Old Testament Scriptural Summaries and Commentary

Old Testament,  Hosea 1-5, 10-11, 13-14

Gospel Doctrine Class, Sunday School Lesson #34

"I Will Betroth Thee Unto Me in Righteousness" (Hosea 2:19)

Book Reference: The Words of the Twelve Prophets, Monte S. Nyman, Farres H. Nyman, pp. 35-46.

Book Reference: The Old Testament Made Easier, Part Three, David J. Ridges

The Book of Hosea

            Hosea is sometimes described as a "minor prophet" which includes eleven other Old Testament prophets.  He was called during the same time period as Isaiah, Amos, Micah and perhaps Joel during the reign of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah and Jeroboam in the Northern Kingdom of Israel (v. 1:1).  These kings were some of the most wicked of all the kings who ruled the children of Israel.  The name Hosea "signifies 'help,' 'deliverance,' and 'salvation' and is derived from the same root as the names of Joshua and Jesus." (Old Testament Student Manual, 1 Kings-Malachi, p. 103.)

            Like Isaiah, Hosea writes his revelations and words from Jehovah in the Jewish style of metaphors and comparisons using symbolism the people of that time readily understood.  Scholars believe that Hosea prophesied beginning about 777 B.C. until sometime after 726 B.C., a period of approximately fifty years.  (The Words of the Twelve Prophets, Monte S. Nyman and Farres H. Nyman, p. 23.)

            One of the themes of his writings refers to the "marriage" metaphor (called a similitude in the scriptures) describing the covenants made between the Lord and the children of Israel.  In this comparison, God is the husband or bridegroom and Israel is the bride and mother.  Abraham (Genesis 17), Moses (Exodus 19:4-8), Isaiah  (Isaiah 54:5), and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 3:4) all wrote about the "marriage" between God and his covenant children Israel.

Other comparisons in Hosea include the following:

Hosea 1:10 - "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea."

Hosea 5:10 - " I will pour out my wrath upon them like water."

Hosea 6:3   - "The Lord … shall come unto us as the rain."

Hosea 8:1   - "He shall come as an eagle."

Hosea 10:1 - "Israel is an empty vine."

Hosea 10:4 - "judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field."

Hosea 13:3 - "They shall be…as the smoke out of the chimney."

Hosea 13:8 - "I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps" [cubs].

Hosea 14:8 - "I am like a green fir tree."

Chapters 1-3 ― The "Marriage"

            In these chapters Hosea represents the Lord and Gomer represents Israel as the wife.  Israel's sin of worshipping idols is compared to adultery (Old Testament: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (2001), 166–69.)

            "And the LORD said to Hosea: Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms for the land [the people] hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD" [spiritual adultery; breaking covenants made with the Lord] (Ridges, p. 444) (v. 1: 2).  The Old Testament Student Manual (SM) lists five different scenarios for interpretation of this commandment from the Lord: (1)  God actually ask Hosea to marry a harlot; (2)  Hosea received this vision in a dream; (3)  Hosea's wife, Gomer, was virtuous when they married, but later became a harlot;  (4)  Gomer was not immoral but was a worshiper of Baal and was a spiritual harlot;  and (5)  this was an allegory given to Hosea in words that the Israelites well understood (p. 105).   

President Henry B. Eyring commented on his experience [while] teaching Hosea to his early morning seminary classes:  "… in just two chapters, even my youngest students knew that the husband was a metaphor for Jehovah, Jesus Christ. And they knew that the wife represented his covenant people, Israel, who had gone after strange gods. They understood that the Lord was teaching them, through this metaphor, an important principle. Even though those with whom he has covenanted may be horribly unfaithful to him, he would not divorce them if they would only turn back to him with full purpose of heart" (Covenants and Sacrifice, address to religious educators, 15 Aug. 1995, pp. 1–2; quoted in SM, p. 104).

            The first child of the marriage was named Jezreel  (vv. 1:4-5).  This is the name of the valley overlooking Megiddo [Armageddon in the New Testament, (see Revelation 16:16)].  Jezreel means "God shall sow" referring to the scattering of seed as a similitude for the scattering of Israel.  The second child was called Lo-ruhamah which means "not having obtained mercy" and the third child, Lo-ammi is "not my people" in Hebrew (Student Manual, p. 105).  Symbolically, the Lord is telling the people of the northern kingdom that He will not give them mercy and thus they are no longer "his people" and [he] "will utterly take them away" [scatter them] (vv.1: 6, 9).

