in your State exceed my skill, and are too hard for me to cure, I am no way fit to undertake ſuch a dangerous and difficult charge. For in my houſe is neither bread nor clothing; make me not a ruler of the people; that is, Whatſoever you may think, I have not an eſtate fit for ſuch a charge; which tends much to ſet forth the low and deſperate condition of the State at that time, whether it were a falſe oath, meerly out of fear, that he might decline the danger of accepting the Government tendered, or whether he ſpake truly, and ſo thoſe ſhould be found to want neceſſaries for the ſupport of their own families, that were thought fit to be choſen to the higheſt places of Magiſtracy amongſt them.
Ver. 8. For Jeruſalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, &c.] This may be taken as the continued ſpeech of the party ſpoken of in the foregoing verſe, that ſhould refuſe the ſupreme Government tendered to him: wherein he gives this as the reaſon of his refuſal, that the ſtate of the land was ſo far ruined, that it was not in his power to uphold it. Or rather as the words of the Prophet, foretelling the certainty of the…r ruin by ſpeaking of it, as if it were done already; and withal giving reaſon why it muſt need be ſo, Becauſe their tongue and their doings are againſt the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory; that is, his glorious eyes, the eyes of his glorious Majeſty, and who hath manifeſted himſelf amongſt them to be a God of infinite glory. See the Notes, Chap. 1.4.
Ver. 9. The ſhew of their countenance doth witneſs againſt them, &c.] As if he had ſaid, Not only their words and deeds, but even their very countenance, their Whores forehead, as it is called, Jer. 3.3. the open profeſſion which they made of their impiety, did ſufficiently diſcover what impudent and vile wretches they were; there needs no other witneſſes to convince them. And they declare their ſin as Sodom, they hide it not; that is, they are no way aſhamed of it, but openly avow it, boaſting of it, and glorying in it, as the Sodomites did. Wo unto their ſoul; that is, wo to them. See the Note, Pſal. 3.2. For they have rewarded evil to themſelves. See the Note, Prov. 11.17.
Ver. 10. Say ye to the righteous, that it ſhall be well with him, &c.] That is, let this be ſaid to thoſe that are righteous, and therefore live righteouſly; or let them aſſure themſelves of this. The drift of inſerting this may be to comfort thoſe few that were righteous amongſt them, by aſſuring them that notwithſtanding thoſe ſad calamities which he had threatned ſhould come upon the land, it ſhould certainly go well with them; it ſhould fare well with them, however things went; or, by way of reproving the falſe Prophets, that ſadded the hearts of the righteous, and flattered the wicked; affirming, that it was not the wicked but the righteous only, with whom it ſhould go well, which is therefore more expreſly added in the following verſe, Wo unto the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him, &c.
Ver. 12. As for my people, children are their oppreſſors, &c.] See the Note above, Verſ. 4. & Eccleſ. 10.16. And women rule over them; and according to the former branch, I conceive that hereby is meant effeminate and womaniſh men, fooliſh, vain, light, &c. though I know ſome think it is ſpoken of the wives and mothers of their Princes, women of a proud imperious ſpirit, ſuch as Jezebel, and Athaliah were, and that their intermedling in, and over-ruling of State-affairs, ſhould be the cauſe of much miſchief in the land. But withal obſervable is the expreſs mention that is made, that all this ſhould be amongſt thoſe that were Gods peculiar people, As for my people, children are their oppreſſors, &c. there being much in this, that there ſhould be ſuch diſorder amongſt thoſe that had enjoyed ſuch ſpecial means to teach them better, and that ſuch worthleſs men, boys and women, ſhould rule and domineer over a people that God had ſeparated to himſelf in ſo ſpecial a manner. And the rather is this to be obſerved, becauſe it is again expreſſed in the next clauſe, O my people, they which lead thee, cauſe thee to err; that is, thy Rulers and Princes miſlead thee; for of theſe he ſeems to be principally here ſpeaking, though indeed their Prieſts and Prophets may well be included too. This laſt clauſe may be read from the Original, as it is in the Margent, They which call thee bleſſed, cauſe thee to err; which alſo may be meant, both of their flattering Teachers and Magiſtrates, who though they ruined the people by their evil Government, yet were wont to applaud their happineſs herein, and to aſſure them that all things did and ſhould go on happily with them. And deſtroy the way of thy paths; that is, they undo thee in regard of thy converſation and courſe of life; or they corrupt and mar thy ways, to wit, by ſeducing and miſleading them into evil ways, through their ill Government, corrupt teaching and bad example, and by confirming and encouraging them in their wickedneſs, and making them incorrigible and incurable through their baſe flatteries, and groundleſs promiſes. In this phraſe of deſtroying the way of their paths, there ſeems to be an alluſion to thoſe that ſo mar the paths wherein men have been wont to go, that they that would go in them, cannot diſcern them. However clear it is, that all this is added as a dreadful effect of Gods anger in bringing ſuch to rule over them, and as an apparent diſcovery of the wickedneſs of the people in being ſo ready to obey their commands, and follow their examples, though never ſo bad.
