We have this prophecy in the same way in Isaiah, Cap. 2. Micah seems to me to be older; Isaiah was his contemporary. I believe that Isaiah took this from Micah. After the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, he moves on to the new and eternal kingdom of Christ. These promises were incredible[, for they proclaimed contradictory things, as] Zechariah [Cap. 7, 14. and 8, 4. f.]. Jeremiah is sent [to announce the disturbance to the city]. Jeremiah marvels greatly that he should buy the field, Jer. 32, 24. f. This is an example that the kingdom will remain and yet will not remain. The prophets must prophesy the destruction and the restoration at the same time; this kingdom must last until Christ. The godly he still comforts, the godless "must go away" etc. God's counsels are wonderful. He does both, he comforts the godly and threatens the wicked. The kingdom will be devastated and the kingdom will be resurrected, not destroyed, but humbled for a time. They did not understand the counsels of God, they could not grasp this way, not even Jeremiah, that he should buy his field. He
establishes a new kingdom, which will be more glorious. To this the prophets go over to show that God is faithful, who does not want David's kingdom to be destroyed.
V. 1.1) But in the last days the mountain on which the Lord's house stands will surely be higher than all the mountains, and will be exalted above the hills.
The Jews want to refer this to the return from captivity, but in my opinion the text does not suffer this because the later temple was not [as glorious] as the earlier one etc. "The mountain" is Moriah, "it is about the temple." [Instead of praeparatus in the Vulgate it should be read] paratus. He speaks in contrast to the destruction, as if to say, Now it is made a wild height; I speak of the trimmed mountain where it now is. He is talking about the glory of the mountain. I will raise it up so that this mountain will be more famous than all the mountains, I will see to it that this temple is more famous and more glorious and more sung about than all the others.
1) The Weimar edition has a verse number only at v. 3. .
elsewhere etc. The Jews can draw this to the temple before Christ. The scattered Jews had to come to Jerusalem wherever they were. There has been a great gathering etc. The scattered Jews drew a great multitude of people with them etc. But I hold for it, "it was still too weak".
V. 2. and the nations will come running.
They will converge on this house of the Lord from the various parts of the world. "That he may teach us his ways, and we shall walk in his paths," for there was the law. "To Zion" went the word to the whole world. It is not only to be understood of the mountain according to the letter, but of the first church. It had to begin the church from a certain person, in a certain place, at a certain time, but these things cease. So this mountain is exalted above all mountains, powers, righteousnesses and everything that is exalted etc.
V. 3. He will judge among great nations.
Namely the Lord Christ. Luc. 24, 47: "And take his seat in Jerusalem", that is, he will be judge, that is, he will be king, the duke, who sits and rules through the Word and the Spirit by means of the Gospel, not only the Jews, but the Word will flow out into the whole world; he will be the judge of many. This cannot be understood of a fleshly kingdom. The Gospel attacks everything that is strong on earth, it is "a power of God", Rom. 1, 16. It was something great that the fishermen attacked such great kingdoms, peoples, kings etc. It will not stay in Jerusalem, but will travel through the whole world.
They will turn their swords into plowshares.
This is a description, a paraphrase or an emphatic speech (pathos). He puts himself. If one no longer makes war, no longer makes war armaments etc., it simply means to turn war into peace. He does not speak of a bodily peace. The world has never had peace. It is not something that is invented by Octavianus Augustus etc. Those who make such changes
men etc. who do not want to wage war, but cultivate the field; as much as there is in us, there will be peace etc. A Christian has peace with all, with God and men. But the Jews often had wars after their return from Babylonian captivity, therefore this cannot be understood [by them] etc. There were scraps preserved for the great kingdom of Christ.
V. 4. without shyness.
[Instead of et non erit qui deterreat in the Vulgate, the Hebrew reads:] and he will not fear. This is taken from Moses. That is, he shall live in peace, that is, abide in his house, have no business in the camp of war, bear no weapons; this is a paraphrase of peace.
For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken it.
This is added to awaken faith because after the disturbance of the kingdom, a glorious kingdom was to come again. People like Jeremiah could not believe. 1) "Thus saith the Lord", "let it remain"; it will happen, but how, you cannot see. There will be little remains until the exceedingly glorious kingdom of Christ will come in the spirit etc.
V. 5. Forever and ever.
He lays himself out. Many nations will come, but not all; they will remain idolaters. We will have a new way that will never cease. These two Hebrew words denote true eternity. This worship of God will have no end.
