Matthew Poole and continuators on Hosea 3

1 THen said the LORD unto me , Go yet , love a woman beloved of her friend , yet an adulteress according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel , who look to other Gods , and love flagons of wine .

Or And, Hebr. or furthermore.

Commanded.

Hosea.

Again, or once more, so it implyeth he had once already been commanded and done some such like thing.

In the former he was commanded to Marry, in this he is commanded to love; (the reason of which will appear in the applica[illegible: 2 letters]on of the parable,) a Woman though describ'd by her Character, yet not named; and though her Character would suit well enough to Gomer, yet it was not she, for this Woman was to abide v. 3. for him, but Gomer was presently married to him▪ or [illegible: 1 letter]t least so represented; this was brought Gomer was not:

Her Husband, though some think it may be some other person, or lover.

Either already tainted, or that certainly will be tainted with that vice, a divorced Woman separate from her Husband because of her fals[illegible: 1 letter]ness to him.

Let this be the Emblem of my love to the Children of Israel; by this I intend saith God, to let Israel know how I have loved, and how she hath loved; How greatly, dearly, constantly on my part. How slightly, inconstantly, falsely on her part.

When I adopted them to be a peculiar people to me, to take me for their God, and requir'd they shall have none other (which relation is well exprest by that of Husband and Wife;) they have look't, liked, loved other Gods, and depended on them, and their hearts have been estranged from me, they have turned down right Idolaters.

Loved the Feasts of their Idols, where they drank Wine to excess, by too great measures, which, without dispute, was usual in the Idol Feasts. Amos 2.8. 1 Cor. 10.21. or else these flagons of Wine speak their loose, drunken, and riotous living.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 1.2.; [illegible: 1 word] grapes.

2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley .

As I was commanded, I procured, or as we read it, bought:

Which exactly answers to the State of the Iews, [illegible: 1 letter]hen in Egypt tainted with Egyptian Idolatry, and poor, without a portion; bought or redeem'd to be affianced to God.

Whatever was the exact quantity and value of these pieces we need not here curiously enquire; but note we, it was half the value of aslave▪ Exod. 21.32. and was some [illegible: 1 letter]7 s. 6d.

This measure might be about 14 Bushel; so the who[illegible: 1 letter]e will, for her Diet, amount to twenty and one Bushel▪ no great Provision for her Diet.

And 'tis Barley in both places, the me[illegible: 1 letter]nest kind of Provision; and suited to a low condition. Iudges 7.13. Ezek. 4.9, 12. all this the [illegible: 1 letter]uller to set forth Israe[illegible: 1 letter]s indigence and ingratitude to God, and God's bounty to Israel.

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

3 And I said unto her, thou shalt abide for me many dayes , thou shalt not play the harlot , and thou shalt not be for another man , so will I also be for thee .

Dwell with me, and expect and wait in an unmarried condition, until I see it fit to espouse thee.

'Tis not said how long, but a slave as she is represented here, may not think this severe. The preferment will compensate her waiting.

This the third condition she is to live chaste and modest, not to do as she had done. This was to settle her in a vertuous life, and to prove whether she would betake her self to a life praiseworthy.

She is bound to marry none other, nor to commit Adultery with any other.

In due time I will accomplish the contract, and as I wait, so I will be for thee: so the Deed is mutually seal'd and signed.

This verse is the form of Contract, or the Articles of Agreement between the Prophet and this Woman.

Marginal references: Deut. 21.13.

4 For the children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a king , and without a prince , and without a sacrifice , and without an image , and without an ephod , and without Teraphim .

Now the parable is unfolded, and made plain, it shall be with Israel much like as with such a Woman, They and She guilty of Adultery, both punisht with a Divorce, both punisht long with such afflicted State, both made Slaves, kept hardly, and valued meanly, yet in mercy at last pardon'd, reaccepted, and prefer'd, but this after long time of Probation. How long we cannot tell, nor list to dispute whether 70 years of Babylons Captivity, or whether these Seventy, and the One Hundred and Thirty years of Ten Tribes Captivity before the Two Tribes went Captives, i. e. Two Hundred years; or whether till Messiah's coming, or the general and last Conversion of th[illegible: 1 letter] Iews, long 'twas to be no doubt.

None of their own Royal Line shall fit on the Throne, and Rule them, but Foreigners, Enemies, and they that had conquer'd them, should be Kings over them. So the Kingdom ceased as chap. 1.4.

The Conquering Kings will not out of the Iews make their chief Officers to Rule the Iews, but Strangers shall be Princes and Governours over them.

Either right, and according to Law; (these Sacrifices they had long since cast off) or Idolatrous ones which they would choose.

They could carry none of their Images with them, and the Assyrians would not let them make new ones.

No Priest as well as no Ephod.

Idolatrous Images kept in their private Houses to Worship and Consult with like the Roman Lares and Penates, Houshold Gods; in one word, such should be the State of these Captives: They should have nothing of their own either in Kingdom and Civil Affairs, or in Church and Religion, but be wholly under the Power and Arbitrary wills of their Conquering Enemies.

Marginal references: chap. 10.3.; Heb. a standing, or, statue[illegible: 1 letter]

5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return , and seek the LORD their God , and David their king , and shall fear the LORD , and his Goodness in the latter dayes .

After these long and sore troubles have broken their hearts and opened their eyes.

Repent; 'tis not promise of return into their own Countrey.

To know his way, and to live under his protection and blessing, to worship him, and they shall pray to him, depend on him, consult with him, with ardency and earnestness of desire.

Not son of Iess, who was long since dead; no[illegible: 1 letter] Zerubbabel. But Messiah who is elsewhere called David, Psal. 132.10. Ier. 30.9. Ezek. 34.24. and 37.24, 25. which see; and Amos 9.11.

With Reverence shall pray, depend and consult their God, and worship his son the Messiah, whom the Father sent out of his infinite Goodness and kindness towards us.

God and his Goodness, i. e. the good and gracious God, such to us in Christ, God in Christ and with Christ shall be worship'd.

In the dayes of the Messiah, in Gospel times, and perhaps the last of these latter dayes.

Marginal references: I[illegible: 2 letters]. 2.2. M[illegible: 1 letter]ch. 4.1.