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Ho 10:1-15.

ISRAEL'S IDOLATRY, THE SOURCE OF PERJURIES AND UNLAWFUL LEAGUES, SOON DESTINED TO BE THE RUIN OF THE STATE, THEIR KING AND THEIR IMAGES BEING ABOUT TO BE CARRIED OFF; A JUST CHASTISEMENT, THE REAPING CORRESPONDING TO THE SOWING.

The prophecy was uttered between Shalmaneser's first and second invasions of Israel. Compare

Ho 10:14;

also

Ho 10:6,

referring to Hoshea's calling So of Egypt to his aid; also

Ho 10:4, 13.

1. empty--stripped of its fruits [CALVIN],

(Na 2:2);

compelled to pay tribute to Pul

(2Ki 15:20).

MAURER translates, "A widespreading vine"; so the Septuagint. Compare

Ge 49:22; Ps 80:9-11; Eze 17:6.

bringeth forth fruit unto himself--not unto ME.

according to . . . multitude of . . . fruit . . . increased . . . altars--In proportion to the abundance of their prosperity, which called for fruit unto God (compare

Ro 6:22),

was the abundance of their idolatry

(Ho 8:4, 11).

2. heart . . . divided--

(1Ki 18:21; Mt 6:24; Jas 4:8).

now--that is, soon.

he--Jehovah.

break down--"cut off," namely the heads of the victims. Those altars, which were the scene of cutting off the victims' heads, shall be themselves cut off.

3. now, &c.--Soon they, deprived of their king, shall be reduced to say, We have no king

(Ho 10:7, 15),

for Jehovah deprived us of him, because of our not fearing God. What then (seeing God is against us) should a king be able to do for us, if we had one? As they rejected the heavenly King, they were deprived of their earthly king.

4. words--mere empty words.

swearing falsely in making a covenant--breaking their engagement to Shalmaneser

(2Ki 17:4),

and making a covenant with So, though covenants with foreigners were forbidden.

judgment . . . as hemlock--that is, divine judgment shall spring up as rank, and as deadly, as hemlock in the furrows

(De 29:18; Am 5:7; 6:12).

GESENIUS translates, "poppy." GROTIUS, "darnel."

5. fear because of the calves--that is, shall fear for them.

Beth-aven--substituted for Beth-el in contempt

(Ho 4:15).

it--singular, the one in Beth-el; after the pattern of which the other "calves" (plural) were made. "Calves" in the Hebrew is feminine, to express contempt.

priests--The Hebrew is only used of idolatrous priests

(2Ki 23:5; Zep 1:4),

from a root meaning either "the black garment" in which they were attired; or, "to resound," referring to their howling cries in their sacred rites [CALVIN].

that rejoiced on it--because it was a source of gain to them. MAURER translates, "Shall leap in trepidation on account of it"; as Baal's priests did

(1Ki 18:26).

the glory thereof--the magnificence of its ornaments and its worship.

6. It . . . also--The calf, so far from saving its worshippers from deportation, itself shall be carried off; hence "Israel shall be ashamed" of it.

Jareb--(See on

Ho 5:13).

"A present to the king (whom they looked to as) their defender," or else avenger, whose wrath they wished to appease, namely, Shalmaneser. The minor states applied this title to the Great King, as the avenging Protector.

his own counsel--the calves, which Jeroboam set up as a stroke of policy to detach Israel from Judah. Their severance from Judah and Jehovah proved now to be not politic, but fatal to them.

7.

(Ho 10:3, 15).

foam--denoting short-lived existence and speedy dissolution. As the foam, though seeming to be eminent raised on the top of the water, yet has no solidity, such is the throne of Samaria. MAURER translates, "a chip" or broken branch that cannot resist the current.

8. Aven--that is, Beth-aven.

the sin--that is, the occasion of sin

(De 9:21; 1Ki 12:30).

they shall say to . . . mountains, Cover us--So terrible shall be the calamity, that men shall prefer death to life

(Lu 23:30; Re 6:16; 9:6).

Those very hills on which were their idolatrous altars (one source of their confidence, as their "king,"

Ho 10:7,

was the other), so far from helping them, shall be called on by them to overwhelm them.