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Hosea Chapter Two                            

 

Hosea 2 Outlines

God’s Unfaithful People (v.1~13)

God’s Mercy on His People (v.14~23)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 2

This chapter is an explanation of the former proceeding upon the same argument in more express words. The godly Israelites are here called upon to lay before the body of the people their idolatry ingratitude obstinacy and ignorance of the God of their mercies; and to exhort them to repentance lest they should be stripped of all their good things and be brought into great distress and difficulties; all their joy and comfort cease and be exposed to shame and contempt Hosea 2:1 yet notwithstanding many gracious promises are made unto them of their having the alluring and comfortable word of the Gospel; of a door of hope; of salvation being opened to them; of faith in the Lord and affection to him as their husband; of the removal of all idolatry from them; of safety from all enemies; of their open espousal to Christ; of his hearing of their prayers and giving them plenty of all good things; and of their multiplication conversion and covenant relation to God Hosea 2:14.

 

Hosea 2:1   Say to your brethren ‘My people ’[a] And to your sisters ‘Mercy[b] is shown.

   YLT  1`Say ye to your brethren -- Ammi And to your sisters -- Ruhamah.

Say ye unto your brethren Ammi; and to your sisters Ruhamah. These words are to be considered either in connection with the latter part of the preceding chapter and as directed to the sons of the living God who had not been but now were "Ammi" the Lord's people; and who had not but now have "Ruhamah" obtained mercy; which grace and mercy shown them it became them to speak of one to another to affect their hearts mutually with it and to glorify God for it Malachi 3:16 as also to speak of it to their carnal relations that so if it was the will of God it might be of use to them to show them the state they were in the danger of it their need of the grace and mercy of God and the hope there was by their own instance and example of obtaining it; see Romans 9:1 or as directed to the converted Jews that appointed Christ their Head and believed in him; exhorting them to own the believing Gentiles as their brethren and sisters since they were the spiritual seed of Abraham their father and walked in the steps of his faith; and to call them Ammi and Ruhamah since they who were not the people of God now were and who had not obtained mercy now have obtained mercy 1 Peter 2:10 or else they may be considered as in connection with the following words

plead with your mother; and that either as spoken to the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin who were the people of God retained the pure worship of God and obtained mercy of the Lord Hosea 1:7

"O ye Ammi and Ruhamah that are the Lord's people and he has had mercy on; stir up and exhort your brethren and sisters of the ten tribes for so they were notwithstanding their separation 1 Kings 12:4 to contend with their mother the body of the nation about idolatry and departure from God;'

or as spoken to the godly among the ten tribes who were the real people of God and sharers in his grace and mercy; the remnant he reserved for himself who had not bowed their knees to idols; or as the command of God by the prophet to the people of Israel to exhort one another to contend with their mother who were as yet the Lord's people had mercy shown them when this prophecy was delivered out; though in case of obstinacy and impenitence they were threatened with a "Loammi" and "Loruhamah"; so Schmidt who thinks that "ammi" and "ruhamah" are put by way of "apposition to your brethren and sisters" in which he seems to be right. Aben Ezra thinks the words are spoken ironically like those in Ecclesiastes 11:9 and others but without reason. The Targum is

"O ye prophets say to your brethren and my people and I will have mercy on your congregation;'

but whether the words are spoken to the Jewish converts who first believed in Christ were his people received grace and mercy from him and stood in the relation of brethren and sisters to one another both in a natural and spiritual sense to stir up one another to reprove their mother the Jewish church for rejecting Christ saying as follows:

 

Hosea 2:2   2 “Bring charges against your mother bring charges; For she is not My wife nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her harlotries from her sight And her adulteries from between her breasts;
   YLT  
2Plead ye with your mother -- plead (For she [is] not My wife and I [am] not her husband ) And she turneth her whoredoms from before her And her adulteries from between her breasts

Plead with your mother plead .... The congregation of Israel as the Targum; the body of the Jewish nation which with respect to individuals was as a mother to her children; see Matthew 21:37 that is lay before her her sin in rejecting the Messiah the Head and Husband of his true church and people; endeavour to convince her of it; reprove her for it; expostulate with her about it; argue the case with her and show her the danger of persisting in such an evil as the apostles did Acts 2:23

for she is not my wife neither am I her husband; for though there had been such a relation between them yet it was now dissolved; she had broken the marriage covenant and contract and God had given her a bill of divorce Jeremiah 31:32 or however as she behaved not as a wife towards him showing love and affection honour and reverence and performing duty and yielding obedience; so he would not carry it as a husband towards her nourishing and cherishing her providing for her and protecting and defending her; but leave her to shift for herself and to the insults and abuses of others; having been guilty of idolatry which is spiritual adultery as the Israelites before the captivity were; and as the Jews in Christ's time were guilty of rejecting the word of God and preferring their own traditions to it: hence it follows

let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight or "from her face"F5מפניה "a facie sua" Calvin Pagninus Piscator Cocceius; "a faciebus suis" Montanus Schmidt.

and her adulteries from between her breasts; alluding to the custom of harlots who used to paint their faces and to allure with their looks words and actions and to make bare their breasts or adorn them or carry in them what were enticing and alluring. These adulteries and whoredoms which are the same thing may signify the many idolatries of the people of Israel before their captivity and which were the cause of it; or the sins of the Jews before their dispersion; or their evil works as the Targum by which they departed from God and the true Messiah and went a whoring after other lovers: thus they rejected transgressed and made of none effect the commandments of God by their traditions; paid tithe of mint anise and cummin and neglected the weighty matters of the law; sought not the honour of God but that which comes from men; and therefore confessed not the true Messiah though under convictions of him and went about to establish their own righteousness and submitted not to his; these were the idols of their hearts and the whoredoms and adulteries the Jewish converts that truly believed in Christ are ordered to exhort them to put away. The Septuagint and Arabic versions are "I will take away her whoredoms &c."

 

Hosea 2:3   3 Lest I strip her naked And expose her as in the day she was born And make her like a wilderness And set her like a dry land And slay her with thirst.

   YLT  3Lest I strip her naked. And have set her up as [in] the day of her birth And have made her as a wilderness And have set her as a dry land And have put her to death with thirst.

