Bible Commentaries
Hosea 3

Verse 1

Hos 3:1. See the comments on chapter 2:5 as to whether this situation was literal or figurative regarding the wife of Hosea, We know the wife of the Lord had acted in the way that is spoken Of about Hosea’s wife. Israel had proved unfaithful to the Lord and committed spiritual adultery. He had put her away and abandoned her to her lovers (the idolatrous heathen). But the prediction is that the wife was to be takeo back, although she had been living with the enemies of her rightful Husband.

Verse 2

Hos 3:2. Bought her to me. The Persians were not given any ransom for the release of the peopl# of God. but in this "buying" the Jews themselves were the other parties to the bargaining. They were encouraged to return to their former estate by the promise of good things in the home land.

Verse 3

Hos 3:3. The prediction we are now considering was made before Israel had even gone into exile, although as far as the Lord was concerned, the separation was a surety since with Him all things of the future are as certain as if a present fact. This makes it logical to use the idea of this verse, The wife, though taken back (in the Lord's foresight), was not to be received into her former intimacy with her husband until she had been tried, to see if she could be weaned away from the unfaithful life that she had been following before. The trial will be described In the next verse.

Verse 4

Hos 3:4. The trial mentioned in the preceding verse was the captivity, in which the people of Israel were left no choice between serving idols or not. They were compelled to serve them, and hence were made to continue in the manner of life which they had followed when they did have the opportunity of making a choice. It might be asked how this could be a test if they had no voice in the situation. The test will be in evidence after the trial is over, for if they went on through the practice of idolatry even by force, yet if they were not being taught the lesson intended, then they would not have made t.he complaint that we know they did. ’While they were in captivity, all of their national activities were discontinued, including the work of a king and a priest. The image and other articles named refer to the ornamented garments worn by the priests during the altar services.

Verse 5

Hos 3:5. This verse is a prediction with both Jewish and Christian application. The Jews returned from the captivity and resumed the national life as it pertained to their religious activities. Also, in the time of Christ the Jews looked to the Lord through the system that was set up by Christ. Hai'irf their King is expressed because he was the first king of the tribe of Judah under the Jewish Dispensation, and he was the ancestor of the King in the Christian Dispensation.