John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah , etc.] The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, as well as the ten tribes; for though they had ruled with God, and had been faithful with the saints in the first times of the apostasy of Israel; yet afterwards they sadly degenerated, and fell into idolatry likewise, particularly in the time of Ahaz, in which Hosea prophesied; and therefore the Lord had somewhat against them; nor would he spare them, but reprove them by the prophets, and rebuke them in his providences; bring them to his bar, and lay before them their evils, and threaten them with punishment in case of impenitence, as follows: and will punish Jacob according to his ways ; all the posterity of Jacob, whether Ephraim or Judah; those of the ten tribes, or of the two, who all descended from Jacob: or, “will visit according to his ways” f237 ; if right, and agreeably to the mind and word of God, in a way of grace and mercy; but if wrong, crooked, and perverse, then in a way of punishment; for visiting is used both ways: according to his doings will he recompense him ; as they were good or bad; if good, will reward them with a reward of grace; if bad, with vengeance.
The Targum paraphrases it, “according to his right works.”
Matthew Henry Commentary
- God's regard for Israel; their ingratitude. (Hos. 11:1-7) The Divin mercy yet in store. (Hos. 11:8-12)
Hos. 11:1-7 When Israel were weak and helpless as children, foolish an froward as children, then God loved them; he bore them as the nurs does the sucking child, nourished them, and suffered their manners. All who are grown up, ought often to reflect upon the goodness of God to them in their childhood. He took care of them, took pains with them not only as a father, or a tutor, but as a mother, or nurse. When the were in the wilderness, God showed them the way in which they shoul go, and bore them up, taking them by the arms. He taught them the way of his commandments by the ceremonial law given by Moses. He took the by the arms, to guide them, that they might not stray, and to hold the up, that they might not stumble and fall. God's spiritual Israel ar all thus supported. It is God's work to draw poor souls to himself; an none can come to him except he draw them. With bands of love; this wor signifies stronger cords than the former. He eased them of the burden they had long groaned under. Israel is very ungrateful to God. God' counsels would have saved them, but their own counsels ruined them They backslide; there is no hold of them, no stedfastness in them. The backslide from me, from God, the chief good. They are bent to backslide; they are ready to sin; they are forward to close with ever temptation. Their hearts are fully set in them to do evil. Those onl are truly happy, whom the Lord teaches by his Spirit, upholds by his power, and causes to walk in his ways. By his grace he takes away the love and dominion of sin, and creates a desire for the blessed feast of the gospel, that they may feed thereon, and live for ever.
Hos. 11:8-12 God is slow to anger, and is loth to abandon a people to utter ruin, who have been called by his name. When God was to give sacrifice for sin, and a Saviour for sinners, he spared not his ow Son, that he might spare us. This is the language of the day of his patience; but when men sin that away, then the great day of his wrat comes. Man's compassions are nothing in comparison with the tende mercies of our God, whose thoughts and ways, in receiving returnin sinners, are as much above ours as heaven is above the earth. God know how to pardon poor sinners. He is faithful and just to forgive us ou sins, and therein declares his righteousness, now Christ has purchase the pardon, and he has promised it. Holy trembling at the word of Christ will draw us to him, not drive us from him, the children tremble, and flee to him. And all that come at the gospel call, shal have a place and a name in the gospel church. The religious service of Israel were mere hypocrisy, but in Judah regard was had to God's laws and the people followed their pious forefathers. Let us be faithful those who thus honour God, he will honour, but such us despise Hi shall be lightly esteemed _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew וריב7379 ליהוה3069 עם5973 יהודה3063 ולפקד6485 על5921 יעקב3290 כדרכיו1870 כמעלליו4611 ישׁיב׃7725
