1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
3 They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
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.
5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
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: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
7 The days 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.
8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
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.
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.
17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
1 Rejoice H8055 not, O Israel, H3478 for joy, H1524 as other people: H5971 for thou hast gone a whoring H2181 from thy God, H430 thou hast loved H157 a reward H868 upon every cornfloor. H1637 H1715
2 The floor H1637 and the winepress H3342 shall not feed H7462 them, and the new wine H8492 shall fail H3584 in her.
3 They shall not dwell H3427 in the LORD'S H3068 land; H776 but Ephraim H669 shall return H7725 to Egypt, H4714 and they shall eat H398 unclean H2931 things in Assyria. H804
4 They shall not offer H5258 wine H3196 offerings to the LORD, H3068 neither shall they be pleasing H6149 unto him: their sacrifices H2077 shall be unto them as the bread H3899 of mourners; H205 all that eat H398 thereof shall be polluted: H2930 for their bread H3899 for their soul H5315 shall not come H935 into the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
5 What will ye do H6213 in the solemn H4150 day, H3117 and in the day H3117 of the feast H2282 of the LORD? H3068
6 For, lo, they are gone H1980 because of destruction: H7701 Egypt H4714 shall gather them up, H6908 Memphis H4644 shall bury H6912 them: the pleasant H4261 places for their silver, H3701 nettles H7057 shall possess H3423 them: thorns H2336 shall be in their tabernacles. H168
7 The days H3117 of visitation H6486 are come, H935 the days H3117 of recompence H7966 are come; H935 Israel H3478 shall know H3045 it: the prophet H5030 is a fool, H191 the spiritual H7307 man H376 is mad, H7696 for the multitude H7230 of thine iniquity, H5771 and the great H7227 hatred. H4895
8 The watchman H6822 of Ephraim H669 was with my God: H430 but the prophet H5030 is a snare H6341 of a fowler H3352 in all his ways, H1870 and hatred H4895 in the house H1004 of his God. H430
9 They have deeply H6009 corrupted H7843 themselves, as in the days H3117 of Gibeah: H1390 therefore he will remember H2142 their iniquity, H5771 he will visit H6485 their sins. H2403
10 I found H4672 Israel H3478 like grapes H6025 in the wilderness; H4057 I saw H7200 your fathers H1 as the firstripe H1063 in the fig tree H8384 at her first time: H7225 but they went H935 to Baalpeor, H1187 and separated H5144 themselves unto that shame; H1322 and their abominations H8251 were according as they loved. H157
11 As for Ephraim, H669 their glory H3519 shall fly away H5774 like a bird, H5775 from the birth, H3205 and from the womb, H990 and from the conception. H2032
12 Though they bring up H1431 their children, H1121 yet will I bereave H7921 them, that there shall not be a man H120 left: yea, woe H188 also to them when I depart H5493 from them!
13 Ephraim, H669 as I saw H7200 Tyrus, H6865 is planted H8362 in a pleasant place: H5116 but Ephraim H669 shall bring forth H3318 his children H1121 to the murderer. H2026
14 Give H5414 them, O LORD: H3068 what wilt thou give? H5414 give H5414 them a miscarrying H7921 womb H7358 and dry H6784 breasts. H7699
15 All their wickedness H7451 is in Gilgal: H1537 for there I hated H8130 them: for the wickedness H7455 of their doings H4611 I will drive them out H1644 of mine house, H1004 I will love H160 them no more: H3254 all their princes H8269 are revolters. H5637
16 Ephraim H669 is smitten, H5221 their root H8328 is dried up, H3001 they shall bear H6213 no fruit: H6529 yea, though they bring forth, H3205 yet will I slay H4191 even the beloved H4261 fruit of their womb. H990
17 My God H430 will cast them away, H3988 because they did not hearken H8085 unto him: and they shall be wanderers H5074 among the nations. H1471
1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, like the peoples; for thou hast played the harlot, `departing' from thy God; thou hast loved hire upon every grain-floor.
