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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 9:11–17. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In the foregoing verses we saw the sin of Israel derived from their fathers; here we see the punishment of Israel derived to their children; for, as death entered by sin at first, so it is still entailed with it. We may observe, in these verses,
I.The sin of Ephraim. Some expressions are here which describe that.
1.They did not hearken to God (Hos 9:17); they did not give attention to the voice either of his word or of his rod; they did not believe what he said, nor would they be ruled by him. He told them their duty, their interest, their danger, but they regarded him not; all he said to them by his words and by his prophets was to them as a tale that is told; and then no wonder that we hear,
2.Of the wickedness of their doings (Hos 9:15), the downright malice that was in their sins; they were not infirmities, but daring presumptions. How can those but do wickedly who will not hearken to the word of God, that would teach and persuade them to do well? And no wonder that there were wicked doings among them when,
3.Their worship was corrupt (Hos 9:15): All their wickedness is in Gilgal, which was a place infamous for idolatry, as appears, Hos 4:15; Hos 12:11; Amo 4:4; Amo 5:5. It is probable that the idolaters chose that place for their head-quarters because it had been famous in other ages for solemn transactions between God and Israel, as Jos 5:2, Jos 5:10; Sa1 10:8; Sa1 11:15. There, where the source of idolatry was, whence it spread through the kingdom, there it might be said that all their wickedness was, for all other wickedness owed its origin to that. Corruptions in worship make way for corruptions in morals. The mother of harlots is the mother of all other abominations, Rev 17:5. The learned Grotius conjectures that there is a mystical sense here. Golgotha in Syriac is the same with Gilgal in Hebrew, and therefore he thinks this may have reference to the putting of Christ to death at Golgotha, which was the greatest sin of the Jewish nation, and of which it might truly be said, All their wickedness was summed up in that. And no wonder that the people did wickedly, both in worship and conversation, when 4. All their princes were revolters; the whole succession of the kings of the ten tribes did evil in the sight of the Lord, or all the set of judges and magistrates at this time were wicked; they turned aside to sinful ways and persisted in those ways.
II.The displeasure of God against Ephraim for sin.
This is variously expressed here, to show what a provocation sin is to the pure eyes of his glory, and how odious it makes the sinner to him.
1.He departs from them, Hos 9:12. When they revolt from him, and withdraw from their allegiance to him, how can they expect but that he should depart from them and withdraw both his protection and his bounty? And well may his threatening be enforced as it is, and made terrible: Woe also unto them when I depart from them! Note, Those are in a woeful condition indeed whom God has forsaken. Our weal or woe depends upon the gracious presence of God with us; and, if he goes, all weal goes with him and all woes come upon us. God has forsaken him; persecute and take him. Saul knew this when he laid such an emphasis upon this part of his complaint, The Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me. Nay, he does not only depart from them, but,
2.He hates them. In Gilgal, where all their wickedness is, there I hated them. There, where the abominations of sin are committed, there God abominates the sinners. In Gilgal he had bestowed many tokens of his favour upon their ancestors, but now that is the place where he hates them for their base ingratitude. Nay, he not only hates them, but,
3.He will love them no more, will never take them into his favour again; the breach between God and Israel is wide as the sea, which cannot be healed. This agrees with what he had said, (Hos 1:6, Hos 1:7), I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel, the ten tribes.
4.He will discard them, and have no more to do with them: For the wickedness of their doings, I will drive them out of my house. He will no longer own them as his, or as belonging to his family in the world; he will turn them out of doors as unfaithful tenants that pay him no rent, as unprofitable servants that do him neither credit nor work. Note, Those that profane God's house can expect no other than to be expelled his house, and no longer suffered to be either lodgers in it or retainers to it. Nay, he will not only drive them out of his house, but,
5.He will drive them far enough (Hos 9:17): My God will cast them away, not only out of his house, but out of his sight; he will quite abandon and reject them; they shall be cast-aways. God said that he would drive them out of his house, and here the prophet seconds it, as one that knew his Master's mind very well: My God will cast them away. See with what comfort and pleasure he calls God his God. Note, When others disown God, and are disowned by him, it is a very great satisfaction to good people that they can call God their God, can cheerfully own him and see themselves owned by him - all revolters, all ruined, yet God is my God.
