GOG AND MAGOG: OR, AN EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 38 AND 39. LOVELL: PRESS OF &X VARNEY, 27 CENTRAL STREET. 1854. Exposition of Ezekiel, Chapters 38 and 39. It is conceded by many of the learned, j that there is no part of the Old Testament so difficult to be understood as that of Ezekiel. His prophecies are very obscure, and we are informed by some that the Jews considered them inexplicable. But while we may regard them as difficult to be understood, we cannot, for a moment, regard them as unintelligible. If the prophecies of Ezekiel are a part of God’s revealed purpose, they were given for the benefit of the church, and in order that the church may be benefited, they must understand them. That this idea is correct, is evident from Rom. 15 : 4, “ For whatsoever things were irritfen aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.” Again, “ All scripture^is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Not only has God promised to give understanding, but we are instructed how to obtain it. Says the wise man, “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee ; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seek-est her as silver, and searchest for her as, for hid treasures ; then shalt thou under-, j stand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” But to the subject. Many have believed and still do believe, that this prophecy refers to the future, and that the most, if not all of it is to receive an accomplishment prior to the Second Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ; but this we believe to be inadmissible. There are others, however, who believe that it is to receive but a partial accomplishment before the coming of the Lord. But if it is a fact that we are living in the last days, and that the present generation are to witness the glorious Advent of the son of God, if we have seen the signs, or the beginning of them as referred to by our blessed Lord when he says, (Luke 21,) “ when ye see these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draw-eth nigh,” if this is the case, then no such invasion of Gog, can be looked for before his coming. But, it may be asked, why not ? I answer, because the events to be realized as brought to view in those chapters, if we may judge from the pastdevel-opement of facts, would occupy a period of more than a century. But, says one, they might be fulfilled in a year or two, for Gog can come into the land of Palestine certainly within that time. That it is possible that these northern nations can invade Palestine within a year or two,should time t continue, (which I have no idea will be the | case) we have no doubt; but this is only 4 one among the many circumstances which are to be fulfilled in this prophecy. When is Gog to come against the land ? An9.— When it is brought back from the sword, when the people of Israel dwell in their own land, when they have got cattle and goods, and when they (the Jews) dwell safely upon the mountains of Israel. Do they thus dwell safely at the present time ? and if so, do they dwell upon the mountains of Israel ? Have they got cattle and goods, &c., &c. Where is the man that will answer these questions in the affirmative ? Rut, says tho objector, I think I understand it ; it does not refer to the literal Jew, but to the spiritual seed, i. e., to the Gentile church. But do the spiritual seed, the children of Abraham, inherit the mountains of Palestine ? Nay verily. The very and of Israel, the Mount Zion of the Old Testament, is, with the exception of a few scattered Jews, trodden under foot by the Turks, as it has been by the Gentiles ever since the overthrow of the Jewish polity in A. D. 70, and will continue to be trodden under foot until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, and this point by the way, has not yet been reached. But, says another, now you perceive what a difficulty you and others are involved in by preaching that the Lord is coming so soon ; but if you will step on to our position, all will be perfectly lucid and plain. Well, Brother, what is the position you occupy ? Ans? We believe that the Lord will not come yet for some twelve, fifteen or twenty years; and hence we have ample time for the Jews to return to their own land, to gather cattle, goods, gold and silver; and in addition to this, the prospect is fair for its immediate accomplishment. We think, however, the idea of the Jews returning to their own land, and especially of their regaining such a state of prosperity as is brought to view by Ezekiel, and that in fifteen or twenty years, is altogether incredible. But it may be said that God is able to do this, and as he has promised he will certainly perform. Wo are not at all disposed to limit the Almighty, but this we do say, that the Lord will not do anything contrary 'to his economy. The question of God’s promising to restore Israel (literal Israel) is clear, it is plain ; but whether that restoration is in the future is still a question. To sustain the position that the Jews will at some future time return to their own native land, we are often referred to many of the Old Testament prophecies : e. g.