1The word of the LORD that 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, son of Joash, king of Israel.
2The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to you a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry; for the land has committed great harlotry, departing from the LORD”.
3So he (Hosea) went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, who conceived, and bore him a son.
4And the LORD said to him, “Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of (massacre at) Jezreel (2 Kings 10:11) upon the house of Jehu, and will bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
6And Gomer conceived again, and bore a daughter. And God said to him, “Call her name Lo-ruhamah (‘not loved’ (Rom.9:25) or ‘without mercy’ (I Pet.2:10)); for I will no longer have mercy upon the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away.
7But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and I will save them - not by bow, nor by sword, nor battle, horses, nor horsemen, but I, the LORD, their God will save them”.
8Now when Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bore another son.
9Then said God, “Call his name Lo-ammi (‘not My people’); for you are not My people, and I will not be your God.
10And yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, “You are not My people”, there it shall be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God”.
11Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be brought together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land; for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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