The distress and captivity of Israel for their sins and idolatry.
The tenne tribes shal suffer famine: 12. be depriued of their children: and made captiue.
1Rejoice not, O Israel: rejoice not as the nations do: for thou hast committed fornication against thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.Non far tanta festa, o Israele, non tripudiare come fanno le genti perocché tu hai ripudiato il tuo Dio hai amato per tua mercede le aie (piene) di grano.BE not glad Israel, reioyce not as the peoples: because thon hast fornicated from thy God, thou hast loued reward aboue al the flores of wheate.Noli lætari, Israël; / noli exsultare sicut populi: / quia fornicatus es a Deo tuo; / dilexisti mercedem super omnes areas tritici. 2The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the wine shall deceive them.Né l'aia, né lo strettoio daran loro il sostentamento, e la vigna deluderà la loro espettazione.The flore and the winepresse shal not feede them, and the wine shal lie to them.Area et torcular non pascet eos, / et vinum mentietur eis: 3They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land: Ephraim is returned to Egypt, and hath eaten unclean things among the Assyrians.Non abiteranno nella terra del Signore. Ephraim è tornato in Egitto, e mangerà tra gli Assiri vivande impure.They shal not dwel in the land of our Lord: Ephraim is returned into Aegypt, and among the Assyrians he hath eaten the thing polluted.non habitabunt in terra Domini. / Reversus est Ephraim in Ægyptum, / et in Assyriis pollutum comedit. 4They shall not offer wine to the Lord, neither shall they please him: their sacrifices shall be like the bread of mourners: all that shall eat it shall be defiled: for their bread is life for their soul, it shall not enter into the house of the Lord.Non faranno le libagioni del vino al Signore; e le loro obblazioni non saranno gradite a lui: i lor sagrifizj saran come il pane de' funerali, chiunque ne mangerà, si renderà immondo: il loro pane sia per loro: non entrerà nel tempio del Signore.They shal not offer wine to our Lord, and they shal not please him: their sacrfices as the bread of mourners: al that shal eate it, shal be contaminated: because their bread for their soule, shal not enter into the house of our Lord.Non libabunt Domino vinum, / et non placebunt ei. / Sacrificia eorum quasi panis lugentium; / omnes qui comedent eum, contaminabuntur: / quia panis eorum animæ ipsorum: / non intrabit in domum Domini. 5What will you do in the solemn day, in the day of the feast of the Lord?Che farete voi nel dì solenne, nel dì della festa del Signore?what wil you doe in the solemne day, in the day of the festiuitie of our Lord?Quid facietis in die solemni, / in die festivitatis Domini ?
6For behold they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them together, Memphis shall bury them: nettles shall inherit their beloved silver, the bur shall be in their tabernacles.Imperocché eccoli che fuggono dal devastato paese. L'Egitto li raccoglierà, Memphi darà loro la sepoltura. L'amato argento loro rimarrà sotto le ortiche, nelle loro case cresceranno le lappole.For behold they are gone forth from destruction: Aegypt shal gather them together, Memphis shal burie them: their siluer to be desyred the nettle shal inherite, the burre in their tabernacles.Ecce enim profecti sunt a vastitate: / Ægyptus congregabit eos; / Memphis sepeliet eos: / desiderabile argentum eorum urtica hæreditabit, / lappa in tabernaculis eorum. 7The days of visitation are come, the days of repaying are come: know ye, O Israel, that the prophet was foolish, the spiritual man was mad, for the multitude of thy iniquity, and the multitude of thy madness.I giorni di visita son venuti, son venuti i giorni di vendetta. Sappi, o Israele, che il (tuo) profeta è uno stolto, un mentecatto è l'uomo ispirato, per ragione delle molte tue iniquità, e della tua somma stoltezza.The dayes of visitation are come, the dayes are come of retributions: know ô Israel the foolish prophete, the mad spiritual man, for the multitude of thine iniquitie, the multitude also madnes.Venerunt dies visitationis, / venerunt dies retributionis. / Scitote, Israël, / stultum prophetam, / insanum virum spiritualem, / propter multitudinem iniquitatis tuæ, / et multitudinem amentiæ. 8The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: the prophet is become a snare of ruin upon all his ways, madness is in the house of his God.La sentinella (che dovea star) col mio Dio in Ephraim, il profeta è diventato lacciuolo teso in tutte le sue strade per far cadere; stoltezza nella casa del suo Dio.The watchman of Ephraim with my God: the prophete is made a snare of ruine vpon al his wayes, madnes in the house of his God.Speculator Ephraim cum Deo meo, / propheta laqueus ruinæ factus est super omnes vias ejus; / insania in domo Dei ejus. 9They have sinned deeply, as in the days of Gabaa: he will remember their iniquity, and will visit their sin.Hanno peccato profondamente come ne' suoi dì i Gabaoniti. Il Signore si ricorderà della loro perversità, e visiterà i loro peccati.They haue sinned deeply, as in the dayes of Gabaa: he wil remember their iniquitie, and wil visite their sinne.Profunde peccaverunt, sicut in diebus Gabaa. / Recordabitur iniquitatis eorum, / et visitabit peccata eorum. 10I found Israel like grapes in the desert, I saw their fathers like the firstfruits of the fig tree in the top thereof: but they went in to Beelphegor, and alienated themselves to that confusion, and became abominable, as those things were, which they loved.Trovai Israele come un grappolo d'uva in mezzo al deserto, i padri loro mirai come i frutti primaticci sulla vetta d'una ficaia. Ma eglino nella casa entrarono di Beelphegor, si consagrarono all'obbrobrio, diventarono abbominevoli come le cose, che amarono.As grapes in the desert I found Israel: as the first fruites of the figtree in the toppe therof I saw their fathers: but they haue entered into Beelphegor, and are alienated into confusion, and are become abominable, as those thinges, which they loued.Quasi uvas in deserto inveni Israël, / quasi prima poma ficulneæ in cacumine ejus vidi patres eorum: / ipsi autem intraverunt ad Beelphegor, / et abalienati sunt in confusionem, / et facti sunt abominabiles sicut ea quæ dilexerunt.
11As for Ephraim, their glory hath flown away like a bird from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.La gloria di Ephraim è sparita come un uccello subito dopo il parto, nel seno materno, fin dal concepimento.Ephraim as a bird hath flowen away, their glorie from birth, and from the wombe, and from conception.Ephraim quasi avis avolavit; / gloria eorum a partu, et ab utero, et a conceptu. 12And though they should bring up their children, I will make them without children among men: yea, and woe to them, when I shall depart from them.E quand'anche rilevassero i loro figliuoli, io farò, che rimangan tra gli uomini senza figliuoli. E oltre a ciò guai a coloro, quand'io gli avrò lasciati in abbandono.But if they shal nourish vp their children, I wil make them without children among men: yea & wo to them, when I shal depart from them.Quod etsi enutrierint filios suos, / absque liberis eos faciam in hominibus; / sed et væ eis cum recessero ab eis ! 13Ephraim, as I saw, was a Tyre, founded in beauty: and Ephraim shall bring out his children to the murderer.Ephraim, qual io lo vidi, era simile a Tiro piantata in florido luogo: ma Ephraim darà i proprj figliuoli nelle mani dell'uccisore.Ephraim, as I saw, was Tyre founded in beautie: and Ephraim shal lead out his children to the murderer.Ephraim, ut vidi, Tyrus erat fundata in pulchritudine; / et Ephraim educet ad interfectorem filios suos. 14Give them, O Lord. What wilt thou give them? Give them a womb without children, and dry breasts.Dà loro, o Signore. Che darai loro? Dà loro uteri infecondi, e vizze mammelle.Geue them ô Lord, what wilt thou geue to them? Geue them a wombe without children, and dire brests.Da eis, Domine. Quid dabis eis ? / da eis vulvam sine liberis, et ubera arentia. 15All their wickedness is in Galgal, for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their devices I will cast them forth out of my house: I will love them no more, all their princes are revolters.Il sommo della loro malvagità fu a Galgal, ivi io li presi in avversione: li caccerò dalla mia casa a motivo dei perversi loro pensamenti: non avrò più amore per essi: tutti i loro principi son tanti ribelli.Al their wicked in Galgal, because there I hated them: for the malice of their inentions I wil cast forth out of my house: I wil not adde to loue them, al their princes reuolters.Omnes nequitiæ eorum in Galgal, / quia ibi exosos habui eos. / Propter malitiam adinventionum eorum, / de domo mea ejiciam eos; / non addam ut diligam eos: / omnes principes eorum recedentes.
16Ephraim is struck, their root is dried up, they shall yield no fruit. And if they should have issue, I will slay the best beloved fruit of their womb.Ephraim è stato percosso: secca è la loro radice: non produrranno più frutto: e quando divengano padri, io ucciderò loro i figliuoli più cari.Ephraim is strooken, their roote is dried vp, they shal yeld no fruite. But and if they shal haue issue, I wil kil the best beloued things of their wombe.Percussus est Ephraim; / radix eorum exsiccata est: / fructum nequaquam facient, / quod etsi genuerint, / interficiam amantissima uteri eorum. 17My God will cast them away, because they hearkened not to him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.Rigetteralli il mio Dio, perchè non lo hanno ascoltato, e saran vagabondi tralle nazioni.My God wil cast them away, because they heare him not: and they shal be vagabunds in the nations.Abjiciet eos Deus meus, quia non audierunt eum, / et erunt vagi in nationibus.
9:1
Reward, or "present." The kings took the tithe, 1 Kings 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.
9:2
Calmet
Deceive. The grapes shall yield no wine. (Calmet)
Spem mentita seges. (Horace 2:ep. 2. and 3. ode 1. and 16.)
9:3
Sua afforded no protection, and the country proved a grave to those who retired thither.
Calmet
Unclean. The people observed these prescriptions, though they neglected the more important duties. Only some pious souls, like Tobias, Daniel, etc., refrained from such meats in exile. (Calmet)
St. Jerome
Ezechiel 4:9. foreshewed this by his bread. (St. Jerome)
9:4
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.
St. Jerome
Sacrifices. The Israelites had long neglected to offer any in the temple, (Haydock) though they had no hindrance. In exile, the fruits, etc., were all accounted unclean, like meats used in mourning, (Calmet) which defiled those who partook of them, Deuteronomy 26:14., and 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." (St. Jerome)
Haydock
Soul. They have need enough of it. (Haydock)
St. Jerome
"Let them gratify their appetite; I love not what is unclean." (St. Jerome)
9:5
Haydock
Lord, when he shall punish you, Isaias 34:6. (Haydock)
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.
9:6
Gather into the grave. Yet some shall escape, Osee 11:11.
Bernier
Silver, which they have 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)
Calmet
Bur. Hebrew, "thorns." (Calmet)
9:7
Worthington
Mad. Israel shall promise itself all prosperity, not being inspired by God, but full of madness. (Worthington)
Calmet
There were many false prophets. The true ones were often accounted fools, 4 Kings 9:11., and Ezechiel 3:25. (Calmet)
St. Jerome
"What is said respecting Israel, in this prophet, must be understood of heretics, who being truly mad, utter falsehoods against God." (St. Jerome)
Haydock
Septuagint, "and Israel shall be hurt like the prophet beside himself, the man having (or hurried away by) the spirit." (Haydock)
9:8
Calmet
My God. I am such; but the false prophets strive to seduce you. (Calmet)
St. Jerome
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, (Judges xix.) 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." (St. Jerome)
Indeed, almost all heresies owe their rise to the pride or lust of some who have been in high stations.
Haydock
Madness. Hebrew, "and hatred in (marginal note: against) the," etc. (Protestants) (Haydock)
Instead of standing up for the people, he provokes God.
9:9
Calmet
Sin. As they have imitated the citizens of Gabaa, they may expect a similar fate. (Calmet)
9:10
Haydock
Top. These are the best. (Haydock)
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!
