CHAPTER IX _The prophet reproves the Israelites for their sacrifices and_ _rejoicings on their corn-floors, by which they ascribed to_ _idols, as the heathen did, the praise of all their plenty_, 1. _For which reason they are threatened with famine and exile_, 2, 3, _in a land where they shoul... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:3. _BUT EPHRAIM SHALL RETURN TO EGYPT_] See on Hosea 8:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:4. _AS THE BREAD OF MOURNERS_] By the law, a dead body, and every thing that related to it, the house where it lay, and the persons who touched it, were all polluted and unclean, and whatever they touched was considered as defiled. See Deuteronomy 26:14; Numbers 19:11; Numbers 19:13-4.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:5. _WHAT WILL YE DO IN THE SOLEMN DAY_] When ye shall be despoiled of every thing by the Assyrians; for the Israelites who remained in the land after its subjection to the Assyrians did worship the true God, and offer unto him the sacrifices appointed by the law, though in an imperfect... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:6. _FOR, LO, THEY ARE GONE_] Many of them fled to Egypt to avoid the _destruction_; but they went there only to _die_. _MEMPHIS_] Now _Cairo_, or _Kahira_, found them _graves_. _THE PLEASANT_ PLACES _FOR THEIR SILVER_] The fine estates or _villas_ which they had purchased by their mo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:7. _THE DAYS OF VISITATION_] Of punishment _are come_. _THE PROPHET_ IS _A FOOL_] Who has pretended to foretell, on Divine authority, peace and plenty; for behold all is desolation. _THE SPIRITUAL MAN_] איש הרוח _ish haruach, the man of spirit_, who was _ever pretending_ to be under... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:8. _THE WATCHMAN OF EPHRAIM_] The true prophet, _was_ _with_-faithful to, _God_. _THE PROPHET_] The _false prophet_ is the _snare of a fowler_; is continually deceiving the people, and leading them into _snares_, and infusing into their hearts deep hatred against God and his worship.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:9. _THEY HAVE DEEPLY CORRUPTED_ THEMSELVES, _AS IN THE DAYS_ _OF GIBEAH_] This relates to that shocking rape and murder of the Levite's wife, mentioned Judges 19:16, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:10. _I FOUND ISRAEL LIKE GRAPES IN THE WILDERNESS_] While they were faithful, they were as _acceptable_ to me as _ripe grapes_ would be to a _thirsty traveller_ in the desert. _I SAW YOUR FATHERS_] Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, c. _AS THE FIRST RIPE_] Those gra... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:11. _THEIR GLORY SHALL FLY AWAY_] It shall suddenly spring away from them, and return no more. _FROM THE BIRTH_] "So that there shall be no birth, no carrying in the womb, no conception."-_Newcome_. They shall cease to glory in their _numbers_; for no _children_ shall be _born_, no wo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:12. _THOUGH THEY BRING UP THEIR CHILDREN_] And were they even to have children, I would _bereave them_ of them; for, when I _depart from them_, they shall have all manner of wretchedness and wo.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:13. _EPHRAIM, AS I SAW TYRUS_] Tyre was strongly situated on a rock in the sea; Samaria was on a mountain, both strong and pleasant. But the strength and beauty of those cities shall not save them from destruction. _EPHRAIM SHALL BRING FORTH HIS CHILDREN TO THE MURDERER._] The people... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:14. _GIVE THEM, O LORD: WHAT WILT THOU GIVE?_] There is an uncommon beauty in these words. The prophet, seeing the evils that were likely to fall upon his countrymen, begins to make intercession for them; but when he had formed the first part of his petition, "Give them, O Lord!" the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:15. _ALL THEIR WICKEDNESS_ IS _IN GILGAL_] though we are not directly informed of the fact, yet we have reason to believe they had been guilty of some scandalous practices of idolatry in _Gilgal_. See Hosea 4:15. _FOR THERE I HATED THEM_] And therefore he determined, "for the wickedne... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:16. _EPHRAIM IS SMITTEN_] The thing being determined, it is considered as already done. _THEIR ROOT IS DRIED UP_] They shall never more be a kingdom. And they never had any political form from their captivity by the Assyrians to the present day. _YEA, THOUGH THEY BRING FORTH_] Hosea... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Hosea 9:17. _MY GOD WILL CAST THEM AWAY_] Here the prophet seems to apologize for the severity of these denunciations; and to vindicate the Divine justice, from which they proceeded. It is - _BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HEARKEN UNTO HIM_] That "my God," the fountain of mercy and kindness, "will cast... [ Continue Reading ]