Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
HOBEA VIII, IX.
Destruction is Threatened
/or Impiety and Idolatry but not to tlie Most Hlgli—or, " to one who Is not the Most High," one very different from Him, a stock or a stone. So LiXX. rtfceltftU bow — (Psalm 78. 57.) A bow which, from its faultj' coiistruetiou, shoots wide of the mark. So siastes 5. IG). the bud—or, "growth." strangersforeigners (cll. 7. 9j. 8. vessel wlkercin is no pleasure— (Psalm 41. 12; Jeremiah 22. 28 ; 48. 38.) 9. gone ... to Assyria — referring to Menahem's application for Pul's aid in establishing him on the throne (cf. ch. 5. 13; 7. 11). Menahem's name is read in the inscriptions in the soulliwest palace of Nimrod, as a tributary to the Assyrian king in his eighth year. The dynasty of Pul, or Phalluka, was supplanted at Nineveh by tliat of Tiglath-pileser, about 708 (or 700) b. c. Semiramis seems to have been Pul's wife, and to have withdrawn to Babylon in 708; and her son, Nabonassar, succeeding after a period of confusion, originated " the era of Nabonassar,' ' 747 b. c. [G. V. Smith.] Usually foreigners coming to Israel's land were said to "go up ;" here it is the reverse, to intimate Israel's sunken state, and Assyria's superiority, wild ass—a figure of Israel's headstrong perversity in following her bent (Jeremiah 2. 24). alone by himself—characteristic of Israel in all ages: "lo, tlie people shall dwell alone" (Numbers 23.
Israel pretends to seelc God, but turns aside to idols, for the rage of tlielr tongue — tlieir boast of safety from iCgyi)tian aid, and tlieir "lies" (v. 13), whereby they pretended to serve God, wliilst worshipping idols; also tlieir perveiKe defence for their idolatries and blasphemies ngainst God and His prophets (Psalm 73. 9; 120.2,3). their drr Uton In . . . Egypt—their "fall" shall be the subject of •' derision" to Egypt, tq jvhom they had applied for help (ch. 9. 3, C; 2 Kings 17. i).
CHAPTEK VIII.
Ver. 1-14. Prophecy of thk Irruptiojj of the Assyrians, IN I'UNISHMENT FOR ISRAEL'S APOSTASY, IDOLATRY, A.NU .SEl-riNG UP OF KiNGS WITHOUT GOD'S SANCTION. In V. li, Judah is said to multiply fenced cities; and in v. 7-9, Israel, to Its great hurt, is said to have gone up to Assyria for lielp. This answers best to the reign of Menalieiu. For it was then that Uzziali of Judah, his contemporary, built fenced cities (2 Chronicles 20. 6, 9, 10). Then also Israel turned to Assyria, and had to pay for 9; cf. Job 39.5-8). hired lovers—reversing tlie ordinary way, viz., that lovers should hire her (Ezekiel 16. 33, 34). 10. will I gather them—tiiz., tlie nations (Assyria, <Stc.) against Isiael, instead of their assisting her as she had wished (Ezekiel 16. 37). a little—rather, "in a little." [Henderson.] English Version gives good sense : They shall sorrow a little at the imposition of the tribute; God suspended yet the tri-eai judgment, viz., their deportation by Assyria, the burden of the king of princes—the tribute imposed on Israel (under Menahem) by the Assyrian king (Pul, 2 Kings 15. 19-22), who liad many "princes" under his sway (Isaiah 10. 8). 11. God in righteous retribution gives them up to their own way; the sin becomes its own punis.hment (Proverbs 1. 31). many altars— in opposition to God's law (Deuteronomy 12. 5, 6, 13, 14). to sin ... to sin— their altars whicli were "sin" (whatever religious intentions they miglit plead) should be treated as such, and be the source of their punishment (1 Kings 12. 30 ; 13. 34). V4, great things of . . . law—(Deuteronomy 4. 6, 8 ; Psalm 19.
Iheir sinfui folly a thousand talents of silver (2 Kings 15.
19). [Maurer.] 1. Set the trumpet, &c.—to give warning of tlie approach of the enemy: "To thy palate (i. e., mouth. Job 31. 3U, Margin) the trumpet;" the abruptness of expression indicates the suddenness of the attack. So ch.
