Hos 1 | TNotes | STEP | Book of Hosea — Quick facts: Purpose: To depict Israel’s unfaithfulness and ensuing judgment, and to show God’s desire to heal and restore his people Author: Hosea Date: Around 760–722 BC Setting: The northern kingdom of Israel, in the days leading up to its destruction at the hands of Assyria Book of Hosea — Overview: Setting Few eras in ancient Israel were more turbulent than the mid-700s BC . Hosea began his ministry in the northern kingdom toward the end of the long and stable reign of Jeroboam II (793–753 BC ). Despite being an evil king (2 Kgs 14:23-24 ), Jeroboam was a strong and capable leader who expanded the boundaries of Israel to an extent not seen since the glorious days of David and Solomon (2 Kgs 14:25-28 ). Jeroboam’s successes brought great wealth to some Israelites, but left many others poor and destitute. Jeroboam II died early in Hosea’s ministry. During the following three decades, six different kings sat on Israel’s throne. Only one died a natural death; four were assassinated. In the midst of this political turmoil, hostile foreign powers were threatening to destroy the nation. The northern kingdom, which had worshiped pagan gods from its inception, now turned even more forcefully to these foreign deities. The Israelites grasped at any straw that might save them from destruction, but they refused to turn to the Lord. Then in 722 BC , the relentless Assyrian empire destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel. Hosea proclaimed God’s coming judgment to this frantic nation in its final days. But he also offered hope, imploring the Israelites to return to the Lord, who alone could restore them. Summary Chapters 1–3 describe the prophet’s unhappy marriage to an unfaithful wife. The purpose of this section is not to present a biography but to illuminate God’s painful relationship with Israel, his chosen people. Just as Hosea’s wife, Gomer, was unfaithful, Israel acted like a prostitute by worshiping Canaanite gods. Hosea proclaimed God’s judgment, but he also announced God’s desire to reclaim his wayward bride and restore her relationship with him. Chapters 4–14 contain a diverse collection of Hosea’s prophecies, presented in roughly chronological order from early in his ministry until just before the destruction of Israel in 722 BC . In these chapters, the prophet presents God’s charges against the people of Israel and especially against their leaders. The consequences for their sin would be severe—the nation would be destroyed. However, God would not give up his chosen people. The book concludes with a divine promise of future restoration. Authorship and Date We know nothing about the prophet Hosea apart from this book. We learn his father’s name (1:1 ), that he was married to a woman named Gomer, and that he had children with her. Hosea prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel from around 760 BC until just before the fall of Israel in 722 BC (see 1:1 ). Hosea would have memorized his oral prophecies, and eventually he or his followers would have written them down and gathered them into a single anthology. This work might have been done in the southern kingdom of Judah sometime after the fall of Israel in 722 BC . Literary Characteristics Hosea was well-educated in Israel’s literature, history, and faith. His prophecies rely on literary and rhetorical techniques—such as figurative language, proverbs, and folk sayings—that made God’s message more vivid and compelling to the Israelites. Meaning and Message God’s covenant with Israel stands at the center of Hosea’s prophecy. When God entered into covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, he offered the Israelites the incredible opportunity of living in intimate relationship with the Creator and sustainer of the universe. The covenant promised spiritual and material blessings to his people, while obligating them to live rightly before him. The Lord had faithfully kept his covenant with the Israelites and they had enjoyed his blessings, but they had chosen to rebel against him and disregard his plan and purpose. Marriage is a powerful and memorable symbol of the covenant relationship between the Lord and his people. As a loving husband, the Lord provided Israel with land, food, drink, clothing, and security. Yet like an adulterous spouse, Israel sought fulfillment through the idolatrous worship of the Canaanite gods. These deities became Israel’s lovers, and she attributed all of God’s blessings to them. The personal life of the prophet Hosea with his wife, Gomer, played out in miniature this same drama of a wife’s unfaithfulness and a husband’s anguish over his wayward bride. Israel rejected her covenant with the Lord. In response, Hosea proclaimed God’s judgment. Yet even as the covenant was the foundation for divine judgment, it was also the basis for God’s mercy. God did not judge Israel simply to punish her; his desire was to redeem her. Divine judgment was intended to turn Israel back to her true husband, so that in his mercy, he might restore her and reestablish his covenant with her. Hosea shows that God’s mercy is extended to Israel through judgment, not instead of judgment. God has done the same thing for us: Through the judgment at the cross of Christ, God extends an invitation of mercy to all. 1:1 The Lord gave this message: The book of Hosea begins by declaring that these are not merely human words but a message from the only true God (cp. Joel 1:1 ; Mic 1:1 ; Zeph 1:1 ). • Hosea son of Beeri: Several other important people in the Old Testament are also named Hosea (or Hoshea; both are spelled the same in Hebrew; Num 13:8 ; 2 Kgs 17:1 ). Hosea means “the Lord saves,” an appropriate name for this prophet. • Jeroboam ... king of Israel: Hosea prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel during the reigns of its last seven kings, though only one of them, Jeroboam II, is listed here (see Hosea Book Introduction, “Setting”).

