Hosea 3
3
An Illustration of God’s Amazing Love
1Yahweh said to me, “Go again to her. Love her and demonstrate love to your wife # 3:1 Or “a woman,” likely a reference to Hosea’s wife, Gomer. There are two different ways to interpret Yahweh ’s instruction. Some believe this refers to a second woman who is a metaphor for the Southern Kingdom, Judah. Gomer (the Northern Kingdom of Israel) was in Assyrian captivity and would not return—that divorce was final. Therefore, Yahweh told Hosea to go find another adulterous woman to take as his wife. However, it is more likely that God was telling Hosea to go back to Gomer. It is good to remember that prophecies often have more than one interpretation and sometimes more than one fulfillment. Prophecies usually contain many layers of meaning and application. again even though she has another lover. # 3:1 Or “who is loved by another man.” The Syriac reads “who loves another man.” The Septuagint reads “who loves evil.” The vowel markings in this passage make interpretation of the Hebrew text difficult. No doubt, Hosea was still in love with Gomer even though she loved another man. This illustrates God’s unfailing love for a people who are wayward and prone to wander from his heart. Love the adulteress with the same love that I, Yahweh, have for the adulterous Israelites who turn to other gods and love to give offerings to their idols.” # 3:1 Or “they love raisin cakes [which they offer to idols].”
2So I negotiated to buy her for the bride-price of fifteen shekels of silver # 3:2 Fifteen shekels would be approximately 6 ounces (170 grams) of silver. and nine bushels of barley. # 3:2 Or “a homer and a lethech of barley.” It is difficult to say precisely how much grain this would be, but assuming a “homer” is approximately what a donkey can carry (about 50 gallons or 220 liters), the Nueva Biblia Viva translates it as “one and a half donkey loads.” It has been estimated that this amount of barley would likewise cost about fifteen shekels. Hosea paid in all the equivalent of thirty shekels of silver, the price of a slave in the law of Moses (see
Ex. 21:32
). In place of “a lethech of barley,” the Septuagint adds “and a skin of wine.” Since Hosea split his payment between silver and barley (and possibly wine), he seems to have had to scrape together enough to buy Gomer back. He was giving everything he had to take home his bride. 3And I said to her, “Your sinful life is now over, and you must stay with me in my home for many days. You will no longer commit adultery by giving yourself to another man, and I will remain faithful to you in the same way.” # 3:3 That is, Hosea committed to not sleep with Gomer for that length of time, possibly for reasons of purification. He did not lay a burden on her that he did not also put upon himself. A combination of syntax, multiple idioms, and the arrangement of phrases makes this verse difficult to interpret.
The Explanation: Israel’s Period of Discipline
4For the Israelites will have to spend many days deprived of political leaders, outward forms of religion, and the means of foretelling the future. # 3:4 Or “without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar [places for sacrifices], and without ephod or teraphim [household idols].” This time of deprivation refers to the captivity of Israel. Yet God would not choose another nation; after their captivity, he resumed his place of loving and leading Israel. The Northern Kingdom would return to the dynasty of David (Southern Kingdom). The scattered remnants of the ten lost tribes would be included in the rebuilding of the nation, which led to the Second Temple period, into which was born Jesus of Nazareth. 5But afterward, the Israelites will return and again long for Yahweh their covenant God and for a David-like king. # 3:5 Like most prophecies, this has multiple layers of meaning. The literal text is “they will seek . . . David their king.” But David was dead. It means a ruler from the lineage of David. However, many Jewish interpreters see this as a Messianic prophecy of the King, whom we know as Jesus Christ. The Jewish Targum refers to him as “the king Messiah.” They will turn trembling in awe to Yahweh and rediscover his goodness and gifts in the future.
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Hosea 3: TPT
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