8 Gilead H1568 is a city H7151 of them that work H6466 iniquity, H205 and is polluted H6121 with blood. H1818
Is there iniquity H205 in Gilead? H1568 surely they are vanity: H7723 they sacrifice H2076 bullocks H7794 in Gilgal; H1537 yea, their altars H4196 are as heaps H1530 in the furrows H8525 of the fields. H7704
And out of the tribe H4294 of Gad, H1410 Ramoth H7433 in Gilead H1568 with her suburbs, H4054 to be a city H5892 of refuge H4733 for the slayer; H7523 and Mahanaim H4266 with her suburbs, H4054
And when Abner H74 was returned H7725 to Hebron, H2275 Joab H3097 took him aside H5186 in H413 H8432 the gate H8179 to speak H1696 with him quietly, H7987 and smote H5221 him there under the fifth H2570 rib, that he died, H4191 for the blood H1818 of Asahel H6214 his brother. H251
When they were at the great H1419 stone H68 which is in Gibeon, H1391 Amasa H6021 went H935 before H6440 them. And Joab's H3097 garment H4055 that he had put on H3830 was girded H2296 unto him, and upon it a girdle H2289 with a sword H2719 fastened H6775 upon his loins H4975 in the sheath H8593 thereof; and as he went forth H3318 it fell out. H5307
Moreover thou knowest H3045 also what Joab H3097 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 did H6213 to me, and what he did H6213 to the two H8147 captains H8269 of the hosts H6635 of Israel, H3478 unto Abner H74 the son H1121 of Ner, H5369 and unto Amasa H6021 the son H1121 of Jether, H3500 whom he slew, H2026 and shed H7760 the blood H1818 of war H4421 in peace, H7965 and put H5414 the blood H1818 of war H4421 upon his girdle H2290 that was about his loins, H4975 and in his shoes H5275 that were on his feet. H7272
Deliver H5337 me from the workers H6466 of iniquity, H205 and save H3467 me from bloody H1818 men. H582
Their webs H6980 shall not become garments, H899 neither shall they cover H3680 themselves with their works: H4639 their works H4639 are works H4639 of iniquity, H205 and the act H6467 of violence H2555 is in their hands. H3709
But I was like a lamb H3532 or an ox H441 that is brought H2986 to the slaughter; H2873 and I knew H3045 not that they had devised H2803 devices H4284 against me, saying, Let us destroy H7843 the tree H6086 with the fruit H3899 thereof, and let us cut him off H3772 from the land H776 of the living, H2416 that his name H8034 may be no more remembered. H2142
By swearing, H422 and lying, H3584 and killing, H7523 and stealing, H1589 and committing adultery, H5003 they break out, H6555 and blood H1818 toucheth H5060 blood. H1818
And said G2036 unto them, What G5101 will ye G2309 give G1325 me, G3427 and G2504 I will deliver G3860 him G846 unto you? G5213 And G1161 they covenanted G2476 with him G846 for thirty G5144 pieces of silver. G694 And G2532 from G575 that time G5119 he sought G2212 opportunity G2120 to G2443 betray G3860 him. G846
And G1161 when it was G1096 day, G2250 certain G5100 of the Jews G2453 banded together, G4160 G4963 and bound G332 themselves G1438 under a curse, G332 saying G3004 that they would G5315 neither G3383 eat G5315 nor G3383 drink G4095 till G2193 G3757 they had killed G615 Paul. G3972 And G1161 they were G2258 more than G4119 forty G5062 which G3588 had made G4160 this G5026 conspiracy. G4945 And they G3748 came to G4334 the chief priests G749 and G2532 elders, G4245 and said, G2036 We have bound G332 ourselves G1438 under a great curse, G331 that we will eat G1089 nothing G3367 until G2193 G3739 we have slain G615 Paul. G3972 Now G3568 therefore G3767 ye G5210 with G4862 the council G4892 signify G1718 to the chief captain G5506 that G3704 he bring G2609 him G846 down G2609 unto G4314 you G5209 to morrow, G839 as G5613 though ye would G3195 enquire G1231 something more perfectly G197 concerning G4012 him: G846 and G1161 we, G2249 or ever G4253 he G846 come near, G1448 are G2070 ready G2092 to kill G337 him. G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Hosea 6
Commentary on Hosea 6 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 6
Ho 6:1-11. The Israelites' Exhortation to One Another to Seek the Lord.
