{"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":8,"content":[{"type":"verse","number":2,"content":["My God, we know thee--the singular, \"My,\" is used distributively, each one so addressing God. They, in their hour of need, plead their knowledge of God as the covenant-people, while in their acts they acknowledge Him not (compare Mat 7:21-22; Tit 1:16; also Isa 29:13; Jer 7:4). The Hebrew joins \"Israel,\" not as English Version, with \"shall cry,\" but \"We, Israel, know thee\"; God denies the claim thus urged on the ground of their descent from Israel.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":3,"content":["Israel--God repeats the name in opposition to their use of it (Hos 8:2). \n\nthe thing that is good--JEROME translates, \"God\" who is good and doing good (Psa 119:68). He is the chief object rejected, but with Him also all that is good. \n\nthe enemy shall pursue him--in just retribution from God.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":4,"content":["kings . . . not by me--not with My sanction (Kg1 11:31; Kg1 12:20). Israel set up Jeroboam and his successors, whereas God had appointed the house of David as the rightful kings of the whole nation. \n\nI knew it not--I approved it not (Psa 1:6). \n\nof . . . gold . . . idols-- (Hos 2:8; Hos 13:2). \n\nthat they may be cut off--that is, though warned of the consequences of idolatry, as it were with open eyes they rushed on their own destruction. So Jer 27:10, Jer 27:15; Jer 44:8.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":5,"content":["hath cast thee off--As the ellipsis of thee is unusual, MAURER translates, \"thy calf is abominable.\" But the antithesis to Hos 8:3 establishes English Version, \"Israel hath cast off the thing that is good\"; therefore, in just retribution, \"thy calf hath cast thee off,\" that is, is made by God the cause of thy being cast off (Hos 10:15). Jeroboam, during his sojourn in Egypt, saw Apis worshipped at Memphis, and Mnevis at Heliopolis, in the form of an ox; this, and the temple cherubim, suggested the idea of the calves set up at Dan and Beth-el. \n\nhow long . . . ere they attain to innocency?--How long will they be incapable of bearing innocency? [MAURER].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":6,"content":["from Israel was it--that is, the calf originated with them, not from Me. \"It also,\" as well as their \"kings set up\" by them, \"but not by Me\" (Hos 8:4).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":7,"content":["sown . . . reap-- (Pro 22:8; Gal 6:7). \"Sow . . . wind,\" that is, to make the vain show of worship, while faith and obedience are wanting [CALVIN]. Rather, to offer senseless supplications to the calves for good harvests (compare Hos 2:8); the result being that God will make them \"reap no stalk,\" that is, \"standing corn.\" Also, the phraseology proverbially means that all their undertakings shall be profitless (Pro 11:29; Ecc 5:16). \n\nthe bud--or, \"growth.\" \n\nstrangers--foreigners (Hos 7:9).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":8,"content":["vessel wherein is no pleasure-- (Psa 41:12; Jer 22:28; Jer 48:38).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":9,"content":["gone . . . to Assyria--referring to Menahem's application for Pul's aid in establishing him on the throne (compare Hos 5:13; Hos 7:11). Menahem's name is read in the inscriptions in the southwest palace of Nimrod, as a tributary to the Assyrian king in his eighth year. The dynasty of Pul, or Phalluka, was supplanted at Nineveh by that of Tiglath-pileser, about 768 (or 760) B.C. Semiramis seems to have been Pul's wife, and to have withdrawn to Babylon in 768; and her son, Nabonassar, succeeding after a period of confusion, originated \"the era of Nabonassar,\" 747 B.C. [G. V. SMITH]. Usually foreigners coming to Israel's land were said to \"go up\"; here it is the reverse, to intimate Israel's sunken state, and Assyria's superiority. \n\nwild ass--a figure of Israel's headstrong perversity in following her own bent (Jer 2:24). \n\nalone by himself--characteristic of Israel in all ages: \"lo, the people shall dwell alone\" (Num 23:9; compare Job 39:5-8). \n\nhired lovers--reversing the ordinary way, namely, that lovers should hire her (Eze 16:33-34).