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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hosea 8:8–14. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
It was the honour and happiness of Israel that they had but one God to trust to and he all-sufficient in every strait, and but one God to serve, and he well worthy of all their devotions. But it was their sin, and folly, and shame, that they knew not when they were well off, that they forsook their own mercies for lying vanities; for,
I.They multiplied their alliances (Hos 8:9):
They have hired lovers, or (as the margin reads it) they have hired loves. They were at great expense to purchase the friendship of the nations about them, that otherwise had no value nor affection at all for them, nor cared for having any thing to do with them but only upon the Shechemites' principles - Shall not their cattle and their substance be ours? Gen 34:23. Had Israel maintained the honour of their peculiarity, the surrounding nations would have continued to admire them as a wise and understanding people; but, when they profaned their own crown, their neighbours despised them, and they had no interest in them further than they paid dearly for it. But those surely have behaved ill among their neighbours who have no loves, no lovers, but what they hire. See here,
1.The contempt that Israel lay under among the nations (Hos 8:8): Israel is swallowed up, devoured by strangers, their land eaten up (Hos 8:7), and themselves too, and, being impoverished, they have quite lost their credit and reputation, like a merchant that has become a bankrupt, so that they are among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure, a vessel of dishonour (Ti2 2:20), a despised broken vessel, Jer 22:28. None of their neighbours have any value for them, nor care to have any thing to do with them. Note, Those that have professed religion, if they degenerate and grow profane, are of all men the most contemptible. If the salt have lost its savour, it is fit for nothing but to be trodden under foot of men. Or it denotes their dispersion and captivity among the Gentiles; they shall be among them poor and prisoners; and who has pleasure in such?
2.The court that Israel made to the nations notwithstanding (Hos 8:9): They have gone to Assyria, to engage the king of Assyria to help them; and herein they are as a wild ass alone by himself, foolish, headstrong, and unruly; they will have their way, and nothing shall hold them in, no, not the bridle of God's laws, nothing shall turn them back, no, not the sword of God's wrath. They take a course by themselves, and the effect will be that, like a wild ass by himself, they will be the easier and surer prey to the lion. See Job 11:12; Jer 2:24. Note, Man is in nothing more like the wild ass's colt than in seeking for that succour and that satisfaction in the creature which are to be had in God only.
3.The crosses that they were likely to meet with in their alliances with the neighbouring nations (Hos 8:10): Though they have hired among the nations, and hoped thereby to prevent their own ruin, yet now will I gather them, as the sheaves in the floor (Mic 4:12); so that what they provided for their own safety shall but make them the easier prey to their enemies. Note, There is no fence against the judgments of God, when they come with commission; nay, that which men hire for their own preservation often contributes to their own destruction. See Isa 7:20. The king of Assyria, whose friendship they courted, called himself a king of princes, Isa 10:8. Are not my princes altogether kings? He laid burdens upon Israel, levied taxes upon them, Kg2 15:19, Kg2 15:20. And for these they shall sorrow a little; this shall be but a little burden to them in comparison of what they may further expect; or they will be but little sensible of this grievance, will not lay it to heart, and therefore may expect heavier judgments. They have begun to be diminished (so some read it), by the burden of the king of princes; but this is only the beginning of sorrows (Mat 24:8), the beginning of revenges, Deu 32:42. Note, God often comes gradually with his judgments upon a provoking people, that he may show how slow he is to wrath, and may awaken them to repentance; but those that are made to sorrow a little, if they are not thereby brought to sorrow after a godly sort, will, another day, be made to sorrow a great deal, to sorrow everlastingly.
II.They multiplied their altars and temples. Observe,
1.How they denied the power of godliness, and wholly cast that off (Hos 8:12): I have written to him the great things of my law; this intimates the privilege they enjoyed, as having God's statutes and judgments made known to them, and being entrusted with the lively oracles. Note,
(1.)The things of God's law are magnalia Dei - the great things of God. They are things that proclaim the greatness of the Law-maker, and things of great use and great importance to us; they are our life, and our eternal welfare depends upon our observance of them and obedience to them; they will make us great if we make a right use of them; and they are things which God will magnify and make honourable.
(2.)It is a great privilege to have the things of God's law written; thus they are reduced to a greater certainty, spread the further, and last the longer, with much less danger of being embezzled and corrupted than if they were transmitted by word of mouth only.
(3.)The things of God's law are of his own writing; for Moses and the prophets were his amanuenses, and holy men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
(4.)It is the advantage of those that are members of the visible church that these great things are written to them, are intended for their direction, and so they must receive them; what things were written in former ages were written for our learning, and are profitable for us. And, if those were happy who had the great things of God's law written to them, how much happier are we who have the gospel written to us! But see how this privilege was slighted; these great things of the law were counted as a strange thing, as unintelligible and unreasonable (which might therefore be slighted, because not to be fathomed, not to be accounted for), or as foreign, and things of no concernment to them, things that they had nothing to do with nor were to be governed by; they used those things as strangers, which they were shy of, and knew not how to bid welcome. We desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Note,
[1.]God having written to us the great things of his law, we ought to make them familiar to us, as our nearest relations (Pro 7:3, Pro 7:4); for therefore we have them written, that they may talk with us, Pro 6:22.
[2.]We make nothing of the things of God's law if we make strange of them, as if they did not affect us and therefore we need not be affected with them.
2.How they kept up the form of godliness notwithstanding, and to what little purpose they did so.
(1.)They multiplied their altars (Hos 8:11): Ephraim made many altars to sin. God appointed that there should be but one altar for sacrifice (Deu 12:3, Deu 12:5); but the ten tribes, having forsaken that, would still be thought very devout, and zealous for the honour of God, and, as if they would make amends for the affront they put on God's altar, they made many altars, dedicated to the God of Israel, whom hereby they intended, or at least pretended, to give glory to; but that would not justify their violation of God's express command, nor would the example of the patriarchs, who before the law of Moses had many altars. No, they made many altars to sin (that is, they did that which turned into sin to them), and therefore these altars shall be unto them to sin, that is, God will charge it upon them as a heinous sin, and put that upon the score of their crimes which they designed to be for the expiation of their crimes. Or they shall be to them an occasion of further sin. Their multiplying of altars dedicated to the God of Israel would introduce altars dedicated to other gods. Note, It is a great sin to corrupt the worship of God, and it will be charged as sin upon those that do it, how plausible soever their pretensions may be. And the way of this, as other sins, is down-hill; those that once deviate from the fixed rule of God's commands will wander endlessly.
(2.)They multiplied their sacrifices, Hos 8:13. Their altars were smoking altars: They sacrificed flesh for the sacrifices of God's offerings, and they celebrated their feasts upon their sacrifices; they were at a great expense upon their devotions, and (as those commonly are who set up their own inventions in the room of divine institutions) were very zealous in their way; as if they hoped by their impositions on themselves to atone for the contempt of the great atonement, and by their observing a ceremonial law of their own to excuse themselves from the obligation of all God's moral precepts. But how did they speed?
[1.]God makes no reckoning of their services: The Lord accepts them not. How should he, when they did not offer their sacrifice upon that altar which alone sanctified the gift, and when they only sacrificed flesh, but not the spiritual sacrifice of a penitent believing heart? Note, Those services only are acceptable to God which are performed according to the rule of his word, and through Jesus Christ, Pe1 2:5.
[2.]He takes that occasion to reckon with them for their sins; now will he, instead of pardoning their iniquity and blotting out their sins, as they expected, remember their iniquity and visit their sins. Such an abomination to the Lord are the sacrifices of the wicked that they provoke him to call them to an account for all their other abominations. When they think by their sacrifices to bribe the Judge of heaven and earth into a connivance at their wickedness he will resent that as the highest affront they can put upon him, and it shall be the measure-filling sin. Note, A petition for leave to sin amounts to an imprecation of the curse for sin, and so it shall be answered, according to the multitude of the idols. "I will punish their sins, for they shall return to Egypt;" they shall be carried captive into Assyria, which shall be to them a house of bondage, as Egypt was to their fathers. Or it refers to Deu 28:68, where returning to Egypt is made to close and complete the miseries of that sinful nation.