Book of Hosea — Quick facts:

Purpose: To depict Israel’s unfaithfulness and ensuing judgment, and to show God’s desire to heal and restore his people

Author: Hosea

Date: Around 760–722 BC

Setting: The northern kingdom of Israel, in the days leading up to its destruction at the hands of Assyria

Book of Hosea — Overview:

Setting
Few eras in ancient Israel were more turbulent than the mid-700s BC. Hosea began his ministry in the northern kingdom toward the end of the long and stable reign of Jeroboam II (793–753 BC). Despite being an evil king (2 Kgs 14:23-24 ^a), Jeroboam was a strong and capable leader who expanded the boundaries of Israel to an extent not seen since the glorious days of David and Solomon (2 Kgs 14:25-28 ^b). Jeroboam’s successes brought great wealth to some Israelites, but left many others poor and destitute.
Jeroboam II died early in Hosea’s ministry. During the following three decades, six different kings sat on Israel’s throne. Only one died a natural death; four were assassinated. In the midst of this political turmoil, hostile foreign powers were threatening to destroy the nation.
The northern kingdom, which had worshiped pagan gods from its inception, now turned even more forcefully to these foreign deities. The Israelites grasped at any straw that might save them from destruction, but they refused to turn to the Lord. Then in 722 BC, the relentless Assyrian empire destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel.
Hosea proclaimed God’s coming judgment to this frantic nation in its final days. But he also offered hope, imploring the Israelites to return to the Lord, who alone could restore them.

Summary
Chapters 1–3 ^c describe the prophet’s unhappy marriage to an unfaithful wife. The purpose of this section is not to present a biography but to illuminate God’s painful relationship with Israel, his chosen people. Just as Hosea’s wife, Gomer, was unfaithful, Israel acted like a prostitute by worshiping Canaanite gods. Hosea proclaimed God’s judgment, but he also announced God’s desire to reclaim his wayward bride and restore her relationship with him.
Chapters 4–14 ^d contain a diverse collection of Hosea’s prophecies, presented in roughly chronological order from early in his ministry until just before the destruction of Israel in 722 BC. In these chapters, the prophet presents God’s charges against the people of Israel and especially against their leaders. The consequences for their sin would be severe—the nation would be destroyed. However, God would not give up his chosen people. The book concludes with a divine promise of future restoration.

Authorship and Date
We know nothing about the prophet Hosea apart from this book. We learn his father’s name (1:1 ^e), that he was married to a woman named Gomer, and that he had children with her.
Hosea prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel from around 760 BC until just before the fall of Israel in 722 BC (see 1:1 ^f). Hosea would have memorized his oral prophecies, and eventually he or his followers would have written them down and gathered them into a single anthology. This work might have been done in the southern kingdom of Judah sometime after the fall of Israel in 722 BC.

Literary Characteristics
Hosea was well-educated in Israel’s literature, history, and faith. His prophecies rely on literary and rhetorical techniques—such as figurative language, proverbs, and folk sayings—that made God’s message more vivid and compelling to the Israelites.

Meaning and Message
God’s covenant with Israel stands at the center of Hosea’s prophecy. When God entered into covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, he offered the Israelites the incredible opportunity of living in intimate relationship with the Creator and sustainer of the universe. The covenant promised spiritual and material blessings to his people, while obligating them to live rightly before him. The Lord had faithfully kept his covenant with the Israelites and they had enjoyed his blessings, but they had chosen to rebel against him and disregard his plan and purpose.
Marriage is a powerful and memorable symbol of the covenant relationship between the Lord and his people. As a loving husband, the Lord provided Israel with land, food, drink, clothing, and security. Yet like an adulterous spouse, Israel sought fulfillment through the idolatrous worship of the Canaanite gods. These deities became Israel’s lovers, and she attributed all of God’s blessings to them. The personal life of the prophet Hosea with his wife, Gomer, played out in miniature this same drama of a wife’s unfaithfulness and a husband’s anguish over his wayward bride.
Israel rejected her covenant with the Lord. In response, Hosea proclaimed God’s judgment. Yet even as the covenant was the foundation for divine judgment, it was also the basis for God’s mercy. God did not judge Israel simply to punish her; his desire was to redeem her. Divine judgment was intended to turn Israel back to her true husband, so that in his mercy, he might restore her and reestablish his covenant with her.
Hosea shows that God’s mercy is extended to Israel through judgment, not instead of judgment. God has done the same thing for us: Through the judgment at the cross of Christ, God extends an invitation of mercy to all.
1:1 ^g The Lord gave this message: The book of Hosea begins by declaring that these are not merely human words but a message from the only true God (cp. Joel 1:1 ^h; Mic 1:1 ⁱ; Zeph 1:1 ^j).

