7 The days H3117 of visitation H6486 are come, H935 the days H3117 of recompence H7966 are come; H935 Israel H3478 shall know H3045 it: the prophet H5030 is a fool, H191 the spiritual H7307 man H376 is mad, H7696 for the multitude H7230 of thine iniquity, H5771 and the great H7227 hatred. H4895
And if the prophet H5030 be deceived H6601 when he hath spoken H1696 a thing, H1697 I the LORD H3068 have deceived H6601 that prophet, H5030 and I will stretch out H5186 my hand H3027 upon him, and will destroy H8045 him from the midst H8432 of my people H5971 Israel. H3478 And they shall bear H5375 the punishment of their iniquity: H5771 the punishment H5771 of the prophet H5030 shall be even as the punishment H5771 of him that seeketh H1875 unto him;
And G2532 with G1722 all G3956 deceivableness G539 of unrighteousness G93 in G1722 them that perish; G622 because G473 G3739 they received G1209 not G3756 the love G26 of the truth, G225 that G1519 they G846 might be saved. G4982 And G2532 for this G5124 cause G1223 God G2316 shall send G3992 them G846 strong G1753 delusion, G4106 that G1519 they G846 should believe G4100 a lie: G5579 That G2443 they all G3956 might be damned G2919 who G3588 believed G4100 not G3361 the truth, G225 but G235 had pleasure G2106 in G1722 unrighteousness. G93
And G1161 as he G846 thus G5023 spake for himself, G626 Festus G5347 said G5346 with a loud G3173 voice, G5456 Paul, G3972 thou art beside thyself; G3105 much G4183 learning G1121 doth make G4062 thee G4571 mad. G1519 G3130 But G1161 he said, G5346 I am G3105 not G3756 mad, G3105 most noble G2903 Festus; G5347 but G235 speak forth G669 the words G4487 of truth G225 and G2532 soberness. G4997
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Take H3947 unto thee yet the instruments H3627 of a foolish H196 shepherd. H7462 For, lo, I will raise up H6965 a shepherd H7462 in the land, H776 which shall not visit H6485 those that be cut off, H3582 neither shall seek H1245 the young one, H5289 nor heal H7495 that that is broken, H7665 nor feed H3557 that that standeth H5324 still: but he shall eat H398 the flesh H1320 of the fat, H1277 and tear H6561 their claws H6541 in pieces. H6561 Woe H1945 to the idol H457 shepherd H7473 that leaveth H5800 the flock! H6629 the sword H2719 shall be upon his arm, H2220 and upon his right H3225 eye: H5869 his arm H2220 shall be clean H3001 dried up, H3001 and his right H3225 eye H5869 shall be utterly H3543 darkened. H3543
Also, thou son H1121 of man, H120 thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 unto the land H127 of Israel; H3478 An end, H7093 the end H7093 is come H935 upon the four H702 corners H3671 of the land. H776 Now is the end H7093 come upon thee, and I will send H7971 mine anger H639 upon thee, and will judge H8199 thee according to thy ways, H1870 and will recompense H5414 upon thee all thine abominations. H8441 And mine eye H5869 shall not spare H2347 thee, neither will I have pity: H2550 but I will recompense H5414 thy ways H1870 upon thee, and thine abominations H8441 shall be in the midst H8432 of thee: and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 An evil, H7451 an only H259 evil, H7451 behold, is come. H935 An end H7093 is come, H935 the end H7093 is come: H935 it watcheth H6974 for thee; behold, it is come. H935 The morning H6843 is come H935 unto thee, O thou that dwellest H3427 in the land: H776 the time H6256 is come, H935 H935 the day H3117 of trouble H4103 is near, H7138 and not the sounding again H1906 of the mountains. H2022
Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 Hearken H8085 not unto the words H1697 of the prophets H5030 that prophesy H5012 unto you: they make you vain: H1891 they speak H1696 a vision H2377 of their own heart, H3820 and not out of the mouth H6310 of the LORD. H3068 They say H559 still H559 unto them that despise H5006 me, The LORD H3068 hath said, H1696 Ye shall have peace; H7965 and they say H559 unto every one that walketh H1980 after the imagination H8307 of his own heart, H3820 No evil H7451 shall come H935 upon you.
