HOSEA CHAPTER 2 The people are exhorted to forsake idolatry, which is
threatened with severe judgments, HOSEA 2:1. God allureth them with
promises of reconciliation, HOSEA 2:14. In the two last verses of the
former chapter, the prophet did from God promise marvellous mercy to
Judah and Israel, to th... [ Continue Reading ]
PLEAD; argue the case, state it aright between me and your mother,
then debate it fully; lay open either my displeasure, how great it is,
or the effects of it already upon the house of Israel, or my menaces
against them for the future, by my prophet Hosea: and next recollect
the carriage of your mot... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST: this little word suggests great hopes; if this treacherous wife
will cease her lewdness, and become chaste, she may be forgiven; it
reserves room for repentance and reconciliation, without these it
threatens. STRIP HER NAKED; as was usually done by incensed husbands,
divorcing impudent adulter... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL NOT HAVE MERCY: see HOSEA 1:6. UPON HER CHILDREN: by this
expression particular persons are severally, as by mother the whole
nation was, threatened, that none might flatter themselves with hope
of better: it is observable they are called her children, not God s.
FOR THEY BE THE CHILDREN OF W... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR: this demonstrates the truth of the charge, and justifieth the
severity of the punishment. THEIR MOTHER: see HOSEA 2:2. PLAYED THE
HARLOT; doted on idols, worshipped them, and brought forth and
educated children for diem. SHE HATH DONE SHAMEFULLY: this practice,
in the best circumstances it can... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE; because she is so impetuous and shameless in her idolatrous
courses, nothing hath, and she resolves nothing shall, hinder her, but
she will follow them. BEHOLD; take notice of it, thou lewd woman, and
all that stand by. I WILL HEDGE UP THY WAY WITH THORNS: thou wilt set
no bounds to thy l... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE, hedged in with many and great distresses, when under the
judgments of God, _shall follow after her lovers_; with earnest
travel, and with wearisome toil, she shall attempt every way to get to
them, but to no purpose: afflictions and sorrows surround Israel;
these Israel can by no means brea... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR; this unexampled ignorance, or inconsiderateness, was the cause of
all this lost labour, and unthankfulness to God. SHE, in her rayons
and prosperity, as were the days of Jeroboam, in which much of this
lewdness was committed, and in which the prophet calls them to
repentance, DID NOT KNOW; cons... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, because I was not acknowledged nor served as the giver,
WILL I RETURN: much after the manner of man doth God speak; he had
left large blessings behind him among this people, but their sottish
ingratitude provokes him to resolutions of returning and seizing of
all. TAKE AWAY; take into my... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, when I make a seizure, and strip her of all that is mine, I
will expose her, or else I shortly will do so, ere long. HER LEWDNESS;
the folly and wickedness of her idolatrous worship; and perhaps the
corporal lewdnesses which idolaters seldom were free from may be here
intended. IN THE SIGHT... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ALSO CAUSE ALL HER MIRTH TO CEASE; the jollity of Israel was
certainly damped when Tiglath-pileser took Ijon, and other cities, and
captivated Naphtali, 2 KINGS 15:29, which was some, yet but few, years
after this prophecy: but sure all their joy ceased about ten or twelve
years after, when S... [ Continue Reading ]
God will do it either by blasting, or by the Assyrians, who, as other
invaders, shall spoil all. DESTROY; make very desolate, or lay waste.
HER VINES AND HER FIG TREES: these two were mentioned, but all other
fruit trees are meant. WHEREOF SHE HATH SAID, THESE ARE MY REWARDS:
this was in peculiar ma... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL VISIT; punish, for the prophet threatens them with this
visitation, by which it evidently appears to be a visiting in wrath.
UPON HER; the kingdom of Israel. THE DAYS; the sins of those days
past. OF BAALIM: Baal was the great idol of the ten tribes, the chief
of their idols, their lord (as t... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBHeb;
THEREFORE: this particle seems to connect these following passages
with those that went before, as causal, or giving a reason why God
will do thus, and so are difficulter than if read as zkl might be,
either as a particle that speaks order or time of things, and is as
much as _afterwards_; s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I, reconciled to her, will give her her vineyards; will both
settle her, and abundantly enrich her with blessings, as the phrase
implieth. FROM THENCE; either from the place of their exile and
sufferings, or from the time of their hearkening to the Lord speaking
to them in their distresses and s... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THAT DAY; when through deep distresses I have prepared her to
return, and she who was an adulteress repents, and renews her covenant
of love and obedience, and in the day of my blessings on her. SAITH
THE LORD: this confirmeth and insureth the thing. THOU, my repenting
Israel, SHALT CALL ME ISHI;... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I WILL TAKE AWAY THE NAMES OF BAALIM; it is my purpose to abolish
the memory of Baalim. This great idol for all others; God will cut off
all the remains of idolatry from his church. OUT OF HER MOUTH; so God
required, of old, EXODUS 23:13. THEY SHALL NO MORE BE REMEMBERED BY
THEIR NAME; these fal... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY: see HOSEA 2:16. MAKE A COVENANT; command or enjoin, and
these creatures shall as duly observe the command as just ones keep a
covenant. FOR THEM; true converts, the Israel of God. WITH THE BEASTS
OF THE FIELD, & c.; with all the creatures that might either serve or
hurt them; it is a fu... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I, thy God, who was offended, but now am reconciled, though I was
divorcing thee, will now BETROTH, on new terms enter marriage covenant
with THEE, O Israel, who art my people, and leavest thine idolatries
and rebellions. UNTO ME, God of mercy and truth, who hath forgiven and
changed thee, and m... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is a third promise in the same words to comfort and
encourage the true Israel, only faithfulness is here added a
qualification of this new marriage, which shall continue firm on a
mutual, faithful promise, love, and contract. THOU SHALT KNOW THE
LORD; his just anger which hath punished, h... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ In that day_, when this new alliance is made, or in the day of
gospel grace, _I will hear_: this general promise God gives us to
encourage us to cry to him; he will so hear as to answer. _Saith the
Lord_: this is the seal to the truth and certainty of the things
promised. There is a subordination... [ Continue Reading ]
Their sins, the enemies sword, and God's just displeasure, had wasted
and lessened their numbers; but now the Lord will bless them with
wonderful increase of people, expressed with allusion to a seed sown
in the earth, which multiplieth exceedingly: so the Jews multiplied
after the Babylonish captiv... [ Continue Reading ]