John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor , etc.] Either were greedy after money, the dust of the earth, and even that small portion of it the poor were possessed of; they could not be easy that they should enjoy that little of it they did, but were desirous to get it out of their hands by oppression and injustice: or they were eagerly desirous of throwing the poor upon the earth, and trampling upon them, and dragging them through the dust of it, thereby filling their heads and covering their faces with it; and caused them to put their mouths in the dust, and be humble suppliants to them. Some think there is an allusion to an ancient custom, which Joseph ben Gorion speaks of, that a guilty person should stand before the judges, clad in black, and his head covered with dust; and this these judges desired here might be done by the rich, that the poor might be accused by them from whom they expected gifts: and turn aside the way of the meek ; decline doing them justice, pervert it, and hinder the course of it, denying it to those who are humble, meek, and modest; or else by one means or another turned them from the good ways in which they were walking, and by degrees at length brought them to such impudence and immodesty as is next expressed, so Aben Ezra: and a man and his father will go in unto the [same] maid, to profane my holy name ; that is, will be guilty of such uncleanness, as not only to have and enjoy the same harlot, but of such incest, as that the son would lie with his father’s wife, and the father lie with his son’s wife; a sin which was not named among the Gentiles, ( 1 Corinthians 5:1); and whereby the name of God was blasphemed among them, as if their religion taught them and encouraged them in such filthy actions; (see Romans 2:24).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - The evil passions of the heart break out in various forms; but the Lor looks to our motives, as well as our conduct. Those that deal cruelly shall be cruelly dealt with. Other nations were reckoned with for injuries done to men; Judah is reckoned with for dishonour done to God Judah despised the law of the Lord; and he justly gave them up to strong delusion; nor was it any excuse for their sin, that they wer the lies, the idols, after which their fathers walked. The wors abominations and most grievous oppressions have been committed by some of the professed worshippers of the Lord. Such conduct leads many to unbelief and vile idolatry.
Original Hebrew השׁאפים7602 על5921 עפר6083 ארץ776 בראשׁ7218 דלים1800 ודרך1870 ענוים6035 יטו5186 ואישׁ376 ואביו1 ילכו1980 אל413 הנערה5291 למען4616 חלל2490 את853 שׁם8034 קדשׁי׃6944
