The Jews stored up theirs in the house of God 2 Chron. 23.9 They set forth thy comelinesse This added much to the beauty and glory of Tyrus that it had strong men in it who were expert warriours and store of Armes hung up orderly Solomon tells you an Armory is very comely where there hangs shields and bucklers of mighty men Cant. 4.4 such hangings become an Armory as well as Tapestry or Arras do any room 11 The men of Arvad with thine Army were upon thy walls round about Of the Arvadites was touched before they with the Tyrians and those they had hired for military services kept watch upon the walls of Tyrus continually Though it were a strong City seated upon a rock in the midst of the Seas yet they thought it wisdome to have a watch on all sides not knowing but enemies might come by Sea and do them mischief Chomah est murus quasi muniens robur a defensive strength these Tyrians trusted not only to their Walls a livelesse strength but had watches of their Souldiers which were living strengths The Gammadims were in thy Towers There is some dispute among interpreters who these Gammadims were The Vulgar renders the word Pigmies and so doth Shindler whom authors affirm to bee a people of three Cubits or Spans in stature but its impossible the Tyrians should imploy such who had sought the strongest and skilfullest of men in other Nations to bee an ornament and defence unto them what glory was it to have such dwarfes among their valiant men Some make them to seem Pigmies and little ones because they were in high Towers this favours more of phansy than of truth why should not the Tyrians have stout men in their Towers as weâ—l as on their walls The Chaldee reads it Cappadocians The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepers and Jerome though hee renders the word Pigmies yet he addes quasi bellatores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lucta certamine because they were forward to fight and were notable fift-fighters Gammadim is from Gomed a Cubite which occasioned many to think them to bee Cubit-men but Gomed may note the arm wherein mans strength lies and hence they are called Viri brachiales quod brachio potentes robusti essent because they were men of their armes And Junius calls them viros lacertosos Buxtor in verbo Gammadim Vid. de Dien in locum men of armes and strength fit to defend what they undertook Doubtlesse they were men of stature and strength Otherwise what should they have done with shields they would have been burdensome to little and weak men Quistorpius saith these Gammadims were a warlike people not inferiour to the Persians Lydians or Arvadians so called from a region of that name A Lapide conceives Gammadim may bee from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stare and so these Gammadims to bee milites stationarii standing Souldiers a standing garrison in the Towers of Tyrus They hanged their shields upon thy walls round about The word for shields differs from that in the former verse there its magen and here its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shelet Whence our English word shield comes it s from shalat dominari posse because those used shields were like men of power and inabled to incounter their enemies They have made thy beauty perfect The French is Ils t' ont fait parfaite en beaute they have made thee perfect in beauty The Vulgar is Compleverunt pulchritudinem tuam they have filled up thy beauty the Sidonians Arvadians Gebalites Persians Lydians Lybians Gammadims every one added something which made up the beauty of Tyrus You may confine it to their shipping and armes Obs 1 That even amongst Heathens were wise and experienced men Zida Arvad Tyrus Gebal were Heathenish yet had they their wise men and ancients Chacamim and Sekenim all wisdome and experience were not shut up in Judaea the Lord gave gifts unto Heathens so that many of them excelled in wisdome and had great skill in natural and humane things The word Chacam imports knowledge and wisdome in divine and humane things Heathens fell short in the first but went beyond most in the second Solomon acknowledged that there was none among the Jews that had such skill in hewing of Timber as the Sidonians 1 King 5.6 and you may read how skilful a Tyrian was 2 Chron. 2.14 Hee was Ish Chacam vers 13. it s a cunning man in our translation but rather it should bee a man of wisdome a man of skill hee was so skilful as to finde out any thing put unto him There were wise men in the Nations Jerem. 10.7 Edom had hers Obad. 8. So Babylon Dan. 5.7 Egypt had the like Exod. 7.11 and Tyre and Sidon had not onely wise men but those were very wise Zech. 9.2 Obs 2 Matters of importance are to bee committed to men of wisdome and experience Tyrus put her Naval affairs in the hands of wise men and ancient she would not trust young raw unexpert men to bee her Marriners Pilots or Calkers shee looked not to kindred friends and relations as states now do but unto those were fit and able wise and experienced in the affairs they were to bee imployed in Wisdome directs Eccl. 10.10 wisdome builds up and establisheth Prov. 24.3 Obs 3 Wise States as they will make use of Forrainers to advance their affaires and secure themselves so especially they will promote their own unto the principal places Thy wise men O Tyrus that were in thee were thy Pilots Sidonians and Arvadites were her Marriners the Gibalites her Calkers but Tyrians themselves were her Pilots So Persians Lydians and Phutians were in the Army of Tyrus but they were not the Commanders thereof Tyrus was careful and shewed her great wisdome in placing men of her own Those were Natives in the chief places of her Navy and of her Army When strangers are set in chief places it discontents the Natives causes envy grudgings and animosities so that those under them oft plot against them and so the work they are in is made unsuccesseful Solomon set his own people over the work 1 King 5.16 and Pharaoh set Egyptians over the Iews and Jewish Officers Exod. 1.11 5.14 Obs 4 The glory of a State and City is made up of and set out by external things Ships souldiers shields helmets they made up the beauty of Tyrus they made it perfect they became her and set forth her comelinesse Such Comelinesse such beauty have heathenish States and Cities but there is another beauty another Comelinesse which would far exceed these and make States Cities very glorious viz. True Doctrine pure worship holinesse of life execution of justice and provision for the Poor these things would make the beauty of a City perfect and set forth the comelinesse thereof unto the life Sion that had these things in her was the Perfection of beauty Vers 12 Tarshish was thy Merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches with silver
