Chapter 5

1 God’s judgments against the priests, the people, and the princes of Israel, for their manifold sins, 15 until they repent.

1. Hear ye this. The various classes of people of the northern kingdom are here addressed, priests, citizens, and members of the royal family. In God’s imperial realm of moral and spiritual requirements all stand free and equal in obeying or disobeying the divine law of righteousness. There is no respect of persons; all are placed on the same level and will be judged by the same standard (see on Deut. 10:17).

Judgment is toward you. To the priests had been given the authority to teach the people (2 Chron. 15:3); to the king and his princes, the right and prerogative to execute civil judgments upon Israel. Now, however, because the entire nation is enmeshed in sin, leaders as well as people are the subjects of divine judgment, for these leaders have “been a snare” to the nation instead of being the people’s safeguard.

The announcement of “judgment” carries out the threat implied in the sign-name of Lo-ruhamah (see on ch. 1:6). Here, “judgment” is equivalent to Lo-ruhamah, “not pitied,” or “no mercy” (see on ch. 2:23).

Mizpah. Perhaps mentioned along with Tabor to show the wide extent of the nation’s evil influence, Mt. Tabor being west of the river Jordan, and Mizpah probably in Gilead. It is generally assumed that this does not refer to the Mizpah of Benjamin, since that was in the southern kingdom.

2. Revolters. The Hebrew of the first half of v. 2 is uncertain.

I have been a rebuker. Willful and desperately sinful men may abandon all the criteria of righteousness, but God cannot be put out of the human conscience and experience (see Acts 26:14). No other witness against the sinner is needed than his own conscience. The wicked cannot deceive the all-knowing Rebuker nor evade the penalty of their wrongdoing (Ps. 33:13–15; Heb. 4:13).

3. Not hid from me. See on v. 2.

O Ephraim. This powerful, leading tribe was apparently the ringleader in calf worship and other idolatries, through this evil influence all Israel was defiled.

4. Not frame their doings. Or, “their doings do not allow.” So far have they gone into transgression that they find it impossible now to turn back to repentance as a nation. How forcefully this indicates the power of habit in human experience (see Jer. 13:23; 2 Peter 2:12–14). The outward actions of the people indicate that they had become so corrupt that the “inner man” could not be reached by the Spirit (see Eph. 3:16).

The spirit of whoredoms. For comment see on ch. 4:12.

5. Pride. Heb. gaХon (see on Ps. 47:4; Jer. 12:5). This may be a reference to the Lord, who was Israel’s excellency. In this case, the God who should have been the people’s glory, but who was now ignored and slighted by them, will testify against them to the face through punishments upon them. Or “pride” here may refer to the prosperity and flourishing condition of Israel in Hosea’s day (see on Hosea 2:8), which engendered the haughtiness that brought about her unwillingness to do God’s will; a pride, which the LXX says, “shall be brought low before his face” (see Prov. 16:18; 18:12).

Judah also. The burden of the prophet’s message was directed toward Israel, but occasionally the kingdom of Judah was included “also.”

6. Go with their flocks. With many and costly sacrifices Ephraim seeks to propitiate the Lord (see 1 Sam. 15:22; Hosea 6:6).

Shall not find him. The people of Israel were not moved by true repentance, but by fear of approaching affliction. Love to God, which yields obedience, was not in their hearts (see Heb. 12:16, 17; see on Gen. 27:38).

7. Strange children. See on ch. 2:4.

Now shall a month devour them. Some have suggested that this implies that only a short time remains before the destruction of the kingdom. According to the alternative translation of the RSV, “now the new moon shall devour them,” the meaning is conveyed that their sacrificial feasts celebrated at that season will not save them from divine wrath. The whole chapter is a record of the people’s substitution of idol worship for the worship of God, and this passage may thus be an allusion to the substitution of a different month for the Lord’s appointed month for religious worship, which substitution had been forced upon the nation by Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:33).

8. Cornet. Heb. shophar (see Vol. III, p. 39). Hosea presents a graphic picture of Israel’s enemies as already on the march to execute the divine judgment.

Gibeah. Gibeah and Ramah were located in Benjamin, near its northern boundary and within the southern kingdom. They were suitable for giving signals of approaching danger because of their being situated on eminences.

Beth-aven. For comment see on ch. 4:15.

9. Desolate. Literally, “a horror,” or “a dreadful event [causing horror].” The day of rebuke is the time when God reproves sin by punishment.

10. Remove the bound. One who dared to remove his neighbor’s landmarks was violating one of Jehovah’s precepts (see Deut. 19:14; 27:17). In their utterly reckless and selfish disregard of the rights of others, the leaders of Judah did not hesitate to stoop to evils such as removing these boundaries. In this chapter Hosea interestingly and significantly mixes the condemnation and consequent punishment of both Israel and Judah. It is not difficult to see why this should be, since Judah’s judgment and captivity followed, and not too long afterward, the punishment and captivity of Israel. The kingdoms may be different, but their ultimate fate will be the same. Hence the prophet’s composite picture.

I will pour out my wrath. An emphatic, strong overflowing of divine wrath is meant, which will completely overwhelm these lawless leaders.

11. Oppressed and broken. Or, “oppressed and crushed.” God will use the heathen to chastise His people.

The commandment. Literally, “a commmand.” Rather than follow the commandments of God, the people obeyed those of men (see Matt. 15:7–9). It is likely that this specifically refers to the command of Jeroboam I to worship the calves, when he revolted from Judah (see 1 Kings 12:25–33).

12. As a moth. This is a graphic figure depicting the gradual decline and decay of Israel’s moral and spiritual life. The moth that eats garments aptly represents slow but sure destruction (Job 13:28).

13. His sickness. Both Israel and Judah sensed their national decline. However, instead of turning to God for help, Ephraim turned to Assyria. Ephraim alone is mentioned as seeking this assistance because the northern kingdom was the first to become involved with Assyria (2 Kings 15–18).

Jareb. Heb. yareb. We do not know to what Assyrian king, if any, this name applied. Some suggest that yareb, instead of being a proper name, is a descriptive term, possibly from the root rib, “to contend.” Hence they suggest the phrase, “the king who contends.” Others assume that the root is rabab, “to be great,” and suggest the title “the great king.” The latter meaning is given support by the common title used by the kings of Assyria, sharru rabuµ, “the great king” (compare the Ugaritic mlk rb, “the great king.” Compare also the origin of the title “rabbi,” see on Isa. 19:20). The LXX reading, Iarim, suggests the title malki ram, “the exalted king.”

Not heal you. Hosea reminds his people that whatever help they would seek outside of God would be in vain.

14. As a lion. A symbol of the destroying conqueror. As by a lion, which first rends its prey and then takes it away, God’s people will first be rent, torn in pieces, and then carried away into captivity.

15. I will go and return. Still employing the figure of the lion that carries his prey away and then retires to his den or cave, the prophet represents God as withdrawing to His place in heaven after bringing captivity upon His people. When as a result of “their affliction” the people are truly repentant, and then only, will they find God, as Jeremiah so beautifully and tenderly expresses it in his prophecy (Jer. 29:10–14).

Acknowledge. The two necessary steps in repentance are confession of sin and surrender to God (see Ps. 32:1, 2, 5, 6; Isa. 59:1, 2).

Ellen G. White comments

7    PK 279

11, 13  PK 280