In Hosea Chapter 1, the Lord commanded Hosea, whose father was named Beeri, to take an adulterous wife. The woman’s name was Gomer and this happened during the reign of Jeroboam, who was the King of Israel at the time.

God’s Request to Hosea

God requested that Hosea marry a prostitute because the people of Israel had turned to fornication and sinfulness. Gomer, as a result, represented the sinfulness of the people of Israel.

Jezreel is Born

Hosea does what God commanded and married Gomer, who was a daughter of a man named Diblaim. She conceived and had a son. God told Hosea to name his son Jezreel, because after a short time God would avenge the people killed by Jehu at Jezreel Valley. God also threatened to break the strength of the children of Israel in the valley named for Jezreel.

The Birth of Loruhamah

After a while, Gomer gave birth to another baby. This time it was a daughter. God told Hosea to name her Loruhamah. This was God’s way of letting Hosea know that He would no longer show mercy to the people of Israel and he would destroy them completely. Instead, God said He would be merciful to the people of Judah and He would not abandon them.

The Birth of Loammi

After Gomer weaned her daughter, she became pregnant again and had another boy. God told Hosea to name this boy Loammi, because the children of Israel were not His people anymore, and He would no longer be their God.

God’s Words for Israel

At the conclusion of Hosea Chapter 1, God told Hosea that the Israelites would be countless. He also said that He would embrace them again at some point in the future. He also said the houses of Judah and Israel would come together and become one people and have one leader.

Hosea 1 (King James Version)

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.

2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.

4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

7 But I will have mercy 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, by horses, nor by horsemen.

8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be 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 in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.