Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · minor prophets · Hosea · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
EPhraim fe…deth on the winde, &c. that is, is brought under Tribute by the V. 1. 2 King. 17.King of Assyria, and on the East winde, because he sought for help from Egypt to shake off this burthen of tribute, but in both he did but follow and feed upon the winde, by the Assyrian being much impoverished, as by a strong Lyra.winde smiting the fruits of the earth, and leaving the inhabitants instead of bread to be fed with the empty air, and by the Egyptian being fed onelyonly with hopes in the end proving vain, he encreaseth lyes dayly & desolation they make a Covenant with the Assyrians and oil is carryed into Egypt: the here last words serve to explain the first, for wherein did Israel increase lyes, but in covenanting to be a tributary to & to serve the King of Ashur, which he perfidiously brake, and the carrying of oyl into Egypt was their sending of a present to that King, that by him being strengthened they might be the better able to defend themselves when by breaking it they had provoked the Assyrian; so Lyra, who for the East winde, hath aestus heat put, as hee saith to denote Egypt, which stood southward, and was a very hot country, but the word is foreign the East, and therefore that note of his falleth. Calvin by Ephraim feeding on the wind Calvin.understandeth his vain imaginations of escaping Gods judgements threatned, whereby he fed himself with hope, and weighed nothing that was said by the Prophets to be moved to repentance thereby, and hee compareth these his hopes to the wind, yea the East wind which blasteth, because they were not onelyonly vain, but pernicious. Moreover he calleth the same lyes, because they were such in effect and desolation, that is, causing them to harden themselves in their sins, till their countrey was made desolate. Then coming to shew what these lyes, and windy hopes were, he mentioneth the Assyrians and Egyptians, with both which they were confederate in vain, whereby the meaning is somewhat more fully set forth, and rightly.
The Lord hath also a controversie with Judah, &c. It may seeme strange that V. 2.Judah who was but a little before commended for her faithfulnesse to the Saints, or with them, and their Kings living under the rule of God, chap. 11. 12. for that is meant by saying, shee ruleth with God, and as the ancient Saints of God, were faithfull unto him, that this Judah I say, should now be accused as well as Israel. Gualter resolveth this well, it is spoken by way of answering Gualter.to an objection, because Israel was charged, vers. 1. with making Covenants with Assyria and Egypt; they might say Judah doth the like in the time of Ahaz, why then is not this objected to her also? In way of preventing this he saith, that he had also a controversie with Judah, and the time should come, when Judah should smart for it, and therefore Israel was to take no incouragement from hence, but imitate Judah wherein shee did well; but wherein shee did ill leave her. Whence note, that even a State which doth worthily in regard of the main things of religion, is not yet to be justified, or Note. imitated in all things. For the Lord had a controversie with Judah notwithstanding her reigning with God and faithfulnesse, in things about which the Saints are faithfull and carefull, that is, not to permit any corruption in the worship of God. For there was yet a great sin, viz. her seeking to strengthen her self by carnall means, and not confiding in God onelyonly, and when they had done thus, and sworn to a Covenant with Nebuchadnezzar in Zedekiah his time, they brake it, which should make any State how holy so ever to consider, whether there be not some thing yet done, that may provoke the Lord to a controversie with it likewise.
