Observations Upon the Old Testament, Commentary · Jonah – Haggai
Jonah.
IONAH Prophesied in the dayes of Jeroboam the second, 2 Kings XIV. 25. A time wherein a Constellation of Prophets appeared. He was sent to Nineveh, the great Citie, and Metropolis of the Assyrian Empire. But fleeing to Joppa, a cleane contrary way; and taking Sea; He is followed with a Tempest; and being throwne over-board, is swallowed of a Fish, called a Whale, Matth. XII. 40. And in the Whales belly, three dayes, and three nights; which is a resemblance of Christs lying in the Grave; And to that end is thrice alluded unto, and alledged by our Saviour himself, Matth. XII. 39, 40. and chap. XVI. 4. and Luke XI. 29. Not yet that the Correspondence in all points must be exact and absolute; either for the space of three whole dayes, and three whole nights; for our Saviour, as himselfe foretels, did rise on that third day in a part of it: no, nor yet for some part of three dayes, and of three nights, unlesse we reckon the dayes of twenty four hours, from midnight to midnight. But the Type here, and Text, Matth. XII. 40. needs no such subtil shifts, and curious quirks, to make up their sense. Only this, That this of Jonas was the fittest and nearest shadow of Christs lying in the Grave, that the Scripture did afford. There prayeth. And the Whale vomiteth him out upon the dry land. Being sent the second time, He obeyes; Nineveh repents; And God in pitie spares Nineveh for that time: And justifies his pitie against the angry Prophet, repining at it.
Wonderful great was the Citie of Nineve, Iohah I. v. 2. and c. III. 2, 3, 4 and chap. 4. XI. And such the Citie of Babylon, Ier▪ LI. 31, 58.
made vowes] Of Vowes, chapter I verse 16 see my Annotations on this Text.
Joppa] Or Japho. verse 3 A Citie, and Haven lying on the Midland-Sea, in the North corner of the Tribe of Dan, as it joynes to the Tribe of Ephraim, Josh. XIX. 46. Hither was all the Timber brought in floats that was cut and wrought in Lebanon, for the building of the Temple, (and other buildings) by Solomon, 2 Chron. II. 16. And for the new building of it, by Zerubbabel and Jehoshuah, after the Returne from the Babylonish captivity, Ezra III. 7. We see here Jonah fled hither; farre enough from the way to Nineveh: And this in the dayes of Jeroboam the second, King of Israel: In the dayes of the Apostle Peter, he being at Lidda, was sent for hither; and here raised from the dead that good and charitable Tabitha or Dorcas, Acts IX. 38, 40. And tarrying here many dayes with one Simon a Tanner, by the Sea-side; He Praying, in a trance saw a Vision, a certaine Vessel, as it had beene a great sheet, &c. And at that instant being sent for to Cesarea, by Cornelius, he goes thither, Preacheth Christ to Cornelius, and his kinsmen, and near friends. And upon their conversion and receiving the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, he Baptiseth them.
A Citie of God, chapter III verse 3 i. e. exceeding great; an Hebraisme. So we read the Wrestlings of God, Trembling of God, 1 Sam XIV. 15. a Sleep of God, 1 Sam. XXVI. 12. Gen. XXX. 8. the Mountaines of God, Psal. XXXVI. 6. Trees of God, Psal. CIV. 16. the Cedars of God, Psal. LXXX. 10. the Increasing of God, Col. II. 19. Prince of God, Gen. XXIII. 6. the Hoast of God, 1. Chron. XII. 22. And so much alike of the garden of God, of the Flame of God, Cant. VIII. 6. a Fire of God, Job I. 16. Cant. VIII. 6. River of God, Man of God, the Visions of God; the Voyce of God, the Kindnesse of God, 2 Sam. IX. 3. Harps of God. See my Observations on 1 Sam XIV. 15.
yet fourty dayes] Gods Threatenings and doomes have yet their conditions and limitations, verse 4 or Provisoes understood; so, Jer. XXI. 10. and XXV. 9, 10, 11. and XXXII▪ 29. and XXXIV. 2, 22. and XXXVII. 8, 10. compared with chap. XXVI. 13. and XXXVIII. 17. And so David understood that threatening, 2 Sam. XII. 14. conditionaly, verse 22. So, Judg. X. 13. Esay XXXVIII. 1. Jer. XVIII. 7, 8. Ezek. III. 18. Yet sometimes God expresseth his doomes of judgement against some sinners irrevocably; as, Ezek. XIV. 13, 14, 16, 18, 20. See the Observations on 1 Kings II. 20.
