John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. He shall not return into the land of Egypt , etc.] Ephraim or Israel, the ten tribes: and the Septuagint and Arabic versions express them by name, though they give a wrong sense of the words, rendering them, “and Ephraim dwelt in Egypt”; he did so indeed with the other tribes formerly; but here it is said he shall not go thither again to be a captive there, but shall go into bondage more severe than that in Egypt, even into captivity in Assyria: rather the sense is, they should not go thither for shelter, at least not as a body, though some few of them might, as in ( Hosea 9:3); the far greater part of them should he carried captive by the Assyrians: or they should not return to Egypt to seek for help and assistence, as they had done; either they ought not to do it, nor would there be any need of it, did they but return to the Lord, as Kimchi observes; or rather they should now be so straitly shut up in Samaria, besieged so closely by the enemy, or else carried into distant lands, that, if they would, they could not apply to Egypt for relief; but the Assyrian shall be his king ; the king of Assyria shall be king over the ten tribes, whether they want him or not; they shall be forced to acknowledge him as their king, and be subject to him, being taken and carried captive into his land: because they refused to return : to the Lord, from whom they had backslidden, and to his pure worship, word, and ordinances, they had departed from, setting up the calves at Daniel and Bethel; they refused to relinquish worshipping idols instead of the true God; thus ungratefully behaving to him for all the above favours bestowed upon them; wherefore they are righteously threatened with captivity and bondage in Assyria.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The idolatry of Israel. (Hos. 10:1-8) They are exhorted to repentance (Hos. 10:9-15)
Hos. 10:1-8 A vine is only valuable for its fruit; but Israel no brought no fruit to perfection. Their hearts were divided. God is the Sovereign of the heart; he will have all, or none. Were the stream of the heart wholly after God, it would run strongly, and bear down all before it. Their pretences to covenant with God were false. Even the proceeding of justice was as poisonous hemlock. Alas, how empty a vin is the visible church even at this day! But all earthly prosperity is but a collection of bubbles, soon destroyed like foam upon the water Sinners will in vain seek shelter from that Judge, whom they no despise as a Saviour.
Hos. 10:9-15 Because God does not desire the death and ruin of sinners therefore in mercy he desires their chastisement. The children of iniquity still remained in Israel. The enemies would be gathere against them. It is just with God to make those know what hardship mean, who indulge themselves in ease and pleasure. Let them cleans their hearts from all corrupt affections and lusts, and be a broken an contrite spirit. Let them abound in works of piety towards God, and of justice and charity towards one another: herein let them sow to the Spirit. Seeking the Lord is to be every day's work, but there ar special occasions when to seek him. Christ shall come as the Lord ou righteousness, and grant us of it abundantly. If we sow in righteousness, we shall reap according to mercy; a reward not of debt but of grace. Even the gains of sin yield the sinner no satisfaction As our comforts, so our confidences in the service of sin wil certainly fail us. Come and seek the Lord, and thy hope in him shal not deceive thee. See what cruel work war makes. Whatever mischief is done, it is sin that does it. What miseries men's sins bring on them even in this world _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew לא3808 ישׁוב7725 אל413 ארץ776 מצרים4714 ואשׁור804 הוא1931 מלכו4428 כי3588 מאנו3985 לשׁוב׃7725
