Hosea 1

1 The word of the Lord, that came to Osee the son of Beeri, in the days of Ozias, Joathan, Achaz, and Ezechias kings of Juda, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joas 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 beginning of the Lord’s speaking by Osse: and the Lord said to Osee: Go, take thee a wife of fornications, and have of her children of fornications: for the land by fornication shall depart from the Lord.

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 So he went, and took Gomer the daughter of Debelaim: and she conceived and bore him a son.

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

4 And the Lord said to him: Call his name Jezrahel: for yet a little while, and I will visit the blood of Jezrahel upon the house of Jehu, and I will cause 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 in that day I will break in pieces the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezrahel.

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

6 And she conceived again, and bore a daughter, and he said to him: Call her name, Without mercy: for I will not add any more to have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly forget them.

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 I will have mercy on the house of Juda, and I will save them by the Lord their God: and I will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, nor by horses, nor 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 weaned her that was called Without mercy. And she conceived, and bore a son.

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

9 And he said: Call his name, Not my people: for you are not my people, and I will not be yours.

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 children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, that is without measure, and shall not be numbered. And it shall be in the place where it shall be said to them: You are not my people: it shall be said to them: Ye are the 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 the children of Juda, and the children of Israel shall be gathered together: and they shall appoint themselves one head, and shall come up out of the land: for great is the day of Jezrahel.

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.”