Hosea 5

Hosea 5:1

O House of the king] Namely, ye that are the Kings officers, ministers and counsellors.

for judgement is toward you] Heb. for to you the judgement is. Namely, the charge of doing right and justice belongeth to you, and ye have been the chiefe authors of extortion and injury, as is said afterwards. Or, judgement is comming upon you, Malachi 2:1.

because] Or, but.

a snare on Mizpah] Ye priests and princes have laid snares to intrap the innocent in their lives and goods, as theeves and robbrs doe for passers by, or fowlers do upon the hills of Mizpah and Tabor.

Hosea 5:2

the revolters] Termes taken from such as are highway robbers, which turn aside or lye in ambush and hidden places for mens estates and lives.

profound to make slaughter] Which some expound, are in great number. Others, they do seek most deep, hidden or secret places, that is, deceits and subtiltie. See such craftie and subtill oppressours set out in their colours, Psal. 10. 9, 10.

though] Or, and, &c.

a rebuker] Heb. a correction. That is, I that am the supream Lord, will look over and correct their judgements, and make these false Judges give an account: Or, I will be he that shall reprove and punish all these iniquities, Job 24:16. Hosea 6:9.

Hosea 5:3

I know Ephraim] They boasted themselves not onely to be Israelites, but also Ephraimites, because their king Jeroboam came of that Tribe.

Hosea 5:4

They will not frame their doings] Heb. they will not give. Or, their doings will not suffer them: Or, their workes will not suffer them to be converted.

for the spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them] Chap. 4. 12.

Hosea 5:5

And the pride of Israel doth testifie to his face] Their impudent boldnesse in sinning, and contemning of God, makes them notoriously guilty, and altogether inexcusable. Ch. 7. 10.

Hosea 5:6

They shall goe with their flocks] Proverbs 1:28. Isaiah 1:15. Jeremiah 11:11. Ezekiel 8:18. Mic. 3. 4. John 7:34. To offer sacrifices, by them to seek counsell and help of God.

Hosea 5:7

They have dealt treacherously against the LORD] Like an adulterous woman, which conceives and brings forth by others more then by her husband. The meaning is, the peoples corruptnesse sheweth it selfe in this; that publike orders serve for nothing, but to make them fitting for idolatry, and not to turn and amend them.

a mnth devoure them] Their destruction is not farre off: or a short time will serve for to root them quite out. See Zechariah 11:8.

Hosea 5:8

Blow ye the cornet] A representation of the enemies sudden coming: as it were by a signall given from these high places of Benjamin, which bordered upon the kingdome of the ten Tribes.

Beth-aven] A citie situate between Ephraim, and Benjamin, Joshua 7:2. & Joshua 18:12.

after thee, O Benjamin] The citie of Beth-aven, being a little beyond Benjamins countrey.

Hosea 5:9

that which shall surely be] By the successe they shall surely know that I have determined this.

Hosea 5:10

remove the bound] They do violate all the lawes, which are the publique bounds of every ones right: and in their judgements do overthrow particular mens titles, concerning the lawfull possession of their goods.

like water] Like a cloud, or a deluge of waters.

Hosea 5:11

broken in judgement] By the abuse of publike orders, and by the tyrannie of his Kings and Princes; which God suffereth for a punishment of that that they have willingly consented and obeyed the orders made by their kings, for the establishment of Idolatry, 1 Kings 12. 28.

Hosea 5:12

will I be unto Ephraim as a mth] I will cause them by little and little to consume themselves with disorders, and inward evils, untill they be quite overthrown.

rottennesse] Or, a worme.

Hosea 5:13

Ephraim saw his sicknesse] The evils which did consume them.

then went Ephraim to the Assyrian] Menahem King of Israel required the assistance of Pul King of Assyria. 2 Kings 15:19.

and sent] That is, Judah; which is to be supplied by analogie of what went before, and follows after.

to King Jared] Or, to the king of Jared: or, to the king that should plead. Namely, to Tiglath-pilneser King of Assyria, to whom Ahaz King of Judah sent for help against Rezin King of Syria, and Pekah King of Israel. 2 Kings 16:7.

Hosea 5:14

For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion] Lamentations 3:10.

go away] A terme taken from wild beasts, which having taken any prey, do runne away presently, so that the prey cannot be recovered from them.

Hosea 5:15

return to my place] I will take away the presence of my grace from them, as if I did shut my self up in heaven.

till they acknowledge their offence] Heb. till they be guilty. Leviticus 26:40-41. Jeremiah 29:12. Ezekiel 6:9. and Ezekiel 20:43. and Ezekiel 36:31.