Lest I strip her naked and set her as in the day that she was born .... Alluding to the case of an infant when born which comes naked into the world; and referring to the state and condition of the Israelites in Egypt which was the time of their nativity as a people and church; see Ezekiel 16:4 and when they were in a state of servitude and bondage and had no wealth and substance and without possessions and lands and had no country of their own to inhabit; and signifying that this should be their case again if they persisted in their idolatry impenitence and unbelief; as has been the case of the ten tribes upon their captivity when they were stripped of all their wealth and riches carried away out of their own land and scattered among the nations and have never returned since; and as was the case of the Jews in their last destruction for the rejection of Christ they were stripped of their civil and religious privileges of their temporal and spiritual mercies as a nation and church; what they feared is come upon them that the Romans would come and take away their place and nation John 11:48

and make her as a wilderness and set her like a dry land; having some respect to her former condition in the wilderness where they had no food nor drink but what they had from God as Abarbinel thinks; or else to the destruction and consumption of them in the wilderness their carcasses falling there who sinned against the Lord as the Targum and Jarchi; and denoting the utter destruction of their commonwealth and church when their land was laid waste their city destroyed their house and temple left desolate and burnt and they deprived of all the necessaries of life which was their case at their last destruction by the Romans; and to this day they are as they are described Hosea 3:4

and slay her with thirst; after their vainly expected Messiah which has brought them to desperation; or with a thirst not for water but of hearing the word of the Lord Amos 8:11 the Gospel and the ordinances of it being taken away from them and the clouds ordered to drop down no rain upon them; that is the ministers of the word not to preach the Gospel to them; and so are left destitute of the means of grace and of spiritual life and of escaping eternal death Matthew 21:43. The Targum of the whole is

"lest I remove my Shechinah from her and take away her glory and set her forsaken as in the days of old before she came to my worship; and my fury shall remain upon her as it remained upon the people of that generation that transgressed my law in the wilderness; and I will set the land desolate and kill her with thirst.'

 

Hosea 2:4   4 “I will not have mercy on her children For they are the children of harlotry.
   YLT  
4And her sons I do not pity For sons of whoredoms [are] they

And I will not have mercy upon her children .... The posterity of the Jews in succeeding ages until the time of their conversion comes; they persisting in the sins of their forefathers filling up the measure of their iniquities; remaining in their obstinate rejection of the Messiah and in the same impenitence and unbelief and having his blood imprecated upon them:

for they be the children of whoredoms; begotten and born in whoredom spurious and illegitimate; or that commit whoredoms; imitate their parents; are guilty of the same vices; a generation of vipers. So the Targum

"for they are children that commit idolatry;'

retain the traditions of the elders; go about to establish their own righteousness and reject the Messiah.

 

Hosea 2:5   5 For their mother has played the harlot; She who conceived them has behaved shamefully. For she said ‘I will go after my lovers Who give me my bread and my water My wool and my linen My oil and my drink.’

   YLT  5For gone a-whoring hath their mother Acted shamefully hath their conceiver For she hath said I go after my lovers Those giving my bread and my water My wool and my flax my oil and my drink.

For their mother hath played the harlot .... Or committed idolatry; which is the reason why she is to be pleaded with and why the Lord will not own her as his wife or be a husband to her; and why she is to be exhorted to put away her whoredoms from her; and was in danger of all the above evils coming upon her continuing in the same practice; and why her children were children of whoredoms. Though the connection may be with the verse following "for" or "because their mother hath played the harlot" &c. "therefore I will hedge up her way" &c.

She that conceived them hath done shamefully; all sin is shameful and scandalous especially adultery; it brings a reproach and a blot upon a person that will not be wiped off; and so idolatry worshipping stocks and stones instead of the living God; and particularly the sin of the Jewish church in rejecting the true Messiah and his righteousness and setting up their own and tenaciously adhering to the traditions of the elders; and so departing from the true God and his word and worship which is no other than spiritual adultery or idolatry. The Targum is

"because their congregation hath erred after the false prophets their teachers are confounded;'

and which Jarchi interprets of the wise men that teach doctrines who are ashamed because of the people of the earth; to whom they say ye shall not steal and yet they steal themselves; see Romans 2:21. Or "she hath made ashamed"F6הובישה "pudefecit" Junius apud Rivet. ; her husband and her children: or "she is confounded"F7"Confusa vel pudefacta" Pagninus Montanus; "pudore suffusa est" Gussetius. and "ashamed" herself for what she has done.

For she said I will go after my lovers; her idols as the ten tribes did after the calves at Dan and Bethel. So Kimchi's father interprets it of the sun moon and stars they worshipped: though he himself understands it of the Assyrians and Egyptians they were in alliance with and trusted in. Some join together the Gentile nations and their gods. Or else it may be understood of the Jews seeking to the Romans and courting their favour and friendship; desiring to be governed not by their own kings but by the RomansF8Joseph. Antiqu. l. 17. c. 13 sect. 2. ; declaring they had no king but Caesar and rejecting Christ as such John 19:12 or rather of their beloved tenets concerning traditions the rites and ceremonies of the law self-righteousness &c.: the words are expressive of impudence obstinacy and self-will; resolving to pursue their own fancies and have their own wills be it as it would.

That give me my bread and any water my wool and my flax mine oil and my drink; "or drinks"F9שקויי "potationes meas" Montanus "potiones meas" Junius & Tremellius Piscator; "potus meos" Cocceius Schmidt. ; wine and other liquors as Kimchi; these take in everything belonging to food and raiment and all the necessaries and even delights and pleasures of life: bread and water; all sorts of food: wool and flax; all sorts of clothing both woollen and linen for outward or inward covering: and oil and drinks or liquors; everything for pleasure and delight; all which she ascribed not to God from whence all good things come; but which was an aggravation of her sin to her lovers her allies or her idols; as the Jews did their plenty of victuals to the queen of heaven and their worship of her Jeremiah 44:17 and as in the times of Christ they ascribed not only their enjoyment of temporal good things but their righteousness life and salvation to their observance of traditions rites and ceremonies and the externals of religion.

 

Hosea 2:6   6 “Therefore behold I will hedge up your way with thorns And wall her in So that she cannot find her paths.
   YLT  
6Therefore lo I am hedging up thy way with thorns And I have made for her a wall And her paths she doth not find.

Therefore behold I will hedge up thy way with thorns .... As fields and vineyards are fenced with thorn hedges to keep out beasts; or rather as closes and fields are fenced to keep cattle in from going out and straying elsewhere; which may be expressive of afflictions aud particularly wars among them that they could not stir out and go from place to place: and make a wall that she shall not find her paths: to go to Dan and Bethel and worship the calves there as some; or to go to the Egyptians and Assyrians for help as Jarchi and Kimchi; though it was by the latter that they were hedged in and walled and cooped up when the city of Samaria was besieged three years: rather this respects the straits and difficulties the Jews have been reduced to by the destruction of Jerusalem and the continuance of them ever since; so that they are not able to offer their daily sacrifice kill and eat their passover lamb and perform other rites and ceremonies they used in their own land; which they would fain perform though abolished by Christ but are restrained by this hedge and wall the destruction of their temple and altar and not being suffered to possess their land; hence they are said to be without a sacrifice and an ephod. Hosea 3:4.

 

Hosea 2:7   7 She will chase her lovers But not overtake them; Yes she will seek them but not find them. Then she will say ‘I will go and return to my first husband For then it was better for me than now.’
   YLT  
7And she hath pursued her lovers And she doth not overtake them And hath sought them and doth not find And she hath said: I go and I turn back unto My first husband For -- better to me then than now.

And she shall follow after her lovers .... Before mentioned; that is in her affections and desires with great eagerness and earnestness as men pursue what they are bent upon; otherwise being hedged in and walled up she could not go after them in a proper sense:

but she shall not overtake them; they fleeing from her and she pent up:

she shall seek them but shall not find them; shall not be able to enjoy them or act according to her wishes and desires with respect to the performance of sacrifices rites and ceremonies as before observed:

then shall she say; in her heart finding all endeavours fruitless and that the things sought after were never to be had; the hedges and wall the obstructions in the way were never to be removed while in such a pursuit; wherefore after a long time many hundreds of years even in the latter day being convinced of her sin and folly in rejecting Christ and pursuing after other objects she will take up the following resolution:

I will go and return to my first husband; either the God of Israel whom the ten tribes departed from by worshipping the calves Jeroboam set up; but in the latter day will seek the Lord their God again who was a husband to them and shall cleave to him again and all Israel shall be saved: so the Targum

"I will go and return to the service of my first master for it was well with me when I served him; henceforth I will not serve idols:'

or Christ who was promised and prophesied of as a husband to the Jewish church Isaiah 54:5 and whom they believed in and expected as such but when he came rejected him; but now being convinced of their error shall seek David their King appoint themselves one head and embrace Christ as their husband and adhere to him; see Hosea 3:5

for then was it better with me than now; while in the faith and hope and expectation of the true Messiah; having a spiritual apprehension of him true faith in him and comfort from him as held forth in the promise; being then possessed of the good land in the enjoyment of the word and ordinances and of all religious and civil privileges but now deprived of them. This may be applied to the case of true believers in Christ having partially departed from him and being restored. Christ is a husband to them who has betrothed them to himself and they have given themselves to him and have been loved nourished cherished and provided for by him and for a while had much nearness familiarity and communion with him; but unbelief prevailing first love waxing cold and being got into a carnal and sleepy frame neglect both private and public worship fall into sin and removed from church communion and so may be said to have departed from Christ their husband; but being recovered by divine grace and sensible of their sins resolve to return to him again by repentance and acknowledgment by doing their first works and by attendance on his word and ordinances; instigated hereunto very much by remembering how it has been with them when they kept close to him and observing the difference between those times and the present; how they had then the presence of God and Christ and communion with them and the secret discoveries of the love of God; in what lively exercise the graces of the Spirit were; what delight and profit they had in ordinances and what peace joy and comfort in their souls; all which now they want; see Job 29:2.

 

Hosea 2:8   8 For she did not know That I gave her grain new wine and oil And multiplied her silver and gold— Which they prepared for Baal.

   YLT  8And she knew not that I had given to her The corn and the new wine and the oil. Yea silver I did multiply to her And the gold they prepared for Baal.

For she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil .... This is a reason not of her resolution to return to her first husband but to go after lovers and of her ascribing these things to them Hosea 2:5 and why the Lord would behave towards her as he determined to do Hosea 2:6 this ignorance was wilful and affected and therefore blameable; she might have known but she would not; she did not set her mind to know; she did not consider who gave her these things nor behave as if she knew as Jarchi: or she did not own and acknowledge God to be the author and giver of them as she should have done; which was ingratitude rather than ignorance and is a heinous sin and to be resented; since all good things temporal and spiritual as daily bread all the necessaries of life signified by these things so the word and ordinances and spiritual gifts which they may be emblems of come from God and should be acknowledged; but the Jews as in the times of Isaiah did not know him and acknowledge his benefits Isaiah 1:2 so in the times of Christ they did not know him to be the God of Israel God over all blessed for ever; from whom and for whose sake who was to be and was born of them they enjoyed the privileges they did John 1:10.

And multiplied her silver and gold which they prepared for Baal; the relative "which" may refer to all that goes before; and the sense be that these gifts of God and which should have been owned as such and employed in his service and to his glory; some were made use of in meat and drink offerings to Baal; and others in decking themselves to appear in his worship to his honour; or in ornamenting the idol therewith or in making it thereof so the Targum and Syriac version: and all this may be said to be done when these things are spent in the service of other lords than the Lord himself; when they are abused to sinful purposes and consumed on the lusts of men to gratify their sensuality pride and vanity which the Jews did.

 

Hosea 2:9   9 “Therefore I will return and take away My grain in its time And My new wine in its season And will take back My wool and My linen Given to cover her nakedness.
   YLT  
9Therefore do I turn back And I have taken My corn in its season And My new wine in its appointed time And I have taken away My wool and My flax covering her nakedness.

Therefore will I return and take away .... Or "take away again"F11אשוב ולקחתי "iterum capiam" Drusius; "recipiam" Liveleus. ; an usual Hebraism:

my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof; for though these are the gifts of God to men for their use and to dispose of for the good of others; yet he retains his property in them and can and will call them to an account for their stewardship; and when he pleases take away both their office and the good things they were intrusted with not making a right use of them; and this he does in his own appointed time and season or at such a time when these are at the best and the greatest good is expected from them and which therefore is the more afflictive; as in the time of harvest and vintage so Kimchi when corn and grapes are fully ripe; or as the Targum in the time of the corn being on the floor and of the pressure of the wine:

and will recover my wool and my flax given "to cover her nakedness"; or "I will take away"; by force and violence as out of the hands of thieves and robbers and usurpers who have no right to them being forfeited; these were given to cover her nakedness but not to deck herself with for the honour of her idols or to cherish pride and superstition; see Matthew 23:5 these were all taken away when the Romans came and took away their place and nation John 11:48. The Septuagint and Arabic versions give the sense as if these were taken

that they might not cover her nakedness or "shame"; but that it might be exposed as follows:

 

Hosea 2:10   10 Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers And no one shall deliver her from My hand.
   YLT  
10And now do I reveal her dishonour before the eyes of her lovers And none doth deliver her out of My hand.

