There follows another sermon, preached in a different year, but containing almost the same thing as the previous sermons. The sermons are given and collected at different times. So it says Luc. 3,4 ) 4.: "In the book of the speeches of Isaiah."
V. 1. Hear, you of the house of Israel, this word; for I must make a lamentation over you. 5)
It is an urgent exhortation, [he] "means well" that they may be converted 2c. - Instead of quod it would be better to say quo. - He denotes the burden of the word of the LORD here by levo; [I will lift up a burden] "upon you, lay it upon [your] neck." This lament shall be your burden, for he announces the plague of GOD all, which in Isaiah [Cap. 13, 1. 15, 1. 2c.] is "the burden" of the LORD; calamity is announced. This prophet cannot speak of anything else but of
4) In the editions: Vueae 4. - In the manuscript immediately following: Voliao instead of klsaiao.
5) Vulgate: [.uäito verlrum istuä, Huoä oxo Isvo super vos plauotuva eto.
Burden, desolation, misfortune, wrath. The flesh does not want to suffer it, it makes of it [the word of God] a burden, as it is, because it proclaims the wrath of God. - Ego levo, that is, I proclaim to you a word of burden, I preach a burden, and one that is called a lament 2c.
V. 2. The virgin Israel has fallen, so that she will not rise again; she has been knocked to the ground, and there is no one to help her up. 6)
The virgin Israel is betrothed to God alone, just as we are. Paul says [2 Cor. 11, 2]: "I have entrusted you to one man"; one should cling to God alone 2c. He does not speak of virginity. It is said: it is destroyed, devastated by the king of the Assyrians; the preterite stands for the future tense. He is picturing what was future. [The same was] above in Hosea
6) Vulgata: Voraus Israol oooiäit, et not aäjioiot ut rosui-Zat. VirZo Israel prosoeta est irr terrara suara, nou est ^ui susoitot eam.
[Cap. 1, 6.] The kingdom of Israel has been so disturbed that it has not been restored. - Non adjiciet, that is, "it will not rise again." - Instead of in terram suam would be better: in terra sua. - Cecidit, that is,] destruetur, it will lie down distraught, and only a few will remain.
V. 3.1 ) For thus says the Lord GOD: The city where a thousand go out shall have only a hundred left 2c.
"This is a 'strong' degumming, when nine are torn away and only the tenth part remains. It is the same as what he said above [Cap. 4, 11.) of the firebrand, but without a picture. This is the burden and the lament. Now he goes on to the exhortation. You will be cast out and not restored. Because it now says so,
Therefore thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek me, and ye shall live.
See how kindly he addresses them. He always looks to Bethel. "Me" who is prescribed for you through Moses 2c., "seek." To seek God is not as we seek Him with our works, but with your whole heart, in ashes 2c. If you will seek me, then you will live. "Je, how they have life!" "Life" is to be in well-being,swie) in the Psalm [142, 6.], "In the land of the living." In the Song of Hezekiah [Isa. 38, 11.: "In the land of the living"], that is, in the land where all is happy and well 2c. Ps. 22, 30: "Those who live miserably" are rather counted among the dead than among the living. Seek the Lord, and it shall be well with you; you shall be among the living in the land, and it shall be well with you 2c.
V. 5. Do not seek Bethel, and do not come to Gilgal, and do not go to Beersheba.
Bethel was "his [Israel's] pen" where "wept and sang" 2c. "Bethel" had chosen it for Jacob's sake; in "Gilgal" Joshua 2) had pitched camp; in Ber-.
1) Already here, the Weimar version has the verse number "4." with a transition from "3.
