Deuteronomy 28:63 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 63. And ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it— They were, indeed, plucked from off their own land, when the ten tribes were carried into captivity by the king of Assyria, and other nations were planted in their stead; when the two other tribes were carried away captive to Babylon; and when the Romans took away their place and nation; besides other captivities and transportations of the people. Afterwards, when the Emperor Adrian had subdued the rebellious Jews, he published an edict, forbidding them, upon pain of death, to set foot in Jerusalem, or even to approach the country round about it. See Justin Mar. Revelation 1: p. 71. & Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. 4: cap. 6. Tertullian and Jerome say, that they were prohibited from entering Judea: and ever since, their country has been in the possession of foreign lords and masters; few of the Jews dwelling in it, and those only of a low, servile condition. See Tertul. Apol. cap. 21: and Hieron. in Isai. cap. 6: and in Dan. cap. 9. Benjamin of Tudela in Spain, a celebrated Jew of the twelfth century, travelled into all parts to visit those of his own nation, and to learn an exact account of their affairs: and he, in his Itinerary, has reported, that Jerusalem was almost entirely abandoned by the Jews. He found there not above two hundred persons, who were for the most part dyers of wool, and who every year purchased the monopoly of that trade. They lived all together under David's tower, and made there a very inconsiderable figure. If Jerusalem had so few Jews in it, the rest of the Holy Land was still more depopulated. He found two of them in one city, twenty in another, most of whom were dyers. In other places there were more persons; but in Upper Galilee, where the nation was in the greatest repute after the ruin of Jerusalem, he found hardly any Jews at all. A very accurate and faithful traveller of our own nation, who was himself also in the Holy Land, says, that "it is for the most part now inhabited by Moors and Arabians; those possessing the vallies, and these the mountains. Turks there be few; but many Greeks, with other Christians of all sects and nations; such as impute to the place an adherent holiness. Here be also some Jews, yet inherit they no part of the land, but in their own country do live as aliens." Sandys's Travels, b. 3: p. 146. Bishop Newton. It may be proper here to observe, that from the phrase, the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and from expressions of the like kind, we must not conclude that a benevolent Deity rejoices in the misery and destruction of his creatures, absolutely considered: the contrary is evident from other declarations of Scripture, as well as from reason. Ezekiel 23:32.Lamentations 3:33. 1 Timothy 2:4. But, when the milder methods of Providence are not effectual to produce the reformation and happiness of the world; then it suits with the benevolence even of the divine administration to inflict punishments upon those who are otherwise irreclaimable; and in the exercise of that just severity, God, humanly speaking, may be said to rejoice; not on account of the severity itself, but because it is the most expedient and necessary means to bring about the purposes of his wisdom and goodness. See Jeremiah 9:24.Job 36:8; Job 36:33. On the same account God's judgments are represented as matter of joy to saints and angels. Revelation 18:20. Psalms 58:10. Jeremiah 51:48.