Hosea · Chapter 9

V. 1. As other people-With feastings, triumphs, and sacrifices of thanksgiving. A reward-Such as is given by adulterers to lewd women; thou hast loved to see thy floor full, and hast said thy idols gave thee this plenty.

Verse 1. Rejoice not] Do not imitate the heathens, nor serve their idols. Do not prostitute thy soul and body in practicing their impurities. Hitherto thou hast acted as a common harlot, who goes even to the common threshing places; connects herself with the meanest, in order to get a hire even of the grain there threshed out.

Verses 1, 2. Rejoice not, O Israel — It should seem that this prophecy was delivered at a time when the situation of public affairs was promising; perhaps after some signal success, which had given occasion to public rejoicings. As other people — Hebrew, µym[k, as, or like, the nations, that is, the heathen nations, or the peoples, as Bishop Horsley renders it, paraphrasing the words thus: “Those national successes, which might be just cause of rejoicing to other people, are none to thee; for thou liest under the heavy sentence of God’s wrath, for thy disloyalty to him; and all thy bright prospects will vanish, and terminate in thy destruction. The Gentiles were not guilty in an equal degree with the Israelites; for, although they sinned, it was not against the light of revelation, in contempt of the warnings of inspired prophets, or in breach of any express covenant.” For thou hast gone a whoring from thy God — Hast been alienated from the love and service of God, and hast broken covenant with him by serving other gods, and thereby hast exposed thyself to his just displeasure. Thou hast loved a reward — Or hire, (such as was given by adulterers to lewd women,) upon every corn-floor — Thou hast loved to see thy floor full, and hast attributed thy plenty to thy idols, and rejoiced before them at the ingathering of thy corn. Bishop Horsley renders the clause, Thou hast set thy heart upon the fee of prostitution, namely, says he, “the fruits of the earth; which they ascribed to the heavenly bodies, and other physical agents which they worshipped.” The floor — The corn which is gathered into the floor; and the wine-press — The wine that is pressed out into it; shall not feed them — Shall not nourish and strengthen the idolaters. And the new wine shall fail in her — Samaria and all Israel expect a full vintage; but they expect it from their idols, and therefore shall be disappointed. Archbishop Newcome renders it, The choice wine shall deceive them, or, shall lie unto them, as the word may be rendered. We find similar expressions in Horace, as fundus mendax, the lying farm, and spem mentita seges, the crop-deceiving hope.

Verse 1. Rejoice not, oh Israel, with the shouts of harvest, and the songs of the vintage, as all heathen nations have done, and have ascribed their harvests to their idols; for God was about to deny them of bread.

EXILE, 1-9.

Hosea 9:1, marks a new beginning. The prophet beholds the rejoicing of the people at harvest time, perhaps at a joyous religious festival. Rejoicing at such a time is perfectly natural, but, judging from chapter 2, much of the celebration, though nominally in recognition of Jehovah’s goodness, was in reality in honor of the Baalim. This the prophet cannot endure. He warns the people not to be too exuberant (1), for the occasions of rejoicing will soon cease. On account of their apostasy Jehovah will withdraw his blessings (2); yea, they will be carried into exile (3), where, upon an unclean land, joyful religious feasts can be celebrated no longer (4, 5); their own land will become a wilderness (6). After announcing the impending doom the prophet points out once more the moral and spiritual apostasy responsible for the judgment (7-9).

1. Rejoice not — The occasion of the exhortation is probably the noisy celebration of a harvest festival. Harvest time has always been a season of rejoicing (Isaiah 9:3); for, on the one hand, a rich harvest insures prosperity, on the other, it is a sign of the divine favor, for which people desired to express their appreciation and gratitude. Why does the prophet oppose the celebration? (1) Because it is like the celebrations of other people — That is, of the surrounding nations; literally, the peoples, which, Wellhausen suggests, is here used for the first time in prophetic language in the sense of heathen. Among “the nations” these celebrations were noisy and wild, accompanied by all manner of excesses; but this revelry was out of harmony with the prophet’s lofty and spiritual conception of the religion of Jehovah. (2) 1b makes it plain that, though nominally the festival may have been held in the name of Jehovah (verse 4), the chief credit for the blessings of harvest was given to the Baalim (compare Hosea 2:5-8); to this also the Jehovah prophet must take exception. For joy — Literally, unto rejoicing — too loudly. LXX. reads “exult not,” which would restore the parallelism.

1b is to be connected with verse 2, setting forth the cause of the judgment. The connection may be expressed, “Because thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, (because) thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor, (therefore) the (threshing) floor… shall not feed them.” Gone a whoring [“played the harlot”] from thy God — In a spiritual sense (see on Hosea 2:2-5). Loved a reward [“hire”] — Literally, harlot’s hire (Hosea 2:12). Upon every cornfloor — There are stored the blessings of harvest, which are received as gifts from the Baalim. To recognize them as such would oblige the Israelites to worship these Canaanitish deities, but to worship these would imply faithlessness to Jehovah; and anything received from the Baalim which might induce the Israelites to play spiritual harlot to Jehovah could be called harlot’s hire. This they were fond of, else they would not have been so enthusiastic in their worship.

V. 2. The floor-The corn which is gathered into the floor. The wine-press-The wine that is prest out in it. Shall not feed-Shall not nourish and strengthen the idolaters. Shall fail-Samaria and all Israel expect a full vintage, but they expect it from their idols, and therefore shall be disappointed.

Verses 1, 2. Rejoice not, O Israel — It should seem that this prophecy was delivered at a time when the situation of public affairs was promising; perhaps after some signal success, which had given occasion to public rejoicings. As other people — Hebrew, µym[k, as, or like, the nations, that is, the heathen nations, or the peoples, as Bishop Horsley renders it, paraphrasing the words thus: “Those national successes, which might be just cause of rejoicing to other people, are none to thee; for thou liest under the heavy sentence of God’s wrath, for thy disloyalty to him; and all thy bright prospects will vanish, and terminate in thy destruction. The Gentiles were not guilty in an equal degree with the Israelites; for, although they sinned, it was not against the light of revelation, in contempt of the warnings of inspired prophets, or in breach of any express covenant.” For thou hast gone a whoring from thy God — Hast been alienated from the love and service of God, and hast broken covenant with him by serving other gods, and thereby hast exposed thyself to his just displeasure. Thou hast loved a reward — Or hire, (such as was given by adulterers to lewd women,) upon every corn-floor — Thou hast loved to see thy floor full, and hast attributed thy plenty to thy idols, and rejoiced before them at the ingathering of thy corn. Bishop Horsley renders the clause, Thou hast set thy heart upon the fee of prostitution, namely, says he, “the fruits of the earth; which they ascribed to the heavenly bodies, and other physical agents which they worshipped.” The floor — The corn which is gathered into the floor; and the wine-press — The wine that is pressed out into it; shall not feed them — Shall not nourish and strengthen the idolaters. And the new wine shall fail in her — Samaria and all Israel expect a full vintage; but they expect it from their idols, and therefore shall be disappointed. Archbishop Newcome renders it, The choice wine shall deceive them, or, shall lie unto them, as the word may be rendered. We find similar expressions in Horace, as fundus mendax, the lying farm, and spem mentita seges, the crop-deceiving hope.

2. Faithlessness to Jehovah will be punished by a withdrawal of the divine gifts (Hosea 2:9). Wine press — The Hebrew word denotes not the press in which the grapes are pressed out, but the receptacle into which flows the juice after the grapes are crushed (see on Joel 2:24). Threshing floor — where the grain is stored as well as threshed out — and winepress stand for grain and wine. New wine — See on Hosea 4:11. Feed them — LXX., with a change of one consonant, “know them.” Fail in her — Better R.V., “fail her,” that is, Israel. The change to a feminine pronoun would have to be explained by the representation of Israel as a harlot (Hosea 4:19). It should be noted, however, that all the versions read the plural, as in the first clause. Changes from the second person (verse 1) to the third person (verse 2) are not uncommon in prophetic discourse. For the thought compare Amos 5:11; Isaiah 5:10. The manner in which Jehovah will execute the judgment is indicated in verse 3. Israel is to be removed from the land. Egypt — See on Hosea 8:13. The other power upon which Israel relies for help, Assyria (Hosea 7:11; 8:9), will also be a means of Israel’s destruction. Jehovah’s land — The land in which Israel now dwells. So long as primitive religious conceptions prevailed in Israel Palestine was thought to be the land of Jehovah in much the same sense in which Moab was the land of Chemosh or Ammon the land of Milcom (Judges 11:23, 24). Outside of Israel Jehovah was powerful only as he went to the assistance of his people Israel against another people and its deity. Even to David exile from the land meant inability to worship Jehovah (1 Samuel 26:19; compare Jonah 1:3). The eighth century prophets had a broader conception of Jehovah; he controlled other nations as well as Israel (Amos 1:3-2”3; 9:7), though they never ceased to believe that Jehovah had a peculiar interest in the Hebrews. Nevertheless, in several places passages are found which imply that the common people continued to cling to the narrower view. Thus may be explained the latter part of this verse. Unclean things [“food”] — Not food which was per se ceremonially unclean, but food which was unclean because the land in which it was eaten was unclean (Amos 7:17; Ezekiel 4:13); and the land was unclean because Jehovah could not properly be worshiped there (compare 2 Kings 5:17).

