ANNOTATIONS ON HOSEA

THE ARGUMENT

Immediately after King Solomon's death, the Jewish nation was divided into two kingdoms under Rehoboam, and Jeroboam. Rehoboam, Solomon's son, reigned over two tribes, Judah, and Benjamin. And that kingdom was called the kingdom of Judah; because the tribe of Judah was the principal part of. And this continued in Rehoboam, and his successors; twenty in all, counting in himself and Athaliah, until the time of the Babylonish captivity. The other kingdom, over which Jeroboam first reigned, was called the kingdom of Israel; as containing all the other ten tribes of Israel. And this continued also in twenty successors, until the time of the Assyrian captivity, in the days of King Hoshea, when Hezekiah reigned over Judah. And so this kingdom ended 133 years before that of Judah. What caused that miserable division, appears, 1 King. 12. As Israel fell from Judah; so did they fall from the pure service of God, worshiping him after their own fantasies, and traditions of men, giving themselves to vile idolatries. Jeroboam set up two calves; erected altars, ordained feasts, priests and sacrifices of his own invention. Yet the Lord from time to time sent to them extraordinary prophets; and more in number than he did to the kingdom of Judah. By them to supply the defect of the ordinary ministry of priests & Levites; to call them back to repentance; to keep his elect in the profession of his covenant, and enjoyment of his grace; to reprove and condemn the wicked, by denunciation of God's judgments; that so some form of a church, and God's right might be preserved in that nation, which through his patience did yet bear his name and badge. Among others, Hosea the prophet was raised up: and at the same time with him, Esay, Amos, Joel, Jonah, and Micah, extraordinary prophets all, lived and prophesied. A rare age of prophets. Hosea faithfully executed his office very many years. Yet how many, is not so easily, and certainly collected. The reckonings of the years of the kings of Judah, and of the kings of Israel linked in with them, in whose reigns this prophet prophesied, being so intricate and perplexed. Hosea is sent, chiefly to Israel; yet has and lisps a word of prophecy for Judah also. Summarily he tells Israel, their mother is an adulteress; themselves, the children of whoredoms; exhorts them to leave their manifold sins and idolatries; and to return to the Lord, upon his promises of mercy: else threatens them with grievous judgments: and tells them God will take away their kingdom, and give them up for captives to the Assyrians: which accordingly came to pass. Intermixing yet some consolatory promises, of their conversion, and God's gracious acceptation, at the last. Somewhat more distinctly, and particularly, thus;

Hosea is commanded to prophesy, in

●        Types,

1.       Of a wife of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms: propounded, and applied, Chap. 1. Applied more fully, Chap. 2.

2.       Of an adulteress, bought by him for a wife; with the application of it, Chap. 3.

●        Terms plain and express. And so; he charges them with sins; threatens judgments; exhorts to repentance; and promises mercies. And all these are intermingled, and go over again, and again; in all the residue of the prophecy: we may someway help to distinguish them, thus.

Hosea from God, and in his name

1. Charges several sins; and threatens sundry judgments upon Israel, Chap. 4. Israel, and Judah, Chap. 5.

2. Exhorts to repentance. Chap. 6.

3. Israel, and Ephraim, do yet continue on in their sins: and return not; but deceitfully, Chap. 7.

4. Hereupon, their sins, and God's judgments, are again propounded, charged, and denounced: specially the sins of their idol calves, and other idolatries: and their seeking help of Asshur, and of Egypt, Chap. 8. Pressed further, and persecuted, Chap. 9. & 10.

5. After all which, God again woos them, by his love, and seeks to win them by his gracious dealings; notwithstanding their wayward wickedness: he allays his just provoked anger, and promises them future grace, Chap. 11.

6. And yet not prevailing, he does last of all recount once more Ephraim's sins of deceitful dealing with God, and of flying to foreign aids; (giving withal a touch upon Judah,) declaring the contrary example of the dealing of their father Jacob: and taxes their guileful covetousness, and idolatry, notwithstanding God's good dealing with them, both now, and of old, Chap. 12. Threatens his fierce wrath, and their desolation, for their idolatry still persisted in, notwithstanding his favors again mentioned, both past, and to come, Chap. 13. Concludes, with an excellent exhortation to Israel, to return, and repent, prescribing the very form of it; with promises annexed, of grace for conversion at the last; and of abundant blessings, set forth by many similitudes, to be freely vouchsafed to them, Chap. 14.

CHAPTER 1

Vers. 1. {The word} God in this chapter commands Hosea, in a vision, to take a wife of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms. By that type to convince Israel of their whorish impiety against the Lord. And by the naming of his children, Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah, and Lo-ammi, he does declare and denounce his most severe judgments, speedily to come upon the then reigning house of Jehu, for his sins; and also upon all Israel: as likewise his denying them any mercy; and renouncing them from being his people; and the taking them away by the Assyrian. With promises annexed of more mercy to the house of Judah; and of mercy to both Israel and Judah, at the last, in their union, conversion, and reception again, to be his people.

{of the LORD, &c.} So again, ver. 2. Not man's word; nor the prophets'; but God's, by him. He is the Lord's mouth in speaking it; the Lord's hand in writing it, 2 Tim. 3.16. 2 Pet. 1.21. Hereupon Matthew alleges him, Chap. 2.15. and Paul cites his authority, Rom. 9.25, 26. 1 Cor. 15.54. and our Savior himself likewise, Mat. 9.13. & 12.7.

{that came unto Hosea} As the Lord's ambassador, sent by him, with these words, instructions, mandates, messages to be delivered to his people. Hosea, no false prophet that comes unsent, and brings his own words and dreams. But he that hears Hosea, hears the Lord, Luk. 10.16.

{in the days of Uzziah, &c.} Called also Ozias, Mat. 1.8. and Azzariah, 2 King. 14.21. Of him, read 2 King. 15.1–6. 2 Chr. 26. In which year of his reign, Hosea began to prophesy, is not specified. And the beginning, and the end of his reign, are also, both subject to various opinions among interpreters, and chronologers. Some, make him to begin at the seventeenth of his father Amazia, and second of Jeroboam. Others, twelve years after, at the death of Amaziah; and so in the fourteenth of Jeroboam. Others, twelve or thirteen years, after the death of Amaziah; supposing a space of regency, or interregnum, during that time: and so in the twenty seventh of Jeroboam. And for the end of the reign of Uzziah, some make to be at the time of his leprosy; and vary also about that time. Others, at the time of his death.

{Jotham} Began in the second year of Pekah: and reigned sixteen years, 2 King. 15.32, 33. And this, after the death of his father Uzziah. See 2 King. 15.5. 2 Chr. 26.21. Jotham judged the people of the land, in the time of his father's leprosy: and then he is 25 years old, 2 King. 15.33. and 47. at the beginning of his own reign. That twentieth year of Jotham, mentioned, 2 King. 15.30. appears plainly, to be the twentieth since Jotham began to reign; and was indeed, and properly the fourth of Ahaz. See annotations on that place.

{Ahaz} Aged 20. Some say, when himself: others, when his father Jotham began to reign. Ahaz is called king of Israel, 2 Chron. 28.19. Haply, as being more like them in idolatries, and fitter for them in all manner of abominations, than to be any king of Judah, vers. 22. Ahaz begins in the seventeenth of Pekah, 2 King. 16.1, 2. and Pekah reigning 20 years, 2 King. 15.27. This evinces Hoshea the successor of Pekah to begin his reign in the 4th. of Ahaz. Ahaz reigned 16 years.

{Hezekiah} Aged 25. and therefore begotten in the eleventh year of the age of Ahaz, if Ahaz was 20 years old when he himself began to reign; and not his father, which may well be; considering the time wherein Judah the son of Jacob, and his sons, begat their children, before their going into Egypt, Gen. 46.12. At that age of 25. Hezekiah begins to reign. And that beginning must needs be in the 12 of Hoshea, reckoning, as was showed from the fourth of Ahaz. Which twelfth is the third year of Hoshea, 2 King. 18.1, 2. That is, since he became tributary to Salmaneser.

{Kings of Judah} Judah and Benjamin; and that kingdom was called the kingdom of Judah; because the tribe of Judah was the chief part of it: and this continued in 20 successions, till the Babylonish captivity; as has been said.

{Jeroboam} Amos 1.1. & Chap. 7.9, 10, 11. 2 King. 14.27. Distinguished here from Jeroboam the son of Nebat. He begins to reign in the fifteenth year of Amaziah king of Judah; reigns 41 years: dies in the reign of Uzziah, some say in the 14, some in the 27, and some in the 38 year of Uzziah's reign; according to the various opinions of the beginning of Uzziah's reign, formerly mentioned. Hosea prophesying till the time of Hezekiah, it must needs follow, that he prophesied also in the days of Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea, six other kings of Israel. And yet for all this, the time how long Hosea prophesied, does still remain uncertain; though we should begin the account in the last year of Jeroboam, and end it in the first of Hezekiah; and all because the last of Jeroboam is so greatly doubted in what year of Uzziah it does take its period and determination. Those who will have Jeroboam's last year to be in the 14 of Uzziah, do not only allow the whole 29 years to Amaziah, but also are forced to admit of an interregnum of 13 years in the kingdom of Judah after the death of Amaziah, before Uzziah began to reign. And withal, finding undeniably, that Zechariah the son of Jeroboam did begin to reign in the 38 of Uzziah, they are forced again to admit of an interregnum of 24 years between Jeroboam & Zachariah, in the kingdom of Israel. Of either of which interregnums, there is not the least intimation in the Scripture. Those who end Jeroboam's reign in the 27 of Uzziah, are forced to admit of an interregnum of 11 years between his death, and the beginning of the reign of his son Zachariah, 2 King. 15.8. Those who make Jeroboam's last to fall in with the 38 of Uzziah, do take for their ground that undeniable truth, that Uzziah's death, and end of his reign, falls in with the first year of Pekah king of Israel, 2 King. 15.27. And counting backward 52 years, the time of the reign of Uzziah, it brings us to the second or third year of Jeroboam's reign, and 17 or 18 of Amaziah, or first of Uzziah: and this makes Jeroboam's death to fall in the 38 year of Uzziah; and so cuts off any interregnum, either in Judah, or Israel; and makes a perfect concordance between the times of the reigns of the kings of Judah, and of the kings of Israel, as the Scripture does record them: thus, Joash, or Jehoash of Judah, and Jehoahaz of Israel, die in the same year, 2 King. 12.[illegible verse] compared with Chap. 13.1. Thence, in Judah,

●        Amaziah: 17.

●        Uzziah: 52. 2 King. 15.2.

●        Jotham: 16. 2 King. 15.33.

●        Ahaz: 16. 2 King. 16.2.

●        101.

ISRAEL.

●        Joash, or Jehoash of Israel: 16. 2 King. 13.10.

●        Jeroboam: 41. 2 King. 14.23.

●        Zach. & Shal.: 0. 2 K. 15.8, 13.

●        Menahem: 10. 2 K. 15.17.

●        Pekahiah: 2. 2 Kin. 15.23.

●        Pekah: 20. 2 K. 15.27.

●        Hoshea: 12.

●        101.

And thus, the

●        1 of Jeroboam falls in with the 15. of Amaziah, 2 King. 14.23.

●        1 of Zachariah falls in with the 38. of Uzziah, 2 King. 18.8.

●        1 of Shallum, & Menahem falls in with the 39. of Uzziah, 2 King. 15.13. 17.

●        1 of Pekahiah falls in with the 50. of Uzziah, 2 King. 15.23.

●        1 of Pekah falls in with the 52. of Uzziah, 2 King. 15.27.

●        1 of Hosheah falls in with the 4. of Ahaz, or 20 years since Jotham began to reign, 2 King. 15.30.

12. of Hoshea, or third year of his tributary reign, falls in with the first of Hezekiah, 2 King. 18.1.

And now thus reckoning from the last of Jeroboam, in the 38 year of Uzziah, to the first of Ezekiah, our prophet Hosea prophesied at least 47 years. Others, that place Jeroboam's death in the 27 year of Uzziah, make him prophesy 58 years. And they that place Jeroboam's death in the 14 year of Uzziah, make him prophesy 69 years. How long Hosea prophesied in the days of Jeroboam; and how long in the days of Hezekiah, is not set down in Scripture.

In all this chronology of times aforesaid, we leave the reader to his own judgment; and do not prejudice the different opinions of learned men. Only we think good for the better clearing and understanding of that text, 2 King. 15.1. to signify, that it is not to be understood, that Azariah, or Uzziah began to reign in the 27 of Jeroboam; for so should Jeroboam die in the 14 year of Uzziah: which enforces that inconvenience of a double interregnum formerly mentioned. The word began is not in that text. Only this is, that Uzziah was reigning then in that 27 year of Jeroboam, being the most likely the 24 or 25 of his own reign. And most likely; that in that 27 of Jeroboam, Uzziah was stricken with leprosy; as it follows, vers. 5. of that chapter. This long continuance of Hosea in prophesying shows, his constancy and fidelity in his office; God's great patience; the people's invincible obstinacy in their sins, and the justness of God's judgments upon them in the end. The book seems to contain the sums of his sermons, or the main heads of such matters as he usually preached upon.

{King of Israel} As containing all the other ten tribes of Israel. Under this second Jeroboam, the kingdom of Israel was most prosperous and flourishing: and yet even then this prophet denounces threatenings of devastation and ruin for their sins; when it seemed to them a thing incredible; and accordingly over-speedily it came so to pass.

V. 2. {The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea} Heb. The beginning of Jehovah's speech in Hosea, 2 Cor. 13.3. Heb. 1.1. Mat. 10.20. To signify the inward prophetical revelation, Numb. 12.6. 2 Sam. 23.2. Most truly may that of the poet be applied here, Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo. The former verse contains a general inscription of the whole prophecy. This most specially declares with what God first began; and is the inscription of this chapter. Joshua brought them into the land, Numb. 13.9. Deut. 1.38. In the reign of King Hoshea, they were carried captives out of the land, 2 King. 17. Hosea the prophet does tax their undutifulness, and unthankfulness for the one; and foretell their fearful deserved calamity in the other. Hosea, and Joshua differ little in name, and signification, from Jesus.

{The LORD said to Hosea} He begins roughly. As a herald he bids open war to Israel in God's name. He does not speak placentia; but thunders against them, because their sins were as diseases incurable and desperate; and had so long continued from the days of the first Jeroboam. And he speaks nothing out of his own brain; but is the Lord's organ and instrument: God instructs and directs him. The prophets deliver what they receive from the Lord. And hereupon depends their authority; and the people's duty of attention, belief, and obedience.

{Go, take} It is likely that all this was commanded and seemed to the prophet to be performed in vision, which being related to the people, they might in the looking-glass of this allegory, perceive their duty toward God, and their rebellion and disloyalty, and the punishment which God would inflict upon them for it. See Chap. 3.1. Some thus, that God commanded him only to speak all this to the people, as a parable or figure; that by this means, in his person, as in a lively picture, they might see the representation of their own whorish estate and condition; and the like is that, Esay 28.23. Jer. 13.4. Ezek. 3. & 4. Chap. and 8.3, 8. yet some will needs understand all literally, and seek to justify it by the authority of God commanding it, for the special use following: and parallel it with that, 1 King. 20.37. & Gen. 22.2. and Exod. 11.2. with Chap. 12.36. And these understand the forenamed places of Esay, and Ezekiel; as also that Jer. 28.10, 12. all literally: and that this was done, the more thereby to affect and work upon the hearts of the people.

{of whoredoms} A notorious infamous whore, as a man of bloods, and of sorrows, signifies men notorious in these kinds. Though some say, that she had been such, before the prophet took her; not so afterwards. Others, that she was not such at first; but that after he took her, she turned whore.

{and children of whoredoms} Some conceive them taken with the mother; and so born in whoredoms before the prophet took her; and so not those begotten of her by the prophet, and mentioned hereafter in this chapter, which nothing agrees with the text. Others, understand those children hereafter named, and that they were born by unlawful copulation, though the prophet did bear the name, or that he should say so of her, and them, to the people, and give it out so, and traduce them as such. Others, conceive the words to bear, that the same children were taken with the mother by the prophet, and yet are said to be begotten by him of her. Or that they were begotten by him of her, and yet called children of whoredoms, because of the ill name and fame of the mother. And they make this the rather to evince all this to be only in vision, or as a parable, type and figure propounded, and preached to the people.

{For the Land} The end, use, and application, of the former command, vision, or type. I will have you in this manner represent unto the people their idolatries, and spiritual strayings, and to reprove them for it, Chap. 2.4. John 8.41. See Psal. 73.27. and Ezek. 23.3, 5. Their idolatry indeed, was their grand sin, and the wellspring of their other sins. And it is likened to whoredom, in relation to that usual assimilation of God, to an husband, and the church to his wife, Chap. 22.16. Jer. 3.1, 8, 20. Ezek. 16.8. whence jealousy is attributed to God, Exod. 20.4.

{From the LORD} And his word, and going a whoring after her lovers, as adulteresses do, Chap. 2.5, 13. Exod. 34.15. The people of that pleasant land, the land of promise, did deal thus treacherously against such an husband, against the Lord.

V. 3. {Took} He preached this type, parable, or vision. Though some, as was said, take it literally, as a thing really acted by him. We must obey God, even in things that seem to be never so much against our reason and sense.

{Gomer} Some think it was the name of a famous strumpet, which lived in those days. Others, that is a feigned name, to set out the qualities of this people, as well in grace (for it may signify perfection) as in judgment, for it may be taken for the end or final extirpation.

{Diblaim} The reason of this name which seems also figurative, is very obscure. Some have held it the name of a wilderness, Ezek. 6.14. to show the church's wretched beginning in its own nature; as Cant. 3.6. Ezek. 16.7. Others, say it signifies clusters of figs, Jer. 24.3.

{Bare him a son} It seems that by those three children, born to the prophet, was figured the ruin of the ten tribes, which were effected at three several times. First, in the extirpation of John his house by Shallum, 2 King. 15.10, 12. The other two were by the invasions of the kings of Assyria, Tiglath-Pilneser, 2 King. 15.19. 1 Chron. 5.2, 6. and Shalmeneser, 2 King. 17.3, 6. If this were literally understood, it would much have retarded the beginning of the prophet's preaching.

V. 4. {Jezreel} Meaning, that they were no more worthy to be called Israelites, of which name they boasted, because Israel did prevail with God; but that they were as bastards, and deserved to be called Jezreelites, that is scattered people; alluding to Jezreel, which was the chief city of the ten tribes under Ahab, where Jehu shed so much blood, 2 King. 9.24, 31. & 10.8, 11, 17. This name then should be a monument of the blood there shed by Jehu, and of God's vengeance to be executed for it in that same place, vers. 5.

{Yet a little while} The meaning of his first passage and prophecy, see 1 King. 14.14. Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reigned only 6 months, and was slain by Shallum, and the kingdom taken from the posterity of Jehu. See 2 King. 15.10, 12. yet was this 100 years after that bloody sin of Jehu, Esay 65.20.

{Avenge} Heb. visit; as Chap. 2.13. & 4.9. & 8.13. & 9.9.

{The blood of Jezreel} Namely, the executions done by Jehu in Jezreel, 2 King. 9.24, 33. & 10.11, 17.

{upon the house of Jehu} Jehu his house and posterity do suffer here for Jehu his sin. God stirred up Jehu to execute his judgments upon Ahab's house, which thing he did, and for that was rewarded, 2 King. 10.30. and to reestablish God's service which he did not, 2 King. 10.31. he reformed Baal; but not the calves of Dan and Bethel: wherefore those former executions, are imputed unto him for so many murders. See 1 King. 16.7. because he did not the former commands with an upright heart. And withal his bloodiness upon Ahaziah and his brethren was cruel, and beyond his commission. God will be the avenger of blood. Jehu did not God's work for God, but for himself; out of his desire to reign. We must see to it, that our heart be upright and sincere in doing God service and business; that we serve God in it, and not ourselves, and our own turn; and so subject the works of God to our own base ends.

{will cause to cease} The kingdom of Jehu in the house of Israel. And by the rooting out of the line of Jehu, the kingdom of Israel received such a blow, that it could never rise again. Of the utter cessation of the kingdom, see vers. 9. kingdoms have their changes and periods.

V. 5. {At that day} When the time of vengeance shall come, and they ripe for it, I will beat down the power of Israel, taking from them all means of defending themselves. And God broke the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel, when Jehu's wicked house smarted for Ahab's; as Ahab's did for Naboth.

{the bow} Bows then much used in war. See on Zech. 10:4. By the bow Jehu got the crown, 2 Kings 9:24. They thought themselves strong in men and arms. But this should not hinder God's breaking of them; for all their vain boasting and confidence, he would tame them.

{for the valley of Jezreel} This seems allotted to the tribe of Ephraim, or to Manasseh, Josh. 17:16. yet some assigns the city to Issachar, Josh. 19:18. The Midianites and Amalekites camped here, Judg. 6:33. Saul slain here, 1 Sam. 29:1, 11. Ishbosheth made king over it, and the most of Israel, 2 Sam. 2:9. Naboth dwelt, and was stoned in Jezreel, and Ahab had a palace here, 1 Kings 21. It was a strong and fortified city in his time. Hither he came from Carmel, and Elias ran on foot before him, 1 Kings 18:45, 46. Here were Jezebel, and Jehoram the son of Ahab slain by Jehu, 2 Kings 9. For whose slaughters made there, God would be avenged there, even in that place, wherein they much gloried and boasted; and where they thought their greatest strength and security to be. See Nah. 3:12, 13, 8, 10. There was a city in the tribe of Judah of that name, Josh. 15:56.

V. 6. {Conceived again} God, by his prophet, gradually proceeds to describe the state of the people in sin and punishment. They still grow worse and worse.

{Lo-ruhamah} That is, not having obtained mercy: whereby he signifies that God's favor was departed from them. See Rom. 9:25. See ver. 10. as a daughter whom the father does repudiate and cast off.

{I will no more} Heb. I will not add any more to. Because I have pardoned them enough already: therefore I will suffer them to be spoiled by Tiglath-Pilneser, who captivates Galilee, and by him to be unpitied. See it performed, 1 Chr. 5:26. See Chap. 2:4. See the like commination, Jer. 13:14. Amos 7:8. See likewise, Jer. 15:1. Ezek. 14:14. Zeph. 2:1. Judg. 12:16. Hitherto he had used much patience and forbearance; had been hasty to wrath and revenge, but had tried all means of their amendment, and expected long. But now he would delay no longer, Amos 3:2.

{But I will utterly} Or, that I should altogether, or any ways pardon them; they were never brought back again, as the Jews were from Babylon. Thus God's last strokes are the dreadfullest and deadliest.

V. 7. {The house of Judah} In which the covenant service, and church of God remained: and which Pekah, and Rezin, Israel joining with Syria, sought after to destroy, Esay 7:1. and which before that was miserably wasted by Joash or Jehoash the father of this Jeroboam, in the days of Amaziah, 2 Kings 14. & now was despicable and forlorn, in the eyes of Israel. This is inserted, to abate their pride against Judah: and to provoke them to follow their example, and to show, that though Israel were rejected, yet God would have his church, upon which he would have mercy. So Mal. 3:10. Esay 65:13. yea, mercy still, notwithstanding their future crosses and miseries, by Israel, Syria, and Assyria.

{Save them by the LORD} By myself miraculously; or by virtue of the everlasting Son of God, perpetual head, and Savior of his church, Isa. 7:14. He saved Judah from the Assyrian miraculously, sending an angel to destroy their camp, 2 Kings 19:35. at Jerusalem, or Lybna. See Esay 36:2. and 37:8, 9, 14, 33. and after brought Judah back from the Babylonish captivity.

{their God} He is not your God; notwithstanding all the pretenses and claims you make thereunto.

{and will not save them by} Zach. 4:6. Not by their own power, or foreign forces. God needs not human helps. Neither does man's safety and salvation depend upon the arm of flesh and blood, but upon the favor and power of the Lord, Esay 43:7, 15. Psal. 33:16. and 44:5, 6. Exod. 15:16. Psal. 21:13. & 44:7, 8.

V. 9. {Lo-ammi} That is, not my people, Rom. 9:25. for you do not worship me as my people should: and therefore as you have rejected me by your idolatry, so I will cast you off. This is the last abdication and disinheriting of them; counting them now as in the rank of other heathen nations: and yet this is prophesied and foretold in the time of the flourishing reign of the second Jeroboam.

{I will not be your} God is here understood. The like ellipsis is, Ezek. 16:8. The covenant between God and his people, frequently mentioned; as Chap. 2:23. Jer. 11:4. is here broken off. Because, you have changed the unchangeable condition of the covenant; I will not do you good, as your God; but will suffer Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, to carry you all captive, that Israel may be no people. See it fulfilled, 2 Kings 17.

V. 10. {yet the number} See Jer. 30:7. Because, they thought that God could not have been true to his promise, except he had preserved them; as Matt. 3:9. he declares, that though they were destroyed, yet the true Israelites, which are the sons of the promise should be without number; which stand, both of the Jews and Gentiles, Rom. 9:24. Mark 3:11. thus he answers their secret objection, and refels their vain confidence, whereby they slighted God's threatenings. Others, think it may be understood, of the multiplication of this people, in all their dispersions, until the time of their conversion: and to be a kind of qualification, of the sharpness of the former sentence which makes way to that which follows in the next chapter Chap. 2:14—23. And a consolation, that their foresaid abdication and rejection, should be such, as yet a seed should remain, an elect seed, that should multiply, and grow innumerable. So that God will be as sure as his word, and make good his promises; that to Abraham, Gen. 22:5. and preserve his church, when the vile sinners and hypocrites perish, his church shall grow to be more pure and numerous. The full accomplishment hereof, is more verified in the spiritual, than in the carnal seed of Israel.

{not numbered} See Gen. 32:12. Heb. 11:12.

{come to pass} Rom. 9:25, 26. 1 Pet. 2:10.

{in the place} Or, instead of that. By the Gospel which they shall at last receive, they will obtain a more firm covenant and conjunction with God, being made not only his people and subjects, but his children by grace and adoption, and regeneration of spirit, and holy spiritual liberty: when Christ begins to preach where captivity began, Isai. 9:1.

{it shall be said unto them} As Isa. 16:16. and 61:6. and 1:26.

V. 11. {Then shall the children of Judah} To wit, after the captivity of Babylon, when the Jews were restored: but chiefly this is referred to the time of the Messiah, who should be acknowledged and accepted for the head of his church, by Judah and Israel joined, and Gentiles united to the church, Rom. 11:12, 15, 25. 2 Cor. 3:16. See Esay 11:13. Jer. 3:18. Ezek. 37:16, 22, 24. The Jews, the children of Abraham, shall not be utterly excluded, and clean cast out, when the Gentiles are brought in; they shall be as the firstfruits and firstborn in the church, at and after Christ's coming.

{gathered together} They were separated by the means of Jeroboam the first.

{one head} Of the house of David. Hereby is principally meant the Messiah, Christ the head of the church, Eph. 1:22. and 4:15. and 5:23. Ezek. 37:22, 24.

{come up out of the land} Upon Cyrus his grant the Jews shall appoint them Zorobabel, and return from Chaldea into Judea; and many Israelites, in banishment, shall separate themselves from the world, and go up (in expectation of the heavenly kingdom) to build Jerusalem, and so to go on in the way to the kingdom of heaven. See Jer. 23:8. Psal. 110:3. This was the beginning of their instauration. Their captivity should not hinder the accomplishment of this promise in the former verse: but the coming up thence should serve as a type of their spiritual collection to and under Christ. He phrases this as with an eye to that type.

{day of Jezreel} Though the calamity and destruction of Jezreel shall be so great, that to restore them, shall be as a miracle; yet that shall not hinder their reduction and instauration. Others thus, that time will be admirable, by reason of the gathering together of the Israelites, which before seemed rather to be Jezreel (that is, a people dispersed of God) than an Israel. See Luke 19:42. Psal. 81:15. Isa. 33:6.

