Hosea 5:2

Hos 5:2 And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I [have been] a rebuker of them all.

Ver. 2. And the revolters are profound to make slaughter] They lay their nets and snares deep, and lie down upon the ground, that they may take the silly birds that dread no danger. He "croucheth and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall into his strong paws," Psa 10:10. He studies the devil’s depths, Rev 2:24; poisonous and pestilent policies, Machiavellian mysteries of mischief. His head is a forge and fountain of wicked wiles: he hath store and strength of strange traps and trains, frauds and fetches, to draw in and deceive the silly simple. That these seducers were deeply revolted, Isa 31:6, they had deeply corrupted themselves, Hos 9:9, they sinned not common sins; as Korah and his accomplices died not a common death. They made great slaughter of men’s souls, and of their bodies too, that refused to yield to them. Craft and cruelty seldom sundered in seducers: as some write of the asp that he never wanders alone, without his companion with him; and as those birds of prey and desolation, Isa 34:16, it is said that none of them lack their mate. The devil lendeth them his seven heads to plot, and his ten horns to push and gore, &c.

Though I have been a rebuker to them all] Heb. a correction ( מוסר). Understand it either to be the prophet, that he had dealt plainly with them, and done his utmost to reclaim them, yet they refused to be reformed, hated to be healed; We would have cured Babylon, but she would not be cured: or else of God, that he had both by words and scribes rebuked their superstitions, but nothing had wrought upon them. They "were tormented with the wrath of God, but repented not to give him the glory," Rev 16:9. Corripimur, might they say, sed non corrigimur; plectimur, sed non flectimur. See how God complains of this stubbornness, Jer 6:28-30, and learn to tremble at his rebukes, to profit by his chastisements, lest a worse thing befall us. "The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame," Zep 3:5. There are those who take the words passively, and render them thus, Ego vero illis omnibus castigationi sum, I have been rebuked or corrected by them all. See the like, Lam 3:13, and in the Psalms often: I am a reproach to mine enemies: Thou makest us a reproach to all that are round about us, &c. So the prophet here may seem to complain, as Jeremiah did after him, that he was "born a man of contentions, that all the people cursed him," that he was a common byword and but mark: that they sharpened their tongues against him and flew in his face. To preach, saith Luther, is nothing else but to derive the rage of the whole world upon a man’s self, totius orbis furorem in se derivare. Wisdom (that should be justified of her children, εδικαιωθη) is again judged of her children, as some read those words of our Saviour, Mat 11:19, iudicatur vel sententia pronunciatur. But I like the active sense better.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hos_5:2

The revolters are profound to make slaughter.

The deep ways of apostates and false worshippers

There can be no blacker brand on a people or a man than this--he is an apostate, a revolter. We must understand this, their revolting, especially in reference to their falling off from the true worship of God to their idolatry.

1. It is a dangerous thing to venture on the beginnings of false worship, especially when the tide is flowing in.

2. It is a dangerous thing to be deeply rooted in superstitious ways. By custom men become deeply rooted.

3. The hearts of apostates are the most deeply rooted in wickedness.

4. Idolaters, especially apostates, are profound and deep. Only those who have the Spirit of God that.searches the deep things, of God, are likely to stand out against the deep policies of idolaters. God calls their sacrifices making slaughter, by way of reproach. (Jeremiah Burroughs.)

I have been a Rebuker of them all.