—44 They shall be gathered from among the nation whither I have driven them i4 they shall build the old waste places 44 they shall dwell in the land that I have given them 14 they shall be no more two nations 44 ;hey shall dwell safely all of them,” &c., &c. When is this gathering from the nations? and this dwelling safely to be realized ? According to Ezekiel they are to dwell safely when Gog comes into the land of Israel; for it is said, 44 In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, slmlt thou not know it” ? But this is not all; after Israel has got back to their own land, and have got cattle, and goods, gold and silver ; yea, while they are dwelling safely, having been gathered from the nations of earth ; Gog and Magog invade Palestine, come upon the mountains of Israel, and the poor Jew is again defeated in his expectations, the land that was cleansed is again polluted, and he, poor creature, is carried into captivity. But, says the objector, the Jews are not to be carried into captivity, but Gog is simply to come into the land of Israel to be defeated. But inspiration talks very differently. Says the prophet (Ezek. 39 : 23,) 44 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity.” When did they go into captivity ? Ans. (verse 26) at the time 44 when they dwelt safely in their land” When did they dwell safely in their land ? Ans. (Chap. 38: 8, 14, 15,) When Gog came against the mountains of Israel. What is the result of Gog’s coming into the land of Israel ? Ans. The Jews are carried into 5 captivity :—the prophet says, Chap. 39 : 23-28: “ And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity : because they tre3passed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies : so fell they all by the sWord. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob,* aud have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations ; Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.” Now, in endorsing the position that, be fore the Lord comes, (1) the Jews must return; (2) They must dwell in the land of Palestine sufficiently long to obtain cattle and goods, gold and silver, and to arrive (according to the general idea) to a state of glory and perfection almost, if not altogether unparalleled in their entire his tory, and that this is all to be realized prior to the second Advent of Jesus Christ, and then (3) after they have been gathered back to their own land, shall have acknowledged Christ as the true Messiah, their tears wiped away, their land cleansed, the holy mountain sanctified, and the cross instead of the mosque of Omar, reared upon Mount Moriah. After all this, to have Gog come into the land, strip it of its , / wealth, deface its beauty, desecrate its sanctuaries, murder its inhabitants and scatter fire-brands, arrows and death throughout the entire region, is absolutely incredible. We are led to believe that such a viehv is contrary to the teachings of God’s word, inconsistent with the position that God requires His Church to occupy at this period of the world’s history, untruthful in all of its main features, highly injurious to the spiritual growth of those who embrace it, and last, but not least, such are under the necessity of saying the coming of the Lord cannot be expected for many years. ft is the opinion of some that Russia is the Gog of Ezekiel, and that she is about to invade the land of Palestine. But suppose this to be true, it does not fulfil the prophecy ; for as remarked above, neither the literal, nor the spiritual seed of Abraham possess that land at present, which by the way must be the case, when Gog is said to come into the land. Now as there is no probability of a restoration of the Jewish polity, judging from the word of God, and the present development of events, and as the signs of the times, as exhibited in the moral, political and physical world indicate the near approach of Jesus Christ; we opine that the prophecies of Ezekiel have been fulfilled, and that there is no connection between Gog’s coming into the land ©f Israel (Ezek. 38 and 39), and the events marked in the last part of the eleventh of Daniel; but that the former has been fulfilled, and the latter is in process of fulfilment; and with this view we believe that we can obtain a more perfect harmony than in any other way. With this fact before us, we wish to examine the leading features in these two chapters. Chap. 38 : v. 1-4: “ And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog,f the land of Magog, the chief prince o 6 Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus sailh the Lord God ; Behold, I am against thee, 0 Gog,"the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and 1 will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.” The term Gog occurs here as a proper name—that of a prince. He is said to be the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.— The names of nations and countries are to a great extent to be traced to the immediate decendants of Noah. Josephus, in speaking of this fact, says, that “ Japhet” (the son of Noah) “ had seven sons.