Lo-Ammi

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("not My people".) Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah ("not loved"), and Lo-ammi are the three children of the prophet Hosea's wife, Gomer, taken by God's command. "Jezreel" symbolised the coming destruction of Jehu's line, as Jehu had destroyed that of Ahab of Jezreel; also that as Jezreel means both God sows and God scatters, so God will yet sow Israel whom He now scatters ( Hosea 1:4-6;  Hosea 1:9-10;  Hosea 1:11), "great shall be the day of Jezreel," i.e. great shall be the day when they shall be God's seed planted in their own land by God ( Jeremiah 24:6;  Jeremiah 31:28;  Jeremiah 32:41;  Amos 9:15;  Hosea 2:23). "I will sow her (Jezreel, the sown one,  Hosea 2:22) unto ... Me in the earth." Not only Judaea, but the whole earth shall be the seed plot wherein Gentile nations shall be the spiritual growth of the Jewish seed sown everywhere ( Micah 5:7;  Romans 11:12;  Romans 11:15;  Zechariah 10:9). Lo-ruhamah, changed into Ruhama, means that He will first withdraw His "loving mercy" and at last restore it. And Lo-ammi, changed into Ammi, that He will make Israel, now "not His people" owing to apostasy, to become again "His people." The three children symbolize successive generations:

(1) Jezreel represents the dynasty of Jeroboam I, ending with Jehu's shedding the blood of the last of the line at Jezreel;

(2) Lo-ruhamah, a daughter, represents the effeminate period which followed;

(3) Loammi, a son, represents Jeroboam II's vigorous dynasty, which however brought no revival of religion; still Israel was not God's people really, and so should be no longer so in name but cast away.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Lo-Ammi A symbolical name given to Hosea’s son (  Hosea 1:9 ), signifying ‘not my people,’ as Lo-ruhamah , the name of his daughter, signifies ‘not-pitied.’ Opinions are divided as to whether these names are of actual persons used symbolically, or are purely allegorical. See art. Hosea.

W. F. Cobb.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Hosea 1:9,10

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Hosea 1:9

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

lō - am´ı̄ ( לא־עמּי , lō' - ‛ammı̄ , "not my people"): The 2nd son and 3child of Gomer bath-Diblaim, wife of the prophet Hosea (  Hosea 1:9 ). An earlier child, a daughter, had been named Lo-ruhamah (לא־רחמה , lō' - ruḥāmāh , "uncompassionated"). The names, like those given by Isaiah to his children, are symbolic, and set forth Hosea's conviction that Israel has, through sin, forfeited Yahweh's compassion, and can no longer claim His protection. Of the bearers of these names nothing further is known; but their symbolism is alluded to in  Hosea 2:1 ,  Hosea 2:23 . This latter passage is quoted by Paul ( Romans 9:25 f). See Hosea; Jezreel .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Lo-Ammi', לֹא עִמַּי , Not My People, as it is explained in the context,  Hosea 1:9; Sept. Οὐ Λαός Μου , Vulg. Non Populus Mzeus; in the parallel passage,  Hosea 2:23, לֹאאּעִמַּי , Sept. Οὐ Λαῷ Μου , Vulg. Non Populo Mseo, Auth. Vers. "not my people"), a symbolical name given by the prophet Hosea at the divine instance to his second son, in token of Jehovah's rejection and subsequent restoration of his people, alluding to the Babylonian captivity ( Hosea 1:9;  Hosea 2:23; comp. 2:1). B.C. cir. 725. (See Hosea).