15 And I will give H5414 her her vineyards H3754 from thence, and the valley H6010 of Achor H5911 for a door H6607 of hope: H8615 and she shall sing H6030 there, as in the days H3117 of her youth, H5271 and as in the day H3117 when she came up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
Then sang H7891 Moses H4872 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 this song H7892 unto the LORD, H3068 and spake, H559 saying, H559 I will sing H7891 unto the LORD, H3068 for he hath triumphed H1342 gloriously: H1342 the horse H5483 and his rider H7392 hath he thrown H7411 into the sea. H3220 The LORD H3050 is my strength H5797 and song, H2176 and he is become my salvation: H3444 he H2088 is my God, H410 and I will prepare him an habitation; H5115 my father's H1 God, H430 and I will exalt H7311 him. The LORD H3068 is a man H376 of war: H4421 the LORD H3068 is his name. H8034 Pharaoh's H6547 chariots H4818 and his host H2428 hath he cast H3384 into the sea: H3220 his chosen H4005 captains H7991 also are drowned H2883 in the Red H5488 sea. H3220 The depths H8415 have covered H3680 them: they sank H3381 into the bottom H4688 as H3644 a stone. H68 Thy right hand, H3225 O LORD, H3068 is become glorious H142 in power: H3581 thy right hand, H3225 O LORD, H3068 hath dashed in pieces H7492 the enemy. H341 And in the greatness H7230 of thine excellency H1347 thou hast overthrown H2040 them that rose up against H6965 thee: thou sentest forth H7971 thy wrath, H2740 which consumed H398 them as stubble. H7179 And with the blast H7307 of thy nostrils H639 the waters H4325 were gathered together, H6192 the floods H5140 stood upright H5324 as an heap, H5067 and the depths H8415 were congealed H7087 in the heart H3820 of the sea. H3220 The enemy H341 said, H559 I will pursue, H7291 I will overtake, H5381 I will divide H2505 the spoil; H7998 my lust H5315 shall be satisfied H4390 upon them; I will draw H7324 my sword, H2719 my hand H3027 shall destroy H3423 them. Thou didst blow H5398 with thy wind, H7307 the sea H3220 covered H3680 them: they sank H6749 as lead H5777 in the mighty H117 waters. H4325 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, H3068 among the gods? H410 who is like thee, glorious H142 in holiness, H6944 fearful H3372 in praises, H8416 doing H6213 wonders? H6382 Thou stretchedst out H5186 thy right hand, H3225 the earth H776 swallowed H1104 them. Thou in thy mercy H2617 hast led forth H5148 the people H5971 which H2098 thou hast redeemed: H1350 thou hast guided H5095 them in thy strength H5797 unto thy holy H6944 habitation. H5116 The people H5971 shall hear, H8085 and be afraid: H7264 sorrow H2427 shall take hold H270 on the inhabitants H3427 of Palestina. H6429 Then H227 the dukes H441 of Edom H123 shall be amazed; H926 the mighty men H352 of Moab, H4124 trembling H7461 shall take hold H270 upon them; all the inhabitants H3427 of Canaan H3667 shall melt away. H4127 Fear H367 and dread H6343 shall fall H5307 upon them; by the greatness H1419 of thine arm H2220 they shall be as still H1826 as a stone; H68 till thy people H5971 pass over, H5674 O LORD, H3068 till the people H5971 pass over, H5674 which H2098 thou hast purchased. H7069 Thou shalt bring H935 them in, and plant H5193 them in the mountain H2022 of thine inheritance, H5159 in the place, H4349 O LORD, H3068 which thou hast made H6466 for thee to dwell in, H3427 in the Sanctuary, H4720 O Lord, H136 which thy hands H3027 have established. H3559 The LORD H3068 shall reign H4427 for ever H5769 and ever. H5703 For the horse H5483 of Pharaoh H6547 went in H935 with his chariots H7393 and with his horsemen H6571 into the sea, H3220 and the LORD H3068 brought again H7725 the waters H4325 of the sea H3220 upon them; but the children H1121 of Israel H3478 went H1980 on dry H3004 land in the midst H8432 of the sea. H3220 And Miriam H4813 the prophetess, H5031 the sister H269 of Aaron, H175 took H3947 a timbrel H8596 in her hand; H3027 and all the women H802 went out H3318 after H310 her with timbrels H8596 and with dances. H4246 And Miriam H4813 answered H6030 them, Sing H7891 ye to the LORD, H3068 for he hath triumphed H1342 gloriously; H1342 the horse H5483 and his rider H7392 hath he thrown H7411 into the sea. H3220
