Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · minor prophets · Hosea · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
HEre the Prophet otherwise inveigheth against their sins, the sins of the V. 1.Priests, the people, the Kings, saying, ye have been a snare on Mizpeh and a net spread on Tabor: whereby some think, is meant, that this is spoken in regard Lyra.of spies set to watch against mens going to Jerusalem to worship. But Calvin takes the plain meaning to be, that they acted the part of huntsmen, Calvin.who set snares upon mountaines and spread nets for beasts to take and destroy them, so the Princes of Israel by subtle and crafty means catcht the people, and made a prey of their estates. And if it be thus understood, they are taxed for their tyranny joined with subtlety, and for this threatned with judgement, in that hee saith, judgement is toward you; not as some would have it, to you it belongeth to doe justice, for not onelyonly the rulers, but the whole house of Israel are spoken to. Now two mountaines Mizpeh and Tabor are mentioned, because they were noted for height and greatnesse. The vulgar renders Mizpeh, as an appellative, by speculation, but I see no reason for that, considering Mizpeh is not named alone but Tabor also, and there is the like reason, that one should be taken as a proper name as well as the other. Of Mizpeh, see Josh. 11. 3. of Tabor, Judg. 4. 6. Junius saith, that they were places, wherein they used to hunt, and therefore this allegory is Iunius.most fitly made by them, from hunting Beasts, to the laying of snares either for oppression or seduction to idolatry, as some understand it.
And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, Heb. And the decliners or fallers V. 2.away have made deep the slaughter, or gone profoundly to worke in killing; it answers to their laying snares and nets, vers. 1. for why doe hunters lay snares to take wild beasts but to kill them, and so the hunters of men, and because they do not this openly but covertly, here is another phrase of diving or digging deep by wicked policy, to hide what the ungodly got about. So Esay 29. 15. they dig deep to hide, &c. Calvin thinks, that by slaughter Calvin.sacrifice is meant, which they being wicked an offering was no more accepted of then murther, as Esay 66. 3. at their hands who declined from, and were without the truth of religion, but in deep dissimulation made a shew of it: A very truth, but not so aptly following that v. 1. in this sense as the former, though I have been a rebuker, or correction to them all; that is, they cannot plead ignorance as the cause of their doing so wickedly, for I have by my Prophets instructed and reproved them from time to time, so that they are without all excuse.
Here they are terrified by this, that God knew of their doings, neither shall V. 3. 4.they have for their intolerable wickednesse any grace so much as to study to do better, but inevitably come to ruine, both Ephraim and Israel, the head and the rest of the ten tribes. And because Judah was also corrupted in the dayes V. 5.of Ahaz, he threatneth that she shall also fall together. But is not the Prophet herein contrary to himself, ch. 1. 7. where having threatned Israel, he yet promiseth Judah that she shall be saved? Answ. It is to be conceived that these Prophesies were written at divers times, then in the dayes of Ʋzziah and Jotham, or of Hezekiah, Judah was comforted, because the true religion held them in Judah, but there came an Ahaz to reign, who corrupted all, and touching Judah in his time this is most probably threatned. Calvin distinguisheth otherwise betwixt the faithfull in Judah, to whom that promise was made, and the Calvin.wicked to whom this is threatned. But if the Prophet had meant so, good reason, that the faithfull in Israel, of whom there were 7000. even in the worst times, should have had something spoken to comfort them also. v. 6. They shall go with their flocks and herds, to seek the Lord, but not find him. This is spoken, lest they V. 6.should think we wil use means to turn away the fal threatned from us, we will supply the Lord with abundance of Sacrifices, but this saith he, shall be in vain, as Esay 1. 12, 13. is shewed more at large. For the wickeds seeking to the Lord, and bringing him presents is of no avail, v. 7. they have begotten strange children, now shall a month devour them with their portions, and before this, he saith, V. 7.they have dealt treacherously. Here they are accused of another great sin, viz. marrying strange wives, the daughters of Idolaters, by which wives they had children like them, so the Cald. and Mat. 2. 11. Judah hath dealt treacherously, and hath marryed the daughter of a strange god, makes it plain, that this is the meaning. For a months devouring them, he seemeth herein to point at the short time of Shallums reign, who by killing Zechariah the son of Jeroboam, attained to the Kingdom, but reigned only one month, neither did that wicked Zechariah before 2 King. 15. 13.him reign any longer then 6 months: Jerom thinketh that it is meant no month should passe but they should suffer some losse: Gualter by a month Hieron. Gualter.understandeth a short time. But because Israel now flourished under Jeroboam, and his son was cut off by a months man, one that continued but a month after, I hold it best to understand it of him, by whom that wicked royal progeny was devoured, and their portions, or inheritances, whereupon he doubtlesse seised, when he had killed him, as Ahab upon Naboths vineyard when Jezabel had wrought his death: or else understand it of Shallum and his adherents, whose royalty lasted but one month and then he was cut off.
