SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:5
Y acaecerá que en aquel día quebraré yo el arco de Israel en el valle de Jezreel.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hosea 1:5
Verse 5. In the valley of Jezreel] This also is supposed to relate either to some signal defeat of the Israelites by the Assyrians, which took place in the valley of Jezreel; or to the death of Zechariah, the fourth lineal descendant of Jehu, which may have happened here. See 2 Kings xv. 10. - Newcome.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. And it shall come to pass at that day , etc.] When the Lord shall take vengeance on the family of Jehu, and deprive them of the kingdom of Israel, and shall punish the idolatrous kings that succeed: that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel ; of which valley (see Joshua 17:16 Judges 6:33). It is now called the plain of Esdraelon; as it is in the Apocrypha: “And to those among the nations that were of Carmel, and Galaad, and the higher Galilee, and the great plain of Esdrelom,” (Judith 1:8) the great plain of Esdraelon; according to Adrichomius, it is two miles broad, and ten miles long; its soil exceeding rich and fruitful, and abounding with grain, wine, and oil; all travellers agree they never saw the like: one says of this plain or valley, formerly the lot of the tribe of Issachar, this is the most fertile portion of the land of Canaan, where that tribe might well be supposed to have “rejoiced in their tents”, ( Deuteronomy 33:18), at present, indeed, it is not manured, as another traveller observes, and yet very fruitful; who says, it is of a vast extent, and very fertile, but uncultivated, only serving the Arabs for pasturage; and, according to the same writer, the ancient river Kishon runs through the middle of it: from the largeness of it, it is frequently called by writers the great plain or valley; and sometimes, from the places near it, or on it, the great plain of Legio, the great plain of Samaria, the great plain or valley of Megiddo, ( 2 Chronicles 35:22), and the great plain of Esdraelon, and here the valley of Jezreel; Jezreel or Esdraela being situated in this great plain or valley between Scythopolis and Legio, a very large village, as Jerom says it was in his days; and also on this passage observes, that Jezreel, from whence this valley had its name, is now near Maximianopolis, and was the metropolis of the kingdom of Samaria, near which were very large plains, and a valley of a very great length, extending more than ten miles: here Ahab had a palace in his days, near to which was Naboth’s vineyard, and where God revenged his blood: this city is called by Josephus Azare and Azarus, or Izarus; and in the times of Gulielmus Tyrius it went by the name of Little Gerinum. The “bow” is put for all instruments of war, and everything in which confidence was put, which was weakened or removed from them: this refers either to Menhchem’s slaughter of Shallum, and wasting some parts of the land of Israel, ( Kings 15:14,16), or rather it may be to a battle fought between Hoshea king of Israel and Shalmaneser king of Assyria in this valley, which was not far from Samaria; in which the former was defeated, and the latter, having the victory, proceeded to Samaria, besieged and took it, ( 2 Kings 17:6) though of the action the Scripture is silent; but it is not improbable. The Targum is, “I will break the strength of the warriors of Israel in the valley of Jezreel;” which seems to confirm the same conjecture. Some render it, “because of the valley of Jezreel” f20 ; that is, because of the idolatry, bloodshed, and other sins, committed there.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Under a figure, is represented the shameful idolatry of the ten tribes (Hos. 1:1-7) The calling of the Gentiles, and the uniting Israel an Judah under the Messiah. (Hos. 1:8-11) Hos. 1:1-7 Israel was prosperous, yet then Hosea boldly tells them of their sins, and foretells their destruction. Men are not to be flattered in sinful ways because they prosper in the world; nor will it last long if they go on still in their trespasses. The prophet mus show Israel their sin; show it to be exceedingly hateful. Their idolatry is the sin they are here charged with. Giving that glory to any creature which is due to God alone, is an injury and affront to God; such as for a wife to take a stranger, is to her husband. The Lord, doubtless, had good reasons for giving such a command to the prophet; it would form an affecting picture of the Lord's unmerite goodness and unwearied patience, and of the perverseness an ingratitude of Israel. We should be broken and wearied with half tha perverseness from others, with which we try the patience and grieve the Spirit of our God. Let us also be ready to bear any cross the Lor appoints. The prophet must show the ruin of the people, in the name given to his children. He foretells the fall of the royal family in the name of his first child: call his name Jezreel, which signifie "dispersion." He foretells God's abandoning the nation in the name of the second child; Lo-ruhamah, "not beloved," or "not having obtaine mercy." God showed great mercy, but Israel abused his favours. Sin turns away the mercy of God, even from Israel, his own professin people. If pardoning mercy is denied, no other mercy can be expected Though some, through unbelief, are broken off, yet God will have church in this world till the end of time. Our salvation is owing to God's mercy, not to any merit of our own. That salvation is sure, of which he is the Author; and if he will work, none shall hinder.
Hos. 1:8-11 The rejection of Israel for a time, is signified by the name of another child: call him Lo-ammi, "not my people." The Lor disowns all relation to them. We love him, because he first loved us but our being cast out of covenant, is owing to ourselves and ou folly. Mercy is remembered in the midst of wrath; the rejection, as it shall not be total, so it shall not be final. The same hand tha wounded, is stretched forth to heal. Very precious promises are her given concerning the Israel of God, and they may be of use to us now Some think that these promises will not have accomplishment in full till the general conversion of the Jews in the latter days. Also thi promise is applied to the gospel, and the bringing in both the Jews an Gentiles to it, by St. Paul, Rom. 9:25,26, and by St. Peter, I Pet 2:10. To believe in Christ, is to have him for our Head, and willingl to commit ourselves to his guidance and government. And let us pray for the coming of the glorious day, when there shall be one Lord throug all the earth __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
והיה 1961 ביום 3117 ההוא 1931 ושׁברתי 7665 את 853 קשׁת 7198 ישׂראל 3478 בעמק 6010 יזרעאל׃ 3157
