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Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons
Summer 2001
by Jarl K. Waggoner
Lesson 1 - I Kings 12:3-4, 6-11, 13, 16, 19
Background - Following Solomon's death (11:43), his son Rehoboam "reigned in his stead." This probably means he was recognized as king in Jerusalem and Judah. By going to Shechem, he was seeking confirmation from the tribes in the north (12:1). When he came to Shechem, the northern tribes recalled Jeroboam from Egypt (vs. 2). He had been prominent during Solomon's reign until Solomon learned of the prophecy that he would rule ten tribes of Israel. He fled to Egypt from Solomon, who wanted to kill him (11:26-40).
12:4 - "grievous service . . . heavy yoke" - This refers to the compulsory labor and taxation that made possible Solomon's building projects (NIVBC, 520). Rehoboam asked for three days to consider this request (vs. 5).
12:7 - "serve them . . . speak good words to them" - Most commentators see this as good advice offered by wise counselors (cf. Whitcomb, 28); however, Dilday (153) suggests the advice was merely a pragmatic attempt to gain support by flattery and false promises.
12:8 - "young men" - Rehoboam was 41 (14:21) and thus "identified more readily with the younger group" (Wiseman, 141).
12:9 - "that we may answer" - The question posed to the young men differs slightly from the one posed to the elders. Here the word "we" is employed, suggesting that Rehoboam had "already identified with their counsel" (Dilday, 155; cf. Lumby, 138).
12:11 - "add to your yoke . . . chastise you with scorpions" - The advice of the younger counselors was to increase the burdens on the people and thus demonstrate greater power than Solomon. Whereas the burdens Solomon had imposed were like whips, Rehoboam's would be like scorpions. "Scorpions" here refers to a "barbed scourge as opposed to the common 'whip'" (Wiseman, 141; cf. UBD, 980).). The motivation for this advice may have been a desire to see their lavish court life with all its privileges to continue (Wood, 303; Dilday, 155). Also, such a response from Rehoboam may have been seen as a way of intimidating the northern tribes into retreating from any thought of revolt (BKC, 511; WBC, 326).
12:16 - "What portion have we in David?" - The words are almost identical to those of Sheba in 2 Samuel 20:1. They apparently had become proverbial among those in the north who still resented Davidic rule (NIVBC, 520).
12:16 - "to your tents" - This is taken by some to mean prepare to fight (Lumby, 139) but by others to mean simply return to your homes (LBC, 671).
12:16 - "see to thine own house, David" - This was a sarcastic expression, meaning, "'Now look at your pitiful kingdom of only one tribe. Look what has become of your dynasty!'" (Dilday, 157; cf. Lumby, 139).
12:19 - "Israel rebelled against the house of David" - Rehoboam's feeble attempt at reconciliation failed miserably (vs. 18). The split was now permanent. Rehoboam was left with only the tribe of Judah (vss. 17, 20) and Benjamin (21). Wood (303) suggests that Benjamin only gradually came under Rehoboam's control. The dissolution of the kingdom was providentially arranged by God as his discipline for Solomon's apostasy (12:15; cf. 11:11-13, 30-39).
Lesson 2 - 1 Kings 17:1-5, 8-16
Background - Ahab was king of Israel. He had married Jezebel, a Phoenician princess and Baal worshiper. Ahab was more wicked than any of Israel's previous kings (16:29-33).
17:1 - "Elijah" - He is introduced here for the first time in Scripture. Elijah's name means "Yahweh is my God" (BKC, 522). He was from Gilead, east of the Jordan.
17:1 - "there shall not be dew nor rain" - Elijah was announcing to Ahab the fulfillment of God's promises (cf. Lev. 26:19; Deut. 11:17; 28:23-24). It was especially significant that God's judgment took the form of drought since Baal was the god of rain (Wiseman, 164; BKC, 522).
17:3 - "Get thee hence" - No reason is given for the command for Elijah to seek out seclusion. Among the possibilities are: (1) to impress the message and its implications on Ahab and Israel (NIVBC, 528); (2) to protect Elijah from Ahab (BKC, 522); (3) to keep Elijah from the pleas of those who were dying from the famine (Whitcomb, 50); (4) to teach Elijah (NIVBC, 528).
17:3 - "Cherith . . . before Jordan" - "Before Jordan" is translated "east of the Jordan" in NASB, NIV, NJB, NRSV., though Wiseman (165) argues it should be translated "overlooks the Jordan." It was apparently a tributary of the Jordan. The exact location of this ravine or wadi is unknown (NBD, 208). Some identify it with the Wadi Qilt, south of Jericho (LBC, 681).
17:4 - "ravens to feed thee" - According to verse 6 the ravens brought him "bread and flesh" morning and evening. "Bread" can refer to food in general (BKC, 524).
17:9 - "Zarephath" - This was a seacoast town in Phoenicia between Tyre and Sidon. It was later known as Sarepta. Phoenicia was the homeland of Jezebel and a center of Baal worship. Zarephath is here identified with Sidon (UBD, 1179-80; BKC, 524). "Belongeth to Zidon (Sidon)" may simply indicate it was near Sidon (JFB, 2:351) or, as implied by the KJV (cf. NASB), under the control of Sidon.
17:10-11 - When Elijah "entered the town he tested the first widow he saw by asking her for a drink. Her favorable response led him to request a piece of bread" (BKC, 524).
17:12 - "As the Lord thy God liveth" - Even though a non-Israelite, the widow was a believer in the Lord (cf. Luke 4:25-26; Whitcomb, 51; Dilday, 205).
17:13-14 -"make me . . . a little cake first" - This was a severe test of the widow. Elijah assured her, however, that if she prepared him food first, there would be food provided for her and her son. Her faithful response was rewarded (vss. 15-16).
Lesson 3 - 1 Kings 18:2, 20-21, 30-39
Background - The Lord told Elijah to return to Israel and confront Ahab (vs. 1). As he approached Samaria, he was met by Obadiah, whom he told to inform Ahab of his presence (vss. 3-15). When Ahab met him, he accused Elijah of troubling Israel (vs. 17). Elijah told Ahab he was the cause of the trouble and called on him to gather Israel and the prophets of Baal and the prophets of the grove (Asherim) to Mt. Carmel (vss. 18-19).
18:20 - "Carmel" - Carmel is actually a mountain range extending about 13 miles southeast from the Mediterranean (Old ISBE, 579). It was believed by the Phoenicians that Carmel was the dwelling place of Baal. It was a prominent place and the dividing line between Phoenicia and Israel (BKC, 526; WBC, 332).
