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英文原文
In this chapter we have, I. The great goodness of God towards his people Israel, and the great things he had done for them, Ho 11:1,3,4. II. Their ungrateful conduct towards him, notwithstanding his favours towards them, Ho 11:2-4,7,12. III. Threatenings of wrath against them for their ingratitude and treachery, Ho 11:5,6. IV. Mercy remembered in the midst of wrath, Ho 11:8,9. V. Promises of what God would yet do for them, Ho 11:10,11. VI. An honourable character given of Judah, Ho 11:12.
1-7
God's Goodness to Israel; The Ingratitude of Israel; God's Displeasure with Israel (730 BC)
神對以色列的恩慈；以色列的忘恩；神對以色列的不悅（主前730年）
¹ 以色列年幼的時候，我愛他，就從埃及召出我的兒子來。
² 先知越是呼召他們，他們越是走開；他們向諸巴力獻祭，向雕刻的偶像燒香。
³ 我也教導以法蓮行走，用膀臂抱著他們；他們卻不知道是我醫治了他們。
⁴ 我用人的繩索、用愛的索牽引他們；我待他們如同人放鬆牛兩腮的軛，又把糧食放在他們面前。
⁵ 他必不歸回埃及地，亞述人卻要作他的王，因為他們不肯歸回。
⁶ 刀劍必臨到他們的城邑，毀壞他們的門閂，吞滅他們，都因他們自己的計謀。
⁷ 我的百姓偏要背道離開我；雖有人呼召他們歸向至高者，卻無一人舉目仰望。
此處我們看見：
一、神對以色列極其恩慈。他們是祂為之所作的比天之下任何百姓都多的百姓，也是祂所賜予最多的百姓——此處他們因此被提醒（我不說是被責備，因為神賜予並不責備），作為他們罪的加重因素和悔改的鼓勵。 1. 他們年幼時祂對他們有情意（何11:1）：以色列年幼的時候我愛他——當他們起初在埃及繁衍成為一國時，神就將愛放在他們身上，因為祂愛他們而揀選了他們——因為祂定意愛他們（申7:7,8）。當他們如孩童般軟弱無助、如孩童般愚昧任性、當他們是棄嬰和被暴露的孩童時，神就愛他們；祂憐憫他們，向他們表達善意；祂如奶母懷抱吃奶的嬰孩一般懷抱他們，乳養他們，忍受他們的作風。注意：那些已經長大、不，已經年老的人，當時常回想神在他們年幼時對他們的恩慈。 2. 祂救他們脫離奴役之家：我從埃及召出我的兒子來——因為是兒子，因為是蒙愛的兒子。當神向法老要求釋放以色列時，祂稱他們為祂的兒子、祂的長子。注意：神所愛的人，祂必從罪和撒但的奴役中召出來，進入祂兒女榮耀的自由。這話被說是在基督身上應驗了——當希律死後，祂和祂的父母被從埃及召出來時（太2:15）——所以這話有雙重含義：在歷史上指以色列從埃及被召出來，在預言上指從那裏帶出基督；前者是後者的預表，也是神為那百姓所預備的許多極大恩惠的憑據和保證——尤其是差遣祂的兒子到世上來，又在他們無情地將祂趕出之後將祂帶回以色列地，而祂本可以公義地永不歸回。基督從埃及被召出來，是象徵一切屬祂的人藉著祂從屬靈的奴役中被召出來。 3. 祂給了他們良好的教育——看顧他們、在他們身上費心，不僅如父親或導師，更——這是神恩典的降卑——如母親或奶母（何11:3）：我也教導以法蓮行走，如同被學步帶牽引的嬰孩。當他們在曠野時，神以雲柱火柱引導他們，指示他們當行的路，又用膀臂抱著他們扶持他們。祂藉著儀文律的制度教導他們行在祂誡命的道路上——那對未成年的百姓如同導師和管家一般。祂用膀臂抱著他們——引導他們免致迷失，又扶持他們免致絆跌仆倒。神屬靈的以色列也如此蒙扶持。你攙著我的右手（詩73:23）。 4. 他們有任何不妥之處、或稍有失調時，祂是他們的醫生：我醫治了他們——我不僅溫柔地照顧他們（朋友也能如此），更行了有效的醫治：唯有神能如此。我是醫治你的耶和華（出15:26），就是補救你一切苦情的。 5. 祂以溫和柔和方法使他們進入祂的服事（何11:4）：我用人的繩索、用愛的索牽引他們。 注意：吸引可憐的靈魂歸向自己是神的工作；若不是父吸引人，就沒有人能到祂那裏來（約6:44）。祂吸引人：（1）用人的繩索——即以懷有仁道原則的人所用之繩，或以牽引人所用的繩；祂待人如人——以公平合理的方式，以輕省溫柔的方式，用亞當的繩。祂待他們如無罪中的亞當——將他們一舉帶入樂園，又與自己立約。（2）用愛的索，或愛的車繩。這詞比前者所表達的繩索更為堅韌。祂沒有以武力驅使他們進入祂的服事——不管他們願不願意——也不以嚴厲轄管他們，也不以暴力拘禁他們，而是祂的吸引都是慈愛而可親的，都是甘甜而溫柔的，好使祂以仁慈勝過他們。祂所立為他們引導者的摩西，是世上最溫柔的人。人與人之間的恩慈我們常稱為恩情或紐帶——愛的紐帶。如此神以祂膏油的香氣吸引人（歌1:4），以永遠的愛吸引人（耶31:3）。神如此待我們，我們也當如此對待那些受我們教導和治理的人——以理性和溫柔待他們。 6. 祂減輕了他們久已嘆息的重擔：我待他們如同人放鬆牛兩腮的軛——暗指好農夫的體恤，他憐憫自己的牲畜，不以艱難持續的勞役使牠疲憊。也許在那時候，牛頸上的軛是以某種籠頭或頭絡繫在兩腮上，將牛的口套住。 以色列在埃及如此被禁止享受自己的安慰、被迫服苦役；但神使他們輕省，從肩上卸下他們的擔子（詩81:6）。注意：自由是極大的恩惠，尤其是脫離奴役的自由。 7. 祂供給他們合宜的食物。在埃及他們吃得苦，但當神領他們出來時，祂把糧食放在他們面前——如同農夫解了牲畜的軛後餵飼牠們。神在他們營旁降下嗎哪——天上來的糧、天使的食物；別的受造之物尋找自己的食物，但神把食物放在自己百姓面前，如同我們放在兒女面前一樣——祂親自作他們的採辦者和切割者，以美福前的恩惠為他們預備。
