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Ho 9:1-17.

WARNING AGAINST ISRAEL'S JOY AT PARTIAL RELIEF FROM THEIR TROUBLES: THEIR CROPS SHALL FAIL, AND THE PEOPLE LEAVE THE LORD'S LAND FOR EGYPT AND ASSYRIA, WHERE THEY CANNOT, IF SO INCLINED, SERVE GOD ACCORDING TO THE ANCIENT RITUAL: FOLLY OF THEIR FALSE PROPHETS.

1. Rejoice not . . . for joy--literally, "to exultation." Thy exultation at the league with Pul, by which peace seems secured, is out of place: since thy idolatry will bring ruin on thee.

as other people--the Assyrians for instance, who, unlike thee, are in the height of prosperity.

loved a reward upon every corn floor--Thou hast desired, in reward for thy homage to idols, abundance of corn on every threshing-floor

(Ho 2:12).

2.

(Ho 2:9, 12).

fail--disappoint her expectation.

3. return to Egypt--(See on

Ho 8:13).

As in

Ho 11:5

it is said, "He shall not return into . . . Egypt." FAIRBAIRN thinks it is not the exact country that is meant, but the bondage state with which, from past experience, Egypt was identified in their minds. Assyria was to be a second Egypt to them.

De 28:68,

though threatening a return to Egypt, speaks

(De 28:36)

of their being brought to a nation which neither they nor their fathers had known, showing that it is not the literal Egypt, but a second Egypt-like bondage that is threatened.

eat unclean things in Assyria--reduced by necessity to eat meats pronounced unclean by the Mosaic law

(Eze 4:13).

See

2Ki 17:6.

4. offer wine offerings--literally, "pour as a libation

(Ex 30:9; Le 23:13).

neither shall they be pleasing unto him--as being offered on a profane soil.

sacrifices . . . as the bread of mourners--which was unclean

(De 26:14; Jer 16:7; Eze 24:17).

their bread for their soul--their offering for the expiation of their soul [CALVIN],

(Le 17:11).

Rather, "their bread for their sustenance ('soul' being often used for the animal life,

Ge 14:21,

Margin) shall not come into the Lord's house"; it shall only subserve their own uses, not My worship.

5.

(Ho 2:11).

6. because of destruction--to escape from the devastation of their country.

Egypt shall gather them up--that is, into its sepulchres

(Jer 8:2; Eze 29:5).

Instead of returning to Palestine, they should die in Egypt.

Memphis--famed as a necropolis.

the pleasant places for their silver--that is, their desired treasuries for their money. Or, "whatever precious thing they have of silver" [MAURER].

nettles--the sign of desolation

(Isa 34:13).

7. visitation--vengeance: punishment

(Isa 10:3).

Israel shall know it--to her cost experimentally

(Isa 9:9).

the prophet is a fool--The false prophet who foretold prosperity to the nation shall be convicted of folly by the event.

the spiritual man--the man pretending to inspiration

(La 2:14; Eze 13:3; Mic 3:11; Zep 3:4).

for the multitude of thine iniquity, &c.--Connect these words with, "the days of visitation . . . are come"; "the prophet . . . is mad," being parenthetical.

the great hatred--or, "the great provocation" [HENDERSON]; or, "(thy) great apostasy" [MAURER]. English Version means Israel's "hatred" of God's prophets and the law.

8. The watchman . . . was with my God--The spiritual watchmen, the true prophets, formerly consulted my God

(Jer 31:6; Hab 2:1);

but their so-called prophet is a snare, entrapping Israel into idolatry.

hatred--rather, "(a cause of) apostasy" (see

Ho 9:7)

[MAURER].

house of his God--that is, the state of Ephraim, as in

Ho 8:1

[MAURER]. Or, "the house of his (false) god," the calves [CALVIN]. Jehovah, "my God," seems contrasted with "his God." CALVIN'S view is therefore preferable.