Hosea 9

Hosea 9:1

REjoyce not] presuming, that thine Idolatry shall scape unpunisht: or that God will cause it to prosper; as it happeneth to other prophane people. See Ezekiel 20:32. Amos 3:2 For thou] that, which in other Nations is but meere ignorance, in thee is meere Apostasie and rebellion Thou hast loved] thou hast prostituted thy selfe to a loose idolatry; like to acommon whore, that goeth a whoring up and downe the threshing floores. Or he doth meane some particular kinde of idolatry; which was used in the time of harvest and threshing: as if they would have acknowledged their increase to come by their Idols goodnesse, Hosea 2:5.

Hosea 9:3

Uncleane things] being not able, by reason of their misery and slavery, to observe the distinction of meats, which was appointed by the Law: Or, being also oftentimes constrained to eat things consecrated to Idols.

Hosea 9:4

Offer wine] all their sacrifices and offerings being prophaned by their impi〈…〉; are rejected by God: and they themselves, in stead of being sanctified by them, are polluted thereby; as they should be by funerall and mourning feasts: whereof, see upon Deuteronomy 26:14 For their] they offer sacrifices to me, only to make their feasts thereof, Hosea 8:13. Zechariah 7:6. Let them therfore keep them, as a common kinde of flesh, and not offer them to me through hypocrisie, as if they were holy.

Hosea 9:5

What will ye doe] when I shall have destroyed you, and driven you out (as he shall say hereafter) shall take away from you the meanes of feasting, as you doe at this present, abusing my feasts; the rejoycing at which, should be altogether holy.

Hosea 9:6

They are gone] he represents their flight and exile, as a thing that had happened already Destruction] by their enemies Shall possesse] the Inhabitants being driven out, or dead; all manner of wilde beasts shall grow up there.

Hosea 9:7

The Prophet] namely, the false Prophets, who faine themselves to be inspired by God; and flatter the people, feeding them with vaine hopes The great hatred] namely, of God against you.

Hosea 9:8

The Watchman] namely; the faithfull Prophets, who are the Churches Watchmen, Isa. 21. 11. and 62. 6. Ezekiel 3:17. are dead, and gathered up into their heavenly rest. The false Prophets, which are now living, are so farre from keeping it from ruine; that they drive it, and cast it downe head-long into it And hatred] the Italian, and cause of hatred] the chiefe occasion of Gods wrath; and of the reprobation of Gods people; who are, as it were, his family In the house] as Hosea 8:1.

Hosea 9:9

Deeply] totally, to the bottome: as Isaiah 31:6.

Hosea 9:10

I found] I tooke great delight in my people, in their first beginnings: even as if a traveller should finde grapes in a deseit place: or some rare fruit that were ripe before the season. See Isaiah 28:4. Mic, 7. 1. but they were quickly stained with idolatry; in which you doe yet persevere at this time At her first time] when the Fig-tree first begins to bud They went to] to commit sornication by idolatry, Numb. 25. 3 Separated] from God to goe after idols, Hosea 4:14 That shame] idols are so called by way of abomination, Jer. 3 24. and 11. 13. and especially Baal-peor, whose shape and worship was most obscene According as] like unto the idoll.

Hosea 9:11

Their glory] which consisted chiefly in their great number; wherewith God hath blessed them, and raised them to be the chiefe of the ten Tribes. See Genesis 48:19 From the birth] by the sudden death of their children, so soone as they shall be borne: or so soone as they shall be formed in the wombe: or so soone as they shall be conceived: or before, by the barrennesse of the mothers.

Hosea 9:12

Bereave them] By a violent death: Job 27:14.

Hosea 9:13

As I saw] the Italian, Whilest I looked upon him] that is to say; Whilest I favoured and blessed him: Tyrus] A very faire and magnificent City: Ezek. 26. and 27. 28 Bring forth]Yeelding to the enemy, who shall put them to death: or, bringing them forth to battell.

Hosea 9:14

Give them] I desire this for a favour at thy hands, namely, That thou cause them not to be brought forth into the world; or, that thou suffer them not to be brought up; rather then to cause them to perish thus wretchedly after they are growne to ripe yeeres.

Hosea 9:15

All their] namely, A great part of their Idolatries and other offences I will drive] I will no longer take them for my children.

Hosea 9:16

Is smitten] As by fire or thunder from God; whereby all power of recovering themselves shall be taken from them: and if they doe multiply in children; I will curse them, and root them out.