Matthew Poole and continuators on Hosea 4:2

2 By swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adultery , they break out , and bloud toucheth blood .

Either falsly, or prophanely, or cursing, and wishing evil to one, instead of truth here is Perjury, instead of compassion here is execration, and evil speaking.

Of all kinds; affirming of fashoods, denying of Truths, defrauding, lessening good and representing it what 'tis not, greatning what is in others ill, and so flattering in some cases, and diffaming in other cases, &c.

Though God hath forbidden all kinds and degrees of Murther, this people through Ignorance of God do fill the Land with Murthers: with open, or secret; by cruelty withholding relief from some, by violence and falshood cutting off others; The temper of this people was toward killing, their designs laid for it, &c.

Injuring one another either by taking away what was anothers, or detaining what should have been his, or giving less to another than was his due: Every one inc in'd to Frauds, many addicted to secret Thefts, and some openly practising it.

Which was a sin grown high among them, a sin directly against the Truth and Mercy which should have been among them. Under this, all degrees of Adultery, unchaste thoughts, words and gestures are included.

As waters that swel[illegible: 1 letter] above all banks, or as unruly beasts that break over all hedges, so you, O Israelites have broken down the hedge of the Law, which expresly forbids what you daily practice.

Slaughters are multiplied; by bloud the Scripture understandeth slaughter, G[illegible: 2 letters]. 4.10. &c. Psal. 5[illegible: 1 letter].10. possibly the wrong done by the Adulterer, was (as Am[illegible: 1 letter]o[illegible: 1 letter]s) revenged with the slaughter of the Adulterer; or possibly it may refer to murthers committed in the very Court of the Temple; so the blood of the murthered touch'd the bloud of Sacrifices. It is too particular to refer it to the bloud of Zechariah slain between the Porch and the Altar, and which (some say) ran down to the Altar and touch'd the blood of the Sacrifice. Or what if this should refer to what will be er'e long, when Ieroboam is dead, when Z[illegible: 1 letter]chariah is murther'd by Shallum, 2 King. 15.10. Menahem [illegible: 1 letter]lays Shallum, ver. 14. and ript up women with Child in Tiphsah, ver. 16. when Pekah slew Pekahiah, and Hoshea slew him. These Kings being thus slain, no doubt much blood was spilt; all which happen'd in less than forty years. For from Zechariah to Pekahs Usurpation, are but fourteen years, from Pekahs entrance on the Throne to Hoshea's Conspiracy are twenty years.

Marginal references: Heb. b[illegible: 1 letter]o[illegible: 1 letter]ds.