CHAPTER 2

Vers. 1. {Say} God charges the godly children to plead against the church of Israel their mother, for her sin, that she may repent; lest his vengeance break forth against her in dreadful manner. And thereafter eftsoons repeated; their sins, and his judgments: with promises, at the last, of their conversion; and of his manifold mercies, corporal and spiritual, to be vouchsafed thereupon: so that the people's idolatry, and God's punishments against the impenitent, and his promises to the penitent, are all here more fully and clearly held out, than in the former chapter.

{ye} You Hosea, and other prophets, present, and to come, and all other believers among this people, do not yet hold them as altogether rejected, to leave them to their own lusts; but call them to repentance, setting before them what is the duty of God's people, signified by Ammi, that is, my people, towards those, to whom God has not shut up the bowels of his mercy, which is signified by Ruhamah. And thus also he exhorts too faithful, that they invite and encourage one another, to embrace and receive the glorious promises last mentioned, and to a mutual congratulation among them for the same. And such is the duty of the godly, to exhort, comfort, and admonish, strengthen, edify one another.

{unto your brethren} Of the house of Israel, not yet altogether forsaken.

{Ammi} That is, my people; that yet they are, or may be such; behaving them, as my people. Some thus, O you that are yet my people, plead; as it is, ver. 2.

{sisters} Every one of them, bespeak them thus.

{Ruhamah} That is, having obtained mercy. See on Ammi: The like here.

V. 2. {plead} Reprove the body of your nation openly, 1 Tim. 5:20. Plead freely, boldly, and constantly. This command may reach to the best among them, and such as were the most zealous: yea, and to the wicked Israelites, who as gross hypocrites use to do, are ready to excuse and justify them; and to charge God with too much rigor and severity against them, in so rejecting them.

{with your mother} The whole body of the people. Blame not me, but her: she first broke the covenant. Thus he shows, that God did justly cast them off; and because as yet they repented not, that it was needful thus roughly again to deal with them, till they altered their course. And hence it is, that God, in Scripture, so often mixes threatenings with his promises.

{Plead} The reception shows, their obstinacy in sin, their continuing still in murmuring still against God for this his too much severity against them: and also the necessity of this duty here to be performed with all care and courage.

{not my wife} She does not keep her faith which she has promised me: and I have already good cause to put her away, which I forbear to do through my great patience. Others say, God shows that the fault was not in him, but in their synagogue, and their idolatries, that he forsook them, Esay 50:1. The children then might thank their mother, and her whoredoms, and not contend and expostulate the matter with God, who did his part of a husband; but not she the part of a wife.

{put away} Ezek. 16:25. Let her dispose herself to true chastity, and spiritual purity, using no more lascivious baits, and practices, to draw profane nations on to trade with them in their idolatries. See Jer. 2:33. & 4:30. This God would be at, to convict her, and bring her to this amendment.

{from between her breasts} Alluding, in this phrase, to unchaste women, and adulteresses, who set out their breasts to allure lovers. See also Ezek. 23:3, 21.

V. 3. {Lest I strip} Lest I take away from her all my graces, bodily and spiritual, and bring her to extreme misery. See Ezek. 16:39. & 23:26, 29. For though this people were as an harlot for their idolatries, and had lost the name of a wife, yet he had left them with their apparel and dowry, and some signs of his favor; but if they went on still, he would utterly destroy them, ver. 9—13. Though this be sore against her, yet it somewhat mitigates the former sentence, and leaves open a door of hope for her pardon upon repentance.

{as in the day} Ezek. 16:4. When I brought her out of Egypt: Minds her of her nakedness then, to abate her pride, and upbraid her unthankfulness: and we should remember what originally we are.

{as a wilderness} The article prefixed, seems to point at that wilderness, wherein they wandered 40 years.

{slay her with thirst} With the scorching heat of my wrath, not tempered with any grace or comfort, Jer. 2:15. Ezek. 22:24. Amos 8:11, 13. drought and famine are often made for signs of God's anger, and of the barrenness of grace. And waters are often used to signify plenty of divine blessings; as Esay 55:1. John 4:14. & 7:38.

V. 4. {And I will not have mercy} Though by virtue of the promise before mentioned, there should come to this people a state of grace in its due time; yet for the present their state was horribly vile, and wicked, & they yet nothing humbled for it, which makes him go on in these dreadful comminations, and fearful dooms against them; as was that, Chap. 1:6. Ezek. 5:11. & 7:4, 9. Jer. 13:14.

{upon her children} Upon the particular members of this people. By children he understands each of them severally; as by the mother, the whole body of them generally. And here he applies the general commination to them more particularly, the better to work upon them.

{for they be children of whoredoms} As the mother is, such are the children; that is, bastards, having no part in the regeneration of the heavenly Father, to holiness of life; being altogether corrupted like their mother. See John 8:44. yet this chiefly relates to the refractory reprobates amongst them.

V. 5. {For their mother} The reason of their former threatening: or he shows how the children were children of whoredoms.

{harlot} With foreign gods, and idolatrous nations, forgetting the matrimonial covenant between God and her; and that shamefully and impudently, with a whore's forehead. And yet still they will boast of their adoption, and needs be accounted the children of God in their own esteem, because once they were so.

{for} Shows how she played the harlot.

{she said} Upon meditation and consultation resolves, and this resolution professes thus to do.

{I will go} As they, Jer. 44:16, 17.

{after my lovers} False gods, and their false worship; corrupting and forsaking the true worship of the true God. In a subordinate way, the Assyrian, and Egyptian may also be understood.

{that give me my bread} Ver. 8, 12. Jer. 42:17. Thus idolaters ascribe that to their idols, which of right belongs to the true God. See that, Judg. 16:23. And they think that God loves them, because they abound in wealth.

{drink} Heb. drinks.

V. 6. {Therefore, behold} God shows how necessary these his judgments were; no other remedy appeared.

{I will} God himself will be the author of it; though they would not see, nor acknowledge so much.

{hedge up thy way} Adulteresses covet to wander abroad. But I will watch and bar up your ways, that you shall not so freely and securely, as before, follow your whoredoms. I will punish you, that you may try, whether your idols can help you; and I will enclose you, and encompass you with difficulties, and bring you into such distress and straitness, that you shall not be able to run out at your own pleasure. See Job 3:22. & 19:8. Lam. 3:7, 9. He changes the person twice in this verse.

{make a wall} Heb. wall, a wall: by inflicting calamities and judgments.

{her paths} To play the harlot hereafter with them: my judgments that cross her therein.

V. 7. {follow after} A wondrous obstinacy, and a mad rage, to be thus eager in the pursuit of their sins, even in the midst of God's judgments upon them for the same: which shows, that God was not too rigorous in punishing, when he so little prevailed by them. She shall then seek for favor and aid at their hands, but all in vain; they shall all forsake her, and change their ancient love into mortal hatred, Jer. 2:36. Ezek. 16:37.

{return to my first husband} Namely, to God. This is spoken of the elect remnant; they, at last, shall be tamed, changed, and repent. Thus needful were chastisements for them, and profitable to them, Esay 26:9. & 27:9. Thus God seconded his rods with his saving grace; in the midst of anger, remembered mercy. But the rest murmured at, and hardened them: against his judgments, were the worse for them.

V. 8. {For she did not know} Prodigious ignorance; The Scriptures everywhere teaching her otherwise, that it is God, and not idols, that gives these blessings: And that she should not be ignorant of it, aggravates the crime: Less marvel, though heathen idolaters do thus defraud God of his honor, and attribute his benefit to their idols.

{wine} Heb. new wine.

{which they prepared for Baal} Or, wherewith they made Baal; In making of idols, or in serving and honoring of them. See 2 Chron. 24:7. Ezek. 7:20. & 16:16. Hos. 8:4. See on Hos. 13:1. Baal signifies a lord or patron. And such the heathens had many; whom some called their lesser gods, as mediators between the great God, and them: and such as did deal more immediately with men, and were procurers of these outward blessings and benefits here named, and called by other particular names; as Ceres, Bacchus, &c.

V. 9. {return and take away} That is, take again: an usual Hebraism; like that, Gen. 26:18. signifying, that God will take again his benefits, when man, by his ingratitude, does abuse them. They thought their prosperity, in the abundance of God's blessings, warranted whatsoever they did. It was time then to take them away.

{my corn} Not theirs, nor their idols': and they shall know it to be mine, ver. 5, 8.

{in the time thereof} Namely, at the time which I have appointed: or, in harvest and vintage time, I will take away her increase of corn and wine; which may be done, by cursing the earth, that none or little fruit should arise: or, not letting it answer their labor and expectation: or, by bringing in the enemies at that time of the year to take the harvest to help them, and to hurt the inhabitants; as Ezek. 23:29. or, by some other means.

{recover} Or take away violently, what they unjustly possess and abuse.

{my wool} Relating to that which follows.

{to cover her nakedness} For her necessary use; and not trim and deck her idols withal; as the heathen basely abused these good gifts.

V. 10. {And} He pursues the same point, and parcels it out in several members.

{now} Soon and suddenly. The evils named before, he says, he will presently bring upon them; thereby the more to move and provoke them to repentance.

{I will discover} See Ezek. 16:37. & 23:29.

{her lewdness} Heb. folly, or, villany. That is, all her service, ceremonies, and inventions, whereby she worshiped her idols.

{in the sight of her lovers} All her hopes she had in her idols, and images, to deliver her, shall appear false, and perish. As her hopes also in the Assyrians, and Egyptians shall likewise fail her.

{and none shall} For who shall resist me? Thus God would cut off all the hopes and vain confidence she had in her false worship, and false friends, wherein she so much pleased and soothed up herself.

V. 11. {All her mirth to cease} Her mirth in her festivals, Deut. 16:14. which are therefore called the days of their gladness, Num. 10:10. wherein they had the sounding of trumpets, and the noise of other musical instruments, and melodious voices and songs in the temple, Amos 5:23. and 8:10.

{her feast days} He seems to show that there shall be such want of all things by famine, or war, or otherwise, that sacrifices shall fail in their festival days, when they used publicly to rejoice; and these were observed among the ten tribes, in imitation of those of Judah, 1 Kings 12:32. Or rather in their exile, and extirpation they shall want all these, Chap. 9:4, 5. The three great anniversary feasts of the Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles are meant.

{New Moons.} See Num. 28:11. and 10:10. and 29:6. 1 Sam. 20:5. 1 Chron. 23:31. 2 Chron. 8:13. and 31:3. Ezra 3:5. Nehemiah 10:33.

{solemn feasts} As those other, Lev. 23:24, 27.

V. 12. {destroy} Heb. make desolate.

{she hath said} The cause of such severe judgment is repeated, that God's justice may be commended: and that is double, because they defrauded God of his honor, and because they gave the glory due to God, unto false gods.

{my rewards} Price, & hire she takes for her whoredoms. The blessings bestowed on her for her superstitious and idolatrous worshipings. See Mic. 1:7. and Ezek. 16:31, 33, 34.

{a forest} Ver. 3. See Esay 5:5, 6. Lev. 26:31. Jer. 22:6. Ezek. 5:14. Joel 1:7. Zeph. 2:13, 15. The LXX wrongly read a wicket, omitting Jod, and changing Resh into Daleth.

V. 13. {visit} They shall see I will not forget them, but visit them; as Chap. 1:4 & 4:9. and 8:13.

{the days of Baalim} V. 8. Thus God points, as it were, with the finger, to their grand sin, their spiritual whoredom; so displeasing to him, that he cannot endure it, but plague them for it. And all their idols he calls here by the name of baalim, in the plural number; as they were accounted of by them, their lords and patrons.

{burnt incense} And sacrifices: for so large is the signification of the word here used; as may appear, Lev. 1:9. and 3:15. where the same word is found. God commanded this service to be done to him, Lev. 2:1, 2. Exod. 30:1. This the Israelites used and imitated in their idolatrous worship, Ezek. 8:11. and for the most part, all idolaters do the like, turning so God's worship to their idols; and Papists burn incense before their images.

{decked her self} A term taken from lascivious women, which deck themselves for to allure men; whereby is meant the Israelites' profane pomps in their idolatries. They adorn themselves in bravery, in their idol-services; and as themselves, so their idols too: and Papists come not behind them in decking their images.

{lovers} See on ver. 5, 10.

{forgat me} Though she had been acquainted with me and my word so long, and accustomed to my service, yet now she forgets me, and all: but I will not forget her, to visit and plague her for it.

V. 14. {Therefore} Afterwards, assuredly in the end.

{behold} A remarkable mercy, calls them to view it, and weigh it, as if it were a matter in present possession.

{I will allure her} As kind husbands use to do; not as her adulterous lovers formerly did: By my benefits in offering her grace and mercy, I will do it, seeing she will not, or cannot, return of herself. And this even then, and in that place, where she shall think herself destitute of all help and comfort: I will challenge her mind sweetly. God is the author of man's conversion, makes him pliant and flexible. Here is a gracious promise of God's rich and manifold mercies to her, both spiritual, and temporal, continued all along to the end of this chapter: alluding therein to God's former mercies, in bringing her out of Egypt, through the wilderness, into the good land of promise. See the like, Esay 11:16. like that in the poet, Alterit tum Typhis & altera quæ vehat Argo, &c.

{and bring her into the wilderness} I will gather her unto me, bringing her home from her banishment through many miseries, as I brought my people of Canaan through the wilderness. Some thus, after I have brought her into the desert of desperation. Mean afflictions would not do the turn; extreme, and almost desperate ones, must be used: and in their due time these severe chastisements should prove profitable, and be useful remedies for her recovery, and fit her to bear any comfortable voice in the Gospel.

{speak comfortably} Or, friendly, Heb, to her heart, Esay 40:1, 2.

V. 1. {her vineyards} Plenty of all things, and store of all blessings temporal: which may also mystically relate to blessings spiritual. They shall see, in effect, and by experience, the favor and bounty of my reconciliation with them. Before I had said, ver. 12. I will destroy her vines: now upon my grace, and their conversion, I say the contrary.

{from thence} From the head of the wilderness. The meaning is, as my people coming out of the wilderness, entered into a most fruitful country: so mine elect coming out of extreme spiritual misery, shall enjoy mine abundant blessings. Others, translate it, from that time, meaning of her conversion.

{and the valley of Achor} As the valley of Achor was to the Israelites, Josh. 7:24, 26. Isay 65:10. It was a most fruitful place, at the entrance of the country, so soon as they were come over Jordan; and by it are meant, the first favors which God bestowed upon his, when they entered into the church; which are to them certain pledges of the increase and accomplishment of them.

{for a door of hope} To open their hope; as Hierome, and Theodotion have it, and the whole territory of Jericho, though Achan there troubled Israel, Josh. 7. yet was to the Israelites, a door and entrance into the land of Canaan; and, as a key, opened the door of their hope, and was an earnest and pledge that they should speedily possess it all; such shall my blessings be to my people upon their conversion.

{sing} For joy of heart sing songs of praises and thanksgiving: sing with responds, as the word signifies.

{there} This may allude to that singing at vintage, Esay 16:10. Judg. 9:27.

{Of her youth} She shall then praise God, as she did when she was delivered out of Egypt, Exod. 15. See Jer. 2:2. Ezek. 16:60.

V. 16. {And it shall be} The fruit of their repentance shall appear and be conspicuous.

{at that day} After those grievous afflictions, and upon my grace for their conversion.

{Ishi} That is, my husband; knowing that I am joined to you by an inviolable covenant. The people should be mindful of their conjugal covenant with God, and abide in it. Conversion of heart, and amendment of life, ever go together.

{Baali} That is my Lord. Baal, indeed, may signify husband also, and is a name good in itself; but because this name had been profaned, by being given to idols, the Lord, in a kind, forbids it; and means, that all contagions and mixture of idolatry, should be cut off from his service: upon a like occasion is the word burden, forbidden, Jer. 23:34, 35, 36.

V. 17. {For I will take away} God expounds more fully what he had said last before.

{the names} See Exod. 23:13. Psal. 16:4. Zach. 13:2.

{by their names} No idolatry shall once come into their mouth, but they shall serve me purely according to my word. The relics of idolatry are to be abolished, that nothing may hinder or retard us in the true and pure service of God, 1 Thess. 5:22. See Micah 5:13.

V. 18. {in that day} See on ver. 16.

{I will make} They shall be blessed and happy all manner of ways, in all manner of things.

{a covenant for them with the beasts} See Job 5:22, 23. Esay 11:6, 8. Ezek. 34:25. Psal. 91:1, 6, 13. when God is reconciled to us, all his creatures shall favor us: God will reduce them to the rule of their first creation, to obey and serve us as they did Adam. As on the other side, they serve him, as his hosts, against us, Amos 5:19. Joel 2:11, 20. The meaning is, That God will so bless them, that all creatures shall favor them. A figurative description of the church's spiritual peace, under the Gospel, for this prophecy extends itself to the kingdom of Christ.

{break the bow} Psal. 46:9. Esay 14. & 44:17. Ezek. 39:9. break their enemies, and their forces. And bring in all peace; including all earthly felicity.

{safely} and securely, under the wings of God's protection, Prov. 3:26. Esay 12:2. Psal. 91:1.

V. 19. {betroth thee} An honorable reception. I will forgive and forget your former whoredoms, as if you had never broken wedlock; I will take you anew, as a pure virgin. I will reestablish my covenant of grace with you, not only to observe that faith which is required in all covenants: but also to forgive you your sins; and not to take notice of your unworthiness, Psal. 111:5.

{for ever} That matrimonial conjugal covenant was temporary, terminable, failable; This, firm and stable forever.

{in righteousness} Upon these terms and conditions following; in sincerity and integrity, without fraud or guile.

{in loving kindness} My love, and mercies shall maintain this marriage.

V. 20. {betroth thee} Thrice repeated, to show the zeal and constancy of God in making and maintaining this marriage: and to meet with the incredulity of the people, who out of fear and desperation, through their own guiltiness, could hardly be persuaded that this was a thing credible.

{in faithfulness} With an invariable fidelity and constancy to maintain my covenant of grace with mine elect, notwithstanding all their defects. Zach. 8:8. Rom. 3:3, 7. God performed his part in the former covenant: The people broke. God here promises so, both. See Jer. 31:23, 33, 34. & 24:7. & 33:15. &c. Ezek. 36:25. &c.

{and thou shalt know the LORD} Jer. 31:34. John 6:45. In the knowledge of whom our felicity does consist, Jer. 9:23, 24. John 17:3.

V. 21. {In that day} See on ver. 18. He minds them still of God's gracious covenant.

{I will hear the heavens} These accessions shall find place, after God has once betrothed us unto himself, Rom. 8:32. Matt. 6:33. As brown paper and packthread are given into the bargain, Zech. 8:12. See on Hag. 1:10, 11. and on Amos 4:7. God is the father of rain, Job 38:28. and 28:26. & 5:10. & 36:27. & 37:6, 11, 13. He will cause these earthly blessings to glide along with his spiritual blessings.

{Hear the earth} The earth, when parched with drought, seems to open her mouth and crave for the rain of heaven.

V. 22. {Hear the corn} The earth moistened by the heavens, shall vigorously nourish her fruits, for the sustenance and comfort of God's people. He opposes this, to that in the 9 verse.

{Hear Jezreel} Men in extreme necessity, do ragingly cry for, and call upon these blessings, corn, wine, &c. Though in themselves they are Jezreel, not Israel; yet God will thus prevent them with his favor and blessings. Others thus, The word whereby God's people had been called, by way of threatening and curse, chap. 1:4. is here changed, in a meaning of grace and promise: For Jezreel may also signify him, whom God sows, or shall sow.

V. 23. {I will sow her unto me} Here is an allusion to the word Jezreel, from the word זרע seed. This foretells the wondrous multiplication of the church. See Jer. 31:27. Esay 60:22. Zech. 10:8, 9. as grain multiplies, sown in some rich and fat soil; as Gen. 26:12. Matt. 13:8.

{and will have mercy} Notwithstanding that, vers. 6. & Chap. 1:6, 7, 8, 9. yet he excepts a remnant, which shall thus marvelously multiply in the days of the Gospel chiefly, and in the kingdom of Christ. See Rom. 9:26. 1 Pet. 2:10.

{upon her that had not} That is to say, my people, called by these names, Hos. 1:8, 9, 10. notwithstanding that, vers. 6. yet here he promises to except a remnant.

{I will say to them} Rom. 9:26. 1 Pet. 2:10.

CHAPTER 3

Vers. 1. {Then} The prophet, by God's command, loves and buys an adulteress, and lays a charge upon her, to abide for him for many days. Thereafter applies this type to Israel, to the long time of desolation in their state, civil, and ecclesiastical. And foretells their conversion and restauration afterwards.

{Go} God here puts a case, propounds a picture, or image, before the eyes of his people, wherein they might behold their own state and condition. This serves for a sign, that God had often renewed his covenant with his people, forgiving them their sins which were past: as in special under Jehu his reign, 2 Kings 9. and 10 chapters.

{yet} This has reference to that, Chap. 1. vers. 2. That thereby, God does yet more plainly and fully represent the same thing, in effect, to their eyes, and senses, than formerly he did.

{love} He does not say, Take to you for a wife. This must also be understood the same way, and in the same sense, as Chap. 1:2.

{a woman} To be espoused to you first; not married, till a long time after, ver. 3. Chap. 1:5, 10.

{beloved of her friend} Her husband; or rather, some lover; as Jer. 3:1. The LXX wrongfully read thus, Beloved being evil.

{an adulteress} False to him.

{according to the love} The key and opening of the meaning of all this here commanded. This shows the people's shameless sin and ingratitude; and God's boundless goodness and mercy, that loves even his adulterous people; loves them, even when he does severely chastise them.

{children of Israel} So again named, ver. 4. & 5. The application of this parable. Yet some understand this whole parable, not of Israel, but of Judah.

{we look} Are vigilant, and seek eagerly after them, dote upon them. See Numb. 15:39.

{other gods} Such in their mad opinions; but such falsely, 1 Cor. 8:5, 6. This is their adultery; they place their faith, hope, and love, in, and upon them.

{flagons of wine} Heb. of grapes. Wine is called the blood of grapes, Deut. 32:14. Idolaters in sacrifices used to feast, Judg. 9:27. Amos 2:8. 1 Cor. 10:21. Or, hereby in general, he may intimate their dissolute manner of living, which is the ordinary companion of idolatry: see Exod. 32:6. 1 Cor. 10:7. even as corporal fornication, draws gluttony and drunkenness along with it. Idolatry and Epicurism usually go together.

V. 2. {So I bought her} Not I hired her; as the LXX have it, ἐμισθωσάμην; I bought her: I had no dowry with her, as husbands usually have. Or this may have relation to the ancient custom, by which husbands did bestow dowries upon their wives, or purchase them, Gen. 29:18, 27. & 34:12. 1 Sam. 18:25. This may signify the slavish condition wherein the church is, till God does redeem and purchase her. For slaves only were bought and sold, Esay 43:24. Eph. 5:26.

{for fifteen} Fifteen shekels; That is, one pound seventeen shillings six pence. This was the valuation of him that was above sixty years old, Lev. 27. vers. 7. The homer of barley, or the land of an homer, whose rate was fifty shekels, Lev. 27. ver. 16. was his value that was between 20 and 60. vers. 3. But this text has little or no reference to that place. See Ezek. 45:11, 12. and the annotator there, and Exod. 16:36. and on Exod. 21:32.

{half homer} Heb. lethech. Likely all this was but a base price. But haply we may be too curious after such inquisitions.

V. 3. {abide for me} Sit down for me; as this word is used, Exo. 24:14. That is, stay and wait, and expect; abide unmarried, till fit time shall come for me to take you to wife. See Deut. 21:13. Or I will separate you from me for some time; keeping you, as it were, shut up, to hinder your unstaidness; until I take you to me again, as I intend to do, not putting you away forever. I will try so whether you will seriously and sincerely repent; and neither marry another, nor commit adultery with a lover, as it after follows.

{many days} See ver. 4.

{so will I} He abandons the body of the people, Chap. 1:9. He speaks here to the elect remnant. There he shows his justice; Here his mercy, and the constancy of his love towards them; that no unworthiness of theirs shall break it off. As she shall abide for him, so he will abide, and be bound and found faithful to her. She shall not wait in vain, neither without good cause why.

V. 4. {the children of Israel} The explication, and application of the type. By this figure, I will have you to set forth the state of your people; which for their idolatries shall be separated from the grace and communion of their God: without any, kingdom or form of commonwealth; and without any exercise of religion, unless of idolatry; until the time of their conversion to God by the Gospel.

{many days without a king} From the sixth year of Hezekiah's reign, when Shalmaneser carried away the ten tribes, until Christ by his death and resurrection, conquered the enemies of man's salvation, and was constituted the king of his church, were years 675, or thereabout. Some yet understand this of Judah, and their captivity in Babylon.

{and without a sacrifice} The Israelites did imitate the worship at Jerusalem.

{image} Heb. a standing, or statue. See 2 Kings 17:1.

{ephod} The name of a priestly garment, Exod. 28:4, 40. Under which is comprehended all the service of the church. There was one for the high priest, most curious and costly, Exod. 28:6. &c. And another sort for the rest of the priests, Exod. 28:40. called coats, and linen ephods, 1 Sam. 22:18. Besides the linen breeches mentioned, Exod. 28:42.

{Teraphim} Exod. 28:4. Gen. 31:19, 30. Judg. 17:5. & 18:14, 17, 18, 20. They shall want, both kingdom and priesthood; church and polity, wherein they trusted; they shall be without any form of religion, right or wrong; that they might see their misery, and learn to flee to, and rely upon, God's mercy.

V. 5. {Afterward shall} Now they run headlong after their idolatries. But after so long, & so many miseries and judgments, they should surcease and abandon that course. And therefore they should the more patiently undergo those chastisements, for the good and benefit they should reap by them.

{return} Repenting; as the sequel shows.

{and seek} That they may be safe under his regal power and protection.

{the LORD their God} Not their Baalims, or vain gods; but Jehovah the true Lord and their God, upon their repentance.

{and David their king} The Messias, David's son according to the flesh. See Jer. 30:9. Ezek. 34:23, 24. & 37:24. Mark 9:27. Apoc. 22:16. In whom David's kingdom, according to promise, was eternal, Psalm 72:17. And thus the learned Jews themselves expound this place.

{fear the LORD} Psal. 2:11. and in reverence make haste unto him. So Chap. 11:11.

{and his goodness} This is a filial fear, and true sign of adoption, when we fear the Lord for his goodness' sake.

{in the latter days} Esay 2:2. Heb. 1:1.

CHAPTER 4

Vers. 1. {Hear} This chapter seems to be a new section. And herein we have God's controversy, in more particular manner, with the people and priests of Israel. First, the people's sins are reckoned up; and God's judgments denounced for them. Then the priests' sins; and threatenings for them. Again, the people's sins, their idolatries and whoredoms are told, and threatened. And after that Judah is warned; Israel and Ephraim are yet again charged with sins and punishment. So that here are convictions of sins, and predictions of punishments, gone over again, and again.

{the LORD} Because they would not obey the admonitions of the prophet, he summons them before God's tribunal, and shows, God will plead his own cause, he will deal severely with them, and make it appear that he has good reason so to do.

{hath a controversy} A metaphor from courts of judicature; wherein parties contend in controversies one with another. Here God takes upon himself the person of an adversary, to accuse and convict his people. See Chap. 12:2. Esay 3:13. and 7:13. Jer. 25:31. Micah 6:1, 2. His controversy will not be verbal only; but likewise in deeds, judgments, and punishments. Thus the prophet intermixes threatenings, and promises: Formerly giving hopes of mercies, lest they should despair; and now again returns to threatenings, lest hypocrites upon his promises should presume, and soothe up themselves thereupon, without true conversion, and reconciliation with God. This controversy is the sum of the chapter.

{inhabitants} Whole body of the people; which fill the land.

