Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord - "then," i:e., the result of his recovered favour (Hosea 6:2) will be onward growth in saving knowledge of God, as the result of perseverance in following after him (Psalms 63:8, "My soul followeth hard after thee;" Isaiah 54:13, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord"). "Then" implies the consequence of the revival in Hosea 6:2. The "if" is not so much conditional, as expressive of the means which Gods grace will sanctify to the fill enlightenment of Israel in the knowledge of Him. As a lack of "knowledge of God" had been the source of all evils (Hosea 4:1; Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;" Hosea 6:4), so the knowledge of Him will bring with it all blessings; yea, it is "life" (John 17:3). This knowledge is practice, not mere theory (Jeremiah 22:15-16). Theology is life, not science; realities, not words. This onward progress is illustrated by the light of "morning" increasing more and more "unto the, perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18). Probably the "if" inserted by the English version ought to be omitted, as not being in the Hebrew: translate, 'Then shall we know ... shall follow on to know the Lord.' We shall not only know Him, but we shall go on continually knowing more and more of Him.
His going forth is prepared - is sure literally, fixed ordered in His everlasting purposes of love to His covenant-people. (Compare "prepared of God," margin, Genesis 41:32, "The thing is established (prepared) of God;" Revelation 12:6). Yahweh shall surely come to the relief of His people after their dark night of calamity.
As the morning - (2 Samuel 23:4, "He shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain").
And he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain - (Job 29:23; Joel 2:23). First, "the rain" х geshem (H1653)] generally is mentioned; then the two rains (Deuteronomy 11:14) promised by God ("I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain"), which caused the fertility of Palestine, and the absence of which was accounted the greatest calamity: "the latter rain," which falls in the latter half of February, and during March and April, just before the harvest, whence it takes its name, from a root meaning 'to gather' [malqowsh]; and "the former rain" - literally, the darting rain [yuwreh], from the middle of October to the middle of December. As the rain fertilizes the otherwise barren land, so God's favour will restore Israel, long nationally Lifeless.