*H Woe is me, for I am become as one that gleaneth in autumn the grapes of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat, my soul desired the first ripe figs.
Ver. 1. Figs, which are the worst. S. Jer. S. Amb. in Lu. vii. 3. Yet they were eagerly sought after, before the other figs came to maturity. They had escaped the rigours of winter. Such Christ (C.) seemed to expect. Mark xi. 13.
*H The holy man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood, every one hunteth his brother to death.
Ver. 2. Holy man. Heb. chasid, (H.) "the pious" Assidean. 2 Mac. xiv. 6. The disorder of Israel was great, though some were religious. C. — Such expressions only mean that few could be found, and that the far greatest number rejected the prophet's advice. W.
*H The evil of their hands they call good: the prince requireth, and the judge is for giving: and the great man hath uttered the desire of his soul, and they have troubled it.
Ver. 3. Giving. Sept. "speaks words of peace." He flatters the prince, (H.) and dares not oppose the unjust. Syr. "he says, bring presents." — Troubled it; or, "have thy?" &c. Heb. "they confirm it."
*H He that is best among them, is as a brier, and he that is righteous, as the thorn of the hedge. The day of thy inspection, thy visitation cometh: now shall be their destruction.
Ver. 4. Brier. Heb. chedek, or "thorn." Sept. "a consuming moth." — Inspection, or of thy chiefs (H.) and prophets. C.
*H Believe not a friend, and trust not in a prince: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that sleepeth in thy bosom.
Ver. 5. Bosom. In times of general distress, even domestics are not trusted; because all are solicitous for themselves, even to the prejudice of others. W. — Before the ruin of Israel civil wars raged. 4 K. xv. Our Saviour alludes to this passage, Mat. x. 35. Lu. xii. 52. and xxi. 16. People will rise up to oppress true believers; and these must abandon their nearest relations, when they prove an obstacle to salvation. Thus is the moral, and the other the literal sense. C.
* Footnote * Matthew 10 : 21
The brother also shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the son; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall put them to death.* Footnote ** Matthew 10 : 36
And a man's enemies shall be they of his own household.*H And my enemy shall behold, and she shall be covered with shame, who saith to me: Where is the Lord thy God? my eyes shall look down upon her: now shall she be trodden under foot as the mire of the streets.
Ver. 10. She; Babylon, my enemy. Ch. — It was taken by the Medes and Persians, who set the Jews at liberty, to the great mortification of their enemies. W. — God thus displayed his justice or mercy, rescuing his people from the night of misery. — Streets. Cyrus treated the fallen city with contempt. It stood for some time afterwards. C.
*H The day shall come, that thy walls may be built up: in that day shall the law be far removed.
Ver. 11. Law of thy enemies, who have tyrannized over thee. Ch. — The walls of Jerusalem are ordered to be rebuilt. Agg. i.
*H In that day they shall come even from Assyria to thee, and to the fortified cities: and from the fortified cities even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
Ver. 12. Fortified. Heb. also, "Egypt, and from Egypt to the river Euphrates," &c. The Jews shall occupy their ancient limits. Amos viii. 12. C. — The fenced cities may be Pelusium, Gaza, Tyre, &c. From all parts the captives shall return. H. — They were very numerous under the Machabees, and in the time of Christ. C.
*H And the land shall be made desolate because of the inhabitants thereof, and for the fruit of their devices.
Ver. 13. Land of Babylon, (Ch.) or "the land of Judea (H.) has been," &c. It might also be again made desolate, because the captives built houses for themselves, and neglected the temple. Agg. i. 10.
*H Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy inheritance, them that dwell alone in the forest, in the midst of Carmel: they shall feed in Basan and Galaad, according to the days of old.
Ver. 14. Alone: destitute of all things, or in full security. Jer. xv. 17. Num. xxiii. 9. God will feed his people (C.) in the most fertile places, designated by Carmel and Basan. H. — A pastor must maintain sound doctrine and discipline. W.
*H According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt, I will shew him wonders.
Ver. 15. Wonders. The prophets speaking of the return, have Christ and his religion in view; so that they seem not to find terms sufficiently magnificent. Is. ix. 15. and xliii. 16. Zac. x. 11. We know from Esdras that nothing so surprising attended the liberation of the people. C.
*H The nations shall see, and shall be confounded at all their strength: they shall put the hand upon the mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
Ver. 16. Strength, because they cannot overcome the Hebrews or Christians. M. — Deaf, being astonished. Job xxi. 5.
*H They shall lick the dust like serpents, as the creeping things of the earth, they shall be disturbed in their houses: they shall dread the Lord, our God, and shall fear thee.
Ver. 17. Serpents, (Gen. iii. 14.) out of respect or rage. C. — Converts shall humbly apply to the ministers of Christ to receive baptism and confirmation. Theod. Sanct. lxvii.
*H Who is a God like to thee, who takest away iniquity, and passest by the sin of the remnant of thy inheritance? he will send his fury in no more, because he delighteth in mercy.
Ver. 18. No more, for past offences. Yet, if they transgress again, they must not expect impunity. The Jews still bleed for the murder of the Messias. C.
* Footnote * Jeremias 10 : 6
There is none like to thee, O Lord: thou art great, and great is thy name in might.* Footnote * Acts 10 : 43
To him all the prophets give testimony, that by his name all receive remission of sins, who believe in him.*H He will turn again, and have mercy on us: he will put away our iniquities: and he will cast all our sins into the bottom of the sea.
Ver. 19. Away. Prot. "subdue," (H.) or trample upon. C.
*H Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, the mercy to Abraham: which thou hast sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
Ver. 20. Truth, performing what he had promised out of mercy to Abraham. W.