1"Kommt und laßt uns zu Jehova umkehren; denn er hat zerrissen und wird uns heilen, er hat geschlagen und wird uns verbinden. 2Er wird uns nach zwei Tagen wieder beleben, am dritten Tage uns aufrichten; und so werden wir vor seinem Angesicht leben. 3So laßt uns Jehova erkennen, ja, laßt uns trachten nach seiner Erkenntnis! Sein Hervortreten ist sicher wie die Morgendämmerung; und er wird für uns kommen wie der Regen, wie der Spätregen die Erde benetzt." 4Was soll ich dir tun, Ephraim, was soll ich dir tun, Juda, da eure Frömmigkeit wie die Morgenwolke ist und wie der Tau, der früh verschwindet? 5Darum habe ich sie behauen durch die Propheten, habe sie getötet durch die Worte meines Mundes; und mein Gericht geht hervor wie das Licht. 6Denn an Frömmigkeit habe ich Gefallen und nicht am Schlachtopfer, und an der Erkenntnis Gottes mehr als an Brandopfern. 7Sie aber haben den Bund übertreten wie Adam, haben dort treulos gegen mich gehandelt. 8Gilead ist eine Stadt von Übeltätern , voll Blutspuren. 9Und wie ein Straßenräuber auflauert, so die Rotte der Priester; sie morden auf dem Wege nach Sichem, ja, sie verüben Schandtat. 10Im Hause Israel habe ich Schauderhaftes gesehen: daselbst ist Ephraims Hurerei, Israel hat sich verunreinigt. 11Auch über dich, Juda, ist eine Ernte verhängt, wenn ich die Gefangenschaft meines Volkes wenden werde.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE ISRAELITES' EXHORTATION TO ONE ANOTHER TO SEEK THE LORD. (
Ωσ. 6:1-
Ωσ. 6:11)
At
Ωσ. 6:4 a new discourse, complaining of them, begins; for
Ωσ. 6:1-
Ωσ. 6:3 evidently belong to
Ωσ. 5:15, and form the happy termination of Israel's punishment: primarily, the return from Babylon; ultimately, the return from their present long dispersion.
Ωσ. 6:8 perhaps refers to the murder of Pekahiah; the discourse cannot be later than Pekah's reign, for it was under it that Gilead was carried into captivity (
2Βασ. 15:29).
let us return--in order that God who has "returned to His place" may return to us (
Ωσ. 5:15).
torn, and . . . heal-- (
Δευτ. 32:39;
Ιερ. 30:17). They ascribe their punishment not to fortune, or man, but to God, and acknowledge that none (not the Assyrian, as they once vainly thought,
Ωσ. 5:13) but God can heal their wound. They are at the same time persuaded of the mercy of God, which persuasion is the starting-point of true repentance, and without which men would not seek, but hate and flee from God. Though our wound be severe, it is not past hope of recovery; there is room for grace, and a hope of pardon. He hath smitten us, but not so badly that He cannot heal us (
Ψαλ. 130:4).
2 Primarily, in type, Israel's national revival, in a short period ("two or three" being used to denote a few days,
Ησ. 17:6;
Λουκ. 13:32-
Λουκ. 13:33); antitypically the language is so framed as to refer in its full accuracy only to Messiah, the ideal Israel (
Ησ. 49:3; compare
Ματθ. 2:15, with
Ωσ. 11:1), raised on the third day (
Ιωάν. 2:19;
1Κορ. 15:4; compare
Ησ. 53:10). "He shall prolong His days." Compare the similar use of Israel's political resurrection as the type of the general resurrection of which "Christ is the first-fruits" (
Ησ. 26:19;
Ιεζ. 37:1-
Ιεζ. 37:14;
Δαν. 12:2).
live in his sight--enjoy His countenance shining on us, as of old; in contrast to
Ωσ. 5:6,
Ωσ. 5:15, "Withdrawn Himself from them."
