Hosea 10

1 - Israel is a luxuriant vine that produces his fruit.According to the abundance of his fruit he has multiplied his altars.As their land has prospered, they have adorned their sacred stones.

2 - Their heart is divided.Now they will be found guilty.He will demolish their altars.He will destroy their sacred stones.

3 - Surely now they will say, "We have no king; for we don't fear The LORD;and the king, what can he do for us?"

4 - They make promises, swearing falsely in making covenants.Therefore judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.

5 - The inhabitants of Samaria will be in terror for the calves of Beth Aven;for its people will mourn over it,Along with its priests who rejoiced over it,for its glory, because it has departed from it.

6 - It also will be carried to Assyria for a present to a great king.Ephraim will receive shame,and Israel will be ashamed of his own counsel.

It also will be carried to Assyria for a present to a great king.Ephraim will receive shame,and Israel will be ashamed of his own counsel.

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7 - Samaria and her king float away,like a twig on the water.

8 - The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed.The thorn and the thistle will come up on their altars.They will tell the mountains, "Cover us!" and the hills, "Fall on us!"

9 - "Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah.There they remained.The battle against the children of iniquity doesn't overtake them in Gibeah.

10 - When it is my desire, I will chastise them;and the nations will be gathered against them,when they are bound to their two transgressions.

11 - Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh;so I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck.I will set a rider on Ephraim.Judah will plow.Jacob will break his clods.

12 - Sow to yourselves in righteousness,reap according to kindness.Break up your fallow ground;for it is time to seek The LORD,until he comes and rains righteousness on you.

13 - You have plowed wickedness.You have reaped iniquity.You have eaten the fruit of lies,for you trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men.

14 - Therefore a battle roar will arise among your people,and all your fortresses will be destroyed,as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in the day of battle.The mother was dashed in pieces with her children.

15 - So Bethel will do to you because of your great wickedness.At daybreak the king of Israel will be destroyed.

The Book of Hosea

Hosea 8:7-9 - For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein [is] no pleasure. For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

Hosea 14:9 - Who [is] wise, and he shall understand these [things]? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD [are] right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

The Old Testament - A Brief Overview

Bible Survey - Hosea
Hebrew Name - Hoshea "Salvation"
Greek Name - Osee (Greek form of the Hebrew)
Author - Hosea (According to Tradition)
Date - 785 BC Approximately
Theme - The apostasy of Israel
Types and Shadows - In Hosea Jesus is the faithful husband

The prophet Hosea had a real-life situation that God used to illustrate his problem with the nation of Israel. Hosea's adulterous wife had broken his heart, and this is exactly what the children of Israel had done to God when they played the harlot with other gods. Later when her adulterous affairs had led her to be sold on the slave block, Hosea was willing to buy her back for he could not give her up. This dramatically illustrated Israel's situation for soon they would be conquered by the Assyrians and then sold into slavery because they had forgotten their God. The prophet Hosea spoke about a future blessing in which God will restore Israel. - The above text is © Rusty Russell - Bible History Online and must be sourced for use on a website.

My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him. "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? . . . My heart churns within Me; my sympathy is stirred. . . "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him." Hosea 11:7-8, 14:4

The prophet Hosea was commanded by God to marry a wife of harlotry because Israel hath committed great harlotry. He was sent by God to prophesy about the northern King of Israel. Hosea ministered to Israel for a great length of time (over 50 years), and they were his primary target although he does mention four kings of Judah (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah). The northern kingdom of Israel was enjoying tremendous prosperity during the reign of Jeroboam II, yet when he died various kings came to the throne for a brief period of time and then many were assassinated. The problem with the northern kingdom was that they were idolaters, and every one of their kings were evil whether they prospered or not. The people were making sacrifices on heathen altars, adultery was prevalent, and ritualistic prostitution abounded. Hosea attributed their wretchedness to a lack of knowledge, not a lack of  intellectual knowledge, but lacking a relationship with the living God. Yet God loves his people with an everlasting love in spite of their corruption.

The contents of the book may be analyzed further as follows :

Outline of the Book of Hosea

In Hosea 1-3, the faithless actions of Israel toward God are illustrated by the relationship between Hosea and his adultress wife, Gomer. The names of his children indicate the attitude of God toward Israel. The first is named "Jezreel" after the city which was the scene of Jehu's brutality and which signified that God would punish his people. Lo-Ruhamah (Not pitied) and Lo-Ammi (Not my people) are the names given to the two other children, signifying the estrangement which was the inevitable result of the actions of Israel. God's love is illustrated in Hosea's willingness to buy his wife back from the practice of harlotry - though she could not continue in her harlotry while he was with her.

The second division of the prophecy, found in Hosea 4-14, presents a detailed picture of the depths of depravity to which Israel had gone, with alternating passages of reproof, threats of punishment, and assurances of restoration.

Hosea Resources

The Divided Kingdom
The Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Southern Kingdom of Judah
The Assyrian Captivity
The Babylonian Captivity
The Return From Babylon
The Prophets
The Messiah

The Book of Hosea

More About the Book of Hosea
Hosea in the Picture Study Bible
Chart of the Prophets of Israel and Judah
Timeline of the Ancient World
Back to the Old Testament
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