Because he hath oppressed [and] hath forsaken the poor; [because] he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
Ver. 19. Because he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor]. Heb. Because he hath crushed or broken in pieces. The original word importeth (as one well observeth) tyrannical oppression without mercy or moderation, without ho or hold; some give full scope to their rage and wrath, they put neither bond nor bridle upon their covetousness and cruelty: such are characterized by this word.
And forsaken the poor] Or, Left men poor; viz. by leaving them without a livelihood, and so as good as without life. A poor man in his house is like a snail in his shell; crush that, and you kill him. They which read it, And forsaken the poor, give us this good note, that as it is sinful to forsake the poor, though we have never oppressed them, Matthew 25:35,36 (not to do justice is injustice, not to show mercy is cruelty, Mar 3:4), so to oppress, and then forsake them, is far more sinful.
Because he hath violently taken away] Violently and in open view, in an impudent manner. He pulleth down men's houses, but never thinketh of repairing them; so some read this text. Let our depopulators look to it, who build themselves desolate places, and desire to live alone in the earth. This hath been noted as a great fault in our nation. And therefore Goropius thinketh that the English were called Angli because they were so good anglers, having skill to lay various baits when they fished for other men's livings.