            And the LORD repeats the Abrahamic Covenant that the children of Israel will yet be as numerous "as the sand of the sea" and in that same place it will be said of them, "Ye are the sons of the living God" (v. 1:10).    There both Judah and Israel (Ephraim) will again be gathered under one head (v. 1:11)―"perhaps meaning that they will come unto Christ and be loyal to Him as their King" (Old Testament Made Easier, Part Three, Ridges, p. 446).

            ▶Almost all of chapter two is a metaphor.  Hosea is told to "Plead with your mother" [apostate Israel] for she has broken the marriage covenant with her "whoredoms"  and "lovers" [other gods and material wealth] and "adulteries" [sexual sins] (vv. 2:2-3).  If the people do not repent, the Lord warns He will not show mercy but will curse them with punishments including famine. "For their mother hath played the harlot…for she said, I will go after my lovers that gave me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. (vv. 2:5-10).   The unfaithful wife [Israel] has burned incense to Baalim [worshipped idol gods] and decked herself with earrings and jewels, "and forgat me, saith the LORD"—instead of relying on and giving thanks to the Lord for her blessings  (v. 13).

            But Jehovah still cares for her [Israel] and will try to "allure" her back to Him.  And, eventually, she will accept Him back as her husband [Lord].  Then, He will restore great blessings to her and give her peace and safety [in the Millennium].  "And I will betroth thee unto me for ever [as My wife]…in righteousness, and in judgment [righteous justice], and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.  I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord" (vv. 2:14-20). 

Ridges  comments: "The tender and intimate relationship between the husband and wife are symbolic of the closeness that should exist between the Lord and His people" (referring to Jeremiah 31:22 p. 344).

            ▶In chapter three the LORD tells Hosea to go "love a woman" [get a wife--Gomer or a different wife] who is an adulteress, who worships false gods and participates in fertility rights (see Hosea footnote 3:1a).  And he paid the price of fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley to rescue her from sin.  He tells her "thou shalt not play the harlot" meaning she must be faithful to him; and he tells her he will be faithful to her (vv. 3:2-3). 

"Even though the purchase price mentioned in Hosea 3:2 has been paid, there is a time of testing, of waiting and preparing, before one is reinstated to all the blessings of the covenant and enjoys the company of a husband and a savior. This principle is valid whether applied to Gomer as a person or to Gomer as a figure for Israel" (OT Student Manual, p. 106). 

Next, Hosea speaks of the time when Israel will be "without a king [a leader] [and] …without a sacrifice [a temple or religious practice], and without an image [no idol to worship], and without an ephod" [to which the Urim and Thummim were attached--meaning without revelation].  In other words they would be taken into captivity and scattered.  But in the latter days, the children of Israel will return to the land "and seek the LORD their God, and David [Christ] their king" (vv. 3:4-5).

Chapter 4 ― Righteousness Equals Prosperity

            "Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land" (v. 1).  Some of their transgressions include: swearing (profanity), lying, killing, stealing, committing adultery, breaking all bounds [removing property boundaries for theft], and bloodshed (v. 2).  The people have "rejected knowledge" [of the LORD] and follow false priests with their false worship and false sacrifices (vv.  4-9).  And, they look to their "stocks" [wooden idols] and their "staff" [magic rods or diviner's instruments] for help and counsel instead of the God of Israel--their true God (v. 12).  They sacrifice on the tops of the hills in shadow where their daughters and wives commit whoredoms and adultery (vv. 10-14). 

Hosea warns Judah not to go to the holy place of Gilgal, where an alter to the LORD was made of twelve stones from the river after Joshua crossed the Jordan into the promised land (see Joshua 4:19; 5:10), as the city has been polluted by idol worship.  And to avoid Bethel, which meant "house of God" and Hosea now calls it Bethaven  [meaning "house of iniquity"] because the city has become a place of idol worship and iniquity (v.15) (Student Manual, (SM), p. 107).

            Hosea uses two animal images as metaphors for Israel.  The "backsliding heifer" who stubbornly refuses to follow his master and the "lamb in a large place" who is lost and helpless without protection like the Israelites when they are conquered and scattered (v. 16).

