Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 11 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Verſe 1. THE burden] i. e. the bitter and burdenſome Prophecy. See the Note on Mal. 1.1.
In the land of Hadrach] Better; on the land of Hadrach: whereby is meant,Becauſe Meſſiah is chad ſharp to the Nations, but rach gentle to the Iſraelites. not thy land O Immanuel, or, O Meſſiah (as Hierom, after Rabbi Benaiah) nor a countrey that is neer, or lying round about another countrey, as Junius and Danaeus expound the Syrian word. But either a province, or a city, of ſome Note in Syria, not fat from Damaſcus: Diodate maketh it to be an Idoll of the Syrians; which repreſented the Sunne: from which the countrey took its name, as Eſay 8. 8. Jer. 48.46. Hoſ. 10.5.
and Damaſcus] The Metropolis of Syria, built ſay ſome, in the place where Cain ſlew Abel; and therehence called Dameſech, or a bag of blood; a great ſcourge to Iſrael, chiefly famous for Saint Pauls converſion there, and his rapture into the third heaven, during that three-dayes darkneſſe, Act, 9.9. with 2 Cor. 12.2.
ſhall be the reſt thereof] ſc. of that bitter burden which ſhall here abide, and be ſet upon its own baſe, as chap. 5.11. See a like expreſſion, Joh. 3.36. the wrath of God abideth upon an unbeleever, tanquam trabali clavo fixa: he can neither avert nor avoid it.
when the eyes of man, &c.] That is, of other men the Gentiles alſo, who as yet are carnall and walk as men, ſhall be toward the Lord, lifted up in prayer, and confident expectation of mercy. See Pſal. 122.2.
Verſe 2. And Hamath alſo ſhall border thereby] i. e. ſhall ſhare in the ſame puniſhment with Damaſcus, and fare the worſe for its neighbourhood.
though it be very wiſe] and think to out-wit the enemy: to be too hard for him that way,foreign. 1 Cor. 3.19. foreign. as Midian was for Iſrael, by his wiles rather then by his warres, Num. 25.18. God taketh theſe Wiſards in their own craft, (as beaſts in a toil) and makes very fools of them, notwithſtanding their many fetches; ſpecially when they boaſt of their wit, as Tyrus did, Ezek. 28.3, 4, &c. and truſt in it, Prov. 3.5. The Phoenicians and Tyrians were wont to boaſt, that they firſt found out the uſe of letters, &c. Sure it is that by much trading by Sea, they were grown cunning and crafty Merchants, to coſen others: and this they coloured with the name of wiſdome. Wiſe they were in their generation, Luke 16.8. but ſo is the fox, the ſerpent, and the devil: who when he was but young, out-witted our firſt parents. And wee are ſtill ſenſible of his ſlights, and not ignorant of his wiles, his methods, and his ſtratagems.
Verſe 3. And Tyrus did build her ſelf a ſtrong-hold] Thor did build her ſelf Matſor: An Elegancy not to be Engliſhed. (ſuch as are many in the old Teſtament, but eſpecially in Eſay) It is as if it ſhould be ſaid, A ſtrong hold (ſuch as Tyrus which was naturally fortified) did build it ſelf a ſtrong hold, ſc. by the induſtry and diligence of men; ſo that ſhe might ſeem impregnable: yet all ſhould not do.A Lapide. Alexander, after ſeven moneths ſiege, took it and deſtroyed it.
and heaped up ſilver as duſt] Pulverizavit argentum quaſi pulverem. Shee had money enough (by means of her long and great trade with all the world, Ezek. 27.) and ſo might hire what ſouldiers ſhe pleaſed for her defence. The ſinewes of warre were not wanting to her. She heaped up her hoards as it were to heaven: her Magazines were full fraught. The word here rendred, heapt up, ſignifieth to comport and gather in money, as men do corn into barnes and granaries. Exod. 8.10. Pſal. 39.7. But riches avail not in the day of wrath. And Tyrus converted, leaves laying up, and treaſuring, and falls to feeding, and cloathing Gods Saints, Eſay 23.18.
