11<\/strong>. The prophet leaves us to supply the idea that Ephraim’s present transgressions are as heinous as those of old, and passes on to the punishment.<\/p>\n their glory like a bird<\/em> ] Rather, like birds<\/strong>. All their earthly prosperity shall take to itself wings, because, as we have already heard, ‘they have exchanged their (true) glory for infamy’ (Hos 4:7<\/span>). Kimchi narrows the meaning too much, when he says, ‘He calls children “glory”, for they are the glory of fathers (Pro 17:6<\/span>).’ But of course populousness formed a part of the Israelite’s conception of national prosperity.<\/p>\n from the birth<\/em>, &c.] Rather, that there shall be no birth, nor being with child, nor conception<\/strong>. Such is the retribution for their sins against chastity (see on Hos 4:10<\/span>).<\/p>\n As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away, like a bird – <\/B>Ephraim had parted with God, his true Glory. In turn, God would quickly take from him all created glory, all which he counted glory, or in which he gloried. When man parts with the substance, his true honor, God takes away the shadow, lest he should content himself therewith, and not see his shame, and, boasting himself to be something, abide in his nothingness and poverty and shame to which he had reduced himself. Fruitfulness, and consequent strength, had been Gods special promise to Ephraim. His name, Ephraim, contained in itself the promise of his future fruitfulness. Gen 41:52<\/span>. With this Jacob had blessed him. He was to be greater than Manasseh, his older brother, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations Gen 48:19<\/span>. Moses had assigned to him tens of thousands Deu 33:17<\/span>, while to Manasseh he had promised thousands only. On this blessing Ephraim had presumed, and had made it to feed his pride; so now God, in his justice and mercy, would withdraw it from him. It should make itself wings, and fly away Pro 23:5<\/span>, with the swiftness of a bird, and like a bird, not to return again to the place, from where it has been scared.<\/P> From the birth – <\/B>Their children were to perish at every stage in which they received life. This sentence pursued them back to the very beginning of life. First, when their parents should have joy in their birth, they were to come into the world only to go out of it; then, their mothers womb was to be itself their grave; then, stricken with barrenness, the womb itself was to refuse to conceive them.<\/P> : The glory of Ephraim passes away, from the birth, the womb, the conception, when the mind which before was, for glory, half-deified, receives, through the just judgment of God, ill report for good report, misery for glory, hatred for favor, contempt for reverence, loss for gain, famine for abundance. Act is the birth; intention the womb; thought the conception. The glory of Ephraim then flies away from the birth, the womb, the conception, when, in those who before did outwardly live nobly, and gloried in themselves for the outward propriety of their life, the acts are disgraced, the intention corrupted, the thoughts defiled.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 11<\/span>. Their glory shall fly away<\/B><\/I>] It shall suddenly spring away from them, and return no more.<\/P> <\/P> From the birth<\/B><\/I>] “So that there shall be no birth, no carrying in the womb, no conception.”-Newcome<\/I>. They shall cease to glory in their numbers<\/I>; for no children<\/I> shall be born<\/I>, no woman shall be pregnant<\/I>, for none shall conceive<\/I>. Here judgment blasts the very germs<\/I> of population.<\/P> <\/p>\n Their glory; <\/B>their children or posterity, which was as much the glory of Israel, as their multiplying was above the common rate of other nations multiplying; it was to them a singular blessing, and performing of promise, and they did greatly rejoice and glory in this blessing, Psa 128<\/span>; Pr 17:6<\/span>. <\/P> Shall fly away like a bird:<\/B> it is proverbial, and speaks a sudden and unexpected loss of children. which vanish and are gone as a bird: see Pro 23:5<\/span>, where sudden loss of riches is expressed in the same proverb. <\/P> From the birth; <\/B>shall die as soon as born. <\/P> From the womb; <\/B>prove abortive, their mothers shall not bring the fruit of the womb to perfection, or alive into the world. <\/P> From the conception; <\/B>through barrenness their wives shall not conceive. <\/P> <\/p>\n 11. their glory shall fly away<\/B>fitretribution to those who “separated themselves unto that shame<\/I>“(Ho 9:10<\/span>). Children wereaccounted the glory<\/I> of parents; sterility, a reproach.”Ephraim” means “fruitfulness” (Ge41:52<\/span>); this its name shall cease to be its characteristic. <\/P> from the birth . . . womb . .. conception<\/B>Ephraim’s children shall perish in a threefoldgradation; (1) From the time of birth. (2) From the time ofpregnancy. (3) From the time of their first conception.