Hosea 9:1-17

Exile is at Hand

This prophecy appears to have been written in a time of rejoicing over a good harvest and vintage. Israel need not rejoice, says the prophet, with the wild joy of the heathen. Their praises to the local Baals are insults to Jehovah, whom they have denied. Their rejoicing will end in disaster, culminating in captivity either in Egypt or Assyria.

1, 2. People] RV 'peoples,' i.e. the heathen nations around. The allusion is probably to the orgies of the heathen festival. The sins of. the people called rather for sorrow and contrition.

Reward] RV 'hire,' the bounteous crops being regarded as due to the favour of the idols in return for Israel's worship. As a punishment the corn and wine would fail.

3. See on Hosea 8:13. Egypt and Assyria were the nations which assailed them on either side. By one of them they would be taken captive. 'Unclean food' (RV), in contrast to the fertile products of their own land: cp. 2 Kings 18:27; Ezekiel 4:12; Ezekiel 4:13.