Hosea 2 16

Hosea 2:16 kjv

And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.

Hosea 2:16 nkjv

"And it shall be, in that day," Says the LORD, "That you will call Me 'My Husband,' And no longer call Me 'My Master,'

Hosea 2:16 niv

"In that day," declares the LORD, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.'

Hosea 2:16 esv

"And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me 'My Husband,' and no longer will you call me 'My Baal.'

Hosea 2:16 nlt

When that day comes," says the LORD,
"you will call me 'my husband'
instead of 'my master.'

Hosea 2 verses

Hosea 2 16 Meaning

Hosea 2:16 portrays a future day of complete restoration for Israel, where their relationship with God will be fundamentally transformed. They will no longer associate Him with the oppressive and idolatrous title 'My Baal' (Ba'lî), which signifies master and refers to a pagan deity, but instead will lovingly call Him 'My Husband' (Ishî), indicating a deep, intimate, and covenantal bond. This profound shift in nomenclature signifies Israel's turning from spiritual adultery and idolatry to a pure, exclusive, and devoted relationship with Yahweh, recognizing Him as their loving partner and faithful provider rather than a demanding master like the false gods they once served.

Hosea 2 16 Context

Hosea 2 depicts Yahweh's disciplinary action against unfaithful Israel, His wife, who has chased after other "lovers"—specifically, worshipping Baal and other false gods. This chapter uses powerful marital metaphors to describe Israel's spiritual adultery and God's just judgment. Their idolatry led them to falsely attribute agricultural blessings to Baal (2:5, 8) rather than Yahweh, their true provider. Following this necessary chastisement (2:1-13), verses 2:14-23 promise a profound restoration and renewed covenant relationship. Verse 16 specifically marks a pivotal aspect of this future restoration: a profound internal transformation symbolized by a dramatic change in how Israel addresses God. Historically, Israel consistently struggled with syncretism, blending Yahweh worship with Canaanite Baal cults. This verse directly confronts that deep-seated idolatry, anticipating a time when all such traces, even in their language and understanding of God, will be completely purged. The phrase "in that day" (bayyôm hahûʾ) points to a future, transformative time, embodying ultimate reconciliation and fidelity to God, extending into the new covenant era initiated by Christ.

Hosea 2 16 Word Analysis

• "And in that day": וְהָיָה֩ בַיּוֹם֙ הַה֔וּא (wəhāyāh bayyôm hahûʾ)

  • וְהָיָה (wəhāyāh): "And it will be" or "Then it will happen." Indicates a definitive future event or era, signaling a significant shift in divine-human relations.
  • בַיּוֹם הַהוּא (bayyôm hahûʾ): "in that day." A common prophetic idiom, not denoting a single 24-hour period, but a significant, divinely appointed period of time, often referring to a momentous event or era of God's redemptive work, encompassing ultimate restoration or judgment.

• "declares the Lord": נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה (nə’um-YHWH)

  • נְאֻם (nə’um): "Declaration" or "oracle of." A standard prophetic formula affirming that the following statement is a direct, authoritative utterance from God Himself, guaranteeing its certainty and divine origin.
  • יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH): The sacred personal, covenantal name of God. Emphasizes that this solemn promise of transformation comes from the faithful, unchanging God who bound Himself to Israel in covenant love.

• "you will call me": תִּקְרְאִי־לִי (tiqrəʾî-lî)

  • תִּקְרְאִי (tiqrəʾî): "You (feminine singular) will call/proclaim." Refers to Israel collectively as God's bride, highlighting a personal act of naming that expresses a transformed relationship.
  • לִי (lî): "To me" or "for me." Specifies the direct object, making the address explicitly directed to God.

• "‘My Husband,’": אִישִׁ֔י (ʾîšî)

  • אִישִׁי (ʾîšî): "My man" or "My husband." Derived from אִישׁ (ish), "man" or "husband." This term evokes intimacy, companionship, shared life, and mutual covenant love. It signifies a tender, respectful, and personal marital bond, portraying God as a loving partner rather than a domineering lord.

• "and no longer will you call me": וְלֹֽא־תִקְרְאִי־לִי (wəlōʾ-tiqrəʾî-lî)

  • Repetition of "you will call me" with וְלֹֽא־ (wəlōʾ), "and no," provides strong negation. This grammatical emphasis highlights the complete and definitive cessation of the previous form of address, underscoring a clean break with the past.

