Oseas 10

1 Israel es un viñedo frondoso, dando fruto para sí mismo; según la abundancia de su fruto, así multiplicaba los altares; cuanto más rica era su tierra, más hermosos hacían sus pilares sagrados.

2 Su corazón es infiel; ahora serán hallados culpables; el Señor derribará sus altares y destruirá sus pilares sagrados.

3 Ciertamente ahora dirán: No tenemos rey, porque no hemos temido al SEÑOR. Y el rey, ¿qué haría por nosotros?

4 Hablan meras palabras, hacen pactos con juramentos vanos, y el juicio brotará como hierbas venenosas en los surcos del campo.

5 Por el becerro de Bet-avén temerán los habitantes de Samaria. En verdad, por él hará duelo su pueblo, y sus sacerdotes idólatras se lamentarán a causa de él, porque de él se ha alejado su gloria.

6 También el becerro será llevado a Asiria como tributo al rey Jareb; Efraín se cubrirá de verguenza, e Israel se avergonzará de su consejo.

7 Samaria será destruida con su rey, como una astilla sobre la superficie del agua.

8 También serán destruidos los lugares altos de Avén, el pecado de Israel; espinos y abrojos crecerán sobre sus altares. Entonces dirán a los montes: ¡Cubridnos!, y a los collados: ¡Caed sobre nosotros!

9 Desde los días de Guibeá has pecado, oh Israel; ¡allí se han quedado! ¿No los alcanzará en Guibeá la batalla contra los hijos de la iniquidad?

10 Cuando yo lo desee, los castigaré; y se juntarán pueblos contra ellos cuando sean castigados por su doble iniquidad.

11 Efraín es una novilla domesticada que le gusta trillar, pero yo pasaré un yugo sobre su hermosa cerviz; unciré a Efraín, arará Judá, rastrillará Jacob por sí mismo.

12 Sembrad para vosotros según la justicia, segad conforme a la misericordia; romped el barbecho, porque es tiempo de buscar al SEÑOR hasta que venga a enseñaros justicia.

13 Habéis arado iniquidad, habéis segado injusticia, habéis comido fruto de mentira. Porque has confiado en tu camino, en la multitud de tus guerreros,

14 se levantará un tumulto entre tu pueblo, y todas tus fortalezas serán destruidas, como Salmán destruyó a Bet-arbel el día de la batalla, cuando las madres fueron despedazadas con sus hijos.

15 Así os será hecho en Betel a causa de vuestra gran iniquidad. Al amanecer, el rey de Israel será totalmente destruido.

Oseas 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The idolatry of Israel. (1-8) They are exhorted to repentance. (9-15)

Verses 1-8 A vine is only valuable for its fruit; but Israel now brought no fruit to perfection. Their hearts were divided. God is the Sovereign of the heart; he will have all, or none. Were the stream of the heart wholly after God, it would run strongly, and bear down all before it. Their pretences to covenant with God were false. Even the proceeding of justice was as poisonous hemlock. Alas, how empty a vine is the visible church even at this day! But all earthly prosperity is but a collection of bubbles, soon destroyed like foam upon the water. Sinners will in vain seek shelter from that Judge, whom they now despise as a Saviour.

Verses 9-15 Because God does not desire the death and ruin of sinners, therefore in mercy he desires their chastisement. The children of iniquity still remained in Israel. The enemies would be gathered against them. It is just with God to make those know what hardships mean, who indulge themselves in ease and pleasure. Let them cleanse their hearts from all corrupt affections and lusts, and be a broken and contrite spirit. Let them abound in works of piety towards God, and of justice and charity towards one another: herein let them sow to the Spirit. Seeking the Lord is to be every day's work, but there are special occasions when to seek him. Christ shall come as the Lord our righteousness, and grant us of it abundantly. If we sow in righteousness, we shall reap according to mercy; a reward not of debt, but of grace. Even the gains of sin yield the sinner no satisfaction. As our comforts, so our confidences in the service of sin will certainly fail us. Come and seek the Lord, and thy hope in him shall not deceive thee. See what cruel work war makes. Whatever mischief is done, it is sin that does it. What miseries men's sins bring on them, even in this world!

Footnotes

• [a]. As en algunas versiones antiguas; en heb., las novillas

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 10

This chapter is of the same argument with the former, and others before that; setting forth the sins of the ten tribes, and threatening them with the judgments of God for them; and exhorting them to repentance, and works of righteousness. They are charged with unfruitfulness and ingratitude; increasing in idolatry, as they increased in temporal good things, Ho 10:1; with a divided heart, and with irreverence of God, and their king; and with false swearing, covenant breaking, and injustice, Ho 10:2-4; and are threatened with a removal of their king, and with the destruction of their idols, and places of idolatry, which should cause fear in the common people, and mourning among the priests, Ho 10:1,5-8. It is observed, that their sin had been of long continuance, though the Lord had been kind and good unto them, in chastising them in love, giving them good laws, sending his prophets to exhort them to repentance and reformation, but all in vain, Ho 10:9-13; wherefore they are threatened with the spoiling of their fortresses, the destruction of the people, and the cutting off of their king, Ho 10:14,15.