1Then 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.
2So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
3And 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.
4For 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:
5Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
God commands Hosea to buy Gomer back, who had become a slave, and to live with her in temporary separation, illustrating how Israel would go a time without a king before turning back to seek the Lord.
Explanation
This is one of the most graphic gestures in the Old Testament: Hosea literally redeems his unfaithful wife by paying a price (silver and barley), portraying a love that redeems even when it is undeserved. The waiting period without king, sacrifice, or idols describes the exile Israel would experience, a forced pause that, paradoxically, would lead them to seek God more sincerely. The practical application is that God's love for us is not based on our worthiness but on His willing faithfulness — He pays the price to bring us back.
Fun facts
- The price paid (fifteen shekels of silver and barley) was half the normal value of a slave, suggesting Gomer had fallen very low — likely sold into slavery for debt or prostitution.
- The phrase 'they shall seek... David their king' (v.5) is understood by scholars as a messianic reference, pointing to a descendant of David who would restore the people — fulfilled in Jesus.