{"commentary":{"id":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","website":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamieson-Fausset-Brown_Bible_Commentary","licenseUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/","licenseNotes":null,"licenseNotice":null,"englishName":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","language":"eng","textDirection":"rtl","sha256":"db3d4c8b3c1f32ef9d1430a57392e02bda3a17aac1f9bbe398461de021a3cb13","availableFormats":["json"],"listOfBooksApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/books.json","listOfProfilesApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/profiles.json","numberOfBooks":66,"totalNumberOfChapters":1187,"totalNumberOfVerses":17056,"totalNumberOfProfiles":0,"languageName":"English","languageEnglishName":"English"},"book":{"id":"HOS","commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Hosea","commonName":"Hosea","introduction":"THE first of the twelve minor prophets in the order of the canon (called \"minor,\" not as less in point of inspired authority, but simply in point of size). The twelve are first mentioned by Jesus, the son of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus 49:10). St. Stephen, in Act 7:42 (in referring to Amo 5:27), quotes them as forming one collective body of writings, \"the book of the prophets.\" So JEROME and MELITO, the first Greek father who has left us a catalogue of these books. The collection of the sacred books is by Jewish tradition attributed to the great synagogue of learned scribes formed by Ezra. Many think Nehemiah completed this collection by adding to the books already in the canon those of his own times. Malachi, the last in the series, probably aided him in determining with infallible authority what books were entitled to be ranked in the inspired canon. The chronological order differs from the canonical. Joel, about 810 B.C.; Jonah, about 810 B.C., or, as others, first, 862 B.C.; Amos, about 790 B.C.; Hosea, about 784 B.C. Hosea, the contemporary of Isaiah, Micah, and Amos, seems to have entered on his prophetical office in the last years of Jeroboam (contemporary in part with Uzziah), and to have ended it in the beginning of Hezekiah's reign, 722 B.C., that is, about sixty years in all, from 784 B.C. to 722 B.C. The prophets, however, were not uninterruptedly engaged in prophesying. Considerable intervals elapsed, though their office as divinely commissioned public teachers was never wholly laid aside. The Book of Hosea which we have constitutes only that portion of his public teachings which the Holy Spirit saw fit to preserve for the benefit of the Church. The cause of his being placed first of the twelve was, probably, the length, the vivid earnestness, and patriotism of his prophecies, as well as their closer resemblance to those of the greater prophets. His style is abrupt, sententious, and unrounded; the connecting particles are few; there are changes of person, and anomalies of gender, number, and construction. His name means Salvation. He was son of Beeri, of the tribe of Issachar, born in Beth-shemesh [JEROME]. His mention, in the inscription, of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, is no proof that he belonged to Judah: for the prophets in Israel regarded its separation from Judah, civil as well as religious, as an apostasy from God, who promised the dominion of the theocracy to the line of David. Hence Elijah in Israel took twelve stones to represent Judah, as well as Israel (Kg1 18:31). Hence Hosea dates from Judah's kings, as well as from Jeroboam of Israel, though he belonged to Israel, with whose sins and fate his book is chiefly occupied. He, however, makes incidental references to Judah. His first prophecy foretells the overthrow of Jehu's house, fulfilled on the death of Jeroboam, Jehu's great-grandson (Kg2 15:12), in Zachariah, Jeroboam's son, the fourth and last from Jehu, conspired against by Shallum. This first prediction was doubtless in Jeroboam's life, as Zachariah, his son, was only suffered to reign six months; thus the inscription is verified that \"the word of the Lord came unto him in the days of Jeroboam\" (Hos 1:1). Again, in Hos 10:14, Shalmaneser's expedition against Israel is alluded to as past, that is, the first inroad against King Hoshea, who began to reign in the twelfth year of Ahaz; so that as Ahaz' whole reign was sixteen years, the prophecy seems to have been given about the beginning of Hezekiah's reign. Thus the inscription is confirmed that the exercise of his prophetical functions was of such a protracted duration.\n\nHosea (Hos 11:1) is quoted in Mat 2:15; also Hos 6:6 in Mat 9:13; Mat 12:7; compare Rom 9:25-26, quoting Hos 1:10; Hos 2:1, Hos 2:23; Co1 15:55, quoting Hos 13:14; Pe1 2:10, quoting Hos 1:9-10; Hos 2:23. Messianic references are not frequent; but the predictions of the future conversion of Israel to the Lord their God, and David their king, and of the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham that his spiritual seed should be as the sand of the sea (Hos 1:10; Hos 3:5), clearly refer to the New Testament dispensation.