A. M. cir. 3244. the calf of Samaria shall be 11 Because Ephraim

they have sown the cir. annum 37. they shall reap the sin. whirlwind it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal if so be it yield, m the strangers shall swallow it up.

For Israel hath forgotten. f his Maker, 10 Yea, though they have hired among the and buildeth temples: and Judah hath mul nations, now will I gather them, and they tiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire shall " V sorrow a little for the burden of the upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces king of princes.

The prophet reproves the Israelites for their sacrifices and rejoicings on their corn-floors, by which they ascribed to idols, as the heathen did, the praise of all their plenty, 1: For which reason they are threatened with famine and exile, 2, 3, in a land where they should be polluted, and want the means of worshipping the God of their fathers, or observing the solemnities of his appointment, 4, 5. Nay more; they shall speedily fall before the destroyer, be buried in Egypt, and leave their own pleasant places desolate, 6-9. God is then introduced declaring his early favour for his people, and the delight he took in their obedience; but now they had so deeply revolted, all their glory will take wing, God will forsake them, and their offspring be devoted to destruction, 10–16.

A. M. cir.
cir. 760.

Ante. U C. 7.
Amulii Sylvii,
R. Alban.,

B. C. cir. 760.
Ante U. C. 7.
Amulii Sylvii,
R. Alban.,

B.C. 344 REJOICE not, O Israel, for the bread of mourners; all that A. M. cir. 3244. joy, as other people: for eat thereof shall be polluted: for thou hast gone a whoring from their bread for their soul shall b thy God, thou hast loved a re- not come into the house of the ward upon every corn-floor.

cir. annum 37.

2 The floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. 3 They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

NOTES ON CHAP. IX.

Verse 1. Rejoice not] Do not imitate the heathens, nor serve their idols. Do not prostitute thy soul and body in practising their impurities. Hitherto thou hast acted as a common harlot, who goes even to the common threshing places; connects herself with the meanest, in order to get a hire even of the grain there threshed out.

Verse 3. But Ephraim shall return to Egypt] See on chap. viii. 12.

Verse 4. As the bread of mourners] By the law, a | dead body, and every thing that related to it, the house where it lay, and the persons who touched it, were all polluted and unclean, and whatever they touched was considered as defiled. See Deut. xxvi. 14; Num. xix. 11, 13, 14.

For their bread for their soul] The bread for the common support of life shall not be sanctified to them by having the first-fruits presented at the temple.

Verse 5. What will ye do in the solemn day] When ye shall be despoiled of every thing by the Assyrians; for the Israelites who remained in the land after its

LORD.

cir. annum 37.

5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

6 For, lo, they are gone because of P destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.

t

7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know

Chap. iii. 4.- -Jer. vi. 20; chap. viii. 13.-
14. - Lev. xvii. 11.
a Chap. vii. 16; ver. 3.-
nettle, &c.
13; chap. x. 8.

m Deut. xxvi.
Chap. ii. 11.- Hebrew, spoil.
Or, their silver shall be desired, the
Heb. the desire. Isa. v. 6; xxxii. 13; xxxiv.

subjection to the Assyrians did worship the true God, and offer unto him the sacrifices appointed by the law, though in an imperfect and schismatic manner; and it was a great mortification to them to be deprived of their religious festivals in a land of strangers. Calmet.

See

Verse 6. For, lo, they are gone] Many of them fled to Egypt to avoid the destruction; but they went there only to die.

Memphis] Now Cairo, or Kahira, found them graves.

The pleasant places for their silver] The fine estates or villas which they had purchased by their money, being now neglected and uninhabited, are covered with nettles; and even in their tabernacles, thorns and brambles of different kinds grow. These are the fullest marks of utter desolation.

Verse 7. The days of visitation] Of punishment

are come.

The prophet is a fool] Who has pretended to foretell, on Divine authority, peace and plenty; for behold all is desolation.

