Exposition of the Whole Bible

fore-named fhould dwell here, and utter their doleful founds, who otherwife would not have come near them: defclation fhall be in the threfoolds, there being none to go in and out over them. The S tuagint verfion, and which is followed by the Vulgate Latin and Arabic verfions, render it, the ravens Shall be in its gates, miftaking 3M defolation, fox.

34y.2 raven: for be foall uncover the cedar-work; the enemy Nebuchadnezzar, or Nabopolaffar, when he fhould take the city, would unroof the: houfes cieled with cedar, and expofe all the fine cedar- work within to the inclemencies of the air, which a?

would foon come to ruin, All thefe expreffions are defigned to fet forth the utter ruin and d - was fo utterly deftroyed, as Lucian fays, that there is no trace of it to be found; and according to modern travellers, there are only heaps of rubbith to be feen, which are conjeétured’ to be’ the ruins of this city; fee the’note on Nahum i. 8.

¥. 15. This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelefly, &c.] Once exceeding populous, and the inhabitants full of mirth and gaiety, abounding with wealth and riches, and indulging themfelves in all carnal delights and pleafures;. and being well fortified, thought themfelves out of all danger, and were carelefs and unconcerned, not fearing any enemy that fhould attack them; imagining their city was impregnable and invincible: thefe are the words of the prophet, concluding his prophecy concerning the deftruction of this city, and haying, by a fpirit of prophecy, a forefight of its ruin and defolation; or of paflengers, and what they fhould fay when they faw it lie in its ruins: that Lid in ber heart, IT am, and there is none befides ie this chapter the character of the city of $erufalem, and its inhabitants in general, is drawn, as it would be, and as it was, in the times of Chrift and his apoftles, ¥. 1, 2. and of the principal perfons of it in particular; its princes, judges, prophets and priefts, ¥. 3, 4. The hardnefs, impenitence and fhameleffhefs of this people are expofed and aggravated, by the juft Lord being among them; who, by his example and doétrine taught them otherwife; yet they were not amended, or made afhamed, y. 5. nor received inftruction, nor took warning by the judgments of God on other nations, ¥. 6, 7. wherefore the followers of God are called upon to wait his time, who would gather many people together, and deftroy the whole land of Fudea, ¥. 8. at which time he would fend his gofpel among the Gentiles, who fhould thereby be brought to the true worfhip and fervice of God, ¥. 9, 10. tho’ there fhould be a remnant among the Fews, according to the election of grace, that fhould be faved from that general calamity, ¥. 11, 12,13. and the fpiritual J/rae/ are encouraged with promifes of better times, when the ews in general fhould be converted and gathered into the church of God, have the prefence and protection of God with them, and deliverance from all their enemies, and be a praife among all people of the earth, ¥. 14—20.

¥. 1. Wo to ber that is filthy and polluted, &c.] Meaning the city of Yeru/alem, and its inhabitants; not as before the Badylonifh captivity, but after their return from it, under the fecond temple, as Abarbinel owns; and even as in the times before, and at the coming of Chrift, and the preaching of his apoftles among them; as the whole feries of the prophecy, and the connexion of the feveral parts of it, fhew; and there are fuch plain inti- | mations of the conyerfion of the Gentiles, and of fuch an happy ftate of the ‘ews, in which they fhall fee evil no more, as can agree with no other tion of this vaft and populous’ city; and’ which | me, Or, is there any befides. me? there is noite; no city in the world to be compared to it for the: largenefS of the place, the ftrength of its walls, the number of its-inhabitants, its wealth and riches; at leaft fo fhe thought within herfelf, and was elated with thefe things; and concluded it would: never be otherwife with her; J am, and thall always continue fo: how is fhe become a defolation! what a defolate place is this! its walls broker down, its houfes demolifhed, its wealth and riches plundered, its inhabitants deftroyed; and now the hold and habitation of beafts of prey, and hateful birds: @ place for beafts to lie down in! and not for men to dwell in: this is faid, either as wondering, or as rejoicing at it, as follows: every one that paffeth by her and fees her in this ruinous ‘condition: fhall bifs and wag his band; in {corn and derifion, as pleafed with the fight; and having no pity and compaffion for her, remembring her cruelty to, and oppreffion of, others, when in her profperity; fee Nahum iii. 19.