power could over-power him hee was unfaithful to the house of Israel and deceived them trusting to him for aide and because of these things the Lord poured out vials of wrath upon him Zedekiahs perfidiousnesse brought sword and fire upon Jerusalem blindnesse captivity and chaines upon himself Obs 3 It s neither pleasing to God nor safe for Gods People to relye upon Heathens and wicked ones for help in their straits and fears The house of Israel relyed upon the Egyptians and this pleased not the Lord neither was safe for them Isa 31.1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help and stay on horses and trust in Charets because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong but they look not to the holy one of Israel neither seek the Lord the Jews looked to the strength of Egypt and not to the strength of God and therefore a woe is denounced against them God was provoked thereby and hee would bring evil upon them and saith that the helped and helpers should both fall and fail together vers 3. yea hee tells the Jews chap. 30.3 that the strength of Pharaoh should be their shame and their trust in the shaddow of Egypt their confusion When Asa relyed on the King of Syria and not on God Hanani the Prophet told him hee had done foolishly and that thence forward he should have warre 2 Chron. 16.7 9. Gods people should trust in God alone who is all-sufficient for them and not in an arm of flesh Idolaters prophane and wicked ones are seldome cordial to Gods people how can they help the Church of God in earnest which they hate most heartily The Egyptians loved not the Jews and therefore they smarted for seeking their help and trusting to them for help Obs 4 That those mediums men expect comfort and help from do oft wound them and prove their ruine The house of Israel leans upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians for relief and aide against the Babylonians and what did they break and rend all their shoulder and dissolve their loines they failed them and this proved the renting of the Jewish shoulder the breaking of them in peices and total dissolving of their Kingdom they were to them as a staffe to a weak infirm man he leans hard upon it that suddainly breaks runs into his arme and shoulder and so falling down wounded hee rises no more that hee trusted to wounded and ruined him This falls out oft that mens confidâ—nces are their confusions The things they trust to and lean upon are thornes unto them Ahaz places his hope in Tiglath-pilnezer when the Edomites invaded Judah hee is sent for comes and what then hee distressed him and strengthened him not 2 Chron. 28.20 hee was baculus arundineus unto him Benhadad had great confidence in Hazael but hee proved his ruine 2 King 8.8 15. he made a prey of him and his Kingdome at once In Obadiahs prophesy v. 7. it s said the men of thy bread have laid a wound uâ—der thee that is those Edom was familiar with confided in looked for much comfort from even they wounded her they laid snares and traps for her they became instruments of her ruine Obs 5 Dis-appointments by and harmes from others do make men wary and look to themselves When the Egyptian reed brake and wounded the Jews then their loines were made to stand then they recalled their spirits from the Egyptians and set themselves to secure themselves against the Babylonish forces While men trust to others they are usually negligent in their counsels and actions but when they see others fail them and feel they have wounded them then they muster up their spirits then they consult watch and act more vigorously Vers 8 Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I will bring a sword upon thee and cut off man and beast out of thee 9 And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste and they shall know that I am the Lord because he hath said the river is mine and I have made it 10 Behold Therefore I am against thee and against thy rivers and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate from the towre of Syene even unto the borders of Ethiopia 11 No foot of man shall pass thorough it nor foot of beast shall pass thorough it neither shall it be inhabited forty years 12 And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the middest of the Countries that are desolate and her Cities among the Cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years and I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and will disperse them through the Countries In these verses you have clearly laid before you these particulars 1 The judgement God would bring upon Egypt viz. the sword v. 8. 2 The Effect or Event of this sword utter vastation v. 8 9. and dispersion v. 12. 3 The Extent of this vastation v. 10. 4 The Duration of the same v. 11 12. which is forty years 5 One special cause thereof repeated v. 9. which is the pride of the King of Egypt 8 I will bring a sword upon thee Sword in Scripture imports sometimes power as Exod. 18.4 God delivered mee from the sword of Pharaoh saith Moses that is from the power of Pharaoh sometimes great sorrows as Luke 2.35 a sword shall pierce through thine own soul that is the Mockings reproaches and evil usages Mary and Christ should meet with in the world should be as a sword in the heart of Mary and fill her with sorrows sometimes it s put for the word of God as Eph. 6.17 the sword of the spirit which is the word of God which in the Grammatical construction may refer to spirit but then the sense is not so clear for what then shall bee the sword its better therefore to read those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thing is the word of God sometimes for division as Matth. 10.34 I came not to send peace but a sword that is division so Christ expresses it in Luke 12.51 and sometimes war and the Evils attend it so it s to bee taken here God would bring the Babylonian Army Nebuchadnezzar with all instruments of warre upon Pharaoh and his land And cut off man and beast out of thee God would deal severely with Egypt not only man should bee cut off but even the beasts also They had not sinned and God did not punish the beast in destroying of them Dum jumenta tolluntur non tam ipsa puniuntur quam homo corum privatione plectitur Paraeus but he punished their owners in depriveing them of their beasts who had made them serve their lusts Egypt abounded with men and Cattle and the Egyptians being wicked and given to luxury God brought that sad judgement upon them viz. the sword which spared neither man nor beast 9 The land of Egypt shall bee desolate and waste Egypt was a fruitful and pleasant land flowing with Milk and Honey Numb 16.33 but
was between the shoare and Tyrus with solid materials so that the Souldiers might foot it even to the walls of Tyre which cost much sweat and labour and was a great service besides all the rest of their labour watchings and sufferings of heat and cold To lye so many winters and Summers there doing ordinary and exâ—raordinary things was a great service especially their filling up the Sea which the Tyrians laughed at and thought impossible Every head was made bald The Hebrew for bald is Mukrach from karach to pull off the haires and it notes natural baldnesse as well as accidental the shedding of the hair and the plucking off the hair The Souldiers by continual wearing their head-peices did shed and wear off their hairs Some through sicknesse and upon other occasions might become bald And every shoulder was peeled By the daily carrying of stones timber earth and other things necessary for the siedge and taking of Tyrus their shoulders were peeled Cethepth signifies not onely the shoulder but the side also and Piscator renders the words omne latus every side was made naked their garments were worn out and their sides bare worn and peeled Yet had he no wages nor his Army for Tyrus This long siedge cost Nebuchadrezzar dear it exhausted the Babylonish Treasure greatly insomuch that had hee taken Tyrus with all the wealth of it it would hardly have recompenced his vast expences but the Tyrians when they saw themselves in danger conveighed away by Sea their choicest things to Carthage and