19 O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an in20 habitant. Egypt [is like] a very fair heifer, a rich and goodly kingdom; or perhaps here is an allusion to their god Apis, a fine spotted kine which they worshipped; [but] destruction cometh; 21 it cometh out of the north. Also her hired men [are] in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, [and] are fled away together they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, [and] the time of their visitation; they are like oxen that make no resistance, though 22 their bulk and strength is so great. The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; the voices of the Egyptians, which were before loud and blustering, like the lowing of an ox, shall now become low and inconsiderable, like the hissing of a serpent, or the mutterings of an enchanter; (see Isaiah xxix. 4.) for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. 23 They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, or locusts, and [are] innumerable; her cities and palaces, though many, strong, and populous, shall be plundered and destroyed, like 24 the cutting down of a wood. The daughter of Egypt shall be

confounded; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people 25 of the north. The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, Amon of No, or Thebes, where was the temple of Jupiter Amon, a city so large as to have a hundred gates, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh and [all] them that trust in him : 26 And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD; as it was in Cyrus'time, when some of the Egyptians might return, but they were never so considerable as before.

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But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel; for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make [him] afraid. 28 Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I [am] with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished; a prophecy which has been most remarkably fulfilled. All the mighty nations that oppressed them are vanished as a. dream, but the Jews are still preserved as a distinct people, and will be so till the promises of God shall be accomplished.

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CHAP. XLVII. The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh Thus saith 2 smote Gaza; while they were yet quiet and secure.

the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall

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be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl. 3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong [horses,] at the rushing of his chariots, [and at] the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to [their] children for feebleness of hands; they shall seek their safety to the neglect of 4 their families, and scarcely be able to save themselves; Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, [and] to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth; the neighbours and allies of the Philistines: for the LORD will spoil the 5 Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor. Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off [with] the remnant of their valley how long wilt thou cut thyself? that is, tear thy 6 hair, and wound thyself through grief and astonishment. O thou sword of the LORD, how long [will it be] ere thou be quiet? put up thyself in thy scabbard, rest, and be still. A beautiful and noble apostrophe, dictated by the prophet's desire of the peace of Israel's enemies, and his grief for their approaching calamities : emotions which he checked with this thought, that all was to exe7 cute the divine purposes. How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it. A prophecy which was fulfilled in the desolation of those countries, while Nebuchadnezzar was besieging Tyre; which was blocked up about thirteen years,

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REFLECTIONS.

ERE is another instance of the little dependence which is to be placed on the greatest of men, even when they promise and boast the greatest things. The allies of the Egyptians complained that Pharaoh was but a noise. He hectored and talked big, but that was all; and the helpers in whom the Tyrians and Sidonians trusted, were cut off. So uncertain are expectations from man! Those who promise and compliment most, often perform least they may be unable or unwilling to fulfil their promises; or, if ever so able or willing, they may be speedily cut off. This should teach us to cease from man; to trust in a faithful God, and to seek our help from him.

2. Observe how changeable the state of nations is. A fine description is here given of the number, power, and pride of the Egyptians. What forces, what allies, and preparations! but all were vain against this mighty conqueror. The Philistines in like manner were secure and quiet but such distress came upon them, that they could not save their children, or look back to see what was become of them. What little reason have we, as a nation, to

* A nation that joined with them, and was lost among them; they are mentioned togeth er in Gen, x. 14.

be secure; or at any time to boast of our wisdom, strength, or safety. Let us not be high minded, but fear.

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3. Observe the power of God over the nations and princes of the earth. When the prophet had described the Egyptian allies as saying, Pharaoh is but a noise, he adds, v. 18. As I live, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, so shall he come. In all these lively descriptions of the preparations, the attack, the conquest, the pursuit, the plunder and destruction of Egypt, the hand of God is mentioned. He drave them, he punished them, he spoiled them their slaughter was a sacrifice to his justice. War is his sword; he gives it a commission, whom it shall strike, how far it shall extend, and how long it shall continue; and it shall exactly fulfil its charge. It is very comfortable to think of this, amidst all the confusion that is in the earth; it shows how much reason and encouragement there is to pray, that the devouring sword may be sheathed; and to be thankful for our national blessings and prospects.

CHAP. XLVIII.

Contains the judgment of Moab for several corruptions, which was executed by Nebuchadnezzar's army while engaged in the siege of Tyre.

