Hosea 10 commentary

A vine is only valuable for its fruit; but Israel now brought no fruit to perfection. Their hearts were divided. God is the Sovereign of the heart; he will have all, or none. Were the stream of the heart wholly after God, it would run strongly, and bear down all before it. Their pretences to covenant with God were false. Even the proceeding of justice was as poisonous hemlock. Alas, how empty a vine is the visible church even at this day! But all earthly prosperity is but a collection of bubbles, soon destroyed like foam upon the water. Sinners will in vain seek shelter from that Judge, whom they now despise as a Saviour.

Because God does not desire the death and ruin of sinners, therefore in mercy he desires their chastisement. The children of iniquity still remained in Israel. The enemies would be gathered against them. It is just with God to make those know what hardships mean, who indulge themselves in ease and pleasure. Let them cleanse their hearts from all corrupt affections and lusts, and be a broken and contrite spirit. Let them abound in works of piety towards God, and of justice and charity towards one another: herein let them sow to the Spirit. Seeking the Lord is to be every day's work, but there are special occasions when to seek him. Christ shall come as the Lord our righteousness, and grant us of it abundantly. If we sow in righteousness, we shall reap according to mercy; a reward not of debt, but of grace. Even the gains of sin yield the sinner no satisfaction. As our comforts, so our confidences in the service of sin will certainly fail us. Come and seek the Lord, and thy hope in him shall not deceive thee. See what cruel work war makes. Whatever mischief is done, it is sin that does it. What miseries men's sins bring on them, even in this world!

Interpreters explain this verse in various ways. Those who think בוקק, bukok, here applied to the vine, means “empty,” are mistaken; for the Prophet means rather, that Israel was like a vine, which is robbed after the ingathering is come: for the word בקק, bekok, means properly to pillage, or to plunder. But the Prophet compares the gathering of grapes to robbing; and this view best suits the place. He says, then, that Israel is like a robbed vine; for it was stripped of its fruit; and then he adds, He will make fruit for himself The verb שוה, shue, means to equal; and many render it thus, — He will equalize fruit to himself, or, “fruit has been squalled to him.” But this rendering brings out no clear sense. I rather follow those who render it, “to lay up.” This verb means also sometimes “to lie;” at least some thus render the clause, “Fruit will lie to him:” and though, in the sense of lying, it has a different final letter, שוה, shue, it is yet said to be derived from this root, so that there is a change of א“alef” into ה“he”, as grammarians think: and yet it does not seem probable that שוא, shua means to lie. But they elicit this sense, “Israel is a plundered vine; therefore fruit will lie to him;” that is, it will bring no produce, for that will happen to it which is wont to be, when robbers have laid waste fields and vineyards. But as I have said already, some more correctly render it, “to lay up;” He will lay up fruit for himself Some, however, read the sentence as a question, — “Will Israel lay up fruit for himself?” Then the sense is, that Israel was so plundered, that no restitution could be hoped for. But these interpreters do not seem to understand the mind of the Prophet.

I collect a different meaning from the words, and that is, that Israel would lay up fruit for himself after the robbing, and sacred history confirms this view: for this people, we know, had been in various ways chastised; so, however, that they gathered new strength. For the Lord intended only to admonish them gently, that they might be healed; but nothing, as it has before appeared, was effected by God’s moderation. The case, however, was so, that Israel produced new fruit, as a vine, after having been robbed one year, brings forth a new vintage; for one ingathering does not kill the vine. Thus also Israel did lay up fruit for himself; that is, after the Lord had collected there his vintage, he again favoured the people with his blessing, and, as it were, restored them anew; as vines in the spring throw out their branches, and then produce fruit. Much difference exists among critics as to the meaning of the two first clauses of this verse. The two words which create the difficulty are בוקק and שוה. The first word in the three other places, Isaiah 24:1, Jeremiah 51:2, and Nahum 2:2, where it alone occurs, means, “to empty thoroughly,” or “to make wholly empty:” and when applied to the vine, as here, it seems to signify vine that fully empties itself of its juices, so as to bear fruit abundantly. This view is favored by the Septuagint, ευκληματουσα, well-branching, luxuriant, and by Symmachus, υλομανουσα, wildly luxuriant, and is adopted by Bishop Horsley, who renders it, “yielding.” The other word, שוה, means “to equal,” or “to be equal,” and in no case, properly, “to lay up,” as Calvin takes it. Then the literal rendering of these words, פרי ישוה לו, is, “the fruit is equal to it;” i.e. the fruit is suitable to the vine, or, “it makes fruit equal to itself:” and with this meaning correspond the words in the Septuagint, ὁ καρπος ευθηνῶν αυτης, — “its fruit is exuberant.” The following appears to be the literal rendering of the verse: —

“A vine, emptying itself, is Israel, It makes fruit equal to itself: According to the abundance of his fruit, He has abounded toward altars; According to the goodness of his land, He has made statues good.”

Or, if we would coin a word to correspond with the original, the two last lines may be thus translated: —

“According to the goodness of his land, He has goodnized statues.”

— Ed.

But what did happen? According to the abundance of his fruit, he says, he multiplied his altars Here God complains, that Israel, after having been once gathered, went on in his own wickedness. Chastisements ought at least to have availed so much as to induce Israel to retake himself to the pure worship of God. But God not only reproves the people here for having been always obstinate but also for having, as it were designedly increased their vices. For it was like a horrible conspiracy against God for the people, as soon as they acquired new strength, to multiply altars to themselves, when yet the Lord had already shown, by clear evidences, that fictitious modes. of worship did not please him; nay, that they were to him the greatest abominations. We now apprehend the meaning of the Prophet. Then Israel, a robbed vine, multiplied altars for himself; that is, Israel has indeed been gathered but the Lord restored to him wealth and abundance of provisions, and whatever appertains to a safe and happy condition; has Israel become better through correction? Has he repented after the Lord has so mercifully withdrawn his hand? By no means, he says; but he has multiplied altars for himself, he has become worse than he was wont to be; and according to the goodness of his land, he has been doing good in statues

Now this is a very useful doctrine; for we see how the Lord forbears in inflicting punishments — he does not execute them with the utmost rigour; for as soon as he lays on a few stripes, he withholds his hand. But how do they act who are thus moderately chastised? As soon as they can recruit their spirits, they are carried away by a more headstrong inclination, and grow insolent against God. We see this evil prevalent in the world even in our day, as it has been in all ages. We need not wonder, then, that the Prophet here expostulates with the people of Israel: but it is, at the same time, right for us to apply the doctrine for our own instruction. Though, then, the Lord should spare us, and, after having begun to chastise us, should soon show indulgence, and restore us as it were anew, let us beware lest a forgetfulness of our former sins should creep over us; but let his chastisements exert over us an influence, even after God has put a limit and an end to them. For the import of what the Prophet teaches is this, that men are not to forget the wrath of God, though he may not always, or continually, lay on stripes, but to consider that the Lord deals thus gently that they may have more time to repents and that a truce is granted them that they may more quietly reflect on their sins.

But he says, According to the goodness of their land, they have been doing good in statues I have before stated, that some take this as meaning, that they made good statues, and consider “good” to be elegant. But I repeat the preposition ל“lamed” before altars. When the Prophet said that Israel multiplied altars to himself, the literal reading is, that he multiplied in altars, or as to altars; that is, he did much, or very liberally spent money on altars. So also here, it is proper to repeat, that they did good as to statues. But a concession is made in the verb הימיבו, eithibu; The final ו is left out in one copy, and the omission is countenanced by the Septuagint. — Ed. ; for it is certain that they grievously sinned; they would not have provoked the wrath of God had they not dealt wickedly in altars and statues. But the Prophet speaks ironically of the perverted worship of God, as when we say at this day, that the Papists are mad in their good intentions: when I call intentions good, I concede to them a character which does not rightly belong to them. It is therefore according to their sense that the Prophet speaks here; but he says, ironically, that they did good in statues; that is, that they seemed to themselves to be the most holy worshipers of God; for they made a show of great zeal. It was, as they say, insane devotion. But there appeared here something more than blind hardness, inasmuch as they had so soon forgotten the Lord’s displeasure, of which they had been reminded by evident tokens. We now then perceive the object of the Prophet, and what is the application of his doctrine. Let us go on —

Hosea 10:2

2. Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

2. Divisum est (vel, se divisit) cor eorum: nunc convicti erunt (alii, peribunt; nam אשם utrunque significat; refertur tam ad culpam quam ad poenam: sed mihi probatur eorum sententia qui vertunt, Nunc convicti erunt, hoc est, Nunc erunt scelerati; quemadmodum etiam simile examplum jam vidimus capite 5, nisi fallor: Nunc ergo convicti erunt:) ipse evertet altaria eorum, destruet statuas ipsorum.

He says first that their heart was divided, that is, from God; for this, we know, is principally required, that people should faithfully cleave to their God. “And now Israel, what does thy God require of thee, but to cleave to him with the whole heart?” Since God then binds us to himself by a holy union, it is the summit of all wickedness, when our heart is divided from him, as it is when an unchaste and perfidious wife alienates her affection from her husband. For as long as the husband keeps the heart of his wife, as it were, tied to himself, conjugal fidelity and chastity continue; but when her heart is divided from her husband, it is all over, and she abandons herself to lewdness. So also the Prophet says here that the heart of the people was divided from God; for they did not devote themselves to God with a pure and sincere affection, as they ought to have done. “This people then have withdrawn their heart from me.”

But he says, Now they shall be guilty; that is I will now show what they deserve, so that they shall not hereafter, as they are wont to do, sport with their cavils; for the verb אשם, ahsem, is not to be referred to the deeds but rather, as, they say, to its manifestation. Then he says that they shall be guilty, for they shall be convicted: as, to be justified means to be absolved, so also to be guilty means to be condemned. The meaning is, that as this people could not perceive the Lord’s wrath as long as their condition was easy to be borne, he would inflict such dreadful punishment as would convince them, so that they might no longer deceive and flatter themselves. They shall then be now condemned. How? For the Lord will overturn their altars. This may be referred to the minister of vengeance; but as no name is expressed, I prefer to understand God as being meant. God then shall overturn their altars and destroy, or reduce to nothing, their statues

This was added, because ungodly men, we know, trust in their own devices, and can never be brought to serious fear, except when they understand that they have been deceived by the crafts of Satan, while they gave themselves up to superstitions and idolatry. Hence the Prophet declares that their altars shall be overturned, and their statues reduced to nothing, that hypocrites might lay aside the confidence by which they had hitherto grown proud against God. But a confirmation of this view follows —

Hosea 10:3

3. For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord; what then should a king do to us?

3. Quia nunc dicent, Non rex nobis, quia non timuimus Jehovam, et rex quid faciet nobis?

He explains more at large what he had briefly referred to, when he said, that the condemnation, which would discover their wickedness, was now near at hand. He now adds, that even they themselves would, of their own accord, say, that they were deservedly punished in being deprived of a king; nay, that a king would avail them nothing, because they had not feared Jehovah. There is always to be understood a contrast between the perverse boasting of the people and the feeling of God’s wrath, of which the Prophet now speaks. For as long as God spared the Israelites, they abused his forbearance and his kindness. They did not then think that there was any thing to be reprehended in their life; nay, we know how petulantly they contended with the Prophets: as soon as a severe word came out of the mouth of any Prophet, great contentions arose. “What! dost thou treat thus the people of God, and the elect race of Abraham?” Since, then, they so obstinately spurned every instruction, the Prophet says here, “The time shall come, when they shall say that they have no king, because they did not fear the Lord.” The meaning is, that as they did not profit by the word of the Lord, another kind of teaching was soon to be adopted; for the Lord would really show his wrath, and even force them to confess against their will what they now excused: for this confession of sin would have never been expressed, had not the Lord dealt severely with them. They shall therefore say, — when? even when they shall be taken to another school; for the Lord will not henceforth remonstrate with them in words, but will so strike them with his hand, that they will understand that they have to do with him.

But it must be observed, that the Prophet speaks not here of the repentance of the people, nor relates their words, but rather mentions the thing itself. Hypocrites either clamour against God when he visits their sins, or feignedly own that they are worthy of such punishments, and all the while the same perverseness remains within. But when the Prophet introduces them as speaking, he does not mean that they will say what he relates; but, as I have said already, he rather speaks of the thing itself. Hence They will say, that is, the event itself will declare, that they are deprived of a king, because they feared not Jehovah; yea, that though a king ruled over them, he would be useless. Though, then, the Israelites had never ceased to clamour against God, nor given over openly to vomit forth their blasphemies against him, yet this, which the Prophet says, would have been still true. How so? Because it was sufficient that they were in reality convicted, though God had not extorted from them this confession; yea, they were themselves made to feel that they were justly smitten by the hand of God, however they might obstinately deny this before men.

The Prophet shows here also, that profane men, while any hope on earth is set before them, proudly despise the hand of God, and grow torpid in their own security, as in their own dregs. While Israel saw their king in the midst of them, they thought themselves safe from every harm, and boldly despised all threatening. This, then, is what the Prophet meant. Still further, when the Lord takes away every thing that dazzles the eyes of profane and wicked men, they then begin to own how foolishly they had flattered themselves, and how much they had been deceived by Satan. This is what is meant by Hosea, when he says, that the Israelites shall be constrained to know that they had no king, because they feared not God: but this repentance would be too late, for it would be without advantage. It now follows —

Hosea 10:4

4. They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgement springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

4. Loquuti sunt verba, jurando mendaciter, incidendo foedus: germinabit tanquam absynthium super sulcos agri judicium. There is here a departure from the usual arrangement: the text is interwoven with the exposition, and not given apart. But to preserve uniformity, the text is here given by itself, collected from the comment. The verse may be thus literally rendered: —

‘They have spoken words, oaths of falsehood, In making of a covenant: And judgment hath sprung up like the wormwood in the furrows of the field.’

Though the doctrine of Calvin is correct, yet his exposition of the last two lines seems too refined. Judgment often means the administration of justice. Instead of being right and for the general good, as it ought to have been, it was like some noxious weed growing naturally and abundantly in the furrows of the field. As the word is literally ‘head,’ it seems to designate a weed or a herb most natural to the soil, the chief herb, which commonly grows abundantly. So that judgment, or administration of justice, was not like the good seed sown in a prepared ground, but like the noxious weed, natural to the soil, when first turned up by the plough. — Ed.

They have spoken words, they have uttered words. Some give this explanation, that they daringly followed their own counsels, as the despisers of God are wont to settle and determine what comes to their minds according to their own will; for they deign not to inquire of God what is right. Thus they take the meaning to be; but I view it to be different, that is, that they spoke words, or very freely testified, that they would be the best and the most faithful worshipers of God. Then it follows, By swearing falsely. Some refer this to covenants. I will explain the words one by one; for I shall hereafter speak of the real meaning of the Prophet.

Then he says, that they swore falsely, that is, according to some because there was in them much levity and changeableness. And, indeed, I confess it to be true, that they procured for themselves grievous punishments by their perjuries; but the Prophet rather means those who swore falsely to the Lord. It then follows, By cutting a covenant, by making a covenant. Here again the Prophet no doubt reproves them for renewing their covenant with God perfidiously; for it was a mere dissimulation. But it follows, Judgement will germinate as wormwood Some render the word כראש, carash as gall; but the similitude is not suitable, since the Prophet speaks here of fields; for he adds, In the furrows of the field; that is, judgement will germinate in the furrows as wormwood or some other bitter plant.

I have thus briefly explained how some understand this verse, namely, that Israel was daring and haughty in their counsels, boldly determining whatever pleased them, as if it were not in the power of God to change what men resolve to do, — and then, that they implicated themselves in many compacts, that without any faith they violated them with this and that nation, and that at last they had nothing but bitterness. This is their exposition: but I rather think that the cause of God is here pleaded by the Prophet; that is, that the Israelites, as often as they promised some repentance, and gave some sign of it, only dissembled and lied to God. Hence he says They have spoken words, but they were only words; for they were never from a heart touched with any feeling as to God’s wrath, so as to abhor themselves for their vices. They therefore uttered words only.

He afterwards expresses the same deceitfulness in other words: They have sworn falsely, he says, and made a covenant; which means, that though they seemed to wish to return to God, it was yet a fallacious pretence; yea, a perjury. When they wished to prove themselves to be especially faithful, they then sinned more grievously by renewing their covenant.

Judgement shall therefore germinate as wormwood in the furrows of the field. Judgement is here to be taken as rectitude, as though the Prophet had said, “When they exhibit some appearance of religion, and give a colour to their impieties, it seems indeed to be judgement, there seems to be some justice; but it will be at last wormwood, and will germinate in the furrows of the field.”

Interpreters seem not to me to have understood the design of the Prophet. For why does he say, “in the furrows of the field,” rather than in the field? Even for this reason, because there is some preparation made, when the field is ploughed, for the good seed to grow. When therefore, noxious herbs grow on the furrows of the land, it is less to be endured than when they grow in dry and desert places; for this is what is wont naturally to happen. But when wormwood grows up instead of wheat in the furrows, that is, on lands well cultivated, it is a thing more strange and less to be endured. We now then apprehend what the Prophet meant. They indeed seemed at times to be touched with some feeling of piety, and promised much, and were very liberal in good words; they even swore, and seemed prepared to renew their covenant with God, — but what was all this? It was the same as if a husband man had prepared his field, and noxious herbs had grown up where he had bestowed much labour and toil. Such was their rectitude, — a disguised form or shadow of religion; it was nothing else, but like wormwood growing in well-cultivated land.

Prayer

Grant, Almighty God, that as thou dost train us up with so much diligence and assiduous care, and regard us as dear and precious like an hereditary vine, — O grant, that we may not bring forth wild grapes, and that our fruit may not be bitter and unpleasant to thee, but that we may strive so to form our whole life in obedience to thy law, that all our actions and thoughts may be pleasant and sweet fruits to thee. And as there is ever some sin mixed up with our works, even when we desire to serve thee sincerely and from the heart, grant that all stains in our works may be so cleansed and washed away by the sacrifice of thy Son, that they may be to thee sacrifices of sweet odour, through the same, even Christ Jesus, who has so reconciled us to thee, as to obtain pardon even for our works. Amen.

Lecture Twenty-seventh

Hosea 10:5

5. The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.

5. Propter vitulas The word rendered “calves” is in the form of a feminine plural: but it is evidently a noun in the singular number, for all the pronouns in the verse, referring to it, are in the singular number. It is a peculiar form, expressive of something huge or great: as בהמות, a great beast in Psalm 73:22; and חכמות, chief wisdom, in Proverbs 9:1. And so Bishop Horsley renders it “great calf.” The Septuagint has “calf.” — τω μοσχω. — Ed. (juvencas) Bethaven pavebunt (ad verbum) incola Samaria (sed mutatio est numeri, pavebunt igitur: alii vertunt, exulabunt incolae Samariae, sed male:) quia lugebit super eum populus suus et sacerdotes ejus, qui super eum exultant (vel, propter eum exultabunt) super gloria ejus, quia transivit ab eo (vel, aversa est ab eo.)

I shall first briefly touch on what I have mentioned in reading over the text; that is, that some interpreters expound this verse of the exile of the people. The word גור, gur, signifies to be banished: and it means also to fear; but the context, as we shall see, will not allow it to be taken here in the sense of being banished. Some render the other word שכן, shecan, to dwell, but they are mistaken. The Prophet simply means that the inhabitants of Samaria were now glorying in their calves, (for the calves we know, were in Dan and Bethel,) but that in a short time the Lord would strike them with terror, and the cause we shall see hereafter.

I now come to show the real meaning of the prophet The inhabitants of Samaria, he says shall fear, because of the calves of Bethaven. The Prophet derides the folly of the people of Israel in worshipping calves, and in thinking that the whole hope of safety was included in them. How so? “They are constrained” he says, “to weep for the exile of their calf; so far is it from being able to bring them any aid, that the citizens of Samaria in vain deplore its captivity.” By way of contempt, he calls the calves, heifers. He might have used the masculine gender; but the whole of the verse glances at the madness of the people of Israel, because they were so grossly delirious in their superstitions, and yet were wholly insensible. Then the inhabitants of Samaria shall fear for the calves of Bethaven, because idolaters, when they see some danger to their idols, tremble, and would gladly bring aid; and this very fear betrays their stupidity and madness. For why do not the gods help themselves, instead of expecting help from mortals? We now understand the design of the Prophet.

But he says, They will mourn over it The number is here changed. He had said, “because of the heifers;” and now he expresses the kind by putting down a relative of the masculine gender ו, vau This relative is either masculine or neuter: the Hebrews have only two genders, the masculine and feminine; and the neuter is expressed by the former. — Ed. . He therefore returns to “calves,” and afterwards uses the singular number; for there was one only at Bethaven, the other was at Dan. But we have already shown why the Prophet called them heifers.

Its people, he says, shall mourn for it, yea, even the priests also. Some think that כמרים, camerim, priests were called by this terms because they put on black vestments in celebrating their rites; for the word “kemer” means black; but this is a vain conjecture: and the Rabbis, as it often appears, are very bold in their figments; for they regard not what is true, but only make conjectures, and wish that whatever comes to their minds to be counted as oracular; nor do they regard history, but advance without reason what pleases them. Another explanation of the word may be adduced, and one in my judgement more probable; for the word signifies also to ring again or to resound; and the priests, we know, made, in performing their services, great noises and howling; as Elijah says

‘Cry aloud, for your Baal is perhaps asleep,’ (1 Kings 18:27.)

If their conjecture is allowable, I would rather say that they were called by this word on account of the noise they made. But I leave the thing undecided. It was, however, a name commonly in use, as it appears from other places. For by this name כמרים, camerim were those new priests called, whom Josiah took away, as it is related in 2 Kings 23. But whether they had this name from their noises, or the black colour of their vestments, it is still certain that they were the priests of false gods.

The Prophet now says, that the priests also shall mourn, for the verb אבל, abel, is to be repeated. He afterwards adds, יגילו על-כבודו, igilu ol-cabudu; the relative, who, is wanting — who exult, but it is to be understood after כמרים, who exult for it. But why should they mourn? They shall mourn for its glory, because it had departed: they shall now begin to mourn, because the glory of the calf had passed away from it. Here the Prophet teaches that the glorying, by which hypocrites deceive themselves, will not be permanent; for the Lord will surely lead them, as we shall see, to sudden and unexpected shame. He then says that there would be mourning for the calves among the citizens of Samaria. They indeed thought that the kingdom was well fortified, for they had erected temples in their borders, to be, as it were, their fortresses. They hence imagined themselves to be safe from every incursion of enemies. The Prophet says, “Nay, they shall mourn for their calf.” How so? Truly its own people shall mourn for it. He goes farther, and calls all its worshipers, the people of the calf: and we know that the whole kingdom of Israel was implicated in that superstition. Yea, he says, even the priests, who exult for it, shall mourn. Why? Because its glory shall depart from it. It now follows —

Hosea 10:6

6. It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

6. Etiam ipse in Assyriam feretur munus regi Jareb: puderem Ephraim accipiet, et pudefiet Israel a consilio suo.

Here the Prophet expresses more clearly the cause of mourning to the priests and to the whole people, The calf, he says, “shall be carried into Assyria, and carried as a present to king Jareb”. It is probable, that when extreme danger came, the king of Israel was constrained either to cast the calf into a new form, or to break it in pieces, to redeem peace from the Assyrian king. As then the whole kingdom was reduced to great want, we may infer from this place that the calf or calves, were carried into Assyria for pacifying the king. Since then the Israelites saw that they were stripped of their protection, (for they were now without any hope of safety, as there was no God among them,) the Prophet mentioned above their grief: but he now shows that exile was nigh at hand, not only to the Israelites, but also to the calves which they worshipped and by whose aid they thought themselves to be secure and safe in their country.

There is a particular emphasis in the particle גם, gam, as though the Prophet said, “Not only the Israelites shall migrate, but the very calf shall also be carried into Assyria.” Of the word “Jareb,” we have spoken in the commentary on Hosea 5, it seems to have been the proper name of a man. Some conjecture it to be a city in Assyria, though not noticed by writers. Others think it to be the name of a neighbouring king to the Assyrian, but without reason, and they are refuted by this very passage; for the Prophet doubtless points out here the Assyrian king. He yet calls him Jareb; it may be that he was as yet a private man, or he may have so called him by way of reproach. This is however uncertain. Jerome renders the word, “avenger.” But it is sufficiently evident that it was a proper name, not of a city or place, but, as it has been said, of a man. And I am disposed to think, that he calls him king Jareb by way of contempt, for this contempt prevailed among the Israelites as long as they thought themselves strong enough to resist. But the Lord afterwards checked this pride: hence the Prophet says now in a cutting manner, “The calf shall be carried into Assyria to pacify king Jareb.”

