..

J
UJ
14:2 0 D A NI E L 145 0 o
-,

foot prints'. -'{ ca n see foo tp rints of men, of women and of children ' sa id the 20
king, -an d a ngrily ordered th e priests to be arrested, with their wives a nd child ren. 21 ~
::;;
Th ey showed him then th e secret door through which they used to co me a nd «
remov e wha t was o n the table . -T he king had them put to death and handed Bel 22
ove r to D a niel who destroyed bo th the idol an d its temple.
ia
o
Da niel kills the drago n
There was a big dragon in Babylon, a nd this was worshipped too. " -The U
king said to Daniel, ' Yo u a re not goi ng to tell me tha t this is no mo re th an z
o-,
bron ze? Loo k, it is alive; it ea ts and d rinks ; you cannot deny that th is is a
living god ; wor ship it, then. ' - Da niel replied, 'I worship the Lord my God ; 25
he is the living God. With yo ur per mission, 0 king, without using eit her sword o r
club I will kill t his serpent.' -You have my pe rmi ssio n' sa id the king. 26 o
Where upo n Da niel took so me pit ch , some fat and some hair a nd boiled them
up toget her , ro lled the mixture int c ba lls a nd fed them to the dragon ; the
27
H OSEA i

dr agon swallowed them and burst. Daniel said, ' Now loo k a t th e so rt of thin g I
yo u wor ship!' -T hc Babylonian s were fur io us when they heard about this and 2R «
Head ing z
began intriguing aga inst the king. 'The king has turned lew,' they said 'he has Lk 3:2
T he word of Ya hweh that was add ressed to Hosea son of Beeri when Uzziah,
a llowed Bel to be o verth rown, and the drago n to be killed, and he has put the
priests to death.' -So they went to the king a nd said, 'H and Daniel over to 29
1 la tha m, Aha z a nd Hezek iah were reignin g in J uda h, a nd Jero boa m son of
Joash in Israel."
00
«
us or else we will kill you , a nd your fam ily' . -They pressed him so ha rd that 30 I

the king fo und himself for ced to ha nd D a niel over to them.

Da niel in the lion pit h I. THE MARRIAGE OF HOSE A AND ITS SYMBO L ISM"
Q,

They threw Da niel into the lion pit, and there he stayed fo r six days . -I n H ~
Hosea 's marriage: his three children
the pit were seven lion s, which were given two h uman bodies and two sheep
Whe n Ya hweh first spoke through Hos ea, Ya hweh sa id this to him, ' G o, 2:6a : 12:
every day; but for this period they were not given any thing, to make sure they o
would eat Daniel. ma rry a whore ,' an d get childre n with a who re," fo r the co unt ry itself has Is 54:5
becom e nothing but a who re by ab and on ing Yah weh'.
N ow the prop het Habakk uk was in l udaea: he had been making a stew , 33
So he went ; and he too k Go mer da ughter of Dibla im, who co nce ived a nd
an d brea king up brea d small to put in a basket. He was on his way to the fields, 2:2.4
bor e him a so n. -'Na me him " Jezrecl' , Ya hweh to ld him ' for it will no: be long
tak ing t his to the ha rvesters, -whcn the a ngel of the Lo rd spoke to him , 'Take 34 I K I S:4 5 -
2 K 9:1 - 10 :
before I mak e the House of Jeh u pay for the bloodshed at Jezreel/ an d I put an o
the mea l yo u a re ca rrying to Babylo n an d give it to Da niel in th e lion pit' , 10:1· 17 :
17: 3·6
w
end to the sovere ignty of the Hous e of Israel. " -W hen tha t da y com es [ will
' Lord,' replied Ha ba kk uk 'I have no t even seen Babylon, a nd kn ow not hing 35
abo ut th is pit.' -T he a ngel of the Lord seized his head a nd ca rried him off by th e 36
break Israel's bow in the Valley of Jez reel .' «
hai r to Ba bylo n where, with a great t hrust of his spirit, he set Ha ba kkuk do wn
She co nceived a second tim e a nd ga ve birth to a da ug hter . ' Na me her N5i::3:5
U nloved" Ya hweh told him . 'No mo re love shall the Ho use of Israe l have fro m .,
J
on th e ed ge of the pit. -'Da niel, D a niel,' Ha ba k kuk shouted 'ta ke th e meal 37
tha t G od has sent yo u.' -A nd Da niel said, 'Yo u have kept me in mind, 0 God; 38
yo u ha ve no t deserted th ose who love yo u'. - R ising to his feet he ate t he meal , 39 1 a . Mo re accu rat ely. it was un de r t he last k ings of a nd a p p lied to t he new Isr ael of God . A ltho ugh
Israel t ha t H osea chiefly exe rc ised h is prophe tic m in- ch . 1- 3 fo rm a clearl y de fined u nit y, t hey are co mposed
whil e t he a ngel of God lost no time in return ing Habakk uk to his ow n co untry. ist ry: Me na hem <743-738), Pcka hi a h (73M·737), Peka h o f h et er o gen eo us elem ent s: a bio gra p hica l n ar r-ati ve
O n t he seventh da y the king ca me to lament over Da niel ; o n reac hing the 40 (737 - 732) . H o shea (732 ·724), ( Hosea 's m arri age a nd t he b irth of his three ch ild ren >,
b . Subsequ ent p ro p hets performed ma ny symbolic 1;2-9 : a dis co u rse by Ya hwe h (God 's t rea t men t of faith-
pit he look ed inside, a nd there was Daniel, qu ite unpertu rbed . -'Yo u are great, 41
gestu res , cr. J r I K: I -i, but Hosea' s whole life with its less Isr ael), 2:4-2 5; an a u tob iog rap hica l fragment
o Lo rd, God of Da niel,' he excla imed 'there is no god but you !' -Then he 42 hear tbr eakin g expe r iences was a symbol. ch. 1-3.. He (re co nci lia t ion with the lm fait h fu l wife, expla na tion o f
lo ved . and still lo ves. a wi fe wh o ha s bet rayed h im : t h is symb ol ic act) , 3: 1-5 , It is pos sible tha t 2:1 . whic h
43

released Da niel from th e pit a nd had th e plo tters of Da niel's ru in thr own in Ya hweh lik ewi se sti ll lo ve s fa it h less Isr ael an d , when
instea d, where they were insta ntly eaten befo re his eyes. he has ma de trial of her re pen ta nce. wi ll cher ish her
ngaiu. Ho sea' s co nceo no n of a ma r riage of Y ahweh
wit h his peo p le dat ing fro m the covenan t o f Si nai wa s to
become fa m iliar in t he nronhetic t radit ton . T he pro phets
deno unc e idolat ry as 'p rosti uu lon' o r 'ud ulterv' and
co m pare t he relat ions hip between Is rael and God wi th
the tl uct uuri o ns o f ma rried life. Cr. a lso D t 4:24 I .
l ho ugh Isaia h alludes o n ly bri efly to th is the me (I s I :
2 1-26), Jerem iah revert s to it sever a l t imes (J r 2:2; 3: I,
II- I :!): but it is Ezekie l who. in two grea t ull eao ric s,
El k 16 and 23. devc to ns t hc t hem e m os t fully. In t he
sec on d pa rt of Is. the rcs to ruuo n of Israe l is d esc ri bed as
t he reco ncili ati on of a wife who has been unfai thful.
Is 50: 1; 5 4 :6~7 , cf. Is 62:4 -5. It is po ss ib le. also. tha t th is
wedded lo ve o f G od fo r h is people is (he subje ct of S ~
alld of Ps 45. In the N .T.. Jes us sp ea ks of t he mess ia nic
14 g. Noth ing is known o f a dra gon-go d in Bab ylo n. h. A parallel na rr a tive [ 0 tha t or ch. 6. T he mea ns ~H:C as a ti me of wed d ing . M t 2:: 1- 14: 25:1- 13. and for
Th is s to ry was fam iliar to ea r-ly Jewish wri ter s who of H a ba k ku k 's tr a ns po rt a ti on may ha ve been s uae cs red S tl ' nu l C hris tia n mar riage is a symbol of C h ris t's union
refer to it when co m mcn u na (In Jr 51 :44 . by El k ~ : 3. With h is C hu rch. Ep 5:25-33. cr. 1 Co 6: 15-17 ; 2 Co I I: 2.
'1 litis th e prop he tic image of earlie r days is sanc t io ned
rea d as a co nc lusio n to t his sec t io n. s ho u ld not be
uu rt but cd In Hosea .
c. Li t. ' a wi fe o f nros utu tion'. cr. 4: 12: 5:4 : e ither
a woman will> W ;:I S a lread y known to be a nrosttunc p r o
1l1t\I'C pr o b abl y. nn e who lat er became on e .
d . Lit. 'c hild re n o f . prostitution' . No t tha t th e
c hildre n ar c ttl be born uf a ll ad uu cro us u nion but
t ha t th cy ra ke after th ei r u nfaith fu l nuu hcr. d . Ezk 16:
44:S i41: 5.
c. Th e names of Hosea's childre n a rc nruohctic.
cr. I ~ I :26 I .
f. Jczrcc l Cd: /"t't'!, "G od sow s', d . 2:24 -25) wa s on e
of th e res ide nces of t he k ings of Isr ael : it wa s her e tha t
Jehu mas sa cred t he de scendan ts o f O mr i.
/.:' Th e d yn a sty o f Jeh u e nded wit h t he assa ss ina ti on
of Ze cha r iah in 74] .
II , Th e Va lier o f Jczreel . or o f Meaid d o. has alwa ys
bee n o ne o f t he e rea t baulc tlelds of Pale s t ine. JR: 4:
12-16: 2 K 23:2lJ-3 0. Cle o
t. The me a ni ng of th e sym bolic na me Lo-Ru hamah .
oI
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o-,
1:7 HOSEA 145 2 1453 HOSEA 2 :2 1
14 :4 6:1 -3
me in future, no fu rther for givene ss. · (But my love sh all go to the H o use " of The n she will say , 'I will go back! to my first husb a nd ,
Ps 10:1
J uda h a nd thro ug h Ya hweh the ir G od I mean to sav e th em - but not by bo w I was ha ppier then than 1 am today' .
Jr 3:22
Lk 15:17-1 8 '"
~
2:20 o r swo rd or battle, hor se o r hor sem an .)' «
1 S 17:47 16 9 : 10: 12:10 :
2 K 19:34 /4 That is wh y I am going to lure her 14:5
Ps 33: 16: She weaned Un loved, conceived aga in and gav e bi rth to a so n . ·'Name J r 3 1:2
60: 11- 12 and lead her out int o the wilderness "
him No-Peo ple-of- M ine" Ya hweh sa id . ' Yo u a re no t my peo ple a nd I a m not Ezk 16:60
Pr 21:31
Is 30:16 : 31: 1 and speak to her heart. ~
Mi 5:9
yo ur G od .'> 17 a
Zc 4 :6 /5 I am going to gi ve her back her vineyards,
and make the Vall ey of Ach or' a ga te wa y o f hop e. Jos 7:24-26
Yahw eh and his unfaithful wife" Is 65:1 0
T here she will respond to me as sh e did when she wa s yo ung, Ps7 1:I7 z
Is 50'1 4
2 Deno unc e your m other , denounce he r, a-,
J r 2:2
2 a s she d id when she came out of th e land of Egypt.
for she is not my wife Ex 13:17 +
n or a m I her husband . is W hen t hat day comes-it is Ya hweh wh o spea ks-
16
Let he r rid her face of her whoring. sh e will m call me , ' My husba nd ' , Jr 31:22
~
a nd her breasts of her ad ultery," no lo nger will s he call me, ' My Baal '." 14:4 :;;
Ez k 16:7 o r else I will strip her na ked,r 19
17 I will take the names of the Baa ls o fT her lips ,
ex pose her as on t he d ay she was born ; the ir names shall never be utt ered 0 again .
I will mak e a wild erness of he r," :.t:
20
J r 6:8: 9:11 turn her into a n a rid la nd, /8 When tha t day comes I will make a treaty on her be half Jb 5:23
Ezk 34:25 ~
with the wild a nimal s, Ze 9: 10
a nd leav e her to die o f th irst.
I will not lo ve her children, 6 with the b ird s of heaven a nd the creeping th ings of the earth;
4 1:7
1:2 + ; 4:12; since they ar e the children of whoring. I will brea k bow, swo rd a nd ba ttle in the cou ntry, ID
«
5:7 :I:
Ye s, their mothe r has played the whore, -r a nd mak e her sleep sec ure."
21
she who conce ived t hem has disgraced herself. J9 I will betro th 'I you to myself for ever,
Jr2:25: 3:13
'I a m go ing to court' my lo ver s'! she sa id betroth you with integ rity a nd justice,
Am 2:4 4: 2
~
Jr 44:17
'w ho gi ve me my bread and wa te r, with tenderness" and love; Mi 6:8
10:1 Lk 15
my wool, my flax, my o il a nd my drink. >«
Sh e wou ld not ack nowledge, not she, 10
8
l , O r ' Ins tea J I will hate her bincrt y": or po ss ib ly is o ne of t he JHlr ReS nca r Jericho lea d in g to the u pla nd s
Dt 7:I3 : N: ' I w ill p u ni sh her se ver ely' , o f t he in ter ior : the na me mea ns ' mi sfort u ne ' , cr. Jos 7:
II - I K that I wa s the one wh o was giving her I( ' t he Ho use ' llcbr.: ' th e so ns ' G ree k . 24·2 6 .
Ps 144: 12f the co rn, the win e, th e o il, I. Th e meani ng o f th e s vrnb olic nam e Lo- Am mi . Ill . 's he will' G ree k : ' tho u wilt ' Heb r. So a lso in