times, than the times of the gofpel, both the beginning and latter part of them. The character of this city, and its inhabitants, is, that it was filthy and, polluted with murders, adulteries, oppreffion, rapine, and other fins: our Lord often calls them, a wicked and an adulterous generation; and yet they pretended to great purity of lifeand manners; and they were pure in their own eyes, tho’ not wafhed from their filthinefs; they took much pains to make clean the outfide of the cup, but within were full of impurity, Matt. xxi. 25—28. In the margin it is, wo to her that is gluttonous. The word is ufed for the craw or crop of a fowl, Lev.i. 16. hence fome render it ', wo to the craw; to the city that is all craw, to which Ferufalem is compared, for its devouring the wealth and fubftance of others. The fcribes and pharifees in Chrift’s time are faid to devour widows houfes, Matt. xxiii. 14. and this feems to be the fin with which they were defiled, and here charged with. Some think the word fignifies one that is publickly infamous; either made a public example of; or openly expofed, as fometimes filthy harlots are; or rather, one that has made herfelf infamous“ 5 by her fins and vices: fo the opprefing city; that oppreffed the poor, the widow, and the fatherlefs: This may have refpect to the inhabitants of Ferufalem {toning the prophets’ of the Lord fent unto them; to the difcouragements they laid the followers of Chrift-under, by not fuffering fuch to come to hear him that were inclined; threatning to caft them out of their fynagogues if they profefled him, which paffed into a law; and to their killing the Lord of life and glory, and the perfecution of his apoftles, minifters, and people; fed Matt. xxiii. 13, 37. Fobn ix. 22. 1 Theff. ii. 14, 15,16. Some render it, fo the city a dove “; being: like a filly dove without heart, as in Ho/-vit. 11. R. Azariah * thinks Ferufalem is fo called, becaufe in its works it was like Babylon, which had for its military fign on its ftandard, a dove; fee the ae on y. 2. She obeyed not the voice, &c.] Of his fervants the prophets, as the Targum, by way of explanation adds, who warned her of her fins, and of her ruin. The inhabitants of Ferufalem hearkened not to the voice of Zohn the Baptift, the forerunner of Chrift, who gave notice of his coming; nor to the voice of Chrift himfelf, who ftretched out his hand all the day to a difobedient and gainfaying people; nor to the voice of his apoftles, whole doétrines they contradicted and blafphemed; and put away the word of God from them, thereby judging themfelves unworthy of eternal life: se received not correttion, by the rod, by the judgments of God upon her: or inftruétion »; by the gofpel preached to her inhabitants. So the Zargum interprets it, ‘* fhe received not doétrine;” the doétrine of baptifm, repentance, and remiffion of fins, preached by Fohn; but rejected the counfel of God by him againft themfelves, Luke vii. 3. nor the do¢trine and inftruction of Chrift and his apoftles, tho’? of more worth than gold and filver; but on the contrary flighted and defpifed it, and rejected it with the utmoft contempt: foe trufted not in the Lerd; notin the word of the Lord, as the Zargum; the effential word Chrift Jefus; the word made flefh, and dwelling among them; they trufted in the law of Mo/es, and in their obedience to it; in their rites and ceremonies, and in the obfervance of them, and the traditions of their elders; they trufted in the flefh, in their carnal privileges; in their own legal righteoufnefs, and in themfelves, that they were righteous, and defpifed others;. and particularly the righteoufnefs of Chrift they fubmitted not unto; they trufted not in him, nor in that; tho’ they were told, that if they believed not that he was the Meffiah, they fhould die in their fins: fhe drew not near to her God; Immanuel, God manifeft in the flefh, who was promifed to the ews, and fent unto them, whom their fathers expected, and whofe God he was, and theirs alfo; being in his human nature of them, and God over all bleffed for ever; fo far were they from drawing near to him, and embracing him, that they hid, as it were, their faces from him; they would not come to him for life and light, for grace, righteoufnefs and falvation;

nor even to hear him preach, nor fuffer others to’

do the fame; but as much as in them lay hindered them from attending his miniftry, word and ordinances, The Targum is, ‘ fhe drew not nigh to ** the worfhip of her God.”

