V. 1. To Zephaniah.
Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, was the father of Amon. 2) Josiah is one of the noblest kings of Judah. This prophet was shortly before the captivity. The question which Jerome raises here because of the genealogical register of this prophet does not move me etc. Among the people there was a class of prophets, the priests etc. [Jer. 18, 18.] 3) He was a child of the prophets, that is, his parents were of the number of the prophets; not as if all prophesied. The prophets educated the Jewish youth. Under Elisha were "children
2) What the manuscript offers here: Murmssis Eus Dr-eoU, cjuiu. Mtsr Mit is wrong. The Weimar one has added to lÄkeüia. In contrast, we have assumed: ^lurmssks, üllus I^seNia", pater Mit
3) This sentence is corrected by us according to the Altenburg manuscript. Our original offers: Ordo Mit inMr xropUeta", saeerdotes, posininm.
of the prophets" [2 Kings 4:1] who lived among them, who had prophecy and the Spirit.
V. 2. I will take everything out of the land.
This is what he says of the Babylonian captivity.
V. 3. Yes, I will purge the people out of the land.
Namely, from Judea. I will take you all away, for after the people are taken away, the dwellings burned, the beasts also, the birds and all things taken away, that they should not remain anything under heaven. The poor he left in the land. Thus from Hezekiah etc. That is, they [animals and birds/ will not be used so much, ^man.will not sell anything "so much," because He
4) Instead of yuod, we have assumed yuod uou.
This writing, an immediate college notebook, is like the lectures on Habakkuk etc. after the Zwickau manuscript No. 6 first in the Erlangen edition, 6X6.]. ox "x., tooa. XXVII, x>. 225, then "considerably improved" in the Weimar edition, vol. XIII, p. 450. We have translated according to the latter.
that has taken away those who use them for food, sacrifices etc. He speaks of a well-ordered kingdom in which, when it flourishes, there is a great consumption of animals, both those in the sea and under the sky and on the land. Those will cease because the inhabitants have ceased. In anger, the prophet lifts up, as he calls all, men, cattle, the birds of the sky etc. Congregare is] "snatch away." Proverbs [27, 25/: "Herbage is gathered on the mountains," [you] "snatch away" from the mountains. Ps. 28, 1) 3.: "Show me not among the wicked" etc.; as if to say, I will pluck out of the land the people, the cattle, the fish, the birds. "That is" congregare etc.
Together with the aergernissen and the godless ones.
Instead of Et ruinae impiorum grünt I like better the translation of the Septuagint: And the offenses with the ungodly; all I will take away from the land and so once make an end of all [offenses] together with the ungodly, the idolatry [abthun] 2) etc. by which very many have come to trap and have left me etc. When everything is taken away, the services of the gods will also be taken away etc. [I will forge everything "into one heap".
Yes, I will purge the people from the land.
With short and mighty words the captivity is described here in the brevity.
V. 4. I will stretch out my hand over Judah etc.
Extendam [that is], I want to spoil, I want to exterminate, I want to cut off. He describes the aergerness of which he has just said. How will this be done? Thus, "I will stretch out my hand," that is, I will call this king of Babylon. This was a part of the trouble, that they had Baal and remnant. Under Josiah, the remnant was there. Even though he was a very godly and pious king in Judah, he could still
1) In the original: ?s. 5. Weimarsche in the margin: Ps. 5, 2. and Ps. 28, 3.
