Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 11 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Verſe 1. THen I turned me, and lifted up mine eyes] i.e. I prepared me to the receiving of a new viſion: nothing ſo comfortable as the former, but no leſſe neceſſary; that the people, by ſenſe of ſinne, and fear of wrath, might be taken off their wicked practiſes, redeem their own ſorrows, and be accounted worthy to eſcape all thoſe things that ſhould (otherwiſe) come to paſſe, as verſe 11. and to ſtand before the Son of man, at that dreadfull day. This ſeemeth to bee the mind of the Holy Ghoſt,Luke 21.36. in theſe two viſions here recorded: which while ſome Interpreters attend not, in toto vaticinio neque coelum, neque terram attingunt, ſaith Calvin, they are utterly out.
and behold a flying roll] Or, volume, as Pſal. 40.10. or ſcroll of paper, or parchment, uſually rolled up, like the web upon the pin, mi convolvuntur noſtrae Mappae Geographicae, as our Mappes are rolled up, ſaith A Lapide: and as in the publike Library at Oxford the Book or Roll of Eſther (an Hebrew Manuſcript) is at this day to bee ſeen:D. Prid. Orat. 4. Amem. Antibarb. lib. 3. Volans velociſſimum aſtion…s incurſum ſignificat. Chryſost. but here flying] Not onelyonly becauſe ſpread wide open, as Rabſhakeh's letter, 2 King. 19.14. and as that Book of the Prophet Eſaias, Luke 4.17. but alſo as fleeting along ſwiftly, like a bird ready to ſeiz on her prey. Nemo ſcelus gerit in Pectore, qui non idem Nemeſin in tergo. The Heathens thens named Nemeſis (their Goddeſſe of Revenge to take puniſhment of offend ours) foreign, becauſe no man can poſſibly eſcape her. They tell us alſo that their Jupiter writeth down all the ſinnes of all men in a book, or ſcroll, made of a goatspelt,foreign. which they call foreign: the very word whereby Aquila and Theodotion (two Greek Tranſlatours) do render the Hebrew of this Text. (See Dan, 7.18. Rev. 20.12.) Symmachus turnes it foreign, a Chapter, or Abſtract of a larger Book, full of ſinnes, and Woes: and yet it is of an unheard of hugeneſſe, verſe 2. and of very ſad contents, like that book of Ezechiel, chap. 2.9, 10. lamentation, and mourning, and woe; or the firſt leaf of Biſhop Babingtons book (which he turned over every morning) all black: to inmind him of hell, and Gods judgements due unto him for his ſinnes.
Verſ. 2. What ſeeſt thou] q. d. Mark it well, and let thine eye affect thine heart; let theſe things be oculis commiſſa fidelibus.
I ſee a flying book] See the Note on verſe 1. Some read it, A double book, (according to the Chaldaick ſignification of the word) as containing double, that is, manifold menaces and puniſhments of ſinne. But the Chaldee Paraphraſt, Septuagint, and others, render it flying; as haſting, and hovering over the heads of wicked perſons.
the length thereof is twenty cubits, &c.] Ten yards long, and five broad. Neither let men ſay, that words are but wind, as they did Jer. 5.13. For, 1. Even wind, when gotten into the bowels of the earth, may cauſe an earth-quake; as when into the bowels of the body, an heart-quake. 2. God threateneth thoſe ſcoffers verſe 14. that he will make that word which they tearmed wind, to become fire, and themſelves fuel to feed it. And as fire flyeth upon fuell fully dried, Nah. 1.10. and conſumeth it in an inſtant: ſo Gods flying roll will lick up the evil-doers, no otherwiſe then the fire from heaven after it had conſumed the ſacrifice, the wood, the ſtones, and the duſt, licked up alſo the water that was in the trench, 1 King. 18.38. The threatnings of Gods Law (the ſame with this Roll) are (as Eraſmus ſaith of Ezek. 3.18.) fulmina non verba, lightbolts rather then words: or if words, yet they are (as One ſaith) Verba non legenda ſed vivenda, Words not to be read onelyonly, but lived: at leaſt, not to be read as men do the old ſtories of forraigne warres; wherein they are nothing concerned (but as threatening themſelves in every threat, curſing themſelves in every curſe, &c.) nor as they read the predictions of an Almanack for wind and weather: which they think may come to paſſe, and it may be not: but be confident of this very thing, that God who hath denounced it will ſurely do it, and that he will execute the judgement written in this roll, Pſal. 149.9. yea every ſickneſſe and every plague which is not written in the book of this Law, them will the Lord cauſe to deſcend upon the diſobedient, untill they be deſtroyed, Deut. 28.61.
