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Hosea (Biblical book)
From A Storehouse of Knowledge
The Book of Hosea is one of the books of the Old Testament. It is one of the longer texts in this group, and is generally positioned first among them. It is a prophetic work, considered one of the Minor Prophets. It was written during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah in Judah (Hosea 1:1), who are recorded in the Books of Chronicles as being good, God-fearing kings.
Unlike many of the Minor Prophets, the Book of Hosea alternates between telling the story of Hosea's life, and recounting prophecies. In chapters 1 and 3, God tells Hosea to marry an adulterous woman, who bears him children whom he gives prophetic names according to God's instructions. In the other chapters, which make up the vast majority of the text, God prophesies through Hosea, speaking of the Israelites' wickedness, how they deserve punishment for their deeds, and how they will eventually be reconciled to Him and forgiven. These prophecies are explicity reflected in the biographical elements of the text: Israel is likened to the adulterous woman, and just as she is given a second chance, Israel will also be pardoned.
| Books of the Bible | |
| Old Testament | |
| Pentateuch (Torah) | Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy |
| History | Joshua • Judges • Ruth • I Samuel • II Samuel • I Kings • II Kings • I Chronicles • II Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther |
| Wisdom Literature | Job • Psalms • Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon |
| Major Prophets | Isaiah • Jeremiah • Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel |
| Minor Prophets | Hosea • Joel • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Malachi |
| New Testament | |
| The Gospels | According to Matthew • According to Mark • According to Luke • According to John |
| History | Acts of the Apostles |
| Pauline Epistles | Romans • I Corinthians • II Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • I Thessalonians • II Thessalonians • I Timothy • II Timothy • Titus • Philemon |
| General Epistles | Hebrews • James • I Peter • II Peter • I John • II John • III John • Jude |
| Prophecy | The Revelation to John |