9:11
Haydock
Conception. Their children, in whom they glory, shall be destroyed (Calmet) in the very embryo. (Haydock)
9:12
Calmet
When. Septuagint Theodotion, "my flesh is taken from them," which Theodoret, Lyranus, etc., explain of the incarnation; but Aquila, etc., agree with the Vulgate which is more natural. (Calmet)
9:13
Worthington
Tyre. The kingdom of Israel was no less proud, Ezechiel xxvi. (Worthington)
Calmet
It was in the highest prosperity under Jeroboam 2:Osee saw this and the subsequent overthrow. Tyre was a most populous and wealthy city. (Calmet)
Haydock
Other interpreters have, "a rock;" Septuagint, "a prey." The latter read d for r. (St. Jerome) (Haydock)
Calmet
The Vulgate seems best. (Calmet)
Haydock
Tsor denotes, "Tyre and a rock." (Haydock)
9:14
Drusius
Children, as they have exposed them to the fury of the Assyrians, (Calmet) or to their idols. (Drusius)
Calmet
The prophet appears to demand vengeance through zeal; but it is only a prediction. (Calmet)
9:15
Haydock
Galgal: "heaped together." (Haydock)
Calmet
When they erected profane altars here, I could spare them no longer. (Calmet)
Haydock
No more, so as to suffer them to pass unpunished. (Haydock)
Calmet
He afterwards restored them to favour, Osee 1:10., and 2:14. (Calmet)
Menochius
At Galgal they rejected the Lord's spiritual and temporal dominion. (Menochius)
9:16
Calmet
Dried up. They are compared to a vine, Osee 10:1. (Calmet)
9:3
Manie of the kingdom of Israel by reason of famine and other distresses, vvil flee into Aegypt, as both this place, and the same wordes. ch. 8. v. 13. do foreshevv. 8 Ierom. & Theodoret. v. 6.
9:7
Israel did foolishly prophecie al prosperity to them selues,
not inspired by God, but replenished vvith furie of madnes.
9:9
Concordance Iudic. 19. 1. Reg. 8. 4. Reg. 9.
9:13
The kingdom of Israel vvas as proud and insolent as Tyre. Isai. 23. Ezech. 26. 27. & 28.
9:4
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 54.5
… “Their sacrifices are as the bread of mourning; all that eat thereof shall be polluted.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 67.3
… themselves that they can be free from the contagion of sin, while communicating with a priest who is a sinner, and yielding their consent to the unjust and unlawful episcopacy of their overseer, when the divine reproof by Hosea the prophet threatens, and says, “Their sacrifices shall be as the bread of mourning; all that eat thereof shall be polluted;”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 75.9
… even as also by the prophet Osea the Holy Spirit witnesses, and says, “Their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourning; all that thereof shall be polluted;”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 19
… But the feast of the heathen He reproves, as the bread
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 20
… For sacrifice allows of no unclean thing: sacrifice is a first-fruit of the other actions. Let us then from our hands, and feet, and mouth, and all other members, yield a first-fruit unto God. Such a sacrifice is well pleasing, as that of the Jews was even unclean, for, “their sacrifices,” it says, “are unto them as the bread of mourning.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Dialogue Against the Luciferians 1
… “Depart, I pray you,” says the Lord by Moses, “from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.” And again in the Minor Prophets,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.52
… ‘The wicked man,’ He says, ‘that sacrificeth a calf is as if he cut off a dog’s neck; and he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood .’ Recognize herein your sacrifice, who have already poured out human blood. And again He says, ‘Their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted.’"
9:5
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.11
… As for those feasts, one of the twelve prophets says,
9:7
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.28
… And as we have it in Chronicles, Azariah , in the time of King Asa, and Jahaziel in the time of King Jehoshaphat, partook of the Holy Ghost; and again, another Azariah, he who was stoned . And Ezra says, Thou gavest also Thy good Spirit to instruct them . But as touching Elias who was taken up, and Elisseus, those inspired
9:10
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, LV 1
And that their virtue was thus accepted by God, as the first-fruits of the produce, hear what He has Himself declared: “As a grape,” He says, “I have found Israel in the wilderness, and as first-ripe figs your fathers.”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 42.4
… unrecognized however in public, and not collected together, but gathered in fragments, as an ear gleaned in the stubble, as gleaning-grapes in the vintage, where there is no cluster left. I think I may add, only too appropriately, I found Israel like a figtree in the wilderness,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 19.8
… And not only is this to be wondered at, but that frequently in driving out its enemies, it inflicted upon them a heavy blow, and enjoyed so much of the providential care of God, that God Himself said, “I found Israel as a bunch of grapes in the desert; and I beheld your fathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree.”
9:11
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 133.11
… especially those who cleave to women and are assured that they cannot sin. You are always teaching, you are always denying; you deserve to have the prophet’s words applied to you: “give to them glory, O Lord, when they are in travail and in the throes of labour. Give them, O Lord; what wilt thou give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.”
9:12
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 12.26
… Let the mouths of all heretics be stopped who slander their bodies, or rather Him who formed them. But let us remember Paul’s saying, Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost which is in you ? And again the Prophet hath spoken before in the person of Jesus, My flesh is from them
9:1
1. DO NOT REJOICE, ISRAEL (that is to say, Do not exult, O Israel, do not institute public festivals, says the Chaldean, dances and games, as the nations do in honor of idols, whose worship they have never abandoned, when they think themselves to receive from them abundance of riches, victory, or some other signal benefit; because you) HAVE FORNICATED (that is, you have worshipped idols, and thus you have turned away) FROM YOUR GOD; therefore you ought to mourn continually, not to exult. Thus the Chaldean, Hugo, Clarius and others. Otherwise Arias, that is to say, Do not rejoice, O Israel, as the other peoples do; because you are already scattered by captivity, you are no longer a people, but a slave and the dregs of all peoples. YOU HAVE LOVED REWARD (namely, harlotry, so that you would worship idols for reward) UPON THE THRESHING FLOORS (that is, instead of threshing floors) OF WHEAT. Therefore the reward was the threshing floors of wheat, that is to say, You have fornicated with idols, as a harlot, for the price and reward of wheat, so that idols would give you abundance of it. Whence the Chaldean translates: You have loved to serve idols for all the threshing floors of grain, that is to say, Wherever there was hope of grain, profit, or abundance of things, there, as a harlot, in hope of those things you subjected yourself to idols, and you worshipped them, hoping to be enriched by them; and therefore justly by God you will be deprived of this reward, namely of fruits and riches, as follows. Thus St. Jerome. Secondly, 'upon,' that is, 'at,' 'all the threshing floors of wheat you have fornicated,' namely you have worshipped idols; because in those very threshing floors, as much as in the wine presses, or near them, they instituted dances and games in thanksgiving, praising their gods, because they had given a plentiful harvest or vintage. Thus St. Jerome, Hugo, Lyran and Arias, that is to say, Full barns, and a plentiful harvest, which God had given you, you did not attribute to God, but to idols, and you instituted festivals and games for them, which is the greatest ingratitude, and impiety toward you. Thus Theodoret and Theophylactus, and St. Cyril, whom hear: 'The Gentiles were accustomed, he says, when plowing was to begin, to sacrifice to demons, asking for fertility; likewise when it was time to reap and the vintage to be trodden, they poured libations and sacrificed singing vintage songs in great joy. The Lord therefore now accuses Israel, who was doing the same thing that the nations did, who did not know God. You have fornicated therefore, he says, you have loved gifts, etc., you sought not from God, but from idols the fertilities of the fields, which they did not give you; for this is what it means: The threshing floor did not know them,' etc.
9:2
2 and 3. THE THRESHING FLOOR AND THE WINE PRESS SHALL NOT FEED THEM (that is to say, Because Israel loved the threshing floors and the barns of harvest, and sought them and attributed what was received, not to me their giver, but to idols, who have no right and power in them; therefore I will assert these things for Israel, ungrateful and impious, and I will make it so that neither the threshing floor gives grain, nor the wine press wine to feed them; wherefore) THE WINE SHALL LIE TO THEM (that is to say, The vineyards which seemed to promise them many grapes, much wine, will deceive them, and will produce little or no grapes and wine, and thus will frustrate their hope, nay more I will make it so that they are laid waste by the Assyrians; whence) THEY SHALL NOT DWELL IN THE LAND OF THE LORD (and of Chanaan, which God promised them and gave them; but EPHRAIM (namely Israel, cut off and fugitive) SHALL RETURN (will return) INTO EGYPT, AND IN THE ASSYRIANS (captive) SHALL EAT UNCLEAN FOOD. That is, he shall eat food sacrificed to idols, and foods forbidden by the law in Leviticus XI, and therefore unclean. Thus St. Jerome, the Chaldean, Theophylactus, Haymo, Hugo, Lyran and others. See what is said in chapter VIII, 8. It was a great reproach and punishment, and an expiation among the Jews, to eat unclean food instead of holy bread. Whence the Maccabees preferred to be flayed rather than to eat swine's flesh forbidden by the law, II Maccabees VI, 48. Thus also Daniel, chapter I, 8, and St. Peter, Acts XI, 8, shuddered at the unclean foods of the Gentiles. Similar is that passage of Horace, book II, epistle 2: But when sheep perish by theft, when goats by disease, / When the crop lies, deceiving hope, the ox is worn out by plowing. affection bestowed on the people turned into aversion from God and hatred, 15; secondly, multiplication of the nation into fewness of men, 16; thirdly, friendship and union into abjection and complete dispersion, 17.
9:4
4. THEY SHALL NOT POUR OUT WINE TO THE LORD, that is to say, They shall sacrifice and pour out libations not to God, but to idols and demons, and, as the Apostle says in I Corinthians X, 20, they shall drink 'the chalice of demons' (that is, offered to demons), not of the Lord. Thus St. Jerome, Haymo, Arias and Vatablus. Secondly and more probably, that is to say, I shall punish them with sterility and famine, so that they may not even have wine which to pour out to God in sacrifices. This is evident from what was said a little before. Note: God in Leviticus and Numbers XV, ordained that in every flesh sacrifice, namely of sheep, goats and cattle, libations should be used, as it were condiments, namely bread, or fine flour sprinkled with oil, salt and wine. For the sacrifice was as it were a banquet of God. Whence the victims in Scripture are called bread, that is, food of God. But in a banquet there is required both food, namely bread and meat with salt, and drink, namely wine; which was poured out in honour of God upon the earth, or was drunk by the priests, and this was called pouring out a libation and a libation. Whence also Christ in the sacrifice of the Eucharist instituted the species of bread, as it were food; and the species of wine, as it were drink to be poured out, that is, to be consumed by the priest in honour of God. See what is said in Leviticus and Numbers XV. Note secondly: The Israelites, at least the wiser among them, appear to have acknowledged and condemned their error and madness in the worship of calves; and wished to sacrifice to the true God, to whom their fathers had sacrificed. Whence God says of them in chapter VIII, 2: 'They shall call upon me: My God, we know thee, O Israel.' But because they did not turn themselves to God with their whole heart, but partly to God in secret, partly to vices and idols in public, and accommodated themselves to the common people, they served: hence God rejected and reprobated them and their victims; thus almost Sanchez. Whence it follows: AND THEY SHALL NOT BE PLEASING TO HIM, that is to say, The sacrifices and offerings of Israel, the libation being wanting, namely wine, shall not be pleasing to God, because they are imperfect and unlawful, and because they are offered by idolaters outside Jerusalem and the temple in Assyria, where Israel is held captive. In Hebrew, they shall not be sweet to him, that is, they shall not be sweet and pleasant to God; just as a banquet is unpleasant and ungrateful, in which wine is wanting, in which one eats only, does not drink. Whence he subjoins: THEIR SACRIFICES, AS THE BREAD OF MOURNERS. Supply, they shall be unclean, equally as sad and insipid, as are the meals of mourners, both because lacking wine, and because offered by idolaters among idols and idolaters, often also to the idols themselves, as St. Jerome and Cyril think, and it is very probable; and because contrary to the law, offered outside the temple and Jerusalem in Assyrian captivity, in which Israel dwells mourning and lamenting, and therefore cannot celebrate its feasts and sacrifices joyfully and festively, as it did in Jerusalem and the temple. Note: He explains here the polluted food of Israel, of which he spoke in verse 3, by the bread of mourners, which is namely wont to be eaten at funerals and burials which to the Greeks are called νεκρόδειπνα, that is, the supper of mourners: to the Latins parentalia, because they are offered to dead parents, says St. Jerome, and to them these are as it were the last rites and offices of piety. Moreover this bread and food was unclean to the Jews, for in Numbers XIX, verses 11, 14 and 16, God ordains that all who touch a dead body, or attend a funeral, or eat of the bread or food of a funeral, shall be defiled and unclean for seven days. Bread therefore of mourning, or of a house of death, touching and eating it shall defile and contaminate. It signifies therefore the whole life of Israel in Assyrian captivity, to be a certain continuous as it were funeral and mournful banquet: in which squalid and mourning it shall eat the polluted foods of the Gentiles, and its oblation shall be more suited not to festivals, but to funeral rites, says Rufinus, Albert, Hugh, Vatablus and Arias. Tropologically St. Jerome: Heretics, he says, who do things for the sake of delights, that they may deceive the people, and devour the houses of widows, have the bread of mourners, that is, words of death, by which they speak iniquity against the Lord, which bread does not enter into the house of the Lord. Thus every sinner eats the bread of mourners, because to him nothing is joyful, even if he feasts and revels; for there cannot be true joy where there is an evil conscience: for this always carries with it the worm that gnaws and the remorse that stings. BECAUSE THEIR BREAD IS FOR THEIR SOULS (namely, it will be, as if to say: Their souls, that is, their lusts and gluttony, they consult and satisfy by sacrificing, but they do not sacrifice so that they might worship God or idols; and therefore they are unworthy that their bread, that is, their victims) IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, that is, to the temple be brought; which therefore, with me punishing, will be set on fire by the Chaldeans; but in Assyria and Chaldaea they cannot be brought 'to the house of the Lord,' because there will be no house of the Lord there. Thus St. Jerome, Theophylactus, Hugo, Arias, Ribera and others. Tropologically, you may rightly adapt these things to priests sacrificing unworthily, not for piety, but for gain and gluttony: for their sacrifice, although on the part of the victim, namely the Son of God, is most pleasing to God; yet on the part of those offering is as if one were to kill a son to his father, and himself offering himself kills. It is therefore the bread of mourners. