Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 49
CHAP. XLIX.
Ver. 1. COncerning the Ammonites] Who are taxed in Scripture for their pride, petulancy, and contempt of Gods Iſrael, whom they had alwayes infeſted, and now groſsly injured, by encroaching upon part of their Countrey, which they had ſeized on, as if Iſrael had been heirleſſe, and themſelvys next akin, which was nothing ſo. See Zeph. 2.8.
Hath he no heir?] Yes, Judah and Benjamin not yet captivated.
Why then doth their King inherit Gad?] i. e. Gilead (Gad's portion beyond Jordan) becauſe it lyeth convenient for him. This, they would have done long before; viz. in Jephtha's dayes: but then it would not be. Afterwards, Saul and David ſubdued them; but in Jehoſaphats time they came again, together with the Moabites and the men of mount Seir, to make a diſturbance: but were defeated, 2 Chron. 20. Now, when thoſe Iſraelites beyond Jordan were carried away, and their land deſolated firſt by the Syrians, 2 King. 10.33. and afterwards by the Aſſyrians, 2 King. 15.29. then, in likelyhood, it was that the Ammonites thus invaded the Countrey, and laid it to their own (Confer Am. 1.13.) that they might dwell alone, in that part of the earth.
Ver. 2. Behold the dayes come, ſaith the Lord] ſc. After the ſubverſion of the Jewiſh Nation, Ezek. 21.33, &c. For Judgement commonly beginneth at the Houſe of God.
And I will cauſe an allarm of war to be heard in Rabbah] Megalopolis the Metropolis of the Ammonites: it was afterwards called Philadelphia, from Ptolomie Philadelph who reedified it.
And it ſhall be a deſolate heap] Heb. an hillock of deſolation.
And her daughters] The neighbour Towns, and Villages.
Then ſhall Iſrael be heir unto them that were his heirs] It hath been often obſerved, that God loveth to retaliate. How this was fulfilled, ſee 1 Macchab. 5.6. and Joſeph. l. 13. c. 21.
Ver. 3. Howl O Heſhbon] A City of the Gadites, but ſeized upon it ſeemeth, firſt by the Ammonites, and then by the Moabites, chap, 48.2, 24, 25.
For Ai is ſpoiled] Not that Ai, Joſh. 7.1. but another of that name, beyond Jordan: Gaja Ptolomy calleth it.
And run to and fro by the hedges] Hide you behind the hedges.
For their King] Or Malcham their idol: as Chemoſh, chap. 48.7.
Ver. 4. Wherefore glorieſt thou in the vallyes] Becauſe fat and fertile; as being near to Sodom and Gomorrah, that pleaſant plain, Gen. 13.10.
O back-ſliding daughter] Or untoward and refractary. Sept. Thou daughter of raſhneſſe, Appellat homines regni erroneos filiam vagam.or of impudence, quae ita laſcivis ſicut puella quae libidinatur, & virum quaris, ſaith Oecolamp.
That truſted in her treaſures] Never yet true to thoſe that truſted them, 1 Tim. 6.17. Pſal. 52.7.
Who ſhall come unto me?] Or, Who can come at me?
Ver. 5. Behold I will bring a fear upon thee] Panicum vel bellicum.
Ver. 6. I will bring again the captivity] Then, when Chriſt ſhall come, the Gentiles alſo ſhall be freed from the tyranny of ſin, and terrour of hell.
Ver. 7. Is wiſdom nowhere in Teman?] The Edomites, and eſpecially the Temanites (of whom Elephaz, Job's friend was one) were famous for wiſdom, Obad. 8. which although it be of excellent uſe for putting things to the beſt, yet without the fear of God (which is the beginning of wiſdom, Prov. 1.7.) and his bleſſing, it proveth not only unprofitable, but pernicious alſo. It is, ſaith James, earthly, ſenſual, and deviliſh. See what the Scripture ſpeaketh of it, Job 12. & 1 Cor. 3.
Ver. 8. Dwell deep] Hide your ſelves in holes of the earth, grots in the ground, clefts of the rocks, where you may beſt ſecure your ſelves from the purſuing enemy.
Ver. 9. If grape-gatherers, &c.] See on Obad 5.
Ver. 10. I have uncovered his ſecret places] Where he had hid himſelf, or his treaſures, thoſe ſinews of war.
