16 They have gone to what is of no value; they are like a false bow; their captains will come to destruction by the sword, and their ruler by my wrath; for this, the land of Egypt will make sport of them.
Their hearts were turned back and untrue like their fathers; they were turned to one side like a twisted bow.
They will have no resting-place in the Lord's land, but Ephraim will go back to Egypt, and they will take unclean food in Assyria.
Their mouth goes up to heaven; their tongues go walking through the earth.
For see, they are going away into Assyria; Egypt will get them together, Memphis will be their last resting-place; their fair silver vessels will be covered over with field plants, and thorns will come up in their tents.
And I say to you that in the day when they are judged, men will have to give an account of every foolish word they have said.
And there was given to him a mouth to say words of pride against God; and there was given to him authority to go on for forty-two months.
Even so the tongue is a small part of the body, but it takes credit for great things. How much wood may be lighted by a very little fire!
The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of a man, goes through dry places, looking for rest; and when he does not get it, he says, I will go back to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he sees that it has been made fair and clean. Then he goes and gets seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they go in, and take their places there: and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.
Purposing destruction, using deceit; your tongue is like a sharp blade.
My people are given up to sinning against me; though their voice goes up on high, no one will be lifting them up.
He gives the offerings of his lovers, and takes the flesh for food; but the Lord has no pleasure in them; now he will keep in mind their evil-doing and give them the punishment of their sins; they will go back to Egypt. For Israel has no memory of his Maker, and has put up the houses of kings; and Judah has made great the number of his walled towns. But I will send a fire on his towns and put an end to his great houses.
May trouble be theirs! for they have gone far away from me; and destruction, for they have been sinning against me; I was ready to be their saviour, but they said false words against me.
O Ephraim, what am I to do to you? O Judah, what am I to do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew which goes early away.
Then they said, Come, let us make a design against Jeremiah; for teaching will never be cut off from the priest, or wisdom from the wise, or the word from the prophet. Come, let us make use of his words for an attack on him, and let us give attention with care to what he says.
But for all this, her false sister Judah has not come back to me with all her heart, but with deceit, says the Lord.
And their hearts were not right with him, and they did not keep their agreement with him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Hosea 7
Commentary on Hosea 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
In this chapter we have,
Hsa 7:1-7
Some take away the last words of the foregoing chapter, and make them the beginning of this: "When I returned, or would have returned, the captivity of my people, when I was about to come towards them in ways of mercy, even when I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim (the country and common people) was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, the court and the chief city.' Now, in these verses, we may observe,
Hsa 7:8-16
Having seen how vicious and corrupt the court was, we now come to enquire how it is with the country, and we find that to be no better; and no marvel if the distemper that has so seized the head affect the whole body, so that there is no soundness in it; the iniquity of Ephraim is discovered, as well as the sin of Samaria, of the people as well as the princes, of which here are divers instances.