Hosea 14

And thy judges, of whom tlton saidst, Give vie a king and princes.) They desired a king to judge them like other nations, attended by his judges and proper officers. (See 1 Sain. viii. 5. 12.) Vcr. 11. I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away (or, will take him away) in my wrath.) I complied with your request in giving you your first king Saul, though I was justly displeased at it. (Sec 1 Sam. viii. 7. x. 19.) And of later times I have suffered you to set up new kings, after you had murdered their predecessors; (sco viii. 4.) and now I will take your present king Hoshca, and at the same time put an end to your kingdom and nation. The prophecy concludes with an earnest exhortation to repentance, and God’s gracious promises of pardon and blessing upon it.

Hosea 14:1

JL HOU hast fallen by thine iniquity. Thy sins have been the cause of thy destruction. (Sec xiii. 9.) Vcr. 2. Take with you tvords, and turn to the Lord; say unto him, &c] The prophet prescribes them a form of confession very proper to be used upon their repentance and conversion, beseeching God to pardon their past sins, and receive them graciously upon their repentance. Such another form we have, Joel ii. 17. Takeaway all i?iiquity, and receive ns graciously^] The latter part of the sentence may be rendered, And give us what is good: bestow thy grace and blessing upon us. Many Hebrew verbs have two contrary significations, as hath been observed upon Isa. xxii. 18. To the instances there collected, we may add one taken out of xi. 8. of this Lsiyui^e 3d by iviiuiVzyUii vo; 6hap. xiv.] UPON HOSEA. prophecy; where the verb miggen signifies to deliver up, whereas its usual signification is to protect So the verb lakach here used probably signifies to give, as well as to receive; as appears from Psal. lxviii. 18. where our translationreads, Thou hast received gifts for men: but the LXX. render it, TItou hast given gifts unto men; which sense St. Paul follows, Ephes. iv. 8. and which best agrees with the scope of the text. So tuilltae render thee the calves of our lips.’] Instead of the sacrifices of calves or bullocks, we will ofler to thee the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, which is the fruit of our lips, our reasonable service, and such as properly belongs to the times of the gospel. So that this form of confession will be most suitable for the Jews to use upon their conversion to Christianity. St. Paul applies the words to the eucharist, (Heb. xiii. 15.) the true Christian sacrifice; and follows the Septuagint translation of them, which expresses the sense rather than the words.

Hosea 14:3

Ashur shall not save its; we will not ride upon horses. The first part of the people’s repentance is described as consisting in relying solely upon God’s protection, and not putting their trust in human strength; and then in renouncing all idolatrous worship. The Israelites had formerly made an alliance with the Assyrians, (see v. 13. viii. 9. xii. 1.) and they are often upbraided by the prophets for their courting foreign alliances, and particularly strengthening themselves with horses from Egypt or Assyria. (See 2 Chron. xvi. 7. Isa. xxx. 1G. xxxvi. 8.) Neither will we say to the works of our hands, Ye are our gods.] Another part of their repentance consists in renouncing all sorts of idol-worship; which is often spoken of in the prophets, as an introduction to that state of the church which is to commence from the time of the Jews’ conversion. (Compare ii. 17. and sec the note on Isa. i. 29.) God interprets all image-worship, or creature-worship, as terminating in the image or creature to which it is offered. For in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.] It is the property of God to be the helper of the friendless, or fatherless. (See Psal. x. 10.) The Chaldee expresses the sense very well, Tltou didst take pity upon our forefathers, when they were like fatherless children in Egypt. (Compare Psal. lxviii. 5.)

Hosea 14:4

J will heal their backslidings, I will love them freely, &c. God’s gracious answer to their professions of repentance; assuring them of his being reconciled to them, and as a token of it freeing them from their sins, and the punishment due to them, (compare xi. 7.) and embracing them with a true love and affection, without any remembrance of their former provocations. (Compare Zeph. iii. 17.)

Hosea 14:5

Iwillbe as the dew unto Israel. This and the following versd contain gracious promises of God’s favours and blessing upon Israel’s conversion, represented by different metaphors; described in this sentence by the refreshment which large dews give to the grass in the heats of summer. (Compare Job xxxix. 19. Prov. xix. 12.) And shall cast forth his roots as Lebanon.] As a tree of Lebanon, as the Chaldee paraphrase explains it. Ver. G. His beauty shall be as the olive-tree.] Compare Psal. Hi. 8. exxviii. 3. Ecclus. xxiv. 12. 1. 10. And his smell as Lebanon.] From the trees of Lebanon came many sweet spices, particularly frankincense, called Lebonah in Hebrew, from whence some derive the word Lebanon. (Compare Cantic. iv. 11.)

Hosea 14:7

Tliey that dwell under his shadow shall return. Most interpreters translate the sentence thus, They sltall return and dwell under his shadow; i. c. They shall return into their own country, and rest safely under the shadow or protection of the Almighty. (Compare Psal. xci. 1. and see the note upon i. 11.) TJte scent thereof shall be as the wind of Lebanon.] As fragrant and as pleasing as the richest wines, such as were made near Lebanon; where there was a city called by thfe Greeks Ampeloessa, for the excellency of its wine; as is related by Pliny, lib. v. cap. 18.

Hosea 14:8

Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard and observed him. This verse contains a dialogue between God and Ephraim, or Israel his people, (see v. 3.) after their conversion. They begin with declaring their utter aversion to idolatry. (See ver. 3.) To which God graciously replies, that he has heard them confessing their sins, and expressing their abhorrence of them (compare Jer. xxxi. 18.) and will observe them, (for the verb asharena is in the futuro tense); i. e. will guide them with the eye of his providence and mercy, as the LXX. and Chaldee paraphrase express the sense. I am like a green fir-tree: from me is thy fruit found.] Ephraim or Israel gratefully acknowledges that he is in a flourishing and thriving condition; and then God puts him in mind that his fruitfulness is wholly owing to the Divine blessing. Naturalists observe, that the fir-tree is of itself unfruitful.

