h He
declared them to be bastards, by carrying them away into captivity. The
last words state the ground of the symbolical action. The causal
[Hebrew: ki] is explained from the fact that the import of a symbolical
action is also its ground. The _Inf. absol._ preceding the _tempus
finitum_ gives special emphasis to the verbal idea. The prophet thereby
indicates that, in using the expression "to whore," he does so
deliberately, and because it corresponds exactly to the thing, and
wishes us to understand it in its full strength and compass. In calling
the thing by its right name, he silences, beforehand, every attempt at
palliating and extenuating it. Of such palliations and extenuations the
Jews had abundance. They had not the slightest notion that they had
become unfaithful to their God, but considered their intercourse with
idols as trifling and allowable attentions which they paid to
them.--_Manger_ understands by whoredoms, their placing, at the same
time, their confidence in man; but from what follows, where idolatry
alone is constantly spoken of, it is obvious that this is inadmissible.
If this special thing be reduced to its idea, it is true that trusting
in men is, then, not less comprehended under it than idolatry, inasmuch
as this idea is the turning away from God to that which is not God.
And, from this dependence of what is special upon the idea, it follows
that the description has its eternal truth, and does not become
antiquated, even where the folly of gross idolatry has been long since
perceived.--[Hebrew: hariN], the definite land, the land of the
prophet, the land of Israel.--Concerning the last words, Ps. lxxiii. 27
may be compared, where [Hebrew: znh mN] occurs with a similar
signification. This phrase contains an allusion to the common
expression, "to walk with, or after, God;" compare 2 Kings xxiii. 3.
According to _Calvin_, the spiritual chastity of the people of God
consists in their following the Lord.

Ver. 3. "_And he went and took Gamer the daughter of Dibhlaim, and she
conceived and bare him a son._"

[Pg 202]

Many interpreters suppose that, by the three children, three
different generations are designated, and the gradual degeneracy of the
people, which sinks deeper and deeper. But this opinion must certainly
be rejected. There is no gradation perceptible. On the contrary, the
announcement of the total destruction of the kingdom of Israel is
connected immediately with the name of the fir