At Ho 6:4 a new discourse, complaining of them, begins; for Ho 6:1-3 evidently belong to Ho 5:15, and form the happy termination of Israel's punishment: primarily, the return from Babylon; ultimately, the return from their present long dispersion. Ho 6:8 perhaps refers to the murder of Pekahiah; the discourse cannot be later than Pekah's reign, for it was under it that Gilead was carried into captivity (2Ki 15:29).
1. let us return—in order that God who has "returned to His place" may return to us (Ho 5:15).
torn, and … heal—(De 32:39; Jer 30:17). They ascribe their punishment not to fortune, or man, but to God, and acknowledge that none (not the Assyrian, as they once vainly thought, Ho 5:13) but God can heal their wound. They are at the same time persuaded of the mercy of God, which persuasion is the starting-point of true repentance, and without which men would not seek, but hate and flee from God. Though our wound be severe, it is not past hope of recovery; there is room for grace, and a hope of pardon. He hath smitten us, but not so badly that He cannot heal us (Ps 130:4).
2. Primarily, in type, Israel's national revival, in a short period ("two or three" being used to denote a few days, Isa 17:6; Lu 13:32, 33); antitypically the language is so framed as to refer in its full accuracy only to Messiah, the ideal Israel (Isa 49:3; compare Mt 2:15, with Ho 11:1), raised on the third day (Joh 2:19; 1Co 15:4; compare Isa 53:10). "He shall prolong His days." Compare the similar use of Israel's political resurrection as the type of the general resurrection of which "Christ is the first-fruits" (Isa 26:19; Eze 37:1-14; Da 12:2).
live in his sight—enjoy His favour and the light of His countenance shining on us, as of old; in contrast to Ho 5:6, 15, "Withdrawn Himself from them."
3. know, if we follow on to know the Lord—The result of His recovered favor (Ho 6:2) will be onward growth in saving knowledge of God, as the result of perseverance in following after Him (Ps 63:8; Isa 54:13). "Then" implies the consequence of the revival in Ho 6:2. The "if" is not so much conditional, as expressive of the means which God's grace will sanctify to the full enlightenment of Israel in the knowledge of Him. As want of "knowledge of God" has been the source of all evils (Ho 4:1; 5:4), so the knowledge of Him will bring with it all blessings; yea, it is "life" (Joh 17:3). This knowledge is practice, not mere theory (Jer 22:15, 16). Theology is life, not science; realities, not words. This onward progress is illustrated by the light of "morning" increasing more and more "unto the perfect day" (Pr 4:18).
prepared—"is sure," literally, "fixed," ordered in His everlasting purposes of love to His covenant-people. Compare "prepared of God" (Ge 41:32, Margin; Re 12:6). Jehovah shall surely come to the relief of His people after their dark night of calamity.
as the morning—(2Sa 23:4).
as the rain … latter … former—(Job 29:23; Joe 2:23). First, "the rain" generally is mentioned; then the two rains (De 11:14) which caused the fertility of Palestine, and the absence of which was accounted the greatest calamity: "the latter rain" which falls in the latter half of February, and during March and April, just before the harvest whence it takes its name, from a root meaning "to gather"; and "the former rain," literally, "the darting rain," from the middle of October to the middle of December. As the rain fertilizes the otherwise barren land, so God's favor will restore Israel long nationally lifeless.
4. what shall I do unto thee—to bring thee back to piety. What more could be done that I have not done, both in mercies and chastenings (Isa 5:4)? At this verse a new discourse begins, resuming the threats (Ho 5:14). See opening remarks on this chapter.
goodness—godliness.
morning cloud—soon dispersed by the sun (Ho 13:3). There is a tacit contrast here to the promise of God's grace to Israel hereafter, in Ho 6:3. His going forth is "as the morning," shining more and more unto the perfect day; your goodness is "as a morning cloud," soon vanishing. His coming to His people is "as the (fertilizing) latter and former rains"; your coming to Him "as the early dew goeth away."
5. I hewed them by the prophets—that is, I announced by the prophets that they should be hewn asunder, like trees of the forest. God identifies His act with that of His prophets; the word being His instrument for executing His will (Jer 1:10; Eze 43:3).
by … words of my mouth—(Isa 11:4; Jer 23:29; Heb 4:12).
thy judgments—the judgments which I will inflict on thee, Ephraim and Judah (Ho 6:4). So "thy judgments," that is, those inflicted on thee (Zep 3:15).
are as the light, &c.—like the light, palpable to the eyes of all, as coming from God, the punisher of sin. Henderson translates, "lightning" (compare Margin, Job 37:3, 15).
