Hosea 3:2

2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer of barely and a measure of wine.

Hosea 3:2 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 3:5

Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber
His nuptial chamber, on which Elias writes ^F25,

``we call the garment (or canopy) spread over the head of the bridegroom and bride, supported by four pillars, in the time of their espousals, (hpx) .''

who looks lovely and beautiful in his nuptial robes, cheerful and pleasant in his countenance, creating pleasure and delight in all his friends that see him and hear his voice: and this simile is expressive of the brightness and glory of the sun when it rises; and of the joy and pleasure which it produces in the minds of men when they behold it: all which sets forth the loveliness and beauty of Christ, as he is held forth in the ministration of the Gospel, and the joy unspeakable and full of glory which his presence yields, after a short departure from his people; see ( Isaiah 61:10 ) ( John 3:29 ) ;

[and] rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race;
in which he shows his readiness, velocity, and strength; and this denotes the swiftness of the sun in running its course, and its indefatigableness in its constant motion; though it has been employed therein for so many thousands of years, yet every morning rises with the same cheerfulness, pursues its course, and is never weary: all which may point at the readiness of Gospel ministers, their swiftness to run to and fro, and their strength to fulfil the course of their ministry, in which Christ, the sun of righteousness, is held forth in so glorious a manner.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Elias, in his Tishbi, p. 119. The same word is used Isa. iv. 5. and translated "a defence".

Hosea 3:2 In-Context

1 And Yahweh said to me again, "Go, love a woman {who has a lover} and [is] committing adultery, just like the love of Yahweh [for] the children of Israel, but they [are] turning to other gods and love raisin cakes."

2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer of barely and a measure of wine.

3 And I said to her, "{You must remain as mine} for many days, and you will not play the whore; {you will not belong} to a man, and I [will] belong to you."

4 The children of Israel will remain for many days without a king and prince, without sacrifice and stone pillar, ephod and teraphim.

5 Afterward the children of Israel will return and seek Yahweh their God and David their king. They will come in fear to Yahweh and to his goodness at the end of days.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "a measure of barley"; the LXX has "a nebel of wine," although some modern translations, e.g. NASB, have "a homer and a half of barley"