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Text -- Hosea 2:21 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
Agricultural Fertility Restored to the Repentant Nation
2:21 “At that time, I will willingly respond,” declares the Lord. “I will respond to the sky, and the sky will respond to the ground;
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Israel | HOSEA | HEAVENS, NEW (AND EARTH, NEW) | God | Condescension of God | Church | COVENANT, THE NEW | Backsliders | Baal | AMMI | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable , Guzik

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Hos 2:21 - -- In the day of gospel - grace.

In the day of gospel - grace.

Wesley: Hos 2:21 - -- God the first and universal cause will influence the heavens, he will command their dew, and showers. When the earth is dry, it does as it were, cry t...

God the first and universal cause will influence the heavens, he will command their dew, and showers. When the earth is dry, it does as it were, cry to the heavens for refreshing showers, when the seed sown, the vines and olives planted, are at a stand, they cry to the earth for its kindly influences, that they may spring up, and yield fruit for Jezreel, which may call, and cry, but never will be satisfied if God does not hear them, and command his blessing which he promises to his people on renewing covenant with them. Now their repentance shall be blest with plenty, and God will set the frame of heaven and earth in due order to effect this; there shall be an harmony, between all subordinate causes moved by God the first great cause, whence expected events and fruits shall be produced for their good and comfort.

JFB: Hos 2:21 - -- Of grace to Israel.

Of grace to Israel.

JFB: Hos 2:21 - -- Personification. However many be the intermediate instruments, God is the Great First Cause of all nature's phenomena. God had threatened (Hos 2:9) He...

Personification. However many be the intermediate instruments, God is the Great First Cause of all nature's phenomena. God had threatened (Hos 2:9) He would take back His corn, His wine, &c. Here, on the contrary, God promises to hearken to the skies, as it were, supplicating Him to fill them with rain to pour on the earth; and that the skies again would hearken to the earth begging for a supply of the rain it requires; and again, that the earth would hearken to the corn, wine, and oil, begging it to bring them forth; and these again would hear Jezreel, that is, would fulfil Israel's prayers for a supply of them. Israel is now no longer "Jezreel" in the sense, "God will SCATTER" (Hos 1:4), but in the sense, "God will PLANT" (Hos 1:11).

Clarke: Hos 2:21 - -- I will hear, saith the Lord - The sentence is repeated, to show how fully the thing was determined by the Almighty, and how implicitly they might de...

I will hear, saith the Lord - The sentence is repeated, to show how fully the thing was determined by the Almighty, and how implicitly they might depend on the Divine promise

Clarke: Hos 2:21 - -- I will hear the heavens - The visible heavens, the atmosphere, where vapours are collected. The clouds, when they wish to deposit their fertilizing ...

I will hear the heavens - The visible heavens, the atmosphere, where vapours are collected. The clouds, when they wish to deposit their fertilizing showers upon the earth

Clarke: Hos 2:21 - -- They shall hear the earth - When it seems to supplicate for rain.

They shall hear the earth - When it seems to supplicate for rain.

Calvin: Hos 2:21 - -- The Lord promises again that he will not be wanting to the people, when they shall be reconciled to him. We must, indeed, in the first place, seek th...

The Lord promises again that he will not be wanting to the people, when they shall be reconciled to him. We must, indeed, in the first place, seek that God may be propitious to us; for they are very foolish who desire to live well and happily, and in the meantime care nothing for God’s favor. The Prophet shows when the happiness of men begins; it begins when God adopts them for his people, and when, having abolished their sins, he espouses them to himself. It is therefore necessary, in the first place, to seek this; for as we have said, the desire of being happy is preposterous, when we first seek the blessings of an earthly life, when we first seek ease, abundance of good things, health of body, and similar things. Hence the Prophet now shows, that we are then only happy when the Lord is reconciled to us, and not only so, but when he in his love embraces us, and contracts a holy marriage with us, and on this condition, that he will be a father and preserver to us, and that we shall be safe and secure under his protection and defense.

But at the same time he comes down to things of the second rank. Our happiness is, indeed, as we have said, in the enjoyment of God’s love; but there are accessions which afterwards follow; for the Lord provides for us, and exercises a care over us, so that he supplies whatever is needful for the support of life. Of this later part the Prophet now treats: he says, In that day. We see that he reminds us of the covenant, lest we be content with worldly abundance; for as it has been said, men are commonly devoted to their present advantages. Hence the Prophet sets here before our eyes the Lord’s covenant; he afterwards adds, that God’s favor would reach to the corn, and to the wine, and the oil.

