Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Ver. 1. _Hear ye now what the Lord saith_] _Exordium breve est, sed plane patheticum,_ saith Gualther. This is a short, but pithy and pathetic preface, wherein he woos their attention: _Audi... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. Ver. 2. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy] Although the people would neither hear nor obey God, the prophet doth; and, acc... [ Continue Reading ]
O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. Ver. 3. _O my people, what have I done unto thee?_] Or rather, what have I not done to do thee good? "O generation, see ye the word of the Lord," and not hear it only; was ever anything more evidencing and... [ Continue Reading ]
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Ver. 4. _For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt_] Here God twits them with his former favours; which he never doth but in case of brutish unthankf... [ Continue Reading ]
O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD. Ver. 5. _O my people, remember now what Balak_] There must be a recognition of God's mercies, or else there will neithe... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Ver. 6. _Wherewith shall I come before the Lord?_] This is _vox populi,_ the voice of the people now convinced in part; or at least of some one for... [ Continue Reading ]
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul? Ver. 7. _Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams?_] It was taken for a maxim among all nations that no... [ Continue Reading ]
He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Ver. 8. _He hath showed thee, O man, what is good_] _i.e._ what is right, just, and acceptable to himself. He showed it by the light of Nature; f... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD'S voice crieth unto the city, and [the man of] wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. Ver. 9. The Lord's voice crieth unto the city] Or, shall cry, viz. by his prophets. φιλει ο θεος προσημαινειν, said the heathen. God loves to forewarn, to warn before he wo... [ Continue Reading ]
Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure [that is] abominable? Ver. 10. _Are there yet the treasures of wickedness_] What yet? for all that ever I can say or do to the contrary? Though I cry out unto you by my word (and have set it on with my rod,... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall I count [them] pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? Ver. 11. _Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances?_] Shall I clear and acquit such? I that am the righteous judge of heaven and earth, I abhor all injustice; I that have named myself a God that will... [ Continue Reading ]
For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue [is] deceitful in their mouth. Ver. 12. _For the rich men thereof are full of violence_] After that they have once enriched themselves by fraud and false dealing, they take the boldness ope... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore also will I make [thee] sick in smiting thee, in making [thee] desolate because of thy sins. Ver. 13. _Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee_] This is one twig of that rod, Micah 6:9, that now they shall hear and feel too, that would not hearken to God's word. Bernard telle... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down [shall be] in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and [that] which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword. Ver. 14. _Thou shall eat, but not be satisfied_] Either as not having enough to satisfy, but pri... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine. Ver. 15. _Thou shall sow, but thou shalt not reap_] This had been long since threatened by Moses, Deuteronomy 28:38,40, and was now over seven hun... [ Continue Reading ]
For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people. Ver. 16. _For the statutes of Omri are kept_] _Subest verbis his... [ Continue Reading ]