# verses

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Moreover he said to me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to thee <n>He shows what is meant by the eating of the book, which is that the ministers of God may speak nothing from themselves, but only that which they have received from the Lord.</n> receive in thy heart, and hear with thy ears.


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And goe and enter to them that are led away captiues vnto the children of thy people, and speake vnto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God: but surely they will not heare, neither will they in deede cease.


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Then the spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, [saying], <n>By which he signifies that God's glory would not be diminished, although he departed out of his temple, for this declared that the city and temple would be destroyed.</n> Blessed [be] the glory of the LORD from his place.


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I heard also the noyse of the wings of the beasts, that touched one another, and the ratling of the wheeles that were by them, euen a noyse of a great russhing.


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So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I <n>This shows that there is always an infirmity of the flesh which can never be ready to render full obedience to God, and also God's grace who ever assists his, and overcomes their rebellious affections.</n> went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.


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Then I came to them of the captivity at <n>Which was a place by Euphrates where the Jews were prisoners.</n> Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there overwhelmed among them <n>Declaring here that God's ministers must with advisement and deliberation utter his judgments.</n> seven days.


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Son of man, I have made thee a <n>Of this read (Eze_33:2).</n> watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.


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When I shall say vnto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, and thou giuest not him warning, nor speakest to admonish the wicked of his wicked way, that he may liue, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquitie: but his blood will I require at thine hande.


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Yet if thou warne the wicked, and he turne not from his wickednesse, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquitie, but thou hast deliuered thy soule.


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Again, When a <n>If he that has been instructed in the right way turn back.</n> righteous [man] doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a <n>I will give him up to a reprobate mind, (Rom_1:28).</n> stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his <n>Which seemed to have been done in faith, and was not.</n> righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand.


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Neuerthelesse, if thou admonish that righteous man, that the righteous sinne not, and that he doeth not sinne, he shall liue because he is admonished: also thou hast deliuered thy soule.


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And the <n>That is, the Spirit of prophecy.</n> hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said to me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.


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Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the <n>Meaning, the vision of the cherubims and the wheels.</n> glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.


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Then the spirit entered into me, and <n>Read (Jer_2:2).</n> set me upon my feet, and spoke with me, and said to me, Go, <n>Signifying that not only would he not profit, but they would grievously trouble and afflict him.</n> shut thyself within thy house.


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But thou, O sonne of man, beholde, they shall put bandes vpon thee, and shall binde thee with them, and thou shalt not goe out among them.


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And I will make thy tongue <n>Which declares the terrible plague of the Lord, when God stops the mouths of his ministers and that all such are the rods of his vengeance that do it.</n> cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they [are] a rebellious house.


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But when I shall haue spoken vnto thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God, He that heareth, let him heare, and he that leaueth off, let him leaue: for they are a rebellious house.


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Thou also sonne of man, take thee a bricke, and lay it before thee, and pourtray vpon it the citie, euen Ierusalem,


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And lay siege against it, and builde a fort against it, and cast a mount against it: set the campe also against it, and lay engins of warre against it rounde about.


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Moreover take thou to thee an <n>Which signified the stubbornness and hardness of their hearts.</n> iron pan, and set it [for] a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This [shall be] a sign to the house of Israel.


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Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the <n>By this he represented the idolatry and sin of the ten tribes (for Samaria was on his left hand from Babylon) and how they had remained in it three hundred and ninety years.</n> house of Israel upon it: [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.


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For I haue layed vpon thee the yeeres of their iniquitie, according to the nomber of the dayes, euen three hundreth and ninetie dayes: so shalt thou beare the iniquitie of the house of Israel.


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And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy <n>Which declared Judah, who had now from the time of Josiah slept in their sins forty years.</n> right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.


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Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thy <n>In token of a speedy vengeance.</n> arm [shall be] uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.


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And, behold, I will lay <n>The people would so straightly be besieged that they would not be able to turn them.</n> cords upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.


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Take thou also to thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, <n>Meaning that the famine would be so great that they would be glad to eat whatever they could get.</n> and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread of them, [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, <n>Which were fourteen months that the city was besieged and this was as many days as Israel sinned years.</n> three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat of it.


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And thy food which thou shalt eat [shall be] by weight, <n>Which make a pound.</n> twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.


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Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of <n>{{See Exo_29:40}}</n> an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.


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And thou shalt eat it [as] barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it <n>Signifying by this the great scarcity of fuel and matter to burn.</n> with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.


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And the Lord said, So shall the children of Israel eate their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will cast them.


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Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither hath <n>Much less such vile corruption.</n> abominable flesh come into my mouth.


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Then he said to me, Lo, I have given thee cow's <n>To be as fire to bake your bread with.</n> dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread with them.


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Moreover he said to me, Son of man, behold, I will break <n>That is, the force and strength with which it would nourish, (Isa_3:1; Eze_14:13).</n> the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and in horror:


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Because that bread and water shall faile, they shalbe astonied one with another, and shall consume away for their iniquitie.


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And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause [it] <n>To shave your head and your beard.</n> to pass upon thy head and upon thy beard: then take to thee balances to weigh, and divide the [hair].


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Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the <n>That is, of that city which he had portrayed on the brick, (Eze_4:1). By the fire and pestilence he means the famine, with which one part perished during the siege of Nebuchadnezzar. By the sword, those that were slain when Zedekiah fled and those that were carried away captive and by the scattering into the wind, those that fled into Egypt, and into other parts after the city was taken.</n> city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, [and] smite about it with a sword: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.


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Thou shalt also take of them a few in number, and bind them in thy <n>Meaning, that a very few would be left, which the Lord would preserve among all these storms, but not without troubles and trial.</n> skirts.


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Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; <n>Out of the fire which you kindled will come a fire which will signify the destruction of Israel.</n> from which a fire shall come forth into all the house of Israel.


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Thus saith the Lorde God, This is Ierusalem: I haue set it in the middes of the nations and countreyes, that are rounde about her.


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And she hath changed my <n>My word and law into idolatry and superstitions.</n> judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that [are] around her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.


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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye <n>Because your idols are in greater number, and your superstitions more than among the professed idolaters, read (Isa_65:11) or he condemns their ingratitude in respect to his benefits.</n> multiplied more than the nations that [are] around you, [and] have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that [are] around you;


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Therefore thus saith the Lorde God, Beholde, I, euen I come against thee, and will execute iudgement in the middes of thee, euen in the sight of the nations.


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And I will doe in thee, that I neuer did before, neither will do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.


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For in the middes of thee, the fathers shall eate their sonnes, and the sonnes shall eate their fathers, and I will execute iudgement in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the windes.


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Wherefore, as I liue, saith the Lorde God, Surely because thou hast defiled my Sanctuarie with all thy filthinesse, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also destroy thee, neither shall mine eye spare thee, neither will I haue any pitie.


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The third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they bee consumed in the middes of thee: and another third part shall fall by the sword round about thee: and I will scatter the last third part into all windes, and I will drawe out a sword after them.


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Thus shall my anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be <n>That is, I will not be pacified till I am avenged, (Isa_1:24).</n> comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken [it] in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.


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Moreouer, I will make thee waste, and abhorred among the nations, that are round about thee, and in the sight of all that passe by.


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So thou shalt bee a reproche and shame, a chastisement and an astonishment vnto the nations, that are rounde about thee, when I shall execute iudgements in thee, in anger and in wrath, and in sharpe rebukes: I the Lorde haue spoken it.


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When I shall send upon them the evil <n>Which were the grasshoppers, mildew and whatever were opportunities for famine.</n> arrows of famine, which shall be for [their] destruction, [and] which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:


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So will I send vpon you famine, and euill beastes, and they shall spoyle thee, and pestilence and blood shall passe through thee, and I will bring the sworde vpon thee: I the Lorde haue spoken it.


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And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the <n>He speaks of all the places where the Israelites accustomed to commit their idolaters, threatening them with destruction.</n> mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, [even] I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.


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And your altars shall be desolate, and your <n>Read (2Ki_23:14).</n> images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain [men] before your idols.


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And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their <n>In contempt of their power and force, which will neither be able to deliver you or themselves.</n> idols; and I will scatter your bones about your altars.


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In all your dwelling places the cities shalbe desolate, and the hie places shalbe laide waste, so that your altars shalbe made waste and desolate, and your idoles shalbe broken, and cease, &amp; your images of the sunne shalbe cut in pieces, &amp; your workes shalbe abolished.


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Yet will I leave a remnant, <n>He shows that in all dangers God will preserve a few, which will be as the seed of his Church and call on his Name.</n> that ye may have [some] that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries.


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And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations to which they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their adulterous heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which play the harlot with their idols: and they <n>They will be ashamed to see that their hope in idols was in vain, and so will repent.</n> shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.


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And they shall knowe that I am the Lord, and that I haue not saide in vaine, that I woulde doe this euill vnto them.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; <n>By these signs he would that the prophet would signify the great destruction to come.</n> Smite with thy hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.


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He that is farre off, shal dye of the pestilence, and he that is neere, shal fall by the sword, and hee that remaineth and is besieged, shal dye by the famine: thus will I accomplish my wrath vpon them.


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Then shall <n>That is, all nations when you will see my judgments.</n> ye know that I [am] the LORD, when their slain [men] shall be among their idols all around their altars, upon every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they offered sweet savour to all their idols.


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So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, even, more desolate <n>Which was in Syria and bordered on Israel, or from the wilderness which was south, to Diblath which was north: meaning the while country.</n> than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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Also thou sonne of man, thus saith the Lord God, An ende is come vnto the lande of Israel: the ende is come vpon the foure corners of the lande.


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Now [is] the end [come] upon thee, and I will send my anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all <n>I will punish you as you have deserved for your idolatry.</n> thy abominations.


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Neither shall mine eye spare thee, neither will I haue pitie: but I will laye thy waies vpon thee: and thine abomination shall bee in the middes of thee, and yee shall knowe that I am the Lorde.


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An end is come, the end is come: it <n>He shows that the judgments of God ever watch to destroy the sinners, who notwithstanding he delays till there is no more hope of repentance.</n> watcheth for thee; behold, it is come.


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The <n>The beginning of his punishments is already come.</n> morning is come upon thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble [is] near, and not the joyful <n>Which was a voice of joy and mirth.</n> shouting upon the mountains.


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Now I will shortly powre out my wrath vpon thee, and fulfil mine anger vpon thee: I will iudge thee according to thy wayes, and will lay vpon thee all thine abominations.


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Neither shall mine eie spare thee, neither will I haue pitie, but I will laye vpon thee according to thy wayes, and thine abominations shalbe in the middes of thee, and ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde that smiteth.


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Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the <n>The scourge is ready.</n> rod hath blossomed, <n>That is, the proud tyrant Nebuchadnezzar has gathered his force and is ready.</n> pride hath budded.


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<n>This cruel enemy will be a sharp scourge for their wickedness.</n>Violence hath risen into a rod of wickedness: none of them [shall remain], nor of their multitude, nor of any of theirs: neither [shall there be] wailing for them.


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The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer <n>For the present profit.</n> rejoice, nor the seller <n>For he will lose nothing.</n> mourn: for wrath [is] upon all its multitude.


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For the seller shall not <n>In the year of the Jubile, meaning that none would enjoy the privilege of the law, (Lev_25:13) for they would all be carried away captives.</n> return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the <n>This vision signified that all would be carried away, and none would return for the Jubile.</n> vision [is] concerning its whole multitude, [which] shall not return; <n>No man for all this endeavours himself or takes heart to repent for his evil life. Some read, for none will be strengthened in his iniquity of his life: meaning that they would gain nothing by flattering themselves in evil.</n> neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.


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<n>The Israelites made a brag, but their hearts failed them.</n>They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath [is] upon all its multitude.


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The sword is without, and the pestilence, and the famine within: he that is in the field, shall dye with the sword, and he that is in the citie, famine and pestilence shall deuoure him.


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But they that flee away from them, shall escape, and shalbe in the mountaines, like the doues of the valleis: all they shall mourne, euery one for his iniquitie.


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They shall also girde them selues with sackecloth, and feare shall couer them, and shame shalbe vpon all faces, &amp; baldnes vpon their heads.


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They shall cast their siluer in the streetes, and their golde shalbe cast farre off: their siluer and their gold can not deliuer them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they shall not satisfie their soules, neither fill their bowels: for this ruine is for their iniquitie.


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As for the beauty of his <n>Meaning, the sanctuary.</n> ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations [and] of their detestable things in it: therefore have I set it far from them.


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And I will give it into the hands of the <n>That is, of the Babylonians.</n> strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.


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My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my <n>Which signifies the most holy place, into which none might enter but the high priest.</n> secret [place]: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.


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Make a <n>Signifying that they would be bound and led away captives.</n> chain: for the land is full of <n>That is, of sins that deserve death.</n> bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.


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Wherefore I will bring the worst of the nations, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their <n>Which was the temple that was divided into three parts.</n> holy places shall be defiled.


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Calamitie shall come vpon calamitie, and rumour shall bee vpon rumour: then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet: but the Lawe shal perish from the Priest, and counsel from the Ancient.


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The King shall mourne, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the handes of the people in the land shall be troubled: I wil doe vnto them according to their waies, and according to their iudgements will I iudge them, and they shall knowe that I am the Lorde.


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And it came to pass in the <n>Of the captivity of Jeconiah.</n> sixth year, in the <n>Which contained part of August and part of September.</n> sixth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, [as] I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.


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Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of <n>As in (Eze_1:27).</n> fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.


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And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the <n>Meaning that he was thus carried in spirit, and not in body.</n> visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner <n>Which was the porch or the court where the people assembled.</n> gate that looketh toward the north; where [was] the seat of the image of <n>So called, because it provoked God's indignation, which was the idol of Baal.</n> jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.


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And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel [was] there, according to the vision that I saw <n>Read (Eze_3:22).</n> in the plain.


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Then said he to me, Son of man, lift up thy eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up my eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the <n>That is, in the court where the people had made an altar to Baal.</n> altar this image of jealousy in the entrance.


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He said furthermore to me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? [even] the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should withdraw from <n>For God will not be where the idols are.</n> my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, [and] thou shalt see greater abominations.


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And he caused me to enter at the gate of the court: and when I looked, beholde, an hole was in the wall.


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Then said he vnto me, Sonne of man, digge nowe in the wall; when I had digged in the wall, beholde, there was a doore.


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So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping animals, and <n>Which were forbidden in the law, (Lev_11:4).</n> abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around upon the wall.


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And there stood before them seventy <n>Thus they who would have kept all the rest in the fear and true service of God were the ringleaders of all abomination, and by their example pulled others from God.</n> men of the elders of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and <n>It was in such abundance.</n> a thick cloud of incense went up.


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Then said he to me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the elders of the house of Israel <n>For besides their common idolatry they had particular service, which they had in secret chambers.</n> do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.


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Againe he saide also vnto me, Turne thee againe, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they doe.


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Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which [was] toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for <n>The Jews write, that this was a prophet of the idols, who after his death was once a year mourned for in the night.</n> Tammuz.


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Then saide hee vnto me, Hast thou seene this, O sonne of man? Turne thee againe, and thou shalt see greater abominations then these.


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And he caused me to enter into the inner court of the Lordes house, and beholde, at the doore of the Temple of the Lord, betweene the porche and the altar were about fiue and twentie men with their backs toward the Temple of the Lord, and their faces towarde the East, and they worshipped the sunne, towarde the East.


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Then he said to me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the <n>Declaring that the censings and service of the idolaters are but infections and villany before God.</n> branch to their nose.


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Therefore will I also execute my wrath: mine eye shall not spare them, neither will I haue pitie, and though they crie in mine eares with a loude voyce, yet will I not heare them.


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He cried also in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over <n>The time to take vengeance.</n> the city to draw near, even every man [with] his destroying weapon in his hand.


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And, behold, six <n>Which were angels in the appearance of men.</n> men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the <n>Signifying that the Babylonians would come from the north to destroy the city and the temple.</n> north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them [was] clothed with linen, with a writer's <n>To mark them that would be saved.</n> inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.


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And the glory of the God of Israel had <n>Which declared that he was not bound to it, neither would remain any longer than there was hope that they would return from their wickedness and worship him correctly.</n> gone up from the cherub, on which he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, who [had] the writer's inkhorn by his side;


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And the LORD said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that <n>He shows what is the manner of God's children, whom he marks for salvation: that is, to mourn and cry out against the wickedness which they see committed against God's glory.</n> sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst of it.


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And to the other he said, that I might heare, Goe ye after him through the citie, and smite: let your eye spare none, neither haue pitie.


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Slay utterly old [and] young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom [is] the <n>Thus in all his plagues the Lord preserves his small number, which he marks as in (Exo_12:12; Rev_7:3) but the chief mark is the spirit of adoption, with which the heart is sealed up to life everlasting.</n> mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the <n>Which was the chief opportunity for all these evils, as in (Eze_8:11).</n> elders who [were] before the house.


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And he sayde vnto them, Defile the house, and fill the courtes with the slaine, then goe foorth: and they went out, and slewe them in the citie.


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And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, <n>This declares that the servants of God have a compassion when they see his judgments executed.</n> Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy the whole remnant of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?


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Then said he to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah [is] exceeding great, and the land is full of <n>That is, with all kinds of wickedness. {{See Isa_1:15}}</n> blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.


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As touching me also, mine eye shall not spare them, neither will I haue pitie, but will recompence their wayes vpon their heades.


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And beholde, the man clothed with linen which had the ynkhorne by his side, made report, and saide, Lorde, I haue done as thou hast commanded me.


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Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the <n>Which in (Eze_1:5) he called the four beasts.</n> cherubim there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.


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And he spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, [even] under the cherub, and fill thy hand with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter [them] over <n>This signified that the city would be burnt.</n> the city. And he entered in my sight.


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Now the Cherubims stood vpon the right side of the house, when the man went in, and the cloude filled the inner court.


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Then the glory of the LORD <n>Meaning that the glory of God would depart from the temple.</n> went up from the cherub, [and stood] over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory.


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And the <n>Read (Eze_1:24).</n> sound of the cherubim's wings was heard [even] to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.


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And when he had commaunded the man clothed with linnen, saying, Take fire from betweene the wheeles, &amp; from betweene ye Cherubims, then he went in and stood beside ye wheele.


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And one Cherub stretched forth his hand from betweene the Cherubims vnto the fire, that was betweene the Cherubims, and tooke thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linnen: who tooke it and went out.


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And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels [was] as the colour of a <n>Read (Eze_1:16).</n> beryl stone.


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And their appearance (for they were all foure of one facion) was as if one wheele had bene in another wheele.


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When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it; they <n>Until they had executed God's judgments.</n> turned not as they went.


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And their whole bodie, and their rings, and their hands, and their wings, &amp; the wheeles were full of eyes round about, euen in the same foure wheeles.


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And euery beast had foure faces: the first face was the face of a Cherub, &amp; the second face was the face of a man, and the thirde the face of a lyon, and the fourth the face of an Egle.


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And when ye Cherubims went, the wheeles went by them: and when the Cherubims lift vp their wings to mount vp from the earth, the same wheeles also turned not from beside them.


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When they stood, [these] stood; and when they were lifted up, [these] lifted up themselves [also]: for the <n>There was one consent between the cherubims and the wheels.</n> spirit of the living being [was] in them.


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<n>Read (Eze_9:3).</n>Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.


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And the Cherubims lift vp their wings, and mounted vp from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheeles also were besides them: and euery one stoode at the entrie of the gate of the Lordes House at the East side, and the glorie of the God of Israel was vpo them on hie.


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This [is] the <n>That is, the whole body of the four beasts or cherubims.</n> living being that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they [were] the cherubim.


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Euery one had foure faces, and euery one foure wings, and the likenesse of mans hands was vnder their wings.


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And the likenes of their faces was the selfe same faces, which I sawe by the riuer Chebar, and the appearance of the Cherubims was ye selfe same, and they went euery one straight forwarde.


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Moreouer, the Spirite lift me vp, and brought me vnto the East gate of the Lordes house, which lyeth Eastwarde, and beholde, at the entrie of the gate were fiue and twentie men: among whome I sawe Iaazaniah the sonne of Azur, and Pelatiah the sonne of Benaiah, the princes of the people.


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Then said he vnto me, Sonne of man, these are the men that imagine mischiefe, and deuise wicked counsell in this citie.


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Who say, <n>Thus the wicked derided the prophets as though they preached only errors, and therefore gave themselves still to their pleasures.</n> [It is] not near; let us build houses: this [city is] the <n>We will not be pulled out of Jerusalem, till the hour of our death comes, as the flesh is not taken out of the caldron until it is boiled.</n> caldron, and we [are] the flesh.


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And the Spirite of the Lord fell vpon me, and said vnto me, Speake, Thus saith the Lorde, O ye house of Israel, this haue ye said, and I know that which riseth vp of your mindes.


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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they [are] <n>Contrary to their vain confidence he shows in what sense the city is the caldron: that is, because of the dead bodies that have been murdered in it, and so lit as flesh in the caldron.</n> the flesh, and this [city is] the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.


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And I will bring you out of the midst of it, and deliver you into <n>That is, of the Chaldeans.</n> the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.


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Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of <n>That is, in Riblah, read (2Ki_25:6).</n> Israel; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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This citie shall not be your caldron, neyther shall ye be the flesh in the middes thereof, but I will iudge you in the border of Israel.


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And ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde: for ye haue not walked in my statutes, neither executed my iudgements, but haue done after the maners of the heathen, that are round about you.


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And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of <n>It seems that this noble man died of some terrible death, and therefore the prophet feared some strange judgment of God toward the rest of the people.</n> Benaiah died. Then I fell down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?


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Son of man, thy <n>They that remained at Jerusalem thus reproached them that were gone into captivity as though they were cast off and forsaken by God.</n> brethren, [even] thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, [are] they to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Retire far from the LORD: to us is this land given in possession.


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Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the nations, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little <n>They will be yet a little church: showing that the Lord will ever have some to call on his Name, whom he will preserve and restore, though they are for a time afflicted.</n> sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.


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Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God, I will gather you againe from the people, and assemble you out of the countreis where ye haue bene scattered, &amp; I will giue you ye land of Israel.


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And they shall come thither, and they shal take away all the idoles thereof, and all the abominations thereof from thence.


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And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the <n>Meaning, the heart to which nothing can enter and regenerate them anew, so that their heart may be soft and ready to receive my graces.</n> stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:


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That they may walke in my statutes, and keepe my iudgements, and execute them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.


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But vpon them, whose heart is towarde their idoles, and whose affection goeth after their abominations, I will lay their way vpon their owne heades, saith the Lorde God.


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Then did the Cherubims lift vp their wings, and the wheeles besides them, and the glorie of the God of Israel was vpon them on hie.


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And the glorie of the Lord went vp from the middes of the citie, &amp; stoode vpon the moutaine which is towarde the East side of the citie.


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Afterwarde the Spirite tooke me vp, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Caldea to them that were led away captiues: so the vision that I had seene, went vp from me.


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Then I spoke to them of the <n>When Jeconiah was led away captive.</n> captivity all the things that the LORD had shown me.


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Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, and see <n>That is, they receive not the fruit of that which they see and hear.</n> not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they [are] a rebellious house.


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Therefore thou sonne of man, prepare thy stuffe to goe into captiuitie, and goe foorth by day in their sight: and thou shalt passe from thy place to another place in their sight, if it be possible that they may consider it: for they are a rebellious house.


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Then shalt thou bring foorth thy stuffe by day in their sight as the stuffe of him that goeth into captiuitie: and thou shalt go forth at euen in their sight, as they that go foorth into captiuitie.


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In their sight shalt thou bear [it] upon [thy] shoulders, [and] carry [it] forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou mayest not see the ground: for I have set thee [for] a <n>That as you do, so shall they do, and therefore in you they will see their own plague and punishment.</n> sign to the house of Israel.


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And as I was commaunded, so I brought forth my stuffe by day, as ye stuffe of one that goeth into captiuitie: and by night I digged through the wall with mine hand, &amp; brought it forth in ye darke, &amp; I bare it vpo my shoulder in their sight.


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Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to thee, What <n>Do they not deride your doings?</n> doest thou?


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But say thou vnto them, Thus saith the Lorde God, This burden concerneth the chiefe in Ierusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.


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Say, I am your signe: like as I haue done, so shall it be done vnto them: they shall goe into bondage and captiuitie.


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And the chiefest that is among them, shall beare vpon his shoulder in the darke, and shall goe forth: they shall digge through the wall, to cary out thereby: he shall couer his face, that he see not the ground with his eies.


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My net also will I spread upon <n>When the king will think to escape by fleeing, I will take him into my net, as in (Eze_32:3).</n> him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon [to] the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.


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And I will scatter toward euerie winde all that are about him to helpe him, and all his garisons, and I will drawe out the sworde after them.


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And they shall knowe that I am the Lord, when I shall scatter them among the nations, &amp; disperse them in the countreis.


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But I will leave a <n>Who would bear his Name, and would be his Church.</n> few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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Sonne of man, eate thy bread with trembling and drinke thy water with trouble, &amp; with carefulnesse,


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And say vnto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lorde God of the inhabitants of Ierusalem, and of the lande of Israel, They shall eate their bread with carefulnes, and drinke their water with desolation: for the lande shall bee desolate from her abundance because of the crueltie of them that dwell therein.


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And the cities that are inhabited, shal be left voyde, and the land shall be desolate, and yee shall knowe that I am the Lorde.


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Son of man, what [is] that proverb [that] ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days <n>Because they did not immediately see the prophecies accomplished, they contemned them as though they would never be fulfilled.</n> are prolonged, and every vision faileth?


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Tell them therefore, Thus sayeth the Lord God, I wil make this prouerbe to cease, and they shall no more vse it as a prouerbe in Israel: but say vnto them, The daies are at hand and the effect of euery vision.


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For no vision shall be any more in vaine, neither shall there bee any flattering diuination within the house of Israel.


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For I am the Lorde: I wil speake, and that thing that I shall speake, shall come to passe: it shall be no more prolonged: for in your dayes, O rebellious house, will I saye the thing, and will performe it, sayeth the Lord God.


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Son of man, behold, [they of] the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth [is] for <n>That is, it will not come to pass in our days, and therefore we care not for it: thus the wicked ever abuse God's patience and benignity.</n> many days [to come], and he prophesieth of the times [that are] distant.


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Therefore say vnto them, Thus sayth the Lorde God, All my wordes shall no longer be delayed, but that thing which I haue spoken, shall be done, saith the Lord God.


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Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou to them that prophesy out of their <n>After their own fantasy and not as having the revelation of the Lord, (Jer_23:16).</n> own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;


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Thus sayth the Lorde God, Woe vnto the foolish Prophets that followe their owne spirit, and haue seene nothing.


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<n>He speaks to the governor and true ministers that would have resisted them.</n>Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.


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They haue seene vanitie, and lying diuination, saying, The Lord sayth it, and the Lorde hath not sent them: &amp; they haue made others to hope that they would cofirme the word of their prophecie.


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Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, though <n>You promised peace to this people and now you see their destruction, so that it is revealed that you are false prophets.</n> ye say, The LORD saith [it]; although I have not spoken?


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Therefore thus sayth the Lorde God, Because ye haue spoken vanytie &amp; haue seene lyes, therefore beholde, I am agaynst you, sayth the Lorde God,


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And my hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the <n>That is in the book of life, in which the true Israelites are written.</n> writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.


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Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, <n>{{See Jer_6:14}}</n> Peace; and [there was] no peace; and one built up a <n>While the true prophets prophesied the destruction of the city to bring the people to repentance, the false prophets spoke the contrary, and flattered them in their vanities, so that what one false prophet said (which is here called the building of the wall) another false prophet would affirm, though he had neither opportunity nor good ground to hear him.</n> wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered [mortar]:


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Say vnto them which daube it with vntempered morter, that it shall fall: for there shall come a great showre, and I wil sende haylestones, which shall cause it to fall, and a stormie winde shall breake it.


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Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not bee sayd vnto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye haue daubed it?


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Therefore thus sayth the Lord God, I will cause a stormie winde to breake foorth in my wrath, &amp; a great showre shall bee in mine anger, &amp; hailestones in mine indignation to consume it.


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So I wil destroy the wall that ye haue daubed with vntempered morter, and bring it downe to the ground, so that the fundation thereof shalbe discouered, and it shall fal, and ye shalbe consumed in the middes thereof, and ye shall know, that I am the Lord.


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Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with <n>By which is meant whatever man of himself sets forth under the authority of God's word.</n> untempered [mortar], and will say to you, The wall [is] no [more], neither they that daubed it;


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To wit, the Prophets of Israel, which prophesie vpon Ierusalem, and see visions of peace for it, and there is no peace, sayth the Lord God.


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Likewise thou sonne of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesie out of their owne heart: and prophesie thou against them, and say,


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And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the [women] that sew <n>These superstitious women for money would prophecy and tell every man his fortune giving them pillows to lean on, and kerchiefs to cover their heads, to the intent they might the more allure them and bewitch them.</n> [magic] charms upon all wrists, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive [that come] to you?


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And will ye profane me among my people for handfuls of <n>Will you make my word serve your bellies?</n> barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and <n>These sorcerers made the people believe that they could preserve life or destroy it and that it would come to everyone according as they prophesied.</n> to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear [your] lies?


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Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against your [magic] charms, with which ye there hunt the <n>That is, to cause them to perish, and that they should depart from the body.</n> souls to make [them] fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, [even] the souls that ye hunt to make [them] fly.


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Your vailes also will I teare, and deliuer my people out of your hande, and they shalbe no more in your hands to be hunted, and ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde.


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Because with lies ye have made the heart of the <n>By threatening them that were godly, and upholding the wicked.</n> righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:


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Therefore ye shal see no more vanitie, nor diuine diuinatios: for I wil deliuer my people out of your hand, &amp; ye shall know that I am ye Lord.


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Then came certain of the elders of Israel to me, and <n>He shows the hypocrisy of the idolaters, who will pretend to hear the prophets of God, though in their hearts they follow nothing less than their admonitions and also how by one means or another God discovers them.</n> sat before me.


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Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their <n>They are not only idolaters in heart, but also worship their filthy idols openly which lead them in blindness, and cause them to stumble, so that he will not hear them when they call to him. {{See Isa_1:15}}</n> heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?


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Therefore speak to them, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the <n>To inquire of things which the Lord has appointed to come to pass.</n> prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude <n>As his abomination has deserved: that is, he will be led with lies according as he delighted in it, (2Th_2:10).</n> of his idols;


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That <n>That is, convince them by their own conscience.</n> I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.


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Therfore say vnto the house of Israel, Thus sayth the Lord God, Returne, and withdraw your selues, and turne your faces from your idoles, and turne your faces from all your abominations.


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For euery one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that soiourneth in Israel, which departeth from mee, and setteth vp his idoles in his heart, and putteth the stumbling blocke of his iniquitie before his face, and commeth to a Prophet, for to inquire of him for me, I the Lord will answere him for my selfe,


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And I will set my face against that man, and will make him an example and prouerbe, and I will cut him off from the middes of my people, and ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde.


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And if the prophet be <n>The prophet declares that God for man's ingratitude raises up false prophets to seduce them that delight in lies rather than in the truth of God, and thus he punishes sin with sin, (1Ki_22:20, 1Ki_22:22) and destroys those prophets as well as the people.</n> deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.


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And they shall beare their punishment: the punishment of the Prophet shall bee euen as the punishment of him that asketh,


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That the house of <n>Thus God's judgments against the wicked are admonitions to the godly to cleave to the Lord and not to defile themselves with the same abominations.</n> Israel may no more go astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.


