A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. X.

WO to them that decree unjust decrees, and write a wicked writing. Here saith Jerom, the Prophet passeth from Israel to Judah, threatning that kingdom * 1.1 as he had done the other of the ten Tribes. But because there is nothing to ex∣presse so much as is usuall with him when he passeth from one kingdom to ano∣ther, all our expositors take it for a continuation of his invective against Israel, and the like conclusion vers, 4. sheweth no lesse. Having therefore threatned judgements to all sorts in generall before, he now taxeth Rulers and Judges in particular, as the chief cause of Gods judgements by their mis-government. Their sin was oppressing the poor, as ver. 2. is shewed, and that they might not seem to proceed unjustly, they made decrees and laws that were not just or equall, for the meaner sort of people, and then proceeded to the execution of them, whereby they were oppressed most grievously, and could have no remedy in law hereagainst, for which he saith, They drive away the poor from judgement &c. vers 2. that is, if by pleading before any judge, they would seek remedy, * 1.2 it was objected to them that they could have none, the decrees and laws which were made being plainly against them. As now in these times of distractions we have Committees, who make orders, laying heavy burthens of charges upon whom they please, and then it is vain for them that are charged to pleade for ease although it be never so unjust.

What will ye do in the day of visitation, when your desolation shall come from a∣far, * 1.3 &c. Because the great ones had thus oppressed the poor and mean, a visi∣tation by Gods judgements is here threatned, when they shall not know what to do nor whether to turn them: and it is called a visitation, because in visitations the visiter comes amongst the visited apparently, being seen by all men, and all delinquents feel his coming to their smart; so when God visiteth in wrath to pu∣nish, when in mercy the miserable feel it to their joy and comfort from afarre, he saith, their desolation shall come, because they should be destroyed and carri¦ed captive by the Assyrirns, a people dwelling far North from them. They thought themselves safe, because they were in amity with the neighbour nations, especially with Syria their confederate, but hereby God sheweth, that he can bring enemies against a wicked people most remote, that they think least of, and of whom they have no fear. To whom will ye flee for help? he speaks of their case as most desperate, but justly were they brought to this, because they should have been a refuge for the poor, but contrariwise they were their ruining by their unjust proceedings, so now they should study to whom to flee for succour when they were oppressed by the Assyrians, but none to flee unto, and where will ye betrust your glory? ye have joyed in honours and worldly pomp, lifting your selves up as demigods above the people, not being spoken to but with such * 1.4 words, your Excellency, Majesty, Holinesse, Lordship, and other-like bubbles of vanity; but who shall then give such titles or have any regard unto you? the enemies sword will put no difference betwixt you and the meanest in that day.

Not to bow with the bound, or fall with the slain. Here he sheweth why he had spoken of their glory as being at an end, for who will preserve to you, that ye * 1.5 who have been proud of your Worships and Honours, should not come down and be made to stoop to the enemies bands, many of you when ye shall be led away captive, and many to fall by the sword as well as the poorest of all, yea,

when the poor people of the Land were left to be vine-dressers and husband men, they were carried away, as the history sheweth, and to this effect Jerom. Vata∣blus * 1.6 saith, some understanding here none shall escape, make this the sense, none shall escape but he that croucheth amongst the bound or slain, feigning himself to be one of them, but there needs no understanding of more words, the sense being better, as hath been said. Calvin saith that some expound 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which I have rendred not, and so it commonly signifyeth tanium, only, or sine me without * 1.7 me, making this the sense, He that hath not put his trust in me, but fallen from me, shall be bound or slain, or only they shall fall amongst the bound or slain, for this all of them shall come to: or lastly, he takes it for an oath, as if the Lord in indignation did swear, that all should either be slain, or carried away bound. But I still prefer the first as most genuine. To whom will ye commit your glory, that ye should not be bound or be slain? surely there will be none to save you here∣from. To this pride and oppression brings even the greatest in the day of Gods wrath, when he executeth judgement.

