CHAP. I.
4 But I will send a fire into the house Some account of the prophet, and of the time when he prophe- of P Hazael, which shall devour the palaces sied, 1, 2. The judgments of God, on Syria, 3-5; Philistia, of a Ben-hadad. 6-3; Tyre, 9, 10; Edom, 11, 12; and Ammon, 13-15.
NOTES.
1:1.) We find else
CHAP. I. V. 1. There is no certainty in any of the conjectures, that have been formed concerning this prophet; and we know nothing more of him, than what is intimated in his prophecy. (7:14,15.) The former years of Uzziah coincided with the times of Jeroboam, the grandson of Jehu. ( Notes , 7:10,11. 2 Kings 14:21,23,24. 15:8. Hosea 1:1. where, that a terrible earthquake happened during the reign of Uzziah: it is recorded by Josephus; and there is a general tradition among the Jews, that it took place, when Uzziah invaded the priestly office, and was smitten with a leprosy. Yet, as Jotham, who managed the affairs of the kingdom when Uzziah was smitten with leprosy, was not born when Jeroboam died; this opinion is worthy of little credit. The earthquake, however, seems to have been very tremendous, and it is mentioned as such by Zechariah several ages
5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from + the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
6 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of "Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof: because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up * to Edom:
7 But I will send a fire on the wall of
Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from
Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand
Jer 47:4,5, Ez. 25:15,16. Zeph. 2:4-7. Zech. 9:5. Acts
8:26.
|| Or, carried them away with an entire captivity. 2 Chr. 21:16,17. 28:18. Joel 3:6. x9,11. Ez. 35:5. Ob. 11. y Deut. 32:35,41-43. Ps. 75:7, 8. 94:1-5. Rom. 12:19.
z 4. 2 Kings 18:8. 2 Chr. 26:6. Jer. 25:18-20. 47:1. Zech. 9, 5-7.
a Is. 20:1. Jer. 47:5. Ez. 25:16. b. Ps. 81:14. Is. 1:25. Zech. 13:7.
fertile mountains and regions. ( Marg . Ref . i, k.) V. 3-5. The prophet first began with de nouncing judgment against the several oppressors of his people. Damascus was the capital of Syria. Three and four, or seven , transgres sions do not mean an exact number of offences; ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . 1.) but it is thus intimated, that in many things the persons spoken of had provoked the wrath of God, and were ripe for vengeance: and one offence is mentioned as more aggravated than the others, which was the immediate cause of their calamities. This, in the case of the Syrians, was their oppression of the inhabitants of Gilead beyond Jordan, whom they treated with as great cruelty, as if they had threshed them with threshing instruments of iron: or perhaps they actually tortured, in this inhuman manner, such of them as fell into their hands. ( Marg . Ref . n.) 'This alludes to the threshing wain, described by Isaiah. (41:15.) It moved on serrated
afterwards. ( Note , Zech. 14:4,5.)-When the 'wheels, and at once forced out the grain, and
prophet collected his predictions, he added this respecting the time when the first was delivered. ( Marg . Ref .) -The word rendered herdmen, occurs only in one other place in scripture, and is there translated sheep - master . (2 Kings 3:4.)
'cut the straw. Bp. Newcombe. Hence the 'word is used for the weak's being crushed by 'the mighty.' Lowth . Therefore, the wrath of God, as a consuming fire, would enter the house or among the descendants , of Hazael king of Syr. ia, and consume those palaces, which Benhadad his predecessor had erected at Damascus, or those which his son Benhadad should in. habit. ( Note , Hos . 8:14.) The Lord would also break down the bar of that city, open her gates to the besiegers, cut off the inhabitants of the open country, wrest the sceptre from the hands of the reigning family, and carry the people captive into Kir, in the land of Media. (9:7. Is 22:6.) -This sentence seems to have been exe cuted by the Assyrians. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref
V. 2. In Jerusalem and on mount Zion the Lord dwelt among his people, on a mercy-seat: (Notes, Hos . 5:15. Joel 3:18-21, v . 21.) but he would thence denounce and execute judgments, more terrible than the roaring of a lion, on his enemies, and especially on idolatrous and hypocritical Jews and Israelites. ( Marg . Ref. h.-Note, Joel 3:9-17, v . 16.) For, by a drought he was about to desolate the countries, not so much as sparing the habitations of the shepherds, or leaving any verdure on the most || m. o-s.- Note , 2 Kings 16:7-9, ν . 9.)
against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GoD.
9 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof: because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the * brotherly covenant:
10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
11 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of & Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; hbecause he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:
12 But I will send a fire upon man, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
13 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the pun ishment thereof; because they have tripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:
14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
15 And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the Lord.
k Gen. 36:11. Jer. 49:7,20. Ob. 9.
