An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Thirdly, The metaphor may be carried in an allusion to Hunters of wild beasts, or to bird takers; who set nets and gins, traps or toils to take them: These wise, crafty men, are cunning hunters, their trade and business is, to set nets to catch, and toils to entangle, they dig pits and lay snares for others to fall into; So the Prophet describes them (Jer. 5. 26.) They lay wait as he that setteth snares, they set a trap, they catch men: But at last, God takes the wise in their own craftiness, that is, the pits they have digged, and the snares they have laid, and the nets they have set shall catch themselves.

Thirdly, The metaphor may be carried in an allusion to Hunters of wild beasts, or to bird takers; who set nets and gins, traps or toyles to take them: These wise, crafty men, are cunning hunters, their trade and businesse is, to set nets to catch, and toyles to intangle, they dig pits and lay snares for others to fall into; So the Prophet describes them (Jer. 5. 26.) They lay waite as he that setteth snares, they set a trap, they catch men: But at last, God takes the wise in their owne craftinesse, that is, the pits they have digged, and the snares they have layed, and the nets they have set shall catch themselves.

Fourthly, The word is applied in Scripture, to a taking, or a discovery by a lot; So (Josh. 7. 15.) The rule was thus given, He that shall be taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt; and vers. 18. Achan was taken, that is, taken by a lot, the lot discovered and catched him. Achan had hid the Babylonish garment, and the wedge of gold safe enough, as he thought: and one would have thought, that in such a multitude, in such an huge host and throng of people, he might have been hidden too; but God sends a lot, and takes out Achan from the middest of all the multitude, he calls him out by name, this is the man. There may be a like meaning and use of the word in this place, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, that is, men who think to shelter themselves amongst the multitude, or to walk in the clouds of craft; men who hide and shadow themselves from the eye of the world, as if none should see who they are, or what they do; even these God will take, he will direct a divine lot. one time or other to apprehend and lay hold on them; he will discover Achans, the troublers of his Israel in their wicked counsels; and bring to light their stolen wedges of gold, and their Babylonish garments.