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Hosea Chapter
Twelve
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 12
This
chapter contains complaints and charges both against Israel and Judah
and
threatens them with punishment in case they repent not
which they are exhorted
to: and first Ephraim is charged with idolatry
vain confidence in
and
alliances with
foreign nations
Hosea 12:1; and
then the Lord declares he has a controversy with Judah
and will punish the
inhabitants of it for their sins
Hosea 12:2; which
are aggravated by their being the descendants of so great a man as Jacob
who
got the advantage of his elder brother
had much power with God
and received
favours from him
and they also
Hosea 12:3; and
therefore are exhorted to turn to God
wait on him
and do that which is right
and good
Hosea 12:6. Ephraim
is again in his turn charged with fraudulent dealing in trade
and with
oppression
and the love of it; and yet pretended he got riches by his own
labour
without wronging any
Hosea 12:7;
nevertheless
the Lord promises them public ordinances of worship
and joy in
them
and the ministry of his prophets
Hosea 12:9; though
for the present they were guilty of gross idolatry
Hosea 12:11; which
is aggravated by the raising of Jacob their progenitor from a low estate
and
the wonderful preservation of him
and the bringing of them out of Egypt
Hosea 12:12; and
the chapter is closed with observing Ephraim's bitter provocation of God
for
which his reproach should return unto him
and his blood be left upon him
Hosea 12:14.
Hosea 12:1 “Ephraim feeds
on the wind
And pursues the east wind; He daily increases lies and desolation.
Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians
And oil is carried to Egypt.
YLT 1Ephraim is enjoying wind
And is pursuing an east wind
All the day lying and spoiling he multiplieth
And a covenant with Asshur they make
And oil to Egypt is carried.
Ephraim feedeth on wind
.... Which will be no
more profitable and beneficial to him than wind is to a man that opens his
mouth
and fills himself with it: the phrase is expressive of labour in vain
and of a man's getting nothing by all the pains he takes; the same with sowing
the wind
and reaping the whirlwind
Hosea 8:7; and so
the Targum has it here
"the
house of Israel are like to one that sows the wind
and reaps the whirlwind all
the day;'
and
this refers either to the worship of idols
and the calves in particular
and
the vain hope of good things promised to themselves from thence; or to their
vain confidence in the alliances and confederacies they entered into with
neighbouring nations; from which they expected much
but found little:
and followed after the east wind; a wind strong and
vehement
burning and blasting
very noxious and harmful; so that
instead of
receiving any profit and advantage either by their idolatry or their covenants
with other nations
they were only in these things pursuing what would be
greatly to their detriment: or they would be no more able to attain by such
methods what they sought for
than they would be able to overtake the east
wind
which is a very swift and fleeting one; so that this clause exposes their
folly
in expecting good things from their idols
or help from their
neighbours;
he daily increaseth lies and desolation; while they
multiplied idols
which are lies fallacious and deceitful
and idolatrous rites
and acts of worship
they do but increase their desolation and ruin
which such
things are the cause of
and will certainly bring them unto; or
not content
with the daily increase of their idolatries among themselves
they continually
persecute
spoil
and plunder those who do not give into their false worship:
so the Targum
"lies
and spoil they multiply;'
idolaters
are generally persecutors:
and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians: and gave
tribute and presents to their kings
as Menahem did to Pul
and Hoshea to
Shalmaneser
not to hurt them
and to help and assist them against their
enemies
and to strengthen their kingdom; see 2 Kings 15:19;
and oil is carried into Egypt: one while they sent
presents to the Assyrians
to obtain their favour and friendship: and at
another time to the Egyptians; nay
they sent to So king of Egypt
at the same
time they were tributary to Assyria
and
conspiring against him
brought on
their ruin; and oil was a principal part of the present sent; for this was carried
not by way of traffic
but as a present: so the Targum
"and
they carried gifts to Egypt;'
see
Isaiah 57:9. The
land of Israel
being a land of oil olive
was famous for the best oil
of
which there was a scarcity in Egypt
and therefore a welcome present there
as
balsam also was; see Genesis 37:25.
Hosea 12:2 2 “The
Lord also brings
a charge against Judah
And will punish Jacob according to his ways; According
to his deeds He will recompense him.
YLT 2And a controversy hath
Jehovah with Judah
To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways
According
to his doings He returneth to him.