(3.)They multiplied their temples, and these also in honour of the true God, as they pretended, but really in contempt of the choice he had made of Jerusalem to put his name there. Israel has forgotten his Maker, Hos 8:14. They pretended to know him, and yet forgot him, for they liked not to retain God in their knowledge, when the remembrance of him would give check to their lusts. It was an aggravation of their sin in forgetting God that he was their Maker (Deu 32:15, Deu 32:18; Job 35:10), as nothing obliges us more to remember him than that he is our Creator, Ecc 12:1. "He has forgotten his Maker, and builds temples; he seems by the temples he builds to me mindful of his Maker, and to be desirous still to keep him in mind, and yet really he has forgotten him, because he has cast off the fear of him." Some by temples here understand palaces, for so the word sometimes signifies. "He has forgotten his Maker, and yet is so secure and haughty that he sets his judgments at defiance, as Nebuchadnezzar did when he said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built?" Judah is likewise charged with multiplying fenced cities, and trusting in them for safety, when the judgments of God were abroad. To fortify their cities in subjection and subordination to God was well enough; but to fortify them in opposition to God, and without any regard to him or his providence (Isa 22:11), shows their hearts to be desperately hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. But none ever hardened his heart against God and prospered, nor shall they. God will send a fire upon his cities, upon the cities both of Judah and Israel, not only the head-cities of Jerusalem and Samaria, but all the other cities of those two kingdoms, and it shall devour not only the cottages, but the palaces thereof; though ever so strong, the fire shall master them; though ever so stately and sumptuous, the fire shall not spare them. This was fulfilled when all the cities of Israel were laid in ashes by the king of Assyria, and all the cities of Judah by the king of Babylon. The fires they both kindled were of his sending; and when he judges he will overcome.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
"Now their iniquities will be remembered, and their sins will be punished: they themselves will be turned into Egypt, and Israel, their maker, has forgotten them, and has built shrines, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities, and I will send a fire into its cities, and it will devour their houses." LXX: "Now their iniquities will be remembered, and their injustices will be avenged. They themselves turned into Egypt, and forgot him who made them, and they built shrines, and Judah multiplied fortified cities, and I will send fire into their cities, and it will devour their foundations." Between lawlessness, which means "iniquity and sin," this is the difference: iniquity is before the law, sin is after the law, and those who persist in their sins will be remembered for their iniquities committed before the law by the Lord. However, their sins will not be remembered, but vengeance will be taken. Therefore, he will remember the iniquity of the ancients, and will visit the former sins: because they returned to Egypt, either asking for help, or worshipping the same gods in which they had previously erred, ἄπιν and μνεῦιν. For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built shrines on high hills, and under shady trees, consecrating to Baal and Astarte, and to other idols as well. Judah also, understanding that Israel had turned away from the love of God, and that their sins had been visited upon them, did not turn back to the Lord, but instead relied on fortified cities, which the Lord said He would destroy, devouring them down to their foundations. "His," no doubt, means Judah ("Al." Judah): though some read the foundations of "those," that is, cities, instead of "his." According to the spiritual sense, however, iniquities, that is, ἀνομίαι and ἀδικίαι, are called those which we committed before baptism, and which were forgiven us in baptism; but sins that we committed after baptism, concerning which it is written in the psalm, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered" (Ps. XXXI). All of which shall be imputed to the heretics, so that both their ancient iniquities and their new sins may be accounted for. For those who had left Egypt by confessing Christ, they returned to perfidy in Egypt. Israel has forgotten its maker, and rejecting its Creator, has devised another master for itself. Judas also, that is, the Ecclesiastical man, in evil deeds, or in perverse interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, built fortified cities for himself, not by the help of God, but by an artisan’s lie: which the Lord says he will enflame with the fire of his spirit, and devour their burdens, that is, the great houses built up like towers, and he will upset the ill-laid foundations, so that they may not be able to build sacrilegious shrines against God. Certain cities fortified by the Jews are received in good faith, and they try to temper that which seemed contrary to this view: "I will send fire upon its cities, and it shall devour the houses thereof," so that when what is perfect has come, that which is partly destroyed. What we read according to the LXX interpretation, "they have eaten unclean things among the Assyrians," is not found in the Hebrew, and therefore must be marked with an obelus. We may say, however, that the Israelites, desiring Egypt, were captured by the Assyrians and ate unclean food there, according to Ezekiel, who describes them as eating food sacrificed to idols in Chaldea (Ezek. IV): and polluted to such an extent with the filth of idols, that they are compared to human excrement. The heretics also, whose leaders are Assyrians (of whom we have spoken frequently), eat unclean things among them, while they themselves are polluted by their filth.
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Summary
Hosea 8:13 delivers a scathing indictment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) for their profound spiritual apostasy and hypocritical worship. Despite meticulously performing outward religious rituals, their hearts were far from God, rendering their sacrifices unacceptable. This verse pronounces God's impending judgment, declaring that He will actively recall and punish their persistent iniquity and sin, culminating in a prophetic return to a state of spiritual and physical bondage akin to their former slavery in Egypt.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within a broader section of Hosea (chapters 7-10) where the prophet continues to expose Israel's deep-seated rebellion against their covenant God. Having previously detailed their political instability, reliance on foreign alliances, and pervasive idolatry, Hosea 8 specifically condemns their religious hypocrisy. The preceding verses (Hosea 8:1-12) speak of their transgression of God's covenant, their making of kings without God's approval, their reliance on idols of silver and gold, and their empty pursuit of foreign aid. Verse 13, therefore, serves as a direct consequence of this comprehensive spiritual failure, highlighting that even their religious acts are tainted and rejected, leading inevitably to divine retribution and exile.