18:21 - "How long halt ye between two opinions?" = "How long will you hesitate between two opinions" (NASB). "Halt" is literally "limp" or "hobble" (BDB, 820; cf. Wiseman, 169).
18:21 - "Baal" - Baal was the fertility god of the Canaanites. There were many local manifestations of Baal; thus there were various Baals, or Baalim. The particular Baal favored by Ahab was Baal-Melqart, "the seat of whose worship was at Tyre, Jezebel's home" (NBD, 115). Baal worship involved various immoral practices. He is often associated with the goddess Asherah (cf. vs. 19; cf. NIV).
18:22-29 - Elijah proposed a contest that would involve preparing a sacrifice, placing it on an altar. Theprophets of Baal would call on their god to consume their sacrifice with fire, and Elijah would call on the Lord to consume his sacrifice. "The God that answereth by fire, let him be God" (vs. 24), Elijah said. The prophets of Baal went first. They prayed to Baal from morning till about 3 p.m., even mutilating their bodies in a vain attempt to get Baal to respond.
18:30 - "repaired the altar of the Lord" - This was an altar that had been used for worship of the Lord, probably in pre-Solomonic times. It had fallen into disrepair.
18:31 - "twelve stones" - These represented the twelve tribes of Israel and thus was a testimony to them that "though politically and socially divided, in the mind of God they were still one people, with one Lord and one Messianic expectation" (WBC, 333).
18:32 - "two measures" - "Measure" = seah. The exact amount is unknown. Old ISBE (931) says two measures was about ½ bushel; BKC (527) says 1/3 bushel. The size of the trench is hard to determine. The indication may be that it was not just large enough to contain this amount of seed but also a large enough area for planting this much seed (cf. Dilday, 214; Wiseman, 170).
18:33 - "four barrels with water" - The size of the "barrels," or jars (BDB, 461; UBD, 126) is unknown, but a total of 12 jars of water were poured on the altar and the trench was filled. The water probably came from a spring on the mountain (JFB, 2:355). The purpose of this act was to remove any thought that what was about to happen was the result of trickery or some natural phenomenon (BKC, 527; WBC, 333).
18:35 - "he filled the trench" - Lumby (194) says, "The twelve barrels had not filled the trench, and so more water was added to make it quite full." Others seem to think the trench was filled by the water from the 12 barrels that was poured over the sacrifice (WBC, 333).
18:36 - "the evening sacrifice" - The Israelites' evening sacrifice took place around 3 P.M. (BKC, 527).
18:36-37 - Elijah's prayer starkly contrasts with the prayers of the prophets of Baal. His request focused on three things: (1) the desire that Israel know that the Lord is God; (2) the desire that Israel know that Elijah was the Lord's servant and had done what he did in obedience to God; (3) the desire that Israel repent of her apostasy.
18:38 - "fire of the Lord" - "The manner in which the whole altar was consumed prohibits any notion that this fire was merely lightning that preceded an ensuing rainstorm" (LBC, 686). In fact, it came from a cloudless sky (cf. vss. 43-44). Cf. Lev. 9:24; 2 Kings 1:10, 12; 1 Chron. 21:26; 2 Chron. 7:2; Job 1:16.
18:39 - "The Lord, he is the God" - The words in Hebrew were actually Elijah's name (Dilday, 214). "The people responded in true belief and worship. . . . But Elijah wanted total commitment from those who were gathered there. He commanded that these prophets of Baal be seized and executed" (NIVBC, 530). The execution of the prophets (vs. 40) was in accordance with the law, which required that false prophets die without mercy (Deut. 13:5; 18:20). WBC (333) suggests that their execution was also in reprisal for the murder of the Lord's prophets by Jezebel (vs. 4).
Lesson 4 - 1 Kings 22:14-23, 26-28, 34, 37
Background - Ahab desired to recapture Ramoth-gilead from Syria. He sought the help of Jehoshaphat, Judah's godly king with whom he was allied through the marriage of Ahab's daughter to Jehoshaphat's son. Jehoshaphat agreed to help but then asked that they enquire of the Lord bymeans of a prophet. Ahab brought forth 400 prophets who all prophesied victory. Jehoshaphat was skeptical of these yes-men and asked if there was a prophet of the Lord besides these. Ahab admitted that there was one-Micaiah-but Ahab hated him because he did not prophesy good concerning the king. Micaiah was brought before the two kings but was warned by the servant whobrought him to speak in agreement with the other prophets (vss. 1-13).
22:15-16 - "Go, and prosper" - "At first glance, it would seem that Micaiah succumbed to the pressure (I Kings 22:15), but Ahab's angry response shows clearly that Micaiah's tone of voice intentionally betrayed the insincerity of his words" (Whitcomb, 46).
22:17 - "Israel scattered . . . These have no master" - i.e., Israel will be defeated and Ahab will be killed.
22:18 - "Did I not tell thee?" - WBC (339) calls this a childish dismissal of "the sober warning of the man of God." It no doubt was also an attempt to weaken the prophet's words by presenting them to Jehoshaphat as being merely the result of Micaiah's ill-will toward Ahab (Lumby, 232).
22:19 - "The Lord sitting on his throne" - In contrast to the two earthly kings sitting on their thrones,Micaiah described a vision of God sitting on his heavenly throne. Ahab had plenty of opportunity to hear and believe the truth. Because he had stubbornly rejected it, the Lord would sovereignly act to fulfill his promised judgment on Ahab (cf. 21:19-22). Cf. 2 Thess. 2:10-11.
22:19 - "all the host of heaven" - Generally, this is considered a reference to the angelic beings. Some would include evil spirits (demons) among them (see below).
22:22 - "a lying spirit" - Opinions vary as to the identity of this spirit. It may have been: (1) an evil spirit, or demon, permitted by the Lord to deceive Ahab by means of his prophets (BKC, 534; WBC, 339); (2) a good spirit, or angel (Dilday, 244); (3) a personification of the spirit of false prophecy, as in Zechariah 13:2 (Whitcomb, 46; Wiseman, 187). "Whichever, the spirit was sent with a false message to deceive both the prophets and Ahab, who persisted in sin and rejected the true prophetic word of God. Ahab had hardened his heart and had used prophecy for his own purposes; now he was being led to his ruin by prophecy" (LBC, 694).
22:26 -"carry him back" - This may imply that Micaiah had previously been in custody of some sort. The following orders, however, indicate that the treatment assigned to him now was much worse (Dilday, 244-245; Lumby, 235).
22:26 - "Joash the king's son" - Many take "the king's son" here as a title for a royal official (BKC, 534; Dilday, 245). Wiseman (188), however, argues that it must refer to an otherwise unknown son of Ahab
22:27 - "bread of affliction . . . water of affliction" = "sparingly with bread and water" (NASB).
