to The ARGUMENT of Chapter XVI. The firft Verfe of this Chapter most (a) Commentators under- (a) Hieron. ftand of the Meffiah, but 'till they can give a good reafon Hugo,. Eftius, why they turn a City of Arabia into Ruth the Moabitefs, I Eman. Sa. cannot fall in with them, tho' their Numbers were twice as Vatablus, great. The Prophet goes on with the fame Subject of the Lyranus. Moabites, the defolation of whofe Land he foretold in the Chapter before; and here advifes the fame People of Moab pay Tribute to Hezekiah, as their Fore-fathers us'd to do to the Kings of Ifrael; to be kind to thofe Jews, who, upon Any Invafion, fhould fhould fly for Refuge into their Terri tories, which if they did they might expect the fame Humanity from them, which in a fhort time they were likely to Stand in need of. But the Prophet corrects himself, ver. 6. as if he were in the wrong for entertaining fuch Thought's of a proud, paffionate, revengeful People, as if fuch Barbarians as they, were capable of any Tenderness or Compaffion; and then goes on with a Terrible defeription of that Defola tion which God was determin'd to bring upon them within three Years: Which we have no reason to doubt was punEtually fulfill'd, tho' we have no footsteps of it in ScriptureHiftory; becaufe the Accounts of that History are fo very Short, that a great many memorable Occurrences relating to the Jews themselves, are paffed over in filence, and no wonder then it takes little notice of the Tranfactions of other Nations. Verse 1. SE CHAP. XVI. Chapter END ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.] The Moabites, in the Reign of David, became Tributary to the Jews, and according to their Stipulations were to pay them an annual Tribute of an hundred thousand Lambs, and as many Rams, with the 2 Sam. 8. Wool: Upon the Division of the Jewish Monarchy they paid this Acknowledgment of their Dependency to the Kings of Ifrael to the end of Abab's Reign; from which time XVI. (a) Adamus, Ifidorus, Clarius, Grotius, Gataker. mus, Hugo, Lyranus, Vatablus. Chapter time it was difcontinu'd. Now the Kingdom of Ifrael being destroy'd by Salmanazar toward the beginning of Hezekiah's Reign, the Prophet requires them to pay this Tribute to Hezekiah the lawful Ruler of the Land of Judah, and undoubted Heir of the Family of David, to whom it was therefore due. This I take to be the genuin (a) meaning of this Verfe; tho' Forerius thinks the Prophet ironically advises them to prepare their battering Rams, and fet in order their Army against Sion, but in vain; and (b) others, by the Lamb, understand the (b) Hierony- Meffiah, as if the Prophet forefeeing the deftruction of the Moabites, and recollecting, that from a stock of that Nation Chrift was to come in the Flesh, diverted his Difcourfe on a fudden to God (upon which account Plantin includes this Verfe in a Parenthefis) and then proceeded in the denunciation of thofe Calamities which were still to befal them; as if he had faid, Send forth, O God, that Lamb who is Lord of the whole Earth, from Petra, the City of the Moabites, in the Wilderness, that is, from Ruth. St. Jerom gives the words a different turn, but equally forced, O Moab, after fo many Misfortunes which fhall befal thee, receive fome Confolation, for out of thee fhall go forth the Immaculate Lamb, which fhall be Lord of the whole Earth. This is interpreting Scripture by Fancy, not Judgment, without any regard to the Signification or Conftruction of the words which would not be allow'd of in expounding profane Authors, and fhould much lefs be allow'd in Scripture. From Selah in the Wilderness. The original Selang fignifies a Rock, and feems to be the proper Name of a City on the Borders of Moab. Others render the words, From Selah to the Wilderness, which were the Bounds of the Land of Moab; fo that the Command was given to all the Inhabitants from one end of the Land of Moab to the other, to fend their Tribute to Jerufalem. Ver. 2. For it shall be that as a wandring bird caft out of the neft, fo the daughters of Moab fhall be at the Fords of Arnon.] The words may be render'd, Elfe it fhall come to pass, that as wandring birds driven out of the neft are difpers'd into different places, fo fhall the Daughters of Moab, at the paffages of Arnon, be forced to fly into different countries for fear of the the forces of Hezekiah. If ye refufe to comply with this Chapter juft Demand of Tribute, your Inhabitants fhall be driven XVI. out of their Habitations, and fcatter themfelves into different Regions, as Birds driven out of their Nefts. Ver. 3. Take counsel, execute judgment, make thy fhadow as the night in the midst of the noon-day, hide the outcasts, bewray not him that wandreth.] As if he had faid, Therefore confider your Duty, and execute Judgment, do what Juftice requires at your hands. Then he compares the Perfecution he forefaw his own Nation was to fuffer, to the scorching of the Meridian Sun, and the Refuge he defir'd for them of the Moabites, to a cool Shade which fhould fhelter them from the violent Heat. I advise you to keep to the Agreement made between both Nations in the Time of David, and not only fo, but to do us all the kind Offices of good-natur'd Neighbours, give Entertainment to our Fugitives, when Perfecution fhall drive them from their Country, for fo our Father Abraham receiv'd the Head of your Nation, Lot, protected him from the Infults of stronger Neighbours, and refcu'd him out of their hands. Tho' fome think the Prophet only upbraids them with the omiffion of this