*H Hear ye what the Lord saith: Arise, contend thou in judgment against the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
Ver. 1. The mountains, &c. That is, the princes, the great ones of the people. Ch. — But Heb. intimates real mountains, which had witnessed the impiety of the people, (C.) and had been defiled with their altars, &c. Prot. "Contend thou before the," &c. (H.) as God's advocate. He condescends to justify his conduct towards Israel. Is. iii. 13. C. — He had shewn them great favours, but they were ungrateful. Off. for good Frid. W.
* Footnote * Jeremias 2 : 5
Thus saith the Lord: What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?*H For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and delivered thee out of the house of slaves: and I sent before thy face Moses, and Aaron, and Mary.
Ver. 4. Slaves. Their prison, in Algiers, &c. is dreadful. C. — Mary. She taught the women. Chal. Theod. — She was a figure of Christ's mother, as Moses and Aaron were of himself. W.
*H O my people, remember, I pray thee, what Balach, the king of Moab, purposed: and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him, from Setim to Galgal, that thou mightest know the justice of the Lord.
Ver. 5. From Setim to Galgal. He puts them in mind of the favour he did them, in not suffering them to be quite destroyed by the evil purpose of Balach and the wicked counsel of Balaam; and then gives them a hint of the wonders he wrought in order to bring them into the land of promise, by stopping the course of the Jordan, in their march from Setim to Galgal. Ch. — Galgala, "limits," may denote those of the Jordan, between which river and Setim Israel was encamped. Num. xxii. and xxv. — Justices. Sym. "mercies." C.
* Footnote * Numbers 22 : 23
The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way,*H What shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? wherewith shall I kneel before the high God? shall I offer holocausts unto him, and calves of a year old?
Ver. 6. What shall I offer, &c. This is spoken in the person of the people, desiring to be informed what they are to do to please God. Ch. — They can answer nothing in their own defence.
*H May the Lord be appeased with thousands of rams, or with many thousands of fat he goats? shall I give my firstborn for my wickedness, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Ver. 7. Fat. Heb. "torrents of oil." — First-born, like Jephte, or the king of Moab. Jud. xi. and 4 K. iii. 27. Saturn taught the Phœnicians this impiety. Eus. præp. iv. 16. C.
*H I will shew thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: Verily to do judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk solicitous with thy God.
Ver. 8. Solicitous. Heb. also, "humbly." H. — This was preferable to all other sacrifices of the old law, (W.) and was frequently inculcated. Deut. x. 12. Ps. xlix. 9. Is. i. 11. Yet the carnal Jews always made perfection consist in exterior ceremonies.
* Footnote * Zacharias 7 : 9
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, saying: Judge ye true judgment, and shew ye mercy and compassion every man to his brother.* Footnote * Matthew 23 : 23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you tithe mint and anise and cummin and have left the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and faith. These things you ought to have done and not to leave those undone.* Footnote * Deuteronomy 6 : 2
That thou mayst fear the Lord thy God, and keep all his commandments and precepts, which I command thee, and thy sons, and thy grandsons, all the days of thy life, that thy days may be prolonged.* Footnote * Deuteronomy 26 : 16
This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these commandments and judgments: and to keep and fulfil them with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.*H The voice of the Lord crieth to the city, and salvation shall be to them that fear thy name: hear O ye tribes, and who shall approve it?
Ver 9. City, to all mankind. — Salvation. Heb. "wisdom shall consider thy name." Syr. "doctrine to those who fear his name." — It? Who will attend? C.
*H As yet there is a fire in the house of the wicked, the treasures of iniquity, and a scant measure full of wrath.
Ver 10. Full of wrath, &c. That is, highly provoking in the sight of God. Ch. — False weights are often condemned. Deut. xxxv. 13. C.
*H Thou shalt eat, but shalt not be filled: and thy humiliation shall be in the midst of thee: and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not save: and those whom thou shalt save, I will give up to the sword.
Ver. 14. And thy. Sept. "I will cast thee away into thyself." H. — Hold of some fruit. C. — Thy wife shall miscarry; (Vat. &c.) or if she bring forth, the children shall perish by the sword.
*H Thou shalt sow, but shalt not reap: thou shalt tread the olives, but shalt not be anointed with oil: and the new wine, but shalt not drink the wine.
Ver 15. New. Sept. "grave." H. — "It is good for thee, when thou knowest thy error, to have no disciples." S. Jer.
* Footnote * Deuteronomy 28 : 38
Thou shalt cast much seed into the ground, and gather little: because the locusts shall consume all.* Footnote * Aggeus 1 : 6
You have sowed much, and brought in little: you have eaten, but have not had enough: you have drunk, but have not been filled with drink: you have clothed yourselves, but have not been warmed: and he that hath earned wages, put them into a bag with holes.*H For thou hast kept the statutes of Amri, and all the works of the house of Achab: and thou hast walked according their wills, that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing, and you shall bear the reproach of my people.
Ver. 16. The statutes of Amri, &c. The wicked ways of Amri and Achab, idolatrous kings. Ch. — They were the most infamous of Israel. 3 K. xvi. 25. 30. W. — Heb. "the statutes of Amri are kept." Sept. "The precepts (ámi) of my people shall parish" H. — You, rich men. C. — Sept. "you shall receive the reproach of people." H.