The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah
.... The two
tribes of Judah and Benjamin
as well as the ten tribes; for though they had
ruled with God
and had been faithful with the saints in the first times of the
apostasy of Israel; yet afterwards they sadly degenerated
and fell into
idolatry likewise
particularly in the time of Ahaz
in which Hosea prophesied;
and therefore the Lord had somewhat against them; nor would he spare them
but
reprove them by the prophets
and rebuke them in his providences; bring them to
his bar
and lay before them their evils
and threaten them with punishment in
case of impenitence
as follows:
and will punish Jacob according to his ways; all the
posterity of Jacob
whether Ephraim or Judah; those of the ten tribes
or of
the two
who all descended from Jacob: or
"will visit according to his
ways"F19לפקד־כדרכיו "ad
visitandum juxta vias ejus"
Pagninus
Montanus; "visitabit secundum
vias ejus"
Piscator. ; if right
and agreeably to the mind and word of
God
in a way of grace and mercy; but if wrong
crooked
and perverse
then in
a way of punishment; for visiting is used both ways:
according to his doings will he recompense him; as they were
good or bad; if good
will reward them with a reward of grace; if bad
with
vengeance. The Targum paraphrases it
"according
to his right works.'
Hosea 12:3 3 He
took his brother by the heel in the womb
And in his strength he struggled with
God.[a]
YLT 3In the womb he took his
brother by the heel
And by his strength he was a prince with God
He took his brother by the heel in the womb
.... That is
Jacob took his brother Esau by the heel
as he came forth from his mother's
womb; the history of it is in Genesis 25:25. It
is here observed
upon mentioning the name of Jacob in Hosea 12:2
meaning
the posterity
of the patriarch; but here he himself is intended
and
occasionally taken notice of
to show how very different his posterity were
from him
and how sadly degenerated; as well as to upbraid them with
ingratitude
whose ancestors
and they also
had received such and so many
favours from the Lord; Jacob the patriarch was a hero from the womb
but they
transgressors from it; this action of his observed was a presage and pledge of
his having the superiority of his brother
and of his getting the birthright
and blessing from him. So the Targum
"prophet
say unto them
was it not said of Jacob
before he was born
that he would be
greater than his brother?'
see
Romans 9:11. In
this action there was something divine
miraculous
and preternatural; it was
not the effort of nature merely
but contrary to it
or at least above it; and
not done by chance
but ordered by the providence of God
as a prediction and
testification of his future greatness
and even of his posterity's
in times
yet to come
as Kimchi observes
who refers to Obadiah 1:18;
and by his strength he had power with God; the Targum
is
with the angel
as in Hosea 12:4; he is
called a man in the history of this event in Genesis 32:24; not
that he was a mere man
since he is here expressly called God
and afterwards the
Lord God of hosts; and there it is evident
from the context
he was a divine
Person
and no other than the Son of God; who
though not as yet incarnate
appeared in a human form
as a presage of his future incarnation; though this
was not a mere apparition
spectre
or phantasm
as JosephusF20Antiqu.
l. 1. c. 20. sect. 2. calls it; for it was not in a dream
or in a visionary
way
that this wrestling and striving was between this divine Person in this
form and Jacob
but in reality; it was a real substance which the Son of God
formed
animated
actuated
and assumed
for that time and purpose
and then
laid it aside; which touched Jacob
and he touched that
laid hold on it
and
held it fast
and strove with it
and had power over it
and over God in it;
even over him that is God over all
the true God and eternal life
the Lord
Jesus Christ; not a created God
or God by office
but by nature; as the
perfections that are in him
and the works and worship ascribed to him
declare: now Jacob had power over him "by his strength"; not by his
natural strength; either of his body
which could not have been equal to the
strength of this human body assumed for the time
as it was used and managed by
a divine Person
unless he had been extraordinarily assisted and strengthened;
or of his mind and soul
not by any spiritual strength he had of himself; but
by what he had from this divine Person
with whom he wrestled; who put strength
into him
and supported and increased the power and strength of faith in
prayer; so that he prevailed over him
and got the blessing
for which reason
his name was called Israel
Genesis 32:28.
Hosea 12:4 4 Yes
he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept
and sought favor from Him. He
found Him in Bethel
And there He spoke to us—
YLT 4Yea
he is a prince unto
the Messenger
And he overcometh [by] weeping
And he maketh supplication to
Him
At Bethel He doth find him
And there He doth speak with us
Yea
he had power over the angel
and prevailed
.... This is
repeated in different words
not only for the confirmation of it
it being a
very extraordinary thing
and difficult of belief; but to direct to the history
here referred to
where the person Jacob prevailed over is called a man
and
here the angel; and so JosephusF21Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 1. c. 20.
