God’s Lawsuit against Israel
Hosea 4:1–3
ca. 1200–332 BCE
1Hear the word of the Lord,
O people of Israel!
For the Lord has a case
Against the inhabitants of this land,
Because there is no honesty and no goodness
And no obedience to God in the land.
2[False] swearing, dishonesty, and murder,
And theft and adultery are rife;
Crime follows upon crime!
3For that, the earth is withered:
Everything that dwells on it languishes—
Beasts of the field and birds of the sky—
Even the fish of the sea perish.
Credits
Reprinted from Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures by permission of the University of Nebraska Press. Copyright 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 1.
You may also like
Hosea’s Wife and Family as Symbols
Hosea 1–2
The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and in the reign of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel.
When…
Israel Ignores God’s Wishes
Hosea 8:3–6, 11–14
Israel rejects what is good;
An enemy shall pursue him.
They have made kings,
But not with My sanction;
They have made officers,
But not of My choice.
Of their silver and gold
They have made…
God’s Paternal Love for Israel
Hosea 11:1–9
I fell in love with Israel
When he was still a child;
And I have called [him] My son
Ever since Egypt.
Thus were they called,
But they went their own way;
They sacrifice to Baalim
And offer to…
A Call for Repentance
Hosea 14:2–10
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
For you have fallen because of your sin.
Take words with you
And return to the Lord.
Say to Him:
“Forgive all guilt
And accept what is good;
Instead of bulls…
The Locust Invasion and a Call to Turn to God
Joel 1–2 (selections)
The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel.
Listen to this, O elders,
Give ear, all inhabitants of the land.
Has the like of this happened in your days
Or in the days of…
Engage with this Source
Restricted
Related Guide
From Isaiah to Zechariah: Biblical Prophets
Biblical Period
The classical prophetic books of the Hebrew Bible include many poetic or highly rhetorical prophecies addressed to the public at large.
Restricted
Related Guide
Hosea Calls for Israel’s Repentance
Biblical Period
The prophet Hosea chastises Israel for its religious and social offenses and warns of impending destruction.
Restricted
Related Guide
The Prophets Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah
Biblical Period
Many minor prophets connected Israel and Judah’s fortunes to the Israelites’ relationship with God.
You may also like
Hosea’s Wife and Family as Symbols
Hosea 1–2
The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and in the reign of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel.
When…
Israel Ignores God’s Wishes
Hosea 8:3–6, 11–14
Israel rejects what is good;
An enemy shall pursue him.
They have made kings,
But not with My sanction;
They have made officers,
But not of My choice.
Of their silver and gold
They have made…
God’s Paternal Love for Israel
Hosea 11:1–9
I fell in love with Israel
When he was still a child;
And I have called [him] My son
Ever since Egypt.
Thus were they called,
But they went their own way;
They sacrifice to Baalim
And offer to…
A Call for Repentance
Hosea 14:2–10
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
For you have fallen because of your sin.
Take words with you
And return to the Lord.
Say to Him:
“Forgive all guilt
And accept what is good;
Instead of bulls…
The Locust Invasion and a Call to Turn to God
Joel 1–2 (selections)
The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel.
Listen to this, O elders,
Give ear, all inhabitants of the land.
Has the like of this happened in your days
Or in the days of…