二、此處我們看見以色列對神極其忘恩。
1. 他們對祂的聲音充耳不聞、悖逆不從。祂藉著祂的使者——摩西和祂別的先知——向他們說話，從罪中呼召他們，呼召他們歸向祂自己、歸向他們的工作和本分；但先知越是呼召他們，他們越是走開；他們在被勸戒的那些特定事上背叛；先知越是迫切地懇求他們行善，他們就越頑梗、在惡道上越堅決——為悖逆而悖逆。這種愚妄是綁在孩童心中的——他們剛學會行走，就要從那些呼召他們的人那裏走開。
2. 他們迷戀偶像並敬拜它們：他們向諸巴力獻祭——先是這個巴力、又是那個巴力——又向雕刻的偶像燒香，雖然耶和華的先知一次又一次呼召他們不可行這可憎之事——那是祂所恨惡的。拜偶像是他們從起初就一直最容易纏累的罪。
3. 他們不顧念神和祂對他們的恩惠：他們卻不知道是我醫治了他們。 他們只看見摩西和亞倫——他們得救濟的器皿——當有任何不妥時就與他們爭吵，卻不透過他們去看那位使用他們的神。或者：當神管教他們、使他們在嚴厲的管教之下時，他們不明白那是為他們的好處，神藉此醫治他們，是為使他們的醫治完全所必需的——否則他們會更甘心於神所採取的方法。注意：無知是忘恩的根源（何2:8）。
4. 他們強烈傾向於背道。這是控罪中最黑暗的一條（何11:7）：我的百姓偏要背道離開我。 這裏每一個詞都是加重因素。（1）他們背道。在他們身上沒有把握、沒有堅定；他們看似向神邁進，卻很快又滑回去，如同翻背的弓。（2）他們離開我——離開神，那至善者、生命和活水泉源，離開他們那從不轉離他們、對他們從不作曠野的神。（3）他們偏要背道；他們預備好要犯罪；他們的本性中有一種傾向邪惡的傾向；在最好的時候，他們懸在神和世界之間，以至於一點小事就足以將他們引向錯誤的方向；他們熱衷於迎合每一個試探。這也暗示他們在罪中堅決；他們的心完全定意行惡——那方向的偏向極強；他們堅持在背道中，無論說什麼或作什麼都不能阻止他們；然而（4）他們在名義上是我的百姓。 他們被稱為我的名，宣稱與我有關係；他們是我的——我為他們作了許多、又從他們期望許多，我乳養又養育了他們如同兒女，他們卻離開我背道。注意：在我們的悔改中，我們當哀嘆的不僅是我們的背道，更是我們偏要背道的傾向——不僅是我們實際的過犯，更是我們原罪的敗壞、那住在我們裏面的罪、那屬肉體的心思。
5. 他們奇異地厭惡悔改和改革。此處有兩個表達他們頑梗的說法：（1）他們不肯歸回（何11:5）。他們如此偏要背道，以致雖然他們不能不在試煉中發現自己背道的愚妄——當他們離棄神時就變得更糟——卻仍頑固前行。我愛了陌生人，隨他們我必去。 他們被命令歸回、被懇求歸回、被應許若歸回就必蒙善待，他們卻拒絕。（2）雖有人呼召他們歸向至高者。 神的先知和僕人呼召他們歸向那位他們已背叛的神——至高的神，從他們自己陷入的悲慘墮落中歸回；他們從敬拜那遠低於他們的偶像——因此敬拜偶像成了他們的貶損——被呼召歸向那遠在他們之上的真神——因此敬拜祂成了他們的晉升；他們從這地上被呼召歸向高而屬天的事；卻是徒然。無一人肯舉目仰望。雖然祂是至高的神，他們卻不肯承認祂如此，不肯作什麼來尊榮祂、將當得的榮耀歸給祂的名。或者：他們不肯抬高自己——不肯從他們使自己陷入的背道和悲慘中抬起頭來；卻甘心躺在那裏，不肯抬起頭來、也不肯舉起靈魂。注意：神信實的僕人在背道的兒女身上費了極大心血卻歸徒然——已經呼召他們歸向至高者，卻無一人肯動，無一人肯舉目仰望。
三、此處我們看見神非常憤怒——而且公義如此——對以色列；請看此處以神不悅的記號對他們所發的威脅。 1. 那將他們從埃及領出來、要他們作自己百姓的神，既然他們不肯對祂忠實，就要將他們帶入比祂起初遇見他們時更壞的境地（何11:5）：他必不歸回埃及地——雖然那已是夠痛苦的奴役之家；但他要進入更苦的服事，因為亞述人要作他的王——要比法老從前待他更苛刻。他們不歸回近處的埃及——在那裏他們可以時常聽到本國的消息、又可盼望不久歸回；而是要被帶到遙遠得多的亞述，在那裏他們要與本國斷絕一切通信、也斷絕一切歸回的盼望——而且是公義的，因為他們不肯歸回。 注意：那些不肯歸回自己所撇棄之本分的人，不能指望歸回自己所失去的安慰。 2. 那賜給他們迦南——那美地——又使他們在其中安然舒適定居的神，要在他們那裏降下審判，使他們的居所不安全、不舒適（何11:6）：刀劍必臨到他們——戰爭的刀、外敵的刀——勝過他們、凌駕他們。（1）這審判要蔓延廣遠。刀劍要臨到他們的城邑——那些人口和財富的聚集處；也要達到他們的門閂（原文如此）——城邑的門閂和大門，或他們一切收入和財富的枝條，或他們的兒女——他們家族的枝條。（2）要持久：刀劍要臨到他們的城邑而停留。大衛以為在仇敵面前逃跑三個月是三項審判中唯一不能接受的；但這刀劍在以色列的城邑上停留要遠超三個月。他們繼續背叛神，所以神繼續對他們降下審判。（3）要作出徹底的終結：它要毀壞他們的門閂，吞滅他們，使一切荒廢——而這都因他們自己的計謀，即他們非要自己的圖謀不可，所以神在公義審判中任憑他們。注意：罪人的混亂歸因於他們自己的謀算。神的謀略本可拯救他們，但他們自己的計謀毀了他們。
英文原文
God's Goodness to Israel; The Ingratitude of Israel; God's Displeasure with Israel (730 BC)
¹ When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
² As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
³ I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
⁴ I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
⁵ He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
⁶ And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
⁷ And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.
