Héxīāshū 2

1 Nǐmen yào chēng nǐmen de dìxiōng wèi a mǐ ( jiù shì wǒ mín de yìsi ) , chēng nǐmen de zǐ meì wèi lù hǎ mǎ ( jiù shì méng liánmǐn de yìsi ) .

2 Nǐmen yào yǔ nǐmen de mǔqin dàdà zhēng biàn , yīnwei tā bú shì wǒde qīzi , wǒ yĕ bú shì tāde zhàngfu . jiào tā chúdiào liǎn shang de yín xiàng , hé xiōng jiān de yín taì .

3 Miǎndé wǒ bō tāde yīfu , shǐ tā chì tǐ , yǔ cái shēng de shíhou yíyàng , shǐ tā rú kuàngyĕ , rú gān hàn zhī dì , yīn kĕ ér sǐ .

4 Wǒ bì bù liánmǐn tāde érnǚ , yīnwei tāmen shì cóng yínluàn ér shēng de .

5 Tāmende mǔqin xíng le yínluàn , huái tāmende mǔ zuò le kĕ xiūchǐ de shì , yīnwei tā shuō , wǒ yào suícóng suǒ aì de , wǒde bǐng , shuǐ , yáng maó , má , yóu , jiǔ dōu shì tāmen gĕi de .

6 Yīncǐ , wǒ bì yòng jīngjí dǔ sāi tāde dào , zhú qiáng dǎng zhù tā , shǐ tā zhǎo bù zhe lù .

7 Tā bì zhuīsuí suǒ aì de , què zhuī bú shang , tā bì xúnzhǎo tāmen , què xún bú jiàn , biàn shuō , wǒ yào guī huí qián fú , yīn wǒ nàshí de guāngjǐng bǐ rújīn hái hǎo .

8 Tā bù zhīdào shì wǒ gĕi tā wǔgǔ , xīn jiǔ , hé yóu , yòu jiā zēng tāde jīn yín . tā què yǐ cǐ gōng fèng ( huò zuò zhìzào ) bā lì .

9 Yīncǐ , dào le shōugē de rìzi , chū jiǔ de shíhou , wǒ bìjiāng wǒde wǔgǔ xīn jiǔ shōu huí , yĕ bìjiāng tā yīngdāng zhē tǐ de yáng maó hé má , duó huí lái .

10 Rújīn wǒ bì zaì tā suǒ aì de yǎnqián , xiǎnlù tāde chǒu taì , bì wú rén néng jiù tā tuōlí wǒde shǒu .

11 Wǒ yĕ bì shǐ tāde yàn lè , jiéqī , yuè shuò , ānxīrì , bìng tāde yīqiè dà huì , dōu zhǐxī le .

12 Wǒ yĕ bì huǐhuaì tāde pútàoshù , hé wúhuāguǒ shù , jiù shì tā shuō , zhè shì wǒ suǒ aì de gĕi wǒ wèi shǎngcì de , wǒ bì shǐ zhèxie shù biàn wèi huāng lín , wèi tiānyĕ de zǒushòu suǒ chī .

13 Wǒ bì zhuī tǎo tā sù rì gĕi zhū bā lì shāoxiāng de zuì , nàshí tā peì daì ĕr huán , hé bié yàng zhuāngshì , suícóng tā suǒ aì de , què wàngjì wǒ . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

14 Hòulái wǒ bì quàndǎo tā , lǐng tā dào kuàngyĕ , duì tā shuō ānwèi de huà .

15 Tā cóng nàli chūlai . wǒ bì cì tā pútaóyuán , yòu cì tā Yàgē yù zuòwéi zhǐwang de mén , tā bì zaì nàli yìngshēng ( huò zuò gē chàng ) , yǔ yòunián de rìzi yíyàng , yǔ cóng Āijí dì shang lái de shíhou xiāngtóng .

16 Yēhéhuá shuō , nà rì nǐ bì chēnghu wǒ yī shī ( jiù shì wǒ fú de yìsi ) , bú zaì chēnghu wǒ bā lì ( jiù shì wǒ zhǔ de yìsi ) .

17 Yīnwei wǒ bì cóng wǒ mín de kǒu zhōng chúdiào zhū bā lì de míng haó , zhè míng haó bú zaì tí qǐ .

18 Dāng nà rì , wǒ bì wèi wǒde mín , yǔ tiānyĕ de zǒushòu , hé kōng zhōng de fēiniǎo , bìng dì shang de kūnchóng lì yuē . yòu bì zaì guó zhōng zhé duàn gōng dāo , zhǐxī zhēng zhàn , shǐ tāmen ānrán tǎng wò .