V. 6 At the same time, says the Lord, I will gather together the lame.
The fourth and fifth chapters prophesy about the future kingdom of Christ. They treat the coming of this kingdom wonderfully, describing that the people will be preserved and will perish, but in such a way that the people will not be destroyed.
1) This is how the Altenburg manuscript understands the words Hi6rkiuiak credere uon xotueruut. There, instead of Hikremias, it says "the saints".
the people shall be more glorious etc., all so that the promise that had happened to David might be kept. After the kingdom was destroyed, an exceedingly great kingdom arises. God used to act in the fulfillment of the promises as if He were lionizing. Thus he acted with the tribe of David as if it were nothing; thus he always acts with all creatures. This is the work of the Creator, that he destroys what is something and makes something out of nothing. Reason cannot grasp it and cannot give GOtte the honor that he can do what he has promised etc. Therefore, he describes here the very great kingdom of Christ, which is in its highest bloom. This kingdom of Christ arises out of the scraps of the destroyed kingdom etc. The kingdom of Christ is nothing else than walking in the name of the Lord, not in building great cities; that is, there will be various services etc. but here it will take place that all walk in the name of the Lord etc. The whole essence of this kingdom is: to believe in Christ. The prophets include the future resurrection because they say, "Forever and ever." Many parables indicate that the gospel is revealed in the last times, 1) in the evening [it is called] a supper. If we shall walk forever, the kingdom also shall be an everlasting one. We must rise again; it is a sleep that occurs between time fund eternity] etc. Eternity requires resurrection. Consolabor "is too much." 2) He comforts the people with a glorious word of promise, but they could not grasp the same. He prophesies that they shall be desolated, but after the desolation, he says, it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered together, and that the people shall be greater etc. Notice, just as the captivity was present, Jeremiah was commanded to buy a field. So 3) I proclaim here
1) In our template: parakoine rnnttae, qnoü in novissiinis tslnporikns in evnnZeiinrn rev6lntuni, in vespern etc. Instead of the second in, we adopted sit.
2) This remark is incomprehensible to us. In our Vulgate, eonsolnkor is not found. Perhaps it may have been a gloss over eonZreZndo and included in the text in some editions of the Vulgate.
3) Instead of äie in our template, we adopted it.
the disturbance, but it will not stand like this; I will keep the promise that happened to David.
I will gather the lame, I will gather the outcast, I will gather those whom I have afflicted.
"The lame," I think he's talking about the punishment. [The lame, that is the people, the synagogue, which is broken. This kingdom does not pass in its strength, it rests on one foot, "walks on stilts". He made that the disturbance should be the preparation for the future kingdom of Christ. "And the cast out" etc. This is a comforting promise for those going into captivity: I will gather them by the word of the gospel.
V. 7. I will make the lame to have heirs, and will make the outcast a great nation. 4)
Quae laboraverat [who had labored == "the outcast"], that is, 5) the weary or tired, exhausted. It is a vexation to the flesh that God so wonderfully fulfills the promises etc. The words of the promise separate the godly from the godless. It is only to be understood of the remaining ones that they go limp in one part etc. Through these others he will establish the kingdom, a [great] people, that is, the exceedingly strong church of Christ, which is invincible against all the power of the world etc. This must be understood of the apostles.
And the Lord shall be king over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever.
Here again you have the future resurrection. Christ, true man and God, calls [Marc. 12, 36. f.] this seed promised to David "God", therefore it will not be a temporal kingdom but an eternal one. And yet it must be human etc. This kingdom will be in the body (in corporibus), but not a bodily one, as Christ had a body and the apostles etc. We will reign as
4) Vulgate: M ponnm anUienntein in roU^nias, st 6Äin, (pine incornvernt, in centern robnstnrn.
5) Set by us according to the Hall manuscript, instead of: 6t.
he himself now reigns. "From now on" until eternity, that is, I will be resurrected, and be different people than we are now.
V. 8. and thou tower Eder, a stronghold of the daughter of Zion 2)
Here the interpreters diverge, Turris gregis [should be read as] proper name ["Thürm Eder"]. In the first book of Mosi [Cap. 35, 21.] is "Eder", where Jacob erected a hut. "Thurm Eder" was a castell, a castle: "And thou, castle Eder." Here the temple is not indicated by this etc. These are Jewish poetries. - Nebulosa. I don't know where he [the interpreter] took that from, [it means the Hebrew word (xxx)] a fortress, a fortification, a protective defense, "kennel, castle." [In Hebrew] reads castle (arx). Why doesn't he name other castles? I have nothing to answer, unless he figuratively calls the whole city of Jerusalem the tower of Eder, or so that this kingdom will not remain in Jerusalem alone, but: you rule over the whole earth. He names a little known (obscurum) place in the land, as is evident from the first book of Moses. The opinion is therefore that the daughter of Zion, that is, the kingdom, will have it as a castle etc. Thus the gospel will have progress and rule wherever only 2) men dwell. [Eder refers to] an unknown place. Another opinion is: that it is a protective defense of the city of Jerusalem etc. He speaks as to such people who are already caught and set captive; so surely the disturbance will take place.
