AOS BD
ing finfulnefs; the evil of evils they were guilty of, was their idolatry, their worfhipping the calf. at Bethel: and this was the caufe of all their ruins: God was the efficient of it; the king of Afjria the. vinftrument; but the precuring or meritorious caufe. was their abominable wickednefs at Bethel; which. therefore fhould be as Beth-arbel; yea, the whole. land fhould be on the account of that like unto it,> or be fpoiled as that was. Or the words may be, rendered, /o will he do unto you, O Bethelt that. is, either God, or Shalman or Salmanefer, thall do. the fame to Bethel, as he did to Beth-arbel; utterly, deftroy it and its inhabitants, fhewing no mercy to, age or fex. In a morning foall the king of Ifrael be usterly cut off; meaning Ho/bea the latt king of JG. rael, and the kingdom entirely deftroyed; fo that afterwards there was no more king in J/rae/, nor) has been to this day; there was not only an utter, deftruGion of that king, but of all kingly power and government, and ever fince the children of Jfrael have been without a. king, ch. iii, 4. and this was to be done, and was done, in a morning » in the beginning of his reign, as Yofeph Kimchi; but this feems not fo well to agree with the hiftory; fince it was in the ninth year of his reign that Samaria was taken: but the fenfe is, either that it would be certainly done, as fure as the morning came; or fuddenly and quickly, as the morning-light breaks forth; or in the morning of profperity, when they were expecting light and good days, from their alliance with the king of Egypt, again{t the king of Afpria. | not only as his creature, as he does all the works of his hands, but with a more fpecial love than he’ loved others; chufing them to be a fpecial people above all others; giving them his law, his ftatutes, and his judgments, his word and his worfhip, which he did not give-to other nations. So he loves fpiritual and myftical J/rae/, all the eleé& of God, whether ews or Gentiles, when children, as foon as born, and tho’ born in fin, carnal and corrupt; yea, before they are born, and when having done neither good nor evil; and fo may be exprefiive both of the earlinefs and antiquity of his love to them, and of the freenefs of it, without any merits or motives of theirs. And called my fon out of Egypt; not literal J/rael as before, whom God called his fon, and his firft-born; and demanded his difmiffion from Pharaeb,and called him, and brought him out of Egypt with a mighty hand and ftretched-out arm; and which was a ~ type of his calling fpiritual Jrae/, his adopted fons,”
out of worfe than Egyptian bondage and darknefs: but his own natural and only-begotten Son, our Lord Jefus Chrift; for thefe words are exprefsly faid to be fulfilled in him, Matt, ii. 15. not by way of allufion; or by accommodation of phrafess _ or as the type is fulfilled in the antitype; or as”
a proverbial expreffion, adapted to any deliverance; ~ but literally: the firft and only fenfe of the words refpeéts Chrift, who in his infancy was had to
Egypt for thelter from Herod’s rage and fury, amt aan when he was dead, and tho that fought the life of Jefus, he was by an angel of the Lord; warning Fofepb of it, called out of Lyypt, and brought into ‘Frdea, Matt. ii. 1g—23. and this as a proof of the love of God to Jjrae/;»which as it was exprefled to him in his infancy, it continued and appeared in various inftances, more or lefs, ‘unto «the coming of Chrift; who though obliged for a while to go into Egypt, muft not continue there, ‘but muft be called from thence, to be brought, up in the land of Yudea; to do his miracles, preach his doctrines, and do good to the bodies and fouls of men there, being fent particularly to the Joft fheep of the houfe of J/rael, and above all, in order to work out the falvation and redemption of his fpecial people among them, and of the whole Hfrael of God every where eHe; which is the greateft inftance of love to them,and to the world of the Gentiles, that ever was known, Fobs iii. 16. 1 Fobp ii. 2. and iv. 9, 10. ¥. 2. As they called them, fo they went from them, &c.} That is, the prophets of the Lord, the true prophets, called J/rael to the worfhip and fervice of God; but they turned a deaf ear to them, and their backs upon them; and the more they called to them, the further they went from them, and from the way of their duty; feé ¥. 7. So the Zargum, “I fent the prophets to teach them, but they © wandered from them;” Mo/fes and Aaron were fent unto them, and called them out of Egypr, but they hearkened not unto them; fee Exod. vi. g, 12. in after-times the prophets were fent unto them, to exhort them to their duty, and to reclaim them from their evil ways, but they defpifed and refufed to attend to their advice and inftruéctions; and this was continued to the times of J/rael, or the ten tribes, departing from the houfe of David, and fetting up idolatrous worfhip; and during their revolt and apoftacy; but all in vain. So after Chrift was called out of Egypt, he and his apoftles, and Joba the Baptift before them, called them to hearken to him, but they turned away from them. Aven Ezra interprets it of the falfe prophets, who catled them to idolatry, and they went after them. Schmidt underftands it of the [reelites calling one