Wesley Corpus

Chapter X God charges Israel with many sins, and threatens them with punishment, ver. 1 - 11. Exhorts them to repent, ver. 12 - 15. An empty vine - That hath lost its strength to bring forth fruit. Unto himself - Whatever fruit was brought forth by its remaining strength, was not brought forth to God. His fruit - When the land yielded more plentiful increase, this plenty was employed on multiplying idols. The altars - Of his idols. The goodness - Imagining that the goodness of their land was a blessing from their idols. Is divided - From God and his worship. Faulty - As this was their sin, so the effects hereof should manifestly prove them faulty. He - God. Say - See and feel. No king - Either no king at all, or no such king as we expected. What then - For kings are not able to save without the God of kings. Words - Vain words. Swearing falsely - By perjury deceiving those they treated with. A covenant - With the Assyrian king. Judgment - Divine vengeance. As hemlock - A proverbial speech, expressing the greatness of this evil. Because of the calves - Because they had sinned by these calves, therefore did this fear seize them. The people - They who dwelt at Beth - aven. That rejoiced on it - These priests formerly were fed, clothed, and enriched by this idol, this made them right glad. The glory thereof - All its credit is vanished. Is departed - The Assyrians have either broken it, or carried it in derision into Assyria. It - The golden calf. Is cut off - Shortly will be cut off: this prophecy probably was delivered when Samaria was besieged. The high places - The temples and altars of Baal. Of Aven - Or Beth - aven. They shall say - When this shall be brought to pass, the idolatrous Israelites shall be in such perplexity, that they shall wish the mountains and hills might fall on them. They - Probably the six hundred men who fled to the rock Rimmon. Overtake them - That fatal battle did not reach them; but now Israel shall be more severely punished. The people - The Assyrians. For their two transgressions - Perhaps, their revolt from David's house, and their idolatry. Taught - Used to, and so skilled in.