The big picture
Hosea 1 opens in verse 1 with “The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name…”, and closes in verse 11 with “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and…” Repeated or prominent terms include Israel, LORD, children, house, Jezreel. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Hosea · King James Version · 11Hosea 1:1-6
1–6: The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days…
Hosea 1:1–6 opens with “The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham…” and reaches “And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Hosea 1 develops its own movement around Israel, LORD, children, house, Jezreel, with particular weight carried by LORD, Israel, Hosea.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings…” Naming Ahaz and Beeri keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“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…” Naming Hosea keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Hosea 1:1-6
King James Version1The word of the LORD that came unto 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.
2The 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 .
3So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
4And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
6And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.
Hosea 1:7-11
7–11: I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the…
Hosea 1:7–11 opens with “But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and…” and reaches “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Hosea 1 develops its own movement around Israel, LORD, children, house, Jezreel, with particular weight carried by children, Israel, Judah.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by…” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.” The line’s distinctive content terms include bare, conceived, ruhamah. Its relationship to verses 7 and 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
Hosea 1:7-11
King James Version7But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
8Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.
9Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.
10Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
11Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Hosea 1:1 begins with “The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam…”
Where the chapter turns
Hosea 1:7 forms a natural hinge: “But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by…”
The final note
Hosea 1:11 leaves the reader with “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Israel, LORD, children, house, Jezreel, bare help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who receives the image and the blessing?
Both male and female in verses 27-28. Human worth precedes achievement.
What limits human dominion?
The world belongs to its Creator and is already declared good. Compare the charge to tend and keep in 2:15.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.