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Hosea Chapter
Fourteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 14
This
chapter concludes the book
with gracious promises to repenting sinners
to
returning backsliders. It begins with an exhortation to Israel to return to the
Lord
seeing he was their God
and they had fallen by sin from prosperity into
adversity
temporal and spiritual
Hosea 14:1; and
they are directed what to say to the Lord
upon their return to him
both by
way of petition
and of promise and of resolution how to behave for the future
encouraged by his grace and mercy
Hosea 14:2; and
they are told what the Lord
by way of answer
would say to them
Hosea 14:4; and
what he would be to them; and what blessings of grace he would bestow on them;
and in what flourishing and fruitful circumstances they should be
Hosea 14:5; and the
chapter ends with a character of such that attend to and understand those
things; and with a recommendation of the ways of the Lord
which are differently
regarded by men
Hosea 14:9.
Hosea 14:1 O Israel
return to the Lord
your God
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;
YLT 1Turn back
O Israel
unto
Jehovah thy God
For thou hast stumbled by thine iniquity.
O Israel
return unto the Lord thy God
.... From whom
they had revolted and backslidden; whose worship and service they had forsaken
and whose word and ordinances they had slighted and neglected
and had served
idols
and had given into idolatry
superstition
and will worship; and are
here exhorted to turn again to the Lord by repentance and reformation
to
abandon their idols
and every false way
and cleave to the Lord with full
purpose of heart; and the rather
since he was their God; not only their
Creator
Preserver
and kind Benefactor
but their God
by his special choice
of them above all people; by his covenant with them; by his redemption of them;
and by their profession of him; and who was still their God
and ready to
receive them
upon their return to him: and a thorough return is here meant
a
returning "even unto"F23עד יהוה "asque ad Dominum"
Montanus
Tigurine
version
Oecolampadius
Schmidt
Burkius.
or quite up to the Lord thy God; it
is not a going to him halfway
but a going quite up to his seat; falling down
before him
acknowledging sin and backslidings
and having hold upon him by
faith as their God
Redeemer
and Saviour: hence
from the way of speaking here
used
the JewsF24T. Bab. Yoma
fol. 86. 1. have a saying
as Kimchi
observes
"great
is repentance
for it brings a man to the throne of glory;'
the
imperative may be here used for the future
as some take it; and then it is a
prediction of the conversion of Israel
"thou shalt return
O Israel"F25שובה "revertere"
i. e. "reverteris"
Schmidt. ; and which was in part fulfilled in the first times of the Gospel
which met with many of the Israelites dispersed among the Gentiles
and was the
means of their conversion; and will have a greater accomplishment when all
Israel shall be converted and saved:
for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity; or
"though thou art fallen"F26כי כשלת "etsi corruisti"
Luther apud Tarnovium. ;
into sin
and by it into ruin
temporal and spiritual; from a state of great
prosperity and happiness
both in things civil and religious
into great
adversity
and calamities of every sort; yet return
repent
consider from
whence thou art fallen
and by what; or thou shall return
be recovered and restored
notwithstanding thy fall
and the low estate in which thou art. The Targum is
"return
to the fear of the Lord.'
Hosea 14:2 2 Take
words with you
And return to the Lord. Say to Him
“Take away
all iniquity; Receive us graciously
For we will offer the sacrifices[a] of our
lips.
YLT 2Take with you words
and
turn to Jehovah
Say ye unto Him: `Take away all iniquity
and give good
And
we do render the fruit of our lips.
