Hosea 3:1

¶ Then 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.

Then said {H559} the LORD {H3068} unto me, Go {H3212} yet, love {H157} a woman {H802} beloved {H157} of her friend {H7453}, yet an adulteress {H5003}, according to the love {H160} of the LORD {H3068} toward the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, who look {H6437} to other {H312} gods {H430}, and love {H157} flagons {H809} of wine {H6025}.

ADONAI said to me, "Go once more, and show love to [this] wife [of yours] who has been loved by her boyfriend, to this adulteress - just as ADONAI loves the people of Isra'el, even though they turn to other gods and love the raisin cakes [offered to them]."

Then the LORD said to me, “Go show love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and offer raisin cakes to idols.”

And Jehovah said unto me, Go again, love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress, even as Jehovah loveth the children of Israel, though they turn unto other gods, and love cakes of raisins.

Hosea 3:1 vividly portrays the LORD's enduring and steadfast love for His unfaithful people, Israel, through a deeply personal and symbolic command to the prophet Hosea.

Context of Hosea 3:1

This verse continues the powerful narrative established in Hosea chapter 1, where the prophet was commanded to marry Gomer, a woman who would become unfaithful. Here, God reiterates and intensifies this instruction, asking Hosea to continue to "love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress." This command serves as a living parable for the nation of Israel, particularly the northern kingdom of Ephraim, which had repeatedly turned away from their covenant with God. The historical backdrop is one of spiritual apostasy and moral decay, where Israel engaged in widespread idolatry, worshipping Baal and other false gods, and indulging in pagan practices, despite God's consistent faithfulness to them.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Unconditional Divine Love: The core message of Hosea 3:1 is God's profound and unwavering love for Israel. Despite their persistent unfaithfulness, symbolized by the "adulteress," God's love (Hebrew: ahavah) remains steadfast. This demonstrates a covenantal love that is not dependent on human merit or faithfulness but on God's unchanging character and grace.
  • Israel's Spiritual Adultery: The "adulteress" represents Israel's spiritual infidelity. Their "looking to other gods" directly signifies idolatry, a blatant violation of the first commandment and the covenant. The phrase "love flagons of wine" points to their indulgence in pagan rituals, revelry, and perhaps the material prosperity they attributed to false deities rather than the true God. This unfaithfulness made them like a bride who betrays her husband, echoing passages like Jeremiah 3:8, which describes Israel's spiritual harlotry.
  • Prophetic Symbolism: Hosea's personal suffering and continued commitment to Gomer serve as a powerful object lesson. His painful, one-sided love vividly illustrates the LORD's own heartbreak and persistent pursuit of His rebellious people, calling them back to repentance and restoration.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "love" in this context, ahavah, signifies a deep, committed affection, reflecting the covenantal relationship God initiated with Israel. The phrase "beloved of her friend" (or 'another man' in some interpretations) highlights the woman's divided loyalties, mirroring Israel's divided heart between the LORD and foreign gods. The "flagons of wine" (Hebrew: ashishah) likely refers to raisin cakes, which were often used in pagan fertility rites or as offerings to idols, further emphasizing the depth of Israel's idolatrous practices and their debauchery.

Practical Application

Hosea 3:1 offers profound insights for believers today. It reminds us of God's incredible grace and patience, even when we stray or are unfaithful. Just as God pursued unfaithful Israel, He continually draws us back to Himself. This verse calls us to examine our own loyalties: are we truly devoted to God, or do we "look to other gods" in the form of worldly pursuits, material possessions, or anything that takes priority over Him? It's a powerful reminder of God's unchanging love and His desire for our sincere repentance and return, reflecting the depth of His love seen in Romans 5:8, which states that God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The message of Hosea 3:1 is ultimately one of hope: despite our failings, God's love remains steadfast, always extending an invitation to return and experience His forgiveness and restoration.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 3:12

    ¶ Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever.

  • Jeremiah 3:14

    Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

  • Isaiah 45:22

    Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else.

  • Jeremiah 31:20

    [Is] Ephraim my dear son? [is he] a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

  • Hosea 1:2

    ¶ The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, [departing] from the LORD.

  • Hosea 1:3

    So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.

  • Micah 7:18

    Who [is] a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth [in] mercy.

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