Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty [is] a fading flower, which [are] on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! Ver. 1. _Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim._] Drunkenness is a sin, at the heel whereof hangeth ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, [which] as a tempest of hail [and] a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. Ver. 2. _Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and a strong one,_] viz., Shalmaneser, king of Assyria. For whereas Ephr... [ Continue Reading ]
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: Ver. 3. The crown _a_ of pride … shall be trodden under foot.] This noteth utmost ignominy. _Finge ideam animo,_ saith one here; imagine you saw Shalmaneser pulling the crown from the king of Israel's head, throwing it to th... [ Continue Reading ]
And the glorious beauty, which [is] on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, [and] as the hasty fruit before the summer; which [when] he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. Ver. 4. _As the hasty fruit._] _Quasi primae et praematurae ficus,_ early... [ Continue Reading ]
In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, Ver. 5. _For a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty._] So he was to Judah - called here the "residue of his people" - during Hezekiah's days; a crown unfading, or a garland... [ Continue Reading ]
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. Ver. 6. _And for a spirit of judgment._] A sagacity more than ordinary, in regard whereof Solomon calleth the king's doom a divination, Pro 16:10 as is well observed. _ And for... [ Continue Reading ]
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble [in] judgment. Ver. 7. _But they also have er... [ Continue Reading ]
For all tables are full of vomit [and] filthiness, [so that there is] no place [clean]. Ver. 8. _For all places are full of vomit and filthiness._] _Vah, vah, vah: cum tu Narbone mensas hospitam convomeres,_ saith Cicero to Antony, who was not ashamed likewise to write, or rather to spew out a book... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts._ Ver. 9. _Whom shall he teach knowledge?_] _Quem docebit scientiam? Doceo_ governeth two accusative cases. Ministers must have (1.) _Quem,_ Whom to teac... [ Continue Reading ]
For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little: Ver. 10. _For precept must be upon precept._] Children are of weak understanding and of short memories, and, _Hebraei dicunt hisce verbis infantilitatem signifieari,_ they... [ Continue Reading ]
_For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people._ Ver. 11. _For with stammering lips, &c._] With a lisping lip. Heb., With scoffs of lip, or with language of mocks. Surely God scorneth the scorners, Pro 3:34 for he loveth to retaliate, and proportion choice to choice, Isa... [ Continue Reading ]
To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear. Ver. 12. _To whom he said, This is the rest,_] _i.e., _ The ready way to "find rest to your souls" _as _ Mat 11:28-29 - _sc., _ by obeying my precepts, and embracin... [ Continue Reading ]
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Ver. 13. _But the word of God was unto them precept upon precept, &c.,... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which [is] in Jerusalem. Ver. 14. _Wherefore hear the word of the Lord._] Stand forth and hear your doom, ye that jeer when you should fear, as if you were out of the reach of God's rod. _ Ye scornful men._] Heb., Ye men o... [ Continue Reading ]
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: Ver. 15. _Because ye have said,_] _i.e., _ Ye have th... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Ver. 16. _Therefore thus saith the Lord God._] This is purposely prefaced for the support of the faithful, when the... [ Continue Reading ]
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. Ver. 17. _Judgment also will I lay to the line._] Or, I will set out judgment by line, and justice by plummet; that is, I will pr... [ Continue Reading ]
And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. Ver. 18. _And your covenant with death shall be disannulled._] See Isaiah 28:15. God shall shoot at such with an arr... [ Continue Reading ]
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only [to] understand the report. Ver. 19. _From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you._] This was opposed to their fond conceit of impunity, or at... [ Continue Reading ]
For the bed is shorter than that [a man] can stretch himself [on it]: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself [in it]. Ver. 20. _For the bed is short._] Here the prophet seemeth to some to threaten them for their _lectulorum luxus_ Amo 6:4 their beds of ivory, whereon, when well whi... [ Continue Reading ]
For the LORD shall rise up as [in] mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as [in] the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Ver. 21. _As in Mount Perazim._] See 2 Samuel 5:20. God usually sitteth amidst his people in his mercy seat, or th... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. Ver. 22. _Now therefore be ye not mockers._] For those are the worst of men; Isa 28:14 pests, the Septuagint commonly render them; abject... [ Continue Reading ]
Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Ver. 23. _Give ear, and hear my voice; hearken, &c._] Being to assure the faithful of God's fatherly care of their safety and indemnity amidst all those distractions and disturbances of the times; he calleth for their utmost attention, as... [ Continue Reading ]
Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? Ver. 24. _Doth the plowman plow all day to sow?_] _a_ Or, Every day. Doth he not find him somewhat else to do besides? _Sua sunt rebus omnibus agendis tempora, novandi, arandi, occandi, aequandi, serendi, metendi,... [ Continue Reading ]
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? Ver. 25. _When he hath made plain._] Laid it level and equal. _ Doth he not cast in the fitches?_] See on Isai... [ Continue Reading ]
For his God doth instruct him to discretion, [and] doth teach him. Ver. 26. _For his God doth instruct him to discretion._] Being a better tutor to him than any _Varro de agricultura, Cato de re rustica,_ Hesiod, in his Works and Days; Virgil's Georgics; or, _Geonomica Constantino inscripta._ Some... [ Continue Reading ]
For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Ver. 27. _For the fitches are not threshed out, &c._] So are God's visitations diversely dispensed. He proporti... [ Continue Reading ]
Bread [corn] is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break [it with] the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it [with] his horsemen. Ver. 28. _Bread corn is bruised._] Yet not mauled or marred. That of Ignatius is well known, _Commolor dentibus ferarum ut purius Domino panis fiam._ Bec... [ Continue Reading ]
This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, [which] is wonderful in counsel, [and] excellent in working. Ver. 29. _This also cometh forth from the Lord._] As doth likewise πανα δοσις αγαθη, και παν δωρημα τελειον. Jam 1:17 _ Which is wonderful._] _Qui mirificuts est consilio, et magnificus oper... [ Continue Reading ]