• Hosea son of Beeri: Several other important people in the Old Testament are also named Hosea (or Hoshea; both are spelled the same in Hebrew; Num 13:8 ^k; 2 Kgs 17:1 ^l). Hosea means “the Lord saves,” an appropriate name for this prophet.

• Jeroboam ... king of Israel: Hosea prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel during the reigns of its last seven kings, though only one of them, Jeroboam II, is listed here (see Hosea Book Introduction, “Setting”).
Summary for Hos 1:2-3:5: 1:2–3:5 ^m This section describes a small segment of the prophet’s life, focusing on his unhappy marriage and illuminating God’s painful relationship with Israel, his chosen people.
Summary for Hos 1:2-3: 1:2-3 ⁿ a prostitute: Some have found it impossible to believe that God would command a prophet to marry a prostitute. As a result, there is a long tradition of interpreting this passage symbolically. Many in the early church believed that the marriage did not actually take place. They thought that this passage was an allegory in which Hosea represented the Lord and Gomer represented Israel. Today, most interpreters regard the marriage as a real one, but they differ in their ideas about Gomer’s occupation prior to the marriage. Some suggest that Gomer was an ordinary prostitute, while others suggest that she was one of the sacred prostitutes involved in Canaanite fertility worship. Another possibility is that Gomer was a young woman who had not previously participated in illicit sexual activity, but whom God knew to be predisposed toward adultery and prostitution.
1:4 ^o Jezreel is a fertile valley in north central Israel.

• The murders Jehu committed at Jezreel are described in 2 Kgs 9–10 ^p.
1:5 ^q King Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria fulfilled this prophecy in 733 BC when he defeated Israelite forces and captured the Valley of Jezreel.
1:6 ^r Lo-ruhamah: The names of Hosea’s children were part of his prophetic message (cp. Isa 7:10–8:8 ^s).
1:7 ^t For many years, the kingdom of Israel had depended upon its armies and horses and charioteers for security, but its confidence was completely misplaced. Safety and security are only to be found in God’s power as the Lord.
1:9 ^u The name Lo-ammi carries the harshest judgment of all, because it seems to announce the end of Israel’s covenant relationship with the Lord. The cherished title my people—bestowed upon Israel when they lived obediently in covenant with the Lord their God (Lev 26:12 ^v; see also Exod 6:7 ^w)—was now withdrawn due to their blatant unfaithfulness.

• I am not their God: The Hebrew behind this declaration can be translated I am not ‘I Am’ for you (cp. Exod 3:14 ^x). The third child’s name prophetically announces that the Israelites stand outside the covenant and are no longer privileged to call upon the I Am.
Summary for Hos 1:10-11: 1:10-11 ^y These verses mark an abrupt shift in Hosea’s prophecy from judgment to hope. In the next three verses, Hosea transforms the names of Gomer’s three children from names of divine punishment on Israel into names of blessing and hope. This dramatically demonstrates God’s sovereign power of reversal from darkness to light, judgment to hope, and even death to life. 1:10 ^z sands of the seashore: This promise of future population growth for God’s people echoes the promise given to the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob (Gen 22:17 ^aa; 32:12 ^ab).

• You are children of the living God: This expression is found nowhere else in the Old Testament, but Paul quoted this verse (Rom 9:26 ^ac) to establish that God had also called the Gentiles to salvation.
1:11 ^ad Judah and Israel will unite together: For almost 200 years, Israel and Judah had been divided into separate kingdoms by political rivalry. When God restores his people, he will reunite the divided kingdoms under a single leader as in the time of David, and he will reverse the curse of exile (see also Ezek 37:15-28 ^ae).

• The day of Jezreel: Hosea announced that in a coming time, God would restore the original meaning of Jezreel. It would signify blessing and growth rather than judgment.