Ephraim in the book of hosea

Why does hosea refer to israel as ephraim specifically so. Ephraim, one of the 12 tribes of israel that in biblical times comprised the people of israel who later became the jewish people. Hosea began his ministry to israel also called ephraim, after its largest tribe, during the final days of jeroboam ii. Hosea questions and answers mary janes drops of grace blog. Throughout the book you will see that he refers to israel and ephraim. Ephraim was the largest tribe in israel and sometimes the whole nation was referred to as ephraim. The book of hosea im finally finished with the big three prophetsisaiah, jeremiah, and ezekielso its time to move on to the minor ones.

So the reference to ephraim is to the oldest son of joseph son of jacobisrael. The relationship of hosea with his marital partner is used to depict that of god with israel. God promises chastisement, which would make israel seek god. What can i learn from what the bible says about ephraim. I know ephraim i am perfectly well acquainted with the actions of ephraim, the head of the ten tribes. Why is israel repeatedly referred to as ephraim in the. A a a a the book of hosea is presented in the form of a parable. This book tells about the prophet hosea and his unfaithful wife gomer which he was to love unconditionally as a sign of gods unconditional love to the nation of israel. Ephraim was guilty at times in gods eyes as were these other two particularly of idolatry. According to the hebrew bible, the tribe of ephraim hebrew. Hosea refers to israel under the names of ephraim, its largest tribe, and samaria, its capital. Judah is always seen as the legitimate heir of the covenant promises to abraham and david. Hosea was a prophet who lived and prophesied just before the destruction of israel in 722 bc.

All the prophets view the split between israel and judah as wrong. Why does hosea refer to israel as ephraim specifically so many times. The prophet often intersperses judgment and promise oracles. The book of hosea marriage with an unfaithful wife. That ephraim is the new understanding in the natural, is plain from very many passages in the word, especially in the prophet hosea, which treats. Under whose guidance israel was enjoying both political peace and material prosperity as well as moral corruption and spiritual bankruptcy. The tribe of ephraim was chastised for idolatry hosea 4. Now, o ephraim, thou committest whoredom even now, at this time, thou goest on in thy idolatry, notwithstanding all my rebukes and exhortations. The names israel, ephraim and jacob in the book of hosea h f van. Prophet hosea s wife and children, hope of restoration for unfaithful israel, ephraim, return to god. According to the traditional order of most hebrew bibles, it is the first of the twelve minor prophets set around the fall of the northern kingdom of israel, the book of hosea denounces the worship of gods other than yahweh, metaphorically comparing israels abandonment of yahweh to a. Oseas is a new testament version of the book of hosea. Ephraim was one of josephs sons, and jacobs grandsons.