1The word of Yahweh 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.
2When Yahweh spoke at the first by Hosea, Yahweh said to Hosea, Go, take to you a wife of prostitution and children of prostitution; for the land does commit great prostitution, [departing] from Yahweh.
3So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bore him a son.
4Yahweh said to him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease.
5It shall happen at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
6She conceived again, and bore a daughter. [Yahweh] said to him, Call her name Look-ruhamah; for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, that I should in any wise pardon them.
7But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will save them by Yahweh their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.