Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 6 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Verſe 1. THe word of the Lord &c.] See the Note on Hoſ. 1.1. to Micah the Moraſthite to diſtinguiſh him from Micaiah the ſon of Imlah, who prophecied in Ahabs dayes, above an hundred yeares before this. Micah the Moraſthite, ſo called from the place of his birth or abode which is made famous by him (as Abdera was by Democritus, Hippo by Auſtin) and not He by it; Ambroſe ſaith hi… name ſignifieth, Quis iſte? who's this? who? (ſaith that Father in anſwer) Not one of the common ſort, but an elect veſſell to carry Gods name to his people. Hierome from his title Moraſthite interpreted, calleth him Cohaeredem Chriſti Coheire with Chriſt, of whom and his kingdome he ſweetly Prophecieth: and may therefore be called the Evangelicall Prophet; as was Eſay, his contemporary with whom he hath many things common: and this one thing above him, that he nameth Bethlehem Chriſts birth-place chap. 5.2. for the which (as well as for his boldneſſe Ier. 26.18.) he was famous in the Church Mat. 2.6. Ioh. 7.42.
in the dayes of Iotham, Ahaz. Hezekiah] Ahaz ſtandeth between Iotham and Hezekiah, as thiſtle or thorn between two lillyes or roſes. Manaſſeh comes after, and degenerates into his grandfather Ahaz. To his time Micah attained not, much leſſe to Joſiahs, as Iſidore hath it: for betwixt Iotham and Ioſiah were an hundred and twenty yeares at leaſt. It is probable that Micah Propheſied forty yeares, if not more: wherein he ſaw many changes, and met with many moleſtations: had cauſe enough to cry out with his Colleague, Who hath beleeved our report? My leaneneſſe, my leaneneſſe &c. Yet held he on his courſe; as being of Latimers mind, who ſpeaking in one of his ſermons of a miniſter that gave this anſwer why he left off preaching? viz. becauſe he ſaw he did no good; this ſaith Latimer, is a naughty, a very naughty anſwer.
which he ſaw] ſc. with the eyes of his mind, for the uſe of the Church; whereto this propheſie comes commended, firſt as the word of the Lord, and ſecondly, as extraordinarily revealed to this Prophet.
concerning Samaria and Ieruſalem] Samaria ſeemeth to be firſt named becauſe moſt guilty before God. They are yoked together, becauſe there was ſcrace ever a better (Aholah and Aholibah ſiſters in ſin) and one the much worſe for the others neighbourhood. Jeruſalem would take it in high ſcorn (likely) to be matched with Samaria (ſo much ſlighted and ſhunned by her Ion. 4.9.) as Papiſts now do to be ſet by Proteſtants, Turks by Chriſtians (the word of a muſſulman beares down all other teſtimony amongſt them) But this Prophet is very bold (as it is ſaid of Iſay his coaetaneus Rom. 10.20) binds them both up in one bundle, and ſpareth not to ſhew Judah their tranſgreſſions, and the houſe of Jacob their ſins.
Verſe 2. Heare, all ye people,] He beginneth as Eſay, in a lofty and ſtately ſtile, powring himſelf out in a golden flood of words (as Tully ſpeaketh of Ariſtotles Politicks) and calling for utmoſt attention and affection: as knowing that he had to do with men more deaf then ſea-monſters, and more dull then the very earth they trod on; which is therefore here commanded to hearken, ſith men (that habitable part of Gods earth Pro. 8.31) will not heare and give eare: wherein they are worſe then the inſenſible creatures Pſal. 119.91.
and let the Lord God be witneſſe against you] Here he turneth his ſpeech to the refractary Jewes: ſpeaking to God as a righteous judge and ſwift witneſſe, Judex, Judex, vindex, againſt them if they hearkened not to his meſſage, niſi pareant, ideoque pereant.
the Lord from his holy temple] that is, let him teſtifie from heaven Pſal. 11.4, that he is diſpleaſed with you, and that I have carefully ſought your ſoules-health. Or, from his temple at Ieruſalem wherein ye glory, and where ye think ye have him as faſt bound to you, as the Tyrians had their idol Apollo, whom they chained and nailed to a poſt, that he might not forſake them, when Alexander beſieged their town, and took it. The Heathens had a trick when they beſieged a city,Macrob. lib. 3. cap. 9. Virg. Ae…. 2. to call the Tutelar gods out of it by a certain charme, as beleeving that it could not otherwiſe be taken. In a like ſenſe whereunto ſome have interpreted the following verſes here.
