Hosea 2:1-23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 2:1-5

The first words of this chapter some make the close of the foregoing chapter, and add them to the promises which we have here of the great things God would do for them. When they shall have appointed Christ their head, and centered in him, then let them say to one another, with triumph and exultation (let the prophets say it to them, so the Chaldee?Comfort you, comfort you, my people, is now their commission), ?say to them, Ammi, and Ruhamah; call them so again, for they shall no longer lie... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 2:6-13

God here goes on to threaten what he would do with this treacherous idolatrous people; and he warns that he may not wound, he threatens that he may not strike. If he turn not, he will whet his sword (Ps. 7:12); but, if he turn, he will sheathe it. They did not turn, and therefore all this came upon them: and its being threatened before shows that it was the execution of a divine sentence upon them for their wickedness; and it is written for admonition to us. I. They shall be perplexed and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 2:14-23

The state of Israel ruined by their own sin did not look so black and dismal in the former part of the chapter, but that the state of Israel, restrained by the divine grace, looks as bright and pleasant here in the latter part of the chapter, and the more surprisingly so as the promises follow thus close upon the threatenings; nay, which is very strange, they are by a note of connexion joined to, and inferred from, that declaration of their sinfulness upon which the threatenings of their ruin... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 2:1

Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah. These words are to be considered either in connection with the latter part of the preceding chapter, and as directed to the sons of the living God, who had not been, but now were, "Ammi", the Lord's people; and who had not, but now have, "Ruhamah", obtained mercy; which grace and mercy shown them, it became them to speak of one to another, to affect their hearts mutually with it, and to glorify God for it, Malachi 3:16 as also... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 2:2

Plead with your mother, plead ,.... The congregation of Israel, as the Targum; the body of the Jewish nation, which, with respect to individuals, was as a mother to her children; see Matthew 21:37 , that is, lay before her, her sin in rejecting the Messiah, the Head and Husband of his true church and people; endeavour to convince her of it; reprove her for it; expostulate with her about it; argue the case with her, and show her the danger of persisting in such an evil, as the apostles did,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 2:3

Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born ,.... Alluding to the case of an infant when born, which comes naked into the world; and referring to the state and condition of the Israelites in Egypt, which was the time of their nativity, as a people and church; see Ezekiel 16:4 , and when they were in a state of servitude and bondage, and had no wealth and substance, and without possessions and lands, and had no country of their own to inhabit; and signifying that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 2:4

And I will not have mercy upon her children ,.... The posterity of the Jews in succeeding ages, until the time of their conversion comes; they persisting in the sins of their forefathers, filling up the measure of their iniquities; remaining in their obstinate rejection of the Messiah, and in the same impenitence and unbelief, and having his blood imprecated upon them: for they be the children of whoredoms ; begotten and born in whoredom, spurious and illegitimate; or that commit... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 2:5

For their mother hath played the harlot ,.... Or committed idolatry; which is the reason why she is to be pleaded with, and why the Lord will not own her as his wife, or be a husband to her; and why she is to be exhorted to put away her whoredoms from her; and was in danger of all the above evils coming upon her, continuing in the same practice; and why her children were children of whoredoms. Though the connection may be with the verse following, "for" or "because their mother hath played... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 2:6

Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns ,.... As fields and vineyards are fenced with thorn hedges to keep out beasts; or rather as closes and fields are fenced to keep cattle in, from going out and straying elsewhere; which may be expressive of afflictions, aud particularly wars among them, that they could not stir out and go from place to place: and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths: to go to Dan and Bethel, and worship the calves there, as some; or to go to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 2:7

And she shall follow after her lovers ,.... Before mentioned; that is, in her affections and desires, with great eagerness and earnestness, as men pursue what they are bent upon; otherwise, being hedged in and walled up, she could not go after them in a proper sense: but she shall not overtake them ; they fleeing from her, and she pent up: she shall seek them, but shall not find them ; shall not be able to enjoy them, or act according to her wishes and desires, with respect to the... read more

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