e of the Lord, his God: and they shall be converted,
for now shall he be magnified even to the ends of the earth.

5:5. And this man shall be our peace, when the Assyrian shall come into
our land, and when he shall set his foot in our houses: and we shall
raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

The Assyrian... That is, the persecutors of the church: who are here
called Assyrians by the prophet: because the Assyrians were at that time
the chief enemies and persecutors of the people of God.-Ibid. Seven
shepherds, etc... Viz., the pastors of God's church, and the defenders
of the faith. The number seven in scripture is taken to signify many:
and when eight is joined with it, we are to understand that the number
will be very great.

5:6. And they shall feed the land of Assyria with the sword, and the
land of Nemrod with the spears thereof: and he shall deliver us from the
Assyrian when he shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in
our borders.

They shall feed, etc... They shall make spiritual conquests in the lands
of their persecutors, with the word of the spirit, which is the word of
God. Eph. 6.17.

5:7. And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, as
a dew from the Lord, and as drops upon the grass, which waiteth not for
man, nor tarrieth for the children of men.

The remnant of Jacob... Viz., the apostles, and the first preachers of
the Jewish nation; whose doctrine, like dew, shall make the plants of
the converted Gentiles grow up, without waiting for any man to cultivate
them by human learning.

5:8. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, in the midst
of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the forests, and as a
young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, when he shall go through, and
tread down, and take there is none to deliver.

As a lion, etc... This denotes the fortitude of these first preachers;
and their success in their spiritual enterprises.

5:9. Thy hand shall be lifted up over thy enemies, and all thy enemies
shall be cut off.

5:10. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will
take away thy horses out of the midst of thee, and will destroy thy
chariots.

I will take away thy horses, etc... Some understand this, and all that
follows to the end of the chapter, as addressed to the enemies of the
church. But it may as well be understood of the converts to the church:
who should no longer put their trus