General Comment on Hosea
One scholar raises the concern that in Hosea is an inherent imagery that has implications for battered women.
Hosea, himself in a marriage with an unfaithful woman, also portrays God in a similar relationship with Israel. Israel will be punished and finally brought back into harmonious relationship with God. The attempt to create this begins with seclusion, then punishment, physical and psychological, and finally a tender calling to return to loving relationship. The scholar notes that these are also practiced by abusive husbands (seclusion, abuse, and then intervals of kindness and generosity). “The problem arises when the metaphorical character of the biblical image is forgotten and a husband’s physical abuse of his wife becomes as justified as is God’s retribution against Israel.” (Women’s Bible Commentary, p. 195)
Hosea used many other symbols and metaphors. For example, God is also pictured as a loving parent and Israel as a rebellious son. While he doesn’t call God a mother, neither does Hosea specify God as a father, and many of the images of caring for a young child are predominantly the arena of motherhood.
No human metaphor is perfect. The marriage metaphor works contrary to its purpose if we allow it to create injustice. The powerful image remains of an erring people, a broken relationship, and God’s unwillingness to abandon them.
As we continue in the book of Hosea, we recognize that themes are returned to again and again. Israel’s sin is in breaking the covenant. They have promised to be faithful to God, excluding all other deities, and they have failed to do this. Even so, they cry to God for help in hard times, yet continue doing things on their own. They worship other Gods. What can be expected accept disaster?
Sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind is probably a proverb of the time. Its preservation in Hosea retains it as one today, although we might more common say, “what goes around comes around,’ or “we reap what we sow.”
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Hosea - January 12
Traditions & Legends about Hosea
Many centuries before Hosea, there lived the patriarch Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham. If you recall, Jacob ended up being tricked into marrying Leah, the elder sister, when he loved Rachel, the younger. He was allowed to marry Rachel also (this was not a time when monogamy was the rule). Both of his wives, in their jealousy of each other, also gave him their slaves to bear him children, who would also be regarded as their own. Between the four women, Jacob had twelve sons and at least one daughter. Jacob, the older of two sons born to Rachel, was his favorite. He incurred anger when he told of a dream involving the sun, moon and eleven stars, (representing his parents and brothers) in which he was the one they all bowed down to.
The non-biblical stories tell that during Rachel’s lifetime, Jacob had always kept her couch in his tent. After Rachel’s death, he told Reuben to put Bilhah’s couch in his tent. (Bilhah had been Rachel’s slave, whom she had given to Jacob to bear children on her behalf). Reuben was angry, feeling that his mother’s rights had been curtailed by Rachel and now even after her death was causing her annoyance. So he placed his mother’s couch in Abraham’s tent. Asher (son of Jacob with Leah’s slave) found out about it and told his brothers. The brothers were angry with Asher for being an informer, and would have nothing to do with him until Reuben himself confessed his transgressions.
Reuben realized he had acted badly toward his father, so he fasted, put on sackcloth and repented of his misdeed. In this tradition, he was the “first” among humans to do penance and the story says that God acknowledged that he was the first and that a descendent of his, Hosea, would be the first to proclaim, “O Israel, return.”
It was after this that the brothers determined upon killing their brother, Joseph. But, says this tradition, as the eldest, Reuben knew he’d be held responsible. Also, since his disrespect for Jacob, he had felt himself unworthy to be considered one of his sons, so was grateful to Joseph for having counted him among the sons of Jacob in the dream of the sun, moon, and stars. He tried to dissuade his brothers from murder, then proposed throwing him into a pit, for he planned to go back and rescue him. He hoped he might thus be pardoned for what he had done against Jacob. When he returned, the brothers had sold Joseph as a slave. Yet he was rewarded for his good deeds and intentions. The city of Bezer in the tribe of Reuben was the first of the cities appointed to safeguard the life of the innocent seeking help. Also God told Reuben that as he was the first to try to restore a child to his father, so his descendent, Hosea, would be the first to try to lead Israel back to his heavenly father.”
