CHAP. XXXII. glory and in greatness among the trees of A lamentation over the dreadful fall of Pharaoh and Egypt, 1
Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that
be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh
and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.
erates,) had been slain with him, and were with him gone down into the grave and the world of departed spirits. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , 26:15. 28:16-19. 32:17-32. Is . 14:3-20. Jer . 51:9,34–37. Rev. 18: 9-19 .)
V. 18. Pharaoh is here called to look in this glass, and to see what his glory and greatness would speedily come to. Even if he were as honorable and powerful as the Assyrian king, he would soon be slain, and die a miserable death, and perish among those who were strangers and enemies to God. This sentence was irrevocably passed on Pharaoh, and all his multitude. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 2. 28:6-10.32: 19. Jer . 9:25,26.)
This is , &c.]. The judgment, that befel 'the king of Assyria, is an exact representa'tion of the destruction that remains for Pha'raoh and his people. The word Is , commonly 'denotes the same as to signify , or represent , es'pecially in prophecies, parables, and such like 'figurative descriptions. (34:31. 37:11. Gen. 41: 26. Ex . 12:11. Matt . 13:19. 26:26.)' Lowth .
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
V. 1-9.
10, as destroyed by the sword of the king of Babylon, 11-16 Pharaoh and his subjects brought to hell, with the nations of the uncircumcised, 17-32.
ND it came to pass, in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto
a 17. 1:2. 29:1,17. 30:20. b: 16,18. 19:1. 27:2,32. 28:12.
Jer. 9:18.
in Providence for this purpose; and this lies at the foundation of their right to allegiance, submission, and tribute from them. We should be thankful for the blessings of civil government, and not envy those who bear the burden of governing; and who, if they abuse their trust, will have a still heavier burden of punishment laid upon them in another world. The Lord never drives men from their possessions, or bereaves them of their comforts, rts, but when he
can shew that their sins deserved it. He has executioners ready, when vengeance is to be taken: but we need not desire to be "the mighty, or the terrible," of the nations, to be thus employed; seeing it is far more pleasant and profitable to imitate him, "who went about doing good."-They who trust in princes, will soon be driven from their confidences or perish with them: and those who selfishly favor the prosperous, will as selfishly desert or prey upon them, when they are fallen.
The higher men soar in power and pride, the more terrible will be their fall: and such conspicuous char- acters commonly involve great multitudes of friends and dependants in their ruin, and are sincerely lamented by those who are losers by their calamities.
Yet some will rejoice to see them reduced to as abject a condition as them- selves: but the gratification of envy, revenge, and malignity is a wretched comfort, suited only to the inhabitants of hell.-In the fate of proud, ungodly oppressors of former ages, those who tread in their steps may read their own doom: and the Lord executes such ex- traordinary judgments, on purpose to warn others from their destructive courses.--It is the end of wicked men, of every age, nation, and condition in life, to go down into the grave "to die with the uncircumcised," and to have their portion in the unquenchable fire of hell: and they who delight in war, commonly perish by the sword.
The wicked man is indeed of- ten seen flourishing like the cedar, and spread- ing like the green bay-tree: but the pious ob- server will notice, that he soon passes away, and is not; and when he seeks him, his place can no where be found. But let us "mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." ( Notes , Ps . 38:35
What competition and striving is there among men, about the precarious, unsatisfactory, and perishing distinctions of this world! But how few are candidates for that "crown of glory which fadeth not away!" Many of the most powerful, prosperous, and renowned, have also been the most abominable of mankind: and whilst millions have been subjected to their will, perhaps they had not one subject more vile in the sight of God than themselves.
This consideration may serve to abate our admiration of those gaudy distinctions, which the Lord evidently deems so worthless and perilous; and may teach us to seek more valuable and enduring advantages. All greatness and success come from God, through whatever channels they are conveyed: but how few properly consider their dependence on him and obligations to him! Generally, prosperity increases pride, presumption, and impiety, in regular proportion.
They, who have the most of those things, which are supposed to constitute an earthly paradise, are either en--38.) vied themselves, or envy others, or both; and this greatly interrupts the little enjoyment which otherwise they might find in them: but the blessings of the heavenly paradise are not liable to such alloy.
How much better then is it to be a lowly tree of righteousness, yielding fruit to the glory of God and the good of men, and in the end to be transplanted into the garden of God above, to flourish for ever; than to be a lofty cedar, and at length to be cut down and cast into the fire of hell!
V. 10-18.
Those who possess authority should use it in protecting their subjects: they are advanced
NOTES.