— They inhabited so, that beginning at the mountains Taurus” (in Asia) “ and Ama-nus” (modern name A1 Lucan) “ they proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tanais,” (Don.) “ and along Europe to Cadiz (a city of Spain in the province of Andalusia) “ and settling themselves on the lands they lighted upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own names.” “ Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians.” The term Scythia was by the ancients, sometimes applied to the countries lying at the north of the Black and Caspian seas, and at other times to Mongolia and Tartary, hencq the distinguishing appellation of European and Asiatic Scythia. [Enc. Amer.] “ Thobel,” (Tubal,) says Josephus, “ founded the Thobelites, which are now called Iberes,” (i. e., Iberians). Iberia was situated in the Southern part of Georgia, a district of Asia, between the Black and Caspian Seas. “ Meshech,” says Clark, u was the founder of the Cappadocians, from whom proceeded the Muscovites.” Cappadocia is now a province of Turkey in Asia ; its modern name is Caramania. Mitchell, in speaking of these nations, remarks:— “ Gog and Magog were probably Scythian tribes. Gomer comprised some of the Celtic nations. Togarmah was a district not far from Mount Ararat; in the same region were the kingdoms of Ararat and Min ni, as well as Meshech, Tubal and Kir,” (p. 194). Again, the same writer remarks: “ Gog and Magog, Gomer, Togarmah, and the north, are alluded to, by the Hebrew writers, as regions very remote, and inhabited by warlike nations, riding on horses and striking terror into the surrounding countries by their numbers and fierceness. They are described as eager to take a prey, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to takfe a great spoil. * * * These descriptions have been thought to apply to some of the tribes of Central Asia; but the early inhabitants of the regions east and south of the Black Sea, who were always noted for the number of their horses, and their predatory habits, are believed to be the nations meant by the inspired writers,” (pp. 193, 194). Vs. 5-7. “ Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them ; all of them with shield and helmet: Gopier, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands : and many people with thee. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.” “ Gomer and all his bands.” Josephus says that u Gomer founded those whom the Greeks call Gallatians, (Galls,) but they were then called Gomerites.” “ u The house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands.” Calmet refers this to the “ Cimmerians, and Turco-manians, with other northern nations.” According to the {lbove facts, it seems to me that no person need mistake the subject in hand. According to Mitchell’s ancient Atlas, these nations are located in Asia ; Gog and Magog between the Black 7 and Caspian Seas ; Tubal, Togarmah and Meshech south of the Caucasian Mountains; and Gomer south and south-west of the Black Sea; all of which localities were north of Palestine. Vs. 8, “ After many days thou shalt be visited ; in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought hack from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste; but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” When is Gog to come into the land ?— Ans. “In the latter years,” or, as in v. 16, “ the latter days.” From the phraseology, “ latter days,” many have supposed it to refer to the Gospel dispensation ; but this by no means follows. “ The phrase of the latter days,” says Newton, “ in the Old Testament, signifies any time that is yet to come, though sometimes it may relate-to the times of the Messiah in particular, as it comprehends all future time in general; and hence it is used in prophecies that respect different times and periods. ‘ I will advertise thee,’ (saith Balaam to Balak,’ Num. 24 : 14,) ‘ what this people shall do to thy people in the latter daysbut what the Israelites did to the Moabites, was done long before the times of the Messiah. ‘ I know ’ (saith Moses, Deut. 31: 29,) ‘ that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you, and evil will befall you in the latter dayswhere the latter days are much the same as the time after the death of Moses. ‘ There is a God in heaven,’ (saith Dan. 2 : 28,) ‘ that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the King Nebuchadnezzar, what shall be in the latter days but several particulars are there foretold of the four great Monarchies of the earth, which were fulfilled before the coming of the Messiah. And in like manner these, prophecies of Jacob were, many or most of them, accomplished under the Mosaic economy, several ages before the birth of onr Saviour,” (pp. 47, 48). It must appear evident, we think, to every mind that the phrase latter days does not necessarily refer to the Gospel dispensation. The connection in which the phrase occurs in the second chapter of Daniel (v. 28), evidently refers to all future time ; for the events brought to view there, to take place in the latter days, are 1st, The overthrow of Babylon; 2d, The rise and fall of the Medo-Persian Empire ; 3d, The rise of the Grecian Monarchy ; 4th, Its subsequent divisions ; and 5th, The subversion of them by the Homans ; all of which are involved, although not ail specified in the history of that developement, prior to the first Advent, the first of which took place about seventy years after the prediction, and the last, thirty years before the first Advent. Let us apply the same rule then to the prophecies of Ezekiel, so far as the phrase “latter days ” or “years” is concerned ; and there is no difficulty (if the other features ny presented with the prediction, and set*, if'-tK$l$-''h&9 not been a perfect accomplishment. The subject is worthy of our consideration. In the foregoing article we have shown, as we believe, 1. That the nations brought to view under the denomination of Gog, Magog, Meshech, Tubal, &c., were located north of Palestine, and south of the Black, and Caspian seas. 2. They did invade the land of Israel. 