Hosea Chapters - WEB Bible
Hosea is the first of the twelve Minor Prophets, containing God's command to the prophet to marry an unfaithful woman as a living parable of Israel's spiritual adultery in worshipping idols. Hosea's painful personal experience gave extraordinary depth to his message of divine love that pursues the unfaithful. Hosea Bible chapters announce judgment on the northern kingdom of Israel while holding out the tender promise: "I will betroth you to Me forever in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love and mercy" (Hosea 2:19). The New Testament quotes Hosea multiple times, including the pivotal verse "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" (Hosea 6:6).
About Hosea
Hosea is the twenty-eighth book of the Bible and the first of the twelve Minor Prophets, written by Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah -- roughly 760-720 BC -- and spanning 14 chapters. Hosea ministered to the northern kingdom of Israel in its final decades before the Assyrian conquest of 722 BC. His entire prophetic ministry was enacted through the painful metaphor of his marriage to an unfaithful wife named Gomer, whose repeated infidelity illustrated Israel's spiritual adultery against God through Baal worship. Yet God commanded Hosea to take Gomer back even after her unfaithfulness -- a living parable of God's relentless, pursuing love for His wayward people. Major themes include God's covenant love (hesed) that persists despite betrayal, the horror of spiritual adultery, the call to genuine repentance versus shallow religiosity, and the promise of future restoration. Key chapters include Hosea 1-3 (Hosea's marriage and its meaning), Hosea 6 (the call to return), and Hosea 11 (God's parental love for Israel). Famous verses include Hosea 6:6 -- For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings -- quoted by Jesus twice in Matthew. Hosea KJV Bible reading reveals a God whose love cannot be exhausted by human faithlessness. Read the Book of Hosea online here in full.