Hosea 1

1 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.

The Lord’s message to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah and during the reign of King Jeroboam, son of Joash of Israel.

2 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.”

When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, he said to him: ‘Go marry an unfaithful woman who will bear you children by her adultery, for like an adulterous wife the land is unfaithful to the Lord.’

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

So he married Gomer, the daughter of Dibliam, and when she conceived and bore him a son,

4 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.

the Lord said: ‘Call him “Jezreel,” for in a little while I will punish the dynasty of Jehu for the blood shed at the valley of Jezreel, I will cause the kingdom of Israel to cease.

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

On that day, I will break Israel’s bows and arrows in the valley of Jezreel.’

6 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.

When she conceived again and bore a daughter, the Lord said to Hosea: ‘Call her Lo-Ruhamah – “No-Compassion” for I will no longer have compassion on Israel, certainly not spare them.

7 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.”

But on Judah I will have compassion, I will deliver them by the Lord their God, but I will not deliver them by bow nor by sword, nor by battle nor by horses nor by horsemen.’

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

After she had weaned No-Compassion, and when she conceived and bore a son, he said:

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

‘Call him Lo-Ammi – “Not-My-People” for you, Israel, are not my people, and I indeed am not your God.’

10 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.’

Yet the number of the Israelites will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted, and where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called, ‘children of the living God.’

11 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.”

The Judeans and the Israelites will join together again, will appoint for themselves one leader, will return to their own land. Great will be the day of Jezreel!