2) Supplemented by us according to the Hall manuscript.
not do away with all idolatry etc. Thus there is a passage in the fourth book of Moses [Cap. 23, 21/, where it seems as if completely [all idolatries were taken away] etc. [But Amos [Cap. 5, 25] speaks in the same way as Stephanus Apost. 7, 42. f. says. It stood so with it that they did not rule, there remained [however] remnants, and one understands it in such a way, as if the whole abomination was exterminated. Thus Paul praises the whole church of the Corinthians, and yet he rebukes some. Therefore it is enough in the people of God that the service of God is going on, although some are etc. [Paul rebukes the commonwealth of the Corinthians for having suffered fornication [1 Cor. 5:1 ff]. See the Epistle to the Romans, cap. 1 at the end [v. 32.], "But have pleasure also in them that do it." After the synecdoche the whole is put for the part, and again. The children of Israel were holy when seen from the public regiment under Moses, but they were also unclean etc. So under Josiah etc. He abolished the regiment of the ungodly, but not the ungodliness itself. So we can administer the gospel etc. though some etc. But if we always punish, admonish etc. For here the people are called holy, because of the government that is administered holy, and it is said that remnant remain etc.
In addition, the name of the camarim (aedituorum) and priests from that place.
I will take them away, that the name of the Camarim shall be no more. Ps. s9, 6/: "Their name you destroy forever and ever." That is, it shall not be praised, it shall not be held in honor. Ps. [34, 17.]: "That he may cut off her memory from the earth." Rome has perished, Babylon. That is, they [the Camarin/ are not praised, not held in honor, since they were taken away with the captives. 3) "The Camarim." See in the books of Kings [2 Kings 23:5] this name. It is uncertain what kind of people these were, who were well practiced in the [ungodly] worship of God.
the Weimar: "um sink rsliotus euru euxtis.
services etc. The verbum ^?^>) means: to be inflamed. In the first book of Moses s^Cap. 43, 30/ it says: "His heart burned against his brother." These wicked ones took this name as if they had an exceedingly ardent heat in the service of God etc. I would probably translate it by: Monks, as the observant, who boast, improve others, [call themselves] the cheerful, the improved etc., who are more tried and practiced in the service of idols [than others]. He emphatically adds the name "Camarim," as if they were more respected among the people, like our St. Bernards, Observants etc. who are the most distinguished among the monks of this kind. These people I want to expose at the same time as the priests. These were also still) under Josiah; it is so impossible that all leaven is swept out. Therefore, it must be daily leavened in our bodies and in the bodies of others. It is impossible that there is no wickedness, only it must not prevail etc. If it had been possible to do away with it, it would certainly have been done under Josiah, so great a spirit and zeal was in that king.
V. 5 And those who worship on the housetops of the heavenly host.
The prophet indicates another horrible trouble, namely that they worship the host of heaven. This is often scolded in Jeremiah, where he says [Cap. 7, 18. 44, 17. ff.) of the queen of heaven that this people worshipped the moon etc., against the commandment of Moses [5th book, Cap. 17, 3. 4, 19.) etc. It was easy for the people to be deceived into worshipping the sun, the moon etc. When they bent their knees before the sun they thought): There is God, there He is most found; where is a greater and brighter light? It is not impossible, because ours [worshipped] stones and wood, that those also did something of the kind, that they worshipped f^the sun and the moon itself) etc. Under this service, in this way [God] must be worshipped etc. That was forbidden.
1) Supplemented by us according to the Mtenburg manuscript.
On the roofs.
In a higher place. They had flat roofs on which they walked around, ate and played, like us on an open square (foro).
And yet swear by the Lord and at the same time by Malchom.
He must also cut off those who swear by the Lord and at the same time by Malchom, or by the king of it [the host of heaven], or by their king. I do not know whether to translate: by their king or: by Malchom, but I prefer: by their king. It is good and holy to swear by the Lord, the one God, and yet they will be cut off because they do not swear by the Lord alone etc. [Deut. 6:13:] "You shall worship God your Lord and serve Him alone." It is not necessary to limp on both sides, so that whatever I do, I do to the Lord alone. -He therefore condemns not that they have sworn by the Lord, but that they have wrought a service of the king apart from the service of God etc. Thus in the history of Saul [1 Sam. 8, 20J [it was wrong], not that they desired a king, but that they trusted in the same: We also will have a king to go before us etc. These are words of unbelief. Thus, those are condemned here who make the king equal to God by trusting in God and in the king. God does not want to suffer this, he does not want to give his honor to another [Jos. 42, 8]. They ascribe the honor of swearing also to the king, which is due to GOtte alone etc. [1 Sam. 17, 55:] "As your soul lives," and since Paul says [1 Cor. 15, 31.], "By our glory" etc., there is swearing by that which is not God etc. I leave this to the conscience 2) [of each one]. One must swear by God alone, serve God alone, but in such a way that we are subject to the power [Rom. 13, 1. ff.]. Only in this way can I swear by God. The difference lies in the heart: I can swear by a creature, but in such a way that this is done solely for the sake of God.