Verſ. 4. Behold the Lord will caſt her out] Or, impoveriſh her, as ſome render it: that's for her money. God can ſoon let her blood in the vena cava, called Marſupium: and make her nudam tanquam ex mari. And then for her munitions:
He will ſmite her power in the ſea] She was ſeated in a Iſland, upon munitions of rocks: the ſea was to her inſtead of a three-fold wall and ditch. She was better fortified then Venice is; which yet hath flouriſhed above nine hundred years, and was never in the enemies hands: whence ſhe hath for her Motto, Intacta manet. But Tyrus was taken Nebuchadnezzar, as his wages; and afterwards by Alexander, who never held any thing impoſſible that he undertook, how unlikely ſoever it were to be effected. He found means to fill up the ſea with ſtones, trees, and rubbiſh, where it divided Tyrus from the Continent: and made himſelf maſter of it.
and ſhe ſhall be devoured with fire] though ſeated in the heart of the ſea, Ezek. 28.2.Curt. lib. 4. Plin. lib. 5. c. 19 and had motted up her ſelf againſt Gods fire. Nothing ſhall quench the fire that he kindleth.
Verſe 5. Aſhkelon ſhall ſee it and fear] for, jam proximus ardet Ʋcalegon, her next neighbours houſe was now on fire; and ſhe might well fear ſhe ſhould be daſht at leaſt with the tail of that over-flowing ſtorm, that had ſwept away Tyrus. The ſword was now in commiſſion: it was riding circuite, Ezek. 14.17. and God had given it a ſpeciall charge againſt Aſhkelon, and againſt the Sea-ſhore: there had he appointed it, Jer. 47.6, 7. Now Aſhkelon, Gaza, and Ekron, were ſcituate all along the Sea-coaſt, Southward of Tyre and Sidon. All theſe were bitter enemies to the Church: and were therefore deſtroyed by Alexander the Great, that man of Gods hand.
Gaza alſo ſhall ſee it, and be very ſorrowfull] like a travailing woman, as Eſay 26.17, 18. where the ſame word is uſed: her heart ſhall ake and quake within her: ſhe ſhall have ſore throwes and throbs.
and Ekron: for her expectation ſhall be aſhamed] Her hope hath abuſed her, her confidence is cut off, her countenance is covered with confuſion. She looked that Tyrus ſhould have been a bulwark to her: or, at leaſt a refuge, if need were. But now ſhe ſeeth her expectation ſhamed: The expectation of the wicked ſhall periſh. They look out of the window with Siſerah's mother, and ſay, Have they not ſped? have they not divided the prey, &c? But what ſaith the Church, So let thine enemies periſh, O Lord, &c. Judg. 5.30, 31.
and the king ſhall periſh from Gaza] Rex, id eſt, Regulus: for there were five Princes of the Philiſtines; each great city having a Prince over it. The Prince of Gaza that is here deſigned to deſtruction may very well be that Betis, whom Darius the laſt king of Perſia had ſet over Gaza. He having kept out Alexander for two moneths, was at length taken by him together with the city, and put to a cruell death, as Curtius teſtifieth.Q. Curt. l. 4,
and Aſhkelon ſhall not be inhabited] It was ſo waſted by warre, and diſpeopled, that it became cottages for ſhepherds, and folds for ſheep. See Zeph. 2.4, …. Howbeit after this it was reinhabited; for that bloody Herod that ſlew the Infants was borne there, being ſirnamed Aſcalonita: and at this day it is a ſtrong gariſon of the Saracens. Saladine pulled down the walls of it: but our Richard the firſt ſet them up again, as Adrichomius telleth us out of Gul. Tyrius.
Verſe 6. But a baſtard ſhall dwell at Aſhdod] Perhaps he meaneth Alexander: In deſcrip…. Tur. ſan…who was a baſtard, by his mother Olympia's confeſſion. The Greek here hath foreign, a ſtranger, an alien, or one of another generation, as the Greeks under Alexander, and afterwards the Jews under the Maccabees. Whence the Chaldee turnes this Text thus; The houſe of Iſrael ſhall dwell in Aſhdod, and ſhall be there as ſtrangers which have no father. In the Acts we find that the Jewes were ſcattered up and down Paleſtina, and ſome found at Azotus, or Aſhdod, chap. 8.40.
and I will cut off the pride of the Philiſtines] that is, their wealth, ſtrength, and whatſoever elſe they gloried in, and grew inſolent, and injurious to the Church.
