[502] Heb. _the heart_, which ancient Israel conceived as the seat of the intellect. [503] Wellhausen thinks this third place-name (cf. Amos v. 5) has been dropped. It certainly seems to be understood. [504] But see above, p. 224. [505] So all critics since Hitzig. [506] Mal. ii. 4. [507] Isa. xliv. 11. [508] The verse is very uncertain. LXX. read a different and a fuller text from _Ephraim_ in the previous verse to _harlotry_ in this: "Ephraim hath set up for himself stumbling-blocks and chosen Canaanites." In the first of alternate readings of the latter half of the verse omit הבו as probably a repetition of the end of the preceding word; the second alternative is adapted from LXX., which for מגיניה must have read מגאונה. [509] So by slightly altering the consonants. But the text is uncertain. [510] _Note on the Pride of Israel._--גאון means _grandeur_, and is (1) so used of Jehovah's majesty (Micah v. 3; Isa. ii. 10, 19, 21; xxiv. 14), and (2) of the greatness of human powers (Zech. x. 11; Ezek. xxxii. 12). In Psalm xlvii. 5 it is parallel to the land of Israel (cf. Nahum ii. 3). (3) In a grosser sense the word is used of the rank vegetation of Jordan (Eng. wrongly _swelling_) (Jer. xii. 5; Zech. xi. 3: cf. Job xxxviii. 11). It would appear to be this grosser sense of _rankness_, _arrogance_, in which Amos vi. 8 takes it as parallel to _the palaces of Israel_ which _Jehovah loathes and will destroy_. In Amos viii. 7 the phrase may be used in scorn; yet some take it even there of God Himself (Buhl, last ed. of Gesenius' _Lexicon_). Now in Hosea it occurs twice in the phrase given above--וענה בפניו ישראל גאון (v. 5, vii. 10). LXX., Targum and some Jewish exegetes take ענה as a ל״ו verb, _to be humbled_, and this suits both contexts. But the word בפניו _to his face_ almost compels us to take ענה as a ל״י verb, _to witness against_ (cf. Job xvi. 8; Jer. xiv. 7). Hence Wellhausen renders "With his arrogance Israel witnesseth against himself," and confirms the plaint of Jehovah--the arrogance being the trust in the ritual and the feeling of no need to turn from that and repent (cf. vii. 10). Orelli quotes Amos vi. 8 and Nahum ii. 3, and says injustice cleaves to all Israel's splendour, so it testifies against him. But the context, which in both cases speaks of Israel's gradual decay, demands rather the interpretation that Israel's material grandeur shows unmistakable signs of breaking down. For the ethical development of this interpretation, see below, pp. 337 f. [511] Probably the ancient war-cry of the clan. Cf. Judg. v. 14. [512] Yet ver. 9 goes with ver. 8 (so Wellhausen), and not with ver. 10 (so Ewald). [513] For צו read שׁוא. [514] Wellhausen inserts _Judah_, with that desire to complete a parallel which seems to me to be overdone by so many critics. If Judah be inserted we should need to bring the date of these verses down to the reign of Ahaz in 734. [515] Guthe: "King Fighting-Cock."