2 The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.
3 They shall not dwell in Jehovah's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They shall not pour out wine-offerings to Jehovah, 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 shall be for their appetite; it shall not come into the house of Jehovah.
5 What will ye do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of Jehovah?
6 For, lo, they are gone away from destruction; `yet' Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.
7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the man that hath the spirit is mad, for the abundance of thine iniquity, and because the enmity is great.
8 Ephraim `was' a watchman with my God: as for the prophet, a fowler's snare is in all his ways, `and' enmity in the house of his God.
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at its first season: but they came to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves unto the shameful thing, and became abominable like that which they loved.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird: there shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.
12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, so that not a man shall be left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13 Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring out his children to the slayer.
14 Give them, O Jehovah-what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house; I will love them no more; all their princes are revolters.
16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb.
17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
1 `Rejoice not, O Israel, be not joyful like the peoples, For thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God, Thou hast loved a gift near all floors of corn.
2 Floor and wine-press do not delight them, And new wine doth fail in her,
3 They do not abide in the land of Jehovah, And turned back hath Ephraim `to' Egypt, And in Asshur an unclean thing they eat.
4 They pour not out wine to Jehovah, Nor are they sweet to Him, Their sacrifices `are' as bread of mourners to them, All eating it are unclean: For their bread `is' for themselves, It doth not come into the house of Jehovah.
5 What do ye at the day appointed? And at the day of Jehovah's festival?
6 For, lo, they have gone because of destruction, Egypt gathereth them, Moph burieth them, The desirable things of their silver, Nettles possess them -- a thorn `is' in their tents.
7 Come in have the days of inspection, Come in have the days of recompence, Israel doth know! a fool `is' the prophet, Mad `is' the man of the Spirit, Because of the abundance of thine iniquity, And great `is' the hatred.
8 Ephraim is looking `away' from My God, The prophet! a snare of a fowler `is' over all his ways, Hatred `is' in the house of his God.
9 They have gone deep -- have done corruptly, As `in' the days of Gibeah, He doth remember their iniquity, He doth inspect their sins.
10 As grapes in a wilderness I found Israel, As the first-fruit in a fig-tree, at its beginning, I have seen your fathers, They -- they have gone in `to' Baal-Peor, And are separated to a shameful thing, And are become abominable like their love.
11 Ephraim `is' as a fowl, Fly away doth their honour, without birth, And without womb, and without conception.
12 For though they nourish their sons, I have made them childless -- without man, Surely also, wo to them, when I turn aside from them.
13 Ephraim! when I have looked to the rock, Is planted in comeliness, And Ephraim `is' to bring out unto a slayer his sons.
14 Give to them, Jehovah -- what dost Thou give? Give to them miscarrying womb, and dry breasts.
15 All their evil `is' in Gilgal, Surely there I have hated them, Because of the evil of their doings, Out of My house I do drive them, I add not to love them, all their heads `are' apostates.
16 Ephraim hath been smitten, Their root hath dried up, fruit they yield not, Yea, though they bring forth, I have put to death the desired of their womb.
17 Reject them doth my God, Because they have not hearkened to Him, And they are wanderers among nations!
1 Rejoice not, Israel, exultingly, as the peoples; for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved harlot's hire upon every corn-floor.
2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.
3 They shall not dwell in Jehovah's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria shall they eat that which is unclean.
4 They shall pour out no [offerings of] wine to Jehovah, neither shall their sacrifices be pleasing unto him: they shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be defiled: for their bread shall be for themselves; it shall not come into the house of Jehovah.
5 What will ye do in the day of assembly, and in the day of the feast of Jehovah?
6 For behold, they are gone away because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Moph shall bury them: their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.
7 The days of visitation are come; the days of recompence are come: Israel shall know [it]: the prophet is a fool, the inspired man is mad, because of the greatness of thine iniquity, and the great enmity.