2) Instead of iHam eonseisntlana we have assumed illa aon86i6 "tia6.
schehe. Here the attitude must be looked at. The wicked swear like the godly, the godly in good faith. The godly and the godless trust in the king; the former sins, the latter does not. The godly does not ask for gold if he cannot have God; the godless does not ask for God if he cannot have gold.
V. 6. and those who fall away from the Lord.
This is how Moses used to talk.
And who ask nothing of the Most High, and respect Him not.
Or, those who do not care about God. Not only the obviously ungodly will I cut off, but also all others in whom there is neither faith nor love, neither observance of the law of faith, nor of love, nor of ceremonies. Here they are called by name who say, I have bought a house [Luc. 14, 19. f.] etc. He means] the lazy pleasure seekers, who do not care about the Lord and his word etc.
V. 7. Be still before the Lord, for the day of the Lord is at hand; for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice.
Hostiam, that is, a sacrifice. It is an exhortation: Since this will happen, that everything will be taken away from the land etc., therefore "be still, be told", give room, hear the word, do not rage against the word, "for the day of the Lord is near". For the Lord "will prepare a sacrifice." 1) He speaks in images, "It is a matter of slaughter." In sacrifice, the sacrificial animals are killed. "He will also slaughter once", he will kill you ungodly.
And invited his guests to it (et sanctificavit vocatos suos).
[Sanctificavit, he sanctified/ is said of the Chaldeans, because those are prepared to devour the sacrifice. He alludes to the manner of the sacrifice; those who were to eat were sanctified, that they might be worthy etc. The sacrifice is prepared, that is you, he will invite guests who will eat;
these are the Chaldeans, [he] "has his guests ready". He mocks at the same time the sacrifices of these wicked, fund their purifications,] that they may be pure, not only to sacrifice to the Lord, but also to idols. The Lord will one day prepare a sacrifice, "that will be you" etc.
V. 8. 2) And on the day of the Lord's sacrifice I will visit the princes and the king's children.
He continues in his threat as he began. Imagine, on the one hand, the zeal and fervor of the prophet, and on the other, the obstinacy and obduracy of the listeners, the princes. This is a constant dispute. The word is accepted by a few, by the lowly and the oppressed; by the great, the mighty, the kings etc. it is despised, as it is in our time. Therefore he is forced to threaten the divine wrath with many words, because he has hardened listeners and false-spiritual Pharisaic preachers, who advise the princes quite differently etc. "The sacrifice" is that of which it is said in the previous text, since he began to slaughter you by the Chaldeans and to prepare a sacrifice for himself. The kings who are now safe praise the temple of the Lord etc. [saying,] The prophet is nonsensical, he speaks against the law and the word of the Lord and the temple, ^against] the children of the king, who yet are appointed by God. They did not mean that [the prophecy] would come etc. The young people in that nation were instructed in the word of God; they trusted in the promise that had happened to David and to the kingdom. Here he speaks against the sons of the king. Notice the words of the promise: The lamp shall not go out etc. [2 Sam. 7, 12. ff.] If the pope had such a mighty word, who could stand? He searches the kings home etc., and yet he keeps his promise. Jechaniah is taken captive. M^affe had three sons, 3) one is by the king.
2) This verse number is missing in Weimar's.