Take with you words
and turn to the Lord
.... Not mere
words without the heart
but such as come from it
and express the true sense
of it; words of confession
as the Targum; by which sin is acknowledged
and
repentance declared
and forgiveness asked. Kimchi's note is a very good one;
"he
(that is
God) does not require of you
upon return
neither gold nor silver
nor burnt offerings
but good works; therewith confessing your sins with your
whole hearts
and not with your lips only;'
and
which best agrees with evangelical repentance and Gospel times
in which
ceremonial sacrifices are no more; and not any words neither; not tautologies
and multiplicity of words
or words of man's prescribing
but of the Lord's
directing to and dictating; the taught words of the Holy Ghost
which he
suggests and helps men to
who otherwise know not how to pray
or what to pray
for; and these expressed under a sense of sin
and sorrow for it
and in the
strength of faith
and are as follow:
say unto him
take away all iniquity; which is to
be understood
not of the taking away of the being of sin; which
though very
desirable
is not to be expected in this life: nor of the expiation of sin by
the sacrifice of Christ
which is done already; he has taken the sins of his
people from them to himself
and has bore them
and carried them away
and
removed them out of the sight of divine justice
which is satisfied for them:
nor of the taking away of the power and dominion of sin; which is done by the
Spirit of God
and the efficacy of his grace on the hearts of converted
persons: nor of an extinguishing all sense of sin in men; for none have a
quicker sense of it than pardoned sinners
or are more humble on the account of
it
or more loath it; but of the taking of it away from the conscience of a
sensible truly penitent sinner or backslider
by a fresh application of
pardoning grace and mercy: sin is a burden
a heavy one
when the guilt of it
is charged and lies upon the conscience; pardon of sin applied is a lifting up
as the word here used signifies
a taking off of this burden from it
a causing
it to pass away; which is done by the fresh sprinkling of the blood of Jesus
which purges the conscience from sin
and clears it from the guilt of it
and
speaks peace and comfort; and which is the blessing here prayed for
and every
backslider
sensible of his case
sees he stands in need of
and even to have
"all" taken away; for
if but one sin remains
and the guilt of it
continues
he can have no peace
nor stand up under it; but
when God forgives
sin
he forgives "all" sin;
and receive us graciously; receive into grace and
favour
that is
openly and manifestly; the free love and favour of God is
always the same
but the manifestations of it are different; sometimes more or
less
and sometimes scarce any
if any at all
and is the ease here; and
therefore a petition is made for the remembrance of it
for a renewed discovery
and application of it: or accept us in a gracious manner; acceptance with God
is not on account of the merits of men
but his own grace and mercy; not
through any works of righteousness done by them
which are impure and
imperfect; but through Christ the Beloved
in whom God is well pleased with the
persons
and services
and sacrifices of his people
and receives all for his
sake
and which is here asked for; as well as that he would take them into his
protection
and open affection. It is
in the original text
only
"receive good"F1קח טוב "accipe bonum"
Pagninus
Montanus: Munster
Cocceius
Schmidt
Burkius. ; meaning either their good hearts
made so by the
grace of God; their broken hearts and contrite spirits
which are sacrifices
not despised by him
but acceptable to him through Christ: or their good words
they were bid to take
and did take
nod use; their good prayers offered up
through Christ
in his name
and in the exercise of faith
which are the Lord's
delight: or their good works
done from a principle of love
in faith
to the
glory of God
and with which sacrifices he is well pleased: or rather
as the
same word signifies
to give as well as receive; see Psalm 68:18. It may
be rendered
"give good"F2"Acceptum confer
bonum"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius. ; take good
and give
it to us
even all good things
temporal and spiritual
especially all
spiritual blessings in Christ; all which good things come from God
and are his
gifts; particularly the good Spirit of God
and his grace
which the Lord gives
to them that ask; and all supplies of grace from Christ; and more especially
as some interpreters of note explain it
the righteousness of Christ imputed
and applied; which goes along with pardoning grace
or the taking away of sin
Zechariah 3:4; and
is the good
the better
the best robe; a gift
the gift of grace; a blessing
received from the Lord
and to be asked for of him:
so will we render the calves of our lips; not calves
bullocks
and oxen
for sacrifice
as under the law; but the sacrifices of
praise and thanksgiving for pardoning grace
for a justifying righteousness
and for all good things: these are the fruit of the lips
as the apostle
interprets it
Hebrews 13:15; and
which are sacrifices more acceptable to God than calves of a year old
or an ox
or bullock that has horns and hoofs
Psalm 69:30. This
shows that the text and context refer to Gospel times
to the times of the
Messiah; in which the Jews themselves say all sacrifices will cease but the
sacrifice of praise. The Targum is
"turn
to the worship of the Lord
and say
let it he with thee to forgive sins
and
may we be received as good
and the words of our lips be accepted with thee as
bullocks for good pleasure upon the altar.'
