Editing Book of Hosea (section)

===General outline===
* Chapters 1–2: Hosea's marriage to Gomer is described [[biography|biographically]] (''"The {{Lord}} said to Hosea"''),<ref>{{bibleverse|Hosea|1:2|NKJV}}</ref> which is a metaphor for the relationship between God and Israel.
* Chapter 3: Hosea's marriage is described [[autobiography|autobiographically]] (''"Then the {{Lord}} said to me"''):<ref>{{bibleverse|Hosea|3:1|NRSV}}</ref> this is possibly a marriage to different women.{{efn|The editors of the Jerusalem Bible argue that she is the same woman, "Gomer herself".<ref>Jerusalem Bible (1966), footnote a at Hosea 3:1, p. 1455</ref>}}
* Chapters 4–14:9/14:10: [[Oracle]] judging Israel, [[Ephraim]] in particular, for not living up to the [[covenant (biblical)|covenant]].
No further breakdown of ideas is clear in 4–14:9/14:10.<ref>Coogan, Michael (2009). ''A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament.'' Oxford University Press. pp. 262–63</ref> Following this, the prophecy is made that someday this will all be changed, and that God will have pity on Israel.
Chapter two describes a [[divorce]]. This divorce seems to be the end of the covenant between God and the Northern Kingdom. However, it is probable that this was again a symbolic act, in which Hosea divorced Gomer for infidelity, and used the occasion to preach the message of God's rejection of the Northern Kingdom. He ends this prophecy with the declaration that God will one day renew the covenant, and will take Israel back in love.

In chapter three, at God's command, Hosea seeks out Gomer once more. Either she has sold herself into slavery for debt, or she is with a lover who demands money in order to give her up, because Hosea has to buy her back. He takes her home, but refrains from sexual intimacy with her for many days, to symbolize the fact that Israel will be without a king for many years, but that God will take Israel back, even at a cost to himself.

Chapters 4–14 spell out the allegory at length. Chapters 1–3 speaks of Hosea's family, and the issues with Gomer. Chapters 4–10 contain a series of oracles, or prophetic sermons, showing exactly why God is rejecting the Northern Kingdom (what the grounds are for the divorce). Chapter 11 is God's lament over the necessity of giving up the Northern Kingdom, which is a large part of the people of Israel, whom God loves. God promises not to give them up entirely. Then, in Chapter 12, the prophet pleads for Israel's [[repentance]]. Chapter 13 foretells the destruction of the kingdom at the hands of [[Assyria]], because there has been no repentance. In Chapter 14, the prophet urges Israel to seek forgiveness, and promises its restoration, while urging the utmost fidelity to God.

The capital of the Northern Kingdom fell in 722 BC. All the members of the upper classes and many of the ordinary people were taken captive and carried off to live as prisoners of war.