Deu 32:13-15, Hos 2:5, 8 | JFB | STEP | 13-14. He made him ride on the high places, &c.-- All these expressions seem to have peculiar reference to their home in the trans-jordanic territory, that being the extent of Palestine that they had seen at the time when Moses is represented as uttering these words. "The high places" and "the fields" are specially applicable to the tablelands of Gilead as are the allusions to the herds and flocks, the honey of the wild bees which hive in the crevices of the rocks, the oil from the olive as it grew singly or in small clumps on the tops of hills where scarcely anything else would grow, the finest wheat ( ; ), and the prolific vintage.

‏ Deuteronomy 32:13-15

13-14. He made him ride on the high places, &c.--All these expressions seem to have peculiar reference to their home in the trans-jordanic territory, that being the extent of Palestine that they had seen at the time when Moses is represented as uttering these words. "The high places" and "the fields" are specially applicable to the tablelands of Gilead as are the allusions to the herds and flocks, the honey of the wild bees which hive in the crevices of the rocks, the oil from the olive as it grew singly or in small clumps on the tops of hills where scarcely anything else would grow, the finest wheat (Psa 81:16; 147:14), and the prolific vintage.

15. But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked--This is a poetical name for Israel. The metaphor here used is derived from a pampered animal, which, instead of being tame and gentle, becomes mischievous and vicious, in consequence of good living and kind treatment. So did the Israelites conduct themselves by their various acts of rebellion, murmuring, and idolatrous apostasy.

‏ Hosea 2:5

5. I will go after--The Hebrew expresses a settled determination.

lovers--the idols which Israel fancied to be the givers of all their goods, whereas God gave all these goods (Ho 2:8-13; compare Jr 44:17-19).

bread and ... water--the necessaries of life in food.

wool ... flax--clothing.

oil ... drink--perfumed unguents and palatable drinks: the luxuries of Hebrew life.

‏ Hosea 2:8

8. she did not know that I--not the idols, as she thought: the "lovers" alluded to in Ho 2:5.

which they prepared for Baal--that is, of which they made images of Baal, or at least the plate covering of them (Ho 8:4). Baal was the Phoenician sun-god: answering to the female Astarte, the moon-goddess. The name of the idol is found in the Phoenician Hannibal, Hasdrubal. Israel borrowed it from the Tyrians.