According to Zehetgruber, the essence of the book of Hosea has historically been understood as an unconditional legal declaration (specifically, a negative verdict of guilt, sentencing, and judgment) or an unconditional prophecy of judgment. Zehetgruber suggests instead that the core of the book of Hosea assumes a necessarily reciprocal relationship between Israel and Yahweh. In other words, Yahweh’s orientation to Israel will reflect Israel’s orientation to Yahweh; when Israel turns their backs on Yahweh, Yahweh responds in kind. Hosea therefore does not present a “different and terrible new Yahweh” but the same Yahweh, who reacts in a different and terribly new way (p. 2). The theme of reciprocity in the original core of the book acted as a guide to subsequent editors as they updated the book and connected its sections, such that “Hosean theology” presents the historical health of Israel (or lack thereof) as a necessary result of turning...

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