Hosea 2 2

Hosea 2:2 kjv

Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;

Hosea 2:2 nkjv

"Bring charges against your mother, bring charges; For she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her harlotries from her sight, And her adulteries from between her breasts;

Hosea 2:2 niv

"Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adulterous look from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts.

Hosea 2:2 esv

"Plead with your mother, plead ? for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband ? that she put away her whoring from her face, and her adultery from between her breasts;

Hosea 2:2 nlt

"But now bring charges against Israel ? your mother ?
for she is no longer my wife,
and I am no longer her husband.
Tell her to remove the prostitute's makeup from her face
and the clothing that exposes her breasts.

Hosea 2 verses

Hosea 2 2 meaning

Hosea 2:2 opens with a direct appeal from God, urging the children of Israel to confront their "mother," the nation itself, for her spiritual unfaithfulness. The core of the verse states God's separation from Israel due to her idolatry, declaring "she is not my wife, neither am I her husband." This potent image signifies the broken covenant relationship caused by Israel's "whoredoms" and "adulteries," terms representing their persistent spiritual defilement through idolatry and turning away from Yahweh. The verse is a strong call for radical repentance, demanding the removal of all forms of idolatry from her life, metaphorically described as from "her sight" and "between her breasts."

Hosea 2 2 Context

Hosea chapter 2 serves as a pivotal passage within the prophet's message, immediately following the highly symbolic marriage of Hosea to Gomer in chapter 1. Gomer's infidelity becomes a living parable of Israel's unfaithfulness to God. In chapter 2, God directly addresses the nation, using the familial metaphor to convey both judgment and a glimmer of future restoration. Verse 2 initiates a series of condemnations against Israel, portrayed as the adulterous wife, by calling upon her children (representing future generations or those still faithful) to plead with her for repentance. The immediate historical context is the widespread apostasy and idolatry prevalent in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the 8th century BC, where the worship of Baal and other foreign deities had become intertwined with political alliances and a superficial religiosity. The covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel, established at Sinai, was fundamentally a marital bond, making Israel's idolatry a direct violation and spiritual adultery.

Hosea 2 2 Word analysis

• Plead with your mother, plead (רִיבוּ אִמְּכֶם רִיבוּ - Rivu imemkhem rivu):

  • רִיבוּ (Rivu): The verb "plead" or "contend" or "strive" (root רִיב - riv). It often carries legal connotations, urging a judicial accusation or remonstration. The repetition emphasizes the urgency, gravity, and intensity of the charge and the plea for immediate action. It suggests the need for active intervention and confronting the sinful behavior head-on.
  • אִמְּכֶם (imemkhem): "Your mother." Here, "mother" is a metaphor for the entire nation of Israel or Judah, embodying the collective identity and spiritual lineage. The appeal is for internal moral conviction and change within the nation, through the 'children' representing perhaps the more righteous remnant or even future generations.

• for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband (כִּי הִיא לֹא אִשְׁתִּי וְאָנֹכִי לֹא אִישָׁהּ - ki hi lo ishti ve'anokhi lo isha):

  • אִשְׁתִּי (ishti): "My wife." From אִשָׁה (isha), meaning "woman" or "wife." The possessive suffix indicates the marital bond.
  • אִישָׁהּ (isha): "Her husband." From אִישׁ (ish), meaning "man" or "husband."
  • לֹא (lo): The strong Hebrew negation "not." The repeated negation "not my wife" and "not her husband" strongly asserts the dissolution of the covenant relationship in its current state due to her infidelity. This reflects the breaking of a marriage vow. It’s not a formal divorce yet but a severe crisis of relationship where the essence of the marriage is denied by the husband due to the wife’s conduct. The language directly mirrors the prophetic allegory of Hosea's own marriage.