Hosea 14:3 3 Assyria
shall not save us
We will not ride on horses
Nor will we say anymore to the
work of our hands
‘You are our gods.’ For in You the fatherless finds
mercy.”
YLT 3Asshur doth not save us
on
a horse we ride not
Nor do we say any more
Our God
to the work of our hands
For in Thee find mercy doth the fatherless.'
Ashur shall not save us
.... This is still a
continuation of the words repenting and returning Israel are directed to make
use of before the Lord
declaring they would not do any more as they had done;
to Assyria
or the kings of Assyria
as the Targum
for help
and desire
assistance
and expect deliverance and salvation from thence; see Hosea 5:13;
we will not ride upon horses; to seek for help
elsewhere; or go to Egypt for them
as they had done; or put their trust in
them for safety
in a time of war; or think to make their escape by them when
in danger; see Psalm 20:8;
neither will we say any more to the work of our hands
ye are
our gods; that is
say so to
or concerning
their idols
which were made
by their hands
or by their orders
as they had formerly done to the golden
calf in the wilderness
and to the calves at Dan and Bethel; see Exodus 32:4; now
by
all these expressions is meant
that they would determine not to put any
confidence in any creature
or in any creature performance; that they would not
trust in their own merits
but in the mercy of God through Christ for the of
their sins; nor in any works of righteousness for their justification before
God
and acceptance with him; nor expect salvation in any other way than by the
free grace of God
and his abundant mercy in Christ:
for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy; and in thee
only; hereby declaring that the Lord was the only Saviour; that there was
salvation in Christ
and in no other; and that they would have no other saviour
but him; that they would look to the mercy of God proclaimed in him
and
communicated from and through him
the mercy seat
and to his mercy alone for
eternal life; in whom the most destitute persons
as the fatherless
who are
destitute of friends
of help and assistance
of counsel and advice
find
favour
kindness
and mercy
even such as are most hopeless and helpless; which
is a great encouragement to look to the Lord
to trust in him
and hope in his
mercy.
Hosea 14:4 4 “I
will heal their backsliding
I will love them freely
For My anger has turned
away from him.
YLT 4I heal their backsliding
I
love them freely
For turned back hath Mine anger from him.
I will heal their backslidings
.... This and what
follows is the Lord's answer to the above prayer; and this clause particularly
is an answer to that petition
"take away all iniquity"
Hosea 14:2; sins
are diseases
natural and hereditary
nauseous and loathsome
mortal
and
incurable but by the grace of God
and blood of Christ; backslidings are
relapses
which are dangerous things; Christ is the only Physician
who heals
all the diseases of sin
and these relapses also; he will do it
he has
promised it
and never turns away any that apply to him for it; and which he
does by a fresh application of his blood
whereby he takes away sin
heals the
conscience wounded with it
and restores peace and comfort; which is a great
encouragement to take words
and return unto him; see Hosea 6:1;
I will love them freely; this is in answer to
that petition
"receive us
graciously"; or "receive good"
or rather "give good"
Hosea 14:2; not
that the love of God or Christ begins when sinners repent and turn to him
or
he applies his pardoning grace
since his love is from everlasting; but that in
so doing he manifests his love
and will continue in it
nor shall anything
separate from it: and this love
as it is freely set upon the objects of it
without any merits of theirs
or any motives in them
but flows from the free
sovereign will and pleasure of God in Christ; so it is as freely manifested
and continues upon the same bottom
and is displayed in a most liberal and
profuse donation of blessings of grace to them: this love is free in its
original
and is liberal and bountiful in the effects of it; and makes the
objects of it a free
willing
and bountiful people too:
for mine anger is turned away from him: from Israel
which
under former dispensations of Providence
seemed to be towards him
at
least when under his frowns
resentment
and displeasure
as is the case of
that people at this day; but when they shall return to the Lord
and he shall
manifest and apply his pardoning grace to them
his anger will appear no more
and they shall be in a very happy and comfortable condition
as Israel or the
church declares
Isaiah 12:1; which
refers to the same times as these words do; see Romans 11:26; and
compare Psalm 85:2; where a
manifestation of pardoning grace is called the Lord's turning himself from the
fierceness of his anger; and especially this suits with Gospel times
satisfaction being made for sin by the sacrifice of Christ.