22:28 - "Hearken, O people, every one of you" - "People" is plural "peoples." It is sometimes used in the OT to refer to the various nations of the world at large. Here, it probably refers to the tribes of Israel (Lumby, 235). These are the last recorded words of Micaiah. Whitcomb (47) points out that Micah, who perhaps was named for Micaiah, began his prophecy with these same words (Mic. 1:2).
22:29-33 - Ahab entered the battle in disguise, apparently realizing the Syrian king would seek to kill him above all others. Initially, the Syrians mistook Jehoshaphat for Ahab, but when they realized error, they ended their pursuit.
22:34 - "at a venture" - This is translated "at random" (NASB; NIV) and "without any special aim" (NJB), both of which convey the idea (Wiseman, 189). Sovereignly, the arrow found its way between the joints of Ahab's armor.
22:37 - "the king died" - His death and the circumstances surrounding it (vs. 38) were in accordance with Elijah's and Micaiah's (cf. 21:19; 22:17).
Lesson 5 - Amos 2:4-11
Background - Amos prophesied during the latter half of the reign of Jeroboam II (793-753) in Israel (cf. EBC, 275). Jeroboam II was a capable ruler. Israel expanded its territory, and there was general prosperity in the land. Idolatry and social injustice were widespread, however (Wood, 325-327; BKC, 1425-1426). Amos was a herdsman from Tekoa in Judah who was sent north to Israel to bring God's message of judgment (1:1). Prior to the lesson text, Amos had pronounced judgment on the nations surrounding Israel and Judah (1:3-2:3).
2:4 - "For three transgressions . . . and for four" - This is "a rhetorical way of saying that the offender has been guilty of an incalculable number of offenses, and his cup of iniquity is filled to overflowing-judgment must fall" (LBC, 1699; cf. Mays, Amos, 23-24; EBC, 282).
2:4 - "their lies" - Clearly this is a reference to false gods (cf. NIV; EBC, 292). Literally, the word means falsehood or deceptive thing (BDB, 469).
2:5 - "I will send a fire upon Judah" - EBC (292) calls this judgment the "fire of war." It was fulfilled in 586 B.C. when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians (cf. BKC, 1431).
2:6 - "sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes" - "Righteous" refers to an innocent party in a legal process (Mays, Amos, 46). Here it stands parallel to "poor," or "needy" (NIV). "Selling" the innocent can refer to either of two things: (1) "Unrighteous judges are readily bribed even by so small amount as a pair of shoes and fail to render righteous judgments in behalf of the poor" (LBC, 1702; cf. EBC, 294); (2) "The Israelites . . . callously sold into slavery the poor who could not pay their debts . . . The desperately poor . . . were enslaved because they could not pay back the insignificant sum they owed for a pair of sandals. . . . These sandals might refer to the custom of giving one's sandals as a kind of mortgage deed or title to confirm the legal transfer of land (cf. Ruth 4:7). The meaning would then be that the poor were being sold for either money or land" (BKC, 1431; cf. Mays, Amos, 45-46).
2:7 - "pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor" - Cf. NIV. "Pant" can mean "trample." The expression probably means "the oppressing classes longed to see the poor brought to extreme anguish or that they were so avaricious that they craved the dust that the poor had cast on their heads" as a "sign of sorrow" (EBC, 294).
2:7 - "turn aside the way of the meek" = "deny justice to the oppressed" (NIV); "thrust the rights of the oppressed to one side" (NJB). This is a charge that "the courts are being used to oppress the poor" (Mays, Amos, 46; cf. TWOT, 2:574). "Way" here is a synonym for "justice."
2:7 - "go in unto the same maid" - This could refer to a father and son having sexual relations with the same temple prostitute or sharing the same servant/concubine (BKC, 1431; LBC, 1702). Others believe it is more likely a condemnation of a type of promiscuity that was tantamount to incest (EBC, 294).
2:7 - "profane my holy name" - To flaunt God's "commandments openly was to mock His character (name) and to disdain His special place in their lives" (BKC, 1431).
2:8 - "clothes laid to pledge" - Clothing could be taken as collateral for debts, but the law required that it be returned to the owner each evening to give him warmth in the night (Exod. 22:26-27; Deut. 24:10-13). The Israelites disregarded this law, even while practicing their religion.
2:8 - "the wine of the condemned" - "Condemned" refers to those who are fined (BDB, 778-779). Thus, NIV translates, "wine taken as fines," and NASB translates, "wine of those who have been fined." It could refer to wine purchased with fines or wine taken in lieu of fines unjustly extracted from the poor (LBC, 1703; BKC, 1431).
2:9 - "Amorite" - The Amorites were a people of Canaan. The term is used here, however, as it is elsewhere, as a general term for all the inhabitants of Canaan (NBD, 31; EBC, 295). These powerful people (cf. Num. 13:32-33) had been conquered by the Israelites by the power of God.
2:10-11- The point here is that God had graciously provided for Israel deliverance and preservation andspiritual leaders (prophets) and examples (Nazarites). The Israelites, however, had stooped even to the level of encouraging the Nazarites to break their vows and forbidding the prophets to prophesy (vs. 12).
Lesson 6 - Amos 4:1-5; 5:12, 14, 21-24
4:1 - "kine (cows) of Bashan" - This refers to the wives of the rich in Israel. Bashan, which was located east of the Jordan and north of Gilead, was "noted for rich forests and pastures, and particularly for fine cattle" (cf. Ezek. 39:18). This was "not in itself an insult." It merely designated "the pampered darlings of society in Israel's royalist culture" (Mays, Amos, 72).
4:1 - "oppress the poor . . . let us drink" - The wealthy women did not personally oppress the poor; rather they drove their husbands, or "masters" to do so by their demands for luxuries, as exemplified by their command to bring them "drink" (EBC, 302-303).
4:2 - "hooks . . . fishhooks" - The meanings of the words are obscure and can be taken in various ways (cf. EBC, 303; Mays, Amos, 72-73). Most commentators take them as referring to hooks by which the Assyrians led their captives (BKC, 1435; JFB, 4:540). Some see it as a figurative expression (cf. LBC, 1706).
4:2 - "your posterity" - Better translated, "the last of you" (WBC, 833; cf. NASB; NIV).
4:3 - "palace" - The Hebrew word is harmon, which may be a place name, identifying a place to which the captive women would be taken. It is so taken by NIV, NASB, NRSV, and NKJV. The location of such a place remains unknown (EBC, 303).
