Hosea 8

God gives notice unto Israel of the enemies approach, ready to pursue, destroy and carry away the people, and to consume the fruits of the land, because of their forgetting, forsaking, and despising of God, his Covenant, Law, and all wholsom instructions, in word, all that is good; and setting up a kingdom of their own without God, having therewithal instituted and pursued all manner of idolatry, hypocritical worship, and especially that abominable one of their Calves, together with hearthenish leagues and alliances verse1. &c. God threateneth Juda also, 14.

1. The Trumpet to thy mouth; [Heb. Palate. This is hasty and abrupt kinde of expression, such as is usual in unexpected sudden suprisals, it may be taken here, as Gods speech to the prophet, charging him to lift up his voice as a Trumpet, by reason of the people obstinacy, and senceless, as Isa. 58. verse 1, etc. or as a lively represenation of the instant danger and approach of the Enemy, which is signified by sounding alarms. See ab. Chap 5. 8. VERSE. 8.] (He cometh) [viz. the Enemy the King of Assyria] like an eagle, [Compare Jeremiah 48:40.with annotat.] against the house of the LORD; [to wit, Israel, or ren Tribes (as the sequel sheweth) which bore the Name likewise, and would still accounted God people. Some think that God speaks here gainst Juda, and understand the Temple of Jerusealem, and the Enemy Nebucadnezar] because they have transgressed my Covenant, and are revolted [See above, chap.7. on verse.13.] against my Law

2. (Then) shall they [viz. they of Israel, as is plain by the next verse] crie unto me; [not out of faith and repentance, but onely through the sense of their foretold and threatened miseries] My God., we Israel know thee. [sure we bear the Name of thy people Israel, and have heard thy word, and prosesse thy worship. Compare Matthew 7:21,22. Luke 13:26,27 oth thus, We know thee(we are) Israel, the sense being one and the same.]

3. Israel hath rejected the good;[I.e. all my wholsom instructions and admonitions, the heeding and keeping whereof would have proved their spiritual and temporal preservation] the enemie shall pursue him.[Spoken of above vers.1.]

4. They have made Kings, but not of me; [Without asking my advice, or staying for my command, for the chusing and setting up of their Kings: although in another sence, the separating of the ten Tribes happened not without Gods righteous disposing and government; See 1 Kings 11:31., &c and 13.11. and compare Isa.30.1. and chapter 54.14.] they have set up Princes, [the words Kings and Princes are taken here interchangeable as above chapter 7.7,16.] but I knew them not: [not as if the all knowing God being only, to expresse by this phrase, that God approved not of it. Compare Psa.1. v.6. with the annotat] of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, [see of the Heb. Word, 2 Sam 5. on v. 21. and understand here the golden calves at Dan and Bethel, together with their idolatrous images and resemblances, as below chapter 13.2. and 14. verse 9.] for to be destroyed. [Heb. That he may be destroyed, i.e. every one of them; or Israel. The meaning is, that by this idolatrie they caused their own destruction, comp[are Jeremiah 18:16. Mich. 6.16. with the annot.]

5. Thy calf, O Samaria,[i.e our idolatrous Calf worship, which the Kings residing in Samaria had instituted and kept up] hath rejected (thee) [to wit, you the Israelites; the sense being even as they had rejected the good, above verse. 3. from themselves, so should the evil which they chose, that is their idolatry, reject and thrust them forth out of the land; as being the cause thereof. Oth. Thy Calf hath forsaken (thee;) being it self to be carried away, as into captivity. See below ch.10. 6. Or, thus, (the LORD) hath rejected thy Calf, o Samaria even as ye rejected his good things, so he rejecteth your evil .] mine nger is kindled against them: how long will they endure (or, let avail) puritie! [Compare Jeremiah 13:27. it may also be an abrupt kinde of speech, out of anger and vexation; thus: how shall they not puritie be able, viz. to get or practice.]

6. For, that also is out of Israel; [viz. the golden Calf, ( mentioned in the former verse, and in the end of this) came forth in Israel, for, in or themselves; they were not taught it of me; it is a device and workmanship of their own wickedness, as formerly the Calf in the wilderness was a device of their forefathers] a work – master made it, and it is god, but it shall be rent in pieces, the Calf of Samaria. [Or, it shall become sharings, silvers, grindings: this seems to have respect to the golden Calf, Exod.32.20. is if God said; what a pure god is this, that knows nobetter how to preserve himself?]

7. For they have sowed wind, and they shall whirlwind: [i.e. Gods terrible and unavoidable judgments. See Job 9:17. Psal.82. 16. Proverbs 1:27. Jeremiah 4:13. Amos 1:14. with the annotat. The meaning is, they had run after idolatry and heathenish alliances and confederacie, and therefore they should enjoy the fruit of their own works; such as their practice was, such should be their reward and punishment. Compare Job 4:8. with the annotat and below chap.12.1.] I [viz. the seed, or, he viz. Israel] shall have no standing corn; the spronting forth [or, growth; if any thing come forth of it] shall make [or, yeeld, give] no meal; [i.e. there shall meal be made of what shall produce; and so in the sequel, and below cha. 9.16. See Psal.1.on v 3.] and if happy it should make, stranger shall swallow it. [or foreigners, i.e. heathenish enemies the sense of the whole is, That as they had busied themselves with vanitie, so all their labour should be in vain, or, bring forth nothing; or, if it produced ought, the enemies should have the benefit thereof.

