hosea

The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

(Namely) in those which have not the name written, and in the words of my father Amos, and of Hosea the prophet, and of Micah and Joel and Nahum and Jonah and Obadiah and Habakkuk and Haggai and Zephaniah and Zechariah and Malachi, and in the words of Joseph the Just and in the words of Daniel.

But if the bishop himself be an offender, how will he be able any longer to prosecute the offense of another? Or how will he be able to reprove another, either he or his deacons, if by accepting of persons, or receiving of bribes, they have not all a clear conscience? For when the ruler asks, and the judge receives, judgment is not brought to perfection; but when both are companions of thieves, and regardless of doing justice to the widows, those who are under the bishop will not be able to support and vindicate him: for they will say to him what is written in the Gospel, Why do you behold the mote that is in your brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in your own eye? Let the bishop, therefore, with his deacons, dread to bear any such thing; that is, let him give no occasion for it. For an offender, when he sees any other doing as bad as himself, will be encouraged to do the very same things; and then the wicked one, taking occasion from a single instance, works in others, which God forbid: and by that means the flock will be destroyed. For the greater number of offenders there are, the greater is the mischief that is done by them: for sin which passes without correction grows worse and worse, and spreads to others; since a little leaven infects the whole lump, and one thief spreads the abomination over a whole nation and dead flies spoil the whole pot of sweet ointment; and when a king hearkens to unrighteous counsel, all the servants under him are wicked. So one scabbed sheep, if not separated from those that are whole, infects the rest with the same distemper; and a man infected with the plague is to be avoided by all men; and a mad dog is dangerous to every one that he touches. If, therefore, we neglect to separate the transgressor from the Church of God, we shall make the Lord's house a den of thieves. For it is the bishop's duty not to be silent in the case of offenders, but to rebuke them, to exhort them, to beat them down, to afflict them with fastings, that so he may strike a pious dread into the rest: for, as He says, make the children of Israel pious. For the bishop must be one who discourages sin by his exhortations, and sets a pattern of righteousness, and proclaims those good things which are prepared by God, and declares that wrath which will come at the day of judgment, lest he contemn and neglect the plantation of God; and, on account of his carelessness, hear that which is said in Hosea: Why have you held your peace at impiety, and have reaped the fruit thereof?

Thus Hosea the Prophet prophesied and said, "I will come to thee, O Zion, and I will walk about in thee, Jerusalem, saith God, the Holy One of Israel."

Thus Hosea the Prophet prophesied and said, "God shall appear upon the earth, and shall dwell with men like us."

Thus Hosea the Prophet prophesied and said, "God shall come upon thee, Jerusalem, and shall appear in the midst of thee."

Thus Hosea the Prophet prophesied and said, "Fear not, for Thou shalt not be put to shame.

Thus Hosea prophesied and said concerning him, Hearken unto me, O children of Israel, for there is no righteousness, and no mercy, and no fear of God in his heart, but falsehood, and theft, and murder, and fornication."

And to such a degree does the gospel desire that there should be wise men among believers, that for the sake of exercising the understanding of its hearers, it has spoken certain truths in enigmas, others in what are called “dark” sayings, others in parables, and others in problems. And one of the prophets—Hosea—says at the end of his prophecies: “Who is wise, and he will understand these things? or prudent, and he shall know them?” Daniel, moreover, and his fellow-captives, made such progress in the learning which the wise men around the king in Babylon cultivated, that they were shown to excel all of them in a tenfold degree. And in the book of Ezekiel it is said to the ruler of Tyre, who greatly prided himself on his wisdom, “Art thou wiser than Daniel? Every secret was not revealed to thee.”

Like as it is written, Hosea xiv. 9: “For the paths of Tetragrammaton are right, and the just shall walk in them, but transgressors shall fall therein.”

That is, when (Microprosopus) is considered as having (in Himself the symbolism of) right side and left side. As it is written, Hosea xiv. 7: “And his smell like Lebanon.”

Hosea the son of Beeri, of the tribe of Issachar, (was) from the town of Be'elmath. He prophesied mystically about our Lord Jesus Christ who was to come; saying that when He should be born, the oak in Shiloh should be divided into twelve parts; and that He should take twelve disciples of Israel. He died in peace, and was buried in his own land.

When murderers multiplied, the [ceremony of] breaking a heifer’s neck ceased. That was from the time of Eliezer ben Dinai, and he was also called Tehinah ben Perisha and he was afterwards renamed “son of the murderer”. When adulterers multiplied, the ceremony of the bitter waters ceased and it was Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai who discontinued it, as it is said, “I will not punish their daughters for fornicating, nor their daughters-in-law for committing adultery, for they themselves [turn aside with whores and sacrifice with prostitutes]” (Hosea 4:14). When Yose ben Yoezer of Zeredah and Yose ben Yohanan of Jerusalem died, the grape-clusters ceased, as it is said, “There is not a cluster [of grapes] to eat; not a ripe fig I could desire [The pious are vanished from the land, none upright are left among men” (Micah 7:1-2).

