Matthew Poole and continuators on Hosea 6:5

5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets : I have slain them by the words of my mouth , and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

Because I would do for you whatever might be done, because I would cure you of your Obstinacy and Hypocrisie, and make you upright and constant.

I have severely, continually, and unweariedly by the Prophets reproved, warned, and threatned your hearts, have been like knotty Trees, or hardest stones: I have made my Prophets like Labourers, and my Words like Axes or Hammers to cut off the knots, and to hew off the roughness which make unfit for use, but all to no purpose, the desired effect hath not been attained.

Some that were before Hosea, Ieroboam first was by a prophet reproved, and threatned for this Idolatry in which Israel persisted, and to which Iudah did too often fall, and through the space of Two Hundred years from Ieroboam the first, to Hosea's time, many other Prophets were sent, whose Names, and some memoires of them, we have as Ahijah, Iehu, Hanani, Elijah, and Elisha. These and such like were the Prophets that did hew crooked, and knotty Israel.

Some say the false Prophets are the persons meant here, whom God did slay for their sin seducing Israel to, and confirming them in, Idolatry; indeed Elijahs sincere zeal did cut off so many, 1 Kings 18.22, 40. and [illegible: 1 letter]ehu's counterfeit zeal cut off so many, 2 Kings 10.21, 25. that it could never be forgotten among that people, so the thing is true, many false Prophets were slain for this sin, yet the persons in our Text were not these false Prophets, but they were the people of Israel and Iudah, the Idolatrous refractory Hypocrites among them, whom God threatned with Death, and that by the sword of Enemies.

As he did by his word foretel, so he did effect too in due time.

i. e. The punishments threatned, the miseries foretold which fell upon this people, did so fully answer the prediction that every one might see them clear as the light, and as constantly executed, as the morning. So Zeph. 3.5.

Marginal references: Or, that thy judgments might be, &c.