Then he said H559 unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 these bones H6106 are the whole house H1004 of Israel: H3478 behold, they say, H559 Our bones H6106 are dried, H3001 and our hope H8615 is lost: H6 we are cut off H1504 for our parts. Therefore prophesy H5012 and say H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, O my people, H5971 I will open H6605 your graves, H6913 and cause you to come up H5927 out of your graves, H6913 and bring H935 you into the land H127 of Israel. H3478 And ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 when I have opened H6605 your graves, H6913 O my people, H5971 and brought you up H5927 out of your graves, H6913 And shall put H5414 my spirit H7307 in you, and ye shall live, H2421 and I shall place H3240 you in your own land: H127 then shall ye know H3045 that I the LORD H3068 have spoken H1696 it, and performed H6213 it, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Remember, H2142 I beseech thee, the word H1697 that thou commandedst H6680 thy servant H5650 Moses, H4872 saying, H559 If ye transgress, H4603 I will scatter you abroad H6327 among the nations: H5971 But if ye turn H7725 unto me, and keep H8104 my commandments, H4687 and do H6213 them; though there were of you cast out H5080 unto the uttermost part H7097 of the heaven, H8064 yet will I gather H6908 them from thence, and will bring H935 them unto the place H4725 that I have chosen H977 to set H7931 my name H8034 there.
That then the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will turn H7725 thy captivity, H7622 and have compassion H7355 upon thee, and will return H7725 and gather H6908 thee from all the nations, H5971 whither the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath scattered H6327 thee. If any of thine be driven out H5080 unto the outmost H7097 parts of heaven, H8064 from thence will the LORD H3068 thy God H430 gather H6908 thee, and from thence will he fetch H3947 thee: And the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will bring H935 thee into the land H776 which thy fathers H1 possessed, H3423 and thou shalt possess H3423 it; and he will do thee good, H3190 and multiply H7235 thee above thy fathers. H1
If they shall confess H3034 their iniquity, H5771 and the iniquity H5771 of their fathers, H1 with their trespass H4604 which they trespassed H4603 against me, and that also they have walked H1980 contrary H7147 unto me; And that I also have walked H3212 contrary H7147 unto them, and have brought H935 them into the land H776 of their enemies; H341 if then H176 their uncircumcised H6189 hearts H3824 be humbled, H3665 and they then accept H7521 of the punishment of their iniquity: H5771 Then will I remember H2142 my covenant H1285 with Jacob, H3290 and also my covenant H1285 with Isaac, H3327 and also my covenant H1285 with Abraham H85 will I remember; H2142 and I will remember H2142 the land. H776 The land H776 also shall be left H5800 of them, and shall enjoy H7521 her sabbaths, H7676 while she lieth desolate H8074 without them: and they shall accept H7521 of the punishment of their iniquity: H5771 because, H3282 even because H3282 they despised H3988 my judgments, H4941 and because their soul H5315 abhorred H1602 my statutes. H2708 And yet H637 for all that, H2063 when they be H1571 in the land H776 of their enemies, H341 I will not cast them away, H3988 neither will I abhor H1602 them, to destroy them utterly, H3615 and to break H6565 my covenant H1285 with them: for I am the LORD H3068 their God. H430 But I will for their sakes remember H2142 the covenant H1285 of their ancestors, H7223 whom I brought forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 in the sight H5869 of the heathen, H1471 that I might be their God: H430 I am the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Hosea 2
Commentary on Hosea 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Ho 2:1-23. Application of the Symbols in the First Chapter.
Israel's spiritual fornication, and her threatened punishment: yet a promise of God's restored favor, when chastisements have produced their designed effect.
1. Say … unto … brethren, Ammi, &c.—that is, When the prediction (Ho 1:11) shall be accomplished, then ye will call one another, as brothers and sisters in the family of God, Ammi and Ruhamah.
2. Plead—expostulate.
mother—that is, the nation collectively. The address is to "her children," that is, to the individual citizens of the state (compare Isa 50:1).
for she is not my wife—She has deprived herself of her high privilege by spiritual adultery.
out of her sight—rather, "from her face." Her very countenance unblushingly betrayed her lust, as did also her exposed "breasts."
