Hosea 1

Introduction

From the beginning of her symbolic marriage to God, the Nation of Israel had played the harlot. Even when Moses was up on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments, the people were down in the valley committing adultery with a false god. We cannot realize how this continued unfaithfulness must have broken the heart of God.

In the Book of Hosea, God paints a picture of his own suffering through the marriage of his prophet. The prophet Hosea was told to go and marry a wife of harlotry or whoredom. Commentators are not entirely sure if his wife was already a harlot or if she was destined to become one. This is not just a picture of Israel but often a picture of the Church. James Montgomery Boice, American theologian and broadcaster, says, “He married us when we were unclean. He knew that we would prove unfaithful again and again.” [1] The Bible says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8 NET).

The history of the northern kingdom, also called Israel or Ephraim, began with adultery. Jeroboam (I) (reigned 931-910 BC), also known as Jeroboam Son of Nebat, became king when Israel broke away from Judah after King Solomon’s death. The prophets always saw this split as wrong and looked to Judah as being the legitimate heir of the covenant. [2]

One of Jeroboam’s first acts was to erect golden calves at Dan and Bethel. Probably, these were meant to represent the True God and keep the people from rejoining with Judah and its temple, but they quickly became scenes of pagan worship. This king earned for himself the epitaph, “Jeroboam, the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin” (cf. 1 Ki. 22:52; 2 Ki. 3:3; 23:15).

Jeroboam’s sin was also reflected later in Israel’s King Ahab, who reigned from 874 to 853 BC. Ahab married Jezebel, a pagan princess who turned the hearts of Israel away from the True God to worship and serve the false God Baal. We can see how Israel’s leadership was steeped in pagan worship from its beginning.

With the sad experiences of Hosea, we can realize how unfaithfulness, sexual and otherwise, can bring great sorrow and suffering to God and to people in general. Hosea’s name means “salvation,” and it is God who can bring salvation and restoration to the worst of our situations.

The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel: Hosea 1:1

We do not know much about the Prophet Hosea. We know his father’s name was Beeri, which means “my well” in Hebrew. [1] We are told that Hosea ministered during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and Jeroboam (II), son of Jehoash, the king of Israel. King Uzziah’s reign was from 783 to 742 BC. There seems to be some variation in the dating of these kings, but in any case, their combined reigns would come close to 100 years. We can say from this that Hosea ministered for a very long period. Faussett feels that the prophet may have ministered for about 60 years. [2] Some feel that he was present for the Assyrian conquest of the Northern Kingdom (Samaria or Hebrew Shomron ) in 722 BC. He probably was, seeing that he ministered even to King Hezekiah’s reign (715-686 BC).

The name “Hosea” is only mentioned in the Book of Hosea itself and in Romans 9:25. Jesus does make mention of Hosea’s teaching that God desires mercy and not sacrifice (Hos. 6:6) in Matthew 9:13; 12:7. In Matthew 2:15, he relates Hosea 11:1 to Christ. Luke 23:30 refers to Hosea 10:8. Both Paul and Peter make other references to his teaching in 1 Corinthians 15:55, and 1 Peter 2:9-10. [3]

Bible scholars, Pfeiffer & Harrison say, “Hosea…was the one writing prophet of the northern kingdom to address his own people. Speaking to them with a broken heart, he prophesied their impending exile (Hos. 3:4).” [4] Bob Utley, US Baptist scholar and author, remarks that Hosea has been called “the Jeremiah of Israel,” “the Apostle John of the Old Testament,” and “Israel’s first evangelist.” [5] He was probably a contemporary of the great prophets Isaiah and Mica in Judah.

