ANNOTATIONS ON LAMENTATIONS

THE ARGUMENT

The book of the Lamentations was composed by Jeremiah in the time of the Babylonian captivity. Therein he bewails the grievous calamities, that had befallen his people, the ruin of their state, the devastation of their land, the destruction of their chief city, and of God’s temple therein with it: the profanation of his holy things in it, and the deplorable condition of all sorts and states, both during their strait siege at home, and afterward in their heavy bondage abroad: complains of the manifold sins and excesses of all sorts: whereby they had enforced God to inflict God’s judgments upon them: and exhorts them to patience, under God’s just chastising hand, to repentance of their sins, the procuring causes of those evils; and to incessant seeking unto God, for the remission of the one, and the removal of the other; with an hopeful expectation of a gracious restitution in his due time, and of the righteous execution of his judgment upon those, who now insulted over them.

The whole work is conceived in a very artificial frame, full of rhetorical amplifications, and pathetical expressions: and for the better help of memory, all of it, (the last chapter only excepted) is contrived according to the order of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet; as also sundry of the Psalms are.

Some of the Jewish doctors affirm that it was penned by Jerem. in the fourth year of Jehoiakim: and that a part of it at least is that roll, that the prophet at God’s command then compiled, Baruc his scribe wrote out and read, and Jehoiakim burnt, Jerem. 36.1,4,10,23. which at the first, say they, consisted but of these three single alphabets, in the first, second, and fourth chapters; but was afterward new written with addition of a threefold alphabet, contained in the third chapter; straining to this purpose those terms, Jerem. 36.32. There were added unto them many like words; that is, say they, written in an alphabetical manner as those former were.

But this other of them control; and it appears to be a very frivolous fancy: for it is apparent, that that roll was, according to the charge given the prophet by God, a large volume, containing the sum of all those sermons that the prophet had preached from the time of his calling to the prophetical function in the thirteenth year of Josias, Jerem. 1.2. unto that day, Jerem. 36.2. being about the space of three and twenty years, Jerem. 25.3. the most whereof, if not all, we have in likelihood yet extant: and are, both for the subject matter, many of them, and for the manner of composure generally, much different from this.

Others of those great masters, whom some of ours also concur with, suppose this to be that sad poem, or doleful ditty, wherein this our prophet lamented the death and loss of that, in some regards, matchless King Josias, 2 Kings 23.25. whereof mention is made in the sacred annals, 2 Chron. 35.25.

But of this also there is no likelihood, that seems to have been lost: neither does any mention at all of Josias clearly discover itself in the whole work, whom yet it should principally treat of, if it were that: and the main subject of it is apparently concerning such matters as fell out many years after his decease.

And this I thought not amiss, to subjoin here to remove those mistakes, which yet some of note seem to be taken with, as, at least, not unlikely.

CHAPTER 1

Verse 1. {How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people?} The first alphabet of this doleful lamentation is spent in bewailing the sad and forlorn condition of the Jewish state; the insolencies of her professed adversaries; the perfidiousness of her pretended friends, and her own grievous transgressions, the procuring cause of these her sufferings: these all interwoven one with another, and seconded with prayer unto God for mercy to her, and justice against them. In this first verse he laments her as in the person of a woman, that had been sometime a stately lady, richly married, and abundant in issue; but now become childless, a widow, a dejected one, bereaved of children, husband and state.

{How} The word is here not so much an interrogative, making a demand, and moving a question, as some would have it, (who carry on still the whole tenor of the context in this interrogative form for four verses together; to all which the answer should be at length returned, verse 5.) but as a note rather of admiration and astonishment, mixed with grief, and commiseration, wondering at so strange an alteration, and compassionating the party whom such a change had befallen. The like see 2 Sam. 2.25. Jer. 49.25. and 51.41. Chapter 2.1. and 4.1. Ezekiel 26.17. Rev. 18.10,16,19.

{doth the city sit} Sitteth she; that is, as some, continueth, abideth; as Deut. 5.31. Luk. 24.49. or, as others rather, sitteth down on the ground; after the manner of mourners, Ezr. 9.3. chap. 2.10. See Esay 3.26. And it is observed by a learned annotator, that on some of Vespasian’s coin the state of Judea is deciphered in form of a captive woman, with a rueful aspect sitting under a palm-tree.

{solitary} Having lost her daughters, (see Jer. 34.1.) and being bereft of her people, Jer. 39.9. not affecting solitude, as some would have it, because mourners commonly so do, Jer. 15.17. who seem likewise to strain both too far, as well this as the former term of sitting; when they would have an allusion therein to women’s sitting apart, during the time of their infirmity, Gen. 31.35. Lev. 15.19. though to one so affected she seems to be compared, vers. 17.

{that was full of people?} Heb. much of people; that had many people, was populous: as, much of treasures, for abounding in treasure, Jer. 51.13.

{how is she become as a widow?} Having lost her king, who is to the state as an husband to the wife, as an head, Ephes. 5.23. this, some interpreters of note understand of Josiah; as also that Chap. 4.20. supposing this book to be that of lamentation for his death mentioned, 2 Chr. 35.25. and would have all this whole piece so far as it concerns the siege and sacking of the city under Zedekiah, together with the captivity, and other consequents of it, to be penned in way of prophecy, because of such things in his sermons under Jehoiakim he foretold much before. But this seems to me to carry no shew of probability at all with it. Zedekiah was a king, though a bad one, in whom the royal state expired. See Chap. 4.20. Some go further, and expound it in regard of God, who seemed for a time to have left her, having taken away, and given up into the hands of his enemies, all those visible pledges of his special presence with her, and conjunction to her, and withdrawn his wonted protection from her, in regard whereof she might be said to be, if not a widow, simply and absolutely, yet as a widow, at least, like a woman, whose husband, though not deceased, yet upon some distaste and discontent lives apart from her, and looks no more after her, than as if he had no such relation at all to her. See Esay 49.14,21. and 50.1. and 54.1,4,6,7. and 62.4.

{she that was great among the nations,} The word here used is the same with that before, but in a notion of multitude there, of greatness here. Howbeit, the ancient Greek takes it in the former notion here, knitting this member to the second branch, and rendering the text, Is she become a widow, that was filled with nations? and so making a distinct antithesis expressed in each branch: so the meaning should be, she is become as a widow, that is, as alone woman, Esay 49.21. and 60.15. who was formerly frequented with people from all parts round about her. The old Latin also, though it take the word in a divers sense from that in the first branch, yet carries it on to the next limb, rendering the text, she is become as a widow, that was a Lady of nations: she that had a command over neighboring nations, or was much respected by them, as one of great state and power, while her husband lived and abode with her, has now lost her former, either command, or esteem and regard, and sits as a widow that none looks after, Jer. 30.17.

{and princess among the provinces,} Either one that was of chief esteem among them, or one that had some power and authority over them, as that state had sometime over the Syrians, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, and others, 2 Sam. 8.1,2,6,12,14. & 10.19. & 12.29–31. 2 King. 1.1. & 3.4. and to this latter the words ensuing add weight.

{how is she become tributary?} First to Egypt, 2 King. 23.33,35. then to Babylon, 2 King. 24.1. the supply is both in the second and third branch from the first. So Chap. 3.1. and 4.1.

Verse 2. {She weepeth sore} Heb. weeping weepeth; as Esay 30.19. Jer. 15. Mic. 1.10. So verse 16.

{in the night?} In the night, say some, of her affliction; as Amos 5.8,18,20. but as others rather, having no rest, night or day; as grief commonly grows more rife in the night, silence and solitariness then concurring to let loose the reins to such cogitations and imaginations, as may feed and foment that affection, and to still all that may help to stay it, 1 Sam. 15.11. Job 7.3. Psal. 6.6. & 22.2. & 77.2,4. Job 30.17. Jer. 14.17. Revel. 14.11.

{and her tears are on her cheeks:} Some render the text, the tears fall down upon her cheeks: but our version has a more familiar supply, and affords a notion more emphatical; as if it were said, her cheeks are continually bedewed with tears, as if she had a spring of them in her head, Jer. 9.1. and they never wanting upon her cheeks. So rather, than as some, because as it is with persons oft in hard services, she had no time or leisure to wash them off.

{among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her,} Her wonted allies and confederates, the Assyrians and Egyptians, afford her now no help or relief. See Jer. 2.18,19,36,37. & 4.30. & 30.14. & 37.7. Chap. 5.8.

{all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.} The Edomites and Moabites, and other neighboring nations of the same stock with her, join with the enemy against her, 2 Kings 24.2. Psal. 83.6,7. & 137.7. Obad. 7.

Verse 3. {Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude:} Heb. greatness of servitude. This some, with the Chaldee paraphrast, expound, as pointing to some of the principal crimes, that had been the procuring causes of their captivity; to wit, their cruel oppressions of the poorer sort, and hard usage of their brethren that served them, Esay 3.14,15. & 58.3,4. Jer. 6.6,7. & 34.11,17. Mic. 3.2,3,10,12. Others understand it of such of the people of the land, as either in regard of such oppressions from their governors, and great ones; or for fear of the enemy invading the country, or the harsh usage they sustained by them, when they were become masters of it, had voluntarily betaken themselves into foreign parts, by a kind of transmigration rather than deportation, of which they understand the word here used. See Jer. 6.1. & 40.11. The former agrees better with the terms of the text, and suits well with what follows, verse 5,8.

{she dwelleth among the heathen,} Or, she abideth; as Jer. 40.6. which some understand of those Jews, that sojourned sometime in foreign parts, Jer. 40.11. Others rather of their abiding in captivity at Babylon, and in other strange countries, Psal. 137.4.

{she findeth no rest:} As it is said of the dove in the deluge, Gen. 8.9. or, she hath no rest: to find none, for, to have none; as verse 6. chap. 2.9. she is hurried to and fro from place to place, at the pleasure of those in whose hands she is: or she enjoys no quiet of mind among them, but is continually in a restless condition. See Deut. 28.65,66. Or, if it be understood of voluntary flight, it is as that of Tyre, Esay 23.12. she finds nowhere any quiet abode.

{all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.} They did so straitly beset her people on every side, and seize on them, that they had no way to escape their hands, Jer. 4.16,17. & 23.25. & 52.8. An allusion to the practice either of hunters that surprise wild beasts, or robbers by the highway side, that seize upon passengers, when they have gotten them into some strait or narrow place, where no means appear any way to decline or avoid them. So had Pharaoh the Israelites between the jaws of cliffs, Exod. 14.2,3,9. and so met the angel with Balaam, Num. 22.26.

Verse 4. {The ways of Zion do mourn,} They have as rueful an aspect, as if they mourned, lying waste, and being overgrown, through want of passengers. See the like figurative form of speech, Esay 24.4. Jer. 23.10. chap. 2.8. Joel 1.10.

{because none come to the solemn feasts:} As in times past with much mirth and jollity, they had wont to do, 1 Sam. 10.3. Psalm 42.4. Esay 30.29,29. Howbeit, the word here used more in general comprehending all solemn assemblies, as well fasts as feasts. See on Esay 1.14. it should here be the singular, but collective; as Chap. 2.6. But it may seem rather to respect here the place of their set-assemblies; as Esay 14.13. than the set-times of meeting, which were not many, Lev. 23.4. and so the singular notion may well suffice; that place for such solemnities designed, being but one, Deut. 12.4–6,11.

{all her gates are desolate:} Either her cities; as Jer. 34.1. or, the gates of Jerusalem, Chapter 2.9. Nehem. 1.3. See Jerem. 14.2.

{her priests sigh:} Heb. are sighing. So of the people also, verse 11.

{her virgins are afflicted:} Or, are in heaviness, or grief; as Zeph. 3.18. where it is made a note of God’s faithful servants, of such as he will save; that are in grief and heaviness for the solemn assembly, that is, for the want, or miss of it; as, for the fruits; that is, for want of them, Chap. 4.9. The virgins, or, damsels, are mentioned, because they were wont to be employed at those festivities to make mirth. Psal. 68.25. See Jer. 31.4,13.

{and she is in bitterness.} Heb. and for her (a nominative absolute; as 1 Chron. 28.2.) bitterness is to her; if it be a noun, as 1 Sam. 15.32. or, it is bitter with her; if it be a verb, as it may well be. So Ruth 1.13. bitterness, for sore grief, or affliction and vexation of heart and mind, Ruth 1.20,21. So chap. 3.15.

Verse 5. {Her adversaries are the chief:} Heb. are for the head; as Psal. 18.43. they have the better of her, and rule over her; See Deut. 28.13,14,43,44.

{her enemies prosper:} See Jer. 12.1.

{for the LORD hath afflicted her;} Or, made her to be in heaviness; as verse 3. where the same word in another form. See verse 12. Chap. 3.32.

{for the multitude of her transgressions,} As Jerem. 30.14. See there.

{her children, are gone into captivity,} Or, little ones: so the word properly signifies. See Jer. 6.12. & 9.20. the word here the rather used to move compassion, and make her condition the more lamentable, when even little children are not spared, but are carried and hurried away in the throng, to pass among them into foreign parts. Heb. have walked, or, are gone into captivity: as was before threatened, Deut. 28.41,50. Jer. 6.11. and fulfilled accordingly, 2 Chr. 36.17. 2 Kings 24.14–16. & 25.11. Jer. 52.15,27,28. See the form of speech also, Jer. 30.16. and here again, verse 18.

{before the enemy.} Not fleeing from them: as Deut. 28.25. and as verse 6. but driven in before them like beasts: as those, 2 Chr. 28.5,8.

Verse 6. {And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed:} Or, glory; as it is rendered, Esay 5.14. where it is said to go down; as here, to be gone: Of the daughter of Zion, see on Esay 1.8.

{her princes are become like harts that find no pasture;} They are, what for famine, what for fear clean out of heart, as heartless as stags or deer, pined away for want of pasture. See Jer. 14.3,5. find none, or, have none; as verse 3. and as, not to be found, for, not to be, Luke 17.18. See Jer. 4.9. The old Latin by mistake of the vowel-points instead of harts, or, stags, substitutes rams; nothing so fitly.

{And they are gone without strength before the pursuer.} Not being able to make head against them: no more than deer, out of heart especially, against hunter or hound. See Jer. 39.4. & 52.7,8.

Verse 7. {Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction, and of her miseries, all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old,} Or, as some render the words, Jerusalem in the days of her humiliation (for the verb it comes of signifies to humble,) and of her ejections, or exilements, (see on Esay 58.7. and hereafter, Chap. 3.19.) remembers (thinks now upon) all her desirable things, (ver. 10,11. chap. 2.4.) that she had in times past, or, formerly. Heb. in days of antiquity, or, of before. So chap. 2.17. The memory of her former state, wealth, plenty, prosperity, much enhances her present grief and misery. So Job 29. Psal. 42.4. The old Latin taking the word, miseries, in a notion of rebellion, or, prevarication, disjoins the text, and jumbles the words together without any good coherence; which yet Popish expositors in vain strive much to make somewhat of.

{when her people fell into the hand of the enemy,} Hand, for, power; as chap. 2.7. 2 Sam. 24.14.

{and none did help her,} Or, could help her: the verb in a potential notion; as the like, Esay 46.7. Jer. 51.9. none of her own children: See Esay 51.18,20. nor any other from abroad; among whom, some were false and perfidious: other too feeble and unable to do ought for her. See on verse 2.

{the adversaries saw her,} Or, her adversaries look on her; with a malignant or a scornful eye: as feeding their eyes, and delighting themselves, with the sight of her present misery: See Psal. 22.17. & 35.21. Mic. 4.11.

{and did mock at her sabbaths.} Or, they deride her Sabbaths, or, cessations: which some expound of the enemies scoffing at their religious observation of the Sabbath: as many heathen writers do. Others, of their deriding them, in regard of the cessation of their wonted solemn services, which the temple being demolished, they were constrained to intermit. See Psal. 133.3. Others again of the sabbatical cessation of their land, lying untilled during the time of their captivity, Lev. 26.34,43. 2 Chr. 36.21. The first as it is plainest, so to me it seems the best.

Verse 8. {Jerusalem hath grievously sinned,} Heb. hath sinned sin; as Exod. 32.30. well rendered, as here, so there: and the Chaldee there, as our version there, hath committed a great or grievous sin; for those that would restrain it to the sin of idolatry here, because that was the sin that they had been faulty in there, do too much needlessly and groundlessly narrow the text. See verse 3.

{therefore she is removed,} Heb. therefore is she for, or, unto removing; or, wandering: from a word that so signifies, Jer. 4.1. & 15.4. & 24.9. whereof the land of Nod also had its name Gen. 4.14,16. So some of the Jewish doctors, and most others, expounding it of the captivity, and removing of them out of their land, as the Chaldee also does: nor does the Greek seem to swerve much from this, therefore is she become unto fluctuation: and the old Latin it may be, intended no more, when he rendered, it therefore is she become unstable: though interpreters that follow that version expound it, some of falling from her former felicity into misery, verse 9. Others, of a restless, and unsettled disposition; such as is described, Esay 57.20,12. or Ephes. 4.14. Heb. 13.9. Jam. 1.6,8. Howbeit, some other of the Jewish masters expound it, is in shaking at; that is, in derision; one, at whom, every one shakes the head; because from the same root come two words differing little from this, that signify both of them a motion, or shaking: the one applied to the lips, Job 16.5. the other, to the head in a notion of derision or mockery, Psal. 22.7. & 44.13. Jer. 48.27. Others, conceiving it to rise from another root, render it, she is become as a woman separated for her uncleanness: Nidah, for Niddah: So is such an one termed, Lev. 15.19. Ezek. 22.10. & 36.17. or, as some abominable thing; for so also is the word used in an abstract notion, Lev. 20.21. 2 Chr. 29.5. Ezr. 9.11. So v. 17. The word is not in this form elsewhere found; and though many go the first way yet this last receives much strength from what presently ensues both in this ver. and the next.

{all that honoured her, despise her, because they have seen her nakedness,} Her filthiness is laid open to common view, as it befalls some notorious strumpet, produced and exposed to public shame and punishment; or as women captives so stripped and contumeliously used, that they have not wherewith to cover their shame: See Esay 3.17. & 20.4. So is the word nakedness commonly taken in Scripture. Gen. 9.22,23. Lev. 18.6. Jer. 13.22,26. Ezek. 16.37. & 23.29. Hos. 2.10.

{yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.} For shame; as those in such case would do, that have any shamefacedness, or spark of ingenuity at all in them: See Esay 47.5. for they seem to swerve here from the genuine sense, who understand the term of turning back; as intimating a want of power to stand to it, or to rise and recover again: as Jer. 46.5.

Verse 9. {Her filthiness is in her skirts;} The signs and marks of it appear on her garments, are seen everywhere about her. Esay 3.9. Jer. 2.34. Ezek. 24.7,8.

{she remembereth not her last end:} Or, she remembered not: She considered not, when time was, what the issue of her wicked courses would be, what they would bring her to at last: See Deut. 32.29. So was it with Babel, Esay 47.7. and with this people, though forewarned of it, Jer. 2.25.

{therefore she came down wonderfully.} From an high pitch of felicity, to the very lowest degree of misery: See the like of Babylon, Esay 47.1. and of this state, Esay 3.8. Jer. 13.18. ch. 5.16. want of due consideration a principal cause of her downfall, Heb. and (as Jer. 3.3. & 6.11.) she descended, or came down with wonderments; that is, with a descent or coming down of wonderments: in plainer terms, with a most wonderful coming down, or descent: is by dreadful things, for in dreadful manner, Psalm 65.8. that is the genuine resolution and notion of the terms.

{she had no comforter:} See v. 2,7.

{O LORD, behold mine affliction;} Some would have here inserted, She saith; She says, See O Lord; and so again, verse 11. and elsewhere; but hereof there is no necessity: in writings of this kind, interlocutions, and interchanges of persons, and abrupt addresses to God, are not unusual: So Genesis 49.18. Esay 38.14. See the like, verse 11. and the same Psalm 25.18. See on Esay 37.17.

{for the enemy hath magnified himself.} Or, how (as Esay 66.24.) he magnifieth himself: How they insult over me, and over you also in me, Deuteronomy 32.27. Psalm 35.26. & 38.16. & 140.8. Jer. 48.26,42. Zeph. 2.20. a supply of the pronoun; as Jer. 48.26,42. Zeph. 2.8,10.

Verse 10. {The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things,} Or desirable things; as v. 7,11. He has seized upon all things of price and worth with her, the rich gifts and whole furniture of the temple, among which those precious pledges of God’s special presence amidst her, together with the temple itself, 2 Kings 24.13. & 25.15. See the like Jer. 10.5. & 48.10. & 49.22. The stretching, or spreading out of the hand, or hands, is used sometime in a notion of supplication, Esay 1.15. sometime of invitation, Esay 65.2. sometime of beneficence, Prov. 31.20. sometime of violence, Esay 25.11. and so here.

{for she hath seen} Or, as some surely, (so is the particle used, Jer. 22.22. & 24.8.) she hath seen; has been compelled to see to her grief: So 1 Sam. 2.32.

{that the heathen} Or how the heathen: the Chaldeans, and their complices, Jer. 51.51.

{entered into her sanctuary,} Either the holy land, as some, so called Exod. 15.15. which they now possess as their own, Esay 63.18. or the temple rather, that was ransacked and rifled together with the city, Ezek. 7.21,22.

{whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.} Such as were not to be admitted into the body of your people. Deut. 23.3. much less might presume to pierce or peer into your sanctuary the seat of your special residence; which to the generality and main body of your own people, excepting some few peculiar ones only, was inhibited, Num. 1.51. & 3.10,38. & 15.19,20. See Ezek. 44.7. Acts 21.28,29.

Verse 11. {All her people sigh;} As well as the priests, v. 4.

{they seek bread} So did they in the siege of the city, Jeremiah 38.9. and 52.6. Verse 19. and the like in their captivity, Chap. 5.6.

{they have given their pleasant things} Or, desirable things; as before, verse 7,10. Nothing was so dear or precious with them, but they were content to part with it for the procuring of food. See 2 Kings 6.25.

{for meat to relieve the soul;} Heb. to make the soul come again, Psalm 23.3. to fetch it again when it is fainting away. See ver. 16,20.

{See, O LORD, and consider;} A sudden and abrupt ejaculation: in such passionate speeches not unusual. See v. 9.

{for I am become vile.} Or. how (as verse 9.) I am vilified: as how the enemy magnifies himself, Verse 9. so in how mean and vile an account they have me, Jeremiah, 30.17. Chapter, 3.45.

Verse 12. {Is it nothing to you all, ye that pass by?} Heb. that pass by the way: or rather passengers of the way: as Job 21.29. and so c. 2.15. Do you make light of mine afflictions? or, Do you not regard them, and lay them to heart? as complaining that her calamities were so slighted by others, and endeavoring to move them to some commiseration of her. See somewhat the like form of speech in the prayer of those holy men to God Neh. 9.32. Many read the words by way of enunciation, It is not to you: and expound them some, to the same effect as before, as a complaint that her sorrows were so slighted. Others as an admonition of them, that had not yet befallen them that had befallen her. Others again, as in way of well-wishing to them, let not that befall you, that has befallen me. But the interrogative seems the best, and most suitable to what ensues.

{Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me.} See Dan. 9.12. Some suppose an allusion herein to be unto those inscriptions upon tombs, wherein passengers are wont to be called upon, & invited to consider of the party deceased, whose corpse lies there interred, and of the manner how, or means whereby he came unto his end. But whether such were in those times among that people in use, is uncertain. The manner of persons that sit weeping and wailing, as wandering outcasts, by the wayside, is wont to be no other than is here deciphered, in a proneness to acquaint others with their calamitous condition, (so Verse 18.) and to aggravate them in the relation of them, as being such as had never the like been known or heard of before. See chap. 3.1. & 4.6.

{wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me} So before, Verse 5. and it is, as if she had said, by the transcendent greatness of mine affliction you may easily perceive, that there is a special hand and work of God in it. See Esay 10.5.

{in the day of his fierce anger.} Heb. heat, or fervor of his face, or nose. Of which form of speech, see Jer. 4.8. So after, Chap. 4.11.

Verse 13. {From above hath he sent fire into my bones,} He has in his wrath burnt up and consumed all my strength, as with fire from heaven: fire, as Jer. 17.27. & 21.14. & 52.13. Chap. 4.11. from above, for, from heaven; as Esay 24.18. Jer. 25.30. Rom. 1.18. alluding to those material fires, Gen. 19.24. Job 1.16. and bones, for, strength, and vigor; as Psal. 3.3. & 51.8. Jer. 20.9. & 50.17. and therein also may be an allusion to those sulphureous flames, that pierce deepest into the most solid parts of those bodies below that they light upon, and exercise their power most upon them: and by bones may be understood their strongest holds and fortifications, wherein the chief of their strength consisted: so Jer. 49.27. Amos 1.7,10.

{and it prevailed against them.} Heb. it (that is, the fire) or, he, (that is God) hath over mastered (see the use of the word, Lev. 25.43,46.) it; that is, each one of them to wit, of my bones; or, as some late writers of note, he ruled it; to wit, the fire: it was not so much man, as God himself that so directed and disposed it; as Joseph to his brethren, Gen. 45.8. As for that Rabbine, who because the word is used sometime for to take; as Judg. 14.9. would have it so taken here, he hath taken it; that is, my strength away, or the marrow out of my bones: not unlike that, Job 6.4. it seems over-farfetched: either of the former the words will bear.

{he hath spread a net for my feet;} As Psal. 57.6. Ezek. 12.13. & 17.20. & 32.3. Hos. 7.12.

{he hath turned me back.} Cast me down backward: thrown me down, and laid me on my back, Chap. 2.1.

{he hath made me desolate, and faint all the day:} Or, faint (as Verse 22.) all day long: continually, without intermission; as Psal. 38.26. & 44.22. The attribute here used seems to have an eye to the condition of women in the time of their disease: as that other also before, Verse 8. but that there with reference to their legal uncleanness; this to that infirmity and faintness that is wont then to surprise them, Lev. 15.33. & 20.18.

Verse 14. {The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand:} God has, for my transgressions, laid a grievous and heavy yoke of affliction and thraldom upon me, that so presses me down to the ground, that I am not able to rise from under it, and is so fastened to my neck, that I am not able to shake it off.

{yoke} For vexation and servitude; as Genes. 17.40. Deut. 48.18. 1 Kings 12.4,9–14. Psal. 2.3. Esay 9.4. & 10.27. & 14.25. & 47.6. Jer. 2.20. & 5.5. & 27.8,11. & 28.2,4,11,14. & 30.8. Chap. 3.27. Ezek. 34.27.

{yoke of my transgressions} Procured by them, and laid upon me for them.

{is bound by his hand:} It is he that has imposed it, and bound it fast to me. See Verse 12. The word here used, says one of the Jewish critics, has neither father nor mother in the Hebrew tongue; but the meaning of it is, it is drawn out, it is hastened; by the diversity of notion he gives unto it, it appears how uncertain he was of the sense of it. And another of them tells us, that though it has no kindred in their language, yet in the Syrian it is found used for to prick; and thence a word, but written with a samec, for a goad: but what affinity between a goad, and a yoke? Yet hence some of them would wring out a forced exposition; as if it were said, that God as with certain pricks marked out her transgressions upon his hands, that he might keep them in mind. So it should be like that Esay 49.16. A third says, it signifies to be tied, or bound, joined, or fastened: and this most of ours take to: who render it, some it is composed, or joined together; framed and made up: some, it is imposed and laid on: some, it is bound, or, fastened by his hand; and one of note, conceiving it a complexive form of speech, it is imposed, or fastened to my neck, and held in his hand: he has not only composed and framed it, imposed or laid it upon my neck, and bound or fastened it to my neck, but he holds it fast in his hand, as by some cord or the like, that I cannot get or shake it off, or by any means be rid of it. The Chaldee renders it, it is aggravated, made hard, heavy and grievous. The old Latin, it has watched; the author of it seems to have read nishcad, for, niscad: which that Jewish critic seems also to have tripped at, when he renders it, it is hastened: having an eye in likelihood to that, Jer. 1.12. where the other word is used: but that word in a passive form is nowhere else found. The ancient Greek goes the same way; nor does one of our ancient versions seem to swerve from it: who yet (because the waking, or watching of a yoke sounds somewhat harsh) to qualify the phrase, does both alter the terms, ours rendering it, the yoke of my transgressions is come at last; and the Greek, He hath awaked, or, watched over mine iniquities; as Dan. 9.14. But this manifestly corrupts the text, turning ol, that is, a yoke, into al, upon, or over. That of binding, or fastening, which our version follows, seems the most probable: and this also our former versions, most of them, agree with; save that one of them renders it, it fastened to his hands; another, is bound upon his hand; neither of which seems so plain or familiar, as that, which this our last exhibits.

{they are wreathed,} They, that is, the penalties, whereunto by them I have made myself liable, and which God has justly inflicted upon me for them, are made up together as in a wreath. The word here used is very pregnant and vigorous: it is derived, as some think from the bushes, or twigs of trees or shrubs, that growing thick together, are entangled one with another: so termed Gen. 40.10. As others, from threads, that are twined and twisted together to make up a line, cord, or, cable, Eccles. 4.12. whence a word for bedcords in the Talmud: Or, as others again, from withs and twigs, that are wreathed together for the making of baskets; or as others lastly, from nets and snares made of lines so twisted, wherein birds, beasts, and fish, are wont to be entangled, or, weels made of such withs and twigs, for the catching of fish; because in the Chaldee and Syriac, the word is commonly used for such nets, or weels, Job 19.6. Ezek. 12.13. & 19.8. and such baskets, 2 Cor. 11.33. So that the meaning seems to be, as if she had said, God has made up of those penalties that he had before threatened me with twined and twisted, or wrapped and wreathed together, as a strong cord, wherewith he holds and keeps me down, or as such a wreath, as is wont to be put about the necks of unruly beasts, wherewith he holds me so fast, that I cannot either get it off, or get out of it, no more than fowl or fish, taken in a net or snare, which the more they strive and struggle to get free of, the more they do mash and entangle themselves. See Prov. 5.22. & 29.6. Esay 51.20. Ezek. 12.13. The ancient Greek and old Latin join some part of the former branch with this, rendering the text, by his hand are they wrapped, or wreathed together.

{and come up upon my neck} The wonted place of yokes, or wreaths, Esay 10.27. & 52.2. Jer. 27.2,12.

{he hath made my strength to fall:} Heb. he hath made my strength to stumble; and by a complexive notion consequently also to fall: so to stumble, as to fall. So Neh. 4.10. Psal. 31.10. 2 Chron. 25.8. & 28.23. and by strength seems to be understood men of strength; as might, for men of might, and valor, Esay 3.25. where the same is threatened. See Verse 15.

{the Lord delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise,} Hand, for, power; as Jer. 34.20. Heb. in hands of those, from whom I am not able to rise up: for the word, hands, is in a form of regiment: and there is a defect both of the antecedent and relative: the like whereunto, see Jer. 2.8.

Verse 15. {The Lord hath trodden under foot} The term foot is not in the text; but the word signifies to tread down, or trample upon, (as Psal. 119.118. where and here alone the word is found in that notion) as men do on a common path, or causey; from whence in this notion the word that so signifies, seems to have its original, See Esay 51.23. to tread down is used frequently for to subdue and destroy, Psal. 7.5. & 44.5. & 60.12. Dan. 7.7. See another expression of the same thing in the last branch.

{all my mighty men} The word here used imports any chief, eminent, or excellent in that kind, whereof it is used, see on Jer. 50.11.

{in the midst of me.} Or, with me; as Jer. 46.21.

{he hath called an assembly against me,} An allusion to the summoning of the people to their festivals and solemn meetings by sound of trumpet, Numb. 10.2. See chap. 2.22.

{to crush my young men} Heb. to break (to destroy; as Esay 14.25.) my young men, or my choice youngsters; as Esay 40.30. before her chief men, for place and wealth, fittest for civil employments and government: now her choice youths, fittest for service and military employments, Jer. 9.21. & 11.22. & 18.21. & 49.26. & 50.30. And in these two ranks is comprehended the whole strength mentioned, Verse 14.

{The Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress} Or, hath trodden the wine-press of the damsel the daughter of Judah: He has trodden her as grapes, in the wine-press of his wrath, and squeezed out her blood as wine: See the like expressions, Esay 63.3. Rev. 19.15. and of the title of Virgin or damsel given to Judah, Esay 37.22. & 47.1. Jer. 31.4.

Verse 16. {For these things I weep,} As Verse 2.

{mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water,} As Jer. 13.17. & 24.17. Chap. 2.18. & 3.48. and the ingemination makes the speech more passionate: mine eye, mine eye: as, mine head, mine head, 2 Kings 4.19. and, my bowels, my bowels, Jer. 4.19.

{(because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me:)} Because God should comfort me (Heb. bring back, or fetch again my soul; as Verse 11. Psal. 23.3.) by his word and Spirit, as he had wont to do, has now withdrawn himself and stands aloof off from me, Psal. 10.1. Chap. 3.43,44. Yet the words may be taken more generally, and seem so to run in the text; because there is far from me a comforter, or reliever of my soul, that is, of me; as Psal. 3.2. because they keep aloof off, all that should comfort or relieve me, (as Psal. 38.11. & 88.18.) there is none at hand to perform either office to me, Verse 1,2,17,21. so Psal. 22.11. & 142.4. Esay 51.18,19.

{my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.} They that should relieve me, are themselves destitute of ability to help and relieve themselves; the enemy proving too strong for them, and having prevailed against them. So the same term is used, Exod. 17.11. Psal. 65.3. See Esay 51.18,20.

Verse 17. {Zion spreadeth forth her hands,} As craving help, or seeking relief and comfort; as Psal. 143.6. Jer. 4.31. there is a particle in the Hebrew before the word, hands, from whence some, as well Jewish, as others, have taken liberty to coin a strange and uncouth interpretation of the text, thus rendering the words; she breaketh, or distributeth bread with her hands: not to others, as Prov. 31.21. but to herself: as wanting those that should in this mourning condition perform that office to her. See on Jer. 16.7. But one of the Jewish Masters well observes, that the particle here used is oft redundant; as Psal. 65.4. & 80.5. Esay 26.4. & 40.10. Jer. 17.3. Hos. 13.9.

{and there is none to comfort her:} Heb. there is not a comforter to her, or, for her. See Verse 16.

{The LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him.} Because they regarded not to keep God's charge, to observe his commands, Verse 18. God therefore by a secret instinct gave it in charge to their enemies, and made out a commission to them, commanding them (as Esay 10.6. Jer. 34.22.) to beset and begirt them on every side, Jer. 4.17. So Jer. 49.5. and 50.15,29. See Verse 3.

{Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.} Or, as an abomination; as a person severed from the society or access of any; such a one as every one shuns, that none can abide to come near: or, as some abominable thing, so vile and foul, that none can endure once to touch, for being polluted and defiled therewith. See Lev. 15.19–27. & 20.21. Ezek. 17.19,20. & 36.17. and before, Verse 8.

Verse 18. {The LORD is righteous,} Though she complains of God's harsh and severe carriage towards her, and sharp dealings with her; yet she acknowledges God's justice therein, and that she had suffered no more than what she had justly deserved, and had procured to herself by her sins. So Dan. 9.7. Neh. 9.33. Psal. 119.137. and 145.17. Jer. 12.1.

{for I have rebelled against his commandment.} Heb. against his mouth; that is, against the words of his mouth; as Job 23.12. Or, the law of his mouth, Psal. 119.72. as it is in those places more fully expressed. See the like reason of affliction rendered, Psal. 107.11.

{hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow,} See before, v. 11.

{my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.} Or, my damsels and youths. See Verse 3,4. no sex or age has been spared, 2 Chron. 36.17.

Verse 19. {I called for my lovers, but they deceived me;} Or, When I called to my lovers, they failed me; as Chap. 3.56. See Verse 2. Jer. 22.20. & 30.14. Job 19.13–19.

{my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.} They perished through famine, wanting food to relieve them, and not meeting with, but missing of what they sought for, Chap. 2.10,19. Jer. 14.18. & 38.9. See Verse 11. Heb. and they brought back, or fetch again their souls, for, so to do, or, that they might so do; as Josh. 24.9. 2 Kings 4.42,43. Mal. 1.10. Or, wherewith they might so do as Psal. 106.19. Of the form of speech, see on Verse 15,16.

Verse 20. {Behold, O LORD, for I am in distress,} Or, In what distress I am: Or, how I am in distress: See Verse 9,11.

{my bowels are troubled;} They boil and work within me, as the sea, Job 41.31. Or, as waters that become thick and miry, when they are much stirred and troubled, Esay 57.20. Ezek. 34.18: for from thence is the word taken, Job 16.16. Psal. 46.3. See Esay 16.11. Jer. 48.36. So chap. 2.11.

{mine heart is turned within me;} Heb. in the midst of me; as Psal. [38.10?] & 55.4. & 109.22. Jer. 23.9. Or, my heart turneth itself up and down: it cannot rest or be quiet; for these passives have oft a reciprocal sense; as Jer. 36.19. See the same expression applied to God himself, Hos. 11.8.

{for I have grievously rebelled;} Or, because; as v. 16. Heb. rebelling rebelled: the party aggravates her own sin; as David his, 2 Sam. 24.10.

{abroad the sword bereaveth,} Or, bereaved, slew: without the city the sword made havoc. See Deut. 32.25. Jer. 6.25. & 14.18. Ezek. 7.17.

{at home there is as death.} Or here was within the city famine, Verse 11,19. as bad as death by the sword, or worse rather, Chap. 4.9. See 2 Kings 25.3. Jer. 52.6.

Verse 21. {They have heard that I sigh, there is none to comfort me;} My pretended friends, though they heard of my doleful condition; yet would none of them afford me any relief or comfort. See verse 2,16,17,19. for the same things in passionate speeches are oft repeated. See 2 Sam. 18.33. though there want not that expound this of her professed adversaries, Have heard of my distressed and disconsolate state, that there is none to comfort me; even all mine Adversaries have heard of these straits, that I am in, and rejoice to hear how thou hast dealt with me. But the former flows from the text more freely.

{all mine enemies have heard of my trouble, they are glad} Or, and are glad: my miseries are matter of joy to them. So Psal. 38.16. & 40.15. Jer. 48.27. Ezek. 25.6.

{that thou hast done it:} That you have dealt thus harshly with me, and given me up to the mercy of my merciless adversaries, Esay 47.6. or, as some read the words but (as Jer. 31.33. & 43.3.) thou hast done it, and I must bear it; as Psal. 39.9. Mic. 7.9. there is a defect of the pronoun; as Psal. 22.31. & 109.21.

{thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called,} Or, proclaimed; as Dan. 3.4. & 4.14. that is, published by your Prophets, Esay 13 & 14.46. & 47. Jer. 25.12,13. & 29.10. & 50. & 51. You have set a certain time, and that in its due season shall come, wherein you will both relieve and deliver your people and take vengeance on those that now in their calamities insult over them, Prov. 24.17,18. Jer. 51.49. Chap. 4.21. Mic. 7.9,10. See Jer. 50.31.

{and they shall be like unto me.} Or, then (as Chap. 5.17.) that shall befall them, that is now befallen me; they shall fare then as I now do, Psal. 137.8. Jer. 50.15,29. & 51.24.

Verse 22. {Let their wickedness come before thee:} Be remembered by you, to take vengeance upon them for it. See the like pathetical imprecations, Psal. 109.14,15. & 137.8,9. Jer. 18.23. Chapter 3.64.

{and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for my transgressions:} Let them drink of the same cup, that I have drunk of, Esay 51.22,23. Jer. 25.28,29.

{for my sighs are many,} Or, great, and grievous: as Deut. 31.17,21.

{and my heart is faint.} As Esay 1.5. Jer. 8.18. See Verse 13.

CHAPTER 2

Verse 1. {How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger,} This second single Alphabet consisting much of the same subject, some further amplifications only added, with the former; being spent most of it in complaints of the grievousness of their forepassed and present calamities, Verse 1–20. and shut up with some addresses unto God, verse 20–22.

{How} These passionate interrogations, as Chap. 1.1,2. and 4.1. are very vigorous, and add much force and life to the things spoken of, of what kind soever; as intimating them to be matters beyond expression. So Psal. 3.1,2. and 31.19. and 139.17. Rom. 11.33. 1 Pet. 4.17,18.

{covered with a cloud} Or, with a thick cloud. Heb. thickned, or, clouded: for it comes from a word that has a notion of thickness, Jer. 52.21. and signifies not a cloud simply, (there is another word for that) but a thick cloud, Exod. 19.9. Esay 25.5. and the Prophet may seem to have coined the word of purpose, to express the darksome and gloomy condition of his people in their present calamity, into which they were brought out of that lightsome estate and sunshine of prosperity, that they had formerly enjoyed: for the word is nowhere found but here; and it is by some not altogether improbably deemed, to have in way of opposition some glance at that glorious bright and resplendent cloud, wherein God appeared, as a sign of his gracious presence and protection, on Mount Sion, at the dedication of the Temple, 1 Kings 8.10. alluded to Esay 4.5,6. See the like expressions, Chap. 3.22. Joel 2.2. Amos 5.18,20.

{and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel,} Or, how hath he thrown down, &c. supplied from the former branch; as Chap. 1.1. from heaven to earth. A proverbial expression of a great and grievous downfall from the highest pitch of prosperity, to the lowest degree of adversity and misery. So Esay 14.11. Obad. 4. Mat. 11.23. a defect of the particle of motion to a place; as 2 Sam. 24.20. Esay 49.33. Jer. 2.10.

{and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger?} The whole earth is in general termed God's foot-stool, Esay 66.1. but the land of Israel in a specialty, as some think here, in respect of other lands: but in it more specially his Temple, and the Ark therein, 1 Chr. 28.2. Psal. 99.5. & 132.7. which God had not spared, but had suffered to be surprised by the Chaldeans; as before by the Philistines, 1 Sam. 4.11. Psal. 78.60,61. and that, at this second time without recovery.

Verse 2. {The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob;} Destroyed the whole country and all his cities. See of the metaphor, Esay 49.19. Some Interpreters of prime note continue the interrogative in this verse, and so forward all along unto verse 12. but of that there seems no necessity.

{and hath not pitied;} So verse 17.

{he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah:} So Psal. 89.40. Verse 5.

{he hath brought them down to the ground:} Heb. made them touch the ground; as Esay 25.12.

{he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.} Dealt with it and them as with a thing polluted and unclean, Esay 29.22. or, as with a thing no more sacred and inviolable; by delivering them up into the power of profane people, 1 Sam. 26.9. Psal. 89.39,40. & 74.3. Esay 43.28.

Verse 3. {He hath cut off in his anger all the horn of Israel:} Heb. burning heat, or, fervor of face, or nose; as Deut. 29.24. chap. 1.12. and, horn, for, glory and strength, 1 Sam. 2.1. Psal. 75.10. Jer. 48.25. royal majesty especially, Psal. 89.24. & 132.17. So verse 17.

{he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy;} Heb. he hath caused his right hand to turn back. This some understand of God's right hand, Psal. 17.7. & 44.3. & 118.15,16. and expound it of his withdrawing from them his powerful protection and succor, upon the enemies' approach, which he was wont formerly to afford them, Ps. 74.11. and this may seem backed with what follows, Verse 4. Howbeit, I conceive it may well be understood of his, that is, Israel's, right hand; that God had caused his hand to turn backward; for though God be said to withdraw his hand, even his right hand; in that place of the Psalmist: yet is he nowhere said to turn it backward: but as one is said not to draw back his hand, when he goes on constantly in the pursuit of his enemies, Josh. 8.26. so is he not unfitly said to withdraw, or, turn his hand backward, when he surceases either to pursue, or oppose them, and flees away before them: and God is said to cause their right hand to turn back; as elsewhere to turn the edge of their sword; when he does not enable them to stand to it in fight, Psal. 89.43. and this I take to be the genuine sense of the place.

{and burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.} he, that is, God in his wrath: or, it, that is, the fervor of his anger, before-mentioned, (so one of the Jewish Doctors, not amiss) hath burnt, as Psal. 79.5. & 89.46. Heb. like a flame of fire; as Esay 4.5. it hath devoured round about, Esay 42.25. So Psal. 50.3. & 95.3.

Verse 4. {He hath bent his bow} To wit, against him. So chap. 3.12. Psal. 7.12. Heb. trod it, as Jer. 50.14.

{like an enemy:} Being constrained so to carry himself toward them by their sins, Esay 63.10. Jer. 30.14. So verse 5. See the like complaint of Job; but in another case, Job 13.24. & 33.10.

{he stood with his right hand as an adversary;} Heb. he was set; in hostile manner; as the Angel against Balaam, Num. 22.23,31, having his right hand furnished with deadly weapons to fight against them, whom he was wont to fight for against their foes, Esay 63.10. Jer. 21.5. So chap. 3.3.

{and slew all that were pleasant to the eye, in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion:} Heb. all desirable of the eye; as chap. 1.10. but there of jewels and treasure: here of persons, as Ezek. 24.16. for youth, personage, place of dignity, or otherwise conspicuous and desirable. See 2 Kings 24.7,18–22. Chap. 1.15. Jer. 9.21. and of the term tabernacle, see Jer. 10.20.

{he poured out his fury like fire.} See Jer. 6.11. & 10.25. chap. 1.13. Verse 3.

Verse 5. {The Lord was an enemy:} See on Verse 4.

{he hath swallowed up Israel; he hath swallowed up all her pleasant palaces:} See Verse 2. Jer. 9.21.

{he hath destroyed his strong holds;} So also Verse 2.

{and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.} Two terms rising from the same root joined together to express an eminency of lamentation. See the same 29.2. and expressions of the like, Nahum 2.11. Zeph. 1.15.

