o be compared is ver. 22:
"Return ye apostate children, (for) I will heal your apostacy. Behold
we come unto thee, _for_ thou art the Lord our God." The objection that
[Hebrew: bel], in the signification "to take in marriage" is construed
with the Accusative only, is of no weight. In a manner altogether
similar, [Hebrew: zkr], which else is connected with the simple
Accusative, is, in ver. 16, followed by the Preposition [Hebrew: b].
[Hebrew: bel] with [Hebrew: b] altogether corresponds to our "to join
onesself in marriage;" and the construction has perhaps a certain
emphasis, and indicates the close and indissoluble connection. Of still
less weight is another objection, viz., that, in that case, the _Suffix
Plur._ is inadmissible. It is just the Israelites who are the wife; and
this is so much the more evident that, in the preceding verses, and
even still in ver. 13, they had been treated as such. Hence nothing
remains but to determine the sense of our passage, as was done by
_Calvin_: "Because despair might take hold of them, in such a manner
that they might be afraid of approaching Him.... He saith that He would
marry himself to them, and that He had not yet forgotten that union
which He once had bestowed upon them." This is the only correct view;
and by thus determining the sense, we at the same time obtain the sure
foundation for the exposition of chap. xxxi. 32; just as, _vice versa_,
the sense which will result from an independent consideration of that
passage, [Pg 380] will serve to confirm that which was here
established.[2] In the right determination of the sense of the
subsequent words, too, _Calvin_ distinguishes himself advantageously
from the earlier, and most of the later interpreters: "God shows that
there was no reason why some should wait for others; and farther,
although the very body of the people might be utterly corrupted in
their sins, yet, if even a few were to return. He would show himself
merciful to them. The covenant had been entered into with the _whole_
people. The single individual might, therefore, have been disposed to
imagine that his repentance was in vain. But in opposition to such
fears, the Prophet says: 'Although only one of a town should come to
me, he shall find an open door; although only two of one tribe come to
me, I will admit even them.'" After him _Loscanus_ too (in his
Dissertation on this passage, Frankf. 1720) has thus correctly stated
the sense: "The small number shall n