3. That, it was in the latter days1 in the sense of the prophecy. 4. It was after the return from Babylon ; and, when the Jews dwelt in their own land, that Gog came against them. 5. All the time of the invasion, the Jews were in possession of godd and silver, cattle and goods, agreeably to the prophecy. 6. They dwelt (after the captivity,) to a considerable extent, in unwalled villages. 7. That Anti-ochus, and his successor; together, with their generals and armies, ruled over the nations represented by Magog, Meshech, 26 Tubal, Togarmah, Gomer, &c., and, that they did, in the most signal manner, fulfil the prophecy, in their war against the Jews. 8. The ostensible object of Anti-ochus, in invading the land, and that of Apolonius, his general, was, to get “silver and gold”—“ to take a great spoil.”— This fact is clearly set forth in the following remark of Jesephus ; he says : “ But for Antiochus (Epiphanes) he had no just cause for that ravage in our temple that he made; he only came to it when he wanted money, without declaring himself our enemy, and attacked us while we were his associates and friends. * * * This is attested by many worthy writers; Polybius of Megalapolis, Strabo of Cappadocia, Nicolaus of Demascus, Timagenes, Castor, the Chronologer, and Apollodorus, who all say, that it was out of Antiochus’s want of money that he broke his league with the Jews, and despoiled their temple when it was full of gold and silver.” 9. That the attempt to root out the generation of the Jews, by this mighty power, met with a most signal defeat. 10. That the Jews, during a campaign of seven years, from B. C. 167, did destroy thousands of their enemies, burnt their engines and weapons of war, razed their cities and fortresses to the ground, and did, in the language of the prophet, “ spoil those that spoiled them,” and “ rob those that robbed them.” 11. That God did, in a special manner, aid them in thus defeating their enemies. 12. That after this overthrow of their enemies, the land was cleansed, by removing the idols, carcasses, and bones of their enemies, and restoring the true worship of God. 13. They subdued the neighboring nations,—as the Idume-ans, &c. 14. Their kingdom became as great as in the days of David, and Solomon ; and the wealth of their capital, still greater. Having, as we believe,sustained j the foregoing points, we must as a matter of truth, regard the prophecy as in the past. There are some points in this quotation from Obadiah to which I wish to call par* ticular attention. It is claimed by many that the restoration of Jacob, Joseph, Israel, as specified by the prophet Obadiah, is to take place in the future, or, in what is, by some of our brethren, called the age to come. But there is no necessity of referring this prophecy to the future ; it has all been fulfilled, every identical feature of it. But you may inquire where is the proof of its fulfilment, for we cannot believe without evidence ? Well, let us for a moment look at the main features of this prophecy. 1st. It is declared that “ on Mount Zion shall he deliverance,” &c. We have shown in the historical testimony, to which we have called the reader in this article, that God did deliver his people from the Babylonish captivity, and that subsequently, they prevailed over their enemies, regained their independence, beautified Mount Moriah—the Zion of God and the glory of Israel, and inhabited it as in the days of old. 2d. Jacob is to prevail against Esau, &c. The children of Esau dwelt in what is called in the Bible, “ Mount Seir,” or “ Idumaea,” and subsequently to the Babylonish captivity, and in the days of the Maccabees, they were subjected by the Jews. In the first book of Maccabees, we read :—“ Then Judas fought against the children of Esau in Idumaea at Arabattine (Akrabattine), because they besieged Israel ; and he gave them a great overthrow, and abated their eftrage, and took'their spoils.” Newfon, in speaking of this, says: “Judas Maccabaeus attacked and defeated them several times,4 killed no fewer than twenty thousuid’ at one time, and 4 more than twenty tlfcusand’ at another, and took their chief city 4 Hebron, and the towns thefIBf, and pulled down the fortress of it, j anffjAnt the towers thereof round about.’ ” Again. 44 At last his nephew, Hyrcanus, the son of Simon, took other of their cities, and reduced them to the necessity of embracing the Jewish religion, or of leaving their country and seeking nqw habitations! elsewhere, whereupon they submitted to be circumcised, and became proselytes to the Jewish religion, and ever after were incorporated into the Jewish Church and nation.” (p. 41.) In this complete overthrow of the Edomites, was fulfilled the prophecy of Ezekiel 25: 12-14, “Thus saith the Lord God; because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman ; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by THE HAND OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL : and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury ; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God.” It was at this time that the Edomites ceased to be a distinct nation, and as Newton says: “ the very name was abolished and disused about the end of the first century after Christ.” 