Hosea 1:2-4

Contemporary English Version

Hosea's Family

²The Lord said, “Hosea, Israel has betrayed me like an unfaithful wife.^[a] Marry such a woman and have children by her.” ³So I married Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and we had a son.

⁴^(A) Then the Lord said, “Hosea, name your son Jezreel,^[b] because I will soon punish the descendants of King Jehu of Israel for the murders he committed in Jezreel Valley.^[c] I will destroy his kingdom,

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Footnotes

1.2 unfaithful wife: In some Canaanite religions of Old Testament times, young women were expected to have sex with the worshipers of their god before marriage. Such women were called “temple prostitutes.” Many of the Israelite women did this same thing, and Hosea is told to marry one of them to show that the nation has turned from the Lord to worship idols.
1.4 Jezreel: In Hebrew “Jezreel” means “God scatters (seed).” Here the name is used as a threat (meaning the Lord will punish Israel by scattering its people), while in verse 11 it is used as a promise (meaning the Lord will bless Israel by giving their nation many people, just as a big harvest comes when many seeds are scattered in a field).
1.4 murders … Valley: Jehu murdered the wife and relatives of King Ahab (see 2 Kings 9.15—10.14).