Here we find,
I. God very gracious to Israel. They were a people for whom he had done more than for any people under heaven, and to whom he had given more, which they are here, I will not say upbraided with (for God gives, and upbraids not), but put in mind of, as an aggravation of their sin and an encouragement to repentance. 1. He had a kindness for them when they were young (Ho 11:1): When Israel was a child then I loved him; when they first began to multiply into a nation in Egypt God then set his love upon them, and chose them because he loved them, because he would love them, De 7:7,8. When they were weak and helpless as children, foolish and froward as children, when they were outcasts, and children exposed, then God loved them; he pitied them, and testified his goodwill to them; he bore them as the nurse does the sucking child, nourished them, and suffered their manners. Note, Those that have grown up, nay, those that have grown old, ought often to reflect upon the goodness of God to them in their childhood. 2. He delivered them out of the house of bondage: I called my son out of Egypt, because a son, because a beloved son. When God demanded Israel's discharge from Pharaoh he called them his son, his first-born. Note, Those whom God loves he calls out of the bondage of sin and Satan into the glorious liberty of his children. These words are said to have been fulfilled in Christ, when, upon the death of Herod, he and his parents were called out of Egypt (Mt 2:15), so that the words have a double aspect, speaking historically of the calling of Israel out of Egypt and prophetically of the bringing of Christ thence; and the former was a type of the latter, and a pledge and earnest of the many and great favours God had in reserve for that people, especially the sending of his Son into the world, and the bringing him again into the land of Israel when they had unkindly driven him out, and he might justly never have returned. The calling of Christ out of Egypt was a figure of the calling of all that are his, through him, out of spiritual slavery. 3. He gave them a good education, took care of them, took pains with them, not only as a father or tutor, but, such is the condescension of divine grace, as a mother or nurse (Ho 11:3): I taught Ephraim also to go, as a child in leading-strings is taught. When they were in the wilderness God led them by the pillar of cloud and fire, showed them the way in which they should go, and bore them up, taking them by the arms. He taught them to go in the way of his commandments, by the institutions of the ceremonial law, which were as tutors and governors to that people under age. He took them by the arms, to guide them, that they might not stray, and to hold them up, that they might not stumble and fall. God's spiritual Israel are thus supported. Thou has holden me by my right hand, Ps 73:23. 4. When any thing was amiss with them, or they were ever so little out of order, he was their physician: "I healed them; I not only took a tender care of them (a friend may do that), but wrought an effectual cure: it is a God only that can do that. I am the Lord that healeth thee (Ex 15:26), that redresseth all thy grievances." 5. He brought them into his service by mild and gentle methods (Ho 11:4): I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love. Note, It is God's work to draw poor souls to himself; and none can come to him except he draw them, Joh 6:44. He draws, (1.) With the cords of a man, with such cords as men draw with that have a principle of humanity, or such cords as men are drawn with; he dealt with them as men, in an equitable rational way, in an easy gentle way, with the cords of Adam. He dealt with them as with Adam in innocency, bringing them at once into a paradise, and into covenant with himself. (2.) With bands of love, or cartropes of love. This word signifies stronger cords than the former. He did not drive them by force into his service, whether they would or no, nor rule them with rigour, nor detain them by violence, but his attractives were all loving and endearing, all sweet and gentle, that he might overcome them with kindness. Moses, whom he made their guide, was the meekest man in the world. Kindnesses among men we commonly call obligations, or bonds, bonds of love. Thus God draws with the savour of his good ointments (So 1:4), draws with lovingkindness, Jer 31:3. Thus God deals with us, and we must deal in like manner with those that are under our instruction and government, deal rationally and mildly with them. 6. He eased them of the burdens they had been long groaning under: I was to them as those that take off the yoke on their jaws, alluding to the care of the good husbandman, who is merciful to his beast, and will not tire him with hard and constant labour. Probably, in those times, the yoke on the neck of the oxen was fastened with some bridle, or headstall, over the jaws, which muzzled the mouth of the ox. Israel in Egypt were thus restrained from the enjoyments of their comforts and constrained to hard labour; but God eased them, removed their shoulder from the burden, Ps 81:6. Note, Liberty is a great mercy, especially out of bondage. 7. He supplied them with food convenient. In Egypt they fared hard, but, when God brought them out, he laid meat unto them, as the husbandman, when he has unyoked his cattle, fodders them. God rained manna about their camp, bread from heaven, angels' food; other creatures seek their meat, but God laid meat to his own people, as we do to our children, was himself their caterer and carver, anticipated them with the blessings of goodness.
II. Here is Israel very ungrateful to God.
1. They were deaf and disobedient to his voice. He spoke to them by his messengers, Moses and his other prophets, called them from their sins, called them to himself, to their work and duty; but as they called them so they went from them; they rebelled in those particular instances wherein they were admonished; the more pressing and importunate the prophets were with them, to persuade them to that which was good, the more refractory they were, and the more resolute in their evil ways, disobeying for disobedience-sake. This foolishness is bound in the hearts of children, who, as soon as they are taught to go, will go from those that call them.
2. They were fond of idols, and worshipped them: They sacrificed to Baalim, first one Baal and then another, and burnt incense to graven images, though they were called to by the prophets of the Lord again and again not to do this abominable thing which he hated. Idolatry was the sin which from the beginning, and all along, had most easily beset them.