To a people so scrupulous about the fulfillment of the ceremonial requirements one of the greatest calamities of life in exile would be the inability to continue properly the external forms of worship. This calamity the prophet brings before them in vivid colors in verse 4. Whether the prophet himself shared the common notion, or whether he simply used these expressions because they would present the climax of calamity to the minds of those whom he was anxious to influence, is not made clear; that Hosea conceived of the sway of Jehovah as extending over nations outside of Israel cannot be doubted. Offer [“pour out”] wine offerings to Jehovah — Drink offerings will cease (see on Joel 1:9). Neither shall they (the wine offerings) be pleasing unto him — Margin of R.V., which connects the words differently, reproduces more accurately the Hebrew, “neither shall their sacrifices be pleasing unto him.” This presupposes the bringing of sacrifice, only it will not be acceptable to Jehovah. But the first as well as the last clause of the verse states that certain offerings shall be discontinued. The same is implied in the whole verse; 3:4, also teaches that sacrifice is to be entirely discontinued in exile. To remove this apparent contradiction scholars generally accept the emendation first suggested by Kuenen, and read, with a change of one single consonant, “neither shall they prepare for him their sacrifices.” Their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners — That is, unclean. The bread of mourning is the bread eaten during the seven days of mourning (Deuteronomy 26:14) and at funeral meals. Everyone coming near a dead person is unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:14), and everything such an unclean person touches, even his food, becomes unclean (Numbers 19:22); anyone eating this unclean food shares the uncleanness. Their bread for their soul — The last word means also appetite, so R.V., “shall be for their appetite”; sometimes it is even used in the place of the pronoun — “for themselves.” Whichever rendering is adopted, the thought remains the same. Part of the bread (or food) was presented to Jehovah in the form of first fruits, offerings, or tithes, and thus it assisted in securing the divine favor; a part was used to satisfy the hunger of the owner. In the exile there will be no sanctuary, and offerings cannot be brought; the food cannot be used to secure or maintain the divine favor; it serves only to satisfy physical hunger. House of Jehovah — Any sanctuary consecrated to Jehovah.

V. 3. Ephraim-Many of Ephraim shall fly into Egypt. And they-The residue shall be carried captive into Assyria.

Verse 3. But Ephraim shall return to Egypt] See on Hosea 8:13.

Verse 3. They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land, but Ephraim shall return into Egypt — God will turn them out of that inheritance he gave to their fathers, and they shall be carried into captivity or become exiles a second time in Egypt. When Shalmaneser made the ten tribes captive, such as were able to escape the conqueror fled into Egypt, having implored the aid of that country against the Assyrians. And they shall eat unclean things in Assyria — They have transgressed my law, in eating unclean things in their own land; and the time shall come when they shall be forced by their imperious masters the Assyrians to eat unclean things, whether they will or not. They will have no choice left them, but, as slaves, will be forced to eat what is given them.

Ver. 3. Ephraim shall return to Egypt, for refuge from the Chaldeans, while others shall be led away captive as far as the oriental provinces of Assyria. Here they shall eat the bread of mourners, as in ver. 4, meaning the coarsest meat of slaves, and meat forbidden by the law as unclean.

EXILE, 1-9.

Hosea 9:1, marks a new beginning. The prophet beholds the rejoicing of the people at harvest time, perhaps at a joyous religious festival. Rejoicing at such a time is perfectly natural, but, judging from chapter 2, much of the celebration, though nominally in recognition of Jehovah’s goodness, was in reality in honor of the Baalim. This the prophet cannot endure. He warns the people not to be too exuberant (1), for the occasions of rejoicing will soon cease. On account of their apostasy Jehovah will withdraw his blessings (2); yea, they will be carried into exile (3), where, upon an unclean land, joyful religious feasts can be celebrated no longer (4, 5); their own land will become a wilderness (6). After announcing the impending doom the prophet points out once more the moral and spiritual apostasy responsible for the judgment (7-9).

1. Rejoice not — The occasion of the exhortation is probably the noisy celebration of a harvest festival. Harvest time has always been a season of rejoicing (Isaiah 9:3); for, on the one hand, a rich harvest insures prosperity, on the other, it is a sign of the divine favor, for which people desired to express their appreciation and gratitude. Why does the prophet oppose the celebration? (1) Because it is like the celebrations of other people — That is, of the surrounding nations; literally, the peoples, which, Wellhausen suggests, is here used for the first time in prophetic language in the sense of heathen. Among “the nations” these celebrations were noisy and wild, accompanied by all manner of excesses; but this revelry was out of harmony with the prophet’s lofty and spiritual conception of the religion of Jehovah. (2) 1b makes it plain that, though nominally the festival may have been held in the name of Jehovah (verse 4), the chief credit for the blessings of harvest was given to the Baalim (compare Hosea 2:5-8); to this also the Jehovah prophet must take exception. For joy — Literally, unto rejoicing — too loudly. LXX. reads “exult not,” which would restore the parallelism.

1b is to be connected with verse 2, setting forth the cause of the judgment. The connection may be expressed, “Because thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, (because) thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor, (therefore) the (threshing) floor… shall not feed them.” Gone a whoring [“played the harlot”] from thy God — In a spiritual sense (see on Hosea 2:2-5). Loved a reward [“hire”] — Literally, harlot’s hire (Hosea 2:12). Upon every cornfloor — There are stored the blessings of harvest, which are received as gifts from the Baalim. To recognize them as such would oblige the Israelites to worship these Canaanitish deities, but to worship these would imply faithlessness to Jehovah; and anything received from the Baalim which might induce the Israelites to play spiritual harlot to Jehovah could be called harlot’s hire. This they were fond of, else they would not have been so enthusiastic in their worship.

V. 4. Wine-offerings-These were appointed to be offered with the morning and evening sacrifice, the sacrifice representing Christ, and pardon by him; the wine-offering, the spirit of grace: the sacrifice repeated, daily continued their peace and pardon. All this shall be withheld from these captives. Pleasing-If any should venture to offer. As the bread of mourners-It shall as much pollute them and displease God as if one mourning for the dead, and forbidden to sacrifice, should venture to do it. Their bread-Their bread which they were bound to offer with their sacrifices, they will now have no opportunity of bringing to the Lord’s house.

Verse 4. As the bread of mourners] By the law, a dead body, and every thing that related to it, the house where it lay, and the persons who touched it, were all polluted and unclean, and whatever they touched was considered as defiled. See Deuteronomy 26:14; Numbers 19:11, 13, 14.

For their bread for their soul] The bread for the common support of life shall not be sanctified to them by having the first-fruits presented at the temple.

Verse 4. They shall not offer wine-offerings to the Lord — They have omitted to make wine-offerings to the Lord when they had it in their power, and when it was their duty to do it; and in the time of their captivity they will be willing to do it, but shall not have it in their power. Wine-offerings were appointed to be offered with the morning and evening sacrifice; the sacrifice representing Christ, and pardon by him, and the wine-offering the Spirit of grace. The daily repetition of the sacrifice continued their pardon and peace. All this, it is here threatened, should be withheld from these captives. Neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be, &c. — The words in this sentence are somewhat transposed in our translation. They stand otherwise in most other versions, namely, Neither shall their sacrifices be pleasing unto him, but as the bread of mourners among them — That is, their sacrifices shall be no more pleasing to God than if they were the bread of mourners, or that which is prepared for those who are mourning for the dead, of which no part was ever offered, or so much as brought into the temple. Mourners for the dead were, during their time of mourning, unqualified to attend upon God’s service; and any thing they had eaten of was accounted unfit to be offered to God: see note on Deuteronomy 26:14. All that eat thereof — Namely, of the sacrifices here spoken of; shall be polluted — Rendered impure. For their bread for their soul — The offerings they make for the expiation of their sin, or for an atonement for their souls, (see Leviticus 17:11,) shall not come into the house of the Lord — Shall not be fit to be brought into the temple.

EXILE, 1-9.

Hosea 9:1, marks a new beginning. The prophet beholds the rejoicing of the people at harvest time, perhaps at a joyous religious festival. Rejoicing at such a time is perfectly natural, but, judging from chapter 2, much of the celebration, though nominally in recognition of Jehovah’s goodness, was in reality in honor of the Baalim. This the prophet cannot endure. He warns the people not to be too exuberant (1), for the occasions of rejoicing will soon cease. On account of their apostasy Jehovah will withdraw his blessings (2); yea, they will be carried into exile (3), where, upon an unclean land, joyful religious feasts can be celebrated no longer (4, 5); their own land will become a wilderness (6). After announcing the impending doom the prophet points out once more the moral and spiritual apostasy responsible for the judgment (7-9).

