The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 53

• V111lcy,' ne it should be, His because it shall namo, which, in the lips of Israel, harl supr:r- be to thPm as a door, einco from there they sederl that of the true God the rneanino- bein" ahnll outer into 1ho lanrl as they rlicl at the (2) "Thou wilt no more c~ll to me, :l'Iy°DMI.;: first, and it shall ho to them hope and the Nay, the names of Be.ale aha.II become (I() nim of what is good; consequently they call abhorrent to their better feelings, as well as it the door of hope. And the sago Rabbi hat-Oful to Jehovah, that they shall pass away Ahmhiim explains the valley of Achor to be at once from their mouth and from their tho valloy of Jezreel, viz. 'bccnuse I [Jeho- memory, never more to be mentioned and vah] troubled her there, it will turn to a door never more to be remembered. Rashi's com- of hope.' And R. 8. I. (R11sbi) of blessed ment favours (l); thus:" Ye shall serve me rnemory Pxplains it as the depth of the oat o_f love, anrl not out of fear ; i.hi denoting exile, where they were troubled; so ' I will mamage and youthful love; baali, lordship give her e. door of hope, tile beginning of and fear.'' hope, the.t out of the midst of those troubles Ver. 18.-A state of tranquillity was to I will give her ll heart to return to me.'" follow, a sort of golden age was to ensue. To the same purpose he quotes a. brief com- With both the rational and irrational crea- ment of Saadia Gaon. c:;i:;i, cognate with tion they would be at peace,enjoying security Arabic karma, to be noble, equivalent to from the one and safety from the other. "the more fruitful e.nd producLive." The Peace would be established with the hostile word mishsham is, according to some, (I) an forces of the outer world, and peace at the expression or time, equivalent to "from the same time national and political. With the time of their departure fro:n the desert,"- beasts of the 11ald-viz. the wild beasts, as so Keil·: others explain it as (2)" thereout,'' contrasted with b•hemah, ta.me animals-and i.e. "I will me.ke their vineyards out of it," with the fowls of heaven-i.e. birds of prey, -so Simson ; and others, a.gain, explain it destructive of the fruits of the fitld- "from there or thence.'' It is taken in the e.nd with the oreepillg things of the ground, last-mentioned sense by Kimcbi, as follows: detrimental to the products of the earth, ·• From the wilderness I will give the whole they would be in league; while weapons of land, which she formerly possessed, a.a if be war would be devoted to destruction, the said, 'I will constitute her there in the bow and the sword and the battle being wilderness to do good to her in her land,' broken, and not only so, but banished out of because that in the wilderness of the peoples the earth, so that L.--rael, free from tb e alarm he will purify them and consume the re- of a night ntta.ck, and protected by night as bellious and the transgressors, so that the well as by day, would be made to lie down remainder shall fear ( or flock reverently to safely. Milehamah is constructed with eshbor him). Consequently they shall need con- by zeugma.; or it includes, as Kimcbi ex- Rola.tions, and he shall speak to their he,ut. plains it, •• a.11 the implements of wa.r except Because God-blessed be be l-she.11 give the bow and sword, which he has already them their land e.s a.t the first; therefore mentioned.'' he says, ' And I will speak to their heart.' Vers. 19, 20.-Much as was included in And although we have explained that the these promises, more and better was to follow. consolations shall spring out of the distress The divorced wife was to be taken be.ck; which they endured in exile, yet will the the marriage contract, which her shameful whole be as well for the one (viz. the con- adultery bad vitiated, was to be renewed, solation) o.s for the other (the trouble)." It and past offences condoned. This certainly is aptly remarked by Aben Ezra, in relation evi,lenced extra.ordinary forbearance and to the vineyards, that " the words fo1·m a affection. But it we.a not all. A new and contrast to the other words of the prophet, higher relationship was to be entered on ; 'And I will destroy their vine ; ' •· likewise so entirely had God forgi\·en and forgotten, Kimchi asking, "And why bas the prophet if we may so say, al! the multiplied 11,nd only menLioned their vineyards (i.e. when aggravated transgressions of 1srael against purposing to give them the whole land)? him, that that people is not to be received llcl'ause ho had mentioned in their punisb- back a.s a. repudiated wife, but to be hence- mcut, 'I will destroy her vines,' he mentions forth regarded and treated 11s f!. chaste virgin, in the promised consolation her vineyards.'' and in that capacity betrothed uuto the LorJ. Vera. 16, 17.-In these verses a. renewal of And I will betroth thee unto me is the gra- God's covcnunt with Israel, under the figure cious promise thrice repeated, aud each time of a m1uriage contract, is predicted. 'fbe with au additional rlemeut of mercy; uor i~ nnrue by which Israel shall address her this betrothal of a temporary character tmd bclornd shall be henceforth Ishi, not Baali; of short continua.nee, like the previous mar- that is, a term of tender affection, not of stern riage compact which the wife's guilt a short authority. (1) The title of" My Husband" time bad rendered null and voicl. It is a will take the place of "My Lord." Somo durable betl'Otht1l, lastiug fo:r ever. Next to suppose that the latter title Wl'B the idol's the timf' during which this betrcitbul sl.11!1 ilOSEA, J,; 50 THE BOOK OF HOSEA. [cu. u. 1-23,