A commentary on the prophecy of Hosea by Edward Pococke.

V. 13. The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him, he is an unwise son, for he should not stay long in the place of breaking forth of children.

The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him, &c. In these words is described the punishment by which the continued sins of Ephraim, though for a while winked at by God, and by himself, as he thinks, kept se∣cret, shall be manifested, and his folly in not seeking to prevent that punishment, or with∣out delay to free himself from it by timely repentance, declared. The first is set forth by comparing it to, or calling it, the sorrows of a travailing woman, or woman in travail, which argues it sudden, unavoidable, and great or grievous. Such are confessedly the pains of a woman in travail, and they are often there∣fore used to express by comparison to them any such great calamities or afflictions, which suddenly and unawares seize on any, so as they cannot avoid or escape them, nor be well able to endure them. So, often in the Old Testament, as Jer. 4.31. c. 30.6. c. 49.24. and c. 50.43. Mic. 4.9, 10. Ps. 48.6. and in the New also, as the 1 Thess. 5.3.

The second, to wit, their folly in their not seeking speedily to deliver themselves from such grievous things as they had made them∣selves liable to, by removing the causes there∣of by undelaid repentance, is described by comparing them to an unwise son, a silly child, which staieth long in the place of the breaking forth of children. Should we suppose a child in the womb capable of understanding what concerned his welfare, and able to contribute to it, he would be thought very foolish, if he should voluntarily, when he is come to the birth, stick in the passage, to the endangering both of himself and his mother. It is so with them, they should have so much understanding as to consider what is for their good, and seeing there is no other way for safety to them, get out of their sins, the cause of such miseries as are on them or threatned to them, by repentance, compared to a birth, and the difficulties of it. Their delaying to use that means, shews them to be very foolish, (so not wise, seems to denote, most contrary to it,) as simple as a poor child, that strives not to get out of the straits of the womb; yea worse is their folly, as being voluntary and con∣tracted, whereas that of the poor child is na∣tural and necessary. Or we may say by, he should not stay, to be meant, h 1.1 that if he did se∣riously repent, he should quickly be delivered from the straits in which he is. The word should, by ours used seems to leave it ambi∣guous,

but it is plainest to understand it as, would, i. e. ought not to stay, or would not choose to stay, as our other English translations render it, else would he not stand still at the time of birth of children, as the B. Bible, or at the time, even at the breaking forth of the children, as the Geneva English; for it seems to lay the fault in this, that they did choose so to stay: and well may our later translation rendring it by should not stay, be taken in the same meaning as such as in Latin render it, staret, or stetisset, all shewing their great folly in the delay of their repentance. This is the interpretation of the words, and the exposition of them, according to our translation, and such others who fol∣low the first way of exposition of the former verse, and render this as ours do, or others who agree with them in the scope, though perhaps something differing in their expressions.

There seems to be here for setting forth the state and condition of Ephraim, a double comparison of them. First, to a mother, or woman in travail; secondly to a child coming forth of the womb: for the making of which more plain, i 1.2 some look on the whole com∣mon wealth, or people of Israel compared to a mother, the single persons to a son or child. By naming them a son, Aben Ezra and Kim∣chi think denoted their posterity 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the generations to come, that they should continue in their fathers folly, or that they, though they saw what great evils had befallen their fathers for their sins, would not yet grow wise, nor consider that their fathers had by their iniquity been brought into affliction, nor did turn from their doings, but did evil as they had done; whereas if they had been wise, they would not (or should not) for so much as one hour have remained in such straits: for as soon as they had re∣turned to the Lord, they should have been delivered from them, or, they would speedily therefore have turned to him, and been like a sprightly child, which quickly without de∣lay gets out of the womb, and so have been freed. To this purpose Kimchi.

