Wesley Corpus

Chapter VII A call to true repentance, ver. 1 - 7. Not to live in theft, murder, adultery, perjury, &c., to trust in the outward worship and temple of God, by the example of Shiloh, ver. 8 - 15. The prophet is forbid to pray for them, ver. 16. Their idolatry, and its judgment, ver. 17 - 20. Their sacrifices rejected, and obedience required, ver. 21 - 28. They are called to mourn for their abominations in Tophet, and their judgments, ver. 29 - 34. The gate - The east gate, which was the publick place of going out and coming in, and where the people were then wont to assemble. Proclaim - Proclaiming signifies both the authority by which he spake, and the divulging of what he spake plainly and boldly; possibly, it might be at some publick time, when all the males were to meet. Saying - Because this was God's house, they flattered themselves that he would not suffer the Chaldeans to destroy it, therefore the prophet cautions them not to deceive themselves, trusting to the temple and its buildings, as the two courts and house, and holy of holies implied in the word these, which he doth as it were point to with his finger. The emphasis, in this threefold repetition, seems to relate to the confident, and reiterated boasts of the temple, that were in their mouths. These - The prophet standing in the gate at which the people entered, as it were, points at the several buildings pertaining to the temple. Oppress not - Here they are cautioned against three sins, that this people were generally addicted to, oppression, blood, and idolatry; and instances in the worst of oppressions, of such as God hath more especially taken into his immediate protection. Will ye steal - Can you think that this can be grateful to me, or advantageous to yourselves, to frequent my house, and yet retain these odious sins. Whom - Such as they had set up new, and never had any experience of, and therefore could have no reason to serve them. Delivered - After they had appeared before God with their sacrifices, they thought they were privileged to return to all those wickednesses. A den - Do you look upon this house as a sanctuary for robbers and murderers. Shiloh - A place in the tribe of Ephraim.