(a) When this noble governor will come, meaning Christ, not only Judah and Israel, but the rest of the world will be called.

(b) Who were delivered from the cruelty of Pharaoh.

(c) That is, God.

(d) The people thus reason as though he were not so beneficial to them now as he had been of old.

(e) Thus the Lord answers that his love is not changeable.

(f) You will still have opportunity to rejoice which is meant by tabrets and dancing as their custom was after notable victories, Ex 15:20, Jud 11:34.

(g) Because the Israelites who were the ten tribes never returned to Samaria, therefore this must be spiritually understood under the kingdom of Christ, which was the restoration of the true Israel.

(h) That is, will eat the fruit of it, as in Le 19:23-25, De 20:6.

(i) The ministers of the word.

(k) They will exhort all to the embracing of the gospel, as in Isa 2:3.

(l) He shows what will be the concord and love of all under the gospel when none will be refused for their infirmities: and everyone will exhort one another to embrace it.

(m) That is, lamenting their sins which had not given ear to the prophets and therefore it follows that God received them to mercy, Jer 50:4. Some take it that they should weep for joy.

(n) Where they found no impediments, but abundance of all things.

(o) That is, my dearly beloved as the first child is to the father.

(p) That is, from the Babylonians and other enemies.

(q) By these temporal benefits he means the spiritual graces which are in the Church, and of which there would ever be plenty, Isa 58:11,12.

(r) In the company of the faithful, who ever praise God for his benefits.

(s) Meaning, the spirit of wisdom, knowledge and zeal.

(t) To declare the greatness of God's mercy in delivering the Jews, he shows them that they were like the Benjamites of the Israelites, that is, utterly destroyed and carried away, so much so that if Rachel the mother of Benjamin could have risen again to seek her children she would have found none remaining.

(u) That is, the people who were led captive.

(x) Which was wanton and could not be subject to the yoke.

(y) He shows how the faithful used to pray, that is, desire God to tame them as they cannot turn of themselves.

(z) In sign of repentance and detestation of my sin.

(a) As though he would say no for by his iniquity he did what lay in him to cast me off.

(c) Mark by what way you went into captivity and you will turn again by the same.

(d) Because their deliverance from Babylon was a figure of their deliverance from sin, he shows how this would be procured that is, by Jesus Christ, whom a woman would conceive and bear in her womb. Which is a strange thing in earth, because he would be born of a virgin without man or he means that Jerusalem which was like a barren woman in her captivity would be fruitful as she that is joined in marriage and whom God blesses with children.

(e) Having understood this vision of the Messiah to come, in whom the two houses of Israel and Judah would be joined, I rejoiced.

(f) I will multiply and enrich them with people and cattle.

(g) The wicked used this proverb when they murmured against God's judgments pronounced by the prophets, saying that their fathers had committed the fault and that the children were punished, Eze 18:2,3.

(h) Though the covenant of redemption made to the fathers and this which was given later seemed varied, yet they are all one and grounded on Jesus Christ, save that this is called new, because of the manifestation of Christ and the abundant graces of the Holy Spirit given to his Church under the gospel.

(i) And so were the opportunity of their own divorcement through their infidelity, Isa 50:1.

(k) In the time of Christ, my law will instead of tables of stone be written in their hearts by my Holy Spirit, He 8:10.

(l) Under the kingdom of Christ there will be no one blinded with ignorance, but I will give them faith, and acknowledge God for remission of their sins and daily increase the same: so that it will not seem to come so much by the preaching of my ministers as by the instruction of my Holy Spirit, Isa 54:13 but the full accomplishing of it is referred to the kingdom of Christ, when we will be joined with our head.

(m) If the sun, moon and stars cannot but glue light according to my ordinance, so long as this world lasts, so shall my church never fail, neither shall anything hinder it: and as sure as I will have a people, so certain is it, that I will leave them my word forever to govern them with.

(n) The one and the other is impossible.

(o) As it was performed, Neh 3:1. By this description he shows that the city would be as ample and beautiful as it ever was: but he alludes to the spiritual Jerusalem whose beauty would be incomparable.