Hosea 7

Hosea 7:1-16 . REPROOF OF ISRAEL.

Probably delivered in the interreign and civil war at Pekah's death; for Hosea 7:7 , "all their kings . . . fallen," refers to the murder of Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah. In Hosea 7:8 the reference seems to be to Menahem's payment of tribute to Pul, in order to secure himself in the usurped throne, also to Pekah's league with Rezin of Syria, and to Hoshea's connection with Assyria during the interregnum at Pekah's death [MAURER].

1. I would have healed Israel--Israel's restoration of the two hundred thousand Jewish captives at God's command ( 2 Chronicles 28:8-15 ) gave hope of Israel's reformation [HENDERSON]. Political, as well as moral, healing is meant. When I would have healed Israel in its calamitous state, then their iniquity was discovered to be so great as to preclude hope of recovery. Then he enumerates their wickedness: "The thief cometh in (indoors stealthily), and the troop of robbers spoileth without" (out-of-doors with open violence).

2. consider not in their hearts--literally "say not to," &c. ( Psalms 14:1 ).
that I remember--and will punish.
their own doings have beset them about--as so many witnesses against them ( Psalms 9:16 , Proverbs 5:22 ).
before my face--( Psalms 90:8 ).

3. Their princes, instead of checking, "have pleasure in them that do" such crimes ( Romans 1:32 ).

4. who ceaseth from raising--rather, "heating" it, from an Arabic root, "to be hot." So the Septuagint. Their adulterous and idolatrous lust is inflamed as the oven of a baker who has it at such a heat that he ceaseth from heating it only from the time that he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened; he only needs to omit feeding it during the short period of the fermentation of the bread. Compare 2 Peter 2:14 , "that cannot cease from sin" [HENDERSON].

5. the day of our king--his birthday or day of inauguration.
have made him sick--namely, the king. MAURER translates, "make themselves sick."
with bottles of wine--drinking not merely glasses, but bottles. MAURER translates, "Owing to the heat of wine."
he stretched out his hand with scorners--the gesture of revellers in holding out the cup and in drinking to one another's health. Scoffers were the king's boon companions.

6. they have made ready--rather, "they make their heart approach," namely their king, in going to drink with him.
like an oven--following out the image in Hosea 7:4 . As it conceals the lighted fire all night while the baker sleeps but in the morning burns as a flaming fire, so they brood mischief in their hearts while conscience is lulled asleep, and their wicked designs wait only for a fair occasion to break forth [HORSLEY]. Their heart is the oven, their baker the ringleader of the plot. In Hosea 7:7 their plots appear, namely, the intestine disturbances and murders of one king after another, after Jeroboam II.

7. all hot--All burn with eagerness to cause universal disturbance ( 2 Kings 15:1-38 ).
devoured their judges--magistrates; as the fire of the oven devours the fuel.
all their kings . . .
none . . . calleth unto me--Such is their perversity that amid all these national calamities, none seeks help from Me ( Isaiah 9:13 , 64:7 ).