Hosea 3

Hosea 3:1-5 . ISRAEL'S CONDITION IN THEIR PRESENT DISPERSION, SUBSEQUENT TO THEIR RETURN FROM BABYLON, SYMBOLIZED.

The prophet is to take back his wife, though unfaithful, as foretold in Hosea 1:2 . He purchases her from her paramour, stipulating she should wait for a long period before she should be restored to her conjugal rights. So Israel is to live for a long period without her ancient rites of religion, and yet be free from idolatry; then at last she shall acknowledge Messiah, and know Jehovah's goodness restored to her.

1. Go yet--"Go again," referring to Hosea 1:2 [HENDERSON].
a woman--purposely indefinite, for thy wife, to express the separation in which Hosea had lived from Gomer for her unfaithfulness.
beloved of her friend--used for "her husband," on account of the estrangement between them. She was still beloved of her husband, though an adulteress; just as God still loved Israel, though idolatrous ( Jeremiah 3:20 ). Hosea is told, not as in Hosea 1:2 , "take a wife," but "love" her, that is, renew thy conjugal kindness to her.
who look to other gods--that is, have done so heretofore, but henceforth (from the return from Babylon) shall do so no more ( Hosea 3:4 ).
flagons of wine--rather, pressed cakes of dried grapes, such as were offered to idols ( Jeremiah 7:18 ) [MAURER].

2. I bought her--The price paid is too small to be a probable dowry wherewith to buy a wife from her parents; but it is just half the price of a female slave, in money, the rest of the price being made up in grain ( Exodus 21:32 ). Hosea pays this for the redemption of his wife, who has become the slave of her paramour. The price being half grain was because the latter was the allowance of food for the slave, and of the coarsest kind, not wheat, but barley. Israel, as committing sin, was the slave of sin ( John 8:34 , Romans 6:16-20 , 2 Peter 2:19 ). The low price expresses Israel's worthlessness.

3. abide for me--separate from intercourse with any other man, and remaining for me who have redeemed thee (compare Deuteronomy 21:13 ).
so will I also be for thee--remain for thee, not taking any other consort. As Israel should long remain without serving other gods, yet separate from Jehovah; so Jehovah on His part, in this long period of estrangement, would form no marriage covenant with any other people (compare Hosea 3:4 ). He would not immediately receive her to marriage privileges, but would test her repentance and discipline her by the long probation; still the marriage covenant would hold good, she was to be kept separated for but a time, not divorced ( Isaiah 50:1 ); in God's good time she shall be restored.