another to it, and going after it, for their own fakes, and becaufe it pleafed them, and was agreeable to them. They facrificed to Baalim, and burnt incenfe to graven images; they joined themfelves to Baai-peor, and worthipped the golden calf, fafhioned’ with a graving tool, in the wildernefs; they facrificed to Baalim, one or another of them, in the times of the Fudges, and of Abab, and committed idolatry with other graven images, of which burning incenfe is a part. And the Yews in Chrift’s time, inftead of hearkeriing to him and his apoftles, followed the traditions of the elders, and the dictates of the fcribes and pharifees, who were their Baals, their lords and mafters; and they fought for life and righteoufnefs by their own works, which was facrificing to their net, and burning incenfe to their drag; all this was great ingratitude. Next follows a narrative of other benefits done to this people. eh. y¥. 3. [taught Epbraim alfo to go, &c.] All the tribes of Trael and Epbraim, or the ten tribes with the reft; thefe the Lord inftruéted in the way of his commandments, and taught them to walk therein; he fent his angel before them, to conduct them thro’ the wildernefs; yea, he himfelf went before ies ymyit by faper brachiis fuis, Montanus; fuper brachia fua, Pifeator; in brachia’fua, Cocceius.
them in the pillar of cloud by day, and.in. the pillar of fire by night, to which hiftory this feems to refer.. So the Targum, “ I, by an arigel fent by *< me, led J/rael in the right way.” ~The ‘allufion feems to be to 2 mother or. nurfe accommodating herfelf to her, child, beginning to go; fhe ftoops, down, {ets it on its. feet, and one foot before another, forms its fteps, teaches it how to go, and walks its pace with it.. And in, like manner the Lord deals with his {piritual J/rae/, his regenerated ones,. who become like little children, and are ufed as fuch; as, in. regeneration they are quickened, and have fome degree of {piritual ftrength given them, they are taught to go; they are taught what a Saviour Chritt is, and their need of him} they are inftructed to go to him by faith for every thing they want, and to, walk by faith on him, as they have received him; and having heard and learned of the Father, they go to Chrift, Jobs vi. 45. and are taught alfo to go to the throne of: grace for all fupplies of grace; and to the houfe of God, to attend the word and ordinances, for the benefit of their fouls; and to walk in the ways of the Lord, for his glory, and their good. © Taking them by their arms; or on his own arms*; bearing and carrying,them in his arms, as. a father: his fons fee Deut. i, 31. and xxxii. 10, 11, 12, Numb, xi. 12. fo the Lord deals with his fpiritual J/rael, either holding them by their arms while walking, as nurfes their children, to help and eafe them in walking, and that they may not ftumble.and fall; fo the Lord holds up the, goings of his people in
‘his ways, that their footfteps flip not, and upholds them with the right hand of his righteoufnefs: or: taking them up in his own arms when weary, he carries them in his bofom; or when they are fall- _ ing or fallen, lays hold on them, and takes them up again; and fo they are not. utterly caft down, whether the fall is into fin, or into fome calamity and affliction; when.he puts underneath his everlafting arms, and bears them up, and keeps them from finking, as well as from a final and total falling away. Abarbinel, and others after him, interpret this of Ephraim taking up and carrying in his arms Baalim, the graven images and goiden calves; which is mentioned as an inftance of ingratitude; but very wrongly. But they knew not that I healed them; of the difeafes of Egypt, or preferved them from them: this includes the whole of their falvation and deliverance from Egypt, and all the benefits and favours accompanying it, which they imputed to their idols, and not to the Lord; fee Exod..xv. 26. and xxxii. 4. Healing, in a fpiritual fenfe, generally fignifies the forgivenefs of fin, which the Lord’s people may have, and not know it; and thro’ want of better light and knowledge, may alfo afcribe it to their repentance, humiliation and tears, when it is alone owing to the grace of God, and blood of Chritt. ¥. 4. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love, &c.| As Ephraim is compared to an heifer in the preceding chapter, here he is faid to be drawn; but not with fuch cords and bands as cattel are, but with fuch as men are; in a rational and gentle way, in a-kind, loving, ‘tender, humane, friendly, and fatherly way and ananner;) fo the Lord drew J/rae/ on in the wildernefs, till he was brought to Canaen’s land, by beftowing kind favours upon them, and by making precious promifes tothem. So the Lord deals with his pil tua
414, tual J/rael, he draws them out of the prefent ftate and circumftances, in which they are by nature, to himfelf, and to his Son, and to follow after him, and run in the ways of his commandments; and which he does not by force and compulfion againft their wills, nor by mere moral fuafion, but by the