Verſe 7. And I will take away his blood out of his mouth] That is, his bloody prey, (for ſaith Aben-Ezra, theſe Philiſtines did according to the ſalvage cuſtome of thoſe times, eat of the fleſh, and drink of the blood of their ſlain enemies) and I will keep them from devouring my people any more.
and his abominations] Hoc eſt, praedas abominabiles, ſaith Calvin, his abominable ſpoils, his bloody robberies, and pillages.
and he that remaineth The ſmall remnant of Jews not yet altogether devoured by theſe cruell Canniballs, the Babylonians, Philiſtines, and other enemies.
even he ſhall be for our God] Though they be but an Hee, a ſmall poor company of them: yet God will both own them, and honour them.
and he ſhall be as a governour in Iudah] They ſhall all be Magnifico's, little Princes, of high rank and dignity: even as Governours in Iudab; God will honour them in the hearts of all men. See chap. 12.8.
and Ekron as a Iebuſite] i. e. either ſlain, or ſlave and tributary. I know this Text is otherwiſe expounded by Iunius and others: but I now like this Interpretation, as moſt proper.
Verſe 8. And I will encamp about mine houſe] Though it be otherwiſe but ill fenced and fortified: yet I will ſee it ſafegarded and ſecured from the inrodes and incurſions of enemies, who are ranging up and down, and not onelyonly robbing, but raviſhing, Pſal. 10.9. For what was Alexander but an Arch-pirate, a ſtrong theef, as the Pirate whom he had taken told him to his teeth? And whether here be intimated by theſe words, becauſe of him that paſſeth by, and him that returneth] ſomething of Alexanders voyages, who paſſed by Judaea into Egypt, and to Ammons Oracle with his Army; and thence returned to Perſia by the ſame way, not hurting the Jewes; or ſomething about the many expeditions of the Seleucidae, and Lagedae to and fro from Egypt to Syria, and back again: among which hurly-burly the Jewes State ſtood faſt, though ſometime a little ſhaken; I dare not ſay, (ſaith a learned Interpreter:) It may be both thoſe and all other the like dangers are here generally comprized.
and no oppreſſour ſhall paſſe thorow them any more] Chald. No Sultan: not the Turkiſh tyrant, Lord of Greece, as verſe 13. ſay thoſe that take the text of the Jew glorious ſtate at laſt. Calvin thinkes that by this clauſe, he only expounds what he had figuratively ſaid before. Danaeus takes it of violence and oppreſſion among themſelves, or of wringing and vexing by their own rulers: they ſhall be free from violence both abroad an at home.
for now have I ſeen with mine eyes] i. e. I have taken good notice of it, I have ſeen, I have ſeen, as Exod. 3.7. and mine eye hath affected mine heart. I have well obſerved that the enemy is grown unſufferably inſolent, and therefore come to reſcue and relieve my people. The Chaldee hath it thus, I have now revealed my power to do them good: Ahen-Ezra makes theſe to be the Prophets words of himſelf, q. d. I have ſeen all this in a manifeſt viſion. But this is frigidum imo inſulſum, ſaith Calvin and odd conceit: unleſſe we refer it (with Montanus) to the following words, and make this the ſenſe, (which yet I like not ſo well) Behold I ſee in the ſpirit with the eyes of my mind, the Lord Chriſt comming and entring with ſtate, the city and temple.
