The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah,(A) Jotham,(B) Ahaz,(C) and Hezekiah,(D) kings of Judah, and of Jeroboam(E) son of Jehoash, king of Israel.

Hosea’s Marriage and Children

When the Lord first spoke to Hosea, He said this to him:

Go and marry a promiscuous wife(F)
and have children of promiscuity,
for the land is committing blatant acts of promiscuity
by abandoning the Lord.

So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.(G) Then the Lord said to him:

Name him Jezreel,(H) for in a little while
I will bring the bloodshed of Jezreel(I)
on the house of Jehu(J)
and put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
On that day I will break the bow of Israel(K)
in the Valley of Jezreel.[a](L)

She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter, and the Lord said to him:

Name her No Compassion,[b]
for I will no longer have compassion
on the house of Israel.
I will certainly take them away.
But I will have compassion on the house of Judah,(M)
and I will deliver them by the Lord their God.(N)
I will not deliver them by bow, sword, or war,
or by horses and cavalry.(O)

After Gomer had weaned No Compassion, she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said:

Name him Not My People,[c]
for you are not My people,
and I will not be your God.[d](P)
10 [e]Yet the number of the Israelites
will be like the sand of the sea,(Q)
which cannot be measured or counted.
And in the place where they were told:
You are not My people,
they will be called: Sons of the living God.(R)
11 And the Judeans and the Israelites
will be gathered together.(S)
They will appoint for themselves a single ruler(T)
and go up from[f] the land.
For the day of Jezreel(U) will be great.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 1:5 = God sows
  2. Hosea 1:6 Or Lo-ruhamah
  3. Hosea 1:9 Or Lo-ammi
  4. Hosea 1:9 Lit not be yours
  5. Hosea 1:10 Hs 2:1 in Hb
  6. Hosea 1:11 Or and flourish in; Hb obscure

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