CHAP. XXIII. V. 2. The two nations of the Assyrians, who became their neighbors by VOL. IV.
this , she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than ther sister in her whoredoms.
12 She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbors, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men.
13 Then I saw that she was defiled, * that they took both one way,
14 And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with " vermilion,
15 Girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, 'all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity;
16 And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.
17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, a and her mind was " alienated
from them.
Heb. she corrupted her inor-x 1 Sam. 18:4. Is. 22:21. dinate love more than she.
† Heb. the whoredoms of her sister. 16:47-51. Jer. 3:811.
q 5. 16:28. 2 Kings 16:7-15. 2 Chr. 28:16-23.
г 6,23.
$ 31. 2 Kings 17:18,19. Hos. 12:1,2,
18:10. Is. 46:1. Jer. 50:2. u Jer. 22:14.
y Judg. 8:18. 2 Sam. 14:25. Heb. at the sight of her eyes. Gen. 3:6, 6:2. 39:7. 2 Sam. 11:2. Job 31:1. Ps. 119:37. Prov. 6:25. 23:33. Matt. 5:28. z 40,41. 16:17,29. 2 Pet. 2:14. Heb. children of Babel. Gen. 10:10. 11:9.
a 22,28. 16:37. 2 Sam. 13:15. || Heb. loosed , or, disjointed.
conquering the Syrians. They then became dotingly fond of their idols: being captivated by the comely persons and splendid appearance of the Assyrian captains and horsemen; and thinking every thing desirable, which tended to connect then, with these new idolatrous allies. Thus they defiled themselves with their idols; and at the same time they retained the idolatries, which they had first learned in Egypt.
Wherefore the Lord at length punished them by the kings of Assyria, who turned against them, entirely spoiled their country, and slaughtered, enslaved, impoverished, and dispersed the inhabitants. Thus they executed judgment upon Samaria and Israel, and Aholah became "famous," or a name , for her crimes and her calamities. The expression means celebrated , whether in an honorable or a dishonorable manner; either famous or infamous.
As she had been formerly renowned 'among the heathen for her beauty; (16:14.) so 'now she was every where talked of as a re'markable instance of God's vengeance, and 'set forth as an example to other cities and na'tions, to deter them from the like abomina'tions.' Lowth . ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes, 16 : 30-43 . 2 Kings 15:19,20. 17:3-6,24. Jer . 3: 6-11. Hos . 5:13,14. 8:9,10. 10:5,6. 11:5–7. 14: 1-3.)
V.11-21. All the time that the kingdom of Israel was ripening for judgments, and even after it was ruined, Judah was growing more and more corrupt, and devoted to idols: and in the reign of Ahaz, afterwards in that of Manasseh and Amon, and at last after the death of Josiah, the Jews were more mad upon their
18 So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then 'my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister.
19 Yet shed multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
20 For she doted upon her paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21 Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth.
22 Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord Gon; Behold & I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side.
23 The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.
24 And they shall come against thee
b 16:36. 21:24. Is. 3:9. Jer. 8: 12. Hos. 7:1.
c Deut. 32:19. Ps. 78:59. 106: 40. Jer. 6:3. 12:8. 15:1. Lam. 2:7. Hos. 2:2. Am. 6:8. Zech. 11: 8 .
d 14. 16:25,29,51. Am. 4:4. e 3,8,21. 16:22. 20:7.
f 16:20. 17:15.
g 9,28. 16:37. Is. 10:5,6. 39:3,4.
Hab. 1:6-10. Rev. 17:16. h 17.
i Jer. 6:22,23. 12:9-12. k 21:19,&c. 2 Kings 20:14-17 25:1-3.
12 Kings 24:2. Job 1:17. Is. 23:13. Acts 7:4.
m Jer. 50:21.
n Gen. 2:14. 25:18. Ezra 6:22. ο 6,12.
idols than even the Israelites had been; so that the efforts of their pious princes to reform them, only served to discover the inveteracy of the disease, which increased amidst the most powerful remedies used to abate it. They too connected themselves with the Assyrians, and were enamored of them and their idols; and then with the Chaldeans, and followed their idols: still retaining also their attachment to the Egyptians and their idols.
Thus they were like those abandoned women, who have cast off all regard to decency, duty, or consequences; and are given up in the most infatuated manner to their unbridled inordinate passions, and are ready to prostitute themselves to every man they see: and their conduct was represented by these allusions, to shew how loathsome and hateful idolatry is in the sight of God.