Rebbi Jeremiah said: 120 elders, among them more than 80 prophets, instituted this prayer. Why did they follow “the holy God” by “He Who favors with knowledge”? Because (Is. 29:23–24) “they sanctify the Holy One of Jacob” is followed by “and those of erring spirit will know insight.” “Knowledge” followed by “Repentance”, (Is. 6:10) “Makefat the heart of this people, make it hard of hearing and its eyes sticky, that it should not see with its eyes, nor hear with its ears, nor understand with its heart, because if it would repent then it would be healed.” “Repentance” by “Forgiveness”, (Is. 55:7) “He should return to the Lord that He would have mercy on him, and to our God because He forgives much.” “Forgiveness” by “Redemption”, (Ps. 103:2–3) “He Who forgives all your sins, He Who hears all your maladies, He Who redeems your soul from destruction.” Then he should say “Healer of the sick” before that. Rebbi Aḥa said: why did they institute “Redeemer of Israel” as the seventh benediction? To teach you that Israel will be redeemed only in a Seventh Year. Rebbi Jonah in the name of Rebbi Aḥa: (Ps. 126) “A song of ascent. When the Eternal will return the returnees of Zion” is the seventh song, to show you that Israel will be redeemed only in a Seventh Year. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Why did they institute “Healer of the sick” as the eighth benediction? That is for circumcision which is done on the eighth, following (Maleachi 2:5) “My covenant was with him: Life”. Rebbi Alexander said: Why did they institute “He Who blesses the years” as the ninth benediction? Corresponding to (Ps. 29:5) “The sound of the Eternal breaks cedars”, since in the future He will break all market manipulators. Rebbi Levi in the name of Rebbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina: Why did they follow “He Who blesses the years” by “Ingatherer of the dispersed of Israel”? Because of (Ez. 36:8) “you, mountains of Israel, sprout your branches and carry your fruits for my people Israel”, why? “because they will soon come.” When the dispersed are gathered in then justice will be done, the evildoers will succumb, and the just will be happy. It was stated: One includes the apostates and the wicked in “He Who subdues the evildoers”, the converts and the elders in “refuge of the just”, David in “Builder of Jerusalem”. (Hosea 3:5) “Then the children of Israel will repent, seek the Eternal, their God, and their king David.”

One verse says (Hosea 5:19) “I shall go, I shall return to My place”. Another verse says (1Kings 9:3) “My eyes and attention shall be there forever.” How is that? One’s face upwards, one’s eyes and attention downwards.

How far did the merit of the forefathers extend? Rebbi Tanḥuma said in the name of the Elder Rebbi Ḥiyya, (Bar) [Rebbi] Naḥman said it in the name of Rebbi Berekhiah, Rebbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Zavda, up to Joaḥaz. The Eternal was compassionate about them and had mercy for them etc., up to now. Up to that moment, the merit of the forefathers existed. Samuel said, up to Hosea’s [time]. But now, I shall uncover her scandalous behavior before the eyes of her lovers, and no man may save her from My hand. Man can only mean Abraham, as you say, but now return theman’s wife, for he is a prophet. Man can only mean Isaac, as you say, who is this man coming in the field towards us? Man can only mean Jacob, as you say, but Jacob was a simple man. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, up to Elijah: It was when the time of the afternoon service came that Elijah the prophet approached and said, O Eternal, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, today it shall be proclaimed that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant etc. Rebbi Yudan said, up to Hezekias, to increase dominion and peace without end. Rebbi Aḥa said, the merit of the forefathers extends forever: For the Eternal is a Merciful Power, etc., up to and He shall not forget your forefather’s covenant. This teaches that the covenant was sealed with the tribes. Rebbi Yudan bar Ḥanan in the name of Rebbi Berekhiah: The Holy One, praise to Him, said to Israel: If you see that the merit of the fathers reels, and the merit of the mothers trembles, go and cling to grace.For mountains may reel, and hills tremble; for mountains may reel, this is the fathers’ merit, and hills tremble, this is the mothers’ merit. After that, but My Grace will not leave you and My Covenant of Peace will not reel, says the One Who has mercy on you, the Eternal.

Rab Aha b. Rab Huna said in the name of Rab Sheshet : That is what people say : "He whose stomach is full increaseth deeds of evil" ; as it is said, "When they were fed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was exalted ; therefore have they forgotten Me" (Hosea xiii. 6). Rab Nahman said : [It may be learnt] from this passage : "Then thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God" (Deut. viii. 14) ; and the Rabbis said from the following: "And they shall have eaten their fill, and waxen fat, and turned unto other gods " (ibid. xxxi. 20) ;

or if thou wilt, from the following : "But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked " (ibid, xxxii. 15). R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan : Whence is it that the Holy One, blessed be He, afterwards admitted [the plea of] Moses ? As it is said, "I multiplied unto her silver and gold, which they used for Baal" (Hosea ii. 10).

