And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.
Ver. 3. Hear the word of the Lord, ye kings of Judah,] i.e., O king and thy counsellors, who are so many little kings, as King James was wont to say of the parliament men.
Behold, I bring evil upon this place.] This he spake to all, and with all authority; catholicam et miserabilem perniciem proclamans. It is credible that he spake it with as good a courage (or better), as Bishop Ridley, martyr, did those comminatory words of his to Queen Mary and her servants, when they refused to hear him preach. He uttered them with such vehemence, saith mine author, that some of the hearers afterwards confessed the hairs to stand upright on their heads. a
His ears shall tingle.] For grief and fear, as if he had been stonied with a thunder clap, or were ready to swoon.
a Acts and Mon., 1270.