3. They were regardless of God, and of his favours to them: They knew not that I healed them. They looked only at Moses and Aaron, the instruments of their relief, and, when any thing was amiss, quarrelled with them, but looked not through them to God who employed them. Or, When God corrected them, and kept them under a severe discipline, they understood not that it was for their good, and that God thereby healed them, and it was necessary for the perfecting of their cure, else they would have been better reconciled to the methods God took. Note, Ignorance is at the bottom of ingratitude, Ho 2:8.
4. They were strongly inclined to apostasy. This is the blackest article in the charge (Ho 11:7): My people are bent to backsliding from me. Every word here is aggravating. (1.) They backslide. There is no hold of them, no stedfastness in them; they seem to come forward, towards God, but they quickly slide back again, and are as a deceitful bow. (2.) They backslide from me, from God, the chief good, the fountain of life and living waters, from their God who never turned from them, nor war as a wilderness to them. (3.) They are bent to backslide; they are ready to sin; there is in their natures a propensity to that which is evil; at the best they hang in suspense between God and the world, so that a little thing serves to draw them the wrong way; they are forward to close with every temptation. It also intimates that they are resolute in sin; their hearts are fully set in them to do evil the bias is strong that way; and they persist in their backslidings, whatever is said or done to stop them; and yet, (4.) "They are, in profession, my people. They are called by my name, and profess relation to me; they are mine, whom I have done much for and expect much from, whom I have nourished and brought up, as children, and yet they backslide from me." Note, In our repentance we ought to lament not only our backslidings, but our bent to backslide, not only our actual transgressions, but our original corruption, the sin that dwells in us, the carnal mind.
5. They were strangely averse to repentance and reformation. Here are two expressions of their obstinacy:— (1.) They refused to return, Ho 11:5. So much were they bent to backslide that, though they could not but find, upon trial, the folly of their backslidings, and that when they forsook God they changed for the worse, yet they went on frowardly. I have loved strangers, and after them I will go. They were commanded to return, were courted and entreated to return, were promised that if they would they should be kindly received, but they refused. (2.) Though they called them to the Most High. God's prophets and ministers called them to return to the God from whom they had revolted, to the most high God, from whom they had sunk into this wretched degeneracy; they called them from the worship of the idols, which were so much below them, and the worship of which was therefore their disparagement, to the true God, who was so much above them, and the worship of whom was therefore their preferment; they called them from this earth to high and heavenly things; but they called in vain. None at all would exalt him. Though he is the most high God they would not acknowledge him to be so, would do nothing to honour him nor give him the glory due to his name. Or, They would not exalt themselves, would not rise out of that state of apostasy and misery into which they had precipitated themselves; but there they contentedly lay still, would not lift up their heads nor lift up their souls. Note, God's faithful ministers have taken a great deal of pains, to no purpose, with backsliding children, have called them to the Most High; but none would stir, none at all would exalt him.
III. Here is God very angry, and justly so, with Israel; see what are the tokens of God's displeasure with which they are here threatened. 1. God, who brought them out of Egypt, to take them for a people to himself, since they would not be faithful to him, shall bring them into a worse condition than he at first found them in (Ho 11:5): "He shall not return into the land of Egypt, though that was a house of bondage grievous enough; but he shall go into a harder service, for the Assyrian shall be his king, who will use him worse than ever Pharaoh did." They shall not return into Egypt, which lies near, where they may hear often from their own country, and whence they may hope shortly to return to it again; but they shall be carried into Assyria, which lies much more remote, and where they shall be cut off from all correspondence with their own land and from all hopes of returning to it, and justly, because they refused to return. Note, Those that will not return to the duties they have left cannot expect to return to the comforts they have lost. 2. God, who gave them Canaan, that good land, and a very safe and comfortable settlement in it, shall bring his judgments upon them there, which shall make their habitation unsafe and uncomfortable (Ho 11:6): The sword shall come upon them, the sword of war, the sword of a foreign enemy, prevailing against them and triumphing over them. (1.) This judgment shall spread far. The sword shall fasten upon their cities, those nests of people and store-houses of wealth; it shall likewise reach to their branches, the country villages (so some), the citizens themselves (so others), or the bars (so the word signifies) and gates of their city, or all the branches of their revenue and wealth, or their children, the branches of their families. (2.) It shall last long: It shall abide on their cities. David thought three months flying before his enemies was the only judgment of the three that was to be excepted against; but this sword shall abide much longer than three months on the cities of Israel. They continued their rebellions against God, and therefore God continued his judgments on them. (3.) It shall make a full end: It shall consume their branches, and devour them, and lay all waste, and this because of their own counsels, that is, because they would have their own projects, which God therefore, in a way of righteous judgment, gave them up to. Note, The confusion of sinners is owing to their contrivance. God's counsels would have saved them, but their own counsels ruined them.