III.The fruit of this displeasure, in the cutting off and abandoning of their posterity, which is the judgment here threatened again and again. Observe here,
1.How numerous Ephraim seemed likely to be. The name Ephraim is derived from fruitfulness, Gen 41:51. Joseph is a fruitful bough, Gen 49:22. And Moses's blessing foretold the ten thousands of Ephraim, Deu 33:17. This was his glory, Hos 9:11. For this he seemed designed by him that appoints the bounds of men's habitation; for Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place, to encourage his increase, which one may expect as from a tree planted by the river's side. Ephraim is as strong and rich as ever Tyre was, and as proud and secure. The Chaldee paraphrase gives this sense of it, The congregation of Israel, while they observed the law, was like to Tyrus in prosperity and security.
2.How few Ephraim should be (Hos 9:11): Their glory shall fly away like a bird; their children shall be taken away and the hopes of their families cut off. All their glory shall fly as an eagle towards heaven, swiftly and irrecoverably. Note, Worldly glory is glory that will fly away; but those that have their God their glory have in him an unfading everlasting glory. Ephraim has been as a fruitful tree. But now Ephraim is smitten, is blasted; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit, Hos 9:16. If the root be dried, the branch must wither of course. Observe,
(1.)God's threatening this judgment of the destroying of their children.
[1.]They shall perish of themselves by the immediate hand of God (Hos 9:11): They shall fly away from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. Some of their children shall die as soon as they are born; the cradle shall be presently turned into a coffin. Others of them shall be still-born, or the womb shall be their grave, and their death there their mothers' death too. Of others their mothers shall miscarry almost as soon as they have conceived, and they shall be as untimely fruit. See how easily God can, and how justly we are sure he might, root out the whole race of mankind, that degenerate, guilty, obnoxious race, and blot out the name of it from under heaven; it is but doing as he does by Ephraim here, writing them all childless, making all their glory to fly away from the birth, the womb, and the conception, drying up their root, that they bear no fruit, and their business is done in a few years.
[2.]They shall perish by the hand of their enemies; they shall die violent deaths (Hos 9:12): "Though they bring up their children to some maturity, though they escape the diseases and deaths which the infant age is liable to, and are thought to be reared past danger, yet will I bereave them (Hos 9:12), by one judgment or other, so that there shall not be a man left to build up their families and bear up their name." Again (Hos 9:13), Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. The mothers shall travail with pain to bear their children, and a great deal of care, and pains, and cost shall be bestowed upon the nursing of them, and when a cruel enemy comes and puts all to the word, young and old, without mercy, then they seem but as lambs that were all this while fed for the slaughter. Note, It is a great alloy to the comfort parents have in their children that they know not what they have brought them forth and brought them up for, perhaps for the murderer, or, which is worse, to be themselves the plagues of their generation. It is threatened again (Hos 9:16), Though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb, those children that they are most fond of. Note, The parents' love is no security to the children's lives; nay, sometimes death is commissioned to take the darlings of the family and leave the burdens of it. When sentence was passed upon Israel in the wilderness, that they should all perish there, this mercy was mixed with the wrath, that their children should nevertheless enter into that rest which they through unbelief could not enter into. But this is a total and final rejection; even their children shall be cut off, and the land shall escheat to the crown, ob defectum sanguinis - shall be lost for want of heirs. The Chaldee-paraphrase, and many of the rabbin, by the murderers to whom the children were brought forth, understand those that sacrificed their children to Moloch, a sin which was its own punishment, which showed the parents void of bowels and justly left them void of blessings.
[3.]Those few that escape and remain shall be dispersed (Hos 9:17): They shall be wanderers among the nations; so the remains of the Jews are at this day, and there is no place in the world where they are a distinct nation.
(2.)The prophet's prayer relating to it (Hos 9:14): Give them, O Lord! what wilt thou give? What shall I ask for a people thus doomed to destruction? It is this; since the decree has gone forth, that they must either die from the womb or be brought forth for the murderer, of the two let them rather die from the womb. Rather let them have no children than have them to be made miserable; for the same reason, when a total ruin was coming on the Jewish nation, Christ said, Blessed is the womb that never bore and the paps that never gave suck, Luk 23:29. "Give therefore a miscarrying womb and dry breasts; for it is better to fall into the hands of the Lord, whose mercies are great, than into the hands of man." Note, Those that are childless may with this reconcile themselves to the will of God herein, that the time may come when, if they were not so, they would wish they had been so.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
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While he was still praying, an angel of the Lord, very terrifying, appeared to him, having in his hand a fiery sword unsheathed. He said to our father Pachomius, “Just as God has blotted out his name from the ‘Book of Life,’ just so do you drive them out from the midst of the brothers, for they are not ignorant. Indeed, even to the ignorant, impurities of this sort seem like abominations before God.” When it was morning he put them in worldly clothing and told them, “Go and do as is fitting to the clothes whose practices you have made your own.” And he expelled them from among the brothers. The words of the prophet were fulfilled about them, “I will drive them out of my house, and I will love them no longer.”