He afterwards adds, Ephraim shall receive shame, or reproach; Israel shall be made ashamed of his counsel. He says the same thing in different ways and not without reason; for it was difficult at first to persuade the Israelites that what they thought to have been wisely contrived would turn out to their shame. The king Jeroboam the first, when he erected temples did indeed think it the best device to prevent the people, were they to repent, from submitting themselves again to the posterity of David. Hence he thought that the ten tribes were wholly torn away, when he set up that peculiar worship, which had nothing in common with that of the tribe of Judah. And doubtless had the ten tribes worshipped the true God at Jerusalem, this union might have been the means of again reuniting them into one body under one head. Hence the king Jeroboam thought that he had provided well for his kingdom, to render it permanent, by cutting off all communication between the two people: and there was none in Israel who did not approve of this counsel; for they took delight in their wealth, in the number of their men, and in other advantages. Since then the kingdom of Judah was much inferior, the Israelites were vastly pleased with themselves. This is the reason why the Prophet says, Ephraim shall receive shame; Israel shall be made ashamed of his counsel But this, as I have said, could not appear credible at first. For men promise to themselves the success they wish in their own craftiness: and hence it comes also, that they dare to attempt any thing they please without the aid of God. This is the reason why the Prophet repeats the same sentence, “Ephraim,” he says, “shall receive shame; Israel shall be made ashamed,” — for what? for their counsel. They think that their own counsel will be most useful to them; yea, they place their safety in their own craftiness. But the Lord will overrule for their shame whatever they have devised. It follows —

Hosea 10:7

7. As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.

7. Succisus est Samariae rex suus, sicuti spuma in superficie aquarum (alii קצק volunt corsdticem: sed nomen spumae multo aptius est. Samaria is destroyed, Her king is like foam on the waters.

This is evidently the correct rendering, and this construction is what Bishop Horsley adopts. — Ed. )

The Prophet proceeds with the same subject, nor ought it to be deemed a useless prolixity. It would have indeed been sufficient by one word to threaten the Israelites, had they been pliable and obedient; but as they were stupid in their perverseness, it was necessary to stun their ears with continual threatening, that they might be at least less excusable before God. Hence the Prophet says now, that the king of Samaria shall be cut off like the foam: and he thus speaks of the king, because the Israelites thought their king, next to their idols, to be to them an invincible fortress. For thus ungodly men, as it has been mentioned before, always imagine their stronghold to be in the world and earthly things. Hence, the Lord denounces a just punishment, by saying that he would cut off the king; for the impious confidence, of which I have spoken, could not be otherwise corrected. Therefore “the king of Samaria shall be cut off” — in what manner? “Like a foam”. It is a most apt comparison; for the Prophet shows that the condition of the kingdom, which they imagined to be firm and perpetual, had nothing in it but an empty appearance, like the foam, which has nothing substantial. And further, he seems to me to point out another thing, that is, that the kingdom, though it showed itself to be above other kingdoms, was yet but an excrement. The foam floats above the waters of the sea, and by its height seems eminent; but what is the foam but the excrement of the water? for whatever is decayed in the waters passes into foam. So Israel thought, that as they were endued with power, and in every way excelled the tribe of Judah, they could ride, as it were, over their heads. The Prophet, on the contrary, says that they were foam, and also their king. “Your king,” he says, “though the king of Judah cannot be compared with him, is yet a foam. By his height he seems indeed wonderful, and hence has arisen your pride, for you are now become hardened against God; but the Lord will cut him off like a foam.” The Prophet then not only compares the king of Israel to a bubble or to foaming waters; but he says, that with respect to the king of Judah, he is an excrement. We now then understand the meaning of the Prophet.

Hosea 10:8

8. The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

8. Et perierunt (vel, peribunt excelsa Aven, scelus Israel: spina et carduus ascendet super altaria eorum: et dicent montibus, Operite nos; et collibus, Cadite super nos.

We see how much the Prophet dwells on one thing: but, as I have already said, there was need of a strong hammer to beat this iron; for the hearts of the people were iron, or even steel. This hardness could not then be broken except with violence. This is the reason why the Prophet goes on with his threatening and places before their eyes in so many forms the vengeance of God; of which it would have been enough for him briefly to remind them, had they not been so perverse.

And first he says, The high places of Aven have perished, or shall perish. He now calls Bethel Aven, as he called it before Bethaven. We have stated the reason for changing the name. Jeroboam might indeed have disguised the worship, which he had profanely introduced by this pretext, that God had appeared in that place to holy Jacob, and we know its name was given to it by God: but in the meantime, as the people had made a wrong use of the Patriarch’s example, the place was called Bethaven. Bethaven, we know, is the house of iniquity; as though the Prophet had said, “God dwells not in this place, as superstitious men imagine; but it has been corrupted by ungodly worshipers.” He therefore says, “The high places of Aven;” that is, of impiety. But it may be expedient to repeat here what we have before said, namely, that when men degenerate from the pure teaching of God, they in vain cover their profanations with empty names, as we see the Papists doing at this day; for they adorn that profanation, the Mass, with the title of Sacrament, as if it was something allied to it. They wish even their own Mass to be regarded as the Holy Supper, as if it were in their power to abolish what has been prescribed by the Son of God, and to substitute in its place their own inventions. Hence, how much soever the Papists may dignify their profanations with honourable names they effect nothing. How so? Because God loudly proclaims respecting Bethel that it is Bethaven; and the reason is well known, because Jeroboam erected temples, and appointed new sacrifices, without God’s command. Whenever, then, men depart from the word of the Lord, it will avail them nothing to disguise their own dreams; for the Lord approves of nothing but what he himself commands. Hence the high places of Aven have perished, or “shall perish.”

He adds The sin of Israel This sentence, placed in apposition, belongs to the former. What is meant is, The sin of Israel shall perish. But, as it was said yesterday, the Israelites thought that they performed a service acceptable to God; and hence it was that they were so sedulously attentive to their holy rites; but God, on the contrary, pronounced them to be sin. How so? Because it is profanation and idolatry in men to leave off following God’s command, and to give way to their own fancies and inventions. We must then understand, that it is not in the power of men to form any modes of worship they please; nor is it in their power to decide on this or that worship, whether it be lawful or spurious; but nothing remains for us but to attend to what the Lord says. When, therefore, the Lord pronounces that to be profane which pleases us, we ought to acquiesce in his judgement; for it does not become us to dispute with him, and it would be vain to do so.

The thorn and the thistle, he says, shall come up on their altars It may be asked, Ought the Prophet simply, by these tokens, to have reproved the superstition of the people, seeing that the same thing happened to the temple a short time after, though not built by the counsel of men, but by that of God? Since, then, the grass grew where the temple was, was not that worship, which we know was founded by God, exposed to ridicule? It is only the same that can be said of the calves. We grant that the calves were carried into Assyria, as a price from the wretched Israelites to pacify the king, who was angry with them. Was not the ark of the covenant taken also into captivity by enemies? Did not king Nebuchadnezzar take away the vessels of the temple? And was not pious Hezekiah constrained to strip the doors of the temple of their ornaments? Then this seems not to have been fitly spoken by the Prophet. The answer to all this may be readily given: The Israelites promised to themselves what they saw, and found afterwards to be vain as is the case with hypocrites, who securely despise all judgements and all punishments. How so? Because they thought their own perverted worship to be sufficient for their safety; though they were in their whole life abominable yet as some form of religion was observed by them, they thought that God was bound to be with them: such and so supine was the security of that people. Very different was the case with the tribe of Judah. For God, by his Prophets, proclaimed aloud, “Trust not in words of falsehood; for ye boast continually, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, (Jeremiah 7:4,) but I no longer dwell in that temple:” and Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord departing elsewhere, (Ezekiel 10:4.) What is said here could not then apply to the temple, nor to the true and lawful altar, nor to the true worshipers of God; but the Prophet justly reproaches the Israelites for expecting safety from their own altars, while yet they were provoking God’s wrath against themselves by such inventions. We ought, then to remember this difference between the tribe of Judah and the ten tribes.

But he adds, — They shall say to the mountains, Cover us: and to the hills, Fall on us. By this form of speaking, the Prophet intended to express the dreadful vengeance of God; as if he had said, that the destruction, which was at hand, would be so grievous that it would be better to perish a hundred times than to remain in that state alive. For when men say to hills, Fall on us, and to mountains, Cover us, they doubtless desire a death too dreadful to be spoken of; but it is the same as if the Prophet had said, that life and light, and the sight of the sun and the common air, would become a horror to them, for they would perceive the hand of God to be against them. And further, it is a sign of extreme despair, when men willingly seek the abyss, where they may sink to avoid the presence of God and present destruction. And hence Christ has also transferred this passage to set forth the last judgement, of which he speaks, — ‘They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us;’ Luke 23:30. — fj. that is, what was once said by the Prophet shall then be again fulfilled; that the wicked will prefer a hundred deaths to one life; for both light and the vital air will be hated and detested by them; because they will perceive themselves to be oppressed by the dreadful hand of God. It follows —

Hosea 10:9

9. O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

9. A diebus Gabaa peccasti Israel: illic steterunt; non apprehendit eos in Gibea proelium super filios iniquitatis.

He here reproaches Israel for having been long inured in their sins, and not for being lately corrupted. This is the substance. He had said in the last chapter that they were deep in their sins, as in the days of Gibeah: we then explained why the Prophet adduced the example of Gibeah, and that was, because the Gibeonites had fallen away from all fear of God, as if not a word about the law had ever been heard among them. We indeed know that they abandoned themselves to filthy and monstrous lusts, like the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorra. Seeing, then, that so great obscenity prevailed openly and with impunity in Gibeah, rightly did the Prophet say that the Israelites were then lost and past hope, as the case was at that time. But now he regards another thing, even this, — that from that time they had not ceased to accumulate evils on evils, and thus to spin, as it were, a continuous rope of iniquity, as it is said in another place, — From the days then of Gibeah hast thou, Israeli sinned

But this seems an unjust charge; for we know that the whole people united together against the tribe of Benjamin. Since, then, the Israelites revenged that wickedness which was committed in the city of Gibeah, why does the Prophet bring against them the crime of which they had been the avengers? But we know that it often happens, that they who execute the vengeance of God are in no respect better; and we had a remarkable example of this at the beginning in Jehu; for he had been God’s minister in punishing superstitions; yet God calls him a robber, and compares the vengeance he executed to robbery; ‘I will avenge,’ he says, ‘on the head of Jehu the blood of the house of Ahab, which he has shed.’ And yet we know that he was armed with the sword of God. This is indeed true; but he acted not with a sincere and upright heart, for he afterwards followed the same example. So now the Prophet says, that the Israelites had sinned even from that time; as though he said, “The Lord by the hand of your fathers took vengeance on the Gibeonites and on the whole tribe of Benjamin: but they were wholly like them. This corruption has from that time overwhelmed, like a deluge, the whole land of Israel. There is then no reason for you to boast that you have been better, inasmuch as it afterwards fully appeared what you were, for you imitated the Gibeonites.” We now then understand the design of the Prophet, and how justly he brings this charge against the Israelites, that they had sinned from the days of Gibeah. They indeed thought that crime was confined to a small corner of the land; but the Prophet says that the whole land was covered with it, and that they all exposed themselves to God’s judgement, and deserved the same punishment with the Gibeonites and their brethren, the whole tribe of Benjamin. ‘Thou, Israel, hast then sinned from the days of Gibeah:’ the Israelites said, that the Benjamites alone sinned; but that sin, he says was common.

There they stood This clause is variously explained. Some think that the people are reproved for wishing to retreat after having twice fought without success. We hence see that their minds were soft and cowardly, since they so soon succumbed to their trial. They therefore think that this want of confidence is pointed out by the Prophet; ‘There they stood,’ he says, that is, retreated from the battle; for as they did not succeed as they wished, they thought that they had been deceived. Hence it is concluded, that they did not ascribe his just honour to God, and were on this account reprehensible. But others say, that God had then testified by a clear proof that the Israelites were equal in guilt to the Gibeonites; for how came it, they say, that when they engaged in battle, they were compelled twice to retreat? All Israel were armed against one tribe; how then was it that they did not immediately overcome? But the Benjamites, we know, were not at last conquered without a great loss. It is then certain that God plainly showed that the Israelites were unworthy of so honourable an office; for the Israelites wished to execute God’s judgement, when they were themselves equally wicked. The Lord then openly reminded them, that it was not for them to turn their zeal against others, when they were no less guilty themselves. It seems to others that their obstinacy is here pointed out: ‘There they stood;’ that is, from that time they have been perverse in their wickedness, and ‘the battle against the children of iniquity did not lay hold on them.’ This third exposition is what I mostly approve; that is, that the Israelites, when they became ungodly and wicked, though they professed great zeal and ardour against the tribe of Benjamin, did not yet cease from that time to conduct themselves perversely against God, so that they at last arrived at the highest pitch of impiety.

But what follows, The battle in Gibea against the children of iniquity did not lay hold on them, may also be variously explained. Some say, that the Israelites ought not to have defended themselves with this shield, that God had so severely punished the Gibeonites and their kindred. “The Lord spared you once, but what then? He has deferred his vengeance for a long time; but will he on that account deal more mildly with you now? Nay, a heavier vengeance awaits you; for from that time he has not forced repentance out of you.” But others read the sentence as a question, “Has the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity laid hold on you?” But the simple sense of the words seems to me to be this, that the battle had not laid hold on the Israelites, because they had not been touched by that example. The judgements of God, we know, are set forth before our eyes, that each of us may apply them for our own benefit. The Prophet now reproves the neglect of the Israelites in this matter, because they disregarded the event as a thing of no moment. Hence the battle did not lay hold on them; that is, they did not perceive that they were warned at the expense of others to repent, and to live afterwards a holier and purer life in subjection to God. And this view is confirmed by the last clause, “against the children of iniquity;” for why is this expressly added by the Prophet, except that the Lord testified that they should not be unpunished, who were like the Gibeonites, with whom he dealt so rigidly and severely. Since, then, the Israelites had not been touched, their stupidity was hence proved. And for the same reason Paul says, that the wrath of God shall come on the children of disobedience or of unbelief, (Ephesians 5:6:) for when God takes vengeance on one people or on one man, he doubtless shows himself in that particular judgement to be the judge of the world. This seems to me to be the genuine meaning of the Prophet.

We ought further to bear in mind, that when men go on in their wickedness, whatever sins their fathers have done are justly imputed to them. When we return to the right way, the Lord instantly buries all our sins, and reconciles us to himself on this condition, that he will pardon whatever fault there may be in us: though we may, through our whole life, have provoked his wrath against us, he will yet as I have said, instantly bury the whole. But if we repent not, the Lord will remember, not only our own sins, but also those of our fathers, as it is evident from what is here said by the Prophet.

Prayer

Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast once appeared in the person of thy only-begotten Son, and hast rendered in him thy glory visible to us, and as thou dost daily set forth to us the same Christ in the glass of thy gospel, — O grant, that we, fixing our eyes on him, may not go astray, nor be led here and there after wicked inventions, the fallacies of Satan, and the allurements of this world: but may we continue firm in the obedience of faith and persevere in it through the whole course of our life, until we be at length fully transformed into the image of thy eternal glory, which now in part shines in us, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lecture Twenty-eighth

Hosea 10:10

10. It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows. The word here rendered “furrows” is not so found any where else. The Masoretic points have alone fixed to it this meaning. The Hebrew text has עינתם, their spring or fountain; and Keri, the marginal reading, and twelve MSS, have עונותם, their sins or iniquities. The latter reading is countenanced by the Septuagint, the Syriac, and the Vulgate. Then the right translation would be, “when they are bound to their two iniquities;” that is, the two alliances with Assyria and Egypt, or the two calves, one in Dan, the other at Bethel.

“When they are chastised for their two iniquities.” — Newcome.

10. In voto meo est, et castigabo eos, et congregabuntur contra eos populi, ubi colligati fuerint (vel, se colligaverint) in duobus sulcis suis (alii vertunt, in duobus iniquitatibus suis, quasi nomen esset ab עון )

When God says that he desires to chastise the people, he intimates that this was his purpose, as when one greatly wishes for anything; and it may be an allowable change in the sentence, if the copulative was omitted, and it be rendered thus, — It is in my desire to chastise them But to depart from the words seems not to me necessary; I therefore take them apart as they stand, in this sense, — that God would follow his desire in chastising the people. The sentence seems indeed to be repugnant to many others, in which God declares his sorrow, when constrained to deal severely with his people, but the two statements are not discordant. Passions, we know, belong not to God; but in condescension to men’s capacities, he puts on this or that character. When he seems unwilling to indict punishment, he shows with how much love he regards his own people, or with what kind and tender affection he loves them. But yet, as he has to do with perverse and irreclaimable men, he says that he will take pleasure in their destruction; and for this reason also, it is said that God will take revenge. We now then understand the meaning of the Prophet: he intimates, that the purpose which God had formed of destroying the people of Israel could not now be revoked; for this punishment was to him his highest delight.

He further says, I will chastise them, and assembled shall peoples be against them By these words God shows that all people are in his hand, that he can arm them whenever he pleases; and this truth is everywhere taught in the Scriptures. God then so holds all people under his command, that by a hiss or a nod he can, whenever it pleases him, stir them up to war. Hence, as heedless Israel laughed at God’s judgement, he now shows how effectual will be his revenge, for he will assemble all people for their destruction.

And for the same purpose he adds, When they shall have bound themselves in two furrows By this clause the Prophet warns the Israelites, that nothing would avail them, though they fortified themselves against every danger, and though they gathered strength on every side; for all their efforts would not prevent God from executing his vengeance. When therefore they shall be bound in their two furrows, I will not on that account give over to assemble the people who shall dissipate all their fortresses. We now apprehend the design of the Prophet. He no doubt mentions two furrows, with reference to ploughing; for we shall see that the Prophet dwells on this metaphor. However much then the Israelites might join together and gather strength, it would yet be easy for God to gather people to destroy them.

Some refer this sentence to the whole body of the people; for they think that the compact between the kingdom of Judah and Israel is here pointed out: but this is a mere conjecture, for history gives it no countenance. Others have found out another comment, that the Lord would punish them all together, since Judah had joined the people of Israel in worshipping the calves: so they think that the common superstition was the bond of alliance between the two kingdoms. There are others who think that the Prophet alludes to the two calves, one of which, as it is well known, was worshipped in Dan, and the other at Bethel. But all these interpretations are too refined and strained. The Prophet, I doubt not, does here simply mention the two furrows, because the people, (as godless men are wont to do,) relying on their own power, boldly and proudly despised all threatening. “Howsoever,” he says, “they may join themselves together in two furrows, they shall yet effect nothing by their pride to prevent me from executing my vengeance.” Let us proceed —

Hosea 10:11

11. And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.

11. Ephraim juvenca est edocta ad diligendum trituram; This is certainly a more literal rendering than our version, though it be not wholly so. The two first lines, word for word, may be thus translated, —

“And Ephraim is a trained heifer. Loving to tread the corn.”

— Ed. et ego transivi super pulchritudine colli ejus; equitare faciam Ephraim, arabit Judah, occabit sibi Jacob.

Some read the two words, “taught,” and “loveth,” separately, מלמדה, melamde, and אהבתי, aebti; for they think that at the beginning of the verse a reproach is conveyed, as though the Prophet had said, that Ephraim was wholly unteachable: though God had from childhood brought him up under his discipline, he yet now showed so great stubbornness, that he even ceased not to rebel against God, and went on obstinately in his own wickedness. “Ephraim then is like a trained heifer.” But this meaning seems too far fetched: I therefore connect the whole together in one context, and follow what has been more approved, Ephraim is a heifer trained to love, or, that she may love, threshing; that is, Ephraim has been accustomed to love threshing.

There is here an implied comparison between ploughing and threshing. There is more labour and toil, we know, in ploughing than in threshing; for the oxen are coupled together, and then they are compelled to obey, and in vain do they draw here and there, when they are joined together. But when oxen thresh, they are loose, and the labour is less toilsome and heavy. The Prophet then means this, — that Ephraim pretended some obedience, and yet would not take the yoke, so as to be really and in everything submissive to God. Other nations did not understand what it was to obey God; but there was some appearance of religion in Israel; they indeed professed to worship the God of Israel, they had temples among them; but the Lord derides this hypocrisy, and says, — Ephraim is like a heifer, which will not submit her neck to the yoke, but will only, for recreation’s sake, pass through the threshing-floor and tread the corn, as hypocrites are wont to do; for they do not wholly repudiate every truth, but in part receive it; yet, when the Lord presses on them too much, they then fiercely resist, and show that they wish to do according to their own will. Almost the whole world exhibit, indeed, some appearance of obedience, I know not what; but they wish to make a compact with God, that he should not require more then what their pleasure may allow. When one is a slave to many vices, he desires a liberty for these to be allowed him; in other things, he will yield some obedience. We now understand the meaning of the Prophet, and see what he had in view. He then derides the hypocritical service which the Israelites rendered to God; for they were at the same time unwilling to bear the yoke, and were untameable. To the threshing they were not unwilling to come; for when God commanded anything that was easy, they either willingly performed it, or at least discharged their duty somehow in that particular; but they would not accustom themselves to plough.

Since it was so, I have passed over, he says, upon her beautiful neck God shows why he treated Ephraim with severity; for he was made to submit, because he was so obstinate. ‘I have passed over upon the goodness of her neck;’ that is, “When I saw that she had a fat neck, and that she refused the yoke, I tried, by afflictions, whether such stubbornness could be subdued.” Some refer this to the teaching of the law, and say, that God had passed over upon the beautiful neck of Israel, because he had delivered his law in common to all the posterity of Abraham. But this is foreign to the context. I therefore doubt not but that the mind of the Prophet was this, — that God here declares, that it was not without reason that he had been so severe in endeavouring to tame Israel, for he saw that he could not be otherwise brought to obedience. “Since, then, Ephraim only loved the treading, I wished to correct this delusion, and ought not to have spared him. If he had been a wearied ox, or an old one broken down and emaciated, and of no strength, some consideration for him ought to have been had: but as Israel had a thick and fat neck, as he was strong enough to bear the yoke, and as he yet loved his own pleasures and refused the yoke, it was needful that he should be tamed by afflictions. I have therefore passed over upon the goodness, or the beauty, of the neck of Ephraim.”

But as God effected nothing in mildly chastising Israel, he now subjoins, — I will make him to ride Some render it, “I will ride:” but as the verb is in Hiphel, (the causative mood,) it is necessary to explain it thus, that God will make Israel to ride. But what does this mean? They who render it, “I will ride,” saw that they departed from what grammar requires; but necessity forced them to this strained interpretation. Others will have על, ol, on, to be understood, “I will make to ride on Ephraim,” and they put in another word, “I will make the nations to ride on Ephraim.” But the sentence will accord best with the context, if we make no change in the words of the Prophet. Nay, they who adduce the comments I have mentioned, destroy the elegance of the expression and pervert the meaning. Thus, then, does God speak, — “Since Ephraim loves treading, and the moderate punishments by which I meant to subdue him avail nothing, I will hereafter deal with him in another way: I will make him,” he says, “to ride:” that is, “I will take him away, as it were, through the clouds.” The Prophet alludes to the lasciviousness and intemperance of Israel; for lust had so carried away that people, that they could not walk straight, or with a steady step, but staggered here and there; as also Jeremiah says, that they were untameable bullocks, (Jeremiah 31:18.) What does God declare? ‘I will make them to ride;’ that is, I will deal with this people according to their disposition. There is a similar passage in Job; Job 30:22. — fj. where the holy man complains that he was forcibly snatched away, that God made him to ride on the clouds. ‘God,’ he says, ‘made me to ride,’ (he uses there the same word.) What does it mean? Even that the Lord had forcibly carried him here and there. So also the Prophet says here, — “Israel is delicate, and, at the same time, I see so much voluptuousness in his nature, that he cannot take the yoke; nothing then remains for him but to ride on the clouds. But what sort of riding will this be? Such as that, when the people shall be carried away into exile; since they cannot rest quietly in the land of Canaan, since they cannot enjoy the blessings of God, they shall ride, that is, they shall quickly be taken away into a far country.” We now then see how God dealt with Israel, when he saw what his disposition required; for he could not be constrained to obedience in his own land; it was then necessary to remove him elsewhere, as it was done.