But we must notice the Prophet’s words, I will hear, he says, or I will answer, ( ענה , one, means to answer, but it is here equivalent to hear,) I will hear then, I will hear the heavens, and they will hear the earth. The repetition is not superfluous; for the Israelites had been for some time consumed by famine, before they were led away into exile; as though the heavens were iron, no drop of rain came down. They might hence have thought that there was now no hope; but God here raises them up, I will hear, I will hear, he says; as though he said, “There is no reason for the miserable condition in which I have suffered you long to languish as your sins deserved, to discourage you; for I will hereafter hear the heavens.” As the Prophet before reminded them that when the beasts were cruel to them, it was a token of God’s wrath; so also he teaches by these words that the heavens are not dry through any hidden influence; but that when God withholds his favor, there is no rain by which the heavens irrigate the earth. Then God here plainly shows that the whole order of nature, as they say, is in his hand, that no drop of rain descends from heaven except by his bidding, nor can the earth produce any grass; in short, that all nature would be barren were he not to fructify it by his blessing. And this is the reason why he says, I will hear the heavens and they will hear the earth, and the earth will hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and all these will hear Jezreel

TSK: Hos 2:21 - -- saith : Isa 65:24; Zec 8:12, Zec 13:9; Mat 6:33; Rom 8:32; 1Co 3:21-23

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Hos 2:21-22 - -- I will hear the heavens ... - As all nature is closed, and would refuse her office to those who rebel against her God, so, when He hath withdra...

I will hear the heavens ... - As all nature is closed, and would refuse her office to those who rebel against her God, so, when He hath withdrawn His curse and is reconciled to man all shall combine together for man’ s good, and, by a kind of harmony, all parts thereof join their ministries for the service of those who are at unity with Him. And, as an image of love, all, from lowest to highest, are bound together, each depending on the ministry of that beyond it, and the highest on God. At each link, the chain might have been broken; but God who knit their services together, and had before withheld the rain, and made the earth barren, and laid waste the trees, now made each to supply the other, and led the thoughts of people through the course of causes and effects up to Himself, whoever causes all which comes to pass.

The immediate desire of His people was the grain, wine and oil; they needed the fruitfulness of the earth; the earth, by its parched surface and gaping clefts, seemed to crave the rain from heaven; the rain could not fall without the will of God. So all are pictured as in a state of expectancy, until God gave the word, and His will ran through the whole course of secondary causes, and accomplished what man prayed Him for. Such is the picture. But, although God’ s gifts of nature were gladdening tokens of His restored favor, and now too, under the Gospel, we rightly thank Him for the removal of any of His natural chastisements, and look upon it as an earnest of His favor toward us, the prophet who had just spoken of the highest things, the union of man with God in Christ, does not here speak only of the lowest. What God gives, by virtue of an espousal "forever,"are not gifts in time only. His gifts of nature are, in themselves, pictures of His gifts of grace, and as such the prophets employ them. So then God promiseth, and this in order, a manifold abundance of all spiritual gifts. Of these, "corn and wine,"as they are the visible parts, so are they often, in the Old Testament, the symbols of His highest gift, the holy eucharist; and "oil,"of God’ s Holy Spirit, through whom they are sanctified.

God here calls "Israel"by the name of "Jezreel,"repealing, once more in the close of this prophecy, His sentence, conveyed through the names of the three children of the prophet. The name "Jezreel"combines in one, the memory of the former punishment and the future mercy. God did not altogether do away the temporal part of His sentence. he had said, "I will scatter;"and, although some were brought back with Judah, Israel remained scattered in all lands, in Egypt and Greece and Italy, Asia Minor, and the far East and West. But God turned His chastisement into mercy to those who believed in Him. Now he changes the meaning of the word into, "God shall sow."Israel, in its dispersion, when converted to God, became every where the preacher of Him whom they had persecuted; and in Him - the true Seed. whom God sowed in the earth and it "brought forth much fruit,"converted Israel also bore, "some a hundred-fold; some sixty; some thirty."

Haydock: Hos 2:21 - -- Hear the heavens, &c. All shall conspire in favour of the Church, which in the following verse is called Jezrahel, that is, the seed of God. (C...

Hear the heavens, &c. All shall conspire in favour of the Church, which in the following verse is called Jezrahel, that is, the seed of God. (Challoner) ---

Harmony shall subsist between all the parts of the universe. The earth shall receive rain, &c. This happiness was enjoyed in figure by the Jews, after their return, and in reality by Christians. (Theodoret)

Gill: Hos 2:21 - -- And it shall come to pass in that day,.... When these espousals shall be made, when the marriage of the Lamb will be come, and his bride will be betro...

And it shall come to pass in that day,.... When these espousals shall be made, when the marriage of the Lamb will be come, and his bride will be betrothed to him; then the whole creation, the heavens and the earth, shall contribute of their riches and plenty to make a marriage feast for them; or then shall the spouse of Christ, in a very visible and plentiful manner, by virtue of the marriage union between them, partake of all his good things, both temporal and spiritual; and especially the latter, as signified by the former; but yet in the use of means, and as the effect of prayer, as follows:

I will hear, saith the Lord; the petitions of his new married bride, which he cannot deny her :or, "I will answer" a; men oftentimes hear, and answer not; but when the Lord hears his people, he answers them, and grants them their requests; he is a God hearing and answering prayer. So the Targum,

"I will receive your prayer, saith the Lord.''

