5:1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter a of troops: he
hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of
Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
(a) He forewarns them of the dangers that will come before
they enjoy these comforts, showing that inasmuch as
Jerusalem was accustomed with her garrisons to trouble
others, the Lord would now cause other garrisons to vex
her, and that her rulers would be hit on the face most
contemptuously.
5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be b little
among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he
come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose
c goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting.
(b) For so the Jews divided their country that for every
thousand there was a chief captain: and because
Bethlehem was not able to make a thousand, he calls it
little. But yet God will raise up his captain and
governor in it: and thus it is not the least by reason
of this benefit. )See Geneva "Mt 2:6")
(c) He shows that the coming of Christ and all his ways were
appointed by God from all eternity.
5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time [that] d
she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of
his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
(d) He compares the Jews to women with child, who for a time
would have great sorrows, but at length they would have
a comfortable deliverance; (Joh 16:21).
5:4 And he shall e stand and feed in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they
shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the
earth.
(e) That is, Christ's kingdom will be stable and
everlasting, and his people, the Gentiles as well as the
Jews, will dwell in safety.
5:5 And this [man] f shall be the peace, when the Assyrian
shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our
palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds,
and eight principal men.
(f) This Messiah will be a sufficient safeguard for us, and
though the enemy invades us for a time, yet will God
stir up many who will be able to deliver us.
5:6 And they shall waste the g land of Assyria with the sword,
and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall
he h deliver [us] from the Assyrian, when he cometh into
our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
(g) These whom God will raise up for the deliverance of his
Church, will destroy all the enemies of it, who are
meant here by the Assyrians and Babylonians, who were
the chief enemies at that time.
(h) By these governors will God deliver us when the enemy
comes into our land.
5:7 And the i remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many
people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the
grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons
of men.
(i) This remnant or Church which God will deliver will only
depend on God's power and defence (as does the grass of
the field), and not on the hope of man.
5:10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that
I will cut off thy k horses out of the midst of thee, and
I will destroy thy chariots:
(k) I will destroy all things in which you put your
confidence, such as your vain self-reliance and
idolatry, and in doing this I will be helping you.
5:15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the
heathen, l such as they have not heard.
(l) It will be so terrible that nothing like it has been
heard of.
