Hosea 10:1

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 10:1-8

Observe, I. What the sins are which are here laid to Israel's charge, the national sins which bring down national judgment. The prophet deals plainly with them; for what good would it do them to be flattered? 1. They were not fruitful in the fruits of righteousness to the glory of God. Here all their other wickedness began (Hos. 10:1): Israel is an empty vine. The church of God is fitly compared to a vine, weak, and of an unpromising outside, yet spreading and fruitful; believers are branches... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 10:1

Israel is an empty vine ,.... The people of Israel are often compared to a vine, and such an one from whence fruit might be expected, being planted in a good soil, and well taken care of; see Psalm 80:8 ; but proved an "empty vine", empty of fruit; not of temporal good things, for a multitude of such fruit it is afterwards said to have; but of spiritual fruit, of the fruit of grace, and of good works, being destitute of the Spirit of God, and his grace; and, having no spiritual moisture,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 10:1

Israel is an empty vine - Or, a vine that casteth its grapes. He bringeth forth fruit - Or, he laid up fruit for himself. He abused the blessings of God to the purposes of idolatry. He was prosperous; but his prosperity corrupted his heart. According to the multitude of his fruit - He became idolatrous in proportion to his prosperity; and in proportion to their wealth was the costliness of their images, and the expensiveness of their idol worship. True is the homely saying of old... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 10:1

Verse 1 Interpreters explain this verse in various ways. Those who think בוקק, bukok, here applied to the vine, means “empty,” are mistaken; for the Prophet means rather, that Israel was like a vine, which is robbed after the ingathering is come: for the word בקק, bekok, means properly to pillage, or to plunder. But the Prophet compares the gathering of grapes to robbing; and this view best suits the place. He says, then, that Israel is like a robbed vine; for it was stripped of its fruit; and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 10:1

EXPOSITION The concluding thought of the last chapter is the commencing one of this; while the sad subject of Israel's guilt being resumed continues in the first section ( Hosea 10:1-8 ) of the chapter, and that of their punishment in the second section ( Hosea 10:9-15 ), with a solemn caution to make a better use of the future than they had clone of the past. Israel is an empty vine . The comparison of Israel to a vine is frequent; but the epithet boqeq is variously... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 10:1

The abuse of worldly prosperity. "Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself." Were this version correct we should have two ideas suggested. 1. A fruitlessness that makes life worthless . This empty vine produced fruit, but the fruit was worthless. A fruitless vine is among the most worthless of all plants. It is unbeautiful . Its aspect is dry, stringy, deadly. It is true its foliage is luxuriant, but that is short-lived and disappointing; and it is as ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 10:1-3

Sin and its retribution. I. PERVERTED USE OF PROSPERITY . Israel is a vine not empty, nor emptied, nor plundered, according to Calvin, say, by the tribute paid to Pul; for, if empty, how then could he bring forth fruit, except, indeed, at some subsequent season? He is compared, rather, to a wide-spreading vine, pouring out its strength in luxuriant leafage and show of fruit; or even suitable fruit. But the fruit thus yielded was not fruit to God, as it should have been, but fruit... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 10:1-3

The empty vine. "Empty;" literally, "poured forth; "i.e. poured forth in leaves and branches, with the effect that there is comparatively little fruit. When there was fruit, Israel gave not God the glory. The more they increased, the more they transgressed. The result was degeneracy. They spurned God's control, and life, in consequence, ran to waste. Undisciplined luxuriance becomes degenerate luxuriance. Fruit fails. I. FRUIT , BUT NOT UNTO GOD . ( Hosea 10:1 ) Such fruit... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 10:1-8

The calves and the kings. The "burden" is still the same—Israel's guilt and punishment. But in the verses before us these are dealt with mainly in their external and national aspects. The most prominent thought of the passage centers in the calves and the kings. I. THE NATIONAL SIN . Although the prophet handles his theme in this strophe for the most part on its external side, yet in one or two expressions he refers to the root of the evil in the hearts of the people. "We feared... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 10:1

Israel is an empty vine - Or, in the same sense, “a luxuriant vine;” literally, “one which poureth out,” poureth itself out into leaves, abundant in switches, (as most old versions explain it,) luxuriant in leaves, emptying itself in them, and empty of fruit; like the fig-tree, which our Lord cursed. For the more a fruit tree putteth out its strength in leaves and branches, the less and the worst fruit it beareth. : “The juices which it ought to transmute into wine, it disperseth in the... read more

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