And the Lord said to him, ‘Name him Jezreel; or in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.’ She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.’ When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said, ‘Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God.’ (Hosea 1: 4-9)

The prophet and the prostitute have three children. The first-born son is named "God Scatters Seeds." The daughter is named "No Mercy." The second son is named "Not My People."

God had entered into covenant with the descendents of Jacob. God has remained in covenant, but the people have not been faithful. They were as spiritual whores. The covenantal union has had paradoxical outcomes.

Jezreel is also the name for the most fertile valley in all of Israel. Here seeds are scattered and a great harvest is gathered. Yet Hosea warns that in that valley God will soon scatter the seeds of Israel in defeat.

Lo-ruhamah is a neologism. It appears nowhere else. Lo means not, without, or before. Ruhamah is a form of racham: to love, to empathize, to be compassionate. Love and its negation are each present.

Lo-ammi is also an invented word. Am or ammiy is one's kindred, creatures, people, the nation to whom one belongs. It has the same effect as saying, "You are my family...Not!" in the argot of recent youth culture.

The names given the progeny reflect the conflicted nature of an inescapable yet troubled relationship.