Son H1121 of man, H120 what is that proverb H4912 that ye have in the land H127 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 The days H3117 are prolonged, H748 and every vision H2377 faileth? H6 Tell H559 them therefore, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 I will make this proverb H4912 to cease, H7673 and they shall no more use it as a proverb H4911 in Israel; H3478 but say H1696 unto them, The days H3117 are at hand, H7126 and the effect H1697 of every vision. H2377 For there shall be no more any vain H7723 vision H2377 nor flattering H2509 divination H4738 within H8432 the house H1004 of Israel. H3478 For I am the LORD: H3068 I will speak, H1696 and the word H1697 that I shall speak H1696 shall come to pass; H6213 it shall be no more prolonged: H4900 for in your days, H3117 O rebellious H4805 house, H1004 will I say H1696 the word, H1697 and will perform H6213 it, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 Again the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came to me, saying, H559 Son H1121 of man, H120 behold, they of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 say, H559 The vision H2377 that he seeth H2372 is for many H7227 days H3117 to come, and he prophesieth H5012 of the times H6256 that are far H7350 off. Therefore say H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 There shall none of my words H1697 be prolonged H4900 any more, but the word H1697 which I have spoken H1696 shall be done, H6213 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
The great H1419 day H3117 of the LORD H3068 is near, H7138 it is near, H7138 and hasteth H4118 greatly, H3966 even the voice H6963 of the day H3117 of the LORD: H3068 the mighty man H1368 shall cry H6873 there bitterly. H4751 That day H3117 is a day H3117 of wrath, H5678 a day H3117 of trouble H6869 and distress, H4691 a day H3117 of wasteness H7722 and desolation, H4875 a day H3117 of darkness H2822 and gloominess, H653 a day H3117 of clouds H6051 and thick darkness, H6205 A day H3117 of the trumpet H7782 and alarm H8643 against the fenced H1219 cities, H5892 and against the high H1364 towers. H6438 And I will bring distress H6887 upon men, H120 that they shall walk H1980 like blind men, H5787 because they have sinned H2398 against the LORD: H3068 and their blood H1818 shall be poured out H8210 as dust, H6083 and their flesh H3894 as the dung. H1561 Neither their silver H3701 nor their gold H2091 shall be able H3201 to deliver H5337 them in the day H3117 of the LORD'S H3068 wrath; H5678 but the whole land H776 shall be devoured H398 by the fire H784 of his jealousy: H7068 for he shall make H6213 even a speedy H926 riddance H3617 of all them that dwell H3427 in the land. H776
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Hosea 9
Commentary on Hosea 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
Ho 9:1-17. Warning against Israel's Joy at Partial Relief from Their Troubles: Their Crops Shall Fail, and the People Leave the Lord's Land for Egypt and Assyria, Where They Cannot, If So Inclined, Serve God According to the Ancient Ritual: Folly of Their False Prophets.
1. Rejoice not … for joy—literally, "to exultation." Thy exultation at the league with Pul, by which peace seems secured, is out of place: since thy idolatry will bring ruin on thee.
as other people—the Assyrians for instance, who, unlike thee, are in the height of prosperity.
loved a reward upon every corn floor—Thou hast desired, in reward for thy homage to idols, abundance of corn on every threshing-floor (Ho 2:12).
2. (Ho 2:9, 12).
fail—disappoint her expectation.
3. return to Egypt—(See on Ho 8:13). As in Ho 11:5 it is said, "He shall not return into … Egypt." Fairbairn thinks it is not the exact country that is meant, but the bondage state with which, from past experience, Egypt was identified in their minds. Assyria was to be a second Egypt to them. De 28:68, though threatening a return to Egypt, speaks (De 28:36) of their being brought to a nation which neither they nor their fathers had known, showing that it is not the literal Egypt, but a second Egypt-like bondage that is threatened.
eat unclean things in Assyria—reduced by necessity to eat meats pronounced unclean by the Mosaic law (Eze 4:13). See 2Ki 17:6.
4. offer wine offerings—literally, "pour as a libation (Ex 30:9; Le 23:13).
neither shall they be pleasing unto him—as being offered on a profane soil.
sacrifices … as the bread of mourners—which was unclean (De 26:14; Jer 16:7; Eze 24:17).
their bread for their soul—their offering for the expiation of their soul [Calvin], (Le 17:11). Rather, "their bread for their sustenance ('soul' being often used for the animal life, Ge 14:21, Margin) shall not come into the Lord's house"; it shall only subserve their own uses, not My worship.
5. (Ho 2:11).
6. because of destruction—to escape from the devastation of their country.
Egypt shall gather them up—that is, into its sepulchres (Jer 8:2; Eze 29:5). Instead of returning to Palestine, they should die in Egypt.
Memphis—famed as a necropolis.
the pleasant places for their silver—that is, their desired treasuries for their money. Or, "whatever precious thing they have of silver" [Maurer].
nettles—the sign of desolation (Isa 34:13).
7. visitation—vengeance: punishment (Isa 10:3).