8 Is Ephraim a watchman with my God? [nay] the prophet is a fowler's snare on all his ways, enmity in the house of his God.
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
10 I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness; as first-ripe fruit on the fig-tree, I saw your fathers at the beginning: they went to Baal-Peor, and separated themselves unto that shame, and became abominations like their lover.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away as a bird, -- no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!
12 For even should they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, [that] not a man [remain]: for woe also to them when I shall have departed from them!
13 Ephraim, as I saw [him], was a Tyre planted in a beautiful place; but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the slayer.
14 Give them, Jehovah -- what wilt thou give? -- give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their doings, I will drive them out of my house, I will love them no more: all their princes are rebellious.
16 Ephraim is smitten: their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; yea, though they should bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved [fruit] of their womb.
17 My God hath rejected them, because they hearkened not unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
1 Don't rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations; For you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
2 The threshing floor and the winepress won't feed them, And the new wine will fail her.
3 They won't dwell in Yahweh's land; But Ephraim will return to Egypt, And they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They won't pour out wine offerings to Yahweh, Neither will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; All who eat of it will be polluted; For their bread will be for their appetite. It will not come into the house of Yahweh.
5 What will you do in the day of solemn assembly, And in the day of the feast of Yahweh?
6 For, behold, they have gone away from destruction. Egypt will gather them up. Memphis will bury them. Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver. Thorns will be in their tents.
7 The days of visitation have come. The days of reckoning have come. Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool, And the man who is inspired to be insane, Because of the abundance of your sins, And because your hostility is great.
8 A prophet watches over Ephraim with my God. A fowler's snare is on all of his paths, And hostility in the house of his God.
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, As in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity. He will punish them for their sins.
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at its first season; But they came to Baal Peor, and consecrated themselves to the shameful thing, And became abominable like that which they loved.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, none with child, and no conception.
12 Though they bring up their children, Yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13 Ephraim, like I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place; But Ephraim will bring out his children to the killer.
14 Give them--Yahweh what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15 "All their wickedness is in Gilgal; For there I hated them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house! I will love them no more. All their princes are rebels.
16 Ephraim is struck. Their root has dried up. They will bear no fruit. Even though they bring forth, yet I will kill the beloved ones of their womb."
17 My God will cast them away, because they did not listen to him; And they will be wanderers among the nations.
1 Have no joy, O Israel, and do not be glad like the nations; for you have been untrue to your God; your desire has been for the loose woman's reward on every grain-floor.
2 The grain-floor and the place where the grapes are crushed will not give them food; there will be no new wine for them.
3 They will have no resting-place in the Lord's land, but Ephraim will go back to Egypt, and they will take unclean food in Assyria.
4 They will give no wine offering to the Lord, they will not make offerings ready for him; their bread will be like the bread of those in sorrow; all who take it will be unclean, because their bread will be only for their desire, it will not come into the house of the Lord.
5 What will you do on the day of worship, and on the day of the feast of the Lord?
6 For see, they are going away into Assyria; Egypt will get them together, Memphis will be their last resting-place; their fair silver vessels will be covered over with field plants, and thorns will come up in their tents.
7 The days of punishment, the days of reward are come; Israel will be put to shame; the prophet is foolish, the man who has the spirit is off his head, because of your great sin.
8 There is great hate against the watchman of Ephraim, the people of my God; as for the prophet, there is a net in all his ways, and hate in the house of his God.
9 They have gone deep in evil as in the days of Gibeah; he will keep in mind their wrongdoing, he will give them punishment for their sins.
10 I made discovery of Israel as of grapes in the waste land; I saw your fathers as the first-fruits of the fig-tree in her early fruit time; but they came to Baal-peor, and made themselves holy to the thing of shame, and became disgusting like that to which they gave their love.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory will go in flight like a bird: there will be no birth and no one with child and no giving of life.
