CHAP. V.
The judgments of God denounced against the priests, people, and princes, both
g iv. 1. 6, 7. Vi. 9. Mal. i. 6. if. a. b vii. 9—5. i Kings xiv. 7—16. XX xxi. 12—15. Jer. xiii. 18. xxii. 1,
fold sins, 1—14. An intimation of mercy on their repentance, 15.
&c. Aim. vii. 9. Mic. iii. t. 9. Cc ix. Lji—I7. X.
dik 8. Mie vii, HEAR ye this, ?O priests; and hearken, ee ye house of Israel; and give ye ear,
rive 18. > O house of the king: * for judgment is
41. e ™ e
Jer.si.a8. “toward you, because * ye have been a
lxiv. 3—6. J oe y ex: 1—s. 1s:snare on Nizpah, and a net spread upon xi. is, 19. xviii, € Tabor.
18, Luke xxii. . 2 And 'the revolters are & profound
e Judg. iv. 6. Jer.
12—15,
him, who is a seandal to 77; and his honourable office renders him doubly contemptible. Too many of the clergy regard nothing but the emoluments of their office; they are not grieved at the sins of their people, provided they regularly pay their dues; and the increase of their livings pleases them more, than the spiritual good of their flocks. Thus they, as it were, feaston the sins of the people ; and leave them unmolested in their evil courses, that they may have less trouble in collecting their dues.
For priest and people, being both of the same nature, are liable to commit the same crimes, and incur the same condemnation ; except as the same offences are more heinous, and will be more severely punished, in the former than in the latter.— Abused wealth tends to poverty, and avarice to disgrace and ruin: and when the clergy leave off to take heed to the Lord, no wonder they are left by him to disgrace themselves by the most scandalous excesses.—Sensual lusts stupify the understanding, harden the heart, and sear the conscience: how then can they, who indulge in them, be fitted for the weighty and holy work of the ministry, or indeed for any thing important and useful ?
V. 12—19.
They, who ‘like not to. retain God in their knowledge,” are often given up to strong delusions, and left to lead: others into the same judicial infatuation. Thus they train up their families, by example, influence, and saphistry, in error and impiety, which always tend to vice and immorality. But how can they, who are unfaithful to God, expect their wives and children to be faithful to them? Or how can /hey expect others to maintain their chastity, while notoriously guilty of lewdness in their own conduct ?
In this way men prepare scourges for themsclves, and vice and misery are diffused through whole cities and communities. Let us then watch against all approaches to those abuses, which have gradually led to greater impiety; and keep our religious worship wholly free from all mixture of superstition, and sensual indulgence.—Whilst sinners. obstinately reject the easy yoke of Christ, they are bringing down the heavy load of his vengeance upon themselves: and when they have proceeded to a certain degree of hardness, and determination in their crimes; the Lord. says,
CHAPTER V.
of Israel and Judah, for their mani-
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to make slaughter, * though J have been t fev." corte
tion. vi. 5. Is.
t a rebuker of them all. 1d. der. v8. 3 I "know Ephraim, and Israel is not ix.6-12. zepb.} ‘ ° k ‘ile. hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou, eugene committest whoredom, and Israelisdefiled. *v; 3: Rev. i.
A + They will not frame their doings! 9.11. 18. vi A : . } sei¢ Xilis 1. Gen. to turn unto their God: ! for the spirit xiii. 19, 2 of whoredoms zs in the midst of them, Ia vile 8-85 9 mand they have not known the Lorp. « iv, esi 5 And "the pride of Israel doth ° tes- —s9. “xiv. ie
tify to his face: therefore shall Israel and # Heb. rey wit
Their doings: will not suffer
also shall fall with them. Naa ge alate
19, 20. @ Thes. ii. 11, 1%. 1 iv. 12. Jer. 1.98. =m iv, 1. 1 Sam. ii. 12. Ps. ix. 10. Jer, ix.
Is. iil. 9. ix. 9, 10. xxviil. 1—39. o Is. xliv. 9. lix. 12. Jer. xiv. 7. Matt, xxiii. 38. Luke xix. 22, iv. 5. xiv. 1, Prov, xi. 5. @1. xiv. 32. xxiv, 16,. AM. Vs 2 q !4. viii, 14. *: : ; ce ee not give, Or, Ephraim P fall in their iniquity; 9 Judah - them. Ps. xxx+1,
6. 24. xxii. 15, 16. xxiv. 7. John villi. 55. xvi. 3. 1 John ti. 3, 4. N Vit. 10. Prov. xxx. 13a 2 Kings xvii. 19, 20. Ez. xxiil. 31—35. Am. il. 4,5.