And he is not] ſc. Any more a State or a people. Time ſhall triumph over him, ſo that he ſhall but live by fame.
Ver. 11. Leave thy fatherleſſe children, &c.] Thus God ſpeaketh to the profane Edomites in deriſion; but to all true Iſraelites, in ſerious ſadneſſe: and ſo it is very comfortable, and muſt needs be a good ſtay of mind to a dying Saint, as it was to Claviger a Dutch Divine. He was held happy of whom Caſſiodore ſaith, So many ſons, Selnec. Paedag. Chriſt. par 2. p. 379. Quot dedit familiae ſuvenes, tot reddidit Curiae conſulares.ſo many Counſellors to the State: but he is happier that can ſay, So many children, ſo many of Gods clients, heavens heirs, &c.
Ver. 12. Behold they whoſe judgement, &c.] See chap. 25.29. See alſo Obad. 19.
Ver. 13. I have ſworn by my ſelf, ſaith the Lord] Becauſe it ſeemed incredible that Bezra ſhould be beaten down: as alſo to ſhew how exceedingly God was incenſed againſt the Edomites, to whom therefore alſo no comfort is ſpoken, as is to Amon and Moab, in after-times.
Ver. 14. I have heard a rumour from the Lord] See on Obad. 1.
Ver. 15. For low I will make thee] See on Obad. 2. whence Jeremy took this, and more beſides, or elſe Obadiah from him.
Ver. 16. Thy terribleneſſe] i. e. Thine inſolency and cruelty wherewith thou frighteſt folk. Or thine idol, that terrible buſineſſe, ſo called in contempt.
Though thou ſhouldeſt make thy neſt] See Obad. 4.
Ver. 17. And Edom ſhall be a deſolation] Heb. for a deſolation. See on ver. 13.
Ver. 18. as in the overthorw of Sodom] See Gen. 19.24, 25.
And the neighbour Cities] Whereof See Deut. 29 23.
No man ſhall abide there] As little as in the dead Sea, where no creature can live.
Ver. 19. Behold he ſhall come up] Nebuchadnezzar ſhall.
Like a Lion from the ſwelling of Jordan] As Lions at ſuch a time are forced to quit their dens, near Jordan.
Againſt the habitation of the ſtrong] i. e. Againſt Idumaea.
But I will ſuddenly make him run away from her] As having ſoon conquered her: or rather I will ſuddenly make him over-run it. i. e. Get above it, and become Maſter of it.
And who is a choſen man that I may appoint over her] Or, For I will give charge to him that is a choice one againſt her: i. e. To Nebuchadnezzar.
For who is that ſhepherd that will ſtand before me?] q. d. There is no ſtanding before God, and his Lion ſent by him.
Ver. 20 Therefore hear the counſel] Now by counſel things are eſtabliſhed.foreign.
And his purpoſes Or, contrivements that he hath contrived.
Surely the leaſt of the flock] The meaneſt of Nebuchadnezzar's men ſhall drag them out of their ſhelters, as dogs do a dead carcaſſe.
Ver. 21. In the red Sea] i. e. A long way off: yer not ſo f…r as the doating Talmudiſts ſay, the Serpents cry was heard (when the Angels come down and cut off his legs, according to that doom paſt on him, Gen. 3.14.) viz. all the world over.
Ver. 22. Behold he ſhall come up and flye] See chap. 48.40▪41.
Ver 23. Concerning Damaſcus] The chief City of Syria, ſo pleaſantly ſituate, ſo rich and luxurious, that one compareth it to Corinthus or Epheſus. Julian the Emperour in his Epiſtles, calleth it the City of Jupiter, and the Eye of the whole Eaſt. Tamerlan would not come into it, leſt he ſhould be detained there by the delights and delicacies of it. He deſtroyed it in a diſpleaſure, and built three Towers with the skuls of thoſe he had there ſlain (for a trophie) with ſingular skil. It was built again by the Seldan of Egypt, and is now poſſeſſed by the Turkes.
There is ſorrow on the ſea, it cannot be quiet] Or, There is ſorrow as upon the ſea which cannot reſt.
Ver. 24. And fear hath ſeized on her] Horrorem f…brilem apprehendit, Piſcat.Shee ſhaketh as in a fit of an Ague.