Blow ye the Cornet in Gibeah and the Trumpet in Ramah; Cry aloud at Bethaven, aster V. 8.thee, O Benjamin. The Prophet having threatned Israel, now speaks to the other kingdom consisting of Judah and Benjamin, naming Benjamin, because it lay next to the kingdom of the ten tribes, in which Bethaven was, which he blddoth houl or cry aloud, as a people, amongst whom enemies are broken in to destroy them. For he speaketh of the destruction by the Assyrian,s as if it were now in acting: and in regard of this, he biddeth blow the trumpet in Gibeah and Ramah, (for the Vulg. Lat. hath buccinam & tubam) both signifying the trumpet, as the Hebr. words do: whereby he meaneth that they should sound an alarum for fear, when enemies should come so near them in the kingdom Lyra.of Judah. For Gibeah and Kamah were both high and strong places in the tribe of Benjamin, and therefore having mentioned them, he concludeth, saying, after thee (O Benjamin,) Or as it is in Vulg. Lat. in one continued sentence, behind thy back (O Benjamin) Ephraim shall be desolate, joyning to the end of this verse the beginning of the next, and thus the sense is made full, which otherwise is defective and imperfect. Blow the trumpet in thy high places (O Benjamin) to gather thy forces together for thy defence, for destruction is near unto thee, even at thy back all over Ephraim or Israel, for one is put often for another. Whereas Calvin by Benjamin understands the whole family of Joseph, as Calvin.if in these words the kingdom of Israel were spoken to, I see no reason, why he should so expound it, sith that family was divided, Benjamin belonging to the kingdom of Judah, but Ephraim to the kingdom of Israel.
The Princes of Judah are like them that remove the bound: This is by Lyra expounded V. 10. Lyra.of that, which they did when the ten tribes were carryed away into captivity, viz. inlarging their bounds upon the lots of these tribes being then left void. But Calvin by bounds understands the bounds of the law, which Calvin.through the fault of the Princes were removed, the people by their authority or evill example being carryed beyond them to all manner of sin and transgression, and …o he takes it to be a metaphor, gathering hence, that Princes and Rulers, who be wicked, are a main cause of sin amongst the people under Note. them, and consequently of overflowing judgments, as followeth, therefore my wrath shall break forth against thee like water: And they in particular shall lye deepest under when this floud cometh. And to this I rather subscribe, because he saith not that they removed the bound, but were like them that removed it. Moreover, that they of Judah incroached upon the inheritance of the ten tribes now is but a conjecture. We may also note here, what a great sin it is making liable to Gods judgments, to remove land-marks, but of this more properly see upon Deut. 27. 17.
Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the V. 11.commandement, Vulg. he went after basenesse, sordes, and whereas foreign the word here used signifieth precept or command: Ribera answereth, it is true foreign that Ribera.cometh of foreign, but not which cometh of foreign for that is, sordes, such as idols are called, and that worthily. Wherefore the Vulg. is herein to be preferred, and then we shall not need to be put upon a doubt that otherwise ariseth here, shall any be punished for willingly walking after command: although it be resolved, the commandment of Idolatrous K. Jeroboam is meant, not Gods commandment; yet is is a strange speech that it should be so said without adding the precept of men, as it is Esay 29. 13. if it must needs be so expounded.