{of the land} Or this land, relating to Canaan; as the article prefixed does seem to import. See Deut. 18:9.

{because there is} The causes of this controversy; the heads of the indictment, or bill of charge. He charges home; as prophets use to do, and preachers must, with such flagitious sinners. He begins with their sins against the second table; because by them a sinner may be more easily convicted.

{no truth} No sincerity, or fidelity, in heart, word, or deed.

{nor mercy} Towards men, in their dealings one with another.

{nor knowledge} As if there were no God in heaven, Psal. 14:1. The true knowledge of God is the fountain of all piety, as the want of it is the wellspring of all manner of sin and iniquity.

V. 2. {By swearing} Sinners are hardly brought to the sight and sense of their sins: and therefore he goes on, and brings their sins upon the stage, that they cannot deny them; and insists upon the sorts, numbers, and greatness of them; the more thereby to affect them. The words run in the infinitive mood, to swear, &c. as in some other languages is usual. And the word to swear, signifies properly to curse; as execrations are often joined with oaths, Gen. 26:28. and Chap. 31.

{they break out} Of all bounds and bands of all laws of God and man; ragingly without any mean, or measure like the breakings out and inundations of waters; as Joel 3:13.

{toucheth blood} Heb. bloods. In every place appears a liberty to most heinous vices; so that one follows in the neck of another. And the blood-royal, of Zachariah, Shallum, Pekahiah, Pekah, being all slain, touched each other, 2 Kings 15. There is a connexion and concatenation of capital crimes, all over, everywhere, no place left free.

V. 3. {land mourn} A description of an extreme and universal desolation, as Jer. 4:25. and 12:4. Thus by deeds God contends with them. The land shall bear the marks of God's wrath, being left desolate and void of her inhabitants.

{languish} and pine away with desperate grief and sorrow.

{with the beasts} These creatures were made for the use of man. And here he is punished in them: as if in detestation of some flagitious person one should overthrow his house, and burn all the household stuff was in it. This here is an hyperbolical expression. The LXX add here, and with the creeping things of the land.

V. 4. {yet let no man strive} Notwithstanding these great and public sins, in which the false prophets do flatter and soothe up the people, let not the true prophets, nor any good man, (for it would be all in vain, and labor lost, Matt. 7:6. Ezek. 3:26.) profane my word, by speaking it to those obstinate and hardened rebels; I will contend with them by effects, and punishments, and no more by words and reproofs. So this agrees with what was spoken, ver. 1. See Gen. 6:3. and that, Amos 5:13.

{strive with the priests} Sin with an high hand, presumptuously: as guilty, as those that withstand God's right and power in the high priest, Deut. 17:12. See Num. 16. They will endure no reprover; which is the last degree of desperate boldness. See Rom. 2:8. and 10:21. The desperateness of their disease in sinning, will not endure the plaster; they will strive with, and resist the physician; oppose them, and their office, whom God has set over them for this very purpose: If they handle their sores roughly, they will fly upon them. See Jer. 18:18, & 15:10, & 20:2, 7, & 26:8, 11. and 29:26, 27. Amos 2:12 and 7:10—14.

V. 5. {Therefore} Thus again God will contend with blows, sin shall not so pass without its punishment.

{shalt thou} Every one of you. He directs his speech to each particular person among the people.

{fall} Chap. 13:16. and 14:1. Jer. 6:15. and 8:12. Prov. 11:5.

{in the day} Even at noonday: openly in the sight of all. Some translate it, to day, that is, within a short time.

{and the Prophet} The false prophet.

{shall fall with thee} Follow in his order, and accompany you, in your punishment.

{in the night} Presently, as the night succeeds the day, and in a continued series and succession are joined together.

{destroy} Heb. cut off.

{thy mother} Samaria, or the whole body of the kingdom: or the church; in whose name they prided themselves: as the Papists do at this day. The vulgar Latin translates thus, nocte tacere feci matrem tuam. The LXX νυκτ’ ὁμοίωσα τὴν μητέρα σοῦ. Both misjoining night (which yet has an Athnach upon it) to the words following: And the LXX reading דמיתי for ודמיתי.

V. 6. {My people} God here begins to fall upon the priests; and charges them with sloth, and ignorance; and that by their default, not doing their duty in teaching, his people perished for want of instruction and knowledge, Matt. 13:14. Ezek. 33:6. Prov. 29:18. Esay 5:13.

{because thou hast rejected} Their chief duty is to teach and instruct, Lev. 10:11. Deut. 33:9, 10. Mal. 2:7. 2 Chron. 17:8, 9. And therefore they themselves must not be without knowledge. But the priests of the Israelites, of the ten tribes, of whom here he speaks, did reject this knowledge in an high degree.

{forgotten} This may be understood either of the priests, or people, or of both together; For the prophet is quick and concise, speaks sometimes in his own person, anon in God's person; sometimes to the people, straight to the priests, and quickly to the people again. And likely the people willingly would forget the law, and not have the threatenings of it still thundering in their ears; they were well contented with such idol, and idle priests, and dumb dogs that could not, or would not bark. The knowledge of the law of God made mainly against priests and people of the ten tribes.

{I will also forget} You, and yours; yourself, and your posterity they shall not be remembered, nor reckoned in my covenant.

V. 7. {as they were increased, so} Namely, in dignity and authority; so referring this to the priests. Or if we refer it to the people, then, as they were increased in number, riches, and all manner of blessings, so they took the more liberty and boldness to sin against God. Which argues the more their ingratitude, and impiety against him.

{therefore will I change} It is God's doing; the enemies were but God's instruments. The Targum thus; they have changed.

{their glory} Their prosperity wherewith they made themselves drunk, and wherein they so gloried, Phil. 3:19. Or rather, understanding it of the priests, their priestly prerogatives wherein they gloried, should be turned to their shame, Matt. 1:9, 10. and 2:2, 3, 9.

V. 8. {They eat up} They fatten themselves with the sacrifices which my people offer for their sins, and are greedy after them; & take no care of their conversion, but rather willingly suffer them to multiply their sins, & foster them therein for the sacrifices' sake.

{the sin} Sacrifices for sin, Exod. 29:14.

{set their heart on their iniquity} Heb. lift up their soul to their iniquity. Deut. 24:15. Jer. 22:27. The priests' hearts are set on it, and glad at it, at the people's sins and iniquity. And the people's hearts, and souls are set on, and lifted up to their iniquity, heartened to it, and hardened in it, by the priests' means; persuaded by them, as if their consciences were discharged, and themselves quit of the guilt of their sin, by those very sacrifices; and therefore relying upon the virtue and efficacy of them, they might sin the more freely and boldly. Thus the covetousness of the priests corrupted the right end and use of the sacrifices; and turned them to the clean contrary.

V. 9. {like people, like Priest} Esay 24:2. signifying, that as they have sinned together, so shall they be punished together, without any difference or respect had of their office. The priests should not only be spoiled of their honor, and made to differ in nothing from the common people, but both should undergo the same common judgment; both punished, as after follows. The priests of and among the Israelites were no true priests indeed, neither in descent, nor doctrine, ver. 6. But yet that account and reputation they had among them, as supposed to be such, they should lose it also.

{punish them} Heb. visit upon. See on Chap. 2:4.

{reward them their doings} Heb. cause to return, Chap. 12:2. Jer. 32:19. Esay 65:6. Prov. 24:12. Psal. 94:23. 2 Chr. 6:23.

V. 10. {For they shall eat} Lev. 26:26. Hag. 1:6. Micah 6:14. Not meat, but God's blessing, is the sustenance of man, Matt. 4:4. Though the priests eat the sin of the people, ver. 8. yet they shall not be satisfied, Ezek. 7:19. Quo plus sunt poto plus sitiuntur aqua.

{commit whoredom and shall not increase} The vulgar Latin thus; They have committed whoredome, and ceased not. The LXX, οὐ κατευθύνωσι, shall not be directed, or righted. The true meaning is, according to the true Hebrew, to show that their wickedness shall be punished on all sorts and sides; for though they think by the multitude of wives, or whoredom, to have many children, yet they shall be deceived of their hope, Chap. 9:14. In vain do sinners seek and hope to obtain their desires by unlawful means.

{because they have left off} This the fountain of all their miseries.

{to take heed to the LORD} Zech. 11:11. and to his word and worship, Jer. 2:13, 17. and 5:7. and 9:13. and 16:11. Esay 1:4.

V. 11. {whoredom} The LXX, as now we have it, do much alter and corrupt the true reading, and meaning of this verse, and of the 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19. verses following. The vulgar Latin, much better. The meaning of this 11. verse is, That their abundance makes them run into all riot, in carnal sinful pleasures.

{take away the heart} ver. 12. So drown them, and make them drunken, that they become like brute beasts; deprive them of the use of common sense and reason; and have not the hearts of men, to heed the Lord, and his judgments against their sins, either threatened to come, or though presently inflicted upon them, Prov. 23:33.

V. 12. {My people} Thus he speaks by derision, in calling them his people, which now for their sins they were not. Or this aggravates their sin, that being his people, at least in profession, they should thus fall to idolatry. The LXX thus, The heart of my people embraceth whoredome, and wine, and new wine. So, joining my people, to the former verse.

{ask counsel} Instead of seeking after God's oracle, to have counsel given them in difficult cases.

{at their stock} Or, block; Namely, their idols; made of wood, Jer. 2:27. and 3:9. Esay 40:20. and 44:14—18. He calls them thus in way of greater detestation, and to show their greater madness and brutishness.

{their staff} Pointing at their madness again. Some think he has relation to an ancient manner of divining by staves and rods; and hold that here are meant the rods of the soothsayers and magicians; as those, Exod. 7:12. Others, that this is spoken by way of irony and derision; as Esay 40:18, &c. And is as much as if a blind man should ask counsel of his staff.

{the spirit of whoredoms} Namely, the inclination and affection unto idolatry; which is spiritual whoredom, kindled in the heart of man by the evil spirit: See Esay 44:20. The vehement and impetuous motions and commotions of the mind, are called in Scripture by the name of spirits: so the spirit of jealousy, Num. 5:14. the spirit of lying, 1 Kings 22:22. a spirit of perversities, Esay 19:14. a spirit of slumber, or deep sleep, Esay 29:10. And so a spirit of uncleanness, of error, of giddiness. In all which the evil spirit the devil, has a working hand.

{them} Not in the Hebrew, but understood, as Chap. 2:7.

{a whoring} As lewd women, without all shame, are led after their lusts.

{from under their god} Chap. 1:2. from after their god; withdrawing their due subjection from him.

V. 13. {They sacrifice} This shows the kind of their whoredom to be idolatry. They pretended a good intention, and great zeal in their manner of worship. But that salves not the sore. God declares this to be spiritual whoredom.

{upon the tops} Idolaters usually delight in high places, there to perform their worships. And hence we have so often mention of high places; as 1 Kings 3:2, 3. and 12:31, 32. and 15:14. & 22:44. 2 Kings 12:3. & 15:4, 35.

{of the mountains} Isa. 1:29. & 57:5, 7, 9. Ezek. 6:13.

{incense} See on Chap. 2:13.

{hills} Ezek. 20:28. Jer. 13:27. & 2:20. 2 Kings 17:10.

{under oaks} Esay 1:29. & 57:5, 7. Ezek. 6:13.

{the shadow} Because of the greatness of the trees and leaves; they yielded the more shade from the bright light, and scorching heat of the sun in those hot climates. Thus there is a show and shadow of human wisdom in this part of their will-worships, as Col. 2:23. But all this was against God's express law, that commanded the place for sacrifice to be the altar only in the court of the temple at Jerusalem, Deut. 12:2—7. 2 Kings 18:22. Neh. 10:34. And yet they did not stick to glory in their shame, in exceeding and excelling the Jews in the numerous multitudes of their altars, and places of worship, Chap. 12:11.

{Therefore your daughters shall} Because they take away God's honor, and give it to idols, therefore he will give them up to their lusts, that they shall dishonor their own bodies, Rom. 1:28. See Amos 7:17.

V. 14. {I will not} Or, shall I not?

{punish your daughters} Punish those shameful sins in them; but let them run headlong in those bad courses. God will not vouchsafe his restraining grace; but deliver them up to their own vile lusts. See Gen. 20:6. Rom. 1:24, 26, 27, 28. And so vindicate and revenge himself, and his glory, 1 Sam. 2:30. By the other reading, God will most surely punish them, Heb. 13:4.

{nor your spouses} Or, daughters in-law. The word signifies both.

{commit adultery} Some understand this of their ravishment by force; as enemies use in sacking of cities. And so likewise they take that place, Amos 7:17.

{for themselves are separated with whores} They separate themselves from me, cut themselves from my covenant and communion, by joining themselves to harlots, which were excommunicated from amongst God's people, Prov. 2:16. & 6:24. See of this separation, Prov. 18:1. Ezek. 14:7. Hos. 9:10. Jude 19.

{sacrifice with harlots} Like that, Numb. 25:1, 2, 3. Thus they defiled themselves with carnal and spiritual pollutions.

{that doth not understand} vers. 6. Their ignorance shall not excuse them; they are willingly ignorant, and blindfold themselves.

{shall fall} See on ver. 5, 6. Fall, both into sin and punishment.

V. 15. {though thou Israel} Less marvel though the Israelites did so; being brought to it, and accustomed in it, ever since the days of the first Jeroboam; near two hundred years ago.

{yet let not Judah offend} God turns his speech to Judah, willing them, that by the example of Israel they do not sin, by whoredoms, in worshiping idols. Dangerous it was to Judah, to have such, and so near a neighbor, as idolatrous Israel was. We are apt to receive contagion that ways, 1 Kings 11:2. Judg. 3:6, 9. which made God so often, and carefully forewarn his people against the like infections by the Canaanites, Deut. 7:3, 4. Exod. 34:15, 16. As here he does, against the like danger by the Israelites. See Chap. 6:11.

{Gilgal} This was near Jordan, the east border of Jericho; not far from mount Gerizim, & Ebal, and Ai, and the valley of Acor. There Joshua pitched the twelve stones; & circumcised the people, whence he named the place Gilgal: and there he kept the Passover: See Deut. 11:29, 30. & Josh. 4. and 5. chapters. And his constant camp was there, Josh. 9:6. & 10:6, 15, 43. And there he divided the land, Josh. 14:6. There was the tabernacle and the sacrifices. There they made Saul king, before the Lord, 1 Sam. 11:14, 15. There Samuel, in his circuit, kept assizes, and hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord, 1 Sam. 7:16. & 15:33. After Jeroboam set up idolatry, there were in the days of Ahab and his sons, the prophets Elias, and Eliseus, and a college of prophets in Gilgal; whose pottage Eliseus healed; and for whom he multiplied the loaves, 2 Kings 2:1. and Chap. 4:38, 41, 43. This became a famous high place for idol-service and sacrifices; and so abominable. See Hos. 9:15. and 12:11. Amos 4:4. and 5:5. The LXX as now we have it, do much misread this verse, and invert it.

{Beth-aven} 1 Kings 12:29. He is the same as Bethel. And of Bethel, See on Chap. 10:5. But because Bethel signifies the house of God, Gen. 28:17. and that this place had been profaned by the idolatry of the calves; the prophets do often call it Beth-aven, that is to say, the house of an idol, or the house of vanity, Hos. 5:8. and 10:5. Besides, that near unto Bethel, there was another place, called Beth-aven, Josh. 7:2.

{nor swear} This form of oath is lawful; but not to be used by idolaters; as those were in the former words. God would not have his name in the mouth of idolaters: See Psal. 50:16. nor would have his people to take the name of idols in their mouths, Psal. 16:4. nor must his people use it, as idolaters do. They pretended they did swear by the true God, when they swore by these calves, Amos 8:14. for the ten tribes did profess that they worshiped God, in them imitating Aaron, Exod. 32:5. 2 Kings 10:16. which notwithstanding was reproved by God. God cannot endure it, to be joined with idols, 2 Cor. 6:15. Zeph. 1:5. Ezek. 20:39.

V. 16. {For Israel slideth back} Deut. 32:15. Zech. 7:11. See Psal. 125:5. and 78:57.

{as a lamb in a large place} Sheep are sociable. A lamb being alone, by its bleating, bewrays its fear and unquietness, and its desire and seeking after the dam, and the flock, and shepherd, that it perish not. God will put Israel in that case. Israel was a wanton heifer; the whole field and pasture could not contain and content her. God would tame her, and make her as this lamb. Seeing they have been so rebellious, and have loved liberty so well, I will grant it them, but to their ruin; like to the liberty of a lamb in the wilderness, where it would be exposed to a thousand dangers and miseries. Unless he threatens them with the desolation of the country, and with the small number which should remain in it.

V. 17. {Ephraim} The ten tribes, called by the name of their chief city. Whence was the first, and the most of their kings; and where their head city Samaria was. Thus usually is it taken, Esay 11:13. and 9:17. and 17:3. Jer. 7:15. and 31:9, 20. Psal. 60:7. and 108:8. Hos. 6:4. and 11:8.

{is joined to idols} And that tribe was the head-spring of all their idolatry, 1 Kings 12:28. Targum thus; They have permitted to themselves idols. The LXX thus; They have set to themselves scandals.

{Let him alone} A fearful dismission. that is, You Judah, or every believer, have nothing to do with him; by conference of ver. 15. Others say, Such as are good amongst them, let them be separated from him to Judah, or some other faithful, 1 Cor. 6:17. Or else; Let him be filthy still, Ezek. 20:39. Apoc. 22:11. Or do you Hosea forbear further to deal with him, by preaching to reclaim him: For it will not be, he will not be drawn away from his idolatry. All these do not so much differ, but that they might be conjoined.

V. 18. {Their drink is sour} LXX. thus; ἠρέτισαν Χαναναίους misreading סנאם for סבאם Targum thus; Their princes multiply feastings with violence. Heb. is gone, dead, or stinks. A metaphor, or proverbial speech, to set out the filthy corruption of the people, in their lives and religion. They are so given to swilling and gluttony, that they belch out, and cast up stinking vomitings. They so swill in drink, and engorge themselves therewith, that overcharging their stomach, it grows sour in it. They sin not in a common way, or keep any mean, or mediocrity in sinning; but to excess, as they are past all shame altogether, Ps. 14:3. Isa. 1:22.

{whoredom} Spiritual with images; not excluding the carnal whoredom.

{rulers} Heb. shields, Psal. 47:9. The heads of the people; who should have remedied, and curbed those sins and sinners, and protect the people, do spoil them.

{Give ye} Prov. 30:15. They are so shamefully impudent in receiving bribes, that they will command men to bring them unto them: and so the rulers' base coveting of presents, disgraces all the government; they make public sale of justice and right: See on Micah 7:3. The foresaid sins commonly follow idolatry. LXX thus, They loved shame by gifts.

V. 19. {The wind} The denunciation of God's judgments, and revenge upon them for their foresaid sins.

{hath} Speaks of the time to come, as if it were already past and done, for the certainty of it.

{bound her up in her wings} To carry them suddenly away, as it were, by a strong puff of wind, or a storm. They shall be speedily carried away into captivity, as if upon the wings of the wind. See the phrase, 2 Sam. 22:11. repeated, Psal. 18:10. See Psal. 1:4. Ezek. 5:3.

{be ashamed because of their sacrifices} Seeing themselves fallen from the hope which they had conceived, of pleasing God by them; and deceived in the truth which they had put in them: or, they shall be disgraced; that is to say, they shall fall into extreme misery and ignominy, through their idolatries, Jer. 2:26, 27. Esay 2:20.

CHAPTER 5

Vers. 1. {Hear} This, and the two chapters following, seem to belong to the same prophecy or sermon. In this chapter are sins charged upon all, of all ranks in Israel: Their fall, and Judah's with them. And again are repeated, the sins of both: And God's judgments against both. These in this verse, the prophet calls for, and commands audience.

{O Priests} Whose function was to teach and correct others, and be good examples themselves. Ecclesiastical persons in the first place are called upon.

{O house of the King} Kings are not exempted from obedience to God's will and word. Though they, of all others, will stand upon their privileges and prerogatives. Nor can they exempt themselves from his judgments; whereof they are the more worthy, as abusing their high dignity, and trust; and hurting more than others, by their ill example. And this may be extended to all magistrates, officers, ministers, and counselors of the king.

{for judgment is toward you} Heb. for to you the judgement is. To you priests, and princes specially, who should have corrected and repressed others, and are the fountains of all evils yourselves: The charge of teaching, and doing right and justice belonged to you, and yet have been the chief authors of extortion & injury, as is said afterwards. Or, judgment is coming upon you, Mal. 2:1. as it specially fell upon the house of Jeroboam, and his successors. Think not that you can any ways escape, and avoid it. Thus he summons and cites them to God's tribunal. He will judge, and execute his judgments upon them.

{because} Or, but.

{a snare on Mizpah} You priests and princes have laid snares to entrap the innocent in their lives and goods: as thieves and robbers do for passersby, or fowlers do upon the hills of Mizpah, and Tabor. Mizpah signifies a beacon or watchtower, or place of spyall and speculation, Gen. 31:49. And there were divers places of this name; one belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15:38. another to Benjamin, Josh. 18:26. another Mizpah of Gilead, Gen. 31:49. Judg. 10:17. & 11:29. another of the Moabites, 1 Sam. 22:3. This here seems to be near mount Hermon and Libanus, Josh. 11:3. and watchtowers are built on hills and mountains for the more spacious view and prospect.

{Tabor} We read of a city of that name given to the Merarites out of the tribe of Zebulun, 1 Chron. 6:77. And of the plain of Tabor, where three men going up to God to Bethel, did meet Saul, 1 Sam. 10:3. and of mount Tabor, Psal. 89:12. Jer. 46:18. whether Barak drew his army, Judg. 4:6, 12, 14. and where Gideon's brethren were slain by Zeba and Zalmunna, Judg. 8:18. On these two mountains, it seems hunting and fowling were used; whence these similitudes are taken.

V. 2. {And the revolters} Terms taken from such as are highway robbers, which turn aside, or lie in ambush, and hidden places, for men's estates, and lives. Others take them for revolters from the right religion of Judah at Jerusalem.

{are profound} Deep, and deeply rooted in their own devices, wherein they please themselves, and think to delude and deceive God; and so are obstinate in their own superstitions, and contemn and reject all counsel, advice, and admonitions, to reclaim them. Others rather, that they seek deep and secret hidden lurking places for to work their mischief, & have deeply engaged themselves, and made great progress that way. So Chap. 9:9. They have deeply corrupted themselves. And so Esay 31:6. they have deeply revolted; that is, exceedingly.

{to make slaughter} Some understand this of their sacrifices, here contemptuously called slaughter; as Esay 66:3. But rather the literal meaning is to be embraced, as best agreeing with the context, that profundarent (ut ita dicam) jugulationem, were deep and very far gone in blood and murder. And did it cunningly, that they might not be found out, and convinced of it, Chap. 4:2. See such crafty and subtle oppressions set out in their colors, Psal. 10:9, 10. Targum thus; they slay very many sacrifices to Idols.

{though} Or, and.

{a rebuker} Heb. a correction: that is, I that am the supreme Lord; will look over, and correct their judgments, and make these false judges give an account. I will be he that shall reprove and punish all these iniquities, Job 24:16. Hos. 6:9. Or this they did, though I did rebuke them by my prophets, and labor their amendment; which takes away all excuse from them, and aggravates their crime: yet some would make the meaning this, And I have been rebuked of them all. Like that, Chap. 4:4. & Lam. 3:13. & Psal. 22:6, 7. & 44:14.

V. 3. {I know Ephraim} They boasted themselves not only to be Israelites, but also Ephraimites, because their king Jeroboam came of that tribe. And that was the chief tribe of the ten: and they pretended many colors & shows of excuses and defenses for themselves, under which they thought to hide and shelter themselves. But all in vain. If they knew not themselves, yet God did know them, and tells them so, that his eyes could not be blinded with such smoky shifts.

{for now} The thing he knew. For all their shifts and shufflings, pretenses and defenses, they were yet in all their will-worship of their own devising, but whorish and filthy idolaters, when they left the rule of the word and law of God.

V. 4. {They will not frame their doings} Heb. They will not give. Or, their doings will not suffer them: or their works will not suffer them to be converted. The prophet may be conceived to speak this, either in the person of God, or in his own person. They are so drowned in their idolatries and sins, so devoted to them, that they are past hope of amendment; so mancipated to them, that their minds will not give way to them, or they give their minds to return. No hope remains, as Chap. 4:17. They think no ways of any reconciling, returning to God.

{their God} That had been theirs by covenant, and is by their profession; that had dealt with them as a gracious God, and was yet ready, upon their returning, to receive them.

{for the spirit} Chap. 4:12. They so please them: in their whorish ways, the devil has so madded them, that now without all shame, as whores in public stews, they act their filthiness.

{not know the LORD} This is not to extenuate their fault, but amplifies it, That they have banished from them the true knowledge of the Lord; shut their eyes against it.

V. 5. {And the pride} In contemning God's will and word in his, and by his prophets: proudly bearing out themselves against them, without fear, yea haughtily, scorning their reproofs. Some here would understand God himself to be called the pride and glory of Israel, as Amos 8:7. And to like purpose would wrest those places, Nah. 2:2. 2 Sam. 1:19. as the temple is called the excellency of Jacob, Amos 6:8.

{testify} Needs no other witness. This their impudent boldness in sinning, and contemning of God, makes them notoriously guilty, and altogether inexcusable, Chap. 7:10. Esay 3:9. The others make God here to witness against them; as Ruth 1:21. Job 10:17. Micah 1:2.

{therefore} In vain they promise to them impunity.

{Judah also} Mercy was promised to Judah, Chap. 1:7. But this is spoken of those such degenerate Jews as fell off, and joined themselves to the Israelites and their idolatries.

V. 6. {They shall go with their flocks} To offer sacrifices. By them to seek counsel and help of God, and to win his favor. And they shall be studious and earnest in this kind, spare no cost or pains; but abound in their sacrifices, Mic. 6:7. And they trusted in, and by their sacrifices, to please and pacify God. Thus men are apt to trust in outward rites, exercises of religion, and securely to rest there; which yet are but helps to faith in Christ, and repentance for sin: yea, many times they are the bolder to sin, when they think they have such means of expiation ready at hand; and have their good intentions withal, by those means to seek the Lord.

{But they shall not find him} All aforesaid is in vain altogether, while they remain sinners, continuing therein, Prov. 1:28. Esay 1:15. Jer. 11:11. Ezek. 8:18. Micah 3:4. John 7:34. & 9:31. God mainly requires the heart and inner man; spiritual services and sacrifices. They abused the true end of the sacrifices, their outward services, though never so many, shall not serve their turn, and save them. God will forsake them, as ver. 15. Ezek. Chap. 10.

{from them} From such a kind of seekers and worshipers.

V. 7. {treacherously} Like an adulterous woman which conceives and brings forth by others, more than by her husband, Jer. 3:20. The meaning is, the people's corruptness shows itself in this; that public orders serve for nothing, but to make them fitting for idolatry, and not to turn and amend them. Treacherously breaking his covenant, and prostituting themselves to idols.

{strange children} Of strange women; so mingling the holy seed with the heathen: And those likely brought up as strangers to God, and his people, in the superstitions, and idolatries of the heathen. Contrary to that, Deut. 7:3, 4. Or else, children like themselves, brought up by them in the same apostasy, and continuing in the same treachery, so that now it grows to be hereditary, and no hope is left remaining: and I cannot call them my children, for the children of Abraham, but strange children, Eph. 2:12.

{a month} Their destruction is not far off, or a short time will serve for to root them quite out. See Zach. 11:8. 1 Kings 14:14. Or else month may be taken here, as Jer. 2:24. and so, that their own desperate dissoluteness and looseness of life shall devour and consume them, as it were, by piecemeal.

{devour them} As a gulf swallow them up.

{with their portions} As formerly out of Jer. 2:24. Or, else, the portions of their wealths, and strengths, their victuals, ammunitions, and fortifications.

