The hind — Hinds use not to get their food in fields, but upon mountains and in wildernesses, but the drought was such, that these creatures came into the lower grounds, and there brought forth their young. The hinds are loving creatures and as all creatures love their young, so hinds especially; bu... [ Continue Reading ]
The wild asses — The wild asses wanting water, got upon high places, where was the coolest air, and sucked in the wind; and this it is said they did like dragons, of whom Aristotle and Pliny report, that they ordinarily stand upon high places sucking in the cool air.... [ Continue Reading ]
Testify — That thou art righteous in what thou hast done. Do thou it — Do thou what we stand in need of; give us rain, though not for our sake, we deserve no such kindness from thee, yet for thy names sake: thy promise, or for thine honour and glory.... [ Continue Reading ]
Astonished — In such disorder through some great passion, that he is able to do nothing. A mighty man — Like a man who in his own nature is strong, but through sickness so weakened, that he cannot put forth any strength for the succour of his friends. Yet — Yet (saith the prophet) thou art in the mi... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus — Here begins the answer to the prophet's complaint and prayer in the nine first verses. The substance is, that for their manifold sins, he was resolved to punish them. They loved — They have been fond of their idols, and they have persisted in those sinful courses, notwithstanding all counsels... [ Continue Reading ]
The throne — The words are either to be understood of the throne of the house of David, called the Lord's throne, 1 Chronicles 29:23, or else the temple, and the ark in it, the more special symbol of God's presence.... [ Continue Reading ]
Rain — The present judgment under which they groan, was a drought, which he had described in the six first verses; the prophet imploring God for the removal of it, argues, from the impossibility of help in this case from any other way, none of the idols of the Heathens, which he calls vain things, n... [ Continue Reading ]