sect. 2.) calls him a divine Person; not a created angel
not Michael
as the
Rabbins say
unless the Messiah is meant by him; nor Jacob's guardian angel
as
Kimchi
every man being thought by some to have one; and much less Esau's evil
angel
that was against Jacob
as Jarchi and Abarbinel; for of him he would
never have sought nor expected a blessing; but an uncreated Angel
the Son of
God
the same that went before the Israelites in the wilderness
and that
redeemed Jacob from all evil
Genesis 48:16;
called an Angel
being so not by nature
for he is superior to angels in both
his natures
divine and human; but by office
being sent to reveal the will of
God
and to do the work of God in the redemption and salvation of men; the same
that is called the Angel of the great council in the Greek version of Isaiah 9:6; and the
Angel of God's presence
Isaiah 63:9; and
the Angel or messenger of the covenant
Malachi 3:1; the
phrases used denote
as before
the power and prevalence Jacob had with this
divine Person in prayer; whereby he obtained the blessing of him
even
deliverance from his brother Esau
as well as others respecting him and his
posterity;
he wept
and made supplication unto him; not the
angel
entreating Jacob to let him go
as Jarchi and Kimchi
and so some
Christian interpreters; who think that an angel in human form may be said to
weep
as well as to eat and drink; and the rather
since this angel was not the
conqueror
but the conquered; and since Christ
in the days of his flesh
both
prayed and wept
and shed tears; but the case here is different; and though he
was prevailed over
it was through his own condescension and goodness: but
rather Jacob is meant
as Abarbinel and others; who wept not on account of the
angel's touching his thigh
and the pain that might put him to; for he was of a
more heroic spirit than to weep for that
who had endured so much hardship in
Laban's service
in heat and cold; and besides
notwithstanding this
he kept
wrestling with him
and afterwards walked
though haltingly: but he wept either
because he could not get out the name of the person he wrestled with; or rather
the tears he shed were for the blessing he sought of him; for it is joined with
his making supplication
and is expressive of the humble
yet ardent
affectionate
fervent
and importunate request he made to obtain it; and here we have another
proof of the deity of Christ
in that supplication was made to him
and he is
here represented as the object of that part of religious worship
prayer
as he
often is in the New Testament. This circumstance is not expressed in Genesis 32:1
though it may be gathered from what is there said; however
the prophet had it
by divine inspiration; and the truth of it is not to be doubted of
being not
at all inconsistent with
but quite agreeable to
that history;
he found him at Bethel; either the angel found
Jacob in Bethel
as he did more than once
both before and after this time
Genesis 28:12; it
is good to be in Bethel
in the house of God; happy are those that dwell there
and are found there living and dying
doing the will and work of God there: or
rather Jacob found God or the angel in Bethel; God is to be found in his own
house
there he comes and blesses with his gracious presence; here Christ the
Angel of his presence is; here he meets with his people
and manifests himself unto
them. There is in the words a tacit reflection on Israel
or the ten tribes
that bore the name of Jacob; the patriarch found God in Bethel
Christ the
Angel of the Lord; but now
instead of him
there was a calf set up in this
place
Israel worshipped; and therefore it was called Bethaven
the house of an
idol
or iniquity
instead of Bethel
the house of God;
and there he spake with us; not with Esau and his
angel
concerning Isaac's blessing of Jacob
as Jarchi; nor with Jacob and his
angel
as the father of Kimchi; nor with the prophet
and with Amos
to reprove
Israel there for the worship of the calves
as Kimchi himself; but with all the
Israelites
of whom the prophet was one; who were then in the loins of Jacob
when he conversed with God
and God with him
at Bethel: or
as Saadiah
interprets it
"for us" for our sakes
on our account; or
"concerning us"; concerning the multiplication of Jacob's posterity
and the giving the land of Canaan to them
as the Lord did at both times he
appeared to Jacob in Bethel; see Genesis 28:14; and
it is in the house of God
where Christ is as a son
that he speaks with and to
his people
even in his word and ordinances there.
Hosea 12:5 5 That
is
the Lord
God of hosts. The Lord
is His memorable name.
YLT 5Even Jehovah
God of the
Hosts
Jehovah [is] His memorial.
Even the Lord God of hosts
.... The God Jacob had
power over
the Angel he prevailed with
to whom he made supplication with
weeping
and who spake with him and his in Bethel
is he whose name is Jehovah;
who is the true and living God
the Lord of hosts and armies both in heaven and
in earth; of all the angels in heaven
and the legions of them; and of the
church militant
and all the saints
who are the good soldiers of Christ
his
spiritual militia; and he is the Captain of the Lord's host
and of their
salvation
and to whom all the numerous hosts of creatures
be they what they
will
are subject: this is observed
to set off the greatness of the person
Jacob wrestled with
and his wondrous grace
in condescending to be overpowered
by him:
the Lord is his memorial: or his name
Jehovah
which belongs to this angel
the Son of God
as to his divine Father; and which
is expressive of his divine existence
of his eternity and immutability; this
is his memorial
or the remembrancer of him; which puts his people in all ages
in remembrance of him
what he is
what an infinite
almighty
and all
sufficient Being he is; and he is always to be believed in
and trusted to
and
to be served
adored
and worshipped. The Targum adds
to every generation and
generation.
