Ho, ho, [come forth], and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.
Ver. 6. Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north] A proclamation to those in Babylon to make haste home, and come away for shame; now they had so fair a way made, and such free liberty given them to return. A man would wonder they should be so backward to a business of this nature. But they that were born in hell know no other heaven, as the proverb is. There they had lived a long season in peace and safety in a rich and fat though a foreign country. There they were at quiet, enjoyed their religion and customs, gotten wealth, had favourites at court; and what should they trouble themselves to remove into a country where they were sure to meet with many bitter enemies, the Samaritans and others? And who can tell whether this proclamation of King Darius be not a design to try their affection to their country, and so to fall upon such as did offer to return thither? Thus by casting perils, distrusting promises, and listening to that Improba Siren Desidia, wicked idolent Siren, they stayed half of them at least behind, whatever Josephus hath falsely storied of 4,628,000 that returned; the contrary whereto, see Ezra 2:64 .
For I have spread you abroad into the four winds] And do now offer to recollect and reduce you to your own country. See that ye shift not off me that speak from heaven. See that ye neglect not so great salvation, Hebrews 12:25; Hebrews 2:3. How often is the Lord even fain to smoke us, and so force us out of our clay cottages, toward our heavenly home. And what a shame is it to us that a heathen should say Fugiendum est ad clarissimam patriam; ibi pater, ibi omnia. We should even flee apace to our own country that is above; since there is our Father, there is all that heart can wish or need require.