Another tradition about Hosea is that he was the eldest of the prophets Hosea, Amos and Isaiah. That he was son of the prophet and prince, Beeri, who was carried away as a captive by Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria. Beeri’s prophecies only remain in two verses preserved by Isaiah. (The book of Hosea does cite his father's name as Beeri).
The story given for Hosea’s peculiar marriage says that when God spoke to Hosea about the sins of Israel, Hosea was expected to defend of excuse his people. Instead, Hosea suggested the great God of the universe should choose another people, instead of Israel. So to teach Hosea about the relationship of God’s people with God, Hosea was ordered to marry a woman with a dubious past.
After they had been married and she had borne him several children, God asked Hosea why he had stayed married, (after all, Moses had denied himself the joys of family life after a call to prophecy.) And Hosea said he couldn’t send her away nor divorce her after she had borne him children. God answered saying that if he could act so with a wife with whom he couldn’t even be sure the children were his, how could God separate from Israel “My children,” the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Hosea asked for pardon and God said he should instead pray for the welfare of Israel.
Hosea is said to have died at Babylon at a time when a journey to Palestine was perilous Because he wanted his remains to rest in sacred ground, he asked that when he died his bier be loaded upon a camel and to let the animal make its way as best it could, then bury his body wherever it stopped. Without a single misfortune the animal arrived at Safed where it stopped still in the Jewish cemetery of the town. So Hosea was buried there.
One tradition says that Hosea prophesied for ninety years
Regarding the non-Biblical stories:
While neither the bible nor scholars see Hosea as the first of the prophets (there were prophets such as Elijah, Nathan, etc. who prophesied first), and Amos may have been slightly earlier than Hosea, the dates are often approximate. Among the prophet whose writings/sayings are preserved in books bearing their names, Hosea was among the earliest. And since the earlier prophets spoke more to kings and individuals, perhaps it might be loosely said that Hosea, Amos and Isaiah were the first to prophesy to the nation as a whole.
While the legends and traditions passed down outside the Bible may be only stories, some certainly may contain aspects of history and ruth. These stories support a sense that can be gained in studying the biblical book of Hosea—that he was also on a spiritual learning journey about God. Both the book of Hosea and the traditions tell of the unbreakable relationship of God with the people. God was unhappy with their behavior and threatened ending the relationship, yet this never happened. By inference, the message of hope that comes to all people of faith today is that the same fierce spiritual connection is sometimes challenged by human behavior, but cannot be severed. Or, as a modern voice as put it: God loves you, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”
Historical Background:
In 734 b.c. Israel and Syria, who had previously been long-term enemies, now joined together against Assyria. They tried to force Judah (the southern Hebrew kingdom) to join them. When Judah wouldn’t do this, they attacked the country and besieged Jerusalem. Who do you go to for support against your enemy? You go to the enemy of your enemy, so decided Judah. In this case, it was the Assyrians, who were happy to get involved. All three nations, Syria, Israel and Judah lost out in the struggle. These events are described biblically in 2 Kings 16:5-9 and in Isaiah 7.
Hosea (of Israel, the northern kingdom) and Isaiah (of Judah, the southern kingdom) both had words about the situation. Though on opposite political “sides,” they say basically the same thing – that playing with worldly powers and politics is no way to solve their nations’ problems. If, on the other hand, they were to get their relationship straight with God, then the politics would take care of themselves. For Hosea and Isaiah, Assyria wasn’t the real enemy, but God might use Assyria to teach both Israel and Judah some lessons.
In the fifth chapter of Hosea, there is statements of judgement on the royal house and the religious leaders. The people themselves are idolaters. They have looked to other powers for help and so are facing ruin. This section concludes with a statement that God will abandon them until they learn their lesson and come looking for God. Perhaps suffering itself will bring them to their senses.
