How we cite our quotes:
Quote #1
When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.” So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. (NRSV Hosea 1:2-3)
The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. (KJV Hosea 1:2-3)
Now that’s an example of being committed to your prophetic art. Experiential learning, you might call it. What Gomer thought of the whole escapade, however, is never made clear. She was a passive recipient of whatever this plan was supposed to prove.
Quote #2
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, or I will strip her naked and expose her as in the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and turn her into a parched land, and kill her with thirst. Upon her children also I will have no pity, because they are children of whoredom. (NRSV Hosea 2:2-4)
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; Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms. (KJV Hosea 2:2-4)
Even the children will be punished for the sins of their errant mothers. This is a popular theme among the prophets, although some of the major prophets later decided that God meant everyone to be responsible for their own sins and not those of their ancestors.
Quote #3
Therefore, I will now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. From there I will give her her vineyards, and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she shall respond as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. On that day, says the LORD, you will call me, “My husband,” and no longer will you call me, “My Baal.” (NRSV Hosea 2:14-16)
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. (KJV Hosea 2:14-16)
Once again, the woman is passive. She returns to her husband after a few nice words and some wine. The Bible in the headlines: Hosea predicts Rihanna and Chris Brown.