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Hosea Chapter
Eleven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 11
This
chapter gives an account of the free and ancient love of God to Israel
and of
the benefits and blessings of goodness he bestowed upon them; and of their
ingratitude in not owning them
nor hearkening to his prophets
but sacrificing
and burning incense to idols
Hosea 11:1;
wherefore they are threatened with disappointment of relief from Egypt
with
captivity into Assyria
and with the ravages of the sword in all places
being
a people bent to backsliding
and incorrigible
Hosea 11:5; and
yet
notwithstanding all this
the bowels of the Lord yearn after them
and
promises of mercy are made to them; that they shall not utterly be destroyed
but a remnant shall be spared; which in the latter day shall be called and
follow after the Lord
the King Messiah
and be returned from their captivity
and be resettled in their own land
and replaced in their own houses
Hosea 11:8; the
chapter is concluded with an honourable character of Judah
Hosea 11:12.
Hosea 11:1 “When Israel was
a child
I loved him
And out of Egypt I called My son.
YLT 1Because Israel [is] a
youth
and I love him
Out of Egypt I have called for My Son.
When Israel was a child
then I loved him
.... Or
"for Israel was a child"F21כי
"quia"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius. ; a
rebellious and disobedient one
therefore his king was cut off in a morning
and he has been
and will be
without a king many days; yet still "I loved
him": or
"though Israel was a child"F23"Quamvis
sit puer"
Tarnovius
Rivet. ; a weak
helpless
foolish
and imprudent
one
"yet I loved him": or
"when a child"; in the infancy
of his civil and church state
when in Egypt
and in the wilderness; the Lord
loved him
not only as his creature
as he does all the works of his hands
but
with a more special love than he loved others; choosing them to be a special
people above all others; giving them his law
his statutes
and his judgments
his word and his worship
which he did not give to other nations. So he loves
spiritual and mystical Israel
all the elect of God
whether Jews or Gentiles
when children
as soon as born
and though born in sin
carnal and corrupt;
yea
before they are born
and when having done neither good nor evil; and so
may be expressive both of the earliness and antiquity of his love to them
and
of the freeness of it
without any merits or motives of theirs;
and called my son out of Egypt
not literal Israel
as
before
whom God called his son
and his firstborn
and demanded his dismission
from Pharaoh
and called him
and brought him out of Egypt with a mighty hand
and outstretched arm; and which was a type of his calling spiritual Israel
his
adopted sons
out of worse than Egyptian bondage and darkness: but his own natural
and only begotten Son
our Lord Jesus Christ; for these words are expressly
said to be fulfilled in him
Matthew 2:15; not
by way of allusion; or by accommodation of phrases; or as the type is fulfilled
in the antitype; or as a proverbial expression
adapted to any deliverance; but
literally: the first and only sense of the words respects Christ
who in his
infancy was had to Egypt for shelter from Herod's rage and fury
and
when he
was dead
and those that sought the life of Jesus
he was by an angel of the
Lord
warning Joseph of it
called out of Egypt
and brought into Judea
Matthew 2:19; and
this as a proof of the love of God to Israel; which as it was expressed to him
in his infancy
it continued and appeared in various instances
more or less
unto the coming of Christ; who
though obliged for a while to go into Egypt
must not continue there
but must be called from thence
to be brought up in
the land of Judea; to do his miracles
preach his doctrines
and do good to the
bodies and souls of men there
being sent particularly to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel; and
above all
in order to work out the salvation and
redemption of his special people among them
and of the whole Israel of God
everywhere else; which is the greatest instance of love to them
and to the
world of the Gentiles
that ever was known
John 3:16 1 John 2:2.
Hosea 11:2 2 As they called them
[a] So they
went from them;[b] They
sacrificed to the Baals
And burned incense to carved images.
YLT 2They have called to them
rightly
They have gone from before them
To lords they do sacrifice
And to
graven images they make perfume.
As they called them
so they
went from them
.... That is
the prophets of the Lord
the true prophets
called
Israel to the worship and service of God; but they turned a deaf ear to them
and their backs upon them; and the more they called to them
the further they
went from them
and from the way of their duty; see Hosea 11:7. So the
Targum
"I
sent the prophets to teach them
but they wandered from them;'
Moses
and Aaron were sent unto them
and called them out of Egypt
but they hearkened
not unto them; see Exodus 6:9; in
later times the prophets were sent unto them
to exhort them to their duty
and
to reclaim them from their evil ways
but they despised and refused to attend
to their advice and instructions; and this was continued to the times of
Israel
or the ten tribes
departing from the house of David
and setting up
idolatrous worship; and during their revolt and apostasy: but all in vain. So
after Christ was called out of Egypt
he and his apostles
and John the Baptist
before them
called them to hearken to him
but they turned away from them.