Hosea 14:5 5 I
will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily
And lengthen his
roots like Lebanon.
YLT 5I am as dew to Israel
he
flourisheth as a lily
And he striketh forth his roots as Lebanon.
I will be as the dew unto Israel
.... To spiritual Israel
to those that return to the Lord
take with them words
and pray unto him
whose backslidings are healed
and they are freely loved; otherwise it is said
of apostate Israel or Ephraim
that they were "smitten
and their
root dried up
and bore no fruit"
Hosea 9:16. These
words
and the whole
context
respect future times
as Kimchi observes; even
the conversion of Israel in the latter day
when they shall partake of all the
blessings of grace
signified by the metaphors used in this and the following
verses. These words are a continuation of the answer to the petitions put into
the mouths of converted ones
promising them many favours
expressed in
figurative terms; and first by "the dew"
which comes from heaven
is
a great blessing of God
and is quickening
very refreshing and fruitful to the
earth: and the Lord is that unto his people as the dew is to herbs
plants
and
trees of the earth; he is like unto it in his free love and layout
and the
discoveries of it to them; which
like the dew
is of and from himself alone;
is an invaluable blessing; better than life itself; and is not only the cause
of quickening dead sinners
but of reviving
cheering
and refreshing the
drooping spirits of his people; and is abundance
never fails
but always
continues
Proverbs 19:12; and
so he is in the blessings of his grace
and the application of them; which are
in heavenly places
in Christ
and come down from thence
and in great
abundance
like the drops of dew; and fall silently
insensibly
and unawares
particularly regenerating grace; and are very cheering and exhilarating
as
forgiveness of sin
a justifying righteousness
adoption
&c. Deuteronomy 33:13;
and also in the Gospel
and the doctrines of it
which distil as dew; these are
of God
and come down from heaven; seem little in themselves
but of great
importance to the conversion of sinners
and comfort of saints; bring many
blessings in them
and cause great joy and fruitfulness wherever they come with
power
Deuteronomy 32:2.
The Targum is
"my
Word shall be as dew to Israel;'
the
essential Word of God
the Messiah; of whose incarnation of a virgin some
interpret this; having
like the dew
no father but God
either in his divine
or human nature; but rather it is to be understood of the blessings of grace he
is to his people as Mediator; being to them wisdom
righteousness
sanctification
and redemption
and every other
even their all it
all:
he shall grow as the lily; to which the church and
people of God are sometimes compared
especially for their beauty and
comeliness in Christ
Solomon in all his glory not being arrayed like one of
these; particularly for their unspotted purity
being clothed with fine linen
clean and white
the white raiment of Christ's righteousness
and having their
garments washed and made white in his blood; see Song of Solomon 2:1;
and here for its growth. The root of the lily lies buried in the earth a long
time
when it seems as if it was dead; but on a sudden it springs out of the
earth
and runs up to a great height
and becomes very flourishing; which is
not owing to itself
it "toils not"; but to the dew of heaven: so
God's elect in a state of nature are dead
but
being quickened by the grace of
God
spring up on a sudden
and grow very fast; which is not owing to
themselves
but to the dews of divine grace
the bright shining of the sun of
righteousness upon them
and to the influences of the blessed Spirit; and so
they grow up on high
into their Head Christ Jesus
and rise up in their
affections
desires
faith and hope to heavenly things
to the high calling of
God in Christ
and become fruitful in grace
and in good works. The Targum is
"they
shall shine as the lily;'
see
Matthew 6:29;
and cast forth his roots as Lebanon; as the tree
or trees
of Lebanon
as the Targum; and so Kimchi
who adds
which are large
and their
roots many; or as the roots of the trees of Lebanon
so Jarchi; like the cedars
there
which
as the word here used signifies
"struck"F3ויך "percutiet"
Montanus
Tarnovius
Rivet
Cocceius; "figet"
