Hosea 2:1-6

1 "People of Israel, call your brothers My People. And call your sisters My Loved Ones."

Israel Is Punished and Brought Back to the LORD

2 I said to my children, "Talk things over with your mother. Talk to her. She isn't acting like a wife to me anymore. She no longer treats me as her husband. Tell her to stop looking and acting like a prostitute. Tell her not to let her lovers lie on her breasts anymore.
3 If she doesn't stop it, I will strip her naked. I'll make her as bare as she was on the day she was born. I'll make her like a desert. She will become like dry land. And I'll let her die of thirst."
4 I won't show my love to Gomer's children. They are the children of other men.
5 Their mother hasn't been faithful to me. She who became pregnant with them has brought shame on herself. She said, "I will chase after my lovers. They give me my food and water. They provide me with wool and linen. They give me olive oil and wine."
6 So I will block her path with bushes that have thorns. I'll build a wall around her. Then she can't go to her lovers.

Hosea 2:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 2

This chapter is an explanation of the former, proceeding upon the same argument in more express words. The godly Israelites are here called upon to lay before the body of the people their idolatry, ingratitude, obstinacy, and ignorance of the God of their mercies; and to exhort them to repentance, lest they should be stripped of all their good things, and be brought into great distress and difficulties; all their joy and comfort cease, and be exposed to shame and contempt, Ho 2:1-13, yet, notwithstanding, many gracious promises are made unto them, of their having the alluring and comfortable word of the Gospel; of a door of hope; of salvation being opened to them; of faith in the Lord, and affection to him as their husband; of the removal of all idolatry from them; of safety from all enemies; of their open espousal to Christ; of his hearing of their prayers, and giving them plenty of all good things; and of their multiplication, conversion, and covenant relation to God, Ho 2:14-23.

Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica.   All rights reserved worldwide.