Hosea Bible Study Resources

Study questions, maps, charts, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Hosea.

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Jump to: Background; ** Maps; ** Key Words; ** Encylopedias; ** Commentaries; ** Articles; ** GotQuestions ** Next **

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Basics

• Author: Hosea (c. 750-749 BC)
• Hosea ministered to the northern kingdom of Israel for about 40 years.
• Hosea’s ministry spanned 4 kings of Judah (Uzziah- Hezekiah) and 6 kings of Israel (Zechariah – Hoshea).
• Hosea was a contemporary of Amos in the North, and Isaiah and Micah in the South.
• Hosea’s personal life illustrates his message more than any other prophet.
• An adulterous wife (Gomer) and a faithful husband (Hosea) illustrate the spiritual adultery of the nation of Israel.

Structure

• Hosea Chapters 1-3: Israel as an unfaithful wife
• Hosea Chapters 4-12: Israel’s covenant breach
• Key passage: Hosea 4:1-3
• Conclusion: Israel’s downfall stems from failure to keep the covenant
• Hosea Chapters 13-14: Prospects for covenant renewal
• Key Text: Hosea 14:1
• Conclusion Hosea 14:9

Genre: Understanding Prophecy

Section 1: Background

Background & Outlines

• Introduction to the Prophets
• Chart: Kings of Israel & Judah
• Chart: Bible History at a glance
• Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Timeline
• Bible Atlas: Samaria
• Bible Atlas: Jerusalem
• Bible Atlas: Jezreel
• Bible Atlas: Jezreel and region
• Ray C Stedman: Overview of the Book
• John MacArthur: Hosea -Intro, Date, Setting, Themes, Interpretative Challenges, Outline
• Minor Prophets Quotes in the New Testament
• Jensen’s Survey of the Old Testament
• Hebrew Calendar
• NIV: Introduction to Hosea
• ESV: Introduction to Minor Prophets
• ESV: Introduction to Hosea
• ESV: The Global Message of Hosea
• James van Dine: Analysis of Hosea
• David Malick: An Introduction to the Book of Hosea
• David Malick: An Argument of the Book of Hosea
• JVernon McGee: Hosea and Joel – Introductory Notes, Outlines
• Charles Swindoll: Book of Hosea Overview

Section 2: Maps

Maps from Bible-History.com

• Map of the Kingdom of David and Solomon
• The Period of the Kings
• The Empire of David and Solomon
• The Kingdom of David
• Solomon’s Temple Illustration
• Ophir and Tarshish
• Israel and Judah During the Time of Rehoboam
• Samaria
• Zaraphath and Mount Carmel
• Ramoth Gilead

Maps from Studylight.org

• The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (1)
• The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (2)
• The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (3)
• The Campaign of Shishak
• Conflicts between Israel and Aram-Damascus  
• The Omride Dynasty
• The Golden Ages of the 9th & 8th centuries BCE
• Phoenician Trade and Civilization  
• Trade Routes throughout the Middle East
• Travel Routes throughout Palestine
• Elijah and Elisha
• The Revolt of Jehu
• The Rise of Assyria
• Israel & Judah in the days of Jeroboam II and Uzziah
• The Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III
• The Syro-Ephraimite War  
• Tiglath-Pileser III’s Campaigns
• Fall of Samaria and Deportation of Israelites
• The Fall of the Kingdom of Israel  
• Assyrian Districts after the Fall of Samaria
• Prophets of the 8th Century BCE

Other Maps

• Kingdoms of Israel
• Deportations and Returns under Assyria and Babylon
• Assyrian and Babylonian and Greek Empires
• Palestine Between Old and New Testaments
• Old Testament Jerusalem

Section 3: Key Words

Key Words

• Harlotry, in that day, love, God, Hosea, in the last days, knowledge, covenant, return, iniquity (sin), I will, from Me, against Me (the Lord), Judah, Israel, Ephraim.

Section 4: Encylopedias

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

• Hosea, Theology of – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
• American Tract Society Hosea
• Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Hosea
• Chabad Knowledge Base Hosea
• Easton’s Bible Dictionary Hosea
• Fausset Bible Dictionary Hosea
• Holman Bible Dictionary Hosea
• Hitchcock Bible Names Hosea
• Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Hosea
• Hastings’ Dictionary of the NT Hosea
• Morrish Bible Dictionary Hosea
• Hawker’s Poor Man’s Dictionary Hosea
• People’s Dictionary of the Bible Hosea Hosea (2)
• Watson’s Theological Dictionary Hosea 
• 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Hosea
• International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Hosea
• Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Hosea Hosea book of
• McClintock and Strong’s Bible Encyclopedia Hosea
• The Nuttall Encyclopedia Hosea

Section 5: Commentaries

Commentaries & Study Bibles

• Ligionier.org Top 5 Commentaries: Hosea
• Tim Challies Best Commentaries:
• Commentary Reviews: Hosea
• Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible: Hosea
• Matthew Henry: Hosea
• Albert Barnes Notes: Hosea
• Reformation Study Bible Notes: Hosea
• Geneva Study Bible: Hosea
• Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: Hosea

Section 6: Articles

Articles

• Hosea 1:11 And Matthew 2:15 — By John H. Sailhamer
• The Prophet Hosea His Marriage And Message — By John H. Johansen
• Exegetical Notes Hosea 9:10-17 — By Stephen G. Burnett
• The Literary Structure Of Hosea 1-3 — By Charles H. Silva
• Literary Features in the Book of Hosea — By Charles H. Silva
• Portraits from a Prophet’s Portfolio Hosea 4 — By Richard D. Patterson
• The Theological Center of the Book of Hosea — By David B. Wyrtzen
• The New Covenant and Paul’s Quotations from Hosea in Romans 925–26 — By J. Paul Tanner
• The Prophecy Of Hosea — By W. E. Crane
• Hos 9:13 And The Integrity Of The Masoretic Tradition In The Prophecy Of Hosea — By Thomas Edward McComiskey
• The Literary Structure Of Hosea 4–8 — By Charles H. Silva
• Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9:25-26 — By John A. Battle, Jr.

Section 7: Got Questions

GotQuestions.org

• Book of Hosea – Bible Survey
• What are the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets?
• Why did God tell Hosea to marry a prostitute (Hosea 1:2)?
• Who was Gomer in the Bible?
• What is the meaning of Jezreel?
• How are people destroyed from a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6)?
• What was the “spirit of prostitution” in Hosea 4:12?
• Why does God desire mercy and acknowledgement of Him instead of sacrifice (Hosea 6:6)?
• What does it mean to sow the wind and reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7)?
• Is Hosea 11:1 a Messianic prophecy?

Bible Study Help

• Bible Study 101
• Interpreting Narratives
• Study Software & websites
• More Maps & Charts
• Hebrew word studies by Precepts Austin

Section 8: Next

Next: Joel

Previous: Daniel

Series: Resources by Book

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