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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 9:1–6. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here, I. The people of Israel are charged with spiritual adultery: O Israel! thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, Hos 9:1. Their covenant with God was a marriage-covenant, by which they were joined to him as their God, renouncing all others. But when they set up idols and worshipped them, when they fled to creatures for succour and put a confidence in them, they went a whoring from God as their God, and honoured the pretenders and rivals with the affection, adoration, and confidence, which were due to God only. Other people were idolaters, but that sin was not, in them, going a whoring from God, as it was in Israel that had been married to him. Note, The sins of those who have made a profession of religion and relation to God are more provoking to him than the sins of others. As a proof of their going a whoring from God, it is charged upon them that they loved a reward upon every corn-floor. 1. They loved to give rewards to their idols, in the offerings and first-fruits they presented to them out of every corn-floor. They took a strange pleasure in serving their idols with that which they would have grudged to consecrate to God and employ in his service. Note, It is common for those that are niggardly in the expenses of their religion to be very prodigal in spending upon their lusts. Or, 2. They loved to receive rewards from their idols; and such they reckoned the fruits of the earth to be: These are my rewards, which my lovers have given me, Hos 2:12. Note, Those are directly disposed to spiritual idolatry that love a reward in the corn-floor better than a reward in the favour of God and eternal life.
II.They are forbidden to rejoice as other people do:
"Rejoice not, O Israel! for joy. Do not expect to rejoice. What peace, what joy, what hast thou to do with either, while thy whoredoms and witchcrafts are so many?" Kg2 9:19-22. Be not disposed to rejoice, for it does not become thee, but rather to be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, Jam 4:9. Judah, that keeps close to the true God, nay, and other people that never knew him nor could ever be charged with revolting from him, may be allowed to rejoice, as not having so much cause to be ashamed as Israel has, that has gone a whoring from him. Some think that they had at this time particular occasions for joy, probably upon the account of some losses recovered, or some advantages gained, or some league made with a potent ally, for which they had public rejoicings, as other people used to have upon such occasions; but God sends to them not to rejoice. Note, Joy is forbidden fruit to wicked people. They must not rejoice, because they have gone a whoring from their God; and therefore,
1.Whatever it was that they rejoiced in, it would be no security nor advantage to them, so long as they were at a distance from God and at war with him. Note, We are likely to have small joy of any of our creature-comforts if we make not God our chief joy.
2.The sense of sin and dread of wrath ought to be a damp upon their joy and a strong alloy to all their comforts. Note, Those who by departing from God have made work for repentance have thereby marred their own mirth, till they return and make their peace with God.
III.They are threatened with destroying judgments for their spiritual whoredoms, according to what was said long before.
Psa 73:27, Thou hast destroyed all those that go a whoring from thee. It is here threatened,
1.That their land shall not yield its wonted increase. Canaan, that fruitful land, shall be turned into barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwell therein. They love the reward in the corn-floor, and are so full of the joy of harvest that they have no disposition at all to mourn for their sins; and therefore God will, for their effectual humiliation, take away from them, not only their delights and dainties, but even their necessary food (Hos 9:2): The floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, much less feast them; they shall either be blasted by the hand of God or plundered by the hand of man. The new wine with which they used to make merry shall fail in her. Note, When we make the world, and the things of it, our idol and portion, above what they were designed for, it is just with God to deny us even support and nourishment from them, according to that which they were designed for, to show us our folly and correct us for it. Let those miss of their food in the corn-floor that look for their reward in the corn-floor. We forfeit the good things of this world if we love them as the best things.
2.That their land shall not only cease to feed them, but cease to lodge them and to be a habitation for them; it shall spue them out, as it had done the Canaanites before them (Hos 9:3): They shall not dwell any longer in the Lord's land. The land of Canaan was in a peculiar manner the Lord's land, the land of the Shechinah (so the Chaldee), the land of the Lord of the world (so the Arabic); he whose all the earth is (Psa 24:1) took that for his demesne. The land is mine, says God, Lev 25:23. They had used it, or abused it rather, as if it had been their own, had not paid the rent, nor done the services, due to God as their landlord, and therefore God justly enters, and takes possession of it, they having forfeited their lease. "It is my land" (says God) "and I will make it appear, for they shall be turned off, as bad tenants, and be made to know that, though they thought themselves freeholders, they were but tenants at will." Note, It is for the honour of God's justice and holiness that those who go a whoring from God should not be suffered to dwell upon his land; and therefore, sooner or later, the wicked shall be chased out of the world. Or it is called the Lord's land because it was the holy land, Immanuel's land, the land that had peculiar tokens of God's favour to it, and presence in it, where God was known and his name was great, where God's prophets and oracles were; it was a kind of copy of the earthly paradise, and a type of the heavenly one. It was a great privilege to have a lot in such a land as this. It was a great sin and folly to rebel against God, and go a whoring from him, in such a land as this, to deal unjustly in a land of uprightness, Isa 26:10. And it was a sad and sore judgment to be driven out from such a land as this; it was like driving our first parents out of the garden of Eden, and almost amounted to an exclusion out of the heavenly Canaan. Note, Those cannot expect to dwell in the Lord's land that will not be subject to the Lord's laws, nor be influenced by his love. Those have forfeited the privileges of the church that conform not to the rules of it.