Verse 6. {And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden;} He hath violently taken away (as the word is used, Jer. 13.22, thrown down and removed) his tabernacle, (his Sanctuary or Temple, so termed, Psal. 27.5. & 31.20. & 76.2,) as of a garden; that is, as a shade, or hovel of a garden: some such sorry thing as the Keeper or gardener sets up in a garden, wherein to repose himself, Job 27.18. Esay 1.8. a defect of the noun regent to be supplied from the former branch, as the like, Psal. 18.33. & 103.5. Esay 5.29. & 63.2. Jer. 50.9. howbeit, the supply need not be precisely the same, but of somewhat proportionable thereunto: as Dan. 4.33. Some render it, his hedge, or fence; because the word it comes of, signifies as well to protect, or fence, as to hide and cover: and expound it of God's withdrawing his protection from them, Psal. 5.12. & 80.12. & 89.40. Esay 5.5. But I find not where the word is used for an hedge; and the former sorts better with what follows.

{he hath destroyed his places of the assembly:} Heb. his assembly, or, set place of assembly; put collectively, as some, for his places of assembly: not the Temple only, but the Synagogues also, as Psal. 74.7,8. but he seems here more specially to intend that of Jerusalem on Sion. See chap. 1.4.

{The LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion:} The places wherein people were wont to meet on such days, and for such purposes being demolished.

{and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.} For the enemy spared neither, v. 2.20. chap. 4.16. & 5.12. the words are indefinite King and Priest; but yet they seem to have a more special eye to the despiteful usage of Zedekiah, Jer. 52.10,11. and the slaughter of Seraiah the chief Priest, Jer. 52.24,27. indignation of wrath, for, wrathful indignation: as, fervor of wrath, for, wrathful fervor, Chap. 1.12.

Verse 7. {The Lord hath cast off his altar:} That was as his standing board or table, Ezek. 41.22. but was demolished together with his house the Temple.

{he hath abhorred his sanctuary:} Or, dissolved, or, destroyed; as the word is used, Psal. 89.39. and the word is nowhere else found in Scripture.

{he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces;} Heb. shut up in their hand, given up wholly unto, and left in their power: as Psal. 31.8. Chap. 1.7. as well the Kings' and Princes' palaces, as the Temple of his own, Jer. 52.13. So Verse 5, the walls of them, because the principal parts of strength that should secure the rest. So verse 8. Amos 1.7,10.

{they have made a noise in the house of the LORD, as in a day of a solemn feast.} The enemy is now as loud in blaspheming of God with shouting and sounding their triumphant songs to his dishonor in his house, as his own people had wont to be in singing of hymns and Psalms of praise there, at the solemn feasts, to his honor, Psal. 74.3,4. with 81.1,2,3.

Verse 8. {The LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion:} Or, The Lord's purpose was to do it: and what he was resolved upon, he has done, see verse 17. the wall; as before, verse 7. because the chief strength of a city: So verse 18.

{he hath stretched out a line;} He has stretched out over Jerusalem the line of destruction: not such a line, as workmen use to mete out their building by, to make it proportionable to their model; but such a line, as they use to mark by, what is to be cut off, and how far to be demolished: See 2 Sam. 8.2. so some; or, as others, a leveling line, to level the ground with, where the city sometime stood, and to lay it all even: See the like expressions, 2 Kings 21.13. Esay 34.11. As for those conceits that a learned Writer here suggests, either of a cord, wherewith a beast is tied to be led to the butcher; or of a line of exact justice, in rendering to persons delinquent according to their demerits, Esay 28.17. they seem both to swerve from the intendment of the Prophet in this place.

{he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying:} Or, he withdrew not his hand: as Josh. 8.18.26. See on verse 3. he gave not over until he had ruined all. Heb. from swallowing up; as verse 2.5.

{therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament,} Or, but he made, or until he made, (Heb. and; but so the copulative is used, Jer. 23.22. Dan. 12.12.) bulwark and wall (Esay 26.1.) to mourn, as Chap. 1.4. Esay 24.4. Jer. 4.28. and 23.10.

{they languished together.} Or, fainted; and were made to fall, as a man does when he faints away: See the like expression, Esay 24.4. & 33.9. Jer. 14.2.

Verse 9. {Her gates are sunk into the ground;} The Jewish Doctors upon the place, out of their Talmudists, tell us strange stories, of the gates of Jerusalem sinking down into the ground, that they might not come into the enemies' power, because they were the work of David's hands: And some of ours run as wildly wide another way, expounding it of the Priests and Judges that were wont to sit in the gates, Chap. 5.14. I conceive no more to be meant, than that the gates were thrown down to the ground, and lying along there, (such of them, and such parts of them, as had escaped the fire, ch. 1.4. Neh. 1.3. & 2.3,13,17.) were buried in the rubbish when the walls were demolished: See Neh. 2.13,14. & 4.10.

{he hath destroyed and broken her bars;} He, that is, the Lord, verse 8. or, (the verb taken indefinitely; as Job 7.3. Habb. 3.17.) her bars are destroyed and broken; the bars that kept fast the gates, Psal. 107.16. Jer. 51.30.

{her king and her princes are among the Gentiles:} Zedekiah, and such of his Princes as escaped the enemies' sword, are abroad in captivity, 2 Kings 25.7. 2 Chr. 36.20.

{the law is no more:} Heb. is not; as Jer. 31.15. It is neither read nor regarded, neither publicly taught, nor constantly kept: Yea, the Tables of it lost, and the Volumes burnt together with the Temple: They are now justly deprived of it, that little regarded it before-time when they had it, Jer. 5.4,5. & 8.8,9. Hosh. 8.12. Habb. 1.4. A learned Annotator annexes this clause to the foregoing member, thus rendering the words, Her King and her Princes are amongst the Heathen, without Law: that is, deprived of authority and legislative power: but when a plain and familiar sense freely offers itself, it is but lost labor to seek out one further-fetched, and less probable.

{her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.} Find none, that is, have none: as chap. 13.6. See the like complaint, Psalm 74.9. and the same menaced Ezek. 7.26. Mic. 3.6.

Verse 10. {The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground,} Not in those chairs, and on those seats, wherein they were wont to sit in judgment, Psalm 122.5. Mat. 19.28. & 23.2. See c. 1.4.

{and keep silence:} Or, they are silent; they pass no sentence now as they had wont to do, Deut. 17.9,11.

{they have cast up dust upon their heads:} In token of extreme grief: as on such occasions was usual with them, Job 2.12. 2 Sam. 13.15. Esay 15.3. Jer. 48.38.

{they have girded themselves with sackcloth.} Or, they are girt with sackcloth. Heb. sacks: so Jer. 4.8. & 49.3.

{the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground} Out of shame, grief, and confusion, as Esay 5.15. See Jer. 14.2,3. Zach. 1.21. as the contrary is made a note of alacrity and cheerfulness, of courage and confidence, Psal. 110.7. Luke 21.28. See Chap. 1.4.

Verse 11. {Mine eyes do fail with tears;} As Psal. 6.7. See ch. 5.17.

{my bowels are troubled,} See Chap. 1.20.

{my liver is poured upon the earth;} My gall or choler is cast up: as with extremity of grief, mixed with indignation, is oft done: So Job 16.13. my gall is poured upon the ground. They strain the text too far, who would give it an hyperbolical notion, as if it were said, all the blood is gone from my liver, the forge wherein it is framed, and is spilt upon the ground: and they much more, that go further, expounding it, as if it were said; my belly is broken; and my bowels poured out as it was with Judas, Acts 2.18. as also they warp it no less, who, because the liver is deemed the seat of desire and delight, would have the meaning to be, all my desire or delights are gone, they are all fallen to the ground, all come to an end; as it is with the dead, Eccl. 9.6.

{for the destruction of the daughters of my people,} Heb. breach, as Chap. 3.47. Jer. 4.20. Of the term daughter, see on Jer. 9.1.

{because the children and the suckling swoon in the streets.} Or, faint, and go away, for want of food. Heb. are covered, or overwhelmed. See on Esay 57.6. and it may seem to be a borrowed form of speech, taken from that mist or cloud that comes before the eyes of those that are fainting or swooning, and takes away their sight. See Esay 25.7. Of the children and sucklings, see Jer. 6.11. & 9.20.44.7.

Verse 12. {They say to their mothers,} Or, said; as of a thing past, in the time of the siege: they called to them for food, Chap. 4.4.

{where is corn and wine?} Meat and drink. corn, for, bread, as Zach. 9.17. as bread, for, bread-corn, Esay 28.28.

{when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city,} Being in a like condition, as bad, if not worse, the one with the other. See Chap. 1.20. & 4.9,

{when their soul was poured out into the mothers bosom.} Heb. poured out itself; as Job 30.16. when they went away in their mothers' laps, wanting wherewith to relieve them, ch. 4.9. v. 11.

Verse 13. {What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion!} What arguments shall I use wherewith to comfort you, or to convince and persuade you, that you have not so much cause of grief as you pretend? Or rather, What example shall I give of any that have been in like misery? that may be a fit parallel to your present calamitous condition? so Esay 51.19. Chap. 1.12. Nah. 3.7. Of the terms here given her, see Esay 37.22. Chap. 1.15.

{for thy breach is great like the sea;} As vast and wide, as the sea is broad, Job 11.9. or rather, as a breach of the sea: the word breach supplied from the former branch: See the like on verse 16. such a breach as not some small river, but the sea is wont to make, when it has rent asunder and got through the sea-walls, that before kept it out; such as cannot be made up again. See the like, Jer. 51.42. Ezek. 26.3. Job 30.14.

{who can heal thee?} Heb. shall heal thee: the verb in a potential notion; as Jer. 55.9.

Verse 14. {Thy prophets;} Not mine, such as I sent to you, but your own, such as you had chosen to yourself, and were willing to be led by, Jer. 2.8. & 5.31. & 5.31. & 14.13,14. & [28?],15.

{have seen vain and foolish things for thee,} Heb. vanity and unsavory, or without relish, Job 6.6. that is, visions of vanity, and such as were not sound and unsavory: the noun supplied from the verb; as Ezek. 13.11. They took upon them to be seers, but saw not what they should see, and told what they saw not, nothing but vain and frivolous stuff, the froth of their own fancies, Jer. 23.16,26. & 27,14,15.

{and they have not discovered thine iniquity to turn away thy captivity:} They laid not your sins before you to bring you to repentance, whereby your present miseries might have been prevented, Jer. 6.13,14. & 8.11. & 23.17,22.

{but have seen for thee false burdens, and causes of banishment} Heb. and; as Jer. 52.8,16. and burdens of vanity, and of expulsions; that is, say some, burdensome, or sad, and prophecies, (as Esay 18.1.) but false ones against the enemy, against Babylon Jer. 38.2–4,11. & 29.21,31. But the word seems here to be taken in a larger sense; as Prov. 31.1. Zach. 12.1. for any speech, lesson, sermon, or saying uttered; as the verb, whence it comes, is used for to take up; that is, to utter, report, made use of in speech or discourse; as Exod. 20.7. & 23.1. Num. 23.7,18 & 24.3. Esay 23.7. & 14.14. and the meaning is, such false and flattering sermons or prophecies, as were a means of heartening the people unto, and hardening them in their sinful course, and consequently of procuring their captivity, Esay 3.12. Jer. 23.14,15,17,31,32. and 27.9,10.

Verse 15. {All that pass by thee clap their hands at thee:} Heb. Passengers of the way (as chap. 1.12. Psal. 89.41.) clap on thee; or, over thee, with the hands; to wit, in way of derision and contempt, Job 27.23. See chap. 1.18. the pronoun is wanting; as Jer. 6.3. & 20.11.

{they hiss and wag the head at the daughter of Jerusalem,} The like notes of derision; of the former whereof, see Jer. 25.9. & 29.18. verse 16. Of the latter, 2 Kings 19.21. Psal. 22.7. Esay 37.22. Mat. 27.39. See chap. 1.8.

{saying,} Supplied, as Jer. 51.14.

{Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty?} As Psal. 50.2.

{the joy of the whole earth?} Or, land; as Esay 5.8. & 6.12. So Psal. 48.2. See of Tyre, Esay 23.7. and of Babylon, the like, Jer. 51.41.

Verse 16. {All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee,} Or, widened it; as in mocking is wont to be done, Job 16.10. Psal. 22.23. Esay 59.44. Chap. 3.46.

{they hiss} As Verse 15.

{and gnash their teeth:} In disdain and despite; or, indignation joined with scorn, Job 16.9. Psal. 35.16. & 37.12. & 112.10. Acts 7.54.

{They say, We have swallowed her up:} So Psal. 35.25. the same term see also, Psal. 56.2, (where the like defect of the pronoun) & 124.3. Prov. 1.12. verse 2.5.

{certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.} That which we have long looked for, and much desired, having at length compassed, we now behold with delight. See Psal. 35.21. & 59.10. & 92.11. Job 16.9. Mic. 4.11. Chap. 1.7. The pronoun demonstrative in the former branch for the verb substantive; as Esay 66.1. Jer. 10.10. and a defect of the pronoun it in the latter; as Jer. 12.11. & 17.21. Yet the text may thus be rendered, this the day that we expected. we have found, we have seen; hi' the day: as, him the child, Exod. 2.6. and him the wicked one, Proverbs 5.21.

Verse 17. {The LORD hath done that which he had devised:} Or, performed (as Chap. 1.21.) what he purposed: as the like word was before rendered, Verse 8. See the like, Jer. 51.12,29.

{he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old:} Or, he hath put in execution, (as Esay 10.22.) that decree, or edict, of his, (as the like word is used, Est. 1.15, and 9.32.) which he had enacted (as Deut. 33.4.) long since. Heb. from days of antiquity, or, fore-time; as Chap. 1.7. Esay 37.26. the menaces that by Moses he long since denounced, and annexed in way of sanction unto those Laws that he then prescribed his people, at his taking of them into covenant with him Lev. 26.16, &c. Deut. 28.15, &c. to which may also be added the renewed comminations of Jeremy and other of God's Prophets, both in former and latter times. See Jer. 7.25. & 23.3,4.

{he hath thrown down and hath not pitied:} As ver. 2.21.

{and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee:} Or, but, as ver. 14. See the like complaints, Psal. 38.16. & 89.42. Chap. 1.21.

{he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.} Advanced them; given them occasion of triumphing in your ruin. See 1 Sam. 2.1. Psal. 75.10. ver. 3. and the like in effect, Psal. 89.42.

Verse 18. {Their heart cried unto the Lord;} Some render these words in an imperative form, Let their heart cry unto the Lord: and of those some would have them to be the Prophet's words to the people; inviting and inciting them to seek unto God for mercy and relief: other some the Chaldeans, in way of derision, advising them to call to their God for protection and delivery, as Elias did Baal's Priests, 1 King. 18.27. But the most conceive them as spoken in way of enunciation, relating what the people did when they saw the enemy break in upon them, and that by the wall of the city, it may be, having some breaches made in it, (which might give occasion of the next passage, either directed to it, or concerning it,) that then bethinking themselves of him, whom they had neglected before, all other helps and hopes failing, they betook themselves by prayer to him. So Esay 26.16–28. Hos. 5.15. and 6.1. The heart cannot properly be said to cry, no more than to speak. Yet as it is said to speak, Psal. 27.8. when from the fullness of it the mouth speaks, Mat. 12.34. so is it also said to cry; when it is with grief and sorrow so full, that it must needs by such means vent itself. And yet can it not be hence concluded, that the persons here intended, did sincerely cry unto, or call upon God, because their heart is said to cry, and they consequently to cry from or with, the heart: for though to cry from the heart, be sometime used for to cry sincerely; to wit, when one cries out of a true touch and remorse for sin as sin, as that which is offensive and displeasing to God, Ezek. 6.9. and so it is said of some that they cry not with their heart, though they howl upon their beds, Hos. 7.14. yet the heart may be said to cry, and men to cry with the heart, or, from the heart, and to weep heartily, when they do either seriously, though not sincerely; (and so crying with the heart, and with the whole heart; as Psalm 119.145. may be two distinct things,) when they do not feign nor counterfeit grief, make as though they were grieved at the heart, when there is no such matter: as Ismael did to delude some, Jer. 41.6. but are serious in their grief, their heart is full of it, as well as their tongues with expressions of it: as it was with Esau, Gen. 27.38. Heb. 12.17. and those Israelites, Psal. 78.34–37. it was serious with both, sincere with neither: and so might be with the generality of those, whom the Prophet here intends. See Jer. 22.27,28.

{O wall of the daughter of Zion,} The Prophet here abruptly cuts off the thread of his relation, and seems to turn his speech to the wall of the city at the breach whereof in likelihood such outcries were very general from all sorts; as calling upon it, though a dead and senseless thing to weep and cry perpetually; and the wall may be said to weep in a figurative speech, as well as the ways to mourn, Chap. 1.4. but by the wall, say most Interpreters, is here meant the city: and the city, say some, as being now nothing but bare walls without housing and inhabitants. Others, the wall by a synecdoche, put for the whole city; and the city then by a Metonymy, for the inhabitants: and so the wall at second hand by a Metalepsis, for the wonted inhabitants of the city, that lived within compass of it: but I suppose the wall here to be taken in its native sense, for the wall of the city demolished and ruined, as the ground and subject matter of the mourning in this manner and measure required. I shall add another interpretation, and leave both to the consideration of the reader. These words, O wall, or, O the wall of the daughter of Sion, may be conceived as the subject matter of the outcries then used, when the walls were either battered in assault, or demolished after the surprisal of the city: which being annexed to the foregoing branch; the Prophet in the next place addresses himself unto her, whose walls they were, that occasioned the outcry, inciting her to that constant course of lamenting, to move God thereby to mercy and commiseration towards her: thus taken, there will be no difficulty or harshness at all in the whole passage, but all go on smoothly.

{let tears run down like a river day and night:} Heb. make tear (for tears, as Psal. 39.11.) to descend (as Jer. 13.17.) as a river, (in great abundance, (Psal. 119.136.) day and night: incessantly, as Jer. 9.1. & 14.17. So chap. 1.16. & 3.48.

{give thyself no rest;} Or, no intermission; as it is rendered, chap. 3.49. or, remission, abatement; as the verb it comes of seems to import, Psal. 36.8. & 77.2. in which latter place either notion may well consist.

{let not the apple of thine eyes cease.} Heb. let not (or, suffer not) the daughters of thine eye to be silent: that which we call the ball, or apple, of the eye; from the special figure of it; that the Hebrews call the daughter of the eye; either as the dearest and tenderest part of it, Deut. 32.10. Prov. 7.2. or from the figures that seem to appear in it; when also it is termed by the Greeks the damsel, by the Latins, the babe of the eye. So Psal. 17.18. Zach. 2.8. in the former part of which place is another word also used of it, as for notion the same, so for notation, not much unlike to this latter: and to be silent, is commonly used for to cease; because men cease or forbear to speak, when they are silent. So Job 30.27. Psal. 35.15.

Verse 19. {Arise} From your bed; as Psal. 119.62.

{cry in the night} Break yourself of your sleep and your rest, that you may give God no rest, but be importunate with him, as Esay 62.6,7.

{in the beginning of the watches,} Heb. in the head; as Exod. 40.1. either when the watch is first set, or at the beginning of each watch: for by several watches was the night distinguished, Exod. 14.24. Judg. 7.19. 1 Sam. 11.11. Mat. 14.25. Luke 12.38. See the like expressions, Psal. 119.147,148. & 130.6.

{pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord} So Psal. 42.4. & 142.2. & 22.14. 1 Sam. 1.15. & 7.6.

{lift up thine hands towards him,} As Jerem. 14.18. Psalm 28.2. Chap. 3.41.

{for the life of thy young children} Heb. soul; as Jer. 34.10. that God may pity and spare, if not you, yet them. See Jon. 4.11.

{that faint for hunger} Verse 12. Chap. 3.4.

{in the top of every street.} Heb. head: as Prov. 1.21. Ezek. 16.31. Esay 51.20. So Chap. 4.1.

Verse 20. {Behold, O LORD, and consider, to whom thou hast done this:} Heb. See and behold (as Esay 64.9.) with whom thou hast dealt thus; to wit, with those that are your own people: and what more can you do to your enemies? the usual plea of God's people or others in their behalf; to move him to mercy towards them, Exod. 32.11. Deut. 9.26,29. Esay 26.17. & 63.19. & 64.9. Jer. 14.19,21. & 30.14. thus the word here found is accordingly again used for to do, or deal, Verse 22. Howbeit, because it is sometime used for cutting, or, gathering, of clusters, to wit, of grapes in vintage, or rather of the gleaning of them, Lev. 19.10. Deut. 24.21. and from thence applied to the cutting off and destroying of people, Judg. 20.45. Jer. 6.9. upon the ground of the ancient Greek and old Latin so taking the word here, render the text, See and consider whom thou hast vintaged: but this the structure of the words will not admit: for that word in that notion is never found with the particle here subjoined.

{shall the women eat their fruit,} Or, should (as Jer. 5.7.) women eat their own fruit; their children, as Psal. 21.10. the fruit of their womb, as Deut. 7.13. & 28.4,18. Psal. 127.3.

{and children of a span long?} Or, children, &c. for the copulative is here needless. The word here used comes from a term, that signifies properly, not a span, but an hand-breadth, or four fingers breadth; or, as the Latins use to express it, a palm breadth, Psal. 39.5. Esay 40.12. and so the old Latin here renders it, of the measure of an hand, or, a palm breadth: and the term is used indeed proverbially, as in Hebrew, so in other languages, to design thereby anything of a very small and short size: and so in the place of the Psalmist before mentioned. Howbeit, because the verb drawn from it, signifies to mete, or to stretch out, ought with the hand; as Esay 48.13. my right hand hath meted out, or stretched out, the heavens: hence both the Chaldee Paraphrast and the Rabbines here expound it, the children of swadlings; the children whose limbs the mothers were wont to stretch out and stroke, as if they were meting or measuring them, with their hands, to fashion them, and make them grow straight and proportionable; and for the same purpose also to make them up with swathing bands; for this root arises from a word frequent in the Talmudists, for a wrapper of linen, wherewith to wrap up ought; as also for a veil, or apron, or the like, in Scripture, Ruth 3.15. Esay 3.22. and this Interpretation receives further strength from what follows here, Verse 22. that for want of food women should eat their children in the strait sieges that this people should endure, was before threatened, Lev. 26.29. Deut. 28.53–57. Jer. 19.9. Ezek. 5.10. and was accordingly at sundry times effected, 2 Kings 6.28,29. Chap. 4.3,10. See Josephus the Jew of the Jewish War, lib. 7. cap. 21.

{shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?} Or, should. should God endure to see his own house so polluted with the blood of his own Priests, and such as bear, the name at least of his Prophets: for I suppose there was no true Prophet slain there by the enemy; though they had themselves sometime defiled it with the blood of such, 2 Chr. 24.21. See before, verse 6.

Verse 21. {The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword:} For the Chaldeans spared none, regarding neither age nor sex, 2 Chr. 36.17.

{thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed and not pitied.} The Chaldeans were but your instruments, the executioners of your wrath, Esay 10.5,15. See Jer. 33.5. so Chap. 1.12,15. Verse 17. the pronoun is not in the text, nor the copulative: nor is either here needful, no more than Chap. 3.43. where both are omitted. See Verse 4.17.

Verse 22. {Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about; so that in the day of the LORD'S anger none escaped, nor remained.} Heb. and there was no escaper, and remainer: and, for, or; as Jer. 44.14. You have summoned in, mustered up, and brought in upon me, matter of terror and straits, so on every side to beset and surround me, that there is no means or hope of escape unto any, but all are environed together, and involved, in the same common calamity, Jer. 4.17. & 20.3.10. So chap. 1.17. a metaphor taken from the calling of the people together unto their solemn assemblies by sound of trumpet, Num. 10.2,3. So before, Chap. 1.15.

