Bible Commentary

Hosea 7:5

Hosea 7:5

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public Domain

In the day of our king. This may mean the anniversary of his birth—his birthday celebration, or the anniversary of his accession or coronation; or it may have been used in an ambiguous sense, and to include the day of his destruction, like the tragic irony or contrast between the knowledge of the spectator and the supposed ignorance of the actor.

The expression "our" is either a real acknowledgment of the kings of Israel, or rather the lip-loyalty of the traitorous princes who were compassing his ruin. The princes have made him sick with bottles of wine.

The literal rendering is, have made sick the heat of him; i.e. made him sick with heat from wine. The construction resembles , "I will make sick thy smiting;" i.e. I will make thee sick through smiting thee.

The heat from wine repeats in some sort the preceding figure of a heated oven. The object of these wretches was twofold—to inflame their passion, and nerve their hands for the bloody work on which they were set; and to leave the king powerless, a helpless victim in their hands.

He stretched out his hand with scorners. Whatever the real origin of this phrase may be, the meaning is plain—he joined in fellowship with those wicked princes, and took part on terms of equality with them in their brutish debauch and profane carousal.

He stretched out his hand and hailed them as boon-companions.

The Daily Devotional

One devotional. Every morning.

The full reading, the passage behind it, and where to go deeper — in your inbox before the day starts. No ads, ever.

We'll send one email to confirm it's really you. Unsubscribe in one tap, any time.

Continue tomorrow

Turn Bible study into a daily habit

Read today's devotional, save your progress, and receive a gentle daily reminder.

Recommended reading

More for Hosea 7:5

Continue with other commentaries and DiscipleDeck content connected to this verse, chapter, or topic.

Other commentaries

Hosea 7 — OverviewHosea 7 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleIn this chapter we have, I. A general charge drawn up against Israel for those high crimes and misdemeanors by which they had obstructed the course of God's favours to them, ver. 1, 2. II. A particular…Hosea 7 — OverviewHosea 7 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeHosea 7:1, A reproof of manifold sins; Hosea 7:11, God’s wrath against them for their hypocrisy.Hosea 7 — OverviewHosea 7 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter either begins a new sermon, discourse, or prophecy, or it is a continuation of the former; at least it seems to be of the same argument with the latter part of it, only it is directed to Israel alone; and…Hosea 7:1-7Hosea 7:1-7 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleSome take away the last words of the foregoing chapter, and make them the beginning of this: "When I returned, or would have returned, the captivity of my people, when I was about to come towards them in ways…Hosea 7:1-7Hosea 7:1-7 · The Pulpit CommentaryCrimes charged on Israel; people and princes. It was a time of great corruption and of atrocious crimes. Nor were those crimes committed only by persons "of the baser sort;" people and princes alike, rulers and ruled,…Hosea 7:1-7Hosea 7:1-7 · The Pulpit CommentarySins of court and country. The reproofs contained in this chapter lay special emphasis upon the sins of the upper classes. But the prophet brands the whole nation also for its irreligion and immorality, and (in the…