Vers. 21. Manasseh Ephraim, and E∣phraim Manasseh, and they both shall be against Iudah: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stret∣ched out still.
THese two Tribes were speciallie linked together, for besides that they descen∣ded of one father Abraham; there was yet a neerer coniunction, in that they tooke their originall of one Patriarke Ioseph,* 1.1 Abrahams great grand-child. Now although they were so neere allied, yet notwithstanding God shewes that he will cause them to haue such conflicts together, that they shall destroy each other, euen as if they should deuoure the flesh of their owne arme; in regard whereof, they should neede no forreine enemies. He addes also, that when Manasseh and Ephraim haue wearied themselues in fight, both of them shall ioine together and set vpon Iuda to de∣stroy them also.
Yet his wrath.] If any man shall ponder in his mind what calamities Isaiah hath set forth; he will, I doubt not, be astonished, and won∣der very much in himselfe to see that he yet denounceth sharper punishments then the former. But the Lord deales thus with the wicked, neuer ceasing to afflict them, till he hath whollie ouerwhelmed and rooted them out, because they hauing been often summo∣ned to repentance haue refused, and still re∣fuse to be reconciled vnto him. We are not therefore to maruell if plagues after plagues be heaped vpon them, as is also declared by Moses, namely, that he wil yet send seuen times more punishments vpon those which would not come to repētance,* 1.2 lest they should ima∣gin that after they had been chastised once or twise, all their punishments were then at an end. Now when he saith, that the hand of God is stretched forth still, he meanes, that new rods are still in making, which he hath in a readinesse to smite them withall: for the Lords anger is not like to that of women; but his corrections and wrath go both together.