[3][4] This chapter contains prophecies attributed to the prophet Hosea, son of Beeri, dated by the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary to the period between Shalmaneser V's first and second invasions of Israel.

Israel is reproved and threatened for its impiety and idolatry, and exhorted to repentance (cf.

[6] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, including 4Q82 (4QXIIg; 25 BCE) with extant verses 1–14.

[11][a] Charles Ellicott's commentary argues that "Empty in the English version is wrong, being inconsistent with what follows" and suggests "luxuriant" as a preferable translation.

[15] It is noteworthy that Aramaic translations of the book of Hosea include an instruction to "light a lamp" in preface to the line "it is time to seek the LORD.