Bible and Culture 2014 – Hosea day 5

HOSEA Day 4

A 1:1 – 3:5 A wayward wife B 4:1 – 5:7 Spiritual prostitution C 5:8 – 6:11a political corruption; empty sacrifices D 6:11b – 7:16 Israel has not returned to God C’ 8:1 – 9:7b political corruption; empty sacrifices B’ 9:7c – 10:15 Spiritual prostitution A’ 11:1 – 14:10 A wayward son

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Identification of the larger units making up the Book of Hosea is exceedingly difficult. The preceding analysis should be considered preliminary and tentative. . . .

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. . . Having begun with the larger picture – including both the bad news and the good news— Hosea proceeds in the next five units to focus on the bad news. . . . They comprise an intense, sustained series of repeated condemna- tions and warnings.

David Dorsey The Literary Structure of the Old Testament

Section 1 A wayward wife

Hosea 1:1 – 3:5

Section 7A wayward son

Hosea 11:1 – 14:10

Israel as God’s wifeand children

Hosea 1:2; 2:2

Israel as God’s son

Hosea 11:1; 12:3–4

God’s care in the past

Hosea 1:8 / 11:3–4

Israel unfaithful to YHWH

Hosea 1:2; 2:5–7,13; 3:1 / 11:2,7,12; 13:1–3

Idolatry

Hosea 2:13; 3:1 / 11:2; 13:1–2

Giving Israel up

Hosea 2:2–4,6–7a,9–13 / 11:5–8; 13:8–9,15–16

Exodus and wilderness

Hosea 2:14 / 11:1; 13:4–6

Hope: loving the wife again

Hosea 2:14,16,19–20; 3:1

Hope: loving the son again

Hosea 14:3

Keyword: return

Hosea 2:7; 3:5 / 11:5,11; 12:6; 14:1,2,7

A history of notseeking YHWH

Israel’s pride testifies against him;yet they do not return to YHWH their God, or seek him, for all this. . . .

They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds.

Hosea 7:10,14

Israel cries to me, ‘My God, we – Israel – know you!’ Israel has spurned the good;the enemy shall pursue him.

Hosea 8:2–3

Past grace(and ingratitude)

Hosea 11:1–4

Near-future judgement

Hosea 11:5–7

Far future grace

Hosea 11:8–11

Deceit and judgement

Hosea 11:12 – 12:14

No other God, saviour or helper

Hosea 13:1–11

YHWH = Lord of death

Hosea 13:12–16

Amazing grace

Hosea 14:1–9

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