John Trapp on Hosea 9:3

Verſ. 3. They ſhall not dwell in the Lords land,] Becauſe they would not live by the Lords lawes; they ſhall therefore be turned out of his houſe (ſo this land was called Chap. 9.3.) as rebellious children, that are a diſturbance and a diſgrace to their fathers family: they ſhall hold no longer, as tenants of him the chief Landlord, becauſe ſo backward to ſend a lamb (as rent or an homage penny) to the ruler of the land, Eſay. 16.1. they were tenants at will, and held upon condition of obedience, Levit. 18.26. it was divided amongſt them by lot: Ioſhua divided it amongſt them, and left none to himſelf. The people gave him a portion, and he was content with it; though it were but a mean one in the barren mountains, as Hierome noteth. He had the promiſe that God would never leave him no[illegible: 1 letter] forſake him: and he well knew, that if he truſted in the Lord, and did good, he ſhould dwell in the land and be verily fed, Pſal. 37.3. He and Caleb were of another ſpirit, and fulfilled after God; therefore they onely of all that generation entred the promiſed land, the Lords land: which becauſe Moſes might not do, it was a great grief to him. Theſe Idolaters here are threatened to be caſhiered and caſt out of this good land, and to have their pleaſant land laid deſolate, to be ſpewed out, as the Canaanites had been before them, Levit. 18.28. and ſo conſequently to be deprived of Gods favour, help, and protection; and altogether diſpriviledged, yea, diſinherited. This was an heavy judgement to them, and muſt be a warning to us, that yet live in the boſome of the Church, and under the joyful ſound; that we forfeit not our preſent enjoyments, that we ſinne not away our precious priviledges, as the ſeven Churches and others have done. Alterius perditio tua ſit cautio. We ſtand upon our good behaviour, as they did; See Deut. 30.19.20.

But Ephraim ſhall return to Egypt,] which they ought to have been ſenſible of as a puniſhment long ſince threatned, Deut. 28. ult. (ſee Hoſ. 8.13. with the Note) though now, of their own accord, they returned to it, for fear of the Aſſyrian (whom by their falſe-dealing they had juſtly incenſed) yet that ſhould not ſhelter them, but Gods hand would find them out, and fetch them thence into captivity. Oft they had been warned not to go down to Egypt for help; and they muſt needs be hard beſtead that fled thither. True it is, that the Egyptians are renowned in hiſtories for a thankful people, and the Iſraelites are charged not to abhor an Egyptian, becauſe they were once ſtrangers in his land,Diod. Sic. l. 2. Dent. 23.7. and had taſted of his courteſies. But withall, they could not but know how hardly the Egyptians had dealt with their fore-fathers, and how treacherouſly alſo with them; and that they ought not de jure, to have returned thither upon any tearms. Sed Deus quem deſtruit dementat, and although here they were reſolved for Egypt, yet Chap. 11.5. God reſolveth otherwiſe; and voluntas Dei neceſſitas rei, his will ſhall ſtand, when all's done.

And they ſhall eat unclean things in Aſſyria,] Things forbidden by the law, as ſwines-fleſh, &c they ſhall be forced to eat or ſtarve: they muſt not look for liberty of conſcience in Aſſyria, nor have that favour to make a difference of meat as Daniel had, Chap. 1. but as Ezekiel baked his barley-cakes with mans-dung: Even ſo ſaid the Lord, ſhall the children of Iſrael eat their defiled bread among the heathen, whither I will drive them. So haughty they were grown, that their fathers houſe could not hold them; therefore they ſhall be giad of huskes with hogs, (as that prodigal) they ſhall eat as the heathens, ſith they would needs act as the heathens. They thought it was hard with them in their own land, when the floores and the winepreſſe would not feed them, verſ. 2. But now it is farre worſe, when forced by hard hunger, they are glad of any meat, be it clean or unclean: neither have they any more mind to be ſo merry with other nations, as verſ. 1. or cauſe ſo to be: their ſtomacks craving and themſelves (with Druſus in Tacitus) ready to eat the ſtuffings of their bed; or (with the Jewes in the laſt ſiege of Jeruſalem) not onely to feed upon dogs, rats, cats, &c. but the leather of their ſhooes, girdles, targets, bridles, yea,Pontanus Hegeſippus. oxe-dung was a precious diſh unto them, and the ſhreddings of pot-hearbs caſt out and trodden under foot, &c.