"All their wickedness is at Gilgal: for there I hated them." LXX similarly. In Gilgal, Saul was anointed as king, with Samuel announcing God's anger to the people. (1 Kings 10) "There," he said, "I had them skinned, and they asked for a human king, and withdrew from my authority. Whether it was because Galgala is a place of idolatry, where they committed all kinds of sin. But because Galgala means "revelation," or "rolling," that is, "rolling away," all the wickedness of the heretics will be revealed at that time, when God gives them a barren womb and withered breasts, and they see their shame. And those who boasted through pride that they had ascended to lofty places, will be cast down to the ground or dragged down to hell. Truly, heretics are worthy of God's hatred, those who speak lies against the Lord, of whom he speaks in the following lines
Because of the malice of their inventions, I will cast them out of my house. I will not continue to love them: all their rulers have departed," that is, "disobedient." The same is true of the Seventy. And indeed, there is no doubt that the heretics were cast out of God's house, and he will not love them as long as they remain in error, and all their rulers have turned away from God, that is, disobedient, such as Valentinus, Marcion, and others. We can say that the leaders of the heretics are demons who have truly turned away from God and are called princes, just as the Lord speaks in the Gospel: "The prince of this world will come and find nothing in me" (John 14:30). And the Apostle tells us to fight against the powers, principalities, and rulers of these darknesses (Ephesians 6). However, according to history, how did he cast them out of his house, that is, the ten tribes, when they were not in the house of God? But we shall call the house of God, or the Holy Land into which they were conducted, or the false name 'Israelites,' or the fact that the prophets were sent to them as though they were the people of God. But what is clear is that he does not add that he loves them, and that all the kings of Israel have departed from God, for until today they remain in captivity. Others believe that what is written, "I will eject them from my house," refers to the kingdom of Judah, which will also be led into captivity. But how can it be adapted to them, "I will not add that I love them," since they were later led back to Jerusalem: and "all their leaders are departing," since we have read that David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah were righteous kings? Hence we must pass on to the time of Christ, who, at His coming, was cast out of the house of God, and was not saved as Israel, but as the Christian people. Hence the Lord made a scourge for Himself out of cords, and cast them out of the temple: because they had made the house of His Father a house of business (John, ii).
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Summary
Hosea 9:15 delivers a severe prophetic indictment against the northern kingdom of Israel, pinpointing Gilgal as a central locus of their profound spiritual depravity and rebellion. God declares His judicial hatred for their persistent wickedness, announcing His intention to expel them from the land He had given them, withdraw His covenantal love, and expose the widespread corruption among their leaders, who are characterized as defiant revolters against His divine authority. This verse encapsulates the dire consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness and serves as a stark warning of impending judgment and exile.
Context
Literary Context
Hosea 9 is a chapter steeped in judgment, directly following Hosea 8's condemnation of Israel's idolatry, political instability, and covenant breaking. This specific verse, Hosea 9:15, intensifies the prophetic pronouncements of divine wrath. The preceding verses (9:10-14) lament Israel's moral decay, likening their apostasy to the sin at Baal-Peor and predicting barrenness and loss of children as a consequence. Verse 15 then zeroes in on Gilgal as a historical and contemporary site of their egregious sin, setting the stage for further declarations of exile and the cessation of their religious festivals (9:16-17), emphasizing that their unfaithfulness has severed their relationship with God and will lead to their ultimate dispersion among the nations.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophet Hosea ministered to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) during the turbulent 8th century BC, a period marked by political instability, assassinations, and a pervasive syncretism where Yahweh worship was mixed with Canaanite Baal worship. Gilgal, mentioned in this verse, held immense historical significance for Israel. It was the first encampment after crossing the Jordan River, where the Israelites were circumcised, celebrated the first Passover in the land, and renewed their covenant with God under Joshua's leadership (e.g., Joshua 5). Later, it was a significant center for Samuel's ministry and a place where kingship was established (e.g., 1 Samuel 11:14-15). However, by Hosea's time, Gilgal had become notorious for idolatry, false worship, and the proliferation of cultic prostitution, transforming a place of sacred remembrance into a hub of spiritual rebellion, symbolizing Israel's profound departure from their covenant obligations.