12 Even though their children have come to growth I will take them away, so that not a man will be there; for their evil-doing will be complete and they will be put to shame because of it.
13 As I have seen a beast whose young have been taken from her, so Ephraim will give birth to children only for them to be put to death.
14 O Lord, what will you give them? Give them bodies which may not give birth and breasts without milk.
15 All their evil-doing is in Gilgal; there I had hate for them; because of their evil-doing I will send them out of my house; they will no longer be dear to me; all their rulers are uncontrolled.
16 The rod has come on Ephraim, their root is dry, let them have no fruit; even though they give birth, I will put to death the dearest fruit of their bodies.
17 My God will give them up because they did not give ear to him; they will be wandering among the nations.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Hosea 9
Commentary on Hosea 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
Ho 9:1-17. Warning against Israel's Joy at Partial Relief from Their Troubles: Their Crops Shall Fail, and the People Leave the Lord's Land for Egypt and Assyria, Where They Cannot, If So Inclined, Serve God According to the Ancient Ritual: Folly of Their False Prophets.
1. Rejoice not … for joy—literally, "to exultation." Thy exultation at the league with Pul, by which peace seems secured, is out of place: since thy idolatry will bring ruin on thee.
as other people—the Assyrians for instance, who, unlike thee, are in the height of prosperity.
loved a reward upon every corn floor—Thou hast desired, in reward for thy homage to idols, abundance of corn on every threshing-floor (Ho 2:12).
2. (Ho 2:9, 12).
fail—disappoint her expectation.
3. return to Egypt—(See on Ho 8:13). As in Ho 11:5 it is said, "He shall not return into … Egypt." Fairbairn thinks it is not the exact country that is meant, but the bondage state with which, from past experience, Egypt was identified in their minds. Assyria was to be a second Egypt to them. De 28:68, though threatening a return to Egypt, speaks (De 28:36) of their being brought to a nation which neither they nor their fathers had known, showing that it is not the literal Egypt, but a second Egypt-like bondage that is threatened.
eat unclean things in Assyria—reduced by necessity to eat meats pronounced unclean by the Mosaic law (Eze 4:13). See 2Ki 17:6.
4. offer wine offerings—literally, "pour as a libation (Ex 30:9; Le 23:13).
neither shall they be pleasing unto him—as being offered on a profane soil.
sacrifices … as the bread of mourners—which was unclean (De 26:14; Jer 16:7; Eze 24:17).
their bread for their soul—their offering for the expiation of their soul [Calvin], (Le 17:11). Rather, "their bread for their sustenance ('soul' being often used for the animal life, Ge 14:21, Margin) shall not come into the Lord's house"; it shall only subserve their own uses, not My worship.
5. (Ho 2:11).
6. because of destruction—to escape from the devastation of their country.
Egypt shall gather them up—that is, into its sepulchres (Jer 8:2; Eze 29:5). Instead of returning to Palestine, they should die in Egypt.
Memphis—famed as a necropolis.
the pleasant places for their silver—that is, their desired treasuries for their money. Or, "whatever precious thing they have of silver" [Maurer].
nettles—the sign of desolation (Isa 34:13).
7. visitation—vengeance: punishment (Isa 10:3).
Israel shall know it—to her cost experimentally (Isa 9:9).
the prophet is a fool—The false prophet who foretold prosperity to the nation shall be convicted of folly by the event.
the spiritual man—the man pretending to inspiration (La 2:14; Eze 13:3; Mic 3:11; Zep 3:4).
for the multitude of thine iniquity, &c.—Connect these words with, "the days of visitation … are come"; "the prophet … is mad," being parenthetical.
the great hatred—or, "the great provocation" [Henderson]; or, "(thy) great apostasy" [Maurer]. English Version means Israel's "hatred" of God's prophets and the law.