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Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my hand upon it, <n>Read (Eze_4:16, Eze_5:17; Isa_3:1).</n> and will break the staff of its bread, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:


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Though these three men, <n>Though Noah and Job were now alive, which in their time were most godly men (for at this time Daniel was in captivity with Ezekiel) and so these three together would pray for this wicked people, yet I would not hear them, read (Jer_15:1).</n> Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver their own souls only by their <n>Meaning, that a very few (which he calls the remnant, (Eze_14:22)) would escape these plagues, whom God has sanctified and made righteous, so that this righteousness is a sign that they are the Church of God, whom he would preserve for his own sake.</n> righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.


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If I bring noysome beastes into the lande and they spoyle it, so that it bee desolate, that no man may passe through, because of beastes,


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Though these three men were in the mids thereof, As I liue, sayth the Lord God, they shall saue neither sonnes nor daughters: they onely shalbe deliuered, but the land shall be waste.


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Or if I bring a sworde vpon this land, and say, Sword, go through the land, so that I destroy man and beast out of it,


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Though these three men were in the mids thereof, As I liue, sayth the Lorde God, they shal deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters, but they onely shall be deliuered themselues.


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Or if I send a pestilence into this land, and powre out my wrath vpon it in blood, to destroy out of it man and beast,


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And though Noah, Daniel and Iob were in the middes of it, As I liue, sayth the Lorde God, they shal deliuer neither sonne nor daughter: they shall but deliuer their owne soules by their righteousnes.


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For thus saith the Lord God, Howe much more when I sende my foure sore iudgements vpon Ierusalem, euen the sworde, and famine, and the noysome beast &amp; pestilence, to destroy man and beast out of it?


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Yet, behold, in it shall be left a <n>{{See Eze_5:3}}</n> remnant that shall be brought forth, [both] sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth to you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, [even] concerning all that I have brought upon it.


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And they shal comfort you, when yee see their way and their enterprises: &amp; ye shal know, that I haue not done without cause all that I haue done in it, saith the Lorde God.


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Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, [or than] a branch which is among the <n>Which brings forth no fruit, no more than the other trees of the forest do: meaning that if Jerusalem, which bore the name of his Church, did not bring forth fruit it would be utterly destroyed.</n> trees of the forest?


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Shall wood bee taken thereof to doe any worke? or wil men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?


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Behold, it is cast in the fire to be consumed: the fire consumeth both the endes of it, and the middes of it is burnt. Is it meete for any worke?


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Behold, when it was whole, it was meete for no worke: how much lesse shall it bee meete for any worke, when the fire hath consumed it, and it is burnt?


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Therefore thus sayth the Lorde God, As the vine tree, that is among the trees of the forest, which I haue giuen to the fire to be consumed, so will I giue the inhabitants of Ierusalem.


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And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from [one] <n>Though they escape one danger, yet another will take them.</n> fire, and [another] fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I set my face against them.


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And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD to Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity [is] of the land <n>You boast to be of the seed of Abraham, but you are degenerate and follow the abominations of the wicked Canaanites as children do the manners of their fathers, (Isa_1:4, Isa_57:3).</n> of Canaan; thy father [was] an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.


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And [as for] thy nativity, in the day thou wast <n>When I first brought you out of Egypt and planted you in this land to be my Church.</n> born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to cleanse [thee]; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.


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None eye pitied thee to do any of these vnto thee, for to haue compassion vpon thee, but thou wast cast out in the open fielde to the contempt of thy person in ye day that thou wast borne.


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And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thy <n>Being thus in your filthiness and forsaken by all men, I took you and gave you life: by which is meant that before God wash his Church and give life, there is nothing but filthiness and death.</n> own blood, I said to thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live; yea, I said to thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live.


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I haue caused thee to multiplie as the bud of the fielde, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou hast gotten excellent ornaments: thy breastes are facioned, thine heare is growen, where as thou wast naked and bare.


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Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time [was] the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered <n>These words as blood, pollution, nakedness and filthiness are often repeated to beat down their pride, and to cause them to consider what they were before God received them to mercy, favoured them and covered their shame.</n> thy nakedness: yea, I swore to thee, and entered into a covenant with <n>That you should be a chaste wife to me, and that I should maintain you and endue you with all graces.</n> thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.


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Then I washed thee with <n>I washed away your sins.</n> water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I <n>I sanctified you with my Holy Spirit.</n> anointed thee with oil.


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I clothed thee also with broydred worke, and shod thee with badgers skin: and I girded thee about with fine linen, &amp; I couered thee with silke.


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I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets vpon thine handes, and a chaine on thy necke.


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And I put a jewel in thy nose, and earrings in thy ears, and a beautiful <n>By this he shows how he saved his Church, enriched it, and gave it power and dominion to reign.</n> crown upon thy head.


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Thus wast thou deckt with gold and siluer, and thy rayment was of fine linen, and silke, and broydred worke: thou didest eate fine floure, and honie and oyle, and thou wast very beautifull, and thou didest grow vp into a kingdome.


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And thy renown went forth among the nations for thy beauty: for it [was] perfect through my <n>He declares where the dignity of Jerusalem stood: that is, in that the Lord gave them of his beauty and excellency.</n> comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.


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But thou didst <n>In abusing my gifts and in putting your confidence in your own wisdom and dignity, which were the opportunities of your idolatry.</n> trust in thy own beauty, and didst play the harlot because of thy renown, and didst pour out <n>There was no idolatry with which you did not pollute yourself.</n> thy harlotries on every one that passed by; his it was.


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And of thy garments thou didst take, and didst deck thy high places with various colours, <n>This declares how the idolaters put their chief delight in those things which please the eyes and outward senses.</n> and didst play the harlot upon them: [the like things] shall not come, neither shall it be [so].


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Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and hast <n>You have converted my vessels and instruments which I gave you to serve me with to the use of your idols.</n> made to thyself images of men, and hast committed harlotry with them,


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And tookest thy broydred garments, and coueredst them: and thou hast set mine oyle and my perfume before them.


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My meate also, which I gaue thee, as fine floure, oyle, and honie, wherewith I fedde thee, thou hast euen set it before them for a sweete sauour: thus it was, saith the Lord God.


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Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne to me, and these hast thou sacrificed to them to <n>Meaning by fire, read (Lev_18:21; 2Ki_23:10).</n> be devoured. [Is this] of thy harlotries a small matter,


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And in all thine abominations and whoredomes thou hast not remembred the dayes of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.


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Thou hast built thine hie place at euery corner of the way, and hast made thy beautie to be abhorred: thou hast opened thy feete to euery one that passed by, &amp; multiplied thy whoredome.


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Thou hast also committed harlotry with the <n>He notes the great impiety of this people, who first falling from God to seek help at strange nations also at length embraced their idolatry thinking by it to make their amity more strong.</n> Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast multiplied thy harlotry, to provoke me to anger.


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Beholde, therefore I did stretche out mine hand ouer thee, and will diminish thine ordinarie, and deliuer thee vnto the will of them that hate thee, euen to the daughters of the Philistims, which are ashamed of thy wicked way.


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Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast insaciable: yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.


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Thou hast moreouer multiplied thy fornication from the land of Canaan vnto Caldea, and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.


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Howe weake is thine heart, saith the Lorde God, seeing thou doest all these thinges, euen the worke of a presumptuous whorish woman?


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In that thou buildest thy eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thy high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, <n>Meaning that some harlots contemn small rewards but no lovers gave a reward to Israel, but they gave to all others signifying that the idolaters bestow all their substance which they receive from God for his glory to serve their vile abominations.</n> in that thou scornest hire;


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They giue giftes to all other whores, but thou giuest giftes vnto all thy louers, and rewardest them, that they may come vnto thee on euery side for thy fornication.


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And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy fornications, neither the like fornication shall be after thee: for in that thou giuest a rewarde, and no reward is giuen vnto thee, therefore thou art contrary.


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Thus sayeth the Lorde God, Because thy shame was powred out, and thy filthinesse discouered through thy fornications with thy louers, and with all the idoles of thine abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didest offer vnto them,


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Behold, therefore I will gather all <n>Egyptians, Assyrians and Chaldeans whom you took to be your lovers will come and destroy you, (Eze_23:9).</n> thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all [them] that thou hast loved, with all [them] that thou hast hated; I will even gather them on every side against thee, and will uncover thy nakedness to them, that they may see all thy nakedness.


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And I will judge thee, as women that <n>I will judge you to death as the adulterers and murderers.</n> break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.


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I will also giue thee into their handes, and they shal destroy thine hie place, and shall breake downe thine hie places. They shall strippe thee also out of thy clothes, and shall take thy faire iewels, and leaue thee naked and bare.


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They shall also bring vp a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swordes.


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And they shall burne vp thine houses with fire, and execute iudgements vpon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou shalt giue no reward any more.


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So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my <n>I will utterly destroy you and so my jealousy will cease.</n> jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.


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Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast provoked me in all these [things]; behold, therefore I also will <n>I have punished your faults but you would not repent.</n> recompense thy way upon [thy] head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thy abominations.


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Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use [this] proverb against thee, saying, As [is] the mother, <n>As the Canaanites, the Hittites and others were your predecessors, so are you their successors.</n> [so is] her daughter.


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Thou [art] thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou [art] the sister of thy <n>That is, of Samaria and Sodom.</n> sisters, who lothed their husbands and their children: your mother [was] an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.


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And thy elder sister [is] Samaria, she and her <n>That is, her cities.</n> daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, [is] Sodom and her daughters.


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Yet hast thou <n>But done far worse.</n> not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as [if that were] a very little [thing], thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways.


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As I liue, saith the Lorde God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, neither shee nor her daughters, as thou hast done and thy daughters.


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Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, <n>He alleges these four vices, pride, excess, idleness and contempt of the poor as four principal causes of such abomination, wherefore they were so horribly punished, (Gen_19:24).</n> pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.


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But they were hautie, and committed abomination before mee: therefore I tooke them away, as pleased me.


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Neither <n>Which worshipped the calves in Bethel and Dan.</n> hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thy abominations more than they, and hast <n>You are so wicked that in respect to you Sodom and Samaria were just.</n> justified thy sisters in all thy abominations which thou hast done.


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Therefore thou which hast iustified thy sisters, beare thine owne shame for thy sinnes, that thou hast committed more abominable then they which are more righteous then thou art: be thou therefore confounded also, and beare thy shame, seeing that thou hast iustified thy sisters.


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When I shall bring again <n>This he speaks in comparison seeing that he would restore Jerusalem when Sodom would be restored, that is, never: and this is meant of the greatest part of the Jews.</n> their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then [will I bring again] the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:


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That thou mayest bear thy own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a <n>In that you have shown yourself worse than they and yet thought to escape punishment.</n> comfort to them.


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When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former state, <n>Meaning that it would never come to pass.</n> then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former state.


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For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned <n>You would not call her punishment to mind when you were aloft, to learn by her example to fear my judgments.</n> by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,


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Before thy wickedness was <n>That is, till you were brought under by the Syrians and Philistines, (2Ch_28:19).</n> uncovered, as at the time of [thy] reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all [that are] around <n>Which joined with the Syrians, or compassed about Jerusalem.</n> her, the daughters of the Philistines, who despise thee on every side.


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For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, who hast despised the <n>When you broke the covenant which was made between you and me, as in (Eze_16:8).</n> oath in breaking the covenant.


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Nevertheless I will <n>That is, out of mercy and love I will pity you and so stand by my covenant though you have deserved the contrary.</n> remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish to thee an everlasting covenant.


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Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive <n>By which he shows that among the most wicked, he always had some seed of his Church, which he would cause to bear fruit in due time: and here he declares how he will call the Gentiles.</n> thy sisters, thy elder and thy younger: and I will give them to thee for daughters, but not <n>But of my free mercy.</n> by thy covenant.


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That thou mayest remember, and be <n>This declares what fruits God's mercies work in his, that is, sorrow and repentance for their former life.</n> confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.


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And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great <n>That is, Nebuchadnezzar who had great power, riches and many countries under him, will come to Jerusalem and take away Jeconiah the king, as in (Eze_17:12).</n> eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had various colours, came to Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:


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He cropped off the top of its young twigs, and carried it into a land of <n>Meaning to Babylon.</n> trade; he set it in a city of merchants.


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He took also of the <n>That is, Zedekiah who was of the king's blood and was left at Jerusalem and made king instead of Jeconiah, (2Ki_24:17; Jer_37:1).</n> seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed [it] by great waters, [and] set it [as] a willow tree.


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And it grew, and became <n>This was Zedekiah's kingdom.</n> a spreading vine of <n>That is, might not have power to rebel against Babylon, as in (Eze_17:14).</n> low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.


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There was also <n>Meaning, the king of Egypt from whom Zedekiah sought comfort against Nebuchadnezzar.</n> another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.


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It was planted in a good soil by great <n>They thought to be moistened by the waters of the Nile.</n> waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a well favoured vine.


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Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall <n>Shall not Nebuchadnezzar destroy it?</n> he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by its roots.


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Yea, behold, [being] planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, <n>By this dry wind he means the Babylonians.</n> when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.


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Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these [things mean]? tell [them], Behold, the king of Babylon hath come to Jerusalem, and hath taken <n>That is, Jeconiah, (2Ki_24:15).</n> its king, and its princes, and led them with him to Babylon;


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And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken <n>For his subjection and obedience.</n> an oath from him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:


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That the kingdome might be in subiection, and not lift it selfe vp, but keepe their couenant, and stand to it.


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But he rebelled against him, and sent his ambassadours into Egypt, that they might giue him horses, and much people: shall hee prosper? shall he escape, that doeth such things? or shal he breake the couenant, and be deliuered?


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As I liue, saith the Lord God, he shall die in the middes of Babel, in the place of the King, that had made him King, whose othe he despised, and whose couenant made with him, he brake.


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Neither shall Pharaoh with his mightie hoste, and great multitude of people, mainteine him in the warre, when they haue cast vp mounts, and builded ramparts to destroy many persons.


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Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given <n>Because he took the name of God in vain, and broke his oath which he had confirmed by giving his hand: therefore the prophet declares that God would not permit such perjury and infidelity to escape punishment.</n> his hand, and hath done all these [things], he shall not escape.


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Therefore, thus sayth the Lord God, As I liue, I wil surely bring mine othe that he hath despised, and my couenant that he hath broken vpon his owne head.


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And I wil spread my net vpon him, &amp; he shalbe taken in my net, &amp; I wil bring him to Babel, and will enter into iudgement with him there for his trespas that he hath committed against me.


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And all that flee from him with all his hoste, shal fall by the sword, &amp; they that remaine, shalbe scattered towarde all the windes: and ye shall know that I the Lord haue spoken it.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch <n>This promise is made to the Church which will be as a small remnant, and as the top of a tree.</n> of the high cedar, and will set [it]; I will crop off from the <n>I will trim it, and dress it.</n> top of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant [it] upon an high mountain and eminent:


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In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a well favoured cedar: and under it shall dwell all <n>Both the Jews and Gentiles will be gathered into it.</n> fowl of every wing; in the shadow of its branches shall they dwell.


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And all the <n>All the world will know that I have plucked down the proud enemies, and set up my Church which was low and contemned.</n> trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done [it].


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What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, <n>The people murmured at the chastising of the Lord, and therefore used this proverb meaning that their fathers had sinned and their children were punished for their transgressions. {{See Jer_31:29}}</n> The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?


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Beholde, all soules are mine, both the soule of the father, and also the soule of the sonne are mine: the soule that sinneth, it shall die.


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[And] hath not eaten <n>If he has not eaten flesh that has been offered up to idols, to honour them by it.</n> upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a polluted woman,


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Neither hath oppressed any, but hath restored the pledge to his dettour: he that hath spoyled none by violence, but hath giuen his bread to the hungry, and hath couered the naked with a garment,


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And hath not giuen foorth vpon vsurie, neither hath taken any increase, but hath withdrawen his hand from iniquitie, and hath executed true iudgement betweene man and man,


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And hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my iudgements to deale truely, he is iust, he shall surely liue, sayth the Lord God.


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Though he doe not all these things, but either hath eaten vpon the mountaines, or defiled his neighbours wife,


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Or hath oppressed the poore and needy, or hath spoyled by violence, or hath not restored the pledge, or hath lift vp his eyes vnto the idoles, or hath committed abomination,


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Hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; <n>He shows how the son is punished for his father's sin: that is, if he is wicked as his father was and does not repent, he will be punished as his father was, or else not.</n> he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.


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But if he beget a sonne, that seeth all his fathers sinnes, which he hath done, and feareth, neither doeth such like,


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That hath not eaten vpon the mountaines, neither hath lift vp his eyes to the idols of ye house of Israel, nor hath defiled his neighbours wife,


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Neither hath oppressed any, nor hath withholden the pledge, neither hath spoyled by violence, but hath giuen his bread to the hungry, and hath couered the naked with a garment,


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Neither hath withdrawen his hand from the afflicted, nor receiued vsurie nor increase, but hath executed my iudgements, and hath walked in my statutes, he shall not die in the iniquitie of his father, but he shal surely liue.


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His father, because he cruelly oppressed and spoyled his brother by violence, and hath not done good among his people, loe, euen he dyeth in his iniquitie.


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Yet say ye, Wherefore shall not the sonne beare the iniquitie of the father? because ye sonne hath executed iudgement &amp; iustice, and hath kept all my statutes, and done them, he shal surely liue,


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The same soule that sinneth, shal die: the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father, neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne, but the righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him, and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon him selfe.


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But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my <n>He joins the observation of the commandments with repentance; for none can repent indeed, unless he labour to keep the Law.</n> statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.


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All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned to him: in his <n>That is, in the fruit of his faith which declares that God accepts him.</n> righteousness that he hath done he shall live.


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<n>He speaks this to commend God's mercy to poor sinners, who rather is ready to pardon than to punish, as his long suffering declares, (Eze_33:11). Though God in his eternal counsel appointed the death and damnation of the reprobate, yet the end of his counsel was not their death only, but chiefly his own glory. Also because he does not approve sin, therefore it is here said that he would have them turn away from it that they might live.</n>Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: [and] not that he should return from his ways, and live?


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But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his <n>That is, the false opinion that the hypocrites have of their righteousness.</n> righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.


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Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not <n>In punishing the father with the children.</n> equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?


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For when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnes, and committeth iniquitie, he shall euen die for the same, he shal euen die for his iniquitie, that he hath done.


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Againe when the wicked turneth away from his wickednes that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawfull and right, he shal saue his soule aliue.


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Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that hee hath committed, he shall surely liue and shall not die.


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Yet saith ye house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equall. O house of Israel, are not my wayes equall? or are not your wayes vnequall?


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Therefore I will iudge you, O house of Israel, euery one according to his wayes, sayth the Lord God: returne therefore and cause others to turne away from all your transgressions: so iniquitie shall not be your destruction.


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Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which ye have transgressed; and make <n>He shows that man cannot forsake his wickedness, till his heart is changed which is only the work of God.</n> you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?


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For I desire not the death of him that dyeth, sayth the Lord God: cause therefore one another to returne, and liue ye.


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Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the <n>That is, Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim, Josiah's sons, who for their pride and cruelty are compared to lions.</n> princes of Israel,


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And say, What [is] thy <n>That is Jehoahaz's mother, or Jerusalem.</n> mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.


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And she brought vp one of her whelps, and it became a lyon, and it learned to catch the praye, and it deuoured men.


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The <n>By Pharaoh Nebo king of Egypt, (2Ki_23:33).</n> nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt.


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Now when she saw that she had waited, [and] her hope was lost, then she took another of her <n>Which was Jehoiakim.</n> whelps, [and] made him a young lion.


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And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, [and] devoured <n>He slew the prophets and them that feared God and ravished their wives.</n> men.


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And he knew their widowes, &amp; he destroyed their cities, and the land was wasted, and all that was therein by the noyse of his roaring.


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Then the <n>Nebuchadnezzar with his great army which was gathered from various nations.</n> nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.


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And they put him in prison and in chaines, and brought him to the King of Babel, and they put him in holdes, that his voyce should no more be heard vpon the mountaines of Israel.


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Thy <n>He speaks this in the reproach of this wicked king, in whose blood, that is in the race of his predecessors, Jerusalem would have been blessed according to God's promise and flourished as a fruitful vine.</n> mother [is] like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.


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And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that beare rule, and her stature was exalted among the branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.


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But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the <n>Meaning, that the Chaldeans would destroy them as the east wind does the fruit of the vine.</n> east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.


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And fire hath gone out <n>Destruction is come by Zedekiah, who was the opportunity for this rebellion.</n> of a rod of her branches, [which] hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod [to be] a sceptre to rule. This [is] a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.


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And it came to pass in the <n>Of the captivity of Jeconiah.</n> seventh year, in the fifth [month], the tenth [day] of the month, [that] certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.


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Sonne of man, speake vnto the Elders of Israel, and say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye come to enquire of me? As I liue, sayth the Lord God, when I am asked, I wil not answer you.


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Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge [them]? cause <n>This declares the great leniency and patience of God who calls sinners to repentance before he condemns them.</n> them to know the abominations of their fathers:


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And say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and <n>I swore that I would be their God, which manner of oath was observed from all antiquity, where they used to lift up their hands toward the heavens, acknowledging God to be the author of truth and the defender of it, and also the judge of the heart, wishing that he would take vengeance, if they concealed anything which they knew to be truth.</n> lifted up my hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up my hand to them, saying, I [am] the LORD your God;


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In the day that I lift vp mine hand vnto them to bring them forth of the land of Egypt, into a land that I had prouided for them, flowing with milke &amp; hony which is pleasant among all lands,


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Then said I to them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, <n>God had forbidden them to make mention of the idols, (Exo_23:13; Psa_16:4).</n> and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God.


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But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken to me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of <n>Which declares the wickedness of man's heart, who judge God's service by their eyes and outward senses.</n> their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.


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But I wrought for my <n>God had ever this respect to his glory, that he would not have evil spoken of his Name among the Gentiles for the punishment that his people deserved, in confidence of which the godly ever prayed, as in (Exo_32:12; Num_14:13).</n> name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the nations, among whom they [were], in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth from the land of Egypt.


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And I gaue them my statutes, and declared my iudgements vnto them, which if a man doe, he shall liue in them.


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Moreouer I gaue them also my Sabbaths to be a signe betwene me &amp; them, that they might knowe that I am the Lord, that sanctifie them.


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But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wildernes: they walked not in my statutes, and they cast away my iudgements, which if a man doe, he shall liue in them, and my Sabbaths haue they greatly polluted: then I thought to powre out mine indignation vpon them in the wildernes to consume them,


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But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the <n>Who might by it take an opportunity to blaspheme my Name and to accuse me of lack of ability, or else that I had sought a means to destroy them more conveniently.</n> nations, in whose sight I brought them out.


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Yet neuerthelesse, I lift vp mine hande vnto them in the wildernes that I would not bring them into the lande, which I had giuen them, flowing with milke and hony, which was pleasant aboue all landes,


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Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but profaned my <n>That is, my true religion, which I had commanded them, and gave themselves to serve me according to their own fantasies.</n> sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.


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Neuerthelesse, mine eye spared them, that I would not destroye them, neither would I consume them in the wildernes.


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But I said to their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your <n>By which the Holy Spirit confuses them that say that they will follow the religion and example of their fathers, and not measure their doings by God's word whether they are approved by it or not.</n> fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:


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And sanctifie my Sabbaths, and they shall bee a signe betweene mee and you, that ye may knowe that I am the Lord your God.


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Notwithstanding the children rebelled against mee: they walked not in my statutes, nor kept my iudgements to doe them, which if a man doe, hee shall liue in them, but they polluted my Sabbaths: then I thought to powre out mine indignation vpo them, and to accomplish my wrath against them in the wildernes.


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Neuerthelesse I withdrew mine hand &amp; had respect to my Name that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them foorth.


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Yet I lift vp mine hande vnto them in the wildernes, that I would scatter them among the heathen, &amp; disperse them through the countreys,


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Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after <n>Meaning that they set their delight on them.</n> their fathers' idols.


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Wherefore I gave <n>Because they would not obey my laws, I gave them up to themselves that they should obey their own fantasies, as in (Eze_20:39; Rom_1:21, Rom_1:24).</n> them also statutes [that were] not good, and judgments by which they should not live;


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And I polluted them in their own <n>I condemned those things, and counted them as abominable, which they thought had been excellent and to have declared most zeal, (Luk_16:15) for that which God required as most excellent they gave to their idols.</n> gifts, in that they caused to pass through [the fire] all the firstborn, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I [am] the LORD.


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Therefore, sonne of man, speake vnto the house of Israel, and say vnto them, Thus saith the Lorde God, Yet in this your fathers haue blasphemed me, though they had before grieuously transgressed against me.


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<n>Not only in the wilderness, when I brought them out of Egypt, but since I placed them in this land: which declares how prompt man's heart is to idolatry seeing that by no admonitions can he be drawn back.</n>[For] when I had brought them into the land, [for] which I lifted up my hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.


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Then I said to them, What [is] the high place to which ye go? And its name is called <n>Which signifies a high place, declaring that they vaunted themselves of their idolatry and were not ashamed of it, though God had commanded them expressly that they should have no altar lifted on high by stairs, (Exo_20:26).</n> Bamah to this day.


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Wherefore, say vnto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye not polluted after the maner of your fathers? and commit ye not whoredome after their abominations?


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For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even to this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, <n>He shows that the ingratitude of the people deserves that God should cut them off, and that they should not have the comfort of his word.</n> I will not be enquired of by you.


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And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and <n>He declares that man by nature is wholly enemy to God, and to his own salvation, and therefore God calls him to the right way, partly by chastising but chiefly by his mercy in forgiving his rebellion and wickedness.</n> stone.


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As I liue, saith the Lorde God, I will surely rule you with a mightie hand, and with a stretched out arme, and in my wrath powred out,


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And will bring you from the people, and will gather you out of the countreys, wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arme, and in my wrath powred out,


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And I will bring you into the <n>I will bring you among strange nations as into a wilderness and there will visit you, and so call you to repentance and then bring the godly home again, (Isa_65:9).</n> wilderness of the people, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.


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Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wildernes of the lande of Egypt, so will I pleade with you, saith the Lord God.


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And I will <n>Signifying that he will not burn the corn with the chaff, but chose out the wicked to punish them when he will spare his.</n> purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; <n>This is spoken to the hypocrites.</n> Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and after this [also], if ye will not hearken to me: but profane ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.


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For in mine holy mountaine, euen in the hie mountaine of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, and all in the lande, serue me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offrings and the first fruites of your oblations, with all your holy things.


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I will accept your sweete sauour, when I bring you from the people, and gather you out of the countreys, wherein ye haue bene scattered, that I may be sanctified in you before ye heathen.


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And ye shall knowe, that I am the Lorde, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the land, for the which I lifted vp mine hande to giue it to your fathers.


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And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, in which ye have been defiled; and ye <n>Your own consciences will convict you after you have felt my mercies.</n> shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.


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And ye shall knowe, that I am the Lorde, when I haue respect vnto you for my Names sake, and not after your wicked wayes, nor according to your corrupt workes, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.


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Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop [thy word] toward <n>For Judah stood south from Babylon.</n> the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;


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And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every <n>Both strong and weak in Jerusalem.</n> green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned in it.


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Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak <n>The people said that the prophet spoke darkly: therefore he desires the Lord to give them a plain declaration of it.</n> parables?


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Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, <n>Speak sensibly, that all may understand.</n> and drop [thy word] toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,


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And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I [am] against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the <n>That is such which seem to have an outward show of righteousness by observation of the ceremonies of the law.</n> righteous and the wicked.


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Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth from its sheath against all flesh from the south to the <n>Meaning, through all the land.</n> north:


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That all flesh may knowe that I the Lorde haue drawen my sworde out of his sheath, and it shall not returne any more.


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Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with breaking <n>As though you were in extreme anguish.</n> heart; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.


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And it shall be, when they say to thee, Why sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, <n>Because of the great noise of the army of the Chaldeans.</n> For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak [as] water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.


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Sonne of man, prophecie, and say, Thus saith the Lorde God, say, A sworde, a sworde both sharpe, and fourbished.


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It is sharpened to make a grievous slaughter; it is polished that it may <n>And so cause fear.</n> glitter: should we then make mirth? it despiseth the <n>Meaning, the sceptre showing that it will not spare the king, who would be as the son of God, and in his place.</n> rod of my son, <n>That is, the rest of the people.</n> [as] every tree.


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And he hath given it to be polished, that it may be handled: the sword is sharpened, and it is polished, to give it into the hand of the <n>That is, to the army of the Chaldeans.</n> slayer.


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Cry and wail, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it [shall be] upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: <n>Read (Eze_6:11).</n> smite therefore upon [thy] thigh.


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Because [it is] a trial, <n>Ezekiel moved with compassion thus complains fearing the destruction of the kingdom which God had confirmed to David and his posterity by promise, which promise God performed although here it seemed to man's eye that it would utterly perish.</n> and what if [the sword] despise even the rod? it shall be no [more], saith the Lord GOD.


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Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite <n>That is, encourage the sword.</n> [thy] hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it [is] the sword of the great [men that are] slain, which entereth into their private chambers.


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I haue brought the feare of the sword into all their gates to make their heart to faint, and to multiplie their ruines. Ah it is made bright, and it is dressed for the slaughter.


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Go thee <n>Provide for yourself: for you will see God's plague of all parts on this country.</n> one way or other, [either] on the right hand, [or] on the left, wherever thy face [is] set.


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Also, thou son of man, mark <n>This was spoken because when Nebuchadnezzar came against Judah his purpose was also to go against the Ammonites, but doubting in the way which enterprise to undertake first he consulted with his soothsayers and so went against Judah.</n> two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both [ways] shall come forth from one land: and choose thou a place, choose [it] at the head of the way to the city.


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Mark a way, that the sword may come to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and <n>That is, to the tribe of Judah that kept themselves in Jerusalem.</n> to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.


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For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made [his] arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in <n>He used conjuring and sorcery.</n> the liver.


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At his right hand was the diuination for Ierusalem to appoint captaines, to open their mouth in the slaughter, and to lift vp their voyce with shouting, to laye engines of warre against the gates, to cast a mount, and to builde a fortresse.


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And it shall be to them <n>Because there was a league between the Jews and the Babylonians, they of Jerusalem will think nothing less than that this thing would come to pass.</n> as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: <n>That is, Nebuchadnezzar will remember the rebellion of Zedekiah, and so come on them.</n> but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.


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Therefore thus sayeth the Lorde God, Because ye haue made your iniquitie to bee remembred, in discouering your rebellion, that in al your workes your sinnes might appeare: because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.


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And thou, profane wicked <n>Meaning, Zedekiah who practised with the Egyptians to make himself high and able to resist the Babylonians.</n> prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity [shall have] an end,


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the <n>Some refer this to the priest's attire: for Jehozadak the priest went into captivity with the king.</n> diadem, and take off the crown: this [shall] not [be] the same: exalt [him that is] low, and abase [him that is] high.


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I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no [more], until he <n>That is, to the coming of Messiah: for though the Jews had some sign of government later under the Persians, Greeks and Romans, yet this restitution was not till Christ's coming and at length would be accomplished as was promised, (Gen_49:10).</n> cometh whose right it is; and I will give it [him].


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And thou, sonne of man, prophecie, and say, Thus saith the Lorde God to the children of Ammon, and to their blasphemie: say thou, I say, The sword, the sword is drawen foorth, and fourbished to the slaughter, to consume, because of the glittering:


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While they see <n>Though the Jews and Ammonites would not believe that you, that is the sword, would come upon them, and said that the prophets who threatened spoke lies, yet you will as surely come as though you were already on their necks.</n> vanity to thee, while they divine a lie to thee, to bring thee upon the necks of [them that are] slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity [shall have] an end.


