_Rejoice not, O Israel_ It should seem that this prophecy was delivered at a time when the situation of public affairs was promising; perhaps after some signal success, which had given occasion to public rejoicings. _As other people_ Hebrew, כעמים, _as_, or _like, the nations_, that is, the heathen... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall not dwell in the Lord's land, but Ephraim shall return into Egypt_ God will turn them out of that inheritance he gave to their fathers, and they shall be carried into captivity or become exiles a second time in Egypt. When Shalmaneser made the ten tribes captive, such as were able to esc... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall not offer wine-offerings to the Lord_ They have omitted to make wine-offerings to the Lord when they had it in their power, and when it was their duty to do it; and in the time of their captivity they will be willing to do it, but shall not have it in their power. Wine- offerings were ap... [ Continue Reading ]
_What will ye do in the solemn day_ What will you do in your captivity, when any of your solemn or festival days come? When you shall find yourselves far from your own country, without temple, without prophets, without priests, without sacrifices, without solemn assemblies; what will be your sentime... [ Continue Reading ]
_The days of visitation are come_ The days of punishment, or retribution, are at hand. This resembles the well-known line of Virgil: _VENIT SUMMA DIES ET INELUCTABILE TEMPUS DARDANIÆ. ÆN. LIB. 2. 50:324._ The fatal day, th' appointed hour is come, The time of Troy's irrevocable doom. Israel shall... [ Continue Reading ]
_The watchman of Ephraim was with my God_ Or, as some read. it, on the authority of divers MSS., אלהיו, _his God_, or, as the LXX. read it, _with God._ “The watchman is here evidently a title by which some faithful prophet is distinguished from the temporizers and seducers. But who in particular is... [ Continue Reading ]
_I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness_ The sense is, as the traveller, passing through the deserts of Arabia, is greatly delighted if he happen to find in his way vines bearing grapes, so was Israel anciently delighted in by God. This relates particularly to their first entering into covenan... [ Continue Reading ]
_As for Ephraim_, or, _Ephraim! their glory shall fly away like a bird_ What they make their boast of so much shall depart from them. The fruitfulness of their women seems to be the thing here spoken of. _From the birth_ Their children shall die soon after they are born; _from the womb_ They shall b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give?_ The prophet here speaks as one greatly agitated, and at a loss what to say upon what he had just heard; but at last concludes with beseeching God rather to let the women be barren, or miscarry; or, if they brought forth children, have no milk in their breast... [ Continue Reading ]
_All their wickedness is in Gilgal_ Gilgal is notorious, and has been so of old, for the wickedness of its inhabitants. _There I hated them There_ of old (or _therefore_) they were an abomination to me. “The first great offence of the Israelites, after their entrance into the Holy Land, was committe... [ Continue Reading ]