3. set her as in the day … born—(Eze 16:4; 23:25, 26, 28, 29). The day of her political "birth" was when God delivered her from the bondage of Egypt, and set up the theocracy.
make her as a wilderness—(Jer 6:8; Zep 2:13). Translate, "make her as the wilderness," namely, that in which she passed forty years on her way to her goodly possession of Canaan. With this agrees the mention of "thirst" (compare Jer 2:6).
4. her children—Not even her individual members shall escape the doom of the nation collectively, for they are individually guilty.
5. I will go after—The Hebrew expresses a settled determination.
lovers—the idols which Israel fancied to be the givers of all their goods, whereas God gave all these goods (Ho 2:8-13; compare Jer 44:17-19).
bread and … water—the necessaries of life in food.
wool … flax—clothing.
oil … drink—perfumed unguents and palatable drinks: the luxuries of Hebrew life.
6, 7. thorns … wall—(Job 19:8; La 3:7, 9). The hindrances which the captivity interposed between Israel and her idols. As she attributes all her temporal blessings to idols, I will reduce her to straits in which, when she in vain has sought help from false gods, she will at last seek Me as her only God and Husband, as at the first (Isa 54:5; Jer 3:14; Eze 16:8).
then—before Israel's apostasy, under Jeroboam. The way of duty is hedged about with thorns; it is the way of sin that is hedged up with thorns. Crosses in an evil course are God's hedges to turn us from it. Restraining grace and restraining providences (even sicknesses and trials) are great blessings when they stop us in a course of sin. Compare Lu 15:14-18, "I will arise, and go to my father." So here, "I will go, and return," &c.; crosses in the both cases being sanctified to produce this effect.
8. she did not know that I—not the idols, as she thought: the "lovers" alluded to in Ho 2:5.
which they prepared for Baal—that is, of which they made images of Baal, or at least the plate covering of them (Ho 8:4). Baal was the Phœnician sun-god: answering to the female Astarte, the moon-goddess. The name of the idol is found in the Phœnician Hannibal, Hasdrubal. Israel borrowed it from the Tyrians.
9. my corn … my wool … my flax—in contrast to "my bread … my wool … my flax," (Ho 2:5). Compare also Ho 2:21-23, on God as the great First Cause giving these through secondary instruments in nature. "Return, and take away," is equivalent to, "I will take back again," namely, by sending storms, locusts, Assyrian enemies, &c. "Therefore," that is, because she did not acknowledge Me as the Giver.
in the time thereof—in the harvest-time.
10. lewdness—rather, "the shame of her nakedness"; laying aside the figure, "I will expose her in her state, bereft of every necessary, before her lovers," that is, the idols (personified, as if they could see), who, nevertheless, can give her no help. "Discover" is appropriate to stripping off the self-flatteries of her hypocrisy.
11. her feast days—of Jeroboam's appointment, distinct from the Mosaic (1Ki 12:32). However, most of the Mosaic feasts, "new-moons" and "sabbaths" to Jehovah, remained, but to degenerate Israel worship was a weariness; they cared only for the carnal indulgence on them (Am 8:5).
12. my rewards—my hire as a harlot (Isa 23:17, 18).
lovers—idols.
destroy … vines … make … forest—(Isa 5:6; 7:23, 24). Fulfilled in the overthrow of Israel by Assyria (Ho 9:4, 5).
13. days of Baalim—the days consecrated to the Baals, or various images of Baal in different cities, whence the names Baal-gad, Baal-hermon, &c.
decked herself with … earrings—rather, "nose-rings" (Isa 3:21; Eze 16:12, Margin), with which harlots decked themselves to attract admirers: answering to the ornaments in which the Israelites decked themselves on the idols' feasts.
forgat me—worse than the nations which had never known God. Israel wilfully apostatized from Jehovah, whom she had known.
14. Therefore—rather, "Nevertheless" [Henderson]. English Version gives a more lovely idea of God. That which would provoke all others to unappeasable wrath, Israel's perversity and consequent punishment, is made a reason why God should at last have mercy on her. As the "therefore" (Ho 2:9) expresses Israel's punishment as the consequence of Israel's guilt, so "therefore" here, as in Ho 2:6, expresses, that when that punishment has effected its designed end, the hedging up her way with thorns so that she returns to God, her first love, the consequence in God's wondrous grace is, He "speaks comfortably" (literally, "speaks to her heart"; compare Jud 19:8; Ru 2:13). So obstinate is she that God has to "allure her," that is, so to temper judgment with unlooked-for grace as to win her to His ways. For this purpose it was necessary to "bring her into the wilderness" (that is, into temporal want and trials) first, to make her sin hateful to her by its bitter fruits, and God's subsequent grace the more precious to her by the contrast of the "wilderness." Jerome makes the "bringing into the wilderness" to be rather a deliverance from her enemies, just as ancient Israel was brought into the wilderness from the bondage of Egypt; to this the phrase here alludes (compare Ho 2:15). The wilderness sojourn, however, is not literal, but moral: while still in the land of their enemies locally, by the discipline of the trial rendering the word of God sweet to them, they are to be brought morally into the wilderness state, that is, into a state of preparedness for returning to their temporal and spiritual privileges in their own land; just as the literal wilderness prepared their fathers for Canaan: thus the bringing of them into the wilderness state is virtually a deliverance from their enemies.
