Hosea 8:1

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 give warning of the approach of the foe (comp. Hosea 5:8 note). -Palate", or -mouth", as the organ of speech, as Proverbs 5:3; Proverbs 8:7, &c.

as an eagle The Hebr. word (nesher) seems to have been specially applied to the great griffon vulture, the carrion-eating habits of which are referred to in Job 39:30; Proverbs 30:17; Matthew 24:28, and its swift flight in Deuteronomy 28:49; 2 Samuel 1:23; Jeremiah 49:22. References to this bird of prey (Assyr. nasru) are frequent in the cuneiform, inscriptions, and figures of it occur in battle-scenes on the monument. The more appropriate is it as an emblem of the Assyrian invaders. Similarly Nebuchadnezzar (whom St Jerome wrongly supposes to be meant here) is called an eagle (or vulture) in Jeremiah 49:22; Ezekiel 17:3.

the house of the Lord In chap. 2 we had the people of Israel represented as a bride who is sustained and adorned by her husband; here we have the figure completed by the description of the land of Canaan as the divine Bridegroom's house (as Hosea 9:15, comp. Hosea 8:3). This beautiful figure is obscured if, with Reynolds and Whitehouse, we compare the weakened sense, -country", of Assyr. bît. In the N.T. the house of God, or of Christ, is the Church, see Hebrews 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:15.

my covenant Most explain this of the -covenant" or contract between Jehovah and Israel. But the phrase is more probably equivalent to -mine ordinance", for the parallel clause has -my law." The Heb. word (b'rîth) sometimes appears to mean simply -appointment", -ordinance" (so 2 Kings 11:4; Jeremiah 11:6; Jeremiah 34:13; Jeremiah 34:18; Job 31:1; Psalms 105:10), which may even be the primary meaning (comp. Assyr. barû-to decide"). Comp. the phrase -the book of the covenant" (Exodus 24:7).

my law See note on Hosea 8:12.