How to read Hosea

ORIENTING DATA FOR HOSEA

• Content: Yahweh's compassion for the northern kingdom (Israel), yet his condemnation of them for their unfaithfulness to him

• Prophet: Hosea, a northern prophet, probably from Samaria

• Date of prophetic activity:  ca. 7 58-722 B.C.

• Emphasis: Yahweh's unfailing love for his people, even when he must punish them for unfaithfulness

OVERVIEW OF HOSEA

    The structure of this first-and longest-of the Book of the Twelve is less easy to discern than that of most of the prophetic books, due in part to the general lack of introductory or concluding formulas (e.g., "thus says the Lord [Yahweh]"). Two major divisions are clear (chs. 1 -3 and 4-14). Part I seems intentionally introductory, and its own alternating pattern of judgment (1:2-9; 2:2-13; 3:4) followed by future restoration (1 : 1 0-2:1; 2:14-23; 3:5) may serve as a pattern for part 2 as well. The judgments are predicated on Israel's "adultery" (: idolatry, 2:8, 13, 17), and the restoration on Yahweh's unfailing love for his people (2:1,14, 23; 3: 1). Indeed, the tension in the book, as in Micah later, is between Yahweh's love for his people and his justice in carrying out the curses for covenantal unfaithfulness.

    So images from Hosea's marriage both mirror Yahweh's long relationship with Israel (marriage, unfaithfulness, "divorce," restoration) and serve as a pattern for the book in its present form. A first cycle of oracles (4:1- 10: 15) tells the sordid story of Israel's unfaithfulness, both religiously and politically, along with Yahweh's (necessary) coming judgments; while 11 : 1- 11 promises future restoration based on Yahweh's love and compassion. The story of unfaithfulness and judgment is repeated with even greater intensity in a second cycle (11:12-13:16), while l4:l-8 concludes the book with Yahweh's final love song for his people.

SPECIFIC ADVICE FOR READING HOSEA

    Along with the close relationship between Hosea's own symbolic marriage actions and Yahweh's relationship with Israel/Ephraim, three other matters are crucial for a discerning reading of Hosea.

    First, the historical context (see 2 Kgs 14:23- 1 8: 16) is influenced in large part by the downs and ups of Assyria. According to 1 :1, Hosea began his prophetic calling toward the end of the relatively tranquil and prosperous days of Jeroboam II (see "Specific Advice for Reading Amos," ), but the list of Judean kings, as well as Hosea's own oracles, suggest that most of them were delivered during the years of rapid decline following the death of Jeroboam II (753). Six kings ruled in Samaria in rapid succession-through intrigue, caprice, and assassination (see 8:4)-until the northern kingdom was overthrown by Assyria in 722/1. Part of the intrigue was related to a king's willingness or unwillingness to pay tribute to Assyria, which in turn was related to looking elsewhere (7:8- 11) for alliances to protect them against Assyria. In the end Yahweh will use Assyria as his rod of punishment (10:6-7).

    Second and more important still, is the religious/theological context. Although Hosea regularly throws side-glances to Judah (see below), his passion and pathos are for Israel. Picking up where the reforming prophets Elijah and Elisha had left off a century earlier, he is both astounded and incensed at Israel's propensity to abandon Yahweh in favor of Baal-or to mix the two in syncretistic fashion (2:11,13;  see "Specific Advice for Reading Deuteronomy," ). Just as marriage is simultaneously both absolutely exclusive and deeply personal, so is Yahweh's covenant with Israel. Thus Hosea repeatedly reminds his hearers/readers of their beginnings (2:15;9: 10; 1 1 : 1 -4; 13:4), while he also recalls Israel's history of unfaithfulness (9:10, 15; 10:9). The people's present unfaithfulness, reflected primarily in their idolatry, also finds expression in breaking most of the Ten Commandments, as the preamble in 4:1-3 spells out so forcibly.