1. Rejoice not — The occasion of the exhortation is probably the noisy celebration of a harvest festival. Harvest time has always been a season of rejoicing (Isaiah 9:3); for, on the one hand, a rich harvest insures prosperity, on the other, it is a sign of the divine favor, for which people desired to express their appreciation and gratitude. Why does the prophet oppose the celebration? (1) Because it is like the celebrations of other people — That is, of the surrounding nations; literally, the peoples, which, Wellhausen suggests, is here used for the first time in prophetic language in the sense of heathen. Among “the nations” these celebrations were noisy and wild, accompanied by all manner of excesses; but this revelry was out of harmony with the prophet’s lofty and spiritual conception of the religion of Jehovah. (2) 1b makes it plain that, though nominally the festival may have been held in the name of Jehovah (verse 4), the chief credit for the blessings of harvest was given to the Baalim (compare Hosea 2:5-8); to this also the Jehovah prophet must take exception. For joy — Literally, unto rejoicing — too loudly. LXX. reads “exult not,” which would restore the parallelism.

1b is to be connected with verse 2, setting forth the cause of the judgment. The connection may be expressed, “Because thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, (because) thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor, (therefore) the (threshing) floor… shall not feed them.” Gone a whoring [“played the harlot”] from thy God — In a spiritual sense (see on Hosea 2:2-5). Loved a reward [“hire”] — Literally, harlot’s hire (Hosea 2:12). Upon every cornfloor — There are stored the blessings of harvest, which are received as gifts from the Baalim. To recognize them as such would oblige the Israelites to worship these Canaanitish deities, but to worship these would imply faithlessness to Jehovah; and anything received from the Baalim which might induce the Israelites to play spiritual harlot to Jehovah could be called harlot’s hire. This they were fond of, else they would not have been so enthusiastic in their worship.

V. 5. What will ye do-You will not then be suffered to observe any of them.

Verse 5. What will ye do in the solemn day] When ye shall be despoiled of every thing by the Assyrians; for the Israelites who remained in the land after its subjection to the Assyrians did worship the true God, and offer unto him the sacrifices appointed by the law, though in an imperfect and schismatic manner; and it was a great mortification to them to be deprived of their religious festivals in a land of strangers. See Calmet.

Verses 5, 6. What will ye do in the solemn day — What will you do in your captivity, when any of your solemn or festival days come? When you shall find yourselves far from your own country, without temple, without prophets, without priests, without sacrifices, without solemn assemblies; what will be your sentiments? You will doubtless be willing to abstain from labour on those days, as you were wont to do; but your masters will not permit that, but force you to your wonted employments. Though the Israelites of the ten tribes were schismatics, and did not go up to the temple at Jerusalem, they omitted not to celebrate, in their own manner, the feasts of the Lord in their own country; and as these solemnities were always accompanied with festivity and rejoicing, it must have been a great mortification to them to be no longer able to celebrate them in the land of their captivity: see Calmet. For lo, they are gone because of destruction — Some are already withdrawn, because of the desolation that cometh. A great many of the ten tribes fled into Egypt, when they saw their country laid waste by the Assyrians. The prophet here threatens these, that they should have no better a fate than their brethren who were carried away into Assyria; but should die in Egypt, and never see their native country any more. Egypt shall gather them up — Or, gather them, as the word is translated Ezekiel 29:5. It signifies the same in both places, as if it had been said they should be buried there. The pleasant places, &c., nettles shall possess them — Their fine houses, which they have purchased at vast prices, shall be ruined, and lie in rubbish till they be overrun with nettles. This signified a vast desolation. These two verses are thus translated by Bishop Horsley: “What will ye do for the season of solemn assembly, and for the festival of Jehovah? Behold, all are gone! Total devastation! Egypt shall gather them. Memphis shall bury them. Their valuables of silver! The nettle shall dispossess them, and the thistle, in their dwellings.”

5. In exile what can Israel do in the solemn day — The religious festivals held on sacred days, such as the sabbath and new moon. In an unclean land these celebrations become impossible. LXX. reads “days,” which may be original. Day of the feast of Jehovah — Feast and solemn assembly are not synonyms; the former is literally pilgrimage, and is used of the three annual pilgrimages (Exodus 23:14-17); of these it is applied in particular to the harvest festival (1 Kings 8:2; 12:32; Ezekiel 45:25; see on Zechariah 14:19). When the pilgrimage season comes around, whither will they go?

V. 6. They are gone-Some are already withdrawn from the desolation that cometh. Egypt-In Egypt they hope to be quiet and survive these desolations, but they shall die in Egypt. The pleasant places-Their beautiful houses built for keeping their wealth in. Nettles-Shall be ruined, and lie in rubbish, ‘till nettles grow in them.

Verse 6. For, lo, they are gone] Many of them fled to Egypt to avoid the destruction; but they went there only to die.

Memphis] Now Cairo, or Kahira, found them graves.

The pleasant places for their silver] The fine estates or villas which they had purchased by their money, being now neglected and uninhabited, are covered with nettles; and even in their tabernacles, thorns and brambles of different kinds grow. These are the fullest marks of utter desolation.

Verses 5, 6. What will ye do in the solemn day — What will you do in your captivity, when any of your solemn or festival days come? When you shall find yourselves far from your own country, without temple, without prophets, without priests, without sacrifices, without solemn assemblies; what will be your sentiments? You will doubtless be willing to abstain from labour on those days, as you were wont to do; but your masters will not permit that, but force you to your wonted employments. Though the Israelites of the ten tribes were schismatics, and did not go up to the temple at Jerusalem, they omitted not to celebrate, in their own manner, the feasts of the Lord in their own country; and as these solemnities were always accompanied with festivity and rejoicing, it must have been a great mortification to them to be no longer able to celebrate them in the land of their captivity: see Calmet. For lo, they are gone because of destruction — Some are already withdrawn, because of the desolation that cometh. A great many of the ten tribes fled into Egypt, when they saw their country laid waste by the Assyrians. The prophet here threatens these, that they should have no better a fate than their brethren who were carried away into Assyria; but should die in Egypt, and never see their native country any more. Egypt shall gather them up — Or, gather them, as the word is translated Ezekiel 29:5. It signifies the same in both places, as if it had been said they should be buried there. The pleasant places, &c., nettles shall possess them — Their fine houses, which they have purchased at vast prices, shall be ruined, and lie in rubbish till they be overrun with nettles. This signified a vast desolation. These two verses are thus translated by Bishop Horsley: “What will ye do for the season of solemn assembly, and for the festival of Jehovah? Behold, all are gone! Total devastation! Egypt shall gather them. Memphis shall bury them. Their valuables of silver! The nettle shall dispossess them, and the thistle, in their dwellings.”

Ver. 6. Memphis shall bury them. Noph is the old name of this capital of Egypt. Isaiah 19:13. Wars and afflictions pursued the jews to this land of exile.

6. Already the prophet sees the people leaving the land of Jehovah to experience the deprivations of the exile pictured in verses 4, 5. They are gone — The prophetic perfect in Hebrew. Because of destruction — If the text is correct, better, with the R.V., ‘“away from destruction” — away from the destruction of their native land. Some alter the text so as to read “to Assyria,” chiefly because Hosea frequently joins Egypt and Assyria. Shall gather them up — In exile (Hosea 8:10); in connection with “bury” the thought seems to be of gathering for burial (Jeremiah 8:2; 25:33). Memphis shall bury — Memphis was the old capital of Lower Egypt, and throughout the entire history of Egypt it remained a city of great prominence. It is located on the Nile a short distance south of Cairo. Here, as a representative city of the kingdom, it is synonymous with Egypt. The figure is taken from the numerous and extensive burial grounds in Egypt, many of which recent excavations have brought to light. One of the largest of these was uncovered at Memphis, stretching twenty miles from north to south. As the dead are gathered in these burial fields never to rise again, so Israel will be swallowed up in Egypt. Meanwhile their own land will become a wilderness, covered with nettles and thorns. Pleasant places for their silver — The treasure houses; but R.V., “pleasant things of silver” — their valuable possessions made of silver. The expression cannot be limited to idols. From the parallel clause it seems that the reference is to houses decorated and filled with silver. Nettles shall possess — They will grow over them; and thorns shall cover their tabernacles — Dwellings. In verses 7-9 the text is in such confusion that the exact meaning of some parts cannot be determined. The first part of verse 7 evidently connects with verse 6. Are come — To express his assurance that the days of visitation, that is, of judgment and recompense for wrongdoing (described in 2-6), will certainly come the prophet uses the prophetic perfect, equivalent to shall surely come. Israel shall know it — Find out by experience (compare Isaiah 9:9). Shall know what? Some answer, that “the prophet is a fool,… is mad.” In other words, the people will discover that they have been deceived by the prophets who have promised continued peace and prosperity (Micah 2:11; 3:5). This interpretation makes the prophet and the spiritual man, or man that hath the spirit, the false prophet. If this is the correct interpretation the words “Israel shall… mad” must be regarded as a parenthetical sentence, since the latter part of the verse, “for the abundance of thine iniquity,” must be connected with the announcement of judgment in the first part. But would a true prophet call a false prophet a spiritual man? This is at least doubtful (Ezekiel 13:3); the expression is certainly more applicable to a true prophet. If so here, the above interpretation cannot be correct. A second interpretation connects “Israel shall know it” with the preceding; Israel shall know the terrors of the judgment. With “the prophet” begins a new sentence, which continues to the end of the verse. According to this view, Hosea says that the true prophet has become a fool and madman; that is, he has become beside himself at the sight of the awful condition and the thought of the impending doom of the people. The awfulness of the expected calamity was indeed sufficient to drive mad a man with the sensitive nature of an Hosea. A third interpretation sees in the words “the prophet… mad” a defiant reply of the people. They meet the exhortations of the prophet with a contemptuous sneer that he is a fool and a madman (2 Kings 9:11; compare Acts 2:13). These words the prophet takes up and says, The prophet has indeed gone mad, but it is your sin and his yearning sympathy for you which has made him so. It may be difficult to say which of these is the right interpretation; on the whole, the last seems preferable. The great hatred — R.V., “the enmity is great”; that is, the enmity manifested against the prophet (explained further in verse 8) helps to drive him mad. Some change the text and read “greatness of thy sin,” so as to bring it in accord with the parallel clause.

