Hosea 3

Hosea 3:3

3. — Thou shalt abide for me many days;] That is, Thou shalt stay sequestered, and as in a state of widowhood, till the time that I shall be fully reconciled to thee, and see fit again to receive thee to the privileges of a wife. Dr. Pocock.

— thou shalt not be for another man;] The word “another” is not in the Hebrew: so the sentence may be thus translated, more agreeably to the original, Thou shalt not have an husband, neither will I have thee (to my wife). W. Lowth, Dr. Pocock. The condition of the woman, restrained from licentious courses, owned as a wife, but without restitution of conjugal rites, admirably represents the present state of the Jews, manifestly owned as a peculiar people, withheld from idolatry, but as yet without access to God through the Saviour. Bp. Horsley.

Hosea 3:4

4. For the children of Israel shall abide many days &c.] This threatening has been most remarkably fulfilled upon the whole nation of the Jews, from the destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasian unto this day. W. Lowth.

— without a king, and without a prince,] Without a monarch, and without any government of their own. Bp. Horsley.

— without a sacrifice,] Deprived of the means of offering the typical sacrifices of the law, and having as yet no share in the true sacrifice of Christ. Bp. Horsley.

— without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:] These are mentioned as principal implements of idolatrous rites. And the sum of the fourth verse is this: that for many ages the Jews would not be their own masters; would be deprived of the

their idolatry. 15 Judah is exhorted to take warning by Israel’s calamity.

HEAR the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a 2 controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Hosea 3:5

5. — David their king;] See note on Jer. xxx. 9. As it is said in Isaiah, chap. xi. 10, that “the Gentiles should seek to the Root of Jesse,” that is, the Messiah; so it is here said that the children of Israel shall seek the same Messiah as their King. Dr. Pocock.

Chap. IV. ver. 2. — they break out.] They are become profligate and impudent; they have broken out beyond all bounds, like swelling waters, gotten out of their banks, and overflowing the land. Dr. Pocock.

— blood toucheth blood.] There are murders committed without intermission: one overtaketh and reacheth to another. Abp. Newcome.