<\/P><\/p>\n [As for] Ephraim, their glory shall flee away like a bird<\/strong>,…. That is, suddenly, swiftly, and irrecoverably, and never return more; which some understand of God their glory, and of his departure from them, as in Ho 9:12<\/span>; others of their wealth and riches, and whatever was glorious and valuable among them, which should fly away from them in a moment, when taken and carried captive; rather their numerous posterity, in which they were very fruitful, according to their name, and in which they gloried, as children are the glory of their parents, Pr 17:6<\/span>; which sense agrees with what follows, and which explains the manner of their fleeing away, and the periods of it:<\/p>\n from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception<\/strong>; that is, some of them, as soon as they were born; others while in the womb, being abortives; or, however, when they should, or as soon as they did, come from thence; and others, as soon as conceived, never come to any thing; or not conceived at all, as Kimchi interprets it, the women being barren.<\/p>\n It is very evident that this is what he has in his mind, and that he regards the apostasy of the ten tribes as merely a continuation of that particular idolatry, from the punishment which is announced in Hos 9:11<\/span>, Hos 9:12<\/span>, as about to fall upon Ephraim in consequence. Hos 9:11<\/span>. “Ephraim, its glory will fly away like a bird; no birth, and no pregnancy, and no conception.<\/em> Hos 9:12<\/span>. Yea, though they bring up their sons, I make them bereft, without a man; for woe to them when I depart from them!” <\/em> The glory which God gave to His people through great multiplication, shall vanish away. The licentious worship of luxury will be punished by the diminution of the numbers of the people, by childlessness, and the destruction of the youth that may have grown up. , so that there shall be no bearing. , the womb, for pregnancy or the fruit of the womb. Even ( k <\/em> emphatic) if the sons (the children) grow up, God will make them bereft, , so that there shall be no men there. The grown-up sons shall be swept away by death, by the sword (cf. Deu 32:25<\/span>). The last clause gives the reason for the punishment threatened. adds force; it usually stands at the head of the sentence, and here belongs to : Yea, woe to them, if I depart from them, or withdraw my favour from them! stands for , according to the interchangeableness of and (Aquila and Vulg.). This view has more to support it than the supposition that is an error of the pen for (Ewald, Hitzig, etc.), since , to look, construed with , in the sense of to look away from a person, is never met with, although the meaning is just the same.<\/p>\n Threatenings of Judgment.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> B. C.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN> 740.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE> 11 As for<\/I> Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. 12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall<\/I> not be<\/I> a man left:<\/I> yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! 13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is<\/I> planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. 14 Give them, O LORD<\/B>: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 All their wickedness is<\/I> in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are<\/I> revolters. 16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even<\/I> the beloved fruit<\/I> of their womb. 17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.