‘¢ Let them‘alone:” then they receive no more warnings, feel no more convictions, are visited with no more cor~ rections, or are-left to despise them; their conscience lies dormant; and the Spirit ot God strives no more with them. From. the brink of this precipice may we be kept at the greatest distance !—God will abhor the sacrifices and services of those who. neglect honesty in their dealings: and when magistrates and rulers love to be bribed to pervert justice, it is not only most shameful and abominable, but it is a grievous symptom of approaching national judgments. And when the wrath of God, like an impetuous tempest,. shall hurry sinners into everlasting ruin; they will be as much ashamed of their pharisaical or hypocritical services,, as of their open impieties and iniquities.
NOTES.
CHAP. V. V.1, 2. These idolatrous priests, and ‘the courtiers and servants of the king of Israel, with him at the head of them, were warned to expect the speedy approach of the judgment of God against them: because they had bestowed as much pains, and used as much art, to entangle the people in idolatry to their ruin; as the fowler employed in spreading snares and nets, upon the mountains, to take the birds. They, doubtless, used arguments, persuasions, flatteries, menaces, and persecutions, to: induce them to conform to the established worship of the golden calves, or of Baal. Some think, that they also set spies to watch, that none of the people went up to. worship: at Jerusalem, in order to ensnare and punish them. These
apostates from God’s worship were very deep, designing,
and: crafty, as wellas cruel, in promoting the persecution and murder of those, who adhered to God, or opposed them: though the Lord, by his prophets and in his pro- .vidence, frequently and sharply rebuked and: chastised. them: for their crimes.
V. 3, 4. Ephraim, the principal‘ tribe in the kingdom of Israel, is frequently, by a figure of speech, put for the whole. The Lord knew, not only that the Israelites had revolted from him, and polluted themselves with idols ; but also, that they wert so attached to these abominationsy. and so alienated from him, that they were not at all disposed to ‘‘ repent and turn. to-him, -and do works meet. for ‘¢ repentance,” |
*
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Bx x. 2. 4 6 They shall ' go with their flocks and | in judgment, because ! he willingly walked: 1 Kags xa.
» Frov,. xy. 8. ° e . gs “ ™ xxi, 97. Jer. vil. with their herds to seek the Lorp; but | after the commandment. ae ee ee ee
Prov. i. ea. 18.8 they Shall not find him: ' he hath with-| ~12 Therefore will F be ‘unto Ephraim, a
3. Jer. xi. 1! drawn himself fram them. - ‘ |™.asa moth, and to the house of Judah* 2s ¢ om. F2. viii, 28. » ic |
Am. vines, ¢ Lhey have " dealt treacherously vico " against the Lorp: for they have * be-
- * Take v.1e. “gotten strange children: now shall Y a
O Vi. 7. 18. xiviil.
é. tix. is. Je. mOnth devqur them with their portions. xNeh. xii. '23,° 8 2 Blow ye the cornet in #? Gibeah,
24. Ps. cxliv. 7. ; °
ii. Mal inti—ayd the trumpet in > Ramah: cry aloud
Ez. xi. s8-a¢t ° Beth-aven, 4 after thee, O Benjamin. z vii. 1. Jer iv. = © Ephraim shall be desolate in the ‘We 4 x, 9 day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel
5. vi. 1. Joel ii. a ix.
Ind. xix. = have I made known that which shall .1Sam. xv. $ Pe
Sam, maxi. 6, surely be, : ‘wis. vie 17, 10 The & princes of Judah were like «them that "remove the bound: therefore
Vill. 4. x¥. 34. Civ. 15. Xe Se Josh. vii. : aisee aie T will pour out my wrath upon them ei. 14, siti 8-1 like water. . 1X. i= « Xi. 6 ili eo Ephraim is * oppressed and broken I— 4, AM. ili, 1¢, 15. Vil. 9. 17. f Is. xlvi. 10. xlviii, $. 5. Zech. i. 6. John xvi. 4. h Deut. xix. 14. xxvii. 17. 2 Kings xvi. 7—9. @ Chr. xxviii. 16—22. Prov. xvii. 14.
i Ps, xxxii. 6. Ixxxvlil. 17. xciil. 3,4. Matt. vii. 27. Luke vi. 49. x Deut. xXvili. 33. @ Kings xv. 16—20. 29. Am. ¥V. !1, 12.
