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God is still by the prophet inculcating the same thing upon this careless people, and much in the same manner as before, by a type or sign, that of the dealings of a husband with an adulterous wife. In this chapter we have, I. The bad character which the people of Israel now had; they were, as is said of the Athenians (Act 17:16), "wholly given to idolatry," (Hos 3:1). II. The low condition which they should be reduced to by their captivity, and the other instances of God's controversy with them (Hos 3:2-4). III. The blessed reformation that should at length be wrought upon them in the latter days (Hos 3:5).

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 3 In this chapter is an order to the prophet to love an adulterous woman beloved of her friend, and by this parable to express the love of God to Israel, and their ingratitude to him, Hos 3:1, the prophet's execution of that order, making a purchase of her, and a covenant with her, which set forth the captive, servile, mean, and abject state of that people, Hos 3:2, which is explained of their being deprived for a long time of civil and ecclesiastic government, Hos 3:4, and the chapter is concluded with a prophecy and promise of their conversion to Christ in the latter day, Hos 3:5.

Afterward shall the children of Israel return,.... The ten tribes of Israel, and also the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which are included in the name of Israel, as Aben Ezra interprets it; and these are joined together in parallel places; see Jer 30:3 for though they did not go into captivity together, yet their return and conversion will be at the same time; and they are all spoken of under the name of Israel by the Apostle Paul, when he foretells their conversion and salvation, Rom 11:26. The "return" of them, here prophesied of, does not barely mean their return to their own land, which will be at this time; see Jer 30:3, but their return to the Lord by repentance; when they shall repent of, and turn from, their sinful course of life, and particularly of their unbelief and rejection of the true Messiah, and embrace him; and of their traditions and false ways of worship, which they shall discard; and of their own righteousness they shall now renounce; and shall turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in him for righteousness, life, and salvation: and seek the Lord their God, and David their King; these may be considered either as two distinct persons, Jehovah the Father, and the Messiah, as in Eze 34:23 and so the Targum, "and seek the worship of the Lord their God, and obey Messiah the Son of David their King;'' who will be both equally sought after, and unto, by them; and which is a proof of the divinity of the Messiah, and of his equality with God his Father; as well as points out the right way in which Jehovah is to be sought, namely, with Christ, or in him, in whom he is a God gracious and merciful; and to seek and know both the one and the other is eternal life, Joh 17:3 or else all this is to be understood of the Messiah, rendering the words, "and seek the Lord their God, even David their King" as also Jer 30:9, may be rendered; and so these are all epithets, titles, and characters of him: he is Jehovah, the everlasting I AM; the true God, and eternal life; Immanuel, God with us; God in our nature, manifest in the flesh; the Son of David, and his antitype, often called David in Scripture. Psa 89:3, King of kings, King of the saints, of his church, and will be owned as such by the Jews at the time of their conversion, though they have rejected him; but now they will receive him, and be subject to him; they will seek to him for salvation, for the pardon of their sins, for righteousness, for rest, for food, for protection and safety, and to serve and obey him: and this seeking will not be out of curiosity, or in a carnal way, or for selfish ends; nor hypocritically; but with their whole hearts, and diligently, and in earnest. Not only the Targum interprets this of Messiah the Son of David, but Aben Ezra on the place says, this is the Messiah; and it is applied to him, and his times, by other Jewish writers, both ancient and modern. In an ancient book (h) of theirs, speaking of David, it is said, the holy blessed God is well pleased with him in this world, and in the world to come; in this world, as it is written, "and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake", Kg2 20:6, and in the world to come, as it is written, they shall seek the Lord their God, and David their King, &c.; David was King in this world, and David shall be King in the time to come. And in both Talmuds the words are applied to the Messiah; in one of them (i), after quoting this text, it is added, the Rabbins say this is the King Messiah; if of the living, David is his name; if of the dead, David is his name. And in the other (k), it is said, when Jerusalem is built, David comes; that is, the Son of David, the Messiah; which is proved by this passage, "afterwards the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their King"; that is, as the gloss interprets it, after they shall return to the house of the sanctuary, or the temple: so Abarbinel, both in his commentary upon this place, and elsewhere (l), as he interprets the "one head" in Hos 1:11, of Messiah ben Ephraim, whom he, with the rest of his tribe, feign shall perish in war; so he observes, that then Israel shall seek David their King, the rod out of the root of Jesse, whom the Lord shall choose, and cause to reign over them. And another of their later writers (m) interprets the passage of the Messiah, and produces it to prove against the Christians that he should come in the end of days, or in the latter days; as it is plain and certain that our Jesus, the true Messiah, came at the end of the Jewish world, in the last days of their civil and church state; see Heb 1:1, and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter day; not man, but the Lord; not his wrath and vengeance, but his goodness; not with a servile, but with a godly filial fear; a fear influenced by the blessings of goodness they shall now be partakers of, particularly pardoning grace and mercy, Psa 130:3, they shall fear the Lord, who is good, and goodness itself, and Christ, in whom the goodness of God is displayed, and who is prevented with the blessings of goodness for his people: it may be rendered, they "shall fear", or "come fearing to the Lord, and his goodness" (n), being sensible of their sin, danger, and misery; they shall flee to the Lord as to their city of refuge, and to the blessings of his goodness they see their need of; and this they shall do in haste, as Aben Ezra interprets it, comparing it with Hos 11:11. The Septuagint version is, "they shall be amazed at the Lord, and his good things"; the Syriac version, "they shall know the Lord, and his goodness": the Arabic version, they shall confess the Lord, and his benefits; the Targum, "they shall give themselves to the service of the Lord, and his goodness shall be multiplied, which shall come to them in the end of days;'' or, as Aben Ezra, in the end of the prophecy of the prophets, in future time, in the times of the Messiah; which, as Kimchi serves, are always meant by the last days; and here it signifies the latter day of the last days, or of the Gospel dispensation. (h) Zohar in Exod. fol. 93. 3. (i) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 5. 1. (k) T. Bab Megillah, fol. 18. 1. (l) Mashmiah Jeshuah, fol. 55. 4. (m) R. Isaac Chizzuk Emunah, par. 1. p. 44. (n) "pavebunt ad Dominum", Montanus; "providi accedent ad Jehovam, et ad bonitatem ejus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius; "et cum timore venient ad Jehovam, et ad bonum ejus", Schmidt; so Ben Melech interprets it, "they shall fear, and be afraid of him, flow to him, and to his goodness"; and which, he says, Saadiah explains of his glory, agreeably to Exod. xxxiii. 19. Next: Hosea Chapter 4