V. 8. {Blow ye the cornet} Here the prophet, as an herald from heaven, not a prophet, proclaims war, seeing his former warnings and threatenings would not suffice. As God commanded Ezekiel to lay a siege, Ezek. 4. That they may know, God threatened not in vain; but his executions shall follow his threatenings close at the heel. The wicked counted the prophet's words but vain; but here God himself comes in ready armed, to take revenge.

{in Gibeah} A representation of the enemy's sudden coming: as it were by a signal given from these high places of Benjamin, which bordered upon the kingdom of the ten tribes, 1 Kings 15:21, 22. Gather soldiers, prepare for defense; yet all shall not serve; neighboring strengths, shall be but a vain confidence. Of Gibeah, see on Chap. 9:9.

{in Ramah} There was Ramah in Naphtali, Josh. 19:36. And Ramah of Zophim, 1 Sam. 1:1, 19. where Samuel was born, dwelt, judged Israel, died and was buried. And Ramah of Benjamin, Josh. 19:25. near to Gibeah, Judg. 19:13. 1 Sam. 22:6. Esay 10:29. and bordering upon Judah. There Rachel was buried, near Bethlehem. Whence is that, Jer. 31:15. Matt. 2:18. And this seems to be meant in this place.

{cry aloud} A third repetition, in this verse.

{at Beth-aven} A city differing from Bethel, and situated between Ephraim, and Benjamin, Josh. 7:2. & 18:12. belonging to the kingdom of Israel.

{after thee, O Benjamin} The city of Beth-aven being a little beyond Benjamin's country. Or, thus, Benjamin and Judah after Ephraim and Israel, should prepare themselves to suffer the calamities of war.

V. 9. {Ephraim shall be desolate} Here desolation, destruction, and devastation, is denounced; and that by reason of their desperate and irrecoverable state in sin. And indeed the kingdom of the ten tribes never recovered their estate again, after their desolation by Shalmaneser, 2 Kings 17.

{among the tribes of Israel have I made known} I do not suddenly, rashly, or hastily proceed to vengeance; but make it known before: Or thus, in the person of the prophet, I have done my duty, and made known, among all the people, the wrath to come; as Ezek. 33:3, 8. so that the people may thank themselves, if they will be willfully blind and besotted.

{shall surely be} By the success, they shall surely know that I have determined this, which they slight as uncertain, if they be not careful, by timely repentance, to prevent it. And so he goes on to deal against both, to the end of the chapter: This wrath and vengeance, is firmly and irrecoverably determined by God; not conditionally threatened, as most commonly it is; but they being desperate in sin without hope of repentance, it is precisely and absolutely decreed and denounced; so that none may entertain any hope of escaping it.

V. 10. {The Princes of Judah} To them of Judah also, he was a prophet, Chap. 1:1. And Judah was not free of sin, though not so sinful as Israel. And the princes, they the fountains of all evil; Magnates, magnetes; they confounded all, that should have kept all right and in order.

{that remove the bound} They should be as boundaries of land, to set and keep all things right and straight. But they do violate all laws, which are the public bounds of every one's right: and in their judgments do overthrow particular men's titles, concerning the lawful possessions of their goods. The heinousness of this crime appears, Deut. 19:14. and Chap. 27:17.

{like water} Like a cloud, or deluge of waters, most abundantly; the greater shall my wrath and vengeance be against them.

V. 11. {Ephraim} Returns to the Israelites.

{is oppressed} And preyed upon. As Judges 4:3. & 10:8, 12.

{and broken in judgment} By the abuse of public orders, and officers, and God's hand of judgment in it.

{because he willingly walked} Justly for this cause; Because he walked after the commandment and traditions of men; and that willingly, because he better liked them, than God's commandments: as was specially seen, in their willing following the commandment of Jeroboam for idolatry, 1 Kings 12:28, 29. They were as ready to obey, as he to command. Though to aggravate his sin, he is said to make them sin, to drive them to it, 2 Kings 17:21. Some with the LXX translate thus, Because he would, he went after vanity, or vain things; he willingly followed vanity; as Job 31:5. 2 Kings 17:15. 1 Sam. 12:21. The LXX varies much more, in the version of this verse. And the Targum thus, Their judges turned themselves to go astray after lying riches. Vulgar Latin thus, calumniam patiens est Ephraim, quoniam cœpit abire post sordes.

V. 12. {as a moth} I will cause them, by little and little, to consume themselves with disorders, and inward evils, until they be quite overthrown, Job 4:19. Esay 50:9. and 51:8. The LXX has ταραχήν.

{Judah} His sin also is not without its punishment.

{rottenness} Or, worme, see Job 13:28.

V. 13. {when Ephraim saw} The sore, and the shift of both: they both see their sickness and wound; but not the true cause of it, God's wrath for their sins. They feel the present smart; as brute beasts will do their blows, and roar at them; but know neither the cause why, nor the means how to prevent them afterwards. So they saw the evils that did consume them, but took not the right course to remove them.

{Then went Ephraim to the Assyrian} Menahem, king of Israel, required the assistance of Pul, king of Assyria, 2 Kings 15:19. Thus they repented not with these lingering punishments, but betook themselves to vain shifts, and the arm of flesh, to broken reeds; as is usual with such sinners, in like case to do. They went not to God, as they should have done, Chap. 14:1, 2, 3. and Chap. 6:1, 2. but they went to the Assyrian. Of the Assyrians, see the annotations on Chap. 7:11.

{and sent} That is, Judah sent: which is to be supplied by analogy of what went before, and follows after. See 2 Kings 16:7. Both alike sinned in this kind.

{to King Jareb} Or, the king of Jareb; or to the king that should plead, defend, and revenge them. Some think this to be the name of a king, or rather of his city, or country, of some place, or petty kingdom in Assyria. To Tiglath-Pilneser king of Assyria: Ahaz king of Judah, sent for help against Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Israel, 2 Kings 16:7. 2 Chr. 28. and went not to God for help; but rather refused him, Esay 7:12, 13.

{yet could he not} This shall not profit you in the end. It shall show you your folly. The wise way is to run to God. All others shall prove physicians of no value.

V. 14. {as a Lion} In the end he will be more than a moth, and rottenness, when they will not repent upon lingering punishments, he will grow to be a very lion. This men get by seeking to vain helps against God. Nothing can resist his hand. See Chap. 13:8. Lam. 3:10. Psal. 17:12.

{and go away} A term taken from wild beasts, which having taken any prey, do run away presently, so that the prey cannot be recovered from them: yet he will go away with the prey, not as a fox, slily and stealingly; but as a lion openly, daringly, and without any fear, of any rescue.

V. 15. {return to my place} I will take away the presence of my help and grace from them; as if I did shut myself up in heaven, as if I would not care for them any more; and I will expect the issue of their behavior upon my fierce wrath. See Esay 18:4.

{till they acknowledge} Here are the two parts of repentance expressed.

{they} Both Ephraim, and Judah; of both whom in the former verses.

{acknowledge their offence} Heb. be guilty, Lev. 26:40, 41. Jer. 29:12. Ezek. 6:9. & 20:43. & 36:31.

{and seek my face} And favor. See Psal. 27:8, 9. & 31:16. and 44:24. and 51:9. & 80:3, 7, 19. Esay 55:6.

{in their afflictions they will} Here is the end and use, and fruit of afflictions, Psal. 78:34. & 83:16. Judg. 3:9, 15. & 4:3 & 6:6, 7. and 10:10. and Esay 26:16.

{early} That is, with all speed, care and industry, Job 8:5.

CHAPTER 6

Vers. 1. {Come} An exhortation to both, to return to the Lord; upon his readiness to heal and revive them.

All means of conversion afforded to Ephraim, and Judah, and yet they all dealt treacherously, Gilead, the priests, Ephraim, and Judah.

{and let us return} He shows the people how they ought to return to the Lord, that he might call back his plagues. To others, it seems to be a discourse of the people repenting, being the sequel of the precedent chapter, so as they yield not to despair, but rather raise up themselves to repent, and to hope in God's mercies; each one beginning with himself; and then mutually exhorting one another, as the words do show.

{for he hath torn and} And indeed this is the course and custom of God, he so smites, as willing to heal, though he tear as a lion, Chap. 5:14. yet leaves place for mercy; and in his punishments, aims at repentance. And the knowledge of this, and the apprehension and hope of mercy, is the very beginning of repentance, and induces sinners to it, Psal. 130:4. See Deut. 32:39. 1 Sam. 2:6. Job 5:18. Esay 30:26.

{bind us up} As a surgeon having laid on plasters, then binds up all.

V. 2. {After two days} In a very short time he will restore us; as it were from death to life, upon our repentance, Esay 54:7. The Jews understand the two days of their deliverance, from the Egyptians' bondage, and Babylonian captivity, and the third day of their redemption by the Messias. Others, hold it to be a secret prophecy of Christ's resurrection the third day after his death, 1 Cor. 15:4. But this seems too far fetched; and that place may not have relation to his text, but to other Scriptures: unless we hold according to that rule, That there are many prophecies concerning Christ, which first have their accomplishments in others, as in types, and after receive their full and perfect accomplishment in him: as that, Chap. 11:1. The true sense is, that though God deliver them not in the first, or second day, but delay a while longer, yet they will patiently expect, and trust still, that assuredly at last he will deliver them. Thus they strengthen themselves in their faith and hope, though two days pass without help; as Jer. 8:20. A remarkable pattern hereof we may take to be that of our Savior, 1 Cor. 15:4. and we must be made conformable to our head, Rom. 8:29.

{live in his sight} Here is their hope. In the sight of God, is all life and felicity, the life of grace and glory, Psal. 16:11. & 17:15. Apoc. 7:9. we shall live under his protection and favor, participating of his grace, and in his fear and obedience.

V. 3. {Then shall we know} Naturally we are inclining and prone to doubt of God's favor. Therefore the faithful continue and go on to encourage themselves in their comforts. And this is the exercise of their faith. Then shall we know, though now we see no such thing. The light of life shall dawn at last, after this darkness, Rom. 1:20. Psal. 30:5.

{if we follow on} Or, how to follow, John 8:31, 32. If we manfully strive to surmount all impediments, which would otherwise hinder us from attaining that grace, which yet seems shut up from us.

{his going forth} The manifestation of himself in grace and favor. Others thus, the manifestation of his grace in his Son, the knowledge of God, which shall be through Christ in the Gospel, shall be in the appointed time, and shall keep its ordinary course, as the sun does at his rising. See Judg. 5:31. Prov. 4:18.

{as the rain} The fruit of this his appearing, and revealing of himself. See Job 29:23. Psal. 72:6. It shall be as the rain watering the earth, and making it to fructify.

{as the latter and former} So shall he seasonably and constantly shower down his blessings upon us. The sum is, we shall more and more increase in the knowledge of God, notional, and experimental: as the light of the morning does hourly more and more increase, and grow fruitful by it, as the earth does by the rain. Thus they go on in reckoning up the effects and benefits of God's grace and bounty towards them, upon their repentance; He will heal us, revive us, and we shall live in his sight, and know him, and find his gracious favor still more and more. Thus the faithful increase in the knowledge of God, and trust in him. The LXX thus, ὡς ὄρθρον ἕτοιμον εὑρήσομεν αὐτὸν.

V. 4. {O Ephraim} The prophets, as has been said, usually add to their threatenings, some promise of hope and comfort, lest the faithful should despair. And again, to their promises, some threatenings and exceptions, lest hypocrites lay hold on the promises, which indeed belong not to them. For they had to do both with the whole body of the people that was corrupt; and also with a few godly ones amongst them. Here the prophet turns himself to the multitude, and shows they were incorrigible, incurable.

{what shall I do unto thee?} A pathetical contestation, appealing to their own consciences, in the matters following. See Chap. 11:8. Esay 1:5. & 5:4. seeing your perverseness is so great, that you cannot give way and place to my grace and goodness; what now shall I do unto you?

{O Judah} Judah in no better case: A thing the more deplorable.

{your goodness} Or, mercy, or, kindnesse: All the shows you make of converting to me, of serving and fearing me, have no firmness nor continuance. He has a relation likely to the frequent reformations of God's worship, which were never of any long continuance among the children of Israel, longer than God's hand was on them, Chap. 5:15.

{as a morning cloud} Which is suddenly dispersed at the rising of the sun.

{early dew} Which is soon dried up. Your goodness had no continuance, no substance, or solidity in it.

V. 5. {Therefore have I hewed them} Their former hardness and obduration in sin, caused God to deal hardly with them: an hard knot must have an hard wedge. They might thank themselves they were so hardly dealt withal, and not complain of any severity in God, they forced him to it, Esay 28:21. Lam. 3:33. I have severely reproved, chidden, and threatened them by my prophets, to set them upright, like as is done to a knotty and crooked piece of timber.

{I have slain them} I have judged and condemned them to death. See 1 Kings 19:17. Jer. 1:10. 2 Cor. 10:1, 6.

{by the words} God's word is compared to a sword, a rod, a staff, an hammer, a fire, Esay 11:4. Jer. 23:29. Heb. 4:12. Apoc. 2:16. for the force and effects of it. The prophet's duty, and the people's, are to examine themselves, how they are wrought upon by the word.

{and thy judgments are as the light} Or, that thy judgements might be as the light. My threatenings, and the sentence which I have pronounced against them, has every morning been declared unto them by my prophets; as the light to show them their duty, Jer. 7:13. & 11:7. & 35:14. so that they could not pretend ignorance; which clears God's justice, and convicts their contumacy. Some understand here the light; not of doctrine, but of God's judgments and punishments, Esay 26:9. Job 37:23, 24. Apoc. 15:4.

{that goeth forth} Every morning; whence some would collect, that the morning was the time for the prophets' usual teaching and preaching. Targum thus, Because I admonished them, sending my prophets, and yet they did not return; I will bring against them slayers, in as much as they have transgressed the word of my good pleasure, my judgment is as the light that goes forth.

V. 6. {For I desired} Hypocrites will always have somewhat to allege and pretend, and stick not to wrangle it out with God, while they are sedulous in ceremonials and externals. So here, our Savior cites this text twice, Matt. 9:13. & 12:7. and it agrees with that, 1 Sam. 15:22.

{mercy} Comprehends the duties of the second table.

{and not sacrifice} Comparatively; that is, more (as the word is after expressed) than sacrifice. God condemns the abuse only, Esay 1:11. & 29:13. Jer. 6:20. Amos 5:21. Mark 12:33. The external worship of God, and all legal ceremonies, are understood hereby. The LXX read the words thus, Will I have mercy, or sacrifice? reading the words interrogatively, to the same sense.

{and the knowledge of God} This comprehends the duties of the first table. God here joins both together. They must not be separated.

{more} The comparison here expressed. The meaning is, both outward, and inward worship of God, are conjoined, and to be conjoined: which hypocrites pull asunder, and rest in the outward worship only; which yet, without the inward, and without the real duties of the second table, is of no value and esteem, but odious to God, Psal. 50:8. Jer. 7:21, 22. Esay 66:3. He shows to what scope his doctrine tends, that they should join the obedience of God, and the love of their neighbor, with outward sacrifice; for else outward sacrifice will not satisfy God.

V. 7. {But they like men} Heb. like Adam, the first sinner of all, who broke God's first covenant with mankind; whence followed the general curse upon all men. See Job 31:33. Isa. 43:27. Or, as if it had been the covenant of some mean man, Gal. 3:15. See 1 Cor. 3:3.

{there} Where, and when as I dealt with them, as is expressed, vers. 5. See 2 Kings 17:7, &c. yea even there, in the very abusing of their sacrifices. They showed themselves men, in transgressing the covenant.

{treacherously} Chap. 5:7. & 7:13. & 8:1.

V. 8. {Gilead} Which was the place where the priests dwelt, and which should have been the best instructed in my word: it is thought to be Ramoth-Gilead, Josh. 20:8. & 21:38. which was one of the cities of refuge, for those which had committed some murder unawares; and he seems to infer, that it was a refuge for willful murderers. See Chap. 12:11. Some understand this of the country of Gilead, beyond Jordan, given to the two tribes and an half, Num. 32:1, 26, 29, 40. and now captivated by Pul, king of Assyria, for their sin, 2 Chron. 5:26. But the addition of the word city makes against that; unless by city we understand every city of Gilead, as some do at this city, which should have been a good example to others, was so wicked and bloody, what might be thought of other cities? Of Gilead, see on Obad. vers. 19.

{polluted with blood} Or, cunning for bloud, or, traced with bloud; guilty of much bloud. The LXX. thus; But they are as a man transgressing the covenant. There Gilead dealt treacherously against me, a city that acts vain things, troubling the water; reading so מים for מדם.

V. 9. {And as troops of robbers} As Judg. 9:25. Prov. 11:22. as the Arabian in the wilderness. See Obad. ver. 5.

{the company of Priests} Or, the league and conspiracy; as Jer. 11:9. Ezek. 22:25.

{murder} By this it may seem, that this is a prosecution of that in the former verse; that the priests of Ramoth-Gilead committed all manner of bloody cruelties: they were the companions, the captains, and commanders of such bloody robbers.

{in the way by consent} Heb. with one shoulder; or, to Shechem. One shoulder signifies one consent, that they did it unanimously; by factions and conspiracies. So Zeph. 3:9. If we take it for Shechem, we find Shechem to be a city of refuge on mount Ephraim, Josh. 20:7. belonging to the Kohathite Levites, Josh. 21:21. a prime city in the heart of the kingdom, where they met to make Rehoboam king, 1 Kings 12:1. and king Jeroboam dwelt there, vers. 25. many travelers went that way because of the celebrity of the city; and therefore that was fittest for their bloody robberies. Some thus, It may be that Jeroboam had placed there some false priests which himself had made: See Chap. 5:2. which committed many outrages and murders upon them which frequented the temple of Jerusalem, contrary to his command: or, generally upon all travelers; and that by guile and treachery; as Simeon and Levi had of old time murdered the Chemites, Gen. 34. The LXX thus, Thy strength is of such a man, &c. as abuses his strength to robbery, as aforesaid. Thus variously are these words taken, and interpreted.

{for they commit lewdness} Or, Enormity. I do liken these priests' violences to theft, for they are cruel and insufferable: or commit such like enormities, as Simeon and Levi did at Shechem, Gen. 34.

V. 10. {I have seen} Whatsoever they dream or imagine, pleasing themselves in their will-worships, and good intentions; yet I the true judge do thus see and deem.

{an horrible thing} Or, brutish and infamous. The boldness of prophets from God in reproving sin: They must set out sin in its colors. Better so, than for people to find how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God.

{the whoredom} The idolatry; usually called whoredom.

{of Ephraim} Ephraim the chief tribe and head of that kingdom; and Jeroboam the ringleader to idolatry was of the tribe of Ephraim, 1 Kings 11:26. & 12:26, &c.

V. 11. {Also O Judah} The words of this verse are so generally put, as that they may be divers ways applied and understood. Some thus, O you ten tribes, though for the present you have no good plants of true believers amongst you, yet you shall be replenished with them again, when you shall be united again to Judah; and by means of the Gospel which shall come forth of Jerusalem, Psal. 110:2. Isa. 2:3. God shall deliver his elect of all nations out of their spiritual captivity, and at last the whole body of his people Israel, Jer. 31:5. Others make God set an harvest of joy for Judah, when he shall cause his people to return from their spiritual captivity, by the preaching of the Gospel: like to that, Jer. 31:13. Zeph. 3:20. Ps. 14:7. But others, more agreeable to the context, understand here the harvest of idolatry, and of God's judgments for it. And that this harvest either Judah has set and sown for Israel, taking from Israel the seeds and plants of idolatry, to corrupt itself; and so by his example to confirm it in Israel, to propagate and ripen the harvest of Israel, and God's anger for it. Or rather, that Ephraim and Israel have also sown the seeds, and set an harvest of idolatry in Judah, corrupting Judah, and ripening him for the harvest of God's wrath. And this relates, as the former likewise does, to that history, 2 Chron. 28:8, &c. So that the meaning will be, That Ephraim had not only defiled Israel with idolatry; but also had sowed it in Judah, or Judah had taken the seeds, and plants, and harvest of idolatry from them, when Ahab was joined in affinity with the kings of Judah, and when Ahaz reigned in Judah, and in the end of his reign was delivered into the hands of Pekah, king of Israel.

{when I returned} When I did it by my Spirit in the powerful preaching of my prophet Oded, 2 Chr. 28:9. &c. though you arrogantly ascribe it to yourselves, and your own praise. Others, more generally thus, When I labored to prevent their captivity, by turning them from idolatry by the ministry of my prophets, even when and where I was about to reduce and restore them.

CHAPTER 7

Vers. 1. {When} God reproves Israel's and Ephraim's manifold sins; though he would heal them, yet they continue sinning against him, and seek another means of help, & come to him but hypocritically; which shall be their ruin.

{I would have healed Israel} As a good physician, Chap. 14:4. Psal. 30:2. & 103:3. Esay 30:26. & 57:18, 19. By my word, and prophets, by my mercies and judgments. Assur could not heal them, Chap. 5:13.

{then the iniquity} When by my word I tried to correct the sins of my people, their secret wickedness and inward hardness has manifest itself; as it often happens in bodily infirmities, when the physician tries his remedies, he finds diseases greater, and more than at first appeared. God applied his remedies, Chap. 6:5. but they prevailed not. They did but stir and provoke the evil humors. When sinners are rubbed on their sores, they kick, and snare as those, Matt. 7:6. and so bewray that bitterness of spirit which before lay hid in them. He that evil does, hates the light.

{wickedness} Heb. evils.

{of Samaria} See on Chap. 8:5.

{commit falsehood} They are so much the more set on all mischief, are addicted to it, and make a trade of it, John 3:8, 9. Mark 7:23. Ezek. 22:9, 11.

{the thief cometh in} Into the house for to steal. Meaning, that there was no one only kind of vice among them; but that they were subject to all kind of wickedness, both secret and open, within and without; they were so infected, that no place or part was left whole.

{spoileth} Heb. strippeth. Violently plunder abroad.

V. 2. {Consider not in} Heb. say not to their hearts.

{that I remember} As if there were no God; or God heeded not all their wickedness, or would never call them to account for it, Psal. 50:21. Job 22:13, 14. And this opens the floodgate to let in all sin.

{now their own} Though they think nothing less, yet they shall find by experience this to be true.

{beset them about} Like as it were with ropes and snares, that they may no longer escape judgments, Prov. 5:22. or the punishments of their misdeeds have bound them; or their misdeeds compass them on every side; wherein and whereof they boast themselves, as men do of a guard about them. There shall be no way left for them to escape.

{they are before my face} They commit their misdeeds boldly and openly. Or I keep them in mind, and they are always present before me, Prov. 5:21. & 15:3. Job 31:4. & 34:21. Jer. 16:17. & 32:19. And my part and office shall not be taken out of my hands, Gen. 4:7. I will see them punished.

V. 3. {They make the King glad} Chap. 5:11. in obeying readily their idolatrous ways and commands. Yea, they stick not to applaud him in all his vilest ways, crying up his vices for virtues, so as they may please his humor, and rejoice his spirit. Or thus, All their wickednesses are made occasions of their mirth & pastime, even by the judges and magistrates themselves; or they stick not at any sin, so as thereby they may make the king merry, ver. 5. but rather invent such ways of wickedness as wherein he may take delight. Such was their flattery and scurrility. A sign of an extreme corruption.

V. 4. {adulterers} Spiritually; and likely bodily too.

{as an oven} Raging hot and furious in their sinning; burning in lusts and desires after it.

{heated} He compares the rage of the people after adultery, and idolatry, to a burning oven, which the baker heats still, till his dough be leavened and raised: and so they use all means to fulfill their unbridled concupiscence.

{who ceaseth} Or, the raiser will cease.

{from raising} Or, from waking. Some thus, who ceases from raising and calling up the women to prepare their dough and bread for the oven; as is usual with him who keeps a common bakehouse, and after falls fast to the heating of the oven. Others thus; who ceases from waking and heating the oven, no longer time, than while the dough is kneaded and leavened: signifying hereby, their continual eager burning desires after these sins. Vulgar Latin thus, quievit paululum civitas à commistione fermenti, donec fermentaretur totum.

V. 5. {In the day of our King} Namely, the day of his birth, or of his coronation; his courtiers have persuaded him to drunkenness; so that there was no goodness in the court; but all excess of drunkenness and disorder there.

{sick with bottles of wine} Or, with heat through wine, Esay 5:11. Hab. 2:15, 16. LXX thus; ἤρξαντο οἱ ἄρχοντες θυμοῦσθαι ἐξ οἴνου, The Rulers began to rage with wine.

{he stretched out his hand} Thereupon having laid aside all manner of majesty, he does acts not beseeming him, but such men as are desperate scornful sinners, Psal. 1:1. Prov. 1:22. & Chap. 7:8. he takes them by the hand, and becomes their companion in competitions. And all this in that day which should have been dedicated to better uses. Thus good ordinances are abused.

V. 6. {For they have} When they have plotted some treachery, they hatch it within themselves secretly, until such time as the passion of desire or of revenge being come to the height, it do break out in effects. See Mic. 2:1.

{made ready} Or, applied; or, as the LXX, their hearts were heated as an oven: for קרבו reading חרבו.

{like an oven} As ver. 4. & 7. hot as that, Dan. 3:6.

{whiles they lie in wait} To execute their burning mischievous desires; as Judg. 9:25, 34, 35, 43. Jer. 9:8.

{their baker sleepeth} When he has made the fire that it will last and continue burning till morning, though he sleep,

{as a flaming fire} Some thus, through the baker's sleeping all the night, and not attending the fire, but letting it burn on still. The baker may relate to the king.

V. 7. {all hot as an oven} All fiery hot upon mischief. An epidemical and ecumenical corruption.

{devoured their Judges} This rage discovers itself chiefly in their seditious, and frequent conspiracies, to the devouring and destroying of their judges and magistrates.

{all their Kings are fallen} As appears in the frequent murders of them. Of Zachariah, Shallum, Pekahiah, Pekah, see 2 King. 15.10, 14, 25, 30. and before these times, see 1 King. 27. & 16.9, 10, 21. & 2 King. 9.14.

{there is none} They are so possessed with their affection to evil, that they cannot think upon me, to call upon me in these public disorders; nor to be rightly converted to me, Isa. 64.7. and all their kings that then fell by the sword, were alike evil, among them calling upon the Lord.

V. 8. {hath mixed himself among the people} By treaties, leagues, and commerce; which have brought them into participation of idolatry, and vices. See Chap. 5.7. That now they little differ from the heathens, following their manners.

{a cake not turned} As if he should say, he is neither raw nor roasted, dough nor cake, fish nor flesh: which may be referred to the mixtures and differences of religion; as was in Ahab's time, when they halted between Jehovah and Baal, 1 King. 18. or in Samaria, 2 King. 17.33. See Zeph. 1.5. Apoc. 3.15, 16. or else it may relate to that; that being as it were all fired by God's judgments, he was not one whit humbled nor amended by it; but was still raw in impenitency and obstinacy like a cake that is burnt on one side, and dough on the other.

V. 9. {strangers} Foreign enemies.

{and he knoweth it not} Has not a right knowledge of it, to make right use of it. He repents not, though God by divers ways, by words and blows does invite and drive him to it.

{gray hairs} Which are a token of his decayed strength, brought upon him before its time, through the anguish of his manifold afflictions and distractions. And yet by all that he was not reclaimed, but remained still obstinate and incurable. Which is a continual charge of this prophet against this people, as a people of forlorn hope, and desperate.

{here and there} Heb. sprinkled. Like drops of water.

V. 10. {The pride of Israel} Chap. 5.5. whereby they did speak proudly against the Lord, were stout against him, and wearied him in the day of their pride; as Mal. 3.13, 14, 15. So that his word, and his judgments could not break them: but they were even those men, Esay 9.9, 10. yet God in his time would take them in their pride, resist them, mar it, break it, and plentifully reward the proud doer, Esay 28.1.

