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Don’t rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations; for you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
Verse 1. Reward, or “present.” The kings took the tithe. 1 Kennicott. 8:15. Other infidel nations rejoice in their wealth. Israel ought not to do so; and, in punishment of idolatry, it shall be despoiled. After Jeroboam II. all went to ruin.
The threshing floor and the wine press won’t feed them, and the new wine will fail her.
Verse 2. Deceive. The grapes shall yield no wine. Calmet.—Spem mentita seges. Hor. ii. ep. 2. and 3. ode 1. and 16.)
They won’t dwell in the LORD’s land; but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
Verse 3. Egypt, through distress. Calmet. 8:13. Saint Jerome verse 6. Worthington.—Sua afforded no protection, and the country proved a grave to those who retired thither.—Unclean. The people observed these prescriptions, though they neglected the more important duties. Only some pious souls, like Tobias, Daniel, and so forth refrained from such meats in exile. Calmet.—Ezechiel (4:9) foreshewed this by his bread. Saint Jerome
They won’t pour out wine offerings to the LORD, neither will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat of it will be polluted; for their bread will be for their appetite. It will not come into the LORD’s house.
Verse 4. Wine. They shall be at a distance from the temple, and in a country where the wine will not be deemed pure. The Jews will drink none which they have not made; and they usually lift up the cup, and pour out a little in God’s honour. This they could not do in Assyria, ( Calmet.) not having liberty to do all about the wine.—Sacrifices. The Israelites had long neglected to offer any in the temple, ( Bible.) though they had no hindrance. In exile, the fruits, and so forth were all accounted unclean, like meats used in mourning, ( Calmet.) which defiled those who partook of them. Deuteronomy 26:14. Numbers 19:11. “The sacrifices of heretics are the bread of mourning. They offer them not to God, but to the dead, to wicked heresiarchs.” Saint Jerome—Soul. They have need enough of it. Bible.—“Let them gratify their appetite; I love not what is unclean.” Saint Jerome
What will you do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
Verse 5. Lord, when he shall punish you. Isaiah 34:6. Bible.—Israel did not go to the temple, but they kept the festivals and banquets in their own manner, the privation of which they would feel.
For, behold, when they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them up. Memphis will bury them. Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver. Thorns will be in their tents.
Verse 6. Gather into the grave. Yet some shall escape. Calmet. 11:11.—Silver, which they buried at the approach of the enemy, hoping to recover it when they should depart. The Arabs do so still, ( Calmet.) and the Indians likewise, that they may have something to support them in the next world! Bernier.—Bur. Hebrew “thorns.” Calmet.
The days of visitation have come. The days of reckoning have come. Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool, and the man who is inspired to be insane, because of the abundance of your sins, and because your hostility is great.
Verse 7. Mad. Israel shall promise itself all prosperity, not being inspired by God, but full of madness. Worthington.—There were many false prophets. The true ones were often accounted idols. 4 Kennicott. 9:11. Ezekiel 3:25. Calmet.—“What is said respecting Israel, in this prophet, must be understood of heretics, who being truly mad, utter falsehoods against God. Saint Jerome—Septuagint “and Israel shall be hurt like the prophet beside himself, the man having (or hurried away by) the spirit.” Bible.
A prophet watches over Ephraim with my God. A fowler’s snare is on all of his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.
Verse 8. My God. I am such; but the false prophets strive to seduce you. Calmet.—Jeroboam ought to have restrained the people, and he did the reverse, setting up a calf at Bethel, which proved more ruinous than the crime of Gabaa, (Judith 19) or the election of Saul. “In ancient records, I cannot find that any have divided the Church but those who were appointed by God, priests and prophets, that is watchmen.” Saint Jerome—Indeed, almost all heresies owe their rise to the pride or lust of some who have been in high stations.—Madness. Hebrew “and hatred in (marg. against) the,” and so forth Prot. Bible.—Instead of standing up for the people, he provokes God.
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity. He will punish them for their sins.
Verse 9. Sin. As they have imitated the citizens of Gabaa, they may expect a similar fate. Calmet.
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at its first season; but they came to Baal Peor, and consecrated themselves to the shameful thing, and became abominable like that which they loved.
Verse 10. Top. These are the best. Bible.—The patriarchs were pleasing to God. He chose the Hebrews; but they began to worship Beelphegor or Adonis, even before the death of Moses. This worship was most shameful. What will not passion do when the gods shew the example!
As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, no one with child, and no conception.
Verse 11. Conception. Their children, in whom they glory, shall be destroyed ( Calmet.) in the very embryo. Bible.
Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!
Verse 12. When. Septuagint Th. “my flesh is taken from them,” which Theodoret, Lyran, and so forth explain of the incarnation; but Aquila, and so forth agree with the Vulg. which is more natural. Calmet.
I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place; but Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.
Verse 13. Tyre. The kingdom of Israel was no less proud. Ezekiel 26. Worthington.—It was in the highest prosperity under Jeroboam II. Osee saw this and the subsequent overthrow. Tyre was a most populous and wealthy city. Calmet.—Other interpreters have, “a rock;” Septuagint “a prey.” The latter read d for r. Saint Jerome Bible.—The Vulg. seems best. Calmet.—Tsor denotes, “Tyre and a rock.” Bible.
Give them—LORD what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
Verse 14. Children, as they have exposed them to the fury of the Assyrians, ( Calmet.) or to their idols. Drus.—The prophet appears to demand vengeance through zeal; but it is only a prediction. Calmet.
“All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds, I will drive them out of my house! I will love them no more. All their princes are rebels.
Verse 15. Galgal: “heaped together.” Bible.—When they erected profane altars here, I could spare them no longer. Calmet.—No more, so as to suffer them to pass unpunished. Bible.—He afterwards restored them to favour. Calmet. 1:10 and 2:14. Calmet.—At Galgal they rejected the Lord’s spiritual and temporal dominion. Menochius.
Ephraim is struck. Their root has dried up. They will bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, yet I will kill the beloved ones of their womb.”
Verse 16. Dried up. They are compared to a vine. Calmet. 10:1. Calmet.
My God will cast them away, because they didn’t listen to him; and they will be wanderers among the nations.