8-12
The Divine Forbearance (730 BC)
神的忍耐（主前730年）
⁸ 以法蓮啊，我怎能捨棄你？我怎能交出你，以色列啊？我怎能看你如阿德瑪？怎能待你如洗扁？我的心在我裡面翻轉，我的憐憫大大發動。
⁹ 我必不發出我猛烈怒氣的懲罰，必不再來毀滅以法蓮；因為我是神，並非世人；你們中間的聖者；我必不入城。
¹⁰ 他們必隨從耶和華；他必如獅子吼叫：他一吼叫，眾子就必從西方戰兢而來。
¹¹ 他們必如鳥從埃及戰兢而來，又如鴿子從亞述地來到；我必使他們住自己的房屋：這是耶和華說的。
¹² 以法蓮用謊話圍繞我，以色列家以詭詐圍繞我；猶大卻仍與神同行，向聖者誠實。
在這些經文中，我們看到，
一、神不願毀滅以色列的奇妙之情（Ho 11:8,9）：*我怎能捨棄你？*請留意，
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神在以色列的事上內心的恩典辯論，這是公義與憐憫之間的一場辯論，在其中勝利顯然傾向於憐憫的一方。諸天哪，要因此驚奇！大地啊，要因神恩典的榮耀而詫異！這並非說神裡面有像我們裡面那樣的掙扎，也並非說他會反覆不定、舉棋未定；不，他是一心，並知道這心；這些只是按人的方式所作的表達，為要顯明以色列的罪已經當受何等嚴厲的審判，然而神的恩典卻仍要在寬容他們的事上得榮耀。這話與上文聯繫起來十分驚人；論到以色列曾說（Ho 11:7）他們專要背道離開神，雖被呼召歸向他們卻不肯尊崇他；照此看來，本應接著說：「現在我定意要毀滅他們，不再向他們施憐憫。」不，憐憫的主權就是如此，神的恩典就是如此自由、如此豐盛，以致緊接著便是：*我怎能捨棄你？*請看此處，（1）公義為以色列所提的建議，此處暗示了這建議的提出。讓以法蓮被捨棄吧，正如一個不可救藥的兒子被剝奪繼承權，正如一個無藥可醫的病人被醫生放棄。讓他被交給毀滅。讓以色列被交在仇敵手中，如同羊羔被交給獅子撕碎；讓他們如阿德瑪，被看待如洗扁一般，那兩座城與所多瑪、蛾摩拉一同被天上降下的硫磺與火所毀；讓他們遭受全然而無法挽回的毀滅，使他們在荒涼上與那些城一樣，正如他們在罪上已經如此。讓律法上所寫的那咒詛執行在他們身上：全地必成為硫磺與鹽，如同所多瑪、蛾摩拉、阿德瑪、洗扁的傾覆一樣（申申命記第二十九章二十三節，De 29:23）。以法蓮和以色列理當如此被棄絕，神若如此待他們，也沒有虧待他們。（2）憐憫對這些建議所提出的反對：*我怎能如此行呢？*正如慈父與自己理論說：「我怎能棄絕我那不肖的兒子呢？因為他雖不肖，到底是我的兒子；我怎能忍心如此行呢？」照樣：「以法蓮曾是我親愛的兒子，是可喜悅的孩子：我怎能如此行呢？他毀滅在即；審判已準備好抓住他；所欠缺的不過是把他交出來罷了，但我不能如此行。他們曾是一個親近我的子民；他們中間還有少數善人；他們是聖約之子；他們若滅亡，仇敵就要誇口；也許他們仍會悔改、革新；所以我怎能如此行呢？」當注意，天上的神不輕易發怒，尤其不願把一個與他有特別關係的子民全然交給毀滅。請看憐憫因那些嚴厲之舉的提及而有的運行：我的心在我裡面翻轉，正如我們說，當我們要做一件違背我們本性的事時，我們的心就動搖了。神說話，好似他自覺裡頭有為以色列而發的奇異情感之爭：如（哀耶利米哀歌第一章二十節，La 1:20），*我的心腸擾亂；我的心在我裡面翻轉。*如此處所續：我的憐憫大大發動。他的心腸向他們發動，他的心為他們的罪與患難憂傷（士士師記第十章十六節，Jdg 10:16）。參（耶耶利米書第三十一章二十節，Jer 31:20）。我每逢責備他，我的心腸就為他擾亂。當神要交出他的兒子作為罪的祭物、作為罪人的救主時，他並沒有說：我怎能捨棄他呢？不，他不愛惜自己的兒子；耶和華喜悅將他壓傷；正因為神不愛惜他，他才能愛惜我們。但這不過是他忍耐之日的語氣；當人把那日子耗盡在罪中，他那大而可畏之忿怒的大日來到時，就不再有困難了；不，我必笑災難。
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他對這辯論所作的恩典決定。經過長久的爭辯，憐憫終於勝過審判，得著最後的發言權，並大獲全勝（Ho 11:9）。經上定意：那緩刑還要再延長，我必不在此時發出我猛烈怒氣的懲罰，雖然我發怒；他們雖不致全然不受罰，他卻要減輕判決、放寬嚴厲。他要顯明自己是公義地發怒，卻並非不能止息；他們要被管教，卻不被消滅。我必不再來毀滅以法蓮；已經施行的審判不再重複，不再深到他們所應得的程度。他不再來毀滅，不像士兵擄掠了一座城之後再來一次，要奪取更多，正如*剪蝗所剩的，蝗蟲來吃。*經上在Ho 11:9末了又說：我必不入城，不入撒瑪利亞，也不入他們任何一座城；我必不入其中如仇敵一般，為要全然毀滅他們，使他們荒涼，正如我待阿德瑪和洗扁那些城一樣。
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這決定的根據與理由：因為我是神，並非世人；是以色列的聖者。為鼓勵他們盼望尋得憐憫，當思想，（1）他本身是甚麼：他是神，並非世人，在別的事上如此，在赦免罪孽、寬容罪人上更是如此。他們若觸犯了一個與自己同類的人，那人就不能、也不會容忍；他的怒氣必勝過他的憐憫，他必發出他猛烈怒氣的懲罰；但我是神，並非世人。他是自己怒氣的主，而人的怒氣通常卻主宰了他們。一個地上的君王若處於公義與憐憫之間如此兩難的境地，必不知如何在兩者之間尋求折衷；但那位是神、並非世人的，卻知道如何找出一個辦法，既能保全他公義的尊榮，又能高舉他憐憫的尊榮。人的憐憫與我們神的慈愛相比，實在微不足道；神在收納回轉罪人一事上的意念與道路，遠超我們的意念與道路，正如天高過地一樣（賽以賽亞書第五十五章九節，Isa 55:9）。當注意，記念神是神、並非世人，是我們對神憐憫存盼望的大激勵。他是那聖者。人會以為這是他拒絕如此惹他發怒之民的理由。不；神知道如何寬容並赦免可憐的罪人，不僅不損他聖潔的尊榮，反而大大增添這尊榮，正如他是信實的、公義的，必要赦免我們的罪，並在其中彰顯他的義，如今基督既已買贖了赦免，他又應許了這赦免。（2）他對他們是甚麼；他是你們中間的聖者；他的聖潔為他教會的益處而發動，即便在這樣敗壞、退化的時代與地土上，仍有人因記念他的聖潔而獻上感謝，又要求他們全都聖潔，如同他是聖潔的（利利未記第十九章二節，Le 19:2）。只要我們有聖者在我們中間，我們就安穩妥當；但他離開我們時，我們就有禍了！當注意，那些順服神聖潔之影響的人，可以得著神聖潔的安慰。