He afterwards subjoins, Judah shall plough, Jacob shall harrow for himself; that is, the remaining portion of the people shall remain in their afflictions. These punishments were indeed grievous, when considered in themselves; but it was far easier and more tolerable for Judah to plough and to harrow among his people, than if he had to ride. Judah then suffered grievous losses, and the Lord chastised him also with afflictions; but this punishment, as I have said, was much less than the other. It was the same as when an ox, drawn out of the stall, is led into the field, and is forced to endure his daily labour; his toil is indeed heavy and grievous; but the ox at least lives after his work, and refreshes himself by his rest during the night. He also undergoes some toil by harrowing, and grows weary; but he returns to the stall; and then his master is not so cruel, but that he grants his ox some indulgence. We hence see the purport of this comparison, that Judah shall plough, and that Jacob, that is, the remaining part of the people, shall harrow; which means, that the rest of the people shall break the clods, — for to harrow among the Latins is to break the clods — but that the Lord will make Ephraim to ride. This, I doubt not, is the genuine sense of the passage; but I leave to others their own free judgement. It now follows —

Hosea 10:12

12. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

12. Seminate vobis ad justitiam, colligite (metite) ab mensuram (vel pro mensura) clementiam (vel, bonitatem;) arate vobis aratinem (alii vertunt, Novate vobis novale, sicuti Jeremiae 4: caeterum quia idem est sensus, ego relinquo hoc liberum:) et tempus inquirendi Jehovam, donec veniat, et pluere faciat justitiam vobis (quanquam megis recepta versio est, Doceat vos justitiam.)

He exhorts here the Israelites to repentance; though it seems not a simple and bare exhortation, but rather a protestation; as though the Lord had said, that he had hitherto laboured in vain as to the people of Israel, because they had ever continued obstinate. For it immediately follows —

Hosea 10:13

13. Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

13. Arastis impietatem, iniquitatem messuistes; comedistis fructum mendacii: quia confisus es in via tua, in multitudine fortium tuorum.

The reason is here found, why I thought that the Prophet did not simply exhort the people, but rather charged them with obduracy for not growing better, though often admonished. He then relates how much God had previously done to restore the people to a sound mind; for it had been his constant teaching, Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap, in proportion, kindness, or according to the proportion of kindness; plough a ploughing for yourselves; it is the time to seek the Lord Though then the people heard these words daily, and had their ears almost stunned by them, they did not yet change for the better, nor made themselves pliable; nay, as it were with a fixed purpose, they ploughed, he says, ungodliness, they reaped iniquity; they therefore did eat the fruit of falsehood, for they sustained just punishments, or satiated themselves with falsehood and treachery. We now apprehend the meaning of the Prophet: I will come to particulars.

Sow for yourselves righteousness He shows that the salvation of this people had not been neglected by God; for he had tried whether they were healable. The remedy was, that the people were to know that God would be pacified towards them, if they devoted themselves to righteousness. The Lord offered his favour: “Return only to me; for as soon as the seed of righteousness shall be sown by you, the harvest shall be prepared, a reward shall be laid up for you; ye shall then reap fruit according to your kindness.”

But if any one asks, whether it be in the power of men to sow righteousness, the answer is ready, and that is that the Prophet explains not here how far the ability of men extends, but requires what they ought to do. For whence is it that so many of God’s curses often overwhelm us, except that we sow seed similar to the produce? that is, God repays us what we have deserved. This then is what the Prophet shows, when he says, “Sow for yourselves righteousness:” he shows that it was their fault, if the Lord did not cherish them kindly and bountifully, and in a paternal manner; it was because their impiety suffered him not.

And the Prophet only speaks of the duties of the second table, as also the Prophets do, when they exhort men to repentance: they often begin with the second table of the law, because the perverseness of men with regard to this is more palpable, and they can thereby be more easily convicted.

But what he afterwards subjoins, נירו ניר, niru nir, plough the ploughing, is not, I confess, in its proper place; but there is in this nothing inconsistent: for after having exhorted them to plough, he now adds, that they were like uncultivated and desert fields, so that it was not right to sow the seed until they had been prepared. The Prophet then ought, according to the order of nature, to have begun with ploughing; but he simply said what he wished to convey, that the Israelites received not the fruit they desired, because they had only sown unrighteousness. If they now wished to be dealt with more kindly, he shows the remedy, which is to sow righteousness. If it was so, that they were already filled with wickedness, he shows that they were like a field overgrown with briers and thorns. When therefore a field has long remained uncultivated, thorns and thistles and other noxious herbs grow there, and a double ploughing will be necessary, and this double labour is called Novation; Novatio, which means the second ploughing — the ploughing of the fallow-ground — of the ground once before ploughed, the novale. — Ed. and Jeremiah speaks of the same thing, when he shows that the people had grown hardened in their wickedness, and that they could not bear any fruit until the thorns were torn up by the roots, and until they had been well cleansed from the vices in which they had become fixed; and hence he says, —

‘Plough again your fallow-ground,’ (Jeremiah 4:3.)

And it is the time for seeking Jehovah, until he come Here the Prophet offers a hope of pardon to the people, to encourage them to repent: for we know that when men are called back to God, they are torpid and even faint in their minds, until they are assured that God will be propitious to them; and this is what we have treated of more fully in another place. The Prophet now handles the same truth, that it is the time for seeking the Lord. He indeed uses the word עת, ot, which means a seasonable time. It is then the time for seeking the Lord; as though he said, “The way of salvation is not yet closed against you; for the Lord invites you to himself, and he is of his own self inclined to mercy.” This is one thing. We are, however, at the same time, taught that there ought to be no delay; for such tardiness will cost them dear, if they despise so kind an invitation of God, and go on in their own obstinacy. It is then the time for seeking Jehovah; as Isaiah also says

‘Seek the Lord while he may be found, call on him while he is nigh: Behold, now is the time of good-pleasure; behold, now is the day of salvation,’ (Isaiah 55:6.) Isaiah 49:8, 55:6; 2 Corinthians 6:2. — fj.

So also in this place, the Prophet testifies that God will be easily entreated, if Israel returned to the right way; but that, if they continued obstinately in their sins, this time would not be perpetual; for the door would be shut, and the people would cry in vain, after having neglected this seasonable invitation, and abused the patience of God.

It is then the time, he says, for seeking the Lord, until he come This last clause is a confirmation of the former; for the Prophet here expressly declares that it would not be useless labour for Israel to begin to seek God — ‘He will come to you.’ He at the same time warns them not to be too hasty in their expectations; for though God may receive us into favour, he does not yet immediately deliver us from all punishments or evils. We must, then, patiently wait until the fruit of reconciliation appears. We hence see that both points are here wisely handled by the Prophet; for he would have Israel to hasten with deep concern, and not to delay long the time of repentance, and also to remain quiet, if God did not immediately show himself propitious, and show tokens of his favour; the Prophet wished, in this case, the people to be patient.

And rain righteousness upon you. The word ירה, ire, means indeed “to teach,” and also “to throw;” but as the word מורה, mure, derived from this verbs as it is well known, means the rain, I could not explain it here otherwise than “he will rain righteousness upon you.” What, indeed, could the teaching of righteousness mean? For the Prophet alludes to the harvest; and the people might say, “Are we sure of provision, if we seek God?” “Certainly,” he says; “he will come — he will come to you, and will rain righteousness, or the fruit of righteousness, upon you.” In short, the Prophet here shows, that whenever God is sought sincerely and from the heart by sinners, he comes forth to meet them, and shows himself kind and merciful. But as he had spoken of ploughing and sowing, the fruit or the harvest was now to be mentioned; that he might therefore hold forth a promise that they who had sown righteousness would not lose their expense and toil, he says, the Lord will rain upon you the fruit of righteousness.

Now follows the other verse, which, as I have said, completes the passage, Ye have ploughed ungodliness, iniquity have ye reaped: ye have eaten the fruit of falsehood The Prophet shows that the people had in vain been daily admonished, and so kindly and sweetly allured by the Lord; for they had not only slighted wholesome warnings, but had, in their perverse wickedness, abandoned themselves to a contrary course: ye have ploughed, he says, impiety; God has exhorted you to sow righteousness, — what have ye sown? Impiety; and then ye have reaped iniquity. Some think that the punishments which the people had to bear are pointed out here; as though the Prophet had said, “God has returned to you such a produce as was suitable to your sowing; ye are therefore satiated with falsehood — that is, with your own false confidence.” But he seems rather to pursue the same strain of thought, and to say, that they had ploughed impiety — that is, that they had been from the beginning ungodly; and then, that they had reaped iniquity — that is, that they had continued their wickedness to the very harvest, and laid up their fruit as it were in a storehouse, that they might satiate themselves with treachery. The Prophet, I think, speaks in this sense; but let there be a free choice. I only show what seems to me most suitable.

For it follows then, For thou hast trusted in thine own way, in the multitude of thy valiant ones Here the Prophet points out the chief spring-head of all sins; for the Israelites, trusting in their own counsels, gave no ear to the word of God: and then, being fortified by their own strength, they dreaded not his judgements, nor fled to his pledged protection to defend them. This pride is not then named here by the Prophet without reason as the chief source of all sins. For when one distrusts his own wisdom, or is afraid, being conscious of his weakness, he can be easily subdued; but when pride possesses man’s minds so that he thinks himself wise, nothing will then prevail with him, neither counsel nor instruction. It is the same when any one greatly extols his own strength, and is inflated with pride, he cannot be made tractable, were he admonished a hundred times. The Prophet then defines here the falsehood, the impiety, and the iniquity of which he had been speaking. For though the people sinned in various ways, the fountain and root was in this lie or falsehood, that they were wont to set up their own strength in opposition to God, and thought themselves so endued with wisdom, that they had no need of teachers. Since, then, the people were so blinded with their own pride, the Prophet shows here that it was this lie with which they had satiated themselves. It follows —

Hosea 10:14-15

14. Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.

14. Et (vel, ideo, copula enim illativam particulam valet, ideo) surget tumultus in populis tuis; et unaquaeque munitionum tuarum vastabitur, secundum vastationem Salman Beth-arbel: in die proelii mater super filios allidetur.

15. So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

15. Secundum (hoc modo) faciet vobis Bethel a facie malitiae, malitiae vestrae: in aurora pereundo peribit rex Israel.

The Prophet here denounces punishment, having before exposed to view the sins of the people, and sufficiently proved them guilty, who by subterfuges avoided judgement. He now adds, that God would be a just avenger. A tumult then shall arise among thy people Thou hast hitherto satiated thyself with falsehood; for hope in thine own courage has inebriated thee, and also a false notion of wisdom; but the Lord will suddenly stir up tumults among thy people; that is, a tumult shall in one moment arise on every side. He intimates that its progress would not be slow, but that the tumult would be each as would confound things from one corner of the land to the other. A tumult then, or perdition, shall arise among thy people; for the word שאון, shaun, “on” means perdition or destruction; but I prefer “tumult,” as the verb, קאם“kam” seems to require. “Every one of thy fortresses,” he says, “shall be demolished.” He shows that whatever strength the people had would be weak and wholly useless, when the Lord had begun to raise a tumult; for this tumult would reduce to ruin all their fortified cities.

He then adds an instance, which some refer to Shalmanezar. He only mentions Shaman; and Shalmanezar is indeed a compound name; but it is not known whether the Prophet had put down here his name in its simple form, Shaman: and then he mentions Betharbel, a city, referred to in some parts of Scripture, which was, with respect to Judea, beyond Jordan. If we receive this opinion, it seems that the Prophet wished to revive the memory of a recent slaughter, “Ye know what lately happened to you when Shalmanezar marched with so much cruelty through your country, when he laid waste your villages and towns and cities, and ye especially know how fierce the battle was in Betharbel, when a carnage was made, when mothers were violently thrown on their children, when the enemy spared neither sex nor age, which in the worst wars is a most cruel thing.” Such, then, may have been the meaning of the Prophet. But others think that he relates a history, which is nowhere else to be told. However this may be, it appears that the Prophet spake of some slaughter which was in his day well known. Then the report of it was common enough, whether it was a slaughter made by Shalmanezar, or any other, of which there is no express mention found. We now see the meaning of the Prophet; but we cannot finish to-day.

Prayer

Grant, Almighty God, that as we remain yet in our own wickedness, though often warned and sweetly invited by thee, and as thou prevailest not with us by thy daily instruction, — O grant, that we may, in a spirit of meekness, at length turn to thy service, and fight against the hardness and obstinacy of our flesh, till we render ourselves submissive to thee, and not wait until thou puttest forth thy hand against us, or at least so profit under thy chastisements, as not to constrain thee to execute extreme vengeance against us, but to repent without delay; and that we may indeed, without hypocrisy, plough under thy yoke, and so enjoy thy special blessings, that thou mayest show thyself to us not only as our Lord, but also as our Father, full of mercy and kindness, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lecture Twenty-ninth

We explained yesterday Hosea 10:14, in which the Prophet denounced the vengeance of God on his people, such as they had experienced either when the country was laid waste by the army of Shalmanezar, or when some other slaughter was made. From the words, we certainly learn that a battle had been fought in Arbel, which was a town, as we have said, beyond Jordan. But the Prophet shows also how much had been the atrocity of that battle, and how grievous and dreadful would be that slaughter which he now threatens to the people, by saying that even the mother had been violently thrown upon her children. And the Prophet also shows that God’s vengeance would be just, because the Israelites had provoked God by their superstitions.

He then points out in the last verse the cause why the Lord would deal so severely with his people; and his manner of speaking ought to be observed. So, he says, shall Bethel do unto you He might have said, ‘So will God do unto you;’ but he more distinctly shows that the evil, or the cause of the evil, was in themselves; Bethel, he says, shall do this unto you. It is certain that the war did not arise from Bethel; but as they had corrupted the worship of God by worshipping the calf, the Prophet says, that the Assyrian was not, properly speaking, the author of this slaughter, but that it was to be imputed to that corruption which had arisen in Bethel. Bethel then shall do this unto you

But he adds, Because of wickedness — of your wickedness Some give this explanation, “Because of the wickedness of wickedness,” by which is expressed something extreme, as the genitive case is often used by the Hebrews in the place of the superlative degree; but it may be viewed as a simple repetition, “This shall be for wickedness — your wickedness, and it shall be so, that ye may not be able to transfer the blame to any other cause; for ye are yourselves the authors of all the evils.”

He says, in the last place, In a morning shall the king of Israel be utterly cut off, or, by perishing shall perish. The Prophet means by these words, that the Lord would so punish the people of Israel, that it would appear plain enough, that it was not done by man or by chance; for the Lord would suddenly overturn that kingdom which had been so well fortified, which flourished so much in wealth and power. Cut off then in a morning, or in one morning, shall be the king of Israel. Some read, “as the morning,” instead of, “in a morning,” כשחר, cashicher, בשחר, beshicher. ‘The king of Israel shall perish like the dawn;’ for the dawn, we know, immediately disappears when the sun rises: the sun brings with it the full day, and then the dawn immediately passes away. But the other is the more correct reading, as it has also been more commonly received, that is, “In a morning, or in one morning, shall the king of Israel perish;” as we say in French, Cela n’est que pour un desiuner For that proud people thought that no adversity could happen to them for many years, as they had a blind confidence in their own strength. The Prophet derides this madness, and says, that the slaughter would be sudden, that the king would in a moment be destroyed, though he thought himself well supplied with soldiers and all other defences. Now follows —

Chapter 11

Hosea 11:1

1. When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

1. Quia puer Israel, et dilexi eum (hoc est, Quando adhuc puer erat Israel; כי non accipitur hic causaliter, sed adverbium est temporis: Quum ergo puer erat Israel, tunc dilexi eum;) et ex Egypto vocavi filium meum (ad verbum est, clamavi ad filium meum.)

CHAPTER 10

Ho 10:1-15. Israel's Idolatry, the Source of Perjuries and Unlawful Leagues, Soon Destined to Be the Ruin of the State, Their King and Their Images Being About to Be Carried Off; a Just Chastisement, the Reaping Corresponding to the Sowing.

The prophecy was uttered between Shalmaneser's first and second invasions of Israel. Compare Ho 10:14; also Ho 10:6, referring to Hoshea's calling So of Egypt to his aid; also Ho 10:4, 13.

1. empty--stripped of its fruits [Calvin], (Na 2:2); compelled to pay tribute to Pul (2Ki 15:20). Maurer translates, "A widespreading vine"; so the Septuagint. Compare Ge 49:22; Psa 80:9-11; Eze 17:6.

bringeth forth fruit unto himself--not unto Me.

according to ... multitude of ... fruit ... increased ... altars--In proportion to the abundance of their prosperity, which called for fruit unto God (compare Ro 6:22), was the abundance of their idolatry (Ho 8:4, 11).

2. heart ... divided--(1Ki 18:21; Mt 6:24; Jas 4:8).

now--that is, soon.

he--Jehovah.

break down--"cut off," namely the heads of the victims. Those altars, which were the scene of cutting off the victims' heads, shall be themselves cut off.

3. now, &c.--Soon they, deprived of their king, shall be reduced to say, We have no king (Ho 10:7, 15), for Jehovah deprived us of him, because of our not fearing God. What then (seeing God is against us) should a king be able to do for us, if we had one? As they rejected the heavenly King, they were deprived of their earthly king.

4. words--mere empty words.

swearing falsely in making a covenant--breaking their engagement to Shalmaneser (2Ki 17:4), and making a covenant with So, though covenants with foreigners were forbidden.

judgment ... as hemlock--that is, divine judgment shall spring up as rank, and as deadly, as hemlock in the furrows (De 29:18; Am 5:7; 6:12). Gesenius translates, "poppy." Grotius, "darnel."

5. fear because of the calves--that is, shall fear for them.

Beth-aven--substituted for Beth-el in contempt (Ho 4:15).

it--singular, the one in Beth-el; after the pattern of which the other "calves" (plural) were made. "Calves" in the Hebrew is feminine, to express contempt.

priests--The Hebrew is only used of idolatrous priests (2Ki 23:5; Zep 1:4), from a root meaning either "the black garment" in which they were attired; or, "to resound," referring to their howling cries in their sacred rites [Calvin].

that rejoiced on it--because it was a source of gain to them. Maurer translates, "Shall leap in trepidation on account of it"; as Baal's priests did (1Ki 18:26).

the glory thereof--the magnificence of its ornaments and its worship.

6. It ... also--The calf, so far from saving its worshippers from deportation, itself shall be carried off; hence "Israel shall be ashamed" of it.

Jareb--(See on Ho 5:13). "A present to the king (whom they looked to as) their defender," or else avenger, whose wrath they wished to appease, namely, Shalmaneser. The minor states applied this title to the Great King, as the avenging Protector.

his own counsel--the calves, which Jeroboam set up as a stroke of policy to detach Israel from Judah. Their severance from Judah and Jehovah proved now to be not politic, but fatal to them.

7. (Ho 10:3, 15).

foam--denoting short-lived existence and speedy dissolution. As the foam, though seeming to be eminent raised on the top of the water, yet has no solidity, such is the throne of Samaria. Maurer translates, "a chip" or broken branch that cannot resist the current.

8. Aven--that is, Beth-aven.

the sin--that is, the occasion of sin (De 9:21; 1Ki 12:30).

they shall say to ... mountains, Cover us--So terrible shall be the calamity, that men shall prefer death to life (Lu 23:30; Re 6:16; 9:6). Those very hills on which were their idolatrous altars (one source of their confidence, as their "king," Ho 10:7, was the other), so far from helping them, shall be called on by them to overwhelm them.

9. Gibeah--(Ho 9:9; Jud 19:1-20:48). They are singled out as a specimen of the whole nation.

there they stood--The Israelites have, as there and then, so ever since, persisted in their sin [Calvin]. Or, better, "they stood their ground," that is, did not perish then [Maurer].

the battle ... did not overtake them--Though God spared you then, He will not do so now; nay, the battle whereby God punished the Gibeonite "children of iniquity," shall the more heavily visit you for your continued impenitence. Though "they stood" then, it shall not be so now. The change from "thou" to "they" marks God's alienation from them; they are, by the use of the third person, put to a greater distance from God.

10. my desire ... chastise--expressing God's strong inclination to vindicate His justice against sin, as being the infinitely holy God (De 28:63).

the people--Foreign invaders "shall be gathered against them."

when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows--image from two oxen ploughing together side by side, in two contiguous furrows: so the Israelites shall join themselves, to unite their powers against all dangers, but it will not save them from My destroying them [Calvin]. Their "two furrows" may refer to their two places of setting up the calves, their ground of confidence, Dan and Beth-el; or, the two divisions of the nation, Israel and Judah, "in their two furrows," that is, in their respective two places of habitation; Ho 10:11, which specifies the two, favors this view. Henderson prefers the Keri (Hebrew Margin) "for their two iniquities"; and translates, "when they are bound" in captivity. English Version is best, as the image is carried out in Ho 10:11; only it is perhaps better to translate, "the people (the invaders) binding them," that is, making them captives; and so Ho 10:11 alludes to the yoke being put on the neck of Ephraim and Judah.

11. taught--that is, accustomed.

loveth to tread out ... corn--a far easier and more self-indulgent work than ploughing. In treading corn, cattle were not bound together under a yoke, but either trod it singly with their feet, or drew a threshing sledge over it (Is 28:27, 28): they were free to eat some of the corn from time to time, as the law required they should be unmuzzled (De 25:4), so that they grew fat in this work. An image of Israel's freedom, prosperity, and self-indulgence heretofore. But now God will put the Assyrian yoke upon her, instead of freedom, putting her to servile work.

I passed over upon--I put the yoke upon.

make ... to ride--as in Job 30:22; that is, hurry Ephraim away to a distant region [Calvin]. Lyra translates, "I will make (the Assyrian) to ride upon Ephraim." Maurer, "I will make Ephraim to carry," namely, a charioteer.

his clods--"the clods before him."

12. Continuation of the image in Ho 10:11 (Pr 11:18). Act righteously and ye shall reap the reward; a reward not of debt, but of grace.

in mercy--according to the measure of the divine "mercy," which over and above repays the goodness or "mercy" which we show to our fellow man (Lu 6:38).

break ... fallow ground--Remove your superstitions and vices, and be renewed.

seek ... Lord, fill he come--Though not answered immediately, persevere unceasingly "till He come."

rain--send down as a copious shower.

righteousness--the reward of righteousness, that is, salvation, temporal and spiritual (1Sa 26:23; compare Joe 2:23 ).

13. reaped iniquity--that is, the fruit of iniquity; as "righteousness" (Ho 10:12) is "the fruit of righteousness" (Job 4:8; Pr 22:8; Ga 6:7, 8).

lies--false and spurious worship.

trust in thy way--thy perverse way (Is 57:10; Jr 2:23), thy worship of false gods. This was their internal safeguard, as their external was "the multitude of their mighty men."

14. tumult--a tumultuous war.

among thy people--literally, "peoples": the war shall extend to the whole people of Israel, through all the tribes, and the peoples allied to her.

Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel--that is, Shalmaneser, a compound name, in which the part common to it and the names of three other Assyrian kings, is omitted; Tiglath-pileser, Esar-haddon, Shar-ezer. So Jeconiah is abbreviated to Coniah. Arbel was situated in Naphtali in Galilee, on the border nearest Assyria. Against it Shalmaneser, at his first invasion of Israel (2Ki 17:3), vented his chief rage. God threatens Israel's fortresses with the same fate as Arbel suffered "in the day (on the occasion) of the battle" then well-known, though not mentioned elsewhere (compare 2Ki 18:34). This event, close on the reign of Hezekiah, shows the inscription of Hosea (Ho 1:1) to be correct.

15. So shall Beth-el do unto you--that is, Your idolatrous calf at Beth-el shall be the cause of a like calamity befalling you.

your great wickedness--literally, "the wickedness of your wickedness."

in a morning--that is, speedily, as quickly as the dawn is put to flight by the rising sun (Ho 6:4; 13:3; Psa 30:5).

king--Hoshea.

Israel is an empty vine - Or, a vine that casteth its grapes.