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Shall I cause it to returne into his sheath? I will iudge thee in the place where thou wast created, euen in the land of thine habitation.


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And I wil powre out mine indignation vpon thee, and will blowe against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliuer thee into the hand of beastly men, and skilfull to destroy.


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Thou shalt bee in the fire to be deuoured: thy blood shall be in the middes of the lande, and thou shalt be no more remembred: for I the Lord haue spoken it.


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Now, thou son of man, wilt thou <n>Are you ready to execute your charge, which I commit to you against Jerusalem that murders the prophets and them that are godly?</n> judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt show her all her abominations.


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Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her <n>That is, the time of her destruction.</n> time may come, and maketh idols against <n>To her own undoing.</n> herself to defile herself.


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Thou hast offended in thy blood, that thou hast shed, &amp; hast polluted thy selfe in thine idols, which thou hast made, and thou hast caused thy dayes to draw neere, &amp; art come vnto thy terme: therefore haue I made thee a reproch to the heathen, and a mocking to all countreys.


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[Those that are] near, and [those that are] far from thee, shall mock thee, [who art] <n>Whose very name all men hate.</n> infamous [and] much troubled.


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In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee <n>He means by this that there was no kind of wickedness which was not committed in Jerusalem and therefore the plagues of God would speedily come on her.</n> have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they oppressed the fatherless and the widow.


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In thee are men that cary tales to shed blood: in thee are they that eate vpon the mountaines: in ye mids of thee they comit abomination.


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In thee haue they discouered their fathers shame: in thee haue they vexed her that was polluted in her floures.


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And euery one hath committed abomination with his neighbours wife, and euery one hath wickedly defiled his daughter in lawe, and in thee hath euery man forced his owne sister, euen his fathers daughter.


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In thee haue they taken giftes to shed blood: thou hast taken vsurie and the encrease, and thou hast defrauded thy neighbours by extortion, &amp; hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.


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Behold, therefore I have <n>In token of my wrath and vengeance.</n> smitten my hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.


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Can thy heart endure, or can thy hands <n>That is, able to defend yourself.</n> be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken [it], and will do [it].


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And I will scatter thee among the nations, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy <n>I will thus take away the occasion of your wickedness.</n> filthiness out of thee.


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And thou shalt take thy <n>You will be no more the inheritance of the Lord, but forsaken.</n> inheritance in thyself in the sight of the nations, and thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD.


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Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become <n>Which before was most precious.</n> dross: all they [are] brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are [even] the dross of silver.


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Therefore, thus sayth the Lorde God, Because ye are all as drosse, beholde, therefore I will gather you in the middes of Ierusalem.


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[As] they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt [it]; so will I gather [you] in my anger and in my fury, and I will leave [you there], <n>Meaning by this that the godly would be tried and the wicked destroyed.</n> and melt you.


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I wil gather you, I say, and blowe the fire of my wrath vpon you, and you shalbe melted in the mids thereof.


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As siluer is melted in the mids of the fornace, so shal ye be melted in the mids thereof, and ye shall knowe, that I the Lord haue powred out my wrath vpon you.


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Son of man, say to her, Thou [art] the land that is not cleansed, <n>You are like a barren land which the Lord plagues with drought.</n> nor rained upon in the day of indignation.


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[There is] a conspiracy <n>The false prophets have conspired together to make their doctrine more probable.</n> of her prophets in the midst of her, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst of her.


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Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned my holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shown [difference] between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their <n>They have neglected my service.</n> eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.


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Her princes in the mids thereof are like wolues, rauening the praye to shed blood, and to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre.


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And her <n>They who would have reproved them, flattered them in their vices and covered their doings with lies. {{See Eze_13:10}}</n> prophets have daubed them with untempered [mortar], seeing vanity, and divining lies to them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.


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The people of the land haue violently oppressed by spoyling and robbing, and haue vexed the poore and the needy: yea, they haue oppressed the stranger against right.


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And I sought for a man among them, that should <n>Who would show himself zealous in my cause by resisting vice, (Isa_59:16) also pray to me to withhold my plagues, (Psa_106:23).</n> make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.


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Therefore haue I powred out mine indignation vpon them, and consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their owne wayes haue I rendred vpon their heads, sayth the Lord God.


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Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one <n>Meaning, Israel and Judah who both came out of one family.</n> mother:


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And they committed harlotries in <n>They became idolaters after the manner of the Egyptians.</n> Egypt; they committed harlotries in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.


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And the names of <n>Aholah signifies a mansion or dwelling in herself, meaning Samaria, which was the royal city of Israel and Aholibah signifies my mansion in her, by which is meant Jerusalem, where God's temple was.</n> them [were] Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters. Thus [were] their names; Samaria [is] Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.


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And Aholah played the harlot when <n>When the Israelites were named the people of God, they became idolaters and forsook God, and put their trust in the Assyrians.</n> she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians [her] neighbours,


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Which were clothed with blewe silke, both captaines and princes: they were all pleasant yong men, and horsemen riding vpon horses.


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Thus she committed her whoredome with them, euen with all them that were the chosen men of Asshur, and with all on whome she doted, and defiled her selfe with all their idoles.


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Neither left she her harlotries [brought] from Egypt: for in her youth they <n>The Holy Spirit uses these terms which seem strange to chaste ears, to cause this wicked vice of idolatry to be so abhorred that no one could stand to hear the name of it.</n> lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their immorality upon her.


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Wherefore I deliuered her into the hands of her louers, euen into the hands of the Assyrians, vpon whome she doted.


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These uncovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became a byword among women; for <n>Meaning the Assyrians.</n> they had executed judgment upon her.


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And when her sister Aholibah sawe this, she marred her selfe with inordinate loue, more then she, and with her fornications more then her sister with her fornications.


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She doted vpon the Assyrians her neighbours, both captaines and princes clothed with diuers sutes, horsemen ryding vpon horses: they were all pleasant yong men.


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And [that] she increased her harlotries: for when she saw men <n>This declares that no words are able to sufficiently express the rage of idolaters and therefore the Holy Spirit here compares them to those who in their raging love and filthy lusts dote on the images and paintings of them after whom they lust.</n> portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,


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And girded with girdles vpon their loynes, and with dyed attyre vpon their heads (looking all like princes after the maner of the Babylonians in Caldea, the land of their natiuitie)


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Nowe when the Babylonians came to her into the bed of loue, they defiled her with their fornication, and she was polluted with them, and her lust departed from them.


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So she discouered her fornication, and disclosed her shame: then mine heart forsooke her, like as mine heart had forsaken her sister.


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Yet she encreased her whoredome more, and called to remembrance ye dayes of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.


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For she doted vpon their seruants whose members are as the members of asses, and whose yssue is like the yssue of horses.


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Thou calledst to remembrance the wickednes of thy youth, when thy teates were bruised by ye Egyptians: therefore ye paps of thy youth are thus.


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Therefore, O Aholibah, thus sayeth the Lord God, Beholde, I will raise vp thy louers against thee, from whome thine heart is departed, and I will bring them against thee on euery side,


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The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, <n>These were the names of certain princes and captains under Nebuchadnezzar.</n> Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, [and] all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.


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Euen these shal come against thee with charets, waggons, and wheeles, and with a multitude of people, which shall set against thee, buckler and shield, and helmet round about: and I will leaue the punishment vnto them, and they shall iudge thee according to their iudgements.


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And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: they shall take away thy <n>They will destroy your princes and priests with the rest of your people.</n> nose and thy ears; and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy remnant shall be devoured by the fire.


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Thus wil I make thy wickednes to cease from thee and thy fornication out of the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift vp thine eyes vnto them, nor remember Egypt any more.


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For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I wil deliuer thee into the hand of them, whome thou hatest: euen into the hands of them from whome thine heart is departed.


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And they shall deal with thee in hatred, and shall take away all thy <n>All your treasures and riches which you have gotten by labour.</n> labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy harlotries <n>All the world will see your shameful forsaking of God to serve idols.</n> shall be uncovered, both thy lewdness and thy harlotries.


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I wil doe these things vnto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idoles.


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Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her <n>I will execute the same judgments and vengeance against you and that with greater severity.</n> cup into thy hand.


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Thus saith ye Lord God, Thou shalt drinke of thy sisters cup, deepe and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorne and had in derision, because it containeth much.


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Thou shalt be filled with <n>Meaning that it's afflictions would be so great that they would cause them to lose their senses and reason.</n> drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of horror and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.


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Thou shalt euen drinke it, and wring it out to the dregges, and thou shalt breake the sheards thereof, and teare thine owne breasts: for I haue spoken it, sayth the Lord God.


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Therefore thus saith the Lorde God, Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behinde thy backe, therefore thou shalt also beare thy wickednes and thy whoredome.


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The Lord sayd moreouer vnto me, Sonne of man, wilt thou iudge Aholah &amp; Aholibah? and wilt thou declare to them their abominations?


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That they have committed adultery, and blood [is] in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass for them through [the fire], to <n>That is, to be sacrifices to their idols, read (Eze_16:20).</n> devour [them].


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Moreouer, thus haue they done vnto me: they haue defiled my Sanctuarie in the same day, and haue prophaned my Sabbaths.


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For when they had slaine their children to their idoles, they came the same day into my Sanctuarie to defile it: and loe, thus haue they done in the middes of mine house.


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And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from <n>They sent into other countries to have such as would teach the service of their idols.</n> far, to whom a messenger [was] sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, didst paint thy eyes, and didst deck thyself with ornaments,


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And satest <n>He means the altar that was prepared for the idols.</n> upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, upon which thou hast set my incense and my oil.


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And a voice of a multitude being at ease [was] with her: and with the men of the common sort [were] brought <n>Who would teach the manner of worshipping their gods.</n> Sabeans from the wilderness, who put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.


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Then I sayd vnto her, that was olde in adulteries, Now shall she and her fornications come to an end.


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And they went in vnto her as they goe to a common harlot: so went they to Aholah and Aholibah the wicked women.


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And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of <n>That is worthy of death, (Eze_16:38).</n> adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they [are] adulteresses, and blood [is] in their hands.


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Wherefore thus sayth the Lord God, I will bring a multitude vpon them, and will giue them vnto the tumult, and to the spoyle,


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And the multitude shall stone them with stones, and cut them with their swordes: they shal slay their sonnes, and their daughters, and burne vp their houses with fire.


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Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all <n>Meaning, all other cities and countries.</n> women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.


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And they shall laye your wickednesse vpon you, and ye shall beare the sinnes of your idoles, and ye shall knowe that I am the Lord God.


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Again in the <n>Of Jeconiah's captivity and of the reign of Zedekiah, (2Ki_25:1).</n> ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the <n>Called Tebeth, which contains part of December and part of January: in which month and day Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem.</n> month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,


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Sonne of man, write thee the name of the day, euen of this same day: for the King of Babel set himselfe against Ierusalem this same day.


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And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a <n>By which was meant Jerusalem.</n> pot, set [it] on, and also pour water into it:


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Gather its <n>That is the citizens and the chief men of it.</n> pieces into it, [even] every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill [it] with the choice bones.


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Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the <n>Meaning, of the innocents whom they had slain, who were the cause of the kindling of God's wrath against them.</n> bones under it, [and] make it boil well, and let them boil its bones in it.


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Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot <n>Whose iniquities and wicked citizens there yet remain.</n> whose scum [is] in it, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out <n>Signifying that they should not be destroyed all at once, but little by little.</n> piece by piece; let no <n>Spare no estate or condition.</n> lot fall upon it.


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For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a <n>The city showed her cruelty to all the world, and was not ashamed of it, neither yet hid it.</n> rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;


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That it might cause wrath to arise, &amp; take vengeance: euen I haue set her blood vpon an high rocke that it should not be couered.


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Heap on wood, <n>Meaning that the city would be utterly destroyed and that he would give the enemies an appetite for it.</n> kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.


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Then set it emptie vpon the coles thereof, that the brasse of it may be hot, and may burne, and that the filthinesse of it may be molten in it, and that the skomme of it may be consumed.


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<n>The city has flattered herself in vain.</n>She hath wearied [herself] with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum [shall be] in the fire.


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In thy filthiness [is] lewdness: because I <n>I laboured by sending my prophets to call you to repentance but you would not.</n> have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.


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I the LORD have spoken [it]: it shall come to pass, and I will do [it]; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall <n>That is, the Babylonians.</n> they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.


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Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the <n>Meaning his wife in whom he delighted, as in (Eze_24:18).</n> desire of thy eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.


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Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind thy turban upon thee, <n>For in mourning they went bare headed and barefooted and also covered their lips.</n> and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not [thy] lips, and eat <n>That is, which the neighbours sent to them that mourned.</n> not the bread of men.


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So I spoke to the people in the morning: and at evening my wife died; and I did <n>Meaning the morning following.</n> in the morning as I was commanded.


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And the people said vnto me, Wilt thou not tell vs what these things meane towarde vs that thou doest so?


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Speak to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will <n>By sending the Chaldeans to destroy it, as in {{See Eze_7:22}}.</n> profane my sanctuary, the <n>In which you boast and delight.</n> excellence of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.


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And ye shall doe as I haue done: ye shall not couer your lippes, neither shall ye eate the bread of men.


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And your tyre shalbe vpon your heads, and your shooes vpon your feete: ye shall not mourne nor weepe, but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourne one toward another.


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Thus Ezekiel is vnto you a signe: according to all that he hath done, ye shall do: and when this commeth, ye shall know that I am the Lord God.


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Also, thou sonne of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their power, ye ioy of their honor, ye pleasure of their eyes, &amp; the desire of their heart, their sonnes &amp; their daughters?


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That he that escapeth in that day, shal come vnto thee to tell thee that which hee hath heard with his eares?


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In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speake, and be no more dumme, &amp; thou shalt be a signe vnto them, and they shall knowe that I am the Lord.


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And say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, <n>Because you rejoiced when the enemy destroyed my city and temple.</n> Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity;


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Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the <n>That is, to the Babylonians.</n> men of the east for a possession, and they shall set their <n>They will chase you away, and take your gorgeous houses to dwell in.</n> palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk.


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And I will make <n>Called also Philadelphin, which was the chief city of the Ammonites and full of conveniences, (2Sa_12:27).</n> Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couchingplace for flocks: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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For thus saith the Lord God, Because thou hast clapped the hands, and stamped with the feete, and reioyced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel,


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Beholde, therefore I will stretche out mine hand vpon thee, and will deliuer thee to be spoyled of the heathen, and I will roote thee out from the people, and I will cause thee to be destroyed out of the countreys, and I will destroy thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.


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Thus saith the Lord God, Because that Moab and Seir doe say, Beholde, the house of Iudah is like vnto all the heathen,


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Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, <n>So that no power or strength should be able to resist the Babylonians.</n> from his cities [which are] on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim,


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I will call the men of the East against the Ammonites, and will giue them in possession, so that the Ammonites shal no more be remembred among the nations,


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Thus sayth the Lorde God, Because that Edom hath done euill by taking vengeance vpon the house of Iudah, and hath committed great offence, and reuenged himselfe vpon them,


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Therefore thus saith the Lorde God, I will also stretch out mine hand vpon Edom, and destroy man and beast out of it, and I will make it desolate from Teman, and they of Dedan shall fall by the sworde.


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And I will execute my vengeance vpon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall doe in Edom according to mine anger, and according to mine indignation, &amp; they shall know my vengeance, sayth the Lord God.


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Thus sayth the Lord God, Because the Philistims haue executed vengeance, and reuenged themselues with a despitefull heart, to destroy it for the olde hatred,


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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out my hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the <n>Which were certain garrisons of Philistines by which they often molested the Jews, of the Cherethims David also had a guard, (2Sa_8:18).</n> Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.


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And I will execute great vengeance vpon them with rebukes of mine indignation, and they shall knowe that I am the Lorde, when I shall lay my vengeance vpon them.


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And it came to pass in the <n>Either of the captivity of Jeconiah or of the reign of Zedekiah.</n> eleventh year, in the first [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came to me, saying,


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Son of man, because that Tyre hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken [that was] the <n>That is, the famous city Jerusalem to which all people resorted.</n> gates of the people: she is turned to me: I shall be <n>My riches and fame will increase: thus the wicked rejoice at their fall by whom they may have any profit or advantage.</n> replenished, [now] she is laid waste:


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Therefore thus sayth the Lorde God, Beholde, I come against thee, O Tyrus, and I will bring vp many nations against thee, as the sea mounteth vp with his waues.


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And they shall destroy the walles of Tyrus and breake downe her towres: I will also scrape her dust from her, &amp; make her like the top of a rocke.


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Thou shalt be for the spreading of nettes in the middes of the sea: for I haue spoken it, sayth the Lord God, and it shalbe a spoile to ye nations.


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And her <n>The towns that belonged to her.</n> daughters who [are] in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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For thus sayth the Lord God, Behold, I will bring vpon Tyrus Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel, a King of Kings from the North, with horses and with charets, and with horsemen, with a multitude and much people.


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He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the fielde, and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift vp the buckler against thee.


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He shall set engins of warre before him against thy walles, and with his weapons breake downe thy towres.


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The dust of his horses shall couer thee, for their multitude: thy walles shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheeles, and of the charets, when he shall enter into thy gates as into the entrie of a citie that is broken downe.


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With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong <n>For Tyre was built by art and by labour of men was won out of the sea. Some refer this to the image of the noble men which they had erected for their glory and renown.</n> garrisons shall go down to the ground.


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And they shall robbe thy riches, and spoyle thy marchandise, and they shall breake downe thy walles, and destroy thy pleasant houses, and they shall cast thy stones and thy timber and thy dust into the middes of the water.


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Thus will I cause the sounde of thy songs to cease, and the sound of thine harpes shall be no more heard.


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And I will make thee like the top of a rock: <n>I will make you so bare that you will have nothing to cover you.</n> thou shalt be [a place] to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken [it], saith the Lord GOD.


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Thus sayth the Lorde God to Tyrus, Shall not the yles tremble at the sounde of thy fall? and at the crie of the wounded, when they shall be slaine and murthered in the middes of thee?


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Then all the princes of the <n>The governors and rulers of other countries that dwell by the sea: by which he signifies that her destruction would be so horrible that all the world would hear of it and be afraid.</n> sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their embroidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at [every] moment, and be astonished at thee.


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And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, [that wast] inhabited <n>Meaning, merchants who by their traffic enriched her wonderfully and increased her power.</n> by seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who cause their terror [to be] on all that dwelt in it!


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Nowe shall the yles be astonished in the day of thy fall: yea, the yles that are in the sea, shall be troubled at thy departure.


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For thus saith the Lord God, When I shall make thee a desolate citie, like ye cities that are not inhabited, and when I shall bring the deepe vpon thee, and great waters shall couer thee,


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When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people <n>Who were dead long ago.</n> of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the <n>Meaning in Judea when it will be restored.</n> living;


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I will bring thee to nothing, &amp; thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou neuer be found againe, sayth the Lord God.


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And say to Tyre, O thou that dwelleth at the entrance of the sea, [which art] a merchant <n>Which serves all the world with your merchandise.</n> of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyre, thou hast said, I [am] of perfect beauty.


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They have made all thy [ship] planks of fir trees of <n>This mountain was called Hermon but the Amorites called it Shenir, (Deu_3:9).</n> Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee.


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[Of] the oaks of Bashan have they made thy oars; the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches [of] ivory, [brought] out of the isles of <n>Which is taken for Greece and Italy.</n> Chittim.


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Fine linen with broydered woorke, brought from Egypt, was spread ouer thee to be thy sayle, blue silke and purple, brought from the yles of Elishah, was thy couering.


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The inhabitants of Zidon, and Aruad were thy mariners, O Tyrus: thy wise men that were in thee, they were thy pilots.


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The ancients of Gebal and its wise [men] were in thee thy <n>Meaning, that they built the walls of the city, which is here meant by the ship: and of these were the builders of Solomon's temple, (1Ki_5:18).</n> calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to exchange thy merchandise.


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They of Persia, and of Lud &amp; of Phut were in thine armie: thy men of warre they hanged the shielde and helmet in thee: they set foorth thy beautie.


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The men of Arvad with thy army [were] upon thy walls on all sides, and the <n>That is they of Cappadocia, or pygmies and dwarfs which were called because from the high towers they seemed little.</n> Gammadims were in thy towers: they hung their shields upon thy walls on every side; they have made thy beauty perfect.


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They of Tarshish were thy marchantes for the multitude of all riches, for siluer, yron, tynne, and leade, which they brought to thy faires.


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<n>Of Greece, Italy and Cappadocia.</n>Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they [were] thy merchants: they traded <n>By selling slaves.</n> in the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.


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They of the house of <n>Which are taken for a people of Asia minor.</n> Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules.


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The men of Dedan [were] thy merchants; many isles [were] the merchandise of thy hand: they brought thee [for] a present <n>Meaning, unicorn's horns and elephant's teeth.</n> horns of ivory and ebony.


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They of Aram were thy marchants for the multitude of thy wares: they occupied in thy faires with emerauds, purple, &amp; broidred worke, and fine linen, and corall, and pearle.


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Judah, and the land of Israel, they [were] thy merchants: they traded in thy market in wheat of <n>Where the best wheat grew.</n> Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm.


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They of Damascus were thy marchants in ye multitude of thy wares, for the multitude of all riches, as in the wine of Helbon and white wooll.


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They of Dan also and of Iauan, going to and fro, occupied in thy faires: yron woorke, cassia and calamus were among thy marchandise.


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They of Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar occupied with thee, in lambes, and rammes and goates: in these were they thy marchants.


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The marchats of Sheba, and Raamah were thy marchantes: they occupied in thy faires with the chiefe of all spices, and with al precious stones and golde.


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These were thy marchants in all sortes of things, in raiment of blewe silke, and of broydred woorke, and in coffers for the rich apparell, which were bound with cordes: chaines also were among thy marchandise.


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The shippes of Tarshish were thy chiefe in thy marchandise, and thou wast replenished and made very glorious in the middes of the sea.


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Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the <n>That is, Nebuchadnezzar.</n> east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the seas.


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Thy riches and thy faires, thy marchandise, thy mariners and pilotes, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy marchandise &amp; al thy men of warre that are in thee, and all thy multitude which is in the middes of thee, shall fall in the middes of the sea in the day of thy ruine.


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The <n>That is, the cities near you, as Zidon, Arund and others.</n> common lands shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots.


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And all that handle the ore, the mariners and al the pilots of the sea shal come downe from their shippes, and shall stand vpon the land,


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And shall cause their voyce to be heard against thee, and shal cry bitterly, and shal cast dust vpon their heads, &amp; wallow theselues in the ashes.


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They shal plucke off their heare for thee &amp; gird them with a sackecloth, and they shal weepe for thee with sorow of heart &amp; bitter mourning.


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And in their mourning, they shal take vp a lametation for thee, saying, What citie is like Tyrus, so destroied in the middes of the sea!


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When thy wares went foorth of the seas, thou filledst many people, &amp; thou diddest enrich the Kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy marchandise.


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When thou shalt be broken by ye seas in the depths of the waters, thy marchandise and all thy multitude, which was in the mids of thee, shal fal.


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All the inhabitantes of the yles shall be astonished at thee, and all their Kings shall be sore afraide and troubled in their countenance.


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The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt be] <n>By which is meant a long time: for it was prophesied to be destroyed but seventy years, (Isa_23:15).</n> any more.


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Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy heart [is] lifted up, and thou hast said, <n>I am safe as God is safe in the heavens and no one can hurt me.</n> I [am] a god, I sit [in] the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou [art] a man, and not God, though thou settest thy heart as the heart of God:


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Behold, thou [art] wiser than <n>Thus he speaks by derision: for Daniel had declared notable signs of his wisdom in Babylon, when Ezekiel wrote this.</n> Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:


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With thy wisedome and thine vnderstanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten golde and siluer into thy treasures.


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By thy great wisedome and by thine occupying hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted vp because of thy riches.


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Therefore thus sayeth the Lorde God, Because thou didest thinke in thine heart, that thou wast equall with God,


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Behold, therefore I wil bring strangers vpon thee, euen the terrible nations: and they shall drawe their swordes against the beautie of thy wisedome, and they shall defile thy brightnes.


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They shall cast thee downe to the pit, and thou shalt die the death of them, that are slaine in the middes of the sea.


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Wilt thou say then before him, that slayeth thee, I am a god? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hands of him that slayeth thee.


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Thou shalt die the deaths of the <n>Like the rest of the heathen and infidels who are God's enemies.</n> uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken [it], saith the Lord GOD.


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Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of <n>He derides the vain opinion and confidence that the Tyrians had in their riches, strength and pleasures.</n> wisdom, and perfect in beauty.


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Thou hast ben in Eden the garden of God: euery precious stone was in thy garment, the rubie, the topaze and the diamonde, the chrysolite, the onix, and the iasper, the saphir, emeraude, and the carbuncle and golde: the woorkemanship of thy timbrels, &amp; of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.


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Thou [art] <n>He means the royal state of Tyre, which for the excellency and glory of it he compares to the cherubim which covered the Ark, and by «anointed» he signifies the same.</n> the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee <n>I did you this honour to make you one of the builders of my temple, which was when Hiram sent to Solomon things necessary for the work.</n> [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the <n>That is, among my people Israel, which shined as precious stones.</n> stones of fire.


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Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast <n>Which was when I first called you to this dignity.</n> created, till iniquity was found in thee.


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By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the <n>You will have no part among my people.</n> mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.


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Thine heart was lifted vp because of thy beautie, and thou hast corrupted thy wisedome by reason of thy brightnes: I wil cast thee to ye grounde: I will lay thee before Kinges that they may beholde thee.


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Thou hast defiled thy <n>That is, the honour to which I called them.</n> sanctuaries by the multitude of thy iniquities, by the iniquity of thy merchandise; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.


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All they that knowe thee among the people, shalbe astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terrour, and neuer shalt thou be any more.


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And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, O Zidon; and I will be <n>By executing my judgments against your wickedness.</n> glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.


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For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her <n>That is Nebuchadnezzar.</n> by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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And they shalbe no more a pricking thorne vnto the house of Israel, nor any grieuous thorne of all that are round about them, and despised them, and they shall knowe that I am the Lorde God.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be <n>He shows why God will assemble his Church and preserve it, though he destroy his enemies: that is, that they should praise him, and give thanks for his great mercies.</n> sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.


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And they shal dwell safely therein, &amp; shall builde houses, and plant vineyards: yea, they shall dwell safely, when I haue executed iudgements vpon al round about them that despise them, and they shall knowe that I am the Lord their God.


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In the <n>That is, of the captivity of Jeconiah, or of the reign of Zedekiah. Of the order of these prophecies, and how the former sometimes stands after the latter. {{See Jer_27:1}}</n> tenth year, in the tenth [month], in the twelfth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,


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Sonne of man, set thy face against Pharaoh the King of Egypt, and prophecie against him, and against all Egypt.


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Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great <n>He compares Pharaoh to a dragon which hides himself in the Nile river, as in (Isa_51:9).</n> dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river [is] my own, and I have made [it] for myself.


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But I will put <n>I will send enemies against you who will pluck you and your people which trust in you out of your sure places.</n> hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick to thy scales, and I will bring thee out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick to thy scales.


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And I will leaue thee in the wildernes, both thee &amp; al the fish of thy riuers: thou shalt fal vpon ye open field: thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: for I haue giue thee for meat to the beasts of the field, and to the foules of heauen.


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And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I [am] the LORD, because they have been a staff of <n>Read (2Ki_18:21; Isa_36:6).</n> reed to the house of Israel.


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When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and tear all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou didst break, and make all their inward parts to <n>When you felt their hurt, they would stay no more on you, but stood on their feet and put their trust in others.</n> shake.


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Therefore thus sayeth the Lorde God, Beholde, I will bring a sworde vpon thee, and destroy man and beast out of thee,


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And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD: because he hath said, <n>Thus God cannot permit man to attribute anything to himself or put his trust in anything save in him alone.</n> The river [is] mine, and I have made [it].


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Behold, therefore I come vpon thee, and vpon thy riuers, &amp; I will make the land of Egypt vtterly waste and desolate from the towre of Seueneh, euen vnto the borders of the blacke Mores.


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No foote of man shall passe by it, nor foote of beast shall passe by it, neither shall it be inhabited fourtie yeeres.


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And I wil make the land of Egypt desolate in the middes of the countries, that are desolate, and her cities shall be desolate among the cities that are desolate, for fourtie yeeres: and I wil scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and wil disperse them through the countreis.


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Yet thus saieth the Lord God, At the end of fourtie yeeres will I gather the Egyptians from the people, where they were scattered,


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And I will bring again the captives of Egypt, and will cause them to return [into] the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a <n>Meaning, that they would not have full dominion but be under the Persians, Greeks and Romans, and the reason is that the Israelites would no more put their trust in them, but learn to depend on God.</n> base kingdom.


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It shall be the smallest of the kingdomes, neither shall it exalt it selfe any more aboue the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule the nations.


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And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth [their] <n>Lest I should by this means punish their sins.</n> iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.


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And it came to pass in the <n>Counting from the captivity of Jeconiah.</n> seven and twentieth year, in the first [month], in the first [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,


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Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great <n>He took great pains at the siege of Tyre and his army was sore handled.</n> service against Tyre: every head [was] made bald, and every shoulder [was] rubbed raw: yet had he no wages, <n>Signifying that Nebuchadnezzar had more pains than profit by the taking of Tyre.</n> nor his army, for Tyre, for the service that he had served against it:


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Therefore thus sayth the Lorde God, Beholde, I will giue the land of Egypt vnto Nebuchad-nezzar the King of Babel, and he shall take her multitude, and spoyle her spoyle, and take her pray, and it shall be the wages for his armie.


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I haue giuen him the land of Egypt for his labour, that he serued against it, because they wrought for me, sayth the Lord God.


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In that day will I cause the horne of the house of Israel to growe, and I will giue thee an open mouth in the middes of them, and they shall knowe that I am the Lord.


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For the day is neere, &amp; the day of the Lord is at hand, a cloudie day, and it shall be the time of the heathen.


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And the sword shall come vpon Egypt, and feare shall be in Ethiopia, when the slaine shall fall in Egypt, when they shall take away her multitude, and when her foundations shall be broken downe.


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<n>By Phut and Lud are meant Africa and Libya.</n>Cush, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.


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Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of <n>Which was a strong city of Egypt, (Eze_29:10).</n> Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.


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And they shall be desolate in the middes of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the middes of the cities that are wasted.


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And they shall knowe that I am the Lord, when I haue set a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed.


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In that day shall there messengers go forth from me in shippes, to make the carelesse Mores aftaide, and feare shall come vpon them, as in the day of Egypt: for loe, it commeth.


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Thus sayth the Lord God, I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel.


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For he and his people with him, euen the terrible nations shall be brought to destroy the land: and they shall drawe their swordes against Egypt, and fill the land with the slaine.


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And I will make the riuers drye, and fell the land into the hands of the wicked, and I will make the land waste, and all that therein is by the hands of strangers: I the Lord haue spoken it.


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Thus saith the Lord God, I will also destroy the idoles, and I will cause their idoles to cease out of Noph, and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt, and I will send a feare in the land of Egypt.


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And I will powre my wrath vpon Sin, which is the strength of Egypt: and I will destroy the multitude of No.


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And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall haue great sorowe and No shalbe destroyed, and Noph shall haue sorowes dayly.


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The yong men of Auen, and of Phibeseth shall fall by the sworde: and these cities shall goe into captiuitie.


