The word of theLORDthat came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,andHezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
The beginning of the word of theLORDby Hosea. And theLORDsaid to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom,departingfrom theLORD.
So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
And theLORDsaid unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a littlewhile, 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.
And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. AndGodsaid unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.
But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by theLORDtheir God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.
Then saidGod, Call his name Lo-ammi: for yearenot my people, and I will not be yourGod.
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,thatin the place where it was said unto them, Yearenot my people,thereit shall be said unto them,Ye arethe sons of the living God.
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 greatshall bethe day of Jezreel.