They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Se tornaron, mas no al Altísimo; fueron como arco engañoso; cayeron sus príncipes a cuchillo por la soberbia de su lengua; éste será su escarnio en la tierra de Egipto.
They are like a deceitful bow] Which, when it is reflexed, in order to be strung, suddenly springs back into its quiescent curve; for the eastern bows stand in their quiescent state in a curve, something like [curved figure] ; and in order to be strung must be beaded back in the opposite direction. This bending of the bow requires both strength and skill; and if not properly done, it will fly back, and regain its former position; and in this recoil endanger the archer-may even break an arm. I have been in this danger myself in bending the Asiatic bow. For want of this knowledge not one commentator has hit the meaning of the passage.
Shall fall by the sword] Their tongue has been enraged against ME; the sword shall be enraged against them. They have mocked me, ( ver. 5,) and their fall is now a subject of derision in the land of Egypt. What they have sown, that do they now reap.
Ver. 16. They return, [but] not to the most High , etc.] To Egypt, and not to Jerusalem, and the temple there, and the worship of it; to their idols, and not to him whose name alone is Jehovah, and is the most High all the earth, the God of gods, and Lord of lords, and King of kings; though they made some feint as if they would return, and did begin, and take some steps towards repentance and reformation; but then they presently fell back again, as in Jehu’s time, and did not go on to make a thorough reformation; nor returned to God alone, and to his pure worship they pretended to, and ought to have done: or, “not on high, upwards, above” f140 ; their affections and desires are not after things above; they do not look upwards to God in heaven for help and assistance, but to men and things on earth, on which all their affection and dependence are placed: they are like a deceitful bow ; which misses the mark it is directed to; which being designed to send its arrow one way, causes it to go the reverse; or its arrow returns upon the archer, or drops at his feet; so these people deviated from the law of God, acted contrary to their profession and promises, and relapsed into their former idolatries and impieties, and sunk into earth and earthly things; (see Psalm 78:57); their princes shall fall by the sword : either of their conspirators, as Zachariah, Shallum, Pekahiah, and Pekah; or by the sword of the Assyrians, as Hoshea, and the princes with him, by Shalmaneser; for the rage of their tongue ; their blasphemy against God, his being and providences; his worship, and the place of it; his priests and people that served him, and particularly the prophets he sent unto them to reprove them; this [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt ; whither they sent, and called for help; but now, when their princes are slain, and they carried captive into a foreignland, even those friends and allies of theirs shall laugh and mock at them. The Targum is, “these [were] their works while they were in the land of Egypt;” or rather the words may be rendered, “this is their derision, [as of old] in the land of Egypt” f141 ; that is, the calves they now worshipped, and to which they ascribed all their good things, were made in imitation of the gods of Egypt, their Apis and Serapis, which were in the form of an ox, and which their fathers derided there; and these were justly to be derided now, and they to be derided for their worship of them, and ascribing all their good things to them; and which would be done when their destruction came upon them.
Hos. 6:1-3 Those who have gone from God by consent, and in a body drawing one another to sin, should, by consent and in a body, return to him, which will be for his glory, and their good. It will be of grea use for support under afflictions, and to encourage our repentance, to keep up good thoughts of God, and of his purposes and design concerning us. Deliverance out of trouble should be to them as lif from the dead. God will revive them: the assurance of this shoul engage them to return to him. But this seems to have a furthe reference to the resurrection of JesusChrist. Let us admire the wisdo and goodness of God, that when the prophet foretold the deliverance of the church out of her troubles, he should point out our salvation by Christ; and now these words are fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ, it confirms our faith, that this is He that should come and we are to look for no other. Here is a precious blessingpromised; this is lifeeternal, to know God. The returns of the favour of God are secure to us as firmly as the return of the morning after a darknight. He shall come to us as the latter and former rain unto the earth, whic refreshes it, and makes it fruitful. The grace of God in Christ is bot the latter and the former rain; and by it the good work of ou fruit-bearing is begun and carried on. And as the Redeemer was raise from the grave, so will He revive the hearts and hopes of all tha trust in him. The feeblest glimpse of hope in his word, is a sure earnest of increasing light and comfort, which shall be attended with purifying, comforting grace that makes fruitful.
Hos. 6:4-11 Sometimes Israel and Judah seemed disposed to repent unde their sufferings, but their goodnessvanished like the empty mornin cloud, and the early dew, and they were as vile as ever. Therefore the Lord sent awful messages by the prophets. The word of God will be the death either of the sin or of the sinner. God desired mercy rather tha sacrifice, and that knowledge of him which produces holy fear and love This exposes the folly of those who trust in outward observances, to make up for their want of love to God and man. As Adam broke the covenant of God in paradise, so Israel had broken his nationa covenant, notwithstanding all the favours they received. Judah also wa ripe for Divine judgments. May the Lord put his fear into our hearts and set up his kingdom within us, and never leave us to ourselves, no suffer us to be overcome by temptation __________________________________________________________________