3.That, when they are turned out from the Lord's land, they shall have no rest nor satisfaction in any other land. When Cain was driven out from the presence of the Lord he was a fugitive and a vagabond ever after, and dwelt in the land of trembling. So Israel here. Some shall return into Egypt, the old house of bondage; thither they shall flee from the Assyrian (Hos 8:13) and they shall lose and ruin themselves where they thought to hide and help themselves. Others shall be carried captives to Assyria and there shall be forced to eat unclean things, either (1.) Such things as were not fit for men to eat, that which is rotten and putrefied, intimating that they shall be reduced to the utmost poverty, as the prodigal that would fain have filled his belly with the husks. Or, (2.) Such things as were not fit for Jews to eat, being prohibited by their law. It is probable that while they were in their own land, however disobedient in other things, they kept up the distinction of meats, and prided themselves in that; but, since they would not keep the law of God in other things, they should not be suffered to keep it in that, and it was a just punishment of their sin in eating things offered to idols. Note, When at any time we suffer in our food, and either through want or for our health are forced to eat or drink that which is unpleasing, we must acknowledge that God is righteous, because we have sinned about our food, and have indulged ourselves too much in that which is pleasing.
4.That in the land of their enemies, to which they shall be driven, they shall have no opportunity either of giving honour to God or obtaining favour with God, by offering any acceptable sacrifice to him; they should not be in a capacity of keeping up any face or show of religion among them; "and so" (as Dr. Pocock expresses it) "should be as it were quite cut off from any expression of relation to him, from all signs of grace, and means of reconciliation with him, which would be to them a token of their being rejected of God, estranged from him, and no more owned by him as his people." (1.) They shall have no sacrifices to offer, nor any altar to offer them on, nor priests to offer them; they shall not so much as offer drink-offerings to the Lord, much less any other sacrifices. (2.) If they should offer them, neither they nor their sacrifices shall be pleasing to him, for they cannot have any legal offerings, nor are their hearts humbled. (3.) Instead of their sacrifices of joy and praise, they shall eat the bread of mourners; they shall live desolate, and disconsolate, mourning for the death of their relations and their own miseries, so that if they had opportunity of sacrificing they should never be themselves in a frame fit for it; for they were forbidden to eat of the holy things in their mourning, Deu 26:14. All that eat of the bread of mourners are polluted, and incapacitated to partake of the altar. (4.) Their bread for their soul, the bread which they must either eat or starve, the bread which they shall have for the support of their lives, shall not come into the house of the Lord; they shall have no house of the Lord to bring it to, or, if they had, it is such as is not fit to be brought, nor are they rightly disposed to bring it. (5.) The return of the days of their sacred and solemn feasts would therefore be very melancholy and uncomfortable to them (Hos 9:5): What will you do in the solemn day, in the sabbath, the solemn day of every week, in the new moons, the solemn days of every month, at the return of the times for keeping the passover, pentecost, and feast of the tabernacles, the solemn days of every year, the days of the feasts of the Lord? Note, The feasts of the Lord are solemn days; and, when we are invited to those feasts, we ought to consider seriously what we shall do. But the question is here put to those who were to be deprived of the benefit and comfort of those solemn feasts, "What will you do then? You will then spend those days in sorrow and lamentation which, if it had not been your own fault, you might have been spending in joy and praise. You will then be made to know the worth of mercies by the want of them and to prize spiritual bread by being made to feel a famine of it." Note, When we enjoy the means of grace we ought to consider what we shall do if ever we should know the want of them, if either they should be taken from us or we be disabled to attend upon them.
