Hosea’s Wife and Children

The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife inclined to infidelity, and children of infidelity; for the land commits flagrant infidelity, abandoning the Lord.”

And the Lord said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.

Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer take pity on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them.

But I will take pity on the house of Judah and save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen.”

And the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi, because you are not My people, and I am not your God.”

I will punish her for the days of the Baals When she used to offer sacrifices to them And adorn herself with her nose ring and jewelry, And follow her lovers, so that she forgot Me,” declares the Lord.

And it will come about on that day,” declares the Lord, “That you will call Me my husband And no longer call Me my Baal.

And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord.

“And it will come about on that day that I will respond,” declares the Lord. “I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth,

Hosea’s Redemption of Gomer

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet is committing adultery, as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”

Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.

God’s Controversy with Israel

Listen to the word of the Lord, you sons of Israel, Because the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, For there is no faithfulness, nor loyalty, Nor knowledge of God in the land.

They will eat, but not have enough; They will play the prostitute, but not increase, Because they gave up devoting themselves to the Lord.

Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, Judah must not become guilty; Also you are not to go to Gilgal, Nor go up to Beth-aven And take the oath: “As the Lord lives!”

Since Israel is stubborn Like a stubborn cow, Will the Lord now pasture them Like a lamb in a large field?

Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of infidelity is within them, And they do not know the Lord.

They will go with their flocks and herds To seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn from them.

They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, For they have given birth to illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them with their land.

The Response to God’s Rebuke

“Come, let’s return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

So let’s learn, let’s press on to know the Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, As the spring rain waters the earth.”

Though the pride of Israel testifies against him, Yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, Nor have they sought Him, despite all this.

Israel Reaps the Whirlwind

Put the trumpet to your lips! Like an eagle the enemy comes against the house of the Lord, Because they have violated My covenant And rebelled against My Law.

As for My sacrificial gifts, They sacrifice the flesh and eat it, But the Lord has taken no delight in them. Now He will remember their guilt, And punish them for their sins; They will return to Egypt.

They will not remain in the Lord’s land, But Ephraim will return to Egypt, And in Assyria they will eat unclean food.