The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Ver. 5. The earth also is defiled,] a viz., With sin, and therefore so decayed; yea, the very visible heavens are defiled with man's sin, and shall therefore be purged by the fire of the last day; like as the vessels that held the sin-offering was to pass the fire.
Because they have transgressed the laws.] Natural and moral; those bounds and banks set to keep men within the compass of obedience: "but the unjust knoweth no shame," Zep 3:5 is lawless, aweless, yokeless, untameable, untractable as the wild ass colt, as the horse and mule, &c.
Changed the ordinances.] Or, Passed by the ordinances - sc., by sins of omission, as before by commission; so in Hebrews 2:2, "every transgression and disobedience," i.e., every commission and omission.
Broken the everlasting covenant.] Disannulled, vacated the covenant founded in Christ, when coming unto his own, his own received him not; when the Pharisees and others, by slighting holy offers and ordinances of grace, "rejected the counsel of God against themselves." Luk 7:30 This last especially brought the curse. Isa 24:6 Some by laws here understand the judicial laws, by ordinances the ceremonial, and by everlasting covenant the Decalogue. Others by laws, the municipal laws of the commonwealth, by ordinances the laws of nations, as not to violate an ambassador, &c., by everlasting covenant the law of nature, which is that "light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world." Joh 1:9
a Nempe contactu sceleratorum hominum. - Pisc.