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Hosea’s Wife and Children

When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute,[a] so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.”

So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son. And the Lord said, “Name the child Jezreel, for I am about to punish King Jehu’s dynasty to avenge the murders he committed at Jezreel. In fact, I will bring an end to Israel’s independence. I will break its military power in the Jezreel Valley.”

Soon Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to Hosea, “Name your daughter Lo-ruhamah—‘Not loved’—for I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them. But I will show love to the people of Judah. I will free them from their enemies—not with weapons and armies or horses and charioteers, but by my power as the Lord their God.”

After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she again became pregnant and gave birth to a second son. And the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi—‘Not my people’—for Israel is not my people, and I am not their God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:2 Or a promiscuous woman.

Hosea’s Wife and Family

When a message from the Lord came to Hosea, the Lord told him,[a] “Go marry a prostitute and have children with her,[b] because the land is prostituting itself by departing from the Lord.” So he went out and married Diblaim’s daughter Gomer. She conceived with him and gave birth to a son.

Naming the Children

The Lord told Hosea,[c] “Name the child[d] ‘Jezreel,’[e] because in a little while I’ll avenge the blood that was shed by Jehu’s dynasty at Jezreel. I’ll put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. At that time I’ll shatter the military strength[f] of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”

Gomer[g] conceived again and gave birth to a daughter, so the Lord[h] told Hosea,[i] “Name her ‘Lo-ruhamah,’[j] because I will no longer be showing mercy to the house of Israel, nor will I forgive them. But I’ll have mercy on the house of Judah, and I’ll save them by the Lord their God—I will not save them by the bow, by the sword, by battle, by horses, or by cavalry.”

After Gomer[k] had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived again and gave birth to a son, so the Lord[l] told Hosea,[m] “Name him ‘Lo-ammi,’[n] because you are not my people, and I will not be your God.[o]

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 1:2 Lit. Hosea
  2. Hosea 1:2 Lit. children of prostitution
  3. Hosea 1:4 Lit. him
  4. Hosea 1:4 Lit. Name him
  5. Hosea 1:4 The Heb. name Jezreel means “God sows”
  6. Hosea 1:5 Lit. the bow
  7. Hosea 1:6 Lit. She
  8. Hosea 1:6 Lit. he
  9. Hosea 1:6 Lit. him
  10. Hosea 1:6 The Heb. name Lo-ruhamah means No mercy
  11. Hosea 1:8 Lit. she
  12. Hosea 1:9 Lit. he
  13. Hosea 1:9 Lit. him
  14. Hosea 1:9 The Heb. name Lo-ammi means Not my people
  15. Hosea 1:9 Lit. be for you