Wo to Ashur the rod of my fury, he is the staff, in their hand is my indignation. * 1.8 After the threatnings against Israel, here followed somewhat against Ashur, whereby both Israel and Judah by Gods just judgement should be destroyed. Calvin and other new writers for wo to Ashur, have O Ashur, as if the Lord did * 1.9 here only call to Ashur to go against Israel with some expression of grief, that he was constrained to this: But because ver. 7. he begins to tax, and proceeds to threaten him, I rather follow Jerom rendring 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as indeed it signifyeth, wo, and * 1.10 because he began ver. 1. in like manner, yet he first commemorates what he had set the Assyrians awork to do. And he calleth Ashur his rod for the comfort of the faithfull, intimating that he could do nothing of himself against Israel, as a rod cannot but by the hand of him that useth it to correct withall, and it is to the terrour of the wicked, against whom savage enemies come not to fight of themselves, for then they might have some hope that they should not prevail, but by God in his wrath secretly stirring them up, although they themselves think nothing lesse. Yet as Calvin saith, we must wisely distinguish between Gods a∣ctions and mens. 1. God doth give power to every one to move or do, neither can we do any thing of our selves, according to Act. 17. 2. He specially moveth the elect unto good by his spirit, and works all their works by them. 3. He mo∣veth the wicked in his judgement by a secret instinct to destroy one another, or to execute his wrath against his own peculiar people for their sinnes, and when they are thus carried on to staughter and bloudshed, it is malice in them who un∣wittingly do Gods will, but justice in him, and so it was in the case of Ashur. The staff he is also called, to beat the greater ones as before, the rod to beat the little, so Oecolampadius: and both these are Gods indignation in their hand, that * 1.11 is, the Assyrians, because in indignation brought by him.

To an hypocriticall Nation I will send him, and command him to take the prey. * 1.12 This is spoken by way of meeting with an objection: Israel is thy people, wilt thou then send him against them? Answ. They do but feign themselves to be the people of the Lord, all their religion is but hypocrisie, then which God hates nothing more, see chap. 9. 17. for this he threatens that they shall be made a prey of, and troden under as the dirt in the streets, that is, as most base and vile, every Assyrian insulting over the proudest of them, when they should be carried away captive, and made slaves in a strange Land. If it be said, he sinned not then in ex∣ercising such cruelty against Israel, if God sent and commanded him to do so, and why then is this complained of, Psa. 137. and Babylon therefore threatned. It is to be understood, that it is not meant, he gave him any expresse command to do thus, but he out of pride and malice tyrannizing so, did it not, but according to Gods secret counsell, being herein though unwittingly the scourge of God, as Attila king of the Goths called himself afterwards, because God useth the evil affections and bloudy proceedings of such men to chastise the sinfull and rebellious against him.

Therefore ver. 7. it is added, But he will not think so, neither will his heart think * 1.13

so, because it will be in his heart to root out many nations. He will do that which God in his secret counsell hath determined that he shall do for a punishment to Israel, but not with any reference to God in his thoughts, but to make himself great, and to get him dominion far and wide.

For he shall say, are not my Princes together Kings? vers. 9. Is not Calno as * 1.14 Carchemis, Armad as Arphad? &c. These are Cities subdued by him and his pro∣genitors upon the river Enphrates, and the scope of his speech is to shew, that it is vain for the people of any place to resist him, sith these cities so potent could not, but some of them more lately, some longer ago had been subdued by the As∣syrian Empire.

As my hand hath found the Kingdoms of Idols, and yet their graven Images were beyond those of Jerusalem. vers. 11. Shall I not do to Ierusalem and the Idols there of * 1.15 as to Samaria, &c. Here the Assyrian king is shewed to be insolent not only to∣wards men, but also towards God. His hand, he saith, had found the means to * 1.16 subdue kingdoms, where gods more worthy were worshipped then at Ierusa∣lem, yea Samaria with the gods thereof had already fallen before him, therefore he doubted not but Ierusalem should do likewise: thus the heathen man bewray∣ed his grosse ignorance of him by whom he obtained all his victories, blasphe∣mously insulting over him, as if he were of no more strength then dumb idols, yea, not so potent as some of them. For this was the sottishnesse of Heathens that they thought there were many gods, and that of these some had more power then others, not acknowledging at all one God almighty, who made and governs over all things both in heaven and earth, yea, and the gods whom they worshipped and thought to be Gods, but chiefly such as took this or that countrey into their patronage, but not their own, they slighted and insulted over, as not being of so great power as themselves when they were able to come forth in great multitudes to battell. This was after verified in Sennacherib, who did thus vaunt himself against the true God, Chap. 38. and is here brought in pro∣phetically speaking thus, as if he had already said so.