Hosea 12:6 6 So
you
by the help of your God
return; Observe mercy and justice
And
wait on your God continually.
YLT 6And thou
through thy God
dost turn
Kindness and judgment keep thou
And wait on thy God continually.
Therefore turn thou to thy God
.... Judah
with whom the
Lord had a controversy
is here addressed and exhorted to return to the Lord
from whom they had backslidden; and this is urged
from the consideration of
their being the descendants of so great a man as Jacob; whose example they
should follow
and make supplication to the Lord as he did; and from this
instance of their progenitor might encourage themselves
that God
who was his
God
and their God
would be gracious and merciful to them
and that they
should prevail with him likewise
and obtain the blessing
and especially since
he is the everlasting and unchangeable Jehovah. Turning to the Lord
as it
supposes a going astray from him
so it signifies a turning from idols
and all
vain confidences; and is done by renewed acts of faith and trust in the Lord
and repentance towards him; and cannot be performed aright without grace and
strength from him
of which Ephraim was sensible
Jeremiah 31:18; as
well as the encouragement to it is from a view of God as a covenant God
and as
gracious and merciful
So Aben Ezra interprets it of divine help
of turning by
thy God
that is
by the help and assistance of thy God; and
indeed
conversion to God
whether at first
or after
is through his powerful and
efficacious grace. Kimchi explains it
"thou shalt rest in thy God"F23באלוהיך תשוב "in Deo tuo
conquiesce"
Drusius. ; when want follows is performed
comparing it with Isaiah 30:15. The
Targum is
"and
thou shall be strong in the worship of thy God;'
keep mercy and judgment; or
"observe"F24שמר "observa"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
them to do them; to show mercy to persons in misery
to the poor and indigent
which is what the Lord desires and delights in
more than in ceremonial
sacrifices; and is a principal part of the moral law
as "judgment"
is another; the exercise of justice
both public and private; passing a
righteous sentence in courts of judicature
and doing that which is right
between man and man; owing no man anything
but giving to all their due; doing
no injury to any man's person
property
or character; which are fruits meet
for true repentance; and when they spring from faith and love
and are done
with a view to the glory of God
and good of men
are acceptable to the Lord;
these are the weightier matters of the law
Matthew 23:23;
and wait on thy God continually; both in private prayer
and for an answer to it
and in public worship and ordinances
in hope of
meeting with him
and enjoying his presence; for this takes in the whole of
religious worship
private and public
and all religious exercises
as
invocation of God
trust in him
and expectation of seed things from him; and
may have a respect to the Messiah
and salvation by him
and a waiting for him
and that; as Jacob did
and his posterity should
and many of them were in this
posture
before and at his coming; see Genesis 49:18;
Agreeable to this the Targum is
"and
wait for the redemption or salvation of thy God continually.'
Hosea 12:7 7 “A
cunning Canaanite! Deceitful scales are in his hand; He loves to oppress.
YLT 7Canaan! in his hand [are]
balances of deceit! To oppress he hath loved.
He is a merchant
.... Here is a
change of person from "thou" to "he"
from Judah to
Ephraim
who is said to be a "merchant"; and if that was all
there
is nothing worthy of dispraise in it; but he was a cheating merchant
a
fraudulent dealer
as appears by what follows: or he is Canaan
or a CanaaniteF25כנען χανααν
Sept. "Chanaan"
V. L. Tigurine version; "Chanauaeum"
refers
Munster. ; more like a descendant of Canaan
by his manners
than a
descendant of Jacob. But the Canaanites dealing much in merchandise
their name
became a common name for a merchant
as a Chaldean for an astrologer; and as
the children of Israel possessed their land
so they followed the same business
and employment of life; which
had they performed honestly
would not have been
to their discredit; but they were too much like the Canaanites
of whom
PhilostratusF26Apud Grotium in loc. says
they were covetous and
fraudulent; and this was Ephraim's character. The Targum is
"be
you not as merchants;'
the balances of deceit are in his hand; he used false
weights and measures; made the ephah small
and the shekel great
and falsified
the balances by deceit; had wicked balances
and deceitful weights
and the
scant measure
which is abominable
Amos 8:5; they
pretended to weigh everything exactly they bought or sold; but cheated either
by sleight or hand
holding the balances as they should not; or had one pair of
scales and weights to buy with
and another to sell by
contrary to the law of
God
Leviticus 19:35;
he loveth to oppress; instead of keeping and
doing mercy and justice
they oppressed the poor
ground their faces
defrauded
them of their due
and by secret and private methods cheated them in their
dealings with them
and brought them to poverty and distress; and this they
took delight and pleasure in
which showed a want of a principle of honesty in
them
and that they were habituated to such a course of life
and were hardened
in it
and had no remorse of conscience for it
but rather gloried in it.
