King James Version

What Does Hosea 3:2 Mean?

“So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: half: Heb. lethech”

Context

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. of wine: Heb. of grapes

So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: half: Heb. lethech

And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: image: Heb. a standing, or, statue, or, pillar

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(2) **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 translation given to the Hebrew word *lethekh,* which occurs only in this passage. This rendering is founded on the interpretation half a cor (cor = homer), which is given in all the Greek versions except the LXX. The latter read “and a *nébhel* of wine,” the *nébhel* being probably a skin bottle of a certain liquid capacity. This pre-supposes a different Hebrew text. From 2Kings 7:1 we may infer that an ephah of barley at ordinary times would cost one shekel (comp. Amos 8:5), and since a homer contains ten ephahs, the price paid by the prophet was thirty shekels altogether. Reckoning a shekel as *=* two drachms (so LXX.), or 2s. 6 d., the price paid by Hosea was about £3 15s. According to Exodus 21:32, this was the compensation enacted for a slave gored to death by a bull, and is a hint of the degradation to which Gomer had sunk.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Hosea. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Hosea 3:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.