Hosea 8:2 Israel shall cry to me, My God, we know you. In the Hebrew the order of the words is, "To Me they shall cry, My God, we know Thee; Israel." This order hints some observations that would hardly arise from our version. In our Bible it is only a speech of God to them. In the Hebrew they seem to remind God who they wore; as if they said, "We are Israel, who know Thee, remember we are not strangers to Thee." Observe — 1. In affliction men see their need of God. 2. Even hypocrites and the vilest wretches in the time of their distress will claim interest in God and cry to Him. 3. Knowledge and acknowledgment of God in an outward and formal way hypocrites think will commend them much to God in time of affliction. They expect favour from God because they have made some profession of Him. "We know Thee," as if they said, "Lord, we were not as others who forsook Thee; we continued Israel still; we did not turn to the heathens." It is very difficult to take away men's spirits from trusting in formality in outward worship. (Jeremiah Burroughs.) Parallel Verses KJV: Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. |
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