Hosea 2:23 (WEB)

Passage

I will sow her to me in the earth; and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; and I will tell those who were not my people, ‘You are my people;’ and they will say, ‘My God!’”

Nearby Context

Hosea 2:21 It will happen in that day, I will respond,” says Yahweh, “I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth;

Hosea 2:22 and the earth will respond to the grain, and the new wine, and the oil; and they will respond to Jezreel.

Hosea 2:23 I will sow her to me in the earth; and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; and I will tell those who were not my people, ‘You are my people;’ and they will say, ‘My God!’”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "mercy", "earth", "obtained", "tell", and "people". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "mercy" and "earth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "and the earth will respond to the...", giving immediate footing for "mercy" and "earth". In Hosea context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "mercy" and "earth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.