Ver. 1. For, behold.] This is also part of the former sermon, though made the beginning of another chapter; for of our prophet that is some way true which Petrarch saith of Livy, viz., that he wrote many books, Quos in decades non ipse sed fastidiosa legentium scidit imperitia, which not himself, but others without any great skill divided into decades— sc., chapters. The Lord—doth take away.] Heb., Is taking away— i.e., He will surely and suddenly do it, and thereby pave a way to the utter ruin of all. For as it was a sign Samson meant to pull down the house when he pulled away the pillars, so that God is about to ruin a state when he plucketh away those that are the shores and props of it. The stay and the staff.] Validum et validam, so some render it, the Miriams as well as the Moseses. (Micah 6:4) Others, baculum et bacillum, the staff and the little staff: all the supports and stays of the State, both great and small, one with another; cease ye therefore from man. [as Isaiah 2:22] The whole stay of bread.] Sustenance as well as supporters, Quicquid alimento aut munimento esse poterat. Septuagint. Piscator.
Ver. 2. The mighty man, and the man of war.] Such as were David’s mighties; Hannibal; Fabius Maximus, of whom the poet, Hic patria est, murique urbis stant pectore in uno; Scipio Africanus, of whose death when Metellus heard, he ran out into the public forum and cried out, Concurrite cives, urbis vestrae moenia corruerunt; Come forth and consult what is to be done, for your city is undone. The judge and the prophet.] When God gathereth such by clusters as it were, some evil is at hand; as when men pull up their hedges and fences, it is open tide. And the prudent.] Heb., The diviner: such as have their eyes in their head, (Ecclesiastes 2:14) their hearts at their right hands, (Ecclesiastes 10:2) that judiciously pondering things past, can prudently order things present, and providently foresee to prevent dangers likely to ensue. And the ancient.] With whom is wisdom and counsel. (Job 32:4,6,7)
Ver. 3. The captain of fifty.] One of the least and lowest commanders in war; such also shall fail, and therefore all must needs fall to wreck and ruin. This Epaminondas when he was dying foresaw at Thebes, and therefore counselled his countrymen to make peace upon any terms. And the honourable.] Heb., The man eminent in countenance; Sept., Θαυμαστον, a man of respect and authority. In the eyes of Augustus Caesar sat such a rare majesty, as a man could hardly endure to behold them without closing of his own. And the cunning artificer.] Such as was Hiram, whom for honour’s sake Solomon called father; Archimedes, and such others who are of great use to a State, for making of engines and instruments. And the eloquent orator.] Heb., Skilled in charms. Quintilian describes an orator thus: Vir bonus dicendi peritus, A good man well spoken. Ille regit dictis animos et pectora mulcet, He carrieth the people which way he pleaseth. The Athenians called such δημαγωγους, and set a high price upon them, as they did on Pericles, Demosthenes, Phocion, &c. Plutarch. Intelligentem, meditatam et gravem orationem. -Oecolamp.
Ver. 4. And I will give children to be their princes.] Si non annis, at animis; If not with years but with life, such as were Ahaz, Manasseh, the four last kings of Judah, the calamity of that kingdom. Princes that are witless, wilful, weak, or wicked, are the people’s woe; (Ecclesiastes 10:16) this childhood of theirs is the maturity of their subjects’ misery. (Job 34:30) And babes shall rule over them.] Sept., Mockers; some render it foxes, others effeminate persons, but babes is best. Such a one was Rehoboam, and Honorius the Emperor, who when he heard that his city of Rome was taken by Alarichus, grieved most of all for the loss of a certain bird which was there kept for him, and by him called “Rome.” Indignum sane, Regem aves praeferre urbibus, saith the historian. Dii avertant principes pueros. -Vopis.
Ver. 5. And the people shall be oppressed, one by another.] The greater devouring the lesser, as fishes do. How should it be otherwise, when there is either no government, or not that which is good; but all things turned, as here, topsy turvy, without any respect to age, order, or dignity, and “ Scinditur ineertum studia in contraria vulgus. ’’— Virg. This dissension is the mother of dissolution, saith Nazianzen. This dissipation and perversion of order and manners is the forerunner of utter desolation and subversion.
Ver. 6. When a man shall take hold of his brother.] This is a further mischief that government shall go a-begging, and scarce one be found that shall hold it worth having. The Venetians have magistrates called Proegadi, because at first men were prayed to take the office, and not many would accept of it; this was the case here. Men are naturally ambitious of ruledom—the bramble thinks it a goodly thing to reign over the trees—but they may soon have enough of it, and be forced to cry out, as he once did of his diadem, O rills pannus! O base rag, not worth taking up at a man’s feet! Thou hast clothing.] Fit for a prince; some badge of honour, and such apparel as may procure thee respect; for “ Hunc homines decorant, quem vestimenta decorant. ” Let this ruin be under thy hand.] That is, by a hypallage, let thy hand be under this ruin, that is, under this desolate and ruined State, to raise it up and repair it. A figure of speech in which there is an interchange of two elements of a proposition, the natural relations of these being reversed.