Verſe 3. For behold the Lord commeth out of his place] that is, ſay they out of Iudaea and his temple there, leaving it to the Chaldaeans and Aſſyrians. See Ezech. 3.12. and chapters 9.10, and 11. where God makes divers removes from the Cherubins to the threſhold, from thence to the Eaſt-gate, from thence to mount Olivet, quite out of the city chap. 11.23 and when God was gone, then followed the fatall calamity, in the ruine of the city. But by Gods comming forth out of his place here, I conceive is meant his deſcending from heaven to do juſtice on this hypocriticall nation, Eſay 26.21, and becauſe hypocritis nihil stupidius hypocrites reſting on their externall performances and priviledges will hardly be perſwaded of any evill toward them Mic. 3.11. Is not the Lord, ſay they amongst us? none evill can come upon us; therefore we have heare an emphaticall Ecce, Behold the Lord commeth: he is even upon the way already, and will be here with the firſt. He will come down as once at Sodom, when their ſin was very grievous Gen. 18.20. when they were overcharged with the ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe; God came from heaven to give their land a vomit; And ſo he would do here: for Unregenerate Iſrael was to God as Ethiopia Am. 9.7. as the Rulers of Sodom, and people of Gomorrah Eſay 1.10.
and tread upon the high-places of the earth] the High and mighty Ones, that having gotten on the top of their hillocks as ſo many Ants, think themſelves ſo much the better and ſafer, repoſe confidence in their high places and ſtrong-holds, as Nebuchadnezzar did in his Babel, Edom in his clifts of the rocks, munitions of rocks, Obad. 3. the rich fool in his heapes and hoards Luk. 12. theſe, with their falſe confidences, God will tread down in his anger, and trample them in his fury, as the mire of the ſtreets: he will bring down their ſtrength to the earth, and lay their honour in the duſt. Iſa. 63.3, 6.
Verſe 4. And the mountaines ſhall be molten under him] This is to the ſelf-ſame ſenſe: Though men ſwell in their own eyes, to the hugeneſſe of ſo many mountains: and though gotten upon their hill of ice, they think they ſhall never be moved, Pſal. 30.6, 7. yet when God with his devouring fire, and everlaſting burnings comes in preſence, theſe craggie mountains ſhall ſoon diſſolve and melt as wax, they ſhall be as waters, poured down a deſcent, they ſhall flow as a land-flood, &c. By which ſimilitudes, and familiar compariſons is notably ſet forth the irreſiſtible wrath of God for the affrighting of hard-hearted ſinners, that they may take hold of his ſtrength, and make peace with him, Eſay 27.5.
The valleys alſo ſhall be cleft.] The poorer ſort alſo ſhall have their ſhare in the common calamity. God will neither ſpare the high for their might, nor the baſe for their meanneſſe, but Lords and loſels together, ſhall be as wax before the fire, &c.] Wax is a poor fence againſt fire, ſticks and ſtubble againſt a ſtrong torrent: ſo humane force, againſt divine judgements.
Verſe 5. For the tranſgreſſion of Iacob is all this,] Leſt they ſhould think, either that theſe things were threatned in terrorem onelyonly, and would never be inflicted: or elſe that they had not deſerved ſuch ſeverity, but that God ſhould pour out his wrath rather upon the Heathen that knew him not, and upon the families that called not on his name. The Prophet here ſheweth that Jacob was become a juſt object of Gods indignation, by his tranſgreſſions or rebellions, and the whole houſe of Iſrael by their ſinnes: there was a generall defection, and therefore they muſt expect a generall deſtruction. I or why? the juſt Lord is in the middeſt thereof: he will not do iniquity, he will not acquit the guilty: morning by morning doth he bring his judgements to light, he faileth not: but the unjust knoweth no ſhame, will take no warning, which is a juſt both preſage and deſert of his ruine.
