TRV
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
Say to your brothers, 'Ammi [My People]!' and to your sisters, 'Ruchamah [Pitied]!'
World English Bible Messianic
“Say to your brothers, ‘My people!’ and to your sisters, ‘My loved one!’
See also
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In the KJVVerse 22,107 of 31,102
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Commentary on Hosea 2 verses 1–5
1 ¶ Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.
2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
3 Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.
4 And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.
5 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
The first words of this chapter some make the close of the foregoing chapter, and add them to the promises which we have here of the great things God would do for them. When they shall have appointed Christ their head, and centered in him, then let them say to one another, with triumph and exultation (let the prophets say it to them, so the Chaldee - Comfort you, comfort you, my people, is now their commission), "say to them, Ammi, and Ruhamah; call them so again, for they shall no longer lie under the reproach and doom of Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah; they shall now be my people again, and shall obtain mercy." God's spiritual Israel, made up of Jews and Gentiles without distinction, shall call one another brethren and sisters, shall own one another for the people of God and beloved of him, and, for that reason, shall embrace one another, and stir up one another both to give thanks for and to walk worthy of this common salvation which they partake of. Or rather, because the following words seem to have a coherence with these, these also are designed for conviction and humiliation. The mother (Hos 2:2) seems to be the same with the brethren and sisters (Hos 2:1), the church of the ten tribes, the body of the people, who were brethren, and in a special manner with the heads and leaders, who were as the mother by whom the rest were brought up and nursed. But who are the children that must plead with their mother thus? Either, 1. The godly that were among them, that witnessed against the iniquities of the times, let them boldly go on to bear their testimony against the idolatries and gross corruptions that prevail among them. Let those that had not bowed the knee to Baal reason the case with those that had, and endeavour to convince them with such arguments as are here put into their mouths. Note, Private persons may, and ought in their places, to appear and plead against the public profanations of God's name and worship. Children may humbly and modestly argue with their parents when they do amiss: Plead with your mother, plead, as Jonathan with Saul concerning David. Or, 2. The sufferers among them, that shared in the calamities of the times, let them not complain of God, let them not quarrel with him, nor lay the blame on him, as if he had dealt hardly with them, and not like a tender father. No; let them plead with their mother, and lay the fault on her, where it ought to be laid; compare Isa 50:1. "For her transgressions is your mother put away; she may thank herself, and you may thank her for all your miseries." Let us see now how they must plead with her.
I. They must put here in mind of the relation wherein she had stood to God, the kindness he had had for her, the many favours he had bestowed upon her, and the further favours he had designed her. Let them tell their brethren and sisters that they had been Ammi and Ruhamah, that they had been God's people and vessels of his mercy, and might have been so still if it had not been their own fault, Hos 2:1. Note, Our relation to God and dependence on him are a great aggravation of our revolts from him and rebellions against him.
II. They must, in God's name, charge her with the violation of the marriage-covenant between her and God. Let them tell her that God does not look upon her as his wife, nor upon himself as her husband any longer. Tell her (Hos 2:2) that she is not my wife, neither am I her husband, that by her spiritual whoredom she has forfeited all the honour and comfort of her relation to God, and provoked him to give her a bill of divorce. Note, No consideration can be more powerful to awaken us to repentance than the provocation we have by sin given to God to disown and cast us off. It is time to look about us, and to think what course we must take, when God threatens to reject us; for woe unto us if he be not our husband. They must charge this home upon her (Hos 2:5): Their mother has played the harlot; their congregation has run a whoring after false prophets (so the Chaldee), or, rather, after idols, wherein they were encouraged by their false prophets; she that conceived them has done shamefully, in making and worshipping idols. An idol is called a shame (Hos 9:10) and idolatry is a shameful thing. It is not only an affront to God, but a reproach to men, to fall down to the stock of a tree, as the prophet speaks. Or it denotes that the sinner was shameless, impudent in sin, and could not blush; Jer 6:15. Or, She has made ashamed, has made all that see her ashamed of her; her own children are ashamed of their relation to her.
