9. I will not return to destroy Ephraim —that is, I will no more, as in past times, destroy Ephraim. The destruction primarily meant is probably that by Tiglath-pileser, who, as the Jewish king Ahaz' ally against Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Syria, deprived Israel of Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali ( 2 Kings 15:29 ). The ulterior reference is to the long dispersion hereafter, to be ended by God's covenant mercy restoring His people, not for their merits, but of His grace. God, . . . not man —not dealing as man would, with implacable wrath under awful provocation ( Isaiah 55:7-9 ; Malachi 3:6 ). I do not, like man, change when once I have made a covenant of everlasting love, as with Israel ( Malachi 3:6- : ). We measure God by the human standard, and hence are slow to credit fully His promises; these, however, belong to the faithful remnant, not to the obstinately impenitent. in the midst of thee —as peculiarly thy God ( Exodus 19:5 ; Exodus 19:6 ). not enter into the city —as an enemy: as I entered Admah, Zeboim, and Sodom, utterly destroying them, whereas I will not utterly destroy thee. Somewhat similarly JEROME: "I am not one such as human dwellers in a city, who take cruel vengeance; I save those whom I correct." Thus "not man," and "in the midst of thee," are parallel to "into the city." Though I am in the midst of thee, it is not as man entering a rebellious city to destroy utterly. MAURER needlessly translates, "I will not come in wrath. " return to ' Top of Page ' <a name="verse-10" class="com-number"
Pericope (part_of)
- part_of
pericope/per-hos-11-003
절 (explains)
Source
source-manifest/jfb— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (PD)- evidence_grade: T_theological