Hosea (Prophet)

Biblical Account

Hosea was the son of Beeri (Hosea 1:1). He prophesied during the reigns of the Judean kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Joash (Jeroboam II), king of Israel. At that time the northern kingdom was outwardly prosperous, but the worship of Baal had become widespread, and not long after Hosea's ministry the kingdom fell. His name means "salvation" in Hebrew. He shares his name with Hoshea, the last king of the northern kingdom, but the two are different individuals.

In Hosea 1, God commands Hosea to take an unfaithful woman as his wife. Hosea marries Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and they have three children. Each child's name carries a message from God: Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah ("not having obtained mercy"), and Lo-ammi ("not my people"). In chapter 3, Hosea is commanded to love again an adulterous woman who is loved by another man. He buys her for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley. Chapters 4–14 consist of prophecies that rebuke Israel's idolatry and call the people to return.

Significance Within Scripture

Hosea's marriage is presented as a sign that embodies both Israel's abandonment of the covenant and God's love, which does not forsake Israel despite its unfaithfulness. The term "lovingkindness" or "mercy" (hesed), which appears frequently in the Book of Hosea, refers to this steadfast covenant love.

The New Testament quotes Hosea's words several times. Romans 9:25–26 names him explicitly—"As he saith also in Osee"—and applies the promise that Lo-ammi will again become God's people to God's calling of the Gentiles. The same language appears in 1 Peter 2:10. Matthew 2:15 connects Hosea 11:1, "and called my son out of Egypt," to the flight into Egypt. Jesus twice quotes Hosea 6:6, "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice" (Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7).

Interpretations and Debates

• Was the marriage a literal event? Most interpreters read it as an actual marriage. Some have understood it as a vision or an allegory.
• When did Gomer become unfaithful? One view holds that she was already an unfaithful woman before the marriage. Another holds that the account was written in retrospect, describing what she became after the marriage. Some also read "whoredom" in a religious sense connected with the Baal cult.
• Is the woman in chapter 3 Gomer? The text does not name her. Identifying her as Gomer is the common interpretation, but some regard her as a different woman.
• Sermons frequently add that Gomer was being sold in a slave market or put up for auction. The text states only that Hosea paid a price and bought her.

In the Korean Church

In Korean preaching, the story of Hosea is a principal text for illustrating God's love, which holds fast to the end even to those who have betrayed Him. In particular, the words of Hosea 6:1–4—"Come, and let us return unto the LORD" and "follow on to know the LORD"—are often quoted in sermons and prayer meetings calling for repentance and revival.