Historical & Cultural Context
Hosea prophesied during the tumultuous latter half of the 8th century BCE, a period marked by political instability, assassinations, and the looming threat of the Assyrian Empire. The Northern Kingdom of Israel, often referred to as Ephraim, had a long history of syncretism, blending Yahwistic worship with Canaanite Baal worship, particularly at sites like Bethel and Dan where golden calves were worshipped. Culturally, sacrifice was central to ancient Near Eastern religions, including Israelite worship, serving as a means of atonement, thanksgiving, and communion with the deity. However, Hosea's indictment reveals that Israel had corrupted these practices, performing them mechanically or with idolatrous intent, rather than with genuine repentance and faithfulness to the covenant God. Their political alliances with Egypt and Assyria, explicitly condemned elsewhere in Hosea, further illustrate their rejection of God's sovereignty and protection.
Key Themes
Hosea 8:13 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Hosea. It underscores the theme of Insincere Worship, demonstrating that outward religious performance without inward devotion is an abomination to God. This echoes the broader prophetic critique found in passages like Isaiah 1:10-17 and Amos 5:21-24, where God expresses disdain for ritualistic acts devoid of justice and righteousness. The verse also highlights God's Rejection of Corrupted Offerings, emphasizing that their sacrifices, though outwardly conforming to ritual, were defiled by their unfaithfulness and idolatry, rendering them unacceptable. Furthermore, it foreshadows Divine Judgment and Accountability, as God's "remembering" their iniquity is not a lapse of memory but an active decision to bring about the promised consequences of their covenant breach. Finally, the phrase "they shall return to Egypt" is a potent symbol of Reversal of Redemption and Return to Bondage, indicating that their persistent rebellion would lead them back into a state of oppression, mirroring the very slavery from which God had miraculously delivered them, as warned in Deuteronomy 28:68.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word refers to the physical meat of the animal sacrificed. In this context, its use emphasizes Israel's focus on the material aspect of the sacrifice—the eating, the outward show, the physical consumption—rather than the spiritual purpose or the heart behind the offering. It highlights their carnal approach to what should have been a sacred act of communion and devotion to God.
This verb signifies being pleased with, approving, or finding favor. Its negation ("accepteth them not") is a powerful declaration of God's utter rejection of Israel's sacrifices. Despite the performance of the ritual, God finds no pleasure or satisfaction in their offerings because they are not accompanied by genuine repentance, faithfulness, or a right heart. This word underscores the divine standard for worship: it must be pleasing to God, not merely performed by humans.
While often meaning to recall to mind, in a theological context, "remember" for God is an active, volitional act that leads to intervention or action. When God "remembers" iniquity, it signifies that the time for judgment has come; He is actively bringing their sins to account and will respond with consequences. It is not a passive mental recollection but an active, judicial determination to visit their sins with punishment.
Verse Breakdown
"They sacrifice flesh [for] the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat [it;"
This clause describes Israel's continued practice of offering sacrifices and consuming the meat, outwardly appearing to fulfill religious obligations. However, the phrasing subtly highlights their distorted focus: they sacrifice "flesh" (the material) "for the sacrifices of mine offerings" (God's prescribed rituals). The emphasis is on their act, their consumption, and the physical ritual, rather than the spiritual intent or God's pleasure.
"but the LORD accepteth them not;"
This is the pivotal declaration. Despite their outward religious activity, the sovereign God (YHWH) explicitly rejects their offerings. Their sacrifices are devoid of true devotion, repentance, or faithfulness, rendering them meaningless and even offensive in His sight. This rejection underscores that God looks beyond the ritual to the heart of the worshipper.
"now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins:"
This phrase signifies God's impending judgment. His "remembering" is not forgetfulness but an active decision to bring their accumulated "iniquity" (perversity, moral evil) and "sins" (offenses, habitual sinfulness) to account. To "visit" their sins means to intervene with punitive action, bringing about the consequences of their persistent rebellion.
"they shall return to Egypt."
This is a stark prophetic pronouncement of judgment. Having been miraculously delivered from literal slavery in Egypt, their spiritual and moral decline will lead them back to a state of oppression and bondage, likely through Assyrian or Babylonian captivity. It symbolizes a reversal of God's redemptive work, a return to the very condition from which God had freed them, signifying profound spiritual and national degradation.
