In that day; called last or latter days, Micah 4:1; in the day wherein I shall restore my captived people, and in the day I shall redeem mine elect. I will assemble; first, and in part, by the edicts of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, for the release of the captives, their return to Jerusalem, and for the rebuilding the temple, and for restoring the worship of God; but more fully by the preaching of the gospel, publishing salvation by Christ, to whom the gathering of the Gentiles was to be, Genesis 49:10. Her that halteth; see Zephaniah 3:19; weakened with the hard usages of oppressing conquerors; who were as lamed ones, unable to walk: such were the impoverished Jews in the Babylonish captivity, utterly unprovided for so long a journey; and it is likely they were unresolved, too, whether to go or not go, halted between a desire of going and a fear of the difficulties that would unavoidably attend their poverty. Now the bounty and favour which God moved in the Persian kings toward the Jews was such, that these poor were encouraged to set forward on the journey. This word is to this day fulfilled, in that Christ doth by the power of his Word and Spirit make his people a willing people, determines their resolution, and enables them to perform it, and to give up themselves to God. I will gather her that is driven out: in this phrase, I will gather, does God by Ezekiel, Ezekiel 28:25, promise the recovery of his people from captivity; and so does Jeremiah, Jeremiah 31:8, almost in the same manner promise the restoring of captive Judah. Here they are said to be driven out, i.e. of their own land, into a strange land, where they are captives, Jeremiah 8:3, Jeremiah 16:15 23:24:8,9 29:14 Ezekiel 4:13. The Lord will by his power and goodness gather those whom Nebuchadnezzar scattered through his kingdom, and Christ will much more gather to his filled those who were captives to Satan. Her that I have afflicted: this in the letter refers to wasted and impoverished Israel, on whom God laid an affliction of seventy years.

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