And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which [lieth] in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
Ver. 16. And the children of the Kenite.] Elsewhere called Jethro, Hobab, Revel: his posterity followed the Israelites for religion's sake, into the promised land, leaving their own country -
“ Omne sohm forti patria est. ” - Ovid., Fast.
These Kenites dwelt in tents, and had no settled habitation, as a kind of Nomads or Cosmopolites. They held the same of the world that a certain philosopher did of Athens - viz., that it was a pleasant place to travel through, but not safe to dwell in.
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
Ver. 16. These are murmurers] Ut porci saginati, saith Aretius, as boars in a frank, they grunt against God's ways and worshippers, like so many Caii Grunnii Corocottae.
Complainers] Invalidum omne natura querulum, saith Seneca. Weak ones are never without their ailments.
After their own lusts] So many lusts, so many lords.
Great swelling words] Bubbles of words. See the note on 2 Peter 2:18. The Syriac renders it, stupendous stuff. They amaze their hearers with sesquipedalian a words, and sublime businesses, big swollen fancies, &c.; they tell them they shall hear that which they never heard before, and therefore call upon them to mark; whereas the thing is either false, or if true, no more than ordinarily is taught by others: with as much confidence as ignorance they counsel the simple by portentous words and phrases abhorrent from Christian religion, truth, and sobriety; and which wise men lament while fools applaud and admire.
Having men's persons] Licking up their spittle, as it were, and loading the mouse with the elephant's praises. Ungunt pariter et emungunt.
a Of words and expressions (after Horace's sesquipedalia verba ‘words a foot and a half long', A.P. 97): Of many syllables. Ten dollar words! ŒD