Matthew Poole and continuators on Hosea 9

1 REjoice not , O Israel , for joy , as other people : for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God , thou hast loved a reward on every corn-floor .

This might seem a morose humour of a discontented sullen Preacher; what, forbid a people to rejoyce when things prosper with them? when should a people rejoyce if not then? the Prophet who had a deeper reach, and took a larger prospect of things, had good cause to advise, or warn, or forbid as he doth, for he saw more cause to grieve then to rejoyce and to mourn than to be merry, the reason you will have presently.

You of the ten tribes.

For any thing that is counted just matter of Joy, though at present you prosper either under Ieroboam 2d. his victorious Arms, or under Menahem and the safety he hath procured by a Confederacy with Assyria, though at other times these might be matter of rejoycing, now in thy circumstances, O Israel, 'tis not meet thou shouldst shew any gladness.

With Feastings, publick Games, and Triumphs, or with solemn Sacrifices of thanksgiving, or with erecting Statues to the memory of your great and brave Commanders, or for continuing the remembrance of their atchievements.

With thee, O Israel, 'tis as unseemly as 'tis for an Adulteress wife to rejoyce and be jovial, whilest the guilt of her Adulteries, and the shame of her lewdnesses and the displeasure of her Husband fly in her face and whisper reproofs in her ear.

Such as is given by Adulterers to lewd women.

Thou hast loved to see thy floor full and hast thought and said thy Idols had so furnished thee, and therefore thou didst love them. Though mirth might become an honest woman, it doth not so well suit with a dishonest Adulteress; the very place, the company and occasion do upbraid such an one rejoycing with her lewd Adulterers: beside, this Adulteresses joys will be short, and end in sorrows and shame, so will thine, O Israel.

Marginal references: Jer. 44.17.; Or, in, &c.

2 The floor and the wine-press shall not feed them , and the new wine shall fail in her .

The Corn which is gathered into the floor and that is threshed there, that plenty which these sottish Idolaters have, and think they have it from their Idols, the bread they eat. For here is the floor put for the Corn, and the bread made of it.

By the same figure, put for the Wine that is prest out in it, though there is great plenty, and the fats overflow as well as the press full.

All this plenty shall not nourish and strengthen them. Since they think their Idols give them their Corn and Wine, let them give also, what I will not give, a blessing on these that they may support, and refresh them; they shall be lean and half-starved in their plenty unless their Idols can do this for them, i. e. bless their food.

Who seek to Idols for Corn and Wine, and praise their Idols as givers of it. These I will b[illegible: 1 letter]ast, their provision shall be as theirs, Hag. 1.6.

Or lie unto her, or fail her expectation. Samaria and all Israel expect a fair and full vintage, but they expect it from their Idols which are a Doctrine of Lies, and in this as in all other will Lie.

Marginal references: Or, wine-fat.

3 They shall not dwell in the LORDs land : but Ephraim shall return to Egypt , and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria .

Who worship Idols, and give my glory to them, depending on them, and ascribing to them what I alone give them.

Though they have been in possession many years, and though now they seem out of fear of losing it, being great at home and in peace with neighbours abroad, yet in midst of this prosperity and security, let them note it, they shall not much longer dwell in the Lords Land, which God gave them according to promise, with express condition that they should obey him and fear him, and him onely, Deut. 6.2, 3. and with express menace of Exile and ruine if they forgat God, Deut. 8.19, 20. This land which is the Lords propriety, and theirs onely on condition, and this condition broken, shall be their possession no longer.

Many of Ephraim, for 'tis not meant of all or the most part, but of the more timorous, wary, and who consult their safety before-hand many shall fly into Egypt, and shift out of the Enemies reach. So again ver. 6.

The residue who fly not into Egypt, shall be carried captives, and in Assyria be forced to eat forbidden meats, called here unclean, such polluted the eater.

Marginal references: chap. [illegible: 2 letters]; Eze[illegible: 1 letter] ▪ Dan. 1.[illegible: 1 letter]

4 They shall not offer wine-offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him : their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners : all that eat thereof shall be polluted : for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.

Captived for their Idolatry and other sins.

These were by the Law appointed to be offered with the morning and evening sacrifice, the sacrifice representing Christ, and pardon by him, the Wine offering represented the spirit of Grace, the sacrifice repeated daily continued their peace and pardon. The Spirit of Grace supported, guided, comforted and refreshed, all which shall be withheld from these Captives, the Law of God forbidding on one account, the Law of their Conquerors forbiding on other account.

