14. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, &c.] To "shut up" a book, and to "seal" it, is the same with concealing the sense of it from common understandings: see chap. viii. 26. The same: reason is assigned for this command in both places; namely, because there would be a long interval of time between the date and the final accomplishment, of the prophecy. But the nearer that time approached, the more light should men have for understanding the prophecy itself: as is implied in the following words, " many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased:" many shall be inquisitive after truth, and keep correspondence with others for their better information: and the gradual completion of some prophecies shall direct observing readers to form a judgment concerning those particulars which are yet to be fulfilled. 5.-behold, there stood other two,] I saw two other angels on the bank of the river Hiddekel, attending upon that supreme Angel, or the Son of God, who appeared in the glorious form above described: see chap. x. 4, 5. 7. And I heard the man clothed in linen, &c.] I heard Christ, the Son of God, the great Angel of the covenant, answer him again; who, lifting up His hands towards heaven, the place of His throne, sware by Himself, and His eternal Father, and blessed Spirit. "Holding up the hand" was a ceremony auciently used in taking an oath. that it shall be for a time, times, and an half;] That is, as hath been before noticed, for three prophetick years and an half; and three prophetick years and a half are 1260 prophetick days; and 1260 prophetick days are 1260 years. We have here, and in verses 11. 12. three different periods assigned, 1260 years, 1290 years, and 1335 years: and what is the precise time of their beginning and consequently of their ending, as well as what are the great and signal events, which will take place at the end of each period, we cau only conjecture, time alone can with certainty discover. 8. And I heard, but I understood not :] The full discovery was not made to the Prophet, but reserved for future ages, till time should bring it to light. The prophecy is of distant reference and interpretation; it is necessary therefore that it should be involved in obscurity. What is delivered may satisfy the pious and faithful; but it is not meant that the curious should be gratified, that human pride should be indulged, or that the counsels of God should be made subservient to the ambition of princes, or any evil designs of man. 10. Many shall be purified, &c.] The persecutions of the faithful are designed for the trial of their faith, and the purification of their lives; see chap. xi. 35. But as for those, who are obstinately bent upon following the evil practices, to which they have been accustomed, neither the exhortations nor the threatenings of God's word, nor the judgments, which they see overtake others, will prevail with them to forsake their wicked practices. - and none of the wicked shall understand; &c.] The holy writers often repeat this maxim, that an honest and good heart is a necessary qualification for receiving and understanding Divine truths. See Is. vi. 9. &c.; Hos. xiv. 9.; John vii. 17. viii. 47. 13. But go thou thy way' till the end be: &c.] Be content with that state and condition which God shall appoint thee, till the finishing of all these wonderful events. 'NOTES ON. Hosea. THE Books which now follow to the end of the Old Testament, are those of the twelve Minor or lesser Prophets, who were so called, not on account of any inferiority in their writings as to matter or style, but merely with respect to the shortness of their works. The writings of the twelve Minor Prophets were formerly comprised in one Book, which was called by St. Stephen " the Book of the Prophets;" Acts vii. 42, compared with Amos v. 25. Hosea is supposed to be one of the most ancient of the twelve Minor Prophets. He prophesied above sixty years, during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and probably to about the third year of the reign of the last; or if we reckon by the kings of Israel, he may be described as having flourished during the reign of the second Jeroboam and his successors, to the sixth year of Hoshea, which corresponds with the third year of Hezekiah. Hosea was therefore nearly contemporary with Isaiah, Amos, and Jonah. It is probable that he resided chiefly in Samaria; and that he was the first Prophet, of those at least whose prophecies we possess, that predicted the destruction of that country; which was effected soon after the Prophet's death by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria. The principal subject of Hosea's prophecy is the guilt of the Jewish nation in general, the heavy judgments that awaited them, their final conversion to God, their reestablishment in the land of promise, and their restoration to God's favour, under the immediate protection of the Messiah, in the latter ages of the world. The Book of Hosea is quoted in the New Testament as unquestionably the inspired production of a Prophet. CHAP. I. Under the figure of a wife living in adultery, and bearing illegitimate children, is represented the great idolatry of the children of Israel, which provoked God to cast them off; yet with the promise of repairing that loss, by bringing in the Gentiles into the Church, and afterwards uniting Israel and Judah under one head, the Messiah. Verse 2.-Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms &c.] That is, Mary a wife, who will afterwards, namely, after the birth of her first child, prove unfaithful to thy bed, and bear children begotten by others; for hereby will be most fitly, and even sensibly represented to the people of Israel their like base dealing with Me; inasmuch as the people of the land have committed the like great spiritual whoredom, departing from the Lord, and worshipping idols. 4.-Call his name Jezreel;] The names, im posed upon the children by God's direction, suthciently declare what particular parts of the Jewish nation were severally represented by them. The name of the first was Jezreel, importing "seed of God;" and the persons, represented by the Prophet's proper son, to whom the name is given, were all those true servants of God, scattered among the twelve tribes of Israel, who, in the times of the nation's greatest depravity, worshipped the true God, in the hope of the Redeemer to come. These were a holy seed; the genuine sons of God. These are Jezreel, typified by the Prophet's own son and rightful heir, as the children of God, and heirs of the promises. I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. See 2 Kings xv. 29; and xvii. 5, 6. The taking of several cities and of the capital itself, was a breaking of the bow of Israel," a destruction of the whole military strength of the kingdom "in the valley of Jezreel," where all those cities. were situated. “ 6.-Call her name Lo-ruhamah:] All the Jewish people, that were not Jezreel, the "seed of God," those who were not Israel, though they were of Israel, are represented by the two illegitimate children. The first of these, the daughter, was called Lo-rubamah, a name signifying “ unbe. loved," or "unpitied," or as in the margin of the Bible," not having obtained mercy." This daughter 'represents the people of the ten tribes in their feeble and declining state, torn by internal commotions and revolutions, harassed by powerful invaders, and condemned by the just judgment of God to utter destruction as a nation, without hope of restoration. 7.-and will save them by the Lord their God, &c.] This promise may be referred to their deliverance from captivity, not by human means, but by God's moving the heart of Cyrus to restore them, Ezra i. 1, &c. Or the expression may allude to the salvation to be accomplished by the Messiah. 9.-Call his name Lo-ammi: The name sig nifies, "not my people." By this child is represented the kingdom of Judah in the later periods of their history. When the Jews rejected Christ, they were rejected by God, and cast off, as it were, from being His people. They then became "' Lo-ammi,” "Not My people;" and so they have continued for ages to this present day: Scattered over the face of the whole world, persecuted and despised by all nations, they still exist as a separate people, and are reserved for signal mercy at some future period. See the following verse. . 10. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand] By "the children of Israel" we are here to understand, not only the Jews, the natural descendants of Abraham, but all that shall be converted to the true religion, all that rightly believe in God. 11. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, &c. This refers to the general conversion of the Jews, both of Judah and Israel, to the true faith, when all shall be united under "one Head," which is Christ. -for great shall be the day of Jezreel. Great and happy shall be the day, when the holy seed of both branches of the natural Israel shall be publickly acknowledged by their God; united under one head, their King Messiah; and restored to the possession of the promised land. CHAP. II. Verse 1. Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.] Although the Israelites, in the days of Hosea, were in general corrupt and addicted to idolatry, yet there were among them in the worst times some, who had not bowed the knee to Baal. These were always Ammi, and Rabamab; that is, God's own people, and such as would obtain mercy. Plead with your mother, &c.] Because by her false dealing with God, and alienating herself from God, she hath alienated His mind from her, and so far provoked Him, that He hath declared He will proceed in judgment against her and her children; let her, that she may avert God's displeasure and reconcile Him again to her, turn to Him by repentance, and put away her idolatries, her spiritual fornications, and evil doings; and let her children, that she may do so, and that they may escape God's judgments, plead with her, call on her so to do and endeavour her reformation. This is plainly the scope of the words, The expressions are figurative. 5.-she said, I will go after my lovers,] I will go after others, whom I esteem as my lovers: that is, I love rather to worship idol gods, as thinking them the gods that give me my bread, &c. 6.