Explanatory Notes upon the Old and New Testaments

A prediction of the ruin of the king of Tyre, ver. 1-10. A lamentation for him, ver. 11-19. A prediction of the destruction of Zidon, ver. 20-23. The restoration of Israel, ver. 24-26.

2. Hast said - In thy heart. In the seat of God - Safe and impregnable as heaven itself. A man - Subject to casualties, sorrows, and distresses. Set thine heart - Thou hast entertained thoughts, which become none but God.

3. Wiser - In thy own thoughts. Daniel - Who was then famous for his wisdom.

7. The beauty - Those beautiful things, in which thy wisdom appeared.

10. The deaths - Temporal and eternal. Of the uncircumcised - Of the wicked, an accursed death.

12. Thou sealest up - Thou fanciest that fulness of wisdom, and perfection of beauty are in thee.

13. In Eden - In the midst of all delights. The workmanship - Now the prophet notes their joys, musick, and songs, both to loud, and to softer musick, as the lute, and tabret in the day of their kings coronation, and all this on instruments of most exquisite make, and of their own artists work; in this they exceeded as in the other. Created - King: in the day of thy coronation.

14. Cherub - For thy wisdom, power, and excellency, like a cherub, or angel; for the sacredness of thy person, and office, as the anointed of God; for the exercise of thy power, as a shield, as a protector of the weak. And I - I, whom thou forgetest have made thee so. Thou wast - Thou wast advanced to kingly dignity, (which David calls a mountain, Psalm xxx, 7,) a sacred office, and of divine institution. In the midst - Surrounded with stones, that sparkle like fire.

15. Thou wast perfect - Is not this an irony?

16. I will cast - Out thy kingly dignity.

17. Corrupted - Depraved, or lost thy wisdom. Behold thee - That thou mayst be a spectacle, and warning to them.

18. I will bring thee - Thou shalt be burnt to ashes, and trampled under feet.

19. All - All that have formerly known thy riches, power, allies, and wisdom.

22. Zidon - A city, northwest from Canaan, a king's seat of old, and from which Tyre descended. I will be glorified - When my judgments make my justice, power and truth appear, both you, and others shall confess my glory. Sanctified - Owned as holy, reverenced as just, obeyed as sovereign.

23. And blood - Bloody war by an enemy, that shall bring the war to the gates, nay into the streets of Zidon. Judged - Be punished in the midst of the city. The sword - By the sword of her enemies.

24. A pricking briar - By these two metaphors the prophet points out the troublesome neighbours of the Jews, such as Moab, Ammon, Edom, Tyre, and Zidon. This never had a full accomplishment yet. But it will, for the scripture cannot be broken.

25. Sanctified - I was dishonoured by the Jews in the sight of the heathen, and I will be honoured by the Jews in their sight.

A prediction of the destruction of Pharaoh, for his treacherous dealing with Israel, ver. 1-7. A prediction of the desolation of Egypt, ver. 8-12. A promise of the restoration thereof in part, ver. 13-16. A prediction of Nebuchadrezzar's passing it, ver. 17-20. A promise of mercy to Israel, ver. 21.

1. The tenth year - Of Jeconiah's captivity.

3. The great dragon - The crocodile; our prophet, as well as Isaiah, compares the Egyptian king to that devouring serpent, or dragon. That lieth - Not only at rest, but waiting for prey. My river - My kingdom, power, riches, and forces, all the strength and glory of Egypt.

4. Put hooks - The Allegory is continued. The fish - The people of Egypt. To stick - To adhere to their king.

5. Leave thee - When thus brought out, I will leave thee. The wilderness - The deserts of Libya and Syene. All the fish - The whole army of the Egyptians. The open fields - There was this king and his army ruined. Gathered - These were not buried, but left in the wilderness, a prey to wild beasts, and birds.

7. Rent - Didst them much mischief instead of benefiting them, as thou hast promised, Jer. xxxvii, 7.

10. Syene - Boundary between Ethiopia and Egypt; that is, all Egypt from northeast to southwest.

11. Forty years - These forty years began about the thirtieth year of Jeconiah's captivity, and end with the seventieth year of the captivity, which was the first of Cyrus.

14. Pathros - The southern part of Egypt, in which was the famous city Thebae, known for its hundred gates. Their habitation - The ancient habitation of their fathers. A base - A low, tributary, dependent kingdom.

15. No more rule - Though in the times of the Ptolemeys, it was considerable, yet then, even then it did not rule the nations about her.

16. Which - Which sinful reliance on the arm of flesh provoked God to call to mind their other iniquities. When - When they forgot God, and respected Egypt. They - The house of Israel.

17. In the seven and twentieth year - Of Jeconiah's captivity, the year after the conquest of Tyre.

18. Caused - The army, and commanders were weary of the siege, but the immovable resolution of the king kept them on. A great service - It was service to the justice of God. It was great service both for hardness of work, heaviness of burdens, and length of the siege, thirteen years together. Made bald - Through age, or sicknesses, or continued wearing of helmets. Peeled - Galled with carrying burdens. No wages - For though Tyre was very rich, when first besieged, much wealth was carried away during the siege, much spent and wasted in the siege, and what was left, preserved by articles of surrender.

19. Her multitude - Common people, who shall be made captives, and servants or slaves. Her prey - What she had before taken from others. The wages - God will be behind-hand with none, who do any service for him; one way or other he will recompence them. None shall kindle a fire at his altar for nought.

20. They - The Babylonians. For me - God's work was doing by them, tho' they thought nothing less.

21. The horn - Jehoiakim, who was then advanced by Evil- Merodach. The opening of the mouth - Thou shalt have liberty, to open thy mouth in comforting the good among them, and to give praise to God.

The steps by which Nebuchadrezzar would destroy Egypt, ver. 1-19. A repetition of a former prophecy against it, ver. 20-26.

2. Ye - Inhabitants of Egypt.

3. A cloudy day - So times of trouble are called. Of the heathen - The time when God will reckon with the Heathens.

4. Ethiopia - The neighbour and ally to Egypt. Take away - Into miserable captivity. Her foundations - Their government, laws, and strong holds.

5. Lydia - Not the Asiatic, but the Africans placed between some part of Cyrene and Egypt. The mingled people - The hired soldiers from all parts, a confused mixture of nations. And Chub - The inhabitants of the inmost Libya; perhaps they may be the Nubians at this day. The men - All the allies of Egypt. With them - With the Egyptians.

6. Upheld - Those that favour and help her. The pride - The glory of all her strength.

7. They - All those before mentioned.

8. Destroyed - The fire that consumes nations is of God's kindling: and when he sets fire to a kingdom, all they that go about to quench the fire, shall be consumed by it.

9. Messengers - Such as having escaped the sword, shall tell the news. From me - By my permission and providence. In ship's - Messengers by ships might carry the news to both the Ethiopian, Asian, and African, by the Red-sea. As in the day - During the mighty havock made by the Chaldeans. It - A like storm.

11. His people - His own subjects, not hired soldiers.

12. The rivers dry - Probably the Chaldeans diverted them, and so their fortified towns wanted one great defense. Sell - Give it up entirely.

13. Noph - Memphis, now Grand Cairo, the chief city of the country. A prince - Either an Egyptian born, or independent, and over all Egypt. A fear - Consternation and cowardice.

14. In Zoan - Zoan shall be burnt down to ashes. In No - A great and populous city situate on one of the mouths of the Nile.

15. Sin - Pelusium, which was the key of Egypt, and therefore always well fortified, and strongly garrisoned.

16. Shall be rent - Her walls, and towers, and fortresses broken through by the violence of engines, and by the assaults of the soldiers.

17. Young men - 'Tis probable these might be a body of valiant youths, collected out of these ten cities. Aven - Bethshemesh, or Heliopolis, an idolatrous city, in which was a stately temple of the sun: an hundred and fifty furlongs, that is six miles and three quarters in compass. Phibeseth - Bubastus, sometimes called Hoephestus, not far from Aven.

18. Tehaphnehes - A great and goodly city of Egypt; Tachapanes, Tachpanes, Tahapanes, Tahpanes, Chanes, and Hanes, are names given it, and this from a queen of Egypt of that name in Solomon's time. It stood not far from Sin, or Pelusium. Darkened - A night shall come upon it. Break - I shall break the kingdom of Egypt, that it no more oppress with yokes, that is, burdens. Her daughters - Her towns and villages.

20. The eleventh year - Of Jeconiah's captivity, three months and two days before Jerusalem was taken, about the time that the Egyptians attempted to raise the siege of Jerusalem.

21. Have broken - Partly by the victory of the Chaldeans over Pharaoh-necho, partly by the victory of the Cyreneans over Pharaoh-hophra. The sword - None can heal the wounds that God gives but himself. They whom he disables, cannot again hold the sword.

22. His arms - Both his arms. The strong - That part of his kingdom which remains entire. Broken - That which was shattered before.

25. Will strengthen - As Judges on the bench like Pilate, so generals in the field, like Nebuchadrezzar, have no power but what is given them from above.

The greatness and power of the king of Assyria, ver. 1-9. His security and destruction, ver. 10-17. This applied to Pharaoh, ver. 18.

2. His multitude - His numerous subjects.

3. A cedar - Like the most goodly cedar for strength and beauty.

4. The waters - Cedars grow great by the water-courses. The deep - The sea sent out her waters, which gave being to the rivers, that watered him. His plants - The provinces of this mighty kingdom, that were like plants about a great tree. All the trees - To all his subjects.

5. All the fowls - All kind of men, nobles, merchants, husbandmen. Made their nests - Settled their habitations. In his boughs - In his kingdom, in the cities and towns of it. All great nations - No nation that was great at that time, but, sought the friendship of this kingdom.

8. The cedars - The greatest kings. Garden of God - In the most fruitful gardens. Hide - Could not ever top, and shade him. The fir-trees - Lesser kings, and kingdoms, were not equal to his boughs. Nor any tree - All summed up, none like him in all the kingdoms of the world.

11. Him - The proud king of Assyria, Sardanapalus. The mighty one - Arbaces, who first struck at the root of this Cedar, might well be styled the mighty one of the heathen, since he could bring together four hundred thousand of Medes, Persians, Babylonians, and Arabians.

12. Strangers - Foreigners.

14. To the end - All this is designed to be a warning to mortals. All the trees - The emperors, kings, or flourishing states. By the waters - Planted most commodiously, and furnished most abundantly with power and wealth. The children of men - As common men, of no quality or distinction.

15. He - The king of Assyria. A mourning - There was much lamentation. Fainted - Probably there were portentous signs in the sea, and great waters, and the rivers, and among the trees.

16. Shake - All that heard the noise of his fall, trembled at it. Cast him down - Brought the king and kingdom, as a dead man to the grave among them, that before were dead and buried. All the trees - All kings, and particularly the greatest. All that drink water - Enjoyed great power, riches, and glory. Comforted - He speaks to the dead with allusion to the manner of the living, who rejoice to see the proud brought low.

17. They also - His neighbouring kings. Hell - Perished with him, and went to those whom God had slain for their pride and wickedness. They that were his arm - His loyal and faithful subjects and friends, on whom he relied, and by whom he acted.

18. Yet - Thou shalt be like them in thy fall. Thou shalt lie - As unclean, despised, loathsome and under a curse. This is - This will be their end.

The destruction of Egypt is represented under the similitude of killing a lion and a crocodile, ver. 1-16. Under that of the funeral of a great general, ver. 17-30.

1. Twelfth year - Of the captivity of Jeconiah.

2. Like a young lion - Spoiling all thou canst. Crocodile - The crocodiles lay in the rivers, though sometimes they went down the river to the sea. With thy rivers - Raisedst mighty armies, and didst lead them out against thy neighbours. The waters - The people, and kings near thee. Thy feet - With thy soldiers. Fouledst - Didst spoil all the conveniences of thy neighbours.

3. With a company - In the countries, where these creatures were hunted, they went in mighty companies.

4. Leave thee - This was literally fulfilled in the deserts of Lybia, where the slain of Hophra's army, were left to be devoured by fowls and beasts.

5. With thy height - With the carcasses of thy princes.

6. Even to the mountains - Blood shall be poured forth, as if it were to rise to the very mountains. Full of thee - O thy blood, and of thy carcasses cast into them.