3) Here the scribe will have made a mistake, because his information does not agree with the holy history. If instead of "Manasseh" Josiah, and instead of "Israel" Egypt is put, it is almost correct.
of Israel, two led away by the king to Babylon. On Iechaniah the promise remained, who, being led away to Babylon, was kept in the dungeon. After Nebuchadnezzar died, he is delivered and this kingdom is restored. It was not destroyed, but only humiliated. Reason could not grasp this. They understood the divine promise in such a way that they (the kings) should remain on their throne etc. God thinks like this: I will preserve this kingdom even if he [the king] is not on his throne, even if he is taken away, even if he is in prison. Glorious works! This is what the prophet says, but no one believes it.
Who wear a foreign dress.
The commentators differ, they say it is about the service of idols etc. But I would rather stick to the point and keep to the fact that it is about secular things (in materia seculari); it speaks of the kings and of the children of the kings. I take it simply from the kings themselves, who imitated the customs of the ring-dwellers and changed the native dress, 1) namely, they adopted the dress of the pagans, as we Germans soon imitate what we see among the French, Turks, Italians etc. Having become too secure, they carelessly imitated the clothing of the pagans. They deviated from the former respectability and did not keep the paternal customs. Those who make such changes in dress are accused of frivolity, like the French. They are ruined by excessive certainty, who praised the promise against the prophets: David, David! No, He does not look at the persons, he who has sinned will be punished.
V. 9: At the same time I will punish those who cross the threshold, who fill their masters' houses with robbery and deceit.
This still refers to the priesthood and the customs of idolatry. "Over the threshold." This word is given in the Song of Songs (Cap. 2, 8/ by: "on the hills".
1) In our template: 6t ruutnrunt Mntilitiurn Unditum -- and changed the pagan dress.
Notice what Lyra says here. I let that go. Our effort is to let the prophet speak coherently (continuare), so that the sense exists and has coherence. I dislike always introducing other opinions. So far the prophet has punished the princes etc. and threatened them with removal, which they did not expect; now he punishes the flatterers and servants etc. who fill the house of their lords or masters with injustice or violence and with deceit. He does not speak of the servants and keepers of the temple, but of the servants of the masters. He calls them people "who leap over the threshold". He wants to say: now they are safe, insolent, "muthwillig". They rely on their lords and masters, they do everything to serve them, they deceive the people not only with false goods, with false measure; that is, with violence, with impetuosity, they rob publicly. As an example we have "our officials," from whom the people suffer greater harassment, violence and deceit, whom they must fear more than the Lord Himself; "they make [themselves] disgusting" etc. They are the most harmful corruption of the whole world, even among good princes, since they mock and oppress the people they oppress with the utmost certainty. But he calls them people who jump over the threshold to indicate that they are servants and not masters, who only go in and out. See the passage in the law [Deut. 15, 17] of the awl etc., so that he is reminded of his office, as if he wanted to say: You are only a guest in the house, tomorrow you may go out, you have only the threshold of the house. It is a secret cheating like that of the salesmen and merchants. The servants say: [It] "has no need", where the masters stay, there we will also stay.
V. 10: In that day, saith the Lord, there shall be a loud cry from the fish gate.
He is making a threat: Because of these injustices will come etc. As for the location of Jerusalem, one must know Nehemiah, who describes it quite carefully. It had two high and famous hills; one higher and one lower in a sloping place etc. where Mount Moriah was.
where Solomon's temple stood, where Isaac was to be sacrificed etc. The higher and more respectable one is above the city, after it a valley etc. It slopes down on the side towards midnight. The "fish gate" is the one towards the evening, towards the midland sea etc. "At the fish gate." [Jerufalem] had three walls. The outermost one had its houses. The second wall, which was called the other or "the other part"; in the second book of Kings [Cap. 22, 14.]: "Hulda [dwelt at Jerusalem in the other part "j. The interior of the city is the two hills of the temple and the castle of Zion. He wants to say: "At the same time there will be cries of great distress and anguish from the first gate, from the outermost wall, likewise in the second, likewise in the third, that is, the whole city will be shaken and full of cries, because it will be devastated and destroyed. He divides it into three parts so that he leaves nothing of the people.