Aben Ezra interprets it of the false prophets
who called them to idolatry
and
they went after them. Schmidt understands it of the Israelites calling one
another to it
and going after it
for their own sakes
and because it pleased
them
and was agreeable to them;
they sacrificed to Baalim
and burnt incense to graven images: they joined
themselves to Baalpeor
and worshipped the golden calf
fashioned with a
graving tool
in the wilderness; they sacrificed to Baalim
one or another of
them
in the times of the judges
and of Ahab
and committed idolatry with
other graven images
of which burning incense is a part. And the Jews in
Christ's time
instead of hearkening to him and his apostles
followed the
traditions of the elders
and the dictates of the Scribes and Pharisees
who
were their Baals
their lords and masters and they sought for life and
righteousness by their own works
which was sacrificing to their net
and
burning incense to their drag; all this was great ingratitude. Next follows a
narrative of other benefits done to this people.
Hosea 11:3 3 “I
taught Ephraim to walk
Taking them by their arms;[c] But they
did not know that I healed them.
YLT 3And I have caused Ephraim
to go on foot
Taking them by their arms
And they have not known that I
strengthened them.
I taught Ephraim also to go
.... All the tribes of
Israel and Ephraim
or the ten tribes with the rest; these the Lord instructed
in the way of his commandments
and taught them to walk therein; he his angel
before them
to conduct them through the wilderness; yea
he himself went
before them in the pillar of cloud by day
and in the pillar of fire by night
to which history this seems to refer. So the Targum
"I
by an angel sent by me
led Israel in the right way.'
The
allusion seems to be to a mother or nurse accommodating herself to her child
beginning to go; she stoops down
sets it on its feet
and one foot before
another
forms its steps
teaches it how to go
and walks its pace with it. And
in like manner the Lord deals with his spiritual Israel
his regenerated ones
who become like little children
and are used as such; as in regeneration they
are quickened
and have some degree of spiritual strength given them
they are
taught to go; they are taught what a Saviour Christ is
and their need of him;
they are instructed to go to him by faith for everything they want
and to walk
by faith on him
as they have received him; and having heard and learned of the
Father
they go to Christ
John 6:45; and are
taught also to go to the throne of grace for all supplies of grace; and to the
house of God
to attend the word and ordinances
for the benefit of their
souls; and to walk in the ways of the Lord
for his glory
and their good;
taking them by their arms; or "on his own
arms"F24על זרועותיו
"super brachiis suis"
Montanus; "super brachia sua"
Piscator; "in brachis sua"
Cocceius. ; bearing and carrying them in
his arms
as a father his son; see Deuteronomy 1:31 Numbers 11:12; so
the Lord deals with his spiritual Israel
either holding them by their arms
while walking
as nurses their children
to help and ease them in walking
and
that they may not stumble and fall; so the Lord holds up the goings of his
people in his ways
that their footsteps slip not
and upholds them with the
right hand of his righteousness: or taking them up in his own arms when weary
he carries them in his bosom; or
when they are failing or fallen
lays hold on
them
and takes them up again; and so they are not utterly cast down
whether
the fall is into sin
or into some calamity and affliction; when he puts
underneath his everlasting arms
and bears them and keeps them from sinking
as
well as from a final and total falling away. Abarbinel
and others after him
interpret this of Ephraim taking up and carrying in his arms Baalim
the graven
images and golden calves; which is mentioned as an instance of ingratitude; but
very wrongly;
but they knew not that I healed them; of the
diseases of Egypt
or preserved them from them: this includes the whole of
their salvation and deliverance from Egypt
and all the benefits and favours
accompanying it
which they imputed to their idols
and not to the Lord; see Exodus 15:26.
"Healing"
in a spiritual sense
generally signifies the forgiveness
of sin
which the Lord's people may have
and not know it; and
through want of
better light and knowledge
may also ascribe it to their repentance
humiliation
and tears
when it is alone owing to the grace of God
and blood
of Christ.
Hosea 11:4 4 I
drew them with gentle cords
[d] With bands
of love
And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.[e] I stooped and
fed them.
YLT 4With cords of man I do draw
them
With thick cords of love
And I am to them as a raiser up of a yoke on
their jaws
And I incline unto him -- I feed [him].