<\/P> In the foregoing verses we saw the sin of Israel derived from their fathers; here we see the punishment of Israel derived to their children; for, as death entered by sin at first, so it is still entailed with it. We may observe, in these verses,<\/P> I. The sin of Ephraim. Some expressions are here which describe that. 1. They did not hearken to God<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 17<\/span>); they did not give attention to the voice either of his word or of his rod; they did not believe what he said, nor would they be ruled by him. He told them their duty, their interest, their danger, but they regarded him not; all he said to them by his words and by his prophets was to them as a tale that is told; and then no wonder that we hear, 2. Of the wickedness of their doings<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 15<\/span>), the downright malice that was in their sins; they were not infirmities, but daring presumptions. How can those but do wickedly who will not hearken to the word of God, that would teach and persuade them to do well? And no wonder that there were wicked doings among them when, 3. Their worship was corrupt (v.<\/I><\/span> 15<\/span>): All their wickedness is in Gilgal,<\/I> which was a place infamous for idolatry, as appears, Hos 4:15<\/span>; Hos 12:11<\/span>; Amo 4:4<\/span>; Amo 5:5<\/span>. It is probable that the idolaters chose that place for their head-quarters because it had been famous in other ages for solemn transactions between God and Israel, as Jos 5:2<\/span>; Jos 5:10<\/span>; 1Sa 10:8<\/span>; 1Sa 11:15<\/span>. There, where the source of idolatry was, whence it spread through the kingdom, there it might be said that all their wickedness<\/I> was, for all other wickedness owed its origin to that. Corruptions in worship make way for corruptions in morals. The mother of harlots<\/I> is the mother of<\/I> all other abominations,<\/I> Rev. xvii. 5<\/I><\/span>. The learned Grotius conjectures that there is a mystical sense here. Golgotha in Syriac is the same with Gilgal in Hebrew, and therefore he thinks this may have reference to the putting of Christ to death at Golgotha, which was the greatest sin of the Jewish nation, and of which it might truly be said, All their wickedness<\/I> was summed up in that. And no wonder that the people did wickedly, both in worship and conversation, when 4. All their princes were revolters;<\/I> the whole succession of the kings of the ten tribes did evil in the sight of the Lord, or all the set of judges and magistrates at this time were wicked; they turned aside to sinful ways and persisted in those ways.<\/P> II. The displeasure of God against Ephraim for sin. This is variously expressed here, to show what a provocation sin is to the pure eyes of his glory, and how odious it makes the sinner to him. 1. He departs from them,<\/I> v.<\/span> 12<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. When they revolt from him, and withdraw from their allegiance to him, how can they expect but that he should depart from them and withdraw both his protection and his bounty? And well may his threatening be enforced as it is, and made terrible: Woe also unto them when I depart from them!<\/I> Note, Those are in a woeful condition indeed whom God has forsaken. Our weal or woe depends upon the gracious presence of God with us; and, if he goes, all weal goes with him and all woes come upon us. God has forsaken him; persecute and take him.<\/I> Saul knew this when he laid such an emphasis upon this part of his complaint, The Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me.<\/I> Nay, he does not only depart from them, but, 2. He hates them. In Gilgal,<\/I> where all their wickedness is, there I hated them.<\/I> There, where the abominations of sin are committed, there God abominates the sinners. In Gilgal he had bestowed many tokens of his favour upon their ancestors, but now that is the place where he hates them for their base ingratitude. Nay, he not only hates them, but, 3. He will love them no more,<\/I> will never take them into his favour again; the breach between God and Israel is wide as the sea, which cannot be healed. This agrees with what he had said, (Hos 1:6<\/span>; Hos 1:7<\/span>), I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel,<\/I> the ten tribes. 4. He will discard them, and have no more to do with them: For the wickedness of their doings, I will drive them out of my house.<\/I> He will no longer own them as his, or as belonging to his family in the world; he will turn them out of doors as unfaithful tenants that pay him no rent, as unprofitable servants that do him neither credit nor work. Note, Those that profane God’s house can expect no other than to be expelled his house, and no longer suffered to be either lodgers in it or retainers to it. Nay, he will not only drive them out of his house, but, 5. He will drive them far enough (v.<\/I><\/span> 17<\/span>): My God will cast them away,<\/I> not only out of his house, but out of his sight; he will quite abandon and reject them; they shall be cast-aways.