Woe unto them that join house to house, [that] lay field to field, till [there be] no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!
Ver. 8. Woe unto them that join house to house.] The prophet goeth on in the exposition of his parable, showing us some more of those wild or stinking grapes, with the sad effects thereof, to the end of the chapter. He beginneth with covetousness - that "root of all evil," as Paul calleth it, 1Ti 6:10 that metropolis of all wickedness, as Bion - and throweth a woe at it, as do also sundry other prophets. Covetous persons are of the dragon's temper, who, they say, is so thirsty, that no water can quench his thirst. Covetousness is a dry drunkenness, saith one, an insatiable dropsy, and like hell itself, Isa 5:14 insatiabiliter cava guttura pandit; its never enough will be once alive with fire enough in the bottom of hell. Here they are brought in "joining house to house," as Shallum did at Jerusalem, Jer 22:13-14 as Nero did at Rome for the enlarging of his palace to a vast extent: whence that of the poet -
“ Roma domus fiet, Veios migrate Quirites,
Si non et Veios oecupet ista domus. ” - Martial.
That lay field to field.] Encroaching upon others, and engrossing all to yourselves; as William the Conqueror did at New Forest, wherein forty-six parish churches were demolished, with the removing of all the inhabitants, to make room for beasts or dog's-game. But in true account -
“ Parva seges satis est: laudato ingentia rura,
Exiguum colito. ”
The holy patriarchs were content to dwell in tents. Abraham's only purchase was a burying place. David in that Litany of his, as one calleth it, blesseth himself from those "men of God's hand who have their portion here." Psa 17:14 Christ biddeth us lay up treasures, and build tabernacles for ourselves in heaven; and having food and raiment, saith the apostle, let us therewith be content. 1Ti 6:8
“ Discite quam parvo liceat producere vitam:
Et quantum natura petat. ”
- Lucan. Phar., lib. iv.
If a man will study rather to satisfy his hunger than his humour, a little will serve. But it is as easy to quench the fire of Etna as the thoughts set on fire by covetousness. Unus Pelaeo iuveni non sufficit orbis. a
Till there be no place,] sc., Left unseized upon by you: Usque ad desitionem loci, no place or room for any other.
That they may be placed alone.] Man is a sociable creature, and not born for himself. Aristotle calleth him nature's good fellow; but the covetous wretch hath put off all humanity, and would have all to himself, be placed alone; and herein, as Ambrose rightly observeth, he is worse than the unreasonable creatures. Avis avibus se associat, saith he, pecus pecori adiungitur, piscis piscibus, Birds, beasts, and fishes sort and shoal together, and account it no loss, but a comfort, to be in company of their own kind. Solus tu homo, consortem excludis, includis feras: struis habitacula bestiarum, destruis hominum; b Only thou, O sorry man, shuttest out men like thyself, enclosest for cattle, pullest down houses, settest up folds and sheep cotes, &c. And yet thou canst not live without poor labourers; only thou hatest to have them live by thee.
a Juvenal.
b Lib. de Naboth et Ahab., cap. 3.