Hosea 4
PATof Scripture, used for a sort of divination practised by idolaters, and thercforo think it unlikely that the prophet should express an oracle of God’s own appointment by. so infamous a name: whereupon they suppose, that Hosca hero speaking to the ten tribes, means some idolatrous kind of divination practised by the priests at Dan and Betti-cl, after Jeroboam’s schism: as if he had threatened them, that in a short time they should havo neither king, nor priest, nor sacrifice, nor any degree of prophecy or foreknowledge of what is to come. This interpretation exactly agrees with that state of the people’s widowhood, described ver. 3. To this interpretation it may be objected, that it cannot be thought a proper punishment to threaten the taking away an idolatrous sort of worship. But to this they answer, that the prophet here conforms his speech to the sentiments of those he speaks to, and threatens them with the loss of what they were extremely fond of. The prophet denounces judgments against the sins both of the people and priests of the ten tribes; and exhorts Judah to take warning by Israel’s calamity.
Hosea 4:1
JL HE Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. The expression is taken from the actions or pleas which one man hath against another for injuries or damages received: so here God is represented as entering into judgment with the inhabitants of the ten tribes for their impieties^ as being so many injuries to his honour, for which he demands satisfaction. (Compare xii. 2. Isa. Hi. 13. v. 3, 4. xliii. 2G. Jer. xxv. 30.)
Hosea 4:2
By sivearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing. Stealing, arid swearing,?. e. false-swearing, aTc elsewhere joined together; because in the Jewish courts of justice men that were suspected of theft were obliged to purge themselves by oath: and they often ventured to forsw r eaT themselves rather than discover the truth. (See Prov. xxix. 24. xxx. 9. Zech. v. 4.) Tliey break out."] There is an inundation of all manner of wickedness, and all law and right arc broken through and violated. And blood toucheth blood.] Compare v. 2. vi. 9. This may more particularly relate fo the murder of their kings, that were slain by their successors: as Zechariah by Shallum, Shallum by Mcnahcm, (2 Kings xv. 10. 14.) In such civil broils a great many of their friends and dependants are commonly slain with the kings themselves. (See 1 Kings xvi. 11.)
Hosea 4:3
TJierefore shall the landmourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, &c. These civil wars and commotions make the whole land look dismally: the inhabitants are either destroyed, or forced to leave theh habitations, and languish under want of all things: the beasts of the field, and fowls of the air, are consumed by famine or pestilence: and the fishes of the rivers and great waters (called seas in the Hebrew language) are killed through drought, or the waters being tainted by the infection of the air, or corrupted by the blood of the slain. (Compare Jer. iv. 25. Zeph. i. 3.) The prophets sometimes describe a general desolation by an enumeration of particulars. (Compare Isa. xix. 5. 8.)
Hosea 4:4
Let no man strive, or reprove another: for my people are as they that strive with the priest. The prophet speaks of the Israelites as one that despaired of their amendment, and thought it lost labour to reprove them, they being of that refractory temper, as not to hearken to instruction, and even to quarrel with their priests themselves, when they admonished them of their duty. This, seems to be a proverbial expression to denote a stubborn and incorrigible temper: for it was a capital ofience by the law for any to behave themselves in a presumptuous manner against the injunctions of the priest. (See Deut. xvii.12.)
