Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Others translate, The earth is polluted; because the verb Caneph, signifies to be wicked: both senses may agree, but the verse following requires that we expound it; The earth deceiveth. For he seems to amplify it further by and by after, when he saith,¹ that the curse hath devoured the earth. There is no great hardness in the word Tacath, whether we translate it Under, or, Because of her inhabitants. Now there is a mutual traffic, as it were, between the earth, and those that labour in it: so as she ought to render them that which she hath received into her bowels, with usury; for otherwise she deceives them: but she yields a reason why she deceives, when she lays the blame upon the inhabitants: for themselves have made her barren by their wickedness. ²Our sin is the cause why the earth sustains us not, nor brings forth her increase as God hath ordained by the course of nature. His will is, that she should be a mother unto us, to the end she may yield us food: now if she change her nature and course, or degenerates from her fruitfulness; let us impute that to our own wickedness, because we our selves overthrow that order which God hath set: for otherwise the earth would never deceive, but would always render us that which she ought. The cause is by and by added, why the earth is become unfaithful and deceives her inhabitants: for is it not good reason they should be defrauded of their provision of food, that will defraud God, their Father and sustainer of his honour? Now he taxeth the revolt of his nation here in a particular manner: for their fault was much more heinous, and less excusable, then all the sins of those which were never taught in God his school.