Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, [and] the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud [at] Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.
Ver. 8. Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah] Clangite, clamate, not with the inverse trumpets of Furius Fulvius, which sounded a retreat when they should have sounded an alarm. But blow ye the cornet; give notice to all the country, that Hannibal est ad portas, the enemy is at the very gates, sending a summons, and sounding for a surrender. The desolation of war had been denounced in the former verse; here it is proclaimed, as it were, by sound of trumpet; the prophet acting the part of a herald; and, by a rhetorical hypotyposis, representing the enemies' approach, as if it were already under view; and not foretold, but acted before their eyes. Rhetoric, we see here, is an art sanctified by God's Spirit; and may lawfully be used in handling of God's word. The Scripture is full of it in every part; and happy is that minister that thereby can make himself master of his hearers' affections; as potent in his Divine rhetoric as Pericles or Cicero were in their human. Let him (by our prophet's example) strive to make the things whereof he preacheth to the people as real before their eyes as possibly he can. The power of a ministry consisteth much in this: to set forth sin, Christ, heaven, hell, in such lively colours that the hearer (though unlearned) may be convinced of all, judged of all, and having the secrets of his heart made manifest, he may fall down on his face, worship God, and report that God is in the minister of a truth, 1 Corinthians 14:24,25; lo, this is preaching indeed. For as every sound is not music, so neither is every pulpit discourse preaching. Nihil frigidius est doctore verbis solummode philosophante (Chrysostom). Ezekiel must lay siege to Jerusalem, portraying it upon a tile, Ezekiel 4:1. So did Jeremiah and other prophets use signs and similitudes. St Paul's speech and preaching was not indeed with enticing words of man's wisdom (he did not so paint the window as to keep out the light), but yet in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power, close to the conscience, 1 Corinthians 2:4 .
Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah] That is, in the bounds of the kingdom of Judah, Gibeah of Benjamin, Gibeah of Saul.
And the trumpet in Ramah] Samuel's country, afterward called Arimathaea, Joseph's country: this is said to be in the borders of Israel. Strong garrisons they were both, and places of great resort: they are now alarmed, and bidden to prepare for the approach of the Assyrian.
Cry aloud at Bethaven] Or Bethel, as Hosea 10:15, a city (as it is said of Athens, κατειδωλος, Act 17:16) wholly given to idolatry; and therefore more stupid and stubborn than the rest. Here, therefore, the prophet cries louder than ordinary, classicum canit, sic clamat ut stentora vincere possit, he sets up his note, that he may the sooner awaken them, and cause them to apprehend their danger, as present and real. Bethaven was the great place of superstition, and now Rome is the nest of Antichrist, "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, a cage of every unclean and hateful bird": therefore the angel crieth mightily with a strong voice, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen," certo, cito, penitus, surely, suddenly, utterly, Revelation 18:2 .
After thee, O Benjamin] Who art at the back of Bethaven, and farest the worse for her neighbourhood: like as Hamath did for Damascus, Zechariah 9:2. See Trapp on " Zec 9:2 " Some understand Hostis adest, the enemy is at thy heels; make away, or stand upon thy guard; for thou art like to be put to it. And this concise kind of warning here given implies a mind moved and disturbed, either with fear or anger.