A paraphrasticall explication of the twelve minor prophets. Viz. Hoseah. Joel. Amos. Obadiah. Jonah. Micah. Nahum. Habakkuk. Zephaniah. Haggai. Zechariah. Malachi. / By Da. Stokes. D.D.

CHAP. I.

1, THe word of the Lord that came unto Hosea the son of Beeri, in the daies of Uzzia. Jotham, Ahas, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah, and ••n the daies of Jero∣boam the son of Joash King of Israel.

2. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea; and the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whor∣dom, departing from the Lord.

3. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, which conceived and bare him a son.

4. And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jez∣reel: for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the Kingdom of the house of Israel.

5. And it shall come to passe at that day, that I will

break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

6. And she conceived a∣gain, and bare a daughter, and God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruha∣mah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel: but I will utter∣ly take them away.

7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battel, by horses, nor by horsemen.

8. Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bare a son.

9. Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

10. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbred, and it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

11. Then shall the chil∣dren of Judah, and the children of Israel be ga∣thered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.