And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.

HOSEA 2:4KJV
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Hosea 2:4 (KJV)

What does Hosea 2:4 mean?

Hosea 2:4 states that God will not show mercy to the children of Israel because they are described as "children of whoredoms," meaning they come from unfaithfulness. This verse uses strong language to express God’s decision to withhold compassion due to the people’s ongoing spiritual unfaithfulness.

In this verse, the prophet Hosea is speaking God’s message to the people of Israel, using the metaphor of a broken marriage to describe Israel’s relationship with God. The "children" represent the people of Israel, and "whoredoms" refers to their persistent worship of other gods and breaking of their covenant with God. The verse highlights the seriousness of Israel’s actions and the consequences of turning away from God.

The Hebrew behind Hosea 2:4

  • "mercy" (רָחַם, racham): This word means to show compassion or tender love. Its use here emphasizes that God is choosing to withhold the deep, parental compassion He has previously shown to Israel.
  • "children" (בֵּן, ben): This word simply means sons or children. The repetition in the verse stresses that the entire community, not just individuals, is implicated.
  • "whoredoms" (זְנוּנִים, zenunim): This word refers to acts of unfaithfulness, especially in the context of marital or covenant relationships. Here, it points to Israel’s spiritual betrayal by worshiping other gods, not just literal immorality.

Why Hosea 2:4 matters

  • Hosea 2:4 clarifies that the consequences of unfaithfulness affect the whole community, not just the leaders or a select few.
  • The verse shows the depth of God’s disappointment and the seriousness with which He views spiritual betrayal, using family language to make the message personal and vivid.
  • Understanding the metaphor of "children of whoredoms" helps readers see that the issue is spiritual unfaithfulness, not just physical actions, connecting this verse to Hosea’s larger message about returning to God.

Where else these words appear

“whoredoms” Hebrew H2183 · used in 10 verses

  • Genesis 38:24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
  • Ezekiel 23:29 And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.
  • Hosea 4:12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

“mercy” Hebrew H7355 · used in 43 verses

  • Exodus 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
  • Isaiah 30:18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
  • Jeremiah 33:26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.