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Selected Verse: Hosea 8:3 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Ho 8:3 |
King James |
Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Israel--God repeats the name in opposition to their use of it (Hos 8:2).
the thing that is good--JEROME translates, "God" who is good and doing good (Psa 119:68). He is the chief object rejected, but with Him also all that is good.
the enemy shall pursue him--in just retribution from God. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Israel has cast off the thing that is good - Or (since the word means "to cast off with abhorrence" "Israel hath east off and abhorred Good," both "Him who is Good" and "that which is good." The word "tob" includes both. They rejected good in rejecting God , "Who is simply, supremely, wholly, universally good, and good to all, the Author and Fountain of all good, so that there is nothing simply good but God; nothing worthy of that title, except in respect of its relation to Him who is "good and doining good" Psa 119:68. So then whatsoever any man hath or enjoys of good, is from his relation to Him, his nearness to Him, his congruity with Him. "The drawing near to God is good to me" Psa 73:28. All that any man hath of good, is from his being near to God, and his being, as far as human condition is capable of, like unto Him. So that they who are far from Him, and put Him far from them, necessarily "cast off" all that is "good."
The enemy shall pursue him - "Forsaking God, and forsaken by Him, they must needs be laid open to all evils." The "enemy," i. e., the Assyrian, "shall pursue him." This is according to the curse, denounced against them in the law, if they should forsake the Lord, and break His covenant, and "not hearken to His voice to observe to do His commandments" Deu 28:15-25. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
But this knowledge of God, regarded simply as a historical acquaintance with Him, cannot possibly bring salvation. Hos 8:3. "Israel dislikes good; let the enemy pursue it." This is the answer that God will give to those who cry to Him. טוב denotes neither "Jehovah as the highest good" (Jerome) or as "the good One" (Sims.), nor "the good law of God" (Schmieder), but the good or salvation which Jehovah has guaranteed to the nation through His covenant of grace, and which He bestowed upon those who kept His covenant. Because Israel has despised this good, let the enemy pursue it. |
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.
22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.