Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ru–hamah.
Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.
And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.
For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.
For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.
Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.
And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.
I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.
And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.
For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.
And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;
And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Hosea 2 offers a powerful and poignant portrayal of God's relationship with Israel, characterized by both profound love and heartbreaking betrayal. This chapter masterfully weaves together themes of judgment, repentance, and ultimately, unwavering hope for restoration. It serves as a timeless reminder of God's persistent pursuit of His people, even in the face of their unfaithfulness.
Rebuke and Judgment (Hosea 2:1-4)
The Lord commands the people of Israel to confront their "mother," a symbolic representation of their leadership, for their infidelity. God declares, "She is not my wife, and I am not her husband" (Hosea 2:2). This stark declaration signifies the broken covenant and the initiation of divorce proceedings due to Israel's spiritual adultery. The consequences of their "promiscuous and idolatrous ways" (Tony Evans) are severe: God threatens to strip them bare, leaving them vulnerable and desolate (Hosea 2:2-3). The suffering will extend to all the people (Hosea 2:4), a direct result of their collective departure from God.
The Pursuit of False Lovers (Hosea 2:5-8)
Israel's unfaithfulness is likened to that of a prostitute chasing after lovers, believing they are the source of her provision (Hosea 2:5). They worshiped false gods, mistakenly attributing their blessings to these idols. However, God, in His mercy, intervenes to hinder their pursuit of these false gods, hoping to lead them back to Himself (Hosea 2:6-7). The tragedy lies in their ignorance; they failed to recognize that God was the true source of all their blessings (Hosea 2:8). He showered them with abundance, but they, in their spiritual blindness, offered these gifts to Baal, demonstrating a profound lack of gratitude and understanding.
Reckoning and Remembrance (Hosea 2:9-13)
By following Baal, Israel essentially thanked and worshiped the wrong god. As a result, the Lord declares an end to their abundant harvests (Hosea 2:9). Their celebrations and festivals will cease (Hosea 2:11), replaced by the emptiness of idolatry. They will plead with their idols to restore the blessings, but their cries will go unanswered (Hosea 2:10, 12). They reveled in an illicit affair, forgetting the "husband" who provided them with every comfort. The day of reckoning is inevitable, a consequence of their persistent rejection of God's love and provision (Hosea 2:13).
A Promise of Restoration (Hosea 2:14-17)
Amidst the pronouncements of judgment, a glimmer of hope emerges. God, through Hosea, expresses His enduring love and compassion for His people. He stands ready to forgive and restore (Hosea 2:14). He promises to "allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her" (Hosea 2:14), echoing the intimacy of their initial relationship. He will restore their fortunes, reminiscent of the days when they first came out of Egypt (Hosea 2:15), rejoicing in the God who delivered them. They will come to their senses, repent, and call the Lord, "My husband" (Hosea 2:16). The names of false gods will fade from memory (Hosea 2:17), replaced by a renewed devotion to the one true God. The tenacious love of God cannot be outrun.
A New Covenant and Lasting Peace (Hosea 2:18-23)
The Lord promises to protect His people and enable them to live in security (Hosea 2:18). "I will betroth you to me forever," He declares (Hosea 2:19). This is a glorious promise of a renewed covenant, a lasting relationship built on faithfulness and love. The land will once again yield its abundance (Hosea 2:21-22), a testament to God's restored favor. God will have compassion on those previously named "No Compassion," and He will say to those called "Not My People," "You are my people" (Hosea 2:23). This powerful reversal of fortune underscores God's delight in welcoming back His wayward children. Like the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), Hosea 2 reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and forgiveness. It is a message of hope and restoration.
Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ru–hamah.
Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.
And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.
For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.
For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.
Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.
And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.
I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.
And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.
For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.
And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;
And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Hosea 2 offers a powerful and poignant portrayal of God's relationship with Israel, characterized by both profound love and heartbreaking betrayal. This chapter masterfully weaves together themes of judgment, repentance, and ultimately, unwavering hope for restoration. It serves as a timeless reminder of God's persistent pursuit of His people, even in the face of their unfaithfulness.
Rebuke and Judgment (Hosea 2:1-4)
The Lord commands the people of Israel to confront their "mother," a symbolic representation of their leadership, for their infidelity. God declares, "She is not my wife, and I am not her husband" (Hosea 2:2). This stark declaration signifies the broken covenant and the initiation of divorce proceedings due to Israel's spiritual adultery. The consequences of their "promiscuous and idolatrous ways" (Tony Evans) are severe: God threatens to strip them bare, leaving them vulnerable and desolate (Hosea 2:2-3). The suffering will extend to all the people (Hosea 2:4), a direct result of their collective departure from God.
The Pursuit of False Lovers (Hosea 2:5-8)
Israel's unfaithfulness is likened to that of a prostitute chasing after lovers, believing they are the source of her provision (Hosea 2:5). They worshiped false gods, mistakenly attributing their blessings to these idols. However, God, in His mercy, intervenes to hinder their pursuit of these false gods, hoping to lead them back to Himself (Hosea 2:6-7). The tragedy lies in their ignorance; they failed to recognize that God was the true source of all their blessings (Hosea 2:8). He showered them with abundance, but they, in their spiritual blindness, offered these gifts to Baal, demonstrating a profound lack of gratitude and understanding.
Reckoning and Remembrance (Hosea 2:9-13)
By following Baal, Israel essentially thanked and worshiped the wrong god. As a result, the Lord declares an end to their abundant harvests (Hosea 2:9). Their celebrations and festivals will cease (Hosea 2:11), replaced by the emptiness of idolatry. They will plead with their idols to restore the blessings, but their cries will go unanswered (Hosea 2:10, 12). They reveled in an illicit affair, forgetting the "husband" who provided them with every comfort. The day of reckoning is inevitable, a consequence of their persistent rejection of God's love and provision (Hosea 2:13).
A Promise of Restoration (Hosea 2:14-17)
Amidst the pronouncements of judgment, a glimmer of hope emerges. God, through Hosea, expresses His enduring love and compassion for His people. He stands ready to forgive and restore (Hosea 2:14). He promises to "allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her" (Hosea 2:14), echoing the intimacy of their initial relationship. He will restore their fortunes, reminiscent of the days when they first came out of Egypt (Hosea 2:15), rejoicing in the God who delivered them. They will come to their senses, repent, and call the Lord, "My husband" (Hosea 2:16). The names of false gods will fade from memory (Hosea 2:17), replaced by a renewed devotion to the one true God. The tenacious love of God cannot be outrun.
A New Covenant and Lasting Peace (Hosea 2:18-23)
The Lord promises to protect His people and enable them to live in security (Hosea 2:18). "I will betroth you to me forever," He declares (Hosea 2:19). This is a glorious promise of a renewed covenant, a lasting relationship built on faithfulness and love. The land will once again yield its abundance (Hosea 2:21-22), a testament to God's restored favor. God will have compassion on those previously named "No Compassion," and He will say to those called "Not My People," "You are my people" (Hosea 2:23). This powerful reversal of fortune underscores God's delight in welcoming back His wayward children. Like the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), Hosea 2 reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and forgiveness. It is a message of hope and restoration.