What is the tranſgreſſion of Iacob?] ſay they in a chatting way; like theſe miſcreants in Malachy, that ſo worded it with God, chap. 1. and 3.
Is it not Samaria?] ſaith the Prophet, in anſwer to that daring demand of theirs. So, what are the high-places of Iudah?] viz. the ſuperſtitions and carnall confidences thereof? Is it not Jeruſalem? ſaith the Prophet. Are not their capitall cities become their capitall ſinnes? Read we not of the calf of Samaria, Hoſ. 8.5. and did not her kings ſet up idols at Dan and Bethel, and Gilgal. and Beerſheba? As for Jeruſalem, had ſhe not turned the very Temple into an high-place, by reſting in her ceremoniall ſervices, and ſacrifices? Did not ſome of her beſt kings wink at the high-places? And Ahaz, that ſtigmaticall Beli…liſt, ſhut up Gods Temple, and ſet up ſtrange worſhips? How then could theſe frontleſſe fellowes ask, What is the tranſgreſſion, &c? and What are the high-places &c? The Prophet goes not behind the door to tell them, that the beſt of them were no better then a rabble of rebels againſt heaven: and their chieftains were moſt in fault, though they leaſt liked to hear of it. Samaria is a very Poneropolis, and Jeruſalem is little better: they both are even transformed into ſinnes image: the Prophet here ſpeakes of them, as if they were not onelyonly ſinfull, but ſin it ſelf; as Tully ſaith of one Tubulus a Roman Preter, that he was ſo deſperately wicked,Haraporcorum, vel colluvies rabidorum canum. Aug. ut ejus nomen non hominis ſed vitij eſſe videre…r; that he paſſed not for a man, but for a Vice, ſo flagitious were his practiſes: or as Auſtin ſaith of this preſent evil world, That it is nothing elſe but a ſtie of filthy hogs, or a kennell of mad dogs.
Verſe 6. Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field,] i.e. like as when ſtones are gathered out of a field, they are laid together on heaps: ſo I will take courſe that where Samaria now is, there ſhall be nothing to be ſeen, but heaps of ſtones and rubbiſh. God is the true foreign: for thou haſt made of a city an heap, of a defenced city a ruine, a palace of ſtrangers to be no city, it ſhall never be built, Eſay 25.2. Of Rome it was long ſince propheſied: Tota eris in cineres, quaſi nunquam Roma faiſſes.
O that God would haſten that day: Scipio foreſaw it, and wept, ſc. when he ſaw Carthage ſet all on a light fire by himſelf. In the greatneſſe of the Turkiſh Empire are ſwallowed up many kingdomes and countreys: beſides all thoſe Churches and places ſo much ſpoken of in Scripture, the Romans onelyonly excepted: yet no doubt for their many and mighty ſinnes, Time ſhall triumph over this ſo great a Monarchy, when it ſhall but then live by fame, as others now do.Turk. hiſt. pref. Cedren. Jam ſeges eſt ubi Troia fuit. Though thou build thy walls as high as heaven (ſaid the Oracle to wicked Phocas) yet ſinne that lieth at the foundation, will one day over-turn them.
and as plantings of a vineyard,] that is, it ſhall be made a place fit for the planting of vines: it ſhall be utterly raſed and haraſed.— Ʋni mihi pergamo reſtant Incola captivo quae bove victor erat. Bacchus amat colles. A Lapide obſerveth the fitneſſe of the expreſſion here uſed, in that Samaria was ſcituate on an hill that bore vines: and before it was a city, it had been a vineyard: God threatneth to make it ſo again, and ſo to ſtain the pride of all its glory: ſee what a trouble-town ſinne is. Surely did people but know what it will once coſt them, and cauſe to them, they durſt not but be innocent.
