Hosea 2:16-20

Hosea 2:16-20King James Version (KJV)
16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.
17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.

Hosea 2:16-20Expanded Bible (EXB)

16 The LORD says, “In the future she will call me ‘my husband’;
no longer will she call me ‘my baal [C “baal” can mean “husband,” “master,” or “Baal” (the Canaanite god); in this wordplay, Israel has replaced one husband (the LORD) with another (Baal)].’
17 I will •never let her say [remove from her lips] the names of Baal again;
people won’t •use [utter; invoke; or remember] their names anymore.
18 At that time I will make an •agreement [covenant; treaty] for them
with the •wild animals [L beasts of the field], the •birds [L birds of the sky/heavens], and the •crawling things [T creeping things of the ground].
I will •smash [shatter; abolish] from the land
the bow and the sword and •the weapons of war [or war; battle],
so my people will •live [L lie down] in safety.
19 And I will •make you my promised bride [L betroth you to me] forever.
I will •be good and fair [L betroth you in righteousness and justice];
I will show you my •love [loyalty; unfailing love; lovingkindness] and mercy.
20 I will •be true to you as my promised bride [L betroth you in faithfulness],
and you will •know [or acknowledge me as] the LORD.

Expanded Bible (EXB) The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.



These are my thoughts, please share yours.

16 Israel would cry out to God but their judgment would already come and only a few would stay the Faith during exile unlike the southern kingdom of Judah. Baal was the pagan god they were serving instead of them serving the Lord.

17 Israel would no longer serve Baal after the exile as the southern would no longer serve pagan gods after the exile. Baal would fade away but other false gods would replace Baal.

18 All they had to do was trust in God and serve Him only but this was something they were unwilling to do. God wanted to make this covenant with them but was unwilling to do it with a people that no longer called out His name.


19 Israel was God’s bride. God wanted them to be spiritually faithful to Him.

20 They once knew the Lord and had a love for Him but the love had left for their evil desires, God was willing to do what was needed, and He had to break them.