Some Jews being sent from those who remained at Babylon to
inquire of
the priests and prophets at Jerusalem whether they were still
bound to
observe those fasts which had been appointed on occasion of the
destruction of Jerusalem, and kept during the captivity, the
prophet is
commanded to take this opportunity of enforcing upon them the
weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy, that they
might not
incur such calamities as befell their fathers. He also intimates
that in
their former fasts they had regarded themselves more than God;
and that
they had rested too much on the performance of external rites,
although
the former prophets had largely insisted on the superior
excellence of
moral duties, 1-14.
Notes on Chapter 7
Verse 1. The fourth year
of Ring Darius— Two years after they
began to
rebuild the temple, see chap. 1:1, A.M. 3486.
The ninth month,
even in Chisleu— This answers to a part of our
November and December. The names of the month appear only under
and
after the captivity.
Verse 2. When they had
sent-Sherezer
and Regem-melech— To
inquire
whether the fasts should be continued, which they had hitherto
observed
on account of their ruined temple; and the reason why they
inquired was,
that they were rebuilding that temple, and were likely to bring
it to a
joyful issue.
Verse 5. When ye fasted
and mourned in the fifth-month—
This they
did in the remembrance of the burning of the temple, on the
tenth day of
that month; and on the seventh month, on the third of which
month they
observed a fast for the murder of Gedaliah, and the dispersion
of the
remnant of the people which were with him. See Jeremiah 41:1,
and 2 Kings 25:25.
Verse 6. And when ye did
eat— They had not observed those
fasts as
they should have done. They deplored the loss of their temple,
and its
riches, etc., but they did not humble themselves because of
those iniquities
which had brought the displeasure of God upon them, their
temple, and
their city.
Verse 7. The words which
the Lord hath cried by the former prophets—
µynvarh µyaybn nebiim
harishonim, is the title which the Jews give to
Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, and the two books of
Kings.
The latter prophets,
µynwrja µyaybn
nebiim acharonim, are Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets.
The hagiographa,
µybwtk
kethubim, holy writings, are the Psalms,
Proverbs, Job, Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes,
Esther, Daniel,
Ezra, Nehemiah, and the two books of Chronicles. But the above
words,
the former prophets, seem to apply to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and
Ezekiel.
The south and the plain?— From Eleutheropolis to the
sea, Obadiah 19.
The south was the wilderness and mountainous parts of Judea: and
the
plain, the plains of Jericho.
Verse 9. Execute true
judgment— See the parallel texts in
the margin.
Verse 10. Evil against
his brother in your heart.— Do not
indulge an
unfavourable opinion of another: do not envy him; do not harbour
an
unbrotherly feeling towards him.
Verse 11. Pulled away the
shoulder— From under the yoke of the
law,
like an unbroken or restive bullock in the plough.
Verse 12. Made their
hearts as an adamant stone—
rymv
shamir may
mean the granite. This is the hardest stone with which the
common people
could be acquainted. Perhaps the corundum, of which emery is a
species,
may be intended. Bochart thinks it means a stone used in
polishing others.
The same name, in Hebrew, applies to different stones.
Verse 14. I scattered
them with a whirlwind— This refers
to the swift
victories and cruel conduct of the Chaldeans towards the Jews;
they came
upon them like a whirlwind; they were tossed to and fro, and up
and
down, everywhere scattered and confounded. |