Verse 1

In that a day the LORD with his severe and great and strong b sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that [is] in the sea.

(a) At the time appointed.

(b) That is, by his mighty power, and by his word. He prophecies here of the destruction of Satan and his kingdom under the name of Liviashan, Assur, and Egypt.

Verse 2

In that day sing ye to her, A vineyard c of red wine.

(c) Meaning, of the best wine, which this vineyard, that is, the Church would bring forth, as most agreeable to the Lord.

Verse 4

Fury d [is] not in me: who would set the briers [and] thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.

(d) Therefore he will destroy the kingdom of Satan, because he loves his Church for his own mercies sake, and cannot be angry with it, but wishes that he may pour his anger on the wicked infidels, whom he means by briers and thorns.

Verse 5

Or let him e take hold of my strength, [that] he may make peace with me; [and] he shall make peace with me.

(e) He marvels that Israel will not come by gentleness, unless God make them to feel his rods, and so bring them to him.

Verse 6

f He shall cause them that descend from Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

(f) Though I afflict and diminish my people for a time, yet will the root spring again and bring forth in great abundance.

Verse 7

Hath he smitten g him, as he smote those that smote him? [or] is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?

(g) He shows that God punishes his in mercy, and his enemies in justice.

Verse 8

In h measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

(h) That is, you will not destroy the root of your Church, though the branches of it seem to perish by the sharp wind of affliction.

Verse 9

By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this [is] all the i fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten asunder, the idols and images shall not stand up.

(i) He shows that there is no true repentance nor full reconciliation to God, till the heart is purged from all idolatry and the monuments of it are destroyed.

Verse 10

Yet the k fortified city [shall be] desolate, [and] the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume its branches.

(k) Not withstanding his favour that he will show them later, yet Jerusalem will be destroyed, and grass for cattle will grow in it.

Verse 11

When its boughs are withered, they shall be broken off: the l women come, [and] set them on fire: for it [is] a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favour.

(l) God will not have need of mighty enemies: for the very women will do it to their great shame.

Verse 12

And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall gather from the channel of the m river to the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.

(m) He will destroy all from the Euphrates to the Nile: for some fled toward Egypt, thinking to have escaped.

Verse 13

And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the great trumpet shall be n blown, and they shall come who were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD on the holy mount at Jerusalem.

(n) In the time of Cyrus, by whom they would be delivered: but this was chiefly accomplished under Christ.