Hosea 7:8-16

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 7:8

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:10

And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face ,.... See Gill on Hosea 5:5 ; notwithstanding their weak and declining state, they were proud and haughty; entertained a high conceit of themselves, and of their good and safe condition; and behaved insolently towards God, and were not humbled before him for their sins. Their pride was notorious, which they themselves could not deny; they were self-convicted, and self-condemned: and they do not return to the Lord their God ; by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:11

Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without heart ,.... Or understanding; which comes and picks up the corns of grain, which lie scattered about, and does not know that the net is spread for it; and when its young are taken away, it is unconcerned, and continues its nest in the same place still; and, when frightened, flees not to its dove house, where it would be safe, but flies about here and there, and so becomes a prey to others. Thus Ephraim, going to Egypt and Assyria for help, were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:12

When they shall go ,.... That is, to Egypt or Assyria: I will spread my net upon them ; bring them into great straits and difficulties; perhaps the Assyrian army is meant, which was the Lord's net, guided, and directed, and spread by his providence, and according to his will, to take this silly dove in; and which enclosed them on all sides, that they could not escape; see Ezekiel 12:13 . Hoshea the king of Israel was taken by the Assyrian, and bound and shut up in prison; Samaria the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:13

Woe unto them, for they have fled from me ,.... From the Lord, from his worship, and the place of it; from obedience to him, and the service of him; as birds fly from their nests, and leave their young, and wander about; so they had deserted the temple at Jerusalem, and forsaken the service of the sanctuary, and set up calves at Dan and Bethel, and worshipped them; and, instead of fleeing to God for help in time of distress, fled further off still, even out of their own land to Egypt or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:14

And they have not cried unto me with their heart ,.... In their distress, indeed, they cried unto the Lord, and said they repented of their sins, and promised reformation, and made a show of worshipping God; as invocation is sometimes put for the whole worship of God; but then this was not heartily, but hypocritically; their hearts and their mouths did not go together, and therefore was not reckoned prayer; nothing but howling, as follows: when they howled upon their beds ; lying sick or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:15

Though I have bound and strengthened their arms ,.... As a surgeon sets a broken arm and swathes and binds it, and so restores it to its former strength, or at least to a good degree of strength again, so the Lord dealt with Israel; their arms were broken, and their strength weakened, and they greatly distressed and reduced by the Syrians in the times of Jehoahaz; but they were brought into a better state and condition in the times of Joash and Jeroboam the second; the former retook... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 7:16

They return, but not to the most High ,.... To Egypt, and not to Jerusalem, and the temple there, and the worship of it; to their idols, and not to him whose name alone is Jehovah, and is the most High all the earth, the God of gods, and Lord of lords, and King of kings; though they made some feint as if they would return, and did begin, and take some steps towards repentance and reformation; but then they presently fell back again, as in Jehu's time, and did not go on to make a thorough... read more

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