Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 7:11

11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of theirs, neither shall there be wailing for them.

With fierceness which is their natural temper, a bitter and hasty Nation, H[illegible: 1 letter]b. 1.6. with eagerness and impetuous[illegible: 1 letter] vigor executing, and with injustice and violence oppressing all.

Is grown up to be though a rod to punish bad men, yet to be worse then those it punisheth; in brief, you may expect the very worst from the Power, Pride, and Violence of those I am now letting in upon you. Or, 2. It may refer to Israel; thus your Tribe (or rod the same word) blossometh but tis in sin, and that in Pride and Violence, so grown that tis a most wicked rod of injustice and oppression to your Neighbours, Brethren, Servants, &c. as Ieremiah, Hoseah, and other Prophets as well as Ezekiel complained, and now your sins thus ripe your sorrows must be very near, as tis not many months between the budding of the Tree and the ripening and gathering of the Fruit.

This also is fairly applicable to both Chaldeans and Jews, the Jews should be utterly wasted first for their sins, which God will punish by this violent, proud, mighty Enemy, and afterwards he will destroy root and branch of that mighty oppressor, and

so sad shall the sufferings of both be, that the living shall not bewail their dead Friends, because they shall judg the dead in better case then the living. And though the words may have this double aspect yet I take them to refer principally, and first to the Jews, and their near approaching sorrows.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word]; Or, th[illegible: 3 letters] [illegible: 2 letters] multuous [illegible: 1 word]; Jer. 16.[illegible: 2 letters] Ch. 24.1[illegible: 1 letter], [illegible: 1 letter]