But why is Ephraim said in this case, being so worthy of judgment, to be oppressed and judged? Sol. because the Assyrian King did not deal so with him, but out of tyranny and oppression, although on Gods part the judgment was justly inflicted.
From the sin objected, because they willingly went after basenesse, or filthy vanities, Note, that this aggravateth the sins of Gods people turning Idolaters, that Note. they do fo willingly, and not being by any force constrained: yet they are not justified that fall to this sin by constraint through fear of power. Mat. 10. 28. for they are not to be feared that can kill the body only, neither did the Apostles fear them Act. 4.
Therefore will I be to Ephraim as a moth, and to Judah as rottennesse, that is, sooner destroying the one and after a longer time the other, as a cloth eaten V. 12. Lyra.with moths is soon marred, but it is longer before it rotteth, and so it came to passe: for the kingdome of Judah continued about 100 years after that of Israel or Ephraim: thus Lyra. But Calvin saith, that both the corruptions here Calvin.spoken of are in wood, which insensibly decayeth hereby in a long time, and that he meaneth, that these two kingdoms should likewise decay by little and little, and not all at once, as by a floud; and this is followed by others having for rottenness, a little worm, that can scarce be seen, breeding in wood and decaying it, called teredo. I rather think, that in threatning to be as a moth to Ephraim, he meaneth that Ephraim should come to destruction as a cloth, to which the moth properly belongeth, and Judah as timber brought to nothing by rottennesse, but one in a shorter, another in a longer time. And that before the destruction of either kingdom coming by the Assyrians and Babylonians, their strength should by other means decay, and they should become kingdoms ruining and weakened by degrees by other wars, before those great and last Warres, wherein they should no longer be able to stand.
Then Ephraim sent to King Jareb, when he saw his wound. &c. Both the kingdom V. 13. 2 King. 16.of Israel and of Judah waxing feeble and being wasted, first one, that is Judah, sent for the King of Assyria to help him, then the other submitted himself unto him for divers years, as counting it a safe course so to doe; but at length he fell from him to So King of Egypt, thinking by him to be defended, but he was destroyed notwithstanding; and at this the Prophet here pointeth, Ephraim went to the Assyrian, when Hosea submitted to Salmanesar, and sent to 2 King. 17.King Jareb, that is, the King of Egypt, by him to be protected against the Assyrian, when he revolted from him. Jareb signifieth Contender, the Vulg. Lat. hath it, ultor, and to the Egyptian Lyra applyeth it, as I have hitherto done, but Calvin to the Assyrian; the proper name of some King amongst whom Calvin.here meant was Jareb, because saith he, not two are meant here by Assyrian, and Jareb, but one; and it is not unusual to give to a King in stead of his proper name sometime a name made, to set forth his quality, as the K. of Sheshak, Jer. 25. 26. so here King Jareb a contentious King, who took part sometime with Israel and sometime with Judah, thus animating them against the Lord in their sinnes, to their destruction; and this is further confirmed to be the right, ch. 10. 7.
I will be to Ephraim as a Lion, and to Judah as a young Lion. Here by other similitudes the Lord sheweth the destruction that should come to Israel and Judah V. 14.one after another with more violence, then in the time that they were weakned as by a moth, and rottennesse before spoken of; for the Lion teareth with great violence, therefore to shew that at the last they should be torn in pieces as it were by a Lion, by the Assyrians and Babylonians, he saith, that he would be as a Lion to Ephraim, &c. intimating yet again, that they should not both be destroyed at one time, but when the old Lion, the Assyrian, had done destroying Ephraim, the Babylonian, as a young Lion springing up, by taking the Assyrian Monarchy, in processe of time should destroy Judah.
I will goe and return to my place, till they acknowledge that they have sinned: This is V. 15.not spoken to shew, that God chargeth his place sometime by removing from one to another, but he is said to goe and return when he appeareth not on his peoples side to revenge the cruelties exercised against them by their enemies, then he is said to turn away into heaven, and sometime in a cloud to hide himself, Lam. 3. 44.