3d. The Jews were to possess the mountains of Esau ; or, in the language of the text: “ And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau ; and they of the plain the Philistines; and they shall possess tha fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and I^njamin shall possess Gilead.” Now this text was fulfilled, and as we have before remarked, Josephus says that Hyrcanus subdued all of the Idumeans ; and in chap. 15, B. xiii, when referring to Alexander’s administration, he says : “ Now at ihis time the Jews were in"possession of the following cities that had belonged to the Syrians, and Idumeans, and Phoenicians ; at the Sea-side, Strata's Tower, Apollonia, Joppa, Jamnia, Ashdod, Gaza, Anthedon, Raphia, and Rhinocolu-ra ; in the middle of the country, near to Idumea, Adora, Marissa; near the country of Samaria, Mount Carmel, and Mount Tabor, Scythopolis, and Gadara; of the # f untry of Gaulonitis, Seleusia, and Gaba-; in the country of Moab, Hesbon, and Medaba, Lemba, and Oronas, Gelithon, Zara, the Valley of the Celices, and Pella ; which last they utterly destroyed, because its inhabitants would not bear to change their religious rites for those peculiar to the Jews. The Jews also possessed others of the principle citties in Syria, which had been destroyed.” 4th. “The kingdom shall be the Lord's*” &c. This expression of the prophet, has determined many to believe that the kingdom referred to God’s everlasting kingdom ; but this we believe is inadmissable. The phrase, “ kingdom,” as used by the prophet, is not, however, as some have supposed, of a spiritual character or nature, but substantially and really a kingdom, the sovereign authority of which is directed by the Lord. The people of Israel, or the Jews, under the direction of the Lord, are, by the prophets, called sometimes a kingdom, at other times a heritage. David, in speaking of the Jews under the figure of a vine, as illustrative of God’s mercy and care for his people, says:—“ Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches Wo the river.” It may be well to remark that the de-cendants of Jacob were, for a long time, under the immediate direction of the Almighty, both in their religious and civil government; and in this respect they differed from all the nations of the earth. This theocratic form of government continued for many years, at least, from the days of Moses to the time of Samuel, or, until Saul was chosen king. And even then, ‘the Lord did not give up the supreme government; “ he was still king in Israel, and the king, so called, was only the vice- 28 gerent or deputy of th6 Lord,” and hence David, when chosen to be king over Israel, is recognized as deputed, or entrusted wii the sovereign power under the direction dj the Almighty. The remark of Abijah, (2 Ghron. 13: 5-8,) sets this matter in its true light. He says :—“ Ought ye not to know’that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt ? Yet Jeroboam the son of P^ebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his |ord. And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehobpam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them. And now ye think to withstand the kingdom oe the Lord in the hand of the sons of Davi£” &c. Here the fact is recognized that the kingdom is still the Lords, notwithstanding David is the king. And thus it continued down to the Babylonish captivity, when the Jews were scattered among the nations, and thjir Japd was desolate for seventy years; after whicji, God remembered his covenant, and restored them to their o\yn land. In this restoration we have a perfect fulfilment of Zech. 8. He says:—“ Thus saith the Lord : I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem : and Jerusalem shall be called, a city of truth; and the mounted of the Lord of host, the holy mountain. Thus saith the Lord of hosts ; there shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the strel^J^jj^f. Thus saith the Lore J|sts^^Brbe marvellous in the eyes Ke renmant this people in these dt ^h$uld it also be marvellous in mine ey saith the Lord of hosts. Thus saith Lord of Lord of hosts; behold, I will s my people from the east country,{and fr the west country ; and I will bring th apd they shall dwell in the midst of Jc salem; and they shall be my people, i l will be their God, in truth and in righteo ness. Thus saith the Lord of hosts,; your hands be strong, ye that hear in th days these words by the mouth of prophets, which were in the day that foundation of the house of the Lord of h( was laid, that the temple might be built. For before these daysthere was no hire man, nor any hire for beast: neither \i there any pqace to him that went out came in because of the affliction: for 11 all men every one against his neighbo But now I will not be unto the residue this peoplp as in the former days, saith t Lord of hosts. For the seed shall be pr< perous ; the vine shall give her fruit, a the ground shall give her increase, and t heavens shall give their dew; and I w cause the remnant of this people to posse all these things. And it shall come pass, that as ye were a curse among tl heathen, 0 house of Judah, and house Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall t a blessing: fear not, but let your haqds 1 strong. For thus saith the Lord of hosts as I thought to punish you, ^when yoi fathers provoked m^to wrath, saith th Lord of hosts, and I repented not: 5 again- have I thought in these days to d well unto Jerusalem and to the house < Judah : fear ye not.” X.