V. 7. The prophet-The false prophet. The spiritual man-That pretends to be full of the spirit of prophecy. For thine iniquity-God began his punishments in giving them over to believe their false prophets. The great hatred-Which God had against your sins.

Verse 7. The days of visitation] Of punishment are come. The prophet is a fool] Who has pretended to foretell, on Divine authority, peace and plenty; for behold all is desolation.

The spiritual man] jwrh vya ish haruach, the man of spirit, who was ever pretending to be under a Divine afflatus.

Is mad] He is now enraged to see every thing falling out contrary to his prediction.

Verse 7. The days of visitation are come — The days of punishment, or retribution, are at hand. This resembles the well-known line of Virgil: — Venit summa dies et ineluctabile tempus

Dardaniæ. — — —

ÆN. lib. 2. 50:324.

The fatal day, th’ appointed hour is come,

The time of Troy’s irrevocable doom.

Israel shall know it — The Hebrew is only, Israel shall know, namely, that I have spoken the truth; that is, in denouncing misery and calamity against them, as the Chaldee supplies the ellipsis. God’s judgments upon the ten tribes shall be so evident, that the most incredulous shall not be able to deny it. Others interpret this clause in connection with the following words, thus: Israel shall know that the prophet was foolish, that the man of the spirit was mad, namely, who encouraged the Israelites to continue in their sins, by promising them peace and prosperity notwithstanding their corrupt manners. Bishop Horsley’s translation of the passage is peculiarly spirited and sublime: The days of visitation are come! The days of retribution are come! Israel shall know it. Stupid is the prophet! The man of the spirit is gone mad! “Stupid,” he remarks, “if he himself discerneth not the signs of the times. Gone mad, if, aware of the impending judgment, he flatters the people with delusive hopes; and by that conduct makes himself an instrument in bringing on that public ruin, in which he himself must be involved.” For the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred — Namely, which thou deservest. Or probably the sense is, as Bishop Horsley’s version gives it, In proportion to the greatness of thine iniquity, great also is the vengeance.

Ver. 7. The prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad. They had mocked the Lord’s prophets, as mad and insane; the idol-prophets prophesying of wine and peace are now the fools. God having made them, like the diviners of Babylon, mad. How reproachful and embittered must the existence of such prophets be, when, instead of a harvest of joy, the people were driven to eat the bread of mourners.

EXILE, 1-9.

Hosea 9:1, marks a new beginning. The prophet beholds the rejoicing of the people at harvest time, perhaps at a joyous religious festival. Rejoicing at such a time is perfectly natural, but, judging from chapter 2, much of the celebration, though nominally in recognition of Jehovah’s goodness, was in reality in honor of the Baalim. This the prophet cannot endure. He warns the people not to be too exuberant (1), for the occasions of rejoicing will soon cease. On account of their apostasy Jehovah will withdraw his blessings (2); yea, they will be carried into exile (3), where, upon an unclean land, joyful religious feasts can be celebrated no longer (4, 5); their own land will become a wilderness (6). After announcing the impending doom the prophet points out once more the moral and spiritual apostasy responsible for the judgment (7-9).

1. Rejoice not — The occasion of the exhortation is probably the noisy celebration of a harvest festival. Harvest time has always been a season of rejoicing (Isaiah 9:3); for, on the one hand, a rich harvest insures prosperity, on the other, it is a sign of the divine favor, for which people desired to express their appreciation and gratitude. Why does the prophet oppose the celebration? (1) Because it is like the celebrations of other people — That is, of the surrounding nations; literally, the peoples, which, Wellhausen suggests, is here used for the first time in prophetic language in the sense of heathen. Among “the nations” these celebrations were noisy and wild, accompanied by all manner of excesses; but this revelry was out of harmony with the prophet’s lofty and spiritual conception of the religion of Jehovah. (2) 1b makes it plain that, though nominally the festival may have been held in the name of Jehovah (verse 4), the chief credit for the blessings of harvest was given to the Baalim (compare Hosea 2:5-8); to this also the Jehovah prophet must take exception. For joy — Literally, unto rejoicing — too loudly. LXX. reads “exult not,” which would restore the parallelism.

1b is to be connected with verse 2, setting forth the cause of the judgment. The connection may be expressed, “Because thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, (because) thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor, (therefore) the (threshing) floor… shall not feed them.” Gone a whoring [“played the harlot”] from thy God — In a spiritual sense (see on Hosea 2:2-5). Loved a reward [“hire”] — Literally, harlot’s hire (Hosea 2:12). Upon every cornfloor — There are stored the blessings of harvest, which are received as gifts from the Baalim. To recognize them as such would oblige the Israelites to worship these Canaanitish deities, but to worship these would imply faithlessness to Jehovah; and anything received from the Baalim which might induce the Israelites to play spiritual harlot to Jehovah could be called harlot’s hire. This they were fond of, else they would not have been so enthusiastic in their worship.

V. 8. The watchman-The old true prophets indeed were with God. My God-The God of Hosea. The prophet-The false prophets have, as well as the people, left God. Is a snare-Their pretended predictions are but a snare, such as fowlers lay. And hatred-Such prophets are full of hatred and malice: yea, they are hatred itself.

Verse 8. The watchman of Ephraim] The true prophet, was with-faithful to, God.

The prophet] The false prophet is the snare of a fowler; is continually deceiving the people, and leading them into snares, and infusing into their hearts deep hatred against God and his worship.

Verses 8, 9. The watchman of Ephraim was with my God — Or, as some read. it, on the authority of divers MSS., wyhla, his God, or, as the LXX. read it, with God. “The watchman is here evidently a title by which some faithful prophet is distinguished from the temporizers and seducers. But who in particular is this watchman, thus honourably distinguished, and how is he with his God? I think,” says Bishop Horsley, “the allusion is to Elijah, and his miraculous translation. ‘Elijah, that faithful watchman, that resolute opposer of idolatry in the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, is now with God, receiving the reward of his fidelity in the enjoyment of the beatific vision. But the prevaricating prophets, which now are, are the victims of judicial delusion.’“ They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah — They have not only sinned lightly, or trivially, but have sunk into the deepest wickedness, and have become as bad altogether as the men of Gibeah were in former times: see Judges 19:15, &c. Therefore he will remember their iniquity, &c. — God, who hateth such workers of iniquity, will not pardon their crimes, but severely punish them.

