HOSEA

1 Some join these words with the latter end of the foregoing chapter as a mutual exhortation to repentance, which the faithful then would use one to another.

2 Which neither Asshur nor Jareb were able to perform, Hosea 5:13. See further Psalm 30 on verse 2.

3 Compare Ezek. 7:9, with the annotation.

4 See Job 5:18; Psalm 147:3.

5 For they (Ephraim and Judah, Hosea 5:14) were as dead and buried, when they were carried away captives into Assyria and Babel (as we likewise were all of us spiritually dead through sin), so that their deliverance was like rising from the dead. See Ezekiel 37; Isa. 26:19, with the annotations. Now, as the deliverance out of Babel was a type of our spiritual deliverance by Christ, so these excellent evangelical expressions in this and the next verse may also very fitly be applied to the rising of our Savior and Head Jesus Christ upon the third day, and to the glorious fruits, which the entire body of Christ, that is, His church, enjoys thereby. See Rom. 6:8, 11; Col. 2:13; 3:1, 2, 3, etc.

6 As new born children, a new man, the new creature, shall we lead a blessed life in His house, under His Fatherly favor, and cheerfully walk before Him in newness of life, holiness and righteousness, both here in time and hereafter for evermore. See Gen. 17:1; Psalm 4:6; Ezek. 16:6; Ezek. 16 on verse 6. Likewise Luke 1:75; Rom. 6:4, 8, 11; 2 Cor. 5:15, 17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:15; 4:24; 1 Thes. 4:17; 5:10; 1 Peter 2:2.

7 See of similar connection of two verbs, Psalm 45 on verse 4. The sense is: We shall by the grace of God then know Him and His Messiah, be fervently zealous, and make it our care to grow up and increase in knowledge, until at last, hereafter, we may attain unto perfection. See Hosea 2:20; 1 Cor. 13:9, 10, and compare with this their former conditions, Hosea 4:1, 6; 5:4.

8 That is, rising up, compared with the rising sun, coming forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber (Psalm 19:5). Understand God’s appearance for the deliverance of His people out of the Babylonian captivity, and of the Lord Christ for our spiritual redemption.

9 Or, fitted, disposed.

10 Altogether pleasant and delightful, and as firm and sure as the breaking forth of the day and the rising of the sun after the night’s obscurity and darkness.

11 Or, for us, unto our good.

12 That is, after a long drought, when a rain has been a great while longed for. Compare Deut. 32:2; Job 29:23; Psalm 72:6; Ezek. 34:26.

13 See Deut. 11 on verse 14. The sense is: that God shall not fail to show and to continue His kindness to His church, in the most seasonable time, and especially in and by the work of grace through Christ.

14 Or, the land.

15 As if the Lord said: How can I deal otherwise with thee than that I daily threaten you? How would I be able to spare you? Here God returns again to His sermon of reproof, as the sequel of the text shows.

16 Which suddenly comes and disappears again. Compare Hosea 13:3. God implies that sometimes they feigned themselves and made a show, as if they meant to convert themselves, but even that very show did soon vanish and come to nothing; they were yet so far removed that they could indeed convert themselves.

17 That is, reproved and rebuked them sharply and earnestly, using (as the saying is) a hard wedge or cleaver to a hard and knotty piece of timber.

18 That is, declared them incapable of all help and comfort, and on the contrary announced judgment of death or deadly destruction against them. See Jer. 1 on verse 10, etc.

19 Understand the judgments, sentences or punishments, which I shall cause to pass upon you, O Ephraim and Judah. Hebr. your judgments shall, etc., that is, each judgment, which, by your manifold and long continued course of sinning, ye have from time to time deserved.

20 That is, shall break out at last, be brought to light, about your public sins, practiced publically before the entire world and become to be noted as righteous. Compare the phrase with Job 12:22; 28:11; Micah 7:9; Zeph. 3:5. This seems to be the plainest translation of these words. Other, and (or in order that) the light of your judgments shall come forth.

21 As if God said: Ye will say, peradventure, ye do not fail in offering according to My precept, but ye (God wants to say) know well enough what I commanded and taught you concerning this, as follows. Compare Micah 6:6, 7, 8.

a Mat. 9:13; 12:7.

22 That is, more than sacrifice, not to sacrifice alone, as is expressed in the following phrase in the text (Compare Gen. 32:28; 1 Sam. 15:22; Prov. 8:10; Jer. 7:22; 16:14, with the annotations); or simply: not sacrifice, namely, an hypocritical sacrifice, the external sacrifice in itself, without faith and repentance (compare Ps. 50:12, 13, 14, 15; Isa. 1:11, etc.), and then further, more than in the next phrase, that is, and not burnt offerings in the same signification as previous (compare Luke 18:14), so that the latter phrase being explained by the former. Both expressions are usual in the Scriptures concerning this matter; for, sometimes the external part (being also instituted in its part by God) is compared with the internal; sometimes it is considered in itself and without the inward, and simply rejected, yea, very highly reproved, as a disloyal breach of covenant, as here also in the sequel.