East-winde.] chapter IV verse 8 So, Hos. XIII. 15. Ezek. XVII. 10. and XIX. 12. Psal. XLVIII. 7. See my Annotations on Hos. XII. 1. an hurtful, dry, and skorching winde.
The Ninevites in all probability, were the rather reduced to their repentance, and that in such a maner, by that Preaching of Ionah; upon the knowledge of him, and of his being in the Whales belly.
Micah.
MICAH; Is the last of that great number of Prophets that lived, and Prophesied, in the same times. Micah his time is set out thus; in the dayes of Iotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He is like to Esay, the first of them, in Matter; and in lofty stile. He Prophesieth to, and against, both Iudah, and Israel: Declareth Gods wrath; Lamenteth them; and tells their future destructions, and captivities, by the Assyrians, and Babylonians; For the manifold sinnes of the People, Princes, and Prophets, Chapters I, II, III. The Repenting Remnant He comforteth with Promises of Temporal Blessings; and Deliverances from their enemies: But chiefly with Promises, and Predictions of Christ; foretelling the Place of his Nativity; And the manifold Spiritual Blessings of Him, and his Kingdome, Chapters IV. and V. And after a fresh controversie, and contestation of God with all his People, for their ill requiting of all his ancient Kindnesses; with their present sundry sinnes, chap. VI. And the Prophets Complaint thereafter of the Paucity of good men; He endeth his Prophecie, with the Churches Consolation, in he Patient Expectation of Gods time to plead her Cause, to the shame of her insulting enemie; and her owne marvelous felicity, chap. VII.
The sinnes of the Prophets, chapter IV verse 2 Princes, and People, are pointed out by this Prophet, as in other places, so namely in these, chap. II. 11. and chap. III. 1, 2, 3, 11. and chap. VII. 2,—6.
The people of God seeme to argue, and resolve thus; All people naturaly are addicted to their several superstitions, and will walk every one in the Name of his God: Much more we will, as we have all right and reason for it, walk in the Name of Jehova our God. Yea, though every Sect oppose their Superstition to us, triumph, and glory in theirs, and insulting over us, conspire in one against us, and our way; yet will not we despond, or shrink, but over-look, and overcome all difficulties, obstructions, and oppositions whatsoever; the Name of Jehova our God shall render us invincible, to walk constantly in him, and his Name, and his true way of worship, for ever and ever.
Bethlehem-Ephrata] To distinguish it from another Bethlehem in the Tribe of Zebulun, chapter V verse 5 Josh. XIX. 15. This being in Judah, Matth. II. 1. And in these parts were many names of this stamp; as, Bethel, Bethaven, Bethania, Bethesda, Bethsaida, Bethabarah, Bethbarah, Bethhaccerem, Bethshemesh, and others. This Bethlehem, and this Text, was alledged by the chief Priests and Scribes to Herod, for the place of Christs birth, Matth. II. 5, 6. And though here called little; yet by the Priests and Scribes called not the least; either reading the words of Micah interrogatively in a Negative sense; or varying the Text out of ignorance, or of set purpose before Herod; though yet both readings may well be reduced to one true sense; Bethlehem little, when David was borne there; not little, but famous, for, and after that the true Sonne of David, and Sonne of God was borne there.
Nahum.
NAHUM; seemes to live, and Prophesie, in the dayes of Josiah. His Prophecie is. The Burden of Nineveh. The Ninevites after their Temporary Repentance, upon the Preaching of Jonah, returned to their former sinnes; Through their Ambition, Covetousnesse, and Cruelty, they overthrew the Kingdomes of Syria, and Samaria, after Jonah his time; They invaded Judea, and besieged Jerusalem; and grew up to be like a great Cedar in Lebanon, Ezek. XXXI. 3,—9. And Nahum now propounds Gods dreadful power in himself; and his furious revenge upon his enemies: that He will make an utter end of Nineveh; affliction shall not rise up the second time; No more of the name of the Assyrian shall be sowen. And this shall be for Judah's Consolation chap. I. And then he expounds more fully the Manner, and the Meanes of the Ruine of Nineveh; and the woful Mourning for it, that they shall mourne, as with the voice of Doves, tabering upon their breasts; and bewailing their former flourishing estate, chap. II. And lastly, He insists upon her sinnes, the Causers of Gods wrath, in her shameful ruine: ascertained by the example of populous No (or Alexandria) to be verified upon her; that notwithstanding all her strong holds, and numerous Assyrian Captaines, and crowned Commanders; yet there shall be no healing of her bruise, and mortal wound, chap. III.