This exposition which we have given, agrees well with our translation of the words, which seems to be very proper and agreeable to the original Hebrew: yet are there who other∣wise render the words, and therefore also sug∣gest something different expositions, of which because of the authority of the Authors, it may seem necessary to take notice, that we may see what grounds there are for such dif∣ferences. As to the first words they do well all agree, viz. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cheble yoledet, the sorrows of a travailing woman, only that the LXX render, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and so the printed Arabick 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and so the Syriack also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as of her that bringeth forth, or is in child bearing, with the ad∣dition of the particle of likeness, as. But then as to the following words, wherein the Hebrew is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hu ben lo chacam, he is a son not wise, or an unwise son. The LXX render 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the printed Arab. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 this (is) thy wise son, * 1.3 omitting the negative par∣ticle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 lo, not. The way to make this agree with the Hebrew and others is, either by reading it by way of interrogation to Israel, is this thy wise son? as Theodoret will have it; or else by way of Irony, this is thy wise son, as Cyril: so that the meaning will be, that he is certainly unwise. Then the follow∣ing words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ci et lo yaamod bemishbar hanim, by ours renured, for he should not stay long (or a time, marg.) in the place of breaking forth of children, they render, * 1.4 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or as other copies, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, where the newer Latin, quia non subsistet, but the k 1.5 ancient Latin, quia nunc non sustinebit, because he shall not, or now he shall not, subsist, or endure in, the breaking forth of children. So the prin••ed Arab. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quia non stabit in contritione filiorum, because he shall not stand in the breaking of children, omitting 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, now, or ought which should an∣swer to the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 et, a time, rendred by ours in the the text, long. By this unwise son, whom they so think Ironically called wise, Cyril thinks to be meant Hosea, their last king, whom they thought wise, who by breaking faith with Shalmanefer king of Assy∣ria, and seeking help from the king of Egypt, brought upon them such destruction under w^ch neither they, nor he himself, could stand.

The Vulgar Latin rendring the first of these words more expresly according to the He∣brew, ipse filius non sapiens; in the latter agrees with the Greek, nunc enim non sta∣bit in contritione filiorum, for now he shall not stand in the contrition (bruising, or breaking) of children; which I think will be plainer than what the Doway hath, for now he shall not stand the confraction of the children, which at the first hearing, as the Greek likewise, doth seem to give this meaning, as by l 1.6 some after Hierom explained, cum filii ejus, i.e. ej••s populus conterentur & occidentur ab hosti∣bus, non stabit, i. e. non p••••erit ferre, when his children, i. e. his people, shall be broken and slain by the enemy, he shall not stand, or he shall not be able to endure it; or, non poterit re∣sistere

adversariis, shall not be able to resist his enemies. With this much seems to agree for the sense the MS. Arab. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him, he is as an unwise son, for the time shall come on him, when he shall not stand firm in the birth place of children: and among the more modern, that of Castalio, Eum parientis dolores invadent, filius est insipiens, sed erit cum non manebit in angustia pariendi, the sorrows of a woman in child-birth shall come upon him, he is an unwise son, but there shall be a time, when he shall not endure in the distress of bringing forth, i. e. as in a note he explains it, such anguish as is of her that bringeth forth, cum foetus est in uteri faucibus, when the child is in the straits of the womb. But as to the letter of the Vulgar, there are observable in it some differences from what ours and most other modern Translators give in their rendrings; as first, that whereas the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 eth, signi∣fies time, indefinitely, but as the scope seems to require, some, as ours, render it long; m 1.7 others, tanto tempore, so long a time; others, n 1.8 d••u, long; others taking in the signi∣fication of the negative 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 lo, not, which is joined with the verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 yaamod, shall, or should stand, o 1.9 minimo tempore, or, tempore parvo stetisset, he would have staid a very short time; others, p 1.10 tempore opportuno, a conve∣nient time, i.e. when it is convenient for him to go forth; others, q 1.11 ad tempus, or r 1.12 per tempus, or s 1.13 tempore, as ours in the margin, a time, or, horam, for an hour, all to the same purpose: all seeming t 1.14 to look on 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 eth, as a noun, with a supply of a preposition, and understanding an adjective expressing the quantity thereof, that (as u 1.15 the Greek of some copies) renders it by, nunc, now, which being the proper significa∣tion of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 attah, causeth w 1.16 some to think, that they did so read here, viz. not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 eth, but at, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 attah. But there seems no necessity of so thinking, the noun 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 eth, may be rendred, at this time, or at that time, which will be equivalent to now, as denoting the time then instant. We cannot say there∣fore that they did read one for the other, but we may say that they x 1.17 took one to signify the same with the other, as Tremellius saith. Secondly whereas what others render, staret, or stetisset, or maneret, he should, or would stand, or have stood; as of what should have been done by him for preventing evil or freeing himself from it, he renders in the indicative mood, non stabit, shall not stand, as denoting what condition he should certainly be in, and not be able to free himself from it. By both he is upbraided with folly, who would not prevent that which he was not, or should not be, able to stand under.

