Commentary on Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah and Nahum John Calvin (continued)
MINOR PROPHETS
the perverseness of ungodly men, proceed from this, --- that they see not the name of God, that they understand not that it is his name.
He afterwards adds, Hear ye the rod, and him who proclaims it to you By rod he means threatening; as though he said, --- ``Your arrogance in mocking God shall not go unpunished, as though his voice were an empty sound: there is then no reason for you to deceive yourselves with the hope of impunity; for God will avenge the contempt of his word.'' Now the Prophet's design was, to denounce an approaching vengeance on those who came not willingly to God, and received not his word with genuine docility of mind. Whenever, then, men despise the voice of God, as though it proceeded only from a mortal being, on such Micah denounces an impending vengeance; for the contempt of his word is a thing intolerable to God. This is the reason why he immediately adds, after having complained of the contempt of his word, that vengeance was not afar off; Hear ye then the rod, and who declares or testifies concerning it
This last clause ought to be especially noticed; for the ungodly are not terrified when God declares that he will be an avenger, because they think not that they must give an account of their life, or they look only on mortal man, ``Ah! who speaks?
Is he indeed our God? Is he armed with celestial power? Do we not see a mortal man and one like ourselves?'' We daily see that the ungodly do thus cast away every fear, and willfully harden themselves against God's judgments. It is not then without reason that the Prophet bids the Jews seriously to consider who testifies of the rod; as though he said, --- ``I indeed confess that I am a mortal man, but remember who has sent me; for I go not forth as a private individual, nor have I presumptuously intruded into this ofÏce; but I am armed with God's command; nay, God himself speaks through my mouth. If then ye despise me, the Lord is present, who will vindicate his own commands for he will not suffer himself to be despised in his servants though they may be contemptible according to the flesh, he will yet have the reverence which it deserves to be paid to his word.'' We now perceive the real meaning of the Prophet. It now follows ---
Micah 6:10-11
10. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?
10. Adhuc an sunt in domo impii thesauri impietatis? Et modius macilentus deterestabilis (vel, provocans iram?)
11. Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
11. An justificabo stateras impietatis, et sacculum ponderum doli?
Interpreters differ as to the word {,}האשeash: some think that it ought to be read
with an addition of two letters, and render it, ``Is it yet man?'' But this would render the passage abrupt. Others translate, ``Is there yet fire?'' As though it was {,}אשash; and they suppose that wealth, wickedly and unjustly got, is so called, because it consumes itself. But as this is against what grammar requires, I am more inclined to take their view, who think that {,}האשeash, is to be taken here for {,}היש