Your golden rose will come, the previous dominion.
Not only the dominion, but also the kingdom. Just as the people were completely free under the Lord before, so after the captivity the promise and the comfort is: The Lord will be king. He calls the kingdom
1) Vulgate: Lt tu turris Sr[MS nskuloss ÜÜÄ 8iov.
2) Our original offers here: udi of lsieiz ünditnnt etiniu UoNiiues ioeuru odseururu. The uou is not a misprint, for it is found in both editions, the Erlanger and the Weimarsche. We have assumed ubiuuru instead of udi uou.
against the desolation etc. The time will return when you will have a better Lord than before etc.
V. 9. Why then do you now cling to other friends?
He speaks all this to make the matter clear. It is certain that you shall go into captivity, your sins have deserved it. ["Is not the King with you?"] This is full of comfort etc. I tell you, there will be a greater kingdom yet. Both counsel, that of threat and that of promise, they [the prophets] rightly apply to the people. [The prophet upholds the godly so that they do not despair. Why do you grieve, "how do you grieve?" Thou thinkest that it is come to pass that thou shalt have no king. No! A more excellent king and counselor will be given to you. Thus the Holy Spirit represents us, for he groans for us with inexpressible groanings. These divine works the flesh does not grasp, spiritual people hardly grasp them etc. Actually, he is aiming at the heart movement of godly people in captivity who want to despair and think, We will never have a king [again]. No; you have carnal thoughts etc.
So that the woe has come to you, like one in childish distress.
This is a very appropriate simile [which also] Christ uses in the gospel [Joh. 16, 21]. The apostles were very distressed because a new offspring was to be brought forth. There was despair; they say [Luc. 24, 21.], "We hoped he should redeem Israel." The mother "must die," there comes the hand of God helping to birth. This wretched people was brought to despair, "there it was" in child trouble with a kingdom. "Hold fast", this very captivity and tribulation will give birth to a kingdom. So it was with the Roman empire, since Hannibal was victor. When he wants to exalt us, he begins to humble us greatly. Thus a new divine work is born in anguish and pain; you must have sorrow like one in childish distress etc.
V. 10. Dear one, suffer such pain, and croak, you daughter of Zion.
This is how we encourage women in need of children: "Suffer, hold on. A new kingdom will come out of you, just hold on etc. Suffer and keep strong. The "consolation [is, it is] A perseverance," 1) for the most glorious kingdom will soon be born, the promised gift, but you must first become nothing. This refers to the time when a woman labors to bring about childbirth. "It is to be done by an hour." The word of promise is necessary, with which he keeps us in order and comforts us etc.
For you must indeed go out to the city re.
This is a concession: I confess, you will be taken away, "must go out, the" kingdom "must go there". "Out to the city", by this understand Jerusalem and all the cities. That is, you will not be a ruler and will not have cities bound to you; in the field you will be bound to peasant labor; you will serve the Assyrians and their princes. This Jeremiah [Cap. 25, 11. ff.] further interprets, "And shall serve seventy years. "etc. They [the prophets] persuade the godly that they should suffer it, "it is not long to do." He [God] will lead you back to Jerusalem, and there will be the kingdom; and so it is done.
V.11. For many nations will almost rise up against you and say, "She is banished.
It is nothing that you want to understand here under Babylon Rome. Already by the Babylonian captivity many Gentiles have been gathered, as your ungodliness deserved etc. The land shall be defiled and desecrated, they shall make thee nothing; this is what the heathen think. Though the heathen say unto Babylon, They shall be made nothing, and serve [ that we may see our pleasure in them] etc. [Ps. 137:7, "Pure off."
1) In our original: "tröst eyn hart hatten".
We want to see our desire for Zion.
Et aspiciat [oculus noster in the Vulgate] is a Hebrew idiom. "I have seen my pleasure in it, would have liked to have seen it long ago", that it would go to ruin completely. Into the hands of the most godless, bitter enemies "they had to give themselves, that hurts. Fools do not know" what they are doing; their joy will be turned into sadness.
