kingdom of Israel. So Hosea is prophesying to a nation in which he himself is a resident. Other writing prophets prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel, but Hosea is the only one who actually made his home among them. How do we know this when the location of his birth and ministry are not explicitly mentioned? Hosea writes in a difficult Hebrew that is identified with that of the northern kingdom of Israel. Also, he repeatedly mentions the Israelite cities of Jezreel (1:4, 5, 11; 2:22), Gibeah