John Trapp on Hosea 14:8

Verſe 8. Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I to do, &c. Heb. Ephraim, what have I to do, &c. This ſome make to be the ſpeech of God to Ephraim: as if Ephraim here were the Vocative caſe, and God were brought in abhorring the motion of parting ſtakes with idols, of ſharing his glory with another. But becauſe this, God never did, (for what communion hath light with darkneſſe, Chriſt with Belial?) and becauſe the Chaldee Paraphraſt, and from him the beſt Interpreters ſupply [ſhall ſay] I take this latter to be the better tranſlation. Here then God promiſeth, firſt, what Ephraim ſhall do, or rather, what he by his grace will cauſe him to do: he ſhall utterly abominate and abandon his idols, whereunto his heart had been joyned, or glewed, chap. 4.17. Secondly, what he will thereupon do for Ephraim: what ſpeciall favour he will ſhew him, and what a gracious compenſation he will make him, I have heard him, and obſerved him, &c. Ephraim now grown penitent, ſhall ſay, (See the like ellipſis ſupplied, Eſay 5.9.) with utmoſt indignation and averſation, with greateſt heat of anger, and height of hatred, ſhall he utter it. See the like, 2 Sam. 16.10. 2 King. 3.13. Matth. 8.29.

What have I to do any more with idols?] Or ſorrows, or buggs, thoſe Balaams-blocks, thoſe mawmets, and monuments of idolatry, thoſe images of jealouſie, that provoke to jealouſie, Ezek. 8.3. thoſe dunghill-deities that can produce no good, hear no prayers, work no deliverance, bring nothing but evil and anguiſh to us. What then ſhould we rather do, then pollute thoſe images that we had perfumed, caſt them away with deteſtation, as a menſtruous clout, and ſay unto them, Get ye hence, Eſay 30.22? Then will God ſoon ſay, I have heard him thus bemoaning and befooling himſelf. God hath a quick ear in ſuch a caſe; He hath alſo an eye open to the ſupplications of his ſervants, in all that they call upon him for,Jer. 31.18. as Solomon telleth us, 1 King. 8.52.

I have obſerved him.] Or fixed mine eyes upon him, with a moſt vigilant care, and criticall inſpection. It would be wide with Gods Ephraims, and they would want many things, if he ſhould not ſee as well as hear, if he ſhould not ſeriouſly,Epheſ. 3.20. and ſollicitouſly conſider and care for them, above all that they ask or think, and without any monitour, aid and accommodate them. He is oft-times better to them then their prayers: for why? The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, as well as his ears are open to their cry, Pſal. 34.15. The Vulgar Latine rendreth it, Dirigam eum, I will direct him, as a Tutour, and Gardian doth his Pupil, his Orphan. See verſe 3. He will alſo protect him, that nothing may be wanting to his happineſſe.

I am like a green firre tree,] green all the yeer about, and of ſo large branches, and broad leaves thick ſet, that neither Sun nor rain can eaſily come at the wearied paſſenger, repoſing himſelf under them. And whereas Ephraim might ſay, Here's repoſe, but where ſhall I have repaſt? It is added;

In me is thy fruit found,] q. d. The ſir-tree is indeed green, and ſhady, but withall barren: it bears no fruit, either ad eſum, or ad uſum. It boweth it ſelf down to the earth, ſo that a man may eaſily lay hold upon the branches, ſaith Rabbi David, and other Hebrews. But what ſhall he get by that more then a green bowre, a refuge from the ſtorm, a ſhadow from the heat, &c? As an Ancient ſpeaking of Ahab, deſcribeth him ſitting in his ivory Palace in Samaria, in the time of the three yeers famine: He had every thing elſe, but wanted bread: So Ephraim here, hath ſhade, but can he live by that? what ſhall he do for food? He ſhall not want for that, ſaith God-Alſufficient: for

From me is thy fruit found.] Praeſtò eſt, (ſo ſome render it) Here it is ready, and mouth-meet:Polan. Tremel. Tarnou. Tine Deo omnis copia eſt egeſtas. Bern. yea ſatis eſt (ſo others render it) it is enough of it, ſatisfactory, and proportionable to thy neceſſity. Yea I would thou ſhouldſt know, that what fruit ſoever thou haſt, or ſhalt bear as an Olive or Vine, verſe 6. and 7. it is found in me, proceeds from me, the root of the matter is in me, as Job ſpeaketh in another caſe.