neighbouring Islands as Lavater insinuates and when they could hold their City no longer threw their remaining substance into the Sea so that when it was taken Nebuchadrezzar and his Army found little or nothing considerable therein therefore it s here said he had no wages nor his Army For the service he had served against it The King and Souldiers having lain thirteen years before Tyrus which shewed their resolutenesse and looked for answerable recompence for so long difficult dangerous and expensive service but because they were disappointed in Tyrus therefore the Lord thought upon them and provided for them elsewhere 19 Behold I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar Egypt was a rich Countrey abounding with Corn Cattle and wealth of all sorts this Countrey did the Lord give unto Nebuchadrezzar and his Army for that they had done him service in executing his judgements upon the Tyrians He shall take her multitude Multitudes of men were worn out and consumed in the long siedge of Tyre and therefore God would give the King of Babylon Egypts multitude shee was populous and her multitude must serve him forty years The Hebrew word Hamon signifies multitude of people and multitude of riches Nebuchadrezzar should take both And take her spoile The Hebrew is Shalal Shelalah spoliabit spolium ejus hee shall spoile her spoil Spoile is whatsoever may bee removed taken or driven away as Corn Cattle housholdstuffe garments Jewels plate plants ware c. The Babylonian should strip Egypt of all her glory And take her prey In Hebrew its bazaz bizzah praedabitur praedam ejus hee shall prey her prey The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall captivate her Captivity The French is Ravira but in he shall take away the booty or prey The words being doubled before and here import that Nebuchadrezzar should throughly spoil and prey upon Egypt It shall be the wages for his Army Seeing his Army had so little in Tyre it shall have enough in Egypt nothing here shall bee conveyed away imbezelled or kept from him and his Army the whole wealth of Egypt shall be theirs 20 For his labour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peullah sometimes signifies the thing produced by work and labour as Psalm 17.4 but here and in other places it notes ipsam operationem the very working and efficiency it self 2 Chron. 15.7 your work shall be rewarded that is your labour and pains Because they wrought for me They looked at their King who commanded and carried them forth to that work not unto Jehovah the Lord of heaven and earth who set both him and them on work to execute his judgements threatned against Tyre and in that they did fulfil them they are said to work for God Materially they did serve his purpose and providence in the destruction of Tyre but formally and intentionally they did serve their own wills and lusts God had a righteous end and attained it by them they had an evil end and obtained it vitioso modo Vid. Aquin. 1. 2 q. 114. in an ill way Isa 10.6 7. the ssyrians had one meaning God another yet he wrought for the Lord. Obs 1 That men in misery keep account exactly of their sufferings Ezekiel was in Captivity and many other Jews who diligently heeded how the years passed in the 27 year that was of the Captivity Ezekiel and the rest forgot not how long they had been under the Babylonish yoke Men are best Chronologers in adversity Obs 2 When God is upon doing great things usually hee doth make them known unto some of his servants one way or other When hee was upon destroying Sodome hee made it known unto Abraham Gen. 18.17 when about to destroy Elies house hee revealed it to Samuel 1 Sam. 3.11 12. the strange things befell Nebuchadnezzar were revealed to Daniel chap. 4. and the Lord shewed John things to come Rev. 1 1-and here hee hides not from Ezekiel that hee will give all Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar This was so frequent of old that Amos said surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secret to his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 hardly did God ever any considerable things but hee gave some hints of it to his servants The drowning of the world the Jews Captivity in Egypt their comming out of it their suffering by Nebuâ—hadnezzar their return out of Babylon c. were all hinted and made known to Noah Abraham Moses Isaiah Jeremy and others Obs 3 Princes have power to lead out and imploy their subjects against forrainers when there is cause of warring with them The King of Babylon caused his Army to serve against Tyrus and before that against Jerusalem many hundred of miles did he bring out his Army to do him service against the Jews and Tyrians Had hee no particular cause this was cause enough that God stirred up his spirit to execute his judgements upon those had desperately provoked him Obs 4 That Heathenish souldiers have undergone very hard things yea hazarded their lives to please their heathenish Commanders and all for a temporall reward Nebuchadrezzars Army served a great service thirteen years together to lye before a City was hard their heads were made bald their shoulders were peeled they laboured hard carried heavy burdens they watched they suffered heat and cold and all this for hope of good plunder in Tyrus If Heathens would do and indure so much for their Commander who was an Idolater an
and ruling any more in Judah None of them shall ever come to kingly dignity Vntill he come whose right it is Hebrew is Ad bo asher lo hammishphat which Jun. renders thus Donec venerit is cujus est jus ipsum till hee come whose right it is Aecolamp Donec veniat ei qui judicet untill it come to him who may judge Vatab. Donec is veniat cui jure convenit till hee come to whom of right it belongs The sense is the Crown shall neither fit nor bee fastened to any head till hee come that hath the true right to it and that is neither Nebuchadnezzar nor Zerubbabel nor Aristobulus Alexander or Hyrcanus who assumed Kingly dignity to themselves in time of the Maccabees but Christ the Messiah who is the true heir and successor of David when hee comes hee shall raise up the Kingdome of Judah being miserably afflicted destitute and lost to the eye of the world he changing it into a spiritual Kingdome shall restore it to as high yea an higher glory than ever it had The crown here was reserved and laid up for the Lord Christ who was born King of the Jews Mat. 2.2 to whom the Angel told Mary that the Lord should give the Throne of his Father David and that hee should reign over the house of Jacob for ever and have an endlesse kingdome Luke 1.32 33. upon this account it was that Nathaniel called him the King of Israel John 1.49 and that Christ said The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Sonne John 5.22 The Father had appointed Christ to bee King and Ruler Micah 5.2 gave him power Isa 9.6 hee was to succeed David sit upon his Throne and kingdome to order the same vers 7. and his right thereunto both Matthew in his first Chapter and Luke in his third do clear up shewing how he descended from David And I will give it him Christ when hee comes shall not bee kept off from his right I will give it him and hee shall have the Crown it will fit his head and sit fast upon it though hee come in a mean and low way yet he shall be King and reign Obs 1 The Lord doth lay the glory of Crowns and Scepters in the dust when hee pleases I will overturn overturn overturn it There is no Crown so sure to any Mortals head no Kingdome so stable but the Lord can pluck away the Crown shake the Kingdom to peeces throw out the possessors and dispossesse their Heirs He pulled the Crown from Zedekiahs head he brake his Kingdome in peeces hee threw him out of his Throne deprived him and his Sonnes of ever inheriting more Sometimes the Lord doth suddainly overturn Empires and Kingdomes as Belshazzars by Darius the Median Dan. 5.30 31. Sometimes hee proceeds gradually and so hee did with the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah Hos 5.12 I will bee unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Judah as rottennesse a Moth eats up a garment by degrees now it makes one hole in it and anon another so Rottennesse enters by degrees into a Tree first into one branch then another after into the body and root So God by degrees eat up wasted and consumed those Kingdomes But bee it suddainly or gradually hee overturns them when hee pleases God overturned the Persian Monarchy by the Goat which had the notable Horn Dan. 8.5 that was Alexander the Great King of Greece and when hee was grown very great ruled according to his will his Kingdome was broken divided to others and not to his posterity Dan. 11.3 4. the Lord pluckt up his Kingdome and quartered it among those were not his Heires The Lord made the Scepter depart from Egypt Zech. 10.11 hee cut off him held the Scepter from the house of Eden Amos 1.5 hee breakes the staves of the wicked and the Scepters of the Rulers Isa 14.5 Crowns Scepters Kingdomes he tumbles down and laies in the dust Obs 2 When God overturnes Crowns and Kingdomes hee keeps them in such a condition while hee pleases I will overturn overturn overturn and it shall bee no more untill he come whose right it is This was neer five hundred years for from Zedekiahs deposal to the birth of Christ were four hundred ninety and two years which was a long season for his crown and kingdome to lye in darknesse and a desolate condition Hosea told us long since that the children of Israel should abide many daies without a King and without a Prince ch 3 4. the Kingdom of Israel was overturned by the hand of God above one hundred years before the kingdome of Judah and lyes overturned to this day and so hath been above two thousand years in a sad dark distressed condition When Kingdomes Scepters and Thrones are once overturned they are not quickly raised up again Their sinnes were great which caused the Lord to overturn them and hee lets them lye under the punishment of their iniquity many daies and years When Kingdomes are down many struggle to lift them up again to their former dignity glory and greatnesse but it must not it cannot bee till the Lords time come till he please to put forth his hand and do it Obs 3 The Lord Christ the promised Messiah was the true King of Judah and Prince of Sion Vntill hee come whose right it is and I will give it him The Father had appointed him to bee King given him the Kingdome and made it known long before his comming in the flesh Hee was spoken of Gen. 49.10 Hee was the Shiloh the Prosperer unto whom the gathering of the People should bee hee gathered Jewes and Gentiles together Hee was spoken of Numb 24.17 There shall come a star out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel So in Psalm 45.6 7. The Scepter of thy Kingdome is a right Scepter and God hath annointed thee See Isa 11.1 2. ch 42.1 2 3. Jer. 23.6 Ezek. 34.23 24. Dan. 7.14.27 Zach. 9.9 In these places and many other the Kingdome of Christ his right thereunto and the Fathers donation thâ—rof unto him are spoken of The Peoples hearts were towards him and they would have made him a King John 6.15 however hee appeared to the world the Apostles beheld glory and majesty in him John 1.14 2 Pet. 1.16 and Pilate writ over his head This is Jesus the King of the Jews Mâ—t. 27.37 Christ was not a contemptible person whatever men thought of him the Father designed him to bee a King gave him a Kingdome the Prophets foretold his Kingly dignity he was born a King dyed a King he lives and reigns at this day King of Sion and of all Saints Rev. 15.3 wee have no cause to bee ashamed of our King but ought to honour him as wee honour the Father seeing all judgement is committed to him Joh. 5.22 23. Obs 4 The wisdome and goodnesse of the Lord towards his that when hee tells them of the severest judgement hee mingles some mercy I will
King of Babylons setting himself against Jerusalem 3 The Prophesy it self in the 3 4 5. ver 1 In the ninth year the tenth month and the tenth day thereof Our Prophet being in Babylon reckons from the ninth year of the Captivity the time that Jehoiachin himself and others were brought into Babylon Ezek. 1.2 ch 8.1 and not from the Time of Zedekiahs reign though it were the ninth year tenth month and tenth day thereof for that day the one was carried away the other was made King It concerned them in Babylon to keep account of their captivity The word of the Lord came unto me saying Hee had nothing of his own to give out that day but the word of the Lord came to him the spirit of the Lord brought it and with such power that he must write and speak 2 Write thee the name of the day even of this same day The Hebrew is Write the name of the day and the body or substance of the same day it was a day wherein something considerable and substantial was acting God would have the Prophet write the day not onely to adde weight to his Prophesy but to stir them up to bee affected and to see how the providential hand of God ordered things at a great distance The King of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day Here was the Occasion or cause of his writing down the day and so prophesying upon it Nebuchadnezzar was that day sitting down before Jerusalem as you may clearly see 1 King 25.1 Jer. 39.1 ch 52.4 when Nebuchadnezzar was upon a warlike expedition hee knew not whether he should go to Rabbath or Jerusalem chap. 21.21 but hee was ordered by a divine hand to lay siedge to Jerusalem the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year which Ezekiel could not possibly know had not the Lord revealed it This was a businesse of high concernment to the Jews in Judea and those in Babylon The Hebrew for set himself is Samach which Montanus renders adjunxit se Others Corroboravit se fulcivit se and the French Est fortifié he joyned strengthened and fortified himself against Jerusalem Obs 1 The Lord takes notice of what men do and can make known the same to whom hee pleases at what distance soever Nebuchadnezzar and his Forces were in Judea sitting down before Jerusalem and this the Lord revealed to Ezekiel being in Babylon It was declared to Elisha whether the King of Syria would march and where hee would pitch his Campe 2 Kin. 6.9 10. The death of Herod in Judea was discovered to Joseph being in Egypt Mat. 2.19 20. and when Moses was in Midian the Lord told him that all the men were dead in Egypt which sought his life Exod. 4.19 Obs 2 There bee some things and times the Lord would have his take special notice of and keep the Chronology thereof Ezekiel must write the year the month and day of Jerusalems besiedging In the ninth year the tenth month the tenth day the King of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem that was a sad businesse and a sad time When God hath been upon executing great judgements or shewing great mercies the daies and months have been recorded The day and Month of Noahs entrance into the Ark and of his comming out again are mentioned Gen. 7.11 chap. 8.14 16. The Time of the Jews going out of Egypt you have punctually set down Exod. 12.41 42. so the Time of their passing over Jordan Josh 4.19 of Solomons building the Temple 2 Chron. 