He bringeth forth fruit - Or, he laid up fruit for himself. He abused the blessings of God to the purposes of idolatry. He was prosperous; but his prosperity corrupted his heart.

According to the multitude of his fruit - He became idolatrous in proportion to his prosperity; and in proportion to their wealth was the costliness of their images, and the expensiveness of their idol worship.

True is the homely saying of old Quarles: - "So God's best gifts, usurp'd by wicked ones,

To poison turn, by their con-ta-gi-ons."

Another poet, of a higher order, but worse school, says: -

Effodiuntur opes, irritamenta malorum.

Ovid.

Of which the words of St. Paul are nearly a literal rendering: - Ῥιζα γαρ πανθων των κακων εστιν ἡ θιλαργυρια. "For the love of money is the root of all these evils" 1Tim 6:10.

Pity that this beautiful metal, on which God has bestowed such a large portion of mineral perfection, and then hid in the earth, should, on its being digged up by man, become the incentive to so many vices, and draw away his heart from the Creator of all things, and the fountain of ineffable perfection and goodness.

Their heart is divided - They wish to serve God and Mammon, Jehovah and Baal: but this is impossible. Now God will do in judgment what they should have done in contrition, "break down their altars, and spoil their images."

We have no king - We have rejected the King of kings; and had we any king, he would be of no service to us in this state, as he would be a captive like ourselves; nor could we have the approbation of God, as we now justly lie under his displeasure.

They have spoken words - Vain, empty, deceitful words.

Swearing falsely - This refers to the alliances made with strange powers, to whom they promised fidelity without intending to be faithful; and from whom they promised themselves protection and support, notwithstanding God was against them, and they knew it. All their words were vain, and in the end as bitter as gall.

Judgment springeth up as hemlock - As our land lies without cultivation, so that we have nothing but noxious weeds instead of crops; so we have no administration of justice. What is done in this way is a perversion of law, and is as hurtful to society as hemlock would be to animal life. All this may refer to the anarchy that was in the kingdom of Israel before Hoshea's reign, and which lasted, according to Archbishop Usher, nine years. They then, literally, "had no king."

The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear - According to Calmet, shall worship the calves of Beth-aven; those set up by Jeroboam, at Beth-el. Fear is often taken for religious reverence.

The people thereof shall mourn - On seeing the object of their worship carried into captivity, as well as themselves.

And the priests thereof - כמרים kemarim. The priests of Samaria, says Calmet, are here called kemarim, that is, black coats, or shouters, because they made loud cries in their sacrifices. Instead of יגילו yagilu, "they shall rejoice;" learned men propose ילילו yalilu, "shall howl," which is likely to be the true reading, but it is not supported by any of the MSS. yet discovered. But the exigentia loci, the necessity of the place, requires some such word.

A present to King Jareb - See on Hos 5:13 (note). If this be a proper name, the person intended is not known in history: but it is most likely that Pul, king of Assyria, is intended, to whom Menahem, king of Israel, appears to have given one of the golden calves, to insure his assistance.

Her king is cut off as the foam - As lightly as a puff of wind blows off the foam that is formed below by a fall of water, so shall the kings of Israel be cut off. We have already seen that not less than four of them died by assassination in a very short time. See on Hos 7:7 (note).

The high-places - Idol temples.

Of Aven - Beth-aven.

The thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars - Owing to the uncultivated and unfrequented state of the land, and of their places of idol worship, the people being all carried away into captivity. "And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, And to the hills, Fall on us." "This sublime description of fear and distress our Lord had in view, Luk 23:30, which may be a reference, and not a quotation. However, the Septuagint, in the Codex Alexandrinus, has the same order of words as occurs in the evangelist. The parallelism makes the passages more beautiful than Rev 6:16; and Isa 2:19 wants the animated dramatic form. That there is a reference to the caverns that abounded in the mountainous countries of Palestine, see the note on Isa 2:19 (note)." - Newcome.

Thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah - This is another reference to the horrible rape and murder of the Levite's wife, Jdg 19:13, Jdg 19:14.

There they stood - Only one tribe was nearly destroyed, viz., that of Benjamin. They were the criminals, the children of iniquity; the others were faultless, and stood only for the rights of justice and mercy.

When they shall bind themselves in their two furrows - "When they are chastised for their two iniquities," i.e., the calves in Dan and Beth-el. - Newcome. But this double iniquity may refer to what Jeremiah says, Jer 11:13 : "My people have committed two evils." -

1. They have forsaken me.

2. They have joined themselves to idols.

Ephraim is as a heifer that is taught - One thoroughly broken in to the yoke.

And loveth to tread out - Goes peaceably in the yoke; and is pleased because, not being muzzled, she eats of the corn.

I passed over upon her fair neck - I brought the yoke upon it, that she should not tread out the corn merely, but draw the plough and drag the harrow. These operations of husbandry are all referred to here, with some others. Ephraim shall tread out the corn, that there may be seed for the fields.

Judah shall plough - That the furrows may receive it.

Jacob shall break his clods - Harrow - that the seed may be covered with the mould.

Israel very frequently made great depredations on Judah; and as this heifer loved to tread out the corn, and not plough, it is therefore added that he should be made to plough, be put under the yoke, namely, that of the Assyrians. What is added, "Judah and Jacob shall plough for themselves," means, that Judah should not now plough for Israel, but for himself; as Israel shall no more make depredations upon him. - Dodd.

Sow to yourselves in righteousness - Let the seed you sow be of the best kind, and in just measure.

Reap in mercy - By the blessing of God on this ploughing, sowing, and harrowing, you may expect a good crop in harvest.

Break up your fallow ground - Do not be satisfied with a slight furrow; let the land that was fallowed (slightly ploughed) be broken up again with a deep furrow.

For it is time to seek the Lord - This should be immediately done: the season is passing; and if you do not get the seed in the ground, the early rain will be past, and your fields will be unfruitful.

Rain righteousness upon you - God will give you the early rain in due time, and in proper measure. Here are the metaphors, and the application cannot be difficult.. Here are ploughing, fallowing, sowing, harrowing, watering, reaping, threshing, and feeding on the produce of well-directed labor. All may be applied to the human heart, and the work of God upon it. Correction, contrition, conversion, receiving the grace of Christ, bringing forth fruit, etc.

Ye have ploughed wickedness - Ye have labored sinfully.

Ye have reaped iniquity - The punishment due to your iniquity.

Ye have eaten the fruit of lies - Your false worship and your false gods have brought you into captivity and misery.

Because thou didst trust in thy way - Didst confide in thy own counsels, and in thy mighty men, and not in the God who made you.

Shall a tumult arise - The enemy shall soon fall upon thy people, and take all thy fortified places.

As Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel - Some think that this refers to Jerubbaal, or Gideon's victory over Zalmunna, general of the Midianites; see Jdg 7:8. Others think that an allusion is made here to the destruction of Arbela, a city of Armenia, by Shalmaneser, here called Shalman; and this while he was only general of the Assyrian forces, and not yet king. I think the history to which this refers is unknown. It seems that it was distinguished by some remarkable ferocities.

The mother was dashed in pieces upon her children - But when, where, how, and by whom, still remain unknown. Conjecture in such a case must be useless.

So shall Beth-el do unto you - This shall be the consequence of your idolatry.

In a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off - Suddenly, unexpectedly. Hoshea, the king of Israel, shall be cut off by the Assyrians. There are some allusions to facts in this chapter, which cannot be easily verified, as we have not sufficient acquaintance with the history of those times.

An empty vine - That hath lost its strength to bring forth fruit. Unto himself - Whatever fruit was brought forth by its remaining strength, was not brought forth to God. His fruit - When the land yielded more plentiful increase, this plenty was employed on multiplying idols. The altars - Of his idols. The goodness - Imagining that the goodness of their land was a blessing from their idols.

Is divided - From God and his worship. Faulty - As this was their sin, so the effects hereof should manifestly prove them faulty. He - God.

Say - See and feel. No king - Either no king at all, or no such king as we expected. What then - For kings are not able to save without the God of kings.

Words - Vain words. Swearing falsely - By perjury deceiving those they treated with. A covenant - With the Assyrian king. Judgment - Divine vengeance. As hemlock - A proverbial speech, expressing the greatness of this evil.

Because of the calves - Because they had sinned by these calves, therefore did this fear seize them. The people - They who dwelt at Beth - aven. That rejoiced on it - These priests formerly were fed, clothed, and enriched by this idol, this made them right glad. The glory thereof - All its credit is vanished. Is departed - The Assyrians have either broken it, or carried it in derision into Assyria.

It - The golden calf.

Is cut off - Shortly will be cut off: this prophecy probably was delivered when Samaria was besieged.

The high places - The temples and altars of Baal. Of Aven - Or Beth - aven. They shall say - When this shall be brought to pass, the idolatrous Israelites shall be in such perplexity, that they shall wish the mountains and hills might fall on them.

They - Probably the six hundred men who fled to the rock Rimmon. Overtake them - That fatal battle did not reach them; but now Israel shall be more severely punished.

The people - The Assyrians. For their two transgressions - Perhaps, their revolt from David's house, and their idolatry.

Taught - Used to, and so skilled in. Passed over - I laid some lighter yoke upon her, brought some gentle afflictions upon that people to tame them, but this hath not prevailed. Ride - I will ride on Ephraim and tame him. Shall plow - Judah tho' less sinful hath been used to harder labour; hath plowed when Ephraim hath reaped. Break his clods - The same in another proverbial speech, their work at present is harder, but there is an harvest follows. Tho' they sow in tears when going to Babylon, they shall reap in joy at their return.

Reap - And ye shall reap in mercy. Fallow ground - Your hearts are as ground over - run with weeds, which need to be plowed and broken up, that good seed may be sowed in them. And rain - Plentifully pour out the fruits of his goodness and mercy.

Ye have plowed - You, O Israelites. Ye have reaped - Ye have lived in wickedness, and propagated it, and ye have met with a recompense worthy of your labour. Eaten - Fed yourselves with vain hopes. In thy way - Their way was their idolatry. Mighty men - The next lie on which they lived was the wisdom and valour of their great men.

As Shalman - Probably Salmaneser. Beth - arbel - It was a city of Assyria, and gave name to a country or region in part of Assyria.

Beth - el - The idolatry committed there. Do - Procure all this evil against you. In a morning - Possibly the Assyrians might assault the city towards morning and master it.

1 ISrael is an empty vine , he bringeth forth fruit unto himself : according to the multitude of his fruit , he hath increased the altars , according to the goodness of his land , he hath made goodly images.

Israel and Ephraim are terms our Prophet doth ordinarily use, and they signifie the same people, the Ten Tribes revolted from the house of David, and from the true worship of God.

A Vine wasted and spoiled, that hath lost its strength to bring forth any Fruit, or that is rob'd and pill'd of the Fruit it doth bring forth; this partly for want of the Divine protection, and benediction, which they were wont to have, and partly from an inherent barrenness, and weakness in this Vine.

What ever Fruit was brought forth by its remaining strength, was not brought forth to God, for his Service and Honour; but for themselves, for their own use, for service of a State Interest, to make Presents, and to pay Tribute; or which is yet worse to maintain the worship of Idols.

When the Land yielded more plentiful increase, this plenty was impiously employed on multiplyed Idols, or on multiplyed Altars, built to the same Idols.

Of their Idols either by adding to the number of Altars, or else adding to the Numbers of Sacrifices offer'd to the Idols on their Altars.

Idolaters sottishly imagined that the goodness of their Land was a blessing on them from their Idols; thus sacrilegiously they rob'd God, and on this mistake they proceed to farther impiety.

More stately, more curiously wrought, more richly adorn'd, and it is most likely more for number too, accounting it a great Devotion to have many, and rich Statues of their Idols.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]

2 Their heart is divided , now shall they be found faulty : he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images .

From God and his Worship, or between God and Baal, such as Zeph. 1.5. speaks of, or else divided one from another by Parties and Factions, and Civil Wars, which tended to their ruine.

As this was their sin, so the effects hereof should manifestly prove them faulty.

Either God, or the King of Assyria stir'd up by God to invade and destroy Ephraim.

Utterly pull down those Altars which they had multiplyed to their Idols, the Assyrians shall as other Conquering Heathen Idolaters rage against the Gods of the people they conquer as well as against the people; such was the Pride and Atheism of these men.

Waste, or destroy them, how goodly soever they had seemed to be, yet they should be broken to pieces, and were made of rich Materials, as Silver and Gold; or if adorned with it, the Enemy should the sooner spoil them, and then 'twill appear how sottish this people were to trust in them, or ascribe any praise to them, when Baal cannot defend his own Images, or People.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]

3 For now they shall say We have no king , because we feared not the LORD: what then should a king do to us ?

Surely.

Ere long.

See, and feel, and be convinced too of this Truth.

E[illegible: 1 letter]ther no King at all, as in an interregnum, or no such king as we expected, and hoped; our dependance was much upon the wise, valiant, and successful Conduct of our King; but he is either less wise, and valiant, or less successful in his Enterprises.

Worshipt not, kept not his Law, depended not on God, therefore we have no King, or one next to none, not able to help us.

And now if we had our King, were he as powerful, wise, and successful as Ieroboam the second; yet 'twould be too late, the Assyrian power hath so far prevailed, and God is so far departed from us: Kings are not able to save without the God of Kings.

Marginal references: chap. [illegible: 1 letter]

4 They have spoken words , swearing falsly in making a covenant : thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field .

The Nobles, and great men in Israel, the heads of the Parties, or the Counsellors of the Kingdom.

Have i[illegible: 1 letter] long and repeated consultations and debates, contrived and laid forth the designs most like to help us; but all in vain; all is but words, or thus they have deceived one another, and ruin'd all; and this latter seems exactly to suit with what follows.

By perjury deceiving those they treated with,

Either among themselves, accepting an Usurper, promising, and swearing fealty to him: or with their Allies, as with the Assyrian King▪ whose Covenant they perjuriously broke, and contrary to Oath sent to, and confederated with Sua, or So, King of Egypt.

Judgment, i. e. Divine Revenges do so abound every where, or else unequal and sinful projects, counsels, and resolutions of their Rulers are instead of just, wholsom, and saving, turn'd into bitter, poysonous, and pernicious as hemlock:

A proverbial speech, expressing the greatness of this pernicious evil. So this will be explain'd by Amos 6.12. oppression, injustice, and all sins spread (as hemlock quickly overruns a Field) over all the Kingdom.

Marginal references: See Deut. 29.[illegible: 1 letter]8. Acts 8.23. [illegible: 1 letter]eb. 12.15.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven : for the people thereof shall mourn over it , and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it , for the glory thereof because it is departed from it .

The Citizens who dwelt yet safe in Samaria, but knew that the Assyrian invaded the Kingdom, beat Israel's Army, and took his City; these Idolatrous Citizens, were in bodily fear for their Gods, lest the Assyrians should rudely spoil their Godships.

Some give the reason of their fear, because they had sined by these Calves, and provoked God, therefore should this fear seize them; but 'tis more likely this doth speak the object of the Samaritans fears, their Cow-calves (as by way of contempt in the Hebr.) were the goodly Deities they were afraid for, yet they trusted in these for aid against Enemies; and now fear they have not power enough to defend themselves; what brutes are Idolaters! Of this Beth-aven principal Seat of the Calf God, see cap. 4.15. let. f.

They who dwelt at Beth-aven, who had gain and profit by the Idol; to which many resorted; or else they that were addicted to this Idol, worshipt it, and trusted in it.

Howl and cry over the endanger'd God; so let all their sorrows be multiplyed that hasten after any strange God.

That were to attend and offer Sacrifices to these Calves; the Priest were like to lose their livings with their Idol.

These Priests formerly were fed, cloathed, enriched, and got into credit by these their Idols, this made them right glad.

All its credit, and veneration

is vanish't, twas once taken for a God, but now the case is altered, 'tis turned into a Captive, and with loss of Liberty hath lost its Deity also; the Assyrians have either broken it, or carryed it in Derision into Assyria.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; Sam. 4.21,

6 It shall also be [illegible: 1 letter]arried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb ; Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel .

The Golden Calf made by Ieroboam the First, 1 King. 12.28.

Though it hath feet, it cannot go, it must be born; as Isaiah derides the Idols of Babylon, Isa. 46.2, 7. and Ier. 10.5. and it is carried in triumph,

According to the custom of conquering Generals, the rich and rare things of the conquered people were reserv'd for gifts to their Kings; and here is a rarity indeed, a Captive God, and 'tis rich, for 'tis made of Gold.

vid. cap. 5. ver. 13. let. i.

The great confusion of this people is here foretold, and the certainty of it by the ingemination of the phrase, the Assyrians shall upbraid them with their brutish folly, to think that a God which could not keep it self from becoming a prey to insolent Soldiers, and when thus taunted, Israel shall have nothing to answer, but must be silent with shame.

Which is expresly mentioned, 1 Kings 12.28. it was against the Counsel of God, and as they began, so they persisted in it by the same Counsel.

7 As for Samaria , her king is cut off as the some upon the water .

After three years siege she shall be cut off.

For all the rest of the Kingdom was lost, and nowhe is pent up there also; he that was once the confidence of the Ten Tribes, and King of a mighty people, is now spoiled of all but one only City where he is rather a Prisoner than a King, kept close till made a Captive.

Shortly will be cut off[illegible: 1 letter] 'tis not unlike this prophecy should be delivered when Sa[illegible: 1 letter]aria was besieged.

As a contemptible, weak, and light thing; 'tis a proverb, and foretels how contemptibly the Assyrians ▪ should use them.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]eb. the face [illegible: 1 span].

8 The high places also of Aven , the sin of Israel shall be destroyed : the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars ; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall on us .

The Temples and Altars of Baal, and other Idols.

For Beth-aven say most Interpreters, what if Aven, vanity, folly, be here put for all Idol-Worship, and rites,

which was notoriously the sin of Israel

utterly overthrown,

and ly so long waste and desolate, that thorns and thistles shall spring up out o[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 letter]he p[illegible: 1 letter]a[illegible: 1 letter]es where their Altars once stood within their stately [illegible: 3 letters]ples.

When this shall be brought to pass, the Idolatrous I[illegible: 1 letter]raelites shall be in such perplexity, that they shall wish the Mountains and Hils might fall on them, and bury them alive [illegible: 1 word] they might escape [illegible: 1 letter]he troubles that they did foresee were coming upon them; or it may be an upbraiding them for praying to lifeless stocks or statues, and telling them in their distress, and when their Gods are go[illegible: 1 letter], and cannot help, they should cry to deaf Mountains to cover them.

Marginal references: chap. 9.6.; Isa. 2.1[illegible: 1 letter]. Luk. 23.3[illegible: 1 letter]. Rev. 6.16. and 9.6.

9 O Israel thou hast sinned from the dayes of Gibeah : there they stood : the battel in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them .

You of the Ten Tribes with such consent have sin'd that you seem to do it as one man.

Ever since the dayes so we, but as Rivet observes, it will bear a comparative thus, thou hast sinned above or more than. The Ten Tribes were greater sinners than those Gibeonites, so the Prophet compareth the sins of the present Age, and that past.

Vid. Iudges 19. where the story is set down at large. See also Hab. 5.8. l[illegible: 1 letter]t. [illegible: 1 letter]. the place described.

In that day a and War some stood, who were a seed for raising up the Tribe; so I refer this passage to the Six Hundred Men which fled to the Rock Rimmon.

That fatal Battle did not reach them; but now Israel shall be more severely punisht; for who escape the Sword, shall be carryed Captives, and they shall be no more a people, or Kingdom, or else thus; Israel hath sin'd more than the Gibeonites, I will therefore punish them more than the Gibeonites: They stood once or twice, but Isra[illegible: 1 letter]l now shall be ever beaten, and put to flight; in that War Israel had heart to rally, and after two defeats, were victors in the third encounter; but it shall not be so now, a War shall overtake them now, not such to Israel as was that against the Gibeonites, for in that they had at last the better, but in this they shall be totally ruin'd.

Marginal references: chap. 9.9.

10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them : and the people shall be gathered against them : when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows .

I am resolved to punish them as I see good, they have deserved the utmost that I shall lay upon them, and therefore I will punish as I see meet.

The Forces of the Assyrian Empire▪ shall be gathered in Arms against them, I will bring Shalman-Eser upon this sinful Idolatrous Nation.

Israel or Ephraim.

When I shall bind them, or when they shall be bound for their two transgressions; so the Marginal reading; and then 'tis plain, if once it appear what were their Two transgressions; either corporal, and spiritual Adultery; and what if 'twere their Revolt from David's house, their Antient Rebellion and Idolatry, or revolt from God; these were the two main spring heads of their other particular sins, and for these they shall be bound as Prisoners and Captives, and carried away into Assyria.

Our version leaves this verse somewhat obscure, but our reading in the margin doth much clear the words, and maketh them much more easily intelligible.

Marginal references: chap. 8.10.; Or, I shall bind them for their two transgressions; or, in their two habitations ▪

11 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught , and loveth to tread out the corn , but I passed over upon her fair neck , I will make Ephraim to ride : Judah shall plow , and Jacob shall break his clods .

An young and wanton heifer, unaccustomed to the yoke, not used to hard labour.

Used to, and so skill'd in or acquainted with.

What we do by threshing, the Iewes did by these Heifers or Oxen, tread out the Corn, and in doing this the Law provided that the Oxe should not be muzled, but should eat what it would: So it was with Ephraim, he loved that work that was so pleasant, which so well fed him: And God doth let Eph[illegible: 1 letter]aim know, that he had been very much indulged herein, God had given them all abundance and prosperity, and with little labour or care. And he expected thankfulness for it, but no such thing was done by Ephraim, he grew more insolent, untractable and perfidious.

When I found it so, I did pass over upon her fair neck, laid some lighter yoke upon her, brought some gentler afflictions upon that people to tame them, and make them serviceable, but this hath not prevailed.

I will now deal more rigorously, I will try another course, and as horses are brought to work by one that can bring them to bear, and carry the rider, so I will deal with Ephraim, I will ride on Ephraim, and tame him, i. e. by the Assyrians who should subdue and enslave them.

Iudah though less sinful hath been used to harder labour, and more rugged treats; hath plow'd when Ephraim hath reapt, yet I have spared Ephraim more.

The same in other Proverbial Speech repeated, their work at present harder, but there is an Harvest follows, though Iudah plow, and Iacob break his clods, labour hard, and for their sins suffer, yet they sow in tears when harassed by Ephraim, or going unto Babylon, and shall reap in joy at the return. But Ephraim who abused all my bounty and kindness, who workt only for his own profit shall be more severely punisht, and when he goeth forth shall return no more.

Marginal references: Heb. the bea[illegible: 1 letter]ty of her neck.

12 Sow to your selves in righteousness , reap in mercy : break up your fallow ground : for it is time to seek the LORD till he come , and rain righteousness upon you .

The Prophet continueth his care of their welfare, by exhorting them yet at last to repent, which as learned interpreters observe, the Prophet doth here in the same elliptick speech which is used before these imperatives, and is to be made up thus, the Lord hath said by his Prophets, sow &c. this same duty hath been pressed on them formerly, and is again commended to them, sow in righteousness, in universal righteousness, towards God in piety, towards man in equity, and herein see that ye sow plentifully, that is, exercise your selves in these works.

This is refer'd both to the divine Mercy, and so amounteth to a promise, and to the mercy we should shew to man, and so is direction for another part of duty, both may well have place here.

Your hearts, O ye Ephraimites! have been, and still are, as ground over run with weeds, which needs be plowed and broken up, that good feed may be sowed in them, that you may bring forth fruit in holy life, from a holy heart, and obtain mercy of God.

It is full time if you consider it aright, or it is yet time, you may seek and find he is not quite gone, still he calls you, therefore hearken, and follow seasonable advice, seek ye the Lord whilst he may be found.

Seek with patience and faith until he doth, as certainly he will, come, for this passage is a vertual or implicite promise, that God will come to them if they seek him, i. e. he will bless, favour and love them, in these he will appear to them, which is his coming to them.

Plentifully pour out the fruits of his own goodness and mercy which he hath promised, and having promised, 'tis a righteous thing they should be given according to promise, thus the mercies of God to us are his righteousness to us.

Who repent and obey his counsel by his Prophets.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 4.3.

13 Ye have plowed wickedness , ye have reaped iniquity , ye have eaten the fruit of lies : because thou didst trust in thy way , in the multitude of thy mighty men .

