Hosea 10

Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones. Hosea 10:1

Israel was a spreading vine that brought forth fruit, but it was the wrong kind of fruit. It was fruit brought forth for self and not for God. It was a bitter and corrupt fruit. As the evil fruit came forth, more and more altars were built. They spent money decorating their idols with precious stones. The people were certain that their false gods were bringing them blessings. How tragic. The vineyard of the Lord was to satisfy him with its fruit and sweetness. Rather, it became a corrupt vine. Boice remarks: “The extraordinary thing about the use of this image in the Old Testament, however, is that it is always brought forward as a symbol of Israel’s degeneration, rather than of her fruitfulness.” [1]

“Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones” (10:2). Their idols were coming down. Apparently, the important idol at Bethel would be taken as a prize for the Assyrian ruler. That makes us wonder about our own idols in the 21st century. Already, these idols are in trouble. David Kupelian writes: “Many of the ‘stars’ idolized by millions of Americans are, according to experts, so troubled as to border on being mentally ill.” [2] The Lord was about to use Assyria as the “rod of his anger” (Isa. 10:5). It makes us wonder what kind of rod he will use for our correction if we fail to repent.

KING OR NO KING?

Then they will say, “We have no king because we did not revere the LORD. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us?” Hosea 10:3

This is a much-discussed verse, and it is not entirely clear what to make of it. They could no longer call God their king since they did not respect or obey him. Perhaps they were recalling that their kings were quickly assassinated. It may be that the Assyrian king had exercised authority and had weakened the king’s power. Their kings were all weak, and they likely felt a great deal of pressure from Assyria and Egypt. It may be that they had no king worthy of the name. A time may be reflected when the Assyrians put an end to the kingdom.

“ They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field” (10:4). What we have reflected here is a breakdown of law and order. This is what sin does to a society. In the US, we now live in a litigious society. We can hardly look at the news without seeing two or three lawyers promising huge settlements. I grew up in the Bible Belt of the country, and at that time, lawyers were not even permitted to advertise. I am amazed at how much America has changed.

“ The people who live in Samaria fear for the calf-idol of Beth Aven. Its people will mourn over it, and so will its idolatrous priests, those who had rejoiced over its splendor, because it is taken from them into exile” (10:5). We learn a great deal from this Scripture. The biblical shrine of Bethel (house of God in Hebrew) is called Beth Aven (house of vanity). Its priests are called kemarim in Hebrew. It has the meaning of a pagan priest or one who dresses in a coat of black. [3] Pfeiffer & Harrison comment: “The northern kingdom…filled with shame, would learn at last the futility of setting up a dumb idol as protector of the nation.” [4]

“It will be carried to Assyria as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be ashamed of its foreign alliances” (10:6). Several translations have King Jareb ( Yareb in Hebrew). This was apparently a special epithet given to the king of Assyria. The god whom they trusted will now need to be rescued by them. How humiliating!

“Samaria’s king will be destroyed, swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters” (10:7). The Bible scholar Bob Utley says of this verse: “the term [twig] occurs only here in the Old Testament. It can refer to a piece (twig or splinter) of wood…or ‘foam.’” [5] Samaria’s king will be gone like a twig or foam on the water. So much for the heritage of idolatry.

“The high places of wickedness will be destroyed – it is the sin of Israel. Thorns and thistles will grow up and cover their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us!’ and to the hills, ‘Fall on us!’” (10:8). Phillips says, “The thorn and the thistle [living symbols of the curse] shall come up on their altars. The shrines dedicated to false gods would be overgrown with weeds.” [6] It is interesting that Jesus uses the expressions “cover us” and “fall on us,” in Luke 23:30. We see the same statement used in Revelation 6:16. These expressions are cries of awful terror by sinful and depraved humans as they see the Righteous God on that last day.

Sin, Sin, And More Sin

Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel, and there you have remained. Will not war again overtake the evildoers in Gibeah? Hosea 10:9

In 9:9, we told the tragic story of the Levite and his concubine who spent the night in Gibeah, an important city of Benjamin. We are told that many of the male residents sought by force to have homosexual relations with this Levite, and how they finally settled upon gang raping his concubine all that night. Since she was found dead the next morning, the Levite sent parts of her body with a message to all the tribes of Israel. The tribes demanded an acknowledgement and apology from Benjamin, and when the tribe refused, all Israel went to war against them. The tribe of Benjamin was almost eliminated in the war. The prophet is saying that the awful sins of Gibeon have continued in Israel, and therefore a similar war will come upon them.

“When I please, I will punish them; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bonds for their double sin” (10:10). Guthrie says, “As the tribes once rose against Benjamin, so the nations shall rise against Israel.” [7] This may well have implications for Israel’s sinners, as time goes on. This verse is difficult to understand. Most translations have references to the double iniquity, double sin, or double guilt of Israel.

“Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; so I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will drive Ephraim, Judah must plow, and Jacob must break up the ground” (10:11). Ephraim has had it easy. She threshes grain and loves to eat on the grain as she goes round and round. Her easy life is about to end, and a heavy yoke will be placed on her. Her work is about to become very difficult, and Judah will not escape.

“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you” (10:12). Guzik says, “Even now, if they would sow righteousness, they would reap in mercy at the next harvest.” [8] Ephraim must break up her fallow ground. From my days on the farm, I remember that some fallow ground often had stumps in it, and that was troublesome. The stumps and rocks must be removed, and the hard ground must be broken up.

“But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated – as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children” (10:13-14). Phillips comments: “The prophet was referring to Hoshea, the last king of Israel.” [9]

The northern kingdom will be devastated just as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel. Feinberg feels that Shalman surely is a contraction of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser. [10] The location of Beth Arbel has not been firmly identified. The very prominent Mt. Arbel overlooks Magdala and Capernaum and is a likely possibility. From its sheer wall, many people were thrown down to their deaths on more than one occasion.

Feinberg continues: “The prophet states that in that battle the mother was dashed in pieces with her children. This practice was widespread and was followed by the Syrians (2 Ki 8:12); Medes (Is. 13:17-18); and the Babylonians (Ps 137:8-9).” [11]

“So will it happen to you, Bethel, because your wickedness is great. When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed” (10:15). How tragic that such a center of Israel’s early religious history would meet such a tragic end. “This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.’” (Jer. 17:5)

Footnotes

1. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 79.

2. Kupelian, How Evil Works: Understanding and Overcoming the Destructive Forces That Are Transforming America, pp. 75-76.

3. Clarke, Clarke Commentary, Hosea. v. 10:5.

4. Pfeiffer & Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 812.

5. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 10:7.

6. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 59.

7. Guthrie, et. al. The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 713.

8. Guzik, The Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Hosea, v. 10:12.

9. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 59.

10. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 53.

11. Ibid.