Observations Upon the Old Testament, Commentary · Hosea
Hosea.
HOSEA Prophesied in the dayes of four Kings of Judah; and seven Kings of Israel: from Vzziah of Judah, to Hezekiah; and from Ieroboam the second of Israel to Hosheah, when, after that the two Tribes and a halfe had beene carried captive by Tiglath-Pilesar, King of Assyria, in the dayes of Pekah, 2 Kings XV. 29. 1 Chron. V. 26. All the rest of Israel, was captivated, and that Kingdome extirpated by Shalmanesar, in the dayes of King Hosheah, Hos. X. 7, 15. 2 Kings XVII. 6. and chap. XVIII. 10. But of him, and the rest of the small Prophets, see more at large in my Annotations upon them, in the large Annotations upon the whole Bible printed Anno 1651.
He was sent chiefly to Israel: And begins to Prophesie Destruction to them; even when they were in the height of their prosperity under Ieroboam the second.
Among other reasons of Gods vengeance upon the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, chapter I verse 4 this might be one, That his Commission against the house of Ahab, stretched not to slay King Ahaziah of Judah, and his brethren.
foreign Most commonly taken illatively for Therefore; chapter II verse 14 yet sometimes in a discretive notion; for Notwithstanding, Neverthelesse, Yet; as here, and Esay VII. 14. and XXX. 18. and LI. 21. Ier. XVI. 14. and XXX. 16. Ezek. XXXIX. 25.
nor sweare, chapter IV verse 15 The Lord liveth] Swearing, and this Forme of swearing is lawful. It is a part of our duty, and Gods worship to sweare, when we are lawfully thereunto called and warranted, Esay XIX. 18. Psael. LXIII. 11. But not in our ordinary communication, Matth. V. 34, 37. Ia…es V. 12. Not upon vaine and light causes; as Herods oath was to the dancing damsel, Marke VI. 23. much lesse to be a bond to wickednesse; as those, Acts XXIII. 12. to kill Paul. But in necessary and weighty causes▪ As for ratification of Covenants, and promises of importance: So did Abraham and Abimelech, Gen. XXI. 31. Isaac and Abimelech, Gen. XXVI. 31. Jacob and Laban, Gen. XXXI. 53. David and Ionathan, 1 Sam. XX. 17. And so God commands it, for removal of suspitions, of jealousie, Num. V. 21. of Theft, Exod. XXII. 11. 1 Kings VIII. 31. 2 Chron. VI. 22. And so many men in Scripture upon weighty causes did lawfully require an oath. So did Abraham of his servant, Gen. XXIV. 2. Jacob of Esau, Gen. XXV. 33. and of his sonne Joseph, Gen. XLVII. 31. Rahab of the Spies, Josh. II. 12. Sampson of the men of Judah, Judg. XV. 12. Saul, and the Egytian of David, 1 Sam. XXIV. 21. and XXX. 15. Nebuchadnezzar of Zedekiah, 2 Chron. XXXVI. 13. And many in like cases did freely and voluntarily give their oaths: so Moses to Caleb, Josh. XIV. 9. David to Bathshebah, 1 Kings I. 13. Gedaliah to the Remnant of Judah, 2 Kings XXV. 24. King Zedekiuh to the Prophet Jeremie, Jer. XXXVIII. 16. And so godly men, to binde themselves the more to God, and his service, and good duties have sworne to the Lord. So David to finde out an house and place for Gods habitation, Psal. CXXXII. 2. So the Priests, Levites, and all Israel, to reforme the strange Marriages, Ezra X. 5. So King Asa, and all the people entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord, and they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with Trumpets, and with Cornets, 2 Chron. XV. 12, 13, 14. Yea, God himself is mercifully pleased so farre to condescend as to sweare unto men, for the better assurance and confirmation of their faith in the truth of his promises, Heb. VI. 13—18. So he sware to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Gen. XXIV. 7. and XXVI. 3. Exod. VI. 8. Luke I. 73. So to David, Psal. LXXXIX. 49 And sometime in wrath, to ratifie his Threatenings against sinners. So, Psal. XCV. 11. Heb. III. 11. In sacred accompt then is the Bond of an Oath. Though it be taken to men, yet it is called the Oath. of God, Eccles. VIII. 2. Ezek. XVII. 19. And why? Because therein men call God to be both a witnesse of the truth, and an avenger of the lie, and breach of promise. And so an Oath binds the soul with a Bond, Num. XXX. 2. It must therefore carefully be taken, in truth, in righteousnesse, without rashnesse, and in judgement, upon just grounds, in just causes, Jer. IV. 2. In truth, without equivocation, or mental reservation. And carefully kept: yea, though made to Heathens, or Hereticks; without Popish dispensations, or relaxations. We must fear an Oath, Eccles. IX. 2. fear to break it. And therefore the godly man, though he sweareth to his own hurt, yet changeth not, Psal. XV. 4. Though the Gibeonites beguiled Joshuah, and the Princes of Israel, yet, say they, we must let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the Oath which we sware unto them, Josh. IX. 15, 19, 20. And the breach of the matter of this Oath by Saul, so long after, we read punished sorely upon him in his sonnes, 2 Sam. XXI. 1,—6. And of Gods fierce wrath against false Oaths, and Oath-breakers, we read more, Exod. XX. 7. Levit. XIX. 12. Jer. VII. 9. and XXIII. 