Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Hosea
Book: Hosea
Chapter: 12
Overview:
Judah and
Israel reminded of the Divine favours.
(1-6) The
provocations of
Israel.
(7-14)
1-6 Ephraim feeds himself with vain hopes of help from
Man,
when he is at
Enmity with
God. The Jews vainly thought to secure
the Egyptians
By a present of the produce of their country.
Judah is contended with also.
God sees the
Sin of his own
people, and will reckon with them for it. They are
Put in mind
of what
Jacob did, and what
God did for him. When his
Faith upon
the Divine promise prevailed above his fears, then
By his
strength he had power with
God. He is
Jehovah, the same that
was, and is, and is to come. What was a
Revelation of
God to
one, is his memorial to many, to all generations. Then let those
who have gone from
God, be turned to him. Turn thou to the
Lord,
By Repentance and
Faith, as thy
God. Let those that are
converted to him, walk with him in all holy
Conversation and
Godliness. Let us
Wrestle with Him for promised blessings,
determined not to give over till we prevail; and let us seek Him
in his ordinances.
7-14 Ephraim became a
Merchant: the
Word also signifies a
Canaanite. They carried
On trade upon Canaanitish principles,
covetously and with fraud and deceit. Thus they became rich, and
falsely supposed that
Providence favoured them. But shameful
sins shall have shameful punishments. Let them remember, not
only what a mighty
Prince Jacob was with
God, but what a servant
he was to
Laban. The benefits we have had from the
Word of God,
make our
Sin and folly the worse, if we
Put any slight upon that
Word. We had better follow the hardest labour in poverty, than
grow rich
By Sin. We may form a
Judgment of our own conduct,
By
comparing it with that of ancient believers in the like
circumstances. Whoever despises the message of
God, will perish.
May we all hear his
Word with humble, obedient
Faith.