El. k 16: 17 The t hree ch i ld r en arc named in ascendi n g order of
and who free ly gave her th a t silver and go ld th e seve r ity o f th e n un ishrn cnt : wit h th e t h ir d . God
o f which they hav e made Baa ls. break s wit h Is rael eur iret v.
m . "I am no t yo ur God ' some M SS and se veral of
9:2
T hat is wh y, w hen the time co mes , I mean to withdraw my co rn, 11 t he Fa the rs : ' I will no t be (or : I a m not) yours' Heb r.
9 " will he t heir God and t hey shall be my peop le' was
a nd my wine, whe n th e seaso n fo r it com es . t he fo rm u la exp ressi ng the coven ant be twee n Go d and
I will retrieve my woo l, Illy flax, h is fa it hf u l. cf J r 3 1:3 1 ! . We read 2: 1·3 after 3:5.
2 a . Ya hwe h spea ks as a s ligh te d lo ver, no t rciccun g
that were int ended to co ve r her nakedness ; h is un fa ith fu l belo ved but seek ing to br in g her ha ck by
Ez k 16:37
5:14 so will I di splay her sha me befo re her lo vers' eye s 12
J()
re peated co rrec tio n ; i n t his he succeeds ; the n. h a vin g
the fo llow ing lin e .
n. T he name boat Cmaster ') was als o used of
hu sba nd s. It ha d been fro m a ncie nt times an eleme nt
in certa in pr op er n ames, cr. 1 S 14:4 9 + : 2 S 2:8. erc. :
I C h 8:33: 9:39.40, witho u t a ny id o lat ro us sig nifica nce ow
Ya hwe h be in g th e ' m as ter ' to who m the bea re r of the !>l
name was thus d ed ica ted . Later. ho we ver t he asso -
cia t ion o f t he word with th e Ca naa nite d ivini ties
(d. J g 2: I + ) m ade its use di srepu tab le; hence Hos ea
forbid s n. v , 19 .
o . O r 't he ir n a mes s ha ll be re memb ered n o m o re' . .,
J

tes ted he r re pen ta nce . he welco mes her wi th a ll th e
In 10:29 a nd no o ne sha ll rescue her from Illy power." fe r vo ur of h is first lo ve a nd sho wers gifts on he r.
I will lay her vines a nd fig trees was te, 14 b . By ' who ring' a nd ' a d u lter y' here we shou ld
10 : 1 /2 pr o ba bl y u nderstan d th e a mu lets, ta tt oo ing and ot he r
thos e of which she used to say, d istin ctive m a rk s o f a p ros t itu te, d. Pr 7: 10 : G n 38: 15.
'T hese are the pay my lo ve rs ga ve me ' ; c . A pu n ish me n t fo r sh a meless wo me n . Ezk 16:
Ps 8 0 : 1 2~ IJ 37- 39; Is 47:2-3: Jr 13:22 : Na 3:5: Rv 17: 16 .
Is 5:5-6 I a m go ing to ma ke them into thi cke ts d . Trans fe re nce of th e sy m b o l from t he wife to
fo r the wild bea sts to ra va ge . th e COUntr y. T he wealt h of C a na a n which had bee n an
Is 1:13- 14 13 oc ca s ion of s in fo r Is ra el . 10: I ; 13:6 . is to be re mo ved ,
J r 7:34 I will put a n end to a ll her rejo icing, Jl 4 :3 ; 5:7; 9 :6 ; 13: 15.
A m 5:2 1-23 :
K:IO her feast s, her New Moo ns, her sa bba ths e , Lit . ' !-to afte r. pu rsu e ' in the se nse of bein g
devo ted to ; t he expression is ta ken from the vuc ab u-
and all her solemn festivals. Ian ' o f love .
1 mean to make he r pay for a ll the da ys IS r. T he Baa ls, Canaanite gods of ferti lity to who m
13 the Isra el ites o tfercu th e nroduce of th ei r soil . which
whe n she burnt offerings to t he Baa ls th ey beli eved came as m uch from t he gods of Ca naa n
and deck ed herself wit h ri ngs a nd necklaces as fro m Ya hweh .
Jl:. We read vv, R· 9 a ft er v. 15.
to co urt her lovers, h. Vv. 13 an d 14 a rc here int ercha nged .
J r 2: 37 forge tting me . i. ' he r ' ( h eck an d Syr.: ' thy' H cbr .
It is Ya hwe h who is sp ea king. i . Li t. ' I will JUl. 1 w ill ret u r n' .
k , H osea . like A mos be fo re h im (Am 5:25) . th inks
That is why I a m go ing to block he r' way with t ho rns, o f Israel' s jo ur-n e y t hro ug h t he desert as a time o f
J r 2:23 sp ir itual id yll (anti d . 12: 10): Israel was t he n ch ild like
a nd wa ll her in so tha t she canno t find her way; ( Ho 11: 1-4). k now in g not h ing of pa ean god s. lo ya l 10
she will c hase after her lo vers a nd never catch up with them, Yahwe h who se p rese nce was mani fest in t he cl o ud ,
she will sea rc h fo r the m a nd never find them . H0 2: 16· 17 : J r2 :2-3 . O n [h e Exo du s t he me in [he
Pro p hets. cr. Is 40: 3 I .
I. ' 1 will ma ke ' corr.: 'from t he re ' Hebr, Acho r
n. J us tice a nd ho liness will characte rise th e messi-
an ic age. vv. 2 1~22 , a nd Go d will aga in dwe ll a mo ng
his people , la vishin g h is gifts , cf. Lv 26:3 - 13 ; D t 28: 1-1 4 .
T he sky wi ll give rai n , t he ea rth will yield a b u ndant
h a rvests. A m 9: 13: H o 2:23·24 : 14:8· 9 : Jr 3 1: 12, 14;
Ezk 34:26 -27 .29: 36:29 -30: Is 30:2 3-26 : 49: 10 : J I 2: 19.
22·24 : 4: 1 8 ~ zc 8: 12. The cro ps will be sa fe from
m ara ud ers. Am 9: 15 : Is 65:21 -23. cr. D t 28:3 0-33. s ince
t he re wi ll be no more inva sion . Mi 5:4 ; Is 32:17- 18 :
J I 2:20: Jr 46 :27; Is 4 :5·6. cr. a lso 25:4·5 . Th e w ild
anirn nls wi ll no t thr ea ten : God will m a ke a trea ty with
t hem , 110 2:20 ; E zk 34:25.28 . A ll t he nat ion s, under th e
r ule or the Messiah-King. Is 9:5-6; Zc 9: 10 . will enio v
peace , Is 2:4 = M i 4:3 ; cr. Is I I:6-8 I : 65:25. Death
itse lf wil l be no more , Is 25:7-8: sorro w will give place
to joy, J r 3 1: U : Is 65 : IX-19 ; Ua 4:23.29. cr. nv 2 1:4.
II . Clo d tak es back his u n fa it h fu l wi fe with the
fer vo u r o f firs t lo ve, a nd s ho we rs her (cf . G n 24 :53;
34: 12) with s pir itua l uifts.
r . T he p r im a ry mean ing o f t h is wo rd ( hesedl is
t hat of a bon d , or co ntrac t. W hen used of hu ma n
rel a tio n sh ip s it co mes to mean frie nds hip. uni o n .
IUY<l lty . especia lly whe n th ese are the o u tcome of a
t reat y, Use d of God , t h e ter m m ea ns his faithfu lness to
h is cove na nt a nd the kindness he there fore shows h is
c ho sen peo ple ( in Ex 34:6). Us ed by Ho sea in t he
co ntext of m a rr ied lo ve, t he wor d ass u mes an d fr o m
t hen on ret ain s a s t ill war mer s hmi fica ncc: it mean s
th e ren de r lo ve God has for h is peop le , Ps 136 :
J r 31:3. e tc.. and th c be nefi ts de riv ing from it, Ex 20:6 ;
D t 5: 10 : 2 S 22:5 1: Jr 32:18: Ps 18:50 . Bu t t h is d iv ine
rio,
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2:22 HOSEA / 454 1455 H O SEA 4:1 2 Q

