Charles Spurgeon Commentary Hosea 11:8

"How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? [how] shall I cast thee off, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? [how] shall I set thee as Zeboiim? my heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together." — Hosea 11:8 (ASV)

How shall I give you up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver you, Israel? how shall I make you as Admah? how shall I set you as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

God represents himself as holding a controversy within himself, "These people I must punish. These people I love. I shall have to give them up. I cannot give them up." Justice debating with mercy, and mercy triumphant over justice.

How shall I make you as Admah? How shall I set you as Zeboim?

"I cannot destroy you, as I destroyed the guilty cities of the plain in the days of old."

Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

O backsliders, if God's repentings are kindled, will not yours also be kindled? If you have left him, and yet he will not give you up, will you give him up? Will you not return to him? Listen to his own words:

How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

And this divine turning and repenting, remember, were toward a people who did not turn to the Lord. God turned towards a people that would not turn towards him, and his repentings were kindled together towards the nation that would not repent. Oh, the unspeakable, the unthinkable grace of God! He does for us exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.