Or if any should venture to do it and think thereby to appease Gods anger, they shall miss their aim, 'twill not please God.

Their Eucharistical sacrifices in which they were use to feast with joy shall be to them as the bread of Mourners, as if they had buried a father or mother, and to comfort or support their sadned spirits did force themselves to some larger allowance and choicer meats, so great should be their greif in midst of their Joys. Or else thus their sacrifices should as much pollute them and displease God as if one mourning for the dead, and forbidden to sacrifice in Tears and mourning should yet venture to do it, and against Law, sacrifice to his God, when polluted by the dead, Num. 19.11, 12, 13, 14. and Deut. 26.14.

So far shall these mens sacrifices be from expiating and purifying that they should increase their guilt and danger, and incur the penalty threatned against the polluted, Deut. 26.13. and Num. 19.13.

Or surely the particle is not here causal but assertive, as in many other places 'tis.

Their Mincha or bread, which they alwayes offer'd and were bound to offer with their sacrifices. Or else the first fruits of their Corn, which were to be brought to the Lord, and which being rightly offered did sanctifie and ensure the rest to them, with a blessing. This should not be done, they should be at that distance from the Temple, and under the confinement of Captives, so that they should not be able to do it if they were willing.

Be brought in to the Priest in the Temple, Deut. 26.2, 3. &c.

5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

Think with yourselves what you are likely to do then, on those dayes you were wont to cease from your labours, to offer sacrifices to God (as you thought and said) to feast with one another, all was full of seeming Religion, and real Feasting and jollity on those dayes in your own Countrey, but will your hard Masters that love their own profit, that hate your persons, and despise your Religion, will they lose your labour, indulge your ease, incourage your Religion, and suffer you to exercise it? Is this imaginable?

6 For lo, they are gone, because of destruction : Egypt shall gather them up , Memphis shall bury them , the pleasant places for their silver , nettles shall possess them : thornes shall be in their tabernacles.

Mark it well, and observe the event.

Some of the wary and timerous are already withdrawn from the desolation that cometh on their Countrey, and more will fly from the Assyrian invader, and 'tis very near, and very certain, exprest therefore in the perfect Tense.

In Egypt they hope to be quiet, and survive these Desolations, and to return into their own Land, but they shall die in Egypt, and Egyptians shall lay them out, and prepare them to their Grave. So this phrase, Ier. 8.2. and Ezek. 29.5.

Which elsewhere is called Noph, Isa. 19.13. a very greatly traded City in those dayes, and at this day also known by the name which speaks its greatness, Grand Cairo:

Many of the Ten Tribes flying their own wasted Country, did no doubt remove so far as Memphis, partly for safety, that they may be out of the Assyrians reach, but more principally for conveniency of a Trade, that they might at least get a livelyhood, if not grow rich on their Trade; there many of these Fugitives dyed, and perhaps by the Pestilence (which is a disease that frequently sweeps that City) multitudes of them might be swept away into their Graves in and about that City.

Their beautiful and strong Houses built for keeping their Wealth in.

They shall be ruin'd, and lie long in Rubbish, till Nettles grow up in them.

Or Briars, or whatever (one kind for all) worthless, and hurtful shrubs use to grow in perpetuated desolations.

in their dwelling places, their houses which here retain the Name of their antient Habitations when they dwelt in Tents.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]eb. spell.; [illegible: 1 word], their [illegible: 1 span],; Heb. the [illegible: 1 word]; Isa. 32.13. [illegible: 1 word] 34.13. [illegible: 1 word]. 10.8.

7 The dayes of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come , Israel shall know it : the prophet is a fool , the spiritual man is mad , for the multitude of thine iniquity ; and the great hatred .

The Prophet doubleth the same thing both to confirm the certainty of it, and to awaken the stupid Israelites, the days of God's just displeasure, in which he will punish, and render to these incorrigible Idolaters, and abominable debauchees as their wickedness deserveth, are come, they are very near, within four years at most.

Israel will not believe it, though God hath often told them of it, but when 'tis come, and they feel it, they shall then know indeed as Fools know when they smart for their folly.