            Because of their iniquity, they will not prosper in the land.  "Therefore, shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish" (v.  3).  Even the animals, birds, and fishes will not be found because of the sins of the people.   The Lord will also "destroy thy mother"―meaning Israel (v. 5).  "For they shall eat, and not have enough" [there will be famine];  and because of their whoredoms, they will not "increase"― meaning they will not conceive children.  All this because they have not listened to the Lord and have sinned against his laws (v. 10).

Chapter  5 ― The Kingdoms Will Fall

            Here  Hosea has been told by the LORD that both the northern kingdom of Israel [sometimes called Ephraim] and the southern kingdom of Judah will fall because of their sins and iniquity (v. 5).

            "Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken ye house of Israel; and give ear, O house of the king."  Hosea here uses the metaphor of the king and priests [revolters] using a snare and a net that is spread over a hole on Mizpah and Tabor [both mountains used for hunting] to trap [influence] the people into wickedness (vv. 1-2). 

"Revolters were those who drove animals into a pit that had been camouflaged. The metaphor depicts the rulers and priesthood in the bloody role of the hunters who spiritually killed their prey, Israel" (SM, p. 107).

            Hosea accuses the people of dealing "treacherously" against the LORD "for they have begotten strange children"― because their covenant of marriage with Lord was broken by their adultery and apostasy, the children offspring are not acceptable to him (v. 7) (SM, p. 107).  And the "princes of Judah" (political leaders) remove the "bounds" [boundaries to take the land] and for that the Lord said, "therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water" (v. 10). The LORD has "oppressed and broken [Israel] in judgment" because they "walked after the commandment" (see 5:11 a, or willingly walked after filth instead of walking after true commandments (v. 11) (SM, p. 107).

Chapter 10― The Law of the Harvest

            In the first nine verses, the Lord through Hosea reiterates the sins of Israel.  "Israel is an empty vine [see footnote 10:1a vineyard of the Lord], he bringeth forth fruit unto himself [idol worship]…he hath increased the alters" [to other gods] (v. 1).  They "swear falsely in making a covenant" (v. 4).  Their idols of Beth-aven will be carried away into Assyria (in captivity) (v. 6) and the "high places" of Aven, where sexual sin was practiced, will be destroyed (v. 8). 

            In the metaphor of the law of the harvest, the Lord exhorts the people, "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow [uncultivated] ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you" (v. 12).

“Mercy is not showered [indiscriminately] upon mankind, except in the general sense that it is manifest in the creation and peopling of the earth and in the granting of immortality to all men as a free gift. Rather, mercy is granted (because of the grace, love, and condescension of God), as it is with all blessings, to those who comply with the law upon which its receipt is predicated. (D & C 130:20–21.) That law is the law of righteousness; those who sow righteousness, reap mercy. (Hosea 10:12.) There is no promise of mercy to the wicked; rather, as stated in the Ten Commandments, the Lord promises to show mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments. (Ex. 20:6; Dan. 9:4;D & C  70:18.)" (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 484; quoted in the Student Manual, p. 109.)

"Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of the mighty men"  (v. 13).

"If one plants or does works of righteousness, he reaps mercy and the blessings of obedience (see D&C 130:20–21). If one plants wickedness, he reaps iniquity. What one gets is the result of what one does. What one does is a result of where one puts one’s trust. We can trust God, or power, or friends, or money; but what we receive will depend on what we trusted" (SM, p. 109).

"Thus saith the LORD; cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.  For he shall be like the heath [juniper bush] in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is" (Jeremiah 17:6-7).

Chapter 11― The Lord Laments His Love for Wicked Israel

The Lord reminds the people "When Israel was a child [a new nation], then I loved him and called my son out of Egypt"―when he freed them from the bondage of slavery.  The phrase, "and called my son out of Egypt" (v. 1) has a double meaning.  This prophesy also refers to the time when Joseph, Mary and Jesus took flight into Egypt when Herod ordered all the children "in Bethlehem, and all the coasts thereof" two years of age and under to be slain.  When Herod died, the Lord called the family back to Nazareth (see Matthew 2:15). But, now Israel sacrifices unto Baalim, and burns incense to "graven images" (v. 2) even though the Lord nurtured, protected, and healed them in the wilderness for forty years.  "I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love."  And, he took the yoke [of bondage} off their neck, and "laid meat unto them"―provided them with food. But now they refuse to return to him (vv. 3-5). 

