(Calvin on Hosea, part 27)
Lecture Twenty-seventh.
Hosea 10:5
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of
Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the
priests thereof [that] rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof,
because it is departed from it.
I shall first briefly touch on what I have mentioned in reading
over the text; that is, that some interpreters expound this verse of
the exile of the people. The word "gur" signifies to be banished:
and it means also to fear; but the context, as we shall see, will
not allow it to be taken here in the sense of being banished. Some
render the other word "shachan" to dwell, but they are mistaken. The
Prophet simply means that the inhabitants of Samaria were now
glorying in their calves, (for the calves we know, were in Dan and
Bethel,) but that in a short time the Lord would strike them with
terror, and the cause we shall see hereafter.
I now come to show the real meaning of the prophet. "The
inhabitants of Samaria", he says "shall fear", because of the calves
of Bethaven. The Prophet derides the folly of the people of Israel
in worshipping calves, and in thinking that the whole hope of safety
was included in them. How so? "They are constrained" he says, "to
weep for the exile of their calf; so far is it from being able to
bring them any aid, that the citizens of Samaria in vain deplore its
captivity." By way of contempt, he calls the calves, heifers. He
might have used the masculine gender; but the whole of the verse
glances at the madness of the people of Israel, because they were so
grossly delirious in their superstitions, and yet were wholly
insensible. Then the inhabitants of Samaria shall fear for the
calves of Bethaven, because idolaters, when they see some danger to
their idols, tremble, and would gladly bring aid; and this very fear
betrays their stupidity and madness. For why do not the gods help
themselves, instead of expecting help from mortals? We now
understand the design of the Prophet.
But he says, "They will mourn over it". The number is here
changed. He had said, "because of the heifers;" and now he expresses
the kind by putting down a relative of the masculine gender "wau".
He therefore returns to "calves," and afterwards uses the singular
number; for there was one only at Bethaven, the other was at Dan.
But we have already shown why the Prophet called them heifers.
"Its people", he says, "shall mourn for it", yea, even the
priests also. Some think that "kemerim", priests were called by this
terms because they put on black vestments in celebrating their
rites; for the word "kemer" means black; but this is a vain
conjecture: and the Rabbis, as it often appears, are very bold in
their figments; for they regard not what is true, but only make
conjectures, and wish that whatever comes to their minds to be
counted as oracular; nor do they regard history, but advance without
reason what pleases them. Another explanation of the word may be
adduced, and one in my judgement more probable; for the word
signifies also to ring again or to resound; and the priests, we
know, made, in performing their services, great noises and howling;
as Elijah says 'Cry aloud, for your Baal is perhaps asleep,' (1
Kings 18: 27.) If their conjecture is allowable, I would rather say
that they were called by this word on account of the noise they
made. But I leave the thing undecided. It was, however, a name
commonly in use, as it appears from other places. For by this name
"kemarim" were those new priests called, whom Josiah took away, as
it is related in 2 Kings 23. But whether they had this name from
their noises, or the black colour of their vestments, it is still
certain that they were the priests of false gods.
The Prophet now says, that the priests also shall mourn, for
the verb "'aval" is to be repeated. He afterwards adds, "yagilu 'al-
kevodo"; the relative, who, is wanting - who exult, but it is to be
understood after "kemarim", who exult for it. But why should they
mourn? They shall mourn for its glory, because it had departed: they
shall now begin to mourn, because the glory of the calf had passed
away from it. Here the Prophet teaches that the glorying, by which
hypocrites deceive themselves, will not be permanent; for the Lord
will surely lead them, as we shall see, to sudden and unexpected
shame. He then says that there would be mourning for the calves
among the citizens of Samaria. They indeed thought that the kingdom
was well fortified, for they had erected temples in their borders,
to be, as it were, their fortresses. They hence imagined themselves
to be safe from every incursion of enemies. The Prophet says, "Nay,
they shall mourn for their calf." How so? Truly its own people shall
mourn for it. He goes farther, and calls all its worshipers, the
people of the calf: and we know that the whole kingdom of Israel was
implicated in that superstition. Yea, he says, even the priests, who
exult for it, shall mourn. Why? Because its glory shall depart from
it. It now follows -
Hosea 10:6
It shall be also carried unto Assyria [for] a present to king Jareb:
Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own
counsel.
