Hosea
1
Introduction
1 The Lord’s message to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah and during the reign of King Jeroboam, son of Joash of Israel.
The adultery of Hosea’s wife
2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, he said to him:
‘Go marry an unfaithful woman
who will bear you children by her adultery,
for like an adulterous wife the land is unfaithful to the Lord.’
3 So he married Gomer, the daughter of Dibliam, and when she conceived and bore him a son,
4 the Lord said:
‘Call him “Jezreel,” for in a little while
I will punish the dynasty of Jehu
for the blood shed at the valley of Jezreel,
I will cause the kingdom of Israel to cease.
5 On that day, I will break Israel’s bows and arrows
in the valley of Jezreel.’
6 When she conceived again and bore a daughter, the Lord said to Hosea:
‘Call her Lo-Ruhamah – “No-Compassion”
for I will no longer have compassion on Israel,
certainly not spare them.
7 But on Judah I will have compassion,
I will deliver them by the Lord their God,
but I will not deliver them by bow nor by sword,
nor by battle nor by horses nor by horsemen.’
8 After she had weaned No-Compassion, and when she conceived and bore a son, he said:
9 ‘Call him Lo-Ammi – “Not-My-People”
for you, Israel, are not my people,
and I indeed am not your God.’
10 Yet the number of the Israelites
will be as the sand of the sea,
which cannot be measured or counted,
and where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’
they will be called, ‘children of the living God.’
11 The Judeans and the Israelites
will join together again,
will appoint for themselves one leader,
will return to their own land.
Great will be the day of Jezreel!