¥. 3. Her princes within her are roaring lions, &c.] Or, as roaring lions; there being a defect of the note of fimilitude; which is fupplied by the Largum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic verfions. This is to be underftood, not of the princes of the blood; but of civil magiftrates in common; the members of the grand Sanhedrin; the princes of the Fewsh world, that crucified the Lord of glory; and who gaped upon him with their mouths like ravening and roaring lions, as is foretold they fhould, P/- xxii. 12, 13. and who breathed out threatnings and flaughter againft the difciples of Chrift,; and by their menaces endeavoured to frighten and deter them from preaching in his name, and from a profeffion of him; fee 1 Cor.ii. 8. AGsiv.5,6,18. andy. 27,28: ber judges are evening-wolves; or like them, cruel, voracious,

never fatisfied; efpecially are very ravenous in the evening, having had no food all day; not daring, to go abroad in the day-time to feek their prey; fee Fer. v. 6. The Septuagint and, Arabic verfions read, wolves of Arabia; but wrongly; fee the note on Hab. i. 8. fuch rapacious, covetous judges were there in Chrift’s time; who gives us an inftance in one, by which we may judge of the reft; who feared not God, nor regarded men, Luke xviii. 2. fuch as thefe were hungry and greedy after gifts and bribes to pervert judgment, and to devour the poor, the widow, and the fatherlefs, on whom they had no mercy: they gnaw not the bones till the morrow or rather, in the morning *; that is, either they leave not the bones till the morning, as Farche and Kimchi interpret it; they are fo hungry, that — they eat up bones and all at once, and referve nothing for the next day; which exprefles both the greedinefs of thefe judges, and the total confumption of the eftates of men made by them: or elfe the fenfe is, that not having gnawn any bones in the morning, or eat any thing that day, hence they are fo greedy in the evening; and fo this laft claufe gives a reafon, why evening-wolves are fo voracious; for which fuch cruel judges are com= pared to them..

y.4. Her prophets are light and treacherous, &e.J The falfe prophets, as the Targum and Kimchiexplain it: thefe feem to defign the lawyers fpokem of in the New Teftament, whofe bufinefs it was — to interpret the law to the people; thefe were Aight men, good for nothing, of no worth and value; light in knowledge, as Kimchi. gives the fenfe of the word; men of no brains; empty headed men, that had no fubftantial knowledge; giddy, unftable and inconftant, and compliant with the humours and vices of the people; men of no gravity in their countenance, {peech and converiation. Schultens *, from the ufe of the word in the Arabic language, renders it, proud, as thefe men were, proud’ boafters; for tho’ they had but a fuperficial knowledge of things, they boafted of much, and carried it with an haughty and infolent air to the common people: and they were treacherous to God, and to his truths, and to the fouls of men, and took away the key of knowledge from them; and particularly were fo to Chrift, of whom they were the betrayers and murderers, delivering him up into — the hands of the Gentiles to be fcourged and crucifigd, Matt. xx. 18, 19: her priefts have polluted the fanéuary; the temple; by felling, or duffering to be fold in it, various things, whereby it became a den of thieves, which once was called an houfe of prayer, Matt, xxi. 12, 13. and alfo our Lord Jefus Chrift, of whom the fanctuary or temple was a type, by denying, blafpheming and reproaching him, and by fhedding his blood: # have done violence to the law, by not teaching it~ as they fhould; and by their falfe glofies, fenfes — and interpretations of it; and by the traditions of - the elders they preferred unto it, and whereby they made it void; fee Matt. v. andxv.

y. 5. The juft Lord is in the midft thereof, Bec.)

In the midft of the city of Ferufalem, where thofe — princes, judges, prophets and priefts were, thar behaved {o ill, and faw and obferved all their evil — actions; and yet they were not deterred from then by his prefence, even tho’ he is the juf and holy one, who loves righteoufnefs, and hates iniquity, and will punifh for it; nor were they di ected and — 4