4:4 - "Bethel . . . Gilgal" - Bethel was the major religious sanctuary in Israel. It had been established as such, along with Dan, by Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:26-29). In Amos's day it was "the king's chapel" (Amos 7:13). The religion practiced there combined elements of true worship with idolatry. "Gilgal was another Israelite sanctuary in Amos's time (5:5; cf. Hos. 4:15; 9:15; 12:11). Lest the people think that Bethel, with its pagan heritage, should be the only sanctuary that bore an onus, the prophet included Gilgal" (EBC, 304).
4:4 - "transgress" = pesha, meaning rebel (BDB, 833).
4:4 - "three years" - According to the law, a tithe was to be brought every three years (Deut. 14:28). The Hebrew word here also can be translated "days." It may be that Amos was encouraging the Israelites to give both the tithe and the other offerings more frequently than the law required. If so, he was "telling them that even if they sacrificed every morning and tithed every three days so that they had something to boast about, in the end they were only engaging in acts of rebellion against God" (EBC, 305). Others see the reference as being to "the custom of offering the regular tithes, . . . on the thid day after arriving at the sanctuary" (BKC, 1436).
4:4 -5 - "sacrifices" - These are individual sacrifices, not the continual burnt offerings required by the law (Num. 28:3-4). Likewise the other offerings mentioned here are freewill offerings (EBC, 304).
4:5 - "proclaim and publish" = "brag about . . . boast about" (NIV).
5:12 - "afflict the just, . .. take a bribe, . . . turn aside the poor in the gate" - All of these wrongs relate to judicial practice. "The addressees are men who appear in court as the enemies of the innocent ('just') . . . [They] take bribes and decide cases on the basis of profit . . . When the poor come to court seeking protection, they are turned away from their only source of help" (Mays, Amos, 97).
5:14 - "as ye have spoken" - Cf. NJB: "as you claim he is." Israel claimed the Lord was with them, but it was a false claim. Only if they turned from evil and sought good would He be with them.
5:21-23- Note that "the essential elements of Israel's worship are taken up one after another: festivals (v. 21), sacrifice (v. 22), and praise (v. 23)" (Mays, Amos, 106). The Lord was making it clear all of Israel's worship was totally rejected.
5:22 - "burnt offerings . . ." - "Burnt offerings were those that were consumed entirely on the altar (Lev. 1). "Meat offerings" is actually "grain offerings" (cf. NIV; NASB; Lev. 2), though the word can refer to any offering given as a gift to the Lord (EBC, 316). "Peace offerings," or "fellowship offerings" (NIV) were offered in part to the Lord and the rest was shared among the priest, the offerer, and his family and friends (EBC, 316; Lev. 3). See BKC (168-171) for chart of Levitical offerings.
5:24 - "judgment . . . righteousness. "Judgment" = justice (TWOT, 2:948; cf. NIV; NASB). The word is used primarily in relation to government functions and here "connotes the fair and impartial administration of the law" (EBC, 312). "Righteousness" likewise relates to the social order. It is doing right in one's dealings with others. "Righteousness was the action; justice was the end result" (BKC, 1439). Amos was addressing the people here. Thus this does not refer to the justice and righteousness of God.
Lesson 7 - Hosea 1:2-9; 2:1-4
Background - Nothing is known about Hosea outside the book of Hosea. He prophesied during the latter half of the 7th century B.C. in the northern kingdom of Israel.
1:2 - "wife of whoredoms" - Assuming this was an actual marriage rather than an allegorical vision (cf. JFB, 4:458), there are at least three possible views of this expression: (1) Gomer was already unchaste, perhaps a temple prostitute, when the marriage occurred; (2) Gomer was spiritually unchaste, that is, she became a follower of false gods; (3) Gomer was chaste when she married Hosea but would become unfaithful later. See EBC (164-166) for discussion. The third interpretation seems to be favored by most conservative commentators (cf. BKC, 1379; LBC, 1663; WBC, 803).
1:2 - "children of whoredoms" - One's understanding of this expression will be somewhat determined by how one understands "wife of whoredoms." It could mean: (1) the children would be influenced by their mother to adopt an adulterous lifestyle themselves; (2) the children were the result of Gomer's adulterous affairs, either before or after her marriage to Hosea; (3) the children were "born in the context of (but not as a direct result of) Gomer's infidelity" (BKC, 1380).
1:2 - "the land hath committed great whoredom" - Hosea's marriage was to illustrate the Lord's relationship with Israel, who had committed spiritual adultery by "departing from the Lord."
1:4 - "Jezreel" - The name means "God sows," but the symbolism is not in the meaning of the name. Jezreel was the place where Jehu slaughtered Jezebel and Ahab's house following the death of Ahab in battle (2 Kings 9-10). The Lord commended Jehu for carrying out his judgment on Ahab's house (2 Kings 10:30) and eliminating Baal worship in Israel (vs. 28). In Hosea 1:4, however, God was announcing his judgment on Jehu's dynasty (including the present king, Jeroboam II) and the kingdom of Israel because of what Jehu did. It is true that Jehu did not follow the Lord in his reign (2 Kings 10:29, 31). However, the particular sin of Jehu that was in view was probably his going far beyond God's command by also killing King Ahaziah of Judah and many of his relatives (9:27-28; 10:12-14; EBC, 171; BKC, 1380). Such actions demonstrated that he was motivated by "personal pride, rather than a desire to serve God" (LBC, 1664). Bruce (Israel and the Nations, 52) says, "Jehu carried out the prophetic programme. But the manner in which he did it-the wholesale massacres, and the treachery of the suppression of Baal-worship-was unpardonable." Jehu's dynasty ended in 752 B.C. with the assassination of Zachariah (2 Kings 15:10).
1:4 - "break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel" - "Breaking the bow refers to the destruction of the nation's military might . . . The Jezreel plain in particular was probably conquered in 733 B.C. by Tiglath-Pileser III" (BKC, 1381).
1:6 - "Lo-ruhamah" - This means "without pity, or compassion" (LBC, 1664; Mays, Hosea, 28) or "unloved" (BKC, 1381; EBC, 171). It is formed from the negative (lo) and the verb racham, which means love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate (TWOT, 2:841). The name indicated that the Lord's mercy would be withdrawn from Israel.
1:6 - "utterly take them away" - Most modern translations render this, "that I should ever forgive them" or something similar (cf. NIV, NASB, NJB, NRSV). This is because the verb (nasa) means carry away and can be used of the carrying away of sins, or forgiveness. Either idea fits here; EBC (171), however, prefers the KJV translation.
1:7 - "I will have mercy upon the house of Judah" - In contrast to Israel, Judah would continue to be shown mercy. Judah at this time was probably ruled by Uzziah (cf. 1:1), the third in a line of four successive godly kings in Judah.
