Hosea 5:6

6 Alsdann werden sie kommen mit ihren Schafen und Rindern, den HERRN zu suchen, aber ihn nicht finden; denn er hat sich von ihnen gewandt.

Hosea 5:6 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 5:6

They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek
the Lord
Not only the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, to whom Kimchi, Aben Ezra, and Abarbinel, restrain the words; but the ten tribes of Israel also, who, when in distress, and seeing ruin coming upon them, should seek the Lord; seek help from him against their enemies, and the pardon of their sins; seek his face and favour, and to appease his wrath, by bringing a multitude of sacrifices out of their flocks and herds; such a number of them, as if they brought all their flocks and herds with them; but not with true repentance for their sins, nor with faith in the great sacrifice, which legal sacrifices, rightly performed, prefigured. Kimchi refers this to the times of Josiah; but, as it respects Israel as well as Judah, it seems to design some time a little before the ruin of them both: but they shall not find [him];
shall not find grace and mercy with him; he will not be favourable to them, will not afford them any help, but give them up to utter ruin and destruction; as he did Israel at the Assyrian captivity, and Judah at the Babylonish captivity: he hath withdrawn himself from them;
the glory of the Lord departed from them; his Shechinah, or divine Majesty, as the Targum, removed from them, because of their idolatry, and other sins; they sought him not where and while he was to be found; and therefore, when they sought him, found him not, because he had withdrawn his presence from among them, being provoked by their iniquities.

Hosea 5:6 In-Context

4 Sie denken nicht daran, daß sie sich kehren zu ihrem Gott; denn sie haben einen Hurengeist in ihrem Herzen, und den HERRN kennen sie nicht.

5 Und die Hoffart Israels zeugt wider sie ins Angesicht. Darum sollen beide, Israel und Ephraim, fallen um ihrer Missetat willen; auch soll Juda samt ihnen fallen.

6 Alsdann werden sie kommen mit ihren Schafen und Rindern, den HERRN zu suchen, aber ihn nicht finden; denn er hat sich von ihnen gewandt.

7 Sie verachten den HERRN und zeugen fremde Kinder; darum wird sie auch der Neumond fressen mit ihrem Erbteil.

8 Ja, blaset Posaunen zu Gibea, ja, drommetet zu Rama, ja, ruft zu Beth-Aven: "Hinter dir, Benjamin!"