Judgments denounced

A. M. cir. 3244.

B. C. cir. 760.
Ante U. C. 7.

Amulii Sylvii,
R. Alban.,

cir. annum 37.
8 The

it: the prophet is a fool, "the nations were according as they A. M. cir. 3244.

V

▾ spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. watchman of Ephraim was with my God but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of

:

"Heb. man of the spirit. Ezek. xiii. 3, &c.; Mic. ii. 11;
Zeph. iii. 4. w Jer. vi. 17; xxxi. 6; Ezek. iii. 17; xxxiii. 7.
Or, against.- -y Isa. xxxi. 6; chap. x. 9.- Judges xix, 22.
See chap.
Chap. iv. 14.

a Chap. vii. 13.- Isa. xxviii. 4; Mic. vii. 1.--
ii. 15. 4 Num. xxv. 3; Psa. cvi. 28.
Jer. xi. 13; see Judg. vi. 32.

The prophet] The false prophet is the snare of a fowler; is continually deceiving the people, and leading them into snares, and infusing into their hearts deep hatred against God and his worship.

Verse 9. They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah] This relates to that shocking rape and murder of the Levite's wife, mentioned Judg. xix. 16, &c.

loved.

B. C. cir. 760. Ante U. C. 7. Amulii Sylvii,

R. Alban., cir. annum 37.

11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.

12h Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, wo also to them when I depart from them!

k

14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a P miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal for

* Psa. lxxxi. 12; Ezek. xx. 8; Amos iv. 5.- h Job xxvii. 14.- i Deut. xxviii. 41, 62. Deut. xxxi. 17; 2 Kings xvii. 18; chap. v. 6.- See 1 Sam. xxviii. 15, 16.- See Ezek. xxvi., xxvii., xxviii. Ver. 16; chap. xiii. 16.- Lo Luke xxiii. 29.- -PHeb. that casteth the fruit.- - Chap. iv. 15; xii. 11.

children shall be born, no woman shall be pregnant, for none shall conceive. Here judgment blasts the very germs of population.

Verse 12. Though they bring up their children] And were they even to have children, I would bereave them of them; for, when I depart from them, they shall have all manner of wretchedness and wo..

Verse 13. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus] Tyre was strongly situated on a rock in the sea; Samaria was on a mountain, both strong and pleasant. But the strength and beauty of those cities shall not save them from destruction.

Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the mur derer.] The people shall be destroyed, or led into captivity by the Assyrians. Of the grandeur, wealth, Verse 10. I found Israel like grapes in the wilder-power, &c., of Tyre, see the notes on Ezekiel, chap. ness] While they were faithful, they were as accept- xxvii. and xxviii. able to me as ripe grapes would be to a thirsty traveller in the desert.

Verse 14. Give them, O Lord: what will thou give?] There is an uncommon beauty in these words. I saw your fathers] Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, The prophet, seeing the evils that were likely to fall Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, &c.

As the first ripe] Those grapes, whose bud having come first, and being exposed most to the sun, have been the first ripe upon the tree; which tree was now in the vigour of youth, and bore fruit for the first time. A metaphor of the rising prosperity of the Jewish state. But they went to Baal-peor] The same as the Roman Priapus, and worshipped with the most impure

upon his countrymen, begins to make intercession for them; but when he had formed the first part of his petition, "Give them, O Lord!" the prophetic light discovered to him that the petition would not be answered, and that God was about to give them something widely different. Then changing his petition, which the Divine Spirit had interrupted, by signifying that he must not proceed in his request, he asks the question, then, "What wilt thou give them ?" and the answer is, "Give them a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts." And this he is commanded to announce. It is probable that the Israelites had prided themselves in the fruitfulness of their families, and the numerous Verse 11. Their glory shall fly away] It shall sud-population of their country. God now tells them that denly spring away from them, and return no more. this shall be no more; their wives shall be barren, and their land cursed.

rites.

And their abominations were according as they loved.] Or," they became as abominable as the object of their love." So Bp. Newcome. And this was superlatively abominable.