{testifieth} That there needs no other witness to convict him.

{they do not return to the LORD} By repentance, Esay 9.13. but turn to their idols.

{their God} Who had so revealed and communicated himself to them. This is not to honor them hereby, but to aggravate their ingratitude and treachery.

{nor seek him} Chap. 5.15.

{for all this} For all the chastisements aforesaid. See Jer. 3.10. And then, for all this, his anger will not be turned away, but his hand will be stretched out still.

V. 11. {a silly dove} The dove neither harms others, nor fears harm herself; Ephraim is not innocent as the dove; but silly, without the wit, and the wisdom of the serpent, Mat. 10.16. they foolishly sought not to God for help as they should by repentance; but they call and go to Egypt and Assur for help.

{without heart} Without all judgment; as they that cannot tell whether it is better to cleave only to God, or to seek the help of man.

{they call to Egypt} This showed their silly heart. See on Chap. 2.5, 7. & 5.13. & 8.9. & 12.1. To aid and relieve them, and would not come to me. See 2 King. 15.19. & 17.4. Ezek. 17.15.

{go to Assyria} For the better and clearer understanding of the sacred history, take this catalogue of the kings of Assyria; we read of Pul in the days of Menahem, 2 King. 15.19. of Tiglath Pileser, in the days of Pekah, and Ahaz, 1 Chron. 5.26. 2 King. 15.29. & 16.7, 10. of Shalmaneser in the days of Hoshea, who took him, and Samaria, and put an end to that kingdom, 2 King. 17.4. & 18.9, 10. He is called Shalman, Hos. 10.14. And he or his next successor seem to be called Esarhaddon, Asnapper, and Sargon, 2 King. 19.37. Ezra 4.2, 10. Esay 20.1. And we read of Sennacherib, in the days of Ezekiah, 2 King. 18.13.

V. 12. {I will spread my net} Esay 30.1–8. & 31.1, 2, 3. As the fowler does spread his net upon the silly dove, vers. 11. I will curse their endeavors, and make the issue of them to be to their ruin and confusion.

{as their congregation hath heard} According to my curses made to the whole congregation of Israel in my law, by Moses in the wilderness; and denounced by my prophets, 2 King. 17.13. Others thus, as they have heard of the like judgments upon themselves, or others. Like that, Esay 23.5. LXX thus, ἐν τῇ ἀκοῇ τῆς θλίψεως αὐτῶν.

V. 13. {woe} Esay 30.1. Lam. 5.16. Ezek. 16.23.

{fled from me} Departed, revolted, estranged themselves, as Ezek. 6.9. & 14.5. See Jer. 17.13. & Hos. 9.12. Zech. 7.11, 12.

{destruction} Heb. spoil.

{because} Sin the cause of it. See Lev. 26.43.

{yet they have spoken lies} They have abused my patience and former deliverances, they have made lying protestations to me of future faithfulness and service; they did never return but feignedly and falsely. Or they have spoken lies against me, attributing their deliverance to men or to idols, and all their afflictions to me.

V. 14. {And they} Thus God prosecutes their impenitency and hypocrisy.

{have not cried unto me} Prayer is a great part of repentance, so it be sincere in the heart. The cry of the heart is that God likes, and loves, and looks for, Psal. 119.145. Lam. 2.18. Jonah 3.8. Thus Moses cried, when his voice was not heard, Exod. 14.15. and Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.13.

{when they howled} As dogs and brute beasts. Though the smart of their miseries urged them to howling; yet they were dumb towards me, and fraught with grumbling and impatience, murmuring and repining against me. See Job 35.9, 10, 11.

{they assemble themselves} To make supplications, seeking only their own commodity and wealth, and not passing for me their God. So they have these earthly blessings, they heed not me, nor my favor or displeasure. But we should first seek God's kingdom, and these things afterwards.

{they rebel against me} LXX thus; they were chastised by me.

V. 15. {Though I have bound} Or, chastened. I, as, a chirurgeon, have bound up their wounds and sores. The LXX omit this word.

{and strengthened their arms} I have tempered my punishments, and I have given them strength to bear them, and not to be overthrown by them. Or, after I have scourged them, I have reestablished them.

{yet do they} They abuse my goodness: they render unto me evil for good. Take heed of this sin.

{mischief against me} By their rebellion and apostasy, Nahum 1.9.11.

V. 16. {They return} They do but counterfeit repentance, dally, and elude me in it. God requires soundness, and reality therein, Jer. 4.1.

{but not to the most high} LXX, to that which is not. Vulgar Latin, that they might be without a yoke. Which variety seems to arise from their various readings in their copies.

{a deceitful bow} Psal. 78.57. They have no stayedness nor uprightness towards me; but are like a slack-stringed, or ill fashioned bow; or, a bow which turns in the archer's hand, or a warping or casting bow.

{their Princes} As ver. 7. much more then the people.

{for the rage of their tongue} Against God, and man; belching out blasphemies against God, and proudly bearing out themselves in their presumptuous and idolatrous courses; boasting of their own strength, and passing not a whit what they speak against God, and his servants. Or thus, the outrageous virulency of their tongue should be the stirrer up of indignation amongst them; and the cause of their princes falling by the sword. See Psal. 73.9. & 12.3, 4. Jam. 3.5, &c.

{their derision} This often slaughter of their princes; and change of state, shall render them as scorn to all; yea, even to their confederates, as the Egyptians now were, in whom they so much trusted.

CHAPTER 8

Vers. 1. {Set} God threatens destruction to Israel for their sins; their idolatry in the calf of Samaria: their hiring Assur for help, &c. And Judah is shortly threatened.

{the trumpet} To give warning of the enemies coming, Chap. 5.8. A military phrase. The prophet here, as a herald, proclaims war against them.

{thy mouth} Heb. the roof of thy mouth.

{as an eagle} Swiftly to seize on the prey. Though they, as is usual with sinners, do put off the evil day far from them. Namely, the king of Assyria shall speedily come, a swift and powerful enemy. See Deut. 28.49. Jer. 4.13. & 48.40. & 49.22. Ezek. 17.3. Hab. 1.8.

{against the house of the LORD} Not meaning here the temple of Jerusalem, and kingdom of Judah; as many would. For the whole context carries it to Israel, which was once the people of God, among whom God had his habitation as in his temple or palace; and they still pretend to be so.

{because they have} The cause of the war. And that twice told.

{trespassed} Impiously; and that against their knowledge and conscience.

V. 2. {Israel} Or they shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee, we are Israel.

{shall} This is no exhortation to them so to do; nor accusation against them for their failing therein: but a declaration of their simulation and counterfeiting in so doing.

{cry unto me} Out of season, and not be heard. Or out of mere sense of evil, without faith, piety, or conversion, as Job 27.9. Prov. 1.27, 28. Isa. 1.15. Mal. 3.4.

{My God} This is the voice of their cry, this is their vain boasting and confidence. As is usual with hypocrites and sinners.

{we know thee} Thou hast revealed thyself to us by thy law and word, and we make profession of being thy people. See Mat. 7.21, 22. Luk. 13.26, 27.

V. 3. {hath cast off} Rejected, detested. This is, as it were, an answer to that in the former verse, that their counterfeit cry was but in vain. The truth was otherwise, as it is here set down; their sin did stick fast in them, and the punishment should follow: they did cast off all goodness; and the enemies should seize upon them.

{the thing that is good} They have strayed from all piety and righteousness. Or, they are in cause that my grace and blessing is gone away from them.

V. 4. {They have set up Kings} This relates not so much to that of Saul, 1 Sam. 8. as to that of Rehoboam, and his successors. The people of their own proper motion, and without enquiring after my will, or staying for my command, or permission, have chosen & made kings of their own heads: first, Jeroboam, 1 King. 12. and after him successors: for though God promised ten tribes to Jeroboam, 1 King. 11.31. yet the people had no command by God, or notice from him, to make him king; wherefore they sinned, separating themselves from the lawful rule of David's posterity; though this happened according to God's secret providence, Hos. 13.11.

{but not by me} God so works by men to serve his providence, as leaving yet no pretense or excuse to them to cover or color their own wicked actions thereby. God's intent and providence to prove Job's patience, yet did nothing justify the outrages and robberies of the Chaldeans and Sabeans against him, Job 1. They meant nothing less than to obey and perform God's will therein. Thus God may truly be said to do and not to do the same thing; that is, in divers respects nothing falls out in the world, yea, no sin of man or Satan, which is not some way governed by God's special providence, and wisely and holily ordered by him.

{they have made} Doubles the point; the more to set it home upon their consciences.

{knew it not} With approbation. As the word Knowing, is used. Psal. 1.6. Mat. 7.23. Luk. 13.27. 1 Cor. 8.3.

{of their silver} This is the second capital sin of apostate Israel, in rejecting, as the kingdom of David, so the priesthood of Levi: both which God had appointed and established, and were as types of the kingdom and priesthood of our Savior; yet they had made other kings, and other worship. They corrupted and rejected God's whole worship, and the priesthood with it.

{and their gold} Made to serve them; not they to serve gods made of it. But such is the brutish blindness and madness of idolaters. See Chap. 2.8. Judg. 17.3. 1 King. 12.28.

{cut off} This justly follows upon it; though they think far otherwise, Judg. 18.24.

V. 5. {thy calf} He goes on to show, that Israel does still perish through his own default, and that he cannot lay the blame elsewhere.

{thy} Called his calf, though at Bethel, and the sin of Samaria, Amos 8.14.

{calf} So called in contempt, Ps. 105.19, 20. Deut. 29.17. 1 King. 15.12. See Hos. 9.10.

{Samaria} The hill Samaria was bought of Shemer the owner of it, by Omri, who built a city thereon, and called it after the name of Shemer, and of the hill Samaria, 1 King. 16.24. This presently became the head city of the ten tribes, Esay 7.9. 1 King. 16.28, 29. where their kings reigned, and were afterward buried. It is sometimes taken, to signify the whole kingdom of the ten tribes, 1 King. 13.32. 2 King. 17.24, 26. This is set forth under the name of Ahola, Ezek. 23. and some mistake it to be the same with Jezreel, mentioned in the story of Naboth, Elias, and Eliseus, and other extraordinary prophets dwelt here: and yet Ahab built an house, altar, and grove, for Baal here. This city was besieged by Benhadad in Achab's time; and at last, for her idolatries, and other sins, was besieged, and taken by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, in the days of Hosea and Ezekiel, and the kingdom destroyed, 2 King. 17. and foreign colonies brought in to inhabit here. After the return of Judah from the Babylonish captivity, there dwelt in Samaria a mongrel kind of people. Some Israelites, most heathen: and they, were of a mongrel religion. There were Reham, and Shimsai, and Sanballet, and others, enemies of the Jews, which still labored to hinder the rebuilding of the temple walls, & city of Jerusalem. The hatred betwixt the Jews and them grew to an extreme height, and so still continued: whence is that, Joh. 4.9. & 8.48. and our Savior in his commission, to his apostles, forbids them to enter into any city of the Samaritans, till the time of that general commission, into all the world, Act. 1.8. & 8.5, 9, 14, 25.

{hath} He uses the time past, for the time to come, for the greater assurance of the truth of his prophecy.

{cast thee off} Off from me, and failed you in your greatest need, and cast you off into exile and captivity: impute not this to chance, or to your enemy, but to your idolatry. As your calf has cast me out, so it shall cast you out. O you ten tribes, whose chief city is Samaria, your idolatry with your calves, at Bethel, and Dan, 1 King. 12.28, 29. will be the chief cause of your dispersion out of your own country. Or, as (some) thy calf hath left Samaria: your calf has been carried afar off; namely, into Assyria, as the idols of the nations overcome, were carried away captive in triumph, by the conquerors. See Chap. 10.6. Some read, cast off your calf, O Samaria. The vulgar Latin thus; thy calf is cast off, O Samaria. Targum thus, they have erred after the calf of Samaria, i.e. committed adultery with it.

{against them} The idolatrous people.

{how long} He expected long; but no length of time would serve their turn to turn to God.

{to innocency} That is, upright judgment, and godly life. See Ezek. 33.11. Jer. 13.27.

V. 6. {For from Israel} That is, the calf which Israel did adore, was not taken from the Gentiles; as many times they borrowed from their idolatries, but was invented by themselves; no less than that of their fathers, set up in the wilderness of Sinai: yea, idols were in Israel's own time; they were given to idolatry, even in Jacob's own family, Gen. 35.1, 3, 4. And the worshiping of the calves, in which the children of Israel professed, they worshiped the true God, is false and reproved by God, being but an human invention, as all other idolatries are.

{therefore it is not God} Nor any kind of divine worship is to be yielded to it. Thus he derides their brutish stupidity and madness: and so the prophets do in many other places.

{broken in pieces} Being the work of the goldsmith, and not of God, it shall be broken in pieces, the frame and feature of it demolished, in God's anger, by the executioners of his wrath. And this shall prove it to be no God. The LXX render all thus, mine anger is kindled against them. How long will it be ere they can be cleansed in Israel? Even the workman made it, and it is not a God.

V. 7. {They have sown} A proverbial kind of speech: as they sow, so they shall reap, yea, and worse too: meaning, they have studied vain things, and shall reap nothing thereby, but damage and ruin. Their vain superstitions, and their vain excuses of them, shall thus little avail them. See Chap. 10.13. Prov. 22.8. Jer. 12.13. Job 4.8. & 27.20, 21. Mic. 6.15.

{it hath no stalk} Or, standing corn.

{if so be it yield} If their counsels should bring forth any seeming commodity, or profit, the enemies shall take it away from them, 2 King. 17.5.

V. 8. {Israel is swallowed up} Is spoiled by the Assyrians, and laid waste. It may be he has relation to what is written, 2 King. 15.19, 20. See Chap. 7.9. Amos 2.5. & 5.6. Ezek. 7.15.

{they be among the Gentiles} The nations, whose favor they seek after, will disdain and neglect them, as an old broken vessel, fit for none but unclean uses, Jer. 22.28. & 48.38. Thus base should they be in the eyes of the Gentiles, whom the Jews, and not without warrant, esteemed so base in comparison of themselves, Mat. 18.17. as Egypt, in Ezek. 29.15. Joel 2.17.

{as a vessel} Jer. 22.28. & 48.38. & 51.34.

V. 9. {are gone up} This shows their wild and savage disposition.

{to Assyria} 2 King. 15.19. to Pul. See on Chap. 7.11.

{a wild ass alone by himself} From under the care and guidance of any herdsman, and so running from the park and fold of Israel, to the wild wilderness of the heathen. See Job 39.5, 6, 7, 8. Jer. 2.24. They never cease, but run to and fro to seek help; are a savage people, inhumane, and unnatural; that cannot be tamed, that care for nobody. Or, the Assyrian heeds them no more than a wild ass would do.

{Ephraim hath hired} Chap. 5.13. Esay 30.6. Ezek. 16.33, 34. 2 King. 15.19. & 17.3, 4.

{Lovers} Heb. loves. Targum thus, they are given up into the hands of the people whom they loved.

V. 10. {yea though} This evil shift shall hurt, not help them. LXX thus; when they shall be given up among the nations.

{now will I gather} Those nations on my side, against Israel. I will bring them up in arms to destroy Israel, Ezek. 16.37. Or, I will gather the Israelites into an heap for destruction. Or, the Israelites from gadding and gathering foreign aids, though against their wills, and will subject them to their enemy. Or, to delay a while their utter dispersion, and see if they will return and repent. Or, gather them again into their own land, after their dispersion among the nations. So the LXX, so variously may this general expression be interpreted.

{and they shall sorrow a little for the burden} Or, begin. They begin to complain of that burden of tribute; but the least evils which they shall endure shall be so extreme, that the burden of the tribute which they paid to the king of Assyria, wherewith they found themselves so much oppressed, shall be esteemed but a very light thing. Or, they begin to hire others, against their sworn loyalty and allegiance to ease them of that burden. See 2 King. 17.3, 4.

{a little} Far greater evils do abide and wait for them.

{for the burden} Of tribute.

{of the King of Princes} Of the greatest monarch then of the world, 2 King. 18. & 19. Isa. 10.8, 11. See Dan. 2.37. Or, of the king and princes of Israel, who imposed that tax and tribute upon the people, to be paid to the great monarch of Assyria. So the LXX. The scope of the verse may seem to be this; though they reject my aid, and fly to foreign helps, yet will I delay for a time their utter rejection and extirpation: and they shall begin to be burdened by tribute: and they shall sorrow for it a little, because they shall so become tributaries, before the enemies carry them into captivity. And all this to see, yet if so they will repent; and if not, far greater evils shall betide them: as in issue it fell out afterwards.

V. 11. {Because Ephraim hath made many altars} Because the ten tribes would not be content with my one altar, but make many, and do commit idolatry without any end or measure; I have given them up to do so, that they might heap up their measure of sin.

{to sin, altars shall} Though they think otherwise, they shall be their sin and shame, and ruin. Though they think this multiplication of altars, to be the best religion; long custom had so confirmed them therein, they could not otherwise be persuaded, their good intentions therein did assure them so: yet God will show it to be their sin, by the horrible vengeance he will take for it. They did but increase their sin, by increasing the number of their altars.

V. 12. {I have written} Here was the rule of their worship, which might cut off all their pretensions, and excuses in their false will-worships. God himself here, in his own person, speaks it.

{the great things} Namely, the admirable and precious revelation, and doctrine; great, and precious, Psal. 119.18.

{strange thing} As no ways appertaining to them. They have contemned them, as things which no way concerned them. Thus idolaters count the word of God as strange, in respect of their own inventions.

V. 13. {They sacrifice} Formerly against their altars: now against their sacrifices.

{flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings} Or, in the sacrifices of mine offerings. He charges them with impiety in offering flesh, and dead carcasses; without faith, and inward piety.

{and eat it;} In their sacrifices of thanksgiving, (whereof a certain portion was assigned to them that offered, to make their sacred feasts therewith) they never had any regard of devotion towards me, but only regarded their own bellies: so that it is no longer a sacrifice, but profane flesh. See Jer. 7.21. Or, the flesh, or part of it, of those sacrifices, which should have been wholly burnt with fire, they turned the holocausts into thanksgiving-offerings, that they may eat the flesh.

{accepteth them not} Neither them, nor their sacrifices, Prov. 15.8. & 21.27.

{now will he} Though he forbear a while, yet he will soon show that he remembers it.

{they will} He neither allows, nor commands it; but shows, that they will go: and that it shall be in vain. This is forbidden, Deut. 17.16. 2 King. 17.4. Some thus, they shall be led captives into Assyria, where they shall be used as servants, as they had been formerly used in Egypt: according to the threatening, Deut. 28.68. confer with this verse, Chap. 9.3. Or rather, Egypt may be taken literally; and God will punish thus their sin, in seeking unto Egypt. See Esay 30.1, 2, 3. &c. & 31.1. &c.

V. 14. {his Maker} That is, God, who created them after his image. Gen. 1.26. and afterwards made them his people by covenant of grace, Psal. 100.3. Esay 29.23. & 51.13. & 54.5. Ephes. 2.10. And advanced them to that state of grace and honor, above all other people of the world. Such a signification has the word, Chap. 2.8. Deut. 32.6. 1 Sam. 12.6.

{and buildeth Temples} Instead of any one temple. And these to idols; or if to the true God, yet against God's commandment, who approved but of one, where he had placed the tokens of his presence. Though they built the temples in Dan and Bethel, to the memory of God, yet God calls them a forgetting of him. God will be worshiped only by the rule of his law. God then would have only one temple, and one altar.

{and Judah} Here briefly is Judah also taxed.

{fenced cities} To trust more in them, than in God. See Esay 22.8–12. & 27.10. Jer. 8.14.

{I will send} Their trust shall be their ruin, Zeph. 1.16. Jer. 5.17.

{fire upon his Cities} Wherein Judah put trust, for their deliverance and safety, 2 King. 18. & 19 chapters.

{the palaces thereof} Or, her palaces: the palaces of Israel were first devoured, before Judah's cities.

CHAPTER 9

The time of this sermon is not set down. Or rather, he daily, or usually preached against their idolatries, superstitions, and other gross sins which then reigned amongst the people: and he eftsoons repeated the same threatenings, and denunciations of God's judgments for them. Afterwards, he gathers what he had preached into certain heads, and summarily propounds them in the chapters of this book. Here we have their whorish idolatry propounded; dearth, and captivity denounced: their sacrifices, and feasts rejected: their destruction in Egypt. Against their prophets. Of God's first kindness; and their sins then. His denunciations against Ephraim: their sins, and his punishments.

V. 1. {Rejoice not} He envies against their obstinate continuance in sin, and impenitency: and that they should not please themselves in their present prosperity and impunity: for God's judgments should not fail to pursue them, though he now spared; yea, though all nations under heaven prospered, yet they should smart and sorrow. Our present prosperity must not make us secure in our sins. Presume not, that your idolatry shall escape unpunished; or that God will cause it to prosper; as it happens to other profane people: for though all other people should escape, yet you shall be punished. See Ezek. 20.32. Amos 3.2.

{for joy} Or, with joy. Targum thus, Rejoyce not ô house of Israel: and follow not the manners of the people. Vulg. Latin thus, Rejoyce not O Israel, exult not as the people.

{for thou hast gone a whoring} After heathen gods and nations. And that spiritual whoredom, which in other nations, is but mere ignorance, in you is mere apostasy and rebellion.

{thou hast loved} You have prostituted yourself to loose idolatry, like to a common whore, that goes a whoring up and down the threshing floors. Or he does mean some particular kind of idolatry, which was used in the time of harvest and threshing; as if they would have acknowledged their increase to come by their idols' goodness, Hos. 2.5.

{a reward} Jer. 44.17. See on Chap. 2.12. Deut. 23.18. Ephraim, Chap. 8. v. 9. hired lovers. Here he loves a reward. There he hired assistance from idolaters. Here he loves, and looks for rewards, and worldly blessings from their idols, and idol-service, and not from God, Chap. 2.5, 8. do it not, you have no cause for it.

{upon every cornfloor} Or, in, &c. Loves the reward of a plentiful harvest, and full barn.

V. 2. {The floor} These plenteous earthly blessings of corn and wine. See Psal. 4.7.

{shall not feed them} LXX own them. These outward things that you seek from idols, shall be taken from you, shall deceive your hope, and frustrate your expectation. A punishment meet for them, worthy of them, such as they deserved, who minded these belly-blessings, and looked for them from their idols, Chap. 2.9. He will take the wheat and wine away; or his blessings upon them.

{fail in her} Fail their expectation, and the hope they had therein. LXX, fail them.

V. 3. {They shall not} A further judgment of exile and captivity.

{in the LORD's land} In a peculiar manner his, above all other lands, Psal. 132.14. As Adam out of Eden; and Cain out of Adam's family; so they out of the Lord's land; that land being a type, and pledge to them of the heavenly Canaan.

{return to Egypt} See on Chap. 8.13. Deut. 28.68.

{eat unclean} Ezek. 4.13. Being not able, by reason of their misery and slavery, to observe the distinction of meats, which was appointed by the law; or being also constrained to eat things consecrated to idols. See Dan. 1.8. They shall differ nothing from the profane Gentiles.

V. 4. {not offer} In their exile they shall not do it; nay, then by the law they may not do it. Or, now their offerings and sacrifices shall be in vain, not pleasing to God.

{as the bread of mourners} Used at funerals. See Esay 66.2.

{shall be polluted} It is so vile in itself, and in God's eyes, wanting the inward and spiritual part, that it defiles the offerers and communicants. In sum; all their offerings and sacrifices being profaned by their impieties, are rejected by God: and they themselves, instead of being sanctified by them, are polluted thereby, as they should be by funeral, and mourning feasts. Whereof, see upon Deut. 26.14.

{bread for their soul} Meat-offerings and oblations for the sins of their soul. See Lev. chap. 2. They offer sacrifices to me, only to make their feasts thereof, Hos. 8.13. Zach. 7.6. Let them therefore keep them as a common kind of flesh, and not offer them to me through hypocrisy, as if they were holy. Their meat-offerings are rejected, as offerings for the dead would be.

{shall not come} In their banishment it could not; in their own land it did not: or this may be a prohibition, that it should not, themselves being impure and defiled must needs pollute their own sacrifices, and why should such come into the house of the Lord? God debars such, both sacrifices and sacrificers, from his house.

V. 5. {do in the solemn day} When the Lord shall take away all joy and all occasions of serving him, even the very means of feasting, which you do at this day, now abusing your feasts; the rejoicing at which should be altogether holy. This depriving yourselves of the solemn worship of God, and the public exercises of piety, puts you into a case so woeful, as you shall not know what to do; being then as a people that have nothing to do with God, nor God with them. This shall be the most grievous point of your captivity, when you shall see yourselves cut off from God. Of these solemn feast-days, see Lev. 23. Deut. 16.

V. 6. {they are gone} He represents their flight and exile, as a thing that had happened already, the more to move them; and that no more they go on to slight the Prophet's threatenings.

{destruction} Heb. spoil: done by their enemies.

{shall gather them} And keep them up for the destruction, and no ways succor or save them.

{Memphis} Isa. 19.13. A city built on Nilus, next to Ethiopia; so called, from a mountain of that name adjoining to it, mentioned by Herodotus in his second book. Now most likely Grand Cairo.

{bury them} Flying thither for refuge; they shall die there: no way to escape God's vengeance, but it will pursue them.

{the pleasant places} Heb. the desire.

{for their silver} Or, their silver shall be desired.

{nettles shall possess them} Esay 32.13. & 34.13. Prov. 24.31. The inhabitants being driven out, or dead, all manner of wild plants shall grow up there; even in their pleasant and choice places, for the laying up of their silver, and treasures: so waste and desolate shall their land be. LXX do otherwise distinguish the words and sentences of this verse.

V. 7. {The days} Though long delayed by God's forbearance, to bring them on to repentance; yet now in his appointed time are come.

{Israel shall know it} Though now too late experience shall prove it, to their cost: they shall learn it now in another school; not out of God's mouth, but by his hand. And they shall know that which follows, viz. that,

{the Prophet is a fool} Namely, the false prophets, who feigned themselves to be inspired by God, and flatter the people, feeding them with vain hopes, shall now appear to be fools.

{the spiritual man} Heb. man of the spirit, Mic. 2.11. Who boasts of the Spirit, that he speaks and preaches by the Spirit: for we are not to understand this of the wind, or of the evil spirit.

{is mad} Not unjustly accounted so, as Rhoda, Act. 12.15. and Paul, Act. 26.24. and that Prophet, 2 King. 9.11. and Christ himself, Joh. 10.20. Mar. 3.21. But justly deemed so; as stricken by God, for his own and the people's sins, with a spiritual frenzy, doting upon his own dreams, and lunatic illuminations.

{for the multitude} Their great sins, and the great hatred of God against them thereby procured, was the cause that the false prophets so befooled them; and the day of God's visitation was come upon them: the fault of all was in themselves, and they might thank themselves for all; because they had not the love of the truth, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, so to be deluded by such foolish and mad men. Those foolish and mad pretenders of the Spirit were no excuse to them; they did but endure the just punishment, of their own impiety.

{great hatred} To wit, of God against you: and of one another amongst yourselves.

V. 8. {The watchman of Ephraim} Was so before the defection by Jeroboam; or his duty is still to be such, to be with, and for God. The faithful Prophets are the Church's Watchmen, Isa. 21.11. & 62.6. Ezek. 3.17.

{but the Prophet} But now he is otherwise, rather against God: The false prophets which Ephraim chooses to himself, are so far from doing their duty, as they ought, and from keeping Ephraim from ruin, that they drive and cast him down headlong into it.

{a snare} Entangling the people by their false prophecies, in all the ways of errors, and false worships; and consequently of mischief, misery, and destruction. Others say, The false prophets watch the godly in Ephraim, which yet stick close to God, to ensnare them. See 1 King. 19.18.

