1. The word of the Lord that came to 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.
2. When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea:“Go, take yourself a wife of harlotryAnd children of harlotry,For the land has committed great harlotryBy departing from the Lord.”
3. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
4. Then the Lord said to him:“Call his name Jezreel,For in a little whileI will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu,And bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5. It shall come to pass in that dayThat I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”