22
In 1:14 I will betrot h you to myself w ith faithful ness, 20 the pro phet" stumbling with yo u, Ul
a nd yo u will come to know Ya hwe h.' a nd yo u a re t he r uin of yo ur pe ople. e o
:;;
Jr 5:4 <t
23 My peopl e perish for wa nt of know led ge.
W hen that da y co mes'<- it is Ya hweh w ho speaks- 2/
As yo u ha ve reje cted kno wledge!
Ps 67:6 the heavens will hav e their a ns wer from me, M I 2:1-9
so do I reject yo u fro m my pr iesthood;
the ea rth its a nswer from th em , yo u have forgo tten the teaching o f yo ur G od , a1
o
24
t he gra in, the wine, th e oil, their a nsw er from the ea rt h, 22
I in my turn will forg et yo ur chil dr en .
1:4-9 : 2:3 a nd Je zre el his a nswer " from them .
25 M any as the y are, all of them have sinned again st me ,
I will so w him ' in th e country, 23
they ha ve ba rtered t heir glory for shame." 4: 18 z
Is 62:4 I wiII love U nloved;
Jr2:11 + ...,o
T hey feed on the sin of my peopl e,
/' R m 9:25 I will say to No-People-o f-Mi ne, ' You a re my people', 24
.» 1 P 2: 10 they are all greedy for their iniquity."
a nd he will a nswe r, ' Y ou a re my G od'. " Bu t as wi th th e pe ople, so let it be with the pr iest:
o
H osea takes his unfa ithful wife ba ck a nd tests her fidelity. T he symbol ex pla ined I will m a ke the m pay for the ir co nd uc t, s
Ya hwe h sa id to me, ' G o a seco nd tim e, give yo u r love to a wo ma n, loved I will pa y them ou t for the ir deed s,
3
I
10:1
by her hu sb a nd but a n a d ulteress in sp ite of it, " just as Ya hwe h gives his lo ve 10 T hey will ea t but never be sa tisfied , M i6: 14
J r 7: 18 to t he so ns of Israel th ou gh t hey turn to o ther go ds a nd love rai sin cakes' . " they wiII play the wh ore but still be ste rile,' <t
because they ha ve dese rted Ya hweh z
So I bo ug ht her ' for fiftee n silver shek els and a bus hel-a nd- a- ha lf o f barley,"
a nd sa id to her, 'Fo r man y days yo u must keep yo urse lf q uiet ly fo r me,' not II to give t hemselves up -to whoring.
play ing th e whore or o ffering yo urself to ot hers ; a nd I w ill do th e sa me for yo u' . W orship in Israel is now idolat ro us and deba uched m
E x 23:24 ~ ; Fo r the so ns of Israe l w ill be kept fo r ma ny days witho ut a kin g, witho ut 4
«
I
28:6 I W ine, new wine add les the wits '!
1 S 15:23 + a leader, witho ut sa crifice o r sa cred sto ne, without ephod or ter aphim . -A ftc r-
D n 3:3S Jr 2:27
H a b 2 : I S wa rds the so ns of Israe l w ill come back ;' they wi ll see k Ya hweh the ir G od a nd 12 My people co ns u lt t he ir block o f wood,
Jr ]O : 1)
Da vid the ir king ;" th ey will co me trembling to Ya hwe h, co me for his goo d a rod answers t he ir q uestio ns ;" Q.

th ings" in those days to co me . hesed ca lls for cor respo ndi ng hcs ed in man 0 10 6:6), cf. 2:8. 9. 16.
:tJ
con si st in g of se lf-aiv ina. Iovin e t TUSI . ab a nd o n me nt. f. C f. 2:9: 6: 1: 14:2.
Th e great future d eep affect io n. ' piety' , a lo ve (in sho r t) whic h is a J:. C r. J r 30 :9; Ez k 34:23. T he Nort he rn a nd
So u thern K ing do ms will ther efo re be re u nited. 2:2.
/' Rm 9:27 2 A nd th e num be r o f th e so ns o f Isra el will be like the sa nd
jo yfu l s u bm iss io n to th e will o f G o d a nd an ac tive
T he e nd o f v, 5 is pe rh ap s no t by H ose a .
o
c hnri ty to fell o w me n. Ho 4:2: 6:6. T h is idea l. ex pressed
in many o f t he Psa lm s , will la te r be thai o f thc I Ia s idim . h. P ro b a bly the p ro d uce of th e so il, 2:24 ; 14:6-8 ; ~
o n the seas ho re,
o r ' H as ld aea n s". cr. I M 2:42 -· Is 1; 19 ; J r .\ 1: 12- 14 .
which ca nno t be measured o r co u nted . s . In H osea ' k no wl ed ge of Ya hwe h' and hesed no 2 x . O r 'a nd the y will re t urn from the co u ntr y
• R m 9: 26 In the place whe re the y we re to ld , ' Yo u a re no peopl e o f mi ne' , toge the r 2:2 1-22 : 4:2 ; 6:6 ; th is ' k no wledge ' is t he re fo re (of thei r ex ile)' .
no t me rel y in tell ec t u a l. G od ' m a kes h im -self k now n' y. N e w sy mbolic na me s, co n tra ry to th e tirs t:
I n 1:1 2 they will be ca lled, 'The so ns o f the livin g God' . to ma n when he en gage s hi m sel f 10 h im b y co ve na nt A m m i ( 'Peo p le-o f- Mi nc ' ). Ruhamah t't.oveo '). 'to o
W
Jr 3: 1M I· T he so ns o f J ud ah a nd o f Isra el will be on e agai n an d sh ows hi s love t heseds fo r h im by th e bcneflrs yo u r be loved b rot he r' , ' to yo u r s is te r' G re ek; 'to you r
he co n fe rs ; sirnil a rly. man ' kno ws God ' whe n he b ro t he rs ' , ' to yo u r s is ters ' H e be.
a nd cho ose themselves one single lea der , lo ya lly observes God 's cove na nt. sh o ws gra titude 4 a, Th e passa ge spea ks of a gre at drou gh t,
a nd they will spread far bey o nd their co untry; " fo r G o d ' s gifts, a nd ret urn s lo ve fo r lo ve. C f. Jb 2 1: 14 : cf. A m 1:2 ; 4:7 : 7:4; J I I : 16-20 : 2:3 , The p u nish me nt
P r 2: 5 : Is 1]:2 : 5R:2. In the wi sd om tite rntur c ' kno w- for m an 's sins is sha red by the who le c rea tio n ,
1:4-9 + so grea t will be the da y of J ezree l. G n 3: 17- I S; J r 4 :23-2S ; 9;9; 12:4: 14 :2· 6 ; H g 1:6-1l : ..J
le d ge ' a nd 'w isd om' a re p ru cticall v sy non ym ou s . r
1 P 2: 10 To yo ur brot he r say , ' People-of- Mine' , I. H ebe. in sert s 'J s ha ll an swe r' , abse nt fro m G ree k 2: 16-1 7 ; Z p 1:3 : Is 24:4- 7, e tc" so a ls o is man's red em p-
a nd Sy r. tio n, Is 11:6 I· ; J 14 : 18, cf. R m 8: 19-22 + .
2:24-25 1- to yo ur sister, ' Belo ved'. " b. Line cor r. : H ebr . ' T hy pe op le is like tho se who
11. Li t. ' J sha ll a nswer t he heavens , they wil l an swer
the ea rt h ' et c. The name Je zrce l no longe r reca lls t he deno unce the priest '. T he pries thood as a whol e is
c r im es o f ea r lie r d a ys . 1:4 " bu t now jus ti fies its he re a tt ac ked fo r ign o ran ce, ne glec t. gr ee d a nd eve n.
e tymo lo gy, 'God sows', cr. v. 25 . a nd s ta nds fo r an 6:9, v io le nc e. Fo r o ther a tt ac ks, eC.J r 2:8 : 6: 13 : M i 3:1 1:
II. T HE C R I M ES AND P UNISHM ENT OF I SR A E L Is ra e l re s to re d a nd p ro spero u s . This Je zree l ple ad s, as it Z p 3:4 . a nd es pecia lly MI J:6- 2:9.
we re , with the p ro d uc e of the soi l, wh ich p lea is pa ssed c. Tex t carr.
to ea rt h a nd s ky and fina lly to God who gra n ts it ,
Genera l corruption v. 'w ill so w h im ' cc rr.: ' will so w he r fo r m yself'
lIebr. d. O n the u n wo rt h y p rophets, cr. J r 23 : 13-32:
JT 2:4 So ns o f Israel, listen to the word o f Yahweh,
12:3
Is 3: 13- 15
M i 6: 1-5
4 for Ya hweh ind icts th e inh abita nt s o f t he co untry:
t he re is no fide lity, no tenderness,
w. G od so lov es h is peo ple t ha t he wi ll aive the
lie to the omi no us nam es, 'Un loved ' a nd 'N u-Pco nle-
o f- M ine": th e d isas ter t he y p rophesied will co me to a n
M i 3:5, 11. e tc.
c. Li nc co rr . : Heb e. ' I s ha ll be th e r u in of yo u r
mo the r' .
f. K no wle dge o f the Law in which the priests shou ld
e nd , an d th e nam es w ith it ; t he na mes a re repl aced
2:2 1-22 + no knowledg e of G od in th e co unt ry, by thei r o ppos ites . cf. 2: 1,3 . have inst r uct ed t he peop le, D t 33 : 10 : M I 2:5-8 .
3 a . 'lo ved by her h usba nd ' Hc be. : ' who love s ev il' J;. ' t he y ha ve bartered their ~ I o ry (i .c . Ya hwe h)
o nly pe rj ur y a nd lies, sla ughte r, th eft , Gr ee k . T he ' wo m a n". it see ms , is Go me r hers elf : fo r s ha me (t.c. the Ba a ls)' Ta ra. a nd Svr. : ' J will
J r 7:9 ad ulte ry a nd vio le nce, mu rd er afte r mu rder. H ose a use d to lov e he r a nd c vi d ently still does, th o ua h change t he ir a lor y into s ha me ' He br .
s he has be tra yed him once a nd is betra ying h im now . h. T he pri es t' s sha re in the sac r ifice fo r sin was
J r 4 :2S T his is why t he co un tr y is in mourning, a nd a ll who live in it pi ne aw ay, T he pro p he t's ge ne ros uv is a symbo l o f God 's pe rs ist e n t co ns idc rub le. Lv 6: 19·22, as it was in th e sa c rifice of
J I I : IO
eve n t he wild a ni ma ls a nd t he birds o f hea ven ; lo ve for hi s fa ithless pe o pl e . re pa ra ti o n . L v 7:7: in t his wa y the peopl e 's s in s were to
Z p 1:3 b . O r 'to o t he r god s who lo..' e r a is in ca kes ' , h is ad va ntuac . cf. I S 2: 12- 17,
the fis h of th e sea t hemse lves a re per ishing." ef. Do 14:5-8. i , T o ' pl a y the whor e' is to be un fa ith ful to Y a hwe h,
c. Ho sea b uy s G o me r b ack either fro m he r pr es en t as in 2: 14 : 4 : 1M: 9: I. wit h a p ossib le a llu sio n to s acred
Against the pr iests o wne r o r fr om a paga n s h rine whe re pe r ha ps s he wa s pr osn rution .
II s uc red pr osti tu te . I. A n iso la ted p roverb , possib ly ta ke n o u t of its
Bu t let no man de no unce, no ma n re bu ke; d . Th e to tal pric e is a p p ro xim at el y t hat of a sla ve's o r lgtna l co nte xt.
ru nso m . Ex 2 1:32 : Lv 27:4. k . T he ' b lo ck of wo od ' is a pp a re nt ly a con tem p -
it is yo u , pries t, tha t.l denounce." e. A per iod o f trial. a s v . 4 expl a ins, befo re the tu ou s te r m for a n asher ah o r sacred po le, Ex 34 :13 +.
Ws 10 : 12 Day a nd n ight s yo u stu m ble a lo ng, cov e na nt is re ne we d bet wee n Y a hw e h and Isr ae l, T he 'roo' is p robabl y a d ivine r's wa nd .
r'" ..J
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4: 13 H O SEA /45 6 1457 HOSEA 6:1 -,