III. They must upbraid her with her horrid ingratitude to God her benefactor, in ascribing to her idols the glory of the gifts he had given her, and then giving that for a reason why she paid them the homage due to him only, Hos 2:5. In this she did shamefully indeed, that she said, I will go after my lovers that give me my bread and my water. Observe here, 1. Her wicked resolution to persist in idolatry, notwithstanding all that God said, both by his prophets and by his providences, to draw her from it. She said, Whatever is offered to the contrary, I will go after my lovers, or those that cause me to love them, whom I cannot but be in love with. The Chaldee understands it of the nations whose alliance Israel courted and depended upon, who supplied them with what they needed. But it is rather to be understood of the idols they worshipped, to justify their love of which they called them their lovers. See who do shamefully; those that are wilful and resolute in sin, and those that openly profess and own their resolution to go on in it. See the folly of idolaters, to call those their lovers that had not so much as life; yet let us learn to call our God our lover; let us keep up good thoughts of him, and put a high value upon our interest in him and in his love. 2. The gross mistake upon which this resolution was grounded: "I will go after my lovers, because they give me my bread and my water, which are necessary to sustain the body, my wool and my flax, which are necessary to clothe the body, and pleasant things, my oil, and my drink, my liquors" (so the word is), "wine and strong drink." Note, (1.) The things of sense are the best things with carnal hearts, and the most powerful attractives, in pursuit of which they care not what they follow after. The God of Israel set before them his statutes and judgments (Deu 4:8), more to be desired than gold, and sweeter than honey (Psa 119:10), promised them his favour, which would put gladness in their hearts more than corn, wine, and oil (Psa 4:7); but they had no relish at all for these things. Whence they thought their oil and their drink came, thither they would return their best affections. O curvae in terram animae et coelestium inanes! - O degenerate minds, bending towards the earth, and devoid of every thing heavenly! (2.) It is a great abuse and injury to God, in pursuance of the pleasures and delights of sense to forsake him, who not only gives us better things, but gives us even those things too. The idolaters made Ceres the goddess of their corn, Bacchus the god of their wine, etc., and then foolishly fancied they had their corn and wine from these, forgetting the Lord their God, who both gave them that good land and gave them power to get wealth out of it. (3.) Many are hardened in sin by their worldly prosperity. They had an abundance of those things when they served their idols, and then imagined them to be given them by their idols, which kept them to their service; thus they argued (Jer 44:17, Jer 44:18), While we burnt incense to the queen of heaven we had plenty of victuals.
IV. They must persuade her to repent and reform. God will disown her if she persist in her whoredoms; let her therefore put away her whoredoms, Hos 2:2. Let her be convinced that it is possible for her to reform; the idols, dear as they are, may yet be parted with; and it will certainly be well with her if she do reform. Note, Our pleading with sinners must be to drive them to repentance, not to drive them to despair. Let her put away her whoredoms and her adulteries; the doubling of words to the same purport, and both plural, denotes the abundance of idolatries they were guilty of, all which must be abandoned ere God would be reconciled to them. Let her put them out of her sight, as detestable things which she cannot endure to look upon; let her say unto them, Get you hence, Isa 30:22. Let her put them from her face and from between her breasts, that is, let her not do as harlots use to do, that both discover their own wicked disposition, and allure others to wickedness, by painting their faces, and exposing their naked breasts, and adorning them; let her not thus, by annexing all possible gaieties and pleasures to the worship of idols, engage herself and allure others to it. let her put away all these. Every sinful course, persisted in, is an adulterous departure from God. And here we may see what it is truly to repent of it and turn from it. 1. True penitents will forsake both open sins, will put away not only the whoredoms that lie in sight, but those that lie in secret between their breasts, the sin that is rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel. 2. They will both avoid the outward occasions of sin and mortify the inward disposition to it. Idolaters walked after their own eyes, which went a whoring after their idols (Eze 6:9, Deu 4:19), and therefore they must put them away out of their sight, lest they should be tempted to worship them. Look not upon the wine when it is red. But that is not enough: the axe must be laid to the root; the corrupt bent and inclination of the heart must be changed, and it must be put away from between the breasts, that Christ alone may have the innermost and uppermost place there. Sol 1:13.
