Hosea 9:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When God warns that Ephraim, or all of Israel, is destined for complete destruction, and they lament their barrenness and their futile efforts in child-rearing, the prophet seeks deliverance from judgment and implores to be spared from wrath, stating, “My flesh is of them.” This can be understood as a plea to be among them rather than being distanced from them. Oh, if only he were to say, I and my entire lineage (since 'flesh' can also refer to a lineage) were not part of them and were far removed from their fate! The validity of this interpretation is supported by Paul’s words, for he asserts, “Forasmuch as I am an apostle by the tongue, I glorify my ministry, if I may vex my flesh, and save some from them” (Rom. 11:13-14). Typically, the holy prophets, upon observing grievous and intolerable wrongs, would distance themselves from such abominations. Likewise, the prophet Jeremiah remarks, upon witnessing the Jews endure numerous accusations and insult God, “O Lord Almighty, I sat not in the company of them that play, but I feared from the face of Your hand: in one sitting, I was filled with sorrow” (Jeremiah 15:16-17). Thus, we should heed the words of the blessed Paul, who advises us, “Keep thyself pure, and be thou partaker of another man's sin” (1 Tim. 5:22). Yet, it should also be proclaimed by every devoted believer in reference to those who offend God and are soon to face punishment, “my flesh is of them.”

Where we have stated, "Woe unto them when I am removed from them," the Septuagint and Theodotion translate it as, "Woe unto them, My body shall be removed from them." Investigating this discrepancy reveals that "My body" in Hebrew is termed baѕari, while "My removal" or "My evasion" is baѕori. Hence, the Septuagint and Theodotion opted for the phrase "my body" instead of "my removal." Furthermore, where it says, "Ephraim, as I saw, was Tyre," the Septuagint translates it as "θήραν," which can mean catch or capture. Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion refer to a very hard stone, specifically flint, which in Hebrew is known as sur; if read as sog, it signifies Tyre. However, the Septuagint interpreters, due to the resemblance between the letters resh and dalet, read sud, meaning to catch or capture, leading to Bethsaida, which translates as the house of fishers. After addressing the variations in translation, we shall now delve into the meaning. Ephraim, representing the ten tribes, flew away like a bird, departing from their homeland. This avian metaphor signifies the swift migration to Babylon. Alternatively, if we interpret the phrase as "their glory flew away like a bird," it can denote that God's aid has departed and abandoned them. The subsequent phrases, "from birth, from the womb, and from conception," can be understood in two different ways: either that Ephraim's glory left at every stage of life—birth, womb, conception—forsaking their children and their posterity; or that Israel mistakenly believed their glory lay in their numbers and viewed themselves as superior to their brother Judah since they comprised ten tribes, whereas Judah had only two. Therefore, the Lord asserts that even if they were to raise children and have many descendants, they would still face death, and now, following God's abandonment, they would suffer true woe. It is then recounted what Ephraim was before this forsakenness: he was deemed beautiful and protected by God's assistance, akin to Tyre, surrounded by the sea or a strong stone embedded in the earth, which remains unyielding against tempests. However, Ephraim, echoing Tyre and established in a magnificent locale by the sea, leads his children into captivity. Many associate this passage with the period of Azael, who besieged Samaria, causing long-standing famine, as those inside the walls preferred death by the sword over starvation. Yet we will interpret it allegorically—that Ephraim, representative of heretics, has fled from the Church, placing all their significance in issues of birth and conception. The Lord warns that they will face punishment, despite having many offspring, inflicted not by human hands but by the Lord Himself, for they have borne children through iniquity, resulting in dire consequences when God forsakes them. Simultaneously, it is recalled how Ephraim, during his time of fidelity to the Church, faced the trials of this world much like Tyre weathering the fierce waves of the sea, yet he was unharmed because he had Christ as his foundation, and a house built on that foundation cannot fall. However, he now leads his children to destruction, that is, to the devil. It is poignantly stated that he makes them depart from the Church. Ephraim’s offspring may symbolize wicked thoughts and teachings counter to the truth, which the Lord will extinguish through the spirit of His mouth, ensuring they do not produce such offspring but are instead consigned to eternal doom. The Septuagint reads, "My body is of them; Ephraim, as I saw, gave his children to be caught," and we interpret it thus: if Christ is the head of the body, which is the Church, then we are all members of Christ and the Church. Therefore, anyone who alienates themselves from the Church rends the body of Christ, with Ephraim being part of the body and member of the Savior. Yet he handed his children over to be ensnared, specifically by those described in the psalm, "Our soul as a bird shall be delivered from the net of them that catch it" (Psalm 123:7). He has borne his children to be slain or injured, to suffer wounds from those who discharge fiery arrows, causing both harm and anguish.

Numerous similar references can be found within the sacred texts. Therefore, God speaks, Because the flesh I will take upon myself originates from them, I will not completely abandon them until I have taken this flesh and selected those who heed my call. The prophet Isaiah also proclaims through the voice of the same prophet, saying, ‘As when the new is found in the old, they state, Do not destroy it, for a blessing is within it; thus, I will create those who serve Me for My purpose; I won’t wipe them all out for His sake. I will produce offspring from Jacob and from Judah, and they will inherit My holy mountain’ (Isaiah 65:8, 9); and shortly thereafter: But you who have abandoned the Lord will face the sword. The prophet foretelling the punishment of the people illustrates the righteousness of the judgment when he asserts:

Let all those who criticize the body, or more appropriately, the Creator Himself, maintain silence. Yet, we recall Paul’s words: "Do you not know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you?" (1 Cor. 6:19). Furthermore, the prophet speaks in the name of Jesus, "My flesh is of them" (LXX. Hos. 9:12).