You O Israelites, subjects of the Kingdom of the ten Tribes.

Instead of repentance, and a life of righteousness, you have lived in wickedness, and propagated it, you have increased all manner of impieties, thus you have abused and perverted the fruits of Gods goodness.

The wickedness you have sown hath sprung up, and ripened into iniquity, or you have met with a recompence worthy of this your labour. God hath punisht you for your wickedness, the first seems most agreeable to the Text.

Fed your selves with vain hopes.

Maintained your selves upon a carnal sinful confidence, forsaking the fountain of living waters, and these lies the Prophet doth in following words reduce to two heads.

Dependance on Idols worshipping them, and seeking to them, their way was their Idolatry, committed with the Calves.

The next lie on which they lived was the wisdom and valour of their great men, their King, Nobles, Captains and Counsellors, in confidence of sufficient help by them, they held on in a way of sin and wickedness.

Marginal references: Job 4.8. Prov. 22.8. Gal. 6.7.

14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people , and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled , as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battel : the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children .

Since such are their sins, and such will be their disappointments, since their refuges will be so vain▪ and their Enemies so many and strong.

A discontent, murmure and outery as of men affrighted, not knowing what course to take when the alarm is given, and certain newes cometh, that Salmaneser comes with his Army against the Kingdom of Israel.

The Israelites among all sorts of people, among all the Tribes of the Kingdom,

Every one of thy strong holds, those impregnable fortifications on which thou hast laid out all, that art and diligence could, to make them able to break the power of the enemy that dares besiege them, these, every one of them (as Heb. construction bears it) shall be wasted.

It is most probably spoken of Salman-eser, though abbreviated, which is usual in all writings of History, so Alexander or Pompey, without the addition of Great, and so here Salman without eser, or Sirnamed Prince.

Possibly Arbel here may be the name of a man whose house and Family Shalman destroyed, and so this passage might be read, the house of Arbel, but the more likely reading is, as we read it, so 'tis the name of some Country, or City, or both. We meet with a City of this name, famous for the overthrow which Alexander gave to Darius, and probable it is, that this might be that Arbel or Beth-arbel here spoken of, rebuilt and grown great again, since the sack of it by Shalman, which was at least 400 years before the overthrow of Darius: It was a City of Assyria, and gave name Arbelis to a Countrey or Region, part of Assyria, and lay somewhat below Arpad.

Of this war we no where else read, it is likely 'twas not long before the war with Samaria and the ten Tribes, that the memory of that severity was fresh, and the particulars then well known.

All were put to the sword, and the City utterly destroyed.

Marginal references: 2 King. 18.34. and 19.13.; chap. 13.16.

15 So shall Beth-el do unto you , because of your great wickedness : in a morning shall the king of Israel , utterly be cut off .

Mercilesly and universally ruin.

One place put for every one, and the place put for the Idolatry committed there.

Procure, bring your Idolatry and sins, do all this evil against you.

O Samaritans, and the rest of the ten Tribes.

This Idolatry, and the concomitant sins are here summed up in their total summe, great wickedness, exceeding great.

Suddenly, or so soon as 'tis day, possibly the Assyrians might assault the City towards Morning, and master it.

Hoshea.

His power broken, for his Life was spared, and he made a Prisoner, 2 Kings 17.4.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 span]

Hos 10:1-3

In a fresh turn the concluding thought of the last strophe (Hos 9:10) is resumed, and the guilt and punishment of Israel still more fully described in two sections, Hos 10:1-8 and Hos 10:9-15. Hos 10:1. “Israel is a running vine; it set fruit for itself: the more of its fruit, the more altars did it prepare; the better its land, the better pillars did they make. Hos 10:2. Smooth was their heart, ow will they atone. He will break in pieces their altars, desolate their pillars. Hos 10:3. Yea, now will they say, No king to us! for we feared not Jehovah; and the king, what shall he do to us?” Under the figure of a vine running luxuriantly, which did indeed set some good fruit, but bore no sound ripe grapes, the prophet describes Israel as a glorious plantation of God Himself, which did not answer the expectations of its Creator. The figure is simply sketched in a few bold lines. We have an explanatory parallel in Psa 80:9-12. The participle bōqēq does not mean “empty” or “emptying out” here; for this does not suit the next clause, according to which the fruit was set, but from the primary meaning of bâqaq, to pour out, pouring itself out, overflowing, i.e., running luxuriantly. It has the same meaning, therefore, as ג סרחת in Eze 17:6, that which extends its branches far and wide, that is to say, grows most vigorously. The next sentence, “it set fruit,” still belongs to the figure; but in the third sentence the figure passes over into a literal prophecy. According to the abundance of its fruit, Israel made many altars; and in proportion to the goodness of its land, it made better מצּבות, Baal’s pillars (see at 1Ki 14:23); i.e., as Israel multiplied, and under the blessing of God attained to prosperity, wealth, and power in the good land (Exo 3:8), it forgot its God, and fell more and more into idolatry (cf. Hos 2:10; Hos 8:4, Hos 8:11). The reason of all this was, that their heart was smooth, i.e., dissimulating, not sincerely devoted to the Lord, inasmuch as, under the appearance of devotedness to God, they still clung to idols (for the fact, see 2Ki 17:9). The word châlâq, to be smooth, was mostly applied by a Hebrew to the tongue, lip, mouth, throat, and speech (Psa 5:10; Psa 12:3; Psa 55:22; Pro 5:3), and not to the heart. But in Eze 12:24 we read of smooth, i.e., deceitful prophesying; and there is all the more reason for retaining the meaning “smooth” here, that the rendering “their heart is divided,” which is supported by the ancient versions, cannot be grammatically defended. For châlâq is not used in kal in an intransitive sense; and the active rendering, “He (i.e., God) has divided their heart” (Hitzig), gives an unscriptural thought. They will now atone for this, for God will destroy their altars and pillars. ערף, “to break the neck of the altars,” is a bold expression, applied to the destruction of the altars by breaking off the horns (compare Amo 3:14). Then will the people see and be compelled to confess that it has no longer a king, because it has not feared the Lord, since the king who has been set up in opposition to the will of the Lord (Hos 8:4) cannot bring either help or deliverance (Eze 13:10). עשׂה, to do, i.e., to help or be of use to a person (cf. Ecc 2:2).

Hos 10:4-6

The thoughts of Hos 10:2, Hos 10:3 are carried out still further in Hos 10:4-7. Hos 10:4. “They have spoken words, sworn falsely, made treaties: thus right springs up like darnel in the furrows of the field. Hos 10:5. For the calves of Beth-aven the inhabitants of Samaria were afraid: yea, its people mourn over it, and its sacred ministers will tremble at it, at its glory, because it has strayed from them. Hos 10:6. Men will also carry it to Asshur, as a present for king Jareb: shame will seize upon Ephraim, and Israel will be put to shame for its counsel.” The dissimulation of heart (Hos 10:3) manifested itself in their speaking words which were nothing but words, i.e., in vain talk (cf. Isa 58:13), in false swearing, and in the making of treaties. אלות, by virtue of the parallelism, is an infin. abs. for אלה, formed like כּרת, analogous to שׁתות (Isa 22:13; see Ewald, §240, b). כּרת בּרית, in connection with false swearing, must signify the making of a covenant without any truthfulness in it, i.e., the conclusion of treaties with foreign nations - for example, with Assyria - which they were inclined to observe only so long as they could promise themselves advantages from them. In consequence of this, right has become like a bitter plant growing luxuriantly (ראשׁ = רושׁ; see at Deu 29:17). Mishpât does not mean judgment here, or the punitive judgment of God (Chald. and many others), for this could hardly be compared with propriety to weeds running over everything, but right in its degeneracy into wrong, or right that men have turned into bitter fruit or poison (Amo 6:12). This spreads about in the kingdom, as weeds spread luxuriantly in the furrows of the field (שׂדי a poetical form for שׂדה, like Deu 32:13; Psa 8:8). Therefore the judgment cannot be delayed, and is already approaching in so threatening a manner, that the inhabitants of Samaria tremble for the golden calves. The plural ‛eglōth is used with indefinite generality, and gives no warrant, therefore, for the inference that there were several golden calves set up in Bethel. Moreover, this would be at variance with the fact, that in the sentences which follow we find “the (one) calf” spoken of. The feminine form ‛eglōth, which only occurs here, is also probably connected with the abstract use of the plural, inasmuch as the feminine is the proper form for abstracts. Bēth-'âven for Bēth-'ēl, as in Hos 4:15. Shâkhēn is construed with the plural, as an adjective used in a collective sense. כּי (Hos 4:5) is emphatic, and the suffixes attached to עמּו and כּמריו do not refer to Samaria, but to the idol, i.e., the calf, since the prophet distinctly calls Israel, which ought to have been the nation of Jehovah, the nation of its calf-idol, which mourned with its priests (kemârı̄m, the priests appointed in connection with the worship of the calves: see at 2Ki 23:5) for the carrying away of the calf to Assyria. גּיל does not mean to exult or rejoice here, nor to tremble (applied to the leaping of the heart from fear, as it does from joy), but has the same meaning as חיל in Psa 96:9. עליו is still further defined by על־כּבודו, “for its glory,” i.e., not for the temple-treasure at Bethel (Hitzig), nor the one glorious image of the calf, as the symbol of the state-god (Ewald, Umbreit), but the calf, to which the people attributed the glory of the true God. The perfect, gâlâh, is used prophetically of that which was as good as complete and certain (for the fut. exact., cf. Ewald, §343, a). The golden calf, the glory of the nation, will have to wander into exile. This cannot even save itself; it will be taken to Assyria, to king Jareb (see at Hos 5:13), as minchâh, a present of tribute (see 2Sa 8:2, 2Sa 8:6; 1Ki 5:1). For the construing of the passive with את, see Ges. §143, 1, a. Then will Ephraim (= Israel) be seized by reproach and shame. Boshnâh, a word only met with here; it is formed from the masculine bōshen, which is not used at all (see Ewald, §163, 164).

Hos 10:7-8

With the carrying away of the golden calf the kingdom of Samaria also perishes, and desert plants will grow upon the places of idols. Hos 10:7, Hos 10:8. “Destroyed is Samaria; her king like a splinter on the surface of the water. And destroyed are the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel: thorn and thistle will rise up on their altars; and they will speak to the mountains, Cover us! and to the hills, Fall on us!” שׁמרון מלכּהּ is not an asyndeton, “Samaria and its king;” but Shōmerōn is to be taken absolutely, “as for Samaria,” although, as a matter of fact, not only Samaria, the capital of the kingdom, but the kingdom itself, was destroyed. For malkâh does not refer to any particular king, but is used in a general sense for “the king that Samaria had,” so that the destruction of the monarchy is here predicted (cf. Hos 10:15). The idea that the words refer to one particular king, is not only at variance with the context, which contains no allusion to any one historical occurrence, but does not suit the simile: like a splinter upon the surface of the water, which is carried away by the current, and vanishes without leaving a trace behind. Qetseph is not “foam” (Chald., Symm., Rabb.), but a broken branch, a fagot or a splinter, as qetsâphâh in Joe 1:7 clearly shows. Bâmōth 'âven are the buildings connected with the image-worship at Bethel ('âven = Bēth-'ēl, Hos 10:5), the temple erected there (bēth bâmōth), together with the altar, possibly also including other illegal places of sacrifice there, which constituted the chief sin of the kingdom of Israel. These were to be so utterly destroyed, that thorns and thistles would grow upon the ruined altars (cf. Gen 3:18). “The sign of extreme solitude, that there are not even the walls left, or any traces of the buildings” (Jerome). When the kingdom shall be thus broken up, together with the monarchy and the sacred places, the inhabitants, in their hopeless despair, will long for swift death and destruction. Saying to the mountains, “Cover us,” etc., implies much more than hiding themselves in the holes and clefts of the rocks (Isa 2:19, Isa 2:21). It expresses the desire to be buried under the falling mountains and hills, that they may no longer have to bear the pains and terrors of the judgment. In this sense are the words transferred by Christ, in Luk 23:30, to the calamities attending the destruction of Jerusalem, and in Rev 6:16 to the terrors of the last judgment.

Hos 10:9-10

After the threatening of punishment has thus been extended in Hos 10:8, even to the utter ruin of the kingdom, the prophet returns in Hos 10:9 to the earlier times, for the purpose of exhibiting in a new form and deeply rooted sinfulness of the people, and then, under cover of an appeal to them to return to righteousness, depicting still further the time of visitation, and (in Hos 10:14, Hos 10:15) predicting with still greater clearness the destruction of the kingdom and the overthrow of the monarchy. Hos 10:9. “Since the days of Gibeah hast thou sinned, O Israel: there have they remained: the war against the sons of wickedness did not overtake them at Gibeah. Hos 10:10. According to my desire shall I chastise them; and nations will be gathered together against them, to bind them to their two transgressions.” Just as in Hos 9:9, the days of Gibeah, i.e., the days when that ruthless crime was committed at Gibeah upon the concubine of the Levite, are mentioned as a time of deep corruption; so are those days described in the present passage as the commencement of Israel’s sin. For it is as obvious that מיממי is not to be understood in a comparative sense, as it is that the days of Gibeah are not to be taken as referring to the choice of Saul, who sprang from Gibeah, to be their king (Chald.). The following words, שׁם עמדוּ גגו, which are very difficult, and have been variously explained, do not describe the conduct of Israel in those days; for, in the first place, the statement that the war did not overtake them is by no means in harmony with this, since the other tribes avenged that crime so severely that the tribe of Benjamin was almost exterminated; and secondly, the suffix attached to תּשּׂיגם evidently refers to the same persons as that appended to אסּ'רם in Hos 9:10, i.e., to the Israelites of the ten tribes, to which Hosea foretels the coming judgment. These are therefore the subject to עמדוּ, and consequently עמד signifies to stand, to remain, to persevere (cf. Isa 47:12; Jer 32:14). There, in Gibeah, did they remain, that is to say, they persevered in the sin of Gibeah, without the war at Gibeah against the sinners overtaking them (the imperfect, in a subordinated clause, used to describe the necessary consequence; and עלוה transposed from עולה mo, like זעוה in Deu 28:25 for זועה). The meaning is, that since the days of Gibeah the Israelites persist in the same sin as the Gibeahites; but whereas those sinners were punished and destroyed by the war, the ten tribes still live on in the same sin without having been destroyed by any similar war. Jehovah will now chastise them for it. בּאוּתי, in my desire, equivalent to according to my wish - an anthropomorphic description of the severity of the chastisement. ואסּ'רם from יסר (according to Ewald, §139, a), with the Vav of the apodosis. The chastisement will consist in the fact, that nations will be gathered together against Israel בּאסרם, lit., at their binding, i.e., when I shall bind them. The chethib עינתם cannot well be the plural of עין, because the plural עינות is not used for the eyes; and the rendering, “before their two eyes,” in the sense of “without their being able to prevent it” (Ewald), yields the unheard-of conception of binding a person before his own eyes; and, moreover, the use of שׁתּי עינות instead of the simple dual would still be left unexplained. We must therefore give the preference to the keri עונת, and regard the chethib as another form, that may be accounted for from the transition of the verbs עי into עו, and עונת as a contraction of עונת, since עונה cannot be shown to have either the meaning of “sorrow” (Chald., A. E.), or that of the severe labour of “tributary service.” And, moreover, neither of these meanings would give us a suitable thought; whilst the very same objection may be brought against the supposition that the doubleness of the work refers to Ephraim and Judah, which has been brought against the rendering “to bind to his furrows,” viz., that it would be non solum ineptum, sed locutionis monstrum. לשׁתּי עונתם, “to their two transgression” to bind them: i.e., to place them in connection with the transgressions by the punishment, so that they will be obliged to drag them along like beasts of burden. By the two transgressions we are to understand neither the two golden calves at Bethel and Daniel (Hitzig), nor unfaithfulness towards Jehovah and devotedness to idols, after Jer 2:13 (Cyr., Theod.); but their apostasy from Jehovah and the royal house of David, in accordance with Hos 3:5, where it is distinctly stated that the ultimate conversion of the nation will consist in its seeking Jehovah and David their king.

Hos 10:11

In the next verse the punishment is still further defined, and also extended to Judah. Hos 10:11. “And Ephraim is an instructed cow, which loves to thresh; and I, I have come over the beauty of her neck: I yoke Ephraim; Judah will plough, Jacob harrow itself.” Melummâdâh, instructed, trained to work, received its more precise definition from the words “loving to thresh” ('ōhabhtı̄, a participle with the connecting Yod in the constructive: see Ewald, §211, b), not as being easier work in comparison with the hard task of driving, ploughing, and harrowing, but because in threshing the ox was allowed to eat at pleasure (Deu 25:4), from which Israel became fat and strong (Deu 32:15). Threshing, therefore, is a figurative representation not of the conquest of other nations (as in Mic 4:13; Isa 41:15), but of pleasant, productive, profitable labour. Israel had accustomed itself to this, from the fact that God had bestowed His blessing upon it (Hos 13:6). But it would be different now. עברתּי על, a prophetic perfect: I come over the neck, used in a hostile sense, and answering to our “rushing in upon a person.” The actual idea is that of putting a heavy yoke upon the neck, not of putting a rider upon it. ארכּיב not to mount or ride, but to drive, or use for drawing and driving, i.e., to harness, and that, as the following clauses show, to the plough and harrow, for the performance of hard field-labour, which figuratively represents subjugation and bondage. Judah is also mentioned here again, as in Hos 8:14; Hos 6:11, etc. Jacob, in connection with Judah, is not a name for the whole nation (or the twelve tribes), but is synonymous with Ephraim, i.e., Israel of the ten tribes. This is required by the correspondence between the last two clauses, which are simply a further development of the expression ארכיב אף, with an extension of the punishment threatened against Ephraim to Judah also.

Hos 10:12-13

The call to repentance and reformation of life is then appended in Hos 10:12, Hos 10:13, clothed in similar figures. Hos 10:12. “Sow to yourselves for righteousness, reap according to love; plough for yourselves virgin soil: for it is time to seek Jehovah, till He come and rain righteousness upon you. Hos 10:13. Ye have ploughed wickedness, ye have reaped crime: eaten the fruit of lying: because thou hast trusted in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.” Sowing and reaping are figures used to denote their spiritual and moral conduct. לצדקה, for righteousness, is parallel to לפי חסד; i.e., sow that righteousness may be able to spring up like seed, i.e., righteousness towards your fellow-men. The fruit of this will be chesed, condescending love towards the poor and wretched. Nı̄r nı̄r, both here and in Jer 4:3 to plough virgin soil, i.e., to make land not yet cultivated arable. We have an advance in this figure: they are to give up all their previous course of conduct, and create for themselves a new sphere for their activity, i.e., commence a new course of life. ועת, and indeed it is time, equivalent to, for it is high time to give up your old sinful says and seek the Lord, till (עד) He come, i.e., till He turn His grace to you again, and cause it to rain upon you. Tsedeq, righteousness, not salvation, a meaning which the word never has, and least of all here, where tsedeq corresponds to the tsedâqâh of the first clause. God causes righteousness to rain, inasmuch as He not only gives strength to secure it, like rain for the growth of the seed (cf. Isa 44:3), but must also generate and create it in man by His Spirit (Psa 51:12). The reason for this summons is given in Hos 10:13, in another allusion to the moral conduct of Israel until now. Hitherto they have ploughed as well as reaped unrighteousness and sin, and eaten lies as the fruit thereof, - lies, inasmuch as they did not promote the prosperity of the kingdom as they imagined, but only led to its decay and ruin. For they did not trust in Jehovah the Creator and rock of salvation, but in their way, i.e., their deeds and their might, in the strength of their army (Amo 6:13), the worthlessness of which they will now discover.

Hos 10:14-15 “And tumult will arise against thy peoples, and all thy fortifications are laid waste, as Shalman laid Beth-Arbeel waste in the day of the war: mother and children are dashed to pieces. Hos 10:15. Thus hath Bethel done to you because of the wickedness of your wickedness: in the morning dawn the king of Israel is cut off, cut off.” קאם with א as mater lect. (Ewald, §15, e), construed with ב: to rise up against a person, as in Psa 27:12; Job 16:8. שׁאון, war, tumult, as in Amo 2:2. בּעמּיך: against thy people of war. The expression is chosen with a reference to rōbh gibbōrı̄m (the multitude of mighty men), in which Israel put its trust. The meaning, countrymen, or tribes, is restricted to the older language of the Pentateuch. The singular יוּשּׁד refers to כּל, as in Isa 64:10, contrary to the ordinary language (cf. Ewald, §317, c). Nothing is known concerning the devastation of Beth-Arbeel by Shalman; and hence there has always been great uncertainty as to the meaning of the words. Shalman is no doubt a contracted form of Shalmanezer, the king of Assyria, who destroyed the kingdom of the ten tribes (2Ki 17:6). Bēth-'arbē'l is hardly Arbela of Assyria, which became celebrated through the victory of Alexander (Strab. Isa 16:1, Isa 16:3), since the Israelites could scarcely have become so well acquainted with such a remote city, as that the prophet could hold up the desolation that befel it as an example to them, but in all probability the Arbela in Galilaea Superior, which is mentioned in 1 Maccabees 9:2, and very frequently in Josephus, a place in the tribe of Naphtali, between Sephoris and Tiberias (according to Robinson, Pal. iii. pp. 281-2, and Bibl. Researches, p. 343: the modern Irbid). The objection offered by Hitzig, - viz. that shōd is a noun in Hos 9:6; Hos 7:13; Hos 12:2, and that the infinitive construct, with ל prefixed, is written לשׁדד in Jer 47:4; and lastly, that if Shalman were the subject, we should expect the preposition את before בּית, - is not conclusive, and the attempt which he makes to explain Salman-Beth-Arbel from the Sanscrit is not worth mentioning. The clause “mother and children,” etc., a proverbial expression denoting inhuman cruelty (see at Gen 32:12), does not merely refer to the conduct of Shalman in connection with Beth-arbel, possibly in the campaign mentioned in 2Ki 17:3, but is also intended to indicate the fate with which the whole of the kingdom of Israel was threatened. In 2Ki 17:16 this threat concludes with an announcement of the overthrow of the monarchy, accompanied by another allusion to the guilt of the people. The subject to כּכה עשׂה is Beth-el (Chald.), not Shalman or Jehovah. Bethel, the seat of the idolatry, prepares this lot for the people on account of its great wickedness. עשׂה is a perf. proph.' and רעת רעתכם, wickedness in its second potency, extreme wickedness (cf. Ewald, §313, c). Basshachar, in the morning-dawn, i.e., at the time when prosperity is once more apparently about to dawn, tempore pacis alluscente (Cocc., Hgst.). The gerund נדמה adds to the force; and מלך ישׂ is not this or the other king, but as in 2Ki 17:7, the king generally, i.e., the monarchy of Israel.

Degeneracy of Israel; Threatenings of Judgment. (b. c. 730.)

1 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. 2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. 3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord ; what then should a king do to us? 4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field. 5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it. 6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel. 7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water. 8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

Observe, I. What the sins are which are here laid to Israel's charge, the national sins which bring down national judgment. The prophet deals plainly with them; for what good would it do them to be flattered?

1. They were not fruitful in the fruits of righteousness to the glory of God. Here all their other wickedness began (v. 1): Israel is an empty vine. The church of God is fitly compared to a vine, weak, and of an unpromising outside, yet spreading and fruitful; believers are branches of that vine, and partake of its root and fatness. But this was the character of Israel, they were as an empty vine, a vine that had no sap or virtue in it, and therefore none of those good fruits produced by it that were expected from it, with which God and man should be honoured. Note, There are many who, though they have not become degenerate vines, are yet empty vines, have no good in them. A vine is of all trees least serviceable if it do not bear fruit. It is thenceforth good for nothing, Ezek. xv. 3, 5. And those that bring forth no grapes will soon come to bring forth wild grapes; those that do no good will do hurt. He is an empty vine, for he brings forth fruit to himself. What good there is in him is not directed to the glory of God, but he takes the praise of it to himself, and prides himself in it. Christians live not to themselves (Rom. xiv. 6), but hypocrites make self their centre; they eat and drink to themselves, Zech. vii. 5, 6. Or Israel is by the judgments of God emptied and spoiled of all his wealth, because he made use of it in the service of his lusts, and not to the honour of God who gave it to him. Note, What we do not rightly employ we may justly expect to be emptied of.