Hosea 12:8 8 And
Ephraim said
‘Surely I have become rich
I have found wealth for myself; In
all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’
YLT 8And Ephraim saith: `Surely
I have become rich
I have found wealth for myself
All my labours -- they find
not against me iniquity that [is] sin.'
And Ephraim said
yet I am become rich
....
Notwithstanding they took such unjust methods
as to use deceitful balances
they prospered in the world
got abundance of riches; and therefore concluded
from thence that their manner of dealing was not criminal
at least not so bad
as the prophets represented to them; and so promised themselves impunity
and
that what they were threatened with would not come upon them; and
as long as
they got riches
they cared not in what manner; and inasmuch as they prospered
and succeeded in their course of trading
they were encouraged to go on
and
not fear any evil coming upon them for it. According to Aben Ezra and Kimchi
the sense is
that they became rich of themselves
by their own industry and
labour
and did not acknowledge that their riches
and power to get them
were
of God. They gloried in them as their own attainments; and which they had
little reason to do
since they were treasures of wickedness
and mammon of
unrighteousness
which in a day of wrath would be of no service to them;
I have found me out substance; they found ways and
means of acquiring great riches
and large estates
by their own wisdom and
cunning
and all for themselves
for their own use
to be enjoyed by them for
years to come; and they were reckoned by them solid and substantial things
when a mere shadow
emptiness
and vanity; and were not to be employed for
their own use and advantage only
but should have been for the good of others;
nor were they to be attributed to their own sagacity
prudence
and management
but to the providence of God
admitting they had been got in ever so honourable
and just a manner;
in all my labours they shall
find none iniquity in me that were sin: here again Ephraim
or
the people of Israel
vainly ascribe all their wealth and riches to their own
labour
diligence
and industry
and take no notice of God and his providence
or of his blessing upon them; and pretend to be very upright and honest in
their dealings
and that what they got were very honestly got
and would bear
the strictest scrutiny; and that if their course of trade was ever so narrowly
looked into
there would be nothing found that was very bad or criminal
that
they could be justly reproached the; only some little trifling things
that
would not bear the name of "sin"
or deserve any correction or
punishment; so pure were they in their own eyes
so blinded and hardened in
sin
and fearless of the divine displeasure; like the adulterous woman
wiped
their mouths when they had eaten the sweet morsels of sin
and said they had
done no wickedness
Proverbs 30:20; or
which was involuntary
and not done knowingly
as Kimchi and Abendana: or
rather
as Ben Melech renders it
"no iniquity and sin"; and so
others: or
best of all
"no iniquity or sin"
as NoldiusF1Concord.
Ebr. Part. p. 104. No. 522. ; no iniquity
or any kind of sin at all. Thus
as
Ephraim was charged before with idolatry and lies in religion
so here with
fraudulent dealings
and getting riches in an illicit way in civil things; and
of whose repentance and reformation there was no hope.
Hosea 12:9 9 “But
I am the Lord
your God
Ever since the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents
As
in the days of the appointed feast.
YLT 9And I -- Jehovah thy God
from the land of Egypt
Again do I turn thee back into tents
As in the days of
the appointed time.
