An adulterous woman repeatedly spurns the love of her youth, while her betrayed husband offers forgiveness and seeks to win her back. With this bold and uncomfortable imagery, Hosea tells the story of God and his people.
God calls the prophet to embody this divine suffering and redeeming forgiveness in his own marriage, thereby setting the stage for his message of God's faithful and enduring love, his righteous judgment, and his continuing offer of reconciliation and restoration. This Tyndale commentary from Robin Routledge explores the historical, cultural, literary, and theological dimensions of the book of Hosea.
The Tyndale Commentaries are designed to help the reader of the Bible understand what the text says and what it means. The Introduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting, and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties.
In the new Old Testament volumes, the commentary on each section of the text is structured under three headings: Context, Comment, and Meaning. The goal is to explain the true meaning of the Bible and make its message plain.
Robin Routledge was formerly senior lecturer in Old Testament, director of research, and academic dean at Mattersey Hall, England. He is the author of Old Testament Introduction and Old Testament Theology, and coeditor of As Long as the Earth Endures and Bible and Mission.