Verſe 3. This is the curſe] Or oath, with execration and curſing.Num. 5.21. foreign. ut & A…. Graecè, juramentum et execrationem ſignificat. Mercer. Curſing men are curſed men, and God hath ſworn that ſwearers ſhall not enter into his reſt.
that goeth forth] yea flyeth, verſe 2. more ſwift then an eagle, an arrow, a flaſh of lightening. Or, if not, yet Poena venit gravior, quo magè ſera venit.
over the face of the whole earth] Tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoul of man that doth evil: but of the Jew ſirſt, (Ingentia beneficia flagitia, ſupplicia) who is therefore the worſe, becauſe he ought 'to have been better; and then,Rom. 2.9. of the Gentile alſo. Theodoret, Lyra, and Vatablus think that Iudaea is hinted in the meaſure of the book (twenty cubites long, and ten broad) as being twice ſo long (and ſomewhat more) as it is broad: witneſſe Hierom in his Epiſtle to Dardanus. Epiſt. 129.But let the whole earth here be taken in its utmoſt latitude, ſith the Gentiles that ſinne without the Law, are yet liable to the puniſhments of the Law. And ſome of them by the light of Nature ſaw the evil of ſwearing: but all generally of ſtealing; but eſpecially of perjury and ſacriledge, here principally meant. Confer Mal. 3.8. Neh. 13.10.
for every one that ſtealeth ſhall be cut off] By ſtealing underſtand all ſins againſt the ſecond Table: as by ſwearing, all againſt the firſt: and ſo the ſenſe is the ſame with that of the Apoſtle, Every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience receiveth a juſt recompence of reward Heb. 2.2. And curſed is every one, that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them, Gal. 3.10. Howbeit becauſe theſe two ſins were more frequently and more impudently committed in thoſe dayes, therefore are they (by a ſpecialty) inſtanced. The Jewes comming poor out of Babylon, held it no great ſin to ſteal for ſupply of their neceſſities: and then to forſwear themſelves for the better hiding of their theft, Give me not poverty, ſaid holy Agur, leſt being poore I ſteale, and (as one ſin drawes on another) I take the name of my God in vaine Prov. 30.9. See the Note there. Hunger is an evill counſellour, neceſſity an hard weapon, a ſore temptation: when it comes to this, Either I muſt ſteale or ſtarve. But then to this muſt be oppoſed that of the law, Thou ſhalt in no caſe ſteals. Thou muſt rather dye then do wickedly. Aut faciendum aut patiendum, Either obey the law, or ſuffer the curſe.
as on this ſide according to it] i. e. According to the curſe, deſcribed in the rowle, the theeſ ſhall be cut off as well as the ſwearer: they ſhall ſpeed alike. The tares ſhall be bound up in bundles, theeves with theeves, and ſwearers with ſwearers, and burnt in the fire Mat. 13.30, 40. According to the prediction ſhall be the execution. Whether on this ſide, that is in Judea (ſo ſome ſenſe it) or on that ſide, in other parts of the world, ſuch perſons appeare, they ſhall have their payment.
and every one that ſweareth Not only falſely as verſe 4. but lightly, vainely, cauſeleſly, in jeſt and not in judgement: whether by God, or by creatures and qualities; Judaeis & Phariſaeis vulgare vitium, ſaith Paraeus on Iam. 5.12. a common fault among the Jewes and Phariſees Mat. 5.34, 35. and 23.16.18. See the Notes there. Among the Chriſtians in Chryſoſtomes time, as appeares by his many ſermons againſt it at Antioch. And in theſe dayes, if ever, becauſe of oaths the land mourneth, God hath a controverſie Hoſ. 4.1, 2. We have lived to ſee iniquity in the fulneſſe of oaths and blaſphemies unparaleled darted with helliſh mouths againſt God and our Saviour ſo ordinarily and openly, that ſome of them are become very interjections of ſpeech to the vulgar, and other ſome meer phraſes of gallantry to the braver. I knew a great ſwearer (ſaith a great Divine) who comming to his death-bed Satan ſo filled his heart with a madded and enraged greedineſſe after that moſt gaineleſſe,Bol…on. and pleaſureleſſe ſin: that though himſelf ſwore as faſt and as furiouſly as he could, yet (as though he had bin already among the bannings and blaſphemies of hell) he deſperatly deſired the ſtanders by to help him with oaths, and to ſwear for him.