I drew them with cords of a man
with bands of love
.... As
Ephraim is compared to a heifer in the preceding chapter
here he is said to be
drawn; but not with such cords and bands as cattle are
but with such as men
are; in a rational and gentle way
in a kind
loving
tender
humane
friendly
and fatherly way and manner; so the Lord drew Israel on in the wilderness
till
he was brought to Canaan's land
by bestowing kind favours upon them
and by
making precious promises to them. So the Lord deals with his spiritual Israel;
he draws them out of the present state and circumstances
in which they are by
nature
to himself
and to his Son
and to follow after him
and run in the
ways of his commandments; and which he does not by force and compulsion against
their wills
nor by mere moral persuasion
but by the invincible power of his
grace
sweetly working upon them
and attracting them; he does it by revealing
Christ in them
in the glories of his person and in the riches of his grace
and by letting in his love into their hearts; and by kind invitations
precious
promises
and divine teachings
attended with his powerful and efficacious
grace; see Jeremiah 31:3;
and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws; as one that
is merciful to his beast; as a kind and humane husbandman
when his cattle have
been hard at work
takes off their bridles or muzzles
or the yokes on them
fastened with a halter about their jaws
that they may have liberty to feed on
food set before them
as the next clause shows. So the Targum
"my
word was to them as a good husbandman
who lightens the shoulder of oxen
and
looses "the bridles" on their jaws.'
This
may refer to Israel's deliverance from their bondage in Egypt; and be
spiritually applied to Christ
the essential Word of God
breaking and taking
the yoke of sin
Satan
and the law from off his people
and bringing them into
the liberty of the children of God. Schmidt reads and interprets the words quite
otherwise
"and I was to them as they that lift up the yoke upon their
jaws"; not remove it from them but put it on them; expressing their
ignorance and ingratitude
who
when the Lord drew them in the kind and loving
manner he did
reckoned it as if he put a yoke upon them
and treated them
rather as beasts than men; but this seems not to agree with what follows:
and I laid meat unto them: or declined
or brought
it down to them
to their very mouths; referring to the manna and quails he
rained about their tents. So the Targum
"and
even when they were in the wilderness
I multiplied to them good things to
eat.'
And
thus in a spiritual sense the Lord gives meat to them that fear him
while in
the wilderness of this world; he brings it near
and sets it before them
in
the ministry of the word and ordinances; even that meat which endures to
everlasting life
the flesh of Christ
which is meat indeed; and the doctrines
of the Gospel
which are milk for babes
and strong meat for more experienced
saints.
Hosea 11:5 5 “He
shall not return to the land of Egypt; But the Assyrian shall be his king
Because
they refused to repent.
YLT 5He turneth not back unto
the land of Egypt
And Asshur -- he [is] his king
For they have refused to
return.
He shall not return into the land of Egypt
.... Ephraim
or Israel
the ten tribes: and the Septuagint and Arabic versions express them
by name
though they give a wrong sense of the words
rendering them
"and
Ephraim dwelt in Egypt"; he did so indeed with the other tribes formerly;
but here it is said he shall not go thither again to be a captive there
but
shall go into bondage more severe than that in Egypt
even into captivity in
Assyria: rather the sense is
they should not go thither for shelter
at least
not as a body
though some few of them might
as in Hosea 9:3; the far
greater part of them should he carried captive by the Assyrians: or they should
not return to Egypt to seek for help and assistence
as they had done; either
they ought not to do it
nor would there be any need of it
did they but return
to the Lord
as Kimchi observes; or rather they should now be so straitly shut
up in Samaria
besieged so closely by the enemy
or else carried into distant
lands
that
if they would
they could not apply to Egypt for relief;
but the Assyrian shall be his king; the king of Assyria
shall be king over the ten tribes
whether they want him or not; they shall be
forced to acknowledge him as their king
and be subject to him
being taken and
carried captive into his land:
because they refused to return: to the Lord
from whom
they had backslidden
and to his pure worship
word
and ordinances
they had
departed from
setting up the calves at Dan and Bethel; they refused to
relinquish worshipping idols instead of the true God; thus ungratefully
behaving to him for all the above favours bestowed upon them; wherefore they
are righteously threatened with captivity and bondage in Assyria.
Hosea 11:6 6 And
the sword shall slash in his cities
Devour his districts
And consume them
Because of their own counsels.
YLT 6Grievous hath been the
sword in his cities
And it hath ended his bars
and consumed -- from their own
counsels.
And the sword shall abide on the cities
.... Or
"shall fall"F25חלה
"cedet"
Calvin; "incidet"
Schmidt; "irruet"
Zanchius
Drusius
Liveleus.
and continue; meaning the sword of the
Assyrians
whereby Ephraim should be brought into subjection to them
and the
king of Assyria become king over them; his sword should be drawn
and rest upon
them
not only on their chief city Samaria
besieged three years by him
but
upon all their other cities
which would fall into his hands
with the
inhabitants of them:
and shall consume his branches
and devour them; that is
the
towns and villages adjoining to the cities; which were to them as branches are
to a tree
sprung from them
and were supported by them; and
being near them
prospered or suffered as they did: some render it
"his bars"F26בדיו "vectes ejus"
Schmidt. So some in Drusius.
as the word is sometimes used
and interpret it of the great men and nobles
of the land. So the Targum
"and
it shall slay his mighty men
and destroy his princes;'
with
which Jarchi agrees;
because of their own counsels; which they took and
pursued
contrary to the counsel of God
the revelation of his mind and will;
particularly in setting up idolatrous worship
and continuing in it
notwithstanding all the admonitions
exhortations
counsels
and threatenings
of God by his prophets; or else because of their counsels with the Egyptians
and their covenants with them
for help against the Assyrian
whose yoke they
were for casting off
and refused to pay tribute to; which provoked him to draw
his sword upon them
which made the havoc it did in their cities
and the
inhabitants of them.
