Midrash sa Oseas 1:9: Bamidbar Rabbah, Otzar Midrashim, Midrash Tanchuma & Midrash Tanchuma Buber

“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).

Another matter, “it will be that instead…” – that is what is written: “Many waters cannot extinguish love” (Song of Songs 8:7), and it says: “If a man would give [all the wealth of his house for love, he will be scorned]” (Song of Songs 8:7). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: This verse is speaking of two loves; its beginning is referring to the love of Israel. Were all the nations of the world to assemble, to uproot the love that is between Him and Israel, they would be unable, as it is stated: “Many waters cannot extinguish love.” “Many waters” is nothing other than the nations of the world, as it is stated: “Woe, the uproar of many peoples, [like the roar of the seas will they roar; the din of nations will roar like the din of great waters]” (Isaiah 17:12). “And rivers cannot wash it away” (Song of Songs 8:7), these are their kings and their princes, just as it is stated: “Therefore, behold, the Lord is raising the mighty and abundant waters of the River [upon them, the king of Assyria and all his glory]” (Isaiah 8:7). Its end is referring to the love of Torah. Were all the nations of the world to assemble and say: ‘We are selling all our assets and fulfilling Torah and mitzvot,’ the Holy One blessed be He would say to them: ‘Even if you sell all your assets to acquire the Torah, it will be a disgrace [bizayon] for you’ – “If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he will be scorned [boz yavuzu lo]” (Song of Songs 8:7). For which love? For the love of Torah, as it is stated: “How I love Your Torah” (Psalms 119:97). They said to Him: ‘Why do You not accept us?’ He says to them: ‘Because you are sinners.’ They said to Him: ‘Are Israel not sinners?’ Rabbi Berekhya said: What is written thereafter? “We have a little sister, [and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day that she will be spoken for?]” (Song of Songs 8:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Just as this child when she is small’ and she offends her parents, her parents do not become annoyed at her, why, because she is small, so it is regarding Israel; when they sin, the Holy One blessed be He does not hold it against them.’ Know that it is so, as in the days of Hosea, they angered the Holy One blessed be He, and the Holy One blessed be He began intimidating them: “As they are the children of licentiousness…” (Hosea 2:6), “as she is not My wife” (Hosea 2:4), “call his name Not My People, as you are not My people” (Hosea 1:9). He uttered it with His mouth momentarily, although He did so only to cause them to repent, and [because] He could not bear it even briefly, Therefore while He was still in His place, He recanted: “It will be that instead […it will be said of them: Children of the living God]” (Hosea 2:1).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘I am first for good and last for evil.’ First for good: “I will say to Not My People: You are My people” (Hosea 2:25), and then: “he will say: My God” (Hosea 2:25). But for bad, I am last: “For you are not My people” (Hosea 1:9), and then: “I will not be yours” (Hosea 1:9). ⁴¹God calls Israel his nation to restore them before they call Him "our God," but when they are cast off, only after they stop being His nation and reject Him, He says "I will not be yours."
Rabbi Ḥanina said: The unknowledgeable think that when He says: “I will not be yours,” He is saying that He is not a God for you. No, but rather, what is “I will not be yours”? Even though you are not My people, as you seek to separate from Me, “I will not be yours” – My thoughts are not the same as yours. Rather, perforce, you will be My people. Likewise it says: “What enters your mind will not be, that which you say: We will be like the nations…” (Ezekiel 20:32). Rather, what will I do to you? “As I live, the utterance of the Lord God, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with outpoured fury, I will reign over you” (Ezekiel 20:33). You learn the love of Israel before the Omnipresent.

