I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.

HOSEA 2:20KJV
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Hosea 2:20 (KJV)

What does Hosea 2:20 mean?

Hosea 2:20 describes God’s promise to bind Himself to His people with unwavering faithfulness, so that they will truly know Him as the LORD. This verse pictures a restored relationship, where God commits to His people with loyalty and invites them to a deeper understanding of who He is.

In Hosea 2:20, God is speaking through the prophet Hosea to the people of Israel, who had been unfaithful to Him. The situation is one of hope after judgment: God promises to “betroth” or commit Himself to Israel again, using the language of marriage to show His lasting commitment. The verse highlights that this renewed bond will be marked by faithfulness, and as a result, Israel will genuinely “know” the LORD—not just by name, but through real relationship and experience.

The Hebrew behind Hosea 2:20

  • "betroth" (אָרַשׂ, ’āras, H781): This word means to pledge in marriage. Here, it emphasizes God’s personal and binding commitment to His people, using the image of engagement to show a new beginning.
  • "faithfulness" (אֱמוּנָה, ’emunah, H530): This word carries the sense of steadfastness and reliability. God’s promise is not just emotional but is grounded in unwavering loyalty.
  • "know" (יָדַע, yada‘, H3045): This word often means more than intellectual knowledge; it points to deep, personal experience. God is promising that His people will come to truly experience and understand Him.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH, H3068): This is God’s personal name, highlighting the closeness and covenant nature of the relationship being described.

Why Hosea 2:20 matters

  • Hosea 2:20 clears up the idea that God’s relationship with His people is distant or merely legal; instead, it shows a deeply personal, committed bond.
  • The verse emphasizes that God’s faithfulness is the foundation of the renewed relationship, not Israel’s past actions or worthiness.
  • In the wider context of Hosea, this promise stands out as a message of hope and restoration after warnings of judgment, showing that God’s ultimate desire is reconciliation and closeness with His people.

Where else these words appear

“betroth” Hebrew H781 · used in 10 verses

  • Exodus 22:16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
  • Deuteronomy 22:25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die:
  • Deuteronomy 28:30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.

“faithfulness” Hebrew H530 · used in 49 verses

  • Exodus 17:12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
  • Psalms 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
  • Psalms 119:90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.