3 know, if we follow on to know the Lord--The result of His recovered favor (
Ωσ. 6:2) will be onward growth in saving knowledge of God, as the result of perseverance in following after Him (
Ψαλ. 63:8;
Ησ. 54:13). "Then" implies the consequence of the revival in
Ωσ. 6:2. The "if" is not so much conditional, as expressive of the means which God's grace will sanctify to the full enlightenment of Israel in the knowledge of Him. As want of "knowledge of God" has been the source of all evils (
Ωσ. 4:1;
Ωσ. 5:4), so the knowledge of Him will bring with it all blessings; yea, it is "life" (
Ιωάν. 17:3). This knowledge is practice, not mere theory (
Ιερ. 22:15-
Ιερ. 22:16). Theology is life, not science; realities, not words. This onward progress is illustrated by the light of "morning" increasing more and more "unto the perfect day" (
Παρ. 4:18).
prepared--"is sure," literally, "fixed," ordered in His everlasting purposes of love to His covenant-people. Compare "prepared of God" (
Γέν. 41:32, Margin;
Αποκ. 12:6). Jehovah shall surely come to the relief of His people after their dark night of calamity.
as the morning-- (
2Σαμ. 23:4).
as the rain . . . latter . . . former-- (
Ιώβ 29:23;
Ιωήλ 2:23). First, "the rain" generally is mentioned; then the two rains (
Δευτ. 11:14) which caused the fertility of Palestine, and the absence of which was accounted the greatest calamity: "the latter rain" which falls in the latter half of February, and during March and April, just before the harvest whence it takes its name, from a root meaning " to gather"; and "the former rain," literally, "the darting rain," from the middle of October to the middle of December. As the rain fertilizes the otherwise barren land, so God's favor will restore Israel long nationally lifeless.
4 what shall I do unto thee--to bring thee back to piety. What more could be done that I have not done, both in mercies and chastenings (
Ησ. 5:4)? At this verse a new discourse begins, resuming the threats (
Ωσ. 5:14). See opening remarks on this chapter.
goodness--godliness.
morning cloud--soon dispersed by the sun (
Ωσ. 13:3). There is a tacit contrast here to the promise of God's grace to Israel hereafter, in
Ωσ. 6:3. His going forth is "as the morning," shining more and more unto the perfect day; your goodness is "as a morning cloud," soon vanishing. His coming to His people is "as the (fertilizing) latter and former rains"; your coming to Him "as the early dew goeth away."
5 I hewed them by the prophets--that is, I announced by the prophets that they should be hewn asunder, like trees of the forest. God identifies His act with that of His prophets; the word being His instrument for executing His will (
Ιερ. 1:10;
Ιεζ. 43:3).
by . . . words of my mouth-- (
Ησ. 11:4;
Ιερ. 23:29;
Εβρ. 4:12).
thy judgments--the judgments which I will inflict on thee, Ephraim and Judah (
Ωσ. 6:4). So "thy judgments," that is, those inflicted on thee (
Σοφ. 3:15).
are as the light, &c.--like the light, palpable to the eyes of all, as coming from God, the punisher of sin. HENDERSON translates, "lightning" (compare
Ιώβ 37:3, Margin;
Ιώβ 35:15).
6 mercy--put for piety in general, of which mercy or charity is a branch.
not sacrifice--that is, "rather than sacrifice." So "not" is merely comparative (
Έξ. 16:8;
Ιωήλ 2:13;
Ιωάν. 6:27;
1Τιμ. 2:14). As God Himself instituted sacrifices, it cannot mean that He desired them not absolutely, but that even in the Old Testament, He valued moral obedience as the only end for which positive ordinances, such as sacrifices, were instituted--as of more importance than a mere external ritual obedience (
1Σαμ. 15:22;
Ψαλ. 50:8-
Ψαλ. 50:9;
Ψαλ. 51:16;
Ησ. 1:11-
Ησ. 1:12;
Μιχ. 6:6-
Μιχ. 6:8;
Ματθ. 9:13;
Ματθ. 12:7).
knowledge of God--experimental and practical, not merely theoretical (
Ωσ. 6:3;
Ιερ. 22:16;
1Ιωάν. 2:3-4). "Mercy" refers to the second table of the law, our duty to our fellow man; "the knowledge of God" to the first table, our duty to God, including inward spiritual worship. The second table is put first, not as superior in dignity, for it is secondary, but in the order of our understanding.