7. Put thee out - As a torch is extinguished. Cover the sun - Probably some unusual darkness was seen in the heavens, and on the earth, about that time.

9. Thy destruction - The fame of it. Not known - Such as were strangers to Egypt, shall be troubled with apprehension of what mischief may come upon the world from so mighty a conqueror.

10. Shall tremble - Be greatly afraid, lest Nebuchadnezzar, who is God's sword, should smite them. Every man - Every one of the kings, whose kingdoms are near to Egypt.

13. All the beasts - The sheep, and oxen devoured, or driven away: the horses taken up to mount the horsemen, whose own horses were tired, or spoiled. Great waters - The pasture lying along the river side. Trouble them - There shall be so few men left in Egypt, that they shall not as formerly, disturb the waters by digging, swimming, or rowing on them. Nor the hoofs - So few horses or cows, that they shall not at watering-times, or in the heat of the day, foul the waters.

14. Like oil - A figurative expression, signifying, there shall be such an universal sadness and heaviness upon the whole nation, that the very rivers which used to flow briskly, shall grow deep, and slow, and heavy.

15. Of that - Men and women, cattle, wealth, and peace.

16. This is the lamentation - This mournful account, which the prophet has given of Egypt.

18. Wail - Prepare the funeral ceremonies at the burial of Egypt. The daughters - And celebrate the funerals of other cities and kingdoms that lie buried in their own ruins. The nether parts of the earth - A well known description of the state of the dead. The pit - The Egyptians affected to be buried in the Pyramids, and their kings, and great ones, would be laid by themselves; but Ezekiel provides them their grave among common people, being buried just where they fall.

19. Whom - Art thou better than others that thou shouldest not die, and be laid in the dust, as well as they. Go - Go down like others. With the uncircumcised - Among profane and loathed carcasses, such the uncircumcised were in the opinion of the circumcised, as were the Egyptians.

20. They - The Egyptians. She - The whole Egyptian kingdom. Draw - And throw them together into the pit.

21. Him - The king of Egypt. The grave - Where they lie without strength, as dead mortals, tho' while they lived, they bore themselves, as gods. That help - His helpers, dead before him, shall speak to him. Gone down - To the grave. They lie - Neglected, and forgotten.

22. Ashur - The famous, warlike, king of Assyria. Is there - In the state of the dead, in the land of darkness and oblivion. Her company - Princes, soldiers, subjects, and confederates. Are about him - They are about him, who were slain with him.

23. Whose graves - Here is supposed a spacious vault, in the midst whereof the king of Ashur lies, and round the vault, his familiar captains and commanders. Her company - The common subjects of the Assyrian empire, all buried undistinguished about her. Her grave - The ruins of an empire are its grave. In the land - While they were in the land of the living.

24. Elam - The Persians, and their famous kings, who lived in former days. Their shame - God, and man poured contempt upon them, and turned their glory into shame.

25. A bed - The Persians had their coffins, in which with balms and spices, the dead were kept, in the midst of places provided for them; in such is the king of Elam here placed with his slaughtered captains about him. All the honour he can now pretend to, is to be buried in the chief sepulchre.

26. Her multitude - With the Cappadocians and Albanians, the Scythians may be included, many of whom were next neighbours to them.

27. They - The leaders of these Scythians were not buried with a pomp like that of Ashur, or Elan, but surprised by Halyattes and Cyaxares, were cut off with all their multitude, and tumbled into pits with the rabble. With their weapons - A ceremony observed in pompous funerals of great captains, to have their weapons, and their armour carried before the hearse. Laid their swords - In their graves, as if they could sleep the sweeter there, when they laid their heads on such a pillow: These barbarous Scythians were not so buried. Their iniquity - The exemplary punishment of their iniquity shall be seen upon their bones unburied.

28. Thou - Chief of Mesech, and Tubal. Shalt be broken - Shalt be killed with the rest of thy wicked followers. Shalt lie - Without regard, hurled into the pit with common soldiers.

29. With the uncircumcised - The Edomites retained circumcision, being of the seed of Abraham. But that shall stand them in no stead: they shall lie with the uncircumcised.

