Book of Hosea Chapter 2 Vs. 1

 Israel's Unfaithfulness Punished

Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah. Hos. 2:1

Say ye unto... The 4th prophecy in Hosea (Hos. 2:1-23: Hos. 2:1-13 fulfilled; Hos. 2:14-23 unfulfilled). Next, Hos. 3:1. Many interpreters consider this verse as being connected with the preceding chapter, thus: When that general restoration of the Jewish nation shall take place, you may change your language in speaking to those of your brethren and sisters whom I had before disowned, and you may call them Ammi, my people, and Ruhamah, she that hath obtained mercy.

The words form a climax of the love of God. First, the people scattered, unpitied, and disowned by God, is re-born of God; and then it is declared to be in continued relation to God, "My people;" then to be the object of his yearning love.

Say...

אָמַר

’āmar: A verb meaning to say. It is translated in various ways depending on the context. It is almost always followed by a quotation. In addition to vocal speech, the word refers to thought as internal speech (2Sam. 13:32; Est. 6:6). Further, it also refers to what is being communicated by a person's actions along with his words (Exo. 2:14; 2Chr. 28:13).

ye unto your brethern,...

אָח

’āḥ: A masculine noun meaning brother. The word is used not only of those with common parents but also of those with common ancestors. Thus, the descendants of Israel are brothers (Lev. 19:17; 25:46), as are two nations with common ancestors (Amos 1:11, Oba. 1:10, 1:12). It further describes a close friend outside the immediate physical family (2Sam. 1:26).

Eighteen Predictions—Fulfilled:

1. I will not have mercy upon her children (Hos. 2:4).

2. I will hedge up your way with thorns, and make a wall, that she will not find her paths (Hos. 2:6).

3. She will follow after her lovers, but she will not overtake them (Hos. 2:7).

4. She will seek them, but shall not find them.

5. Then she will say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then it was better with me than now.

6. I will return, and take away My corn in the time thereof (Hos. 2:9).

7. I will take away My wine.

8. I will recover My wool and My flax that I gave to cover her nakedness.

9. I will discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers (Hos. 2:10).

10. None will deliver her out of My hand.

11. I will cause all her mirth to cease.

12. I will cause her feast days to cease.

13. I will cause her new moons to cease.

14. I will cause her sabbaths to cease.

15. I will cause her solemn feasts to cease (Hos. 2:11).

16. I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, and make them a forest (Hos. 2:12).

17. The beasts of the field will eat them.

18. I will visit upon her the days of Baalim (Hos. 2:13).

Twenty-four Predictions—Unfulfilled:

1. I will allure her (Hos. 2:14).

2. I will bring her into the wilderness.

3. I will speak comfortably unto her.

4. I will give her vineyards from thence.

5. I will give her the valley of Achor for a door of hope (Hos. 2:15).

6. She will sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as the day when she came out of the land of Egypt.

7. In that day you will call Me Ishi; you will call Me Baali no more (Hos. 2:16).

8. I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth (Hos. 2:17).

9. They will be remembered by their name no more.

10. In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven, and the creeping things of the ground (Hos. 2:18).

11. I will break the bow and sword and the battle out of the earth.

12. I will make them lie down safely.

13. I will betroth you unto Me forever (Hos. 2:19).

14. I will betroth you in righteousness, judgment, lovingkindness, and mercies.

15. I will even betroth you unto Me in faithfulness (Hos. 2:20).

16. You will know the Lord.

17. In that day I will hear the heavens.

18. The heavens will hear the earth.

19. The earth will hear the corn, wine, and oil (Hos. 2:21-22).

20. They will hear Jezreel (Hos. 2:22).

21. I will sow her unto Me in the earth.

22. I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy (Hos. 2:23).

23. I will say to them which are not My people, You are My people.

24. They will say, You are my God.

The above predictions of Israel being redeemed again and becoming the wife of Jehovah a second time will be fulfilled in the last three and a half years of this age. The prophecy should be studied in connection with Rev. 12:1-17—a passage with similar predictions of Israel going into the wilderness where God will plead with them like He did through Moses and Aaron in coming out of Egypt.

Ammi;...

עַ ם

‛am, עָ ם

‛ām: A masculine noun meaning a people, peoples, people of the land, citizens. The word is used over nineteen hundred times to indicate groups of people that can be categorized in various ways. The largest group of people is the one comprising the whole earth (see Gen. 11:1); it constituted one people (Gen. 11:6); who shared a common language (Gen. 11:6; Ezk. 3:5); a common location (see Gen. 11:2); and a common purpose and goal (see Gen. 11:4). However, the Lord scattered the group and brought about multiple languages, thereby producing many groups who would then develop into new peoples united around common languages, including common ancestors, religious beliefs, traditions, and ongoing blood relationships.

