Gibeah and Ramah

A student, Chris Kou, notes that Hosea 5:8 alludes to the incident with the Levite and his concubine in Judges 19-20. “Blow the horn at Gibeah, the trumpet at Ramah” takes us back to “we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah” (Judges 19:13). The men of Gibeah are like the . . . . Continue Reading »

True Beast

The sea beast that appears in Revelation 13 is a composite of beasts from Daniel 7, with features of leopard, bear, and lion and seven heads equal to the total number of heads on the beasts that Daniel sees in vision. But the beast is also a parody of Yahweh, who threatens to tear and devour Israel . . . . Continue Reading »

Mercy and Sacrifice

“I delight in mercy ( hesed ) rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”  Thus far Hosea (6:6), reaffirmed by Jesus (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). Less well-known is the context in Hosea 6: “What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What . . . . Continue Reading »

Moth and Rust

Jesus instructs His disciples to store treasure where moth and rust cannot corrupt, that is, in heaven. Hosea 5:12 sheds some light on that.  Yahweh is in the midst of condemning priests and kings for their harlotry.  Priests don’t teach Torah and the kings move landmarks, so Yahweh . . . . Continue Reading »

Wombless

Hosea’s daughter is named Lo-ruhamah (1:6), and the Lord explains that her name signifies that He “will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel.” Lo-ruhamah means “no compassion.” But the word ruhamah is linked to the Hebrew word for “womb”; as . . . . Continue Reading »

Reverse exodus

In Hosea 13:15, the prophet says of Ephraim, “Though he flourishes among the reeds, an east wind will come, the wind of the LORD coming up from the wilderness; and his fountain will become dry and his spring will be dried up; it will plunder his treasury of every precious article.” This . . . . Continue Reading »