Ch. iii allured to do what is righteous and good by his example. This character of the juft Lord well agrees with Chrift, who is perfectly righteous in both his natures, and in the execution of his offices; and is the author of righteoufnefs to his people; and this is to be underftood of his incarnation and perfonal prefence in human nature in Ferufalem, and in the temple, where he taught his doctrine, and wrought his miracles: be will not do iniquity; Chrift was holy in his nature, harmlefs - in his life; he knew no fin; he did not commit any; no violence was done by him, or guile found in him; he was not guilty of fin againft God, nor of doing any injury to men; and fhould have been imitated by the men of the age in which he lived, as well as by others; and fhould have been valued and efteemed, and not traduced and vilified as he was, as if he had been the worft of men: every morning doth be bring bis judgment to light; the doétrine of the gofpel, which he fet in the cleareft light, and preached with the greateft conflancy, day after day, morning by morning, and very early in the morning, when the people came to hear him in the temple; and he continued in it all the day; he waking morning by morning to this fervice, as was predicted of him, J/ 1. 4. fee Luke xxi. 37, 38: he faileth not; in this work of preaching the word, with the greateft evidence and affiduity: but the unjuft knoweth no fhame, thofe unjuft perfons, who afperfed the character of Chritt, and traduced his doctrine and miracles; tho’ there was nothing in his life, nor in his miniftry, that could be juftly blamed; yet they blufhed not at their fin and wickednefs; and tho’ they were fharply reproved by him, and their errors in principle, and fins in practice, were expofed by him, yet they were not afhamed; fuch were the hardnefs and obduracy of their hearts.

y¥. 6. I have cut off the nations, &c.] Utterly deftroyed them, as the Philiftines, Moabites, Etbiopians, and Affyrians, as in the preceding chapters; all which were done before the coming of Chrift in the fleflh; and by which inftances the Yews fhould have took warning, left by their fins they fhould provoke the Lord to deftroy their nation, city and temple: their towers are defolate, built on their frontiers, or on the walls of their cities to defend them; thefe were demolifhed, and laid wafte, and of no ufe: or, their corners ®; towers being ufually built on the angles or corners of walls. Some interpret this of their princes, nobles and great men, who were deftroyed; fee Zech. x. 4: I made their ftreets wafte, that none paffeth by, the ftreets of their cities, the houfes being pulled down by the enemy, the rubbifh of them lay in the ftreets, fo that there was no paffing for any; and indeed the houfes being demolifhed, the ftreets were no more in form: their cities are deftroyed, fo that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant; the houfes being burnt with fire, or pulled down, and plundered of the goods and fubftance in them; and the people cut off by famine, peftilence or fword; and the reft carried captive, there was {carce a man or inhabitant left; fo general was the deftruction.;

¥. 7.1 faid, furely thou wilt fear me, 8c.) This is fpoken after the manner of men; as if God fhould fay within himfelf, and reafon in his own mind, upon a view of things: furely the people of the Fews will take notice of my judgments executed on other nations, and will ftand in awe of me, on account of then; and fear to offend me, left the fame calamities fhould come upon them: this, humanely fpeaking, might be reafonably thought would be the cafe: thou wilt receive in- Jrruétion, by thefe judgments, taking warning by them; repent, reform, and amend, and thereby efcape the like: fo their dwelling fhould not be cut off; or, its dwelling; the dwelling of the city of Ferufalem, the houfes in it; the dwelling places of the inhabitants of it; the fingular being put for the plural; unlefs the temple fhould be meant, as Abendana interprets it; and fo it may be rendered, bis dwelling *; their houfe,. which was left defolate to them, becaufe they feared not the Lord; nor received inftruction by the example of others; nor repented of their fins, and altered their courfe of lite; which, if done, their dwelling would have been preferved, Matt. xxiii. 38: bowfoever I punifhed them, or vifited* them; chaflized them in a gentle manner, in order to reform them, ‘but in vain. Some render it, all which I committed to them*; the oracles of God, his word and ordinances, his promifes, and the bleflings of his goodnefs, which he depofited with them, in order to do them good, and bring them to repentance. The Targum is, ‘all the good things which I have faid “© unto them (or promifed them), I will bring unto “them;” and to the fame fenfe Farchi. The goodnefs of God fhould have brought them to repentance, yet it did not: dut they rofe early, and corrupted all their doings; they were diligent and induftrious, eager and early in the commiffion of fins, in doing corrupt and abominable works; receiving and tenacioufly adhering to the traditions of the elders; feeking to eftablifh their own righteoufnefs, not fubmitting to Chrift’s; rejecting him the true Meffiah; blafpheming his doétrines, ’ defpifing his ordinances, and perfecuting his people; befides other vices, which abounded among them; for which the wrath of God came upon them to the uttermoft, as expreffed in the following verfe. ¥. 8. Therefore wait ye upon me, faith the Lord, &ce.] Or neverthelefs‘: this is faid to the difciples and followers of Chrift among the Yews; for there were fome few that did fear the Lord; and received his doctrine, and fubmitted to his ordinances, and walked in his ways; and thefe are

