Study notes

Hosea 9

Introducing HoseaWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

4:1–14:9 Section

The people and leaders of the northern kingdom hadn’t loved God. They hadn’t shown faithfulness to him. The way that God explained this was like bringing charges against them in court. God accused them of not being faithful to the Mount Sinai covenant.

The people and leaders of the northern kingdom didn’t honour God as God. They stole and told lies. They committed murder and adultery. These things went against the Ten Commandments. The ways that God’s people acted brought harm to the land and animals around them. This showed that they weren’t being rulers of God’s creation like they should be.

They burnt incense to false gods on high places. They killed human beings and sacrificed them to false gods. This showed that God’s people didn’t recognise who God is. They didn’t recognise how he wanted to be worshipped.

The priests didn’t lead the people in following the Law of Moses. Many prophets didn’t speak the truth to the people. God’s people made fun of prophets who did speak the truth. The kings and princes didn’t follow God’s rules for kings recorded in Deuteronomy 17:14–20. They depended on the strength of their large armies and the armies of other nations. They trusted nations like Egypt and Assyria to save them when they were attacked. They didn’t cry out to God when they needed help.

Because of all of these things, God had made a decision. He would no longer keep the covenant curses from coming upon them. He would allow the northern kingdom to be destroyed by the armies of Assyria. The people and leaders of the northern kingdom would suffer terribly. Many would be killed and many would be forced to leave their land. They would be forced to live in Assyria and other nations. This was the exile of the northern kingdom.

God was very sad about this decision. He didn’t want it to happen. He wanted to bless and heal his people and give them success. But he could only do that if they changed their ways and did what was right and fair. He could do it if they recognised that he is God. He could do it if they asked him to forgive them. That was why God sent them messages through Hosea. God understood that his people refused to turn back to him. They refused to repent of their sin with their whole heart. But God’s heart was full of kindness, pity and mercy towards them. He described himself as Israel’s father. God was gentle and tender towards his son. He didn’t want his son to be destroyed.

God promised something for after the time of judgement. He promised to bring his people back from exile. Then they would follow God faithfully and he would love them freely.

9:1

  • Do not rejoice: This likely refers to the Feast of Tabernacles, when Israel celebrated the year's final harvest. God ordained this festival (Deuteronomy 16:13–15), but the Israelites turned it into a wild pagan celebration, acting like other nations.

  • you have played the harlot (literally you have loved a prostitute’s pay): The Israelites mistakenly believed their grain and wine were rewards for worshiping the Canaanite fertility god.

9:2

As punishment for their actions, the Lord would reduce the Israelites' harvests. This would cause them to go hungry (compare Haggai 1:3–11).

9:3

God would send the Israelites into exile in Assyria in 722 BC. There, in a land considered unclean, they would eat food that was ceremonially unclean. This would separate them even more from their covenant with the Lord.

9:4

In exile, the Israelites could not offer proper sacrifices because any sacrifice in a foreign land was considered unclean and defiled.

9:6

Even if some Israelites escaped the Assyrian exile by fleeing to Egypt, God’s judgment would still reach them there.

9:7

The Israelites who turned away from their faith did not believe God's warnings from the prophets. They mocked the prophets, calling them crazy.

9:8

The watchman stood on the city wall to warn of any threat (for example, 1 Samuel 14:16). Similarly, a prophet was God's watchman. They warned Israel about her sins and the judgment that would follow (see Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17). Even though the prophet served the people, they responded to him with hostility.

9:10

I found Israel: Hosea, like Ezekiel (Ezekiel 16), describes the Lord finding and adopting pure, innocent Israel in the desert. But Israel soon left God for idols at Baal-peor (Numbers 25:1–4). Worshiping idols made the Israelites detestable. This strong word can also mean abomination (Deuteronomy 29:17; Jeremiah 7:30). They inevitably became like what they worshiped.

9:11

Israel worshiped the baals in hopes of having many children. But God would punish them by preventing conception, pregnancy, and birth.

9:13

for slaughter: Instead of having more children, the Israelites' worship of idols would lead to their children's deaths.

9:15

  • All their evil appears at Gilgal: Gilgal was the base camp for Joshua’s army (Joshua 5:10; 10:6, 43) and the place where Saul became king (1 Samuel 11:15). Saul also disobeyed God and was rejected as king at Gilgal (1 Samuel 13:8–15; 15:10–23). Israel’s leaders, including its first king, led the nation away from their true king, the Lord.

  • I will no longer love them: Although a different Hebrew word is used here, the prophetic judgment reflects the name of Hosea’s daughter (Hosea 1:6).

9:17

wanderers: God would judge the Israelites by removing them from the land, leaving them without a home.

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources