1 The word of the Lord that came vnto Hosea, the sonne of Beeri, in the dayes of Uzziah, Iotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah kings of Iudah, and in the dayes of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash king of Israel.
2 The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea: and the Lord sayd to Hosea, Goe, take vnto thee a wife of whoredomes, and children of whoredomes: for the land hath committed great whoredome, departing from the Lord.
3 So he went and tooke Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, which conceiued and bare him a sonne.
4 And the Lord said vnto him, Call his name Iezreel; for yet a little while, and I will auenge the blood of Iezreel vpon the house of Iehu, and will cause to cease the kingdome of the house of Israel.
5 And it shall come to passe at that day, that I will breake the bow of Israel in the valley of Iezreel.
6 ¶ And shee conceiued againe and bare a daughter, and God sayd vnto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more haue mercy vpon the house of Israel: but I will vtterly take them away.
7 But I will haue mercy vpon the house of Iudah, and will saue them by the Lord their God, and will not saue them by vow, nor by sword, nor by battell, by horses nor by horsemen.
8 ¶ Now when shee had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she couceiued and bare a sonne.
9 Then sayde God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for yee are not my people, and I will not be your God.
10 ¶ Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot bee measured nor numbred, and it shall come to passe, that in the place where it was said vnto them, Yee are not my people, there it shall be said vnto them, Ye are the sonnes of the liuing God.
11 Then shall the children of Iudah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselues one head, and they shall come vp out of the land: for great shalbe the day of Iezreel.
Hosea is supposed to have been of the kingdom of Israel. He lived and prophesied during a long period. The scope of his predictions appears to be, to detect, reprove, and convince the Jewish nation in general, and the Israelites in particular, of their many sins, particularly their idolatry: the corrupt state of the kingdom is also noticed. But he invites them to repentance, with promises of mercy, and gospel predictions of the future restoration of the Israelites and of the Jews, and their final conversion to Christianity.Under a figure, is represented the shameful idolatry of the ten tribes. (1-7) The calling of the Gentiles, and the uniting Israel and Judah under the Messiah. (8-11)1-7 Israel was prosperous, yet then Hosea boldly tells them of their sins, and foretells their destruction. Men are not to be flattered in sinful ways because they prosper in the world; nor will it last long if they go on still in their trespasses. The prophet must show Israel their sin; show it to be exceedingly hateful. Their idolatry is the sin they are here charged with. Giving that glory to any creature which is due to God alone, is an injury and affront to God; such as for a wife to take a stranger, is to her husband. The Lord, doubtless, had good reasons for giving such a command to the prophet; it would form an affecting picture of the Lord's unmerited goodness and unwearied patience, and of the perverseness and ingratitude of Israel. We should be broken and wearied with half that perverseness from others, with which we try the patience and grieve the Spirit of our God. Let us also be ready to bear any cross the Lord appoints. The prophet must show the ruin of the people, in the names given to his children. He foretells the fall of the royal family in the name of his first child: call his name Jezreel, which signifies "dispersion." He foretells God's abandoning the nation in the name of the second child; Lo-ruhamah, "not beloved," or "not having obtained mercy." God showed great mercy, but Israel abused his favours. Sin turns away the mercy of God, even from Israel, his own professing people. If pardoning mercy is denied, no other mercy can be expected. Though some, through unbelief, are broken off, yet God will have a church in this world till the end of time. Our salvation is owing to God's mercy, not to any merit of our own. That salvation is sure, of which he is the Author; and if he will work, none shall hinder.
8-11 The rejection of Israel for a time, is signified by the name of another child: call him Lo-ammi, "not my people." The Lord disowns all relation to them. We love him, because he first loved us; but our being cast out of covenant, is owing to ourselves and our folly. Mercy is remembered in the midst of wrath; the rejection, as it shall not be total, so it shall not be final. The same hand that wounded, is stretched forth to heal. Very precious promises are here given concerning the Israel of God, and they may be of use to us now. Some think that these promises will not have accomplishment in full, till the general conversion of the Jews in the latter days. Also this promise is applied to the gospel, and the bringing in both the Jews and Gentiles to it, by St. Paul, #Ro 9:25,26|, and by St. Peter, #1Pe 2:10|. To believe in Christ, is to have him for our Head, and willingly to commit ourselves to his guidance and government. And let us pray for the coming of the glorious day, when there shall be one Lord through all the earth.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.