HOSEA, BOOK OF

people whom he has to condemn, it must be remembered that he was of them, whereas Amos, a native of the South, was not. G. B. Gray.

HOSEA, BOOK OF.— The Book of Hosea formed the first section of a collection of prophetic writings which was formed after the Exile, probably towards the close of the 3rd century B.C., and entitled 'The Twelve Prophets' (see Micah [Book of]). The greater part of the Book of Hosea clearly consists of the writings of Hosea, the son of Beeri, who prophesied in the Sth cent. B.C. (see preced. art.), but it also contains the annota-tions or additions of editors who Uved between the Sth and the 3rd centuries. It is not always possible to determine with certainty these editorial portions of the book.

Though we have no positive evidence to this effect, there is no reason to doubt that Hosea himself committed to writing the prophetic poems by which he gave ex-pression to his message and of which the greater part of the Book of Hosea consists (chs. 2. 4-14), and that he prefixed to these the prose narrative of his Ufe (chs. 1. 3, see Hosea) with which the book now opens. It is possible, of course, that Hosea first circulated in writing single poems or a collection of two or three; but the complete collection, though scarcely made later than 735, since the prophecies make no allusion to the Syro-Ephraimitish war wliich broke out in that year, cannot be much earlier than 735, since the prophecies make allusions to the circumstances of the period that followed the death, in about B.C. 746, of Jeroboam n. (anarchy, 7'-' 8'; cf. 2 K 15»-2«; factions favouring appeal to Egypt and Assyria respectively, 5" 7" 8» 12'), and probably in particular to the payment of tribute by Menahem to Tiglath-pileser [ = Pul, 2 K 15"], which took place in B.C. 738 (5" ICP- '). Again, the opening narrative (ch. 1), though it describes Hosea's life and teaching before the death of Jeroboam u. (1*, see Hosea), was not written until some years later, for it also records the birth of Lo-ammi (1'), which was separated by hardly less and possibly more than 5 years from the date of Hosea's marriage.

In its earUest form, then, the Book of Hosea was published by the prophet about the year 736 in the Northern Kingdom. Now, in common with all Uterature of the Northern Kingdom, Hosea owes its preservation to the care of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. It is tolerably certain that the Jews who preserved the book adapted it for Jewish use; in other words, that the Book of Hosea as we have it is a Jewish edition of the writings of an Israelite prophet. The hand of a Jewish editor (and in this case a somewhat late one) is perhaps clearest in the title (1'), for Hosea, a citizen of the Northern Kingdom and addressing himself to the North, would scarcely date his prophecy by kings of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, nor would a contemporary be hkely to equate the days of Uzziah and his successors with the days of Jeroboam, since Uzziah himself outlived Jeroboam. With more or less reason, additions to or modifications of Hosea's work by Jewish editors have been suspected in V li°-2i 3= ('and David their king') 415" 56 (last clause) 6'i 8" 10" 11"''. In several other cases (51I'- i'- "■ " 6< 12?) it is possible that the editor has pointed the original prophecies at his own people of the South by substituting 'Judah' where Hosea had written ' Israel ' ; thus, although at present Jacob- Judah are mentioned in 12^, the terms 'Jacob' and 'Israel,' synonyms for the people of the Northern Kingdom, were certainly in the mind of the writer of 122- ', for in 12' he puns on these names: 'In the womb he Jacobed his brother, and in his manhood Israded with God.'

Another whole group of passages has been suspected of consisting of additions to Hosea's prophecies. These are the passages of promise (l'»-2i 2"-!« 3'-s [regarded as an allegory of restoration] 5'5 6' ll'»- " 14). There is little doubt that such passages were added to ancient

HOSPITALITY

prophecies, but it is not yet by any means generally admitted that the early prophets made no promises of a brighter future beyond judgment.

Apart from the intentional modifications of the original words of Hosea by later editora, the text has suffered very seriously from accidents of transmission. To some extent the Greek version allows us to see an earlier Hebrew text than that perpetuated by the Jews from which the EV is made. The English reader will find the translation from a critically emended text by Dr. G. A. Smith (.Book of the Twelve Prophets, vol. i.) of great assistance. The best English commentary ia that by W. R. Harper in the Inter-national Critical Commentary. G. B. Gkat.

HOSEN.— The plural of 'hose' (cf. 'ox,' 'oxen'), only Dn 3" AV, and now obsolete in the sense, here intended, of breeches or trousers. The article of dress denoted by the original is uncertain. According to an early tradition (LXX tiara), some form of headdress is intended (cf. RVm 'turbans'), but modern opinion favours 'coats' or 'tunics' as in RV.

A. R. S. Kennedy.

HOSHAIAH (' Jah has saved'). — 1. A man who led half the princes of Judah in the procession at the dedication of the waUs of Jerusalem (Neh 1252). 2. The father of Jezaniah (Jer 42'), or Azariah (43*).

HOSHAMA.— A descendant of David (1 Ch B").

HOSHEA.— 1. See Joshua. 2. AnEphraimite(lCh 27'°). 3. One of those who sealed the covenant (Neh 10^). 4. The last king of Israel. The chronological data of our text are not entirely accordant (2 K 15™ 17'), but we know that he came to the throne not far from B.C. 732. Taking into view the Assyrian annals along with the Bibhcal accounts, we gather that there were two parties in Samaria, one advocating submission to Assyria, the other hoping for independence. Pekah was placed on the throne by the latter; Hoshea was the candidate of the Assyrians, and was perhaps actively supported by them in his revolt against Pekah, whom he supplanted. This was when Tiglath-pileser pun-ished Pekah and Rezin for interfering in the affairs of Judah (see Ahaz). At the death of Tiglath-pileser, however, Hoshea was enticed by the Egyptian king or sub-king, and went over to the party which was ready for revolt. It is probable that he had convinced him-self that the land could not longer pay the heavy tribute laid upon it. The new king of Assyria (Shalmaneser iv.) moved promptly, captured and imprisoned the king, and laid siege to the capital. It speaks well for the strength of Samaria and for the courage of its people that the piace held out for more than two years; but the result can hardly have been doubtful from the first. The surrender was followed by the deportation of a considerable part of the people, and the planting of foreign colonies in the country (2K 17'- ^). Sargon, who came to the throne just before the surrender, had no desire to experiment with more vassal kings, and set an Assyrian governor over the wasted province. Thus ended the kingdom of Israel. H. P. Smith.

HOSPITALITY.— In the life of the East there are no more attractive features than those that centre in the practice of hospitahty. The virtue of hospitality ranked high in the ancient Orient, and the laws regulating its observance hold undisputed sway in the desert still. The pleasing picture of the magnaiumous sheik, bidding strangers welcome to his tent and to the best he owns (Gn 18), is often repeated to this hour in the Arabian wilderness. It was to Lot's credit and advantage that he had preserved this virtue amid the corruptions of Sodom (Gn IQ*"). To shirk an opportunity for its exercise was shameful (Jg 19'*- "). A man's worth was illustrated by his princely hospitality (Job 31'"). Jesus sent forth the Twelve (Mt 10"), and the Seventy (Lk 10*"), relying on the hospitahty of the people. Its exercise secured His blessing; woe threatened such as refused it. The Samaritans' churUsh denial of hospitahty to Jesus excited the wrath of His disciples (Lk 9").

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