Wesley Corpus

Chapter XII The prophet complains of the prosperity of the wicked: by faith sees their ruin, ver. 1 - 4. God admonishes him of his brethren's treachery against him, and laments his heritage, ver. 5 - 13. A return from captivity promised to the penitent, ver. 14 - 17. Talk with thee - Not by way of accusing thee, but for my own satisfaction concerning thy judicial dispensations in the government of the world. Wherefore - I know thy ways are just and righteous, but they are dark; I cannot understand why thou doest this. Far - Thou art far from their inward parts, they neither fear thee, nor love thee. He - They were bold to say, neither the prophet nor any other should see their last end. If - If thou art not able to encounter lesser dangers, how wilt thou be able to overcome greater I have greater dangers for thee to encounter than those at Anathoth; if thou art so disturbed with them, how wilt thou be able to grapple with those at Jerusalem. Jordan - Anathoth seems to be understood by the land of thy peace, that is, the land of thy friends wherein thou hadst a confidence: if thy enemies there tire thee, what wilt thou do in the swellings of Jordan In a place in which thou art like to meet with greater troubles, like the swelling of Jordan (which in harvest used to overflow its banks). For even - The men of Anathoth, thine own town and country, and those of thy own family have conspired evil against thee secretly. A multitude - They have exposed thee to the rage of a multitude. Though - Tho' therefore they give thee fair words, yet repose no confidence in them. My house - God by his house here understands the temple. Heritage - The whole body of the Israelites, whom God threatens to leave with respect to his special providence. As a lion - Those that were my sheep, are become like lions. The birds round about - It is usual for other birds to flock about a strange coloured bird, such as they have not been used to see. A wilderness - They have caused God to turn the country which he had chosen for his portion, into a wilderness. They - Heb.