John Calvin Commentary Hosea 2:14

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." — Hosea 2:14 (ASV)

Here the Lord more clearly expresses that, after having long and in various ways afflicted the people, He would at length be favorable to them. Not only so, but He would also make all their punishments contribute to their salvation and be medicines to heal their diseases.

But there is an inverted order in the words, Behold, I will incline her, and I will make her to go into the wilderness; and so they should be explained this way: “Behold, I will incline her, or persuade her, after I have drawn her into the desert; then, I will speak to her heart.” The word פתה, pete, is often understood in a negative sense, meaning to deceive, persuade by falsehoods, or, to use a common term, to coax or cajole. However, in this place, it means to speak kindly, so that God persuades a rebellious and obstinate people to do what is right. He then declares that this would take place when He led the people into the wilderness. This is connected with the former sentence, where it is said, I will set her as on the day of her birth; for God alludes to the first redemption of the people, which was like their birth. It was as though the people had risen from their grave; they obtained a new life when they were freed from the tyranny of Egypt. God therefore brought them forth as a people for Himself.

But the Prophet adds, After having led her into the wilderness, I will incline her; that is, make her receptive to Me. By these words, He suggests that there would be no hope of repentance until the people were led to extreme hardships. If their punishment had been moderate, their stubbornness would not have been corrected. God shows in this verse that there would be no end or lessening of these hardships until the people were drawn into the wilderness—that is, until they were deprived of their country and sacrifices, and all their wealth. Indeed, they would be deprived of their ordinary food and cast into a wilderness and solitude, where the lack of all things would weigh heavily on them, and extreme necessity would threaten them with death. If, then, the people had been visited with lighter punishment, nothing would have been achieved, for their hardness was greater than could have been softened by mild or ordinary remedies.

But this declaration was full of great comfort. Otherwise, the faithful might have completely despaired when they found themselves led into exile. When the sight of the land, which was, as it were, the reflection of their divine adoption, had been taken from them, when they saw themselves scattered into various regions, and that there was now no community, no distinct seed of Abraham, despair could have overwhelmed them.

Therefore, so that despair would not swallow up the faithful, the Lord intended in this way to ease their sorrow. He assured them that even though they were drawn again into the wilderness, God, who first redeemed them, was still the same and possessed the same strength and power He had shown on behalf of their fathers.

We now understand the Prophet's intention. Calamity might have shaken their hearts with such terror that it would remove all confidence in God’s favor and make them think they were completely lost. But God presents the desert to them, asking, “What! Have I not once drawn you out of the desert? Has My power diminished since that time? Indeed, I continue to be the same God your fathers found Me to be. I will again draw you out of the wilderness.”

At the same time, God reminded them that their diseases would be incurable until they were led into the wilderness—until they were deprived of their country and all the tokens of His favor—so that they might no more deceive themselves with false confidence.

He therefore says, After I draw her into the wilderness, then I will persuade, or, turn her. I prefer the word ‘turning’ or ‘inclining,’ though the word ‘persuading’ is by no means unsuitable. But there seems to be an implied comparison between the people's present rebelliousness and the obedience they would offer to their God after being subdued by various afflictions. He says, “The people will then be receptive when they are drawn into the wilderness.”

And I will speak then to her heart. We know the meaning of this expression from Isaiah 40. To speak to the heart is to bring comfort, to soothe grief by a kind word, to offer kindness, and to present some hope, so that one who had previously been worn out with sorrow may breathe freely, gather courage, and entertain hope of a better condition. And this kind of speaking should be carefully observed, for God means that there was now no place for His promises because the Israelites were so rebellious. Paul did not say in vain to the Corinthians: You Corinthians, open my mouth; for I am not restricted toward you, but you are restricted in your own affections (2 Corinthians 6:11–12).

The Corinthians, when alienated from Paul, had, so to speak, obstructed the passage of his doctrine, so that he could not address them in a fatherly manner. So also in this place, the Lord testifies that the way was closed against His promises. For if He gave the Israelites the hope of pardon, it would have been disregarded. If He had kindly invited them to Himself, they would have scornfully refused; indeed, they would have spurned the offer with contempt, so great was their rebelliousness. If He had wished to be reconciled to them, they would have despised Him, or refused, or continued abusing His kindness as before. He then shows that it was their fault He could not deal kindly and amicably with them. Hence, After I draw her into the wilderness, I will address her heart.

Let us then know that whenever we are deprived of the sense of God’s favor, the way has been closed up through our own fault. For God would always be willingly disposed to show kindness, unless our rebelliousness and hardness stood in the way. But when He sees us so subdued as to be receptive and ready to obey, then He is ready in His turn to speak to our heart; that is, He is ready to show Himself just as He is, full of grace and kindness.

We therefore see how well the Prophet's context harmonizes. There are, in short, two parts:

1. God does not entirely take away the hope of pardon from the Israelites, provided there were any among them who could be healed. Instead, He shows that though the discipline would be severe, it would yet be useful, as would be apparent from its fruit.
2. So they might not be too hasty in asking why God would not sooner lessen His severity, He answers that the time was not yet ripe; for they would not be capable of receiving His kindness until they were gradually subdued and humbled by more severe punishment.