They who explain משא, _mesha_, burden, as signifying prophecy, without exception, are mistaken, as I have elsewhere reminded you; for prophecy is not everywhere called a burden; and whenever this word is expressed, there is ever to be understood some judgment of God; and it appears evident from Jere... [ Continue Reading ]
I am constrained by the context to read all these verses; for the sense cannot be otherwise completed. God expostulates here with a perverse and an ungrateful people, because they doubly deprived him of his right; for he was neither loved nor feared, though he had a just claim to the name and honor... [ Continue Reading ]
We now see what I have just referred to, — that the Jews are reminded of God’s gratuitous covenant, that they might cease to excuse their wickedness in having misused this singular favor. He does not then upbraid them here, because they had been as other men created by God, because God caused his su... [ Continue Reading ]
And to the same purpose he adds, _If Edom shall say, We have been diminished, but we shall return and build houses; but if they build, I will pull down, saith God_. He confirms what I have stated, that the posterity of Edom had no hope of restoration, for however they might gather courage and dilige... [ Continue Reading ]
He adds, _Your eyes shall see_. The Jews had already begun in part to witness this spectacle, but the Prophet speaks here of what was to continue. _See _then _shall your eyes_; that is, “As it has already appeared of what avail gratuitous election has been to you, by which I have chosen you as my pe... [ Continue Reading ]
God as already proved that he had by many favors been a Father to the Jews. They must have felt that he had indeed bound them to himself, provided they possessed any religion or gratitude. He now then concludes his address to them, as though he had said, that he had very ill bestowed all the blessin... [ Continue Reading ]
It was indeed the office of the priests to place bread daily on the table; but whence could bread be obtained except some were offered? Now nothing was lost to the priests, when they daily set bread before God, for they presently received it; and thus they preferred, as it was more to their advantag... [ Continue Reading ]
I have hitherto explained the Prophet’s words with reference chiefly to the shew-bread; not that they ought to be so strictly taken as many interpreters have considered them; for under the name of bread is included, we know, every kind of eatables; so it seems probable to me that the word ought to b... [ Continue Reading ]
He wounds here the priests more grievously, — because they had so degenerated as to be wholly unworthy of their honorable office and title; “Go,” he says, “and _entreat the face of God_. ” All this is ironical; for interpreters are much mistaken who think that the Prophet here exhorts the priests hu... [ Continue Reading ]
He goes on with the same subject, — that the priests conducted themselves very shamefully in their office, and that the people had become hardened through their example, so that the whole of religion was disregarded. Hence he says, that the _doors _were not closed by them. Some interpreters connect... [ Continue Reading ]
Here God shows that he no longer cared for the Jews, for he would bid altars to be reared for him everywhere and through all parts of the world, that he might be purely worshipped by all nations. It is indeed a remarkable prophecy as to the calling of the Gentiles; but we must especially remember th... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse may be confined to the priests, or it may be extended to the whole people; for both views are appropriate. As to my own view, I doubt not but that the Prophet here reproves with additional severity the priests, and that at the same time he extends his reproof to the people in general. We... [ Continue Reading ]
He pursues the same subject — that the worship of God was despised by them and regarded as almost worthless. We must bear in mind what I have before stated — that the Jews are not reprehended here as though they had openly and avowedly spoken reproachfully of God’s worship; but that this was suffici... [ Continue Reading ]
I come now to the kind of fraud they practiced, _If there be, he says, in his flock a male, that is, a lamb or a ram, when he vows, then what is corrupt he offers to Jehovah_. He then means, that though they pretended some religion, yet nothing was done by them with a sincere and honest heart; for t... [ Continue Reading ]