But it shall come to passe when the Lord hath fullfilled all his work in mount Sion * 1.17 and Jerusalem, I will visit upon the fruit of the great or haughty heart of the King of Ashur, &c. After the pride and blasphemy of the Assyrian King set forth, now followeth his punishment and the time when it shall come, viz. when he hath fulfilled all his work, whereby is intimated both that the cruelty exercised by him against Israel and Judah was Gods work, although wrought by his hand, because without God he could not have so prevailed; and that when God is about the work of chastisement, he will not cease till he hath done it to the full, but then he will, that the faithful may have patience although they think the time of their suffering too long, when this work is fulfilled: as a father having cor∣rected his childe, casteth the rod wherewith, into the fire, so the Lord visits the instrument the wicked King of Ashur, that is, with judgement to his destinction, and specially for his intollerable pride of heart, and he cals it the fruit of his haughty heart, because herefrom as from a most corrupt tree, came the fruit of blasphemous and most insolent speeches against God and his people.

Because he hath said; in the fortitude of my hand I have done it, &c, Here the Prophet returns again further to set forth the King of Ashurs proud thoughts, for * 1.18 whereas he was able to do nothing, but God did all by him, he ascribes all his victories to himself in a most vain-glorious boasting manner in this and vers. 14.

Shall an hatchet, &c. a saw boast it self against him that cutteth therewith? Hieronym. Shall these tools vauntingly say, when any thing hath been cut or * 1.19 sawn down by them, or any work wrought by smoothing and carving, we have done it, as if the rod should lift up it self against him that lifts it up, as the chaff lifting up as if it were not wood, to be understood in the same manner, as if they should boastingly say when any have been smitten by them, We have done it, which is absurd. For so the Assyrian kings who were but Gods rod or staff, his hatchet or saw, in themselves all dead things and without motion, yet vaunted

themselves of the mighty works which God wrought by them, and which they could not without him by any means have done. For as Musculus hath * 1.20 it, If one Hatchet should boast it self against another, because it is better met∣tald and sharper, it were absurd; so for one man to insult over another, be∣cause the workman hath made it so, much more for man to lift up himself against God; and thus doth every one who ascribes his prevailings and deeds to himself. Yet however man be here compared to a dead tool, that hath no motion in it self, saith Calvin, he is not to be thought in every re∣spect * 1.21 like it. For he by reason of that life and spirit which God hath put into him, can stirre and attempt this or that, but he can effect nothing with∣out God.

Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts will send to his fat ones leannesse, and a fire, * 1.22 &c. Jerom, He will send his Angel, who in one night shall slay of his hoast a thousand eighty five thousand, and that by fire burning their bodies, their garments being untoucht, as the Hebrews say it was done in Sennacheribs host, for which he here speaketh of a fire burning under his glory, and because then his Captains and principal men were consumed, he speaks of this judgement as coming upon the fat ones, to the wasting at once of all the fat of their strength and military valour. To this also doth Musculus agree. Calvin by his fat * 1.23 ones understandeth prosperity, wealth, and all manner of strength for warre, which is attenuated when this strength is taken away. Deut. 32. 15. Thus Jeshurun is said to have waxed fat. The Metaphor of burning is taken from the burning of a stately building, whereby all the glory and grace of it ceaseth, and it is brought to nothing being thenceforth but a rui∣nous heap.

And the light of Israel shall be in fire, and the holy One thereof in a * 1.24 flame, and shall consume and devour his thorn and his briar in one day. Je∣rom, That is, the Angel of God as a fire and flame shall in one day or moment consume all the malice of the Assyrian, which was done in the fore-said judgement.