30. Of the north - Tyrians, Assyrians, and Syrians, who lay northward from Judea, now swallowed up by the Babylonian. Of their might - When it appeared too weak to resist the enemy. Uncircumcised - Scorned, and cast out as profane and loathsome.

31. Comforted - Poor comfort! Yet all that he will find!

32. My terror - These tyrants were a terror to the world by their cruelty; and God hath made them a terror by his just punishments; and so, saith God, will I do with Pharaoh. Come and see the calamitous state of human life! See what a dying world this is! The strong die, the mighty die; Pharaoh and all his multitude! But here is likewise an allusion to the final and everlasting death of impenitent sinners. Those that are uncircumcised in heart, are slain by the sword of Divine Justice. Their iniquity is upon them, and they bear their shame forever.

The duty of a spiritual watchman, ver. 1-9. A declaration of the safety of penitents, and the destruction of apostates, ver. 10- 20. A message to those who flattered themselves with hopes of safety, tho' they repented not, ver. 21-29. A reproof of those who approved the word of God, but did not practice it, ver. 30-33.

6. Is taken away - Punished by the Lord for his sin.

10. Our sins - The unpardoned guilt, and the unsupportable punishment of our sins, in the wasting of our country, burning our city, abolishing the publick worship of God; we shall pine away, 'tis too late to hope. How - How can it be better with us?

21. Smitten - Taken and plundered.

22. Opened my mouth - Not that the prophet was utterly dumb before, for he had prophesied against many nations, only he was forbidden to say anything of the Jews, But now the spirit moved him to speak, and continued his motion, 'till the messenger came, and ever after.

24. They - Who were left behind, now come out of their holes, or returned from neighbouring countries, or permitted by the conqueror to stay and plant vineyards. Wastes - Places once fruitful and abounding with people, but now, made a desolate wilderness. He inherited - Our father had a right to all this land, when but one; we his children though diminished, are many, and the divine goodness will surely continue to us both right and possession. Is given - It was given by promise to us, the seed, as well as to our progenitor; nay more, 'tis given us in possession, whereas Abraham had not one foot of it.

26. Ye stand - You trust to your sword; you do all with violence. Abominations - Idolatry.

30. The children - Captives in Babylon.

31. They come - As if they were really the people of God. They sit - So we find the elders of Judah, chap. viii, 1, so the disciples of the rabbis sat at their feet.

A charge against the shepherds of Israel, ver. 1-6. Their dismission from their trust, ver. 7-10. A promise, that God would take care of his flock, ver. 11-16. Another charge against the strong of the flock, for their injuring the weak, ver. 17-22. A promise of the Messiah, the great and good shepherd, ver. 23-31.

2. The shepherds - The rulers of the people kings, magistrates, and princes; as also priests, and prophets. Of Israel - The two tribes, and the few out of the ten that adhere to the house of David. That feed - Contrive their own ease, advantage, and honour.

3. Ye kill - You contrive methods, to take first the life, and next the estate of the well-fed, the rich and wealthy. But - You take care to lead, protect, provide for, and watch over them.

4. The diseased - The weak and languishing. Bound up - Oppressors in the state, or church, broke many then, but these shepherds bound them not up.

5. No shepherd - No vigilant, faithful shepherd. Became meat - Were made a prey of, and devoured by all their neighbours.

12. In the cloudy and dark day - In the time of general distress.

16. The fat - The powerful and rich. I will feed - I will judge and punish them.

17. I judge - Between men and men, between the smaller and weaker, and the greater and stronger, as their different state requires I will do. The rams - Rulers, who also shalt be dealt with according to their behaviour.

18. But ye must tread down - You great ones, eat the fat, and sweet; and what you cannot eat, you waste and spoil. The deep waters - Which are sufficient for all.

20. I will judge - I will vindicate the poor. The fat cattle - The rich. The lean - The poor.

23. One shepherd - Christ, the great good, chief, only shepherd, that laid down his life for his sheep. My servant David - The seed of David, the beloved one, who was typified by David, and is in other places called by his name, as Jer. xxx, 9 chap. xxxvii, 24 Isaiah xxxvii, 35 Hosea iii, 5. He shall feed - Do all the office of a good and faithful shepherd, and that forever.

