Osee — Book front (modern spelling)

The Original Douay-Rheims (1582/1609), orthography normalized only: spelling regularized and apparatus names modernized, while the 1609 vocabulary, pronouns, and -eth/-est endings are kept. Latinate proper names are kept (Osee, Issachar, Ozias, Joathan, Achaz, Ezechias, Juda, Jeroboam, Joas, Israel), only the universally-recognized forms modernized. This short one-page book-argument sketches Osee of the tribe of Issachar, the span of his prophecy under the kings of Juda and Israel, the fornicatrix-wife and fornicator-children figures, his admonition of both kingdoms to their captivity, and his foreshowing of their release and the coming of Christ.

The Prophecy of Osee

Osee born in Belomoth (as writeth S. Epiphanius) of the tribe of Issachar, prophesied in the reign of Ozias (otherwise called Azarias) Joathan, Achaz, Ezechias, kings of Juda, and of Jeroboam the son of Joas king of Israel; and of the residue of the kings of Israel, even to their captivity, which happened in the sixth year of Ezechias king of Juda. This Prophet taking by God's commandment a fornicatrix to wife, and having children that became also fornicators by these figures, and by a widow long expecting another husband, and the like parables, and other preaching, admonisheth both the kingdoms of Israel and Juda, that for their obstinacy in sins, they shall fall, first the one and afterwards the other, into miserable captivity. Exhorteth them to repentance; foresheweth their release; and the coming of Christ our Redeemer, with abundance of grace, and benefits to all nations.