Verse 8 also presents serious difficulties. The watchman of Ephraim was with my God — R.V., “Ephraim was a watchman with my God.” Most commentators seem to prefer the construction adopted by the Revisers, but all recognize the difficulties of the clause. As a result there have been many translations and interpretations, and not a few emendations. Delitzsch, understanding watchman in a bad sense, interprets, “The God who speaks by the prophet has in Ephraim a malignant spy instead of a humble observer”; for this reason the prophet is persecuted. More commonly, however, the word is used in a good sense, a watchman appointed by Jehovah (Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17; Habakkuk 2:1, etc.). Therefore Keil and others interpret, “Ephraim (Israel) looks out for the prophecies or divine revelations with the God of the prophets, that is, at the side of Jehovah; in other words, it does not trust or follow its own prophets, who are not inspired by Jehovah.” These interpreters regard the prophets mentioned in the latter part of the verse as false prophets, who are to the people a snare of the fowler in all its ways; that is, everywhere they attempt to ensnare the people; even in the house of Jehovah they manifest their evil intentions (compare Amos 7:10-17). These are two representative interpretations of the text as it stands; of these that of Delitzsch is preferable, for after condemning so persistently the attitude of Ephraim toward Jehovah it is not probable that Hosea would describe Ephraim as a watchman waiting longingly for divine revelations. But, even admitting that the Hebrew may possibly yield the thought suggested by Delitzsch, the expression is peculiar and un-Hebraic; and it is this feeling that accounts for the many emendations proposed. Of these the most simple is that of Cheyne, which requires only the addition of one letter (m), which, he assumes, has fallen out accidentally at the beginning of one word because the preceding word ends with the same consonant. In addition, he connects the first clause with the second and reads the entire verse, “The watchman of Ephraim (so A.V.), appointed by my God (literally, from my God), even the prophet — a fowler’s snare is in all his ways, and enmity in the house of his God.” This gives a very satisfactory sense. Watchman of Ephraim — The prophet (compare Jeremiah 6:17). Snare of a fowler — Spread by the Israelites who seek to destroy the prophet. The house of his God — Either the sanctuary of Jehovah (Amos 7:10-17), or house may be used, as in Hosea 8:1; 9:15, in the sense of land. Nowhere in the land is the prophet safe. All other emendations require more radical changes in the text. Nowack, by means of omissions, transpositions, and other changes, gets, “Hostility to the watchman is found in the house of his God; the prophet finds fowler’s snares in all his ways.” Harper, taking “enmity” over from verse 7, connecting the latter part of verse 8 with 9a, and changing the latter, reads, “Enmity exists toward Ephraim’s watchman; the prophet (finds) the snares of the fowler in all his ways; in the (very) house of God they dig for him a deep pit.”

Verse 9. They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah] This relates to that shocking rape and murder of the Levite’s wife, mentioned Judges 19:16, &c.

Verses 8, 9. The watchman of Ephraim was with my God — Or, as some read. it, on the authority of divers MSS., wyhla, his God, or, as the LXX. read it, with God. “The watchman is here evidently a title by which some faithful prophet is distinguished from the temporizers and seducers. But who in particular is this watchman, thus honourably distinguished, and how is he with his God? I think,” says Bishop Horsley, “the allusion is to Elijah, and his miraculous translation. ‘Elijah, that faithful watchman, that resolute opposer of idolatry in the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, is now with God, receiving the reward of his fidelity in the enjoyment of the beatific vision. But the prevaricating prophets, which now are, are the victims of judicial delusion.’“ They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah — They have not only sinned lightly, or trivially, but have sunk into the deepest wickedness, and have become as bad altogether as the men of Gibeah were in former times: see Judges 19:15, &c. Therefore he will remember their iniquity, &c. — God, who hateth such workers of iniquity, will not pardon their crimes, but severely punish them.

Ver. 9. They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah. When the whole tribe of Benjamin screened the profligate young men who had debauched the Levite’s concubine, and perished in the war. So in a similar manner those wicked prophets drove their country to destruction.

Verse 9, as it now stands, forms a suitable conclusion. They have gone to the lowest depths of corruption. As in the days of Gibeah — Hosea refers again to this crime in 10:9 (compare Judges 19:22-30; 20:46-48). That deed of shame was severely punished. Would Israel escape? Surely not. He will remember… visit — See on Hosea 7:2; 8:13. ISRAEL, APOSTATE AND REBELLIOUS FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IS DOOMED

V. 10. I found Israel-The Lord speaks of himself in the person of a traveller, who unexpectedly in the wilderness finds a vine loaded with grapes; such love did God bear to Israel. Your fathers-Whom I brought out of Egypt. As the first-ripe-As the earliest ripe fruit of the fig-tree, which is most valued and desired. Separated themselves-Consecrated themselves to that shameful idol. Their abominations-Their idols, and way of worshipping them. As they loved-As they fancied.

Verse 10. I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness] While they were faithful, they were as acceptable to me as ripe grapes would be to a thirsty traveller in the desert.

I saw your fathers] Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, &c.

As the first ripe] Those grapes, whose bud having come first, and being exposed most to the sun, have been the first ripe upon the tree; which tree was now in the vigour of youth, and bore fruit for the first time. A metaphor of the rising prosperity of the Jewish state. But they went to Baal-Peor] The same as the Roman Priapus, and worshipped with the most impure rites.

And their abominations were according as they loved.] Or, “they became as abominable as the object of their love.” So Bp. Newcome. And this was superlatively abominable.

Verse 10. I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness — The sense is, as the traveller, passing through the deserts of Arabia, is greatly delighted if he happen to find in his way vines bearing grapes, so was Israel anciently delighted in by God. This relates particularly to their first entering into covenant with God, and their promises of ready obedience: see Exodus 19:8, and 24:3; Deuteronomy 5:27-29. I saw your fathers — Whom I brought out of Egypt; as the first ripe in the fig-tree at her first time — As figs of the first season, and the earliest of that growth, which are the most valued and desired. But they went to Baal-peor — To the temple and worship of the god of the Moabites; and separated themselves unto that shame — That obscenity, so Horsley; that is, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol; such as its worshippers ought to have been ashamed of, and as finally would cause shame to them. The word wrznyw, they were separated, alludes to the order of the Nazarites, who were in a peculiar sense set apart for God’s service; and, in like manner, these separated, or dedicated, themselves to the service of that filthy idol, Baal-peor, that shame, or shameful thing, as it is expressed Jeremiah 11:13. And their abominations were according as they loved — They set up and worshipped other idols, according to their own fancies. Houbigant reads this clause, Abominations became as their love: and Bishop Horsley, As my love of them, so were their abominations; and he remarks, “the love gratuitous, the abominations without inducement, but from mere depravity; the love the most tender, the abominations enormous.”

TO DESTRUCTION, 10-17.

Three times in chapters 9-11 (Hosea 9:10; 10:9; 11:1) Hosea reverts to the early history of Israel to show how loving had been the divine care and how persistent Israel’s apostasy and rebellion. In the beginning Israel appeared to Jehovah like a desirable fruit; but ere long contact with the Canaanitish religion caused contamination and Israel became an abomination in the sight of Jehovah (10). In consequence, awful judgments will come (11-17). The form which the punishment will take is not quite clear, as the description is highly poetic. For the greater part Jehovah himself speaks; in 14 and 17 the prophet appears as speaker.

10. Like grapes in the wilderness — As grapes unexpectedly discovered in the desert delight the heart of the weary traveler, so Israel, in the beginning, delighted the heart of Jehovah (compare Hosea 2:15; Jeremiah 2:3). In the wilderness is to be connected with like grapes, not with Israel, though there may be an allusion to Israel’s abode in the desert (Deuteronomy 32:10). As the first-ripe in the fig tree at her first time — R.V., “at its first season,” that is, when figs first begin to ripen. The appearance of the early figs is greeted with much joy, especially since they are regarded as of an extra fine quality. With similar joy Jehovah looked upon Israel; but ere long it proved a disappointment to him. Baal-peor — Equivalent to Beth-peor, or Peor (Deuteronomy 3:29; Numbers 23:28), where the Baal of Peor was worshiped (Numbers 25:3; see on Hosea 2:5); there the apostasy of Israel had its beginning. Separated — Or, R.V., “consecrated.” Shame [“shameful thing”] — Hebrews bosheth — Baal. Probably shame was substituted for Baal (see on 2:16, and references there). And their abominations were according as they loved — Better, R.V., “and (they) became abominable (literally, abominations), like that which they loved.” The noun is used in the place of the adjective for the sake of emphasis (G.-K., 141c) — they became abomination incarnate. Worshipers inevitably grow into the image of the being they worship; thus the Israelites partook of the corrupt character of the Baal of Peor.

While the prophet does not say so, he certainly implies that the present conduct of Israel is equally abominable, for in verse 11 he proceeds to announce judgment. Glory — Not only children, but all the elements which combine to make a nation glorious — wealth, prosperity, great numbers, etc. All these will vanish as swiftly as birds fly. The greatest curse will be the withholding of offspring (compare Psalm 127, 128). The three threats are arranged in the form of a climax, which is expressed more clearly in R.V., “There shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.” Women will not conceive; if by accident they do, the offspring will perish in the womb; if perchance it retains life it will die at birth. The judgment is one suited to sins against chastity (compare Hosea 4:11ff.).

V. 11. Their glory-Their children or posterity, which was the glory of Israel. Shall fly-It is proverbial, and speaks a sudden loss of children. From the birth-As soon as born. From the womb-Their mothers shall not bring their fruit alive into the world. The conception-Their wives shall not conceive.

Verse 11. Their glory shall fly away] It shall suddenly spring away from them, and return no more.

From the birth] “So that there shall be no birth, no carrying in the womb, no conception.”—Newcome. They shall cease to glory in their numbers; for no children shall be born, no woman shall be pregnant, for none shall conceive. Here judgment blasts the very germs of population.