1:2 ; 2:6
for a pro st itut ing spirit leads them astray, t hey ha ve fathered bastards, VJ
they reno unce t heir G od to play t he whore. and now the destroyer] will devo ur them , them and the ir estates. 0
::;
10 :8 c(
DI 12:2 + T hey offer sac rifice o n the mountain to ps, 13
burn their offerings on the hills, The brothers' war v
8;1
under oak and popl a r an d terebint h, Sound the horn in Gibeah, JI 2:1 + c(
!Il
so pleasant is their sha de. the trumpet in Rama h, 0
4 :15+
So, although yo ur da ughters pro stitut e th emselves give the alarm at Beth-aven ,
a nd your so ns' wives co mmi t adultery, call Benjamin to arms!"
Z
I shall not be hard o n your da ughters for th eir whoring 14 Ephraim shall be laid waste when th e da y co mes for puni shmen t ; 0
-,
or on your so ns' wives fo r their ad ultery ,' I pronounce certain doom for th e tribes of Israel.'
D l23 :19 '1 Dt 19:14 ;
when everyo ne else is wa nder ing off> with whores 10 T he leaders of Judah are like men wh o displace the boundary rnar k ;' 27:1 7
Pr 15:25
a nd offering sac rifice with sac red pros titutes. I mean to pour my anger out o n them in a flood .
U
T hus does a senseless peop le ru n to ruin. II Ephraim is an oppressor, he tramples on justice," s
so set is he on his pursuit of nothingness. '
A warning to J udah 12 Very well, I myself will be the moth of Ephraim, 7:9
Is 50:9 +
T hough you, Israel, play the whor e, 15 the canker of the House of Judah. I
c(
Z
there is no need for J udah to sin too.
12 : 12
A m 4 :4 i ; Do not go to G ilgal, The folly of foreign alliances ~

5:8
JII :S do not go up to Beth-aven,« 13 Ephraim has seen how sick he is
Jo s 7:2 t- m
'I Am 8:/4 do no t tak e th e oa th, 'As Ya hweh lives !' > and Judah the extent of his wound, c(
:I:

Israel the stubborn heifer

so Ephraim has turned to Assyria,
Judah has appealed to the G reat King ;>
7:11 ; 8:9;
12:2
1 K 15:19:
...
16:7-9
10 :11
Since Israe l is as obstina te 16 but he has no powe r to cure you
J r 31: 18 a.
as a stubbo rn heifer, nor to heal your wound." w
N
how ca n Ya hweh pasture him 13;7
14 For I mean to be like a lion to Ephra im, Is 5;29
like a lam b in ro lling pastu res? Am 3:12
like a young lio n to the House of Judah ; Na 2:12
14:9
Ep hra im is wedded to idols,
~
17 I, yes I, will tear to pieces, then go my way,
A m 2:X : 6: 2:12
4·6 they spraw l· in the compa ny o f d runkards ; 18 I will carry off my prey , and no one can snatch it from me.
whor ing is a ll they ca re a bo ut,
4:7
they ba rter th eir glory fo r sha me." Yahweh abandons his people
Jr 4: 11 ~ 13 DJ 4 :29-31 +
A m 1: 14 T he wind will ca rry them 00' o n its wings, 19 15 Yes, I am going to return to my dwelling place > Ps 27 :8 ; 78: U
34; 107 :6 W
then all their altars will brin g them is disappo int ment. un til they confess their guilt" and seek my face; Jr 29:13 N

r Priests, nobles and king are the ruin of the natio n

5 Listen to this, pr iests,

atte nd, House of Israel,
": / they will search for me in their m isery.

Israel' s short-lived and shallow repentance"

'Come, let us ret urn to Yahweh.
Am 5:4 +

2:9 ; 8;2 --, .J

listen, roy al hou sehold, 6 He has to rn us to pieces, but he will heal us; Job 5:19

r you who are responsible for j ust ice, a

fo r you have been a snare at Mizpah, b
and a net o uts prea d o n Ta bor.
T hey are ent renched in their deceit fulness-
I. Th eir gu ilt is les s since th ey are given a bad
exa m p le by their hu sb ands and fa t hers.
J. A llu d ing to the advance of the a rmy of J uda h
in to Israelite territory, perha ps a lso to earlier encroach-
m. 'wander ing off ' corr . ; ' lead ing as tra y' Hebr. men ts by Ju d ah . 1 K 15: 16-22.
'eve ryo ne el se' . ii i . ' they ' are the Is rae li tes as a who le . k . By co nc ludi ng an a llia nce wit h Damasc us a nd
cr. v. 12. a tt acking its own br ot he rs of the So u thern K ing d om.
a nd so I am going to puni sh them all. n. Be th-e ven Chouse of no t h in gness ') is an insul ting I. 'an oppressor ' corr. fo llowi ng Greek; ' o p presse d '
I kno w a ll a bo ut Ephra im, n ick name for Bethe l (Be th-el: ' ho u se of G od '). Hebr, ' he tramples o n' co rr. fo llowi ng G reek :
o . Per haps read ' d o no t ta ke o a t h b y Beer sheba' , 'c r u s hed' Hebr. ' no thin gness ' Greek : 'a command'
Israe l has no secrets for me ; as in Am 5:5 ; 8:14. H ebr . All human hel p is e m p ty 03:4 : Is 44:8 :
yes Ephra im, you " have played th e who re, p. Text corr. Ps 18:3 1, etc .). bu t thi s is especia lly t r ue of Damasc us
5 a . cr. M i 3:1 ; D. 1:17 . whose fa ll is imm ine nt.
Israel has defiled himself . b. Appare nt ly M izpah near Gerasa in T ransio r- m . 'to the Great Ki ng ' corr. ; 't o' K in g Jareb ' or
Jr 1.1:23·1· 'to an avc netns ki ng' Hebr. R eference to the tri b ute
T heir deeds do not allow them to return to their God, da n ia . Jg 10:17 ; 11:1 ] ; G n 31:49.
1:2 c . Te xt co rr. Li t. 'They have d ug deep the p it of pa id by Mena hem to Ttalath -nilese r III in 738.
since a pros tituting spir it possesses them; at r u yi n g' . cr. 2 K 15:19. a nd 10 the a ppe a l of Ahaz fo r he lp fr om
th ey do not kn ow Ya hweh. d . 'vo u' (sing ular) corr . : ' n ow ' H ebr. the same A ssy r ian king in 735. cf . 2 K 16:7-9.
Am b :S e. Text corr. n . ' heal your wound' corr .
T he a rroga nce of Israe l is his own accu ser, o . Heaven . cr. Is 18:4: 63: 15 ; Jr 25:30: M i 1:3 :
14 :2
the iniqu ity of Ep hrai m knoc ks him do wn,' r. 'the de stroyer ' corr. ; ' the new moon' Hebr. Ps 18;6.
I , This whole passage, a nd probably a ll that fo llows p. O r ' a to ne fo r their gu ilt' .
and down co mes J udah wit h him . O! far as 6:6 , ref ers , a pparentl y. to t he Svro-Ephrai mite 6 a . Hosea co m p oses a pe niten tia l p ra yer (b orrowing
I'r I : 2H
t -, ) ) :6 T hough they go in search of Ya hweh with their sheep and oxen , wa r (735-734) , cr. 2 K 16:5 + . per ha ps from a n atonement r itual . 1 K 8:3 1-53 :
' \ Ill .<;; :4 I ; h. Lit. 'set Benja mi n in m otion' cor r.: ' be h ind yo u, Jr 3:2 1-25 : JI 1- 2 : Ps 85): t his he puts int o the mou th
a 11- 12 t hey do no t find him ; ltcnf nmi n' Hebr. o f t he peo ple terr ified bY God 's threat of punish men t
J u j ' ] 4 : 8:1 r
1.0 for he has withdrawn from th em . I. I.e . exile , d ismemberment of the kin gdom . a nd de sertion . 5: 14· 15: t hey exhort one another to
2 K 15: 29, the fa ll of Samaria and t he loss of Israel' s return to Ya hwe h, VV . 1-3. b u t the re turn is o nly
T hey have proved unfaith ful to Ya hweh, Ind ependence, 2 K 17:5-6. temporar y ; th ere is no tr ue repent anc e, VV. 4- 6.
 6:2 HOSEA 145 8 1459 HOSEA
he has struck us d o wn , but he will bandage o ur wo und s; Th us hav e all their kings fallen,
a fter a day o r two he will bri ng us back to life, no t one o f them has ever ca lled o n me .
13:14 on the thi rd da y" he will ra ise us
Elk 37
a nd we shall live in his pre se nce. Israel ruined by relying on foreign powers
<Let us set o urse lves to kno w Ya hweh ; Ja Ep hraim mixes with the nati ons,
that he will come is as cert a in as the dawn E p hra im is a half-baked cake."
his judgement wi ll rise like the light," 5b Foreigners eat his strengt h away,
Dt 11:14 : he will come to us as sho wer s come, 3b
32:2 he is unco nscious of it;
Ps 72:6: like spring ra ins watering the earth.'
143:6 grey hairs a re scattered on his head:
What am I to do wit h you , Ep hraim? he is unconscious of it.
What am I to do with yo u, J udah?' 10 (T he arrogance of Israel is his o wn accuser;
~ 1 3: 3
T his love of yo urs is like a morni ng cloud , the y will not co me back to Yah we h t heir G od;
Ps 7X:36
Ws II : } }
like the dew th a t q uick ly d isap pears. in spite of a ll this they will not seck hi rn.)
12:11 This is why I ha ve torn them to pieces by the prophet s, 5a II Ephra im is like a silly, witless dove:
Jr 1:10: 5:14
why I sla ug htered the m wit h the words from my mou th, ca lling o n Eg yp t, turning to Assyria.
2:21-22 + ; since what I want is love, not sac rifice; 12 Wh ere ver! th ey tu rn , I will spread my net over the m,
8:13
I S 15:22 knowledge of God, no t ho locausts. I mea n to bring them dow n likc the bi rds of heaven ,
Dn 3:39
Am 5:21 + I will puni sh th em for their perversity ."
?' MI9: 13:
12:7 The past and present sins of Israel
8: 1 The ingratitude and punishment of Israel
II But they have vio la ted the co venant/ at Adam,v
they have proved unfaithful to me there. 1.1 Tro uble is co mi ng to th em , for they ha ve strayed fro m mc !
12:12 G ilea d" is a tow n of evil-doers, R uin o n th em , for the y have re be lled aga inst me!
full of bloody foo tprin ts. ] wa nted to redee m them , bu t they tell lies about me.
Like so man y robber s in am bus h 1·\ T he irs is no heartfelt cry to me
Ps I O:X a band of priests co mmits m ur der o n th e road to Shechem-c-: when they la ment o n th eir beds."
appa lling beh a viour, ind eed ! Th ey gash th emse lves ' for th e sake of co rn a nd wine,
I have seen ho rrors in Bethel J 10 yet they rebel/ agai nst me.
tha t is where E phra im plays the whore 15 I it wa s w ho gave strength " to thei r a r ms,
a nd Israe l defiles him self. yet a ll th ey d o is ma ke wicked plots aga inst me.
J udah, [ in tend a harvest fo r you, too, 11 I '; T hey turn to Baa l,'
when I res to re t he fortu nes of my people. k they a re like a trea cherous bow. U
LU
7: 13 T heir leaders will fa ll by the sword

