III. We must assume some interval to have elapsed since the events of Hosea’s domestic life, detailed in Hosea 1. Meanwhile the immoralities of Gomer have continued. She at length abandons the home of her lawful husband, and cohabits with one of her lovers. At this point comes the Divine injunction... [ Continue Reading ]
ADULTERESS. — The woman described here is the daughter of Diblaim — _beloved of her friend;_ better rendered, _loved by another._ This is preferable to the LXX., “a lover of evil,” which is based on a different reading of the same original text. Gomer is now the concubine slave of another — possibly... [ Continue Reading ]
PIECES OF SILVER. — Shekels. SO I BOUGHT HER. — Gomer was treated as no longer a wife, but requiring to be restored to such a position. The purchase of wives is still a very common practice in the East (See Henderson’s _Commentary,_ and Deut. xxi 14.) HALF HOMER OF BARLEY. — Half a homer is the tra... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALT ABIDE FOR ME — _i.e._, shalt abide in seclusion at my discretion. The “many days” are an indefinite period of amendment, while watchful care was being exercised over her. During this time she is to withdraw herself from her paramour and also from her husband. WILL I ALSO BE FOR THEE. — Better... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet suddenly passes from his personal history to that of Israel, which it symbolised. WITHOUT A KING... — The isolation of Gomer’s position pre-figured that of Israel in the exile. Her bitter experience was a parable of Israel’s utter deprivation of all civil and religious privilege. There w... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID THEIR KING. — Meaning the predicted representative of the Davidic dynasty. Thus Rehoboam and his house are spoken of as “David” (1 Kings 12:16). The phrase “latter days” is used indefinitely of the distant future, the horizon of the seer’s gaze. It occurs in Genesis 49:1 (Authorised version, “... [ Continue Reading ]