Hosea 9:2

2 The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.

Hosea 9:2 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 9:2

The floor and the winepress shall not feed them
Though their expectations from their worship of idols were large, they should find themselves mistaken; for there would not be a sufficiency of corn on the floor, nor of wine in the press, to supply them with what was necessary for their sustenance; either through a blight upon their fields and vineyards, or through the invasion of an enemy, treading them down, and spoiling and foraging them: or else supposing a sufficient quantity of corn and wine got in; yet those blessings should be either turned into curses, or carried off by the enemy, that they should do then, no good; or if they enjoyed them, yet they should receive no nourishment from them; but should become lean, and look like starved and famishing creatures in the midst of plenty; by all which it would appear that their idols could neither give them a sufficiency of provisions, nor make those nourishing to them they had: and the new wine shall fail in her;
in the congregation or land of Israel: or, "shall lie to her" F19; shall not answer their expectations, but disappoint and deceive them; whereas they expected great plenty from the promising prospect of the vines, these by one means or another should be destroyed, so that they would yield but little, and balk them; see ( Habakkuk 3:17 ) ( Haggai 1:6 Haggai 1:10 Haggai 1:11 ) ( 2:16 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F19 (hb vxky) "mentietur in ea", Pagninus, Montanus, Zanchius; "mentietur isti", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Liveleus, Schmidt.

Hosea 9:2 In-Context

1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, like the peoples; for thou hast played the harlot, [departing] from thy God; thou hast loved hire upon every grain-floor.
2 The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.
3 They shall not dwell in Jehovah's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They shall not pour out wine-offerings to Jehovah, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted; for their bread shall be for their appetite; it shall not come into the house of Jehovah.
5 What will ye do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of Jehovah?
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.