I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; in these and the following words is an elegant personification, a figure by which inanimate creatures are represented as persons speaking, praying, asking, and being heard and answered; and a beautiful climax, or a chain of second causes linked together, and as depending upon the first cause, the Lord himself; the heavens are represented as desiring the Lord of nature, the Maker and Supporter of them, having been like brass, and shut up, that they might have leave to let down their refreshing dews, and gentle showers of rain, upon the earth; and the earth as being dry and thirsty, as gaping, opening its mouth, and imploring these benign influences of the heavens; and both as answered: for so it may be rendered, "I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth" b; the Lord promises to answer the desires of the heavens, and allow them to drop their dew, and distil their rain; and so they shall answer the cravings of the earth. The spiritual sense may be, according to Schmidt, Christ is he on whom all blessings depend; "heaven" may signify the Holy Spirit Christ gives, who intercedes with him for the saints; the "earth" the ministration of the word and ordinances, by which the Spirit is given, invoked by the ministers of them. Or, as Cocceius, the "heavens" may design the ministers of the church, who govern in it, and who pray and plead for help, assistance, and success; and the "earth" the audience, the common people, who also pray, and are heard and answered, when ministers let down the dew and rain of evangelical doctrine upon them, and water them, and refresh them with it; and such precious seasons as these, as the fruit of prayer, will the saints have in the latter day.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Hos 2:21 Heb “and they.” In the Hebrew text the plural pronoun is used because it refers back to the term translated “sky,” which is a ...

Geneva Bible: Hos 2:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear ( z ) the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; ( z ) Then will the...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Hos 2:1-23 - --1 The idolatry of the people.6 God's judgments against them.14 His promises of reconciliation with them.

MHCC: Hos 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 w...

Matthew Henry: Hos 2:14-23 - -- The state of Israel ruined by their own sin did not look so black and dismal in the former part of the chapter, but that the state of Israel, restra...

Keil-Delitzsch: Hos 2:21-23 - -- "And it comes to pass in that day, I will hear, is the word of Jehovah; I will hear heaven, and it hears the earth. And the earth will hear the cor...

Constable: Hos 2:2--4:1 - --III. The second series of messages of judgment and restoration: marital unfaithfulness 2:2--3:5 These messages d...

Constable: Hos 2:14--4:1 - --B. Promises of restoration 2:14-3:5 Three messages follow the two on coming judgment. They assure Israel...

Constable: Hos 2:15-21 - --1. Renewed love and restored marriage 2:14-20 The emphasis in this message is on the fact that God would renew His love for Israel and would restore t...

Guzik: Hos 2:1-23 - --Hosea 2 - Sin, Judgment, and Restoration A. Israel's sin. 1. (2-3) Charges against Israel. "Bring charges against your mother, bring charges;...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Hosea (Book Introduction) THE first of the twelve minor prophets in the order of the canon (called "minor," not as less in point of inspired authority, but simply in point of s...

JFB: Hosea (Outline) INSCRIPTION. (Hos 1:1-11) Spiritual whoredom of Israel set forth by symbolical acts; Gomer taken to wife at God's command: Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah, and ...

TSK: Hosea 2 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Hos 2:1, The idolatry of the people; Hos 2:6, God’s judgments against them; Hos 2:14, His promises of reconciliation with them.

Poole: Hosea (Book Introduction) THE ARGUMENT Without dispute our prophet is one of the obscurest and most difficult to unfold clearly and fully. Though he come not, as Isaiah and ...

Poole: Hosea 2 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 2 The people are exhorted to forsake idolatry, which is threatened with severe judgments, Hos 2:1-13 . God allureth them with promises of r...

MHCC: Hosea (Book Introduction) Hosea is supposed to have been of the kingdom of Israel. He lived and prophesied during a long period. The scope of his predictions appears to be, to ...

MHCC: Hosea 2 (Chapter Introduction) (Hos 2:1-5) The idolatry of the people. (Hos 2:6-13) God's judgments against them. (Hos 2:14-23) His promises of reconciliation.

Matthew Henry: Hosea (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of the Prophet Hosea I. We have now before us the twelve minor prophets, which some of the anc...

Matthew Henry: Hosea 2 (Chapter Introduction) The scope of this chapter seems to be much the same with that of the foregoing chapter, and to point at the same events, and the causes of them. As...

Constable: Hosea (Book Introduction) Introduction Title and Writer The prophet's name is the title of the book. The book cl...

Constable: Hosea (Outline) Outline I. Introduction 1:1 II. The first series of messages of judgment and restoration: Ho...

Constable: Hosea Hosea Bibliography Andersen, Francis I., and David Noel Freedman. Hosea: A New Translation, Introduction and Co...

Haydock: Hosea (Book Introduction) THE PROPHECY OF OSEE. INTRODUCTION. Osee , or Hosea, whose name signifies a saviour, was the first in the order of time among those who are ...

Gill: Hosea (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA This book, in the Hebrew Bibles, at least in some copies, is called "Sopher Hosea", the Book of Hoses; and, in the Vulgate La...

Gill: Hosea 2 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 2 This chapter is an explanation of the former, proceeding upon the same argument in more express words. The godly Israelites...

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