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it: Their sacrifices will be like the bread of the abominable. Thus Delrio, adage 951. Again Theophylactus adapts these things to the sacrifice which is made from unjustly obtained goods; for this is the bread of mourners, because it is from the goods of the oppressed, and therefore of those mourning. Symbolically learn here that God is not pleased with oblations and victims which are offered to him with a sad, mournful and melancholic spirit, but he loves a cheerful giver, as St. Paul says, II Corinthians IX, 7. Hermas the bishop and martyr, a disciple of St. Paul, in the book of the Shepherd, which St. Dorotheus, Damasus and many of the ancients approved, in Vision V, Commandment 10, relates that an angel appeared to him in the figure of a shepherd, and among other things said: 'Sadness is the most wicked of all spirits, and the worst servant of God, and it destroys and crushes all spirits and the Holy Spirit, and a sad prayer does not have the power to ascend to the altar of God. For sadness sits in his heart. When therefore the prayer of a man is mixed with sadness, this will not allow the prayer to be pure to ascend to the altar of God. For just as wine mixed with vinegar does not have the same sweetness; so also sadness mixed with the Holy Spirit does not have the same pure prayer.' This is what Aaron says, mourning in the slaughter of his sons: 'How could I appease the Lord in ceremonies with a mournful mind?' Wherefore Cassian, Conferences IX, chapter III, teaches that in order to pray rightly or to be approved by all, the disturbance of sadness must be completely rooted out from the soul. on the other side of the river Nile. See what is said in Jeremiah XLIV, 1. St. Jerome, Haymo, Albert and Hugo understand these things of the Jews, who after the death of Gedaliah, whom the Chaldeans appointed as prefect of Judaea, fearing their vengeance, fled with Jeremiah, chapter XLIII, 7, into Egypt. But here it is not a matter of Jews, but of Israelites, that is, Samaritans; their destruction and flight into Egypt is therefore predicted here, and that they will die and be buried in Memphis. THEIR DESIRABLE SILVER NETTLES WILL INHERIT. By nettles he signifies that the captivity will be long and the desolation of Samaria, as if to say: The splendid houses, which the Samaritans had obtained at great expense of silver, and had adorned with vessels of silver and precious things, and in which they had stored their treasures and silver, the Assyrian will lay waste and gnaw away even to the ground; so that in it thistles, burs and nettles will spring up. Thus St. Jerome, Haymo, Albert, Arias. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it: In the house of the desirable silver of theirs nettles will dwell. BURS IN THEIR TABERNACLES. For bur the Septuagint renders thorn; others, thistles. For the bur is thorny, as Dioscorides testifies in book III, chapter XXXIV, having flowers full of prickles which, when thrown into cloth, adhere tenaciously, by which children are accustomed to amuse themselves. Of which there are three kinds, says Perotti. For some is called canaria, which is small, adhering to hair. Another is larger and is called philopanthropos, because adhering to men's garments, it seems to love them. A third is called personata, and is the largest, and grows near streams and rivers. It has leaves larger than gourds; and therefore the ancients used them to make masks. Moreover Pliny, book XXI, chapter XXII: 'It is remarkable,' he says, 'in the bur which adheres, that in it a flower is born not evident, but hidden within, and germinates within itself, like animals which give birth within themselves.' The Hebrew חוח, choach, properly signifies a hook, and from this every thorny plant, because like a hook it holds and catches that to which it is applied. Whence our translator now renders it bur, now thistle, now thistle, now cocklebur.
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5. WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THE SOLEMN DAY, IN THE DAY OF THE FESTIVAL OF THE LORD? First, the sense is, that is to say, In captivity Israel will not be able to celebrate the feast of Passover, Pentecost and the like, which it celebrated with joy in Jerusalem. Thus Theodoret, Arias and Lyra. Second and more forcefully, St. Jerome, Haymo, Albert, Hugh, Clarius and others explain it, that is to say, You will not celebrate the ancient feasts, O Israelites, in the temple, as being placed in captivity; but you will make a perpetual feast and solemnity of my vengeance, by which namely I will publicly punish you with captivity, poverty and the sword. For this is called the solemnity of the Lord, in which in it the solemn justice and glory of God will shine throughout the whole world, and will be celebrated by all nations. Thus says Jeremiah, Lamentations II, 22: 'Thou hast called as to a solemn day, they that terrified me round about.' By the same phrase and trope, the impious to be destroyed and slain in this solemnity of God are called victims and sacrifices, which are offered to divine justice: and the Assyrians and Chaldeans, who slay and slaughter them, are called lawful priests. Thus says Isaiah XXIV, 6: 'The victim of the Lord, Bosra, a great slaughter in the land of Edom.' And: 'The day of vengeance of the Lord, the year of retributions of the judgment of Sion.' Hence war against the impious is called holy, and soldiers sacred as it were authorized and consecrated by God as priests. Thus says Jeremiah, cap. VI, 4: 'Sanctify, O Chaldeans, against her (Jerusalem) war.' Anagogically St. Cyril, lib. IV in John, cap. XXXV, that is to say, You, O impious, who have despised the steep way and the labors of virtue, will not be able to enter the solemnity and banquet of heavenly blessedness. For although the father of the household will say to you: 'How didst thou come in here not having a wedding garment?' 6. BEHOLD INDEED THEY HAVE SET OUT FROM DESOLATION, that is, they will set out and flee into Egypt, on account of the destruction and desolation of Samaria. See the words cap. VIII, vers. 8. EGYPT WILL GATHER THEM, MEMPHIS WILL BURY THEM. Memphis, now Cairo, commonly called Alcaire, or rather old Memphis was in the region of Cairo, from
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7. THERE CAME DAYS OF VISITATION (that is, of punishment and destruction, which will be) DAYS OF RETRIBUTION. In which God will repay them punishments for their crimes. KNOW YE. The interpreter reads ידעו (yideu) in the imperative; now they read ידעי (yidei) in the future, that is, they shall know. The Septuagint, however, read ינע (yanoa), that is, Israel shall be afflicted like a Prophet raving. The sense is, as if to say, Let no one flatter you, let no one deceive you; for the days of your chastisement and punishment are at hand: therefore know now, or then by experience itself you shall know that you were foolish and mad prophets, who said you were not to be taken nor destroyed, but would live securely and (2) The same sentiment in Isaiah XXXV, 13; XXXIV, 13, and in that Virgilian passage, Eclogue V, 39: With thistles and thorns shall the paliurus rise sharp. happily, and promised you all prosperity; but that I, Isaiah, Joel, and the like, were true prophets, who foretold you this calamity and destruction. Secondly, St. Jerome and Lyra think that here Israel himself is called a 'foolish Prophet,' as if to say, Know ye, or then all shall know, that Israel was a foolish and mad Prophet, that is, one who spoke much rashly, like one mad and driven by some fury or spirit: because he himself promised himself security and all good things, when behold he is now captured and laid waste. Thirdly, St. Jerome again, Haymo, Albert and Hugh understand these things of true Prophets, as if to say, Know and mark now, or then you shall know and mark, whether the Prophets who threatened destruction, whom you called foolish, were mad, or rather spiritual men, that is, inspired by the Holy Spirit. The first sense and the second are more apt and clearer: for they compare the people to little birds, false prophets to fowlers, their preaching to a snare. Thus Vatablus. A SPIRITUAL MAN, that is, a Prophet; for the Hebrews call this a man of spirit, that is, one inspired by the Spirit of God. For "a man of spirit," you may translate "a man of wind," and for "spiritual," "windy," that is, vain and false. Thus Jeremiah, chapter V, 13, says: 'The prophets have spoken in wind, and the word (oracle, prophecy) was not in them;' The Syriac: Israel the foolish shall know the mad Prophet, a man clothed with the spirit of folly; The Arabic: Israel shall be consumed like grass disturbed, or like a man clothed with an evil spirit. BECAUSE OF THE MULTITUDE OF THY INIQUITY, AND THE MULTITUDE OF THY MADNESS, as if to say, Thou hadst false and foolish Prophets who deceived thee and led thee to destruction; because thy great iniquity and madness deserved this, in which thou didst always despise thy God and his true Prophets: or as Jerome, Prado in Ezekiel XIII, 3, as if to say, Your prophet was indeed foolish; but your iniquities and hatred of God, conceived in your impieties, precipitated him into this madness. For madness the Hebrew is משטמה (mastema), which R. David, Vatablus and other recent scholars translate as hatred, wrath, fury (for wrath is brief fury); for the root שטם (satam) means to hate, to be an enemy, to oppose: hatred therefore is madness, and to hate God is the height of madness. The sense is, as if to say, Thou didst cleave to idols and their false Prophets; because thou didst hate God and didst oppose his Prophets, which is the height of insanity and dementia.
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8. A WATCHMAN WITH MY GOD: A PROPHET A SNARE OF RUIN (in Hebrew a fowler, who catches a bird and drives it into ruin) HAS BECOME OVER ALL HIS WAYS, MADNESS (in Hebrew mastema, that is hatred, as I have already said) IN THE HOUSE OF HIS GOD. First, Theodoret thus explains it, as if to say: Ephraim through the laws and Prophets, which he received from God, was constituted as it were a watchman and teacher of all nations, so that he might teach them by word and example the worship of God and the way of virtue and salvation. But he himself became to them a snare, when he insanely worshipped idols and the vices of idolaters. Second, Vatablus, as if to say: Ephraim made for himself a watchman, that is false prophets, and he wishes to hear them together with his God, as if to say: He wishes to hear and worship both idols and God, both false and true Prophets, which is mere madness. Third, the Chaldean and Lyran, as if to say: A watchman of God, that is a true Prophet, is in Israel; but Israel laid a snare for him, so that he might kill him; and thus he brings upon himself the hatred of God, who constituted this watchman in his house, that is in his Church. Fourth and genuinely, as if to say: 'A watchman with my God,' that is a Prophet who ought to have acted according to God, and as it were authorized and constituted by God as a Prophet, or who said he was familiar with God and sent by him, and therefore ought to have preached true things to Israel and taught them, and from his high providence as from a watchtower to foresee enemies and impending evils, to forewarn and avert them, he ensnared him, and as it were a fowler's snare deceived him by his false prophecy and doctrine, by which among other things he preached as if received from the mouth of God, that Israel had nothing to fear from the enemy and devastation; and thus he was the cause that Israel persisted in his ways, that is in impious actions, and especially in his idolatry, which is the height of 'madness:' for 'in the house of his God,' that is in the temple of his idol, which he himself worshipped as his God, he incites him to worship the idol, that is wood and stones: for from these the idol is made. This watchman therefore is a false prophet, and a false and deceitful teacher. But who? St. Jerome, Haymo and Hugo understand Jeroboam. For he, created king, ensnared the people, and forced them to worship the golden calves set up by him in Dan and Bethel. Second, Albert and Dionysius the Carthusian understand Ahijah of Shiloh, who although he was a true watchman, that is a Prophet of God, nevertheless by accident became a snare to Israel, because he predicted, and as it were promised the kingdom to the impious Jeroboam, who was the cause of idolatry and the ruin of Israel. Third, more plainly and fully you may understand any false prophets; for these lied that they were sent by God, and thus ensnared and deceived the people. These also are the foolish Prophets and mad ones, of whom he spoke in the preceding verse. Tropologically, you may rightly adapt these to Tertullian, Lucifer of Cagliari, Origen, and other men illustrious in wisdom and virtue: for these were as it were an oracle of God, and as it were a watchman conversing with God; but through apostasy and fall they became a snare in the Church, and drew many faithful with them into ruin, to whom the Arabic version of verse 11 rightly applies: Ephraim as a bird flew away, and their eminence (brightness, nobility) as a valley, and as fords.
