Hosea
A prophet’s painful marriage as a picture of God’s love for an unfaithful people.
About Hosea
Hosea is told to marry Gomer, who proves unfaithful, and to take her back — an enacted parable of Israel’s idolatry and God’s persistent love. The oracles that follow move between grief, anger and tenderness, culminating in an image of God teaching Ephraim to walk. Its most quoted line, that God desires mercy rather than sacrifice, is taken up twice by Jesus.
- Covenant love
- Idolatry
- Repentance
- Mercy
Key verses in Hosea
All 14 chapters of Hosea
Open the interactive reader to switch translations, adjust type, and mark verses — or browse verses by topic.