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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Hosea 4:7 - 4:7
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“The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; their glory will I change into shame.” כְּרֻבָּם, “according to their becoming great,” does not refer to the increase of the population only (Hos 9:11), but also to its growing into a powerful nation, to the increase of its wealth and prosperity, in consequence of which the population multiplied. The progressive increase of the greatness of the nation was only attended by increasing sin. As the nation attributed to its own idols the blessings upon which its prosperity was founded, and by which it was promoted (cf. Hos 2:7), and looked upon them as the fruit and reward of its worship, it was strengthened in this delusion by increasing prosperity, and more and more estranged from the living God. The Lord would therefore turn the glory of Ephraim, i.e., its greatness or wealth, into shame. כְּבוֹדָם is probably chosen on account of its assonance with כְּרֻבָּם. For the fact itself, compare Hos 2:3, Hos 2:9-11.