-encouraged to wait upon the Lord; upon the word of the Lord, as the Zargum; or for him, and to expect that he would appear, and work falvation and deliverance for them, when diftrefs fhould come upon the unbelieving Fews: until the day that I rife up to the prey; until the day that he rofe from the dead, quickly after which he afcended to heaven, leading captivity captive; fatan, and his principalities and powers, which he made a prey and {fpoil of upon the crofs: or, till I rife up for 4 teftimony, or witnefs *; of his being the true Meffiah; for his refurrection from the dead was the fignal he gave as a teftimony of it, Matt. xii. 39, 40. Some render it, til I rife up to perpetuity; or, for ever”; for when Chrift rofe from the dead, he rofe to an immortal life, never to die more;

© Omne id quod commendavi illi, Cocceius.

preferve them unto it; and therefore they have great encouragement to wait upon him, and for him: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may affemble the kingdoms, not the Chaldeans or Babylonians, as fome; nor the armies of Gog and Magog, as Kimchi; but the Romans under 77- tus Vefpafian, with whom were people of many nations, who came againft Ferufalem, acccording to the decree, will and appointment of God: #0 pour upon them mine indignation, even all my. frerce anger; not upon the nations and kingdoms affembled; but by them upon the inhabitants of Ferzfalem and Fudea, againft whom they would be gathered; who had corrupted their doings, and provoked the Lord to ftir up, and pour out all his wrath upon them, in utterly deftroying their nation, city and temple: and the apoftle {peaking of the fame thing, at leaft of the beginning of it, calls it, wrath upon them to the uttermoft; and which anfwers to the expreffions of the Lord’s indignation, and all his fierce anger here ufed, 1 The f.

iji.16: for all the earth fall be devoured with the fire of my jealoufy; not the whole world, and the feveral nations of it; but the whole land of Fudea, and its inhabitants. The fame phrafe is ufed of the deftruction of it by the Babylonians, ch. i. 18. and which fhews, that not that deftruction, but the deftruction by the Romans, is here meant; or otherwife a tautology is here committed; but the following words fhew clearly that this refpects, not the former, but the latter deftruction of Ferufalem, fince a pure language was not given to the nations or Gentiles after the deftruction of Ferufalem by the Badylonians; but has been fince it was deftroyed by the Romans and which was in a few years after Chrift’s refurrection from the dead, predicted in the beginning of this verfe; by which may be obferved, the connexion of things in this prophecy.

¥. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, &c.| That is, at or about the time of the deftruction of Ferufalem by the Romans; when the Yews, both in their own land, and in the Gentile world, would have the gofpel firft preached to them, but would reject it; upon which the apoftles and firft minifters of the word would turn to the Gentiles, as the Lord commanded them; when he would turn or change his fpeech and Janguage towards them, and their fpeech and language towards him would be turned and changed alfo: for the words may be taken either way; either of God’s fpeech to the Gentiles, which” is his gofpel fent unto them; as it was quickly after Chrift’s refurreCtion from the dead, and the rejection of it by the Fews; for many hundred years the Lord took no notice of them; winked at the times of their ignorance; fent no prophet to them, nor any meffage by any one to inftruét them; yea he fpake roughly to them, in a providential way; in the way of his judgments; particularly they raging and imagining vain things againft his Meffiah, he fpake to them in his wrath, and’ vexed them in his fore difpleafure; fee As xvii. 30. Pf. ii. 1, 5. but now he alters the tone of his voice, changes his language, and fends his gofpel to them; which is a laxguage of love, grace and mercy; of peace, pardon, righteoufnefs and fal— vation; encouraging fouls to believe in Chrift for

LEP AA NIA H. and ever live he does to make interceflion for his! people, to fecure their happinefs for them, and to.

thofe things: and this is a pure {peech or language;

