Hosea 1

The LORD Commands Hosea to Marry

1The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel. 2When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD." 3So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

Hosea Names His Children

4Then the LORD said to him, "Name him Jezreel; for in a little while, I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5On that day, I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel."

6She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the LORD said to him, "Name her Lo-ruhama, for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. 7Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah; I will save them by the LORD their God, not by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen."

8When she had weaned Lo-ruhama, she conceived and bore a son. 9Then the LORD said, "Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God."

The Promise of Restoration

10Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God." 11The people of Judah and the people of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint one leader and shall come up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.