Vers. 13. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
A twofold amplification is subjoyned to this sentence. The first is, that their strong and flourishing condition, even like Tyrus, (of which, Ezek. 27.) should not hinder the executi∣on of the former sentence, of cutting off their children. Whence learn, 1. Prosperity is one of the great bucklers whereby men would ward off Gods threatnings, that they may not move nor affect them; For, this comes in as an exception against the sentence, that Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: that is, he flourisheth, as ever the Prophet or any saw Tyrus do, or (as some read) as they saw a tree planted in the pleasant places of Tyrus. 2. However when God is even de∣parting from a people, they may be in a more prosperous condi∣tion then ever; yet all that will not make his threatnings void; For, so was Ephraim, and yet the former sentence stands. 3. The Idolatry of parents, is a speciall cause of judgements on their posteritie; For, such was Ephraim, who shall bring forth his children to the murderer, or slayer; For, they are called murderers, not so much because the Assyrian had not a lawfull authority, as to point at the cruelty of their execution like mur∣derers.