2. They multiplied their altars and images, and the more bountiful God's providence was to them the more prodigal they were in serving their idols: According to the multitude of his fruit which his land brought forth he has increased the altars, and according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. Note, It is a great affront to God, and an abuse of his goodness, when the more mercies we receive from him the more sins we commit against him, and when the more wealth men have the more mischief they do. Should not we be thus abundant in the service of our God, as they were in the service of their idols? As we find our estates increasing, we should proportionably abound the more in works of piety and charity.

3. Their hearts were divided, v. 2. (1.) They were divided among themselves. They were at variance about their idols, some for one, some for another, at variance about their kings, whose separate interests made parties in the kingdom, and in them their very hearts were divided, and alienated one from another, and there was no such thing as cordial friendship to be found among them; it follows therefore, Now shall they be found faulty. Note, The divisions and animosities of a people are the causes of much sin and the presages of ruin. (2.) They were divided between God and their idols. They had a remaining affection in their hearts for God, but a reigning affection for their idols. They halted between God and Baal, that was the dividing of their heart. But God is the sovereign of the heart and he will by no means endure a rival; he will either have all or none. Satan, like the pretended mother, says, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it; but, if this be yielded to, God says, Nay, let him take it all. A heart thus divided will be found faulty, and be rejected as treacherous in covenanting with God. Note, A heart divided between God and mammon, though it may trim the matter so as to appear plausible, will, in the day of discovery, be found faulty.

4. They made no conscience of what they said and what they did in the most solemn manner, v. 4 (1.) Not of what they said in swearing, which is the most solemn speaking: They have spoken words, and words only, for they meant not as they said; they did verba dare—give words. They swore falsely in making a covenant; they were deceitful in their covenanting with God, the covenant of circumcision, the fair promises they made of reformation when they were in distress; and no marvel if those that were false to their God were false to all mankind. They contracted such a habit of treachery that they broke through the most sacred bonds, and made nothing of them; subjects violated their oaths of allegiance and their kings their coronation-oaths; they broke their leagues with the nations they were in alliance with, nor was any conscience made of contracts between private persons. (2.) Nor of what they did in judgment, which is the most solemn acting. Justice could not take place when men made nothing of forswearing themselves; for thus judgment, which should have been a healing medicinal plant and of a sweet smell, sprang up as hemlock, which is both nauseous and noxious, in the furrows of the field, in the field that was ploughed and furrowed for good corn. Note, God is greatly offended with corruptions, not only in his own worship, but in the administration of justice between man and man, and the dishonesty of a people shall be the ground of his controversy with them as well as their idolatry and impiety; for God's laws are intended for man's benefit and the good of the community, as well as for God's honour, and the profanation of courts of justice shall be avenged as surely as the profanation of temples.

II. What the judgments are with which Israel should be punished for these sins; they sinned both in civil and religious matters, and in both they shall be punished. 1. They shall have no joy of their kings and of their government. Because justice is turned into oppression, therefore those who are entrusted with the administration of it, and should be blessings to the state, shall be complained of as the burdens of it (v. 3), and those that would not rule their people well shall not be able to protect them: Now they shall say, "We have no king, that is, we are as if we had none, we have none to do us any good nor stand us in any stead, none to keep us from destroying ourselves or being destroyed by our enemies, none to preserve the public peace nor to fight our battles; and justly has this come to us. Because we feared not the Lord, when we were safe under the protection of our kings, therefore we are rejected by him, and then what shall a king do for us? What good can we expect from a king when we have forfeited the favour of our God?" Note, Those that cast off the fear of God are not likely to have joy of any of their creature-comforts; nor will men's loyalty to their prince befriend them without religion, for, though that may engage him to be for them, what good will that do them if God be against them? Those that keep themselves in the fear and favour of God may say, with triumph, "What can the greatest of men do against us?" But those that throw themselves out of his protection must say, with despair, "What can the greatest of men do for us?" He was a king that said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence should I help thee? Yet he is a fool that says, If a king cannot help us, we must perish (as these intimate here), for God can do that for us which kings cannot. Time was when they doted upon having a king; but now what can a king (who, they thought, could do any thing) do for them? God can make people sick of those creature-confidences which they were most fond of. This is their complaint when their king is disabled to help them, yet this is not the worst; their civil government shall not only be weakened, but quite destroyed (v. 7): As for Samaria, the royal city, which is now almost all that is left, her king is cut off as the foam from the water. The foam swims uppermost, and makes a great show upon the face of the water, yet it is but a heap of bubbles raised by the troubling of the water. Such were the kings of Israel, after their revolt from the house of David, a mere scum; their government had no foundation. No better are the greatest of kings when they set up in opposition to God; when God comes to contend with them by his judgments he can as easily disperse and dissolve them, and bring them to nothing, as the froth upon the water. 2. They shall have no joy of their idols and of their worship of them. And miserable is the case of that people whose gods fail them when their kings do. (1.) The idols they had made, and the altars they had set up in honour of them, should be broken down, and spoiled, and carried away, as common plunder, by the victorious enemy: He shall break down their altars. God shall do it by the hand of the Assyrians: the Assyrians shall do it by order from God. He shall spoil their images, v. 2. Note, What men make idols of it is just with God to break down and spoil. But the calf at Bethel was the sovereign idol; it was this that the inhabitants of Samaria doted most upon; now it is here foretold that this should be destroyed: The glory of it has departed from it (v. 5) when it is thrown down and defaced, no more to be worshipped; but this is not all: It shall also be carried to Assyria (as some think that the calf at Dan was some time before) for a present to king Jareb. It was carried to him as a rich booty (for it was a golden calf, and probably adorned with the gifts and offerings of its worshippers) and as a trophy of victory over their enemies: and what more glorious trophy could they bring than this, or more incontestable proof of an absolute conquest? Thus it is said, The sin of Israel shall be destroyed (v. 8), that is, the idols which they made the matter of their sin; it is said of them, They became a sin to all Israel, 1 Kings xii. 30. Note, If the grace of God prevail not to destroy the love of sin in us, it is just that the providence of God should destroy the food and fuel of sin about us. With the idols, the high places shall be destroyed, the high places of Aven, that is, of Bethaven (v. 5) or Bethel; it was called the house of God (so Bethel signifies), but now it is called the house of iniquity, nay, iniquity itself. The kings did not, as they ought to have done, take away the high places by the sword of justice, and therefore God will take them away by the sword of war; so that the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars, that is, they shall lie in ruins. Their altars, while they stood, were as thorns and thistles, offensive to God and good men, and fruits of sin and the curse; justly therefore are they buried in thorns and thistles. (2.) The destruction of their idols, their altars, and their high places, shall be the occasion of sorrow, and shame, and terror to them. [1.] It shall be an occasion of sorrow to them. When the calf at Bethel is broken the people thereof shall mourn over it. They looked upon the calf to be the protector of their nation, and, when that was gone, thought they must all be undone, which made the poor ignorant people that were deluded into the love of it lament bitterly, as Micah did (Judg. xviii. 24), You have taken away my gods, and what have I more? The priests that had rejoiced in it shall now mourn for it with the people. Note, Whatever men make a god of they will mourn for the loss of; and an inordinate sorrow for the loss of any worldly good is a sign we made an idol of it. They used to be very merry in the worship of their idols, but now they shall mourn over them; for sinful mirth shall, sooner or later, be turned into mourning. [2.] It shall be an occasion of shame to them (v. 6): Ephraim shall receive shame when he sees the gods he trusted to carried into captivity, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel, in putting such confidence in them and paying such adoration to them. God's ark and altars were never thrown down till the people rejected them; but the idolatrous altars were thrown down when the people were doting on them, which shows that the contempt of the former, and the veneration for the latter, were the sins for which God visited them. [3.] It shall be an occasion of fear to them (v. 5): The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear; they shall be in pain for their gods and afraid of losing them; or, rather, they shall be in pain for themselves and their children and families, when they see the judgments of God breaking in upon them and beginning with their idols, as he executed judgment against the gods of Egypt, Exod. xii. 12. Thus idolaters are brought in trembling when God arises to shake terribly the earth, Isa. ii. 21. And here (v. 8), They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us. The supporters of idolatry (Rev. vi. 15, 16) are brought in calling thus in vain to rocks and mountains to shelter them from God's wrath.

Threatenings of Judgment. (b. c. 730.)

9 O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them. 10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows. 11 And Ephraim is as a heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods. 12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord , till he come and rain righteousness upon you. 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. 14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children. 15 So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

Here, I. They are put in mind of the sins of their fathers and predecessors, for which God would now reckon with them. It was told them (ch. ix. 9) that they had corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah, and here (v. 9), O Israel! thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah. Not only the wickedness that was committed in that age is revived in this, and reacted, a copy from that original, but the wickedness that was committed in that age has been continued in a constant series and succession through all the intervening ages down to this; so that the measure of iniquity had been long in filling; and still there had been made additions to it. Or, "Thou has sinned more than in the days of Gibeah" (so it may be read); "the sins of this age exceed those of the worst of former ages. The case was bad then, for there they stood; the criminals stood in their own defence, and the tribes of Israel, who undertook to chastise them for their wickedness, were at a stand, when both in the first and in the second battle the malefactors were the victors; and the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them till the third engagement, and then did not overtake them all, for 600 made their escape. But thy sin is worse than theirs, and therefore thou canst not expect but that the battle against the children of iniquity should overtake thee, and overcome thee."

II. They have warning given them, fair warning, of the judgments of God that were coming upon them, v. 10. God had hitherto pitied and spared them. Though they had been very provoking, he had a mind to try whether they would be wrought upon by patience and forbearance; but now, "It is in my desire that I should chastise them; it is what I have a purpose of and will take pleasure in." He will rejoice over them to do them hurt, Deut. xxviii. 63. Note, Because God does not desire the death and ruin of sinners, therefore he does desire their chastisement. And see what the chastisement it: The people shall be gathered against them, as all the other tribes were against Benjamin in the battle of Gibeah. One of the rabbin thus descants upon it: "Because they receive not chastisement from me by my prophets, who in my name rebuke them, I will chastise them by the hands of the people who shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows," that is, when they shall think to fortify themselves, as it were, within a double entrenchment. Or, When I shall bind them for their two transgressions (so the margin reads it), meaning their corporal and spiritual whoredom, which they are so often charged with, or the two calves at Dan and Bethel, or those two great evils mentioned Jer. ii. 13. Or, When I shall bind them to their two furrows, that is, bring them into servitude to the Assyrians, who shall keep them under the yoke as oxen in the plough, who are bound to the two furrows up the field and down it, and dare not, for fear of the goad, stir a step out of them. The Chaldee says, Those that are gathered against them shall exercise dominion over them, in like manner as a pair of heifers are tied to their two furrows. Thus those that would not be God's freemen shall be their enemies' slaves, and shall be made to know the difference between God's service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries, 2 Chron. xii. 8.

III. They are made to know that their unacquaintedness with sufferings and hardships should not excuse them from a very miserable captivity, v. 11. See how nice, and tender, and delicate, Ephraim is; he is as a heifer that is taught to tread out the corn, and loves that work, because, being not allowed to be muzzled, she has liberty to eat at pleasure, and the work itself was dry and easy, and both its own diversion and its own wages. "But," says God, "I have a yoke to put upon her fair neck, fair as it is. I will make Ephraim to ride, that is, I will tame them, or cause them to be ridden by the Assyrians and other conquerors that shall rule them with rigour, as men do the beasts they ride upon (Ps. lxvi. 12); and Judah too shall be made to plough, and Jacob to break the clods," that is, they shall be used hardly, but not so hardly as Ephraim. Note, It is just with God to make those know what hardships mean that indulge themselves too much in their own ease and pleasure. The learned Dr. Pocock inclines to another sense of these words, as intimating the tender gentle methods God took with this people, to bring them into obedience to his law, as a reason why they should return to that obedience; he had managed them as the husbandman does his cattle that he trains up for service. Ephraim being as a docile heifer, fit to be employed, God took hold of her fair neck, to accustom her to the hand, harnessed her, or put the yoke of his commandments upon her, gave his people Israel a law, that, being trained up in his institutions, they might not be tempted by the usages of the heathen; he had used all fair and likely means with them to keep them in their obedience, had set Judah to plough and Jacob to break the clods, had employed them in the observance of precepts proper for them; and yet they would not be retained in their obedience, but started aside.

IV. They are invited and encouraged to return to God by prayer, repentance, and reformation, v. 12, 13. See here,

1. The duties they are called to. They are God's husbandry (1 Cor. iii. 9), and the duties are expressed in language borrowed from the husbandman's calling. If they would not be brought into bondage by their oppressors, let them return to God's service. (1.) Let them break up the fallow ground; let them cleanse their hearts from all corrupt affections and lusts, which are as weeds and thorns, and let them be humbled for their sins, and be of a broken and contrite spirit in the sense of them; let them be full of sorrow and shame at the remembrance of them, and prepare to receive the divine precepts, as the ground that is ploughed is to receive the seed, that it may take root. See Jer. iv. 3. (2.) Let them sow to themselves in righteousness; let them return to the practice of good works, according to the law of God, which is the rule of righteousness; let them abound in works of piety towards God, and of justice and charity towards one another, and herein let them sow to the Spirit, as the apostle speaks, Gal. vi. 7, 8. Every action is seed sown. Let them sow in righteousness; let them sow what they should sow, do what they should do, and they themselves shall have the benefit of it. (3.) Let them seek the Lord; let them look up to him for his grace, and beg of him to bless the seed sown. The husbandman must plough and sow with an eye to God, asking of him rain in the season thereof.

2. The arguments used for the pressing of these duties. Consider, (1.) It is time to do it; it is high time. The husbandman sows in seed-time, and, if that time be far spent, he applies to the work with the more diligence. Note, Seeking the Lord is to be every day's work, but there are some special occasions given by the providence and grace of God when it is, in a particular manner, time to seek him. (2.) If we do our part, God will do his. If we sow to ourselves in righteousness—if we be careful and diligent to do our duty, in a dependence upon his grace—he will shower down his grace upon us, will rain righteousness, the very thing that those need most who are to sow in righteousness; for by the grace of God we are what we are. Some apply it to Christ, who should come in the fulness of time, and for whose coming they must prepare themselves; he shall come as the Lord our righteousness, and shall rain righteousness upon us, that everlasting righteousness which he has brought in; he will grant us of it abundantly. It is foretold (Ps. lxxii. 6) that he shall come down like rain. (3.) If we sow in righteousness, we shall reap in mercy, which agrees with that promise, If we sow to the Spirit, we shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. We shall reap according to the measure of mercy (so the word is); it shall be a great reward, according to the riches of mercy, such a reward, not as becomes such mean creatures as we are to receive, but as becomes a God of infinite mercy to give, a reward, not of debt, but of grace. We reap not in merit, but in mercy. It is what is sown; God gives a body as it has pleased him. (4.) We have ploughed wickedness and reaped iniquity; and the time past of our life may suffice that we have done so, v. 13. "You have taken a great deal of pains in the service of sin, have laboured at it in the very fire; and will you grudge to bear the burden and heat of the day in God's service and in doing that which will be for your own advantage? You have done much to damn your souls; will you not undo it again, and do something to save them?" (5.) We never got any thing in the service of sin. They have ploughed wickedness (that is, they have done the drudgery of sin), and they have reaped iniquity, that is, they have got all that is to be got by it; they have carried it on to the harvest, and what the better? It is all a cheat. They have eaten the fruit of lies, fruit that is but a lie, which looks fair, but is rotten within; the works of darkness are unfruitful works, Eph. v. 11; Rom. vi. 21. Even the gains of sin yield the sinner no satisfaction. (6.) As our comforts, so our confidences, in the service of sin will certainly fail us: "Thou didst trust in thy ways, in the multitude of thy mighty men; thou has stayed thyself upon creatures, thy own power and policy, and therefore hast ventured to plough wickedness, and thy hopes have deceived thee; come therefore, and seek the Lord, and thy hope in him shall not deceive thee."

V. They are threatened with utter destruction, both for their carnal practices and for their carnal confidences, v. 14, 15. Therefore, because thou has sown wickedness, and trusted in thy own way, a tumult shall arise among thy people, either by insurrections at home or invasions from abroad, either of which will put a kingdom into confusion and make a noise, much more both together. 1. Their cities and strongholds shall be a prey to the enemy: The fortresses which they confided in, and in which they had laid up their effects, shall be seized and rifled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle. This refers to some event that had lately happened, not elsewhere recorded; and probably Shalman is the same with Shalmaneser king of Assyria, who had lately put some town, or castle, or house (Beth-arbel is the house of Arbel), under military execution, which perhaps he used with severity in the beginning of his conquests, to terrify other garrisons into a speedy surrender at the first summons. God tells them that thus Samaria should be spoiled. 2. The inhabitants shall be put to the sword, as it was at Beth-arbel; when it was taken the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children, that is, they were both dashed in pieces together by the fury of the soldiers. See what cruel work war makes. Jusque datum sceleri—Wickedness has free course. It is strange that any of the human race could be so inhuman; but see what comes of sin. Homo homini lupus—Man is a wolf to man, and then, Homo homini agnus—Man is a lamb to man. 3. Even royal blood shall be mingled with common gore: In a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off, v. 15. Hoshea was the last king of Israel; in him the whole kingdom was cut off and came to a period; it may refer either to him or to some of his predecessors that were cut off by treachery. It shall be done in a morning, in a very little time, as suddenly as the dawning of the morning, or at the time appointed, for so the morning comes, punctually at its time. Or in the morning, when they think the night of calamity is over, and expect a returning day, then shall all their hopes be dashed by the sudden cutting off of their king, v. 7. Kings, though gods to us, are men to God, and shall die like men. And (lastly) what does all this desolation owe its rise to? What is the spring of this bloodshed? He tells us (v. 15): So shall Bethel do unto you. Bethel was the place where one of the calves was; Gilgal, where all their wickedness is said to have been, was hard by; there was their great wickedness, the evil of their evil (so the word is), the sum and quintessence of their sin; and that was it that did this to them, that made all this havoc, for that was it that provoked God to bring it upon them. He does not say, "So shall the king of Assyria do to you;" but, "So shall Bethel do to you." Note, Whatever mischief is done to us it is sin that does it. Are the fortresses spoiled? Are the women and children murdered? Is the king cut off? It is sin that does all this. It is sin that ruins soul, body, estate, all. So shall Bethel do unto you. It is thy own wickedness that corrects thee and thy backslidings that reprove thee.

CHAP. X.

Verſ. 1. I Sracl is an empty vine,] Heb. an emptying vine; loſing her fruit, [non-Latin text not transcribed] and ſo deceiving the owner. How can Iſrael but be empty of all good, of all fruits of the ſpirit, when he will not hearken unto God, nor dwell under the droppings of a powerful miniſtry? when he is caſt off by God, Chap. 9.17. who fils his people with the fruits of righteouſneſſe: and is not a wilderneſſe a land of darkneſſe unto them? Jer. 2.31. when his root is dried up, Chap. 9.1[illegible: 2 letters] Phil. 1.11. and all his juyce and ſtrength runs out into leaves, ſo that is (frondoſa vitis (as the vulgar renders it) a leavy vine; ſuch as are our profligate profeſſours, and carnal goſpellers, and ſuch as was Saint James his ſolifidian, that empty fellow, as he calleth him, Chap. 2.20. when, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. laſtly, the holy Spirit (thoſe two golden pipes, Zach. 4.) empties not into his candleſtick the golden oyles of all precious graces, as from two bleſſed olive branches? The Vine and the olive (two of the beſt fruit-trees) grow beſt together, ſaith Melanchthon. If Iſraels heart be divided from God, as verſ. 2. and hath not his fruit found in him, as Chap. 14.8. what marvel if he prove (as Nahum. 3.10.) empty and void, and waſte; and though (as verſe 2.) the Lord turn away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Iſrael: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and married their vine branches?

He beareth fruit to himſelf,] As he beareth fruit in and from himſelf (like the ivy, which though it claſp about the oak, and ſometimes kils it, yet brings forth all its berries, by virtue of its own root) ſo he beareth fruit for himſelf, or to himſelf. Profit, pleaſure, and preferment is his Trinity: and corrupt ſelf is all theſe in unity. He faſteth to himſelf, as thoſe hypocrites, Zach. 7.5. he prayes, hears, confers, giveth alms, &c. cut of ſinful ſelf-love. In all that he doth ſibi ſoli velificatur, he ſeeks his own ends onely; as the Eagle, when he flieth higheſt, hath his eye on his prey. In parabola ovis capras ſuas quaerit: like the fiſh in the Goſpel, either he is dumb, or hath nothing but ſilver in his mouth, he is a notorious ſelf-ſeeker, he bears fruit to himſelf: he ſacrificeth to himſelf as Sejanus did. As Prometheus is fabled to have ſtollen fire from Jupiter; ſo the falſe Iſraelite would cozen God of heaven, if he could tell how. Spira confeſſed that he uſed prayer onely, as a bridge to bring him to heaven; and therefore he deſpaired of acceptance, as well he might: for how ſhould God reliſh ſuch ſorry hedge-fruits? how ſhould he ſay of ſuch cluſters of Gomorrah, Deſtroy it not, for there is a bleſſing in it? The good ſoul, as ſhe bears all her fruit in Chriſt, Ieh. 15.2. ſo ſhe keeps all her fruit for him, Cant. 7.13.Eſ. 65.8. and cries out, Propter te Domine, propter te. As all his ſprings are in her, ſo all ſhe has and is, is for him; and if ſhe had more and better, ſhe could beteem it him. Hence it is, that when he comes into his garden (upon her invitation) Cant. 4.16. to eat his pleaſant fruits, he gathereth his myrrhe with his ſpice, he eateth his honey with his honycomb, as it were cruſt and crumb together, Chap. 5.1. He takes in good part the better and worſe-performed ſervices; he paſſeth by failings in the manner, where the heart is upright, for the main: wicked men preſent alſo ſome kind of fruit, (as the oak bears ſome kind of apples and acorns, but they are not mans meat: ſwine indeed will haunch them up; ſo the devil likes well enough of theſe ſelf-fruits) but they make not to Gods palat. Delicata res eſt Spiritus Dei, our oaken apples will not down with him. Self muſt be ſtrained out, and God ſet up,Tertull. that ye may be called Trees of righteouſneſſe, the planting of the Lord, that he alone may be glorified, Eſay 61.3. being filled with the fruits of righteonſneſſe, which are by Jeſus Chriſt, unto the glory and praiſe of God, Phil. 1.11.

according to the multitude of his fruit, he hath increaſed the altars,] Juxta ubertatem, exuberant ſimulachris, ſaith the Vulgar elegantly; but yet ſhort of the Original, where there is a dainty Agnomination, and a double Polyptôton. For the ſence: the Prophet as he had accuſed Iſrael of emptineſſe, and ſelfiſhneſſe, ſo hee doth here of unthankfulneſſe, in abuſing Gods plenty to the promoting of idolatry; as if God had hired them to be wicked. See the like before, chap. 2.8. with the Note: and conſider how far againſt the ingenuity of a Chriſtian it is, to bee leaſt for God, when he hath moſt from him: when his own turn is ſerved, then to turn his back from the Authour of all his good: to do as the Moon, that getteſt furtheſt off the Sun, when ſhe is fulleſt of his light.

according to the goodneſſe of his land,] Idolaters deſire to be where there are good lands, fruitfull fields: that they may laviſh upon their Mawmets; that they may ſo beautifie, or (as the Hebrew word here is) bonifie their images, as Jezebel did her head with tires and brave dreſſes, 2 King. 9.30. Their ſorrows ſhall be multiplied that haſten after another God, or, that endow another God, and give gifts to him, as that Text may be rendred, Pſal. 16.4. What exceſſive coſt the ſuperſtitious papiſts beſtow upon their idols, or images, (which are one and the ſame, as we ſee here) and eſpecially upon their [illegible: 1 letter]ady of Loretto, the Jeſuite Turſellinus hath ſet forth to the world. And why they ſo much deſire and endeavour to recover England (praying for it, as is to be ſeen written on the gates of their Colledges, Jeſu, Jeſu converte Angliam: fiat, fiat) the reaſon is evident: it is a good land, and would eaſily yeeld them goodly images, ſtately altars, &c. England was wont to be called, the Popes aſſe, and his puteus inexhauſtus, his pit of treaſure, that could never be drawn dry: he was wont to ſay, that he could never want money, ſo long as hee could hold a pen in his fingers, to write to England. He received here-hence yearly,Job. Manl. loc. com. p. 492. above nine tunne of gold. Now, according to what they received, they expended upon their images. What a ſhame is it then for true worſhippers, that there is no proportion between their increaſes for God, and their encreaſes from God: that thoſe that are rich in this world, 1 Tim 6.17, 18. are not rich in good works: that they lay not by for pious and charitable uſes, according as God hath bleſſed them, 1 Cor. 16.2. but that they ſhould be the richer the harder: as children that have their mouthes full, and both hands full, yet will part with none, but ſpill it rather. It is obſerved, of men that grow very far, that they have ſo much the leſſe blood. And ſo the fatter many men are in their eſtates, the leſſe blood, life, and ſpirits they have for God.

