The Twelve Minor Prophets

The Minor Prophets are the twelve shorter prophetic books that close the Old Testament, counted as a single scroll in the Hebrew Bible — "the Book of the Twelve." "Minor" refers to length, not significance; alongside the Major Prophets they proclaim the same word of covenant judgment and restoration across some four centuries, from the eighth century before Christ to the years after the exile. The Twelve close with the promise of the coming messenger and the day of the LORD (Malachi 4:5–6).

The Book of the Twelve

Listed in their canonical (roughly chronological) order:

Hosea — whose marriage to an unfaithful wife dramatizes God’s steadfast love for wayward Israel (Hosea 11:1–4)

Joel — who summons Judah to repentance before the day of the LORD and foretells the outpoured Spirit (Joel 2:28–29)

Amos — the herdsman of Tekoa who thundered against injustice and empty worship in prosperous Israel (Amos 5:24)

Obadiah — whose single chapter pronounces judgment on Edom for its violence against Judah (Obadiah 1:10)

Jonah — the reluctant prophet sent to Nineveh, a sign of mercy reaching even the nations (Jonah 4:11)

Micah — who denounced oppression and foretold the ruler to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

Nahum — who announced the fall of Nineveh, capital of cruel Assyria (Nahum 1:7–8)

Habakkuk — who wrestled with God over evil and learned that "the righteous shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4)

Zephaniah — who warned of the great day of the LORD and promised a humble remnant (Zephaniah 3:17)

Haggai — who roused the returned exiles to rebuild the temple (Haggai 1:8)

Zechariah — whose night visions and oracles point to the coming humble King (Zechariah 9:9)

Malachi — who rebuked half-hearted worship and foretold the messenger preparing the LORD’s way (Malachi 3:1)