23 And I will sow H2232 her unto me in the earth; H776 and I will have mercy H7355 upon her that had not obtained mercy; H7355 H3818 and I will say H559 to them which were not my people, H5971 Thou art my people; H5971 and they shall say, H559 Thou art my God. H430
As he saith G3004 also G2532 in G1722 Osee, G5617 I will call G2564 them my G3450 people, G2992 which were not G3756 my G3450 people; G2992 and G2532 her beloved, G25 which was G25 not G3756 beloved. G25 And G2532 it shall come to pass, G2071 that in G1722 the place G5117 where G3757 G3739 it was said G4483 unto them, G846 Ye G5210 are not G3756 my G3450 people; G2992 there G1563 shall they be called G2564 the children G5207 of the living G2198 God. G2316
But G1161 ye G5210 are a chosen G1588 generation, G1085 a royal G934 priesthood, G2406 an holy G40 nation, G1484 a peculiar G1519 G4047 people; G2992 that G3704 ye should shew forth G1804 the praises G703 of him who hath called G2564 you G5209 out of G1537 darkness G4655 into G1519 his G846 marvellous G2298 light: G5457 Which G3588 in time past G4218 were not G3756 a people, G2992 but G1161 are now G3568 the people G2992 of God: G2316 which G3588 had G1653 not G3756 obtained mercy, G1653 but G1161 now G3568 have obtained mercy. G1653
And G2532 I heard G191 a great G3173 voice G5456 out of G1537 heaven G3772 saying, G3004 Behold, G2400 the tabernacle G4633 of God G2316 is with G3326 men, G444 and G2532 he will dwell G4637 with G3326 them, G846 and G2532 they G846 shall be G2071 his G846 people, G2992 and G2532 God G2316 himself G846 shall be G2071 with G3326 them, G846 and be their G846 God. G2316 And G2532 God G2316 shall wipe away G1813 all G3956 tears G1144 from G575 their G846 eyes; G3788 and G2532 there shall be G2071 no G3756 more G2089 death, G2288 neither G3777 sorrow, G3997 nor G3777 crying, G2906 neither G3777 G3756 shall there be G2071 any more G2089 pain: G4192 for G3754 the former things G4413 are passed away. G565
For G1063 as G5618 G2532 ye G5210 in times past G4218 have not believed G544 God, G2316 yet G1161 have G1653 now G3568 obtained mercy G1653 through G5130 their unbelief: G543 Even so G3779 have G544 these G3778 also G2532 now G3568 not believed, G544 that G2443 through your G5212 mercy G1656 they G846 also G2532 may obtain mercy. G1653 For G1063 God G2316 hath concluded G4788 them all G3956 in G1519 unbelief, G543 that G2443 he might have mercy G1653 upon all. G3956
For G1063 they G518 themselves G846 shew G518 of G4012 us G2257 what manner G3697 of entering in G1529 we had G2192 G2192 unto G4314 you, G5209 and G2532 how G4459 ye turned G1994 to G4314 God G2316 from G575 idols G1497 to serve G1398 the living G2198 and G2532 true G228 God; G2316 And G2532 to wait for G362 his G846 Son G5207 from G1537 heaven, G3772 whom G3739 he raised G1453 from G1537 the dead, G3498 even Jesus, G2424 which G3588 delivered G4506 us G2248 from G575 the wrath G3709 to come. G2064
And G1161 that the Gentiles G1484 might glorify G1392 God G2316 for G5228 his mercy; G1656 as G2531 it is written, G1125 For G1223 this G5124 cause G1223 I will confess G1843 to thee G4671 among G1722 the Gentiles, G1484 and G2532 sing G5567 unto thy G4675 name. G3686 And G2532 again G3825 he saith, G3004 Rejoice, ye G2165 Gentiles, G1484 with G3326 his G846 people. G2992 And G2532 again, G3825 Praise G134 the Lord, G2962 all G3956 ye G134 Gentiles; G1484 and G2532 laud G1867 him, G846 all ye G3956 people. G2992
Then said H559 God, Call H7121 his name H8034 Loammi: H3818 for ye are not my people, H5971 and I will not be your God. Yet the number H4557 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 shall be as the sand H2344 of the sea, H3220 which cannot be measured H4058 nor numbered; H5608 and it shall come to pass, that in the place H4725 where it was said H559 unto them, Ye are not my people, H5971 there it shall be said H559 unto them, Ye are the sons H1121 of the living H2416 God. H410
Thou hast avouched H559 the LORD H3068 this day H3117 to be thy God, H430 and to walk H3212 in his ways, H1870 and to keep H8104 his statutes, H2706 and his commandments, H4687 and his judgments, H4941 and to hearken H8085 unto his voice: H6963 And the LORD H3068 hath avouched H559 thee this day H3117 to be his peculiar H5459 people, H5971 as he hath promised H1696 thee, and that thou shouldest keep H8104 all his commandments; H4687 And to make H5414 thee high H5945 above all nations H1471 which he hath made, H6213 in praise, H8416 and in name, H8034 and in honour; H8597 and that thou mayest be an holy H6918 people H5971 unto the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 as he hath spoken. H1696
Yea, many H7227 people H5971 and strong H6099 nations H1471 shall come H935 to seek H1245 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 in Jerusalem, H3389 and to pray H2470 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 In those days H3117 it shall come to pass, that ten H6235 men H582 shall take hold H2388 out of all languages H3956 of the nations, H1471 even shall take hold H2388 of the skirt H3671 of him that is a Jew, H376 H3064 saying, H559 We will go H3212 with you: for we have heard H8085 that God H430 is with you.
And G1161 Saul G4569 was G2258 consenting G4909 unto his G846 death. G336 And G1161 at G1722 that G1565 time G2250 there was G1096 a great G3173 persecution G1375 against G1909 the church G1577 which G3588 was at G1722 Jerusalem; G2414 and G5037 they were G1289 all G3956 scattered abroad G1289 throughout G2596 the regions G5561 of Judaea G2449 and G2532 Samaria, G4540 except G4133 the apostles. G652 And G1161 devout G2126 men G435 carried G4792 Stephen G4736 to his burial, and G2532 made G4160 great G3173 lamentation G2870 over G1909 him. G846 As G1161 for Saul, G4569 he made havock G3075 of the church, G1577 entering into G1531 every G2596 house, G3624 and haling G4951 G5037 men G435 and G2532 women G1135 committed G3860 them to G1519 prison. G5438 Therefore G3767 G3303 they that were scattered abroad G1289 went every where G1330 preaching G2097 the word. G3056
Peter, G4074 an apostle G652 of Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 to the strangers G3927 scattered G1290 throughout Pontus, G4195 Galatia, G1053 Cappadocia, G2587 Asia, G773 and G2532 Bithynia, G978 Elect G1588 according G2596 to the foreknowledge G4268 of God G2316 the Father, G3962 through G1722 sanctification G38 of the Spirit, G4151 unto G1519 obedience G5218 and G2532 sprinkling G4473 of the blood G129 of Jesus G2424 Christ: G5547 Grace G5485 unto you, G5213 and G2532 peace, G1515 be multiplied. G4129
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).