How Not to Build a Family—Lectionary Reflection for Pentecost 7C (Hosea 1)

Hosea 1:1-10 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the days of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel.

² When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of prostitution and have children of prostitution, for the land commits great prostitution by forsaking the Lord.” ³ So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

⁴ And the Lord said to him, “Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. ⁵ On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”

⁶ She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. ⁷ But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.”

⁸ When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. ⁹ Then the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.”

¹⁰Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered, and in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”

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                The Old Testament book of Hosea offers many challenges, starting with chapter 1. In that chapter, the word of Adonai came to Hosea, son of Beeri. The calling of this eighth-century prophet involved the prophet’s marriage to a prostitute named Gomer. This marriage has prophetic implications, for it illustrates the corrupt state of the two nations of Judah and Israel. The story carries a lot of baggage while also conveying a message that addresses the ongoing concerns faced by people of faith as they navigate their cultural contexts. Regarding the identity of the prophet, all we know is the period of his ministry and his parentage.

                It is the call to marry a prostitute and then produce children with a prostitute that creates concern, especially when it comes to gender equality. The names given to the three children, which are metaphors for Israel’s failure to abide by the covenant with God, also create challenges. We need to take seriously the figure of Gomer, the woman whom he prophet Hosea marries at God’s direction. What does the narrator mean by calling her a prostitute or whore? Was she a cultic prostitute serving in a temple, a common prostitute, or simply a promiscuous wife? Why she found herself in this position is not revealed, and at no point does she speak, so we never get her side of the story. Therefore, Charles Aaron is correct in pointing out that “Preachers should recognize and name for congregations that the book’s use of the marriage metaphor is highly problematic in its initial demeaning characterization of Gomer, followed by the way it puts the blame on the wife, whose perspective and circumstances in a patriarchal society are never given voice” [The Preacher’s Bible Handbook, pp. 164-165].  

The point of the story is that the marriage between Hosea and Gomer is designed to reveal the nature of the divine-human relationship that existed between God and Israel, a covenant that Israel broke through violence and idolatry. Thus, we have a word here of judgment, but also of mercy and redemption. At the same time, we have a story that objectifies Gomer, such that she and her children serve as metaphors for the way Israel broke its covenant relationship with God. Because Israel failed to keep the covenant, even as Gomer failed to remain faithful to her marriage, there will be judgment. There is a message here of judgment and redemption, but we must be careful in the way we utilize the story.  

As we ponder the meaning of this story, we also need to consider how the metaphor of marriage, with God as husband and Israel as wife, is used. Ashley Wilcox helpfully reminds us that the images of God as husband and Israel as wife, “reflects the historical asymmetry of marriage in ancient Israel. In these marriages, men were in the more privileged position and women were subject to them” [The Women’s Lectionary,  p. 60]. As a result, God and Hosea are pictured here as abusive husbands. The way this occurs is not revealed in this opening chapter, but as we progress further, we see how this works out. Once again, we need to be very attentive to the way we use this passage to communicate unfaithfulness, judgment, and redemption.

                The message here is simply that Israel, a nation with whom God had made a covenant, had forsaken the covenant. As the story continues, God will attempt to woo the nations back to the covenant, but we’re not there yet. At this point, the focus is on Hosea’s call to marry an unfaithful spouse and the results of that marriage, including the children whose names have symbolic value.  As we read this chapter, the marriage between Hosea the prophet and Gomer the prostitute produces three children, each of whom receives a name that carries a certain metaphor, but names that one should never give a child.

                The first child, a son, is named Jezreel, which is here the name of a place where King Jehu of Israel committed atrocities. That place was the valley of Jezreel. Therefore, God wishes Israel to know that God is going to put an end to the kingdom of Israel. The nation did come to an end soon after due to the Assyrian invasion. The second child, a daughter, carries the name Lo-ruhamah, which means “pity.” Here, the name carries the meaning of “No Mercy.” With the naming of this child, God tells Israel that the nation will not be shown pity or mercy, though God will show mercy on Judah. This reflects the different fates of the two nations. Israel is decimated, with its people scattered, while Judah survives, at least for a while. Interestingly, according to this oracle, God will not save Judah with bow, sword, or war. There is truth here, for the Assyrian king died before the conquest could be completed. The third child, who is born after Lo-ruhamah, is weaned and carries the name of Lo-ammi. His name means “not my people” or “I am not your God.” In other words, this child serves as a sign that God has abandoned Israel. Surely one would not burden children with such names, but such is the case here.

                Reading this with modern ears, the patriarchal context reveals a vision of God many Jews and Christians would reject. At points, Hosea embodies a vision of God as an abusive husband. We must not embrace that vision. At the same time, there is a word of redemption here that can be embraced. The initial word of redemption is found in verse ten. The prophet tells Israel that the number of its citizens will be like the sand of the sea. The population will be uncountable. Therefore, the people whom God declares to be “not my people” will become “Children of the Living God.” Recognizing that the book of Hosea is rooted in a patriarchal culture and that Gomer and her children are objectified, the message here is one of judgment (abandonment) and redemption. While Israel has committed adultery through its idolatry, God is willing to forgive.

                Although the reading ends in verse 10, if we read further, we see how this changes the nature of relationships. In verse 11, we read that “the people of Judah and the people of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head, and they shall rise up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” Then, in verse 1 of chapter 2, we see how the names of two of the children are changed, thus the prefix “lo” (no) is removed, such that the children are now named “Ruhamah” (mercy) and “Ammi” (my people) (Hos. 2:1). This change of name reminds us of a better way of being family. As problematic as this story is, with its use of marriage as the descriptive metaphor of a patriarchal relationship, it also reminds us that in the Hebrew Bible, the relationship between God and Israel is quite intimate. Thus, when Israel (and we) walk away from the covenant, God grieves and suffers. Yet, through it all, God desires to show mercy on us.