Verse 1

Gather a yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

(a) He exhorts them to repentance, and wills them to descend into themselves and gather themselves, lest they be scattered like chaff.

Verse 3

Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which b have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

(b) That is, who have lived uprightly and godly according as he prescribes by his word.

Verse 4

For c Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

(c) He comforts the faithful in that God would change his punishments from them to the Philistines their enemies, and other nations.

Verse 5

Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea d coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD [is] against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

(d) That is, Galilee: by these nations he means the people that dwelt near to the Jews, and instead of friendship were their enemies: therefore he calls them Canaanites, whom the Lord appointed to be slain.

Verse 7

And the coast shall be for the e remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.

(e) He shows why God would destroy their enemies, because their country would be a resting place for his Church.

Verse 8

I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and f magnified [themselves] against their border.

(f) These nations presumed to take from the Jews that country which the Lord had given them.

Verse 11

The LORD [will be] terrible unto them: g for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and [men] shall worship him, every one from his place, [even] all the isles of the heathen.

(g) When he will deliver his people and destroy their enemies and idols, his glory will shine throughout all the world.

Verse 14

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the h cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; [their] voice shall sing in the windows; desolation [shall be] in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.

(h) Read (Isaiah 34:11)

Verse 15

This [is] the i rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I [am], and [there is] none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, [and] wag his hand.

(i) Meaning, Nineveh, which rejoicing so much of her strength and prosperity, should be thus made waste, and God's people delivered.