Verſe 2. Their heart is divided,] ſc. From God; whoſe ſoul therefore is juſtly disjoynted from them, Ier. 6.8. They profeſſed to worſhip the true God, and yet they transferred the honour due to him alone upon dumb-idols: they halted between two, and would needs ſerve two Lords: but God would none of that. Be the gods of the Heathen good-fellows, ſaith One, the true God is a jealous God, and will not part ſtakes with another: The double-minded man is not for his ſervice: for he will be ſerved truely, that there be no halting; and totally, that there be no halving. Good therefore and worthy of all acceptation is the counſell of St. Iames to ſuch, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. chap. 4.8. Cleanſe your hands ye ſinners: and purifie your hearts ye double-minded, or ye cloven-hearted. Out with the corruption that cleaveth to your hearts: and then there will be a conſtancy and evenneſſe in your mindes, mouthes, and manners: which is abſolutely neceſſary to ſuch as draw nigh to God in holy duties, and the contrary abominable, Eſay 29.13.

Now ſhall they be found faulty,] Sinners againſt their own ſouls, procurers of their own ruth, and ruine. And this they ſhall ſo clearly be convinced of (as afflicti[illegible: 1 letter] dat intellectum, ſmart makes wit) that they ſhall cry out with Joſephs brethren, We are verily guilty, Gen. 42.21. and conſcience awakened ſhall anſwer as Reuben in the next verſe, Spake I not unto you ſaying, Do not ſin: (O do not this abominable thing) and yee would not hear? Did not the Prophets foretell you what would be the fruit of your idolatries? did they not even ſlit up your hearts with the ſacrificing knife of Gods word, (ſharper then any two-ed[illegible: 2 letters]d ſword) and lay all your evil thoughts naked and open, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. or diſſected, quartered, and cleft in the back-bone (as the Apoſtles word ſignifieth, Heb. 4.13.) but ye would not then be convinced of all, and falling down upon your face worſhip God, as 1 Cor. 14.24, 25? Now you are found faulty, or guilty, and cry peccavi: or now you are, that is, ſhortly ye ſhall be waſted and deſolated, as ſome render it: or now ſhall they die, Interibunt. (ſo the Vulgar) ſhall they periſh: how ſhould they do otherwiſe whoſe heart (that ſeat of life) is cut in twain, and whom the jealous and juſt God will cut in twain; [non-Latin text not transcribed]. tearing their ſouls from their bodies by death, Satans ſlaughter-man, and appointing them their portion with hypocrites, Matth. 24.51.

He ſhall break down their altars.] He, that is God, my God, chap. 9.17 for this Chapter is a continuation of that (though Gualter make it the beginning of Hoſea's ſeventh Sermon) He, that excellent He, that Aph-Hu, 2 King. 2.14. Even He, proved by five reaſons to be one of Gods Attributes, by Mr. Weemſs in his Expoſition of the Morall Law, Part. 1. pag. 162. Vide ſis. Others render it thus: It ſhall break down their altars, Ipſum cor. It, that is, their Heart, (which indeed is the next Antecedent) and happy had it been for them, if their heart divided from their wickedneſſe, had been active in breaking down their Altars in the Prophet Eſay's ſence, chap. 27.9. as a fruit of their true repentance: By this therefore, that is, by their affliction ſanctified, ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit (and good fruit too) to take [illegible: 1 letter]ay his ſinne: When (in teſtimony of his ſound repentance, and ſelf-abhorrency for former idolatry) he makes all the ſtones of the altar as chalk-ſtones that are beaten in ſunder, the groves and images ſhall not ſtand up. But it appears not any where that Iſrael was ſo well-affected though grievouſly afflicted: that his divided heart prompted him to any ſuch holy practiſe. Rather it brought ruine upon him, to the decolling of his altars, and ſpoyling of his images (which he ſo doted on, and delighted in) and ſo might well ſay to him, as Apollodorus the tyrants heart did, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. who dreamed one night that he was flea'd by the Scythians, and boyled in a caldron: and that his heart ſpake to him out of the kettle; It is I that have drawn thee to all this: thou mayeſt thank me for all.

Verſe 3. For now they ſhall ſay, We have no king,] ſc. to do us good: he is no better to us now, then a king of clouts: he cannot protect us, or deliver us out of the hands of our enemies. If we crie unto him, as ſhe did, Help O king; he muſt needs anſwer as there, If the Lord do not help thee, whence I help thee? 2 King. 6.16, 27. Vain is the help of man now that God ſets againſt us. Feared him we have not, and now help us he will not. Eſt ergo interrogatio negantium & deſperantiuns, ſaith River. This is the queſtion, not of penitentiaries (as Lyra thinketh) but of ſuch as deſpair, and deny that help can be had, either from God, whom they have ſlighted, or from their king, who is over-matched; as Aſa was by the Ethiopians, when he came forth againſt them, with an Army of five hundred thouſand, but was encountred by an Army of a thouſand thouſand, the biggeſt, I think, that we read of in the book of God, 2 Chron. 14. and was therefore fain to crie, Help us O Lord our God, for we reſt in thee: and in they Name, not in our own ſtrength, we go againſt this multitude, ver. 11.

becauſe we feared not the Lord,] We trembled not at his word, as chap. 9.17. and now it hath taken hold of us, Zech. 1.6. See the Note. By our prophaneneſſe we have enraged God againſt us: by our creature-confidence, wee have made him our enemy: and now, all too late, we acknowledge our implety, we bewail our folly: for what ſhould a king do to us? what can he do for us? more then weep over us, as Xerxes did over his Army? cry Alas, Alas, that great city Babylon, &c. as thoſe kings her paramours, Rev. 18.9, 10. wiſh they had never raigned as Adrian, Felix ſi nan imperitaſſent. &c. Once the cry of this people was, Nay, but we will have a king, and they had him: but no ſuch great joy of him. After that again, they would have a king of their own chooſing, Ieroboam I mean; and he proved a ſingular miſchief to them, as did likewiſe all his Succeſſours. They doted upon a king, and put their truſt in Princes; but they ſoon found that in them there was no help, Pſal. 146.3. that they could not reſcue them out of the puniſhing hands of the king of kings, the living God.

Verſe 4. They have ſpoken words,] Bubbles of words, great ſwelling words (as 2 Pet. 2.18.) thereby thinking to bear down, and outface the Prophets, and the godly-party. They ſpeake violent words, (as the Chaldee hath it) robuſtious words, as if they would yet carry it (though their king could not help them) by confederacies, and covenants, confirmed with oathes: holding that rule of the Priſcilianiſts for Goſpel (as they ſay.)

Iura, perjura: ſecretum prodere noli:

And that maxime of Machiavel, that Religion it ſelf (in contracts and covenants) ſhould not be cared for; but onely the appearance, becauſe the credit is an help, the uſe a cumber: but all theſe are but words, ſaith the Prophet, and thoſe but winde: they ſhall do them no good, becauſe without God.

Quid niſus? riſus: conamina? inania, vana: Conventus? ventus: foedera? verba mera.

Swearing falſly in making a covenant,] A foul buſineſſe, whether it be underſtood of covenanting with God (whereof before) or with the Aſſyrian, with whom they broke, to ingratiate with So king of Egypt, 2 King. 17. How God plagueth perjurers, &c. covenant-breakers, ſee Zach. 5.3. and Mal. 3.5. with the Notes. He will appoint the ſword to avenge the quarrell of his Covenant, Lev. 26.25. as he did upon Jeruſalem, not leaving there one ſtone upon another: upon thoſe ſeven golden candleſticks, long ſince broken in pieces for their breach of covenant: upon Bohemiah, that ſeat of the firſt open and authorized Reformation, whatever will yet become of England, &c.

thus judgement ſpringeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.] Heb. Of my field, where I have plowed and made long furrowes, fitted for good ſeed, wherein I looked for judgement, but behold oppreſſion; for righteouſneſſe, but behold a crie, Eſay 5.7. This root of bitterneſſe, theſe ſtalks of hemlock (that venemous weed, full of deadly poyſon) is bad any where, but worſt of all, when found in Gods field, noted for an habitation of juſtice, and mountain of holineſſe, Jer. 31.23. Where ſhould a man look for juſtice, but where holineſſe is profeſſed?Luther. ſith primo pracepto reliquorum omnium obſervantia praecipitur, the ſecond Table of the Law is included in the firſt: yea the keeping of all the ten is enjoyned in the firſt commandement?Velejus. Of Rome it was anciently ſaid, that all the neighbouring cities were the better for her example of ſingular care to do juſtice. It ſhould be ſo ſaid of the city of God: where when judgement is turned into wormwood, and the fruit of righteouſneſſe into hemlock, as Amos 6.12. Well it may grow till it be ripe in the field, but God will not ſuffer it to ſhed, to grow again, but cuts it up by a juſt and ſeaſonable vengeance.

Verſe 5. The inhabitants of Samaria ſhall fear,] ſc. When God ſhall break the necks of their altars, and ſpoil their images, as verſe 2. They feared not God, by their own confeſſion verſe 3. therefore they are full of baſe fears, whereof the true fear of God would have freed them, Matth. 10.28. Hee that feareth God needeth not fear any other thing, or perſon, Pſal. 112.7. but can ſay with David, My feet, Horat. that is, mine affections, ſtand in an even place, that is, in an equable tenour: Impavidum ferient ruinae, I ſhall reſt in the day of trouble, when he cometh up againſt the people, (ſaith holy Habakkuk. chap. 3.16.) I ſhall rejoyce in the God of my ſalvation: when thoſe that fear not God ſhall be at their wits end: yea they ſhall be mad for the ſight of their eyes that they ſhall ſee, Deut. 28.34.

Becauſe of the calves of Beth-aven,] Calves in the feminine gender, Shee-calves, by way of contempt and deriſion,S. H. Blounts voyage. 122. Grand Sign. Serag. 199. Virg. Aeneid. 9 Hom. Il. 8. In loc. as Hierom noteth: as Eſay 3.12. Women rule over them. The Jewes at this day look upon women as a lower creation, and ſuffer them not to enter into the Synagogue. As among the Turks they never go to Church, neither is there any reckoning made of their religion. The Heathens had the like conceits and expreſſions: O Phrygiae, neque enim Phryges—[non-Latin text not transcribed], &c. We cannot ſpeak over-baſely of idols: the Scriptures calleth them, excrements, Nothings, &c. Luther wonders that Jeroboam knowing how ill the people had ſped with their golden. Calf in the wilderneſſe, ſhould yet dare to ſet up two at Dan and Bethel (both here called Bethaven, or houſes of iniquity:) and a man might as well wonder, that having as great a miracle wrought before him in the drying up of his hand, as St. Paul at his converſion, yet was he no whit wrought upon. But if God ſtrike not the ſtroke, if the Spirit ſet not in with the means, all's to no purpoſe. Who would think that men ſhould ever be ſo void of reaſon, as to truſt in that which cannot ſave it ſelf from the enemies hands? as theſe calves of Beth-aven, and as the Papiſts breaden-god, brought into the field by the rebels of North-folk, in King Edward the ſixths dayes: neither was there lacking maſſes, croſſes, banners, candleſticks, with holy-bread, and holy-water plenty, to defend them from devils and all adverſary power: which in the end, neither could help their friends, nor ſave themſelves from the hands of their enemiees: but eft-ſoons both the conſecrated god, and all the trumpery about him,Act. and Mon. 1190. was taken in a cart, and there lay all in the duſt; Leaving to them a notable leſſon of better experience, ſaith Mr. Fox, who relateth it.

For the people thereof] i. e. of the calf, to whom they had dedicated themſelves; as the Moabites are called the people of Chemoſh, Num. 21.29. and Turks, Mahometans. For all people will walk every one in the name of his God; and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever, Mic. 4.5.

Do mourn over it,] As thoſe women wept for Tammuz, Ezech. 8.14. that is, for Oſiris king of Egypt, whoſe image they had adored, as thoſe Rev. 18. wailed over that old whore, when they ſaw her a broyling; as Idolatrous Micah cried after his gods, Judg. 18. and as the people of the Eaſt-Indies in the Iſle Zeylon, having an apes tooth which they had conſecrated, gotten from them, mourned, and offered an incredible maſſe of treaſure to recover it. Should not men then mourn after the ſincere ſervice of God, and hold it dear to their ſoules?

And the Prieſts thereof that rejoyced in it] Heb. the Chemarims, or Chimney-chaplaines, that were all black and ſooty with the ſmoak of the ſacrifices, and were therefore called Chemarim or Camilli, as affecting a black habite ſanctimoniae ergo; or having black brand-marks upon their bodies, in honour of their Idols, whereof theſe haply were the Hierophantae, or maſters of the Ceremonies, and made a great gain thereof the ground of their joy: for it is [non-Latin text not transcribed], gain ſo called, becauſe it delights the heart.

For the glory thereof.] i. e. of the calf, the beauty and bravery of its worſhip, all is now utterly gone.

Verſ. 6 It ſhall be alſo carried unto Aſſyria, &c.] As no ſmall part of the ſpoyl, ſhal this Deafter be carried captive: being ſo far unable to ſave others, that he cannot ſave himſelf.

For a preſent to king Jareb,] (See Chap. 3.13. in ſignum omnimodae victoriae. ſo Aeneas, Ilium in Italiam portat, victoſque penates.Aeneid. 1. though in another ſenſe; yet they muſt needs be poor deſpicable deities, See Iſay. 46.2. that fall into the enemies hands. The Ark indeed fell into the Philiſtines hands: but the Ark was not Gods, but onely a ſigne of his preſence, which God ſuffered ſo to be taken, for a puniſhment to his people, and for a plague to his enemies, whom he ſmote in the hinder parts, and ſo put them to a perpetual reproach, Pſal. 78.66.

Ephraim ſhall receive ſhame] becauſe they hoped and harped upon better things, Job. 6.20. O pray, with David, that our hopes be not diſappointed: that they make us not aſhamed, as Paul ſpeaketh; that they prove not as the ſpiders web,Rom. 5.5. curiouſly framed but to catch flies onely; or as the childes hope, who catcheth at the ſhadow on the wall which he thinks he holds faſt, or at the butterflie, which if he catch, he hath no ſuch great catch of.

And Iſrael ſhall be aſhamed of his own counſels] of their impolitick plots and practiſes, in dividing themſelves from Davids houſe, and ſetting up unwarranted worſhips, calling in forrain helps, &c. Their own counſels have caſt them down, Job. 18.7. becauſe they were acted by falſe principles, and aymed at their own corrupt ends. They took counſel, but not of God; and covered with a covering, but not of his ſpirit, that they might adde ſin to ſin, Eſay. 30.1. They made not the Word the man of their counſel, as David did, Pſal. 119.24. neither prayed they as he, Pſal. 73.24. Guide me Lord with thy counſel, and ſo bring me to glory. In a word, they periſhed by their own counſels, Hoſ. 11.6. whereby they provoked God, and ſo were brought low, by their iniquity, Pſal. 106.43. and then they were aſhamed of their own counſel, they ſaw themſelves befooled by their carnal reaſon, and by that which they call Reaſon of State, which indeed is treaſon, unleſſe it be ſeaſoned with Juſtice and Religion.

Verſ. 7. As for Samaria, her king is cut off, as the feam upon the waters,] An apt ſimile (whereof this prophet is full) Her king, (not her idols, as ſome ſenſe it) though gotten into Samaria, a ſtrong city, ſo well victualled and fortified, as to hold out a ſiege of three years continuance, yet ſhall be cut off, or ſilenced as Chap. 4.7. as the foam upon the waters, bulla evanida, more weak then water, whereof it ariſeth, and whereby it is wherried away, and cannot reſiſt: or, as a bubble blown up by every ſmall wind, and as eaſily blown out again; it no ſooner appears but it diſappeares. Lo ſuch are the greateſt kings and kingdoms, when God taketh them in their wickedneſs. He cuts off the ſpirits of Princes, Pſal. 76.12. he ſlips them off, (ſo the Hebrew is) as one would ſlip off a flower between ones fingers; or as one would ſlip off a bunch of grapes. The kingdoms of the earth are like foam upon the waters. 1. For their ſeeming brightneſſe. 2. For their great eminence. 3. For their inſtability and inability to reſiſt. 4. For their ſudden fall, and diſappearance. The Turkiſh Empire (which hath ſwallowed up ſo many glorious Empires and renowned kingdoms) laboureth with nothing more then the weightineſſe of it ſelf: and ſhall ſhortly be cut off as foam, and live no otherwiſe then by fame, as others now do: though for the preſent, it be no whit inferiour, in greatneſſe, and ſtrength to the greateſt Monarchies that ever yet were upon the face of the earth; the Roman Empire onely excepted.

Verſe 8. [non-Latin text not transcribed] unde [non-Latin text not transcribed]. The high places alſo of Aven, &c.] Sept. the Altars, ab Alto dicta. Of Aven, for Beth-aven, (whereof before) a place ſo hatefull now, that God loathes at large to mention it: he even cuts off the head of it, as he had threatned to do by the Altars verſe 2. So Jeconiah degenerating, is Coniah, &c.

the ſinne of Iſrael,] that damning ſinne of idolatry here committed, that wickedneſſe with a witneſſe, which makes God abhorre places as well as perſons, and turns them into ſin as it were. What is the tranſgreſſion of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jeruſalem? Mich. 1.5.

ſhall be deſtroyed.,] Thus, mans ſinne brings deſtruction upon the creatures. It is as poyſon in a glaſſe, that cauſeth the glaſſe to be broken, and caſt upon the dunghill. The veſſels that held the ſin-offering, if made of earth, they were to be broken; if of braſſe, or other metalls, to be purged with fire: as one day the earth and viſible heavens alſo ſhall be for the defilement that mans ſinne hath ſet upon them.

The thorn and the thiſtle ſhall come upon their altars,] There ſhall be nil niſi ſolitudo in terris, Tarnou. aegritudo in animis, &c. See the Note on chap. 9. verſ 6.

they ſhall ſay to the mountains, Cover us,] This they ſhall ſay out of the ſenſe and terrour of Gods juſt judgements driving them to deſperation. —tellus prius ima dehiſcat, &c. Ariſtides commendeth Themiſtocles for this, that he never was ſo perplexed by any evil occurrence, as to wiſh that the earth would ſwallow him up quick, or to pronounce the dead happy. Rivet well obſerveth here, that Iudaea, as it was full of hills and rocks, ſo they were wont to dig themſelves therein caves and dennes, wherein to hide in time of danger. To theſe David oft repaired, and ſo ſecured himſelf from Saul. And to theſe he alludeth when he calleth God his Rock, Pſal. 18.2. and the Rock of his refuge, Pſal. 94.22. And of theſe places of ſecurity Ioſephus writeth,Antiq. l. 14. cap. 26. De bel. Jud. [illegible: 1 letter]ib. 1. cap. 12. deſcribing the forme of them. Now when they were in thoſe holes of the hills, and were diſtreſſed by the enemy there, what wonder though they ſaid to the mountains, fall upon us, cover us bury us alive, eruſh us to pieces, grinde us to powder, rather then that we fall into the bloody fingers of theſe mercileſſe monſters; who will put us haply to a lingring death, kill us peecemeal, as Tiberius did thoſe he was angry with:Sueton. and as the Canibals of America, when they take a priſoner, feed upon him alive, and by degrees, to the unutterable aggravation of his horrour and torment. Our Saviour foretold his diſciples, that at the laſt deſtruction of Jeruſalem, men ſhould crie out to the mountains on this manner: And ſo ſhall the Antichriſtian rout alſo do one day, Rev. 6.16. They that would not worſhip the Lamb, ſhall finde him a Lion: thoſe that would not caſt away their tranſgreſſions, but faced the heavens, ſhall run into the rocks to hide them; thoſe that would not aſpire to eternity, ſhall deſpair of mercy; thoſe that would not lift up their eyes to the everlaſting mountains, from whence comes help, ſhall now in vain tire the deaf mountains, with hide us, help us. Now what can the mountains do more then give an eccho to ſuch help us; for they need help alſo: the wrath of God is upon the creature, &c.

Verſe 9. O Iſrael thou haſt ſinned from the dayes of Gibeah,] Or, Prae diebus worſe then in the dayes of Gibeah. What thoſe dayes were, ſee chap. 9.9. and Judg. 19. when they were, is not ſo certain: but probably, before the time of the Judges, and ſoon after Joſhuahs death: for Jebus, or Jeruſalem, was not yet taken, Judg. 19. with chap. 1. and Phineas was yet alive and miniſtred before the Lord, chap. 20.28. and was one of thoſe Elders that out-lived Joſhuah, who had ſeen all the great works of the Lord, which he did for Iſrael, Judg. 2.7. ſo that theſe dayes of Gibeah, were very ancient: and Iſraels ſinne the worſe, becauſe from thoſe dayes: and yet more, becauſe above, or beyond thoſe dayes. God made uſe of your forefathers to puniſh that great ſin: and yet you continue to be more vile and vitious then they were, that were ſo puniſhed by your forefathers: Neither are ye at all warned by their harmes: which is a juſt both preſage and deſert of your downfall. Alterius perditie tua ſit eautio. Exemplo alterius qui ſapit, ille ſapit.

there they ſtood.] Who ſtood? either the men of Gibeah ſtood ſtoutly to it: and ſlew in two ſeverall battles fourty thouſand. Or, there ſtood the men of Iſrael, and their battle did not overtake the children of iniquity: not ſo overtake them at firſt, but that they were twice beaten by them: All which notwithſtanding, they ſtood it out, and prevailed at laſt: but ſo ſhall not you, ſith it is in my deſire, and decree, verſe 10. to order it otherwiſe, and utterly to deſtroy you at once. Non ſurget bîc aſſlictio.

Verſe 10. It is in my defire that I ſhould chaſtiſe them,] That is,Nahum 1.9. I am unchangeably reſolved, and fully bent upon't, to carry them captive and enſlave them to their enemies: wherein they ſhall finde that they have to do with God, and not with man; and that it is I that binde them, though I make uſe of the Aſſyrians to that purpoſe. Luther renders it, Valde cupidè eos caſtigabo, exceeding deſirouſly will I chaſtiſe them. O the venemous nature of ſin, that maketh the mercifull God to deſire and to delight in mens miſeries: to take comfort in their puniſhments, Ezck. 5.13, 15. to laugh at their deſtruction, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Act. 13. Prov. 1. And although he bear long with mens evil manners, yet he beareth them as a burden, whereof he deſireth to be eaſed, Eſay. 1.24. as a ſervitude whereof he deſireth to be freed, Eſay 43.24. as a pain, not inferiour to that of a travelling woman: and albeit he bite in his pains, as it were, for a time, yet hear him what he ſaith, Eſay 42.14. I have long time holden my peace, I have been ſtill and refrained my ſelf; now will I cry like a travailing woman: I will deſtroy and devour at once.

and the people ſhall be gathered againſt them,] God can bring in his armies at his pleaſure: for all creatures are at his beck and check. If he do but look out at the windows of heaven, and cry, Who is on my ſide? who? all creatures in heaven and earth will preſently preſent their ſervice: he never need want a weapon to chaſtiſe his rebels.C[illegible: 1 letter]. Pempei. If he but ſtamp with his foot (as that proud Roman ſaid) he can have men enough. How ready are the Aſſyrians here, to be the rod in his hand?