The sixth and seventh chapters include words about the false confidence of the people who are, apparently taking this too lightly. They say words about return to God, but it is not deep-rooted. They think their evil will be ignored. Even more than rituals and words, God wants faithful love and honest relationship. The chapter goes on to outline some of the regretful history of sin and unfaithfulness. The seventh chapter, in particular contains a number of metaphors that the scholars sometimes haggle over, but the main thrust of it remains the wrong choices of the people and their leaders who are basically stewing in a broth of their own devising. And instead of turning to the one who actually can help them, they continue going to powers such as Egypt or Assyria. Even when they say they are turning to God, they don’t do it the way they should; instead they worship as if they were following Ba’al.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Merry Christmas
We're on break right now and will start again in January. Have a blessed Christmas, with a safe and peaceful New Year!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Hosea - Chapters 2-3
The images and focus of Hosea goes back and forth between his marital situation and Israel – sometimes he is referring to both. The chapter begins with an earnest plea to the children to get their mother to cease her ways. He then offers a dire warning about punishment.
The punishment threatened is of stripping her bare and inflicting tremendous humiliation. This was not a punishment established by scriptural law, which only provided a death sentence for adultery7. There is, however, some evidence (Ezekiel 16:35-39) that it was used within the Hebrew community and it certainly was used elsewhere in the Ancient Near East.
Hosea then moves from the personal anguish to the national one. He foresees a time when the land will also be made bare, surely a frightening image for a largely agricultural society. We may forget the importance of this in today’s world, where less than six percent of the people make their living from the land. Yet all ultimately depend upon it. If the land fails to produce, the people do not survive. (Think Dust Bowl here!)
The threat for the ancient Hebrews had added weight because their spiritual “adultery” had been to worship other gods, particularly Ba’al of the Canaanite peoples. Ba’al was a nature/fertility god, as was his consort, Asherah. Apparently, it had seemed a good idea to the people to get his favor, thinking Ba’al was the one who provided food and drink, wool, flax, oil and perfumes (Hoses 2:6-7). Yet, God will show that Ba’al cannot protect the land, only the creator of the universe can do that.
After the punishment is threatened, the reader sees the dual longing of Hosea for his wife and Yahweh’s longing for Israel to return to relationship. The prophet writes, “I will woo her...” The images are now for restoration after the punishment.
The Vale of trouble referred to in 2:14 is the place where Achan was put to death because of disobedience and treason. But this will be transformed into a Gate of Hope. The renewal is pictured as a spiritual return to the early days of the Israelite journey. This image is interesting when considering those early days after the Exodus. The people were not paragons of faithfulness. When Moses lingered too long on the mountain, they tried to make a god like ones they’d seen in Egypt. They also complained bitterly and tended test the patience of both Moses and God. Hosea could not have been ignorant of this aspect of his people’s history. It could be that, as in many ages of humanity, the past always seems better than the future. That is, nostalgia may have been as big then as ever. Certainly it was a time when the worship of other gods may not have been entrenched and there was a sense of new beginnings. And this could have been the emphasis Hosea was intending.
The reference to the fact that God would no longer be called ‘My Ba’al” may be confusing. Originally, however, ba’al had several possible meanings. It could mean master, owner, lord or husband. It was also a divine title that could be applied to any god. Eventually it was applied in a narrow sense to the Canaanite god almost as a proper name. In the same way in English we use ‘god’ to refer not only to the God of our faith, but also to deities that others worship, and symbolically to anything that gains strong loyalty from people. In Hosea’s time Ba’al would have gained a negative feeling and he foresaw a time when it would not be used of Yahweh at all.
(Our English word of God comes from the word “good.” It was, by legend, first used by an early Christian missionary seeking to communicate the good news.)
In verse eighteen, Hosea’s prophecy extends to a covenant with the creatures of the world. Bow and sword and all weapons of war wold be swept from the earth. (A similar prophecy was made in Micah 4:1-4). Hosea’s comment that all living creatures would lie down without fear is reminiscent also of Isaiah’s image of the wolf and the kid lying down together (Isaiah 11:6-9). (At least one scholar believes verse 18 was a later addition by an editor, yet Isaiah was roughly a contemporary of Hosea and he also wrote of peace in these meaningful terms.)
