The Minor Prophets, including the books from Hosea to Malachi, form the final section of the Old Testament canon in the English Bible. They cover a period of 300 years from the eighth to the fifth centuries BC. This time began with an era of great prosperity for both Israel (northern kingdom) and Judah (southern kingdom) but ended with disaster for both kingdoms. The earlier Minor Prophets predicted the fall of both Samaria and Jerusalem to the Assyrians and Babylonians. Then, in turn, they predicted the fall of Assyria and Babylon and the final restoration of Judah. The three postexilic prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) preached to the Jews who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. The twelve Minor Prophets were each
