Hosea the prophet and Gomer daughter of Diblaim, had three children. The first child was a son, and God told Hosea to call him Jezreel which means “God sowed”.

Next, they had a daughter they named Lo-Ruhamah, which means “no mercy” and a son named Lo-Ammi which means “not my people”.  

Though Hosea and Gomer and their children were actual people, their lives were also representative of what God was teaching the Israelites through Hosea.

God told Hosea to name the first son Jezreel because “…in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.” (Hosea 1:4-5)

Hosea and Gomer’s daughter’s name meant “no mercy” which God explained meant, “I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.” (vs. 6-7)

Finally, the last son’s name meant, “Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” (v. 9)

Lo-Ruhamah could not have lived an easy life, having a harlot for a mom who rejected her family and sought after her own pleasures.  But God was faithful in the life of that family, and God showed mercy on them.

Read about Lo-Ruhamah:

Hosea 1:4-9