---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Hosea 10:1. Israel is an empty vine — Or, a vine that casteth its grapes. He bringeth forth fruit — Or, he laid up fruit for himself. He abused the"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/hosea/10"
---

Verse [Hosea 10:1](../../../kjv/hosea/10/1). ***Israel*****is*****an empty vine*** — Or, *a vine that casteth its* *grapes*.
***He bringeth forth fruit*** — Or, *he laid up fruit for himself*. He abused the blessings of God to the purposes of idolatry. He was prosperous; but his prosperity corrupted his heart.
***According to the multitude of his fruit*** — He became idolatrous in proportion to his prosperity; and in proportion to their wealth was the costliness of their images, and the expensiveness of their idol worship. True is the homely saying of old *Quarles*: -
Effodiuntur opes, irritamenta malorum. - OVID.
Of which the words of St. Paul are nearly a literal rendering, -
Ῥιζα γαρ πανθων των κακων εστιν ἡ θιλαργυρια.
"For the love of money is the root of all these evils" [1 Timothy 6:10](../../../kjv/1-timothy/6/10).
Pity that this beautiful metal, on which God has bestowed such a large portion of mineral perfection, and then hid in the earth, should, on its being *digged up* by man, become the *incentive* to so many *vices*, and draw away his heart from the Creator of all things, and the fountain of ineffable perfection and goodness.

Verse [Hosea 10:2](../../../kjv/hosea/10/2). ***Their heart is divided*** — They wish to serve God and Mammon, Jehovah and Baal: but this is impossible. Now GOD will do in *judgment* what *they* should have done in *contrition*, "break down their altars, and spoil their images."

Verse [Hosea 10:3](../../../kjv/hosea/10/3). ***We have no king*** — We have rejected the King of kings; and had we any king, he would be of no service to us in this state, as he would be a captive like ourselves; nor could we have the approbation of God, as we now justly lie under his displeasure.

Verse [Hosea 10:4](../../../kjv/hosea/10/4). ***They have spoken words*** — Vain, empty, deceitful *words*.
***Swearing falsely*** — This refers to the alliances made with strange powers, to whom they promised fidelity without intending to be faithful; and from whom they promised themselves protection and support, notwithstanding God was against them, and they knew it. All their words were vain, and in the end as *bitter as gall*.
***Judgment springeth up as hemlock*** — As our land lies without cultivation, so that we have nothing but noxious weeds instead of crops; so we have no administration of justice. What is done in this way is a perversion of law, and is as hurtful to society as hemlock would be to animal life. All this may refer to the anarchy that was in the kingdom of Israel before Hoshea's reign, and which lasted, according to Archbishop *Usher, nine* years. They then, literally, "had no king."

Verse [Hosea 10:5](../../../kjv/hosea/10/5). ***The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear*** — According to *Calmet*, shall worship the calves of Beth-aven; those set up by Jeroboam, at Beth-el. *Fear* is often taken for religious reverence.
***The people thereof shall mourn*** — On seeing the object of their worship carried into captivity, as well as themselves.
***And the priests thereof*** — כמרים *kemarim*. The priests of Samaria, says *Calmet*, are here called *kemarim*, that is, *black* *coats*, or *shouters*, because they made loud cries in their sacrifices. Instead of יגילו *yagilu*, "they shall rejoice;" learned men propose ילילו *yalilu*, "shall howl," which is likely to be the true reading, but it is not supported by any of the MSS. yet discovered. But the *exigentia loci*, the necessity of the place, requires some such word.

Verse [Hosea 10:6](../../../kjv/hosea/10/6). ***A present to King Jareb*** — See on [Hosea 5:13](../../../kjv/hosea/5/13). If this be a proper name, the person intended is not known in history: but it is most likely that *Pul*, king of Assyria, is intended, to whom Menahem, king of Israel, appears to have given one of the golden calves, to insure his assistance.

Verse [Hosea 10:7](../../../kjv/hosea/10/7). ***Her king is cut off as the foam*** — As lightly as a puff of wind blows off the foam that is formed below by a fall of water, so shall the kings of Israel be cut off. We have already seen that not less than *four* of them died by assassination in a very short time. See on [Hosea 7:7](../../../kjv/hosea/7/7).

Verse [Hosea 10:8](../../../kjv/hosea/10/8). ***The high-places*** — Idol temples.
***Of Aven*** — Beth-aven.
***The thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars*** — Owing to the uncultivated and unfrequented state of the land, and of their places of idol worship, the people being all carried away into captivity.
"And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us,
And to the hills, Fall on us."

"This sublime description of fear and distress our Lord had in view, [Luke 23:30](../../../kjv/luke/23/30), which may be a reference, and not a quotation. However, the *Septuagint*, in the *Codex Alexandrinus*, has the same order of words as occurs in the evangelist. The parallelism makes the passages more beautiful than [Revelation 6:16](../../../kjv/revelation/6/16); and [Isaiah 2:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/19) wants the animated dramatic form. That there is a reference to the caverns that abounded in the mountainous countries of Palestine, [Isaiah 2:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/19)." -*Newcome*.

