Hosea 2

Hosea 2:1

SAy ye unto your brethren] Thou Hosea, and all other beleevers among this people, do not yet hold them as altogether rejected, to leave them to their own lusts, but call them to repentance, setting before them what is the dutie of Gods people, signified by Ammi, that is, my people; towards those to whom God hath not shut up the bowels of his mercy: which is signified by Ruhamah.

Ammi] That is, my people.

Ruhamah] That is, having obtained mercy.

Hosea 2:2

plead] Reprove the body of your Nation openly, 1 Timothy 5:20.

for she is not my wife] She doth not keep her faith which she hath promised me: and I have already good cause to put her away, which I forbeare to do through my great patience. Others say, God sheweth that the fault was not in him, but in their Synagogue, and their idolatries, that he forsook them, Jeremiah 50:1.

therefore put away her whoredomes] Ezekiel 16:25. Let he dispose her selfe to true chastitie, and spirituall puritie, using no more lascivious baites, and practises, to draw profane nations on to trade with them in idolatrie. See Jeremiah 2:33. and Jeremiah 4:30.

Hosea 2:3

Lest I strip her naked] Lest I take away from her all my graces, bodily and spirituall, and bring her to extreame miserie. See Ezekiel 16:39. & Ezekiel 23:26. 29. For though this people were as an harlot for their idolatries, yet he had left them with their apparel and dowrie, and some signes of his favour; but if they went on still, he would utterly destroy them.

day that she was born] Ezekiel 16:4. When I brought her out of Egypt.

slay her with thirst] With the scorching heat of my wrath, not tempered with any grace or comfort, Jeremiah 2:15. Ezekiel 22:24. Amos 8:11. 13.

Hosea 2:4

upon her children] Upon the particular members of this people.

whoredomes] That is, bastards having no part in the regeneration of the heavenly Father to holinesse of life, being altogether corrupted like their mother. See John 8:44.

Hosea 2:5

my lovers] Idols and idolatrous people, by whose gift and benefit, and not by the true God, I have plenty of all good things, vers. 8. 12. Jeremiah 44:17.

drink] Heb. drinks.

Hosea 2:6

I will hedge up thy way] I will punish thee, that thou mayest trie whether thine idols can help thee, and enclose thee up with difficulties, and bring thee into such distresse and straitnesse, that thou shalt not be able to runne out at thy owne pleasure. See Job 3:23. & Job 19:8. Lamentations 3:7. 9.

make a wall] Heb. wall a wall.

Hosea 2:7

follow after her lovers] She shall seek for favour and aide at their hands, but all in vain; they shall all forsake her, and change their ancient love into mortall hatred, Jeremiah 2:36. Ezekiel 16:37.

to my first husband] Namely, to God. This he speaketh of the faithfull which are truly converted, and also sheweth the use and profit of Gods rods.

Hosea 2:8

I gave her corn] Idolaters defraud God of his honour, when they attribute his benefits to their idols.

wine] Heb. new wine.

which they prepared for Baal] Or, wherewith they made Baal In making of idols, or in serving and honouring them. See Ezekiel 7:20. and Ezekiel 16:16. Hosea 8:4.

Hosea 2:9

and take away my corn in the time thereof] Signifying, that God will take away his benefits when man by his ingratitude doth abuse them. Namely, at the time which I have appointed: Or in harvest and vintage time, I will take away her encrease of corn and wine, which may be done by cursing the earth, that none or little fruit should arise: Or not letting it answer their labour and expectation: Or by bringing in the enemies at that time of the year to take the harvest to helpe themselves, and to hurt the inhabitants, as Ezekiel 23:29. Or by some other means.

recover] Or, take away.

to cover her nakednesse] And not to trim and deck her idols withall, as the beathen basely abused these good gifts.

Hosea 2:10

And now will I discover] Ezekiel 16:37. & Ezekiel 23:29. The evils named before, he saith, he will presently bring upon them, thereby to move and provoke them to repentance.

her lewdnesse] Heb. folly, or villanie. That is, all her service, ceremonies, and inventions, whereby she worshipped her idols.

in the sight of her lovers] All her hopes she had in her idols and images to deliver her, shall appear false, and perish.