CHAP. XXXII. V.1. This was about a year and a half after the destruction of Jerusalem, and at a time, when Pharaoh continued in the undisturbed possession of his power and prosperity. ( Marg . Ref .) It is remarkable, that there should be so many predictions concerning the ruin of this monarch, and the desolations of his kingdom. But Egypt had been the first oppressor of the church, and was to be judged for it; and perhaps that kingdom typified the papal antichrist, and the more dreadful ruin that awaits him. (Gen. 15:13,14. Rev 11:8.)
him, Thou art like a young lion of the||make || dark over thee, and set darkness
nations, and thou art as a * whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, e and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouldest their rivers.
3 Thus saith the Lord GoD; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net.
4 Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.
5 And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy heigl.t.
6 1 will also water with thy blood the landt wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee. 7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. 8 All the bright lights of heaven will I
с 19:26. 38:13. Gen. 49:9. Num. 24:9. Prov. 28:15. Jer. 4:7. Nah. 2:11-13.
d 29:3. Ps. 74:13,14. Is. 27:1. 51:9.
* Or, dragon.
e 34:18.
[12:13. 17.20. Jer. 16:16. Lam. 1:13. Hos. 7:12. Hab. 1:1417.
g 29:5. 31:12,13. 39:4,5,17-20. 1 Sam. 17:44-46. Ps. 63:10. 74:14. 79:2,3. 83:9,10. 110:5,6.
Is. 14:19. 18:6, 34:2-7.66:24. Jer. 8:2. 25:33. Rev. 19:17, 18.
h Is. 34:3,7. Rev. 14:20. † Or, of thy swimming.
Or, extinguish thee. Job 18: 5,6. Prov. 13:9.
i 30:3,18. Ex. 10:21-23. Is. 13:10. 34:4. Jer. 13:16. Joel 2:2,31, 3:15. Am. 8:9. Matt. 24:29. Rev. 6:12,13.
Heb. lights of the light in heaven.
V. 2-6. The Egyptian king had resembled a young and fierce lion, in his conduct both towards his subjects and his neighbors: or in allusion to the seas and rivers, with which his kingdom was bounded and intersected, he was a sea-monster, or a crocodile. ( Marg . and Marg.
Ref . b-d.)-In the height of his prosperity he raised a very great army, and made war upon the Cyrenians; but he was vanquished, and his army cut in pieces: and the Egyptians, suspecting, from his savage temper, that he had led them forth on purpose to be thus destroyed, made an insurrection against him; which he increased by further cruelties and rash measures, until it made way for his ruin.
Thus, the voracious dragon or crocodile "went forth with ," or from , "his rivers," to trouble and foul those of his neighbors: but the Lord spread his net upon him, and used a company of many people to drag him out of his rivers; and he was then cast forth upon the open field, to be devoured by the birds and beasts of prey.
To represent Pharaoh's great power, and the effects of his fall, it was figuratively stated, that the flesh of this overgrown monster was so immense, that it would cover the mountains and fill the valleys; and that his blood would be sufficient to drench the land even to the mountains, and to fill the rivers; as when the waters were turned into blood in the days of Moses. This denotes, that his ruin would be attended with terrible miseries to the Egyptians, and afan immense booty to their enemies. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . e-h.- Notes , 29:2-5. 31:10-13. 39:9,10. Ps . 74:13-17.
Is . 27:1. 34:3 -7. Rev. 14:14-20.)
ford
V 7,8. Pharaoh thought himself the great
upon thy land, saith the Lord God.
9 I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
10 Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; mand they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.
11 For thus saith the Lord GoD; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.
12 By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.
13 I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters: neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them.
14 Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord GOD.
luminary of Egypt: but the Lord declared, that he would put him out by dethroning him. Then the whole land would be darkened, as it the sun, moon, planets, and stars were all eclipsed and hidden at once; and the darkness would be as entire, as in the plague that was inflicted in the time of Moses. ( Notes , Ex . 10: 21-23. Mark 15:33.) These bold metaphors denote the total subversion of the state; the anarchy and civil wars which ensued; the miseries attending the Chaldean invasion; and the contempt, baseness, and abject slavery, to which that once flourishing kingdom was about to be reduced. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , 30:2,3. Is . 13:9,10. Jer . 4:19-27. Joel 2:28-32, v . 31. Matt . 24:29—31. Rev. 6 : 12—14 . )
V.9, 10. When the report of the ruin of Egypt should reach many distant nations, and the exiles, or captives, should relate the particulars of their distresses to those among whom they were dispersed, it would greatly disquiet their hearts; even though they had not been in any way connected with that kingdom: for it would be a most affecting instance of the instability of human affairs, and of God's wrath against the enemies of his people. They would thus see, as it were, the Lord brandishing his sword before their eyes, which would fill them with amazement and terror; and every one of them would tremble continually, lest the next stroke should destroy him in like manner. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , 26:16. 30:9. Ex . 15:14-16. Josh . 2:8-11.)
