Bible Commentaries

The ^a virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; [there is] none to raise her up.

(a) He so calls them, because they so boasted of themselves, or because they were given to lustfulness and daintiness.

For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out [by] a thousand shall leave ^b an hundred, and that which went forth [by] an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.

(b) Meaning, that the tenth part would hardly be saved.

But seek not Bethel, nor enter into ^c Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.

(c) In those places they worshipped new idols, which before served for the true honour of God: therefore he says that these will not save them.

Ye who turn ^d judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

(d) Instead of judgment and fairness they execute cruelty and oppression.

[Seek him] that ^e maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD [is] his name:

(e) He describes the power of God; (Job 9:9).

They hate him ^f that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

(f) They hate the Prophets, who reprove them in the open assemblies.

Forasmuch therefore as your treading [is] upon the poor, and ^g ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

(g) You take both his money and also his food, with which he should live.

Therefore ^h the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it [is] an evil time.

(h) God will so plague them that they will not allow the godly to open their mouths once to admonish them of their faults.

Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing [shall be] in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the ⁱ husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.

(i) So that people of all types will have reason to lament because of the great plagues.

Woe unto you that ^k desire the day of the LORD! to what end [is] it for you? the day of the LORD [is] darkness, and not light.

(k) He speaks in this way because the wicked and hypocrites said they were content to endure God's judgments, whereas the godly tremble and fear; (Jeremiah 30:7) ; (Joel 2:2) , (Joel 2:11), (Zephaniah 1:15).

Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, ^l I will not accept [them]: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

(l) Because you have corrupted my true service, and remain obstinate in your vices; (Isaiah 1:11) ; (Jeremiah 6:10).

But let judgment run down as ^m waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

(m) Do your duty to God, and to your neighbour, and so you will plentifully feel his grace, if you show your abundant affections according to God's word.

But ye have borne the tabernacle of your ⁿ Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

(n) That idol which you esteemed as your king, and carried about as you did Chiun, in which images you thought that there was a certain divinity.