Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim?

“So the phrase is used of a new turn given to the feeling (Ps 105:25). repentings--God speaks according to human modes of thought (Nu 23:19).”

Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.

“But as this verse praises Judah, whereas Ho 12:2 censures him, it must belong rather to the eleventh chapter and a new prophecy begins at the twelfth chapter.”

Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; he multiplies lies and violence; he makes a covenant with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.

“Israel follows not only things vain, but things pernicious (compare Job 15:2). increaseth lies--accumulates lie upon lie, that is, impostures wherewith they deceive themselves, forsaking the truth of God. desolation--violent oppressions practised by Israel [MAURER].”

The LORD also brings a charge against Judah. He will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds.

“Judah, under Ahaz, had fallen into idolatry (2Ki 16:3, &c.). Jacob--that is, the ten tribes. If Judah, the favored portion of the nation, shall not be spared, much less degenerate Israel.”

In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.

“As the promised Canaan had to be gained forcibly by Israel, so heaven by the faithful (Re 3:21; compare Lu 13:24). "Strive," literally, "as in the agony of a contest." So the Canaanitess (Mt 15:22).”

Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor; he found Him at Bethel and spoke with Him there—

“What a sad contrast, that in this same Beth-el now Israel worships the golden calves! there he spake with us--"with us," as being in the loins of our progenitor Jacob (compare Ps 66:6, "They . . . we;" Heb 7:9, 10).”

But I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.

“And--rather, "And yet." Though Israel deserves to be cast off for ever, yet I am still what I have been from the time of My delivering them out of Egypt, their covenant God; therefore, "I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles," that is…”

Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?

“Is there iniquity in Gilead?--He asks the question, not as if the answer was doubtful, but to strengthen the affirmation: "Surely they are vanity"; or as MAURER translates, "They are nothing but iniquity." Iniquity, especially idolatry, in Scripture is often termed "vanity."”

Jacob fled to the land of Aram and Israel worked for a wife—for a wife he tended sheep.

“Ye, though delivered from Egypt (Ho 12:13), and loaded with My favors, are yet unwilling to return to Me. country of Syria--the champaign region of Syria, the portion lying between the Tigris and Euphrates, hence called Mesopotamia.”

When they had pasture, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, their hearts became proud, and as a result they forgot Me.

“In proportion as I fed them to the full, they were so satiated that "their heart was exalted"; a sad contrast to the time when, by God's blessing, Ephraim truly "exalted himself in Israel" (Ho 13:1).”

So like a lion I will pounce on them; like a leopard I will lurk by the path.

“Leopards lurk in thickets and thence spring on their victims. observe--that is, lie in wait for them. Several manuscripts, the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic read, by a slight change of the Hebrew vowel pointing, "by the way of Assyria," a region abounding in leopards…”

Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests.

“"Writers on the natures of beasts say that none is more savage than a she bear, when bereaved of her whelps" [JEROME]. caul of . . . heart--the membrane enclosing it: the pericardium. there--"by the way" (Ho 13:7).”

Where is your king now to save you in all your cities, and the rulers to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”?

“I will be thy king; where--rather, as the Margin and the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, "Where now is thy king?" [MAURER].”

So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away.

“I gave . . . king in . . . anger . . . took . . . away in . . . wrath--true both of Saul (1Sa 15:22, 23; 16:1) and of Jeroboam's line (2Ki 15:30).”

Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.

“Thus the exile, wherein the temple service ceased, prepared the way for the gospel time when the types of the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament being realized in Christ's perfect sacrifice once for all, "the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the…”

Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our own hands.

“Three besetting sins of Israel are here renounced, trust in Assyria, application to Egypt for its cavalry (forbidden, De 17:16; compare Ho 7:11; 31:1), and idolatry. fatherless--descriptive of the destitute state of Israel, when severed from God, their true Father.”

I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger has turned away from them.

“God's gracious reply to their self-condemning prayer. backsliding--apostasy: not merely occasional backslidings. God can heal the most desperate sinfulness [CALVIN]. freely--with a gratuitous, unmerited, and abundant love (Eze 16:60-63).”

I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

“The common lily is white, consisting of six leaves opening like bells. The royal lily grows to the height of three or four feet; Mt 6:29 alludes to the beauty of its flowers.”

His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

“The lily depicts its lovely growth; but as it wants duration and firmness, the deeply rooted cedars of Lebanon are added; these, however, are fruitless, therefore the fruitful, peace-bearing, fragrant, ever green olive is added.”

They will return and dwell in his shade; they will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

“Compare Ho 14:6, "His smell as Lebanon"; So 1:3: "Thy name is as ointment poured forth." The Septuagint favors the Margin, "memorial." as the wine of Lebanon--which was most celebrated for its aroma, flavor, and medicinal restorative properties.”