19 Wǒ bì pìn nǐ yǒngyuǎn guī wǒ wèi qī , yǐ rényì , gōngping , cíaì , liánmǐn pìn nǐ guī wǒ .

20 Yĕ yǐ chéngshí pìn nǐ guī wǒ , nǐ jiù bì rènshi wǒ Yēhéhuá .

21 Yēhéhuá shuō , nà rì wǒ bì yīngyún , wǒ bì yīngyún tiān , tiān bì yīngyún dì .

22 Dì bì yīngyún wǔgǔ , xīn jiǔ , hé yóu , zhèxie bì yīngyún yé sī liè mín ( yé sī liè jiù shì shén zāizhòng de yìsi ) .

23 Wǒ bìjiāng tā zhǒng zaì zhè dì , sù bù méng liánmǐn de , wǒ bì liánmǐn , bĕn fēi wǒ mín de , wǒ bì duì tā shuō , nǐ shì wǒde mín , tā bì shuō , nǐ shì wǒde shén .

Héxīāshū 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The idolatry of the people. (1-5) God's judgments against them. (6-13) His promises of reconciliation. (14-23)

Verses 1-5 This chapter continues the figurative address to Israel, in reference to Hosea's wife and children. Let us own and love as brethren, all whom the Lord seems to put among his children, and encourage them in that they have received mercy. But every Christian, by his example and conduct, must protest against evil and abuses, even among those to whom he belongs and owes respect. Impenitent sinners will soon be stripped of the advantages they misuse, and which they consume upon their lusts.

Verses 6-13 God threatens what he would do with this treacherous, idolatrous people. They did not turn, therefore all this came upon them; and it is written for admonition to us. If lesser difficulties be got over, God will raise greater. The most resolute in sinful pursuits, are commonly most crossed in them. The way of God and duty is often hedged about with thorns, but we have reason to think it is a sinful way that is hedged up with thorns. Crosses and obstacles in an evil course are great blessings, and are to be so accounted; they are God's hedges, to keep us from transgressing, to make the way of sin difficult, and to keep us from it. We have reason to bless God for restraining grace, and for restraining providences; and even for sore pain, sickness, or calamity, if it keeps us from sin. The disappointments we meet with in seeking for satisfaction from the creature, should, if nothing else will do it, drive us to the Creator. When men forget, or consider not that their comforts come from God, he will often in mercy take them away, to bring them to think upon their folly and danger. Sin and mirth can never hold long together; but if men will not take away sin from their mirth, God will take away mirth from their sin. And if men destroy God's word and ordinances, it is just with him to destroy their vines and fig-trees. This shall be the ruin of their mirth. Taking away the solemn seasons and the sabbaths will not do it, they will readily part with them, and think it no loss; but He will take away their sensual pleasures. Days of sinful mirth must be visited with days of mourning.

Verses 14-23 After these judgments the Lord would deal with Israel more gently. By the promise of rest in Christ we are invited to take his yoke upon us; and the work of conversion may be forwarded by comforts as well as by convictions. But usually the Lord drives us to despair of earthly joy, and help from ourselves, that, being shut from every other door, we may knock at Mercy's gate. From that time Israel would be more truly attached to the Lord; no longer calling him Baali, or "My lord and master," alluding to authority, rather than love, but Ishi, an address of affection. This may foretell the restoration from the Babylonish captivity; and also be applied to the conversion of the Jews to Christ, in the days of the apostles, and the future general conversion of that nation; and believers are enabled to expect infinitely more tenderness and kindness from their holy God, than a beloved wife can expect from the kindest husband. When the people were weaned from idols, and loved the Lord, no creature should do them any harm. This may be understood of the blessings and privileges of the spiritual Israel, of every true believer, and their partaking of Christ's righteousness; also, of the conversion of the Jews to Christ. Here is an argument for us to walk so that God may not be dishonoured by us: Thou art my people. If a man's family walk disorderly, it is a dishonour to the master. If God call us children, we may say, Thou art our God. Unbelieving soul, lay aside discouraging thoughts; do not thus answer God's loving-kindness. Doth God say, Thou art my people? Say, Lord, thou art our God.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 2

This chapter is an explanation of the former, proceeding upon the same argument in more express words. The godly Israelites are here called upon to lay before the body of the people their idolatry, ingratitude, obstinacy, and ignorance of the God of their mercies; and to exhort them to repentance, lest they should be stripped of all their good things, and be brought into great distress and difficulties; all their joy and comfort cease, and be exposed to shame and contempt, Ho 2:1-13, yet, notwithstanding, many gracious promises are made unto them, of their having the alluring and comfortable word of the Gospel; of a door of hope; of salvation being opened to them; of faith in the Lord, and affection to him as their husband; of the removal of all idolatry from them; of safety from all enemies; of their open espousal to Christ; of his hearing of their prayers, and giving them plenty of all good things; and of their multiplication, conversion, and covenant relation to God, Ho 2:14-23.