---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Hosea 8"
description: "CHAPTER 8   :-. PROPHECY OF THE
IRRUPTION OF THE
ASSYRIANS, IN PUNISHMENT
FOR ISRAEL"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/hosea/8"
---

CHAPTER 8

. PROPHECY OF THE
IRRUPTION OF THE
ASSYRIANS, IN PUNISHMENT
FOR ISRAEL'S
APOSTASY, IDOLATRY,
AND SETTING UP
OF KINGS WITHOUT
GOD'S SANCTION.
In , *Judah* is said to multiply fenced cities; and in , Israel, to its great hurt, is said to have gone up to
Assyria for help. This answers best to the reign of Menahem. For it
was then that Uzziah of Judah, his contemporary, built fenced cities
([2 Chronicles 26:6](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/26/6); [2 Chronicles 26:9](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/26/9);
[2 Chronicles 26:10](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/26/10)). Then also Israel
turned to Assyria and had to pay for their sinful folly a thousand
talents of silver ([2 Kings 15:19](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/19))
[MAURER].

**1. Set the trumpet,** c.—to give
warning of the approach of the enemy: "To thy *palate*
(that is, 'mouth,' [Job 31:30](../../../kjv/job/31/30),
*Margin*) the trumpet" the abruptness of expression
indicates the suddenness of the attack. So [Job 31:30](../../../kjv/job/31/30).
**as . . . eagle**—the
Assyrian ([Deuteronomy 28:49](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/49); [Jeremiah 48:40](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/40);
[Habakkuk 1:8](../../../kjv/habakkuk/1/8)).
**against . . . house of . . .
Lord**—not the temple, but Israel viewed as *the family of God*
([Hosea 9:15](../../../kjv/hosea/9/15); [Numbers 12:7](../../../kjv/numbers/12/7);
[Zechariah 9:8](../../../kjv/zechariah/9/8); [Hebrews 3:2](../../../kjv/hebrews/3/2);
[1 Timothy 3:15](../../../kjv/1-timothy/3/15); [1 Peter 4:17](../../../kjv/1-peter/4/17)).

**2. My God, we know thee**—the
singular, "My," is used distributively, each one so
addressing God. They, in their hour of need, plead their knowledge of
God as the covenant-people, while in their *acts* they
acknowledge Him not (compare [Matthew 7:21](../../../kjv/matthew/7/21);
[Matthew 7:22](../../../kjv/matthew/7/22); [Titus 1:16](../../../kjv/titus/1/16);
also [Isaiah 29:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/29/13); [Jeremiah 7:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/7/4)).
The *Hebrew* joins "Israel," not as *English
Version,* with "shall cry," but "*We, Israel,*
know thee"; God denies the claim thus urged on the ground of
their descent from Israel.

**3. Israel**—God repeats the name
in opposition to *their* use of it ().
**the thing that is good**—JEROME
translates, "God" who is good and doing good (). He is the chief object rejected, but with Him also all
that is good.
**the enemy shall pursue him**—in
just retribution from God.

**4. kings . . . not by me**—not
with My sanction ([1 Kings 11:31](../../../kjv/1-kings/11/31);
[1 Kings 12:20](../../../kjv/1-kings/12/20)). Israel set up
Jeroboam and his successors, whereas God had appointed the house of
David as the rightful kings of the whole nation.
**I knew it not**—I
*approved* it not ([Psalms 1:6](../../../kjv/psalms/1/6)).
**of . . . gold . . . idols**—
([Hosea 2:8](../../../kjv/hosea/2/8); [Hosea 13:2](../../../kjv/hosea/13/2)).
**that they may be cut off**—that
is, though warned of the consequences of idolatry, as it were with
open eyes they rushed on their own destruction. So [Jeremiah 27:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/10);
[Jeremiah 27:15](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/15); [Jeremiah 44:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/44/8).

**5. hath cast thee off**—As the
ellipsis of *thee* is unusual, MAURER
translates, "thy calf *is abominable.*" But the
antithesis to [Hosea 8:3](../../../kjv/hosea/8/3) establishes
*English Version,* "Israel *hath cast off* the thing
that is good"; therefore, in just retribution, "thy calf
hath cast thee off," that is, is made by God the cause of thy
being cast off ([Hosea 10:15](../../../kjv/hosea/10/15)).
Jeroboam, during his sojourn in Egypt, saw Apis worshipped at
Memphis, and Mnevis at Heliopolis, in the form of an ox; this, and
the temple cherubim, suggested the idea of the calves set up at Dan
and Beth-el.
**how long . . . ere they
attain to innocency?**—How long will they be incapable of bearing
innocency? [MAURER].

**6. from Israel was it**—that is,
the calf originated with them, not from Me. "It also," as
well as their "kings set up" by them, "but not by Me"
([Hosea 8:4](../../../kjv/hosea/8/4)).

**7. sown . . . reap**— ([Proverbs 22:8](../../../kjv/proverbs/22/8);
[Galatians 6:7](../../../kjv/galatians/6/7)). "Sow . . . wind,"
that is, to make the vain show of worship, while faith and obedience
are wanting [CALVIN].
Rather, to offer senseless supplications to the calves for good
harvests (compare [Hosea 2:8](../../../kjv/hosea/2/8)); the
result being that God will make them "reap no stalk," that
is, "standing corn." Also, the phraseology proverbially
means that all their undertakings shall be profitless ([Proverbs 11:29](../../../kjv/proverbs/11/29);
[Ecclesiastes 5:16](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/5/16)).
**the bud**—or, "growth."
**strangers**—foreigners
([Hosea 7:9](../../../kjv/hosea/7/9)).

