Hosea

THE BOOK OF

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INTRODUCTION

THE first of the twelve minor prophets in the order of the canon

(called "minor," not as less in point of inspired authority, but simply

in point of size). The twelve are first mentioned by Jesus, the son of

Sirach

(Ecclesiasticus 49:10).

St. Stephen, in

Ac 7:42

(in referring to

Am 5:27),

quotes them as forming one collective body of writings, "the book of

the prophets." So JEROME and MELITO, the first Greek father who has left us a

catalogue of these books. The collection of the sacred books is by

Jewish tradition attributed to the great synagogue of learned scribes

formed by Ezra. Many think Nehemiah completed this collection by adding

to the books already in the canon those of his own times. Malachi, the

last in the series, probably aided him in determining with infallible

authority what books were entitled to be ranked in the inspired canon.

The chronological order differs from the canonical. Joel, about 810

B.C.; Jonah, about 810 B.C.,

or, as others, first, 862 B.C.; Amos, about

790 B.C.; Hosea, about 784 B.C. Hosea, the contemporary of Isaiah, Micah, and Amos,

seems to have entered on his prophetical office in the last years of

Jeroboam (contemporary in part with Uzziah), and to have ended it in

the beginning of Hezekiah's reign, 722 B.C., that

is, about sixty years in all, from 784 B.C.

to 722 B.C. The prophets, however, were not

uninterruptedly engaged in prophesying. Considerable intervals elapsed,

though their office as divinely commissioned public teachers was never

wholly laid aside. The Book of Hosea which we have constitutes only

that portion of his public teachings which the Holy Spirit saw fit to

preserve for the benefit of the Church. The cause of his being placed

first of the twelve was, probably, the length, the vivid earnestness,

and patriotism of his prophecies, as well as their closer resemblance

to those of the greater prophets. His style is abrupt, sententious, and

unrounded; the connecting particles are few; there are changes of

person, and anomalies of gender, number, and construction. His name

means Salvation. He was son of Beeri, of the tribe of Issachar,

born in Beth-shemesh [JEROME]. His mention, in the

inscription, of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, is

no proof that he belonged to Judah: for the prophets in Israel regarded

its separation from Judah, civil as well as religious, as an

apostasy from God, who promised the dominion of the theocracy to the

line of David. Hence Elijah in Israel took twelve stones to

represent Judah, as well as Israel

(1Ki 18:31).

Hence Hosea dates from Judah's kings, as well as from Jeroboam of

Israel, though he belonged to Israel, with whose sins and fate his book

is chiefly occupied. He, however, makes incidental references to Judah.

His first prophecy foretells the overthrow of Jehu's house, fulfilled

on the death of Jeroboam, Jehu's great-grandson

(2Ki 15:12),

in Zachariah, Jeroboam's son, the fourth and last from Jehu, conspired

against by Shallum. This first prediction was doubtless in Jeroboam's

life, as Zachariah, his son, was only suffered to reign six months;

thus the inscription is verified that "the word of the Lord came unto

him in the days of Jeroboam"

(Ho 1:1).

Again, in

Ho 10:14,

Shalmaneser's expedition against Israel is alluded to as past,

that is, the first inroad against King Hoshea, who began to reign in

the twelfth year of Ahaz; so that as Ahaz' whole reign was sixteen

years, the prophecy seems to have been given about the beginning of

Hezekiah's reign. Thus the inscription is confirmed that the exercise

of his prophetical functions was of such a protracted duration.

(Ho 11:1)

is quoted in

Mt 2:15;

also

Ho 6:6

in

Mt 9:13; 12:7;

compare

Ro 9:25, 26,

quoting

Ho 1:10; 2:1, 23;

1Co 15:55,

quoting

Ho 13:14;

1Pe 2:10,

quoting

Ho 1:9, 10; 2:23.

Messianic references are not frequent; but the predictions of the

future conversion of Israel to the Lord their God, and David their

king, and of the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham that his

spiritual seed should be as the sand of the sea

(Ho 1:10; 3:5),

clearly refer to the New Testament dispensation.

The first and third chapters are in prose, the rest of the book is

rhythmical.