Introduction to the Minor Prophets

In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of the Twelve Prophets (תרי עשר / Trei Asar) is collected as a single volume and is listed as the last book in the Prophets section of the Tanakh (תנ״ך). It’s also commonly referred to as the “Twelve Minor Prophets.”

Among these twelve prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah lived before the fall of the Northern Kingdom. Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah lived before the fall of the Southern Kingdom. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi lived after Judah’s return from exile. During these three turbulent periods, God intensely sent prophets to deliver His messages, revealing His eternal plan of salvation.

The Book of the Twelve Prophets addresses many scenarios in Israelite life, each presenting its unique challenges. In Christian tradition, these are often called the Minor Prophets due to their shorter length compared to the Major Prophets, but the messages conveyed by these prophets are equally significant. The Minor Prophets include the books of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. They form a cohesive collection with a unified theme and a developing line of thought.

The fundamental context of this collection is the covenant God made with His people. All these books collectively tell the story of Israel’s breaking of the covenant, God’s punishment and discipline of Israel, and God’s gradual restoration of Israel’s nation and social structure.