8. Israel is swallowed up: [i.e. shall assuredly be destroyed by the enemies, whereof the beginnings are apparent] now they are become among the heathen like a vessel which on e hath no pleasure in. [i.e. they are already a scorn to the neighbouring heathen nations, and shall be more contemptible yet. Compare verse 10. and see Jrer. 22. 28. and Psalms 31:13. and compare Isa.30.14.]

9. For they marched up (to) Assur, [viz. for to secure their state, by the favour and help of the King of Assyria. See 1 Kings 15:19,20.] a wild asse, that is only for himself;[i.e. very savage, fierce and undiscreet Prince, preying onely for himself, and seeking nothing but his own advantage, not caring how it fared with others See 24.5. and 39.8. Some applie it to Israel, running every where about for help and allies, like an uruly wild asse, that roaves at random, and seeks for food without foresight, finding oft – times none, and rather becoming a prey himself to others: Compare Jeremiah 2:24.]those of Ephraim have hired lovers for harlots wages [i.e. have sought and bought themselves helpers and confederates, forsaking their own husband, Lord and confederate, viz. God himself. The Hebr. for lovers hath, loves, woings, i.e. lovers see Job 35. on verse 13.and Jer 27. on vers.9.]

10. Bacause (then) for harlts wages they have hired (lovers) among the heathen, [Or, although, however, but though &c. (yet) will I gather them &c as the Hebr. particles are taken below ch.9.16. as if the LORD should say; let them chuse as many helpers as they lift, it shall avail them nothing] I shall also gather now: [to wit, those heathen helpers, whom they hired, and shall bring them against themselves, instead of help, to destroy them. Compare Ezekiel 16:37. Oth I will gather them, ( the Israelites) viz. for to deliver them up unto their enemies, and to drive them out of their Land, as this word is likewise taken sometimes for to gather unto punishment . See Psal.26. on verse.9.] Yea, they have even begun a little, [i.e. Those lovers, whom they sought and hired to help them,, have already begun to plague them, yet that is but little in comparison of the rest, which is to follow. Oth. That they shall have small pain of etc. i.e. the succeeding trouble shall be so great, that they shall not value this burthen] because of the burthen of the King of Princes. [i.e by reason of the Tribute or tax, which the King of Assyria had laid upon Israel. See 2 King 25.19,20. and 17.3. being called the King of Princes, for having many Princes under him. Compare 2 Kings 18:19,24. Isaiah 10:8. Ezek.31.]

11. Therefore because Ephraim multiplied the altar to sinning, the altars are become sinning unto him [In regard they would needs give up themselves single to that abominable sin idolatrie, without end and measure; I shall likewise suffer them to go on therein, and by that means, heap sin upon sin, until the time of their righteous punishment: or I shall carry them away among the heathen, where they shall have idolatrous altars to the fill, nay even be compelled to all manner of idolatrie. 1 Kings 15:16. and chap 15.30,34. and above 16.2.again chap 12.30. and 13.35. with the annotat.]

12. I prescribe him the excellencies of my law:[Or, doctrine, see Psal 1. on verse.2. The sense is; I have caused those excellent and glorious instructions of saving word, to be set before them, not only by word of mouth, but in writing also, very abundantly: by the keeping whereof they were sure to grow great and mightie: Compare Isaiah 4:2.21.] but those [viz. excellent instructions of my word] are counted as a strange thing [i.e. they do reject the same, as if all my instructions concerned them not at all, and they had nothing to do with them they take delight in nothing, but their own humor, their own fancies and devices, and what they take up from the heathen.]

13. As to the sacrifices of my gifts, [i.e. the free will thankoffering, which they pretend to offer me, (of those guists which I truly gave them) and whereby they would seem indeed to be mindefull of, and to despise me.] they offer the flesh and eat it, [turning my sacrifices into profane gurmandizing, having no regard to my service, but onely to their panch and palate. Compare Jer.7. 21.] but the LORD hath no pleasure in them. [ i.e. in those scarifiers whose iniquity he will remember as followeth. Oth theirin, or in the same, viz. offerings. Compare below. Chap.9.3. and chap.11.5.11. or they shall return to Egypt, to treat with Egypt, for seaking the King of Assyria, who growing troubled thereat should destroy them. See 2 Kings.17.3,4,5 (thus by their iniquity should be understood, their perfidiousness and disloyalty against the Assyrian. Compare Ezek.21. 23. and 29.16.) then there should some of them go down into Egypt, eschew the destruction of the Assyrian ,See below chap.9.6.

14. For Israel hath forgotten his maker, [To wit God who not created them, but also made them his people, formed and raised them thus See Job 4. on vers.17. and Psal 100.3. Isa.51.13. and 54.5.] and builded temples [viz. idolatrous one s for the worship of the calves at Dan and Bethel and elsewhere; and thereby for the establishing of their state, to withdraw and keep back the people from Gods temple at Jerusalem, and to allure them to friendship and communion with the idolatrous heathen. Compare Eze.20.32. Oth places. See Isaiah 9:9.] and Juda hath multiplied fenced cities: [thereby to secure themselves against the enemies approach and surprisal, whereof the Prophets spake so much. See Isaiah 22:8, 9. etc] but I will send a fire into his cities, [i.e. engage them in open war, and cause all the consequences of the same, all manner of plagues and miseries, to surrounding and consume them, See Job.15. on ver.34. and Amos1.34, etc.] the same shall consume their palaces.[viz. in each cities of the land of Juda: in the Heb. We have her places, having respect to the land, or, each cities.]