a pure doctrine, fetched out of the facred feriptures; free from the drofs of error; unmixed, confiftent, and all of a piece; and which has a tehdency to promote purity of heart, life and converfation: or, is a choice /peech*, as fome renc it; it fpeaks of choice things, more valuable than — gold and filver, pearls and precious ftones; the doétrines of it being an ineftimable treafure, the unfearchable riches of Chrift; and this, by the — commiffion of Chrift, upon his refurrection from the dead, was ordered to be fpoke unto all nations, Matt. xxviil. 19. Mark xvi. 15. or this may refpect the different language fpoken by the converted Gentiles, when the gofpel fhéuld come with power to them; who fhould fpeak, as all converted perfons do, a different language than they fpake before; inftead of fwearing and curfing, lying, filthy and frothy fpeaking, now they fpeak the language of repentance towards God, confeffing their fins, and praying for the pardon of thems the language of faith im Chrift, firft in a more weak and feeble manner, then with more ftrength — and affurance, believing their intereft in him, and in the everlafting love of God, and the covenant of gtace; the language of love to Chrift, his peo ple, truths and ordinances; a foul-abafing, Chriftexalting, and free grace magnifying-language; the language of praife and gratitude for mercies received, temporal and fpiritual; and efpecially for Chrift, and grace, and glory by him: they then fpeak the language of gracious experience to one another; and in the language of the fcriptures, in the taught words of the Holy Ghoft; and in common converfation, their language is pure, and free from that corruption and vitiofity it was before tainted with: this arifes from purenefs of heart; from a rich experience of the grace of God; from the teachings of the Spirit of God; and which bewrays a man, and fhews that he has been with Jefus; this is the language of Canaan, If. xix. 18: that they may all call upon the name of the Lord; which fometimes takes in the whole worfhip and fervice of Gods; but fince that is after exprefied, it rather intends in particular, prayer to God; for which men are fitted and qualified, by having a pure language turned to them; or thro’ the gofpéel coming with power on them; and by viitue of efficacious grace converting them, and caufing them to fpeak differently from what they did before; and then it is their voice is heard in prayer to God; and which is delightful and pleafant to him, “és ix. 11. Cant. ii. 14. and this is the cafe of all fuch that have this pure language; there is not a prayerlefs foul among them: it follows; to ferve bitm with one confent; or, with one fooulder*; the allufion is, either to bearers of ‘burdens, that join together in carrying any burden, who put fhoulder to fhoulder as they carry it; or elfe to oxen drawing ina yoke, who are yoked together fhoulder by fhoulder; hence the Septuagint verfion renders it, wader one yoke; in which it is followed by the Syriac and Arabic verfions. The phrafe fignifies, — that the Gentiles having the gofpel brought to them, and they called by it, and all fpeaking the fame language, fhould join in fellowfhip with one another, and fing the praifes of God together; — agree in prayer to afk of God the fame things; - ftand faft in the faith of the gofpel, and ftrivefor it, being of the fame mind; meet conftantly toge-

Ch.ut ¥.co—i2. ZEPHANIAH.

ther to carry on the feveral branches of religious worthip, and promote the Redeemer’s intereft; all drawing the fame way, like a company of: horfes in Pbaraob’s chariots; having one: heart, and’ one way given them to fear the Lord; and fo with one mind, and: one mouth glorify God;, fo Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret: it, with one heart, and one mind. This paflage is. applied to the times of the Méffiah by.the Fews, ancient and moerat ou: j ~¥. 10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, 8c.) Hither the dfrican: Ethiopia, or Arabia Chufea, which lay betweem Fudea and Egypt: here fome: particular places and» people are mentioned, in whom the preceding prophecy would be fulfilled. If thefe rivers of Ethiopia are fuch as) ran in the midft of the country,: and fo point: at fome ‘parts ‘of it, tho’ on the:other fide of them then this prophecy might have its accomplifhment, at leaft, when the evangelift Matthew went thither, and preached the gofpel, and) very likely the apoftle Paul; as alfo when the £tbiapien eunuch was converted, who doubtlefs: didywhat im him lay to promote the intereft of Chrift in thofe parts... Ben Melech: makes this parallel with, and illuftrates it by // xviii: 15-7. dee the notes there; but. if thefé) defign rivers: on the furthermoft borders of the country, which divided it-from® others, then:Egypt, which lay ‘beyond it, feems to be intended); and! fo the prophecy, in connexion: with the foregoing verfe, is the fame with J/. xix. 18. in that-day fhall five cities in the lend of Egypt foeak the language of Canaan; of thefe rivers of Ethiopia, whether in Africa or Arabia Chufea; fee the note on Jf -xviii..1. The Targum renders it, ‘¢ beyond the rivers of India.” my fuppliants,:even the daughter: of my difperfed; _ ben Exra, Kimchi, Abarbinel, and Ben Melech, take the words: Atharai Bath-pufai,-to be the proper name of a nation or family beyond the rivers of Ethiopia '; whereas, they are-characters which: defcribe perfons*there, who fhould have the pure Janguage turned.to them, and call on the name of the Lord’; even fuch, who being made fenfible of fin, and of their danger, would be humble fupplicants at the throne of grace, and pray to the, Lord for the difcovery and application of pardoning grace and mercy to them, agreeable to the prophecy in Pf. \xviii. 31. princes fhall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia fhall foon firetch out ber hands unto God; that is, in prayer: and thefe are the fons and daughters of the Almighty, who-are fcattered abroad in’ the feveral parts of the world, and among the reftin here; but as they are gathered together by Chrift in redemption, fo they are found out, and reached by efficacious grace im vocation, whether ‘fews or Gentiles. Some think the ews are here meant, even the elect of God among them, who were difperfed in feveral nations, and particularly in Egypt and Ethiopia; who were met with by the gofpel, and converted in the firft times of it; to thefe Peter and James direct their epiftles: and of whom, being called by grace, it is faidj they shall bring mine offering; themfelvesas an offering to the Lord, fouls and bodies, with all other fpiritual facrifices of prayer, praife and well doing; and likewife fuch perfons they may be the inftruments of the. converfion of, called the offering of the Gentiles, Rom, xv. 16.

