The prophecies of Hosea, “the prophet of the sorrowful heart” are in the form of parables which apparently spring from his own tragic experience in marriage. His love for his adulterous wife, Gomer, is thought by some scholars to symbolize the love of God for idolatrous Israel, and his compassion for her to reflect the prophet’s faith in God’s ultimate forgiveness of His erring people.
Hosea is the first of the “twelve prophets.” His ministry takes place in Israel in the last decades before the fall of the kingdom.
The Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord. So he went and took Gomer . . . which conceived, and bare him a son.1:2–3
The boy is named Jezreel, at the Lord’s command: I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.1:5 A second child is named Lo-ruhamah (unpitied), for, says the Lord, I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel.1:6 A third child is named Lo-ammi (not my people): Ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.1:9
Hosea speaks to his children: Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.2:2–3
And I will not have mercy upon her children. . . . For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully.2:4–5
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them. . . . Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.2:7
And I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy. . . .2:23
The Lord says, Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.9:1
They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.8:7
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity.10:13
I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws. . . .11:4
I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.12:10
O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. . . .14:1–2
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away. . . .14:4