Here the Prophet expresses more clearly the cause of mourning
to the priests and to the whole people, "The calf", he says, "shall
be carried into Assyria, and carried as a present to king Jareb". It
is probable, that when extreme danger came, the king of Israel was
constrained either to cast the calf into a new form, or to break it
in pieces, to redeem peace from the Assyrian king. As then the whole
kingdom was reduced to great want, we may infer from this place that
the calf or calved were carried into Assyria for pacifying the king.
Since then the Israelites saw that they were stripped of their
protection, (for they were now without any hope of safety, as there
was no God among them,) the Prophet mentioned above their grief: but
he now shows that exile was nigh at hand, not only to the
Israelites, but also to the calves which they worshipped and by
whose aid they thought themselves to be secure and safe in their
country.
There is a particular emphasis in the particle "gam", as though
the Prophet said, "Not only the Israelites shall migrate, but the
very calf shall also be carried into Assyria." Of the word "Jareb,"
we have spoken in the fifth chapter: it seems to have been the
proper name of a man. Some conjecture it to be a city in Assyria,
though not noticed by writers. Others think it to be the name of a
neighbouring king to the Assyrian, but without reason, and they are
refuted by this very passage; for the Prophet doubtless points out
here the Assyrian king. He yet calls him Jareb; it may be that he
was as yet a private man, or he may have so called him by way of
reproach. This is however uncertain. Jerome renders the word,
"avenger." But it is sufficiently evident that it was a proper name,
not of a city or place, but, as it has been said, of a man. And I am
disposed to think, that he calls him king Jareb by way of contempt,
for this contempt prevailed among the Israelites as long as they
thought themselves strong enough to resist. But the Lord afterwards
checked this pride: hence the Prophet says now in a cutting manner,
"The calf shall be carried into Assyria to pacify king Jareb."
He afterwards adds, "Ephraim shall receive shame", or reproach;
"Israel shall be made ashamed of his counsel". He says the same
thing in different ways and not without reason; for it was difficult
at first to persuade the Israelites that what they thought to have
been wisely contrived would turn out to their shame. The king
Jeroboam the first, when he erected temples did indeed think it the
best device to prevent the people, were they to repent, from
submitting themselves again to the posterity of David. Hence he
thought that the ten tribes were wholly torn away, when he set up
that peculiar worship, which had nothing in common with that of the
tribe of Judah. And doubtless had the ten tribes worshipped the true
God at Jerusalem, this union might have been the means of again
reuniting them into one body under one head. Hence the king Jeroboam
thought that he had provided well for his kingdom, to render it
permanent, by cutting off all communication between the two people:
and there was none in Israel who did not approve of this counsel;
for they took delight in their wealth, in the number of their men,
and in other advantages. Since then the kingdom of Judah was much
inferior, the Israelites were vastly pleased with themselves. This
is the reason why the Prophet says, "Ephraim shall receive shame";
Israel shall be made ashamed of his counsel. But this, as I have
said, could not appear credible at first. For men promise to
themselves the success they wish in their own craftiness: and hence
it comes also, that they dare to attempt any thing they please
without the aid of God. This is the reason why the Prophet repeats
the same sentence, "Ephraim," he says, "shall receive shame; Israel
shall be made ashamed," - for what? for their counsel. They think
that their own counsel will be most useful to them; yea, they place
their safety in their own craftiness. But the Lord will overrule for
their shame whatever they have devised. It follows -
Hosea 10:7
[As for] Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.
The Prophet proceeds with the same subject, nor ought it to be
deemed a useless prolixity. It would have indeed been sufficient by
one word to threaten the Israelites, had they been pliable and
obedient; but as they were stupid in their perverseness, it was
necessary to stun their ears with continual threatening, that they
might be at least less excusable before God. Hence the Prophet says
now, that "the king of Samaria shall be cut off like the foam": and
he thus speaks of the king, because the Israelites thought their
king, next to their idols, to be to them an invincible fortress. For
thus ungodly men, as it has been mentioned before, always imagine
their stronghold to be in the world and earthly things. Hence, the
Lord denounces a just punishment, by saying that he would cut off
the king; for the impious confidence, of which I have spoken, could
not be otherwise corrected. Therefore "the king of Samaria shall be
cut off" - in what manner? "Like a foam". It is a most apt
comparison; for the Prophet shows that the condition of the kingdom,
which they imagined to be firm and perpetual, had nothing in it but
an empty appearance, like the foam, which has nothing substantial.