Marg. correction. The sin of the people was increased by the circumstance that God had not ceased by His prophets to recall the Israelites to a sound mind, since they might not have been wholly irreclaimable. Or God may be thought of here as complaining that He had been an object of dislike to the Israelites, as though He said, When I sent My prophets, they could not bear to be admonished, because My Word was too bitter for them. Reproofs are not easily endured by men. What is clear is that the people of Israel were not only apostates, but hopelessly contumacious and refractory in their wickedness. (John Calvin.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hos 5:2. And the revolters — Hebrew, שׂשׂים, declinantes, the persons declining, turning aside, and departing out of the way appointed them to walk in, are profound to make slaughter — Or, have gone deep in slaughter, as שׁחשׂה העמיקוmay be properly rendered. The words may be intended either of the slaughter of idolatrous sacrifices, or of men. It seems most likely, however, that the latter is meant, and that these wicked priests and princes laid plots to cut off such as adhered to the worship of the true God, and opposed their idolatry. The LXX. suppose the allusion to hunting is still carried on, and render the clause, οι αγρευοντες την θηραν κατεπηξαν, the hunters have pierced the prey. Though I have been a rebuker of them all — Though I have reproved, exhorted, and instructed them by the prophets whom I raised up among them, even after they turned to idolatry. They had, in particular, two very extraordinary prophets, Elijah and Elisha, who were endued with a greater power to work miracles, whereby to prove their divine commission, and to convince the people of the certain truth and deep importance of their messages, than any one who had been raised up either among the Jews or Israelites since the days of Moses. Dr. Waterland and Calmet, however, translate this clause, I will call them all to discipline; and Newcome and Horsley, I will bring a chastisement on them all; which the latter interprets, “I will be a chastisement to them, as they have been a net and a snare to others.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This accusation is still further vindicated in Hos 5:2., by a fuller exposure of the moral corruption of the nation. Hos 5:2. "And excesses they have spread out deeply; but I am a chastisement to them all." The meaning of the first half of the verse, which is very difficult, and has been very differently interpreted by both ancient and modern expositors, has been brought out best by Delitzsch (Com. on Psa 101:3), who renders it, "they understand from the very foundation how to spread out transgressions." For the word שׂטים the meaning transgressions is well established by the use of סטים in Psa 101:3, where Hengstenberg, Hupfeld, and Delitzsch all agree that this is the proper rendering (see Ewald's philological defence of it at 146, e). In the psalm referred to, however, the expression עשׂה סטים also shows that shachătâh is the inf. piel, and sētı̄m the accusative of the object. And it follows from this that shachătâh neither means to slaughter or slaughter sacrifices, nor can be used for שׁחתה in the sense of acting injuriously, but that it is to be interpreted according to the shâchūth in Kg1 10:16-17, in the sense of stretching, stretching out; so that there is no necessity to take שׁחט in the sense of שׁטח, as Delitzsch does, though the use of עלוה for עולה in Hos 10:9 may no doubt be adduced in its support. שׂטים, from שׂטה (to turn aside, Num 5:12, Num 5:19), are literally digressions or excesses, answering to the hiznâh in Hos 5:3, the leading sin of Israel. "They have deepened to stretch out excesses," i.e., they have gone to great lengths, or are deeply sunken in excesses, - a thought quite in harmony with the context, to which the threat is appended. "I (Jehovah) am a chastisement to them all, to the rulers as well as to the people;" i.e., I will punish them all (cf. Hos 5:12), because their idolatrous conduct is well known to me. The way is thus prepared for the two following verses.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

5:2 I will settle with you: God’s judgment (Hebrew musar, “discipline”) would inevitably fall upon Israel’s leaders. God did not judge Israel simply to punish them, but to correct them so that his people would return to him.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Notwithstanding they seemed to be given altogether to holiness, and to sacrifices which here he calleth slaughter in contempt.

Though I had admonished them continually by my Prophets.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

revolters--apostates.

profound--deeply rooted [CALVIN] and sunk to the lowest depths, excessive in their idolatry (Hos 9:9; Isa 31:6) [HENDERSON]. From the antithesis (Hos 5:3), "not hid from me," I prefer explaining, profoundly cunning in their idolatry. Jeroboam thought it a profound piece of policy to set up golden calves to represent God in Dan and Beth-el, in order to prevent Israel's heart from turning again to David's line by going up to Jerusalem to worship. So Israel's subsequent idolatry was grounded by their leaders on various pleas of state expediency (compare Isa 29:15).

to . . . slaughter--He does not say "to sacrifice," for their so-called sacrifices were butcheries rather than sacrifices; there was nothing sacred about them, being to idols instead of to the holy God.

though--MAURER translates, "and (in spite of their hope of safety through their slaughter of victims to idols) I will be a chastisement to them all." English Version is good sense: They have deeply revolted, notwithstanding all my prophetical warnings.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. The revolters are profound to make slaughter] Here may be a reference to the practice of hunters, making deep pits in the ground, and lightly covering them over, that the beasts, not discovering them, might fall in, and become a prey.