5.That they should perish in the land of their dispersion (Hos 9:6): For, lo, they have gone out of the Lord's land, where they might have spent both their sabbath days and other days with comfort, gone because of destruction, gone to Egypt because of the destruction of their own country by the Assyrians, flattering themselves with hopes that they shall return when the storm is over; but those hopes also shall fail them; they shall find there are graves in Egypt, as their murmuring ancestors said (Exo 14:11), graves for them; for Egypt shall gather them up, as dead men are gathered up and carried forth to the grave, and Memphis (one of the chief cities of Egypt) shall bury them. Gathering and burying are put together, Jer 8:2; Job 27:19. Note, Those that think presumptuously to flee from the judgments of God are likely enough tp meet their death where they hoped to save their lives.
6.That their land, which they left behind and to which they hoped to return, should become a desolation: As for their tabernacles, where they formerly dwelt and where they kept their stores, the pleasant places for their silver, they shall be demolished and laid in ruins, to such a degree that they shall be overgrown with nettles; so that if they should survive the trouble, and return to their own land again, they would find it neither fruitful nor habitable; it would afford them neither food nor lodging. Note, Those that make their money their god reckon the places of their silver their pleasant places, as those that make the Lord their God reckon his tabernacles amiable and his ordinances their pleasant things, Isa 64:11. But, while the pleasures of communion with God are out of the reach of chance and change, the pleasant places of men's silver, which were purchased with silver, or in which they deposited their silver, or which were beautified and adorned with silver, are liable to be laid in ruins, in nettles, and therewith all the pleasure men took in them.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
"They shall not dwell in the land of the Lord. Ephraim returned to Egypt, and in Assyria he ate polluted food. They shall not offer wine to the Lord, nor shall their sacrifices please him; like the bread of mourners, all who eat it shall be defiled, because their bread does not enter the house of the Lord, which is their soul." LXX: "They did not dwell in the land of the Lord; Ephraim lived in Egypt and ate unclean things among the Assyrians. They did not pour out wine to the Lord, nor did their sacrifices please Him; their bread was like mourning; all who eat of it will be defiled; for their bread of their souls will not enter the house of the Lord." Not only has the threshing floor and the winepress not fed them, and the wine has lied in the land of Israel, when everything had perished for three years and six months, but also the inhabitants themselves will depart from the land of the Lord, and will be led into a foreign land, so that they may not dwell in the holy land which they have defiled with their fornication. "He returned," he said, "to Egypt, and in Assyria he ate defiled things." Of this place, some have added above: "and in Assyria he ate defiled things," which is not in Hebrew, as we have already said. But since they were in Chaldea without a temple and without an altar, they will not pour out wine to the Lord, but to demons, and they will not please those who pour out to alien gods, and those who are held captive and eat idols in Assyria are like mourning bread. For it is not lawful to eat of the food of mourners, and whoever shall eat of it shall be defiled, even what is lawfully offered. The Greeks call the suppers of mourners νεκρόδειπνα, and we may call them "parentalia," from the fact that they are offered to the dead. And not only he that offers, but also he that partakes of such food, shall be unclean; for their bread, that is, the food which they offer, shall not enter into the house of the Lord, which is destroyed, and burnt up with the fire of the Babylonians; let their souls be put to silence. And there is a sense, to its own gluttony, and it provides enjoyment for itself; but I do not like what is polluted. Those who have left the Church and returned to Egypt, and of the Assyrians, that is, they eat sacrifices of demons, will not dwell in the land of the Lord: nor do they drink wine offered to the Lord, in their drunkenness, and neither they nor those who offer it please Him. The sacrifice of heretics is bread of mourning and tears: for all that they do shall be turned into weeping. They will not be able to hear: 'Blessed are the mourning, for they shall be comforted' (Matt. 5:5); but on the contrary, they will hear: 'Woe to the laughing, because they will weep' (Luke 6:25). Whatever they offer, they offer not to God, but to the dead: namely those who have concocted wicked heresies; and whoever eats of their victims, will be contaminated. They will be led by the blind into the pit. Whatever they do, they do for the sake of pleasures, to deceive the people and to devour the houses of widows. We can say that grief is bread, deadly words with which they speak iniquity against the Lord: for he who does not enter the house of God is bread: for the assemblies of heretics are called not the house of God, but the dens of robbers.