Ver. 13. The Lord ſtandeth up to plead, and ſtandeth to judg the people.] That is, he is prepared, and juſt in a readineſs to do it, namely, to plead his own cauſe againſt a rebellious Nation, and the cauſe of his people againſt their cruel oppreſſors, and to puniſh them, and to deliver thoſe that are oppreſſed by them.
Ver. 14. The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, &c.] That is, with the Judges and Magiſtrates, who were commonly choſen of thoſe that were old men, and therefore called, ſome of them at leaſt, Elders. See the Note, Numb. 11.16. and it is again expreſſed, that they were the rulers of Gods peculiar people, the ancients of his people, purpoſely to hint unto them that they ſhould eſcape never a whit the more for that. For ye have eaten up (or burnt) the Vineyard, that is, ſay the moſt of Interpreters, Gods darling people, according to that Chap. 5.7. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hoſts is the houſe of Iſrael; and ſo taking it, the word ye is very Emphatical; as if he had ſaid, ye that I appointed to be keepers of my Vineyard, that ſhould have ſecured it from the ſpoil of beaſts and thieves, ye have been the thieves and the beaſts that have eaten it up, that have devoured it, and laid it waſte; but yet by the Vineyard may be meant the lands and inheritances of Gods poor people, which theſe great ones by their extortions and oppreſſions had eaten up and deſtroyed. And this indeed ſuits beſt with that which follows, The ſpoil of the poor is in your houſes, which is an evidence of your oppreſſions, that cannot be denied; and that of thoſe who ſo oppreſs, muſt needs be deemed the greateſt cruelty; your houſes that ſhould have been as Sanctuaries to the poor, are the very dens where you ſtore up all your ſpoil.
Ver. 15. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, &c.] That is, that ye utterly undo and deſtroy them, and exerciſe all manner of cruelty upon them. And grind the faces of the poor: that is, cauſe them by your cruſhing and hard uſing of them, to pine away. So that in their poor lean faces it may be ſeen how cruelly ye have dealt with them. Or elſe by grinding their faces, may be meant their battering and beating their faces with their hands and fiſts, as we ſee it was uſual with that people to do, by what they did to Micajah, 1 King. 22.24. to our Saviour, Joh. 18.22. and to the Apoſtle Paul, Act. 23.3. As for the form of Expoſtulation here uſed, What mean ye that ye beat my people, &c. that is all one as if he had ſaid, Why do ye uſe them ſo? what cauſe or reaſon can you give for it? who gave you any authority to do thus? what a boldneſs and barbarous fury is it in you to uſe my people thus? But ſee the Note, Pſal. 14.4.
Ver. 16. Becauſe the Daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with ſtretched-forth necks, and wanton eyes, &c.] It is not improbable, which ſome Expoſitors have obſerved, that having in the foregoing verſes condemned mens oppreſſing and ſpoiling of the poor, here he adds this againſt the pride of women, and the vanity of their attire, becauſe it was very much for the maintaining of the bravery and gallantry of their wives and daughters, that the men did ſo oppreſs the poor. That which is render'd in our Tranſlation, wanton eyes, is in the Original, deceiving with their eyes, becauſe by their leud and wanton, enticing looks, they did deceive and inſnare men, and draw them to luſt after them. As for that which follows, Walking and mincing, (or, tripping nicely) as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet; the meaning is, that out of pride and wantonneſs they went with an affected kind of pace, taking little ſteps, and ſeeming rather to ſwim than to go; and that they made a tinkling noiſe as they went, and that either by reaſon of ſome tinkling ornaments which they wore about their legs or feet, of which there is mention made, ver. 18. as namely garters or ſtrings and roſes on their ſhoos, with ſpangled lace, or chains, or rings, or bells faſtned to their ſhoos or buskins; or becauſe they ſhuffled or ſtamped with their feet, as if they had danced as they went, or becauſe they had Pantofles, that at every ſtep they took, made a noiſe.