8. The watchman … was with my God—The spiritual watchmen, the true prophets, formerly consulted my God (Jer 31:6; Hab 2:1); but their so-called prophet is a snare, entrapping Israel into idolatry.
hatred—rather, "(a cause of) apostasy" (see Ho 9:7) [Maurer].
house of his God—that is, the state of Ephraim, as in Ho 8:1 [Maurer]. Or, "the house of his (false) god," the calves [Calvin]. Jehovah, "my God," seems contrasted with "his God." Calvin's view is therefore preferable.
9. as in the days of Gibeah—as in the day of the perpetration of the atrocity of Gibeah, narrated in Jud 19:16-22, &c.
10. As the traveller in a wilderness is delighted at finding grapes to quench his thirst, or the early fig (esteemed a great delicacy in the East, Isa 28:4; Jer 24:2; Mic 7:1); so it was My delight to choose your fathers as My peculiar people in Egypt (Ho 2:15).
at her first time—when the first-fruits of the tree become ripe.
went to Baal-peor—(Nu 25:3): the Moabite idol, in whose worship young women prostituted themselves; the very sin Israel latterly was guilty of.
separated themselves—consecrated themselves.
unto that shame—to that shameful or foul idol (Jer 11:13).
their abominations were according as they loved—rather, as Vulgate, "they became abominable like the object of their love" (De 7:26; Ps 115:8). English Version gives good sense, "their abominable idols they followed after, according as their lusts prompted them" (Am 4:5, Margin).
11. their glory shall fly away—fit retribution to those who "separated themselves unto that shame" (Ho 9:10). Children were accounted the glory of parents; sterility, a reproach. "Ephraim" means "fruitfulness" (Ge 41:52); this its name shall cease to be its characteristic.
from the birth … womb … conception—Ephraim's children shall perish in a threefold gradation; (1) From the time of birth. (2) From the time of pregnancy. (3) From the time of their first conception.
12. Even though they should rear their children, yet will I bereave them (the Ephraimites) of them (Job 27:14).
woe … to them when I depart—Yet the ungodly in their madness desire God to depart from them (Job 21:14; 22:17; Mt 8:34). At last they know to their cost how awful it is when God has departed (De 31:17; 1Sa 28:15, 16; compare Ho 9:11; 1Sa 4:21).
13. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus … in a pleasant place—that is, in looking towards Tyrus (on whose borders Ephraim lay) I saw Ephraim beautiful in situation like her (Eze 26:1-28:26).
is planted—as a fruitful tree; image suggested by the meaning of "Ephraim" (Ho 9:11).
bring forth his children to the murderer—(Ho 9:16; Ho 13:16). With all his fruitfulness, his children shall only be brought up to be slain.
14. what wilt thou give?—As if overwhelmed by feeling, he deliberates with God what is most desirable.
give … a miscarrying womb—Of two evils he chooses the least. So great will be the calamity, that barrenness will be a blessing, though usually counted a great misfortune (Job 3:3; Jer 20:14; Lu 23:29).
15. All their wickedness—that is, their chief guilt.
Gilgal—(see on Ho 4:15). This was the scene of their first contumacy in rejecting God and choosing a king (1Sa 11:14, 15; compare 1Sa 8:7), and of their subsequent idolatry.
there I hated them—not with the human passion, but holy hatred of their sin, which required punishment to be inflicted on themselves (compare Mal 1:3).
out of mine house—as in Ho 8:1: out of the land holy unto Me. Or, as "love" is mentioned immediately after, the reference may be to the Hebrew mode of divorce, the husband (God) putting the wife (Israel) out of the house.
princes … revolters—"Sarim … Sorerim" (Hebrew), a play on similar sounds.
16. The figures "root," "fruit," are suggested by the word "Ephraim," that is, fruitful (see on Ho 9:11, 12). "Smitten," namely, with a blight (Ps 102:4).
17. My God—"My," in contrast to "them," that is, the people, whose God Jehovah no longer is. Also Hosea appeals to God as supporting his authority against the whole people.
wanderers among … nations—(2Ki 15:29; 1Ch 5:26).