Matthew Poole and continuators on Hosea 1:5

5 And it shall come to pass at that day , that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel .

Most certainly this shall be effected.

When my vengeance hath overtaken the house of Iehu, when his great great Grandson shall be slain.

Weaken and by degrees quite break, i. e by the Conspiracies, Seditions, and Civil Wars which will arise among themselves.

This was a warlike weapon they much used and were skilful in; this one weapon put for all their warlike provision, power and skill, possibly it may allude to the bow of Ieh[illegible: 1 letter] who slew Ioram with an arrow, and usurp'd his Throne, but now the bow of the house of Iehu and of Israel shall be broken.

See ver. 4. let. o.

Next to Samaria, Iezreel was chief City of the ten Tribes, a very strong and fortified Town, and both scituated in the large and pleasant valley that hath from Ioshua's, time been known by this name, valley of Iezreel. Iosh. 17.16. In this valley it is probable the bloodiest battels in the Civil Wars were fought between Zechariah and Shallum, 2 King. 15.10. and between Shallum and Menahem, 2 King. 15.14, between Pekahiah and Pekah, 2 King. 15.25. and Pekah and Hoshea, the reason whereof probably might be this, because whoever carried the victory in this place, were soon masters of Samaria and Iezreel, and consequently carried the Kingdom too.