Hosea
Hosea 7
Chapter VII · Vol. III, p. 1416
1 Israel reproved for manifold sins. 11 God's wrath against them for their hypocrisy.
1 When I awould have healed Israel, then theb iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness1 of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth2 without.
2 And they consider not in3 their hearts that Ic remember all their wickedness: dnow their own doings have ebeset them about; they are beforeg my face.
4 Theyi are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, 6who ceaseth from raising7 after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
5 In jthe day of our king the princes have made him ksick with bottles of wine:8 he stretchedl out his hand with scorners.
6 For nthey have made ready9 their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven, oand have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there pis none among them that calleth unto me.
8 Ephraim, qhe hath mixed1 himself among the people; Ephraim is ra cake not turned.2
A.M. cir. 3249. B.C. cir. 755.
q Ps.106.35. ch.5.7,13; ver.10; ch.9.3. Je.16.12,13. Ezr.9.1.
1 Either in forbidden marriages or idolatries.—C.
r Re.3.16. 1 Ki.18.21. Zec.1.1,5.
2 Which no one watches—burned, on the side of the world, below—cold, towards God, above.—C.
9 Strangerss have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there3 upon him, yet he knoweth not.
s 2 Ki.13.4,7; 15.19,29. Is.42.25; 9.13.
3 Heb. sprinkled.
10 And the tpride of Israel testifieth to his face; and uthey do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
11 Ephraim also is vlike a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
v Je.2.11,18,30. Eze.16.30. 2 Ki.15.9,16; 17.3,4. Is.30.1-6; 31.1-3. ch.5.13; 8.9; 12.1; 9.3; 14.3. 2 Ch.28.16,24.
12 When they shall go, xI will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will ychastise them, zas their congregation hath heard.4
13 Woea unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction5 unto them! bbecause they have transgressed against me: though cI have redeemed them, yet they have spoken dlies against me.
14 And ethey have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: gthey assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
e Zec.7.5. Is.29.13. Je.3.10. Job 35.9,10. Ps.78.34,36.
g Ja.4.3. Phi.3.18,19. De.32.15. ch.13.6.
15 Thoughh I have bound6 and strengthened their arms, yet do they iimagine mischief against me.
h Ju.3.14,16. Ps.106.40-45. 2 Ki.13.3,5,25; 14.25.
6 Or, chastened.
Notes
Ver. 1, 2. Notwithstanding the reformation which was begun under Jehu, and the restoration of their glory under Jehoash and Jeroboam, and notwithstanding all the pains which I have taken with them by my prophets, the wickedness of the ten tribes, in hypocrisy, perjury, dishonesty, and violence, and other forms unnumbered, is so increased before me, and is so notorious and daring, that I must punish them with unavoidable calamities. 3. By ready compliance with their wicked laws, by acting wickedly, by uttering flattery, or by slander of the godly, they please their kings. 4. They all are adulterers and idolaters; their bodies and minds being inflamed, and their hearts entertaining corrupt desires, they contrive how to gratify them. 5. In their royal feasts they and their king besot themselves with drunkenness, and deride the oracles, ordinances, or judgments of God. 6. Heated by wine, inflamed by lust, eagerly attached to idolatry, and infuriated with hatred of one another, they greedily wait for, and seize on, the first opportunity to execute their sinful purposes. 7. Thus inflamed, they murder their magistrates one after another. But in all their calamities they never request my pity or help. 8. By marriages and alliances with heathens they have learned their manners. They are zealous for their idols, but indifferent about the true worship of God, and at best halt between him and their idols. 9. Therefore heathen enemies have wasted their country, and everywhere symptoms of their approaching destruction appear; but they never regard it, nor take any proper means to prevent it. 10. So notorious is the pride and obstinacy of their hearts, that notwithstanding all the calamities which they have felt, or may see impending, they do not in the least repent or reform, or even request my assistance. 11. Nay, without any attention to the true method of relief, they, by turns, apply for help to their implacable enemies of Egypt and Assyria. 12. But I will entangle and disappoint them in all their designs; and will, as I have publicly warned them by my prophets, debase and distress them. 13. Their apostasy from me, and rebellion against my laws, shall issue in their fearful and lasting ruin. For though I have often delivered them in straits, they have set up idols in my room, contradicted my oracles, or entertained me with hypocritical pretences and promises of reformation. 14. Yea, even when, in their beds or idol temples, they pitifully mourned under their calamities, they never heartily supplicated me: and while they eagerly desired corn and wine to satisfy their lust, they continue in their rebellion against me. 15. Whether I weakened them by adversity, or strengthened them by prosperity, they contrived how to displease me more and more by their idolatrous and wicked courses. 16. And even when they pretend to repent and turn to me, all is mere dissimulation;—therefore shall their princes, who have blasphemed me and reviled my prophets, be miserably destroyed by the Assyrians or conspirators; and all their applications to the Egyptians for help shall but issue in a derision of their calamities.
Ver. 16. A deceitful bow. The reference is to a peculiar species of bow, constructed of several pieces, which, when strung, is bent backward, and may be unstrung intentionally, by the slightest movement of the string to the right or left of the bow. If the one side of the bow be stronger than the other it unstrings itself, and, even when drawn to its full tension, deceives the archer, by dropping the arrow at his feet. C.
Reflections.—Alas, how men oppose Jehovah's kindness to themselves, and obstinately dare to discredit the threatenings of God. But his ruinous judgments will at last convince them that he remembers their works. Palaces and courts are in general nests of abominations. And infernal influence and lustful fire furiously hurry sinners into whoredom and wickedness, while, with surprising care and contrivance, they wait for opportunities of gratifying their desires. And awful is their case who in trouble restrain prayer before God. Unnecessary connection with the wicked is very ensnaring and ruinous to religion and liberty; and God often makes such companions the instruments of punishing us. While stupidity under lesser judgments presages greater ones, application to heathens for help hastens them forward. Either pride, or they who indulge it, must be infallibly ruined. And nothing can be more provoking to God than to see those whom he has kindly warned, returning him hatred for his love. No wonder he detests the prayers of such as seek nothing but carnal enjoyments to gratify their lusts. And if even the greatest deal deceitfully with God, or outrageously with men, they themselves shall be rendered miserable and contemptible.