And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about punishment; it's a devastating reversal of the covenant relationship. When God declares, "I will not be your God," He's taking away not just protection, but His very identity as their Creator, Redeemer, and King. This signifies a profound spiritual abandonment, where the very core of their existence as a chosen people is nullified.
And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the climax of Hosea's prophetic message delivered through his family. Following the naming of his first two children, Jezreel and Lo-Ruhamah (Not Pitied), this third child's name, Lo-Ammi (Not My People), signifies the complete and utter rejection of Israel by God. It's the final, devastating declaration that their covenant relationship is broken due to their persistent unfaithfulness, leading to their eventual scattering and loss of God's protection and favor.
Imagine your name being changed to signify your complete rejection. Hosea's third child receives a name that echoes God's heartbreak and judgment.
The naming of Hosea's children wasn't just a symbolic act; it was a prophetic declaration. The first child, Jezreel, marked the impending judgment for past sins. The second, Lo-Ruhamah ('No Longer Pitied'), signified God's withdrawal of compassion.
This third child, named Lo-Ammi ('Not My People'), represents the ultimate consequence: a complete severance of the relationship. This isn't a temporary discipline; it's a declaration of abandonment.
It’s the final word on a covenant relationship that has been broken beyond repair by Israel’s persistent unfaithfulness. This name is the stark reality of their rejection.
The relationship between God and Israel was built on a sacred covenant. What happens when that covenant is declared null and void?
The core of Israel's identity was their covenant relationship with God, summed up in the promise: 'I will be your God, and you shall be My people.' This wasn't just a political or social bond; it was a profound, intimate connection where God committed to bless, protect, and guide them, and they committed to love and obey Him.
The name 'Lo-Ammi' signifies the annulment of this covenant. God declares that the people are no longer His in the special sense of covenant relationship. They have broken the terms so severely, by turning to idols and refusing to repent, that the foundational promise is reversed.
This is a sobering picture of the consequences of breaking faith with God. It’s not just about punishment; it’s about the loss of a unique and precious identity tied to being God's own.
Ask a follow-up
Can the God of love truly 'reject' His people? This verse reveals a profound tension in God's character and actions.
This is one of the most challenging passages in Hosea. God, who is love, declares His people 'Not My People.' This isn't a capricious act, but a righteous judgment stemming from their deep-seated rebellion and idolatry.
The ancient commentaries highlight that God's declaration, 'I will not be your God,' means He will no longer act as their Protector, Provider, or Father. He withdraws the benefits and privileges of the covenant relationship.
Yet, even in this severe judgment, there's a hint of the enduring nature of God's love. The very act of sending prophets like Hosea, and the detailed prophetic messages, show God striving to reach His people even as He pronounces their rejection. The deeper biblical narrative reveals that this rejection, though real and severe, is not the final word. God’s ultimate plan, even through judgment, is redemption.
Understand the original words
am · Hebrew Noun
A metaphorical expression for the collective identity of those chosen by God, signifying a unique, binding, and familial relationship between the Creator and His covenant community. To be "His people" is to belong to Him and to live under His rule and protection.
The naming of Hosea's children, especially Lo-Ammi, was a stark, public pronouncement of impending doom. It directly reflects the historical reality of Israel's political and spiritual decline, culminating in their exile by Assyria and the annulment of their covenant status.
c. 793-753 BC
Reign of Jeroboam II
The prophet Hosea begins his ministry during the prosperous but spiritually corrupt reign of Jeroboam II, king of the northern kingdom of Israel.
c. 780 BC
Birth of Jezreel
Hosea's first child is born, named Jezreel, signifying God's future judgment upon the house of Jehu and the eventual scattering of Israel.
c. 770 BC
Birth of Lo-Ruhamah
Hosea's daughter is born, named Lo-Ruhamah ('Not Pitied'), symbolizing God's withdrawing of compassion and mercy from the nation.
c. 760 BC— this verse
Birth of Lo-Ammi
Hosea's second son is born, named Lo-Ammi ('Not My People'), marking the ultimate rejection and severing of the covenant relationship.
734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimite War
The northern kingdom of Israel allies with Syria against Judah, prompting an Assyrian invasion. This war leads to the deportation of northern tribes.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Exile
The Assyrian Empire, under Shalmaneser V and then Sargon II, conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting its population and effectively ending its existence as a nation.
This passage describes the reciprocal covenant relationship that God established with Israel: 'I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.' Hosea 1:9 directly reverses this promise, signifying the complete breakdown of that covenant due to Israel's unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 31:33Jeremiah echoes the covenant promise by stating, 'I will be their God, and they shall be my people.' Hosea's prophecy serves as a stark foreshadowing of the judgment that would lead to this promise being broken, even as it speaks of a future restoration.
Romans 9:25-26The Apostle Paul quotes Hosea's words ('Those who were not my people I will call 'my people'') to explain God's broader plan of salvation that extends beyond national Israel to include Gentiles. This shows how God's rejection of Israel in Hosea's prophecy was not the final word, but part of a redemptive narrative.
Ezekiel 16:8In this vivid allegory of Israel as an unfaithful wife, God declares, 'I passed by you and looked on you, and behold, your time was one of love. And I spread the corner of my garment over you... and you became mine.' Hosea 1:9 represents the ultimate consequence of this covenant love being rejected by the people.
Hosea 2:23This verse offers a glimpse of hope, promising future restoration: 'And I will say to Not My People, “You are my people”; and he shall say, “You are my God.”' It directly contrasts the judgment in 1:9 with God's ultimate faithfulness and redemptive plan for His people.
ellicottHosea 1:9: "Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God."
(9) Closes the chapter in the Hebrew text. The episode above described is, in some particulars, the model for Ezekiel 16. Gomer’s child Lo ‘Ammi (not my people), is type of utter and final repudiation.
barnesHosea 1:9: "Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God."
Call his name Lo-ammi - that is, "not My people." The name of this third child expresses the last final degree of chastisement. As the "scattering by God" did not involve the being wholly "unpitied;" so neither did the being wholly "unpitied" for the time involve the being wholly rejected, so as to be no more His people. There were corresponding degrees in the actual history of the kingdom of…
This isn't just about punishment; it's a devastating reversal of the covenant relationship. When God declares, "I will not be your God," He's taking away not just protection, but His very identity as their Creator, Redeemer, and King. This signifies a profound spiritual abandonment, where the very core of their existence as a chosen people is nullified.
This verse marks the climax of Hosea's prophetic message delivered through his family. Following the naming of his first two children, Jezreel and Lo-Ruhamah (Not Pitied), this third child's name, Lo-Ammi (Not My People), signifies the complete and utter rejection of Israel by God. It's the final, devastating declaration that their covenant relationship is broken due to their persistent unfaithfulness, leading to their eventual scattering and loss of God's protection and favor.
This verse marks the climax of Hosea's prophetic message delivered through his family. Following the naming of his first two children, Jezreel and Lo-Ruhamah (Not Pitied), this third child's name, Lo-Ammi (Not My People), signifies the complete and utter rejection of Israel by God. It's the final, devastating declaration that their covenant relationship is broken due to their persistent unfaithfulness, leading to their eventual scattering and loss of God's protection and favor.
"And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.”" — This isn't just about punishment; it's a devastating reversal of the covenant relationship. When God declares, "I will not be your God," He's taking away not just protection, but His very identity as…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026