Israel shall know it—to her cost experimentally (Isa 9:9).
the prophet is a fool—The false prophet who foretold prosperity to the nation shall be convicted of folly by the event.
the spiritual man—the man pretending to inspiration (La 2:14; Eze 13:3; Mic 3:11; Zep 3:4).
for the multitude of thine iniquity, &c.—Connect these words with, "the days of visitation … are come"; "the prophet … is mad," being parenthetical.
the great hatred—or, "the great provocation" [Henderson]; or, "(thy) great apostasy" [Maurer]. English Version means Israel's "hatred" of God's prophets and the law.
8. The watchman … was with my God—The spiritual watchmen, the true prophets, formerly consulted my God (Jer 31:6; Hab 2:1); but their so-called prophet is a snare, entrapping Israel into idolatry.
hatred—rather, "(a cause of) apostasy" (see Ho 9:7) [Maurer].
house of his God—that is, the state of Ephraim, as in Ho 8:1 [Maurer]. Or, "the house of his (false) god," the calves [Calvin]. Jehovah, "my God," seems contrasted with "his God." Calvin's view is therefore preferable.
9. as in the days of Gibeah—as in the day of the perpetration of the atrocity of Gibeah, narrated in Jud 19:16-22, &c.
10. As the traveller in a wilderness is delighted at finding grapes to quench his thirst, or the early fig (esteemed a great delicacy in the East, Isa 28:4; Jer 24:2; Mic 7:1); so it was My delight to choose your fathers as My peculiar people in Egypt (Ho 2:15).
at her first time—when the first-fruits of the tree become ripe.
went to Baal-peor—(Nu 25:3): the Moabite idol, in whose worship young women prostituted themselves; the very sin Israel latterly was guilty of.
separated themselves—consecrated themselves.
unto that shame—to that shameful or foul idol (Jer 11:13).
their abominations were according as they loved—rather, as Vulgate, "they became abominable like the object of their love" (De 7:26; Ps 115:8). English Version gives good sense, "their abominable idols they followed after, according as their lusts prompted them" (Am 4:5, Margin).
11. their glory shall fly away—fit retribution to those who "separated themselves unto that shame" (Ho 9:10). Children were accounted the glory of parents; sterility, a reproach. "Ephraim" means "fruitfulness" (Ge 41:52); this its name shall cease to be its characteristic.
from the birth … womb … conception—Ephraim's children shall perish in a threefold gradation; (1) From the time of birth. (2) From the time of pregnancy. (3) From the time of their first conception.
12. Even though they should rear their children, yet will I bereave them (the Ephraimites) of them (Job 27:14).
woe … to them when I depart—Yet the ungodly in their madness desire God to depart from them (Job 21:14; 22:17; Mt 8:34). At last they know to their cost how awful it is when God has departed (De 31:17; 1Sa 28:15, 16; compare Ho 9:11; 1Sa 4:21).
13. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus … in a pleasant place—that is, in looking towards Tyrus (on whose borders Ephraim lay) I saw Ephraim beautiful in situation like her (Eze 26:1-28:26).
is planted—as a fruitful tree; image suggested by the meaning of "Ephraim" (Ho 9:11).
bring forth his children to the murderer—(Ho 9:16; Ho 13:16). With all his fruitfulness, his children shall only be brought up to be slain.
14. what wilt thou give?—As if overwhelmed by feeling, he deliberates with God what is most desirable.
give … a miscarrying womb—Of two evils he chooses the least. So great will be the calamity, that barrenness will be a blessing, though usually counted a great misfortune (Job 3:3; Jer 20:14; Lu 23:29).
15. All their wickedness—that is, their chief guilt.
Gilgal—(see on Ho 4:15). This was the scene of their first contumacy in rejecting God and choosing a king (1Sa 11:14, 15; compare 1Sa 8:7), and of their subsequent idolatry.
there I hated them—not with the human passion, but holy hatred of their sin, which required punishment to be inflicted on themselves (compare Mal 1:3).
out of mine house—as in Ho 8:1: out of the land holy unto Me. Or, as "love" is mentioned immediately after, the reference may be to the Hebrew mode of divorce, the husband (God) putting the wife (Israel) out of the house.
princes … revolters—"Sarim … Sorerim" (Hebrew), a play on similar sounds.
16. The figures "root," "fruit," are suggested by the word "Ephraim," that is, fruitful (see on Ho 9:11, 12). "Smitten," namely, with a blight (Ps 102:4).
17. My God—"My," in contrast to "them," that is, the people, whose God Jehovah no longer is. Also Hosea appeals to God as supporting his authority against the whole people.
wanderers among … nations—(2Ki 15:29; 1Ch 5:26).