Hosea 1:2

The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea If we render the Hebrew text thus, the words are a heading to the first part of the book, viz. chaps 1 3; they are apparently taken thus by the LXX., the Vulg., and perhaps the Targ. and the Peshito. It would however be better to translate with the Vulg., -The beginning of Jehovah's speaking by (or, with) Hosea", because -by Hosea" goes better with a verbal than with a common noun; or, with Kalisch, -The beginning of that which Jehovah spoke" (comp. Job 18:21; Psalms 81:6); or, with Ewald, -At the first, when Jehovah spoke with Hosea" (comp. Psalms 4:8; Psalms 90:15, and possibly Genesis 1:1). -With Hosea" is the preferable rendering. As Ewald remarks, the phrase -to speak with" implies that he who speaks is a superior being (comp. Zechariah 1:9; Zechariah 1:13-14; Numbers 12:2; Numbers 12:8). The original narrative no doubt began at -Jehovah said": the words prefixed make the sentence heavy.

take unto thee i.e. marry (as Genesis 6:2 and often), with regard to Gomer; recognize as thine own with regard to the children. Is this marriage of Hosea a real or a fictitious one? Symbolical it certainly is, but whether literally true or not, the student must decide on a view of the somewhat peculiar exegetical data. See Introduction, and comp. note below on Hosea 1:3.

a wife of whoredoms i.e.(a) one with a deeply rooted inclination to adultery, or (b) as most explain, a woman already steeped in sin. In favour of (a), it may be pointed out that the prophet does not say, -Take unto thee a harlot". His wife is brought before us throughout as a type of Israel; she must at first have been innocent in act to symbolize what Jehovah elsewhere calls -the kindness of thy (Israel's) youth, the love of thine espousals" (Jeremiah 2:2). Upon this view it follows that the language employed is dictated by Hosea's subsequent experience. He could not, of course, know that Gomer had an inclination to infidelity, until it had been exhibited in act.

children of whoredoms i.e. either children inheriting their mother's evil tendencies, or the offspring of an adulterous union. (Comp. Hosea 2:4.)

for the land hath committed This is the meaning of Hosea's acted parable. As Gomer became the wedded wife of the prophet, so -the land", i.e. the people, of northern Israel had entered into an analogous mystic relation to Jehovah (see on Hosea 2:21-22). As Gomer, after her espousals, committed whoredom, so Israel, after her first love, went astray after other gods (see chap. 2). Israel in the narrower sense of the word seems to be meant, for afterwards we read -I will have mercy upon the house of Judah" (Hosea 1:7).