15. from thence—returning from the wilderness. God gives Israel a fresh grant of Canaan, which she had forfeited; so of her vineyards, &c. (Ho 2:9, 12).
Achor—that is, "trouble." As formerly Israel, after their tedious journey through the wilderness, met with the trouble resulting from Achan's crime in this valley, on the very threshold of Canaan, and yet that trouble was presently turned into joy at the great victory at Ai, which threw all Canaan into their hands (Jos 7:1-8:28); so the very trouble of Israel's wilderness state will be the "door of hope" opening to better days. The valley of Achor, near Jericho, was specially fruitful (Isa 65:10); so "trouble" and "hope" are rightly blended in connection with it.
sing … as … when she came … out of … Egypt—It shall be a second exodus song, such as Israel sang after the deliverance at the Red Sea (Ex 15:1-21; compare Isa 11:15, 16); and "the song of Moses" (Re 15:2, 3) sung by those who through the Lamb overcome the beast, and so stand on the sea of glass mingled with fire, emblems of fiery trial, such as that of Israel at the Red Sea.
16. Ishi … no more Baali—"my Husband … no more my Lord." Affection is the prominent idea in "Husband"; rule, in "Lord." The chief reason for the substitution of Husband for Lord appears in Ho 2:17; namely, Baali, the Hebrew for my Lord, had been perverted to express the images of Baal, whose name ought not to be taken on their lips (Ex 23:13; Zec 13:2).
17. Baalim—plural, expressing the various images of Baal, which, according to the places of their erection, received various names, Baal-gad, Baal-ammon, &c.
18. for them—for their benefit.
covenant … with the beasts—not to hurt them (Job 5:23). They shall fulfil the original law of their creation by becoming subject to man, when man fulfils the law of his being by being subject to God. To be realized fully in millennial times (Isa 11:6-9).
break the bow … out of the earth—rather, "out of the land"; that is, I will break and remove war out of the earth (Ps 46:9); and "out of the land" of Israel first (Isa 2:4; Eze 39:9, 10; Zec 9:9, 10).
lie down—A reclining posture is the usual one with Orientals when not in action.
safely—(Jer 23:6).
19, 20. "Betroth" is thrice repeated, implying the intense love of God to His people; and perhaps, also, the three Persons of the Triune God, severally engaging to make good the betrothal. The marriage covenant will be as it were renewed from the beginning, on a different footing; not for a time only, as before, through the apostasy of the people, but "forever" through the grace of God writing the law on their hearts by the Spirit of Messiah (Jer 31:31-37).
righteousness … judgment—in rectitude and truth.
loving-kindness, &c.—Hereby God assures Israel, who might doubt the possibility of their restoration to His favor; low, sunk, and unworthy as thou art. I will restore thee from a regard to My own "loving-kindness," not thy merits.
20. faithfulness—to My new covenant of grace with thee (1Th 5:24; Heb 10:23).
21. in that day—of grace to Israel.
heavens … hear the earth—personification. However many be the intermediate instruments, God is the Great First Cause of all nature's phenomena. God had threatened (Ho 2:9) He would take back His corn, His wine, &c. Here, on the contrary, God promises to hearken to the skies, as it were, supplicating Him to fill them with rain to pour on the earth; and that the skies again would hearken to the earth begging for a supply of the rain it requires; and again, that the earth would hearken to the corn, wine, and oil, begging it to bring them forth; and these again would hear Jezreel, that is, would fulfil Israel's prayers for a supply of them. Israel is now no longer "Jezreel" in the sense, "God will SCATTER" (Ho 1:4), but in the sense, "God will PLANT" (Ho 1:11).
23. I will sow her—referring to the meaning of Jezreel (Ho 2:22).