The reference to betrothal in lawful wedlock may remind some of the situation of Mary and Joseph in the Christmas story. Mary is alternately referred to as Joseph’s betrothed and as his wife. If he was to put her aside, it would have required divorce. Betrothal was in first century Judaism like it was in Hosea’s day. The legal betrothal was as binding as marriage. The contrast here is with the more casual liaisons of ba’alism. Though some scholars question whether ritual prostitution took place in ba’alism, the biblical stance is that it did. Whether or not it did, the covenant was with God, not Ba’al. The “marriage” contract between God and the people would be renewed.
The restoration pictured will be complete. The names of Hosea’s three children are brought into play here. The earth, corn (the general word for grain), the new wine and oil will answer for Jezreel. Love will be showed to Loruhama. Lo-ammi (not my people) will be told ‘You are my people’ and the answer back will be ‘you are my God.’
The punishment threatened is of stripping her bare and inflicting tremendous humiliation. This was not a punishment established by scriptural law, which only provided a death sentence for adultery7. There is, however, some evidence (Ezekiel 16:35-39) that it was used within the Hebrew community and it certainly was used elsewhere in the Ancient Near East.
Hosea then moves from the personal anguish to the national one. He foresees a time when the land will also be made bare, surely a frightening image for a largely agricultural society. We may forget the importance of this in today’s world, where less than six percent of the people make their living from the land. Yet all ultimately depend upon it. If the land fails to produce, the people do not survive. (Think Dust Bowl here!)
The threat for the ancient Hebrews had added weight because their spiritual “adultery” had been to worship other gods, particularly Ba’al of the Canaanite peoples. Ba’al was a nature/fertility god, as was his consort, Asherah. Apparently, it had seemed a good idea to the people to get his favor, thinking Ba’al was the one who provided food and drink, wool, flax, oil and perfumes (Hoses 2:6-7). Yet, God will show that Ba’al cannot protect the land, only the creator of the universe can do that.
After the punishment is threatened, the reader sees the dual longing of Hosea for his wife and Yahweh’s longing for Israel to return to relationship. The prophet writes, “I will woo her...” The images are now for restoration after the punishment.
The Vale of trouble referred to in 2:14 is the place where Achan was put to death because of disobedience and treason. But this will be transformed into a Gate of Hope. The renewal is pictured as a spiritual return to the early days of the Israelite journey. This image is interesting when considering those early days after the Exodus. The people were not paragons of faithfulness. When Moses lingered too long on the mountain, they tried to make a god like ones they’d seen in Egypt. They also complained bitterly and tended test the patience of both Moses and God. Hosea could not have been ignorant of this aspect of his people’s history. It could be that, as in many ages of humanity, the past always seems better than the future. That is, nostalgia may have been as big then as ever. Certainly it was a time when the worship of other gods may not have been entrenched and there was a sense of new beginnings. And this could have been the emphasis Hosea was intending.
The reference to the fact that God would no longer be called ‘My Ba’al” may be confusing. Originally, however, ba’al had several possible meanings. It could mean master, owner, lord or husband. It was also a divine title that could be applied to any god. Eventually it was applied in a narrow sense to the Canaanite god almost as a proper name. In the same way in English we use ‘god’ to refer not only to the God of our faith, but also to deities that others worship, and symbolically to anything that gains strong loyalty from people. In Hosea’s time Ba’al would have gained a negative feeling and he foresaw a time when it would not be used of Yahweh at all.
(Our English word of God comes from the word “good.” It was, by legend, first used by an early Christian missionary seeking to communicate the good news.)
