Son of Beeri and prophet during the divided kingdom of Israel. Hosea was married to Gomer, and was the father of Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah, and Lo-ammi. A book of the Old Testament is named for him, and quoted in the New Testament.
About Hosea
Prophet of ancient Israel whose sphere of activity was the northern kingdom. Little is known of him outside of the prophetic book that bears his name. His prophetic ministry is best placed in the third quarter of the eighth century BC. His name means “help” or “helper,” and is based on the Hebrew word for salvation.
The evidence for placing Hosea in the northern kingdom is basically internal. The book is concerned mainly with the northern tribes, whom he frequently identifies as “Ephraim,” a common appellation for the northern kingdom. And the dialect of Hebrew in which the book was written seems to be of a northern cast.
Family Relationships
- Parents
- Beeri (Hosea 1:1)
- Partner
- Gomer (Hosea 1:3)
- Children 3
- Jezreel (Hosea 1:4), Lo-ruhamah, Lo-ammi
Key References
This is the word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and of Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel.
When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, He told him, “Go, take a prostitute as your wife and have children of adultery, because this land is flagrantly prostituting itself by departing from the LORD.”
So Hosea went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Name him Jezreel, for soon I will bring the bloodshed of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.
And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
Gomer again conceived and gave birth to a daughter, and the LORD said to Hosea, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I should ever forgive them.
Yet I will have compassion on the house of Judah, and I will save them—not by bow or sword or war, not by horses and cavalry, but by the LORD their God.”
After she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, Gomer conceived and gave birth to a son.
And the LORD said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people, and I am not your God.
where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
As He says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people, and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”
All Scripture References (3)
Hosea (2)
This is the word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and of Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel.
When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, He told him, “Go, take a prostitute as your wife and have children of adultery, because this land is flagrantly prostituting itself by departing from the LORD.”
Romans (1)
As He says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people, and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”