WORD STUDY – AN ABUSIVE HUSBAND – BAALI בעלי

“Hosea 2:16: And it shall be in that day, saith the Lord that You shall me Ishi (my husband) and shall call me no more Baali (my master).”

At this point in the relationship between Hosea and his wife, she is calling him baali, my master. Whatever she does for him is out of duty and fear. Baali is really the most common word used for a husband in both Hebrew and Aramaic. This is because in most cultures of that day a husband was a master to whom women were forced to be submissive lest they face physical punishment or even death. This is still true in many cultures in the Middle East as we have heard on the news.

Yet, the Hebrews, before being influenced by pagan cultures were noted for their fair and equal treatment of women. Thus, in Hebrew and Aramaic, we have two words for husband. One is baali, that is the abusive, master of a husband and then there is the ishi. The word ishi has many uses like a friend, a helper, a companion. Unlike baali where the many different usages are quite negative like Baal, ishi is used in a very positive light. An ishi husband is a husband who loves his wife, cares for her and cherishes her. To the baali husband, he only sees his wife as someone who is to serve him in every way he wants.

You know Hosea was speaking the words of God toward His people. His people saw Him as a baali, a master that had to be served lest they suffer severe consequences. If you read this passage as a poem, tap into the emotion that is being played out you find God pleading like Hosea for His bride to allow Him to love her and allow Him to be a Husband, to be able to show His affection, His love and His caring. Hosea’s wife just could not see the love Hosea had for her. She was too wrapped up in her guilt, her adultery to believe that Hosea would overlook it all.

What is God to you? Is He a baali, an abusive husband that demands we follow every letter of His law lest he rain down punishment upon us and maybe even send us to hell? Are you so wrapped up in your sins and fear of sinning and being punished that you don’t see His forgiveness, the loving Divine Husband that wants to love you, forgive you and shower you with affection and caring?