An adulterous woman repeatedly spurns the love of her youth, while her betrayed husband offers forgiveness and seeks to win her back and restore the intimacy of their first love. With this bold and uncomfortable imagery, Hosea tells the story of God and his people. The message is made more poignant as God calls the prophet to embody this divine suffering and redeeming forgiveness in his own marriage. Hosea’s own story thus sets the stage for his message of God’s faithful and enduring love, his righteous judgement and also his continuing offer of reconciliation and a new beginning. Robin Routledge’s commentary explores the historical, cultural, literary and theological dimensions of the book, and offers a guide to its continuing message of judgement, hope and restoration.

The Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries have long been a trusted resource for Bible study. The introduction to each volume gives a concise but thorough description of the authorship, date and historical background of the biblical book under consideration. The commentary itself examines the text section by section, drawing out its main themes. It also comments on individual verses and deals with problems of interpretation. Written by some of the world's most distinguished evangelical scholars, they continue to aim at the true meaning of the Bible and to make its message plain to readers today.

Robin Routledge is formerly the Senior Lecturer in Old Testament, Director of Research and Academic Dean at Mattersey Hall. He is the author of Old Testament Introduction and Old Testament Theology and the co-editor of As Long as the Earth Endures and Bible and Mission. He is also a contributor to Presence, Power and Promise and the IVP Dictionary of the Old Testament: Prophets.