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Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that [are] in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.

Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan — Obesae et bene pastae, ye fat bawsons (as we use to call them), ye that are

“ Boeotum in patria, crassoque sub aere natae. ”

Ye that have hearts as fat as grease, and delight not in God’s law, Psalms 119:70 . Ye that cover your faces with fatness, Job 15:27 , till both your eyes stand out with it, Psalms 73:7-8 (as fulness breeds forgetfulness, Deuteronomy 32:15 , the fed hawk forsakes his master), as untamed heifers fully fed, ye have been unruly and refractory, means of much mischief to my poor afflicted, as was Jezebel to Elijah, Herodias to the Baptist, Eudoxia, the empress, to Chrysostom, Theodora to Belisarius, that brave and noble captain, and others. Poor Tegedine suffered many years’ captivity in misery and irons, by the Turk, for one word in a sermon, which distasted a proud and petulant woman without the least cause. What cruel persecutions raised the Queen Mother of Scotland, about the beginning of the Reformation there! the Queen Mother of France, Katherine de Medicis, for 30 years together! Queen Mary here, being wholly possessed by the bishops, as Alexandra was by the Pharisees, of whom Josephus testifieth that she had the name, but they had all the power of the kingdom! Oh these kine of Bashan, these wanton and wicked women (for so I understand the text after the Jewish doctors Vatablus, Lyra, Lively, …), when once they get the reins in their hands there is no hoe with them; when once the devil gets passage, per costam ad cot (as Gregory), by the rib to the heart, what may he not effect? when the hen is suffered to crow, what hope is there of good? David complains of strong bulls of Bashan, Psalms 22:12 , but those he might better deal with than with these cursed cows of Bashan that thrust with side and shoulder, and pushed the diseased with their horns, till they had scattered them abroad, Ezekiel 34:21 .

That are in the mountains of Samaria — Ladies of the court, accustomed to high titles, such as I, that am non aula sed caula natus et educatus, no courtier but carter rather, and used to call a spade a spade, care not to compliment.

Which oppress the poor, which crush the needy — As did, much about the same time, Jezebel in Israel, and Athaliah in Judah; and (besides the above mentioned) Dame Alice Piercy, King Edward III’s concubine, an impudent woman; who so far wrought upon the king’s impotencies, and presumed on his favour, that she imprisoned Sir Peter Lamar, speaker in parliament, and intermeddled in courts of justice and other offices; where she herself would sit to effect her desires; which, though in all who are so exalted are ever excessive, yet in a woman most immoderate, as having less of discretion and more of greediness. I have spoken before of Diana Valentina, King Henry II of France’s mistress, to whom he had given all the confiscations of goods made in the kingdom for cause of heresy, whereby many poor Protestants were oppressed, and needy crushed and quashed to pieces; for a poor man in his house is like a snail in his shell; crush that, and you kill his heart.

Which say to their masters — Or lords, that is, to their husbands; as Sarah called her husband lord, Genesis 18:12 . She in obedience, but these in craft and counterfaisance; that they may the sooner subdue them, and have what they will of them.

Bring and let us drink — q.d. Fan nobis potestatem in hos aut illos, saith Mercer: that is, Give us authority over such and such, that we may pick their bones, drink their tears, enrich and feast ourselves with their spoils, make no more scruple to undo them by force or forgery, than to eat a meal’s meat when huntry; or than the luxurious Italians (who have twenty distinct species of liquor, to please the gusto) do, to take off a cup of the most delicious, which they profanely call Lachrymae Christi. the tears of Christ.

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The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.

The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness — He hath sworn for more assurance, Hebrews 6:16-18 , it being hard to persuade secure sinners of the certainty and infallibility of the threatenings; which yet will as surely befall them without repentance, as the coat is on their back, or the heart in their bodies. And, "by his holiness," he hath sworn; that is, by himself (as having none greater to swear by); confer Genesis 22:16 Jeremiah 51:14 Isaiah 45:23 ; Isaiah 62:8 , where God swears by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength. Exodus 17:16 , he is brought in laying his hand upon his throne, and swearing to root out Amalek. And so some in this place think, that by God’s holiness is meant heaven, the habitation of his holiness, and of his glory, Isaiah 63:15 . But Drusius dislikes that, because swearing by heaven is condemned by Christ, Matthew 5:34 . If God be holiness itself, let him be sanctified in righteousness, Isaiah 5:16 , and let men swear (when called to it, and not till then; the Hebrew word Neshbang here used is passive, and signifieth to be sworn, rather than to swear) "in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness," Jeremiah 4:2 .

Behold, the days come — Certo et cito, surely and suddenly: even those dismal days of blackness and darkness, of greatest calamities; see Amos 5:18 ; Amos 5:20 . And let this prediction be to you as the knuckles of a man’s hand, to write you your destiny; or as a prophet, to read it unto you.