<\/I> God said that he would drive them out of his house,<\/I> and here the prophet seconds it, as one that knew his Master’s mind very well: My God will cast them away.<\/I> See with what comfort and pleasure he calls God his God. Note, When others disown God, and are disowned by him, it is a very great satisfaction to good people that they can call God their God, can cheerfully own him and see themselves owned by him–all revolters, all ruined, yet God is my God.<\/I><\/P> III. The fruit of this displeasure, in the cutting off and abandoning of their posterity, which is the judgment here threatened again and again. Observe here,<\/P> 1. How numerous Ephraim seemed likely to be. The name Ephraim<\/I> is derived from fruitfulness,<\/I> Gen. xli. 51<\/I><\/span>. Joseph is a fruitful bough,<\/I> Gen. xlix. 22<\/I><\/span>. And Moses’s blessing foretold the ten thousands of Ephraim,<\/I> Deut. xxxiii. 17<\/I><\/span>. This was his glory, v.<\/I><\/span> 11<\/span>. For this he seemed designed by him that appoints the bounds of men’s habitation; for Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place,<\/I> to encourage his increase, which one may expect as from a tree planted by the river’s side. Ephraim is as strong and rich as ever Tyre was, and as proud and secure. The Chaldee paraphrase gives this sense of it, The congregation of Israel, while they observed the law, was like to Tyrus in prosperity and security.<\/I><\/P> 2. How few Ephraim should be (v.<\/I><\/span> 11<\/span>): Their glory shall fly away like a bird;<\/I> their children shall be taken away and the hopes of their families cut off. All their glory shall fly as an eagle towards heaven,<\/I> swiftly and irrecoverably. Note, Worldly glory is glory that will fly away;<\/I> but those that have their God their glory have in him an unfading everlasting glory. Ephraim has been as a fruitful tree. But now Ephraim is smitten,<\/I> is blasted; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit,<\/I> v.<\/span> 16<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. If the root be dried, the branch must wither of course. Observe,<\/P> (1.) God’s threatening this judgment of the destroying of their children. [1.] They shall perish of themselves by the immediate hand of God (v.<\/I><\/span> 11<\/span>): They shall fly away from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.<\/I> Some of their children shall die as soon as they are born; the cradle shall be presently turned into a coffin. Others of them shall be still-born,<\/I> or the womb shall be their grave, and their death there their mothers’ death too. Of others their mothers shall miscarry almost as soon as they have conceived, and they shall be as untimely fruit. See how easily God can, and how justly we are sure he might, root out the whole race of mankind, that degenerate, guilty, obnoxious race, and blot out the name of it from under heaven; it is but doing as he does by Ephraim here, writing them all childless, making all their glory to fly away from the birth, the womb, and the conception,<\/I> drying up their root, that they bear no fruit, and their business is done in a few years. [2.] They shall perish by the hand of their enemies; they shall die violent deaths (v.<\/I><\/span> 12<\/span>): “Though they bring up their children<\/I> to some maturity, though they escape the diseases and deaths which the infant age is liable to, and are thought to be reared past danger, yet will I bereave them<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 12<\/span>), by one judgment or other, so that there shall not be a man left<\/I> to build up their families and bear up their name.” Again (v.<\/I><\/span> 13<\/span>), Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.<\/I> The mothers shall travail with pain to bear their children, and a great deal of care, and pains, and cost shall be bestowed upon the nursing of them, and when a cruel enemy comes and puts all to the word, young and old, without mercy, then they seem but as lambs that were all this while fed for the slaughter. Note, It is a great alloy to the comfort parents have in their children that they know not what they have brought them forth and brought them up for, perhaps for the murderer,<\/I> or, which is worse, to be themselves the plagues of their generation. It is threatened again (v.