Hosea 13:1-3

1-3. Israel’s apostasy its own death warrant. Though the interpretation of Hosea 13:1 is not quite certain, that embodied in the translation of R.V. and suggested in the introductory remarks above is preferable to all others that have been proposed. Ephraim’s experience should have been a warning to the whole people.

Ephraim Not synonymous with Israel, as in practically every other case in the book, but the tribe of Ephraim.

When… spake trembling, he exalted himself If rendered thus the meaning of the passage would be, “When the Ephraimites in trembling accents responded to the divine call, they rose to the exalted position which their prophetic ancestor foreshadowed” (Genesis 49:22-26). This translation and interpretation are open to criticism on linguistic and other grounds, and there can be no doubt that R.V. has come nearer the truth: “When Ephraim spake, there was trembling.” The other tribes looked up to Ephraim with fear and trembling (Judges 8:1; Judges 12:1; compare Genesis 49:16; Deuteronomy 33:17).

He exalted himself Not in a bad sense, “he became proud,” but, “he became a leader, a prince.” Many commentators read, with a slight alteration, “he was a prince.”

He died Loyalty to Jehovah contained elements insuring permanence; apostasy, on the other hand, contained those elements that made death and destruction inevitable (Habakkuk 2:4). As soon as Ephraim apostatized the dying process began (Genesis 2:17).

He offended in Baal Or, became guilty through the Baal (compare Hosea 10:2). He became guilty when he accepted from the Canaanites Baal ideas and allowed these to corrupt the Jehovah worship (Hosea 2:5 ff.). Baal is identical with Baals in other parts of the book (see on Hosea 2:5). There may be also an allusion to the setting up of the “calves” (Hosea 8:5; Hosea 10:5) by Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:29), who was of the tribe of Ephraim (1 Kings 11:26). The tribe of Ephraim, once so powerful, had become, in the days of Hosea, of little significance. The words of the prophet by no means imply that Ephraim alone was guilty, or that he alone suffered; only, in his experience the contrast between the former glory and the present oblivion illustrated most perfectly the lesson Hosea desired to teach. The experience of this one tribe should have had a wholesome effect upon the others. Not so.

Now In the prophet’s own day.

They The whole nation.

Sin more and more Or, they continue to sin (G.-K., 114m) notwithstanding the warnings.

The offense of Ephraim consisted in apostasy to the Baals; the nation as a whole gave itself to even grosser idolatry.

Molten images See on Nahum 1:14 (compare Exodus 34:17). These images may have been intended primarily to be representations of Jehovah (1 Kings 12:28).

Idols The general term for an image of a deity.

According to their own understanding Their own skill and proficiency. What, power can there be in such images? LXX. reads, and other ancient versions, in part, favor the reading, “They made them molten images of their silver according to the likeness of idols.”

The work of the craftsmen Whatever the exact reading of the preceding, this clause brings out the point of greatest importance: the images are man-made; there is nothing divine about them. Hosea 13:2 b is obscure. Various translations, all more or less forced, have been proposed. The text may be corrupt; at any rate, many emendations have been suggested.

They The indefinite people.

Say of them Or, concerning them, that is, the idols.

Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves The kiss is the kiss of homage (Psalms 2:12; 1 Kings 19:18). Those who offer sacrifice are urged ironically to bestow the kiss of homage upon the idolatrous calves. How absurd for human beings to kiss calves! Another possible translation is suggested in the margin, “Let the sacrificers of men kiss the calves.” This rendering emphasizes even more the absurdity of the religious practices. Men they sacrifice and beasts they kiss, instead of sacrificing beasts, and kissing men. That human sacrifices were offered in Israel at this time is not definitely stated in Hosea (but compare 2 Kings 17:17); in Judah the practice was not unknown (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6). A third possible translation, secured by dividing the words into two clauses, reads, “To them (the idols) they speak (in prayer).” How absurd to address prayers to the work of their own hands! “Men that sacrifice (or, sacrificers of men) kiss the calves.” Sacrificers of men is the more natural translation of the Hebrew, but the other is not impossible (G.-K., 1281). The two clauses would have to be understood as exclamations of disgust by the prophet. Which one of these interpretations is right cannot be asserted with certainty. The Hebrew is peculiar and may be corrupt. Of proposed emendations two may be mentioned. Marti, omitting several words, reads, “Sacrificers of men they are; calves they kiss.” Harper, “People sacrificing to demons; men kissing calves.”

Such a condition of affairs cannot be permitted to continue. 3. Swift retribution will overtake them. This thought is expressed very emphatically by the accumulation of four separate figures, each one describing utter destruction. On the first two see Hosea 6:4.

As the chaff The threshing floors were usually located on elevations, so as to take advantage of every breeze. The grain was winnowed by throwing it up into the air with shovels. The solid grains fell back to the ground, while the chaff was carried away by the wind. The stronger the wind the more quickly the chaff vanished; a whirlwind would drive it out of sight in a very short time (Psalms 1:4; Isaiah 17:13; Isaiah 41:15-16, etc.).

Smoke It also is swiftly driven away by the breeze (Psalms 68:2).

Chimney The same word is sometimes rendered “window”; literally, lattice (see on Joel 2:9).