Literary Analysis Of Hosea 3: 1-5

3. Delimitation of the Text Here, we shall delve on the terminus a quo and the terminus ad quemin connection with Hosea 3:1-5.
3.1 Terminus a quo The text of Hosea 3:1-5 is arguably an independent textual unit standing on its own; this is plausible because at the beginning of this chapter, there is a divine command in verse 1 “The Lord said to me again”, this is a prophetic oracle which precedes the chapter while the prophet Hosea proceeds to give his own autobiography.
In its present position, Hosea 3 presupposes the content of Hosea 1-2. In the first verse of the text, the Lord says to Hosea again. The term ‘again’ raises a whole lot of difficulties in situating the starting point of the given text under study; the impression created
This is observable because the whole of verse 2 depict a considerable change of persons. A change from third person to second person, with doubtless the same significance as seen in 2:6; here, the use of second person is probably for emphasis, and suddenly God is depicted as talking to Israel rather than merely about her. In chapter 3, such a striking change of person is not seen; it is rather more of a reported speech. Such an inconsistency in pattern and persons only further confirm the fact that Hosea 3:1-5 is an independent textual unit. Hence, we can legitimately situate 3:1a as the starting point of Hosea
It is also worth noting that the unit has an internal cohesion, V5 applies the lines to the southern kingdom of Judah, probably after the destruction of the Northern Kingdom in 721BCE. The verse re-affirms the promises to the Davidic dynasty at Jerusalem. This promise extends to the last days (3:5); and is also a phrase found among the southern prophets in their speeches of new Jerusalem of peace (Isa 2:2-5, Mic 4:1-5, Jer 23:5-6, 20, Ezek 38:16) It is most likely that the phrases ‘and David their king’ v.5 (Cf. Jer 30:9; Ezek 37:22) and ‘in the latter days’ v.5 (Cf Isa 2:2; Jer 23:20) must have been added by some redactor, most probably a Judean redactor in his bid to give a Judean flavour to the eschatology of Hosea. Macintosh and Wolff largely agree that Hosea 3:1-4 is autobiographical attributable to the prophet himself. The passage, according to Macintosh, describes the events in Hosea’s personal life. However, as for the composition of Hosea 3:5, he attributes it to Hosea’s disciple, who as he says “sets forth the substance of his master’s faith” Scholarly positions are varied, but it is quite plausible to assert that the reference to “David their king” and “in the latter days”