The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
Ver. 7. The Lord shall cause thine enemies.] Mr Fox observes, a that in King Edward VI's time, the English put to flight their enemies in Musselburgh field, the selfsame day and hour wherein the reformation enjoined by parliament was put in execution at London, by burning of idolatrous images. Such a dependence hath our success upon our obedience.
And flee before thee seven ways.] In the forementioned fight many so strained themselves in their race that they fell down breathless and dead, whereby they seemed in running from their deaths to run to it: two thousand, lying all day as dead, got away in the night. The Irish were so galled or scared with the English ordinance, that they had neither good hearts to go forward, nor good liking to stand still, nor good assurance to run away, saith the historian. b
a Act. and Mon.
b Life of Ed. VI., by Sir J. Heywood.