The Divine Lamp

I was very pressed for time today, so this entry was both brief and clumsy.  When I edit my various notes on the Bible I hope to redo this post considerably.

Read the text

The historical circumstances to which the text refers are obscure, giving rise to many theories and conjectures.

Vs 8 The horn is a reference to the shofar, a rams horn blown to announce a cultic assembly or as a warning that an enemy is approaching. Gibeah and Ramah were Judean frontier towns on the border between Israel and Judah. They were in very close proximity to Beth-aven (i.e. a pejorative term for Bethel, a cultic center in Israel). Some scholars speculate that at the time of Hosea, Gibeah and Ramah had been annexed to Israel and that this text is predicting an attack on Israel from Judah. The Judean army would have traveled up the Jerusalem road, attacking the cities in the order they are mentioned. There is little if any historical evidence for this. Perhaps we should not read to much into the order of the towns.

Sometime during the early 8th century Israel established an alliance with Assyria. During the reign of Pekah, it sought to break free of that alliance. Pekah formed an alliance with king Rezin of Aram to oppose Assyria and tried to get the Kingdom of Judah to join as well. When the king of Judah refused, Israel/Aram attacked, and Judah promptly appealed to Assyria for help. The result of all of this was that Aram was destroyed, Israel was devastated, forced to pay heavy tribute to Assyria, and forced to give up the region of Galilee to that kingdom as well. Judah was forced into a vassalage relation with Assyria, and forced to pay tribute. Verse 8 may be referring to this event. The call to the tribe of Benjamin (allied with Judah) to “look behind you” would then be a warning that the fate which befell Israel (forced vassalage, heavy tribute) would also befall Judah, which in fact happened.

Vs 9 Ephraim was the largest of the northern tribes and the term is often used to refer to the Northern Kingdom as a whole. such is the case here.

Vs 10 Judah is accused of moving a landmark (boundary-line); an act condemned by the law (Dt 19:14). This probably refers to the aftermath of its appeal to Assyria for help. This appeal led to a loss of part of the Holy Land (the Galilee region I mentioned earlier).

Vs 11 In spite of Judah’s actions, ultimately, Ephraim (Israel) has only itself to blame.

Vs 12 Due to the moral and religious corruption in the two kingdoms God is slowly bringing about their demise.

Vs 13 Most translations speak (correctly, I think) of Israel (Ephraim) going to Assyria, and Judah going to the great king. The translation I linked to speaks only of Ephraim. “The Great King” was a title given to the rulers of Assyria. Both kingdoms are being condemned for aligning themselves with this empire. Had Israel relied on God rather than on Assyria it never would have sought to end its pact with that empire. Had Judah relied on God in it’s troubles with Israel/Aram it never would have been forced into vassalage and tribute payment by Assyria.

Vs 14 Very ironic. The lion was a symbol of Assyrian might. As an instrument of Salvation it had failed both kingdom, turning instead into a ravager, like a lion. But in reality, Assyrian might has become an instrument in the hands of God to punish his people. He is the true lion attacking the kingdoms (see Amos 1:2; 3:12)

Posted by Dim Bulb.  Check out my other site.