For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about stopping idolatry; it's about God actively removing the very words of false worship from people's mouths. The plural "Baals" emphasizes that it’s not just one idol, but the entire system of devotion to them, that will be utterly forgotten, replaced by genuine remembrance of God alone.
For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Hosea is prophesying a time of restoration for Israel after their unfaithfulness and punishment. After describing how God will lead them back to Himself like in the wilderness, He promises to remove the influence and memory of the foreign gods, the Baals, that they had worshipped. This verse signifies a complete turning away from idolatry, where even the names of these false deities will cease to be spoken or remembered by the people.
How does God deal with persistent sin? It's more than just stopping a bad habit; it's about a complete removal, even from memory.
This verse paints a powerful picture of God's ultimate victory over idolatry. The 'Baalim' weren't just a single idol, but a whole pantheon of false gods that Israel had embraced. God declares He will not only stop the worship but completely remove the very names of these idols from His people's mouths.
More Than Just a Word
Why does God want His people to stop calling Him one thing and start calling Him another? It reveals a profound shift in relationship.
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The context of Hosea 2:17 points to a deeper relational shift. In the preceding verses (and throughout Hosea), Israel's worship of the Baalim is contrasted with their covenant relationship with God.
The Shift in Identity
This prophecy points to a future, complete eradication of idolatry, not just the cessation of worship but the forgetting of these false gods' names, signifying a profound spiritual renewal.
c. 9th century BC
Rise of Baal Worship in Israel
During the divided monarchy, particularly under Ahab and Jezebel, the worship of Baal, a Canaanite fertility god, became prominent, challenging Yahweh's supremacy. This syncretism involved various local manifestations of Baal worship.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Hosea's Ministry Begins
Hosea prophesied during a period of political instability and spiritual decline in the northern kingdom of Israel, just before the Assyrian conquest.
732 BC
Assyrian Campaign against Israel
Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria invaded Israel, conquering several northern cities and deporting populations, weakening the kingdom significantly.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The capital city of Samaria fell to the Assyrians under Shalmaneser V, leading to the exile of the northern tribes of Israel and the end of the northern kingdom.
c. 5th-4th century BC
Zechariah's Prophecy
The prophet Zechariah, writing after the Babylonian exile, echoes Hosea's themes, also foretelling the purging of idols and false gods from the land.
1st century AD
Apostolic Era
The New Testament writers, particularly Paul, refer to the concept of purging false worship, connecting it to the cleansing power of Christ's work.
This passage directly echoes Hosea's promise, stating that God will 'cut off the names of the idols from the land,' indicating a complete eradication of idolatry.
Ezekiel 36:25-26Here, God promises to 'sprinkle clean water' and cleanse from idols, giving a new heart and spirit, which directly relates to the internal transformation needed to stop remembering false gods.
Jeremiah 10:11This verse serves as a stark example of the 'Baalim' Hosea speaks of, declaring that the gods of the nations that do not have the power to create or save will perish, highlighting the futility of remembering them.
Romans 11:4This New Testament passage, referencing Elijah's complaint, shows that even in recalling past disobedience, the focus is on God's ultimate faithfulness, not on remembering idols in worship.
1 Corinthians 10:20Paul warns believers that sacrifices made to idols are sacrifices to demons, reinforcing the idea that 'remembering' or engaging with idols means spiritual participation with evil, a concept God aims to abolish.
gillHosea 2:17: "For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name."
For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth,.... Out of the mouth of Israel, as Saadiah; out of the mouth of the converted Jews, and even out of the mouth of the Gentiles, as Kimchi owns; the several Baals, as Baalpeor, Baalberith, and Baalzebub, and others: the names of them should be no more used, should not be spoken of, unless with detestation and abhorr…
barnesHosea 2:17: "For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name."
For I will take array the names of Baalim out of her mouth - It is, then, of grace. He does not only promise the ceasing of idolatry, but that it shall be the fruit of His converting grace, the gift of Him from whom "is both to will and to do. I will take away, as God saith elsewhere, "I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall be no more rememb…
This isn't just about stopping idolatry; it's about God actively removing the very words of false worship from people's mouths. The plural "Baals" emphasizes that it’s not just one idol, but the entire system of devotion to them, that will be utterly forgotten, replaced by genuine remembrance of God alone.
Hosea is prophesying a time of restoration for Israel after their unfaithfulness and punishment. After describing how God will lead them back to Himself like in the wilderness, He promises to remove the influence and memory of the foreign gods, the Baals, that they had worshipped. This verse signifies a complete turning away from idolatry, where even the names of these false deities will cease to be spoken or remembered by the people.
Hosea is prophesying a time of restoration for Israel after their unfaithfulness and punishment. After describing how God will lead them back to Himself like in the wilderness, He promises to remove the influence and memory of the foreign gods, the Baals, that they had worshipped. This verse signifies a complete turning away from idolatry, where even the names of these false deities will cease to be spoken or remembered by the people.
"For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more." — This isn't just about stopping idolatry; it's about God actively removing the very words of false worship from people's mouths. The plural "Baals" emphasizes that it’s not just one idol, but the en…
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Last reviewed October 2026