And further, he seems to me to point out another thing, that is,
that the kingdom, though it showed itself to be above other
kingdoms, was yet but an excrement. The foam floats above the waters
of the sea, and by its height seems eminent; but what is the foam
but the excrement of the water? for whatever is decayed in the
waters passes into foam. So Israel thought, that as they were endued
with power, and in every way excelled the tribe of Judah, they could
ride, as it were, over their heads. The Prophet, on the contrary,
says that they were foam, and also their king. "Your king," he says,
"though the king of Judah cannot be compared with him, is yet a
foam. By his height he seems indeed wonderful, and hence has arisen
your pride, for you are now become hardened against God; but the
Lord will cut him off like a foam." The Prophet then not only
compares the king of Israel to a bubble or to foaming waters; but he
says, that with respect to the king of Judah, he is an excrement. We
now then understand the meaning of the Prophet.
Hosea 10:8
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed:
the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they
shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
We see how much the Prophet dwells on one thing: but, as I have
already said, there was need of a strong hammer to beat this iron;
for the hearts of the people were iron, or even steel. This hardness
could not then be broken except with violence. This is the reason
why the Prophet goes on with his threatening and places before their
eyes in so many forms the vengeance of God; of which it would have
been enough for him briefly to remind them, had they not been so
perverse.
And first he says, "The high places of Aven have perished", or
shall perish. He now calls Bethel Aven, as he called it before
Bethaven. We have stated the reason for changing the name. Jeroboam
might indeed have disguised the worship, which he had profanely
introduced by this pretext, that God had appeared in that place to
holy Jacob, and we know its name was given to it by God: but in the
meantime, as the people had made a wrong use of the Patriarch's
example, the place was called Bethaven. Bethaven, we know, is the
house of iniquity; as though the Prophet had said, "God dwells not
in this place, as superstitious men imagine; but it has been
corrupted by ungodly worshipers." He therefore says, "The high
places of Aven;" that is, of impiety. But it may be expedient to
repeat here what we have before said, namely, that when men
degenerate from the pure teaching of God, they in vain cover their
profanations with empty names, as we see the Papists doing at this
day; for they adorn that profanation, the Mass, with the title of
Sacrament, as if it was something allied to it. They wish even their
own Mass to be regarded as the Holy Supper, as if it were in their
power to abolish what has been prescribed by the Son of God, and to
substitute in its place their own inventions. Hence, how much soever
the Papists may dignify their profanations with honourable names
they effect nothing. How so? Because God loudly proclaims respecting
Bethel that it is Bethaven; and the reason is well known, because
Jeroboam erected temples, and appointed new sacrifices, without
God's command. Whenever, then, men depart from the word of the Lord,
it will avail them nothing to disguise their own dreams; for the
Lord approves of nothing but what he himself commands. Hence the
high places of Aven have perished, or "shall perish."
He adds "The sin of Israel". This sentence, placed in
apposition, belongs to the former. What is meant is, The sin of
Israel shall perish. But, as it was said yesterday, the Israelites
thought that they performed a service acceptable to God; and hence
it was that they were so sedulously attentive to their holy rites;
but God, on the contrary, pronounced them to be sin. How so? Because
it is profanation and idolatry in men to leave off following God's
command, and to give way to their own fancies and inventions. We
must then understand, that it is not in the power of men to form any
modes of worship they please; nor is it in their power to decide on
this or that worship, whether it be lawful or spurious; but nothing
remains for us but to attend to what the Lord says. When, therefore,
the Lord pronounces that to be profane which pleases us, we ought to
acquiesce in his judgement; for it does not become us to dispute
with him, and it would be vain to do so.
"The thorn and the thistle", he says, "shall come up on their
altars". It may be asked, Ought the Prophet simply, by these tokens,
to have reproved the superstition of the people, seeing that the
same thing happened to the temple a short time after, though not
built by the counsel of men, but by that of God? Since, then, the
grass grew where the temple was, was not that worship, which we know
was founded by God, exposed to ridicule? It is only the same that
can be said of the calves. We grant that the calves were carried
into Assyria, as a price from the wretched Israelites to pacify the
king, who was angry with them. Was not the ark of the covenant taken
also into captivity by enemies? Did not king Nebuchadnezzar take
away the vessels of the temple? And was not pious Hezekiah
constrained to strip the doors of the temple of their ornaments?