Hosea 11:7 7 My
people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High
[f] None at
all exalt Him.
YLT 7And My people are hanging
in suspense
about My returning
And unto the Most High they do call
Together
they exalt not.
And my people are bent to backsliding from me
.... There is
a propensity in thorn to it
through prevailing corruption in them; they are
inclined unto it
the bias of their minds is that way; they are bent upon it
and pertinaciously abide in it; nor will they be reclaimed from it
by all the
means and methods made use of
even though they had been
and professed
themselves to be the people of God. Some understand this
not of their
backsliding and aversion from God; but either of his return to them
or of
their return to him
rendering the words
"and my people are in
suspense"F1תלואים "suspensi
haerent"
Junius & Tremellius; "suspensi"
Montanus
Schmidt. ; like a man that hangs in the air
as Aben Ezra
neither ascends nor
descends; that is
they are in doubt of what should be done to thorn
or they
themselves should do: either "about my return"F2למשובתי "ad reditum meum"
V. L. ; that is
to
them; whether after all they may expect that God would be kind and merciful to
them
so Abarbinel: or "about return to me"F3"Circa
redire ad me"
Castalio. ; whether they should or not
inclining rather
not to return. So the Targum
"my
people divide (or hesitate) to return to my law;'
with
which Jarchi agrees
paraphrasing it
"when
the prophets instruct them to return unto me
they are in suspense whether to
return or not;'
but
Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe the word is always used in a bad sense
of
aversion or backsliding
and that the word is in another form when used for
repentance or returning;
though they called them to the most High; that is
the
prophets of the Lord called them to turn from their idols
and return to the
most high God
the true and the living God
from whom they had backslidden
and
to his true worship
they had neglected and forsaken:
none at all would exalt him; the most high God
and
give him the praise and glory due to his name; but
on the other hand
extolled
their idols
and ascribed all their good things to them: or "none would
exalt them"F4לא ירומם
"eos non exaltabit"
Schmidt. the prophets of the Lord that called
them; would not give that honour to them that was due to their office
or pay
any regard to them
or to their admonitions and advice
but depreciated them
and reproached and persecuted them: or "none at all would lift up":
that is
their head
as Aben Ezra
toward the heaven
and to God in it
to whom
they were called; but kept looking on the earth
and to earthly things
particularly to their idols; and did not lift up or erect their ears
to
hearken to what was said to them
but were deaf to all counsel and reproof. The
Targum is
"they
walked not in an erect stature.'
Agreeably
to which the former clause may be rendered
as by some
"and they called
them to things above"; but none would look upwards; See Gill on Hosea 7:16.
Hosea 11:8 8 “How
can I give you up
Ephraim? How can I hand you over
Israel? How can I
make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns
within Me; My sympathy is stirred.
YLT 8How do I give thee up
O
Ephraim? Do I deliver thee up
O Israel? How do I make thee as Admah? Do I set
thee as Zeboim? Turned in Me is My heart
kindled together have been My
repentings.
How shall I give thee up
Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee
Israel?.... That is
as usually interpreted
into the hand of the enemy
or unto wrath
ruin
and destruction; for
notwithstanding all the sins of this
people before observed
and the punishment threatened to be inflicted on them
the Lord is pleased here
and in the following verses
to give some intimations
of his goodness
grace
and mercy to them; not to the whole body of them
for
they as such were given and delivered up to the enemy
and carried captive
and
dispersed among the nations
and were never recovered to this day; but to a
remnant among them
according to the election of grace
that should spring from
them
for the sake of which they were not all cut off by the sword; but were
reserved as a seed for later times
the times of the Messiah
which the
prophecy in this and the following words has respect unto; not only the first
times of the Gospel
when some of the dispersed of Israel were met with by it
and converted under it; but the last times of it; times yet to come
when all
Israel shall be saved; and may be applied to the elect of God
in all ages
and
of all nations
The words are generally understood as a debate in the divine
mind
struggling within itself between justice and mercy; justice requiring the
delivery of these persons unto it
and mercy being reluctant thereunto
pleading on their behalf; and which at last gets the victory
and rejoices
against judgment. There is a truth in all this; justice seems to demand that
sinners
as such
who have injured and affronted him
be given up to
him
and
suffer the curse of the law
according to their deserts
and be delivered unto
death
even eternal death
as well as to temporal punishments; and which might
be expected would be the case
by the instances and examples of the angels that
sinned
and of the men of the old world
and of the inhabitants of Sodom and
Gomorrah; but mercy cannot bear it
pleads against; it
and asks how can it be
done
since these are my children
my dear child
on
pleasant ones
as Ephraim
was
my chosen and my covenant ones
and
besides
for whom provision is made
in Christ for the satisfactions of justice? But the sense is rather this
"how might" or "could I give thee up; Ephraim? how might"
or "could I deliver thee
Israel"F5איך
אתנך "quam juste et misere desolatum te dabo?