Hosea 4:5
Afterward the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God. They shall bo touched with a true remorse for their former errors (especially that of rejecting the Messias), and shall desire to be instructed in the knowledge of the truth. (Compare Jer. 1. 4.) The expression of seeking the Lord, alludes to the custom of the Jews going up in companies to celebrate their solemn feasts at Jerusalem. (Compare v. 6. Psal. cv. 4. Jer. 1. And David their king.’] The Messias is often called so by the prophets/ as being the person. that was to spring from his loins, and in whom all the promises made to David were to be fulfilled. (See Isa. lv. 3, 4. Jer. xxx. 9. Ezck. xxxiv. 23. xxxvii. 24.) So the Chaldee paraphrase expounds this and the parallel texts. David was a type of the Messias; (see Psal: lxxxix. 20. 30.) who therefore is called by the name of David: so John Baptist is called Elias, Mai. iv. 5. because he was to resemble him, and to succeed him iu his office of reproving the people, and exhorting them to repentance. The expression cannot be literally understood here, David himself having been dead long before the uttering of this prophecy. And shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.] The goodness of God in making them partakers of the mercies of the gospel, shall engage them to yield an entire obedience to him: (compare Jer. xxxii. 9.) and this will come to pass in the latter days or times of the world. The latter days are often spoken of the times of the gospel. (Sec the notes upon Isa. ii. 2. Dan. ii. 28.) But the phrase docs sometimes denote the very last days of the gospel age, near which time probably the conversion of the Jews will be brought to pass. (See Deut. iv. 30. Jer. xxx. 24. Ezek. xxxviii. 8. 1G.) Therefore shall thou fall in the day, and the prophet shall fall in the night.] Thou shalt be destroyed both by open violence and by secret treachery: (compare Jer. vi.4, 5. xv. 8.) and the false prophets shall be involved in the same destruction. (Compare ix. 7, 8.) I will kill thy mother.] The Hebrew reads, I will cut off thy mother; L e. the whole state or kingdom of Israel. (Compare ii. 2. Jer. vi. 2. xv. 8.)
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The ignorance of the true principles of religion, which prevails among the people of the ten tribes, is the occasion of those sins which draw down such heavy judgments upon them: the Levites, who are placed in every tribe by God’s appointment for the better instructing of the people, arc turned out of their possessions by Jeroboam and his suc- DigitizGu by Microsoft ® CHAP. IV.] UPON HOSEA. cessors, and none left to teach them their duty. (See 2 Chron. xi. 14.) Because thou hast’rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest for me.] This is spoken tb Jeroboam’s priests, who, being taken out oftheloivestofthe people,(l Kings xii. 31.) were very ignorant themselves, and therefore unable to teach others… Because thou hast forgotten my law, I will also for get thy children.] I will not look upon them any lohgeras the seed of Abraham, and children of my covenant.
Hosea 4:7
As they were increased, they sinned against me, &c. Or, The more they Were increased, the more they sinned against me* (See Noldius, p. 436.). The greater were the favours I heaped upon them, the more presumptuously they sinned against me. (Compare xiii. 6*). Therefore I will divest them of all those glories for which they pride themselves,. and lead them away. in a poor and miserable condition into captivity.
Hosea 4:8
They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their hearts on their iniquity. Those idolatrous priests, mentioned ver. 6. live upon the sin-offerings of the people; and are so far from restraining them, that. they take delight in seeing them commit iniquity; because the more they sin, the. greater is* the number of their sin-offerings, which are the priests’ portion.
Hosea 4:9
And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their. ways, &c. As they are alike in sinning, so shall they be in punishment.
Hosea 4:10
For they shall eat, and not have enough. Or, Not be satisfied; as the word is elsewhere translated. (See Lev. xxvi. 26. Micah vi. 14.) The expression may sig^ nify, either.their food shall not afford due nourishment, for want of God’s blessing accompanying it; (compare Deut. viii. 3. Hag. i. 6.) or else the words imply a threatening them with famine, when they shall not have food enough to satisfy a craving appetite. (Compare Lev. xxvi. 26. Amos iv. 8. Micah vi. 14.) The contrary phrase, To eat, and be full, or satisfied, denotes plenty. (See Lev. xxvi. 5. Deut. vi. 11. viii. 10. xi. 15. Psal. xxii. 26. Joelii. 26.)
Hosea 4:11
Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take away the heart. Deprive men of their judgment, and darken their understandings. So a gift is said to destroy the heart, Eccles. vii. 7. to bereave men of the use of their discerning faculties.