, invincible power of his grace, fweetly working upon them, and attracting them; he does it by revealing Chrift in them, in the glories of his perfon, and in the riches of his grace, and by letting in his love into their hearts; and-by kind invitations, precious promifes, and divine teachings, attended with his powerful and efficacious grace; fee Jer. xxxi. 3. Fohn vi. 44. Cant. i. 4. And I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws; as one that is merciful to his beaft; as a kind and humane hufbandman,when his cattel have been hard at work, takes off their bridles or muzzles, or the yokes on them, faftened with a halter about their jaws, that they may have liberty to feed on food fet before them, as the next claufe fhews. So the Targum, ** my word was to them as a good huf- <¢ bandman, who lightens the fhoulder of oxen, «¢ and loofes the bridles on their jaws.” ‘This may refer to J/rael’s deliverance from their bondage in Egypt; and be fpiritually applied to Chrift, the efiential word of God, breaking and taking the yoke of fin, fatan, and the law, from off his people, and bringing them into the liberty of the children of God. Schmidt reads and interprets the words quite otherwife, and Iwas to them as they that lift up the yoke upon their aws, not remove it from them, but put it on them; expreffing their ignorance and ingratitude, who when the Lord drew them in the kind and loving manner he did, reckoned it as if he put a yoke upon them, and treated them rather as beafts than men; but this feems not to agree with what follows: and I laid meat unto them; or declined, or brought it down to them, to their very mouths; referring ta the manna and quails he rained about their tents. So the Targum, ‘‘ and even when they were in the <¢ wildernefs, I multiplied to them good things to ** eat.” And thus in a fpiritual ienfe the Lord gives meat to them that fear him, whilft in the wildernefs of this world; he brings it near, and fets it before them, in the miniftry of the word and ordinances; even that meat which endures to ever- Jafting life, the flefh of Chrift, which is meat indeed; and the doctrines of the gofpel, which are milk for babes, and ftrong meat for more experienced faints.
¥. 5. He fhall not return into the land of Egypt, &c.] Ephraim or IJjrael, the ten tribes: and the
Septuagint and Arabic verfions exprefs them by | name, tho’ they give a wrong fenfe of the words, rendering them, and Ephraim dwelt in Egypt; he did fo indeed with the other tribes formerly; but here it is faid he fhall not go thither again to be a captive there, but fhall go into bondage more fevere than that in Hgypf, even into captivity in 4- Syria: rather the fenfe is, they fhouid not go thither for fhelter, at leaft not as a body, tho’ fome few of them might, as in ch. ix. 3, the far greater part of them fhould be carried captive by the 4/- fyrians: or they fhould not return to Egypt to feek for help and fuccour, as they had done; either they ought not to do it, nor would there be any need of it, did they but return to the Lord, as fome in Drufius. ad reditum meum, V. L.
Kimchi obferves; or rather they fhould now be fo {traitly fhut up in Samaria,. befieged fo clofely by the enemy, or elfe carried into diftant lands, that if they would, they could not apply to Egypé for relief. But the Affyrian fhall be his king; the king of Affyria thall be king over the ten tribes, whether they will or no; they fhall be forced to acknowledge him as their king, and be fubjeét to him, © being taken and carried captive into his land; decaufe they refufed to return, to the Lord, from whom they had backflidden, and to his pure worfhip, word, and ordinances, they had departed from, fetting up the calves at Dau and Bethel; they refufed to relinquifh worfhipping idols, inftead of the true God; thus ungratefully behaving to him for all the above favours beftowed upon them; wherefore they are righteoufly threatned with captivity and bondage in Afpria. |
¥. 6. And the fword fhall abide on the cities, &c.} Or faall fall’, and continue; meaning the fword of the Afjyrians, whereby Ephraim fhould be brought into fubjection to them, and the king of Afpria become king over them; his {word fhould be drawn, and reft upon them, not only.on their chief city Samaria, befieged three years by him, but upon all their other cities, which would fall into his hands, with the inhabitants of them: and fhall confume bis ‘branches, and devour them; that is, the, towns and villages adjoining to the cities; which were to them as branches are to a tree, {prung from them, and were fupported by them; and being near them, profpered or fuffered as they did: fome render it, is bars 7, as the word is fometimes ufed, and interpret it of the great men and nobles of the land. So the Targum, “ and it fhall “* flay his mighty men, and deftroy his princes;” with which Farchi agrees. Becaufe of their own counjels; which they took and purfued, contrary to the counfel of God, the revelation of his mind and will; particularly in fetting up idolatrous worfhip, and continuing in it, notwithftanding all the admonitions, exhortations, counfels, and threatenings of God by his prophets; or elfe becaufe of their counfels with the Heyptians, and their covenants with them, for help againit the 4/jrian,whofe yoke they were for cafting off, and refufed to pay tribute to; which provoked him to draw his fword upon them, which made the havock it did in their cities, and the inhabitants of them.