¥. 11. In that day foalt thou-not be afoamed for all thy doings, wherein thou haft tranfgreffed againft me, &c.] Becaufe thefe fhall not be continued in, but repented of, and. forfaken and. befides, thal] be forgiven, blotted out, covered, and remembered no more; fo that they fhall not be charged with them, condemned for them, or be confounded before God, angels and men, on account of them; not but that fhame always arifes from a true fenie of fin; and the more, as it is beheld in the glafs of: pardoning love, which is a branch of true evangelical repentance, at leaft a fruit and evidence of it, Ezek. xvi. 63. but then fuch are not afhamed to appear before.God; but can with an holy confidence ftand in his fight, their fins being pardoned,.and their perfons juftified. This. refpeéts the chriftian church or churches in Judea, the few that believed in Chrift, called, in a following verte the remnant of J/rae/, at the time when the generality of the people of the Jews rejected the Mei fiah, and their city and temple were deftroyed, and the Lord turned the pure language of the gofpei to the Gentiles: for then I will take away. out of the midft of thee. them that rejoice in thy pride, the fcribes and’ pharifees, and thofe that adhered to them of the Fewi/h nation, who rejoiced. in thofe things, which that people generally prided themfelves in, and boafted of; their defcent from 4oraham their obfervance of the rites and ceremonies of the:law; and the traditions of theirelders, and their external legal righteoufnels; and. they. rejoiced in their-boaftings of thefe things, which rejoicing was evil; and they, in, the pride’ of their hearts, defpifed Chrift and his righteoufnels, ‘his gofpel, ordinances, and people, which were the things in *which’ they tranfereffed againft the Lord,:and for which they were taken away by the fword, famine and peftilence, at -the deftruction of Feruja-. lem: this'is further explained by the next claufe:

and thou foalt no more be haughty becaufe of mine holy mountain; the temple; or, ia” it; fince; it, fhould now be’ deftroyed: the Yews gloried in the temple, and behaved» proudly and haughtily on the account of it; reckoned themfelves fecure, becaufe of that; and trufted and gloried in the facrifices there offered up, and the fervices there performed; fee Fer. vit. 4.

y. 12. I will alfo leave in the midft of thee an affiitied and poor people, &c.| Of a character jut the reverfe of the proud and haughty, that fhould be removed from Ferufalem and Fudea by death or captivity; thefe are they that thould be preferved from the general calamity, as the chriftians were, and-were left in the church of God: thefe were an affiiéted people, as the Lord’s people in all ages are afflicted with a body of fin; with the temptations of fatan; with the hidings of God’s face; with bodily infirmities, and with the reproaches and perfecutions of men; the firft chriftians, both among Fews and Gentiles, jultly- bore this character, efpecially with refpeét to the laft article: and they were alfo poor, for the moft part the poor of this world, being ftript of their worldly enjoyments for the fake of Chrift; but efpecially poor in fpirit, broken hearted, contrite, lowly ones; that had a mean opinion of themfelves, modetft, meek and humble; fenfible of their fpiritual poverty, and feeking after the true riches of Brace

Aben Ezra in Pf. exlix. 7. 1 So Menaffeh