{those that I have swaddled} Or, swathed; so rather than, as some, which I carried in mine hands: of the word, see before, on Verse 20. it seems to comprehend all those offices that mothers or nurses exercise about their children, for the managing of their limbs, and keeping of them in their due proportion and posture during the time of their tender infancy.

{and brought up,} Heb. made great. So Ezek. 19.2. not, multiplied; as the learned Scholiast amiss renders it: for it is in this notion parallel to that other term used, Esay 1.2. by which the Jewish Scholiast here rightly expounds it.

{hath mine enemy consumed} As if they had been bred for no other end, but to be made by slaughter meat for the murderers' sword, Job 27.14. Hos. 9.13.

CHAPTER 3

Verse 1. {I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.} The two former Chapters consisted of a single alphabet, either of them. This consists of a threefold Alphabet; as the Psalm 119. of an eightfold one. Every three Verses in course beginning with the same letter, as every eight in order there. The same subject matter that was handled in the former, is, with much variety of expressions, and further amplifications, in more concise and quick sentences, very artificially and pathetically continued and carried on throughout this. The question is, Who the person should be that the Prophet here speaks of. Some of the ancients, whom therein some of the Popish Writers concur with, would have it spoken of Christ: but to let pass all other arguments; the very tenor of the context does everywhere almost sufficiently confute that frivolous conceit. Others would have it all spoken in the person of God's people; lying now under heavy pressures in the Babylonian bondage, relating both what they had formerly suffered, and at present also did sustain. Others lastly, of the Prophet himself, in this kind more unhappy than other his fellow Prophets, in that they had foretold only the calamities that should befall God's people; he had survived to see, and to undergo no small share among the rest in them. I conceive that the person intended, is principally the main body of the people, though the Prophet himself also included as a limb of the same.

{I am the man} I, the people of the Jews, the Jewish State; and I Jeremy also among the rest, am one of those that have tasted of God's wrathful rod. See Jer. 15.18. & 30.12,15.

{seen affliction} Not barely seen it; but sustained it: to see, for, to suffer: as Jer. 5.12. and 14.13. and 42.14. Psalm 16.10. and 49.9. and 89.48.

{by the rod of his wrath.} Or, his rod of wrath; that is, his wrathful rod: the rod wherewith he smites in wrath. So Esay 10.5. See the like form of speech also, Prov. 22.8.

Verse 2. {He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.} He has led me into captivity as the word is used, Esay 20.4. darkness, for affliction and misery Psal. 112.4. Esay 8.22. ch. 2.1. and, light, for prosperity and jollity, Est. 8.16. Psal. 97.11. both together, as here, so Job 18.18. and the same thing in cross terms reiterated; as c. 2.8.

Verse 3. {Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day} He is turned against me, who had wont to be for me, Exod. 14.25. Psalm 46.7. or he turns again upon me; as Esay 1.25. to fetch and inflict new strokes; and that continually and incessantly all day long: as Psalm 44.22. and 73.14. See ch. 2.3,8. Job 10.15,21.

Verse 4. {My flesh, and my skin hath he made old:} Either withered it with leanness and wrinkles, Job 16.8. or worn out, and consumed it; as Job 13.28. Psal. 32.3. Esay 50.9.

{he hath broken my bones.} Taken all support and strength away from me, chap. 1.14,50. Esay 38.13. Jer. 50.17.

Verse 5. {He hath builded against me} Encamped about me, and raised Forts and Batteries against me. So Job 19.12. Esay 29.2,3.

{and compassed me with gall and travail.} Or, with venom, and vexation. See Jeremiah 8.14. So again, Verse 19. The Pronouns wanting, but supplied from the former branch; as Verse 3.

Verse 6. {He hath set me in dark places;} He has laid me in the grave; the region of darkness, Job 10.21,22. Or, He has cast me into prisons and dungeons, Verse 33.35. Psalm 88.6. Esay 44.22.

{as they that be dead of old} In them I lie as a corpse in the grave, wholly disregarded and utterly forgotten, Psalm 31.12. & 88.4,5. Ezek. 37.11,12.

Verse 7. {He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out:} Or, he hedged me about. As having reference to the closeness and straitness of the siege, Jer. 4.17. & 52.7. So Job 3.23. & 19.8. Psalm 88.8. Heb. and (for that; as Mal. 1.9.) I shall not go out, for cannot; as Jer. 13.23. there is no possibility of escape, Jeremiah 34.3. & 39.4,5.

{he hath made my chain heavy.} Laid an heavy affliction of thraldom and bondage upon me, Psal. 66.11. Heb. brass, or steel, as Jer. 15.12. & 32.7.

Verse 8. {Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.} Or, When I cried also, and that aloud, or eagerly; (two words of the same notion to add the more Emphasis; as Esay 12.6. & 58.1. See Chap. 2.5.) he obstructed, or, stopt, (as the word properly signifies, 2 Kings 3.19,25. 2 Chr. 32.3,4,30.) the passage of my prayer: alluding, as our Version renders it, to the manner of those that shut the door to keep suitors out, where they are not willing to be troubled with them: but it seems rather to the practice of those that stop the ear against speech or words about such matters as they list not, nor like, to hear; as Psal. 58.4. Prov. 24.13. Acts 7.57. it is not so much against the party, as against the prayer. So v. 44. and some therefore render it, he stoppeth his ear to my prayer: a defect of the Noun after the Verb: as Genesis 42.33. Jer. 16.7. See the like complaints, Job 19.7. and 30.20. Psal. 22.1,2. Hab. 1.2.

Verse 9. {He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone;} or He enclosed my ways. He so blocked up all passages about me, having hemmed me in, not with a thorny hedge, as Hos. 2.6. or some earthy mud-wall, that might with no such great difficulty be broken down or dug through, but with a strong fence of hewn stone, that there might be no possibility of access for any relief or succor from abroad to me. See Jer. 13.19. and this seems aimed at here, to the obstructions of access; as the prevention of escape before, v. 7. See Job 19.12.

{He hath made my paths crooked.} Heb. He perverted my paths Jeremiah 3.21. He turned all my projects and designs a contrary way; because I took courses contrary to his ways, Leviticus 26.27,28. Psalm 18.26. So v. 11. See Jer. 29.3,7. and 33.4,5. and 37.7–10.

Verse 10. {He was unto me as a bear lying in wait:} So Hos. 3.8. as a leopard, Jer. 5.6. Hos. 13.8.

{and as a lion in secret places.} Psal. 17.12. See the like, Job 10.6. Esay 38.13. Hos. 5.14. & 13.7. a defect of the note of similitude in either clause: as Gen. 49.9,14,17.

Verse 11. {He hath turned aside my ways,} or He turned aside: the same in effect with that before of perverting his paths, v. 9. for that is too slight that some suggest, he deprived me of liberty to walk abroad: rather he made all mine attempts and endeavors frustrate. See Jer. 21.4. & 33.5.

{and pulled me in pieces;} Worried and tore me in pieces, Job 16.9,12. Hos. 5.14. & 6.1. & 13.8. as a Lion or a Bear does some beast that it has preyed upon, ver. 10. Deuteronomy 33.10. Psalm 7.2. Mic. 5.8.

{he hath made me desolate.} As Chap. 1.13.

Verse 12. {He hath bent his bow,} or He bent his bow. Heb. trod it. So Chap. 2.4.

{and set me as a mark for the arrow.} Job, 7.20. and 16.12.

Verse 13. {He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.} Or, He caused. &c. Heb. the sons of his quiver: as sparks are termed, the sons of the quick-coal, Job 5.7. and corn, the son of the floor, Esay 21.10. See the like expressions, Job 8.4. & 16.13. Psalm 38.2. reins, for inward vital parts: as Job 16.13. & 19.27. So, loins, Deut. 33.8. Psal. 38.7.

Verse 14. {I was a derision to all my people;} That is, say some of the Jewish Masters, to the wicked and perfidious ones among my people, as Jer. 20.7. or to such people, as had been before subject to me, as Moab, Amelek and Edom: or as one of ours, with all my people: as the particle seems used, Ezr. 1.5. But it is the people that speaks it: and the words, as another Jewish Critic has well observed, may be read and rendered, to all peoples: that is, to all foreign people: the word a plural, wanting only its last letter; as the very same word is found with the like defect, 2 Sam. 22.44. compared with Psalm 18.43: See the like complaints, Psalm 44.13. & 79.4. Ezek. 36.15.

{and their song all the day.} Heb. their neginah, or hand instrument of music. So Job 30.9. See Esay 38.20. I was unto them as some Lute or Kit, (the note of similitude is wanting, as v. 10.) one whom they played on at pleasure, and that incessantly. So Psal. 35.15,16. and 69.12. v. 63.

Verse 15. {He hath filled me with bitterness;} Heb. satiated; cloyed, or glutted me (as v. 30. Job 7.4.) with bitternesses, that is, with things extremely bitter: as Deut. 32.32. See the same, Job 9.18. See the same, Job 9.18. See the like Ruth 1.20,21. c. 1.4.

{he hath made me drunken with wormwood,} or hen-bane, or wolfs-bane, rather: some kind of herb that is rank and deadly poison. See on Jer. 8.14. and 23.15. of the juice of such venomous stuff has he forced me to drink; not some small quantity, but in great abundance. See Jer. 31.14,25. & 46.10. or so plied me with it, that it has besotted me, and made me beside myself. See the like, Job 9.18. Psalm 60.3. Esay 51.17,21,22. Jer. 25.17,18. Ezekiel 23.32–34. v. 5,19.

Verse 16. {He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones:} Such food he has fed me with, as may seem rather to be stones than bread, Mat. 4.3. & 7.9. An allusion to men that eat gritty bread, of such grist as millstones are at first wont to make, or to such gravel, as having by accident fallen into, and being mixed with bread or other food, not discovered, proves offensive to the teeth of him that eats of it. See Prov. 20.17.

{he hath covered me with ashes.} The word here used has no brother, says the Jewish Critic: and the notion of it therefore is very uncertain. Nor do their great Masters agree about it, but render it, some one way, and some another. One, he hath polluted me. Another, he hath pressed me down; citing some instances for that purpose from the Talmud: and so also the Chaldee. Others, he hath rolled me in ashes: as, in dust, Mic. 1.10. So Jer. 6.26. another, he hath covered me over with ashes. Like that of Job, I am become like dust and ashes, Job 30.19. The ancient Greek and the old Latin (whom some Hebrew Professors of note concur with) he hath fed me with ashes. And to these the rather I incline, both because it sorts very fitly with the course of the context; and the like expression is found elsewhere, Psalm 102.9.

Verse 17. {And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace:} You have set me and prosperity asunder: taken me from it; for taken it from me: cast me out of that prosperous condition that I formerly enjoyed: the terms far off, are not in the text: peace, for prosperity: as Jer. 29.7. my soul for me: as Psalm 3.2. & 22.20,21. & 88.14. in which last place also the verb here used is found. A learned Annotator would have it read, Thy soul was removed from peace: which he expounds, you were wholly alienated from thoughts of peace and welfare concerning me: and says it was so anciently, until the Scribes altered it: and the old Latin renders it, My soul is repelled, or removed, from peace: which though in sense it swerve not from what both Jewish Commenters suggest, and our Version holds out, yet neither does it express fully, what the text thus taken exhibits, to wit, the attributing of the thing mentioned to God, unto whom, the Prophet turns his speech, nor does it, answer precisely to the terms of the Text, wherein the Verb used is never found in a passive notion: that which also evidently refells that former learned man's conceit. The Chaldee renders it, My soul refuseth to enquire after peace: which may better consist with the terms of the text, than either of those twain, and would be the same in substance with that, Psalm 77.2. my soul refused to be comforted.

{I forgat prosperity.} Or, I have forgotten welfare, Heb. good; as Job 9.5. I no more now mind it, than as if I never had enjoyed it, or knew what it meant: or I think no more on it, than as one that never looks or hopes to be acquainted with it again. So Gen. 41.51. Job 11.16. See Job 32.15.

Verse 18. {And I said,} Or Then (as Jer. 52.7.) I said, I thought with myself; as Psal. 32.5. & 39.1.

{my strength and my hope is perished from the LORD.} Or My support: as God is called the support of Israel, 1 Sam. 15.29. and blood; the support of the living creature, Esay 63.3,6. because when that is spent and fails, the body falls: and the word has a notion, of subsistence and permanence in it. I was clean out of hope, either of subsistence or of recovery again. So Psal. 31.22. & 116.10,11. Esay 40.27. & 49.14. Ezek. 37.11.

Verse 19. {Remembering mine affliction, and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.} Wherewith God has fed them, v. 5,15. See Jer. 8.14. and 9.15. the word rendered misery, is by some rendered attenuation; by others, lamentation: but neither produce ought wherewith to back either interpretation: the old Latin renders it, transgression; and the word it comes of signifies very commonly to rebel; but that seems to have no place here, nor does it well suit with that exposition of the place, that one of the Rabbines gives an hint of upon the place, and that Version exhibits, conceiving the Text, as in form of a prayer to God, Remember mine affliction, or humiliation: sure they would never request God to remember their transgressions, or rebellions, but with David rather to forget them, Psalm 25.7. & 79.8. howsoever that Exposition of the place seem not genuine. But some lastly both Jewish and ours, render it expulsion, or exilement; that which seems to be seconded by that of Esay, 58.7. before pointed to on Chapter 1.7. where the same term was used. Remembering, that is In remembering; as Jer. 17.1. Psalm 42.4. when I remember and think upon the great depth of affliction, and extremity of bitterness, that God has brought me unto; and this Version the words following confirm.

Verse 20. {My soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me.} The sense is, I have them in mind continually, I cannot forget them; and am much dejected and cast down, (Heb. bowed down; as Psal. 42.4,5,11. & 44.25.) so oft as I think on them. Heb. remembering remember; as Jer. 31.20. and my soul: as v. 17. Psal. 57.1. but this form makes the speech more emphatical and affectionate; as Psalm 57.4.

Verse 21. {This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope.} Heb. reduce, or make to return to my heart; as Deut. 30.1. Yet when I consider and call to mind God's infinite mercies I begin to conceive some hope again of recovery, and am not wholly swallowed up with despair. Thus, though in extremity of affliction and depth of temptation, are even the faithful tossed to and fro between hope and fear, and brought down to the very pit's brink of despair; yet the better part at length prevails, see v. 24. They seem to strain the text, who would refer the ground of hope here pointed at to the foregoing relation, because man's misery is oft-times made a motive of mercy, Psal. 125. c. 1.11,20. The text runs more freely of its own accord in way of reference to what ensues. The discretive, yet, seems wanting, to be supplied, and prefixed; as Psalm 119.83. Job 14.9. Jer. 51.53.

Verse 22. {It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed} Or, To wit, (supplied, as Jeremiah 34.9.) that it is the Lord's great mercy: so the word plural imports, Psalm 89.1. See Esay 63.7. considering our extreme wickedness, it is a wonder that it is not far worse with us, than as yet it is: it is of his mere abundant mercy that any of us do survive and remain, and that there is not an utter riddance made of us at once, Ezr. 9.13,15. See Jer. 5.10,18. & 30.11. Mal. 3.6. That which gives hope of God's intending some good to us, in that he reserves a seed of us, Esay 1.9. Romans 9.29. & 11.4,5.

{because his compassions fail not} Or that (as Jer. 49.13.) his tender mercies (or compassionate affections: as Esay 63.7. are not spent, or consumed: as Mal. 3.6.

Verse 23. {They are new every morning:} Or, That they, (to wit, his mercies and compassions, v. 22.) are or have been daily renewed, Heb. new in the mornings are they: as Esay 33.2. See Job 7.18. Zeph. 3.5.

{great is thy faithfulness.} Or that thy faithfulness, (or his faithfulness: a change of the person, as Esay 12.9. Jer. 44.10.) is great, Psal. 36.5. See 2 Tim. 2.13.

Verse 24. {The LORD is my portion,} I have an interest still in him: as Psalm 16.5. & 73.26. & 119.57. Jer. 10.6.

{saith my soul;} Or I say, as v. 20.

{therefore will I hope in him.} Or, wait on him; with hopeful expectation wait and depend upon him, Verse 21. Job 13. verse 15.

Verse 25. {The LORD is good unto them that wait for him,} That with patience and perseverance amidst their afflictions depend upon him for delivery until his due time thereof do come, Psalm 40.1. Esay 8.17. & 30.18.

{to the soul that seeketh him.} Or, to him, to the person, (As verse 20.) that seeketh him, Psalm 9.10. and 24.6. and 27.8. and 105.4.

Verse 26. {It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.} Heb. No more but, Good, and he wait: which some render it, it is well with him that both doth wait: and this way should I go, I should rather render it, it is well with him that he doth wait: the copulative put for the relative, as Jer. 41.8. and 48.5. But as I conceive with less supply, and most familiar, it may be thus rendered. It is good that (so is the copulative used, Psalm 144.3.) a man wait (as 2 Kings 6.33): and be silent, (as verse 28. Psalm 62.1,5. & 131.2.) that is, wait silently (as, made haste and came, for came hastily 1 Sam. 4.14. and sit, be silent, for, sit silently, Esay 47.5. and reign and prosper, for reign prosperously, Jeremiah 23.5.) for the salvation of the Lord, Gen. 49.18. Psalm 119.174. It is good for one to wait quietly, until God please to send deliverance, both because it is his duty so to do, Psalm 123.2. and because there is hope of delivery, if he so do, Exod. 14.13. Esay 30.16. v. 29.

Verse 27. {It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.} That he be inured, as to the strict observation of God's Law Psalm 119.9. Matthew 11.29. So to the patient enduring of his Will, in such afflictions, as God shall see good to exercise him with, Psalm 94.12. and 119.67,71,75. Job 5.17. Proverbs 3.11,12. Heb. 12.6–10.

Verse 28. {He sitteth alone,} Or That he sit alone. See Jer. 15.17. Psalm 102.7.

{and keepeth silence,} Or, and be silent. See verse 26. So Psalm 39.9.

{because he hath borne it upon him.} Or, when (as Jer. 51.48.) it, (to wit, the yoke) is laid upon him. Heb. when he had laid it upon him; as the Verb is used, 2 Sam. 24.12. but taken here indefinitely; and therefore best expressed by the passive; as Amos 4.2. Habb. 3.17. Luke 12.20. So rather, or if it be referred to the patient, when he beareth it; as a verbal thence deduced is rendered, Zeph. 1.11. than as the learned Scholiast, when he hath taken it up upon him: though the word be oft so taken; as Esay 40.15. & 63.9. for the yoke of affliction is not voluntarily taken up, but imposed and inflicted even upon those that are most willing and ready to bear it: compare Matt. 16.24. with John 21.18:19. See also 1 Chron. 21.13,17.

Verse 29. {He putteth his mouth in the dust} Or, That he put his mouth in the dust; Humbling himself even to the ground: or as if he should stop his mouth with dust for fear of breaking out into any repining or murmuring language, Job 40.4,5. But this latter seems to be with the largest. It is an allusion, as some conceive to the manner of those, that having been subdued are enforced to lay their necks down to be trampled upon, and to lick up the dust under the feet of those, by whom they have been subdued, Josh. 10.24. Psalm 72.9. Esay 49.23. & 51.23. & 60.14. or, as others rather, unto the usual manner of suppliants, that use to bow down so low, or lay themselves along in that manner, that as they lay groveling, their mouth touched the ground, 2 Samuel 12.16. & 14.22. Esay 9.8. Dan. 8.17. Matt. 26.39. and withal to that dust and ashes on which they were wont in such cases to prostrate themselves, Job 40.6. Esay 58.5. Mic. 1.10.

{if so be there may be hope.} Heb. peradventure there is hope; as Gen. 32.20. Dan. 4.27. such humble, patient, quiet, and submissive carriage, may well give a man ground of hope. Yet it is thus propounded, implying that what God thereupon does, is out of his mere mercy, not of man's merit, and therefore not to be presumed on, or claimed as due debt. So Joel 2.14. Zeph. 2.3.

Verse 30. {He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him;} Or, That he give, &c. Be content to endure disgraceful, despiteful, and contumelious usage, Esay 50.6. Mic. 5.1. Mat. 5.39. & 26.27.

{he is filled full with reproach.} Or, That he be filled (Heb. satiated, or cloyed; as ver. 15.) with reproach; sustain abundance of reproachful usage. So Psal. 123.4.

Verse 31. {For the Lord will not cast off for ever.} Though he do leave his people for some time, and that for the good of those that either are sincere and faithful already, or that are reclaimed and reformed by his judgments: yet he will not always so do, So 1 Sam. 12.22. Psal. 94.14. Esay 57.16.

Verse 32. {For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.} Or, as some render it, For when he hath caused grief, or grieved, he doth also, or again show mercy according to the multitude of his benignities. But for the former part, I adhere rather to our Version. Heb. if, for, though; as Jer. 15.1. and, and, for, yet; Jer. 50.10,22. In the latter part, I should rather say, abundance, than multitude: the word well admitting either; and so also, Psal. 51.1. & 106.45. See Esay 14.1. & 54.7,8. Mic. 7.18,19.

Verse 33. {For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men} Heb. He doth not afflict from his heart. He does not willingly afflict any, his own people especially: but what he does in this kind, he is in a manner enforced to by their sins, 2 Chron. 36.16. Jer. 5.7,9. & 30.14. & 44.20. Or, He takes no delight in afflicting people; it goes against the hair, and against the heart with him to be dealing roughly with them; it is a grief to him to be grievous to them, a pain to himself to be punishing of them, Esay 1.24. Ezek. 18.23,31,32. & 33.11. or he punishes not according to his might; as either he might justly, or could do, if he would put out his might, and make use of his power, but with respect to man's infirmity. Job 37.23. Psalm 78.38,39. Esay 27.8. & 48.9. Esay & 57.16. or, he does not afflict his out of any sinister disposition towards them, or evil affection to them, but to try their sincerity and to exercise their patience, Psalm 66.10. Prov. 3.11,12. Rom. 5.3,4. Heb. 5.8. & 10.32. Jam. 1.3. 1 Pet. 1.7. & 4.12. Rev. 3.10. Thus divers diversely, among which the first seems most proper, as best suiting with that form, from the heart, as we also use it, and so render, Ephes. 6.6. what the Apostle there says, from the soul. Howbeit, I shall add how the phrase is in the Hebrew used. A man is said to speak, or do a thing from his heart, or out of his own heart; for these terms in Hebrew differ not, when he does it out of his own mere motion, or invention, without suggestion, information, direction, or occasion given, or ministered to him, by any other. So it is said of Jeroboam, that he kept a festival, which he had devised from his heart, or out of his own heart, without any commission, or direction from God, 1 King. 12.33. So Nehemy to Sanballat, thou feignest these things from thine heart, or out of thine own heart, Neh. 6.8. having no ground for them, or upon no occasion given from me or information from any other. So the meaning here may be, that God does never afflict out of his own mere Will, or motion only, without some good ground and just occasion given him from those whom he does afflict. So one of the Rabbines here, He doth it not out of his own Will; for man's iniquity giveth occasion: contrary to that which of natural parents the Apostle says, that they sometime chastise after their own pleasure, if his meaning be such as our English expresses it: which yet I doubt much of, the words being only, as seemed good, or meet to them, whether their children liked it, or no, howsoever they deemed of it: but so worldly parents sometime do in an humor, as we say, where no just cause is given of so doing; God never. His bounty and kindness flows from him freely of itself, his severity and harshness arises from somewhat in us.

