Hosea 1

God gave this message to Hosea son of Beeri during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, and when Jeroboam son of Joash was king of Israel. \*

When God first spoke through Hosea, God said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute. {Some of} her children will result from her sexual relations with other men. Do this to show how the people of this land have been very unfaithful to me, as though they were an unfaithful wife who has abandoned her husband in favor of other men.” \*

So Hosea married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son for him.

God said to Hosea, “Name him Jezreel, because very soon I will punish the descendants of Jehu for all of the people that he slaughtered at the town of Jezreel. I will end the nation of Israel.

At that time, I will destroy the army of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.” \*

Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. God said to Hosea, “Name her Lo Ruhamah, because I will no longer pity the people of Israel. Instead, I will certainly remove them {from their land}.

However, I will pity the people of Judah, and I, God their God, will rescue them. I will do it myself; I will not save them by using their bows, swords, warfare, horses, or horsemen.” \*

After Gomer had weaned Lo Ruhamah, she became pregnant {again} and gave birth to {another} son.

God said, “Name him Lo Ammi, because you {people of Israel} are no longer my people, and I am no longer your God.” \*

Yet someday the people of Israel will become a people group that is vast in number. In the very place where God said to them, “You are not my people,” he will call them, “sons {and daughters} of the living God.”

Then the people of Judah and the people of Israel will unite together and choose one leader for all of them. It will be a marvelous time when Jezreel happens, that is, when God brings his people back to their own land as though sowing them there as seeds, and they will prosper there. \*