Verſe 9. Rejoyce greatly, O daughter of Zion] Draw all thy waters with joy out of this welſpring of ſalvation. Loe here is the ſumm of all the good news in the world;Ier. 31.12. and that which ſhould make the ſaints everlaſtingly merry, even to ſhouting and ſinging in the height of Zion, that their king commeth. This ſhould ſwallow up all diſcontents, and make them ſing Hoſanna in the higheſt: Bleſſed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord.
behold thy King commeth] Not Zorobabel, or Judas Maccabeus, as ſome Jewes interpret it: nor yet Alexander the Great (as ſome others) but a greater then he, even Meſſiah the Prince, as Chriſt is ſtiled Dan. 9.25. who ſhall cut off the charret &c. as it followeth in the next verſe, yea all the 4 charret or Monarchies, as ſome expound chap. 6. how much more Tyrus, Gaza, Ekron, Damaſcus, &c. of which he ſpake before in this chapter.
unto thee] i. e. meerely for thy behoof and benefit, and not for his own. Other kings are much for their own profit, pleaſures, pomp, &c. Chriſt emptied himſelf of all his excellencies, that we might be filled with his fulneſſe.
he is juſt and having ſalvation] That he may juſtifie thee by his righteouſneſſe: and ſave thee by his merit and ſpirit. The Vulgar rendreth it, Iuſt and a Saviour, ſo doth the Chaldee. Salvation properly denotes the negative part of mans happineſſe, freedome from all evils and enemies: but it is uſually taken for the poſitive part alſo, viz. fruition of all good: becauſe it is eaſier to tell from what, then unto what we are ſaved by Jehovah our righteouſneſſe.
lowly] Or poor, afflicted abject, See them ſet together Zeph. 3.12. and Phil. 4.12. I have learned to want and to be abaſed. Poverty rendreth a man contemptible, and ridiculous. Pauper ubique jacet, men go over the hedge where it is loweſt: the poor are trampled upon, and vilipended as Luke 16.30. This thy Son, he ſcorned to call him brother: becauſe he was poor. Now Chriſt became poor to make us rich, 2 Cor. 8. Rom. 2.7.a worm and no man (nullificam…n populi, as Tertullian phraſeth it) that we might be advanced to glory, and honour, and immortality. Neither was he more low and mean in his eſtate, then lowly and meek in mind: as farr from pride and ſtatelineſſe, as as his ſtate was from Pomp and magnificence.
riding upon an aſſe] A poor ſilly beaſt uſed by the meaner ſort of people.
yea upon a colt the foale of an aſſe] Heb. aſſes, becauſe the colt whereon Chriſt rode ran after two aſſes coupled together in one yoke, whereof one was his damm Mat. 21.5.foreign. 1.2. See the Note there. Theſe aſſes uſed to the yoke Heſiod calleth foreign wretched, or enduring great toyle and labour. That Chriſt ſhould ride upon the foale of ſuch a hard labouring aſſe, a yong wild colt, not yet ready tamed and trained to the ſaddle, as it ſhewes his humility, ſo alſo his power over the creature (Clareſcente gloriâ inter humilem ſimplicitatem) and his peaceableneſſe too, as Kimchi thinkes from that in the next verſe, that the Iſraelites under Chriſts government ſhould have no need of horſes and charrets. All this deſcription of Chriſts perſon and kingdome we know was punctually fulfilled in our Saviour according to Mat. 21. Mar. 11. Luke 19. Ioh. 12. foure ſufficient witneſſes. The old Rabbines and with them R.Galatin. lib. 8. cap. 9. Solomon (though a ſworn enemy to Chriſtians) take the text of the promiſed Meſſias his ſolemne entrance into Ieruſalem: Of Jeſus the crucified ſon of Mary they will not yeeld, becauſe they ſtumble at his poverty and expect pomp: But if they had conſulted their own Prophets, they would have found, that Meſſiah was foretold, as deſpicable Eſay 53.2. Poor, as here: crucified Dan. 9.26. Num. 21.9. among malefactours Eſay 53.9. nailed Pſal. 22.16. pierced Zech. 12.10. mocked Pſal. 69.7. And that their very rejection of him for his meaneneſſe and meekneſſe proveth him to be Chriſt Pſal. 118.22. Act. 4.11. It is reported of Ageſilaus, that comming to help the king of Egypt in his diſtreſſe, he was deſpiſed by the Egyptians, becauſe of the plaineneſſe of his perſon, and the homelineſſe of his attire: for they thought that they ſhould ſee the king of Sparta ſuch an one, as the king of Perſia was, bravely habited, and pompouſly attended. Semblably the Iewes expect a Chriſt like to one of the mighty Monarches of the earth: and they are ſtrongly poſſeſt with the fond conceit of an earthly kingdome. Hence, when they ſaw Mahomet ariſing in ſuch power, they were ſtraight ready to cry him up for teir Maſſias. The rich hath many friends, ſaith Solomon, but the poor is hated, or ſlighted, even of his own noighbour Prov. 14.20. Chriſt came to his own: but his own received him not. When it was ſometime diſputed among the Romanes in the Councell uſing to deify great men, whether Chriſt having done many wonderfull works ſhould be received into the number of the gods? the Hiſtorian ſaith, that they would not therefore receive him, becauſe he preached poverty, and made choice of poor men to follow him, whom the world careth not for.