R. Hannina b. Pappa asked : It is written, "Therefore will I take back My corn in the time thereof" etc. (Hosea ii. 11), and it is written, "And thou shalt gather in thy corn" etc. (Deut. xi. 14) !

Rab Zotra b. Tobiah also said in the name of Rab : The young men of Israel will in the future give forth a sweet fragrance like Lebanon ; as it is said, "His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his fragrance as Lebanon" (Hosea xiv. 7).

Rab Samuel b. Isaac said : There is no significance in morning-clouds ; for it is written, "Your goodness is as a morning cloud" (Hosea vi. 4). Rab Pappa said to Abbai : But there is a proverbial expression, "If on opening the door [in the morning] there is rain, set down thy sack, O ass-driver, and lie on it"! There is no contradiction ; for this refers to [a sky] covered with heavy clouds, whereas the former refers to [a sky] covered with light clouds.

R. Elazar stated: Greater is he who performs charity than [he who offers] all the sacrifices, for it is said, “To do charity and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3). R. Elazar further stated: Acts of loving kindness (gemilut hasadim) are greater than charity (tzedakah), for it is said, “Sow to yourselves according to your charity (tzedakah), but reap according to your hesed” (Hosea 10: 12); when one sows, it is doubtful whether he will eat [the harvest] or not, but when one reaps, he will certainly eat.

R. Huna pointed out a discrepancy between verses: It is written, “For the spirit of harlotry has led them astray” (Hosea 4:12) but is it not also written, [For the spirit of harlotry] is within them” (Hosea 5:4)? First it only causes them to err, but ultimately it enters into them.

R. Huna pointed out a discrepancy between verses: It is written, “For the spirit of harlotry has led them astray” (Hosea 4:12) but is it not also written, [For the spirit of harlotry] is within them” (Hosea 5:4)? First it only causes them to err, but ultimately it enters into them.

R. Yohanan said: There is a small organ in man. When he starves it, it is satisfied, when he satisfies it, it is starving, as it is said, “When they were starved they became full…” (Hosea 13:6).

Said R. Johanan: All of these three authorities base their opinions on one and the same verse (Hosea, 2. 13): "I will cause all her mirth to cease, her feasts, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her appointed seasons." The authority that says: "from the first of the month to the day of the fast"

'Ulla said, it is the day on which Hosea (son of Elah) abolished the guards whom Jeroboam son of Nebat had stationed on the roads in order to prevent the Israelites from going up to Jerusalem for the festivals.

For Resh Lakish has said: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not strike Israel unless He has created for them a healing beforehand, as it says. "When I have healed Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered" (Hosea 7:1). Not so, however, with the other nations: He smites them first, and then creates for them a healing, as it says: "The Lord will smite Egypt, smiting and healing" (Isaiah 19:22).

as it says, “Then he said, What is the marker I see there? And the men of the city told him, It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you done against the altar in Beth-el” (II Kings 23:17). Now what connection is there between Josiah and the altar in Bethel? It teaches that Josiah reigned over them. R. Nahman said: We learn it from here: “Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I would restore the captivity of my people” (Hosea 6:11).

“Afterwards the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king” (Hosea 3:5). And when David comes, prayer will come, as it says, “Even then will I bring them to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7).

Nahman said: All mocking is forbidden except mocking idolatry, which is permitted, as it is written, “Bel is bowed, Nebo is cowering” and the text goes on, “They cowered, they bowed as well, they could not rescue the burden” (Isaiah 46:1-2). Jannai learns from here: The inhabitants of Samaria fear for the calf of Bet Aven, Indeed, its people and priestlings, whose joy it once was. Mourn over it for the glory that is departed from it” (Hosea 10:5). Do not read “for the glory” [kevodo], but “for the burden”.

as it is written, "Gilead is a city of evildoers, akuva mi-dam [NJPS: tracked up with blood]" (Hosea 6:8). What is "akuva (ayin-kuf-vet) mi-dam"? Rabbi Elazar said: "That they would scheme [okvin (ayin-kuf-vet)] to kill people."

Abaye said: "In Shkhem there are also many murders, as it is written, 'The haveir kohanim [NJPS: gang of priests] is like the ambuscade of bandits, who murder on the road to Shkhem' (Hosea 6:9)." What is "haveit kohanim"? Rabbi Elazar said: "That they would join together to kill people like those priests who would join together to separate terumah [gifts to the priests] in the granary."