1:7 - "I . . . will save them . . . not . . . by bow, nor by sword . . ." - The implication is that Israel had trusted in military might and would be destroyed. Judah, however, had trusted in the Lord. Judah would be saved but not by its military might. This was realized when the besieging army of Sennacherib was destroyed by the angel of the Lord in a single night (2 Kings 19:32-36).
1:9 - "Lo-ammi" = "not my people." The name symbolized the fact that God was disowning these Israelites as his people. This is not "a denial or mitigation of the Abrahamic covenant (cf. Gen 12:1-3), an unconditional covenant . . . The principle is the same as that proclaimed by Paul, 'For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel' (Rom. 9:6). . . . Thus, this statement is addressed to that portion of Israel (particularly that generation of Israelites in the northern kingdom) which, while related to Abraham physically, was not related to him or to his God spiritually" (LBC, 1665). In fact, verses 10-11 affirm the future fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant in a future generation of Jews. There will be a regathering of both Israel and Judah, and they will be called "sons of the living God." This will be the day of Jezreel (God sows) for they will be sown in their own land (cf. 2:22-23). This points to the millennial reign of Christ (EBC, 173; BKC, 1381-1382).
2:1 - "Ammi . . . Ruhamah" - This verse describes the spiritual relationship between God and Israel in the future messianic kingdom and thus continues the theme of hope begun in 1:10-11.
2:2 - "Plead with your mother, . . . let her . . . put away her whoredoms" - While some see this and the following verses referring in part to Hosea and his family, all agree the primary reference is to God and Israel, with Hosea's family serving as an illustration. The children (individual Israelites) are called on to "plead" (rebuke, strive; BDB, 936) with their mother (the nation) to return to faithfulness to God (EBC, 175).
2:2 - "whoredoms . . . adulteries" - Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness to God is likened to prostitution and adultery (cf. vs. 13).
2:3 - "strip her naked . . . make her as a wilderness" - To be stripped naked (as an adulteress; EBC, 177) was to be exposed to public shame and humiliation (cf. Ezek. 16:35-43). Israel would also be like a helpless baby, as she was at the nation's "birth" in Egypt. God had protected and provided for the infant nation in the wilderness, but the apostate nation would be like the barren, dry wilderness.
2:4 - "children of whoredoms" - This is parallel to the expression in verse 2, though a different word for children is used. "Here, . . . the words must refer to those who are called children because they practiced the sins of their mother" (EBC, 176).
Lesson 8 - Hosea 11:1-11
11:1 - "called my son" - God is here recalling Israel's infancy as a nation, when he called them out of Egypt in the Exodus (cf. Exod. 44:22-23). This verse is applied to Jesus in Matthew 2:15, where "Matthew sees Israel in this prophecy as a type of Jesus Christ, God's unique son" (WBC, 933).
11:2 - "As they called them, so they went from them" - i.e. "As they (the prophets) called them (Israel), so they (Israel) went from them (the prophets)" (EBC, 213). This was demonstrated by their going after Baalim.
11:3 - "I taught Ephraim . . . taking them by their arms" - "Ephraim" is used here for the northern kingdom of Israel. It was the most prominent of the northern tribes. The expression pictures the Lord as a parent teaching a child to walk. "He like a father had held them by the hand while they made their first faltering steps, gathered them up in his arms when they fell, and healed their hurt" (Mays, Hosea, 154).
11:4 - "cords of a man, . . . bands of love . . . take off the yoke" - Israel is here pictured as a work animal that the Lord tends. God led them with "cords of 'human kindness' . . . and 'ties of love.' He also had lifted 'the yoke from their neck' . . . so that it might eat more comfortably" (EBC, 212-213).
11:5 - "return" = "repent" (NIV) or "return to Me" (NASB).
11:6 - "sword shall abide" - The sword speaks of the warfare that will ensue with the Assyrian invasion. "Abide" means to whirl (BDB, 296) and pictures the sword slashing through the cities. Cf. NIV ("flash"), NASB ("whirl").
11:6 - "branches" - Translated "gate bars" in NASB (cf. NIV; NJB). See EBC (213) and BKC (1402). It thus may refer to the bars of the cities gates (i.e. their defenses). JFB (4:497) believes it refers to the villages of the nation.
11:7 - "bent to backsliding" - "Bent" is literally "hanged" (BDB, 1067). NIV translates, "determined to turn from me."
11:7 - "though they called them . . . none . . . would exalt him" - The latter part of verse 7 contains obscure Hebrew expressions. Various translations give rise to various interpretations (BKC, 1402; EBC, 213; May, Hosea, 150, 156). Among these are: (1) Even though prophets called Israel to the Most High, they (Israel) would not exalt the Lord (KJV; NASB); (2) At this point, even if Israel called to God, He would not respond and exalt them (NIV; NRSV); (3) Even if prophets called Israel upwards, He (God) would not exalt them.
11:8 - "Admah . . . Zeboim" - Two cities that were destroyed along with Sodom and Gomorrah (Deut. 29:23; cf. Gen. 10:19; 14:2).
11:8 - "My repentings are kindled together" = "My compassion is aroused" (NIV).
11:9 - "I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, . . . return to destroy . . . enter into the city" - While judgment was coming on Israel (Ephraim), God promised not to utterly annihilate them. He looks beyond the coming judgment (Assyrian exile) to the future and promises that Israel will never again experience God's judgment (EBC, 214; LBC, 1682).
11:9 - "enter into the city" - NIV translates, "I will not come in wrath" (cf. NJB; NASB). See EBC (215).
11:10 - "They shall walk after the Lord" - This looks forward to the restoration of the nation to their land and to their return to faithfulness in the millennial age, a theme repeated throughout Hosea (cf. 3:5; 6:1-3; 14:4-8).
11:10 - "roar like a lion" - Here the "Lord is likened to a lion who roars to summon its young" (WBC, 814; cf. BKC, 1403).
11:10 - "tremble from the west" - The trembling probably is the "thrill of eagerness rather than of fear" (WBC, 814), though reverence may be involved as well (BKC, 1403).
11:11 - "as a bird . . . as a dove" - Hosea "compared the swiftness (i.e., the readiness and responsiveness) of the future return of his people to the flight of birds and doves. Egypt and Assyria were named because of Israel's years of bondage in Egypt and their impending captivity in Assyria. In this context Egypt and Assyria typify the many nations from which God's people will return in the future day" (EBC, 214).
Lesson 9 - Micah 3:8-12; 6:2-8
Background - Micah prophesied in Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1), or about 735-701 B.C. He was a contemporary of Isaiah. He was from Moresheth, about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem (BKC, 1475). Micah 3 begins with the announcement of God's judgment on Judah's political rulers (vss. 1-4). Judgment is then declared on the false prophets (vss. 5-8).