Verſe 10. And I will cut off the charret &c.] This the ſame in effect with that of Eſay chap. 9.7. Of the encreaſe of Chriſts government and peace there ſhall be no end, and chap. 2.4. they ſhall beat their ſwords into plowſhares, and their ſpeares into pruning-hookes: nation ſhall not lift up ſword againſt nation, neither ſhall they learne warr any more. Chriſt was born in the raigne of Auguſtus Caeſar, then when having vanquiſhed Lepidus, Antonius, and the reſt of his enemies both at home and abroad, he ſet open gates of Janus in token of an univerſall peace: and raigned as Lord and Monarch of the Roman world.De invent r…r. lib. 4.1. Polydor Virgill out of Oroſius tells us, that the ſelf-ſame day wherein Chriſt was born, Auguſtus Caeſar made proclamation that no man ſhould thenceforth give him the title of Lord, manifeſto praeſagio majoris dominatus qui tum in terris ortus eſt, ſaith he, not without a manifeſt preſage of a greater Lord then himſelf then born into the world: greater 1. both for the peaceableneſſe of his government, as here; no uſe of weapons or warllike engines. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but ſpiritual. 2 Cor. 10.4. Chriſt ſhall bring both to Jewes and Gentiles the Goſpel of peace and the peace of the Goſpel.
he ſhall ſpeake peace unto the Heathen] peace of countrey, and peace of Conſcience too: and 2. for the extent of his government, It ſhould be as large as the world, a Catholike kingdome.
his dominion, ſhall be from Sea to Sea] From the red Sea the Mediterranean Sea, or the Sea of Paleſtina: for theſe two ſeas were the bound; of the land of Canaan Num. 23.31. for the Jews ſcarce knew any other ſea but theſe two. And the Prophet here alludeth to the times of Solomons reigne, a… appeares by Pſal. 72.8. He ſhall have dominion alſo from ſea to ſea: and from the river unto the ends of the earth: that is, from Euphrates to the utmoſt bounds of the holy land which by a common cuſtome of ſpeech are put for the utmoſt quarters of the world.
Verſe 11. As for thee alſo] O daughter of Sion, O my Church: not, O Chriſt the king of the church, as the Grreek and Latine fathers, and after them the Popiſh comm…tarours will needs have it; the better to eſtabliſh their Chimera of Limbus Patrum Chriſt here, by an Apoſ…p…ſis (an ordinary figure) or keeping back ſomething unſpoken through earneſtneſſe of affection, beſpeaks his people in this ſort: E…iam tis, As for thee alſo, I will ſurely impart unto thee the benefits of that my kingdome, as I have already begun to do in delivering you out of that … that …irty dungeon of the Babyloniſh thraldome.
by the blood of thy covenant] by the blood of Chriſt figured, by the blood that was ſprinkled upon the people Exod. 24.8. Pſal. 74.20. Heb. 13.20. and by vertue of the Covenant confirmed thereby.