V. 12.2) But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord.
I will give a new kingdom etc. This counsel of God they do not know, and you [do not know it either]. They do not recognize it, they do not understand it. He will gather them like hay into a bundle etc., "make a great heap, that it may well strike it." The larger the gathering, the better it can be compressed etc. This can be seen in the Roman Empire. [God does this to show that the lowly word of the Gospel is more powerful than any kingdom. "[He] confidently lets thresh upon it."
V. 13. 3) Therefore arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion. For I will make you horns of iron and claws of brass.
Iron, ore, 4) that is, with unconquerable power, namely through the word of the Gospel. These are poetic expressions: I will give thee an unconquerable word, by which thou shalt not only overcome, but destroy. In Isaiah it says [Cap. 33, 1.]: "Woe to you, you destroyer! Thinkest thou that thou shalt not be destroyed?" etc. 5) These are consolations by the future kingdom to those who should be led bodily into captivity.
And you shall smite many nations.
By the word. And thou shalt give their goods, rapinas [in the Vulgate], their possessions [to the Lord].
2) This verse number and the keyword are missing in the Weimar edition. The following is attached to V. N. without distinction.
3) This verse number is missing in Weimar's.
4) Instead of kerruin it in our template will read terruin, U68.
5) In the original, this passage is quite inadequately stated: "Nun <zui x "rueäu1>6ri8 ete."
(1) That is, Christ, who will reign in the whole world by faith. He who will reign over the whole earth will distribute the plunder, as it is said in Lucas [Cap. 11, 22]. Those who serve Christ consider the world a curse, and they in turn are a curse to the world etc. [1 Cor. 4, 13.]
2) The king of Babylon is intent on nothing but destroying [you] from the bottom up. But may he think so, God thinks another, namely, that your disturbed kingdom shall be a disturber, but spiritually. Thus they will disturb those whom they have disturbed etc., as it is said in Isaiah [Cap. 33, 1/.
V. 14. But now, you warrior, prepare yourself; for they will besiege us, and strike the judge of Israel on the cheeks with the rod. 3)
This belongs to the previous chapter. One has interpreted it in this way: 4) You Jerusalem, you who disturb and kill the prophets. Judicis [one has said, be] for [judicum [law], 5) [and has under it] kings and princes [verstauder/. I do not see in what way [this can be done because here [there/ no con-
1) Here, we have omitted sa before taoies in our template and have inserted domino before nnivsrsas."
2) Already here in our original the superscription is found: Öapnt Hnintnin, because the following verse in the Vulgate is the first verse of the fifth chapter. But we have followed the order of our Bible, just like the Altenburg manuscript.
3) Vulgate: Inne vastaBsris tUiu latronis, odsiäionern posuernnt super nos, in virM pereutient niaxiiiarn fuUiois Israel.
4s In the original there is 8io intsrprs, which both the Erlangen and the Weimar editions have added: 8io interprs stanüuni). But this virtually contradicts the following interpretation that by the üüa latronis s "Kriegerin "1 Babylon is to be understood. We have assumed intorpretatuni.
5) Supplemented by us according to the Hall manuscript.
The connection 6) [with the preceding/ is etc. Because of the connection I understand this passage like the previous one. He sticks to describing the future victory and understands by filia latronis ["warrioress/ Babylon. And it is [filialatronis - daughter of the robber/ here not a word which denotes ravaging or robbing, but "warrioress" (filia militaris), that is of warlike breeding, which thou art skilled in wars, armed with weapons, who are now strong in warfare before others, your virgin, who is very rough in her thinking and striving for war, 7) that is, you daughter, who are very practiced in war, who [makes] wars on everyone, and attacks, and everywhere the weapons clash: against thee also shall war be made etc. He will say that the daughter of Zion will thresh, and banish thee to the Lord the Ruler, and offer thee for sacrifice. Thou also, Babylon, shalt be a part [of the spoil], which now art a warrior, mighty in arms; and thou that besiegest us shalt be warred against. As thou doest now bodily, so shall it befall thee then spiritually. Thus he comforts the godly who are to be led captive.
And strike the judges 8) Israel's cheeks with the rod.
That is, they treat them [the judges/ exceedingly contemptuously, consider them servants etc. Jerome has twisted this word to the suffering of Christ etc.
Now follows another chapter, namely the fifth.
6) To make sense, we have assumed here and immediately following, according to the Altenburg manuscript, instead of ooutrovomia: eoUaemontia.
7) Instead of deUis in our template, doUi is to be read. It is a citation from VirAÜii UB. I, v. 14: stulliishue usporrima BsUi.
8) Instead of fudioii, the Vulgate reads judiois.