John Trapp on Hosea 9:14

Verſe 14. Give them O Lord: what wilt thou give?] This queſtion implieth abundance of affection in the Prophet, praying for this forlorn people devoted to deſtruction. It is the property of gracious ſpirits, to be more ſenſible of, and more deeply affected with the calamities that are coming upon the wicked, then thoſe wicked ones themſelves are: as Daniel was for Nebuchadnezzar, whoſe dream hee had interpreted,Dan. 4. and as Habakkuk was for the Chaldeans, whoſe deſtruction hee had fore-prophecied, Hab. 3.16. Hoſeah likewiſe (out of great commiſeration of Ephraims direfull and dreadfull condition) ſets himſelf to pray for them; though himſelf ſeems ſet at a ſtand, and in a manner non-pluſt, that he cannot well tell what to ask for them. God once made a fair offer to a foul ſinner, even to Ahaz, that ſturdy ſtigmatick, Eſay 7.11. Ask thee a ſigne of the Lord the God: ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz ſaid, (churiiſhly enough) I will not ask, neither will I try the Lord, ver. 12. he would none of Gods kindneſſe, which yet the Lord there heapeth upon him verſe 14. that where ſin abounded, grace might ſuperabound. Had our Prophet had but half ſuch an offer, or any the leaſt ſuch encouragement, oh how gladly would he have embraced it, how haſtily would he have catch at it, as thoſe Syrians did at Ahabs kind words, 1 King. 20.33? But he, conſidering the ſeverity and certainty of Gods judgments denounced againſt them, verſ. 12, 13. and being much amazed thereat, ſets himſelf to intercede and make requeſt for his deplored countreymen; as Samuel did for Saul rejected by God, 1 Sam. 16.1. as Paul did for the obdurate Jews, Rom. 9.3. And becauſe he ſaw that he could not obtain of the impartiall Judge of the world, to let go ſuch an impenitent people altogether unpuniſhed, he begs for them, that of two evils they may ſuffer the leaſt: and rather bring forth no children at all, or children that may die as ſoon as born (this had been threatned verſ. 11, 12.) then bring forth children to the murtherer: It being the greateſt miſery that can befall a tender hearted parent, to ſee his dear children butchered before his eyes, as Zedekiah and Mauricius the Emperour did: and before them both the king of Edom, whoſe eldeſt ſonne, was by the king of Moab ſacrificed upon the wall, in his fathers ſight, 2 King. 3.27. Amos 2.1. Thus Rabbi Kimchi giveth the ſenſe of this text: Give Lord, what thou wilt give? viz. that they may ſuffer in the womb, or at leaſt in their infancy, that which they ſhould otherwiſe ſuffer by the enemies ſword: Confer, Jer. 20.18. Luk. 23.23. Eccleſ. 4.2. Job. 3. The prophet knew well that God is never ſo bitterly bent againſt a people or perſon, but that ſomething he will yeeld to faithful and fervent prayer, Mat. 24.20.

Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus.