Hosea 5:1

CHAPTER V

This chapter begins with threatening the Israelites for

ensnaring the people to idolatry by their sacrifices and other

rites on Mizpah and Tabor, 1-5.

Their sacrifices, however costly, are declared to be

unacceptable, 6;

and their substance is devoted to the locust, 7.

Nor is judgment to stop here. The cities of Judah are called

upon, in a very animated manner, to prepare for the approach of

enemies. Benjamin is to be pursued; Ephraim is to be desolate;

and all this is intimated to Israel, that they may by

repentance avert the judgment, 8, 9.

The following verses contain farther denunciations, 10-13,

expressed in terms equally terrible and sublime, 14.

The Lord afflicts not willingly the children of men; he visits

them with temporal calamities that he may heal their spiritual

malady, 15.

NOTES ON CHAP. V

Verse Hosea 5:1. Hear ye this, O priests] A process is instituted against the priests, the Israelites, and the house of the king; and they are called on to appear and defend themselves. The accusation is, that they have ensnared the people, caused them to practise idolatry, both at Mizpah and Tabor. Mizpah was situated beyond Jordan; in the mountains of Gilead; see Judges 11:29. And Tabor was a beautiful mountain in the tribe of Zebulun. Both these places are said to be eminent for hunting, c., and hence the natural occurrence of the words snare and net, in speaking of them.