二、此處是他為以色列行善的奇妙迫切之情，這表現在他要使他們具備領受他所定之美善的資格上（Ho 11:10,11）：他們必隨從耶和華。這話所指的，與（Ho 3:5）他們必回轉，尋求耶和華─他們的神所指的，是同一樣恩惠；這話論到十個支派，已經部分應驗於以斯拉時代他們當中有些人與那兩個支派一同歸回之事上；但更完全的應驗是在神屬靈的以色列、就是福音教會身上，這教會是藉著基督的福音被招聚並聯合的。古時的猶太人把這話指向彌賽亞的時代；博學的Pocock博士認為這是關乎基督來到分散的以色列兒女—就是那分散在外的神兒女—中間傳福音的預言。那麼請留意，1. 他們當如何被呼召、被招聚：耶和華必如獅子吼叫。*耶和華的話（迦勒底譯本如此說）必如獅子吼叫。基督被稱為猶大支派的獅子，他的福音在其開端之處是那在曠野有人聲喊著說的聲音。當基督大聲呼喊時，就如獅子吼叫*（啟啟示錄第十章三節，Re 10:3）。福音的聲音遠傳四方，如獅子吼叫，並且是大能的聲音。見（珥約珥書第三章十六節，Joe 3:16）。2. 這呼召當在他們心中留下何等的印象，正如獅子的吼叫在林中百獸身上留下的印象一樣：他一吼叫，眾子就必戰兢而來。見（阿阿摩司書第三章八節，Am 3:8），獅子已經吼叫；主耶和華已經發話；誰能不懼怕呢？當那些福音觸及其心的人戰兢、驚訝、呼喊我們當怎樣行之時—當他們因此被激發去做成得救的工夫*、以戰兢的心敬拜神之時，這應許就應驗了。眾子必從西方戰兢而來。被分散的猶太人被擄到東方，到亞述與巴比倫，那些歸回的人是從東方來；所以這話似乎是指著迦南以西之外邦人的蒙召而言，因為福音尤其朝那個方向傳開。他們必戰兢；他們必帶著戰兢行動並前來，帶著謹慎與迅速，從西方，從那個方向列國而來，來到主的山（賽以賽亞書第二章三節，Isa 2:3），來到福音的耶路撒冷，因聽見福音的警報而來。使徒論到藉著傳福音從耶路撒冷直到以利哩古所行神蹟奇事的大能（羅羅馬書第十五章十九節，Ro 15:19）。那時眾子就從西方戰兢而來。並且，由於肉體的以色列人被分散在埃及與亞述，此處應許他們必被有效地從那裡召來（Ho 11:11）：他們必戰兢而來；他們必戰兢前來，並盡速前來，如鳥展翅從埃及而來，又如鴿子從亞述地而來；鴿子以迅速而堅定的飛行聞名，尤其是當它飛回自己的窗戶之時，此處把猶太人與外邦人蜂擁歸入教會比作這景象，正如（賽以賽亞書第六十章八節，Isa 60:8）所說。無論那些屬蒙揀選之恩的人在哪裡—東、西、南、北—他們都必聽見那好信息，並被它所感動；埃及與亞述的人必一同前來；那些彼此相距最遠的人必在基督裡相遇，並在教會中被聯合。關於埃及與亞述的聯合，曾有預言（賽以賽亞書第十九章二十三節，Isa 19:23）。3. 這些印象當在他們身上產生甚麼效果。他們既被恐懼所動，就必逃向方舟：他們必隨從耶和華，隨從事奉耶和華（迦勒底譯本如此譯）；他們必以主基督為他們的元帥與司令；他們必投效於他這位救恩的元帥之下，並將自己交託聖靈作他們藉著話語的引導；他們必撇下一切來跟從基督，如同門徒所當行的。當注意，我們因基督的話而有的聖潔戰兢，必吸引我們歸向他，而不是把我們從他驅逐。當他如獅子吼叫之時，奴僕戰兢而逃離他，兒子卻戰兢而逃向他。4. 他們歸回時必遇見何等的款待（Ho 11:11）：我必使他們住自己的房屋（凡因福音的呼召而來的人，都必在福音教會中有一個地位與一名分，在他們所屬的那些個別教會—就是他們的家—中有一席之地；他們必住在神裡面，在他裡面得安頓，既安舒又穩妥，如人在自己家中一般；他們必有住處，因為在我父的家裡有許多住處），在他地上的帳幕與天上的聖殿中，在永存的帳幕裡，這可稱為他們的房屋，因為那是他們在末期必得的產業。
三、此處是對以法蓮與以色列之詭詐的沉痛控訴，這也許暗示前述的應許並非屬於肉體的以色列，而是屬於屬靈的以色列；因為論到這個以法蓮、這個以色列，他們以謊話和詭詐圍繞神；他們一切對神的服事，在他們假意圍繞他祭壇之時，都是虛假與假冒為善的；當他們以禱告與讚美圍繞他、各人帶著祈求獻上之時，他們用口舌向他說謊，用舌頭向他諂媚；他們的表面如此美好，而其本意卻如此卑劣，以致若有可能，他們連神自己也想要欺哄。他們的承認與應許全是欺騙，他們卻想用這些來圍繞神，把他圈在其中，留住他，阻止他離開他們。
四、此處是對兩個支派之正直的美善稱許，他們緊守這正直，這話在此作為十個支派背信的加重情節，也作為神為猶大存留那不為以色列存留之憐憫的理由（Ho 1:6,7），因為猶大卻仍與神同行，向聖者誠實，或作向至聖者。1. 猶大與神同行，即他事奉神，而事奉神不僅是真正的自由與釋放，更是尊嚴與權柄。猶大與神同行，即猶大的首領與官長與神同行；他們為他運用自己的權柄，為他的尊榮、為支援他的權益。那些在神的敬畏中治理的，就是與神同行（撒撒母耳記下第二十三章三節，2Sa 23:3），他們如此行是他們的尊榮，他們的稱讚必出於神，正如猶大在此一樣。猶大就是以色列—與神較力得了勝的王子。2. 他向聖者誠實，緊守他的敬拜並向他的聖徒，向亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各，他們忠心跟隨其腳蹤。他們行在善人的道上；如此行的人就與神同行，他們在天上有大能的權益。猶大如今仍如此行，這暗示日子將到，連猶大也要背道退化。當注意，當我們看見有如此多人以謊話和詭詐圍繞神之時，想到神有他的餘民，他們立定心志緊緊跟隨他，向他的聖徒忠心，這對我們是安慰；對那些如此忠心到底的人，生命冠冕為他們存留，而假冒為善的人和一切說謊的人，必有他們的分在無分之地。
英文原文
The Divine Forbearance (730 BC)
⁸ How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
⁹ I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.