Ver. 25. How is the City of praiſe not left?] Why is ſo praiſe-worthy and renowned a City ſo demoliſhed? See ver. 23. Cauſe enough there was, becauſe it was a valley of vanity, Am. 1. and Comus, Venus, and Bacchus there made their divident, and ſhared their Devoto's.
Ver. 26. Therefore her young men] Or, Surely.
Ver. 27. And I will kindle a fire] See on Amos 1.4.
Ver. 28. Concerning Kedar] Theſe Kedarens, the off-ſpring of Kedar-Jſhmael's ſon, Gen. 25.13. dwelt or rather abode for moſt part in Arabia the ſtony, or deſart. Hagarens they were alſo called, and afterward Saracens of Saraca their chief City, ſaith Stephanus: or of Sarach, for more credit ſake, as others hold.Lib. de Ʋ …bib. Of this people came Mahomet that grand-Impoſtour: and the Turks who have now gotten into their hands ſo great a part of the habitable world. A rude people they were in Jeremye's dayes, and uncivilized; yet becauſe wicked, they are here doomed.
And concerning the Kingdoms of Hazor] Their bead-city.
Ver. 29. Their tents and their flocks] For which they were termed Scenitae and Nomades, as living a paſtoral life in tents.
And they ſhall cry unto them, Fear is on every ſide] Magor-miſabib might be their word, wherewith, loudly-uttered, they might affright and overcome theſe enemies: like as the Britones our Anceſtours once overcame a mighty Army of Saxons and Picts in this Land, by ringing out the word Hallelujah with a courage among the mountains, nigh to the which the enemy had encamped.Uſſi…r. de Brit. Eccleſ. primord.
Ver. 30. Flee, get you far off] See on ver. 8.
Ver. 31. Ariſe, go you up into the wealthy Nation] Or, quiet Nation, that dwelleth without care] Heb. in confidence: but ſuch a ſecurity doth not ſecure any, but oft betrayeth. Infelix felicitas quae non eſt in Domino, ſaith Oecolampadius here: There's no true happineſſe, or ſafety but in God.
Ver. 32. Them that are in the uttermoſt corners] Or, that have the corners of their hair cut. See chap. 9.26. and 25.23.
Ver. 33. And Hazor ſhall be a dwelling for Dragons] See chap. 9.11. and 12.22. and 51.37.
Ver. 34. Againſt Elam] i. e. The Medes, ſay ſome; the Perſians, ſay others; or a people betwixt both: whoſe head-City was that Suſa where Alexander found fifty thouſand talents of gold beſides ſilver. Ariſtagoras alſo thus cheared up his ſouldiers that beſieged it; This City if you can but take, Cum Jove de divitiis licet certetis, you may vie with Jove himſelf for wealth. Theſe Elamites joyned with the Chaldees againſt the Jews, when they firſt waſted Judea, and carried away Jehoiakim: Hence they are here ſo threatned, for their cruelty then.
Ver. 35. Behold I will break the bow of Elam] In the uſe whereof they excelled, being very skilful Archers, Eſa. 22.6. Gunnes now-adayes carry it, as bowes of old.
Ver. 36. And upon Elam will I bring the four winds] i. e. Great concuſſions, enemies on all ſides, Scythians and Sarmatians eſpecially out of the North. Calvin thinketh this Propheſie was fulfilled after Alexanders death, when his captaines ſtrove moſt fiercely for the Kingdoms of the earth, which he had ſubdued.
Ver. 37. For I will cauſe Elam to be diſmayed] q. d. They truſt in their great ſtrength, and hold themſelves inſuperable: but I can eaſily diſpirit (and ſo deſtroy) them. See ver. 5.14, 29.
Diod.Ver. 38. And I will ſet my throne in Elam] i. e. I will ſolemnly execute my judgements upon theſe people, as if I ſate in my Judgement-ſeat in a publick Court, in the midſt of them.
Ver. 39. I will bring again the captivity of Elam] Principally by bringing them to Jeſus Chriſt.In vit. Conſtant. Claruit Theod. Anno 390. And ſo we read, Act. 2.9. of Parthians, Medes and Elamites amongſt thoſe firſt and beſt believers. Euſebius alſo telleth us, that in the Council of Nice there was a Biſhop from Perſia. And Theodoret, a very good man, withal a great writer, ſerved the Churches of the Elamites.