1The 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.
2The 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. 3So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. 4And 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.1.4 avenge: Heb. visit 5And 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 Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.1.6 Lo-ruhamah: that is, Not having obtained mercy1.6 no…: Heb. not add any more to1.6 but…: or, that I should altogether pardon them 7But 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 Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. 9Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.1.9 Lo-ammi: that is, Not my people
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.1.10 in…: or, instead of that 11Then 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.
Israels utroskab samt et løfte om genoprettelse
1-2Hoseas, Be’eris søn, modtog følgende profetiske budskaber fra Herren, mens henholdsvis Uzzija, Jotam, Ahaz og Hizkija var konge i Juda. Herren begyndte at tale til Hoseas, mens Jeroboam II, søn af Joash, var konge i Israel. Han sagde: „Gå hen og gift dig med en prostitueret, som har uægte børn. Det er et billede på Israels folk, som er mig utro, idet de har forladt mig for at tilbede fremmede guder.”
3Så giftede Hoseas sig med Gomer, en datter af Diblajim. Hun blev gravid og fødte ham en søn. 4Da sagde Herren til Hoseas: „Kald din søn Jizre’el, for jeg vil snart straffe Jehus efterkommere for massakren ved byen Jizre’el og gøre ende på Israels rige. 5På Jizre’els slette vil de lide nederlag.”
6Snart fik Gomer endnu et barn, og denne gang var det en datter. Herren sagde til Hoseas: „Kald hende Nådesløs, for jeg vil ikke længere vise nåde over for Israel. Jeg kan ikke blive ved med at se igennem fingre med deres utroskab. 7Derimod vil jeg vise nåde over for Judas folk og redde dem fra deres fjender. Det er ikke på grund af deres militære styrke, jeg giver dem sejr, men fordi jeg er deres Gud.”
8Efter at Gomer havde vænnet Nådesløs fra, blev hun gravid igen og fødte endnu en søn. 9Og Herren sagde: „Kald ham Ikke-Mit-Folk, for Israel er ikke mit folk, og jeg er ikke deres Gud.
