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1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountaine of Samaria, which are named chiefe of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came.
2 Passe ye vnto Calneh, and see, and from thence go ye to Hemath the great: then goe downe to Gath of the Philistines: bee they better then these kingdomes? or their border greater then your border?
3 Ye that put farre away the euil day, and cause the seat of violence to come neere:
4 That lie vpon beds of Yuorie, and stretch themselues vpon their couches, and eate the lambes out of the flocke, and the calues out of the midst of the stall:
5 That chaunt to the sound of the Uiole, and inuent to themselues instruments of musicke, like Dauid:
6 That drinke wine in bowles, and anoint themselues with the chiefe ointments: but they are not grieued for the affliction of Ioseph.
7 ¶ Therefore now shall they goe captiue, with the first that goe captiue, and the banquet of them that stretched themselues, shalbe remoued.
8 The Lord God hath sworne by himselfe, saith the Lord the God of hostes, I abhorre the excellencie of Iacob, and hate his palaces: therefore wil I deliuer vp the citie, with all that is therein.
9 And it shall come to passe, if there remaine tenne men in one house, that they shall die.
10 And a mans vncle shall take him vp, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say vnto him that is by the sides of the house; Is there yet any with thee? and hee shall say, No. Then shall he say, Holde thy tongue: for wee may not make mention of the Name of the Lord.
11 For beholde, the Lord commandeth, and hee will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.
12 ¶ Shall horses runne vpon the rocke? wil one plow there with oxen? for ye haue turned iudgement into gall, and the fruite of righteousnesse into hemlocke.
13 Yee which reioyce in a thing of nought, which say, Haue we not taken to vs hornes by our owne strength?
14 But beholde, I wil raise vp against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the Lord, the God of hostes, and they shall afflict you from the entring in of Hemath, vnto the riuer of the wildernesse.
The danger of luxury and false security. (1-7) Punishments of sins. (8-14)1-7 Those are looked upon as doing well for themselves, who do well for their bodies; but we are here told what their ease is, and what their woe is. Here is a description of the pride, security, and sensuality, for which God would reckon. Careless sinners are every where in danger; but those at ease in Zion, who are stupid, vainly confident, and abusing their privileges, are in the greatest danger. Yet many fancy themselves the people of God, who are living in sin, and in conformity to the world. But the examples of others' ruin forbid us to be secure. Those who are set upon their pleasures are commonly careless of the troubles of others, but this is great offence to God. Those who placed their happiness in the pleasures of sense, and set their hearts upon them, shall be deprived of those pleasures. Those who try to put the evil day far from them, find it nearest to them.
8-14 How dreadful, how miserable, is the case of those whose eternal ruin the Lord himself has sworn; for he can execute his purpose, and none can alter it! Those hearts are wretchedly hardened that will not be brought to mention God's name, and to worship him, when the hand of God is gone out against them, when sickness and death are in their families. Those that will not be tilled as fields, shall be abandoned as rocks. When our services of God are soured with sin, his providences will justly be made bitter to us. Men should take warning not to harden their hearts, for those who walk in pride, God will destroy.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.