Again, a new sermon begins. These sermons have been preached in different years and lines, as if he wanted to say: "But a new pebble 2) is coming. All their worship is punished by the prophets. Always new services they set up, as we altars and churches 2c. "But now" 3) they make still more. "To silver," as if to say, "Are fine saints." From their silver they make a god. With disparagement and contempt he says: Of your silver and your gold.
V. 1. Since Ephraim taught terribly, he was exalted in Israel 2c. (Cum loqueretur Ephraim horrorem, sublatus est ipse in Israhel). 4)
2) In the original: "boßle" - small farce, Schwank, Narrentheiding (Dietz, Wörterbuch zu Luthers Schriften).
3) Already here, in our original, the verse number "2." is written, but we think that this still belongs to the introduction up to where we have put "V. 1. This is also how the Hall manuscript has put it.
Israel ete.
I think that horror is to be referred to the word "teach", as if he wanted to say: "Ephraim has gone on long enough with his preaching" 2c. Similarly, in "Baal" "set up a special service" 2c. - 5) I believe that he is talking about spiritual death. It is a brief summary and repetition of past evils, as we say: hitherto this and that has happened; now another is added 2c. Terrible things are said and done 2c.
V. 2. as they can devise, namely idols (qausi etc.). 6)
5) Inserted by us.
6) Vulgate: Huasi simüitudinem idolorum; in Hebrew 0'2?H 0N2rl2. Luther's later translation given above is correct. But here Luther takes 2'2^ idols, which is found in our place, for identical'with 0'2], sour work, which is used Ps. 127, 2. - What we have inserted is according to the Hall manuscript.
[Instead of:] Quasi etc. [Read:] who labor an image that is like them [namely, the idols]. In Hebrew it is: to work with difficulty, as Ps. 127, 2. [Vulg. 1: "You who eat a laborious bread" (panemdolorum). Instead of "idols" the Hebrew says: sour work, aven, actually dolor, toil, they have turned only from idols and the godless being. For idols bring toil 2c., arduousness, because the ungodly have no peace. "They that labor," toil with the miserable preoccupation which is directed to idols. He means the laborious makers of idols 2c. - "Nor do they preach of the same," 1) namely, of images, with divinations, with shtetls. - Instead of adorantes [in the Vulgate] is [in the Hebrew] kiss, as Ps. 2, 12.; likewise Job [Cap. 31, 27. 1 and in the [first] Buechner Kings [Cap. 19, 18^: "All knees that have not bowed to Baal, and all mouths that have not kissed him." The kiss is a sign of worship; he [the prophet] signifies the manner and custom of worship. - "He shall sacrifice men." Before they sacrificed calves, now they sacrifice men. "This is a new thing," they sacrificed children. "Out of a defiance" says the prophet, "men," though they are children 2c. This is horrible to hear; this is an abomination, what is said here.
V. 3. These will have the morning cloud 2c.
We have had these words above [Cap. 6, 4.] Erunt, that is, they will pass like "a morning cloud" that "eats away" the sun. So will your worship be, and your security, and your boasting. He describes the comfort they will have from this worship, but it will quickly pass and be changed. - Sicut pulvis, that is, "like the chaff," as Ps. 1:4. In Hebrew it is the husk. A beautiful simile.- Fumario, "smoke hole." The smoke must go where the wind drives it 2c, just as the chaff from the grain 2c.
V. 4. But I am the Lord.
This is what the prophet cites to lead the people to the right worship of the one God.
1) Here the keyword is missing in the manuscript and in the Erlanger.
to bring back: "Here, here!" 2c. A complete condemnation of all worship that GOD has not instituted. There is no salvation apart from me.
V. 5. In the desert. 2)
I have preserved you and can still preserve you; but "it helps nothing" 2c.
V. 6. But because they are pastured.
"They have abundance." As they have abundance of goods, so they enjoy them. Therefore they are senseless and hopeful against me and the prophets whom I send. And thus God is despised, who wants to be worshipped by faith and in fear 2c. - 3) "Having been filled and having enough, their hearts are lifted up." They are subject to do everything that comes into their heart 2c.
V. 7. 8. I will also become like a lion against them 2c. and tear their hardened heart.
Thus it is said: I will cut their heart with the sword. "A spear 4) or point" or sword means the Hebrew word They did as we did with the Turks: First we prayed and made supplications. After that we sought human help 2c., but the Turk "always strikes in." - "There," namely in Assyria. - "Their heart," not of all. It is a synecdoche: many will go into captivity. The hardest enemy they will have in me 2c. They will lie Anbegraben, they will be struck down without mercy, "no one will take care of them".