{hatred} Himself an hatred, and hateful; entangling the people into an hatred against God's house; and the chief occasion of God's wrath, and of the reprobation of God's people, who are as it were his family; and also of the people's mutual hatred one against another.

{in the house of his God} Or, against. In the idolatrous temples of Bethel, Dan, and Samaria; called here the house of his God, his idol; or of the true God, according to their vulgar opinions; as Chap. 8.1.

V. 9. {They have deeply corrupted themselves} Heb. made deep, corrupted. So deeply rooted and drowned in the bottom and gulf of their idolatries and iniquities: that there is no hope of curing and saving them. Or wholly corrupted to the bottom; as Isa. 31.6.

{as in the days of Gibeah} Chap. 10.9. See their prodigious wickedness, Judg. 19. This people is so rooted in their wickedness, that Gibeah, which was like Sodom, was never more corrupt, Judg. 19.22. Of this city, read Josh. 9.3,7. & 10.1,12. See 2 Sam. 21. & 11.19. The Hivites dwelt in it, afterwards it was allotted to the tribe of Benjamin, Josh. 18.25. and out of that tribe given to be a city for the Priests, Josh. 21.17. Jer. 28.1. where was that field called Helkath-hazzurim, 2 Sam. 2.16. where the Tabernacle, and altar was; and Solomon offered, 1 King. 3.4. 1 Chron. 16.39. & 21.29. 2 Chr. 1.3.

{therefore} Such vengeance follows such sins. LXX by another distinction of the words of these two verses, so vary and alter the sense.

V. 10. {I found} Not any worth in them: but in my free love I vouchsafed thus to esteem of them, Chap. 11.1. Ezek. 16.

{like grapes} When I freely adopted Israel to be my peculiar people, I took great delight in them: even as a traveler does in grapes, beyond his expectation found in a desert, or a man does in some rare and early fruit. See Esay 28.4. Mic. 7.1. Deut. 32.10. But they were quickly stained with idolatry; in which you do yet continue to this time.

{at her first time} When the figs first come.

{but they went} Thus he does discover and reproach their prodigious ingratitude. I prevented them with my choice love; but they cast me off, and went.

{to Baal-Peor} Thus did their fathers commit fornication by idolatry, Num. 25.3. And the like their children do: they may see themselves in the glass of their progenitors; as if such dealing and idolatry, by succession, became hereditary to them.

{separated themselves} From God to go after idols, Chap. 4.14. Ezek. 14.7.

{unto that shame} That shameful idol, to their shame; yet they did it without shame, impudently; idols are so called by way of abomination, Jer. 3.24. & 11.13. and especially Baal-Peor, whose shape and worship was most obscene. See on Chap. 8.5.

{abominations were according} Like unto the idol. Their abominable idols, and themselves like their idols abominable to me, 1 Pet. 4.3.

{as they loved} According as their minds and lusts carried them; sometime to one idol, sometime to another, Chap. 13.2. Some thus; The more I had loved them, so much the more for their idolatry I hated them; as I hated the idols which they loved. LXX corruptly thus; They that formerly were abominable, (namely the Gentiles) were made beloved (namely, by their calling to Christ.) Others thus, Ye beloved are made as abominable: all of them marring the true sense.

V. 11. {Ephraim} The ten tribes; and chiefly Ephraim who was chief and head of them.

{their glory} Of what kind soever; but chiefly their numerous multitudes of people wherein they gloried; prophesied and promised by Jacob to that tribe, Gen. 48.4,19. and agreeing to the notation of their name, Gen. 41.52.

{flee away} See Esay 16.2. Job 20.8.

{from the birth} By the sudden death of their children, so soon as they shall be born; or so soon as they shall be formed in the womb; or when they shall be conceived; or before by the barrenness of the mothers, Chap. 5.14. Thus, by degrees, the signs of God's wrath, and revenge, should appear, till it came up to their utmost extirpation. The like degrees of revenge were set forth in the names of Gomer's children, Chap. 1.

V. 12. {Though they bring} Though God spare some in the birth, yet it shall little avail them.

{bereave them} By a violent death, or otherwise, Job 27.14. See Jer. 18.21.

{a man} Thus God threatens an utter overthrow to the Kingdom of Israel; which at the end of this prophecy came upon them.

{woe} All manner of calamities, to children, parents, and all.

{when I} In whom only, as the sole fountain of them, all true blessings and felicity is to be found. See Ezek. 23.18. Jer. 6.8. LXX and Theodotian thus; My flesh is of them: through a misreading. And so they understand the words of Christ's Incarnation.

V. 13. {Ephraim} He prosecutes and confirms the former sentence and judgment.

{as I saw Tyrus} Puts them this example.

{is planted} Does presently flourish, as Tyrus, or a tree planted in Tyrus with extraordinary art and care. Ephraim is drunken with prosperity, fears not God's judgments, nor the Prophet's threatenings. This is the custom of sinners.

{but Ephraim} Though Ephraim was pleasantly placed, and well fortified, as that fair and magnificent city Tyrus, Ezek. 26. & 27. & 28. yet his children shall be brought under the Assyrians; who will kill them, or carry them forth to battle. This present prosperity, and their abuse of his patience, shall not hinder God's judgments formerly threatened, Psal. 37.35,36. See Jer. 22.24. Of Tyrus, see on Zech. 9.2.

V. 14. {Give} It may seem, the Prophet would willingly pray for them; for some mitigation.

{what} He is ashamed to pray for such a people; and doubtful what thing he might best pray for them.

{miscarrying womb} Heb. that casteth the fruit. The Prophet seeing the great plagues of God toward Ephraim, prays to God to make them barren, rather than that this great slaughter should come upon their children, after they are grown to ripe years, See Luk. 23.29. even this, rather than to have their children brought out to slaughter, to the murderer before their eyes; or the woman with child to be ripped up by the enemy: a miserable case, when that which is in itself a curse, is to be prayed for as a blessing.

V. 15. {All} He shows the cause, and points to the wellhead of all their woeful misery. They had no cause to accuse God's severity, and extenuate their sins. And here he speaks comparatively, noting out the chief of all their sins.

{is in Gilgal} See on Chap. 5.15. & on Chap. 12.11. That is now the stews as it were and brothel-house of their spiritual whoredom and idolatry; one principal place for it: but that in other places and almost everywhere they multiplied and exercised their idolatries also, Chap. 4.13. & 8.11.

{there I hated them} Even there, where they thought they showed their love to me, and highly pleased me by their sacrifices and worships, and procured my love to them thereby. Thus contrary is God's judgment to the judgment of idolaters, howbeit they will never be persuaded otherwise, Exod. 20. ver. 5.

{I will drive them} They shall be no more of my household and family. I will expel them thence, expunge their names out of that catalogue, and no more, as a master and father of a family, take care of them, they will needs pretend themselves to be of my family, but I will put away that visor from them, Mat. 13.12.

{love them no more} As they think yet I do, by my patience towards them, and prosperity afforded them.

{all their Princes} One root and rise of all their defection and apostasy: they which should have kept them from it, were revolters themselves, and executioners to them, and ringleaders in it. The people are not here exempted, or excused.

V. 16. {Ephraim} The judgment is often repeated; because nothing can be too much, or enough, to awaken such sinners, Esay 48.4. nothing would serve this desperate and forlorn people, but utter extirpation, and dissipation of them and their seed.

{is smitten} As by fire or thunder from God: whereby all power of recovering themselves shall be taken from them.

{their root} Ver. 13. and so no hope of recovery. Not like that, Dan. 4.15,26. if they do prosper in offspring, I will curse them, and root them out. See Job 31.8,12. Zeph. 2.4. Amos 1. ver. 2.

{yea, though} See on ver. 12.

{the beloved} Heb. the desires.

V. 17. {My God} Not yours any more; as you falsely boast. Thus he opposes his single self, having God on his side, against all the whole body of them. So Esay 7.13.

{will cast them away} For all their boasting themselves to be the seed of Abraham, and God's people, yet he will not any longer retain them in any degree of favor, as formerly he had done upon some hopes of their recovery; but totally reject them: and not reckon, or account them among his Church or people.

{hearken unto him} To obey him; but hardened themselves in their rebellious obstinacy, and contumacy against him.

{wanderers} He would no longer suffer them to be in his land of promise, his rest, Psal. 95.11. and the rest of his people and under his wings: But as a visible sign to all people of his abdication, and rejection of them, they should be captives, exiles, wanderers without rest, among the heathen nations; and be as the heathen themselves.

CHAPTER 10

The heads of this chapter are, Israel's idolatry; no king: False covenant: Against the calves of Beth-aven. Captives into Assyria. Their king and calves shall be cut off. Their sinning; and God's chastising. His good purpose, and their contrary doings. His judgments therefore denounced by Shalman, for their idolatry at Bethel.

V. 1. {an empty vine} Or, a vine emptying the fruit which it giveth. Whereof though the grapes were gathered (for Pul king of Assyria pill'd them, 2 Kin. 15.20.) yet ever as it gathered new strength, it increased new wickedness, so that the correction which should have brought them to obedience, did but utter their stubbornness. Empty of good fruits; yea full of sour grapes. Esay 5.2.

{fruit unto himself} Not to others; but consumes it on its own lusts, and idolatries. Or, his fruit is like to himself. Targum thus; The fruit of their works was the cause why they were carried away captives.

{he hath increased the altars} Chap. 8.11. & 12.11.

{to the goodness of his land} As they were rich, and had abundance by the fertility of the land; so they became more idolatrous Deut. 32.15. so abusing God's blessings as by the means of them to corrupt God's pure worship the more, Chap. 2.8.

{images} Heb. statues or standing Images.

V. 2. {Their heart is divided} Or, he hath divided their heart. Divided from God, who having taken away his Spirit of peace and concord from them, has given them over to seditions, factions, and frequent murders of their princes, which will cause the utter ruin of the Kingdom. See 2 King. 15.10,14,25,30. Some thus, That Israel divided his heart between God and Baal; as 1 King. 18.21. Contrary to that, Deut. 10.12.

{found faulty} Convinced of their faultiness, by God's dealing against them; as it follows after.

{he} Chap. 9.17.

{break down} Heb. behead.

{their altars} That so they may see the vanity of their trusting in them; and God's detestation of such idolatrous ways of worship.

V. 3. {For now they shall say, we have no king} Within a very short time God shall take away their king, and then they shall feel the fruit of their sins, and how they trusted in him in vain, 2 Kin. 17.6,7. They should be forced then to this confession of God's hand of judgment upon them: though not in way of true repentance, they still continuing obstinate in their former courses of sinning; yet their consciences should be convicted by evidence of the thing itself. This taking away of a king, is a remarkable evidence of God's wrath, and convincing the same, even to a people obdurate in sin, that would fain deny God's hand to be in it, Lam. 4.20.

{because} This extorted from them. As the like from Pharaoh, Exod. 9.27. & 10.16. and Saul, 1 Sam. 24.17. & Chap. 26.21. The want of God's fear & worship, is the cause of all sin, of all plagues.

{what then} If we had one, he could not now help us, free, or defend us. What should we have of him? Some take it, as if they questioned any use of a king at all; they rather would rule, and have the legislative power in themselves to overrule the king; if any were, to dispose, and depose him.

V. 4. {They have spoken words} Boldly enough, and largely enough, and yet but words only.

{swearing falsely} To God, in promising him conversion and service. Or to their king, obliging themselves to be faithful to him. Or to the king of Assyria being under him; but swearing falsely, and conspiring with the king of Egypt, 2 King. 17.3,4. They are perjured persons; new conspiracies break forth amongst them continually.

{in making a covenant} Renewing it with God; or making it for aid with foreigners. But with false hearts they did it; and became perjured covenant-breakers. They used false execrations in making the covenant. Vulgar Latin alters the words, and mars the sense.

{as hemlock} Thus their integrity and fidelity which they pretended, was nothing but bitterness and grief. Others, for this God's judgments shall multiply like hemlock, or other poisonous herbs, which grow in abundance in the fields. See Amos 6.12.

V. 5. {of Samaria} See on Chap. 8.5.

{shall fear} They fear when their idols are in any dangers. And the more, because they counted them the strengtheners of their kingdom, and put great confidence in them. But their faith in them shall be turned to fear. Whence they expected safety, they shall reap fear and terror.

{because of the calves} Heb. the cowes, or, cow-calves. So called in contempt; seeing their idols taken and carried away by the enemies.

{of Beth-aven} See on Chap. 4.15. There was a Beth-aven different and distant from Bethel, Josh. 7.2.

{the people thereof} To wit, of the calf, meaning that they were no more worthy to be called God's people, but the people of the calf, their idol. See Num. 21.29. Others understand the inhabitants of Samaria.

{shall mourn over it} Over the calf at Bethel.

{the Priests thereof} Heb. chemarims. Who were certain idolatrous priests, which did wear black apparel in their sacrifices, and cried with a loud voice: which superstition Elijah derided, 1 Kin. 18.27. read 2 King. 23.5. Zeph. 1.4.

{that rejoiced on it} Thus idolaters dote on their idols.

{for the glory} The cause of their mourning. It shall be no more reverenced, or worshiped as a god.

V. 6. {It shall be also carried} Namely, the calf. According to the custom of carrying away the idols of those nations which were conquered. See Esay 46.1,2. The idol cannot help itself; much less its foolish worshipers. This shows the gross madness of idolaters in their idol-worship, who yet in their extremities run to them for help. Others will understand it of the inhabitants of Samaria.

{King Jareb} To the king Protector, namely, the king of Assyria, whom the Israelites had chosen for their Protector and defender, Chap. 5.13. See Annot. on Chap. 7.11.

{ashamed of his counsel} Namely, of that which he has undertaken of his own mind, beyond, and against the will of God, Ps. 106.43. Hos. 11.6. or, of conspiring with the king of Egypt against the king of Assyria, 2 King. 17.4. or of that counsel, 1 King. 12.27.

V. 7. {her King} Next to their idols, their trust was in their kings. But their kings, Zachariah, Shallum, Pekahiah, Pekah, were cut off by violent deaths, soon, and suddenly, as the foam and froth of the waters, as is here threatened: and Hosheah their last king imprisoned; and in him their kingdom ended. LXX thus, Samaria hath cast off her King.

{as the foam} This are kings, Psal. 62.9. Jam. 4.14.

{the water} Heb. the face of the water.

V. 8. {The high places} The Prophet continues on in his threatenings, because they continue on in their sins. They had necks of iron, Esay 48.4. nothing was enough to bow and bend them: all too little to make them relent and repent. The very places of their idol-worship shall be destroyed.

{of Aven} Which is the same as Beth-aven, ver. 5. This he speaks in contempt of Bethel, read Chap. 4.15.

{the sin of Israel} The object and instrument of idolatry, Deut. 9.21. what they counted the pious worship of Israel, God accounts the sacrilegious sin of Israel.

{the thorn} Chap. 9.6. See Gen. 3.18. Job 31.40. And so it came to pass upon Judah's Temple also, and altar, at last, for their idolatry.

{they shall say} As Job 3.20,21,22. See Esay 2.19. Luk. 23.30. Apoc. 6.16. & 9.6.

{Cover us} Words of such persons as desire death, for fear of evils that are far greater than death; and of such as are in extreme despair.

V. 9. {sinned from} Now new sinners, but of ancient standing.

{the days of Gibeah} Chap. 9.9. Judg. 19.14,22. such deep sinners; like those of Sodom and Gomorrah; which were so severely punished. And the like sins do continue and increase in you, with like impudence & impunity: you do justify them; as Ezek. 16.51.

{there they stood} Though they stood a while in doubt, and were at a stand & stammer, yet they stood it out at last. And for all that, stood obstinate & obdurate in the like infamous sins; Though their fathers were no better than they of Gibeah, against whom they warred, because of their infamous wickedness, yet the Lord, at last, delivered them out of those bloody battles; they were not utterly overthrown, as they deserved.

{against the children of iniquity} The Gibeonites, Judg. 20.

{did not overtake them} The like severe punishment did not yet overtake them: nor did that take hold of them, that the remembrance of it, might deter them from the obstinate persevering in their sins. Yet he implies, the like judgment shall overtake them; or a more sharp, short, and sudden battle, to destroy them in a moment, if they make not better use of that example, and take better heed by it; yea, their ancestors' sins shall not then be forgotten, when God shall come to reckon with them, upon the like score, as Exod. 32.34. Targum thus; Thither came against them warriors to slay, their fathers with the children came up thither.

V. 10. {It is in my desire} Vehement desire: Like that, Luk. 22.15. Vulgar Latin thus; according to my desire I will chastise them. Targum thus, By my word, or by myself, I will bring chastisement upon them.

{and the people shall be} And I will satisfy that desire; I will avenge me of them, Esay 1.24. compare Chap. 11.8,9. & Lam. 3.33. yet here, says God, Because they are so desperately evil, I will satisfy my wrath with their just punishment.

{gathered against them} Chap. 8.10. The manner how he will chastise them; namely, not so much by domestic wars, as by a foreign people. God has all nations at his command, to arm them at his pleasure; against his sinful people; he can hiss for the fly of Egypt, for the bee of Ashur.

{when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows} The text is עינתם their eyes. The Keri of the Masorites will have it read עונתם their furrows. When I shall bind them in their two furrows, like oxen tied to the yoke, each of which treads in his furrow. The Targum thus, I will gather the people against them, and they shall rule over them, as the bond of a yoke upon their two eyes: that is, as the ox is so bound with the yoke there, or thereabout; so strictly should they be bound with the yoke of the people domineering over them. Or, When I shall bind them, or chastise them, for their two transgressions; reading עונתם so the LXX, and vulgar Latin read it. And understand then their two golden calves: or as that, Jer. 2.13. Some thus, in their two habitations. And with them, this seems to have relation to the two invasions of the kings of Assyria, 2 King. 15.29. and 17.3. And because the Assyrians had been as the lovers of the children of Israel, Chap. 8.9,10. the Prophet uses such a word which signifies an appointment of some unchaste meeting. Or thus; Notwithstanding all their preparations for defense, nothing can hinder the execution of my decree. But even then when they have gathered all their strength together, I will gather people enough against them, to destroy them. So variously are these words rendered and interpreted.

V. 11. {Ephraim} Concise, and obscure is this verse; and so subject to diverse interpretations. The scope seems to this; to set forth the dispositions of the people, and God's dealing with them thereupon.

{is as an heifer} Chap. 4.16. Jer. 31.18.

{that is taught} Instructed in her duty, and my service, and that from the beginning.

{and loveth to tread out the corn} Wherein is pleasure; as in plowing is labor and pain; even so my people would enjoy my blessings, but would not be subject to the yoke of mine obedience and discipline; they love to serve me so, as may suit best with their ease, profit, and pleasure: they are accustomed to that, but love not the yoke and labor of the plow; will not be taught and brought into that strict obedience, to that thorough and true subjection to my service. LXX thus, Ephraim is an heifer taught to love contention.

{but I passed over upon her fair neck} Heb. the beauty of her neck. I made her fair and fat; in good case to bear any yoke; but she abused my blessings, grew stiff-necked, would not plow; cast off the yoke. But I will tame her, and bring her into subjection; bring her neck to bear my yoke, I will send mine afflictions upon her, to bring her neck to the yoke.

{I will make Ephraim to ride} Not rest in his own land, but be driven into exile, and tossed, and tumbled to and fro; as Job 30.22. Some refer this to Ephraim's reigning; but this suits not with the sense of the context. Rather thus, I will use Ephraim for riding; people shall ride on him: I will handle Ephraim more hardly, the whole nation shall be carried captive into Assyria.

{Judah shall plow} Neither will I spare Judah; but Judah shall have his judgment too; but less than then of Ephraim. He shall plow and harrow, that is, suffer misery by the Babylonish captivity; and this was less, and more tolerable than that of the ten tribes: as it is less trouble to the beasts that plows and harrows, than to the horse that is ridden, specially by a rigid rider.

V. 12. {Sow to yourselves} He continues the allegory of husbandry. And thereby exhorts them to repentance; Or shows how he has been doing so: and yet they continued impenitent; as it is in the verse following. He is not wanting thus to instruct them, and to exhort them thus; endeavor yourselves do good works.

{in righteousness} He calls them to the duties of the second table, which will soonest evidence their repentance, if true; or their hypocrisy, if false.

{reap} By God's blessings that shall not be wanting, but is ready for them, upon their sowing: If they reap it not, the fault is not in him, but in their default of sowing; and so the way of their remedy lies open before them: and yet mercy, not merit, shall be their reward.

{break up} Jer. 4.3. break up, and soften your hard hearts, pluck up the sinful weeds and lusts of them; use double labor therein, as in a waste ground: to fit it for seed, Mat. 13.7,22. Jam. 1.21.

{for it is time} High time now, without any further delaying it, and the time not yet utterly past; yet hope remains, God is still ready for his part; the door is not shut, Esay 55.6. See Psal. 27.8. and 32.6. 2 Cor. 6.2.

{to seek the LORD} Psal. 27.8. & 14.2. Esay 31.1. & 65.10. Rom. 3.11. 2 Chr. 19.3. & 30.19. & 31.21. Psal. 22.26.

{till he come} As he will, upon your seeking him: and yet you must not limit him, but wait his own time till he come.

{and rain righteousness} His grace shall be like a shower of seasonable rain, plentifully to fructify, and bring on your harvest, and fruits of righteousness. Your labor of plowing, and sowing shall not be in vain. His grace and blessing shall be upon you, according to the truth of his promise. Others understand this to be spoken of Christ, who brought the true righteousness into the world, Dan. 9.24. to receive which, the preparation of the heart is necessarily required.

V. 13. {ye have ploughed wickedness} Job 4.8. Prov. 22.8. Gal. 6.7. you have done contrary. By art and endeavor, you have stirred up and practiced your natural malice, to cause it to produce many evil acts.

{reaped iniquity} Namely, the just punishment thereof. Or thus, your plowing and harvest were both alike, both sinful; your work and wages well agree. Or thus; your reaping answers well to your plowing, your continuing corresponds to your beginning; both alike sinful.

{ye have eaten} You have in effect tried what vanity was in your hopes, grounded upon your wickedness; a fruit well worthy of your perfidiousness.

{because} The chief cause, and headspring of their misdoings; the relying upon their own wisdom and strength; and not substituting to God's wisdom, and resting upon his power: and thereupon slighting the Prophet's admonitions, and God's threatenings.

V. 14. {Therefore} Upon the conviction, the sentence follows.

{a tumult} At home, and from abroad.

{shall rise} Suddenly and speedily.

{among thy people} Among them all universally; the word is plural: no tribe free; all full of fearful tumults.

{fortresses} All your strongest holds, and fortifications, they shall be vain helps; God's wrath will lay all level before it; no refuge shall be left for you.

{as Shalman spoiled Beth-Arbel} 2 King. 18.34. and 19.13. This history is mentioned nowhere else. Some hold this to be the same as Shalmaneser, 2 King. 17.3. and Beth-Arbel the name of some city taken and destroyed by him. 1 Mac. 9.2. there is mention made of Arbel; which may be the same with this. And then this was an example of a fearful judgment and vengeance fresh even before their eyes, and famously known to them. The Vulgar Latin translate thus; your fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman was spoiled by his house, who judged Baal in the day of battle. And so do the LXX, and Theodoret. And in this translation there seems relation to be had to that history, Judg. 7 and 8 chapters, where Gideon, who judged Baal, and therefore was called Jerubbaal (a word, without pricks or vowels, little differing from Arbel) spoiled Zalmunna in the day of battle.

{the mother} A proverbial kind of speech, to describe a total destruction, Chap. 13.16. Gen. 32.11.

V. 15. {So shall Bethel} He says not the Assyrian shall do it, or God shall do it: but Bethel shall do it. By this expression the more powerfully to show, that that woeful evil and the cause of it was in themselves: yourselves are the destroyers of yourselves, think not so to put it off to any others. As if he should say; Your idolatry which you run headlong into, the chief mother whereof is Bethel, shall be the cause of all this: God is just herein. Bethel was formerly called Luz, differing from that Luz, Josh. 16.2. Judg. 1.26. this was west of Ai and Beth-aven in the south part of Jury on a mount, Josh. 7.2. & 18.12,13. Hard by it Abraham pitched his tent, Gen. 12.8. and here Jacob saw the vision of the ladder, Gen. 28. It had a king when Joshua conquered it, Josh. 12.16. and then allotted to the tribe of Benjamin, Josh. 18.22. Here Samuel kept his assizes, when he rid his circuit yearly, 1 Sam. 7.16. And here Jeroboam put one of his golden calves, and built an altar, high place, and grove, 1 King. 12. and 13. chapters: yet Abijah took Bethel from Jeroboam, 2 Chron. 13.19. but it seems it was soon after lost; and became the king of Israel's chapel and court, Amos 7.13. had a school, and college of Prophets, 2 King. 2. Hither came the priest sent by the Assyrian, 2 King. 17. Josiah polluted and destroyed all the monuments of idolatry there, 2 King. 23.4.15,16.

{your great wickedness} Heb. the evil of your evil.

{in a morning} As soon as it is morning, as soon as the day prefixed for God's judgments to light upon him shall appear: or suddenly, in a moment of time.

{shall the King of Israel} Hosea, 2 King. 17.4.

{be utterly cut off} Both king and kingdom too shall be clean rooted out; notwithstanding all their strengths, all their proud confidence to the contrary. Vulgar thus; as the morning passes away, so the king of Israel passes away.

CHAPTER 11

Vers. 1. {When} In this chapter God tells his love to Israel, when he was a child. Israel sins then: and now. His judgments therefore threatened by Ashur. His fierce anger against them. Which yet he will assuage. His promise of their coming in to Christ.

{Israel was a child} Or, because Israel was a child; or because he is a child of Israel. In Israel's first rise in Egypt, where he was as a carcass in a grave, as an embryo in the womb; whereupon his bringing forth thence is called the day of his nativity, Chap. 2.15. In his first beginning, when first he began to be a nation there, see Jer. 2.2. Ezek. 16.22. Also it is true of Christ; who when he was a child fled thither from Herod, and came thence to Judea, where by his death he delivered his people from the bondage of sin, figured by that Egyptian bondage. This exposition the Evangelist makes, Mat. 2.15. See Annotations on Chap. 6.2.

{I loved him} Freely of myself without any worth or merit in him. The more monstrous now is their ingratitude. See Rom. 9.11,12,13. Mal. 1. vers. 2,3. Or, understanding it of Christ, it suits with that, Mal. 3.17. & 12.18. & 17.5. 2 Pet. 1.17.

{and called} The sign and fruit of his love, Exod. 4.22,23. Deut. 4.20,34. This is literally true in Israel, his adopted son, Jer. 31.20. Mystically, in Christ, his natural Son: true in the body of the Church; and true in the Head of the Church. That call, and deliverance out of Egypt, was but a præludium, pledge, a type of the true spiritual and perfect deliverance and redemption by Christ's coming out of Egypt. St. Matthew therefore, Chap. 2.15. does more than allude to this place, when he speaks of the fulfilling of that which is here spoken.

{my Son out of Egypt} Wonderful love, 1 John 3.2. See Exod. 4.22,23. and also Mat. 2.15. Christ was in Egypt for a time to decline the cruelty of Herod. LXX thus; his sons. So making the meaning to be, that God therefore brought the Israelites, the posterity of Jacob, out of Egypt, because he loved Israel or Jacob, when he was a child; yea before he was born, as it is, Rom. 9.11,13. which seems the proper meaning of the Prophet: yet herein a type and figure of Christ were they; Egypt a type of Hell; the Israelites a type of the faithful people, and of Christ their head, their redeemer and deliverer.

V. 2. {As} This belongs only to Israel; no ways to Christ. All things that were spoken of the High Priest, of David, and others that were types of Christ, yet agree not to Christ: they were types but in something.

{they} The Prophets all, and often.

{called them} Not as that call was, as in the former verse: but by their exhortations, and sermons, calling them so to repentance, and to my true service, which was the chief end for which they were called out of Egypt, Exod. 4.23. but they turned their back to them, Jer. 2.27.