3:8 - "But . . . I am full of power . . ." - Micah contrasts himself with the false prophets (vss. 5-7). Unlike the false prophets, he was empowered and motivated by the Spirit. "Judgment" (mispat) is probably to be taken as "justice." He sought justice rather than promote exploitation for the sake of profit. "Might" connotes courage, "'valor,' or 'manly courage'" (EBC, 418-419; cf. NJB; NASB).
3:9 - "heads of the house of Jacob" = i.e. leaders of Judah (cf. NIV).
3:10 - "They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity" - "Zion" and "Jerusalem" are synonyms. "Overtly, they have done this for the public good-but they have gone about it in the wrong way. They have made the nation great by making its citizens miserable, with the result that the nation is filled with sin instead of righteousness" (LBC, 1741).
3:11 - "teach for hire" - The priests were to teach the people God's law (cf. Lev. 10:11; Deut. 17:8-11) but they were not to charge for their teaching; they were supported by the people's tithes (Deut. 18:1-5).
3:11 - "divine for money" - The Hebrew word for "divine" "is the same as that sued in verse 6 and 7 above, and implies pagan forms of prediction" (Clark, 181; cf. Deut. 18:10-12).
3:11 - "they lean upon the Lord" - That is, they "felt that their historical relationship to the Lord would prevent the onslaught of misfortune" (EBC, 420; cf. Waltke, 165-166; cf. Jer. 7:4, 8-11).
3:12 - "Zion . . . plowed as a field" - "Zion" and "Jerusalem" are used synonymously here. The "mountain of the house" refers to the temple. Micah was foretelling the complete destruction of the city and temple.
6:2 - "Hear ye, O mountains, . . . and ye strong foundations of the earth" - The Lord's charges against His people is portrayed as a court case, in which the Lord's people are called upon to present their case before witnesses-mountains and foundations of the earth (hills; cf. vs. 1).
6:5 - "Remember . . . Balaam . . . Shittim unto Gilgal" - Note NIV punctuation. This refers to two events. The first was God's causing Balaam to bless Israel rather than curse them (Num. 22-24). The second apparently refers to the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River (Josh. 3-4), for Shittim is east of the river and Gilgal is to the west of it (Waltke, 194; Clark, 229).
6:5 - "righteousness" = "righteous acts" (NIV). "God's great acts on behalf of Israel . . . are seen as manifestations of God's righteousness as he maintains his faithfulness to the covenant promise" (EBC, 435).
6:8 - "to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with . . . God" - "Do justly" = do justice (mispat). "Mercy" (hesed) is variously translated "kindness" (NASB) , "loyalty" (NJB), and "mercy" (NIV) See TWOT (1:305ff) and EBC (437). "Humbly" "means to be modest" (BKC, 1489). To "do justly" is "i.e., the ethical response to God that has a manifestation in social concerns as well . . . 'To love mercy' is to freely and willingly show kindness to others . . . The expression 'to walk humbly with your God' means to live in conscious fellowship with God, exercising a spirit of humility before him" (EBC, 436).
Lesson 10 - Isaiah 6:1-12
6:1 - "in the year that king Uzziah died" - This would have been 739 B.C. Since Isaiah prophesied during Uzziah's reign (1:1), this was probably not Isaiah's initial call to the prophetic office (Freeman, 194).
6:1 - "I saw . . . the Lord sitting upon a throne" - John 12:41 says Isaiah saw Jesus' "glory"; thus, the One he saw was probably the preincarnate Christ (BKC, 1044; Alexander, 145). The throne spoke of the Lord as sovereign king.
6:1 - "his train filled the temple" - Some suggest that this is a reference to the Jerusalem temple and that Isaiah was there when he was given this vision or was transported there in his vision (BKC, 1044). Others take this as a reference to a heavenly temple (Vine, 29). The "train" refers to royal robes (LBC, 1308).
6:2 - "seraphims" - Properly, "seraphim." Here and verse 6 are the only occurrences of the word in the Bible. The name probably means "burning ones" (Dickason, Angels-Elect and Evil, 65-66). The covering of the face and feet probably are expressions of reverence (Alexander, 146).
6:3 - "Holy, holy, holy" - The repetition probably expresses fullness. Traditionally, interpreters have related it to the Trinity (NIVBC, 1052).
6:3 - "The whole earth is full of his glory" - "Glory," or splendor, speaks of the manifestation of God, especially his holiness (cf. TWOT, 1:427). The whole earth is the place where this manifestation takes place as his great works are made known.
6:4 - "smoke" - Many understand this as being the cloud of God's glory (LBC, 1309; BKC, 1045). Others simply take it as "the natural attendant of the fire which blazed about the throne of God, of of that which burned upon the altar" (Alexander, 148).
6:5 - "I am undone; . . . I am a man of unclean lips" - "Undone" = "ruined" (NASB; NIV). Isaiah "realized he was subject to judgment. This was because he was unclean. . . . unclean lips probably symbolized his attitudes and actions as well as his words, for a person's words reflect his thinking and relate to his actions" (BKC, 1045).
6:6 - "altar" - "Either the altar of burnt offering, on which a fire was always burning (Lev. 6:12), or the altar of incense where incense was burned each morning and evening (Ex. 30:1, 7-8)" (BKC, 1045).
6:8 - "Who will go for us?" - The use of the plural "us" here has been explained in one of at least three ways: (1) It is a plural of majesty; (2) it refers to the Lord and the angelic beings; (3) it implies or hints at the Trinity (Alexander, 150-151; NIVBC, 1052-1053). Number 3 is probably the most common interpretation among evangelical scholars.
6:10 - "Make the heart . . . fat . . . lest . . . they understand with their heart, and convert" - The "heart" refers to the seat of understanding. Isaiah's preaching would actually cause the hearers' hearts to grow "fat," or "insensitive" (NASB). This was God's judgment on His rebellious people, who "had so persistently perverted their ways that they had gone beyond the possibility of conversion and healing" (Vine, 32).
6:11 - "How long?" - Isaiah was asking either how long he would have to preach this message of judgment (BKC, 1046; LBC, 1310) or how long the people would remain hardened to the message (JFB, 3:583; Alexander, 154).
6:11-12- "the cities be wasted . . . the Lord have removed men" - This is a description of the desolate, forsaken condition of the land as a result of captivity. See NASB translation of verse 12 (BKC, 1046).