And it was after these events, and there arose a great strife between the Christians and the Jews. For when a Christian would see a Jew, he would kill him, and the distress kept increasing for thirty years. And the Christians gathered by the thousands and ten thousands, and they prevented Israel from making the pilgrimage festival, and there was great distress in Israel like the day the [golden] calf was made, and they did not know what to do. But their faith strengthened more and more. And twelve men went out and traveled through the twelve kingdoms, and they prophesied false prophecies in the camp, and Israel strayed after them. And they were men of renown, and they strengthened the belief in Jesus, for they said they were his emissaries, and many of the children of Israel gathered after them. And the sages saw this evil thing, and it was very grievous to them. And a man said to his fellow, “Woe to us, for we have sinned, that this evil has come about in Israel in our days, that we and our fathers never heard of. And they were very distressed, and they sat and wept, and they lifted their eyes to heaven. And they said, “Please, Hashem, God of heaven, give us advice what to do, for we do not know what to do, and our eyes are upon You. For innocent blood has been spilled among Your people Israel because of that man. How long will this be a stumbling block for us, that [the belief in] Jesus strengthens the Christians against us, and they kill us - so many, and we remain few? And because of the stumbling blocks of Your people, the House of Israel, this has come about. And for the sake of Your name, give us advice what to do, to be separated from the congregation of Christians.” And it was when they finished speaking, an elder of the elders arose, and his name was Simeon Kefa, and he communicated with a heavenly voice. And he said to them: “Hear me, my brothers and people - if it is good in your eyes, I will separate these men from the congregation of the children of Israel, and they will have no portion or inheritance among Israel. But you must take upon yourselves the sin.” And they all answered and said, “We take upon ourselves the sin, but do as you have spoken.” And Simeon Kefa went inside the Temple, and he wrote the great name and tore his flesh and placed the writing inside it. And he left the Temple and took out the writing and studied the name. And he went to the Christian metropolis and cried out in a loud voice and said, “All who believe in Jesus, come to me, for I am his emissary.” And they said to him, “Give us a sign and miracle.” And he said, “What sign do you request from me?” And they said, “Perform for us the same miracles that Jesus performed in his lifetime.” And Simeon Kefa said, “Bring me a leper.” And they brought him one. And he placed his hands on him, and behold, he was healed. And he said to them, “Bring me a corpse.” And they brought one before him. And he placed his hand on him, and he came to life and stood on his feet. And those men saw and fell on their faces to the ground, and they said to him, “Truly, you are the emissary of Jesus, for he did thus for us in his lifetime.” And Simeon Kefa said to them, “I am the emissary of Jesus, and he commanded me to go to you. Swear to me that you will do everything that I command you.” And they all answered and said, “We will do everything you tell us.” And Simeon Kefa said to them, “Know that Jesus hated Israel and their Torah, as Isaiah prophesied, ‘Your new moons and appointed festivals my soul hates' (Isaiah 1:14). And further know that he does not desire Israel, as Hosea prophesied, ‘For you are not my people' (Hosea 1:9). And even though he has the power to uproot them from the world in an instant, in any case he does not want to destroy them entirely. Rather, he wants to leave them in order that his hanging and stoning will be remembered for all generations. And most of the great affliction that he suffered, all the torments, was in order to redeem you from Gehenna. And now he warns you and commands you not to do any more evil to any Jew. And if a Jew says to a Christian, ‘Come with me a mile,’ he shall go with him two miles. And if a Jew strikes him on the left cheek, he shall turn to him the right cheek as well - so that they will receive their reward in this world, while in the world to come they will be judged to Gehenna. And if you do thus, you will merit to dwell with him in his portion. And behold, he commands you not to celebrate the festival of Matzot anymore. Rather, celebrate the day of his death. And instead of Shavuot, celebrate forty days from when he was stoned and ascended to heaven. And instead of Sukkot, celebrate his birthday. And on the eighth day of his birth, celebrate the day on which he was circumcised. And they all answered and said, “We will do everything you have spoken, if only you stay with us.”And he said, “I will dwell among you, if you do for me as he commanded me - not to eat any food except dry bread and measured water. And you must build me a tower in the city, and I will dwell in it until the day of my death.” And they said, “As you speak, so shall we do.” And they built a tower for him, and he dwelled in the tower as his home. And they provided his daily ration, bread and water, until the day of his death. And he served the God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And he composed very many liturgical poems, and he sent them throughout all the borders of Israel, so it would serve as a memorial for all generations. And all the liturgical poems he composed, he sent to his rabbis. And Simeon dwelled in the tower for six years, and then he died. And they instructed to bury him in the tower, and they did so. Afterwards they built upon it a magnificent building, and this tower still stands in Rome, and they call it Peter, which is a name meaning “stone”, because he dwelled there on a stone until the day of his death.