Hosea 13:2

And now, &c. The present race is no better; they go on adding to their guilt.

idols according to their own understanding Sarcastically. Sept., Targ., Vulg., however, read -according to the pattern of idols" (there could be no art, then, in these repetitions of archaic images).

they say of them, &c. This part of the verse is very difficult; it will be best to clear up first the meaning of the closing words. There are two rival renderings, -sacrificers of men, they kiss calves" (so substantially the Sept., the Vulg., Rashi, Aben Ezra, Calvin, Horsley, Kuenen), and human sacrificers, they kiss calves (so Kimchi and many moderns). Either rendering implies a strong touch of sarcasm. In the first case, it is the strange perversity of slaying men and kissing calves which the prophet lashes; in the second, the affront to human reason in doing homage to dumb animals. The objection to the former explanation is the fact that human sacrifices were not, so far as we know, offered to the calf- or rather steer-gods, and indeed were hardly known in the land of Israel before the time of Ahaz (2 Kings 16:3). Besides, would the prophet have referred to such abominable cruelty in such a casual way, more, as has been well said, in a vein of satire than of indignation? Now let us turn to the opening words of the sentence. The parallelism in this and the following verse is so thoroughly carried out, that for symmetry's sake we can hardly help rendering, unto such [the idols] do they speak. The sarcasm is as manifest here as in the following words; what can be more absurd than to address vows and prayers to the worshippers" own handiwork, to things -which have mouths, and speak not." The objection is, that the meaning -speak" is not a common one for "âmar(properly -to say"), but Psalms 4:5 shows that the verb in question may be used absolutely, even in classical Hebrew. It is possible however that there is a corruption, and that we should read, for instance, for -speak" (or -say"), -burn incense."

kiss -Kiss", viz. as a sign of adoration or homage, by a transition like that in the usage of προσκυνέω. So whenever (a) idols, or (b) supposed divine beings, or (c) kings are referred to; comp. (a) 1 Kings 19:18, (b) Job 31:27, (c) Psalms 2:12 (Genesis 41:40; 1 Samuel 10:1 can hardly be quoted here). The -kiss" of adoration consisted sometimes, as in Job l.c., in kissing the hand towards the idol (comp. προσκυνέω again). For the kiss of homage, comp. the Assyrian phrase -they kissed my feet."

the calves i.e., the small images of an ox, such as are referred to in 1 Kings 12:28.