V. They must show her the utter ruin that will certainly be the fatal consequence of her sin if she do not repent and reform (Hos 2:3): Lest I strip her naked. This comes in here not by way of sentence passed upon her, but by way of warning given to her, that she may prevent it: Let her put away her whoredoms, that I may not strip her naked (so it may be read), intimating that God waits to show mercy to sinners, if they would but qualify themselves for that mercy. It is here threatened that God will deal with her as the just and jealous husband at length does with an adulterous wife, that has filled his house with a spurious brood, and will not be reclaimed; he turns her and her children out of doors and sends them a begging; I will not have mercy upon her children (Hos 2:4); the particular persons that share in the calamity of the nation, and the rising generation, shall be ruined by it, for they are children of whoredoms, and keep up the vain conversation received by tradition from their fathers. Now it is here threatened that they shall be both stripped and starved. They thought their idols gave them their bread and their water, their wool and their flax; but God, by taking them away, will let them know that it was he that gave them. 1. She shall be stripped: Lest I strip her of all her ornaments which she is proud of, and with which she courts her lovers, strip her and set her as in the day that she was born, send her as naked out of the world as she came into it; this death does, Job 1:21. I will strip her, and so expose her to cold, and expose her to shame; and justly is she exposed to shame that did shamefully, Hos 2:5. The day when God brought them out of Egypt, where they were no better than slaves and beggars, was the day in which they were born; and God threatens to bring them back to as low and miserable a condition as he then found them in. Whatever they had that either gained them respect or screened them from contempt, among their neighbours, should be taken from them. See Eze 16:4, Eze 16:39. 2. She shall be starved, shall be deprived not only of her honours, but of her comforts and necessary supports. She shall be famished, shall be made as a wilderness and a dry land, and slain with thirst. She that boasted so much of her bread and water, her oil and her drinks, which her lovers had given her, shall not have so much as necessary food. The land shall not afford subsistence for the inhabitants, for want of the rain of heaven; or, if it do, it shall be taken from them by the enemy, so that the rightful owners shall perish for want of it. Some understand it thus: I will make her as she was in the wilderness, and set her as she was in the desert land, where she was sometimes ready to perish for thirst. So it explains the former part of the verse: I will set her as in the day that she was born; for it was in the vast howling wilderness that Israel was first formed into a people. They shall be in as deplorable a condition as their fathers were, whose carcases fell in the wilderness, and in this respect, worse, that then the children were reserved to be heirs of the land of promise, but now I will not have mercy upon her children, for their mother has played the harlot.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Hosea 2:1
"Tell your brothers and sisters, my people, that they have attained mercy." LXX: "Say to your brother, my people, and to your sister, having obtained mercy." Because the day of Jezrael is great, on which Judas and Israel will have one prince, and it will not be said of Israel, "you are not my people," but on the contrary they will be called the children of the living God. Therefore, O men of the tribe of Judah, do not despair of the ten tribes' salvation, but daily provoke them to repentance by speech, prayer, vow and letters because they are your brothers and sisters: brothers because they are called "my people," sisters because they are called "having obtained mercy." Otherwise: You who believe in Christ, being both from the Jews and from the Gentiles, say to those who have been cut off and to the former people, "You are my people," because they are your brothers, and "having obtained mercy" because they are your sisters. "For when the fullness of the Gentiles has entered, then all Israel shall be saved." (Romans 11:25). The same thing is prescribed to us, that we do not completely despair of heretics, but that we provoke them to penance: and we desire their salvation with the affection of brotherhood.