And a howl from the other Thor.
Not of the enemies, but of the shattered people, of those who are wounded to death etc. "The other gate" because they could not defend the outer ones etc. There will be no protection, it will not help to say: The temple of the Lord! etc. This is a great threat that the whole city shall perish, for
V. ii. Hay, ye that dwell in the mill: for all the grocers are gone.
"It is gone", they are ruined, they are exterminated. From the future effect he gives them the name and calls it "a mill". Jerome thinks that it is called of the valley Siloah etc. [Pila] which means "a mortar." In Proverbs [Cap. 27, 22.] one has pila and pilum, "a mortar, a pestle." Thus [pila] Jerome has translated. I take the view of the use of the mortar, as grain and specimens are pounded to the smallest dust. He takes, as it were, the whole of Jerusalem into a mortar, and imagines that it will be pounded. [He will "throw into one another and make his mortar once" from the city, that this crushing should be a punishment. The
City will be the mortar, you the grains that will be pounded etc. Jerusalem "reminds me like a mortar" in which they will be pounded etc. I have pounded it so many times, but nothing comes of it. See Solomon in Proverbs [Cap. 27, 22.] You are a mortar to me etc., but I do nothing to it. If by guilt cannot be pounded, then by punishment will be pounded etc. [You inhabitants of the mortar, that is, you citizens of Jerusalem, who are crushed by the prophets, will finally be crushed altogether, so that you will be scattered throughout the world etc. "It is gone"; [the word] means to be silent, "is made still," will be made solitary, so that it will be a silence, not of words, but rather of things, so that he will let the use of things be silent and nothing be. It is gone, it is made silent, it is made to be nothing.
The hawker people (Chanaan).
By the Cananaeans he wants to understand without doubt the Jews. Canaan, that is, the Jewish merchants who filled the houses of the lords by robbery and deceit. If it [Canaan] is taken as a proper name, then the opinion is: you are no longer Judah, but rather Canaan, for God will do to you as He did to Canaan. I like that opinion better. Similarly it is said in Ezekiel [Cap. 16, 3.], "Thy father is of the Amorites, and thy mother of the Hittites." And Daniel says [History of Susanna, v. 56.], "Thou Canaanite kind, and not Judah," because he follows its customs. It is known that the Amorites and the Hittites have disappeared. Canaan, that is, the Jewish people, which is equal in guilt and in vices, will be made equal to them in punishment, it will be made nothing.
And all those who collect money are wiped out.
He again interprets how it is made to nothing; it is pounded in the mortar. He shows the avarice of riches, that they direct all their striving toward riches.
At the same time I will search Jerusalem with lanterns, and I will visit the people who are lying on their heels.
Defixos, that is, clotted. He still continues and makes great the crushing and the taking [of the city]. I will search this city so that not one will be left to escape my wrath. In a mortar, one cannot well escape the pestle. [He is] "so wise, you cannot hit his head in the mortar," is a proverb. - "Those who lie on their heels," [that is, all whom I shall find in Jerusalem, I will bring into captivity. [I will afflict] the people who lie on their lees, that is, who have become rigid, hardened on their lees. In a vituperative manner, he calls their righteousnesses and opinions "yeasts." He does not dignify them with the name of a wine or drink otherwise used in Scripture for a doctrine etc. The yeast is the last thing in the barrel etc. Is. 7, 4. calls the two 1) kings "two smoking fires of fire". Scornfully he calls them "a stocking". 2) There is nothing left but that they smoke, they will soon turn to ashes. Here he indicates that they are very close to captivity and that they are the yeast of the people and shall be utterly destroyed. These I will afflict, who are hardened in their opinions etc.
Which are on their yeasts.