Ver. 17. Therefore the Lord will ſmite with a ſcab the crown of the head of the Daughters of Zion, &c.] And ſo thoſe heads of theirs which they ſo proudly lifted up, ſhould not only be made bald, ſtripped of their hair, which women eſteem their chiefeſt ornament, and do moſt pride themſelves in, and are therefore moſt careful to cheriſh it, and to keep it fair and clear, but ſhould alſo become ſo lothſome, as being overſpread with this ſcab or ſcall, that they ſhould now be aſhamed to have it ſeen, and others ſhould turn away their eyes from ſeeing it. And the Lord will diſcover their ſecret parts, which might be done by the rage of the Soldiers that ſhould take them captives, and out of greedineſs to get ſpoil, ſhould ſtrip them to their very skin; whereto agreeth that, Ezek. 23.26. They ſhall alſo ſtrip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair jewels; or elſe by bringing them to ſuch a poor and low condition, that they who did formerly exceed in variety and change of raiment, and in the bravery of many fooliſh ſuperfluities, ſhould then ſcarce have clothes or rags enough to cover their nakedneſs. But yet ſome underſtand the meaning of this to be, that the Lord ſhould ſuffer the women to be deflowred or raviſhed by their enemies; or at leaſt that in a way of ſcorn and luſt they ſhould be thus baſely and immodeſtly abuſed by the ruder ſort of people, into whoſe hands they ſhould fall.
Ver. 18. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, &c.] Which was done when they were carried away captives into Babylon bare-footed, and bare-leg'd. See the Note before, ver. 16. And their cauls, (or, net-works), whereby may be meant any attire, made ſo that their skin might be ſeen through it; though ſome underſtand it particularly of ſuch kind of ſtockins, becauſe the Prophet is here ſpeaking of the ornaments of their feet. And their round tires like the Moon; that is, ſhaped like a Criſſent, a half or full Moon; of which all that can be ſaid is, that Judg. 8.21▪ it is ſaid that the Midianitiſh Princes had ſuch Jewels on their Camels necks And obſervable it is, what a multitude of the toys and vanities the Prophet here mentions, wherewith the women in thoſe days did trick out themſelves purpoſely the better thereby to ſet forth their pride and folly, and exceſſive luxury.
Ver. 20. And the Bonnets, &c.] Hereby is meant ſome kind of Hoods, or other Head-tires. And therefore the ſame word is tranſlated, Ezek. 24.17. The tire of thine head. And 44.18. Linnen Bonnets. And ſo likewiſe by the next words, and the ornaments of the legs, may be meant their brave ſtockins or garters, or ſome other ſuch like ornament; for the ſame word is render'd, 2 Sam. 1.10. The bracelet that was on his arm. And by their head-bands, ſome curious fillets or ribbons wherewith they tyed their hair, or faſtned their head-tires to their heads. The greateſt difficulty is in the next words, and the Tablets, which being in the Original, houſes of the ſoul, I cannot conceive why their Tablets, which were certain flat Jewels were ſo called, unleſs it be becauſe they were the deſire of their ſouls, (in regard they were ſo exceeding curious and rich), or becauſe they wore them upon their breaſts, right over their hearts, which is eſteemed the chief ſeat of the ſoul.
Ver. 21. The Rings and Noſe-jewels.] Some think that in thoſe Eaſtern parts the women uſed to wear Jewels hanging down from their noſes, as well as from their ears; and that it was in alluſion to this cuſtom that Solomon ſaith, Prov. 11.22. That as a jewel of gold in a ſwines ſnout, ſo is a fair woman which is without diſcretion. But I rather think that theſe were Jewels which they uſed to wear hanging from their foreheads down to their noſes, and were therefore called Noſe-jewels.
Ver. 22. The changeable ſuits of apparel.] That is, ſuits of apparel provided for change. But ſee the Note, Gen. 45.22.