23 Or, as Adam, that is, following the footsteps of their first forefather, who, being so abundantly endowed and blessed by Me, notwithstanding transgressed My command and revolted from Me. Compare Job 31:33; Isa. 43:27, with the annotations. Other, like men, that is, as vain men use to do. Or, as of a man, namely, covenant, that is, as if they had to do with a mere man, and not with Me, the almighty and righteous God.

b Hosea 8:1.

24 Which I had made with them, and they with Me, the sacrifices coming between. See Psalm 50 on verse 5.

25 That is, therein, in the substance of the covenant and the worship, mocking Me with their hypocritical offerings, which they came to force upon Me, as if thereby the covenant was performed. Other, there, that is, in My holy land, which I had given them to serve and obey Me in it.

26 This place is held by some to be the Ramoth of Gilead, in the tribe of Gad, being a city of the Levites, and appointed for a free city, on the east side of Jordan, but under that pretext became a den of willful murderers. See Deut. 4:43; Joshua 20:8; 21:38. Nevertheless there is a city of this name Gilead, placed in some maps by mount Gilead, where Laban overtook Jacob, whereof the understanding reader may judge. Some read thus: Each city of Gilead is a city of, etc. Or, Gilead is as a city, etc., that is, the entire land of Gilead is combined as one city in evil, and therefore punished. See 2 Kings 15:25, 29; 1 Chron. 5:25, 26.

27 That is, full of murder and bloodshed, so that footsteps of blood, as it were, are obvious everywhere. This seems to be the plainest meaning of these words. Compare 2 Kings 21:16; Hosea 12:12.

28 Or, poaching bands, highwaymen, etc., who were many in those countries because of the mountains and deserts, especially in the times of the ruined state of the land.

29 To swindle, to murder and to plunder the traveling man.

30 Or, rulers of the officers, in church as well as in state. See Hosea 4 on verse 9.

31 Likewise a city of the Levites, and a city of refuge on the west side of Jordan in Canaan, Joshua 21:21. See further of Shechem’s situation, Judges 8:31; 9:25, with the annotations, from which it appears that on the top of the mountains there the robbers used to lurk and watch for such as came traveling along the public road. Now thus the priests did, being animated thereunto by the wicked governors. An horrible consequence of idolatry. Compare Hosea 5:1, 2, with the annotations. Other, after the manner of Shechem; likewise with one shoulder, that is, unanimously, with one accord. See Zeph. 3:9.

32 That is, they transgress thus not out of any ruthlessness, hastiness or inconsiderateness, but they commit such abominable base practices with a deliberate mind and purpose, to which the Hebrew word refers.

33 Compare Jer. 5:30; 18:13; 23:14.

34 Namely, Ephraim.

35 God seems to imply here that the ten tribes (of whose wickedness mention was made in the previous verse) had sowed an evil seed of idolatry among those of Judah, or had imparted a plant, branch, sprig, shoot, from which Judah had reaped nothing but vexation and misery, as fell out in the time of Ahaz; when God, being angry with Judah, caused them to fall before Pekah, the son of Remaliah king of Israel, so that there were slain of them upon the place an hundred and twenty thousand men, and two hundred thousand women, sons and daughters were carried away captives to Samaria, with a vast booty. Thus God punished Judah by Israel itself, whose example they had begun to follow in idolatry. See 2 Chron. 28:5, 6, etc., and compare the phrase with Jer. 51:33; Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:15.

36 By the exhortation of the prophet Oded, who advised the Israelites, near Samaria, to use their prisoners kindly and to set them free again to return unto their habitation. For though God was incensed against Judah, for having begun to follow the Israelites in their idolatrous courses, yet He was more wroth with the Israelites, notwithstanding the victory He had given them this time for to chastise Judah. See 2 Chron. 28:9, etc. Some conceive, in regard that the turning of the captivity or the bringing back of the captives of God’s people is often used for the deliverance out of the Babylonian captivity and consequently for the spiritual deliverance by the Messiah and the time of grace by Him, that God does here also prophecy thereof, and translate the text thus: Nevertheless, or, However, Judah shall set thee (O Israel, for all thy present apostasy and corruption) an harvest or plant, namely, of faith and conversion, when I shall bring again, or cause to return the captivity of my people, by the preaching of the Gospel, which is to go forth out of Judah and Zion by Christ and His apostles, etc. See Isa. 2:3, etc., and compare John 4:4, 5, 20, 29, 30, 39, 41, 42, etc.

37 Or, the captives of my people, namely of Judah. Hebr. the captivity of my people.