John Trapp on Isaiah 3:12

Verſ. 12. A for my people] Now the people of my wrath, and of my curſe, Loammi, diſcovenanted, diſcarded.

Children are their oppreſſours] Rulers he calleth them not, as being too good a Name for them: but Oppreſſours, and theſe were boyes and women, i. e. ſuch as were no wiſer then children, nor had any more command of their paſſions then weak women,Heyl. Coſm[illegible: 1 letter]g. and were therefore unfit for Government. Brunhild the wife of Sigebert King of Metz, Fri[illegible: 1 letter]egund the wife of Chilperick, and Katherine Medices wife of Henry the 2. are ſaid to be the Furies of France. What work they made in that Kingdom in their generations, by abuſing their Husbands love and authority, Hiſtories are full. The like did Jezabel in Iſrael, Athaliah in Judah, and Dame Alice Pierce here in England in King Edward the thirds dayes. This Woman being the Kings Concubine, and preſuming on his favour, whom in his old age ſhe had ſubdued, grew ſo inſolent, that ſhe impriſoned Sir Peter la Mare, Speaker for the Parliament:Dan. Hiſt. 257. intermeddled with Courts of Juſtice, and other Offices, where ſhe her ſelf would ſit to effect her deſire; which though in all who are ſo exalted are ever exceſſive, yet in a woman moſt immoderate, as having leſs of diſcretion, and more of gre[illegible: 1 letter]dineſs. Heliogabalus in a merriment ſet up a Senate of Women, but then their Ordinances were correſpondent, as what Attire each Woman ſhould uſe, how they ſhould take place, when ſalute, &c. But theſe in the Text working upon their Husbands Impotencies (who were children in the ſence that Shechem the ſon of Hamor is ſo called, Gen. 34.19. Ne que diſtulit puer, a lad or a boy, becauſe ſwayed not by right reaſon, but by blind affection) exacted of the poor people unreaſonable Tributes and Penſions, for the maintenance of their pride and luxury. Eſt haec ingens plaga, ſaith One, this is a great miſchief to a State, ſuch as Greece and Rome ſometimes groaned under. Diophantus the ſon of Themiſtocles once boaſted that he Ruled all Greece, becauſe he Ruled his mother: ſhe Ruled his Father, and he Ruled Greece. Cato alſo complained, Mulieres regunt nos, nos Senatum, Senatis Romam, Roma orbem; Our Women, ſaid he, Rule us, we Rule the Senate, the Senate the City and the City the whole world.

Qui bea[illegible: 2 letters]ficant te. O my people, they which lead thee] Or, thoſe that bleſs thee, and pronounce thee happy, ſaying, as do thy falſe-Prophets, thoſe flatterers, becauſe thou haſt with thee the Oracles and Ordinances of God, the Ceremonies and Sacrifices, praiſing thee therefore and promiſing thee all happineſs, ſoothing thee up in thy ſins, &c. Qui ducunt te, ſeducunt; Falſe Guides they are, and

Deſtroy the way of thy Paths] Heb. They ſwallow up, that is, they hide from thee thy duty, and ſo harden thee in thy ſin.