{so} Openly, and as of purpose, contemptuously, they went the clean contrary way.

{from them} From the Prophets of God; they would have nothing to do with them; nor their word and doctrine. Where the Word is not the savor of life unto life, it will be the savor of death unto death. LXX thus; From my face.

{they sacrificed unto Baalim} Their lesser gods, their patrons. For no doubt they acknowledged one only supreme Deity. This a further degree of sin than the former. Of baalim see Chap. 2.13.16,17. Judg. 2.11. and often in that book, and in the second book of Chronicles, and in Jeremie.

{and burnt incense} God will not have incense burnt, nor such things done to images; as Papists do.

V. 3. {I taught} God shows here his further love to them, and the continuation of it,

{to go} As a nurse does the infant. See Exod. 19.4. Numb. 11. ver. 12. Deut. 8.4. & 32.10,11,12. see Esay 5.2,4.

{taking them by their arms} As nurses use; yet some understand this of Ephraim's embracing Baalim, and images, vers. 1,2. as an harlot does her lovers.

{knew not} Or, acknowledged not. The more stupid and monstrous ingratitude.

{that I healed them} Saved them from those plagues of Egypt, and in all those dangers in the wilderness, Deut. 8.2,3,4,5. Exod. 15.26. & 23.25.

V. 4. {I drew them} God continues on in the same point. I used them not with rigor, but gently. A phrase taken from cattle, bred up to carry or draw, which by a good master are used gently, and brought to their labor without violence.

{with cords of a man} Humanely, courteously. I did not drag, or drive them as slaves; but allure and draw them on as sons.

{take off} Heb. lift up. Ease them every way.

{the yoke on their jaws} By which must be understood the muzzle, for otherwise a yoke does not use to be laid upon the jaw: or jaws taken by Synecdoche for the whole head and neck.

{I laid meat unto them} Which they could not take till the muzzle was removed. Or, I laid it before them that they might feed with ease and quietness; continuing still my kind usage of them. The Vulgar Latin thus; Declinavi ad eum ut vesceretur. LXX so render the words, as amounts to this meaning; I will chastise them as a father, when he raps or strikes his son, and by my looks I will prevail against them, i.e. by a blench only, and cast of mine eye, I will overthrow them.

{He shall not return} Or, he should not have returned. The body of this nation shall not go for safety into Egypt, which is a friend's country; but they shall go into captivity to Assyria, an enemy's country; and herein will I enforce them to obey my command, Deut. 17.16. and 9.3.6. Thus is God's judgment upon them, for their ungrateful requital of God's good dealing with them.

{Egypt} Which they hoped to be their shelter and sanctuary, and were their confederate, 2 Kin. 17. upon which hope they slighted the more the Prophet's threatenings and thunderings.

{but the Assyrian} That hope shall fail them: they shall be subdued by the Assyrian, and captives to him; engaged there, as wild beasts in a grate; bound up there as mad men are bound with chains: so they in Assyria, where Egypt cannot help them.

{shall be his King} Or, the Assyrian, have been his king: Some thus; He should neither have trusted in the Assyrian, though he were tributary to him since the days of Menahem, 2 King. 15.19. But he should have trusted in me. See Annotations on Chap. 7.11.

{because} The cause of this judgment. See Deut. 28.68.

{to return} Not into Egypt; but unto God; to repent and trust in him, and his aid; though they were so many ways invited thereunto.

V. 6. {And} He prosecutes the judgment, to withstand their slighting of it, and to cut off their vain hopes of escaping.

{shall abide} Shall fall furiously; rage and reign, and remain, and devour. Vulgar, began.

{on his cities} Wherein he trusted.

{his branches} Or bars, the bars of his cities: or the towns and villages, which are as branches and boughs of his cities, all his forces and defenses, as well those which consist in strong towns, as those which consist in the valor of men. LXX for his branches have in his hands.

{because of their own counsels} And carnal wisdom; opposed to God's wisdom, and his decrees and judgments. See Chap. 10.6. Their actions and enterprises which they have undertaken, by their own advice, Psal. 106.43. Hos. 10.6. These their counsels shall not help them, but help to ruin them.

V. 7. {my people are bent} Set upon it; not hang in suspense, or doubtful therein, which way to take: but resolved, and obstinate.

{to backsliding} Inconstancy, as a starting bow; to apostasy.

{from me} To other gods, and idolatrous worship. They desire and expect that I should turn in favor to them, and relieve them, whereas they should turn to me by repentance, which they will not do, though the sword abide on them, and consume them.

{though they called them} Though the Prophets called them, and sought to recall them, to bring them back to God; and do so still. Some thus translate; they called on the most High, i.e. prayed to him, but prayed only hypocritically.

{none at all} Heb. together they exalted not; but all with one consent, conspire herein. An epidemical and ecumenical disease.

{exalt him} Lift up their hearts and minds to him, to glorify him, by their conversion to him; to extol his justice, and mercy, and truth, by their trusting in him; & their cheerfulness in serving and obeying of him. Others thus, none would exalt, or lift up a foot to make any progress towards the most high; but stood still in obstinacy, without any motion or sign, or beginning of repentance at all. Some thus; that because of their obstinate backsliding, God will not at all exalt them. LXX make the meaning to be, that the people of God should go into captivity out of their land, and God would be angry against them, and their most precious things, even the Temple itself, that it should be destroyed.

V. 8. {How} Here God takes upon him the person and passions of a man, complying with our weak capacities. Not that there is any doubting at all, or changing at all in him: he shows hereby what this people deserved; and how he proceeds not to execution rashly, or overhastily: and how in the midst of wrath he remembers mercy, and mitigates the heat and height, and fierceness of his anger: Though you deserve to be irrevocably destroyed, as those wicked cities were, Gen. 19.24. Amos 4.11. and you are near it; such is your flagitious wickedness; yet my mercy will not suffer it; and therefore I promise you a re-establishment by means of the Messias, Chap. 6.4.

{as Admah} Deut. 29.23.

{mine heart is turned within me} Isa. 63.15. Jer. 31.20.

{my repentings are kindled together} Or, heated: the sounding of my bowels; the yearning of them. See 1 King. 3.26. Cant. 5.4. Isa. 6.11. Gen. 43.30. Lam. 1.20.

V. 9. {I will not execute} With extremity of rigor, and without remission. Thus fierce we apprehend God to be, when the nature of his justice moves him to execute grievous judgments: yet still is he without any passion; thus are mingled judgments, and mercies; threatenings, and promises; total destructions to the general body of the wicked people; and yet reservations of mercies to his holy repenting and elect remnants amongst them: yea mitigations of judgments many times to the body of the wicked, for the godly's sake that are among them: he spares the chaff and straw, for the wheat's sake that is in it. God's grace of election and vocation, is, and remains ever firm and stable to his.

{I will not return} That I may save the remnant of mine elect among the people; I will not consume them wholly by redoubling of evils. His elect shall never fail; his Church shall never utterly perish.

{I am God} And therefore most true, and immutable in all my promises. Thus God confirms and bears up the trembling hopes, and fearful tender consciences of his holy remnant: and this must be a strong bulwark to us in all our fears, against our own manifold frailties, and Satan's fiery darts, and temptations: this must be our shield and buckler to defend us, to establish, and comfort, and quiet us, against diffidence and despair. We must not measure God by ourselves; but better remember with whom we have to deal, and wholly rely upon his free and unchangeable nature, and promises. Isa. 55.8. 2 Sam. 7.14. And no cause for this dealing can God find in us, or elsewhere, but only in himself.

{and not man} Who is changeable in his purposes, and would no ways bear and endure such wrongs. Numb. 23.19. Mal. 3.6. 1 Sam. 15.29.

{the holy one in the midst of thee} I will be within you present by my grace and spirit; as your true Deity, the object of all your devotion, religion and adoration; and the wellspring and author of all your holiness: I will be mindful of my covenant; as in 2 Sam. 7.14,15. Psal. 89.32,33. Mic. 7.18,19,20. and I will not be there any more as your enemy.

{I will not enter into the City} As a besieging and conquering enemy uses to do; with fire and sword, of rage and revenge; I will forbear, and spare, though the gates and walls of the city lie open and level before me.

V. 10. {They shall} He goes on further, and promises not only mitigation, but restoration: Some extend this prophecy to the kingdom of Christ, and so their spiritual collection and gathering to him, and walking after him, as their Lord, and guide; and all this by the mighty, sound, and powerful preaching of the Gospel.

{walk after the LORD} And not go from him; as those, vers. 2. And he shall go before them, and become their Captain and Leader, though in their exile and dispersion, he seemed to forsake and abandon them. He shall manifest himself to them in grace, and salvation in Christ.

{he shall roar like a Lion} Jer. 25.30. Joel 3.16. Amos 1. vers. 2. He shall cause the powerful voice of the Gospel to sound all the world over; by which the consciences being moved, men will gather unto him, Haggai 2.6,7. Heb. 12.26. Others thus, He shall be terrible to their enemies, that none in any quarter shall dare to withstand their return from thence.

{the children shall tremble} Shall run to him, as children do tremble, and run to their parents, when they are afraid; and so as the lion's whelps to their dams. The true elect, children of grace, John 1.12. shall join themselves in spirit, to the communion of the Church, from all the ends of the world, where they have been scattered. Others thus, That the mighty voice, and power of the Lord then to be shown, shall make their enemies everywhere to tremble, and fear to oppose them, and their return.

{from the west} Heb. sea, taken and used to signify the west, because the great Mediterranean sea lay west from Jury. LXX translate thus; the children of the waters shall tremble and run to him. Their meaning likely is, that the Grecians, & western islanders shall be converted to Christ, the Gentiles shall be called in to him.

V. 11. {as a bird} Chap. 3.5. As a frighted bird, and dove, with speed fly to their nests, and lockers.

{out of Egypt} Egypt, and Assyria, then were, or were to be the chiefest places of their dispersion, Hos. 11.11.

{as a dove} Isa. 60.8.

{in their houses} This may relate to the Church, the house and habitation of God, and of his people. God will bring them, and place them there, safely and quietly to continue and dwell there. Thus the Prophets usually speak of the spiritual kingdom of Christ, of the erection and advancement of it, of bringing people to it, of the blessings of it, under the shadows of the earthly kingdom of the Jews, the restoration of it, the reduction of people to that land, and the temporal blessings in it.

V. 12. {Ephraim} This, it seems, might here begin the next chapter, wherein the Prophet returns again to reprehensions, and insists most upon them; more fully to convince their consciences of their sins.

{Compasseth me about} As enemies use to besiege a city on all sides round about.

{with lies} In all their actions they are disloyal unto me, dealing with me falsely and fraudulently to circumvent me. And that not one way, but every way; besieging me with charms, as it were of lying frauds and deceits. Such were the particulars of their false worships, and hypocritical doings. They think thus to delude me, and save themselves; nothing is sound and sincere in them. But all in vain; nothing but sincerity and integrity serves God, and is pleasing to him.

{and the house} An explication of the former sentence.

{but Judah yet ruleth} Or, when Judah yet ruled.

{with God} Has the true kingdom, and priesthood, the right Temple, altar, and worship of God, though Ephraim and Israel boasted of the greater kingdom, of many temples, and altars. In the tribe of Judah, which has not forsaken God's pure service, there does yet remain the lawful government of David's progeny; In Israel not so.

{is faithful} Or, was faithful. He perseveres in my covenant and true worship, holding himself constantly to the faith and religion of his ancient forefathers; or to that which is taught them by God's holy servants, and Prophets, and Priests.

{with the Saints} Or, with the most holy, with the holy Patriarchs, and Fathers, to whom the promises were made, yet all this is spoken, not simply to free Judah from all faults, but comparatively; in respect of Israel and Ephraim. And the Prophet most an end leaves Judah's sins to Judah's Prophets to reprove them, he minds most his own commission to Israel, and Ephraim. LXX here again vary from the true reading, and sense, thus. As the house of Israel and Judah compasses me about with impieties; now God knows them, and the holy people shall be called God's [people] the vulgar Latin thus; Judas autem testis descendit cum Deo, & cum sanctis fidelis, reading it seems עד for עד, and ירד for רד.

CHAPTER 12

Of this chapter, the contents are these; Ephraim's sin, and seeking for help to Ashur; and to Egypt. Judah's sin. Jacob's dealing at his birth, and in his wrestling with the Angel: Ephraim's sin of guileful covetousness: and of God's dealing with him. His sin of idolatry, even in Gilead, and Gilgal: and of God's former dealings with Jacob, and with Israel, in these places. Ephraim's sin and God's wrath.

V. 1. {Ephraim feedeth on wind} That is, flatters himself with vain confidence, and feeds himself with windy, empty hopes; continuing in his sins, contemning the Prophet's threatenings, and thinking to escape God's judgments by strange and unlawful covenants; wind fills indeed, but feeds not.

{the east wind} This wind commonly is hurtful, dry, and tempestuous in these countries. Jonah 4.8. Psal. 48.7. so the hopes Ephraim pursues, are not only vain, but hurtful to him. It is a pernicious and a destructive way, to put trust in the arm of flesh for defense against God. The LXX read it an evil wind.

{He daily increaseth} Never gives it over, but continually pursues this course more and more; thinking thereby to shelter himself and be safe against all God's threatenings; and so hardens himself in his obstinacy.

{lies} Chap. 11. ver. 12. and 10.13. & 14.3. Esay 57.13. when all comes to all, they are no better, and shall prove no better than lies.

{and desolation} This is more. They shall not only be lying helps, but prove destructive, and the causes of their desolation: desolation shall be the fruit and issue of them. See Esay 36.6. Empty and vain things, say the LXX.

{a covenant} He points to the particulars, and points out their vain and pernicious ways, generals would not suffice to pluck off the visors from such secure sinners.

{with the Assyrians} Chap. 5.13. & 7.11. & 8. vers. 9. and 10.6. Not contenting themselves with God's covenant, and his defense, which would never have failed them, or proved a lie to them, if they had stood to his covenant, and repented of their sins, But they forsook this, and thought not themselves safe under his wings; and betake themselves to these unlawful confederacies; which were expressly forbidden them; by them to strengthen themselves in their rebellion against God; and in the idolatrous profanation of his worship. See Jer. 2.18.36. 2 King. 15.19. Ezech. 23.5. See the like, 2 Chr. 28.16.21. 2 King. 16.7. Ezech. 17.15.

{oil is carried into Egypt} Sweet smelling oil, whereof there was great plenty in Judea; 2 King. 20.13. Ezech. 27.17. meaning, presents to get friendship, 2 King. 17.4. This forbidden, Esay 30.2. and 31.1. & 36.6. See Esay 57.9. & 30.6. Thus they were at cost to buy and purchase their own harm. Esay 57.13.

V. 2. {The LORD} Threatens Judah; And this to affright Israel the more, who was in a far worse case than Judah, and must therefore needs expect more grievous plagues. Luke 23.31. 1 Pet. 4.17.

{a controversy with Judah} Judah praised for their kingdom, priesthood and worship, Chap. 11. verse 12. yet their lives and manners faulty; though nothing so much as Israel's. That which I have spoken of Judah, is not to free him from all defects; for he also has his grievous faults; but because God's true service is yet remaining there, God will yet reprove and redargue him with words: but as for the ten tribes, he will judge them with deeds, seeing they are almost become incapable of all correction. See Chap. 4.15. & Chap. 6.11.

{punish} Heb. visit upon.

{Jacob} He does but touch upon Judah by the way: But his heavy wrath shall fall upon Jacob or Israel: to punish and recompense them according to their demerits, their shameful ways and works, and their obdurate and obstinate continuance in them, which they would not by any means be beaten from.

V. 3. {He took} In the name of Jacob and Israel they much gloried; they boasted of Jacob their father, that they were the sons of Jacob. See Joh. 4.12. Micah. 2.7. Esay 44.5. But he shows how far they had fallen from his example, how far unlike they were to him, and degenerate, as Joh. 8.39.44.

{by the heel in the womb} This he did, not out of his own judgment and industry; but God by his free grace guided him so to do; and by this sign testified his free love and election of him. See Mal. 1. verse 2.3. Rom. 9.13. and so in his choosing of you in him, to be his peculiar people, without any merit or worth of yours. And therefore so much the greater now is your ingratitude, and the fouler your fall from him to idols. See Gen. 25. verse 26. These histories seems to be alleged here, to reprove Israel for their ingratitude, after so many great benefits of God towards their forefathers; which he reduces to two heads, figured here in these two histories; one is Jacob's election before Esau his brother; the other, his deliverance from all those evils wherewith God had tried and exercised him. Or, thus Jacob your father left nothing unattempted whereby to get the blessing; if then you be his children strive you to turn to God, as it is vers. 6. imitate his piety; else unworthy are you to bear this name; and most worthily deserve to be punished.

{by his strength} Which was given him by God's grace. A figure of the spiritual strength of faith and the Spirit. He did thus. But you far otherwise. And so his praise the more redounds to your dispraise; The sacred memory of his strength and power with God, the more shames your impotent and slavish service of idols: you have lost then that dignity you would derive from him, you have stained it by your contrary base doings, you but foolishly glory in his name: you are a shame to him from whose example you do so shamefully prevaricate.

{he had power} Heb. was as a Prince or behaved himself Princely. See Gen. 32.24.

{with God} With the Son of God, who appeared to Jacob in a human shape; who also by reason of his office of mediator, is afterward called Angel, which name is also given to the Son of God, Gen. 48.16.

V. 4. {over the Angel} The Angel of the covenant, Jesus Christ, the mediator, called also God. ver. 3. and Jehovah, ver. 5.

{and prevailed} Whence God honors him with the name of Israel, Gen. 32.28. and 35.10. not only applauding thereby his heroical and more than angelical power, but granting the victory to him, and some way yielding himself to be overcome by him.

{he wept} Not the Angel; though some would have it so. But Jacob wept; though Moses record it not: wept in prayer, like to that Heb. 5.7. So here Jacob wept.

{and made supplication} For a blessing, Gen. 32.26. And for strength, and prevailing therein. So he acknowledges his strength, verse 3. not to be his own; but agnizes the author from whom he sought it, and of whom he had it: And so God was pleased in such manner to distribute his strength this in wrestling, that the greater part of it remained in Jacob. And yet God gives no ground for Jacob to pride himself in this victory; but leaves him a touch in the hollow of his thigh, for his after weeping and humiliation. And yet Jacob for that hurt seems not after to give over wrestling with God, till he does at last prevail. The vulgar Latin has it thus, & in fortitudine sua directus est cum Angelo. Et invaluit ad angelum, & confortatus est.

{he found him in Bethel} God found Jacob, say some Jacob found God say others. God had found him before, there; Gen. 28.12. when all alone he fled from his brother; and thought not God had been so nigh unto him; yet God there vouchsafed to testify his free love to him, and care of him. And God found him after there, Gen. 35.9,10,11. to comfort him in his grief and sorrow for the slaughter of the Sechemites: And there again the second time he solemnly renews the memorial of that glorious name given to Jacob, that it might be ever famous, never forgotten. Or Jacob in this place of Bethel found God, even this Angel; and found him so gracious to him; as was formerly said, some thus, they found me in Bethel. LXX have for Bethel, the house of Or.

{he spake with us} So spoke with him there, that the substance and fruit of that speech appertained to his posterity, whereof we are. And thus the Prophet applies to the use of the people what he had formerly related of the Patriarch Jacob, to shame them the more, for their defection and apostasy, from the contrary example of Jacob their father, and from the gracious dealing of God with him, and with them in him, some thus, and there he spoke with him. i.e. Jacob spoke there with the Angel. And a diverse punctuation of the same word will bear it; עמנו with us; עמננ with him.

V. 5. {Even the LORD God of hosts} Jehovah which signifies an eternal being, Exod. 3.14,15. and is a name which calls into his people's mind the power and truth of God, and a pledge of his promises, which he will without fail perform, if they trust in him, and turn to him: and this name here given to Christ, to prove his deity, to show that he is God manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3.16.

{his memorial} Exod. 3.15.

V. 6. {Therefore} Upon the consideration of the premises, and of Jehovah's name and nature.

{turn thou to thy God} From your false gods, and false worship; to the true God Jehovah, and his true worship; and your God by his covenant, and your profession. Thus after convincing them of sin; he exhorts them to repentance to return to God, and rest in him; for both these the words may import.

{keep mercy and judgment} He shows wherein true repentance consists. He begins with the duties of the second table; as the more evident way of trial; and of conviction of hypocrites.

{and wait} Containing the duties of the first table. Jer. 14.8. and 17.13. & 50.7. Psal. 39.7.

V. 7. {He is a merchant} Heb. Canaan. The Prophet returns to reproofs; implying their impenitency still. Thus Esay uses the like terms, ye rulers of Sodom; ye people of Gomorrah, Esay 1.10. Ephraim is degenerate; and like the wicked Canaanite; a Canaanite rather than an Israelite; a cursed rather than a blessed seed. And the Canaanites' ordinary trade being merchandising, with all the vices which were annexed unto it, therefore that name is taken for a merchant addicted to dishonest gain, fraud, and avarice. However; the word is also of that signification, see Ezek. 16.3. Zeph. 1.11. and is very often also taken for a deceiver. And such was Ephraim.

{the balances} They kept not mercy and judgment, as was required in the former verse: but practiced deceit, and oppression, used fraud and force, towards their neighbors.

V. 8. {yet} Thus they please themselves in their riches, and trust in their prosperity; and thereby measure out God's love unto themselves; and that notwithstanding all the Prophet's rebukes, and threatenings; they heed not, they care not what they say.

{I am become rich} Zach. 11.5.

{in all my labours} Or, {all my labors suffice me not} I have not stained my trading with any great misdeed, only I have used certain subtleties, and arts therein, as were not subject to the law: words of a profane and cauterized conscience.

{find none} He shall have punishment of iniquity, in whom is sin. Therefore, that I have none, appears in that, it goes well with me, and I escape unpunished. All my labors, whereby I have required riches, have not found me out, to be guilty, or punishable. Thus the wicked soothe up themselves in their prosperity. The LXX corrupt the sense in their rendition of the words.

{that} Heb. which, some thus; which were an heinous crime to have any iniquity found in my ways. Thus they would justify themselves in the highest degree; and become nearest to ruin. Thus their boasting confidence goes further, that God would not so prosper them, unless he found them free from any great sin; he would not so favor them, if he found them so faulty. Thus drunken with their prosperity, that they call that to witness their innocency, and so they abuse God's goodness, and gentleness, and lift up their horns against the most High; as if his blessings and forbearance, and delay of punishments were testimonies of their unblamableness, and approbations of their wickedness; they are so intoxicated and infatuated, as they stick not to admire their vices for virtues.

V. 9. {That am the LORD} That redeemed you so miraculously out of Egypt, that you should be my people, and I should be your God; which thing should never be forgotten of you, neither the deliverance itself, nor the end wherefore, though you do obliterate the one, and pervert the other.

{will yet} Notwithstanding all your unworthiness; yet I will out of my ancient goodness do it, although you be so corrupted, yet will I observe my ancient covenant which I made in the land of Egypt, towards my true Israel in spirit, Chap. 13.4. Others translate, and expound so, as if God, in indignation against their former sin, should interrogate and upbraid their own consciences; whether he should go on to deal so graciously with them, as is expressed in this, and the next verse; and not rather disdain so to do. And so they read the words interrogatively.

{make thee to dwell} Deal with you, as Chap. 2.14. renew my mercy, to make you renew your duty.

{in Tabernacles} I will deliver my church from the spiritual Egypt; and will make her pass through the wilderness of the world, in particular churches, aspiring towards the heavenly Canaan; even as my people dwelt in tents in the wilderness: the remembrance whereof is celebrated in the feast of tabernacles. Lev. 23.43. See Zach. 14.16.

{as in the days of the solemn feast} As I appointed in the feast of tabernacles; ordained by me of purpose for the solemn and anniversary remembrance of that deliverance; which yet you so forget and do obliterate, others expound it otherwise, thus; I will yet renew your old servitude, and make you dwell in tabernacles: again, as exiles and pilgrims in a strange land; as they did of old, for forty years in the wilderness: so shall you for an appointed time now do.

V. 10. {I have also spoken} If we read it (as some do) in the future tense, then it is a promise alluding to Chap. 2.14. meaning, I will amply manifest myself to your posterity, by my apostles and ministers of the gospel; See Joel 2.28. But rather taking the word, as it is in the pretertense, it denotes God's care by his prophets, continually using them, one after another, by all means and in all manner and ways of preaching, as might best serve to instruct and reduce them. And it implies their invincible obstinacy in their sinful courses, to their great reproach: others read this, as the former verse, interrogatively; and understand it negatively, should I continue to do thus, and thus?

{visions} See on Ezek. 1.1.

{used similitudes} Grave sentences, and doctrines, illustrated with similitudes, according to the Holy Ghost's style, See Psal. 49.4. & 78.2. Matt. 13.34,35.

{by the ministry} Heb. by the hand.

V. 11. {Is there} Doubt they that? are they so blind, so to soothe up themselves in their own foolish will worships and gross idolatries? it is spoken ironically.

{iniquity in Gilead?} There only among them that were carried captive by Tiglath-Pileser? of Gilead, see on Chap. 6.8.

{surely they are vanity} Pretend what they will, their greater zeal for God's greater worship, and service, their good intentions, and all their specious pretexts, yet they are altogether vanity, have no soundness and truth in them, are but colors and shows, frivolous excuses, deceiving them: they shall nothing avail, nothing profit them before God.

{they sacrifice Bullocks} To idols: or it may be also to the true God, but beyond his command, wherefore it is all idolatry, see Hos. 4.17. and 9.15. This they do, with great care, in great pomp, and great abundance, sparing neither labor, nor cost: yet are these but sacrilegious sacrifices, profaning and polluting God's name and worship, appointed by him in his word, the sole rule of it.

{in Gilgal} See on Chap. 4.15. Or in Gilgal only? in some chief places only? nay everywhere rather, as it is in the next words: others thus, In those two foresaid places God showed special mercies to your forefathers, to Jacob, Gen. 31. to all Israel, Josh. 5. How impious is it then to have these places so sacrilegiously and idolatrously polluted and profaned by you?

{yea their Altars are as heaps} That is, they are innumerable, and at an end of every field, See Hos. 8.11. & 10.1. many altars, everywhere as means and monuments, say they, of piety and God's worship in every place. But God himself appointed one only altar in Jerusalem for sacrifices, and his worship, yet thus they went against God's known will and express word; though he loves obedience better than sacrifice.

{in the furrows of the field} So many as heaps of stones gathered up in stony fields, to make the better way for the plough. Others thus, That their altars shall be demolished, and the stones of them lie scattered as heaps; God therein showing his wrath against the idolaters themselves.

V. 12. {And Jacob fled} This people infinitely prided themselves in being the progeny of Jacob, and in being Israelites; they cried themselves up by it, like to that cry, Jer. 7.4. This many ways became a rock of ruin unto them. The prophet here calls them back to a due recognition of Jacob's condition, what he was in the beginning, and what their ancestors were at their bringing out of Egypt. He insists upon both largely, to allay his heat, and prick his bladder, that it might not swell them up to burst & break them, by their contemning thereupon, and despising of all other men; yea, of the prophets of God, and of God himself; as if the prophets' threatenings were not to be so thundered out against such a people; and as if God himself were bound to them, and had not, or could not have a church and people in all the world without, and besides them. By this he would humble this their pride, and draw them back to a due consideration of the poor and beggarly, and miserable condition of these their ancestors at the beginning; and chiefly to admire God and his free favor, who did all in his mere mercy and grace, for their ancestors, for Jacob, and the Israelites, in that their base and low estate. See Gen. 28.5.20. & 32.10. Esay 51.1,2.

{into the country of Syria} The meaning may seem to be, Remember the first voyage, which was Jacob's in extreme misery and servitude; and the second (verse 13.) which was your coming out of Egypt by a glorious deliverance by the hand of Moses, that you may fear, lest I cause you to make a third into wretched captivity.