dare jure deberem et possem?" Schmidt. So Luther and Tarnovius. ? that is
with what severity might I deal with thee? and how justly and righteously could
I do it? since thy sins are so many
and so great;
how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as
Zeboim? two cities that were utterly destroyed by fire from heaven
along with Sodom and Gomorrah
Deuteronomy 29:23;
how justly could I have made thee
and put thee in
the same condition and
circumstances
as those two cities
and the inhabitants of them
who were so
severely punished for their sins
and were never restored again? signifying
that inasmuch as they were guilty of the same or like heinous sins
was he
utterly to destroy them
and cut them off from the face of the earth
he should
not exceed the due bounds of justice. To this sense Schmidt interprets the
words. The design of which is to show the greatness of Ephraim's sins
as
deserving the uttermost wrath and vengeance of God
and to magnify the riches
of God's grace in their salvation
as next expressed; and it is true of all
God's elect
who
considered as sinners in Adam
and by their own
transgressions
both before and after conversion
deserved to be treated
according to the rigour of justice; but God is merciful to them
according to
his choice of them
covenant with them
and provision he has made in Christ
and upon the foot of his satisfaction;
mine heart is turned within me; not changed; for there
is no shadow of turning with the Lord
neither in his mind and purposes
which
he never turns from
nor can be turned back; nor in his affections for them; as
his heart is never turned from love to hatred
so neither from hatred to love;
or his love would not be from everlasting
as it is
and he rest in it as he
does; but this expresses the strong motion of mercy in him towards his people
springing from his sovereign will and pleasure
and what is elsewhere signified
by the troubling
soundings
and yearnings of his bowels towards them; see Jeremiah 31:20;
with which compare Lamentations 1:20;
my repentings are kindled together; not that repentance
properly belongs to God
who is neither man
nor the Son of Man
that he should
repent of anything
Numbers 23:19; he
repents not of his love to his people
nor of his choice of them
nor of his
covenant with them
nor of his special gifts and grace bestowed on them; but he
sometimes does what men do when they repent
he changes his outward conduct and
behaviour in the dispensations of his providence
and acts the reverse of what
he had done
or seemed to be about to do; as
with respect to the old world
the
making of Saul king
and the case of the Ninevites
Genesis 6:6; so
here
though he could
and seemed as if he would
go forth in a way of strict
justice
yet changes his course
and steers another way
without any change of
his will. The phrase expresses the warmth and ardour of his affections to his
people; how his heart burned with love to them
his bowels and inward parts
were inflamed with it; from whence proceeded what is called repentance among
men
as in the case of Jeremiah
Jeremiah 20:9. The
Targum is
"the
word of my covenant met me; my mercies (or bowels of mercies) were rolled
together.'