But after a short time, they were as much alienated from the Chaldeans, as they had been attached to them; (as is frequently the case between bad women and their paramours;) and this made way for their tempters to become their executioners. For, though they were alienated from the Chaldeans, they continued to provoke the Lord by their abominable idolatries and heathen alliances, especially with the Egyptians: so that he was at length entirely alienated from them. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , 3. 16:44-47. 2 Kings 16.7-9.20:12-19. Jer . 3:6-11.)
Dyed attire, &c. (15) 'The Chaldeans, and 'afterward the Persians, wore a sort of turbans 'upon their heads, with different degrees of or'naments, according to their different qualities.' Lowth .
P with chariots, waggons, and wheels, and || shall leave thee naked and bare, and the with an assembly of people, which shall set nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be disagainst thee buckler, and shield, and hel- covered, both thy lewdness and thy whoremet round about: and I will set judgment doms. before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments.
25 And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.
26 They shall also "strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy * fair jewels.
27 Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, y and thy whoredom brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more.
28 For thus saith the Lord GoD; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated:
29 And they shall a deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labor, and
p 26:10. Jer. 47:3. Nah. 2:3, 4. 3:2,3.
q 45. 16:38. 21:23. 2 Sam. 24: 14. Jer. 39:5,6.
r 5:13. 8:16:38-42. Ex. 34:14. Deut. 29:20. 32:21,22. Prov. 6:34. Cant. 8:6. Zeph. 1:18. s 47. Hos. 2:4,5.
t 15:6,7. 20:47,48. 22:18--22. Rev. 18:8.
u 29. 16:16,37,39. Jer. 13:22. Hos. 2:3,9,10. Rev. 17:16. 18:
V. 22-24. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 45,49. 16:35 43. Rev. 17:15-18.)- I will set , &c. (24) (24) The Lord employed the Chaldeans to execute his judgments on the Jews: and they intended to judge and and condemn them, for violating the solemn treaties and rebelling against them. ( Marg . Ref. q.-Notes, 28. 17:15-21. -21. 21:23.)
V. 25. Nose, fose , &c.] This refers to the severe vengeance, which enraged jealous husbands sometimes took on their adulterous wives; or to the ignominious and terrible punishment, that was publicly inflicted on them: and it implied that God would employ the Chaldeans to destroy the king, princes, priests, and prophets of Judah; and, as it were, first to mutilate, and then put to death, this infamous adulteress with ner whole family. ( Marg . Ref . - See on Note , 22-24.- Notes , 8:6. Ex . 20:5. 34:14-17, v . 14.) V. 26. Marg . and Marg . Ref . Note , 40-42. V.27.
These severe judginents shall effect'ually deter thee from idolatry and make thee 'abhor the least approaches to it. (22:15.)' Lowth. This prediction is frequently repeated: and the accomplishment of it has been most wonderful. It might have been expected, that a nation ever prone to idolatry, even when residing in a country where the worship of the true God was established, and none else tolerated, would have readily conformed to the idolatrous usages of the nations, among whom they were scattered by the captivity, and so have been incorporated with them. Yet,
30 I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
31 Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.
32 Thus saith the Lord GoD; Thou shalt & drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
33 Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, k with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.
34 Thou shalt even 1 drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the shreds thereof, m and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it , saith the Lord God.
35 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast forgotten me, • and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. b 18. 16:36,37.
с 12-21.6:9. Ps. 106:35-38. Jer. 2:18-20. 16:11,12. 22:8,9. d 7,17.
e 13. 16:47-51. Jer. 3:8-11. f 2 Kings 21:13. Jer. 7:14,15. Dan. 9:12.
g Ps. 60:3. Is. 51:17. Jer. 25: 15-28. 48:26. Matt. 20:22,23. Rev. 16:19. 18:6.
h 22:4,5. 25:6. 26:2. 35:15. 36: 3. Deut. 28:37. 1 Kings 9:7.
Ps. 79:3. Jer. 25:9. Lam. 2: 15,16. Mic. 7:8.
i Jer. 25:27. Hab. 2:16. k Is. 51:17,22.
1 Ps. 75:8.
m 3,8. Rev. 18:7.
n 22:12. Is. 17:10. Jer. 2:32. 3:21. 23:27. 32:33. Hos. 8:14. 13:6. Rom. 1:28.
o 1 Kings 14:9. Neh. 9:26. p45-49. 7:4. 44:10. Lev. 24. 15. Num. 14:34. 18:22,
ful neighbors, nor their own fears, hopes, interests, or predilection for the sensual, jovial worship of idols, could prevail with them to run into gross idolatry, during the captivity, afterwards! Nay, they were instrumental to the proselyting of numbers of idolaters to the worship of JEHOVAH, in the countries where they were dispersed! And though, since their national rejection of Christ, the Jews have been as destitute even of the appearance of true religion, as can well be conceived; yet they have in general been preserved from gross idolatry, during almost eighteen hundred years! The fact itself is unparalleled in the history of mankind; but the astonishment of every reflecting person, who carefully compares it with these express predictions must be exceedingly increased by so doing. ( Marg . Ref . See on Note , 22:15.)
