The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 277

briefly notioed. (1) The LXX., reading ·m:\ the Hebrews omit atid. Driver (' Hobrew o-;•;:i, reudel'('d, "Ephra.im, even as I ee.w, Tenses,' p. 300) says of this uso.go of the ~.;;e her children for 11. prey (£ld17fpav)." (2) so-called "poriphro.stio future,'' "Here the Ewald, conjecturing :i:i,:i:, renders, "Ephr11.im infinitive with ,, e:r.pressing as usuo.l e. direo- is, as I judge, Recording to the form, a plant- tion, tendenoy, or aim, forms the solo predi- ing in a meadow." Rejecting both these, oa.te: the subject, ns a rule, stcmds first, so we cnrne (3) to that of Gesenius : "Ephraim, as to engage the mind, the purpose which is like Tyre (o.s if it were Tyre). is planted in a postulated for it follows; and thus tho idea b<'R II Ii fu I meadow;" De W ette's is," Ephraim, arises of an inevitable sequence or obliga- when (or if) I looke.s fo.r as TyTe, is planted tion, though not ono of e. foruui.l or pro- on a pleasant meadow;" Keil has," Ephraim, nounced character, which is expressed in RS I selected it for a Tyre planted in the Hebrew by other means (i.e. by the nd<lition ,·alley; so shall Ephraim lead out its sons of ,v, or of,, a.s •~)!, equivalent to 'incumbent t<i I.Im mmderer." All these renderings are upon me'); Hos. ix. 13, 'And Ephraim ia fau It y in one respect or other ; some of them for bringing forU,, his sou's to the slayer;' or, miss the sense altogether, o.nd others of as this is the entire scope and objeot in them obscure it. (4) The rendering that regard to whioh Ephraim is here coosidered appears to us simplest, most in harmony --is to or mUBt bring forth." Give them, with the Hebrew. and most suit11.ble to the 0 Lord : what wilt thou give 1 give them a context, is that of Wiinshe, but with a modi- misoarrying womb and dry breasts. The fication-that of a secure dwelling-ple.ce prophet seems at e. loss to know what he instead of meadow : "Ephraim, a.s I look should ask for his countrymen. Though it towards Tyre, is planted on 11. meadow [ra.ther, was not tote.I excision, but rather diminution • sure resting-place'], and Ephraim must lead of numbers, that was threatened in o.ccord- out its sons tu the murderer." The meaning, ance with the statement, "If thou wilt not then, is that Ephraim is a lovely l.e.nd. in observe to do all the words of this Law . . . whatever direction one looks towards it, like ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye the famous Tyre; it was bee.utiful and were as the stars of heaven for multitude;" blooming, populous as well as pleasant; or yet at every stage their offspring was to be rather, strong in its natural fortifications, like cut off, or, if spa.red to arrive at manhood, it the famous capital of Phainicia; yet the was only to fe.Il by the hand of the murderer. wrath of Heaven hung over it-it would No wonder, then, the prophet is perplexed become waste and emptied of its male popu- in regard to the petition tho.t would be most lation, Ephraim being obliged to send forth expedient for them. He hardly knew what the bravest of her sons to repel the hostile was best to ask on their behalf. (1) The invader, and to perish in the tumult of the thought at length flashed upon hin:t t~o.t be.tile. By combining a po.rt of Rashi's ex- utter childlessness was preferable to bnngmg position \'l'ith po.rt of Kimchi's, \'1'0 reach the up children to be slain with the sword or correct sellSe. Ro.shi has, "Ephraim, as I trained in idolatry ; hence he pro.yed for look towards Tyre, which in its prosperity is what he regarded as the less calamity-" a crowned above o.ll cities, so I look upon miscarrying womb and dry breasts." Or Ephraim planted on e. meadow;" so far the (2) the prophet is agitated between com- explanation is correct, not so what follow•: passion for his countrymen and indigna. "luld Ephraim-how does he reward me? tion at their sin. Justly indignant e.t the He is busied in bringing forth his sons to heinousness of their iniquity, he is about to the murderer in order to se.cri.fice them to appeal to Heaven for vengeance on the trans- idols ; " in place of this latter po.rt we substi- gressors, but in pity for the erring people tute the following of Kimchi: "The enemies he checks the half-uttered impreco.tion, or shall come npon them, and they shall march softens it into the milder request for their out from their cities to meet them in battle, extinction by childlessness. aod the enemies she.II slay them." The in- Vera. 15-17.-After the interruption by finitive with z,, tt'i:'..r,, implies the necessity the excited question of the prophet in ver. imposed on Ephraim.to do so. Ephraim is 14, the terrible storm of denunciation sweeps to Jcad out, or mUBt lead out, his sons to the on to the end of the chapter. All their murderer. Rosenmiiller, in bis commentary, wickedness is in Gilgal : for there I hated l,a.s tl..ii, following remark on this idiom at them; or, there I conceived hatred again8' the fifteenth nr.e of the forty-ninth psalm: them, the verb being used in an inchoative "Tempus infioitivum positum esse /uturi sense. Gilgo.l had been the scene of many sive e.oristi, vice, pro eo quod plenum esset mercies; there the rite of circumcision, the ,i, 7'11J1 = pa.ro.tus est," etc. He adds that seal of the Abrahamio covenant, after its tbC; Syrio.c prefixes ai.id, equivalent to omission during the sojourn in the wilder- paratWl C;St to the innnitive with lomad, and ness, was renewed ; there the Po.seovcr, e.180 ,o makt:s a pare.phrase of the future; while intermitted from its second observe.nee a\ on. ix. 1-17.] 'fHE BOOK OF HOSEA. 277