Hosea 5

Notes

Ver. 1, 2. Seriously take warning, ye priests, Israelites, and princes, of the fearful but just judgments of God impending over you, because, like hunters and fowlers upon the mountains, ye have endeavoured by all means to ensnare men to idolatry and ruin; and notwithstanding manifold rebukes by my prophets and providences, have, by subtle contrivances and specious pretences, oppressed and murdered your opposers. 3-7. But I am fully acquainted with all your wickedness, your idolatries and whoredoms, and how, through ignorance of me, ye are obstinately addicted to your apostasy and wickedness. Your pride is openly avowed, and your insolence in sin is manifested in your very looks; therefore shall ye be quickly destroyed by civil wars, and at last ruined by the Assyrians, in which the Jews shall partly share along with you. Nor shall either multitudes of sacrifices or of prayers avail to appease or turn away my wrath from you: but since you have treacherously transgressed my command in marrying heathens, and bringing up your children as heathens, the Assyrians shall, in a short time, devour both you and your estates. 8-10. Be warned, O ye Jews, that the Assyrians, having desolated the country of the ten tribes, will render you miserable. They shall be utterly ruined, as I have often warned them by my prophets. And since the princes of Judah have disregarded the bounds fixed by my law, and seized on their neighbours' property, therefore shall the Assyrians and others, as instruments of my wrath, overflow and sweep them away. 11-15. As a just punishment of the Israelites' ready compliance with the idolatrous laws of Jeroboam and his successors, they are terribly oppressed by their unrighteous and tyrannical magistrates; and my judgments shall gradually and insensibly waste the kingdoms of Israel and Judah; and, perceiving their weakness, they shall apply to the Assyrians for help; who will distress and ruin, instead of helping them. And I, by their means, will, in the most fearless and furious manner, destroy them, and bereave them of their wealth. And, forbearing to help them, I will, for a time, leave them under the power of their troubles, till at last they be made candidly to acknowledge their offences, and earnestly supplicate my favour.

Ver. 1. Mizpah. A mountain and city of Gilead, Ju. 11. 29.— Tabor, a mountain of Zebulun; in both of which, it would appear, hunters and fowlers assembled with snares and nets, which are here employed as the emblems of those arts and influences which the idolatrous kings of Israel employed to seduce the people from the worship of Jehovah. C.

Ver. 2. Revolters—hunters. Applied to those who rode upon horses to drive the beasts into the toils.—Profound. Either they have dug deep pits to make slaughter, or they have made 'deep slaughter.' C.

Ver. 3. Ephraim, the chief of the ten tribes.— Israel, the ten tribes collectively. C.

Ver. 7. Strange children. Idolaters whom God will not acknowledge.—Their 'portion' for the year shall be devoured in 'a month'—they shall be reduced to hopeless famine, either of bread or of the Word. C. Ver. 10. The princes of Israel had not only passed the bounds of law, but utterly removed every distinction between right and wrong, except their own will and pleasure. See De. 19. 14; 27. 17. C.

Reflections.—No station can protect men from God's judgment, and no secrecy can conceal sin from his notice. But as they who allure men to sin are plagues to all around them, they may expect redoubled judgments. And none are more subtle and barbarous oppressors and persecutors than apostates, who sin against much light and love. They who treacherously revolt from God, and educate their children in idolatry, may expect to have themselves, and all they have, quickly destroyed. And nothing more certainly presages destruction than pride and impudence in sinning. If men will not be humbled for their sins, they must perish in them. If men will make this world their portion, they may expect to have it rendered a means of their ruin. The destruction of one sinful nation should, but seldom does, make all their neighbours repent of their wickedness. God's threatenings become serious and awful in their fulfilment: and it forebodes ill when wicked laws are readily obeyed: when judgments are discerned, but not their cause; and when, under lesser judgments, men are not reformed, but flee to human aids. All means of relief prove fruitless except God bless them: and to trust to them but draws on heavier judgments. It is only in fellowship with God that men can be truly happy; and it is only in the way of acknowledging our offences, and of earnest prayer, that we can expect the returns of his favour.