And now will I discover her lewdness in the lovers .... The people her lovers as the Targum; which is by many understood of the Egyptians and Assyrians; but rather means the Romans whom the Jews courted as their friends: though it seems best to interpret it in a more general way that the sin and folly of the Jews in rejecting Christ and adhering to their beloved tenets should be discovered and made manifest to all in the most public manner by their punishment; by being scattered among the nations and becoming a taunt reproach and a curse everywhere: and none shall deliver her out of my hand; none of her lovers as Kimchi nor any other: it denotes the utter total and final destruction of the Jews wrath being come upon them to the uttermost; and which is irrecoverable by human help has continued for many hundred years and will until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled or till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in Luke 21:24.

 

Hosea 2:11   11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease Her feast days Her New Moons Her Sabbaths— All her appointed feasts.

   YLT  11And I have caused to cease all her joy Her festival her new moon and her sabbath Even all her appointed times

I will also cause all her mirth to cease .... As it must in course this being her case as before described whether considered in individuals or as a body politic or in their church state as follows:

her feast days; which the Jews understand of the three feasts of tabernacles passover and pentecost; typical of Christ's tabernacling in human nature; of his being the passover sacrificed for us; and of the firstfruits of the Spirit; which being come the shadows are gone and vanished and these feasts are no more: her new moons and her sabbaths; the first day of every month and the seventh day of every week observed for religious exercises; typical of the light the church receives from Christ and the rest it has in him; and he the body and substance of them being come these are no more Colossians 2:16

and all her solemn feasts; all others whether of God's appointment or their own; all are made to cease of right if not in fact; the law of commandments contained in ordinances being abolished by Christ and the Jews without a priest sacrifice and ephod Ephesians 2:14.

 

Hosea 2:12   12 “And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees Of which she has said ‘These are my wages that my lovers have given me.’ So I will make them a forest And the beasts of the field shall eat them.
   YLT  
12And made desolate her vine and her fig-tree Of which she said A gift they [are] to me That my lovers have given to me And I have made them for a forest And consumed them hath a beast of the field.

And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees .... Which are mentioned for the rest being the most fruitful and beneficial: this was done when Judea was invaded overrun and wasted by the Roman army; and when many were cut down as Josephus observes to build forts and cast up mounts against Jerusalem; so that he saysF12De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 1. sect. 1. the appearance of the earth was miserable for what before was adorned with trees and gardens looked now like a wilderness:

whereof she hath said these are my rewards that my lovers have given me; alluding to the hire of harlots given them by their gallants; these she ascribed as she did before her bread water wool flax; and oil Hosea 2:5 not to God the author and giver of them but to the people her lovers as the Targum; or to her idols or to her beloved tenets and doing according to them; and which is here mentioned as a reason of the divine resentment and why he destroyed these fruitful trees:

and I will make them a forest and the beasts of the field shall eat them; make the vines and fig trees like forest trees barren and unfruitful; the fruitful land of Judea should be turned into a forest or become like a desert or wilderness and all the fruits of it should be eaten up by wild beasts; by their enemies compared to the beasts of the field particularly the Romans the fourth beast; see Isaiah 56:9.

 

Hosea 2:13   13 I will punish her For the days of the Baals to which she burned incense. She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry And went after her lovers; But Me she forgot ” says the Lord.

   YLT  13And I have charged on her the days of the Baalim To whom she maketh perfume And putteth on her ring and her ornament And goeth after her lovers And Me forgat -- an affirmation of Jehovah.

And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim .... That is punish them for all the idolatries committed by their forefathers in the days that the several Baals as Baalpeor and Baalberith and others were worshipped by them; they their children though not worshipping these Baalim yet other lords lusts and idols they set up of themselves and in their own hearts; see Matthew 23:32

wherein she burnt incense to them; to the Baalim; this one species of idolatrous worship being put for the rest:

and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels; with her best and richest attire; the latter word signifying in the Arabic language as Jarchi observes the ornaments of women; this was done to grace the idolatrous worship and for the honour of the idols:

and she went after her lovers; the traditions of the elders; the weak and beggarly elements of the ceremonial law now abolished and their own legal righteousness:

and forgot me saith the Lord: or "left my worship" as the Targum; forgot and rejected the true Messiah his word and ordinances.

 

Hosea 2:14   14 “Therefore behold I will allure her Will bring her into the wilderness And speak comfort to her.
   YLT  
14Therefore lo I am enticing her And have caused her to go to the wilderness And I have spoken unto her heart

