The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify [themselves] against Judah.
Ver. 7. The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first] Or, as at first, sc. when they came out of Egypt, and had no strongholds to take to for their defence. "Lord" (saith Moses), "thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations," Psalms 90:1. He was so of old, and ever will be; the faith whereof made the fathers well content to dwell in tents, Hebrews 11:13, and those holy Rochabites, Jeremiah 35:7,8, till Nebuchadnezzar came up into the land, Zechariah 12:11. But here God promiseth to deliver those Jews that dwelt in the open fields, without the city; and then afterwards to deliver Jerusalem itself from the rage of the Antiochi: and so he did (1 Maccab.) in a wonderful manner; they were helped indeed with a little help, Daniel 11:34, to take away boasting; as it followeth.
That the glory of the house of David, &c.] That is, the glorious house of David, and the glorious inhabitants of Jerusalem, by an hypallage. a Non est gloriosior populus sub caelo, quam Iudaicus. There is not a more vain glorious people under heaven than the Jews are, saith Alsted. They were so of old, Joh 8:33 Matthew 3:9. Spaniards are said to be impudent braggers, and extremely proud in the lowest ebb of fortune; so are the Jews. But God will teach them better things, and make him that glorieth glory in the Lord, 1 Corinthians 1:31 .
a A figure of speech in which there is an interchange of two elements of a proposition, the natural relations of these being reversed. ŒD