And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt
.... Ephraim
being so very corrupt in things
both religious and civil
and so very
impenitent and impudent
is let alone to suffer the just punishment of his
sins; but Judah being called to repentance
and brought unto it
gracious
promises are here made unto him
to be fulfilled in the times of the Messiah
either at the first or latter part of them; especially the last is to be
understood
when indeed all Israel shall return to the Lord
and be saved; and
then it will appear
that the Lord
who was their God
as was evident from his
bringing them out of Egyptian bondage
and continued to be so from that time to
the Babylonish captivity
and even to the times of the Messiah
will now be
their God most clearly and manifestly
having redeemed them from worse than
Egyptian bondage; from the bondage of sin
Satan
the law
the world
and
death; even the Lord Jesus Christ
the true Messiah
they will now seek and
embrace
who is God over all
and equal to such a work of redemption and
salvation; Immanuel
God with us
God in our nature
our Lord and our God
the
God of the Jews now converted
as will be acknowledged
as well as of the
Gentiles: and he
will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles
as in the days of the
solemn feast; alluding to the feast of tabernacles
kept in commemoration of
the Israelites dwelling in tents in the wilderness
Leviticus 23:42;
typical of Christ's incarnation
expressed by his tabernacling among men in
human nature
John 1:14; and
which feast
though abolished by Christ with the rest
yet it is said will be
kept by converted Jews and Gentiles in the latter day; which can be understood
no otherwise than of their embracing and professing the incarnate Saviour
partaking of the blessings of grace that come by him
and attending on those
ordinances of public worship instituted by him; see Zechariah 14:16;
and which booths
tents
or tabernacles
the Israelites dwelt in at that feast
were also typical of the churches of Christ under the Gospel dispensation
and
which are here meant; and in which it is here promised the converted Jews shall
dwell
as they had been used to do in their booths at the solemn feast of
tabernacles. These Christian churches resembling them in the matter of them;
believers in Christ
the materials of such churches
being compared to goodly
trees
to willows of the brook
to palm trees
olive trees
and myrtle trees
with others
the branches of which were used at the above feast
to make their
tabernacles with; see Leviticus 23:40;
and in the use of them
which was to dwell in during the time of the said
feast; as the churches of Christ are the tabernacles of the most High
the
dwelling places of Father
Son
and Spirit; and the habitation of the saints
where they dwell and enjoy great plenty and prosperity
tranquillity and
security; and here it particularly denotes that joy
peace
and the converted
Jews shall partake of in the churches of Christ in the latter day; of which the
feast of tabernacles was but a shadow
and which was attended with much
rejoicing
plenty of provisions
and great safety.
Hosea 12:10 10 I
have also spoken by the prophets
And have multiplied visions; I have given
symbols through the witness of the prophets.”
YLT 10And I have spoken unto the
prophets
And I have multiplied vision
And by the hand of the prophets I use
similes.
I have also spoken to the prophets
.... Or
"I will
speak"F2ודברתי "et loquar"
Piscator
Liveleus
Drusius
Cocceius
Schmidt. ; for this respects not the
Lord's speaking by the prophets of the Old Testament who spoke as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost; though all they said were for the use of
and
profitable unto
Christian churches; but his speaking by the apostles
prophets
and teachers
under the Gospel dispensation; by whom the doctrines of
grace have been more clearly dispensed
and which are no other than the voice
of Christ speaking in them; and which it is both a privilege to hear
and a
duty to attend unto; see Ephesians 4:11;
and I have multiplied visions: or
"will multiply
visions"F3חזון הרביתי
"visionem multiplicabo"
Vatablus
Liveleus
Drusius
Schmidt. ; more
than under the former dispensation
as was foretold by Joel
Joel 2:28; see Acts 2:16; witness
the visions of the Apostles Peter
Paul
John
and others: or this may respect
the more clear sight and knowledge of Gospel truths in the times of the
Messiah
then under the Mosaic economy; see 2 Corinthians 3:13;
and used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets: or
"will use similitudes"F4אדמה
"assimilabo"
Montanus
Schmidt; "similitudinibus utar"
Castalio
Liveleus. ; for this is to be understood
not of the types and
figures used by the Lord under the legal dispensation
to represent spiritual
things
as the brasen serpent
passover lamb
manna
and the sacrifices of the
law; nor of the similitudes used by the prophet Hosea
taking a wife and
children of whoredoms
to set forth the case and condition of Israel
and of
the comparisons he makes of God
to a lion
leopard
bear
&c. or by any
other of the former prophets; but of parables and similitudes used in Gospel
times; not only such as Christ used himself
who seldom spoke without a parable;
see Matthew 13:11; but
which he used by the ministry of his apostles and prophets
and which are to be
met with in their discourses and writings; see 1 Corinthians 3:6;
and especially such seem to be meant that respect the conversion of the Jews
and the glory of the church in the latter day
Romans 11:16.
Hosea 12:11 11 Though
Gilead has idols— Surely they are vanity— Though they sacrifice bulls in
Gilgal
Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field.
YLT 11Surely Gilead [is]
iniquity
Only
vanity they have been
In Gilead bullocks they have sacrificed
Also their altars [are] as heaps
on the furrows of a field.
Is there iniquity in
Gilead?.... Idolatry there? strange that there should be
seeing it was
a city of the priests; a city of refuge; or there is none there
say the
priests
who pretended they did not worship idols
but the true Jehovah in
them: or
"is there not iniquity"
or idolatry
"in
Gilead"F5אם גלעד
און "an non in Galaad iniquitas?"
