CHAP. XIX .
the lions; he became a young lion, and A lamentation over the ruin of the royal family of Judah, under learned to catch the prey, and devoured
the emblem of young lions taken in a net to be destroyed, 19; and of a vine and its branches, once flourishing, but now rooted up, withered, and burnt, 10-14.
4 The nations also heard of him: 'he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.
5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.
6 And he went up and down among
a 14. 2:10. 26:17. 27:2. 32:16, 18. Jer. 9:1,10,17,18. 13:17,18. b2 Kings 23:29,30,34. 24:6,12. 25:5-7. 2 Chr. 35:25. 36:3,6, 10. Jer. 22:10-12,18,19,28,30. 24:1,8. 52:10,11,25-27. Lam.
4:20. 5:12.
c Nah. 2:11,12. Zeph. 3:1-4. d Job 4:11. Ps. 58:6. Is. 5:29.
11:6-9. Zech. 11:3.
e 6.2 Kings 23:31,32. 2 Chr.
36:1,2.
f 2 Kings 23:33,34. 2 Chr. 36:4. Jer. 22:11,12.
g 3. 2 Kings 23:34-37. h 2 Kings 24:1-7. 2 Chr. 36:5. Or, hooks. Jer. 22:13-17. 26: 36.
n 2 Chr. 36:6. Jer. 22:8,19. 36:30,31.
ο 7. 6:2. 36:1.
p 2. Hos. 2:2,5.
q 15:2-8. 17:6. Is. 5:1-4. Matt. 21:33-41.
‡ Or, quietness, or likeness. r Num. 24:6,7.
89:25-29.
Ps. 80:8-11.
s 12,14. 21:10,13, Gen. 49:10. Num. 24:7-9,17. Ezra 4:20. 5:11. Ps. 2:8,9. 80:15,17. 110: 2. Is. 11:1.
eousness , from which many turn away, to com-es of Josiah's family, but of the Jewish nation;
mit all the abominations of the wicked, and to live and die in them, they will by no means be profited by it; but in their trespasses and sins will they perish, and "their last state will be worse than their first." True believers however are preserved by God and persevere in his ways; they keep Christ's commandments and continue in his love; they fear coming short or turning back; and thus they watch and pray, continue to the end, and are saved. And are not these ways of God equal? and what can reasonably be objected to them?
As therefore he will shortly "judge every man according to his ways;" and as "he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live:" let sinners be warned, and encouraged to repent, to turn from all their transgressions, to cast them away with abhorrence, and seek to the Lord for "a new heart and a new spirit." Without this, iniquity must be their ruin; for none will eventually be saved, except those who repent and become new creatures, and "walk in newness of life;" and none will perish, who thus turn to the Lord.
Let them therefore turn these commandments and exhortations into prayers; let them trust in Christ for pardon and strength; and they will by him be enabled to do all things that pertain unto salvation.
It is indeed more our interest, as well as more becoming us, to be employed in mourning over and confessing our sins, praying for grace and forgiveness, mortifying our pride and lusts, exercising our selves unto godliness, and "doing good to all men" as we have time and opportunity; than to be disputing about hard questions, perverting the scriptures, excusing our iniquities, or replying against God.
NOTES.
which is represented under the image of a lioness, because of the cruelty and oppression that generally prevailed: for the rulers and people of Judah seemed to have lost their humanity, and to have been transformed into savage beasts. The lioness lay down among lions: that is, the Jews formed alliances with the heathens, and learned their manners.
Thus "she brought up her whelps among young lions:" that is, the sons of Josiah, though descended from so good a father, yet learned from the people and princes and the surrounding nations, to be ambitious, oppressive, and rapacious, like the tyrants and conquerors of the gentiles. When Josiah was slain, the people of the land made Jehoahaz king in his stead; and this lion's whelp, being advanced to royal authority, became a young lion, and soon learned to use his power in oppression and cruelty.
But Pharaoh-necho and his allies came against him, and took him as a wild beast in a pit; and he was carried thence in chains into Egypt, where he died. ( Marg . Ref . c.- Notes , 2 Kings 23:29,30, v. 30,33. Jer. 22:10-12.) And when the people saw there were no hopes of his return, they submitted to Jehoiakim, whom Pharaoh had appointed to be king. Thus he became their young lion, and used his power for eleven years most cruelly; desolating the palaces, cities, and country, by the terror of his oppressions.
At length he drew on him the hatred and vengeance of the king of Babylon, and that of the neighboring nations; and he was taken prisoner, and ended his life miserably: so that the terror of his roaring no more disturbed the mountains of Israel. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , 2 Kings 23:34,37. 24:1,2. Jer . 22:13—19. 26:16—24. 36: 30-32.)-The captivity of Jeconiah, and that of Zedekiah, are not here expressly mentioned. Jeconiah reigned a very short time, and Zedekiah seems rather to have been a timid and deceitful, than a tyrannical prince.
