Hosea 1:6 Meaning and Explanation
“And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A daughter is born and named Lo-ruhamah, 'not pitied,' signaling that God's patient mercy toward Israel has reached a limit.
What Does Hosea 1:6 Mean?
A second child, a daughter, is born, and her name is a sorrowful sentence: Lo-ruhamah, meaning not shown mercy. After long patience, God declares that the northern kingdom will face the full weight of its choices. The naming of this child makes the warning personal and unmistakable.
Yet the very word for mercy here springs from the image of a mother's tender compassion, the love felt deep within for one's own child. To say mercy is withheld is to feel the ache of love restrained by justice. The verse prepares us to marvel later, when this same name is reversed and pity flows again. God's last word is never abandonment.
Hosea 1:6 in the Original Language
racham (רָחַם), 'to have mercy' -- a tender, womb-deep compassion, like a mother's love for her child.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 1:6
What does Hosea 1:6 mean?
A daughter is born and named Lo-ruhamah, 'not pitied,' signaling that God's patient mercy toward Israel has reached a limit.