    At stake in all of this is Yahweh's own character. In turning to Canaanite fertility gods (the Baals and Asherahs), Israel has attributed fruitfulness of both crops and people to them (2:5,12) and thus has abandoned Yahweh, the Creator of all, who alone provides the crops and opens the womb (2:8, 18, 21-22; 9:11, l4). At the same time the Israelites have become like the gods they worship-full of lies, deceit, and caprice. Thus the bottom line for Hosea-and the reason for the coming judgment- is that although it should be otherwise, the people simply do not know Yahweh (4: 1, 6, 14; 8:2-3); they have come to think of Yahweh, not in terms of their own story of redemption, but in terms of Canaanite religion-and the result is deadly.

    Third,  if at times you find Hosea a difficult read, that, at least in part, may be because he so clearly wears his heart on his sleeve. Here is passion and pathos let loose on Israel in oracle after oracle, irony upon irony-and such passion is not always easy to track in terms of where things are going (indeed hardly any two commentaries agree on the details). At the same time, the oracles themselves do not always fit the ordinary formal patterns, since announcements of judgment and the reasons for it are not neatly packaged and in many instances they simply blend in the same sentences. Furthermore, his Hebrew text has suffered much in transmission, so there are moments that are very difficult to figure out (observe the many footnotes in the NIV).

    But at the same time this very passion is what makes Hosea such a great read. Striking metaphors are his specialty. Watch how Yahweh is lion, leopard bear, eagle (vulture), trapper (5:14; 11:10;  13:7 -8 8:1;7:12), as well as husband, lover, parent, green pine tree (2:14-23; 14:3-7;1 1 :8-9 ; l4:8).  And Israel in her sins is even more vividly described: adulterous wife, stubborn heifer, snare and net, heated oven, half-baked bread,  senseless dove, faulty bow, headless stalk, a baby refusing birth (2:2; 4:1,6; 5: 1 ; 7 :4, 8, 1 1, 16; 8:7 ; 13: 13); she will disappear like mist, dew, chaff, and smoke (13:3); she will float away like a twig on water (10:7);  she has sown the wind and will reap the whirlwind (8:7). It is hard not to get the picture. So enjoy, even as you weep with Yahweh and his prophet.

    A final word about the book itself, as a book to be read. Although the prophecies are primarily directed toward the northern kingdom (Israel), it is very likely that the book itself was preserved in Judah. Evidence for this is in the heading, which takes the ministry of Hosea down to the reign of Hezekiah in Judah (715, six years after the fall of Samaria). This suggests that, even though Hosea seems to pay only passing attention to Judah in his oracles (see l;7,11;4: 15; 5:5, 10, 12-14; 6:4, 11; 8:14;10:11; ll:12; l2:2), he will not expect his later Judean readers to do the same regarding Judah-nor should we who now read it from the hindsight of the fall of both kingdoms!

A WALK THROUGH HOSEA

The book of Hosea, which burns with the fire of God's love for his

people, reminds us that the God of the biblical story judges unfaithfulness,

even as he lays out hope beyond judgment.

 1:1

Heading  

    Note that Hosea's book is "the word of the Lord" that came to Hosea over the time span of several Judean kings.

 1:2-2:1

Hosea, Gomer, and Children

  Here Hosea acts symbolically in marrying an"adulterous wife,, (lit., "woman of prostitution," perhaps a metaphor for Gomer's disloyalty to Yahweh). His children are given names that speak of God s judgments against his own "faithless wife" (Israel), names they bear to symbolize the stigma of God's judgment and eventual rejection of Israel. But note also that the word of hope (1 :10-2:1) reverses the meaning of their names! Note further the different destinies of Israel and Judah in 1:6-7,but their being reunited in God's promised future (v. 11). 

 2:2-23

Israel Punished and Restored 

    In a poetic oracle, the children of the adulteress are now called on to rebuke their mother (Israel), urging her to give up her idolatry or else Yahweh will show no love for her children (w. 2-6).Israel feigns return to Yahweh (w. 7-8), but will pay for her wantonness (w. 9-13); observe how thoroughgoing her idolatry is. In the word of restoration (vv. 14-23), watch for the various reversals, including promised restoration to the land.

3:1-5 

Judgment and Restoration  

    Note how this narrative, symbolizing the coming exile, corresponds to 2:14-23-just as 2:2-13 corresponds to 1:2-8; thus the two narratives (chs. 1 and 3) bookend the oracle in chapter 2. As you read the rest of the book, be looking for the ways the themes of these chapters are picked up.

