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Document: C. Vanderwaal, Search the Scriptures, Vol. VI: Hosea to Malachi, trans. by Theodore Plantinga (St. Catharines, ON.: Paideia Press, 1979).
Excerpt: Rebellions and regicides. The section of the Bible known as the “Minor Prophets” opens with a fair-sized book generally attributed to the prophet Hosea, who, like his younger contemporary Amos, went about his work in the northern kingdom. To understand the book of Hosea, we must know something about the period in which this prophet lived. Hosea tells us that he prophesied during the time of the following kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1). Hosea witnessed the last flickerings of the northern kingdom under the great Jeroboam II but also lived to see a series of rebellions and regicides after the murder of Zechariah, the son of Jeroboam, who reigned for only six months. Shallum, his murderer, was crowned king but was murdered himself a month later. Menahem was king for ten years and paid tribute to Assyria. His son Pekahiah was murdered after a reign of two years. Pekah, who ruled for 20 years, was anti-Assyrian. Then came Hoshea. After he ruled for nine years, Samaria was captured by Assyria and its inhabitants were deported.
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Search the Scriptures, Vol. VI: Hosea to Malachi – C. Vanderwaal.pdf