“My people
Are destroyed,
For lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected
Knowledge,
I reject you
From being
A priest to me.
Since you have forgotten
The law of your God,
I also will forget
Your children.”
The main objection against the priests is that they have not educated the people of Israel. The people lack knowledge because the priests and prophets have rejected knowledge themselves. These same priests had forgotten the law of God. Therefore, Yahweh was going to forget their children.
“The prophet
Shall also stumble
With you
By night.
I will destroy
Your mother.”
Yahweh, via Hosea, was not pleased with the prophets either. They too would stumble, but they would do so at night. In fact, there was a threat to destroy their mothers.
“Yet let no one contend!
Let none accuse!
My contention is
With you!
O priest!
You shall stumble
By day!”
Yahweh, via Hosea, was upset about the Israelite priests. No one should reprimand him, because he was complaining against the local priests. He hoped that they would stumble during the daytime.
“There is swearing.
There is lying.
There is murder.
There is stealing.
Adultery breaks out.
Bloodshed follows bloodshed.
Therefore,
The land mourns.
All who live in it
Languish.
The wild animals,
Together with
The birds of the air,
Even the fish of the sea,
Are perishing.”
Hosea explained how bad the situation was in Israel. First, the place was full of sin with swearing, lying, murder, and stealing. Adultery was all over the place, with bloodshed everywhere. Thus, the land and its people mourned. Everyone who lived there was languishing. The wild animals, the birds of the air, and even the fish of the sea were perishing or dying. Death was in the air.
“Hear the word of Yahweh!
O people of Israel!
Yahweh
Has an indictment
Against the inhabitants
Of the land.
There is no faithfulness.
There is no loyalty.
There is no knowledge
Of God
In the land.”
Hosea announced the word of Yahweh to the people of Israel. Yahweh was going to bring an indictment against all the people living in Israel. They were unfaithful and not loyal. They had no knowledge about God or their land. They were in big trouble.
“The Israelites
Shall remain many days
Without a king
Or a prince.
They shall remain
Without sacrifice
Or pillar,
Without ephod
Or teraphim.
Afterward,
The Israelites
Shall return.
They shall seek
Yahweh,
Their God,
With David
Their king.
They shall come
In awe
To Yahweh,
To his goodness,
In the latter days.”
Hosea that predicted that the Israelites would spend many days without a king, prince, or leader. They also would be without sacrifices, since there would be no temple or pillar to worship at. There would be no high priest who would wear the ephod. There would be no teraphim or household gods, implying that the Israelites had some of these gods as in Genesis, chapter 31. The good news was that these Israelites would eventually seek Yahweh, their God. They would have David or his descendants as their king. In awe, they would return to the good Yahweh in the days to come.
“So,
I bought her
For fifteen shekels
Of silver,
As well as a homer
Of barley,
With a measure
Of wine.
I said to her.
‘You must dwell
As mine
For many days.
You shall not play
The prostitute.
You shall not have
Intercourse
With a man.
Nor will I have
Intercourse with you.’”
Is Hosea buying back Gomer or another woman? The assumption is that this is Gomer, the original prostitute. He purchased her like a slave. It is not clear who he bought her from. Nevertheless, he paid 15 silver shekels, approximately a little over $3,000.00 for her, as well as some barley and wine. Hosea laid down some conditions for his newly purchased sex slave. She could not be a prostitute. She would not have intercourse with any man, not even himself. This would seem to indicate that women needed to control their sexual urges more than men, which seems unrealistic.
“Yahweh said to me.
‘Go!
Love a woman
Who has a lover!
Love an adulteress!
Just as Yahweh loves
The people of Israel,
Though they turn
To other gods.
They love raisin cakes.’”
Yahweh went to Hosea again. He told him to go love a woman who has a lover already. He was to love an adulteress. This time, there is a clear explanation of why he was doing this. He was to follow the attitude of Yahweh. Yahweh has loved the people of Israel, even though they have turned to other gods. These Israelites seemed to love the pagan raisin cakes at the religious services for these idol gods.
“Says Yahweh.
‘On that day,
I will answer
The heavens.
They shall answer
The earth.
The earth shall answer
The grain,
The wine,
The oil.
They shall answer
Jezreel.
I will sow him
For myself
In the land.
I will have pity
On Lo-ruhamah.
I will say to
Lo-ammi.
‘You are my people.’
He shall say.
‘You are my God.’”
Yahweh was very clear. On that day, he was going to respond to the heavens, just as the heavens would respond to earth. The earth would respond to the grain, wine, and oil. They would answer to Jezreel, that had been the residence of the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel. Yahweh was going to sow in the land itself. Finally, he would have pity and love for Lo-ruhamah, the not pitied one. He too would rename Lo-ammi, from not my people to you are my people. He was going to be their God. Thus, all would end well.
“I will take you
For my wife
Forever.
I will take you
For my wife
In righteousness,
In justice,
In steadfast love,
In mercy.
I will take you
For my wife
In faithfulness.
You shall know Yahweh.”
Next Yahweh committed to an everlasting marriage. Yahweh was going to take Israel as his wife for all time, forever. She would be his wife in righteousness, justice, love, and mercy. Israel would be a faithful wife. Thus, she would truly know Yahweh, God.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 