7 like men--the common sort of men (
Ψαλ. 82:7). Not as Margin, "like Adam,"
Ιώβ 31:33. For the expression "covenant" is not found elsewhere applied to Adam's relation to God; though the thing seems implied (
Ρωμ. 5:12-
Ρωμ. 5:19). Israel "transgressed the covenant" of God as lightly as men break everyday compacts with their fellow men.
there--in the northern kingdom, Israel.
8 Gilead . . . city--probably Ramoth-gilead, metropolis of the hilly region beyond Jordan, south of the Jabbok, known as "Gilead" (
1Βασ. 4:13; compare
Γέν. 31:21-
Γέν. 31:25).
work iniquity-- (
Ωσ. 12:11).
polluted with blood--"marked with blood-traces" [MAURER]. Referring to Gilead's complicity in the regicidal conspiracy of Pekah against Pekahiah (
2Βασ. 15:25). See on
Ωσ. 6:1. Many homicides were there, for there were beyond Jordan more cities of refuge, in proportion to the extent of territory, than on this side of Jordan (
Αρ. 35:14;
Δευτ. 4:41-
Δευτ. 4:43;
Ιησ. 20:8). Ramoth-gilead was one.
9 company--"association" or guild of priests.
murder by consent--literally, "with one shoulder" (compare
Σοφ. 3:9, Margin). The image is from oxen putting their shoulders together to pull the same yoke [RIVETUS]. MAURER translates, "in the way towards Shechem." It was a city of refuge between Ebal and Gerizim; on Mount Ephraim (
Ιησ. 20:7;
Ιησ. 21:21), long the civil capital of Ephraim, as Shiloh was the religious capital; now called Naploos; for a time the residence of Jeroboam (
1Βασ. 12:25). The priests there became so corrupted that they waylaid and murdered persons fleeing to the asylum for refuge [HENDERSON]; the sanctity of the place enhanced the guilt of the priests who abused their priestly privileges, and the right of asylum to perpetrate murders themselves, or to screen those committed by others [MAURER].
commit lewdness--deliberate crime, presumptuous wickedness, from an Arabic root, "to form a deliberate purpose."
10 horrible thing-- (
Ιερ. 5:30;
Ιερ. 18:13;
Ιερ. 23:14).
whoredom--idolatry.
11 an harvest--namely, of judgments (as in
Ιερ. 51:33;
Ιωήλ 3:13;
Αποκ. 14:15). Called a "harvest" because it is the fruit of the seed which Judah herself had sown (
Ωσ. 8:7;
Ωσ. 10:12;
Ιώβ 4:8;
Παρ. 22:8). Judah, under Ahaz, lost a hundred twenty thousand "slain in one day (by Israel under Pekah), because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers."
when I returned the captivity of my people--when I, by Oded My prophet, caused two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters, of Judah to be restored from captivity by Israel (
2Χρ. 28:6-15). This prophecy was delivered under Pekah [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU]. MAURER explains, When Israel shall have been exiled for its sins, and has been subsequently restored by Me, thou, Judah, also shalt be exiled for thine. But as Judah's punishment was not at the time when God restored Israel, LUDOVICUS DE DIEU'S'S explanation must be taken. GROTIUS translates, "When I shall have returned to make captive (that is, when I shall have again made captive) My people." The first captivity of Israel under Tiglath-pileser was followed by a second under Shalmaneser. Then came the siege of Jerusalem, and the capture of the fenced cities of Judah, by Sennacherib, the forerunner of other attacks, ending in Judah's captivity. But the Hebrew is elsewhere used of restoration, not renewed punishment (
Δευτ. 30:3;
Ψαλ. 14:7).