Hosea 2

Chap. Il. Ver. 1—23. Israel’s idolatries reproved, and conciliation which was to take place in the future age, exhorts his people to speak and to act as became those who obtained mercy of God, and to remonstrate strongly against the conduct of their mother, (Samaria,) whose captivity is threatened on account of her forsaking the Lord, and ascribing her prosperity to idols. As an amplification of this threatening, the Prophet enumerates a series of afflictions which were to befall her, till she should be brought to a sense of her duty to God, and of her folly in seeking after idols, and falsely ascribing to them the blessings of providence. After these corrections, however, God promises to conduct his people safely to their own land; leading them as through the desert of old, till they should enter the valley of Achor, which was (as it were) the door of hope to the land of promise.

(See note.) He farther engages to deal with them as a tender husband, and not as a severe master, as were the idols which they worshipped. The rest of the chapter promises them security from every evil, with the possession of every blessing under a new covenant of mercy; and that in terms full of beauty and consolation. Heaven and earth, and whatever they contain; all nature is represented, in obedience to the God of Nature, as combining to make the people of God happy: so that if they only breathe a wish, one part of nature echoes it to another, and all join in harmony to transmit their wish to the ear of God.

Notes on the verses

Chap. Il. Ver. 2. She is not my wife—That is, “Israel has forfeited all claims to my protection;” yet her children are directed to plead and to remonstrate with her, in the hope of pardon, notwithstanding she had attributed to her idols all the blessings of Jehovah’s providence. a Ver. 3. Lest I strip her.—See notes on (Isaiah 3:17). (Jeremiah 13:26). Ver. 4. Children of whoredoms.—(They are all idolaters; and have been consecrated to idols, whose marks they bear.)—Bagster. Ver. 8. And multiplied, &c.—That is, when God gave them gold and silver, they made, or dressed, their idols with it. Ver. 13. The days of Baalim—That is, when they worshipped Baal. Ver. 15. The valley of Achor, &c.—This seems a common proverbial expression.

‘The vale of Achor, though a scene of trouble and distress, was a door of hope to the Israelites under Joshua;…. for from this time Joshua drove on his conquests with uninterrupted success.”’ Bishop Horsley. Achor means trouble; valley of trouble, from the double trouble expressed by Joshua to Achan. “Why hast thou troubled us? The Lord shall trouble thee this day.”—— Door of hope.—The cause of God’s wrath was there removed. By reason of Achan’s sin, the Israelites were defeated in battle, and despair took possession of their minds. But from the hour they stoned him, hope was kindled, and they were prosperous. Discipline is a door of hope to the church: for where has it been honoured and the blessing been withheld.

Many revivals have commenced when the church were engaged in discipline. Ver. 16. Baali—“My lord,” or master: they should regard him as a friend, and not a tyrant, as they had been used to speak of him. ‘The very name, though capable of a good sense, should be avoided by them, because it was also the name of false gods.’ Newcome. Ver. 17. Baalim signifies “Lords,” or masters, in the plural. Ver. 18. A covenant with the beasts.—See (Job 5:23). “With all the creatures that might either serve or hurt them. It is a full and gracious promise of abundance of peace, safety, and love, among all throughout the creation, for the comfort of God’s people.” Pool.— Break a ~(Isaiah 2:4)+