Hosea 1:9-10
And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just a declaration of judgment, but a stark reversal of God's covenant promise, "I will be your God, and you shall be My people." The name "Not My People" signifies not just God's withdrawal of favor, but the utter annihilation of the reciprocal relationship that defined their existence. It's the severing of the bond where God gave Himself to them, and they belonged to Him.
This verse marks the naming of Hosea's third child, a son, with the name "Lo-ammi," meaning "not my people." This follows the naming of his daughter "Lo-ruhamah," meaning "not pitied," signifying escalating judgment. The names together declare God's utter repudiation of Israel for their persistent unfaithfulness, a judgment that culminates in their exile and loss of covenant identity.
Imagine a child’s name being a declaration of abandonment. Hosea’s third child isn't just given a sad name; it’s a divine pronouncement of total severance.
The name 'Lo-Ammi' translates to 'Not My People.' This wasn't just a symbolic name; it was God declaring the end of His relationship with the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
A Name of Finality
Unlike the previous names (Jezreel and Lo-Ruhamah), which implied consequences and a possibility of future pity, 'Lo-Ammi' signifies a complete and utter casting off. God is explicitly stating that the covenant relationship, once the defining feature of Israel, is annulled.
More Than a Label
This pronouncement meant more than just a change in title. It meant God would no longer act as their protector, provider, or Father. Their status as His chosen people was revoked due to their persistent rebellion and idolatry.
Marriage and family are built on mutual belonging and commitment. Hosea’s family and God’s relationship with Israel are portrayed as a broken covenant, a devastating loss of that sacred exchange.
The core of God’s relationship with Israel was the covenant: 'I will be your God, and you shall be My people.' This was a reciprocal relationship where God committed to bless and protect them, and they committed to love and obey Him.
The Withering Exchange
The name 'Lo-Ammi' signifies the annihilation of this mutual exchange. God declares, 'you are not My people,' severing His commitment to be their God. This means He will no longer fulfill the promises of protection, provision, and fatherly love that were foundational to the covenant.
The Price of Apostasy
Israel had chosen other gods and other loyalties, effectively saying 'we are not Yours.' Their persistent disobedience and idolatry meant they had nullified their part of the covenant, leaving God with no choice but to declare the entire relationship void. This was not a withdrawal of God’s to be their God, but a withdrawal of His to act as their God due to their rejection.
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.
el chay · Hebrew Noun phrase
The Eternal One, the God who possesses life in Himself, as opposed to the lifeless idols of the nations. As the "living God," He is active, powerful, and intimately involved in the history and lives of His people.
Hosea's prophecy of being 'Not My People' lands with devastating weight during a time of apparent prosperity under Jeroboam II. This outward success masked a deep spiritual and moral rot that God, through Hosea's family and message, declared would lead to total rejection and exile.
c. 793 BC
Jeroboam II Reigns
Jeroboam II becomes king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. His long reign is marked by renewed territorial expansion and prosperity, but also by widespread moral and religious corruption.
c. 786 BC
Hosea Begins Prophesying
Hosea is called by God to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, a period of outward strength under Jeroboam II but deep spiritual decay.
c. 785 BC
Birth of Jezreel
Hosea's first child is born, named Jezreel, signifying future judgment and scattering, linking to past violence and impending doom.
c. 784 BC
Birth of Lo-Ruhamah
Hosea's daughter is born, named Lo-Ruhamah ('No Mercy' or 'Unpitied'), signifying God's withdrawal of compassion from Israel.
This passage speaks of a future New Covenant where God will forgive and remember sins no more, directly contrasting the complete rejection symbolized by 'Not My People' in Hosea. It offers a hopeful counterpoint to Hosea's pronouncement of abandonment, showing God's ultimate plan for restoration and intimate relationship.
Romans 9:25-26Paul quotes Hosea directly, applying the prophecy of 'Not My People' and 'Not My God' to both Israel and Gentiles. This shows how the rejection symbolized in Hosea's son's name was understood to have a broader application beyond just the Northern Kingdom, extending to the inclusion of Gentiles and the subsequent calling of a new 'people'.
Deuteronomy 28:64-68This passage from Deuteronomy describes the curses for disobedience, including being scattered among nations and serving foreign gods. It provides the backdrop and consequence for God's pronouncement in Hosea, illustrating the severe judgment that would lead God to declare them 'Not My People'.
Luke 15:11-32The parable of the Prodigal Son vividly illustrates the concept of returning to a Father's embrace after being lost or estranged. While Hosea declares 'Not My People' due to rejection, the Prodigal Son's story highlights the Father's readiness to welcome back the one who was 'lost' and essentially no longer considered 'part of the family', mirroring the profound brokenness of the relationship.
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 verse isn't just a declaration of judgment, but a stark reversal of God's covenant promise, "I will be your God, and you shall be My people." The name "Not My People" signifies not just God's withdrawal of favor, but the utter annihilation of the reciprocal relationship that defined their existence. It's the severing of the bond where God gave Himself to them, and they belonged to Him.
This verse marks the naming of Hosea's third child, a son, with the name "Lo-ammi," meaning "not my people." This follows the naming of his daughter "Lo-ruhamah," meaning "not pitied," signifying escalating judgment. The names together declare God's utter repudiation of Israel for their persistent unfaithfulness, a judgment that culminates in their exile and loss of covenant identity.
This verse marks the naming of Hosea's third child, a son, with the name "Lo-ammi," meaning "not my people." This follows the naming of his daughter "Lo-ruhamah," meaning "not pitied," signifying escalating judgment. The names together declare God's utter repudiation of Israel for their persistent unfaithfulness, a judgment that culminates in their exile and loss of covenant identity.
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c. 783 BC— this verse
Birth of Lo-Ammi
Hosea's son is born, named Lo-Ammi ('Not My People'), directly signifying God's renunciation of Israel as His covenant people due to their persistent sin.
734–732 BC
Assyrian Invasions Begin
The Assyrian kings Tiglath-Pileser III and Shalmaneser V begin campaigns against Israel, leading to territorial loss and deportations.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Exile
The capital city of Samaria falls to the Assyrians under Sargon II, and the Northern Kingdom of Israel is destroyed and its people exiled, fulfilling Hosea's prophecy of being 'Not My People'.
Jesus declares that the kingdom of God will be taken away from Israel and given to a people who will produce its fruits. This echoes Hosea's pronouncement by indicating a fundamental shift in God's relationship with His people, where the old identity is revoked because of unfaithfulness, and a new 'people' will be established.
"And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it…" — This verse isn't just a declaration of judgment, but a stark reversal of God's covenant promise, "I will be your God, and you shall be My people." The name "Not My People" signifies not just God's wi…
