2:1 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.
2:3 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.
2:4 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.
2:5 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.
2:7 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.
2:8 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.
2:11 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.
2:14 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.
2:15 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.
