689-611

Hosea 9)

1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other peoples: for you have gone a whoring (gone into idolatry. See 1:2) from you God, you have loved a love-fee (see Deut. 23:18) upon every corn-floor.
2 The threshing-floor and the wine-fat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in them.
3 They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt (see 8:13; 11:5. Cp. Ezek. 4:13), and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. (See 2 Kings 17:6. Hos. 11:11.)
4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing to Him: their sacrifices shall be to them as the bread (put for all kinds of food) of mourners (cp. Deut. 26:14. Num. 19:14. Heb. 'aven. A Hononym. See "Benjamin", Ge. 35:18); all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.
5 What will you do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6 For, lo, they are gone from destruction: [yet] Egypt shall rake them out (for manure, or for burning; not for burial in their own land. Cp. Jer. 8:2. Ezek. 29:5), Memphis (the capital of Lower Egypt [near Cairo]. Now Mitrahumy; also called Noph) shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tents (put for the place where their tents were pitched).
7 The days of visitation are come (see Ex. 32:24. Cp. Luke 19:44; 21:22), the days of retribution are come; Israel shall discover [her wickedness, when she said]: the prophet is a fool, the man of the Spirit (i.e. God's prophet, who is defined as a man in whom the Spirit of God was) is mad, for great is your distortion, and great is you enmity (provocation).
8 The watchman (used of a true prophet in Isa. 21:6-11. Jer. 6:17; 31:6. Ezek. 3:17; 33;7. Note the series of contrasts, what Ephraim had been, and What Ephraim had now become, which commences here; with remarks following each. See vv. 10 and 13; 10:1,9; 11:1; 13:1) of Ephraim [was so] (e.g. in Joshua's day) with my God (i.e. Hosea's God): but [now] the prophet (i.e. Ephraim) is become a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. (In contrast with Hosea's God.)

9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah (see 10:9. This implies a common knowledge of the history of Judges 19:15,&c.): therefore now will He will remember their iniquity, He will visit their sins.

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness (another contrast. See v.6); I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig tree at her first time (see Num. 25:3): but they went to Baal-peor (see Num. 25:3. Deut. 4:4), and separated themselves unto that shameful thing (the 'Asherah and its worship); and became an abomination like their paramour.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall flee away like a bird, no birth, none with child, no conception.
12 Though they bring up their sons, yet will I bereave them (cp. Lev. 26:22. Deut. 28:41,62), that there shall not be a man left: yes, woe also to them when I take command from them!
13 Ephraim, according as I saw Tyrus (another contrast. See v.6. See Isa. 23. Ezek. 26-28), is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his sons to the murderer.
14 Give them, O LORD: what will You give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal (cp. 4:15; 12:11. The place where Yehovah was rejected, and man's king set up; and where, on account of his impatience and disobedience Saul got his 1st message of his rejection [1 Sam. 13:5-15], and his 2nd [1 Sam. 15:12-33]. See Hos. 4:15): for there have I come to hate them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of My house (cp. 1:6), I will love them no more: all their rulers are unruly. (Cp. Isa. 1:23.)
16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yes, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken to Him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations. (Cp. Deut. 28;64,65.)

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