That their false Prophets were all, to a man of them Fools and rash, judging by present greatness or alliances of Israel, not observing what were their sins and Gods wrath; Now when Hosea preacht what was contained in this ninth chap. Israel had made a League with So King of Egypt, cast off the Assyrian and not sought to God, but vainly trusted to the Egyptian Succours; now any wise man might imagin that likely which the Prophet Hosea did foretel as certain, that the Assyrian with all his Power would fall upon the Revolters; none but Fools would promise such a people a time of safety when the War was falling upon their heads.

Whom we thought a true Prophet, but now find by sad experience that we believed a mad man, one much out of his wits, yet were we more to believe what he promised.

God was highly displeased with the multitude of their iniquities, and began his punishments in giving them over to believe the lies of their false Prophets, and to expect what peace those Prophets did promise.

Which God had against your sins and wayes: You would walk in wayes which God hated, yet would have Prophets to foretel peace and plenty; such you have had as described Mic. 2.11. and you believed them and God, out of his just dislike, suffered this to be, left you to your choice.

That pretends to be full of the Spirit of prophecy, and foretels good to them.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] of [illegible: 1 word] Spirit.; [illegible: 1 letter]oph. 3.4.

8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God : but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his wayes , and hatred in the house of his God .

The old true Prophets indeed were with God, heard what he spake, and told it to the people; they were for God, for his Honour, Law, Worship, and Temple; and so should Prophets now be. Ephraim once had such Prophets, such were Elijah and Elisha, but none such now, or Ephraim cares not for them.

The Prophet speaks of God the true God, as his God, in opposition to Idols on which Ephraim doted now, whose pretended Oracles they believed.

The Prophets now adays, who call themselves Prophets, and are so accounted by the people have, as the people, left God, and do no more consult with God.

Their pretended predictions and promises are but a snare, such as Fowlers lay to take Fowl in, and these Impostors are conscious to themselves that they are deceivers; at least they cannot but know that the true God never gave them answer at any of their Images, yet they pre [illegible: 1 letter]end he hath done it, and that he will prosper them; so they ensnare the people first in [illegible: 1 letter]in, next in punishment.

And all they design and endeavour by all means is to keep the people in this opinion and hope.

So is hatred in the sight of God, he doth hate such Deceivers, and he is hatred; i. e. e're long will be hatred in the sight of the people he deceived, they shall hate their false Prophets, who from the house of their God, by answers from the Idols in their Temples confirm d the people in their Rebellion, and hardned them against returning to God, which ends in their ruin, or else hatred, &c. i. e. cause of the peoples hatred against God, and one another.

Marginal references: Or, against.

9 They have deeply corrupted themselves , as in the dayes of Gibeah : therefore he will remember e their iniquity, he will visit their sins .

The People of the Ten Tribes, Prophets, Priests, Princes and People

have strangely, and horribly debauched one another; beside all their Idolatry there is more than brutish filthiness among them.

The story whereof you have Iudg. 19.18.

God who hateth such workers of Iniquity. He will not pardon their iniquity, but charge it upon them; when God saith he will not remember, 'tis a promise of pardon, when he threatens he will remember, 'tis a threat of not pardoning.

He will punish, see ver. 7. let. l.

Marginal references: chap. 10.9.

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness : I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig-tree at her first time : but they went to Baal-Peor , and separated themselves to that shame ; and their abominations were according as they loved .

The Lord speaks of himself

in the person of a Traveller, who unexpectedly in the wilderness findeth a Vine loaded with Grapes, which are most delightful and welcom to him; such Love did God bear to Israel, i. e. a very strong and hearty love; the simile expresseth the greatness, not the cause of the Divine Love.

Not Abraham or Isaac, and Iacob, but your Fathers whom I brought out of Egypt.

As the earliest ripe Fruit, either of the Fig-tree as our Version, or the First-ripe of any sweet and delicious Fruit-Tree as the word will bear, which are most valued and desired; so was Israel dear and valued.

This evinceth that the Prophet speaketh not of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, but of those who were brought out of Egypt, as appears in the story of their deportment in Shittim, Numb. 25.1, 2, 3. where they committed Idolatry with Baal-peor, of whose rites Authors do variously discourse, some reporting them to have been practised with shameless looseness, as the rites of Bacchus, Venu[illegible: 2 letters] or Priapus among the Romans; others say, this Idol of Moa[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word] his Name from a Mountain in Moab where he was worshipped, and had a stately and famous Temple; this Mountain is mentioned Numb. 22.41. with 23.28. and this is the more likely opinion.