V. 9. misfortune.
This is where the mockery begins: "It is lost with you," your advice does nothing. "I will do it with you", that you shall see that you are nothing. I will show that one must flee to me.
V. 10. Where has your king gone?
"Your king," on whom you relied. - Instead of urbibus [in the Vulgate] is better "fine-
2) Here our template has no keyword. We have set this and the next following keyword according to the Hall manuscript.
3) It is only here that our template has the verse number "6."
4) "Spieß" put by us instead of "heß" in the original.
den" that you have. As if he wanted to say: He could not defend you against one either. - "Give me", as if he wanted to say: We can not trust GOtte, we must have a king in whom we can trust. They have always abused kings.
V. 11. I gave you a king (Dabo tibi).
This is said, as it were, by proverb, and this is the opinion: I will give thee, that is, I can give thee, that it may go ill with thee under the king, and most grievously, when he shall be taken away from thee.
V. 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound together.
Then he concludes this threat: "It hangs together, have made a covenant." They cannot be released from iniquity, they justify sin; they cannot bear it to be taken for sin. So do our priests. "My Ephraim hath bound up his sin in sackcloth," and hideth the sin.
V. 13: For they shall be afflicted like a woman in childbirth.
That is, they cannot escape, "have to serve". Where there is no confession [of sin], there is no remedy. - Ipse filius, "is a foolish child, foolish son". He speaks paternally.
V. 14. But I will deliver them from hell and save them from death.
"I will take away death once." It immediately falls on Christ. "Death and hell" are frequently used among the Hebrews. Jerome has a good and true opinion here: "Hell" is called everything wherever the soul may go; "death," when the soul is separated from the body. From the power of hell I will deliver it, and from death I will set it free. - "Death, I will be a poison unto thee." Death here is the corruption that surely kills 2c. That is, I, Christ, by my resurrection, will work from day to day to kill you. Death, I will be your pestilence, and your disease, O hell. In the second book of Moses [Cap. 9, 3.], where the Lord smote the cattle, it says
which means pestilence. "Death, I will be your poison; hell, I will be your addiction." The kingdom of Christ is indicated. Morsus [bite] they [the Vulgate translators] translated it. As in the 5th book of Moses [Cap. 21, 28.] and in the Psalm [91, 6.], "Before the pestilence that wasteth in the noonday," 2c., here it is not a bite, but "evil, hot pestilence," like the fever of pestilence. "Hell, I will be thy devil." The Hebrew word also means the devil, which smites and plagues with violent fever 2c. In a free manner Paul translated the saying of the prophet [1 Cor. 15, 55.]: death shall be overcome and devoured, hell shall be destroyed. This is the opinion. The apostles were not too anxious (superstitiosi) in the words; this even punishes Paul [1 Tim. 6, 4.]. Paul's translation is also not that of the seventy interpreters. Christ has swallowed up death and hell for those who believe. He [the prophet] speaks of the deed of Christ, which he has accomplished, but how it has been distributed will follow. Few attain this victory, and this is "lacking" with us, "that we come not near. Christ has abolished all evil. - "The consolation," as if to say, not everyone will seize this victory. Thus Paul says [Rom. 9:2], "I have great sorrow in my heart," 2c. - "Hidden," that is, there will be cause for sorrow.
V. 15. for he will bear fruit between brothers. 1)
Instead of ipse it would be better to say: hoc. 2) - "Between brothers." That is, one part will take it, one part will not. It indicates not only the fact, but also the fruit, that one part will believe and one part will not 2c. - "There shall come an east wind" (Adducet ventum urentem). [The Lord] will cause a burning wind to come, "east wind," eurum, by whose blowing the red sea was dried up. Paul alludes to this when he says that the sting of death is sin. - The "fountain" he calls sin here 2c. - "A burning wind," the
1) Vulgate: Huiu ipss iutsr trutres äiviäst.
2) This note is still drawn to v. 14 in our original.
is the Holy Spirit, who will blow on our hearts and "dry up the fountain" of death through this medicine. 1) He will blow the
1) üuo medieina is still drawn to the following in our template.
Holy Spirit into the heart and "dry up the fountain," that is, sin. - Instead of desolabit, [in Hebrew] it says, "he will dry up," that is, he will transfer from the external realm to the spiritual realm.