That is, holding to their tenets etc. [hold fast]. The following text compels to this view. As if to say, I am among them like a fool and a Thor; they think that I speak of a foolish God and not of the true etc. "Tell thy God to hang up his grace." Scornfully they mock him, therefore, irritated, he attacks them ignominiously. So utterly certain are they in their hearts: thy GOt can neither save nor destroy, as if to say: the GOt whom Zephaniah preaches is not the true GOt, because he prophesies against the promises etc. "We have" from your GOtte "nothing good", also nothing evil etc. Our God will preserve us well. Defixos means:] who have grown fat, full of confidence and puffed up in their security, firmly convinced, sure.
1) Weimarsche: suos instead of: duos.
2s In our original: "ein strampff", but "strumpff" will probably be found in the original. Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XX, 2401 s. v. Strumpf.
V. 13. And their goods shall become plunder.
He describes the devastation, he describes the visitation of the people who lie on their heels, which will be like this: Their "strength" (fortitudo), that is, their possessions, their wealth, their riches, will be shattered, as goods are wont to be shattered. They will be devastated who say that the Lord does neither good nor evil, 3) that is, he is nothing, as if to say, My Lord will do this. They shall be desolate, they shall become a spoil etc. They sit securely on their heels; however much they [the prophets also] cry out, nothing is accomplished; they build as if they wanted to remain on the earth forever, they plant - see the words of Christ [Luc. 17, 28 ff.] 4) - as if they would live forever. Paul says [1 Thess. 5, 3.], "When they shall say, There is peace, there is no danger [, then destruction shall speedily overtake them"]. 5) He says that then destruction is most imminent when everything is in the highest bloom, when things are going exceedingly well etc. God does nothing else in this world than to raise them up so that they may be overthrown. Since thou hast exalted them, thou hast made them a mockery, says the Psalm. 6) He plays with the affairs of men, as it were, as on a scales. At the time when the Babylonian captivity was imminent, 7) there was peace and security; they build, they plant to it, that. calamity come and destroy all. Magnisque negatum stare diu [great things are denied to last long 1) says Lucan. They are safe, but the Chaldean will come and destroy, and they will not long abide in these things. - Easily it is in the indicative: they plant etc.
V. 14.8) [For the great day of the Lord is at hand; it is near, and hasteth greatly].
3) Set by us instead of: etc.
4) In the Weimarschen in the margin: Luc. 17, 17.
5) Set by us instead of: etc.
6) Both the Erlangen and Weimar editions have in the margin: Ps. 73, 5. But this does not fit.
nommen iustuuts eaptivituts sto. In the original: Iu. CUP Lu.
8) In our template, there is neither a new verse number nor a keyword here, but the following is attached to the previous one without a distinction. It is
This is what is said against the hopeful opponents and despisers. They say, he is not only 1) not near, but also, it is nothing with it. He is moved by this foolish certainty and contradicts. That is why he urges with such vehement words: He will come as soon as possible, "is at the door". So it is always [Ps. 55, 24]: "The wicked do not bring their life to the half", 2) always the misfortune comes to them suddenly and unexpectedly. Christ says [in the parable] of the servant [Luc. 12, 46.]: ["The Lord] will come when he does not understand." For the wicked do not believe, they remain secure against all divine threats. It is not necessary that it [the day] should come suddenly; nothing is sudden to the children who believe, but it is for their profit. The wicked always hope for the best and fear nothing; the opposite happens to them. In Isaiah it says of the Babylonian empire: I will not see its destruction etc. The prophet scoffs etc. Human nature cannot fear misfortune for the sake of prosperity; it does not know how close to happiness misfortune is. The flesh does not believe; it fears nothing less than misfortune. It is very near and hastens; it does not "wait" long, [it will] "come soon". 3)
4) When the cry of the Day of the Lord will come.
