John Calvin Commentary Hosea 8:13

"As for the sacrifices of mine offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; but Jehovah accepteth them not: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt." — Hosea 8:13 (ASV)

Interpreters think that the Israelites are here derided because they trusted in their own ceremonies, and that their sacrifices are reproachfully called flesh. But we must see whether the Prophet's words contain something deeper. For the word הבהב, ebeb, some rightly explain, in my judgment, as meaning “sacrifices,” either burnt or roasted; it is a word of four letters.

Others derive it from יהב, ieb, which means “to give gifts”; and therefore they translate it as, “sacrifices of my gifts”; and this is the more accepted opinion. I view the Prophet here as not only blaming the Israelites for putting vain trust in their own ceremonies, which were perverted and corrupt; but also as pointing out something more flagrant, by which their folly could be proved ridiculous, even to worldly people and children.

When we only read, The sacrifices of my gifts, which they ought to have offered to me, the meaning seems to lack force. But when we read, “The sacrifices of my burnt offerings! They offer flesh,” the meaning is that their contempt is so obvious that even children would condemn them.

How so? Because for burnt offerings they offer flesh to me; that is, they fear that any portion of the sacrifices might be lost. When they ought to burn the flesh for burnt sacrifices, they keep it whole so they can stuff themselves. Therefore, they make a great show of sacrificing, yet it appears to be an obvious mockery, for they turn burnt offerings into peace offerings so that the flesh may remain whole for them to eat.

And no doubt, it has always been a dominant vice among hypocrites to connect gain with superstitions. However much, then, idolaters may show themselves to be wholly devoted to God, they will still take care that nothing is lost.

The Prophet, then, seems now to be rebuking this vice. I acknowledge, however, that the Israelites are blamed for thinking that God is pacified by sacrifices which were in themselves of no value, as we have seen a similar declaration before. But I join both views together: that they offered to God vain sacrifices without piety, and also that they offered flesh for burnt offerings, thus feeding themselves and not caring for the worship of God.

The sacrifices then of my burnt offerings they offer; but what do they offer? Flesh. Nor does he seem to have mentioned the word “flesh” in vain. Some say that all sacrifices are here called flesh as a mark of contempt. But to me, there seems rather to be a contrast made between burnt sacrifices and flesh, because the people of Israel wished to take care of themselves and to have a rich meal when the Lord required a burnt offering to be presented to Him. And he afterwards adds, and they eat. By the word “eating,” he confirms what I have already said: that he here rebukes in the Israelites the vice of being intent only on stuffing themselves, and of only using God's name as a mere pretext, while they were solely anxious to feed themselves.

It is the same with the Papists of our day when they celebrate their festivals; they indulge themselves and think that the more they drink and eat, the more God is indebted to them. This is their zeal; they eat flesh, and yet think that they offer sacrifices to God. They offer, then, their stomach to God when it is thus well filled. Such are the offerings of the Papists. So also the Prophet now says, “They eat the flesh which they ought to have burned.”

The Lord, he says, will not accept them. Here again he briefly shows that while hypocrites make such pretenses, they deceive themselves and will at last discover how vainly they have lied to God and men: “God will not accept them.”

He here rejects, in God's name, their sacrifices. For whatever they might promise themselves, it was enough that they devised these modes of worship for themselves, as God had never commanded a word concerning them.

It then follows, Now will He remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. The Prophet proclaims a future punishment, so that hypocrites should not flatter themselves when God’s anger is not immediately aroused against them, for they usually abuse God's patience.

Therefore, Hosea now forewarns them, saying, “Though God may overlook things for a time, there is still no reason for the Israelites to think that they shall be free from punishment. God will eventually,” he says, “remember their iniquity.” He uses a common figure of speech found throughout Scripture: God is said to remember when He truly, and as if with an outstretched hand, reveals Himself as an avenger.

“The Lord now spares you; but He will, in a short time, show how much He abominates these your impure sacrifices: He will remember, then, your iniquity.” Visitation follows this remembering, as effect follows cause.

They shall flee, he says, to Egypt. The Prophet, I doubt not, implies here that all the escapes the Israelites might seek would be in vain. And though God might allow them to flee to Egypt, yet it would be, he says, without any benefit: “Go, flee to Egypt, but your flight will be useless.”

The Prophet stated this clearly, so that the people might know that they were dealing with God, against whom they had no defense, and that they might no longer deceive themselves with foolish imaginations. And though the people were blinded by such great obstinacy that this admonition had no effect, they were thus rendered more inexcusable.