Hos. 13:1–8 The man-made gods that Israel worships are nothing compared to their actual God, who is living, active, and true to his word.
Hos. 13:2 who offer human sacrifice. Child sacrifice was part of Baal worship (Isa. 57:5). kiss calves. Kissing is a way of showing submission (1 Kings 19:18). Calf worship was a problem throughout the history of Israel (see Exodus 32; 1 Kings 12).
Hos. 13:4–5 But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt. This is a solemn statement that recalls Ex. 20:2. The passing work of the craftsmen who make idols (Hos. 13:2) is contrasted with the God who sustained Israel in the land of drought by his devoted care.
Hos. 13:7–8 lion . . . leopard . . . bear. Images of judgment (see 5:14; Amos 3:12).
Hos. 13:9–16 Ephraim, by its stubborn refusal to return to the Lord, rejects the only hope that God offers. Three figures of judgment are pronounced in these verses: the incompetent king (vv. 10–11), the unborn child (vv. 13–14), and the withering wind of God (v. 15).
Hos. 13:12–13 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is kept in store probably suggests that Ephraim holds on to its sins and will not ask the Lord to forgive them. he does not present himself. Ephraim, in its refusal to repent and be healed, is likened to a baby who refuses to be born—which would be most unwise, since it would be fatal.
Hos. 13:14 I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol. In the OT, “Sheol” is a proper name and can be a metaphor for the grave (e.g., 1 Kings 2:6; Ps. 141:7). It can also represent the wicked person’s grim destination after death (see Ps. 49:14–15). The parallel wording with Ps. 49:15 suggests that Hosea sees Ephraim’s “death” as leading to Sheol in the second sense of separation from God. Yet God promises to rescue Ephraim from such consequences. O Death, where are your plagues? If the Lord is their strong deliverer, then not even death will be able to terrify them or harm them. In 1 Cor. 15:55 Paul cites part of Hos. 13:14. He views the general resurrection as God’s triumph over bodily death and eternal judgment for the faithful. Sadly, in Hosea’s time Israel rejects the only power that can save her. Thus compassion is hidden from God’s eyes, and Israel faces destruction (vv. 15–16).
The ESV Global Study Bible
Copyright © 2012 by Crossway.
All rights reserved.
Used by permission.
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
Loading
Loading
Interlinear |
Bibles |
Cross-Refs |
Commentaries |
Dictionaries |
Miscellaneous |