3.2 Of Hamans plot to destroy the Jews Esth 3.8 13. and several other things the year month and day stand recorded Which shews they were providential not casuall that the wisdome and power of God were interested in them whoever were the instruments and that being so exactly set down Posterity should not forget them And questionlesse the Lord expects that wee should keep a Chronology of the great and remarkeable things done by him for us as the fight at Marston-more July 2.1644 at Naseby the 14. of June 1645. at Maidstone 2 June 1648. Scots routed in England August 17. 1648. Ormond beaten from Dublin August 2. 1649. c. 3 Utter a Parable unto the rebellious The Hebrew is Speak thou parabolically to the house of rebellion a parable That is speak thou darkely unto them that they may the better attend and make the more diligent inquiry after the meaning of what thou deliverest Of Parable and Proverbs formerly have been spoken chap. 17.2 and of the rebellious house chap. 2.5 Set on a Pot set it on It s for Cooks to set on Pots put in water then the meat Ezekiel hee must bid them set on a Pot a strange work for a Prophet and because strange it would make the People minde it the more and search out the mystery By this Pot is meant Jerusalem Ezek. 11.3 This City is the Caldron Hassin it s the same word is here for Pot which notes strength comprehensivenesse and Durablenesse so Jerusalem was strong comprehended much and was more durable than other places when besiedged Not Jerusalem simply but under judgement was the Pot. And also pour water into it When Pots are set over the fire they put in and fill them with water that so what ever they please may bee boiled therein By this water is meant the afflictions and Judgements in which as in water God would boil Jerusalem Now the King of Babylon was set down round about it had straitly besiedged it and variety of Calamities were upon it and the waters of affliction begun to be hot So Calamities are called Isa 8.7 4 Gather the peeces thereof into it When the Cook hath set on the Pot filled it with water then hee takes the several peices of flesh which are to bee boiled and puts them into the Pot and they are called the peices thereof because they are to be boiled therein Even every good peice the thigh and the shoulder Here the people or Commonwealth of Israel is likened unto a body dissected as the Levites Concubine was Judges 19.29 and they must take the good or principal peices those that were the strength and support of the body and head as the thighs and Shoulders that is the Nobles Councellors Priests and chief Souldiers amongst them Fill it with the choice bones The Hebrew is Electione ossium imple fill it with the choicenesse of bones which Rabbi David interprets as wee do fill it with choice bones that is with choice peices because the peices saith hee are cut secundum ossa according to the bones This Pot must not have a peice or two a bone or two put into it but must bee filled with the choicest peices and bones were in all the body 5 Take the choice of the Flock By the Choice may bee understood the King himself who is the Head of the flock or the fat and wealthy ones The Vulgar hath it Pinguissimum pecus assume take the fattest of the Cattle
it was as great an honour to the Countrey where it was as a Crown to a Kings head In Canaan were great and goodly Cities Deut. 6.10 In Midian were Cities and goodly Castles Numb 31.10 and these were the Ornaments and glory of those places Obs 6 Strong-holds Cities Nations are the Lords and hee gives them to whom hee will As hee gave the Ammonites so the Moabites Countrey unto the men of the East and that for a possession Ezek. 29.19 Behold I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon What had the Lord to do with Egypt was it not Pharaohs had hee any right to dispose of it to another King yes hee had more right to it than Pharaoh himself Jerem. 10.7 he is the King of Nations and may take from one and give to another at his pleasure Hee took the Kingdome out of Rhehoboams hands and gave it unto Jeroboam even ten Tribes 1 King 11.35 hee took the Land of Canaan from others and gave it unto Abraham and his seed Gen. 13.12 14 15. afterward hee took it from them and gave it with the great City thereof into the hands of the Babylonians Jer. 32.3 and with it every strong hold Hab. 1.10 and after seventy years gave it again unto the Jews Vers 12. Thus saith the Lord God because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance and hath greatly offended and revenged himself upon them 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom and will cut off man and beast from it and will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword 14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel and they shall do in Sodome according to mine anger and according to my fury and they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord God These verses contain a Prophesy against the Edomites who are the third sort of enemies to the Jews mentioned in this Chapter Here likewise as before you have 1 Their sin v. 12. 2 Their Judgements v. 13. 3 The Efficient and instrumental causes v. 14. 4 The End of those judgements ibid. 12 Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah By Edom are meant the Edomites or Idumaeans who descended from Esau who Gen. 36.8 9. is called Edom and the Father of the Edomites which name hee had either from his red skin and hair Gen. 25.25 or rather from his selling his birth-right for red-pottage vers 30. make mee to eat min-haadom haadom hazzeh of that râ—d that red he was cruell and prophane not unlike unto him were his posterity the Edomites who ever bare ill will to the house of Jacob When the Jews came out of Egypt Moses sent to the King of Edom to let them have passage through their Countrey but hee refused and came out in hostile manner against them though they were his brethren Numb 20.14 18 20. It was Doeg an Edomite that fell upon the Priests and slew them 1 Sam. 22.19 That the Edomites unkindnesse might not lye upon the spirits of the Jews and beget ill bloud in them the Lord made a Law that they should not abhor an Edomite because they were their brethren Deut. 23.7 he took care that there might bee brotherly love between them but there was very little Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance What cause the Edomites had to deal revengefully with the Jews we must inquire They being borderers upon the Jews Josh 15.1 and full of enmity against them did many times vex and prejudice them whereupon when Saul was King he fought against them as being their common enemies with others 1 Sam. 14.47 and David slew all their Males lying upon them six months with his Army 1 Kin. 11.15 16. and made them tributary putting garrisons in all parts of their Countrey 2 Sam. 8.14 After this in Jehorams daies they revolted and made themselves a King and hereupon were smitten by Jehoram and his forces 2 King 8.20 21. Amaziah also in his daies slew ten thousand of them 2 King 14.7 and other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away Captive and threw them off the top of a rock and broke them in peices 2 Chron. 