The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
Ver. 5. The sun also ariseth.] That sweet and swift creature (the Persians deified it); so sweet that Eudoxus professed himself willing to be burnt up by the sun presently, so he might be admitted to come so near it as to learn the nature of it; a so swift that the Persians dedicated a horse to their god the sun, as the swiftest on earth to the swiftest in heaven. b He courseth about the world with incredible speed, and "rejoiceth as a giant to run a race." Psa 19:5 He exceedeth the eagle's flight more than it goes beyond the slow motion of a snail. Whether it run nearer the earth now by 9976 German miles than it did in Ptolemy's days, as some mathematicians affirm, I know not; but that, being of a fiery nature, it should, contrary to the nature of fire (which is to fly upward), send down its beams, its heat, light, and influence, this I admire, with Chrysostom, c as a gracious work of God, in making this great servant of the world - as his name in Hebrew d signifies - so sweetly serviceable.
And hasteth to the place.] Heb., Panteth, as if tired, and even breathless, A figurative speech, like that in Daniel 9:21, where the angel Gabriel is said to "fly swiftly," or with weariness of flight, to inform Daniel. For use hereof, hear the poet: -
“The sun doth set and rise,
But we contrariwise,
Sleep after one short light,
An everlasting night.” e
a Plutarch.
b ωσπερ το ταχιστον, τω ταχυτατω θεων. - Paus.
c Hom. 8 Ad. Pop. Antioch.
d שׁמשׁ .
e Soles occidere et redire possuat,
Nobiscum semel! occidit brevis lux,
Nox est perpetua una dormienda. - Catull