And the glory of his forest, and of his Carmel from the soul to the flesh shall be * 1.25 consumed, and he shall be as one fleeing a flight. That is, hastily for fear. Some for Carmel have his fruitfull field, and for fleeing, as the dissolution of an Ensign∣bearer; and so the words according to the Hebrew signifie, The glory of his forest, and of his Carmel, that is, even as fire being put to a thick wood, and a place full of trees as Carmel in Galile, till it groweth into a great flame in all parts, soon consumeth and burneth down to the ground all such goodly trees, wherein the glory of it stood: so shall it be with the Assyrian host, wherein he so much gloried through his invisible fire of Gods wrath burning in his Camp.

And the rest of the trees of this forest shall be numbred, a childe shall write them. * 1.26 That is, of his Army a very few shall escape this burning; the Hebrews say, not above ten. Thus Jerom, who also allegorically will have Hereticks set forth hereby, who shall sometimes abound, but afterwards through the pow∣er of the holy one of Israel, that is, God, shall be reduced to very few through the truth, as a fiery Law coming out of his mouth. Calvin and the rest of our * 1.27 new Writers by the light and holy One of Israel understand God, who san∣ctifieth and enlighteneth his people with the comfort of his help in extremity, and the same, who is light to them, is fire, and a devouring flame to their adver∣saries, who have no more power to withstand his judgements, when they come to cut them off, then thorns and briars the force of the fire, as it was proved in Hezekiah his time. And to thorns and briars are the wicked enemies of the Church compared for their barbarous cruelty. By Carmel, Vatablus will not * 1.28 have the proper place so called meant, for Ashur was not owner thereof, so that it could not be called his, therefore he renders it, His fruitfull field, as the word signifieth, nothing, that Gods wrath as fire should pierce into his very Land, and not destroy the trees only and briars. But if we take his Carmel

here allegorically, there will be no absurdity in following Jerom, his Car∣mel being put for that wherein he gloried, as the Jews did in their Car∣mel for the great fruitfulness thereof. From the soul to the flesh. Here, saith Calvin, is another comparison taken from a man, whose destruction is then most lamentable, when his body is destroyed, and his soul lies under the wrath of God also. Musculus saith, it is not vainly said, From the soul to the flesh, but to shew, That this fire should not be like ours, which first burneth the flesh outwardly, and then takes life away by piercing more inwardly; this contrariwise destroyes the life or soul first, then the body lies upon the ground and consumeth. For the last words, wherein he compares their overthrow to the dissolution of an Ensign∣bearer, this is to shew the utter ruine of the whole Army, whereof this is a sign, that their Banners be all taken, for when it comes to this, there is no hope for that Army more.

And in that day the remainders of the people of Israel shall no more lean * 1.29 upon their smiter, but upon the Lord, &c. That is, After the Assyrian subdued, they shall see into their wickednesse of seeking aid from Ashur, as Ahaz did, and doe so no more, but seek it at Gods hand onely, as indeed they did when they returned out of their Babylonish Ca∣ptivity.

For a remnant shall return. As was prophetically set forth in the name * 1.30 Shear-jashub. Chap. 7.

For if the people Israel were as the sands of the sea, a remnant should return. If thy people (O Israel) Hebr. He turns as it were to speak to Israel, who was * 1.31 dead long ago, because a promise was in those times made, That his seed should be as the sands of the seashore; but now for their sins they should be brought to a small number, The consumption decreed overflowing righteousnesse, or justice; that is, the reducing of the people of Israel to such a paucity, infinite num∣bers of them being destroyed, is nothing else but overflowing justice, and not to be censured as cruelty in God, for he could not in justice but thus rigorous∣ly deal with them, and then for his promise sake to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, reserving a remnant, shew favour to them again. This was partly fulfilled in the Babylonish Captivity, and their return from it, and more fully in the time of the Gospel, when such multitudes were destroyed by the Romans, especially at the siege of Jerusalem; yet a few who imbraced the faith were saved, being called out into Pella. Therefore Paul, saith Jerom, the best Interpreter, ex∣pounds * 1.32 and applies it thus, Rom. 9. 28. alledging also the words of Vers. 23. For the Lord makes a consumption and determination in the midst of the whole earth, * 1.33 That is, of the Land of Israel, for so the Hebrew phrase, The whole earth or land, commonly sets forth all that land of which it is spoken, and by the midst is meant in the land, or in any part thereof. Calvin by the consumption deter∣mined * 1.34 overflowing in righteousness, for so he thinks it may be read, under∣stands the few Apostles, and other Preachers of the Gospel called out of the Jewish Nation, going forth and overflowing with the floud of truth, that is, the righteousness of faith, all Countreys and Nations. This is good, but a sense, which the word consumption will not so well bear as the proper sense, ac∣cording to which I have expounded it.

