Hosea 6:4-7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 6:4-11

Two things, two evil things, both Judah and Ephraim are here charged with, and justly accused of:? I. That they were not firm to their own convictions, but were unsteady, unstable as water, Hos. 6:4, 5. O Ephraim! what shall I do unto thee? O Judah! what shall I do unto thee? This is a strange expression. Can Infinite Wisdom be at a loss what to do? Can it be nonplussed, or put upon taking new measures? By no means; but God speaks after the manner of men, to show how absurd and unreasonable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:4

O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee ?.... Or, "for thee" F24 לך "in tuum commodum", Schmidt. ? The Lord having observed the effect and consequence of his going and returning to his place, of his leaving his people for a long time under afflictions and in distress; namely, their thorough conversion to him in the latter day, and the blessings attending it; returns to the then present times again, and to the state and condition in which Ephraim and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:5

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth ,.... Sharply reproved them for their sins by the prophets, who were as lapidaries that cut stone, or us hewers of timber that cut off the knotty parts; so these by preaching the terrors of the law, which is a killing letter, and by delivering out the threatenings of the Lord, and denouncing his judgments upon them for their sins, cut them to the heart, and killed them; for their foretelling and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:6

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice ,.... That is, the one rather than the other, as the next clause explains it. Sacrifices were of early use, even before the law of Moses; they were of divine appointment, and were approved and accepted of by the Lord; they were types of Christ, and led to him, and were continued unto his death; but in comparison of moral duties, which respect love to God, and to our neighbour, the Lord did not will them, desire them, and delight in them; or he had more... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:7

But they, like men, have transgressed the covenant ,.... The false prophets, as Aben Ezra, whom he threatened to cut off and slay, Hosea 6:5 ; or rather Ephraim and Judah, whose goodness was so fickle and unstable; and who, instead of doing acts of mercy, and seeking after the true knowledge of God and his worship, which are preferable to all sacrifices, they transgressed the law of God, which they promised at Mount Sinai to obey; the precepts of the moral law, even of both tables, which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:4

O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? - This is the answer of the Lord to the above pious resolutions; sincere while they lasted, but frequently forgotten, because the people were fickle. Their goodness (for goodness it was while it endured) was like the morning cloud that fadeth away before the rising sun, or like the early dew which is speedily evaporated by heat. Ephraim and Judah had too much goodness in them to admit of their total rejection, and too much evil to admit of their being... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:5

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets - I have sent my prophets to testify against their fickleness. They have smitten them with the most solemn and awful threatenings; they have, as it were, slain them by the words of my mouth. But to what purpose? Thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth - Instead of יצא אור ומשפטיך umispateycha or yetse , "and thy judgments a light that goeth forth," the versions in general have read כאור ומשפטי umishpati keor , "and my judgment... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:6

I desired mercy, and not sacrifice - I taught them righteousness by my prophets; for I desired mercy. I was more willing to save than to destroy; and would rather see them full of penitent and holy resolutions, than behold them offering the best and most numerous victims upon my altar. See Matthew 9:13 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:7

But they like men ( כאדם keadam , "like Adam") have transgressed the covenant - They have sinned against light and knowledge as he did. This is sense, the other is scarcely so. There was a striking similarity in the two cases. Adam, in Paradise, transgressed the commandment, and I cast him out: Israel, in possession of the promised land, transgressed my covenant, and I cast them out, and sent them into captivity. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:4

Verse 4 Some so expound this passage as that God would not once irrigate his people, but would continue this favor; as though he said, “He is deceived, who thinks that the redemption, which I bid you to hope from me, will be momentary, for I will, by a continued progress, lead my people to a full fruition of salvation.” But this sense is altogether foreign. The Prophet then, no doubt, introduces God here as speaking thus, “What shall I do to you? because ye cannot receive my favor, so great is... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Hosea 6:4-11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 6:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 6:4

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