View Hosea 6 in the note window.
Their resolution to return to God, ver. 1 - 3.
The instability of many of them, ver. 4, 5.
God's covenant with them, and their violation of it, ver. 6 - 11.
1: Come - The prophet here brings them in, exhorting one another.
He hath torn - We now see his hand in all we suffer.
2: After two days - After some short time of suffering, God will shew
us his favour, and revive our dead state. Revive us - Though we were as
dead men, buried in our miseries, yet our merciful God will quicken us.
Live - Flourish in peace, wealth, and joy; in righteousness and safety.
In his sight - The eye of our God being upon us for good.
3: Know - What worship he requires. And the knowledge of God shall
be to us a spring of all holy, righteous, sober conversation.
Follow on - By a diligent attendance to the word, and works of God, we
shall know experimentally, how holy, how good, how faithful God is.
His going forth - Before his people; his gracious, faithful, holy,
just, and wise providence, for his peoples good and comfort.
As the morning - As sure, beautiful, grateful, and as clear as the
morning; which dispels the darkness, and proclaims its own approach.
As the rain - Which revives, makes it fruitful, beautifies it, and gives
a new face to all.
4: What shall I do - What shall I do more to save you from ruin,
and save my own honour, truth, and justice?
5: Therefore - Because I would do for you whatever might be done.
Hewed them - I have severely, and unweariedly reproved, and threatened
them. By thy words - As I did by word foretel, so I did effect in due
time. Thy judgments - The punishments threatened, which fell upon this
people, did so fully answer the prediction that every one might see
them clear as the light, and as constantly executed as the morning.
6: For - I so hewed and slew them, because they did not what I most
of all required; they were full of sacrifices, but either to idols, or
else in formality and pride. Mercy - Compassion and charity towards men,
this one principal duty of the second table put for all. In this I
delight, I have found little of this among you. Not sacrifice - Rather
than sacrifice. The knowledge of God - The affectionate knowledge of God,
which fills the mind with reverence of his majesty, fear of his goodness,
love of his holiness, trust in his promise, and submission to his will.
7: The covenant - The law of their God. There - In that very place,
the good land which by covenant I gave them: they have broken my covenant.
8: A city - A city full of notorious transgressors, the inhabitants
though Levites and priests, work all manner of wickedness.
With blood - Murders committed there.
9: The company of priests - The priests by companies lay wait, and
rob, and murder.
10: The whoredom - Idolatry. Of Ephraim - Which was brought in
by an Ephraimite, by Jeroboam, two hundred years ago, and is there
still. Israel is defiled - It hath overspread all Israel.
11: He - But God hath appointed an harvest for thee; thou shalt
not as Israel be cut off; a seed of thee shall be sowed, and thou
shalt reap the harvest with joy.
