Hosea

The Book of Hosea is a book of the Jewish Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament, written by Hosea. This book stands first in order among the "Minor prophets."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The unique contribution of Hosea is the extended allegory of marriage given in chapters 1-3. While a few commentators believe this section to be entirely symbolic, most believe that the events described did occur.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

First, Hosea was directed by Yahweh to marry a harlot, and he did so. This was a symbolic act, representing Yahweh's covenant with Israel. What was the nation of Israel when Yahweh chose to enter into a covenant relationship with it? It was a group of ex-slaves who chose to worship a golden calf rather than Yahweh, the God who had rescued them from slavery. Thus, Yahweh characterizes the nation as a harlot.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Second, Hosea and his wife, Gomer, have a son. Yahweh commands that the son be named Jezreel. This name refers to a valley in which much blood had been shed in Israel's history, especially by the kings of the Northern Kingdom. The naming of this son was to stand as a prophecy against the reigning house of the Northern Kingdom, that they would pay for that bloodshed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Third, the couple has a daughter. Yahweh commands that she be named No Pity or Not Pitied, to show Israel that, although Yahweh will still have pity on the Southern Kingdom, He will no longer have pity on the Northern Kingdom; its destruction is imminent.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fourth, a son is born to Gomer. It is questionable whether this child was Hosea's, for Yahweh commands that his name be Not My People, or more simply, Not Mine. The child bore this name of shame to show that the Northern Kingdom would also be shamed, for its people would no longer be known as God's People.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Following this, the prophecy is made that someday this will all be changed, that Yahweh will indeed have pity on his people, Israel.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chapter two describes a divorce. This divorce seems to be the end of the covenant between Yahweh and the Northern Kingdom. However, it is probable that this was again a symbolic act, in which Hosea divorced Gomer for infidelity, and used the occasion to preach the message of Yahweh's rejection of the Northern Kingdom. He ends this prophecy with the declaration that Yahweh will one day renew the covenant, and will take His people back in love.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In Chapter three, at Yahweh's command, Hosea seeks out Gomer once more. Either she has sold herself into slavery for debt, or she is with a lover who demands money in order to give her up, because Hosea has to buy her back. He takes her home, but refrains from sexual intimacy with her for many days, to symbolize the fact that Israel will be without a king for many years, but that Yahweh will take Israel back, even at a cost to Himself.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chapters 4-14 spell out the allegory at length. Chapters 4-10 contain a series of oracles, or prophetic sermons, showing exactly why Yahweh is rejecting the Northern Kingdom, what are the grounds for the divorce. Chapter 11 is Yahweh's lament over the necessity of giving up the Northern Kingdom, which is a large part of the people of Israel, whom He loves. He promises that He will not entirely give them up. Then, in Chapter 12, he pleads for their repentance. Chapter 13 foretells the destruction of the kingdom at the hands of Assyria, because there has been no repentance. Chapter 14 urges them to seek forgiveness, and promises the restoration of Israel, while urging the utmost fidelity to Yahweh.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hebrew Bible: Hebrew Bible refers to the common portions of the Jewish and Christian canons. Its use is favored by most academic Biblical scholars as a bias-free term that is preferred to both Tanakh and Old Testament when discussing the text in academic writing. (For instance, see section 4.3 of The SBL Handbook...

Old Testament: The Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures (also called the Hebrew Bible) constitutes the first major part of the Bible according to Christianity. It is usually divided into the categories of law, history, poetry (or wisdom books) and prophecy. All of these books were written before the birth of Jes...

Hosea: The Book of Hosea is a book of the Jewish Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament, written by Hosea. This book stands first in order among the "Minor prophets."...