The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 The word of the Lord which 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 Joash, king of Israel.
1
This is the message which the Lord gave Hosea son of Beeri during the time that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.
2 The start of the word of the Lord by Hosea: And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take for yourself a wife of loose ways, and children of the same, for the land has been untrue to the Lord.
2
When the Lord first spoke to Israel through Hosea, he said to Hosea, "Go and get married; your wife will be unfaithful, and your children will be just like her. In the same way my people have left me and become unfaithful."
3 So he took as his wife Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she gave birth to a son.
3
So Hosea married a woman named Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. After the birth of their first child, a son,
4 And the Lord said to him, Give him the name of Jezreel, for after a little time I will send punishment for the blood of Jezreel on the line of Jehu, and put an end to the kingdom of Israel.
4
the Lord said to Hosea, "Name him "Jezreel,' because it will not be long before I punish the king of Israel for the murders that his ancestor Jehu committed at Jezreel. I am going to put an end to Jehu's dynasty.
5 And in that day I will let the bow of Israel be broken in the valley of Jezreel.
5
And in Jezreel Valley I will at that time destroy Israel's military power."
6 And after that she gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said, Give her the name Lo-ruhamah; for I will not again have mercy on Israel, to give them forgiveness.
6
Gomer had a second child - this time it was a daughter. The Lord said to Hosea, "Name her "Unloved,' because I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them.
7 But I will have mercy on Judah and will give them salvation by the Lord their God, but not by the bow or the sword or by fighting or by horses or horsemen.
7
But to the people of Judah I will show love. I, the Lord their God, will save them, but I will not do it by war - with swords or bows and arrows or with horses and horsemen."
8 Now when Lo-ruhamah had been taken from the breast, the woman gave birth to a son.
8
After Gomer had weaned her daughter, she became pregnant again and had another son.
9 And the Lord said, Give him the name Lo-ammi; for you are not my people, and I will not be your God.
9
The Lord said to Hosea, "Name him "Not-My-People,' because the people of Israel are not my people, and I am not their God."
10 But still the number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which may not be measured or numbered; and in place of its being said to them, You are not my people, it will be said to them, You are the sons of the living God
10
The people of Israel will become like the sand of the sea, more than can be counted or measured. Now God says to them, "You are not my people," but the day is coming when he will say to them, "You are the children of the living God!"
11 And the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together and take for themselves one head, and will go up from the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.
11
The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited. They will choose for themselves a single leader, and once again they will grow and prosper in their land. Yes, the day of Jezreel will be a great day!
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.