OET interlinear HOS 3:5

Section 3:1–5: Hosea redeemed Gomer as the LORD will redeem Israel

In this section, the LORD commanded Hosea to take Gomer back as his wife. This probably occurred later in their marriage after Gomer had left Hosea and became an adulteress.There are two main views about how the events of chapters 1 and 2 relate to those of chapter 3. One view is that the events described in chapter 3 follow those described in chapters 1 and 2. (This is the view taken by this Translators Notes publication.) Another view is that in chapter 3, Hosea is describing most of the same events but from a different perspective and for a different purpose. Once more Hosea communicated the LORD’s message by his action as well as his words. His action was an illustration of the LORD’s unfailing love for the nation of Israel. Israel had been unfaithful to the LORD and had been worshiping other gods. In the same way, Gomer had been unfaithful to Hosea and had left him for other lovers. And just as Hosea was commanded to take Gomer back as his wife, so the LORD planned to restore Israel to himself.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

An Illustration of God’s Love for Idolatrous Israel (NET)

Hosea Redeems His Wife (ESV)

Hosea’s Reconciliation With His Wife (NIV)

Paragraph 3:4–5

In this paragraph, Hosea’s words predicted that the LORD will judge/punish the nation of Israel (3:4). But after the LORD punishes them, they will seek him again (3:5).

Verse 4 gives details of the LORD’s punishment. He will punish Israel by keeping them from having three things: its own government, worship, and supernatural guidance. These things are arranged in three pairs. In Hebrew, the first five items in these pairs are introduced with a negative existential “there is no/not” (“without” in English versions):Lange (page 47) and Davies (page 103) think that both “ephod” and “idols” may have represented idols that were used in pagan worship. McComiskey (page 53) says that Hosea may have omitted the word “without” before “idols” to indicate that Israel’s syncretistic religion was actually totally pagan. Macintosh (pages 106–107) also comments on the close association of these two terms, but concludes that the Israelites used the ephod in the context of the idolatrous cult to consult Yahweh. Wood (page 138) and Pusey (page 43) both make a distinction between the ephod, used by the high priest to consult Yahweh, and the idols (teraphim) used to consult pagan deities. Hubbard (page 93) also associates the ephod with the high priestly garment that contained the Urim and Thummim used to obtain guidance from Yahweh. Of the English versions used in TN, only the NJPS and KJV follow the Hebrew repetition of the word “without.”

^4a without king and without prince

^4b without sacrifice and without pillar

^4c without ephod and idols

Afterward, the people of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king.

• When that time has ended, the Israelites will again turn to Yahweh who is their God and to a descendant of David their king.

• But afterwards, the people of Israel will repent of their idolatry and they will again worship/serve Yahweh their God. They will also worship/serve a descendant of David their king.

They will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days.

• At that future time, they will feel/have awe/reverence for Yahweh, and he will bless them with good gifts.

• They will tremble with fear and respect for Yahweh, and he will be good to them.

General Comment on 3:5a–b

The word “Afterward” in 3:5a and the phrase “in the last days” in 3:5b are parallel. In some languages, it may be more natural to make explicit that these time phrases refer to the same period of time. For example:

But the time will come…Then (GNT)

But later…At that time (CEV)

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these phrases into one phrase. For example:

But when that time has ended, the Israelites will turn again to the LORD their God…They will tremble with awe…

In Division 1:2–3:5, Hosea’s relationship with his unfaithful wife, Gomer, was used as an illustration of the relationship between the LORD and Israel. In Division 4:1–10:15, Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness continues to be described figuratively as prostitution. But the relationship between Hosea and Gomer is not mentioned again. These chapters describe the LORD’s response to his people’s unfaithfulness. The LORD condemned Israel and announced his plans to punish them. He also expressed his disappointment at their refusal to repent.