Hosea 8:1-3

IMMINENCE OF THE JUDGMENT IN THE FORM OF AN INVASION, Hosea 7:16 to Hosea 8:3.

Israel has proved a disappointment; defiantly it persists in rebellion, therefore judgment has become inevitable indeed, it is rapidly approaching. Hosea 7:16 to Hosea 8:3, deals with the crisis that is imminent. The deep emotion of the prophet is indicated by the rapidity with which he moves from one thought to another.

Their princes shall fall All the eighth century prophets insist that the ruling classes are largely to blame for the prevalent corruption, therefore the first blow will fall upon them.

Rage of their tongue The word translated rage has received various translations and interpretations: roughness, deception, boasting, mockery, skepticism, insolence, bitterness, etc. The most satisfactory is probably “insolence,” that is, toward Jehovah. “The root meaning is to make a grumbling sound, like an irritated camel.” They have taken an insolent attitude toward Jehovah, hence he must vindicate himself by their overthrow.

This The overthrow of the princes.

Their derision in the land of Egypt Their false friends in the land of Egypt will laugh at them in scorn. Why the reference to Egypt? The eighth century prophets saw in Assyria the divinely commissioned executioner of judgment; the sword, therefore, should probably be understood as the sword of Assyria. During the same period the policy of Egypt was to incite, by promises of support, rebellion against Assyria among the nations throughout Syria and Palestine. The scheme was to keep the Assyrian armies busy, and thus prevent their advance against Egypt. Trusting in Egyptian promises, the nations frequently rebelled, but in the hour of need Egypt usually failed her allies; she looked on, laughing, while the nations suffered for their folly. This the prophet declares will happen now. It is quite possible that just at this time the Egyptian party in Israel was becoming prominent, favoring an alliance with Egypt and the throwing off of the obligations assumed by Menahem. New foreign entanglements the prophet condemns; he announces the speedy advance of Assyria, describes the overthrow of the vacillating princes, and pictures the derision with which Egypt will watch the humiliation of Israel. There is not sufficient reason for regarding “this shall be their derision” as a gloss, and for connecting “in the land of Egypt” with the preceding, so as to read, “The insolence of their tongue in the land of Egypt” that is, the insolence manifesting itself in the negotiations carried on with Egypt.