John Trapp on Zechariah 11:9

Verſe 9. Then ſaid I, I will not feed you] Now the wrath of the Lord aroſe againſt his people, ſo that there was no remedy, as 2 Chron. 36.16. Now his decree brought forth Zeph. 2.2. Now he growes implacable, inexorable, peremptory. Wherein nevertheleſſe the Lord might very well break forth into that ſpeech of the Heathen Emperour, when he was to paſſe ſentence upon a malefactour, Non niſi coactus, I would not do this, if I could do otherwiſe. Chriſt could not tell Ieruſalem without tears, that her day of grace was expired, that her deſtruction was determined. As a woman brings not forth without pain: as a hee ſtings not, till provoked: ſo neither doth God proceed againſt a ſinfull people or perſon, till there be an abſolute neceſſity; leſt his truth and juſtice ſhould be queſtioned and ſlighted. See Ezek. 12.22, 23, 24, 25. Fury is not in God, till our ſins put thunderbolts into his hands: and then, who knoweth the power of his anger? Pſal. 90.11. Eſ. 33.14. who can abide with everlaſting burnings? If he but caſt a man off as here, and relinquiſh the care of him, he is utterly undone. Saul found it ſo, and complaines dolefully (but without pitty) that God had forſaken him,1 Sam. 28.15. and the Philiſtines were upon him: all miſeries and miſchief came ruſhing into him, as by a ſluce. Let us ſo carry matters, that God may not abandon us: that he may not refuſe to feed us, and take the charge of us as a ſhepheard. He yet offereth us this mercy, as Alexande did thoſe he warred againſt, while the lamp burned.

that that dieth, let it die] viz. of the murraine, or peſtilence, For man being in honour, if God but blow upon him, abideth not, but is like the beaſts that periſh, pecoribus morticinis, ſaith Tremellius the beaſts that die of the murrain. Vatablus thinks peſtilence, ſword and famine, are here threatened under the names of death, of cutting off, and of devouring one another. All which befell the refractary Jews in the laſt ſiege: the hiſtory whereof will make any mans heart bleed within him, that hath but the leaſt ſpark of grace, or good nature. It went hard with them, when the reſt, that the peſtilence and ſword had left, fell to eating the fleſh one of another; when the mother killed and boyled the dead body of her harmleſſe ſuckling, and eating the one half, reſerved the other for another time. Behold O Lord, and conſider to whom thou haſt done this? ſaith the Prophet: Shall the women eat their fruit and children of a ſpan long? Lam. 2.20 Oh the miſery, or rather mock of mans life! And oh, the venemous nature of ſinne, that moves God (who is not [non-Latin text not transcribed], a man-hater, but delights in mercy) to deal ſo ſeverely with his poor creature.