Amos continues his condemnation of Israel and Samaria’s pride and hubris in chapter 6, especially that of their rulers and great men, who ignore regional threats, pervert justice, and instead amuse themselves with luxury.  It is this bad attitude to which Amos attributes the coming destruction.  Indeed, governments and people are best able to defend … More Amos: 6-9

The prophecy of Amos begins with an introductory chapter, condemning all the nations and cities that the Assyrians and Chaldeans will conquer, and ascribing causes for said conquest. The list is a familiar one:  Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moav, Yehudah, and Israel.  Indeed, we have seen this list reiterated at least in part by … More Amos: 1-5

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The second half of Hoshea opens with the anticipation of Assyrian invasion (“As a vulture he cometh against the house of the LORD” [8:1] and “For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself; Ephraim hath hired lovers.” [1:9]) as the natural consequence of Israel’s actions.  One of my favorite … More Hoshea 8-14

In chapter 1, Hoshea grabs our attention with the same theatrical style that typifies Yermiyahu and Yehezkiel.  He claims he was instructed to take a harlot to wife and that he had three children (2 sons and a daughter) by her.  The wife he took was Gomer bat Divlaim (the Conclusion, daughter of Figs).  Their … More Hoshea 1-7

Hoshea was a prophet who was active during the reigns of Uzziah, Yotham, Ahaz, and Hizkiyahu (Hezekiah) in Yehudah and Yerovam II (Jeroboam ben Joash) in Israel.  That makes his work approximately contemporary with that of Yesheyahu (Isaiah), although Hoshea probably began a bit earlier and was probably a little older than Yesheyahu, since Yesheyahu’s … More Introduction to Hoshea

The final nine chapters of Yehezkiel (Ezekiel) pose a sharp contrast to the preceding 39.  They take on a heavily concrete tone, instructing the generation of the return from the Exile on the building of a new temple and the reestablishment of the monarchy.  Instead of being a prophecy for Yehezkiel’s contemporaries, these chapters are … More Yehezkiel 40-48

Yehezkiel 33 is an expansion on Yehezkiel 3:16-27.  The prophet is instructed to be a watchman for the people–to warn them to return to righteousness in order to avert catastrophe.  If he fails to warn them, their blood will be on his hands.  If he warns them, and they fail to heed his call, their … More Yehezkiel 33-39

One of the more intriguing themes of the Prophets is that they deliver messages to foreign nations as well as to the Israelites.  Most notable, perhaps, is Yonah (Jonah), who was tasked with delivering a warning to the people of Nineveh.  Yesheyahu (Isaiah), Yermiyahu (Jeremiah), and Yehezkiel (Ezekiel) all deliver prophecies against the peoples who … More Yehezkiel 25-32

Yehezkiel (Ezekiel) 17 opens with a parable. An eagle takes a cutting and the seeds of one of the cedars of Lebanon, and plants them carefully, in good soil, near good water.  The seeds and cuttings grow into a vine and flourish, but they grow toward another eagle, hoping that the second eagle will care … More Yehezkiel 17-24