Ver. 23. The glaſſes and the fine linnen, &c.] Hereby ſome underſtand their fine handkerchiefs; and others, their fine ſhifts. But it may be underſtood in general of all the fine thin linnen which they uſed much to wear in thoſe hot Countrys, eſpecially in ſummer-time: And then by the Hoods next mentioned, is meant ſome attire which they wore on their heads, different from thoſe ver. 20. which are there called Bonnets.
Ver. 24. Inſtead of ſweet ſmell, &c.] This is added to ſet forth how ſad the change ſhould be, when their delicate women that flaunted it now with ſo much bravery, ſhould be carried away captives into Babylon. Inſtead of ſweet ſmell; to wit, by reaſon of the odoriferous ointment wherewith they uſed to anoint themſelves, and the ſweet ſpices and powders, and perfumes they were wont to wear about them, there ſhall be a ſtink, which ſhould be cauſed by the ſores and ulcers that in their hard uſage ſhould grow upon them by the putrifying of their bodies after they had been beaten and ſcourged by their enemies, by their lying in priſons and dungeons, by their naſty attire in their extream poverty, and thoſe baſe ſervices wherein they ſhould be imployed. And inſtead of a girdle, a rent; that is, inſtead of thoſe brave girdles which uſed to be adorned with gold and precious gems, wherewith they were wont to girt their garments about them, there ſhall be nothing but tattered rags, hanging looſe about them in a ſlatternly manner, ſo that their nakedneſs ſhall not be covered thereby. And inſtead of well-ſet hair; that is, hair curiouſly curled, ſmooth combed, and layed neatly; Baldneſs, ſee the Note above, ver. 17. And inſtead of a ſtomacher, a girding of ſack-cloth, the uſual attire of people in great miſery and mourning. And burning inſtead of beauty; that is, they that were formerly ſo proud of their beauty, and ſo chary to preſerve it, ſhall be then tanned and Sun-burnt.
Ver. 25. Thy men ſhall fall by the ſword, &c.] This is ſpoken to Jeruſalem, or to the whole Kingdom or Nation of Judah, being collectively conſidered as one body. Having ſhewn how God would avenge himſelf on their proud women, here he adds likewiſe how he would deal with the men; and that too doth further imply the miſery of the women, who having loſt their husbands and friends, ſhould be ſtripped of all their bravery, and be brought into a mourning condition. Thy men ſhall fall by the ſword, and thy mighty in the war; which is in the Original, and thy might in the war, where thy might is put for thy mighty ones, as it is uſual with us, when we ſpeak of the Nobles and Gentlemen of a Country, to call them the Nobility and the Gentry. However the meaning is, that God would cut off thoſe in whoſe multitude and valour they had put ſo much confidence.
Ver. 26. And her gates ſhall lament and mourn, &c.] That is, the gates of Zion ſhall ſeem to mourn, becauſe whilſt Jeruſalem was in a flouriſhing condition, the people uſed to paſs in and out through the gates continually; and becauſe the Magiſtrates uſed to fit in judgment (ſee the Notes Ruth 4.1, 2. and Pſa. 127.5.) and ſo there the greateſt glory of their State was ſeen; and there was ſtill the fulleſt Aſſemblies, and greateſt concourſe of the people; whereas after the taking of Jeruſalem, the gates were ruined, and lay unfrequented; therefore it is ſaid here, Her gates ſhall lament and mourn; and the meaning is, that they ſhould look ſadly, or that they ſhould be a very lamentable ſpectacle to all that ſhould behold them. We have the like expreſſions Jer. 14.2. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languiſh; they are black unto the ground. And Lam. 1.4. The ways of Zion do mourn, becauſe none come to the ſolemn feaſt: all her gates are deſolate: as it follows here alſo, and ſhe being deſolate (or emptied) that is cleared of her Inhabitants and riches, ſhall ſit upon the ground; to wit, as a ſad widow bereaved of her husband and children; for this ſitting on the ground was the uſual cuſtom of mourners, Ezek. 8.14. And behold there ſat women weeping for Tammuz. And Lam. 2.10. The Elders of the daughter of Zion ſit upon the ground and keep ſilence. See alſo Job 2, 10. yet it is likely there is an alluſion alſo in the words to the ruinous ſtate of a City, that being battered down and burnt with fire, may be well ſaid to lye in the duſt, according to that Chap. 25.12. The fortreſs of the high fort of thy walls ſhall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the duſt.