Diblaim
Who he was
Diblaim is mentioned in Hosea 1:3 as the father of Gomer, the woman whom the prophet Hosea married at the Lord's command. The verse states, "So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son."
The name Diblaim is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, and no further information is provided about him. His inclusion in the text serves primarily to identify Gomer and to emphasize that Hosea's marriage to her was a real, historical event.
Hosea's marriage to Gomer was intended to be a symbolic representation of God's relationship with Israel. Just as Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea, Israel had been unfaithful to God by worshipping other gods and breaking their covenant with Him. Through this marriage, God instructed Hosea to demonstrate His unwavering love and commitment to His people, despite their unfaithfulness.
The children born to Hosea and Gomer were also given symbolic names that conveyed God's messages of judgment and restoration for Israel. While Diblaim is not a central figure in this narrative, his mention helps to ground the account in a specific historical and familial context.
Family
Every mention
Hosea 1 mention
What the dictionary says
Doubled cakes, the mother of Gomer, who was Hosea’s wife (Hos. 1:3).
Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain