The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 139

revealed himself to them as t() M other us,mlly goes before destruction, 11nd a nation; ho hud given them his Law, he bad haughty spirit before a fall. The conse- made them depositnrios of his truth and the quence of Israel's pride was the fall here conservators of his living oracles: their mentioned. The ten tribes comp0sing the ignornnce, therefore, was altogether inex- northern kingdom fell into gross and grievous cusable, while it evinced greatest ingratitude sin, and therefore also into Jong suffering to Johovnb, who bad taken them into cove- and sore sorrow. Even Ephraim, that tribe nant with himself, and declared himself to pre-eminent for power as for pride, and the bo their God. perpetual rival of Judah, shall fall as well Ver. 5.-And the pride of Israel doth as and with the rest. Judah also, that i,, testify to his faoe. This may be understood ?udah proper, _and Benjamin, participating (l) of Jehovah, who was Israel's glory, as we m the same evil course, fell like Israel into road in Amos vii. 7 of "the excellency of sin, and, thongh more than a century later, Israel." '!'his explanation suits at once the into ruin. sense and the context. They knew not In vers. 6-10 the prophet details the un- God, notwithstanding the special advantages availing and ineffectual efforts of Israel to they enjoyed for that knowledge; they had avert, or at least escape from, the threatened no liking to the knowledge of God, they did judgments. not concern themselves about it: and now Ver. 6.-They shall go with their 11.oclu Jehovah, who should have been their excel- and with their herds to aeek the Lord. In lency and glory, but who had been thus this way they attempt to break, if not pre- slighted by them, will testify against them vent, their fall. With numerous and costly and bear witness to their fa.ce by judgments. sacrifices they endeavour to propitiate Je- But (2) another interpretation recommends hovah. With sheep and goats out of their itself as equally or more suitable. This flocks, and with bullocks and heifers out of interpretation understands "pride" more their herd, they try to make reparation for simply to mean the prosperous state and the past or to secure present and future flourishing condition of which Israel was favour. But in vain. Israel might go to proud, or rather, perhaps, the haughtiness of Bethel and Judah to Jerusalem; but to no Israel, owing to those very circumstances of purpose. They shall not find him: he bath worldly wealth and greatness. This vain withdrawn himself. Their repentance came pride and self-exaltation was the great too late: or when it did come it wanted obstacle in the way of their turning to the sincerity; or it was a wrong motive which Lord. If this sense of the word be accepted, prompted it-fear of approaching calamity the verb had better be rendered " humbled," and not love to their Creator; or their sins arneaningwhichitoftenhas; thus, "humbled ran parallel with their sacrifice. Forgetting shall be the pride oflsrael to his face" (that that obedience ia better than sacrifice, they is, in his own sight). Such is the translation cherished a disobedient spirit or continne,I of the LXX. : Ta1rtw,.,fHiD'<T111, ;, f!/3p« Tov in their course of disobedience notwithstand- 'lapafi>.. <ls 1rpoa,.,,ro11 avTov, "The pride of ing their outward sacrificial service. For Israel shall be brought low before his face:" one cause or other they fail in their efforts while the Chaldeetranslates similarly, "The to find him ; for, instead of being a present glory of Israel shall be humbled while they help in time of trouble, he has withdrawn see it;" the Syriac has," The pride of Israel beyond their reach; he has removed the shall be humbled in his presence," or before Shechinah-glory of his presence from among bis eyes. Aben Ezra also to.kes the idea them : or he has loosed himself from all of the verb to be humiliation or depression : those ties that once bound him in mercy to while Kimchi takes gaon not so much in them, just &a a hushcmd frees himself from the sense of the inward feeling, as of those all responsibilities and disarms all liabilities outward circumstances that promoted it- on behalf of a faithless partner whom he bas thoir greatness and grandeur and glory; been forced to divorce. And such is the and, alluding to the words of the Chaldee specific reason assigned in the next verse. rendering," in their sight," he says, "While Ver. 7.-They have dealt treacherously they are still in their land before tlieir cap- against the Lord: for they _have begotten tivity, they shall perceive their humiliation strange children. This may refer to inter- and degradation, inijtesd of the glory which marriages with idolatera, when the offspring they had at the beginning." Kimohi, how- of such forbidden unions departed still ever, llli well as most other commentators, further from the worship of Jehovo.h: or the seems to have understood the verb in the children of godless Jewish parents reflected sense of "testify:" thus, "Isrnel's pride will yet more the wicked works and ways of testify to his face, when he shall take upon suoh parents. In consequence of the infi- him its punishment." Therefore shall dtJlity of the wife, the children were not the Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity ; offspring of lawful wedlock or coujugal Judah alao shall fall with them. Pride union; iu other words, they were ohildr.iu  138 THE BOOK OF HOSEA. [on. v. 1-16.