14:1
7 Whenever I wa nt to heal Israel,
I am co nf ro nted by th e gui lt of E phr a im because of th eir a rro ga nt talk,
a nd how they will be la ug hed at in t he lan d of Egypt !
N

and the wickedness - of Samaria ;

deceit is their principle of beh aviour,
I) S ound the alarm !
thieves break into houses
P ut the trumpet to yo ur lip s 5:H

rr Ps 90:8
a nd bandits raid outside.
T hey never pause to consider '8 like a watchman" o n duty at th e house of Ya hweh, b Jr 6:17
Ezk 3:17
M1 3: 16 tha t I know about all the ir wickedness ;
yet th eir actions are all rou nd them, th e yea r 737 (assassina t ion of Pekahia h) seven of its
b. T he ph ra se "a fte r a d ay or two ( li t ' t wo days') ...
o n th e t hird d ay' m eans ' bef or e long' , kings were mu rd ere d . T he prophet her e draws a picture
they sta re me in the fac e. c. Text co rr. of a co ns p irac y in which the tr ai tor s. a fte r feignin g
d. ' like the lig ht" Gree k; ' li gh t ' Hebr . 'h is Iudge - loya lty. ass ass ina te the kin g a nd lead er s as the y lie drunk
Conspira cy the order of the da y in Isr ael> m cnr ' co rr.: ' t hy j ud gemen t s' Hebr.: ' my j udge me n t' af te r a night o f reve lling. Ela h died t h us. 1 K 16:9-10.
( lrcck . c. The text o f vv , 4-6 has bee n corre cted .
Su ch is their cunning, they beguile the kin g, e . The or iginal tex t m a y ha ve read ' Israel' in
and th e lea der s too, such is their, treachery. syno nymous pa rall elism with 'Ephra im '. cf. 5:3. d. Li t. 'a cake no t t urned ' i.e . useless, because
f . T he Sinai tic covena nt. burn t on one side a nd un der don e on th e o ther .
' But th ey breathe fury, all of them, It . 'a t Adam' corr . : 'li ke a ma n ' or ' like Ada m' e. Israe l. seek ing allia nce no w fr om Ass yria, no w
as fiery as an oven Hcbr . The referenc e is obscure. Th ere may have been fro m E R:YP L is Uke a terrified do ve flying thi s way a nd
un idola trous shri ne at Ad am (nea r the mout h of the th at to escape the hunter .
which the baker does no t need to 'sto ke Jah bo k) cr. Jos 3: 16: or (he text ma y simply mean th a t r. Or ' Wh en ever ' , or 'As'.
from the time he has kneaded th e dough un til it rises . Israel' s infid elity da tes from th e ea rli es t da ys of the g . Lit. 'w icked ness', ca rr .
acu fcment in Palest ine. O n t his. see 9:10. h. Either 'beds' properly spe aki ng , or the carpets
T hey addle the king and leaders with wine fumes h. T he to wn on the p lat ea u of Gilea d in T ra ns- o r cloaks on whi ch people pe rfor med the prostrations
as he mixes with these scoundrels. lordunia, cr. Gn 31:46-48. whe n at pr a yer , cf . Ps 4:4 : 149:5.
I, Tex t carr. II is not k nown to what eve nt t his i. ' gash th emsel ves' corr .: 'so jo urn' Hebr. On
T heir hea rts reach oven-heat in the exci tement of the pl o t ; I efers : some suspec t an a llusion to t he vengea nce of rit ua l lace ra tion, cr. 1 K 18:28: Jr 16:6 : 4 1:5.
t heir fur y smo u lders all night Simeo n an d Levi . G n 34; 49:5 . I. ' rebe l against ' corr . : ' turn away from' He br .
J. 'i n Bethe l' cor r. ; ' in the House o f Israel' Hebr. k . G reek. He br. reads 'who trained a nd gave
a nd in the mo rn ing b lazes like a fierce flam e ; k . This men tion of Jud a h is a la ter ad d ition . 'I st re ng t h' .
all burn at oven-heat Intend ' ca rr. I. ' to Baa l' co rr . : ' not o n high ' He br,
7 a. ' wickedne ss' Gr eek; 'w icked deeds' Heb r. 8 a . 'a wa tchma n' corr. : 'a n eagle' Hebr.
and th ey co nsume th e men who ru le them. b. Fro m the lnceprion of the Northern Ki ngdom to b. Pa lestine. cr, 9:15: Jr 12:7; Zc 9:3; 1 Ch 17:14.
 -'
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8:2 H OS EA 14 60 /4 6/ H O S EA 9: 10 -,

becau se they have violated my co venant for you ha ve deserted God to pla y the whore,
6:7 and rebelled aga inst my Law. you have enjoyed th e pr ostitute' s pay '"0::;
I)s 7:0::.' 7 of(
6 ;1 -J Useless now to shout, 'God of Israe l, we ac kno wledge you ' ." on every thr eshing-floor. c
J r 14:S-9 H.b 3:17
Isra el has rejected the good ; Nei t her floor no r vat will nou rish th em ,
the enemy" will hunt him down. the new wine will disappoint th em . d 2 :\1 of(
ttl
They will no longer live in th e land of Yahweh, 0
Civil anarchy and idolatry Ephraim will have to go back to Egypt, 8: 13 : 11:5

I S 8: I r; T hey have set up kings, but no t wit h my co nsent, and in Assyr ia th ey will eat food that is unclean.'
11:12 1- Z
a nd a ppo inted pr inces, but witho ut my knowle dge. T hey will po ur libations of wine to Ya hweh no longe r, 0
-,
Out of th eir ow n silver and gold they ha ve made idols, nor offer sac rifice to him ;
which are doomed to destru ction . the ir bread will be like mourners' bread , D1 26:14

10 :5 I spurn your calf, Sa ma ria, all those who eat it will become unclean ;!
1 K 12:28.32 ~
my a nger blazes against it.'· for their bread will serve onl y for th emsel ves, :;;
(How lo ng will it be before they purge themselves of th is, it must not enter the hou se of Yahweh.' ~

t he so ns of Israel?)f What will you do on the day of solemn festiva l,

Ex 20:4 : 34: A wo rk ma n mad e the th ing, th e day of the feast of Ya hweh? " :I.:
of(
17
th is« ca nno t be G od !
Yes, the calf of Sa ma ria shall go up in nam es.
W hy, they will have gone , gone from th e devastation.
Egypt will receive th em, Memphis bury th em,
Z
.
10 : 1.1 T hey sow the wind, they will reap t he whir lwind : nett les will inher it the ir treasur es of silver,
pJrbA~~ t heir wheat will yield no ea r, and brambles invad e their tents . <Xl
of(
Ga 6:7 J:
the ear will yield no flou r, Persecution, the proph et's reward for foretelling the punishment
o r, if it does, fo reigners will swa llow it.
Now the days of rec koning have com e, A m 3:2 +
e,
Israel ru ined by relying on foreign powers" the days of reprisals a re here. ~
Israe l himself has been swa llowed , 'T he prophet is mad,' Israel protests' ' this inspired fellow is ra ving .' In 10:20

- Ah yes, but on ly becau se you r iniq uity is so great,

'"
a nd is dest ined now to stay amon g the nat ions
like a crock that no o ne wa nts, yo ur apostasy so gra ve. Cl
s
5: 1]; 7:1 1 for making a pproaches to Assyria Ephraim wat ches the prophet's tent, ' J r 6: 17

El:k I h:J 2- J..l.
- t hat wild ass living a lo ne. traps a re set for him on all his pa ths , Jr 20:1-6
A m 7: 10-17
Ephra im is rent ing lo vers. ' in the house of his God enmity awaits him.
Right : let them ren t them amo ng the natio ns, 10 These men are as steeped in co rru ptio n U
w
I am going to dispe rse them t his mi nute : as in the days of G ibeah; 10:9
J g 19 N

~
that will soo n put a stop to th eir anoi nt ing kings and lead ers ) Yahweh will remember their iniquity, ~ 8 : 13
he will punish their sins.
Against the outward show of worship ..J
P unishment for the crime at Baal -peor -r
Ephra im has built a ltar" aft er altar, 11 ~
It was like finding grapes in the wilderness when I foun d Israel, 2:16 +

[I t hey have o nly served him as occas io n fo r sin. 10

D t 32:10
Were I to write out the tho usa nd precept s of my Law for him, 12 like seeing ea rly fru it" o n the fig tree when 1 saw your fathers;
N b 25: 1-5
they wo uld be paid no more attent ion than t hose of a stra nger. but when th ey reach ed Baal-peor! they devo ted themselves to shame» J r \1: 10