V. 28, 29. The Chaldeans that were thy 'lovers formerly: (22) but since thou hast brok'en thy league and friendship with them, thy 'love is turned to hatred.... This shall prompt 'them to take a full revenge on thy perfidious'ness.' Lowth . ( Marg . Ref . See on Note , 2224, v . 24.)
V.30. Marg . Ref.
V. 31. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 11-21. 16:44— 51.2 Kings 21:13. Jer . 3:6-11. 7:12-15. 25:15 -18.) 'I will execute the same judgments and 'vengeance against thee, and that with greater 'severity.'
neither the authority, the frowns, the exam- V.32-35. Marg . Ref . See on Note , 22:3ples, or the favor, of their conquerors or power- || 5.-- Notes , Ps. 75:8. Is . 1:21-24. Jer . 25:27,28
The Lord said moreover unto me, Son of man, wilt thou * judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;
& a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.
42 Andia voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the
37 That they have committed adul-common sort were brought #Sabeans
tery, "and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery; and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire , to devour them .
38 Moreover this they have done unto me, they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my
sabbaths:
39 For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.
40 And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,
41 And sattest upon a stately bed, and
9 20:4. 22:2. Jer. 1:10. 1 Cor. 6:2,3.
* Or, plead for . Jer. 11:14. 14:
11.
г 4.
s 16:2. Is. 58:1. Hos. 2:2. Mic. 3:8-11. Matt. 23:13--35. Luke 11:39-52. Acts 7:51 53 .
15. 16:32. Hos. 1:2 3:1.
1 39,45. 16:36,38. 22:2-4. 24:6 -9.2 Kings 24:4. Ps. 106:37, 33. Is. 1:15. Jer. 7:6,9. Hos. 4:2. Mic. 3:10. Luke 13:34. 4. 16:20,21,45. 20.26,31. Lev. 18:21. 20:2-5. Deut. 12:31. 2 Kings 17:17. 21:6. Jer. 7:31.
32:35.
y 7:20. 8:5-16. 2 Kings 21:4,7.
23:11.12.
z 20:13,24. 22:8. Neh. 13:17, 18. Jer. 17:27.
a Is. 3:9. Jer. 7:8-11. 11:15. Mic. 3:11. John 18:28.
b 38. 44:7. 2 Chr. 33:4-7.
Jer. 23:11.
c 16. Is. 57:9.
† Heb. coming. 2 Kings 20: 13-15.
d Ruth 3:3. Esth. 2:12. e 2 Kings 9:30. Jer. 4.30. mar- gins .
f 16:13-16. Prov. 7:10. Is. 3:18-23.
Heb. honorable. Esth. 1:6. Prov. 7:16,17. Is. 57:7. Am. 2:8. 6:4.
Hab . 2:15-17. Matt . 26:36-39.- It containeth , &c. (32) 'The judgments of God to be inflicted on the Jews would be very terrible, and of long continuance; as those of Israel had been and would be.- Pluck off , &c. (34) As one drunken, frantic, and in despair.
V. 36. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , 4. 20: 4. 22:2.)
V.37-39. Marg . Ref . u, x.- Notes , 16:1522,44-47. 20:25,26. 22:3-15.- Same day , &c. (38,39.) Marg . Ref . y-a.--After the people had burned their children in the fire to idols, they came, with horrid presumption and hypocrisy, into the sanctuary of God, and polluted it with their abominable sacrifices.- Lo , &c. (39) 'The 'words may be expounded of their setting up 'idols in the very temple, and worshipping them 'there. (2 Kings 21:4.)' Lowth .
V. 40-42. The princes and nobles of Judah used every artifice, to induce the heathen nations to enter into alliances with them; and bestowed much pains to gain admission with them to their idolatrous worship, as harlots do to inveigle their lovers. And when their ambassadors came before them, besides other methods of making themselves appear alluring or considerable, they took care to be surrounded with luxurious and effeminate retainers, who welcomed the ambassadors of the idolatrous princes with loud acclamations. They
from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
43 Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit " whoredoms with her, and she with them ?
44 Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot; "so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.
