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.
2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
3 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.
4 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:
5 Afterward 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.
Common Questions About Hosea 3
What does Hosea do in chapter 3, and what does it symbolize?
God tells Hosea to love his wife again despite her unfaithfulness, and Hosea buys her back at a price, symbolizing God's determination to redeem and restore Israel despite her persistent idolatry.
What does this chapter reveal about the cost of redemption?
Hosea pays a literal price, silver and barley, to reclaim Gomer, illustrating that God's redemption of an unfaithful people involves genuine cost, not merely a change of feeling, foreshadowing the greater cost of redemption fulfilled in Christ.
Have a different question about this chapter? Ask the Bible Chat Bot below.
Questions to Think About
- Redeeming Gomer cost Hosea something real and tangible. How does understanding the cost of your own redemption shape your gratitude?
- What would it look like for you to actively pursue restoration in a relationship rather than simply waiting for the other person to change?
Ask the Bible Chat Bot below if you'd like to talk through any of these.
