HOSEA, or, in Hebrew, Hosheʿa (mid-eighth century BCE), was a Hebrew prophet whose words are recorded in the biblical Book of Hosea. Hosea prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II of the northern kingdom of Israel (787/6–747/6 BCE), which was a period of economic prosperity and political stability. There are, however, a number of allusions in the book to either war (5:8ff.) or political anarchy (7:1ff., 10:3, 13:10–11), which may suggest that Hosea continued to prophesy until the fall of Samaria in 722. This fits well with the superscription's list of the Judahite kings (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah) during whose reigns Hosea prophesied. Hosea's prophetic emphasis is mainly on domestic affairs, especially the cultic situation.

Hosea's Marriage and His Prophetic Message

The information on Hosea's background is minimal. There is information, however, about a unique personal experience in his life, a peculiar marital episode. God had commanded Hosea to marry...