Verse 6

VER. 6.

It shall be also carried to Assyria for a present to King Jareb.

What King Jareb was you heard in the fifth chapter: and his name signifies a helper, as a trophy. As now the King of France, the most Christian King. And so our King, the Defender of the Faith. And so King Jareb, the helper. Now the calves are to be sent to King Jareb, that was their help. Some think that they sent it for a present; but the text will not bear that, but his soldiers taking Dan and Bethel they rejoiced in getting the calves, and sends them to King Jareb as a trophy to him, as that which they knew he would much rejoice in. They rested much upon King Jareb as a help to them, and now their kind of religion, their very religion is at Jareb's dispose, for he has now the calves in his hand to do with them what he will.

From there briefly our note is this: our depending upon men for help, is dearly bought, if it comes to that, that they shall have the dispose of our religion. Jareb was their helper, and they would have him to help them; but now their calves are sent to him for a present, and Jareb has the dispose of them for their religion that they had.

And then the second note is this: in that they were sent to the King as a present that he would rejoice in.

That it is the way of idolaters, to rejoice much when they get one another's gods. As when the Philistines got the Ark, they rejoiced much, they carried it to Dagon's temple. Also the enemies of the Church will rejoice much if they can get the power to trample upon our religion; they will rejoice much if they can get your estates, but they will rejoice more if they can do what they will with you in the point of your religion. Oh! this would be that which would make them glad at the very heart that they could dispose of us for our religion. Oh! let us know this beforehand that may make us cry to God the more earnestly, that the Lord whatever he gives them power over, that he would not give them power over our religion; for that's the thing that they most aim at.