and I will pour down the ſtones thereof into the valley,] that is, into a by corner. Elapidation is neceſſary to a vine-yard, Eſay 5.2. there being no poſſeſſion that requireth more pains and care, as Cato hath obſerved.
and I will diſcover the foundation thereof.] I will not leave a ſtone upon a ſtone, nor any foot-ſtep of ſo ſtately a city, that hath ſo long time been a cage of unclean birds, an Augean ſtable of abominable idolatries. God, as he hath loving reſpects to the places of his ſervants birth and abode, Pſal. 87.6. Eſay 49.16. ſo he ſets the marks of his wrath upon thoſe places where foul ſinnes have been perpetrated, as upon our Abbeys and Monaſteries, whoſe very foundations are laid naked.
Verſe 7. And all the graven images thereof,] Upon theſe the jealous God will execute vengeance: ſo to ſhew his hatred of idolatry. The ſtones of the altars hee will make as chalk-ſtones, that are beaten in ſunder: the groves and the images ſhall not ſtand up, Eſay 27.9. As for thoſe that worſhip them, and repent not of the works of their hands, Rev. 9.20. they ſhall ſmart ſurely for their idolatries, as did thoſe of old in the wilderneſſe: and the more ingenuous of their poſterity acknowledge at this day, that there is no puniſhment befalleth them,Moſes Gerand. in which there is not ſtill an ounce of that golden calf. True it is, that the Samaritan ſuperſtition which was groſſer at firſt, (and for which they were carried captive by the Aſſyrian) was afterwards refined by Manaſſeh a Jew-prieſt, that in Alexanders time made a defection to him, and brought many Jews with him: but that ſaved them not from utter deſtruction.
and all the hires thereof ſhall be burnt with fire,] Her rewards given her by her ſweet-hearts, Hoſ. 2.5, 12. and 9.1. her vowed preſents and memories, (as Papiſts now call them) her monies and donaries ſhall be ſet on a light fire. God will confute their vain confidences, as he did thoſe Popiſh rebels of Norfolk in Edward the ſixths time, who brought into the battell the Pix under his canopie, and with all his trinkets, croſſes, banners, candleſticks, memories, &c.Acts & Mon. fol. 1190. which in the end could neither help themſelves, nor ſave their friends from the hands of their enemies.
for ſhe gathered it of the hire of an harlot, &c.] Ill gotten goods thrive not. Few harlots are found to be rich. Indeed we read of Phryne, a notable ſtrumpet, that ſhe offered to rebuild the walls of Thebes on condition that this might be engraven on them; foreign, & Alexander pulled them down, and Phryne ſet them up again, but it would not be accepted. Flora alſo the Roman harlot was very rich: and ſo is the whore of Babylon at this day, by her trading with the merchants of the earth: but this will not hold long, Rev. 18.10. In one hour ſhall her judgement come: and in one hour ſo great riches ſhall come to nothing, verſe 17. England was wont to be counted and called the Popes Aſſe; for bearing his burdens: and his puteus inexhauſtus, his pit of treaſure, whence hee drew at pleaſure. Polydor Virgil was ſometime Collectour of his Peter-pence here, &c. But Henry 8. caſheered and caſt him out hence; depriving him of his harlot-hire. And well he had done, had he not given occaſion to thoſe that came after to complain. Poſſidebant Papiſtae, poſſident jam Rapiſtae, &c.
Verſe 8. Therefore I will wail and howle,] Good men are uſually more deeply affected with the wretched eſtate of wicked perſons, then they themſelves are. Thus Samuel mourned for Sauls rejection; Daniel was aſtonied and troubled at the import of Nebuchadnezzars dream, chap. 4.19. Habakkuks belly trembled,Hab. 3.16. and his lips quivered at the conſideration of the judgements that were to come upon the Chaldeans. Do we ſo (ſaith Mr. Perkins) at other mens ſmartings.
I will go ſtript,] tàm mente quàm veſte, renting off my garments, and caſting them from me, as if bereft of my wits: Pro demente vel inſano quidam accipiunt, ſaith Calvin here. See Eſay 59.15. with the margent, and Eſay 20.2.
