Oseas 10

1 Israel era una vid frondosaque daba fruto a su antojo.Pero cuanto más aumentaba su fruto,más altares se construía;cuanto más prosperaba su país,más hermosas hacía sus piedras sagradas.

2 Su corazón es escurridizo,pero tendrá que cargar con su culpa.El SEÑOR destrozará sus altaresy devastará sus piedras sagradas.

3 Tal vez dirán: «No hemos temido al SEÑOR,y por eso no tenemos rey.Pero aun si lo tuviéramos,¿qué podría hacer por nosotros?»

4 Hablan solo por hablar;juran en falso y hacen tratos;¡por eso florecen los pleitoscomo la mala yerba en el campo!

5 Temen los moradores de Samariapor el becerro que adoran en Bet Avén.^[a]El pueblo del becerro hará duelo por él,lo mismo que sus sacerdotes idólatras.Harán lamentos por su esplendor,porque se lo llevarán al destierro.

6 El becerro será llevado a Asiriacomo tributo para el gran rey.Efraín quedará avergonzado;Israel se avergonzará de sus ídolos.^[b]

7 Samaria y su rey desapareceráncomo rama arrastrada por el agua.

8 Serán destruidos sus santuarios paganos,lugares de pecado de Israel.¡Cardos y espinos crecerán sobre sus altares!Entonces dirán a las montañas: «¡Cúbrannos!»,y a las colinas: «¡Caigan sobre nosotros!»

9 «Tú, Israel, has venido pecandodesde los días de Guibeá,y allí te has mantenido.¡En Guibeá la guerratomará por sorpresa a los malvados!

10 Cuando yo quiera, los castigaré;entonces las naciones se juntarán contra ellospara aprisionarlos por su doble perversión.

11 Efraín es una novilla adiestradaa la que le gusta trillar,pero yo no quise ponerle el yugo.Pero ahora voy a uncir a Efraín,y Judá tendrá que arar,y Jacob emparejará la tierra».

12 ¡Siembren para ustedes justicia!¡Cosechen el fruto del amor,y pónganse a labrar el barbecho!¡Ya es tiempo de buscar al SEÑOR!,hasta que él venga y les envíe lluvias de justicia.

13 Pero ustedes sembraron maldad, cosecharon crímenesy comieron el fruto de la mentira,porque confiaron en sus carrosy en la multitud de sus guerreros.

14 Un estruendo de guerra se levantará contra su pueblo,y todas sus fortalezas serán devastadas,como devastó Salmán a Bet Arbel en el día de la batalla,cuando las madres fueron destrozadasjunto con sus hijos.

15 Esto es lo que Betel les hizo a ustedes,a causa de su extrema maldad.¡Pues el rey de Israel será destruido por completoen cuanto amanezca!

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]. Véase nota en 4:15.
• [b]. "sus ídolos " (lectura probable); "sus planes " (TM).

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.