The word is used to describe various groups that developed. The people of the sons of Israel (Exo. 1:9; Ezra 9:1), was a term referring to all Israel. The people of Judah were a subgroup of Israel (2Sam. 19:40,41), as was northern Israel (2Kgs. 9:6). The people of Israel as a whole could be described in religious or moral terms as a holy, special people (Deu. 7:6; 14:2; Dan. 8:24); or the Lord's inheritance (Deu. 4:20). Above all, they were to be the Lord's people (Jdg. 5:11; 1Sam. 2:24); and the people of God (2Sam. 14:13). They were the Lord's own people because He had rescued them from slavery to Pharaoh and his gods (Exo. 6:7). But the Lord Himself characterized His people as stiff-necked (Exo. 32:9; 33:3; 34:9; Deu. 9:13). To be a member of the Lord's people was to have the Lord as one's God (Ruth 1:16); if God's people rejected the Lord, they ceased to be His people. Therefore, it is clear that God's presence and ownership of His people gave them their identity (Exo. 33:13, 33:16; Hos. 1:9; cf. Deu. 32:21).

In the plural form, the word refers to many peoples or nations. Jerusalem, destroyed and lamenting, called for the people of the world to look on it and its guilt (Lam. 1:18). Israel was chosen from among all the peoples of the earth (Exo. 19:5, 19:7; Deu. 14:2). The Lord is in control of all the plans of the nations and peoples (Psm. 33:10). The word is used in parallel with gôyim. Isaac prayed for Jacob's offspring to become a community of peoples that would include the twelve tribes of Israel (Gen. 28:3).

The word described people in general that is, nonethnic or national groups. It refers to all the people as individuals in the world (Isa. 42:5). When persons died, they were gathered to their people (Gen. 25:8, 25:17). It also referred to people from a particular city (Ruth 4:9; 2Chr. 32:18); or people from a specific land (e.g., Canaan [Zep. 1:11]). Centuries earlier, Pharaoh referred to the Hebrews living in Egypt under slavery as the people of the land (Exo. 5:5). This phrase could refer to the population at large in Solomon's time and later (2Kgs. 11:14, 11:18; 15:5); or to the population of Canaan in Abraham's time (Gen. 23:7).

The term also depicted foreign peoples and nations. The Moabites were the people of the god Chemosh (Num. 21:29). The word designated foreigners in general as strange or alien people (Exo. 21:8); the people of Egypt were considered the people of Pharaoh (Exo. 1:9, 1:22).

The word is even used to describe a gathering of ants (Pro. 30:25); or rock badgers (Pro. 30:26).

to your sisters... Only one daughter and two sons (Hos. 2:3-4, 2:6, 2:8-9).

אָחוֹת

’āḥôṯ: A feminine noun meaning sister. Besides a biological sister, it also refers to more intimate female relatives. Song of Solomon uses the word to refer to a bride (Song 4:9-10, 4:12; 5:1-2). In Num. 25:18, it is used as a generic term for female relatives. Poetically, it sometimes refers to a geographical location (Jer. 3:7-8, 3:10; Ezk. 16:45, 16:52). For inanimate objects, it can often be translated as the English word another (Exo. 26:3, 26:5-6, 26:17; Ezk. 1:9; 3:13).

Ruhamah...

רָחַם

rāḥam, רֻחָמָה

Ruhamah: A verb meaning to have compassion, to have mercy, to find mercy. The word pictures a deep, kindly sympathy and sorrow felt for another who has been struck with affliction or misfortune, accompanied with a desire to relieve the suffering. The word occurs forty-seven times in the Old Testament, with God being by far the most common subject and His afflicted people the object (Deu. 13:17,18; 2Kgs. 13:23; Isa. 14:1; 30:18; 60:10; Jer. 12:15; 31:20; Lam. 3:32). Though the Lord showed compassion, it was not because of any meritorious work the recipient had done; it was solely due to God's sovereign freedom to bestow it on whom He chose (Exo. 33:19; cf. Rom. 9:14-16). Two types of people God has sovereignly chosen to have mercy on include those who fear Him (Psm. 103:13); and those who confess and forsake their sin (Pro. 28:13).

These words were spoken to a segment of the restored nation of the future (cf. Hos. 2:23), viewed as a group of children (say and your are pl. in Heb.). They were told to proclaim to their brothers and sisters (other Israelites) that the nation’s relationship with the Lord had been reestablished. The Lord then addressed them as My people (‛ammı̂; cf. Hos. 1:9) and My loved one (rūhāmâh; cf. Hos. 1:6). Long before Hosea, Moses had predicted such a change in the Lord’s attitude (Deu. 30:1-9). After describing the nation’s future exile (Deu. 30:1), Moses promised that their repentance would result in a renewal of the Lord’s compassion (Deu. 30:2-3, rāham) and a return to the land (Deu. 30:4-9). Long after Hosea, the Apostle Paul also foresaw this time of Israel’s restoration (Rom. 11:25-32).

In summary, Hos. 1:10-2:1 contains a marvelous prophecy of Israel’s future restoration, in which the effects of the Lord’s judgment will be totally reversed. The nation that suffered defeat at Jezreel and was called “not loved” and “not My people” will take part in the great “day of Jezreel” and hear the Lord say, “My people” and “[My] loved one.” The covenant promises to Abraham (of numerous descendants) and David (of eternal kingship) will be fulfilled when the covenant ideal predicted by Moses will be realized.