---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Hosea 7:1. When I would have healed Israel — As soon as one wound was healed, another was discovered. Scarcely was one sin blotted out till another"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/hosea/7"
---

Verse [Hosea 7:1](../../../kjv/hosea/7/1). ***When I would have healed Israel*** — As soon as one wound was healed, another was discovered. Scarcely was one sin blotted out till another was committed.
***The thief cometh in*** — Their own princes spoil them.
***The troop of robbers spoileth without.*** — The Assyrians, under different leaders, waste and plunder the country.

Verse [Hosea 7:2](../../../kjv/hosea/7/2). ***They consider not in their hearts*** — They do not consider that *my eye is upon all their ways*; they do not think that I *record* all their wickedness; and they know not their *own* evil *doings* are as a *host of enemies encompassing* them about.

Verse [Hosea 7:3](../../../kjv/hosea/7/3). ***They make the king glad*** — They pleased Jeroboam by coming readily into his measures, and heartily joining with him in his idolatry. And they professed to be perfectly happy in their change, and to be greatly advantaged by their new gods; and that the religion of the state now was better than that of Jehovah. Thus, they made all their rulers, "glad with their lies."

Verse [Hosea 7:4](../../../kjv/hosea/7/4). ***As an oven heated by the baker*** — *Calmet's* paraphrase on this and the following verses expresses pretty nearly the sense: Hosea makes a twofold comparison of the Israelites; to an *oven*, and to *dough*. Jeroboam set fire to his own *oven*-his kingdom-and put the leaven in his dough; and afterwards went to rest, that the fire might have time to heat his *oven*, and the *leaven* to raise his *dough*, that the false principles which he introduced might infect the whole population. This prince, purposing to make his subjects relinquish their ancient religion, put, in a certain sense, the fire to his own oven, and mixed his dough with leaven. At first he used no violence; but was satisfied with exhorting them, and proclaiming a feast. This *fire* spread very rapidly, and the *dough* was very soon impregnated by the *leaven*. All Israel was seen running to this feast, and partaking in these innovations. But what shall become of the *oven*-the *kingdom*; and the *bread*-the *people*? The *oven* shall be consumed by these flames; the king, the princes, and the people shall be enveloped in the burning, [Hosea 7:7](../../../kjv/hosea/7/7). Israel was *put under the ashes*, as a *loaf* well kneaded and leavened; but not being carefully *turned*, it was burnt on one side before those who prepared it could eat of it; and *enemies* and *strangers* came and carried off the loaf. See [Hosea 7:8-9](../../../kjv/hosea/7/8-9). Their lasting captivity was the consequence of their wickedness and their apostasy from the religion of their fathers. On this explication [Hosea 7:4-9](../../../kjv/hosea/7/4-9), may be easily understood.

Verse [Hosea 7:7](../../../kjv/hosea/7/7). ***All their kings are fallen*** — There was a pitiful slaughter among the idolatrous kings of Israel; *four* of them had fallen in the time of this prophet. Zechariah was slain by Shallum; Shallum, by Menahem; Pekahiah, by Pekah; and Pekah, by Hoshea, [2 Kings 15:8-30](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/8-30). All were idolaters, and all came to an untimely death.

Verse [Hosea 7:8](../../../kjv/hosea/7/8). ***A cake not turned.*** — In the East having heated the *hearth*, they sweep one corner, put the cake upon it, and cover it with embers; in a short time they *turn* it, cover it again, and continue this several times, till they find it sufficiently baked. All travellers into Asiatic countries have noted this.

Verse [Hosea 7:9](../../../kjv/hosea/7/9). ***Gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth**********not.*** — The kingdom is grown old in iniquity; the time of their captivity is at hand, and they are apprehensive of no danger. They are in the state of a *silly old man*, who through age and infirmities is become nearly *bald*, and the few *remaining hairs* on his head are quite *gray*. But he does not consider his latter end; is making no provision for that eternity on the brink of which he is constantly standing; does not apply to the sovereign Physician to heal his spiritual diseases; but calls in the *doctors* to cure him of *old age* and *death*! This miserable state and preposterous conduct we witness every day. O how fast does the human being cling to his native earth! Reader, hear the voice of an old man: -
O my *coevals*! remnants of yourselves,
Shall *our* pale withered hands be *still stretched out*?
*Trembling* at once with *eagerness* and *age*;
With *avarice* and *ambition* grasping-fast
Grasping at *air*! For what hath *earth* beside?
*We* want but *little*; nor THAT LITTLE *long*.