T hey love sacrificing ; right, let them sacrifice! 13 and becam e as hat eful as the thing t hey loved . Ir 2:5 +
i.
6:6
A m 5:22
T hey love meat ; right , let th em eat it !' c. Text cor r.
IIJr 14: /0 Ya hweh tak es no pleasure in t hese. d. Assyri a . c . T he 'pay ' (t he goo ds o f the eart h) is p o llu ted .
e. ' I sp u rn ' co n . : <he sp u rn s' Hebr. ' a ga inst it' bec a use Isr ael au rtbutes it to t he generos ity o f the
~ 9:9 He is now going to remember their iniq uity corr. : ' agains t t hem ' Heb r. Baa lim . 2:7 . and a lso beca use th e fes ti vities m ar kin g
and puni sh their sins ; t , ' the so ns o f Isr ael' co rr .: ' for from Isr ael' H eb r. har vest - hom e wer e accom pa nied by im mo ra l practices .
g . The ea r liest po lem ic aga inst ido ls, to be fo llow ed d . '(w ill di sappo int) th em' so me G reek MSS : ' her'
9:3 : 11:5
D I28 :68 -,-
they will have to go bac k to Egypt. by m an y anot he r in t he prophetic books, cr. Is 40 :20 +; He br .
4 1:2 1 + . c. E ver y for eign co u nt ry is unclean , sinc e defi led by
h. T h is passage m ust be la ter t han th e dep or ta tion the pr esence o f ido ls. cr. A m 7: 17 : I S 26: 19.
Against ext ravagance in building f. Text cor r , Mo ur ners a tte nd in g th e cor pse were
foll owin g th e Syro -Eph rai m ite wa r (734), 2 K 15:29 .
Dt 32:1 5. Israe l has forgo tte n his Ma ker 14 t. A llus io n to the tr-ibu te paid to t he kings o f thereby defiled .
18 . K . T he b re ad will not hav e been sa nctified b y th e
Assy ria, 5:13 ; 7:1 L po ss ib ly a lso to gifts sen t to Egypt .
and has built pa laces ; 12:2 . o fferi ng o f first-fruit s. Lv 23:9·2 1, ea t ing i t Rives no
J udah has bu ilt fo rt ified town after fort ified town ; I. 'd isperse' co r r. : 'g a ther ' H eb r. ' tha t will hon o ur to G od . o nly ph ysica l sa tisfactio n .
soo n . . . ' G reek ; 'and they will su ffer for a while h. T he feas t o f T abe rnacles, E x 23:14 + .
A m 2:5 right, I will rain fir e o n his to wns, under th e b urde n o f the k ing o f t he leaders ' H e br. I. ' Isra el protest s' cor r.: ' Isr ael k now s ' o r ' let
it will devou r his pa laces. Is rael kn ow ' Hebr .
k . He br . ad ds 'f or s in '.
J. Lin e co r r .: 'T he wa tc h ma n of Ep hra im is wi th
I. Text corr. my God ; t he prophet' H ebr ,
Th e sorrows of exile" 9 a . Or acle pe rh ap s pr o nou nced a t an agricult ur al k . Hebr. ad ds 'li ke firs t-f r uits ' o r ' in it s first se aso n' .
fes tiva l. l. T he infidelity o f Israel t hus began at t he ga tes of
Let us have no rejoici ng, Israe l.
9 no ex ulting like the other peo ples ;"
b. Lit. 'd o not exult (like the peoples)' so me
G reek MSS .
Pa les tine a nd had vit ia ted Is ra elite history ever s ince .
m. A di sp ar a gin g name for th e Baals .
 ..J
UJ
o...,
9: 1 I HOS E A /4 62 /4 6] HOSEA 10:15
The glory of Ephra im will flyaway like a bird: II thorn and thistle will grow on their altars. (/)
Dt 2~ :I S
no giving birth , no pregnancy, no concei ving. T hen they will say to the mou nta ins, 'Cover us!' Is 2:10 o
/' Lk 23 :30 ::;;
9: 16 And if they rear so ns, I will take these from them before they a nd to the hills, 'Fall on us!' ~' L k 6:16 -0:
Dl32:25 12
Rv6:16
co me to manh ood;
tro uble for th em indeed when I abandon them. Against Gibea h
Ep hrai m, I see, has made his sons a prey," 9:9+
;a
13 Ever since the days at G ibeah, Israel, you have sinned. o
Ephrai m mu st lead his son s to the slaug hter house. Things arc still the same .
Lk 23:29 G ive the m, Ya hweh-what are you to give?- 14 And will not war overtake the gui lty at G ibeah?'
give th em wombs that miscarry, and dried -up breasts. z
10 JI sha ll come and puni sh them . o
...,
Punishment for the crime at Gilgal The natio ns will muste r against them
12: 12
to punis h them for their double crime."
T heir wicked ness appeared in full at Gilg al, o 15
t here I came to ha te the m. Threats and an invitation to repentance ~
::;;
Becau se of their wicked deed s
I will d rive them out of my hou se;
II Ephr ai m is a well tra ined heifer 4: 16

1:6 ; 14:5
I will love them no lo nger, tha t loves to tread th e thresh ing-floor ;
:I:
very well, I myself mean to lay the yoke on tha t fine neck of hers, Jr 2:20: 5:5
for their leaders are all rebels. MI ll :29-30 ~
Ephraim is cut down, 16
I am goin g to put Ephraim in harn ess,
Am 2;9
their roots arc withered; Israe l will have to ploug h,
Mt 21:20r they will bea r no fru it. Jacob mu st d raw th e harrow.' In
9: 12 12 Sow integrity '« for yourselv es, 2:2 1+ «
And if t hey bear childre n, Mi 6:8 :I:

I will kill the darlings of their wom b. reap a harvest of kindn ess, 2 Co 9: 10
DI2H:64-6 5
Because they have not listened to him , my God will cast th em oil' 17
break up your fallow ground: Jr 4:3
G n 4:14 and they will be wander ers t hro ugho ut the natio ns. it is time to go seeking Yahw eh Am 5:4
0-
W
un til he comes to rain salvation on you. N
T he destruction of Israel 's cultic objects
Is 5:1 Israel was a luxurian t vine The end of Isra el
10
t
o
yielding plent y of fruit. " I) Why ha ve you ploughed iniqu ity, 8:7
~
n i 32:15 T he mo re his fruit increased, reaped inj ustice,
2:7 .14; the mo re altars he built ;
4: l or and eaten the produce, lies?
th e richer his lan d beca me, Because you ha ve trusted in yo ur chariots," Is 31:1
Ex 23:24 the richer he made the sacred sto nes. (J
1
and in your host of warriors, w
r-J
The ir hea rt is a di vided hea rt ; " 14 tur mo il is going to break out in your town s, >
very well, they must pay fo r it: a nd a ll your fortresses will be la id wast e,
Yahweh is going to break their altars down as S hal m.ui : laid Beth-a rbel waste
I) and destroy th eir sac red stones. 0 11 the da y of the ba ttle. '1
T hen they will say, when mothers [cll. da shcd t,) pieces, on their children .•
'W e have no king Il That is what I mean to do to yo u, House of Israel,
becau se we have not feared Yahweh' . becau se of yo ur grea t wickedness ;
But what ca n a king do for us? 1/ ' I ami in the sto rm the king of Israel is goi ng to disa ppear for ever.r
Words, words! ' False oa ths ! Alliances!
Am 6: 12 And ju dgemen t is onl y a poiso nous weed th at thrives- n. line co rr .. ..:1'. ( ired.. ; Hc br . unin tcfli e iblc . k . The a llus io n is obscure: possibly to the instituti on
in the furr ows of th e field , o . T he m on arch v. co nde mned by H osea. x:4 ! • or t he mo narc hy (M izpah . where it was pro cla imed,
w as ins ti tu ted at ( iilg,lI. I S I I: 14- 15 T he re Io n a cu rse was nea r Gibeah, I S 1O:23~24) and to the crime of
Jr 48: 13
The inhabi ta nts of Sa mari a are trembling was su bsequentlv la id ,'n t he ..,, )\"cn.:it-: nn' ( I f Suul . J ~ 19 ; but pe rha ps merely to the single crime at G tbeah.
4: 15 ~; 8:5 for the calf of Beth-aven ; I S 1J :7~ 14: 15:10 -2 1. since ' do uble' ca n mean ' arear'. ' disgraceful '.
In a 'yicldin~ nlc n tv (I f' ":I IlT . : ·"t' llin.lo: f u r h im' Hchr. I. ' lay (the yoke) on ' : lit. 'pass <the yoke) over'
yes, its people mo urn fo r it, h. Eit her divnled belw,'<:.11 Yahweh and tile Baa ls CO lT.: ' pass by' Hebr. 'I srael' corr .: 'J udah ' Heb r.
its so-called pr iests bewail its glor y,' or hcsiuni n g be t wee n Egypt .1n..:1 As svna . m. 'integrit y' in the religious se nse of co nformity
Rv 1H:14 c. ' Wo rd s. wo rd s' cor r.: ' th cy spea k word s' H e br. to the divin e will as expresseu in the Law , 8:12 .
no w th is has va nished. d . Un de r the ki ngs of Isra el lu stice was po iso ned n. 'W hy have YOU' Greek : 'You have' Hebr. 'vour
T he ca lf itself sha ll be car ried off to Assyria a l the roots. cf. Am 6:12 . char iots' G reek; 'vour way' Hebr.
e, 'the calf ' G reek and $yr.; 'the ca lves' Hebr. 0, ' towns' co rr . ; 'peoples' Hebr.
as tribu te to the Great King.
' bewail ' cor r.: 'ex u lt ' He br. p . Pro ba bly Sala man u king of Moab, co nte mporary
Ephra im will reap the shame, r. 'G rea t K in g' cor r.: 'King Jareb' o r ' a vengin g of Tts tam -pueser III ( 745~ 7 27 ) , on the occas ion of a
a nd Israe l blush for his idol, " king' Heb r. Cf. 5:13+ . 'idol' corr.: ' purpose ' Hebr . ra id on Beth-arbe l (l rbid) in Gil ead .
K. Tha t is. the calf. q. Or 'with their ch ildren '. Atrocities of th is kind
Sa mar ia has had her day. h. Or 'li ke foa m ', were usual when tow ns were captured , cf. 14: 1:
Her kingv is like a st raw- drifting on the water. 2 K 8:12; Is 13: 16; Na 3: 10; P s 137:9.
4: 13 J. Interp ret a tion co ni . O thers tind a reference here f. 'r mean to do' co er .: ' he has do ne' Hebr . 'H ou se
T he idolatrou s high places shall be destroyed- 10 t he punishme nt of th e Beniaminites, J g 20. of Israel ' G reek ; 'Bethel' He br. 'st or m' corr . : 'da wn'
tha t sin of Israel; I. Tex t corr . Hebr.
 ..J
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II:I HOSEA /4 64 /4 6 5 H OS E A 12: 11 ...,0

II'
God 's love despised: his vengeance" Again st J acob rn
0
Dt 1:31 + : When Israel was a chi ld b I loved h im, Yahw eh ha s a case aga inst Israel, " ::

