Hosea 12

The prophet reproves both Israel and Judah for their impieties, and puts them in mind of God’s favours to their father Jacob, forwhich they made most ungrateful returns. Ver. I. EpHRAIM feedeth on wind, and folloiveth the east wind.] A proverbial expression to signify labour in vain, or pursuing such measures as will bring damage rather than benefit. (Compare viii. 7.) The east wind was a parching wind/which blasted the fruit of the earth: thence it denotes desolation and destruction. (See xiii. 15.). • Tliey do make a covenant ivith the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.] At the same time that they engage themselves to be tributaries to the king of Assyria, they underhand send presents to the king of Egypt, that he should assist them in shaking off that yoke. (See 2 Kings xvii. 4.) The land of Judah had plenty of excellent oil. (See Deut. viii. 8. Ezek. xxvii. 17.)

Hosea 12:2

Tlie Lord also hath a controversy with Judah, ) (see iv. 1.) and will punish Jacob according to his waijs, &c. Though Hezekiah had abolished idolatry, and t restored God’s worship in the temple, (2 Chron. xxix. 3. xxx. 1.) yet there was much hypocrisy and great corruption in the manners of his subjects; for which God’s judgments are here threatened, and the invasion of, Sennacherib was actually inflicted, (2 Kings xviii. 13, &c.)

Hosea 12:3

He took his brother by the heel in the womb. From the mentioning of Jacob in the foregoing verse, the prophet takes occasion to put his posterity in mind of the particular favours God had shewed him, and bestowed upon his posterity for his sake. His taking his brother by the heel in the womb, denoted that he obtained the right of the’first-born, and deprived his brother, of it. Ibid, and

Hosea 12:4

By his strength he had power with God: yea, he hadpower over the angel, and prevailed. The prophet alludes to those words of his, Gen. xxxii. 2G. I will not let thee go, except thou bless me; intimating the strength and prevalency of his prayers for the obtaining a blessing from God. The words, ver. 3. He had power with God, and those that follow, He hadpower over the angel, are equivalent; which plainly prove that this person who assumed a human shape was really God; i. e. the So?i of God, and the angel of the covenant; by whom all the Divine appearances recorded in the Old Testament were performed; the affairs of the church being ordered by him from the beginning. This subject is learnedly handled by. Dr. Alix, in his Judgment of the Jewish Church against the Unitarians, chap. 13 — 15. by Archbishop Tenisan, in his discourse of Idolatry, chap. 14. and by Bishop Bull, Defen. Fid. Nicen. cap. 1. sect. 1.. He wept and made supplication to him.] Jacob’s wrestling with the angel was not only a corporal conflict, but likewise a spiritual one: from bodily wrestling he botook him to spiritual weapons;, he poured forth tears with earnest supplications and prayers, and strove’not so much Microsoft® A- COMMENTARY [chap. xn. for victory as for a blessing; the only way for a feeble, impotent creature, to prevail over his Creator, Jacob’s supplication and tears may probably relate to those earnest prayers he made, Gen. xxxii. 9 — 11. The combat here referred to, by which he had power with God, ended in an assurance that his prayers were answered.. He found him in Beth-el.] This relates to God’s appearing to Jacob after the former vision, Gen. xxxv. 9. 14. where God renewed his promise of giving the land of Judea to his posterity. The prophet takes particular notice of the place where he appeared, viz. Beth-el, which they had since so miserably polluted by idolatry. And there he spake with us.] The Alexandrian copy of the Septnagint reads, Tliere he spake with him; as if the expression alluded to Gen. xxxv. 14. where God is said to have talked with Jacob: but the present Hebrow reading yields a very good sense, importing that God did not only speak to him there, but likewise did instruct us not to set up an idol in that place which he had honoured with his presence.

Hosea 12:5

Even the Lord God of hosts; The Lord is his memorial. Jehovah is the name by which he will be known, and remembered by all his servants, and distinguished from all false gods. (See Exod. iii. 5.) Ver. G. Therefore turn thee to thy God, &c.] Return to him and serve him faithfully, and then you may expect the continuance of his favours, and his making good the promises he made to your fathers. -

Hosea 12:7

He is a merchant, &c. Instead of keeping mercy and judgment, (ver. 6.) he loves those frauds and deceits, which are too commonly practised in buying and selling; and forgets those laws of God, which require the use of just weights and measures. (See Lev. xix. 35, 3G. Prov. xi. 1.)

Hosea 12:8

And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, &c. He pleaseth himself with the thoughts that his riches increase, notwithstanding his unjust dealings; and from thence concludes that God is not displeased with him, nor will lay his injustice to his charge. In all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.] Or, They shall find neither iniquity nor sin: the particle asher is sometimes taken in a copulative sense. (See Eccles. v. 18.) The words translated iniquity and sin are equivalent. (See Psal. xxxii. 5.)