The voice of those who cry out, who mourn and weep in the day of the Lord. He imagines, as if it had already happened, that the little people were already in captivity. He imagines that the whole people laments in the bitterest way etc. He
obvious that the words: xropo 68t this, props st oolor uimi.8 are only another expression of v. 14. in the Vulgate: duxta 68t di68 Domini rnnAnn8, juxtn 68t 6t volox niini8. - Instead of the second propo, the Erlanger and the Weimarsche have: xroxor.
1) Our template offers: non propo non 6886 diennt. We have assumed according to the Hall manuscript non 8oiurn xropo oto.
2) In the original supposedly: divi, which both the Erlanger and the Weimarsche have supplemented to divinant. We have assumed dimidiant with the Hall manuscript. The Altenburger has dirnidinbunt according to the Vulgate.
3) The last words in our original are: "non wart lnniturn, coming soon".
4) It is only here that the Weimar has the verse number "14."
speaks of the day of captivity, not of the last day. He uses great words; he has reason to do so because he speaks against the unbelievers.
Then the strong will cry out bitterly.
This is the shouting that will be heard on that day. 5) Tribulari [in the Vulgate] means [according to the Hebrew] to shout loudly. So say the Hebrew linguists; I do not understand it sufficiently. There the strong will shout aloud. The strong warriors, the heroes, the great ones, who before were to be feared by all and were invincible, will not only cry out, but will cry out loudly, for it is a day of bitterest weeping. Not only the people will cry out, but these warriors and the strongest will cry out louder than the rest of the people. Why?
V. 15. For this day is a day of wrath.
This is said with reference to the Babylonian captivity. 6) The prophet makes it great so that he may frighten the hardened and foolish people. He sets it before eyes to soften the hearts; but this does not happen.
[A day of weather and boisterousness.]
This calamitatis et miseriae [in the Vulgate] "is not right" [, it should read]: "a day of weather". Lucas in the Evangelio [Cap. 21, 25.] says: "The waves of water will roar", as it happens with a storm. Sprüchw. 3, 7) 25. it means the rushing and surging floods [: "That thou mayest not fear sudden terror, nor the tempest of the wicked"]. Ps. 65, 8. it means the waves of the sea, which give their noise full, a dull roar. A day of noise and floods or roaring sea. He wants to indicate that the Babylonians will come with impetuosity, as when the sea surges with the wind etc. Rather: "of the weather and impetuosity".
5) These words are drawn in our submission to the previous section.
6) The Erlanger reads inulti, the Weimarsche duoti; we have assumed diota.
7) In the original: Drovord. 4. Perhaps Sprüchw.
1, 27. meant.
1) A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and fog.
He describes this day as a day of storm: it "thunders" very hard; "lightning", black air, thick clouds.
V. 16. A day of trumpets and drums.
Of the sounding [of trumpets) or shouting on the part of the Chaldeans, who will stand ready with their trumpets as valiant warriors and certain of victory. "There shall be heard a sound of sounding and blowing," etc. so that ye might die by the voice of the adversaries; it will be a very mournful day. This army of the Chaldeans the Lord will bring in, that it may be a trumpet among you. All things will look exceedingly miserable; the strong cities will not profit you, not even Jerusalem.
2) Against the solid cities and high castles.
XuZuIo8, that is, the towers, the fortifications in which you trust. So great will be the impetuosity that no fortification can resist.
V. 17. I will make people anxious (tribulabo).
I do not understand this word [XXX]. [I give it:) I will sound among men or with men, "I will also let myself be heard; field cry," that is, I will be the leader in war and will cause a field cry among men etc., put fear into the heart of men, so that they may realize that this is done by men because God wills it. First he takes away courage; when that is gone, even a leaf in the forest is a trumpet etc. And again, if the heart is courageous, then everything outwardly is also strong etc.
That they should walk around like the blind.
He indicates what he wanted, namely the despondency of the heart. They cannot make up their minds whether to ask for peace etc. They will be in dismay around-
1) Already here, the Weimar has the verse number "16."
2) Already here, the Weimar has the verse number "17."