Though I have been a Rebuker] "I will bring chastisement on them all." As they have made victims of others to their idolatry, I will make victims of them to my justice. Some have thought that as many as wished to depart from the idolatrous worship set up by Jeroboam, were slaughtered; and thus Jeroboam the son of Nebat MADE Israel to sin.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The verb שחט, shecheth, means, to kill, to sacrifice; and this place is usually explained of sacrifices; and this opinion I do not reject. But though the Prophet spake of sacrifices, he no doubt called sacrificing, in contempt, killing: as though one should call the temple, the shambles, and the killing of victims, slaughtering, so also the Prophet says, In sacrificing and killing, they, having turned aside, have become deeply fixed; that is, By turning aside to their own sacrificing, they have completely hardened their hearts, so that their depravity is incurable. For by saying that they had gone deep, the meaning is, that they were so addicted to their own superstitions, that they could not be restored to a sound mind, however often admonished by the Prophets. Yet this verb has another meaning in Scripture, even this, that men flatter themselves with their own counsels, and think that by twining together reasons of their own, they can deceive God: and this metaphor the Prophets employ with regard to profane despisers of God, whom they call לצים, latism, mockers: for these, while they deceive men, think that they have nothing to do with God. The same we see at this day: courtiers and proud men of the same character, flatter themselves with their own deceptions, and complacently laugh at our simplicity; because they think that wisdom was born with them, and that it is enclosed as it were within their brains. But I know not whether this idea is suitable to this passage. That simpler meaning which I have already stated, I prefer, and that is, that the Israelites were so obstinate in their superstitions, that they perversely despised all counsels, all admonitions, yea, that they petulantly resisted every instruction.

But each word must be noticed: turning aside in sacrificing, he says, “they became deep”. By saying, that they had turned aside in sacrificing, he no doubt makes a distinction between false and strange forms of worship and the true worship of God, prescribed in the law. The frequency of sacrificing could not indeed have been condemned in itself either as to the Israelites or the Jews; but they turned aside, that is, departed from what the law prescribes. Hence the more zealously they engaged in sacrificing, and the more victims they offered to God, the more they provoked God’s vengeance against themselves. We then see that the Prophet points out here as by the finger the sin he reproved in the people of Israel, and that was, — they sacrificed not according to God’s command and according to the ritual of the law, but turned aside and followed their own devices. Hence it is, that in contempt and in scorn he calls their sacrificing, killing, or cutting the throat: “they are,” he says “executioners,” or, “they are butchers. What is it to me, that they bring their victims with great pomp and show? That they use so many ceremonies? I repudiate,” the Lord says, “the whole of this; it is profane butchering; these slaughterings have nothing in common with the worship which I approve.”

That our sacrifices then may please God, they must be according to the rule of his word; for ‘obedience,’ as it has been said already, ‘is better than all sacrifices,’ (1 Samuel 15:22.) But when men retake themselves to false forms of worship or such as are invented, nothing then is holy or acceptable to God, but an abominable filth. And further, the Prophet, as I have said, not only accuses the people of having turned aside to perverted forms of worship, but also of having become obstinately fixed in them. They have become deep, he says, in their superstitions: as he said before, that they were fast joined to their idols, that they could not be torn away from them; so also he says now, that they were deeply rooted in their iniquity.

It follows, And I have been, or will be, a correction to them all Some think that the Prophet in the person of God threatens the Israelites, that God declares that he himself would become the avenger, because the people had so stubbornly followed wicked superstitions, — “I sit as a judge in heaven, nor will I suffer you to fall away with impunity, since you are become so hardened in your wickedness.” But they are more correct who think that their sin was more increased by this circumstance, that God by his Prophets had not ceased to recall the Israelites to a sound mind, since they might not have been wholly irreclaimable: I have been to them a correction; that is, “They cannot excuse themselves and say, that they had fallen through error and ignorance; for there has been in them a wilful obstinacy, as I have not ceased to show them the right way by my Prophets. I have, then, been a correction to them; but I could not bend them, so indomitable has been that stubbornness, or rather madness, with which they were inflamed towards their idols.” It is now seen which of the two views I deem the most correct.

But I will adduce a third: God may be thought to be here complaining that he had been an object of dislike to the Israelites, as though he said, “When I sent my Prophets, they could not bear to be admonished, because my word was too bitter for them.” Reproofs are not easily endured by men. We indeed know, that those who are ill at ease with themselves, are yet not willing to hear any reproof: every one who deceives himself, wishes to be deceived by others. As then the ears of men are so tender and delicate, that they will patiently receive no reproof, this meaning seems not inappropriate, I have been to them all a correction, that is, “My doctrine has been by them rejected because it had in it too much asperity.” But the other explanation, which I have mentioned as the second, has been more approved: I was, however, unwilling to omit what seems to me to be no less suitable.

