1 3 4 5 CHAP. III. HEAR this word which Jehovah hath spoken || concerning you, O ye sons of Israel; even || concerning all the family which I brought up from the land of Egypt; saying: You only have I known From among all the families of the earth: All your iniquities. Can two go together, Unless they meet by appointment? When he hath no prey? Will the young lion utter his voice out of his den, Can a bird fall into a snare upon the earth, 1. O ye sons] The lxx and Arab. read n. "O house of Israel" which is the reading of many MSS. ---family] Used also for people or nation: Jer. viii. 3. Mic. ii. 3. 2. known] Acknowledged by revealing myself to you, and protecting you. 3. Can two, &c.] As a journey, in which two engage, naturally supposes a settled meeting; so the denouncing of God's designs by his prophets shews that he has made himself known to them. ઃઃ ---meet] Twiowo 5. 6. 7." Secker. 4. roar] Naturalists assert that, when the lion sees his prey, he roars before he rushes on it: and that at this roaring many animals shew great fear. See v. 8. He likewise roars over his prey. The sense seems to be, As the lion roareth on account of his prey; so by my prophets I cry aloud against you, because ye are the objects of my vengeance. See v. 8. 5. Can a bird, &c.] So I have prepared destruction against you; and the enemy shall not depart from you, till he have destroyed you. See the latter part of v. 6 Can---will] Shall---will? Perhaps, Will a snare rise, spring up? Secker. 6 די 8 9 Where no gin is set for him? Will a snare spring from the ground, Shall there be evil in a city, And Jehovah hath not inflicted it? Surely the Lord Jehovah doeth nothing, Unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared: who will not fear? Who will not prophesy? Publish it upon the palaces in Ashdod, Hebr. When taking it hath not taken. done. 6. Shall a trumpet, &c.] As the people run together through fear, when the signal of an approaching enemy is made; so let my warning strike the Israelites with terror. ---evil] Shall the evil of earthquakes, of unfruitful seasons, of hostile incursions, befal my people without my special appointment? 7. doeth] The Hebrew future has often the frequentative force: "is wont to do.” 8. The lion, &c.] The awful admonitions uttered by the prophets are as natural a consequence of God's command, as fear is of the lion's roaring, Fremitu leonis qualis audito tener Timidum juvencus applicat matri latus: Sen. Troad. 794. 9. ---upon the palaces] i. e. the flat roofs of the palaces, the usual place of publishing events. Matth. x. 27. See Bishop Lowth on Isai. xxii. 1. ---in Ashdod]"Ev Acσugeois Ó TUN. Recte. ut videtur: nam sæpe aux cum : et Azoto excidium prædictum fuit; c. i. 8." Secker. ---And say] I suppose this to be extra metrum. See c. viii. 5. 10 11 12 Gather yourselves together upon the mountains of And see great § tumults in the midst of her, For they know not to do right, saith Jehovah; Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: An enemy shall encompass the land, And shall bring down thy strength from thee; Thus saith Jehovah: 1 As the shepherd † taketh out of the lion's mouth So shall the Sons of Israel be † taken out, And in Damascus on the side of a couch. § Or, violences. || Hebr. Treasuring up. * Or, violence. Hebr. † rescueth. ‡ rescued. Samaria] The capital of the kingdom of Israel; situated on a hill, and surrounded by hills. Maundrell. p. 58. 1 Kings xvi. 24. Some of the versions read the mountain. See c. iv. 1. 11. ---shall encompass] Houbigant reads: hostis circumsidens, vel, circumsidebit. Perhaps circundabit; which exactly corresponds to the verb in the next line. See Syr." F. 20. sequiter "." Mr. Woide. Five MSS. have by. 171 12. Who sit] See c. vi. 4. Who now sit luxuriously on beds and couches. Jer. xxxvi. 15. Esth. 1. 