2:3 Israel [was] {c} holiness to the LORD, [and] the firstfruits of his increase: all {d} that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.
(c) Chosen above all others to serve the Lord only and the first offered to the Lord of all other nations.
(d) Whoever challenged this people, or else annoyed them, was punished.
2:3 Holiness - A people dedicated to God. As - As the first fruits were holy to God, so was Israel. Devour - All that were injurious to him. Offend - Were liable to punishment. Evil - Evil was inflicted on them from the Lord, as upon the Egyptians, Amalekites, Midianites, Canaanites.
2:1-8 Those who begin well, but do not persevere, will justly be upbraided with their hopeful and promising beginnings. Those who desert religion, commonly oppose it more than those who never knew it. For this they could have no excuse. God's spiritual Israel must own their obligations to him for safe conduct through the wilderness of this world, so dangerous to the soul. Alas, that many, who once appeared devoted to the Lord, so live that their professions aggravate their crimes! Let us be careful that we do not lose in zeal and fervency, as we gain knowledge.