Verse 34. {To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth} The three next Verses some Interpreters annex to the words next beforegoing; as more particularly relating what those things were, that God did not from his heart, either himself do, or cause to be done. Others rather refer all that is here related to the last clause, in the close of ver. 36. whereof more shall be said when we shall come to that branch. The matters here mentioned are in general oppressions, referred to two heads; some hostile, executed in times of war, ver. 34. some civil, exercised in times of peace, by force, or fraud, vers. 35,36. The entrance into this passage seeming somewhat abrupt, divers Interpreters seek to clear it by sundry supplies: some inserting, Ye think, or, Ye say; as if the Prophet did here relate the words, or thoughts of others, not deliver his own. Others, when a man is ready, to do as is here described: as, I am ready to halt, Psal. 38.17. But our Version is plain and full enough. The infinitive is oft used in other languages, as well as in Hebrew for the noun; to do such things, for, the doing of such things: for any to crush under his feet, or, simply, the crushing under one's foot, such as they have subdued and hold in captivity; when men exercise such cruelty and oppression upon them, that they tread them down and trample upon them, as upon dirt and clay, or upon mortar and rubbish, until they grind them to powder, that is, have worn them clean out by harsh and hard usage Esay 10.6. & 14.15,16. & 16.4. & 51.23. Jer. 12.10. Daniel 7.7. Chapter 1.14. See Esay 3.15. Mic. 3.3.

{all the prisoners of the earth.} Heb. all the bound of the earth, prisoners of the earth, that is, the World in general; as Psalm 24.1. that which of the Assyrians and Chaldeans is said, Esay 10.13,14. and 14.17,17. or, of the land; as Psalm 37.3. some particular country, Eccl. 5.8. the Land of Judea, more specially aimed at, Jer. 39.9. & 50.17.

Verse 35. {To turn aside the right of a man} Heb. to cause to decline, sway aside or overthrow; as Prov. 18.5. Esay 10.2. See there, and verse 36.

{before the face of the most High} In the sight of God, Psalm 51.4. verse 38. not dreading him, or his displeasure, Mal. 3.5. who is an avenger of such courses, Psalm 94.1. Proverbs 22.22,23. & 23.10,10,11. 1 Thessalonians 4.6. So the most. Howbeit, some expound it of God himself, as not doing himself what is here said, to wit, that God does not sway or pervert judgment in any cause that comes before him, Job 8.3. & 34.5,12. and say they, the Noun is put for the Pronoun; the face of the Highest, for his face; as the Lord's Heavens, for his Heavens, ver. 66. But this seems not to suit so well with the tenor and course of the context. And there want not, which our margin also intimates, that understand the word here used, not of God, but of some earthly Judge, of a man in place of authority and judicature; rendering the words, before the face of a Superior. Heb. an high one: and the word is used not of God alone, but of other things also, both places, as 2 Kings 15.35. 2 Chr. 8.5. and persons, as Deut. 26.19. and I see not, why it should be taken otherwise here: as a word of the very same notion is, of those that sit aloft in place of judicature above others, in a place parallel to this, Eccl. 5.8. There is one high above the high, and high ones above them; where the term high is given to God in the first place; to Judges in the second place; to Angels (as some also think) in the third.

Verse 36. {To subvert a man in his cause,} Heb. To pervert a man in his controversy; that is, by overswaying the proceedings at Law, and causing the scale to decline and weigh down the wrong way, v. 35. to overthrow a man in his suit: that which is termed, a wresting of judgment, or right, Deut. 16.19. Thus, if we conceive the one, as some do, to be no more than a further illustration of the other: yet some Interpreters distinguish them, conceiving the former to be meant of overswaying causes by power and might: the other of carrying things away by cunning and slight: and this seems not improbable.

{the Lord approveth not.} This clause is generally deemed to reach to all those particulars before recited: but this is variously expounded. The words are in Hebrew, the Lord seeth not. Which some read by way of interrogation, Doth not God see it? as if it came in by way of objection, against what had been said of God's unwillingness to afflict. Does he not see such things as those to be done? to which the answer should be returned, v. 39. Others, as a ground laid for the ensuing assertion of God's general providence and disposal of all things; Should not God see it? can it be so done, that he should not see and regard it? as Job 11.11. should he see iniquity, and not consider, or regard it? But others, and so the most read them by way of enunciation. the Lord seeth not: that which some take according to the proper and native notion of the word, conceiving it to be delivered as the speech and imagination of wicked men, that God sees none of these things when they are done. So Job 22.13,14. Psalm 10.11. & 94.7. But how such should be brought in speaking here, is not easy to descry. Others therefore take the word of seeing, in a figurative sense. Some, God seeth none of these things; that is, he knows them not, he is not acquainted with them, he does not practice any of them; he does not handle men cruelly without right and reason; nor make use of his power to oppress any man in judgment; nor of his skill to pervert any man's cause that comes before him, but is willing to hear and try all indifferently, according to the rules of equity and right. Others, and so the most, he doth not see; that is, like of, or approve: he does not behold any of these things with an eye of allowance and approbation: as Numb. 23.21. Hab. 1.13. and this last seems the genuine sense of the place. So it is a confirmation of that which was formerly said, that God afflicteth not from the heart; since that, though he permits such things to be done, and gives way therein to man's malice for the execution of his just judgment on some, and the chastisement of others; yet he does not approve the things done in those whom he makes use of as instruments therein. See Hab. 1.12,13. If we read the words by way of interrogation, it will be part of an Objection begun here; continued Verse 37,38. and answered, verse 39.

Verse 37. {Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?} These words are very diversely rendered, though for the sense of them in general most agree, to wit, that nothing is done here below, but by a Divine providence and disposal. Some render them as a check to that impious conceit of men, as they conceive before mentioned, that God sees not, or regards not what men here on earth do. Who is he, that saith this, that it is, (that ought is done) when the Lord hath not commanded it? Who is he that can or dare be so presumptuous and impious, as to say that ought comes to pass without God's providence and appointment? Prov. 16.4,33. and 21.30,31. and 29.16. Matt. 10.29,30. Others, Who is he, that saith, and it is, (that which he says comes to pass and is effected) if the Lord hath not commanded it? Who is he, that is able to effect and bring about what he speaks, or purposes, unless God permit and give way thereunto? Prov. 16.1,9. Jer. 10.23. James 4.13,15. And these two readings, as in sense they little differ; so the words of the Text will well admit either: but the latter, which our Version follows, seems the right. There is a defect of the relative in either: in the former branch, of the particle of time with the former, as Jer. 18.18. of the conditional with the latter, as Esay 30.20. in the latter branch, as Jer. 50.5. & 51.12. Some restrain the text to the Chaldeans' employment against God's people, rendering the words in two distinct propositions. Who is he, who when he spake, it was done? Heb. he spake and it was done: as Psalm 33.9.) hath not God enjoined this? to wit, the Chaldeans breaking in upon us, and dealing with us, as they have done. But the sentence seems more general, driving at, this, to show, that though God do nothing else of this nature, either out of any desire of, or delight in, the thing itself; nor out of his own mere motion and pleasure; but upon occasion ministered by man, and just ground given him from the persons themselves that suffer; yet nothing befalls any in this kind but by his disposal; nothing but what he has commanded: that is, in his secret and unsearchable providence preordained and appointed, either to act, or to permit and give way to. See 2 Samuel 12.11,12. and 16.10. 1 Kings 12.15,24. Jer. 34.22. Acts 2.23. and 4.28.

Verse 38. {Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?} Heb. Cometh not the evil things, and the good? or, those things that are evil, and that that is good? for the Article prefixed with either is emphatical: and the former word is plural, the latter singular: which though some descant upon, as if it implied that more evil things ordinarily befall men here than good: yet by an usual Hebraism, joining nouns plural with verbs singular in a notion of distribution, as Esay 26.19. Joel 1.20. cometh evils and good; is no more than cometh each evil, (as Amos 3.6.) as well as ought that is good. So the meaning is, that as well cross issues and penalties, as benefits and prosperous successes come all of them by God's appointment, Job 1.21. and 2.10. Psalm 75.5. Esay 45.7. Amos 3.6. God's mouth, for, his appointment: whether of direction, as 1 Samuel 15.24. or of determination, 2 Kings 24.3. And so here; See Deuteronomy 8.3. Some repeat from the foregoing Verse those words, Who is it that saith? But neither is that Version there unquestioned, nor is the supply needful here.

Verse 39. {Wherefore doth living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?} Heb. For his sin. But the term is used in Scripture, not only for sin itself, or the act of it; but sometime also for a sin sacrifice; a sacrifice offered for the expiation of some sin, Lev. 4.3. 2 Cor. 5.21, sometime, for the guilt of sin, or, obligation to sufferings for it, Gen. 4.7. & 20.9. and further again for any penalty inflicted, or to be inflicted in way of punishment for it, Gen. 4.13. Zach. 4.19. & so our Version here takes it: of which yet there is no necessity. But there is more ambiguity about another word in the text: for the word rendered complain, some render mourn, or be sorrowful, and in heaviness; some, vex himself; some, murmur. The two former ground their interpretation upon a word that has a notion, sometime of grief, and heaviness, Deut. 26.14. whence Benoni, Gen. 35.18. and, mourners, Hos. 9.4. sometime, of grievance, affliction, vexation, Job 5.6. & 15.35. Hence, some render it, Why is the living man sorrowful? man suffereth for his sin. So our Geneva Version, dividing the text into two distinct branches, a question and an answer thereunto: which one of our former Versions does another way; Why then doth the living man mourn? let him mourn for his own sin: that has brought such things upon him; as Chap. 5.16. To which purpose also a learned Scholiast; Why doth the living man complain? let each man complain of his own sinne: a man, for each one; as Jerem. 5.8. and the supply from the former branch, as Gen. 1.16. Others, Why doth he afflict himself by himself by his sins? why does he procure evils to himself by the committing of sin? And others again, Why doth he vex himself? (to wit, by impatient carriage under God's hand, as those, Proverbs 19.3. Esay 8.21. Rev. 16.9,10.) even a man in his sin: persisting still in the same, Rev. 9.20,21. & 16.10. But those that go the last way as the most do, following the ancient Greek and old Latin, therein going before them, build upon the use of the word, Numb. 11.1. where in a notion of murmuring, it is most generally taken. And the Greek renders it, Why should the living man murmur, a man for his sin? which precisely expresses the Hebrew: the Latin follows him exactly, save that for his sin, he has sins: both use two several words for man, as the Hebrew also does; but our English cannot so fitly express. Some other, Why should the living man murmur, any one for his sins? that which must be understood of the punishment of sin: a man, for any one; as Jer. 5.1. Our ancientest Version, Why then murmureth the living man? let him murmur at his own sin. The plainest Version seems to be, Why should any living wight complain, or murmur? (for either will suit with the use of the word, Numb. 11.1.) any man, I say suffering for his sinne? what cause has any man to complain of God, or murmur against God, as dealing roughly and rigorously with him, when he suffers nothing but what he has procured to himself by his sins? Chapter 1.18. verse 42. Jer. 2.17,19. & 4.18. & 30.15. & 44.8. Mic. 7.9. In the term living man, some would have to be intimated that kind of life that is common to man with the brute beast, Genesis 7.4,23. See Esay 2.22. But the word seems rather to have reference to man's life here on earth, even that which is peculiar to man as man, subject and exposed to manifold afflictions, and variety of annoyances, while he abides in this mortal life. So Eccl. 4.2,15,16. See Job 5.7. and 14.1.

Verse 40. {Let us search and try our ways,} A pious inference upon the former discourse, since that it is so, that God neither desires nor delights in dealing thus with us, but that we by our sins have provoked, yea enforced him to do what he has done; let us repent of our sins, break them off, return from them, reform our lives, and take a new course: and that we may sincerely and seriously so do, let us take a strict view and survey of our former courses, that we may alter and amend whatsoever upon a due and narrow search we shall descry and discover to have been amiss in them. This serious consideration, and sedulous examination of a man's self, is the readiest way to true repentance, Psalm 4.4. and 119.59. Zeph. 2.1. Hagg. 1.5,7. 1 Corinthians 11.28. The words seem to have some allusion to the searching and diving into either the bowels of beasts broken up in sacrifice; or into the bowels of the earth for the discovery of rich mines and treasure, Proverbs 2.4. and 20.27. Jer. 17.10. and two words of the same notion are joined together, to intimate the narrower and more accurate inquiry; as the like, Deuteronomy 13.14. and the same term repeated, Zeph. 2.1.

{and turn again to the LORD.} Return to him, from whom turning away by our sins we have brought these evils upon ourselves, Jer. 2.15,16. & 2.13,15. Esay 59.2. and unto whom we cannot return again, but by turning away from them, Esay 55.7. Jer. 40.1. Joel 1.12. Zach. 1.3.

Verse 41. {Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.} Heb. Let us lift up our heart to our hands. Whence some pick out mystical notions, of joining heart to hand in prayer; and seconding prayer with practice. And the Jewish Masters go another way: And because it is said of a small cloud, that it appeared Like a man's hand, 1 Kings 18.44. and of God it is said that he covereth his light sometime with the clouds, as with his hands, Job 36.32. (for I conceive no other to be the genuine sense of that place) they would therefore have the word both here, and in that place of Job, to signify the clouds; put here for the heavens; and the heavens, for God that dwells in heaven, Psalm 115.3. Luke 15.18. and it should thus be no more than Let us lift up our heart toward the clouds, (that is, to God above) unto God that is in heaven. But we shall not need to have recourse to these ambiguous and far-fetched about Expositions: the particle here used is well rendered with, as the old Latin also has it: (for the Greek is ambiguous, and the Chaldee roves) and so the particle is used, Jer. 25.26. and all the Kings of the North one with another; and Ezek. 16.26. Thou hast played the harlot with the Egyptians. The meaning then is plain: Let us lift up our hearts together with our hands; alluding to the usual rite of lifting up the hands in prayer to God, Psalm 28.2. and 63.4. and 141.2. and withal, to that form of speech, whereby Prayer in Scripture is frequently described, by the lifting up of the heart or soul, unto God, Psalm 121.1. & 86.4. & 143.8. in the one is implied the sincerity and seriousness of that Office; in the other the intention and earnestness in it; to God in the heavens: unto that God, who alone is the true God, and has his principal place of abode in heaven, Psal. 115.3. Mat. 6.9.

Verse 42. {We have transgressed, and have rebelled,} Confession of sin an individual companion of repentance, Psal. 32.6. & 38.18. & 51.3. and words of the same notion are joined together, to express the greatness, grievousness, and heinousness of their sin, See Chap. 1.8. See the like, Neh. 9.26. Dan. 9.5.

{thou hast not pardoned.} Or, spared, or forborn; as Deut. 29.20. Amos 7.2. and no marvel: for he was through their obstinacy made weary of forbearance, Jer. 15.6. & 44.22.

Verse 43. {Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us:} This covering some refer to God, but diversely, as covering himself with wrath; therewith as in a military garb to come arrayed against them. See Esay 57.17. Others of covering his face, that he might not behold the havoc made of his people: as a tenderhearted father would cover his face, when some darling child of his were for some disease to be cut in his presence. But neither of them seem to suit so well here, the latter of them especially. And the most therefore make the people rather the object of the act here intimated, which some conceive to have in it an allusion to the covering of men's faces in extremity of grief, 2 Sam. 15.30. Est. 6.12. or upon sentence of death past against them, Est. 7.8. but this also seems not to have any place here. Others expound it of a besetting, or environing of them with evils, as God is said to have hedged some in with calamities, Job 3.23. See verse 7. Others, of overwhelming them with, and involving them in a dark cloud of afflictions; and pursuing them so encompassed with darkness. See the like expressions, Psal. 35.6. Esay 8.22. Job 18.18. and this seems the right. See vers. 66.

{thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.} See the same, Chap. 2.21.

Verse 44. {Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.} Heb. Thou hast beset as a cloud to thee; that is, You have drawn as it were a cloud about you; or, Thou hast environed thyself as with a cloud, or, wrapped up thyself as in a cloud: for the particle before the pronoun seems here redundant; as it is Psal. 140.7. from passing prayer; that is, so that prayer cannot pass. So that our prayers can find no access to you. See the like form of speech, Esay 24.10. the pronoun possessive is not in the text. As you have cast a cloud of wrath over us, that we may not see which way to escape, vers. 43. So you have wrapped up also yourself as in a thick cloud, that our suits and requests may not get to you, to obtain audience, much less to gain acceptance with you. This cloud some expound God's fresh remembrance of their sins: and they were indeed the raisers of this cloud between God and them, Esay 58.2. but the cloud rather seems his wrath, compared to some such thing also, vers. 43. Joel 2.2. Amos 5.18,20. See before, vers. 8.

Verse 45. {Thou hast made us as the offscouring, and refuse in the midst of the people.} You have caused us to be had in as vile esteem as may be; as if we were no better than off-scourings, or scrapings (for from a root of that notion, Ezek. 26.4. comes the word here used, and nowhere else found in Scripture: and the Greek word answering it, 1 Cor. 4.13. from the like.) and refuse; such base drossy stuff, as comes away from metal and ore in the melting and trying of it, Jer. 6.30. the words are in a proverbial form used among the Talmudists to design some extreme vile and base thing. See Chap. 1.8,11,17. Heb. in the midst of the peoples, for, among all other people, or, nations; as Mic. 5.7,8.

Verse 46. {All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.} Or, do open, or, widen; in way of derision and mockage; as, Psal. 22.13. See Chap. 2.16.

Verse 47. {Fear and a snare is come upon us,} Thus the old Latin; and all our English Versions constantly. But the Hebrew text has expressly, not a snare, but a pit: and that reading the Rabbines in their Commentaries acknowledge; as also the Tigurine, the Italian, and the French: the terms of either, indeed, of snare and pit, come very near the one to the other: it is but the addition of a letter to the one, that makes up the other; and a change of that letter, a t into a d, that makes out the third: and in other places, where the same proverbial form of speech is found, all three are expressed, Esay 24.17. Jer. 48.43. If all were here, one is lost: but though it were so, which is not likely, yet our Version would be altered; since that it swerves from the received and generally approved Originals without any good ground. The meaning is, that terrors were fallen upon them, and pits, or pitfalls dug for them, that while being scared, they seek by flight to shun and escape the one, they may fall into the other. See Esay 24.18. Jer. 48.44. and what next both here and there ensues. The Chaldee renders it, terror and trembling; the Greek, Fear and astonishment: neither anything near to the Hebrew.

{desolation and destruction.} Heb. devastation, (as another term near it from the same root, Psal. 73.18. & 74.3. for this is nowhere else found) and breaking or contrition, or destruction; as chap. 2.11. arising from the pit that they fall into and are taken in, while they flee, for fear of some other pursuing evil: hence the same term signifies both a pit and destruction, Psalm 7.15. & 103.4.

Verse 48. {Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.} So Chap. 1.16. & 2.18. Psal. 119.136. See Jer. 9.1. & 14.17. Mine eye runneth down, or, floweth down with rivers, or, streams of water, for, streams of water run, or, flow down from mine eyes (for the word is collective; as also ver. 14.50.) as, the mountains shall drop with new wine, and the hills flow with milk, and the streams with water, for, new wine shall drop from the mountains, and milk run from the hills, and water from the streams, Joel 3. ver. 18.

Verse 49. {Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.} Heb. Floweth down (Job 20.28. and stayeth not (as Josh. 10.13.) or, is not silent (as c. 2.18.) without intermissions, or, remissions; as Psal. 73.2. intermissions, or remissions, for, any intermission, or remission at all: as, understanding, for, any understanding at all, Esay 27.11. the plural in a notion of diminution. See Chap. 2.18. from whence also the received Version is confirmed, which some Interpreters of note, and the learned Scholiast following them, relinquish, rendering the words, because there are no intermissions; to wit, of our miseries and evils. But the compound form here found does very commonly signify without; as Esay 6.11. Jer. 4.7. and 34.22. & 46.19. & 51.29,36. without inhabitant, or, so that there be no inhabitant; as themselves also there render it. So here, without intermissions; that is, so that it doth not at all intermit, or remit, and abate ought.

Verse 50. {Till the LORD look down and behold from heaven.} Until the Lord be pleased by some relief and delivery afforded me to make it appear, that he does regard, take notice of, and take to heart my present dejected and distressed condition. See Psalm 80.14. and 102.19. Esay 63.15. So Esay 6.6,7.

Verse 51. {Mine eye affecteth my heart} Heb. my soul. The verb here used is very variously interpreted. Some render it, Mine eye fouleth, or slubbereth my soul; as they conceive the word to be used, Job 16.15. Others, Mine eye afflicteth my soul. Others, It affecteth my soul with grief. Others, It molesteth, or troubleth, or maketh my soul work; referring us to the use of the word, chap. 2.20. & 1.22. the ancient Greek, It strippeth, or gleaneth my soul; as both it and the old Latin renders the word, chap. 2.20. See there. The old Latin here renders it, hath robbed, or preyed upon my soul: Which Popish Writers expound, Some of sinful objects by the eye, seizing on and surprising the soul; Others, of bereaving the soul of, and debarring it from all its wonted contentments and delights. I incline to that learned man, who renders it, Mine eye wasteth away my soul; that is, I am even consumed and wasted away, or clean worn out, and spent with weeping; or I am so faint with continual weeping, that my soul is even gone, my spirits are clean spent. See the like expressions, Psalm 6.7. & 102.3–5. so chap. 2.11. As the word conficere, in Latin, signifies to make an end of ought, either in way of consummation, or in way of consumption, by making it up, or by marring it: and our English word to dispatch is both ways used: in like manner does the Hebrew word here used signify to do, or to work, either way; sometime by producing ought, as Exod. 10.2. 1 Sam. 6.6. sometime, by reducing to nothing, or to as good as nothing. So Job 16.15. I have done (that is, dissolved) mine horn (that is, my strength and state, honor and dignity) into dust, Heb. my soul, for, my self; as Psalm 143.12. bring my soul out of prison.

{because of all the daughters of my city.} Or, in regard of them: for the common calamity, either of those that sometime dwelt in the city of Jerusalem; as Esay 3.16. Luke 23.28. or of the cities sometime belonging to her as their mother-city Josh. 15.45. Jer. 49.3. See on Jer. 34.1. There is another reading noted in the margin, of those that render it, more than all the daughters of my city: And this the Jewish Commenters embrace, applying it to Jeremy, as professing more sorrow, being one of the Priestly rank, than any of the ordinary people or inhabitants of the city, for the ruin of the Temple, and removal of God's service. Nor want there of ours, that render it the same way, but expounding it more generally of the main body of the State, by this manner of speech expressing the greatness of their grief, as affirming it to go beyond that, which even any women, the more tenderhearted Sex, are upon any occasion wont to be possessed with. And it is true, that this particle is frequently used in a notion of collation, as Proverbs 2.1. Ecclesiast. 7.1. but it is no less frequently used in a notion of causality; as Psal. 12.5. Ruth 1.13. Esay 31.4. & 48.4. & 53.5. Jer. 8.19. and it sounds in this place much better this way, than it does that other. See Chap. 2.11.

