4. From foreign kingdoms he passes to Judah and Israel, lest it should
be said, he was strenuous in denouncing sins abroad, but connived at
those of his own nation. Judah's guilt differs from that of all the
others, in that it was directly against God, not merely against man.
Also because Judah's sin was wilful and wittingly against light and
knowledge.
law--the Mosaic code in general.
commandments--or statutes, the ceremonies and civil laws.
their lies--their lying idols
(Ps 40:4;
Jer 16:19),
from which they drew false hopes. The order is to be observed. The Jews
first cast off the divine law, then fall into lying
errors; God thus visiting them with a righteous retribution
(Ro 1:25, 26, 28;
2Th 2:11, 12).
The pretext of a good intention is hereby refuted: the "lies"
that mislead them are "their (own) lies" [CALVIN].
after . . . which their fathers . . . walked--We are not to follow the
fathers in error, but must follow the word of God alone. It was an
aggravation of the Jews' sin that it was not confined to preceding
generations; the sins of the sons rivalled those of their fathers
(Mt 23:32;
Ac 7:51)
[CALVIN].
JFB.
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