From the birth] "So that there shall be no birth, no carrying in the womb, no conception."-Newcome. They shall cease to glory in their numbers; for no

Verse 15. All their wickedness is in Gilgal] Though we are not directly informed of the fact, yet we have

A. M. cir. 3244.

B. C. cir. 760.

Ante U. C. 7.

Amulii Sylvii,

R. Alban.,

cir. annum 37.

17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

" Heb. the desires; Ezek. xxiv. 21.

Deut. xxviii. 64, 65.

denunciations; and to vindicate the Divine justice, from which they proceeded. It is—

Because they did not hearken unto him] That "my God," the fountain of mercy and kindness," will cast them away."

And they shall be wanderers among the nations.] And where they have wandered to, who can tell? and in what nations to be found, no man knows. Wanderers they are; and perhaps even now unknown to themselves. Some have thought they have found them in one country; some, in another; and a very pious writer, in a book entitled, The Star in the West, thinks he has found their descendants in the American Indians; among whom he has discovered many customs, apparently the same with those of the ancient Jews, and commanded in the Law. He even thinks that the word Je-ho-vah is found in their solemn festal cry, Ye-ho-wa-he. If they be this long lost people, they are utterly unknown to themselves; their origin being lost in a very remote antiquity.

1

CHAPTER X.

This chapter treats of the same subject, but elegantly varied. It begins with comparing Israel to a fruitful vine, but corrupted by too much prosperity, 1. It next reproves and threatens them for their idolatry, 2 ; anarchy, 3; and breach of covenant, 4. Their idolatry is then enlarged on; and its fatal consequences declared in terms full of sublimity and pathos, 5-8. God is now introduced complaining of their excessive guilt; and threatening them with captivity in terms that bear a manifest allusion to their favourite idolatry, the worshipping the similitude of a calf or heifer, 9-11. Upon which the prophet, in a beautiful allegory suggested by the preceding metaphors, exhorts them to repentance; and warns them of the dreadful consequences of their evil courses, if obstinately persisted in, 12-15.

B. C. cir. 740.

A. U. C. cir. 14.
Romuli,

A. M. cir. 3261. ISRAEL is an empty vine, creased the altars; according he bringeth forth fruit unto to the goodness of his land A. himself according to the multi-d they have made goodly tude of his fruit he hath in-images.

R. Roman.,

cir. annum 14.

Verse 1. Israel is an empty vine] Or, a vine that casteth its grapes.

He bringeth forth fruit] Or, he laid up fruit for himself. He abused the blessings of God to the purposes of idolatry. He was prosperous; but his prosperity corrupted his heart..

According to the multitude of his fruit] He became idolatrous in proportion to his prosperity; and in proportion to their wealth was the costliness of their

Mir. 7264-
U. C. cir. 14.

B. C. cir. 740.

Romuli, R. Roman., cir. annum, 14.

Le Heb. statues,

"So God's best gifts, usurp'd by wicked ones, To poison turn, by their con-ta-gi-ons." Another poet, of a higher order, but worse school, says:

Effodiuntur opes, irritamenta malorum.-OVID. Of which the words of St. Paul are nearly a literal rendering,—

Ριζα γαρ παντων των κακών εστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία.

images, and the expensiveness of their idol worship." For the love of money is the root of all these evils." True is the homely saying of old Quarles :

1 Tim. vi. 10. Pity that this beautiful metal, on

The idolatry of the

A. M. cir. 3264.
B. C. cir. 740.

2 Their heart is divided; priests thereof that rejoiced on it,

h

A. U. C. cir. 14. now shall they be found faulty:
Romuli,
he shall break down their altars,
cir. annum 14. he shall spoil their images.

R. Roman.,

3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?