Hosea 11:9 9 I
will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For
I am God
and not man
The Holy One in your midst; And I will not come
with terror.[g]
YLT 9I do not the fierceness of
My anger
I turn not back to destroy Ephraim
For God I [am]
and not a man. In
thy midst the Holy One
and I enter not in enmity
I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger
.... That is
his wrath and fury to the uttermost; his people are deserving of his wrath as
others
being by nature children of wrath as the rest; which they are sensible
of under spiritual conviction
and therefore flee from it
where they may be
safe: and though the Lord often chastises and afflicts them
yet not in wrath;
or however but in a little wrath
as it seems to them; he does not stir up all
his wrath
nor any in reality; all being poured upon his Son
their surety
who
saves and delivers them from wrath to come;
I will not return to destroy Ephraim; or
"again"
or "any more
destroy"F6לא אשוב לשחת
"non perdam amplius"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "non
iterum destruam"
Cocceius. him; not twice; he might be destroyed when
carried captive into Assyria; but the remnant that shall spring from him in the
latter day shall not be destroyed
but saved. The Targum is
"my
word shall not return to destroy the house of Israel;'
or
I will not return from my love and affections to them
I will never be wroth
with them any more; nor from my mercy to them
which is from everlasting to
everlasting; or from my covenant
promise
and resolution to save them
they
shall not be punished with everlasting destruction:
for I am God
and not man; a God gracious and
merciful
longsuffering
slow to anger
and pardoning sin
and not man
cruel
revengeful
implacable
who shows no mercy when it is in the power of his hands
to avenge himself; or God that changes not in his purposes and counsels
in his
love and affections
and therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed
and not
man that repents
is fickle
inconstant
and mutable; or God that is faithful
to his covenant and promises
and not man that lies and deceives
promises and
never performs. The Targum is
"seeing
I am God
my word remains for ever
and my works are not as the works of the
flesh (or of men) who dwell upon the earth;'
the Holy One in the midst of thee; being in the midst of
his people
he protects and defends them
and so they are safe; and being the
Holy One there
he sanctifies them
and saves them
in a way consistent with
his own holiness and justice: or there is "a Holy One"
or Holy Ones
the singular put for the plural
"in the midst of thee"F7בקרבך קדוש "est
sanctus"
i.e. "sancti
in medio tui"
Rivetus. ; and
therefore thou shalt not be destroyed for their sakes
as Sodom would not
had
there been ten righteous persons in it
to which some think the allusion is:
and I will not enter into the city; in a hostile way to
destroy or plunder it; but this is not to be understood either of Samaria or
Jerusalem
which were entered into in this manner. The Targum is
"I
have decreed by my word that my holy Shechinah shall be among you
and I will
not change Jerusalem again for another city;'
which
sense the Jewish commentators follow; but
as this respects Gospel times
the
meaning seems to be
that God would dwell among his people everywhere
and
would not be confined to any city or temple as heretofore; but wherever his
church and people were
there would be his temple
and there he would dwell.
Hosea 11:10 10 “They
shall walk after the Lord.
He will roar like a lion. When He roars
Then His sons shall come
trembling from the west;
YLT 10After Jehovah they go -- as
a lion He roareth
When He doth roar
then tremble do the sons from the west.
They shall walk after the Lord
.... That is
after the
Messiah
who is Jehovah our righteousness; that Jehovah the Jews pierced
and
now shall mourn at the sight of
being converted to him; for these are the
chosen of God among that people
who in the latter day shall partake of the
grace and favour before expressed
in consequence of which they shall be set a
seeking the Lord their God
and David their King; and
finding him
shall
follow after him
as sheep go after their shepherd
being led by him into green
pastures; as subjects follow their prince
obeying his commands and orders; as
soldiers march after their leader and commander
so these after Christ
the
great Captain of their salvation
part of whose armies they will make: they
will walk under the influence of his grace
having life
strength
guidance
and direction
from him
which walking implies; they will walk not after the
flesh
as they now do
but after the Spirit of Christ
taking him for their
guide
by whom they will be led into all truth
as it is in Jesus; they will
walk in his ways
in all the paths of faith and holiness
truth and
righteousness; in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
according to
his word. The Targum is
"they
shall go after the worship of the Lord;'
he shall roar like a lion: the Lord Christ they
walk after; who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah
the Israelites shall now
follow after; receiving
embracing
and confessing him the true Messiah. So the
Targum
"and
his Word shall be as a lion that roars;'
Christ
the essential Word of God: and so Jarchi
according to Lyra
interprets it of
the Messiah to come; who is compared to a lion for his strength and courage
and for the fierceness of his wrath against his enemies; and his voice
in his
word
is like the roaring of a lion
exceeding loud
and reaching far
even the
uttermost parts of the earth; as it did in the first times of the Gospel
and
will in the last; and which the Jews particularly
in each of the parts of the
world
will hear
and Gentiles also
and be affected with it; for it will be
also very strong
powerful
and efficacious; which is another reason of its
being compared to a lion roaring; see Joel 3:16;
when he shall roar
then the children shall tremble from the west; the children
of Israel
the children of God
his adopted ones
whom he has predestinated to
the adoption of children; these
through the first impressions of Christ's
voice or word upon them
shall startle
and be set a trembling
and be
astonished
as Saul was
when called and converted; as it is reported of the
lion
that
when it roars
other beasts are so terrified that they are quite
stunned and amazed
and are not able to stir; but though the first sound of the
voice of Christ may have some effect upon the Jews
yet this will not cause
them to tremble at him so as to flee from him
but to cause them to flee to
him: for the phrase is expressive of motion towards him
and to their own land
as appears from Hosea 11:11; when
filled with a sense of his majesty and grace
they shall approach him with a
holy awe of him
with fear and trembling: or "come with honour"F8ויחרדו "et cum honore accedent"
Schmidt. ;
agreeably to 1 Samuel 16:4;
having high
honourable
and grand sentiments and apprehensions of him; so that
this trembling
at least
issues in a godly and filial fear and reverence of
him
suitable to their character as children. The phrase
"from the
west"
or "from the sea"F9מים
"a mari"
Montanus
Tigurine version
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Schmidt.
meaning the Mediterranean sea
which lay west of
Judea
and is often used for the west
may signify the western or European part
of the world
where the Jews for the most part are
and from whence they will
be gathered. The Targum is
"for
he shall roar
and the captives shall be gathered from the west.'