V. 11-14. The desolations of Egypt were effected by the king of Babylon: and this was the sword which was hung over the head of Pharaoh, though his fall was immediately
20 They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: ddraw her and all her multitudes.
21 The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.
22 & Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword;
23 Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living.
24 There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, m which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne
c 23-26,29,30. 29:8-12.
† Or, the sword is laid.
d Ps. 28:3. Prov. 24:11. Jer. 22:19.
e 27. 1s. 1:31. 14:9. Luke 16: 23,24.
h 26:20. Is. 14:15.
i 24-27,32, 26:17. Is. 14:16. Or, dismaying.
k 26:20. Job 28:13. Ps. 27,13 116:9. 1-42:5. Is. 38:11. Jer 11:19.
f 19,24,25. Num. 16:30-34. Ps. 1 Gen. 10:22. 14:1. 1 Chr. 1 9:17. 55:15. Prov. 14:32.
b 21,24,29,30. 28:10. 1 Sam. 17: g 24,26,29,30. 31:3,&c. Num. 26,36. Jer. 9:25,26.
wrought by his own subjects. The Chaldeans, by invading Egypt, were about to destroy the multitudes of its inhabitants, and to terminate its splendor and dignity: nay, they would so desolate the land, that the waters of it should no more be frequented, as before, with the foot of man or beast: and the Lord would cause their waters to be deep, and "their rivers to run," smooth and silent, "like oil;" as there would be none to drain them off into canals, or by any means to impede their course, or to disturb them. Some understand this last verse of the adjacent countries.-'When Egypt is 'made desolate, ... then their neighbors will en'joy such quietness, as a river does, which 'smoothly glides along, and never hath its 'stream fouled or disturbed. Lowth . ( Marg . Ref. Notes, 29:8-13. 34:17-22.)
V. 15, 16. Marg . Ref .
V. 17. Fifteenth , &c.] That is, of the twelfth month, just a fortnight after the preceding prophecy. Perhaps these predictions were delivered, on the sabbath-days, to the assembled captive Jews.
V. 18. Marg . Ref . u, x.- Cast them down .] That is, 'Predict their being cast down.' ( Note , 43:2-5, v. 3.) "The daughters of the famous nations" mean the cities or colonies, or the helpless and wretched inhabitants, of the nations afterwards enumerated. The nether , &c.] "The expressions denote utter destruction, and 'are parallel to those elsewhere used of being 'brought down to hell , to the grave , or into silence . (31:14. Is . 14:15.)' Lowth .
V. 19. Egypt had been more renowned for wisdom and prosperity than any other nation: and Pharaoh thought himself superior to all his predecessors in dignity and excellency. But birinden an, and was about to fall and perish, among those who were strangers and enemies to God. ( Marg . Ref.
24:24. Ps. 83:8-10. Assur. Is. 30:33. 37:36-38. Nah. 1: 7-12.3:1,&c.
17. Jer. 25:25. 49:34--39 Dan. 8.2.
m 18. 26:20.
n 25,30. 16:52,54. 34:29. 36:6, 7,15, 39:26.44-13.
Notes , 31:2,18.)—Or the nation may be meant, the total ruin of which was described by the death and burial of an individual.
V. 20. Marg . and Marg. Ref . - Draw , &c.] Let the Chaldeans drag Egypt, and her multitudes, like criminals to execution; or drag out their corpses to be buried disgracefully in a pit.
V. 21. Pharaoh is here poetically represented as entering the state of the dead, whither many mighty warriors and potentates had gone before him; and he is addressed, and welcomed by them to their dreary habitation. The bold imagery of eastern poetry abounds in these descriptions: yet they imply the general belief, that when the body is cast into the grave, the soul enters an invisible state, where it retains its consciousness and capacities.-'Here 'follows a poetical description of the infernal 'regions, where the ghosts of deceased tyrants, 'with their subjects, are represented as coming 'to meet the king of Egypt and his auxiliaries, (30:8.) upon their arrival to the same place. Hell signifies here the state of the dead.' Lowth . ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 31:14-17. Ps . 16: 8-11. Is . 14:9-20. Luke 16:22,23.)
V. 22, 23. The king of Assyria was ready to meet Pharaoh, when he should be made "free among the dead." He is represented as surrounded by the graves of multitudes, who had been slain along with him. These were set in the sides of that pit, into which the Assyrian had fallen before it came to Pharaoh's turn. The subversion of the monarchy and the destruction of the people, as well as the death of the king, was intended by this representation. They had "caused terror in the land of the living; but being slain and buried, they lay quiet the pit, and one feared the quiet Marg . Ref . Notes , 26:17-20.) - The Jewish expositors understand the land of Israel, by
their shame with them that go down to the pit .
