1	Hosea… Seems to have begun 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 More focused on criticism of idolatry and Baal worship than on social injustices
2	They made kings but not through me 8:4 Zechariah murdered by Shallum Shallum murdered by Menahem Menahem paid tribute to Assyria Pekahiah murdered by Pekah Pekah murdered by Hoshea, who paid tribute, but then rebelled.
3	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
4	Judaic Redaction 1:1 Uzziah (785-33), Jotham (759-43), Ahaz (743-27), Hezekiah (727-698) and in the days of Jeroboam II (790-750) 1:7 I will have mercy on the house of Judah 1:11 Judah and Israel will appoint one head
5	Judaic redaction 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
6	Relationship of Hosea chap 1 to chap 3 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
7	“Woman of harlotry” (1:2) member of apostate people described in terms of what she later became common or temple prostitute a woman who has undergone Canaanite marriage preparation rite promiscuous woman. You--male Israel--are that promiscuous woman
8	Gomer and her children Jezreel: I will punish the dynasty of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel (2 Kings 9) Lo-ruhamah: I will no longer pity the house of Israel or forgive them Lo-ammi: You are not my people and I will not be on your side (or: and I am not your God)
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10	Transformed children in the future 2:1-3 (1:10-2:1) 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 = Ammi (my people) Your sister = Ruhamah (pitied)
11	The great “therefores” in chapter 2 V. 5 Their mother has played the whore and gone after her lovers 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
12	Great “therefores” continued v. 13 She went after her lovers and forgot me v. 14 Therefore I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness Valley of Achor (trouble; cf. Achan in Joshua 7) becomes door of hope She will answer as in days of her youth, when she came out of Egypt
13	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 sight of 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
14	Words of salvation, 2:18-25 (16-23) You will call me “My husband,” not “my Baal” “covenant” with wild animals--abolish sword, bow, war from land Bride price paid by God is righteousness, justice, steadfast love, mercy, faithfulness
15	Words of Salvation (continued) I will answer heavens--earth--grain, wine, oil--Jezreel I will sow them (pun on Jezreel) in the land; I will have pity on “unpitied” (Lo-ruhamah); I wil say to Lo-ammi: You are my people They shall say: You are my God
16	3:1-5 Disciplinary love Go love a woman who has a lover…just as Yahweh loves the Israelites Woman/Israel turn to another lover/other gods Sexual activity of Hosea and woman prohibited No king, sacrifice, pillar, Ephod, Teraphim The Israelites will eventually seek Yahweh [and David!]
17	The 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 northern invaders (cf. Isa 7:1-17) But Ahaz in fact sent a bribe to Tiglathpileser III (2 Kgs 16:7-8)
18	The consequences Tiglathpileser III invaded and incorporated the majority of the northern kingdom into the Assyrian provincial system Three provinces established: Gilead, Megiddo, and Dor Hoshea murdered his predecessor Pekah, became king, and sent tribute to Assyria. “They overthrew their king Pekah and I placed Hoshea as king over them.” ANET 284
19	Hos 5:8-13 Syro-Ephraimitic War vv. 8-9 Alarm about attack from south Gibeah-Ramah-Beth-aven (Bethel) = south to north along highway from Jerusalem vv. 10-12 Guilt of brother nations in war 10 Judah appropriates territory-moves landmark 11 Ephraim seeks help from an enemy or from an alien god 12 Ephraim’s wound is God’s work
20	Hos 5:14-15 Syro-Ephraimitic War I wil be like a lion to Ephraim…and Judah I will return again to my place Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face
21	Hosea 6:1-3 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
22	Hos 6:4-6 Prophetic oracle (not an oracle of salvation) What shall I do with you? Your loyalty is like morning fog My justice shall be as sure as light I desire loyalty and not sacrifice; the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
23	Hosea 11:1-11 When Israel was a child I loved them and out of Egypt I called my daughter and son (v. 1) They served the baals and the idols (v. 2) God as mother (vv. 3-4) They turned to Egypt…they refused to turn [to me] (v. 5)
24	Matthew 2:15 “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” All Scripture deals with the end time We are in the end time All Scripture is directly about “us” Jesus recapitulates the history of Israel Hos 11:9 as a hermeneutical key
25	Hosea 11:1-11 (continued) How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I treat you like Admah and Zeboiim? I will not carry out the anger of my wrath. For I am God and not a human being The “holy-one-in-your-midst”
26	Hosea 11:1-11 (continued) Yahweh roars like a lion God’s children come trembling from the west…from Egypt…like a “dove” from the land of Assyria. I will make them dwell in their houses.
27	Jacob in Hosea Yahweh will punish Jacob according to his ways 12:2 In the womb he tricked his brother, and in his manhood he strove against God. 12:3
28	Choices Jacob strove with the angel and prevailed, but victory was short-lived and so he wept and sought the angel’s favor But God proved himself lord and prevailed. Jacob wept and made supplication. The divine angel held firm and prevailed… He contended with God. He overcame the angel. The angel wept...
29	Jacob continued 12:13-14 (12-13) Jacob fled to Aram; there Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he guarded sheep By a prophet Yahweh brought Israel up from Egypt, and by a prophet he was guarded.
30	Hosea 13:14 From Sheol I will save them Where, O death, are your plagues? (nowhere?) Revenge shall be far from my thoughts. ~:xOn Shall I ransom them from Sheol? O death, where are you plagues? (hurry up!) Compassion is hidden from my eyes.
31	Hosea 14:2-6 (1-5) Take words (not like 6:1-3?) and return to Yahweh Assyria cannot save us! We will not say “Our God” to the work of our hands In you the orphan finds mercy I will love them “freely” I will be like dew to Israel
32	Covenant in Hosea 2:18 covenant with wild animals 6:7 At Adam they transgressed the covenant 8:1 Broken covenant and transgressed Torah 10:4 With empty oaths they make covenants 12:1 They make a covenant/treaty with Assyria
33	Hosea and the prophets 4:5 The prophet will stumble with you 6:5 I have hewn them by prophets 9:7 The prophet is a fool 12:10 I spoke to the prophets…through the prophets I bring destruction 12:13 By a prophet Yahweh brought Israel from Egypt.