About This Text
Hosea (“Hoshea”) is the first of 12 books of Minor Prophets (“Trei Asar”), marked by their shortness. Prophesying in the period of the First Temple, Hosea primarily rebukes Israel for abandoning God and symbolically reinforces messages in his personal relationships: he marries a prostitute, for example, to emphasize Israel's unfaithfulness, and gives his children names that signify Israel's impending destruction. The book ends by calling for repentance and describing God's love for Israel.