And My people are bent to backsliding from Me - Literally, "are hung to it!" as we say, "a man's whole being "hangs" on a thing." A thing "hung to" or "on" another, sways to and fro within certain limits, but its relation to that on which it is hung, remains immovable. Its power of motion is restrained within those limits. So Israel, so the sinner, however he veer to and fro in the details and circumstances of his sin, is fixed and immovable in his adherence to his sin itself. Whatever else Israel did, on one thing his whole being, as a nation, depended, on "backsliding" or aversion from God. The political existence of Israel, as a separate kingdom, depended on his worship of the calves, "the sin wherewith" Jeroboam "made Israel to sin." This was the ground of their "refusing to return" Hosea 11:5, that, through habitual sin, they were no longer in their own power: they were fixed in evil.

Though they called them to the most High - Literally, "called him." As one man, the prophets called Israel; as one man, Israel refused to return; "none at all would exalt" Him, literally, "together he exalteth Him not."

Though they called them to the Most High - Newcome is better: "And though they call on him together because of the yoke, he will not raise it. He shall receive no refreshment." See the metaphor, Hosea 11:4 (note).

And my people are bent to backsliding from me,.... There is a propensity in thorn to it, through prevailing corruption in them; they are inclined unto it, the bias of their minds is that way; they are bent upon it, and pertinaciously abide in it; nor will they be reclaimed from it, by all the means and methods made use of, even though they had been, and professed themselves to be the people of God. Some understand this, not of their backsliding and aversion from God; but either of his return to them, or of their return to him, rendering the words, "and my people are in suspense" (a); like a man that hangs in the air, as Aben Ezra, neither ascends nor descends; that is, they are in doubt of what should be done to thorn, or they themselves should do: either "about my return" (b); that is, to them; whether after all they may expect that God would be kind and merciful to them, so Abarbinel: or "about return to me" (c); whether they should or not, inclining rather not to return. So the Targum,

"my people divide (or hesitate) to return to my law;''

with which Jarchi agrees, paraphrasing it,

"when the prophets instruct them to return unto me, they are in suspense whether to return or not;''

but Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe the word is always used in a bad sense, of aversion or backsliding, and that the word is in another form when used for repentance or returning;

though they called them to the most High; that is, the prophets of the Lord called them to turn from their idols, and return to the most high God, the true and the living God, from whom they had backslidden, and to his true worship, they had neglected and forsaken:

none at all would exalt him; the most high God, and give him the praise and glory due to his name; but, on the other hand, extolled their idols, and ascribed all their good things to them: or "none would exalt them" (d) the prophets of the Lord that called them; would not give that honour to them that was due to their office, or pay any regard to them, or to their admonitions and advice, but depreciated them, and reproached and persecuted them: or "none at all would lift up": that is, their head, as Aben Ezra, toward the heaven, and to God in it, to whom they were called; but kept looking on the earth, and to earthly things, particularly to their idols; and did not lift up or erect their ears, to hearken to what was said to them, but were deaf to all counsel and reproof. The Targum is,

"they walked not in an erect stature.''

Agreeably to which the former clause may be rendered, as by some, "and they called them to things above"; but none would look upwards; See Gill on Hosea 7:16.

(a) "suspensi haerent", Junius & Tremellius; "suspensi", Montanus, Schmidt. (b) "ad reditum meum", V. L. (c) "Circa redire ad me", Castalio. (d) "eos non exaltabit", Schmidt.

And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though {e} they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

(e) That is, the Prophets.

11:7 They - The prophets. None at all - Scarce any one would hearken and obey.

none...: Heb. together they exalted not

7. bent to backsliding-Not only do they backslide, and that too from Me, their "chief good," but they are bent upon it. Though they (the prophets) called them (the Israelites) to the Most High (from their idols), "none would exalt (that is, extol or honor) Him." To exalt God, they must cease to be "bent on backsliding," and must lift themselves upwards.

11:1-7 When Israel were weak and helpless as children, foolish and froward as children, then God loved them; he bore them as the nurse does the sucking child, nourished them, and suffered their manners. All who are grown up, ought often to reflect upon the goodness of God to them in their childhood. He took care of them, took pains with them, not only as a father, or a tutor, but as a mother, or nurse. When they were in the wilderness, God showed them the way in which they should go, and bore them up, taking them by the arms. He taught them the way of his commandments by the ceremonial law given by Moses. He took them by the arms, to guide them, that they might not stray, and to hold them up, that they might not stumble and fall. God's spiritual Israel are all thus supported. It is God's work to draw poor souls to himself; and none can come to him except he draw them. With bands of love; this word signifies stronger cords than the former. He eased them of the burdens they had long groaned under. Israel is very ungrateful to God. God's counsels would have saved them, but their own counsels ruined them. They backslide; there is no hold of them, no stedfastness in them. They backslide from me, from God, the chief good. They are bent to backslide; they are ready to sin; they are forward to close with every temptation. Their hearts are fully set in them to do evil. Those only are truly happy, whom the Lord teaches by his Spirit, upholds by his power, and causes to walk in his ways. By his grace he takes away the love and dominion of sin, and creates a desire for the blessed feast of the gospel, that they may feed thereon, and live for ever.