Fear not (O my people) because of Ashur, he shall smite thee with a rod, and * 1.35 lift up his staff against thee in the Way of Aegypt.

But yet a little while, and his fury shall be consumed, or come to an end, and my * 1.36 indignation in taking them quite away, Hebr. Yet a little modicum, and wrath shall be ended. Having spoken of so general a destruction of the whole Land of Israel, in the former verse, least the faithfull should be quite discouraged hereby, he now comforteth them, both by bidding them not to fear, and cal∣ling them his people, and saying, that he shall but smite in the way of Aegypt, that is, as Oecolampadius hath it, as the Aegyptians sometime smote them by * 1.37 oppression, but were not able utterly to destroy them. Jerom, when he shall

be in the way of Egypt to fight against Tirhachah the King of Ethiopia, he shall write menacing letters to thee, but be able to do no more, and this shall be his smiting thee, as is shewed that he did 2 King. 19. 9. Pagnin follows the first, and so doth Junius, rendering it ratione Aegypti; and that this is the * 1.38 meaning is further made plain, saith he vers. 26. where the same words, In the way of Aegypt, are used again, to shew the manner of the Egyptians de∣struction, viz. in the night, for so perished the host of Sennacherib the Assyrian * 1.39 The Septuagint ren∣der it, That he may see the way of Egypt; but herein they go from the Hebrew. Thus shall it be to Zion, but the time shall not be long before Gods wrath ends in the utter destruction of the Assyrian, his cruel enemy, and the consummation or full end of Ashurs fury shall come, he being not able to do any more. For thus it was indeed at that time, when Sennacherib with his huge host came against Jerusa∣lem, and greatly straightened it, and terribly threat∣ned it, this storm was soon blown over, his whole Army being by Gods Angel destroyed.

And the Lord shall stin up a scourge against him like the smiting of Midian in the rock of Oreb. That is, as the Midianites were smitten before Gideon and his * 1.40 nine hundred men, when Oreb their Prince perished on a rock, called since by his name, The rock of Oreb, and as his rod upon the sea, and he lifted it up, in the way of Egypt; that is, when he lifted it up by the hand of Moses, and made the red sea come together after it had been divided, upon Pharaoh and all his host to their sudden destruction; so Sennacheribs host shall perish by his rod in the way of Egypt, though not in the same place.

And in that day his burthen shall be taken from thy shoulder, and the yoke shall vanish before the unction, or oyl. The burthen was the Tribute which the Jews * 1.41 paid to the King of Ashur, three hundred talents of silver, and thirty of gold, 2 King. 18. Before the oil, a Metaphor taken from leather thongs, wherewith yokes are tied not to be loosned again, but being made soft and slippery with oil they are easily dissolved, and so should be the Assyrians yoke upon their neck. Jerom, By the Spirit of God, and the oil of his mercy. Calvin, Through * 1.42 the power of the anointed one Christ Jesus. The best exposition I take it, is, Before the King who was Gods anointed, and dear unto him, that then should reign, which was Hezekiah, because he did but spread Sennacheribs blasphe∣mous letters before the Lord, and the night following that deadly blow was given. Junius brings Jonathan; the Caldee Paraphrast for that exposition un∣derstanding * 1.43 it of Christ, and renders it propter oleum, but Hebrew it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Before the face of the oil; yet this, I grant, may signifie, By the power of the Spirit signified by oil, and consequently of Christ who had the Spirit without measure, and this he saith, is here spoken to make way to the Prophecie touch∣ing Christ Chap. 11. which is too improbable, because having spoken of the Assyrians under the similitude of the Trees of Libanus, vers. 34. which should be cut down; he begins Chap. 11. with this, as a reason, For a branch shall spring out of the root of Jesse, &c. let the Reader follow which he pleaseth. In the next words he prophesieth of the several places to which the King of Ashur should come, and what trouble and perplexity the people in those parts should then be in. Jerom saith, it was at his return from Egypt, where he had been * 1.44 to fight against the Ethiopian. He came in great haste to Ai, and not staying there he passed to Migron, and when he came there, so great was his desire * 1.45 with speed to take the City, that he went immediatly to Michmash, and there leaving his carriages, because he thought the City being taken soon to return

