Hosea 10:4

Swearing falsely. Israel’s faithlessness in Hosea’s day was pronounced in several respects: (1) forsaking the Lord by idolatry, (2) disloyalty to their sovereign, and (3) falsehood and dishonor in dealing with their fellow men in general. After entering into an agreement with the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V, they deceitfully made a covenant with So, king of Egypt (see 2 Kings 17:4). Thus, at one and the same time they acted as covenant breakers and they disobeyed God’s command forbidding covenants with foreigners (see Ex. 23:32; 34:12; Deut. 7:2), and so were untrue to men and untrue to God. Judgment springeth up. Or, literally, ’judgment [or, justice] sprouts,” or “judgment blossoms.” Some suggest that “judgment” refers to the punishment that God is going to visit upon the wicked nation, punishment that would be as bitter and deadly as hemlock. However, the context seems to indicate that “judgment” here refers to that official “justice” in the land which was a perversion and a mockery of true justice (see Amos 5:7; 6:12). This perverted judgment is like the bitter herb, which springs up so readily and abundantly. Hemlock. Heb. ro’sh, “a bitter and poisonous herb” (see on Ps. 69:21). The word is also used for the poison of serpents (Deut. 32:33; Job 20:16).