The design of this chapter is to expose the sins of Israel and of Judah, and to declare the judgment of God upon them for them. Men of all ranks in Israel are summoned to attend to the charge brought against then, and the sentence on them, Hos. 5:1.

Hear ye this, O priests Though idolatrous ones, who called themselves priests, and were reckoned so by others, though not of the tribe of Levi, but such as Jeroboam had made priests, or were their successors; and there might be some of the family of Aaron and tribe of Levi, that might continue in…

And the revolters are profound to make slaughter The revolters are the king, priests, and people, who had revolted from the true worship and ways of God unto idolatry.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me Though they may cover their designs from men, and seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and make plausible pretences for what they do, and put on an appearance of religion; yet God, who knows all men, and their hearts, cannot be deceived; he…

They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God Either their evil doings; they will not leave, as the Targum and Jarchi [[6]]; their evil ways and worship, their adultery and idolatry; which was necessary to repentance and true conversion to God, whom they yet professed to be their God,…

And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face Or, “does” or “shall answer to his face” [[7]]; contradicts him, convicts him, and fills him with shame; the pride of his heart, and of his countenance, and which appears in all his actions, and which is open and manifest to all, shall stare him in…

They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord Not only the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, to whom Kimchi, Aben Ezra, and Abarbinel, restrain the words; but the ten tribes of Israel also, who, when in distress, and seeing ruin coming upon them, should seek the Lord; seek…

They have dealt treacherously against the Lord Which was the reason of his departure from them; as a woman deals treacherously with her husband when she is unfaithful to him, and commits adultery; so Israel and Judah dealt treacherously with the Lord, who stood in the relation of a husband to them…

Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah As an alarm of war, to give notice that the enemy is at hand, just ready to invade the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and bring destruction upon them; according to the Targum, the words are directed to the prophets, “O ye prophets, lift up your…

Ephraim shall he desolate in the day of rebuke The country of the ten tribes shall be laid desolate, the inhabitants of them destroyed either by the sword, or famine, or pestilence, and the rest carried captive, as they were by Shalmaneser; and this was the day of the Lord’s rebuke and chastisement…

The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound, &c.] Or landmark, which to do was contrary to the law, ; and has always been reckoned a heinous sin among all nations, and is only done by such who have no regard to right and wrong, and by them secretly; and such were the kings, princes,…

Ephraim is oppressed, and broken in judgment Here the prophet again returns to the ten tribes, who were oppressed and broken, either by their own judgments, as the Targum; by the tyranny of their kings, and the injustice of their judges, who looked only for the mammon of unrighteousness; or by the…

Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth Which eats garments, penetrates into them, feeds on them privately, secretly, without any noise, and gradually and slowly consumes them; but at last utterly, that they are of no use and profit: this may signify the various things which befell the ten…

When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound That their civil state were in a sickly condition, very languid, weak, feeble, and tottering, just upon the brink of ruin; see ; then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to King Jareb; that is, the ten tribes, or the king of them, went and…

For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah Being provoked by their above conduct and behaviour in seeking to others, and not to him, for help, he threatens to punish them in a more public and severe manner; not be to them only as a moth and rottenness, but as a…

I will go and return to my place Leave the countries of Israel and of Judah, where he had used to grant his gracious and spiritual presence unto his people, and watched over them, and cared for them, and bestowed many favours on them, and go up to heaven, the place of his more glorious presence, as…