Gomer

the wife of Hosea

Who was Gomer?

Wife of the prophet Hosea, daughter of Diblaim. Hosea 1:3
Mother of Jezreel, Lo-ruhama, and Lo-ammi, whose names were a warning for Israel. Hosea 1:3-9
Her story with Hosea was a sign of God’s faithful love for his people. Hosea 3:1

What the Bible says

Hosea 1:3

So he went, and took Gomer the daughter of Debelaim: and she conceived and bore him a son.

Hosea 1:3-9

³So he went, and took Gomer the daughter of Debelaim: and she conceived and bore him a son. ⁴And the Lord said to him: Call his name Jezrahel: for yet a little while, and I will visit the blood of Jezrahel upon the house of Jehu, and I will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. ⁵And in that day I will break in pieces the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezrahel. ⁶And she conceived again, and bore a daughter, and he said to him: Call her name, Without mercy: for I will not add any more to have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly forget them. ⁷And I will have mercy on the house of Juda, and I will save them by the Lord their God: and I will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, nor by horses, nor by horsemen. ⁸And she weaned her that was called Without mercy. And she conceived, and bore a son. ⁹And he said: Call his name, Not my people: for you are not my people, and I will not be yours.

Hosea 3:1

And the Lord said to me: Go yet again, and love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress: as the Lord loveth the children of Israel, and they look to strange gods, and love the husks of the grapes.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

The path of Gomer

Before Jesus. The Lord asked Hosea to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him, as a sign for Israel. Hosea 1:2; NAB note on Os 1, 2
Before Jesus. Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. Hosea 1:3
Before Jesus. Hosea spoke for God when Jeroboam, son of Joash, was king of Israel. In Judah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah reigned. Hosea 1:1
With Jesus. Gomer had a son. The Lord asked that he be named Jezreel, as a warning to the house of King Jehu. Hosea 1:3-4
With Jesus. Then she had a daughter, Lo-ruhamah, which means “not pitied.” Hosea 1:6; NAB note on Os 1, 6
With Jesus. After she weaned her daughter, she had another son: Lo-ammi, “not my people.” Hosea 1:8-9
Afterward. The Lord asked Hosea to love an adulterous woman again, as he loves Israel. The NAB note says it is Gomer. Hosea 3:1; NAB note on Os 3, 1-5
Afterward. God said he would act toward his people like a husband: he would lead them into the desert and speak to their heart. Hosea 2:16
Afterward. Hosea got her back with silver and barley. He asked her to wait for him many days, and he would wait for her too. Hosea 3:2-3
Afterward. Hosea explained the reason for that waiting: Israel would spend many days without a king. Then they would seek the Lord their God again. Hosea 3:4-5
Afterward. God announced that the warning names would be changed to “my people” and “pitied.” Hosea 2:3, 25

Words of Gomer

The Bible does not record any words of Gomer.

Not to be confused with

In Genesis there is another Gomer, a son of Japheth. He has nothing to do with Hosea’s wife. Genesis 10:2

What people ask

Who was Gomer?

The wife of the prophet Hosea, the daughter of Diblaim. The Bible says nothing more about her family. Hosea 1:3

Why does the Bible call her unfaithful?

The text says the Lord asked Hosea to marry a harlot. A note in the NAB explains that this does not mean she already was one when they married. Hosea 1:2; NAB note on Os 1, 2

Did Hosea forgive her?

The Lord asked him to love her again, and Hosea paid to get her back. In this way he showed how God loves his people. Hosea 3:1-2

What happened to her children’s names?

They were warning names. Later God announced new names: “my people” and “pitied.” Hosea 2:3, 25

What does God promise his people at the end of this story?

That he will bind himself to them forever, like a faithful husband, with justice, love and mercy. Hosea 2:21-22

Does the New Testament remember Gomer’s children?

Yes. Saint Paul and Saint Peter repeat the promise of their names: those who were not God’s people now are. Romans 9:25-26; 1 Peter 2:10

Little known Her father’s name was Diblaim. Hosea 1:3 She weaned her daughter before she had her third child. Hosea 1:8 What the Church teaches The prophets, beginning with Hosea…

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Who Gomer is connected to

Hosea · husband and wife

More people

All the people of the Bible · The Twelve Apostles · Women of the Bible

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