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At Tehaphnehes also the day <n>Meaning that there will be great sorrow and affliction.</n> shall be darkened, when I shall break there the <n>That is, the strength and force.</n> yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.


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And it came to pass in the <n>Of the captivity of Jeconiah, or of Zedekiah's reign.</n> eleventh year, in the first [month], in the seventh [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came to me, saying,


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Son of man, <n>For Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Pharaoh Nebo at Carchemish, (Jer_46:26).</n> I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a bandage to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.


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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break <n>His force and power.</n> his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.


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And I will strengthen the arme of the King of Babel, and put my sworde in his hand, but I will breake Pharaohs armes, and he shall cast out sighings, as the sighings of him, that is wounded before him.


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But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD, <n>By which we see that tyrants have no power of themselves, neither can do any more harm than God appoints and when he wills they must cease.</n> when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.


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And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, &amp; disperse them among ye countreys, and they shall knowe, that I am the Lord.


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And it came to pass in the <n>Of Zedekiah's reign, or of Jeconiah's captivity.</n> eleventh year, in the third [month], in the first [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came to me, saying,


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Son of man, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou <n>Meaning that he was not the same in strength to the king of the Assyrians whom the Babylonians overcame.</n> like in thy greatness?


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Beholde, Asshur was like a cedar in Lebanon with faire branches, &amp; with thicke shadowing boughes, and shot vp very hye, and his toppe was among the thicke boughes.


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The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round his plants, and sent out her <n>Many other nations were under their dominion.</n> little rivers to all the trees of the field.


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Therefore his height was exalted aboue all the trees of the fielde, and his boughes were multiplied, and his branches were long, because of the multitude of the waters, which the deepe sent out.


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All the foules of the heauen made their nestes in his boughes, and vnder his branches did all the beastes of the fielde bring foorth their yong, and vnder his shadowe dwelt all mightie nations.


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Thus was he faire in his greatnesse, and in the length of his branches: for his roote was neere great waters.


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The cedars in the garden <n>Signifying that there was no greater power in the world than his was.</n> of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; not any tree in the garden of God was like him in his beauty.


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I made him faire by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, enuied him.


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Therefore thus sayeth the Lorde God, Because he is lift vp on high, and hath shot vp his toppe among the thicke boughes, and his heart is lift vp in his height,


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I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the <n>That is, of Nebuchadnezzar, who was the monarch and only ruler of the world.</n> mighty one of the nations; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.


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And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are <n>By this is signified the destruction of the power of the Assyrians by the Babylonians.</n> broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth have gone down from his shadow, and have left him.


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Vpon his ruine shall all the foules of the heauen remaine, and all the beastes of the fielde shall be vpon his branches,


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So that none of all the trees by the waters shalbe exalted by their height, neither shall shoote vp their toppe among the thicke boughes, neither shall their leaues stand vp in their height, which drinke so much water: for they are all deliuered vnto death in the nether partes of the earth in the middes of the children of men among them that goe downe to the pit.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I <n>The deep waters that caused him to mount so high (meaning his great abundance and pomp) will now lament as though they were covered with sackcloth.</n> covered the deep for him, and I restrained its floods, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.


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I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to the grave with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall <n>To cause this destruction of the king of Assyria to seem more horrible, he sets forth other kings and princes who are dead, as though they rejoiced at the fall of such a tyrant.</n> be comforted in the lower parts of the earth.


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They also went downe to hell with him vnto them that be slaine with the sworde, and his arme, and they that dwelt vnder his shadowe in the middes of the heathen.


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To whom <n>Meaning that Pharaoh's power was nothing so great as his was.</n> art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the <n>Read (Eze_28:10).</n> uncircumcised with [them that are] slain by the sword. This [is] Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.


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And it came to pass in the <n>Which was the first year of the general captivity under Zedekiah.</n> twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came to me, saying,


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Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him, Thou art like a young <n>Thus the scriptures compare tyrants to cruel and huge beasts which devour all that are weaker than they and such as they may overcome.</n> lion of the nations, and thou [art] as a whale in the seas: and thou didst come forth with thy rivers, and didst <n>You prepared great armies.</n> trouble the waters with thy feet, and didst foul their rivers.


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Thus sayth the Lord God, I will therefore spread my net ouer thee with a great multitude of people, and they shall make thee come vp into my net.


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Then will I leaue thee vpon the land, and I will cast thee vpon the open field, and I wil cause all the foules of the heauen to remaine vpon thee, and I will fill all the beastes of the field with thee.


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And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys <n>With heaps of the carcass of your army.</n> with thy height.


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I will also water with thy blood the land in which thou <n>As the Nile overflows in Egypt, so will I make the blood of your host overflow it.</n> swimmest, [even] to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.


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And when I shall <n>The word signifies to be put out as a candle is put out.</n> put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.


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All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set <n>By this manner of speech is meant the great sorrow that will be for the slaughter of the king and his people.</n> darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.


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I will also trouble the heartes of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations and vpon the countries which thou hast not knowen.


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Yea, I will make many people amased at thee, and their Kings shalbe astonished with feare for thee, when I shall make my sworde to glitter against their faces, and they shall be afraide at euery moment: euery man for his owne life in the day of thy fall.


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By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall lay waste the <n>This came to pass in less than four years after this prophecy.</n> pomp of Egypt, and all its multitude shall be destroyed.


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I will destroy also all the beastes thereof from the great watersides, neither shall the foote of man trouble them any more, nor the hooues of beast trouble them.


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Then will I make <n>That is, of the Chaldeans your enemies, who will quietly enjoy all your conveniences.</n> their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord GOD.


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When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the countrey with all that is therein, shall be laid waste: when I shall smite all them which dwell therein, then shall they know that I am ye Lord.


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This is the mourning wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for Egypt, and for all her multitude, sayeth the Lord God.


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In the twelfth yeere also in the fifteenth day of the moneth, came the worde of the Lorde vnto me, saying,


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Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and <n>That is, prophecy that they will be cast down: thus the Lord gives his prophets power both to plant and to destroy by his word, read (Jer_1:10).</n> cast them down, [even] her, and the daughters of the famous nations, to the lower parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit.


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Whom dost thou pass <n>Have not other kingdoms more beautiful than you perished?</n> in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.


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They shall fall in the midst of [them that are] slain by the sword: <n>That is, Egypt.</n> she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes.


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The strong among the mighty shall speak to <n>To make the matter more sensible, he brings in Pharaoh whom the dead will meet and marvel at him, read (Isa_14:9).</n> him out of the midst of the grave with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.


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Asshur is there and all his companie: their graues are about him: all they are slaine and fallen by the sworde.


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Whose graues are made in the side of the pit, and his multitude are rounde about his graue: all they are slaine and fallen by the sworde, which caused feare to be in the land of the liuing.


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There [is] <n>Meaning the Persians.</n> Elam and all her multitude around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone down uncircumcised into the lower parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the <n>Whom in his life all the world feared.</n> living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.


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They haue made his bed in the mids of the slaine with al his multitude: their graues are round about him: all these vncircucised are slaine by the sworde: though they haue caused their feare in the land of ye liuing, yet haue they borne their shame with them that goe downe to the pitte: they are laide in the middes of them, that be slaine.


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There [is] <n>That is, the Capadocians and Italians or Spaniards, as Josephus writes.</n> Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves [are] around him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living.


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And they shall not lie with the mighty [that are] fallen <n>Who died not by cruel death but by the course of nature, and are honourably buried with their coat of armour and signs of honour.</n> of the uncircumcised, who are gone down to the grave 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.


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Yea, thou shalt be broken in the middes of the vncircumcised, and lie with them that are slaine by the sworde.


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There is Edom, his Kings, and all his princes, which with their strength are laied by them that were slaine by the sworde: they shall sleepe with the vncircumcised, and with them that goe downe to the pit.


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There [are] the princes of the <n>The kings of Babylon.</n> north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, who are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with [them that are] slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.


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Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be <n>As the wicked rejoice when they see others partakers of their miseries.</n> comforted over all his multitude, [even] Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.


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For I have caused my <n>I will make the Egyptians afraid of me, as they caused others to fear them.</n> 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.


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Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say to them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their territory, and set him for their <n>He shows that the people ought to continually have governors and teachers who may have a care over them, and to warn them ever of the dangers which are at hand.</n> watchman:


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Then hee that heareth the sounde of the trumpet, and will not bee warned, if the sworde come, and take him away, his blood shall be vpon his owne head.


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For he heard the sound of the trumpet, and woulde not bee admonished: therefore his blood shall be vpon him: but he that receiueth warning, shall saue his life.


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But if the watchman shall see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword shall come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his <n>Signifying that the wicked will not escape punishment though the watchman is negligent: but if the watchman blows the trumpet, and then he will not obey, he will deserve double punishment.</n> iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.


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So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my <n>Which teaches that he that receives not his charge at the Lord's mouth is a spy and not a true watchman.</n> mouth, and warn them from me.


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When I say to the wicked, O wicked [man], thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I <n>The watchman must answer for the blood of all that perish through his negligence.</n> require at thy hand.


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Neuerthelesse, If thou warne the wicked of his way, to turne from it, if he doe not turne from his way, he shall die for his iniquitie, but thou hast deliuered thy soule.


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Therefore, O thou son of man, speak to the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins [are] upon us, and we pine away in them, <n>Thus the wicked when they hear God's judgments for their sins, despair of his mercies and murmur.</n> how should we then live?


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Say to them, [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, <n>{{See Eze_18:23}}</n> I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked should turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?


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Therefore, thou son of man, say to the children of thy people, The <n>Read of this righteousness, (Eze_18:21, Eze_18:24).</n> righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his [righteousness] in the day that he sinneth.


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When I shal say vnto the righteous, that he shall surely liue, if he trust to his owne righteousnes, and commit iniquitie, all his righteousnes shal be no more remembred, but for his iniquitie that he hath committed, he shall die for the same.


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Again, when I say to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he shall turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and <n>By this he condemns them all of hypocrisy, who pretend to forsake wickedness and yet do not declare themselves such by their fruits, that is, in obeying God's commandments and by godly life.</n> right;


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To wit, if the wicked restore the pledge, and giue againe that he had robbed, and walke in the statutes of life, without committing iniquitie, he shall surely liue, and not die.


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None of his sinnes that he hath comitted, shal be mentioned vnto him: because he hath done that, which is lawful, and right, he shal surely liue.


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Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equall: but their owne way is vnequall.


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When the righteous turneth from his righteousnesse, and committeth iniquitie, he shall euen die thereby.


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But if the wicked returne from his wickednesse, and doe that which is lawfull and right, hee shall liue thereby.


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Yet yee say, The way of the Lord is not equall. O ye house of Israel, I will iudge you euery one after his waies.


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And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our <n>When the prophet was led away captive with Jeconiah.</n> captivity, in the tenth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, [that] one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, The city is smitten.


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Now the <n>I was endued with the Spirit of prophecy, (Eze_3:22).</n> hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, before he that had escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my <n>By which is signified that the ministers of God cannot give them courage and open their mouths, (Eze_24:27, Eze_29:21; Eph_6:19).</n> mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.


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Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, <n>Thus the wicked think themselves more worthy to enjoy God's promises than the saints of God, to whom they were made: and would bind God to be subject to them, though they would not be bound to him.</n> Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we [are] many; the land is given to us for inheritance.


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Wherefore say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the <n>Contrary to the law, (Lev_17:14).</n> blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?


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Ye stand upon your <n>As they that are ready still to shed blood.</n> sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?


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Say thus vnto them, Thus saieth the Lorde God, As I liue, so surely they that are in the desolate places, shall fall by the sword: and him that is in the open field, will I giue vnto the beasts to be deuoured: and they that be in the forts and in the caues, shall die of the pestilence.


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For I will lay the land desolate and waste, and the pompe of her strength shall cease: and the moutaines of Israel shalbe desolate, and none shall passe through.


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Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I haue laid ye land desolate &amp; wast, because of al their abominations, that they haue committed.


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Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are <n>In derision.</n> talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.


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And they come to thee as the people come, and they sit before thee [as] my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they <n>This declares that we ought to hear God's word with such zeal and affection that we should in all points obey it, else we abuse the word to our own condemnation and make of its ministers as though they were jesters to serve men's foolish fantasies.</n> show much love, [but] their heart goeth after their covetousness.


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And loe, thou art vnto them, as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce, and can sing well: for they heare thy woordes, but they doe them not.


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And when this commeth to passe (for loe, it will come) then shall they know, that a Prophet hath bene among them.


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Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD to the shepherds; Woe [be] to the <n>By the shepherds he means the king, the magistrates, priests and prophets.</n> shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?


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Ye eat the <n>You seek to enrich yourselves by their conveniences and to spoil their riches and substance.</n> fat, and ye clothe yourselves with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: [but] ye feed not the flock.


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The <n>He describes the office and duty of a good pastor who ought to love and comfort his flock and not be cruel toward them.</n> diseased ye have not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up [that which was] broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.


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And they were scattered, because [there is] no shepherd: and they <n>For lack of good government and doctrine they perished.</n> became food to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.


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My sheepe wandred through all the mountaines, and vpon euery hie hill: yea, my flocke was scattered through al the earth, and none did seeke or search after them.


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As I liue, sayeth the Lorde God, surely because my flocke was spoyled, and my sheepe were deuoured of all the beasts of the fielde, hauing no shepherde, neither did my shepherdes seeke my sheepe, but the shepherdes fedde them selues, and fedde not my sheepe,


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from <n>By destroying the covetous hirelings and restoring true shepherds of which we have a sign so often as God sends true preachers, who both by doctrine and life labour to feed his sheep in the pleasant pastures of his word.</n> their mouth, that they may not be food for them.


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As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep [that are] scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in <n>In the day of their affliction and misery: and this promise is to comfort the Church in all dangers.</n> the cloudy and dark day.


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And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countreis, and will bring them to their owne lande, and feede them vpon the mountaines of Israel, by the riuers, and in all the inhabited places of the countrey.


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I will feede them in a good pasture, and vpon the hie mountaines of Israel shal their folde be: there shall they lie in a good folde and in fat pasture shall they feede vpon the mountaines of Israel.


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I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up [that which was] broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the <n>Meaning such as lift up themselves above their brethren and think they have no need to be governed by me.</n> strong; I will feed them with <n>That is, by putting difference between the good and the bad, and so give to either as they deserve.</n> judgment.


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Also you my sheepe, Thus saieth the Lorde God, behold, I iudge betweene sheepe, &amp; sheepe, betweene the rammes and the goates.


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[Seemeth it] a small thing to you to have eaten up the good <n>By good pasture and deep waters is meant the pure word of God and the administration of justice which they did not distribute to the poor till they had corrupted it.</n> pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures? and to have drank of the deep waters, but ye must foul the rest with your feet?


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And my sheepe eate that which yee haue troden with your feete, and drinke that which ye haue troubled with your feete.


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Therefore thus sayth the Lorde God vnto them, behold, I, euen I wil iudge betweene the fat sheepe and the leane sheepe.


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Because ye haue thrust with side and with shoulder, &amp; pusht al the weake with your hornes, till ye haue scattered them abroade,


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Therefore wil I helpe my sheepe, and they shal no more be spoyled, &amp; I wil iudge betweene sheepe and sheepe.


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And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, [even] my servant <n>Meaning Christ, of whom David was a figure, {{See Jer_30:9}}</n> David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.


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And I the Lord will be their God, and my seruant Dauid shalbe the prince amog them. I the Lord haue spoken it.


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And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall <n>This declares that under Christ the flock would be truly delivered from sin and hell, and so be safely preserved in the Church where they would never perish.</n> dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.


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And I wil set them, as a blessing, euen roud about my mountaine: and I will cause rayne to come downe in due season, &amp; there shalbe raine of blessing.


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And the <n>The fruit of God's grace will appear in great abundance in his Church.</n> tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that subjected them to service.


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And they shall no more be spoyled of the heathen, neither shall the beastes of the land deuoure them, but they shal dwell safely and none shal make them afrayd.


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And I will raise up for them a <n>That is, the rod that will come out of the root of Jesse, (Isa_11:1).</n> plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the nations any more.


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Thus shall they vnderstande, that I the Lorde their God am with them, and that they, euen the house of Israel, are my people, sayth the Lord God.


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Son of man, set thy face against mount <n>Where the Idumeans dwelt.</n> Seir, and prophesy against it,


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And say vnto it, Thus sayth the Lord God, Behold, O mount Seir, I come against thee, and I wil stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee desolate and waste.


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Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed [the blood of] the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time [that their] <n>When by their punishment I called them from their iniquity.</n> iniquity [had] an end:


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Therefore, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee to blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast not <n>Except you repent your former cruelty.</n> hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.


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Thus will I make mount Seir desolate and waste, and cut off from it him that passeth out &amp; him that returneth.


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And I will fill his mountaines with his slayne men: in thine hilles, and in thy valleys and in all thy riuers shal they fall, that are slayne with the sworde.


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I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not <n>That is, to their former estate.</n> return: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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Because thou hast said, <n>Meaning, Israel and Judah.</n> These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; though the LORD was <n>And so by fighting against God's people they should go about to put him out of his own possession.</n> there:


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Therefore, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thy <n>As you have done cruelly, so will you be cruelly handled.</n> anger, and according to thy envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among <n>Showing that when God punishes the enemies, the godly ought to consider that he has a care over them and so praise his name: and also that the wicked rage as though there were no God, till they feel his hand to their destruction.</n> them, when I have judged thee.


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And thou shalt know, that I the Lord haue heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountaines of Israel, saying, They lye waste, they are giuen vs to be deuoured.


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Thus with your mouthes ye haue boasted against me, &amp; haue multiplied your words against me: I haue heard them.


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As thou diddest reioyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I doe vnto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea wholly, &amp; they shall know, that I am the Lord.


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Also thou sonne of man, prophesie vnto the mountaines of Israel, &amp; say, Ye mountaines of Israel, heare the word of the Lord.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the <n>That is, the Idumean.</n> enemy had said against you, Aha, even the ancient <n>That is Jerusalem, which for God's promises was the chief of all the world.</n> high places are ours in possession:


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Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made [you] desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession to the rest of the nations, and ye are taken up in the lips of <n>You are made a matter of talk and derision to all the world.</n> talkers, and [are] an infamy of the people:


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Therefore ye mountaines of Israel, heare the worde of the Lord God, Thus sayth the Lord God to the mountaines &amp; to the hilles, to the riuers, and to the valleys, and to the waste, and desolate places, and to the cities that are forsaken: which are spoyled &amp; had in derision of the residue of the heathen that are round about.


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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who have <n>They appointed with themselves to have it, and therefore came with Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem for this purpose.</n> appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all [their] heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.


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Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the <n>Because you have been a laughing stock to them.</n> shame of the nations:


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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have <n>By making a solemn oath. {{See Eze_20:5}}</n> lifted up my hand, Surely the nations that [are] about you, they shall bear their shame.


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But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall <n>God declares his mercies and goodness toward his Church, who still preserves his, even when he destroys his enemies.</n> shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are soon to come.


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And I wil multiply the men vpon you, euen all the house of Israel wholly, &amp; the cities shalbe inhabited, &amp; the desolate places shalbe builded.


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And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you according to your old estates, and will do better [to you] than <n>Which was accomplished under Christ, to whom all these temporal deliverances directed them.</n> at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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Yea, I will cause men to walk <n>That is, on the mountains of Jerusalem.</n> upon you, [even] my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them [of men].


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they say to you, Thou <n>This the enemies imputed as the reproach of the land, which God did for the sins of the people according to his just judgments.</n> [land] devourest men, and hast bereaved thy nations;


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Neither will I cause men to heare in thee the shame of the heathen any more, neither shalt thou beare the reproche of the people any more, neither shalt cause thy folke to fal any more, saith the Lord God.


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Sonne of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their owne lande, they defiled it by their owne wayes, &amp; by their deedes: their way was before me as the filthinesse of the menstruous.


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Wherfore I powred my wrath vpon them, for the blood that they had shed in the land, and for their idoles, wherewith they had polluted it.


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And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries for according to their wayes, and according to their deedes, I iudged them.


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And when they entred vnto the heathen, whither they went, they polluted mine holy Name, when they sayd of them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone out of his land.


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But I had pity for my holy <n>And therefore would not permit my Name to be had in contempt, as the heathen would have reproached me, if I had allowed my Church to perish.</n> name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, to which they went.


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Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not [this] for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for my <n>This excludes from man all dignity and means to deserve anything by, seeing that God refers the whole to himself and that only for the glory of his holy Name.</n> holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the nations, to which ye went.


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And I wil sanctifie my great Name, which was polluted among the heathen, among whome you haue polluted it, and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, sayth the Lorde God, when I shalbe sanctified in you before their eyes.


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For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your owne land.


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Then will I sprinkle clean <n>That is, his spirit by which he reforms the heart and regenerates his. {{See Isa_44:3}}</n> water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.


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A newe heart also will I giue you, and a new spirit wil I put within you, and I will take away the stonie heart out of your body, and I will giue you an heart of flesh.


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And I will put my spirite within you, and cause you to walke in my statutes, and ye shall keepe my iudgements and do them.


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And ye shall dwell in the land, that I gaue to your fathers, and ye shalbe my people, &amp; I will be your God.


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I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the <n>Under the abundance of temporal benefits he concludes the spiritual graces.</n> grain, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.


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For I will multiplie the fruite of the trees, &amp; the increase of the fielde, that ye shal beare no more the reproch of famine among the heathen.


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Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that [were] not good, and shall <n>You will come to true repentance and think yourselves unworthy to be of the number of God's creatures, for your ingratitude against him.</n> lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.


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Be it knowen vnto you that I do not this for your sakes, sayth the Lord God: therefore, O ye house of Israel, be ashamed, and confounded for your owne wayes.


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Thus sayth the Lord God, What time as I shall haue clensed you from all your iniquities, I will cause you to dwel in the cities, &amp; the desolate places shalbe builded.


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For they sayd, This waste land was like the garden of Eden, and these waste &amp; desolate and ruinous cities were strong, and were inhabited.


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Then the nations that are left around you shall <n>He declares that it ought not to be referred to the soil or plentifulness of the earth that any country is rich and abundant, but only to God's mercies, as his plagues and curses declare, when he makes it barren.</n> know that I the LORD build the ruined [places, and] plant that which was desolate: I the LORD have spoken [it], and I will do [it].


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Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be sought of ye house of Israel, to performe it vnto them: I wil encrease them with men like a flocke.


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As the holy flocke, as the flocke of Ierusalem in their solemne feastes, so shall the desolate cities be filled with flockes of men, and they shal know, that I am the Lord.


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The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of <n>He shows by a great miracle that God has power and will deliver his people from their captivity, in as much as he is able to give life to the dead bones and bodies and raise them up again.</n> bones,


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And he led me round about by them, and beholde, they were very many in the open fielde, and lo, they were very drie.


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And he sayde vnto me, Sonne of man, can these bones liue? And I answered, O Lorde God, thou knowest.


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Againe he sayde vnto me, Prophecie vpon these bones and say vnto them, O ye dry bones, heare the word of the Lord.


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Thus saith the Lord God vnto these bones, Behold, I wil cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall liue.


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And I will lay sinewes vpon you, &amp; make flesh growe vpon you, &amp; couer you with skinne, and put breath in you, that ye may liue, and yee shal know that I am the Lord.


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So I prophecied, as I was commanded: and as I prophecied, there was a noyse, and beholde, there was a shaking, &amp; the bones came together, bone to his bone.


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And when I beheld, loe, the sinewes, &amp; the flesh grewe vpon them, and aboue, the skinne couered them, but there was no breath in them.


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Then said he to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four <n>Signifying all places where the Israelites were scattered that is, the faithful will be brought to the same unity of spirit and doctrine wherever they are scattered through the world.</n> winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.


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So I prophecied as hee had commaunded me: and the breath came into them, and they liued, and stood vp vpon their feete, an exceeding great armie.


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Then he sayd vnto me, Sonne of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is gone, and we are cleane cut off.


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Therefore prophecie, and say vnto them, Thus saith the Lorde God, Beholde, my people, I will open your graues, and cause you to come vp out of your sepulchres, and bring you into the lande of Israel,


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And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, <n>That is, when I have brought you out of those places and towns where you are captives.</n> when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you out of your graves,


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And shall put my Spirit in you, and ye shall liue, and I shal place you in your owne land: then yee shall knowe that I the Lorde haue spoken it, and performed it, sayth the Lord.


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Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take <n>Which signifies the joining together of the two houses of Israel and Judah.</n> another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and [for] all the house of Israel his companions:


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And when the children of thy people shall speake vnto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shewe vs what thou meanest by these?


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Say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick <n>That is, the house of Israel.</n> of Joseph, which [is] in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, [even] with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.


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And say vnto them, Thus saith the Lorde God, Beholde, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and wil gather them on euery side, &amp; bring them into their owne land.


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And I will make them one people in the lande, vpon the mountaines of Israel, and one king shalbe king to them all: and they shalbe no more two peoples, neither bee deuided any more henceforth into two kingdomes.


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Neither shall they bee polluted any more with their idoles, nor with their abominatios, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will saue them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they haue sinned, and will clense them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.


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And Dauid my seruant shalbe king ouer them, and they all shall haue one shepheard: they shall also walke in my iudgements, and obserue my statutes, and doe them.


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And they shall dwell in the <n>Meaning that the elect by Christ will dwell in heaven by Jerusalem, which is meant by the land of Canaan.</n> land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell in it, [even] they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David [shall be] their prince for ever.


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Moreouer, I will make a couenant of peace with them: it shall be an euerlasting couenant with them, and I wil place them, and multiply them, and wil set my Sanctuarie among them for euermore.


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Thus the heathen shall knowe, that I the Lord do sanctifie Israel, when my Sanctuarie shall be among them for euermore.


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Son of man, set thy face against <n>Who were a people that came from Magog the son of Japheth, (Gen_10:2). Magog also here signifies a certain country so that by these two countries which had the government of Greece and Italy he means the principal enemies of the Church, (Rev_20:8).</n> Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,


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And say, Thus sayth the Lord God, Behold, I come against thee, O Gog the chiefe prince of Meshech and Tubal.


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And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thy army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts [of armour, even] a great company [with] bucklers and shields, all of them <n>He shows that the enemy would bend themselves against the Church but it would be to their own destruction.</n> handling swords:


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<n>The Persians, Ethiopians and men of Africa.</n>Persia, Cush, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:


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<n>Gomer was Japheth's son, and Togarmah the son of Gomer, and are thought to be they that inhabited Asia Minor.</n>Gomer, and all his troops; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his troops: [and] many people with thee.


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Be thou prepared, and <n>Signifying that all the people of the world would assemble themselves against the Church and Christ their head.</n> prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled to thee, and be thou a guard to them.


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After many dayes thou shalt bee visited: for in the latter yeres thou shalt come into the land, that hath bene destroyed with the sworde, and is gathered out of many people vpon the mountaines of Israel, which haue long lien waste: yet they haue bene brought out of the people, and they shall dwell all safe.


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Thou shalt ascende and come vp like a tempest, and shalt be like a cloude to couer the land, both thou, and all thy bandes, and many people with thee.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, [that] at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an <n>That is, to molest and destroy the Church.</n> evil thought:


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And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; <n>Meaning Israel, which had now been destroyed and was not yet built again: declaring by this the simplicity of the godly, who seek not so much to fortify themselves by outward force, as to depend on the providence and goodness of God.</n> I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,


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Thinking to spoyle the pray, and to take a bootie, to turne thine hande vpon the desolate places that are nowe inhabited, and vpon the people, that are gathered out of the nations which haue gotten cattell and goods, and dwell in the middes of the land.


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Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its young lions, shall say to thee, <n>One enemy will envy another because everyone will think to have the spoil of the Church.</n> Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?


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Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel <n>Will you not spy your opportunity to come against my Church when they suspect nothing?</n> dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know [it]?


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And come fro thy place out of the North partes, thou and much people with thee? All shall ride vpon horses, euen a great multitude and a mightie armie.


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And thou shalt come against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the <n>Meaning in the last age, and from the coming of Christ to the end of the world.</n> latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the nations may know me, when I <n>Signifying that God will be sanctified by maintaining his church, and destroying his enemies, as in (Eze_36:23, Eze_37:28).</n> shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; [Art] thou he of whom I have spoken of old <n>By this he declares that no affliction can come to the Church of which they have not been advertised before to teach them to endure all things with more patience when they know that God has so ordained.</n> by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days [many] years that I would bring thee against them?


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At the same time also whe Gog shal come against the land of Israel, sayth the Lord God, my wrath shall arise in mine anger.


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For in mine indignation and in the fire of my wrath haue I spoken it: surely at that time there shalbe a great shaking in the land of Israel,


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So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping animals that creep upon the earth, and all the men that [are] upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be overturned, and the <n>All means by which man would think to save himself will fail, the affliction in those days will be so great, and the enemies destruction will be so terrible.</n> steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.


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And I will call for a sword against him <n>Against the people of God and Magog.</n> throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.


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And I will pleade against him with pestilence, and with blood, and I will cause to raine vpon him and vpon his bands, and vpon the great people, that are with him, a sore raine, and hailestones, fire, and brimstone.


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Thus will I be magnified, and sanctified, and knowen in the eyes of many nations, &amp; they shall knowe, that I am the Lord.


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Therefore, thou sonne of man, prophecie against Gog, and say, Thus sayeth the Lorde God, Behold, I come against thee, O Gog, ye chiefe prince of Meshech and Tubal.


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And I will turn thee back, <n>Or, destroy you with six plagues, as in (Eze_38:22).</n> and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:


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And I will smite thy bowe out of thy left hand, and I will cause thine arrowes to fall out of thy right hand.


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Thou <n>Meaning that by the virtue of God's word the enemy will be destroyed wherever he assails his Church.</n> shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy troops, and the people that [are] with thee: I will give thee to the ravenous birds of every sort, and [to] the beasts of the field to be devoured.


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And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell securely in the <n>That is, among all nations where the enemies of my people dwell, no matter how separate they seem.</n> isles: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.


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So will I make mine holy Name knowen in the middes of my people Israel, and I will not suffer them to pollute mine holy Name any more, and the heathen shal knowe that I am the Lord, the holy one of Israel.


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Behold, <n>That is, this plague is fully determined in my counsel and cannot be changed.</n> it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this [is] the day of which I have spoken.


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And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall <n>After this destruction the Church will have great peace and tranquillity and burn all their weapons because they will no more fear the enemies. This chiefly refers to the accomplishment of Christ's kingdom when by their head Christ all enemies will be overcome.</n> go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the javelins, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:


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So that they shall bring no wood out of the fielde, neither cut downe any out of the forestes: for they shall burne the weapons with fire, and they shall robbe those that robbed them, and spoyle those that spoyled them, sayeth the Lorde God.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will give to Gog <n>Which declares that the enemies will have a horrible fall.</n> a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the travellers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the <n>For the stink of the carcasses.</n> [noses] of the travellers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call [it] The valley of Hamongog.


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<n>Meaning a long time.</n>And seven months shall the house of Israel be in burying them, that they may cleanse the land.


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Yea, all the people of the lande shall burie them, and they shall haue a name when I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God.


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And they shall set apart men for [the] continual task of passing through the <n>Partly that the holy land should not be polluted and partly for the compassion that the children of God have even on their enemies.</n> land to bury with the travellers those that remain upon the face of the land, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.


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And the trauailers that passe through the land, if any see a mans bone, then shall he set vp a signe by it, till the buriers haue buried it, in the valley of Hamon-Gog.


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And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak to every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; <n>By which he signifies the horrible destruction that would come on the enemies of his Church.</n> gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, [even] a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.