45 And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood: because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
46 For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them ** to be removed and spoiled.
47 And the company shall stone them with stones, and # despatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
'sent into other countries, to have such as 'should teach the service of their idols. The "table," refers to the idolatrous sacrifices, and the feasts connected with them. The word rendered Sabeans may mean drunkards ; ( marg .) and it is very probable, that the drunken and mad revels, which the worshippers of Bacchus made in honor of that filthy idol, adorned with chaplets and other decorations, and accompanied with music, songs, and dances of the most sensual kind, may here be referred to. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , 11 -21. 16:23-29. Ex . 32:2-6. 2 Kings 9:30-37, v . 30. Is . 57:7-10. 65:11,12. Jer . 4:30,31. Hos . 2: 10-13.)
V. 43, 44. The Lord repeatedly warned Israel and Judah not to enter into alliances with idolaters, nor to join in their idolatries: but though they were grown old in these practices, and bad suffered so much by them, that it might have been hoped they would be weary of them; yet they were as eager after them as ever! ( Marg . and Marg . Ref .)
V. 45. As upright magistrates used to condemn and execute judgment on adulteresses and murderers; so did the prophets in the name of God denounce sentence against Jerusalem and Samaria. Even the heathen princes, who executed the sentence, were more righteous than the apostate sufferers. ( Marg . Ref
-See on Note , 37-39.-- Note , 16:35-43.) V. 46-48. Marg . and Marg . Ref . See on
Note, 45.
V. 49. Ye shall bear , &c.] Ye shall bear the 'punishment due to your sins of idolatry. To 'bear sin, or iniquity , is a noted expression in
the word of the Lord carne unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.
3 And dutter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GoD; 'Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it.
4 Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.
5 Take the choice of the flock, and * burn also the bones under it, and make it
'scripture, signifying the undergoing the pun-crease of vanity and iniquity.--That love,
'ishment due to it. (35)' Lowth . This observation is of great importance, in respect of our Lord's sufferings, and the sense in which he "bare our sins in his own body on the tree." (Notes, Lev . 10:16-18. 16:20-22, v. 22. Is . 53: 11,12. 1 Pet . 2:18-25, v. 24.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
and with the pomp and pride of life; they will always be tempted to prefer worldly connexions, fashions, and maxims, to the worship and service of God, and the company of his people: and an intercourse with polished, but irreligious nations, always occasions an inwhich is cemented by concurrence in sin, generally terminates in disgust, contempt, and enmity: and God commonly employs tempters to punish those who listen to them.--When sinners will not take warning by the punishment of others; they will be made warnings themselves, to teach men not to copy their crimes.
Contempt, astonishment, desolation, rage, and despair, will be the portion of the cup of all who forget God, turn their backs on him, and refuse to return: ( Note , Ps . 11:6.) but they, who are his people by profession, and by sacramental vows and engagements, and yet apostatize, will be punished most severely; and especially such as, after having done those abominable things which God hates, venture to go into his sanctuary and profane his ordinances, to compromise for their crimes, or cloke them.--If the grace of God do not change men's hearts, old age will not cure them of the love of sin: nay, the filthiness of the heart often seems to increase with the decays of nature; and worn out debauchees, like rotten wood, become more inflammable when ready
Those who first seduce others into wickedness will have a dreadful account to render: for when the fence of modesty, fear, and conscience are broken down, and habits of sinful indulgence are contracted, it is extremely difficult to reclaim the offenders.-Evil habits, conversation, and connexions so pollute the memory, the imagination, and the affections, and so weaken the authority of reason and conscience over the animal inclinations, and corrupt propensities of our fallen nature; that, even after apparent reformation, the offenders are very prone to relapse into their former practices.
Every object tends to bring them to remembrance, associated with the idea of pleasure, and separated from the recollection to moulder into dust. How dreadful must it of the painful consequences; and thus they be for men to enter the eternal world in such are again tempted to return to them. When a temper of soul, and with such vile affections! sinful imaginations are indulged, and former --Unrepented, unmortified, unpardoned sin
must end in the destruction of body and soul, in time and to eternity: families, churches, and nations are ruined by it continually; and all righteous men and holy angels, yea, the whole assembled world will applaud the sentence, which at the last day the Judge shall pro nounce against the workers of iniquity.
scenes of vice reviewed with delight; there can be no true repentance or change of heart: for true penitents reflect, with loathing and remorse, on the iniquities of their former years. Whilst our ears and minds are wound- ed with the mention of the practices of those, who "work all uncleanness with greediness;" we are not generally aware, that these abomi- nations have in them less turpitude, than our ingratitude to God, and rebellion and enmity against him; except as they partake of that criminality in common with more decent trans- gressions. If we would not be polluted with wickedness, we must avert our eyes from it, and close our senses against those objects which excite sinful thoughts and inclinations. So long as men are attracted with personal ac- complishments and external embellishments, | -5, v. 1.)
NOTES.