Verses 11-13. As for Ephraim, or, Ephraim! their glory shall fly away like a bird — What they make their boast of so much shall depart from them. The fruitfulness of their women seems to be the thing here spoken of. From the birth — Their children shall die soon after they are born; from the womb — They shall be untimely births, or abortions; and from the conception — They shall not even be conceived as they were wont to be. Dr. Wheeler renders this clause, They shall not bring forth, nor bear in the womb, nor conceive. Though they bring up, &c. — If some of them happen to bring up their children to a state of youth, or manhood, yet will I bereave them — Yet still shall they be deprived of them, for they shall be slain in war, or carried away captive. Yea, wo also to them when I depart from them — They shall suffer still greater and greater miseries when I wholly withdraw my protection from them, Deuteronomy 31:17; 2 Kings 17:18-23. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place — The situation of Ephraim, and particularly of the royal city, Samaria, is as pleasant as that of Tyre: see Ezekiel 27:3. But Ephraim shall bring forth, &c., to the murderer — Shall be obliged to deliver up his children to his enemies. Instead of Tyre, some interpreters render the word rwx, a rock, which it generally signifies, and translate the passage, Ephraim, which, when I looked upon him, was as a rock planted in a pleasant place, shall bring forth, &c. So Houbigant, and to the same sense Newcome and Horsley.

TO DESTRUCTION, 10-17.

Three times in chapters 9-11 (Hosea 9:10; 10:9; 11:1) Hosea reverts to the early history of Israel to show how loving had been the divine care and how persistent Israel’s apostasy and rebellion. In the beginning Israel appeared to Jehovah like a desirable fruit; but ere long contact with the Canaanitish religion caused contamination and Israel became an abomination in the sight of Jehovah (10). In consequence, awful judgments will come (11-17). The form which the punishment will take is not quite clear, as the description is highly poetic. For the greater part Jehovah himself speaks; in 14 and 17 the prophet appears as speaker.

10. Like grapes in the wilderness — As grapes unexpectedly discovered in the desert delight the heart of the weary traveler, so Israel, in the beginning, delighted the heart of Jehovah (compare Hosea 2:15; Jeremiah 2:3). In the wilderness is to be connected with like grapes, not with Israel, though there may be an allusion to Israel’s abode in the desert (Deuteronomy 32:10). As the first-ripe in the fig tree at her first time — R.V., “at its first season,” that is, when figs first begin to ripen. The appearance of the early figs is greeted with much joy, especially since they are regarded as of an extra fine quality. With similar joy Jehovah looked upon Israel; but ere long it proved a disappointment to him. Baal-peor — Equivalent to Beth-peor, or Peor (Deuteronomy 3:29; Numbers 23:28), where the Baal of Peor was worshiped (Numbers 25:3; see on Hosea 2:5); there the apostasy of Israel had its beginning. Separated — Or, R.V., “consecrated.” Shame [“shameful thing”] — Hebrews bosheth — Baal. Probably shame was substituted for Baal (see on 2:16, and references there). And their abominations were according as they loved — Better, R.V., “and (they) became abominable (literally, abominations), like that which they loved.” The noun is used in the place of the adjective for the sake of emphasis (G.-K., 141c) — they became abomination incarnate. Worshipers inevitably grow into the image of the being they worship; thus the Israelites partook of the corrupt character of the Baal of Peor.

While the prophet does not say so, he certainly implies that the present conduct of Israel is equally abominable, for in verse 11 he proceeds to announce judgment. Glory — Not only children, but all the elements which combine to make a nation glorious — wealth, prosperity, great numbers, etc. All these will vanish as swiftly as birds fly. The greatest curse will be the withholding of offspring (compare Psalm 127, 128). The three threats are arranged in the form of a climax, which is expressed more clearly in R.V., “There shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.” Women will not conceive; if by accident they do, the offspring will perish in the womb; if perchance it retains life it will die at birth. The judgment is one suited to sins against chastity (compare Hosea 4:11ff.).

V. 12. Not a man left-There shall be a total extirpation of them. When I depart-To compleat their misery, I will depart from them. It is sad to lose our children, but sadder to lose our God.

Verse 12. Though they bring up their children] And were they even to have children, I would bereave them of them; for, when I depart from them, they shall have all manner of wretchedness and wo.

Verses 11-13. As for Ephraim, or, Ephraim! their glory shall fly away like a bird — What they make their boast of so much shall depart from them. The fruitfulness of their women seems to be the thing here spoken of. From the birth — Their children shall die soon after they are born; from the womb — They shall be untimely births, or abortions; and from the conception — They shall not even be conceived as they were wont to be. Dr. Wheeler renders this clause, They shall not bring forth, nor bear in the womb, nor conceive. Though they bring up, &c. — If some of them happen to bring up their children to a state of youth, or manhood, yet will I bereave them — Yet still shall they be deprived of them, for they shall be slain in war, or carried away captive. Yea, wo also to them when I depart from them — They shall suffer still greater and greater miseries when I wholly withdraw my protection from them, Deuteronomy 31:17; 2 Kings 17:18-23. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place — The situation of Ephraim, and particularly of the royal city, Samaria, is as pleasant as that of Tyre: see Ezekiel 27:3. But Ephraim shall bring forth, &c., to the murderer — Shall be obliged to deliver up his children to his enemies. Instead of Tyre, some interpreters render the word rwx, a rock, which it generally signifies, and translate the passage, Ephraim, which, when I looked upon him, was as a rock planted in a pleasant place, shall bring forth, &c. So Houbigant, and to the same sense Newcome and Horsley.

12. The children already born will not escape. Though — More accurately, Yea, though. Bereave — Or, make childless (1 Samuel 15:33). Not be a man left [“not a man shall be left”] — Children will not reach the age of manhood. To them — Is interpreted most naturally as referring to the parents; they also will suffer. When I depart from them — There is no need for changing the text so as to read, “I look away” (compare Hosea 5:6, 15).

V. 13. To the murderer-He will send them forth in mighty armies; but it will be sending them out to the slaughter.

Verse 13. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus] Tyre was strongly situated on a rock in the sea; Samaria was on a mountain, both strong and pleasant. But the strength and beauty of those cities shall not save them from destruction. Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.] The people shall be destroyed, or led into captivity by the Assyrians. Of the grandeur, wealth, power, &c., of Tyre, see the notes on Ezekiel, Ezekiel 27:2-28:25.

Verses 11-13. As for Ephraim, or, Ephraim! their glory shall fly away like a bird — What they make their boast of so much shall depart from them. The fruitfulness of their women seems to be the thing here spoken of. From the birth — Their children shall die soon after they are born; from the womb — They shall be untimely births, or abortions; and from the conception — They shall not even be conceived as they were wont to be. Dr. Wheeler renders this clause, They shall not bring forth, nor bear in the womb, nor conceive. Though they bring up, &c. — If some of them happen to bring up their children to a state of youth, or manhood, yet will I bereave them — Yet still shall they be deprived of them, for they shall be slain in war, or carried away captive. Yea, wo also to them when I depart from them — They shall suffer still greater and greater miseries when I wholly withdraw my protection from them, Deuteronomy 31:17; 2 Kings 17:18-23. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place — The situation of Ephraim, and particularly of the royal city, Samaria, is as pleasant as that of Tyre: see Ezekiel 27:3. But Ephraim shall bring forth, &c., to the murderer — Shall be obliged to deliver up his children to his enemies. Instead of Tyre, some interpreters render the word rwx, a rock, which it generally signifies, and translate the passage, Ephraim, which, when I looked upon him, was as a rock planted in a pleasant place, shall bring forth, &c. So Houbigant, and to the same sense Newcome and Horsley.

Verse 13 presents grave linguistic difficulties. The thought which the English translators seek to express seems to be: At present Israel is flourishing like Tyre, but soon it will become desolate, for it must bring out its children to the slayer. Would the prophet express this thought in as awkward Hebrew as the verse now contains? LXX. reads a different, and in some respects a better text, and by its aid we may reconstruct the Hebrew so as to read, “Ephraim, according as I see, for prey has appointed his children; Ephraim — he must lead out his children to slaughter.” The reading becomes still smoother if according as I see is omitted. With these alterations verse 13 becomes an expansion of verses 11, 12, setting forth the destruction of Ephraim’s youth in war.

V. 14. Give then-It is an abrupt but pathetic speech of one that shews his trouble for a sinking, undone nation. A miscarrying womb-It is less misery to have none, than to have all our children murdered.

Verse 14. Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give?] There is an uncommon beauty in these words. The prophet, seeing the evils that were likely to fall upon his countrymen, begins to make intercession for them; but when he had formed the first part of his petition, “Give them, O Lord!” the prophetic light discovered to him that the petition would not be answered and that God was about to give them something widely different. Then changing his petition, which the Divine Spirit had interrupted, by signifying that he must not proceed in his request, he asks the question, then, “What wilt thou give them?” and the answer is, “Give them a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts.” And this he is commanded to announce. It is probable that the Israelites had prided themselves in the fruitfulness of their families, and the numerous population of their country. God now tells them that this shall be no more; their wives shall be barren, and their land cursed.

