Hosea 3:2

So I bought her to me for fifteen [pieces] of silver, and [for] an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:

So I bought {H3739} her to me for fifteen {H6240}{H2568} pieces of silver {H3701}, and for an homer {H2563} of barley {H8184}, and an half homer {H3963} of barley {H8184}:

So I bought her back for myself with fifteen pieces of silver and eight bushels of barley .

So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.

So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley;

Context

Hosea 3:2 continues the powerful prophetic allegory begun in the first chapter of Hosea. God commands the prophet Hosea to demonstrate His unwavering love for unfaithful Israel by taking back his own adulterous wife, Gomer. This act symbolizes God's persistent pursuit and willingness to restore His covenant people, even after their spiritual idolatry and betrayal. The preceding verse, Hosea 3:1, sets the stage for this dramatic act of redemption, emphasizing God's enduring love for the "children of Israel," who had turned to other gods.

Key Themes

  • Redemption and Restoration: The central theme is the act of buying back, or redeeming, Gomer. This mirrors God's ultimate plan to redeem and restore Israel from their spiritual bondage and return them to a right relationship with Him. It highlights the divine initiative in reconciliation.
  • God's Unconditional Love and Forgiveness: Hosea's willingness to re-purchase Gomer, despite her unfaithfulness, powerfully illustrates God's steadfast love (Hebrew: hesed) and boundless forgiveness for His people. This love is not based on their merit but on His covenant faithfulness.
  • The Cost of Redemption: The act of buying back Gomer, even with a seemingly humble price, underscores that restoration comes at a cost. This foreshadows the ultimate price of redemption paid by God for humanity's sin, which is found in the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Linguistic and Symbolic Insights

The specific price Hosea pays for Gomer – "fifteen [pieces] of silver, and an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley" – is highly symbolic. Thirty pieces of silver was the standard price for a slave (Exodus 21:32). The "fifteen pieces of silver" constitutes half of this amount, suggesting that Gomer might have been partially owned or that her degraded status meant a lower monetary value. The addition of "a homer and a half of barley" is also significant. Barley was a staple grain, often considered less valuable than wheat, and was commonly used for animal feed or by the poor. This combination of silver and barley emphasizes Gomer's reduced circumstances and the humbling nature of her redemption. It vividly portrays Israel's spiritual degradation and the humbling, yet merciful, act of divine rescue.

Practical Application

Hosea 3:2 offers profound hope and a challenge for believers today. It serves as a powerful reminder of God's limitless grace and His unwavering commitment to forgive and restore those who have strayed. For individuals, it speaks to the possibility of returning to God regardless of past failures, knowing He is eager to redeem. For the church, it challenges us to extend similar grace, forgiveness, and unconditional love to others, reflecting the very heart of God in our relationships. Ultimately, it points us to the immense value of our own redemption, freely given by God through Christ, yet purchased at an infinite cost.

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.

  • Leviticus 27:16

    And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD [some part] of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed [shall be valued] at fifty shekels of silver.

  • Ezekiel 45:11

    The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.

  • Genesis 34:12

    Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.

  • 1 Samuel 18:25

    And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

  • Genesis 31:41

    Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

  • Exodus 22:17

    If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

  • Isaiah 5:10

    Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.
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