We may now choose or receive either of these two expositions, — either that the Lord here takes away from the Israelites the excuse of error, because he had continued to reprove their vices by his Prophets, — or that he expostulates with the Israelites for having rejected his word on the ground that it was too rigid and severe: yet this main thing will still remain the same, that the people of Israel were not only apostates, having fallen away from the lawful worship of God into their own superstitions but were also contumacious and refractory in their wickedness, so that they would receive no instruction, no salutary counsels. Let us proceed —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(2) Are profound to make slaughter.—Ewald, followed recently by Nowack, is right in interpreting the Heb. text as meaning, “The apostates have gone deep in iniquity.” In the last clause the Authorised version is again incorrect. Render, But I (i.e., Jehovah) am chastisement to them all. The deceivers and deceived shall alike perish.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. And the revolters are profound to make slaughter] The expressions used have a most un-Hebraic cast, and what can the ‘slaughter’ refer to? There is nothing at all in the context to suggest that the slaying of sacrifices is meant (as many after St Jerome have supposed), and it is very harsh to understand it as a fresh image for the priests’ abuse of their position. It is better to render (changing a Teth into a Tâv), The apostates are gone deep in corrupting (comp. Hos_9:9). The ancient versions already found the passage obscure. The Septuagint (and similarly the Peshito) renders δ (sc. τὸ δίκτυον) οἱ ἀγρεύοντες τὴν θήραν κατέπηξαν. Possibly they had had a somewhat different text. Certainty is unattainable, and another plausible and easy emendation deserves at least a mention, from its suitableness to the context, And the pit of Shittim they have made deep. Having been a station of the camp under Moses and Joshua (Num_25:1; Jos_3:1; Jos_5:1), it is probable, though unproved, that Shittim contained one of the popular shrines or holy places.

though I have been a rebuker of them all] Lit., ‘and I am chastisement for them all’; comp. Psa_109:4 A.V., ‘I give myself unto prayer’ (lit., ‘I am prayer’). This however is very harsh, and it is simpler to transpose two letters and render, and there is no correction for any of them.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the revolters are profound to make slaughter,.... The revolters are the king, priests, and people, who had revolted from the true worship and ways of God unto idolatry. These formed deep laid schemes, and took crafty methods, like hawkers; who lay themselves flat upon the ground to manage their snares and nets, and observe the creatures that fall into them, and take them, and whom they artfully decoy, to which the allusion is; and that either to slay those who would not comply with their false worship; or rather to multiply the sacrifices of slain beasts, and offer them with a great show of devotion and religion, and thereby beguile, entice, and ensnare simple and unwary souls; so the Targum,

"they sacrifice to idols abundantly;''

and which, in the sight of God, was mere slaughter and butchery:

though I have been a rebuker of them all; king, priests, and prophets; those idolaters, revolters, or worshippers of Baal, as Aben Ezra calls them: this is to be interpreted either of the prophet, who had freely, faithfully, and openly reproved all orders of men for their departure from God and his worship, and for their idolatrous practices; or of the Lord himself, which comes to the same sense, who had rebuked them by his prophets, and corrected them by his judgments, but to no purpose: and therefore they could not plead ignorance, or excuse themselves upon that account.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And the revolters are profound to make slaughter - Literally, “They made the slaughter deep,” as Isaiah says, “they deeply corupted themselves” Isa 31:6; and our old writers say “He smote deep.” They willed also doubtless to “make it deep,” hide it so deep, that God should never know it, as the Psalmist says of the ungodly, “that the inward self and heart of the worker’s of iniquity is deep,” whereon it follows, that God should “suddenly wound them,” as here the prophet subjoins that God rebuked them. Actual and profuse murder has been already Hos 4:2 mentioned as one of the common sins of Israel, and it is afterward Hos 6:9 also charged upon the priests.

