‘O Israel, return to YHWH your God, for you have fallen by your iniquity.' Hosea's initial call is for Israel to return to YHWH their God from the iniquity (inherent wickedness, total disloyalty) into which they have fallen (see Hosea 4:8; Hosea 5:5; Hosea 7:1; Hosea 8:13; Hosea 9:7; Hosea 9:9; Hose... [ Continue Reading ]
ISRAEL ARE CALLED ON TO RETURN TO YHWH WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT WHEN THEY DO SO YHWH WILL RESTORE THEM AND LOVE THEM FREELY, AND THEY THEN LEARN OF ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT HE HAS IN STORE FOR THEM AS A RESULT(HOSEA 14:1). YHWH's terms for His people's return to Him are now clearly laid out. They in... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Take with you words, and return to YHWH. Say to him, “Take away all iniquity, and accept what is good, so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips. Assyria will not save us, we will not ride on horses, nor will we say any more to the work of our hands, “Our gods”, for in you the fatherle... [ Continue Reading ]
‘I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from him.' YHWH's response will then be that He will heal their backsliding and love them freely, because in view of their full ‘return', His anger will be turned away from them. There will be full reconciliation. T... [ Continue Reading ]
‘I will be as the dew to Israel, he will blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.' YHWH Himself will be as the dew to Israel (compare Song of Solomon 5:2), resulting in their blossoming like a lily (or crocus) and putting down strong roots. The heavy morning dew was an important fea... [ Continue Reading ]
‘His branches will spread, and his beauty will be as the olive-tree, and his odour as Lebanon.' As a result of their strong roots their branches will spread, the sign of a healthy tree, and they will have the beauty of an olive tree, one of the most desirable of trees in Israelite eyes (compare Jer... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Those who dwell under his shadow will return, they will revive as the grain, and blossom as the vine, their taste (name/memorial) will be as the wine of Lebanon.' And those who dwell under the shadow of the new Israel's spreading branches will return to YHWH, (or return from exile, compare Hosea 11... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Ephraim (will say), “What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him. I am like a green fir-tree, from me is your fruit found.” The bare word ‘Ephraim' (it is not ‘O Ephraim') probably indicates that at least the first phrase is spoken by Ephraim, with ‘Ephraim' signifyi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of YHWH are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will fall in them.' There is a hint of wisdom writing in these final words (compare the similar parallel situation in Psalms 1... [ Continue Reading ]