Verse 14. Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give? — The prophet here speaks as one greatly agitated, and at a loss what to say upon what he had just heard; but at last concludes with beseeching God rather to let the women be barren, or miscarry; or, if they brought forth children, have no milk in their breasts to give them, that they might die soon after their birth, rather than that they should grow up to be slain by their enemies before their parents’ eyes, or carried into captivity; or, as it is expressed in the foregoing verse, that their parents should be driven to the hard necessity of bringing them forth for the murderer. Some interpret the verse thus: Give them a miscarrying womb, &c., “as a punishment for having inhumanly exposed their infants to death, by sacrificing them to their false gods; or, for having exposed them to the cruelty of the Assyrians, who destroyed them in war. The present passage is strikingly emphatical. But it is to be considered rather as a prediction of what was to happen as a punishment of their crimes, than as an imprecation.”

14. The judgment is richly deserved. The prophet understands, with all his love for the people, that mercy has become impossible; in holy indignation he prays Jehovah to execute his judgment. The abruptness of the style indicates the deep emotion of the prophet. What wilt thou give — A rhetorical question. The prophet meditates what he should ask for. Shall it be mercy? That cannot be; and he offers a petition that Jehovah may allow justice to proceed. The interpretation of the verse as an “intercessory prayer on the part of the prophet that God will not punish the people too severely, but condemn them to barrenness rather than the loss of the young men,” is less probable.

V. 15. All their wickedness-The chief or beginning. There I hated them-As there they began to sin so notoriously, there I began to shew that I hated them.

Verse 15. All their wickedness is in Gilgal] though we are not directly informed of the fact, yet we have reason to believe they had been guilty of some scandalous practices of idolatry in Gilgal. See Hosea 4:15. For there I hated them] And therefore he determined, “for the wickedness of their doings, to drive them out of his house,” so that they should cease to be a part of the heavenly family, either as sons or servants; for he would “love them no more,” and bear with them no longer.

Verses 15-17. All their wickedness is in Gilgal — Gilgal is notorious, and has been so of old, for the wickedness of its inhabitants. There I hated them — There of old (or therefore) they were an abomination to me. “The first great offence of the Israelites, after their entrance into the Holy Land, was committed while they were encamped in Gilgal; namely, the sacrilegious peculation of Achan, (Joshua 7.,) and to this, it seems, these words allude. There, says God, of old, was my quarrel with them.” It must be observed further here, that “Gilgal was the place where the armies of Israel, upon their entering Canaan, first encamped; where Joshua set up the twelve stones, taken by God’s command out of the midst of Jordan, in memorial of the miraculous passage through the river. There the first passover was kept, and the fruits of the promised land first enjoyed. There the captain of the Lord’s host appeared to Joshua. There the rite of circumcision, which had been omitted during the forty years of the wandering of the people in the wilderness, was renewed. And, in the days of the prophet Samuel, Gilgal appears to have been an approved place of worship and burnt-offering. But, in later times, it appears from Hosea, and his cotemporary, Amos, that it became a place of great resort for idolatrous purposes. And these are the wickednesses in Gilgal, of which the prophet here speaks.” — Horsley. I will drive them out of my house — That is, I will no longer consider them as my family, my children, and my servants. All their princes are revolters — All their chief men, their rulers and magistrates, have revolted from me and my commands; either by worshipping false gods, or by likening me to images of their own forming, and by worshipping me under the emblems of them. Ephraim is smitten, &c. — Or rather, shall be smitten, namely, with barrenness; for that is the punishment which is here chiefly mentioned. Bishop Horsley renders the clause, Ephraim is blighted; their root is dried up, they shall produce no fruit: or, according to the construction and rendering of the Syriac, Ephraim is smitten at the root, he is dried up; so that he shall bear no fruit; which is also, in substance, the version of the LXX. Yea, though they bring forth — And if any should bring forth; yet will I slay the beloved fruit, &c. — I will soon take away the children, whose birth afforded them great joy and satisfaction, and in whom they placed their delight. My God will cast them away — The prophet here calls Jehovah his God; as much as to say he would no longer be the God of the Israelites in general, and no more own them for his people, but leave them to wander and be dispersed among the other nations. They were afterward called by the name of the Diaspora, or dispersed among the Gentiles.

Ver. 15. All their wickedness is in Gilgal, now the principal seat of their idolatry, and its abominable rites.

Verse 15 is the continuation of verse 13. Their wickedness is in Gilgal — Is focused there (Hosea 4:15; 12:10; compare Amos 4:4; 5:5). Gilgal must have been a prominent center of Hebrew worship. Perhaps the prophet has in mind some recent flagrant outburst of wickedness, now unknown. For — Better, yea. I hated — The love for Ephraim (verse 10) was transformed into hate as a result of their wickedness, which Jehovah can endure no longer. Drive them out of mine house — As in Hosea 8:1, equivalent to my land; this will mean separation from his presence (see on verse 3; compare 1 Samuel 26:19), and from his interest and love — Jehovah will completely withdraw his mercy and favor. All their princes are revolters — Indicates one of the chief reasons for Jehovah’s rejection of Israel. The nobles who should have been the leaders of the common people have rebelled against their great leader, Jehovah, and thus they have become misleaders (Isaiah 3:12). The original contains a play upon words (as in Isaiah 1:23), which may be reproduced partly by rendering, “Their princes are unprincipled.” The judgment upon Israel is further described in verse 16. In 16a, under the figure of a plant whose roots are dried up as a result of being smitten with withering heat (compare Jeremiah 17:8), or by a worm (Jonah 4:7), so that it can bear no more fruit (compare verse 11b); 16b returns to the thought of verses 11, 12, the destruction of the nation by cutting off the children and young men. 16b would be most appropriate between 11 and 12; the former speaks of the cessation of childbirth; 16b continues, if by some chance children should be born, Jehovah will slay them; then 12 adds, if somehow they should live for a while, they will die before reaching manhood (so Marti). In verse 17 the prophet repeats, in his own words, the threat expressed by Jehovah in verse 15. My God — He is still the prophet’s God, but no longer that of Israel. Did not hearken — The appeals of the prophet fell upon deaf ears (compare Hosea 4:10). Now Jehovah must cast them off. Here the judgment is thought of not as extermination, but as banishment among the nations (verse 15). Wanderers — Or, fugitives (Genesis 4:12); the same verb is used in a different sense in Hosea 7:13. To secure a more satisfactory logical connection Harper rearranges verses 10-17 as follows, 10, 11, 16, 12 (except the last clause), 13, 14, 15, 12 (last clause), 17.

Verse 16. Ephraim is smitten] The thing being determined, it is considered as already done.

Their root is dried up] They shall never more be a kingdom. And they never had any political form from their captivity by the Assyrians to the present day.

Yea, though they bring forth] See Clarke’s notes on “Hosea 9:11- 12”.

Verses 15-17. All their wickedness is in Gilgal — Gilgal is notorious, and has been so of old, for the wickedness of its inhabitants. There I hated them — There of old (or therefore) they were an abomination to me. “The first great offence of the Israelites, after their entrance into the Holy Land, was committed while they were encamped in Gilgal; namely, the sacrilegious peculation of Achan, (Joshua 7.,) and to this, it seems, these words allude. There, says God, of old, was my quarrel with them.” It must be observed further here, that “Gilgal was the place where the armies of Israel, upon their entering Canaan, first encamped; where Joshua set up the twelve stones, taken by God’s command out of the midst of Jordan, in memorial of the miraculous passage through the river. There the first passover was kept, and the fruits of the promised land first enjoyed. There the captain of the Lord’s host appeared to Joshua. There the rite of circumcision, which had been omitted during the forty years of the wandering of the people in the wilderness, was renewed. And, in the days of the prophet Samuel, Gilgal appears to have been an approved place of worship and burnt-offering. But, in later times, it appears from Hosea, and his cotemporary, Amos, that it became a place of great resort for idolatrous purposes. And these are the wickednesses in Gilgal, of which the prophet here speaks.” — Horsley. I will drive them out of my house — That is, I will no longer consider them as my family, my children, and my servants. All their princes are revolters — All their chief men, their rulers and magistrates, have revolted from me and my commands; either by worshipping false gods, or by likening me to images of their own forming, and by worshipping me under the emblems of them. Ephraim is smitten, &c. — Or rather, shall be smitten, namely, with barrenness; for that is the punishment which is here chiefly mentioned. Bishop Horsley renders the clause, Ephraim is blighted; their root is dried up, they shall produce no fruit: or, according to the construction and rendering of the Syriac, Ephraim is smitten at the root, he is dried up; so that he shall bear no fruit; which is also, in substance, the version of the LXX. Yea, though they bring forth — And if any should bring forth; yet will I slay the beloved fruit, &c. — I will soon take away the children, whose birth afforded them great joy and satisfaction, and in whom they placed their delight. My God will cast them away — The prophet here calls Jehovah his God; as much as to say he would no longer be the God of the Israelites in general, and no more own them for his people, but leave them to wander and be dispersed among the other nations. They were afterward called by the name of the Diaspora, or dispersed among the Gentiles.

