Reproof of injustice, &c.

Cruelty of the princes.

CHRIST cir. 730.

e Jer. 8. 3.

3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall Amos 5.13. ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

Eph. 5. 16.

Jer. 3. 2. 8 Or, walk with the wind, and lie falsely.

11 If a man 30 walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will Ezek.13.3. prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

p ch. 4. 6, 7. 12 TPI will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put Jer. 31.10. them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

r Ezek. 36. 37.

• Hos. 3. 5.

t Is. 52. 12.

710.

г

13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

t

B

CHAPTER III.

1 The cruelty of the princes. 5 The falsehood of the prophets. 8 The security of them both.

AND I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes

2 Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off Jer. 5.4, 5. them, and their flesh from off their bones;

3 Who also beat the flesh of my b Ps. 14. 4. people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and she that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; Zech. 13. 4. and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the divining. day shall be dark over them.

7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

8 T But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. 10 m They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with ini

12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jeru-Jer. 26. 18. salem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

CHAPTER IV.

1 The glory, 3 peace, 8 kingdom, 11 and victory of the church.

OUT in the last days it shall come

house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it

ch. 1. 6. • Ps. 79. 1. t ch. 4. 2.

a Is. 2.2, &c. 22, 23.

BEFORE shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

CHRIST

710.

b Is. 2. 4. Joel 3. 10. 20r,scythes.

c P8. 72.7.

d 1 Kings 4. 25. Zech. 3. 10.

e Jer. 2. 11.

f Zech. 10. 12.

Ezek. 34.

2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

spears

4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

e

5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

6 In that day, saith the LORD, 8 Ezek. 34. 5 will I assemble her that halteth, 16. Zeph. 3. 19. hand I will gather her that is driven b Pa. 147. 2. out, and her that I have afflicted; 7 And I will make her that halted 1a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

13. & 37, 21. i ch. 2. 12. & 5. 3, 7, 8. & 7. 18.

k Is. 9. 6.

& 24. 23. Dan. 7. 14, 27. Luke 1. 33.

Rev. 11. 15. Gen. 35. 21.

3 Or, Edar:

1 Jer. 8. 19.

& 21.3. Jer. 30. 6. & 50. 43.

8 ¶ And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is m Is. 13. 8. thy counsellor perished? for "pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. 10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.

11 Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.

12 But they know not Pthe thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them 9 as the sheaves into the floor.

r

13 * Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn

iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole & 23. 18. earth.

u

• Dan. 2. 44, t Is. 18. 7. & 60. 6, 9. u Zech.4.14. & 6. 5.

Lam.3.30.

Matt. 5. 39. & 27. 30.

John 7. 42.

c 1 Sam. 23.

2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephra-Matt. 2. 6. tah, though thou be little camong the d thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; 'whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then h the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

4 ¶ And he shall stand and 3ifeed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

5 And this man1shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

23. dEx. 18.25. Gen.49.10. Ps. 90. 2.

2

1

Is. 9. 6.

Prov. 8. 22, 23.

John 1. 1. Heb. the eternity. ch. 4. 10.

days of

h ch. 4. 7.

8 Or, rule. 40.11. Ezek.34.23.

& 49. 10.

ch. 7. 14.

Ps. 72.8.

Is. 52. 13. Zech. 9. 10. Luke 1. 32.

Ps. 72. 7. Is. 9. 6. Luke 2. 14. Eph. 2. 14.

Zech. 9. 10.

7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people Pas a dew from the LORD, as the showers & 110. 3. upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

8 ¶ And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep? Or, goats, who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

9 Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.

10 And it shall come to pass in Zech.9.10. that day, saith the LORD, that I will

e Ex. 12. 51. & 14. 30. & 20.2. Deut. 4. 20.

d

4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed Amos 2. 10. thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

f Num. 22.
5. & 23.7.
& 24. 10, 11.
Deut.23.4,5.
Josh. 24. 9,
10.
Rev. 2. 14.

g Num. 25.
1. & 39. 49.
Josh. 4. 19.
& 5. 10.
h Judg.5.11.

6 Heb. sons
of a year?

I Ps. 50. 9.

& 51. 16.

Is. 1. 11.

k Job 29. 6. 12 Kings 16. 3. & 21. 6.

& 23. 10.

Jer. 7.31.

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? 'shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, Heb. bell the fruit of my body for the sin of

& 19. 5.

Ezek. 23.37.

m Deut. 10.

12.

18am.15.22.

Hos. 6. 6.

& 12.6.

n Gen. 18.19. Is. 1. 17.

my

soul?

m

|

8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but " to do ble thyself justly, and to love mercy, and to 7walk humbly with thy God?

7 Heb. hum

to walk.

8 Or, thy name shall see that which is.

9 The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see

with his people.

thy name: hear ye the rod, and who BEFORE hath appointed it.

10 T2Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?

4

11 Shall I count them pure with P the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

г

13 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

CHRIST 710. 2 Or,

Is there yet unto every

man an

house of the wicked, &c.

3 Heb. measure of

leanness, Amos 8. 5. o Deut. 25. 13-16.

Prov. 11.1.
Or, Shall

& 20. 10, 23.

I be pure
with, &c.
P Hos. 12.7.
Jer. 9.3, 5,

14 Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will Ít give up to the sword.

t

15 Thou shalt * sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

6, 8. r Lev. 26.16.

18.