13,22.
h Gen. 27:40,41. Num. 20:14-1 Gen. 36:33. Is. 34:6. Jer. 49: 21. Deut. 2:4-8. 23:7. 2 Chr. 28:17. Ps. 83:3-8.137:7. Lam. 4:21,22. Ez. 25:12. 35:5,6,11. Joel 3:19. Ob. 10-14.
↑ Heb. corrupted his compas sions .
i Ps. 85:5. F.c. 7:9. Is. 57:16. Mic. 7:18. Eph. 4:26,27. 5:1.
V. 6-8. Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron were the principal cities of Philistia: probably Gath was at this time in the possession of the kings of Judah. -The Philistines had added, to their other crimes, a recent instance of cruel revenge against the people of God. On some occasion, they had taken captive a multitude of Jews, or Israelites, and had sold the whole company as slaves to the Edomites, who they well knew would treat them with the utmost rigor. ( Notes , 9-12.) The Lord would therefore no longer delay to punish them according to their deserts; but would destroy their cities, dethrone their princes, and extirpate the remnant of the nation. ( Marg . and Marg. Ref .)-This was executed afterwards by the Assyrians, Jews, and Chaldeans. ( Notes , Jer. 47:)
V. 9, 10. The Tyrians had forgotten the brotherly covenant, which had subsisted between David and Solomon kings of Judah, and Hiram king of Tyre; ( Marg . -Notes , 2 Sam . 5: 11. 1 Kings 5:1-11. 9:11-14. 2 Chr . 2:3-16.) and other treaties of amity, which had been entered into for their reciprocal advantage: and they had been guilty of great cruelty to the nation, after the example of the Philistines. (Notes, 6-8.) This provoked God to send those judgments upon them, which were afterwards inflicted by Nebuchadnezzar, and by Alexander the Great. ( Marg . Ref . d.- Notes , Is . 23: Ez . 26:-28:)
V. 11, 12. Edom, or Esau, was Jacob's brother: yet the Edomites were more cruel to the descendants of Jacob, than any of the strangers by whom they were surrounded! ( Marg . Ref . b.- Note , Ps . 137:7-9.) After the example of their progenitor, they pursued the Israelites with the sword: they readily purchased them for slaves, from those who made them captives: ( Notes , 7-10.) they were void of compassion towards them, and full of furious revenge, which they gratified by the most outrageous cruelties: but this would kindle the fire of God's wrath against their strongest cities, and reduce them to desolation. This was executed by the Assyrians and Chaldeans,
m Deut. 2:19. Jer. 49:1-6. Ez. 25:3-7. Zeph. 2:8.
n Deut. 23:3,4. Judg. 10:7-9. 11:15-28. 1 Sam. 11:1,2. 2 Sam. 10:1-8. 2 Kings 24:2. 2 Chr. 20:1,10. Neh. 2:19.4: 7,&c. Ps. 83:7.
o Hos. 13:16.
Or, divided the mountains. p Is. 5:8. Jer. 49:1. Ez. 35:10. Hab. 2:5,6.
q Deut. 3:11. 2 Sam. 12:26. Jer. 49:2. Ez. 25:5.
r 2:2. Job 39:25. Is. 9:5.
s Ps. 83:15. Is. 30:30. Dan. 11. 40. Zech. 7:14. t Jer. 49:3.
and others, and finally by the Jews. ( Marg . and Murg. Ref . g-1.- Notes , Is . 34: 63:1-6. Jer . 49:7-22. Ez . 25: 35: Joel 3:18-21, ν. 19. Obad . 1-16. Mal . 1:1-4.)
V. 13-15. The Ammonites, to the east of Gilead, were as cruel to the inhabitants of that district, as the Assyrians to the north had been. Their enmity and avarice had induced them to be guilty of the most horrid barbarities, in order to extirpate the people, and to enlarge their border. This was about to bring down the vengeance of God on Rabbah, their capital city, which would be taken by storm, and destroyed suddenly as by a whirlwind; and this would be succeeded by the captivity of the king and his princes. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . -Notes, Judg . 11:12-23. Jer . 49:1-6. Ez . 25: 1-7.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
God has often chosen the instruments of his work, in the sacred ministry, and in other important services, from inferior stations in society: and they need not be ashamed of their mean extraction or former low occupations, and should not be reproached on account of them; provided they faithfully discharge the duties to which they are called.--The neglect of warnings from God frequently precedes the execution of his severe judgments: and while from his throne of grace, he delights to exercise mercy to the humble believer, he will thence denounce and execute the severest vengeance on his enemies.
He bears long with transgressors: but he will no longer "turn away the punishment" of those, who have fill ed up the measure of their guilt.-Cruelty to the helpless, and persecution of his people, ripen nations and individuals for destruction with great rapidity. His wrath consumes flourishing families and magnificent palaces, like a tremendous fire: it breaks down the gates of fortified cities, depopulates fertile regions, dethrones princes, and reduces potent nations to captivity and slavery.
Thus oppressors are visited in rotation, according to the degree of their cruelty, treachery, violation