The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.
Ver. 7. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them.] Heb., Shall saw them: that is, shall bring upon them exquisite and extreme torments, such as the prophet Isaiah, and those martyrs Heb 11:37 were put unto unjustly; such as Agag suffered justly, and those barbarous Ammonites. 2Sa 12:31 Some render it dissecabit eos shall cut them in twain, as that evil servant, Luk 12:46 and those blasphemers of Daniel's God. Dan 3:29 Others render it, Shall abide upon them, or, Dwell with them. Their illgotten goods vanish, but their punishment remains. Their stolen venison is soon eaten up, but the shot is not yet paid; there is a sad reckoning behind. God will rake out of their bellies those tit bits - those murdering morsels. Besides that, for their last dish is served up astonishment and fearful expectation of just revenge. The Hebrew word here translated "destroy" signifies also to terrify and fear. They shall be a Magormissabib to themselves, as Pashur was, Jer 20:3-4 running from chamber to chamber, to hide from the hand of justice - as that notable thief Bulas in the days of Severus the emperor a - but they shall not escape; their sin will find them out. God will pour upon them, and not spare, whether they be private thieves, or those public robbers, qui in auto et purpura visuntur, b as Cato once said, that are clad with purple, and have gold chains about their necks; corrupt judges, who judge for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Such were Empson and Dudley in their generation. Such was Judge Belknap in Richard II's days, who, being about to subscribe the articles against proceedings of parliament, said there wanted but a hurdle, a horse, and a halter to carry him where he might suffer for assenting to them. c And that of these public thieves Solomon chiefly speaks here we may well think by the following clause, shewing the cause of their sore and sharp punishment, because they refuse to do judgment.
a Dio. in Sever.
b Gell., lib. xi. cap. 16.
c Speed, p. 747.