            We know how the Lord loved the children of Israel from the beginning.  He again laments: "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? [burned to stubble] how shall I set thee as Zeboim?  my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together" (v. 8).  Admah and Zeboim were cities that the Lord destroyed similar to Sodom and Gomorrah (see Deuteronomy 29:23).

            But the Lord will not destroy them: "I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city" (v. 9). 

"He will take them into captivity, scatter them, and later gather them as he has covenanted." (Twelve Prophets; M. Nyman and F. Nyman, p. 32.)

Chapter 13―"There is No Saviour Beside Me" (v. 4)

            Hosea writes about when Ephraim "spoke trembling, he exalted himself in Israel;"  but when the people worship Baal, "he died."  Now they have completely turned away from the Lord and worship according to their "own understanding" (vv. 1-2).  In verse three, again we find the beautiful  poetic imagery, so typical of Hosea: "Therefore they [Israel] shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney."  

            As he so often does, the Lord reminds Israel saying, "I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me" (v. 4).  (See Acts 4:12; 2 Nephi 25:20.)  This verse directly refers to Jesus Christ, the great Jehovah of the Old Testament (see footnote 4b). 

            Now, Hosea refers to the Lord as a lion [a wild beast that will devour them], and a leopard who will "observe them;" also as a bear grieving over her cubs (vv. 7-8).  But Israel has destroyed themselves when their only help is in the Lord. "Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help” (v. 9).  The Lord would be their king, but they asked for, and he, in his anger,  gave them a king.  And their princes and judges will also be of no help to them when they are taken away "in the Lord's wrath" (vv. 9-11). 

            The metaphor in verse 13 refers to "the sorrows of a travailing woman."  This explanation is quoted in the Student Manual (p. 110) as follows:

The travailing woman is Israel, and “as there is a critical time in parturition [the process of giving birth] in which the mother in hard labour may by skillful assistants be eased of her burden, which, if neglected, may endanger the life both of parent and child; so there was a time in which Ephraim might have returned to God, but they would not; therefore they are now in danger of being finally destroyed.” (Clarke, Commentary,4:651; quoted in SM, p. 110).

But the Lord will yet ransom them "from the power of the grave;" and he will "redeem them from death" (v. 14). 

The Student Manual explains: "the figures of resurrection [are used] as a metaphor that promises the gathering and restoration of Israel. The fact that the resurrection is symbolic of the gathering of Israel does not diminish the usefulness of these passages in proving that the resurrection was a firm doctrine among the Israelites" (p. 110). 

And the Lord at the end of this verse warns, "repentance [compassion, see footnote 14f ] shall be hidden from mine eyes"― it will be too late to "cry out for deliverance" as judgment will already be given and they will be assigned to "a kingdom whose laws they can obey" (SM, 110). 

            Hosea concludes that destruction is their future because of their wickedness.  The water in the land will dry up and Samaria, the capital city, will become desolate.  The people will "fall by the sword" and all will be lost (vv. 15-16).  For further study of Hosea 13:14, see 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 and 1 Nephi 5:11-14.

Chapter 14― Israel will Return to the Lord in the Last Days

Lord: “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity” (v. 1). 

Israel: [In the last days Israel will say:] "Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips" (v. 2)―meaning instead of burnt offerings of the Mosaic law, they will offer sincere words of prayer from their lips (SM, p. 110).

Israel:  "Asshur (Assyria) shall not save us;…neither will we say any more to the work of our hands [idols], Ye are our gods" (v. 3).

Lord:  "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him.   I will be as the dew unto Israel" ["in a land of little rain, dew gives life to the desert as God’s love gives life to us" (SM, p. 110)]: "he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.  His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon" (vv. 4-6). 

Note: "In a positive similitude, the Lord compares latter-day Israel to a lily whose branches shall spread, whose beauty shall be as the olive tree, and whose smell shall be as Lebanon" (Nyman & Nyman, p. 34)―probably referring to the aromatic cedar wood.

Lord: "They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine:" (v. 7).

Ephraim (Israel): "What have I to do any more with idols?  I have heard him [meaning the Lord], and observed him; [kept his commandments] I am like a green fir tree.  From me [latter-day Ephraim] is thy fruit found" (v. 8).

Hosea's last words from the Lord:  "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein"―a final warning (v. 9).

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