In verse eighteen, Hosea’s prophecy extends to a covenant with the creatures of the world. Bow and sword and all weapons of war wold be swept from the earth. (A similar prophecy was made in Micah 4:1-4). Hosea’s comment that all living creatures would lie down without fear is reminiscent also of Isaiah’s image of the wolf and the kid lying down together (Isaiah 11:6-9). (At least one scholar believes verse 18 was a later addition by an editor, yet Isaiah was roughly a contemporary of Hosea and he also wrote of peace in these meaningful terms.)
The reference to betrothal in lawful wedlock may remind some of the situation of Mary and Joseph in the Christmas story. Mary is alternately referred to as Joseph’s betrothed and as his wife. If he was to put her aside, it would have required divorce. Betrothal was in first century Judaism like it was in Hosea’s day. The legal betrothal was as binding as marriage. The contrast here is with the more casual liaisons of ba’alism. Though some scholars question whether ritual prostitution took place in ba’alism, the biblical stance is that it did. Whether or not it did, the covenant was with God, not Ba’al. The “marriage” contract between God and the people would be renewed.
The restoration pictured will be complete. The names of Hosea’s three children are brought into play here. The earth, corn (the general word for grain), the new wine and oil will answer for Jezreel. Love will be showed to Loruhama. Lo-ammi (not my people) will be told ‘You are my people’ and the answer back will be ‘you are my God.’
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Hosea – chapter 1
Unlike Micah, we know much more about Hosea and the details of his life, especially his marriage. As with most of the bible, scholars may disagree about many details. For example, there are the details about Hosea’s marriage in chapters 1 and 3. The first chapter is reported in third person and appear to tell the story from someone else’s point of view. The third chapter seem to be told from Hosea’s point of view. This may explain some of the differences. The two reports about his marriage are also told for different reasons. The focus of the first chapter is the prophetic names of Hosea and Gomer’s children. The story that Hosea tells in his own voice dwells upon his relationship with his wife.
As one scholar explains, the biographical details for a prophet are only important in how they help convey God’s message to the people. Hosea marries a woman with morals far different than his own. He marries her as a symbolic act in his prophetic career and names his children symbolically. Yet no one seems to doubt that he came to genuinely love Gomer. This in turn had an impact upon his understanding of God and of God’s relationship with the Hebrew people.
In the book we immediately hear how God told Hosea to marry a woman of wanton character. The eighth century b.c. was not a time when a man normally did this knowingly. The statement could reflect a subsequent event in Hosea’s marriage when he redeemed Gomer from a life led in later years. Henry McKeating of the Cambridge Bible Commentary points out that we hear things only from Hosea’s point of view and it may not have been easy for Gomer married to a man of Hosea’s temperament and prophetic career. However she is viewed, she did not remain faithful.
Hosea and Gomer’s first child was named Jezreel. Perhaps he felt more hopeful about his marriage at the time. Jezreel means, “God sows.” Yet it was also the name of the place where Ahab had murdered Naboth and some prophets seemed to view it as a place where vengeance would come upon Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. A violent revolution subsequently took place with the support of the northern prophets. Jehu and his descendents ruled the Northern Kingdom afterwards. Yet Jehu’s reign was also disastrous and his line met its doom also at Jezreel. For Hosea, the failed policy of northern prophets would have been symbolized by Jezreel. All of this to say that, though Hosea might have felt better about his marriage at the birth of his first son, the choice of name still had strong prophetic purpose.
Did the name of Jezreel reflect more than disillusionment? Could there have been a layer of hope that even in the place of failure God still sows?
Gomer’s second child, however, receives a depressing name: Lo-ruhamah, which means ‘unloved.’ Hosea may have questioned whether the child was even his. In the intimate connection between his own private life and that of the nation, Hosea looks at an unfaithful people and considers it impossible that God can continue to love them. A third child comes and is named Lo-ammi, which meant “not my people.” The covenant between God and Israel had been that ‘I shall be your God and you shall be my people.’ But Israel has not been faithful and has worshipped other gods. So they won’t be loved and shall no longer belong in this special relationship with Yahweh.
