Focused Passage

Hosea 2:14-23

The LORD's Lawsuit, Alluring Mercy, and Covenant Betrothal

The chapter moves from a summons to affirm restored names, into a marriage lawsuit against Israel's mother, through disciplinary stripping and blocked pursuit of lovers, then turns with the LORD's alluring mercy, renewed wilderness courtship, covenant peace, everlasting betrothal, and the reversal of Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her and lead her to the wilderness, and speak to her tenderly.

15 There I will give back her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor into a gateway of hope. There she will respond as she did in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.

16 In that day,” declares the LORD, “you will call Me ‘my Husband,’ and no longer call Me ‘my Master.’

17 For I will remove from her lips the names of the Baals; no longer will their names be invoked.

18 On that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that crawl on the ground. And I will abolish bow and sword and battle in the land, and will make them lie down in safety.

19 So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion.

20 And I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will know the LORD.”

21 “On that day I will respond—” declares the LORD—“I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth.

22 And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine and oil, and they will respond to Jezreel.

23 And I will sow her as My own in the land, and I will have compassion on ‘No Compassion.’ I will say to those called ‘Not My People,’ ‘You are My people,’ and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Original words

Therefore לָכֵ֗ן H3651 Adverb behold הִנֵּ֤ה H2009 Interjection I אָֽנֹכִי֙ H595 Pronoun - first person common singular will allure her מְפַתֶּ֔יהָ H6601 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular and lead her וְהֹֽלַכְתִּ֖יהָ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular to the wilderness הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר H4057 Article | Noun - masculine singular and speak וְדִבַּרְתִּ֖י H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular to her עַל H5921 Preposition tenderly לִבָּֽהּ׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

There מִשָּׁ֔ם H8033 Preposition-m | Adverb - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker I will give back וְנָתַ֨תִּי H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular her vineyards כְּרָמֶ֙יהָ֙ H3754 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker and make the Valley עֵ֥מֶק H6010 Noun - masculine singular construct of Achor עָכ֖וֹר H5911 Noun - proper - feminine singular into a gateway לְפֶ֣תַח H6607 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of hope תִּקְוָ֑ה H8615 Noun - feminine singular There שָּׁ֙מָּה֙ H8033 Adverb | third person feminine singular she will respond as she did וְעָ֤נְתָה H6030 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular in the days כִּימֵ֣י H3117 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct of her youth נְעוּרֶ֔יהָ H5271 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular as in the day וִּכְי֖וֹם H3117 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct she came up עֲלֹתָ֥הּ H5927 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular out מֵאֶֽרֶץ־ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרָֽיִם׃ס H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Achor means trouble.
Verse 16

Original words

- וְהָיָ֤ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular In that הַהוּא֙ H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular day בַיּוֹם־ H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular you will call Me תִּקְרְאִ֖י H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular my Husband אִישִׁ֑י H376 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular and no וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle longer ע֖וֹד H5750 Adverb call תִקְרְאִי־ H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular Me לִ֥י Preposition | first person common singular my Master בַּעְלִֽי׃ H1180 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew my Ishi
  • Hebrew my Baal
Verse 17

Original words

For I will remove וַהֲסִרֹתִ֛י H5493 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker from her lips מִפִּ֑יהָ H6310 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular the names שְׁמ֥וֹת H8034 Noun - masculine plural construct of the Baals הַבְּעָלִ֖ים H1168 Article | Noun - masculine plural no וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle longer ע֖וֹד H5750 Adverb will their names בִּשְׁמָֽם׃ H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural be invoked יִזָּכְר֥וּ H2142 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 18

Original words

On that הַה֔וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular I will make וְכָרַתִּ֨י H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular a covenant בְּרִית֙ H1285 Noun - feminine singular for them לָהֶ֤ם Preposition | third person masculine plural with עִם־ H5973 Preposition the beasts חַיַּ֤ת H2416 Noun - feminine singular construct of the field הַשָּׂדֶה֙ H7704 Article | Noun - masculine singular [and] וְעִם־ H5973 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the birds ע֣וֹף H5775 Noun - masculine singular construct of the air הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural and the creatures that crawl וְרֶ֖מֶשׂ H7431 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct on the ground הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה H127 Article | Noun - feminine singular And I will abolish אֶשְׁבּ֣וֹר H7665 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular bow וְקֶ֨שֶׁת H7198 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular and sword וְחֶ֤רֶב H2719 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular and battle וּמִלְחָמָה֙ H4421 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular in מִן־ H4480 Preposition the land הָאָ֔רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular and will make them lie down וְהִשְׁכַּבְתִּ֖ים H7901 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural in safety לָבֶֽטַח׃ H983 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

So I will betroth you וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ H781 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular to Me לִ֖י Preposition | first person common singular forever לְעוֹלָ֑ם H5769 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular I will betroth you וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ H781 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular - לִי֙ Preposition | first person common singular in righteousness בְּצֶ֣דֶק H6664 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and justice וּבְמִשְׁפָּ֔ט H4941 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular in loving devotion וּבְחֶ֖סֶד H2617 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and compassion וּֽבְרַחֲמִֽים׃ H7356 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.
Verse 20

Original words

And I will betroth you וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ H781 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular - לִ֖י Preposition | first person common singular in faithfulness בֶּאֱמוּנָ֑ה H530 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular and you will know וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ H3045 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ס H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

- וְהָיָ֣ה׀ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular On that הַה֗וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular I will respond אֶֽעֱנֶה֙ H6030 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I will respond אֶעֱנֶ֖ה H6030 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular אֶת־ אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to the heavens הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural and they וְהֵ֖ם H1992 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural will respond יַעֲנ֥וּ H6030 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural אֶת־ אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to the earth הָאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 22

Original words

And the earth וְהָאָ֣רֶץ H776 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular will respond תַּעֲנֶ֔ה H6030 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to the grain הַדָּגָ֖ן H1715 Article | Noun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker to the new wine הַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ H8492 Article | Noun - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and oil הַיִּצְהָ֑ר H3323 Article | Noun - masculine singular and they וְהֵ֖ם H1992 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural will respond יַעֲנ֥וּ H6030 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker to Jezreel יִזְרְעֶֽאל׃ H3157 Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Jezreel means God sows.
Verse 23

Original words

And I will sow her וּזְרַעְתִּ֤יהָ H2232 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular as My own לִּי֙ Preposition | first person common singular in the land בָּאָ֔רֶץ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular and I will have compassion on וְרִֽחַמְתִּ֖י H7355 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular אֶת־ אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker No לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle Compassion רֻחָ֑מָה H7355 Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular I will say to those [called] וְאָמַרְתִּ֤י H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Not לְלֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle My People עַמִּי־ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular You אַ֔תָּה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are My people עַמִּי֙ H5971 Preposition | Noun - proper - masculine singular and they וְה֖וּא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular will say יֹאמַ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular You are my God אֱלֹהָֽי׃פ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew Lo-ruhamah; LXX I will love her who was not loved
  • Hebrew Lo-ammi
  • Cited in Romans 9:25 and 1 Peter 2:10

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.