It is observed by some, that in this Chapter, as also Chap. 2.16,17. & 4.16,17. these two letters Ajin and Peh are transposed contrary to the order before observed, Chap. 1.16,17. as also in other portions of Scripture, where the like alphabetical disposition is used; whereof a learned man gives this reason, Because the letters were so ranked in the Chaldee Alphabet, and that Jeremy therefore wrote the first Chapter after the Hebrew manner as a Jew, the three following after the Chaldee method, as now a subject to that King: but nothing is produced whence it may appear, that in the Chaldee alphabet the letters so stood. It may rather probably be thought, that in some Hebrew alphabets these two letters were diversely placed; as are two of the precepts in the Decalogue, the sixth and the seventh. See Mat. 19.18. with Mar. 10.19. Luke 18.20, Rom. 13.9. as also the two branches of the last precept. See Exod. 20.17. with Deut. 5.21.

Verse 52. {Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird without cause.} There seems to be a trajection in the words, thus in their proper construction to be ranged; Those that were mine enemies causelessly, (having received no wrong from me, as 1 Sam. 24.11. Psal. 35.7,19. & 54.9. & 69.4. & 119.131. did, do sorely chase me, (Heb. chasing chase. See Chap. 4.18,19.) like a bird; that is, beaten and followed from bush to bush, 1 Sam. 26.20. Psal. 11.1.

Verse 53. {They have cut off my life in the dungeon,} Or, cut it off by casting me into the dungeon, Jer. 38.6,9. a complexive speech, not unlike to that, thou hast profaned his crown to the ground; that is, profaned it, by casting it down to the ground, Psal. 89.39. with 44. or, cut it off, and cast me into the pit: as, he slew them into the pit; that is, slew them, and cast them into the pit, Jer. 41.7. They have shut me up in dungeons, where I lie as one dead, verse 6. or, They have taken away my life (power and government is as the soul and life of a state,) and laid my corpse in the grave, Ezek. 37.11–13.

{and cast a stone upon me.} Rolled a stone over me, to make sure work with me, to keep me from ever rising or recovering again: alluding to such stones as were wont to be laid on the mouths of dungeons, Dan. 6.17. and caves, Josh. 10.18. and sepulchres, Mat. 27.60, they cast stone, that is, stones (the word taken collectively, as Prov. 26.27. & 27.3.) upon me: they have cut off my life, by casting stones upon me, they have stoned me to death, 1 Kings 12.18. 2 Chr. 24.23. Ezek. 16.40. Acts 7.58. as, know, and try, for, by trial know, Jer. 6.27. and, make bald and cut, for, by cutting make bald, Mic. 1.16. or having taken my life from me, they overwhelmed my slain body with an heap of stones; as with corpses of persons executed has sometime been done, Josh. 10.27. 2 Sam. 18.17. Which way soever we take it, it is a lively resemblance of their grievous, and, in man's eye, irrecoverable captivity. Which they much extenuate and enervate, that expound this and all that follows, Verse 55, &c. unto the casting of Jeremy into the dungeon, Jer. 38.6. as the former also, verse 6,7. of his imprisonment by Pashur, Jer. 20.2. As little heed is to be had of what some other here suggest, of the stoning of Jeremy to death in Egypt, concerning which, save a Jewish tale, which many causelessly give credit to, we have no certain or weighty record: But belike, according to these men's conceit, he prophesied beforehand, what end he should come to.

Verse 54. {Waters flowed over mine head,} Afflictions, in Scripture, are frequently compared to great waters and deluges, Psalm 18.16. & 32.6. & 42.7. & 66.12. & 69.1,2,15. & 88.17. & 93.3. Esay 28.9,17,18. & 59.19. Jer. 51.42,55. Now this some expound here of the Chaldean invasion, who with their vast Armies breaking, as a sea, into their land, overflowed and overwhelmed all with them, Jer. 34.1. Chap. 2.13. But because at this sore inundation, God is said not to have heard or regarded their cry, Jer. 7.16, & 11.14. & 14.11,12. Verse 8.44. whereas in that deluge here intimated, he is said to have heard them, verse 56. (for they stray wide, that would restrain it to Jeremy's carriage in the dungeon;) some therefore (whom I rather concur with) refer it to the Assyrian Invasion by Sennacherib, and render the words, When the waters flowed over mine head; as Psalm 124.4,5. when I was in extreme distress by the Assyrian forces who like a violent torrent or land-flood, had broken in upon me, and borne down all before them, Esay 36.1,2. Of this invasion, see Esay 8.7,8. & 59.19. places parallel to this. The adverb is supplied; as Deuteron. 8.12. Esay 48.13,21. Jerem. 8.18.

{then I said, I am cut off.} Or, and I said (carrying on the sentence) I thought with myself; as verse 18. I am cut off, I am utterly undone. So Psalm 31.22. & 37.13. Esay 38.10,11. Jon. 2.3,4.

Verse 55. {I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.} Or, yet (supplied; as Jer. 15.1,10. & 51.53.) I called upon thy name out of the low dungeon. Heb. pit of lownesses; as Psal. 88.6. In the greatest depth of mine affliction and distress, Psal. 130.1. vers. 53. Jon. 2.1. See 2 Chr. 32.20. Esay 37.2,4,15–20.

Verse 56. {Thou hast heard my voice} Or, And thou heardest my voice. You were then pleased to hear the prayers of your People, and to send them deliverance out of their distress. See Esay 37.11–12–36.

{hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry,} So read, the sense will be, vouchsafe your people now the like favor again that then you showed them; as Psalm 4.1. & 22.4,5. & 85.1.4–4. hide not your face from them, (Esay 1.15.) be not deaf towards their cry, (Psalm 39.12.) remove that cloud that you have now drawn about you, ver. 44. that their breathing (so Exod. 8.11.) or panting (here rather) or gasping for breath, may together with their cries, find free passage and access to your ears. Howbeit, some read the words as spoken in way of a continued relation, Thou didst not hide thine ear at my gasping, at my cry; when I was in that grievous extremity, that I seemed to lie gasping for life, and even drawing my last breath, but yet did still cry and seek to you for succor and relief, (see Esay 26.16–18. & 37.3. 2 Chr. 32.20.) You did not then reject such my sighing and seeking to you, Esay 39.21–36. This admitted, the main current of the context will run on smoothly without any interruption; nor can ought be objected against it, save that al, the particle here used, has ordinarily a notion of inhibition, not of a bare negative; but that is not universal: al, for lo, is not altogether unusual. Instances hereof, see Job 20.17. & 36.18. Psalm 34.5. & 41.2. & 50.3. & 66.7. & 85.8. & 121.3. & 138.8. Esay 2.9. Jer. 7.6. Obad. 12. The most of these places are clear, the rest all very probable, for this use of the particle, which the course of the context does here very strongly plead for.

Verse 57. {Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee} You made your gracious and powerful presence with your people to appear by succoring and saving them. So Psalm 69.18. in the day that I called, for, when, or what time I called. So Psalm 86.7. In the day of my trouble, for, when, or what time I am in trouble.

{thou saidst, Fear not.} You said so to me then by your Prophet, Esay 37.6. See the like encouragements, Esay 41.10,13.

Verse 58. {O Lord thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.} Or Thou didst plead O Lord, (so the words lie in the Text; and of God's manner of pleading for his people, see Esay 49.25. & 51.22. Jer. 51.26.) either my causes in general, my soul, for me, as v. 17,20,24,51. or more specially such causes of mine as concerned my life; as Psalm 31.13. & 55.4.

{thou hast redeemed my life.} Or, thou didst rescue my life: you did rescue or deliver me out of the hands of those that would have taken away my life. So is the word of redeeming frequently used, Psal. 55.18. & 69.18. & 107.2.

Verse 59. {O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong,} Or, thou seest my wrong, Heb. my perverseness (a term nowhere else found; but the Verb it comes of we had before v. 36.) that is, men's perverse, cross, injurious, and untoward usage of me: as, my wrong, or violence, for the wrong offered me, the violence done to me, Jer. 51.35. you cannot but see it, Psal. 10.14. See v. 36.

{judge thou my cause.} Heb. my judgment; as Psalm 9.4. & 43.1. decide my cause now, as in foregoing ages you sometime did, and have promised to do. Deut. 32.36. Esay 49.25,26. Jer. 51.36. And here I conceive, begins the first request or suit of this people to God, all that went before, being but as a preparative, or introduction thereunto, drawn from their experience of God's former favor and forwardness in this kind to do for them, produced, partly to induce God to manifest his constant and continued goodness, in doing the like again for them; and partly also to raise up in themselves some hopeful expectation of finding the like favor with God, that in former times they had found. See the like Psalm 44.1–4. & 74.12–14. & 85.1–4. Esay 63.11–15.

Verse 60. {Thou hast seen all their vengeance, and all their imaginations against me.} Or, Thou seest all that revengeful carriage of theirs towards me, whereby they deal with me, as with one that had done them some heinous wrong, and whom therefore they devise how to be revenged upon to the utmost: do you avenge me upon them, as they study now how to be revenged upon me, Jeremiah 51.26. Heb. their contrivements (as Chapter 49.30. and 50.45.) to me, for, against me; as it is expounded, verse 61. So is the Particle used also, Psalm 51.4. and 56.2. Jeremiah 59.7,26.

Verse 61. {Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD,} Or, Thou hearest. You do as well hear all their reproachful language, as see their despiteful carriage, both against me, and against yourself, Psalm 69.19. and 89.50,51. Esay 37.3,4. So verse 59.

{and all their imaginations against me.} As verse 60. So Psalm 56.6.

Verse 62. {The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.} Lips, for Language; as Gen. 11.1. Psalm 59.7. Zeph. 3.9. Heb. risers up against me: those that rose up against me and invaded me; the particle is swallowed up between the participle and the pronoun affixed to it. So Ps. 18.3,9,48. & 53.5. and their meditation; as Psal. 19.14. what they muse, or mind, either against me, or, concerning me; as Esay 1.1. all day long: continually; as ver. 14.

Verse 63. {Behold, their sitting down, and their rising up I am their musick.} This Verse some divide into two distinct branches, making the former a petition, an assertion the latter. The former they thus conceive and expound, Behold their sitting up, and their laying down; take notice of the whole tenor and course of their lives: or whereas man's whole life is taken up with, and spent in either employment or rest from it, hence it comes to pass, that unto these two heads is the whole course of his life referred, and under those two terms comprehended Psal. 139.2. And this way our Version seems to incline; but the point after, behold, should then be cast out. Others rather make it one continued sentence, rendering the words, with a very ordinary and familiar supply, such as Esay 23.5. Behold, how at their down-sitting, and their up-rising, I am their musick; that is, say they, at all times, and upon all occasions, early and late: as having reference to their rising up in the morning, and their lying down to rest at even; as Deut. 6.7. Psal. 139.2. and refer us back for this exposition to ver. 14. Nor is this Interpretation improbable. Howbeit, I suppose the words have a more special respect to their meals, or merry-meetings, at which they used to make themselves mirth and sport with the miseries of God's people. And I should render the words, At their sitting down, (to wit, at table, to eat and drink) and at their rising up, (to wit, from table, as Exod. 32.6. 1 Cor. 10.7.) I am their musick-maker. The word is not the same with that ver. 14. it is their musick there, as the matter of their mirth; their musick-maker here, one that makes them sport; as Sampson did the Philistines, Judge 16.25,27. for the word seems to be, not a noun, as is commonly conceived, but a participle: the verbs of that stamp being sometime regular, though therefore deemed in some sort irregular, because they retain that radical initial letter, which those of that making do commonly cast away: the like whereunto are found, Num. 5.22. Jer. 3.18. Ezek. 22.20. So it is an allusion to such minstrels and songsters as they made use of at their feasts, Luke 15.23,25. The word is in a feminine form, either because such forms are sometime used in an indefinite notion, as Psal. 68.11. Eccl. 1.1,12. whereof see on Esay 40.9. or in allusion to such of that sex as among the Jews, as well as with other people, were made use of to that purpose, Judge 21.21. Psal. 68.25. Eccl. 2.8. It is as if he had said, they need no other minstrel to make them merry at their meetings, we are mirth and minstrels enough to make them sport first and last; with us at their sitting down they begin, and with us at their rising again they end. See David's complaint of the like, Psal. 35.15,16,17. together with his supplication unto God that he would be pleased to take notice of it.

Verse 64. {Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.} The like, see Psal. 28.4. Jer. 50.29. Chap. 1.22. The ancient Greek and the old Latin render both this, and the two next passages, as delivered in way of prediction, not of prayer. But in the Hebrew the future is frequently in use, as well in way of petition, (so Psalm 83.15,102,13.) as of precept.

Verse 65. {Give them sorrow of heart:} The word here used being nowhere else read, is very ambiguous and diversely rendered. The old Latin renders it a shield; and the ancient Greek, protection: which a shield indeed sometime signifies, Psal. 91.4. but neither is this word the same with that which signifies a shield: and protection can have no place here. Some Jewish Masters render it, contrition of heart, sorrow and grief: fetching it from a word that signifies to be in grief and heaviness: but this another of them controls; because the radical letters agree not in either. Others, obduration, or obstinacy, or brawniness of heart, like to the hardness of a shield; like that, 2 Cor. 3.14,15. others, obtection, or blindness of mind, that they might not foresee evils, to prevent them, before they did befall them; as Esay 6.10. Others, obsession, or perplexity from evils so besetting and environing them on every side, that they may not be able to find any issue out of them; from a word that signifies to hedge in, or fence. Esay 37.35. & 38.6. whence the name of a garden, Cant. 4.12. Others lastly, Consternation, or, abjection of heart: from a word that signifies to deliver, or, give up, Gen. 14.20. Hos. 8.11. as men not able longer to hold out, are wont to do. The two last seem most probable: and of the two, as to me seems, the former. Howbeit, I shall hereafter add mine own thoughts. One of the Jewish Commenters observes an elegant consonancy, between the term here used, and that in the Verse foregoing, marginah, and meginnah: whence a learned Writer would refer them both to one root; and renders the Text, as if it were said, They make musick of me; and, do thou give musick, but of some doleful ditty, to them: and, says he, the word may well come from the same root with the former: for the initial letter is in such derivatives oft lost: but he might have considered, that where verbals are so formed the middle radical letter, to recompense that loss, is ever doubled; which is not so here.

{thy curse unto them.} Or, let thy curse come upon them. The ancient Greek and old Latin render it, labor, by an inversion of the radical elements: the term of coming, omitted: as Jer. 21.13. & 31. 38. & 51.25. is in our Version supplied. But this supply will not be needful if we shall render the whole verse in one sentence, as I conceive we may, thus, Give to them for their obstinacy or hardness of heart, give, I say, (as Hosh. 9.14. thy curse unto them; the supply is no other than that, Mal. 2.5. I gave them to him for his fear: the redundancy no other than that, Psalm 51.4. against thee, thee alone: and, not to us, not to us, Psalm 115.1. and, my deliverer unto me, Psalm 144.2. and, 1 Sam. 20.42. which we two have sworn we; and the like. But of this let others deem.

Verse 66. {Persecute and destroy them in anger, from under the heavens of the LORD.} Or, pursue them in anger (as Psalm 83.15.) and destroy them from under the Lord's heaven: or, that they may not be (may have no being; as Psalm 59.13.) under the Lord's heaven: that is, under thy heaven: as Psalm 8.3. the Noun, for the Pronoun: as Exodus 40.17. 2 Timothy 1.20. Of the use of the Particle, see on verse 44. and the same form of speech, Jer. 10.11.

CHAPTER 4

Verse 1. {How is the gold become dim? how is the fine gold changed?} This is the third single Alphabet in this mournful Lamentation: of the same subject with the former; deploring their calamities and concluding with menaces to Edom, and comfort to Sion. This verse of the gold and the stones, some of the Jewish Doctors expound of Josiah the one, and of the sons of Sion, the other. And a learned Writer would have Princes and Nobles meant by the one, Priests and Levites, by the other. But it seems that the Prophet in these words bewails the destruction of the Temple.

{How} In way of Admiration at so strange an alteration: as chap. 1.1. & 2.1.

{the gold} Wherewith the Temple was adorned and beautified, 1 Kings 6.22. Matt. 23.17,17.

{become dim} So the Jewish Critic says that some expound it, and that the Chaldee Paraphrast so uses the term, Leviticus 13. But the Hebrew word signifies to hide, conceal or cover, Ezekiel, 28.8. & 31.8. Nor see I any reason why from that use of the word, we should swerve here: how is the gold, wherewith God's House was so richly and royally adorned, now overwhelmed, and covered over with trash, and buried in heaps of dust and rubbish?

{the fine gold} The word itself is deemed of itself to signify not gold barely, but the finer sort of gold: for I cannot concur therein with that prime Critic who would have it the name of some precious stone. See Esay 13.12. Cant. 5.13. Howbeit, to enhance the price and worth of it, there is an attribute added to it, as Job 28.18. so here; pure there, good here: as the same to the gold of Havilah, Genesis 2.12. and that it was choice gold that Solomon made use of, about his works, is noted, 1 Kings, 10.18.

{is changed} Either converted to profane use; or jumbled together among the rubbish. The word is found in the same form, Dan. 6.13.

{the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.} Or, how are (supplied from the former branch as before, and Chapter 1.1.) the stones of the Sanctuary (Heb. holiness for a place of holiness: an holy place: as, thirst, for, a place of thirstiness: a thirsty place, Jer. 48.18. So Psalm 20.3. Ezekiel 4.2,4.) are poured out: Heb. pour out themselves: as Job 30.16. chapter 2.12. come tumbling down from the demolished Temple) into, or at the top Heb. head; as Chapter 2.19. of every street. Some expound it (as was before hinted) of Sion's sons for sightliness and comeliness of proportion and person, compared to the polished stones of the Temple Psalm 144.12. But that Exposition is needlessly forced, as well as some other there related.

Verse 2. {The precious sons of Zion comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter?} From the place City and Temple he passes to the persons the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and more specially of Sion, the Princes and Priests, Sion being the seat, both of God's Temple and the King's Palace; and the principal of either State therefore ordinarily residing there. Here is another word for fine gold, so termed, either from the exact refining of it, or from the Country whence it came. See on Esay 13.12. Jeremiah 10.6. 1 Kings 10.8. Job 28.16,17. Heb. as bottles of sherd, or earthen stuff. So Jeremiah 19.1,10. as things of no repute or worth, 2 Corinthians 4.7. See Jer. 2.28.

Verse 3. {Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones:} From the principal persons in either State, Civil and Ecclesiastical; whose former height and worth made their present misery and despicable condition the more remarkable, and such as might well move the more commiseration: he passes now from the young children, or the sucking babes, whose weakness and tenderness together with their harmlessness, were the fittest objects of pity and compassion that could be, aggravating their misery by the persons, their own parents, their own mothers, at whose hands they sustained it; taxed here, as more unnatural than some of those savage and vast creatures that live in the sea, farthest off from any commerce, or communion, either with mankind or any tame creatures, such as many are which live on the land. The term here used seems not to be so well rendered, sea-monsters: for though some of them may seem to be of a monstrous size, in comparison of any creature that lives on the land, as a grown elephant, in regard of any beast in these parts: Yet monsters are properly such, as either have some strange deformity beside the natural and ordinary course of their kind, or grow to such an enormous bigness and stature, as far exceeds the common proportion of others of the same kind: but no kind of creature simply considered can properly be termed a monster; nor can it be said that God made any monsters in his first work of creation. Sea-monsters therefore is not proper here: and Sea-calves seems too narrow: Seals might do well; if that particular kind were aimed at; which would include as well sea-horses, and sea-hounds as sea-calves; all covered with a rough and hairy skin; such as we sometime cover trunks and boxes with: but I see not why the word should not here be rendered, as in the story of the creation it is, Genes. 1.21. and Job 7.12. and as it would be, Psalm 44.19. and 74.13. whales. See Esay 27.1. for even whales also as well as seals, bring forth young, have teats, and give suck to their young: which the Hebrew here terms whelps; and they are here said to draw out, or let loose, (Heb. loosen; put out, rather than as the learned Scholiast, put off) their teats; when they let them down for their young ones sucking of them the more readily: the word tannin here used is deemed to be a plural contracted, for tanninin, in the Chaldee termination; because the verb adjoined to it, is plural: but it may well be singular, as it is constantly elsewhere, and then being taken distributively, it makes the notion more vigorous; as if it were said, the whale each of them, they suckle their whelps; as Joel 1.20. the beast each of them they cry: there is none of them so savage, or outrageous otherwise, but they do it.

{the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.} Or, but (supplied, to continue the context; as Jer. 50.34.) the daughter of my people (not the State in general consisting of both sexes, as Jer. 9.1. and hereafter, vers. 6. but the women among that people, as, the daughters of Sion, Esay 3.16,17.) is become cruel: (Heb. is turned into a cruel one; as it is more fully, Job 30.21.) to wit, towards her younglings; she is so affected towards them as if she were wholly stripped of all natural affection, like those, Rom. 1.31. 2 Tim. 3.3. because either by extremity of distress and want, they were enforced to neglect their children in the time of the siege of the city, as most conceive it; supposing them to be in that regard compared to the ostrich, (so both ancient Greek and old Latin render it) that sits not on her eggs, but leaves them buried in the sand, Job 39.14–17. or rather to the owls, (for so the word generally signifies, Lev. 11.16. Deut. 14.15. but elsewhere constantly feminine and singular; whereof see on Esay 13.21. Jer. 50.39. in this place only masculine and plural.) that living in waste places Esay 43.20. Job 30.29. Psal. 102.6. where many times they can come to no food, for either their young ones, or themselves, do not only sometime leave them (as it is noted of the ravens, Job 38.41. Psal. 147.9. the like whereunto the Jewish observe of the owles, from Mic. 1.8.) but even also make meat of them, and feed themselves with them; as the women dealt with their own children in the siege of Jerusalem, Chap. 2.20. and hereafter, vers. 10. and this is that, which I conceive to be here intended, as an act of much cruelty.

Verse 4. {The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst:} Or, did cleave, for does, as Psal. 22.15. as for fear and reverence, Job 29.10. so for famine and drought here, because their mothers' breasts being dried up through want of food and moisture, they had no milk to suckle them withal. See the like phrase Psal. 137.6. This some take to be added as an explication of the former. I conceive it to be matter distinct and divers from that. See Chap. 1.11,12.

{the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.} Or, when the children asked bread, (called for food as Chap. 1.11.) there was none to deal it to them; as Esay 58.7. Jer. 52.6. The particle is supplied, as Deut. 8.12. Jer. 8.8.

Verse 5. {They that did feed delicately,} Heb. that fed on delicacies, or, dainties; that fared deliciously and daintily; as those that are born and bred in Kings' courts and great men's houses are wont to do, Gen. 49.20. Prov. 29.21. Luke 7.25. and 15.19.

