*H And now, O ye priests, this commandment is to you.
Ver. 1. Priests. Such, hoarding up riches, dishonour God and his sacraments, as if they were temporal things to be purchased, and so they scandalize the weak. It would be well for them if they were reduced to poverty, (v. 2.) and would repent, as they will otherwise be deprived of eternal goods, having received their wages in this world, like hirelings. John x. W.
*H If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts: I will send poverty upon you, and will curse your blessings, yea I will curse them, because you have not laid it to heart.
Ver. 2. Blessings, riches. The priests also blessed the people. Num. vi. 23. C.
* Footnote * Leviticus 26 : 14
But if you will not hear me, nor do all my commandments:* Footnote * Deuteronomy 28 : 15
But if thou wilt not hear the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep and to do all his commandments and ceremonies, which I command thee this day, all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.*H Behold, I will cast the shoulder to you, and will scatter upon your face the dung of your solemnities, and it shall take you away with it.
Ver. 3. Shoulder. I will cast away the shoulder, which in the law was appointed to be your portion, and fling it at you in my anger: and will reject both you and your festivals like dung. Ch. — Heb. now reads for shoulder, zerah, "grain," or seed. C. — "I will menace you with the shoulder, and will spread dirt on your faces, even the dirt of your feasts," (Aquila) or "the ventricle of your festivals." Sept. H.
*H And you shall know that I sent you this commandment, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Ver. 4. Levi. When this tribe was chosen does not appear. Some think that he alludes to the renewing of the covenant under Nehemias, which seems best. 2 Esd. ix. 1. 38. I then promised you life, &c. C.
*H For the lips of the priests shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts.
Ver. 7. The angel, viz. the minister and messenger. Ch. — Priests must administer the sacraments, and likewise instruct the people, being God's messengers. W. — The Jews were well acquainted with the law. Jer. xviii. 18. — The priests had to decide most intricate cases. Deut. xvii. 9. and xxxiii. 9. C. — The sentence of the high priest was received like that of an angel. Diod. Sic. xl. apud Phol. — If such science was required under the old law, how much more is necessary in Christian priests, whose mysteries and duties are so much more important! C. — Ignoratio scripturarum ignoratio Christi est. S. Jer. in Is. & hic.
*H Therefore have I also made you contemptible, and base before all people, as you have not kept my ways, and have accepted persons in the law.
Ver. 9. People. If priests comply not with these high functions, they are despicable here, and condemned to eternal torments. Jude 11. W. — Accepted. Heb. "raised up faces," instead of reproving the guilty. Deut. i. 10. Lev. xix. 15.
*H Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why then doth every one of us despise his brother, violating the covenant of our fathers?
Ver. 10. Brother, in distress. 2 Esd. v. 1. S. Jerom mentions the tradition of the Jews, which supposed that the captives at their return dismissed their wives, and married young ones, though strangers. v. 11. But this is not probable. Such women were ordered to be dismissed. 1 Esd. ix. 1. and 2 Esd. xiii. 23. C.
* Footnote * Matthew 23 : 9
And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.* Footnote * Ephesians 4 : 6
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.*H Juda hath transgressed, and abomination hath been committed in Israel, and in Jerusalem: for Juda hath profaned the holiness of the Lord, which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
Ver. 11. God, or one addicted to idol-worship, (H.) which was contrary to the law. Deut. vii. 3. C. — Sept. "the holy things of the Lord, by what he has loved and done for strange gods." H.
*H The Lord will cut off the man that hath done this, both the master, and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering to the Lord of hosts.
Ver. 12. Master. Heb. "the watcher, and him who answers," on guard. C. — Sept. "doth such things, till he be tumbled out," &c. — Him. Sept. "and out of those who offer a sacrifice to," &c. Such people shall be excluded from the society of God's servants. H.
*H And this again have you done, you have covered the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and bellowing, so that I have no more a regard to sacrifice, neither do I accept any atonement at your hands.
Ver. 13. With tears; viz. by occasion of your wives, whom you have put away, and who came to weep and lament before the altar. Ch. — Though divorces were tolerated, (Mat. xix. 6.) the more virtuous did not approve of them, particularly when a wife was put away who had been married in youth. See v. 10. Perhaps this corruption had crept in, like others, (C.) owing to the people's commerce with strangers. Diod. in Photius.
*H And you have said: For what cause? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee, and the wife of thy youth, whom thou hast despised: yet she was thy partner, and the wife of thy covenant.
Ver. 14. Covenant. The order established at first. Gen. ii. 24. Prov. ii. 17. The parties promised fidelity to each other.
*H Did not one make her, and she is the residue of his spirit? And what doth one seek, but the seed of God? Keep then your spirit, and despise not the wife of thy youth.
Ver. 15. His spirit. Eve received a soul from God, like Adam. Heb. "One (Abraham, Chal. styled one, Ezec. xxxiii. 24.) did it not, and he had the," &c. Sept. vary. The text is very obscure. C. See Cap. Crit. iv. p. 317. Grabe prol. — A strange god did not make women. The human race is best propagated, where polygamy and divorces are rejected. H.
*H When thou shalt hate her put her away, saith the Lord, the God of Israel: but iniquity shalt cover his garment, saith the Lord of hosts, keep your spirit, and despise not.
Ver. 16. Garment; viz. of every man that putteth away his wife without just cause; notwithstanding that God permitted it in the law, to prevent the evil of murder. Ch. — The original may receive this sense; or the woman must blame herself if she were hateful, (Deut. xxiv. 1.) and the man acted not treacherously. C. — Sept. "iniquity shall cover your thoughts." H. — It should be "garments," ενδυματα, τηουγη Σ. ϑερομ ανδ τηε πριντεδ εδιτ. ρεαδ ενθυμηματα, (C.) "thoughts." The first part contains the objection, and the second God's reply. S. Jer. H.
*H You have wearied the Lord with your words, and you said: Wherein have we wearied him? In that you say: Every one that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and such please him: or surely where is the God of judgment?
Ver. 17. Judgment. Being scandalized at the prosperity of the wicked, (H.) they deny Providence. Ps. lxxii. Jer. xii. C. — Yet the wicked are left for wise purposes, either for their amendment, or for the trial of the just. S. Aug. Ps. liv. — Those who are offended at their present success, (H.) think not of judgment nor of eternal goods. S. Jer.