Then this seems not to have been fitly spoken by the Prophet. The
answer to all this may be readily given: The Israelites promised to
themselves what they saw, and found afterwards to be vain as is the
case with hypocrites, who securely despise all judgements and all
punishments. How so? Because they thought their own perverted
worship to be sufficient for their safety; though they were in their
whole life abominable yet as some form of religion was observed by
them, they thought that God was bound to be with them: such and so
supine was the security of that people. Very different was the case
with the tribe of Judah. For God, by his Prophets, proclaimed aloud,
"Trust not in words of falsehood; for ye boast continually, The
temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, (Jer. 7: 4,) but I no
longer dwell in that temple:" and Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord
departing elsewhere, (Ezek. 10: 4.) What is said here could not then
apply to the temple, nor to the true and lawful altar, nor to the
true worshipers of God; but the Prophet justly reproaches the
Israelites for expecting safety from their own altars, while yet
they were provoking God's wrath against themselves by such
inventions. We ought, then to remember this difference between the
tribe of Judah and the ten tribes.
But he adds, - "They shall say to the mountains, Cover us: end
to the hills, Fall on us". By this form of speaking, the Prophet
intended to express the dreadful vengeance of God; as if he had
said, that the destruction, which was at hand, would be so grievous
that it would be better to perish a hundred times than to remain in
that state alive. For when men say to hills, Fall on us, and to
mountains, Cover us, they doubtless desire a death too dreadful to
be spoken of; but it is the same as if the Prophet had said, that
life and light, and the sight of the sun and the common air, would
become a horror to them, for they would perceive the hand of God to
be against them. And further, it is a sign of extreme despair, when
men willingly seek the abyss, where they may sink to avoid the
presence of God and present destruction. And hence Christ has also
transferred this passage to set forth the last judgement, of which
he speaks, - 'They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the
hills, Fall on us;' that is, what was once said by the Prophet shall
then be again fulfilled; that the wicked will prefer a hundred
deaths to one life; for both light and the vital air will be hated
and detested by them; because they will perceive themselves to be
oppressed by the dreadful hand of God. It follows -
Hosea 10:9
O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they
stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not
overtake them.
He here reproaches Israel for having been long inured in their
sins, and not for being lately corrupted. This is the substance. He
had said in the last chapter that they were deep in their sins, as
in the days of Gibeah: we then explained why the Prophet adduced the
example of Gibeah, and that was, because the Gibeonites had fallen
away from all fear of God, as if not a word about the law had ever
been heard among them. We indeed know that they abandoned themselves
to filthy and monstrous lusts, like the inhabitants of Sodom and
Gomorra. Seeing, then, that so great obscenity prevailed openly and
with impunity in Gibeah, rightly did the Prophet say that the
Israelites were then lost and past hope, as the case was at that
time. But now he regards another thing, even this, - that from that
time they had not ceased to accumulate evils on evils, and thus to
spin, as it were, a continuous rope of iniquity, as it is said in
another place, - "From the days then of Gibeah hast thou, Israeli
sinned".
But this seems an unjust charge; for we know that the whole
people united together against the tribe of Benjamin. Since, then,
the Israelites revenged that wickedness which was committed in the
city of Gibeah, why does the Prophet bring against them the crime of
which they had been the avengers? But we know that it often happens,
that they who execute the vengeance of God are in no respect better;
and we had a remarkable example of this at the beginning in Jehu;
for he had been God's minister in punishing superstitions; yet God
calls him a robber, and compares the vengeance he executed to
robbery; 'I will avenge,' he says, 'on the head of Jehu the blood of
the house of Ahab, which he has shed.' And yet we know that he was
armed with the sword of God. This is indeed true; but he acted not
with a sincere and upright heart, for he afterwards followed the
same example. So now the Prophet says, that the Israelites had
sinned even from that time; as though he said, "The Lord by the hand
of your fathers took vengeance on the Gibeonites and on the whole
tribe of Benjamin: but they were wholly like them. This corruption
has from that time overwhelmed, like a deluge, the whole land of
Israel. There is then no reason for you to boast that you have been
better, inasmuch as it afterwards fully appeared what you were, for
you imitated the Gibeonites." We now then understand the design of
the Prophet, and how justly he brings this charge against the
Israelites, that they had sinned from the days of Gibeah. They
indeed thought that that crime was confined to a small corner of the
land; but the Prophet says that the whole land was covered with it,
and that they all exposed themselves to God's judgement, and
deserved the same punishment with the Gibeonites and their brethren,
the whole tribe of Benjamin. 'Thou, Israel, hast then sinned from
the days of Gibeah:' the Israelites said, that the Benjamites alone
sinned; but that sin, he says was common.