{are desolate in the streets:} Or, being desolate, and harborless, lay abroad in the streets: a complexive form of speech, like that, Chap. 3.53.

{they that were brought up in scarlet,} That had wont to be softly and sumptuously clad, 2 Sam. 1.24. Mat. 11.8. scarlet; the wear of Kings, Commanders, and great ones, Ezek. 23.6,12,15. Nah. 2.3. but the Hebrew is rather, those that were brought up upon scarlet: alluding to those carpets that they use to spread under them, whereon to lie and repose themselves, or to sit upon at meat and meals; yea, to tread and set their feet upon, as is usual in those Eastern parts, even to this day. See on Esay 14.11. a place parallel to this: and of the word rendered scarlet, on Esay 1.18.

{embrace dunghills.} Or embraced, that is, say some, raked the dunghills to find somewhat to feed upon, were glad of anything to eat, were it never so sorry, though it came from the dunghill: as the prodigal of the husks, Luke 15.16. or raked the dunghills for any rags, that might help to cover their nakedness. But I suppose neither of these to be here intended: but a further aggravation of what he had said formerly, of their lying harborless in the streets: to wit, that they were compelled to lodge there upon the dunghills, to take up their lodging on such heaps of nasty stuff as the streets afforded, having no other place to receive them, Job 24.8. They seem to strain the Text too far, who either going the former way, expound it, of making meat of pigeons dung, and the like, 2 Kings 6.25. or that taking the latter way, understand it of their corpses lying unburied on the dunghills in the streets, Jer. 16.4. the words of the text neither sort well with the former, nor will admit the latter.

Verse 6. {For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people, is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom,} Heb. And (which need not here be altered) the iniquity of the daughter of my people (of which, see on Jer. 9.1.) is great from (that is, greater then: as good from, for better then, Prov. 22.1.) the sin of Sodom: that which some take, as the words sound, as an acknowledgement of their sin to be more heinous than the sin of Sodom: agreeable to that, Ezek. 16.48. and they add, that therefore was their guilt greater than Sodom's: because Prophets had been sent unto them, which had not been done to Sodom. So says a learned Annotator, does the Chaldee note it: but I find in him no such matter, though our Savior do thence aggravate the guilt of his people, Matthew 11.23. But the words next ensuing show that by iniquity and sin is meant here the penalty and punishment of either; as Genesis 4.13. Leviticus 24.15. Numbers 9.13. and as hereafter verse 22.

{that was overthrown in a moment, and no hand stayed on her,} She sustained not any long siege from some foreign forces, nor was kept long in pains and misery, as I and my people have been: but was suddenly, as in an instant, dispatched, Genesis 19.24,24. See verse 9.

Verse 7. {Her Nazarites} Either such as according to a certain rite had by a solemn vow for some set term of time, severed and debarred themselves from some ordinary courses of common carriage and usage. Whereto see Numb. 6.2. Amos 2.11,12. during which time, say some, they used more frequent washings, than others ordinarily did. Or, as others rather, their nobles and courtiers, young gallants especially: for the word Nezer is used for a crown, or ensign of honor, 2 Samuel 1.10. 2 Kings 11.12. and consequently for honor, wealth, or whatsoever makes a man to be deemed honorable, and to be respected more than others, Prov. 27.4. Hence, persons in regard of place or person more eminent than others, are as select ones, termed Nazarites. So is Joseph styled, Gen. 49.26. Deut. 33.16. the select one of his brethren: and from the same term, thy select, or crowned, or honorable ones Nah. 3.17. and so I conceive the word here to be meant: for such they had constantly, not a few with them, while their State flourished. Nazarites not always, or it may be, not many.

{were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk,} Fair & in good plight; Proverbial expressions. See the like Gen. 49.12. Psal. 51.7. the same thing reiterated with a twofold expression to make the deeper expression.

{they were more ruddy} Heb. ruddy from, for more ruddy; and so before, pure from, for purer: white from, for whiter. See on v. 6. ruddiness, especially joined with a mixture of whiteness in some parts and clearness of complexion, is usually deemed very sightly and lovely in either Sex, 1 Sam. 16.12. & 17.42. Cant. 5.10.

{in body} Heb. in bone; as verse 8. Ezek. 37.7. & 39.25. but put here for body, as Job 2.5. and more specially for the outward surface of the body, that lies open and is exposed to show and sight: as, the body of the sky in its clearness, Exod. 24.10. where the very same word is used.

{than rubies,} The Jewish Doctors render the word Pearls; but ruddiness is no commendation of Pearls: the old Latin, as absurdly, old Ivory: Which Popish Writers to justify, strain their wits immoderately and unreasonably, to devise some sorry shift, whereby to pick some colorable sense from so senseless an expression: and having spent divers very prolix and tedious disputes and debates about it, they come at length to this, that Ivory, in continuance of time, loses its genuine candor, and grows red; (and it is then sure very sightly) or that anciently they were wont to color it so; but where is the Ivory itself at all in the Text? Some render it carbuncles: but because that stone has commonly rather a flamy than a bloody hue: some other would have it coral: which yet is not likely to have been a matter of any such great esteem among them, being in those parts so plentiful, as by divers passages in Scripture, it appears that this here mentioned was. See Job 28.18. Prov. 3.15. & 8.11. & 31.10. And I concur therefore with our English Version, which constantly renders it Rubies: the Ruby, though deemed commonly a kind of carbuncle, yet having usually a clear and vigorous redness, inclining rather to the color of blood than of fire.

{their polishing was of sapphire,} Or, their polishing was as the polishing of Saphir: the supply made from the former term. See the like Esay 5.9. & 13.8. chap. 2.6,12. they were like polished Saphirs, to wit, for slickness, smoothness, and clearness of skin. See Exod. 24.10. or as some read it, Saphir was their cutting out; that is, they were as sightly and clear, as if they had been cut out, and made up all of Saphir.

Verse 8. {Their visage is blacker than a coal,} So the old Latin: than soot, says the Greek; but neither of both is in the text. Heb. their shape or form, or hew, (see Esay 52.14.) was obscured, or darkned from blackness. Either was become more obscure and dark than a blackness itself; as in the like use of the particle, verse 7. or, was become so obscure with blackness, (for the particle, is used frequently in a notion of causality. See on chap. 3.51.) their visage or countenance was so altered, and become black, what with famine and what with grief, care, and fear, that those to whom formerly they had been well known, did not, or could not, now know them when they met them in the streets. See Job 30.30. Jer. 14.2. chap. 5.10. Rev. 6.5,6. therefore it follows:

{they are not yet known in the streets} Or, were not; for he speaks still of things past; and most of what befell them during the siege, or upon the surprisal of the city.

{their skin cleaveth to their bones.} Or cleaved to their bones. Heb. bone; as Gen. 2.23. Their flesh was so wasted and consumed, that they were become nothing but skin and bone. So Job 19.20. Psal. 102.4,5. and 119.83.

{it is withered,} Or, it was withered. See the like expressions, Ps. 22.15. & 102.4,11. Ezek. 37.14.

{it is become like a stick.} Or, it was a stick. Heb. a wood; that is, as dry and hard as a piece of wood, or board: either of which would do not amiss here: as also the former, Num. 15.32.

Verse 9. {They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger:} Heb. Good were the slain of the sword (as Jer. 15.18.) from the slain of the famine, that is, it is better with them, better case were they in, that were slain by the sword of the enemy, than those that perished by the famine: good from, for better than, as Psal. 118.8,9. Prov. 16.19,32. & 17.1. & 19.1. Eccl. 4.3. & 9.4.

{for these pine away,} The former are suddenly dispatched, and soon put out of their pain; whereas these are long wasting and pining away with a tedious disease, with a lingering death, Lev. 26.39. See verse 5. Heb. flow away; as Jer. 49.4. the like term is used of people slain with the sword, Jer. 18. v. 21.

{stricken through} Faring yet no better, and no less sure to die than as if they were stabbed and thrust through, Jer. 37.10. & 51.4.

{for want of the fruits of the field:} For want of food: as Hag. 1.10. Heb. from the fruits of the field: a concise or defective form of speech: not unlike that, Psalm 109.24. from fat; that is, for want of fat: and from knowledge, that is, for want of knowledge, Jer. 10.14. and that grieve for the assembly: that is, for the want of it, Zeph. 3.18. See on chap. 1.4. So also, Gen. 18.28. wilt thou destroy it for five; that is, for want of five, as the place itself plainly shows.

Verse 10. {The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children; they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people} This is, that which before he complained of, v. 3. that women who were naturally inclined to a tenderness of affection toward their own children, especially 1 King. 3.26. Esay 49.15. Yet should be driven to that exigent, that with their own hands they should take away the lives of their own children, boil their bodies, and feed on their flesh. Deut. 28.57. 1 Kings 6.29. chap. 2.20. Heb. breach, or breaking for destruction; as c. 2.12. & 3.47.

Verse 11. {The LORD hath accomplished his fury,} Or wrath; as Ezekiel 6.5. & 7.8. & 13.15.

{he hath poured out his fierce anger,} See c. 2.4. Jer. 14.25. Eze. 7.8.

{he hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath burned the foundations thereof.} As Deut. 32.22. Jer. 21.14.

Verse 12. {The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the adversary and enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.} It seemed unto them a thing incredible, almost impossible, such a thing as could hardly be believed, nor in any likelihood expected, that any adversary, or (as Exod. 1.15.) enemy should be suffered to surprise that City, that was God's own Seat, and the place of his royal residence: or, as some, in regard that it was deemed an impregnable piece. See c. 2.1,20. Psalm 79.1.

Verse 13. {For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests} But thus is it come to pass, (that which some insert, for the better clearing of the passages, into the text) by reason of the sins of the false Prophets and Priests: not that the people were not faulty, as well as either of these, in those wicked pranks and practices that were then committed; but that these were foremost and forwardest ringleaders and encouragers of them unto those wicked courses, which they should have reproved in them, and from which they should have endeavored to restrain them, Esay 3.12. & 9.16. Jer. 5.31. & 20.2. & 23.21. & 26.11. Chap. 2.14.

{her prophets,} Such as they had made choice of; as Chap. 2.14.

{priests} The Rabbine expounds, as the former of the Prophets of Baal, Jer. 23.23. so this of the Priests of the high places. But see 2 Chr. 36.14.

{that have shed the blood} The sin that God would not pardon, 2 King. 24.4.

{of the just} Persons innocent, or guiltless, shed by them in the city, Esay 59.7. Jer. 2.34. & 7.6. & 19.4. for they swerve, I suppose, from the intendment of the text, who expound it of their children slain in sacrifice to their idols; though that also termed innocent blood, Psal. 106.37,38. and they much more, that would have it meant of the better sort of them slain by the enemy, brought in through the wickedness of the parties before-mentioned, according to that, Psal. 79.2.

{in the midst of her.} Or, in her; as Psal. 55.11.

Verse 14. {They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.} Or, The blind, when they wandered in the streets, were defiled with blood; or, in that, or, because they could not but touch their garments, or they touched it with their garments, which they might not. This passage is very difficult, and there is great variety of Versions, and of interpretations again far greater. I have pointed at those Versions only, which the words of the text may without much straining admit, letting those pass, which they utterly reject: and with reference to some of these Versions are given out the ensuing interpretations. Some therefore expound them of blind persons properly so termed; and this common way in general the Jewish Commenters go, yet so as they walk in two several tracks: for some of them expound it, of the blood of those guiltless ones shed by the Jews themselves in Jerusalem, verse 13. wherewith the City was filled from the one end to the other, 2 Kings 21.16. & 24.4. Ezek. 7.23. Others, of those that were slain by the enemy: either during the siege, or upon the surprisal of the city, whose bodies lay unburied in the streets, weltering in their blood: that the city was in every place so glutted at either time with the blood and carcasses of either that poor blind men, when they wandered in the streets, could not avoid but while they stumbled at the one, and either trod on or fell into the other, they were so defiled with gore blood, that none could endure to touch their clothes. But other Interpreters, most of them, understand the place of persons, either spiritually blind, Esay 42.18,19. or so affected, as blind persons are wont to be, Esay 59.10. and then is the note of similitude to be supplied, as Chap. 3.10. Now this some of them understand of the people in general, but to two several purposes: Some that the people, upon the surprisal of the city, as men at their wits' end, wandered up and down, like blind men, uncertain which way to take for the saving of themselves; but which way soever they took to, they lighted on nothing but blood, and men so besmeared therewith, that there was no touching of them. See Esay 9.5. Others, that the city was so full of pollutions that which way soever men went, that were desirous to keep free from them, they could not possibly avoid them, but must of necessity, as if they were blind, stumble upon them and so impossible to keep themselves from being at least legally defiled with them: blood, say they, put for all manner of pollutions; as Esay 4.4. Other again apply them to the murderous Priests and Prophets mentioned, verse 13. But these again tread also in two divers tracks. For some expound them, as relating what condition those Priests and Prophets were in, when they saw the city now surprised; that they ran up and down like blind men or men in a maze, either having their garments defiled; with the blood that themselves had formerly shed, Jer. 2.34. so some, though very improbably: or, that while they so ran to and fro, seeking some way to shift for themselves, they were so defiled with the blood of the slain, that their garments were made loathsome with it; or they were defiled with the blood of the slain, and touched their corpses with their garments, which was not lawful for them to do, Lev. 21.1,9. they could not, for, they might not; as Deut. 12.17. & 16.5. Others lastly, as having reference to their former courses and carriages, when they dealt in that manner with poor innocent persons, either that others detesting their cruel and bloody courses, though they did what they could to shun them yet could not but stumble upon them there were so many everywhere of them: or that themselves, blind beetles as they were, Esay 42.19. wandered and went awry in judgment, Esay 28.7. as blind men, that cannot discern which way use to do in the streets; insomuch, that men for their cruel carriages abhorred them, and were as cautious to shun them as they would one, whose garments could not be handled or touched without pollution and defilement, Judg. 23. And this last, made up of the notions of one or two Interpreters put together, seems to me the most probable of any that I can as yet meet with.

Verse 15. {They cried unto them Depart ye, it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not, when they fled away and wandered:} About this additional passage, there is no less diversity of opinion, than about the former: Nor can it otherwise be, because it has reference to the former. Some expound it of the caution given, either to the blind, or to others, whom men saw going some way, where such carcasses lay, advising them to go some other way; for that the place they were making toward was unclean: and that notwithstanding upon such caution and advice given them, they made what haste they could to be gone, and seek some other way, yet they could not escape the like defilements elsewhere. Others, to pass by the rest, suppose the words to have reference to that Law concerning the Leper, Lev. 13.45,46. and these read the words, Some, as spoken to those Priests, They cryed to them, or, men said of them, Depart, ye polluted ones, touch me not; when they flew away, yea, and wandered; that is, got away as fast and as far, as they could from them. And this seems to me very probable. Howbeit, there want not, who conceive them to be spoken, not to the Priests, but of the Priests, reading, some the former branch; They that cryed to them, (that used to cry to others) Depart &c. were so cautious and chary of touching ought, or coming near any that might in the least degree defile them. See Esay 52.11. & 65.5. Col. 2.21. Yet were now, as before was said, verse 13. And others, the latter, even they; to wit, those Priests and Prophets, flew away, yea, and wandered; that is, were suddenly carried away into captivity. See Jer. 49.9,12. there is an elegant consonancy in the terms, as if it were said, they are flown and fled.

{They said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there} Heb. they shall not add to sojourn: Of which form, see on Esay 10.20. and the like, verse 16,22. So vile and abominable were their courses, that even the heathen themselves had this opinion of them, that they should not, or could not continue long in that land and that city, which they had with cruel and bloody courses so notoriously defiled. See Lev. 18.16. Num. 35.33,34. Psal. 106.38. Mic. 2.10. The old Latin reads it, He will not add to dwell any more among them; that is, God is resolved to make no longer abode with them, that which would well agree with what follows, Verse 16. But the form of the verb in the Hebrew will not admit it. Some expound it of the false Prophets, that promised the people speedy delivery out of Babylon, and other places, where they remained in captivity, Jer. 28.3,4. & 29.8. and they read the words they said that they should not continue sojourning among the nations. But as the terms of the text refuse the former, so the distinguishing points in the text reject this latter.

Verse 16. {The anger of the LORD hath divided them,} Or, The wrath of the Lord will disperse them. Heb. The face of the Lord; as Psal. 34.16. and, to divide, for, to disperse; as Gen. 49.7. God will scatter them himself.

{he will no more regard them:} Heb. he will not add (as verse 15.) to behold or look after them; as Psal. 84.9.

{they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.} Heb. they lifted not up the face of the Priests, (see the same form, Gen. 19.21. & 32.20. 1 Sam. 25.35. 1 Kings 3.14. Prov. 18.5.) they showed no favour, or, mercy, to the aged, or elders: the word may be a name, either of age, or office, as 1 Tim. 1.17,9. This the Jewish Commenters expound of their own people, who had been faulty, and that not a little, in the disgraceful, yea despiteful usage of the pious and religious, both Priests, and others of like rank, that complied not with them in their wickedness. See the dealing with Zachary, 2 Kings 24.21. with Uriah, Jer. 26.23. with Jeremy, Jer. 20.2. & 32.3. & 37.15. & 38.6. Acts 7.32. Others, of the Chaldeans, as if in these words the Prophet returned again to complain, in the person of the people of the harsh and cruel usage of the adversary, after the surprisal of the city, regarding none, either for dignity or antiquity, but carrying themselves alike roughly and rudely towards persons of all sorts, 2 King. 25.18,21. 2 Chr. 25.17. Chap. 2.6. & 5.12.

Verse 17. {As for us} Heb. yet we: a nominative absolute, as 2 Chr. 28.2. or, while, as yet we were: so long as our state stood, and we were not yet surprised.

{our eyes as yet failed} Or, our eyes failed; as Psal. 119.82,123.

{for our vain help:} Or, with looking after our vain help. (Heb. help of vanity. See Esay 30.7.) So Esay 38.14. mine eyes failed upward, for, with looking upward: we lived in expectation of relief and succor from abroad, though in vain, and to no purpose, Jer. 4.4. & 8.20.

{in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.} we watched long, or, earnestly, (as Esay 21.5.) for a nation that could not save. Heb. they will not, or, shall not save; but the word is in a potential notion as the like, Job 15.3. Jer. 2.11. & 7.8. for the Egyptians that were not able to do us any good, Esay 20.5,6. & 30.6,7. Jer. 2.18,36. & 37.7,8. 2 Kings 24.7.

Verse 18. {They hunt our steps that we cannot go in our streets} Or, They hunted our goings, steps that we could not go, or, walk in our streets. Heb. from going, or, walking in our streets. See the like use of the particle, Esay 24.10. Chap. 3.44. The Chaldeans, being set down before it, begirt our city, and raised their forts and works so far above our walls, that they could at pleasure shoot into the city; by reason whereof we could not with safety look abroad, or go to and fro in the streets. See the like phrase, Psal. 56.6. & 140.11. A learned Annotator tells us here of a twofold reading in the text, tsaru, and tsadu; and that Abraham the son of Esdra and other Interpreters follow the former, expounding it, they streitned our steps: the Chaldee Paraphrast the latter. But I find no such matter, either in that Abraham's notes on the place, or in any other Interpreters. In the next word indeed the Author of the ancient Greek Version seems for tsade, foot-steps, to have read, tsaire, little ones, rendering it, they hunted (as the corrected copies exhibit it; nor, we hunted) our little ones: but that was from a mere mistake by the likeness of the letters d and r in Hebrew. There is an elegant consonancy in the Hebrew between the two words here used, as if we should say, they hunt our haunts.

{our end is near:} The end of our City and civil State approaches, or draweth near. So Ezek. 7.7,12.

{our days are fulfilled:} The term of our prosperity and standing is expired. So 2 Sam. 7.12. Jer. 28.34.

{our end is come.} The set-time for our ruin, what do I say, is near at hand? it is already come, and arrived with us, Ezek. 7.2,6,7,10,12. See Jer. 51.13.

Verse 19. {Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven:} Heb. our pursuers, or, those that pursued us, were light from; that is, lighter than: as good from, for, better than, verse 9. and white from, for, whiter than, verse 7. light, for, swift; as also 2 Sam. 2.18. Esay 19.1. and swifter than Eagles: a proverbial form of speech, 2 Sam. 1.23. Jer. 2.14. Job 9.25. Eagles of heaven, that fly aloft in the ayre, Job 39.27. Prov. 23.5.

{they pursued us upon the mountains,} Or, they chased us, or, traced us, like bloodhounds, upon the mountains; as 1 Sam. 26.20. See Chap. 3.52. whither we had fled for shelter and safeguard, Psal. 11.1. Judg. 6.2. 1 Sam. 13.6. Jer. 13.16. Mat. 24.16. The word signifies an hot and eager pursuit; it is used, Gen. 31.46. where it is aright so rendered: as also, 1 Sam. 17.53. Psal. 10.2. See on Esay 5.11.

{they laid wait for us in the wilderness.} Or, in the plain, opposed to the mountains. So Esay 63.14. Chap. 5.9. and so Luke 15.4,5. compared with, Mat. 18.12. They lay in wait for us to intercept us in the plain, by which we hoped, assayed at least, to make escape. See 2 Kings 25.4,5. Jer. 39.4,5. & 52.7,8. So that there is neither safety for us in any place, nor possibility any way of escape for us. See Jer. 6.23.

Verse 20. {The breath of our nostrils,} This some of the Jewish Commenters, after the Chaldee Paraphrast, whom some of ours also follow, understand of Josias; because Jeremy is reported to have penned a doleful ditty concerning his death, 2 Chr. 35.25. But other of them herein control their fellows, and upon better ground understand it of Zedekiah, the last King of David's line, in whom their State drew its last breath, and by whom they hoped to have had it fully restored, and firmly settled again after Jehojacin's captivity, 2 Kings 24.12–15. And this comes in last, as the upshot of all, the utter ruin, death, and downfall of their State: for the thing alluded to, to wit, the free passage of breath by the nostrils for the preservation of life, see Gen. 2.7. Esay 2.22.

{the anointed of the LORD} In regard thereof deemed a sacred and inviolable person, 1 Sam. 26.9. Psal. 89.20–23,51.

{was taken in their pits;} As a lion, or elephant, or other like beast falling into a pit, covertly made and contrived by the hunter to catch him: for the Prophet persists still in his former resemblance of hunting, See Ezek. 12.13. & 17.20. & 19.4,8. the thing itself, Jer. 52.8. and the like borrowed form of speech, Chap. 3.47. and in the places there pointed to.

{of whom we said, under his shadow we will live among the heathen.} Under whose protection and shelter we made full account we should live safe, and be kept free from the incursions of neighboring nations. See Ezek. 31.17. Shadow for, shelter; as Gen. 19.8. Num. 14.9. Eccl. 7.12. Esay 30.23. & 49.2. & 51.16. Jer. 48.45. A metaphor taken from some high rock, Esay 32.2. or, thick cloud, Psal. 105.39. Esay 4.5. & 25.4,5. or, tall and shroudy tree, Job 40.21,22. Psal. 80.10. Ezek. 17.23. & 31.3,6,12,17. Dan. 4.12,21. Hos. 4.13. or shady shrub, as Judg. 9.15. Jon. 4.6. or booth of boughs, Neh. 8.10. or tent of other stuff, Esay 4.6. or pavilion, Psal. 31.20. that with the shade thereof keeps off the heat of the sun, Psal. 121.5,6. or from the manner of hens (the most familiar instance) and other fowls, that with their wings shadow, shroud and shelter their young, Deut. 32.11. Psal. 17.8. & 36.7. & 57.2. & 63.7. & 91.1. Esay 31.5. & 34.15. Mat. 23.37.

