A fruitfull commentarie vpon the twelue small prophets briefe, plaine, and easie, going ouer the same verse by verse, and shewing every where the method, points of doctrine, and figures of rhetoricke, to the no small profit of all godly and well disposed readers, with very necessarie fore-notes for the vnderstanding of both of these, and also all other the prophets. The text of these prophets together with that of the quotations omitted by the author, faithfully supplied by the translatour, and purged of faults in the Latine coppie almost innumerable, with a table of all the chiefe matters herein handled, and marginall notes very plentifull and profitable; so that it may in manner be counted a new booke in regard of these additions. VVritten in Latin by Lambertus Danæus, and newly turned into English by Iohn Stockwood minister and preacher at Tunbridge.

Verse. 5.

Ashkelon shall see it, and feare, and Azzah also shall bee very sorrowfull, and Ekron: for her countenance shall bee asha∣med, and the King shall perish from Azzah, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

* 1.1THis is a staying still in the laying out of the same matter. For the Prophet of God reciteth other nations, which were ene∣mies and troublous vnto the Church of God, and so consequently to be punished. Generallie the Philistims:* 1.2 and speciallie certaine of their townes or cities, to wit the chiefest, are rehearsed,* 1.3 whom God dooth threaten most grieuouslie, least any enemies of GOD might thinke that they shall escape due and iust punishment. Here therefore in this verse is first contained the iudgement of God against three chiefe Lordships, and head cities of the Phili∣stims, to wit Ascalon, Aza, or Gaza, and Ekron,* 1.4 the especiall and peculiar punishment of euery one of the which is described or set forth. And first of all the feare and great trembling of Asca∣lon, vpon the suddaine and fearefull sight of the destruction of Tyrus.* 1.5 For Tyrus was as it were the hold and the glorie of other cities and countries neere ad••oyning, whither they alwaies hoped that they might flye. Therefore it being destroyed, great feare no doubt was striken into all those that were neere vnto it.* 1.6 Secondly, the desolation or laying of it wast is mentioned. For she shall not afterward be inhabited. As for Aza, or Gaza, first, shee shall bee sorrowful for the destruction of Tyrus,* 1.7 as namely with the which she had traffique, and by which she gained. Furthermore she shal loose her King, yea and moreouer her kingdome for euer, so that afterward her authoritie and glorie shall be nothing.* 1.8 Ekron shall be confounded with shame, because that same Tyrus is destroyed, the which onely she beheld, and had respect vnto, as her ayde, and fortresse. And these things then fell out, when as Alexander of Macedonia, and his successors brought into their subiection, and

wasted all those whole countries, to wit, Palestina, and Edumea, and other countries neere vnto them, destroyed their townes, and vexed them most hardly with continuall warres.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The punish∣ment of the Philistims.
• * 1.2

  1. Generallie.
• * 1.3

  2. Particularlie.
• * 1.4

  Ascalon. Aza. Ekron, Ascalon.
• * 1.5

  1. Here feare.
• * 1.6

  2. Her laying wast. Gaza.
• * 1.7

  1. Shall be sor∣rowfull.
• * 1.8

  2. She shall loose her king and kingdome. Ekron shall be confounded with shame.