The reign of Hoshea, ver. 1, 2.
The king of Assyria imprisons him, and carries Israel captive,
ver. 3 - 6.
The cause of this captivity, ver. 7 - 23.
The strange nations transplanted into Canaan are plagued with
lions, ver. 24 - 26.
An Israelitish priest is sent to them, ver. 27 - 28.
The mongrel religion which followed, ver. 29 - 41.
1: To reign - He usurped the kingdom in Ahaz's fourth year; but
either was not owned as king, by the generality of the people; or was not
accepted and established in his kingdom, 'till Ahaz's twelfth year.
Nine - After his confirmation and peaceable possession of his kingdom:
for in all, he reigned seventeen, or eighteen years; twelve with Ahaz,
who reigned sixteen years, and six with Hezekiah.
2: But not, &c. - For he neither worshipped Baal, as many of his
predecessors did; nor compelled the people to worship the calves; (one of
them, that of Dan, being destroyed, or carried away before, as the
Hebrew writers affirm;) nor, as some add, hindered those by force, who
were minded to go to Jerusalem to worship. And yet, the measure of the
Israelites sins, being now full, vengeance comes upon them without
remedy.
3: Shalmaneser - The son, or successor of Tiglath - pileser.
The ancient Hebrew writers made him the same with Sennacherib, who
eight years after this time, invaded the kingdom of Judah; it being
very frequent in the Eastern parts, for one man to be called by several
names. Josephus affirms, that he met with his name in the annals of the
Tyrians, which were extant in his days. He came against him, either
because he denied the tribute which he had promised to pay; or that he
might make him tributary.
6: Carried Israel away, &c. - There, we have reason to think, after
some time, they were so mingled with the nations, that they were lost, and
the name of Israel was no more in remembrance. They that forgot God,
were themselves forgotten, and they that studied to be like the nations,
were buried among them. Thus ended Israel as a nation. When we read
their entry into Canaan, under Hoshea the son of Nun, who would
have thought, that such would be their exit, under Hoshea, the son of
Elah? Yet we find St. James writing to the twelve tribes
scattered abroad. So that tho' we never read of the return of those
that were carried captive, nor have any ground to believe, that they
still remain a distinct body in some remote corner of the world, yet
a remnant of them did escape, and will remain 'till all Israel shall be
saved.
To their gross idolatries, and other abominable practices, which
they were ashamed to own before others; or,
to the worship of calves: and so the words are otherwise rendered;
they covered things that were not right towards the Lord: they
covered their idolatrous worship of the calves, with fair pretences
of necessity, the two kingdoms being now divided, and at enmity; and
of their honest intention of serving the true God, and retaining the
substance of the Jewish religion.
City - In all parts and places, both in cities, and in the country; yea,
in the most uninhabited parts, where few or none dwell, beside the watchmen,
who are left there in towers, to preserve the cattle and fruits of the
earth, or to give notice of the approach of enemies.
13: Seers - To whom he declared his mind, by revelations and visions,
and by whom he published it, bearing witness, from heaven to their doctrine
by eminent and glorious miracles.
14: Hardened, &c. - Refused to submit their neck to the yoke of God's
precepts. A metaphor from stubborn oxen, that will not bow to the yoke.
15: Vanity - Idols; so called because of their nothingness,
impotency, and unprofitableness; and by the long worship of idols,
they were made like them, vain, sottish, and senseless creatures.
16: Left all - They grew worse and worse; from a partial disobedience
to some of God's laws, they fell by degrees to a total apostacy from all.
The host - The stars, as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus.
18: Judah only - And the greatest part of the tribe of Benjamin,
with those of the tribes of Simeon and Levi who were incorporated
with them.
19: Judah kept not - Judah's idolatry and wickedness are here
remembered, as an aggravation of the sin of the Israelites, which was
not only evil in itself, but mischievous to their neighbour, who by
their examples were instructed in their wicked arts, and provoked to
an imitation of them.
20: All Israel - All the tribes of Israel: first, one part of
them, and now the rest. But this extends not to every individual person of
these tribes; for many of them removed into the kingdom of Judah, and
were associated with them.
21: They made - Which action is here ascribed to the people, because
they would not tarry 'till God by his providence, had invested Jeroboam
with the kingdom which he had promised him; but rashly, and rebelliously,
rose up against the house of David, to which they had so great
obligations; and set him upon the throne without God's leave or advice.
Drave - He not only dissuaded, but kept then, by force from God's worship
at Jerusalem, the only place appointed for it. A great sin - So the
worship of the calves is called, to meet with that idle conceit of the
Israelites, who esteemed it a small sin, especially when they were
forced to it by severe penalties; which yet he shews did not excuse it
from being a sin, and a great sin too.
25: Therefore - For their gross neglect, and contempt of God, which
was contrary to the principles and practices of the Heathens, who used to
worship the gods of the nations where they lived, and gave that honour to
their false Gods, which here they denied to the true. Hereby also God
asserted his own sovereignty over that land, and made them to understand,
that neither the Israelites were cast out, nor they brought in by their
valour, or strength, but by God's providence, who as he had cast the
Israelites out for their neglect of God's service; so both could, and
would in his due time, turn them out also, if they were guilty of the same
sins.
28: Taught them - The manner of God's worship, as it was practised in
Israel; as may be gathered both from the quality of this person, who was
an Israelitish priest; and from the place of his residence, Beth - el,
a place infamous for the worship of the calves, and from the manner of their
making priests by this man's direction.
32: Sacrificed - Unto the true God: for as to the worship of their
own gods, they needed no instruction, and would not permit a person of
another religion to minister therein.
33: They feared - They worshipped God externally in that way which
the Israelites used. But every nation made gods of their own besides.
34: Unto this day - That is, till the time when this book was
written, above three hundred years in all, till the time of Alexander
the Great, when they were prevailed upon to call away their idols.
Former manners - As the Israelites before their captivity, gave these
nations an ill example, in serving the Lord, and Baal together; so, or
after their former manner, they do unto this day, in the land of their
captivity. They fear not - Though they pretended to fear, and serve both
the Lord and idols, yet in truth they did not, and do not fear or worship
the Lord, but their own calves, or other vain inventions: and God will not
accept that mongrel and false worship, which they pretend to give to the
true God. Statutes - God's law delivered to their fathers, and to them,
as their inheritance, (Ps 119:111). This is alleged as an evidence,
that they did not fear the Lord, whatsoever they pretended, because they
lived in the constant breach of his statutes. Israel - A name, signifying
his special interest in God, and power with him, which was given to him,
not only for himself, but for his posterity also, whom God frequently
honours with that name. And by this great favour he aggravates their sin.
41: So - In like manner, and after their example.
These - Who came in their stead.
