The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 239

in Soripture, 111 Ezek. :nxix. 11 and Pe. not approve; and ao wo must dieliirtgnieh -,di. 10." The word "I1rael" ie omitted by between the pPrmieeion and npproval or the LXX. and Syriao, and in many manu- .lohovah; in hie government he permits scripts of Kennicott and De Roesi. many thing's which from hie nature we Ver. 8.-brael hath out off the thing thl\t know he doee not e.nd cannot npprove. is good : the enemy ahall plll'l!ne him. This 1"1'11':i is usually and properly rendered, is the reply of Jehovah. The good which "they have mnde princes; " but Aben Ism<>! rejeeted ie not eXActly God the One Ezra and Rashi translate it 118 ,-,,o:,, equi- Good. nor Jehovah the greatest Good, nor valent to '' they have removed;" while the the Law, which was good; but all the Ma.ssora reckon ,,,ri,:, in the number or ,:oodness which he bestows on euch ae keep those words which are written with shin his coven1mt. This Israel rejected, and in but are read and explained with samech. turn is reje<'ted of God and delivered up Some manuscripts also of Kennioott and int<"i the hands of hi! pursuers. De Rosei have ,,,c,:,, Of their lilver and 'Ver. 4.-They have set up kings, but not their gold have they me.de them idols, that by me : they have made princes, and I knew they (literally, it) may be out oft'. This is a it not. Here was the first instance and second proof of Israel's renunciation of eddence of Israel's rejection of Jehovah. Jeho-rnh. They used their gold in making Their conduct was not guided by Divine the idolatrous calves, and their silver in direction, nor in obedience to the Divine BUpporting their idolatrous worship; or they will, nor with the Dinne sanction, This mllde the idol-calves, eome of silver, and state of things began with Isre.ei's revolt others of gold. The consequence rather from the house of David, and rebellion than the purpose is the destruction of it, against the eon of Solomon their legitimate namely, the gold and silver; or the ruin of sovereign, and we.s repeated in snbsequent the kingdom or of each member of it; or usurpations. Perhaps we may go further the cutting off of their name, acl'.ording to back, even to the appointment of the first Kimchi. The word JJ1!:l?, like Iva: in Greek, Iring of the yet nndivided kingdom, when is generally telic, denoting "purpose ; " "the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto nor is it ecbatic here, denoting '' result," the voice of the people in all that they se.y though, according to the Hebrew mode of unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, thought, design and consequence often coin- but they have rejected me, that I should cide. Its meaning here is well explained not reign over them." Usurpations such ae by Keil, "'~ describes the consequence of those of Zimri, Omri, and Shallum at least this conduct, which, though not designed, are comprehended in the appointments re- was nevertheless inevitable, e.s if it had ferred to-appointments on making which been distinctly intended." - the people did not inquire of the Lord, nor act under hie guidance, nor seek his sano- Ver. 5.-Thy calf, 0 Se.maria, hath cast tion. Some go so far e.s to incl ode all the thee off; mine anger is kinilled age.inst kings of Ierael that euoceeded Jeroboam. them. This portion of the verse has occa- Thus Cyril saye, "He denies the kingdom sioned much diversity of transfation and of Israel and his BUcceesore on the throne exposition, and yet the general meaning is of Israel." Aben Ezra also extends the much the same; (1) In the translation (a) statement to the kings of the northern of the Authorized Version the word " thee" kingdom from the days of Jeroboam: is supplied; others (JJ) supply "me," mean, "They inquired not of God with reepect ing Jehovah, thus," Thy calf, 0 Samaria, to the making of Jeroboam king, although bath cast me off;" while (o) Rosenmiiller it is written, • Thon ehalt in any wise set prefers supplying "them," viz. the Israel- him kino- over thee whom the Lord thy ites : "Thy calf, 0 Samaria, hath cast them God sbll choose.'" A seeming contra- off," i.e. has been the cause of their rejec- diction here existe between the statement tion, which is favoured by c:i in the follow- of the prophet here and that in I Kings xi. ing clauee. The meaning ~f (b) is pie.in, 37, where God promises by the Prophet the import being that the idol-worship had Ahijah, "I will take thee, and thou ehalt led to the rejection and so the withdrawal reign according to e.H that thy soul desireth., of Jehovah; while the sense of (a) conveys and el,e.lt be king over Israel," and the fact the idea that the golden calf which the of Jehu's nnointing being ordered by the country represented by its capital nnd the Prophet Eiisha, who sent one of the children government had eetab!ished at Bethel as of the prophets for that purpose with the the symbol of their worijhjp, so for from words, "Thus saith the Lord, I have protecting- its worshippers, would fall itself anointed thee king over Israel." The plot- into the hauds of the Aesyria.n invo.der. (2) ting of Jeroboam, and the <'.Onspira.cy of The Septuagint translates by o.,r&.,p•,j,a:, Tbv J ehu against J orem, and the cone piracies of JA-0<1-x_ov <1ou :Ia;µ.tip~1a:, equivalent tQ "Cast off other usurJl0n, were things whiah G<.>d could (as if nii] thy calf, 0 Samaria;" which is oit Viii. 'fLlil,] 'fHE BOOK OF HOSEA. 239