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Ye shall eate the flesh of the valiant, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of the weathers, of the lambes, and of the goates, and of bullockes, euen of all fat beastes of Bashan.


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And ye shall eate fat till you be full, and drinke blood, till ye be drunken of my sacrifice, which I haue sacrificed for you.


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Thus you shalbe filled at my table with horses and chariots, with valiant men, and with al men of warre, sayth the Lord God.


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And I wil set my glory among the heathe, and all the heathen shall see my iudgement, that I haue executed, and mine hand, which I haue layed vpon them.


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And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for <n>The heathen will know that they did not overcome my people by their strength, neither yet by the weakness of my arm, but that this was for my people's sins.</n> their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore I hid my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so they all fell by the sword.


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According to their vncleannes, and according to their transgressions haue I done vnto the, and hid my face from them.


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Therefore thus sayth the Lord God, Nowe will I bring againe the captiuitie of Iaakob, and haue compassion vpon the whole house of Israel, and wil be ielous for mine holy Name,


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After that they haue borne their shame, &amp; all their transgression, whereby they haue transgressed against me, whe they dwelt safely in their land, and without feare of any.


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When I haue brought them againe from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies landes, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations,


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Then shal they know, that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captiuitie among the heathen: but I haue gathered them vnto their owne land, and haue left none of them any more there,


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Neither wil I hide my face any more from them: for I haue powred out my Spirit vpon the house of Israel, sayth the Lord God.


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In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the <n>The Jews counted the beginning of the year after two sorts: for their feasts they began to count in March and for their other affairs in September: so that this is to be understood of September.</n> beginning of the year, in the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was smitten, in the same day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me there.


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Into the lande of Israel brought he me by a diuine vision, &amp; set me vpon a very hie mountaine, whereupon was as the building of a citie, toward the South.


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And he brought me there, and, behold, [there was] a <n>Which was an angel in the form of a man, that came to measure out this building.</n> man, whose appearance [was] like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.


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And the man said vnto me, Sonne of man, beholde with thine eyes, and heare with thine eares, and set thine heart vpon all that I shal shew thee: for to the intent, that they might be shewed thee, art thou brought hither: declare al that thou seest, vnto the house of Israel.


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And beholde, I sawe a wall on the outside of the house round about: and in the mans hand was a reede to measure with, of sixe cubites long, by the cubite, and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the buylding with one reede, and the height with one reede.


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Then came he vnto the gate, which looketh towarde the East, and went vp the stayres thereof, and measured the poste of the gate, which was one reede broade, and the other poste of the gate, which was one reede broade.


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And euery chamber was one reede long, &amp; one reede broad, &amp; betweene the chambers were fiue cubites: &amp; the post of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reede.


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Then measured he the porch of the gate of eight cubites, and the postes thereof, of two cubites, and the porch of the gate was inward.


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And the chambers of the gate Eastwarde, were three on this side, and three on that side: they three were of one measure, and the postes had one measure on this side, and one on that side.


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And he measured the breadth of the entrie of the gate ten cubites, and the height of the gate thirteene cubites.


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The space also before the chambers was one cubite on this side, and the space was one cubite on that side, and the chambers were sixe cubites on this side and sixe cubites on that side.


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He measured then the gate from the roufe of a chamber to the toppe of the gate: the breadth was fiue and twentie cubites, doore against doore.


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He made also postes of threescore cubites, and the postes of the court, and of the gate had one measure round about.


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And vpon the forefront of the entry of the gate vnto the forefront of the porch of the gate within were fiftie cubites.


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And there were narrowe windowes in the chambers, &amp; in their postes within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and the windowes went rounde about within: and vpon the postes were palme trees.


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Then brought he me into the outwarde court, and lo, there were chambers, &amp; a pauement made for the court round about, &amp; thirtie chambers were vpon the pauement.


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And the pauement was by the side of the gates ouer against the length of the gates, and the pauement was beneath.


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Then hee measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate without, vnto the forefront of the court within, an hundreth cubits Eastward and Northward.


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And the gate of the outwarde court, that looked toward the North, measured he after the length and breadth thereof.


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And the chambers thereof were, three on this side, and three on that side, and the postes thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fiftie cubites, and the breadth fiue and twentie cubites.


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And their windowes, and their arches with their palme trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the East, and the going vp vnto it had seuen steppes, and the arches therof were before them.


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And the gate of the inner court stoode ouer against the gate towarde the North, and towarde the East, and hee measured from gate to gate an hundreth cubites.


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After that, he brought mee towarde the South, and loe, there was a gate towarde the South, and hee measured the postes thereof, and the arches thereof according to these measures.


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And there were windowes in it, and in the arches thereof round about, like those windowes: the height was fiftie cubites, and the breadth fiue and twentie cubites.


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And there were seuen steps to go vp to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palme trees, one on this side, and another on that side vpon the post thereof.


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And there was a gate in the inner court towarde the South, and he measured from gate to gate towarde the South an hundreth cubites.


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And he brought me into the inner court by the South gate, and he measured the South gate according to these measures,


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And the chambers thereof, and the postes thereof, and the arches thereof according to these measures, and there were windowes in it, and in the arches thereof rounde about, it was fiftie cubites long and fiue and twentie cubites broade.


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And the arches thereof were towarde the vtter court, and palme trees were vpon the postes thereof, and the going vp to it had eight steppes.


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Againe he brought me into ye inner court toward the East, and he measured the gate according to these measures.


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And the chambers thereof, and the postes thereof, and the arches thereof were according to these measures, and there were windowes therein, and in the arches thereof round about, it was fiftie cubites long, and fiue and twentie cubites broade.


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And the arches thereof were towarde the vtter court, and palme trees were vpon the postes thereof, on this side and on that side, &amp; the going vp to it had eight steppes.


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The chambers thereof, the postes thereof, and the arches thereof, and there were windowes therein round about: the height was fiftie cubits, and the breadth fiue and twentie cubites.


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And the postes thereof were towarde the vtter court, and palme trees were vpon the postes thereof on this side, and on that side, &amp; the going vp to it had eight steps.


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And euery chamber, and the entrie thereof was vnder the postes of the gates: there they washed the burnt offring.


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And in the porch of the gate stoode two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, vpon the which they slew the burnt offring, and the sinne offring, and the trespas offring.


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And at the side beyond the steppes, at the entry of the North gate stoode two tables, and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate were two tables.


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Foure tables were on this side, and foure tables on that side by the side of the gate, euen eight tables whereupon they slew their sacrifice.


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And the foure tables were of hewen stone for the burnt offering, of a cubite and an halfe long, and a cubite and an halfe broade, and one cubite hie: whereupon also they layde the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offring and the sacrifice.


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And within were borders an hand broade, fastened round about, and vpon the tables lay the flesh of the offring.


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And without the inner gate were ye chambers of the singers in the inner Court, which was at the side of the North gate: and their prospect was towarde the South, and one was at the side of the East gate, hauing the prospect towarde the North.


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And he said vnto me, This chamber whose prospect is towarde the South, is for the Priestes that haue the charge to keepe the house.


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And the chamber whose prospect is toward the North, is for the Priestes that haue the charge to keepe the altar: these are the sonnes of Zadok among ye sonnes of Leui which may come neere to the Lord to minister vnto him.


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So he measured the court, an hundreth cubites long, &amp; an hundreth cubits broad, eue foure square: likewise the altar that was before ye house.


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And hee brought mee to the porch of the house, and measured the postes of the porch, fiue cubites on this side, and fiue cubites on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubites on this side, and three cubites on that side.


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The length of the porch was twentie cubites, and ye breadth eleuen cubites, &amp; he brought me by the steps whereby they went vp to it, and there were pillars by the postes, one on this side, and another on that side.


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Afterwarde, hee brought mee to the Temple, and measured the postes, sixe cubites broade on the one side, and sixe cubites broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the Tabernacle.


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And the breadth of the entrie was tenne cubites, and the sides of the entrie were fiue cubites on the one side, and fiue cubites on the other side, and hee measured the length thereof fourtie cubites, and the breadth twentie cubites.


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Then went hee in, and measured the postes of the entrie two cubites, and the entrie sixe cubites, and the breadth of the entrie seuen cubites.


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So he measured the length thereof twentie cubites, and the breadth twentie cubites before the Temple; he sayde vnto mee, This is the most holy place.


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After, he measured the wall of the house, sixe cubites, and the breadth of euery chamber foure cubites rounde about the house, on euery side.


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And the chambers were chamber vpon chaber, three and thirtie foote high, and they entred into the wall made for the chambers which was round about the house, that the postes might bee fastened therein, and not be fastened in the wall of the house.


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And it was large and went rounde mounting vpwarde to the chambers: for the staire of the house was mounting vpwarde, rounde about the house: therefore the house was larger vpward: so they went vp from the lowest chamber to the hiest by the middes.


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I sawe also the house hie rounde about: the foundations of the chambers were a full reede of fixe great cubites.


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The thickenesse of the wall which was for the chamber without, was fiue cubites, and that which remained, was the place of the chambers that were within.


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And the doores of the chambers were toward the place that remained, one doore toward the North, and another doore toward the South, and the breadth of the place that remained, was fiue cubites round about.


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Nowe the building that was before the separate place toward the West corner, was seuentie cubites broad, and the wall of the building was fiue cubites thick, round about, and ye length ninetie cubites.


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So he measured the house an hundreth cubites long, and the separate place and the building with the walles thereof were an hundreth cubites long.


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Also the breadth of the forefront of the house and of the separate place towarde the East, was an hundreth cubites.


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And hee measured the length of the building, ouer against the separate place, which was behinde it, and the chambers on the one side and on the other side an hundreth cubites with the Temple within, and the arches of the court.


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The postes and the narowe windowes, and the chambers round about, on three sides ouer against the postes, sieled with cedar wood rounde about, and from the ground vp to the windowes, and the windowes were sieled.


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And from aboue the doore vnto the inner house and without, and by all the wall rounde about within and without it was sieled according to the measure.


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And it was made with Cherubims and palme trees, so that a palme tree was betweene a Cherub and a Cherub: and euery Cherub had two faces.


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So that the face of a man was towarde the palme tree on the one side, and the face of a lyon toward the palme tree on the other side: thus was it made through all the house round about.


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From the grounde vnto aboue the doore were Cherubims and palme trees made as in the wall of the Temple.


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The postes of the Temple were squared, &amp; thus to looke vnto was the similitude and forme of the Sanctuarie.


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The altar of wood was three cubites hie, and the length thereof two cubites, and the corners thereof and the length thereof and the sides thereof were of wood; he sayd vnto me, This is the table that shalbe before the Lord.


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And the doores had two wickets, euen two turning wickets, two wickets for one doore, and two wickets for another doore.


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And vpon the doores of the Temple there were made Cherubims and palmetrees, like as was made vpon the walles, and there were thicke plankes vpon the forefront of the porch without.


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And there were narow windowes &amp; palme trees on the one side, and on the other side, by the sides of the porch, and vpon ye sides of the house, and thicke plankes.


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Then brought hee me into the vtter court by the way towarde the North, and he brought me into the chamber that was ouer against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the North.


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Ouer against the twentie cubites which were for the inner court, and ouer against the pauement, which was for the vtter court, was chamber against chamber in three rowes.


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And before the chambers was a gallery of ten cubites wide, and within was a way of one cubite, and their doores towarde the North.


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Nowe the chambers aboue were narower: for those chambers seemed to eate vp these, to wit, the lower, and those that were in the middes of the building.


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For they were in three rowes, but had not pillars as the pillars of the court: therefore there was a difference from them beneath and from the middlemost, euen from the ground.


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And the wall that was without ouer against the chambers, toward the vtter court on the forefront of the chambers, was fiftie cubites long.


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For the length of the chambers that were in the vtter court, was fiftie cubites: and loe, before the Temple were an hundreth cubites.


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And vnder these chambers was the entrie, on the East side, as one goeth into them from the outward court.


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The chambers were in the thicknesse of the wall of the court towarde the East, ouer against the separate place, and ouer against the building.


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And the way before them was after ye maner of the chambers, which were toward ye North, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their entries were like, both according to their facions, and according to their doores.


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And according to ye doores of ye chambers that were towarde the South, was a doore in the corner of the way, euen the way directly before the wall toward the East, as one entreth.


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The said he vnto me, The North chambers and ye South chambers which are before ye separate place, they be holy chambers, wherein the Priests that approch vnto ye Lord, shal eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meate offering, and the sinne offering, and the trespasse offring: for the place is holy.


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When the Priestes enter therein, they shall not go out of the holy place into the vtter court, but there they shall lay their garmentes wherein they minister: for they are holy, and shall put on other garmentes, and so shall approch to those things, which are for the people.


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Nowe when he had made an ende of measuring the inner house, he brought mee forth toward the gate whose prospect is towarde the East, and measured it round about.


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He measured the East side with the measuring rod, fiue hundreth reedes, euen with the measuring reede round about.


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He measured it by the foure sides: it had a wall round about, fiue hundreth reedes long, and fiue hundreth broade to make a separation betweene the Sanctuarie, and the prophane place.


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And beholde, the glorie of the God of Israel came from out of the East, whose voyce was like a noyse of great waters, and the earth was made light with his glorie.


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And [it was] according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, [even] according to the vision that I saw <n>When I prophesied the destruction of the city of the Chaldeans.</n> when I came to destroy the city: and the visions [were] like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.


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And the <n>Which was departed before, (Eze_10:4, Eze_12:22).</n> glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect [is] toward the east.


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So the Spirite tooke me vp and brought me into the inner court, and beholde, the glorie of the Lorde filled the house.


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And he said to me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more <n>By their idolatries.</n> defile, [neither] they, nor their kings, by their harlotry, nor by the carcases of <n>He alludes to Amon and Manasseh, who were buried in their gardens near the Temple and there had erected monuments to their idols.</n> their kings in their high places.


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Albeit they set their thresholdes by my thresholdes, and their postes by my postes (for there was but a wall betweene me and them) yet haue they defiled mine holy Name with their abominations, that they haue committed: wherfore I haue consumed them in my wrath.


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Now therefore let them put away their fornication, and the carkeises of their Kings farre from me, and I will dwell among them for euer.


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Thou sonne of man, shew this House to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their wickednes, &amp; let them measure ye paterne.


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And if they be ashamed of all that they haue done, shew them the forme of the House, &amp; ye paterne thereof, &amp; the going out thereof, &amp; the coming in thereof, &amp; the whole fashion thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the figures thereof, and all the lawes thereof: &amp; write it in their sight, that they may keepe the whole fashio thereof, &amp; all the ordinances thereof, &amp; do them.


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This is the description of the house, It shalbe vpon the toppe of the mount: all the limites thereof round about shalbe most holy. Beholde, this is the description of the house.


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And these are the measures of the Altar, after the cubites, the cubite is a cubite, &amp; an had breadth, euen the bottome shalbe a cubite, and the breadth a cubite, and the border thereof by the edge thereof rounde about shalbe a spanne: and this shalbe the height of the altar.


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And from the bottome which toucheth the ground to the lower piece shalbe two cubites: and the breadth one cubite, and from the litle piece to the great piece shalbe foure cubites, and the breadth one cubite.


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And the altar shalbe twelue cubites long, and twelue broade, and fouresquare in the foure corners thereof.


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And ye frame shalbe foureteene cubites log, and fourteene broade in the fouresquare corners thereof, &amp; the border about it shalbe halfe a cubite, &amp; the bottome therof shalbe a cubite about, &amp; the steps thereof shalbe turned towarde ye East.


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And he said vnto me, Sone of man, thus saith ye Lord God, These are ye ordinaces of ye altar in the day when they shall make it to offer the burnt offring theron, &amp; to sprinkle blood theron.


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And thou shalt giue to the Priestes, and to the Leuites, that be of the seede of Zadok, which approch vnto me, to minister vnto me, saith the Lord God, a yong bullocke for a sinne offring.


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And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, &amp; put it on the foure hornes of it, &amp; on the foure corners of the frame, and vpon the border round about: thus shalt thou clense it, and reconcile it.


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Thou shalt take the bullocke also of the sinne offring, and burne it in the appointed place of the house without the Sanctuarie.


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But the second day thou shalt offer an hee goat wtout blemish for a sinne offring, &amp; they shal clense ye altar, as they did clense it with the bullocke.


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When thou hast made an ende of clensing it, thou shalt offer a yong bullocke without blemish, &amp; a ram out of the flocke without blemish.


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And thou shalt offer them before ye Lord, and the Priestes shall cast salt vpon them, &amp; they shall offer them for a burnt offring vnto ye Lord.


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Seuen dayes shalt thou prepare euery day an hee goate for a sinne offring: they shall also prepare a yong bullocke and a ramme out of the flocke, without blemish.


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And when these dayes are expired, vpon the eight day and so forth, the Priests shall make your burnt offrings vpon the altar, &amp; your peace offrings, &amp; I will accept you, saith the Lord God.


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Then he brought me towarde the gate of the outwarde Sanctuarie, which turneth towarde the East, and it was shut.


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Then said the LORD to me; This gate shall be <n>Meaning, from the common people, but not from the priests nor the prince, read (Eze_46:8-9).</n> shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.


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It appertaineth to the Prince: the Prince himselfe shall sit in it to eate bread before the Lorde: he shall enter by the way of the porche of that gate, &amp; shal go out by the way of the same.


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Then brought he mee toward the North gate before the House: and when I looked, beholde, the glorie of the Lorde filled the house of the Lorde, and I fell vpon my face.


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And the Lord sayd vnto me, Sonne of man, marke wel, &amp; behold with thine eyes, &amp; heare with thine eares, all that I say vnto thee, concerning al the ordinances of the house of the Lord, &amp; al the lawes thereof, &amp; marke well the entring in of the house with euery going forth of the Sanctuarie,


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And thou shalt say to the rebellious, euen to ye house of Israel, Thus saith ye Lord God, O house of Israel, ye haue ynough of al your abominatios,


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In that ye have brought [into my sanctuary] <n>For they had brought idolaters who were from other countries, to teach them their idolatry, (Eze_23:40).</n> strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, [even] my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.


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And ye have not kept the <n>You have not offered to me according to my Law.</n> charge of my holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.


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Thus saieth the Lord God, No stranger vncircumcised in heart, nor vncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my Sanctuarie, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel,


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And the <n>The Levites who had committed idolatry were put from their dignity and could not be received into the priests office although they had been of the house of Aaron, but must serve in the inferior offices as to watch and to keep the doors, read (2Ki_23:9).</n> Levites that have gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, who went astray from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.


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And they shall serue in my Sanctuarie, and keepe the gates of the House, and minister in the House: they shall slay the burnt offring and the sacrifice for the people: and they shall stand before them to serue them.


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Because they serued before their idoles, &amp; caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquitie, therfore haue I lift vp mine had against the, saith the Lord God, and they shal beare their iniquity,


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And they shal not come neere vnto me to do ye office of ye Priest vnto me, neyther shal they come neere vnto any of mine holy things in the most holy place, but they shall beare their shame &amp; their abominatios, which they haue comitted.


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And I will make them keepers of ye watch of the House, for all the seruice thereof, and for all that shalbe done therein.


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But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that <n>Who observed the law of God and did not fall to idolatry.</n> kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:


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They shall enter into my Sanctuarie, and shall come neere to my table, to serue me, and they shall keepe my charge.


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And whe they shal enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments, &amp; no wool shall come vpon the while they serue in ye gates of the inner court, &amp; within.


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They shall haue linnen bonets vpon their heades, and shall haue linnen breeches vpon their loynes: they shall not girde them selues in the sweating places.


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But when they goe foorth into the vtter court, euen to the vtter court to the people, they shall put off their garments, wherein they ministred, and lay them in the holy chambers, &amp; they shall put on other garments: for they shall not sanctifie the people with their garments.


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Neither shall they <n>As did the infidels and heathen.</n> shave their heads, nor allow their locks to grow long; they shall only cut [the hair of] their heads.


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Neither shall they take for their wiues a widowe, or her that is diuorced: but they shall take maidens of the seede of the house of Israel, or a widow that hath bene the widow of a Priest.


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And they shal teach my people the differece betweene the holy and prophane, &amp; cause them to discerne betweene the vncleane &amp; the cleane.


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And in controuersie they shall stande to iudge, and they shall iudge it according to my iudgements: and they shall keepe my lawes and my statutes in all mine assemblies, and they shall sanctifie my Sabbaths.


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And they shall come near no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may <n>They may be at their burial which was a defiling.</n> defile themselves.


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And when he goeth into ye Sanctuarie vnto the inner court to minister in the Sanctuarie, he shall offer his sinne offring, saith ye Lord God.


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And the Priesthood shall bee their inheritance, yea, I am their inheritance: therefore shall ye giue them no possessio in Israel, for I am their possession.


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They shall eate the meat offring, and the sinne offring, and the trespas offring, and euery dedicate thing in Israel shal be theirs.


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And all the first of all the first borne, &amp; euery oblation, euen all of euery sort of your oblations shall be the Priestes. Ye shal also giue vnto the Priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.


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Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation to the LORD, an <n>Of all the land of Israel the Lord only requires this portion for the temple and for the priests for the city and for the prince.</n> holy portion of the land: the length [shall be] the length of five and twenty thousand [reeds], and the breadth [shall be] ten thousand. This [shall be] holy in all its borders on every side.


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Of this there shalbe for the Sanctuarie fiue hundreth in length with fiue hundreth in breadth, all square round about, and fiftie cubites rounde about for the suburbes thereof.


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And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of fiue and twentie thousande, and the breadth of tenne thousande: and in it shalbe the Sanctuarie, and the most holy place.


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The holy portion of the lande shalbe the Priests, which minister in the Sanctuarie, which came neere to serue the Lorde: and it shalbe a place for their houses, and an holy place for the Sanctuarie.


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And in the fiue and twentie thousande of length, and the ten thousand of breadth shall the Leuites that minister in the house, haue their possession for twentie chambers.


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Also ye shall appoynt the possession of the citie, fiue thousand broad, and fiue and twentie thousand log ouer against the oblation of ye holy portion: it shalbe for the whole house of Israel.


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And a portion shalbe for the prince on ye one side, and on that side of the oblation of the holy portion, &amp; of the possession of the citie, euen before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the possession of the citie from the West corner Westward, and from the East corner Eastward, and the length shalbe by one of the portions fro the West border vnto the East border.


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In this lande shalbe his possession in Israel: and my princes shal no more oppresse my people, and the rest of the land shall they giue to ye house of Israel, according to their tribes.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it <n>The prophet shows that the heads must be first reformed before any good order can be established among the people.</n> suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.


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Ye shall have just balances, and a just <n>Ephah and Bath are the same quantity save that an Ephah is a dry measure and a Bath liquid, (Lev_5:11; 1Ki_5:11).</n> ephah, and a just bath.


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The Ephah and the Bath shalbe equall: a Bath shall conteyne the tenth part of an Homer, and an Ephah the tenth part of an Homer: the equalitie thereof shalbe after the Homer.


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And the shekel [shall be] twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, <n>That is, sixty shekels make a weight called Mina, for he joins these three parts to a Mina.</n> five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.


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This is the oblation that ye shall offer, ye sixt part of an Ephah of an Homer of wheat, and ye shall giue the sixt part of an Ephah of an Homer of barley.


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Concerning ye ordinance of the oyle, euen of the Bath of oyle, ye shall offer the tenth part of a Bath out of ye Cor (ten Baths are an Homer: for ten Baths fill an Homer)


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And one lambe of two hundreth sheepe out of ye fat pastures of Israel for a meat offring, and for a burnt offring and for peace offrings, to make reconciliation for them, sayth the Lorde God.


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And it shalbe ye princes part to giue burnt offrings, and meat offrings, and drinke offrings in the solemne feasts and in the newe moones, &amp; in the Sabbaths, and in all the hie feasts of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sinne offring, and the meat offring, and the burnt offring, and the peace offrings to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.


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Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first [month], in the first [day] of the <n>Which was Nisan containing part of March and part of April.</n> month, thou shalt take a young bull without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:


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And the Priest shall take of the blood of the sinne offring, and put it vpon the posts of the house, and vpon the foure corners of the frame of the altar, and vpon the postes of the gate of the inner court.


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And so shalt thou doe the seuenth day of the moneth, for euery one that hath erred and for him that is deceiued: so shall you reconcile the house.


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In the first moneth in the foureteenth day of the moneth, ye shal haue the Passeouer, a feast of seuen dayes, &amp; ye shal eate vnleauened bread.


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And vpon that day, shal the prince prepare for him selfe, and for all the people of the lande, a bullocke for a sinne offring.


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And in the seuen dayes of the feast he shal make a burnt offring to the Lorde, euen of seuen bullockes, and seuen rammes without blemish dayly for seuen dayes, and an hee goate dayly for a sinne offring.


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And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and an <n>Read (Exo_29:40).</n> hin of oil for an ephah.


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In the seuenth moneth, in the fifteenth day of the moneth, shal he do the like in the feast for seuen dayes, according to the sinne offring, according to the burnt offring, and according to the meate offring, and according to the oyle.


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Thus sayth the Lord God, The gate of the inner court, that turneth toward the East, shall be shut the sixe working dayes: but on the Sabbath it shalbe opened, and in the day of the newe moone it shalbe opened.


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And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stande by the post of the gate, and the Priests shal make his burnt offring, and his peace offrings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: after, he shall go foorth, but the gate shall not be shut till the euening.


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Likewise the people of the lande shall worshippe at the entrie of this gate before the Lorde on the Sabbaths, and in the newe moones.


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And the burnt offring that the prince shall offer vnto the Lorde on the Sabbath day, shalbe sixe lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.


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And the meat offering [shall be] an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs <n>That is, as much as he will.</n> as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.


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And in the day of the newe moone it shalbee a yong bullocke without blemish, and sixe lambes and a ram: they shalbe without blemish.


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And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs <n>Meaning, as he will think good.</n> according as his hand shall be able, and an hin of oil to an ephah.


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And when the prince shall enter, hee shall goe in by the way of the porche of that gate, and hee shall go foorth by the way thereof.


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But when the people of the land shal come before the Lord in the solemne feastes, hee that entreth in by the way of the North gate to worship, shall goe out by the way of the South gate: &amp; he that entreth by the way of the South gate, shall goe foorth by the way of the North gate: hee shall not returne by the way of the gate whereby hee came in, but they shall goe forth ouer against it.


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And the prince shall be in the middes of them: hee shall go in when they goe in, &amp; when they goe forth, they shal goe forth together.


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And in the feastes, and in the solemnities the meat offring shalbe an Ephah to a bullocke, and an Ephah to a ram, and to the lambes, the gift of his hand, and an Hin of oyle to an Ephah.


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Nowe when the prince shall make a free burnt offring or peace offrings freely vnto the Lord, one shall then open him the gate, that turneth towarde the East, and hee shall make his burnt offring and his peace offrings, as he did on the Sabbath day: after, hee shall goe foorth, and when he is gone forth, one shall shut the gate.


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Thou shalt dayly make a burnt offring vnto the Lord of a lambe of one yere without blemish: thou shalt doe it euery morning.


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And thou shalt prepare a meate offring for it euery morning, the sixt part of an Ephah, and the thirde part of an Hin of oyle, to mingle with the fine flowre: this meate offring shalbe continually by a perpetuall ordinance vnto the Lorde.


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Thus shall they prepare the lambe, and the meate offring and the oyle euery morning, for a continual burnt offring.


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Thus saith the Lorde God, If the prince giue a gift of his inheritance vnto any of his sonnes, it shalbe his sonnes, and it shall bee their possession by inheritance.


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But if he shall give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the <n>Which was at the Jubile, (Lev_25:9).</n> year of liberty; afterward it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be to his sons for them.


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Moreover the prince shall not <n>But be content with that portion that God has assigned him, as in (Eze_45:8).</n> take of the people's inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; [but] he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not dispossessed every man from his possession.


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After, he brought me through the entrie, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the Priestes, which stoode towarde the North: and beholde, there was a place at the West side of them.


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Then said he to me, This [is] the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meat offering; that they bear [them] not out into the outer court, <n>That the people should not have to do with those things which belong to the Lord, and think it lawful for them to eat them.</n> to sanctify the people.


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Then he brought me foorth into the vtter court, and caused me to goe by the foure corners of the court: and beholde, in euery corner of the court, there was a court.


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In the foure corners of the court there were courts ioyned of fourty cubits long, &amp; thirty broad: these foure corners were of one measure.


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And there went a wall about them, euen about those foure, and kitchins were made vnder the walles rounde about.


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Then said he vnto me, This is the kitchin where the ministers of the house shall seethe the sacrifice of the people.


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Afterward he brought me again to the door of the house; and, behold, <n>By which are meant the spiritual graces that would be given to the Church under the kingdom of Christ.</n> waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the front of the house [stood toward] the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south [side] of the altar.


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Then brought he me out toward the North gate, and led me about by the way without vnto the vtter gate, by the way that turneth Eastward: &amp; behold, there came forth waters on ye right side


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And when the man that had the line in his hand, went foorth Eastward, he measured a thousand cubites, and he brought me through the waters: the waters were to the ancles.


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Againe he measured a thousande, and brought me through the waters: the waters were to the knees: againe he measured a thousand, &amp; brought me through: ye waters were to ye loynes.


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Afterward he measured a thousand; [and it was] a river that I could not pass over: for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a <n>Signifying that the graces of God would never decrease, but ever abound in his Church.</n> river that could not be passed over.


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And he said vnto me, Sonne of man, hast thou seene this? Then he brought me, and caused me to returne to the brinke of the riuer.


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Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river [were] very many <n>Meaning, the multitude of them that would be refreshed by the spiritual waters.</n> trees on the one side and on the other.


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Then said he to me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the <n>Showing that the abundance of these graces would be so great, that all the world would be full of it, which is here meant by the Persian sea, or Genezareth, and the sea called Mediterranean, (Zec_14:8).</n> sea: [which being] brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.


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And it shall come to pass, [that] every thing that liveth, which moveth, wherever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come there: for they shall be <n>The waters which by nature are salt and unwholesome will be made sweet and comfortable.</n> healed; and every thing shall live where the river cometh.


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And it shall come to pass, [that] the <n>Signifying that when God bestows his mercies in such abundance the ministers will by their preaching win many.</n> fishermen shall stand upon it from Engedi even to <n>Which were cities at the corners of the salt or dead sea.</n> Eneglaim; they shall be a [place] to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of <n>They will be here of all sorts and in as great abundance as in the great ocean where they are bred.</n> the great sea, very many.


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But <n>That is, the wicked and reprobate.</n> its miry places and its marshes shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.


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And by this riuer vpon the brinke thereof, on this side, and on that side shall grow all fruitful trees, whose leafe shall not fade, neither shall ye fruit thereof faile: it shal bring forth new fruit according to his moneths, because their waters run out of ye Sanctuarie: and the fruite thereof shalbe meat, and the leafe thereof shalbe for medicine.


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Thus saith the Lorde God, This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherite the lande according to the twelue tribes of Israel: Ioseph shall haue two portions.


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And ye shal inherite it, one as wel as another: concerning the which I lift vp mine hand to giue it vnto your fathers, and this lande shall fall vnto you for inheritance.


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And this [shall be] the border <n>By the land of promise he signifies the spiritual land of which this was a figure.</n> of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad;


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Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is betweene the border of Damascus, and the border of Hamath, &amp; Hazar, Hatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.


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And the border from the sea shalbe Hazar, Enan, &amp; the border of Damascus, and the residue of the North, Northwarde, and the border of Hamath: so shalbe the North part.


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But the East side shall ye measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the lande of Israel by Iorden, and from the border vnto the East sea: and so shalbe the East part.


