Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Yahweh will exile Israel because of its sins.
II. Photo
God will exile Israel: “Weeds will be their heirs; Prickly shrubs will occupy their [old] homes.” (v. 6b)
III. Important Verses
1: Rejoice not, O Israel, As other peoples exult; For you have strayed Away from your God: You have loved a harlot’s fee By every threshing floor of new grain.
3: They shall not be able to remain In the land of the LORD. But Ephraim shall return to Egypt And shall eat unclean food in Assyria.
5-6: What will you do about feast days, About the festivals of the LORD? Behold, they have gone from destruction [With] the silver they treasure. Egypt shall hold them fast, Moph shall receive them in burial. Weeds are their heirs; Prickly shrubs occupy their [old] homes.
10: I found Israel [as pleasing] As grapes in the wilderness; Your fathers seemed to Me Like the first fig to ripen on a fig tree. But when they came to Baal-peor, They turned aside to shamefulness; Then they became as detested As they had been loved.
13: It shall go with Ephraim As I have seen it go with Tyre, Which was planted in a meadow; Ephraim too must bring out His children to slayers.
16-17: Ephraimo is stricken, Their stock is withered; They can produce no fruit. Even if they do bear children, I will slay their cherished offspring. My God rejects them Because they have not obeyed Him, And they shall go wandering Among the nations.
IV. Outline
1-6. Sin and exile for Israel
7a. God tells Hosea to prophesy
7b-8. The fate of Ephraim’s prophets
9-10. Israel’s rejection of God
11-14. Ephraim will be destroyed
15. Ephraim’s downfall began at Gilgal
16-17. Ephraim’s fate: no more living offspring and exile
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Collins, John J. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible,” (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004).
Photo taken from http://www.magicravenphotography.com/Old%20house%20w%20tall%20weeds.jpg