IIH
32: 5
W s 18: 13
Jr 2 :1-9 : 3 1:3
? M ' 2: 15
11 and I ca lled my so n' out of Egypt.
But the more I ca lled to t hem, t he fu rther they went from me;
he will pa y Ja co b as his co nduct merits,
a nd will repay him as his deeds deser ve,
4 :1
«

th ey have offered sacrifice to the Baals In the ver y wom b he suppla nted his bro ther, G n 15:26 :
27:3 6
«
al
a nd set their offerings smoking befo re the idols! in ma tu rit y he wrestled agai nst G od . " Is 43:27 +
J r 9:3
0
I myself taught Eph ra im to walk, He wrestled with the a ngel and heat hi m,
I took them in my arms; ' he we pt a nd plea ded with him," G o 32:24-28
Z
yet the y have not understood that I was the one looki ng after th em . He met him at Beth el G n 28: 10 -22 ...,
0

I led them with reins of kindness;' and there G od spok e to him,'

with lea ding-strings o f love, Yes, Ya hweh Go d o f Sa ba oth, Ya hwe h is his name, A m 4: 13 "
Psl3l :2 I was like so meo ne who lifts a n infan t close against his cheek; " T urn aga in, t hen, to yo ur God,
~
Dt 8: 16 stoo ping down to him I gave h im his food. " hold fast to love a nd ju stice, :;
8:3 + T hey will have to go back to Egypt, a nd a lways put yo ur trust in yo ur God.!
9:3 Assyria mu st be the ir ki ng,
J:
beca use they ha ve refused to return to me, Greed and the punishmen t of Israe l «
Z
T he swo rd will rage through the ir town s, Ca naan " ho ld s tru ud ulent sca les in his hand s, Dt 25: 13-1 6
P r 11:1
wip ing o ut t heir chi ldren, to defraud : is his delight. A m 8:5
glutting itse lf inside their for tresse s.' . How ric h I ha ve beco me !' says Ep hra im Lk 12:16-2 1
CD
' 1 have ama ssed a fortun e.' «
J:
God's love proves str onger than his vengeance .» Rv3 :17- 1
But he will keep no thing o f a ll his pr o fits,
My peopl e a re diseased through their d isloyalty ; becau se o f the gu ilt tha t he ha s bro ugh t o n him self'. "
1 K 18:25- they ca ll o n Baa l,
29 o,
W
but he does not c ure th em .' The prospec t of reconciliation between Yah weh a nd Isra el 'N
P s 27:10; Ephra im, how co uld I pa rt with yo u? [ll ~ 13 : 4
....
78 :38
Is 49 : 14 v I ha ve been Ya hwe h. yo ur God. since the da ys in th e land of Egyp t. Ex 20:2
Lk 15
Is rae l, how cou ld I give yo u up? I will ma ke you live in tents again C)
2: 16 ~
How cou ld I t reat yo u like Ad ma h,
as o n the da y o f Meet ing." ~
D t 32:36
or deal with yo u like Ze bo iirn?" II
/II I will spea k to the prop hets, " ...
Is 54:8
My heart reco ils from it, I will increase the visions"
Jr 31:20 my who le bei ng tre mb les at the tho ught. ' a nd thro ugh the prophets I will deal out dea th . q 6:5
I will not give rein to my fierce a nger, U
W
I will not dest ro y Ep hra im again,
Nb 23: 19 t
~
for I a m God , not man : II a . Thi s ch a pt er. o n the rcla tto ns hin be tween who is (',') fai t hfu l' Hcb r. These t wo lin es are a la ter
Ya hweh and Isra el. co rre s po nd s to 2:4-25 , t ho ugh ad.Ifr lo u.
I a m the Ho ly O ne in yo u r midst here Is ra el is no t (h e beloved. un faith ful wife. hut t he c. Or ' is fr iend ly with ' , ' has 10 d o with ',
Ws l: 13, a nd ha ve no wis h to destr oy. m child ungra teful for a ll the lo ve he ha s re ceived (t he t wo d . T he sco rc h i ng wi nd fr om th e desert l ~' i n g be tween ..J
1 E l k 18:23,32
im ages ar e ju xta pos ed in J r 3: 19-20). Pa les ti ne an d Assy ria : it sym bol ises the A ssvr tan -r
b . F or H o sea . t he histor y of Israel rea lly b c ain s in va sio n. d. 13: 15 : J r 18: 17 ; Ezk 17: 10.
The retu rn from ex ile wit h t he Exod us . T his who le pa ssag e des crib es t he e, 'fra ud' cr. G reek : ' vio lence' He br.
r go lde n 31Ze o f t he d ese r t iou r nc v. cf. ::!: 16 -". Hos ea
T hey will foll ow beh ind Ya hweh ; 10
see ms o nlv to have k now n . o r to ha ve reme mbered. f. ' Isr ael' cur r. : 'J ud a h' H eb r.
he will be roarin g like a lio n- the less credit able in ci d e n ts o f (he nau-ra rcha l per iod, 2 . A mb it io n a nd a rr o gan ce in na te a nd pers is te n t.
12:4-5. 13. H ose a interp ret s th ese ep iso de s u nfa vo ur a bl y here. as
how he will roar! - I,:. ' nw so n' Hc b r. : ' h is so ns ' G ree k . in vv. 13- 14.
and his so ns will co me speed ing from the west; d . F o llow ing Gr eek. h. Gn 32:24 -28 do es n ot s pea k of tears a nd
e . T hu s Ta r e.. SYr.. a nd Gree k : Hcbr. co rr upt. e ntr ea t ies: H osea is pro ba b ly hi n ti n g a t so m e trick o n
they will come spee d ing from Egy pt like a bir d, II
f. Lit 'co rd s o f m an ' . Ja cob ' s p art .
speed ing fro m th e land o f Assy ria like a dove, g. Te xt co rr. i . ' to him' corr. : ' (0 us' Heb r.
h. Text cor r. ' (I eave) hi m ' ; re ad ing ' him ' in stead I. T he se wor ds ar e no t a d ivin e ad mo n itio n ad -
and I will settle th em in their homes o f th e ' no t ' in t he Heb r. o f the fo llo win g line . dressed to Ja co b bu t a wa r ni ng fro m th e p ro p he t to
- it is Ya hwe h who spea ks. I. Tex t carr. his con te m po ra r ies .
l. Text of t hese tw o lines corr. k , 'C a naa n ite' was the usu al term for a mer ch an t.
k , A d m a h a nd Ze bo fim were two o f the five towns Here "Ca nna n ' is used pej o r ativ el y o f Isr ael. infe cted
Israel's religion and policy both alike perverse o f the Pent apoli s. ( i n 10:[ 9 : 14 :2. S : Ot 29:22: in th e h ~' the SPirit o f co mmerciali sm cha ra cteris tic of the
1 Elo h istic t ra d it ion they p resum a bl y take th e place of people who m he h as su pp la n ted .
"A ll ro und me are the lies of Ephraim
12 and the deceit of t he Ho use of Israel.
But God still recogni ses J uda h,
/2
the Sodom an d G om or rah of th e Ya hw is tlc tr ad it io n ,
Is 1:9-10 .
I. Lit. ' M y hea r! re co ils with in m e, my bowe ls a re
I. ' to defra ud ' cor r.: ' 10 oppress' H eb r.
m. T he tra nsla ti o n foll ow s t he G reek .
n . Reference 10 t he ha lt at Sina i whe n Y ahw eh
in a ferment ' . ' me t' h is people, Ex 5:3: 19:9. 17 : 33:1 7 : Ot 9; 10: 18: 16.
a nd he is sti ll ca lled the peo ple o f the Ho ly O ne." m . ' I have no wis h to d es tr o y' co rr, : ' I sh a ll not o . ' I wi ll s pea k . . I w ill m a ke' ; o r ' I spo ke . . .
co me in to th e to wn ' Hebr. I mad e' . ' to th e p ro p hets ' Greek ; 'on ' or ' aga inst t h~
Ep hra im feed s on ' t he wind, 12 a . A d ifficult ch a p te r: re ferenc es to co n tem porary p ro phet s' He br.
13: 15 forever chasi ng t he wind from the East," events a lte rn ate wi th ref ere nces to epi so des fr om th e P. Pr ophecy a nd visio n are a stgn of God 's fa vo ur .
nat r farc ha l a ge . F o r H osea . th e fa u lts of Ja co b the D' I K:9-2 2 ; Ps 74 :9: Lm 2:9 : N b 12:2-8 : Ex 33: I I.
accumula ting falsehood a nd fra ud ,' Ances to r still we igh hea vily o n t he pr esen t genera tio n . Q . A s in t he case o f Elij ah . 1 K 18:40 . See a lso
5: 13 : 7: II : maki ng treaties with Assyr ia, b. ' But . H o ly O ne ' Greek : ' Bu t Jud ah is re bel- H o 6;5a ; J r 1: 10 ; Is 6:9· 13 ; Ezk 3:17-20 , etc . Alter na-
14:4
Is 30 : l f : 3 1: Hous ( 1) towa rds G o d a nd tow ar d s th e Ho ly O ne (1) tive tra ns la tio n ' I sha ll speak (o r ' I spo ke' ) in pa rabl es' .
If sending oil to Egypt.
 ....l
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12: 12 H OS EA /4 66 14 67 HOS E A 14:3 .o,

N ew threats 11 In my anger I ga ve you a king 1 S 8:7.22

(/)

12
a nd in my wrat h I take him away. 10: 15 o
G ilead is no t hin g but iniqui ty, 1/
:E
6:8
4 :1 5 ; 9: 15
they a re falsehood , nothin g else; The inevitability of ruin '"
a t G ilga l thc y sac rifice to bulls:' 12 The ini q uity of Ephraim is ca refully hoarded,
their a lta rs sha ll be red uced to heaps o f sto nes h is sin is safely stored away . D t 32:34-35 ~
in a ploughed field . o
13 Pangs as of child birth overtake him, Is 26:1 7-18

Aga inst Jaeob a nd Ephra im and a stupid chi ld it is,

its ti me is up but it does not leave the womb.' Is 37:3 z
J acob fled to the pla ins of A ram, IJ
!2 14 And am I to save them from the power of Sheol? 6:2
.,o
Gn 19 Ps 9 1:6
Israel worked to win a wife, Am I to resc ue them from Dea th ? Is 26:19
to win a wifc hc lo o ked after sheep. Ez k37:1 -14+
W here is your plag ue, Dea th ? Is 25:8 +
Ex 3:7- 1tl 14 . » 1 Co 15:55
Dt 1l-::1 5, I X But Yahwe h brought Isra el o ut of Egypt by a prop het, 13 Wh ere are yo ur sco urge s, Sh eot ?« ~
Ws ll :I :E
a nd a pro phe t loo ked a fter Isra el. I have no eyes for pity.
Ep hra im has give n b ittcr provocat io n 15
U 15 Ep hrai m may flourish a mo ng the reeds,"
a nd Ya hwe h mea ns to br ing his bloods hed d own o n him, but the wind fro m t he East will come, 12:2 "':'- I
his Lo rd wi ll re pay him fo r his ins ults. the brea th of Ya hwe h will rise fro m th e desert ~
to d ry his water-so urces, to parch his sp ri ngs,
Idolatry punished
to st rip h is la nd of a ll its trea sures. "

