ABSTRACT
Hosea began to prophesy in the same reign, as appears not only from the title of his book, but from the contents of the first two chapters. Hosea as the name should rather be written, is the last prophet of Ephraim. Amos, he was himself a subject of the Northern Kingdom, as appears from the whole tenor of his book, and especially from vii., where the monarch of Samaria is called "our king." There is no reason to believe that Hosea, any more than Amos, was connected with the recognised prophetic societies, or ever received such outward adoption to office as was given to Elisha. When all is lost, the prophet's love for guilty and fallen Israel forbids him to despair. For that love is no mere earthly affection. It is Jehovah's love for His erring people that speaks through Hosea's soul. To Amos and Hosea alike the true standard of religious life is the standard of conduct.