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Summary
Hosea 9:3 pronounces a severe judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) for its persistent idolatry and unfaithfulness to God's covenant. The verse prophesies their expulsion from the Promised Land, a reversal of the Exodus where they would spiritually and politically return to a state of bondage akin to Egypt, and endure ritual defilement by being forced to consume unclean food in exile under Assyrian dominion, thereby losing their distinct covenant identity and access to pure worship.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is part of a larger prophetic oracle in Hosea 9, which intensifies the theme of divine judgment against Israel. Chapters 4-13 detail Israel's spiritual harlotry, particularly their worship of Baal and reliance on foreign alliances. Chapter 9 specifically focuses on the consequences of this apostasy, including the cessation of joyful feasts, the loss of children, and ultimately, exile. Verse 3 serves as a direct declaration of the loss of their most cherished covenant blessings: the land and their unique identity as God's people. It immediately follows warnings about their inability to offer wine offerings to the Lord and their defilement even in their own land.
Historical & Cultural Context
Hosea prophesied during the tumultuous 8th century BC, a period of decline for the Northern Kingdom of Israel. After the death of Jeroboam II, a series of weak and short-lived kings led to political instability, assassinations, and increasing foreign interference. Israel, particularly Ephraim (the dominant tribe), vacillated between alliances with Egypt and Assyria, rather than trusting in the Lord. This was a direct violation of the Mosaic covenant, which warned against such entanglements and reliance on worldly powers (e.g., Deuteronomy 17:16). The Assyrian Empire was rapidly expanding and would eventually conquer Samaria in 722 BC, deporting the Israelites. The cultural significance of the "land" was paramount; it was a sacred inheritance, a physical manifestation of God's covenant faithfulness, and the place where His presence uniquely dwelt. Eating "unclean things" underscored the profound cultural and religious degradation of exile, where Mosaic dietary laws, central to Israel's identity, could not be observed.
Key Themes
Hosea 9:3 powerfully encapsulates several core themes of the book. The primary theme is Israel's Spiritual Harlotry and Unfaithfulness, depicted by their turning away from Yahweh to Baal worship and foreign alliances. This leads directly to the theme of Divine Judgment and Consequence, where God, as a righteous judge, punishes their covenant infidelity. The loss of the land signifies the Reversal of Covenant Blessings, particularly the promise given to Abraham (e.g., Genesis 12:7) and reiterated throughout the Pentateuch. The "return to Egypt" symbolizes Spiritual and Political Bondage, a tragic undoing of the Exodus liberation (see Exodus 13:3). Finally, eating "unclean things" highlights the theme of Defilement and Loss of Identity, as exile would strip them of their ceremonial purity and distinctiveness as God's holy people, a status meticulously defined in the Mosaic Law (e.g., Leviticus 11).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word signifies not merely residing but settling, abiding, and establishing oneself. In the context of the land, it implies security, permanence, and the fulfillment of covenant promises. Its negation here ("shall not dwell") underscores the complete reversal of God's intention for His people to securely inhabit the land He gave them.
This verb means to turn back, retreat, or go back. Here, it is used figuratively to describe Ephraim's spiritual and political regression to a state of servitude and reliance on foreign powers, mirroring their historical bondage in Egypt. It implies a tragic undoing of the Exodus.
This term denotes ritual impurity or defilement according to Mosaic law. It refers to anything that renders a person or object unfit for sacred use or fellowship with God. Its use here highlights the forced spiritual degradation and loss of ceremonial purity that exile would impose, making it impossible for Israel to maintain their covenant identity and worship practices.
Verse Breakdown
"They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land"
This clause declares the primary judgment: expulsion from the land of Canaan, which was a sacred gift from Yahweh. The land was not merely territory but a tangible sign of God's covenant relationship with Israel, promised to Abraham and secured through the Exodus. To be removed from it signified the forfeiture of divine blessing and protection due to their covenant infidelity.
"but Ephraim shall return to Egypt"
"Ephraim" here represents the entire Northern Kingdom of Israel. This phrase is highly symbolic. While a literal mass return to Egypt was unlikely, it signifies a spiritual and political regression to a state of bondage and reliance on worldly powers, reminiscent of their past enslavement. Israel had sought alliances with Egypt for military support, betraying their trust in God. This "return" is a tragic reversal of the Exodus, a journey back into servitude.
"and they shall eat unclean [things] in Assyria"
This final clause describes the practical and spiritual degradation of exile. In Assyria, the land of their captors, Israelites would be forced to live among Gentiles, unable to observe the Mosaic dietary laws or perform temple worship. To "eat unclean" food symbolized a loss of ceremonial purity, a defilement of their covenant identity, and a separation from the holiness associated with God's presence and the land.