<\/I><\/span> 16<\/span>), Though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb,<\/I> those children that they are most fond of. Note, The parents’ love is no security to the children’s lives; nay, sometimes death is commissioned to take the darlings of the family and leave the burdens of it. When sentence was passed upon Israel in the wilderness, that they should all perish there, this mercy was mixed with the wrath, that their children should nevertheless enter into that rest which they through unbelief could not enter into. But this is a total and final rejection; even their children shall be cut off, and the land shall escheat to the crown, ob defectum sanguinis–shall be lost for want of heirs.<\/I> The Chaldee-paraphrase, and many of the rabbin, by the murderers<\/I> to whom the children were brought forth, understand those that sacrificed their children to Moloch, a sin which was its own punishment, which showed the parents void of bowels and justly left them void of blessings. [3.] Those few that escape and remain shall be dispersed (v.<\/I><\/span> 17<\/span>): They shall be wanderers among the nations;<\/I> so the remains of the Jews are at this day, and there is no place in the world where they are a distinct nation.<\/P> (2.) The prophet’s prayer relating to it (v.<\/I><\/span> 14<\/span>): Give them, O Lord! what wilt thou give?<\/I> What shall I ask for a people thus doomed to destruction? It is this; since the decree has gone forth, that they must either die from the womb or be brought forth for the murderer, of the two let them rather die from the womb.<\/I> Rather let them have no children than have them to be made miserable; for the same reason, when a total ruin was coming on the Jewish nation, Christ said, Blessed is the womb that never bore and the paps that never gave suck,<\/I> Luke xxiii. 29<\/I><\/span>. “Give therefore a miscarrying womb and dry breasts;<\/I> for it is better to fall into the hands of the Lord, whose mercies are great, than into the hands of man.” Note, Those that are childless may with this reconcile themselves to the will of God herein, that the time may come when, if they were not so, they would wish they had been so.<\/P><\/p>\n The Hebrews, we know, have often abrupt sentences as in this place, Ephraim! their glory has fled Ephraim is to be placed by itself; and the speech seems striking, when the Lord thus breaks off the sentence, Ephraim! he does not continue the sense, but immediately adds, Like a bird their glory has fled. When he speaks of Ephraim, he no doubt refers especially to his offspring; and by mentioning a part for the whole, he includes whatever was then deemed to be wealth, or glory, or power. The Prophet, I say, speaks of offspring, for he immediately adds, from the birth, and the womb, and the conception But they are mistaken who confine this sentence to offspring only; for it is, as I have said, a mode of speaking, by which a part is taken for the whole. According to the letter, he mentions children or offspring; but yet he includes generally the whole condition of the people. <\/p>\n Then as a bird the glory of Ephraim fled away In what respect? From the birth, from the womb, from the conception. The Prophet, no doubt, sets forth here the gradations of God’s vengeance, which was yet in part near at hand to the Israelites, and which was in part already evident by clear proofs. He says, from the birth, then from the womb, and, lastly, from the conception If, then, the glory of Ephraim had vanished at the beginning, the Prophet would not have thus spoken; but as the Lord showed signs of his wrath by degrees, that vengeance at length might reach the highest point, the Prophets in the first place, mentions birth, then the womb; as though he said, “The glory of Israel shall vanish from the birth, but if they still continue proud, and seem not subdued by this punishment, I will slay them in the womb itself; nay, in the conception, if they repent not; they shall be suffocated as in the very womb.” <\/p>\n CRITICAL NOTES<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Hos. 9:11<\/span><\/strong>. Their glory<\/strong>] Children the glory of parents, sterility a reproach. Eph<\/strong>.]