V. 5. The idolatrous Israelites proudly refused to submit to God, to return to his worship, or to seek forgiveness: they insolently justified themselves, and as it were ‘set him at defiance, by their impenitent rebellion and self-confidence: and this arrogance, which was visible even in their looks, would prove the immediate cause of their ruin: and, as Judah also was treading in their steps they would at length fall with them, under the same condemnation. (Nole, iv. 15.) , |
V. ‘ This verse is meant of—Judah,—though they © did frequent the temple-worship ; yet they came thither “ without any true sense of religion.—God is said to hide, ‘or withdraw, himself, when he will not answer men’s * prayers, nor afford them seasonable help in time of need.’ (Lowth.) (Marg. Ref.)
V. 7. The people married idolaters, and brought up their children as heathens, estranged from God and his wor~ ship: this ripened them for destruction ; so that @ month, or a short and limited time, would destroy both them, and the ‘idols which they had chosen for their portion.
V. 8—10. The prophet called upon the watchmen of Israel and Judah to blow the trumpet of alarm; for the enemy was just at hand: and when the Assyrians had desolated the cities of Israel, even to Beth-aven, the principal seat of idolatry, they would fall upon Benjamin also, which belonged to the kingdom of Judah. Ephraim would be totally desolated by the enemy, in the approaching day of rebuke: for the prophet had declared among the tribes of Isracl, that only which would surely come to pass. The princes of Judah, by violating God’s law, had broken down the fence of his protection; and made way for his wrath to be poured out upon them, as an inundation of waters.—When Ahaz, king of Judah, with his princes, called on the kings of Assyria, to help him against Syria and Israel; he removed the bound, and opened the way
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as * rottenness. : eden mam ie 13 When Ephraim saw his’ sickness, iicis. . and Judah saw °his wound, then P went? 5. "sBime' a.
Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to schr ative
° —18, : + king Jareb:.4 yet could he not heal tor, othe Hag you, nor cure you of your wound. the ding Mit
14 For I will be unto Ephraim * as a sChr, xxvill. a0, lion, -and as a young lion to the house of, 3.76. 10. J udah : I, eoen I, * will tear and go away, teat m1: I will take away, and * none shall rescue. Pav 0-1 him. ut.
15 I will go and "return to my place, 3. ava.’ ie
* till they + acknowledge their offence, %- 1 kings vi and seek my face: Yin their affliction
they -will seek me early. ge as ed xX xiv. I—3. Lev. xxvi. 40—42. Deut. iv. 99=4% xxx. 1—S. 1 Kinzs vili. 47, 48. @ Chr, ri. 36, 37. Viie 14. Neh. i. 8, 9- Job XXxxiii. 97. le. lxiv. 5—9. Jer. ill. 13. XXix. 18—)4. Zzxie 18—20. Ez. vi. 9. XX. 43. Xxxvi. 31. Dan. ix. 4—12. t Heb. be guilty. y Imig, lv.
3. Vi. G, 7. X. 1016. 9 Chr. xxxiii. 1%, 13. Job xxvii. 8—10. Ps. 1. 15. Ixxvill. $4. Ixxxih,
16. Prov. i. 27, 28. viil. 17. Is. xxvi. 9. 16. Jer. ii. 27. Zeph. ii. 1—~3., Luke xiii. 25.
for that inundation, which desolated Israel, and reduced Judah to deep distress. (Marg. Ref.) . _ V.11, 12. The Israelites suffered exceedingly from the exactions and oppressions of their rulers, and torious invaders. ‘This was permitted, in order to punish them, for their willing and persevering obedience to the laws of Jeroboam and his successors, which required them to worship the golden calves at Dan and Beth-el, and to conform to other established idolatries, in express -contradiction to the law of God. He would therefore, insensibly, yet assuredly, waste their strength and prosperity, as a moth eats holes in the garment: and as Judah had proved
equally submissive to the will of their idolatrous kings;
he would consune them, as rottenness and wood.
V. 13, 14. When Israel and Judah, at different times, found themselves pressed by cnemies and dangers; instead of humbling themselves before God and seeking his help, théy sought the protection of the Assyrians, and sent te king Jareb; (perhaps another name for Pul,-or Tiglath-pilezer;) but instead of healing their wounds, or doing them any service, they helped to make them incurable.
worms do ‘the
(Marg. Ref.) This obstinacy provoked the Lord to be- -
come their open enemy, and to destroy them, as a fierce young lion would tear and carry away the helpless cattle; whilst none of their idols or allies could rescue them from his hands.—Jareb signifies He shall plead. The king of Assyria perhaps undertook to be arbitrator between Judah and Israel, and to mediate a peace.
V. 15. The mercy-seat was properly the Lord’s place among his people; which he left when he came forth to execute vengeance upon them: but having done: this, he meant to return to his place, and there to wait, and to leave them under their punishment, till they should repent, or plead guilty, and confess their sins, and seek his favour
of vic- |
Pd
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