Therefore behold I will allure her .... Since these rough ways will not do I will take another a more mild and gentle way; instead of threatening terrifying and punishing I will allure persuade and entice giving loving words and winning language: or "nevertheless" or "notwithstanding"F13לכן "atqui vel attamen" Glassius. : so Noldius and others render the particle; though they have thus behaved themselves and such methods have been taken with them to no purpose yet I will do as follows: the words may be understood of the call and conversion of the people of God the spiritual Israel of God both Jews and Gentiles in the first times of the Gospel as Hosea 2:23 is quoted and applied by the Apostle Paul Romans 9:24 and be understood also of the call of the believing Jews out of Jerusalem before the destruction of it Luke 21:21 from whence they removed to Pella as EusebiusF14Hist. Eccles. l. 3. c. 5. relates: and of the apostles out of the land of Judea into the wilderness of the people the Gentile world to preach the Gospel there; where vineyards or churches were planted; the door of faith and hope were opened to the Gentiles that had been without hope; and the conversions now made both among Jews and Gentiles opened a door of hope or were a pledge of the conversion of the Jew and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles in the latter day; to which times also these words may be applied when the Jews shall be allured and persuaded to seek the Lord their God and David their King and join Gospel churches in the wilderness of the people and shall have abundance of spiritual consolation and joy; and they may also be applied to the conversion of sinners in common and set forth the methods of God's grace in dealing with them: there is throughout an allusion to Israel's coming out of Egypt from whence the Lord allured and persuaded them by Moses and Aaron; and then brought them into the wilderness where he fed and supplied them and spoke comfort to them and gave them the lively oracles; and whence from the borders of it they had and entered into the vineyards in the land of Canaan; and in the valley of Achor ate of the grain of the land which was a door of hope to them they should enjoy the whole land; and when they rejoiced exceedingly particularly at the Red sea at their first coming out. The word rendered "allure" signifies to persuadeF15מפתיה "persuadendo inducam eam" Munster; "persuadebo illi" Calvin; "persuadens vel persuadebo illi" Schmidt. as in Genesis 9:27 and in conversion the Lord persuades men not merely by moral persuasion or the outward ministry of the word but by powerful and efficacious grace; opening the heart to attend to things spoken and the eyes of the understanding to behold wondrous things in the word of God; working upon the heart and removing the hardness and impenitence of it; quickening the soul drawing it with the cords of love and sweetly operating upon the will: and on a sudden and unawares making the soul like the chariots of Amminadib or a willing people; persuading it to true repentance for sin to part with sins and sinful companions and with its own righteousness and to come to Christ and to look to him and lay hold on him as the Saviour and to submit to his ordinances: moreover the Lord persuades men at conversion of his love to them and of their interest in Christ and all the blessings of grace in him. Kimchi's note is

"I will put into her heart to return by repentance;'

and compares with it Ezekiel 36:26. The Targum is

"I will subject her to the law.'

And bring her into the wilderness: so in conversion the Lord calls and separates his people from the world as the Israelites were from the Egyptians when brought into the wilderness; and when they are solitary and alone as they were and so in a fit circumstance to be spoken unto and to hear comfortable words as follows; and when the Lord feeds them with the grain of heaven with hidden manna the food of the wilderness; and when they come into trouble and affliction for the sake of Christ and his Gospel. Some understand this of the church into which they are brought because separate from the world and attended with trouble; but this is rather a garden than a wilderness. Some as Noldius and others render it "when" or "after I have brought her into the wilderness"F16והלכתיה המדבר "postquam duxero eam in desertum" Calvin Drusius "quum deduxero" Junius & Tremellius Piscator. ; so after the Lord has shown men their sin and danger their wilderness desolate state and condition and stripped them of all help elsewhere; or has brought them under afflictive dispensations of Providence; then he does what he said before and follows after.

And speak comfortably unto her; or "speak to her heart"F17על לבה "ad cor ejus" Pagniaus Cocceius; "super cor ejus" Munster Montanus Schmidt. as in Isaiah 40:2 as he does when he tells them their sins are forgiven; that he has loved them with an everlasting love; what exceeding great and precious promises he has made unto them; and when he speaks to them by the Spirit and Comforter who takes his and the things of Christ and shows them unto them; and in his word written for their consolation; and by his ministers who are "Barnabases" sons of comfort; and in the ordinances those breasts of consolation. The Targum is

"and I will do for her wonders and great things as I did for her in the wilderness; and by the hand of my servants the prophets I will speak comforts to her heart.'

The Jewish writersF18Shirhashhirim Rabba fol. 11. 2. Midrash Ruth fol. 33. 2. interpret this of the Messiah's leading people into a wilderness in a literal sense; they ask where will he (the Messiah) lead them? the answer of some is to the wilderness of Judea Matthew 3:1; and of others is to the wilderness of Sihon and Og (the wilderness the Israelites passed through when they came out of Egypt): they who are on the side of the first answer urge in favour of it Hosea 12:9 and they who are for the latter produce this passage.

 

Hosea 2:15   15 I will give her her vineyards from there And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there As in the days of her youth As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

   YLT  15And given to her her vineyards from thence And the valley of Achor for an opening of hope And she hath responded there as in the days of her youth And as in the day of her coming up out of the land of Egypt.

And I will give her vineyards from thence .... Either from the wilderness into which she is brought; or from the time of her being brought there allured and spoke comfortably to; which are put for all temporal blessings and as emblems of spiritual ones: and so from the time that the Lord deals thus graciously as before expressed he gives more grace larger measures and continual supplies of it and withholds nothing good comfortable and useful to them: the Vulgate Latin version renders it "her vinedressers"; and the Targum her governors:

and the valley of Achor for a door of hope; this valley was so named from Achan who was stoned in it in the days of Joshua; who is by JosephusF19Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 10 14. TheodoretF20Comment. in loc. and others called Achar and so in 1 Chronicles 2:7 and the signification of its name is the valley of trouble because that he both troubled Israel by his evil actions which brought them into distress; and because he was here troubled himself being here punished for his sin Joshua 7:24. JeromeF21De locis Hebr. fol. 88. B. tom. 3. says it lies to the north of Jericho and is still called by its old name by the inhabitants of it. Some take it to be the same with the valley of Engedi which it is certain was near Jericho. Now as the valley of Achor was at the entrance of the Israelites into the land of Canaan and gave them hope of possessing the whole land; so what the people of God enjoy at first conversion lays a foundation for hope of eternal glory and happiness; as the Lord's being given them as their portion Christ as their Saviour and all things freely with him; the Spirit and his grace as the earnest and pledge of the eternal inheritance: grace and glory are so strictly connected that the one is a door of hope to the other.

And she shall sing there; either in the wilderness where the Lord speaks comfortably to her; or in the vineyards she has from thence; alluding to the songs of joy at the time of vintage or pressing of the grapes: or in the valley of Achor there rejoicing in hope of the glory of God singing the songs of electing redeeming pardoning and justifying grace:

as in the days of her youth as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt: as when the people of Israel were first brought into their civil and ecclesiastic state which were the days of their youth as a people; and that was when they came out of Egypt and had passed the Red sea at the shore of which they sung; and to which is the allusion here; see Exodus 15:1 this passage is applied to the times of the Messiah in the TalmudF23T. Bab. Sanhedrin fol. 111. 1. .

 

Hosea 2:16   16 “And it shall be in that day ” Says the LordThat you will call Me ‘My Husband ’[c] And no longer call Me ‘My Master ’[d]
   YLT  
16And it hath come to pass in that day An affirmation of Jehovah Thou dost call Me -- My husband And dost not call Me any more -- My lord.