Duty, bidding them fhew the Jews kindness when it was not in their power to do them fervice, and when their flourishing Condition under Hezekiah render'd fuch Affiftance unneceffary. Ver. 4. Let mine outcafts dwell with thee, Moab, be thou a covert to them from the face of the Spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the fpoiler ceafeth, the oppreffors are cons fumed out of the land.] This is fpoken by the Prophet in the Perfon of God, requiring this kind Office of Humanity in behalf of his People; the Outcafts, as he calls them, thofe who fhall be driven from their Habitations by the Terrors of their Enemies. This must be underftood of the Affyrian Invafion, 14° Hezekia; it being the defign of Ifaiah to let the Moabites know, that neither the Calamities of the Jews fhould last long, nor the Kind-nefs they fhould fhew any of them be attended by any ill Confequences to themfelves: For Sennacherib, upon whofe Approach they fhould feek Shelter in other Cous tries, fhall be cut off, and not be able to revenge him XVI. Chapter felf, as they might juftly be afraid he would. The Extortioner is, fhall be at an end. Tho' for a while I permit him to ravage the Cities of my People, yet the Storm fhall be foon blown over, and then Gratitude will prompt them to make fuitable returns for your kindnefs. Moller. Ver. 5. And in mercy fhall the throne be established, and he shall fit upon it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and feeking judgment, and hafting righteoufnefs.] That is, by the Mercy of God, the Throne of Hezekiah fhall be establish'd, which feem'd to be in a tottering Condition, and he fhall fit upon it, Beemeth, which not only fignifies Truth but Stability; he fhall fit on the Throne of David immoveably, by his ftrict Juftice and regular Piety, fecure of his Peoples Affection, and the Favour of God. By the Tabernacle of David, he alludes to the humble Cottage the Royal Shepherd liv'd in before the Throne was vacant by 'the Death of Saul. Ver. 6. We have heard of the pride of Moab (he is very proud) even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath": but his lies fhall not be fo.] But in vain do I make fo reafonable a Request to them, we have had too many Inftances of their Pride and Infolence, and inveterate Hatred to the House of Judah, to expect any favourable Treatment from them. The whole Verfe may be thus tranflated: We have heard of the Pride of Moab, we know he is extreamly proud; his Haughtiness, his Pride, and his Wrath, are greater than his Strength. As if he had faid, We know the Pride of his Heart, and his infufferable Infolence, and the Ufage we might expect fhould we fall into his hands, but God be thank'd their Strength bears no proportion to their Pride, Lo ken baddau: non fic Fortitudo ejus, as the Vulgat rightly renders the word. Ver. 7. Therefore fhall Moab howl for Moab, every one fhall howl: for the foundations of Kir-harefeth fhall ye mourn, furely they are stricken.] For the Pride of their Heart, and the Infenfibility of others Afflictions and Inhumanity toward them, Misfortunes fhall come fo thick upon them, that in the heaviness of their Heart they fhall do nothing but lament their own fad Condition, and pour out out their Complaints, and give a melancholy, account Chapter to one another of their Grievances, and the deplorable XVI. Circumftances of their Country, which I take to be the meaning of Ululabit Moab ad Moab. Kirharefheth was a City fo ftrong, that the united Forces of three King- 2 Kings 3. 25. doms could not take it: In the ftrength of this Fortress was all their Confidence placed; therefore fhall they mourn when they fee it difmantled. But Forerius is pofitive that Ashishim never fignifies Foundations in Scripture, and takes it to fignify Men of Courage, valiant Men, according to which fenfe of the word, the whole Verfe will run thus, Therefore the Moabites fhall make their melancholy Complaints to one another, they fhall mourn for those who defended themselves fo bravely in Kirharefheth, 'till every Man of them were cut off. Ver. 8. For the fields of Hefhbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah, the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Fazer, they wandred through the wilderness, her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the fea.] The Verbs which our Tranflators have render'd in the Prefent Tenfe, fhould be exprefs'd by the Future; for the Fields of Hefhbon fhall languish, and the Vines of Sibmah bemoan their untimely deftruction: The Obfcurity of the latter part of the Verfe proceeds from the uncertainty of applying the Relative Article, whether to the Lords of the Heathen, the Inhabitants of Moab, or the choice Vines of Sibmah. I incline to think it is to be referr'd to the Vines of Sib mah, and take the meaning to be this, The Lords of the Heathen, that is, the Affyrians fhall break down the principal Branches of the Vines of Sikmah, which is worthy of Lamentation; for the Branches of the Vines of Sibmah were very flourishing, reaching for many Miles, even Gataker. to Fazer in the Confines of Moab, they wander'd as far as the Wilderness, they pafs'd over to the Dead Sea. The fame which we meet in the Book of the Pfalms, of the Vine of the Lord, She ftretcheth out her Branches unto Pfal. 80. 11. the Sea, and her Boughs unto the River. Ver. 9, 10. Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Fazer, the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears,. O Hefhbon, and Elealeh: for the fhouting for thy fummer fruits, R 2 and |