14 "Therefore , behold , I will allure her, Bring her into the wilderness And speak kindly to her. 15 "Then I will give her her vineyards from there , And the valley of Achor as a door of hope . And she will sing there as in the days of her youth , As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt . 16 "It will come about in that day ," declares the Lord , "That you will call Me Ishi And will no longer call Me Baali . 17 "For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth , So that they will be mentioned by their names no more . 18 "In that day I will also make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field , The birds of the sky And the creeping things of the ground . And I will abolish the bow , the sword and war from the land , And will make them lie down in safety . 19 "I will betroth you to Me forever ; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice , In lovingkindness and in compassion , 20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness . Then you will know the Lord . 21 "It will come about in that day that I will respond ," declares the Lord . "I will respond to the heavens , and they will respond to the earth , 22 And the earth will respond to the grain , to the new wine and to the oil , And they will respond to Jezreel . 23 "I will sow her for Myself in the land . I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion , And I will say to those who were not My people , 'You are My people !' And they will say , 'You are my God !' "
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Hosea 2:14-23
Commentary on Hosea 2:14-23
(Read Hosea 2:14-23)
After these judgments the Lord would deal with Israel more gently. By the promise of rest in Christ we are invited to take his yoke upon us; and the work of conversion may be forwarded by comforts as well as by convictions. But usually the Lord drives us to despair of earthly joy, and help from ourselves, that, being shut from every other door, we may knock at Mercy's gate. From that time Israel would be more truly attached to the Lord; no longer calling him Baali, or "My lord and master," alluding to authority, rather than love, but Ishi, an address of affection. This may foretell the restoration from the Babylonish captivity; and also be applied to the conversion of the Jews to Christ, in the days of the apostles, and the future general conversion of that nation; and believers are enabled to expect infinitely more tenderness and kindness from their holy God, than a beloved wife can expect from the kindest husband. When the people were weaned from idols, and loved the Lord, no creature should do them any harm. This may be understood of the blessings and privileges of the spiritual Israel, of every true believer, and their partaking of Christ's righteousness; also, of the conversion of the Jews to Christ. Here is an argument for us to walk so that God may not be dishonoured by us: Thou art my people. If a man's family walk disorderly, it is a dishonour to the master. If God call us children, we may say, Thou art our God. Unbelieving soul, lay aside discouraging thoughts; do not thus answer God's loving-kindness. Doth God say, Thou art my people? Say, Lord, thou art our God.