25.11 12. these things together with that ancient grudge they had against them for Jacobs getting the blessing and birth-right from Esau their Father made them splenetive and to seek revenge and therefore when they had any opportunity they used violence and shed innocent bloud Joel 3.19 and when the Babylonians came against the Jews carried them away Captive the Edomites rejoyced at it incouraged them against the Jews and said of Jerusalem Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Psalm 137.7 they were as the Babylonians Obad. ver 11. Thoâ— waste as one of them look what spirit was in a Babylonian the same was in an Edomite did they speak proudly so did the Edomites ver 12. did they enter the gates of Jerusalem and lay hands on the prey so did the Edomites ver 13. did they cut off many so did the Edomites they cut off those that did escape and delivered up those remained in the day of distresse ver 14. Thus they dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance The Hebrew for taking vengeance is in revenging a revenge Edom was greedy of revenge and set upon it so much the doubling of the word imports And hath greatly offended and revenged himself upon them Turpiter se dare ita ut propter culpam ceu poenam nondum expiatam affletur ceu exibiletur ab hominibus Avenar Vide Kirker in verbo Asham In the Hebrew its vaijeshmu ashom deliquerunt delinquendo they offended in offending that is they greatly offended Asham signifies to do wickedly shamefully and also to make desolate Ezek. 6.6 because abominable sinnes do bring desolation Junius renders the words thus and do make themselves guilty indesinenter for ever they so offended as that there was no pardon no mercy for them Piscator Reatum magnum contraxerunt They contracted great guilt Their revenging themselves upon the Jews made them exceeding guilty 1 The Jews were their brethren Obadiah 10. Amos 1.11 2 They were their neighbours Idumaea and Judaea bordered upon one another Mark 3.8 3 They were Confederates with the Jews Jer. 27.3 An Edomitish Embassadour was at Jerusalem who together with the Embassadours of the other Kings there mentioned were strengthening themselves with Zedekiah against Nebuchadnezzar Obad. 7. They therefore to revenge themselves for former wrongs done them upon the Jews and that in the day of their calamity this made their sin exceeding sinful 13 I will also stretch out my hand upon Edom. In the 7. vers the Lord had said that hee would stretch out his hand upon Ammon that is hee would severely punish it so now also hee would stretch it out upon Edom and make it
These words may bee taken two waies rither thou shalt dy by the hand of those that are uncircumcised thou shalt not have the honour to dye by the hand of the Jâ—ws who by Circumcision are distinguished from all other thou shalt dye by Chaldaeans a prophane and barbarous people or thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised that is thou shalt so dye as to perish soul and body for ever thou hast exalted thy self to bee a God and thou shalt bee cast into hell The Nations who were uncircumcised were without God without Christ Eph. 2.12 and so perished For I have spoken it saith the Lord. Thou maiest contemn this Prophesy and think there is nothing in it but know it s not the voice of man like thy self but the voice of God who will fulfil it and make thee know that thou art man and not God that thou hast sinned greatly in comparing thy self with God Obs 1 Haughtinesse and Pride of Spirit provokes God to deal severely with men Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God Therefore will I bring strangers upon thee the terrible of the Nations God stirred up led out the most terrible of the Babylonians to punish the Prince of Tyrus for his Pride and insolency Theudas boasted himself to bee some body drew followers after him but hee and they were all slain by the just judgement of God Act. 5.36 Zeba and Zalmunna said let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession Psalm 83.12 they had aspiring spirits but the Lord cut them off by the hand of Gideon Judg. 8.21 proud spirits the Lord will meet with and break in pieces hee hath said it Isa 2.11 The lofty looks of man shall bee humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed down Ne ascend as cacumen montis cum fueris ornatus ne forte cadâ—s Hoffinâ— geru Let those that have much look to it that they bee not lifted up least they fall bee broken and rise no more Obs 2 That which is the glory and delight of men is subject to spoil and prophanation They shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdome and they shal defile thy brightnesse they laid all the glory of Tyrus and of the Prince thereof in the dust there was beauty brightnesse in the Court in the City in the Navy in the Armory in the treasure but when the Chaldaean came he spoiled he stained all it was not the wisdome of the Tyrian nor the beauty or brightnesse of the things that could keep off the enemies from plundering and prophaneing they minded not beauty or brightnesse wisdome real or pretended but they lay all waste cut off the Prince and make a beautiful glorious City as an heap of rubbish or as nothing Obs 3 Approachings of death will make men know themselves When this Prince of Tyrus should bee in the hand of his enemies and at deaths door then hee should see that hee was no God but a poor miserable mortal man vexatio dat intellectum when death comes and strikes upon our walls then wee understand our selves Psalm 9.20 Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to bee but men When Nations prosper have all things as heart desires they judge themselves more than men they are quasi dii minores petty gods but let the Lord send in some sore judgements that carry death in their foreheads then the Nations will know themselves to bee but men that is sorry fading perishing things though death shut all mens eyes yet the approach of death opens them oft to see more of themselves than ever before Obs 4 That wicked Princes and others how ever they may flourish in the world for a season yet their ends will bee miserable Thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised a temporal death here eternal death hereafter therefore envy not great ones who flourish here in the world for a season and after go down to the pit where they shall suffer sufficiently for their demerit Vers 11 Moreover The word of the Lord came unto me saying 12 Son of Man take up a Lamentation upon the King of Tyrus and say unto him Thus saith the Lord God Thou sealest up the sum full of wisdome and perfect in beauty 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God every precious stone was thy covering the Sardius Topaz and the Diamond the Beril the Onix and the Jasper the Saphire the Emeraud and the Carbuncle and gold The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created 14 Thou art the annointed Cherub that covereth and I have set thee so thou wast upon the holy mountain of God thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire 15 Thou wast perfect in thy waies from the day that thou wast created till iniquity was found in thee Here beginnes the second general part of the Chapter viz. a Lamentation for the Prince of Tyrus and the corrupting of his glory Besides the Lamentation and authority of it in the 11 12. ver you have 1 The State of this Prince set out from his power wisdome wealth delights and greatness v. 12 13 14 15. 