• let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight (וְתָסֵר זְנוּנֶיהָ מִפָּנֶיהָ - vetaser z'nuneyha mippaneha):

  • וְתָסֵר (vetaser): "Let her put away," "let her remove," or "take away." It's an imperative to act, to eliminate the source of the offense.
  • זְנוּנֶיהָ (z'nuneyha): "Her whoredoms" or "her fornications." Root זָנָה (zanah), meaning "to play the harlot." In prophetic literature, this term almost exclusively refers to spiritual prostitution or idolatry—worshiping foreign gods, entering unholy alliances, or trusting in anything other than Yahweh.
  • מִפָּנֶיהָ (mippaneha): "Out of her sight" or "from her presence/face." This suggests visible, public acts of idolatry and also a more personal cleansing—removing objects and practices from her immediate sphere of influence, her attention, or her active engagement.

• and her adulteries from between her breasts (וְנַאֲפוּפֶיהָ מִבֵּין שָׁדֶיהָ - venaafoofeyha mibeyn shadeyha):

  • נַאֲפוּפֶיהָ (naafoofeyha): "Her adulteries." From נָאַף (na'aph), meaning "to commit adultery." While zanah (whoredom) implies general illicit sexual activity, na'aph (adultery) specifically implies breaking a covenant or marriage vow. Here, both terms are used, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of Israel's infidelity.
  • מִבֵּין שָׁדֶיהָ (mibeyn shadeyha): "From between her breasts." This is a profoundly intimate and telling image. Culturally, amulets, charms, or pagan fertility symbols were often worn in this area. It points to the deep, personal, and physically displayed nature of her spiritual unfaithfulness—idolatry was not just an external act but a deep-seated part of her identity and practice, even bordering on sensuality. It underscores the profound intimacy of her sin against God.

Hosea 2 2 Bonus section

The repeated verb "plead" or "contend" (rivu) at the beginning of the verse carries a forensic tone, suggesting that Israel is being brought to a legal court, a divine court. This highlights the justice of God's accusations and the seriousness of Israel's actions as a covenant breach, much like a breach of contract or marital vow would be heard in a human court. While God acknowledges Israel as 'mother,' calling on the 'children' to plead also foreshadows the internal division and moral decay within the nation, where a faithful remnant might still exist and be called to confront the larger sinful entity. This verse subtly initiates a divine lawsuit against the nation, not just a moral lecture, underscoring the legal consequences of breaking the covenant. Furthermore, the explicit disavowal "she is not my wife, neither am I her husband" implies a reversal of the solemn covenant language used to establish Israel as God's special possession, His 'wife,' underscoring the depth of their rebellion. This profound reversal of status serves as a wake-up call, emphasizing that the intimate relationship is jeopardized by her persistent infidelity.

Hosea 2 2 Commentary

Hosea 2:2 powerfully uses the metaphor of a fractured marriage to depict the severity of Israel's spiritual decline. God, as the wronged husband, declares a relational severance due to Israel's idolatry, characterized as whoredom and adultery. This is not a formal legal divorce yet but a strong statement of a covenant breach that makes the existing bond meaningless. The "pleading" by the children highlights an internal call for self-examination and reform within the nation. The imperative to "put away" her sins, specified as "whoredoms" from her "sight" and "adulteries" from "between her breasts," calls for a complete, tangible, and personal rejection of all forms of idolatry. This imagery transcends mere physical acts; it points to a deep cleansing of inward affections, outward display, and the most intimate aspects of life that were intertwined with pagan worship. The "between her breasts" detail particularly indicates the deeply cherished and perhaps seductive nature of her idolatrous practices. Ultimately, this verse functions as a pre-requisite for any future reconciliation: a complete and sincere abandonment of all unfaithfulness.

• Practical Usage: Individuals and communities today are called to identify "whoredoms" (idols in various forms like material pursuits, self-worship, seeking affirmation from the world) and "adulteries" (betraying the unique devotion owed to God by giving allegiance to other allegiances). The demand is for a radical purging from one's visible life ("sight") and inner being ("between her breasts").