Hosea 1

1 THE WORD of the LORD 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.

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 When the LORD spoke at first with Hosea, the LORD said unto Hosea: 'Go, take unto thee a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry; for the land doth commit great harlotry, departing 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 he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bore him a son.

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

4 And the LORD said unto him: 'Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will visit the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house 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 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.'

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

6 And she conceived again, and bore a daughter. And He said unto him: 'Call her name Lo-ruhamah; for I will no more have compassion upon the house of Israel, that I should in any wise pardon 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 compassion upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, nor by horses, nor by horsemen.'

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 Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bore a son.

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

9 And He said: 'Call his name Lo-ammi; for ye are not My people, and I will not be yours.'

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

10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that, instead of that which was said unto them: 'Ye are not My people', it shall be said unto them: 'Ye are 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 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint themselves one head, and shall go up out of the land; for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

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!