Verse 21. {Rejoice and be glad} The Prophet in the close of this his fourth mournful discourse, turns his speech to the Edomites, not seriously inciting them to mirth and jollity; but in way of taunt and derision rather, closely taxing and nipping them for their present rejoicing at the miseries of God's people; and foretelling them what would shortly and suddenly come, that should quite mar all this their mirth; as if he had said You do well to make merry while you may, for your mirth or your merry time will not last long. The like manner of speech, see Psal. 60.8,6. Eccl. 11.9.

{O daughter of Edom,} You Edomites that now insult over me in my misery, Psal. 137.7. Chap. 9.21. Mich. 7.8.

{that dwellest in the land of Uz,} Some part of Arabia possessed by the posterity of Uz, the son of Dishan, of the lineage of Seir, Gen. 36.28. See before on Jer. 25.20.

{the cup} Of God's wrath: whereof I now drink so deep, Esay 51.17. Jer. 25.18,29.

{also shall pass through unto thee:} It shall go about, as quaffing cups at feasts use to do, from country to country, Jer. 25.15,32. and among the rest in your turn come unto you, Jer. 25.20,21.

{thou shalt be drunk,} Drink so deep of it, that you shall be as one drunk with it; as Esay 51.21. Jer. 25.27. Ezek. 23.33.

{and shalt make thyself naked.} Or, strip thyself, tearing off your apparel, as persons made drunk sometime do. See Jer. 25.16. Ezek. 23.34. or discovering your shame; as oft befalls persons in drink, as having no regard or sense of what is decent or unseemly, while they are in that plight, Gen. 9.21. Habb. 2.15,16. You shall be exposed to shame and derision, as persons in such case usually are, Gen. 9.22. Ezek. 23.32. See Jer. 49.10. The old Latin renders it, thou shalt be made bare, or stript: and the word, indeed, as some think, the same, in a reciprocal form, yet is used in no reciprocal sense, Jer. 51.58. as also it is true, (that which in favor of that Version a learned Writer observes) that any one may easily strip a man in drink: but yet there seems some emphasis in the reciprocal form here, which would not therefore be so slighted. The Greek renders it, thou shalt pour out: and it cannot be denied, but that the word is sometime so used, Gen. 24.20. Esay 32.15. & 53.12. which a learned Writer prefers, expounding it of spewing, the common symptom of the drunken disease, Esay 19.14. & 28.8. Jer. 25.27. Habb. 2.16. and adding that the word sometime so signifies: but I find not where it is so used; not for pouring out neither in the form here found; and the former notion seems here more familiar. See further, verse 22.

Verse 22. {The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion,} Heb. thine iniquity is, or, will be accomplished. See before on verse 6. From the Edomites he turns his speech again to his own people, the inhabitants of Sion, that is, of Jerusalem, (see Esay 1.8.) concluding this sad song with a word of comfort unto them, that a time shall come, when God having inflicted such a measure and stint of afflictions and penalties upon them, as he has determined to exercise them withal for their sins, he will then no longer detain them in captivity, but will show mercy again to them. See Esay 40.2.

{he will no more carry thee away into captivity:} To wit, after your return from the present Chaldean captivity, Esay 54.9. & 60.18. Heb. he will not add (as verse 15,16.) to deport, or captive thee: which may as well be understood of keeping in captivity, as of carrying into captivity: as, to enliven, or quicken, is used as well for to keep in life; as for to restore unto life Gen. 12.12. Exod. 1.17,18. Psal. 22.29. and the text may well be rendered, when the penalty of thy sin shall be consummated, thou shalt no longer be detained in captivity: a defect of the adverb of time, as Chap. 3.34. he that is, God, say some. Others, the enemy: true of either: but the verb is indefinite; and therefore best rendered by the passive.

{he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom,} Or, punish it; as Jer. 50.18. God will have a day of visitation for you; as he has already had with me. See of Babylon, Chap. 50.27.

{he will discover thy sins.} God may be said to discover sins, when he takes notice of them, punishes for them, proceeds openly against them; and by the grievousness of penalties inflicted upon the persons of delinquents for them, makes the heinousness of them to appear, Job 20.27. as on the contrary he is said to cover sins, when he passes them by, pardons them, forbears to proceed further against them, does no more now regard them, than as if they were hidden and concealed from his sight, Psal. 32.1,5. & 85.2. Neh. 4.5. But because there is a particle before the word sins; which this Version takes no notice of, and yet seems to be of use, I conceive the text may thus be rendered; he will discover you for thy sins: that is the frequent use of the particle, Amos 2.3,6,9,11,13. & 2.1,4,6. a defect of the pronoun only supplied, as Esay 14.9. & 51.23. & 58.9. & 60.15. and this exposition Jeremy himself leads us to, who brings in God speaking thus of Edom, I have stripped, or made bare Esau; I have discovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself, Jer. 49.10. and because the term is here, as that before, indefinite, it may not amiss be rendered; thou shalt be discovered for thy sins. Some Interpreters of note, because the word has a notion of transmigration, and deportation, or removal, as well, and as commonly as of retection, revelation, and discovering, would therefore have it here so taken; the rather because it was so used in the branch beforegoing; and so there would be an opposition not inelegant, between this and that, Sion shall no longer be kept in captivity, but Edom shall pass into captivity, as in her room: according to that of Solomon, The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead, Prov. 11.8. but the form of the verb in the former is diverse from this here; nor is the verb ever found used in that notion, in that form wherein this clause has it, but perpetually in the former only.

CHAPTER 5

Verse 1. {Remember.} &c. This last Chapter of this mournful Treatise, for subject matter much the same with the former; though not composed in such an alphabetical structure as they all were; begins with an address unto God, minding him of their present calamitous condition, Verse 1–16. proceeds to a profession of hearty grief for the destruction of God's Sanctuary, Verse 17,18. and concludes with supplication to God; that he would be pleased, to remit of his fierce wrath towards them, and to turn in mercy again to them, Verse 19–22.

{Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us:} Take notice of it, and relieve us: as Psal. 25.7,18.

{consider, and behold} As, Behold and consider, Chap. 2.20. Heb. Behold and see; as Chap. 1.11.

{our reproach.} In what disgrace we are, Chap. 1.11. & 3.61. Neh. 1.3. & 4.4. Psal. 89.50,51. & 123.3,4.

Verse 2. {Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.} The land of Canaan which you gave us to hold as an inheritance from you, Psal. 78.55. & 135.12. & 136.21,22. together with our places of abode therein, is turned over to strangers; and is possessed by them, as their own rightful inheritance. See Deut. 28.30–33. Esay 63.18,19. Chap. 6.12.

Verse 3. {We are orphans, and fatherless,} Being without King or Ruler, Hos. 3.4. or being forsaken and left by you, who were our Father, Deut. 32.6. Esay 63.16. & 64.8.

{our mothers are as widows.} Our City and State are as wives left and cast off by their husbands, regarded and protected no more by them, than as if they had none at all. See Chap. 1.1. We are as orphans and widows, fatherless and husbandless, exposed to wrong and injurious usages of any.

Verse 4. {We have drunken our water for money;} We drink our water for silver. Silver for money, as Esay 55.1,2. drink it for silver, as Mic. 3.11. or, with silver; for, drink it bought with silver, a complexive form, such is Esay 38.13,21. We have not so much as water free; we must pay for it, or earn it, before we can have it; as as Num. 20.19. See verse 6.

{our wood is sold unto us.} Heb. Cometh (as, is made to come, verse 9.) for price to us: we pay for it, which in times past we had freely out of the common woods.

Verse 5. {Our necks are under persecution;} We lie under a grievous yoke of thraldom. See Jer. 28.13,14. Chap. 1.14. or, we are driven up and down, by those that follow us hard at the heels, like beasts. Heb. on the neck, or, at the neck, are we pursued: on the neck, as, at the heels, Psal. 49.5.

{we labour and have no rest.} Heb. rest is not afforded us; we are toiled and tired out with incessant painstaking, and no time of rest allowed us. See the like, but in somewhat a different notion, Esay 23.12. Chap. 1.3.

Verse 6. {We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.} We are fain to beg our bread of strangers, having it not allowed us by those whom we serve. Or, in our extremity we have been driven either to seek, or to work, to these people for relief, Esay 57.9. Hos. 12.1. many fled into Egypt for fear of the Chaldeans, Jer. 41.17,18. and many were carried captive into the land of Assyria.

{given the hand} To give the hand, is used for to yield one's self to another, to be wholly at their command, Jer. 50.15. and so it is a note of submissness, or submission in general: and it may here be taken, either in a notion of humble supplication, and address thereby to the persons here spoken of as the like, Psal. 68.31. or of employment and service; as the like, Deut. 12.18. Prov. 31.19. as if they had said, glad are we to get any employment, on any never so mean terms.

{to be satisfied with bread.} Only to have that that may satisfy our hunger. See the curse denounced against Eli's issue, 1 Sam. 2.36. where the copulative being in a disjunctive notion, were it so expressed, as it should, would make the doom past on them more remarkable, and help to clear this place.

Verse 7. {Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.} They are not, that is, they are dead and gone; Zach. 1.5,6. So Gen. 4.36. Psal. 39.13. Jer. 31.15. Howbeit, I conceive not the meaning here to be, as in that profane proverb, the wicked sort of them used to speak, The Fathers ate the sowr grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge, Jer. 31.29. Ezek. 18.2. thereby implying, that they suffered for the defaults of their forefathers, being faultless themselves. For they are not such in whose person the Prophet here speaks, but such as made humble acknowledgement, both of their own sins, and of the hand of God justly upon them for the same, Verse 16. Chap. 1.8,14,18. & 3.22,39,42. but the meaning is, that their parents, in whose steps they had trod, being dead long ago many of them, had by decease escaped the sight and sense of those evils, which God, out of patience and forbearance, had deferred unto their days; and were now with the main shock lighted exceeding heavy upon them their issue. God making them exemplary spectacles of his wrath; incensed as well by the sins of their parents, as of them their posterity. That which he oft does, by inflicting upon the posterity of some notorious delinquents such remarkable judgments, that men may thereby discern that he had therein an eye, as well to the excesses of their ancestors, as to their own personal transgressions. See Esay 65.7. Mat. 23.32,35,36.

Verse 8. {Servants have ruled over us:} Or, rule over us; not strange Lords and Masters only, Esay 19.4. & 26.13. but the meanest of their servants also have us at command, and use us as they please; as Neh. 5.15. So that the curse of Canaan is befallen us, We are become servants of Servants, Gen. 9.25. as in a family; says one, it is not unusual, that the servant that came last, is as a servant to the rest.

{there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.} Or, and there is none: to knit the one branch to the other: none to do, as Nehemy sometime for such as were so oppressed, Neh. 5.13,15. but the word signifies properly, by force and violence to deliver, or, set free. Heb. no renter out of their hands: for it signifies in the first place, to rend, or, break asunder. So Psal. 7.2. lest he tear me like a lion, renting, (that is the very term there used) while there is none to deliver: and in the second place, by renting, to set free, or to rescue. So Psal. 136.24. and rescued us from our enemies; by main might set us free: and there is in it an allusion, either to the breaking of an yoke, and so setting a beast at liberty: as Gen. 27.40. where the same word is used: or of chains and bonds, whereby a captive or prisoner is restrained; as Psal. 107.14. it may well comprehend any forcible rescue: and it is a complexive form of speech; to rend, for, by rending to deliver and set free: the like, see Chap. 3.53.

Verse 9. {We gat our bread with the peril of our lives:} Heb. made it to come (as Verse 4.) with our soul. So it is said of those three that broke through the Philistines' camp to fetch water for David, that they brought it with their souls, 2 Sam. 23.17. They could not start out of the city to get any relief in their great extremity, but with danger of their lives.

{because of the sword of the wilderness,} Heb. from the face of (either for fear of, or by reason of, as Esay 21.15. Jer. 50.10. so verse 10.) the sword (to wit, of the enemy) in the wilderness, or, in the plain; as Chap. 4.19. the enemy lying round about the city dispersed everywhere in the plains near adjoining thereunto, Jer. 52.7.

Verse 10. {Our skin was black like an oven, because of the terrible famine.} Or, as a chimney, Esay 31.9. Heb. from the face of, or, from before (as verse 9.) the terrors, (as Psal. 119.53.) or, storms, (as Psal. 11.6. but the former rather here,) of famine: terrors of famine, for most terrible famine: as, the King of terrors, for, a most terrible King, Job 18.14. See on Chap. 4.8.

Verse 11. {They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.} Heb. humbled; as Deut. 22.24,29. Judg. 20.5. 2 Sam. 13.22.

Verse 12. {Princes are hanged up by their hand:} Or, were hanged by the hand; to wit, of the enemies: either their lives taken away, by that ignominious kind of death; of which Deut. 21.22,23. See Josh. 8.29. or, their bodies, after they were slain by the sword, being hanged up in disgrace and contempt, and so exposed to public view. See 1 Sam. 31.10.

{the faces of elders were not honoured.} See Chap. 4.16.

Verse 13. {They took the young men to grind;} Or, as some, The young men have carried the grist: supposing it to be a noun; as some others of the like form are. The young men have been compelled to carry like horses or asses, among other burdens, their corn and grist to and fro: or, they have been constrained to grind as beasts, by turning or driving the mill about: an employment that slaves were usually put to in those parts. See Exod. 11.5. Judg. 16.21. Esay 47.2. The Chaldee Paraphrast renders it, have born the mills, or, the millstones: as the word, whereby it is by him expressed, is found used, Deut. 24.7. whence a proverbial form among the Talmudists, of a man with a millstone on his neck, alluded to Mat. 18.6. used of one that lies under some exceeding heavy, and in a manner, unsupportable burden; which yet, say they, must not keep a man from studying God's Law. Thus taken, the word should signify not the grist, but the mill; as also some expound it, Deut. 9.21. where others would have it to be a file: but it seems to be neither: and some of the Talmudists tell a tale, that the Chaldeans made the young men carry millstones with them to Babylon; because there was some want of them there: whence it is not unlikely, that their Paraphrast fetched that his Interpretation; which yet in ordinary acception, without any such forced story, might be true, that they were constrained sometime to carry such; or in a figurative form, by a proverbial manner of speech that they were put to bear burdens fitter for beasts than for men to bear. Some of the Jewish Doctors, whom the old Latin also follows, conceive the word to be used both here, and Judg. 16.21. & Job 31.10. in an obscene sense; of young men abused contrary to nature, Gen. 19.5. which howsoever it may in that place of Job sound somewhat that way, like to the abuse offered to the Levite's concubine, Judg. 19.25. and that before here, Verse 11. yet has no place in any probability here.

{and the children fell under the wood.} Under such burdens of wood, as beyond their strength they were constrained to bear: and this as it refells that obscene notion, by some fastened upon the former branch; so it helps to back that other of millstones, or the like, not carried from Jerusalem, but to and fro in other places: the bigger and stronger ones being put to the carrying of stones, the younger and weaker ones to burdens of wood. Howbeit, Some of the Jewish Commenters by wood understand here the wooden post, or engine, by which they turned about the upper millstone, the rider, or the runner, as we term it: for the lower was fixed and stirred not. See on Esay 47.2. so the persons should be the same in either. But of this let others deem.

Verse 14. {The elders have ceased from the gates:} There is no more sitting for them on the bench of judicature; which in the gates of the city they used to do, Jer. 38.7. It is in that regard as a perpetual Sabbath with them; for on the Sabbath they sat not in judicature: and it is the word Sabbath that is here used; as also Verse 15.

{the young men from their musick.} Heb. their striking, or, playing on hand-instruments of music. So Chap. 3.14. but put here, as there also, for music in general: their wonted music, their melodious singing and playing is no more heard: the youth have no more merry meetings now, as they had wont to have. See Chap. 6.11. & 31.13.

Verse 15. {The joy of our heart is ceased;} All hearty joy is gone. See Esay 16.10. & 24.8,9,11. Jer. 7.34. & 16.9. & 25.10. Heb. hath rested: the same term that was before, verse 15. and it may seem to have some glance at such mirth and cheer, as they were wont to have at their solemn festivals and on their Sabbaths, Deut. 16.11,14. & 28.47,48. 2 Chron. 29.36. Psal. 42.4. & 81.1,2. & 92.1,2.

{our dance is turned into mourning.} Dancing, the usual and ordinary companion of mirth, Jer. 31.13. See the contrary in the like expression, Psal. 30.11.

Verse 16. {The crown is fallen from our head:} So read, there should be a defect of the particle from, as Esay 32.6. & 33.6. Jer. 8.13. & 10.20. But that is not here needful; for it is word for word in the original, The crown of our head is fallen. All our glory and state is gone. See Job 19.19. Psal. 89.39. For the word is used more largely than for a royal diadem only. See Prov. 4.9. And the Jewish Doctor understands it of the Temple; but I suppose it to extend further than so.

{Woe unto us, that we have sinned.} And have brought all this misery upon ourselves, our land, and state by our sins, Jerem. 4.18. Chap. 1.8. & 4.13. A woe, not of denunciation, but of deploration, as Esay 3.9. Jer. 4.13.

Verse 17. {For this our heart is faint;} As Chap. 1.22.

{for these things our eyes are dim:} Our eyes are wasted with weeping; as Chap. 2.11. Psal. 6.7. or, our eyesight fails; as is wont to befall those that are fainting away in qualms, or otherwise, 1 Sam. 14.29. Psal. 38.10. Jer. 14.6.

Verse 18. {Because of the mountain of Zion which is desolate;} The desolation and destruction as of the City in general, so of Sion more especially, the seat of God's Sanctuary, Chap. 1.10. & 2.1,7. seems to be aimed at and intimated, as that which they took most to heart; as Eli's daughter-in-law, did the loss of God's Ark, 1 Sam. 4.21,22. and so the Chaldee understands it.

{the foxes walk upon it.} A Jewish Critic would have it to be a verb transitive; because in the form here used, it is sometime; as Job 24.10. the poor they make to walk, or, go, naked: and so it should be rendered here; they have made the foxes to walk, or, go upon it: and it is, says he, impersonal, as that, Gen. 50.26. and they embalmed him, meant, as of the Physicians, or embalmers there; so of those that demolished the Temple here. But there seems no necessity of this nicety, since that the verb in the form here used is far more frequently found in a standing, than in a transient sense; as Job 30.28. Psal. 38.6. & 85.13. & 86.11. & 89.15. & 104.10,26. & 115.7. & 131.1. only in this weighty form it seems to imply an usual and ordinary walk: as if it were said, the foxes that were wont to haunt waste places, do freely and frequently walk up and down there, where God's own sanctuary sometime stood. See Psal. 63.10. Ezek. 13.4.

Verse 19. {Thou, O LORD remainest for ever;} Or, But, or, Yet, to be supplied; as Psal. 119.23,33. Jer. 50.34. & 51.53. thou, O Lord, Heb. sittest; that is, abidest; as Psal. 125.1. or, reignest, as Esay 10.13. for ever. See Psal. 9.7. & 10.16. & 29.10. & 102.12. & 145.13. & 146.10. And though you suffer these things to be done at present, yet neither is your might and power impaired, Esay 50.2. & 59.1. nor can your truth, goodness, and faithfulness fail, Psal. 89.34,37. & 102.27,28. & 146.6. Hab. 1.12. Mal. 3.6.

{thy throne from generation to generation.} Heb. to generation and generation: as Psal. 89.4. Though they have by your permission thrown down your stately seat and material throne here on earth, Jer. 17.12. yet your sovereignty and dominion continues still, and so shall through all ages, the same; and your royal seat in heaven, which no power here on earth can reach to, shall abide with you forever, Psal. 45.6. & 103.19. Esay 66.1.

Verse 20. {Wherefore dost thou forget us, and forsake us so long time?} The like complaints of God's servant and people in their distresses, see Psal. 6.2. & 10.1. & 13.1. & 44.24. & 94.3,4. and God's answer to them, Esay 14–16. Heb. for length of days, Psal. 23.6. which some suppose to have reference to the seventy years, the time assigned for the continuance of their captivity, Jer. 29.10,28. But the term seems the more indefinite.

Verse 21. {Turn thou us unto thee; O LORD, and we shall be turned:} Do you convert us, and we shall be converted, Jer. 31.18. or; receive you us into grace and favor again, and our present condition will be soon changed for the better, Psal. 80.3,7,14,19. & 85.4,6. and this seems the genuine sense of the text, especially if taking the copulative in a finitive notion, (which I conceive to be the genuine syntax) we shall render the words, Turn thou us, O Lord unto thee, that we may be turned; as Psal. 51.7.) cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be clean, wash me that I may be whiter than snow. But the difference is not great: the one notes the issue; the other the end.

{renew our days as of old.} Restore us again to our former estate. See Jer. 30.20. & 33.11.

Verse 22. {But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.} Those that follow this reading expound the words, as delivered by God's people, in way of controlling and checking of themselves for craving a speedy restitution in the words foregoing, verse 21. whereas God was resolved to leave and cast them off utterly; for a long time at least. See before on verse 20. But this some other mislike; and would have the particle taken as conditional; Restore us again; unless it be so that you are resolved utterly to cast us off, in the extremity of your wrath: and thus is the particle used, Gen. 32.26. Esth. 2.14. But this some again rejecting as well as the former, require to have the particle rendered, Although, or, Albeit. Albeit, you have cast us off, and are exceeding wroth with us, yet vouchsafe to return in mercy to us again. So it should be like those passages, Psal. 60.1,2. & 80.4,7. And so the particle seems used, Jer. 2.22. & 37.10. But I conceive that the two particles here used do not here, as a compound, make up one joint notion; but are two distinct ones; as well in notion as in declination; as oft elsewhere they are: that the former of them is a causal, the latter an interrogative: and the same humble expostulation is here continued, that was before begun, verse 20. The words therefore would be rendered as in the margin of our Version is exhibited; For wilt thou, or, Shouldest thou, utterly reject us? Heb. rejecting reject; as Jer. 14.19.) wilt thou be, or, shouldest thou be, extremely, or, perpetually wroth with us? Heb. unto extremity; as Esay 64.9,12. or, unto perpetuity: as Psal. 119.8. As if they should say, surely it will not stand with your goodness, and with your gracious disposition, so to do. See the like expostulations of God's people, Psal. 79.5. & 80.4. & 85.5. & 89.46.

The Jewish Doctors, because they would not have the Sun here to set in a cloud, do after this verse, both in writing and reading this Chapter, or this book, repeat again the verse next beforegoing. Which howsoever they do out of a superstitious conceit; before hinted, at the end of Esay's Prophecies; Yet I hope, I may without offense in these distracted times, shut up these my weak labors therewithal, as with no either unseasonable or unsuitable Prayer.

{Turn us, O Lord, to thee, that we may be turned:}
{renew our days, as of old.}