—I will hedge up thy way &c.] See the like expressions in Lam. iii. 7,9; Job xix. 8. Whence this appears to be a proverbial kind of speech, taken from what is usually done among men, when they would stop up a way, and hinder others from going in it, to put before it au hedge of thorns, or to cross it with a wall. 8. For she did not know that I gave her corn, &c. That is, she did not acknowledge that the things which were offered in sacrifice to Baal, were gifts which proceeded from God. If, when God giveth us wealth, power, autho rity, health, strength, liberty, or any of the good things, instead of using these things to His Glory, and the relief of Ilis servants, we abuse them to the service of those idols, which we have set up in our hearts, to our pride, our covetousness, or our sensuality, we are as liable to the charge as the Israelites were; as unjust, as profane, as untbankful in every respect as they. 10. And now will I discover her lewdness] By hiding My face from them, and depriving them of My blessings, I will make it appear how foolish, how shameful, how lewd, how vile and base they were in forsaking God and following idols. And this God threatens to do "in the sight," or presence "of her lovers," that is, of her idols, 11. I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, &c.] God here threatens them, that under their captivity they should have no opportunity to celebrate their joyful festivals, since they had so much abused those solemn seasons of Divine wo rship. 13. And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim,] I will punish her for all the idolatries she has committed from the days of Jeroboam, who first set up the worship of false gods. 14. Therefore, behold, c.] Here is a plain alteration of style from threatenings to promises; so that the first word should be rendered Nevertheless. 15.-and the valley of Achor for a door of hope:] "The valley of Achor," that is, of tribulatiou, or consternation; alluding to the vale near Jericho, where the first Israelites, first setting foot within the Holy Land, were thrown into trouble and consternation; but immediately afterwards found it" a door of hope;" for from that time, Joshua having received fresh encouragement from God, drove on his conquests with uninterrupted success. In like manner the tribulations of the Jews, in their present dispersion, shall open to them the door of hope; and "she shall sing there," that is, in the wilderness, and in the vale of tribulation, under those circumstances of present difficulty mixed with cheering hope. 16.-thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.] Ishi," which signifies, 66 husband," is an appellation of love; "Baali," signifying," my lord," of subjection and fear. "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," 2 Tim. i. 7. 17.—I will take away the names of Baalim, &c.] That is, of their false gods. The meaning is, that the Jews should at length be cured of their idolatry, and should serve the true God. 18. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, &c.] These expressions are figurative, and relate to the times of the Gospel. See Luke x. 19. 19. And I will betroth thee unto me &c.] I will enter into a new covenant with My Church, consisting of the couverted Jews, and increased by the coming ia of the Gentiles; wherein I will eininently display My righteousness, loving kindness, mercy, and faithfulness. 21.-I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; &c.] All things shall answer the desires and wants of My people; the heavens shall answer the wants of the earth, in sending down seasonable showers; and the earth shall answer the wants of mankind in bringing forth the necessaries of life. The same sense is more plainly expressed in Zechariah, chap. viii. 12. "The seed shall be prosperous" &c. 23. And I will sow her unto me in the earth; Here is a plain allusion to the word "Jezreel, mentioned just before, which signifies the seed of God: the Prophet foretels a plentiful increase of true believers, like that of corn sown in the earth. - the children of Israel,} and "house of Israel," are two expressions of different meanings. "The house of Israel," and sometimes "Israel" by itself, is a particular appellation of the ten tribes, as a distinct kingdom from Judah. But "the children of Israel" is a general appellation for the whole race of the Israelites, comprehending both kingdoms. and love flagons of wine.] Indulge in intemperance and sensuality. The expression may perhaps allude to the wine drunk at the heathen sacrifices. 2. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, &c.] By this small gift and slender pittance was signified the hard fare, which the Israelites were to expect at the hand of God, in their state of exile. 3.-Thou shalt abide for me many days;] Thou shalt remain many days, as in a state of widow. hood, till the time that I shall be fully reconciled to thee, and see fit to receive thee again to the privileges of a wife. The condition of the woman, restrained from licentious courses, owned as a wife, but without being restored to the full rites of marriage, well represents the present state of the Jews, manifestly owned as a peculiar people, withheld from idolatry, but as yet without access to God through the Saviour. 