John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. It shall also be carried unto Assyria [for] a present to King Jareb , etc.] Or, “he himself” f195 ; not the people of Samaria, or of Bethaven, or of the calf, but the calf itself; which, being all of gold, was sent a present to the king of Assyria, here called Jareb; either Assyria, or the king of it; (see Gill on “ Hosea 5:13”); this was done either by the people of Israel themselves, to appease the king of Assyria; or rather by the Assyrian army, who reserved the plunder of this as a proper present to their king and conqueror, to whom not only nations, but the gods of nations, were subject: Ephraim shall receive shame ; for worshipping such an idol, when they shall see it broke to pieces, and the gold of it made a present to the Assyrian king, and that it could not save them, nor itself: and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel ; of giving in to such idolatry, contrary to the counsel, mind, and will of God; or of the counsel which they and Jeroboam took to set up the calves at Daniel and Bethel, and thereby to keep the people from going up to Jerusalem, ( 1 Kings 12:28); as well as of their counsel and covenant with the king of Egypt against the king of Assyria, ( 2 Kings 17:4).
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The distress to come upon Israel. (Hos. 9:1-6) The approach of the da of trouble. (Hos. 9:7-10) Judgments on Israel. (Hos. 9:11-17)
Hos. 9:1-6 Israel gave rewards to their idols, in the offering presented to them. It is common for those who are niggardly in religion, to be prodigal upon their lusts. Those are reckoned a 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.
Hos. 9:7-10 Time had been when the spiritual watchmen of Israel wer with the Lord, but now they were like the snare of a fowler to entangl persons to their ruin. The people were become as corrupt as those of Gibeah, Judg. 19; and their crimes should be visited in like manner. A first God had found Israel pleasing to Him, as grapes to the travelle in the wilderness. He saw them with pleasure as the first ripe figs This shows the delight God took in them; yet they followed afte idolatry.
Hos. 9:11-17. 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, goo things seem to remain, yet the blessing is gone if God is gone. Eve the children should perish with the parents. The Divine wrath dries u the root, and withers the fruit of all comforts; and the scattered Jew daily warn us to beware, lest we neglect or abuse the gospel. Yet ever smiting is not a drying up of the root. It may be that God intends onl 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 _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew גם1571 אותו853 לאשׁור804 יובל2986 מנחה4503 למלך4428 ירב3377 בשׁנה1317 אפרים669 יקח3947 ויבושׁ954 ישׂראל3478 מעצתו׃6098