Key Themes
Hosea 9:15 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Hosea. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Covenant Unfaithfulness and Apostasy, illustrating how Israel's persistent idolatry and moral corruption, epitomized by their actions in Gilgal, constituted a grave breach of their covenant with Yahweh. Secondly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment and Retribution, demonstrating God's righteous response to sin, where His "hatred" signifies a judicial pronouncement of disfavor and the "driving out" represents the impending exile as a just consequence. Thirdly, the verse touches upon the Corruption of Leadership, revealing that even the "princes" were "revolters," indicating a systemic spiritual decay from the top down, a theme echoed in other prophetic books condemning unjust rulers (e.g., Isaiah 1:23). Finally, the statement "I will love them no more" powerfully conveys the theme of the Withdrawal of Covenantal Blessing, signaling the cessation of God's special protective presence and provision due to Israel's persistent rebellion, though Hosea also contains promises of future restoration rooted in God's enduring steadfast love (e.g., Hosea 11:8-9).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term refers to evil in its broadest sense, encompassing moral depravity, spiritual corruption, and actions that are harmful or displeasing to God. In Hosea 9:15, it denotes the comprehensive nature of Israel's sin, particularly their idolatry and unfaithfulness, which had permeated every aspect of their national life and was concentrated in places like Gilgal.
This is a strong, covenantal term, often used in a legal or judicial context rather than purely emotional. When God declares He "hated" Israel in Gilgal, it signifies a decisive, righteous rejection and disfavor due to their egregious breach of covenant. It is a declaration of divine opposition to their sin, leading to a severance of the relationship, not an arbitrary emotional dislike.
This verb signifies expulsion, often from a possession or land, and can also imply divorce. Here, it prophetically announces Israel's impending exile from the land of Canaan, which was considered God's "house" or dwelling place among His people. It underscores the severity of the judgment, akin to a legal eviction or a wife being cast out due to unfaithfulness.
Verse Breakdown
"All their wickedness [is] in Gilgal"
This clause emphatically identifies Gilgal, a place once sacred to Israel's history of covenant renewal, as the epicenter and symbol of their pervasive moral and spiritual corruption. It suggests that their idolatry and rebellion had reached a peak there, making it a focal point of God's righteous indignation.
"for there I hated them"
This phrase explains the divine response to the wickedness in Gilgal. God's "hatred" is a judicial pronouncement of utter rejection and disfavor, a righteous opposition to their persistent sin and covenant breaking. It signifies a decisive turning away from His people in judgment, specifically because of the abominations committed in that place.
"for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house"
This part reiterates the reason for judgment ("the wickedness of their doings") and declares the primary consequence: expulsion. "Mine house" refers to the land of Israel, the Promised Land where God had established His dwelling among His people. This is a prophetic announcement of their impending exile, a literal removal from the land due to their unfaithfulness, fulfilling the curses of the Mosaic covenant.
"I will love them no more"
This powerful statement signifies the cessation of God's special covenantal favor, protection, and blessing. While God's ultimate nature is love, His covenant love for Israel was conditional upon their faithfulness. This phrase implies a withdrawal of His active, benevolent presence and and provision, a direct and severe consequence of their persistent rebellion against the Lord.
"all their princes [are] revolters"
This final clause highlights the systemic nature of Israel's corruption, extending to the highest echelons of leadership. The "princes," who should have guided the people in righteousness, were themselves "revolters" or rebels against God's law and authority. This widespread spiritual and moral decay, from the common people to their rulers, indicated a complete societal breakdown and justified the comprehensive judgment.
Literary Devices
Hosea 9:15 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine judgment. Symbolism is prominent, with "Gilgal" serving as a powerful symbol. Once a place of covenant renewal and spiritual beginnings for Israel, it has tragically become a symbol of their profound apostasy and the epicenter of their wickedness, illustrating the depth of their fall. The phrase "mine house" is also symbolic, representing the land of Israel as God's dwelling place among His people, from which they are now to be expelled. The declaration "I hated them" and "I will love them no more" are examples of Anthropomorphism, attributing human emotions and relational actions to God to express His righteous indignation and the judicial withdrawal of His covenant favor. The repetition of "wickedness" (raʻ and rôaʻ) emphasizes the pervasive and deeply rooted nature of Israel's sin, underscoring that their actions were the direct cause of God's severe response. The entire verse functions as a pronouncement of Divine Judgment, delivered with stark, declarative language that leaves no doubt about the severity of the consequences for Israel's persistent rebellion.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hosea 9:15 is a profound theological statement on the nature of God's justice, the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness, and the gravity of apostasy. It reveals a God who, despite His steadfast love, is also perfectly holy and just, unable to tolerate persistent, unrepentant sin within His covenant people. His "hatred" is not an emotional outburst but a righteous, judicial opposition to evil, leading to the withdrawal of His blessings and the execution of covenant curses, such as exile. This verse underscores that while God's character is unchanging, His active favor and presence with His people are contingent upon their obedience and faithfulness to His covenant. The corruption of leadership further highlights that spiritual decay often permeates all levels of society, making the entire nation accountable for its rebellion.
