A commentary on the prophecy of Hosea by Edward Pococke.

10 And now will I discover her lewd∣ness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.

And now will I discover her lewdness, &c.] In the Margin is put instead thereof, folly or villany, which shews the word to be of some latitude as to its signification, and so it appears to be by the like several rendrings of it in other Translators and Interpreters. The Chal∣de Paraphrast renders it by the same word by which he rendred that which we render na∣kedness in the foregoing verse, (though the words in the Hebrew be different) to wit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kelanah, her shame, or vileness. And so some others render both words alike, so the Syriack hath for both 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pursoyoh, her nakedness or shame, as more pe∣culiarly applied to the shameful parts of the body; and so an Arabick MS. Translation, in both places 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Suataha, by which name those parts are usually denoted, as r 1.1 others also of later age think here to be meant, rendring it turpitudinem, shame, and expound∣ing it of those parts. The Greek render it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, her uncleanness, or filthiness; still appliable to the same notion, as the prin∣ted Arabick following them takes it, rendring, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Aurataha, which signifies those parts. The vulgar Latin renders it, stultitiam ejus, her folly. (To which agrees the gloss of Aben Ezra, because, saith he, the discove∣ring of the secret parts is folly.) s 1.2 Others, foeditatem ejus, her filthiness. t 1.3 Others, nequi∣tiam ejus, her wickedness or villany, expound∣ing that as meant of sins of uncleanness. v 1.4 O∣thers, flagitium, wickedness; x 1.5 others, li••i∣dines, and he not dismaied at which the Greek call also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which otherwise signifies mad∣nesses or follies, with which agrees what y 1.6 an∣other renders Vesaniam ejus, her madness. In the Interlineary we have vilitatem ejus, her vileness or baseness. Now we cannot say but that by any of these the word which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nablutah is well translated, for though in this form it doth not occur else∣where, yet if we look into other words of the same root, we shall find all these signifi∣cations agreeing and attributed to them ac∣cording to the exigence of the place and sense, and none of these words is to be taken in so strict a sense as not to comprehend the others: The prime signification of the root according to the opinion of the chief z 1.7 Grammarians a∣mongst the Jews, is falling, as spoken of wi∣thered leaves and flowers. And so the name they will have to signify a falling from esteem or dignity, or any thing whereby one falls in the esteem of men, becomes base, vile or contemptible, as by folly, shamefull and wic∣ked doings, so that it will comprehend joyntly all these, and denote something which argues folly, shame, or filthiness and wickedness mixt together, which the general name of vile∣ness, or baseness, seems appositely enough to do. And so may our word lewdness be well enough extended to do also, if not, those o∣ther rendrings in the Margin, folly, or vil∣lany, give us all. They are in many sins mixed, and were sure in that sin of Idolatry and ido∣latrous behavior, for which the Israelites are here taxed; necessarily so: and such condition of theirs he here threatneth to discover.

However while they by the enjoyment of Gods favor and blessings prospered, they were not sensible of such their condition, but thought themselves wise, honorable, righteous, and others might think them so to, under that co∣vering, yet now a 1.8 by his hiding his face from them, taking away, and depriving them of, those his outward blessings which gave them credit with others, and kept them from ac∣knowledging their dependence on him, will he discover and make appear to all how foolish, how shameful, how lewd, how base and vile they were in their forsaking God, to follow Idols, how wicked and ungrateful in the de∣nying of their sole benefactor, and abuse of his benefits, to his dishonor, in the service of such as could not profit them; those being subtracted from them, they brought to in∣digency and penury, shall be in the condition of a lewd woman, b 1.9 stripped naked, and ex∣posed in the time of her uncleanness, to open view in the sight of her lovers, which must needs make her to be loathed and despised by

them according to what is said, Lam. 1.8. All that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness, which must be most ••rksome and grievous to her. Two circumstances then there are here expressed, which aggravate this punishment; first that it shall be done in the fight of her lovers; secondly, that none shall deliver, or, none shall be able to deliver her out of Gods hand.

