 1 The Word of the Lord came to 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 King Joash of Israel. 2 The beginning of the Lord speaking by Hosea. The Lord said to Hosea, Go. Take a wife of adultery and children of adultery. For the land has utterly gone lusting away from the Lord. 3 So he took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, who conceived and gave+ him a son. 4 The Lord said to him, Call his name God Will Sow. For still in a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease. 5 In that day, I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. 6 She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter and God said, Call her name Loruhamah no mercy. For I will have no more mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away. 7 I will have mercy on the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God. But I will not save them by bow nor by sword nor by battle, and not by horses or by horsemen. 8 When she had weaned Loruhamah no mercy, she conceived and gave birth to a son. 9 He said, Call his name Loammi not mine. For you are not my people and I will not be your God. 10 Yet the number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea that cannot be measured nor numbered. In the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there it will be said to them, You are the sons of the living God. 11 Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together and will appoint over themselves one head, and they will come up out of the land. For great will be the day of Jezreel.
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