Reflection and Application
Hosea 9:15 serves as a sobering mirror for believers today, prompting us to examine the state of our own hearts and the spiritual health of our communities. It reminds us that places once consecrated to God can become centers of spiritual decay if we allow sin, idolatry, and unfaithfulness to take root. This passage calls us to a vigilant self-examination, asking whether our "doings" are truly pleasing to God or if we, like ancient Israel, are harboring "wickedness" in our lives. It challenges the notion that God's love is a blanket approval of all behavior, highlighting that while His grace is boundless, persistent, unrepentant rebellion can lead to a withdrawal of His active blessing and a sense of His disfavor, even for those who claim His name. Furthermore, it underscores the critical importance of righteous leadership, urging us to pray for and hold accountable those in positions of spiritual authority, ensuring they are not "revolters" but faithful stewards of God's truth. Ultimately, this verse is a powerful call to humility, repentance, and a renewed commitment to wholehearted obedience and faithfulness to the Lord, lest we experience the painful consequences of spiritual drift.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does God truly "hate" people, or is this a figure of speech?
The term "hated" (Hebrew, sânêʼ) in Hosea 9:15, when applied to God's relationship with Israel, is not an emotional outburst of personal dislike in the human sense. Instead, it is a strong, judicial, or covenantal term signifying a righteous rejection and disfavor due to Israel's severe and persistent breach of their covenant with Him. It expresses God's absolute opposition to their wickedness, idolatry, and rebellion. In a covenant context, to "love" often means to choose and enter into a relationship with, while to "hate" means to reject or disinherit due to unfaithfulness. God's character is fundamentally love (1 John 4:8), but His holiness demands that He actively oppose and judge sin. Therefore, His "hatred" here is a declaration of righteous judgment against their actions and their status as a rebellious nation, leading to the consequences outlined in the verse.
What does "drive them out of mine house" mean for ancient Israel, and what is its spiritual significance for us today?
For ancient Israel, "mine house" primarily refers to the land of Canaan, the Promised Land, which God had given them as their inheritance and where He had established His presence among them. To "drive them out" was a prophetic declaration of their impending exile, specifically to Assyria, as punishment for their covenant unfaithfulness. This was the ultimate curse for disobedience outlined in the Mosaic Law (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:64). Spiritually, it signifies the loss of God's protective presence, blessings, and their privileged status as His chosen people in the land. For believers today, while we are not under the Old Covenant's land promises, the principle remains: persistent, unrepentant sin can lead to a sense of spiritual distance from God, a withdrawal of His active blessing, and a loss of the joy and peace of His presence, even though our salvation in Christ is secure. It's a call to maintain a close, obedient walk with God to remain in the sphere of His favor and blessing.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hosea 9:15, with its stark pronouncements of divine judgment, the withdrawal of covenantal love, and the expulsion from God's "house" due to Israel's wickedness and rebellious princes, finds its ultimate and profound Christ-centered fulfillment in several ways. Jesus Christ perfectly embodies the obedient Son, contrasting sharply with Israel's rebellion. Where Israel failed to be a faithful "house" for God, Christ declares Himself to be the true temple, the dwelling place of God among humanity (e.g., John 2:19-21). The "wickedness" that provoked God's "hatred" and judgment against Israel was fully borne by Christ on the cross. He became sin for us, absorbing the divine wrath and the curse of the law, so that those who believe might be reconciled to God and not be "driven out" (e.g., 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Galatians 3:13). Furthermore, the New Covenant established through Christ's blood replaces the conditional Old Covenant, ensuring that God's love for His people, the Church, is no longer based on their perfect obedience but on His unconditional grace and Christ's perfect righteousness (e.g., Hebrews 8:6-13). Through Christ, believers are not "loved no more" but are eternally adopted into God's family, becoming living stones in His spiritual house (e.g., 1 Peter 2:4-5), and are promised an enduring inheritance that cannot be lost or "driven out" (e.g., 1 Peter 1:3-5). Christ, the true Prince of Peace and King of kings, stands in stark contrast to Israel's "revolting princes," offering perfect leadership and eternal salvation to all who come to Him.