Who is…
Hoshea

also known as: Hoshe'a, Oshea

Meaning: salvation or deliverance.

This is the name of 3 biblical men.

  1. Hoshea or Oshea, son of Nun, also known as Joshua

    He was the most trusted minister and successor of Moses.

    Hoshea was his original name (Numbers 13:8; Deuteronomy 32:44), but Moses changed it to Joshua after he successfully sent two brave secret spies to the land of Canaan and Jericho (Numbers 13:16).

    Q & A

  2. Hoshea, son of Azaziah

    Hoshea was a ruler of the Tribe of Ephraim who lived in King David’s time. He would have been responsible for communication between his tribe and the king’s government.

    This single mention of Hoshea is in context of David’s organization of his kingdom and prepartion for construction of the Temple (1 Chronicles 27:20).

    Q & A

  3. King Hoshea, the last king of Israel

    He conspired against and assassinated his predecessor, King Pekah (Isaiah 7:16), but did not ascend the throne until after 8 years of warfare (2 Kings 17:1-2).

    He was put into power by Tilgath-Pileser III, king of Assyria, as recorded in his Annals, found in Calah (aka Kalḫu and Nimrud).

    Soon after this, he submitted to King Shalmaneser of Assyria, who a second time invaded the land to punish Hoshea, because of his withholding tribute which he had promised to pay.

    A second revolt brought back the Assyrian king Sargon, who besieged Samaria, and carried the 10 tribes away beyond the Euphrates, 720 BC (2 Kings 17:5-6; 18:9-12).

    No more is heard of King Hoshea. He disappeared like “foam upon the water” (Hos. 10:7; 13:11).

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Article Version: May 1, 2025