Verse [Hosea 10:9](../../../kjv/hosea/10/9). ***Thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah*** — This is another reference to the horrible rape and murder of the Levite's wife, [Judges 19:13-14](../../../kjv/judges/19/13-14).
***There they stood*** — Only one tribe was nearly destroyed, viz., that of *Benjamin*. They were *the criminals, the children of* *iniquity*; the others were faultless, and *stood* only for the rights of justice and mercy.

Verse [Hosea 10:10](../../../kjv/hosea/10/10). ***When they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.*** — "When they are chastised for their two iniquities," i.e., the calves in Dan and Beth-el. - *Newcome*. But this double iniquity may refer to what Jeremiah says, [Jeremiah 11:13](../../../kjv/jeremiah/11/13): "My people have committed *two* evils." -
1. They have forsaken me.
2. They have joined themselves to idols.

Verse [Hosea 10:11](../../../kjv/hosea/10/11). ***Ephraim*****is as*****a heifer*****that is*****taught*** — One thoroughly broken in to the yoke.
***And loveth to tread out*** — Goes peaceably in the yoke; and is pleased because, *not being nuzzled*, she eats of the corn.
***I passed over upon her fair neck*** — I brought the yoke upon it, that she should not tread out the corn merely, but draw the plough and drag the harrow. These operations of husbandry are all referred to here, with some others. *Ephraim* shall *tread out the* *corn*, that there may be *seed* for the fields.
***Judah shall plough*** — That the *furrows* may receive it.
***Jacob shall break his clods.*** — Harrow - that the seed may be covered with the mould.
Israel very frequently made great depredations on Judah; and as this heifer *loved to tread out the corn*, and not *plough*, it is therefore added that he should be made to *plough*, be *put under the* *yoke*, namely, that of the Assyrians. What is added, "Judah and Jacob shall plough for themselves," means, that Judah should not now plough for Israel, but for *himself*; as Israel shall no more make depredations upon him.-*Dodd*.

Verse [Hosea 10:12](../../../kjv/hosea/10/12). ***Sow to yourselves in righteousness*** — Let the seed you sow be of the best kind, and in just measure.
***Reap in mercy*** — By the blessing of God on this ploughing, sowing, and harrowing, you may expect a good crop in harvest.
***Break up your fallow ground*** — Do not be satisfied with a *slight* *furrow*; let the land that was *fallowed* (slightly ploughed) be broken up again with a *deep furrow*.
***For*****it is*****time to seek the Lord*** — This should be immediately done: the season is passing; and if you do not get the seed in the ground, the early rain will be past, and your fields will be unfruitful.
***Rain righteousness upon you.*** — God will give you the early rain in due time, and in proper measure. Here are the metaphors, and the application cannot be difficult. Here are *ploughing,* *fallowing, sowing, harrowing, watering, reaping, threshing*, and *feeding* on the produce of well-directed labour. All may be applied to the human heart, and the work of God upon it. Correction, contrition, conversion, receiving the grace of Christ, bringing forth fruit, &c.

Verse [Hosea 10:13](../../../kjv/hosea/10/13). ***Ye have ploughed wickedness*** — Ye have laboured sinfully.
***Ye have reaped iniquity*** — The *punishment* due to your iniquity.
***Ye have eaten the fruit of lies*** — Your *false worship* and your *false gods* have brought you into *captivity* and *misery*.
***Because thou didst trust in thy way*** — Didst confide in thy own counsels, and in *thy mighty men*, and not in the God who made you.

Verse [Hosea 10:14](../../../kjv/hosea/10/14). ***Shall a tumult arise*** — The enemy shall soon fall upon thy people, and take all thy *fortified* places.
***As Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel*** — Some think that this refers to *Jerubbaal*, or *Gideon's* victory over *Zalmunna*, general of the Midianites; see [Judges 7:1-21](../../../kjv/judges/7/1-21). Others think that an allusion is made here to the destruction of *Arbela*, a city *of Armenia*, by *Shalmaneser*, here called *Shalman*; and this while he was only general of the Assyrian forces, and not yet *king*. I think the history to which this refers is unknown. It seems that it was distinguished by some remarkable ferocities.
***The mother was dashed in pieces upon*****her*****children.*** — But *when,* *where, how*, and by *whom*, still remain unknown. Conjecture in such a case must be useless.

Verse [Hosea 10:15](../../../kjv/hosea/10/15). ***So shall Beth-el do unto you*** — This shall be the consequence of your *idolatry*.
***In a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.*** — Suddenly, unexpectedly. *Hoshea*, the king of Israel, shall be cut off by the Assyrians. There are some allusions to facts in this chapter, which cannot be easily verified, as we have not sufficient acquaintance with the history of those times.

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