Héxīāshū 13

1 Cóng qián Yǐfǎlián shuōhuà , rén dōu zhàn jīng , tā zaì Yǐsèliè zhōng jū chù gāo wèi , dàn tā zaì shìfèng bā lì de shì shang fàn zuì jiù sǐ le .

2 Xiànjīn tāmen zuì shǎng jiā zuì , yòng yínzi wèi zìjǐ zhùzào ǒuxiàng , jiù shì zhào zìjǐ de cōngming zhìzào . dōu shì jiàngrén de gōngzuò , yǒu rén lún shuō , xiànjì de rén kĕyǐ xiàng niúdú qīnzuǐ.

3 Yīncǐ , tāmen bì rú zǎochen de yúnwù , yòu rú sù sǎn de gān lòu , xiàng cháng shang de kāng bǐ beì kuángfēng chuī qù , yòu xiàng yān qì téng yú chuāng waì .

4 Zì cóng nǐ chū Āijí dì yǐlái , wǒ jiù shì Yēhéhuá nǐde shén . zaì wǒ yǐwaì , nǐ bùkĕ rènshi bié shén , chú wǒ yǐwaì bìng méiyǒu jiù zhǔ .

5 Wǒ céng zaì kuàngyĕ gān hàn zhī dì rènshi nǐ .

6 Zhèxie mín zhào wǒ suǒ cì de shíwù dé le bǎozú , jì dé bǎozú , xīn jiù gāo ào , wàngjì le wǒ .

7 Yīncǐ , wǒ xiàng tāmen rú shīzi , yòu rú bào fú zaì dào páng .

8 Wǒ yùjiàn tāmen bì xiàng diū zǎi zǐ de mǔ xióng , sī liè tāmende xiōng táng ( huò zuò xīn mó ) , zaì nàli , wǒ bì xiàng mǔ shī tūn chī tāmen . yĕshòu bì sī liè tāmen .

9 Yǐsèliè a , nǐ yǔ wǒ fǎnduì , jiù shì fǎnduì bāngzhu nǐde , zì qǔ baìhuaì .

10 Nǐ céng qiú wǒ shuō , gĕi wǒ lì wáng hé shǒulǐng , xiànzaì nǐde wáng zaì nǎli ne , zhìlǐ nǐde zaì nǎli ne , ràng tā zaì nǐ suǒyǒude chéng zhōng zhĕngjiù nǐ ba .

11 Wǒ zaì nùqì zhōng jiāng wáng cì nǐ , yòu zaì liè nù zhōng jiāng wáng feì qù .

12 Yǐfǎlián de zuìniè bāoguǒ , tāde zuìè shōucáng .

13 Chǎn fù de téngtòng bì líndào tā shēnshang . tā shì wú zhìhuì zhī zǐ , dào le chǎnqī bùdàng chíyán .

14 Wǒ bì jiùshú tāmen tuōlí yīnjiān , jiùshú tāmen tuōlí sǐwáng . sǐwáng a , nǐde zāi haì zaì nǎli ne . yīnjiān nǎ , nǐde huǐmiè zaì nǎli ne . zaì wǒ yǎnqián jué wú hòuhuǐ zhī shì .

15 Tā zaì dìxiōng zhōng suīrán mào shèng , bì yǒu dōng fēng guā lái , jiù shì Yēhéhuá de fēng cóng kuàngyĕ shang lái , tāde quányuán bì gān , tāde yuán tóu bì jié , chóudí bì lǔlǜe tā suǒ jīxù de yīqiè bǎo qì .

16 Sāmǎlìyà bì dāndāng zìjǐ de zuì , yīnwei beìnì tāde shén . tā bì dǎo zaì dāo xià , yīnghái bì beì shuāi sǐ . yùn fù bì beì pōu kāi .

Héxīāshū 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

The abuse of God's favour leads to punishment. (1-8) A promise of God's mercy. (9-16)

Verses 1-8 While Ephraim kept up a holy fear of God, and worshipped Him in that fear, so long he was very considerable. When Ephraim forsook God, and followed idolatry, he sunk. Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves, in token of their adoration of them, affection for them, and obedience to them; but the Lord will not give his glory to another, and therefore all that worship images shall be confounded. No solid, lasting comfort, is to be expected any where but in God. God not only took care of the Israelites in the wilderness, he put them in possession of Canaan, a good land; but worldly prosperity, when it feeds men's pride, makes them forgetful of God. Therefore the Lord would meet them in just vengeance, as the most terrible beast that inhabited their forests. Abused goodness calls for greater severity.

Verses 9-16 Israel had destroyed himself by his rebellion; but he could not save himself, his help was from the Lord only. This may well be applied to the case of spiritual redemption, from that lost state into which all have fallen by wilful sins. God often gives in displeasure what we sinfully desire. It is the happiness of the saints, that, whether God gives or takes away, all is in love. But it is the misery of the wicked, that, whether God gives or takes away, it is all in wrath, nothing is comfortable. Except sinners repent and believe the gospel, anguish will soon come upon them. The prophecy of the ruin of Israel as a nation, also showed there would be a merciful and powerful interposition of God, to save a remnant of them. Yet this was but a shadow of the ransom of the true Israel, by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. He will destroy death and the grave. The Lord would not repent of his purpose and promise. Yet, in the mean time, Israel would be desolated for her sins. Without fruitfulness in good works, springing from the Holy Spirit, all other fruitfulness will be found as empty as the uncertain riches of the world. The wrath of God will wither its branches, its sprigs shall be dried up, it shall come to nothing. Woes, more terrible than any from the most cruel warfare, shall fall on those who rebel against God. From such miseries, and from sin, the cause of them, may the Lord deliver us.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 13

This chapter begins with observing the different state and condition of Ephraim before and after his idolatry, Ho 13:1; his increase in it, Ho 13:2; and therefore his prosperity was very short lived, which is signified by various metaphors, Ho 13:3; and his sins are aggravated by the former goodness of God unto him his great ingratitude unto God, and forgetfulness him, Ho 13:4-6; hence he is threatened with his wrath and vengeance in a very severe manner, Ho 13:7,8; for which he had none to blame but himself; yea, such was the grace and goodness of God to him, that though he had destroyed himself, yet there were help and salvation for him in him, Ho 13:9; though not in his king he had desired, and was given, and was took away in wrath, Ho 13:10,11; but his sin being bound up and hid, and he foolish and unwise, sharp corrections would be given him, Ho 13:12,13; and yet a gracious promise is made of redemption from death and the grave by the Messiah, Ho 13:14; but, notwithstanding this, and all his present prosperity, he would be blasted in his wealth and riches; and Samaria the metropolis of his country would he desolate; and the inhabitants of it be used in the most cruel manner, because of their rebellion against God, Ho 13:15,16.