Thirdly in that he renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bemishbar banim, which ours render by, the place of the breaking forth of children, and others expound the womb, or the mouth of the womb, or the like, by, in contritione filiorum, con∣cerning which, I think, need no contention to be made: the noun being from the root 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 shabar, which signifies to breake, may signify either what happens, or the place where, or time when, it happens. From that root we have the noun 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of two forms, mashber and mishbar, though well agreeing in signification, in both the notion of breaking being conspicuous, however they be rendred. The first occurs y 1.18 2 Kings 19.3. where we read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bau banim ad mashber, where ours render, the children are come to the birth, but the word literally, as in the Interlin. rendred, sounds, ad rupturam uteri, to the breach of the womb; though by z 1.19 some expounded 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sella p••r∣turientis, the chaire on which a woman brings forth; or as Abuwalid 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the place where the child falls on the ground at its coming forth, so called also in Arab. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and in Chaldee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The second form mishbar, we have as here, so in several other places, in which it is usually translated waves, as so called from their breaking and da••••ing one against the other, or for their breaking of ships &c. but here it appears to be other∣wise taken, by its being restrained by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 banim, children: it must be some∣what pertaining to them or their condition, and is therefore so translated by ours and others, as to denote that place wherein the child is in straits and danger being bruised and crushed, or that place which is broken for and by the coming forth of the child. Pagnin for that respect rendring it, vulva filiorum, as thinking it more particularly to express the word than the more general term of contri∣tione, which the Vulgar useth, is sharply censured by Ribera, who will not allow the word mishbar so to signify, though he allow mashber so to do, but to be better rendred by contritio, as that is frequently taken in that La∣tin translation for some violent and great cala∣mity. But he is again by a 1.20 others censured for this, and the way of Pagnin and other mo∣dern

translations justified. They seem well to prevent such quarrels, who do by that reading in the Vulgar look on the same to be meant, which is by the others more particularly, as to the thing, expressed: as Grotius, who by, est filius non sapiens, understands, quasi foetus sibi non consulens, neque ex utero erumpens; and, nunc enim non stabit in contritione filiorum, ex∣plains by, alioqui non tam diu staret in loco unde erumpunt filii, and by this allegory looks on as signified, that Ephraim was not wise, in that he so long deferred to repent, and to free himself from calamities. And in the same manner may we understand those others who agree with the Vulgar, as the Greek and Ara∣bick which we have seen, and the Syriack 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which the Latin renders, jam vero non ma∣nebit in doloribus filiorum, now shall he not remain, or endure, in the sorrows of children, which seems plainly to mean, in such as of child-birth, or when children are born, or as they are in at their birth.