I will make a wailing like the dragons,] which ſucking the Elephants blood, till he fall down dead upon them, and oppreſſe them with his huge bulk, make an horrible howling: ſo horrible (ſaith Palacius out of Pliny and Solinus) that they amaze, yea kill thoſe that hear it. Fides ſit penes autores.
and mourning as the owls,] Heb. as the daughters of the owl, or of the oſtrich: young oſtriches caſt off by their dammes, Job 39 14. Lam. 4.3. and hungerbit howl pitifully, as do alſo the young ravens for like cauſe, Pſal. 147.9. Of the ravens of Arabia it is recorded, that full gorged, they have a tuneable ſweet record: but empty, ſcreech horribly. By theſe ſimilitudes here uſed, the Prophet would expreſſe his griefe to be unexpreſſible.
Verſe 9. For her wound is incurable,] Or, ſhe is grievouſly ſick of her wounds; Or, her wounds are full of anguiſh, neither is there any to pour in balm of Gilead, to allay it:Speed. 432. Camd. in Middleſex. any to lick it whole, as the Lady Elinor did her husband Prince Edwards wound, traiterouſly given him in the holy land, by an Aſſaſſine, with a poiſoned knife.
for it is come unto Judah,] viz. Samaria's wound and Plague is come, i. e. ſhall ſhortly come, though now they live, as if out of the reach of Gods rod, or as if they had a protection.
he is come unto the gate of my people.] Sennacherib (fleſhed with former ſucceſſes at Samaria, which had been carried captive by his father) came up to the very gate of Jeruſalem, as an over-flowing ſcourage: and thought to have cut off all the Jews at once: as if they had had all but one neck. He came up over all his channels, and went over all his banks. He paſſed thorow Judah, and over-flowed, reaching even to the neck: and that ſtretching out of his wings filled the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel, Eſay 8.8. But Immanuel ſoon took a courſe with him, Eſay 37.33. ſo that though he came to the gates, yet he entered not into the city: nor ſhot an arrow there, nor caſt a bank againſt it. Look upon Zion, ſaith that Prophet, the city of our ſolemnities, and ſee if Jeruſalem be not ſtill a quiet habitation, Eſay 33.20. Walk about Zion, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, and go round about her, tell the towers thereof. See if any be miſſing ſince Sennacherib came up againſt them. Mark yee well her bulwarks: are they diminiſhed? conſider her palaces: are they at all defaced? Pſal. 48.12, 13. What if Jeruſalem be wicked? yet Sennacherib is inſolent. If therefore Jeruſalem ſhall be ſmitten with the rod of Sennacheribs fear, Sennacherib ſhall be ſmitten with the ſword of Gods revenges, who of all things cannot endure a preſumptuous and ſelf-confident vaunter: but will deal with his people, not according to his ordinary rule, but according to his Prerogative. Surely Iſrael hath not been forſaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hoſts, though their land was filled with ſinne againſt the Holy One of Iſrael, Ier. 51.5.
Verſe 10. Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all,] ſc. in their ſight and hearing, (though at home, weep your fill, verſe 8.) leſt the daughters of thoſe uncircumciſed triumph, 2 Sam. 1.20. leſt out of your tragedies they compoſe comedies; and ye become their muſick, whileſt they revel in your ruines, and make themſelves merry in your miſery.
In the houſe of Aphrah, roll thy ſelf in the duſt.] An elegant Agnomination in the original: q. d. Duſt thy ſelf in the houſe of duſt. Aphrah had its name from its duſtineſſe; as Paris is called Lutetia à luto, from its dirtineſſe: and as Hiram called the twenty cities of Galilee given him by Solomon, Cabul, that is dirty, or diſpleaſing, 1 King. 9.13. Fitly was this city called Aphrah, or Duſty, ſaith the Prophet: for it ſhall be reduced to duſt, and the inhabitants occaſioned to roll themſelves in the duſt, in token of extreme ſorrow. See Lam. 2.10. Some think Aphrah is put for Ephraim: others, better underſtand it for a particular city; either that in the tribe of Manaſſeh, Gideons city, Judg. 6.11. or that other in the tribe of Benjamin, Joſh. 18.23. not far from Jeruſalem.