Though I have been a rebuker - Literally, “a rebuke,” as the Psalmist says, “I am prayer” Psa 109:4, i. e., “I am all prayer.” The Psalmist’s whole being was turned into prayer. So here, all the attributes of God, His mercies, love, justice, were concentrated into one, and that one, rebuke. Rebuke was the one form, in which they were all seen. It is an aggravation of crime to do it in the place of judgment or in the presence of the judge. Israel was immersed in his sin and heeded not, although God rebuked him continually by His voice in the law, forbidding all idolatry, and was now all the while, both in word and deed, rebuking him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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," chap. ix. 9., and Josue xxiii 13. (Calmet) --- Idolatry leads to the abyss. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The revolters; all those that have cast off the law of God, both in matters of religion and civil government.

Are profound; dig deep to hide their counsels, or have taken deep root since their apostasy from God, and revolt from the house of David.

To make slaughter: all their religion is but a butchering of cattle, no sacrifice to God; or, which is worse, a murdering of men.

Though I, Hosea, have been a rebuker; a preacher, who ill the name and word of God have sharply inveighed against their brutish religion and their bloody slaughters.

Of them all: none that have been guilty have escaped the reproof; I have declaimed against idolatrous priests and bloody usurpers, such as were in those times, Shallum, Menahem, and Pekah.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. And the revolters are profound to make slaughter — R.V., “And the revolters are gone deep in making slaughter.” For the last three words margin suggests “in corruption,” which is to be preferred, since the context says nothing about murder, nor is there a reference to the slaughter of sacrifice. The thought would be that the apostate leaders have gone to all possible depths of corruption. The ancient versions found the passage obscure. Modern commentators are generally agreed on an emendation, very slight in the original, “And the pit of Shittim they have made deep.”

At Shittim the Israelites gave themselves to the abominations of Baal-peor (Num_25:1 ff.). It is thought that Shittim, like Mizpah and Tabor, was a sacred place where the people were led astray. If this emendation is adopted pit is parallel with snare and net, and the clause contains an additional accusation against the nobles for causing the unsuspecting people to stumble.

Though I have been a rebuker of them all — Better R.V., “but I am a rebuker”; Hebrews rebuke, Tempter and tempted alike will be visited by Jehovah in judgment. Cheyne, by transposing two letters, makes the clause a continuation of the description of the people’s sin: “and there is no correction for any of them,” that is, improvement has become impossible (Hos_5:4).

Hos_5:3-4 indicate the cause of Jehovah’s anger. Their conduct is well known to him. I — Emphatic in Hebrew.

Ephraim — Poetic synonym of Israel. What Jehovah knows is stated in 3b.

Now — The force of this word is uncertain. Keil thinks it is used to designate the whoredom of Israel as in fact lying before him. It is not impossible, however, that two similar sounding words have been interchanged, now for thou, Hebrews ‘attah for ‘attah, and we should read, “for thou, O Ephraim.”

They will not frame their doings — R.V., “Their doings will not suffer them,” is certainly to be preferred. Wrongdoing has become their second nature; they find it impossible to return to Jehovah (Hos_7:2; Jer_13:23).

Spirit of whoredoms — See on Hos_4:12.

In the midst of them — In their innermost being.

Have not known — R.V., “they know not” (see on Hos_2:20; compare Hos_4:6).

Hos_5:5 announces judgment.

Pride of Israel doth testify — Repeated in Hos_7:10; is capable of two interpretations: (1) If pride is used in an evil sense of the haughty and arrogant attitude of the Israelites, the meaning is expressed most satisfactorily by Marti: “The strongest testimony against the Israelites, and the most convincing proof of their incapacity for improvement is offered by their arrogance, in which they regard their conduct, their cult and service of Jehovah, as acceptable to him, and therefore do not think in the least of a return.” (2) The other interpretation is suggested by the marginal rendering for pride, “excellency”; this many commentators understand to be a title of Jehovah; he is the “excellency of Jacob” (Amo_8:7; compare 1Sa_15:19). According to this interpretation testify is used not in the simple sense of bear witness, Jehovah is both witness and judge; here the emphasis would be upon the pronouncing of the sentence, the sentence being contained in the next clause. The rendering “the pride of Israel shall be humbled,” though supported by some of the ancient versions, is unsuitable with “to his face.” On the whole, the first interpretation is to be preferred. Nothing but judgment is possible.

Fall — Better, R.V., “shall stumble.” A common figure of calamity (Hos_4:5; Hos_14:1; Isa_8:15, etc.).

