Prophetic Purpose: Ὡσηέ (Strong’s G5617: Hosee) Reveals God’s Faithful Love

Strong’s G5617: The Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Hosea, meaning “salvation” or “deliverer.” This proper noun represents the prophet through whom God demonstrated His faithful covenant love despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, illustrating divine redemption.

U- Unveiling the Word

Ὡσηέ (Hosee) carries profound theological significance as the Greek form of the Hebrew name Hosea. This name embodies themes of divine salvation and deliverance, reflecting God’s unwavering covenant love. The prophet Hosea’s life became a living parable of God’s relationship with Israel, as he was commanded to marry Gomer, whose unfaithfulness paralleled Israel’s spiritual adultery. The name’s usage in the New Testament, particularly in Romans 9:25, demonstrates the continuity between God’s redemptive work in the Old Testament and its fulfillment in the Messiah. Today, this name continues to testify to God’s persistent love and mercy toward His people.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Ὡσηέ, Hosee, hō-say-EH
• Pronunciation: Long ‘o’ as in “hope,” ‘say’ as in English, emphasis on final syllable
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun

Etymology:

• Derived from Hebrew הושע (Hoshea)
• Root meaning: “salvation” or “he saves”
• Compound of הו (ho, shortened form of יהוה, YHWH) and ישע (yasha, “to save”)

D – Defining Meanings

• Prophet of God who demonstrated divine love through his life
• Symbolic representation of God’s faithful covenant relationship
• Historical figure whose prophecies spoke of restoration

For compound words:
Hebrew origin הושע combines:

• הו (ho): indicating connection to YHWH
• ישע (yasha): meaning “to save” or “deliver”

Translation Options:

• Hosea – Most common English rendering
• Osee – Traditional Greek-influenced spelling
• Hoshea – Direct transliteration of Hebrew

E – Exploring Similar Words

• Ἰησοῦς (Iesous, ee-ay-SOOS) – shares the same Hebrew root ישע, but specifically refers to Jesus/Joshua
  See G2424
• σωτήρ (soter, so-TARE) – meaning “savior,” connects thematically
  See G4990

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a proper noun, Ὡσηέ follows these patterns:

• Case: Indeclinable
• Number: Singular
• Gender: Masculine

This means unlike other Greek nouns, Ὡσηέ maintains its form regardless of its grammatical function in the sentence.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

Lexical sources uniformly recognize Ὡσηέ as the Greek representation of the Hebrew prophet’s name. BDAG notes its significance in Paul’s quotation of Hosea’s prophecy, emphasizing God’s inclusion of Gentiles in His covenant people. Thayer’s highlights the prophetic significance of the name itself, connecting it to God’s salvation. LSJ identifies its usage in the Septuagint, where it appears consistently as the translation of the Hebrew הושע. Vine’s emphasizes the theological connection between the prophet’s name and his message of divine love and redemption. The consensus among lexicons underscores the name’s importance in both testifying to God’s saving work and prophetic fulfillment.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“As He says also in Hosea, ‘I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.'” Romans 9:25

Additional References:
Hosea 1:2, Hosea 1:3

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Ὡσηέ represents more than just a prophet’s name; it embodies God’s redemptive character and His unwavering commitment to His people. Through Hosea’s life and ministry, we see a powerful prefigurement of the Messiah’s love for His church. The name’s meaning, “salvation,” points to the ultimate salvation found in Jesus the Messiah, while its usage in Romans demonstrates how God’s promises to Israel find their fulfillment in including both Jews and Gentiles in His family. This name continues to proclaim God’s faithful love and His power to transform those who were “not His people” into “children of the living God.”

D – Did You Know?

• Hosea was the only prophet specifically called to marry as part of his prophetic message
• The name appears in the New Testament specifically to demonstrate God’s inclusion of Gentiles
• The prophet’s name shares the same Hebrew root as Joshua/Jesus, emphasizing salvation

Strong’s G5617: Greek form of the Hebrew prophet’s name meaning “salvation.” This proper noun symbolizes God’s faithful covenant love and redemptive purpose, demonstrated through the prophet’s life and message, and cited by Paul to show God’s inclusion of Gentiles in His covenant people.

Part of speech: Proper Noun

Tags: prophet, salvation, covenant, love, redemption, marriage, Israel, Gentiles, Paul, Romans, Old Testament​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​