Calvin
Pareus; "defiget"; Zanchius;
"et infiget"
Schmidt; "incutiet"
Drusius. their roots
firm in that mountain
and stood strong and stable
let what winds and tempests
soever blow: thus
as in the following
what one metaphor is deficient in
another makes up. The lily has but a weak root
and is easily up; but the
cedars in Lebanon had roots firm and strong
to which the saints are sometimes
compared
as here; see Psalm 92:12; and
this denotes their permanency and final perseverance; who are rooted in the
love of God
which is like a root underground from all eternity
and sprouts
forth in regeneration
and is the source of all grace; is itself immovable
and
in it the people of God are secured
and can never be rooted out; and they may
be said to "strike" their roots in it
as the phrase here
when they
exercise: a strong faith in it
and are firmly persuaded of their interest in
it; see Ephesians 3:17;
they are also rooted in Christ
who is the root of Jesse
of David
and of all
the saints; from whom they have their life
their nourishment and fruitfulness
and where they remain unmoved
and strike their roots in him
by renewed acts
of faith on him
claiming their interest in him; and are herein so strongly
rooted and grounded
that all the winds and storms of sin
Satan
and the
world
cannot eradicate them; nay
as trees are more firmly rooted by being
shaken
so are they; see Colossians 2:7. The
Targum is
"they
shall dwell in the strength of their land
as a tree of Lebanon
which sends
forth its branch.'
Hosea 14:6 6 His
branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree
And his fragrance
like Lebanon.
YLT 6Go on do his sucklings
And
his beauty is as an olive
And he hath fragrance as Lebanon.
His branches shall spread
.... As the well rooted
cedars in Lebanon; see Numbers 24:6. This
respects the propagation of the church of God
and the interest of Christ in
the world
as in the first times of the Gospel
and will be in the latter day;
when the Gospel shall be spread everywhere; churches set up in all places; the
Jews converted
and the fulness of the Gentiles brought in; and these like
spreading branches
and fruitful boughs
abounding in grace and good works. The
Targum is
"they
shall multiply or increase with sons and daughters:'
and his beauty shall be as the olive tree; which lies in
its being laden with excellent fruit
and being always green; for which reasons
particular believers
and the whole church of God
are sometimes compared to
it; having that fatness in them
with which God and men are honoured; and that
true grace
which is signified by oil in the vessels of the heart
and is
called the unction and anointing of the Holy One; and they persevering in this
grace to the end
which is evergreen and durable
immortal
and dies not; see Psalm 52:8. Here
again it may be observed
that the trees of Lebanon
though they had strong
roots
and spreading branches
yet were not fruitful; and the deficiency of
that metaphor is supplied by this of the olive:
and his smell as Lebanon; as the trees of Lebanon
the cedars
trees of frankincense
and other odoriferous trees and plants
which grew upon it; here what is wanting in the olive tree
whose smell is not
so grateful
is made up by this simile of the trees of Lebanon
and the smell
of them; which may denote the sweet and grateful smell the Lord smells in his
people
or his gracious acceptance of them in Christ; whose garments of
righteousness and salvation on them are as the smell of Lebanon; and whose
graces in them exceed the smell of all spices; and whose prayers are odours
and their praises a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God; see Song of Solomon 4:10.
Some render it
"as incense"F4"Ut thuris"
Grotius. called "lebonah" in Hebrew
from whence the mountain is
thought to have its name
frankincense growing upon it. So the Targum
"and
their smell as the smell of the incense of spices.'
Jarchi
says
as the sanctuary
which was made of the cedars of Lebanon.
Hosea 14:7 7 Those
who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like
grain
And grow like a vine. Their scent[b] shall
be like the wine of Lebanon.
YLT 7Return do the dwellers
under his shadow
They revive [as] corn
and flourish as a vine
His memorial
[is] as wine of Lebanon.