Like the blind who do not know where to seek help or what to do. When the courage is gone, the eyes are blind, the ears do not hear, the heart is without counsel etc. Then I will give them a sense of sin; now they are hardened. Then they will see that they have sinned, because sin will make them dismayed, that they will go about like the blind. - "Because they have sinned against the Lord." That is, they will feel that they have sinned, and this will make them dismayed and fearful.
Their blood shall be shed as if it were dust (humus).
The ancient text has had humus [not fumus], excavated earth that can be scattered like ashes and dust. The one who translated like this probably hit it. Adam is created out of an earthen lump [Gen.2, 7.].Or it is limus, "loose earth," when a grave or trench is dug. Often it is translated by dust, as [Gen. 3, 19. Vulg.]: Remember, man, "that you are dust" etc.
And her body as if it were dung.
So Paul says [Phil, 3, 8.]: "I consider everything as dirt." He wants to say: They will realize that they have sinned, therefore they will be fearful and will not know what to do. Although they will strive to propitiate God through sacrifice, they will accomplish nothing. s "Blood" stands for the flesh of the sacrificed animals, as Ps. 16:4: "I will not offer their libation with the blood, nor take their name in my mouth," so that "blood" stands for the sacrifice. That is, the sacrifices with which they offer libations and make atonement to God will not be pleasant, but will be spilled by the enemies. It will not be sprinkled with the finger, as in Moses [3rd book, 4, 6.], but they will be scattered like dust when the enemies come. [Instead of corpora it should read] escas, bread or flesh. Actually, [XXXX] lechim is bread. These sacrifices are called food or meal because they were given to the priests, because it was the
3) Added by us. In our template: "rndü kaeisnt pro earnikus unimLlium oMutoruru" ste.
The food of the Lord was offered to the priests, as we read in the third book of Moses. It also means not only meat nor bread, but food, as [Ps. 78, 25/: "angel bread" (escam angelorum). Set against it the water and the drink; that is, give drink and food. Food, that is, their sacrifices, which were the food of the priests, will not now please, 1) but will be rejected. And this will not only be outward, but so will the consciences feel. Because they will not please, they will be taken for dung. Hosea says [Cap. 9, 4.]: Their bread is the bread of the afflicted. Of the bread of the sacrifice one was not allowed to eat [in mourning/, that is, their services are in mourning. According to Deut. 26, 14. it was not permitted to offer the bread of the afflicted, that is, which was offered in time of mourning, that is, the sacrifices will not be pleasant and will not propitiate [him]. With this Paul agrees [Phil. .], 8.], "I count all things as filth." Because they feel that they have sinned, so their conscience stands
1) Instead of plasubuut in our template, we have assumed xlussbuut. Immediately following, where the Weimar manuscript reads piussbunt, the Erlangen manuscript also has plueubuut. At the corresponding place [V. 18. j the Altenburg manuscript has: susriüsiu eorum rszisit, nee Zrutu köre Domino.
against them, but they do not look very hopeful now. They do not think that God is etc. But they are obvious to God, he looks very hopeful. The righteousnesses of the law are dung and dust, therefore faith in the word of God is required etc. Their piety, their worship will not avail them. The day will dawn in such a way that they will not be able to escape by any righteousness, "the hour has come, the bundle will break.
V.18. Their silver and gold will not save them.
It is not the wrath of men, but the divine wrath. Their gold will be of no use to them, therefore there is no help for them anywhere, because the Chaldeans will not respect gold etc. - "The fiery", the inflamed wrath, you will not be able to mitigate it. The sacrifices will not be able to mitigate the wrath of God, the gold cannot appease the Chaldeans, therefore [the fire of the zeal of HErri/ will consume the whole land, that is, Judea. Instead of omnis [in the Vulgate], it would be better to say "the whole land." For "the end" will come suddenly or hurriedly upon all who dwell in the land, so that no one can be saved, either by a ransom or by justice etc.
2) Inserted by us.