The Prophet Hosea

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- Chapter 3 -

(Zechariah 2:6–13)

And the Lord said to me: “Go yet again, and love a woman, beloved by a friend, yet an adulteress, for so does the Lord love the sons of Israel, yet they look to strange gods, and love the seeds of grapes.”(a)

(b)

And I contracted her to me for fifteen silver coins, and for a basket of barley, and half a basket of barley.(c)

And I said to her, “You will wait for me for many days. You will not commit fornication, and you will not be with a man. But I also will wait for you.”(d)

For the sons of Israel will sit for many days without a king, and without a leader, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without priestly vestments, and without religious symbols.(e)

(f)

(g)

And after this, the sons of Israel will return, and they will seek the Lord their God and David their king, and they will be terrified by the Lord and by his goodness, in the last days.(h)

(i)

Footnotes

(a)3:1 The phrase ‘mulierem dilectam amico et adulteram’ implies that this woman has committed adultery with the husband of a woman who is her close friend.(Conte)

(b)3:1 The ‘seeds of grapes’ (the skins and seeds of grapes left over from wine-making) can be used to make a hard liquor drink (grappa).(Conte)

(c)3:2 The word ‘coro’ is obscure, but probably has a similar meaning to ‘corbis,’ meaning ‘a basketful,’ or ‘a quantity of’ something.(Conte)

(d)3:3 I am not always sure where to begin and end the quotation marks. Latin has no quotation marks and various English translations differ in their use of quotes.(Conte)

(e)3:4 This verse predicts a time when the Church will be without a Pope, and without many Bishops, and without many Masses, and without many altars, and the priests will not be able to dress as priests, and there will not be many crosses, crucifixes, religious statues, and other religious images and symbols.(Conte)

(f)3:4 The word ‘theraphim’ can refer to idols or idolatrous images, but it can also, in another context, refer to holy images and statues referring to the one true God. In the Christian faith, this includes crosses, crucifixes, the stations of the Cross, as well as statues of Mary and the Saints, and other blessed objects.(Conte)

(g)3:4 Theraphim:Images or representations.(Challoner)

(h)3:5 The phrase ‘David their king’ is a spiritual reference to the great monarch (who is like king David). The verse describes the time after the first part of the tribulation, that is, the time of peace.(Conte)

(i)3:5 David their king:That is, Christ, who is of the house of David.(Challoner)

(Zechariah 2:6–13)

The LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman loved by another, and an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods, and love cakes of raisins.”

So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer

(a)

and a half of barley.

I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days. You shall not play the prostitute, and you shall not be with any other man. I will also be so toward you.”

For the children of Israel shall live many days without king, without prince, without sacrifice, without sacred stone, and without ephod or idols.

Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and shall come with trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.

Footnotes

(a)3:2 1 homer is about 220 liters or 6 bushels