Hosea 6

Hosea 6:1

LEt us return unto the LORD] He sheweth the people how they ought to return to the Lord, that he might call back his plagues. Others, it seemes to be a discourse of the people repenting, being the sequell of the precedent Chapter.

for he hath torn] Deuteronomy 32:39. 1 Samuel 2:6. Job 5:18.

Hosea 6:2

After two dayes will he revive us] 1 Corinthians 15:4. In a very short time he will restore us, as it were, from death to life. Others hold it to be a secret prophesie of Christs resurrection the third day after his death.

we shall live in his sight] Under his protection and favour, participating of his grace, and in his fear and obedience.

Hosea 6:3

Then shall we know] Romans 1:20.

if we follow on] Or, how to follow. John 8:31-32.

his going forth is prepared as the morning] The manifestation of his grace in his Sonne, shall be in the appointed time, and shall keep it ordinary course, as the Sunne doth at his rising. See Judges 5:31. Proverbs 4:18.

as the rain] See Job 29:23. Psalms 72:6.

and former rain unto the earth] Or, raineth upon the earth.

Hosea 6:4

goodnesse] Or, mercie, or, kindenesse. All the shews you make of converting to me, of serving and fearing me, have no firmnesse nor continuance. He hath a relation to the frequent reformations of Gods worship, which were never of any long continuance among the children of Israel, longer then Gods hand was on them. Chap. 5. 15.

as a morning cloud] Which is suddenly dispersed at the rising of the Sunne.

Hosea 6:5

Therefore have I hewed them] I have severely reproved, chidden and threatned them by my Prophets, to set them upright, like as is done to a knotty and crooked peece of timber.

I have slain them] I have judged and condemned them to death. See 1 Kings 19:17. Jeremiah 1:10. 2 Corinthians 10:5-6.

and thy judgements are as the light] Or, that thy judgment might be as the light. My threatnings, and the sentence which I have pronounced against thee, hath every morning been declared unto them by my Prophets, Jeremiah 7:13. and Jeremiah 11:7. and Jeremiah 35:14. that seeming to be the hour which was appointed for the Prophets preaching.

Hosea 6:6

For I desired mercy] 1 Samuel 15:22. He sheweth to what scope his doctrine tended, that they should joyn the obedience of God, and the love of their neighbour with outward sacrifice, for else outward service will not satisfie God. See Ecclesiastes 5:1. Matthew 9:13. and Matthew 12:7.

and not sacrifice] Psal. 50. 8, Isaiah 1:11.

Hosea 6:7

like men] Heb. like Adam, the first sinner of all, who brake Gods first Covenant with mankinde, whence followed the generall curse upon all men. See Job 31:33. Isaiah 43:27. Or, as if it had been the Covenant of some mean man.

Hosea 6:8

Gilead] Which was the place where the Priests dwelt, and which should have been best instructed in my Word. It is thought to be Ramoth-Gilead, Joshua 20:8. and Joshua 21:38. which was one of the Cities of refuge, for those which had committed some murther unawares; and hee seems to inferre, that it was a refuge for wilfull murtheres. See Chap. 12. 11.

polluted with bloud] Or, cunning for bloud.

Hosea 6:9

the company of Priests] Or, the league and conspiracie; as Jeremiah 11:9. Ezekiel 22:25.

by consent] Heb. with one shoulder; or, to Shechem: which was also a city of refuge, Joshua 20:7. and belonged to the Levites, Joshua 21:21. where it may be that Jeroboam had placed some false Priests, which himself had made: See Chap. 5. 2. which committed many outrages and murders upon them which frequented the Temple of Jerusalem, contrary to his command: or, generally upon all Travellers.

for they commit lewdnesse] Or, for they commit enormitie. I do liken these Priests violences to theft, for they are cruell and insufferable.

Hosea 6:10

horrible] Or, brutish, and infamous.

the whoredome] That is, the Idolatry.

Hosea 6:11

an harvest] That is, O ye ten Tribes, though for the present ye have no good plants of true beleevers amongst you, yet ye shall be replenished with them again: when ye shall be united again to Judah, and by means of the Gospel which shall come forth of Jerusalem, Psalms 110:2. Isaiah 2:3. God shall deliver his elect of all Nations out of their spirituall captivity, and at last the whole body of his people Israel, Jeremiah 31:5.