Calling to God (Hosea 7:11-16)

¹¹ “Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless—now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria. ¹² When they go, I will throw my net over them; I will pull them down like the birds in the sky. When I hear them flocking together, I will catch them. ¹³ Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely. ¹⁴ They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail on their beds. They slash themselves, appealing to their gods for grain and new wine, but they turn away from me. ¹⁵ I trained them and strengthened their arms, but they plot evil against me. ¹⁶ They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

In verse seven of this chapter, the prophet compares Israel to a dove, which we would usually think of as a compliment. But here he refers to the tendency of flocks of doves to fly all around, chaotically looking for their next food source. In the Bible, doves are often shown as not being very smart (after all, they are part of the same bird family as pigeons). Hosea is once again criticizing Israel for seeking help from foreign countries, but here he refers to a particular series of events.

During this period, Israel’s loyalty went back and forth between Assyria and Egypt. King Menahem who ruled from 752 to 742 BC had agreed to pay a tribute to Assyria. His son was murdered by Pekah, who held the throne from 740-732 BC. Pekah allied with Syria and rebelled against Assyria. They may have made overtures to Egypt, but we don’t know. Syria, of course, took revenge and Pekah’s successor, Hoshea went back to Assyria when he took over in 732. This only lasted for a short time because King Hoshea (not to be confused with Hosea) immediately tried to ally with Egypt against Assyria. This clearly was not a well thought-out foreign policy, so the metaphor of a bird flying aimlessly is appropriate.

For Hosea, the basic problem is religious. In verse 14, God complains that the Israelites panic and whine but seek foreign gods instead of him. Note that in 1 Kings 18:28, the prophets of Baal cry aloud and cut themselves when they call on his power, so the Israelites may have been imitating them. In verse 15, God mourns that he raised Israel like a child but they rebelled against him. The prophet tells them that if only they would cry out to their God instead of Baal, things would get better. What they are doing is fruitless, since those gods do not exist. Everything they are doing is futile. Indeed, in verse 16 we’re told that the Egyptians are laughing at them. In 723 BC, Hoshea will be taken prisoner by the Assyrians, and the capital, Samaria fell to the Assyrian king Sargon II in 722BC. The leaders of Israel did indeed fall by the sword.