“I will go away, I will return to my place.” The Meaning of Māqôm in the Book of Hosea (5:15)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21906/rbl.3760Keywords:
māqôm, election, alliance, monarchy, Hosea, Syro-Ephraimite War, Tribes of Israel, salvationAbstract
This article explores the meaning of the concept of māqôm in Hos 5:15, situating it within the rhetorical context of the statement in Hos 5:15, the climax of the so-called “judgment” oracle found in Hos 5:8–15. From this perspective, it becomes clear that in Hosea 5:15, the māqôm takes on its full meaning through a critical examination of the monarchy in Israel, in light of its many failings, which had become potentially fatal to the identity, and indeed to the very existence, of the people of the covenant. Through the lens of this critique, the māqôm transcends the usual spatial conception and functions as a conceptual space, a place of memory where the founding covenant and the divine election of the people are rekindled. Hence, it is no longer merely a place – whether secular, sacred, or metaphorical – but a pivotal moment of renewal, where awareness of the covenant’s fundamental values makes a new experience with God possible.
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