Hosea 5 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

For judgment — God's controversy is with you all. A snare — You, O priests and princes, have ensnared the people by your examples. Mizpah — By idolatries acted at Mizpah, a part of Libanus. On Tabor — Here, as in Mizpah, idolatry catched men as birds are taken in a net.

The revolters — All those that have cast off the law of God. Profound — Dig deep to hide their counsels, and to slay the innocent. Though I — Hosea.

Doth testify — Is an evident witness against him.

To seek the Lord — The Jewish doctors tell us, that under Hosea, Israel had liberty of bringing their sacrifices to Jerusalem. Shall not find him — God will not be found of them. Hath withdrawn himself — For their impenitency.

Have begotten — They have trained up their children in the same idolatry. A month — Possibly it may refer to Shallum's short time of usurpation, which lasted but a month; the Assyrians shall make a speedy conquest over you. With their portions — With all their substance.

Blow ye — Ye watchmen, sound the alarm, the enemy cometh. After thee, O Benjamin — After thy cries. After thee, O Beth — aven, let Benjamin also cry aloud: for they shall also fall for their sin.

Ephraim — The whole kingdom of the ten tribes. Rebuke — When Salmaneser shall besiege, sack and captivate all thy cities, rebuked for their sins. Of Israel — To the house of Israel openly. Made known — By my prophets.

The bound — The ancient bounds which limited every one, and prevented the encroaching of covetous men. Like water — Like an overflowing flood.

Ephraim — The ten tribes are by seditions, civil wars, unjust sentences, and bloody conspiracies eaten up already. After the commandment — To forbear going to the temple, and to worship the calves at Dan and Bethel, as Jeroboam the son of Nebat commanded.

A moth — Moths leisurely eat up our clothes; so God was then, and had been, from Jeroboam's death, weakening the ten tribes. As rottenness — Secretly consuming them.

His sickness — Weakness, like a consumption, threatening death. Then went — Made application. The Assyrian — Particularly to Israel or Pul.

Will tear — Divine vengeance by the Assyrians, shall be as a lion tearing his prey.