The Divine Lamp

Apr 13 2008

Notes on Hosea 7: 13-16

Published by Dim Bulb at 7:30 pm under Bible, NOTES ON HOSEA, Uncategorized

7:13. Woe to them!

For they have wandered from me.

Destruction to them!

For they have trespassed against me.

Though I would redeem them,

yet they have spoken lies against me.

7:14. They haven’t cried to me with their heart,

but they howl on their beds.

They assemble themselves for grain and new wine.

They turn away from me.

7:15. Though I have taught and strengthened their arms,

yet they plot evil against me.

7:16. They return, but not to the Most High.

They are like a faulty bow.

Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue.

This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Vs 13. Woe to them! For they have wandered from me. “Woe” was originally used as part of a funeral lament. In the prophets it is often employed to announce a coming judgment or highlight a grave situation. The prophet has just described (vss 11-12) Israel as “a silly dove” which flies away to other nations and which he (God) will bring down like a hunter brings down birds with a net. The reference to “wandering” from God builds upon this. Israel, remember, was “playing the harlot” and “running after her lovers” (see 2:7).

vs 13 cont. Destruction to them! For they have trespassed against me. Trespassed translates the Hebrew word pasha (pa-shah), which can refer to both political rebellion (2 Kings 1:1), or religious apostasy (Amos 4:4). In light of their false worship of God, their pagan worship, and their seeking political alliances, one should probably see both meanings intended here (In light of the fact that God was Israel’s true king, the earthly kings being mere representatives, as it were, the idea of political rebellion against God is not far-fetched). Implied in this rebellion is the fact that it has been done knowingly.

Vs 13 cont. Though I would have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. The reference to redemption calls to mind God’s saving activity in relation to his people in the Exodus (Deut 7:8; 13:6). What lies they have spoken against God is unclear. Possibly the lie consists in the presumptions they had concerning God’s mercy; such conceptions as manifested in 5:15-6:7. Notice that that passage ends in 6:7 with a reference to their treacherous or deceitful dealings with God. This view is confirmed, I think, by the beginning of verse 14:

Vs 14. They haven’t cried to me with their hearts, but they howl on their beds. Instead of proper prayer they simply lament their situation. Marvin Notice the contrast between Crying to God and merely howling. The former (had it actually been done) would have had a direction (to God) and an origin (the heart); whereas the latter has neither. Such emptiness invites “destruction” (vs 13).

Vs 14 cont. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me. Note the contrast between “assemble” and “turn away.” As we saw in earlier passages, the people were attributing their abundance of grain, wine, and oil, i.e., the produce of the land, to Baal, a fertility god (2:7), rather than THE God (2:10). In holding a cultic assembly to worship Baal they were turning away from God.

Vs 15. Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, they have devised evil against me. A better translation of the last part of this verse would be: “they considered me to be evil.” Throughout the OT, Israel’s military strength and security is dependent upon their fidelity to God, who aids them against their enemies. At the time of Hosea the northern kingdom of Israel had reached the zenith of its military and political power, yet their were indications that the nation’s security was “iffy” at best. God had warned the people in Deuteronomy 28 that if they forgot him and the covenant they would suffer many setbacks and punishments, including military attacks, defeats, and exile. The fact that the nation was often at war, and the looming threat of Assyrian aggression as well, should have been a warning to the people that its relation to God was in jeopardy, instead, it appear that God was accused of lying. Thia accusation could work only because the people had forgotten their own covenant obligations.

Vs 16. They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. The princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongues. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt. The first part of the verse actually reads: “they returned to the not high.” “Not high” sounds similar to Baal in Hebrew and is a pejorative term for Baal, who is not high in contrast to THE God who, in the OT is often called “Most High.” Faulty bow (literally, limp, or unstrung) calls to mind the reference in vs 15 to God’s having taught (Hebrew: trained) and strengthened their arms, a military image. Separated from God, their commander-and-chief, they are useless in war. Their princes will fall by the sword because of the rage of their tongues; no doubt a reference to their calling God a liar in the previous verse. In accordance with the warnings laid down in Deuteronomy 28, the people will go into exile, and, for the rage of their tongues they will be derided (an act of the tongue) in Egypt, the original place of exile from whence God delivered them.

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