2) Here the Weimar edition offers: "Oeäeon 7, 3.^", the Erlangen "Oeä", but is to be read after Jos. 4, 19. and 5, 10. ^08UU.
seba Abraham stayed, in Thabor "also". In memory of the event that a holy man had been here [, a service was arranged]. This is the same service as we [in the places where martyrs were killed, and elsewhere, set up a service that GOD did not command) 3) 2c. God did miracles with the fathers in these places, but He did not want us to imitate the deeds of the fathers, but their faith. God wanted them to do this, but He wants you to do something else 2c. The prophets who contradicted them were called heretics. If only God wanted us to be able to hang on the word here on earth with our eyes closed. The prophets only go about calling back to the word. - ["Bethel will become BethAven."] To Aven, "toil, labor". Ps. 90:10: "It has been toil and labor," "a weary, unpleasant life." It refers to one's righteousness by which he [false worship) causes tribulation, weighs down the conscience, troubles, torments, that is, Bethel will become toil and labor. Bethel - BethAven is a very beautiful play on words. Your ungodliness will pay you with woe. You have made a fictitious Aven, he [the HER] will make it a right Aven, that is, toil and labor. "Heartache and misfortune" will be had by Bethel.
V. 6 [Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest there be a fire in the house of Joseph, and it consume, and there be none to quench it in Bethel].
Lest the house of Joseph be kindled as a fire in Bethel. Lest the Lord come and kindle a fire in Bethel, and there be none to quench it. Lest Bethel be the cause "that the devil should lead you away" 2c. It is written about the house of Joseph in the first book of Moses [Cap. 48, 13. ff. 49, 22. ff.]. Ephraim is the royal [tribe] (regia [tribus]) of Israel; the house of Joseph [is the kingdom of Israel] 4) 2c.
3) Supplemented by us according to the Hall manuscript.
4) Supplemented according to the Altenburg manuscript. The Hall manuscript offers: The ten tribes are called Ephraim. (Instead of Mi read Mas ^tribus^.)
Ephraim was the son of Joseph. The verbum means: to break in with luck, which is translated here by comburatur.
V. 7: You who turn justice into wormwood.
This word 2) is taken from Moses f5. Book, 29, 18.) in the Law, [repeated] in the Acts of the Apostles [Cap. 8, 23.]. In the letter to the Hebrews [Cap. 12, 15.), "A bitter root." f5 Mos. 29, 19.:) "That the drunken may go with the thirsty." He speaks of those who are very secure in their ways according to their free will, [who] "have no need" 2c. You would be exceedingly lovely in the sight of God and man if you kept the commandments of God, but you pervert them into wormwood. "Injustice hurts" 2c. Again, he contrasts the majesty of GOD with their harshness.
V. 8. [He makes the mother hen (Arcturum) and Orion 2c.)
Arcturus is the guardian of the bear. Opposite to each other are "in the sky [the] chariot" and Orion. That is, God makes and creates "the great star" at midnight and the greater one at noon, [the] "Jacob's Rod". The outgoing Orion; it is he who makes it to set and to rise. - "He who makes the morning out of darkness" 2c. This is a paraphrase of night and day; a "beauric" metaphor or paraphrase "from Thekoa" 2c. That is, who makes the day and the night and the stars in the sky. As if to say, Those gods can do none of these things, but he whom you forsake does all these things. - "And poureth it upon the ground," that is, he rains. Behold the fullness of the prophet's words. He imitates what is written in Job and in the Psalms [Ps. 147, 8.), "He covereth the heavens with clouds." The cloudy sky gives rain. He distinguishes by all these things the right GOtt from the false gods in Bethel and Gilgal.
V. 9. He who subdues (subrideth) the strong.
1) Luther takes as root word instead of - Following the same, according to the Vulgate oolndurutur must be read instead of oourduravtur in the editions.
2) Instead of V6rt6r6 we have assumed V6rdum.
Instead of subridet it should read roborat fer makes strong). [So it is written) Ps. 39:14: "Depart from me, that I may be refreshed." There is [also] this Hebrew word ^3.. He who is refreshed gains 3) strength, "gets rid of faintness." - [Instead of super robustum would be more correct] super potestatem, that is, kingdom or dominion, "power, those [ who have the] upper hand," the right, the prestige, and the power, that is, He is GOD; when He is angry with the wicked, He has power over the dominions, and brings, drives a disturbance over the fortified, add: cities. [There] "is no city so firm" that he cannot destroy it 2c. This one you leave.
