Héxīāshū 7

1 Wǒ xiǎng yīzhì Yǐsèliè de shíhou , Yǐfǎlián de zuìniè , hé Sāmǎlìyà de zuìè , jiù xiǎnlù chūlai . tāmen xíngshì xū huǎng , neì yǒu zéi rén rù shì tōuqiè , waì yǒu qiángdào chéngqún sāo rǎo .

2 Tāmen xīnli bìng bù sīxiǎng wǒ jìniàn tāmende yīqiè è , tāmen suǒ xíng de xiànzaì chán rǎo tāmen , dōu zaì wǒ miànqián .

3 Tāmen xíng è shǐ jūnwáng huānxǐ , shuōhuǎng shǐ shǒulǐng xǐlè .

4 Tāmen dōu shì xíng yín de , xiàng huǒlú beì kǎo bǐng de shāo rè , cóng tuán miàn dào fā miàn de shíhou , zàn bú shǐ huǒ zhe wàng .

5 Zaì wǒmen wáng yàn lè de rìzi , shǒulǐng yīn jiǔ de liè xìng chéng bìng . wáng yǔ xiè màn rén lá shǒu .

6 Shǒulǐng máifu de shíhou , xīn zhōng rè rú huǒlú , jiù rú kǎo bǐng de zhĕngyè shuì wò , dào le zǎochen huǒ qì yán yán .

7 Zhòng mín yĕ rè rú huǒlú , shāo miè tāmende guān zhǎng . tāmende jūnwáng dōu pú dǎo ér sǐ . tāmen zhōngjiān wú yī rén qiúgào wǒ .

8 Yǐfǎlián yǔ liè bāng rén chānzá . Yǐfǎlián shì méiyǒu fān guō de bǐng .

9 Waìbāngrén tūn chī tā laólì dé lái de , tā què bù zhīdào , tóufa bān bái , tā yĕ bù juéde .

10 Yǐsèliè de jiāoào dāngmiàn jiànzhèng zìjǐ , suī zāoyù zhè yīqiè , tāmen réng bú guī xiàng Yēhéhuá tāmende shén , yĕ bú xúnqiú tā .

11 Yǐfǎlián hǎoxiàng gēzi yú chún wúzhī . tāmen qiúgào Āijí , tóu bēn Yàshù .

12 Tāmen qù de shíhou , wǒ bìjiāng wǒde wǎng sǎ zaì tāmen shēnshang , wǒ yào dá xià tāmen , rútóng kōng zhōng de niǎo . wǒ bì àn tāmen huì zhòng suǒ tīngjian de chéngfá tāmen .

13 Tāmen yīn lí qì wǒ , bìdéng yǒu huò , yīn wéibeì wǒ , bì beì huǐmiè . wǒ suī yào jiùshú tāmen , tāmen què xiàng wǒ shuōhuǎng .

14 Tāmen bìng bù chéng xīn āi qiú wǒ , nǎi zaì chuáng shang hū haó . tāmen wèi qiú wǔgǔ xīn jiǔ jùjí , réngrán beìnì wǒ .

15 Wǒ suī jiàodǎo tāmen , jiāngù tāmende bǎngbì , tāmen jìng tú móu kàng jù wǒ .

16 Tāmen guī xiàng , què bú guī xiàng zhì shang zhĕ . tāmen rútóng fān bēi de gōng . tāmende shǒulǐng bì yīn shétou de kuángào dǎo zaì dāo xià , zhè zaì Āijí dì bì zuò rén de jī xiào .

Héxīāshū 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

The manifold sins of Israel. (1-7) Their senselessness and hypocrisy. (8-16)

Verses 1-7 A practical disbelief of God's government was at the bottom of all israel's wickedness; as if God could not see it or did not heed it. Their sins appear on every side of them. Their hearts were inflamed by evil desires, like a heated oven. In the midst of their troubles as a nation, the people never thought of seeking help from God. The actual wickedness of men's lives bears a very small proportion to what is in their hearts. But when lust is inwardly cherished, it will break forth into outward sin. Those who tempt others to drunkenness never can be their real friends, and often design their ruin. Thus men execute the Divine vengeance on each other. Those are not only heated with sin, but hardened in sin, who continue to live without prayer, even when in trouble and distress.

Verses 8-16 Israel was as a cake not turned, half burnt and half dough, none of it fit for use; a mixture of idolatry and of the worship of Jehovah. There were tokens of approaching ruin, as grey hairs are of old age, but they noticed them not. The pride which leads to break the law of God leads to self-flattery. The mercy and grace of God are the only refuge to which obstinate sinners never think of fleeing. Though they may howl forth their terrors in the form of prayers, they seldom cry to God with their hearts. Even their prayers for earthly mercies only seek fuel for their lusts. Their turning from one sect, sentiment, form, or vice, to another, still leaves them far short of Christ and holiness. Such are we by nature. And such shall we prove if left to ourselves. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 7

This chapter either begins a new sermon, discourse, or prophecy, or it is a continuation of the former; at least it seems to be of the same argument with the latter part of it, only it is directed to Israel alone; and consists of complaints against them because of their manifold sins, and of denunciations of punishment for them. They are charged with ingratitude to God, sinning in a daring manner against mercy, and with falsehood, thefts, and robberies, Ho 7:1; with want of consideration of the omniscience of God, and his notice of their sins, which surrounded them, Ho 7:2; with flattery to their king and princes, Ho 7:3; with adultery, which lust raged in them like a heated oven, Ho 7:4; with drunkenness, aggravated by drawing their king into it, Ho 7:5; with raging lusts, which devoured their judges, made their kings to fall, and brought on such a general corruption, that there were none that called upon the Lord, Ho 7:6,7; with mixing themselves with the nations of the earth, and so learning their ways, and bringing their superstition and idolatry into the worship of God, so that they were nothing in religion, like a half baked cake, Ho 7:8; with stupidity and insensibility of their declining state, Ho 7:9; with pride, impenitence, and stubbornness, Ho 7:10; with folly, in seeking to Egypt and Assyria for help, and not to the Lord; for which they would be taken as birds in a net, and sorely chastised, Ho 7:11,12; with ingratitude, hypocrisy, and deceitfulness; for all which they are threatened with destruction, Ho 7:13-16.