to them again; he went to Gibeah, and stayed there a while to refresh his Ar∣my. Then Ramah being near is terrified, and out of Gibeah of Saul, which was the Gibeah before spoken of, the people fled at his coming; then the daugh∣ter of Gallim lifts up her voice also in lamentation, causing Laish to hear it, and poor Anathoth Medmena was moved, to which he came next; then the in∣habitants of Gebim, that is, of mountainous places, at whom he could not so easily come, are bidden to be comforted for this. And yet whilst the day la∣sted, he came to Nob, whence he seeing Jerusalem, stretched out his hand in way of threatning it, or wagged it in way of disdain, that when all other parts in the East were subdued by him, so little a City should stand out and not yield; so Jerom. And this is generally followed, although, as Musculus saith, some * 1.46 have expounded it of his journey, when he fled, his Army being destroyed: But both the terrour stricken into places, whereby he passed, and his coming last near Jerusalem, evince the contrary. For if it had been meant of the way that he fled by, Jerusalem and the place nearest to it would have been spoken of first; and when he fled he was rather contemptible then terrible in all pla∣ces, to which he came. His coming therefore, and the places, whereby are set forth, that when it should come to passe, the faithfull might be comforted in looking up to God, who had before by his Prophet traced out all the way whereby he should come, as without whom he could do nothing, and be con∣firmed touching his destruction soon after to follow, whereof it is also prophe∣sied in this place. And again vers. 33, 34. touching the places here mentioned, we shall not need to enquire curiously into them, some of them being to us un∣known, but of Ai see Josh. 8. of Migron, 1 Sam. 14. 3. of Michmash, 1 Sam. 13. 1. Gibeah was right over against Michmash, 1 Sam. 14. 1, 6. Rama was the Town where Samuel dwelt, 1 Sam. 7. 16. and Laish in the farthest parts of Ben∣jamin, Judg. 18. 17. Nob was the City of Ahimelech, 1 Sam. 21. Anathoth was the place of which Jeremy was, but of this Madmen and Gebim no more is said by Iunius, but that they were all in the Tribe of Benjamin, which was joined * 1.47 so near to Iudah, that they were alwayes inseparable, and within the compasse of this Tribe was part of Ierusalem, to come to which Sennacherib passed all these places.

Behold the Lord shall cut off the bough with terrour. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here ren∣dred a Bough, is by Jerom rendred Lagunculum, a pitcher; By Pagnin, either * 1.48 Glory or a Bough; so by R. Ezra, Chimhi, and all new writers a Bough; By Theodotion and Symmachus, Torcular. Jerom applieth it to Christ, saying, That * 1.49 here is the Prophecy touching him begun, which is continued Chap. 11. as if before the Prophecie of his springing up, his death and cutting off thereby were spoken of; to a pitcher also he saith he is compared, because of his flesh being frail, in which his Divinity so precious was contained. Then that which followeth of those of high stature that should be cut down, he expoundeth of the greatest and mightiest of the Jewish Nation for all their wickednesses, and that especially of being instruments of so bloudy a fact of crucifying him. Calvin expounds it also of the Jews, but not as Jerom, as if part belonged to * 1.50 Christ and part to them, but all to the wicked Jews, upon whom God threa∣tens here to bring his terrible judgements before Christs coming, first setting them forth under the Allegory of a Bough, and then of trees of high stature, and the forest of Lebanon, holding, that it cannot agree to the Assyrians, be∣cause it were not so proper by Lebanon to set them forth, being not of their Countrey, but of the Countrey of the Jews, and he urgeth the word Behold, as beginning a new Prophecie, and not continuing the old. And he saith, that being thus understood of the Jews great sufferings by the Assyrians, Cha. 11. 1. comes in aptly to comfort the faithfull in the midst of these judgements. Iunius * 1.51 expounds it of the Assyrian, as a conclusion of the Prophecie touching him, when he should with such earnestnesse bend his course towards Ierusalem, the Lord would suddenly cut him down, as a Bough growing erect a great height before, but now hanging down and withering: And his trees of high stature,