Ribera himself, after he hath found fault with the later translation, b 1.21 yet thinks it not amiss that it also should be taken in with that of the Vulgar, one necessarily seeming to infer the other, He is an unwise child for staying a long time, or at all, in the mouth of the womb, or in the place of the breaking forth of children; for he cannot stay long there without great pain and danger both to the womb that bare him, & to himself; There, is no time for delay or long staying: which according to c 1.22 another learned Interpreter is the most literal rendring of the words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quia tempus est ut non maneat in ore matricis fi∣liorum, that the whole may sound, the sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son, for now it is a time that he should not stay in the mouth of the womb of children, or where children come forth, as giving to understand, that, though now in such a dangerous condi∣tion, he did yet make stay or delay to free him∣self out of it, and by that shewed himself very unwise, as a simple child, sticking by the way when he should come forth out of his mo∣thers womb. In these ways of rendring the words, we have in this verse in comparative expressions set forth the great miseries de∣nounced to Ephraim, likened to the sorrows of a woman in travail, and the foolishness of the peoples behaviour in such their condition, likened to that of a child by his long stay in the womb indangering both his mother and himself. So the words seem plainly to make foolish or unwise an Epithet to son. So do like∣wise they take it to be, who render, non stat in tempore, i. e. saith Drusius, cum tempus est. He doth not stand in the place of breaking forth &c. by which, I suppose, they meant, doth not, or will not, turn to repentance, while it is yet time, though differing something from the others in meaning.

Yet do some of note, in applying the terms of the comparison, seem to refer all for which they are taxed, to the mother, the woman in travail. So Ar. Mont. who connecting these words with the preceding, thus gives the meaning, that Ephraim hitherto had sought to smother and conceale his sins, yea and did deny them, saying that in all his labours they should find no iniquity; but here is foretold that it shall come to pass, that such evils should seize on him as should cause him even against his will to confess his iniquity, and that which he had so studiously suppressed, and so impu∣dently denied, should ••e discovered, as it happens sometimes to foolish maids, which having in their fathers house been dishonest and become with child, when they are by their father or friends taxed of it do deny it and forsweare it; but time discovereth all, when their pangs of child-birth come upon them, which they are not able to put from them. So Ephraim endeavouring to hide their sin, then when it had been more wisdom to have confessed it, yea less shamefull to have laid it open to him, who could have pardoned it, when calamities shall come upon them, shall confess to their enemies, that they are for their own ill doings brought into these miseries, and so witness their own shame to them, giving glory to God through their im∣patience under their sorrows, as those of bring∣ing forth; that so the words, now he shall not stand in the contrition of children, may sound, non perferet neque dissimulabit dolorem, he shall not beare nor dissemble the sorrow.

This notion of his seems not much disa∣greeable to that of Abarbinel among the Jews, who makes the words likewise to be an an∣swer to what they above said, that in all their labours they should not find iniquity in them, that though they covered their iniquity, their condition was like the condition of a maid, which committing whoredom in her fathers house, and being with child, yet should say, I have done no iniquity, in that when the pangs of child-birth come upon her, if she be wise, she will keep a bridle in her mouth, and indure the panges, and not cause her voice to be heard abroad; but if she be foolish, cries out, so that her whoredom will be made manifest. So the children of Ephraim cover their sin, and say, in all my labours they shall not find iniquity in me. The sorrows of a tra∣vailing woman shall come upon him, to wit,