Hosea 2:11

feast-dayes] He sheweth that there shall be such want of all things, that sacrifices shall faile in their festivall dayes, when they used publikely to rejoyce, Numbers 10:10. And this was observed among the ten Tribes, in imitation of those of Judah, 1 Kings 12:32.

Hosea 2:12

destroy] Heb. make desolate.

she hath said] The cause of such severe judgement is repeated, that Gods justice may be commended: and that is double, because they defrauded God of his honour, and because they gave the glory due to God, unto false gods.

Hosea 2:13

the dayes of Baalim] I will punish her for her idolatries.

she decked her self] A tearme taken from lascivious women, which deck themselves for to allure men: whereby is meant the Israelites profane pomps in their idolatries.

Hosea 2:14

I will allure her] By my benefits in offering her grace and mercy, even in that place where she shall think her selfe destitute of all help and comfort.

and bring her into the wildernesse] I will gather her unto me, bringing her home from her banishment through many miseries, as I brought my people out of Egypt into the land of Canaan through the wildernesse.

speak comfortably unto her] Or, friendly. Heb. to her heart.

Hosea 2:15

thence] From the head of the wildernesse. The meaning is, as my people coming out of the wildernesse, entered into a most fruitfull countrey: so mine elect coming out of extreame spirituall miserie, shall enjoy mine abundant blessings. Others translate it, from that time.

valley of Achor] Whereof mention is made, Joshua 7:26. Isaiah 65:10. It was a most fruitfull place at the entrance of the countrey, so soon as they were come over Jordan; and by it are meant the first favours which God bestoweth upon his, when they enter into his Church, which are to them certain pledges of the increase and accomplishment of them.

of her youth] She shall then praise God as she did when she was delivered out of Egypt. See Jeremiah 2:2. Ezekiel 16:60.

Hosea 2:16

Ishi] That is, my husband; knowing that I am joyned to thee by an inviolable covenant.

Baali] That is, my Lord. Baal indeed signifieth husband also: but because this name had been profaned by being given to idols, the Lord meaneth that all contagions and mixture of idolatry should be cut off from his service.

Hosea 2:17

For I will take away the names] Exodus 23:13. Psalms 16:4. Zac 13:2.

by their name] No idolatry shall once come into their mouth, but they shall serve me purely according to my word. See Exodus 23:13. Psalms 16:4. Zechariah 13:2.

Hosea 2:18

a covenant] Job 5:23. Isaiah 11:6. Ezekiel 34:25.

beasts of the field] Meaning, that he will so blesse them, that all creatures shall favour them. A figurative description of the Churches spirituall peace, under the Gospel.

and I will break the bow] Psalms 46:9. Isaiah 2:4. Ezekiel 39:9.

Hosea 2:19

I will betroth thee] I will reestablish my covenant of grace with thee, not onely to observe that faith which is required in all covenants: but also to forgive thee thy sinnes; and not to take notice of thine unworthinesse.

Hosea 2:20

in faithfulnesse] With an invariable fidelitie and constancie to maintain my covenant of grace with mine elect, notwithstanding all their defects, Zac 8:8. Romans 3:3,7.

and thou shalt know] Jeremiah 31:34.

Hosea 2:21

I will heare] I will cause my blessing to glide along, according to the order I put into the creatures; which I will reestablish for the safety of my Church.

I will heare the heavens] Zechariah 8:12.

Hosea 2:22

Jezreel] My people, which Chap. 1. 4. had been called Jezreel by way of threatning, and of curse: but here it is changed into a meaning of grace and promise: for Jezreel may also signifie him whom God soweth, or shall sow.

Hosea 2:23

I will sow her unto me] I will people the world with the spirituall progenie of mine elect and beleevers, Jeremiah 31:27. Zac 10:9.

upon her that had not] That is to say, my people, called by these names, Hosea 1:8-10.

I will say to them] Romans 9:26. 1 Peter 2:10.