Hosea 9

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9:1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
9:2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
9:3 They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
9:4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.
9:5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD? 9:6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
9:7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
9:8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
9:9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
9:11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
9:12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! 9:13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
9:14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
9:15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
9:16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
9:17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.


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Everything King James Bible:Hosea

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Hosea
Book: Hosea
Chapter: 9

Overview:
The distress to come upon Israel. (1-6) The approach of the
Day of trouble. (7-10) Judgments On Israel. (11-17)

1-6 Israel gave rewards to their idols, in the offerings
presented to them. It is common for those who are niggardly in
religion, to be prodigal upon their lusts. Those are reckoned as
idolaters, who Love a reward in the Corn-floor better than a
reward in the favour of God and in eternal Life. They are full
of the joy of Harvest, and have No disposition to Mourn for Sin.
When we make the world, and the things of it, our Idol and our
portion, it is just with God to show us our folly, and correct
us. None may expect to Dwell in the Lord's land, who will not be
subject to the Lord's laws, or be influenced By his Love. When
we enjoy the Means of Grace, we ought to consider what we shall
do, if they should be taken from us. While the pleasures of
Communion with God are out of the reach of change, the pleasant
places purchased with Silver, or in which men deposit Silver,
are liable to be laid in ruins. No Famine is So dreadful as that
of the soul.

7-10 Time had been when the spiritual watchmen of Israel were
with the Lord, but now they were like the Snare of a Fowler to
entangle persons to their ruin. The people were become as
corrupt as those of Gibeah, Jud 19; and their crimes should be
visited in like manner. At first God had found Israel pleasing
to Him, as grapes to the traveller in the Wilderness. He saw
them with pleasure as the first ripe figs. This shows the
delight God took in them; yet they followed after Idolatry.

11-17. God departs from a people, or from a person, when he
withdraws his Goodness and Mercy from them; and when the Lord is
departed, what can the Creature do? Even though, for the
present, good things seem to remain, yet the blessing is gone if
God is gone. Even the children should perish with the parents.
The Divine wrath dries up the root, and withers the Fruit of all
comforts; and the scattered Jews daily warn us to beware, lest
we neglect or abuse the Gospel. Yet every smiting is not a
drying up of the root. It may be that God intends only to smite
So that the sap may be turned to the root, that there may be
more of root graces, more Humility, patience, Faith, and
self-denial. It is very just that God should bring judgments On
those who slight his offered Mercy.