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And the Southside shalbe towarde Teman from Tamar to the waters of Meriboth in Kadesh, and the riuer to the maine sea: so shalbe the South part towarde Teman.


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The West parte also shalbe the great sea from the border, till a man come ouer against Hamath: this shalbe the West part.


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And it shall come to pass, [that] ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be to you as born in the country among the children of Israel; <n>Meaning that in this spiritual kingdom there would be no difference between Jew nor Gentile but that all would be partakers of this inheritance in their head Christ.</n> they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.


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And in what tribe the stranger dwelleth, there shall ye giue him his inheritance, saith the Lorde God.


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Now these [are] the names of the <n>The tribes after they entered into the land under Joshua divided the land somewhat otherwise then is here set forth by this vision.</n> tribes. From the north end to the border of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the border of Hamath; for these are his sides east [and] west; a [portion for] Dan.


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And by the border of Judah, from the east side to the west side, <n>That is, the portion of the ground which they will separate and appoint to the Lord which will be divided into three parts for the priests for the prince and for the city.</n> shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand [reeds in] breadth, and [in] length as one of the [other] parts, from the east side to the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.


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The oblation that ye shall offer vnto the Lord, shalbe of fiue and twentie thousande long, and of ten thousand the breadth.


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And for them, euen for the Priestes shalbe this holy oblation, towarde the North fiue and twentie thousande long, and towarde the West, ten thousande broade, and towarde the East ten thousand broad, and towarde the South fiue and twentie thousand long, and the Sanctuarie of the Lorde shalbe in the middes thereof.


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It shalbe for the Priestes that are sanctified of the sonnes of Zadok, which haue kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Leuites went astray.


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Therefore this oblation of the land that is offred, shalbe theirs, as a thing most holy by the border of the Leuites.


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And ouer against the border of the Priests the Leuites shall haue fiue and twentie thousande long, and ten thousande broade: all the length shalbe fiue and twentie thousand, and the breadth ten thousande.


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And they shall not sel of it, neither change it, nor abalienate the first fruites of the land: for it is holy vnto the Lorde.


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And the fiue thousand that are left in the breadth ouer against the fiue and twentie thousande, shall be a prophane place for the citie, for housing, and for suburbes, and the citie shalbe in the middes thereof.


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And these [shall be] the measures of it; the north side <n>Meaning that it would be square.</n> four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.


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And the suburbes of the citie shall be toward the North two hundreth and fiftie, and towarde the South two hundreth and fiftie, and towarde the East two hundreth and fiftie, and towarde the West two hundreth and fiftie.


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And the residue in length ouer against the oblation of the holy portion shalbe ten thousand Eastwarde, and ten thousand Westwarde: and it shalbe ouer against the oblation of the holy portion, and the encrease thereof shall be for foode vnto them that serue in the citie.


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All the oblation [shall be] five and twenty thousand by <n>Every way it will be five and twenty thousand.</n> five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city.


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And the residue shalbe for the prince on the one side and on the other of the oblation of the Sanctuarie, and of the possession of the citie, ouer against the fiue and twentie thousand of the oblation toward the East border, and Westward ouer against the fiue and twentie thousande towarde the West border, ouer against shalbe for the portion of the prince: this shall be the holy oblation, and the house of the Sanctuarie shalbe in the middes thereof.


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Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, [being] in the midst [of that] which is the prince's, between the border <n>So that Judah was on the north side of the princes and Levites portions and Benjamin on the south side.</n> of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince.


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And the rest of the tribes shalbe thus: from the East parte vnto the West parte Beniamin shalbe a portion.


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And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the <n>Which is here taken for Idumea.</n> border shall be even from <n>Which was Jericho the city of palm trees.</n> Tamar [to] the waters of strife [in] Kadesh, [and] to the <n>Meaning, the Nile that runs into the sea called the Mediterranean.</n> river toward the great sea.


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This is the lande, which ye shall distribute vnto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, &amp; these are their portions, saith the Lorde God.


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And these are the boundes of the citie, on the North side fiue hundreth, and foure thousande measures.


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And the gates of the citie shalbe after the names of the tribes of Israel, the gates Northwarde, one gate of Reuben, one gate of Iudah, and one gate of Leui.


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And at the East side fiue hundreth and foure thousande, and three gates, and one gate of Ioseph, one gate of Beiamin, &amp; one gate of Dan.


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And at the South side, fiue hundreth and foure thousande measures, and three portes, one gate of Simeon, one gate of Isshachar, and one gate of Zebulun.


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At the West side, fiue hundreth and foure thousand, with their three gates, one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, and one gate of Naphtali.


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It was rounde about eighteene thousande measures, and the name of the citie from that day shalbe, The Lorde is there.


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In the <n>Read (2Ki_24:1; Jer_25:1).</n> third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. <n>The Argument - The great providence of God, and his singular mercy towards his Church are set forth here most vividly, who never leaves his own destitute, but now in their greatest miseries and afflictions gives them Prophets, such as Ezekiel and Daniel, whom he adorned with special graces of his Holy Spirit. And Daniel above all others had most special revelations of such things as would come to the Church, even from the time that they were in captivity, to the last end of the world, and to the general resurrection, as of the four Monarchies and empires of all the world, that is, of the Babylonians, Persians, Grecians, and Romans. Also of the certain number of the times even until Christ, when all ceremonies and sacrifices would cease, because he would be the accomplishment of them: moreover he shows Christ's office and the reason of his death, which was by his sacrifice to take away sins, and to bring everlasting life. And as from the beginning God always exercised his people under the cross, so he teaches here, that after Christ is offered, he will still leave this exercise to his Church, until the dead rise again, and Christ gathers his own into his kingdom in the heavens.</n>


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And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of <n>Which was a plain by Babylon, where the temple of their great god was, and is here taken for Babylon.</n> Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.


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And the king spake unto <n>Who was as master of the guards.</n> Ashpenaz the master of his <n>He calls them «eunuchs» whom the King nourished and brought up to be rulers of other countries afterwards.</n> eunuchs, that he should bring [certain] of the children of Israel, and of the <n>His purpose was to keep them as hostages, and so that he might show himself victorious, and also by their good entreaty and learning of his religion, they might favour him rather than the Jews, and so to be able to serve him as governors in their land. Moreover by this means the Jews might be better kept in subjection, fearing otherwise to bring hurt upon these noble men.</n> king's seed, and of the princes;


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Children in whom [was] no blemish, but well <n>The King required three things: that they should be of noble birth, that they should be intelligent and learned, and that they should be of a strong and handsome nature, so that they might do him better service. This he did for his own benefit, therefore it is not to praise his liberality: yet in this he is worthy of praise, that he esteemed learning, and knew that it was a necessary means to govern by.</n> favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as [had] ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the <n>That they might forget their own religion and country fashions to serve him the better to his purpose: yet it is not to be thought that Daniel learned any knowledge that was not godly. In all points he refused the abuse of things and superstition, insomuch that he would not eat the meat which the King appointed him, but was content to learn the knowledge of natural things.</n> learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.


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And the king appointed them a <n>That by their good entertainment they might learn to forget the mediocrity of their own people.</n> daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them <n>With the intent that in this time they might learn both the manners of the Chaldeans, and also their language.</n> three years, that at the end thereof they might stand <n>As well as to serve at the table as in other offices.</n> before the king.


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Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs <n>That they might altogether forget their religion: for the Jews gave their children names which might always put them in remembrance of some point of religion. Therefore this was a great temptation and a sign of servitude, which they were not able to resist.</n> gave names: for he gave unto Daniel [the name] of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.


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But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not <n>Not that he thought any religion to be in the meat or drink (for afterwards he did eat), but because the king should not entice him by this sweet poison to forget his religion and accustomed sobriety, and that in his meat and drink he might daily remember of what people he was from. And Daniel brings this in to show how God from the beginning assisted him with his Spirit, and at length called him to be a Prophet.</n> defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.


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And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, <n>He supposed they did this for their religion, which was contrary to the Babylonians, and therefore in this he represents those who are of no religion: for neither would he condemn theirs, nor maintain his own.</n> I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which [are] of your sort? then shall ye make [me] endanger my head to the king.


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Then sayd Daniel to Melzar, whome the chiefe of the Eunuches had set ouer Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,


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Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, <n>Meaning that within this space he might have the test, and that no man would be able to know about it: and thus he spoke, being moved by the Spirit of God.</n> ten days; and let them give us <n>Not that it was a thing abominable to eat dainty meats, and to drink wine, as both before and after they did, but if they would have by this been won to the King, and had refused their own religion, that meat and drink would have been accursed.</n> pulse to eat, and water to drink.


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Then let our countenances bee looked vpon before thee, and the countenances of the children that eate of the portion of the Kings meate: and as thou seest, deale with thy seruantes.


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And at the end of ten days their <n>This bare feeding and that also of Moses, when he fled from the court of Egypt, declares that we must live in such sobriety as God calls us to, seeing that he will make it more profitable to us than all dainties: for his blessing alone suffices.</n> countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.


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Thus Melzar tooke away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drinke, and gaue them pulse.


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As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning <n>Meaning in the liberal sciences, and natural knowledge, and not in the magical areas which are forbidden; (Deu_18:11).</n> and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all <n>So that he alone was a Prophet, and none of the others: for by dreams and visions God appeared to his Prophets; (Num_12:6)</n> visions and dreams.


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Now at the <n>Of the three years mentioned above as in (Dan_1:5).</n> end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.


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And the King communed with them: and among them al was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stoode they before the king.


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And in all matters of wisedome, and vnderstanding that the King enquired of them, hee founde them tenne times better then all the inchanters and astrologians, that were in all his realme.


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And Daniel continued [even] unto <n>That is, he was esteemed in Babylon as a Prophet as long as that commonwealth stood.</n> the first year of king Cyrus.


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And in the <n>The father and the son were both called by this name, so that this is meant of the son, when he reigned alone: for he also reigned in a way with his father.</n> second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed <n>Not that he had many dreams, but because many matters were contained in this dream.</n> dreams, wherewith his spirit was <n>Because it was so rare and strange a dream, that he had had nothing similar.</n> troubled, and <n>Or, «his sleep was upon him», that is, that he was so heavy with sleep, that he began to sleep again.</n> his sleep brake from him.


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Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the <n>For all these astrologers and sorcerers called themselves by this name of honour, as though all the wisdom and knowledge of the country depended upon them, and that all other countries were void of such wisdom and knowledge.</n> Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.


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And the King sayde vnto them, I haue dreamed a dreame, and my spirite was troubled to knowe the dreame.


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Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in <n>That is, in the Syrian language, which differed not much from the Chaldeans, except it seemed to be more eloquent, and therefore the learned used to speak it, as the Jewish writers do to this day.</n> Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.


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The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye <n>This is a just reward of their arrogance (who boasted of themselves that they had knowledge of all things), that they should be proved fools, and that to their perpetual shame and confusion.</n> shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.


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But if yee declare the dreame and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receyue of me gifts and rewardes, and great honour: therefore shewe me the dreame and the interpretation of it.


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They answered again and said, Let the king tell <n>In this appears their ignorance, that despite their braggings, yet they were not able to tell the dream, unless he told them of it. And if he did tell them, they would pretend knowledge where there was but mere ignorance, and so as deluders of the people they were worthy to die.</n> his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.


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Then the King answered, and sayd, I knowe certeinly that ye would gaine the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.


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But if ye will not declare mee the dreame, there is but one iudgement for you: for ye haue prepared lying and corrupt wordes, to speake before me till the time bee changed: therefore tell me the dreame, that I may knowe, if yee can declare me the interpretation thereof.


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Then the Caldeans answered before the King, and sayde, There is no man vpon earth that can declare the Kings matter: yea, there is neither king nor prince nor lorde that asked such things at an inchanter or astrologian or Caldean.


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For it is a rare thing that the King requireth, and there is none other that can declare it before the King, except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh.


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For this cause the king was angrie and in great furie, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babel.


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And the decree went forth that the wise [men] should be slain; and they <n>Which declares that God would not have his servant united in the company of these sorcerers and astrologers, whose arts were wicked, and therefore justly ought to die, even though the king did it upon a rage and not from zeal.</n> sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.


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Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisedome to Arioch the Kings chiefe stewarde, which was gone foorth to put to death the wise men of Babel.


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Yea, he answered and sayde vnto Arioch the kings captaine, Why is the sentence so hastie from the king? Then Arioch declared the thing to Daniel.


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So Daniel went and desired the king that he woulde giue him leasure and that he woulde shewe the king the interpretation thereof.


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The Daniel went to his house &amp; shewed the matter to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah his companions,


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That they should beseech the God of heauen for grace in this secrete, that Daniel and his fellowes should not perish with the rest of ye wise men of Babel.


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Then was the secret reueiled vnto Daniel in a vision by night: therefore Daniel praysed the God of heauen.


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And Daniel answered and sayde, The Name of God be praysed for euer and euer: for wisedome and strength are his,


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And hee changeth the times &amp; seasons: he taketh away kings: he setteth vp kings: he giueth wisedome vnto the wise, and vnderstanding to those that vnderstand.


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He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what [is] in the darkness, and the <n>He shows that man has neither wisdom nor knowledge, but very dark blindness and ignorance of himself: for it comes only from God that man understands anything.</n> light dwelleth with him.


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I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my <n>To whom you made your promise, and who lived in fear of you: by which he excludes all other gods.</n> fathers, who hast given me wisdom and <n>Meaning power to interpret it.</n> might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast [now] made known unto us the king's matter.


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Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise [men] of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not <n>By which appears that many were slain, as in verse thirteen, and the rest at Daniel's offer were preserved on condition. Not that Daniel favoured their wicked profession, but that he had respect to fairness, because the King proceeded according to his wicked affection, and not considering if their profession was morally correct or not.</n> the wise [men] of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.


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Then Arioch brought Daniel before the King in all haste, and sayd thus vnto him, I haue found a man of the children of Iudah that were brought captiues, that will declare vnto the King the interpretation.


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Then answered the King, and sayde vnto Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to shew me the dreame, which I haue seene, and the interpretation thereof?


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Daniel answered in the presence of the King, and sayd, The secret which the King hath demanded, can neither the wise, the astrologians, the inchanters, nor the southsayers declare vnto the King.


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But there is a God in <n>He affirms that man by reason and craft is not able to attain to the cause of God's secrets, but the understanding only of them must come from God: by which he smites the king with a certain fear and reverence of God, that he might be the more able to receive the high mysteries that would be revealed.</n> heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;


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O King, when thou wast in thy bedde, thoughts came into thy mind, what should come to passe hereafter, and he that reueyleth secretes, telleth thee, what shall come.


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But as <n>Because he had said that God alone must reveal the signification of this dream, the King might have asked why Daniel undertook to interpret it: and therefore he shows that he was but God's minister, and had no gifts but those which God had given him to set forth his glory.</n> for me, this secret is not revealed to me for [any] wisdom that I have more than any living, but for [their] sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.


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O King, thou sawest, and beholde, there was a great image: this great image whose glory was so excellent, stood before thee, &amp; the forme thereof was terrible.


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This image's head [was] of fine <n>By gold, silver, brass, and iron are meant the Chaldean, Persian, Macedonian, and Roman kingdoms, which would successively rule all the world until Christ (who is here called the stone) himself comes, and destroys the last. And this was to assure the Jews that their affliction would not end with the empire of the Chaldeans, but that they should patiently await the coming of the Messiah, who would be at the end of this fourth monarchy.</n> gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,


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Thou beheldest it til a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image vpon his feete, that were of yron and clay, and brake them to pieces.


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Then was the yron, the clay, the brasse, the siluer and the golde broken all together, and became like the chaffe of the sommer floures, and the winde caryed them away, that no place was founde for them: and the stone that smote the image, became a great mountaine, and filled the whole earth.


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O King, thou art a king of Kings: for the God of heauen hath giuen thee a kingdome, power, and strength, and glorie.


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And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou [art] <n>Daniel leaves out the kingdom of the Assyrians, which was before the Babylonian, both because it was not a monarchy and general empire, and also because he would declare the things that were to come, until the coming of Christ, for the comfort of the elect among these wonderful alterations. And he calls the Babylonian kingdom the golden head, because in respect of the other three, it was the best, and yet it was of itself wicked and cruel.</n> this head of gold.


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And after thee shall arise another kingdom <n>Meaning, the Persians who were not inferior in dignity, power, or riches, but were worse with regard to ambition, cruelty, and every type of vice, showing that the world would grow worse and worse, until it was restored by Christ.</n> inferior to thee, and another <n>That is, those of the Macedonians will be of brass, not alluding to the hardness of it, but to the vileness with regard to silver.</n> third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.


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And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in <n>That is, the Roman empire will subdue all these others, which after Alexander were divided into the Macedonians, Grecians, Syrians, and Egyptians.</n> pieces and bruise.


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And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be <n>They will have civil wars, and continual discords among themselves.</n> divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.


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And as the toes of the feete were parte of yron, and parte of clay, so shall the kingdome be partly strong, and partly broken.


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And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with <n>They will be marriages and affinities think to make themselves strong: yet they will never by united in heart.</n> the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.


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And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which <n>His purpose is to show that all the kingdoms of the world are transitory, and that the kingdom of Christ alone will remain forever.</n> shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.


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Forasmuch as thou sawest that the <n>Meaning Christ, who was sent by God, and not set up by man, whose kingdom at the beginning would be small and without beauty to man's judgment, but would at length grow and fill the whole earth, which he calls a great mountain, as in (Dan_2:35). And this kingdom, which is not only referred to the person of Christ, but also to the whole body of his Church, and to every member of it, will be eternal: for the Spirit that is in them is eternal life; (Rom_8:10).</n> stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.


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Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and <n>Though this humbling of the king seemed to deserve commendation, yet because he united God's honour with the Prophets, it is to be reproved, and Daniel would have erred, if he allowed it: but it is to his credit that Daniel admonished him of his fault, and did not allow it.</n> worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.


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The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth [it is], that your <n>This confession was but a sudden motion, as it was also in Pharaoh, (Exo_9:28), but his heart was not touched, as appeared soon afterwards.</n> God [is] a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.


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Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great <n>Not that the Prophet was desirous of gifts or honour, but because by this means he might relieve his poor brethren, who were grievously oppressed in this their captivity, and he also received them, lest he should offend this cruel king, who willingly gave them.</n> gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise [men] of Babylon.


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Then Daniel <n>He did not do this for their personal profit, but that the whole Church, which was then there in affliction, might have some release and ease by this benefit.</n> requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel [sat] in the <n>Meaning that either he was a judge, or that he had the whole authority, so than no one could be admitted to the king's presence but by him.</n> gate of the king.


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Nebuchadnezzar the king made <n>Under pretence of religion, and holiness in making an image to his idol Bel, he sought his own ambition and vain glory: and this declares that he was not touched with the true fear of God before, but that he confessed him on a sudden motion, as the wicked when they are overcome with the greatness of his works. The Greek interpreters write that this was done eighteen years after the dream, and as may appear, the King feared lest the Jews by their religion should have altered the state of his commonwealth: therefore he meant to bring all to one type of religion, and so rather sought his own peace than God's glory.</n> an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.


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Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the <n>Showing that the idol is not known for an idol as long as he is with workmen: but when the ceremonies and customs are recited and used, and the consent of the people is there, then they think they have made a god out of a block.</n> dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the <n>This was sufficient with the wicked at all times to approve their religion, if the king's authority were alleged for the establishment of it, not considering in the meantime what God's word allowed.</n> king had set up.


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So the nobles, princes and dukes, the iudges, the receiuers, the counsellers, the officers, and all the gouernours of the prouinces were assembled vnto the dedicating of the image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King had set vp: and they stood before the image, which Nebuchad-nezzar had set vp.


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Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, <n>These are the two dangerous weapons, which Satan used to fight against the children of God, the consent of the multitude, and the cruelty of the punishment. For even though some feared God, yet the multitude who consented to the wickedness persuaded them: and here the King required not an inward consent, but an outward gesture, that the Jews might by little and little learn to forget their true religion.</n> nations, and languages,


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That when ye heare the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, dulcimer, and all instruments of musike, ye fall downe and worship the golden image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King hath set vp,


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And whosoeuer falleth not downe &amp; worshippeth, shall the same houre bee cast into the middes of an hote fierie fornace.


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Therefore assoone as all the people heard the sound of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, and all instruments of musike, all the people, nations, and languages fell downe, and worshipped the golden image, that Nebuchad-nezzar the King had set vp.


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Thou, O King, hast made a decree, that euery man that shall heare the sounde of the cornet, trumpet, harpe, sackebut, psalterie, and dulcimer, and all instruments of musike, shall fall downe and worship the golden image,


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And whosoeuer falleth not downe, and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the mids of an hote fierie fornace.


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There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, <n>It seems that they named not Daniel, because he was greatly in the king's favour, thinking if these three had been destroyed, they might have had better occasion to accuse Daniel. And this declares that this policy of erecting this image was invented by the malicious flatterers who sought nothing but the destruction of the Jews, whom they accused of rebellion and ingratitude.</n> Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.


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Then Nebuchad-nezzar in his anger and wrath commaunded that they should bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: so these men were brought before the King.


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And Nebuchad-nezzar spake, and said vnto them, What disorder? Will not you, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego serue my god, nor worship the golden image, that I haue set vp?


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<n>Signifying that he would receive them to grace if they would now obey his decree.</n>Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?


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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we <n>For they would have done injury to God, if they would have doubted in this holy cause, and therefore they say that they are resolved to die for God's cause.</n> [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.


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If it be [so], our God whom we serve is <n>They have two points as their foundation: first on the power and providence of God over them, and second on their cause, which was God's glory, and the testifying of his true religion with their blood. And so they make open confession, that they will not so much as outwardly consent to idolatry.</n> able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.


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But if not, bee it knowen to thee, O King, that wee will not serue thy gods, nor worship the golden image, which thou hast set vp.


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Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: [therefore] he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven <n>This declares that the more that tyrants rage, and the more crafty they show themselves in inventing strange and cruel punishments, the more is God glorified by his servants, to whom he gives patience and constancy to abide the cruelty of their punishment. For either he delvers them from death, or else for this life gives them better.</n> times more than it was wont to be heated.


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And hee charged the most valiant men of warre that were in his armie, to binde Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the hote fierie fornace.


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So these men were bounde in their coates, their hosen, and their clokes, with their other garments, and cast into the middes of the hote fierie fornace.


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Therefore, because the Kings commaundement was straite, that the fornace should be exceeding hote, the flame of the fire slew those men that brought foorth Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.


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And these three men Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego fell downe bound into the middes of the hote fierie fornace. \par {\cf2 (3:24) And they walked in the middes of the flame, praising God, &amp; magnified the Lord. (3:25) Then Azarias stoode vp, &amp; praied on this maner, and opening his mouth in ye mids of the fire, saide, (3:26) Blessed be thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy Name is worthie to bee praised and honoured for euermore. (3:27) For thou art righteous in all the things, that thou hast done vnto vs, and all thy works are true, and thy waies are right, and all thy iudgementes certeine. (3:28) In all the things that thou hast brought vpon vs, and vpon Ierusalem, the holy citie of our fathers, thou hast executed true iudgementes: for by right and equitie hast thou brought all these things vpon vs, because of our sinnes. (3:29) For we haue sinned and done wickedly, departing from thee: in all things haue we trespassed, (3:30) And not obeied thy commaundements, nor kept them, neither done as thou haddest commanded vs, that we might prosper. (3:31) Wherefore in all that thou hast broughtvpon vs, and in euery thing that thou hast done to vs, thou hast done them in true iudgement: (3:32) As in deliuering vs into the handes of our wicked enemies, and most hatefull traitours, and to an vnrighteous King, and the most wicked in all the worlde. (3:33) And nowe we may not open our mouthes: we are become a shame and reproofe vnto thy seruants, and to them that worship thee. (3:34) Yet for thy names sake, we beseech thee, giue vs not vp for euer, neither breake thy couenant, (3:35) Neither take away thy mercie from vs, for thy beloued Abrahams sake, and for thy seruant Isaacs sake, and for thine holy Israels sake, (3:36) To whome thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiplie their seed as ye starres of heauen, &amp; as the sand, that is vpon the sea shore. (3:37) For we, O Lorde, are become lesse then any nation, and be kept vnder this day in all the world, because of our sinnes: (3:38) So that now we haue neither prince, nor prophet, nor gouernour, nor burnt offering, nor sacrifice, nor oblation, nor incense, nor place to offer ye first fruits before thee, that we might finde mercie. (3:39) Neuerthelesse in a contrite heart, &amp; an humble spirit, let vs be receiued. (3:40) As in the burnt offring of rams &amp; bullocks, and as in ten thousand of fat lambes, so let our offring be in thy sight this daye, that it may please thee: for there is no confusion vnto them that put their trust in thee. (3:41) And now we follow thee with all our heart, and feare thee, and seeke thy face. (3:42) Put vs not to shame, but deale with vs after thy louing kindenesse, and according to the multitude of thy mercies. (3:43) Deliuer vs also by thy miracles, and giue thy Name the glory, O Lord, (3:44) That all they which doe thy seruantes euill, may be confounded: euen let them bee confounded by thy great force and power, and let their strength be broken, (3:45) That they may know, that thou only art the Lord God, and glorious ouer the whole worlde. (3:46) Now the kings seruants that had cast them in, ceased not to make the ouen hote with naphtha, and with pitch, and with towe, &amp; with fagots, (3:47) So that the flame went out of the fornace fourtie and nine cubites. (3:48) And it brake forth, and burnt those Chaldeans, that it found by the fornace. (3:49) But the Angel of the Lord went downe into the fornace with them that were with Azarias, and smote the flame of the fire out of the fornace, (3:50) And made in the middes of the fornace like a moyst hissing winde, so that the fire touched the not at all, neither grieued, nor troubled them. (3:51) Then these three (as out of one mouth) praised, and glorified, and blessed God in the fornace, saying, (3:52) Blessed be thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praysed, &amp; exalted aboue all things for euer, &amp; blessed be thy glorious &amp; holy Name, and praysed aboue all things, and magnified for euer. (3:53) Blessed be thou in the Temple of thine holy glory, and praysed aboue all thinges, and exalted for euer. (3:54) Blessed be thou that beholdest the depthes, and sittest vpon the Cherubins, and praysed aboue all things, and exalted for euer. (3:55) Blessed be thou in the glorious Throne of thy kingdome, and praysed aboue all things, and exalted for euer. (3:56) Blessed be thou in the firmament of heauen, &amp; praysed aboue all things, &amp; glorified for euer. (3:57) All ye works of the Lord, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:58) O heauens, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:59) O Angels of the Lorde, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:60) Al ye waters that be aboue the heauen, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:61) All ye powers of the Lord, blesse ye ye Lord: prayse him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:62) O sunne &amp; moone, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:63) O starres of heauen, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:64) Euery showre and dewe, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:65) All ye windes, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:66) O fire &amp; heate, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:67) O winter &amp; sommer, blesse ye ye Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:68) O dewes and stormes of snowe, blesse yee the Lord: prayse him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:69) O frost and colde, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:70) O yee &amp; snow, blesse ye the Lord: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:71) O nights &amp; dayes, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:72) O light and darkenesse, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:73) O lightnings &amp; cloudes, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:74) Let the earth blesse the Lorde: let it prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:75) O mountaines, &amp; hilles, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:76) All things that growe on the earth, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue al things for euer. (3:77) O fountaines, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:78) O sea, and floods, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:79) O whales, and all that moue in the waters, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:80) All ye foules of heauen, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:81) All ye beastes and cattel, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:82) O children of men, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:83) Let Israel blesse the Lord, praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:84) O Priestes of the Lorde, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:85) O seruants of the Lord, blesse ye the Lorde: praise him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer. (3:86) O spirites and soules of the righteous, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all things for euer\par (3:87) O Saintes and humble of heart, blesse ye the Lorde: prayse him, and exalt him aboue all thinges for euer. (3:88) O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, blesse ye the Lord: prayse him, &amp; exalt him aboue all things for euer: for he hath deliuered vs from the hel, &amp; saued vs from the hand of death, and deliuered vs out of the middes of the fornace, and burning flame: euen out of the middes of the fire hath he deliuered vs. (3:89) Confesse vnto the Lord, that he is gracious: for his mercy endureth for euer. (3:90) All ye that worship the Lord, blesse the God of gods: prayse him, and acknowledge him: for his mercy endureth worlde without ende.}


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Then Nebuchad-nezzar the King was astonied and rose vp in haste, and spake, and saide vnto his counsellers, Did not wee cast three men bound into the middes of the fire? Who answered and said vnto the King, It is true, O King.


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He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the <n>For the angels were called the sons of God because of their excellency. Therefore the king called this angel whom God sent to comfort his own in these great torments, the son of God.</n> Son of God.


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Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, [and] spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come [hither]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, <n>This commends their obedience to God, that they would not because of any fear depart out of this furnace until the appointed time, as Noah remained in the ark, until the Lord called him forth.</n> came forth of the midst of the fire.


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Then the nobles, princes and dukes, and the Kings counsellers came together to see these men, because the fire had no power ouer their bodies: for not an heare of their head was burnt, neither was their coates changed, nor any smell of fire came vpon them.


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[Then] Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, <n>He was moved by the greatness of the miracle to praise God, but his heart was not touched. And here we see that miracles are not sufficient to convert men to God, but that doctrine most chiefly be joined with them, without which there can be no faith.</n> Blessed [be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.


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Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak <n>If this heathen king moved by God's Spirit would punish blasphemy, and made a law and set a punishment for such transgressors, much more ought all they that profess religion make sure that such impiety does not happen, lest according as their knowledge and responsibility is greater, so they suffer double punishment.</n> any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.


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Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the <n>Meaning, as far as his dominion extended.</n> earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.


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{\cf2 (3:32)} I thought it good to declare the signes and wonders, that the hie God hath wrought toward me.


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How great [are] his signs! and how mighty [are] his wonders! <n>{{See Dan_2:44}}</n> his kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion [is] from generation to generation.


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I Nebuchadnezzar was at <n>There was no trouble that might cause me to dream, and therefore it came only from God.</n> rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:


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I saw a <n>This was another dream besides that which he saw of the four empires, for Daniel both declared what that dream was, and what it meant, and here he expounds this dream.</n> dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.


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{\cf2 (4:3)} Therefore made I a decree, that they should bring all the wise men of Babel before mee, that they might declare vnto me the interpretation of the dreame.


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Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but <n>In that he sent abroad to others, whose ignorance in times past he had experienced, and left Daniel who was ever ready at hand, it declares the nature of the ungodly, who never seek for the servants of God unless they absolutely have to, and then they flatter to a great extent.</n> they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.


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But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name [was] <n>This no doubt was a great grief to Daniel not only to have his name changed, but to be called by the name of a vile idol, which thing Nebuchadnezzar did to make him forget the true religion of God.</n> Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom [is] the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, [saying],


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O Belteshazzar, <n>Which also was a great grief to the Prophet, to be numbered among the sorcerers and men whose practices were wicked and contrary to God's word.</n> master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods [is] in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.


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Thus [were] the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a <n>By the tree is signified the dignity of a king whom God ordains to be a defence for every type of man, and whose state is profitable for mankind.</n> tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof [was] great.


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{\cf2 (4:8)} A great tree and strong, and the height thereof reached vnto heauen, and the sight thereof to the endes of all the earth.


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{\cf2 (4:9)} The boughes thereof were faire &amp; the fruite thereof much, and in it was meate for all: it made a shadow vnder it for the beastes of the fielde, and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the boughes thereof, and all flesh fedde of it.


