Hosea 2:10

THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE WILL ASSURE NEW BLESSINGS FROM GOD, Hosea 2:10-19.

This also is a message of encouragement and promise, which reaches its culmination in the last sentence, “From this day will I bless you.” Again nothing is said concerning the occasion of the prophecy, but its contents enable us to determine it. The words were apparently called forth by new questionings of the people. It would seem that they came to resent the severe accusations made in the first address. Were they not bringing offerings to Jehovah? As a result they came to question the truth of the statements that the calamities which they suffered were the consequence of their neglectfulness, and that the rebuilding of the temple would assure them the restoration of the divine favor. To silence the questionings the prophet propounds to the priests two questions concerning the power of infection possessed by clean and unclean things. The priests reply that the unclean is more contagious than the clean (11-13). This reply the prophet applies to the case in hand. True, the people were offering sacrifices, but, says he, they are insufficient to overcome the unclean in their life and conduct; on the contrary, the unclean conduct makes even their offerings an abomination in the sight of Jehovah (14). He discusses once more the relation of the calamities to their neglectfulness and asserts that they are a direct result of the latter. The address closes with a promise that from now on the divine favor will again rest upon them (15-19).

Hosea 2:10 is similar to Haggai 1:1; Haggai 2:1.

Four and twentieth day of the ninth month Just three months after the building operations commenced (see on Hosea 2:18). The ninth month is called Chisleu (Zechariah 7:1) and covers the latter part of November and first part of December.