6. Harmer ii. 60, endeavours to shew that the corner of a bed was the most honourable place: and by no he thinks that we may understand a divan; or a part of a room raised above the floor, and spread with a carpet in the winter, and in the summer with fine mats. A mattress laid on this floor might serve for a bed. See. p. 67. He also thinks that p may signify something made at Damascus. p. 67. Damascus] This prophecy may have been delivered when Jeroboam the Second was in possession of Damascus. 2 Kings xiv. 28. ... Because par in the Arabic version of Isai. iii. 22. is rendered peplum, Houbigant leads us to translate, Who dwell in Samaria, In the extremity of a bed, and in the covering of a couch. 13 14 15 Hear [O ye priests,] and testify to the house of Saith the Lord Jehovah, the God of hosts; § That in the day when I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also visit the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and shall fall to the ground: And I will smite the winter-house Together with the summer-house; And the houses of ivory shall be destroyed, And the great houses shall * have an end, saith || Hebr. visit upon. * Or, fail. be: § Or. surely. According to this conjectural rendering, the sense may So a very inconsiderable part shall escape, who hide themselves in the most retired places of their habitations." Professor Michaelis observes that MS. 93 r ads w2, which he renders in latibulo lecti: from the Arab. abdidit, occultavi." Mr. Woide. ---and in Damascus] "If we suppose the word properly to signify the covering of a couch, this name may have been given to it because probably it was generally made of a species of silk so called. in Arab. signifies the threads spun from a silkworm's thread; and the Hebrew word may be formed from it by the substitution of a cognate letter." Dr. Forsayeth. 13. O ye priests] The Ixx and Arab. supply this: and there seems to be a peculiar propriety in addressing the priests on this occasion. ---hosts] The word may comprehend the angelic host; the sun, moon and stars, which are the heavenly host; and the hosts, or armies, of all nations; but particularly those of the Jews, whom God led forth to battle when his people observed his law. 14. Bethel] See Kings xii. 29, 32. It's destruction is also foretold c. v. 5. and may be reffered to Jer. xlviii. 13. ---horns] See Ps. cxviii. 27. Ex. xxvii. 2. 15.-winter-house] See Jer. xxxvi. 22. ---of ivory] inlaid with ivory in some parts of them. Δωματα ηχηεία Χρυσε το ηλεκτρα τε, και αργυρά, ηδ' ελέφαντος. Non ebur, neque aureum Odyss. iv. 72. Mea renidet in domo lacunar. Hor. Od. L. ii. xviii. 1. See Harmer i. 181. and Boch. Hieroz. L. ii. xxiv. 252. K 1 3 CHAP. IV. HEAR this word, O ye kine of Bashan, And ye shall go out at the openings, every one Or, fishing instruments. 1. Hear] It should regularly be now: and Houbigant suggests that this word may have been originally written you, according to Gen. iv. 23. -O ye kine of Bashan] Bashan was famous for its flocks and herds. Deut. xxxii. 14. Ezek. xxxix. 18. The proud and luxurious matrons of Israel may be here described. Or if the reader supposes that the men of Israel are addressed, you may be construed with nata to naivopevov, or, according to the sense; and on may be the reading, v. 2. ---to their masters] Houbigant reads לאדניכן .Ar : and V. Syr. Masters, or Lords, are husbands. Gen. xviii. 12." Secker. 2. ---ye shall be taken away] Literally: one shall take you away. See on Jon. iii. 7. ---hooks] The original word in the masculine is used for thorns; but in the feminine it signifies shields. In Buxt. Lex, Rabb. Ny signifies canistrum corbis; and is equivalent to in Hebrew, they and being often changed. So that perhaps a fishing-instrument may be denoted, which, like some now in use, resembled a shield, or a basket, in its form. Our translators render hooks, from their analogy to thorns. ---nets of fishers] The original word in the masculine is used for thorns, and in the feminine for pots; and the sense of hooks is assumed by the English translators, as before. Perhaps the prophet means vessels of fishing resembling pots, with nets annexed to them. Those who think that the women of Israel are understood v. 1, may אתכן and עליכן .read in this v 3. ---at the openings] The apertures of the fishing instru |