= fruitfulness (Gen. 41:52<\/span>, marg), which characteristic should cease; licentious worship would diminish the people: leave them childless, by threefold gradation. First, when their parents should have joy in their birth<\/em>, they were to come into the world only to go out of it; then their mothers womb was to be itself their grave; then, stricken with barrenness, the womb itself was to refuse to conceive them. Cf. the threefold stages of failure (ch. Hos. 8:7<\/span>). <\/p>\n Hos. 9:12<\/span><\/strong>. Bereave<\/strong>] them, though they should rear children (Job. 27:14<\/span>). A man<\/strong>] Lit. from man. Woe<\/strong>] Lit. for woe. Gods departure the source of all evil (1Sa. 4:21<\/span>; 1Sa. 28:15-16<\/span>). Loss of children sad, but loss of God beyond description. <\/p>\n Hos. 9:13<\/span><\/strong>. Planted<\/strong>] Ephraim chosen, and carefully put in soil to grow and flourish, like Tyre<\/em>, a royal city strongly built and pleasantly situated. The image suggested from the name, a fruitful tree (Eze. 16:27-28<\/span>). Children<\/strong>] brought forth only to be slain. <\/p>\n Hos. 9:14<\/span><\/strong>. Give<\/strong>] As if overwhelmed, the prophet deliberates; prays in compassion, let this never happen; then leaves it with God. Miscarrying<\/strong>] Barrenness, usually counted misfortune (Job. 3:3<\/span>; Jer. 20:14<\/span>), will be a blessing, so great will be their calamity. <\/p>\n THE GLORY AND GRIEF OF A PEOPLE.Hos. 9:11-14<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Ephraim had parted with God, the true glory, and now all in which they gloried should be taken from them. Their posterity should be cut off, their prosperity would decay, and God himself would depart from them. The most powerful tribe of the people became the most miserable, and all its glory was turned into grief.<\/p>\n I. The glory of a people<\/strong>. Fruitfulness and strength were promised to Ephraim in great abundance (Gen. 48:19<\/span>). Moses had assigned tens of thousands to him, while to Manasseh thousands only were promised (Deu. 33:17<\/span>). She was proud of her offspring and increase, of her wealth and situation. <\/p>\n 1. Posterity is considered the glory of a people<\/em>. In families<\/em> children are an heritage from the Lord. We boast of our sons and daughters. In them we love to see our image, hope to perpetuate our name, and secure our fortunes. Like Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi, when asked to display our jewels we point to our sons and say, These<\/em> are my jewels. In nations<\/em> posterity are the hope and foundation of the future. From the rising generation, fathers and mothers, leaders and teachers, are to spring. As the child is father of the man, so children are the nations population and prosperity in the bud. Hence to our posterity are entrusted the interests of our commerce, the defence of our throne, and the glory of our name. In them are the germs of national virtues and vices, feelings and sentiments which will determine the character and decide the fate of this empire. The worth of a state, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals comprising it, says J. S. Mill. <\/p>\n II. Outward prosperity is considered the glory of a people<\/strong>. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place. Ephraim, like Tyre, was populous and wealthy; strong and beautifully situated; planted with care, and defended by God. Beauty and strength surrounded her. Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, &c. (Eze. 28:2<\/span>; Eze. 28:13<\/span>). So now nations trust to the abundance of their revenues, the beauty of their public buildings, and the strength of their fortifications. England relies on its wealth and position, its armies and its fleets, its philosophy and its morality. But our chief strength, our real power, consists in the characters of the rising generation, the enlightenment of our citizens, and the integrity of our conduct. The nation that has no higher god than pleasure, gold, or position, is poor indeed. Heathen deities often imaged human virtues, but these are vanities to depend upon, and will cause a peoples downfall. Glory is false glory when attributed to numbers and wealth, to outward prosperity and empire, to anything short of God. God warns us as he did Israel. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this lawye shall be left few in numberthe Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought (Deu. 28:58<\/span>; Deu. 28:62-63<\/span>). <\/p>\n III. The glory of a people turned into grief<\/strong>. The glory departed from Ephraim in the destruction of their children, the decay of national prosperity, and the departure of God from their midst. <\/p>\n 1. The loss of children brings grief<\/em>. Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them. This carriage and abortion, death at the very birth of their offspring, would diminish their number, and weaken their nation. (a<\/em>.) They would die suddenly<\/em>. Their glory shall fly away like a bird. Swiftly cut off, like Jobs family, by tornado, whirlwind, or accident. (b<\/em>.) They would die violently<\/em>. Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. If any grew up to manhood, they were to be cut off by the sword. (c<\/em>.) They were to die hopelessly<\/em>. There shall not be a man left. They were reduced in every stage from conception to maturityto die suddenly and prematurely by ruthless hands and sword. Thus the beauty of all earthly blessings is quickly blasted (Isa. 60:6<\/span>; Isa. 60:8<\/span>). Accidents and diseases, the pestilence that walketh in darkness, and the destruction that wasteth at noonday, cut down the hopes of our life. We mourn like Burke at the loss of his only son: They who should have succeeded me have gone before me. They who should have been to me as posterity are in the place of ancestors. Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. <\/p>\n 2. The decay of national prosperity brings grief<\/em>. Strong and rich, proud and secure, as Tyre was, Ephraims glory would fade away like a flower. Riches take unto themselves wings and fly away. Trade may prosper and mechanism flourish; the dew may couch beneath, and the sun shine above; the chief things of the ancient mountains and the precious things of the lasting hills may abound (Deu. 33:13-16<\/span>); but the greatness of a nation depends not on the wealth of its population, nor the extent of its territories. Idleness and love of pleasure, idolatry and forgetfulness of God, will cause inevitable decay. The fatal weakness of Athens were free men, outnumbered by slaves, citizens, corrupt in morals, and women unchaste in conduct. The decline and fall of Rome may be traced to the general corruption of the people. Ephraim fell into sin, and her glory departed from her. <\/p>\n 3. The departure of God from a people brings grief<\/em>. Woe also to them when I depart from them. The loss of children was grievous; the decay of present prosperity and future hope sad enough; but Gods departure was the source of all evil to them. When God withdraws his presence and providence nothing can sustain a Church or people. When Cain was cut off, and Saul forsaken by God, they became more wicked and miserable. When the ark of God was taken Ichabod was pronounced, for the glory had departed from Israel (1Sa. 4:21-22<\/span>). Pestilence and famine can turn a nations glory into grief. Withdrawment of Divine favour can change the pride of the Church into shame, and the hope of the family into grief. Gods favour is the sublimest of all joys, all triumphs, and all delights. But woe unto any with whom God is angry and from whom God departs. Present afflictions only foreshadow future judgments. Their sun will set, and darkness cover their lands. I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us (Deu. 31:17<\/span>)?<\/p>\n HOMILETIC HINTS AND OUTLINES<\/em><\/p>\n Hos. 9:12<\/span>. Bring up their children<\/em>. How soon could our God insensibly waste the most populous nations! Nay, how often does he thus decrease them! and what awful instances of this has our eventful age exhibited! What an alloy it is to our comfort in our beloved children to reflect for what purposes they may possibly be brought up and reserved! This is a sore vanity; but the best remedy of it is submission and confidence in God, and a conscientious performance of our duty: especially in training up our families in the fear of God, and in seeking for them, as well as ourselves, first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and setting them a good example. Surely it is far more desirable to be written childless, than to bring up children in the service of sin and Satan [Scott<\/em>].<\/p>\n The destiny of the rising generation and the fate of the nation is in the Home School. The great German teacher Frbel declared that the great motto of the people should be, Let us live for our children. If Simon had thought of what Judas might have been, would not this have affected his treatment of the boy? What if the mother of Napoleon, and of his brother kings and sister queers, had foreseen what became of those around her humble fireside in Corsica? We do not know what part our children may play in life, what joy or sorrow they may cause to millions yet unborn. Think how much depends upon early training!<\/p>\n Gods departure<\/em>. They had departed<\/em> and turned away from or against<\/em> God. It had been their characteristic (ch. Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n