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9. THEY HAVE DEEPLY SINNED, AS IN THE DAYS OF GIBEAH. In Hebrew it is, they have deepened; the Syriac, they have sought the deep, that is into the deep, namely into an abyss of crimes, they have fallen, and, as Vatablus says, they have made a deep defection, from which namely there seems to be scarcely any hope or possibility of emerging, and, as Prado in Ezekiel XIII, 3, as if to say: From the deep and the bottom of the heart, from their whole affection they have withdrawn from God, and worshipped idols. Moreover, the days of Gibeah St. Jerome, Haymo and Hugo refer to the time when Saul was made king in Gibeah, when the people against God's will asked Samuel for a king, as if to say: As Israel once chose Saul, so now Jeroboam against my will has made himself king. Better the same Jerome, Cyril, Theophylact, Lyran, Vatablus, Ribera and others refer these to the enormous rape committed by the Gibeonites upon the wife of a Levite, on account of which all were slain. See the history in Judges cap. XIX and XX. The sense therefore is, as if to say: As the men of Gibeah sinned deeply, that is most gravely, and the Benjaminites, killing the wife of the Levite by a foul and insane rape, and then most stubbornly defending it in a foolish war, in which almost all of the tribe of Benjamin were slain even to the destruction of the whole tribe: so now the Israelites sin most gravely by spiritual rape, that is by public idolatry, and common to all ten tribes, and most stubbornly defend and maintain it, and do not allow themselves to be turned away from it by any warnings or threats of the Prophets: but rather they rejoice to be confirmed and perfected in it by the voices and oracles of false prophets: wherefore they shall be cut off by God as the Gibeonites were.
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10. AS GRAPES IN THE DESERT, I FOUND ISRAEL (that is to say, I chose Israel, and led him through Moses out of Egypt into the desert, and he himself was most dear to me and in delights, as grapes found are wont to be to a traveler in the desert afflicted with hunger, thirst and weariness, and) FIRST FRUITS OF THE FIG TREE, that is the first and early figs (for the word fruit in Latin signifies all fruits which have a softer rind), which in Jeremiah XXIV, 2, are called early, elsewhere first fruits, or of the first season. The Septuagint, in Isaiah XXVIII, 4, translate them as early-ripening. For these, because after a long deprivation they are eagerly desired, have become proverbial, and signify a thing greatly to be desired, and long sought after: for we wonderfully covet the first fruits, especially of figs; because from them, as being unripe, we have abstained for a long time, namely the whole year. For unripeness and delay sharpen desire, so that when they have ripened, or shown themselves, they are eagerly seized. In like manner I nourished Israel poor and famished in the desert with manna from heaven. But he, ungrateful and kicking back, despising me, fell away to Beelphegor, that is Priapus, and adored him, Num. XXV, 1; see the things said there. The sense therefore is, as if to say, Israel now worshipping calves, imitates his fathers, who at first worshipped Beelphegor. Thus the Chaldean, Albert and Arias. Thus also St. Jerome, Theodoret, Theophylactus, Rupert, Haymo, Hugh and Lyran explain it, except that they understand by fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, not Moses. But these were not in the desert. Note: For as first fruits of the fig tree, the Septuagint translate: As a scout in an early fig. For as a scout, that is a lookout, announces a thing coming from afar, so the early fig announces ripeness, as Billius has learnedly noted in oration 32 of Nazianzen. THEY WERE ALIENATED IN CONFUSION, that is to say, They turned themselves to worshipping the shameful idol of Priapus, which as obscene, they worshipped with obscene lusts and fornications. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Theodoret, Theophylactus and Lyran. AND THEY BECAME ABOMINABLE, LIKE THE THINGS WHICH THEY LOVED. Namely, as the idol of Priapus was most foul and abominable, and as the Midianite harlots whom they loved were to be abominated, and with whom they fornicated, who enticed them to the worship of Priapus; whence Arias and Vatablus translate: They became abominable according to the love of them, namely of the harlots, that is as these harlots were, and their love and fornication were abominable. As the Psalmist says, Psalm CXIII, 8: 'Let them that make them become like unto them,' that is to say, Let idolmakers and idolaters become logs, stocks, stupid in mind, and destitute of every sense worthy of man, and of strength, with minds closed and dead, says St. Augustine and Jerome, for such are idolaters wont to be, like their idols. Hence St. Thomas rightly teaches scholastically, I II, Question XVIII, article 2, that human acts take their character from their objects, so that if the object be good, the act be good; if the object be evil and abominable, the act be evil and abominable, and in such a character of virtue or vice as the object has: for the object loved and desired by the will pours forth its goodness or malice into the same. The Arabic version translates: They were deceived in their works, and made like unto a fool. Therefore the sinner is foolish and mad. Morally, learn here that our will is by its nature like a chameleon: for just as that creature takes on the color of all things to which it applies itself, except red and white, as Pliny says in book VIII, chapter XXXIII, and therefore transforms itself into all forms and species: so also the will takes on, as it were, the form and appearance of all things to which it joins and applies itself through love. Hence the wise man said: 'That which you will resolutely and efficaciously through your will, that absolutely you are.' You will resolutely to be humble, by this very fact you are humble: you will to be temperate, chaste, obedient, patient; if you will this efficaciously, in fact you are temperate, chaste, obedient, patient. This is what St. Augustine says, epistle 52 to Macedonius: 'Good or evil morals are made by nothing other than good or evil loves.' Just as therefore they became abominable, who loved sins: so they became, and become, beautiful and gracious, who love God most beautiful and most gracious. For, as St. Augustine says, tract. 2 on the epistle of St. John: 'Each one is such as his love is: do you love the earth? you are earth: do you love God? what shall I say? you will be God.' For love transforms the lover into the thing loved. Whence 'the soul, says St. Augustine, is more where it loves, than where it gives life.' And conversely the thing loved is more in the lover, than in the one who gives it life. Wherefore Cato the Censor said that the mind of a lover lives in another's body, as Plutarch relates in his Life. And Plato asserted that all who loved desperately were dead in their own and proper body, because they lived in another's, as Fulgentius relates in book VII, chapter II. And Panaetius the philosopher said that base love was a thing powerless, emancipated to another, vile to itself, as Brossanus relates, book I, chapter II. For its office is nothing other than to convert our own body and other creatures, namely meats, breads, wines, delights, etc., into putrefactions by devouring, or by indulging. This is its utility, nay its vileness: this is its power, nay its weakness, so that through it our filth may pass abundantly: for it is not able to make it remain. This is its study, this its beatitude, to flow with the filth of created pleasures, to which it volitionally succumbs, the devil corrupting it through them: who marvels to rejoice over man's deception and destruction, since the image of the created thing which man shamefully loves remains impressed upon him, like a simulacrum in his temple; to which the sinner does not sacrifice an ox, not a goat, but a rational soul and body, that is himself entirely, when he enjoys it. Does he not therefore make himself abominable, when he enslaves himself for a vile pleasure, and that momentary, to putrid flesh, nay to the most foul demon, and binds himself as a slave? when he transforms the creatures which he foully loves, and with them himself into putrid vomits, cancers, and other filth and putrefactions. On the other hand, the soul loving God becomes spiritual, angelic, divine, and passing into God cleaves to him. Whence St. Ambrose, book On Isaac and the Soul, chapter III: 'Then, he says, God's Word kisses us, when he illuminates our heart with the light of knowledge, and inflames it with love of goodness, so that it cleaves to him, and becomes one spirit with him.' More forcefully St. Gregory explaining that passage of the Song of Songs I, 1: Let him kiss me: 'When I feel his (the bridegroom's, says the bride) kiss, by a sudden change I abandon myself, and liquefied I am straightway transformed into his likeness.' For love is a motion and impulse by which the lover is borne toward the thing loved, and unites itself to it, and transforms itself into it. It is otherwise in the intellect and intellection. For this does not tend outside itself, but draws the things understood through species and knowledge to itself, impresses them upon itself and incorporates them, as St. Thomas teaches, I II, Question XXII, article 2. Finally from this place and similar ones, theologians rightly prove that the transient act of sin leaves behind it in the soul of the sinner a habitual stain of sin, by which it is formally hateful and abominable to God. Thus John Salas, I II, Question LXXXVI, at the beginning.
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11. EPHRAIM AS A BIRD HAS FLOWN AWAY, THEIR GLORY FROM THE BIRTH. This is a Hebrew metathesis, or transposition of words: for thus those words are to be arranged: The glory of Ephraim as a bird, that is most swiftly, has flown away from the birth, etc. He calls their sons glory: for these are indeed the honour and glory of parents, as it is said Prov. X, 8. The sense therefore is, as if to say, The sons of Ephraim in whose multitude, beauty and strength he himself gloried, will soon die; others 'from the birth,' namely when they first come forth into the light; others 'from the womb,' because namely they will be abortive, as if to say, I will cause mothers to suffer miscarriage, and their foetuses to be aborted; others 'from conception,' because namely the seed conceived will soon dissolve, so that an embryo cannot be formed from it, as if to say, I will punish your wives with sterility and defect of the womb, and will cause them not to conceive a foetus, or to abort what is conceived, or to lose what is born soon after. That this is the sense is clear from what follows: 'And if they bring up their children, I will make them childless,' as if to say, Even if they beget and rear some sons, I will slay them either by the sword of the enemy, or by plague, or by disease, so that they do not reach mature age, nor are counted 'among men.' The same may be understood from verse 14, where he says: 'Give them a womb without children, and dry breasts.' Thus St. Jerome, the Chaldean, Vatablus, Arias and others. Otherwise Theodoret, Haymo and Lyran, as if he said: Ephraim will soon as a bird fly away into Assyrian captivity, he who gloried in abundant offspring, in a fertile womb and conception. Otherwise also Theophylactus, as if to say: Ephraim soon as a bird has flown away, and has departed from the ways and customs of his fathers: because he has placed his glory not in me, but in offspring, birth and fertile conception. Hence I will take away his daughter and cut her off. The Arabic of Antioch translates: Ephraim as a bird flew, and their eminence (brightness, nobility) as a valley, and as fords; the Arabic of Alexandria: Ephraim like a flying bird, and like the pain of one in travail: so their glory; because he nourishes his sons as strangers from among the sons of men; woe to them, because they have departed from my ways. Tropologically, 'The glory of Ephraim from birth, from the womb, from conception passes away,' says Julian Archbishop of Toledo, who is found in Nahum in vol. II of the Library of the Holy Fathers, 'when the mind, previously honoured, glorious as if semi-divine, receives in place of fame infamy, in place of glory misery, hatred in place of grace, contempt in place of reverence, loss in place of gain, hunger in place of abundance by the just judgment of God: birth is action, the womb is intention, conception is thought. Therefore the glory of Ephraim flies away from birth, from conception, from the womb, when the action which previously shone forth outwardly in the living, and in those glorying in the external honesty of life, becomes dishonoured, the intention is corrupted, the thought is defiled,' concerning which more in verse 14.
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12. BUT WOE TO THEM WHEN I DEPART FROM THEM. This is a gradation: first, he threatened them that he would hinder their offspring from being born; second, that he would kill those born; and here third, he threatens them with complete desolation, and thence with devastation and destruction, as if to say, Woe to them when I shall deprive them not only of children, but also of my care and providence, and shall root them out from me; then indeed the Assyrians will invade and destroy them. Note: There is here a double reading: the former בשורי besuri, with sin, which is the same as with samech, that is, when I depart. Thus read and translate Our [Vulgate], Aquila, Symmachus, Jonathan the Chaldean Paraphrast (whom Galatinus, lib. I De Arcan. fidei, cap. V, asserts preceded Christ by 42 years) who translated: Woe to them when I shall take away my majesty from them; R. David, R. Abraham, R. Solomon, Vatablus and others. The latter is בשרי besari, that is, my flesh; whence they translate: Woe to them when my flesh from them. Thus the Septuagint and Theodotion, whom the Greeks follow, such as Cyril, Theodoret, Theophylactus, Dorotheus in the Synopsis, Cyril of Jerusalem, catech. 12. Wherefore Theodoret and Theophylactus think there is here a prophecy of the incarnation of Christ: indeed Raymond, whom Lyra cites, reads thus: Woe to them, my incarnation from them, as if to say, Woe now to the Israelites when they shall be cut off by the Assyrians, but far more woe when I Christ shall assume flesh from them: then indeed they themselves, though he be their kinsman, will persecute and kill me, and therefore by Titus and the Romans they shall be utterly destroyed, and shall be desolate forever. Thus also Lyra, Burgensis, Mariana, Galatinus, lib. I, cap. VIII, and Leo Castrius, who contend that the Jews corrupted this passage, and for besari, that is, my flesh, wrote besuri, that is, when I depart; and this because they hated and rejected the incarnate Word. But this is said incorrectly, first: for Christ assumed flesh from the Jews, not from the Israelites; second, because besuri is written throughout in the Bibles, with vau, which cannot be in בשרי besari, that is, my flesh, as is evident to one who looks. Besuri therefore, that is, when I depart, is to be read, not besari, that is, my flesh; third, because the Church received and approved this Vulgate version, in which we read, when I depart, a thousand years ago: but it is impious to say the Church uses a corrupted and false version. Wherefore Cyril and Theophylactus give another better interpretation of this Septuagint version, and one closer to the Vulgate edition, namely this: 'You hear,' says Theophylactus, 'the Prophet prays with the threats of God against Israel, that neither he himself, nor his fellow-tribesmen, and according to the flesh kinsmen, be partakers of this future wrath. Therefore he says: My flesh from them, that is, outside them. Far, I pray, let me be removed from them, both I and my flesh, that is, my kinsmen and fellow-tribesmen.' Thus the Apostle calls the Jews his flesh, that is, his kinsmen according to the flesh, Rom. XI, 14. In like manner Cleon in the tragedy in Seneca, exempts Jason from common guilt and assembly, saying: And pure from your assembly he stood afar off.
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13. EPHRAIM, AS I SAW, WAS TYRUS, that is to say, Ephraim, as I myself saw, was equal to Tyre in riches, prosperity, strength, fortification, and especially in abundance of offspring, and in all beauty and glory, so long as he worshipped God and kept his law, says the Chaldean; because thus he was protected by God's aid, as Tyre by the sea, says St. Jerome. But because now he abandons God, trusting in himself and his idols, therefore God will take away all his glory from him, and especially his sons, in whom he was accustomed to glory so greatly, will give them both fighting in war and after war conquered and captured, to be slain by the Assyrians and their king. For he calls him 'the slayer.' Thus St. Jerome, Albert, Lyra, Vatablus and others. Tyre once was what Venice now is. Concerning the glory of Tyre I have spoken at Isaiah XXIII and Ezekiel XXVI. To this Vatablus adds, who thus translates and explains: I saw Ephraim as Tyre, namely first flourishing in peace and abundance of things, soon laid waste on account of idolatry. Secondly, Arias thinks there is an antithesis of Ephraim and Tyre, that is to say, Even if Tyre belonged to Ephraim, namely to the tribe of Asher, as appears in Joshua XIX, 29; nevertheless I saw Ephraim to differ from Tyre in every respect: for I saw Tyre most flourishing in riches and offspring, but Ephraim I saw neighboring to it, bereft and desolate in both respects. Thirdly, Aquila, Symmachus and Theodoret translate for Tyre, rock; for this is what the Hebrew צור tsor signifies, and from this a city founded on rock is called in Hebrew Tsor, in Chaldean Tor, in Greek and Latin Tyrus, that is to say, Ephraim was as a most fortified stronghold, namely as a rock and hardest cliff, which fixed in the earth despises all storms, whirlwinds and winds, namely all incursions of enemies; but because he sinned against God, God will take away his strength and vigor from him, so that he is forced to deliver his sons to the Assyrians to be slain. Thus St. Jerome. Fourthly, the Septuagint reading צ for צ, namely צור tsor, that is Tyre, for צוד tsud, that is hunting or capture, translate: Ephraim, as I saw, offered his sons for hunting or capture, so as to lead them to slaughter. Note: God threatens Ephraim, that is Israel, the death and bereavement of his sons before other afflictions, both because he himself gloried in them and trusted in them, as if on account of their number and that of the citizens he were impregnable; whence he called them the glory of Ephraim, verse 11; and because Ephraim had abused his sons not only for pride, but also for idolatry; for he had sacrificed them to the idol Moloch: justly therefore he is despoiled and bereaved of them by God; and because he imitated the fornication and idolatry of the Gibeonites, and of the fathers worshipping Beelphegor. For the fitting and proper punishment of fornication is disorder, or bereavement of children, as I have said at chapter IV, 10.
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14. GIVE TO THEM, O LORD (the punishments and torments which they deserve. But what ones?) WHAT (I say) WILL YOU GIVE TO THEM? (what punishments in particular is it fitting for me to curse upon them, and for you, O Lord, to inflict upon them? Surely that they lose the sons whom they love desperately and whom they abuse, and thus be tormented most severely). GIVE (therefore) TO THEM A WOMB WITHOUT CHILDREN AND BREASTS WITHERED, as if to say: Punish the wives of Ephraim with sterility, so that they conceive no children, or if they conceive and bear any, they are unable to nurse and nourish them; for their breasts are withered; but if you cut off for them the occasion of pride and idolatry, which they commit through their sons, O Lord; thus likewise you will remove a race hateful to you. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, the Chaldean Paraphrase, Theophylactus, Haymo, Hugo, Lyran and others. Arias alone takes these things in a good sense, as if God here moderates and diminishes the punishment decreed for the Israelites, so that the sense is: Lest the Israelites be tormented too much, seeing their sons already grown captured and killed by the Assyrians; make it, O Lord, that they either are not conceived, or conceived and born soon waste away and die. Paul also translates somewhat differently, the number without interrogation, thus: Give to them, O Lord, what you are about to give, give to them a womb that miscarries, and breasts withered; the Arabic Alexandrian: Give to them, O Lord, according to their retribution; and give to them those not bearing, and a withered breast; the Arabic Antiochian: Ephraim I saw in a state of... Give to them, O Lord, a womb not bearing, and a dry breast; the Syriac: Give to them, O Lord, that which you give (will give) to them; give to them a barren womb, and withered breasts. Morally, learn here that God punishes parents with the loss of children, when they themselves abuse marriage shamefully or boast in their offspring or impiously to the offense of God; on the other hand God often grants pious parents excellent and numerous progeny. An example is the pious Anna, and her rival Phenenna; for this woman, boasting in her sons and mocking Anna who was barren, was supplanted by her; for God gave to Anna the son Samuel the prophet, and moreover five other children, 1 Kings chapter II, 1; whence she herself giving thanks to God sang a hymn of thanksgiving, saying: 'My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God; my mouth is enlarged over my enemies (Phenenna, and her sons and followers, insulting me who was barren), etc., until the barren woman (as I was) hath borne many, and she that had many children is weakened.' The Hebrews transmit, and from them St. Jerome, Abulensis, Vatable and others, that Phenenna had as many dead sons as were born to Anna. The famous Niobe among the Gentiles is celebrated, who, boasting in seven sons and as many daughters most beautiful, and preferring herself to Latona, was by Apollo the son of Latona, with all her sons and daughters killed, bereft and stunned with grief became mute, and as if turning to stone hardened with evils, as Ovid describes in book VI of the Metamorphoses, and Statius, book V. Thus Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Domitian, Trajan, Hadrian, and almost all other pagan emperors, on account of lusts and pride were without offspring, nor did any leave behind an heir of such great empire. Mystically this is more truly in the soul, which on account of virtues and God's grace and gifts, vainly glories and is proud, as if those were her works, not God's gifts. For this soul, when she humbly acknowledged God as giver, and gave thanks to him, was beautiful and flourishing in the abundance of spiritual things, as Tyre; but now being proud and trusting in herself is abandoned by God the spouse; and from him she does not receive the seed and milk of grace, so that she might bring forth good works; or if she has received and brought forth, she might nurse and nourish them: for the breasts of the soul are withered, that is, they are destitute of the juice of grace and spirit: whence the offspring, that is, good works cannot grow, but waste away and vanish. The same applies most of all to Preachers, Prelates, Confessors, and others who strive to bring souls to bear fruit for God. For while they do this with pure zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, they flourish in the abundance and fruit of spiritual children: but when they seek for themselves, namely applause, gain, or advantages, soon their womb becomes sterile, and their breasts dry up, so that they can neither beget children in the spirit, nor if they have begotten any, nourish and advance them. This is what Christ says: 'As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine; so neither can you, unless you abide in me.' And soon after: 'If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth,' John XV, 6. For all the juice and vigor of grace, by which we live spiritually, are nourished, grow, and bear fruit, is derived from Christ as from a root and soil. See St. Gregory, hom. 17 in Evang. Most excellently St. Bernard, serm. 31 in Cant.: 'Ingratitude, he says, is an enemy to the soul, an emptying of merits, a scattering of virtues, a loss of benefits. Ingratitude is a burning wind, drying up for itself the fountain of piety, the dew of mercy, the streams of grace.' The same, tract. De Interiori domo, cap. XXX: 'Pride, he says, as it is the origin of all crimes, so it is the ruin of all virtues. Pride alone raises itself against all the virtues of the mind, and like a general and pestilent disease corrupts all.' The same, serm. 54 in Cant.: 'The mark of pride is the privation of grace.' On the other hand, the mark of humility is an abundance of graces. If therefore you see someone deprived of grace and its gifts, know that he is proud: but if you see someone abounding in them and growing, know that he is humble. For humility is the mother and reconciler of gifts, whose scatterer is pride: for God gives grace to the humble, which He takes away from the proud. from Him does not receive the seed and milk of grace, so as to bring forth good works; or if he has received and brought forth them, he may suckle and nourish them: for the breasts of the soul are dried up, that is, they are destitute of the juice of grace and spirit: whence the offspring, that is, good works cannot grow, but waste away and vanish. This same thing holds especially true in Preachers, Prelates, Confessors, and others who strive to make souls bear fruit for God. For while they do this with pure zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, they flourish with an abundance and fruit of spiritual children: but when they seek for themselves, namely applause, gain, or advantages, immediately their womb becomes barren, and their breasts dry up, so that they can neither beget children in the spirit, nor if they have begotten any, nourish and advance them. This is what Christ says: 'As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine; so neither can you, unless you abide in me.' And presently: 'If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth,' John XV, 6.
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15. ALL THEIR WICKEDNESS IS IN GILGAL. For in Gilgal the Israelites cast off all government of God, both political and sacred. Political, because unwilling to be ruled by God, they asked Samuel in Gilgal to give them a king, who therefore gave them Saul. Sacred, because in Gilgal they set up idols, which, despising God, they worshipped. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Hugh, Lyra, Vatablus and others. Concerning Gilgal see what is said cap. IV, 20. BECAUSE I HATED THEM THERE. The Hebrew כי ki, that is, because, often does not signify a cause, but is an enclitic, and is added for the sake of ornament, indeed sometimes signifies an effect. Thus it is taken here, as if to say, 'Because,' that is, therefore, I began to hate them there and turn away from them. Thus Ribera, a Castro and others. I WILL CAST THEM OUT OF MY HOUSE. Namely from the temple, as the Chaldean explains, or rather from the holy land, which was altogether as it were one house and family of God, in which under His wings and protection the Israelites dwelt secure and happy, as children under the care of a parent, whence in it they had the name of Israel and the people of God: there also God sent His Prophets to them, as a father of a family to instruct and form them. 'I will therefore cast them out of my house,' so that they may go forth as strangers captive to the nations, and to the idols which they worshipped. Thus St. Jerome, Theophylactus, Lyra, Arias and others. I WILL ADD NO MORE TO LOVE THEM. That is, I will love them no longer, as Vatablus translates it. For, as follows, and as St. Jerome says: 'God cast them off from all the Prophets, because they did not hear Him; and they will be wanderers among the nations, having no altar, no seat, no prince, until they are converted to Christ.' ALL THEIR PRINCES ARE REVOLTERS, as if to say, All the kings of Israel from the first Jeroboam even to the last Hosea, have revolted from God to the golden calves.
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16. EPHRAIM IS SMITTEN, THEIR ROOT IS DRIED UP. He compares Ephraim to a tree, formerly luxuriant with leaves and fruits, afterwards smitten with rust and withering, because its root is dried up, and therefore unable to produce fruit, as if to say: Ephraim, that is the people of Israel, like a tree smitten and withering in its root, shall produce few or no fruits, that is, children. This is evident from what follows. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it: The house of Israel is like a tree whose root is smitten with blight below, and its leaf is dried up above, it shall not bear fruit. Moreover, the root of Israel can be understood as the fruitfulness given to it by God, with Ruffinus and Lyran, or as royal power, namely kings and princes, with Theodoret and Theophylactus. For these, like a root, sustained and nourished the whole people. Whence Arias aptly: The root, he says, is the king, the trunk is the royal tribe of Ephraim, the leaves and branches are the other nine tribes, as if to say: The last king of Samaria (who is as it were the root), namely Hosea, with Samaria and the whole tribe of Ephraim, which is as it were the trunk of the tree, shall be laid waste by Salmanasar: whence by him all the others (which are as it were the branches) shall soon be laid waste, so that it may be completely dried up, since the root is dried, the kingdom and commonwealth of Israel; so that, even if they shall have begotten some, I will slay the most beloved, or, as Vatable and others translate, the desirable ones, of their womb, that is, their dearest children, who were their desire and delight; whence the Chaldean translator renders it: I will slay the beauty of their bowels. For offspring are the pledges of parents, and as it were their bowels. Mystically, the root of kingdom and commonwealth is God; for He sustains the kingdom and commonwealth, increases it, and causes it to flourish and bear fruit. Thus St. Jerome, who again understands by the root the Patriarchs of Israel, namely Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For these, although alive in themselves, were yet dry and as it were dead to their degenerate offspring, namely to the idolatrous Israelites; because they turned away from them, nor did they help them by their merit and prayer.
