Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
Ver. 8. Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy] Heb. yesterday, no longer ago; to all their former flagitious practices they have now newly added this of execrable rapine and robbery, which is still fresh, and as it were flagrant in mine eyes. Although the truth is, that God looketh upon former sins as presently committed, for as there is no beginning of eternity, so neither is there any succession. But let men take heed how they heap up sin, lest they heap up wrath, for although God may bear with people for one or two backslidings, yet when once it comes to three transgressions and to four, he will not turn away the punishment, Amos 1:2; and one new sin may set many old to work in the conscience, making it like Ezekiel's scroll, wherein was written "lamentations, and mourning, and woe," Ezekiel 2:10. "Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the Lord," 2 Kings 9:26. The word signifieth last night, though it were done some while before. See the word yesterday so used by the apostle Hebraizing with his Hebrews, Hebrews 13:8. Some read the text thus, He that was yesterday my people is risen up on the other side as against an enemy, viz. raging against God and ranging against all men, biting all they came near, as mad dogs. See Isaiah 9:21 1 Thessalonians 2:12; they please not God, but rise up in rebellion against him, and are contrary to all men, being rather Ishmaelites than Israelites, Genesis 16:12; and therefore not rightly named the house of Jacob (that plain man, Genesis 25:27, without welt or guard, guile or gall), nor could the word of the Lord do good unto them so long as their deeds were evil, and they "loved darkness rather than light," John 3:19 .
To pull off the robe with the garment] Robbing and pillaging passengers with greatest inhumanity; not leaving them a rag to cover them or a cross to bless them with, as the proverb is. This was common in Scotland and Africa, saith Dameus here. It was in England also, till the days of King Alfred, who first divided the land into shires, and then the subjects into tenths or tithings; every one of which severally should give bond for the good bearing of each other. By this course men were not careful only of their own actions, but had an eye to all the nine, for which they stood bound, as the nine had over each. Insomuch that a poor girl might travel safely with a bag of gold in her hand, and none dared meddle with her.
From men that pass by securely, as men averse from war] There are a sort of such as delight in war, Psalms 68:30, that make a sport of it, as Abner, 2 Samuel 2:14; that take more pleasure in it than in an empire, as Justin saith of Pyrrhus, King of Epirots, Nulli maior ex imperio, quam illi ex belle fur voluptas. David was none such; and yet he wanted not for courage. His motto was, I am for peace, or (as the Hebrew hath it) I am peace. He had seen the woe of war, and knew well the lawlessness of it. The law is no more, saith the Church in the Lamentations, Lamentations 2:9. Inter arma silent leges, saith the heathen, The noise of wars drowns the voice of laws. A reverend man hath well observed, that as those three commandments, "Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal," are ranked together in the law; so they are commonly violated, together, by unruly soldiers. Isaiah 13:16, "Their children also shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their waves ravished." These are the miseries of war. But what meant these miscreants to shed the blood of war in peace, 1 Kings 2:5, to strip the innocent and therefore fearless passenger of his raiment, as those thieves did him that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, dreading no such danger, Luke 10:30; neither to rob him only, but to ravish him too, Psalms 10:8,10, that they might "find all precious substance, and fill their houses with spoil," Proverbs 1:13. And what meant the corrupt rulers to suffer it so to be, and not to brandish the sword of justice against such stigmatical Belialists?