NOTES for Hos 2:1-23
The unfaithful wife Jezreel is an image of the entire Northern Kingdom. The Lord showed her many mercies, but she thought that all these things had been given to her by her lovers, the pagan gods. Well, if gifts do not lead to gratitude toward the One who gave them, they no longer have any meaning. We so often murmur over failures and setbacks, but sometimes this is the only way to feel our need for God. It is in the wilderness that the people will repent and once again find love and forgiveness. Now the image of Jezreel is that of the beloved bride, betrothed to God in mercy and righteousness.