Matthew Poole and continuators on Micah 5:6

6 And they shall wast the land of Assyria with the sword , and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth in our borders .

The seven Shepherds, and eight principal men, i. [illegible: 1 letter]. those great, wise, and successful instruments of God's revenge, and of his Churches deliverance.

This passage seems to point to the Babylonians, who did invade, wast, and subdue the Assyrian Kingdom under the Conduct of Merodach Baladan, King of Babylon, called also Berodach, 2 King. 20.12. he sent the Congratulatory Embassy to Hez[illegible: 1 letter]kiah newly by miracle cured of his mortal Disease, and delivered from the Assyrian, Isa. 39.1, 2. This Merodach taking the opportunity of the weakness of the Assyrian Kingdom, partly by the great slaughter of Se[illegible: 1 letter]acheribs Army, and the Murther of that mighty daring Monarch, and partly by the civil Wars which ensued between the R[illegible: 1 letter]gicides and Esachaddon, took arms, and succeeded in the attempt, subduing the Assyrian Kingdom with force and bloodshed enough.

The same say some with the Land of Assyria, but others perhaps with better reason refer this to Babylon, and the Kingdom thereof, which by N[illegible: 1 letter]buchadn[illegible: 1 letter]zzars hand destroyed the Iews, Ierusalem, and Temple, and was afterwards destroyed by the Medes and Persians whom God raised to punish Baby[illegible: 1 letter]on, and release the Iews.

As we read it denoteth both the fortified Frontiers, the Garrisons which keep all the entrances of the Kingdom, it denoteth also their Cities, through the Gates of which was great entrance, or their Courts of Judicature which were kept in the Gates, both their military power should be reduced, and their Civil Power also by the prevailing Conquerour.

In this manner shall He, i. e. the Messiah deliver

the Iews his people,

both as Type of all other Enemies, and he an Enemy to the people of God.

See this explained, [illegible: 1 letter]er[illegible: 1 letter]e 5. let. u. I add that what is rendred when, might be rendred because, and note out the reason why the Lord Messiah doth so deal with Assyria first, and Babylon next.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 span]; Or, [non-Latin text not transcribed] [illegible: 1 word]