Hosea 5:1-7

Judgment Is Announced On The Priests, People And Royal House Of Israel Because Of Their Going Astray In Their Ritual, Something Which Has Prevented Them From Turning To YHWH And Has Made Them Unacceptable To Him, And The Consequence Will Be That They Will Be Devoured (Hosea 5:1).

Hosea now involves every section of society, including royalty, in their ‘going against YHWH', and points out that what they are is known to YHWH. On the other hand their behaviour and attitudes have been so affected by their false ritual that they have reached a position where they themselves do not really know God as He is, and therefore cannot turn to Him. As a consequence when they do seek Him it will be in vain, because He has withdrawn Himself from them as a result of their behaviour and the consequences that result from it, children with no natural families. As a consequence their new moon will not be a time of celebration and feasting, but will rather be a time when their land portions given to them by YHWH are ‘devoured'.

Analysis of Hosea 5:1.

a Hear this, O you priests, and listen, O house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king, for to you pertains the judgment (Hosea 5:1 a).

b For you have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread on Tabor (Hosea 5:1 b).

c And those who err are gone deep in slaughter, and I am a chastener of them all (Hosea 5:2).

d I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me, for now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot, Israel is defiled (Hosea 5:3).

e Their doings will not allow them to turn to their God, for the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they do not know YHWH (Hosea 5:4).

d And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, therefore Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity, Judah also will stumble with them (Hosea 5:5).

c They will go with their flocks and with their herds to seek YHWH, but they will not find him. He has withdrawn himself from them (Hosea 5:6).

b They have dealt treacherously against YHWH, for they have borne strange children (Hosea 5:7 a).

a Now will the new moon devour them with their fields (or ‘portions') (Hosea 5:7 b).

Note that in ‘a' judgment is to be exercised against the priests, people and royalty of Israel, and in the parallel their allotted portions are to be devoured. In ‘b the leadership have been a snare and net to all Israel, and in the parallel they have dealt treacherously against YHWH. In ‘c' their erring leaders have indulged in huge (false) sacrifices, with the result that YHWH will chasten them, and in the parallel they will take their flocks and herds to seek YHWH (by offering sacrifices) and will find that He has withdrawn Himself from them. In ‘d' Ephraim and Israel are not hid from Him, and are defiled, and in the parallel reference is made to the pride of Israel and Ephraim through which they will be caused to stumble, along with Judah. Central in ‘e' is the fact that their behaviour and attitude prevents them turning to God with the result that they do not know YHWH.