The seventh verse in the first chapter gives a more hopeful and contradictory image to the message Hosea relayed in the naming of his children. This unusual circumstance could be understood in varying ways. Some scholars say it simply doesn’t belong there and got placed in that position by a later editor or by some corruption of the text. But this story invites also a more imaginative understanding. Could Hosea been struggling with God? Could the prophet have been utterly convinced by both the sinfulness of the people and the destruction of his marriage, that no one deserved a second chance? Did God’s voice whisper of hope that Hosea simply didn’t want to hear? A few verses later (beginning at 10) we hear far more hopeful images. This could have been placed in this part of the book because of the play on the names of Hosea’s children. The book is a collection of prophecies, rather than one unified message. It was put together by a later editor. Yet the contrasting words could reflect, again, Hosea’s struggle.
This is just the beginning of the book, of Hosea’s journey and the arc of his understanding of God. His pilgrimage is both an inward and an outward one. His marriage had to have influenced how he saw God and the people, and his book makes clear that God had a hand in this circumstance.
As one scholar explains, the biographical details for a prophet are only important in how they help convey God’s message to the people. Hosea marries a woman with morals far different than his own. He marries her as a symbolic act in his prophetic career and names his children symbolically. Yet no one seems to doubt that he came to genuinely love Gomer. This in turn had an impact upon his understanding of God and of God’s relationship with the Hebrew people.
In the book we immediately hear how God told Hosea to marry a woman of wanton character. The eighth century b.c. was not a time when a man normally did this knowingly. The statement could reflect a subsequent event in Hosea’s marriage when he redeemed Gomer from a life led in later years. Henry McKeating of the Cambridge Bible Commentary points out that we hear things only from Hosea’s point of view and it may not have been easy for Gomer married to a man of Hosea’s temperament and prophetic career. However she is viewed, she did not remain faithful.
Hosea and Gomer’s first child was named Jezreel. Perhaps he felt more hopeful about his marriage at the time. Jezreel means, “God sows.” Yet it was also the name of the place where Ahab had murdered Naboth and some prophets seemed to view it as a place where vengeance would come upon Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. A violent revolution subsequently took place with the support of the northern prophets. Jehu and his descendents ruled the Northern Kingdom afterwards. Yet Jehu’s reign was also disastrous and his line met its doom also at Jezreel. For Hosea, the failed policy of northern prophets would have been symbolized by Jezreel. All of this to say that, though Hosea might have felt better about his marriage at the birth of his first son, the choice of name still had strong prophetic purpose.
Did the name of Jezreel reflect more than disillusionment? Could there have been a layer of hope that even in the place of failure God still sows?
Gomer’s second child, however, receives a depressing name: Lo-ruhamah, which means ‘unloved.’ Hosea may have questioned whether the child was even his. In the intimate connection between his own private life and that of the nation, Hosea looks at an unfaithful people and considers it impossible that God can continue to love them. A third child comes and is named Lo-ammi, which meant “not my people.” The covenant between God and Israel had been that ‘I shall be your God and you shall be my people.’ But Israel has not been faithful and has worshipped other gods. So they won’t be loved and shall no longer belong in this special relationship with Yahweh.
The seventh verse in the first chapter gives a more hopeful and contradictory image to the message Hosea relayed in the naming of his children. This unusual circumstance could be understood in varying ways. Some scholars say it simply doesn’t belong there and got placed in that position by a later editor or by some corruption of the text. But this story invites also a more imaginative understanding. Could Hosea been struggling with God? Could the prophet have been utterly convinced by both the sinfulness of the people and the destruction of his marriage, that no one deserved a second chance? Did God’s voice whisper of hope that Hosea simply didn’t want to hear? A few verses later (beginning at 10) we hear far more hopeful images. This could have been placed in this part of the book because of the play on the names of Hosea’s children. The book is a collection of prophecies, rather than one unified message. It was put together by a later editor. Yet the contrasting words could reflect, again, Hosea’s struggle.
