The Desire of the Lord (2:2-15): Once again the disciple who arranged chapters 1–3 has included a passage that serves as a summary of much of Hosea’s preaching (2:16–14:9). All of 2:2–15 represents genuine oracles of Hosea, but it is possible that this unit as a whole has been put together from originally independent oracles, such as 2:2–4; 2:5–7a; 2:7c–10; 2:11–13; and 2:14–15. As it now stands, however, the pericope forms a rhetorical whole.

The setting for these words is a court of law, indicated by the initial imperative verb, rîbû, which often has the meaning, “go to court,” but which in this context means, “plead” or “accuse.” (The NIV rebuke does not adequately convey the legal setting.) Yahweh, the aggrieved husband, has taken Israel, his unfaithful wife, to court. But this is a ver…