Hosea 9:1-6

Punishment for Israel

1 Do not rejoice, Israel; do not be jubilant like the other nations. For you have been unfaithful to your God; you love the wages of a prostitute at every threshing floor.
2 Threshing floors and winepresses will not feed the people; the new wine will fail them.
3 They will not remain in the LORD’s land; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, nor will their sacrifices please him. Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat them will be unclean. This food will be for themselves; it will not come into the temple of the LORD.
5 What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals, on the feast days of the LORD?
6 Even if they escape from destruction, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers, and thorns will overrun their tents.

Hosea 9:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 9

This chapter is an address to Israel or the ten tribes, and contains either a new sermon, or is a very considerable part of the former upon the same subject, the sins and punishment of that people. It begins with an instruction to them, not to rejoice in their prosperity, as others did; since it would soon be at an end, because of their idolatry, which was everywhere committed, and for which they expected a reward of temporal good things, Ho 9:1; but, on the contrary, they are threatened with famine, with want both of corn and wine, Ho 9:2; and with an ejection out of their land into foreign countries; where they should be obliged to eat things unclean by their law, Ho 9:3; and where their sacrifices and solemnities should be no more attended to, Ho 9:4,5; yea, where their carcasses should fall and be buried, while their own country and houses lay waste and desolate, Ho 9:6; for, whatsoever their foolish and mad prophets said to the contrary, who pretended to be with God, and know his will, and were a snare to them that gave heed unto them, and brought hatred on them, the time of their punishment would certainly come, Ho 9:7,8; and their iniquities would be remembered and visited; seeing their corruptions were deep, like those that appeared in Gibeah, in the days of old, Ho 9:9; they acting the same ungrateful part their fathers had done, of whom they were a degenerate offspring, Ho 9:10; wherefore for these, and other offences mentioned, they are threatened with being bereaved of their children, and drove out of their land, to wander among the nations, Ho 9:11-17.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Isaiah 22:12-13
  • 2. S Psalms 73:27; S Isaiah 24:16; S Hosea 7:14; Hosea 10:5
  • 3. S Genesis 30:15
  • 4. Isaiah 24:7; Hosea 2:9; Joel 1:10
  • 5. Leviticus 25:23
  • 6. S Hosea 7:16; S Hosea 8:13
  • 7. Ezekiel 4:13; S Hosea 7:11; Hosea 10:5; Amos 7:17
  • 8. Joel 1:9,13; Joel 2:14
  • 9. Jeremiah 6:20; S Hosea 8:13
  • 10. S Jeremiah 16:7
  • 11. S Deuteronomy 26:14; Haggai 2:13-14
  • 12. S Ezekiel 4:13-14
  • 13. Isaiah 10:3; Jeremiah 5:31
  • 14. S Hosea 2:11
  • 15. S Hosea 7:11; S Hosea 8:13
  • 16. S Isaiah 19:13
  • 17. S Jeremiah 42:22
  • 18. Zephaniah 1:11
  • 19. Isaiah 5:6; Hosea 10:8
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