| Hosea 5:1
| Hear ye this, O priests, and hearken, O ye house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king: for there is a judgment against you, because you have been a snare to them whom you should have watched over, and a net spread upon Thabor.
| Of priests. What is said of priests in this prophecy is chiefly understood of the priests of the kingdom of Israel; who were not true priests of the race of Aaron, but served the calves at Bethel and Dan. (Challoner) --- They had the name of priests, and pretended to act as such, 3 Kings xii. (Worthington) --- There were some apostates among them, Osee 4:6. But they lost all authority. --- To them. Literally, "to the watch:" speculationi. Hebew, "at Maspha," (Haydock) in Galaad, where a profane altar was erected, Osee 6:8. (Calmet)
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| Hosea 5:2
| And you have turned aside victims into the depth: and I am the teacher of them all.
| Depth, or pits of fire, where victims were sometimes thrown. (Iphigen.) (Grotius) --- By substituting th for t, we might read, "they have dug pits to take them," Osee 9:9., and Josue xxiii 13. (Calmet) --- Idolatry leads to the abyss. (Haydock)
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| Hosea 5:3
| I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now Ephraim hath committed fornication, Israel is defiled.
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| Hosea 5:4
| They will not set their thoughts to return to their God: for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.
| Known. Fornication had darkened their intellect. (Calmet)
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| Hosea 5:5
| And the pride of Israel shall answer in his face: and Israel, and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquity, Juda also shall fall with them.
| Answer. Septuagint, "be humbled." It appears openly, so as to deserve condemnation. (Haydock)
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| Hosea 5:6
| With their flocks and with their herds, they shall go to seek the Lord, and shall not find him: he is withdrawn from them.
| Them. He will receive their victims no longer, Isaias 1:11. (Calmet) --- In vain do they expect to escape by this appearance of sanctity, while they continue in sin. (Haydock)
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| Hosea 5:7
| They have transgressed against the Lord: for they have begotten children that are strangers: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
| Strangers. That is, aliens form God: and therefore they are threatened with speedy destruction. (Challoner) --- Their offspring is rebellious, and deserves no longer to be called my people, Osee 1:9. --- Month. Every month the Assyrians shall come upon them; (Chaldean; St. Jerome) or, in the space of one month, they shall perish. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the mildew shall eat them and their portions." (Haydock)
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| Hosea 5:8
| Blow ye the cornet in Gabaa, the trumpet in Rama: howl ye in Bethaven, behind thy back, O Benjamin.
| Back. Bethel lay northwest of Benjamin. The two tribes would hear the distress of Israel, that they might beware and avoid the like misconduct. (Calmet) --- The captivity is here described. (Worthington)
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| Hosea 5:9
| Ephraim shall be in desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel I have shewn that which shall surely be.
| That. Literally, "faith," (Haydock) that my word shall come to pass.
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| Hosea 5:10
| The princes of Juda are become as they that take up the bound: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
| Bound. This was a capital crime, under Numa, and forbidden, Deuteronomy 19:14. (Calmet) --- Juda hoped to seize what was abandoned. (St. Jerome) --- They deferred doing penance, and removed the boundaries set by their fathers, (Theodoret; Calmet) the virtuous patriarchs, whom they would not imitate.
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| Hosea 5:11
| Ephraim is under oppression, and broken in judgment: because he began to go after filthiness.
| Oppression. Literally, "calumny." (Haydock) (Isaias 52:4.) --- The Assyrians had no just reason for attacking Israel, though their crimes called for punishment (Calmet) from God. (Haydock)
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| Hosea 5:12
| And I will be like a moth to Ephraim: and like rottenness to the house of Juda.
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| Hosea 5:13
| And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Juda his band: and Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to the avenging king: and he shall not be able to heal you, neither shall he be able to take off the band from you.
| Avenging. Hebrew and Septuagint Jareb, (St. Jerome) which some explain of the king of Egypt; others understand the Assyrian; (chap. 10:6.) while most suppose that Ephraim applied to Phul, and Juda sent to a protecting king, Theglathphalassar, 4 Kings 16:7., and 17:4. (Calmet)
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| Hosea 5:14
| For I will be like a lioness to Ephraim, and like a lion's whelp to the house of Juda: I, I will catch, and go: I will take away, and there is none that can rescue.
| Lioness. Hebrew and Septuagint, "panther." (Haydock) --- The Assyrians, instead of assisting, proved the ruin of both kingdoms.
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| Hosea 5:15
| I will go and return to my place: until you are consumed, and seek my face.
| Place; to heaven. I will abandon my temple. (Calmet) --- Face: "they will seek the absent." (St. Jerome)
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