Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 4. Let my banished dwell with thee: Moab be thou their covert from the face of the destroyer: for the extortioner shall end, the destroyer shall be consumed, and the oppressor shall cease out of the land.

Vers. 4. Let my banished dwell with thee: Moab be thou their couert from the face of the destroyer: for the extortioner shall end, the destroyer shall be consumed, and the oppressor shall cease out of the land.

The Prophet speaks to the Moabites as if he humbly sued unto them in the name of the common people; as if he should say, You are neighbours and of the same blood, I pray you receive and succour the oppressed. If you will not help us, yet at the least harm us not. He brings in Go• speaking, who is wont to put himself in the place of his people, as if he •ooke upon him the person of a suppliant. It is very certain that the Moabites showed none of this kindness to the Jews: nay they rather joined with their enemies to hurt them by all the means they could. This place is worthy our diligent observation, for God here shows the great care he hath over his chosen,¹ seeing he is as greatly moved with the wrongs done to them, as with those which are directly against his own Majesty. As in Zechariah he witnesseth, that as oft as his children are oppressed by any, they even touch the apple of his eye, Zacha. 2.8. He sees the tears and hears the groans of the afflicted which call upon him, Psal. 12.5. & 38.9. & 102.20. And howsoever this always comes not to pass in our sight; yet will he show in due season that he hath heard them. Let us then learn from hence to be kind,²