Hosea8
World English Bible · Public Domain
1“Put the trumpet to your lips! Something like an eagle is over Yahweh’s house, because they have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
2They cry to me, ‘My God, we, Israel, acknowledge you!’
3Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy will pursue him.
4They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
5Let Samaria throw out his calf idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be until they are capable of purity?
6For this is even from Israel! The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
8Israel is swallowed up. Now they are among the nations like a worthless thing.
9For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.
10But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
11Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning.
12I wrote for him the many things of my law, but they were regarded as a strange thing.
13As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but Yahweh doesn’t accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt.
14For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Hosea 8.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Destruction threatened for the impiety of Israel. (1-4). For their idolatry. (5-10). Further threatenings for the same sins. (11-14).
vv1-4
When Israel was hard pressed, they would claim protection from God, but this would be disregarded. What stead will it stand in to say, My God, I know thee, if we cannot say, My God, I love thee, serve thee, and cleave to thee only?
vv5-10
They promised themselves plenty, peace, and victory, by worshipping idols, but their expectations came to nothing. What they sow has no stalk, no blade, or, if it have, the bud shall yield no fruit, there was nothing in them. The works of darkness are unfruitful; nay, the end of those things is death. The hopes of sinners will deceive them, and their gains will be snares. In times of danger, especially in the day of judgment, all carnal devices will fail. They take a course by themselves, and like a wild ass by himself, they will be the easier and surer prey for the lion. Man is in nothing more like the wild ass's colt, than in seeking for that succour and that satisfaction in the creature, which are to be had in God only. Though men may sorrow a little, yet if it is not after a godly sort, they will be brought to sorrow everlastingly.
vv11-14
It is a great sin to corrupt the worship of God, and will be charged as sin on all who do it, how plausible soever their excuses may seem to be. The Lord had caused his law to be written for them, but they cared not to know, and would not obey it. Man seems by the temples he builds to be mindful of his Maker, yet really he has forgotten him, because he has cast off all his fear; but none ever hardened his heart against God and prospered. So long as men despise the truths and precepts of God's word, and the ordinances of his worship, all the observances and offerings, however costly, of their own devising, will be unto them for sin; for those services only are acceptable to God, which are done according to his word, and through Jesus Christ.
Key Words
שׁוֹפָר: a cornet (as giving a clear sound) or curved horn
חֵךְ: properly, the palate or inside of the mouth; hence, the mouth itself (as the organ of speech, taste and kissing)
נֶשֶׁר: the eagle (or other large bird of prey)
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
עָבַר: to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
בְּרִית: a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)
פָּשַׁע: to break away (from just authority), i.e. trespass, apostatize, quarrel
תּוֹרָה: a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch
זָעַק: to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
Cross References
Hosea 8The swift, destructive invader descending 'as an eagle' fulfills the covenant curses of Moses.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament expression of the spiritual principle that whatever a man sows, he will also reap.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Uses identical imagery of being cast off as a broken, despised vessel wherein is no pleasure.
Supported by JFB
Ephraim's perversity in paying and hiring foreign lovers rather than being courted by them.
Supported by JFB
The command to sound the warning trumpet of judgment and imminent war.
Supported by JFB
Hypocritical professions of 'Lord, Lord' parallel Israel crying 'My God, we know thee' in distress.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
They profess to know God, but in their deeds and works they deny Him.
Supported by JFB
The description of the wild ass running headstrong and alone in the wilderness.
Supported by JFB
God gathering hostile nations to execute judgment on Israel rather than helping them.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Trusting in lying words of empty religious claim while violating God's covenant.
Supported by JFB
The historical setting up of Jeroboam as king without God's sanction or appointment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The proverbial truth that those who sow iniquity shall reap vanity and trouble.
Supported by JFB
Fulfills the specific covenant threat that disobedience would result in a return to Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Judah's defensive multiplication of cities met by God's devouring fire on her palaces.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The continuing sin of making molten images of their silver according to their own understanding.
Supported by JFB