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I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a <n>Meaning the angel of God, who neither eats nor sleeps, but is always ready to do God's will, and is not infected with man's corruption, but is always holy. And in that he commands to cut down this tree, he knew that it would not be cut down by man, but by God.</n> watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;


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{\cf2 (4:11)} And cried aloude, and said thus, Hew downe the tree, and breake off his branches: shake off his leaues, and scatter his fruite, that the beastes may flee from vnder it, and the foules from his branches.


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{\cf2 (4:12)} Neuerthelesse leaue the stumpe of his rootes in the earth, and with a band of yron and brasse binde it among the grasse of the fielde, and let it be wet with the dewe of heauen, and let his portion be with the beastes among the grasse of the fielde.


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<n>By this he means that Nebuchadnezzar would not only for a time lose his kingdom, but be like a beast.</n>Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.


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<n>God has decreed this judgment and the whole army of heaven has as it were joined in being a part of it, just as they also desire the execution of his decree against all those that lift up themselves against God.</n>This matter [is] by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.


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{\cf2 (4:15)} This is the dreame, that I King Nebuchad-nezzar haue seene: therefore thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof: for all the wisemen of my kingdome are not able to shewe mee the interpretation: but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.


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Then Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, was <n>He was troubled because of the great judgment of God, which he saw ordained against the king. And so the Prophets on the one hand used to make known God's judgments for the zeal they had for his glory, and on the other hand had compassion upon man. And they also considered that they would be subject to God's judgments, if he did not regard them with pity.</n> astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream [be] to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.


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{\cf2 (4:17)} The tree that thou sawest, which was great and mightie, whose height reached vnto the heauen, and the sight thereof through all the world,


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{\cf2 (4:18)} Whose leaues were faire &amp; the fruit thereof much, and in it was meate for all, vnder the which the beastes of the fielde dwelt, and vpon whose branches the foules of the heauen did sit,


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{\cf2 (4:19)} It is thou, O King, that art great and mightie: for thy greatnesse is growen, and reacheth vnto heauen, and thy dominion to the endes of the earth.


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And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and [let] his portion [be] with the beasts of the field, <n>By which he means a long space, as seven years. Some interpret seven months, and others seven weeks, but it seems he means seven years.</n> till seven times pass over him;


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{\cf2 (4:21)} This is the interpretation, O King, and it is the decree of the most High, which is come vpon my lord the King,


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That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as <n>Not that his shape or form was changed into a beast, but that he was either stricken mad, and so avoided man's company, or was cast out because of his tyranny, and so wandered among the beasts, and ate herbs and grass.</n> oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that <n>Daniel shows the reason why God punished him in this way.</n> the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.


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{\cf2 (4:23)} Where as they sayd, that one should leaue the stumpe of the tree rootes, thy kingdome shall remaine vnto thee: after that, thou shalt knowe, that the heauens haue the rule.


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Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and <n>Cease from provoking God to anger any longer by your sins, that he may reduce the severity of his punishment, if you show by your upright life that you have true faith and repentance.</n> break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a <n>Allow the errors of your former life to be made up for.</n> lengthening of thy tranquillity.


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At the end of twelve <n>After Daniel had declared this vision: and this pride of his declares that it is not in man to convert to God, unless his Spirit moves him, seeing that these terrible threatenings could not move him to repent.</n> months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.


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{\cf2 (4:27)} And the King spake and sayde, Is not this great Babel, that I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maiestie?


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{\cf2 (4:28)} While the worde was in the Kings mouth, a voyce came downe from heauen, saying, O King Nebuchad-nezzar, to thee be it spoken, Thy kingdome is departed from thee,


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{\cf2 (4:29)} And they shall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling shalbe with the beastes of the fielde: they shall make thee to eate grasse, as the oxen, and seuen times shall passe ouer thee, vntill thou knowest, that the most High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it vnto whomsoeuer he will.


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{\cf2 (4:30)} The very same houre was this thing fulfilled vpon Nebuchad-nezzar, and hee was driuen from men, and did eate grasse as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dewe of heauen, till his heares were growen as egles feathers, &amp; his nailes like birds clawes.


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And at the end of the <n>When the term of these seven years was accomplished.</n> days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:


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And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his <n>He confesses God's will to be the rule of all justice, and a most perfect law, by which he governs both man and angels and devils, so that none ought to murmur or ask a reason for his doings, but only to stand content with them and give him the glory.</n> will in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?


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At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and <n>By whom it seems that he had been put from his kingdom before.</n> my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.


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Now I Nebuchadnezzar <n>He not only praises God for his deliverance, but also confesses his fault, so that God alone may have the glory, and man the shame, and so that God may be exalted and man cast down.</n> praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.


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<n>Daniel recites this history of King Belshazzar, Evilmerodach's son, to show God's judgments against the wicked for the deliverance of his Church, and how the prophecy of Jeremiah was true, that they would be delivered after seventy years.</n>Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine <n>The kings of the east part then used to commonly sit alone, and disdained that any should sit in their company: and now to show his power, and how little he thought of his enemy, which then besieged Babylon, made a solemn banquet, and used excess in their company, which is meant here by drinking wine: thus the wicked are very lax in morals and negligent, when their destruction is at hand.</n> before the thousand.


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Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his <n>Meaning his grandfather.</n> father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which [was] in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.


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Then were brought the golden vessels, that were taken out of the Temple of the Lords house at Ierusalem, and the King and his princes, his wiues and his concubines dranke in them.


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They drank wine, and praised the <n>In contempt of the true God they praise their idols, not that they thought that the gold or silver were gods, but that there was a certain strength and power in them to do them good, which is also the opinion of all idolaters.</n> gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.


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In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over <n>That it might the better be seen.</n> against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.


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Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his <n>So he that before condemned God, was moved by this sight to tremble for fear of God's judgments.</n> knees smote one against another.


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The king cried aloud to bring in <n>Thus the wicked in their troubles seek many means, which draw them from God, because they do not seek for him who is the only comfort in all afflictions.</n> the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. [And] the king spake, and said to the wise [men] of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.


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Then came all the Kings wise men, but they could neither reade the writing, nor shewe the King the interpretation.


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Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his princes were astonied.


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[Now] the <n>That is, his grandmother, Nebuchadnezzar's wife, who because of her age was not at the feast before, but came there when she heard of this strange news.</n> queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: [and] the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:


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There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom [is] the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, [I say], thy father, made master of the <n>Read (Dan_4:6); and this declares that both this name was odious to him, and also he did not use these vile practises, because he was not among them when all were called.</n> magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers;


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Because a more excellent spirit, and knowledge, and vnderstanding (for hee did expound dreames, and declare hard sentences, and dissolued doubtes) were founde in him, euen in Daniel, whome the King named Belteshazzar: nowe let Daniel be called, and hee will declare the interpretation.


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Then was Daniel brought before the King, and the King spake and sayd vnto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captiuitie of Iudah, whom my father the King brought out of Iewrie?


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I have even heard of thee, that <n>For the idolaters thought that the angels had power as God, and therefore held them in the same estimation that they held God, thinking that the spirit of prophecy and understanding came from them.</n> the spirit of the gods [is] in thee, and [that] light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.


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Now therefore, wisemen and astrologians haue bene brought before me, that they should reade this writing, and shewe me the interpretation thereof: but they could not declare the interpretation of the thing.


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Then heard I of thee, that thou couldest shewe interpretations, and dissolue doutes: nowe if thou canst reade the writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and shalt haue a chaine of golde about thy necke, &amp; shalt be the third ruler in the kingdome.


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Then Daniel answered, and sayd before the King, Keepe thy rewards to thy selfe, and giue thy giftes to another: yet I will reade the writing vnto the King, and shew him the interpretation.


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O thou king, the most high God gave <n>Before he read the writing, he declares to the king his great ingratitude toward God, who could not be moved to give him the glory, considering God's wonderful work toward his grandfather, and so shows that he does not sin from ignorance but from malice.</n> Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:


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And for the maiestie that he gaue him, all people, nations, and languages trembled, and feared before him: he put to death whom he would: he smote whome he would: whome he would he set vp, and whome he would he put downe.


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But when his heart was puft vp, and his minde hardened in pride, hee was deposed from his kingly throne, and they tooke his honour from him.


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And hee was driuen from the sonnes of men, and his heart was made like the beastes, and his dwelling was with the wilde asses: they fed him with grasse like oxen, and his body was wet with the dewe of the heauen, till he knewe, that the most high God bare rule ouer the kingdome of men, and that he appointeth ouer it, whomsoeuer he pleaseth.


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And thou his sonne, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all these things,


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But hast lift thy selfe vp against the Lorde of heauen, and they haue brought the vessels of his House before thee, and thou and thy princes, thy wiues and thy concubines haue drunke wine in them, and thou hast praysed the gods of siluer and golde, of brasse, yron, wood and stone, which neither see, neither heare, nor vnderstand: and the God in whose hand thy breath is and all thy wayes, him hast thou not glorified.


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<n>After God had for such a long time deferred his anger, and patiently waited for your repentance.</n>Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.


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And this [is] the writing that was written, <n>This word is written twice because of the certainty of the thing, showing that God had most surely decided: it signifies also that God has appointed a term for all kingdoms, and that a miserable end will come on all that raise themselves against him.</n> MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.


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Then at the commaundement of Belshazzar they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chaine of golde about his necke, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdome.


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And Darius <n>Cyrus his son-in-law gave him this title of honour, even though Cyrus in effect had the dominion.</n> the Median took the kingdom, [being] about threescore and two years old.


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It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom <n>Read (Est_1:1).</n> an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;


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And ouer these, three rulers (of whome Daniel was one) that the gouernours might giue accompts vnto them, and the King should haue no domage.


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Then this Daniel <n>This heathen king preferred Daniel a stranger to all his nobles and those he was familiar with, because the graces of God were more excellent in him than in others.</n> was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit [was] in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.


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Then the presidents and princes <n>Thus the wicked cannot abide the graces of God in others, but seek by every occasion to deface them: therefore against such assaults there is no better remedy than to walk upright in the fear of God, and to have a good conscience.</n> sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he [was] faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.


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Then sayd these men, We shall not finde an occasion against this Daniel, except we finde it against him concerning the Law of his God.


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Therefore the rulers and these gouernours went together to the King, and sayde thus vnto him, King Darius, liue for euer.


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All the rulers of thy kingdome, the officers and gouernours, the counsellers, and dukes haue consulted together to make a decree for the King and to establish a statute, that whosoeuer shall aske a petition of any god or man for thirtie dayes saue of thee, O King, he shalbe cast into the denne of lyons.


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Nowe, O King, confirme the decree, and seale the writing, that it be not changed according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.


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Wherefore king Darius <n>In this is condemned the wickedness of the king, who would be set up as a god, and did not care what wicked laws he approved for the maintenance of it.</n> signed the writing and the decree.


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Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his <n>Because he would not by his silence show that he consented to this wicked decree, he set open his windows toward Jerusalem when he prayed: both to stir up himself with the remembrance of God's promises to his people, when they should pray toward that temple, and also that others might see that he would neither consent in heart nor deed for these few days to anything that was contrary to God's glory.</n> windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.


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So they came &amp;, spake vnto the King concerning the Kings decree, Hast thou not sealed the decree, that euery man that shall make a request to any god or man within thirtie dayes, saue to thee, O King, shall be cast into the denne of lyons? The King answered, and sayd, The thing is true, according to the Lawe of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.


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Then answered they, and sayd vnto the King, This Daniel which is of the children of the captiuitie of Iudah, regardeth not thee, O King, nor the decree, that thou hast sealed, but maketh his petition three times a day.


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When the King heard these wordes, hee was sore displeased with himselfe, and set his heart on Daniel, to deliuer him: and he laboured till the sunne went downe, to deliuer him.


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Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be <n>Thus the wicked maintain evil laws by constancy and authority, which is often either weakness, or stubbornness, and the innocent as a result perish by them: and these governors neither ought to fear, nor be ashamed to break such laws.</n> changed.


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Then the King commaunded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the denne of lyons: now the King spake, and said vnto Daniel, Thy God, whome thou alway seruest, euen he will deliuer thee.


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And a stone was brought, and layed vpon the mouth of the denne, and the King sealed it with his owne signet, and with the signet of his princes, that the purpose might not be changed, concerning Daniel.


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Then the King went vnto his palace, and remained fasting, neither were the instruments of musike brought before him, and his sleepe went from him.


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And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: [and] the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, <n>This declares that Darius was not touched with the true knowledge of God, because he doubted of his power.</n> able to deliver thee from the lions?


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My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him <n>My just cause and uprightness in this thing in which I was charged, is approved by God.</n> innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done <n>For he disobeyed the kings's wicked commandment in order to obey God, and so he did no injury to the king, who ought to command nothing by which God would be dishonoured.</n> no hurt.


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Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he <n>Because he committed himself wholly to God whose cause he defended, he was assured that nothing but good could come to him: and in this we see the power of faith, as in (Heb_11:33).</n> believed in his God.


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And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they <n>This is a terrible example against all the wicked who do against their conscience make cruel laws to destroy the children of God, and also admonishes princes how to punish such when their wickedness is come to light: though not in every point, or with similar circumstances, but yet to execute true justice upon them.</n> cast [them] into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.


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Afterwarde King Darius wrote, Vnto all people, nations and languages, that dwel in all the world: Peace be multiplied vnto you.


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I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear <n>This does not prove that Darius worshipped God properly, or was converted: for then he would have destroyed all superstition and idolatry, and not only given God the chief place, but also have set him up, and caused him to be honoured according to his word. But this was a specific confession of God's power, unto which he was compelled by this wonderful miracle.</n> before the God of Daniel: for he [is] the <n>Who not only has life in himself, but is the only fountain of life, and quickens all things, so that without him there is no life.</n> living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion [shall be even] unto the end.


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Hee rescueth and deliuereth, and hee worketh signes and wonders in heauen and in earth, who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the lyons.


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In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: <n>Whereas the people of Israel looked for a continual peace, after the seventy years which Jeremiah had declared, he shows that this rest will not be a deliverance from all troubles, but a beginning. And therefore he encourages them to look for a continual affliction until the Messiah is uttered and revealed, by whom they would have a spiritual deliverance, and all the promises would be fulfilled. And they would have a certain experience of this in the destruction of the Babylonian kingdom.</n> then he wrote the dream, [and] told the sum of the matters.


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Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon <n>Which signified that there wold be horrible troubles and afflictions in the world in all corners of the world, and at various times.</n> the great sea.


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The first [was] like a <n>Meaning the Assyrian and Chaldean empire, which was most strong and fierce in power, and most soon to come to their authority, as though they had wings to fly: yet their wings were pulled off by the Persians, and they went on their feet, and were made like other men, which is meant here by man's heart.</n> lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.


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And behold another beast, a second, like to a <n>Meaning the Persians who were barbarous and cruel.</n> bear, and it raised up itself on <n>They were small in the beginning, and were shut up in the mountains, and had no strength.</n> one side, and [it had] three ribs in the <n>That is, destroyed many kingdoms and whose hunger could not be satisfied.</n> mouth of it between the teeth of it: <n>That is, the angels by God's commandment, who by this means punished the ingratitude of the world.</n> and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.


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After this I beheld, and lo another, like a <n>Meaning Alexander the king of Macedonia.</n> leopard, which had upon the back of it <n>That is, his four chief captains, which had the empire among them after his death. Selencus had Asia the great, Antigonus the less, Cassander and after him Antipater was king of Macedonia, and Ptolemeus had Egypt.</n> four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and <n>It was not of himself nor of his own power that he gained all these countries: for his army contained only thirty thousand men, and he overcame in one battle Darius, who had one million, when he was so heavy with sleep that his eyes were hardly open, as the stories report: therefore this power was given to him from God.</n> dominion was given to it.


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After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a <n>That is, the Roman empire which was a monster, and could not be compared to any beast, because there was no beast that was even comparable.</n> fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great <n>Signifying the tyranny and greediness of the Romans.</n> iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped <n>That which the Romans could not quietly enjoy in other countries, they would give it to other kings and rulers, so that whenever they wanted to, they might take it again: which liberality is here called the stamping of the rest under the feet.</n> the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had <n>That is, various and different provinces which were governed by the deputies and proconsuls: and each one of these might be compared to a king.</n> ten horns.


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I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little <n>Which is meant of Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, etc., who were as kings in effect, but because they could not rule, except by the consent of the senate, their power is compared to a little horn. For Muhammad did not come from the Roman Empire, and the pope has no vocation of government: therefore this cannot be applied to them, and also in this prophecy the Prophet's purpose is chiefly to comfort the Jews until the revelation of Christ. Some take it for the whole body of antichrist.</n> horn, before whom there were <n>Meaning a certain portion of the ten horns: that is, a part from the whole estate was taken away. For Augustus took from the senate the liberty of choosing the deputies to send into the provinces, and took the governing of certain countries to himself.</n> three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] <n>These Roman emperors at the first used a certain humanity and gentleness, and were content that others, as the consuls, and senate, should bear the names of dignity, so that they might have the profit. And therefore in election and counsels they would behave themselves according as did other senators: yet against their enemies and those that would resist them, they were fierce and cruel, which is here meant by the proud mouth.</n> eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.


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I beheld till the <n>Meaning, the places where God and his angels would come to judge these monarchies, which judgment would begin at the first coming of Christ.</n> thrones were cast down, and the <n>That is, God who was before all times, and is here described in a way such that man's nature is able to comprehend some portion of his glory.</n> Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.


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A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand <n>That is, an infinite number of angels, who were ready to execute his commandment.</n> times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the <n>This is meant of the first coming of Christ, when the will of God was plainly revealed by his Gospel.</n> books were opened.


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I beheld then <n>Meaning that he was astonished when he saw these emperors in such dignity and pride, so suddenly destroyed at the coming of Christ, when this fourth monarchy was subject to men of other nations.</n> because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.


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As <n>As the three former monarchies had an end at the time that God appointed, even though they flourished for a time, so will this fourth have an end, and they that patiently wait for God's appointment, will enjoy the promises.</n> concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.


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I saw in the night visions, and, behold, <n>Which is meant of Christ, who had not yet taken upon him man's nature, neither was he yet the son of David according to the flesh, as he was afterward: but he appeared then in a figure, and that in the clouds, that is, being separated from the common sort of men by manifest signs of his divinity.</n> [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and <n>That is, when he ascended into the heavens, and his divine majesty appeared, and all power was given to him, in respect that he was our mediator.</n> came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.


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And there was given him <n>This is meant of the beginning of Christ's kingdom, when God the Father gave unto him all dominion, as the the Mediator, with the intent that he would continually govern his Church which is here on earth, until the time that he brought them to eternal life.</n> dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.


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I Daniel was <n>Because of the strangeness of the vision.</n> grieved in my spirit in the midst of [my] body, and the visions of my head troubled me.


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I came near unto <n>Meaning one of the angels, as in {{See Dan_7:10}}</n> one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.


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But the saints of the <n>That is, of the most high things, because God has chosen them out of this world, that they should look up to the heavens, upon which all their hope depends.</n> most High shall take the <n>Because Abraham was appointed heir of all the world, (Rom_4:13), and in him all the faithful, therefore the kingdom of him is theirs by right, which these four beasts or tyrants would invade, and usurp until the world were restored by Christ. And this was to strengthen and encourage those that were in troubles, that their afflictions would eventually have an end.</n> kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.


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Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was <n>For the other three monarchies were governed by a king, and the Roman empire by consuls: the Romans changed their governors yearly, and the other monarchies retained them for term of life: also the Romans were the strongest of all the others, and were never at peace among themselves.</n> diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth [were of] iron, and his nails [of] brass; [which] devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the <n>Read (Dan_7:7).</n> residue with his feet;


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And of the ten horns that [were] in his head, and [of] the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even [of] that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose <n>This is meant of the fourth beast, which was more terrible than the others.</n> look [was] more stout than his fellows.


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I beheld, and the same <n>Meaning the Roman emperors, who were most cruel against the Church of God, both of the Jews and of the Gentiles.</n> horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;


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Until <n>Until God showed his power in the person of Christ, and by the preaching of the Gospel gave unto his own some rest, and so obtained a famous name in the world, and were called the Church of God, or the kingdom of God.</n> the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.


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Then he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdome in the earth, which shall be vnlike to all the kingdomes, and shall deuoure the whole earth, and shall treade it downe and breake it in pieces.


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And the ten horns out of this kingdom [are] ten kings [that] shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue <n>{{See Dan_7:8}}</n> three kings.


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And he shall speak [great] words against <n>That is, will make wicked decrees and proclamations against God's word, and send throughout all their dominion, to destroy all that did profess it.</n> the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to <n>These emperors will not consider that they have their power from God, but think it is in their own power to change God's laws and man's, and as it were the order of nature, as appears by Octavius, Tiberius, Calligula, Nero, Domitianus, etc.</n> change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a <n>God will allow them to rage in this way against his saints for a long time, the time and times, but at length he will soften these troubles, and shorten the time for his elect's sake, (Mat_24:22), which is here meant by the dividing of time.</n> time and times and the dividing of time.


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But the <n>God by his power will restore things that were out of order, and destroy this little horn in such a way that it will never rise up again.</n> judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end.


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And the <n>He shows why the beast would be destroyed, that is, so that his Church might have rest and quietness, which though they do not fully enjoy here, yet they have it in hope, and by the preaching of the Gospel enjoy the beginning of it, which is meant by these words, «under the whole heaven». And therefore he speaks here of the beginning of Christ's kingdom in this world, which kingdom the faithful have by the participation that they have with Christ their head.</n> kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all <n>That is, some of every type that rule.</n> dominions shall serve and obey him.


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Hitherto [is] the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my <n>Even though he had many motions in his heart which moved him to and fro to seek out this matter curiously, yet he was content with that which God revealed, and kept it in memory, and wrote it for the use of the Church.</n> cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.


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In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, [even unto] me Daniel, <n>After the general vision, he comes to certain particular visions with regard to the destruction of the monarchy of the Persians, and Macedonians: for the ruin of the Babylonians was at hand, and also he had sufficiently spoken of it.</n> after that which appeared unto me at the first.


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And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I [was] at Shushan [in] the palace, which [is] in the province <n>That is, of Persia.</n> of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.


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Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a <n>Which represented the kingdom of the Persians and Medes, which were united together.</n> ram which had [two] horns: and the [two] horns [were] high; but one [was] <n>Meaning Cyrus, who after grew greater in power than Darius his uncle and father-in-law.</n> higher than the other, and the higher came up last.


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I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no <n>That is, no kings or nations.</n> beasts might stand before him, neither [was there any] that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.


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And as I was considering, behold, <n>Meaning Alexander that came from Greece with great speed and warlike undertaking.</n> an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat [had] a notable <n>Even though he came in the name of all Greece, yet he bore the title and dignity of the general captain, so that the strength was attributed to him, which is meant by this horn.</n> horn between his eyes.


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And he came vnto the ramme that had the two hornes, whome I had seene standing by the riuer, and ranne vnto him in his fierce rage.


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And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and <n>Alexander overcame Darius in two different battles, and so had the two kingdoms of the Medes and Persians.</n> smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.


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Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great <n>Alexander's great power was broken: for when he had overcome all the East, he thought to return towards Greece to subdue those that had rebelled, and so died along the way.</n> horn was broken; and for it came up four <n>That is, who were famous: for almost in the space of fifteen years there were fifteen different successors before this monarchy was divided to these four, of which Cassander had Macedonia, Seleucus had Syria, Antigonus had Asia the less, and Ptolemeus had Egypt.</n> notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.


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And out of one of them came forth a <n>Which was Antiochus Epiphanes, who was of a servile and flattering nature, and also there were others between him and the kingdom: and therefore he is here called the little horn, because neither princely conditions, nor any other thing was in him, why he should obtain this kingdom.</n> little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the <n>That is, towards Egypt.</n> south, and toward the <n>By which he means Ptolemais.</n> east, and toward the <n>That is, Judea.</n> pleasant [land].


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And it waxed great, [even] to the <n>Antiochus raged against the elect of God, and tread his precious stars underfoot, who are so called because they are separated from the world.</n> host of heaven; and it cast down [some] of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.


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Yea, he magnified [himself] even to the <n>That is, God, who governs and maintains his Church.</n> prince of the host, and by him the <n>He laboured to abolish all religion, and therefore cast God's service out of his temple, which God had chosen as a little corner from all the rest of the world to have his name there truly called upon.</n> daily [sacrifice] was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.


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And <n>He shows that their sins are the cause of these horrible afflictions: and yet comforts them, in that he appoints this tyrant for a time, whom he would not allow to utterly abolish his religion.</n> an host was given [him] against the daily [sacrifice] by reason of transgression, and it <n>This horn will abolish for a time the true doctrine, and so corrupt God's service.</n> cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.


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Then I heard one <n>Meaning that he heard one of the angels asking this question of Christ, whom he called a certain one, or a secret one, or a marvellous one.</n> saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain [saint] which spake, How long [shall be] the vision [concerning] the daily [sacrifice], and the transgression of <n>That is, the Jews' sins, which were the cause of its destruction.</n> desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the <n>That is, which suppresses God's religion and his people.</n> host to be trodden under foot?


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And <n>Christ answered me for the comfort of the Church.</n> he said unto me, Unto <n>That is, until so many natural days have passed, which make six years, and three and a half months: for the temple was profaned this long under Antiochus.</n> two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.


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And it came to pass, when I, [even] I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me <n>Who was Christ who in this manner declared himself to the old fathers, how he would be God manifest in flesh.</n> as the appearance of a man.


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And I heard a man's voice between [the banks of] Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, <n>This power to command the angel, declared that he was God.</n> make this [man] to understand the vision.


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So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for <n>The effect of this vision will not yet appear, until a long time after.</n> at the time of the end [shall be] the vision.


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Nowe as he was speaking vnto me, I being a sleepe fell on my face to the ground: but he touched me, and set me vp in my place.


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And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last <n>Meaning that great rage which Antiochus would show against the Church.</n> end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end [shall be].


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And the goate is the King of Grecia, and the great horne that is betweene his eyes, is the first King.


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Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up <n>That is, out of Greece.</n> out of the nation, but not <n>They will not have similar power as Alexander had.</n> in his power.


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And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of <n>Noting that this Antiochus was impudent and cruel, and also crafty so that he could not be deceived.</n> fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.


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And his power shall be mighty, but not <n>That is, not like Alexander's strength.</n> by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the <n>Both the Gentiles that dwelt around him, and also the Jews.</n> mighty and the holy people.


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And through his <n>Whatever he goes about by his craft, he will bring it to pass.</n> policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify [himself] in his heart, and by <n>That is, under pretence of peace, or as it were in sport.</n> peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the <n>Meaning, against God.</n> Prince of princes; but he shall be broken <n>For God would destroy him with a notable plague, and so comfort his Church.</n> without hand.


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And the vision of the <n>Read (Dan_8:14).</n> evening and the morning which was told [is] true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it [shall be] for many days.


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And I Daniel fainted, and was sick <n>Because of fear and astonishment.</n> [certain] days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood [it].


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In the first year of Darius the son of <n>Who was also called Astyages.</n> Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the <n>For Cyrus led with ambition, and went about wars in other countries, and therefore Darius had the title of the kingdom, even though Cyrus was king in effect.</n> realm of the Chaldeans;


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In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by <n>For even though he was an excellent Prophet, yet he daily increased in knowledge by the reading of the scriptures.</n> books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.


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And I set my face unto the Lord God, to <n>He does not speak of that ordinary prayer, which he used in his house three times a day, but of a rare and vehement prayer, lest their sins should cause God to delay the time of their deliverance prophesied by Jeremiah.</n> seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:


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And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the <n>That is, has all power in yourself to execute your terrible judgments against obstinate sinners, as you are rich in mercy to comfort those who obey your word and love you.</n> great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;


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We haue sinned, and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly, yea, we haue rebelled, and haue departed from thy precepts, and from thy iudgements.


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For we would not obey thy seruants the Prophets, which spake in thy Name to our Kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, and to all the people of the land.


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O Lord, <n>He shows that whenever God punishes, he does it for just cause: and thus the godly never accuse him of rigour as the wicked do, but acknowledge that in themselves there is just cause why he should so treat them.</n> righteousness [belongeth] unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, [that are] near, and [that are] far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.


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O Lord, to us [belongeth] confusion of face, to our <n>He does not excuse the kings because of their authority, but prays chiefly for them as the chief occasions of these great plagues.</n> kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.


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Neither have we obeyed the <n>He shows that they rebel against God, who do not serve him according to his commandment and word.</n> voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.


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Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the <n>As in (Deu_27:15), or the curse confirmed by an oath.</n> curse is poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.


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And he hath confirmed his wordes, which he spake against vs, and against our iudges that iudged vs, by bringing vpon vs a great plague: for vnder the whole heauen hath not bene the like, as hath bene brought vpon Ierusalem.


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All this plague is come vpon vs, as it is written in the Lawe of Moses: yet made we not our prayer before the Lorde our God, that we might turne from our iniquities and vnderstand thy trueth.


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Therefore hath the Lord made ready the plague, and brought it vpon vs: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we would not heare his voyce.


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And nowe, O Lorde our God, that hast brought thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mightie hand, and hast gotten thee renoume, as appeareth this day, we haue sinned, we haue done wickedly.


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O Lord, according to all thy <n>That is, according to all your merciful promises and the performance of them.</n> righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people [are become] a reproach to all [that are] about us.


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Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to <n>Show yourself favourable.</n> shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the <n>That is, for your Christ's sake, in whom you will accept all of our prayers.</n> Lord's sake.


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O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our <n>Declaring that the godly flee only to God's mercies, and renounce their own works, when they seek for remission of their sins.</n> righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.


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O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, <n>Thus he could not content himself with any vehemency of words: for he was so led with a fervent zeal, considering God's promise made to the city in respect of his Church, and for the advancement of God's glory.</n> hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.


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And whiles I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sinne, and the sinne of my people Israel, and did present my supplication before the Lord my God, for the holy Mountaine of my God,


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Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, euen the man Gabriel, whome I had seene before in the vision, came flying, and touched mee about the time of the euening oblation.


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And he informed me, and talked with me, and sayd, O Daniel, I am now come forth to giue thee knowledge and vnderstanding.


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At the beginning of thy supplications the commaundement came foorth, and I am come to shewe thee, for thou art greatly beloued: therefore vnderstande the matter and consider the vision.


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Seventy <n>He alludes to Jeremiah's prophecy, who prophesied that their captivity would be seventy years: but now God's mercy would exceed his judgment seven times as much, which would be 490 years, even until the coming of Christ, and so then it would continue forever.</n> weeks are determined upon <n>Meaning Daniel's nation, over whom he was careful.</n> thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the <n>To show mercy and to put sin out of remembrance.</n> transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.


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Know therefore and understand, [that] from <n>That is, from the time that Cyrus gave them permission to depart.</n> the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven <n>These weeks make forty-nine years, of which forty-six are referred to the time of the building of the temple, and three to the laying of the foundation.</n> weeks, and <n>Counting from the sixth year of Darius, who gave the second commandment for the building of the temple are sixty-two weeks, which make 434 years, which comprehend the time from the building of the temple until the baptism of Christ.</n> threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.


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And after threescore and two <n>In this week of the seventy, will Christ come and preach and suffer death.</n> weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but <n>He will seem to have no beauty, nor to be of any estimation; (Isa_53:2).</n> not for himself: and the people of the <n>Meaning Titus, Vespasians's son, who would come and destroy both the temple, and the people, without any hope of recovery.</n> prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.


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And he <n>By the preaching of the Gospel he affirmed his promise, first to the Jews, and after to the Gentiles.</n> shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to <n>Christ accomplished this by his death and resurrection.</n> cease, <n>Meaning that Jerusalem and the sanctuary would be utterly destroyed because of their rebellion against God, and their idolatry: or as some read, that the plague will be so great, that they will all be astonished at them.</n> and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.