I have ſent forth thy priſoners] I have enlarged thy captives.
out of the pit wherein is no water] but mud only,Gen. 37.24. Ier. 38.6. as in Ioſephs pit, and Ieremies dungeon. The Saints have temporall deliverances alſo by vertue of the covenant: and if any of Chriſts ſubjects fall into deſperate diſtreſſes and deadly dangers, yet they are priſoners of hope: and may look for deliverance by the blood of the covenant.
Verſe 12. Turn ye to the ſtrong hold] i. e. to Chriſt the rock of ages Iſa. 26.4. the hope of Iſrael Ier. 17.13. the expectation of all the ends of the earth. Luke 2.25, 38. Or, to the Promiſe, that ſtrong tower, whereunto the righteous run and are ſafe: that are Chriſti munitiſſima, as Cyrill here ſaith, ſtrong hold of Chriſt. Thou art my ſhield, ſaith David, I truth in thy word Pſal. 119.114. And againe, Remember thy word to thy ſervant wherein thou haſt cauſed me to truſt, Verſe 49. When yong Ioaſh was ſought for to the ſhambles by his murderous grandmother Athaliah, he was hid in the houſe of the Lord for ſix yeers. But whence was this ſafety? Even from the faithfull promiſe of God 2 Chron. 23.3. Behold the kings ſon muſt raigne, as the Lord had ſaid of the ſons of David, that he ſhould never want a man to raigne after him. Hence Pſal. 91.4. his faithfulneſſe and his truth ſhall be thy ſhield and buckler. Under this ſhield, and within this ſtronghold of the promiſes God had made them in the foregoing verſes, theſe priſoners of hope, theſe heires of the promiſes, were to ſhroud and ſecure themſelves amidſt thoſe dangers and diſtreſſes as incompaſſed them on every fide. And that they might know that the needy ſhould not alwayes be forgotten, Pſal. 9.18.the expectation of the poor ſhould not periſh for ever, here's as precious promiſe of preſent comfort.
even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee] Though you be now at never ſo great an under, yet I do make an open promiſe unto you, verbis non ſolum diſertis ſed & exertis, I do aſſure you in the word of truth, that I will render unto thee thou poor ſoule that lieſt panting under the preſent preſſure, double, that is, life and liberty, ſaith Theodoret: Grace and Glory, ſaith Lyra: Or double to what thou hopeſt, I will be better to thee then thy hopes, ſaith Hierom: Or double, that is, multiplied mercy; but eſpecially Chriſt, who is caled the Gift of God by an excellency Ioh. 4.10. the Benefit 1. Tim. 6.2. that which ſhall abundantly countervaile all croſſes and miſeries Mar. 10.30. Iob had all double to him. Valentinian had the Empire; Q Eliſabeth the Crown. God will be to his Hannah's, better then ten children.
Verſe 13. When I have bent Judah for me] God himſelf did the work though by the ſons of Zion, as his inſtruments whom he uſed, and proſpered againſt the ſons of Greece, that is the ſucceſſours of Alexander the Great, who led them out of Greece againſt the power of Perſia, and who ſeizing upon Egypt and Syria, cruſht and ground the poor Jews betwixt them, as betwixt two milſtones. This Propheſie was fulfilled in the Maccabes: but may have on eye to the Apoſtles, who were ſome of them of Judah, ſome of Ephraim; that is, of the ten tribes, as of Zebulon,Pſal. 45.5. Nepthali &c. theſe Chriſt uſed as bowes and arrowes in the hand of a mighty man, whereby the people fell under him; the ſons of Greece eſpecially, where ſo many famous churches were planted, as appeares by the Acts and the Revelation. See Rev. 6.2. with the Note.
and made thee as the ſword of a mighty man] given thee both armes, and an arme to weild them. For it is God that ſtrengtheneth and weakeneth the armes of either party in battel Ezek. 30.24. It is he alſo that rendreth the weapons vaine or proſperous Iſa. 54. ult. Ier. 50.9. This Judas Maccabeus well underſtood: and therefore had his name from the capitall letters of this motto written in his Enſigne, Mi camoca belohim Jehovah, who is like thee O Lord among the Gods? St. Paul alſo that conquered ſo many countries, and brought in the ſpoiles of ſo many ſoules to God (whence the change of his name from Saul to Paul, as ſome think,2 Cor. 10. 1 Cor. 15. from Sergius Paulus the Proconſul, whom he converted to the faith Act. 13.9.) The weapons of our warfare, ſaith He, are mighty through God to the caſting down of ſtrong-holds. Not I, but the grace of God that is with me &c. And ye men of Iſrael, why look ye ſo earneſtly upon us, ſaith Peter, as if by our own power of holineſſe &c. Act. 3.12.
