Hosea 3:4

Verse 4. Altar. Hebrew “statue;” matseba instead of mozbe, as ( Bible.) others agree with S. Jerom, and there seems to have been no variation in his time.—Theraphim. Images or representations, ( Challoner.) either good or bad. As the other things mentioned were good, such lawful images as were used in the temple must be meant. 3 Kennicott. 7:36. Worthington.—S. Jerom explains it of cherubim. Septuagint “altar, priesthood, and manifestations (Urim, and so forth) being wanting.” Bible.—Yet some take it in a bad sense. The Jews adhere neither to God nor to idols. Vat. and so forth—What misfortune, however, would the latter be? In exile the Jews were deprived of the exercise of their religion, and of their princes. Calmet.—But this was only a figure of what they endured since they rejected Christ. Orig. Philoc. i. Saint Jerome—This wretched state will probably continue till they at last embrace the yoke of Christ, the true king of ages. Calmet.