Interpretation of the prophet Hosea

“Commentary on the Prophet Hosea” is part of the “Commentary on the 12 Minor Prophets,” written by Blessed. Theodoret of Cyrus in the 30-40s. V century at the request of friends. He uses a typological method of interpretation and pays sufficient attention to clarifying the chronology of the prophet's life. The commentary is a sequential presentation of all 14 chapters of the Book of the Prophet Hosea. Blzh. Theodoret focuses on the central theme of the book - God's love for his people Israel and their suffering from betrayal and idolatry. He views the image of the prophet Hosea as a symbol of Divine love and mercy, as well as a warning about the consequences of sin and apostasy. The author draws parallels between the historical events of the time of the prophet and the spiritual state of the people. Blzh. Theodoret assumes that the prophet actually took a harlot as his wife: “He also says the name of the harlot, and by whom she was born, and how he entered into an alliance with her, and what was the fruit of the union, and what name was given to the one born by Him who commanded this marriage” (chap. 1). Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 When under Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, there was a division of the people; Jeroboam, the son of Jabat, reigned over the ten tribes. He, fearing that, since the holidays celebrated from time to time call the people to the temple in Jerusalem, the ten tribes would not join the kingdom of David again, he maliciously laid the foundation for wickedness before God, and having made two golden youths, he built a church for one in Dan, the other in Bethel. Through this wickedness, giving itself free access, it taught the Israelites to serve the idols of neighboring nations. Having reached the extreme degree of lawlessness, they lost God’s providence for them. And the Syrian king Hazael was the first to pursue them with war. Then Thula, who then possessed the scepter of the Assyrians, collected a great tribute from them. After him, Felgaffellasar, having ravaged many cities, killed some of the inhabitants, and took others into captivity. After that, Shalmaneser, having accepted the kingdom, also did the same with the cities that had escaped destruction, and surrounded Samaria with an army, took it with all its inhabitants, and resettled the rest of the ten tribes to Assyria. The last king of Assyria, Sennacherib, took up arms against Judea, took some cities, but attempted to besiege Jerusalem, and destroyed the army, struck by God's punishment, although he himself remained unharmed in order to become a herald of God's power, but in his palace he accepted death from those born to him; because he himself, having received being from God, madly rebelled against the Creator. Therefore, the divine Hosea, having accepted the gift of prophecy and having seen this from afar with spiritual eyes, receives the command to predict this to the people, so that, fearing the prophecies, they will avoid punishment and not experience disasters. For God does not threaten with punishments of all kinds in order to carry out what he threatens, but in order to strike with fear, bring to repentance, and whoever is freed from vices, grant him salvation. Having the intention to punish, I would not threaten punishment. By threatening, he makes it clear that he wants to save and not punish. Therefore, he sends blessed Hosea to the ten, and also to two, tribes to predict what will happen, and to foretell the salvation from Sennacherib, and to predict the destruction that the Babylonians will subject them to. He calls the two tribes Judah, because the royal family came not from Benjamin, but from the tribe of Judah, and the residence of the kings was in Jerusalem, the city of Judah. Moreover, the Jews were superior in numbers and strength not only to the Benjamites, but also to the other tribes; that is why the Prophet gives the name of the strongest to both tribes. And he calls the ten tribes Ephraim; because their first king, Jeroboam, was from this tribe, and he made the city of Samaria, which was the best city in this tribe, the seat of the kings, and the Ephraimites were distinguished by their numbers and courage. So, having presented this information, we can now begin a detailed interpretation.