Who was Lo-ruhamah in the Bible?

Symbolical name given to Hosea's daughter. The context shows its meaning to be 'not having obtained mercy,' as in the margin. It was given to emphasise the fact that God was going to punish the people of Israel, and take them from the land, though still having mercy for a time on Judah. Hosea 1:6, 8: cf. 1 Peter 2:10.

Next a daughter is born. Here "bare him" as found in verse 3 is omitted. The prophet receives a name for her--Lo-ruhamah, which means "not having obtained mercy." Interesting are the two renderings of the Holy Spirit of this passage in the New Testament. In Romans 9:25 it is rendered "not beloved" and in 1 Peter 2:10, "hath not obtained mercy." Love and mercy were now to be withdrawn from Israel and they were to be taken away utterly.

Then the house of Judah is mentioned. They shall be saved by the Lord their God, because He has mercy on them. Their salvation was not by bow, by sword, or by battle, horses and horsemen. It was only a little while later when the Assyrian, who was God's instrument in the execution of judgment upon Israel, came before the gates of Jerusalem, but Jerusalem was saved in the manner as predicted here, not by bow or sword, but the angel of the Lord smote the army of 185,000 in one night. And later Judah was saved and a remnant brought back from Babylon. Then there is a future salvation for Judah in the end of the age.

A daughter is afterwards born to the woman whom the prophet has taken. God commands the prophet to call her Lo-ruhamah (that is, "no more mercy"). Not only was judgment executed upon Israel, but apart from sovereign grace — the exercise of which was reserved for the last days — this judgment was final. There was no longer any room for the long-suffering of God towards the kingdom of Israel. Judah should yet be preserved by the power of God.

A second son is named Lo-ammi (that is, "not my people"), for now Jehovah no more acknowledged the people to be His. Judah, who for a time maintained this position, although the ten tribes were lost, has at length by her unfaithfulness plunged the whole nation under the terrible judgment of being no longer the people of God, and Jehovah being no longer their God.

Then again we find a daughter appears, whose name was to be called Lo-ruhamah, a name which expresses the absence of pity towards the people. No more mercy was to be shown. Thus the failure of the kingdom of Israel, which soon followed after the dealing with Jehu's house, was not then complete. There would be still more judgment from God; for He says, "I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel." Jezreel was but the beginning of the judgments of God. "I will utterly take them away." It was not therefore the collapse of the kingdom of Jehu only, but Israel as a whole was to be swept from the land, never more to be restored as a separate polity. "But," says He in the very same breath, "I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by Jehovah their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen." The Assyrian was allowed to destroy the kingdom of Israel, but was himself checked by divine power when he hoped to carry off Judah.

The name of the firstborn was significant: "God scatters." The ungodly northern kingdom was doomed. When next a daughter was born God told Hosea to give her the name of Lo-ruhamah, which means "not having obtained mercy." The Lord explained the meaning of this name: as far as the northern kingdom was concerned: He could no longer show mercy. As we know, the Jews of the northern kingdom were eventually swept out of their land by the Assyrians and completely lost their identity. Nevertheless, the faithful God never lost sight of His people and to Hosea He revealed His eventual purpose for them. When a second son was born God told Hosea to give him the name of Lo-ammi which means "not My people." It would have been disastrous for the nation if God had left them in that state. But Hosea was given a message from God, who is a God of mercy, and the promise was given to these undeserving people: "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea."

The name of the firstborn was significant: “God scatters.” The ungodly northern kingdom was doomed. When next a daughter was born God told Hosea to give her the name of Lo-ruhamah, which means “not having obtained mercy.” The Lord explained the meaning of this name: as far as the northern kingdom was concerned: He could no longer show mercy. As we know, the Jews of the northern kingdom were eventually swept out of their land by the Assyrians and completely lost their identity. Nevertheless, the faithful God never lost sight of His people and to Hosea He revealed His eventual purpose for them. When a second son was born God told Hosea to give him the name of Lo-ammi which means “not My people.” It would have been disastrous for the nation if God had left them in that state. But Hosea was given a message from God, who is a God of mercy, and the promise was given to these undeserving people: “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea.”

Hosea was to act a parable, by taking a 'wife of whoredoms,' which may mean that the woman that he was to take would be unfaithful to him; but grace abounds over sin. Hosea's wife was symbolical of Israel who had been unfaithful to Jehovah. He took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, who bore him a son, who, by the Lord's direction, was called Jezreel. (a place that had witnessed the judgements of God. 2 Kings 9:30-37). The prophet's wife then bare a daughter, and her name was called Lo-ruhamah, 'not having obtained mercy:' no more mercy was to be shown to Israel. Again Gomer bare a son, and called his name Lo-ammi, 'not my people:' God would not acknowledge them as His. But a future blessing is at once announced to them, and those who had no claim to be God's people should be called 'sons of the living God.' Paul applies this to the Gentiles in Rom. 9:26, as he does in Rom. 9:25 to the Jews (where Hosea, is called OSEE).

Hosea 2. This introduces a remnant, the 'brethren' and 'sisters' of the prophet, those acted upon by the Spirit, to whom God's message was Ammi, 'my people;' and Ruhamah, 'received in mercy.' They will plead with their mother — Israel in the mass — and tell her that she was not the wife of Jehovah. She must be dealt with in judgement, but the valley of Achor (where God's anger was turned away, Joshua 7:26) should be a door of hope. She will be able to call Jehovah Ishi, 'husband,' and not Baali, 'master.' Those that had not obtained mercy will obtain mercy; and those that had been declared 'not God's people' would be able to say, 'Thou art my God.' Cf. 1 Peter 2:10.

Hosea is presented to us as under orders to take a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms, and he does so. He takes Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and by her he has a son, whom he is commanded to call Jezreel; then a daughter, whom, as in like manner commanded, he calls Lo-ruhamah, and then another son, whom he names, still at the bidding of the Lord, Lo-ammi. The first of these children's names signifies the dispersion of Israel; the second, mercy denied to Israel; the third, the Lord's rejection of Israel as His people.

In this action Hosea might say in the words of another Prophet, "Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel;" for in all this the apostasy and judgment of Israel are clearly set forth. The marriage of the Prophet with the wife of whoredoms is Jehovah's covenant with faithless Israel, yielding therefore, as its fruit, judgment, till the children of Israel were found, as they now are, reprobate silver, a "Lo-ammi," a people disclaimed of their God.

At the opening of the book, the prophet is directed by the Lord to take to him a wife and children. And he might say of them, as Isaiah did of his two sons, "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders." (Hosea 1)

The first child is "Jezreel" — the sign of the doom, both of the house of Jehu, and of the house of Israel. The second child is "Lo-ruhamah" — the sign that God would withdraw His mercy from the house of Israel. The third is "Lo-ammi" — the sign that He would disclaim Israel, so that they should be no more His people. But all this is, followed by a promise of final re-gathering, called "the day of Jezreel," when the very same nation, now cast off, should be restored. The strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire, pass by to do their appointed service; but the still, small voice closes the history.

Hosea was to act a parable, by taking a 'wife of whoredoms,' which may mean that the woman that he was to take would be unfaithful to him; but grace abounds over sin. Hosea's wife was symbolical of Israel who had been unfaithful to Jehovah. He took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, who bore him a son, who, by the Lord's direction, was called Jezreel (a place that had witnessed the judgements of God, 2 Kings 9: 30-37).

The prophet's wife then bare a daughter, and her name was called Lo-ruhamah, 'not having obtained mercy:' no more mercy was to be shown to Israel.