V. 10: But they are angry with him who punishes them in the gate.
"In the Tor" is in the place of assembly, in a gathering of people where the council holds session. Pas means they hate the prophets who stand in a public assembly and punish the lords. - "He that teacheth wholesomely" (perfecte loquentem), that is, purely. [Ps. 119:1:] "Blessed are they that live without change." ["Wholesome," that is,] sound doctrine, faith, love f, so Paul interpreted it [2 Tim. 1, 13.]). 4) By these things, teaching the same, they served and honored [God]. Now, after the exhortation, he proceeds again to the threat.
V. 11. Therefore, because you oppress the poor (diripiebatis).
He complains about the impiety against God and the violence against the neighbor. f[Instead of diripere it should more correctly read:) 5) oppress the poor and lay burdens on them that they cannot bear. You oppress, you rob the poor with right and wrong, and receive from him chosen robbery, [XXXX] also means burden or booty; [XX-XXXX] the chosen robbery, "what good he has." Everything weighs you down, "cows, house." The pope, the princes leave nothing untouched; [it] "must give what there has" 2c. - [Quadro lapide, that is, lapidibus] excusis ["of workpieces"], "with
3) Instead of rs^uirit, Wohl should be read aequirit.
4) Supplemented by us according to the Altenburg manuscript.
5) Supplemented by us according to the Altenburger Handschirft.
nus-hewn stones" 2c. For as ye rob, so shall it be robbed from you. - [Amantissimas, that is? desideratas, "beautiful vineyards." Desiderabilia, is often written: "lovely, beautiful to look at".
V. 12 For I know your transgressions, which are many, and your sins, which are great 2c.
"I know" indicates his [God's] and her heart's movement; as if he wanted to say: You go along like this, 1) as if I do not know. Thus in the 10th Psalm [v. 6.] the wicked pronounce this opinion. I have taken heed, with motion of heart I consider it. "Much" is [your transgression], while you boast of your righteousness. "Strong" [are your sins] because they are harmful. "By force ye go to it." - "In the Thor," that is, in the public court. Easily the poor are oppressed. They accept gifts by which they are moved to make unjust judgments and oppress the poor.
V. 13 [Therefore the prudent man kept silent at that time].
"Silence" here stands for: letting it go, being quiet. Ps. 11, 3: "What should the righteous do?" The wicked "rumble here" as if there were no God in heaven and on earth. What should the righteous do? "Let him who is wise keep silence," for the wicked reign and have the upper hand. "Let go as it goes" 2c.
V. 14 Seek good and not evil, that ye may live; and the LORD God of hosts shall be with you, as ye boast.
Again he exhorts. - "That ye may live": that it may go well with you. - [Vulg. "As ye say," that is, "as ye boast." [The wicked boast of the Lord:] "Hath the hand of the Lord been shortened?" in Isaiah [Cap. 50, 2.], in Ezekiel, in Micah [Cap. 2, 7.: "Thinkest thou that the spirit of the Lord is] shortened?" 2c. Here you see the struggles of the prophets. Always the wicked boasted that they had a gracious God because of their good works,
1) Instead of inesdit in the outputs will read ineoäits.
as the Pope says: God is in our midst. [It is true,] "He will be with you," but you must do otherwise. "He will gladly be with you for this purpose, [for he speaks Mich. 2, 7.? "I am indeed pious," but with those who walk rightly. Otherwise you will boast in vain.
V. 15 [Hate the evil and love the good, establish justice in the gate, and the LORD God of hosts will be gracious to the rest in Joseph].
