Bible Commentaries
Hosea 3

Verse 1

the Lord. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Go yet = Go again. See notes on Hosea 1:2 .

love. Not "take", as in Hosea 1:2 , or love again.

a woman. Not "Gomer" (Hosea 1:3 ) again, but another; hence we must believe that Gomer had died; and that this was a second marriage with its own special signification.

her friend : i. e. Hosea himself.

yet, &c. = though [she has become] an adulteress. Referring to Israel's present condition in this Dispensation ( App-12 ).

adulteress: i. e. an idolatress; and denotes only a woman of the northern tribes.

according, &c. This is the manifestation of Divine love.

children = sons.

look to other gods. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 31:18 , Deuteronomy 31:20 ).

flagons of wine = cakes of grapes.

Verse 2

fifteen pieces of silver = fifteen shekels ( App-51 .) The price of the redemption of a slave.

homer. See App-61 .

Verse 3

abide . . . many days. See the signification in verses: Hosea 4:5 . Compare Jeremiah 3:1 , Jeremiah 3:2 .

abide. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 21:13 ). App-92 . See the signification of the sign in verses: Hosea 4:5 , and compare Jeremiah 31:1 , Jeremiah 31:2 . Hebrew. yashab = to dwell (sequestered). Same word as in Deuteronomy 21:13 . Not the same word as in Hosea 11:6 .

many days. In the case of the sign = a full month. The signification is seen now, in the present Dispensation.

man. Hebrew ' i s h . App-14 .

be. Supply ["do"]. The above Structure is according to the order of the words in the Hebrew text, not the Authorized Version.

Verse 4

Israel. Not merely Judah, but the twelve tribes. Not "British" or any other "Israel".

many days. All the days of the present Dispensation; "many" implying length of time; "days" implying the i r limitation.

without. Note the Figure of speech Anaphora ( App-6 ), emphasizing each point, now fulfilled before our eyes.

without a king. Having rejected Messiah (John 19:15 ). This cannot therefore be interpreted now of any People which has a king.

and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton strengthening the emphasis on each point.

prince = ruler. Hebrew. sar, as in Hosea 8:4 .

sacrifice. Hebrew. zabach. App-43 . Includes all sacrifices where there is shedding of blood.

an image. Hebrew. mazzebah = any upright standing image. Compare Exodus 23:24 ; Exodus 34:13 .Isaiah 19:19 .

ephod. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the priest or person who wears it. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 28:4-8 ). App-92 . This was the girdle of the breastplate which contained the "Urim and Thummim", the wearing of which pertained solely to the high priest. Compare 1 Samuel 22:18 ; 1 Samuel 23:9 . Ezra 2:63 ; and Nehemiah 7:65 .

teraphim = idols of any kind. In Hosea 3:3 , Jehovah says they shall not "play the harlot": and, now, for (since 426 B.C.) 2,300 years the truth of this has been seen. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 31:19 , Genesis 31:34 , Genesis 31:35 ).

Verse 5

Afterward, &c. This mark of time has not yet been reached. It corresponds with the "many days" of Hosea 3:4 . See the Structure above ("4-. ").

return, &c.: i. e. return [to Jehovah]. See Hosea 5:15 , and Hosea 6:1 .

seek. Compare Hosea 5:6 . Jer 60:4 , Jer 60:5 .

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

David. Compare Jeremiah 30:9 . Ezekiel 34:23 , Ezekiel 34:24 ; Ezekiel 37:22 , Ezekiel 37:24 . Therefore David must rise again, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must; and note the fact of Israel seeking David.

shall fear = shall rejoice in, as in Isaiah 60:6 . Jeremiah 33:9 . Hebrew. pahad, a Homonym with another meaning (to fear, as in Deuteronomy 28:66 . Job 23:15 . See notes there).

goodness. Hebrew. tub , as in Hosea 14:2 ("graciously") = Gracious One: i. e. the Messiah. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 33:19 ). App-92 . See the notes on Hosea 8:3 ; Hosea 14:2 .

in the latter days. Rabbi Kimchi (A.D. 1160-1235) and other celebrated Jewish commentators writing on Isaiah 2:2 , hold that this expression always means "in the days of the Messiah". Compare Jeremiah 30:24 .Ezekiel 38:8 , Ezekiel 38:16 . Daniel 2:28 . Micah 4:1 . Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 49:1 .Numbers 24:14 .Deuteronomy 4:30 ; Deuteronomy 31:29 ). App-92 .