2 The Cause that his state and glory were destroyed v. 15. 12 Take up a lamentation upon the King of Tyrus In chap. 27.2 the Lord bade him take up a lamentation for Tyrus and here he bids him take up one for the King of Tyrus bewail his condition for hee should suffer as well as the City and though hee were an Heathen King yet the Lord would have him to be lamented the Prophet must weep over him The French is Eslene la plainte contre le roy Thou sealest up the sum The Hebrew is Attah chothem tachnith which Montanus renders Tu sigillas dispositionem Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar Tu signaculum similitudinis Junius Tu obsignas summam Piscat Tu obsignator summae Lavat Tu sigillas summam Vatabl. and the Trigurine Tu es omnibus numeris absolutum exemplar The Fren. is Tu accomplis le tout or tu es venu an comble de perfection Ours is Thou sealest up the sum Thou having power over all the Commodities to bee carried out or brought in sayest how much and how little shall bee exported and imported Thou sealest up the sum thou puttest the last hand to the businesse and doest compleat it thus some expositors interpret the words Others considering Tachnith is from Tachan to weigh to measure and notes a thing measured secundum omnes ejus dimensiones according to all its dimensions they make the sense this Thou art an absolute and compleat King whatever is wanting in others is found in thee Thou sealest up the sum others want wisdome riches power friends thou hast all that conduceth to the greatnesse and happinesse of a Prince When bags have all the monie in them they
wildernesse and there leave him to bee a prey unto the enemy when hee and his Army were spread over the wildernesse then they should be deserted of God and left to spoil Thee and all the fish of thy Rivers As a fish drawn out of the water left upon the land dies and becomes a prey so should the King of Egypt and the Egyptians Thou shalt fall upon the open fields thou shalt not bee brought together nor gathered Thine Army shall bee so beaten routed and overthrown as no one part of it shall bee joyned to another there shall be no rallying no recruiting no gathering up for burial but all shall bee meat for the beasts of the field and for the fowls of Heaven Some fishes when they are drawn out of the waters are taken up much use is made of them others are thrown away Mat. 13.48 but here they were so bad that all should bee thrown to the beasts and birds of prey Obs 1 When God is wroth with Princes and people he makes and takes occasions to execute his judgements upon them Pharaoh and his people had sinned greatly against God and hee stirred up the Cyreneans to invade their neighbour countrey the Lybians Whereupon hee and his are drawn out to warre and fall thereby He and his thought to live securely in Egypt but God had hooks to draw them out and judgements to inflict upon them being so drawn out The Elder Pharaoh in Moses daies having greatly provoked God by deteining the Jews in Egypt God made an occasion by dividing the waters of the red Sea for him to follow them and then hee and his being in the red Sea took occasion to bee avenged on him by causing the waters to swallow up him and all his host Exod. 14. God drew Zerah with his huge host of one thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots out of Ethiopia unto Maresha which was a City in the Tribe of Judah Joshuah 15.44 and there hee smote the Ethiopians and overthrew them 2 Chron. 14. God made Ramoth in Gilead an hook to draw out wicked Ahab to war against the Syrians and when hee was there hee was slain and his army wholly routed 1 King 22. God wants not hooks to draw Leviathans Dragons and Crocodiles out of their holes fens or rivers nor swords to peirce them when they are drawn out Hee had hooks for Hamilton and the late King of Scots to draw them into England and judgements to inflict upon them being come forth for their iniquities Let great and small take heed how they offend the Lord hee hath hooks enough and can make new if hee want them to drag sinners out of their lurking holes and vials of wrath to poure out upon them being haled out Obs 2 In those actions men do freely the wise providence of God acts powerfully and accomplisheth his designes Pharaoh and his subjects go out freely to war against their enemies yet God had a hook in their chaws and drew them toth at work Rhehoboam freely refused the counsel of the wise men and freely followed the counsel of the young men yet Gods hand was in these actions his hook was in his chaws 1 King 12.15 The cause was from the Lord. Rhehoboam carried on freely his own design and God powerfully carried on his though Rhehoboam discerned it not neither aimed at it God sent the Assyrians against the Hypocritical Jews hee charged him to take the spoil and tread them down like mire in the streets Hee came freely though Gods hook were in his nostrils hee came to do his own will not Gods that hee aimed not at for hee meant not so his heart did not think so Isa 10.6 7. yet Gods providence over-ruled so that he did the work of God This is a great mystery all wicked men act freely drive on their own interests yet God powerfully moves in these actions brings to pass his own purposes and counsells and that without sin Obs 3 The Counsels and strength of Princes and Armies comes to nothing where God doth not assist but desert I will leave thee thrown into the wildernesse thee and all the fish of thy River thou shalt fall Pharaoh was a great Dragon wise and subtle hee had wise Counsellors strong Souldiers a great Army but neither their Counsel nor strength stood them in stead when God had drawn them into the field he left them and they fell Humane wisdome and strength can do nothing without God Saul had a great Army all Israel were gathered together to fight against the Philistims but did they prevail no they fled and fell down before their enemies and what was the reason Saul tells you 1 Sam. 28.15 The Lord is departed from mee hee is neither with mee nor mine Army all Israel can do nothing against uncircumcised Philistims when God had forsaken them Jeroboam had an Army of eight hundred thousand men mighty men of valor Abijah meets him with an Army of four hundred thousand even half so many and slew of Jeroboams Army five hundred thousand They were strong men on that side and two to one yet more fell by an hundred thousand than Abijahs Army consisted of And what was the cause hereof 2 Chron. 13.3 12. The cause was God was with them Behold God himself is with us for our Captain he guides us and girds us with strength said Abijah Jeroboam by his golden Calves had driven God from him so then where God is not there can bee no successe 1 Sam. 2.9 by strength shall no man prevail Let men have strong horses strong Armes strong bodies strong Counsels strong Armies strong treasures if they have not El-shaddai the strong Almighty God with them all their strengths will prove weaknesse wee have seen this made good in our daies most eminently Obs 4 God in his just judgements brings Princes and Armies who confide in an arme of flesh to open shame and utter ruine Thou shalt fall in the open fields thou shalt not bee gathered nor brought together thou shalt lye unburied and be meat for beasts and fowles This Egyptian great Dragon and all the fish of his Rivers were such as God cast out for naught and gave to bee meat to Kites Crowes Vultures Dogs Swine and wild beasts their shame was open their end was miserable Pharaoh that intreated the Israelites so cruelly did not God bring him to open shame and his great Army did hee not drown this Dragon and all adhered to him in the deeps did hee not give their Carkasses to bee meat to the Sea-Dragons and Sea-Leviathans Absolom and his Army met with shame scorn and misery enough 2 Sam. 18. Jehoiakim was buried with the burial of an Asse Jerem. 22.19 that is hee had no burial but was cast out to shame scorn and feeding of birds and beasts 6 And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord. In this verse the Event of the former judgement upon Pharaoh and his Army is laid down together with