CHAP. XIX. V. 1. Marg . Ref . a, b. V. 2-9. The inquiry here made, and the answer given to it, must not be understood of the mother of Zedekiah, or of the other branch520]
to alter Wafter
P Thase
lon
a Col
MONS
sceptres of them that bare rule, and ther CHAP . XX. stature was exalted among the thick branch-God refuseth to be inquired of by certain elders of Israel, 1-3
es, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.
12 But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: hery strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.
13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, bin a dry and thirsty ground.
14 And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she had no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and
shall be for a lamentation.
1 31:3. Dan. 4:11,20,21.
u 15:6-8. Ps. 52:5. 80:12,13, 16. 89:40-45. Is. 5:5,6. Jer. 31:28.
x 17:10. Jer. 4:11,12. Hos. 13: 15.
y 11. 2 Kings 23:29,34. 24:6, 14-16. 25:6,7. Jer. 22:10,11, 18,19,25-27,30.
z 15:4. 20:47,48. Deut. 32:22. Is. 27:11. Matt. 3:19. John 15:6.
a 10. Deut. 28:47,48. Jer. 52: 27-31.
b Ps. 63:1 68:6. Hos. 2:3. с 17 18-20. Judg. 9:15. Kings 24:20. 2 Chr. 36:13. Is. 9:18,19. Jer. 38:23. 52:3. d 11. 21:25-27. Gen. 49:10. Neh. 9.37. Ps. 80:15,16. Hos. 3.4. 10.3. Am. 9:11. John 19:15,
e 1. Lam. 4:20. Luke 19:41. Rom. 9:2-4.
V. 10-13. The Jewish nation and their princes a are here represented under the emblem of a vine, with many branches. The expression, "in thy blood," is obscure, and differently interpreted. Some say, that blood was commonly put at the roots of vines to enrich the soil, and render them more fruitful. "In thy quietness." ( marg .) 'Thy mother is like a vine, in the time of her first peaceable plantation.' Bp. Hall.
So long as Judah continued to behave peaceably, the nation flourished: nay, so long as Zedekiah and his subjects quietly submitted to Nebuchadnezzar, they enjoyed many blessings, which they forfeited by revolting. (Notes, 17:) This vine was planted by many waters, became fruitful, had many branches, and among them strong rods for sceptres; that is, powerful princes had reigned over them, under whom Judah appeared very considerable among the neighboring kings and nations.
But at length the Lord, in anger, had plucked it up, thrown it on the ground, and left it, with all its strong rods, to wither and be burned. That is, the strength and prosperity of the kingdom were decayed and come to nothing. The remnant of this vine was now planted in a barren and dry land: her branches were continually consumed; her princes were slain and carried away captive; and there were none left, except a succession of inexperienced, feeble, and worthless princes, who were speedily about to be entirely deprived of the throne. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 16:)
V. 14. A destruction is risen from among 'themselves, even from the treachery of Zede'kiah, which hath utterly destroyed the remain'der of her hopes; so that now there is no more 'likelihood of any of the royal blood being ex'alted to the government.' Bp . Hall . - 'This is 'matter of present lamentation, and shall be so to after times. Lowth . ( Marg . Ref .)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. Those, who associate with ungodly and abandoned persons, will soon be assimilated to them: and when professors of religion form such connexions, their children generally grow up in conformity to the worst maxims and fashions of a wicked world. Having cast off VOL. IV 66
He recapitulates his dealings with the people; and their rebellions, in Egypt, 4-9; in the wilderness, 10-26; and in Canaan, 27-29; as imitated by that generation, 30-32. While the rebels will be rigorously punished, a chosen remnant shall be gathered into their own land, as accepted wor shippers and humble penitents, 33-44. The destruction of Jerusalem is foretold by a parable of a forest, 45-49.
the fear of God, they often seem to be divested even of humanity, and to be transformed into savage beasts: and that most noble and royal blood, of which so many are proud, only distinguishes them, as lion's whelps from the other beasts of prey.-Advancement to authority discovers the ambition and selfishness of men's hearts: and many know no use of power, except as it enables them to "catch the prey," and devour their own species.
But those who are thus the plague and terror of their neighbors, may expect to be hated and terrified in their turn: they are often hunted and laid wait for like wild beasts; and as they spend their lives in mischief, they generally end them by violence. Yet men proceed in the same bloody track, without profiting by the example of their predecessors! It is, and must be "for a lamentation," that pious and useful families so soon degenerate, and flourishing churches and nations are so speedily rooted up and withered.
But in all these events the Lord is righteous: and his anger dries up and consumes the prosperity of the most flourishing sinners. Yet, blessed be God, one Branch of the vine here alluded to, is not only become "a strong Rod for the sceptre of them that bear rule," but is himself the true and living Vine: and neither he, nor any of his fruitful branches, shall be rooted up, withered, or consumed for ever. This is a rejoicing, and shall be for a rejoicing, to all the chosen people of God, throughout all generations.
NOTES.