"In the gate", "that one judges rightly" the poor 2c. - ["The rest"? they are your few, "God can still preserve you", but because you do not hear, this will follow:
V. 16. 2) [Therefore, thus says the LORD God of hosts, the LORD: There will be wailing in all the streets 2c?
He passes from exhortation to threat. Therefore, because you do not hear, and the Lord is not with you, as you boast in all the courts, 3) I will make a lamentation in all the streets. "Even the husbandman shall be called to mourn," that is, I will make mourning so great that it shall be in the village also, not only in the city, that there shall not be a corner where there is not mourning and lamentation, that is, I will cause a general mourning throughout the land. And everyone, "what can only howl, that must howl, young, old, large and small".
V. 17. There will be wailing in all the vineyards.
That is, not only the husbandmen, but also all the vinedressers [will lament]. As I went about in Egypt, and smote all things, so will I destroy thee, and smite thee, as I did in Egypt. Here is the end of the exhortation and the teaching; I believe that another sermon follows.
2) In the Weimar edition, this section is attached to v. 16 without a verse number and without any distinction.
3) Here we have omitted the words: ktratis and I. 6. because they are too much.
V. 18. 1) More to those who desire the day of the Lord! What is it to you? For the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
He begins to speak against the stubborn and sure despisers. He attacks those who said that the prophet was nonsensical, who said, "Let come" the day of the Lord. Here you see how the wicked were minded: It will be "a transition"; after ten years it will be as before. They do not believe that the future calamity concerns them. Thus, all godless "seuffpfaffen (seuff apes) must remain" in great security. Thus they "defy the prophets" here. As if to say, "Dear sirs, do not defy him, he will be too hard for you." Night he calls the whole time of affliction and persecution; day, light, dawn he calls the welfare. [In Job and in the Psalms this image is frequent:] 2) By night his [the righteous man's] lamp shall not be put out [Proverbs 31:18.], his light shall shine. "The day of the LORD" is just this [future] calamity and not a blissful state, therefore you should not wish for it 2c.
V. 19 [As if someone flees from the "lion" and a bear meets him, and as if someone enters a house and leans against the wall with his hand, and a snake stings him].
This is a rebuke against the hard and the scornful 2c. The safe one will be in danger. As if to say, I will make you flee and be taken in flight. Persecution will come upon you and persecution will drive you further into flight. 3) There will be no safety, [but] terror 2c. Death [you will find] where you hope for life 2c. [It will go according to the proverb:] Escape from Scylla and get into Charybdis. They do not want to come to the word, and flee to the princes; [it] "happens right to them". Now follows an objection [, which the prophet refutes).
1) The verse numbers 18. and 19. are missing in the Weimar edition and what was said about these two verses is appended to v. 17.
2) Supplemented according to the Altenburg and Hall manuscripts.
3) In our prelims: st psrssoutio luxum änkit; we have assumed vos in iuMm.
V. 21. 4) [I am grudging of your feasts and despise them, and do not like to smell in your assemblies].
"Are we not pious people?" We sacrifice the fat 2c. [In the law it is written 2 Mos. 29, 18. 25.:] I will smell your sacrifice, done according to the law, as a sweet smell 2c. All that is done with the sacrifice he does with one word. Though you do great things, it will not be a (sweet) smell to me. "I do not like it." He condemns everything that the wicked do against GOD. "The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to GOD," it says in Proverbs (Cap. 21:27.). These people had the promises of God for the worship they performed, our [papists have nothing of this]. These services had a very beautiful appearance, therefore the prophet must have been very spiritual, who recognized that these things were carnal 2c.
V. 22 [Though you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I have no pleasure in them].
Munera [in the Vulgate], that is, oblationes, "grain offering," which the priest offered at the same time as the burnt offerings. - Non suscipiam [, that is), in this he will have no pleasure. - "The peace offerings", also of fattened cattle, "which have been on it", "I do not like to look at". 5) There was something great about this Boer prophet that he condemned these glorious and exceedingly apparent things.
