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The Prophets · Old Testament

Hosea 3

Hosea 3: a woman bought for silver and barley, and Israel's many days

General context

The Lord speaks to the prophet in the first person: "Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine." The speaker buys her "for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley." He tells her she must abide for him many days, not play the harlot and not be for another man, "so will I also be for thee." The explanation follows: the children of Israel "shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim." Afterward the children of Israel shall "return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days." Five verses cover the command, the purchase, the words to the woman, the parallel and the promised return.

Cited passages: Hosea 3:1, Hosea 3:2, Hosea 3:3, Hosea 3:4, Hosea 3:5

Hosea 3 (KJV)

1Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.

2So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:

3And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

4For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

5Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.

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Historical context

This chapter is told in the first person, "Then said the Lord unto me," and "So I bought her to me," unlike chapter 1, where the narrator reports "So he went and took Gomer." The woman is not named, and the text does not say whether she is Gomer. The phrase "Go yet" is the only link the text draws to an earlier command. "Beloved of her friend" does not identify the friend. The price is stated in silver and barley, and no reason for that mix is given. Verse 4 lists six things Israel will lack, pairing rule (king, prince), worship (sacrifice) and objects (image, ephod, teraphim) without sorting them into approved and forbidden. "David their king" is named as one Israel will seek, alongside "the Lord their God"; the chapter says nothing more about who is meant. "In the latter days" is the only time marker, and no date, king or place appears.

Cited passages: Hosea 3:1, Hosea 3:2, Hosea 1:3, Hosea 3:4, Hosea 3:5

Literary context

The sign and its meaning are locked together by one word, "For," at the start of verse 4. The woman must "abide for me many days"; Israel "shall abide many days" without king or sacrifice. The command already carries the comparison inside it, "according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel," so the act is explained before it is performed. The list in verse 4 uses "without" six times, a drumbeat of absence, and verse 5 answers with "return" and "seek." The chapter is the book's shortest and sits between the third-person naming scenes of chapter 1 and the "controversy" speech of chapter 4. Its last word, "latter days," pushes the promise beyond the story's frame.

Cited passages: Hosea 3:4, Hosea 3:3, Hosea 3:1, Hosea 3:5, Hosea 4:1

Key moments

  1. Go yet, love a woman (Hosea 3:1). The Lord commands the prophet to love an adulteress as the Lord loves Israel.
  2. Bought for silver and barley (Hosea 3:2). The prophet buys her for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley.
  3. Abide for me many days (Hosea 3:3). He tells her not to play the harlot or be for another man, and promises the same for himself.
  4. Israel without king or ephod (Hosea 3:4). Israel will abide many days without king, prince, sacrifice, image, ephod or teraphim.
  5. Return in the latter days (Hosea 3:5). Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king.

For reflection

The woman is told to abide many days, not for another man, and is promised "so will I also be for thee." The text never records her reply. What is the reader to make of a promise whose other side stays silent?

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