1Israel reproved for manifold sins. 11God's wrath against them for their hypocrisy.
1WHEN I would have 1healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was 2discovered, and the wickedness of 3Samaria: for they commit 4falsehood; and the thief 5cometh in, and the 6troop of robbers spoileth without.
1 That is, stir up and employ My prophets to exhort the ten tribes to repentance, and to bring them to all spiritual and temporal welfare. See Psalm 30 on verse 2; Hosea 11:3.
2 That is, then it appears that the root and source of all their wickedness and iniquity, against both first and second table, is in the tribe of Ephraim, and especially in the king’s court at Samaria. Or, it is plainly found that, through their obstinacy against all My exhortations, their wickedness and perverseness is come to that height that they are passed all cure and recovery.
3 See 1 Kings 16 on verse 24.
4 That is, all kinds of idolatry and hypocrisy, which are mere deceit and falsehood, whereby they break the covenant with Me. See Psalm 44:17, 20; dealing likewise falsely with their neighbor. See Lev. 19:11.
5 Stealing, plundering and murdering are roaming free within and without, and has the upper hand, so that both tables of God’s law are broken.
6 See Hosea 5 on verses 1, 2.
2And 7they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings 8have beset them about; they are 9before my face.
7 That is, they never think once that I do see and shall visit all this.
8 As cords or ropes, entangling and distressing them, so that they shall not be able to escape; or, as the officers of justice do apprehend and bring them as malefactors before the judgment, whereof they shall find the truth now, that is, very shortly.
9 Bare and naked; they are all known to Me, and I shall take them in hand to look to their actions, and to proceed with them in judgment accordingly.
3They make the king 10glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
10 The wickedness of the king and of his princes were so great that they took pleasure and delight in the abominations both of priests and people, as serving mainly to stiffen them in idolatry, wherein they placed the stability of their state; the people knowing such, they acted in such a manner the king delighted in, the worse the better.
4They are all adulterers, as an 11oven heated by the baker, who 12ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
11 They are so inflamed in their idolatry and the attaching sins as a fiery flaming oven thoroughly heated, and nevertheless as senseless and careless about it as the sleeping baker. See verse 6.
12 Or, faileth to rouse, that is, he sleeps himself, and lets all sleep and be at rest, till it be time to put the bread into the oven, after the dough is sufficiently risen and thoroughly leavened. Even so do they let the leaven of corruption have its full operation, and the oven of idolatry to be thoroughly heated, till all be to their mind, that is to say, come to the highest pitch of iniquity. Compare Mat. 16:12; Luke 12:1. Others thus: which is heated of the baker, when he ceaseth to rouse up (namely, those who shall bake), after one hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
513In the day of our king the princes have made 14him sick 15with bottles of wine; he 16stretched out his hand with scorners.
13 This may be taken as spoken by the princes and courtiers. Other, On the day of our king the princes made him sick. By the king’s day may be understood his birthday, as Gen. 40:20, or his coronation day, or a certain festival say instituted by the king in honor of the calves. See 1 Kings 12:32, 33, and compare Job 1:4, with the annotation; Mat. 14:6.
14 The king; from what has preceded and what follows. Other, made themselves sick.
15 That is, through hot draughts of wine, or by guzzling hot wine. Other, with bottles of wine.
16 When he is sick of wine, then he rises up with the mockers and jesters, which are at hand to make him some pastime, while he is wine sick, to ease him; or when he is drunk, then he does so, insomuch that the court is full of vanity and wickedness. Of mockers see Psalm 1 on verse 1; Prov. 1:22; 9:7, etc.
617For they 18have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their 19baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
17 Or, Surely, Certainly.
18 Hebr. properly, they make their heart draw near, that is, they give themselves to it, they entice and instigate, set and encourage themselves, to plot secretly against those who dissuade or oppose them, and by all manner of practices to bring them into trouble and distress, even to death, because they will not allow of their impieties, or bearing them grudge and hatred in other respect.
19 Hereby some understand the king, who has charged his princes and counselors with the conduct and execution of all his wicked devices, and seeing it take and be in full force and vigor, he takes great pleasure and delight in it; or, whiles he is asleep, his princes with their accomplices are up and practicing, to conspire against him (whereof see the next verse) and before the king thinks of it, the plot is ready, and breaks forth, setting all a fire and in combustion.
7They are all 20hot as an oven, and have devoured their 21judges; all their kings are 22fallen: there is none among them that 23calleth unto me.
20 In impiety and wickedness.
21 That is, their kings, princes and governors, as the following words declare, and verse 16. Compare Judges 2 on verse 16.
22 That is, they are brought to death, the one conspiring against and slaying the other. See Gen. 14 on verse 10, and the history hereof 2 Kings 15:8, etc. to verse 32. Also below, verse 16.
23 That knows Me, and seeks for favor and help at My hands. Compare verses 10, 13, 14.
8Ephraim, he hath 24mixeda himself among the people; Ephraim 25is a 26cake 27not turned.
24 By pagan marriages, communion with idolatry and other sins; likewise unwarrantable alliances. See verse 11, etc.; Hosea 5:7, 13.
a Psalm 106:35.
25 That is, is as a cake.
26 See of the Hebrew word Gen. 18 on verse 6.
27 And consequently half raw yet, whom the greedy Assyrians will swallow up nevertheless; or, burnt on the one side, and raw or not baked on the other, and in that regard very unsavory and spoiled, and good for nothing (as they say) neither to keep nor to cast away, as it is with a cake, when there is no care had of it, on the fire or coals. This similitude is variously declared, and applied to Ephraim. By what goes before and follows, it would seem that God wants to say: Ephraim had been careless and negligent of both their spiritual and temporal welfare, and running abroad to the idolatrous heathens to seek for help and safety, they are grown so corrupt by their communion with them, that they had scarce any respectability, taste or savor left, to make themselves desirable, even as a cake, half raw, and half burnt, or quite burnt and shriveled up. Some apply it to the impenitency of Ephraim, notwithstanding God’s punishments, whereof verse 10.
