Hosea 5
PATv.. 3.) It is to no purpose to take pains to reclaim him. (See ver. 4.) This chapter, and the next to the fourth verse, threatens judgments both against Israel and, Judah for their manifold sins, till they repent: upon which they may conceive hopes of pardon…,.4 the whole kingdom of Israel, as well as that of Judah, and given them warning that they may escape them by a timely repentance.
Hosea 5:1
JtlEAR tjtis, O priests. Or rather, O princes: which reading better agrees with the house of the king that follows: the Hebrew word is of both significations. So Gen. xlii. 45. and Exod. ii. 16. where it is in the text priest of On and Midian: but the margin reads the prince of On and Midian. (Compare vi. 9.) For judgment is towards you (or against yon), because you have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.] Ye have laid snares for others to seize upon them and kill them: (see ver. 2.) just as hunters spread their nets upon mountains and hills in order to catch their prey. Mizpah and Tabor were two noted mountains; the former on the hither side of Jordan, the other on the farther side of it, the same with Gilead. (See Gen. xxxj. 25. 40. 49.)
Hosea 5:2
And the revolters are profound to make slaughter. .The ringleaders in idolatry and other wickedness lay deep designs to ensnare men’s lives. (Compare iv. 4. vi. 9.) Though I have been a rebuker of them all.] By my prophets. (Compare vi. 5.)
Hosea 5:3
I hiow Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me. I know him and his doings: Ephraim is equivalent to Israel, as distinct from Judah, in this prophecy, and comprelicndeth the ten tribes, ver. 5. 12. 14. iv. 17. vi. 4. 10. vii. 8. 11. viii. 9. and in several other places. Ephraim was the head of the ten tribes, both for its numbers, and because Jeroboam had placed the seat ot his kingdom in that tribe. (1 Kings xii. 25.) Ibid, and
Hosea 5:4
Ephraim, thoncommittest whoredom: — the spirit of whoredom is in the midst of them. See iv. 12.
Hosea 5:5
And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face. Their indecent behaviour towards God, whose worship they despise, doth discover itself in all their behaviour: and convicts them of the just desert of their sins. (Compare Isa. iii. 9.)
Hosea 5:6
They shall go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord. Tlie sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord; as the Scripture often observes. (See Prov. xv. 8. Isa. i. 15.) This verse is meant of the people of Judah, mentioned in the latter part of the foregoing verse: who, though they did frequent the temple-worship, yet came thither without any true sense of religion: for which the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah particularly reprove them. (See Isa. i. 11, &c. Jer. vii. 3, &c.) But they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from the7n.] God is said to hide and withdraw himself, when he will not answer men’s prayers, nor afford them seasonable relief in time of need. (See 1 Sam. xxviii. 16. Psal. cii. 2. Lam. iii. 44. and compare Micah iii. 4.)
Hosea 5:7
They have dealt treacherously against the Lord. The verb bagad, to deal treacherously, signifies properly a wife’s being false to her husband: (see Jer. iii. 20.) from whence it is applied to the sin of idolatry, so often styled spiritual whoredom. (Compare vi. 7. Isa. xlviii. 8. Jer. v. 11.) For they have begotten strange children.] Strange children may either mean children begotten of heathen women, whom they took to marriage, contrary to the law, (Exod. xxiii. 32. Deut. vii. 2.) or it may signify such children as are bred up in the idolatrous practices of their fathers. Now shall a -.month devour them and their portions.] If we understand this verse of Judah (which interpretation, the foregoing and following verses favour), the words may be expounded of the invasion made upon Judah by Pekah, king of Israel; of which, see 2 Chron. xxviii. 6. By a month’s devouring them, is meant a sudden and speedy destruction. (Compare Zech. xi. 8.)
Hosea 5:8
Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the titimpet in Ramah, &c. This imports the sounding an alarm to give notice of the approaching enemy, (compare Joel ii. 1.) which threatens to invade the kingdom of Judah. (Seo the foregoing verse.) These were towns in the tribeof Benjamin, that lay upon the frontiers of that kingdom. Cry aloud at Beth-aven.] To give notice of the approach of the enemy. (Compare Isa. x. 30.) Bcth T aven may either mean Beth-el, (see iv. 15.) or a town of that name near to it. (See Josh. vii. 2.) After thee, O Benjamin.] The enemy is just behind thee; or, Let him that is after thee, or behind thee, O Benjamin, prepare himself to battle; i. e. the tribe of Judah, which lay next to Benjamin.