• "‘My Baal.’": בַּעְלִֽי׃ (baʿlî)

  • בַּעְלִֽי (baʿlî): "My master," "My owner," "My lord," or "My Baal." Derived from בַּעַל (baʿal). In Canaanite contexts, Ba'al was the chief deity of storms, fertility, and harvests. When used in Israel, Ba'lî conveyed a sense of possessive ownership (as a husband to his wife, often with a more authoritarian connotation) or, more nefariously, associated Yahweh with the pagan deity Baal. God demands the complete repudiation of this term to purge all lingering traces of idolatry, syncretism, and a hierarchical, master-slave conception of their covenant relationship.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • The profound contrast of אִישִׁ֔י (ʾîšî) vs. בַּעְלִֽי׃ (baʿlî): This juxtaposition is central to the verse's meaning, highlighting a fundamental paradigm shift in Israel's understanding and experience of God. Ba'lî carries the negative connotations of subservience, possessive ownership, and especially, the abhorrent worship of the Canaanite deity Baal, whose worship often involved debauchery and false reliance. In sharp contrast, ʾîšî implies a relationship of affection, equality within the covenant, mutual partnership, and intimate belonging. This shift represents God's desire for genuine love and trust, replacing a faith polluted by idolatry and fear with one purified by truth and tender devotion.
  • Linguistic and Spiritual Purification: The specific command to cease using Ba'lî indicates a deep-seated spiritual and cultural cleansing. It's not merely a change in actions but a profound change in how Israel conceives of and addresses God. It means purging language itself of any lingering associations with idol worship, signaling a total and uncompromising commitment to Yahweh alone, rejecting all past syncretism and the very vocabulary tied to paganism.

Hosea 2 16 Bonus section

The Hebrew word ba'al literally means "owner" or "master" and was common for a husband. However, in Hosea, its deliberate use for Ba'lî carries the polemical weight of directly confronting the pagan deity Baal. God intends to eradicate every trace and every memory of this idol's influence from His people's minds and language. The radical nature of this transformation includes purging the very vocabulary that connected them to idolatry, signifying an irreversible spiritual reformation. This depth of relational change, initiated by God's persistent grace, points forward to the transformative power of the gospel. In the New Testament, believers are spiritually united with Christ as His bride (Eph 5:25-32), the ultimate Ish, forming a deeply intimate and eternal covenant relationship. This shift from Ba'lî to Ishî signifies moving from a law-based, fearful obedience to a grace-based, loving relationship, where our understanding of God moves from Master to beloved Bridegroom.

Hosea 2 16 Commentary

Hosea 2:16 unveils the magnificent scope of God's redemptive love following His just discipline of Israel. After drawing His people into a wilderness experience for repentance, God tenderly speaks to them, not to merely restore their land, but to fundamentally transform their relationship. This verse encapsulates that transformation by revealing a critical shift in how Israel will address their God. The elimination of "My Baal" (Ba'lî) signifies an absolute break from the widespread spiritual prostitution that marred their history. "Baal" represented not only the oppressive, possessive "master" dynamic often associated with pagan deities and earthly husbands, but directly named the pagan deity responsible for seducing Israel. Renouncing this term means utterly divorcing themselves from all syncretism and acknowledging Yahweh as the sole, true source of blessing, apart from any false gods. The adoption of "My Husband" (Ishî) reveals God's longing for and initiation of profound intimacy. This term emphasizes affection, shared partnership, equality within the covenant, and steadfast love. It paints a picture of a devoted husband who has won back his bride's heart, establishing a bond far beyond duty or subservience, rooted in pure love and faithful commitment. This radical change is the hallmark of the restored relationship, a foreshadowing of the New Covenant where God’s Spirit writes His law upon hearts, enabling true knowledge and intimate love for Him, supremely realized in the union between Christ and His Church.

• For Believers: This verse challenges us to examine our own understanding and language towards God. Do we treat Him as a demanding taskmaster (Baal) from whom we fear punishment, or as a loving, covenant Husband (Ish), with whom we share intimacy and affection? It calls us to discard any thought patterns or vocabulary that reduce God to a distant or merely transactional provider.
• For Discipleship: It teaches that true spiritual transformation involves purifying our deepest allegiances and affections. Just as Israel cleansed their words, we must cleanse our hearts and minds from any "masters" that compete with Christ—be it wealth, ambition, comfort, or worldly approval.
• For Worship: Our worship should reflect this 'Ishî' relationship. It moves beyond duty or obligation to heartfelt praise, gratitude, and a joyous desire for presence and communion with the One who sacrificially loves and provides for us, always desiring true intimacy.