HOSEA CHAPTER 11. Israel's ingratitude to God for his benefits, HOSEA 11:1. God's judgment upon them, HOSEA 11:5. His mercy toward them, HOSEA 11:8. Ephraim's falsehood, and Judah's fidelity, HOSEA 11:12. WHEN ISRAEL WAS A CHILD; in the infancy of Israel, which is here dated equal with his being in... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEY; Moses and Aaron, and other prophets, and holy, zealous judges and priests, as Samuel, &c. CALLED; advised, persuaded, entreated, and urged by exhortations. THEM; the whole house of Israel, and among these the ten tribes, or Ephraim. SO THEY Israelites, called and entreated, especially they... [ Continue Reading ]
I TAUGHT EPHRAIM ALSO TO GO; as a mother or nurse doth help the child, and with tenderest care doth guide and form its steps, and by long-continued patience waits on it; such like was the tenderness of God toward Israel in his childhood. TAKING THEM BY THEIR ARMS; supporting and bearing them up, as... [ Continue Reading ]
I DREW THEM; I found them backward and unapt to lead, I therefore in my pity laid my hand on them, and, as a father or friend, drew them gently to me. WITH CORDS OF A MAN, i.e. with such obliging kindness as best fits and most prevails with a man, with reason. WITH BANDS OF LOVE; those arguments of... [ Continue Reading ]
HE; Ephraim thus provided for by me, thus indulged, or else Ephraim punished. SHALL NOT RETURN INTO THE LAND OF EGYPT; either needed not have courted Egypt's friendship, or desired that assistance; I would have kept them safe enough, and sufficiently provided for them; so if you refer this to Ephrai... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SWORD; either intestine or foreign wars, or both. Shall abide; shall be long, not be as a sudden incursion which doth much mischief to surprised and unfortified places, but it shall be a lasting war; three years Samaria was besieged, so the sword did abide. ON HIS CITIES; all the cities of Ephra... [ Continue Reading ]
MY PEOPLE; yet God owneth them for his, he had not cast them quite off; or since they call themselves his, he is willing to encourage them by owning all in them that looks toward him. ARE BENT TO BACKSLIDING FROM ME; or continue in suspense, doubtful and unresolved what to do, or rather inclined mos... [ Continue Reading ]
After such unparalleled abuse of infinite mercy and patience, what could be expected, but unrelenting wrath and fiercest indignation? but here is a wonder above all the rest; bowels troubled, and struggling with anger, and contesting on behalf of most inexcusable sinners. O Ephraim, thou hast deserv... [ Continue Reading ]
Here mercy rejoiceth against judgment, and God declareth his purpose to spare, he promiseth that he will not execute according to utmost severity. This promise he confirmeth by doubling it, though in somewhat different words: I will not do as men, who having beat down au enemy, and wounded him, do r... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY, whom infinite mercy spareth, the choice remnant, SHALL WALK AFTER THE LORD; shall hear and obey, worship and depend on the Lord, on the Messiah, of whom these and the words of the next verse do certainly speak. They refer also to the return out of captivity, in both history and type, of our de... [ Continue Reading ]
The summary of the first part of this verse seems to be, that some should hasten, yet with solicitude, out of Egypt, whither they fled for shelter, like as a bird that hath been cast out of her nest hasteth to it; others like doves shall hasten out of Assyria unto Judea, but with fear and solicitude... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse might better begin the next chapter, and by most interpreters I have seen, it is the first verse of the next chapter; but since we find it here we will here consider it. EPHRAIM; many or the most of Ephraim. COMPASSETH ME ABOUT WITH LIES; play the hypocrites with me still; yet give me goo... [ Continue Reading ]