V. 23. (Thou only away from me the noise of thy songs.)
Tumultum ["the blare"], that is, the great crowd. They had many alternate chants (responsoria), like us. (It) "none will be right". This is the judgment pronounced on their worship. Their pageantry is condemned. GOD wants to be worshipped in faith, otherwise he will not 2c. - Instead of lyra [in the Vulgate] it should be "psaltery play". "I don't like to hear it" because you are godless.
but the whole interpretation refers to v. 21, so this verse should have been placed here as a keyword, as was done in the Altenburg manuscript.
5) Instead of sussipiani in our original, the Vulgate will read rsspioiam.
V. 24. But the law shall be revealed as water.
According to the way of the prophets, he brings in the kingdom of Christ, and it is a transition. As if he wanted to say: "I let you have misfortune" through this worship of yours, [but] the time will come 2c. He is talking about the future gospel, when justice and righteousness will be revealed exceedingly abundantly 2c. Among this people the revelation and public preaching of righteousness has not yet taken place 2c., as with waters of the departing sea, as it is said in Isaiah [Cap. 48, 18.]. From this reprobate worship the prophet passes to the right and well-pleasing worship 2c. As if he wanted to say: "I am full of your sacrifices", as it is said in Is. 1, 11. But "a strong river" will be revealed, which no one can resist 2c. The Psalm [Ps. 40, 7.] says, "Sacrifices are not pleasing to thee, but thou hast opened mine ears." Those who want to preach the righteousness of GOD reject the righteousness of the law. It is all ungodly whatever you do; it will be another service, another song, another psaltery. 1) When? when will it be revealed? As a river "passeth through," so nowadays the word passeth through even where men rage most 2c. Before he preaches right righteousness, he first rejects the righteousness of works and the law. In Isaiah [Cap. 32, 1.] or rather in the book of Kings 1 Kings, Cap. 3] it is said: And there shall be a wise king, and righteousness upon the earth.
V. 25.2 ) [Did you of the house of Israel bring me sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for the forty years? Yes indeed]
1) Here we have adopted the Erlangen reading "aliuä P8a1 "st6rium1; the Weimar reading offers: alius xsalmus.
2) Here our original reads, "26. lt portastis." But the following interpretation obviously refers to v. 25.
This passage was quoted by Stephen in the Acts of the Apostles, Cap. 7, 42. f. Lucas followed the translation of the seventy interpreters: "Did you also sacrifice" or offer something to me? 2c. - [V. 26.] Sidus is "the star." - Here the interpreters agonize greatly from 2c. Note the prophecy of Balaam 4 Mos. 23, 21. 3) It is a synecdoche here. Both are said of the same people. Ps. 77, 18. [it is rebuked as an ungodliness that they demanded food], 4) in another Psalm [Ps. 105, 40.] it is taken for a praise. There they are condemned because they demanded in an ungodly way, here they are praised because they asked. There are both godly and ungodly in the people; the godly he comforts with promises, the ungodly hearts [he scares) 5) with threats 2c. Both he speaks to the whole people and yet 2c. "Two things" are in this people 2c. For the sake of the godly the food came, and the godless were condemned for the sake of the food. So also here [namely 4 Mos. 23, 21.). In Jacob was an idol, and [with the godly) was not an idol. Paul says of GOD that he also tolerated the exceedingly vile manner of the people, Apost. 13, 18 or [Cap.] 15 [?]. He speaks of those who had their idol and worship. As the fathers did in the wilderness, so do ye, as Stephen says 2c. All outward godliness is condemned, and the righteousness of faith is commended; the righteousness of works is reproved 2c.
the prophecy of the "star of Jacob" 4 Mos. 24, 17: could be meant. But it seems to us more appropriate to regard the words: Ziäus: stküam as a gloss thrown in between to the 26th verse, and to refer everything that follows still to the 25th verse, as the Hallic manuscript has done.
4) Supplemented by us according to the Altenburg manuscript.
5) This addition is also found in the Weimar edition.