John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And the sword shall abide on the cities , etc.] Or “shall fall” f218 , and continue; meaning the sword of the Assyrians, whereby Ephraim should be brought into subjection to them, and the king of Assyria become king over them; his sword should be drawn, and rest upon them, not only on their chief city Samaria, besieged three years by him, but upon all their other cities, which would fall into his hands, with the inhabitants of them: and shall consume his branches, and devour [them] ; that is, the towns and villages adjoining to the cities; which were to them as branches are to a tree, sprung from them, and were supported by them; and, being near them, prospered or suffered as they did: some render it, “his bars” f219 , as the word is sometimes used, and interpret it of the great men and nobles of the land. So the Targum, “and it shall slay his mighty men, and destroy his princes;” with which Jarchi agrees; because of their own counsels ; which they took and pursued, contrary to the counsel of God, the revelation of his mind and will; particularly in setting up idolatrous worship, and continuing in it, notwithstanding all the admonitions, exhortations, counsels, and threatenings of God by his prophets; or else because of their counsels with the Egyptians, and their covenants with them, for help against the Assyrian, whose yoke they were for casting off, and refused to pay tribute to; which provoked him to draw his sword upon them, which made the havoc it did in their cities, and the inhabitants of them.
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 וחלה2342 חרב2719 בעריו5892 וכלתה3615 בדיו905 ואכלה398 ממעצותיהם׃4156