13 W he n Ephra im s poke, a ll tr emb led ,

so great was he in I sracl ,«
14 Samar ia m ust ato ne
fo r rebelli ng aga inst her God .
/Xl

'"
I

r
7: 1
but t hrough Ba a l hc br ou gh t guilt on him self a nd peri she d .
A nd now the y ad d sin to sin , T hey sha ll fa ll by th e swo rd,
they smelt images from their silver, the ir litt le children be das hed to pieces, Ps 137:9 c,

id ols o f thei r ow n manufact ur e, th eir" pregn an t wom en disemb owelled . 10 :14 + ~

A m 1:13

r 1K 1 2 : 2 7 , _~ 2
smit h's wor k, a ll o f it.
'Sacrifice to them ' th ey say. " o
I K 19:I X
Men blo w kisses to calves Ir III. THE REPENTAN C E A ND R E CON CILIATION OF ~
Therefo re thcy will bc like mo rni ng mis t, ISRAEL. A PROMISE OF FUTURE HAPPINES S "
IH W s 11:21
6:4
1.1' / 7:13 : -II ;
.Zp16..,~:_. ,
like the dew that qui c kly d isappears,
like th e cha ir w hirled" fro m the t hres hing-floo r, T he sincere conversion of Israel to Yahweh
like smok e esc ap ing throug h the window . ow
Isra el, come ba ck to Ya hweh yo ur G od; N

The punish ment for ingratitude yo ur iniq uity was the cause of yo ur dow nfall . 5:5

= 12: 10 Prov ide yourself wit h word s

Yet I am Ya hweh, your God since th e day s in thc lan d of Egy pt ;,.
Iii yo u k now no God but me,
a nd co me ba ck to Yahweh . .,
Is 43 : I I -t Sa y to him, 'Ta ke all iniq uit y a way Ps 32:1 +:
thc rc is no o thcr sav io ur. 50: 14
J) t 31; 10 so that we ma y have happiness again H eb13. 15
I pastu red! yo u in thc wilder ness :
a nd offer you o ur wo rd s of pra ise.'!
in the la nd o f dr o ught
Ps 7X:2t)
I pa stured them , a nd " they wer e sa tisfied ;
r. R ea di ng ' G ilead ' for ' If Gilead ". ' to bu lls' pa sture' He br .
o nce sa tisfied, t heir hea rts grew pr oud , co rr. : 'bulls ' Hcb r. h. 'I sha ll be' Greek : ' I ha ve been ' He b r,
D l 3 2: 15 ! 13 a , 'spoke ' Hc br. : ' ta u gh t ' G reek . 'so great wa s he'
a nd so t hey ca me to forge t rnc. i. Line co rr.: ' there 1 will eat them like a lion ' Hebr.
5: 14 co r r : ' he carried' Il e br. O n th e p o liuca l imp or tan ce j . \' V, 9- [0 corr .
Vcry we ll, I will be' a lion to them , o f Eph r aim in t he ea rlv d a ys , sec J os 24:30 ; J~ X :I -:~ : k . Po ss ibl y a n ironic a llus io n 10 Kin g H oshe a
a leop ard lurkin g by thc way; 12:1-6. So me co m men ta to rs. a ccep t in g the Greek (732-n 4), wh o se name mea ns 'Y a h weh-is-sav iour'.
2 S 17:H rea di n g, thi nk tha t rel igiou s primacy is her e ref err ed to :
likc a bear ro bbed of her cubs I wi ll pounce o n th em , o f thi s th ere a re traces in Ex 33: I I (t he part pl ayed hr
a nd tea r the flesh round their heart s; th e En h ra irni te Jo shua) an d I S 1-4 (th e shr ine of th e L ' Its t ime is up' co r r. Th e sa yin g is probably
urk at Shiloh in Ephrai m). proverb ia l. ind icatin g a di sa st rou s situation .
th e do gs sha ll ca t their flesh / b, ' Sacrifice ' co r r. m . ' W her e is ' , ' wh ere a rc' cmr .: ' I will be ' Hebr.
tile wild bea st s tear thcm to pieces , c. An aCI of h oma ge , H os ea is rhin ki ng of th e su rviva l o f the nati on :
d . 'wh irled' corr . S t Pau l is la ter to apply the text to the resu rrec tion of
e For this li ne the G reek ha s ' 1 am th e Lord in di vid ual s.
T he end of the monarchy yo ur Go d wh o se t th e hea ven s firm and est a bli sh the 11, Sy m bo lis ing luxuriant gro wth ,
cu rth : m y h a nd s h a ve creat ed the wh ole a r ra y of 0, Te xt co rr. cr . Greek.
i l mean to dest roy yo u, Israel; heave n . but I hav e no t show n th ese to yo u fo r yo u 10 14 a . Corr.; H eb r. has th e pr on oun in th e singu la r.
Ps 12 1:2 fo llow (the wo rshi p 00 (hem . I i t was wh o broug h t b. Th e p rophecy ends o n a no te o f ho pe, a lread y
who ca n co me to yo ur hel p? yo u u p o u t of the la nd o f Egypl. ' Wh en t he cal f-idols bea rd in 2 : 16·25 ; 3:5 ; 11:8· 11 ; 12:10 . A liturgical prayer
Yo ur king, where is he no w, to save you ," 10 o f Dan a nd Bethel we re inst al led . Je ro boa m h ad sa id , ex p ress ing s ince re re pent a nce, co rre spo ndi ng to 6:1-6 ,
' I Icrc are yo ur gods, Isr ae l. th ese br ou ght yo u up OUI of is fo llo wed b y a firm promi se o f God's b lessin g.
where a rc yo ur leaders to c ham pio n yo u? me lan d of Egypt'. 1 K 12:2 8. c . W il h wo rds of tru e rep en ta nce (unlike 6:1- 3)
Those o f who m yo u used to sa y, f. ' pastured ' Greek ; 'k new' Hcb r., cf . A m 3:2 , a nd no t with sacri fices , 6:6,
1S x:s ' G ive me a king a nd lea ders' . J:, ' I pastured them and' co rr.; 'Accor d ing [0 th eir d , Lit. 'the fr uit of o ur lip s' : te xt co rr .
 '''",

~ --J

I UJ
0
14:4 HOSEA /468 -,

7: 11: 12:2 Assy ria cannot save us,

Ul
1:7 we will no t ride hor ses a ny mo re,' 0
Is 31 : 1 ~
Mi 5:9
2:/8- / 9 o r say , "Ou r God!" to wha t o ur own hands have made, «
II for yo u ar e the o ne in whom or pha ns find compassio n.'
- I will heal their disloyalty, «
1:6 : 9: IS I will love th em with all my hea rt, Ql
0
2: 16-25 for my ang er has turned from them .
Ps 72: 16 : I will fall like dew o n Israel.
133:3
Is 2h: 19 He sha ll bloom like the lily, Z
Mi 5:6 0-,
a nd th rust out roo ts like th e po plar;'
Is 27:6 his shoo ts will spread fa r;

S. 4 :1 I
A m 9 :14
he will ha ve the beau ty of the olive
a nd the fragranc e o f Leba no n.
Th ey will co me back to live in my shade;
JOEL o
s
they will grow co rn that flo urishe s,
they will cultiva te vines Title :I:
«
Ezk 27: IX
4 :17
2 Co6:16
as renow ned as the wine of Hel bo n. v
Wha t has Ephra im to do with id o ls an y mo re" 1 T he wo rd o f Ya hweh th at was add ressed to Joel son of Peth uel." z
.
when it is 1 who hea r his pra yer a nd care for him ?
I a m like a cypre ss ever green, t I. THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS Ql
«
all yo ur fru itfulness/ com es from me.
A. A LITURGY OF MOURNING AND ENTREATY ..
:I:

Concluding admonition"
a. Lamen tation over the ruin of the country Rv 9 :3 c,
Ps WI\4~ Let the wise man understa nd the se words. 10 w
·N
Let the inte lligent man grasp their meaning.
Fo r the ways of Ya hwe h are st raig ht,
Listen to this, you elders; ...
Dt 32:4 all in ha bitants of the co untry, attend.
a nd virtuo us men wa lk in them, Has a nything like this ever ha ppen ed in your day , e
but sinners stumble. o r in yo ur fathers' days? ~
Te ll it to yo ur so ns, D.4:9

let yo ur so ns tell it to their son s,

14 c . ' T o r ide hor ses ' is pe r ha ps it syno ny m here for
con cl uding all ullia ncc with zu vm . cr. Is 3 1:1.
r. Li ne co r r.
~ . Te xt co r r.
h . ' W ha l ha s E ph ra im
wha t h a ve: I to do ' H ebr.
i. T he cy pr ess wa s a sym bol of life .
i. T her e is a nla v o n words her e: (he ver b '1\) be
fr ui tfu l' fo rms part of the nam e 'Ep hra im ' .
k . La te r add itio n in the s t yle o f the wisdom
(0 d o ' co rr. : ' Eph rai m . litera tu re .
a nd their sons to a generation after them. ow
D 128:38 N
W hat t he gnawer has left, the grown loeust has devoured, A m 4:9: 7: l f
M I3:! 1
wha t t he gro wn locust has left, the hopper has devoured, Ps lO5:34 -35
what the hopper has left, the shearer has devou red . "
155 : 11 1 .~
Awa ke, drunka rds, a nd weep !
All you who dri nk wine, lament
D 128:39
for that new wine: it has been das hed from yo ur lips.
Fo r a nation has invaded my co untry,
JX 7; 12
might y a nd innumerabl e ; Jr 46: 23
its teeth a re the teet h of lion s, • R v 9:8
it has th e fa ngs of a lion ess.
Is 5: 1 1
It has laid waste my vines Na 2:3
a nd torn my fig trees to pieces ;
it has stripped them clea n a nd cut them down, "
the ir bra nc hes have turned white.
1:13
Mo urn" like a virgin wea ring sac kcloth '
for her yo ung ma n betrot hed to her.
Oblation a nd libation! have va nished
• • Greek . Vet. La t. and Svr. rea d 'Bar hue l". yt'l t'q r' nopoe c') . chasti (s hea rer' ). ga: a m (' gna wer ').
b . A n in vas ion of locu st s ha s devastated the c . Tex t co rr.
co untrv. Of t he fo ur te rms used here for the insect , d . The prop het is ad d ress ing t he commun ity.
.".It ,'h, o r 'dest royer ' , (translated ' grow n lo cu st ' in t h is e . Sa ck cloth sy mbo lises grtef a nd repen ta nce .
Illnce) is th e co m monest , in d icat ing the speci es as a r. T he da ily ob lat ion. d . Lv 2, and libat ion were
who le. T he exact meanin g o f th e other th ree is d ispu ted. o fferi ngs fro m the prod uce of the soil : co rn, wine and
I hey may be used fo r th e va rio us s ubs pe cies, bu t m ore oil. er, E x 29:38-42: Nb 28:3-8.
Llwhably th ey sign ify s uccessive stages of growt h: