Hos. 13 Ephraim’s glory vanisheth by reason of idolatry, Hos. 13:1–3. God’s former care of his people: for their abuse of his benefits he will destroy them, Hos. 13:4–8. A promise of mercy and redemption from the grave, Hos. 13:9–14. The judgment of Samaria for rebellion, Hos. 13:15–16.

When; so soon as, or according as, as the Hebrew phrase bears it, and implieth there was a time when according to the word of Ephraim there was deep impression on the hearers.

And now, though they are admonished, threatened, and in part punished, yet now that Baal is taken in for a god and worshipped, they sin more and more; they go on to sin, and add new idolatries to the old, they increase the number of their sins; in some respect their new sins are greater than those…

Therefore; for these sins in multiplied idolatries and trusting to idols. They, Ephraim, his king, his captains, his fortresses, and aids, shall be, in the day of the Assyrian invasion, suddenly, easily, totally, and finally dispersed, expressed here by four similes, every one very apt and full,…

Yet, though thou hast so revolted, and chosen other gods, it is not occasioned by any change in me, I am what I was, the Lord, the mighty God, the everlasting God, Jehovah.

I did know, owned, took care of, guided, and supplied, thee, O Israel, in thy fathers, in the wilderness; through which for forty years together thou wast moving, and foundest nothing for thy sustenance but what my miraculous goodness and power gave thee; through those many deserts thou never didst…

According to their pasture, so were they filled; when they were come into Canaan, that land of springs, brooks, and rivers, that land of wheat, barley, vines, olives, and figs, as Deut.

Therefore; since they have so abused my gifts by luxury, pride, and atheistical forgetfulness of me, of what I had done for them, what I deserved and expected from them, I will use them as is meet, and take my revenge upon them.

I will meet them; I know their haunts, their walks, I will not fail to meet them there. As a bear bereaved of her whelps; robbed of her whelps, newly taken away, which makes her mad with rage; so great rage is proverbially expressed. Prov. 17:12.

Thou hast destroyed thyself; after these menaces it might seem I had destroyed thee, but thou thyself hast done it by thy sins. It is the rebel that destroys himself, though he fall by the sword of his provoked sovereign: thou art the cause and author of thine own ruin.

I will be thy King; I would have been thy King to govern and save thee, but thou refusedst me in both; yet I will he thy King to punish thee. I will not lose my right and honour by thy rebellious carriages against me, I will be a King and subdue such: or else it is a taunting question, Where is thy…

I gave thee a king in mine anger; such as Shallum, Menahem, Pekah, &c. but in displeasure against you. I took him away; the Hebrew says not what; I think, their kings mentioned.

The iniquity, in the singular, instead of the plural, all the iniquities and sins, of Ephraim, the kingdom of the ten tribes, is bound up; as indictments drawn up and tied together against the day of trial; or as bills and bonds tied up that they may be ready against the day of account, when all…

The sorrows of a travailing woman: by this simile, well known in Scripture, the prophet assures Ephraim that the punishment of his sins will overtake him suddenly, with very great anguish, and with as great certainty, Mic. 5:3.

Some interpreters render this text not in the future absolute, but in the subjunctive and conditionally, I would have ransomed, I would have redeemed, &c., if Israel had been wise; so it will well cohere with the 13th and 15th verses.

Though he, Ephraim, be fruitful, at present, as a flourishing tree seems to be fruitful; things in the state seem to be well settled; peace at home, under Hoshea, and peace abroad with Assyria and Egypt.

Samaria, the chief or royal city of the kingdom of Israel, shall become desolate; besieged, taken, plundered, and sacked, probably it was razed to the foundation, by the Assyrians, provoked by the treachery first, and by the obstinacy next, of Hoshea, maintaining the siege against Shalmaneser three…