THE FOUNDLING CHILD WHO BECAME AN UNFAITHFUL WIFE From Hosea onwards the prophets spoke of idolatry under the figure of unchastity. God was the husband of Israel, but she proved unfaithful to Him. This thought has already been expressed by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 6:9, and it is now expanded into an elabo... [ Continue Reading ]
RITUAL OF THE DAY OF ATONEMENT (See also Leviticus 23:26; Numbers 29:7; Exodus 30:10.) This solemn ceremonial took place once a year on the tenth day of the seventh month (_Tishri_ = September). It was enacted by the high priest alone, but the whole nation indicated its interest and participation i... [ Continue Reading ]
THY BIRTH, etc.] Though the allegory deals with the history of Israel as a nation it begins by tracing the origin of Jerusalem. It was a Canaanite city, inhabited by Jebusites, long before it became the capital of God's kingdom. Joshua 15:63; Judges 1:21; Judges 19:11; 2 Samuel 5:6. AMORITE] a gener... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST INCREASED, etc.] RV 'thou didst increase,' etc. The past tense should be read throughout the verse. WHEREAS] RV 'yet.'... [ Continue Reading ]
A COVENANT] a marriage covenant, probably with reference to the covenant at Sinai. FOR THE SCAPEGOAT] RV 'for Aaazel.' This word does not occur elsewhere in OT. The parallel, for the LORD, suggests that it should be taken as a proper name, and left untranslated. The word SCAPEGOAT in AV is not a tra... [ Continue Reading ]
BADGERS' SKIN] RV 'sealskin,' probably the skin of the dugong, an herbivorous cetacean found in the Red Sea.... [ Continue Reading ]
A JEWEL ON THY FOREHEAD] RV 'a ring upon thy nose': see Isaiah 3:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIGH PLACES] the seats of ancient Canaanite worship, retained by the Israelites for the worship of the true God, but perverted to their old uses: see Ezekiel 6:3; Ezekiel 6:6; Ezekiel 6:13. 20, 21. Human sacrifice was not unknown in early Israel: see on Genesis 22:1; Judges 11:30, and was introduced... [ Continue Reading ]
Israel suffered from the Philistines both in the days of the Judges and the early kings, and in later times (2 Chronicles 28:18).... [ Continue Reading ]
AFFLICT YOUR SOULS] i.e. observe a fast: see Psalms 35:13; Isaiah 58:3; Isaiah 58:5. This is the only fast enjoined in the Mosaic Law. After the exile fasting was a common religious usage: see e.g. Ezra 8:21; Nehemiah 9:1; Esther 4:8; Zechariah 8:19; Matthew 9:14;... [ Continue Reading ]
HE] i.e. Aaron.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS WOMEN.. ARE JUDGED] see Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22; John 8:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY WOMEN] the neighbouring nations.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR MOTHER.. YOUR FATHER] The plural pronoun refers to the three sisters.... [ Continue Reading ]
SAMARIA] the capital of the kingdorn of the Ten Tribes, standing for the whole of that kingdom. LEFT HAND.. RIGHT HAND mean north and south respectively: see John 10:3. ELDER.. YOUNGER] refer not to historical antiquity but to importance.... [ Continue Reading ]
SYRIA] Heb. 'Aram.' We may change one letter and read 'Edom.' The Edomites exulted over the fall of Jerusalem (Obadiah 1:10; Psalms 137:7). The Philistines seem to have done the same. Both nations are denounced in similar terms in Ezekiel 25:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT BY THY COVENANT] The new relation of Jerusalem to Samaria and Sodom would not depend on anything in the past, but would be a fresh arrangement of God's grace.... [ Continue Reading ]