Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Ver. 5. Why should ye be stricken any more?] This was the heaviest stroke that ever Judah felt from the hand of God; like as Ephraim's sorest judgment was, "He is joined to idols, let him alone" Hos 4:17 - q.d., He is incorrigible, irreclaimable, let him go on and perish: I'll not any longer foul my fingers with him. Oh fearful sentence! To prosper in sin is a grievous plague, and a sign of one given up by God. To be like the smith's dog, whom neither the hammers above him, nor the sparks of fire falling round about him can awaken, is to be in a desperate condition. To wax worse by chastisements, as 2Ch 28:22 is a sure sign of reprobate silver, Jer 6:30 of a dead and dedolent disposition. Eph 4:18 God as a loving father, verba, verbera, beneficia, supplicia miseuerat, had done all that could be done to do them good; but all would not do: such was their obstinace.
The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint.] Head, heart, feet; princes, priests, and common people, as they had all sinned, so they all had their payment. Sin is a universal sickness, like those diseases which physicians say are corruptio totius substantiae, a corruption of the whole substance. And national sins bring national plagues, wherein all sorts suffer, as they did in the days of Ahaz, de quibus haud dubie loquitur hic propheta, saith Scultetus: though others think the prophet here speaketh rather of those miseries inflicted upon Judah by Hazael king of Syria 2Ki 12:17-18 and by Joash king of Israel, 2Ki 14:8-14 wherein all sorts had their share - none escaped scot free.