{Israel served for a wife} Gen. 29.20.28. & 28.5.

{and for a wife he kept sheep} Gen. 29.18.27. and Chap. 31.39,40,41.

V. 13. {And by a Prophet} Moses, that was likewise an exile, and a shepherd, as Jacob was, Exod. 12.50,51. and 13.3. Psal. 77.20. Esay 63.11. And yet he but God's prophet, and instrument herein, God the author.

{out of Egypt} That house of bondage that iron furnace, where their male children were slain or drowned, themselves such slaves, so taxed and toiled, that death was sweeter than life unto them.

{and by a Prophet} Some refer this to Joshua, who brought them safe to Gilgal, Josh. 5.

V. 14. {Ephraim provoked} Thus ingratefully, unworthily they requite the Lord. See Deut. 32.6. Jer. 31.9.20.

{most bitterly} Heb. with bitterness, Deut. 29.18. and 32.32. or with their high places as the word also signifies.

{therefore shall he leave} He will not pardon him for his sin, nor cleanse him from it; but will keep it still in remembrance to punish him for it capitally, at his appointed time. See Ezek. 24.7,8. Exod. 32.34.

{blood} Heb. bloods, plurally; to note his great guiltiness in bloody sins.

{and his reproach} As he does reproach God by his idols: so God will render and repay reproach to him.

{shall his LORD} Who will not lose his right and title, but retain his dominion over him, however he does cast off God's yoke, and withdraw himself from the obedience of him and his laws. He will as his God and sovereign Lord justly punish him.

CHAPTER 13

The contents are, Ephraim's former glory, present idolatry, and ruin that shall be by it. God shows his love of old: their sins, his denunciation of vengeance, both horrible and speedy. Thy evil (saith God) is of thyself: thy help in me, thy King. I will or would ransom thee from the grave, and death; yet concludes with Israel's and Samariah's destruction.

V. 1. {When Ephraim spake trembling} Time was that Ephraim the younger brother, was preferred before Manasseh, and made a distinct tribe; yea and exalting himself in Israel, and having the rule of the ten tribes, for Jeroboam was an Ephraimite, he was terrible through its power, at his word they trembled: but now that it strayed, and is run into idolatry, its strength and glory is come to nothing, like unto a dead carcass. For trembling, the LXX have, Laws.

{but when} When for all this, that God so honored him, 1 King. 11.31. yet he renders himself so ingrateful and vile, as to fall from God to open idolatry, and by it to erect and establish his kingdom.

{in Baal} Chap. 2.8. Baal the god of the Sidonians, and Ashtaroth was their goddess, 1 King. 11.5.33. This idol and idolatry brought in by Ahab, 1 King. 16.31. and in his time this idol had four hundred and fifty prophets, if not four hundred more, which were slain by Elijah's command, 1 King. 18. verse 19.40. A famous, or rather infamous idol this was. See Num. 22.41. Judg. 6.25. 1 Kings 19.18. 2 Kings 21.3. Jer. 32.29.35. He had his temples, altars, groves, prophets and priests, sacrifices, incense, bowings, kissings.

{he died} His strength and glory came to nothing he became like unto a dead carcass; Jeroboam's line was rooted out suddenly; and the kingdom fell to other tribes, and soon came to a dying condition; even dead in comparison of what formerly it was, sin and idolatry is the ruin of kingdoms.

V. {And now they sin more and more} Heb. They add to sin. Continue and increase in it. Their perseverance and progress in it is without end and measure. Jeroboam's idolatry ended not, but with the end of his kingdom: yea, they multiplied more idolatries; and in effect proceeded to the clean renouncing of their God, and abrogation of his law. Thus sinners once forsaking God and his word, still grow on from worse to worse. See 2 Tim. 3.13.

{molten images} Chap. 2.8. and 8.4.

{of their silver} Images of silver, besides their golden calves, 1 King. 12.28. See Judg. 17.3. Thus they make use of their wealth, and God's blessings against himself to his dishonor.

{their own understanding} Man's device and self-wisdom at the best pretend what he will, is no warrant for God's worship; but only the rule of his word, Chap. 9. verse 10. Coloss. 2.22,23.

{all of it the work of the craftsman} Their idols and images consist of matter and form. The matter is gold, and silver, wood and stone: this matter they worship not. But when the form comes to it, by the work of the craftsman, then they worship it. So all they worship is the work of the craftsman, made with their graving tools, hammers, chisels, bellows, fires, and other instruments. And when this form is taken away, their worship ceases, and all that power and kind of divinity which they ascribe to the image. This worship God renounces, Acts 17.25.29. and derides, Esay 40.18.22. & 41.6,7,29. and 44.9,21. and 46.5,9. Jer. 10.3,4,5. Psal. 115.4,9. and 135.15,19. showing the brutishness and senselessness of it, that such worshippers are not men, but as bad if not worse than the images themselves, in worshipping these as the images of God; whatever the excuses, pretenses, defenses, and fair glosses and flourishes of these idolaters be.

{they say of them} The king of the tribe of Ephraim do command the people to follow the idolatry which they have established, 1 King. 12.28. Or the priests say thus of their idols: or the people say thus; exhorting and inciting one another to idolatry: thus mad they are upon it.

{the men that sacrifice} Or the sacrificers of men. And so some understand hereby that inhumane idolatry of sacrificing men to their idols: forbidden Lev. 18.21. and Chap. 20.1,6. and yet practiced, Jer. 7.31. and 19.5. 2 King. 23.10. A prodigious error, and stupendous flagitious wickedness.

{kiss the calves} Whosoever will do God service, let him come and worship the calves which Jeroboam has set up: kissing being an act and token of worship and religious honor. See 1 King. 19.18. Job 31.27. Psalm 2.12. And this they perform to the calves themselves. See also Gen. 41.40. Symmachus thus, Sacrifice ye [to idols.] and let the men kiss the calves. LXX thus, Sacrifice a man, for calves are wanting.

V. 3. {Therefore} The punishment treads as it were upon the heels of their idolatry and sin. The prophet shows by four similitudes; that though the state of the kingdom, and they seem to flourish, yet they shall not be sound and steadfast, but shall easily and quickly be dispersed, and brought to nothing, See Chap. 6.4.

{as the morning cloud} Some thus, as a cloud of locusts, which though for a time it darkens the light of the sun, yet it soon passes away.

{as the chaff} See Dan. 2.35. Esay 17.13. and 29.5. Psalm 1.4. and 35.5.

V. 4. {I am} Chapter 12.9. Esay 43.11. and 44.8. and 45.5.21.

{the LORD} Jehovah, in opposition to all false and imaginary gods.

{thy God} I have made myself, and my will and law known unto you, even so long; redeeming you from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God, and you might be my people to obey and serve me. The more detestable now is your defection from me, and apostasy to idolatry: no pretext of ignorance or infirmity can excuse or extenuate it.

{from the land of Egypt} Chap. 12.9. Thus minding them of his ancient love to them, and covenant with them, as Micah 6.3,4,5.

{and thou shalt know no God but me} Exod. 20.2,3. none of the gods of the heathens shall be owned or acknowledged by you; as being but foolish feigned deities, and I the only true God.

{no Saviour besides me} They cannot save, Esay 44.10. and 46.7. Jer. 10.5. But I am the only Savior, Esay 43.3.11. and 45.15.21. Psalm 106.8. you shall not find any other God that can save you. You should not trust in, or rely upon any other.

V. 5. {I did know thee} You should know and acknowledge no God but me; the rather because I prevented you by my free favor, taking you so near to myself, knowing, and owning you for mine; familiarly revealing and communicating myself unto you, and taking care of you, and providing all things necessary for you: feeding you, as the LXX have it. See Gal. 4.9. Psalm 144.3. Targum thus, I ministered all things that were necessary to them.

{wilderness} Deut. 8.15. and 32.10. where God sustained them miraculously with manna from heaven; and quails, and with water out of the rock. See Deut. 29.5. The more shameful therefore is their defection and apostasy from him that dealt so with their ancestors; and still so well with them. He often minds them of this, which it seems they too much forgot; for the due remembrance of it, would have kept them from such rebellion against him.

{great drought} Heb. Droughts.

V. 6. {According to their pasture} When God had brought them out of the wilderness to a land flowing with milk and honey, and fed them to the full.

{their heart was exalted} They waxed proud and insolent, fierce and masterless, Chap. 10.1. Deut. 8.12,13,14. and 32.15. Thus prosperity slays and destroys foolish sinners, Prov. 1.32.

{forgotten me} Contrary to the express charge, Deut. 6.11.12. and according to God's foreknowledge of them, Deut. 31.20. See Chap. 8.14. and 2.13. Ezek. 23.35. and 22.12. Jer. 2.32. and 18.14,15. Esay 51.13.

V. 7. {Therefore} To startle and rouse them from their vain confidence and security, if possible to affright them with the fear of God's wrath; which was a thing most necessary for such sinners, to make them know they have to deal with an angry God, he points out God's judgments in three terrible similitudes, of a lion, leopard, and bear, Chap. 5.14. Levit. 26.21,24,28. Psalm 18.26. See Proverbs 28.15. Lam. 3.10. See the like fearful similitudes, Mar. 9.44.

{as a Leopard} Which uses to lie in wait to set upon a man. See Jer. 5.6.

{will I observe them} אסור And so the most editions of the Hebrew text have it: and the Chaldee paraphrase. But Plantinus edition has אשור with Pathach and Dagesh, as if it were the proper name of Assyria. And so Jerom and the LXX translate it, as a leopard in the way of the Assyrians, that is, as they go to Ashur or Assyria: or as the leopard observes with a watchful and harmful eye the passengers that travel from Judea to Assyria, being a dangerous passage for wild beasts.

V. 8. {as a bear} See 2 Sam. 17.8. Prov. 17.12. That is, I am become their implacable enemy.

{the caul of the heart} Pericardion, that incloses and encompasses the heart, that lofty heart so lifted up, verse 6. I will wound them mortally.

{and there will I devour them} Namely, upon the highway; whereby are meant the instance and time appointed for God's judgments. See the like use of this word, Psalm 53.5. Eccles. 3.17.

{the wild beast} Heb. the beast of the field, Lev. 22.22. They, and all God's creatures are his host against his enemies.

V. 9. {O Israel thou hast destroyed thyself} Your calf or your king, or rather yourself is the cause of your own destruction: seek the cause where you will, it is not in me, many have wrought together to overthrow you, but I alone can save you; and not your kings in whom you have trusted; or your idol, and your sin: others translate and expound thus; O Israel he hath destroyed thee, meaning your king; of whom he speaks in the next verse.

{but in me is thine help} Heb. in thy help. So by my covenant; so heretofore by your often experience; and so still I am the same without change; no cause have you to complain of me, that I do not hear your cry, and help you in your need. The whole and sole cause is in yourself; your sins obstruct the way, close up my hand of help, Esay 59.1,2. Jer. 5.25. Lam. 3.44.

V. 10. {I will be thy king} Or, where is thy king? Targum thus, where is thy king now? let him save thee, &c. And so the LXX and vulgar Latin, according to the former rendition. In these words God challenges his kingly power over Israel, which he had by redeeming them from Egypt: and derides their foolish and wicked confidence, in opposing the help of their idols and confederates to his threatenings. See Psal. 138.8. I will be thy helper. Or this, where is thy king? where is he, or any other? Let him save thee, and oppose me. As Deut. 32.38. Judg. 10.14. Jer. 2.28. spoken as a taunt, or bitter reproach.

{in all thy cities} Though never so many and strong, and unexpugnable, as you think and trust, Amos 6.1.

{and thy judges} Princes, peers, magistrates, all; none can help you, or hinder me.

{of whom thou saidst} Some refer this to the first asking of a king, 1 Sam. 8.5. others to the tumultuary election of Jeroboam, 1 Kin. 12.16,20.

{Give me a king} 1 Sam. 8.5. & 10.19. & 12.12. But chiefly he aims at their rebellion against the kingdom of David, in casting off Rehoboam, and setting up Jeroboam, 1 King. 12. To this very fitly and fully may be applied that, 1 Sam. 8.7.

V. 11. {I gave} Heb. I will give. Then it is a threatening in both parts; because they perfidiously fell from God, he tells them that he will give them into the hands of a strange king, and overthrow their kingdom; fulfilled when conquered by the Assyrians; they lost both their kingdom and country, as if they had been utterly rejected by God. Others read, I do give; that is, you see how in a short time I set up and pull down kings by my pleasure and indignation: for at this time there were many changes of kings in Israel, see 2 King. 15. & 17. The most follow Jonathan's Chaldee paraphrase, and read, I have given, or gave, whereof some say, I gave you Saul (1 Sam. 10.) in mine anger, 1 Sam. 8.6. and I will take him away that you now have, namely, Hosea the son of Ela, 2 King. 17.1. &c. in whom their kingdom ended. Others, I have suffered you to your hurt and damage, to have a king according to your own will, though I did not approve of it, Hos. 8.4. and I have aggravated my judgments the more upon you, by reason of the frequent violent deaths of your kings, which do bring your kingdom into extreme ruin.

{a king in mine anger} 1 Sam. 8.5. & 15.23. & 16.1. As Num. 11.20,33. Psal. 106.15.

V. 12. {Is bound up} As Job 14.17. & Jer. 17.1. Not forgotten, though for a while spared; bound up and sealed, and kept sure to and for the due time of God's vengeance. Nothing shall escape me, I will make them bear the punishment for all. See Deut. 32.34. Job 14.17. Jer. 17.1.

V. 13. {of a travailing woman} See this simile, Psal. 48.6. Esay 26.17. Jer. 6.24. and in other places: sure and sudden, extreme and sharp sorrows shall come upon them, notwithstanding all their carnal confidence and security.

{an unwise son} If this people were not foolish and stupefied, they would imitate little infants, who coming into the world do help themselves, and strive to free themselves out of the straits and dangers of the birth; so should they have endeavored to free themselves out of their mortal danger and travails by true repentance. The LXX alter and change the words and sense to the example and instance of a wise son, and his doing in this case of his childbirth.

{stay long} Heb. a time. The travailing woman's pains are sharp but short, Joh. 16.21. And to stay long in the birth, is mortal both to the infant and mother. But this people astonished in their miseries, and obdurate in their sins, and desperate, sought not to come out of them by the pangs of true repentance, and so be born anew to God; but foolishly they perish in them.

V. 14. {I will ransom them} If they would but repent indeed, he then would vouchsafe them a temporal deliverance from captivity; and a spiritual deliverance from the power of the grave and death. I am ready to do it for my part, if they hinder not, and cause the contrary. Though they were dead as it were in the grave, yet this could not withstand my power, if their obduration in sin did not alter my mind. See Esay 48.18,19.

{power} Heb. the hand.

{O death} And so the Targum and Jerome do read it. Thus the prophet magnifies the virtue and power of God, meaning, that no power shall resist God, when he will deliver his; but even in death will he give them life. St. Paul, 1 Cor. 15.55. does not properly cite this place, and the whole context of it, but rather alludes to such words of it, as fit well his purpose to set forth the infinite power of God over death, and the grave. And the like to this the apostles do many times.

{I will be thy plagues} Or, where are thy plagues?

{I will be thy destruction} Or, where is thy destruction? The apostle's words are, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? following therein the LXX, as it seems.

{repentance shall be hid} My goodness towards them shall never alter: or rather thus, as best suiting with the whole context, there is no consolation (for so the word also signifies) for them; no repentance in me to alter my decree for their destruction.

V. 15. {Though he be fruitful} Namely, Ephraim. He has relation to the signification of the name Ephraim, and to the blessing which Jacob gave him, Gen. 41.41. and 48.19. All which should have made him the more thankful and obedient. But he proving otherwise, therefore, notwithstanding all this, for his sin and impenitency, the following judgment shall come upon him.

{his brethren} To wit the other tribes; though he be more in number, and greater in power.

{an east wind shall come} An impetuous and inevitable desolation by the Assyrians, who assaulted the land of Israel toward the wilderness. See the Annotations on Chapter 12.1. Ezek. 19.12.

{the wind of the LORD} Or, strong wind of the Lord, as Job 1.16. Psal. 36.6. Cant. 8.6. See on Ezek. 40.2. Or, raised by him, as his scourge; that they might know it came from him, and not by fortune or any other means.

{his spring} Figurative terms; the sense is, That every one of God's blessings, which are the wellsprings of all good things, shall be taken away from them: and consequently all manner of happiness shall fail them. Thus easily can God do, when we abuse his blessings, to his dishonor.

{he shall spoil the treasure} Namely the enemy, (Shalmaneser king of Assyria) signified by the east wind, or, God by him; shall spoil the treasure, or his land, as the LXX have it.

{pleasant vessels} Heb. vessels of desire, though never so closely hid.

V. 16. {Samaria} A plain exposition and application of the former similes, and a conclusion of the sermon. Samaria the head of the ten tribes; and the wellhead of their sins and idolatries, Mic. 1.6. See Annot. on 8.5.

{shall} What I have often denounced, and you believe not, yet shall certainly and soon come to pass.

{desolate} See the accomplishment, 2 King. 17.

{rebelled} They have no cause to blame God for it; but to thank themselves, and their sins provoking, and exasperating him to it.

{her God} That was theirs by covenant, which they have obliterated.

{their infants} The grievousness of the judgment, though they will not fear it. God has cause of wrath sufficient in the very infants themselves, to justify his judgments upon them, and use his right and power over them; and will also be moved hereunto the rather upon the sins of their parents, and yet these outward judgments upon them may be mingled with mercies; as in Jeroboam's child, 1 King. 14. especially with spiritual mercies. God's sovereign right and power over his creatures makes the senseless and unreasonable creatures to suffer for the sin of man; Rom. 8.20,21,22. However we are to adore God's judgments, if we cannot comprehend them, and to blame our own blindness, rather than by sacrilegious boldness to call to account, and take upon us to judge the great Judge of the world. But how much more vengeance then are the vile parents, and those of riper years to expect.

{women with child} See on Chap. 10.14. some yet expound thus; That notwithstanding this east wind; and all the evil by it, in this and the former verse, yet Ephraim shall be fruitful among his brethren, and again flourish through my gracious promise.

CHAPTER 14

Verse 1. {Oh} The contents are these; Israel exhorted to repentance; God promises abundance of blessings to him, under many similes, wisdom required to understand these things.

{Israel} He speaks to the remnant and holy seed among them; such were involved and almost drowned in the universal inundation and deluge of sin: but yet not past all hope of help and recovery, though the main body of them in general was desperate, and already cast off to decreed destruction, as he had eftsoons formerly prophesied.

{return} He exhorts them to repentance, to avoid all these plagues, willing them to declare by words their obedience and repentance. He speaks to them lovingly, to put them in hope of favor, for without some faith and hope there cannot be any true repentance.

{for thou hast fallen} Sight of sin and humiliation for it, is the way to repentance.

V. 2. {Take with you words} I desire neither sacrifices, nor offerings from you, but do you present before me a sincere confession of your sins, fervent prayers to obtain forgiveness, and sincere actions of grace. Here are the true nature, acts, and fruits of repentance: words, not counterfeit in hypocrisy; but sincere as in the sight of God, to God: words of conversion, confession, deprecation; supplication, and thanksgiving: words from God's mouth, and to be spoken unto him.

{and turn to the LORD} Truly turn from sin generally, and particularly to the Lord, and to the entire obedience of his will; even to him as it is, Joel 2.12. Deut. 30.2. fully, not faintly.

{say unto him} He dictates as it were the solemn form and manner of their conversion.

{Take away} This includes confession of manifold iniquities, which is the first step of repentance, and this is an expressive prayer for the pardon of them, pardon through your grace, and alter by your Spirit.

{and receive us graciously} Or, give good. Accept out of your fatherly favor the true witnesses and effects of our conversion: show your reconciliation to us, by your gracious blessing of us, in your grace and mercy is our all and only hope, LXX thus say unto him, that ye will no more deal wickedly, but will deal well.

{so will we} That is all we can do, we can render no compensation, make no satisfaction to you: but only acknowledge and praise your bountiful goodness to us, Psalm 116.12,13,14. And this is all God requires, Psal. 50.14. what good works we can do, are but sacrifices of our thankfulness to God. Heb. 13.15,16.

{calves of our lips} Declaring that this is the true sacrifice that the faithful can offer, even thanks and praise, instead of sacrifices of beasts. See Psal. 50.14,23. & 51.19. & 69.30,31. and 116.12,13. Lev. 3.3. This is the true intent and substance of those Levitical sacrifices, Lev. 3. & Chap. 7.12. &c. and Chap. 22.29. The LXX have it, the fruit of our lips, whereunto Heb. 13.15. seems to relate.

V. 3. {Ashur shall not save us} Here is a more particular confession of their sins, wherein formerly they offended, and now promise amendment, See Chap. 5.13. we will leave off all vain confidence and pride in human power, and trust in you only. See Hos. 5.13. & 12.2. see Annotations on Chap. 7.11.

{we will ride not upon horses} Psal. 20.7. To seek relief from Ashur, Egypt, or others, as formerly we have done, when we were in dangers and distresses, Esay 30.7,15,16. & 31.1.

{to the work of our hands} To idols: putting our trust in them, which is a second way to withdraw us. Here they acknowledge their former blindness, and madness herein, and brutish stupidity. They confess not more than truth was: God is not pleased with a lie. But truly in their own consciences, and yet so deeply they condemn themselves to get absolution from God.

{ye are our gods} And yet these men could plead as witty excuses, and cover and color their sin with as much varnish, and as many fair pretenses and glosses, as idolaters now usually do.

{for in thee} In you alone; and not in idols, or in kings, or any creature; wherein formerly we trusted.

{the fatherless} To wit, every person that wants a guide, relief and sustenance, as we do, all such as see they cannot help them: and in such case we do acknowledge ourselves now to be, depending wholly upon your guidance, providence, and protection.

{findeth mercy} Thus they acknowledge him to be the only true God: and themselves fully to put their trust in him.

V. 4. {I will} It is an hard thing to persuade great sinners especially lying under his judgments, the signs of his anger, to entertain any hope of God's reconciliation with them. Therefore to remedy this evil, and to keep them from despair or distrust, he declares by many and large promises under variety of similitudes, how ready God is to receive them that do repent, to heal, love, and bless them.

{heal their backslidings} Pardoning what is past, not imputing it to them; and by my grace preventing the like for the time to come.

{love them freely} Singularly, with an abundant and constant love; freely, without finding any cause in them for it, and therefore the more freely being vouchsafed to such unworthy sinners, Chap. 9.15,16,17. compared with this, shows the difference of God's dealing between impenitent and penitent persons.

{for mine anger} Which formerly lay heavy upon him, shall now be turned away: not like that so often repeated, Esay 5.25. and 9.12,21. and 10.4.

V. 5. {I will be as the dew} I will water them with my graces, and heavenly blessings; in opposition to that judgment, Chap. 13.15. The fruit of my reconciliation shall appear unto them; they shall find by experience the blessing and benefit of it. Before they were dried up and withered with misery, for their sin. But now my favor shall be to them as the dew to the ground.

{grow} Or, blossom.

{as the lily} Flourish speedily with singular beauty, Cant. 2.1,2. Chap. 5.13. and 7.2. Matt. 6.28,29. Vulgar Latin thus; I will be as the dew, Israel shall grow or blossom as the lily.

{cast forth} Heb. Strike forth.

{as Lebanon} As the cedars, and trees in Lebanon are rooted firmly, to last durably; such shall their felicity be.

V. 6. {His branches} Arising from such roots shall spread. God's blessings shall more and more multiply and increase toward him.

{shall spread} Heb. Shall go.

{and his beauty} Psal. 52.8.

{olive tree} Which is alway green, Judg. 9.9. Jer. 11.16.

{his smell as Lebanon} Wherein were many odoriferous trees and flowers. See the Annotations on Zech. 11.1.

V. 7. {They that dwell under his shadow} See Dan. 4.12.21. live under the shade of it. They and every one of them.

{shall return} And rest in safety and quietness; under God's protection; shall be defended from any scorching heat, and refreshed with the coolness of it, See Esay 4.6. some extend this further; That they shall return from their exile, where they were scattered, and shall come together into the church, in the Messias his time, and there they shall be safe under God's protection.

{shall revive} Increase and have children and multiply, as of one grain comes many. See 1 Cor. 15.36. and Psal. 72.16. A further commendation of God's favor from the effects.

{grow} Or blossom.

{as the vine} Which of a seeming withered stock, and branch, does survive and fructify.

{the scent thereof} Heb. The memorial. Some understand this of the name of God: as Chap. 12.5. whence thus; He means, that the knowledge of him and his doctrine shall be always most pleasing to his people; like unto excellent wine, Cant. 1.2,3. or God shall love the memory of his people very dearly.

{wine of Lebanon} Cant. 1. verses 2,4. and Chap. 7.9. such as grows there: the best wine of the best scent and savor, they shall be in a most happy estate, abounding in all joys, and comfort.

V. 8. {Ephraim shall say} Thus say, as follows, renewing their confession; verse 2,3. some understand this, as the words of God to Ephraim, Thou Ephraim shalt join me no more with idols, as thou hast done heretofore; I will alone be served in spirit and truth, 2 Cor. 6.16.

{what have I to do} See 1 Thess. 5.22. Rom. 12.9. Esay 30.22. Jude verse 23.

{any more} I have had to do with them too much already, 1 Pet. 4.2,3: thus detesting their former blindness and madness: and abandoning their idols forever after, Esay 31.7.

{I have heard him} God heard Ephraim, speaking as formerly in detestation of his idolatry.

{and observed him} A turning from idols, marked him therein, and respected him therefore.

{I am like} They shall find in me all the good they desire; as when a tree brings forth good fruit, and a pleasant shade, Cant. 2.3. To shelter them from heat: to refresh them in the cool shade and shadow of it.

{is thy fruit} This implies, another similitude from a fruitful tree: This may be understood of the good works of the faithful, brought forth in them, by the only power of God's grace and Spirit John 15.2.4. Or, rather thus: I am most fruitful for your good, you may readily and plentifully find it in me.

V. 9. {Who} An emphatical exclamation and interrogation: no doubt but Hoseah in the whole course of his ministry for so very many years, preached much more than is in this book set down. It pleased the wisdom of God, that here only the heads of his preaching are gathered together. And he now concludes and seals up all with that, which in all likelihood he had often uttered before, to raise the people up to a due consideration of his prophecies: asserting the authority and use of them, and of the ways of the Lord declared in them, both to the good and to the bad.

{is wise} They all would be thought so. But few are they that be so.

{and he shall} Signifying, that the true wisdom and knowledge consists in this, even to know and to rest upon God, such a manner of speech is in Psal. 107.43. no true wisdom but this. Prov. 1.7. and Chap. 9. verse 10. Job 28.38. Psal. 111.10. And therefore he that has any spark of true wisdom, let him show it in this; he will show it in this. All human wisdom without, and against the Lord, is true folly: and yet the world is too full of it.

{prudent} He ingeminates the sentence, to rouse up their attention and consideration the more.

{for the ways of the LORD are right} The whole conduct of his providence, his works and judgments, and also his word and doctrine, are most holy things, and good for men: right in themselves; notwithstanding all the calumnies, blasphemies, murmurings and mockings of wicked profane men, against his ways and word: all these cannot darken the light, or pervert the right of his holy ways, and word.

{and the just shall walk in them} The wise and just shall and will do so; and not turn aside from them; knowing and finding by experience their true happiness to consist in their keeping, and continuing in them: as Judge 5.31. Prov. 4.18. Psal. 37.6.

{but the transgressors} That are, and will be such.

{shall fall therein} Stumble, and fall, and perish. They become an occasion of ruin and perdition to the wicked, which do abuse them, through their incredulity, and wickedness. Prov. 10.29. Luk. 2.34. 2 Cor. 2.16. 1 Pet. 2.8. See also Apoc. 22.11. 1 Cor. 14.38.