Literary Devices
Hosea 9:3 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of judgment. Symbolism is prominent, with "the LORD'S land" symbolizing God's covenant faithfulness and blessing, "Egypt" symbolizing spiritual and political bondage, and "unclean things" symbolizing ritual defilement and loss of identity. The phrase "return to Egypt" is a striking example of Irony, as it reverses the foundational narrative of the Exodus, turning their liberation into a new form of servitude. The verse also utilizes Juxtaposition, contrasting the ideal state of dwelling in God's land with the grim reality of exile, forced return to bondage, and defilement. This stark contrast emphasizes the severity of their impending judgment.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hosea 9:3 underscores the profound theological principle that covenant blessings are contingent upon covenant faithfulness. The land, a central promise of the Abrahamic covenant, was not an unconditional right but a gracious gift sustained by obedience to the Mosaic Law. Israel's persistent idolatry and reliance on foreign powers constituted a breach of this covenant, leading to the forfeiture of their inheritance. This passage reveals God's justice in holding His people accountable, demonstrating that His holiness cannot tolerate unrepentant sin. It also highlights the deep spiritual consequences of apostasy, which extend beyond material loss to include defilement and a loss of identity.
Reflection and Application
Hosea 9:3 serves as a timeless warning for all who claim to be God's people. While the specific covenant laws regarding land and dietary restrictions are not directly applicable to New Testament believers, the underlying principles of faithfulness, trust, and purity remain profoundly relevant. This verse challenges us to examine where our ultimate security and provision lie: Is it in God alone, or are we, like ancient Israel, tempted to rely on worldly "Egypts"—human systems, wealth, power, or fleeting pleasures—that ultimately lead to spiritual bondage? It also compels us to consider the "unclean things" we might allow into our lives, whether sinful practices, ungodly influences, or defiling ideologies, that separate us from the purity and presence of God. True blessedness, freedom, and spiritual flourishing are found only in steadfast obedience, devotion, and an uncompromised commitment to the Lord, guarding against anything that would defile our walk with Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Ephraim singled out in this verse?
"Ephraim" (H669, ʼEphrayim') is often used in the prophetic books, particularly Hosea, as a metonymy for the entire Northern Kingdom of Israel. Ephraim was the largest and most influential tribe in the north, and its capital, Samaria, was located within its territory. Therefore, singling out Ephraim emphasizes the leadership and pervasive apostasy of the dominant tribe, making it representative of the entire rebellious kingdom. The prophet uses this specific name to underscore the widespread nature of the idolatry and unfaithfulness that permeated the northern kingdom, leading to the judgment described in Hosea 9.
Did Israel literally return to Egypt after the Assyrian conquest?
While there isn't historical evidence of a mass, forced return of the Northern Kingdom's population to Egypt (H4714, Mitsrayim') after the Assyrian conquest, the phrase "Ephraim shall return to Egypt" is highly symbolic. It signifies a spiritual and political regression to a state of bondage and dependence, mirroring their past enslavement. Israel had sought alliances with Egypt for military support against Assyria, directly contravening God's command not to rely on horses and chariots from Egypt (e.g., Deuteronomy 17:16). Thus, the "return to Egypt" represents a tragic reversal of the Exodus liberation, a return to the very condition from which God had delivered them, but now under the yoke of a different oppressor (Assyria), having rejected God's true deliverance.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hosea 9:3 vividly portrays the consequences of Israel's covenant unfaithfulness, culminating in their expulsion from the land, a return to spiritual bondage, and ritual defilement. This dire prophecy, however, points forward to the ultimate fulfillment found in Jesus Christ. While Israel lost their physical dwelling in "the LORD'S land" due to sin, Christ, through His perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice, establishes a new covenant that grants believers a spiritual "dwelling" in God's presence, not contingent on earthly territory but on faith in Him. He is the true "land" of promise, the one in whom we "live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). Furthermore, Christ's work reverses the "return to Egypt"—the bondage of sin and death. He is the ultimate deliverer, leading His people out of spiritual slavery into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:21). Most profoundly, Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, became "unclean" for us, bearing our defilement on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21), so that we might be made righteous and holy in Him. Through His sacrifice, believers are cleansed from all "unclean things," gaining access to true worship and an undefiled inheritance that will never be taken away (1 Peter 1:4). He is the fulfillment of all covenant promises, providing a permanent dwelling, ultimate freedom, and perfect purity for all who believe.