¥. 7. And my people are bent to backfliding from me, &cc.| There is a propenfity in them to it, thro’ prevailing corruption in them; they are inclined unto it, the biafs of their minds is that way; they are bent upon it, and pertinacioufly abide in it; nor will they be reclaimed from it, by all the means and methods made ufe of, even tho’ they had been, and profeffed themfelves to be, the people of God. Some underftand this, not of their backfliding and averfion from God; but either of his return to them, or of their return to him, ren- ~ dering the words, and my people are in fufpence*; like a man that hangs in the air, as dden Ezra, neither afcends nor defcends; that is, they are in doubt of what fhould be done to them, or they themfelves fhould do: either about my return»;
that is, to them; whether after all they may ex- — pect that God would be kind and merciful to them,
{0 Aberbinel: or about return to me*, whether they.
fhould or no, inclining rather not to return, So the Zargum, ** my pedple divide (or hefitaté) to re- ** turn to my Jaw;” with which archi agrees, paraphrafing it, ‘* when the prophets inftrué&t them ** to return unto me, they are in fufpence whether * to return or no;” but Aben Ezra and Kimchi obierve, the word is always ufed in a bad fenfe, of averfion or backfliding, and that the word: is in another form: when ufed for repentance or returning. Though they called them to the Moft High; that is, the prophets of the Lord called them to turn from their idols, and return to the moft high God, the true and the living God, from whom they had backflidden, and to his true worfhip, they had neglected and forfaken: none at all would exalt him; the moft high God, and give him the praife and glory due to his name, but, on the other hand, extolled their idols; and afcribed all their good things tothem: or none would exalt them?, the prophets of the Lord that called them; would not give that honour to them that was due to their office, or pay any regard to them, or to their admonitions and advice, but depreciated them, and reproached and perfecuted them: or wone at all would lift up, that is, their head, as Aden Ezra, toward the heaven, and to God in it, to whom they were called; but kept locking on the earth, and to earthly things, particularly to their idols; and did not litt up or erect their ears, to hearken to what was faid to them, but were deaf to all counfel and reproof. The Targum is, ** they walked not in an “< erect ftature.” Agreeable to which the former claufe may be rendered, as by fome, and they called them to things above; but none would look upwards; fee the note on ch. vii. 16.
¥. 8. How fhall I give thee up, Epbraim? how foall I deliver thee, Ifrael? &c.| That is, as ufually interpreted, into the hand of the enemy, or unto wrath, ruin, and deftruction; for notwithftanding all the fins of this people before obferved, and the punifhment threatened to be inflicted on them, the Lord is pleafed here, and in the following verfes, to give fome intimations of his goodnefs, grace, and mercy to them; not to the whole body of them, for they as fuch were given and delivered u to the enemy, and carried captive, and difperfed among the nations, and were never recovered to this day; but to a remnant among them, according to the election of grace, that fhould fpring from them, for the fake of which they were not all cut off by the fword; but were referved as a feed for after-times, the times of the Meffiah, which the prophecy in this and the following words has refpect unto; not only the firft times of the gofpel, when fome of the difperfed of [/rael were met with by it, and converted under it, but the laft times of it, times yet to come, when all J/rae/ fhall be faved; and may be applied to the elect of God, in all ages, and of all nations. The words are generally underftood as a debate in the divine mind, ftruggling within itfelf between juftice and mercy; juftice requiring the delivery of thefe perfons unto it, and mercy being reluctant thereunto, pleading on their behalf; and which at laft gets the victory, and rejoices againft judgment. There is a truth in all this; juftice feems to demand that finners as fuch, who have injured and affronted him, be given up to him, and fuffer the curfe of the law, according to their deferts, and be delivered unto death, even eternal death, as well as to temporal punifhments; and which might be expected would
@ poy we cos ston exaltabit, Schmidt. yem & poflem? Schmidt: So Luther and Tarnovius.