4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

k

5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of m Beth-aven for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the

Or, He hath divided their heart. 1 Kings xviii. 21; Matt. vi. 24. h Heb. behead. Chap. iii. 4; xi. 5; Mic. iv. 9; ver. 7. See Deut. xxix. 18; Amos v. 7; vi. 12; Acts viii. 23; Heb. xii. 15.- 1 Kings xii. 28, 29; chap. viii. 5, 6. Chap. iv. 15.

which God has bestowed such a large portion of mineral perfection, and then hid in the earth, should, on its being digged up by man, become the incentive to so many vices, and draw away his heart from the Creator of all things, and the fountain of ineffable perfection and goodness.

Verse 2. Their heart is divided] They wish to serve God and Mammon, Jehovah and Baal: but this is impossible. Now God will do in judgment what they should have done in contrition, "break down their altars, and spoil their images."

Verse 3. We have no king] We have rejected the King of kings, and had we any king, he would be of no service to us in this state, as he would be a captive like ourselves; nor could we have the approbation of God, as we now justly lie under his displeasure.

Verse 4. They have spoken words] Vain, empty, deceitful words.

Swearing falsely] This refers to the alliances made with strange powers, to whom they promised fidelity without intending to be faithful; and from whom they promised themselves protection and support, notwithstanding God was against them, and they knew it. All their words were vain, and in the end as bitter as gall.

Judgment springeth up as hemlock] As our land lies without cultivation, so that we have nothing but noxious weeds instead of crops; so we have no administration of justice. What is done in this way is a perversion of law, and is as hurtful to society as hemlock would be to animal life. All this may refer to the anarchy that was in the kingdom of Israel before Hoshea's reign, and which lasted, according to Archbishop Usher, nine years, They then, literally, "had no king."

- Verse 5. The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear] According to Calmet, shall worship the calves of Bethaven; those set up by Jeroboam, at Beth-el. Fear is often taken for religious reverence,

A. M. cir. 3264.
A. U. C. cir. 14.

B. C. cir. 740.

Romuli, R. Roman., cir. annum 14.

6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to King Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

n Or, Chemarim; 2 Kings xxiii. 5; Zeph. i. 4.— 1 Sam. iv. 21, 22; chap. ix. 11. Chap. v. 13. Chap. xi. 6. Ver. 3, 15.- Heb. the face of the water. Chap. iv. 15, "Deut. ix. 21; 1 Kings xii. 30.- —▾ Chap. ix. 6.————————" Ísa. ii. 19 ; Luke xxiii. 30; Rev. vi. 16; ix. 6.

object of their worship carried into captivity, as well as themselves.

kemarim. The

And the priests thereof] priests of Samaria, says Calmet, are here called kemarim, that is, black coats, or shouters, because they made loud cries in their sacrifices. Instead of 1 yagilu, "they shall rejoice;" learned men propose 14'4" yalilu, “shall howl,” which is likely to be the true reading: but it is not supported by any of the MSS. yet discovered. But the exigentia loci, the necessity of the place, requires some such word.

Verse 6. A present to King Jareb] See on chap. v. 13. If this be a proper name, the person intended is not known in history: but it is most likely that Pul, king of Assyria, is intended, to whom Menahem, king of Israel, appears to have given one of the golden calves, to insure his assistance.

Verse 7. Her king is cut off as the foam] As lightly as a puff of wind blows off the foam that is formed below by a fall of water, so shall the kings of Israel be cut off. We have already seen that not less than four of them died by assassination in a very short time. See on chap. vii. 7.

Verse 8. The high places] Idol temples.
Of Aren] Beth-aven.

The thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars] Owing to the uncultivated and unfrequented state of the land, and of their places of idol worship, the people being all carried away into captivity.

"And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, And to the hills, Fall on us."

"This sublime description of fear and distress our Lord had in view, Luke xxiii. 30, which may be a reference, and not a quotation. However, the Septuagint, in the Codex Alexandrinus, has the same order of words as occurs in the evangelist. The parallelism makes the passages more beautiful than Rev. vi. 16; and Isa. ii. 19 wants the animated dramatic form.

The people thereof shall mourn] On seeing the That there is a reference to the caverns that abounded