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In measure; with moderation, in certain proportions which God meteth out and fitteth to their strength. When it shooteth forth; when the vine shooteth forth its luxuriant branches, he, like the vine-dresser, cutteth them off, but so as not to spoil or destroy the vine. Or, as divers interpreters render it, and the word properly and frequently signifies, in or by casting, or dismissing, or sending her or it out; or, when thou dost cast or send her out, to wit, out of her own land, in which she was planted, into captivity. He alludes to a man that divorceth his wife, which is expressed by this word; but withal intimates that this shall not be peremptory and perpetual, as other divorces were.
Thou wilt debate with it; God is said to debate or contend with men, when he executeth his judgments upon them, as Isa_57:16 Amo_7:4.
He stayeth his rough wind; he mitigateth the severity of the judgment. But I must confess I do not meet with any of the ancient or modern translators that agree with ours in this version; nor is the Hebrew verb used, so far as I know, in the signification of staying or restraining; besides, our translation takes no notice of the Hebrew preposition. But this word unquestionably signifies to remove or take away, as 2Sa_20:13 Pro_25:4,5, and thus most interpreters understand it. And so the place is very fitly thus rendered, he (or, when he, which particle may easily be understood out of the former clause, as is usual) removeth (understand either it, to wit, the vine; or them, to wit; the enemies of God and his people. And so this agreeth with the former verse, in representing the different way of God’s proceeding against his people, and his and their enemies. Either way there is only a defect of the pronoun, which I have before showed in divers places to be very usual in the Hebrew language) with or by his rough wind; by which sometimes vines and other trees are pulled up by the roots, as that did, 1Ki_19:11, whereby he understands his most terrible judgments.
In the day of the east wind; in the time when he sendeth forth his east wind; which he mentions, because that wind in those parts was most violent, and most hurtful to trees and fruits, as hath been oft observed, and therefore is used to signify the most grievous calamities.