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In the <n>He notes this third year, because at this time the building of the temple began to be hindered by Cambyses, Cyrus's son, when the father made war in Asia minor against the Scythians, which was discouraging to the godly, and fearful to Daniel.</n> third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing [was] true, but the time appointed [was] <n>Which is to declare that the godly should not hasten too much, but patiently abide the fulfilment of God's promise.</n> long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.


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I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint my selfe at all, till three weekes of dayes were fulfilled.


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And in the four and twentieth day of the <n>Called Abib, which contains part of March, and part of April.</n> first month, as I <n>Being carried by the Spirit of prophecy so that he could see the river Tigris.</n> was by the side of the great river, which [is] Hiddekel;


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Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man <n>This was the angel of God, who was sent to assure Daniel in this prophecy that follows.</n> clothed in linen, whose loins [were] girded with fine gold of Uphaz:


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His body also was like the Chrysolite, and his face (to looke vpon) like the lightning, &amp; his eyes as lamps of fire, and his armes and his feete were like in colour to polished brasse, &amp; the voyce of his wordes was like the voyce of a multitude.


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And I Daniel alone sawe the vision: for the men that were with me, sawe not the vision: but a great feare fell vpon them, so that they fled away and hid themselues.


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Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for <n>So that because of fear he was like a dead man because of his deformity.</n> my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.


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Yet heard I the voyce of his wordes: and when I heard the voyce of his wordes, I slept on my face: and my face was toward the ground.


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And, behold, an <n>Which declares that when we are struck down with the majesty of God we cannot rise, unless he also lifts us up with his hand, which is his power.</n> hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and [upon] the palms of my hands.


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And he sayde vnto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloued, vnderstand the wordes that I speake vnto thee, and stand in thy place: for vnto thee am I nowe sent; when hee had sayde this worde vnto me, I stood trembling.


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Then sayd he vnto me, Feare not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou diddest set thine heart to vnderstand, and to humble thy selfe before thy God, thy wordes were heard, and I am come for thy wordes.


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But the <n>Meaning Cambyses, who reigned in his father's absence, and did not only for this time hinder the building of the temple, but would have further raged, if God had not sent me to resist him: and therefore I have stayed for the profit of the Church.</n> prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, <n>Even though God could by one angel destroy all the world, yet to assure his children of his love he sends forth double power, even Michael, that is, Christ Jesus the head of angels.</n> Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.


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Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the <n>For even though the Prophet Daniel would end and cease, yet his doctrine would continue until the coming of Christ, for the comfort of his Church.</n> vision [is] for [many] days.


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And, behold, <n>This was the same angel that spoke with him before in the appearance of a man.</n> [one] like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, <n>I was overcome with fear and sorrow, when I saw the vision.</n> by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.


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For howe can the seruant of this my Lorde talke with my Lord being such one? for as for me, straight way there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.


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And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: <n>He declares by this that God would be merciful to the people of Israel.</n> peace [be] unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I <n>Which declares that when God smites his children down, he does not immediately lift them up at once (for now the Angel had touched him twice), but by little and little.</n> was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.


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Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the <n>Meaning that he would not only himself bridle the rage of Cambyses, but also the other kings of Persia by Alexander the King of Macedonia.</n> prince of Grecia shall come.


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But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: <n>For this angel was appointed for the defence of the Church under Christ, who is the head of it.</n> and [there is] none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.


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Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, [even] I, <n>The angel assures Daniel that God has given him power to perform these things, seeing that he appointed him to assist Darius when he overcame the Chaldeans.</n> stood to confirm and to strengthen him.


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And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet <n>Of which Cambyses that now reigned was the first, the second Smerdes, the third Darius the son of Hystaspis, and the fourth Xerxes, who all were enemies to the people of God, and stood against them.</n> three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than [they] all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up <n>For he raised up all the east countries to fight against the Grecians, and even though he had in his army 900,000 men, yet in four battles he was defeated, and fled away with shame.</n> all against the realm of Grecia.


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And a <n>That is, Alexander the Great.</n> mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.


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And when he shall stand up, <n>For when his estate was most flourishing, he overcame himself with drink, and so fell into a disease: or as some write, was poisoned by Cassander.</n> his kingdom shall be broken, <n>For his twelve chief princes first divided his kingdom among themselves.</n> and shall be divided toward the <n>After this his monarchy was divided into four: for Seleucus had Syria, Antigonus had Asia minor, Cassander had the kingdom of Macedonia, and Ptolemeus had Egypt.</n> four winds of heaven; and not to his <n>Thus God avenged Alexander's ambition and cruelty, in causing his posterity to be murdered, partly by their father's chief friends, and partly by one another.</n> posterity, nor according to <n>None of these four will be able to be compared to the power of Alexander.</n> his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside <n>That is, his posterity having no part of it.</n> those.


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And the <n>That is, Ptolemeus king of Egypt.</n> king of the south shall be strong, and [one] of <n>That is, Antiochus the son of Seleucus, and one of Alexander's princes will be more mighty: for he would have both Asia and Syria.</n> his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion [shall be] a great dominion.


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And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's <n>That is, Bernice the daughter of Ptolemais Philadelphus will be given in marriage to Antiochus Theos, thinking by this affinity that Syria and Egypt would have a continual peace together.</n> daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the <n>That power and strength will not continue: for soon after her husband's death, Bernice and her young son were slain by her stepson Seleicus Calinieus the son of Laodice, the lawful wife of Antiochus, but put away for this woman's sake.</n> arm; neither shall <n>Neither Ptolemais nor Antiochus.</n> he stand, nor his <n>Some read «seed», meaning the child begotten by Bernice.</n> arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he <n>Some read, «she that begat her», and by this understand her nurse, who brought her up: so that all those who were part of this marriage were destroyed.</n> that begat her, and he that strengthened her in [these] times.


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But out of a branch of her <n>Meaning that Ptolemais Evergetes after the death of his father Philadelphus would succeed in the kingdom, being of the same stock that Bernice was.</n> roots shall [one] stand up in his estate, <n>To revenge the sister's death against Antiochus Calinicus King of Syria.</n> which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:


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And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, [and] with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue <n>For this Ptolemais reigned forty-six years.</n> [more] years than the king of the north.


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But his <n>Meaning Seleucus and Antiochus the great, the sons of Calinicus, will make war against Ptolemais Philopater, the son of Philadelphus.</n> sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and [one] <n>For his older brother Seleucus died, or was slain while the armies were preparing for war.</n> shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he <n>That is, Philopater, when he will see Antiochus take great dominions from him in Syria, and also ready to invade Egypt.</n> return, and be stirred up, [even] to his fortress.


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And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, [even] with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great <n>For Antioch had 6,000 horsemen, and 60,000 footmen.</n> multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.


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Then the multitude shall be proude, and their heart shall be lifted vp: for hee shall cast downe thousands: but he shall not still preuaile.


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For the king of the north <n>After the death of Ptolemais Philopater, who left Ptolemais Epiphanes as his heir.</n> shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.


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And in those times there shall <n>For not only Antaiochus came against him, but also Philip King of Macedonia, and these two brought great power with them.</n> many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy <n>For under Onies, who falsely alleged that place of (Isa_19:19), certain of the Jews retired with him into Egypt to fulfil this prophecy: also the angel shows that all these troubles which are in the Church, are by the providence and counsel of God.</n> people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.


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So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall <n>The Egyptians were not able to resist Stopas, Antiochus' captain.</n> not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither [shall there be any] strength to withstand.


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But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the <n>He shows that he will not only afflict the Egyptians, but also the Jews, and will enter into their country, of which he admonished them before, that they may know that all these things came by God's providence.</n> glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.


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He shall also <n>This was the second battle that Antiochus fought against Ptolemais Epiphanes.</n> set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the <n>That is, a beautiful woman who was Cleopatra, Antiochus' daughter.</n> daughter of women, corrupting <n>For he did not regard the life of his daughter in respect of the kingdom of Egypt.</n> her: but <n>She will not agree to his wicked counsel, but will love her husband, as her duty requires, and not seek his destruction.</n> she shall not stand [on his side], neither be for him.


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After this shall he turn his face unto the <n>That is, towards Asia, Greece, and those isles which are in the Mediterranean Sea: for the Jews called all countries which were divided by the sea «isles».</n> isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf <n>For whereas Antiochus was accustomed to condemn the Romans, and put their ambassadors to shame in all places, Attilius the consul, or Lucius Scipio put him to flight, and caused his shame to turn on his own head.</n> shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause [it] to turn upon <n>By his wicked life, and obedience to foolish counsel.</n> him.


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Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of <n>For fear of the Romans he will flee to his strongholds.</n> his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be <n>For when as under the pretence of poverty he would have robbed the temple of Jupiter Dodomeus, the countrymen slew him.</n> found.


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<n>That is, Seleuchus will succeed his father Antiochus.</n>Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes [in] the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in <n>Not by foreign enemies, or battle, but by treason.</n> anger, nor in battle.


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And in his estate shall stand up a <n>Who was Antiochus Epiphanes, who as is thought was the occasion of Seleucus his brother's death, and was of a vile, cruel, and flattering nature, and defrauded his brother's son of the kingdom, and usurped the kingdom without the consent of the people.</n> vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.


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And with the <n>He shows that great foreign powers will come to help the young son of Seleucus against his uncle Antiochus, and yet will be overthrown.</n> arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the <n>Meaning Ptolemais Philopater's son, who was this child's cousin, and is here called the prince of the covenant, because he was the chief, and all others followed his conduct.</n> covenant.


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And after <n>For after the battle, Philometor and his uncle Antiochus made a league.</n> the league [made] with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a <n>For he came upon him by surprise, and when he did not suspect his uncle Antiochus at all.</n> small people.


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He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do [that] which his fathers <n>Meaning, in Egypt.</n> have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: [yea], and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a <n>He will content himself with the small strongholds for a time, but will always labour by craft to attain to the chiefest.</n> time.


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And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not <n>He will be overcome with treason.</n> stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.


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Yea, they that feed of the portion of <n>Signifying his princes and the chief men about him.</n> his meat shall destroy him, and his army <n>Declaring that his soldiers will break out and venture their life to stay and to be slain for the safeguard of their prince.</n> shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.


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And both these kings' hearts [shall be] to do <n>The uncle and the nephew will make truce, and banquet together, yet in their hearts they will imagine mischief against one another.</n> mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for <n>Signifying that it depends not on the counsel of men to bring things to pass, but on the providence of God, who rules the kings by a secret bridle, so that they cannot do what they themselves wish.</n> yet the end [shall be] at the time appointed.


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Then shall he return into his land with great <n>Which he will take from the Jews in spoiling Jerusalem and the temple, and this is told them before to exhort them to be patient, knowing that all things are done by God's providence.</n> riches; and his heart [shall be] against the holy covenant; and he shall do [exploits], and return to his own land.


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At the time appointed he shall returne, and come toward the South: but the last shall not be as the first.


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For the ships <n>That is, the Roman power will come against him: for P. Popilius the ambassador appointed him to depart in the Romans' name, which he obeyed, although with grief, and to avenge his rage he came against the people of God the second time.</n> of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, <n>With the Jews who will forsake the covenant of the Lord: for first he was called against the Jews by Jason the high priest, and this second time by Menelaus.</n> and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.


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And arms <n>A great faction of the wicked Jews will join with Antiochus.</n> shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary <n>So called because the power of God was not at all diminished, even though this tyrant set up in the temple the image of Jupiter Olympius, and so began to corrupt the pure service of God.</n> of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.


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And such as do wickedly <n>Meaning those who had the name of Jews, but indeed were not Jews at all, for they sold their souls, and betrayed their brethren for gain.</n> against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits].


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And they that understand among the <n>Those that remain constant among the people will teach others by their example, and edify many in the true religion.</n> people shall instruct many: <n>By which he exhorts the godly to constancy, even though they should perish a thousand times, and even though their miseries endure ever so long.</n> yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, [many] days.


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Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a <n>As God will not leave his Church destitute, yet he will not deliver it all at once, but help in such a way that they may still seem to fight under the cross, as he did in the time of the Maccabees, of which he here prophesies.</n> little help: but many shall cleave to them <n>That is, there will even be among this small number many hypocrites.</n> with flatteries.


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And [some] of them <n>That is, of those that fear God and will lose their life for the defence of true religion. Signifying also that the Church must continually be tried and purged, and ought to look for one persecution after another: for God has appointed the time, and therefore we must obey.</n> of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make [them] white, [even] to the time of the end: because [it is] yet for a time appointed.


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And the <n>Because the angels purpose is to show the whole course of the persecutions of the Jews until the coming of Christ, he now speaks of the monarchy of the Romans, which he notes by the name of a king, who were without religion and condemned the true God.</n> king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation <n>So long the tyrants will prevail as God has appointed to punish his people: but he shows that it is but for a time.</n> be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.


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Neither shall he regard the <n>The Romans will observe no certain form of religion as other nations, but will change their gods at their pleasures, indeed, they will condemn them and prefer themselves to their gods.</n> God of his fathers, nor the desire <n>Signifying that they would be without all humanity: for the love of women is taken for singular or great love, as (2Sa_1:26).</n> of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.


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But in his estate shall he honour the <n>That is, the god of power and riches: they will esteem their own power above all their gods and worship it.</n> God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with <n>Under pretence of worshipping the gods, they will enrich their city with the most precious jewels of all the world, because by this all men would hold them in admiration for their power and riches.</n> gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.


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Thus shall he do in <n>Even though in their hearts they had no religion, yet they did acknowledge the gods, and worshipped them in their temples, lest they should have been despised as atheists. But this was to increase their fame and riches, and when they gained any country, they made others the rulers of it in such a way that the profit always came to the Romans.</n> the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge [and] increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.


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And at the time of the end shall the king of the <n>That is, both the Egyptians and the Syrians will at length fight against the Romans, but they will be overcome.</n> south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.


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He shall enter also into the <n>The angel forewarns the Jews that when they should see the Romans invade them, and that the wicked would escape their hands, that then they should think that all this was done by God's providence, seeing that he warned them of it so long before, and therefore he would still preserve them.</n> glorious land, and many [countries] shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, [even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.


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But he shall haue power ouer the treasures of golde and of siluer, and ouer all the precious things of Egypt, and of the Lybians, and of the blacke Mores where he shall passe.


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But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall <n>Hearing that Crassus was slain, and Antonius defeated.</n> trouble him: therefore he shall go forth <n>For Augustus overcame the Parthians, and recovered that which Antonius had lost.</n> with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.


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And he shall plant the tabernacles <n>The Romans after this reigned quietly throughout all countries, and from sea to sea, and in Judea: but at length because of their cruelty God will destroy them.</n> of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.


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And at that <n>The angel here notes two things: first that the Church will be in great affliction and trouble at Christ's coming, and next that God will send his angel to deliver it, whom he here calls Michael, meaning Christ, who is proclaimed by the preaching of the Gospel.</n> time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.


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And many <n>Meaning all will rise at the general resurrection, which thing he here names because the faithful should always consider that: for in the earth there will be no sure comfort.</n> of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.


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And they that be <n>Who have kept the true fear of God and his religion.</n> wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that <n>He chiefly means the ministers of God's word, and next all the faithful who instruct the ignorant, and bring them to the true knowledge of God.</n> turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.


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But thou, O Daniel, <n>Even though the most part despise this prophecy, yet make sure you keep it and esteem it as a treasure.</n> shut up the words, and seal the book, <n>Until the time that God has appointed for the full revelation of these things: and then many will run to and fro to search for the knowledge of these mysteries, which things they obtain now by the light of the Gospel.</n> [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.


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Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the <n>Which was the Tigris.</n> river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.


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And one saide vnto the man clothed in linen, which was vpon ye waters of the riuer, When shalbe the ende of these wonders?


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And I heard the man clothed in linen, which [was] upon the waters of the river, when he held up his <n>Which was as it were a double oath, and did the more confirm the thing.</n> right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that [it shall be] for a <n>Meaning, a long time, a longer time, and at length a short time: signifying that their troubles would have an end.</n> time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished <n>When the Church will be scattered and diminished in such a way as it will seem to have no power.</n> to scatter the power of the holy people, all these [things] shall be finished.


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Many shalbe purified, made white, &amp; tried: but the wicked shall doe wickedly, and none of the wicked shall haue vnderstanding: but the wise shall vnderstand.


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And from the time [that] the <n>From the time that Christ by his sacrifice will take away the sacrifices and ceremonies of the Law.</n> daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, [there <n>Signifying that the time will be long until Christ's second coming, and yet the children of God ought not to be discouraged, even though it is deferred.</n> shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days.


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Blessed [is] he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and <n>In this number he adds a month and a half to the former number, signifying that it is not in man to appoint the time of Christ's coming, but that they are blessed that patiently wait for his appearing.</n> five and thirty days.


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But go <n>The angel warns the Prophet patiently to wait, until the time appointed comes, signifying that he should depart this life, and rise again with the elect, when God had sufficiently humbled and purged his Church.</n> thou thy way till the end [be]: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.


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The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days <n>Also called Azariah, who being a leper was disposed from his kingdom.</n> of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, <n>So that it may be gathered by the reign of these four kings that he preached about eighty years.</n> kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. <n>The Argument - After the ten tribes had fallen away from God by the wicked and subtle counsel of Jeroboam, the son of Neba, and instead of his true service commanded by his word, worshipped him according to their own imaginings and traditions of men, giving themselves to most vile idolatry and superstition, the Lord from time to time sent them Prophets to call them to repentance. But they grew even worse and worse, and still abused God's benefits. Therefore now when their prosperity was at the highest under Jeroboam, the son of Joash, God sent Hosea and Amos to the Israelites (as he did at the same time send Isaiah and Micah to those of Judah) to condemn them for their ingratitude. And whereas they thought themselves to be greatly in the favour of God, and to be his people, the Prophet calls them bastards and children born in adultery: and therefore shows them that God would take away their kingdom, and give them to the Assyrians to be led away captives. Thus Hosea faithfully executed his office for the space of seventy years, though they remained still in their vices and wickedness and derided the Prophets, and condemned God's judgments. And because they would neither be discouraged with threatening only, nor should they flatter themselves by the sweetness of God's promises, he sets before them the two principal parts of the Law, which are the promise of salvation, and the doctrine of life. For the first part he directs the faithful to the Messiah, by whom alone they would have true deliverance: and for the second, he uses threatenings and menaces to bring them from their wicked manners and vices: and this is the chief scope of all the Prophets, either by God's promises to allure them to be godly, or else by threatenings of his judgments to scare them from vice. And even though the whole Law contains these two points, yet the Prophets moreover note distinctly both the time of God's judgments and the manner.</n>


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The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife <n>That is, one that has been a harlot for a long time: not that the Prophet did this thing in effect, but he saw this in a vision, or else was commanded by God to set forth under this parable or figure the idolatry of the Synagogue, and of the people her children.</n> of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, [departing] from the LORD.


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So he went and took <n>Gomer signifies a consumption or corruption, and rotten clusters of figs, declaring that they were all corrupt like rotten figs.</n> Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.


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And the LORD said unto him, Call his name <n>Meaning that they would no longer be called Israelites, which name they boasted because Israel did prevail with God: but that they were as bastards, and therefore should be called Jezreelites, that is, scattered people, alluding to Jezreel, which was the chief city of the ten tribes under Ahab, where Jehu shed so much blood; (1Ki_18:45).</n> Jezreel; for yet a little [while], and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of <n>I will be avenged upon Jehu for the blood that he shed in Jezreel: for even though God stirred him up to execute his judgments, yet he did them for his own ambition, and not for the glory of God as the intended goal: for he built up that idolatry which he had destroyed.</n> Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.


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And it shall come to pass at that <n>When the measure of their iniquity is full, and I will take vengeance and destroy all their administration and strength.</n> day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.


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And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And [God] said unto him, Call her name <n>That is, not obtaining mercy: by which he signifies that God's favour had departed from them.</n> Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly <n>For the Israelites never returned after they were taken captives by the Assyrians.</n> take them away.


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But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will <n>For after their captivity he restored them miraculously by the means of Cyrus; (Ezr_1:1).</n> save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.


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Then said [God], Call his name <n>That is, not my people.</n> Loammi: for ye [are] not my people, and I will not be your [God].


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Yet the number of the <n>Because they thought that God could not have been true in his promise unless he had preserved them, he declares that though they were destroyed, yet the true Israelites who are the sons of the promise, would be without number, who consist both of the Jews and the Gentiles; (Rom_9:26).</n> children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not my people, [there] it shall be said unto them, [Ye are] the sons of the living God.


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Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be <n>That is, after the captivity of Babylon, when the Jews were restored: but chiefly this refers to the time of Christ, who would be the head both of the Jews and Gentiles.</n> gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great [shall be] the <n>The calamity and destruction of Israel will be so great, that to restore them will be a miracle.</n> day of Jezreel.


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Say ye unto your <n>Seeing that I have promised you deliverance, it remains that you encourage one another to embrace this promise, considering that you are my people on whom I will have mercy.</n> brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.


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Plead with your <n>God shows that the fault was not in him, that he forsook them, but in their Synagogue, and their idolatries; (Isa_50:1).</n> mother, plead: for she [is] not my wife, neither [am] I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries <n>Meaning that their idolatry was so great, that they were not ashamed, but boasted of it; (Eze_16:25).</n> from between her breasts;


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Lest I strip her naked, and <n>For even though his people were as a harlot for their idolatries, yet he had left them with their dress and dowry and certain signs of his favour, but if they continued still, he would utterly destroy them.</n> set her as in the day that she was <n>When I brought her out of Egypt. {{See Eze_16:4}}</n> born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.


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And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they [be] the <n>That is bastards, and begotten in adultery.</n> children of whoredoms.


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For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my <n>Meaning the idol which they served, and by whom they thought they had wealth and abundance.</n> lovers, that give [me] my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.


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Therefore, behold, I will hedge up <n>I will punish you so that you may then test whether your idols can help you, and bring you into such straightness that you will have no lust to play the harlot.</n> thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.


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And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find [them]: then shall she say, <n>This he speaks of the faithful, who are truly converted, and also shows the use and profit of God's punishments.</n> I will go and return to my first husband; for then [was it] better with me than now.


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For she did not know that I <n>This declares that idolaters defraud God of his honour, when they attribute his benefits to their idols.</n> gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, [which] they prepared for Baal.


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Therefore will I return, and take away <n>Signifying that God will take away his benefits, when man by his ingratitude abuses them.</n> my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax [given] to cover her nakedness.


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And now will I discover her <n>That is, all her service, ceremonies, and inventions by which she worshipped her idols.</n> lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.


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I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast daies, her newe moones, and her Sabbathes, and all her solemne feasts.


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And I wil destroy her vines &amp; her figtrees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my louers haue giuen mee: and I will make them as a forest, and the wilde beasts shall eate them.


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And I will visit upon her the days of <n>I will punish her for her idolatry.</n> Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her <n>By showing how harlots trim themselves to please others, he declares how superstitious idolaters set a great part of their religion in adorning themselves on their holy days.</n> earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.


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Therefore, behold, I will <n>By my benefits in offering her grace and mercy, even in that place where she will think herself destitute of all help and comfort.</n> allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.


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And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley <n>Which was a plentiful valley, and in which they had great comfort when they came out of the wilderness, as in (Jos_7:26), and is called the door of hope, because it was a departing from death and an entry into life.</n> of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall <n>She will then praise God as she did when she was delivered out of Egypt.</n> sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.


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And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, [that] thou shalt call me <n>That is, my husband, knowing that I am united to you by a covenant which could not be violated.</n> Ishi; and shalt call me no more <n>That is, my master: which name was applied to their idols.</n> Baali.


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For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their <n>No idolatry will come into their mouth at all, but they will fear me purely according to my word.</n> name.


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And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the <n>Meaning that he will so bless them that all creatures will favour them.</n> beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and [with] the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.


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And I wil marry thee vnto me for euer: yea, I will marry thee vnto me in righteousnes, and in iudgement, and in mercy and in compassion.


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I will even betroth thee unto me in <n>With a covenant that will never be broken.</n> faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear <n>Then will the heaven desire rain for the earth, which will bring forth things for the use of man.</n> the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;


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And I will sowe her vnto me in the earth, and I will haue mercie vpon her, that was not pitied, and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; they shal say, Thou art my God.


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Then said the LORD unto me, <n>In this the Prophet represents the person of God, who loved his Church before he called her, and did not withdraw his love when she gave herself to idols.</n> Go yet, love a woman beloved of [her] friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and <n>That is, gave themselves wholly to pleasure, and could not stop, as those that are given to drunkenness.</n> love flagons of wine.


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So <n>Yet I loved her and paid a small portion for her, lest she would have perceived the greatness of my love, and abused me, and not been under duty: for fifteen pieces of silver was but half the price of a slave; (Exo_21:32).</n> I bought her to me for fifteen [pieces] of silver, and [for] an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:


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And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for <n>I will try you a long time as in your widowhood, whether you will be mine or not.</n> me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for [another] man: so [will] I also [be] for thee.


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For the children of Israel shall <n>Meaning not only all the time of their captivity, but also until Christ.</n> abide many days without a king, and without a <n>That is, they would neither have administration nor religion, and their idols also in which they put their confidence, would be destroyed.</n> prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and [without] teraphim:


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Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and <n>This is meant of Christ's kingdom, which was promised to David to be eternal; (Psa_72:17).</n> David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.


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Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD <n>Because the people would not obey the admonitions of the Prophets, he accuses them before the judgment seat of God, against whom they chiefly offended; (Isa_7:13) (Zec_12:10; Mic_6:1,2).</n> hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because [there is] no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.


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By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and <n>In every place appears a liberality to most wicked vices, so that one follows right after another.</n> blood toucheth blood.


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Therefore shall the land mourne, and euery one that dwelleth therein, shall be cut off, with the beasts of the fielde, and with the foules of the heauen, and also the fishes of the sea shall be taken away.


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Yet <n>As though he would say that it was in vain to rebuke them, for no man can endure it: indeed, they will speak against the prophets and priests whose office it is chiefly to rebuke them.</n> let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people [are] as they that strive with the priest.


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Therefore shalt thou fall in the <n>You will both perish together as one, because the former would not obey, and the other, because he would not admonish.</n> day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy <n>That is, the synagogue in which you boast.</n> mother.


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My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because <n>That is, the priests will be cast off, because for lack of knowledge they are not able to execute their charge, and instruct others; (Deu_33:3; Mal_2:7).</n> thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing <n>Meaning the whole body of the people, who were weary with hearing the word of God.</n> thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.


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As they were <n>The more I was beneficial to them.</n> increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore] will I change their glory into shame.


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<n>That is, the priests seek to eat the people's offerings, and flatter them in their sins.</n>They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.


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And there shall be, like people, like <n>Signifying that as they have sinned together, so will they be punished together.</n> priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.


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For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall <n>Showing that their wickedness will be punished in all ways: for even though they think by the multitude of wives to have many children, yet they will be deceived of their hope.</n> commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.


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<n>In giving themselves to pleasures, they become like brute beasts.</n>Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.


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My <n>Thus he speaks by derision in calling them his people, who now because of their sins they were not his people: for they sought help from stocks or wooden images and sticks or idols.</n> people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the <n>They are carried away with madness.</n> spirit of whoredoms hath caused [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.


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They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof [is] good: therefore your daughters shall <n>Because they take away God's honour, and give it to idols: therefore he will give them up to their lusts, so that they will dishonour their own bodies; (Rom_1:28).</n> commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.


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I will not <n>I will not correct your shame to bring you to proper living, but will let you run headlong to your own damnation.</n> punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people [that] doth not understand shall fall.


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Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, [yet] <n>God complains that Judah is infected, and wants them to learn to return in time.</n> let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto <n>For even though the Lord had honoured this place by his presence, yet because it was abused by their idolatry, he did not want his people to resort there.</n> Gilgal, neither go ye up to <n>He calls Bethel, that is, the house of God, Bethaven, that is, the house of iniquity, because of their abominations set up there, signifying that no place is holy, where God is not purely worshipped.</n> Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.


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For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a <n>God will so disperse them, that they will not remain in any certain place.</n> lamb in a large place.


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Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, <n>They are so shameless in receiving bribes, that they command men to bring them to them.</n> Give ye.


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The wind hath <n>To carry them suddenly away.</n> bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.


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Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment [is] toward you, because ye have been a <n>The priests and princes caught the poor people in their snares, as the fowlers did the birds, in these two high mountains.</n> snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.


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And the revolters are profound to make <n>Even though they seemed to be given altogether to holiness, and to sacrifices which here he calls slaughter in contempt.</n> slaughter, though I [have been] a <n>Though I had admonished them continually by my Prophets.</n> rebuker of them all.


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I know <n>They boasted themselves not only to be Israelites, but also Ephraimites, because their King Jeroboam came from that tribe.</n> Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, [and] Israel is defiled.


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They will not giue their mindes to turne vnto their God: for the spirit of fornication is in the middes of them, and they haue not knowen the Lord.


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And the <n>Meaning their condemning of all admonitions.</n> pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.


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They shall goe with their sheepe, and with their bullockes to seeke the Lorde: but they shall not finde him: for he hath withdrawne himselfe from them.


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They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten <n>That is, their children are degenerate, so that there is no hope in them.</n> strange children: now shall <n>Their destruction is not far off.</n> a month devour them with their portions.


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Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, [and] the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud [at] Bethaven, after thee, O <n>That is, all of Israel that was included under this tribe, signifying that the Lord's plagues would pursue them from place to place until they were destroyed.</n> Benjamin.


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Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made <n>By the success they will know that I have surely determined this.</n> known that which shall surely be.


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The princes of Judah were like them that <n>They have turned upside down all political order and all manner of religion.</n> remove the bound: [therefore] I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.


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Ephraim [is] oppressed [and] broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the <n>That is, after King Jeroboam's commandment, and did not rather follow God.</n> commandment.


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When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah [saw] his wound, then went Ephraim to <n>Instead of seeking for remedy from God's hand.</n> the Assyrian, and sent to king <n>Who was king of the Assyrians.</n> Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.


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For I will be vnto Ephraim as a lyon, and as a lyons whelpe to the house of Iudah: I, euen I will spoyle, and goe away: I will take away, and none shall rescue it.


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I will go, and returne to my place, til they acknowledge their fault, and seeke me: in their affliction they will seeke me diligently.


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Come, and let <n>He shows the people that they ought to turn to the Lord, so that he might stop his plagues.</n> us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.


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After two days will <n>Though he correct us from time to time, yet his help will not be far off, if we return to him.</n> he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.


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Then shall we haue knowledge, and indeuour our selues to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come vnto vs as the raine, and as the latter raine vnto the earth.


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O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for <n>You seem to have a certain holiness and repentance, but it is very sudden, and as a morning cloud.</n> your goodness [is] as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.


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Therefore have I <n>I have still laboured by my prophets, and as it were prepared you to bring you to correction, but all was in vain: for my word was not food to feed them, but a sword to slay them.</n> hewed [them] by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy <n>My doctrine which I taught you, was most evident.</n> judgments [are as] the light [that] goeth forth.


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For I desired <n>He shows to what his doctrine was aimed at, that they should unite the obedience of God, and the love of their neighbour, with outward sacrifices.</n> mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.


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But they <n>That is, like small and weak persons.</n> like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.


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<n>Which was the place where the priests dwelt, and which should have been best instructed in my word.</n>Gilead [is] a city of them that work iniquity, [and is] polluted with blood.