928Strangers have devoured his 29strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, 30gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
28 See examples hereof 2 Kings 15:19, 20; likewise 2 Kings 15:29.
29 Of Ephraim.
30 That is, he grows weak and feeble, and is not sensible of it, even as elderly people, getting gray hairs all over; and yet he remains as obstinate and stubborn as ever he was before, as follows.
10Andb the 31pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
b Hosea 5:5.
31 That in this their miserable situation they are still so insensible, insolent and refractory against Me. See Hosea 5:5, with the annotation.
11¶Ephraim also is like a 32silly dove without 33heart: they call to 34Egypt, they go to 35Assyria.
32 That is, a dumb, silly, simple dove, seeing one may entice, deceive and persuade her as much as one may desire, placing themselves in every way unto ridicule. This is further declared in the sequel.
33 That is, understanding. See Job 9 on verse 4.
34 See 2 Kings 17:3, 4; Hosea 5:13; 8:9; 12:2.
35 That is, the king of Assyria.
12When they shall go, I will spread my 36net upon them; I will 37bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will 38chastise them, 39as their congregation hath heard.
36 That is, I will catch, entangle and ruin them by their treaties or negotiations with Egypt and Asshur, even as silly birds are entrapped and caught by the net. Compare Job 19:6; Ezek. 12:13; 17:20; 19:8; 32:3, with the annotations.
37 Where they thought to mount and soar on high.
38 With punishments and plagues. See Prov. 7 on verse 22.
39 Hebr. according to the hearing or at or in their congregation, that is, as I have publicly announced and threatened them in My law and by My prophets in their assemblies before the congregation. See 2 Kings 17:13.
13Woe unto them! for they 40have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have 41transgressed against me: though I 42have redeemed them, yet they have spoken 43lies against me.
40 Seeking for idolatrous and carnal help here and there, wandering about like a frightened bird, that knows not where to rest.
41 Or, revolted from me. See 1 Kings 8:50; 1 Kings 12 on verse 19. Likewise Jer. 2:8, 29, and compare Hosea 8:1; 14:10.
42 Or, I have delivered them indeed, or, I deliver them indeed, or, when I deliver them, etc., so, etc. See 2 Kings 14:25, 26, 27, 28.
43 Of the favors and mercies they receive at My hands, they return the honor to their idols. Or, they do indeed promise amendment and thankfulness, but they intend it not.
14And they have not cried unto me with their 44heart, when they howled upon their beds: they 45assemble themselves 46for corn and wine, and they 47rebel against me.
44 Their praying to and lamenting before Me is mere hypocrisy, it is but a howling out of sorrow, a murmuring and impatience, without faith and repentance. Some think that the word beds has respect to the places (as heights, temples, etc.) of their idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom, see Isa. 57:7, 8; Isa. 57 on verse 7 and on verse 8, unto which the following word assemble suitably alludes. Compare also Ezek. 23:41.
45 To obtain such (corn and wine) from Me, but by their deeds they prove to be entirely rebellious against Me. Other, they make themselves incisions, namely, into their flesh, after the manner of the heathen and gross idolaters. See 1 Kings 18:28; 1 Kings 18 on verse 28.
46 Other, when they gather themselves for corn and new wine and turn to me.
47 Other, they turn away from, or, turn aside against me, namely, rebelling, while they cleave so much to their idolatry, even when they request corn and wine from Me in pretense.
15Though I 48have bound and 49strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine 50mischief against me.
48 With words and blows. Other, I bind and strengthened their arms, namely, as a good surgeon and physician are apt to do. Compare verse 1.
49 That is, moderately chastised, affording them strength to endure the chastisement, or also, that I did not consume them; or, when I undertook to cure them by My wholesome corrections, I condescended to their ability, supporting them with necessary means of strength and bearing with their infirmities; or, I chastised them indeed, but I maintained their state, that they were not destroyed.
50 They requite Me for My well-doing, in lieu of thankfulness, with evil and wicked practices against Me; devising and going about how to maintain and secure their tottering and ruinous state without Me, and against all My warnings and threatenings, however, in spite and defiance of Me, and that by means of idolatrous, carnal and pagan assistance, when as they stand engaged to thank Me alone, for the subsistence and preservation, of whatsoever weal and prosperity is left them yet of their state; which also the sequel aims at.
16They 51return, but not to the most High: they are likec a 52deceitful bow: their 53princes shall fall by the sword for the 54rage of their tongue: this shall be their 55derision in the 56land of Egypt.
51 They run this way and that way, here and there; but to Me, where their salvation is to be sought, they come not. Compare Hosea 11:7. Or, some whiles they make indeed a show of turning, but do not really act it. Compare Hosea 6:4; Hosea 6 on verse 4. Other plainly thus: They do not turn themselves to the most High.
c Psalm 78:57.
52 Hebr. bow of deceit. See Psalm 78:57, with the annotation. The sense is: whereas they ought to have turned themselves towards Me, they go clean contrary ways; therefore they fared as follows.
53 See on verse 7.
54 That is, because they entertain My prophets, and consequently Myself, with wrath and bitterness. Compare Psalm 73:9. Or, because they revile one another with bitter and smart taunts and invectives, who makes them conspire one against the other, even unto death and destruction, as verse 7.
55 That is, the cause of their derision.
56 Where they seek for help and think to be in no small credit and esteem.