24. My servant - Christ was in this great work his fathers servant, Isaiah xlii, 1.

25. A covenant - A covenant of promises, which contain, and shall bring peace, that is all good.

26. Them - My returned captives, The places - All the country. My hill - Jerusalem.

29. A plant - The Messiah. The shame - The reproach.

30. Their God - By covenant, from their forefathers. Am with them - Present with them, and reconciled to them.

A prophecy against Edom for their hatred to Israel, ver. 1- 13. Their ruin shall be perpetual, ver. 14, 15.

2. Mount Seir - The Edomites, who inhabited it.

5. Their iniquity - When their iniquity was punished on them, which brought them to final ruin.

6. And blood - Thy guilt, and my just revenge of innocent blood. Hast not hated - Thou hast loved, rather than hated, blood-shed; therefore vengeance for it follows thee.

7. That passeth out - All travelers that go to or from Edom.

9. Return - To their former glory.

10. Though - Though God was with Israel.

11. Judged - Punished thee.

14. The whole earth - The inhabitants of all the countries round about thee. Rejoiceth - Is in peace and plenty.

A promise of the restoration of Israel, from their present deplorable condition, ver. 1-15. They are reminded of their former sins, and God's judgments, ver. 16-20. A promise of pardon, ver, 21-24. And sanctification, 25-38

1. The mountains - The inhabitants being in captivity, speak to the mountains, that is, the land of Judah, and Israel, which was a country full of mountains.

2. Because the enemy - Many were the enemies of God's people; but they so conspired in one design, that the prophet speaks of them as one, and particularly of Edom.

3. Swallowed - Devoured you, as hungry beasts devour their prey. Ye are taken up - You are the subject of all their discourse. An infamy - Ever branding you as infamous.

7. Lifted up mine hand - Sworn in my wrath. The heathen - The Moabites, Ammonites, and Idumeans.

8. At hand - The time is near, when my people shall come out of Babylon to settle in their own land.

12. And thou - O land of Canaan. Bereave - Consume thine inhabitants.

13. They - The heathen round about.

14. Therefore - I will so bless thee, O land, that thou shalt bring forth and breed up many sons and daughters, and this reproach shall cease forever. 17. By their doings - By their carriage, and whole conversation. As the uncleanness - Or as one cut off from the congregation, because of some great sin.

20. Entered - When they were come into Babylon. Profaned - They sinned. They - Their heathen neighbours. Them - The profane Jews. These - These profane slaves, call themselves the people of the Lord and say, he gave them the land out of which they are driven.

21. But I had pity - For these sins I had just cause to cut them off; but I had pity, for the glory of my name: had I destroyed them, the heathen would have concluded against my omnipotence, and my truth.

23. I will sanctify my great name - They gave the heathen occasion to think meanly of me, but I will shew I am as great as good. When God performs what he hath sworn by his holiness, then he sanctifies his name.

25. Sprinkle - "This signifies both the blood of Christ sprinkled upon their conscience, to take away their guilt, as the water of purification was sprinkled, to take away their ceremonial uncleanness and the grace of the spirit sprinkled on the whole soul, to purify it from all corrupt inclinations and dispositions."

26. A new heart - A new frame of soul, a mind changed, from sinful to holy, from carnal to spiritual. A heart in which the law of God is written, Jer. xxxi, 33. A sanctified heart, in which the almighty grace of God is victorious, and turns it from all sin to God. A new spirit - A new, holy frame in the spirit of man; which is given to him, not wrought by his own power. The stony - The senseless unfeeling. Out of your flesh - Out of you. Of flesh - That is, quite of another temper, hearkening to God's law, trembling at his threats, molded into a compliance with his whole will; to forbear, do, be, or suffer what God will, receiving the impress of God, as soft wax receives the impress of the seal.

27. My spirit - The Holy Spirit of God, which is given to, and dwelleth in all true believers. And cause you - Sweetly, powerfully, yet without compulsion; for our spirits, framed by God's spirit to a disposition suitable to his holiness, readily concurs. Ye shall keep - Be willing; and able to keep the judgments, and to walk in the statutes of God, which is, to live in all holiness.

