Hosea 10:9-15

ISRAEL’S HISTORY ONE CONTINUOUS CRIME; ISRAEL’S DESTINY DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, Hosea 10:9-15.

With Hosea 10:9 the prophet begins a new presentation of Israel’s guilt. In the very beginning a great crime darkened their history (Hosea 10:9); from that time on they have resisted every effort to lead them into a higher and purer life; hence death and destruction await them (Hosea 10:9-11). The announcement of judgment is interrupted by an exhortation to repentance (Hosea 10:12), which immediately changes again into a threat (Hosea 10:13-15). Hosea 10:9.

From the days of Gibeah The reference is to the outrage in Gibeah described in Judges 19-21 (compare Hosea 9:9). Beth-baal-peor (Hosea 9:10) marked the beginning of religious corruption; Gibeah was the scene of the first outbreak of deep moral corruption. Since then conditions had not changed materially. This interpretation is preferable to that implied in the marginal reading, “thou hast sinned more than in the days of Gibeah.” The latter part of Hosea 10:9 is open to various interpretations. For the second clause, there they stood, the margin offers a more satisfactory translation “there have they continued.” For this meaning of the verb compare Jeremiah 32:14; Isaiah 47:12.

There In Gibeah, or, rather, in the criminal conduct of Gibeah.

The battle In which judgment was executed upon the guilty tribe (Judges 20:1 ff.). If 9b is rendered a declaratory sentence the verb must be reproduced by a past tense, “did not overtake them.” If so, the thought is that, while the criminals of Gibeah received their reward, just punishment has not yet been visited upon Israel. But, Hosea 10:10 continues, the judgment cannot be withheld forever. 9b may be translated also as a question: “Shall not the battle… overtake them?” that is, can these people, persisting in vice, believe that they will escape retribution? Hosea 10:10 supplies the answer:

It is in my desire Better, R.V., “When it is my desire.” Jehovah does not overlook the crimes; when the proper moment arrives he will execute judgment.

The verses following show that the time of vengeance has arrived. The punishment will take the form of hostile invasions by Assyria (Hosea 10:6), by Egypt (Hosea 9:6).

When they shall bind themselves in their two furrows In the rendering of the last word the translators have followed the Targum. The Hebrew is uncertain; LXX. and Vulgate translate “iniquities”; so R.V., “when they are bound to their two transgressions.” The two transgressions are not the two calves at Beth-el and Dan, but the twofold sin indicated in Hosea 8:4: the setting up of kings contrary to the divine will, and the religious apostasy expressing itself in reliance upon foreign nations and in the worship of the Baals. When they are bound is of uncertain meaning. Some interpret it as a causal clause because they are bound, inseparably devoted, to their transgressions; others, as a temporal clause when they are bound, or, when I bind them, in punishment for their transgressions. LXX. and Peshitto render “chastise,” which favors the second interpretation; and this is to be preferred unless the text is changed. By the alteration of one consonant the whole clause may be made to read, “In order to bind (chastise) them for their two transgressions.”

Hosea 10:11 contains a new figurative description of the punishment to be meted out. Now Ephraim is in peace and prosperity, but soon suffering and distress will overtake him.

Taught Broken in to work.

Loveth to tread out the corn A pleasant and easy task, especially since the animals were allowed to eat freely of the grain (Deuteronomy 25:4). Some consider taught inappropriate here, because, they say, the breaking in to do heavy work is a part of the punishment; for this reason they either omit it, and read, “And Ephraim is a heifer that loveth to tread out the grain” but he will not be permitted to do this delightful work much longer or they add not; “a heifer that is not taught.” All he has done thus far is to tread out the grain, but in the future he will be subjected to severer treatment.

But I passed over upon her fair neck It is a disputed question whether this clause continues the description of the kind treatment I have spared the beauty of her neck that is, thus far the heifer has not been compelled to do any hard work; the rest of the verse would call attention to the change of treatment about to take place; or whether with it begins the threat: I placed the yoke upon her fair neck. If this interpretation, which seems preferable because it restores the parallelism, is accepted, the tense is to be understood as a prophetic perfect. The Hebrew permits either interpretation.

Make Ephraim to ride R.V., “set a rider on Ephraim.” An even more probable rendering is, “I will make Ephraim to draw,” that is, the plow or the cart. North and south alike will share in the punishment. Instead of treading out the grain they will be compelled to do the hard work of plowing and harrowing. Since nowhere in this connection is there any reference to Judah, it is probable that in the last part of Hosea 10:11 Israel should be read instead of Judah.