Hosea 3:4

Altar. Hebrew, "statue;" matseba instead of mozbe, as (Haydock) others agree with St. Jerome, and there seems to have been no variation in his time. --- Theraphim. Images or representations, (Challoner) either good or bad. As the other things mentioned were good, such lawful images as were used in the temple must be meant, 3 Kings vii. 36. (Worthington) --- St. Jerome explains it of cherubim. Septuagint, "altar, priesthood, and manifestations ( Urim, &c.) being wanting." (Haydock) --- Yet some take it in a bad sense. The Jews adhere neither to God nor to idols. (Vatable, &c.) --- What misfortune, however, would the latter be? In exile the Jews were deprived of the exercise of their religion, and of their princes. (Calmet) --- But this was only a figure of what they endured since they rejected Christ. (Origen, Philoc. i.; St. Jerome) --- This wretched state will probably continue till they at last embrace the yoke of Christ, the true king of ages. (Calmet)