Vatablus. ? verily there is
let them pretend to what they will: or
"is there
only iniquity in it"F6"En in Gileade tantum
iniquitas?" Piscator. ? that the men of it should be carried captive
as
they were by TiglathPileser
before the rest of the tribes; see 2 Kings 15:29; no
there is iniquity and idolatry committed in other places
as well as there
who
must expect to share the same fate in time: or
"is Gilead Aven?"F7"Num
Gilead Aven?" Schmidt. that is
Bethaven
the same with Bethel; it is as
that
as guilty of idolatry as Bethel
where one of the calves was set up:
surely they are vanity: the inhabitants of
Gilead
as well as of Bethel
worshipping idols
which are most vain things
vanity itself
and deceive those that serve them
and trust in them:
they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal: to idols
as the Targum
adds; and so Jarchi and Kimchi; according to Aben Ezra
they sacrificed them to
Baal; this shows that Gilead was not the only place for idolatry
which was on
the other side Jordan
but Gilgal
which was on this side Jordan
was also
polluted with it. The Vulgate Latin version is
"in
Gilgal they were sacrificing to bullocks;'
to
the calves there
the same as were at Dan and Bethel; so
in the Septuagint
version of 1 Kings 12:29; it
was formerly read: and so CyrilF8Apud Reland. Palestina Illustrata
tom. 2. l. 3. p. 783. quotes it
"he (Jeroboam) set the one (calf)
in Gilgal
and the other in Dan"; hence the fable that EpiphaniusF9De
Vita & Interitu Prophet. c. 6. & Paschal. Chronic. p. 161. apud Reland.
ib. makes mention of
that
when Elisha was born
the golden ox or heifer at
Gilgal bellowed very loudly
and so loud as to be heard at Jerusalem. The
Targum makes mention of an idol temple here; and as it was near to Bethel
as
appears from 1 Samuel 10:3; and
from JosephusF11Antiqu. l. 6. c. 4. sect. 9. ; and so Jerom saysF12De
locis Hebr. fol. 91. M.
hard by Bethel; some suspect another Gilgal; hence it
might be put for it; however
it was a place of like idolatrous worship; it is
mentioned as such along with Bethaven or Bethel
in Hosea 4:15; see
also Hosea 9:15;
yea
their altars are as heaps in
the furrows of the
fields; not only in the city of Gilgal
and in the temple there
as the
Targum; but even without the city
in the fields they set up altars
which looked
like heaps of stones; or they had a multitude of altars that stood as thick as
they. So the Targum
"they
have multiplied their altars
like heaps upon the borders of the fields;'
and
the Jewish commentators in general understand this as expressive of the number
of their altars
and of the increase of idolatrous worship; but some interpret
it of the destruction of their altars
which should become heaps of stones and
rubbish
like such as are in fields. These words respect Ephraim or the ten
tribes
in which these places were
whose idolatry is again taken notice of
after gracious promises were made to Judah. Some begin here a new sermon or
discourse delivered to Israel.
Hosea 12:12 12 Jacob
fled to the country of Syria; Israel served for a spouse
And for a wife he
tended sheep.
YLT 12And Jacob doth flee to the
country of Aram
And Israel doth serve for a wife
Yea
for a wife he hath kept
watch.
And Jacob fled into the country of Syria
.... Or
"field of Syria"F13שדה ארם "agrum Aram"
Montanus; "in agrum
Syriae"
Vatablus
Drusius
Rivet
Schmidt. ; the same with Padanaram; for
"Padan"
in the Arabic language
as Bochart has shown
signifies a
field; and "Aram" is Syria
and is the word here used. This is to be
understood of Jacob's fleeing thither for fear of his brother Esau
the history
of which is had in Genesis 28:1;
though some interpret this of his fleeing from Laban out of the field of Syria
into Gilead
Genesis 31:21; and
so make it to be introduced as an aggravation of the sin of the inhabitants of
Gilead
that that place
which had been a refuge and sanctuary to their
ancestor in his distress
should be defiled with idolatry; but the words will
not bear such a construction
and the following seem to militate against it:
and Israel served for a wife
and for a wife he kept sheep; and so the
last clause is supplied by the Targum
Jarchi
and Kimchi: this was after his
flight into Syria
and before he fled from Laban
whom he served seven years
for Rachel; and then served him by keeping his sheep seven years more for the
same: though it may be understood of his two wives
thus; he served seven years
for a wife
for Rachel intentionally
but eventually it was for Leah; and then
he kept sheep seven years more for his other wife Rachel; the history of this
is in Genesis 29:1. This
is mentioned to show the meanness of Jacob the ancestor of the Israelites
from
whom they had their original and name; he was a fugitive in the land of Syria;
there he was a Syrian ready to perish
a very poor man
obliged to serve and
keep sheep for a wife
having no dowry to give; and this is observed here to
bring
down the pride of Israel
who boasted of their descent
which is weak
and foolish for any to do; and to show the goodness of God to Jacob
and to
them
in raising him and them from so low an estate and condition to such
eminency and greatness as they were; and to upbraid their ingratitude to the
God of their fathers
and of their mercies
whom they had revolted from
and
turned to idols.
