_Wo is me_, &c. Judea, or rather the prophet himself, is here introduced as complaining, that though good men once abounded in the land, there were now few or none to be found. _I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits_, &c. I am like one who gathers up the ears of corn after the harvest, o... [ Continue Reading ]
_That they may do evil with both hands_, &c. With all diligence; _earnestly_ Hebrew, להישׂיב, _to good it;_ that is, to do it thoroughly and effectually. “Their hands are bent on iniquity, to execute it fully.” So Dr. Wheeler. _The prince asketh_ Namely, a gift; to do any one a favour, or good. _And... [ Continue Reading ]
_Trust ye not in a friend_ This and the next verse are descriptive of a general corruption of manners; so that all ties and duties of consanguinity were trampled upon, or paid no regard to. The friend proved treacherous to his friend, the wife to her husband: children set at naught their parents, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy_ Here begins a new subject; the Jewish nation in general being here introduced speaking in their captivity, and addressing themselves to the Chaldeans. _When I fall I shall rise_ Or, _because I am fallen;_ for I shall rise. _When I sit in darkness, the Lord shal... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then she that is mine enemy_ Namely, the Chaldean nation. _Which said unto me_, (namely, when she held me captive,) _Where is the Lord thy God?_ Where is now Jehovah, whom thou worshippest, and sayest is the only God? Why does he not now deliver thee? Why does he not free thee from my hands, who am... [ Continue Reading ]
_Feed thy people with thy rod_, &c. This seems to be a prayer which the prophet broke out into on this occasion, beseeching God to take his people again under his peculiar protection and care; which is the meaning of _feeding them with his rod_, or pastoral crook: _the flock of thy heritage, which d... [ Continue Reading ]
_According to the days of thy coming_ These words are an answer to the prophet's prayer in the foregoing verse; wherein God tells him that the wonders he will perform in bringing back his people into their own country shall be as conspicuous as those which he showed in their deliverance out of Egypt... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall lick the dust like a serpent_ They shall fall to the earth through fear, and carry themselves very humbly and submissively toward God's people. _They shall move out of their holes like worms_ They shall be afraid to stir out of their lurking-holes; and if they creep out like worms, they... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who is a God like unto thee_ That is, there is no God like unto thee; _that passeth by the transgression of the remnant_, &c. That pardons the offences of the remainder of his people, namely, of those that shall survive the various punishments and destructions brought upon their forefathers for the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob_ Thou wilt perform to his posterity what thou didst promise to Jacob. _And the mercy to Abraham _ As the promises given to Abraham were made to him and to his seed after him, so the Scriptures speak of the blessings bestowed upon his children, as if they were ac... [ Continue Reading ]