Hee tooke his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God. The History whereof see Gen. 25. 16. and Gen. 32. Having in the former V. 3. Gualter.verse met with one objection, now he prevents another, Israel might say, our father Jacob was owned by God being yet unborn, he declaring most exceeding great love towards him above his brother Esau, and afterwards when Esau came out against him with 400 men, whereby he was much terrified, an angel of God appeared unto him, called God, and he strove and wrestled with him, till the morning, and was of such power, that he prevailed over him. Therefore V. 4.we that are descended from him shall be safe against all enemies, whatsoever thou threatnest. Yea and before that in Bethel God appeared unto him, and made him must gracious promises, and to us in him. But to all this the Gen. 28.Prophet answereth. V. 6. Therefore turn thou to thy God, keep mercy and judgment, &c. V. 7. He is a Merchant, the ballances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppresse, & more V. 6. V. 7.is added, v. 8. 11. 14. to shew, how unlike they were to Jacob upon whom they did proudly clear themselves, as if he had said, that which ye alleadge touching your father Jacob, should have moved you to walk in his steps, wrestling with God by weeping and praying against the judgments coming by your enemies, but yet like degenerating children are full of all wickednesse in your dealings one with another, and by divers idolatries, and yet ye lift up your heads, and are not humbled, therefore whatsoever love God shewed to your father Jacob, it is nothing to you, for by your works yee are none of his, but as Christ said afterwards to the Jews bearing themselves upon Abraham, yee are of your Father the devill. For the words here used in relating Joh. 8.those Histories touching Jacob, a question first offers it selfe, what he meaneth Quest. 1 by saying, by his power be prevailed, had he such vertue in himself as hereby to overcome God? Sol. To this Calvin answers rightly, that the power Calvin.here spoken of was power given him by God, who did strengthen him, as it were, with his right hand, reserving to himself onelyonly his left at that time. 2. How or when did Jacob weep and make supplication, because no Quest. 2 such thing is spoken of in the History? Sol. There is that yet spoken of, which might make him weep, viz. the touching of his thigh by the man that wrestled with him, whereby he was made lame alwayes after, which doubtlesse was not then without great paine; and for supplication, it was that he would not depart away from him before he had blessed him. In speaking which hee shewed his humility when he was so greatly graced of God, for the lesse is blessed of the greater, in seeking then to him to be blessed, Heb. 7.hee acknowledged his own inferiority, and that he prevailed not, but through his grace, who inabled him so to doe. 3. Who was this this Angell, that Quest. 3 is also called God, that wrestled with him? Sol. R. Solomon saith, it was R. Solomon.Esau his Angell who came to stop Jacob, that he might not goe further; but this is aboundantly confuted by Lyra. It was then no meere Angell, but Christ the Son of God, who for a praeludium to his incarnation sometimes appeared like a man, and he is called the Angell of the Covenant, Mal. 3. 1. and that it was he is further confirmed, vers. 5. where it is said, he is the Lord God of Hosts. 4. What is meant by Us of whom it is said, there he spake with Quest. 4 us, and which appearing of God to Jacob in Bethel is meant in saying, hee sound him in Bethel. Sol. I will not with Calvin recite the far fetcht resolutions of some: for I think without doubt, that his appearing to Jacob, when he was going into Padan Aram is meant, and Gods promising then to be his God, being his speaking so not to his person onelyonly, but to his posterity throughout all generations.
Hee is a merchant, the Ballances of deceit are in his hand, Heb. a Canaanite. Thus V. 7. Gualter.saith Gualter, he doth most aptly upbraid them after he had taught them, how they should doe, that they might be worthy children of so worthy a father as Jacob, Ephraim is not an I…raelite but a Canaanite; worthy rather to bee called by this name for their likenesse to the Canaanites in their evill manners, who were had in such abomination by the land, that their land spued them out, yet the word signifieth a Merchant, as it is rendered. And in two things he sheweth, that they were like to that wicked people. 1. In their deceitfull dealing. 2. In oppression: and it is common in Scripture to call wicked men by their names, whose vices they live in, as Esa. 1. 10. Ezek. 16. Note. Jam. 4. 1. &c. therefore Christians, that live in the like sins are not Christians indeed, but Canaanites, Sodomites, or Samaritans also. Calvin who consents Calvin.in the exposition reproves the rendering of it, he is a Canaanite, because it is nothing else but a Canaanite, which is an abrupt speech, whereby Israel is cryed out upon, as if he had said when I came to look upon Israel, as he is now, Loe a Canaanite appeareth in every respect.
But Ephraim said, yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my V. 8.labours they shall finde none iniquity in me that were sin, or is sin. Here the wicked are brought in justifying themselves notwithstanding all the sinnes laid to their charge, as if they had said, we are not so great sinners, as ye the Prophets would make us to be, for we by Gods blessing have gotten wealth and live in prosperity, which we should never be able to doe, but that we flee sin in our dealings, with which ye charge us so much.
And I the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee dwell in Tabernacles, V. 9.as in the dayes of the Assembly, or the festivity. Here the Lord objecteth somewhat, that might take down their pride in attributing their riches to themselves, saying that he was the beginning of all their welfare, and because they did not acknowledge it, but were proud, as if by their owne industry only they had increased their wealth, he threatneth to make them dwell again in tents, being driven from their houses and leading a poore life, as they once a year commonly at the Feast of Tabernacles went out of their Cities for a remembrance, how they had done 40 years together in the Wildernesse, and kept 8 dayes in booths, so Calvin and Gualter, who onelyonly differs in this, that by the Calvin. Gualter.last word foreign he understandeth a set time, rendering it, according to the days set, and giving this for the meaning, I will bring you to such a poore estate againe, yet not for ever, but for a time in my Divine counsell determined. Lyra contrariwise expoundeth both this and the next words as promises of Lyra.comfort under the Gospell, giving this for the meaning, as I in mercy brought thee out of Egypt so after thy other sufferings, which shall come unto thee, I will make thee to sit in the tents or Congregations of Christians at festivall times, that shall be kept under the Gospell.