captivity and the distresses thereof, and then under his punishment he shall confess and crie out of his sins, and his iniquities shall be re∣vealed, because he is an unwise son, and shall not stand any time in the place of the breaking forth of children, without having his condition revealed, whereas it were better that he should say, the Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his mouth. If he were a wise son, he would return unto the Lord in pri∣vate, without great noise, and making his sin publickly known; but because he is an unwise son, he maketh it openly known &c. In this at least they agree, in that they make what is by the last words described, still to be∣long to the carriage of the mother, not of the child, in which they also both agree with the Chaldee Paraphrast, which thus expoundeth the verses, Tribulation and trouble shall come upon him, as pangs of a travailing woman; he is a son that is grown great, and is not wise to know my fear, now will I bring distress upon him, as that of a woman which sitteth on the seat of child-bearing [the midwifes chaire,] and hath not strength to bring forth. All these, we see, do understand the last words as declaring what is proper to the mother not to the child, and so in our ancienter English translation we have a note to the same purpose, where the words being rendred, an undiscreet son is he, else would he not stand still at the time of birth of children, it is in the margin noted, as a woman not labouring at the birth of the child; so the people if they do not repent, when God punisheth for sins, are occasion of their own destruction. But in the Geneva English on the contrary is the doing of what is said, or rather the omitting to do what should be done, attri∣buted (as it is more generally and seeming more agreeable to the words) to the child, this note being given on the words rendred, else would he not stand still at the time, even at the breaking forth of the children, viz. but he would come out of the womb, i. e. out of the danger wherein he is, and not tarry to be stifled. This variety in applying the words in this place, makes it liable to that remark which is set on it, that it is d 1.23 an obscure place, which we shall have further reason to say, when we look on what different interpretations are yet given.

Two in that kind are given by R. Tanchum, in the first he takes the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ci, rendred, for, to be in the signification of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 men, from, so making the sense to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from the time that he yet stood not in the place of the breaking forth of children, that is, that folly was natural to him before he came from that place, i. e. even be∣fore he was born, or as Abuwalid expresseth the same 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 at the time of their falling into the place of birth, which perhaps will be ever since that they were first a people; and so would this ex∣pression agree with that Isaiah 48.8. thou wast called a transgressour from the womb, folly came into the world with him, he was as it were born and brought forth with it. In his second way he would have that particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ci, either to be redundant in the signification, or else to signify the same that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be, and so the meaning to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the time that he standeth not in the place of breaking forth of children, to which he thinks punishment to be compared, as he said, the sorrows of a travailing woman shall come on him; and so the sense to be, that as long as hurt and calamity were taken off from him, he did not consider that God's providence was the cause of it, by reason of his foolishness, because he was an unwise son, as if he should say they had no wisdom but what affliction taught them, nor were longer wise than under that.

e 1.24 Another exposition of a modern Author thus makes the meaning, he is now indeed an unwise son, standing, in ruptura uteri, in the breach of the womb, sed tempore praestituto ab angustiis liberabitur, but in the appointed time he shall be delivered from those straits, and so he thinks what is said would well cohere with what follows.

Among all these different interpretations we may well adhere to what our own trans∣lation gives, according to which and all the rest, Ephraim appears to be now in a dan∣gerous estate, no less than death and destru∣ction hanging over his head, from which by what means alone he shall or may be freed, the next words shew, which are,

Notes

• h 1.1

  Drus.
• i 1.2

  Pet. à Fig. Zanchi, Rivet.
• * 1.3

  Yet Drus. conjectures they rendred it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not, which was corrupted into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, thine, which seems more probable than to say with Cappell, that instead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Hebrew non, they did read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 tib••, to thee, or thine.
• * 1.4

  So Polyg. Lond. from the Roman copy.
• k 1.5

  Drus.
• l 1.6

  Ribera.
• m 1.7

  Jun. Trem.
• n 1.8

  Tig.
• o 1.9

  Trem.
• p 1.10

  Capp.
• q 1.11

  Cedr.
• r 1.12

  Munster.
• s 1.13

  Interlin. Drus.
• t 1.14

  Capito.
• u 1.15

  As also the Syr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 now.
• w 1.16

  Drus. Capp.
• x 1.17

  See Tremel.
• y 1.18

  As likewise Is. 37.3.
• z 1.19

  R. Tanchum.
• a 1.20

  Tarnov.
• b 1.21

  Quamvis siquis hanc interpretationem simul cum nostra recipiat, non admodum repugnarim.
• c 1.22

  L. de Dieu.
• d 1.23

  Hebraea obscura, Merc.
• e 1.24

  Brenn.