The Book of the Twelve has been the subject of numerous books, articles, and presentations over the past thirty years. Thematic approaches to the Book of the Twelve have been a significant focus of recent scholarship. This book is a collection of essays by thirteen scholars, addressing the themes of theodicy and hope within the Twelve. The first two essays by Grace Ko and Anthony R. Petterson and the final two by Mark J. Boda and George Athas explore themes in the entire Twelve, while the remaining seven examine individual books within the Twelve. These essays offer a fresh perspective on the interpretation and reading of the Twelve.

In the introduction, Beth M. Stovell and Daniel C. Timmer outline the approach and method for the volume. The issue of theme features prominently among their concerns. They recognize that theodicy appears as an implicit theme, whereas hope is explicit in the Twelve. This interplay between the anachronistic theme of theodicy and the explicit theme of hope also features prominently in many of the essays. The Introduction also addresses other issues, including synchronic/diachronic concerns for interpretation, epistemology and the limits of human knowledge, and theology as it relates to theodicy.

Grace Ko begins her essay with a broader approach to theodicy in the Twelve. She uses a two-fold method. The first part of her method explores how the prophets justify divine judgment and justice with the concept of vox populi (i.e., the voice of the people). She notes: “Most of the classical prophets engage in justifying God by disputing with the vox populi which questions God’s justice” (p. 23). Ko cites numerous examples of this concept throughout the Twelve. The second part of her method turns toward prophetic complaints and whether the prophets share any of the same sentiments with the populace. She discerns two categories of prophetic complaints. The first category contains complaints by the prophets against the broken covenant and questions about the lack of YHWH’s protection. This calls into question YHWH’s justice (e.g., Jonah and Habakkuk). The second category concerns complaints against YHWH. Jonah and Habakkuk represent the two primary examples of complaints against YHWH. Ko concludes with a systematic look at the portrayal of hope in each book of The Twelve.

Anthony R. Petterson investigates the significance of exile and re-exile. The use of the Hebrew terms גלה (“go into exile”) and שבה (“take captive”) and eleven other secondary terms contain the concepts of exile and re-exile, which he uses to trace the theme of exile through the Twelve. He recognizes that it goes beyond the return from Babylonian captivity. In his study of Zechariah 9–14, the idea of re-exile suggests that complete restoration did not take place after the first exile. For complete restoration, a second exile was required, according to Petterson (pp. 64–65).

Brittany Kim’s essay on Hosea explores the claim that Hosea contains no prophetic complaint against YHWH about Israel’s judgment. Instead, the book of Hosea depicts YHWH’s justifiable acts of judgment through the metaphors of the resentful husband and the rejected parent. These metaphors distinguish Hosea from the rest of the Twelve. YHWH’s judgment against Israel is a form of discipline that should lead to repentance and restoration. Kim divides Hosea’s presentations of YHWH’s judgments into two categories: passive judgment/rejection and active judgment. She also describes Israel’s sins outlined in Hosea and how YHWH’s judgment corresponds to Israel’s crimes. Finally, Kim observes that Hosea’s treatment of theodicy establishes the course for the rest of the Twelve.

The essay by Heath A. Thomas discusses Joel 4:4–8 as a representation of poetic justice and theodicy in the form of human trafficking. In other words, Tyre and Sidon’s punishment for selling Judah’s people into slavery will be their own slavery in Judah. Thomas emphasizes how this retributive type of justice relates to theodicy and hope. Joel 4:4, 6–8 present the theodicy and poetic justice of retribution, while verse 5 offers the people of Judah a postponed hope of temple restoration (p. 109).

According to Chelsea D. Mak, the leonine metaphor of Amos 1:2 (“YHWH roars from Zion”) establishes the tone of Amos for its Judean audience. As a lion, YHWH operates outside of the law, acting as either a predator or a protector of Judah. Israel’s experience with the voracious lion’s appetite serves as a warning to the people of Judah: stand in front of the lion and be devoured, or stand behind the lion and be protected. As a result, theodicy is not the primary concern in Amos. The primary concern, according to Mak, is the people’s relationship with YHWH.

Rainer Kessler’s essay centers on the idea that the book of Micah reflects on Judah’s destruction by the Babylonians after the exile. The poor and innocent people of Judah suffered as a result of the sins of the rich and powerful. To address the issue of the justification of YHWH in the midst of this destruction and seeming injustice, the prophet takes a pragmatic approach. Micah uses a juxtaposition of judgment and future hope to justify YHWH’s actions. Furthermore, the purification of the people necessitates the people’s repentance. Micah offers these pragmatic justifications in response to YHWH’s judgment of his people.

Daniel C. Timmer explores violence in Nahum, concluding that all humans sin and only YHWH’s divine mercy stays punishment. The main question he poses regards the justification that YHWH can punish violence with more violence. He argues that YHWH’s mercy can be given in varying degrees and that YHWH’s actions and ways are beyond human understanding.

David J. Fuller and Michael H. Floyd offer two distinct approaches to Habakkuk. Fuller’s essay highlights Habakkuk 3:18 as unique among the Twelve, as it highlights hope and steadfastness in the midst of famine. No reversal of the famine is indicated, yet Hab 3:18 still calls for rejoicing. This is the only passage presenting such a perspective. Floyd’s novel essay explores the contemporary Anthropocene Age and Habakkuk’s theophany, focusing on its connection to the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, which was at its peak at the time of writing.

Mark J. Boda examines the Babylonian gap in the Twelve, which highlights the Assyrian threat but skips the Babylonian period of exile until the Persian Period. He argues that the final form of the Twelve contains a rhetorical strategy to invoke theodicy and hope, with three calls to silence (Hab 2:20; Zeph 1:7; Zech 2:17) and three calls to joy (Zeph 3:14; Zech 2:14; 9:9). The silence represents mourning over Jerusalem and the exile of Judah’s people, while the joy represents the return and restoration of YHWH’s people to the land.

George Athas emphasizes the failure to reestablish the Davidic monarchy after exile, which influenced the prophetic message. The failures of post-exilic leaders like Zerubbabel and Joshua diminished this hope. The diminished hope of the Davidic monarchy eventually led to the apocalyptic and eschatological messianic hope of the Second Temple period.

The multiple perspectives and approaches of these essays give readers new perspectives on the Twelve. By centering the essays around the themes of theodicy and hope, the multiple voices of the authors seem to echo the disparate but concordant voices of the Twelve. These essays not only shed light on the historical context of the Twelve but also highlight the theological significance of their messages. The exploration of theodicy and hope allows readers to understand how these themes were intricately woven into the prophetic message, providing a deeper understanding of the complexities within the text.