ficant than if it had been e-r avryv, over it ; for it denotes the unceasing (continuous) bounty of heaven. — Ko\Xd/ng, often) Hence the «<rag, once, is softened, ver. 4. — sp^opevov, coming) spontaneously. — rixrovffa, which bringeth forth) by the regular mode of generating. The antithesis is £x®s/?ou<ra, that which beareth, without law and order, in the following verse. The LXX. transl. also use sjup'epu in a good sense ; but here the force of the particle ds, but, falls upon exp'epovaa, that 'which beareth. — evQsrov, meet) The antithesis is adompog, rejected. — di ovg) for the sake of whom. — nai, also) This particle gives an intensive power to the present tense of the verb yeupyeTrai, is constantly dressed : cultivation, blessing ; cursing, burning, are opposed by Chiasmus (i.e. the first to the fourth, the second to the third). — /^ra/.a//,- fidvei, is • partaker of) The antithesis is, nigh. The Divine blessing on good land is lasting : the Divine curse follows bad land. Concerning both, comp. Jer. xvii. 5, 7. — d-ro rov Qzov, from God) It is not merely cultivated by men.
8. 'ExpspovGot, bearing) This also coheres with wiovffa, drinking. — axdvQas xal rpi(36hovg, thorns and briars) entirely, or at least chiefly. — adoxipog, rejected) so that it may be left uncultivated. — xardpag syyjg, nigh to cursing) so that it may be overwhelmed with all evil. — %g) viz. y^g, of which land. — tig -/.avtiv, for burning) These words in this passage are expressive of great a-roro/ct/a, severity. Supply BXevrei or spiral ; comp. LXX., Prov. xiv. 12, 13, xvi. 25 ; or earl, comp. LXX., Isa. xliv. 15, 'iva ft avOpuxog sig xavffiv. The same ellipse is found at ver. 16, v'tpag sig (3ej3cifa6iv. Fire is the punishment of the Jews, Matt. xxii. 7, and of their land. A prophetical stricture a very few years before that the city Jerusalem was burnt. Those of the Jews were the most desperate, who resisted the faith in the city and around it.
9. HsKsiffpeda — dyaT»jro/, we are persuaded — beloved) 1 Cor. xiii. 7. In this one place he calls them beloved, namely, for the sake of exhortation. For Paul often gives exhortations without this title, but he never uses it except for the purpose of exhorta tion. So in the epistle to the Romans, in like manner once, viz. ch. xii. 19, but oftener to the Corinthians and Philippians. — dsy but) A remarkable Epitherapia1 and softening of what
1 See App. An after mitigation of what has been said.