Mar 27, 2019 hosea is part of that strange section of our bibles known as the minor prophets. Hosea prophesied during a dark and melancholic era of israels history, the period of the northern kingdoms decline and fall in the 8th century bc. If youre scratching your head and wondering who in the world hosea is, he was a minor prophet of the old testament who did all he could to warn israel of their falling away from god while reminding them of gods unfailing, persistent love and mercy. Summary of the book of hosea the story of the bible. The northern kingdom of israel enjoyed moderate success from conquering neighboring kingdoms, but they were spiritually bankrupt on the inside. Hosea s days were likely around 760 to 725 bc the dates that the kings of israel and judah occupy as listed at hosea 1. The book reveals the personality of the prophet, an emotional man who in a moment could swing from violent anger to the deepest tenderness. And the lord said to hosea, go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms. In hosea, the faithless actions of israel toward god are illustrated by the relationship between hosea and his adultress wife, gomer. In the masoretic hebrew bible this name is written as. The book of hosea is a commentary on that relationship. Book of hosea explained discover books of the bible. Book of hosea synonyms, book of hosea pronunciation, book of hosea translation, english dictionary definition of book of hosea. The book of hosea shows how god used hosea s family life to demonstrate his dealings with the people of israel.
We are currently reading from the book of the prophet hosea at daily mass. Hosea was a man, but he was a man god used to speak through. God told hosea to take a wife, who was a prostitute, called gomer. Sometimes the order or grouping of the words might be confusing. The prophet hosea and his allegorical marriage pemptousia. Hosea his name meaning to save, salvation is the first of the socalled minor prophets. Even as the lord loves the children of israel, though they turn to other gods. The story of the prophet hosea s troubled marriage is a powerful testimony to two things. The book of hosea covers approximately 40 years of his prophetic ministry. The book of hosea is unique not only on account of the metaphorical nature of hosea s ministry, but also because of his message which is one of the clearest illustrations of gods grace in the old testament. Further, the book offers a graphic picture of four characteristics of god.
What are the names of hosea s children and what do their names mean. This book prophecies the results of the israelites turning to other gods, the separation of their nation from the one true god, the subsequent disastrous results, and the eventual reconciliation. The prophet hosea was called by god to minister to the northern kingdom of israel from around 755 b. The word of the lord that came unto hosea, the son of beeri, in the days of uzziah, jotham, ahaz. Book of hosea of the old testament your bible quotes. According to the rabbis, god commanded hosea to marry gomer, the daughter of diblaim, to teach him proper conduct for one who was to prophesy to israel. Book of hosea noun the noun book of hosea has 1 sense.
Hoseas story teaches us to find hope in the midst of doom brazos. They are called minor prophets not because their material is less important or insignificant, but because of the size of the book they wrote was shorter in length. Hosea meaning for the meaning of the name hosea, nobse study bible name list and jones dictionary of old testament proper names both read salvation. The most notable question arising from hosea 1 has centered on the meaning of hosea s marriage. Free bible commentary on hosea in easy english easyenglish bible.
The story of hosea and what it teaches about god and holy. It comes from the same hebrew root hoshea as the names joshua and jesus. Why did god tell hosea to marry a prostitute hosea 1. It always occupies the first place among the twelve minor prophets, most probably on account of its length. It moves from the heights of an intimate knowledge, symbolized by marriage and paternal love, to the. The material found in the book s third chapter suggests what hosea regards as the meaning of his experiences in relation to yahwehs dealings with the people of israel. The book of hosea introduction to the book of hosea in the bible. The meaning of his name, salvation, is hosea is the first of the 12 minor prophets. Hosea revealed little about his background, though his book of prophecy offers a few glimpses into his life.
The book is clearly written by hosea during the days jeroboam ii king of israel. Hosea walked with god for more than 50 years when that bucked the trend around him. The second gomer is the daughter of diblaim and truant wife of the prophet hosea hosea 1. Hosea was the son of beeri and apparently belonged to the upper classes. Book of hosea summary, commentary, and life lessons. Its fourteen chapters contain both a warning concerning future events and an interpretation of these events meanings. Powerful love overcomes rebellion in the book of hosea. Set around the fall of the northern kingdom of israel, the book of hosea denounces the worship of gods other than yahweh the god of israel, metaphorically comparing israels abandonment of yahweh to a woman being unfaithful to her husband.
Hosea wrote this book to remind the israelitesand usthat ours is a loving god whose loyalty to his covenant people is. In this case, there is uncertainty in the meaning of a hebrew word. Hosea wrote this book to remind the israelitesand usthat ours is a loving god whose loyalty to his covenant people is unwavering. Hoseas story teaches us to find hope in the midst of doom. Book of hosea an old testament book telling hosea s prophecies hosea old testament the collection of books comprising the sacred scripture of. Yahweh said to hosea, go, marry a whore, and get children with a whore. The imagery of hoseas family and the restoration of. According to the traditional order of most hebrew bibles, it is the first of the twelve minor prophets. Judging from his elegant style, he was highly cultured. Collins english dictionary complete and unabridged, 12th edition 2014 harpercollins publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014. Most likely, the name hosea was derived of the feminine noun teshua, meaning salvation or deliverance, and the letter he was substituted for the taw. The first childa son is named jezreel meaning god scatters. Hosea is the first book in the sections of minor prophets. He contends the book is divided into five panels, each of which moves from judgment to salvation.
