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.
Ver. 9. O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah] Or, prae diebus, worse than in the days of Gibeah. What those days were, see Hos 9:9 Judges 19:15 : when they were is not so certain; but probably before the time of the Judges, and soon after Joshua's death; for Jebus, or Jerusalem, was not yet taken, Jdg 19:11-12 cf. Hosea 1:1, and Phineas was yet alive and ministered before the Lord, Judges 20:28, and was one of those elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, which he did for Israel, Judges 2:7, so that these days of Gibeah were very ancient; and Israel's sin the worse, because from those days; and yet more, because above or beyond those days. God made use of your forefathers to punish that great sin; and yet you continue to be more vile and vicious than they were, that were so punished by your forefathers; neither are ye at all warned by their harms: which is just both presage and desert of your downfall. Alterius perditio tua sit cautio. Exemplo alterius qui sapit, ille sapit.
There they stood] Who stood? either the men of Gibeah stood stoutly to it, and slew in two battles 40,000; or, "there stood the men of Israel, and their battle did not overtake the children of iniquity"; not so overtake them at first, but that they were twice beaten by them; all which, notwithstanding, they stood it out, and prevailed at last; but so shall not you, since it is in my desire and decree, Hosea 10:10, to order it otherwise, and utterly to destroy you at once. Non surget hic afflictio. This pain will not arise.