Lesson 11 - Isaiah 7:1-7, 10-17
7:1 - "in the days of Ahaz" - This had to have been early in Ahaz's reign, around 734, in order to overlap the reign of Pekah in Israel, whose reign ended in 732 (See Whitcomb, "Old Testament Kings and Prophets" chart). Ahaz was a wicked ruler, who promoted idolatry and even practiced infant sacrifice (2 Kings 16:1-4; 2 Chron. 28:1-4).
7:1 - "went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail" - Israel (Pekah) and Syria (Rezin) joined forces to attack Judah. This attack had begun in the reign of Jotham, Ahaz's father (2 Kings 15:37). Their goal was to replace Ahaz with a puppet ruler (Isa. 7:6). The alliance experienced great success initially (2 Chron. 28:5-15) but they were not able to succeed in the conquest of Jerusalem (cf. 2 Kings 16:5). Now they were preparing for a second campaign. This is what alarmed Ahaz (Isa. 7:2). Ultimately, Ahaz sought and received the help of Assyria in his war with the alliance. It was as Ahaz was contemplating seeking Assyria's help that the events here took place (Wood, 355-356). (Note: Some see the phrase "could not prevail" as a statement in advance of what would happen.)
7:2 - "Syria is confederate with Ephraim" = "The Arameans have camped in Ephraim" (NASB); "Aram has halted in Ephraimite territory" (NJB). These translations are consistent with the chronology above and indicate that the alarm of Ahaz came from the fact that the Arameans (Syrians) had not permanently departed but had stopped in Ephraim to regather for another offensive.
7:3 - "upper pool" - "This pool was a reservoir that held water from the Gihon Spring near Jerusalem. . . . The aqueduct was near the road to the Washerman's Field, just outside Jerusalem's city walls" (BKC, 1047).
7:3 - "Shear-jashub" - The name means "a remnant will return,"and it has symbolic meaning (cf. 8:18). Some commentators suggest his presence with Isaiah was "indicative of hope," giving assurance that a remnant would survive (LBC, 1311; cf. BKC, 1047). Some see the name as symbolizing a warning that if Ahaz did not himself "return" to God he would have no part in the promised restoration (Vine, 34; cf. NIVBC, 1055).
7:4 - "smoking firebrands" = "smoldering stubs of firewood" (NIV). The "hot fire of [the two kings'] anger was now turned to smoke and almost quenched" (Alexander, 159).
7:6 - "make a breach therein for us" - Rather than speaking of a breach in Jerusalem's walls (NASB), the idea may be that the two kings would divide Judah between themselves (JFB, 3:585; cf. NIV).
7:10 - "Ask thee a sign" - The Lord offered to give Ahaz a supernatural sign of his choice to confirm the Lord's promise of deliverance (vss. 7-9).
7:12 - "I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord" - Ahaz may have been alluding to Deuteronomy 6:16, but it is certainly not testing God to obey what he commands. "Ahaz made his plans, but they did not include God or his will" (NIVBC, 1054).
7:13 - "weary my God" - "Ahaz, by rejecting the offer of a sign from God's messenger, was in effect rejecting the One who sent the prophet. . . . by refusing to follow God's directive . . . he was testing the Lord's patience (as well as man's patience)" (BKC, 1047).
7:14 - "A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, . . . Immanuel" - "Virgin" (almah) refers to a young woman who is "sexually mature but unmarried" (NIVBC, 1055), i.e., a virgin (cf. LBC, 1313). It is translated "virgin" (parthenos) in LXX and in Matthew 1:23. This sign clearly was fulfilled in the virginal conception and birth of Jesus ("Immanuel," God with us), according to Matthew 1:20-23. Many commentators understand the prophecy as being fulfilled exclusively in Christ (Freeman, 204-207; Vine, 35). Many others see a double fulfillment-one in Christ and one in Ahaz's day. The fulfillment in Ahaz's day is seen as the birth of a child (perhaps Isaiah's; cf. Isa. 8:1-4) to a woman known to Ahaz who was a virgin at the time of the prophecy but later married and bore a son (WBC, 618; NIVBC, 1055). See BKC (1048) and NIVBC (1054-1055) for discussion of various views.
7:15 - "butter and honey" - This probably speaks of coming devastation, for this is "the standard diet of those who lived in a devastated land that had reverted to pasturage" (WBC, 618).
7:15 - "that he may know" = "at the time he knows" (NASB). This probably refers to the age of two or three, when a child begins to develop moral consciousness (cf. JFB, 3:586; cf. vs. 16).
7:16 -"before the child shall know . . . the land . . . shall be forsaken of both her kings" - This indicates that within about two years ("before the child shall know to choose to refuse the evil . . .") the two enemy nations would lose their kings (LBC, 1313). In fact, "the alliance . . . was broken in 732 B.C. when [the Assyrian King] Tiglath-Pileser III destroyed Damascus" (BKC, 1048) and killed Rezin (2 Kings 16:9). Pekah was assassinated the same year (2 Kings 15:30). See Wood (332). If the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 is taken as referring exclusively to Christ, the reference to the child here is also to Christ but is used simply to "symbolize the fact that the desolation of Judah at Ahaz's time will be short-lived" (LBC, 1313).
7:17 - "king of Assyria" - The Assyrians, to whom Ahaz looked for help (cf. 2 Kings 16:7-9), would eventually turn on Judah and bring great destruction (cf. vss. 18-25).
Lesson 12 - Isaiah 5:1-7, 11-13
5:1 - "to my wellbeloved" - This is probably best taken to mean "for" or "concerning" "my beloved" (cf. JFB, 3:577; Alexander, 127). NIV translates, "I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard." The "wellbeloved," or "loved one," is God, the owner of the vineyard; the vineyard is identified with Israel and Judah in verse 7 (BKC, 1041; LBC, 1306).
5:1 - "vineyard" - See UBD (1157-1158) for a description of how a vineyard was prepared.
5:2 - "He fenced it" = "He dug it" (NJB; cf. NIV; NASB).
5:2 - "wild grapes" - NIV translates "bad fruit." "Wild" = stinking and thus worthless (TWOT, 1:88).
5:5 - "And now go to" = "and now." The exact same word is used to begin verse 3.
5:5 - "hedge . . . eaten up . . . the wall . . . trodden down" - Mention of both a hedge and a wall may indicate the great care of the owner in providing both (JFB, 3:578; cf. Alexander, 130). "Eaten up" means "consumed" (BDB, 129). Some commentators connect this to a related word and see a reference to animals grazing in the vineyard as if in a pasture (Alexander, 130; cf. NJB). "Trodden down" = "trampled" (NASB).
5:7 - "Israel . . . Judah" - BKC (1042) takes "Israel" as a synonym for "Judah" in this instance. However, since chapter 5 was probably written before the fall of Samaria (Freeman, 194), the reference may be to the entire nation, that is, the people of both Israel and Judah.