Hosea 14:9

Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? —for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk: in them, &c. Whosoever is truly wise will be convinced of this great and important truth, viz. that they who are sincerely desirous to know and do God’s will, will be fully satisfied of the reasonableness of God’s laws, and the methods of his providence, and will readily comply with the directions of both, to the securing their own eternal happiness: whereas men of perverse and disobedient tempers take offence at God’s commands, and repine against his providence, to their own ruin and perdition. The same sense is expressed in that observation of the son of Sirach, Ecclus. xxxix. 24. As God’s ivays are plain to the holy, so are they stumbling-blocks to the workers of iniquity. To the same purpose are those words of Christ, Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice, John xviii. 37. and, He that is of God heareth God’s words, viii. 47. And St. Peter says, that Christ is become a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence to the disobedient, 1 Pet. ii. 8. The observation of Grotius is very remarkable upon this subject, De Verit. Christian. Relig. lib. ii. cap. ult. where he says, that the doctrine of the gospel was designed to be H tanquam lapis lydius, ad quern ingenia sanabilia explorarentur:" as a touchstone, to try the tempers of men, whether they were corrigible or not.

The iniquity o/Ephraim is bound up: his sin is hid. Our translators seem to understand the verse in a favourable sense, as if God hath promised not to execute that vengeance upon Israel which was due to their sins: but the words rather imply a contrary meaning, and may be better translated, The iniquity of Ephraim is treasured np; his sin is laid up: i. e. it is laid up in my memory; and though the punishment due to it has been respited for some time, yet now the season is come when it shall be put in execution. The sentence is equivalent to that expression in Job, xiv. 17. My transgression is sealed tip in a bag; i. e. thou kecpest an exact account of it, as men do of money, which they seal up in a bag, to be forthcoming at a proper occasion. To the same purpose arc those words of Moses, Dcut. xxxii. 34, 35. Is not this laid up in store for me, and sealed up among my treasures? To me belongs vengeance, &c. (Compare llom. if. 5.) Vcr. 13. Tiie sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him.] Great calamities arc often compared to the pains of childbirth. (See Isa. xii. 8. Jcr. xxx. 6. Psal. xviii. 4. and so the Greek word wSivtc is used, Actsii. 24.) He is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.] The old translation reads it to a plainer sense, Else he would not stand still like a still-born child. As a child, if it could be supposed to have understanding, would deliver itself out of the straits of the womb, and not tarry there to the manifest danger of itself and the mother: (compare 2 Kings xix. 3.) so if Ephraim, or Israel, had acted wisely, they would have prevented their approaching destruction by a speedy reformation. Vcr. 14. 1 will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.] If we apply this to Ephraim, or the Israelites spoken of before, it may signify, that though they be in never so hopeless and desperate a condition, God will, in due time, deliver them out of it.’ (See the like expressions, Psal. xxxi. 3. lxxi. 20. lxxxvi. 13.) But there is a more sublime and spiritual sense contained in the words, as will appear by the following note. O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.] It is usual for the prophets, when they foretell temporal deliverances, to be carried away beyond their first views by the impetus of the prophetic spirit, to predict the greater mercies and deliverances which belong to the gospel state: so here the prophet takes occasion from foretelling temporal mercies, to enlarge his views, and set forth that great and final deliverance of the faithful from the power of sin and death, which shall be completed by Christ at his second coming, when he shall swallow up death in victory, 1 Cor. xv. 54. St. Paul understood the words in this sense in the following verse of that chapter, death! where is thy sting? O gravel wlwre is thy victory? This will appear to any one, that compares that place with the Scptuagint translation here. The word ehi, translated J will, they render where, as it signifies ver. 10. of this chapter. The apostle, indeed, seems to quote this text from his memory, and rather represents the sense of it, than keeps close to the letter. However, the learned Dr. Pocock is of opinion, in his comment upon this place, that the Hebrew word debareka, rendered by our interpreters thy plagues, and by the LXX. thy plea, sentence, or judgment, is very properly translated thy sting by St. Paul; the word denoting, in Arabic, the sharp point of a bird’s claw; and the word Deborah, a bee, being probably so called from its sting.

Though he be fruitful among his brethren, yet an east wind shall come from the tvilderness, &c. The word Ephraim denotes fruitfulness. (Sec Gcn.xli.52.) This tribe answered his name, being the most numerous and potent of all the ten tribes. (Sec the note upon v. 3.) Notwithstanding the pride he takes in his fruitfulness, (sec x. 13.) the king of Assyria, a country lying eastward of Judea, shall come with an army, like a parching cast wind coming over a large plain or wilderness, and shall blast and wither him, as a tree that is dried up for want of moisture. (Compare iv. 19. and see the note upon Jcr. iv. 11.) He shall destroy the treasure’ of all pleasant vessels.] The same enemy shall plunder all their treasures, and take away their rich and costly furniture; as the word kelee is translated, Nahum ii. 9.

Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God. The prophet foretells the final destruction of Samaria for her idolatry and other impieties, by Shalmanescr king of Assyria. (See 2 Kings xvii. 6.) They shall fall by the sword; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.] These are the barbarous practices of conquerors, when they take cities by storm, to put all to the sword, without distinction of age or sex. (Scex. 15. 2 Kings viii. 12. xv. 16. Isa. xiii. 16. Amos i. 13. Nahum iii. 10.)