“It will be that instead of it being said of them: [You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God]” (Hosea 2:1). Where was it said of them?35Where was it said, “You are not My people.” When they performed that action,36The making of the Golden Calf. the Holy One blessed be He called them Moses’ people, as it is stated: “Go, descend, as your people have become corrupted” (Exodus 32:7).
Immediately, Moses girded his loins in prayer, as it is stated: “Moses implored the Lord his God…” (Exodus 32:11). This is analogous to a king who saw his wife kissing a eunuch.37One of the king’s servants. He said to her attendant: ‘I am divorcing her, I am casting her out of my house. Let her go to her father’s house.’
He said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to him: ‘Because I found her kissing a eunuch.’ He said to him: ‘Now she will produce for you fine and mighty sons, and they will descend with you to war.’38The attendant suggests that sons begat by the eunuch will be soldiers for the king. [The king responded] ‘There is no expectation from him, he will not beget for me.’ [The attendant said:] ‘Are you angry over a matter that does not involve any benefit?’
So, “Lord, why will your wrath be enflamed against Your people…” (Exodus 32:11). Moses said to him: ‘The calf that Israel crafted, does it assist You? Does it cause rains to fall and You produce the dews?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Is there any expectation from it?’
Moses said to Him: ‘If it has no substance, why are You angry?’ “Lord, why will your wrath be enflamed against Your people…Why will [Egypt] say…Remember Abraham…” (Exodus 32:11–13). What is written thereafter? “The Lord reconsidered the evil [that He had spoken to do to His people]” (Exodus 32:14).
That is, “it will be that instead of it being said of them: [You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God].” Another matter, “it will be that instead…” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: What is written before the matter? “Go, take for yourself a wife of licentiousness…He went and took Gomer, …and she conceived and bore him a son” (Hosea 1:2–3), and the entire matter.39Consider the whole episode of Gomer, which is found in Hosea.
“Call his name Not My People, as you are not My people” (Hosea 1:9), and then, “it will be that instead of it being said of them: [You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God]” (Hosea 2:1). If, when He was angry at them, He was so fond of them; when he loves them, all the more so. To what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who became angry at his wife.
He said: ‘I am divorcing her and I will not have mercy on her children. She is not my wife and I am not her husband.’ He went down to the marketplace and went to the goldsmith. He said to him: ‘Craft gold jewelry for my wife.’
His friend went and found him at the goldsmith who had crafted jewelry for his wife. He went and told her neighbors: ‘Have you not heard that the king is quarreling with his wife and he is saying in her regard: I am divorcing her? Now, I saw him at the goldsmith saying to him: Craft jewelry for my wife.’ So, when the Holy One blessed be He became angry with Israel, He said to Hosea: “Take for yourself a wife of licentiousness…”; I will not seek her, “the land will stray…” (Hosea 1:2); I will have no mercy upon her, “call her name No Mercy” (Hosea 1:6); she is not Mine and I am not hers, “as you are not My people and I will not be yours” (Hosea 1:9).
Hosea said to the nations of the world: ‘What do you think? Because He said to them these matters, “as you are not My people,” that He is angry at them? See what He says to them. What is written thereafter?
“It will be that instead of it being said of them: [You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God].”’ Likewise, Isaiah says: “Hear, heavens and listen, earth, [as the Lord has spoken: I have reared children and raised them up and they have rebelled against Me]” (Isaiah 1:2), “Woe, sinful nation” (Isaiah 1:4). What is written thereafter? “Let us go now and reason together, [says the Lord; if your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool]”40Undyed wool, which is white. (Isaiah 1:18).
“Wash, purify…[cease performing evil” (Isaiah 1:16). To what is this matter comparable? It is to the son of a king to whom his father said: ‘Go to school.’ He went to the marketplace and he began playing with the lads.
His father knew that he had not gone to school. He cursed him and sounded words of reprimand. Then he said to him: ‘Wash your hands and come dine with me.’ So, Isaiah said: “I have reared children…[and they have rebelled against Me].”
When he concludes the entire matter, what does he say: “Let us go now and reason together, [says the Lord; if your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool].” Likewise Jeremiah, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “What do you see, Jeremiah? I said: [I see] a branch of an almond tree” (Jeremiah 1:11), “a steaming pot…from the north evil will be released” (Jeremiah 1:13–14).
What is written thereafter? “Go, and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: [So said the Lord: I have remembered for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials]… Israel is sacred [to the Lord…]” (Jeremiah 2:2–3). This is analogous to a king who took a wife. He would say there is none fairer than she, there is none more praiseworthy than she, there is none more level-headed than she.
Her attendant entered the house and saw her repulsive, the house untidy, the beds unmade. Her attendant said: ‘If only you would have heard how your husband has praised you in the marketplace. That praise is not consistent with these actions.’ The attendant said: ‘If when she is repulsive he praises her so, were she proper, all the more so.’
So, Jeremiah’s generation were sinners, and he says to them: “I have remembered for you the kindness of your youth…” (Jeremiah 2:2). Jeremiah said: ‘If only you would hear what He is saying about you: “Go, and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: So said the Lord: I have remembered for you the kindness of your youth…Israel is sacred [to the Lord].”’ He said: ‘If when they are sinning so, He is fond of them, when they are performing His will, all the more so.’
Here, too, “you are not My people…” What is written thereafter? “It will be that instead […it will be said of them: Children of the living God]” (Hosea 2:1).