Hosea 11:11 11 They
shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt
Like a dove from the land of
Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses
” Says the Lord.
YLT 11They tremble as a sparrow
out of Egypt
And as a dove out of the land of Asshur
And I have caused them
to dwell in their own houses
An affirmation of Jehovah.
They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt
.... They
shall come from thence with fear and trembling; which may allude to the
trembling of birds at the roaring of a lion
or to the trembling motion of
their wings in flying; and denotes the swiftness of the motion of the
Israelites and Jews to Christ
and to his church and people
and to their own
land
under divine influence and direction: or "shall come with
honour"F11יחרדו "cum honore
advenient"
Schmidt. ; with all readiness and cheerfulness
in the
obedience of faith:
and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; which is
expressive of the same things
the dove being both a timorous and swift
creature. Birds in common are very timorous
and tremble at any noise
and
fearful of everything that disturbs them
and therefore make all the haste and
speed they can to get out of the way
and to do which they are naturally
provided; and more especially the dove is always represented as very fearful
and trembling
especially when pursued by the hawk
as the poetF12"Sic
ego
currebam
sic me ferus ille premebat
Ut fagere accipitrem penna
trepidante columba
Ut solet accipiter trepidas urgere columbas". Ovid.
Metamorph. l. 5. Fab. 10. observes. Though
it may be
these figures may only
signify
as the weak and impotent state of the Jews
considered in themselves
at this time
so the quick speed and haste they shall make to their own land.
And perhaps there may be something alluded to in the text
that may refer to
the dove as peculiar to Assyria
as it should seem to be. Now it is said of
Semiramis
an ancient queen of Assyria
that being exposed when an infant
was
nourished by doves
and at her death was turned into one; and from hence it is
not only said she had her name
which signifies a dove
in the Syriac tongue
but doves by the Syrians were worshipped as deitiesF13Diodor. Sicul.
Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 92
93
107. . And Derceto
a Syrian goddess
supposed to
be her mother
having a temple at Askelon
perhaps the above story may be the
reason why the inhabitants of that place reckoned doves so sacred that they did
not kill them; for PhiloF14Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 8. p.
398.
who lived there some time
having observed great numbers of them in the
highways
and in every house
asked the reason of it; and he was answered
that
the citizens were of old forbid the use of them: and it may be further
observed
that
in honour of Semiramis
the kings of Assyria bore a dove in their
coat of armsF15Vid. Gregor. Posthuma
p. 235. ; but whether there is
any thing peculiar or no in this reference is not certain: and
besides what
has been observed of the fearfulness of this creature
and its swiftness and
haste it makes in flying
it may also denote the characters of meekness
humility
and harmlessness
which the Jews
now converted
will have by the
grace of God
as well as their mournful disposition. Egypt and Assyria are
particularly mentioned
as they generally are where the return of Israel and
Judah into their own land is prophesied of
Isaiah 11:11; and
may signify the Turks
in whose possession these countries are
and among whom
many Jews live: and the one lying to the south
and the other to the north of
Judea
and the west being observed before
this shows that these people should
be gathered from all parts of the world
where they are dispersed; the east is
not mentioned
because their land they will be returned unto lies there;
and I will place them in their houses
saith the Lord; it is not
said in towns and cities
and fortified places
but in houses
signifying that
they should dwell in their own land
in a civil sense
securely
and in their
habitations
under their vines and fig trees
being in no fear and danger of
enemies
and live in the utmost safety
under the government and protection of
the King Messiah; or
in a spiritual sense
they will be placed in the
congregations of the saints in the churches of Christ
which will be as dove
houses to them
and whither they shall fly as doves to their windows
Isaiah 60:8; and it
is observed of doves
that they fly the swiftest when they make to their own
houses: and at last
as all the people of God will
they will be placed in the
mansions of glory
in Christ's Father's house
those everlasting habitations.
These words
"saith the Lord"
are added
for the certain and sure
accomplishment of all this. The Targum of the whole is
"as
a bird which comes openly
so shall they come who are carried captive into the
land of Egypt; and as a dove that returns to its dove house
so shall they return
who are carried into the land of Assyria; and I will return them in peace to
their houses
and my word shall be their protection
saith the Lord.'
Hosea 11:12 12 “Ephraim
has encircled Me with lies
And the house of Israel with deceit; But Judah still
walks with God
Even with the Holy One[h] who is
faithful.
