As noted above, the book is usually divided into two or three sections. Chapters 1–3 describe Hosea’s marriage(s). These are followed by a series of prophetic speeches in chapters 4–14 in which Yahweh twice makes a charge (rîb) against his people (4:1; 12:2), suggesting a further twofold division. There is, though, no clear order to the way the oracles are presented, and the outline here aims to note areas covered by the oracles, rather than to identify their structure.
1. HOSEA’S MARRIAGE: ISRAEL AS YAHWEH’S UNFAITHFUL WIFE (1:1 – 3:5)
A. Superscript (1:1)
B. Hosea’s call and marriage; naming of children as symbols of judgment (1:2–9)
C. Restoration: reversal of judgment (1:10 – 2:1)
D. Judgment on an unfaithful wife (2:2–13)
E. Restoration and reconciliation; a new beginning (2:14–23)
F. Hosea’s love and Yahweh’s love (3:1–5)
2. ORACLES RELATING TO SINFUL ISRAEL (4:1 – 11:11)
A. Yahweh’s case against the people (4:1 – 5:7)
i. General charge against the people of the land (4:1–3)
ii. Israel’s spiritual prostitution (4:4 – 5:7)
a. Judgment on priests and people (4:4–19)
b. Judgment on leaders and people (5:1–7)
B. Divine wrath on Israel and Judah (5:8–15)
C. Failure to repent (6:1 – 7:2)
i. Call to repentance (6:1–3)
ii. A fickle and unfaithful people (6:4 – 7:2)
D. Internal and international politics (7:3–16)
i. Israel and its kings (7:3–7)
ii. Israel and the nations (7:8–16)
E. False confidence, and impending judgment (8:1 – 9:9)
i. A broken covenant (8:1–3)
ii. Kings and idols (8:4–6)
iii. Trust in foreign alliances (8:7–10)
iv. Empty sacrifices (8:11–14)
v. The end of festivals (9:1–9)
F. Unfulfilled promise (9:10 – 10:15)
i. Fruit becoming unfruitful (9:10–17)
ii. A vine overrun by thorns and thistles (10:1–10)
iii. A trained heifer ploughing wickedness (10:11–15)
G. Divine commitment to a beloved but ungrateful child (11:1–11)
3. PAST INGRATITUDE AND FUTURE HOPE (11:12 – 14:9)
A. Yahweh’s case against the people (11:12 – 12:14)
i. Deceit and false confidence (11:12 – 12:1)
ii. Jacob: past and present (12:2–14)
B. Ephraim’s exaltation, sin and judgment (13:1–16)
C. Call to return to Yahweh; healing and restoration (14:1–9)