Die verband tussen en die ontwikkeling in die profetiese uitsprake in die boek Hosea

Abstract

Afrikaans: Die doel van die ondersoek was om die verband tussen die profetiese uitsprake in die boek Hosea na te gaan en te bepaal of daar enige ontwikkeling is ten opsigte van die inhoud. Om die doel te bereik, is 'n noukeurige eksegese van die hele boek 'n voorvereiste. Dit is dan ook primer 'n eksegetiese studie. Die uitgangspunt was dat die betekenis van die profetiese uitsprake alleen bepaal kan word deur 'n sinkroniese metode van ondersoek wat gerig is op teks-immanente eksegese. Die metode wat gevolg is, is kortliks die volgende: Na die voorlopige afgrensing van 'n perikoop en die verwerking van tekskritiese gegewens, word aandag gegee aan die po~tiese vorm. Daarna word die struktuur van die perikoop bepaal op grond van formele kriteria. In 'n struktuurontleding word die verbande tussen die verskillende boustene van,die perikoop aangetoon. Aangesien die boek met die uitsondering van enkele verse uit poesie bestaan, is uitgegaan van die stige en in bepaalde gevalle van die hemistige as kleinste bousteen in die struktuur. Hierna word die betekenis met die struktuurontleding as riglyn bepaal. Die resultate van die ondersoek is die volgende: In gevalle waar daar op die oog af geen logiese opbou is nie, is die perikope meestal sorgvuldig saamgestelde eenhede wat getuig van groot vernuf aan die kant van die outeur. Daar is verskillende voorbeelde van eenhede wat 'n chiastiese dieptestruktuur vertoon. Daar is ook verband tussen die verskillende perikope wat byvoorbeeld 'n vraagteken plaas oor die algemeen aanvaarde standpunt dat hoofstuk 4 tot 11 en hoofstuk 12 tot 14 oorspronklik selfstandige oorleweringseenhede was. Die volgende ontwikkeling was in die profetiese uitsprake waarneembaar: In die eerste hoofstukke word gestel dat die verbondsverhouding tussen JHWH en Israel verbreek is. Die owerheid wat bestaan uit die politieke en kultiese leiers word primer verantwoordelik gehou vir die verbreking van die verbond. Die toekomstige herstel van die gebroke verhouding en 'n nuwe toekoms vir die volk word tog ook verwag. Die monargale staatstelsel en die vrugbaarheidsgodsdiens sou egter eers moes verdwyn voordat die heilryke toekoms 'n werklikheid sou word. Na die aanvanklike konsentrasie van die doemprofesiee op die politieke en kultiese leiers, word die bree bevolking al meer in die oord~el betrek en word hulle algaande krasser veroordeel totdat 'n totale vernietiging van die uitverkore volk deur middel van 'n vyandelike inval en wegvoering in permanente ballingskap, as onvermydelik voorgehou word. Daar kom egter 'n wending: JHWH sou uit liefde tog nie sy volk vernietig nie, maar na die katastrofe weer 'n volk byeenroep deur die profetiese verkondiging. Die gedagte dat die vernietiging van die staat Israel onafwendbaar was, maar dat JHWH tog sy volk na die katastrofe sou herstel, is oorheersend in die laaste perikoop. Verder is aangetoon dat die profesiee in bree trekke kronologies gerangskik is en waarskynlik georden is deur 'n outeur uit die wysheidskringe van die noordelike ryk. Redaksionele ingryping in die boek deur Judese redaktore is van geringe omvang en bestaan uit enkele pogings om die profesiee vir Judese lesers te aktualiseer.

English: The object of this investigation was to trace the connection between the prophetic utterances in the book Hosea and to determine whether there is any development with regard to the content. An accurate exegesis of this book is a prerequisite to attain this end. It is therefore primarily an exegetic study. The point of departure was that the meaning of prophetic utterances can only be determined by means of a synchronic method of investigation with text-immanent exegesis in view. The method adopted is shortly the following: After preliminary demarcation of a pericope and the treatment of problems concerning textual criticism, attention is given to the poetic form. Hereafter the structure of the pericope is determined on the grounds of formal criteria. In a structural analysis the connections among the various constituents of a pericope are pointed out. Since the book, with the exception of a few verses, consists of poetry, the stichos and in certain cases the hemistichos as smallest constituent in the structure, was taken as point of departure. Consequently the meaning is determined with structural analysis as directing principle. The results of the investigation are the following: In cases where it appears on the surface that there is no logical advancement in thought, the pericope usually consists of carefully composed units which bear evidence of great ingenuity on the part of the author. There are various examples of units which reveal a chiastic deep structure. There is also a connection between the different pericopes, which for example, questions the generally accepted view that chapters 4-11 and 12-14 were originally autonomous tradition units. The following development was perceptible in the prophetic utterances. The first chapters disclose the disrupted covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel. The authorities which consist of the political and cultic leaders are held primarily responsible for disrupting the covenant. The future restoration of the violated relationship and a new future for the people is also anticipated. The monarchic structure of state and forms of fertility religion would, however, first have to disappear before the beneficial future could become a reality. After the initial concentration of the prophecies of doom on the political and cultic leaders, the members of the population in general become involved in judgment and the judgment against them (and their condemnation) gradually grows stronger until total destruction of the chosen people becomes inevitable through a hostile invasion and abduction into permanent exile. A favourable turn is however revealed in chapter 11. Yahweh, for love of His people, will not destroy them, but will call them together after the catastrophe through prophetic proclamation. This line of thought is pre-dominant in the last pericopes. I furthermore indicated that the prophecies in broad outline follow one another chronologically and were probably arranged by an author from the wisdom circles of the northern kingdom. Editorial intervention in the book by Judean editors is of minor importance and consists of a few attempts to actualise the prophecies for Judean readers.