17. beasts--perhaps meaning destructive conquerors
(Da 7:4).
Rather, literal "beasts," which infest desolated regions such as
Judea was to become (compare
Eze 34:28;
Ex 23:29;
De 32:24;
2Ki 17:25).
The same threat is repeated in manifold forms to awaken the careless.
sword--civil war.
JFB.
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