These two verses “contain a kind of prelude to the distressful scene
which is opened immediately after: for the prophet, designing to
describe the melancholy state of the _adulterous church_, to be
chastised by the severe judgments of God, beholds, as it were in an
ecstasy, the few pious and good me... [ Continue Reading ]
_But draw near hither_, &c. “The prophet proceeds to exhibit the
church, totally corrupt as it was, the good men being extinct or
dispersed; so that they who remained of the pure seed of the church
lay hid in solitary places, while the body of the church appeared like
a dead carcass; not the true, b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Inflaming yourselves with idols_ Hebrew, הנחמים, _being
inflamed_, or _growing hot, after idols_, as Dr. Waterland renders it.
Lusting after them, and _mad upon them_, as the phrase is, Jeremiah
50:38. Fervent, both in making and in worshipping them, as was
observed Isaiah 44:12. _Under every green... [ Continue Reading ]
_Upon a lofty and high mountain_ In high places, which were much used
for religious worship, both by the Israelites and heathen: _hast thou
set thy bed_ Thine altar, as appears from the sacrifice mentioned in
the next clause, where thou didst commit spiritual whoredom with
idols. _Behind the doors a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou wentest to the king_, &c. That is, the king of Assyria or Egypt,
to whom the Israelites were very prone to seek, and trust, and send
presents. Hosea reproaches the Israelites for the same practice: _They
make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt, Hosea
12:1_. Thus the prophet... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou art wearied with the greatness of thy way_ Thou hast not eased,
or relieved, but only tired thyself with all thy tedious journeys and
laborious endeavours. _Yet sayest thou not, There is no hope_ And yet
thou didst not perceive that thy labour was lost, and that thy case
was not mended, but ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of whom hast thou been afraid_, &c. And what, or who are they, the
fear of whom drives thee to these wicked and desperate practices? Are
they not weak and mortal creatures, such as wholly depend upon me, and
can do nothing without me? The fear of my displeasure ought, in all
reason, to outweigh all... [ Continue Reading ]
_For thus saith the high and lofty One_ The omnipotent and supreme
Ruler of the universe; _that inhabiteth eternity_ Who is from
everlasting to everlasting, without beginning of days, or end of life,
or change of time; _who only hath immortality_, hath it of himself,
and that constantly; who _inhabi... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the iniquity of his covetousness_ The covetousness of the Jewish
people, (here addressed as one man,) who were eminently guilty of this
sin before the Babylonish captivity, as is expressly affirmed,
Jeremiah 6:13; and Jeremiah 8:10; and they were still more addicted to
it in the time of Christ,... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have seen his ways_ I have taken notice of those evil ways in which
he seems resolved to walk, and that he is neither reformed by mercies
nor judgments; _and will heal him_ Or rather, _yet I will heal him:_
although I might justly destroy him, and leave him to perish in his
own ways, yet, of my m... [ Continue Reading ]
_I create_ I will, by my almighty power, in a wonderful manner
produce; _the fruit of the lips_ Praise and thanksgiving, termed the
fruit of the lips, Hosea 14:2; Hebrews 13:15. God creates this fruit
of the lips, by giving new subjects and causes of thanksgiving, by his
mercies conferred on those a... [ Continue Reading ]