be the café, by the inftances and examples of the angels that finned, and of the men of the old world; and of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrba, but mercy carindt bear it, pleads againtt it, and afks how can it be done; fince thefe are my children, my dear children, pleafant ones, as Ephraim was, my cholen and my covenant ones, and befides, for whom provifion is made iri Chrift for the fatisfaction of juftice? But the fenfe is rather this, bow might or could I give thee up, Ephraim?
how might or could I deliver thée, Ifrael* 2 that is, with what feverity might I déal with thee? and how juftly and righteoufly could I do it? fince thy fins are fo many, and fo great. How /Bail I make thee as Admab? how fhall I fet thee as Zebvoim? two cities that were utterly deftroyed bv fire from heaven, along with Sodom and Gomorrha, Deut, xxix. 23. how juftly could I have made thee, and put thee in the fame condition and circumftances, as thofe two cities, and the inhabitants of them, who were fo feverely puniflied for their ‘ins, and were never reftored again? fignifying, that inafinuch as they were guilty of the fame, or like hainous fins, was he utterly to deftroy them, and cat then off from the face of the earth, he fhould not exceed the due bounds of juftice. To this fenfe Schmidt interprets the words. The defign of whicti is to fhew the greatnefs of Ephraim’s fins, as deferving the uttermoft wrath and vengeance of God, and to magnify the riches of God’s grace in their falvation, as next expreffled; and it is true of all God’s elect, who, confidered as finners in Adam, and by their own tranfgreffions, both before and after converfion,’ deferved to be treated according to the rigour of juftice; but God is merciful to them, according to his choice of them, covenant with them, and provifion he has made in Chrift, and upon thé foot of his fatisfaction. Mine heart is turned within me; not changed; for there is no fhadow of turning with the Lord, neither in his mind and purpofes, which he never turns from, nor can be turned back, nor in his affections for them; as his heart is. never turned from love to hatred, fo neither from hatred to love; or his love would not be from everlafting, as it is, and he reft in it as he does; but this expreffes the ftrong motion of mercy in him towards his people, fpringing from his fovereign will and pleafure, and what is elfewhere fignified by the troubling, foundings, and yearnings of his bowels towards them; fee Fer. xxxi. 20. Tf. \xiii. 15. with which compare Lam. i. 20. My repentings are kindled together; not that repentance properly belongs to God, who is neither man, nor the fon of man, that he fhould repent of any thing, Numb. xxiii. 19. 1 Sam. xv.29. he repents not of his love to his people, nor of his choice of them, nor of his covenant with them, nor of his fpecial gifts and grace beftowed on them; but he fometimes does what men do when they repent, he changes his outward conduét and behaviour in the difpenfations of his providence, and acts the reverfe of what he had done, or feemed to be about to do; as with refpeét to the old world, the making of Saul king, and the cafe of the Ninevites, Gen. vi. 6. 1 Sam. xv. 11. Fon. iii. 4, 10. fo here, tho’ he could, and feemed as if he would, go forth in a way of ftrict juftice, yet changes his courfé, and fteers another way, without any change of his will. The phrafe expreffes the warmth and ardour of his affections to his people; how his heart’
© FIN “JIN quam julte & mifere defolatum te dabo? dare jure debe.
burned with love to them, his bowels and inward parts were inflamed with it, from whence proceeded what is called repentance among men, as In the cafe of Feremiab, ch. xx. 9, The Targum is, “ the word of my covenant met me; my mer- “* cies (or bowels of mercies) were rolled toge- & sthela
¥. 9. Iwill not execute the fiercene[s of mine anger, &c.] That is, his wrath and fury to the ut; termoft; his people are deferving of his wrath as others, being by nature children of wrath as the reft; which they are fenfible of under fpiritual conviction, and therefore flee from it, where they may be fafe: and tho’ the Lord often chaftizes and afflicts them, yet not in wrath; or however but in a little wrath, as it feems to them; he does not ftir up all his wrath, nor any in reality; all being poured upon his Son their furety, who faves and delivers them from wrath to come. J will not return to defircy Ephraim or again, or any more deftroy* him; not twice; he might be deftroyed when carried captive into Afjria, but the remnant that fhall {pring from him in the latter day fhall not be deftroyed, but faved. The Zargum is, “* my word << fhall not return to deftroy the houfe of J rael;”
or I will not return from my love and affections to them, I’ll never be wroth with them any more; nor from my mercy to them, which is from ever-