And it shall be at that day saith the Lord .... The Gospel day the times of the Gospel dispensation the latter part of them; at the time of the conversion of the Jews and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles; at the time when God will allure and persuade them to seek the Messiah and they shall turn to him; when he shall speak comfortably to them and give them a door of hope and all spiritual blessings and cause them to sing as when they came out of Egypt:

that thou shalt call me Ishi; or "my husband"F24אישי "maritus meus" Vatablus Pagninus Montanus "marite mi" Schmidt. ; returning to Christ their first husband and being received by him shall have faith and interest in him and full assurance of it; and shall not only be allowed to call him their husband but in the strength of faith and with great freedom of soul shall call him so and say as the church did "my beloved is mine and I am his" Song of Solomon 20:16 or "my man"F25"Vir meus" V. L. "mi vir" Junius & Tremellius Piscator Liveleus. ; the man the Lord the man Jehovah's fellow Immanuel God with us God in human nature; and so more manifestly points at Christ who most properly speaking stands in the relation of a husband to his people: or "my strength" as some interpret it; the husband being the strength protection and defence of the wife the weaker vessel; so Christ is the strength of his saints in whom they have righteousness and strength and through whose strength they can do all things:

and shalt call me no more Baali; which signifies my husband too and is used of God and Christ; he is called Baal and the church is called Beulah because married together Isaiah 45:5 but it signifies a lordly and imperious husband; and the other word "Ishi" a loving one: so Jarchi observes that the sense is that they should serve the Lord from love and not fear; "Ishi" being a word expressive of marriage and love and "Baali" of lordship and fear: hence some have thought this to be the reason why the one should be used and the other not under the Gospel dispensation; because saints now have not the spirit of bondage to fear but the spirit of adoption whereby they call God their Father and Christ their husband: though rather the reason is because the word "Baal" as R. Marinns observes is of doubtful signification an ambiguous word used for the idol Baal as well as signifies lord and husband; and therefore to be laid aside lest when they mentioned it it should be thought they spoke of Baal and not of the Lord; or should be led to think of that idol and remember him.

 

Hosea 2:17   17 For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals And they shall be remembered by their name no more.
   YLT  
17And I have turned aside the names of the lords from her mouth And they are not remembered any more by their name.

For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth .... Out of the mouth of Israel as Saadiah; out of the mouth of the converted Jews and even out of the mouth of the Gentiles as Kimchi owns; the several Baals as Baalpeor Baalberith and Baalzebub and others: the names of them should be no more used should not be spoken of unless with detestation and abhorrence; not with honour and respect with love and affection or so as to yield worship and homage to them; or otherwise their names may be lawfully mentioned as in Romans 11:4 there seems to be some reference to the law in Exodus 23:13 the sense is that idolatry shall be utterly abolished even of every kind; not the worship of Baalim only but of all other idols: and so the Targum is

"and I will take away the name of the idols of the people out of their mouth;'

and may design the idolatry of the church of Rome; their worship of images of gold and silver wood brass and stone in whose communion are many of the Jews at this time; but when the time of their conversion comes all this will be abolished among them and among the Gentiles also:

and they shall no more be remembered by their name; or made mention of by name; the same thing as before in other words repeated for the confirmation of it.

 

Hosea 2:18   18 In that day I will make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field With the birds of the air And with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth To make them lie down safely.

   YLT  18And I have made to them a covenant in that day with the beast of the field And with the fowl of the heavens And the creeping thing of the ground And bow and sword and war I break from off the land And have caused them to lie down confidently.

And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field .... That is so as to be at peace with them as the Targum is; see Job 5:23 the sense is the Lord here promises this unto them and that it shall be as sure and firm and to be as much depended upon as if it was established and settled by covenant and should be enjoyed as a covenant mercy and blessing; and the creatures should as strictly observe it and answer to it as if bound by covenant: and this should reach not only to the beasts of the field the wild beasts of prey "but the fowls of heaven"; as the locusts and others as Kimchi observes which should not eat up the fruits and increase of the earth: "and the creeping things of the ground": as serpents and scorpions as the same writer suggests. Some think this was fulfilled in the first times of the Gospel when the apostles took up serpents and trod on scorpions without any hurt; but then nothing was more common than for the Christians to be thrown to the lions and devoured by beasts of prey. Others refer it to the last days the times of the restitution of all things when they suppose all creatures will be restored to their paradisiacal estate and be in entire subjection to men. Rather the sense is that whereas noisome beasts and other things were one of God's sore judgments with which he threatened his people when they sinned against him now they should no more be hurt by them in a way of judgment; and indeed should cease from being among them so that they should be in no fear of them any more; see Leviticus 26:22. Though the words may be understood figuratively and mystically either of deliverance from all spiritual enemies by Christ as sin Satan and the world and all others; or of freedom from all wicked men cruel and crafty ones open and secret persecutors of the saints: persecution will cease at the time of the Jews' conversion; antichrist and all the antichristian states will be destroyed; the beast and false prophet will be taken and cast into the furnace of fire; the old serpent the devil will be bound during the Millennium; and there will be none to hurt in God's holy mountain neither in the spiritual nor personal reign of Christ.

And I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth; all the instruments of war shall be no more these mentioned being put for all the rest; and there shall be no more battles fought after that at Armageddon; swords shall be beat into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks; there shall be no more wars nor rumours of wars but perfect external peace from all enemies on all sides as well as spiritual and internal peace in the breast of the saints; and of both there shall be abundance and without end Psalm 72:7

and will make them to lie down safely; under the protection of the King Messiah David their Prince who shall be over them and whom they shall own acknowledge and serve and so dwell in the utmost safety and security not fearing any enemy whatever; they may lie down on their couches at meals or on their beds at night for rest or as flocks of sheep in their folds and pastures and none make them afraid; see Jeremiah 23:5.