Literary Devices
Hosea 8:13 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Irony is prominent, as Israel, a people delivered from Egyptian bondage, performs religious rituals that are supposed to connect them to God, only to find these very acts rejected, leading to a metaphorical "return to Egypt." This highlights the tragic paradox of their spiritual state. Symbolism is powerfully used with the phrase "return to Egypt," which transcends a literal geographic return to represent a reversal of divine liberation and a descent into a new form of spiritual and national slavery. It symbolizes a loss of identity, freedom, and covenant relationship. Furthermore, the passage uses Contrast between Israel's outward religious performance ("They sacrifice flesh... and eat it") and God's inward assessment ("the LORD accepteth them not"), emphasizing the chasm between human ritual and divine acceptance.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hosea 8:13 profoundly illustrates the biblical principle that God values genuine devotion and obedience over mere ritualistic performance. Israel's sacrifices, though outwardly conforming to the Law, were corrupted by their idolatry, unfaithfulness, and lack of true repentance. This passage underscores that God is not impressed by external show but demands a heart fully committed to Him, reflecting the covenant relationship He initiated. Their rejection of His covenant led to the defilement of their worship, ultimately provoking divine judgment. This serves as a timeless warning that religious activity, divorced from a sincere relationship with God and a life of righteousness, is not only futile but offensive to Him.
Reflection and Application
Hosea 8:13 serves as a profound mirror for self-examination in our own spiritual lives. It challenges us to look beyond the external forms of our faith—our church attendance, our giving, our participation in rituals—and to honestly assess the condition of our hearts. Are our acts of worship and service truly offered to God out of love, obedience, and genuine devotion, or are they mere formalities, perhaps even attempts to earn favor or maintain a facade? The passage reminds us that God sees beyond the outward appearance and desires sincerity and truth in our innermost being. A faith that is merely ritualistic, devoid of a transformed heart and a life of righteousness, is ultimately unacceptable to Him and can lead to spiritual barrenness and separation. We are called to cultivate a vibrant, authentic relationship with God, ensuring that our actions flow from a heart fully submitted to His will.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that "the LORD accepteth them not" when they offered sacrifices?
This phrase signifies God's complete rejection of Israel's offerings, not because of a flaw in the ritual itself, but because of the corrupt heart and unfaithfulness of the worshippers. In ancient Israel, sacrifices were meant to be expressions of repentance, thanksgiving, and devotion, part of a covenant relationship with God. However, Israel had become deeply involved in idolatry, injustice, and political alliances that denied God's sovereignty. Their sacrifices, therefore, were performed as empty rituals, devoid of genuine faith, obedience, or a desire for true communion with God. God looks beyond the external act to the internal disposition, and when the heart is far from Him, even religious acts become an offense, as seen in Isaiah 1:11-15.
Why does Hosea say "they shall return to Egypt"? Did the Israelites literally go back to Egypt?
While some Israelites might have sought refuge in Egypt during times of distress, the phrase "they shall return to Egypt" in Hosea 8:13 is primarily a powerful symbolic and metaphorical prophecy of judgment, not necessarily a literal mass migration back to Egypt. Having been miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt by God's mighty hand, this pronouncement signifies a reversal of God's redemptive work. It means they would return to a state of bondage, oppression, and spiritual darkness, akin to their former slavery. Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled through the Assyrian and later Babylonian exiles, which plunged Israel into a new form of captivity and national humiliation, effectively reversing their status as a free, covenant people in their own land. It implies a loss of their unique identity and a return to the very conditions from which God had liberated them, as warned in Deuteronomy 28:68.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hosea 8:13, with its stark portrayal of God's rejection of insincere sacrifices, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament sacrificial system, though divinely ordained, was always provisional, pointing forward to a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice that could truly atone for sin and reconcile humanity to God. Israel's failure to offer sacrifices with a pure heart demonstrated the inherent limitation of the system itself—it could not change the heart or perfect the worshipper (Hebrews 10:1-4). Jesus, as the perfect Lamb of God, offered Himself as the spotless and acceptable sacrifice, fulfilling all the requirements of the Law and providing true expiation for sin (Hebrews 9:11-14). Through His sacrifice, we are not only forgiven but also given a new heart, enabling us to offer "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5). The "return to Egypt" symbolizes bondage to sin and death, a condition from which Christ liberates us, ushering us into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:21). In Christ, true worship is no longer about outward ritual but about worshipping "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24), a worship made possible by His perfect work on the cross.