THE BOOK OF
THE TWELVE
EXPLORING THE MINOR PROPHETS
WHAT IS THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE?
• Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) divisions:
• Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim (Law, Prophets, Writings)
• Book = Scroll (‫ספֶ ר‬ֵ֫ sepher)
• ‫“ = תרי עשר‬The Twelve”
• Emerged as a collection around 190 BC
• Intended to be read as an episodic unity.
WHAT IS THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE?
WHAT IS THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE?
WHAT IS THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE?
WHAT IS THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE?
• Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) divisions:
• Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim (Law, Prophets, Writings)
• Book = Scroll (‫ספֶ ר‬ֵ֫ sepher)
• ‫“ = תרי עשר‬The Twelve”
• Emerged as a collection around 190 BC
• Intended to be read as an episodic unity.
ISRAELITE HISTORY
• Exodus (15th or 13th centuries BC)
• Settlement & Proto-democratic Tribal Confederation
• United Monarchy – Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboam (c. 1000 BC)
• Divided Monarchy
• Fall of Samaria (N) to Assyria (c. 722 BC)
• Fall of Jerusalem (S) to Babylon (587 BC)
• Cyrus the Great invades Babylon (539 BC)
• Edict of Cyrus Allows Jews to return home and rebuild
THE PATH AHEAD
May 21 – Intro to the Book of the Twelve
May 28 – Hosea
June 4 - Joel
June 11 – Amos
June 18 –Obadiah
June 25 –Jonah
July 2 – Micah
July 9 – Nahum
July 16 – Habakkuk
July 23 – Zephaniah
July 30 – Issues in the Minor Prophets
( Dr. Robin McCall, Guest Teacher)
Aug 6 – Issues in the Minor Prophets
(Guest Teacher)
Aug 13 – Haggai
Aug 20 – Zechariah
Aug 27 – Malachi
Sep 3 – Closing the Scroll
MAJORING ON THE MINORS
• History – What really happened?
• Message – What does it say?
• Reception – How have others interpreted it?
• Significance – What does it mean for us?
WHAT IS THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE?
Christian Bible (Masoretic Text) Ancient Greek OT (Septuagint)
Chronology (all BC)
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Amos (mid-8th)
Hosea (mid-8th)
Isaiah (late 8th)
Micah (late 8th)
Nahum (late 7th)
Habakkuk (late 7th)
Zephaniah (late 7th)
Jeremiah (late 7th or early 6th)
Lamentations (early 6th)
Ezekiel (early 6th)
Obadiah (early 6th)
Haggai (late 6th)
Zechariah (late 6th)
Malachi (late 5th)
Jonah (5th – 4th)
Joel (4th ?)
Daniel (2nd)
---------------Hosea
Amos
Micah
Joel
Obadiah
Jonah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
HOSEA’S HISTORY
A typical Iron Age
Israelite home
Photo Credit: Ferrell Jenkins
Harvard Semitic Museum
HOSEA’S HISTORY
• Baal, Canaanite war god & storm/fertility god
• Comparison to YHWH
• Sometimes portrayed as a calf
• Ba`al = master (op. ishi = lord) 2:16
• Hosea 2:8; 2:16; 13:1
HOSEA’S HISTORY
8th Century Northern Prophet & His Collection
• Name means “YHWH has helped” (“hosanna”)
• Probably began career during reign of Jeroboam II
• After 786 BC (closer to 750 BC)
• One of the four oldest books in the Bible outside parts of the Torah.*
• The collection shows evidence of events between Jeroboam II’s reign and
possibly up to 722 BC
• Sometime between 786 – 722 BC (probably 740 – 725 BC)
THIS TIME IN HISTORY
•
• The first Olympics (according to tradition) in Greece (776 BC)
• The City of Rome is founded (753 BC)
• Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey are put to writing (750 BC)
• Hosea’s begins ministry (c. 740 BC)
• Greeks add vowels to Phoenician language (700 BC)
• Socrates born (470 BC)
• Alexander the Great born (356 BC)
THIS TIME IN HISTORY
• Great Pyramid of Giza started (2470 BC)
• The first Olympics (according to tradition) in Greece (776 BC)
• The City of Rome is founded (753 BC)
• Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey are put to writing (750 BC)
• Hosea’s begins ministry (c. 740 BC)
• Greeks add vowels to Phoenician language (700 BC)
• Socrates born (470 BC)
• Alexander the Great born (356 BC)
HOSEA’S HISTORY
• Political Instability in Israel & Assyia’s Imperial Expansion
• After Jeroboam II, 4 of the next 6 kings over a 20 year period were assassinated
• By 738, Israel became a vassal state of Assyria
• Syro-Ephraimite War mentioned in 5:8-14 (c. 736 BC)
• Corroborating antiquity of traditions (Kugler & Hartin, 275-6)
• Multiple redactions/editing in the following years
• Probably heavily edited during late 7th c. during Josianic reforms (2 Kings 22)
• Redactions direct Hosea’s northern message to southern Judah
• e.g. 1:7; 3:5; 5:5; 12:2-6
AN EXAMPLE OF LATER EDITING
1:8
When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. 9 Then
the LORD said, "Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not
your God."
