A paraphrasticall explication of the twelve minor prophets. Viz. Hoseah. Joel. Amos. Obadiah. Jonah. Micah. Nahum. Habakkuk. Zephaniah. Haggai. Zechariah. Malachi. / By Da. Stokes. D.D.

CHAP. II.

1 WO to them that de∣vise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds: when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence: and houses, and take them away: so they oppresse a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

3 Therefore thus saith, the Lord, Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks, nei∣ther shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me? turn∣ing away he hath divided our fields.

5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congrega∣tion of the Lord.

6 Prophesie ye not, say they to them that prophesie: they shall not prophesie to them, that they shall not take shame.

7 O thou that art na∣med the house of Iacob, is the spirit of the Lord strait∣ened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh upright∣ly?

8 Even of late my peo∣ple is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment, from them that passe by securely, as men averse from war.

9 The women of my peo∣ple have ye cast out from

their pleasant houses, from their children have ye ta∣ken away my glory for ever.

10 Arise ye and depart, for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you even with a fore destruction.

11 If a man walking in the spirit and falshood, do lie, saying, I will pro∣phesie unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

12 I will surely assemble, O Iacob, all of thee: I will surely gather, the rem∣nant of Israel, I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up: and have pas∣sed through the gate, and are gone out by it, and their king shall p••sse before them, and the Lord on the head of them.