That he will take you away — i.e. Ye shall be taken away, and hurried into another country; like as Isaiah 8:4 , He shall take away the spoil of Samaria, i.e. It shall be surely taken away; so Luke 12:20 , They do require thy soul ( απαιτουσι ), that is, it shall be required of thee.

With hooks — Heb. with thorns, which were wont to be used in fishing, till iron hooks were more frequent. See Job 40:24 Ezekiel 29:4 ; Ezekiel 19:4 , They brought him with hooks, that is, with chains, into the land of Egypt. Those that were overcome were wont to be linked and langold together; and so led captive by their conquerors.

And your posterity with fishhooks — Heb. that which is last of you; your children, and nephews, as Daniel 11:4 . It is foretold of Alexander the Great that none of his race shall succeed him, but strangers. See enemies compared to fishers, Jeremiah 16:16 Habakkuk 1:16 ; and note, that hereby is intimated, that these insolent dames shall be no more like fat kine, that abide in their pastures; but as fishes hanging on the hook, that are easily pulled up, and quickly carried away with little labour, but much delight to the fisher. See a like comparison from swimming, Isaiah 25:11 , the motion wherein is easy and not strong; to show, that God can subdue his stoutest adversaries with greatest ease.

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And ye shall go out at the breaches, every [cow at that which is] before her; and ye shall cast [them] into the palace, saith the LORD.

And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow — Qua data porta ruitis, ye shall be glad to get out at any breach to save your lives, which now hang in suspense, Deuteronomy 28:66 , yea, to ride one upon the back of another for haste, as kine do, in a narrow strait. Or, ye shall be led into captivity, after the taking and dismantling of your cities; see Ezekiel 12:5 ; Ezekiel 12:12 .

And ye shall cast them into the palace — Or, ye shall cast away the things of the palace. Ye shall cast them, that is, your children and nephews, Amos 4:2 into the palace; either that ye may not see their destruction, as Genesis 21:16 , or that they might with greater celerity provide for their own safety. That was a singular example of the Vindelici (now called Suevians) subdued by Drusius, the Roman general, under Augustus, but not without great resistance; the women throwing their young children at the Romans instead of darts. These were monstrous mothers, mad cows indeed.

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Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, [and] your tithes after three years:

Come to Bethel and transgress — Do so, if you think it good; and since you are so set upon it, go on, despair, die and be damned: That which will perish, let it perish, quoniam vobis stat sententia, since you are resolved, and there is no removing of you, take your own course, at your own peril. Here then we have a most bitter sarcasm, wherein God, in seeming to command sin, showeth his utmost dislike of it; for he is not a God that loveth wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with him, Psalms 5:4 . See the like ironic expressions, Jeremiah 7:21 Ezekiel 20:39 Ecclesiastes 11:9 Numbers 22:20 Isaiah 29:1 ; Isaiah 8:9 ; Isaiah 47:12 Judges 10:14 1 Kings 18:27 . Bethel-Place of Transgression

At Gilgal multiply transgressions — That your madness may appear to all men, 1 Timothy 4:15 . See Hosea 4:15 . See Trapp on " Hosea 4:15 "

And bring your sacrifices every morning — Like apes, imitate the daily sacrifice; and do those self-same things to your idols which I have commanded to be done to myself alone; and in other places, that should be done at Jerusalem only. Do all this, and try what will come of it. Will you try a fall with God? will you despitefully spit in the face of Heaven? Do ye provoke me to anger, saith the Lord? do ye not provoke yourselves to the confusion of your own faces? Jeremiah 7:19 .

And your tithes after three years — That so ye may seem to keep my law exactly, Deuteronomy 14:28 , and to be wanting in no duty, either of piety or charity. Wasps also have their honeycombs; idolaters a form of devotion.

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And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim [and] publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven — Which I have flatly forbidden to be done, Leviticus 2:11 . Neither leaven nor honey (which hath a leavening property in it) might be burnt in any offering made by fire; to show how God hateth hypocrisy; which, as leaven, soureth, swelleth, impureth, both us and our services. Out with it, therefore, 1 Corinthians 5:7 . God indeed permitted his people to offer leavened bread with the peace offerings, Leviticus 7:13 , ut ostenderetur, Deum ferre nostram infirmitatem, saith Alsted, to show that God beareth with our infirmities. But those leavened loaves were not to be burnt upon the altar; they were only for food to be eaten.