\n\nThe first and third chapters are in prose, the rest of the book is rhythmical. \n\n\n\nNext: Hosea Chapter 1\n\n","order":28,"numberOfChapters":14,"sha256":"5e42d4aa9dac6f16a101b90c3b192f5999d67bedbf1535a0de2ab14bf9b0b597","firstChapterNumber":1,"firstChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HOS/1.json","firstChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HOS","chapter":1},"lastChapterNumber":14,"lastChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HOS/14.json","lastChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HOS","chapter":14},"totalNumberOfVerses":181},"chapter":{"number":6,"content":[{"type":"verse","number":2,"content":["Primarily, in type, Israel's national revival, in a short period (\"two or three\" being used to denote a few days, Isa 17:6; Luk 13:32-33); antitypically the language is so framed as to refer in its full accuracy only to Messiah, the ideal Israel (Isa 49:3; compare Mat 2:15, with Hos 11:1), raised on the third day (Joh 2:19; Co1 15:4; compare Isa 53:10). \"He shall prolong His days.\" Compare the similar use of Israel's political resurrection as the type of the general resurrection of which \"Christ is the first-fruits\" (Isa 26:19; Eze 37:1-14; Dan 12:2). \n\nlive in his sight--enjoy His countenance shining on us, as of old; in contrast to Hos 5:6, Hos 5:15, \"Withdrawn Himself from them.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":3,"content":["know, if we follow on to know the Lord--The result of His recovered favor (Hos 6:2) will be onward growth in saving knowledge of God, as the result of perseverance in following after Him (Psa 63:8; Isa 54:13). \"Then\" implies the consequence of the revival in Hos 6:2. The \"if\" is not so much conditional, as expressive of the means which God's grace will sanctify to the full enlightenment of Israel in the knowledge of Him. As want of \"knowledge of God\" has been the source of all evils (Hos 4:1; Hos 5:4), so the knowledge of Him will bring with it all blessings; yea, it is \"life\" (Joh 17:3). This knowledge is practice, not mere theory (Jer 22:15-16). Theology is life, not science; realities, not words. This onward progress is illustrated by the light of \"morning\" increasing more and more \"unto the perfect day\" (Pro 4:18). \n\nprepared--\"is sure,\" literally, \"fixed,\" ordered in His everlasting purposes of love to His covenant-people. Compare \"prepared of God\" (Gen 41:32, Margin; Rev 12:6). Jehovah shall surely come to the relief of His people after their dark night of calamity. \n\nas the morning-- (Sa2 23:4). \n\nas the rain . . . latter . . . former-- (Job 29:23; Joe 2:23). First, \"the rain\" generally is mentioned; then the two rains (Deu 11:14) which caused the fertility of Palestine, and the absence of which was accounted the greatest calamity: \"the latter rain\" which falls in the latter half of February, and during March and April, just before the harvest whence it takes its name, from a root meaning \" to gather\"; and \"the former rain,\" literally, \"the darting rain,\" from the middle of October to the middle of December. As the rain fertilizes the otherwise barren land, so God's favor will restore Israel long nationally lifeless.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":4,"content":["what shall I do unto thee--to bring thee back to piety. What more could be done that I have not done, both in mercies and chastenings (Isa 5:4)? At this verse a new discourse begins, resuming the threats (Hos 5:14). See opening remarks on this chapter. \n\ngoodness--godliness. \n\nmorning cloud--soon dispersed by the sun (Hos 13:3). There is a tacit contrast here to the promise of God's grace to Israel hereafter, in Hos 6:3. His going forth is \"as the morning,\" shining more and more unto the perfect day; your goodness is \"as a morning cloud,\" soon vanishing. His coming to His people is \"as the (fertilizing) latter and former rains\"; your coming to Him \"as the early dew goeth away.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":5,"content":["I hewed them by the prophets--that is, I announced by the prophets that they should be hewn asunder, like trees of the forest. God identifies His act with that of His prophets; the word being His instrument for executing His will (Jer 1:10; Eze 43:3). \n\nby . . . words of my mouth-- (Isa 11:4; Jer 23:29; Heb 4:12). \n\nthy judgments--the judgments which I will inflict on thee, Ephraim and Judah (Hos 6:4). So \"thy judgments,\" that is, those inflicted on thee (Zep 3:15). \n\nare as the light, &c.--like the light, palpable to the eyes of all, as coming from God, the punisher of sin. HENDERSON translates, \"lightning\" (compare Job 37:3, Margin; Job 35:15).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":6,"content":["mercy--put for piety in general, of which mercy or charity is a branch. \n\nnot sacrifice--that is, \"rather than sacrifice.\" So \"not\" is merely comparative (Exo 16:8; Joe 2:13; Joh 6:27; Ti1 2:14). As God Himself instituted sacrifices, it cannot mean that He desired them not absolutely, but that even in the Old Testament, He valued moral obedience as the only end for which positive ordinances, such as sacrifices, were instituted--as of more importance than a mere external ritual obedience (Sa1 15:22; Psa 50:8-9; Psa 51:16; Isa 1:11-12; Mic 6:6-8; Mat 9:13; Mat 12:7). \n\nknowledge of God--experimental and practical, not merely theoretical (Hos 6:3; Jer 22:16; Jo1 2:3-4). \"Mercy\" refers to the second table of the law, our duty to our fellow man; \"the knowledge of God\" to the first table, our duty to God, including inward spiritual worship. The second table is put first, not as superior in dignity, for it is secondary, but in the order of our understanding.