Richard ChallonerAD 1781
Say ye to your brethren: or, Call your brethren, My people: and your sister, Her that hath obtained mercy. This is connected with the latter end of the foregoing chapter, and relates to the converts of Israel.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Hosea 2:1 marks a profound turning point in the book of Hosea, transitioning from divine pronouncements of judgment to a vibrant declaration of God's unwavering commitment to restore His unfaithful people. Following the symbolic naming of Hosea's children—Lo-Ammi ("not my people") and Lo-Ruhamah ("not having obtained mercy")—this verse commands a prophetic reversal, instructing the people to declare that their brethren are now "Ammi" ("my people") and their sisters "Ruhamah" ("having obtained mercy"), thereby signaling God's ultimate intention for reconciliation, renewed covenant relationship, and abundant compassion.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Hosea 2:1 stands as a pivotal hinge between chapters of severe judgment and subsequent promises of restoration. In the preceding chapter, God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer, a harlot, and their children were given symbolic names reflecting Israel's spiritual adultery and the consequences of their unfaithfulness. Jezreel represented judgment on the house of Jehu; Lo-Ruhamah ("not having obtained mercy") signified God's withdrawal of compassion from Israel; and Lo-Ammi ("not my people") declared a temporary severing of the covenant relationship. However, even within the judgment of Hosea 1, a glimmer of hope appears in Hosea 1:10-11, promising a future where Israel would again be called "children of the living God" and reunited under one head. Hosea 2:1 immediately follows this prophetic hope, not as a mere prediction, but as a direct command to declare the reversal, setting the stage for the extensive promises of restoration, reconciliation, and renewed covenant found throughout the remainder of Hosea 2.
Historical & Cultural Context: The prophet Hosea ministered to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the 8th century BCE, a period marked by significant political instability, social injustice, and rampant idolatry, particularly the worship of Baal. Israel had repeatedly broken their covenant with Yahweh, engaging in spiritual prostitution by pursuing foreign gods and alliances. This unfaithfulness provoked God's righteous judgment, which Hosea vividly portrays through his own challenging marriage and family life. Culturally, the concept of a suzerain-vassal treaty, common in the ancient Near East, provides a backdrop for understanding God's covenant with Israel. Just as a suzerain would impose curses for covenant violations before offering terms for restoration, God's judgment was designed to bring Israel to repentance, ultimately aiming for their return to a right relationship with Him, reflecting His enduring faithfulness despite their infidelity.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully encapsulates several core themes central to Hosea's prophecy and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights Divine Reversal and Restoration, demonstrating God's sovereign power and merciful character to reverse His own judgments and bring about reconciliation. Despite Israel's profound unfaithfulness, God's ultimate desire is not destruction but restoration, as seen in the transformation of their identity from "not my people" to "my people." Secondly, it underscores God's Unfailing Covenant Faithfulness. Even when Israel broke their covenant through idolatry and spiritual adultery, God's steadfast love (Hebrew: hesed) and commitment to His promises endure. This verse is a testament to His unwavering loyalty to the covenant He established, promising a renewed relationship where His people will once again experience His tender mercy. Finally, the verse is saturated with themes of Mercy and Redemption. The very names "Ammi" and "Ruhamah" are not merely labels but prophetic declarations of God's renewed compassion and His redemptive work, signifying that His people will once again experience His tender mercy and be acknowledged as truly His own, an echo of God's self-revelation as "merciful and gracious" in Exodus 34:6-7.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Hosea 2:1 is rich in literary devices that amplify its profound theological message. The most prominent is Symbolism, where the names "Ammi" and "Ruhamah" are not merely labels but potent symbols of God's redemptive work, directly countering the symbolic names of judgment (Lo-Ammi, Lo-Ruhamah) from Hosea 1. This creates a powerful Prophetic Reversal, where the very terms of judgment are transformed into declarations of grace, highlighting God's capacity to restore what was broken. The verse also employs Direct Address ("Say ye unto your brethren... and to your sisters"), engaging the audience directly and commanding them to participate in the proclamation of this new reality. This active participation underscores the communal nature of both Israel's sin and God's restoration. Furthermore, there is an element of Dramatic Irony in the divine command, as those who were once "not my people" are now commanded to declare themselves "my people," showcasing the unexpected and overwhelming nature of God's grace.