Hosea 4:12
My people ask counsel at their stocks. Of their idols; for so the word nets elsewhere often signifies. (See Jer. ii. 27.x. 8. Habak. ii. 19.),And their staff declares unto them.] This, learned men suppose to be the same kind of divination with that made by arrows, which is described, Ezek. xxi. 21. (See the noto upon that place.) For the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, &c] This is to be understood of idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom. (Compare v. 4.)
Hosea 4:13
They sacrifice upon the’ tops of the mountains, &c. The sacrificing upon mountains and shady groves was an ancient piece of idolatry, often mentioned and reproved by the prophets. (See Isa. i. 29. Ezek. vi. 13. xx. 20. and the notes upon those places.) Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, &c] God delivers men up to vile affections, as a punishment of their idolatry. (See Rom. i. 28.).
Hosea 4:14
I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, &c. I will suffer them to fall from one degree of wickedness to another. (See the foregoing -verse.) For themselves’ are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with, harlots.] The word rendered harlot signifies such as prostituted themselves in an idol-temple, in honour of -the idol: such lewd practices were frequent in the gentile temples dedicated to Venus, and such-like impure deities: (see Baruch vi. 23.) from thence the Jews learned those filthy customs. (See 1 Kings xiv. 23, 24: xv. 12.) The LXX. render the word very properly TsrzXscrfievajv; such as are initiated into the service of the idol by such lewd rites. Tlierefore the people that dotli not Understand shall fall.] See ver. 1. 6..
Hosea 4:15
Though Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend. The kingdom of Judah still retained the worship of the true God, and the ordinances of the temple-service: so the prophet exhorts that people not to be led away by the ill example of their brethren of the ten tribes. And come not ye to Gilgal, neither go up to Bethaven.] Gilgal was a refnarkable place for the renewing of the rite of circumcision": (Josh. v. 9.) there the people afterward* used to offer sacrifice: (1 Sam. xv. 21.) after Jeroboam’s setting up of idolatry, it was noted for the worship of false gods, as appears by comparing this text with ix. 15. xii. 11. Amos iv.’ 4. v. 5. In those places of Amos, as well as in this verse,* it is joined with Beth-el, noted for the worship of one of Jeroboam’s calves; called here Beth-aven, and x. 5. Beth-el originally signifies the house of God; that name was given to it by Jacob, because of God’s appearing to him there, Gen. xxviii. 17. But when it became the seat of idolatry, it was called Beth-aven, i. e. the house of vanity. Nor. swear, The Lord liveth.] As long as ye continue to worship idols, I mil not have my name mentioned by your polluted lips, inasmuch as there is no fellowship between God and idols. Many of the Israelites halted between God and Baal, and the other idols, sometimes serving one, and sometimes the others. (See 1 Kings xviiL 21. Ezek. xx. 39. xxiii. 38, 39. Zeph. i. 4,5.) Some understand the words, of their swearing by the name of the true God, which is a solemn act of religious worship, (see Deut. x. 20.) and yet meaning by it the god that is worshipped at Beth-el. This God forbids, as a profanation of his name. (See Amos viii. 14.)
Hosea 4:16
For. Israel slideth buck as a. backsliding heifer. The. word translated slideth back, properly signifies being headstrong and untractable: it is a metaphor from oxen or heifers that draw their neck back, and will not put it under the yoke. (See Jer, vii. 24.) The expression alludes to the calves, called heifers by the Septuagiiit, which they worshipped.. *. Now will the Lord feed them as a lamb in a large place.] The expression seems ironical; as if the prophet had said, thqy were like headstrong cattle, that would not be managed by their leaders or drivers: so God. will suffer them to be scattered as sheep without a shepherd in the large country of Assyria, whither they shall 1 be ied captive.
Hosea 4:17
Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. Ephraim signifies the same with Israel, or the ten tribes. (See