Hosea 2:20

Hosea 2:20

I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.

a. NLT: I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the LORD.

b. NIV: I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.

c. YLT: And betrothed thee to Me in faithfulness, And thou hast known Jehovah.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: I will even betroth you to Me in stability and in faithfulness, and you shall know (recognize, be acquainted with, appreciate, give heed to, and cherish) the Lord.

e. Septuagint [Hosea 2:20 in our Bibles is Hosea 2:22 in the Septuagint]: and I will betroth thee to myself in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings [Hosea 2:20 in our Bibles is Hosea 2:22 in Jewish Bibles]: and I will betroth you to Me with fidelity, and you will know HASHEM.

1. “I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness…”

a. I will betroth you unto me [Strong: 781 * 'aras aw-ras' a primitive root; to engage for matrimony:--betroth, espouse.]

b. in faithfulness [Strong: 530 'emuwnah em-oo-naw'); or (shortened) >emunah {em-oo-naw' feminine of 529; literally firmness; figuratively security; morally fidelity:--faith(-ful, -ly, -ness, (man)), set office, stability, steady, truly, truth, verily.]

1). In the previous verse Israel was going to be betrothed in righteousness, in judgment, in lovingkindness, and in mercies. Here the Lord says Israel will be betrothed in faithfulness, in fidelity, marital fidelity. Just about through all of Israel’s marriage covenant with God they were unfaithful. This is the reason of for God’s description in the beginning of Hosea.

a). Hosea 1:2  The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

2.  “…and thou shalt know the LORD.”

a. and thou shalt know [Strong: 3045 * yada` yaw-dah' a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), X will be, wist, wit, wot.]

b. the LORD [Strong: 3068 * Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

1). Because the context is the Millennial reign of Christ this “knowing” is a spiritual intimacy only experienced through the born again experience. Israel as a nation will experience this after the return of Christ. They have been brought back into the land in unbelief and in the near future experience this knowing.

a). Ezekiel 36:24-27 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

2). Compare 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.