Hosea 9:8

The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. THE WATCHMAN OF EPHRAIM WAS WITH MY GOD. The spiritual watchman, the true prophets, formerly consulted my God (; ); but their so-called prophet is a snare, entrapping Israel into idolatry. The Hebrew is more literal: 'Ephraim was a watchman with my God.' God had designed Ephraim or Israel, as a people, to be the watchman or prophet of God, witnessing for Him among the pagan nations; but instead of this, Ephraim was as "a snare of a fowler in all his ways," led by false prophets himself, and so misleading other nations. HATRED - rather (a cause of) "apostasy" (see...

Interpreters obscure this verse by their various opinions. Almost all suppose a verb to be understood that Ephraim “had set” a watchman. But I see no need to make any change in the words of the Prophet: I therefore take them simply as they are. Now some think that there is here a comparison between the old Prophets who had not turned aside from God’s command, and those flatterers who pretended the name of God, while they were the ministers of Satan to deceive. They therefore thus distinguish them, _The watchman of Ephraim was with my God; _that is, there was a time formerly when the watchmen of Ephraim were connected with God, and declared no strange doctrine, when they drew from the true fountain all that they taught; there was then a connection between God and the Prophets, for they depended on the mouth of God, and the Prophets delivered to the people, as from hand to hand, whatever G...

7-10 Time had been when the spiritual watchmen of Israel were with the Lord, but now they were like the snare of a fowler to entangle persons to their ruin. The people were become as corrupt as those of Gibeah, Hosea 9:19; and their crimes should be visited in like manner. At first God had found Israel pleasing to Him, as grapes to the traveller in the wilderness. He saw them with pleasure as the first ripe figs. This shows the delight God took in them; yet they followed after idolatry....

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....

THE WATCHMAN OF EPHRAIM WAS WITH MY GOD - These words may well contrast the office of the true prophet with the false. For Israel had had many true prophets, and such was Hosea himself now. The true prophet was at all times with “God.” He was “with God,” as holpen by God, “watching” or looking out and on into the future by the help of God. He was “with God,” as walking with God in a constant sense of His presence, and in continual communion with Him. He was “with God,” as associated by God with Himself, in teaching, warning, correcting, exhorting His people, as the Apostle says, “we then as workers together with Him” 2 Corinthians 6:1. It might also be rendered in nearly the same sense, “Ephraim was a watchman with my God,” and this is more according to the Hebrew words. As though the whole people of Israel had an off

EXPOSITION HOSEA 9:1 Contain a warning against security arising from temporary prosperity. HOSEA 9:1 REJOICE NOT, O ISRAEL, FOR JOY, AS OTHER PEOPLE. The occasion on which the prophet penned this section was so no idolatrous merry-making in connection with harvest, and not any change of political situation. (1) The literal rendering of the first clause is, _rejoice not unto exultation_,_ _or _exceedingly_,_ as _the same expression is translated in Job 3:22; it is thus climactic. (2) The old versions take _el-gil_ as imperative, and read אַל; μηδὲ εὐφραίνον, equivalent to "nor ma

THE WATCHMAN OF EPHRAIM [WAS] WITH MY GOD,.... Formerly the watchmen of Ephraim, or the prophets of Israel, were with the true God, whom the prophet calls his God; as Elijah and Elisha, who had communion and intimacy with him; had revelations and instructions from him; and were under the direction and inspiration of his Spirit, and prophesied in his name things according to his will, and for the good of his people: or "the watchman of Ephraim [should be] with my God"; on his side, and promote his worship and service, his honour and interest; and give the people warning from him, having heard the word at his mouth: but now they were not with him, nor for him, nor did as they should: or one that bore this character of a watchman in the ten tribes, pretended to be such a one, and would be thought to be with God, and to have his mind and will, and to be sincere for his glory: [BUT] THE PROP...

CHAPTER 8:1-9:9 The Apostasy is Followed by Judgment _ 1. The judgment announced (Hosea 8:1) _ 2. The apostasy which resulted in judgment (Hosea 8:8) 3. Warning against self-security (Hosea 9:1) Hosea 8:1. The prophet is commanded to sound the alarm of the impending judgment. The message is that the enemy will come swift as an eagle upon the house of the Lord, which here does not mean the temple (which was in connection with Judah), but Israel as the chosen people was the house, the dwelling-place of the Lord. All their spurious profession, their false claim, “My God, we know Thee, we, Israel”, will go for nothing, because

THE JOYLESS DISCIPLINE OF EXILE. The delirious joy of the popular nature-religion shall soon be exchanged for the sorrows of exile. In her own land Israel had treacherously ascribed to the Baalim the crops given by Yahweh; therefore, in a strange land, she shall lose all opportunity of sacrificing to Him. Their bread shall be as the bread of mourners, unoffered and unconsecrated in Yahweh's Temple; and what will they do for festivals? Egypt shall be their grave, and all their wealth destroyed in the day of visitation (Hosea 9:1_ a)._ If the prophet (Hosea) is mad this is explained by the universal sin against Yahweh, and the universal enmity against His prophet (Hosea 9:7_ b_, Hosea 9:8). The nation's guilt is indeed profound, and sha

THE WATCHMAN. Note the series of contrasts, what Ephraim had been, and what Ephraim had now become, which commences here; with remarks following each. See Hosea 9:10 and Hosea 9:13; Hosea 10:1; Hosea 10:9; Hosea 11:1; Hosea 13:1. WATCHMAN. Used of. true prophet in Isaiah 21:6.Jeremiah 6:17;...