Hosea Seems to have begun prophesying near the end of the reign of Jeroboam II (790-750) Seems not to have experienced the fall of Samaria in 722 Hence ca. 750-725; Amos ca. 760 More focused on criticism of idolatry and Baal worship than on social injustices (contrast Amos)
They made kings but not through me Hos 8:4 (750-722) King Zechariah (746-745) murdered by Shallum King Shallum (745) murdered by Menahem King Menahem (745-747) paid tribute to Assyria King Pekahiah (737-736) murdered by Pekah King Pekah (736-732) murdered by Hoshea King Hoshea (732-724) paid tribute to Assyria, but then rebelled, and this brought the end to the Northern Kingdom.
Outline of Hosea 1:1 Superscription 1:2-3:5 Hosea and his wife/wives husband/wife analogy 4:1-11:11 Mother/child analogy 12:1-14:8 I will love them freely I am like an evergreen cypress 14:9 Those who are wise understand these things
Judaic Redaction of this Northern Prophet Hosea 1:1 In the days of Uzziah (785-33), Jotham (759-43), Ahaz (743-27), Hezekiah (727-698) of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam II (790-750) of Israel 1:7 I will have mercy on the house of Judah 1:11 Judah and Israel will appoint one head
Judaic redaction (continued) 3:5 They will return to Yahweh their God and David their king 4:15 Do not let Judah become guilty by worshipping at Gilgal or Bethel 5:5 Israel s pride Judah stumbles with them 6:11 For you also, Judah, a harvest is appointed 8:14 Judah has multiplied fortified cities
Relationship(s) of Hosea in chap 1 to chap 3--options Parallel accounts in 3rd and 1st person To be read in succession? 3 then 1; or 1 then 3 Two different women in chaps 1 and 3 chap. 1 symbolizes Israel s relationship to Baal; chap. 3 symbolizes Yahweh s seeking out faithless Israel
Gomer a Woman of harlotry (1:2) metaphor for Israel s sin member of apostate people described in terms of what she later became common or temple prostitute a woman who had undergone a Canaanite marriage preparation rite promiscuous woman. You--male Israel--are that promiscuous woman
Gomer and her children the consequences of sin Jezreel: I will punish the dynasty of Jehu (including Jeroboam II) for the blood of Jezreel (2 Kings 9) Lo-ruhamah: I will no longer pity the house of Israel or forgive them God s compassion is exhausted Lo-ammi: You are not my people and I will not be on your side (or: and I am not your God, or I am Not I am for you)
The great reversal: Transformed children in the future 1:10-2:1 (Heb 2:1-3) People of Israel will be like the sand of the sea Lo-ammi (not my people) becomes children of the living God Judah and Israel will have one head Great shall be the day of Jezreel Your brother(s) = Ammi (my people) Your sister(s) = Ruhamah (pitied)
The great therefores in chapter 2 V. 5 Their mother has played the whore and gone after her lovers who gave her v. 6 Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns-- leads to repentance V. 8 She did not recognize that I gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil v. 9 Therefore I will take back my grain in its time and end her cultic life 10 uncover her nakedness in the eyes of her lovers
Great therefores continued v. 12 vine and fig tree are her pay v. 13 She went after her lovers and forgot me v. 14 Therefore I will seduce her and bring her into the wilderness where she will regain vineyards Valley of Achor (valley of trouble; cf. Achan in Joshua 7) becomes door of hope She will answer as in the days of her youth, when she came out of Egypt = positive view of wilderness period
Reading against the grain I will strip her naked 2:3 I will hedge up her way with thorns 2:6 I will uncover her shame in the sight of her lovers 2:10 I will lay waste her vines and fig trees 2:12 I will punish her 2:13 Speak tenderly to her in desert--flowers after abuse? 2:14
Words of salvation, 2:16-23 (Heb 2:18-25) You will call me My husband, not my Baal I will make for you a covenant with wild animals-- abolish sword, bow, war from land; I will make you lie down in security The bride price paid by God is righteousness, justice, steadfast love, mercy, faithfulness You will know (acknowledge; confess) Yahweh
Words of Salvation (continued) I will answer heavens--earth--grain, wine, oil Jezreel (v. 21-22; cf. v. 15) I will sow them hyt[rzw (pun on Jezreel: la[rzy) in the land; I will have pity on (ytmxrw unpitied (hmxr al Lo-ruhamah); (v. 23) I will say to Lo-ammi (ym[ al) you are my people (ym[) They shall say: You are my God
3:1-5 Disciplinary love 1 st person account Go love a woman who has a lover just as Yahweh loves the Israelites Woman/Israel turns to another lover/other gods Hosea buys her back Sexual activity of Hosea and this woman prohibited For Israel: No king, sacrifice, pillar, ephod, Teraphim The Israelites will eventually seek Yahweh [and David!]
Covenant in Hosea? 2:18 covenant with wild animals 6:7 At Adam they transgressed the covenant (obscure verse) 8:1 Broken covenant and transgressed Torah (deuteronomistic gloss) 10:4 With empty oaths they make covenants (= treaties) 12:1 They make a covenant/treaty with Assyria
Syro-Ephraimitic War ca 734 Rezin of Syria and Pekah (737-732) of the Northern Kingdom sought to force Judah and King Ahaz into an anti- Assyrian alliance Isaiah urged Ahaz to trust in Yahweh for deliverance and not to worry about the northern invaders (cf. Isa 7:1-17) But Ahaz in fact sent a bribe to Tiglathpileser III so that he would provide military help (2 Kgs 16:7-8)
Gate at Bethsaida Which Tiglath-pileser burned
Tiglath- Pileser III B C Sargon Sennacherib Shalmaneser 3 A Esarhaddon D Ashurbanipal
The consequences Tiglathpileser III invaded and incorporated the majority of the northern kingdom into the Assyrian provincial system Three provinces established: Gilead (Beyond the Jordan), Megiddo (Galilee of the nations), and Dor (Way of the Sea) cf. Isaiah 9 King Hoshea murdered his predecessor Pekah, became king, and sent tribute to Assyria. 2 Kgs 15:30 and 17:3 They overthrew their king Pekah and I placed Hoshea as king over them. Tiglathpileser III ANET 284
Hos 5:8-13 Syro-Ephraimitic War vv. 8-9 Alarm about attack from south Gibeah (172136)-Ramah (172148)- Beth-aven (175141; Bethel) = south to north along highway from Jerusalem vv. 10-12 Guilt of brother nations in war 10 Judah appropriates territory-moves landmark (boundary between north and south) 11 Ephraim seeks help from an enemy or from an alien god 12 Ephraim s wound is God s work
Hos 5:13-15 Syro-Ephraimitic War Alliance with Assyria I will be like a lion to Ephraim and Judah I will return again to my place (den) Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face
Hosea 6:1-3 (Options) Come, let us return to Yahweh; for he has torn and he will heal us Exhortation by the prophet to turn back to Yahweh, or Words of the people that are an acceptable response to divine judgment, or Words of the people that are an inadequate response to divine judgment God is a soft touch