Hosea’s Wife and Children
1 The word of the Lordthat came to Hosea the son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel.
2 When the Lordfirst spoke through Hosea, the Lordsaid to him, “Go, take for yourself awife of prostitution and have children of [her] prostitution; for the land commits great acts of prostitution bynot following the Lord.”
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
4 And the Lordsaid to him, “Name him Jezreel; for yet in a little while I will avenge the blood [that was shed in the Valley] of Jezreelandinflict the punishment for it on the house ofJehu, and I will put an end to the kingdom of thehouse of Israel.
5 On that day I will break the bow [of the military power] of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
6 Then Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lordsaid to Hosea, “Name her Lo-Ruhamah (not shown mercy), for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them.
7 But I will have mercy on the house of Judah and will rescue them by the Lordtheir God, and willnot rescue them by bow, sword, war, horses, or horsemen.”
8 Now when Gomer had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and gave birth to a son.
9 And the Lordsaid, “Name him Lo-Ammi (not my people), for you are not My people and I am not your God.”
10 Yet the number of thesons of Israel
Shall be like the sand of the sea,
Which cannot be measured or numbered;
And in the place
Where it is said to them,
“You are not My people,”
It will be said to them,
“You arethe sons of the living God.”
11 Then the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be gathered together,
And they will appoint for themselves one leader,
And they will go up from the land,
For greatandglorious will be the day ofJezreel.