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hosea 2:1 is a powerful testament to the enduring nature of God's covenant love and His profound desire for reconciliation, even in the face of profound human unfaithfulness. It reveals a God who, despite His righteous judgment, remains committed to His promises and is rich in mercy. This verse underscores the biblical truth that God's ultimate character is defined by His steadfast love and compassion, which triumphs over sin and estrangement. It teaches us that identity as God's people is not solely based on human merit or performance, but ultimately on His sovereign choice and redemptive work. The reversal of "Lo-Ammi" and "Lo-Ruhamah" to "Ammi" and "Ruhamah" is a microcosm of the entire biblical narrative of redemption, demonstrating God's initiative to restore broken relationships and draw His people back into intimate fellowship with Himself.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hosea 2:1 offers profound hope and encouragement for believers today, reminding us of God's incredible grace and His willingness to forgive, restore, and reclaim, even when we have strayed far from Him. It challenges us to reflect on our own identity in Christ: are we living as "Ammi," truly God's people, and "Ruhamah," those who have obtained His mercy? This verse assures us that no matter how deep our sin or how far we've drifted, God's arms are open, eager to restore us to a place of intimate relationship and belonging. It encourages us to embrace His forgiveness, to live in the reality of our new identity, and to be active participants in declaring His truth and grace to others, just as the Israelites were commanded to declare "Ammi" and "Ruhamah." This passage calls us to live in the freedom and security of being truly God's own, redeemed by His compassion.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God use such harsh names like "Lo-Ammi" and "Lo-Ruhamah" for His people in the first place?
Answer: God used these harsh names (Lo-Ammi, meaning "not my people," and Lo-Ruhamah, meaning "not having obtained mercy") in Hosea 1 as symbolic prophetic acts. They were not arbitrary but served as vivid, painful illustrations of the severe consequences of Israel's spiritual adultery and covenant unfaithfulness. By breaking their covenant with Yahweh through idolatry and injustice, Israel had, in effect, severed their relationship with God and forfeited His mercy. The names represented God's righteous judgment and the temporary withdrawal of His favor, intended to shock Israel into repentance and underscore the gravity of their sin. They were a divine indictment, not a final rejection, but a means to highlight the depth of their rebellion and the necessity of divine intervention for restoration.
How does Hosea 2:1 apply to Christians today?
Answer: Hosea 2:1 applies profoundly to Christians today by demonstrating God's unchanging character of mercy, faithfulness, and His ultimate desire for reconciliation. Just as God reversed the judgment on Israel, He offers redemption and a new identity to all who believe in Christ. Through faith in Jesus, Gentiles who were once "not a people" are now called "God's people," and those who "had not obtained mercy" now "have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:10). This verse assures us that God's grace is greater than our sin, and He is always willing to restore those who turn to Him. It affirms our identity as adopted children of God, recipients of His boundless compassion, and members of His new covenant community.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hosea 2:1, with its dramatic reversal of judgment into mercy and restoration, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The names "Ammi" and "Ruhamah" are not merely a promise for ancient Israel but a prophetic foreshadowing of the new covenant reality established through Christ's atoning work. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus became the means by which humanity, both Jew and Gentile, can be reconciled to God and brought into a true, intimate relationship. He is the one through whom those who were "not my people" (Gentiles alienated from the covenants of promise, as described in Ephesians 2:12) are now made "my people" through faith in Him (Romans 9:25-26). Similarly, through Christ, humanity receives the ultimate mercy and compassion that we could never earn, becoming "Ruhamah" (having obtained mercy) because of His sacrifice on the cross (Titus 3:5). The Church, comprised of believers from every tribe and nation, is now the true "Ammi" and "Ruhamah," a people called out of darkness into God's marvelous light, recipients of His unfailing love and boundless grace, living under the new covenant where God declares, "I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (Hebrews 8:10).