28. Ye shall dwell - Observe: then, and not before, are these promises to be fulfilled to the house of Israel. And I will be your God - This is the foundation of the top-stone of a believer's happiness.

29. I will also save you - I will continue to save you. From all your uncleannesses - Salvation from all uncleannessess, includes justification, entire sanctification, and meetness for glory. The corn - All necessaries comprised in one.

35. And they - Strangers, or foreigners.

37. Inquired of - Though I have repeated so often my promise to do this, yet it is their duty to intreat it, to wait on me, and then I will do it.

38. As the holy flock - Flocks designed to holy uses. In her solemn feasts - These flocks were for quality, the best of all; and for numbers, very great, on the solemn feasts. Thus shall men multiply, and fill the cities of replanted Judea. And the increase of the numbers of men is then honourable, when they are all dedicated to God as a holy flock, to be presented to him for living sacrifices. Crowds are a lovely sight in God's temple.

The vision of the resurrection of the dry bones, ver. 1- 10. The explication of it, ver. 11-14 A type of the happy coalition which would be between Israel and Judah, ver. 15-22. A prediction of the kingdom of Christ, and of the glories and graces of that kingdom, ver. 23-28.

1. And set me down - So it seemed to me in the vision. Which is a lively representation of a threefold resurrection:

1. Of the resurrection of souls, from the death of sin, to the life of righteousness:

2. The resurrection of the church from an afflicted state, to liberty and peace:

3. The resurrection of the body at the great day, especially the bodies of believers to life eternal.

3. And he - The Lord.

7. Prophesied - Declared these promises. As I prophesied - While I was prophesying. A noise - A rattling of the bones in their motion. A shaking - A trembling or commotion among the bones, enough to manifest a divine presence, working among them. Came together - Glided nearer and nearer, 'till each bone met the bone to which it was to be joined. Of all the bones of all those numerous slain, not one was missing, not one missed its way, not one missed its place, but each knew and found its fellow. Thus in the resurrection of the dead, the scattered atoms shall be arranged in their proper place and order, and every bone come to his bone, by the same wisdom and power by which they were first formed in the womb of her that is with child.

8. Came up - Gradually spreading itself.

9. Prophesy - Declare what my will is. O breath - The soul, whose emblem here is wind; which, as it gently blew upon these lifeless creatures, each was inspired with its own soul or spirit.

10. And the breath - The spirit of life, or the soul, Gen. ii, 7.

11. The whole house - The emblem of the house of Israel. Are dried - Our state is as hopeless, as far from recovery, as dried bones are from life.

12. I will open - Though your captivity be as death, your persons close as the grave, yet I will open those graves.

16. One stick - A writing tablet or a tally, such as is fit to be written upon. His companions - Benjamin and part of Levi, who kept with the tribe of Judah. Ephraim - Ephraim was the most considerable tribe in the kingdom of Israel, when divided from the other two. The house of Israel - The other nine tribes, who continued with Ephraim.

19. In mine hand - Under my government, care, and blessing. God will make the two kingdoms one in his hand, as I make these two sticks one in my hand.

22. One nation - They were one in David's time, who was a type of the Messiah, and continued so to the end of Solomon's time, whose name includes peace. So when the Beloved, the Peace- maker, the Messiah shall be king, they shall be one again. And one king - The Messiah.

23. I will save - I will bring them safe out of them. And will cleanse - Both justify and sanctify them.

24. David - The son of David. One shepherd - This king shall be their one chief shepherd, others that feed and rule the flock, are so by commission from him.

25. For ever - 'Till Christ's coming to judgment, the Jews converted to Christ, shall inherit Canaan.

26. My sanctuary - I will set up a spiritual glorious temple, and worship among you. For evermore - Never to be altered or abolished on earth, but to be consummated in heaven.

27. My tabernacle - The tabernacle wherein I will shew my presence among them. Their fathers had a tabernacle, but the Messiah shall bring with him a better, a spiritual, and an heavenly. They shall be my people - By my grace I will make them holy, as the people of a holy God; and I will make them happy, as the people of the ever blessed God.