By marrying a harlot, and by the names of his children, the prophet sets forth the crimes of Israel and their punishment. He foretells their redemption by Christ.

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.¹

1. 1:1The verb ‘factum est’ could be translated as ‘has been made’ or ‘has been done’ or ‘has happened to,’ or ‘has been given to,’ but the more common translation is ‘came to.’ The phrase could be rendered: ‘The Word of the Lord that happened to Hosea.’(Conte)

² The beginning of the Lord’s conversation with Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea: “Go, take to yourself a wife of fornications, and make for yourself sons of fornications, because, by fornicating, the land will fornicate away from the Lord.”¹²

1. 1:2A wife of fornications: That is, a wife that has been given to fornication. This was to represent the Lord’s proceedings with his people Israel, who, by spiritual fornication, were continually offending him.(Challoner)
2. 1:2Children of fornications: So called from the character of their mother, if not also from their own wicked dispositions.(Challoner)

³ And he went out and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived and bore him a son.

⁴ And the Lord said to him: “Call his name Jezreel because, after a little while, I will visit the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and I will put the kingdom of the house of Israel to rest.

⁵ And in that day, I will crush the stronghold of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.”¹

1. 1:5The word ‘arcum’ can refer to a bow (a weapon used in battle) or to a citadel or stronghold. In this case, the nation of Israel could be said to have a metaphorical bow (strength in battle), but the translation of ‘stronghold’ is more fitting when the possessor of the ‘arcum’ is a nation, not an individual.(Conte)

⁶ And after a while, she conceived and bore a daughter. And he said to him: “Call her name, Without Mercy, for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly forget them.¹

1. 1:6Without mercy: Lo-Ruhamah.(Challoner)

⁷ Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God. And I will not save them by bow and sword and battle and horses and horsemen.”

⁸ And she weaned her, who was called Without Mercy. And she conceived and bore a son.

⁹ And he said: “Call his name, Not My People, for you are not my people, and I will not be yours.¹

1. 1:9Not my people: Lo-ammi.(Challoner)

¹⁰ And the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which is without measure and cannot be numbered. And in the place where it will be said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ this will happen: it will be said to them, ‘You are the sons of the living God.’¹

1. 1:10The number, etc: Viz., of the true Israelites, the children of the church of Christ.(Challoner)

¹¹ And the sons of Judah, and the sons of Israel, will be gathered together. And they will place over themselves one head, and they will rise up from the earth, for great is the day of Jezreel.”¹²³

1. 1:11The one head placed over Israel and Judah refers to one Pope set over all Christians. This verse refers to the future unification of all Christians in one Catholic Church. The phrase ‘ponet sibi met’ can also be translated as ‘appoint to harvest (or to reap) themselves,’ or, perhaps, ‘appoint to measure (i.e. govern and judge) themselves.’(Conte)
2. 1:11One head: viz., Christ.(Challoner)
3. 1:11Great is the day of Jezrahel: That is, of the seed of God; for Jezrahel signifies the seed of God.(Challoner)