6. mercy—put for piety in general, of which mercy or charity is a branch.
not sacrifice—that is, "rather than sacrifice." So "not" is merely comparative (Ex 16:8; Joe 2:13; Joh 6:27; 1Ti 2:14). As God Himself instituted sacrifices, it cannot mean that He desired them not absolutely, but that even in the Old Testament, He valued moral obedience as the only end for which positive ordinances, such as sacrifices, were instituted—as of more importance than a mere external ritual obedience (1Sa 15:22; Ps 50:8, 9; 51:16; Isa 1:11, 12; Mic 6:6-8; Mt 9:13; 12:7).
knowledge of God—experimental and practical, not merely theoretical (Ho 6:3; Jer 22:16; 1Jo 2:3, 4). "Mercy" refers to the second table of the law, our duty to our fellow man; "the knowledge of God" to the first table, our duty to God, including inward spiritual worship. The second table is put first, not as superior in dignity, for it is secondary, but in the order of our understanding.
7. like men—the common sort of men (Ps 82:7). Not as Margin, "like Adam," Job 31:33. For the expression "covenant" is not found elsewhere applied to Adam's relation to God; though the thing seems implied (Ro 5:12-19). Israel "transgressed the covenant" of God as lightly as men break everyday compacts with their fellow men.
there—in the northern kingdom, Israel.
8. Gilead … city—probably Ramoth-gilead, metropolis of the hilly region beyond Jordan, south of the Jabbok, known as "Gilead" (1Ki 4:13; compare Ge 31:21-25).
work iniquity—(Ho 12:11).
polluted with blood—"marked with blood-traces" [Maurer]. Referring to Gilead's complicity in the regicidal conspiracy of Pekah against Pekahiah (2Ki 15:25). See on Ho 6:1. Many homicides were there, for there were beyond Jordan more cities of refuge, in proportion to the extent of territory, than on this side of Jordan (Nu 35:14; De 4:41-43; Jos 20:8). Ramoth-gilead was one.
9. company—"association" or guild of priests.
murder by consent—literally, "with one shoulder" (compare Zep 3:9, Margin). The image is from oxen putting their shoulders together to pull the same yoke [Rivetus]. Maurer translates, "in the way towards Shechem." It was a city of refuge between Ebal and Gerizim; on Mount Ephraim (Jos 20:7; 21:21), long the civil capital of Ephraim, as Shiloh was the religious capital; now called Naploos; for a time the residence of Jeroboam (1Ki 12:25). The priests there became so corrupted that they waylaid and murdered persons fleeing to the asylum for refuge [Henderson]; the sanctity of the place enhanced the guilt of the priests who abused their priestly privileges, and the right of asylum to perpetrate murders themselves, or to screen those committed by others [Maurer].
commit lewdness—deliberate crime, presumptuous wickedness, from an Arabic root, "to form a deliberate purpose."
10. horrible thing—(Jer 5:30; 18:13; 23:14).
whoredom—idolatry.
11. an harvest—namely, of judgments (as in Jer 51:33; Joe 3:13; Re 14:15). Called a "harvest" because it is the fruit of the seed which Judah herself had sown (Ho 8:7; 10:12; Job 4:8; Pr 22:8). Judah, under Ahaz, lost a hundred twenty thousand "slain in one day (by Israel under Pekah), because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers."
when I returned the captivity of my people—when I, by Oded My prophet, caused two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters, of Judah to be restored from captivity by Israel (2Ch 28:6-15). This prophecy was delivered under Pekah [Ludovicus De Dieu]. Maurer explains, When Israel shall have been exiled for its sins, and has been subsequently restored by Me, thou, Judah, also shalt be exiled for thine. But as Judah's punishment was not at the time when God restored Israel, Ludovicus De Dieu's explanation must be taken. Grotius translates, "When I shall have returned to make captive (that is, when I shall have again made captive) My people." The first captivity of Israel under Tiglath-pileser was followed by a second under Shalmaneser. Then came the siege of Jerusalem, and the capture of the fenced cities of Judah, by Sennacherib, the forerunner of other attacks, ending in Judah's captivity. But the Hebrew is elsewhere used of restoration, not renewed punishment (De 30:3; Ps 14:7).