10
Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which
can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to
them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living
God." 11 The people of Judah and the people of Israel shall be gathered together,
and they shall appoint for themselves one head; and they shall take possession
of the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. (Hos 1:8-11 NRS)
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
Outline (from Kugler & Hartin, 2009, p. 273)
• Hosea’s Marital History (chs. 1-3)
• Rebellion & Restoration I (4:1-11:11)
• Oracles announcing Israel’s Sin & Punishment (4:4-10:15)
• God’s Compassion for Israel and Plan to Restore Her (11:1-11)
• Rebellion & Restoration II (11:12-14:9)
• Oracles announcing Israel’s Sin & Punishment (11:12-13:16)
• God’s Compassion for Israel and Plan to Restore Her (14:1-9)
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
• Longest of the Twelve
• Alludes Repeatedly to traditions found in Torah
• Four Primary Genres:
• (Auto)biography (Chs. 1-3) with a nested allegory
• Trial proceedings (4:1-3,4-19); 5:1-7; 12:2-6) “Hear the word of YWHW…”
• Disaster (e.g. 5:9-14) “Ephraim shall become a desolation…”
• Historical Reflection
• Exodus – 11:1
• Wilderness Wanderings – 13:5-6
• Gibeah – 9:9; cf. Judges 19-21
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
When the LORD first spoke through
Hosea, the LORD said to him, "Go,
marry a prostitute and have children
of prostitution, for the people of the
land commit great prostitution by
deserting the LORD." (Hosea 1:2 CEB)
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
• Married to Gomer
• Bought at a negotiated price (3:2)
• A Temple Prostitute?
• Hosea’s marriage and three children
• Jezreel – “God sows” (2:23, 8:7; 10:12);
• Place of King Joram’s assassination.
• Lo-Ruhamah – “not pitied” or “no compassion”
• Lo-ammi – “not my people”
• 1:8, lit. – “I am not “I Am” to you.”
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
Breaking the Covenant
• The Three Children
• Idolatry
• Societal breaking the Commandments (4:2)
• Corrupt Leadership & Injustice
• Returning to Egypt
• Literally through political alliance and refugee activity
• Metaphorically through reversing redemptive history
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel; for the LORD has an indictment against the inhabitants of
the land. There is no faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land. 2 Swearing, lying, and
murder, and stealing and adultery break out; bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3 Therefore the land mourns,
and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air, even the fish of the
sea are perishing. 4 Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest. 5
You shall stumble by day; the prophet also shall stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother. 6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you
from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
7 The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; they changed their glory into shame. 8 They
feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity. 9 And it shall be like people, like priest; I will
punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds.10 They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall
play the whore, but not multiply; because they have forsaken the LORD to devote themselves to 11
whoredom. Wine and new wine take away the understanding. 12 My people consult a piece of wood, and
their divining rod gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have played
the whore, forsaking their God. (4:1-12)
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
Covenant Cursing
5
It was I who fed you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. 6
When I fed them, they were satisfied; they were satisfied, and their
heart was proud; therefore they forgot me. 7 So I will become like a
lion to them, like a leopard I will lurk beside the way. 8 I will fall upon
them like a bear robbed of her cubs, and will tear open the covering
of their heart; there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild animal
would mangle them. 9 I will destroy you, O Israel; who can help you?
