V. 1. Cry aloud like a trumpet (and say): He is already coming over the house of the Lord like an eagle; because they are transgressing my covenant and turning away from my law.
This, too, is a legal sermon in which the prophet condemns both idolatry and reliance on human protection or alliances with the heathen, and threatens destruction. Therefore, as far as the matter is concerned, there is absolutely no difficulty here, nor is the grammar obscure.
The beginning of this chapter refers to the kingdom of Judah, because it expressly remembers the house of the Lord, which 1) was in Jerusalem. However, although some refer this prophecy to the Babylonian captivity, it is more correctly referred to the misery inflicted on the kingdom of Judah by Sanherib, as the following proves.
The simile of the eagle must be related to the speed as well as to the power of the enemy. For in both the eagle surpasses all the birds and therefore it has the name of a king of the birds. But what is the cause of this misfortune? Certainly the transgression of the covenant and the violation of the law. Those, therefore, who want to be without these dangers, must make every effort to obey the word.
1) Instead of yuoä should probably be read yuss, referring to äoiiius.
God had made such a covenant with His people that if they obeyed the law, they would be showered with benefits of every kind, but if they deviated from the law, they were threatened with certain punishments. Such a covenant was not made with the Gentiles. For as far as outward worship is concerned, all is done, and yet the first commandment is a general one and concerns all. Therefore, those who obey God will receive some fruit of their obedience, but those who deviate from obedience will suffer punishment.
V. 2. Then will they cry out to me: You are my God, we know you, Israel.
This is interpreted by almost everyone in the same sense: as if they would cry out in vain, as he said above Cap. 5, 6. about the kingdom of Israel: "Then they will seek me, but will not find me." But I have said above that this sermon actually goes to the kingdom of Judah, which is saved by God from the enemy.
Therefore, the opinion is that the kingdom of Judah, being afflicted by the Assyrians, will recognize its sin and cry out to God for salvation and be preserved, as the history of the godly king Hezekiah testifies. And this is also proved by the fact that the prophets indicate that not only the service of God, but also the name of God was unequal in the kingdom of Judah.
and Israel. For Israel called God by the pagan name of Baal, but Judah, as it kept the right worship, so it called God by its right name.
But it is useful that we consider this example of the kingdom of Judah at this time. For it shows that there is hope of grace for those who, though they are sinners, keep the word and worship. But those who persecute the word and remain in idolatrous worship will be punished exceedingly severely and, according to the example of Israel, will be destroyed from the foundation of the world if they do not repent. Furthermore, he calls "Israel" here the God of Israel; this, they say, they know, that is, they keep his word and his worship.
Other sermon to the kingdom of Israel. 1)
V. 3. Israel rejects the good, therefore the enemy must persecute them.
A short saying, but very glorious. The word and true worship he calls "the good," for [Ps. 119:165.] "Great peace have they that love thy law, O Lord." For these have God for a protector in all dangers. But those who forsake this good and depart from it, what do they do but bring themselves into misfortune? To be sure, the world does this with great zeal, either neglecting or persecuting the Word. For it neglects and pursues the good, but seizes its ruin and chases after it. What follows now explains what it is to "forsake the good.
V. 4 They make kings, but without me; they set princes, and I know not. Out of their silver and gold they make idols, that they may soon be cut off.
He does not speak of the election of the king, which is lawful, but of the covenants with kings and princes, as he said above [Cap. 7, 11.] that they call the Assyrian and the Egyptian king. For though the first Jeroboam is made king by sedition, yet to him who knows the history of
1) This heading appears in the Latin editions only after the following Bible text.
carefully, it is clear that the kingdom of Israel was approved by God. Therefore, he does not speak of the succession in the government, but of the covenants with the Gentiles. Therefore he adds: XXXX XXX without me they do this, namely by letting go of the confidence which they should firmly keep in me. Thus, he says, princes would be set without him knowing it. This is the first deviation from the good.
The other is that they make idols out of gold and silver, that is, they attach divine honor to gold and silver, as they are wont to do in the papacy, when they worship the images of the saints. This sin of idolatry is followed by destruction.
V. 5. Your calf, Samaria, he cast out; my wrath is kindled against them; it cannot stand long, they must be punished (non poterunt perpetuo innocentes esse).
. He has threatened ruin; now he repeats sin; let it be because of the worship and service of the calf. Therefore, not improperly taken as nominative, "Thy calf hath cast thee off," that is, idolatry is the cause of ruin for thee. For the Lord cannot suffer the same. What we have translated, "They will not remain innocent forever," reads in the Hebrew: How long will they not be able to remain innocent? This is very short and obscure, but in fact it is the same as saying, "They are guilty, therefore they will not remain unpunished in their sins forever.
V. 6: For the calf came from Israel, and a craftsman made it, and cannot be God; therefore the calf of Samaria shall be pulverized.
This is easy, for it serves to ridicule idolatry. For what is more foolish than to fall down before wood, stone, silver or gold made by human hands? Why does one not fall down before him, why does one not call upon him who made everything out of nothing? Because he can save. But gold, silver, stone, wood cannot even save itself, but is crushed.
And yet the entire papacy still lies drowned in this shameful, vile and pernicious idolatry.
V. 7 For they sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind: their seed shall not come up, neither shall their plant yield flour; though it yield, yet shall strangers eat it.
This is a description of a useless advice. The most suitable time for sowing is when it is quiet. So the time to reap is inconvenient when it is not cheerful. Therefore he says: Just as the beginning is unfortunate because of idolatry and reliance on men, so also the end will be exceedingly sad, just as if someone sowed in a great storm and reaped in great downpours; then one can hardly find a stalk that could be of any use etc.
