Woe to (a) them [that are] at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain
of Samaria, (b) [which are] named chief of the nations, to whom the
house of Israel came!
(a) The Prophet threatens the wealthy, who did not regard God's
plagues, nor threatenings by his Prophets.
(b) These two cities were famou... [ Continue Reading ]
Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the
great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: [be (c) they] better
than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?
(c) If God has destroyed these excellent cities in three different
kingdoms, that is Babylon, Syria,... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye that put far away the (d) evil day, and cause the seat of violence
to come near;
(d) You that continue still in your wickedness, and think that God's
plagues are not at hand, but give yourselves to all idleness,
lustfulness, and disorder.... [ Continue Reading ]
That chant to the sound of the viol, [and] invent to themselves
instruments of musick, like (e) David;
(e) As he caused different types of instruments to be made to serve
God's glory, so these did strive to invent as many to serve their
unrestrained affections and lusts.... [ Continue Reading ]
That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief
ointments: but they are not (f) grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
(f) They did not pity their brethren, of which many were now slain and
carried away captive.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive,
and the (g) banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be
removed.
(g) Some read "the sorrow of them that stretched themselves is at
hand".... [ Continue Reading ]
(h) The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of
hosts, I abhor (i) the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces:
therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.
(h) Read (Jeremiah 51:14).
(i) That is, the riches and pomp.... [ Continue Reading ]
And a man's uncle (k) shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to
bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that [is]
by the (l) sides of the house, [Is there] yet [any] with thee? and he
shall say, No. Then shall he say, (m) Hold thy tongue: for we may not
make mention of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall horses (n) run upon the rock? will [one] plow [there] with oxen?
for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness
into (o) hemlock:
(n) He compares them to barren rocks, upon which it is in vain to
bestow labour: showing that God's benefits can have no place among
them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to
us (p) horns by our own strength?
(p) That is, power and glory.... [ Continue Reading ]
But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel,
saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the
entering in of (q) Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.
(q) From one corner of the country to another.... [ Continue Reading ]