They that dwell under his shadow shall return
.... Either
under the shadow of Lebanon
as Japhet and Jarchi; the shadow of that mountain
or of the trees that grew upon it; or under the shadow of Israel
the church
to which young converts have recourse
and under which they sit with pleasure;
or rather under the shadow of the Lord Israel was called to return unto
and
now return
Hosea 14:1; as the
Israelites will in the latter day. So the Targum
"and
they shall be gathered out of the midst of their captivity
they shall dwell
under the shadow of their Messiah;'
thus
truly gracious persons sit under the shadow of Christ
who come to themselves
and return unto the Lord; even under the shadow of his word and ordinances
where they desire to sit
and do sit with delight and pleasure
as well as in
the greatest safety; and find it a very refreshing and comfortable shadow to them;
even a shadow from the heat of avenging justice
a fiery law
the fiery darts
of Satan
and the fury of the world; and
like the shadow of a great rock in a
weary land
exceeding pleasing and cheering to weary travellers; see Song of Solomon 2:3
Isaiah 25:4;
they shall revive as the corn: which first
dies
and then is quickened; or which
after a cold nipping winter
at spring
revives again: thus do believers under the dews of divine grace
under the
shadow of Christ
and the influences of his Spirit: or
"shall revive with
corn"F5יחיו דגן
ζησονται σιτω
Sept.
"vivent tritico"
V. L. "vivificabunt frumento"
Munster
Castalio; so Syr. & Ar. ; by means of it; by which may be signified the
corn of heaven
angels' food
the hidden manna
the Gospel of Christ
and
Christ himself
the bread of life; by which the spirits of his people are
revived
their souls upheld in life
and their graces quickened; which they
find and eat
and it is the joy and rejoicing of their hearts:
and grow as the vine: which
though weak
and
needs support
and its wood unprofitable; yet grows and spreads very much
and
brings forth rich fruit in clusters: so the saints
though they are weak in
themselves
and need divine supports
and when they have done all they can are
unprofitable servants; yet through the power of divine grace
which is like the
dew
they grow in every grace
and are filled with the blessings of it
and
bring forth much fruit to the glory of God:
and the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon; like the wine
of those vines which grow on Mount Lebanon
and judged to be the best. On Mount
Lebanon
about the midway between the top and the bottom of it
there is now a
convent called Canobine
situated in a very pleasant place; and Le Bruyn in his
travels relates
that it is preferable to all other places on account of its
wines
which are the richest and finest in the world; they are very sweet
of a
red colour
and so oily that they stick to the glass. At Lebanon was a city
called by the Greeks Ampeloessa
from the excellency of its wine
as Grotius
from PlinyF6Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 18. observes. Gabriel SionitaF7Apud
Calmet
Dictionary
on the word "Wine". assures us
that even to this
day the wines of Libanus are in good reputation. Kimchi relates from Asaph
a
physician
that the wines of Lebanon
Hermon
and Carmel
and of the mountains
of Israel and Jerusalem
and of the mountains of Samaria
and of the mountains
of Caphtor Mizraim
were the best of wines
and exceeded all others for scent
taste
and medicine. Japhet interprets it
the smell of their vine afar off was
as the wine of Lebanon; and so Kimchi
the smell of the wine of the vine
to
which Israel is compared
is like the smell of the wine of Lebanon. This may
denote the savouriness of truly converted gracious souls
of their graces
doctrines
life
and conversation. Some choose to render it
"their memoryF8זכרו "memoria ejus"
Montanus
Junius &
Tremellius
Tarnovius
Cocceius
Castalio
Schmidt
Burkius. shall be as
the wine of Lebanon"; so the Targum interprets it of
"the
memory of their goodness;'
the
saints obtain a good report through faith
and have a good name
better than
precious ointment; their memory is blessed; they
are had in everlasting
remembrance; the memory of them is not only dear to the people of God in after
ages; but the memory of their persons
and of their works
is exceeding
grateful to God and Christ.
Hosea 14:8 8 “Ephraim
shall say
‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’ I have heard and
observed him. I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in
Me.”
YLT 8O Ephraim
what to Me any
more with idols? I -- I afflicted
and I cause him to sing: `I [am] as a green
fir-tree
' From Me is thy fruit found.
