INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 2 This chapter is an explanation of the former, proceeding upon the same argument in more express words. The godly Israelites are here called upon to lay before the body of the people their idolatry, ingratitude, obstinacy, and ignorance of the God of their mercies; and to exh... [ Continue Reading ]
SAY YE UNTO YOUR BRETHREN, AMMI; AND TO YOUR SISTERS, RUHAMAH. These words are to be considered either in connection with the latter part of the preceding chapter, and as directed to the sons of the living God, who had not been, but now were, "Ammi", the Lord's people; and who had not, but now have,... [ Continue Reading ]
PLEAD WITH YOUR MOTHER, PLEAD,.... The congregation of Israel, as the Targum; the body of the Jewish nation, which, with respect to individuals, was as a mother to her children; see Matthew 21:37, that is, lay before her, her sin in rejecting the Messiah, the Head and Husband of his true church and... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST I STRIP HER NAKED, AND SET HER AS IN THE DAY THAT SHE WAS BORN,.... Alluding to the case of an infant when born, which comes naked into the world; and referring to the state and condition of the Israelites in Egypt, which was the time of their nativity, as a people and church; see Ezekiel 16:4,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL NOT HAVE MERCY UPON HER CHILDREN,.... The posterity of the Jews in succeeding ages, until the time of their conversion comes; they persisting in the sins of their forefathers, filling up the measure of their iniquities; remaining in their obstinate rejection of the Messiah, and in the sam... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEIR MOTHER HATH PLAYED THE HARLOT,.... Or committed idolatry; which is the reason why she is to be pleaded with, and why the Lord will not own her as his wife, or be a husband to her; and why she is to be exhorted to put away her whoredoms from her; and was in danger of all the above evils com... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, BEHOLD, I WILL HEDGE UP THY WAY WITH THORNS,.... As fields and vineyards are fenced with thorn hedges to keep out beasts; or rather as closes and fields are fenced to keep cattle in, from going out and straying elsewhere; which may be expressive of afflictions, aud particularly wars among... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE SHALL FOLLOW AFTER HER LOVERS,.... Before mentioned; that is, in her affections and desires, with great eagerness and earnestness, as men pursue what they are bent upon; otherwise, being hedged in and walled up, she could not go after them in a proper sense: BUT SHE SHALL NOT OVERTAKE THEM;... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SHE DID NOT KNOW THAT I GAVE HER CORN, AND WINE, AND OIL,.... This is a reason, not of her resolution to return to her first husband, but to go after lovers, and of her ascribing these things to them, Hosea 2:5, and why the Lord would behave towards her as he determined to do, Hosea 2:6, this ig... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE WILL I RETURN, AND TAKE AWAY,.... Or, "take away again" k; an usual Hebraism: MY CORN IN THE TIME THEREOF, AND MY WINE IN THE SEASON THEREOF; for though these are the gifts of God to men for their use, and to dispose of for the good of others; yet he retains his property in them, and can... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW WILL I DISCOVER HER LEWDNESS IN THE LOVERS,.... The people, her lovers, as the Targum; which is by many understood of the Egyptians and Assyrians; but rather means the Romans, whom the Jews courted as their friends: though it seems best to interpret it in a more general way, that the sin and... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ALSO CAUSE ALL HER MIRTH TO CEASE,.... As it must in course, this being her case, as before described, whether considered in individuals, or as a body politic, or in their church state, as follows: HER FEAST DAYS; which the Jews understand of the three feasts of tabernacles, passover, and pe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL DESTROY HER VINES AND HER FIG TREES,.... Which are mentioned for the rest, being the most fruitful and beneficial: this was done when Judea was invaded, overrun and wasted, by the Roman army; and when many were cut down, as Josephus observes, to build forts, and cast up mounts against Jer... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, I WILL VISIT UPON HER THE DAYS OF BAALIM,.... That is, punish them for all the idolatries committed by their forefathers, in the days that the several Baals, as Baalpeor, and Baalberith, and others, were worshipped by them; they their children, though not worshipping these Baalim, yet other lor... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, BEHOLD, I WILL ALLURE HER,.... Since these rough ways will not do, I will take another, a more mild and gentle way; instead of threatening, terrifying, and punishing, I will allure, persuade, and entice, giving loving words and winning language: or "nevertheless", or "notwithstanding" m:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL GIVE HER VINEYARDS FROM THENCE,.... Either from the wilderness into which she is brought; or from the time of her being brought there, allured and spoke comfortably to; which are put for all temporal blessings, and as emblems of spiritual ones: and so from the time that the Lord deals thu... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE AT THAT DAY, SAITH THE LORD,.... The Gospel day, the times of the Gospel dispensation, the latter part of them; at the time of the conversion of the Jews, and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles; at the time when God will allure and persuade them to seek the Messiah, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I WILL TAKE AWAY THE NAMES OF BAALIM OUT OF HER MOUTH,.... Out of the mouth of Israel, as Saadiah; out of the mouth of the converted Jews, and even out of the mouth of the Gentiles, as Kimchi owns; the several Baals, as Baalpeor, Baalberith, and Baalzebub, and others: the names of them should be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THAT DAY WILL I MAKE A COVENANT FOR THEM WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD,.... That is, so as to be at peace with them, as the Targum is; see Job 5:23, the sense is, the Lord here promises this unto them, and that it shall be as sure and firm, and to be as much depended upon, as if it was establi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL BETROTH THEE UNTO ME FOR EVER,.... Which is taking them into a marriage relation with himself; and is to be understood not of the whole body of God's elect, who were secretly betrothed to in the everlasting covenant from eternity; for is respects what is yet to come; but of the people the... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL EVEN BETROTH THEE UNTO ME IN FAITHFULNESS,.... Which lies in keeping the marriage contract inviolable; Christ will never suffer his faithfulness to fail, nor break his covenant; as he is faithful to his Father that appointed him, so he is, and will be, to his church and people, and to every b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY,.... When these espousals shall be made, when the marriage of the Lamb will be come, and his bride will be betrothed to him; then the whole creation, the heavens and the earth, shall contribute of their riches and plenty to make a marriage feast for them; or the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE EARTH SHALL HEAR THE CORN, AND THE WINE, AND THE OIL,.... Or "answer" here the corn, and vines, and olive trees, are represented as requesting the earth to be let into it, and receive moisture from it, that they may grow and increase, and bring forth fruit; by which may be meant the fruits a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL SOW HER UNTO ME IN THE EARTH,.... That is, Jezreel, or the people of God, the church betrothed; this is another blessing following upon the marriage relation between Christ and his people, both Jews and Gentiles, in the latter day, a multiplication of a spiritual seed and offspring. So Ki... [ Continue Reading ]