That we may know who are meant by her lovers, in whose sight her lewdness shall be discovered, we may look back to what hath been said on ver. 5. where is first mention made of them, where we saw that by some are un∣derstood the Assyrians and Egyptians, or other Nations in whose friendship Israel trusted, and whom they followed in their diolatrous waies; by others, whose opinion seems most pro∣bable, those Idols which they worshipped, whi∣ther any of the heavenly Host. A like diffe∣rence is there likewise here: so R. D. Kim∣chi himself saying on verse 5. and here againe, as by Mercer cited, and as some Editions have, by them to be meant the Assyrians and Egy∣ptians (following therein the Cha••de which hath, In the eyes of the People her Lovers) yet tells us that his Father expounded it, In the eyes or sight of the Sun, and the Moon and Stars (so some Editions ••ere have, others name only the Sun here, though all in ver. 5.) which as above there we said, he thinks to be understood b•• their lovers, as those on whom they bestowed their worship, and whom they looked on as the givers of all their good things to them. To do it in the sight of these, will be to do it openly, to make it visible to all, as that expression by doing a thing in the sight of the Sun, or before the Sun, is elsewhere used as 2 Sam. 12.11, 12. Abarbinel by lovers here, as above, understands the Stars, which they attended to as their benefactors, and will have the discovering now her lewdness in the sight of her lovers to consist in this, that whereas heretofore, though the aspect and posture of the Stars seemed to threaten and portend dearth and misery to them, he notwithstanding de∣fended them from all evil accidents, and gave plenty of all good things to them; now on the contrary he would expose them to all those evils, yea farther send on them evils and pu∣nishments, penury and want, even when the heavenly aspects and postures of the Stars, in which they confided, were benigne and for∣tunate, and seemed to promise them plenty and happiness; they should not now profit them: which is that which is added, and none shall deliver her out of my hand: for so going on in his way; he saith that by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ish, which having a negative Particle subjoyned, is as much as to say none, is meant, none 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Colsare Maaleh, of all the Princes and Lords of the Ascendent and such Stars as were predominant in the present posture of the Heavens, which he confirms by the use of the word concerning them, Isai. 40.26. where speaking of the Host of Heaven, or Stars he saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ish lo needar, Not one faileth. His lan∣guage in this his Exposition savors too much of Astrological fancies and notions, and I should not have mentioned it, but that a c 1.10 lear∣ned Christian much follows or goes along with him in it. Whither in those times the Jews had such Astrological notions common among them, and such divisions of the Stars into se∣veral ranks and several houses, and such res∣pect to their aspects and postures for their governance of things on Earth and influence thereon, as Astrologers have, I know not. Yet may there something in the Scripture seem to intimate that such things were anciently used among the Heathens, which the Jews contra∣ry to the command of God were apt to imi∣tate, as other their vain idolatrous courses, viz. that which is said, Jer. 10.2. Learn not the way of the Heathen, and be not dismaied at the signs of Heaven, for the Heathen are dis∣maied at them. But whatever other observa∣tions they might so anciently have learned from them, in such kinds, manifest it is, that they imitated them in worshipping those Hea∣venly bodies, and erecting Images to some of them; it appears (besides what hath been already said on ver. 5.) by what we read A∣mos 5.26. Ye have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun (which is most gene∣rally thought to be the Planet Saturn) the Star of your God, which ye made to your selves; and Acts 7.43. where it is thus cited and in∣terpreted, Ye took up the Tabernacle of Mo∣loch, and the Star of your God Remphan, Fi∣gures which ye made, to worship them. To remit the interpretation of those words of Amos to their proper place, that which for our present purpose we say is, that it is thence evident that to some of the Stars they erected Statues or dedicated Images, which probably they called Baals, (or any of them in the sin∣gular, Baal) and very probable that either those Stars or their Images, or any other whom they worshipped under the common name of Baal, are here called their lovers (from the veneration or signs of respect, and love which they shewed to them, and professed to give to them,) in whose sight God here threatneth to discover their lewdness, and that none, i.e. none of them, not any of those their Baals should be able to deliver them out of his hand. Though it is said of those Images, that they have eyes but see not; ears but hear not, Psal. 115.5, 6. yet as long as they that worshipped them thought that either they or those imagi∣nary Deities whom they thought to influence

them, and worshipped in them, did see and had respect to them, it is proper language to say, he would do it in their sight: and that they did expect from them help and delive∣rance, from such evils as might befall them, but all in vain, is likewise manifest by that example which we have, 1 Kings 18.26. where we read of the Priests of the Idols cal∣ling on the name of Baal from Morning until Noon, saying, O Baal hear us, but that there was no voice, nor any that answered. Twas not only then so, but shall still be; those their Idols, or those that they worshipped in them cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good, Jer. 10.5, 7. they cannot hurt those whom God will defend; they cannot deliver those whom he will punish. And this will be the meaning of the words if we understand, as seems most probable to be meant, their lovers of their Idols, to whose bounty they ascribed the good things which they received, and in whom they confided, and on whom they set their love. d 1.11 Those who understand by them their confederate Nations expound the last words of them, neither Assyrian nor Egyptian however potent shall deliver them, &c. e 1.12 O∣thers joyn all together, Not the Egyptians, not the Assyrians, not your Gods, to whom you gave that honor which was due to me. And though we think it more particularly meant of their Idols, yet the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Veish lo yatsilennah, i. e. literally, And any shall not deliver her, i. e. (as ours and o∣thers to the sense render) none shall deliver her, will comprehend all; the word f 1.13 Ish properly and usually signifying a man, being used to signify any individual person, or thing in any kind, and so is as much here as to say, any of all spoken of. Not any then of their great friends or allies (if they be spoken of) not any of their Idols or Baals, not all of them toge∣ther, (no nor any merit of their forefathers, say a 1.14 some ancient Jews) shall be able to deli∣ver her, for that is the meaning of shall not deliver, viz. shall not be able to deliver from those evils which God will send on her. For there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work and who can let it? saith he, Isai. 43.13. Those evils have been partly specified, and he proceeds farther to describe them in what follows,

Notes

• r 1.1

  Drus. verenda ejus.
• s 1.2

  Kimchi and Jun. Trem.
• t 1.3

  Mercer.
• v 1.4

  Calvin & Piscat.
• x 1.5

  Grot.
• y 1.6

  Castalio.
• z 1.7

  Abu Walid & Kimchi.
• a 1.8

  Kimchi.
• b 1.9

  Abarb.
• c 1.10

  Ar. Montan.
• d 1.11

  See Riber. and Tarn.
• e 1.12

  Drus.
• f 1.13

  See Kimchi rad.
• a 1.14

  See R. D. Kimchi and Abarb. They say the me∣ri s of their Fore-fathers ceased in Hosee's time, Yalkut, and Talm. in tr. Sabat. cap. 5. p. 55.