Ephraim shall say
what have I to do any more with idols?.... This is
to be understood
not of apostate Ephraim
as in the times of the prophet
who
was so wedded and glued to the idols
that there was no hope of getting him
from them; and therefore is bid to let him alone
Hosea 4:17; but of
Ephraim Israel returning to God at his call
under the influence of his grace
in the latter day
Hosea 14:1. Idols
are the same with the works of their hands
Hosea 14:3; and to
be interpreted
not of graven or molten images
to the worship of which the
Jews have not been addicted since their captivity to this day; see Hosea 3:4; but of
the idols of their hearts
their impiety
their unbelief
their rejection of
the Messiah
which
at the time of their conversion
they will loath
abhor
and mourn over; likewise the traditions of their elders
they are now zealous
and tenacious of
and prefer even to the written word; but will now relinquish
them
and embrace the Gospel of Christ; as well as the idol of their own
righteousness they have always endeavoured to establish; but shall now
renounce
and receive Christ as the Lord their righteousness. The like to this
is to be found in common in all truly penitent and converted sinners; who
being made sensible of the exceeding sinfulness of sin
detest and abhor it
and declare they will have nothing to do with it; not but that it continues in
them
and has to do with them
and they with that; yet not so as to live and
walk in it; to yield their members as instruments of it; to serve and obey it
as their master; to make provision for it
and to have the course of their
lives under the direction and power of it; and so likewise
being convinced of
the imperfection and insufficiency of their own righteousness to justify them
they will have nothing to do with that in the business of justification before
God
and acceptance with him: now these are the words of the Lord
affirming
what Ephraim should say
as Kimchi rightly observes; he promises for him
as he
well might
since it is he that gives repentance to Israel
and works in his
people principles of grace
and enables them both to will and to do
to make
such holy resolutions
and perform them. Some render the words
"O
Ephraim
what have I to do"F9אפרים מה לי עוד
"Ephraim
vel O quid mihi amplius"
&c. Montanus
Junius
& Tremellius
Tigurine version
Castalio
Cocceius
Schmidt
Burkius. ?
&c. and take them to be words of God concerning himself
declaring he would
have nothing to do with idols
nor suffer them in his service
nor should they;
for "what concord hath Christ with Belial?" or "what agreement
hath the temple of God with idols?" 2 Corinthians 6:15;
but the former sense is much best; rather what Schmidt suggests is more
agreeable
who
rendering the words in the same way
makes them to be the words
of a believing Gentile returning and dwelling under the shadow of Israel; so he
interprets Hosea 14:7
and
takes this to be the language of such an one throughout. The Targum is
"they
of the house of Israel shall say
what is it to us to serve idols any
more?'
I have heard him; says the Lord; Ephraim
bemoaning himself
repenting of his sins
and confessing them; his prayers for
pardon and acceptance
and the resolutions made by him in the strength of
divine grace
Hosea 14:2; see Jeremiah 31:18; and
this is what his idols he once served could not do
who had ears
but heard not;
but the Lord not only heard
but answered
and granted his request. So the
Targum
"I
by my Word will receive the prayer of Israel
and will have mercy on him:'
and observed him; looked at him
and on
him; with an eye of pity and compassion; with a favourable and propitious look
as the Lord does towards those that are poor
and of a contrite spirit;
observed the ways and steps he took in returning to him; marked his tears and
humiliations
groans and moans
and took notice of his wants in order to supply
them;
I am like a green fir tree: these are the words of
the Lord continued; though some take them to be the words of Ephraim; or
as
Schmidt
of the Gentile believer
like those of David
Psalm 52:8; but
they best agree with Christ
who may be compared to such a tree
as he is to
many others in Scripture; because a choice one
as he is to his Father
and to
all believers
chosen and precious
lovely and beloved; a tall tree
so Christ
is highly exalted as Mediator
higher than the kings of the earth
above the
angels in heaven
yea
higher than the heavens. The boughs of this tree
as
Jarchi and Kimchi observe
bend downward so low as to be laid hold on; Christ
though the high and lofty One
dwells with humble souls
and suffers himself to
be laid hold upon by the faith of everyone that comes to him. Pliny saysF11Nat.