"There they stood". This clause is variously explained. Some
think that the people are reproved for wishing to retreat after
having twice fought without success. We hence see that their minds
were soft and cowardly, since they so soon succumbed to their trial.
They therefore think that this want of confidence is pointed out by
the Prophet; 'There they stood,' he says, that is, retreated from
the battle; for as they did not succeed as they wished, they thought
that they had been deceived. Hence it is concluded, that they did
not ascribe his just honour to God, and were on this account
reprehensible. But others say, that God had then testified by a
clear proof that the Israelites were equal in guilt to the
Gibeonites; for how came it, they say, that when they engaged in
battle, they were compelled twice to retreat? All Israel were armed
against one tribe; how then was it that they did not immediately
overcome? But the Benjamites, we know, were not at last conquered
without a great loss. It is then certain that God plainly showed
that the Israelites were unworthy of so honourable an office; for
the Israelites wished to execute God's judgement, when they were
themselves equally wicked. The Lord then openly reminded them, that
it was not for them to turn their zeal against others, when they
were no less guilty themselves. It seems to others that their
obstinacy is here pointed out: 'There they stood;' that is, from
that time they have been perverse in their wickedness, and 'the
battle against the children of iniquity did not lay hold on them.'
This third exposition is what I mostly approve; that is, that the
Israelites, when they became ungodly and wicked, though they
professed great zeal and ardour against the tribe of Benjamin, did
not yet cease from that time to conduct themselves perversely
against God, so that they at last arrived at the highest pitch of
impiety.
But what follows, "The battle in Gibea against the children of
iniquity did not lay hold on them", may also be variously explained.
Some say, that the Israelites ought not to have defended themselves
with this shield, that God had so severely punished the Gibeonites
and their kindred. "The Lord spared you once, but what then? He has
deferred his vengeance for a long time; but will he on that account
deal more mildly with you now? Nay, a heavier vengeance awaits you;
for from that time he has not forced repentance out of you." But
others read the sentence as a question, "Has the battle in Gibeah
against the children of iniquity laid hold on you?" But the simple
sense of the words seems to me to be this, that the battle had not
laid hold on the Israelites, because they had not been touched by
that example. The judgements of God, we know, are set forth before
our eyes, that each of us may apply them for our own benefit. The
Prophet now reproves the neglect of the Israelites in this matter,
because they disregarded the event as a thing of no moment. Hence
the battle did not lay hold on them; that is, they did not perceive
that they were warned at the expense of others to repent, and to
live afterwards a holier and purer life in subjection to God. And
this view is confirmed by the last clause, "against the children of
iniquity;" for why is this expressly added by the Prophet, except
that the Lord testified that they should not be unpunished, who were
like the Gibeonites, with whom he dealt so rigidly and severely.
Since, then, the Israelites had not been touched, their stupidity
was hence proved. And for the same reason Paul says, that the wrath
of God shall come on the children of disobedience or of unbelief,
(Eph. 5: 6:) for when God takes vengeance on one people or on one
man, he doubtless shows himself in that particular judgement to be
the judge of the world. This seems to me to be the genuine meaning
of the Prophet.
We ought further to bear in mind, that when men go on in their
wickedness, whatever sins their fathers have done are justly imputed
to them. When we return to the right way, the Lord instantly buries
all our sins, and reconciles us to himself on this condition, that
he will pardon whatever fault there may be in us: though we may,
through our whole life, have provoked his wrath against us, he will
yet as I have said, instantly bury the whole. But if we repent not,
the Lord will remember, not only our own sins, but also those of our
fathers, as it is evident from what is here said by the Prophet.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast once appeared in the person
of thy only-begotten Son, and hast rendered in him thy glory visible
to us, and as thou dost daily set forth to us the same Christ in the
glass of thy gospel, - O grant, that we, fixing our eyes on him, may
not go astray, nor be led here and there after wicked inventions,
the fallacies of Satan, and the allurements of this world: but may
we continue firm in the obedience of faith and persevere in it
through the whole course of our life, until we be at length fully
transformed into the image of thy eternal glory, which now in part
shines in us, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Calvin on Hosea
(continued in part 28...)
---------------------------------------------------
file: pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-04: cvhos-27.txt
.