They did consecrate, and dedicate themselves;

Possibly some turn'd Priests to the Idol, however, they addicted themselves to, and worshipt the Idol, and brought their Sacrifices.

By way of contempt and detestation the Prophet speaks of this Idol, and gives it the name of shame in the abstract to express the greatest degree of detestation of it, and of that they did.

Their Idols and way of worshipping them.

Either as they fancied, or as the Idolatress Women whom they loved were multiplyed; so their Idols were, for they took the Idols with them.

Marginal references: Psa. 106.28.

11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird ; from the birth , and from the womb , and from the conception .

Their Children or posterity, which was as much the glory of Israel, as their multiplying was above the common rate of other Nations multiplying; it was to them a singular blessing, and performing of promise, and they did greatly rejoice, and glory in this blessing, Psal. 128. tot. Prov. 17.6.

'Tis proverbial, and speaks a sudden and unexpected loss of Children, which vanish, and are gone as a Bird. Prov. 23.5. where suddain loss of riches is exprest in the same Proverb.

Shall die so soon as born.

Prove abortive, their Mothers shall not bring the Fruit of the womb to perfection, or alive into the World.

Through barrenness their Wives shall not conceive.

12 Though they bring up their children , yet will I bereave them z, that there shall not be a man left : yea, wo also to them when I depart from them .

Or suppose neither of these but that their Children live, grow up, and come to some maturity, yet God provoked by their sins, will deprive them of their Children by Famine, or by Civil Wars which were long and bloody on each other; or by Pestilence, or by Captivity, and dispersing them among Enemies, to whom they shall be Slaves; and as Slaves beget Children not to themselves, but to their Masters.

There shall be a total extirpation of them, and their memory, or else I will cut them off from among men as the phrase will bear.

To compleat their misery, I will leave them, I will depart from them. It is sad to lose Children, it is sadder to lose their God.

13 Ephraim , as I saw Tyrus , is planted in a pleasant place : but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murtherer .

Kingdom of Israel.

of which see Ezek. 26, 27. and 2[illegible: 1 letter]. cap. a very rich, well fortified, and pleasant City, and secure too, that afterward held out thirteen years siege against all the Power of the Babylonian Empire in Nebuchadnezzars time.

Is now well provided seems invincible, is as secure, as Tyr[illegible: 1 letter]s was in her prosperity; perhaps reckons either strength shall break the Enemies, or money buy friends; or the magnificence and beauty of their places, and dwellings shall be some safety to them; but all this shall avail nothing.

Though multitude of Children to send forth in mighty Armies against the Enemy, yet twill be but a sending them out to the slaughter; God is departed from them, and will not go out with their Armies, so they shall fall by the sword of the Enemy, as they needs must, whom God doth not befriend in a War.

14 Give them O LORD : what wilt thou give ? give them a miscarrying womb , and dry breasts ·

It is an abrupt but very pathetical speech of one that shews his trouble for the state of a sinking, undon Nation, it is an intercession for them.

As if he should say he knew not what to ask, or how to pray for them; he knew God had peremptorily determin'd to punish them with a total extermination, and in most dreadful manner, as describ'd ver. 11, 12, 13. Now give some mercy;

the dayes are coming when the barren womb will be a blessing; give this O Lord! 'tis less misery to have none, than to have all our Children murther'd by a barbarous Enemy. Luk. 23.29.

Not to starve the Children born, but 'tis further explication of the former; dry Breasts are Symtoms of a barren womb, whether by Abortion, or non-Conception; by one or other: Prevent these woful Effects of our Enemies unjust rage, and of thy most righteous displeasure against us, O Lord.

Marginal references: Heb. a womb that casteth the fruit.

15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal : for there I hated them : for the wickedness of their doings , I will drive them out of mine house , I will love them no more : all their princes are revolters.

The chief, or summ, or beginning, it is not to be understood exclusive to other places, for every City was full, there was all kind of sin elsewhere.