This is just the beginning of the book, of Hosea’s journey and the arc of his understanding of God. His pilgrimage is both an inward and an outward one. His marriage had to have influenced how he saw God and the people, and his book makes clear that God had a hand in this circumstance.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Micah - conclusion
We now come to the end of the book of Micah. In general, he was a man of faith who was terribly distraught over the failure of his people to keep the covenant with God. The people around him didn't see a problem because there was some prosperity (for the wealthy), the sacrifices were being kept, and the king was on the throne. Yet Micah saw the land-grabbing which was creating a class of extreme poverty, the dishonest weights and measures in the market place, and the tendancy to worship other gods on the side. These were matters of serious concern. What does God want? For the people to walk humbly with God, practicing, to do justice and love kindness.
Verses 7:7-20 may be a psalm(s) which some think was appended to the book of Micah by a later editor. It may relate to Second Isaiah and Psalm 137. Scholars disagree whether verse 7 belongs to the Psalm or to the preceding passage. Also, the Psalm may have been intended as words of liturgy for the whole nation.
In verse 7, after Micah has described a terrible time of disentegration in families and homes, he says: But as for me I will look to the Lord. This is reminiscent of Joshua’s words. After he had presented the Israelites with some of the possibilities of worship, he said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Vs 8 -10 Rejoice not over me... some scholars see this as later than Micah - reflecting a time of exile, as in Psalm 137. Read the laments of the psalms and we see often the taunting of enemies being mentioned. It could also be Micah’s own experiences, awareness of his own sins, and determination to remain faithful. As is common in the Bible, the words have rich application to human experience.
Vs 10 - the enemies ask where is the Lord your God? - This theme can be seen in various ways. This was a time when people believed in territorial gods. The defeat of one nation meant that one territorial god had also defeated another. But it is a taunt that has often been raised to people of faith when bad things happen. (If anyone watches the show “House,” this was wrestled with on one level in an episode (November 22). Read also: Psalm 3:2; Psalm 10:4, Psalm 21:7-8 Psalm 42:3. All these express the experence of being a faithful person in the midst of those who taunt someone for their faithfulness.
Vs 11-13 Does seem to refer to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and of its walls. (Compare earlier, when cities would be torn down...might not apply to Jerusalem as its primary function was not as a fortress or war fortification.) “they will come to you...” are words that have a feel of 4:1-4. The thirteenth verse, however, speaks of desolation in the earth because of their sins.
Verse fourteen brings again the image of the shepherd and his rod or staff. The New English Version used “crook” which the Cambridge scholars admit was a free translation, since the Israelite shepherds of the time didn’t use crooks.
Bashan was the most northern part of the region east of the Jordan. It was a wide and fertile plain which grew wheat well, was good for cattle raising and was known for its groves of oak trees. Bashan is mentioned elsewhere in the bible. The strong bulls of Bashan (Ps 22:12) become sy7mbols for the fierceness of enemies against a righteous man. Amos took aim at the pleasure-seeking women of Samaria, calling them the “cows of Bashan.” (Amos 4:1) Isaiah did the same against the proud and haughty describing them as the tall cedars of Lebanon and spreading oaks of Bashan. After Israel divided into two kingdoms, Basham was often a battleground.
Gilead - a region east of the Jordan river. It could also be the shortened names for a community. Its hills and valleys were well watered, making it forested, also good for growing grapes and olives. The balm of Gilead was an aromatic resin believed to have medicinal powers. It was not native to Gilead, but was exported from there.
16-17 - The nations are again pictured as turning to God, but this image is more in humility and fear. (Licking the dust like a serpent refers to an ancient belief that snakes ate the dust.)
7:18-20 - A Psalm of adoration and praise
“Who is a God like thee?” This is a play on the meaning of the name of the prophet Micah, which means “Who is like Yahweh?”
A custom among orthodox Jews is to visit a body of water following worship on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) to repeat the last part of Micah 7:19 three times: “You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” This ceremony is called Tashlik, Hebrew for “You will cast...” It is a celebration of forgiveness to begin the New Year.