4. For the children of Israel shall abide many days &c.] This threatening has been most remarkably fulfilled upon the whole nation of the NNNN Jews, from the destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasian unto this day. • without a sacrifice,] Deprived of the means of offering the sacrifices of the law, and having as yet no share in the true sacrifice of Christ.. without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:] These are mentioned as principal implements of idolatrous rites. And the sum of the fourth verse is this: that for many ages the Jews would not be their own masters; would be deprived of the exercise of their own religion, in its most essential parts; not embracing the Christian, they would have no share in the true, service; and yet would be restrained from idolatry, to which their forefathers had been so prone. 5.-David their king;] See note on Jer. xxx. 9. CHAP. IV. Verse 2.-they break out,] They are become profligate and impudent; they have broken out beyond all bounds, like waters swelling above their banks, and overflowing the land. blood toucheth blood.] There are murders committed without intermission; one overtaketh and reacheth to another. 4. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: &c.] It is to no purpose to reprove them, for the people will hearken to no instruction, though it should come from those whose office it is to instruct them. To" strive" or contend, with the priest was by the law a capital offence: see Deut. xvii. 12. God tells the Prophet, that obstinacy and perverseness, even in this degree, were become the general character of the people. That the national contempt of the reproofs of the Prophets was such as might be compared with the stubbornness of an individual; who at the peril of his life would arraign and disobey the judicial decisions of God's priests. It must surely be a no less heinous sin, and odious to God, to despise the ministers of Christ's Gospel, than it was before to despise the ministers of Moses's law. 5. Therefore shalt thou fall] The last sentence was addressed to the Prophet: "thy people," O prophet. This is to the people themselves: "Thou," O stubborn peopie. Neither the light shall afford thee a way of escaping the evil; nor the darkness cover thee from it. -I will destroy thy mother.] That is, thy mother city, Jerusalem, the metropolis of the nation. 6.- for lack of knowledge:] The "knowledge" here spoken of is not only a knowledge of the letter or sense of the law, but the framing of their lives according to it. The end of God's giving them His commandments was, that they might so know them, as to keep and do them: that was reckoned their "wisdom and understanding," Deut. iv. 6. 8. They eat up the sin of my people, &c.] The meaning is, that it was the custom of the priests to receive from the people their sin offerings, and to feed upon them. At the same time," they set their heart on their iniquity;" that is, they were desirous that the people should commit sin, that so the sin offerings might come in to them. 9.there shall be, like people, like priest:] As they are alike in sinning, so shall they be in punish ment. 11.-take away the heart.] Corrupt the mind and judgment, and make men brutish in their understandings. 12. their stocks, their staff] Both these terms probably mean their wooden idols. 14. I will not punish your daughters &c.] I will not chastise that sin in your children and wives, which ye, that are the parents and husbands, are willingly guilty of. 15.-come not ye unto Gilgal, &c.] Join not in the idolatrous worship practised by the men of Israel at Gilgal or Beth-aven, nor mix idolatry with the profession of the true religion. -nor swear, The Lord liveth.] Swear not the solemn oath of the living God in an idolatrous temple. 17. Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.] It is to no purpose to take pains to reclaim them: see ver. 4. "Ephraim" is put for the ten tribes of Israel, 18. Their drink is sour: &c.] The verse taxes them with three great vices; drunkenness, whoredom, and bribery. Their intemperance is odious; they have committed whoredom continually; her rulers are all for bribes, and are not ashamed to say, "Give." 19. The wind hath bound her up in her wings,] God's judgments shall overtake them as a whirlwind, as CHAP. V. Verse 1.-because ye have been a snare on Mizpak, &c.] That is, as dangerous and destructive "snares" and "nets" spread by hunters and fowlers on the mountains, particularly those of Mizpah and Tabor. 2. And the revolters are profound to make slaughter,] The ringleaders in idolatry, the chief "revolters" from My holy religion, lay deep designs to ensnare men's lives; though I by My Prophets and judgments have rebuked them for it. 6. They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him;] They shall at length offer sacrifices to Him in vain. They stopped their ears obstinately against Him, when he called on them, and offered |