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They sacrifice flesh - Bp. Newcome translates thus: "They sacrifice gifts appointed unto me, and eat flesh." They offer to their idols the things which belong to Jehovah; or, while pretending to offer unto the Lord, they eat and drink idolatrously; and therefore the Lord will not accept them.

They shall return to Egypt - Many of them did return to Egypt after the conquest of Palestine by Shalmaneser, and many after the ruin of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar; but they had in effect returned to Egypt by setting up the worship of the golden calves, which were in imitation of the Egyptian Apis.

They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of Mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not - As they rejected God‘s law, so God rejected their “sacrifices,” which were not offered according to His law. They, doubtless, thought much of their sacrifices; and this the prophet perhaps expresses by an intensive form; “the sacrifices of My gifts, gifts,” as though they thought, that they were ever giving. God accounted such sacrifices, not being hallowed by the end for which He instituted them, as mere “flesh.” They “offered flesh” and “ate” it. Such was the beginning, and such the only end. “He” would “not accept them.” Nay, contrariwise, “now,” now while they were offering the sacrifices, God would show in deed that He “remembered” the sins, for which they were intended to atone. God seems to man to forget his sins, when He forbears to punish them; to “remember” them, when He punishes.

They shall return to Egypt - God had commanded them to return no more to Egypt Deuteronomy 17:16 of their own mind. But He had threatened that, on their disobedience, “the Lord would bring them back to Egypt by the way, whereof He spake unto them, Thou shalt see it no more again” Deuteronomy 28:68. Hosea also foretells to them, that they (i. e., many of them) should go to Egypt and perish there Hosea 9:3, Hosea 9:6. Thence also, as from Assyria, they were to be restored Hosea 12:11. Most probably then, Hosea means to threaten an actual return to Egypt, as we are told, that some of the two tribes did go therefor refuse, against the express command of God 2 Kings 17:4, such as could, (it is likely) took refuge there. Else, as future deliverance, temporal or spiritual, is foretold under the image of the deliverance out of Egypt, so, contrariwise, the threat, “they shall return to Egypt,” may be, in figure, a cancelling of the covenant, whereby God had promised, that His people should not return: a threat of renewed bondage, “like” the Egyptian; an abandonment of them to the state, from which God once had freed them and had made them His people.

It is a great sin to corrupt the worship of God, and will be charged as sin on all who do it, how plausible soever their excuses may seem to be. The Lord had caused his law to be written for them, but they cared not to know, and would not obey it. Man seems by the temples he builds to be mindful of his Maker, yet really he has forgotten him, because he has cast off all his fear; but none ever hardened his heart against God and prospered. So long as men despise the truths and precepts of God's word, and the ordinances of his worship, all the observances and offerings, however costly, of their own devising, will be unto them for sin; for those services only are acceptable to God, which are done according to his word, and through Jesus Christ.