1The word of the LORD that came to Hoshea son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel.2When the LORD first spoke through Hoshea, the LORD said to Hoshea, "Go, take for yourself a wife of fornication and children of fornication, because the land has committed great fornication by forsaking the LORD."3So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.4The LORD said to him, "Name him Jezreel, because in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel."5On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.6She conceived again and bore a daughter, and he said to him, "Name her No Mercy, because I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel; I will surely take them away."7Yet I will have compassion on the house of Judah and save them by the LORD their God; I will not save them by bow or sword or battle, by horses or horsemen.8After she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son.9He said, "Name him Not My People, for you are not my people and I will not be your God."10Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea that cannot be measured or counted, and in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it will be said to them, "Sons of the living God."11The sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together; they will appoint for themselves one head and will go up from the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.
Chapter 2
1Say to your brothers, "My people," and to your sisters, "Mercy."