Hosea 12:9

And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt. Who brought thee out from thence, and have still continued my favours towards thee. (Compare ver. 13. xiii. 4.) Witt yet make thee dwell in tabernacles, &c] I will in aftcrtimes return thy captivity, and give thee quiet possession of thy own land again, where you shall thankfully acknowledge your former delivery out of Egypt, and your settlement in your own country; which was the intent of keeping the feast of tabernacles. (See Lev. xxiii. 42, 43. 2 Mace. x. G.) It was a feast observed with extraordinary expressions of joy by the Jews, as appears from Nehcra. viii. 17. Zech. xiv. 1G. John vii. 37.

Hosea 12:10

I have also spoken by the prophets, and have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, &c. Here arc three species of prophecy or Divine revelation distinctly mentioned: first, immodiate suggestion or inspiration, when God dictates or suggests the’very w? ords which the prophet DiQitizQu by was to deliver: secondly, visions, or a representation made of external objects to the imagination in as lively a manner as if they were conveyed by the senses; and, thirdly, parables, or apt resemblances; such as" that of God’s church to a vineyard, Isa. v. 1. of the destruction of Jerusalem to a forest set on fire, Ezek. xx. 4G. 49. and to a seething-pot, xxiv. 3. Hosea himself was a parable or type to the Jews in taking a wife of ivhoredoms, to represent the idolatries of the house of Israel, whereby they went a whoring after strange gods, and forsook the Lord their king andhusband. It was an ancient custom in the eastern parts of the world, to convey instructions under symbols void sacred hieroglyphics: Pythagoras learned this method in his travels in the east, and the conversation he had there with the Jews, and other wise men of those parts. God saith here, that ho had inspired his prophets in these different ways to bring his people to repentance, but all in vain. Some interpreters understand the words in the future tense, Iwillalso speak by theprophets; as if God had promised to give some new effusion of his Spirit in the latter days, to facilitate the Jews’ conversion.* (See the note upon Isa. liv. 13.)

Hosea 12:11

Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity. If we read the former part of the sentence w f ith an interrogation, it might be more significantly rendered, Is there not iniquity in Gilead? So the particle im signifies^ Esth. iv.14. Jer. xxxi. 20. However, the words are in sense a vehement affirmation, importing that the idolatry practised in Gilead, (see vi. 8.) could not preserve him from being carried away captive by’ Tiglath-pileser, (2 Kings xv. 29.) They sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrotvs of the field.] Notwithstanding this judgment of God upon Gilead, and the country on the other side Jordan, they continue to offer sacrifices to their idols in Gilgal. (See iv. 15.) Their altars stand so thick, that they are discernible as stones gathered up and laid in heaps in the fields. (See viii. 11. x. 1.) Some understand the sentence as containing a threatening, that their altars should be demolished; and become so many ruinous heaps. (2 Kings xix. 25.) -The word gulim, heaps, alludes to Gilgal, just before mentioned, a name derived from the same original. Some commentators explain the whole verse to this sense; That the whole kingdom of Israel, that part which is beyond Jordan, where Gilead stood, as well as the other parts on this side that river, and particularly Gilgal, are polluted with idolatry.

Hosea 12:12

And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, Sec. In this and the following verse, the prophet reproves their ingratitude, by putting them in mind from what small beginnings God raised them to be a mighty nation; that their ancestor Jacob (mentioned before, ver. 3, 4.) was fain to’ fly for his life to Laban in Syria, and sustain himself, and raise his family by keeping his uncle’s flock. (Compare Deut. xxvi. 5.)

Hosea 12:13

And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, &c. And afterward, when his posterity were detained in a miserable bondage in Egypt, God delivered them thence, and miraculously preserved them at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, by the hand of Moses. (Com- I pare xiii. 4, 5.)

Hosea 12:14

Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly. Microsoft® CHAP. XIII.] UPON HOSEA. Notwithstanding all my favours shewed to these people and their ancestors, they have provoked me by their idolatries, and other sins, in a most outrageous manner. The word tamrurim, translated most bitterly, Schindler renders, by his heaps, \ i. e. his altars, which stood as heaps in the field, ver. 12. (Compare Jer. xxxi. 21.) Therefore shall he leave, his blood upon him.’] Or, His blood shall return upon him, as the Chaldee paraphrase renders it; his wickedness.will be the cause of his destruction. (Seo xiii. 9.) And his reproach shall his Lord return upon him.]JIe has reproached and dishonoured God by word and deed, and God shall in a j*st recompence make him a reproach and by-word among the heathen. (See vii. 1G. Deut. xxviii.37. compare Dan. xi. 18.)