 

Hosea 2:19   19 “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice In lovingkindness and mercy;
   YLT  
19And I have betrothed thee to Me to the age And betrothed thee to Me in righteousness And in judgment and kindness and mercies

And I will betroth thee unto me for ever .... Which is taking them into a marriage relation with himself; and is to be understood not of the whole body of God's elect who were secretly betrothed to in the everlasting covenant from eternity; for is respects what is yet to come; but of the people the Jews when converted in the latter day when will be the marriage of the Lamb with them and with the fullness of the Gentiles then brought in; of which see Revelation 19:7 who will then return to their first husband; and though the Jews have been divorced they will be received again and be afresh betrothed; a new covenant or contract will be made with them and which shall last for ever Jeremiah 31:31 and this may be applied to every particular soul at conversion which is the day of their open espousals to Christ; and they are visibly brought into a marriage relation with him than which nothing is more near; they become flesh of his flesh bone of his bone yea one spirit with him and are indulged with near communion with him; and hence is that sympathy he has with them in all their afflictions temptations and exercises and takes that as done to him which is done to them whether good or ill; hence all their debts or sins become his and he satisfies for them and his righteousness becomes theirs: this is a very endearing relation; there is a mutual delight and complacency they take in each other; and a most able one it is; hence they are called by his name Christians and partake of his honour; he is King and they queen; and a very beneficial relation it is for all that Christ is and has are theirs; and a most marvellous and wondrous thing it is that he should betroth them to himself when he is the Son of the living God himself the true God God over all blessed for ever the Maker and Governor of the world and heir of all things; and though they in their secret betrothment were considered as sinless creatures yet in their open espousals at conversion are fallen sinners in a very low estate indeed; under sentence of condemnation and death; devoid of the image of God; depraved polluted and guilty creatures; in deep debt and extreme poverty; it is as if a prince heir apparent to the throne should take a convict or condemned malefactor out of her cell or a common strumpet out of the stews or a bankrupt and beggar from the dunghill and marry her: and this relation will continue "for ever": the marriage covenant or contract is an everlasting one; the bond of union which is everlasting and unchangeable love is indissoluble; death cannot take place in either party; both shall live forever; and this is a strong proof of the final perseverance of the saints.

Yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness; either in truth in sincerity heartily and without any hypocrisy or dissimulation; or consistent with righteousness with his love of righteousness and holiness and hatred of sin: or rather in his own justifying righteousness; not in their own righteousness which is as rags; for though he finds them in such rags he strips them of them and puts on the wedding garment the robe of his own righteousness and garment of salvation; when they become as a bride adorned with ornaments and so made ready for the nuptials and in this he betroths them; see Isaiah 61:10

and in judgment: in sanctification according to some the work being now begun by the Spirit of God as a spirit of judgment; or in a judicious way not rashly and precipitantly but with mature deliberation and of choice arising from judgment; or rather absolving them from the sentence of condemnation and death by his righteousness and protecting and defending them from their enemies for the sake of which and other things he takes them into this relation;

and in lovingkindness and in mercies: denoting both the love which is the spring and source of this relation and not any merits of theirs; and the kind and tender manner in which he betroths them; as well as the numerous favours he bestows upon them; as pardon of sin; justification of life; spiritual peace; supplies of all grace and eternal life; all the effects of free grace unmerited love and sovereign mercy.

 

Hosea 2:20   20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness And you shall know the Lord.

   YLT  20And betrothed thee to Me in faithfulness And thou hast known Jehovah.

I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness .... Which lies in keeping the marriage contract inviolable; Christ will never suffer his faithfulness to fail nor break his covenant; as he is faithful to his Father that appointed him so he is and will be to his church and people and to every believer to whom he is espoused; and it is he that makes them faithful unto him and gives them faith to believe in him receive embrace own and acknowledge him as their husband: and in this sense some understand it rendering it "in faith"F26באמונה "in fide" V. L. &c. ; so the Targum and others. This is the third time the word "betroth" is used or this promise made; which according to Jerome refers to them espousing of the Jews in Abraham at Mount Sinai and in the times of Christ; and according to Kimchi to the three captivities of the Jews in Egypt in Babylon and that in which they now are: and some Christian writers think the mystery of the Trinity is here pointed at; and the sense to be that all the three divine Persons Father Son and Spirit would espouse them: but rather it is so often repeated to confirm it and express the certainty of it which might on many accounts seem a thing incredible.

And thou shall know the Lord; that the Messiah is Jehovah and that he is their husband; they shall all know him from the least to the greatest; they shall have a saving knowledge of him which will issue in eternal life; they shall own him and acknowledge him serve and obey him as their Lord Head and Husband as well as love him and believe in him. The Targum is

"and ye shall know to fear before the Lord;'

see Jeremiah 31:34. Let it be observed here are no conditions throughout it is only "I will" and "thou shalt".

 

Hosea 2:21   21 “It shall come to pass in that day That I will answer ” says the Lord; “I will answer the heavens And they shall answer the earth.
   YLT  
21And it hath come to pass in that day I answer -- an affirmation of Jehovah I answer the heavens and they answer the earth.

And it shall come to pass in that day .... When these espousals shall be made when the marriage of the Lamb will be come and his bride will be betrothed to him; then the whole creation the heavens and the earth shall contribute of their riches and plenty to make a marriage feast for them; or then shall the spouse of Christ in a very visible and plentiful manner by virtue of the marriage union between them partake of all his good things both temporal and spiritual; and especially the latter as signified by the former; but yet in the use of means and as the effect of prayer as follows:

I will hear saith the Lord; the petitions of his new married bride which he cannot deny her:or "I will answer"F1אענה "respondebo" Calvin Drusius Tarnovius Cocceius. ; men oftentimes hear and answer not; but when the Lord hears his people he answers them and grants them their requests; he is a God hearing and answering prayer. So the Targum

"I will receive your prayer saith the Lord.'

I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth; in these and the following words is an elegant personification a figure by which inanimate creatures are represented as persons speaking praying asking and being heard and answered; and a beautiful climax or a chain of second causes linked together and as depending upon the first cause the Lord himself; the heavens are represented as desiring the Lord of nature the Maker and Supporter of them having been like brass and shut up that they might have leave to let down their refreshing dews and gentle showers of rain upon the earth; and the earth as being dry and thirsty as gaping opening its mouth and imploring these benign influences of the heavens; and both as answered: for so it may be rendered "I will answer the heavens and they shall answer the earth"F2אענה את שמים "respondebo coelo et illud respondebit terrae" Cocceius Drusius. ; the Lord promises to answer the desires of the heavens and allow them to drop their dew and distil their rain; and so they shall answer the cravings of the earth. The spiritual sense may be according to Schmidt Christ is he on whom all blessings depend; "heaven" may signify the Holy Spirit Christ gives who intercedes with him for the saints; the "earth" the ministration of the word and ordinances by which the Spirit is given invoked by the ministers of them. Or as Cocceius the "heavens" may design the ministers of the church who govern in it and who pray and plead for help assistance and success; and the "earth" the audience the common people who also pray and are heard and answered when ministers let down the dew and rain of evangelical doctrine upon them and water them and refresh them with it; and such precious seasons as these as the fruit of prayer will the saints have in the latter day.

