Hosea 6:4-5

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:4

A threefold theme. "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away." "What shall I do to thee, O Ephraim! What shall I do to thee, O Judah! For your goodness is like the morning cloud, And like the dew which early departeth" (Henderson) Here we have a threefold theme of thought. I. DIVINE SOLICITUDE . Here the Infinite condescends to speak after the manner of men, that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:4

The day-dawn and the rain. The Jewish doctors found in these words a prophecy of Christ. We Christians cannot do less. It is Christ whom our faith must grasp under these two figures—the day-dawn and the rain . There is a twofold coming of the Son of God—the first in his own Person to establish and confirm the gospel; the second in his Holy Spirit to apply it to the heart. The one of these may be very fitly compared to the morning, the other to the rain. I. THERE ARE POINTS ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:4-5

Fugitive piety. A thoughtful reader cannot fail to observe the contrast here suggested between the constancy of Jehovah's grace ( Hosea 6:3 ) and the inconstancy of Israel's piety ( Hosea 6:4 ). If Israel would (rely "return," and "follow on to know the Lord" now, all would yet be well. But, alas! the twelve tribes are as fickle as he is faithful. I. GOD 'S COMPLAINT REGARDING THE JEWISH PEOPLE . ( Hosea 6:4 ) In Eastern lands the sky is often heavily hung with clouds... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:4-6

Evanishing goodness. So froward, heedless, fickle, and incorrigible had Ephraim proved, that God did not know what more he could do with him. The same was true of Judah. The tender mode of speech, "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee?" shows how loath God is to pass from mercy to judgment. His heart yearns for the conversion of the objects of his solicitude. I. PIETY VALUELESS , IF EVANESCENT . ( Hosea 6:4 ) Ephraim arid Judah had fits of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:4-9

Israel's inconstant. The Lord had just comforted the truly godly portion of the people; he now turns aside and expostulates with the ungodly. Judah as well as Ephraim—the two tribes and the ten—fell far short, unspeakably short, of the picture of penitence, with the annexed promises, which he had just placed before them. Their state had become so desperate that destruction had become their desert, not because of his severity, but their own sin, themselves being judges. I. THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:5-6

The consequence of Israel's unsteadiness and inconstancy is here stated. Because of the fluctuating and formal nature of their religiousness, God cut them down (instead of rearing them up) through his prophets by fierce denunciations, and slew them (instead of reviving them) by the Divine word. The judgment of Jehovah went forth as the lightning-fish, or was as clear and conspicuous for justice as the light of day. Neither could outward services expiate their sins, when the proper feelings and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 6:4

O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? - It is common with the prophets, first to set forth the fullness of the riches of God’s mercies in Christ, and then to turn to their own generation, and upbraid them for the sins which withheld the mercies of God from “them,” and were hurrying them to their destruction. In like way Isaiah, Isaiah 2:0, having prophesied that the Gospel should go forth from Zion, turns to upbraid the avarice, idolatry, and pride, through which the judgment of God should come... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 6:5

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets - Since they despised God’s gentler warnings and measures, He used severer. “He hewed” them, He says, as men hew stones out of the quarry, and with hard blows and sharp instruments overcome the hardness of the stone which they have to work. Their piety and goodness were light and unsubstantial as a summer cloud; their stony hearts were harder than the material stone. The stone takes the shape which man would give it; God hews man in vain; he will not... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Hosea 6:4

Hosea 6:4. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? Or rather, what shall I do for thee? Here the Lord takes up the discourse again in his own person, and gives an answer to the prayer, or promises, of Judah and Israel: as if he had said, How can I give either of you, O Israel and Judah, any tokens of my favour, since there is no sincerity or stability to be found in you? Such is the essential beneficence of God, that he delights to bestow favours on all his creatures; and here, and... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Hosea 6:5

Hosea 6:5. Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets Severely reproved and threatened them; or cut them off, as the word, חצבתי , may be properly rendered: that is, I have denounced against them great destruction. The prophets, and God by the prophets, are said to do those things which they foretel, or denounce: see notes on Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 5:14. I have slain them by the words of my mouth that is, I have declared, or denounced, the slaughter of them. God’s word is described as... read more

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