--- title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible" author: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 500 of 927 url: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/500/ cite: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, section 500. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/500/" --- # Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible *Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown* The Victorian standard commentary, critical and practical, from Genesis to Revelation. ## 500. Hosea · 3 of 13 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/500/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/500/#p-N [¶0] return--from their idols to "their God," from whom they had wandered. [¶1] David their king--Israel had forsaken the worship of Jehovah at the same time that they forsook their allegiance to David's line. Their repentance towards God is therefore to be accompanied by their return to the latter. So Judah and Israel shall be one, and under "one head," as is also foretold ([Ho 1:11]). That representative and antitype of David is Messiah. "David" means "the beloved." Compare as to Messiah, [Mt 3:17]; [Ep 1:6]. Messiah is called David ([Is 55:3], ; [Jr 30:9]; [Eze 34:23], ; , ). [¶2] fear the Lord and his goodness--that is, tremblingly flee to the Lord, to escape from the wrath to come; and to His goodness," as manifested in Messiah, which attracts them to Him ([Jr 31:12]). The "fear" is not that which "hath torment" ([1Jo 4:18]), but reverence inspired by His goodness realized in the soul ([Psa 130:4]). [¶3] the latter days--those of Messiah [Kimchi]. ### Chapter 4 ### Ho 4:1-19. Henceforth the Prophet Speaks Plainly and without Symbol, in Terse, Sententious Propositions [¶6] In this chapter he reproves the people and priests for their sins in the interregnum which followed Jeroboam's death; hence there is no mention of the king or his family; and in [Ho 4:2] bloodshed and other evils usual in a civil war are specified. [¶7] 1. Israel--the ten tribes. [¶8] controversy--judicial ground of complaint ([Is 1:18]; [Jr 25:31]; [Mi 6:2]). [¶9] no ... knowledge of God--exhibited in practice ([Jr 22:16]). [¶10] 2. they break out--bursting through every restraint. [¶11] blood toucheth blood--literally, "bloods." One act of bloodshed follows another without any interval between (see 2Ki 15:8-16, 25; [Mi 7:2]). [¶12] 3. land ... languish--([Is 19:8]; ; [Joe 1:10], ). [¶13] sea--including all bodies of water, as pools and even rivers (see on [Is 19:5]). A general drought, the greatest calamity in the East, is threatened. [¶14] 4. let no man ... reprove--Great as is the sin of Israel, it is hopeless to reprove them; for their presumptuous guilt is as great as that of one who refuses to obey the priest when giving judgment in the name of Jehovah, and who therefore is to be put to death ([De 17:12]). They rush on to their own destruction as wilfully as such a one. [¶15] thy people--the ten tribes of Israel; distinct from Judah ([Ho 4:1]). [¶16] 5. fall in the day--in broad daylight, a time when an attack would not be expected (see on [Jr 6:4], ; [Jr 15:8]). [¶17] in ... night--No time, night or day, shall be free from the slaughter of individuals of the people, as well as of the false prophets. [¶18] thy mother--the Israelitish state, of which the citizens are the children ([Ho 2:2]). [¶19] 6. lack of knowledge--"of God" ([Ho 4:1]), that is, lack of piety. Their ignorance was wilful, as the epithet, "My people," implies; they ought to have known, having the opportunity, as the people of God. [¶20] thou--O priest, so-called. Not regularly constituted, but still bearing the name, while confounding the worship of Jehovah and of the calves in Beth-el ([1Ki 12:29], ). [¶21] I will ... forget thy children--Not only those who then were alive should be deprived of the priesthood, but their children who, in the ordinary course would have succeeded them, should be set aside. [¶22] 7. As they were increased--in numbers and power. Compare [Ho 4:6], "thy children," to which their "increase" in numbers refers. [¶23] so they sinned--(Compare [Ho 10:1] and [Ho 13:6]). [¶24] will I change their glory into shame--that is, I will strip them of all they now glory in (their numbers and power), and give them shame instead. A just retribution: as they changed their glory into shame, by idolatry ([Psa 106:20]; [Jr 2:11]; [Ro 1:23]; [Php 3:19]). [¶25] 8. eat ... sin of my people--that is, the sin offerings ([Le 6:26]; ). The priests greedily devoured them. [¶26] set their heart on their iniquity--literally, "lift up the animal soul to lust after," or strongly desire. Compare [De 24:15], Margin; [Psa 24:4]; [Jr 22:27]. The priests set their own hearts on the iniquity of the people, instead of trying to suppress it. For the more the people sinned, the more sacrificial victims in atonement for sin the priests gained. [¶27] 9. like people, like priest--They are one in guilt; therefore they shall be one in punishment ([Is 24:2]). [¶28] reward them their doings--in homely phrase, "pay them back in their own coin" ([Pr 1:31]). [¶29] 10. eat, and not have enough--just retribution on those who "eat up (greedily) the sin of My people" ([Ho 4:8]; [Mi 6:14]; [Hag 1:6]). [¶30] whoredom, and ... not increase--literally, "break forth"; used of giving birth to children ([Ge 28:14], Margin; compare [Ge 38:29]). Not only their wives, but their concubines, shall be barren. To be childless was considered a great calamity among the Jews. [¶31] 11. A moral truth applicable to all times. The special reference here is to the licentious orgies connected with the Syrian worship, which lured Israel away from the pure worship of God ([Is 28:1], ; [Am 4:1]). [¶32] take away the heart--that is, the understanding; make men blind to their own true good ([Ec 7:7]). [¶33] 12. Instances of their understanding ("heart") being "taken away." [¶34] stocks--wooden idols ([Jr 2:27]; [Ha 2:19]). [¶35] staff--alluding to divination by rods (see on [Eze 21:21], ). The diviner, says Rosenmuller, threw a rod from him, which was stripped of its bark on one side, not on the other: if the bare side turned uppermost, it was a good omen; if the side with the bark, it was a bad omen. The Arabs used two rods, the one marked God bids, the other, God forbids; whichever came out first, in drawing them out of a case, gave the omen for, or against, an undertaking. [¶36] declareth--that is, is consulted to inform them of future events. [¶37] spirit of whoredoms--a general disposition on the part of all towards idolatry ([Ho 5:4]). [¶38] err--go astray from the true God. [¶39] from under their God--They have gone away from God under whom they were, as a wife is under the dominion of her husband. [¶40] 13. upon ... mountains--High places were selected by idolaters on which to sacrifice, because of their greater nearness to the heavenly hosts which they worshipped ([De 12:2]). [¶41] elms--rather, "terebinths" [Maurer]. [¶42] shadow ... good--screening the lascivious worshippers from the heat of the sun. [¶43] daughters ... commit whoredom ... spouses ... adultery--in the polluted worship of Astarte, the Phoenician goddess of love. [¶44] 14. I will not punish ... daughters--I will visit with the heaviest punishments "not" the unchaste "daughters and spouses," but the fathers and husbands; for it is these who "themselves" have set the bad example, so that as compared with the punishment of the latter, that of the former shall seem as nothing [Munster].