| Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible For thus saith the Lord God,.... And what he says may be depended upon as truth, and what will certainly come to pass: I will even deal with thee as thou hast done; reward them according to their works; or execute the law of retaliation upon them; and reject them, as they had rejected him; and cast them off from being his people, since they had forsook him as their God; they being the aggressors and transgressors of the covenant, he was under no obligation by virtue of that to bless and protect them: which hath despised the oath by breaking the covenant; the covenant at Mount Sinai; or which was made in the plains of Moab, which had an oath annexed to it, Deuteronomy 29:12; but by breaking the covenant, which they did by their many abominations, they despised the oath by which they were sworn to keep it; and therefore it was but just with God to do with them as they had done with him and his covenant. The words are by some rendered, "I might even deal with thee as thou hast done" (i), &c. I should be justified in so doing, and you could not justly complain of me; but I will not, as follows: (i) "ego quidem agerem tecum, quemadmodum fecisti mecum", Tigurine version. Geneva Study BibleFor thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, who hast despised the {l} oath in breaking the covenant. (l) When you broke the covenant which was made between you and me, as in Eze 16:8. Wesley's Notes 16:59 In breaking the covenant - So will I break my covenant with thee. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary59. the oath-the covenant between God and Israel (De 29:12, 14). As thou hast despised it, so will I despise thee. No covenant is one-sided; where Israel broke faith, God's promise of favor ceased. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary16:59-63 After a full warning of judgments, mercy is remembered, mercy is reserved. These closing verses are a precious promise, in part fulfilled at the return of the penitent and reformed Jews out of Babylon, but to have fuller accomplishment in gospel times. The Divine mercy should be powerful to melt our hearts into godly sorrow for sin. Nor will God ever leave the sinner to perish, who is humbled for his sins, and comes to trust in His mercy and grace through Jesus Christ; but will keep him by his power, through faith unto salvation. |