Hist. l. 16. c. 10.
that this tree is of a cheerful aspect
smooth
and
scarce any knots upon it; and its leaves so thick that a shower of rain will
not pass through it: Christ is most amiable
and altogether lovely to look at
in his person and fulness; and he looks in a loving smiling manner upon his
people; he is without any knot of sin or corruption in him
as to principle or
practice; and is a delightful shade from the wrath of God
or rage of man
from
the heat of a fiery law
and the darts of Satan: and as this tree
as here
is
ever green
so he is always the same; he ever lives
and his people in him
and
by him; his fulness always continues to supply them. Once more
the fir tree is
the habitation of the stork
an unclean creature by the law of God; so Christ
is the dwelling place of sinners
he receives them
and converses with them
Psalm 104:17. The
Septuagint version renders it
"as a thick juniper tree": which
naturalists sayF12Varinus apud Rivet. in loc. has such a virtue in
it
as by the smell to drive away serpents. So the old serpent the devil was
drove away by Christ in the wilderness
in the garden
and on the cross; and
resisting by faith
holding out his blood and righteousness
causes him to flee
from the saints
The Arabic version is
"as the fruitful cypress
tree"; which is of a good smell
and its wood very durable; and so may be
expressive of the savour of Christ
his righteousness and sacrifice
the graces
of his Spirit
and of his duration. Some take this to be a promise that Ephraim
should be as a green fir tree
so Aben Ezra; with which agrees the Targum
"I
by my word will make him as the beautiful fir tree;'
and
to which sometimes the saints are compared; see Isaiah 41:19; and
this being a tree that bears no fruit
it follows
to make up that defect in
the metaphor
from me is thy fruit found; from Christ are all the
spiritual blessings of grace
peace
pardon
righteousness
adoption
a right
and meetness for eternal life
and that itself; all the fruits and graces of
the Spirit
as faith
hope
love
&c. and all good works
which spring from
union with him
are done in his strength
and influenced by his grace and
example; see Philemon 1:11.
Hosea 14:9 9 Who
is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him
know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; The
righteous walk in them
But transgressors stumble in them.
YLT 9Who [is] wise
and doth
understand these? Prudent
and knoweth them? For upright are the ways of
Jehovah
And the righteous go on in them
And the transgressors stumble
therein!
Who is wise
and he shall understand these things?
prudent
and he shall know them?.... Contained in this
book
and particularly in this chapter; which expresses so much of the goodness
of God and grace of Christ to Israel; though it may be applied to the whole
Scripture
and to all the mysteries and doctrines of the Gospel
respecting
Christ and his grace; and be a recommendation of these to the consideration of
every wise and prudent man; where he will find enough to exercise his wisdom
and understanding; though he need not be discouraged in his search and inquiry
into them. It suggests as if there were but few such wise persons
and that
they are the only wise men that do know and understand these things; and all
others are but fools
let them be thought as wise as they will:
for the ways of the Lord are right; straight
plain
even
according to the rules of
justice and equity; there is no
unrighteousness in them; none in the ways in which he himself walks; either in
his ways and methods of grace
his decrees and purposes
his counsels and
covenant; or in his providential dispensations; nor in those he directs others
to walk in
the paths of faith and doctrine; or the ways of his commandments:
and the just shall walk in them; such as are
justified
by the righteousness of Christ
and have ills grace wrought in them
and live
righteously; these walk
and continue to walk
in the ways of God; which shows
that the doctrine of justification by Christ's implored righteousness is no
licentious doctrine:
but the transgressors shall fall therein; the
transgressors of the law of God
not being used to his ways
as Kimchi's father
observes
stumble in them and fall; or rather
as Jarchi and the Targum
they
fall into hell
into ruin and destruction
because they walk not in them;
though the sense seems to be
that as Christ himself
so his ways and his word
his doctrines and his ordinances
are stumbling blocks to wicked men
at which
they stumble
and fall
and perish; see Luke 2:34 Romans 9:33.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)