1 The Jews shall be cast off for their idolatry. 5 Afterward they shall return to the Lord.

Then said the Lord to me, [a]Go yet, and love a woman (beloved of her husband, and was an harlot) according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel: yet they looked to other gods, and [b]loved the wine bottles.

So [c]I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:1 Herein the Prophet representeth the person of God, which loved his Church before he called her, and did not withdraw the same when she gave herself to idols.
  2. Hosea 3:1 That is, gave themselves wholly to pleasure, and could not take up, as they that are given to drunkenness.
  3. Hosea 3:2 Yet I loved her and paid a small portion for her, lest she perceiving the greatness of my love, should have abused me, and not been under duty: for fifteen pieces of silver were but half the price of a slave, Exod. 21:32.

Hosea’s Reconciliation With His Wife

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.(A) Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.(B)

So I bought her for fifteen shekels[a] of silver and about a homer and a lethek[b] of barley.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:2 That is, about 6 ounces or about 170 grams
  2. Hosea 3:2 A homer and a lethek possibly weighed about 430 pounds or about 195 kilograms.