P.107.17, Lev. 28.26. Hos. 4. 10.

Deut. 28.

38, 39, 40. Amos 5.11.

Zeph. 1. 18.

Hag. 1.6.

1 The church, complaining of her small number, 3 and the general corruption, 5 putteth her confidence not in man, but in God. 8 She triumpheth over her enemies. 14 God comforteth her by promises, 16 by confusion of the enemies, 18 and by his mercies. OE is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of Is. 17.6. the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. 2 The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every

The church triumpheth.

BEFORE CHRIST 710.

Ezek. 22.7.

35, 36. Luke 12. 53. & 21. 16.

2 Tim. 3.2,3.

k Is. 8.17.

the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

6 For the son dishonoureth the Matt. 10. 21, father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house. 7 Therefore k I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me. 8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: m when I fall, I shall Prov. 24. 16. arise; when I sit in darkness, "the LORD shall be a light unto me.

1Prov.24.17. Lam. 4. 21. m Ps. 37. 24.

■ Ps. 27.1.

• Lam.3.39.

1

9° I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: Phe will bring me forth to the light, and I see her that shall behold his righteousness.

P Ps. 37.6. 2 Or, And thou wilt

is mine

enemy, and cover her

with shame. a Ps. 35. 26.

r Ps. 42.3,10. & 79. 10. & 115. 2. Joel 2. 17. . ch. 4. 11. 3 Heb. she shall be for a treading down.

t 2 Sam. 22. 43.

Zech. 10. 5.

u Amos 9.11,

&c.

x Is. 11. 16.

& 27. 13.

10 2 Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. 11 In the day that thy " walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.

t

u

4

12 In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the for

& 19. 23, &c. tress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to moun4 Or,even to. tain.

Hos. 11.11.

BEFORE CHRIST

cir. 713.

Zeph. 2.13. 6 Or, The LORD is a jealous God, and a revenger, &c.

2 God is jealous, and the LORD Ex. 20.5. revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and 6 is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

& 34.
Deut. 4. 24.
Josh. 24. 19.
• Deut. 32.
35.

Ps. 94. 1.
Is. 59. 18.

6 Heb. that hath fury.

е

3 The LORD is a slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all dEx.34.6,7. acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Neh. 9. 17. Ps. 103. 8. Jonah 4. 2. e Job 9. 4.

f Ps. 18.7, &c. & 97.2. Hab. 3. 5, 11, 12.

4 & He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers : Bashan languisheth, and Matt. 8. 26. Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

g Ps. 106. 9. Is. 50. 2.

b Is.33.9.

i Ps.68.8.

5 The mountains quake at him,

and the hills melt, and 'the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. 6 Who can stand before his indignation? and m who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? "his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and Phe knoweth them that trust in him. 8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

B

9 r What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

t

10 For while they be folden together as thorns, "and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

73.

The victorious armies

BEFORE CHRIST cir. 713.

y 2 Kings 19. 22, 23.

2 Heb. a counsellor of Belial.

11 There is one come out of thee, y that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.

12 Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be 'cut down, when 3 Or, they he shall a pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee

would have

been at

peace, 80

13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

should they no more. have been many, and so should they have been shorn, and he should have passed away.

35, 37.

14 And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, 22 Kings 19. that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the Dan. 11. 10. molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.

4 Heb. shorn.

a Is. 8. 8.

b Jer. 2. 20. & 30. 8.

© 2 Kings 19. 37.

d Is. 52. 7.

Rom. 10. 15. 5 Heb.feast.

6 Heb. Belial.

ver. 11,12.

f ver. 14.

7 Or, The disperser,

or, hammer.

b Jer. 51. 11, 12.

d

с

15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, 'keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; The is utterly cut off.

Jer. 50. 23. the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.

ch. 3. 14.

c Is. 10. 12. Jer. 25. 29.

8 Or, the

8

2c For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers the pride of have emptied them out, and marred

pride of Jacob as

Israel.

d Ps. 80. 12. Hos. 10. 1.

their vine branches.

3 The shield of his mighty men is e Is. 63. 2,3. made red, the valiant men are 'in scarlet: the chariots shall be with 2 flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

9 Or, dyed scarlet. 2 Or, fiery torches.

3

4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against 3 Heb. their another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

show.

4 Or, gallants.

6 Heb. covering, or, coverer. 6 Or,molten. 7 Or, that which was established, or, there was a stand madc.

8 Or, discovered.

f Is. 38. 14. & 59. 11.

9 Or, from the days that she hath been.

5 He shall recount his 'worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared.

6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be 6 dissolved.

7 And 'Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.

f

9

8 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away.

of God against Nineveh.

Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.

9 Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: 3 for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the 'pleasant furniture.

10 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and b the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

11 Where is the dwelling of 'the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid?

12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.

13 m Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and ch. 3. 5. the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard. CHAPTER III.

from

OE to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery;

the prey departeth not;

2 The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.

6

n 2 Kings 18. 17, 19. & 19. 9, 23.

6 Heb. city of bloods. . Ezek. 22. 2, 3. & 24. 6, 9.

fab. 2.12 Jer. 47. 3.

Heb. the fame of the sword, and ning of the the lightspear.

3 The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble their upon corpses: 4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that Is. 47.9.12. selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.

5 d Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.

6 And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as ba gazingstock.

7 And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid! waste:who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?

81Art thou better than "populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round