Hoshea's wife/2

Hoshea's wife

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Hoshea married a prostitute

Sources:Bavli PesachimPesachim 87a-bAbout the Bavli, RashiHoshea 1:2Hoshea 1:8About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RidHoshea 1:2About R. Yeshayah of Trani, MalbimHoshea Beur HaInyan 1:2About R. Meir Leibush Weiser

How can Hashem command a prophet to sin? These sources offer two possible answers to this question:

• The Rid says explicitly that since Hashem is the one who prohibited the taking of prostitutes, He can also permit marriage to one ("הפה שאסר הוא הפה שהתיר"). The Malbim further points out that Hashem sometimes gives a one time command (הוראת שעה) which does not accord with Torah law so as to achieve a larger goal
• The Malbim claims that Hashem's command actually does not involve any prohibition, since a prostitute in only prohibited to a priest and not to a regular Israelite.

Purpose of the command – Bavli Pesachim¹ asserts that the command was meant to teach Hoshea a lesson in mercy, so that he could empathize with Hashem's feelings towards the nation. Despite the fact that the nation "prostituted" with other gods, Hashem did not want to abandon them (as Hoshea preferred), since He still loved them.²  Hashem forced Hoshea to feel the same when told to abandon his own prostituting wife. This goal could not have been accomplished were the command simply an analogy.

To whom is this prophecy intended? According to the Bavli, the prophecy is aimed more at Hoshea than the nation itself.³

Assumptions – The Bavli makes two assumptions, first that Hoshea did not readily defend the nation, preferring that they be punished for their sins, and second, that he was upset about leaving his wife. Neither of these points, however, is explicit in the text.

What is the meaning of this prophecy? This position views the prophecy as mainly one of comfort rather than chastisement.

Other stories where prophets are commanded to sin – The Malbim points to other cases where a prophet transgresses a Torah commandment, such as Yechezkel's shaving of his sideburns and Eliyahu's sacrificing on a private altar outside of the Mikdash.⁴

Other stories in which prophets are commanded to do bizarre acts – The Rid maintains that other bizarre acts done by prophets should also be read as having literally taken place, rather than simply being analogies.  Thus, Yechezkel really slept on his side for months and Yeshayahu walked naked and barefoot for three years.⁵

Hoshea did not marry a prostitute

Hoshea did not really take a prostitute in marriage. The entire story was meant only to be an analogy and was only viewed in a prophetic vision.

Sources:Targum YonatanHoshea 1:2Hoshea 3:1About Targum Yonatan (Neviim), Ibn EzraHoshea First Commentary 1:1-3Hoshea Second Commentary 1:1-3About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RadakHoshea 1:2Hoshea 1:3Hoshea 1:6Hoshea 1:8About R. David Kimchi

Would Hashem command a prophet to sin? These commentators maintain that Hashem would not command a prophet to do something that is prohibited, or goes against the spirit of the Torah, leading to the conclusion that both the command and its fulfillment were only part of dream .

To whom is this prophecy intended? It would seem that the prophecy was intended for the nation of Israel.

What is the meaning of this prophecy? The prophecy  is composed of two parts, containing an initial message of rebuke (Chapter 1) and then a message of comfort (Chapter 2). However, the latter is conditional on the nation abandoning idolatry.

Other stories where prophets are commanded to sin

Other stories in which prophets are commanded to do weird acts – These commentators are consistent in reading other stories where a prophet is commanded to do a bizarre act as being only in a prophetic vision.

¹ Rashi and Malbim follow its understanding.

² This reading of Hoshea matches the portrait of Yonah drawn by several modern commentators who view him as an accusatory figure, lacking mercy, and intent on punishing wrongdoers.  See Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem for elaboration.

³ This might be true of other prophecies as well. For example,

⁴ It is not clear, however, if Eliyahu was acting on a Divine command or his own initiative.  See Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction.

⁵ He does, however, also raise the possibility that both of these took place only in a vision.