Hosea 2:19 kjv
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.
Hosea 2:19 nkjv
"I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy;
Hosea 2:19 niv
I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.
Hosea 2:19 esv
And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.
Hosea 2:19 nlt
I will make you my wife forever,
showing you righteousness and justice,
unfailing love and compassion.
Hosea 2 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 54:5 | For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name... | God as the divine Husband/Redeemer |
| Jer 2:2 | "I remember you... the love of your engagement, when you followed Me..." | Israel's initial bride-like devotion to God |
| Jer 31:31-34 | "Behold, the days are coming... I will make a new covenant..." | Prophecy of the New Covenant's institution |
| Ezek 16:8 | "...I spread My skirt over you... took an oath... you became Mine." | God's original covenant "marriage" with Israel |
| Isa 62:5 | "...as a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice..." | God's profound joy over His people |
| 2 Cor 11:2 | "I have betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin..." | The Church as the betrothed bride of Christ |
| Eph 5:25-27 | "...Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her..." | Christ's sacrificial love for His bride, the Church |
| Rev 19:7-9 | "...for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready." | The future consummation of the Lamb's marriage |
| Rev 21:2 | "...New Jerusalem, coming down... as a bride adorned for her husband." | The completed Church as Christ's adorned bride |
| Ex 34:6-7 | "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering... abounding in goodness and truth..." | Fundamental divine attributes |
| Ps 85:10 | "Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed." | Harmony and interaction of divine attributes |
| Ps 36:5-6 | "Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds." | God's immense covenant love and fidelity |
| Isa 1:27 | "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her converts with righteousness." | Redemption inseparable from God's just character |
| Mic 6:8 | "...what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, To love mercy..." | Human duty mirroring God's character |
| Jer 9:24 | "...I am the LORD, who exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness..." | God's very identity tied to these virtues |
| Rom 3:25-26 | "...to demonstrate His righteousness... so that He might be just and the justifier..." | God's righteousness in providing salvation |
| Eph 2:4-5 | "...But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love..." | God's rich mercy as the source of salvation |
| Titus 3:5 | "...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy..." | Salvation as an act of God's mercy and grace |
| Isa 55:3 | "...I will make an everlasting covenant with you—The sure mercies of David." | Promise of an enduring and faithful covenant |
| Jer 32:40 | "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away..." | God's perpetual covenant commitment |
| Lam 3:22-23 | "Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not." | God's unfailing compassion preventing destruction |
| Deut 7:9 | "Therefore know that the LORD your God... is the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy..." | God's covenant-keeping faithfulness and loyal love |
| Rom 11:26-29 | "And so all Israel will be saved... concerning the election, they are beloved..." | Future, certain salvation and restoration of Israel |
Hosea 2 verses
Hosea 2 19 Meaning
Hosea 2:19 expresses the Lord's profound and gracious promise to restore His covenant relationship with unfaithful Israel. He declares His intent to "betroth," or spiritually engage, His people to Himself for an everlasting future. This renewed covenant is firmly established not on Israel's merit, but upon the unshakeable pillars of God's own character: His intrinsic "righteousness" and "justice," and His overflowing "lovingkindness" and "mercy," guaranteeing an eternally steadfast and compassionate bond.
Hosea 2 19 Context
The book of Hosea powerfully portrays God's enduring covenant love for Israel despite their persistent spiritual idolatry, depicted through the prophet's own troubled marriage to an unfaithful wife, Gomer. Chapters 1 and 2 introduce God's case against Israel, detailing her spiritual "harlotry"—turning away from Him to worship Baal and relying on human alliances rather than divine provision. Chapter 2 specifically describes God's corrective judgment, threatening to strip Israel of her blessings to lead her back to a state of dependency and remembrance of Him. However, following these judgments (Hosea 2:1-13) and a promise of wooing Israel back into a "wilderness" for renewed intimacy (Hosea 2:14-18), verse 19 marks a profound shift. It unveils God's unwavering intention to graciously restore and permanently renew His covenant relationship, showcasing His immense mercy and steadfast love, transcending Israel's repeated infidelity.
