The earth is here put for its inhabitants, as 1 Kings 10:24 Ezekiel 14:13. Before God, or, before the face of God; q.d. in despite and contempt of God, and of his presence and justice. Compare Genesis 10:9, and Genesis 13:13: q. d. They sinned openly and impudently without shame, boldly and resolutely without any fear of God. In the latter part of the verse, the earth is put for the place, or the inhabited parts of it. So the same word is twice used in a differing sense in one and the same verse. See the like Matthew 8:22. Violence, or, injustice, fraud, rapine, oppression; for all these this word signifies. Some conceive that these two branches note the universal corruption of mankind, in reference to all their duties.
1. Towards God and his worship, which they corrupted by horrible superstition, and by idolatry, which is called corruption, Exodus 32:7 Deuteronomy 32:5, Judges 2:19.
2. Towards men, in the duties of righteousness.