Not Nahum I. 15. But Esay LII. 7. is alledged, Rom. X. 15.
Habakkuk.
HABAKKVK; Doth comfort the godly against the Chaldeans; as Nahum did against the Assyrians. He succeeds Nahum soone after. He doth humbly expostulate with God of his delay, to hear, and to redresse things amisse; Complaining to him of his peoples sinnes; chap. I. 1,—4. And declaring from God, his wonderful judgements to come upon them by the Chaldeans, verse 5,—11. He states the End and Issue of Gods dealing therein, verse 12. And yet after admiration, and expostulation, that God should use such wicked instruments for executioners of his judgments upon his people, verse 13,—17. He puts the godly upon their living by Faith, chap. II. 1,—4. And then he largely insists upon the Chaldeans several sinnes, Intermixing their punishment for them, verse 5,—20. And lastly, concludes with a wonderful Prayer, ch. III. Celebrating therein Gods marvellous, and mighty works, of terrible executions upon the enemies, and of the deliverances of his people, in ancient times: and triumphing in Faith, even in the worst of times, in expectation of the like deliverance.
Is thrice alledged in the New Testament. chapter II verse 4 A famous Text. Heb. X. 38 to perswade to Patience, Gal. III. II. to prove, No justification by the Law. And Rom. I. 17. to prove justification by Faith. The Hebrew is, The just shall live by his Faith. The Apostle still omits the particle his. The LXX. translating the Hebrew, have my for his. That place, Heb. X. 37, 38. may seeme only to allude to this place, Hab. II. ver. 3, 4. with a liberty of some Variation; which most accords with the LXX. translation of the Hebrew text.
Here is Selah in the middle of a verse. chapter III verse 3 And so, verse 9. Though very rarely so. Of Selah, see A. Rivet on Psal. XXIV. 6.
Zephanie.
ZEPHANIE; Prophesies towards the beginning of the dayes of Josiah, chap. I. 1. and chap. II. 13. He doth charge upon Judah, and Jerusalem great and grievous sinnes: And doth threaten them therefore with a great Day of the Lords wrath, near at hand, chap. I. He exhorts them to Repentance before the day of the Lords anger come upon them. And warnes them by Examples of like judgements upon Neighbouring Nations, denounced against them, ch. II And after a sharp Reproof and Commination of Jerusalem taken up againe; He concludeth with glorious Promises of her deliverance and restauration at the last; and of Evangelical Blessings; and that God will joy over her, and rest in his love.
Her Prophets are light and treacherous persons] Hos. chapter III verse 4 IX. 7, 8. Micah III. 5, 6, 11. Deut. XIII. Prophets of Baal, 1 King XVIII. 2 Kings 10, 19. False Prophets in Israel, and Judah, 1 Kings XXII. Neh. VI. 14. Esay XXVIII. 7. Ier. V. 31. and VIII. 1, 2. and XIV▪ 13, 14. and XXIII. 9, 13, 14, &c. and XXVI. 8. and XXVII. 14, &c. and XXVIII. 1, 10, 16. Ezek. XIII. and XIV chapters. See the Argument upon the Prophecie of Ezekiel. So there were false Prophetesses, Neh. VI. 14. Ezek. XIII. 17, 18. Apoc. II 20. And againe there were both true Prophets, some extraordinary ones, spoken of, Iohn VII. 52. extraordinarily called, and qualified: Others ordinary, mostwhat, if not altogether Priests; and Levites, going under the name of Prophets, from the times of Ahab, and after. And also there were true Prophetesses, as Deborah, Huldah, Anna, and Philips four daughters Virgins.
Haggai.
HAGGAI; His whole Prophecie is within the compasse of somewhat lesse then four moneths: and was upon four several dayes within that time; viz. in the second year of Darius [Hystaspis] on the
VI. MonethMonth, first day, chap. I. 1.
24. day, chap. I. 13, 15.
VII. MonethMonth, 21. day, chap. II. 1.
IX. MonethMonth, 24. day, chap. II. 10, 18, 20.
The maine matter is, for Zerubbabel, the Governour of Iudah, and Ioshua, the High Priest, To Build the Temple. With the Promise of the greater Glory of this Temple, then of the Former, by the Coming of the Messias into it.