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":10,"content":["will I gather them--namely, the nations (Assyria, &c.) against Israel, instead of their assisting her as she had wished (Eze 16:37). \n\na little--rather, \"in a little\" [HENDERSON]. English Version gives good sense: They shall sorrow \"a little\" at the imposition of the tribute; God suspended yet the great judgment, namely, their deportation by Assyria. \n\nthe burden of the king of princes--the tribute imposed on Israel (under Menahem) by the Assyrian king Pul, (Kg2 15:19-22), who had many \"princes\" under his sway (Isa 10:8).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":11,"content":["God in righteous retribution gives them up to their own way; the sin becomes its own punishment (Pro 1:31). \n\nmany altars--in opposition to God's law (Deu 12:5-6, Deu 12:13-14). \n\nto sin . . . to sin--Their altars which were \"sin\" (whatever religious intentions they might plead) should be treated as such, and be the source of their punishment (Kg1 12:30; Kg1 13:34).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":12,"content":["great things of . . . law-- (Deu 4:6, Deu 4:8; Psa 19:8; Psa 119:18, Psa 119:72; Psa 147:19-20). MAURER not so well translates, \"the many things of My law.\" \n\nmy law--as opposed to their inventions. This reference of Hosea to the Pentateuch alone is against the theory that some earlier written prophecies have not come down to us. \n\nstrange thing--as if a thing with which they had nothing to do.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":13,"content":["sacrifices of mine offerings--that is, which they offer to Me. \n\neat it--Their own carnal gratification is the object which they seek, not My honor. \n\nnow--that is, \"speedily.\" \n\nshall return to Egypt-- (Hos 9:3, Hos 9:6; Hos 11:11). The same threat as in Deu 28:68. They fled thither to escape from the Assyrians (compare as to Judah, Jer. 42:1-44:30), when these latter had overthrown their nation. But see on Hos 9:3.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":14,"content":["forgotten . . . Maker-- (Deu 32:18). \n\ntemples--to idols. \n\nJudah . . . fenced cities--Judah, though less idolatrous than Israel, betrayed lack of faith in Jehovah by trusting more to its fenced cities than to Him; instead of making peace with God, Judah multiplied human defenses (Isa 22:8; Jer 5:17; Mic 5:10-11). \n\nI will send . . . fire upon . . . cities--Sennacherib burned all Judah's fenced cities except Jerusalem (Kg2 18:13). \n\npalaces thereof--namely, of the land. Compare as to Jerusalem, Jer 17:27.\n\n\n\n\nNext: Hosea Chapter 9\n\n"]}],"introduction":"PROPHECY OF THE IRRUPTION OF THE ASSYRIANS, IN PUNISHMENT FOR ISRAEL'S APOSTASY, IDOLATRY, AND SETTING UP OF KINGS WITHOUT GOD'S SANCTION. (Hos 8:1-14)\n\nIn Hos 8:14, Judah is said to multiply fenced cities; and in Hos 8:7-9, Israel, to its great hurt, is said to have gone up to Assyria for help. This answers best to the reign of Menahem. For it was then that Uzziah of Judah, his contemporary, built fenced cities (Ch2 26:6, Ch2 26:9-10). Then also Israel turned to Assyria and had to pay for their sinful folly a thousand talents of silver (Kg2 15:19) [MAURER].\n\nSet the trumpet, &c.--to give warning of the approach of the enemy: \"To thy palate (that is, 'mouth,' Job 31:30, Margin) the trumpet\"; the abruptness of expression indicates the suddenness of the attack. So Hos 5:8. \n\nas . . . eagle--the Assyrian (Deu 28:49; Jer 48:40; Hab 1:8). \n\nagainst . . . house of . . . Lord--not the temple, but Israel viewed as the family of God (Hos 9:15; Num 12:7; Zac 9:8; Heb 3:2; Ti1 3:15; Pe1 4:17).\n\n"},"thisChapterLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HOS/8.json","thisChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HOS","chapter":8},"nextChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HOS/9.json","nextChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HOS","chapter":9},"previousChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HOS/7.json","previousChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HOS","chapter":7},"numberOfVerses":13}