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Commentary on Hosea, Chapter Eight
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COMMENTARY ON HOSEA, CHAPTER EIGHT This is their grumbling in their bosom in the land of Egypt. Like land, like an eagle in the house of the Lord, in repayment for breaking my covenant and transgressing my Law (v.1). HILE THIS IS expressed very unclearly in the Hebrew, in my view, causing translators much difficulty, we shall follow the order of the ideas, and state what strikes us.1 Accordingly, this is their grumbling in the land of Egypt; that is, although I constantly saved and instructed them, and made them invincible to their adversaries (I empowered them, in fact), they grumbled in unholy fashion, according worship to demons and even putting their trust in the land of Egypt in the belief that it would suffice for their prosperity and assistance. Consequently, the enterprise will be thrust back in their bosom, (168) and they will have no good outcome to their temerity; instead, they will, as it were, get their just deserts in their bosom. There will come, in fact, he says, there will come the one who will ravage them, the ruler of the Assyrians, with a company of warriors beyond number ; he will come to them like a whole land or country or fatherland , so that one might think that the entire country of the Medes and Persians was totally transported and moved to Samaria —hence like land. He will also come like an eagle in the house of the Lord, that is, he will fly up with speed and terror even against the very Temple of God, and assault the kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem, seizing it 164 1. The Heb. is indeed “unclear,” leading modern commentators to amend it (an option not open to Cyril), and the LXX offers a range of versions. The waters are further muddied by the conjunction here of the previous chapter’s final clause with the opening of this one. Cyril is never one to shirk such a problem, despite being unable to resolve strictly exegetical problems of the history of the text. without difficulty and taking it off to his own country. You see, while the country of the Samaritans was the first to be devastated , and with it Israel in particular, later as well the celebrated city was also taken, which the prophet Jeremiah lamented in the words, “How lonely sits the city that was full of people! Though a ruler among countries, she has become a tributary.”2 There is no doubt, in fact, that the Temple was burnt along with the city. He says that this will happen to them for breaking the divine covenant and transgressing the Law that was given; they set little store at all by the oracles given through Moses in his wisdom, and were zealous about living by their own desires, each of them suiting himself about worship and law. They will cry out to me, O God, we know you. Because Israel rejected good things, they pursued the enemy (vv.2–3). They had “gashed themselves for grain and wine,”3 performed feasts for the unclean demons, had not cried out in their hearts to God, nor acknowledged the one who was giver and controller of their complete (169) satisfaction, and instead had not even honored him with due thanksgiving, especially since they did not recognize him in the extent of their prosperity. When they experience the necessary consequences and meet the harsh and ineluctable result of their own folly, however, they will cry out and finally call upon me, being overwhelmed by terrible and intolerable misfortunes . Accepting the experience of their actual calamities in order to learn from it, they will then allege their own guilelessness, saying as much: Israel rejected good things. Though it was possible, in fact, to have these things, even in rich measure, by depending on God, they eagerly devoted themselves to following their own will, and they pursued the enemy, that is, as it were, willingly they went after the enemy and became subject to those who hated the God who always saved them and rendered them superior to their adversaries, thus grieving him by their infidelities. It was therefore most wise and truly beneficial not to wait for experience of the calamities, but rather to obviate its coming, and beforehand strive to consider the benefit. They reigned as kings for themselves, and not through me; they govCOMMENTARY ON HOSEA 8 165 2. Lam 1.1. 3. 7.14. [34.236.152.203] Project...