 4:1-5:7

Yahweh's Charge against Israel for Unfaithfulness 

    Much of this material takes the form of a lawsuit against Israel. It begins with an opening charge (4:1-3), where all the major themes of the book are laid out: no faithfulness to the covenant, to knowledge of Yahweh (NIV "acknowledgment"), the land mourns. Then picking up themes from chapters 1-3 , charges are leveled against priest, prophet, and people (especially lack of knowledge 14:6-7 ,14] that takes the form of idolatry [w. 10-14, 15, 17-19]). Since they have now gone too far (5:1 -4), they will be judged (w. 5-7). Note that Judah is always in view as well (4: I 5; 5 :5).

 5:8-7:16

Israel's Unfaithfulness through Entangling Alliances

    Yahweh now calls for the watchman (possibly Hosea himself, see 8:1) to sound the trumpet of warning (5:8). Judgment is sure (vv. 9-12, 14-15), and dallying with Assyria is no cure (v. l3), nor is false repentance (6:1-3), since it is like "morning mist" (vv. 4-I0); even when Yahweh would restore them (v. 11), their sins continue to be exposed (7:l-7), especially as they continue to trust in other nations for help rather than Yahweh (w. 8- 16). And again watch for the references to Judah (5: 10, 12, 13, 14; 6:4, 11).

 8:1-9:9

Once More: Judgment Because of Unfaithfulness

    Another call for the trumpet (8:1) announces again Yahweh's certain judgments, this time in the form of overthrow by the very nations she sold herself to (8:3b, 8-10, 14).Note again the charge of breaking covenant (8:1-3), but added now is the internal decay in the monarchy (8:4), while idolatry continues to be the main issue (8:4-7). The cycle then concludes with yet another announcement of coming judgment and the reasons for it (9:1-9). 

 9:10-10:15

Israel Condemned for Not Living Up to Her Calling

    In 9:9 Yahweh reminded them of Gibeah (Judges 19-20); now he picks up a series of such reminders of past covenant disloyalty, which serve as examples for present judgments (Hos 9:10-14, Baal Peor [Num 25:1-9]; Hos 9:15-17, Gilgal [1 Sam 13; 15]; Hos 10:9-10, Gibeah again). Note the role of various kings in the oracles in Hosea 10 (vv. 3, 6-7, 15): Because Israel has rejected Yahweh as King, Israel's own king will be destroyed and her idols taken to the king of Assyria. And note also the invitation in 10:12, which anticipates the word of anguish and compassion that comes next.   

11:1-11 

God's Undying Love for Israel 

    In many ways this is the heart of Hosea's message. Yahweh's love for his "son," Israel (w. 1,3-4; see Exod 4:22); Israel's unfaithfulness (Hos 11:2, 7); Yahweh's judgment (vv. 5-0); and his promise of restoration (w. 8- 1 l)-all because he alone is the Holy One, totally other than his human creatures (v. 9). This paves the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. 

11:12-13:16 

One More Time: Israel's Sins and Coming Judgment 

    Note how the first of these oracles ( 1 I : 12-12:14) picks up many of the themes from before-both Israel's (and Judah's) sins (lies, deceit, idolatry [bulls in Gilgal, v. 11]) and God's judgments (12:2, 14) and appeal (v. 6); here alone (vv. 7-8) Hosea explicitly reflects the social injustice found in Amos, Isaiah, and Micah. Observe also, however,that most of the oracle picks up (from 11:1-4) the reminders of their history, especially the roles of Jacob (the good and the bad!) and Moses (12: l3).

    The second oracle (13:1- 16) again repeats the motif of the people's

unfaithfulness to Yahweh, especially their ingratitude in turning to idolatry

(w. 1-2, 6, 9-12, 16) after Yahweh has done so much for them (w. 4-6); therefore, they will come under judgment (vv. 3,7-8, 15-16). Even so, the word of hope persists (v. 14).

 14:1-9

Invitation and Restoration  

    Note how the book concludes with one more invitation to repent (vv. 1-3) and the promise of restoration and a glorious future (vv. 4-8); could Hosea have done it otherwise? So the book signs off with a word in Wisdom style, calling for discernment (v. 9)-a word that has similarities to Psalm 1.