Wesley Corpus

Chapter V The deplorable condition of Israel, ver. 1 - 3. An exhortation to seek God, ver. 4 - 15. Judgments denounced, ver. 16 - 20. Notwithstanding their outward services, ver. 21 - 27. The virgin - So she was, when first espoused to God. Upon her land - Broken to pieces upon her own land, and so left as a broken vessel. By a thousand - That sent out one thousand soldiers. An hundred - Shall lose nine parts of them. Ye shall live - It shall be well with you. Seek not - Consult not, worship not the idol at Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba. The house of Joseph - The kingdom of the ten tribes, the chief whereof was Ephraim, the son of Joseph. In Beth - el - If once this fire breaks out, all your idols in Beth - el shall not be able to quench it. Ye - Rulers and judges. Judgment - The righteous sentence of the law. To wormwood - Proverbially understood; bitterness, injustice and oppression. Leave off - Make to cease in your courts of judicature. The seven stars - A constellation, whose rising about September was usually accompanied with sweet showers. Orion - Which arising about November brings usually cold, rains and frosts intermixt very seasonable for the earth. The shadow of the earth - The greatest adversity into as great prosperity. Dark with might - Changes prosperity into adversity. That calleth - Commands the vapour to ascend, which he turns into rain; and then pours from the clouds to make the earth fruitful. The strong - The mighty, victorious and insolent. Shall come - Shall rally and form a siege against their besiegers. They - The judges and people. In the gate - Where judges sat, and where the prophets many times delivered their message. Your treading - You utterly oppress the helpless. Ye take - Ye extort from the poor great quantities of wheat, on which he should live. In the gate - In their courts of justice. Shall keep silence - Be forced to it. Evil - Both for the sinfulness of it, and for the troubles, wars, and captivity now at hand. With you - To bless and save you yet. The evil - All evil among the people, and yourselves. Love - Commend, encourage, defend: let your heart be toward good things, and good men.