Hos. 2 The people are exhorted to forsake idolatry, which is threatened with severe judgments, Hos. 2:1–13. God allureth them with promises of reconciliation, Hos. 2:14–23.

In the two last verses of the former chapter, the prophet did from God promise marvellous mercy to Judah and Israel, to that remnant of the seed of Abraham who returned out of captivity, and to the converted Gentiles; now in this verse he calls upon them to acknowledge the mercy, and to excite one…

Plead; argue the case, state it aright between me and your mother, then debate it fully; lay open either my displeasure, how great it is, or the effects of it already upon the house of Israel, or my menaces against them for the future, by my prophet Hosea: and next recollect the carriage of your…

Lest: this little word suggests great hopes; if this treacherous wife will cease her lewdness, and become chaste, she may be forgiven; it reserves room for repentance and reconciliation, without these it threatens.

I will not have mercy: see Hos. 1:6. Upon her children: by this expression particular persons are severally, as by mother the whole nation was, threatened, that none might flatter themselves with hope of better: it is observable they are called her children, not God’s.

For: this demonstrates the truth of the charge, and justifieth the severity of the punishment. Their mother: see Hos. 2:2. Played the harlot; doted on idols, worshipped them, and brought forth and educated children for diem.

Therefore; because she is so impetuous and shameless in her idolatrous courses, nothing hath, and she resolves nothing shall, hinder her, but she will follow them. Behold; take notice of it, thou lewd woman, and all that stand by.

And she, hedged in with many and great distresses, when under the judgments of God, shall follow after her lovers; with earnest travel, and with wearisome toil, she shall attempt every way to get to them, but to no purpose: afflictions and sorrows surround Israel; these Israel can by no means break…

For; this unexampled ignorance, or inconsiderateness, was the cause of all this lost labour, and unthankfulness to God. She, in her rayons and prosperity, as were the days of Jeroboam, in which much of this lewdness was committed, and in which the prophet calls them to repentance, did not know;…

Therefore, because I was not acknowledged nor served as the giver, will I return: much after the manner of man doth God speak; he had left large blessings behind him among this people, but their sottish ingratitude provokes him to resolutions of returning and seizing of all.

And now, when I make a seizure, and strip her of all that is mine, I will expose her, or else I shortly will do so, ere long. Her lewdness; the folly and wickedness of her idolatrous worship; and perhaps the corporal lewdnesses which idolaters seldom were free from may be here intended.

I will also cause all her mirth to cease; the jollity of Israel was certainly damped when Tiglath-pileser took Ijon, and other cities, and captivated Naphtali, 2 Kings 15:29, which was some, yet but few, years after this prophecy: but sure all their joy ceased about ten or twelve years after, when…

God will do it either by blasting, or by the Assyrians, who, as other invaders, shall spoil all. Destroy; make very desolate, or lay waste. Her vines and her fig trees: these two were mentioned, but all other fruit trees are meant.

I will visit; punish, for the prophet threatens them with this visitation, by which it evidently appears to be a visiting in wrath. Upon her; the kingdom of Israel. The days; the sins of those days past.

Therefore: this particle seems to connect these following passages with those that went before, as causal, or giving a reason why God will do thus, and so are difficulter than if read as לכן might be, either as a particle that speaks order or time of things, and is as much as afterwards; so it will…

And I, reconciled to her, will give her her vineyards; will both settle her, and abundantly enrich her with blessings, as the phrase implieth. From thence; either from the place of their exile and sufferings, or from the time of their hearkening to the Lord speaking to them in their distresses and…

At that day; when through deep distresses I have prepared her to return, and she who was an adulteress repents, and renews her covenant of love and obedience, and in the day of my blessings on her. Saith the Lord: this confirmeth and insureth the thing.

For I will take away the names of Baalim; it is my purpose to abolish the memory of Baalim. This great idol for all others; God will cut off all the remains of idolatry from his church. Out of her mouth; so God required, of old, Ex. 23:13.

In that day: see Hos. 2:16. Make a covenant; command or enjoin, and these creatures shall as duly observe the command as just ones keep a covenant. For them; true converts, the Israel of God.

And I, thy God, who was offended, but now am reconciled, though I was divorcing thee, will now betroth, on new terms enter marriage covenant with thee, O Israel, who art my people, and leavest thine idolatries and rebellions.

This verse is a third promise in the same words to comfort and encourage the true Israel, only faithfulness is here added a qualification of this new marriage, which shall continue firm on a mutual, faithful promise, love, and contract.

In that day, when this new alliance is made, or in the day of gospel grace, I will hear: this general promise God gives us to encourage us to cry to him; he will so hear as to answer. Saith the Lord: this is the seal to the truth and certainty of the things promised.

Their sins, the enemies’ sword, and God’s just displeasure, had wasted and lessened their numbers; but now the Lord will bless them with wonderful increase of people, expressed with allusion to a seed sown in the earth, which multiplieth exceedingly: so the Jews multiplied after the Babylonish…