And I spake of the Prophets, that is, of this grace, and multiplyed the Vision, that is, declaring the same often, and I was likened in the hands, of the Prophets, that is being made figures or similitudes of me. Adam being cast into a dead sleep and Eve made out of him, of me and my Church; and Jonah being three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly. Junius, I the Lord thy God from Iunius.the Land of Egypt, would make thee to abide in these tents, as in the dayes of festivity, implying the sense to be, that as I brought thee out of Egypt, and have prospered thee, so I would have been willing still to make thee live here in prosperity, keeping the joyfull feasts of Tabernacles from yeare to yeare for the aboundance of the fruits of the earth received, without end, thou being never carryed away out of thine own Countrey. But thy pride, and elate minde spoken of, v. 8. and others sinnes mentioned before and after, vers. 11. hinder thee from this happinesse. And this sense the words will well bear, neither doth any other well agree, not that of Calvin, because of the Note of similitude to a festivall time; for it were strange, if the Prophet meant, driving out of their houses, that he should thus expresse it by words, implying joy and not rather sorrow: nor that of Lyra, because the argument upon which hee now is, is an invective against their sins both before this and after it, so that here is no place for promises for comfort to come in.
I have also spoken by the Prophets, I have multiplyed Visions and used similitudes, by V. 10.the ministery of my Prophets, Junius. Speaking by the Prophets I would multiply visions: In which words he goeth on, as he began, vers. 9. shewing, what more he would have done to make them most happy: of all which they by their sins debarred themselves, they should not have wanted Prophets to instruct and comfort them, but have had many of them, sometimes by Visions, sometimes by similitudes setting forth the will of God unto them, especially touching the Messiah, in whom the greatest comfort of all doth consist. Tossarius paraphraseth upon all in the preter tense, I have made thee dwell in fair Palaces, and taught thee diversly by my Prophets.
Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity, they sacrifice Bullocks in Gilgal. V. 11.Of their wickednesse in Gilgal, see before chap. 4. 15. & 9. 15. and of the surrows of the field next spoken of, where their Altars were set up, chap. 10. 4. Here the Prophet comes to their second way of sinning, which caused, that God could no longer deal by them in mercy, as he would have done. And he beginneth by way of question, is there sin in Gilead? chap. 6. 8. something hath been already said of Gilead, it should, because it was a City of Priests, have been a most holy place, but was quite degenerated, and therefore was 2 King. 15.first brought into the power of the Assyrians. Now by this place he derideth Israel justifying himself, as if he had said. Doe yee stand upon your own justification, what think ye of Gilead, was there iniquity therein or no? if yea, as ye cannot deny, seeing judgements have met with the Gileadites already, will ye out face the matter and say, that ye are not sinners, when as in Gilgalye sacrifice Bullocks, which ought not be done, but at Jerusalem onelyonly, where the place of the Altar is, that is the onelyonly Altar allowed unto you, but ye contrary to the charge given by the Lord have multiplyed Altars as heaps in the furrows, in saying which he alludeth to husbandmens making heaps of stones, Gualter.which they gather out of the land, but lying there they are an hinderance to the Corn that should grow there, so their Altars to the favours of God, which otherwise would have grown and increased amongst them, making contrariwise Hemlock or Wormwood to grow, as was before said, chap. 10. 4.
Israel fled into Syria and served for a wife, &c. Because he had said before, v. 9. V. 12.that he was their God from Egypt, now he declareth from the beginning, how graciously he had dealt with them from the first in their Father Jacob. For his providence over him was even then wonderfull in that hee was by going into Syria preserved from the fury of Esau, and God shewed himselfe by dream unto him in Bethel to comfort and confirm him, and when Laban wronged him in matter of wages many times, he serving for his daughter, and keeping sheep.
And by a Prophet he brought Israel out of Egypt and by a Prophet was he preserved. V. 13.Having spoken of Gods providence over Jacob in his person, now he proceedeth to that great mercy, which he shewed to his posterity in bringing them out of Egypt by Moses, who was the Prophet here spoken of, and by him preserving them, when for their sinne about the golden Calf he was Exod. 3.ready to have destroyed them, but that Moses prayed for them, and so they were spared.
All this extraordinary mercy notwithstanding they exceeded in sinning, V. 14.and threfore are threatned, that their bloud shall be left upon them, hereby meaning that they should be guilty of their own destruction, as it is said Ezek. 3. the sinner being warned and yet perishing by the enemy, his bloud shall be upon his own head.