In their iniquity — Better, by, or through. Iniquity is the cause. Judah also shall fall [“stumble”] — In Hos_1:7; Hos_4:15, Judah is represented as being better than Israel; here, as in Hos_5:10; Hos_5:12-14, etc., it is considered equally guilty. The difference has sometimes been explained as due to the fact that the utterance in this verse and others like it are of a later period than those in Hos_1:7, and Hos_4:15, when Hosea had become more familiar with conditions in Judah. So far as Hos_1:7, is concerned, this is undoubtedly true; of Hos_4:15, this cannot be said with equal certainty. Conditions began to grow bad in Judah as early as in Israel. Whether Hosea ever considered Judah better than Israel is at least doubtful (see on Hos_1:7). All references to Judah are considered secondary by some commentators, but in some cases, at least, on insufficient grounds. In certain passages, it is true, they might easily be omitted without affecting the thought, sometimes the parallelism and even the thought would be improved if the reference were omitted, or changed to Israel (for example, in this verse); in other instances, however, the omission would seriously affect the text and require alterations which cannot readily be justified (Hos_5:12-14). In the absence of decisive data the passages are treated as original unless statements to the contrary are made.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the revolters are profound to make slaughter (or, profuse in murders or in sacrifices, or in dealing corruptly), though I have been a rebuker of them all (rather, but I am bent upon chastisement for them all). The literal rendering of the first clause is, slaughtering they have made deep, which is an idiom analogous to "they have deeply revolted;" literally, "they have made revolting deep". (Isa_31:6) The slaughtering, though understood by Wunsche of sacrifices, is rather meant of the destruction and carnage which the revolters caused to the people. Rashi explains it literally in this way: "I said, Every one that goes not up to the stated feasts transgresses a positive precept; but they decree that every one who goes up to the stated feasts shall be slain." This seems to imply that liers-in-wait were set probably on Mizpah and Tabor, the places mentioned in the preceding verse, to slay the Israelites that were found going up to the feasts at Jerusalem. Aben Ezra, taking this second verse as continuing the sentiment of the first, interprets as follows: "Ye have been a snare on Mizpah that ye might not allow them to go up to the feasts to the house of the Lord; and to slay (victims) in the usual way." The revolters or apostates he takes to be the worshippers of Baal. They made deep," he adds in his exposition, "the snares, those that are mentioned, that passersby might not see them; but I will chastise all of them for this evil which they have done, since it is not hidden from me why they have hid (made) it so deep." The slaughtering is thus understood by Aben Ezra of slaying the sacrificial victims. Similarly Kimchi interprets thus: "He says that the revolters who are the worshippers of idols, who depart from the ways of God blessed be he! and kern his service, like a woman who is a revolter from under her husband, have made deep their revolt, slaying and sacrificing to idols." lie would understand the slaughtering neither of victims with Kimchi and Aben Ezra; nor of literally slaying Israelites to prevent persons going up to Jerusalem, the proper seat of Jehovah"s worship; but of the destructive consequences which the conduct of these apostates brought on the people. The work of chastisement God now takes in hand in good earnest. Droppings of the coming shower there had been; but now the full flood is to descend, for God presents himself to misleaders and misled alike under the sole aspect of rebuke. "I," he says, "am chastisement" (give myself to it). A like form of expression occurs in Psa_109:4, I am prayer;" that is, am a man of prayer, or give royal. If to prayer. Thus Kimchi explains the idiom: The prophet says, Say not that no man shall correct and reprove them, therefore they sin; for I am the person who reproves them all, and day by day I reprove them, but they will not hearken to me. But raani moser wants the word ish, man, as (in Psa_109:4) raani tephilah, which we have explained raani ish tephilah."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The revolters - All those that have cast off the law of God. Profound - Dig deep to hide their counsels, and to slay the innocent. Though I - Hosea.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The extent of their straying they have deepened The extent of their straying they have deepened. I said that anyone who does not go up to Jerusalem on the Pilgrimage festivals transgresses a positive commandment, and they decreed that anyone who does go up to Jerusalem shall be put to death. Hence, they went deeper than I. I.e., they were more stringent than I (Sanhedrin 102a). The word שַחֲטָה, translated as ‘extent’ is an expression similar to זָהָב שָׁחוּט, “malleable gold” (I Kings 10:16) stretched and spun. Jonathan, however, renders it as an expression of slaughtering sacrifices to idols.

and I [will bring] chastisement to all of them Lit. And I too will chastise them with torments, I will prepare chastisement for all of them.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.