Hosea 12:13 13 By
a prophet the Lord
brought Israel out of Egypt
And by a prophet he was preserved.
YLT 13And by a prophet hath
Jehovah brought up Israel out of Egypt
And by a prophet it hath been watched.
And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt
.... Or
"by the prophet"; the famous and most excellent prophet Moses
who
by way of eminency
is so called; him the Lord sent
and employed
and made use
of him as an instrument to bring his people out of their bondage in Egypt; in
which he was a type of Christ the great Prophet of the church
raised up like
unto him
and the Redeemer of his people from sin
Satan
and the world
law
hell
and death
and all enemies:
and by a prophet he was preserved; by the same prophet
Moses was Israel preserved at the Red sea
and in the wilderness; where they
were kept as a flock of sheep from their powerful enemies
and brought to the
borders of Canaan's land. Some understand this last clause of Joshua
by whom
the Israelites were safely conducted through Jordan into the land of Canaan
and settled there; and particularly were brought by him to Gilgal
where the
covenant of circumcision was renewed
and the first passover in the land kept
but now a place of idolatry
as before mentioned; and which sin was aggravated
by this circumstance: but the design of this observation seems to be to put the
Israelites in remembrance of their low estate in Egypt
and of the goodness of
God to them in delivering them from thence
which they had sadly requited by
their degeneracy and apostasy from him; and to him unto them how much they
ought to have valued the prophets of the Lord
though they had despised them
since they had received such benefits and blessings by the means of a prophet.
Hosea 12:14 14 Ephraim
provoked Him to anger most bitterly; Therefore his Lord will leave the
guilt of his bloodshed upon him
And return his reproach upon him.
YLT 14Ephraim hath provoked most
bitterly
And his blood on himself he leaveth
And his reproach turn back to
him doth his Lord!
Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly
.... The
Vulgate Latin version supplies it
me; that is
God
as Kimchi; or his Lord
as
it may be supplied from the last clause of the verse; the sense is the same
either way: it was God that Ephraim or the ten tribes provoked to stir up his
wrath and vengeance against them; notwithstanding all the favours that they and
their ancestors had received from him
they provoked him in a most bitter
manner
to bitter anger
vehement wrath and fury: or
"with
bitternesses"F14תמרורים
"amaritudinibus"
Pagninus
Vatablus
Piscator
Schmidt. ; with their
sins
which are in their own nature bitter
displeasing to God; and in their
effects bring bitterness and death on those that commit them; meaning
particularly their idolatry
and all belonging to it; their idols
high places
altars
&c. The word here used is rendered "high heaps"F15And
is so understood by R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed
fol. 64. 1.
Jeremiah 31:21; and
is here by Kimchi interpreted of altars
with which
and their sacrifices on
them
they provoked the Lord to anger:
therefore shall he leave his blood upon him; the blood of
innocent persons
prophets
and other good men shed by him; the sin of it shall
be charged upon him
and he shall bear the punishment of it. So the Targum
"the
fault of innocent blood which he shed shall return upon him:'
or
"his own blood shall be poured out upon him"F16ודמיו עליו יטוש
και το αιμα αυτου επι αυτον
εκχυθησεται
Sept. so Syr. & Ar. "ideo sanguis ejus
super eum diffundetur
sive effundetur"
Zanchius. ; in just
retaliation for the blood of others shed by him
and for all the blood sired by
him in idolatrous sacrifices
and other bloody sins; or his own blood being
shed by the enemy shall remain upon him unrevenged; God will not punish those
that shed it:
and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him: that is
as
he has reproached the prophets of the Lord for reproving him for his idolatry
and reproached fire Lord himself
by revolting from him
and neglecting his
worship
and preferring the worship of idols to him; so
as a just recompence
he shall be delivered up into the hands of the enemy
and become a reproach
a
taunt
and a proverb
in all places into which he shall be brought. God is
called "his Lord"
though he had rebelled against him
and shook off
his yoke
and would not obey him; yet
whether he will or not
he is his Lord
and will show himself to be so by his sovereignty and authority over him
and
by the judgments exercised on him. Some understand this of the Assyrian king
become his lord
by taking and carrying him captive
the instrument in God's
hand of bringing him to reproach; but the former sense seems best.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)