¹⁰ They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
¹¹ They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.
¹² Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.
In these verses we have,
I. God's wonderful backwardness to destroy Israel (Ho 11:8,9): How shall I give thee up? Here observe,
1. God's gracious debate within himself concerning Israel's case, a debate between justice and mercy, in which victory plainly inclines to mercy's side. Be astonished, O heavens! at this, and wonder, O earth! at the glory of God's goodness. Not that there are any such struggles in God as there are in us, or that he is ever fluctuating or unresolved; no, he is in one mind, and knows it; but they are expressions after the manner of men, designed to show what severity the sin of Israel had deserved, and yet how divine grace would be glorified in sparing them notwithstanding. The connexion of this with what goes before is very surprising; it was said of Israel (Ho 11:7) that they were bent to backslide from God, that though they were called to him they would not exalt him, upon which, one would think, it should have followed, "Now I am determined to destroy them, and never show them mercy any more." No, such is the sovereignty of mercy, such the freeness, the fulness, of divine grace, that it follows immediately, How shall I give thee up? See here, (1.) The proposals that justice makes concerning Israel, the suggestion of which is here implied. Let Ephraim be given up, as an incorrigible son is given up to be disinherited, as an incurable patient is given over by his physician. Let him be given up to ruin. Let Israel be delivered into the enemy's hand, as a lamb to the lion to be torn in pieces; let them be made as Admah and set as Zeboim, the two cities that with Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone rained from heaven upon them; let them be utterly and irreparably ruined, and be made as like these cities in desolation as they have been in sin. Let that curse which is written in the law be executed upon them, that the whole land shall be brimstone and salt, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, De 29:23. Ephraim and Israel deserve to be thus abandoned, and God will do them no wrong if he deal thus with them. (2.) The opposition that mercy makes to these proposals: How shall I do it? As the tender father reasons with himself, "How can I cast off my untoward son? for he is my son, though he be untoward; how can I find in my heart to do it?" Thus, "Ephraim has been a dear son, a pleasant child: How can I do it? He is ripe for ruin; judgments stand ready to seize him; there wants nothing but giving him up, but I cannot do it. They have been a people near unto me; there are yet some good among them; theirs are the children of the covenant; if they be ruined, the enemy will triumph; it may be they will yet repent and reform; and therefore how can I do it?" Note, The God of heaven is slow to anger, and is especially loth to abandon a people to utter ruin that have been in special relation to him. See how mercy works upon the mention of those severe proceedings: My heart is turned within me, as we say, Our heart fails us, when we come to do a thing that is against the grain with us. God speaks as if he were conscious to himself of a strange striving of affections in compassion to Israel: as La 1:20, My bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me. As it follows here, My repentings are kindled together. His bowels yearned towards them, and his soul was grieved for their sin and misery, Jdg 10:16. Compare Jer 31:20. Since I spoke against him my bowels are troubled for him. When God was to give up his Son to be a sacrifice for sin, and a Saviour for sinners, he did not say, How shall I give him up? No, he spared not his own Son; it pleased the Lord to bruise him; and therefore God spared not him, that he might spare us. But this is only the language of the day of his patience; when men have sinned that away, and the great day of his wrath comes, then no difficulty is made of it; nay, I will laugh at their calamity.
2. His gracious determination of this debate. After a long contest mercy in the issue rejoices against judgment, has the last word, and carries the day, Ho 11:9. It is decreed that the reprieve shall be lengthened out yet longer, and I will not now execute the fierceness of my anger, though I am angry; though they shall not go altogether unpunished, yet he will mitigate the sentence and abate the rigour of it. He will show himself to be justly angry, but not implacably so; they shall be corrected, but not consumed. I will not return to destroy Ephraim; the judgments that have been inflicted shall not be repeated, shall not go so deep as they have deserved. He will not return to destroy, as soldiers, when they have pillaged a town once, return a second time, to take more, as when what the palmer-worm has left the locust has eaten. It is added, in the close of the Ho 11:9, "I will not enter into the city, into Samaria, or any other of their cities; I will not enter into them as an enemy, utterly to destroy them, and lay them waste, as I did the cities of Admah and Zeboim."
3. The ground and reason of this determination: For I am God and not man, the Holy One of Israel. To encourage them, to hope that they shall find mercy, consider, (1.) What he is in himself: He is God, and not man, as in other things, so in pardoning sin and sparing sinners. If they had offended a man like themselves, he would not, he could not have borne it; his passion would have overpowered his compassion, and he would have executed the fierceness of his anger; but I am God, and not man. He is Lord of his anger, whereas men's anger commonly lords it over them. If an earthly prince were in such a strait between justice and mercy, he would be at a loss how to compromise the matter between them; but he who is God, and not man, knows how to find out an expedient to secure the honour of his justice and yet advance the honour of his mercy. Man's compassions are nothing in comparison with the tender mercies of our God, whose thoughts and ways, in receiving returning sinners, are as much above ours as heaven is above the earth, Isa 55:9. Note, It is a great encouragement to our hope in God's mercies to remember that he is God, and not man. He is the Holy One. One would think this were a reason why he should reject such a provoking people. No; God knows how to spare and pardon poor sinners, not only without any reproach to his holiness, but very much to the honour of it, as he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and therein declares his righteousness, now Christ has purchased the pardon and he has promised it. (2.) What he is to them; he is the Holy One in the midst of thee; his holiness is engaged for the good of his church, and even in this corrupt and degenerate land and age there were some that gave thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, and he required of them all to be holy as he is, Le 19:2. As long as we have the Holy One in the midst of us we are safe and well; but woe to us when he leaves us! Note, Those who submit to the influence may take the comfort of God's holiness.