And proclaim and publish the free offerings — That you may not seem in anything to come short of my most forward worshippers; nor to be without your holy convocations solemnly proclaimed. Atque ita omnino in caepta idololatria strenue pergite, and so show yourselves thorough idolaters (Tarnov.); as the historian saith of our Richard III, that knowing it was no good policy to play the villain by half deal, he resolved to suffer never a rub to lie in his way that might hinder the true running of his heart.

For this liketh you — Heb. so ye love. Idolatry is marvellously pleasing to corrupt nature; as is to be seen in little ones delighting in babies. The whole world wondered after the beast, Revelation 13:3 . The papacy with its pomp and pleasure is an alluring, tempting, bewitching religion. The great whore with her cup of fornications may easily boast, as that harlot in Aelian did, that she could soon get scholars from Socrates; not he from her. But what an odd or rather sad thing is it, that men should so like that which will be their bane? and that God should be put to complain, as here, and Jeremiah 5:31 , "My people love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof?" Polybius saith, that whereas man is counted the wisest of all creatures here below, to him he seemeth to be the most foolish; for other things love and seek their own preservation, Solus homo ab aevo ad aevum peccat fere in iisdem et punitur. Man only persisteth in sin, and is punished, as if he were ambitious for destruction.

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And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

And I have also given you cleanness of teeth — So that you need not spend time in picking them, as those that are fully fed; for I have cut you short enough, and held you to hard allowance; as those that would tame wild creatures keep them empty and waking; but you have been, and so continue, untamed and untractable, incorrigibly flagitious, uncapable of repentance. Your diseases are complicated, yea, they are so ingrained, that they are not easily stirred, much less destroyed by any potion I have yet given you. In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction, Jeremiah 2:30 .

In all your cities — One as well as other, lest you should say as those Philistines, It was a chance, 1 Samuel 6:9: and as the Rabbis tell us, that the idolatrous priests told Jeroboam that the drying up of his hand happened merely by accident.

And want of bread in all your places — Thus the Scripture often interpreteth itself, and is ever its own best gloss. Some think that by "want of bread" here, is meant dearth of grain; as by cleanness of teeth, scarcity of flesh; and that by "all your places" we are to understand all your houses. This occured in the times of Elias and Elisha, 1 Kings 17:1 2 Kings 6:25 ; 2 Kings 8:1 ; and God would not have it to be forgotten, but is justly angry that they remained so irreformable. That dearth in Elias’ days lasted over three years; and might likely be as extreme as that here in England (about the year 700) of three years’ continuance; and so violent it was, that not only many died daily for hunger, but great numbers, joining hand in hand, 40 or 50 in a company, threw themselves headlong into the sea. A like three years’ famine also we read to have been in Bohemia and Polonia, A.D. 1312, so great, that children devoured their parents, and parents their children; some fed upon the dead carcases that hanged in gibbets. Wolves also were so famished, that they fell upon all they met, and fed upon them.

Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord — Ye have lost the fruit of your afflictions ( perdidistis fructum afflictionis. Aug.), and all mine hammers hitherto have but beatten cold iron. The bellows are burnt, the lead is consumed, the founder melteth it in vain, for the wicked are not plucked away, sc. from their wickedness; his dross is yet with him, his great scum still in him, Ezekiel 24:6 ; Ezekiel 24:12-13 , it is woven into the very texture of his heart, and cannot be separated. Reprobate silver shall men call him, because he returneth not to God that smiteth him, Jeremiah 6:29-30 Isaiah 9:12-13 .

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And also I have withholden the rain from you, when [there were] yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

And also I have withholden the rain from you, … — And so have punished you with thirst and drought, as well as with dearth and famine: and because I have found you wells without the water of piety, 2 Peter 2:17 , therefore I have refused to rain upon you, as I threatened, Deuteronomy 28:23-24 .

“ En quia iam vobis sunt ferrea pectora, reddit

Coelum etiam vobis durius aere, Deus. ”

When there were yet three months, … — When you could worst of all want it See Trapp on " Joel 2:23 " for the watering of the seed and opening of the earth.

And I caused it to rain upon one city — It rains not then by haphazard; neither are the seasons of the year (whether barren or fruitful) ruled by the course of nature or influence of the stars, but by God, Acts 14:17 . It is he that giveth rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons. He covereth the heaven with clouds, he prepareth rain for the earth, he maketh grass to grow upon the mountains, and standing corn in the fields, Psalms 147:8 . He weighs these waters by measure; so that not a drop falls in vain, or in a wrong place, but by Divine decree, Job 28:26 , for the fattening of the earth, allaying the heat, nourishing the herb and tree, Deuteronomy 32:2 Isaiah 63:14 , producing unto us "the appointed weeks of harvest," Jeremiah 5:24 , "that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater," Isaiah 55:10 . This the poor Pagans ascribed to their god Jupiter, whom they therefore styled Nεφεληγερετης . Him they confessed the greatest of all, calling him υπατος , the overseer of their trading; hence αγαραιος , the keeper of their houses, hence Jupiter Herceus, from ερκος , a wall, or hedge. This they did, to the great shame of many atheists among us, who hold that all things come either by benign nature or blind chance.