(13:5-9)
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
Restoring the Covenant
• God as devoted Husband (Hosea’s role)
• The “Pathos” of God (11:8)
• God as Yearning Parent
• Restoration of Judah
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 The more I
called them, the more they went from me; they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and
offering incense to idols.
3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; but they did not
know that I healed them.4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love.
I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed
them. 5 They shall return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria shall be their king, because
they have refused to return to me. 6 The sword rages in their cities, it consumes their
oracle-priests, and devours because of their schemes. 7 My people are bent on turning
away from me. To the Most High they call, but he does not raise them up at all.
8 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make
you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my
compassion grows warm and tender. 9 I will not execute my fierce anger; I will not again
destroy Ephraim; for I am God and no mortal, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not
come in wrath.
(11:1-8)
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
Restoring the Covenant
• God as devoted Husband (Hosea’s role)
• The “Pathos” of God (11:8)
• God as Yearning Parent
• Warnings to Judah
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
Outline (from Kugler & Hartin, 2009, p. 273)
• Hosea’s Marital History (chs. 1-3)
• Rebellion & Restoration I (4:1-11:11)
• Oracles announcing Israel’s Sin & Punishment (4:4-10:15)
• God’s Compassion for Israel and Plan to Restore Her (11:1-11)
• Rebellion & Restoration II (11:12-14:9)
• Oracles announcing Israel’s Sin & Punishment (11:12-13:16)
• God’s Compassion for Israel and Plan to Restore Her (14:1-9)
HOSEA’S MESSAGE
• Covenants
• Animal concerns/imagery (2:18)
• Controversy with the Priestly Class (4:4-14) & Cult (6:1-6)
• Message of Justice (e.g. 10:12-13)
• Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your
fallow ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain
righteousness upon you. You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped
injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your
power and in the multitude of your warriors,
HOSEA’S RECEPTION
• Ancient
• Placed first in the Twelve – Why?
• Possibly because of the marriage metaphor – cf. Malachi 2:13-16
• Used as prophetic message to Judah a century later.
HOSEA’S RECEPTION
• Late Ancient (New Testament)
• Out of Egypt have I called my son (11:1; cf. Matthew 2:15)
• “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God
rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6; cf. Matthew 9:13; 12:7)
• “You are not my people.” (ch. 2; cf. Romans 9:25-26; 1 Peter 2:10)
• Idolatry as whoredom (chs. 1-3; cf. e.g. Revelation 17:16)
• The Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5 & Revelation)
HOSEA’S RECEPTION
• Early Church
• Moralizing
• Hosea’s marriage to Gomer is an embarrassment, if not a scandal
that needs to be explained away.
• Jerome – late 4th AD
• “On the third day…” (6:2)
• Anti-Jewish Interpretation
• “I will destroy your mother.” (4:5) Theophylact – “The mother of the
people is the synagogue.”
HOSEA’S RECEPTION
• Modern History
• Rise of Critical Biblical Scholarship
• One of the oldest writings in the Bible
• The Upright Man and the Offending Whore - Feminist Readings of
Hosea (ch. 2)
• Men are called out for infidelity sexually (4:14) and spiritually (throughout).
• The Brutality of Divine Judgment
• Famine – 2:9a; 8:7; fertility – 10:14; natural disaster – 2:9b; 4:3
HOSEA’S SIGNIFICANCE
• What’s so bad about Assyria and Egypt? Empire.
• God’s fidelity in the face of our infidelity. (Romans 8:1 – “no condemnation”)
• A covenant with the animals.
• No more war in the land.
• Justice
• “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” (4:4-6; cf. 5:3-4)
• Insincere Repentance (6:1-6)
• Trusting military operations to make the nation great. (1:7; cf. 14:3)
• The prosperity of a nation leads to arrogance (10:1-2)