Jafting to everlafting; or from my covenant, pro- _ mife, and refolution to fave them, they fhali not be -punifhed with everlafting deftruction: for J am God, and not man; a God gracious and merciful, long-fuffering, flow to anger, and pardoning fin, and not man, cruel, revengeful, implacable, who fhews no mercy when it is in the power of his hands to avenge himfelf; or God that changes not in his purpofes and counfels, in his love and affections, and therefore the fons of Facob are not confumed, and not man that repents, is fickle, inconftant, and mutable; or God that is faithful to his covenant and promifes, and not man that lies | and deceives, promifes and never performs. The Targum is, ** feeing I am God, my word remains “¢ for ever, and my works are not as the works ** of the flefh (or of men) who dwell upon the “earth.” The holy one in the midft of thee, being in the mid{t of his people, he proteéts and defends them, and fo they are fafe; and being the holy one there, he fanctifies them, and faves them, in a way confiftent with his own holinefs and juftice: or there is @ holy one, or holy ones, the fingular put for the plural, ix the midft of thee *; and therefore thou fhalt not be deftroyed for their fakes, as Sodom would not, had there been ten righteous perfons in it, to which fome think the allufion is: and I will not enter into the city; in an hoftile way, to deftroy or plunder it; but this is not to be underftood either of Samaria or Ferufalem, which were entered into in this manner. The Zargum is, ** I ** have decreed by my word, that my holy Sbeki- “* nab fhall be among you, and I will not change ‘* Ferufalem again for another city;” which fenfe the Fewifo commentators follow; but as this re- {pects gofpel-times, the meaning feems to be, that God would dwell among his people every where, and would not be confined to any city or temple as heretofore; but wherever his church and people were, there would be his temple, and there he would dwell.
Prime aw NO non perdam amplius, Junius & Tremellias, 2p yaa ef-fanctus, i.e. fandi, in medio tui, Rivetus.
oufnefs; that Jehovah the Fews pierced, and mOW;* fhall mourn at the fight of, being converted to ~ him; for thefe are the chofen of God among tha people, who in the latter day fhall partake of the grace and favour before exprefléd, in confequence of which they fhall be fet a feeking the Lord their God,. and David their king; and finding him, fhall follow after him, as fheep go after their fhepherd, being led by him into green paftures; as fubjects follow their prince, obeying his commands and orders; as foldiers march after their leader and commander, fo thefe after Chrift, the great captain of their falvation, part of whof€ armies they will make: they will walk under the influence of his grace, having life, ftrength, guidance, and direction from him, which walking implies; they will walk not after the flefh, as they now do, bur after the fpirit of Chrift, taking him for their
| guide, by whom they will be led into all truth, as it is in Jefus; they will walk in his ways, in all the paths of faith and holinefs, truth and righteoufnefs 5, in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, according to his word. The Targum. is, ‘¢ they fhall.go after the worfhip of the Lord.”. He foall roar like a lion, the Lord Chrift they walk after; who is the lion of the tribe of Fudah, the «
STjraclites fhall now follow after; receiving, embracing, and confeffing him the true Meffiah. So the Targum, ** and his word fhall be as a lion that
«¢ roars; Chrift, the effential word of God: and fo Farchi, according to Lyra, interprets it of the Meffiah to come; who is compared,to a lion for his ftrength and courage, and for the fiercenefs of. his wrath againft his enemies; and his voice, in his word, is like the roaring of a lion, exceeding loud, and reaching far, even the uttermoft parts of the earth; as it did in the firft times of the gofpel, and will in the lait; and which the Fews particns larly, in the feveral parts of the world, will hear, and Gentiles alfo, and be affected with it; for it will be alfo very ftrong, powerful, and efficacious.; which is another reafon of its being compared to alion roaring; fee Yoel iii. 16. Rev. x. 2. When — he fhall roar, then the children foall tremble from the weft; the children of [rael, the children of God, his adopted ones, whom he has predeftinated to the adoption of children; thefe, through the firft impreftions of Chrift’s voice or word upon them, fhall ftartle, and be fet a trembling, and be aftonifhed, as Sau/ was, when called and converted; as it is reported of the lion, that when it roars other beafts are fo terrified, that they are quite ftunned and amazed, and are not able to ftir; but. though the firft found of the voice of Chrift may have fome effect upon the Jews, yet this will not caufe them to tremble at him, fo as to flee from — him, but to caufe them to flee to him: for the phrafe is expreffive of motion towards him, and to their own land, as appears from the following verfe; when filled with a fenfe of his majeftyand — grace, they thall approach him with an holy awe of him, with fear ‘and trembling: or come with honour”, agreeable to 1 Sam. xvi. 4. ‘having hig honourable, and grand fentiments and a fions of him; fo that this trembling, at iffues in a godly and filial fear and reven him, fuitable to their charaéter as children.