YLT 12Compassed Me with feigning
hath Ephraim
And with deceit the house of Israel. And Judah again is ruling
with God
And with the Holy Ones [is] faithful!
Ephraim compasseth me about with lies
and the house of Israel
with deceit
.... Here properly we should begin a new chapter
as many
interpreters and commentators do; for the prophet
or the Lord by him
in Hosea 11:11
having
finished his predictions concerning the call and conversion of the Israelites
and their return to their land
here begins a new discourse
by comparing the
characters of Ephraim and Judah
and thence descends to the sins and punishment
of both. The former
namely
Ephraim or Israel
that is
the ten tribes
surrounded either the prophet
to hear him prophesy
and professed a great
regard to what he said; though it was all deceit and flattery: or rather the
Lord himself
whom they pretended to serve and worship when they worshipped the
calves at Dan and Bethel; and would have it thought they did not worship them
but the Lord in them
and by them
as the Papists now say of their images and
image worship; but let them not deceive themselves
God will not be mocked: or
when they did at any time seem to approach unto him in any branch of religious
worship
either to pray unto him
or to praise him
it was not done with
sincerity; it was only with their mouths
not with their hearts; these agreed
not together
but
like their ancestors of old
"they did flatter
him
with their mouth
and lied unto him with their tongues"
Psalm 78:36; and so
all such professors of religion
who are not sincere in their service and
worship of God; or meet together to speak and hear false doctrines
which are
lies in hypocrisy; or attend to superstition and will worship
and set up
ordinances and institutions of their own
neglecting those which are of God
do
as Ephraim did
encompass the Lord with lies and deceit;
but Judah yet ruleth with God; a theocracy was as yet
acknowledged and supported among them; God ruled in the midst of them
and;
they ruled with him; their kings ruled in the fear of God
and according to his
laws
statutes
and appointment
and not their own; particularly in the days of
Hezekiah
which may be here respected
the people retained and practised the
true worship and service of God: which
as it is the truest liberty
so is the
highest honour and dignity: such are rulers with God
as all the Lord's people
all that believe in Christ
are; they are made by his grace kings and princes;
and they appear to be so by their new birth; they are clothed
fed
and guarded
as princes
as the sons of a king
as kings themselves; they have the riches
and power of kings; they are possessed of a kingdom of grace now
which is
within them
and where grace reigns
through righteousness
over their lusts
and corruptions; and great power
like princes
have they in prayer with God
and are heirs of the kingdom of glory
as well as shall reign with Christ on
earth. Gussetius renders it
"Judah yet weeps with God": as his
father Jacob did
imitating him
as in Hosea 12:4;
and is faithful with the saints; which Kimchi's father
interprets of God himself; and so Lyra
and according to him Jarchi: and then
the sense is
"and he"
that is
God
"is faithful with the
saints"; in fulfilling all his counsels
purposes
and designs of grace
concerning them; in making good his covenant with them
and his promises unto
them; and by bringing them to the enjoyment of all that grace and glory he
calls them to: but this is rather an epithet of Judah
who kept to the word and
worship of the true God
as the saints of old
their ancestors
had done;
walked in the good old way
in the way of good men
and kept the paths of the
righteous; abode by the true priests of the Lord
who were set apart and
sanctified for that office; and hearkened to the prophets
the holy men of God
who spake to them
being moved by the Holy Spirit: and adhered firmly "to
the holy things"F16קדושים "rebus
sanctis"
Rivetus.
as it may be rendered; to the holy temple
and the
worship in it; to the holy sacrifices
altars
&c. when the ten tribes
departed from them: and so this may be applied to the faithful in Christ Jesus
that believe in him truly
and continue in the faith of him in all ages; and
who are "faithful with the Holy Ones"F17"Cum diis sanctis"
Munster
Vatablus. So Ben Melech. ; the same with God in the former clause; so
Kimchi interprets it
and so the word is used in Proverbs 9:10; see Joshua 24:19; that
is
with Father
Son
and Spirit; with the Father
when they worship him in
spirit and truth; with the Son
when they cleave to him with full purpose of
heart; with the Spirit
when they walk after him
and give to each the glory
due unto them: or rather
"faithful with holy men"F18"Cum
sanctis"
i.e. "hominibus"
Drusius. ; sanctified by the Spirit
and grace of God; as they are
when they hold fast the faith delivered to the
saints without mixture or wavering
with courage and manliness; though the
greater number is against them
and they are reproached and persecuted for so
doing; when they abide by the ordinances of Christ
as they were delivered
and
keep them in faith and love
without sinister views; when they continue
steadfastly in the communion of the saints
attending with them on the word and
ordinances
and do not forsake their assembling together; and when they
constantly exhort and stir up one another to the duties of religion
and
faithfully admonish and reprove each other as there is occasion for it.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)