V. 8. Israel is eaten up; the Gentiles deal with them as with an unworthy vessel.
The fact that the prophet so often repeats one and the same thing proves that these sermons were neither preached at one and the same time, nor at one place, and that the secure Israelites had hoped to despise them. For this is what the wicked do: the nearer they are to danger, the safer they live, as Solomon says [Proverbs 16:18]: "He who is to perish becomes proud first; and proud courage comes before the fall." But the Israelites' courage grew through the success of the happy king Jeroboam.
But how miserably the world deceives itself! The merciful God had given such glorious victories to the kingdom of Israel, so that there would be a peaceful life, and the congregations could be taught about the right worship, and so that the punishment of idolatry would be averted through repentance; for God truly does not want the death of the sinner, but that he should convert and live. But the more the kingdom flourished, the more the godless people laid on idolatry and despised the Word. They sought the friendship of the neighboring kings and their help, and so they thought they would be safe if, for instance, a
The prophet lists these sins and threatens them with desolation. The prophet lists these sins at this point and threatens them with desolation.
But it is a wonderful image that he compares Israel to an unclean vessel, which no one desires, but immediately throws it away as soon as it comes into his hand. Thus, rejected by God because of their idolatry, they were also held in great contempt among the Gentiles.
V. 9. 10. Therefore they run up to Assyria like a deer astray. Ephraim gives tribute to the wooers and gives tribute to the heathen. The same heathen will I now gather upon them; they shall soon be weary of the burden of the king and of the princes.
This is the first sin, that they forgot God and the Law and relied on the help of the Gentiles. For this is what happens when trust in God is lost, then one takes refuge in human help. This is the head of idolatry and a sin against the first commandment, which forbids the service of other gods, that is, reliance on creatures.
The word is explained by forest donkey, but it seems to me a general word, as we say "game" (feras). And perhaps this designation [ferae] originated from the Hebrew word, like many other words, both Greek and Latin.
But that he adds XX XXXX XXX, a game alone for itself, is nothing else than a game which wanders around alone, and, not sure of life, wanders soon here and soon there.
What he says about the wooers and the pagans, to whom tribute is given, also belongs to this. But there is an emphasis in the word as if he wanted to say: My people should detest the fellowship with the pagans, who do not know God and hate the right worship. But they even give them gifts and spend a lot of money on them. But what will be the end? They shall become weak from the burden of the king and the princes, that is, these covenants will be their undoing. For "the same Gentiles will I gather," on whose help they shall rely to oppress Israel.
Others derive the word from which means to begin, but it will be more properly derived from weak, for it gives a more fitting sense, and does not so much dispute grammar.
V.11. For Ephraim made the altars to sin much; so also the altars shall be sin for him.
This is the second sin, ungodly worship or idolatry, that they made much of altars on which sacrifices were made, while God willed that there should be only One Temple in Jerusalem.
But why does he say that the altars were made much to sin? Surely they did not build the altars in the opinion that they wanted to sin, but thought that this service would please God. This, therefore, is the judgment and opinion of the Holy Spirit, who says what is true and paints idolatry with its true colors. For although they firmly believed that they were worshipping the true God in this way, this worship, since it was done without the Word, even against the Word, could not please God, and was in fact nothing other than sin. Thus, a monk anxiously observes the commandments of his order, he holds masses with great devotion, but because both are done against the Word, he heaps up his sins through this very spirituality (religione) and provokes God to anger.
V. 12: If I write to him as much of my law, it will be regarded as a foreign doctrine.
This is the third sin. The prophets punished idolatry, and taught from the word of God about the right services, about the fear of God, about faith in the promised Seed, about obedience to the Law, again about the outward services in the place which God had indicated, but XXXXX XXXXX they thought the pre
The teachings of the prophets were none of their business; they despised them and condemned them as a doctrine that would also be harmful to the commonwealth and would destroy religion among the people, just as the papists condemn the gospel today.
1) Hiphil from ^n.
V.13. Though they sacrifice much, and bring flesh, and eat it, yet the Lord hath no pleasure in it; but he will remember their iniquity, and make an atonement for their sins, which turn to Egypt.
This is a tremendous reduction of the sacrifices. This is truly a great gift, he says, which you offer to me! You sacrifice animals for slaughter, meat; you eat it afterwards. Should I be so pleased with this service? 2) You do not sacrifice to me, but to yourselves, because you satisfy your bodies. In this way, sins are not atoned for. Therefore, just as I have mercy on those who take refuge in mercy and ask for mercy by trusting in the promised seed, so your sins shall be kept. I will remember them and atone for them, since you have no better way to atone for them than to bring flesh and eat it. But here he repeats the sin, the trust in human help, while only in God the trust should be put, as he now adds:
V. 14. Israel forgets its Creator and builds churches, so Judah makes many strong cities; but I will send fire into its cities, and it will consume its houses.
Here is also a sin of flourishing kingdoms and communities, that they build buildings at great expense, and hope that they will be safe from the enemy's power and weapons. But "where the Lord does not guard the city, the watchman watches in vain" [Ps. 127:1]. Therefore not the building but the trust in it is punished here. But to show that this is vain, the Lord himself threatens that he will send fire, which cannot be quenched with water. -
Thus the prophet shows in this chapter what the sins are for which the flourishing kingdoms are destroyed. But this serves to instruct us, so that we, warned by the example of the kingdom of Israel, may guard against such sins.
2) Erlanger: dslsatarst instead of: äklsotarsr.