 

Hosea 2:22   22 The earth shall answer With grain With new wine And with oil; They shall answer Jezreel.[e]
   YLT  
22And the earth doth answer the corn And the new wine and the oil And they answer Jezreel.

And the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oil .... Or "answer" here the corn and vines and olive trees are represented as requesting the earth to be let into it and receive moisture from it that they may grow and increase and bring forth fruit; by which may be meant the fruits and graces of the Spirit and all spiritual gifts communicated by means of the word and ordinances; or the fruits brought forth by the church under the ministry of the word; which serves like "corn" to nourish and strengthen; like "wine" to comfort cheer and revive; and like "oil" to heal and soften as well as make glad

And they shall hear Jezreel; or "answer"; that is these trees and fruits shall answer to the requests and desires of Jezreel who shall be abundantly blessed with them. By "Jezreel" is not meant the name of a place as Aben Ezra; but the people of Israel who had before been signified by a son of the prophet of this name Hosea 1:4 and which name is here continued to show how unworthy they were of such favours in themselves and the riches of God's grace in bestowing them on them: or else the word here has a different signification; whereas before it signified their being scattered and dispersed here their being the seed of God; and which is confirmed by the following words

I will sow her unto me &c.: the sum of the whole is that at the prayers of the Lord's people abundance of spiritual blessings shall be bestowed upon them from Christ by the Spirit under the ministration of the word and ordinances. The Targum of both verses is

"I will command the heavens and they shall let down rain upon the earth; and the earth shall produce corn and wine and oil and they shall be sufficient for the captivity of the people.'

Kimchi says this belongs to the time of salvation; and Aben Ezra to time to come.

 

Hosea 2:23   23 Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy;[f] Then I will say to those who were not My people [g] ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say ‘You are my God!’”

   YLT  23And I have sowed her to Me in the land And I have pitied Lo-Ruhamah And I have said to Lo-Ammi My people thou [art] and it saith My God!'

And I will sow her unto me in the earth .... That is Jezreel or the people of God the church betrothed; this is another blessing following upon the marriage relation between Christ and his people both Jews and Gentiles in the latter day a multiplication of a spiritual seed and offspring. So Kimchi and Aben Ezra observe that the words signify that the people of Israel shall increase and be fruitful as the seed of the earth. These now are good seed which the Lord sows; such as are born not of corruptible but incorruptible seed; are quickened by the Spirit of God; have a good work of grace begun in them; and though they may lie for some time under the clods in darkness and obscurity yet shall rise up in the green blade of a lively profession and bring forth the fruits of righteousness. Seed for sowing is the choicest and most precious and of greatest esteem and value and is separated from the rest for that use though but little and small in quantity in comparison of it; all which is applicable to the people of God. This is said to be sown "in the earth or land"; either in their own land the land of Israel into which they shall now be brought Ezekiel 21:22 or in the field of the world the nations and people of the earth according to Zechariah 10:9 or rather in the churches of Christ on earth the churches in the Gentile world into which the Jews when converted shall be brought and increase and multiply; and this will be all the Lord's doing.

I will sow her: he will quicken and convert them and place and plant them in Gospel churches though ministers may be instruments in his hands; and all their fruitfulness and increase will be "unto him" for his service the promotion of his interest and for his honour and glory. The Targum is

"I will establish you before me in the land of my Shechinah or majesty.'

And I will have mercy on her that had not obtained mercy; upon Loruhamah or the people of Israel signified by her Hosea 1:6 and also the Gentiles for to both Jews and Gentiles the apostle applies the words in Romans 9:24 and they were fulfilled in part in his time by the conversion of some of the Jews and by the calling of the Gentiles; but will have a larger accomplishment in the latter day when all Israel shall obtain mercy and be saved; see Romans 11:26 and are applicable to the people of God at all times when called by grace; for though before conversion there is mercy for them in the heart of God which is from everlasting; and in his purpose and resolution to bestow; and which is displayed in his choice of them considered in the decree of the means as fallen creatures and so vessels of mercy; and which is laid up in covenant for them which is full of the sure mercies of David; and appears in the mission of Christ and their redemption by him; and in sparing and saving them before calling; as well as in their regeneration which is the fruit of abundant mercy; yet is not manifested to them till converted when they openly obtain it: the Lord has mercy on them and brings them out of the horrible pit of the state of nature; plucks them as brands out of the burning; opens the prison doors knocks off their fetters and sets them free; feeds their hungry and clothes their naked souls; heals their diseases and pardons their iniquities and saves them with an everlasting salvation.

And I will say to them which were not my people thou art my people; or to "Loammi" the people of Israel signified by the prophet's child of that name Hosea 1:9 who should no more be called so but "Ammi" my people Hosea 2:1 which as before observed was in part fulfilled in the first times of the Gospel; but will be more fully accomplished at the conversion of the Jews and the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles; who though chosen to be the people of God and are so federally and were given in covenant to Christ as such and so redeemed and saved by him from their sins; yet are not till conversion laid hold on by the Lord and formed as his people for himself and are without knowledge of him and communion with him: nor are they called his people by themselves or others; but when converted they have the characters and enjoy the privileges of God's people; they have the witness of the relation to themselves by the Spirit of God and are known and acknowledged by others; the Lord says this unto them and avouches them for his people:

and they shall say thou art my God; in the strength of faith under the testimony of the Spirit of God they shall claim their interest in God as their covenant God in Christ; which is made known in effectual calling by the work of grace on their hearts; by the blessings of grace bestowed on them; and by the Lord's dwelling among them and his protection of them.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Hosea 2:1 Hebrew Ammi (compare 1:9 10)
  2. Hosea 2:1 Hebrew Ruhamah (compare 1:6)
  3. Hosea 2:16 Hebrew Ishi
  4. Hosea 2:16 Hebrew Baali
  5. Hosea 2:22 Literally God Will Sow
  6. Hosea 2:23 Hebrew lo-ruhamah
  7. Hosea 2:23 Hebrew lo-ammi