The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 171

monifcsts itself in prootice, the latter em- Israel wonld loee the land of promis,i. bmoes the proper feelings ond orrections; There is still theworu "there" to be accounte,l the formor is seen in works of chr.rity ond for. It cannot well bo rendered '' therein," benevolence, the Jotter consists in right nor taken BS f\ particle of time eqnivalen t to moti\•es ond tho right relation of the soul "the," with Cyril and others. It is local, and to God. Tho Hebrew form of speech here points to the place where their breach of used donotcs inferior importonce, not the covenant and faithlessness had occurre,1. neg11tion of import11nce. A similor sen- Yet this local sense ie not neces.."11,rily so timent occurs in 1 Sam. xv. 22, "Hoth the limited as to be referred, with some, to Lord os greot delight in burnt offerings and Bethel, a.a the scene of their apostaey and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of tb_e idolatry. "There, to Ierael," ea.ye Pusey, Lord? Behold, to obey is better than se.cn- '' wa.e not only Bethel, or Dan, or Gilgal, or fice and to heorken tuon the fat of rams." Mizpa.b, or Gilead, or any or all of the Por~llel statements are found in Isa. i. places which God ha.d hallowe,\ by his 11-17; Ps. xl. 7-9 and 1. 8; aliio in mercies and they ha.d defiled. It was every Micah vi. 8. Our Lord cites the first clause high hill, each idol-chapel, each field-altar, of ver. 6 twice-once ogainst Pharisaic which they had multiplied to their idols. ccremonialism (Matt. ix.. 1~), and aga!~ To the sinners of Israel it was every spot age.inst rigorous. sabbata~msm _(~at.t. xu. of the Lord's land which they had defiled 7) ; while there 1s an allus10n to 1t ID Mark by their sin." The word thus acquires a xii. 33, where love to God and to one's very suggestive significance, reminding Israel neighbour is declared to be better, or" more of God's goodness on the one hand, a.nd than, whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." of their own sinfulness and ingratitude on Sacrifices in themselves, ond when offered the other. at the proper time and place, and as the Vera. 8, 9. - In these two verses the expressions of penitent hearts and pure prophet adduces proof of that faithless- hands, were acceptable, and could not be ness with which he had just charged Israel. otherwise, for God himself had appointed Gilead is a oity of them that work iniquity, them. But soulless sacrifices offered by and is polluted with blood. The latter clause men steeped in siu were an abomination to is more literally rendered, foot-'fYl'inted or the Lord; it was of such he so.id, "I cannot foot-tracked from bwod. Two things require away with" them. It is to such that the consideration here-the place and its pol- prophet refers here, BB is plain from the lution. Gilead is sometimes a. mountain following verse. range, and sometimes the mountainous Ver. 7.-Bnt they like men (margin, like region ea.et of the Jordan ; it bas Ba.shan Allam) have transgressed the oovenant: on the north, the Arabio.n plateau on the there have they dee.It treaoheronsly against east, and Moo.b on the south. It stretches me. This vi,rse is voriously rendered. (1) from the south end of the Sea of Galilee to '111ey like men ( that is, men in general, or the north end of the Dead Sea-some sutv the rest of mankind, to whom they are in miles in length by twenty in breadth. ThEI 110 way superior) have transgressed the po.rt of Gilead between the Hieromu ond covenant. (2) They are like men who trans- the Jabbok is now ea.lied Jebel Ajlun.; while gress a covenant ; according to this rendering the section south of the Jabbok forms the the word c,11 is otiose, or adds nothiug, nor is province of Belka. In the New Testament indeed required. (B) They like Adam have it is spoken of under the nome of Ferree., transgreued the covenant; this rendering, or beyond Jordan. Sometimes the whole supported by the Vulga.te, C1ril, L~ther, trans-Jordanic territory belonging to Israel Uosenmiiller, and Wiinsclie, 1s decidedly is co.Bed Gilead. In the passage before us prefemble, and yields a suitable sense. it is the name of a city, though soJUe take God in his great goodness had pla.ntecl it to meon the whole land of Gilead. The Adorn in Poro.dise ; but Adam violo.ted tho meu of Gilead a.nd the Gilradites in general commo.ndment which prohibited his ea.tin!: seem to have been fierce, wild mountaineer~; of the tree of knowledge, and thereby and yet they are represented as still wor:;e tronsgressed the covenant of his God. Loss in this Scripture, They are not only bar- of fellowship with God ond expulsion from lmrous and wicked, but murderous a.ud in- Eden were the penol consequences tho.t famous for homicidal atrocities. As eviilence immediately followed. Israel, like Adam, in some sort of the justness of thi~ dark hwl boon settled hy God in P,uestinc, tile picture, the murder of Pek~hia.~ by Pekoh glory of o.11 louds; but, ungrateful fo1· God's with "fifty men of the G1leo.dites," WI re- grco.t bounty a.ncl gmcioua gift, they broke corded in 2 Kiugs xv. 25, may be specified. the coveno.nt of their God, tile condition of The word i'l?'PY. is taken (1) by some as the which, as in the oose of the Ada.mic cove- nant, was obedience. Thus the comparison feminine of the adjective :i.1p~, crafty, cuu- projects the shadow of o. coming event when ning, wily; thus RBBhi explains it: "Gilead  170 THE BOOK OF HOSEA. (OR. Vt 1-11.