the cause thereof the Event is this the Egyptians shall see that the Counsels and confidences of Princes are vain that they are not Masters of designes to carry them on and make them successeful according to their mindes and wills but that the great God of heaven and earth over-rules all blasting or prospering the greatest undertakings at his pleasure and so shall acknowledge him to be the Lord. Because they have been a staffe of reed to the house of Israel Here the cause is rendred of Gods so dealing with Pharaoh and his Army viz. because they were unfaithful to the house of Israel and prejudicial The word for staffe is Mishneneth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lean upon because men that are weak do lean and rest upon their staves and metaphorically it s put for stay hope confidence 2 Sam. 22.19 The Lord was my stay its Mishan or Mishgnan my staffe that is my stay my hope my confidence The Jewish state being feeble in its latter daies entered into Covenant with the Egyptians and leaned upon them as on a staffe for help against its own weaknesse and others violence but Egypt proved a staffe of reed The word for Reed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kaneh whence our English word a Cane Egypt did abound with reeds and Canes especially the banks of Nilus where its probable the little Ark which contained Moses was laid for it s said Exod. 2.3 shee laid it in the flaggs by the rivers brink Flaggs and reeds did grow there The Egyptians here and in other places are compared unto them 1 Reeds have nothing solid or substantial in them They are hollow empty things or some slight matter in them if you trust to them they will deceive you Such were the Kings of Egypt and the Egyptians they had no solidity in them Isa 19.11 Surely the Princes of Zoan are fooles the Counsel of the wise Counsellors of Pharaoh is become bruitish their Counsels were not solid they had no faithfulnesse in them they oft promised to help the Jews but did not they failed them Isa 30.2 all the strength of Egypt was but as a shaddow their help was vain and to no purpose vers 7. and it s said Pharaoh King of Egypt is but a noise Jer. 46.17 like a hollow Cane without substance The Jews expected help from Egypt they leaned upon Pharaoh and his forces as on a staffe but hee and they deceived him so that they complained at last saying Our eies failed for our vain help in our watching we have watched for a Nation that could not save us Lamen 4.17 they earnestly waited for help they relyed wholly upon Egypt and Egypt did wholly fail them 2 A Reed is a weak thing and blows this way and that way as the wind blows Mat. 11.7 Baculus fuit in premissione sed arundimens in solutione Pintus What went yee out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken with the winde an inconstant weak flexible thing John was no such man but the Egyptians were Isa 31.3 The Egyptians are men and not God they are mutable uncertain turning every way for their own advantage they made leagues with the Jews held correspondence with them and at their pleasure violated them again 3 A Reed Easily breaks and when it breaks it indangers those that lean upon it The splinters and shivers run into the hand and shoulder vers 7. and so non solum deludit sed etiam laedit it not onely deceives but damnifies such were the Egyptians they drew the Jews into sinful leagues with them and by that means to sinful Marriages and sinful Worship with them Lavater tells us that the Egyptians perswaded Zedekiah to break with Nebuchadnezzar unto whom hee was tributary promising him help to recover former liberty which Zedekiah attempting proved ruine to him and the whole Nation so that the Egyptians were a piercing reed unto them Rabshakeh knew what the Egyptians were when hee said to Hezekiah Behold thou trustest upon the staffe of this bruised reed even upon Egypt on which if a man lean it will go into his hand and pierce it so is Pharaoh King of Egypt unto all that trust in him 2 King 18.21 7 When they took hold of thee by thy hand When the Jews looked towards Egypt and sent their Embassadors thither for help Ezek. 17.7 15. they took them by the hand and the Egyptians promised to do great things for them and they came with an Army out of Egypt to helpe them against Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 37.5 from whom they had solicited the Jews to revolt but what was the issue it follows in the next words Thou didst break and rent all their shoulder Nebuchadnezzar being before Jerusalem raised his siedge and hasted to incounter with the Egyptian Army which returning back into Egypt caused Nebuchadnezzar to return to the siedge which hee continued without any further interruption by the Egyptians till hee took and burnt the City and carried away the Jews to Babylon Jer. 37.5 7 8. they leaned upon Pharaoh and his Army to secure them against Nebuchadnezzar but hee failed them and so brake and rent their shoulder that is did them much harm and grieved them exceedingly as a man that leans upon a staffe and it breaking runs into his flesh shatters his shoulder bone in peices he is much damnified and grieved And when they leaned upon thee thou brakest The Hebrew word for breaking here is Tishshaber the former terutz from razaz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to shake bruise or break but not altogether Shabar notes a total breaking a fragmentation breaking into pieces the sense is the Egyptians did utterly fail and disappoint the Jews who relyed altogether upon them And madest all their loines to be at a stand The Septuagint translate the words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast broken all their loines The Vulgar is Dissolvisti omnes renes eorum thou hast loosened all their loines thou hast filled them with fears and faintings and caused their strength to fail but our Translation is according to the Hebrew if wee read the words thus and madest all their loines to stand thou hast made them to withdraw their confidence in thee finding thee a broken staffe and to trust unto their own strength and stand upon their own leggs they gird up their own loines look to themselves and trust no more to thee Obs 1 God by his judgements makes himself known to Heathens and to acknowledge him to bee another kind of God than their Idol gods And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord That I rule and over-rule all actions and do whatever I please in heaven or earth Obs 2 The ruine of Princes and their Armies is their sins and wickedness Pharaohs pride and perfidiousnesse caused the Lord to leave and overthrow him and his in the wilderness to give them to bee meat to the beasts of the field and fowls of heaven hee thought no