Hosea’s Family

When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the LORD.” Hosea 1:2

What we see as we begin this verse is an action sermon. Such sermons were given when people had turned a deaf ear to God’s word and when their hearts had become hardened. These sermons were delivered in hopes that people would awaken to reality and truth. We see several action sermons in Scripture. Isaiah once walked the streets stripped as a prisoner of war, and Jeremiah once carried a yoke around on his shoulders. However, there was probably no action sermon that compared with Hosea marrying a harlot to illustrate Israel’s infidelity to God. [6] John Phillips, Anglican Bible scholar and translator, says of this: “He could hardly believe his ears. Hosea was a young, God-fearing, idealistic, pure-minded, clean-living man, and the voice told him to marry a whore!” [7]

As we mentioned briefly, commentators have had varying ideas about the woman he married. We read in Leviticus 21:7 that a priest could not marry a prostitute. Likely the same requirement would apply to a prophet. Some have wanted to treat the story as an allegory of sorts. Others have seen his bride as one of the many shrine prostitutes. Yet, others have pictured her as a virgin who later fell into prostitution. Charles L. Feinberg, biblical professor, comments, “Just as Luke presents the prodigal son, so Hosea portrays the prodigal wife. Yet, nowhere in the whole range of God’s revelation do we find more beautiful words of love than in Hosea 2:14-16; 6:1-4; 11:1-4, 8, 9; 14:4-8.” [8] We do see at least one more instance of this type of relationship in Scripture. Salmon married the prostitute Rahab and begat Boaz. He, in turn, produced Obed, who produced Jesse, the father of David. (cf. Matt. 1:5).

Widely recognized Bible teacher, David Guzik, comments here: “Through his command to Hosea, God brings to life a consistent picture used throughout the Old Testament. In this picture, the LORD is the husband of Israel, and their passionate, chronic attraction for idols was like the lust of an adulterer. His people were as unfaithful as a prostitute was…” [9]

“So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son” (1:3). The name Gomer has the Hebrew meaning of “ending” or “completing.” [10] She certainly ended the prophet’s chances of a holy marriage. However, the deeper meaning undoubtedly pointed to God, who was about to finish his relationship with Israel. We see this meaning in the next two verses. From all appearances, Hosea loved his wife, and together they had their first child, a son. Scripture seems to make clear that the son really belonged to Hosea.

“Then the LORD said to Hosea, ‘Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel’” (1:4). Jezreel is an important word in the Bible. It speaks geographically of a large fertile valley that runs from the modern Haifa area on the Mediterranean Sea eastward to the Jordan River. Unfortunately, the valley made a natural invasion route, and many battles were fought in it. Deborah and Barak, Gideon, and King Saul all fought in the valley. Saul was defeated and killed by the Philistines, and good King Josiah was killed in the same valley by the Egyptians. King Jehu also destroyed the remnants of Ahab’s kingdom in the valley. This verse focuses on the valley’s last war.

It is interesting that the coming battle of the ages will be fought in this same valley near the city of Meggido. It is referred to in the New Testament as Armageddon ( har Meggido or mount of Meggido). The world’s military commanders will surely recognize that Israel can be divided into two parts by conquering the valley. In that great battle, the arriving Christ will defeat the Antichrist and the world’s armies in the Valley of Jezreel. Truly, great will be the day of Jezreel!

Toward the western end of the valley is the ancient city of Jezreel. This city was the capital of Ahab’s kingdom. It was the focus point of all his wickedness. God commanded Jehu to put an end to Ahab’s kingdom. Unfortunately, Jehu conducted an awful bloodbath that went far beyond God’s command.

Jezreel means “to sow” or “to scatter.” Because of Jehu’s sins, he was only promised that his sons would reign on Israel’s throne until the fourth generation (2 Ki. 10:30). His heirs were Jehohaz, Jehoash, and Jeroboam (II). Jeroboam (II), who reigned from 786 to 746, was the most stable and prosperous. His son Zechariah was assassinated after reigning for only six months. After his reign, God began the process of scattering Israel. Several kings were assassinated or had very brief reigns. Of course, the actual scattering would happen with the fall of Israel to Assyria in 722 BC.

