活动时期约西元前8世纪

《旧约》中十二小先知的首位，传统上认为是〈何西阿书〉的作者。（他的预言书在犹太教正典中是较大的“十二先知书”〔The
Twelve〕的一部分）。何西阿在以色列国王耶罗波安二世（Jeroboam
II）在位期间开始预言，其活动一直延续到以色列国灭亡之时（西元前721年）。此书的主题是先知以娶了一个妓女或荡妇为妻来隐喻耶和华怜悯以色列人。这种混乱关系表示以色列人背弃了上帝，他们“玩弄了妓女”等于蔑视了迦南的宗教。

First of the 12 Minor Prophets in the Old Testament, traditional
author of the Book of Hosea. (His prophecy is part of a larger book, The Twelve,
in the Jewish canon.) He began to prophesy during the reign of Jeroboam II and
continued until near the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 721 BC. The
book is an allegory in which the prophet is presented as a man married to a
harlot or an adulterous wife. This troubled relationship stands for the betrayal
of God by Israel, which has “played the harlot” by dallying with Canaanite
religion.

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