Hosea (Hosea 1:1–2; Hosea 1:3–5; Hosea 1:6–7; Hosea 1:8–9; Hosea 1:10–11; Hosea 2:1–13; Hosea 2:14–23; Hosea 3:1–3; Hosea 3:4–5; Romans 9:25–26)

Son of Beeri, to whom the word of the LORD came

The son of Beeri to whom the word of the LORD came, told to take a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom, who took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, saw the names Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi given to the children, and, speaking in the first person, was told to go again and love a woman, whom he bought for silver and barley.

Only three verses name him. “The word of Jehovah that came unto 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” (Hosea 1:1). The first thing the book records of him is a command: “Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom; for the land doth commit great whoredom, departing from Jehovah” (Hosea 1:2). The next verse says only, “So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bare him a son” (Hosea 1:3).

The LORD gave the names of the children: Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi, each with a word against the house of Israel (Hosea 1:4-9). A promise follows: “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea” (Hosea 1:10). Chapter 2 is the LORD's word, “saith Jehovah” (Hosea 2:13): “Contend with your mother, contend; for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband” (Hosea 2:2). He will hedge up her way with thorns because she “went after her lovers, and forgat me” (Hosea 2:13), and then “I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her” (Hosea 2:14), and “I will betroth thee unto me for ever” (Hosea 2:19).

Chapter 3 is spoken in the first person; the speaker is not named there, and the book is headed as the word that came unto Hosea (Hosea 1:1): “And Jehovah said unto me, Go again, love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress” (Hosea 3:1). “So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley” (Hosea 3:2). Chapters 4-14 do not name him and do not tell of Gomer. Paul writes, “As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, that was not beloved” (Romans 9:25), and goes on with the words of Hosea 1:10 (Romans 9:26). Scripture does not record his death.

Strengths

• Went when the LORD commanded
• Obeyed the word, Go again

Themes

• Marriage as a sign
• Names given by the LORD
• Not my people
• Mercy and betrothal
• Israel departing from the LORD

The word of the LORD comes to Hosea (Hosea 1:1–2)

The word of the LORD comes to Hosea the son of Beeri and tells him to take a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom, for the land doth commit great whoredom.

The word of the LORD comes to Hosea

The book opens with the word and its date: “The word of Jehovah that came unto 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” (Hosea 1:1).

“When Jehovah spake at the first by Hosea, Jehovah said unto Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom; for the land doth commit great whoredom, departing from Jehovah” (Hosea 1:2).

The command is given with its reason: the land departing from the LORD. The text does not say what Hosea thought of it.

Takes Gomer; the son Jezreel (Hosea 1:3–5)

Hosea goes and takes Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, who conceives and bears him a son; the LORD says to call his name Jezreel.

Takes Gomer; the son Jezreel

“So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bare him a son” (Hosea 1:3).

“And Jehovah said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease” (Hosea 1:4). And: “I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel” (Hosea 1:5).

The text records no word from Hosea here, only that he went and took her.

The daughter Lo-ruhamah (Hosea 1:6–7)

Gomer conceives again and bears a daughter, whom the LORD names Lo-ruhamah, with a word that he will no more have mercy on Israel but will have mercy on Judah.

The son Lo-ammi (Hosea 1:8–9)

When she has weaned Lo-ruhamah, Gomer conceives and bears a son, and the LORD says to call his name Lo-ammi.

The son Lo-ammi

“Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son” (Hosea 1:8).

“And Jehovah said, Call his name Lo-ammi; for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God” (Hosea 1:9).

Of the daughter and of this son the text says only that Gomer conceived and bare; unlike Hosea 1:3, it does not add the word 'him'.

The number like the sand, and the day of Jezreel (Hosea 1:10–11)

The LORD says the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, that those called not his people shall be called sons of the living God, and that great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Contend with your mother (Hosea 2:1–13)

The LORD, speaking of a mother who went after her lovers, says she is not his wife and that he will hedge up her way with thorns and visit upon her the days of the Baalim.

Allured into the wilderness; the betrothal (Hosea 2:14–23)

The LORD says he will allure her into the wilderness, speak comfortably unto her, betroth her unto him for ever, and say to them that were not his people, Thou art my people.

Bought for silver and barley (Hosea 3:1–3)

Speaking in the first person, the prophet is told to go again and love a woman beloved of her friend and an adulteress; he buys her for fifteen pieces of silver and barley and tells her to abide for him many days.

Bought for silver and barley

Here the speaker says 'me' and is not named in the chapter; the book is headed as the word that came unto Hosea (Hosea 1:1). “And Jehovah said unto me, Go again, love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress, even as Jehovah loveth the children of Israel, though they turn unto other gods, and love cakes of raisins” (Hosea 3:1).

“So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley; and I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be any man's wife: so will I also be toward thee” (Hosea 3:2-3).

The text does not name the woman here, nor say from whom she was bought. It gives no reply from her.

Many days without king or sacrifice (Hosea 3:4–5)

The children of Israel shall abide many days without king, prince or sacrifice, and afterward shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king.

The LORD (Hosea 1:1–2; Hosea 1:4; Hosea 1:6; Hosea 1:9; Hosea 3:1)

His word came unto Hosea, told him to take a wife and later to go again and love a woman, and named the three children.

Gomer the daughter of Diblaim (Hosea 1:2–3; Hosea 1:6; Hosea 1:8)

Whom Hosea went and took when told to take a wife of whoredom; she conceived and bare him a son, then a daughter and a son.

Jezreel (Hosea 1:3–5; Hosea 1:11)

The son Gomer bare him, named Jezreel for the blood of Jezreel that the LORD would avenge upon the house of Jehu.

Lo-ruhamah (Hosea 1:6–8)

The daughter Gomer bare, named for the LORD's word that he would no more have mercy upon the house of Israel.

Lo-ammi (Hosea 1:8–9)

The son Gomer bare after Lo-ruhamah was weaned, named for the word that Israel is not the LORD's people.

Beeri (Hosea 1:1)

Named only as the father of Hosea.

Major sections

• Hosea 1–3
• Romans 9:25–26

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