Hosea 5:9
Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke. God’s judgments shall likewise overtake Israel, or the ten tribes, (see the note on ver. 3.) as well as Judah. Among the tribes of Israel I have madeknown that which surely shall be.] I have denounced my judgments against
Hosea 5:10
The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound. They have violated the most sacred laws of God, upon which not only the ordinances of his worship, but likewise the rights and properties of men depend; and are become guilty of the same injustice and confusion /with those that remove the ancient bounds and landmarks. (See Deut. xix. 14.) Critics observe, that the note of similitude is sometimes in sense equivalent to a strong*affirmation. So Isa. xiii. 6. It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty: i. e. it shall be an apparent instance of the Divine vengeance. John i. 14. We beheld his glory, as of the only-begotten of the Father: i. e. such as proved him to be the only-begotten of the Father. Therefore have I poured out my wrath upon them like water J] Which shall overwhelm them like a deluge. Great calamities are often compared to the overflowing of water. (See Psal. xxxii. 6. Ixix. 1. cxiv. 7. Isa. xxx. 28. Dan. ix. 26.)
Hosea 5:11
Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment. He is delivered over to oppressors by God’s just judgment: such were Pul and Tiglath-pileser, kings of Assyria. (2 Kings xv. 19. 29. compare Deut. xxviii. 33.) Because he willingly walked after the commandments.’] This is commonly explained of Jeroboam’s command to his subjects of forsaking the worship of the true God; which they readily complied with. Of the same kind were the statutes of Omri, which are mentioned Micah vi. 16. But the LXX. render it, He walked after vanity; t. e. idolatry: either reading it shave for tsave; or else supposing the latter word put for the former: as there are frequent instances in the Hebrew text, that letters. which arc near the same sound are often changed one for another.
Hosea 5:12
Tlierefore I will be to Ephraim as a moth, &c. My judgments shall consume both Israel and Judah, as a moth fretteth a garment. (See ver. 3.)
Hosea 5:13
When Israel saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, &c. When the, king of Israel saw himself too weak to contend with Pul king of Assyria, he sent an embassy to make him his ally, and in order to it became his tributary, that his hand might be with him to confirm his kingdom to him; (2 Kings xv. 19.) which king is therefore called king Jarcb, i; e. the king that should plead for him, or defend his cause against any that should oppose him. So in like manner shall Ahaz king of Judah implore the assistance of Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria against his enemies. (2 Kings xvi. 7. 2 Chron. xxviii. 16—18.) Yet could not he heal yon, nor cure you of your wound.] Yet neither of these alliances afforded any lasting benefit or succour to those that desired their help: Menahem’s son being after a short reign killed by Pekah; and Ahaz being rather distressed than helped by Tiglath-pileser. (2 Chron. xxviii. 21.)
Hosea 5:14
For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, &c. I will pour out my judgments upon both kingdoms without mercy. (Compare xiii. 7, 8. Psal. 1. 22. Lam. iii. 10.)
Hosea 5:15
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face. I will withdraw myself from them, (see ver. 6.) till by a sincere humiliation vol. iv. they implore my favour. The Chaldee paraphrase expresses the sense thus: I will take away my majestic presence, or Schechinah, from among them, and will return into heaven. Ezekiel describes the destruction of the temple and kingdom, by God’s removing his glory from the sanctuary and the city. (See Ezek. x. 4. xi. 23.) In their affliction they will seek me early.] i. e. Earnestly, with great diligence and assiduity. (See Prov. i. 28. Psal. lxxviii. 34.)
Their drink is sour. The phrase may bo metaphorical, to express the corruption of their manners: (compare Deut. xxxii. 32. Isa. i. 22.) or else, if we join it in sense with the remaining part of the verse, it imports their excessive drinking, till their liquor turn sour in their stomachs; and so the whole verse taxes them for three great vices, drunkenness, whoredom, and bribery. They have committed whoredom continually.] This may be understood of idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom: (see ver. 12.) but the literal sense agrees very well with the rest of the verse. Their rulers with shame do love, Give ye.] i. e. Are continually asking or expecting bribes: (compare Prov. xxx. 15.) are still greedy of filthy lucre. (See Micah iii. 11.- vii. 3.).. The Hebrew word translated rulers, properly signifies shields: it is taken for rulers in Psal. xlvii. 9. as well as here.
The wind hath bound her up in her wings. The words threaten them with going into captivity: for it is common with the prophets to express what is future by the preter-perfect tense: (see the note upon Isa. xxi. 9.) God’s anger is often expressed by a blustering or tempestuous wind..(See xiii. 15. Jer. iv. 11, 12. li. 1.) This wind is.said here to carry them away out of their country: and then they will have reason to be ashamed of their idola r trous sacrifices, which have brought such severe judgments upon them.