Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment [is] toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor. Ver. 1. _Hear ye this, ye priests_] For you are not so wise but that ye may "hear and increase learning,... [ Continue Reading ]
And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I [have been] a rebuker of them all. Ver. 2. _And the revolters are profound to make slaughter_] They lay their nets and snares deep, and lie down upon the ground, that they may take the silly birds that dread no danger. He "croucheth and hum... [ Continue Reading ]
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, [and] Israel is defiled. Ver. 3. _I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me_] Those that by Ephraim understand the princes, and by Israel the common people, _etiam hoc operae addant, et illud ex Scriptu... [ Continue Reading ]
_They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms [is] in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD._ Ver. 4. _They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God_] Or, their doings will not suffer them. That is, they are so habituated and hardened... [ Continue Reading ]
And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them. Ver. 5. _And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face_] Pride is the great pockmark of the soul; it will bud, and cannot be hidden, Ezekiel 7:10. It is the... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find [him]; he hath withdrawn himself from them. Ver. 6. _They shall go with their flocks, and with their herds_] _Cursitabunt,_ they shall cut up and down, from altar to altar, with all their stock, as if the... [ Continue Reading ]
They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions. Ver. 7. _They have dealt treacherously against the Lord_] They have dealt deceitfully in the covenant, they are a perfidious cursed crew of them; this I see we... [ Continue Reading ]
Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, [and] the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud [at] Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin. Ver. 8. _Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah_] _Clangite, clamate,_ not with the inverse trumpets of Furius Fulvius, which sounded a retreat when they should have sounded an... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be. Ver. 9. _Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke_] _Correptionis, vel Correctionis, ut Pagmnus; _ " When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity," &c., Psalms 39:1... [ Continue Reading ]
The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: [therefore] I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. Ver. 10. _The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound_] A wickedness condemned by the law and light both of nature and Scripture, Deuteronomy 27:17; Deu 19:14 Proverbs... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephraim [is] oppressed [and] broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. Ver. 11. _Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment_] _Calumniam passus est Ephraim,_ so the Vulgate hath it: Ephraim was falsely accused and slandered; he suffered much by malicious accusers, who... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore [will] I [be] unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. Ver. 12. _Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth_] Their sin was the greater because they were so willing to it, and so easily drawn to idolatry, as most agreeable to their nature, and making much of their... [ Continue Reading ]
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah [saw] his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. Ver. 13. _When Ephraim saw his sickness_] _i.e._ felt himself moth-eaten, hard-driven, and at a very great under, as those must... [ Continue Reading ]
For I [will be] unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, [even] I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue [him]. Ver. 14. _For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion_] I, that is, my Assyrian, the rod of my wrath, will be as a lion, or leopard, a creat... [ Continue Reading ]
I will go [and] return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. Ver. 15. _I will go and return to my place_] To my palace of heaven: so the Chaldee rendereth it. will withdraw my majesty, and return into the habitation of my ho... [ Continue Reading ]