Pifcator $ non iterum deftruam, Cocceius, * YIN & cam honore accedent, Sel phrafe, from the weft, or from the fea‘, meaning the Mediterranean fea,’ which lay weft of Fadea, and is often ufed for the weft, may fignify the weftern or European part of the world, where the Fews for the moft part are, and from whence they will be gathered. The Targum is, ‘* for he thall ** roar, and the captives fhall be gathered from ‘© the weft.”
y¥. 11. They fhall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, &c.] They fhall come from thence with fear and trembling; which may allude to the trembling of birds at the roaring of a lion, or to the trembling motion of their wings in flying; and denotes the fwiftnefs of the motion of the J/raelites and Fews to Chrift, and to his church and people, and to their own land, under divine influence and direction: or fkall come with honour *; with all readinefs and chearfulnefs, in the obedience of faith: and as a dove out of the land of Affyria; which is expreflive of the fame things, the dove being both a timorous and fwift creature. Birds in common are very timorous, and tremble at any noife, and fearful of every thing that difturbs them, and therefore make all the hafte and fpeed they can to get out of the way, and to do which they are naturally provided; and more efpecially the dove is always reprefentéd as very fearful and trembling, efpecially when purfued by the hawk, as the poet! obferves. Tho’ it may be, thefe figures may only fignify, as the weak and impotent ftate of the Fews, confidered in themfelves at this time, fo the quick fpeed and hafte they fhall make to their own land. And perhaps there may be fomething alluded to in the text, that may refer to the dove as peculiar to Affria, as it fhould feem to be. Now it is faid of Semiramis, an ancient queen of Affyria, that being expofed when an infant, was nourifhed by doves, and at her death was turned into one; and from hence it is not only faid fhe had her name, which fignifies a dove in the Syriac tongue, but doves by the Syrians were worfhipped as deities™. And Derceto, a Syrian goddels, fuppofed to be her mother, having a temple at 4/calon, perhaps the above ftory may be the reafon why the inhabitants of that place reckoned doves fo facred, that they did not kill them; for Philo ", who lived there fome time, having obferved great numbers of them in the highways, and in every houfe, afked the reafon of it; and he was anfwered, that the citizens were of old forbid the ufe of them: and it may be further obferved, that in honour of Semiramis, the kings of Afjria bore.a dove in their coat of arms °; but whether there is any thing peculiar or no in this reference, is not certain: and befides what has been obferved of the fearfulnefs of this creature, and its fwiftnefs and’ hafte it makes in flying; it may alfo denote the characters of meeknefs, humility, and harmleffnefs, which the ews now converted will have by the grace of God, as well as their mournful difpofition. Zgypt and Afpria are particularly mentioned, as they generally are, where the return of J/rael and Fudah into their own land is prophefied of, J/ xi. 11. Zech. x. £0. and may fignify the 7urks, in whofe pofieffion thefe countries are, and among whom many ews live: and the one lying to the fouth, and the other to
4t7 the north of Fudea, and the wef being cbferved before, this fhews that thefe people fhould be gathered from all parts of thé world; whete they are difperfed; the eaf is not mentioned, becaufe their’ land they will be returned unto lies there; And [ will place them in their bones, faith the Lord; it is not faid in towns and cities, and fortified places, but in houfes;. fignifying that they fhould dwell ifi their own land, in a civil fenfe, fecurely, and in their habitations, under theit vines and fig-trees; being in no fear and danger of enemies, and live in the utmoft fatety; under the government and protection of the king Meffiah; or in a fpiritual ferfe, they will be placed in the’ congregations of the faints in the churches of Chrift, which will-be as dove-houfes to them, and whither they fhall fly as doves to their windows, Jf Ix: 8. and it is obferved of doves, tliat they fly the fwifteft when they make to their own houfes: and at laft, as all the people of God will, they will be placed in the manfions of glory, in Chrift’s Father’s houfe, thofe everlafting habitations. Thefe words, /aith the Lord, are added, for the certain and fure accomplifhment of all this. The Yargum of the whole is, ‘* as a “* bird which comes openly, fo fhall they come *¢ who are cartied captive into the land of Egypt,
‘¢ and as a dove that returns to its dove-houfe,.
