The prophet remains to announce the captivity. He starts something new all. In the following sermon he summarizes at the same time the two tribes Judah and Benjamin with the ten tribes. He attacks both kingdoms and prophesies captivity to them. Ulld he seems to prophesy of the last captivity, but we want to remain with the simple context and with the history.
V. 1. Woe to the proud of Zion, and to those who rely on the mountain of Samaria, who boast the most noble of the Gentiles, and walk in the house of Israel.
Not as if he condemned wealth, but that which is extorted and obtained from the sweat and toil of the poor. - "Samaria," that is, in the kingdom of Israel. - "Forsaking," that is, you who are stiff-necked. "You are proud," you who are in Samaria, you are even confident. They rely on their power and riches, it is rather said [, than they rely on the mountain of Samaria]. 1) It must be taken absolutely-Optimally, "the noblest," the noblest among the people. With pride and splendor you go out for yourselves in the house of Israel, that is, you seek your own in the kingdom of Israel. To go in and out is to have one's way, Apost. 1, 21. 1, 21. It is a Hebrew way of speaking: You in the house of Israel have your walk according to your desire; this is better than pompatice incedere. For themselves they go along, for their gain, for their lust 2c. They seek their own in the kingdom of Israel.
V. 2 Go to Calne and see.
Here you can see what he wants to say with the "going in Israel" 2c. As if he wanted to say: You do it before those kingdoms. This small kingdom feeds as many satraps as we say: Germany feeds the bishops. The richest are fed by the goods of the poor 2c. Rome hardly had such rich people. "Kalne" was a city of the Parthians, where the
1) Compare Col. 174V, note 4.
Roman Empire ceased. Go to Ctesiphon, to the kingdom of the Parthians, to the east. - "Hemath" is the land in which Antioch lies, in Syria, a very famous kingdom. - ["Gen Gath of the] Philistines," toward the west. Look at the best (optima) in those kingdoms, look' at the princes lind noblest and you will see that they are not equal to you. It would be good if the masculine were put: the best (optimos). - "And their border greater" (Si latior), whether they have as great a space under their rule as you have. So it is said Is. 5, 8: "There is no end of the battle", all the oerter are taken, that the poor can hardly have a place to dwell there. Here you see that wealth is not well acquired.
V. 3. [Who respect you far from the evil day.]
Ye are kept for the day of evil captivity, though ye be rich. - Instead of et appropinquatis, it should read: et acceditis [you are bent on] sitting or dwelling in injustice, violence, robbery. But by this ye deal, that ye rule among the people 2c., "that ye may become high and great." It indicates the striving.
V. 4. And sleep on ivory couches, and have abundance with your beds.
He describes their splendor and abundance. Thus you "adorn" the houses, as if you wanted to remain forever. Instead of lascivire, it should read: "to make abundance". He punishes the expenditure in beds. [You] "make probably four bed-beds" 2) in one bed. He does not indicate fornication, but the expense and splendor of the camps. Ye eat the choice lambs of the flock, which are best to eat. The best of the flock you devour; "the best belongs" to the masters.
2) In the original: "bed bed".
V. 5 And play on the psaltery, and make up songs for yourselves, as David did.
In psalteriis, that is, on harps. 1) [They^ "have a good courage, eat and drink". As the prophet taunts them, so they play on the psaltery to match David. But they do nothing less than what David did, who did this to inflame the hearts to the praise of God, but those only for pomp and splendor, and say: David also played on the psaltery 2c.
V. 6.2 ) [And drink wine from the bowls, and anoint yourselves with balm, and care nothing for the harm of Joseph.[
"They drink wine out of golden cups and bowls. The Lord would easily suffer them to have riches, if only they would also care for the poor and for justice. They are not concerned about the kingdom of Israel 2c. They have among themselves the very damaged kingdom and [go about damaging it even more] (et conterendum) 2c. Nowadays, the princes are seen to be abundant, and there is no end to the oppression of the poor; and yet, in the meantime, they do not care about them, and there is no one to judge the oppressors.
V. 7. Therefore they shall now go in front among those who are led away captive, and the feasting of the pillories shall cease.
Therefore, let those be first in punishment who are first in guilt, Auferetur [, that is, "let it cease"]. [Instead of factio in the Vulgate it should be] convivium [; instead of] lascivientium [it should be]: of those who do abundance (luxuriantium). 3) "Let the feasting of the pillories cease," which 4) have everything shining and glorious.
V. 8 For the LORD hath sworn by his soul, saith the LORD God of hosts:
1) Instead of nablis, Wohl should read nsbüis.
