活動時期約西元前8世紀

　　《舊約》中十二小先知的首位，傳統上認為是〈何西阿書〉的作者。（他的預言書在猶太教正典中是較大的“十二先知書”〔the Twelve〕的一部分）。何西阿在以色列國王耶羅波安二世（Jeroboam II）在位期間開始預言，其活動一直延續到以色列國滅亡之時（西元前721年）。此書的主題是先知以娶了一個妓女或蕩婦為妻來隱喻耶和華憐憫以色列人。這種混亂關系表示以色列人背棄了上帝，他們“玩弄了妓女”等于蔑視了迦南的宗教。

　　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.