British Bible scholar Donald Guthrie asks of Jehu, “Why was his house to be punished? Perhaps he exceeded his duty with misguided zeal (2 Ki. 10:16ff), killed a king of Judah or, more likely, his own heart was not right with God (2 Ki. 10:29, 31).” [11]

“In that day I will break Israel’s bow in the Valley of Jezreel” (1:5). The ‘breaking of the bow of Israel’ simply meant that the power of Israel’s army would be broken (cf. Psa. 46:9; Jer. 49:35). Israel had taken great pride in her army and armaments. [12] God began to punish Israel around 740 BC with the Assyrian invasion and captivity of the three tribes east of the Jordan River (1 Chron. 5:26). In 722, Samaria, the capital city, fell to Shalmaneser V (2 Kings 17:6). The people were later deported to Assyria. The sad Bible comment explaining this reads:

All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced (2 Ki. 17:7-8).

“Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the LORD said to Hosea, ‘Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them’” (1:6). The Bible does not mention that this child was born to Hosea, as in the case of the first child. Apparently, this daughter was not Hosea’s child. [13] Peter Pett, British Bible scholar comments, “For a child in Israel to be given a negative name was a rarity (names were intended to indicate something positive), so that for a daughter to be named ‘unloved’ would have been seen as striking indeed.” [14]

The name Lo-Ruhama in Hebrew means “not loved” or “no mercy.” What a terrible name for a new little baby girl. Perhaps she received no mercy and cuddling love from her mother. However, we can be certain that her father tried to fill this gap. Her name, No More Mercy, signified the breach of God’s covenant with the northern kingdom.

“Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them – not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the LORD their God, will save them” (1:7). As we mentioned earlier, the prophets considered Judah as the true recipient of the covenants. Although there was a lot of sin and idolatry in Judah, God would give her 136 more years of mercy. This was vividly illustrated when the Assyrian King Sennacherib tried to conquer Jerusalem. He surrounded the city and boasted of how he would destroy it. However, good King Hezekiah put on sackcloth and sought the Lord. In answer to the king’s boasts, the prophet Isaiah promised that Sennacherib would not conquer the city. When Sennacherib woke up in the morning, he discovered that during the night, the angel of the Lord came into his camp and slew 185,000 of his soldiers. The king quickly retreated to Assyria, where two of his sons struck him down. This incredible and miraculous story is recorded for us in 2 Kings, chapter 19.

“After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. Then the LORD said, ‘Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God’” (1:8-9). The weaning of children was apparently a slow process in the ancient Middle East. Early American theologian Albert Barnes says, “Eastern women very commonly nursed their children two, or even three (2 Macc. 7:27) years.” [15] It seems very apparent from the name that this newborn son was not a son of Hosea but of someone else. God had promised in Leviticus 26:12 and Exodus 6:7 that he would take Israel for his people. Now, in the naming of Lo-Ammi, God has reversed his great promises.

Hope In A Time Of Despair

Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” they will be called “children of the living God.” Hosea 1:10

The dark cloud hanging over Israel has a silver lining. Somewhere in the future, God would reverse himself once more and favor Israel. This is a mysterious section of Scripture. Not only would Israel be restored, but her people would be as numerous as the sand of the world’s seashores.

There appear to be two lines of fulfillment in these strange verses. God would not forget the northern kingdom. Utley comments, “In God’s strong rejection of Israel (cf. Hos. 1:1-9; 2:1-13; 3:1-4), he offers acceptance (cf. Hos. 1:10-11; 2:14-23; 3:5). This swing in emphasis is characteristic of the prophet’s presentation of God.” [16] In New Testament times we even see the apostles writing about the scattered northern tribes of Israel (James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1). Feinberg says: “In verses 1:10 through 2:1 the prophet promises five great blessings to Israel: (1) national increase (1:10a); (2) national conversion (1:10b); (3) national reunion (1:11a); (4) national leadership (1:11b); (5) national restoration (2:1).” [17]

The “Lost Tribes” will be found. It appears that we are in a day when this is happening. For several years, I was the Director of an outreach program to new immigrants in Israel. Normally, at our establishment, there were lines of new immigrants awaiting our gifts of food, bedding, kitchen utensils, and other items provided by Christians abroad. Occasionally, we welcomed people from the Caspian Sea and other faraway areas who claimed to be a part of the ten tribes. It is of note today that there are organizations in Israel that focus on bringing these scattered tribes home.