10. Ezek. XVII. 15,—21. Hos. IV. 2, 3. and X. 4. Zech. V. 3, 4. and chap. VIII. 17. Mal. III. 5. It bore a part in Peters sinne, for which he wept so bitterly, Matth. XXVI. 74, 75. Now the Forme of this swearing here, Hos. IV. 15. is lawful; It is taken in the Lords Name. Gods Name is to be used in Oaths, Deut. VI. 13. and X. 20. Psal. LXIII. 11. Esay XLV. 23. and LXV. 16. Ier. XII. 16. So Iacob sware to Laban by the Feare of his father Isaac, Gen. XXXI. 42, 53. We must not sweare by false gods, Iosh. XXIII. 7. …er. V. 7. and ch. XII. 16. Not by Baal, by the sinne and Idol of Samaria; the manner of Beersheba, by Malcham: Against such swearers God threateneth his judgements, Ier. V. 7. Amos VIII. 14. Zeph. I. 5. Nor must we sweare by the Creatures, as if they were God; or we had power over them, as our owne, to pawne them on the truth of what we say, Matth. V. 34, 35, 36. and chap. XXIII. 16,—22. Iames V. 12. See on Matth. XXIII. 16,—22. And againe, though this maner of Speech, The Lord liveth, may be taken in a way of a strange asseveration only, thus, As surely as the Lord liveth. As likewise that, Gen. XLII. 15. 1 Sam. I. 26. and XXV. 26. Yet it goeth often in Scripture under the notion and name of an Oath, as, 1 Sam. XIX. 6. Ier. V. 2. and chap. XII. 16. And is here forbidden, because God would not have his Name once in the mouth of Idolaters, as not enduring to be joyned with Idols, 2 Cor. VI. 15. Zeph. I. 5. Ezek. XX. 39. Of Oath, see more in page 10, 52, 74. and upon Ier. LI. 14. And of the Maner and Ceremonies in swearing, see Gen. XXIV. 2. and XLVII. 29. and XIV. 22. Exod. VI. 8. Exod. XX. 5, 15, 23. Dan. XII. 7. Apoc. X. 5, 6. And there are divers Rites and Gestures for it in divers Countries in all ages.
as the raine; chapter VI verse 3 as the later and former] Raine in due season is mentioned, Levit. XXVI. 4. Deut. XXVIII. 12. Ezek. XXXIV. 26. The First or former Raine, and the later Raine are mentioned, Deut. XI. 14. Jer. V. 24. so called in relation to their husbandry, and the order thereof. The former raine was in their Seeding time, in the eighth monethmonth, part of our October and November, requisite for the bringing up of their Seed, and thereupon is called the Seeds raine, Esay XXX. 23. And that monethmonth is called Bull, from the abundance of raine, and great showers then requisite and falling, as making a Deluge, Jer. III. 3. and this former raine is called Yoreh, or Moreh, from a word that signifieth to poure downe. The later raine was in the first monethmonth, Joel II. 23. part of our March and April, for the filling of the corne then in the eare, and the fitting of it for harvest; whence this monethmonth is called Abib, Exod. XIII. 4. which signifieth the stalk with the eare of corne. Their harvest-time for corne being commonly within the compasse of two moneths, half Abib or Nisan, all Jair or Zif, and half Sivan. And hereupon were those two Offerings, of corne in the sheaf, and of two loaves injoyned, at the Beginning and End of harvest, Levit. XXIII. 10,—21. Num. XXVIII. 26. Deut. XVI. 9, 10. See my Annotations on Zech. X. 1.
bread of mourners] Banquets at Burials, chapter IX verse 4 as well as Bridals: as of mirth, the one; so of consolation against mourning, the other. See Prov. XXXI. 6, 7. Jer. XVI. 7. Ezek. XXIV. 17. Matth. IX. 23.
Memphi…; verse 6 in the Original Moph; And thence with the Greeks and Latines Memphis. In Esay and Jermie, named Moph, Jer. XLIV. 1. and XLVI. 14, 19. Likely now that Grand Cairo, the Great Citie. See. Esay XIX. 13. Ezek. XXX. 13.
Chap. IX. 7. and Chap X. 3, 4. do shew the miserable state and condition of things in those times.
Is true liberality of the Body of the Church of Israel in Egypt. chapter XI verse 1 And true Mysticaly of the Head of the Church, of Christ. Whereupon the Apostle doth allude to this place, and alledge it, Matth. II. 15.
Jacob wept, chapter XII verse 4 in wrestling, and making Supplication to the Angel: though his weeping be not recorded by Moses.
The names for Lions in Hebrew are very many; chapter XIII verse 8 and distinguished in Scripture according to their ages, and qualities. See the Annotations on Job. IV. 10 The like is true for the variety of the names of gold. See the Annotattons on Job XXVIII. 15,—19.
I did know thee] Owne thee, as, Psal. I. ult. verse 5 Exod. III. 7. Deut. XXXIV. 10. Psal. XXXI. 7. and XXXVII. 18. and CXLII. 4. Matth. VII. 23. Rom. VII. 15. As for that place, Acts XXIII▪ 5. Most likely it is that Paul did not know Ananias to be High Priest, he being so long absent from Ierusalem; and the High Priest being so often changed in those times.