O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. O ISRAEL, RETURN UNTO THE LORD THY GOD; FOR THOU HAST FALLEN BY THINE INIQUITY - (Hosea 5:5; Hosea 13:9, "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help"). The Hebrew for "return" [ shuwbaah (H7725)] i... [ Continue Reading ]
Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. TAKE WITH YOU WORDS - instead of sacrifices-namely, the words of penitence here put in your mouths by God. "Words" in Hebrew [ dªbaariym (H1697)]... [ Continue Reading ]
Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. ASSHUR SHALL NOT SAVE US; WE WILL NOT RIDE UPON HORSES; NEITHER WILL WE SAY ANYMORE TO THE WORK OF OUR HANDS, YE ARE OUR GODS.... [ Continue Reading ]
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. I WILL HEAL THEIR BACKSLIDING, I WILL LOVE THEM FREELY - God's gracious reply to their self-condemning prayer. BACKSLIDING - apostasy; not merely occasional backslidings. God can heal the most despe... [ Continue Reading ]
I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. I WILL BE AS THE DEW UNTO ISRAEL - "the dew," which falls copiously in the East, supplying the place of the more frequent rains in other regions. God will not be "as the early dew that goeth away,... [ Continue Reading ]
His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. HIS BRANCHES SHALL SPREAD - shoots, or suckers. AND HIS BEAUTY SHALL BE AS THE OLIVE - which never loses its verdure. One plant is not enough to express the varied graces of God's elect people. The... [ Continue Reading ]
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. THEY THAT DWELL UNDER HIS SHADOW SHALL RETURN - They that used to dwell under Israel's shadow (but who shall have been forced to leave it) shall r... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. EPHRAIM SHALL SAY, WHAT HAVE I TO DO ANYMORE WITH IDOLS? - being brought to penitence by God's goodness, and confessing and abhorring his past mad... [ Continue Reading ]
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: WHO IS WISE, AND HE SHALL UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS? PRUDENT, AND HE SHALL KNOW THEM? FOR THE WAYS OF THE LORD ARE RIGHT, AND THE JUST SHALL WALK... [ Continue Reading ]