that is, his Princes and mighty men should fall, and the wood of his Army by the magnifical one, that is, the Angel which should smite his host. Vulgar Latine Lebanus with his high ones shall fall. Marlorat, Libanus shall fall vio∣lently. The word rendred by Iunius by the magnifical, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and doth so signifie, or by the mighty or strong one; wherefore the other translations are not so apt, as not agreeing to the word here used. I subscribe to that of Iu∣nius, as also Adam Sasbont, and many more: For the objections of Calvin, they are easily answered; Libanus is here put for any wood full of high trees synecdochically, as Carmel before for any fruitfull field; and metaphorically for the Assyrian Army full of high and mighty men. And for the word [Be∣hold] it might well be used, although no new Prophecie be begun, but the former concluded. For having before shewed the hasty march of Sennacherib with his Army▪ against Ierusalem, it was a thing worthy to be attended that im∣mediatly followed, viz. his sudden routing, and therefore not amisse is the word Ecce, Behold, prefixed. As for Ieroms conjecture, That the destruction of the Jews should be here meant, it cannot well be thus understood, because the declaration of this pertained to the former part of the Chapter, ver. 5, 6, &c. and then the brags and destruction of the Assyrians, after which the Jews should no more trust in them, in whom Gods fury should end. Therefore it is improbable, that having described his coming by divers places towards Ie∣rusalem, he should so abruptly break off and say no more of them, but con∣clude in threatning the Jews again; but rather we are to hold, that here in brief after his coming spoken of, as implying a certain perswasion of prevailing in a short time; his downfall is set down, together with his numerous Army, upon a sudden, to the admiration of all men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1. Hieronym.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.3

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.4

  Musculus.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.6

  2 King. 29. 15. Hieronym. Vatabl.
• * 1.7

  Calvin.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 5.
• * 1.9

  Calvin.
• * 1.10

  Hieronym.
• * 1.11

  Oecolamp.
• * 1.12

  Vers. 6.
• * 1.13

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.14

  Vers. 8.
• * 1.15

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.16

  Vers. 11.
• * 1.17

  Vers. 12.
• * 1.18

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.19

  Vers. 15.
• * 1.20

  Musculus.
• * 1.21

  Calvin.
• * 1.22

  Vers. 16. Hieron.
• * 1.23

  Calvin.
• * 1.24

  Vers. 17. Hieronym.
• * 1.25

  Vers. 18.
• * 1.26

  Vers. 19.
• * 1.27

  Calvin.
• * 1.28

  Vatablus.
• * 1.29

  Vers. 20.
• * 1.30

  Vers. 21.
• * 1.31

  Vers. 22.
• * 1.32

  Hieronym.
• * 1.33

  Vers. 23.
• * 1.34

  Calvin.
• * 1.35

  Vers. 24.
• * 1.36

  Vers. 25. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.37

  Oecolamp. Hieronym.
• * 1.38

  Junius.
• * 1.39

  But because the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is never used to set forth a like thing, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as v. 28 where his destruction is com∣pared to that of Midian, I subscribe rather to Jerom, holding that the place where he was cut off, is rather noted by this word, vers. 26. and the place where he threatned He∣zekiah by his message in this verse; for he was either time in the way of Aegypt, for by it he went towards Aethiopia, and returned again being come as farre as Lachish, when his Army perished. Neither was their deliverance from him like that out of Aegypt, for there they had been long oppressed, but this is said to be but a little while, and their burthens were heavy, but now nothing but of boasting words.
• * 1.40

  Vers. 26.
• * 1.41

  Vers. 27.
• * 1.42

  Hieronym. Calvin.
• * 1.43

  Junius.
• * 1.44

  Hieronym.
• * 1.45

  Vers. 28.
• * 1.46

  Muscul.
• * 1.47

  Junius.
• * 1.48

  Vers. 33.
• * 1.49

  Hieronym.
• * 1.50

  Calvin.
• * 1.51

  Junius.