5:7 - "judgment . . . oppression . . . righteousness . . . a cry"- See BKC (1042), Vine (25), and LBC (1306) for details on the Hebrew word play here. "Judgment" (mispat) refers to justice. "Oppression" = "bloodshed" (NIV, NASB). "Cry" = "cry of distress" (NASB), or cry for help (TWOT, 2:772).
5:8ff - Verses 8-30 are detail God's six pronouncements of "woe" upon his people. The first is in verses 8-10. The second begins in verse 11.
5:11 - "strong drink" - According to Alexander (133), this differs from wine "only by including all intoxicating liquors." It "appears to mean 'intoxicating drink' of any sort" (Old ISBE, 3086).
5:11 - "night" = evening twilight (BDB, 676).
5:12 - "harp, . . . viol, . . . tabret, . . . pipe" - Translations vary because of the difficulty of identifying musical instruments (cf. NASB; NIV; NJB). "Harp" refers to a harp or lyre; "viol" was a stringed instrument, perhaps a type of harp or lute; "tabret" was a tambourine or drum; "pipe" was a flute or oboe, a wind instrument (NBD, 852-856; Alexander, 133).
5:12 - "work of the Lord . . . the operation of his hands" - These phrases have been variously taken as references to: (1) God's providential workings; (2) "his dealings with the people in the way of judgment" (Alexander, 134); and (3) the people's abuse of others made in God's image (BKC, 1042).
5:13 - "are gone into captivity" - The certainty of the coming judgment is conveyed by the past tense (JFB, 3:579).
5:13 - "no knowledge" - That is, knowledge of the Lord's work mentioned in verse 12. It may mean "without discerning the reason for, and the meaning of, the Lord's dealings" (Vine, 26).
Lesson 13 - 2 Kings 17:5-16, 18
Background - After the failure of the Syrian-Israel alliance and Tiglath-Pileser's conquest of Damascus (2 Kings 16:8-9), Hoshea assassinated King Pekah of Israel and took the throne. Hoshea was a vassal of Assyria until the 7th year of his reign. He rebelled against Assyria and allied himself with Egypt. This brought the new Assyrian king Shalmaneser to Israel. He imprisoned Hoshea,, who had apparently gone forth to meet Shalmaneser with his overdue tribute in a desperate attempt to appease the Assyrian monarch (Wood, 333). Shalmaneser then besieged Samaria (2 Kings 17:1-5).
17:5 - "three years" - This "means all of one year and some part of both the preceding and following" (Wood, 333). Wood calculates that it lasted a minimum of fourteen months.
17:6 - "the king of Assyria took Samaria" - Was this Shalmaneser or Sargon II who succeeded him in 722 B.C. and claimed in written records to have conquered the city? (1) Some believe Shamaneser died before the city fell and Sargon completed the destruction and deportation (Whitcomb, 95); (2) Some believe both Shalmaneser and Sargon carried out the siege (Wiseman, 265-266); (3) Wood (333) argues that Sargon was simply making an empty boast about taking Samaria.
17:6 - "in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes" - This was not Assyria proper but a part of the Assyrian Empire. "Halah" is perhaps "in the region of Nineveh" (LBC, 729) but no positive identification has been made (NBD, 500). NIV translates, "in Gozan on the Habor River" (cf. NJB; NRSV). If this is correct, Habor is the river and Gozan is a region. Habor is usually identified with the modern Habur River (NBD, 496). The "cities of the Medes" "refers to the most easternly part of the Assyrian empire" (LBC, 729); perhaps northeast of Nineveh (WBC, 356; BKC, 570). See map #150 in Macmillan Bible Atlas.
17:8 - "statutes" = "customs" (NASB) and "practices" (NIV).
17:9 - "built . . . high places . . . from the tower . . . to the fenced city" - "High places" were "localities chosen as places of worship of God or idols. The high places were features of Canaanite religion" (UBD, 483). "From the tower . . . to the fenced city" was a "familiar figure of speech used to denote 'everywhere'" (Dilday, 418).
17:10 - "images and groves" = "sacred pillars and Asherim" (NASB); "pillars and sacred poles" (NJB); "sacred stones and Asherah poles" (NIV). The "images," or pillars, were sacred stones where sacrifices were carried out (Wiseman, 267). The "groves" were wooden poles "representing the pagan goddess Asherah" (BKC, 570; cf. NBD, 95).
17:12 - "idols" - The word means logs, blocks, or shapeless things. "Thus it is used as a polemic agains pagan religion" (TWOT, 1:163).
17:13 - "prophets . . . seers" - These two terms are synonyms. A "prophet" (nabi) is one who speaks for God. "Seer" (chozeh) emphasizes the prophet's "mode of receiving divine revelation, by 'seeing'" (Freeman, 40). See Freeman (37-40) and Girdlestone (240) for discussion.
17:13 - "commandments . . . statutes" - See Girdlestone (206-207). "Commandments" (TWOT, 2:757) is the more general term. "Statutes" (TWOT, 1:317; BDB, 349) speaks more specifically of decrees.
17:15 - "testimonies" = "warnings" (NASB).
17:15 - "vanity" - The word means vapor, breath, or vanity and is frequently used as "a designation for false gods worshiped by the people of God" (TWOT, 1:204). NIV translates: "They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless" (cf. NRSV).
Abbreviations:
Alexander - Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah
Archer - Archer, Survey of OT Introduction
BDB - Brown, Driver, Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon of the OT
BKC - Walvoord & Zuck, eds., Bible Knowledge Commentary
Clark - Clark, et al, A Handbook on the Books of Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah
Dilday - 1, 2 Kings: The Communicator's Commentary
EBT - Expositor's Bible Commentary (Vol. 7)
EDT - Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
Freeman - Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets
Girdlestone - Synonyms of the Old Testament
JFB - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary
LBC - Liberty Bible Commentary, now known as KJV Parallel Commentary
LXX - The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament)
Lumby - Lumby, I Kings: Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Merrill - Merrill, Historical Survey of the Old Testament
NASB - New American Standard Bible
NBD - New Bible Dictionary
NIV - New International Version
NIVBC - NIV Bible Commentary
Old ISBE - Orr, ed., International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
TWOT - Harris, Archer, Waltke, eds., Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.
UBD - Unger's Bible Dictionary
Vine - Vine, Isaiah
Waltke - Alexander, Baker, Waltke, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah (TOTC)
WBC - Pfeiffer and Harrison, Wycliffe Bible Commentary
Whitcomb - Whitcomb, Solomon to the Exile
Wiseman - Wiseman, 1 & 2 Kings
Wood - Wood, A Survey of Israel's History
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