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GAINST Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of

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is confounded [and] taken: Misgab is confounded and dismay 2 ed. [There shall be] no more praise of Moab in Heshbon, its capital city, they have devised evil against it; that is, the Chal. deans, having taken it, shall devise evil there against the rest ;, come and let us cut it off from [being] a nation. Also thou shalt 3 be cut down, O Madmen! the sword shall pursue thee. A voice of crying [shall be] from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction. 4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be 5 heard. For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have 6 heard a cry of destruction. Flee, save your lives, (this is what they shall say to one another,) and be like the heath in the wilderness, or, like a blasted tree in a solitary place.

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For because thou hast trusted in thy works, or fortifications, and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken and Chemosh thy god, unable to deliver thee, shall go forth into captivity [with] his priests and his princes together. And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken; both cities and villages, farmers and shepherds, shall all be destroy9 ed. Give wings unto Moab, without which it will be impossible

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to escape, that it may flee and get away for the cities thereof 10 shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein. Cursed [be] he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed [be] he that keepeth back his sword from blood. God had given the command to destroy Moab; he probably had signified his mind to Nebuchadnezzar by Jeremiah, whom he knew and owned to be a prophet.

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Moab hath been at ease from his youth, that is, hath enjoyed many years of peace, and he hath settled on his lees, like wines kept long on their lees, to preserve their strength and flavour; and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed; he is as bad or worse than ever. 12 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, or tilters that shall tilt him down, and shall empty his vessels, and 13 break their bottles. And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence. How say ye, We [are] mighty and strong men for the war? 15 Moab is spoiled, and gone up [out of] her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, 16 whose name [is] the LORD of hosts. The calamity of Moab [is] 17 near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast. All ye that are

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about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, that is, his fame and glory, say, How is the strong staff broken, [and] 18 the beautiful rod! all his authority, pride, and importance. Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from [thy] glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, [and] he shall destroy thy strong holds; thou shalt be left to the 19 mercy of the conquerors, and be exposed to hunger and thirst. O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, [and] say, What is done? there shall be such a terrible alarm, that both men and women shall fly 20 before the conqueror comes. Moab is confounded; for it is brok

en down howl and cry tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is 21 spoiled, And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon 22 Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath, And upon Dibon, 23 and upon Nebo, and upon Bethdiblathaim, And upon Kiria24 thaim, and upon Bethgamul, and upon Bethmeon, And upon

Kerioth, and upon Bozra, and upon all the cities of the land of 25 Moab, far or near. The horn, that is, the power, of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD; an allusion to the horns of beasts, and the hands of men, wherewith they defend themselves.

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Make ye him drunken: for he magnified [himself] against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision; he shall be brought into the greatest confu27 sion and disorder, and be bereaved of the aids of reason. For was not Israel a derision unto thee? what infamous thing was

there in Israel, that should expose him so much to your contempt ? was he found among thieves? had he injured you, and been taken in the fact? for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy; or, that thou shouldst insult him with all the power of thy 28 words. O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove [that] maketh her nest in the 29 sides of the hole's mouth. We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud, this is their prevailing character,) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness 30 of his heart, and how he hoped to see Israel quite extirpated. I know his wrath, saith the LORD; that is, his design to misrepresent Israel to the Chaldeans; or, the designs of the magicians and false prophets to deceive them; but [it shall] not [be] so; his 31 lies shall not so effect [it.] Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab : [mine heart] shall mourn for S2 the men of Kirheres. O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach [even] to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits, and upon thy vintage; theirs being a country famous for vineyards, and the enemy invading them about the time of vintage, and destroying it, their cries on that account 33 shall be heard far and wide. And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the wine presses: none shall tread 34 with shouting; [their] shouting [shall be] no shouting. From the cry of Heshbon [even] unto Elealeh, [and even] unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar [even] unto Horonaim, [as] an heifer of three years old lowing after her calf: 35 for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate. Moreover I

will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods. 36 Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres; I look upon them with the utmost compassion: because the riches [that] 37 he hath gotten are perished. For every head [shall be] bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands [shall be] cuttings, 38 and upon the loins sackcloth. [There shall be] lamentation generally upon all the house tops of Moab, and in the streets thereof for I have broken Moab like a vessel, wherein [is] no 39 pleasure, saith the LORD. They shall howl, [saying,] How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about 40 him. For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an 41 eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab. Kerioth is taken,

and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her 42 pangs. And Moab shall be destroyed from [being] a people, 43 because he hath magnified [himself] against the LORD. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [shall be] upon thee, O inhabitant of VOL. V.

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