Verse 1
1. The first of the four clauses relates to the third, the second to the fourth, by alternate parallelism. The sense is: They are as keen after idols as if their propensity was "graven with an iron pen ( :-) on their hearts," or as if it were sanctioned by a law "inscribed with a diamond point" on their altars. The names of their gods used to be written on "the horns of the altars" (Acts 17:23). As the clause "on their hearts" refers to their inward propensity, so "on . . . altars," the outward exhibition of it. Others refer "on the horns of . . . altars" to their staining them with the blood of victims, in imitation of the Levitical precept (Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7; Leviticus 4:18), but "written . . . graven," would thus be inappropriate.
table of . . . heart—which God intended to be inscribed very differently, namely, with His truths (Proverbs 3:3; 2 Corinthians 3:3).
your—Though "their" preceded, He directly addresses them to charge the guilt home to them in particular.
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