In great emotion (which reflects itself in the short clauses) the prophet announces the imminent invasion of N. Israel, and its true causes idolatry and schism 1. _Set the trumpet to thy mouth_ Lit., TO THY PALATE THE CORNET! An abrupt appeal by a heavenly voice to the prophet, who is bidden to giv... [ Continue Reading ]
_Israel shall cry_ Rather, UNTO ME THEY WILL (then) CRY, MY GOD, WE ISRAEL KNOW THEE. When the punishment comes, they will cry aloud to Jehovah, and lay stress upon their belonging to Him. -Israel" is mentioned, as the title of honour (the _kunya_, comp. the commentators on Isaiah 44:5), given by Je... [ Continue Reading ]
The appeal is dismissed; Israel's piety is but superficial (comp. Hosea 6:1-4); his -knowledge of God" is not that which Jehovah expects. _hath cast off_ Not merely put aside out of caprice, but (as the word implies) CAST OFF WITH LOATHING (see Hosea 8:5).... [ Continue Reading ]
Israel's great offence making a schism in the -theocratic" community. Setting up idols was virtually rebellion against Jehovah; whatever Ahijah said (1 Kings 11:31, &c.), or a lower class of prophets after him (comp. Amos 7:12-13), the great prophets, such as Hosea, could not sanction any of the N.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off_ This rendering is very harsh in this context; Ewald prefers -He hath cast off thy calf", a contrast to -Israel hath cast off that which is good" in Hosea 8:3. But -casting off" implies a previous connexion (e. g. Psalms 43:2); it is better to revert to the i... [ Continue Reading ]
_For from Israel was it also_ Rather, WAS THIS ALSO; i. e. this idol too (as well as the usurping kings) was Israel's work, unsanctioned by me. But the construction is very dubious, and the integrity of the text may well be questioned. _the workman made it; therefore it is not God_ Lit., -and it is... [ Continue Reading ]
The consequences of Israel's evil conduct and policy are here represented under the figure of sowing and reaping. But the form of the figure is varied. First, Israel sows wind and reaps whirlwind, i.e. his present conduct is unprofitable to himself, and the requital of it shall be actual destruction... [ Continue Reading ]
_is swallowed up_ i. e. is as good as swallowed up. Foreigners have already begun to absorb the precious morsel (cf. Hosea 7:8-9); complete destruction is only a question of time. _now shall they be_ Rather, NOW ARE THEY BECOME AMONG THE NATIONS, &c. Comp. Jeremiah 22:28; Jeremiah 48:38. -The coars... [ Continue Reading ]
The judgment is already begun; Israel has drawn it upon himself, by dallying with Assyria, by religious abuses, and by a vain confidence in fortified cities.... [ Continue Reading ]
_gone up_ Used, like ἀναβαίνω, of going inland (-up the country"). _a wild ass alone by himself_ Rather, A WILD ASS TAKING HIS OWN WAY BY HIMSELF. The point of comparison is obstinacy. The wild ass is a gregarious animal, but individuals in the herd will sometimes go and roam moodily and obstinatel... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is obscure, and open to a variety of interpretations; the following however seems by far the most probable. _Yea, though they have hired among the nations_ Rather, YEA, THOUGH THEY HIRE, &c. i.e. though they attain a certain amount of success in their negotiations, and win the protection... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because_ Rather, FOR. It is a justification of the foregoing threat. _hath made many altars to sin_ In times of national trouble, sacrifices were multiplied, to propitiate the national God (comp. Isaiah 1:11). But as no corresponding effort was made to purify the conduct and the character, such sa... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have written to him_ Auth. Vers, here follows the Targum and the Peshito (the Septuagint and the Vulgate give the future), but it is more idiomatic (see p. 36, not [56] to render in the present I AM WONT TO WRITE. The prophet is fully conscious that the divinely given laws under which Israel live... [ Continue Reading ]
_They sacrifice_, &c. Rather, MY SACRIFICIAL GIFTS THEY SACRIFICE; (YEA,) FLESH, AND THEY EAT IT; i.e., their sacrifices are a mere form, Jehovah abhors them; the only positive result is that the sacrificer has the luxury of a dinner of flesh-meat. (Comp. a similar accusation against the priests, Ho... [ Continue Reading ]
A fresh reason for the -swallowing up" of which the prophet has spoken (Hosea 8:8) Israel's worldliness and self-dependence. _buildeth temples_ It seems doubtful however whether Hosea would have laid such stress on the wickedness of many temples and many altars (see Hosea 8:11). More probably -temp... [ Continue Reading ]