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Introduction to Hosea                            

 

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA

This book in the Hebrew Bibles at least in some copies is called "Sopher Hosea" the Book of Hoses; and in the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions "the Prophecy of Hoses": and in the Syriac version "the Prophecy of Hoses the Prophet". It is the first of the twelve lesser prophets so called not because they were of less value credit and authority than the other prophets; but because of their smallness in bulk; and which as Kimchi says upon the authority of their Rabbins were put together in one book that no one of them might be lost because of their smallness; and JosephusF1Contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 8. reckons them but as one book; and they are quoted in the New Testament under the name of the Book of the ProphetsF2Acts vii. 42. . This prophet was one of them and therefore placed here; though as Kimchi in his preface to this book and R. David GanzF3Tzemach David fol. 12. 2. observe his prophecy was before the prophecy of Isaiah; and yet he was not the first of these minor prophets as to order of time; not only Jonah but Joel and Amos were before him; and so they are placed by some writers; according to Mr. WhistonF4Chronological Tables cent. 7. he began to prophesy about the year of the world 3196 A.M. and 808 B.C. Mr. BedfordF5Scripture Chronology B. 6. ch. 2. p. 645. places him in 804 B.C. His name is the same with Joshua and Jesus and signifies a saviour; and he was not only as all the true prophets of the Lord and faithful ministers of the word are the means and instruments in the hand of God of saving people; but he was a type of Christ the Saviour as well as prophesied concerning him and salvation by him. Of his parentage and the time of his prophesying see Hosea 1:1 by which it appears that he lived in several reigns and to a very great age. He chiefly prophesied against the ten tribes of Israel; reproved them for their sins; exhorted them to repentance; threatened them with destruction in case of impenitence; and comforted the truly godly with the promise of the Messiah and of the happy state of the church in the latter day. His style is short and concise; in some places sententious and without connection obscure and difficult of interpretation; and in others very pathetic and moving. Of the divine inspiration and authority of this book there is no room to doubt; since passages out of it are quoted and referred to by Christ and his apostles; by Christ himself Matthew 9:13 1 Peter 2:10 There are some things said of the descent death and burial of this prophet not to be depended on. Pseudo EpiphaniusF6De Prophet. Vit. &c. c. 11. and IsidorusF7De Vita & Mort. Sanct. c. 41. say he was of the tribe of Issachar and born in Belomoth or Bethlemoth; and that he died in peace and was buried in his own country; but according to a tradition of the JewsF8 he died in Babylon and was buried in Tzapheth a city in upper Galilee; but all this is uncertain and not very probable and is of no importance to be known.

 

Commentator

John Gill (November 23 1697-October 14 1771) was an English Baptist a biblical scholar and a staunch Calvinist. Gill's relationship with hyper-Calvinism is a matter of academic debate.

He was born in Kettering Northamptonshire. In his youth he attended Kettering Grammar School mastering the Latin classics and learning Greek by age eleven. The young scholar continued self-study in everything from logic to Hebrew. His love for Hebrew would follow Gill throughout his life.

At the age of about twelve Gill heard a sermon from his pastor William Wallis on the text "And the Lord called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9). The message stayed with Gill and eventually led to his conversion. It was not until seven years later that young John made a public profession when he was almost nineteen years of age.

His first pastoral work was as an intern assisting John Davis at Higham Ferrers in 1718 at age twenty one. He was subsequently called to pastor the Strict Baptist church at Goat Yard Chapel Horsleydown Southwark in 1719. In 1757 his congregation needed larger premises and moved to a Carter Lane St. Olave's Street Southwark. His pastorate lasted 51 years. This Baptist Church was once pastored by Benjamin Keach and would later become the New Park Street Chapel and then the Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon.

During Gill's ministry the church strongly supported the preaching of George Whitefield at nearby Kennington Common.

In 1748 Gill was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity by the University of Aberdeen. He was a profound scholar and a prolific author. His most important works are:

John Gill is the first major writing Baptist theologian. His work retains its influence into the twenty-first century. Gill's relationship with hyper-Calvinism in English Baptist life is a matter of debate. Peter Toon has argued that Gill was himself a hyper-Calvinist which would make Gill the father of Baptist hyper-Calvinism. Tom Nettles has argued that Gill was not a hyper-Calvinist himself which would make him merely a precursor and hero to Baptist hyper-Calvinists.

 

¢w¢w¡mJohn Gill¡¦s Exposition of the Bible¡n

 

New King James Version Bible NKJV

The NKJV was commissioned in 1975 by Thomas Nelson Publishers. One-hundred-and-thirty respected Bible scholars church leaders and lay Christians worked for seven years with the goal of updating the vocabulary and grammar of the King James Version while preserving the classic style of the of the 1611 version.

The task of updating the English of the KJV involved many changes in word order grammar vocabulary and spelling. One of the most significant features of the NKJV was its removal of the second person pronouns "thou" "thee" "ye " "thy " and "thine." Verb forms were also modernized in the NKJV (for example "speaks" rather than "speaketh").

 

Young¡¦s Literal Translation (YLT)

Young¡¦s Literal Translation was completed in 1898 by Robert Young who also compiled Young¡¦s Analytical Concordance. It is an extremely literal translation that attempts to preserve the tense and word usage as found in the original Greek and Hebrew writings. The online text is from a reprint of the 1898 edition as published by Baker Book House Grand Rapids Michigan. Obvious errors in spelling or inconsistent spellings of the same word were corrected in the online edition of the text. This text is Public Domain in the United States.