"For many days the children of Israel shall sit without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an altar, and without an ephod, and without teraphim. And after these things the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king: and they shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days." LXX: "For many days the children of Israel shall sit without a king, without a prince, without sacrifice, without an altar, without priesthood, without manifestations" (which in Greek are called δήλοι). "And after this the children of Israel shall return, and shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king: and they shall be astonished at the Lord, and at his goodness in the latter days." For "ephod" and "teraphim" the Septuagint have translated "sacerdotium," meaning "priesthood," and "manifestations." However, it should be known, as we have frequently said, that "ephod" signifies a priestly garment, which is called in the LXX by the word βαθύπεταλον, meaning "superhumeral," and by Aquila it is called ἐπένδυμα, meaning "outer garment." But "teraphim" properly denote μορφώματα, that is "figures" and "images," which we can, for the present place only, call "Cherubim" and "Seraphim," or any others which were commanded to be made for the decoration of the temple. But because the seventy have translated the clear things, for which Aquila translated (introduced) enlightenments. And these indeed are the (meanings) in the "Rational" account, that is, we understand that in the heart and mind of the bishop, truth and enlightenments, that is, "truth" ought to be, as well as "doctrine": so that he may not only know the correct faith but also be able to utter what he knows. Which Apostle Paul also writes to Titus, teaching what kind of bishop ought to be ordained: "For a bishop must be without crime as the dispenser of God, not proud, not irritable, not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy for filthy lucre: But hospitable, kind, sober, just, holy, continent, embracing him who is according to the "sound doctrine, faithful in speech, so he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine, and to contradict those who oppose it" (Titus 1: 7-9). We read of the ephod and theraphim in the book of Judges (Chapters 17 and 18), which the Levites made for themselves; later on, they departed with 600 armed men from the tribe of Dan. From the passion of the Savior until the present day, a little over 400 years have elapsed, and as for how much time remains until the day of judgment, neither the angels nor the Son know. He says that he doesn't know for this reason, because it is not beneficial for us to learn. These are indeed many days on which the unfortunate Synagogue and adulterous woman are fed with barley, and sits contracted, because she cannot stand with Christ. Without a king, of whom the Father said: "I have raised up a king with justice" (Isa. XLV, 13). And He himself says in the Psalm: "But I am appointed king by him over his holy mount Zion" (Psal. II, 6). Without a prince, either the Lord and Savior Himself, or certainly a pontiff, of whom it is written: "Thou shalt not revile the princes of thy people." (Exod. XXII). And without sacrifice, and without altar. For with the temple overthrown, and Jerusalem burned, neither sacrifice nor Judaic priesthood can exercise. And without ephod and without teraphim, that is, the instruments of the priestly habit. Concerning this king and Jacob in the blessing of Judah the patriarch speaks: "The leader shall not fail from Juda, nor the ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of nations." (Gen. XLIX, 10) Therefore, after the prince of Judah had fallen, and the leader from his thigh, and Herod, a foreigner and proselyte, had taken over the empire, we understand that someone has come to whom the kingdom was entrusted, and he himself was the expectation of the nations. This is the blindness that happened in part to Israel, so that the fullness of the Gentiles might enter, and then all Israel would be saved (Romans 11): and later they will return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, who was born from David's lineage and interprets "strong by hand." For he himself freed his captive people and gave remission to the prisoners. And when the children of Israel shall see him that was rejected by his own brethren reigning in the majesty of his Father and his own, they shall fear and marvel at the Lord and at his good things. For the good son is born of a good father, whether to the good things of the Lord spoken of by the saint: "I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living" (Ps. 26:13): for the earth in which we dwell, sinners, is the land of the dead. The present chapter, among others of the Jews, is interpreted concerning the Babylonian captivity, when the temple was desolate for seventy years, and there was no altar, sacrifice, or priesthood, but afterwards they returned to their former seats under Zorobabel. Others, like us, delay for the future time ("they abandon" "Al.") and they cannot find any other cause of such a great offense that they have been abandoned for such a long time, especially since they do not worship idols, except for the killing of the Savior.