In rejecting God and his Government; here Saul was made King, and Samuel was rejected. Here they begun to turn the remarkable Blessings God gave them in this place into a Superstitious and Hyp[illegible: 4 letters]tical Veneration of the place, and began their Will Wors[illegible: 3 letters] ▪ and Idolatries: If all the Impiety of Ephraim may be reduced to their horrible degeneracy and Corruption in State and Church, here it began, and so all was here.

Where Israel first pitched their Tents after they passed over Iordan, &c. Vid. cap. 15. let, [illegible: 1 letter].

As there they began to sin so notoriously, there also I began to shew that I hated them

for the continued wickedness which from their first beginning there they have propagated to other places, and increased dayly, and with obstinacy.

As men thrust out of their houses one that is altogether unworthy to dwell longer with them.

By a Synechdoche, the House for Land, or out of their House, which tho' theirs for use, was yet Gods propriety, and when God casts Ephraim out of his House, he sends him into Captivity.

I will cease to express any more love to thee, it is a Meiosis, I will add no more to love them, i. e. I will add to hate them, and punish them, I will leave them in the hand, and under the fury of their Enemies in a strange Land.

Their Kings, Rulers both Civil and Ecclesiastical.

Are and have been Idolaters ever since the Division in Ieroboam Son of Nebat, not one of their Kings but were Idolaters, and obstinate, and perverse in it also.

Marginal references: chap. 4.15. and 12.11.; Isa. 1.23.

16 Ephraim is smitten , their root is dried up , they shall bear no fruit : yea, though they bring forth , yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb .

This gives us some ghess at the time of this prophecie, which was after Ieroboam's Death, in whose Life, and Reign, Ephraim was as a very flourishing Tree, whose roots were full of Sap and Life; but after the Death of this King they were as here 'tis exprest a Tree smitten, as if scorcht with Lightning, or burnt up with a vehement and continued heat and drought by day; blasted they were, what ever was the means; or possibly it may refer to those Seditions, Civil Wars, and Rebellio[illegible: 1 letter]s Conspiracies which (say some) did for some years afflict the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes, which unnatural Wars were as an Ax to the Root of this Tree, and gave Pul King of Assyria opportunity and courage to set upon them, of whom they were forced to buy their peace at a dear rate, viz. a thousand Talents of silver; or to the captivating of Napthali, and taking many fortified Towns out of Pekah's hand by Tiglath Pileser, who came up to the rescue of Ahaz. 2 Kings cap. 15.

This hath dryed up the very Roots of this Tree; this blast from Heaven hath not only scorcht the top [illegible: 1 letter]oughs, but rended the very body of this Israeliti[illegible: 1 letter]h Tree, and hath spoiled its Roots; or Civil Wars first, and Foreign Wars next have cut up the Roots of this Tree, the strong and valiant young men, who were to perpetuate the life and beauty of this people.

As such a dead root cannot spring out; so these Ephraimites never shall spring forth, they shall ever be barren.

Suppose they should yet bring forth, (such a supposition you meet with ver. 12. which see) they shall not grow to maturity and greatness.

Either by Diseases which are legibly from God's hand, or by the sword of one another, or of a Forreign Invader, if you do not enumerate all the wayes God will take; we are sure he will [illegible: 1 letter]ake wayes enough to make good his own word, and slay their Beloved Children, those Children that were the more beloved, for that their Parents had either few, or else had lost some they had before.

Marginal references: Heb. desires.

17 My God will cast them away , because they did not hearken unto him : and they shall be wanderers among the nations .

No more thy God, O Ephraim, thou canst no more have hope on that account, but my God, saith the Prophet, my God who hath revealed his purpose to me, and who will accomplish it, who will make good the word I have spoken against you.

Your sins have been a weariness, a loathing to my God, and now as a vile, loathed, and wearisom thing is cast off by a man, so shall you be cast off from your God.

Neither did hearken to God to prevent Apostacy, nor would ever after hearken to God at first to repent and turn to him like a wilful Adulteress, they would not keep faithful to their Husband, nor return to him when once departed from him.

Have no City of their own, no setled dwelling place, as much suspected, hated, ill used, and punished as Vagabonds are in well-order'd Commonwealths, all which is fully come upon them.

Gentiles were such the proud Circumcision did despise and hate; but now the sins of the circumcised shall bring them under as much contempt with the Nations; nay these proud Apostates from God, when cast off; and wanderers shall account it a favour to be admitted to incorporate with, and so to grow up Heathens among Heathens, as after long time they did.