The Bible

 

Oseas 6

Study

   

1 Venid y volvámonos al SEÑOR; que él arrebató, y nos curará; hirió, y nos vendará.

2 Nos dará vida después de dos días; al tercer día nos resucitará, y viviremos delante de él.

3 Y conoceremos, y proseguiremos en conocer al SEÑOR, como el alba está aparejada su salida, y vendrá a nosotros como la lluvia, como la lluvia tardía y temprana a la tierra.

4 ¿Qué haré a ti, Efraín? ¿Qué haré a ti, oh Judá? La misericordia vuestra es como la nube de la mañana, y como el rocío que de madrugada desvanece.

5 Por esta causa los corté con los profetas, con las palabras de mi boca los maté; para que tu justicia sea como luz que sale.

6 Porque misericordia quise, y no sacrificio; y conocimiento de Dios más que holocaustos.

7 Mas ellos, traspasaron el pacto como de hombre; allí se rebelaron contra mí.

8 Galaad, ciudad de obradores de iniquidad, ensuciada de sangre.

9 Y como ladrones que esperan a algún varón, concilio de sacerdotes que de común acuerdo mata en el camino, porque ponen en efecto la abominación.

10 En la Casa de Israel vi suciedad; allí fornicó Efraín, se contaminó Israel.

11 También, Judá, puso en ti una planta, habiendo yo vuelto la cautividad de mi pueblo.

   

Commentary

 

Ephraim

  
Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph, by Januarius Zick

Ephraim was the second son born to Joseph in Egypt and was, along with his older brother Manasseh, elevated by Jacob to the same status as Joseph’s brothers. Thus when the tribes of Israel are named, Ephraim and Manasseh are named as patriarchs along with their uncles – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin -- but Joseph is not. According to Swedenborg, Ephraim represents the intellectual aspect of the church, the part that explores and understands what is true – especially the true ideas that can be drawn from the Bible. Manasseh, meanwhile, represents the affectional aspect of the church, the part that feels and loves and cares. This plays into the best-known story of Ephraim’s life. When Jacob was old and nearing death, Joseph brought his two sons to be blessed. He presented Manasseh to Jacob’s right hand as the elder, and Ephraim to Jacob’s left hand. But Jacob crossed his hands and gave Ephraim the primary blessing. According to Swedenborg, Manasseh was the elder son because ultimately, what we love makes us who we are; our loves form our lives. So our loves are the most central, leading aspect of our human existence, with our intellect playing a secondary role. But as we develop, we need to reverse those. We can use our intellect to understand what is good and right and force ourselves to do it, even when our desires are for what’s selfish. If we stick to that out of a determination to follow the Lord and be good people, the Lord will eventually remove the selfishness from our hearts so we can truly love what is good. By having Jacob bless Ephraim above Manasseh, the Lord is telling us that we have to put our intellect first to pursue our spiritual journey.