A lot of attention has been turned to a people calling themselves Bnei Menashe, or of the tribe of Manasseh, in northwest India. They had managed to keep their Jewish identity intact for 2,700 years. Recently in the Jerusalem Post it was noted that the State of Israel had authorized the remaining 6,000 members of Beni Menashe to immigrate to Israel by the year 2030. That will be in addition to the 5000 members already living in Israel. [18] Interestingly, the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem has sponsored nearly half of the flights bringing Beni Menashe home since 2012. [19]

Also, regarding the southlands, God says in Isaiah 43:6, “Do not hold them back.” Ethiopia in the south had been detaining Ethiopian Jews at its airport for a year. On May 24, 1991, in one 33-hour period, some 15,000 Ethiopians were flown to Israel in one giant secret airlift. Today, there are over 150,000 Ethiopian Jews living in Israel. The Ethiopian Jews, known as Beta Israel, feel like they are from the lost tribe of Dan. They, too, had maintained their Jewish heritage for some 2,700 years.

The second line of fulfillment concerns us, Gentile believers in Jesus ( Yeshua ). The Apostle tells us that by grace and faith in Jesus we become grafted into the old Jewish olive tree (Rom. 11:17). Although we do not replace Israel, somehow we are grafted into that cut that once removed the northern kingdom. Paul writes in Romans 9:25-26, “As he says in Hosea: ‘I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,’ and, ‘In the very place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’” He clearly uses this verse to explain how we believing Gentiles are now a part of Israel. See also Hosea 2:23 for another picture of this truth.

“The people of Judah and the people of Israel will come together; they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel” (1:11). The northern kingdom, known as the lost tribes, will not be rejected forever. Numerous Scriptures speak of its restoration in the end days. These are Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 11:13; Isaiah 54:7; Jeremiah 24:6; Jeremiah 31:10-14; Jeremiah 31:28; Jeremiah 32:41; Ezekiel. 34:23; 37:15-28; Amos 9:11, 15; Micah 2:12; 4:6).

Footnotes

1. James Montgomery Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1986), p.17.

2. Bob Utley, Free Bible Commentary, https://www.freebiblecommentary.org/old_testament_studies/VOL10OT/VOL10OT.html

Chapter 1

1. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 1:1.

2. Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Commentary on Hosea, Intro.

3. James Burton Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, Hosea. University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999, v. 1:1. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc/hosea.html

4. Charles F. Pfeiffer & Everett F. Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), p. 801.

5. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Intro.

6. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 1394.

7. John Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1998), p. 40.

8. Charles L. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1990), p.14.

9. David Guzik, The Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Hosea, 2024, 1:2. enduringword.com.

10. Francis Brown, S.R. Driver & Charles Briggs, A Hebrew And English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1957), p. 170.

11. D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer, A.M. Stibbs, D. J. Wiseman, The New Bible Commentary: Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970), p. 705.

12. Peter Pett, Pett’s Commentary, vs. 1: 4-5. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/pet/hosea.html

13. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 18.

14. Pett, Pett’s Commentary, vs. 1: 4-5.

15. Albert Barnes, Barnes’ Notes, v. 1:8. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bnb/hosea.html

16. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, vs. 1:10-11.

17. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 18.

18. Michael Freund, The Jerusalem Post, Nov. 30, 2025, https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-876404

19. https://www.icej.org/blog/icej-helping-new-wave-of-bnei-menashe-return-to-zion/