Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as [other] people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor. Ver. 1. _Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people_] Not as good people, for they have reason to rejoice, and are called to it in both Testaments; joy i... [ Continue Reading ]
The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. Ver. 2. _The floor and the winepress shall not feed them_] _Culpam poena premit comes,_ Punishment attendeth sin at the heels. They had abused their plenty, and ascribed it to their idols; therefore shall they be c... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean [things] in Assyria. Ver. 3. They shall not dwell in the Lord's land] Because they would not live by the Lord's laws, they shall therefore be turned out of his house (so this land was called, Hos... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall not offer wine [offerings] to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices [shall be] unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD. Ver. 4. _They shall not offer... [ Continue Reading ]
What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD? Ver. 5. _What will ye do in the solemn day, &c._] _q.d._ How will ye do to laugh and leap then, as ye do now? Hosea 9:1. How will you be able to support yourselves, to keep your hearts from dying within you, when you call t... [ Continue Reading ]
For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant [places] for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns [shall be] in their tabernacles. Ver. 6. _For, lo, they are gone because of destruction_] They are gone either into Egypt fo... [ Continue Reading ]
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know [it]: the prophet [is] a fool, the spiritual man [is] mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. Ver. 7. _The days of visitation are come_] A visitation that is like to prove a vexation; for eve... [ Continue Reading ]
The watchman of Ephraim [was] with my God: [but] the prophet [is] a snare of a fowler in all his ways, [and] hatred in the house of his God. Ver. 8. _The watchman of Ephraim was with my God_] _i.e._ The false prophets above mentioned pretend themselves to be with God, and for him speak, look, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
They have deeply corrupted [themselves], as in the days of Gibeah: [therefore] he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins. Ver. 9. _They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah_] The people are as bad as possible, shamelessly, lawlessly wicked; nothing better then... [ Continue Reading ]
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: [but] they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto [that] shame; and [their] abominations were according as they loved. Ver. 10. _I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness... [ Continue Reading ]
Hosea 9:11 [As for] Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. Ver. 11. _As for Ephraim, their glory shall flee away as a bird_] Heb. Ephraim, by a nominative absolute. Or, O Ephraim, as with a sigh, or a shriek, for grief and horror... [ Continue Reading ]
Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, [that there shall] not [be] a man [left]: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! Ver. 12. _Though they bring up children, yet will I bereave them_] "If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring shall not... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, [is] planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. Ver. 13. _Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place_] And therefore pleaseth himself as not forsaken of God. But he may be angry enough with those that yet outwardly... [ Continue Reading ]
Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. Ver. 14. Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give?] This question implieth abundance of affection in the prophet, praying for this forlorn people devoted to destruction. It is the property of gracious spirits to be... [ Continue Reading ]
All their wickedness [is] in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes [are] revolters. Ver. 15. _All their wickedness is in Gilgal_] We have had the prophet's prayer: follows now the Lord's an... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay [even] the beloved [fruit] of their womb._ Ver. 16. _Ephraim is smitten_] As a tree that hath received a deadly wound, or that hath the bark pulled off it, so that the sap cannot fin... [ Continue Reading ]
My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations. Ver. 17. _My God will cast them away_] My God, not their God, for they are castaways and apostates; see the like, 1 John 5:17, and learn to stick to God the closer when others start fro... [ Continue Reading ]