This volume explores the themes of theodicy and hope in both individual portions of the Twelve (books and sub-sections) and in the Book of the Twelve as a whole, as the contributors use a diversity of approaches to the text(s) with a particular interest in synchronic perspectives. While these essays regularly engage the mostly redactional scholarship surrounding the Book of Twelve, there is also an examination of various forms of literary analysis of final text forms, and engagement in descriptions of the thematic and theological perspectives of the individual books and of the collection as a whole. The synchronic work in these essays is thus in regular conversation with diachronic research, and as a general rule they take various conclusions of redactional research as a point of departure. The specific themes, theodicy and hope, are key ideas that have provided the opportunity for contributors to explore individual books or sub-sections within the Twelve, and the overarching development (in both historical and literary terms) and deployment of these themes in the collection.

PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsIntroduction - Daniel Timmer and Beth Stovell, Ambrose University, Canada1. Theodicy and Hope in the Book of the Twelve - Grace Ko, Tyndale Seminary, Canada2. Exile and Re-exile in the Book of the Twelve - Anthony Petterson, Morling College, Australia3. How Can I Give You Up, Ephraim? (Hos 11:8a): Theodicy in Hosea - Brittany Kim, Bethel University, USA4. Hope Through Human Trafficking? Theodicy in Joel 4:4-8 - Heath Thomas, Oklahoma Baptist University, USA5. The Lawlessness of the Lion God: Theodicy in the Book of Amos - Chelsea D. Mak, Emory University, USA6. Theodicy in Micah - Rainer Kessler, Marburg University, Germany7. Nahum and Theodicy - Daniel Timmer, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, USA 8. The Triumph of Hope in Habakkuk - David Fuller, Thorneloe University at Laurentian, Canada9. The Hope of Habakkuk in the Anthropocene Age - Michael Floyd, formerly Centro de Estudios Theológicos10. Minding yet Bridging the Gap: The Role of Zephaniah in the Presentation of Theodicy and Hope in the Book of the Twelve - Mark J. Boda, McMaster Divinity College, Canada 13. The Failure of Davidic Hope? Configuring Theodicy in Zechariah and Malachi in Support of a Davidic Kingdom - George Athas, Moore College, AustraliaBibliographyIndex