Hosea 10:12

12. Momentarily the tone of the prophet changes to one of exhortation. If Israel would only turn and seek Jehovah the judgment might yet be averted. For such turning the prophet pleads. But he seems to recognize the uselessness of the appeal, for in Hosea 10:13 ff. he reiterates the threats of 9-11. The figures are borrowed again from agricultural pursuits.

Sow… in righteousness Let your conduct be governed by righteousness, by such attitude toward God and man as is proper in view of the covenant relation between Jehovah and Israel. Reap in mercy [“according to kindness”] Let the effects of your life be such as are in accord with loving-kindness (see on Hosea 2:19). LXX., “reap the fruit of kindness.”

Break up your fallow ground The transformation is to be thorough. “Husbandmen in the East are indolent and sometimes sow among thorns (Jeremiah 4:3; Matthew 13:7). The Israelites are warned against committing this fault in their spiritual husbandry.” The three clauses “sow… reap… break up” should be interpreted as containing three distinct exhortations.

It is time The door of mercy is still open, the judgment may yet be averted.

Seek Jehovah See on Amos 5:4.

Till he come and rain righteousness upon you This translation is to be preferred over the one suggested in the margin, “teach you righteousness” (see on Joel 2:23). Till he come is to be understood as a final clause, “in order that he may come.” Rain is a picture of abundance, and the entire clause may be paraphrased, “in order that Jehovah may manifest his righteousness toward you in abundant measure.” Jehovah’s righteousness, like Israel’s righteousness, is the attitude which is proper in view of the covenant relation between Israel and Jehovah. As such it may manifest itself either in judgment or in mercy. If Israel will follow the prophetic exhortation it will manifest itself in the merciful withholding of judgment. LXX. reads, “in order that (until) the fruit of righteousness (prosperity) may come to you.” Fruit of lies in Hosea 10:13 is in favor of the LXX. reading.

Hosea 10:13 a contrasts their past conduct and experiences with the conduct demanded in Hosea 10:12.

Plowed wickedness Plowed is equivalent to sowed (Hosea 10:12); they formed wicked plans (Job 4:8).

Reaped iniquity The fruits of their lives have been iniquity, not loving-kindness.

Fruit of lies Or, of faithlessness, that is, to Jehovah (Hosea 11:12). They were compelled to endure disaster and calamity. The tenses in this verse are not prophetic perfects; they describe past experiences.

With Hosea 10:13 b begins the reiteration of the threat, Hosea 10:13 b being the protasis, Hosea 10:14 the apodosis. The transition from one clause to the other is somewhat abrupt, but the reference in Hosea 10:13 a to the policy of “lies” prepares the way for Hosea 10:13 b, which makes it plain wherein consisted the faithlessness: instead of relying upon Jehovah they put their trust in human defenses (Isaiah 7:9).

In thy way Thy policy. LXX. (except B) and Vulgate read, “thy chariots” (compare Hosea 14:3; Isaiah 2:7), which is favored by the context.

Mighty men The army.

Therefore Because of the lack of confidence in Jehovah (Isaiah 7:9).

Tumult Of war (Isaiah 17:12; Amos 2:2).

Among Better, R.V. margin, “against.”

Thy people Hebrew, “thy peoples”; the tribes of which the nation is composed (Deuteronomy 33:3). The emendation “against thy cities” is not needed. The destruction to be wrought is compared with that of Beth-arbel by Shalman Both of these proper names have been and are still subjects of much discussion. Shalman has been identified with (1) Shalmaneser III of Assyria, who “made an expedition to the Lebanon in 775 and to Damascus in 773-772” (Harper) (for similar abbreviations compare Jeremiah 22:24; Jeremiah 22:28; Jeremiah 24:1, with 2 Kings 24:6); (2) Shalmaneser IV of Assyria (727-722 B.C.), who undertook an expedition against Israel in 725; (3) Sala-manu, a king of Moab, a contemporary of Hosea, who paid tribute to Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria; (4) Shalmah, a north Arabian tribe, which invaded the Negeb; (5) the Zalmunna of Judges 8:6. Arbela has been identified with (1) Arbela, near Pella, east of the Jordan; (2) Arbela on the Tigris, near Nineveh; (3) Arbela in the territory of Naphtali, in Upper Galilee ( 1Ma 9:2 ). The words which in Hebrew stand together have also been taken as the name of a city Shalman-beth-arbela. (For similar formations see 2 Samuel 20:14-15; Numbers 33:46.) Thus far no entirely satisfactory solution of the question has been found. From the reference it would seem that the event in question was well known and therefore probably one of recent date and of considerable importance; but our present historical knowledge does not enable us to connect any of the persons named with the destruction of any of the localities suggested. The campaign of 775 is said to have been against the “country of Erini,” the country of the cedar trees; that of 773-772 was undertaken probably by the successor of Shalmaneser III, Ashur-dan III. If it is Shalmaneser IV the passage must be a later addition, since Hosea’s activity ended before this king ascended the throne. The ancient versions offer no solution; they also seem to have been in the dark.

The mother was dashed in pieces A circumstantial clause to be connected with the preceding, “when the mother was dashed in pieces” (Hosea 13:16; compare 2 Kings 8:12; Amos 1:13; Psalms 137:8-9).

In Hosea 10:15 Jehovah addresses the Israelites directly, announcing that a similar fate is awaiting them on account of their great wickedness. The construction of the first sentence is uncertain. So shall Beth-el do Beth-el as the center of idolatrous worship is to bring about the downfall of Israel. This translation is a little awkward. Others have interpreted Bethel as an accusative of place, “at Beth-el,” while they have supplied the subject of the verb, either Jehovah or Shalman, “So shall he do at Beth-el.” But if Beth-el is not the subject it is better taken as a vocative: “So shall he do unto thee, O Beth-el.” Beth-el, the religious center, stands for the whole country or nation, just as sometimes the capital, Samaria, is used in the place of Israel. LXX. presents a more satisfactory reading, “Thus I will do unto you, O house of Israel.”

Your great wickedness Literally, the wickedness of your wickedness (compare Song of Songs the song par excellence: holy of holies the most holy)

In a morning R.V., “at daybreak.” The meaning is uncertain. Some see in the phrase the thought that at daybreak it will be discovered that during the night the king has been slain; others, that he will be cut off in the early morning hours the king’s death is the first event of the day (Psalms 90:14); still others, “as suddenly as comes the dawn after a night of slumber.” Keil understands it as the dawn of prosperity; just as prosperity begins to dawn the king will perish. The expression remains peculiar. A change of one consonant would give “in the storm,” that is, of battle.

King of Israel Not one particular king, but the institution of the monarchy.