6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth. Some render it perjury, [1] but as 'lh (alah) signifies also a "curse," I have no doubt that here he employs it to denote a "curse," and alludes to those curses which Moses in the law threatens against wicked men and transgressors of the law, (Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 28:15.) We know that the earth was cursed on account of the transgression of our first parent, so that it brought forth thorns and thistles instead of fruits. (Genesis 3:17, 18.) The Lord mitigated this curse, so that, although men were ungrateful and unworthy, still it yielded them food. But when we do not cease to sin, and when we add sin to sin, is it not in the highest degree just that the earth should become barren and unfruitful, in order that we may more clearly perceive this curse, and that it may make a deeper impression on our senses? And its inhabitants are made desolate. I think that 'sm (asham) here means "to make desolate," rather than "to forsake;" and this is apparent from the context, on which account I have translated it "are made desolate." But perhaps it will be thought preferable to take the copulative v (vau) as signifying because, and then the meaning will be, "The earth accursed by God is burnt up, because its inhabitants have acted wickedly." [2] Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. The word chrv (charu) may be taken metaphorically, and I prefer this view of it, which makes the meaning to be, that those whom the wrath of God has consumed are burned up; because the destruction is compared to a conflagration. When he adds, "that few will be left," we learn from it that this prediction cannot be explained as relating to the last day of judgment, and that, on the contrary, the Prophet foretells and confirms those desolations which threatened various nations, and that he does so in order that the godly may fear, and may be led to repentance, and may be prepared for enduring all things.
1 - "On account of the sin of perjury is the earth consumed." -- Jarchi. "'lh (alah) does not here mean false swearing, as explained in the Targum, and by Jarchi, and Kimchi, but the curse of God attending the violation of his law." -- Alexander
2 - "'sm (asham) is taken by some of the early writers in the sense of being desolate. Its true sense is that of being recognised as guilty, and treated accordingly. It therefore suggests the ideas both of guilt and punishment." -- Alexander
Therefore hath the curse devoured - Eaten it up; a figurative expression that is common in the Scriptures, denoting that the desolation is widespread and ruinous.
Are burned - (חרוּ chârû). Instead of this reading, Lowth proposes to read: חרבוּ chârebû 'Are destroyed.' The Septuagint reads it, 'Therefore the inhabitants of the land shall be poor.' The Syriac, 'The inhabitants of the land shall be slain.' But there is no authority from the manuscripts to change the text as proposed by Lowth, Nor is it necessary. The prophet does not mean that the inhabitants of the land were consumed by fire. The expression is evidently figurative. He is speaking of the effect of wrath or the curse, and that effect is often described in the Scriptures as burning, or consuming, as a fire does. The sense is, that the inhabitants of the land are brought under the withering, burning, consuming effect of that wrath; and the same effects are produced by it as are seen when a fire runs over a field or a forest. Hence, the word here used (חרה chârâh, "to burn, to be kindled") is often used in connection with wrath, to denote burning or raging anger. Exodus 22:23 : 'His anger burns.' Genesis 30:2 : 'And the anger of Jacob was kindled against Rachel; Genesis 44:18; Job 27:2-3; Job 42:7; Genesis 31:6 : 'His anger was kindled.' Psalm 37:1, Psalm 37:7-8; Proverbs 24:19 Compare Job 30:30 :
My skin is black upon me,
And my bones are burnt with heat.
The sense is, that the inhabitants of the land were wasted away under the wrath of God, so that few were left; as the trees of the forest are destroyed before a raging fire.
And few men are left - This was literally true after the invasion of the land by the Chaldeans 2-Kings 24:14-16.
Are burned "Are destroyed" - For חרו charu, read חרבו charebu. See the Septuagint, Syriac, Chaldee and Symmachus.
Therefore hath the (d) curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell in it are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are (e) burned, and few men left.
(d) Written in the law, as in (Leviticus 26:14; Deuteronomy 28:16) thus the prophets used to apply particularly the menaces and promises which are general in the law.
(e) With heat and drought, or else that they were consumed with the fire of God's wrath.
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth,.... The inhabitants of it, and the fruits upon it, alluding to the earth being cursed for the sin of man, when it brought forth briers and thorns; this may denote the seven vials of God's wrath poured upon the earth, or the antichristian states. Some, by the curse, understand perjury or false swearing; so the Targum,
"therefore, because of perjury (or a false oath) the earth is become a desert;''
of which popes, and Popish princes, cardinals, priests, Jesuits, &c. have been notoriously guilty:
and they that dwell therein are desolate: for want of houses, cities and towns being destroyed by war; or through famine, for want of provisions, the earth being cursed for their sins: or the words may be rendered, "for they that dwell therein are guilty" (s); of idolatry, bloodshed, perjury, thefts, sorcery, and all other abominations, Revelation 9:20,
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned; their cities burnt with fire, and particularly the city of Rome; or their persons, their bodies burnt with burning fevers, and pestilential diseases; and their minds with envy, fury, and madness: this may be the same with the fourth vial poured upon the sun, when men will be scorched with fire and great heat, and blaspheme, Revelation 16:8. The Vulgate Latin version here renders it, "shall be mad"; through the wrath of God poured out upon them:
and few men left; but what shall be consumed by fire or sword, by famine or pestilence, or by one or other of the vials; and those that remain shall be frightened, and give glory to the God of heavens Revelation 11:13.
(s) Sept. "peccabunt", V. L. "quia deliquerunt", Tigurine version; "rei aguntur, sive luunt", Cocceius.
The curse - The curse of God threatened to transgressors. Burned - Are consumed by the wrath of God, which is commonly compared to fire.
*More commentary available at chapter level.