II. Here is his wonderful forwardness to do good for Israel, which appears in this, that he will qualify them to receive the good he designs for them (Ho 11:10,11): They shall walk after the Lord. This respects the same favour with that (Ho 3:5), They shall return, and seek the Lord their God; it is spoken of the ten tribes, and had its accomplishment, in part, in the return of some of them with those of the two tribes in Ezra's time; but it had its more full accomplishment in God's spiritual Israel, the gospel-church, brought together and incorporated by the gospel of Christ. The ancient Jews referred it to the time of the Messiah; the learned Dr. Pocock looks upon it as a prophecy of Christ's coming to preach the gospel to the dispersed children of Israel, the children of God that were scattered abroad. And then observe, 1. How they were to be called and brought together: The Lord shall roar like a lion. The word of the Lord (so says the Chaldee) shall be as a lion that roars. Christ is called the lion of the tribe of Judah, and his gospel, in the beginning of it, was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. When Christ cried with a loud voice it was as when a lion roared, Re 10:3. The voice of the gospel was heard afar, as the roaring of a lion, and it was a mighty voice. See Joe 3:16. 2. What impression this call should make upon them, such an impression as the roaring of a lion makes upon all the beasts of the forest: When he shall roar then the children shall tremble. See Am 3:8, The lion has roared; the Lord God has spoken; and then who will not fear? When those whose hearts the gospel reached trembled, and were astonished, and cried out, What shall we do?—when they were by it put upon working out their salvation, and worshipping God with fear and trembling, then this promise was fulfilled. The children shall tremble from the west. The dispersed Jews were carried eastward, to Assyria and Babylon, and those that returned came from the east; therefore this seems to have reference to the calling of the Gentiles that lay westward from Canaan, for that way especially the gospel spread. They shall tremble; they shall move and come with trembling, with care and haste, from the west, from the nations that lay that way, to the mountain of the Lord (Isa 2:3), to the gospel-Jerusalem, upon hearing the alarm of the gospel. The apostle speaks of mighty signs and wonders that were wrought by the preaching of the gospel from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, Ro 15:19. Then the children trembled from the west. And, whereas Israel after the flesh was dispersed in Egypt and Assyria, it is promised that they shall be effectually summoned thence (Ho 11:11): They shall tremble; they shall come trembling, and with all haste, as a bird upon the wing, out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; a dove is noted for swift and constant flight, especially when she flies to her windows, which the flocking of Jews and Gentiles to the church is here compared to, as it is Isa 60:8. Wherever those are that belong to the election of grace—east, west, north, or south—they shall hear the joyful sound, and be wrought upon by it; those of Egypt and Assyria shall come together; those that lay most remote from each other shall meet in Christ, and be incorporated in the church. Of the uniting of Egypt and Assyria, it was prophesied, Isa 19:23. 3. What effect these impressions should have upon them. Being moved with fear, they shall flee to the ark: They shall walk after the Lord, after the service of the Lord (so the Chaldee); they shall take the Lord Christ for their leader and commander; they shall enlist themselves under him as the captain of their salvation, and give up themselves to the direction of the Spirit as their guide by the word; they shall leave all to follow Christ, as becomes disciples. Note, Our holy trembling at the word of Christ will draw us to him, not drive us from him. When he roars like a lion the slaves tremble and flee from him, the children tremble and flee to him. 4. What entertainment they shall meet with at their return (Ho 11:11): I will place them in their houses (all those that come at the gospel-call shall have a place and a name in the gospel-church, in the particular churches which are their houses, to which they pertain; they shall dwell in God, and be at home in him, both easy and safe, as a man in his own house; they shall have mansions, for there are many in our Father's house), in his tabernacle on earth and his temple in heaven, in everlasting habitations, which may be called their houses, for they are the lot they shall stand in at the end of the days.
III. Here is a sad complaint of the treachery of Ephraim and Israel, which may be an intimation that it is not Israel after the flesh, but the spiritual Israel, to whom the foregoing promises belong, for as for this Ephraim, this Israel, they compass God about with lies and deceit; all their services of him, when they pretended to compass his altar, were feigned and hypocritical; when they surrounded him with their prayers and praises, every one having a petition to present to him, they lied to him with their mouth and flattered him with their tongue; their pretensions were so fair, and yet their intentions so foul, that they would, if possible, have imposed upon God himself. Their professions and promises were all a cheat, and yet with these they thought to compass God about, to enclose him as it were, to keep him among them, and prevent his leaving them.
IV. Here is a pleasant commendation of the integrity of the two tribes, which they held fast, and this comes in as an aggravation of the perfidiousness of the ten tribes, and a reason why God had that mercy in store for Judah which he had not for Israel (Ho 1:6,7), for Judah yet rules with God and is faithful with the saints, or with the Most Holy. 1. Judah rules with God, that is, he serves God, and the service of God is not only true liberty and freedom, but it is dignity and dominion. Judah rules, that is, the princes and governors of Judah rule with God; they use their power for him, for his honour, and the support of his interest. Those rule with God that rule in the fear of God (2Sa 23:3), and it is their honour to do so, and their praise shall be of God, as Judah's here is. Judah is Israel—a prince with God. 2. He is faithful with the holy God, keeps close to his worship and to his saints, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose steps they faithfully tread in. They walk in the way of good men; and those that do so rule with God, they have a mighty interest in Heaven. Judah yet does thus, which intimates that the time would come when Judah also would revolt and degenerate. Note, When we see how many there are that compass God about with lies and deceit it may be a comfort to us to think that God has his remnant that cleave to him with purpose of heart, and are faithful to his saints; and for those who are thus faithful unto death is reserved a crown of life, when hypocrites and all liars shall have their portion without.
在本章中，我們看到：一、神對祂百姓以色列的大恩，以及祂為他們所行的大事（何十一1、3、4）。二、儘管神向他們施恩，他們卻對神忘恩負義（何十一2-4、7、12）。三、因他們的忘恩與背信，神向他們發出震怒的威脅（何十一5、6）。四、在震怒之中仍記念憐憫（何十一8、9）。五、應許神將來還要為他們成就的事（何十一10、11）。六、對猶大所作的尊榮評價（何十一12）。