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.

Vers. 10.

Declare ye it not at Gath, neither weepe yee: for the house of Aphrah roule thy selfe in the dust.

THe second adioynt or consequent, whereby the greatnes of the same ouerthrow of the Israelites is declared,* 1.1 to wit, for that by this meanes they be vtterly mocked and laughed to scorne of their enemies, and prophane or wicked neighbours. And therefore the Prophet forbiddeth that it should be shewed or tolde vnto any pro∣fane people, were they neuer so neere vnto them, such as were the Philistines, which dwelled at Geth, or Gath. For from the west that parte of Palestina was neerest of all others vnto the Iewes and also vnto the Israelites. The like is 2. Sam. 1. ver. 20. concerning the death of Saul, the which is forbidden to bee tolde among their neighbours the Philistines, lest they should triumph against them in these wordes: Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streetes of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistims reioyce, lest the daugh∣ters of the vncircumcised triumph. It appeareth therefore that it should be a great ouerthrow, whereof the enemies of the Israelites should be so glad and ioyful, and reprochful against the Israelites, as Psalm. 137. where the Edomites so triumph against their bre∣thren the Iewes, and stirre vp the rage and cruelty of the Babylo∣nians the more against them.

For (or in) the house of Aphrah roule thy selfe in the dust. This is the figure Hypophora,* 1.2 or answering of an obiection, the which, like as the sentence before is added by the Prophet to moue affecti∣on, for the comforting and stirring vp of the Israelites. For when as he forbad the Israelites to mourn at Geth, or Gath, it seemed that he forbade them all mourning, and that so hee tooke from the Is∣raelites that which is wont to be a great easement and comfort vn∣to men in miseries. But he addeth, that he doth not forbid that they mourne not at all: nay that he biddeth them doe it, and that in as ample maner, as they are wont to doe, which are most hea∣uy, and oppressed or ouertaken with greatest sadnes and mourning. And therefore graunteth, that they wholly roule themselues in dust and ashes: but in a place remoued and far distant from those prophane or heathen nations and men, such a place as Aphrah is

where also by the name and significatiō of the word (which is dust) they are stirred vp to that fame rouling themselues in the dust, and most great mourning. Now this Aphrah is a place in the borders of Beniamin, and signifieth (dust) Iosh. 18. ver. 23. And this granting, nay, exhorting vnto so great lamentation made by the Prophet, sheweth the greatnes of this miserie, whe which he threatneth vnto them. So Paul 1. Thes. 4. ver. 13. when he sayth, I would not, brethren, haue you ignorant concerning them which are asleepe, that ye sorowe not euen as others, which haue no hope: forbiddeth not that they should mourne for the dead at all, but that they should not mourne after the maner of infidels. So then moderate mourning in miseries is granted vnto Christians Ecclesiast. 3. Act. 8.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The second ad∣ioynt declaring the miserie of the Iraelites.
• * 1.2

  What the fi∣gure Hypopho∣ra is, see Amos cap. ••. ver. 21.