Hosea 6:6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 6:4-11

Two things, two evil things, both Judah and Ephraim are here charged with, and justly accused of:? I. That they were not firm to their own convictions, but were unsteady, unstable as water, Hos. 6:4, 5. O Ephraim! what shall I do unto thee? O Judah! what shall I do unto thee? This is a strange expression. Can Infinite Wisdom be at a loss what to do? Can it be nonplussed, or put upon taking new measures? By no means; but God speaks after the manner of men, to show how absurd and unreasonable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:6

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice ,.... That is, the one rather than the other, as the next clause explains it. Sacrifices were of early use, even before the law of Moses; they were of divine appointment, and were approved and accepted of by the Lord; they were types of Christ, and led to him, and were continued unto his death; but in comparison of moral duties, which respect love to God, and to our neighbour, the Lord did not will them, desire them, and delight in them; or he had more... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:6

I desired mercy, and not sacrifice - I taught them righteousness by my prophets; for I desired mercy. I was more willing to save than to destroy; and would rather see them full of penitent and holy resolutions, than behold them offering the best and most numerous victims upon my altar. See Matthew 9:13 . read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:6

Verse 6 God in this place declares that he desires mercy, and not sacrifices; and he does so to prevent an objections and to anticipate all frivolous pretenses. There is never wanting to hypocrites, we well know, a cover for themselves; and so great is their assurance, that they hesitate not sometimes to contend with God. It is indeed their common practice to maintain that they worship God, provided they offer sacrifices to him, provided they toil in ceremonies, and accumulate many rites. They... 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:6

Mercy better than sacrifice. This is one of those sublime declarations of Scripture which taken together are a proof of its inspiration; one of those "Jewels five words long, That on the stretch'd forefinger of all time Sparkle for ever." I. THIS PRINCIPLE IS CONTRARY TO THE CUSTOMARY BELIEFS REGARDING RELIGION . There is a tendency in human nature to degrade religion into a matter of ceremony. Religions which in their beginnings enunciate great spiritual truths... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:6

Knowledge and mercy. This verse may be regarded as embodying true religion. This consists in— I. KNOWLEDGE OF GOD . There is a presumption here: 1. That man has a nature capable of knowing God. 2. That God has so revealed himself as that he may be known. 3. That God desires that men should know him. II. MERCY TO MAN . This is the human side of religion. The laws of civil society enjoin justice, without which communities could not hold together. 1. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 6:6

Righteousness and ritualism. "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." We shall take "mercy" and "knowledge of God" here as including spiritual excellence, and "sacrifice" and "burnt offerings" as representing religious ritualism; and the idea is that Jehovah desires from man one rather than the other. The same idea is given in the following passages: "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice... read more

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