Verse [Hosea 7:10](../../../kjv/hosea/7/10). ***The pride of Israel*** — The same words as at [Hosea 5:6](../../../kjv/hosea/5/6), where see the note. [Hosea 5:6](../../../kjv/hosea/5/6).

Verse [Hosea 7:11](../../../kjv/hosea/7/11). ***Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart*** — A bird that has *little understanding*; that is *easily snared* and taken; that is careless about its *own young*, and seems to live without *any kind of thought*. It has been made, by those who, like itself, are *without heart*, the *symbol of conjugal affection*. Nothing *worse* could have been chosen, for the dove and its mate are continually quarrelling.
***They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.*** — They strive to make these their allies and friends; but in this they showed that they were *without heart*, had not a *sound understanding*; for these were rival nations, and Israel could not attach itself to the one without incurring the jealousy and displeasure of the other. Thus, like the *silly dove*, they were constantly falling into *snares*; sometimes of the Egyptians, at others of the Assyrians. By the former they were *betrayed*; by the latter, *ruined*.

Verse [Hosea 7:12](../../../kjv/hosea/7/12). ***When they shall go*** — To those nations for help -
***I will spread my net upon them*** — I will cause them to be taken by those in whom they trusted.
***I will bring them down*** — They shall no sooner set off to seek this foreign help, than *my net* shall *bring them down to the earth*. The allusion to the *dove*, and to the mode of taking the *fowls of* *heaven*, is still carried on.
***As their congregation hath heard.*** — As in their *solemn assemblies* they before have heard; in the *reading of my law*, and the denunciation of my wrath against *idolaters*.
Bishop *Newcome* translates: "I will chastise them when they hearken to their assembly." That is, when they take the counsel of their elders to go down to Egypt for help, and trust in the arm of the Assyrians for succour.

Verse [Hosea 7:13](../../../kjv/hosea/7/13). ***Wo unto them!*** — They shall have *wo*, because they *have* *fled from me*. They shall have *destruction*, because they *have* *transgressed against me*.
***Though I have redeemed them*** — Out of Egypt; and given them the fullest proof of my love and power.
***Yet they have spoken lies against me.*** — They have represented me as rigorous and cruel; and my service as painful and unprofitable.

Verse [Hosea 7:14](../../../kjv/hosea/7/14). ***They have not cried unto me with their heart*** — They say they have sought me, but could not find me; that they have cried unto me, but I did not answer. I know they have *cried*, yea, *howled*; but could I hear them when all was forced and hypocritical, not one sigh coming from their *heart*?
***They assemble themselves for corn and wine*** — In dearth and famine they call and howl: but they assemble themselves, not to seek ME, but to invoke their false gods for corn and wine.

Verse 15. ***Though I have bound and strengthened their arms*** — Whether I dealt with them in *judgment* or *mercy*, it was all one; in all circumstances they rebelled against me.

Verse 16. ***They return*****, but*****not to the Most High*** — They go to their idols.
***They are like a deceitful bow*** — Which, when it is *reflexed*, in order to be strung, suddenly *springs back* into its *quiescent* *curve*; for the *eastern bows* stand in their quiescent state in a curve, something like [curved figure "C"]; and in order to be strung must be *bended back* in the *opposite direction*. This bending of the bow requires both *strength* and *skill*; and if not properly done, it will fly back, and regain its former position; and in this recoil endanger the archer-may even break an arm. I have been in this danger myself in bending the Asiatic bow. For want of this knowledge not one commentator has hit the meaning of the passage.
***Shall fall by the sword*** — Their *tongue* has been enraged against ME; the *sword* shall be enraged against them. They have *mocked* me, ([Hosea 7:5](../../../kjv/hosea/7/5),) and their fall is now a subject of *derision in the land of Egypt*. What they have sown, that do they now reap.

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