11rnl pcirouls, cine! confirmed by Oftt,hs. 'fho nationo quam explice.tione opus Rit acl eUJU notn11l m1tl'l'i11go seems to hcive been ciccom- eruendum." It may also be remo.rke,l the.t 10.nled by cel'triin solemn promises und the reference to the patriarch would not 1 ,lessi11gs (seo Prov. ii. 17; Ezek. xvi. 8; have been altogether su"cessful, if the Gen. xxiv. 60; Ruth iv. 11, 12; Tobit vii. auditors remembered the Keture.hites, who, 13; Smith,' Diet. of Bible'). though sprung from Abraham, were not "a Ver. 15.-And did not he make one 1 godly seed." The LXX. he.s, Kal d1raTE, Yot had he the residue of the spirit. The ,,-[ Ii.Mo !) cr1rlpµa (71,,-ii ,I 0e6s; " And ye passago has rt! ways been a. crux, ancl has re- said, Wl1e.t else than seed doth God seek?" ceivecl many interpretations. The Anglican as if the increase of popula.tion, from w ha.t- renderinA' (which, however, is probably not ever source, was the only object required. correot) is thus explained: God made at This may have been one thought of the first one man and one woman, to show the people, but it can hardly be got out of the oneness of rnaniage, and God gave man the present Hebrew text. Take heed to your breath of life and the residue to the woman; spirit, Beware lest ye lose the spirit which he made them both equally living souls; God has given you. By acting thus con- therefore divorce was never contemplated in tra.ry to conscience and the light vouchsafed the first institution of marriage. Others to them, they ran the risk of being deprived take "one" to mean Abraham, and explaiu: altogether of thi8 heavenly guide, and losing .Abraham did not do so, i.e. did not re- all distinction between right and wrong. pudiate his legitimate wife, though barren; Ver. 16.-Re hateth putting away. 'fhis and he had a share of the spirit of right, is another reason against divorce : God or he had excellence of spirit. But these hates it. It is contrary to his original ere very forced interpretations, and do not institution, and was only allowed for the ·occur naturally from a consideration of the hardness of men's hearts (see Dent. xxiv. 1, words. The Hebrew may be translated etc. ; Matt. xix. 3-9). Septuagint, " If more satisfactorily, "Not any one has thou hate her and dismiss her," etc. ; done so who he.s a remnant of the spirit Vulgate, "If thou hate her, put her away," (ruach)." No one acts as you have done which seems to encourage divorce, whereas who·has in him any of that Divine life which in the context divorce is strongly con- God at first -breathed into man ; in other demned. Hence Jerome considers these words, no man of conscience and virtue has words to be spoken by the Jews, quoting in ever thµs divorced his wife. The reading their defence Moses' precept. Others think of the Septuagint varies here, the Vatican that they are ironical-Pnt her away, if yon manuscript giving, Ou ,caAbv brol11cr•; "Did please; but you must bear the consequences. he not well?" and the .Alexandrian, o/,,c For one oovereth violence with his garment. !£Mos bro!71cre : but both seem to imply an He who thus divorces his wife shows himself interpretation such as we have just given. openly to all beholders as an iniquitous And wherefore one t That he might seek man. So the clause is better rendered, a godly seed. Why did one act in this way? And one ( who does so) covereth his garme11t was it the.t -he might have godly cbilchen? with molence, or, 11iolence covereth his garment . .Su.rely not.. No one would divorce his lawful Iniquity attaches itself to him plainly, Hebrew wife, and marry an idolatress, who encircling a.nd enfolding him; the clothing wished tc, lee.ve a holy posterity behind him. of iniquity is the ma:rk of the foul soul M/l!llY commentators, thinking the.t Abraham within. 'l'he notion of "garment" being is );i.e;i:e . meant, and the.t the prophet is here used figuratively for wife (as Hitzig meeting' an objection which might be supposes) is without proof. Such a metaphor founded upon his action with rege.rcl to is certu..inly unknown to Hebrew literature, H11gar1 tre.nslate, "And what did the one? though there is something like it in Arabic, ·He· was seeking a godly aeed." Abraham "Wives are your e.ttire, and ye a.re theirs" at Sarah's request took Hage.r to wife, in (Koran). Bishop Wordsworth considers that order to: have the promised seed; he dis- the phrase in the text refers to the oustolll missed her in order to carry out the purpose of the bridegroom in espou:;als casting the of God in confining tl.te . promise to Isaac. skirt of his garment over her who was Therefore hie conduot is no support for betrothed to him (see Ruth iii. 9). So the those who repudie.te their own wives and idea would be, "Ye cast your skirt over marry strange women, not to raise up iniquity, and betroth violence to yolln!elves children for God, but to satisfy their carnal for a bride." But this seems somewhat lusts. It is difficult, however, to see how forced. Take heed . . . treaoherously. A the prophet's hearers could have understood repetition of the warning in ver. 15. the allusion without fm-ther explo.nation. .Al! Ribera pithily observes (quoted by Ver. 17-oh. iv. 6.-Part III. THE DAY Knabenbauer), '' Neque ita clare ex re dlota OF THE LORD. desiguatur (Abraham), ut non potius divi• Ver. 17-ch. iii. 6. - § I. The faithlesa 24 '1'll'E BOOK 0~ MALACBl. (ea IL 1-17.
pwple, duheartenrd by pruent oiroumatanou, ol ,ra:po(vvavns ..~v 8eb iv 'f'ois ?..d'.,,ou ~µ.oiv1 doi.bt.ed God'e providenoe, and di•believed " And forsake them not, ye who provoked hi, promi,ee; but the pt·ophet announce, the God with your words." But it is best to te.ke this e.s the beginning of e. new subject. comi11g of the Lord t-O_judgment, preooded by Yet ye say. This is the usual sceptioe.l hil; me.,,enger. He &hall refine hi& peopl.e and objection. Every one that doeth evil is ~minate sinners. good in the eight of the Lord. They com- Ver. 17.-Ye have wearied the Lord with plain the.t, though they e.re God's peculiar people, they are left in low estate, whilr your words. This is the introdnotion to the the heathen, men the.t "do evil," e.re happ) new section. The prophet makes bis charge. e.nd prosperous (comp. Ps. xxxvii., lxxiii.) The fe.ithless multitude have, as it were, He delighteth in them. They ohooso to worn out God's patience by their murmur- consider that the worldly prosperity of the ing and discont.ent. Because their expecta- heathen is a sign of God'~ speoial favour, tions of prosperity and glory were not at or else that he e.cts unjustly. Where is once fulfilled, they called in question God's the God of judgm.ent 1 (Isa. xxx. 18). Why jlllltioe e.nd holiness, and even the fnture does not God perform his promises to Iere.el, jndgment. The LXX. conneots this verse and exeoute vengeance on the enemy? with the preceding, Kell oil l'-¾i E"1'1C11.-o>.ln,.,.•