Hosea 11

6. abide--or, "fall upon" [CALVIN].
branches--villages, which are the branches or dependencies of the cities [CALVIN]. GROTIUS translates, "his bars" (so Lamentations 2:9 ), that is, the warriors who were the bulwarks of the state. Compare Hosea 4:18 , "rulers" (Margin), "shields" ( Psalms 47:9 ).
because of their own counsels--in worshipping idols, and relying on Egypt (compare Hosea 10:6 ).

7. bent to backsliding--Not only do they backslide, and that too from ME, their "chief good," but they are bent upon it. Though they (the prophets) called them (the Israelites) to the Most High (from their idols), "none would exalt (that is, extol or honor) Him." To exalt God, they must cease to be "bent on backsliding," and must lift themselves upwards.

8. as Admah . . . Zeboim--among the cities, including Sodom and Gomorrah, irretrievably overthrown ( Deuteronomy 29:23 ).
heart is turned within me--with the deepest compassion, so as not to execute My threat ( Lamentations 1:20 ; compare Genesis 43:30 , 1 Kings 3:26 ). So the phrase is used of a new turn given to the feeling ( Psalms 105:25 ).
repentings--God speaks according to human modes of thought ( Numbers 23:19 ). God's seeming change is in accordance with His secret everlasting purpose of love to His people, to magnify His grace after their desperate rebellion.

9. I will not return to destroy Ephraim--that is I will no more, as in past times, destroy Ephraim. The destruction primarily meant is probably that by Tiglath-pileser, who, as the Jewish king Ahaz' ally against Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Syria, deprived Israel of Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali ( 2 Kings 15:29 ). The ulterior reference is to the long dispersion hereafter, to be ended by God's covenant mercy restoring His people, not for their merits, but of His grace.
God, . . . not man--not dealing as man would, with implacable wrath under awful provocation ( Isaiah 55:7-9 Malachi 3:6 ). I do not, like man, change when once I have made a covenant of everlasting love, as with Israel ( Numbers 23:19 ). We measure God by the human standard, and hence are slow to credit fully His promises; these, however, belong to the faithful remnant, not to the obstinately impenitent.
in the midst of thee--as peculiarly thy God ( Exodus 19:5 Exodus 19:6 ).
not enter into the city--as an enemy: as I entered Admah, Zeboim, and Sodom, utterly destroying them, whereas I will not utterly destroy thee. Somewhat similarly JEROME: "I am not one such as human dwellers in a city, who take cruel vengeance; I save those whom I correct." Thus "not man," and "in the midst of thee," are parallel to "into the city." Though I am in the midst of thee, it is not as man entering a rebellious city to destroy utterly. MAURER needlessly translates, "I will not come in wrath."

10. he shall roar like a lion--by awful judgments on their foes ( Isaiah 31:4 , Jeremiah 25:26-30 , Joel 3:16 ), calling His dispersed "children" from the various lands of their dispersion.
shall tremble--shall flock in eager agitation of haste.
from the west--( Zechariah 8:7 ). Literally, "the sea." Probably the Mediterranean, including its "isles of the sea," and maritime coast. Thus as Hosea 11:11 specifies regions of Africa and Asia, so here Europe. Isaiah 11:11-16 , is parallel, referring to the very same regions. On "children," see Hosea 1:10 .

11. tremble--flutter in haste.
dove--no longer "a silly dove" ( Hosea 7:11 ), but as "doves flying to their windows" ( Isaiah 60:8 ).
in their houses--( Ezekiel 28:26 ). Literally, "upon," for the Orientals live almost as much upon their flat-roofed houses as in them.

12. MAURER joins this verse with the twelfth chapter. But as this verse praises Judah, whereas Hosea 12:2 censures him, it must belong rather to the eleventh chapter and a new prophecy begins at the twelfth chapter. To avoid this, MAURER translates this verse as a censure, "Judah wanders with God," that is, though having the true God, he wanders after false gods.
ruleth with God--to serve God is to reign. Ephraim wished to rule without God (compare 1 Corinthians 4:8 ); nay, even, in order to rule, cast off God's worship [RIVETUS]. In Judah was the legitimate succession of kings and priests.
with the saints--the holy priests and Levites [RIVETUS]. With the fathers and prophets who handed down the pure worship of God. Israel's apostasy is the more culpable, as he had before him the good example of Judah, which he set at naught. The parallelism ("with GOD") favors Margin, "With THE MOST HOLY ONE."