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17. MY GOD WILL CAST THEM AWAY (not theirs): BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT HEARKENED TO HIM: AND THEY SHALL BE WANDERERS AMONG THE NATIONS. This is what Jeremiah laments in Lamentations I, 8: 'Jerusalem hath sinned grievously (the sin of spiritual fornication, namely idolatry: for he speaks of Jerusalem as of a virgin committing fornication), therefore she is become unstable,' as if to say: The heavenly one bore this crime with difficulty in the anger of her husband, and forbade her to return to her home. Hence wandering, hither and thither thou erriest in uncertain dwellings: Thou hast no home, since home is everywhere.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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v. 1 « Noli laetari, Israel, noli exsultare sicut populi, quia fornicatus es a. Deo tuo, dilexisti mercedem super omnes areas tritici» ; — hebr. noli laetari usque ad ezsultationem scil. 5a 7 5N cf. Iob 3, 92 ; sed veteres (LXX, Syr. Hier. Chald.) legerunt bx ; prius magis ironice sonat : ne nimis gaudeas i. e. luctum indue vehementissimum ; alterum vesanam illam laetitiam depingit, quam gentilium more exhibent, saltationes, tripudia, clamores, strepitus, quibus uberem quam collegerant messem celebrant eamque diis acceptam referunt (cf. Cyr. Theod. Theod. M. Theoph. Rup.). Gaudium enim messis maximum est (cf. Is. 9, 3. Ps. 4, 8 hebr.). Illud quia. fornicatus non rem refert de qua exsultant (Hier. Haimo, Ps. Ruf. Alb. Tir.), verum rationem dicit, cur non sit laetandum ; « Israel enim lege Dei institutus et Dei cognitione imbutus ad defectionem est fornicatus; quare merito gravioris culpae reus... » (Cyr.) quam gentes (cf. Theod. Theod. M. Rp. Rib. Lap. Mar. Scholz); Dei obedientiae et iugo sese subducentes (cf. 5»»3) idola colunt (cf. 5, 12 et seq.) et uberem messem quae sit in areis mercedem, donum et remunerationem censent et praedicant a diis concessam propter cultum idolorum cf. 2, 5. 19 : « mercedes hae, quas dederunt mihi amatores mei »; bene S. Hier. : « mercedem fornicationis tuae areas multas et ,torcularia reputasti, ut rerum omnium abundantia fruereris » (sim. Cyr. Rib. Sanct. Lap.) ; idolis igitur festos agunt dies in ipsis areis et ibi gentilium more tripudia etc. celebrant (cf. Cyr. Mar. Lap. Men. sim. Scholz). - At vanissime et animis laetantur et externis gaudii significationibus exsultant ; nam
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v. 2 « area et torcular non pascet eos, et. vinum mentietur eis» ; — cf. 2, 9; 1, 14 ; i. e. frugibus collectis uti et frui non poterunt; « quando cultus et labor et expensae adhibita sunt et fructum non reddit, tunc vinum mentietur » (Alb.) ; spei conceptae eventus non respondet ; nominantur tria, frumentum, oleum, vinum, quibus Palaestina abundabat ; cf. 2, 8 — uti ipsi obliti sunt Dominum et ab eo defecerunt, ita fruges eos deficient !. Cur frugibus uti non possint, declarat ; « verum quid ego minora damna commemoro, cum penuriam tuam consequantur exsilia, nec vobis colendi patrii soli ulla detur facultas » (Ps. Ruf.)? Yta
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v. 3 « non habitabunt in terra Domini ; reversus est Ephraim in. Aegyptum et in, Assyriis pollutum comedit » ; — i. e. Dominum reliquerunt, quare etiam a terra Domini eiiciendi sunt; ita saepe vocatur Palaestina ?. Bene Ps. Ruf.: « qua ergo impudentia regionis istius fertilitatem capessas, cuius insignia et in ritibus et in moribus respuisti ? abibis potius illo pulsus, quo ire ante'corruptus voluisti » ; « etenim non ut in terra Deo dicata vixerunt, sed iniquitatibus plenam vitam egerunt » (Theod. sim. Theoph.) ; quare revertentur in Aegyptum, cf. 8, 13; i. e. in exsilium eiicientur, in terram alienam (Hier.), uti olim erat pro iis Aegyptus ; ita comparationis modo adhiberi, elucet ex membro adiecto, quo in Assyria polluta comedere dicuntur ? et cf. 11, 5. Cibi polluti sunt, quos vel Iudaeorum religio prohibet, vel qui diis erant immolati 1. Cf. hebr. vári3 h. |. et 4, 2 (cf. 7, 2. 16); 8, 14. Hebr. text. mas. 533 1. e. in Israel. Sed codex babylouicus legit 93, uti veteres versiones multique codices ; quae lectio omnino vel gentilicio ritu et certis caeremoniis consecrati (Sanct.), vel neglectis ritibus leviticis praeparati, vel si primitiae frugum et arborum Deo non erant oblatae '. Sensus est : foederis violatione a Deoabiecti sunt, quare in externo quoque vivendi habitu peculiaria illa, quibus Deus. suum populum insignitum voluit ac distinctum, amittent et quasi in gentilium ordinem et censum redigentur. Hoc ulterius delineat
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v. 4 « non libabunt Domino vinum et non placebunt ei ; sacrificia eorum quasi panis lugenlium, omnes qui comedent eum, contaminabuntur ; quia panis eorum animae ipsorum, non intrabit in domo Domini » ; — « mala captivitatis exsequitur » (Ps. Ruf.) carebunt sacrificiis, quibus Deum placare, et varia bona impetrare possent ; libaminis meminit, tamquam partis holocaustorum et pacificorum (Num. 6, 17; 15, 5, 10. cap. 28. 29. Lev. 23, 13. 4 Par. 29, 21 etc.) ; in terra vero aliena cultum exercere non licuit, sed in illo tantum loco, quem Dominus elegit ; quare ipsa cultus carentia se a Domino abiici admonentur seque esse « non populum Dei », nor. et placere ?. Panis lugentium, hebr. dolorum vel luctus, ille est panis, qui in domo mortui comeditur, quare propter mortuum omnes immundi fiunt (cf. Num. 19, 14) ; proin dicit, si qua obtulerint sacrificia non modo non Deo placent, sed maiore immunditie inquinantur, sunt enim res immundae ; panis ad usus tantum profanos, ad esuriem explendam, adhiberi potest ; ab usu sacro, a primitiis offerendis, ab oblationibus prorsus erit abstinendum; i. e. sedebunt sine sacrificio (cf. 3, 4), neque ullo pacto ea offerre licebit. Huius a Deo abiectionis quam maxime conscii erunt diebus festivitatum per annum recurrentibus,
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v. 9 « quid facietis in die sollemni, in die festivitatis Domini » ? — 1732 quidem de festis dicitur statutis anni diebus celebrandis cf. Lev. 23, 2. 4. 44. nominentur cf. Ex. 23, 15. 34, 25. Lev. 23, 34. Deut. 16, 10. 2 Chron. 8, 13, hoc loco ne habeatur molesta tautologia, melius "y*23 explicabimus de sacris coetibus Sunt, qui de die iudicii interpretentur, qui sit dies sollemnis Domini, dies ultionis et vindictae (cf. Cyr. Hier. Haimo, Theod. M. Rup. Alb. - Rib. Lap.); at contextus et membrum alterum priorem interpretationem omnino commendant (cf. Ps. Ruf. Theod. Theoph. Mar. Tir. Schegg, Scholz). Carent vero festivitatum celebratione, quia sunt in terra aliena :
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v. 6 « ecce enim profecti sunt a. vastitate ; Aegyptus congregabit eos, Memphis sepeliet eos; desiderabile argentum eorum urtica hercditabit, lappa 1n tabernaculis eorum » ; — i. e.' migrarunt, in exsilium eiecti sunt iudicio vastationis, quo ipsi et regio illorum sunt involuti ; Aegyptus cf. 8, 13. n5 vel Is. 19, 13 55, ' Memphis ex aegyptiaco Mennefr mansio bona orta est (cf. Brugsch, Geogr. Inschr. I p. 234). S. Hier. notat : « desiderabile argentum eorum, quod urtica possedit, villas et omnia ornamenta villarum intelligemus, quae pretio emuntur argenti » ; ita plerique ; cui explicationi membrum parallelum favet (Schegg, Keil), ' alii (Hitz. Scholz) idola ex argento confecta cf. 8, 4; 13, 2. Is. 2, 18; 30, 22; at argentum et aurum idolorum ab hostibus diripietur (cf. 8, 6); et urtica vel carduus non idola sed domus possidere dici potest ; ita quoque Chald., dum Syrus : « exquisitum argentum eorum alieni possidebunt » ?. Aedificia pretiosa argento vel thesauris aliaque supellectili (cf. Iob 3, 18; 2971, 16) dicuntur propter sumptus et magnificentiam, quae in regno israelitico non deerant cf. Is. 9, 9. 40. Am. 3, 15; 5, 11. « Quodque sequitur : lappa in t. longam significat vastitatem, ut ubi quondam domus eorum erant, ibi lappae et urticae nascantur et spinae » (Hier.) ; cf. 8, 14. Exsilium et vastationem descripsit ; succincte subdit, cur tali sorte sint affligendi v. "1 « venerunt dies visitationis, venerunt dies retributionis ; scitote Israel, stultum prophetam, insanum virum spiritualem; propter multitudinem iniquitatis tuae et multitudinem amentiae » ; — sors ista est castigatio a Domino, eaque iustissima retributio pro plurimis sceleribus, diu et saepe iam praedicta, nota ; unde in hebr. articulus adhibetur. Tunc demum discent, pseudoprophetas, qui pacem annuntiaverint nec scelera reprehenderint, esse stultos, et qui se a spiritu Dei agitatos iactabant, insanos fuisse et deceptores. Ita de pseudoprophetis explicant Chald. Lap. Sa, Tir. Mar. Keil, Trochon ; idque recte ; alii veros prophetas intelligunt, qui a populo tamquam stulti et ve- . sani traducti sint (cf. Is. 28, 9. 40. Ez. 33, 31 — Hier. Ps. Ruf. Alb. Sanct. Est. Scholz) ; at in hac explanatione quaedam supplenda sunt : sciet Israel (hebr.) i. e. experietur, experimento discet, quid sit vel quantum intersit, quan- 1. Hieroglyphice nap, napi, napit ; cf. Revue arch. Oct. 1871 p. 213. 2. LXX pro *y3r12 legerunt Magi; et aliter iungunt : « proficiscentur ex calamitate tum afferat damnum, prophetam stultum vocare ; sed talis elisio est nimis dura ; alii utramque interpretationem proponunt (cf. Hier. Haimo); alii ipsum Israel fuisse prophetam vanum et inflatum volunt (Rib.) ; at id certe longius abest. Vir spiritus (hebr.) idem est ac propheta, h. 1. talem dicit, qui se spiritu Dei impelli falso asserit, vel qui talis vulgo habetur, in quem Dei spiritus agat (cf. Num. 11, 99 ; 94, 9. Iud. 3, 10 ; 6, 34; 11, 29 ; 14, 6. 19 ; 15, 44. 1 Reg. 10, 6. 10; 11, 6 ; 19, 20 etc.). Populum a pseudoprophetis seductum falsam sibi securitatem promisisse, veri Dei prophetae saepius lamentantur ; cf. ler. 14, 13; 28, 6. Ez. 13, 71 etc. Mich. 2, 14 (hebr.) ; 3, 5 etc. | Propter multitudinem ... logice referri debet ad dies retributionis ; quod Schegg vult, propter populi scelera veros prophetas caecitateet insania fuisse perculsos, a notione prophetae, qui est Dei os et Dei nomine loquitur, abhorret; prophetae enim non insania puniuntur, sed Deus populum ita punit, ut nullum suscitet prophetam vel ei responsum nullum communicet (cf. Lament. 2, 9. Amos 8, 12. Ps. 713, 9. Ez. '1, 26. Dan. 3, 38). Adnotat S. Hier.: « pro amentia Aq. vertit. &yxótnotv, quam nos vel iracundiam vel memoriam doloris in latino possumus dicere » ; LXX habent yavíix ; est furor ille insanus hominum scelestorum contra Deum, inde odium Dei, vel, uti nata a ov ' rite explanant : oppugnatio, inimicitiae contra Deum (cf. Lap.). Eam deceptionem ulterius declarat
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v. 8 « speculator Ephraim cum Deo meo ; propheta laqueus ruinae factus est super omnes vias eius, insania tn domo Dei eius » ; — pars prior subobscura est ; unde varie explanant : Ephraim suo marte praeter Deum meum et ea subsidia quae Deus assignat, vaticinia quaerit et de futuris? coniectat (cf. Keil, Scholz); alii: is qui debuerat esse speculator pro Ephraim Dei ope et nomine, factus est eis in ruinam (cf. /Iier. Rib. Lap. Sa, Mar. Tir.) ; at neutra explicatio satisfacit : prior non placet, quia cum Deo vix in illum sensum trahi potest ; altera displicet, quia de falsis prophetis dici nequit : eos debuisse esse speculatores ... isti debuerunt prorsus nihil agere et abstinere ab omni speculatione ; neque de veris prophetis commode dicitur, eos per accidens in ruinam factos esse, uti Alb. v. g. de Ahia dicit. Quare sententia ita est concipienda : habuit Ephraim veros prophetas ope et nomine Dei, at nihilominus se permisit seducendum malis prophetis (cf. Sanct. Schegg) ; ita culpa Ephraim augetur. Speculator est propheta tamquam custos in specula positus, qui imminens periculum annuntiare debet (cf. Ez. 33, 1 - 10) ; laqueus ruinae cf. 5, 1. Theod. Theod. M. ea ad totum populum dici volunt : Ephraim vicinis gentibus tamquam Dei prophetam constitutum esse, ut illae in Dei cognitionem adducerentur ; at Ephraim contraria fecisse, sua impietate auxisse illarum erga idola superstitionem. At quid Ephraim inter et gentes adfuerit, h. 1. non tangitur. Cyr., cum LXX solum usc 0cov legant, de pseudoprophetis qui suo quisque deo servierint interpretatur. Insania cf. v. "1 — eam potissimum exercent cultu idololatrico, in domo dei sui i. e. vituli (cf. Sanct. Lap. Men. Keil) ; unde S. Hier. in Bethel explicat ; alii : usque in templum Domini flagitia penetrasse (cf. Schegg) ; sed cum de Israelitis sermo sit, mentio templi hierosolymitani non exspectatur'. Culmen flagitiorum cernitur in idololatria, quam pseudoprophetae fovent. Quare concludit
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v. 9 « profunde peccaverunt, sicut in diebus Gabaa ; recordabitur iniquitatis eorum et visitabit peccata eorum » ; — cf. 4, 1. Iud. 19; i. e. « maximis sceleribus sese obligarunt ; ut enim filii Beniamin indignissimum facinus admiserunt, admissumque a quibusdam omnes defenderunt et obstinatione sua auxerunt, unde universa fere tribus exstincta est ; ita modo idololatriam et impietatem semel susceptam pertinacissime retinent et tuentur » (Rib.) ; uti Gabaitae insanis stupris sese dederunt, ita nunc « Israelitae peccant stupro spirituali, idololatria publica, eamque tuentur » (Lap.), quare non dissimiles sunt Sodomitis (cf. Ez. 16, 46 — Sanct. sim. Ps. Ruf.). Alii diem Gabaa etiam ad Saul regis electionem Deo reiecto factam referunt (cf. Hier. Haimo) ; at prior explicatio praeferenda est ; nam regem postularunt apud Samuelem in Ramatha, 1 Reg. 8, 4; et quod Saul in Gabaa sedem habuerit (1 Reg. 10, 26; 185, 34; 23, 19; 96, 1), tali comparationi subesse non potest, dum e contra T corruptionem pessimam et apostasiam designat et illi flagitio penitus adaptatur ? (cf. Ex. 32, "l1. Deut. 32, 5. — Gen. 6, 12). Ultimis verbis stropham concludit et peccata et poenam in memoriam reducens et ita summam argumenti pertractati brevi complectens. Hic enim finem esse ponendum, etiam verba ipsa, quae ex 8, 13 recurrunt, suadent, qua recapitulatione sensus optime absolvitur ; demum a v. 10 et seq. ad aliud argumentum ex Israelitarum historia petitum transit. 1. Scholz ita nominari vult terram Domini ; cf. v. 15. 1s. 26, 10. Ier. 2, 7 — quaeexempla tantum demonstrant, Palaestinam vocari ferram Domini ; sed domus Dei arctioris notionis certe est. Quamvis propheta etiam in antecedentibus, quid Deus olim pro populi emendatione fecerit, iam strictim et obiter tetigerit (cf. 6, 5; 1, 1; 8, 12), tamen ab hoc loco et deinceps id quasi ex instituto agit comparatione instituta beneficiorum Dei et peccatorum populi (cf. 9, 10. 13 ; 10, 1. 11; 11, 1. 2. 3. 4; 19, 3- 6. 10. 12. 13; 13, 1. 6). Haec vero operum Dei commemoratio, uti scelerum enormitatem illustrat, ita simul viam sternit ad reparationem describendam ; (alia enim Dei beneficia et opera non frustra impenduntur ; quare hanc salutem et instaurationem propheta accuratius delineat et primo quidem viam ad illam et praeparationem indicat (cf. 10, 3), dein salutem promittit non sine labore certisque conditionibus obtinendam (10, 129), quam Deus miserator largietur (11, 8 - 11 ; 12, 9; 13, 4. 5. 14), ita ut Israel denuo floreat, dilatetur, aliisque salutem afferat (14, 5 - 9). Igitur duo in hac parte praecipua quadam ratione eminent: a) quid Deus populo praestiterit et populus pro sua parte rependerit: b) qualis salus oritura sit. In hac argumenti cognatione simul cernitur ratio, cur hoc loco tertiam partem libri prophetici statuamus.
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v. 10 « Quasi uvas in deserto inveni Israel, quasi prima poma ficulneae in cacumine eius vidi patres eorum » ; — i. e. «uvae in deserto, proverbiali ut reor specie, significant rem maxime suavem et expetendam, tum quia ipsae suaves sunt, tum quia locus solitarius et sterilis facit, ut rebus etiam insulsis et amaris aliquid insit suavitatis » (Sanct.) ; exprimit, quanta cum voluptate, quo studio, qua quasi aviditate et complacentia Deus populum sibi in peculium et heredi- Ephr. Ps. Ruf. Theod. M. Cyr.), illam gaudio et sedulitate colligit eamque rem pretiosissimam aestimat sibique gratulatur inventam. Quamvis in deserto pertineat ad uvam (cf. Hier. Ps. Ruf. Cyr. Theod. Theod. M. Sanct. Rib. Lap. etc.), tamen Israel foedere in deserto inito a Deo fuisse magna cum laetitia assumptum innuitur ; ficus praecoces, quae ante tempus maturescunt, similiter in deliciis habebantur ; cf. Mich. 7], 4 ; et magna aviditate arripiebantur ; cf. Is. 28, 4; in cacumine, quid hoc addat ad desiderium augendum non apparet ; quare hebr. explicabis : tn ?ni- (io eius i. e. in primitiis eius, cum ficus illae praecoces in prima sua sunt teneritudine, in prima quasi ac suavissima aetate. Patres eorum Abraham etc. intelligunt, alii duces tempore Moysis (cf. Hier. Theod. Sanct. Lap.) ; hebr. patres vestros i. e. Israelitas in deserto a Deo repertos et auctos beneficiis. Dei vero amorem, desiderium, exspectationem fefellerunt horrendum in modum : « tps? autem intraverunt ad Beelphegor, abalienati sunt in. confusionem et facti sunt abominabiles, sicut ea quae dilexerunt » ; — cf. Num. 25,3 et seq. ; hebr. venerunt ad. B. ad locum illum, ibique foedo idoli cultu peccarunt ; in Bethphegor apud Moabitas trans Iordanem e regione Ierichuntis (cf. Deut. 4, 46. Ios. 13, 20) cultu Baalphegor initiati et consecrati sunt, cuius in honorem virgines praecipue sese prostituebant etc. (cf. Hier.) ; quare hebr. e£ consecrati sunt confusioni i. e. sese consecrabant et devovebant idolo turpissimo, quod Priapi in modum Hier. describit ; et facti sunt abominationes sicut amor eorum i. e. sicut idolum, quod meretricio amore amplexi sunt ; ita quidem generationes praeteritae egerunt ; at illarum mentem et indolem apud posteros perseverasse, propheta innuit et exinde iam liquet, quia statim v. 11 poenam subdit, qua praesens generatio plectenda sit. Idola saepius vocantur abominationes, res abominandae ; cf. hebr. 4 Reg. 11, 9. 1. 2 Reg. 23, 13. 11. Deut. 99, 16. Ier. 4, 1; 7, 30 ; 13, 27 ; 16, 18. Ez. 5, 11 ete. « Ea est vis amoris, ut amantem quodammodo in amatum transformet... idem docet S. Thomas saepe 1. 2. qu. 22 art. 2. qu. 66. art. 6 ad 4, ubi discrimen statuit inter potentiam cognitivam et appetitivam. Àmor enim naturam induit et mores imbibit rei amatae, quia est impulsus quidam ad illam et cum ipsa modus quidam et unio » (Sanct.). Ex illo scelere statim transit ad aequales, qui utpote idololatrae etiam abominationes facti sunt, sicuti ea, quae colunt et adorant; si enim amor amantem transformat, a fortiore cultus et adoratio animum, sensus, voluntatem quam maxime afficit et transmutat. Unde minatur, illos ut res abominandas procul esse abiiciendos,
Anc. — Populi accusatio augetur ex historia primaeva : a) Deus populum tenere dilexit ; illi vero spurcitiis se macularunt; quare evertentur et concident ; b) Ephraim tribus erat potens — at nunc excidium ei imminet ; c) iam ex tempore Galgal mala perpetrant; quare merito exscindentur et in exsilium eiicientur (9, 10 - 17) ; d) Israel robustus et fortis est factus ; at abusus est sua potentia ad scelera; quare interibunt vulnere divino ; tunc intelligent, se vero carere fulcro et subsidio : idololatria terrorem, luctum, exsilium affert, qua in confusione Ephraim et rex et urbs et altaria et habitatores involventur ; e) iam ex diebus Gabaa in peccatis permanserunt, quare egregie vindictam sumet Deus (10, 1 - 10); f) Ephraim edoctus est Dei legem, at amans est luxuriae ; Deus vero superbiam confringet, sed ita, ut fruges adsint in Iuda et Iacob cum multo labore comparandae, fruges iustitiae et salutis. At nunc longe absunt ab illa salutis conditione, quare mendacii scelerumque frugem experientur : Bethel affert excidium, rex Israel peribit (10, 11 - 15). prius sua breviter quidem sed mirabiliter ad memoriam audientium beneficia revocat, ut ingratitudinem illorum quilibet perpendens admiretur cum Moyse : generatio prava atque perversa, haeccine reddis Domino, popule stulte et insipiens » ? Quanto enim amore et gaudio Deus populum elegerit, amplexus sit, explicat
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v. 11 « Ephraim quasi avis avolavit, gloria eorum a partu et ab utero eta conceptu » ; — i. e. quasi avis avolabit in captivitatem ( Hier. Ps. Ruf. Theod.) ; iam S. Hier. advertit, iungi quoque posse quasi avis avolavit gloria eorum, et hoc melius est ; Ephraim absolute praeponitur, quasi emphasis gratia : quod attinet ad Ephraim,.. gloria et potentia celeriter, facile abripietur, evanescet. Ita comparatio est intelligenda !. Qui iungunt aliter, explicant gloriam ab Israel repeti a populi multitudine, vel eos gloriatos esse de fertilitate et ubertate in eaque populi regnique splendorem repositum existimasse ( cf. Cyr. Theod. M. Rup. Sanct. Rib.). At aliter posse intelligi iam,vidit S. Hier., scil. gloriam, quae avolet ab Ephraim, etiam a partu, et ab utero, et a conceptu eorum recedere, h. e. filios eorum deseri, posteros derelinqui ; vel filios esse morituros, alios a partu, simul ac prodierint in lucem, alios ab utero, tempore quo uterus geritur ; alios a conceptu, ut ne embryo quidem formetur ( cf. Lap.) ; originem omnem recenset, ut generalem interitum delineet. At simplicius est, hebr. YO vertere sine partu etc. i. e. nullus erit partus, nulla uteri gestatio, nulla conceptio. Ita enim tribum numero ac multitudine potentem et. florentem ad paucitatem esse redigendam praedicit. Hunc esse sensum, ex gradatione patet, quae cernitur
