_THE ABOMINATIONS OF AHOLAH AND AHOLIBAH. AHOLIBAH IS TO BE PLAGUED BY HER LOVERS. THE PROPHET REPROVETH THE ADULTERIES OF THEM BOTH, AND SHEWETH THEIR JUDGMENTS._ _Before Christ 592._ THE style of this chapter, like that of chap. 16:, is adapted to men among whom, at that time, no refinement sub... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WERE TWO WOMEN, &C.— The Hebrews, derived from one source, born of Abraham and Sarah, made but one people, and continued united till the separation under Jeroboam. Then the ten tribes being separated from Judah and Benjamin, they formed as it were two people, governed by different kings. _Ahol... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS WERE THEIR NAMES— _And as to their names._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE BECAME FAMOUS, &C.— _And she became the common talk among the women, after judgment had been executed upon her._ As she had formerly been renowned among the heathen for her beauty; so she was now everywhere mentioned as a remarkable instance of God's vengeance. Instead of _She became famous,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HER SISTER— _And though,_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
SAW MEN POURTRAYED UPON THE WALL, &C.— "Before she had seen the Assyrians, upon the bare relation concerning them, or, upon the painting only which was made of them, her passion was inflamed towards them." Calmet. Some suppose that this may refer to the mystic cells, on the walls of which the images... [ Continue Reading ]
YET SHE MULTIPLIED, &C.— Instead of one calf they would have two; and so favourite a superstition were the calves of Dan and Beth-el, that they kept their ground against all those general reformations which divers of their better kings had made to purge the land from idolatry. See Div. Leg. vol. 3:... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL RAISE UP THY LOVERS, &C.— "I will execute my judgments upon thee by those very Babylonians of whose alliance and idolatries thou hall been so fond. Thou hast since indeed broken the league which thou madest with them, contracting a new one with Egypt, and thereby provoked them to avenge thy p... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL COME AGAINST THEE— _They shall bring against thee from the north chariots and wheels,_ &c. _And I will give them the power of judgment, that they may execute judgment upon thee._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL SET MY JEALOUSY AGAINST THEE— "They shall punish thee with that fury with which a man in the rage of jealousy shall treat a wife who has been unfaithful to him. The mutilations mentioned in this verse were common among the Chaldeans. St. Jerome assures us, that they frequently cut off the nos... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS WILL I MAKE, &C.— "These severe judgments shall effectually deter thee from idolatry, and make thee to abhor the least approaches towards it." Accordingly, we find that after the captivity the Jews never returned to their idolatrous practices. See Lowth.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE WILL I GIVE HER CUP, &C.— "Thou shalt suffer the same punishment as Samaria." See Ezekiel 23:33. The _cup_ is often used as a metaphor to express chastisement. Comp. Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND PLUCK OFF THINE OWN BREASTS— _And shalt tear thy breasts._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILT THOU JUDGE? &C.— _Wilt thou not?_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FURTHERMORE—_ But when they had called in those men who came from far, and to whom they had sent messengers, lo! they came to her, who had washed herself, had painted her eyes_ [with stibium], _and decked herself with ornaments._ Ezekiel 23:41. _She sat upon a stately bed,_ &c. Houbigant. See 2... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A VOICE, &C.— _And the voices of men singing harmoniously sounded with them, together with a multitude of Sabaeans, who came from the wilderness._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE RIGHTEOUS MEN, &C.— The Chaldeans are called _righteous,_ because they came to inflict upon lewd women the punishments they had deserved; and not now to entice them to idolatry: _righteous,_ because they inflicted righteous judgments. The following expressions allude to the common punishment... [ Continue Reading ]