* fo fhall they return who ate carried into the land “< of Afyria; and I will return them in peace to ‘ their houfes, and my word fhall be their protec- ‘ tion, faith the Lord.”
y. 12. Ephraim compaffeth me about with lies, and the houfe of Ifrael with deceit, &c.] Here properly we fhould begin a new chapter, as many interpreters and commentators do; for the prophet, or the Lord by him, in the preceding verfe, having finifhed his predictions concerning the call and converfion of the J/raelites, and their return to ‘their land, here begins a new difcourfe, by comparing the characters of Ephraim and Judah, and thence defcends to the fins and punifhment of both. The former, namely, Ephraim or I/rael, that is, the ten tribes, furrounded either the prophet, to hear him prophefy, and profeffed a great regard to what he faid, tho’ it was all deceit and flattery; or rather the Lord himfelf, whom they pretended to ferve and worfhip, when they worlhipped the calves at Dan and Bethel; and would have it thought they did not worfhip them, but the Lord in them, and by them, as the papifts now fay of their images and image-worfhip; but let them not deceive themfelves, God will not be mocked: or when they did at any time feem to approach unto him in any branch of religious worthip, either to pray unto him, or to praife him, it was not done with fincerity; it was only with their mouths, not with their hearts; thefe agreed not together, but like their anceftors of old, they did flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues, PA, Ixxviii. 36. and fo all fuch profeffors of religion, who are not fincere in their fervice and worfhip of God; or meet together to fpeak and hear falfe doétrines, which are lies in hypocrify; or attend to fuperftition and will-worfhip, and fet up ordinances and inftitutions of their own, neglecting thofe which are of God; do as Ephraim did, encompafs
Ut fugere accipitrem penna trepidante columba,
Ut folet accipiter trepidas urgete columbas.
compafs the Lord with lies and deceit. But Fudab get ruleth with God, a Theocracy was as yet acknowledged and fupported among them; God ruled in the midft of them, and they ruled with him; their kings ruled in the fear of God, and according to his laws, ftatutes, and appointment, and not their own; particularly in the days of Hezekiah, which may be here refpected, the people retained and practifed the true worfhip and fervice of God; which as it is the trueft liberty, fo is the higheft honour and dignity: fuch are rulers with God, as all the Lord’s people, all that believe in Chrift are; they are made by his grace kings and princes; and they appear to be fo by their new birth; they are clothed, fed, and guarded as princes, as the fons of a king, as kings themfelves; they have the riches and power of kings; they are poffeffed of a kingdom of grace now, which is within them, and where grace reigns, thro’ righteoufnefs, over their lufts and corruptions; and great power, like princes, have they in prayer with God, and are heirs of the kingdom of glory, as well as fhall reign with Chrift.on earth. Gufetius renders it, Judah yet weeps with God; as his father Facod did, imitating him, as in ch. xii. 4: and is faithful with the faints; which Kimchi’s father intreprets of God himfelf; and fo Lyra, and according to him Farchi: and then the fenfe is, and he, that is, God, 4s faithful with the faints; in fulfilling all his counfels, purpofes, and defigns of grace concerning them; in making good his covenant with them, and his promifes unto them; and by bringing them to the enjoyment of all that grace and glory he calls them to: but this is rather an epithet of Fudab; who kept to the word and worfhip of the true God, as the faints of old, their anceftors had one; walked in the good old way, in the way of
Ch. xu. ¥. 3. good men, and kept the paths of the righteous.; abode by the true priefts of the Lord, who were fet apart and fanctified for that office; and hearkened to the prophets, the holy men of God, who fpake to them, being moved by the Holy Spirit: and adhered firmly to the holy things ®, as it may be rendered; to the holy temple, and the worfhip’ in it; to the holy facrifices, altars, @c. when the ten tribes departed from them: and fo this may be applied to the faithful in Chrift Jefus, that believe in him truly, and continue in the faith of him jn all ages; and who are faithful with the boly ones 1; the fame with God in the former claufe; fo Kimchi interprets it, and fo the word is ufed in Prov,. ix. 10, and xxx. 3. fee Fo/b. xxiv. 19. that is, with Father, Son, and Spirit; with the Father, when they-worfhip -him in fpirit and truth; with ” the Son, when they cleave to him with full purpofe of heart; with the Spirit, when they walk after him, and give to each the glory due unto them:.or rather, faithful with boly men*, fanétified by the Spirit and grace of God; as they are, when they hold faft the faith delivered to the faints without mixture or wavering, with courage and manlinefs; tho’ the greater number is againft them, and they are reproached and perfecuted for fo doing; when they abide by the ordinances of Chrift, as they were delivered, and keep them in faith and love, without finifter views; when they continue ftedfaftly. in the communion of the faints, attending with them on the word and ordinances, and do not forfake their afiembling together; and when they conftantly exhort and {tir up one another to the duties of religion, and faithfully admonifh and reprove each other as there is occafion for it.