Hosea
Hosea was an Israelite prophet who lived during and after the reign of King Jeroboam II, around 786-746 BCE. Known primarily for his poignant and personal prophetic messages, his life and experiences, particularly his tumultuous marriage to Gomer, serve as a metaphor for the relationship between God (Yahweh) and the people of Israel. Gomer's infidelity is used by Hosea to illustrate Israel's unfaithfulness to God, drawing parallels with the worship of Baal and fertility rites prevalent during that time. Hosea had three children, each given symbolic names reflecting God's judgment against Israel. His prophecies not only forewarned of impending punishment, particularly from the Assyrians, but also conveyed themes of divine love and hope for restoration. Although Hosea's personal fate remains uncertain, his writings were preserved and later became part of the twelve books of the minor prophets in the southern kingdom of Judah. Today, his messages are recognized for their depth, highlighting both God's judgment and His unwavering desire to bless and redeem His people.
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Hosea
Related civilizations: Israel, Judah, Assyria, Egypt
Major role/position: Prophet
Life
Hosea lived during and after the reign of the Israelite king Jeroboam II (r. 786-746 b.c.e.). Little is known of his personal life except his disastrous marriage, which became for him an enacted prophecy of the relationship between God (Yahweh) and his people. Hosea’s wife, Gomer, was unfaithful (perhaps even a cult prostitute); Hosea’s prophecies speak of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. Although the language of prostitution and infidelity had always been traditional terms for spiritual unfaithfulness, Hosea extended such language to parallel the Baal fertility rites of God as husband and father.
Hosea had three children by Gomer, all of whom he named symbolically to stress God’s judgment over Israel. Later prophecies continued to emphasize punishment, especially at the hands of the Assyrians—a fate that came to pass after Jeroboam’s death, with the fall of the capital Samaria in 722 b.c.e. It is uncertain whether Hosea lived to see this. Certainly, his writings must have been taken for safekeeping to the southern kingdom of Judah, where they became incorporated into the twelve books of the minor prophets. They stand first there, though chronologically Amos probably precedes Hosea.
Influence
Hosea’s prophecies are viewed by Jews as revealing the many-sidedness of God’s relationship with his chosen people: not only his judgment but also his yearning love, his desire to bless, and his promise to restore them after their dispersion.
Bibliography
Craigie, Peter C. The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth and Content. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1986.
Davies, Garham. Hosea. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998.
Sweeney, Marvin A. The Twelve Prophets. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 2000.