Verſe 4. I will bring it forth] ſc. out of my treaſuries or ſtore-houſes of plagues and puniſhments Deut. 32.34. Or, That which thou haſt ſeen in viſion, I will put in action: I will produce it into the open light, into the theatre of the world: their faults ſhall be written in their foreheads, their ſins ſhall go before to judgement, my viſible vengeance ſhall overtake them.
and it ſhall enter into the houſe of the theef] which he calleth his caſtle: and where he thinks himſelf moſt ſecure, as out of the reach of Gods rod: as i… he could mot up himſelf againſt Gods fire. But what faith Bildad? His confidence ſhall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it ſhall bring him to the king of terrours. It ſhall dwell in his tabernacle, becauſe it is none of his: brimſtone ſhall be ſcattered upon his habitation, Iob 18.14, 15. ſo, that if the fire of Gods wrath do but touch it, all's on a light flame.A. Gell. He will unkennel theſe foxes: and drag (acus out of his denn, to his deſerved puniſhment. Diocleſian the Perſecutour (one of thoſe Latrones publici, Euſub: de vit. Conſt. lib. 5.as Cato called them) giving over his Empire, after that he had ſufficiently feathered his neſt; decreed to lead the reſt of his life quietly. But he eſcaped not ſo: for after that, his houſe was wholy conſumed with lightening and a flame of fire that fell from heaven, he hiding himſelf, for fear of the lightening, died within a while after.
and into the houſe of him that ſweareth falſely by my name] Hence Ribera gathereth that by the whole earth in the former verſe is meant Judaea only: becauſe none but Jewes ſwore by the name of the true God, who is indeed the proper object of an oath Eſay 65.16. Ier. 12.6. Howbeit in lawfull contracts with an Infidel or Idolater, oaths by falſe gods may be admitted, and are binding. As for perjury, it is a provoking ſin; as containing three great evils. 1. The uttering or upholding of a lie. 2. The calling upon God to teſtifie and juſtifie a lie. 3. The praying for a curſe upon a mans ſelf: and beſeeching God to be a ſwift witneſſe againſt him, Mal. 3. as he was indeed againſt Zedekiah, Narciſſus in the eccleſiaſticall hiſtory, Earle Godwin in Polydor Virgil, Rodulphus Duke of Suevia, Ladiſlatis king of Hungary, Dr. London (Act. and Mon. fol. 1114.) Richard Long a ſouldier at Callice in K. Henry the 8. dayes: who depoſing falſely againſt Will: Smith Curat of Callice, ſhortly after, upon a diſpleaſure of his wife,Act. and Ma…. fol. 1117. deſperately drowned himſelf. And within the memory of man Feb. 11. An. Dom. 1574. Anne Averies forſwore, her ſelf at a ſhop in woodſtreet London; praying God ſhe might ſink where ſhe ſtood if ſhe had not paid for the wares ſhe took. Hereupon ſhe fell down preſently ſpeechleſſe, and with horrible ſtench died.
and it ſhall remaine in the middeſt of his houſe] And be a troubleſome inmate with him, ſuch as he cannot rid his hands of though never ſo fain: there it ſhall rooſt and reſt, in deſpite of him. If it diſtaſt not his dough or empty his basket, yet will it fill his ſtore with ſtriſe, or mix the wrath of God with his ſweet morſels: his meate ſhall be fauced, his drink ſpiced, as Iob 20.23. It is a moth in his wardrobe, murraine among his cattle, mildew…in his field, rot amongſt his ſheep, and oft-times maketh the fruit of his loines his greateſt heart-break.
with the timher thereof and the ſtones thereof] As in caſe of treaſon or other horrible c…i…nes, the very houſes of the offendours;Illam domum in qua fuerit inventus haereticus diruendam decernimus. were pulied down and made a jakes, Dan. 2.5. and 3.29. The Popiſh Councell of Tholoſe gathered together againſt thoſe Ancient Proteſtants the Alpigenſes, made a decree, that the very houſe wherein an heretick was found, ſhould be pulled down. The Mannour-houſe of Milcot in Warwick-ſhire, built by Lodovike Greevill deeply guilty of theſe two grand evils mentioned in the text, and lately burnt to the ground, is commonly lookt upon as a ſpeaking monument of Gods juſt judgement againſt Sacriledge and Perjury: whether men perſonally commit theſe ſins or love them in others Zach. 1.17. Rev. 22.15.
