Hosea 1:2

¶ The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, [departing] from the LORD.

The beginning {H8462} of the word {H1696} of the LORD {H3068} by Hosea {H1954}. And the LORD {H3068} said {H559} to Hosea {H1954}, Go {H3212}, take {H3947} unto thee a wife {H802} of whoredoms {H2183} and children {H3206} of whoredoms {H2183}: for the land {H776} hath committed great {H2181} whoredom {H2181}, departing from {H310} the LORD {H3068}.

ADONAI's opening words in speaking to Hoshea were to instruct Hoshea, "Go, marry a whore, and have children with this whore; for the land is engaged in flagrant whoring, whoring away from ADONAI."

When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, He told him, “Go, take a prostitute as your wife and have children of adultery, because this land is flagrantly prostituting itself by departing from the LORD.”

When Jehovah spake at the first by Hosea, Jehovah said unto Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom; for the land doth commit great whoredom, departing from Jehovah.

Commentary

Hosea 1:2 marks the dramatic beginning of the prophet Hosea's ministry, immediately setting a powerful and unsettling tone. This verse introduces the central theme of the entire book: Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness to the Lord, portrayed through the shocking symbolic actions of the prophet.

Context

Hosea was called by God to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (also known as Ephraim) during a period of significant political instability and moral decline, despite outward economic prosperity under King Jeroboam II. The nation had deeply departed from their covenant with God, engaging in widespread idolatry, social injustice, and political alliances that ignored divine commands. This opening verse establishes that God's word to Hosea was not merely spoken but was to be lived out in a profoundly personal and public way, serving as a living parable for the nation's condition.

Key Themes

  • Divine Command and Prophetic Symbolism: The Lord directly commands Hosea to undertake an extraordinarily difficult and publicly scandalous act. This command to "take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms" is a profound prophetic sign. Hosea's marriage to Gomer (named in Hosea 1:3) and the subsequent children serve as a living, painful illustration of Israel's relationship with God.
  • Israel's Spiritual Adultery: The core message is explicit: "for the land hath committed great whoredom, [departing] from the LORD." This spiritual "whoredom" refers to Israel's idolatry and breaking of their covenant relationship with God. Just as a wife betrays her husband through infidelity, Israel had betrayed the Lord by worshiping Baal and other pagan deities, and by relying on foreign alliances instead of Him. This betrayal is a recurring theme throughout the prophetic books, often likened to a wife's unfaithfulness, such as in Jeremiah 3:1 or Ezekiel 16:32.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew term translated "whoredoms" is zenunim (זְנוּנִים), derived from the root zanah (זָנָה), which means "to commit fornication" or "to be a harlot." While it can refer to physical prostitution, in prophetic literature, it overwhelmingly signifies spiritual unfaithfulness, idolatry, and breaking the covenant relationship with God. It emphasizes the profound betrayal involved when God's chosen people turned away from Him to worship other gods or trust in human power, which God views as an act of spiritual adultery against their divine "husband."

Practical Application

Hosea's challenging commission serves as a powerful reminder of God's deep pain over spiritual infidelity. For believers today, this verse underscores the seriousness of anything that takes the place of God in our lives—whether it be idols of wealth, power, pleasure, or self. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and allegiances, ensuring that our devotion remains singularly focused on the Lord. Furthermore, it highlights God's willingness to go to extreme, even painful, lengths to communicate His truth and to call His people back to Himself, demonstrating His enduring love and desire for reconciliation, a theme beautifully developed later in Hosea, such as in Hosea 3:1.

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Cross-References

  • Hosea 2:4 (7 votes)

    And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they [be] the children of whoredoms.

  • Hosea 2:5 (7 votes)

    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.

  • Hosea 3:1 (7 votes)

    ¶ Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of [her] friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.

  • Deuteronomy 31:16 (6 votes)

    And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go [to be] among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

  • Jeremiah 3:9 (5 votes)

    And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

  • Revelation 17:1 (5 votes)

    ¶ And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

  • Revelation 17:2 (5 votes)

    With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.