Bought for Fifteen Pieces of Silver - Hosea 3:2

In the book of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said to him, “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”, and in chapter three and verse two of Hosea, Hosea said, “I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver” where we read,

So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver,

and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:

The verse begins, “So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, ...” Hosea began with the words, “so I bought her to me” or “therefore, wherefore, then and on this account I, Hosea, bargained for, traded and purchased her, his wife Gomer, to me, Hosea” “for fifteen pieces of silver” which means “for fifteen shekels, talents or other measures of silver metal money”. Hosea shared how he obeyed Jehovah God's command and purchased his wife Gomer for “fifteen” measures of silver money which was half the price of a wounded servant. (See Exodus 21:32)

The verse continues, “... and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:” Hosea added the words, “and for an homer of barley” or “and for a unit of dry measure about sixty-five imperial gallons or three hundred liters pertaining to rough barley grain”, “and an half homer” which means “and one half of a sixty-five imperial gallons or three hundred measures” “of barley” or “pertaining to rough barley grain”. Hosea shared how he also paid around one hundred gallons or four hundred and fifty liters of barley grain for his wife Gomer. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Hosea obeyed Jehovah God's command to purchase his wife Gomer. She would now not only be his by choice, but also by purchase. He bought her for the half the price of an injured slave or cattle, and even though she abandoned him, like the nation of Israel did Jehovah God, she was worth whatever it cost to have her back in his life. God did the same for us. He chooses us, and He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the price of death for our sins. (See Romans 6:23; Philippians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21) When we believe and trust in Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and keep us as His own not only in this life, but also in the eternal life in Heaven to come. (See 1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23) 

Next time Hosea says to his wife Gomer, “you shall not play the harlot”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".