Study Desk

Yes, all Isra'el flouted your Torah and turned away, unwilling to listen to your voice. Therefore the curse and oath written in the Torah of Moshe the servant of God was poured out on us, because we sinned against him.

As written in the Torah of Moshe, this whole disaster came upon us. Yet we did not appease Adonai our God by renouncing our wrongdoing and discerning your truth.

So Adonai watched for the right moment to bring this disaster upon us, for Adonai our God was just in everything he did, yet we didn't listen when he spoke.

"Now, Adonai our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, thereby winning renown for yourself, as is the case today — we sinned, we acted wickedly.

Therefore, our God, listen to the prayer and pleadings of your servant; and cause your face to shine on your desolated sanctuary, for your own sake.

My God, turn your ear, and hear; open your eyes and see how desolated we are, as well as the city which bears your name. For we plead with you not because of our own righteousness, but because of your compassion.

Adonai, hear! Adonai, forgive! Adonai, pay attention, and don't delay action — for your own sake, my God, because your city and your people bear your name!"

While I was speaking, praying, confessing my own sin and the sin of my people Isra'el, and pleading before Adonai my God for the holy mountain of my God —

Then he said to me, "Don't be afraid, Dani'el; because since the first day that you determined to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard; and I have come because of what you said.

Those who act wickedly against the covenant he will corrupt with his blandishments, but the people who know their God will stand firm and prevail.

"The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god, and he will utter monstrous blasphemies against the God of gods. He will prosper only until the period of wrath is over, for what has been determined must take place.

He will show no respect for the gods his ancestors worshipped, or for the god women worship — he won't show respect for any god, because he will consider himself greater than all of them.

But instead, he will honor the god of strongholds; with gold, silver, precious stones and other costly things he will honor a god unknown to his ancestors.

He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will confer honor on those he acknowledges, causing them to rule over many and distributing land as a reward.

But I will pity the house of Y'hudah; I will save them not by bow, sword, battle, horses or cavalry, but by Adonai their God."

Adonai said, "Name him Lo-‘Ammi [not-my-people], because you are not my people, and I will not be your [God].

This is the word of Adonai that came to Hoshea the son of Be'eri during the reigns of ‘Uziyah, Yotam, Achaz and Y'chizkiyah, kings of Y'hudah, and during the reign of Yarov‘am the son of Yo'ash, king of Isra'el. Adonai 's opening words in speaking to Hoshea were to instruct Hoshea, "Go, marry a whore, and have children with this whore; for the land is engaged in flagrant whoring, whoring away from Adonai ." So he went and married Gomer the daughter of Divlayim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Adonai said to him, "Call him Yizre‘el, because in only a short time I will punish the house of Yehu for having shed blood at Yizre‘el; I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Isra'el. When that day comes, I will break the bow of Isra'el in the Yizre‘el Valley." She conceived again and bore a daughter. Adonai said to him, "Name her Lo-Ruchamah [unpitied], for I will no longer have pity on the house of Isra'el. By no means will I forgive them. But I will pity the house of Y'hudah; I will save them not by bow, sword, battle, horses or cavalry, but by Adonai their God." After weaning Lo-Ruchamah, she conceived and bore a son. Adonai said, "Name him Lo-‘Ammi [not-my-people], because you are not my people, and I will not be your [God].

This is the word of Adonai that came to Hoshea the son of Be'eri during the reigns of ‘Uziyah, Yotam, Achaz and Y'chizkiyah, kings of Y'hudah, and during the reign of Yarov‘am the son of Yo'ash, king of Isra'el. Adonai 's opening words in speaking to Hoshea were to instruct Hoshea, "Go, marry a whore, and have children with this whore; for the land is engaged in flagrant whoring, whoring away from Adonai ." So he went and married Gomer the daughter of Divlayim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Adonai said to him, "Call him Yizre‘el, because in only a short time I will punish the house of Yehu for having shed blood at Yizre‘el; I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Isra'el. When that day comes, I will break the bow of Isra'el in the Yizre‘el Valley." She conceived again and bore a daughter. Adonai said to him, "Name her Lo-Ruchamah [unpitied], for I will no longer have pity on the house of Isra'el. By no means will I forgive them. But I will pity the house of Y'hudah; I will save them not by bow, sword, battle, horses or cavalry, but by Adonai their God." After weaning Lo-Ruchamah, she conceived and bore a son. Adonai said, "Name him Lo-‘Ammi [not-my-people], because you are not my people, and I will not be your [God].

"Nevertheless, the people of Isra'el will number as many as the grains of sand by the sea, which cannot be measured or counted; so that the time will come when, instead of being told, ‘You are not my people,' it will be said to them, ‘You are the children of the living God.'

When that day comes, I will answer," says Adonai "I will answer the sky, and it will answer the earth; the earth will answer the corn, wine and oil, and they will answer Yizre‘el [God will sow]. I will sow her for me in the land. I will have pity on Lo-Ruchamah [Unpitied]; I will say to Lo-‘Ammi [Not-My-People], ‘You are my people'; and they will say, ‘You are my God.'"