But let us hear what Hosea goes on to say: “And after this the children of Israel shall return and shall seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the last days.” You will never find a prophecy plainer than this, for the name King David means Christ, who, as Paul says, “was born according to the flesh of the offspring of David.” Further on still, Hosea foretold the resurrection of Christ on the third day, but in the mysterious way that is proper to prophecy. He says, “He shall heal us after two days, and on the third day we shall rise up again.” This is the theme underlying the words of Paul: “Therefore if you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above.”

The prophecy in this chapter is thought by some to relate to the latter times of the world, when God shall finally deliver his people from all their adversaries; and it must be confessed that the figures employed are so lofty as to render it impossible to restrain the whole of their import to any events prior to the commencement of the Christian era. The whole prophecy is delivered in a very beautiful strain of poetry; by what particular events are referred to is at present very uncertain, vv. 1-21.

Afterward shall the children of Israel return - Shall repent of their iniquities, and seek the Lord; lay aside their mock worship, and serve the true God in spirit and in truth. And David their king - Or as the Targum, "They shall obey the Messiah, the Son of David their King;" and thus look believingly upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn. And then shall their long spiritual darkness and dismal captivity have an end; but not before. The Messiah, as David, is promised in Jer 30:9 (note); Eze 24:23 (note); Eze 37:22-25 (note), and in this place of Hosea. Some think that the family of David is intended; but if we go to the rigour of the letter, the house of Israel was scarcely ever perfectly submissive to David. And we know that after the death of Solomon they never acknowledged the house of David till they were all carried away captive; and certainly never since. And to say that Zerubbabel is here meant, is not supportable, as the very short and imperfect obedience of the Jews to Zerubbabel can never comport with the high terms of this and similar prophecies. We are obliged, therefore, from the evidence of these prophecies, from the evidence of the above facts, from the evidence of the rabbins themselves, and from the evidence of the New Testament, to consider these texts as applying solely to Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, who has been a light to lighten the Gentiles, and will yet be the glory of his people Israel. There is a strange propensity in some men to deny these evidences of Christianity, while they profess to believe its doctrines.

ISRAEL'S CONDITION IN THEIR PRESENT DISPERSION, SUBSEQUENT TO THEIR RETURN FROM BABYLON, SYMBOLIZED. (Hos 3:1-5) The prophet is to take back his wife, though unfaithful, as foretold in Hos 1:2. He purchases her from her paramour, stipulating she should wait for a long period before she should be restored to her conjugal rights. So Israel is to live for a long period without her ancient rites of religion, and yet be free from idolatry; then at last she shall acknowledge Messiah, and know Jehovah's goodness restored to her. Go yet--"Go again," referring to Hos 1:2 [HENDERSON]. a woman--purposely indefinite, for thy wife, to express the separation in which Hosea had lived from Gomer for her unfaithfulness. beloved of her friend--used for "her husband," on account of the estrangement between them. She was still beloved of her husband, though an adulteress; just as God still loved Israel, though idolatrous (Jer 3:20). Hosea is told, not as in Hos 1:2, "take a wife," but "love" her, that is, renew thy conjugal kindness to her. who look to other gods--that is, have done so heretofore, but henceforth (from the return from Babylon) shall do so no more (Hos 3:4). flagons of wine--rather, pressed cakes of dried grapes, such as were offered to idols (Jer 7:18) [MAURER].