One piece — sc. Of the same field, was rained upon, and fructified (this was near to a miracle; as when Gideon’s fleece was wet and no place else; and again, every place else, and not Gideon’s fleece, Judges 6:37 ).

And the piece whereupon it rained not — It, that is, the cloud, but by God’s appointment; for he it is that filleth those bottles of the sky, and emptieth them again, where and when he pleaseth, either in mercy, as Joel 2:23 Zechariah 10:1 Leviticus 26:4 , or for a judgment, as Joel 1:17 Genesis 17:11-12 1 Samuel 12:18-19 . In the year of grace 1551 a great multitude of men and cattle in Germany were drowned and destroyed; decidentibus subito nubibus, ac effusis certatim aquis, saith Bartholinus; by excessive showers and immoderate waters, pouring down upon people as by spouts. This was the very finger of God, who will one day rain upon the wicked snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, Psalms 11:6 , Heb. a burning tempest; like as now out of those very clouds where hence he raineth, he doth again scatter sudden fires unto all parts of the earth, astonishing the world with the fearful noise of that eruption.

Withered — It must needs do so; and so must God’s own vineyard, the Church, when he shall command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, Isaiah 5:6 , that is, his ministers, that they drop no doctrine upon it, Deuteronomy 32:2 Ezekiel 21:2 Amos 7:16 , fitly resembled to rain in regard, 1. of cooling heat; 2. quenching thirst; 3. cleansing the air; 4. allaying the winds; 5. mollifying and mellowing the parched and heat hardened earth; 6. causing all things to grow and fructify. This rain of righteousness goes sometimes by coasts, as here: God tying up the tongues of his most faithful labourers, and withholding their showers, though they be clouds thick, and full, and likely enough to drop down in abundance; see Ezekiel 3:26-27 Hosea 9:7 Proverbs 16:1 . Pray, therefore, oh pray earnestly, both ministers, for ability and liberty to "drop their word toward the holy places, and prophesy," Ezekiel 21:2 , and people, that he would fill their ministers as full of good matter as ever Elihu was, Job 32:18 , and then be with their mouths, Exodus 4:12 , yea, stretch out his holy hand, and touch them, Jeremiah 1:9 , performing that piece of midwifery, Proverbs 16:1 , that they may freely utter their conceptions, "and come to their hearers in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace," Romans 15:29 . In the Island of St Thomas, on the back side of Africa, in the midst of it, is a hill; and over that a continual cloud, wherewith the whole island is watered. This is our happiness for present. Oh that we knew but this gift of God, John 4:10 , and were answerably thankful and fruitful! Oh, how cursed a generation are those that repine at it, saying, Never was merry world, since so much preaching, … How shall such miscreants one day wish to have but one drop fall from these full clouds to cool the heat and horrors of their consciences, but shall not obtain it.

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So two [or] three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

So two or three cities wandered — Necessity is a hard weapon: and want of water will make men wander far and part with anything for it; as Lysimachus did with his kingdom, sacrificing his estate to the service of his life. Oh that we were as solicitous for our souls! Those good souls, Psalms 84:7 , went "from strength to strength," travelled many a mile to see God’s face, though but in that dark glass of the ceremonies. The good Shunammite went every sabbath and new moon to the prophet. Our forefathers were unweariable in making out after the means, which we vilipend, and make no reckoning of.

To drink water — Rain water; for in those countries (as Jerome testifieth, who lived there many years, and therefore knew the situation and nature thereof) they have but few springs, and no considerable rivers, but only Jordan; and are therefore glad to keep rain water in cisterns for all uses; being much afflicted with thirst and drought, if it rain not.

But they were not satisfied — Either because there was not enough to be had; or by a singular curse of unsatisfiableness, see Haggai 1:6 . See Trapp on " Haggai 1:6 "

Yet have ye not returned unto me — Usque ad me, so far as me. You have made some faint overtures and essays of returning, but they have not reached out unto me; they have not amounted to the full measure of a sound conversion. Plectimur, may you well say, nec tamen flectimur: corripimur, sed non corrigimur (Salvian). God rained not upon us that we might return unto him, and learn righteousness, Isaiah 26:10 , that we might pour out a prayer when his chastening was upon us, Isaiah 26:16 ; Isaiah 26:18 . But we, alas, have done nothing less; "we have turned every one to his own way"; and done what in us lies to defeat God and undo ourselves by our incorrigibleness and uncurableness.

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