Hosea’s Redemption of Gomer

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love [a]a woman who is loved by her [b]husband, yet is committing adultery, (A)as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love [c]raisin (B)cakes.” So I (C)purchased her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and a [d]homer and a [e]lethech of barley. Then I said to her, “You shall (D)live with me for many days. You shall not play the prostitute, nor shall you have another man; so I will also be toward you.” For the sons of Israel will live for many days (E)without a king or leader, (F)without sacrifice or (G)memorial stone, and without (H)ephod or [f](I)household idols. Afterward the sons of Israel will (J)return and seek the Lord their God and (K)David their king; and (L)they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:1 I.e., Gomer
  2. Hosea 3:1 Lit companion
  3. Hosea 3:1 Used in idolatry
  4. Hosea 3:2 About 7.7 cubic feet or 0.22 cubic meters
  5. Hosea 3:2 About 3.8 cubic feet or 0.11 cubic meters
  6. Hosea 3:4 Heb teraphim

Then the Lord said to me, “Go, and get your wife again and bring her back to you and love her, even though she loves adultery. For the Lord still loves Israel though she has turned to other gods and offered them choice gifts.”

So I bought her back from her slavery[a] for a couple of dollars and eight bushels of barley, and I said to her, “You must live alone for many days; do not go out with other men nor be a prostitute, and I will wait for you.”

This illustrates the fact that Israel will be a long time without a king or prince, and without an altar, Temple, priests, or even idols!

Afterward they will return to the Lord their God and to the Messiah, their King,[b] and they shall come trembling, submissive to the Lord and to his blessings in the end times.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:2 back from her slavery, implied.
  2. Hosea 3:5 to the Messiah, their King, literally, “to David, their king.” Christ was “the Greater David.”

Hosea and the Unfaithful Woman

The Lord said to me, “Go again[a] and show your love for a woman who is committing adultery with a lover. You must love her just as I still love the people of Israel, even though they turn to other gods and like to take offerings of raisins to idols.”[b]

So I paid fifteen pieces of silver and seven bushels of barley to buy her. I told her that for a long time she would have to wait for me without being a prostitute or committing adultery; and during this time I would wait for her. In just this way the people of Israel will have to live for a long time without kings or leaders, without sacrifices or sacred stone pillars, without idols or images to use for divination. But the time will come when the people of Israel will once again turn to the Lord their God and to a descendant of David their king. Then they will fear the Lord and will receive his good gifts.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:1 The Lord … again; or The Lord spoke to me again. He said, “Go …”
  2. Hosea 3:1 Dried grapes were used in the worship of fertility gods, who were believed to give abundant harvests to their worshipers.