Zephaniah 1:11

Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.

Ver. 11. Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh] Or, of the mortar, or of the low and hollow place, of the base town, where grain was ground in mortars, before mills were in use. These are here called upon to "turn their laughter to mourning, and their joy into heaviness, to weep and howl for the evils that shall come upon them," James 4:9; James 5:1, but especially for their sins, the cause of those miseries; for God's judgments upon sinners are feathered from themselves: as a fowl shot with an arrow feathered from her own body.

For all the merchant people are cut down] The merchant men were wont to furnish the mortar men, such as dealt in grain, spicery, and the like. These shall be cut down, as being more like Canaanites (a people devoted to destruction) than Israelites, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of their help, and the sword of their excellency, Deuteronomy 33:29. See Hosea 12:13. See Trapp on " Hos 12:13 " He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress, see Amo 8:5-6 Micah 6:10,12. Merchandise well managed is of great use to kingdoms and states, for many reasons. 1. For determining the counsels and strength of other nations. 2. For procuring the love and friendship of foreign princes and people. 3. For exchanging of commodities; for non omnis fert omnia tellus. not everything is born from all ground. 4. For gaining experience of many and great matters; this caused Thales, Hippocrates, and Solon to exercise merchandise. 5. It occasioned the building of many famous cities: Massilia for one, as Plutarch writeth. Nevertheless this honourable profession is much abused by those whom Nahum calleth cankerworms, Nahum 3:16, for their covetousness, luxury, oppression, bringing in unnecessary wars (that emasculate and dissolve men's spirits), and heretical books that undo their souls; and, lastly, for their carrying out the wealth of their country to strangers, yea, to enemies sometimes. Hence they are justly cut down by God, and are to be ordered by the magistrates according to Lev 19:35-36 Deu 25:15 Ezekiel 45:9,12 .

All they that bear silver are cut off] The rich traders, that had marsupia plena full purse, and carried money in great burdens, these shall be also cut off or silenced, have nothing to say for themselves why they should not be destroyed with the rest, as those that have been involuti argento, as the Vulgate translation hath it here, so wrapped up in their money, and affected to it, as that it hath rather possessed them than they it. Cor habent in aere non in aethere, "their heart goeth after their covetousness," Ezekiel 33:31. Here they are called portatores argenti, silver carriers, sumpter horses, laden with thick clay. Silver is that which the basest element yieldeth, the most savage Indians get, servile apprentices work, Midianitish camels carry, miserable muck worms admire, covetous Jews swallow, unthirsty ruffians spend. It is to be wondered (saith one) that treading upon these minerals we cannot condemn them. They lie furthest from heaven; and the best of them are in India, furthest from the Church; and yet how many doth money make to run quick to the devil on an errand, and pays them home for their pains?