Hosea’s initial sign act remains a minefield of interpretive debate, with most studies and commentaries focusing on the meaning of YHWH’s commission to “take a wife of whoredom.” However, scholars have largely neglected the second part of the commission to “[take] children of whoredom.” Given the three children born in Hos 1, as well as … Read more
This paper explores the theme of the vision of God in the latter prophetic visions of the throne room and temple and connects these to the beatific vision. Much of the contemporary scholarship has ignored or at least neglected the connection between the beatific vision and the prophetic visions in the latter prophets. This oversight … Read more
The high concentration of זנה “to whore” and derived nouns within the first two chapters of Hosea sets the reader back on his heels. The shock is magnified by Yahweh’s statement that he will “expose her lewdness before the eyes of her lovers” (Hos 2:12 [ET 2:10]). Hosea does not stop at graphic sexual language. … Read more
With the growing interest in literary approaches to the Bible, most notably studies in narrative analogy, comes an increasing sensitivity to the literary strategies of a biblical author’s reuse of unique vocabulary and sequences of events from earlier narratives. While scholars have called attention to Isaiah’s reuse of the Exodus Narrative in his “New Exodus” … Read more
YHWH gave the song in Deuteronomy 32.00 as a witness against Israel (Deut 31:19). At the outset of Israel’s history, YHWH shows how the whole of their history will play out. This song summarizes the theology of Deuteronomy in poetic form, and anticipates that Israel will proceed from wealth to apostasy to judgment. But there … Read more
The book of Jeremiah contains some of the most vehement expressions of divine wrath in the Bible. But surprisingly, once people undergo judgment, YHWH adopts a different posture toward them. This change of posture precedes the restoration that YHWH promises for the future. Summaries of the prophets usually have a simple scheme of judgment followed … Read more