The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 205

01•J; • others ngain ( o) take the word e.8 e. brought their heart into their e.m bush, ns nominative absolute, or translate the clau8o into the oven." In this rendering he com- 08 on Independent one i thus Simson: "It bines the explanation of Ewald and Hitzig. is tho dtiy of our king." 2. Again, n1:>:1, 2. In the second clause which Keil tro.ne- st. construct of n9~, from the root con or en• lates in the ea.me sense as (1) the Authorized (for tho construct state is used, not only for Version, Wiinsche (2) changes the common the genitive-relation, but also before pre- reading into c;;,p~; equivalent to ci9~, their positions, the relative pronoun, relative anger, e.nd translates accordingly," All night clauses, evon vav copulative, etc.), is (1) the their anger sleeps, in the mornin<> it bums o.ocusative of the clause, t:quivalent to "in like flaming fire." 'rhat the reading here the heat (prnceeding) from wine; " or (2) be is somewhat doubtful may be inferred from may be uncler,tood; or (3) the preposition the fact that the LXX. has 'Etpp111,u : w bile min ma.y be regarded o.s tra.nsposed,-Rashi the Cbaldee and Syrie.c rugzehon, their fury; explains it : '' From the heat of the wine still, as it is only a. conjectural emendation, that burneth in them;" or (4) •~y:i ma.y be we prefer abiding by the ordinary reading and rendering, at least in this instance. The supplied, as Wiinsche suggests, "equivalent following explanation of the whole verse by to "possessors (bearers) of heat from wine." Aben Ezra gives a consistent sense: " By 3. i'~ is a. scoffer and worse tha.n ~'C!:;i, a fool, D:JiN:J are meant their evil purposes, whicil or •np, a. simpleton ; the last acts through they devise e.11 night long. And their heart ine:X:perience, the second from unwisdom, is like e.n oven, only with the difference the first, though possessing in some measure that there the baker sleeps the whole night, both wisdom o.nd experience, e.cts in dis- and only in the morning kindles the oven ; regard of both. Tile meaning is given by but their heart does not sleep at all, but Kimchi in the following comment: "The devises evil the whole night." It is curious sense of ,'D 'n is the.t the one ea.me with his how Rashi and Kimchi, while gidng in the bottle full of wine, e.nd the other with his main the same explanation with Abeu Ezra, bottle; and they me.de the king sick; " and differ from him about the meaning of the to this there is an. exact parallel in Hab. sleeping. The former has the following brief ii. 15, "Woe unto him that giveth his neigh- comment: "Their baker lights the oven. bour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, After they h!l.ve prepared their heart and and makest him drunken also." In the thought out the consummation of their second clause the expression, "drawing out wickedness, how tlley could carry the same the hand," is borrowed from drunken carou- into effect, then their baker sleeps, that is, sals, in which the hand is stretched out in. they sleep till morning; a.t the break of day, asking, receiving, and handing the goblets; however, they burn like fire, until they have or, more simply, according to Pusey, who brought their wickedness fully to an end." says, "Men in drink reach out their hands Kimchi goes into the matter a little more to any whom they meet, in token. of their fully, ae is usual with him; he comments sottish would-be friendliness." o.s follows: "The bee.rt is the iustrument of the thought, and the power that works Ver. 6.-This verse, Wiinsohe thinks, is therein is the baker by way of figure. An,l probably the most difficult in the whole book. e.s the baker lig:hts the oven at night, and I. 'l'he translation of the first clause in the in the morning finds that the pieces of wood Authorized Version is susceptible of o. more have burnt out, and he baketh therein the literal aud improved rendering. (1) '' For bread, which is the ohief end of the work of they bring near as e.n oven their heo.rt, whilst heating; and lo, the baker sleeps in the they lie in wait;" that is, they approach the night after he has put the pieces of wood king with loyalty on their lips, but hatred into the oven, because he has nothing more in their heart. 'l'heir heart (which is the to do till the morning. Just so the baker fact) is heated with evil passion, e.s o.u oven in this figurative sense, which is the power (which is the figure) is heated for be.king of thought-he sleeps in the night; ns if he purposes; while they a.re secretly set for so.id he lies there a.nd rests, because the pro- wickedness. (2) Wiinsche, o.fter enumerat- ject comes not forth into execution until the ing e. great variety of renderings and ex- morning; and the prophet cnlls him who positions, with uone of which he is satisfied, thinks sleeping, because that there is no. gives the following: "For they press olose effort of the body in thought. In the morn- together; lilre 0.11 oy-en is their heart in their ing he bn.rneth, a.s if he said that they are artifice (cunning)." The meaning, accord- in fl.nme in the morning to execute the evil ing to tbe so.me author, is tlu~t a.II scotfors which they have devised at night." o.nd king alike, press near each oth;r 1 beiuo- Ver. 7.-1. "To call unto me (God)" is to ofone heart and disposition; cunuing make~ cry to God for help and succour, to seek them one single society. (3) Keil traush\tes safety and deliverance with him. It is not wore simply as follows : "For they have the so.me with that other expression, viz. 20! THE BOOK OF HOSEA. toH, VII, 1-18.