Verſe 11. Paſſe ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir,] Or, thou that dwelleſt fairly, as it were in a city ſet with Saphires, ſee Eſay 54.11. ſuch as was Suſa in Perſia, and Antioch in Syria, a city ſo ſweet and ſpecious, that Mahomet never durſt come into it, leſt he ſhould be there detained by the pleaſure of the place. Saphir here (ſay ſome) may allude to Samaria, that inſtead of her fairneſſe ſhall be expoſed to ignominy and nakedneſſe: they ſhall be carried away, young and old, naked and bare-foot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the ſhame of Samaria, Eſay 20.4. So the Popes champions dealt by the Waldenſes in France, thoſe ancient Proteſtants. One great city of theirs they took, and put to the ſword ſixty thouſand. To another they they gave quarter for life; but ſo,Rivet. Jeſuita vapul. 331. as that both the men and the women ſhould depart ſtark naked (partibus illis quae honeſte nominari non poſſunt, ſanctorum illorum cruciatorum oculis expoſitis) and ſhew all.
The inhabitants of Zaanan] Loci pecoroſi, ſaith Junius, the countrey of flocks. Some make it to allude to Zion. Others ſay, it ſignifieth an out-let: and make it to be as a gate to the kingdome of Judah. Theſe came not forth of their gate in the mourning of Bethezel, or of the place over-anent, to condole with them, as having their hands full at home, and matter enough of mourning for their own miſery.
He ſhall receive of you his ſtanding] The enemy ſhall ſtand and ſtay amongſt you, till he hath ſubdued you, and made a clear conqueſt: hee ſhall not give you over, till he have done the deed.
Verſe 12. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good,] Or, ſhall grieve for the good, viz. that he hath loſt in the common calamity; grieve till he… be heart-ſick, as Amos 6.6. or wait till he faint, for hope deferred maketh the heart ſick, Prov. 13.12. The name of this city is Maroth, that is, bitterneſſes; and bitter things ſhall befall her: ſee Ruth 1.20. becauſe together with the good of Piety, which ſhe ought to have waited upon, ſhe hath loſt the good of Proſperity, which in vain ſhe hath waited for. The expectation of the wicked is wrath, Prov. 11.23.
But evil came down from the Lord.] It is He that ſends and ſets the enemy awork: as Titus acknowledged, at the laſt deſtruction of Jeruſalem, that he onelyonly lent his hands to the divine juſtice. It was God that ſtirred up enemies to revolted Solomon. And Joh deſcried Gods hand on the arms of the Sabean robbers.
Verſe 13. O thou inhabitant of Lachiſh, bind the charet to the ſwift beaſt,] To the Camel, or Dromedary, ſaith Calvin, which is a very ſwift beaſt, (wee call a …low body Dromedary, per Antiphraſin) or to the poſt-horſes Angarijs, as Junius: he means, Make haft away. Salmaneſer is already at Samaria, and Sennacherib will be …re long at Lachiſh, Eſay 36.2. Hannibal ad portas, begone with all poſſible ſpeed: haſt, haſt, haſt.
She is the beginning of ſin to the daughter of Zion,] Not partner onelyonly, but Authour, and Ring-leader. Such are all haereſiarchs, and inventers of evil things, Rom. … 30. Theſe ſhall drink deep of Gods wrath here, and be caſt alive into the burning …, Rev. 19.20. Some apply the words to the confederacy of Lachiſh with Jeruſalem againſt king Amaziah, 2 King. 14.19. ſlain at this city.
for the tranſgreſſions of Iſrael were found in thee.] The often-change of perſon in this verſe is remarkable. The chief ſinne that Lachiſh ſtands charged with is, that being near to Beerſheba, ſhe had learned her manner, Amos 8.14. that is, her rites, and religions, inſtituted by Jeroboam, and tranſmitted them to Jeruſalem. Superſtition ſoon ſpreads, and is catching: like the Jeruſalem-Artichoke, it quickly over-runs the ground, and chokes the Heart.
