Hosea

Question 1

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-הוֹשֵׁעַ, לֵךְ קַח-לְךָ אֵשֶׁת זְנוּנִים וְיַלְדֵי זְנוּנִים–כִּי-זָנֹה תִזְנֶה הָאָרֶץ, מֵאַחֲרֵי יְהוָה.

Answer 1

Hosea 1:2

the LORD said unto Hosea: ‘Go, take unto thee a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry; for the land doth commit great harlotry, departing from the LORD.’

God instructs Hosea to take a prostitute wife. This symbolizes Israels sin of worshiping other gods

Question 2

וַתַּהַר עוֹד, וַתֵּלֶד בַּת, וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ, קְרָא שְׁמָהּ לֹא רֻחָמָה: כִּי לֹא אוֹסִיף עוֹד, אֲרַחֵם אֶת-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל–כִּי-נָשֹׂא אֶשָּׂא, לָהֶם.

Answer 2

Hosea 1:6

And she conceived again, and bore a daughter. And He said unto him: ‘Call her name Lo-ruhamah; for I will no more have compassion upon the house of Israel, that I should in any wise pardon them.

Hosea gives his children symbolic names

Question 3

קְרָא שְׁמוֹ לֹא עַמִּי: כִּי אַתֶּם לֹא עַמִּי, וְאָנֹכִי לֹא-אֶהְיֶה לָכֶם

Answer 3

Hosea 1:9

Call his name Lo-ammi; for ye are not My people, and I will not be yours.

Hosea gives his children symbolic names

Question 4

וְהָיָה מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּחוֹל הַיָּם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יִמַּד, וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר; וְהָיָה בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר-יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם, לֹא-עַמִּי אַתֶּם, יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם, בְּנֵי אֵל-חָי.

וְנִקְבְּצוּ בְּנֵי-יְהוּדָה וּבְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, יַחְדָּו, וְשָׂמוּ לָהֶם רֹאשׁ אֶחָד, וְעָלוּ מִן-הָאָרֶץ: כִּי גָדוֹל, יוֹם יִזְרְעֶאל

אִמְרוּ לַאֲחֵיכֶם, עַמִּי; וְלַאֲחוֹתֵיכֶם, רֻחָמָה.

Answer 4

Hosea 2:1-3

Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that, instead of that which was said unto them: ‘Ye are not My people’, it shall be said unto them: ‘Ye are the children of the living God.’

And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint themselves one head, and shall go up out of the land; for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Say ye unto your brethren: ‘Ammi’; and to your sisters, ‘Ruhamah.’

although his children get bad names ,they will be changed. Just like God who will reconcile with Israel

Question 5

וְנָתַתִּי לָהּ אֶת-כְּרָמֶיהָ מִשָּׁם, וְאֶת-עֵמֶק עָכוֹר לְפֶתַח תִּקְוָה; וְעָנְתָה שָּׁמָּה כִּימֵי נְעוּרֶיהָ, וּכְיוֹם עֲלוֹתָהּ מֵאֶרֶץ-מִצְרָיִם.

וְהָיָה בַיּוֹם-הַהוּא נְאֻם-יְהוָה, תִּקְרְאִי אִישִׁי; וְלֹא-תִקְרְאִי-לִי עוֹד, בַּעְלִי.

Answer 5

Hosea 2:17-18

And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope; and she shall respond there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call Me Ishi, and shalt call Me no more Baali.

Ishi instead of Baali–> nice pun

Petach TIkvah –> name of city in Israel (begining of hope)

This is a renewal of vows, return to the old

Question 6

אָלֹה וְכַחֵשׁ, וְרָצֹחַ וְגָנֹב וְנָאֹף; פָּרָצוּ, וְדָמִים בְּדָמִים נָגָעוּ.

Answer 6

Hosea 4:2

Swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery! they break all bounds, and blood toucheth blood.

moral sins of the people - similar to 10 commandments

Question 7

כִּי חֶסֶד חָפַצְתִּי, וְלֹא-זָבַח; וְדַעַת אֱלֹהִים, מֵעֹלוֹת

Answer 7

Hosea 6:6

For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.

God prefers loyalty over sacrifices.

Question 8

בַּבֶּטֶן, עָקַב אֶת-אָחִיו; וּבְאוֹנוֹ, שָׂרָה אֶת-אֱלֹהִים.

וַיָּשַׂר אֶל-מַלְאָךְ וַיֻּכָל, בָּכָה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן-לוֹ; בֵּית-אֵל, יִמְצָאֶנּוּ, וְשָׁם, יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ.

Answer 8

Hosea 12:4-5

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and by his strength he strove with a godlike being;

So he strove with an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him; at Beth-el he would find him, and there he would speak with us;

Evokes story about Yaacov and his sins. Suggests negative implication about story of Yaacovs strugle with the angel.

Question 9

שׁוּבָה, יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ: כִּי כָשַׁלְתָּ, בַּעֲו‍ֹנֶךָ

קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים, וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל-יְהוָה; אִמְרוּ אֵלָיו, כָּל-תִּשָּׂא עָו‍ֹן וְקַח-טוֹב, וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָרִים, שְׂפָתֵינוּ.

Answer 9

Hosea 14:2-3

Return, O Israel, unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast stumbled in thine iniquity.

Take with you words, and return unto the LORD; say unto Him: ‘Forgive all iniquity, and accept that which is good; so will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips.

Reconcilication- Teshuva. Words in place of sacrifice.

There is a message of hope at the end.