Hosea 9
CHAPTER 9
Hosea 9:1-17 . WARNING AGAINST ISRAEL'S JOY AT PARTIAL RELIEF FROM THEIR TROUBLES: THEIR CROPS SHALL FAIL, AND THE PEOPLE LEAVE THE LORD'S LAND FOR EGYPT AND ASSYRIA, WHERE THEY CANNOT, IF SO INCLINED, SERVE GOD ACCORDING TO THE ANCIENT RITUAL: FOLLY OF THEIR FALSE PROPHETS.
1. Rejoice not . . . for joy--literally, "to exultation." Thy exultation at the league with Pul, by which peace seems secured, is out of place: since thy idolatry will bring ruin on thee.
as other people--the Assyrians for instance, who, unlike thee, are in the height of prosperity.
loved a reward upon every corn floor--Thou hast desired, in reward for thy homage to idols, abundance of corn on every threshing-floor ( Hosea 2:12 ).
2. ( Hosea 2:9 Hosea 2:12 ).
fail--disappoint her expectation.
eat unclean things in Assyria--reduced by necessity to eat meats pronounced unclean by the Mosaic law ( Ezekiel 4:13 ). See 2 Kings 17:6 .
4. offer wine offerings--literally, "pour as a libation ( Exodus 30:9 , Leviticus 23:13 ).
neither shall they be pleasing unto him--as being offered on a profane soil.
sacrifices . . . as the bread of mourners--which was unclean ( Deuteronomy 26:14 , Jeremiah 16:7 , Ezekiel 24:17 ).
their bread for their soul--their offering for the expiation of their soul [CALVIN], ( Leviticus 17:11 ). Rather, "their bread for their sustenance ('soul' being often used for the animal life, Genesis 14:21 , Margin) shall not come into the Lord's house"; it shall only subserve their own uses, not My worship.
5. ( Hosea 2:11 ).
6. because of destruction--to escape from the devastation of their country.
Egypt shall gather them up--that is, into its sepulchres ( Jeremiah 8:2 , Ezekiel 29:5 ). Instead of returning to Palestine, they should die in Egypt.
Memphis--famed as a necropolis.
the pleasant places for their silver--that is, their desired treasuries for their money. Or, "whatever precious thing they have of silver" [MAURER].
nettles--the sign of desolation ( Isaiah 34:13 ).
7. visitation--vengeance: punishment ( Isaiah 10:3 ).
Israel shall know it--to her cost experimentally ( Isaiah 9:9 ).
the prophet is a fool--The false prophet who foretold prosperity to the nation shall be convicted of folly by the event.
the spiritual man--the man pretending to inspiration ( Lamentations 2:14 , Ezekiel 13:3 , Micah 3:11 , Zephaniah 3:4 ).
for the multitude of thine iniquity, &c.--Connect these words with, "the days of visitation . . . are come"; "the prophet . . . is mad," being parenthetical.
the great hatred--or, "the great provocation" [HENDERSON]; or, "(thy) great apostasy" [MAURER]. English Version means Israel's "hatred" of God's prophets and the law.