Hosea 2 19 Word analysis
- וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ (vᵊʾērastîḵ): "And I will betroth you." Derived from the Hebrew root 'aras (אָרַשׂ), meaning "to engage" or "to espouse." This signifies a binding, legal commitment to marriage that precedes the actual wedding. The repetition emphasizes God's sovereign initiative and the certainty of this renewed promise. It implies a re-engagement following a period of broken vows, a truly radical act of grace on God's part.
- לִי (lî): "to Me," or "for Myself." This simple preposition emphasizes exclusivity and sacred ownership. God reclaims Israel as uniquely and wholly His own, demanding undivided devotion in contrast to her previous flirtations with other gods.
- לְעוֹלָם (lᵊʿōwlām): "forever," "for eternity," "perpetually." This crucial temporal qualifier signifies an unbroken, enduring covenant, contrasting with Israel's broken covenant from her side. It highlights God's unwavering faithfulness as the guarantee of the relationship's permanence, signifying an eternal bond that will not be dissolved.
- בְּצֶדֶק (bᵊṣeḏeq): "in righteousness." Tzedeq (צֶדֶק) refers to moral integrity, ethical rectitude, and adherence to divine standards. This implies that the new betrothal is founded upon God's inherent moral perfection and will foster integrity within the relationship. It ensures fairness and conformity to His perfect will.
- וּבְמִשְׁפָּט (ūvᵊmišpāṭ): "and in justice" or "and in judgment." Mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט) denotes legal judgment, proper administration, and fair rule. Often paired with tzedeq, it ensures equity and right ordering within the covenant. God's rule over His restored people will be just, guaranteeing peace and security.
- וּבְחֶסֶד (ūvᵊḥeseḏ): "and in lovingkindness" or "steadfast love." Hesed (חֶסֶד) is a profound biblical term representing loyal, covenantal love, faithful commitment, and acts of kindness, often in the face of need or failure. It describes God's tenacious and unwavering affection for His people despite their disloyalty, acting as the bedrock of His relationship.
- וּבְרַחֲמִים (ūvᵊraḥămîm): "and in mercies" or "compassions." Rachamim (רַחֲמִים) (plural) comes from the root word for "womb," conveying deep, tender, maternal, and visceral pity and sympathy. It represents God's profound empathy, forgiveness, and caring for His people, particularly evident in overlooking past transgressions and offering renewed intimacy.
Hosea 2 19 Bonus section
This divine betrothal to Israel not only prophesies a future restoration for the nation of Israel but also serves as a spiritual precursor to the New Covenant where the Church, comprising both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus Christ, becomes the "bride" betrothed to Christ Himself. The term "forever" highlights the eternal security and immutable nature of God's New Covenant promises, ensuring that nothing can separate His people from His love. This passage profoundly illustrates God's perseverance and patience, demonstrating that His character of loyal love and compassionate mercy overrides His righteous wrath, ultimately bringing His beloved people back into an eternal relationship of holiness and grace. The act of "betrothing" implies a sacred interval of waiting before the ultimate consummation, a time when His people are called to purify themselves in anticipation of His full arrival and unending reign.
Hosea 2 19 Commentary
Hosea 2:19 reveals the radical grace at the heart of God's character. After condemning Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness as a harlot, God, the jilted husband, astonishingly declares His intention to re-engage His people. This promise of "betrothal forever" is not earned by Israel's reformation, but unilaterally initiated by God's unchanging love and fidelity. It assures an unbreakable, everlasting bond, immune to human failure because its foundation is divine. The covenant will be grounded in His "righteousness" and "justice," meaning it will be pure, fair, and ordered according to His holy nature. Simultaneously, it will be drenched in His "lovingkindness" (steadfast, covenantal love) and "mercy" (deep, womb-like compassion). This quartet of attributes comprehensively describes God's covenant with His people: a relationship that upholds perfect holiness while extending boundless, tender grace and faithful commitment, radically unlike the fickle, self-serving pagan gods Israel previously pursued. It transforms judgment into renewed intimacy, guaranteeing spiritual security and unwavering love.