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Hosea

About this book
Chapter 1

1 This is the Lord’s message that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the time of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the time of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, he said to him, “Go marry a prostitute who will bear illegitimate children conceived through prostitution because the nation continually commits spiritual prostitution by turning away from the Lord.” 3 So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. Then she conceived and gave birth to a son for him. 4 Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Name him ‘Jezreel,’ because in a little while I will punish the dynasty of Jehu on account of the bloodshed in the valley of Jezreel,⁠ and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. 5 At that time, I will destroy the military power of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.” 6 She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, “Name her ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah) because I will no longer have pity on the nation of Israel. For I will certainly not forgive their guilt.⁠ 7 But I will have pity on the nation of Judah. I will deliver them by the Lord their God; I will not deliver them by the warrior’s bow, by sword, by military victory, by chariot horses, or by chariots.” 8 When she had weaned “No Pity” (Lo-Ruhamah), she conceived again and gave birth to another son. 9 Then the Lord said: “Name him ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi) because you are not my people and I am not your God.” 10 (2:1) “However, in the future the number of the people of Israel will be like the sand of the sea that can be neither measured nor numbered. Although it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ it will be said to them, ‘You are children of the living God!’ 11 Then the people of Judah and the people of Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint for themselves one leader, and will flourish in the land. Certainly, the day of Jezreel will be great!

Texts in conversation

Compare Exodus 34:6 and Hosea 1:6

Hebrew Bible

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Summary

Hosea names the prophet’s daughter Lo-Ruhamah, meaning “no compassion,” in deliberate contrast to the language of Exodus 34 where God is compassionate and forgiving. This reversal functions as an ironic description of covenant failure.

Passages

Exodus 34:6

Hebrew Bible
5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the Lord by name. 6 The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, 7 keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” 8 Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped
750–400 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Exodus

Hosea 1:6

Hebrew Bible
5 At that time, I will destroy the military power of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.” 6 She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, “Name her ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah) because I will no longer have pity on the nation of Israel. For I will certainly not forgive their guilt. 7 But I will have pity on the nation of Judah. I will deliver them by the Lord their God; I will not deliver them by the warrior’s bow, by sword, by military victory, by chariot horses, or by chariots.”
600–501 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Hosea

References

"... The name of the daughter plays on two of the central concepts of Exodus 34:6-7 namely Yahweh’s compassion and his forgiveness. It is a cultural intertextual allusion in the sense that the precise text that lies behind this verse cannot be pinpointed. It is in fact an ironic recontextualisation of the positive statements in Exodus 34:6-7 and serves to heighten the theological crisis which Israel is in. The names of Hosea’s children function symbolically to indicate the end of Yahweh’s friendly disposition, his protection and his providence (Jeremias 1983:32) ..."
J. P. Bosman, “The Paradoxical Presence of Exodus 34:6–7 in the Book of the Twelve,” Scriptura 87 (2004): 233–243.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Exodus 34:6 and Hosea 1:6

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