Verſe 5. Lift up now thine eyes and ſee] No doubt, ſaith Calvin here, but the Prophet was frighted at the ſight of the flying rowle, full of curſes.Pſa. 119.120, My fleſh trembleth for feare of thee, ſaith David, and I am afraid of thy judgements. And Habakkuk, when he conſidered the curſed condition of the Churches enemies, my belly trembled, ſaid he, when I heard it: my lips quivered at the voice. rottenneſſe entred into my bones chap. 3.6. Daniel was more afficted and troubled for Nebuchadnezzars calamity, then himſelf was, chap. 4.19. Here therefore the Angell encourageth the Prophet, and biddeth him look up and ſee a further viſion; and not through dulneſle or dejectedneſſe, to let paſſe without due obſervation the notable works and witneſſes of Gods providence and power. Curious Artiſans when they ſet forth ſome ſpeciall peece to publik view, they take it ill when notice is not taken of it: So here. See the Note on ver. 1.
Verſe 6. And I ſaid, What is it?] i.e. what meaneth it… for the viſion is very hard and myſterious: leſt (ſaith One) the plaine denunciation of the ſecond overthrow of temple and ſtate might diſcourage them too much, to go forward in the preſent reſtauration of both. Hugh Broughton on Dan. 2.4. obſerveth, that while the viſions are generall, and cauſe the Jewes no danger, ſo far Daniel writeth in the Syriack tongue, generall over the Eaſt. But when the oppreſſours be named, and the Jewes plainely deſcribed the people whom God defendeth, then the eighth chapter and all after, he writes in Hebrew (a tongue leſſe known and ſtudied) and hath a commandement to keep cloſe the plaine expoſition chap. 12.4. There is a great deale of wiſdome required of thoſe, that are intruſted with the diſpenſation of divine truths. Our Saviour ſpake as the people could heare, and not as he could have ſpoken. See Heb. 5.11, 12.
this is an Ephah that goeth forth] The Ephah was the greateſt and moſt common meaſure among the Jewes: and is therefore generally put for any meaſure whatſoever Deut. 25.14. By falſe meaſures (one kind of theſt) they had ſinned (whence the Chaldee here, Iſti ſunt populi qui accipiebant, & dabant menſurà falſâ, Theſe are the people that bought and ſold by falſe meaſures) by the ſame therefore, their puniſhment is ſet forth and ſignified; A peece of their puniſhment it was that they were bounded and limited: that wickedneſſe was confined and kept within her Ephah. The Vulgar tranſlates it Amphora a pitcher: which when it is once filled with the bitter waters of wickedneſſe, will ſoon ſink to the bottom. Sinners as they are ſtinted, ſo when they have filled up their meaſure, they are ſure to be puniſhed: when they are ripe in the field, God will come with his ſickle; when their grapes of Sodom are full ready, he will caſt them into the winepreſſe of his wrath Rev. 15.16. Gen. 15.16. Mat. 23.32.
this is their reſemblance thorough all the earth] Heb. their eye, their aſpect, their colour. This, that is, this Ephah, is their reſemblance: ſc. that when they have filled up their ſins, they ſhall have their fill of puniſhment. Or This, meaning ſome apparition repreſenting Gods providence ſhewed by the Angel to the Prophet;T…ch 3.9. and 4.10. and 9.1. is their eye, that is, the eye of the three perſons in Trinity, Gods univerfall providence, which preſideth over his judgements. Or thus: This Ephah or meaſure of their puniſhment, proportionate to their ſin, in killing Ch…ſt eſpecially Mat. 23.32. ſhall be their eye thorough all the earth, i. e. ſhall be conſpicuous and apparent to all ſorts: ſo that all men ſhall hate them, and hoot at them for a company of Kill-Chriſts, ſhall look upon them as a people of Gods curſe &c. Thus the Chaldee here, Behold they are made manif…ſt before all the inhatants of the earth: for all men ſhall be witneſles of their horrible both ſinns and plagues.