**8. vessel wherein is no pleasure**—
([Psalms 41:12](../../../kjv/psalms/41/12); [Jeremiah 22:28](../../../kjv/jeremiah/22/28);
[Jeremiah 48:38](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/38)).

**9. gone . . . to Assyria**—referring
to Menahem's application for Pul's aid in establishing him on the
throne (compare [Hosea 5:13](../../../kjv/hosea/5/13);
[Hosea 7:11](../../../kjv/hosea/7/11)). Menahem's name is read
in the inscriptions in the southwest palace of Nimrod, as a tributary
to the Assyrian king in his eighth year. The dynasty of Pul, or
Phalluka, was supplanted at Nineveh by that of Tiglath-pileser, about
768 (or 760) B.C.
Semiramis seems to have been Pul's wife, and to have withdrawn to
Babylon in 768; and her son, Nabonassar, succeeding after a period of
confusion, originated "the era of Nabonassar," 747 B.C.
[G. V. SMITH]. Usually
foreigners coming to Israel's land were said to "go *up*";
here it is the reverse, to intimate Israel's *sunken* state, and
Assyria's superiority.
**wild ass**—a figure of
Israel's headstrong perversity in following her own bent ([Hosea 7:11](../../../kjv/hosea/7/11)).
**alone by
himself**—characteristic of Israel in all ages: "lo, the
people shall dwell alone" ([Hosea 7:11](../../../kjv/hosea/7/11); compare [Hosea 7:11](../../../kjv/hosea/7/11)).
**hired lovers**—reversing
the ordinary way, namely, that lovers should hire her ([Ezekiel 16:33](../../../kjv/ezekiel/16/33);
[Ezekiel 16:34](../../../kjv/ezekiel/16/34)).

**10. will I gather them**—namely,
the *nations* (Assyria, c.) against Israel, instead of their
assisting her as she had wished ().
**a little**—rather, "in
a little" [HENDERSON].
*English Version* gives good sense: They shall sorrow "a
little" at the imposition of the tribute God suspended yet the
*great* judgment, namely, their deportation by Assyria.
**the burden of the king of
princes**—the tribute imposed on Israel (under Menahem) by the
Assyrian king Pul, (), who had many "princes" under his sway ().

**11.** God in righteous retribution
gives them up to their own way; the sin becomes its own punishment
([Proverbs 1:31](../../../kjv/proverbs/1/31)).
**many altars**—in
opposition to God's law ([Deuteronomy 12:5](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/12/5);
[Deuteronomy 12:6](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/12/6); [Deuteronomy 12:13](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/12/13);
[Deuteronomy 12:14](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/12/14)).
**to sin . . . to sin**—Their
altars which were "sin" (whatever religious intentions they
might plead) should be treated as such, and be the source of their
punishment ([1 Kings 12:30](../../../kjv/1-kings/12/30); [1 Kings 13:34](../../../kjv/1-kings/13/34)).

**12. great things of . . . law**—
([Deuteronomy 4:6](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/4/6); [Deuteronomy 4:8](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/4/8);
[Psalms 19:8](../../../kjv/psalms/19/8); [Psalms 119:18](../../../kjv/psalms/119/18);
[Psalms 119:72](../../../kjv/psalms/119/72); [Psalms 147:19](../../../kjv/psalms/147/19);
[Psalms 147:20](../../../kjv/psalms/147/20)). MAURER
not so well translates, "*the many* things of My law."
**my law**—as opposed to
their inventions. This reference of Hosea to the Pentateuch alone is
against the theory that some earlier written prophecies have not come
down to us.
**strange thing**—as if a
thing with which they had nothing to do.

**13. sacrifices of mine
offerings**—that is, which they offer to Me.
**eat it**—Their own carnal
gratification is the object which they seek, not My honor.
**now**—that is,
"speedily."
**shall return to Egypt**—
([Hosea 9:3](../../../kjv/hosea/9/3); [Hosea 9:6](../../../kjv/hosea/9/6);
[Hosea 11:11](../../../kjv/hosea/11/11)). The same threat as in
[Deuteronomy 28:68](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/68). They fled thither to
escape from the Assyrians (compare as to *Judah,* [Deuteronomy 28:68](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/68)), when these latter had overthrown their nation. But
see on [Hosea 9:3](../../../kjv/hosea/9/3).

**14. forgotten . . . Maker**— ().
**temples**—to idols.
**Judah . . . fenced
cities**—Judah, though less idolatrous than Israel, betrayed lack
of faith in Jehovah by trusting more to its fenced cities than to
Him; instead of making peace with God, Judah multiplied human
defenses ([Isaiah 22:8](../../../kjv/isaiah/22/8); [Jeremiah 5:17](../../../kjv/jeremiah/5/17);
[Micah 5:10](../../../kjv/micah/5/10); [Micah 5:11](../../../kjv/micah/5/11)).
**I will send . . . fire upon .
. . cities**—Sennacherib burned all Judah's fenced cities except
Jerusalem ([2 Kings 18:13](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/13)).
**palaces thereof**—namely,
of the land. Compare as to Jerusalem, [2 Kings 18:13](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/13).

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