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The Prophet more fully confirms what I have lately referred to; and the repetition was not superfluous in exclaiming “” three times, for as the hardness of iron is overcome by the repeated strokes of the hammer, so the Prophet repeated the word “” that he might subdue that perverseness in which the Jews had so hardened themselves that no threats of God moved them. He did not adopt this vehemence, as rhetoricians do who aim to appear eloquent; but it was necessity that constrained him thus to assail that refractory people, who would have otherwise turned a deaf ear to what we have observed and read. By this preface, then, the Prophet especially shews that he spoke of God’ dreadful judgment, and also reminded the Jews of the certainty of this prophecy, though they were persuaded that the kingdom would never fall. Hence in this repetition we see that there is an implied reproof, as though he had said that they were indeed deaf, but that it was to no purpose, for they would be constrained to see the fulfillment of what they did not then believe. Earth, earth, earth, hear, he says. (71)
(71) It does not appear whether Calvin meant the earth generally or the land of Judea. But the latter most probably is what is intended. The version, then, ought to be, “ land, land!” The Sept. and the Arab. have “” only twice, but the other versions have it three times as in Hebrew. The paraphrase of the Targ. is singular, “ their own land they have made them to migrate to another land; land of Israel! hear the words of the Lord.”
“” means often the inhabitants; and what follows proves that it has this meaning here; for it is added, “ ye,” etc. — Ed.