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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 10:9-15

Here, I. They are put in mind of the sins of their fathers and predecessors, for which God would now reckon with them. It was told them (Hos. 9:9) that they had corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah, and here (Hos. 10:9), O Israel! thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah. Not only the wickedness that was committed in that age is revived in this, and reacted, a copy from that original, but the wickedness that was committed in that age has been continued in a constant series and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 10:9

O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah ,.... This has no respect, as the Targum, and others, to Gibeah of Saul, of which place he was, and the choosing him to be king; but to the affair of the Levite and his concubine at Gibeah in the days of the judges, and what followed upon it, Judges 19:1 ; suggesting, that the sins of Israel were not new ones; they were the same with what were committed formerly, as early as the history referred to, and had been continued ever since; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 10:10

It is in my desire that I should chastise them ,.... Or, "bind them" F1 ואסרם "et, vel ut vinciam eos", Junius & Tremellius, Drusius, Grotius; "colligabo eos", Cocceius. , and carry them captive; and by so doing correct them for their sins they have so long continued in: this the Lord had in his heart to do, and was determined upon it, and would do it with pleasure, for the glorifying of his justice, since they had so long and so much abused his clemency and goodness: and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 10:11

And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn ,.... Like a heifer taught to bear the yoke, and to plough; but learned it not, as the Targum; does not like it; chooses to tread out the corn where it can feed upon it, its mouth not being then muzzled, according to the law; oxen or heifers were used both in ploughing and treading out corn, to which the allusion is. The sense is, that Ephraim or the ten tribes were taught to bear the yoke of the law, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 10:12

Saw to yourselves in righteousness ,.... Not the seed of grace, which bad men have not, and cannot saw it; and which good men need not, it being sown in them already, and remaining; rather the seed of the word, which should be laid up in their hearts, dwell richly in them, and be kept and retained by them; though it is best of all to understand it of works of righteousness; as sowing to the flesh is doing the works of the flesh, or carnal and sinful acts; so sowing "unto righteousness" F7 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 10:13

Ye have ploughed wickedness ,.... Contrived it, and took a great deal of pains to commit it; by ploughing sowed it, and which sprung up in a plentiful crop: it may denote their first sins, from whence all others arose; as their irreligion and infidelity; their apostasy from God; their idolatry and contempt of his word and prophets: ye have reaped iniquity ; abundance of other sins have sprung up from thence; a large harvest of them have been reaped and got in; or great numbers of other... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 10:14

Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people ,.... Because of their wickedness and vain confidence, the Assyrian army should invade them; which would cause a tumultuous noise to be made throughout the tribes in all cities and towns, a cry, a howling, and lamentation; especially among fearful and timorous ones as women and children; who would be thrown into a panic at hearing the news of a powerful foreign enemy entering their country, and laying waste all before them; a voice of clamour,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 10:15

So shall Bethel do unto you, because of your great wickedness ,.... Or, "because of the evil of your evil" F19 מפני רעת רעתכם "propter malitiam malitiae vestrae", Pagninus, Cocceius, Schmidt. ; their extreme wickedness, and exceeding sinfulness; the evil of evils they were guilty of was their idolatry, their worshipping the calf at Bethel; and this was the cause of all their ruin: God was the cause of it; the king of Assyria the instrument; but the procuring or meritorious cause... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 10:9

Thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah - This is another reference to the horrible rape and murder of the Levite's wife, Judges 19:13 , Judges 19:14 . There they stood - Only one tribe was nearly destroyed, viz., that of Benjamin. They were the criminals, the children of iniquity; the others were faultless, and stood only for the rights of justice and mercy. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 10:10

When they shall bind themselves in their two furrows - "When they are chastised for their two iniquities," i.e., the calves in Dan and Beth-el. - Newcome. But this double iniquity may refer to what Jeremiah says, Jeremiah 11:13 ; : "My people have committed two evils." - They have forsaken me. 2. They have joined themselves to idols. read more

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