When they ſhall bind themſelves in their two furrowes,] i. e. I will bring their enemies upon them, and they ſhall yoke them like oxen that are yoked to plow: yea, they ſhall bring them into ſuch ſervitude, that they ſhall make them do double work, plow in their two furrows, be they never ſo weary of doing one. The enemies ſhall not be moved to pity the poor Iſraelites, when tired with hard labour: but ſhall make them plow like beaſts, giving them no reſt till they have even wearied and worn them out. This is Polanus his interpretation: who further admoniſheth us, as oft as we behold, or think upon the yoking of oxen for the plow,Polan. in loc. that wee likewiſe bethink us of the miſerable condition of ſuch poor Chriſtians, as are ſlaves to Turks, and Tartats, and other enemies, who binde them indeed in their two furrows. It is not ſo long ſince here amongſt us, diverſe of Gods dear ſervants were driven from Ciceter and other places (taken by the enemy) naked and barefoot, (as the Egyptians were by the Aſſyrians, Eſay 20.4.) thorow thick and thin to Oxford-Gaole, &c. where by the cruelty of their keepers, many of them loſt their precious lives, to the incredible grief of their dear relations. Neither can I here paſſe by Tillies cruelty at Magdeburgh in Germany: where after twenty thouſand perſons at leaſt put to the ſword, and the Town burned down, his ſouldiers committed all manner of ravages,Mr. Clark in the life of the K. of Swed. all the countrey over: Ladies, Gentlewomen and others, like beaſts, they yoaked and coupled together, leading them into the woods to raviſh them; and ſuch as reſiſted, they ſtripped naked, whipt them, cropt their ears, and ſo ſent them home again. The Iriſh cruelties unnameable, might here be inſtanced. O quam duram, O quam triſtem ſerviunt illi ſervitutem! See Mr. Clarks relation. The words may be read, They ſhall binde them together.

Verſe 11. And Ephraim is an heifer that is taught,] ſc. With the Ox-goad, which hath its name from teaching, Judg. 3.31. becauſe therewith Oxen are taught to plow,Malmad. ſaith R. David. Ephraim was a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoak, Jer. 31.18. but God brought her to it and taught her, though at firſt a backſliding heifer, chap. 4.16. (ſee the the Note there) taught her, as Gedeon taught the men of Succoth, with briers and thorns of the wilderneſſe, ſo that they paid dear for their learning, Judg. 8.16. But Ephraim, though taught it, loveth not plowing work, becauſe hard and hungry. She loveth rather to tread out the corn,] where ſhe may dance and frisk in the loft ſtraw without either yoak or muzzle, Deut. 25.4. As we threſh, ſo it was their manner to tread out their hard corn with the feet of beaſts, or by them to draw Wains over it, and ſo get it out of the husk. Now this was fair and free work, and Ephraim delighted in it; the rather, becauſe ſhe might feed all the while at pleaſure: whereas thoſe heifers that plowed, wrought hard all day, and in all weathers, without any refreſhment. It is an ill ſigne, when men muſt pick and chooſe their work: this they will do for God, but not that. A diſpenſatory conſcience is a naughty conſcience: neither doth he Gods will but his own, that doth no more, or no other, then himſelf will. Such holy-day-ſervants, ſuch retainers God careth not for. Every one can ſwim in a warm Bath; and every bird will ſing in a ſummers day. Iudas will bear the croſſe, ſo he may bear the bag. And thoſe carnall Capernaites follow Chriſt, whiles he feeds them: as children will ſay their prayers, ſo they may have their breakfaſt. But Abraham will forſake all to follow God, though he knew not whither: yea though God ſeemed to go croſſe-wayes: as when he promiſed him a land ſlowing wich milk and honey, and yet as ſoon as he came there, he found famine, Gen. 12.1, 10. So when he promiſed him ſeed as the ſtars, yet kept him without child for twenty years after: and after that hee muſt kill him too, Gen. 22. So Iob will truſt in a killing God: Ionah calls upon him out of the deep: David keeps his ſtatutes, when God had in ſome degree forſaken him, Pſal. 119.8. and behaved himſelf wiſely in a perfect way, though God was not yet come unto him, Pſal. 101.2. This is the triall of a Chriſtian, to do difficult duties upon little or no incouragement; to wreſtle as Jacob did, in the night, and alone, and when God was leaving him, and upon one leg, &c. This is work-man-like. The ſtaff-rings were to continue upon the Ark: the Kohathites ſhoulders felt wherefore: and ſo long God helped them to carry it. But when they once fell to carting it for their own eaſe,1 Chro. 15.26 as the Philiſtines had done, 1 Sam. 6.) God made a diſmall breach upon them, 2 Sam. 6. and David was very ſenſible of it, when he came up the ſecond time to fetch the Ark, 1 Chron. 15.12, 13.

but I paſſed over upon her fair neck,] God will make her both bear and draw; though ſhe were grown delicate and tender, with long proſperity; her good, and fair, and fat neck, not galled, or brawned with the yoak, which now ſhe made dainty of; yet He would bring her to it: though he were by her untractableneſſe forced to ſit upon her neck, and make her more towardly to the yoak, as the manner of plowmen was in that caſe.

I will make Ephraim to ride,] Or, as the Vulgar hath it, I will ride him and rule him, though he kick and lay about him never ſo much: though he champ upon the bridle, and ſtamp with his feet, &c. Ile maſter him, and make him more ſerviceable, or at leaſt, leſſe inſolent. See this fulfilled, Jer. 31.18, 19. where Ephraim is brought in ſeeing his need of mercy in the ſenſe of miſery.

Iudah ſhall plow, and Iacob ſhall break his clods.] Judah doth the worſt of the work, and ſuffers more hardſhip in the wayes of my worſhip, and is held under by Iſrael, as appeareth in the ſecond book of Kings, chap. 10.16. &c. Jacob, that is, the ten Tribes, did onely break the clods, or harrow, which is the lighter work; and ſhould therefore have been done with more delight. But they love to take their eaſe, and onely follow after their pleaſure, and profit: and though taught to plow, yet like it not, becauſe laborious: no though they have Judah for an example of better.

Verſe 12. Sowe to your ſelves in righteouſneſſe, reap in mercy:] Righteouſneſſe is a ſure ſeed, a precious grain, which thoſe that ſowe (and every action of our life is a ſowing) ſhall doubtleſſe come again with rejoycing, and bring their ſheaves with them, Pſal. 126.6. Onely they muſt not look to ſowe and reap all in one day; as one ſaith of the Hyperborean people far North, that they ſowe ſhortly after the Sun-riſing with them, and reap before the Sun-ſet: that is, becauſe the whole half year is one continuall day with them. The Church is Gods husbandry, Heresbach. de. re rust. 1 Cor. 3.9. the ſeed is the Word of God, Luke 8.11. Miniſters are Gods husband-men, harveſtmen, Matth. 9.37, 38. the plough, Luke 9.62. plough-ſtaff, Luke 13.8. axe, Mat. 3.10. are the Lawes threatnings: the fruit-cauſing rain, are the promiſes of the Goſpel, Eſay 55.10, 11. faith that works by love, are the fruits: the laſt day, the harveſt, Mat. 13.39, 40, 41. Then, at utmoſt, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. thoſe that ſowe bountifully (or, in bleſſings, as the Greek hath it) ſhall reap bountifully, 2 Cor. 9.6. He that ſoweth ſeemeth to caſt away his ſeed: but if he ſowe in locis irriguis, (as Eccleſ. 11. 1. Ezek. 34.26.) upon fat and fertile places, he knowes he ſhall receive his own, with uſury. In ſome parts of Egypt, where the river Nilus overfloweth, they do but throw in their ſeed, and they have four rich harveſts in leſſe then four moneths.S. H. Blounts voyag. 77. Oh ſowe bountifully the ſeeds of piety and charity into Gods bleſſed boſome: and then be ſure to reap plentifull mercy, in thy greateſt neceſſity: reap in the month of mercy (as the Originall here hath it) that is, according to the meaſure of divine mercy (ſee Levit. 27.16. Exod. 16.16.) proportionably to the infiniteneſſe of Gods mercy. Now the Scripture hath three notable words to expreſſe the fulneſſe of Gods mercy in Chriſt, to thoſe that ſowe in righteouſneſſe, Epheſ. 2.7. the abundant riches of his grace, that are caſt in over and above, Rom. 5.20. The grace of God hath been more then exceeding: there's a ſecond [non-Latin text not transcribed], 1 Tim. 1.14. The grace of God was exceeding abundant. It had a pleonaſme before: yea, but here's a ſuperpleonaſme; here's good meaſure, preſſed down,Luk. 6.38. ſhaken together and running over ſhall God give into mens boſomes: Like as when a poor man asked Mr. Fox for an alms, he (finding him religious) gave him his horſe: Or as Alexander gave one (that craved ſome ſmall courteſie of him) a whole citie. And when the poor man ſaid, It was too much for him to receive: yea,Non quaero quid te accipere deceat, ſed quid me dare. Sen. de benef. l. 2. c. 16. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. but not for me to give, ſaid he. So God giveth liberally and like himſelf, Jam. 1.5. He doth not ſhift off his ſuiters, as once a great Prince did a bold begging Philoſopher. He asked a groat of him, and the king told him, it was too little for a king to give. He requeſted the king then to give him a talent: the king replied, It was too much for a begger to crave. Certain it is, that God in his ſpirituall bleſſings and mercies to us is wont to regard not ſo much what is fit for his to ask or expect, as what ſtandeth with his goodneſſe, and greatneſſe to beſtow. If Iſrael had a hundred-fold increaſe of his ſeed, thoſe that ſowe to themſelves in righteouſneſſe,Gen. 26.1[illegible: 1 letter]. by doing and ſuffering Gods will ſhall have much more: Even an hundred-fold here, and eternall life hereafter, Matth. 19.29. ſo great a gain is godlineſſe: ſo ſure a grain is righteouſneſſe: who would not then turn ſpirituall ſeeds-man?

break up your fallow ground,] ſc. of your hearts, that ye ſowe not among the thornes, Jee. 4.3. The breaking up of ſinfull hearts, is a ſingular meanes to prevent the breaking down of a ſinfull nation. Hence the Prophet, though almoſt out of hope of any good to be done, upon his deſperate countreymen, reſolves to try one more exhortation to them: and as in the morning he had ſowed his ſeed, Eccleſ. 11.6. ſo in the evening he with-holdeth not his hand: for who can tell whether it may not proſper? and whether in the midſt of threats, they might not ſuffer a word of exhortation, Heb. 13.22. and whether it might not leave ſome impreſſion, being delivered in few words? Sowe (therefore ſaith he) to your ſelves in righteouſneſſe, &c. but firſt break up your fallow ground,] Innovate vobis novale. Repent, and be renued in the ſpirit of your mindes; in ſpirit and ſpeech, in mindes and manners, in conſtitution and converſation, in the purpoſe of your hearts, and practiſe of your lives. Old things are paſt,2 Cor. 5.17. let all things become new: turn up the turf, ſtock up, and ſtub up the roots and weeds; get into Chriſt, and become a new creature. Till this be done, men are in an undone condition, though they ſhould ſpend their whole time in gathering up pearls and jewels.

for it is time to ſeek the Lord,] High time, ſith your ſouls lie upon it. Plowmen, we know are carefull to take their time: ſo are all others, wiſe enough in their generation. The wayfaring-man travelleth while it is light. The Seafaring-man takes his opportunity of winde and tide. The Smith ſmites whiles the iron is hot. The Lawyer takes his terme-time to entertaine Clients, diſpatch ſuits. The men of Iſſachar were in great account with David, becauſe they had underſtanding of the times, to know what Iſrael ought to do, 1 Chron. 12.32. ſo are they with God, that regard and uſe the ſeaſons of grace; that ſeek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near: Eſay 55.6. that put in the plough, ſet upon the practiſe of repentance, after a ſhowre, when the heart is beſt affected; after God by his Word and Spirit hath taught (ſo ſome render the Text) or rained righteouſneſſe upon them. Rain comes from heaven: ſo doth every good and perfect giving. Rain poures down plentifully, Pſal. 68.9. thou didſt ſend a plentifull rain on thine inheritance: ſo do the ſhowres of righeouſneſſe on good hearts. Not a drop of rain falls in vain, or in a wrong place, but by a divine decree, Job 28.26. ſo here. Seek it in time, and we ſhall not fail of it. Onely we muſt not ſet God a time when to come, but wait upon him, who waiteth to be gracious. Elijah ſent ſeven times ere the rain came. Seek till God comes: Limit not the holy One of Iſrael. As he ſeldom comes at our time, ſo he never failes in his own. Hold out therefore faith and patience: for behold he cometh on the clouds, on the wings of the winde, and his reward is with him. To him that ſoweth righteouſneſſe, ſhall be a ſure reward, Prov. 11.18.

Verſe 13. Ye have plowed wickedneſſe,] The former exhortation was even ſpilt upon them: for they went on to plot and plough wickedneſſe: they had their necks in the devils yoak, and promoted his kingdom with ſides and ſhoulders: they let out the ſtrength of their ſpirits for the furtherance of ſin, and were at no ſmall pains to go to hell. as being the devils hinds and horſes to draw his plough, Prov. 21.4. Job 4.8. Even as I have ſeen, ſaith Eliphaz, they that plow iniquity, and ſowe wickedneſſe, reap the ſame. Ye have reaped iniquity, ſaith our Prophet, that is, dignum factis praemium, the reward of your wickedneſſe. And her iniquity is oppoſed to mercy in the former verſe, as wickedneſſe alſo is to righteouſneſſe: or wickedneſſe may be taken for their Apoſtacy, Idolatry, and creature-confidence; and iniquity for the reſt of their enormities, proceeding from thoſe former: for theſe wicked ones are never out of action.Plaut. Capt. Act. 3. ſc. 5. Arant, ſerunt, occant, ſcelera, they plow, ſowe, and harrow miſchi[illegible: 3 letters] ſo that would they but take the like pains for heaven that they do for hell, they could not (lightly) miſſe of it.

Ye have eaten the fruit of lies,] That is, ye have been cozened, by your falſe Prophets, and State-politicians; whoſe fetch it is to formalize and enervate the power of truth, till at length they have left you an heartleſſe and ſapleſſe religion. Ye have fed hungerly upon the murthering morſels of ſin; and that's the reaſon that there is ſo much ill blood amongſt you. Your bread is that panis meadacij Solomon ſpeaks of, Prov. 20.17. full of grit and gravell, made up with ſaw-duſt (as they ſerved the Martyrs) and mixed with lime,Turk. hiſt. as the treacherous Greeks dealt by the Weſtern Chriſtians, marching towards the Holy-land.

becauſe thou didſt truſt in thy way,] In thy Calf-worſhip. Way is oft put for religion: and every action men do, is a ſtep either to heaven or to hell: he that walketh uprightly, walketh ſafely. Theſe Idolaters were very confident of their way: ſo are our Papiſts, and other heretikes; as David George, that peſtilent Libertine, was fully perſwaded, that the whole world would ſubmit to him. And Campian, Coſter, and other zealous Papiſts tell us to our heads, that our religion is errour, our ſelves heretikes, our end deſtruction: that one heaven cannot hold us hereafte, one Church now, &c. Thus the way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but hee that hearkeneth to counſell (as no confident fool will) is wiſe, Prov. 12.15.

and in the multitude of their mighty men.] This made them ready to boaſt, as that young king of Hungary did, that though the skie ſhould fall down upon them,Sigiſmund. Turk. hiſt. yet they were men enow, and ſtrong enough, with their pikes to bear it up. Theſe Ephraimites liked their way of falſe worſhip the better, becauſe backt by a ſtrong Army. That way the mighty men go, that ſhall be troden: this is a ſecret byaſſe, a ſtrong poyſe upon the ſpirits of moſt men, Rev. 13. when power and authority was put into Antichriſts hands, the whole world wondered after him. But curſed be that man, that maketh fleſh his arm, &c. I will not truſt in my bowe,Jer. 17. my ſword ſhall not ſave me, ſaith David. There is no king ſaved by the multitude of an hoſt: a mighty man is not delivered by much ſtrength, Pſal. 33.16. See Pſal. 146.3, 4, 5.

Verſe 14. Therefore ſhall a tumult ariſe among the people, &c.] Even among thoſe mighty men, wherein ye truſted, ſhall there be ſeditious tumults, that ſhall ſoon bring all into a miſerable confuſion. Inteſtine commotions may undo a people, as a man may die of an inward bleeding.

Ac veluti in magno populo cum ſaepe coorta eſt, Seditio, ſaevitque animis ignobile vulgus, &c.Virg. Aeneid. lib. 1.

When the multitude is in a rage, they are like to a tiled houſe that is on fire (ſaith One) there's no coming near the houſe, the tiles do ſo flie about your face: ſo it is in tumults, there's no coming neer to talk to them, to convince them: but they are ready to flie preſently upon you. In Kets ſedition, Dr. Parker in his Sermon before the Rebels neer Norwich, touched them for their miſſiving ſo near, that they went near to touch him for his life. The rude rage of the rebels was ſuch, that ſome being diſabled almoſt to hold up their weapons, would ſtrive what they could to ſtrike their enemies: others being thruſt thorow the body with a ſpear, would run themſelves further, to reach thoſe that wounded them deadly. Yea boyes were obſerved to be ſo deſperately reſolved, as to pull arrows out of their own fleſh,Liſe of King Edward the 6. p 75. and deliver them to be ſhot again by the archers on their ſide. There are none ſo inſolent and cruell as the vileſt of the people, when they are got together in a head. What havock made the ſeditious in Jeruſalem a little before the laſt deſtruction of it? the Guelfs and Gibellines in Italy? Wat Tyler and his complices here? That Rebell,Joſeph lib. 2. cap. 11. & l. 6. cap. 11. Speed. 734. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. held up by the many-headed multitude, dared to ſay, that all the Lawes of England ſhould come out of his mouth. The Hebrew word here uſed ſignifieth an inundation, or multitude of waters, which over-run their banks with violence and roaring. The people are a moſt dangerous and heady water, when once it is out: it is like a ſweeping rain which leaveth no food, Prov. 28.3. The Septuagint render it, Deſtruction. Sal. Jarchi ſaith, it ſignifieth the voice of thoſe that cry, Fugite, Fugite, Away, Away, the enemy is at hand, &c. Some ſay, to the ſame purpoſe, that it ſignifieth clamorem meticuloſorum, the crying of thoſe that are ſcar'd,Virg. Aen. as when there is Luctu, ubique pavor, & plurima morti imago. See Am. 2.2. Zeph. 1.15, &c.

and all thy fortreſſes ſhall be ſpoyled.,] Yea though they be munitions of rocks. Thy terribleneſſe hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwelleſt in the clefts of the rock, that holdeſt the height of the hill: though thou ſhouldeſt make thy neſt as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, ſaith the Lord, Jer. 49.16. And again, all thy ſtrong-holds ſhall be like fig-trees, with the firſt ripe figs: if they be ſhaken, they ſhall even fall into the mouth of the eater, who ſhall devour them at a bit, Nah. 3.12.

as Shalman ſpoyled Betharbel] Shalman ſignifieth peaceabley (ſaith an Interpreter) a man of a calme ſpirit: but he anſwered not his name: for he exerciſed greateſt cruelty. There is not a more troubleſome ſea, then that which is called Mare pacificum. There is oft Aliud in Titulo, aliud in Pyxidc. Abſalom ſignifieth the Fathers peace: but he proved otherwiſe then was hoped.

Fallitur augurio ſpes bena ſaepe ſuo.

But this Salman is by the beſt Interpreters thought to be Salmanaſar king of Aſſyria in this Prophets time. Salman is vox truncata, a name cut off to the halves: a thing very ordinary in all the learned languages, as were eaſie to inſtance. See Eſay 15.2. Bamoth for Bamoth-Baal, Joſh. 19.35. Chamath for Chamath-Dor. Heſiod puts [non-Latin text not transcribed] for [non-Latin text not transcribed],Vide Lipſ. ep. 19. lib. 1. Ennius hath Fabric for Fabricius. This Salmanaſar (or as Luther will have it, ſome other great warriour called Salman, not elſewhere mentioned in Scripture, but not unknown to the ten tribes) did cruell execution, it ſeems, upon Betharbel, a city beyond Jordan, 1 Maccab. 9.2. like as Tamerlan (for a terrour to the Greek Empire, much whereof he afterwards ſubdued) did at Sebaſtia; Turk. hiſt. fol. 211. where he made a mercileſſe ſlaughter of all ſexes and ſizes; whereby he held the whole Eaſt in ſuch awe, as that he was commonly called, The wrath of God, and Terrour of the world. There are that think this Arbel to be the ſame with that Arbela where Alexander defeated Darius, and won the Perſian Monarchy. They make it a city or countrey of Aſſyria, beneath Arpad, and hinted at by Rabſhakeh, 2 King. 18.34.See 2 King. 15.29. & 16.34. & 19.13. Where are the gods of Hamath, and Arpad? ſc. Salmanaſar hath utterly deſtroyed them. Arbel is by ſome interpreted, the city of Bel, where Belus or Baal was worſhipped. By others, Beth-arbel is interpreted, The houſe of the inſnaring god, the god of policie, or ſubtilty: It ſeemeth to them, that the people of this place had a god that they thought would enſnare and enſnarle all their enemies: but it proved much otherwiſe.

For, the mother was daſhed in pieces upon her children.] Daſhed againſt the ground (ſo the word ſignifieth) againſt the walls, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Sept. or pavement. See Gen. 32.11. Pſal. 137.9. Eſay 13.16. Such is the ſavage cruelty of warre, when God lets it out. Such was the barbarous dealing of the French in the Pariſian Maſſacre, ſuch the Sicilian Veſpers, and at Merindoll; where the paps of many women were cut off, which gave ſuck to their children;Act. & Mon. fol. 868. [illegible: 1 letter] which looking for ſuck at their mothers breſts being dead before, died alſo for hunger. Was not this to kill the mother with the children? which God forbade by a ſymboll of taking the dam with the young, Deut. 22.6. and again of killing the ewe and the lamb both in one day, Lev. 22.28. The Spaniards murdered fifty millions of Indians in 42. years, as Acoſta the Jeſuite teſtifieth. Arſenoe was killed upon her children by her bloody brother Ptolomce king of Egypt. And another of that name killed thirty thouſand Jewes, and compel'd the living to feed upon the fleſh of the dead. When the Switzers vanquiſhed the Thericcuſes in battle,Languet. Chron. they banqueted in the place where they won the victory: uſing the dead bodies of their Adverſaries inſtead of ſtools and tables. The ſight of ſuch like cruelties, common in warre, might well make Zuing lius ſay, when he had been abroad with the Army,Melch. Ad. in vit. 36. that he had found more wickedneſſe, and bad counſels and courſes therein, then ever he had known before, either by experience, or out of books. This paſſage in Gods book (and the like, chap. 13.16. their infants ſhall be daſhed-in pieces, and their women with child ſhall be ript up.) he could not be ignorant of. The Prophet refers his hearers to a ſad example of freſh-bleeding cruelty, well known to them: that they might relent, repent, and prevent the like miſery upon themſelves. This is the uſe we ſhould all put ſuch examples to, Luke 13.2, 3, 5. & 17.26.28. 1 Cor. 10.6, 7, 8, 11.

Verſe 15. So ſhall Bethel do unto you,] i. e. the idolatry that you have committed at Bethel, by a Synechdoche of the place, this ſhall undo you. Or, So ſhall he do unto you, O inhabitants of Bethel. Bethel ſhall be made a Betharbel. They that take not example by others, ſhall be made an example to others. Lege hiſtoriam, ne ſias hiſtoria[illegible: 1 letter]

Becauſe of your great wickedneſſe:] Heb. the wickedneſſe of your wickedneſſe, the iniquity of your ſin, the fooliſhneſſe of your madneſſe, Eccleſ. 7.25. your idolatry eſpecially, that wickedneſſe with a witneſſe. Let us (by Gods example) learn to lay load upon our ſins, and not to extenuate, but to aggravate them againſt our ſelves.

In a morning ſhall the king of Iſrael be utterly cut off.] This was fulfilled in Hoſe[illegible: 2 letters] the laſt king of Iſrael, 2 King. 17. cut off in a morning, that is, in a moment, as foam, or a bubble upon the waters. The morning-light laſteth not long, but ſhineth on to the perefect day. Or, in a morning, when ſome hope appears, and ſome comfort is expected, as Pſal. 30.6. it is but a lightning afore death. Accidit in puncto, quod non ſperatur in an[illegible: 2 letters]. Contrarily, the Saints at evening-time have light, Zech. 14.7. See the Note there.