Geneva Study Bible Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! Woe to the {a} crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, who are on the head of the rich {b} valleys of them that are overcome with wine!
(a) Meaning, the proud kingdom of the Israelites, who were drunk with worldly prosperity. (b) Because the Israelites for the most part dwelt in plentiful valleys, he means by this the valley of them who had abundance of worldly prosperity and were as it were crowned with garlands. Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and {c} strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
(c) He seems to mean the Assyrians, by whom the ten tribes were carried away. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley, shall be a fading flower, and as {d} the early fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
(d) Which is not of long continuance, but is soon ripe and first eaten. In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, to the {e} remnant of his people,
(e) Signifying that the faithful who do not put their trust in any worldly prosperity but made God their glory, will be preserved. And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for {f} strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
(f) He will give counsel to the governor and strength to the captain to drive the enemies in at their own gates. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. But {g} they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are overwhelmed with wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
(g) Meaning, the hypocrites who were among them, and were altogether corrupt in life and doctrine, which is here meant by drunkenness and vomiting. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. {h} Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
(h) For there was no one that was able to understand any good doctrine: but were foolish and as unfit as young babes. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For {i} precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
(i) They must have one thing often repeated. For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. For with stammering {k} lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
(k) Let one teach what he can, yet they will no more understand him, than if he spoke in a strange language. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. To whom {l} he said, {m} This is the rest with which ye may {n} cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
(l) That is, the prophet, whom God would send. (m) This is the doctrine on which you ought to stay and rest. (n) Show to them that are weary and have need of rest, what the true rest is. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. But the word of the {o} LORD was to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
(o) Because they will not receive the word of God, when it is offered, it comes of their own malice, if after their hearts are so hardened, that they care not for it, as before, Isa 6:9. Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: Because ye have said, We have made a {p} covenant with death, and with hell are we in agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not reach us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under {q} falsehood have we hid ourselves:
(p) They thought they had shifts to avoid God's judgments, and that they could escape though all others perished. (q) Though the prophets condemned their idols and vain fruit of falsehood and vanity, yet the wicked thought in themselves that they would trust in these things. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a {r} tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth {s} shall not make haste.
(r) That is, Christ, by whom all the building must be tried and upheld, Ps 118:22, Mt 21:42, Ac 4:11, Ro 9:33, 1Pe 2:6. (s) He will be quiet, and seek no other remedies, but be content with Christ. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and {t} righteousness to the plummet: and the {u} hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow {x} the hiding place.
(t) In the restitution of his Church, judgment and justice will reign. (u) God's corrections and affliction. (x) Affliction will discover their vain confidence, which they kept secret to themselves. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a {y} vexation only to understand the report.
(y) Terror and destruction will make you learn that which exhortations and gentleness could not bring you to. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. For the bed is {z} shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
(z) Your affliction will be so sore, that you are not able to endure it. For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. For the LORD shall rise as on mount {a} Perazim, he shall be angry as in the valley {b} of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
(a) When David overcame the Philistines, 2Sa 5:20, 1Ch 14:11. (b) Where Joshua discomfited five kings of the Amorites, Jos 10:12. Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? When he hath made {c} even the face of it, doth he not cast abroad the black cummin, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the wheat in rows and the appointed barley and the rye in their place?
(c) As the plowman has his appointed time, and various instruments for his labour, so has the Lord for his vengeance: for he punishes some at one time, and some at another, some after one sort, and some after another, so that his chosen seed is beaten and tried, but not broken as are the wicked. For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
    |