Micah conclues with a reminder of the covenant and the promise made to their ancestors.
The book of Micah challenges us to live in ways of holiness today. The high vision of peace among nations has jarring contrast with other words of sometimes vengeance and the desire for political superiority. But in the realities of the world, it is important to keep a higher vision of justice, humility, kindness and peace.
Verses 7:7-20 may be a psalm(s) which some think was appended to the book of Micah by a later editor. It may relate to Second Isaiah and Psalm 137. Scholars disagree whether verse 7 belongs to the Psalm or to the preceding passage. Also, the Psalm may have been intended as words of liturgy for the whole nation.
In verse 7, after Micah has described a terrible time of disentegration in families and homes, he says: But as for me I will look to the Lord. This is reminiscent of Joshua’s words. After he had presented the Israelites with some of the possibilities of worship, he said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Vs 8 -10 Rejoice not over me... some scholars see this as later than Micah - reflecting a time of exile, as in Psalm 137. Read the laments of the psalms and we see often the taunting of enemies being mentioned. It could also be Micah’s own experiences, awareness of his own sins, and determination to remain faithful. As is common in the Bible, the words have rich application to human experience.
Vs 10 - the enemies ask where is the Lord your God? - This theme can be seen in various ways. This was a time when people believed in territorial gods. The defeat of one nation meant that one territorial god had also defeated another. But it is a taunt that has often been raised to people of faith when bad things happen. (If anyone watches the show “House,” this was wrestled with on one level in an episode (November 22). Read also: Psalm 3:2; Psalm 10:4, Psalm 21:7-8 Psalm 42:3. All these express the experence of being a faithful person in the midst of those who taunt someone for their faithfulness.
Vs 11-13 Does seem to refer to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and of its walls. (Compare earlier, when cities would be torn down...might not apply to Jerusalem as its primary function was not as a fortress or war fortification.) “they will come to you...” are words that have a feel of 4:1-4. The thirteenth verse, however, speaks of desolation in the earth because of their sins.
Verse fourteen brings again the image of the shepherd and his rod or staff. The New English Version used “crook” which the Cambridge scholars admit was a free translation, since the Israelite shepherds of the time didn’t use crooks.
Bashan was the most northern part of the region east of the Jordan. It was a wide and fertile plain which grew wheat well, was good for cattle raising and was known for its groves of oak trees. Bashan is mentioned elsewhere in the bible. The strong bulls of Bashan (Ps 22:12) become sy7mbols for the fierceness of enemies against a righteous man. Amos took aim at the pleasure-seeking women of Samaria, calling them the “cows of Bashan.” (Amos 4:1) Isaiah did the same against the proud and haughty describing them as the tall cedars of Lebanon and spreading oaks of Bashan. After Israel divided into two kingdoms, Basham was often a battleground.
Gilead - a region east of the Jordan river. It could also be the shortened names for a community. Its hills and valleys were well watered, making it forested, also good for growing grapes and olives. The balm of Gilead was an aromatic resin believed to have medicinal powers. It was not native to Gilead, but was exported from there.
16-17 - The nations are again pictured as turning to God, but this image is more in humility and fear. (Licking the dust like a serpent refers to an ancient belief that snakes ate the dust.)
7:18-20 - A Psalm of adoration and praise
“Who is a God like thee?” This is a play on the meaning of the name of the prophet Micah, which means “Who is like Yahweh?”
A custom among orthodox Jews is to visit a body of water following worship on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) to repeat the last part of Micah 7:19 three times: “You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” This ceremony is called Tashlik, Hebrew for “You will cast...” It is a celebration of forgiveness to begin the New Year.
Micah conclues with a reminder of the covenant and the promise made to their ancestors.
The book of Micah challenges us to live in ways of holiness today. The high vision of peace among nations has jarring contrast with other words of sometimes vengeance and the desire for political superiority. But in the realities of the world, it is important to keep a higher vision of justice, humility, kindness and peace.
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