Hosea 1

1 A word of Jehovah that hath been unto Hosea, son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel:

The Lord sent a message to Hosea son of Beeri at the time when Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz were the kings of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was the king of Israel.

2 The commencement of Jehovah's speaking by Hosea. And Jehovah saith unto Hosea, 'Go, take to thee a woman of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms, for utterly go a-whoring doth the land from after Jehovah.'

The Lord began speaking through Hosea by telling him, “Go and take a wife who is a prostitute and have children born to a prostitute because those living in this land have committed terrible prostitution by turning away from the Lord.”

3 And he goeth and taketh Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceiveth and beareth to him a son;

So Hosea went and married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. She became pregnant and bore Hosea a son.

4 and Jehovah saith unto him, 'Call his name Jezreel, for yet a little, and I have charged the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and have caused to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel;

The Lord told Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I am going to punish the house of Jehu for the blood he shed at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.

5 and it hath come to pass in that day that I have broken the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel.'

On that day I will break Israel's military power in the valley of Jezreel.”

6 And she conceiveth again, and beareth a daughter, and He saith to him, 'Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I add no more to pity the house of Israel, for I do utterly take them away;

Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. The Lord told Hosea, “Call her Lo-ruhamah, because I will no longer love the house of Israel and certainly not forgive them.

7 and the house of Judah I pity, and have saved them by Jehovah their God, and do not save them by bow, and by sword, and by battle, by horses, and by horsemen.'

But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them—but I will not save them by bow or sword or war or horses and riders.”

8 And she weaneth Lo-Ruhamah, and conceiveth, and beareth a son;

After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son.

9 and He saith, 'Call his name Lo-Ammi, for ye [are] not My people, and I am not for you;

The Lord told Hosea, “Call him Lo-ammi, because you are not my people and I am not your God.

10 and the number of the sons of Israel hath been as the sand of the sea, that is not measured nor numbered, and it hath come to pass in the place where it is said to them, Ye [are] not My people, it is said to them, Sons of the Living God;

Even so the number of the people of Israel will be like the sand on the seashore that cannot be measured or counted. Then right there at the place where they were told ‘you are not my people’ they will be called ‘the children of the living God.’

11 and gathered have been the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel together, and they have appointed to themselves one head, and have gone up from the land, for great [is] the day of Jezreel.

The people of Israel and the people of Judah will be gathered together and they will choose one leader for themselves and they will take possession of the land, and the day of Jezreel will be great.”