Hosea 1:9

9 ADONAI said, "Name him Lo-'Ammi [not-my-people], because you are not my people, and I will not be your [God].

Hosea 1:9 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 1:9

Then said God, call his name Loammi
Which Aben Ezra interprets of the children of the ten tribes horn in captivity, who never returned; but it rather signifies the ten tribes themselves, who were carried captive and had this name given them for the reason following: for ye are not my people;
though he had chosen them to be his people above all people, and had distinguished them from others by various blessings and privileges; yet they did not behave as such to him; they did not serve, obey, and worship him, but the calves at Dan and Bethel; and therefore did not deserve the name of his people: hence he says, and I will not be your
or "yours" F1; that is, as we supply it, and so Aben Ezra, "your God"; will not behave toward you as such; will not take you under my care and protection, or continue you in your land, and in the enjoyment of the blessings of it; will not be your King, patron, and defender, but give you up into the hands of your enemies. This respects the captivity of the ten tribes by Shalmaneser, ( 2 Kings 17:6 ) . The Targum is,

``for ye are not my people; because ye do not confirm the words of my law, my word shall not be your help.''

FOOTNOTES:

F1 (Mkl hyha al) "non ero vester", Pagninus; "nec ego sum futurus vester", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Hosea 1:9 In-Context

7 But I will pity the house of Y'hudah; I will save them not by bow, sword, battle, horses or cavalry, but by ADONAI their God."
8 After weaning Lo-Ruchamah, she conceived and bore a son.
9 ADONAI said, "Name him Lo-'Ammi [not-my-people], because you are not my people, and I will not be your [God].
10 "Nevertheless, the people of Isra'el will number as many as the grains of sand by the sea, which cannot be measured or counted; so that the time will come when, instead of being told, 'You are not my people,' it will be said to them, 'You are the children of the living God.'
11 Then the people of Y'hudah and the people of Isra'el will be gathered together; they will appoint for themselves one leader; and they will go up out of the land; for that will be a great day, [the day] of Yizre'el.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.