Afterward--after the long period ("many days," Hos 3:4) has elapsed. return--from their idols to "their God," from whom they had wandered. David their king--Israel had forsaken the worship of Jehovah at the same time that they forsook their allegiance to David's line. Their repentance towards God is therefore to be accompanied by their return to the latter. So Judah and Israel shall be one, and under "one head," as is also foretold (Hos 1:11). That representative and antitype of David is Messiah. "David" means "the beloved." Compare as to Messiah, Mat 3:17; Eph 1:6. Messiah is called David (Isa 55:3-4; Jer 30:9; Eze 34:23-24; Eze 37:24-25). fear the Lord and his goodness--that is, tremblingly flee to the Lord, to escape from the wrath to come; and to His goodness," as manifested in Messiah, which attracts them to Him (Jer 31:12). The "fear" is not that which "hath torment" (Jo1 4:18), but reverence inspired by His goodness realized in the soul (Psa 130:4). the latter days--those of Messiah [KIMCHI]. Next: Hosea Chapter 4

The Adulteress and Her Fresh Marriage - Hos 3:1-5 "The significant pair are introduced again, but with a fresh application." In a second symbolical marriage, the prophet sets forth the faithful, but for that very reason chastising and reforming, love of the Lord to rebellious and adulterous Israel. By the command of God he takes a wife, who lives in continued adultery, notwithstanding his faithful love, and places her in a position in which she is obliged to renounce her lovers, that he may thus lead her to return. Hos 3:1-3 contain the symbolical action; Hos 3:4, Hos 3:5 the explanation, with an announcement of the reformation which this proceeding is intended to effect.

"Afterward will the sons of Israel turn and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king, and will go trembling to Jehovah and to His goodness at the end of the days." This section, like the previous one, closes with the announcement of the eventual conversation of Israel, which was not indicated in the symbolical action which precedes it, but is added to complete the interpretation of the symbol. Seeking Jehovah their God is connected with seeking David their king. For just as the falling away of the ten tribes from the royal house of David was merely the sequel and effect of their inward apostasy from Jehovah, and was openly declared in the setting up of the golden calves; the true return to the Lord cannot take place without a return to David their king, since God has promised the kingdom to David and his seed for ever (Sa2 7:13, Sa2 7:16), and therefore David is the only true king of Israel (their king). This King David, however, is no other than the Messiah. For although David received the promise of the everlasting continuance of his government, not with reference to his own person, but for his seed, i.e., his family; and on the ground of this promise, the whole of the royal house of David is frequently embraced under the expression "King David," so that we might imagine that David is introduced here, not as an individual, but as signifying the Davidic family; yet we must not understand it on this account as referring to such historical representatives of the Davidic government as Zerubbabel, and other earthly representatives of the house of David, since the return of the Israelites to "their King David" was not to take place till 'achârı̄th hayyâmı̄m (the end of the days). For "the end of the days" does not denote the future generally, but always the closing future of the kingdom of God, commencing with the coming of the Messiah (see at Gen 49:1; Isa 2:2). Pâchad 'el Yehovâh, to shake or tremble to Jehovah, is a pregnant expression for "to turn to Jehovah with trembling;" i.e., either trembling at the holiness of God, in the consciousness of their own sinfulness and unworthiness, or else with anguish and distress, in the consciousness of their utter helplessness. It is used here in the latter sense, as the two parallels, Hos 5:15. "in their affliction they will seek me," and Hos 11:11, "they shall tremble as a bird," etc., clearly show. This is also required by the following expression, ואל־טוּבו, which is to be understood, according to Hos 2:7, as denoting the goodness of God manifested in His gifts. Affliction will drive them to seek the Lord, ad His goodness which is inseparable from Himself (Hengstenberg). Compare Jer 31:12, where "the goodness of the Lord" is explained as corn, new wine, oil, lambs, and oxen, these being the gifts that come from the goodness of the Lord (Zac 9:17; Psa 27:13; Psa 31:20). He who has the Lord for his God will want no good thing.