Verſe 7. And behold there was lift up a talent of lead] A lump of lead, the weightieſt metall: noting the immoveable and immutable dec…ee of God …or the puniſhment of the wicked.Eſay 3.11. Say to the wicked, tell him ſo from me, it ſhall go ill with him: Iniquity ſhall be his ruine. This lump of lead is fir… lifted up, and then let down upon the Ephah as an adequate covering: and betokeneth the grievouſneſſe and long continuance of the Jewes puniſhment and baniſhment for their parricide,foreign. 1 Theſ. 2.16. or rather deicide, in crucifying the Lord of glory. A day of grace they had, but they knew it not; therefore is wrath come upon them to the utmoſt, or, untill the end, or finally, ſo as it ſhall never be removed: ſo ſome interpret it.
and this is a woman that ſitteth in the middeſt of the Ephah] In medio modi: and ſo ſhe went forth or moved forward with an open face, and upper parts appearing, as not afhamed: the ſhew of her countenance witneſſed againſt her, ſhe declared her ſin as Sodom Eſay 3.9. and as Lots daughters who ſavoured too much of Sodom, when, glorying in their ſhame, they called their inceſtuous br…ts M… ab, that is the begotten of my father, and Benammi which ſounds to the ſame ſenſe. This woman is alſo ſaid to ſit, as reſolved of her courſe. Confer Pſal. 1.1. and 50.20. the Jewes are ſtill a ſtubborn and refractary people. Antiqu…m obtinent: O that the falvation of Iſrael were come out of Zion &c. Pſal. 14.7. Deus nos dignabitur clariſſimá viſione cum reducet Zion, ſaith Jachiades one of their Rabbines. I add, Fiat, Fiat.
Verſe 8. And he ſaid, this is Wickedneſſe] viz. this woman, a figure of the whole ſinfull nation of the Jewes: as were Aholah, and Aholibah Ezech. 23. and Babylon the great, the mother of fornications and abominations Rev. 17.5. to whom I may add that grand-daughter of hers Katherine de Medices Queen-mother: who by her wickedneſſe wonderfully troubled all France for thirty yeers together.
and he caſt it into the midſt of the Ephah] The Angel, as an executioner of divine juſtice, throwes her down who before ſat perking and priding her ſelf; and claps her upcloſe priſoner as it were in the Ephah.
caſting the weight of lead into the mouth thereof] that is of the Ephah, or of the woman, according to that Pſal. 107.42. the righteous ſhall …ee it and rejoyce, and all iniquity ſhall ſtop her mouth. Montanus one of the Talmud adde…h, that this woman is compel'd to take this lead into her mouth: that mo…ten lead was powred down her throat, for a puniſhments of her frauds and theſts ver. 3. But the wicked ſhall not be ſo excuſed: ſor upon them God ſhall raine …nares, fire, brimſtone, and a burning tempeſt: this ſhall be the portion of their cup, Pſal. 11.6. and this is farr worſe then molten lead, or burning bell-mettle. Compare with this text ler. 51.64. and Rev. 18.21. with 20.1. An Angel a ſtrong Angel, for better aſſurance of Romes irrepairable ruine, taketh a ſtone, a great ſtone. which he throweth, and with force thruſteth into the bottom of the ſea whence it cannot be boy…d up, whence nothing ordinarily is recovered, much leſſe a milſtone thruſt from ſuch a hand with ſuch a force. What do ye imagine againſt the Lord? ſaith Nahum: he will make an utter end: affliction ſhall not riſe up the ſecond time chap. 1.9. that is, the wicked ſhall be totally and finaily conſumed at once: neither will God make another doing of it. I have overthrown ſome of you, as God over threw Sodom and Gomorrah: Am. 4.11. wickedneſſe is here cruſhed together as it were in a narrow veſlell, covered with lead, and carried into a ſtrange countrey.
