Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord] Contra Gentes, againſt thoſe Nations chiefly that moleſted the Jews after their overthrow by the Babylonians. Sins they had enow beſides: but for none did they ſuffer more deeply then for their malignity toward Gods poor afflicted. The Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philiſtines are here more briefly threatened: The Tyrians and Egyptians more at large; becauſe it ſeemed impoſſible that they ſhould be brought down.
Ver. 2. Set thy face againſt the Ammonites] Look upon them firmo, torvo, & minaci vultu, as if then wouldſt look through them: and having ſo lightened, thunder accordingly.
Againſt the Ammonites] Who have had their part already of threatnings, chap. 21.28. but not therir full due.
Ver. 3. Becauſe thou ſaidſt Aha] Inſolently inſulting over mine Iſrael, when under hatches: as when a tree is down, every man will be pulling at the branches, and Leoni mortuo vel mus inſultat: but it is ill medling againſt Gods Church, be it but by a frown or a frump, as here; An Aha or an Euge ſhall not eſcape unpuniſhed, Pſal. 35.21.
Ver. 4. I will deliver thee to the men of the Eaſt] To the Arabians (Keturah's poſterity) who were Shepherds, and Camel-maſters.
They ſhall eat thy fruit, and drink thy milk] Sept. Thy fatneſſe; foreign.est enim adeps lac coagulatum. The Ammonites (as now the Flemmings) were foreign, butter-boxes, as we ſay; and lived much upon milk-meats: So do we. Let us uſe our plenty to Gods glory, leſt we loſe all.
Ver. 5. And I will make Rabbah] The Metropolis of the Ammonites: it ſignifieth that Great City, and was afterwards rebuilt by Ptolomy Philadelph, and called Philadelphia.
— Valet ima ſummis
Mutare,Hor. lib. 1. Od. 34. & inſignem attenuat Deus
Obſcura premens, &c.
Ver. 6. Becauſe thou haſt clapped thine hands] Manibus plaudis, pedibus complodis, &c. God is very ſenſible of the leaſt indignity and injury, affront or offence done to his poor people, by words, looks, geſtures, &c. Cavete.
Ver. 7. Behold therefore I will ſtretch out my hand upon thee] God loveth to retaliate.
I will cauſe thee to periſh out of the Country] So little a diſtance is there eftſoones, ſaith Seneca, betwixt a great City and no City.
Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus:
Et certam praeſans vix habet hora fidem.
Ver. 8. Behold the houſe of Judah is like unto all the Heathen] As ill-protected and provided for as they; as much ſcourged by the Babylonian. See to the contrary, Deut. 33.29. Happy art thou, O Iſrael: who is like unto thee, O people ſaved by the Lord, the ſhield of thy help, and who is the ſword of thine excellency, and thine enemies ſhall be found lyars unto thee, and thou ſhalt tread upon their high places! Some read it, Behold the houſe of Jehovah, and note an Emphaſis in that word, as ſavouring of contempt and blaſphemy, as 2 Kings 18.33, 34.
Ver. 9. Behold I will open the ſide of Moab] Heb. the ſhoulder (that is, the border that is fortified) to let in the enemy: like as the ſide being opened, an entrance is given into the body through the ribs, for the deſtruction thereof,D. Mayr. becauſe the ſtrongeſt defence is taken away.
Ver. 10. That the Ammonites may not be remembred among the nations] A fearful hand of God upon them: as it was alſo upon ſome other peoples, who are ſo utterly extinct, that the learned can now hardly divine where their ſeats were.
Ver. 11. And I will execute judgements upon Moab] Or, in Moab, where was no care to execute juſtice and judgement, ſed frigebant leges: jus ſitum erat in manibus, &c. Might overcame right.
Ver. 12. By taking vengeance] Heb. by revenging revengement, out of a vindictive ſpirit rejoycing at Juda's harms, and ſaying they were well enough ſerved. See the Prophecy of Obadiah, and Pſal. 137. Their father Eſau was of a ſpiteful ſpirit, Gen. 27.41. and they took after him, proceeding upon the old ſcore. Hence they are put for Gods and the Churches enemies by a ſpecialty, Iſa. 63. Joel 3. Amos 9. A learned man hath given us this Note: Eſau ſignifieth a Doer or a Worker: Edom a ruddy, bloody, or earthy man. Theſe Edomites were a type of Juſtitiaries, who will needs be ſaved by their works and merites. Theſe are the deadlyeſt enemies of Gods people, war upon them continually, ſeek and ſuck their blood, and ſhalt at length ſuffer condigne puniſhment.
And hath grealy offended and revenged himſelf upon them] Wiſhing (as Caligula did by the people of Rome) that they had all but one neck,foreign. that he might cut them off at one blow. Planè ſunt ſerpentes (ſaith Luther concerning hypocrites) quo nullum eſt animal vindictae cupidius, they are very ſerpents, then which there is no living creature more revengeful.
Ver. 13. I will ſtretch out mine hand upon Edom] God hath vengeance ready for revengers. Immane verbum eſt ultio, ſaith Seneca: they ſhall not eſcape unpuniſhed. See Prov. 24.17, 18. The Duke of Burbon being diſpleaſed at Cardinal Wolſy, intended to have ſacked Rome, and taken the Pope: But at the firſt aſſault of the town, the Duke was the firſt man that was ſlain.
Ver. 14. I will lay my vengeance upon Edom] Edam ultionem in Edom: See v. 13.
By the hand of my people Iſrael] In the time of the Macchabees, likely this was done. Or, by the hand wherewith I ſhall ſmite my people, that is, by the Babylonians; ſo Piſcator.
Joſeph.According to my fury] And not as the Commanders will. Titus would have ſaved the Temple at Jeruſalem from being burnt: but the ſouldiers would not.
Ver. 15. Becauſe the Philiſtines have dealt by revenge] See on ver. 12, 13. Heathens thought revenge lawful: and tallying of injuries to be but Juſtice. But Chriſtianity teacheth us that non minus mali eſt referre injuriam, Lactant.quam inferre.
For the old hatred] The Philiſtins were of the old inhabitants the Canaanites; and kept up a deadly feud.
Exſcindam exſciſſores.Ver. 16. I will out of the Cherethims] Theſe were a part of the Philiſtines, Zeph. 2.5. There is an elegancy in the Original: q. d. I will cut off the Cutters.
And deſtroy the remnant of the Sea-coaſt] Paleſtina lay upon the Midland-ſea, Zeph. 3.5.
Ver. 17. And I will execute great vengeance upon them] Heb. vengeances. I will pay them for the new and the old together.