• Old Testament

    Punishing Jehu for the Blood of Jezreel?

    The names of Hosea’s children surely raised quite a few eyebrows in Hebrew kindergarten. The name Jezreel means, “May God sow.” But more shockingly, the Jezreel valley was well known as the location of much fighting and bloodshed (1 Sam 29:1; 2 Sam 2:8; 1 Kgs 21:1; 2 Kgs 9:24ff). Lo-Ruhamah, Hosea’s second child, means “Not loved.” You can imagine roll call when that name comes up. The third child, Lo-Ammi, means “not my people.” Each of these names were given to Hosea from God to symbolize God’s relationship with the people Israel. Although it seems relatively clear why Hosea was told to declare Israel’s sin and their broken relationship with God, some of the details are less clear. In fact, Hosea 1:4, seems to be a bit puzzling. And the LORD said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will punish the house of…