Hosea 9

10. As the traveller in a wilderness is delighted at finding grapes to quench his thirst, or the early fig (esteemed a great delicacy in the East, Isaiah 28:4 , Jeremiah 24:2 , Micah 7:1 ); so it was My delight to choose your fathers as My peculiar people in Egypt ( Hosea 2:15 ).
at her first time--when the first-fruits of the tree become ripe.
went to Baal-peor--( Numbers 25:3 ): the Moabite idol, in whose worship young women prostituted themselves; the very sin Israel latterly was guilty of.
separated themselves--consecrated themselves.
unto that shame--to that shameful or foul idol ( Jeremiah 11:13 ).
their abominations were according as they loved--rather, as Vulgate, "they became abominable like the object of their love" ( Deuteronomy 7:26 , Psalms 115:8 ). English Version gives good sense, "their abominable idols they followed after, according as their lusts prompted them" ( Amos 4:5 , Margin).

11. their glory shall fly away--fit retribution to those who "separated themselves unto that shame" ( Hosea 9:10 ). Children were accounted the glory of parents; sterility, a reproach. "Ephraim" means "fruitfulness" ( Genesis 41:52 ); this its name shall cease to be its characteristic.
from the birth . . . womb . . . conception--Ephraim's children shall perish in a threefold gradation; (1) From the time of birth. (2) From the time of pregnancy. (3) From the time of their first conception.

12. Even though they should rear their children, yet will I bereave them (the Ephraimites) of them ( Job 27:14 ).
woe . . . to them when I depart--Yet the ungodly in their madness desire God to depart from them ( Job 21:14 , 22:17 , Matthew 8:34 ). At last they know to their cost how awful it is when God has departed ( Deuteronomy 31:17 , 1 Samuel 28:15 1 Samuel 28:16 ; compare Hosea 9:11 , 1 Samuel 4:21 ).

13. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus . . . in a pleasant place--that is, in looking towards Tyrus (on whose borders Ephraim lay) I saw Ephraim beautiful in situation like her (Ezekiel 26:1-28:26').
is planted--as a fruitful tree; image suggested by the meaning of "Ephraim" ( Hosea 9:11 ).
bring forth his children to the murderer--( Hosea 9:16 , Hosea 13:16 ). With all his fruitfulness, his children shall only be brought up to be slain.

14. what wilt thou give?--As if overwhelmed by feeling, he deliberates with God what is most desirable.
give . . . a miscarrying womb--Of two evils he chooses the least. So great will be the calamity, that barrenness will be a blessing, though usually counted a great misfortune ( Job 3:3 , Jeremiah 20:14 , Luke 23:29 ).

15. All their wickedness--that is, their chief guilt. contumacy in rejecting God and choosing a king ( 1 Samuel 11:14 1 Samuel 11:15 ; compare 1 Samuel 8:7 ), and of their subsequent idolatry.
there I hated them--not with the human passion, but holy hatred of their sin, which required punishment to be inflicted on themselves (compare Malachi 1:3 ).
out of mine house--as in Hosea 8:1 : out of the land holy unto ME. Or, as "love" is mentioned immediately after, the reference may be to the Hebrew mode of divorce, the husband (God) putting the wife (Israel) out of the house.
princes . . . revolters--"Sarim . . . Sorerim" (Hebrew), a play on similar sounds.

16. The figures "root," "fruit," are suggested by the word "Ephraim," "Smitten," namely, with a blight ( Psalms 102:4 ).

17. My God--"My," in contrast to "them," that is, the people, whose God Jehovah no longer is. Also Hosea appeals to God as supporting his authority against the whole people.
wanderers among . . . nations--( 2 Kings 15:29 , 1 Chronicles 5:26 ).