Hosea 7:4-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 7:1-7

Some take away the last words of the foregoing chapter, and make them the beginning of this: ?When I returned, or would have returned, the captivity of my people, when I was about to come towards them in ways of mercy, even when I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim (the country and common people) was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, the court and the chief city.? Now, in these verses, we may observe, I. A general idea given of the present state of Israel, Hos.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 7:8-16

Having seen how vicious and corrupt the court was, we now come to enquire how it is with the country, and we find that to be no better; and no marvel if the distemper that has so seized the head affect the whole body, so that there is no soundness in it; the iniquity of Ephraim is discovered, as well as the sin of Samaria, of the people as well as the princes, of which here are divers instances. I. They were not peculiar and entire for God, as they should have been, Hos. 7:8. 1. They did not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:4

They are all adulterers ,.... King, princes, priests, and people, both in a spiritual and corporeal sense; they were all idolaters, given to idols try, eager of it, and constant in it, as the following metaphors show; and they were addicted to corporeal adultery; this was a prevailing vice among all ranks and degrees of men. So the Targum, "they all desire to lie with their neighbours' wives;' see Jeremiah 5:7 ; as an oven heated by the baker ; which, if understood of spiritual... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:5

In the day of our king ,.... Either his birthday, or his coronation day, when he was inaugurated into his kingly office, as the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi; or the day on which Jeroboam set up the calves, which might be kept as an anniversary: or, "it is the day of our king" F15 יום מלכנו "dies regis nostri", V. L. Calvin, Tigurine version, Tarnovius, Cocceius, Schmidt. ; and may be the words of the priests and false prophets, exciting the people to adultery; and may show by what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:6

For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait ,.... The prince, people, and scorners before mentioned, being heated with wine, and their lust enraged, they were ready for any wickedness; for the commission of adultery, lying in wait for their neighbours' wives to debauch them; or for rebellion and treason against their king, and even the murder of him, made drunk by them, whom they now despised, and waited for an opportunity to dispatch him: their baker... read more

John Gill

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

They are all hot as an oven ,.... Eager upon their idolatry, or burning in their unclean desires after other men's wives; or rather raging and furious, hot with anger and wrath against their rulers and governors, breathing out slaughter and death unto them: and have devoured their judges ; that stood in the way of their lusts, reproved them for them, and restrained them from them; or were on the side of the king they conspired against, and were determined to depose and slay: all their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:8

Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people ,.... Either locally, by dwelling among them, as some of them at least might do among the Syrians; or carnally, by intermarrying with them, contrary to the command of God; or civilly, by entering into alliances and confederacies with them, as Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel did with Rezin king of Syria, Isaiah 7:2 ; or by seeking to them for help, calling to Egypt, and going to Assyria, as in Hosea 7:11 ; so Aben Ezra; or morally,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:9

Strangers have devoured his strength ,.... Or his substance, as the Targum; his wealth and riches, fortresses and strong holds: these strangers were either the Syrians, who, in the times of Jehoahaz, destroyed Ephraim or the Israelites, and so weakened them, as to make them like the dust by threshing, 2 Kings 12:7 ; or the Assyrians, first under Pul king of Assyria, who came out against Menahem king of Israel, and exacted a tribute of a thousand talents of silver, and so drained them of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 7:4

As an oven heated by the baker - Calmet's paraphrase on this and the following verses expresses pretty nearly the sense: Hosea makes a twofold comparison of the Israelites; to an oven, and to dough. Jeroboam set fire to his own oven - his kingdom - and put the leaven in his dough; and afterwards went to rest, that the fire might have time to heat his oven, and the leaven to raise his dough, that the false principles which he introduced might infect the whole population. This prince,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 7:7

All their kings are fallen - There was a pitiful slaughter among the idolatrous kings of Israel; four of them had fallen in the time of this prophet. Zechariah was slain by Shallum; Shallum, by Menahem; Pekahiah, by Pekah; and Pekah, by Hoshea, 2 Kings 15. All were idolaters, and all came to an untimely death. read more

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