TO DESTRUCTION, 10-17.

Three times in chapters 9-11 (Hosea 9:10; 10:9; 11:1) Hosea reverts to the early history of Israel to show how loving had been the divine care and how persistent Israel’s apostasy and rebellion. In the beginning Israel appeared to Jehovah like a desirable fruit; but ere long contact with the Canaanitish religion caused contamination and Israel became an abomination in the sight of Jehovah (10). In consequence, awful judgments will come (11-17). The form which the punishment will take is not quite clear, as the description is highly poetic. For the greater part Jehovah himself speaks; in 14 and 17 the prophet appears as speaker.

10. Like grapes in the wilderness — As grapes unexpectedly discovered in the desert delight the heart of the weary traveler, so Israel, in the beginning, delighted the heart of Jehovah (compare Hosea 2:15; Jeremiah 2:3). In the wilderness is to be connected with like grapes, not with Israel, though there may be an allusion to Israel’s abode in the desert (Deuteronomy 32:10). As the first-ripe in the fig tree at her first time — R.V., “at its first season,” that is, when figs first begin to ripen. The appearance of the early figs is greeted with much joy, especially since they are regarded as of an extra fine quality. With similar joy Jehovah looked upon Israel; but ere long it proved a disappointment to him. Baal-peor — Equivalent to Beth-peor, or Peor (Deuteronomy 3:29; Numbers 23:28), where the Baal of Peor was worshiped (Numbers 25:3; see on Hosea 2:5); there the apostasy of Israel had its beginning. Separated — Or, R.V., “consecrated.” Shame [“shameful thing”] — Hebrews bosheth — Baal. Probably shame was substituted for Baal (see on 2:16, and references there). And their abominations were according as they loved — Better, R.V., “and (they) became abominable (literally, abominations), like that which they loved.” The noun is used in the place of the adjective for the sake of emphasis (G.-K., 141c) — they became abomination incarnate. Worshipers inevitably grow into the image of the being they worship; thus the Israelites partook of the corrupt character of the Baal of Peor.

While the prophet does not say so, he certainly implies that the present conduct of Israel is equally abominable, for in verse 11 he proceeds to announce judgment. Glory — Not only children, but all the elements which combine to make a nation glorious — wealth, prosperity, great numbers, etc. All these will vanish as swiftly as birds fly. The greatest curse will be the withholding of offspring (compare Psalm 127, 128). The three threats are arranged in the form of a climax, which is expressed more clearly in R.V., “There shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.” Women will not conceive; if by accident they do, the offspring will perish in the womb; if perchance it retains life it will die at birth. The judgment is one suited to sins against chastity (compare Hosea 4:11ff.).

Verse 17. My God will cast them away] Here the prophet seems to apologize for the severity of these denunciations; and to vindicate the Divine justice, from which they proceeded. It is-

Because they did not hearken unto him] That “my God,” the fountain of mercy and kindness, “will cast them away.”

And they shall be wanderers among the nations.] And where they have wandered to, who can tell? and in what nations to be found, no man knows. Wanderers they are; and perhaps even now unknown to themselves. Some have thought they have found them in one country; some, in another; and a very pious writer, in a book entitled, The Star in the West, thinks he has found their descendants in the American Indians; among whom he has discovered many customs, apparently the same with those of the ancient Jews, and commanded in the Law. He even thinks that the word Je-ho-vah is found in their solemn festal cry, Ye-ho-wa-he. If they be this long lost people, they are utterly unknown to themselves; their origin being lost in a very remote antiquity.

HOSEA

Verses 15-17. All their wickedness is in Gilgal — Gilgal is notorious, and has been so of old, for the wickedness of its inhabitants. There I hated them — There of old (or therefore) they were an abomination to me. “The first great offence of the Israelites, after their entrance into the Holy Land, was committed while they were encamped in Gilgal; namely, the sacrilegious peculation of Achan, (Joshua 7.,) and to this, it seems, these words allude. There, says God, of old, was my quarrel with them.” It must be observed further here, that “Gilgal was the place where the armies of Israel, upon their entering Canaan, first encamped; where Joshua set up the twelve stones, taken by God’s command out of the midst of Jordan, in memorial of the miraculous passage through the river. There the first passover was kept, and the fruits of the promised land first enjoyed. There the captain of the Lord’s host appeared to Joshua. There the rite of circumcision, which had been omitted during the forty years of the wandering of the people in the wilderness, was renewed. And, in the days of the prophet Samuel, Gilgal appears to have been an approved place of worship and burnt-offering. But, in later times, it appears from Hosea, and his cotemporary, Amos, that it became a place of great resort for idolatrous purposes. And these are the wickednesses in Gilgal, of which the prophet here speaks.” — Horsley. I will drive them out of my house — That is, I will no longer consider them as my family, my children, and my servants. All their princes are revolters — All their chief men, their rulers and magistrates, have revolted from me and my commands; either by worshipping false gods, or by likening me to images of their own forming, and by worshipping me under the emblems of them. Ephraim is smitten, &c. — Or rather, shall be smitten, namely, with barrenness; for that is the punishment which is here chiefly mentioned. Bishop Horsley renders the clause, Ephraim is blighted; their root is dried up, they shall produce no fruit: or, according to the construction and rendering of the Syriac, Ephraim is smitten at the root, he is dried up; so that he shall bear no fruit; which is also, in substance, the version of the LXX. Yea, though they bring forth — And if any should bring forth; yet will I slay the beloved fruit, &c. — I will soon take away the children, whose birth afforded them great joy and satisfaction, and in whom they placed their delight. My God will cast them away — The prophet here calls Jehovah his God; as much as to say he would no longer be the God of the Israelites in general, and no more own them for his people, but leave them to wander and be dispersed among the other nations. They were afterward called by the name of the Diaspora, or dispersed among the Gentiles.

Ver. 17. They shall be wanderers among the nations, as Moses had long ago foretold. Deuteronomy 28:49-64.

TO DESTRUCTION, 10-17.

Three times in chapters 9-11 (Hosea 9:10; 10:9; 11:1) Hosea reverts to the early history of Israel to show how loving had been the divine care and how persistent Israel’s apostasy and rebellion. In the beginning Israel appeared to Jehovah like a desirable fruit; but ere long contact with the Canaanitish religion caused contamination and Israel became an abomination in the sight of Jehovah (10). In consequence, awful judgments will come (11-17). The form which the punishment will take is not quite clear, as the description is highly poetic. For the greater part Jehovah himself speaks; in 14 and 17 the prophet appears as speaker.

10. Like grapes in the wilderness — As grapes unexpectedly discovered in the desert delight the heart of the weary traveler, so Israel, in the beginning, delighted the heart of Jehovah (compare Hosea 2:15; Jeremiah 2:3). In the wilderness is to be connected with like grapes, not with Israel, though there may be an allusion to Israel’s abode in the desert (Deuteronomy 32:10). As the first-ripe in the fig tree at her first time — R.V., “at its first season,” that is, when figs first begin to ripen. The appearance of the early figs is greeted with much joy, especially since they are regarded as of an extra fine quality. With similar joy Jehovah looked upon Israel; but ere long it proved a disappointment to him. Baal-peor — Equivalent to Beth-peor, or Peor (Deuteronomy 3:29; Numbers 23:28), where the Baal of Peor was worshiped (Numbers 25:3; see on Hosea 2:5); there the apostasy of Israel had its beginning. Separated — Or, R.V., “consecrated.” Shame [“shameful thing”] — Hebrews bosheth — Baal. Probably shame was substituted for Baal (see on 2:16, and references there). And their abominations were according as they loved — Better, R.V., “and (they) became abominable (literally, abominations), like that which they loved.” The noun is used in the place of the adjective for the sake of emphasis (G.-K., 141c) — they became abomination incarnate. Worshipers inevitably grow into the image of the being they worship; thus the Israelites partook of the corrupt character of the Baal of Peor.

While the prophet does not say so, he certainly implies that the present conduct of Israel is equally abominable, for in verse 11 he proceeds to announce judgment. Glory — Not only children, but all the elements which combine to make a nation glorious — wealth, prosperity, great numbers, etc. All these will vanish as swiftly as birds fly. The greatest curse will be the withholding of offspring (compare Psalm 127, 128). The three threats are arranged in the form of a climax, which is expressed more clearly in R.V., “There shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.” Women will not conceive; if by accident they do, the offspring will perish in the womb; if perchance it retains life it will die at birth. The judgment is one suited to sins against chastity (compare Hosea 4:11ff.).