Hosea 1:10 kjv
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
Hosea 1:10 nkjv
"Yet the number of the children of Israel Shall be as the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There it shall be said to them, 'You are sons of the living God.'
Hosea 1:10 niv
"Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'children of the living God.'
Hosea 1:10 esv
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or 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."
Hosea 1:10 nlt
"Yet the time will come when Israel's people will be like the sands of the seashore ? too many to count! Then, at the place where they were told, 'You are not my people,' it will be said, 'You are children of the living God.'
Hosea 1 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 13:16 | "And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth..." | Abrahamic promise of countless descendants. |
| Gen 22:17 | "...I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand on the seashore..." | Confirms the covenant promise to Abraham. |
| Exod 4:22 | "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord: "Israel is My son, My firstborn."'" | God's initial declaration of Israel as His son. |
| Deut 14:1 | "You are the children of the Lord your God..." | Defines Israel's original status. |
| Hos 1:9 | "Then God said: 'Call his name Lo-Ammi, For you are not My people...'" | Immediate context, the preceding judgment. |
| Hos 2:1 | "Say to your brethren, ‘My people,’ And to your sisters, ‘Mercy!’" | Reversal of Lo-Ammi and Lo-Ruhamah. |
| Hos 2:23 | "...I will sow her for Myself in the earth, and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are My God!’" | Direct fulfillment and deeper meaning of the restoration. |
| Rom 9:25 | "As He says also in Hosea: 'I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.'" | Paul quotes Hosea, applying it to both Jews and Gentiles. |
| Rom 9:26 | "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God." | Paul's direct quotation of Hos 1:10. |
| 1 Pet 2:10 | "who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." | Peter applies the Hosea prophecy to believers (Jew and Gentile). |
| Jer 3:19 | "But I said: 'How can I put you among the children And give you a pleasant land, a beautiful heritage of the hosts of nations?' I said: 'You shall call Me, "My Father," And not turn away from Me.'" | God's desire for a father-child relationship. |
| Isa 43:6 | "I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth—" | Prophecy of global regathering and sonship. |
| Jer 10:10 | "But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King." | Highlights God's nature as the "living God." |
| Dan 6:26 | "For He is the living God, And steadfast forever..." | Another affirmation of God as the "living God." |
| Jn 1:12 | "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name:" | New Covenant extension of "sons of God." |
| Rom 8:14 | "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." | Explains the spiritual reality of sonship in Christ. |
| Gal 3:26 | "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." | Affirmation of believers' sonship by faith. |
| Phil 2:15 | "...that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world," | Describes the conduct expected of God's children. |
| 1 Jn 3:1 | "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!" | Emphasizes the divine love in bestowing sonship. |
| Heb 11:12 | "Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore." | References Abraham's numerous descendants. |
| Ezek 37:21-22 | "Then say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations... and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation... and one king shall be king for them all...'" | Prophecy of reunion and return to the land. |
Hosea 1 verses
Hosea 1 10 Meaning
Hosea 1:10 reveals God's unfailing faithfulness and ultimate plan of restoration for Israel. Despite their spiritual unfaithfulness and subsequent declaration as "Lo-Ammi" (not My people) due to judgment, God promises a future reversal. The verse prophesies that the descendants of Israel will become immeasurably numerous, echoing ancient covenant promises, and more profoundly, that in the very place of their rejection, they will be recognized as "sons of the living God," signifying a restored, elevated, and intimate relationship with Him. This transformation underscores divine grace overcoming human apostasy.
Hosea 1 10 Context
Hosea's prophetic ministry to the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) occurred during a period of deep spiritual apostasy, idolatry, and political instability in the 8th century BC, prior to Assyria's invasion and the kingdom's fall. Chapters 1-3 symbolically depict God's relationship with Israel through Hosea's own marriage to Gomer, a harlot. Hosea's children receive names reflecting God's judgment: Jezreel (God scatters), Lo-Ruhamah (no mercy), and Lo-Ammi (not My people). Hosea 1:9, with the name "Lo-Ammi," signifies God's covenant breaking with Israel due to their persistent unfaithfulness, implying a severing of their unique relationship as His chosen people. Immediately following this severe pronouncement, Hosea 1:10 bursts forth as a sudden and dramatic reversal, promising future restoration and a renewed, even deeper, relationship, emphasizing God's sovereign plan of redemption that transcends even severe judgment. This verse transitions the reader from the doom of judgment to the hope of future salvation, foreshadowing the redemptive arc of the entire book.
