Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
He predicts the destruction of Samaria, because it was the leader of idolatry for all Israel. He exhorts to repentance and prescribes a formula of repentance, confession, and supplication, which the Israelites later used when they were converted to Christ — to whom therefore, in verse 5, He promises pardon and every grace and blessing of God, which He explains and amplifies with various promises and parables. For in verse 3, he soars to Christ, and from there to the end of the chapter he describes at length and in full the happiness of Israel — that is, of the faithful and Christian people.
Vulgate Text: Hosea 14:1-2
1. Let Samaria perish, because she has provoked her God to bitterness: let them perish by the sword, let their little ones be dashed, and her pregnant women be ripped open. 2. Return, O Israel, to the Lord
Verse 1: LET SAMARIA PERISH. -- The word pereat can be properly taken as an optative, as ...
1. LET SAMARIA PERISH. -- The word pereat can be properly taken as an optative, as if the Prophet, conforming himself to the will of God the avenger, out of zeal for justice and just vengeance to repair the honor of God violated by Samaria, wishes that she might perish. Better, however, take the optative for the future: that is, "let her perish" means "she will perish," so that it is prophetic. So the Hebrew and the Septuagint. Likewise elsewhere, wishes for extreme evils in holy men are taken as prophecies and predictions of the same, as in Psalm LXVIII, 29: "Let them be blotted out," that is, they will be blotted out, "from the book of the living, and with the just let them not be written," that is, they will not be written. The meaning, then, is this: Samaria sinned first by introducing the golden calves; therefore let her be punished first and last: first in her fellow-tribesmen, whom she will see slaughtered and laid waste by the Assyrians; last in herself, when she and her people will be slaughtered and laid waste by the same, and thus will perish.
Verse 2: RETURN, O ISRAEL, TO THE LORD. -- Note here the alternating feelings of God and ...
2. RETURN, O ISRAEL, TO THE LORD. -- Note here the alternating feelings of God and the Prophet. For from threats they suddenly pass to enticements, to show the piety and clemency of God, who threatens not to destroy, but to correct, save, and bring back Israel to Himself.
Verse 3: Take with you words (namely, soft and tearful, as well as pious and holy words, ...
3. Take with you words (namely, soft and tearful, as well as pious and holy words, like most pleasing gifts and offerings, which may soothe, soften, and bend the heart of an angered and exasperated God to mercy -- that is, words of humility, repentance, confession, supplication, and praise of God, namely) SAY TO HIM: TAKE AWAY ALL INIQUITY, -- we repent of having sinned; therefore pardon, and by pardoning take away, we beseech You, our iniquity.
Verse 5: I WILL HEAL THEIR BACKSLIDINGS.
5. I WILL HEAL THEIR BACKSLIDINGS. -- In Hebrew משובתם mescubatam, that is, their turning away, namely the apostasy by which they turned from Me to idols. "I will heal," I say, when they repent and say: "Take away all iniquity," etc., as preceded. This will happen in a shadowy and typical way when they are released from captivity through Cyrus, says Rufinus; but truly and fully it will happen through Christ, meaning: Through Christ preaching the Gospel I will begin to heal, and at the end of the world through the same Christ judging and blessing, I will perfectly heal the wounds of the Israelites -- that is, the injuries that result from crushing and breaking, wounds of the soul, namely their turning away from Christ and God. For I will make them see that their calamities are the punishments of their turning away from Me, and thence, repenting, they will turn to Me and recognize My Christ as their Savior and Messiah. For what follows is too sublime to apply to Cyrus. Therefore the Prophet here transitions to Christ according to his custom, and concludes his oracles with the joyful message about Christ and His redemption. So say St. Jerome, Cyril, Theodoret, Haymo, Vatablus, and others passim. "I will love them freely," that is, without their merits, gratuitously and out of pure benevolence. In Hebrew it is נדבה nedaba, that is, with a liberal, royal, magnificent spirit. Hence Leo Hebræus translates: "most liberally."
Verse 6: I WILL BE AS THE DEW, ISRAEL, etc
6. I WILL BE AS THE DEW, ISRAEL, etc. -- The Syriac: "I will be as the dew to Israel, and he will sprout as the lily." Both Arabic versions: "I will be as the dew to Israel, and he will sprout as a rose," meaning: Just as the dew gently moistens and makes the grass fertile, so I, gently irrigating Israel with My law, doctrine, and grace, will make him fruitful with virtues and good works. So say St. Jerome, Theodoret, and Vatablus. Hence the Egyptians, says Horus Apollo, book I, hieroglyph 35, when indicating doctrine, used to paint the sky pouring dew, signifying that just as dew softens grass but not rocks, so doctrine softens and imbues the teachable, but not the stupid, hard, and unteachable.
"Nor shall any boy of the Ilian race so exalt his Latin ancestors in hope."
And shortly after:
"You shall be Marcellus: give lilies with full hands."
Verse 7: HIS BRANCHES SHALL SPREAD (that is, they will advance, grow, and spread out)
7. HIS BRANCHES SHALL SPREAD (that is, they will advance, grow, and spread out). -- By "branches" understand offspring and children, especially spiritual ones, meaning: Israel will have a great progeny of children, namely of the faithful whom he will convert to God, and likewise of virtues and good works. Hence the Chaldean paraphrase translates: "The Israelites will increase in sons and daughters."
Verse 8: THEY SHALL RETURN THAT SIT IN HIS SHADOW,
8. THEY SHALL RETURN THAT SIT IN HIS SHADOW, -- that is: The Israelites will return from captivity, to sit securely, stably, and happily in the shadow -- that is, the protection -- of Christ. So say the Chaldean paraphrase, St. Jerome, Rupert, Lyranus, and others passim. For the pronoun "his" refers to Christ; for He is the leader of Israel, that is, of the faithful people: for the Prophet is continually speaking of Christ from verse 5 to the end of the chapter.
"And the Cilicians were drenched here with their own showers."
For the "showers" of the Cilicians are wines that drew their fragrance from the infusion of saffron. The meaning, then, is: The memory of Israel, recently detested among all nations but now converted to God, will be so pleasing, and his name and commemoration will breathe such sweetness upon those who hear it, as the wine flavored with the aromatics of Lebanon breathes forth, or the most fragrant perfume.
Verse 9: EPHRAIM (supply: having been affected by so many benefits from Christ, will say,...
9. EPHRAIM (supply: having been affected by so many benefits from Christ, will say, as the Hebrew and Chaldean have it) WHAT HAVE I TO DO ANY MORE WITH IDOLS? -- What do I have to do with idols? Let them go to perdition: henceforth God alone will be my shepherd and director, Christ my love. The Septuagint translates: "Ephraim, what more and with idols?" The Apostle alluded to this in 2 Corinthians 6:15: "What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part has the believer with the unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God."
Verse 10: WHO IS WISE, AND SHALL UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS?
10. WHO IS WISE, AND SHALL UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS? -- namely my oracles: for they are profound and remote from the understanding of carnal and impious men, and accessible only to the just. So say St. Jerome and Rupert. Or rather, "these things" refers to the mysteries and promises of Christ, meaning: How few Jews will there be who believe, understand, love, and practice these mysteries of Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life!