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v. 19 « quod etsi enutrierint filios suos, absque liberis eos faciam in. hominibus ; sed el vae eis, cum recessero ab eis ». — Dixerat per hyperbolen, nullum fore partum ; pergit : profecto, si educaverint filios, ego eos orbabo, ut inter reliquos homines ipsi sint absque liberis ; ita textus lat. ; hebr. c'me2 sine homine (cf. v. 11), ita ut in illa tribu homines iam non exsistant ; hyperbole est ab affectu vehementiore non aliena ; vel ctiam cum LXX concipi potest : ipsi ex hominibus orbati erunt i. e. soli inter homines erunt filiis orbati (cf. Schegg). Ad hoc malum accedit ( hebr. 23) aliud vae; vae iis, cumulus est malorum ore divino praedictus, qui indefinite prolatus ipsa sua universalitate terrorem incutit ; Deus enim est pater, protector, custos Israel eiusque petra, fulcrum, arx, locus munitas etc. uti in psalmis frequenter laudatur, quo recedente omnia corruant necesse est. LXX habent : cágt pov &E a9xóv ; legerunt. 92 pro *v2; Cyr. ad prophetam refert, qui in communi calamitate et ruina immunitatem ab ira sibi precetur : extra illos et quam longissime ab eis ego sim et omne genus meum ; sim. Theod. M., sed ipse et Theod. duplicem lectionem exprimunt : vae eis 8ijxt Xozxx ajcobz cdpt... quod additamentum Theod. et Theoph. de Incarnationis mysterio interpretantur, uti olim etiam Lyranus, Galatinus, aliique, quos vide apud Rib. Sanct. Rite vertit Aq. EwxMvavxOc pov &x' aotóv ; Sim. Chald. « vae eis, cum abstulero gloriam meam ( schechina ) ab eis » ; quare 3t? — 1D ; uti aliqui codd. legunt ; sunt ex. interpretibus, qui legi velint 430 — dum oculos averto ab eis. Sed praestat versio vulg. Aq. Chald. Dein, uti v. 10, aliud. beneficium commemorat : effecerat enim Deus tribum Ephraim potentem ac florentem ; ita
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v. 13 « Ephraim, ut vidi, Tyrus erat fundata in pulchritudine, et Ephraim educet ad. interfectorem filios suos » ; — « consequenter exponit, quàlis quondam fuerit Ephraim : tam pulcher, inquit, erat etsic Dei vallabatur auxilio, ut Tyrus quae mari cingitur, vel certe ut scopulus durissimus, qui fixus in terra omnes contemnit procellas et de turbinibus ventisque non curat » ( Hier.). Tyrus potentia, opibus, splendore illustris saepius describitur cf. Is. 93, 3. 8. Ez. 21, 4 — 29. Explica hebr. : Ephraim, sicut destinavi eum, ut sit. Tyrus plantata in fertili campo ; Tyrum etlam Syrus et Chald. exprimunt, hic : par erat Tyro in prosperitate .et abundantia ; ille : vidi Tyrum consitam aedificiis. Nomen "Y appellative sumi etiam posse, iam indicat Hier. et sequitur Scholz; at prior explicatio est praeferenda *'; petram quoque interpretantur Aq. Sym. Theod. ; LXX habent ei; 62pxv xapfotrcxy tX tÍxva ajcóv, igitur legerunt, ut jam notat Hier. una litera mutata '11Y et pro 5123.. certe Dmz25 "mj ; hane lectionem etiam Scholz praefert ; qui explicat : feci Ephraim in arcem inexpugnabilem, firmiter fundatam filiis suis. Aq. et Sym. &v zazo:- zux 5 Theod. oi viot a9x5; (cf. cod. syr. hexapl.). Talibus igitur donis Ephraim erat insignitus — Dei erat plantatio in 1. d iam suadet fem. now, quae forma ad Tyrum apta ést cf. Is. 23, 8. Ez. 27, 2; campo amoeno ac fertili, opibus quasi aemula Tyri — at Ephraim ipse ruinam sibi accersit : filios suos ut interfectori tradat, sedulo incumbit, ad id quasi unice mentem intendit (cf. hebr. w'Y*75); sceleribus scil. mortem et vindictam sedulo sibi attrahit et Dei consilium benevolum evertit. — Vates exposuit, quid Deus fecerit et facere intenderit ct quantopere populus Dei consilia reiecerit et ambabus quasi manibus interitum sibi adsciverit ; quare iam indignatione commotus ultionem Dei in tam enormia scelera imprecatur ;
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v. 14 « da eis, Domine ! quid. dabis eis ? da eis vulvam sine liberis et ubera arentia » | — haec vatis exclamatio non est quasi minorem poenam pro ipsis postulantis supplicatio, scil. quia in die calamitatis beatae sunt steriles, quae non pepererunt (Rup.), vel quia populo pereunte satius est carere liberis, quam filios videre intereuntes — sed vehementer indignantis est postulatio divinae vindictae, id quod etiam interrogationis figura indicatur ; nescit, quid tanto sceleri puniendo par efflagitet. Bene notat Aib. : « ex desiderio quaerit ; tanta est enim culpa eorum, quod nescit quid pro retributione petat ; exigentia enim culpae vincit omnem poenam » ; cf. Is. 1, 5. ler. 18, 21-23. Poenam imprecatur sceleri v. 13 correspondentem ; « ea, inquit, plaga condemnet, sciantque se internecione delendos. Supra enim dixerat, quod si enutrissent filios, orbitatem illorum illico sustinerent ; nunc autem addidit arida ubera et prodigialem sterilitatem feminis ingerendam, ut populorum, quos depasta est captivitas, etiam reparatio desperetur » (Ps. Ruf. ). Dein malum ex longo tempore iam inolitum callum quasi obduxisse indicat
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v. 19 « omnes nequitiae eorum in. Galgal, quia ibi exosos habui eos » ; — idololatriam in Galgal olim iam exercitam tangit cf. Iud. 3, 19; vel illos a prima terrae occupatione — Galgalis enim castrametati sunt et circeumcisi et Pascha celebrarunt et ex Galgalis expeditiones bellicas susceperunt cf. Ios. 4, 19; 5 cp. 9, 6; 10, 6 etc. — infideliter iam et nequiter in Dominum egisse ; «ait igitur : omnia huius populi peccata fuerunt in Galgal, quidquid modo faciunt, non novum est, iam olim in Galgal fecerunt, antiquissima est eorum impietas et obdurata pervicacia » ( Rib. cf. Ps. Ruf. Rup.) !. promissam interpretantur (cf. Hier. Ps. Ruf. Theod. M. Theoph. Barh. Alb. Sanct. Scholz ) ; aptius ad verbum domus explicatur familia Dei, populus Dei (cf. Hier. Rib. Lap. Men. Tir.) vel cixeézuzog t95 &pts &x- 62Xo Cyr. Cum h. 1l. foedus Dei non sub matrimonii symbolo neque populus quasi sponsa repraesentetur, non licet cum Schegg explanare, mulierem. adulteram e domo expellam. Non addam.. cf. 4, 6 ; principes.. nota in hebr. paronomasiam cf. Is. 1, 23. Ier. 6, 28; ab iis enim origo malorum et augmentum cf. 5, 1; "i, 3 seq. ; « quod utique ita posuit, non ut solos optimates lapsos in peccata signaret, sed ut de vulgi iniquitatibus dubitatio nulla remaneret, cum nec de principibus aliquis, qui non a cultu Dei recederet, exstitisset » ( Ps. Ruf.). Dei amore subtracto quid consequatur, addit
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v. 16 « percussus esl Ephraim ; radix eorum exsiccata est; fructum nequaquam facient ; quod etsi genuerint, interficiam amantissima uteri eorum » ; — Ephraim ut plantatio Dei (40, 4 ; 14, '1. Is. 5, "1; 11, 11 ; 271, 3-6; 60, 21; 61, 3. Ez. 19, 10) consideratur, quae ita a solis ardore (cf. Ps. 120, 6) vel verme (Ion. 4, 7) percutitur, ut arescat. Radix siccatur i.e. omnis renascentiae spes humanitus ablata est (cf. Theod. M. Sanct.); alii radi-. cem (axov'sla» vel generatim ea quibus respublica fulcitur et nutritur, intelligunt (cf.' Theod. Ilier.) ; interficiam cf. v. 12; nota paronomasiam in hebr. inter D'^5N et '?2 i. e.nomen non habebit omen. Olim tenere eos dilexit et magno desiderio amplexus est v. 10 ; at nunc scelestos illos fastidit, v. A'l « abiiciet eos Deus meus, quia non audierunt eum; et erunt vagi in nationibus » ; —1oedus ea conditione initum est, ut audiant vocem Dei (Ex. 19, 6) ; ea conditione impleta « eritis mihi in peculium de cunctis populis »; ergo consequens est, ut ea neglecta abiecti sint et profugi et exsules apud omnes nationes, ita Dei maledictum palam prae se ferentes, vagi scil. et instabiles, quia firmam petram Israel reliquerunt (cf. Deut. 32, 18. 31 hebr. Ps. 18, 32 hebr.). Denuo beneficia praestita in memoriam revocat et quantum iis ad contemptum Dei abusi sint, reprehendit :
9:4
Agape (Ἀγάπη "love, charity" in the New Testament)
A certain dependence of the a. on Jewish funerary banquets may be admitted (II Sam. 3, 32; Jer. 16, 5, 7; Tob. 4, 17-18; cf. Hos. 9, 4 and Ezek. 24, 17, 22; for New Testament times: Flavius Josephus, Ant. …
… The exterior manifestations of mourning were reduced to a minimum, consisting in a funeral banquet («the bread of mourning»: Os. 9, 4), abstinence from work for seven days (so long did mourning last: Gen. 50, 10), cutting of the hair, sprinkling of ashes on the head (Esth. 4, 1); customs neither concomitant, …
9:7
They indeed report or presuppose the various elements from which it results that the sacred writer is a "prophet" (Mt. 26, 56; Lk. 18, 31; 24, 25; Rom. 16, 26; Heb. 1, 1-2, etc.), that he writes under the influence of God who fills him with the Holy Spirit (Hos. 9, 7; Mic. 3, 8; Ezek. 2, 2; 3, 12; 8, 13; 11, 5, 24; Zech. 7, 12; II Sam. 23, 2; Eccl. 39, 8; 48, 27; II Esdr. 14, 21, 25, 40-44); who orders him to speak or to write (Ex. 17, 14; 34, …
… epistles), "revelation" (ἀποκάλυψις: I Cor. 1:7; II Thess. 1:7; I Pt. 1:7, 13; 4:13). It is also called "visitation" (ἐπισκοπή: Lk. 19:44; cf. 1:68, 78; 7:16; I Pt. 2:12 [cf. 5:6]) according to the prophetic expression (pēquddāh: Is. 10:3; Hos. 9:7; Num. 16:29 is "the death that is the lot of all").
9:10
… of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (11:31; 12:11). Siqqûs expresses the principal idea (in I Macc. 6:7 only τὸ βδέλυγμα appears): "disgrace, horror, horrible thing"; it is a descriptive designation of the pagan gods or idols (I Reg. 2:5; mostly in the plural: Hos. 9:10, and often in Jer. and Ez.) or of what is connected with idolatrous worship (Zech. 9:7: the sacrificed meats). …
Beelphegor (Hebrew Ba'al-Pe'or)
… be seduced by the Moabite women and "were initiated" into the infamous cult of B. By order of Moses, the impure collective sacrilege was punished with the killing of 24,000 Israelites, chiefly through the work of Phinehas (v.; cf. Num. 25; Ps. 105:28; Hos. 9:10).
… In the minor prophets, even in the most ancient (Am. 2:4; 4:13; 5:8 ff.; 9:2, 5 ff.; Hos. 4:12; 9:10; 13:4), the same faith is found.
… On God's part, every benefit and the greatest affection; on Israel's part, the infidelity that began with the first contacts with the Canaanites (Hos. 9:10; 10:1; 11:1 ff.; 13:5 ff.; cf. Jer. 2:1-3; Ezek. 20:28), and now in Samaria is at its height (Hos. 2:4-15; 4:12 and passim). …
9:15
Gilgal, Gilgala (Heb. Hag-Gilgâl "The Circle")
… received there festively by the tribe of Judah on his return from his flight into Transjordan (II Sam. 19:16). After G. later became a center of idolatry, like the sanctuary of Bethel, it was condemned in the invectives of the prophets (Hos. 4:15; 9:15; Am. 4:4) and after the Babylonian exile its memory was lost.
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.