Katolicka Biblia
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Hosea, 2

1. God’s-folk and Befriended, these are the names they should have by rights, brother and sister of yours.

2. Blame her, blame your mother, that she is no true wife of mine, nor I any longer her Lord. Must she still flaunt the harlot’s face of her, the wantonness of her breasts?

3. Must I strip her, leave her naked as babe new-born, leave her desolate as the barren waste, the trackless desert, to die of thirst?

4. Those children of hers, must I needs leave them unpitied, the children of her shame?

5. Harlot mother of theirs brought reproach on the womb that bore them; Haste I away, she said, to those gallants of mine, the gods of whose gift bread comes to me, and water, wool and flax, oil and wine!

6. See if I do not hedge her way about with thorns, fence in her prospect, till way she can find none!

7. Then, it may be, when her gallants she courts in vain, searches for them in vain, she will have other thoughts: Back go I to the husband that was mine once; things were better with me in days gone by.

8. Yet I it was, did she but know it, that bread and wine and oil gave her, gave her all the silver and gold she squandered on Baal.

9. And now I mean to revoke the gift; no harvest for her, no vintage; I will give wool and flax a holiday, that once laboured to cover her shame;

10. no gallant of hers but shall see and mock at it; such is my will, and none shall thwart me.

11. Gone the days of rejoicing, the days of solemnity; gone is new moon, and sabbath, and festival;

12. vine and fig-tree blighted, whose fruit, she told herself, was but the hire those lovers paid; all shall be woodland, for the wild beasts to ravage as they will.

13. Penance she must do for that hey-day of idolatry, when the incense smoked, and out she went, all rings and necklaces, to meet her lovers, the gods of the country-side, and for me, the Lord says, never a thought!

14. It is but love’s stratagem, thus to lead her out into the wilderness; once there, it shall be all words of comfort.

15. Clad in vineyards that wilderness shall be, that vale of sad memory✻ a passage-way of hope; and a song shall be on her lips, the very music of her youth, when I rescued her from Egypt long ago.

16. Husband she calls me now, the Lord says, Master no longer;

17. that name I stifle on her lips; master-gods of the country-side must all be forgotten.✻

18. Beast and bird and creeping thing to peace pledge I; bow and sword and war’s alarms break I; all shall sleep safe abed, the folk that dwell in her.

19. Everlastingly I will betroth thee to myself, favour and redress and mercy of mine thy dowry;

20. by the keeping of his troth thou shalt learn to know the Lord.

21. When that day comes, heaven shall win answer, the Lord says, answer from me; and from heaven, earth;

22. and from earth, the corn and wine and oil it nourishes; and from these, the people of my sowing.✻

23. Deep, deep I will sow them in the land I love; a friend, now, to her that was Unbefriended;

24. to a people that was none of mine I will say, Thou art my people, and they to me, Thou art my God.


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Przypisy:

2:1-13 - God, through Hosea, accuses Israel of its unfaithfulness, comparing the nation to an adulterous wife. Idolatry and the pursuit of other gods are seen as betrayal of the covenant with God. This chapter is a call to repentance (see also Jeremiah 3:1-5 and Revelation 2:4-5).

2:14-15 - God promises to restore Israel's happiness by leading the people into the wilderness to speak to their hearts. The wilderness, though a place of judgment, also symbolizes a space for renewal and reconciliation with God (see also Isaiah 40:3-5 and Jeremiah 31:2-4).

2:16-23 - God, in His mercy, promises to restore His relationship with Israel. The metaphor of marriage is central, with God assuming the role of a husband who reconciles with his unfaithful wife. The transformation of adverse conditions into blessings is an expression of divine grace (see also Ezekiel 16:62-63 and John 15:5).

Wersety związane z Hosea, 2:

Hosea chapter 2 deepens the allegory of the marriage between God and Israel. How does God respond to the unfaithfulness of His people? This poetic text alternates between accusations of infidelity and promises of restoration. The chapter covers themes such as idolatry, divine discipline, and God's tireless love. Hosea 2 reveals God's plan to draw Israel back through the "wilderness" of discipline into a new spiritual "engagement." Consider with us five biblical passages that elucidate the deep themes of this transformative chapter.

Ephesians 5:31-32: "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery; I am referring, however, to Christ and the church." - Paul uses the metaphor of marriage, similar to that used in Hosea 2, to describe the relationship between Christ and the Church.

John 3:29: "What the bride has is the groom. The friend who is next to the groom and listens to him is filled with joy when he hears the groom's voice. This is my joy, which is now complete." - John the Baptist uses the bridal metaphor, echoing themes from Hosea 2, to describe Jesus' relationship with his people.

Revelation 19:7: "Let us rejoice! Let us rejoice and give Him glory! For the time has come for the marriage of the Lamb, and his bride has already made herself ready." - This passage uses the image of marriage, similar to that in Hosea 2, to describe the final union between Christ and the Church.

Isaiah 54:5: "For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is your name, the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth." - Isaiah uses the metaphor of marriage, similar to that of Hosea 2, to describe God's relationship with Israel.

Ezekiel 16:60-63: "However, I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. [...] I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord." - This passage echoes the themes of covenant and restoration found in Hosea 2.

FAQ:

What does God say about Israel's judgment in Hosea 2?

God promises to punish Israel for their unfaithfulness, comparing it to a wife's unfaithfulness, but He also promises to restore the people in the future. (Hosea 2:2-13)

What does the expression "unfaithful wife" mean in Hosea 2?

The expression symbolizes Israel, who turned away from God, worshiping idols and practicing spiritual infidelity. (Hosea 2:5-7)

How did God use nature to illustrate Israel's judgment?

God says the land will be dry, without crops, as a symbol of Israel's separation, which will suffer famine and desolation. (Hosea 2:9-13)

What does Israel's return to God mean in Hosea 2?

God promises to draw Israel back to Himself, restoring the relationship and making the land flourish again, as a new covenant of love and faithfulness. (Hosea 2:14-23)

What does the book of Hosea teach about God's love?

The book teaches that despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God remains faithful and offers restorative love, always seeking the return of His people. (Hosea 2:19-20)


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