Hosea 1 10 Word analysis
Yet (וְהָיָה, vehayah - "and it will be" or "it shall be," though many translations infer "yet" for rhetorical effect based on the strong contrast) – This conjunction signals a dramatic and decisive turn from the preceding declaration of "Lo-Ammi." It conveys God's unwavering intention and sovereign will to reverse the state of judgment.
the number of the children of Israel (מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, mispar benei Yisrael) – Refers to the physical descendants of Jacob/Israel, indicating a literal future increase in population, but also encompassing the spiritual heirs.
shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered (כְּחוֹל הַיָּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמַּד וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר, kəḥol hayyam asher lo yimmad velo yissaper) – This phrase directly echoes the Abrahamic covenant promises (Gen 13:16, 22:17), which assured countless descendants. The original promise was fulfilled partially through the multiplying Israelites in Egypt, but Hosea prophesies a future, ultimate, and even grander fulfillment, often understood to include a spiritual multitude. It emphasizes unimaginable abundance and divine power to accomplish it.
and in the place where it was said to them (וְהָיָה בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם, vehavah bimqom asher ye'amer lahem) – This highlights the specific locale of their rejection, signifying that God's restoration will happen precisely where the sin and judgment were most pronounced. It suggests a powerful divine vindication in the very theatre of their fall.
‘You are not My people’ (לֹא עַמִּי אַתֶּם, lo ammi attem) – A direct quote from Hos 1:9, symbolizing the covenant broken due to Israel's rebellion and God's just decree of separation. It signifies their lost privileged status.
there it shall be said to them (שָׁם יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם, sham ye'amer lahem) – Again, reiterating the exact spot or context of the reversal, underscoring the miraculous nature of God's restoration.
‘You are the sons of the living God’ (בְּנֵי אֵל חָי אַתֶּם, b'nei El Chai attem) – This is a profound elevation of their status beyond merely being "My people." "Sons of God" (בני אלהים, b’nei Elohim or בני אל, b’nei El) is a deeper, more intimate, and privileged relationship, denoting a close family bond and inheritance. "Living God" (אֵל חָי, El Chai) is significant. It stands in stark contrast to the lifeless, powerless idols that Israel had been worshipping, proclaiming God's unique power, eternal nature, and ability to act and restore life.
Word-group analysis:
- "as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered": This phrase ties directly into the foundational promises given to Abraham regarding the vastness of his descendants. It signifies God's absolute commitment to His covenant, even in the face of human failure, suggesting an exponential, miraculous increase beyond human calculation. It can be seen to include not only a regathered physical Israel but also the multitude of spiritual descendants from all nations who come to faith, particularly highlighted by New Testament interpretation.
- "in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there it shall be said to them, ‘You are the sons of the living God.’": This segment embodies the ultimate reversal of divine judgment. The transition from "not My people" (Lo-Ammi) to "sons of the living God" illustrates a restored, indeed, elevated relationship. "Sons of God" speaks to intimacy, adoption, inheritance, and shared likeness with the Father, far exceeding the original covenant relationship in depth and privilege. The emphasis on "the living God" directly challenges the idols worshipped by Israel, proclaiming His active, sovereign, life-giving nature, unlike inert images. This powerful linguistic contrast provides the ultimate vindication of God's character and His redemptive plan.
Hosea 1 10 Bonus section
The concept of "sons of God" (בני אל חי, b'nei El Chai) is a richer, more profound status than "My people." While "My people" describes a chosen nation under a covenant, "sons of God" speaks to an intimate family relationship, signifying adoption, inheritance, and shared divine nature (being partakers of the divine nature, as in 2 Pet 1:4). This suggests not merely a return to a former state, but a greater, more glorious restoration, hinting at the New Covenant which offers a deeper level of relationship with God through faith in Christ. This verse highlights the "shock of grace" in Hosea's prophecy, where impending doom is dramatically overturned by an absolute and unfailing divine commitment to future redemption, ensuring that God's character as both righteous Judge and merciful Redeemer is fully displayed. This eschatological reversal sets the stage for the New Testament understanding of spiritual Israel.
Hosea 1 10 Commentary
Hosea 1:10 is a pivotal prophetic utterance that radically shifts the narrative from immediate judgment to glorious future hope. Following the devastating pronouncement of "Lo-Ammi"—God's explicit declaration that unfaithful Israel was no longer His people—this verse introduces God's overarching redemptive plan. The promise of "innumerable descendants, like the sand of the sea," first confirms God's faithfulness to the Abrahamic covenant. This quantitative increase is matched by a qualitative transformation of their identity.
The deepest impact lies in the reversal of the "Lo-Ammi" declaration. Where once they faced separation and alienation, God promises reconciliation and an elevated status as "sons of the living God." This new title is profoundly significant. It moves beyond merely "My people" to convey intimacy, privilege, and inheritance within God's family. It highlights His unique divine power as the "living God" compared to the dead idols Israel served, signifying His power to bring life out of spiritual death and restore a broken relationship. This prophetic promise extends beyond national Israel, as interpreted by New Testament writers (Rom 9:26; 1 Pet 2:10), to include Gentiles who come to faith in Christ, creating one new humanity under God's sonship, making the spiritual body of Christ the fulfillment of this innumerable host. The verse is a testament to God's steadfast love, sovereign will, and unwavering commitment to His covenant purposes despite human sin, always paving a way for reconciliation and spiritual renewal.