Hosea 1 niv the word of the lord that came to hosea bible. The book of hosea is a narrative history and prophetic oracle. Chapters are so powerful and personal that i want to walk through them with you and make some brief comments and applications as. The reigns of the kings uzziah, jotham, ahaz and hezekiah of judah, and of jeroboam ii of israel lasted from around 793 to 697 bc, which are around 100 years chap. Hosea appears to have had the temperament of a poet. Everything in the book of hosea is a message from god. Old testament the collection of books comprising the sacred scripture of the hebrews and recording their history as the chosen people. Throughout the book, hosea will show us that salvation is found in turning to the lord and away from our sin. Throughout the book, hosea will show us that salvation is found in turning to. The meaning of his name, salvation, is the same as that of joshua compare num. In spite of israels continual turning to false gods, gods steadfast love is portrayed in the longsuffering husband of the unfaithful wife. Hosea, theology of definition and meaning bible dictionary.
The name hosea meaning salvation, he saves or he helps, seems to have been common, being derived from a related verb meaning salvation. The prophets name means salvation, likely a reference to hoseas position in israel as a beacon of hope to those who would repent and turn to god because of his message. Prophets show up when everything is going off the rails. Very few details are offered in the portion of the book narrating hosea s marriage to gomer hosea.
Book of hosea definition of book of hosea by the free. Hosea synonyms, hosea pronunciation, hosea translation, english dictionary definition of hosea. He is the first of the twelve minor prophets, whose collective writings were aggregated and organized into a single book. This word is used as a verb in the following passage. These little gems can be difficult to interpret, but once unlocked, you find treasure. Hosea 1 hoseas wife and children 1this is the word of the lord that came to hosea son of beeri in the days of uzziah, jotham, ahaz, and hezekiah, kings of judah, and of jeroboam son of jehoash,aking of israel. We do well to recall the story, especially given the continue reading the story of hosea and what it teaches about god and holy matrimony. The shocking nature of hosea s marriage is difficult for us to comprehend. The book of hosea was written in the northern kingdom of israel in the eighth century bc, during the reign of jeroboam ii 786746 bc. Shes mentioned by name once, but plays a major role in the first three parts of the book of her unfortunate husband. Hosea chapter 1 explained discover books of the bible. Hosea 1 niv the word of the lord that came to hosea.
Book of hosea overview insight for living ministries. The word of the lord that came to hosea son of beeri during the reigns of uzziah, jotham, ahaz and hezekiah, kings of judah, and during the reign of jeroboam son of jehoash king of israel. The meaning of hosea is salvation, and in the book of hosea we read the amazing history of a faithful prophet of god, who is instructed to marry a prostitute but she continues her harlotry throughout their marriage. The book of hosea may feel complex, but interpretative help is found when we realize that it is intended to be approached as a living parable. This is a holy spiritinspired analogy with hosea as the lord and his adulterous wife gomer as wayward israel. The remainder of the book of hosea consists of a collection of miscellaneous statements expressing hoseas convictions concerning the character of yahweh and yahwehs relation to the people of israel. These twelve prophets are comprised in one single book in the hebrew bible and are called the twelve. The title is derived from the main character and author of the book. May 31, 2019 hosea was a prophet to israel, the northern kingdom, from 753715 bc.
Hosea s wife and children when the lord began to speak through hosea, the lord said to him, go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of. The contents of the book may be analyzed further as follows. Moreover, god used hoseas own life as a symbol for this relationship through the prophets marriage to gomer, who would be unfaithful to him. Then i will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. Any time the wording of two or more translations significantly disagree, that is a clue that there is a problem understanding the original hebrew, aramaic or greek. Hosea married gomer, daughter of diblaim, who bore him two sons, the older of whom he called yezreel, meaning god sows. His life becomes a visual aid for the northern kingdom. Rober chisholm suggests that judgmentsalvation in alternating fashion is the structured pattern of the book of hosea. The names of his children indicate the attitude of god toward israel. The imagery of hoseas family and the restoration of israel. Prophets the second of three divisions of the hebrew scriptures. Diblaim is derived from the word develah figcake, since she was as sweet in everyones mouth as a figcake. God was continuing his illustration, except now he wanted to show the greatness of his grace. Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the lord loves the children of israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.
Chapters 414 give excerpts from hosea s preaching of grace and judgment leading up to the fall of israel in 722 bc. Jonah, obadiah, and nahum jonah and nahum prophesized to obadiah prophesized to edom the book of the twelve begins in a singular voice legal indigiments in micah unified voice on the reason what kind of meaning does a story like jonah mean in the 8th century israel. A dear friend of mine recently finished a study on the book of hosea. The book of hosea was originally given as a series of prophecies between 755 and 722 bce during the waning years of the northern kingdom before their deportation to assyria.
626 408 1078 592 1041 221 499 755 1182 199 1226 1050 217 73 712 1123 151 6 425 13 43 729 970 682