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":7,"content":["like men--the common sort of men (Psa 82:7). Not as Margin, \"like Adam,\" Job 31:33. For the expression \"covenant\" is not found elsewhere applied to Adam's relation to God; though the thing seems implied (Rom 5:12-19). Israel \"transgressed the covenant\" of God as lightly as men break everyday compacts with their fellow men. \n\nthere--in the northern kingdom, Israel.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":8,"content":["Gilead . . . city--probably Ramoth-gilead, metropolis of the hilly region beyond Jordan, south of the Jabbok, known as \"Gilead\" (Kg1 4:13; compare Gen 31:21-25). \n\nwork iniquity-- (Hos 12:11). \n\npolluted with blood--\"marked with blood-traces\" [MAURER]. Referring to Gilead's complicity in the regicidal conspiracy of Pekah against Pekahiah (Kg2 15:25). See on Hos 6:1. Many homicides were there, for there were beyond Jordan more cities of refuge, in proportion to the extent of territory, than on this side of Jordan (Num 35:14; Deu 4:41-43; Jos 20:8). Ramoth-gilead was one.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":9,"content":["company--\"association\" or guild of priests. \n\nmurder by consent--literally, \"with one shoulder\" (compare Zep 3:9, Margin). The image is from oxen putting their shoulders together to pull the same yoke [RIVETUS]. MAURER translates, \"in the way towards Shechem.\" It was a city of refuge between Ebal and Gerizim; on Mount Ephraim (Jos 20:7; Jos 21:21), long the civil capital of Ephraim, as Shiloh was the religious capital; now called Naploos; for a time the residence of Jeroboam (Kg1 12:25). The priests there became so corrupted that they waylaid and murdered persons fleeing to the asylum for refuge [HENDERSON]; the sanctity of the place enhanced the guilt of the priests who abused their priestly privileges, and the right of asylum to perpetrate murders themselves, or to screen those committed by others [MAURER]. \n\ncommit lewdness--deliberate crime, presumptuous wickedness, from an Arabic root, \"to form a deliberate purpose.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":10,"content":["horrible thing-- (Jer 5:30; Jer 18:13; Jer 23:14). \n\nwhoredom--idolatry.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":11,"content":["an harvest--namely, of judgments (as in Jer 51:33; Joe 3:13; Rev 14:15). Called a \"harvest\" because it is the fruit of the seed which Judah herself had sown (Hos 8:7; Hos 10:12; Job 4:8; Pro 22:8). Judah, under Ahaz, lost a hundred twenty thousand \"slain in one day (by Israel under Pekah), because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.\" \n\nwhen I returned the captivity of my people--when I, by Oded My prophet, caused two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters, of Judah to be restored from captivity by Israel (Ch2 28:6-15). This prophecy was delivered under Pekah [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU]. MAURER explains, When Israel shall have been exiled for its sins, and has been subsequently restored by Me, thou, Judah, also shalt be exiled for thine. But as Judah's punishment was not at the time when God restored Israel, LUDOVICUS DE DIEU'S'S explanation must be taken. GROTIUS translates, \"When I shall have returned to make captive (that is, when I shall have again made captive) My people.\" The first captivity of Israel under Tiglath-pileser was followed by a second under Shalmaneser. Then came the siege of Jerusalem, and the capture of the fenced cities of Judah, by Sennacherib, the forerunner of other attacks, ending in Judah's captivity. But the Hebrew is elsewhere used of restoration, not renewed punishment (Deu 30:3; Psa 14:7).\n\n\n\n\nNext: Hosea Chapter 7\n\n"]}],"introduction":"THE ISRAELITES' EXHORTATION TO ONE ANOTHER TO SEEK THE LORD. (Hos 6:1-11)\n\nAt Hos 6:4 a new discourse, complaining of them, begins; for Hos 6:1-3 evidently belong to Hos 5:15, and form the happy termination of Israel's punishment: primarily, the return from Babylon; ultimately, the return from their present long dispersion. Hos 6:8 perhaps refers to the murder of Pekahiah; the discourse cannot be later than Pekah's reign, for it was under it that Gilead was carried into captivity (Kg2 15:29).\n\nlet us return--in order that God who has \"returned to His place\" may return to us (Hos 5:15). \n\ntorn, and . . . heal-- (Deu 32:39; Jer 30:17). They ascribe their punishment not to fortune, or man, but to God, and acknowledge that none (not the Assyrian, as they once vainly thought, Hos 5:13) but God can heal their wound. They are at the same time persuaded of the mercy of God, which persuasion is the starting-point of true repentance, and without which men would not seek, but hate and flee from God. Though our wound be severe, it is not past hope of recovery; there is room for grace, and a hope of pardon. He hath smitten us, but not so badly that He cannot heal us (Psa 130:4).\n\n"},"thisChapterLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HOS/6.json","thisChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HOS","chapter":6},"nextChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HOS/7.json","nextChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HOS","chapter":7},"previousChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HOS/5.json","previousChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HOS","chapter":5},"numberOfVerses":10}