2) In the Weimar edition, this section is attached to the preceding one without a new verse number and without any distinction.
3) Both the Erlangen and the Weimar read: iuxuriontinm.
4) Instead of Huas, Hui pomposis should probably be read.
I am displeased with the courts of Jacob, and I am grieved for their palaces; and I will also deliver up the city, and all that is therein.
Gen. 19, 24: "Then the LORD rained fire and brimstone from the LORD." In Zechariah [Cap. 3, 2.] the LORD says of the LORD, "The LORD rebuke thee." Here the HErr swears and says, The HErr 2c. This indicates the difference of persons in the Godhead. - Instead of domos it would be better to say "palaces," the splendid ones of which they boast and are proud, in which, they think, they please me. - [Instead of) cum habitatoribus [in the Vulgate, the Hebrew reads:] with their abundance. According to the figure of the synecdoche, he has put "the city" for the cities, 5) "with all that is within." It is a Hebrew idiom [Ps. 24, 1. Vulg.]: The earth is the LORD's and its fullness, that is, all that is on the earth.
V. 9 [And though ten men remain in one house, yet they shall die].
If a city is destroyed except for ten people, they will also die; I will even devastate this kingdom.
V. 10: That every man must be taken away from his family and carry his bones out of the house.
He wants to say: So great will be the misery in this captivity that there will be a lack of crew and the ability to bury the dead). All of them have been burned 2c. "A peasant" image "of Thekon." - Propinquus.], "his cousin".
[And will say, Be satisfied; for they would not that the name of the LORD should be remembered].
"To remember the name of the Lord" is a Hebrew expression that is also found in the Psalms [Ps. 45, 18]. Likewise [Ps. 20, 8.], "They rely on chariots and horses, but we remember the name of the LORD." Likewise in the New Testament
5) In the manuscript: ?er [nooZooiion civitalem pro tos. Instead of tos, we have assumed oivitastoss according to the Hall manuscript. Both the Erlanger and the Weimarsche offer: pro^pNotss tosstaturs.
[Luc. 22, 19: "This is for my remembrance" 2c. This is nothing other than preaching. Giving thanks and being joyful. This remembrance is the action of the word and the following of Christ. In Isaiah [Cap. K4, 5.] it is said, "They that remembered thee in thy ways." When the kingdom of mercy is in bloom, "thou shalt meet them," that is, thou hearest, they praise thee, and are glad. The meaning [of our passage] is: the neighbor who wants to burn the body will say, "Be quiet, for here is not 2c. "Here is not much delicious preaching, boasting" of mercy, but here is "crying and wailing," as is also evident from Isaiah. This is our remembrance: "weeping and wailing", because there is not the remembrance of the name of the Lord; "so purely shall it be carried out". Only mourning and lamentation over the misery will remain, 1) and the remembrance of the Lord and his mercy has ceased.
V. 11. 2) For behold, the LORD commanded that the great houses should be smitten, that they should gain crack (ruinis) 2c.
That is, he will smite all houses, both great and small; no one will be safer [than another]; "it shall all come to the ground."
1) In our version, after miserias, it says in parenthesis: "(rninis est)", certainly erroneously. This will be a gloss to the following verse, because there we read (v. 12. of the Vulgate): pereutiet domuw mujorem ^"r'-rrs.
2) Here the Weimar does not have a new verse number.
V. 12: Who can run with horses or plow with oxen on rocks?
"Horses do not walk well on the stones, cows do not plow well." A rustic image. I think they are pregnant cows; otherwise they are used to plow with cattle. The meaning is: the Lord "cannot perish" with the people. He wants to say that this people is not fit for God to deal with, not fit for the service of God. For you are rich and indulgent. You are not skillful and fit for the service of GOD, for the work of GOD. - "You turn justice into gall," that is, you afflict and beat the wretched and the poor.
V. 13. and be comforted that it is nothing at all 2c.
"You have good days." You boast of wealth, of prosperity, of honor, all of which is nothing. "Your joy shall come to an end." - "Are we not strong enough with our horns?" That is, you boast of the tyranny that you yourselves have usurped, "have put on horns" by force, as if you were right in doing so and it were granted to you.
V. 14. Therefore, behold, I will raise up a nation over you from the house of Israel 2c.
"Hemath" is where the kingdom of Israel begins and ends. That is, I will bring in a people from midnight, who will make all things desolate, from the beginning of the kingdom to the end 2c. "But this is [times] a sermon" 2c.