Verſe 14. And the Lord ſhall be ſeen over them] ſhall be conſpicuous amongſt them: he ſhall appeare for them in the high places of the field, he ſhall make bare his arm, and bathe his ſword in blood. How many do you reckon me at? ſaid Antigonus to his ſouldiers, when they feared the multitudes of their enemies. May not God ſay ſo much more to his? Hath ever any waxed fierce againſt him and proſpered? If he but ariſe onelyonly, his enemies ſhall be ſcattered,Pſal. 68.1. and thoſe that hate him ſhall flee before him.
his arrow ſhall go forth with the lightening] Here the former matter is illuſtrated by many lofty tropes and alluſions, either to thoſe ancient deliverances at the red-ſea, and againſt the Canaanites, and Philiſtines, by thunders, lightening, and tempeſt, or elſe, as Calvin rather thinks to the terrible delivery of the Law, with thunderings and lightenings, and ſound of trumpets, to the great amazements of the people, inſomuch as Moſes himſelf ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake. He confers Habak. 3.3, 4, 5. and further alledgeth, that Teman here rendred the South, was the ſame with Sinai, and lies South from Judaea. Lightening, thunder, and whirl-winds are a part of Gods Armies, which he can draw forth at his pleaſure againſt his enemies. Such things as theſe fell out oft-times in the warres of the Maccabees. And how the Lord mightily aſſiſted his Apoſtles, whoſe arrowes went forth as the lightening, ſwiftly, ſuddenly, irreſiſtibly, and whoſe thunder gave a loud alarum to all Nations, I need not relate.
Verſ. 15. The Lord of hoſts ſhall defend them] Heb.Paulum quo…ieſcunque lego, non verba mihi audire videor ſed tonitrua. ſhall hold his buckler over them, which none can ſtrike thorow.
and they ſhall devour] ſc. their enemies, that till then did eat up Gods people as they eat bread, Pſal. 14.5.
and ſubdue with ſling-ſtones] with weak means, as David did Goliath.
and they ſhall drink and make a noiſe] Tumultuabuntur quaſi temulenti, 'Tis a Catechreſis ſignifying the very great deſtruction of their enemies: ſo that they might be even drunk with their blood, if they had any mind to it: the tongues of their dogges ſhould be dipped therein, as Pſal. 68.23, 24.
and they ſhall be filled like bowls, &c.] that held the blood of the ſacrifices.
and as the corners of the altar] which were all beſprinkled with the blood of the ſacrifices. A Lapide applies all this to thoſe heavenly Conquerours, and more, that is, Triumphers, the Apoſtles and Martyrs.
Verſe 16. And the Lord their God ſhall ſave them] Not defend them onelyonly as Lord of Hoſts, verſe 15. but as a further favour, ſave them as their God in Covenant with them.
as the flock of his people] reſcuing them as David did his lamb from the lion and bear, and tending them continually.
as the ſtones of a crown] Coſtly and precious, or Monumentall-ſtones, with crowns on the top, and ſet up for Trophies.
Verſe 17. For how great is his goodneſſe] He ſhuts up all with this ſweet Epiphonema, or exclamation, admiring the ſingular goodneſſe of God to his people in all the former particulars: and yet promiſing them Abundance of outward neceſſaries, even to an honeſt affluence: they ſhould have ſtore of corn and wine; ſo much as ſhould make them ſucculent and vigorous, full of ſappe and good humours. Provided, that firſt they content not themſelves with the naturall uſe of the creature, but taſt how good the Lord is. And next, that they put this promiſe into ſuit by their prayers, as chap. 10.1.