The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 307

I.hey shRll besubJeotedto the tynnt mastery eon1ne11 upon JO•• Hero thoy ah' urg9d of man. But (3) Keil says the word here is to turn ?Ver a new leaf, n.s we sny ; to begiu "not 't.o mount or ride,' but• t.o drive or use a new life; to root out the wocde of sin· to for drawing and driving,' i.~. to harness," ae erndicato those evil pe.eeions thnt checked !o the plough and h1urow. Thie meaning e.nd stifled nny noble feelings a.a the hus- 1s beet renl'hl'<l by understanding the words bnndmnn rune hie P!ough throu~h the fallow thus : "I will rne.ke the yoke t.o ride on field. and brnaks 1t up, olee.rmg out the ~r_hmim's nt'(',k;" "":i.::i,;, is used in 2 Kings weeds and roots, the.t the ground IDI\Y be xm. 16, for " put thine he.nd upon the bow," pure o.nd olean for the sowing of the margin, "make thine band to ride upon the seed in spring. _ The LXX., rending ,,u bow." The remaininp; clauses of the verso iusteo.d of li'l, 1'.l for i•i, l\Dd n1n for nJI.\ is a fnrtbe~ development of this expression, translates accordingly by 1f>01Tlaan fou- bnt extendmg to Judn.b; and thus includ- To,s tf,i,Js ')'Vdl<T•.,•· 'fhoy e.ro further re• ing both Judah and Ephraim, or Jacob-both minded thl\t it is high time to begin thiit kingdoms. 'fhe Septungint version of the process, laying esido their stiff-necked, per- last clause is peculie.r; it is Ilapa.,.,.,..-fr.,.o1.uu ve~e ways ; expelling from their heart the 'louoav, lv,<TXt!<T<I aJT,ii 'la,co,/3. Thnt is, 88 noxious growth that had overspread it; e.nd explained by Jerome, "I shnll leave Judah by every way and mee.ns working tiarnestly for the present and say nothing about him; e.nd zealously for e. renewe.l of life e.nd return but whoever, whether of Ephraim or Jude.h, to the long-neglected work o.nd worship of isho.11 observe my precepts, he she.11 acquire Jehovah. Neither were they to relax their strength for himself e.nd be co.Bed Ja.cob." efforts till the blessed end we.s atto.ined, Vers. 12, 13.-Sow to yourselves in right- iv, with imperfect, marking the goal to eousnesa, reap in mercy. These two verses be reached ; nor would their efforts be in cont.a.in a call to repentance and reformation ve.in. The Lord would rain-bestow abun- of life, in figurative language borrowed from dantly-Upon them, or touch (/mother and the same department of bume.n industry, 11;1ore frequent mee.ning of the worcl), their '"1%S iB " fur righteousness; " the.t is, sow nghteousnees. Thus the ground that had such seed &B that righteousness me.y spring long le.in fe.llow must be broken up ; its from it. ,;, ••his" according to," or "in pro- we.ate, wild ste.te must cease and give place portion to, mercy." When two imperatives to cultivation ; the ploughshare must be are joined, es here, the latter indice.tesa pro- driven through it;· ite wild growths and mise, e.nd may be expressed by a future, as, weeds must be out down and uprooted. A "Do this and live," i.e. "ye shall live" (Gen; process of renewe.l must sncceed; the vices :ilii. 18). Ki.mchiexplains it correctly, thus: of their nature.I sto.te, the idolatrous and "Sow to yourselves, etc., the.t is, do good in wicked practices the.t had sprung up, must mine eyes, and the recompense from me she.11 be abandoned. Renewe.l e.nd radical reform be far greater than your good deeds, just as ate imperatively deme.uded. Me.tters he.d if one sows a measure (sea.h), e.nd hopes to remained too long in' a miserable e.nd u~ reap therefor two measures (sea.he) or still satisfactory condition. A long night of more. Therefore, he uses in sowing right- sinful ~lumber he.d overcome them ; it we;s OOUIIIlellll, and in connection with ree.ping high time to awe.ke out of that sleep. Too grace, in order to in time.le the.t grace sur- long he.d they shamefully forgotten and for. p11,11Bes righteousneBB." Or the.t God rewe.rds so.ken God ; it was more than time to we.it men's actions, not according to merit, but upon him. Nor would such we.iting, if according to grace. .As men sow, they persevered in, end in disappointment; not- reap; accordingly Israel is directed to sow ac- wi thst.anding _their great e.ucl ru11uifold cording io righteousness-to e.ct righteously provocations, he would come and rain right- in their du.dings with their fellow-men; eousness in welcome, refreshing, e.nd plen- and their reaving or reward would be, not teons showers upon returning penitents; in proportion to what they be.d sown, not e.nd with righteousness would be conjoined merely commensurate with their righteous its rewe.rd of blessing e.nd salvation, both actioru or dealings, not proportionate to temporal e.nd spiritual. • what justice would give, but in proportion Ver. 13.-Ye have ploughed wiokedneBB, io mercy-Divine mercy, and so far above ye he.ve reaped iniquity; ye have so.ten the their highest deserts. They e.re promised fruit of lice. Hitherto their course had a reward far e.bove their poor doings, and been the very opposite of that which thoy irr,:,,;vecti ve of their sad failings--e. reward, are now exhorted to enter on. Hitherto not of debt, not of merit, but of grace. their work had been wickedness, and their TLe seed-time of righteousness would be wages, as might be expected, the fruit of folk,wed by e. reaping-time proportionate to iniquity. Whe.t they he.d wrought for they the, boundless measure of the Divine mercy. reaped. Their ploughing had been' sin, :Break up your f&llow grolllld: for it is time their sowing wickedness, e.nd their he.rv11et to Jeek the l.ord, till he oomo w rain risb.t- sorrow. Wickcducss e.gainet God and mnu OH, X, 1-15.] THE BOOK OF HOSEA. 307