Hosea 2:18 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

And in that day will I make a covenant for them - for their benefit.

Covenant ... with the beasts - not to hurt them (Job 5:23). They shall fulfill the original law of their creation, by becoming subject to man, when man fulfils the law of his being by being subject to God. To be realized fully in millennial times (Isaiah 11:6-9).

And I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth - rather, 'out of the land,' i:e., I will break and remove war out of the earth (Psalms 46:9), and 'out of the land' of Israel first (Isaiah 2:4; Ezekiel 39:9-10, "They that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons ... the bows and the arrows," etc (of Gog and the invaders of the Holy Land); Zechariah 9:9-10).

And will make them to lie down safely - a reclining posture is the usual one with Orientals when not in action.

Safely - (Jeremiah 23:6, "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel stall dwell safely").

Hosea 2:18

18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.