5. 8. as . . . eagle—the Assyrian (Deuteronomy 28. 49; Jeremiah 48. 40 ; Habakkuk 1. 8). against . . . liouse of . . . Ijovd—not tlie temple, but Israel viewed as the family of God (ch. 9. 15; Numbers 12. 7; Zecliariali 9. 8; Hebrews
3. 2; 1 Timothy 3. 15; 1 Peter 4. 17). 3. My God, we know tliee— the Hiiigular, "my," is used distributively; each one so addressing God. They, In tlieir hour of need, plead their knowledge of God as the covenant people, whilst in tlieir acts they knew Him not (cf. Matthew 7. 21, 8; 119. 18,72; 147. 19, 20.) Maurer not so well translates, "the many things of my law." my law— as opposed to their inventions. This reference of Hosea to the Pentateuch alone is against the theory that some earlier wi ilten prophecies liave not come down to us. strange thln —as if a thing with which they had nothing to do. 13. sacrifices of mine offerings i. e., which they ofier to me. eat it—their own carnal gratification is the object which they seek, not my honour, now— i.e., speedily, shall return to Esypt^(Ch. 9. 3, 6 ; 11. 11). The same threat as in Deuteronomy 28. 68. They fled thither to escape from, the Assyrians (cf. as to Judah, Jeremiah 42.-44.), when these latter had overtlirown their nation. But see Note, ch. !)..
22; Titus 1. 16; also Isaiah 29. 13; Jeremiah 7. 4). The Hebrew ioxns, "Isiael," not as EnglisJi Version, with "shall cry," but " We, Israel, know thee;" God denies the claim thus urged on tlie ground of their descent from Israel. 3. Israel—God repeats the name in opposition to their use of it (t). 2). the tiling tliat is good Jerome translates, " God" who is K jod and doing good (Psalm 119. 68). He is the chief object rejected, but with Him also all that is good, the enemy shall x>urgue him—in just retribution from God.
4. kings . . . not by me—not with my sanction (1 Kings
11.31; 12.20). Israel set up Jeroboam and his successors, wliereas God had appointed the house of David as the
3. 14:. forgotten . . . Maker — (Deuteronomy .32. 18.) temples — to idols. Judah. . . fenced cities — Judah, though less Idolatrous than Israel, betrayed want of faith in Jehovah by trusting more to its fenced cities than tO' Him; instead of making peace with God, Judah multiplied human defences (Isaiah 22. 8 ; Jeremiah 5. 17 ; Micah rightful kings of the whole nation. 1 knew it not — approved it not (Psalm 1. 6). of . . . gold . . . idols—(Ch.
2.8; 13.2.) thattheymaybecutoff—i.e., though warned of the consequences of idolatry, as it were with open eyes they rushed on their own destruction. So Jeremiah 27.
10, 15 ; 4-4. 8. 5. ha«h cast thee off—as the ellipsis of thee is unusual, Maurer translates, " thy calf is abominable." But the antithesis to i;. 3 establishes English Version, "Israel
5. 10, 11). I will send . . . tire upon . . . cities—Sennacherib burned all Judah's fenced cities except Jerusalem (2 Kings 18. 13). palaces thereof—viz., of the land. Cf. aato Jerusalem, Jeremiah 17. 27. hath cast off the thing that is good ;" therefore, in just retribution, "thy calf hath cast thee off," i. e., is made by God the cause of thy being cast off (ch. 10. 15). Jeroboam, during his sojourn in Egypt, saw Apis worshipped at Memphis, and Mnevis at Heliopolis, in the form of an ox
CHAPTER IX.
Ver. 1-17. Warning against Israel's Joy at pae'» TiAii Relief from their Troubles : their Crops 8hali» fail, and the people leave the lord's land for Egypt and Assyria, where they cannot, if so inclined, serve God according to the Ancient Ritual: Folly of their False Prophets. 1. Rejoice not . . . for joy— to exultation. Thy exultation at the league with Pul, by which peace seems secured, is out of place this, and the temple cherubim, suggested the idea of the calves set up at Dan and Beth-el. how long . . . ere they attain . . . innocency I—How long will they be incapable of bearing Innocency? [Maubbr.] G. from Israel was it—viz., the calf originated with them, not from rae. "It also," as well as their "kings set up" by them, "but not by me" (v. 4). 7. sown . . . reap—(Proverbs 22. 8; Galatlans 6. 7.) " Sow . . . wind," t. e., to make the vain show since thy idolatry will bring ruin on thee, as other people—the Assyrians for instance, who, unlike thee, are in of worsliip, whilst faith and obedience are wanting. [Calvin.] Rather, to offer senseless supplications to the calves the height of prosperity, loved a reward upon every corn-floor—thou hast desired, in retvard fov thy homage for good harvests (cf. ch. 2. 8); the result being that God win make them "reap no stalk," i.e., "standing corn." to idols, abundance of corn on every threshing-floor (ch.
Vlso, the phraseology proverbially means, that all their undertakings shall be profitless (Proverbs 11. 29; Eccle-
2 12). 8. (Ch. 2.9, 12.) fall—disappoint her exj>ectatiou.