Verſe 14. Therefore ſhall thou give preſents, &c.] And ſo ſeek to make thee friends among the Philiſtines: but ſuch carnall confederacies never proſper. The Greek Churches, Anno 1438. afraid of the Turks, ſent and ſubjected themſelves to the Biſhop of Rome, that they might have the help of the Latine Churches: but ſhortly after, they were deſtroyed, their Empire ſubdued, and ſwallowed up by the Ottoman greatneſſe, &c. How much better were it to ſend a Lamb to the Ruler of the earth, Eſay 16.1? to bring preſents unto Him that ought to be feared, Pſal. 76.11? even to God, who cutteth off the ſpirits of Princes, and is terrible to the Kings of the earth? verſe 12. Was he not ſo to Sennacherib whom Lachiſh here feared, and fled from? to Nebuchadnezzar, Belſhazzar, Xerxes, who after he had …ted over two millions of men into Greece, and beaten the Helleſpont (for battering his bridge of boats over it) with three hundred ſtripes, was defeated, routed,Hered. and forced to flee back in a poor fiſhers boat, to ſave his own life?
The houſes of Achzib (that is of a lie) ſhall be a lie to the kings of Iſrael.] Or have been a lie to the kings of Iſrael: never true to thoſe that truſted them: And wilt thou confederate with them, and confide in them?
Verſe 15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee,] Or, a Poſſeſſour, who ſhall lay claim to thee, as by right of inheritance. This heir was the Aſſyrian, and thoſe Colonies brought by him into the cities of Iſrael, 2 King. 17.34. Theſe took upon them as heirs and owners of the countrey, till turned out afterwards by Ioſiah King of Judah, 2 King. 23.4, 8. Here is another elegant alluſion, (as this Chapter is full of them) for Mareſhah ſignifieth an Inheritance, or Poſſeſſion. And if it were Mi…ah's own countrey, (as many think) we may ſee the Prophets integrity, in not bearing with his beſt friends: but taking the ſame liberty to tell them of their ſins, and dangers, that they did to commit the one, and to incurre the other. Phyſician heal thy ſelf, ſaid they to our Saviour, Luke 4.23. that is, thine own countrey, as it is there explained.
He ſhall come unto Adullam, the glory of Iſrael.] Haply ſo called, becauſe David was once there hid and harboured: and the place thereby renowned. Or, becauſe it was a ſtrong-hold, wherein Iſrael gloried and truſted, but in vain: ſith the enemie ſhould come to it, and ſurprize it. Some think poor Adullam is called the glory of Iſrael ironically, and by way of ſcorn. Some read it thus, O glory of Iſrael, (to wit, then loſt and overthrown) and they make it to be a deep ſigh of the Prophet, fet from the bottome of his heart; whereby he witneſſeth that he is greatly ſorry for the ruine of the Iſraelites:Danaeus. that hee might move them alſo to mourn in like manner. This he further preſſeth them to in the next words.
Verſe 16. Make thee bald and poll thee,] i. e. Make moſt bitter lamentation: he alludes to a cuſtom among the Eaſterlings, of tearing off the hair of their heads and beards, in times of great heavineſſe. See Iob 1.20. Eſay 15.2 Jer. 7.29. Ezr. 9 3. In other caſes baldneſſe was forbidden Iſrael, (leſt they ſhould ſymbolize with Heathens) but in caſe of ſorrow for ſin, they were called to it, Eſay 22.12.
for thy delicate children,] To whom thou haſt been rather a parricide then a parent: L. Flor.dealing by them, as that fal…e School-maſter in Italy, that brought forth his ſchollers to Hannibal.
as the Eagl…,] when he is old, and loſeth his feathers; and with them, not onelyonly his beauty, but alſo his ſwiftneſſe and courage.