“They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD. They say: Heb. Saying”
It. Hebrew, “a saying.” Septuagint, “If,” &c., Deuteronomy xxiv. 1. (Haydock) — Woman. Hebrew, “land.” — Lovers. Septuagint, “shepherds,” (Calmet) seeking aid from idols and foreigners.
“Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.”
High. Literally, “straight forward.” (Haydock) — On the hills, idolatry and immorality prevailed. — Ways, where harlots used to sit, Genesis xxxviii. 14., and Proverbs vii. 9., and xxxiii. 27. — Robber; “Arab,” (Chaldean, &c.) or “crow.” (Septuagint) (Calmet) — No sin is so great as to be irremissible to the true penitent. (Worthington)
“Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.”
Rain; about November, Deuteronomy xi. 14. This drought happened under Josias, (chap. v. 24.) and was different from that specified, chap. viii. 13., and xiv. 1.
“Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?”
Guide. Husband, Proverbs ii. 16., and Joel i. 8.
“Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.”
Wilt. Hebrew, “will he,” &c. The faithless people will not use this language, but do all the evil possible.
“The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.”
Days, before the 18th year. God now pronounces sentence (Calmet) on all. (Haydock) — Rebellious, a faithless wife. The kingdom of Israel gave way to idolatry first. But the people were less favoured than Juda, which had many prophets and good kings, the temple, &c. Moreover, the misfortunes of Israel did not open the eyes of their brethren. (Calmet) — Both the ten tribes, and the two tribes (Worthington) which adhered to the line of David, prevaricated. (Haydock)
“And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. feignedly: Heb. in falsehood”
Falsehood. Their reform was only apparent, under Joas, &c. (Calmet)
“And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.”
Soul, and appeared comparatively innocent, ver. 6., and Ezechiel xvi. 51. (St. Jerome) — Yet neither of them was excusable. (Worthington)
“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.”
North. Samaria, or rather Assyria, where the people were captives. — Face, in anger.
“Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.”
Ways, dividing thy love, and adoring idols with me.
“Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:”
Kindred. Only few Israelites returned under Cyrus. The rest came by degrees, though it was more fully accomplished by the conversion of the Gentiles.
“And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
Pastors. Zorobabel, &c., but more particularly Christ and his apostles.
“And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. come to mind: Heb. come upon the heart that: or, it be magnified”
Ark. It was no longer at Jerusalem. The law and its figures cease.
“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. imagination: or, stubbornness”
All. Many might embrace the Jewish religion. But the predictions of the prophets on this head, were not verified, till the gospel was preached. (Calmet) — Then many embraced the faith: several captives also returned to God. (Worthington)
“In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. with: or, to given: or, caused your fathers to possess”
North. Septuagint add, “and from all places” where the Jews were in captivity. (Haydock) — Many thus returned to their own country, ver. 14. (Calmet) — Israel had been led into captivity sooner, but all were released at once. (Theodoret) (Worthington)
“But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me. from me: Heb. from after me a goodly: Heb. an heritage of glory, or, beauty pleasant: Heb. land of desire”
Gentiles, which they all covet, or to which they are invited in the Church. (Calmet) — Me. On these conditions thou shalt be restored. (Haydock)
“A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.”
God. Hence proceed these miseries and lamentations.
“Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.”
Liars, unfruitful; and the idols have left us empty. (Calmet) — They were placed on the hills. (Houbigant)
“For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.”
Confusion. Thus Baal was styled Boseth, contemptuously, Jeremias xi. 13.
“We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”
Shame. We are justly punished with exile, (Calmet) and death. (Menochius)