25 They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain, with all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain. 26 There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living.
27 And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with * their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads; " but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
28 Yea, thou shalt be broken in the
o Ps. 139:8. Rev. 2:22.
p See on 19,21. 44:7,9. 2 Sam. 1:20. 1 Chr. 10:4. Acts 7:51. q 27:13. 38:2.3. 39:1. Gen. 10: 2. 1 Chr. 1:5.
г 19,24.
23,27,32.
t 21. Job 3:13-15. Is. 14:18,19. Heb. weapons of their war. Is. 51:17. 2 Cor. 10:4.
u 18:20. Job 20:11. Ps. 49:14. 109:18. Prov. 14:32. John 8: 24.
x Dan. 2:34,35.
"the land of the living;" because the way of life and salvation was there known.
V. 24, 25. Nebuchadnezzar is supposed to ave conquered the province of Elam, which formed a part of Persia. ( Marg . Ref . Notes, Jer . 49:34-38.) It is therefore represented, as fallen with the multitude of its inhabitants, into the grave, having been "slain by the sword." They too had been renowned and terrible; but at length they bare the shame of being defeated and destroyed. A bed, or coffin, was placed for Elam (the nation being represented as a deceased woman,) in the midst of all her multitude: and their king also was placed among those that were slain.
midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword.
29 There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.
30 There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, band bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.
31 Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.
32 For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.
y 25: 35: Gen. 25:30. 36.1,&c. | 25:22. Is. 34:63:1-6. Jer. 49:7-22.
Am. 1:11,12. Ob. 1,&c. Mal. 1 : 3,4.
† Heb. given, or, put. z 38:6. 39:2.
a 28:21-23. Gen. 10:15. Jer.
b 24,25.
с 14:22. 31:16. Lam. 2:13.
d 27. Jer. 25:15, &c. Zeph. 3: 6-8. 2 Cor. 5:11. Heb. 10: 31. Rev. 6:15-17.
'ments for perpetuating their memory.' Lowth . ( Marg . and Marg . Ref .)
V. 29. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 25:35: Obadiah . V. 30. The north .] This may mean the Medes, Armenians, or other nations north of Babylon; or rather the Tyrians and Syrians north of Judah, who were more likely to be mentioned with the Zidonians. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 26:-28:)
V. 31, 32. When Pharaoh should enter the state of the dead, and see all those kings and nations who had gone before him, he would the more willingly submit to his doom. This is spoken according to the common sentiments of mankind, who are better satisfied to suffer with a multitude than alone; though it can be no comfort to those who have perished in their sins, to find multitudes as miserable as themselves. In short, they had caused their terror in the land of the living; and the Lord was about to cause his terror to fall upon them. ( Marg . Ref .)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
V. 1-16.
V. 26-28. Meshech and Tubal seem to mean the Scythians and northern nations; (Marg. Ref . q.- Note , 38:2.) who frequently made inroads into the southern and more fertile countries of Asia, and caused great terror and devastation, but generally perished with as dreadful a slaughter. They too had "caused terror in the land of the living;" yet they would not lie with the mighty, or be numbered with the Assyrian or Egyptian monarchies.
But they went down to death, with their weapons of war in their hands, as men who fought desperately and scorned to yield: and they were buried with their swordslaid under their heads, as denoting their characters and exploits; whilst their iniquities or depredations had brought their bones to the grave, and perhaps afterwards exposed them to insults from those whom they had injured. Among persons of this description would Pharaoh be broken, and slain, and perish. Some give another sense to the passage.
They shall not lie among those heathen heroes who died a natural death, and 'are laid in their graves with pomp and mag'nificence: ... who were carried to their graves 'in state; and had their achievements, and 'other ensigns of honor, affixed to their monu-||-It is very mortifying to the pride of man, to VOL. IV.
How weak and helpless, in respect of the Almighty, are the most powerful and terrible of mankind! Whilst they ravage on every side, devour their own species, and trouble the nations of the earth, to gratify their mad ambition, or revenge, or rapacity; he spreads his net over them, entangles them, and disposes of them at his pleasure; and their former greatness only renders them a richer prey, or a more tremendous spectacle, to those around them! Thus "the lamp of the wicked is put out;" the pomp and splendor of kings and kingdoms are totally extinguished; their "sun goeth down at noon;" and their boasted luminaries set to rise
no more!-Terror and amazement must needs seize the hearts of those, against whom the Lord brandishes his sword; and they must tremble every moment for their lives and souls. [569