Attributed commentary excerpt
Barnes' Notes on Hosea 14:9
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Notes on the Whole Bible
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · 19th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Who is wise and he shall understand these things? - The prophet says this, not of the words in which he had spoken, but of the substance. He does not mean that his style was obscure, or that he had delivered the message of God in a way difficult to be understood. This would have been to fail of his object. Nor does he mean that human acuteness is the key to the things of God. He means that those only of a certain character, those “wise,” through God, unto God, will understand the things of God. So the Psalmist, having related some of God’s varied chastenings, mercies and judgments, sums up, “Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord” Psalms 107:43. So Asaph says that God’s dealings with the good and bad in this life were “too hard” for him to “understand, until” he “went into the sanctuary of God;” then “understood” he “their end” Psalms 73:16-17. In like way Daniel, at the close of his prophecy, sums up the account of a sifting-time, “Many shall be purified and made white and tried, and the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand” Daniel 12:10. As these say that the wise alone understand the actual dealings of God with man, so Hosea says, that the wise alone would understand what he had set forth of the mercy and severity of God, of His love for man, His desire to pardon, His unwillingness that any should perish, His longing for our repentance, His store of mercies in Christ, His gifts of grace and His free eternal love, and yet His rejection of all half-service and His final rejection of the impenitent. “Who is wise?” “The word “who” is always taken, not for what is impossible, but for what is difficult.” So Isaiah saith, “Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed?” Isaiah 53:1. Few are wise with “the wisdom which is from above;” few understand, because few wish to understand, or seek wisdom from Him who “giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not” James 1:5. The question implies also, that God longs that people should understand to their salvation. He inquires for them, calls to them that they would meditate on His mercies and judgments. As Paul says, “Behold the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out” Romans 11:22, Romans 11:33. Unsearchable to intellect and theory; intelligible to faith and for acting on. And he shall understand these things - (that is, that he may understand). The worldly-wise of that generation, too, doubtless, thought themselves too wise to need to understand them; as the wise after this world counted the Cross of Christ foolishness. Prudent - Properly “gifted with understanding,” the form of the word expressing, that he was “endowed with” this “understanding,” as a gift from God. And He shall know them. While the wise of this world disbelieve, jeer, scoff at them, in the name of human reason, he who has not the natural quickness of man only, but who is endued with the true wisdom, shall “know” them. So our Lord says, “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it is of God” John 7:17. The word, “wise,” may especially mean him who contemplates these truths and understands them in themselves, yet plainly so as to act upon…
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