Verſe 9. Behold there came out two women] Winged women, and carried through the ayre with a pleaſant wind, to note their ready and ſpeedy obedience, prompt and preſent. Women they are ſaid to be, to keep proportion with the preſent viſion; leſt the meeting and mixing together of men and women in the ſame matter might miniſter occaſion to ſome impure ſurmiſings. But that they were men and not women, that are here meant, is agreed upon by all. Theſe were Ezra and Nehemiah, (ſaith Willet on Levit. 11. after Junius and Piſcator on the text) thoſe great Reformers of the Jewiſh Church. But this ſtand, not with the laſt verſe. I rather ſubſcribe to thoſe that expound the text of the Romanes, who with great celerity and violence deſtroyed the Jewes ſtate: and ſo, that which they feared befell them …oh. 11.48. The Romanes, ſaid they, ſhall come to take away both our place and our nation: and within a few yeers it proved accordingly: as if God had taken them at their word, as he did thoſe murmuring miſcreants Num. 14.28. As truly as I live, ſaith the Lord, as ye have ſpoken in mine cares, ſo will I do unto you. Hereunto the Chaldee Paraphraſt conſenteth, when by theſe two women thus deſcribed he underſtandeth, populos leves & expeditos, ſuch Agents and Inſt…uments, as God would imploy in the ſpeedy execution of his wrath upon the Jewiſh Nation: ſuch as were Titus, Veſpaſian, and A…lius Adrian. See my Trite treaſure chap. 7. ſect. 2.Diodate maketh theſe two women a figure of God, two properties, namely Mercy towards his Elect, and Juſtice towards his Enemies, wherewith he tranſports upon theſe laſt the judgements by which he had puniſhed his own people: which is done with admirable celerity. Thus He. Danaeus makes thoſe two women to be the Anger and Juſtice of God, which do alwayes follow and wa…t upon one another, and take vengeance on mens wickedneſſe. Jud…ium ſit penes lectorem.
and the wind was in their wings] A maſculine Affix reſe…red to a Feminine Noune: to intimate that theſe women were indeed types of men, ſaith Mr. Pemble. …he Romanes were men every inch of them, as the proverh is: and therefore of cowards they were wont to ſay that they had nothing Roman in them: and of Brutus, that he was the laſi of the Romans.
and they lift up the Ephah between the Earth and the heaven] This betokeneth a deportation and diſiection of the Jewiſh Nation: being toſſed as a tennis-ball into all nations, and ſcattered into the ſoure winds, as Ier. 48.32. Rupertus hence concludeth them rejected of both carth and heaven. Out of the earth they are as it were baniſhed, by a common conſent of Nations: and heaven admitte…n them not, as thoſe that pleaſe not God, and are contrary to all men 1 Theſſ. 2.15. And as their guide Judas, when they took Jeſus, was hang'd betwixt heaven and earth, being caelo terraeque peroſus; ſo fares it with that wretched people, and will do till God ſhall call them a people which were not a people, and her beloved, which was not beloved Rom. 9.25.
Verſe 10 Whither do theſe beare the Ephah?] that is, ſaith Ribera, Quamdiu duratura eſt populi hujus impietas? How long ſhall this peoples wickedneſſe laſt? like as Iſa. 6.10, 11. when the Prophet had heard, make the heart of th… people fat, and ſhut their eyes &c. he cryes out, How long Lord? the anſwer whereunto is the ſame in effect with this of the Angel: untill the cities be waſted without inhabitant, and the houſes without man, and the land be utterly deſolate; And the Lord have removed men farr away, and there be a great forſaking in the midſt of the land.
Verſe 11. To build it an houſe in the land of Shinar] That is, of Babylon, Gen. 10.10. and 11.2. where diverſe of the Jews ſtill remained in wilfull exile, as loth to leave their houſes and gardens, which they had builded and planted there, Jer. 29 5. preferring captivity before liberty. See 1 Chron. 4.22, 23. Hence, upon their finall diſperſion by the Romans, diverſe of them reſorted thither for entertainment. There Peter, the Apoſtle of the circumciſion, had collected an elected Church, 1 Epiſt. 5.13. and thence he writeth his Epiſtle to the ſojourning Jews ſcattered thorow thoſe Eaſtern parts chap. 1.10. from whence alſo thoſe kings of the Eaſt, Rev. 16.12. the converted Jews (as ſome expound it) are expected. And who can tell whether this land of Shinar be not the ſame with that land of Sinim, Eſay 49.12. Confer Eſay 11.16. Zach. 10.11. Or, by the land of Shinar here, may be meant exilium totius orbis, their generall rejection by all nations; the whole world being to them a Shinar, that is, a land of excuſſion.
and it ſhall be eſtabliſhed, &c.] This denoteth the diuturnity, or perpetuity of their puniſhment.