The Prophet Hosea,
by Duccio di Buoninsegna,
in the Siena Cathedral (c. 1309-1311)
Today my students will study the prophet Hosea in my course, “The Minor Prophets.” When I teach Hosea, my students spend a whole quarter going chapter by chapter and verse by verse through the book of Hosea. I do so because this great prophet of the Northern Kingdom had a message to the people of Israel that, I believe, it is still relevant for today’s modern day syncretistic society in which we live. Today, however, we will study Hosea only in this class. I still have ten more minor prophets to cover before the quarter is over.
The prophet Hosea is recognized as one of the greatest prophets of the eighth century B.C., along with Amos, Micah, and Isaiah. He was a prophet of the Northern Kingdom during and after the reign of Jeroboam II.
According to the introduction to his book, Hosea was the son of Beeri. However, nothing is known about his family, the place where he was born, nor the place where he preached. Hosea was the only classical prophet from the Northern Kingdom. He probably preached in the capital city of Samaria and maybe also at Bethel.
The superscription to Hosea’s book indicates that the prophet preached in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah (783-742) and in the days of Jeroboam II, King of Israel (786-746). Although we do not know the precise dates of Hosea’s ministry, the possible reference to the Syro-Ephraimite War in 5:8-14 would place Hosea in Samaria around 733 B.C. Hosea ministered during the chaotic last days of Israel before the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C.
Hosea came to his vocation through a tragic experience in his life. This experience gave Hosea’s message its characteristic shape. Whenever one studies the book of Hosea, one is fascinated by the events related to his marriage to Gomer. Hosea and Gomer had three children; two sons and one daughter were born out of their marriage.
Although it is impossible for me in this post to provide a detailed study of Hosea, his time, and message, I will review some of the problems related to the interpretation of his marriage and some of the views proposed by scholars to understand God’s command to Hosea.
According to the book, God commanded Hosea to marry a prostitute. The New Jerusalem Bible reads:
“Yahweh said to Hosea, ‘Go, marry a whore, and get children with a whore; for the country itself has become nothing but a whore by abandoning Yahweh’” (Hos. 1:2 NJB).
Scholars are divided on how to interpret God’s words to Hosea. The issue is whether the narrative describing God’s command to his servant Hosea should be understood as Hosea’s actual experience or a story composed to illustrate a spiritual truth.
Those who give a spiritual meaning to the story do so in order to avoid the moral problem of God commanding a prophet to marry a prostitute. As John Calvin said, “How could he expect to be received on coming abroad before the public, after having on himself such a disgrace.”
Many evangelical Christians do not accept the literal interpretation of the text because they find it morally objectionable that God would command Hosea to marry a prostitute who would be unfaithful to him and then command Hosea to remarry the same woman after she became an adulterous woman.
Those who accept the narrative as the actual experience of the prophet do so because it is consistent with the prophet’s message to Israel and the actual condition of the nation.
Proposed Solutions
Three views have been proposed which are compromises to the actual, historical view.
1. The Proleptic View
This view seeks to avoid the moral problem the marriage would have created for Hosea. This view says that God told Hosea to marry Gomer. Gomer was a pure woman before marriage. After her marriage to Hosea she became a prostitute. Thus, looking back, when God told Hosea to marry Gomer, he realized that God was asking him to marry a prostitute.
2. The Spiritual Harlotry View
This view proposes that the harlotry of Gomer was spiritual, that is, Gomer was an idol worshiper. This view says that God commanded Hosea to marry a woman who worshiped idols.
3. The Cultic Functionary View
This view proposes that God commanded Hosea to marry one of the women who served as a Baal priestess in the temple. Gomer would be a woman who served among the cultic prostitutes but was not a common prostitute.
Proposed Views on the Marriage of Hosea
The following are some views proposed by scholars in order to deal with the moral issues raised by Hosea’s marriage to a prostitute. Although several scholars will be named, for the sake of space, a full bibliography will not be provided at this time.
Gerhard von Rad. Von Rad says that the prophetic symbolism behind the marriage makes reconstruction impossible.
Walter Harrelson. Harrelson says that Gomer lapsed into prostitution after marriage.
T. H. Robinson. Robinson believes that Hosea married a sacred prostitute.
Robert Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer believes that Gomer’s harlotry was spiritual unfaithfulness to God, that is, idolatry.
Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas believes that Gomer was not Hosea’s wife, only a concubine.
Hugo Gressman. Gressman believes that Hosea’s marriage was only a literary device to convey a message.
E. W. Hengstenberg. Hengstenberg believes that this marriage never occurred. The marriage was only a vision or a dream of the prophet.
Jerome and John Calvin. Both Jerome and Calvin believe that Hosea’s marriage is only a parable to illustrate the sins of Israel.
Jewish Rabbis. Many Jewish Rabbis believed that the marriage is only an allegory invented by Hosea to illustrate the love of God.
Yehezkel Kaufmann. Kaufmann believes that the marriage of Hosea was a stage play.
James Newsome and C. Hassel Bullock. Both scholars believe that the marriage was an actual experience in the life of the prophet, that is, Gomer was a prostitute before marriage.
In his book The Prophets, Abraham Heschel provides several reasons why all these interpretations, except the literal view, should be rejected because the biblical text portrays an actual event in the life of Hosea. Heschel defends the literal reading of Hosea’s marriage for the following reasons:
1. “What is morally and religiously objectionable in actual practice becomes no more defensible by being presented as vision or parable.”
2. “No indication is given by the prophet that this is a vision or a parable and not fact.”
3. “The name Gomer bath Diblaim yields no symbolic significance.”
4. “The literal view suits the realism of early prophecy better than the supposition that it is a product of literary imagination.”
5. “It would be strange for Hosea to tell such a story of his wife if false or, if he were unmarried about himself.”
6. “A real experience such as this furnishes the best explanation of Hosea’s message—it was the outcome of the suffering of his own heart.”
I agree with Newsome and Bullock that the marriage was an actual experience in the life of the prophet, that is, Gomer was a prostitute before marriage. The fact is, as it is stated in Hosea’s own words, at the command of God, Hosea married a common prostitute and fathered three children with her. Each child was given a symbolic name to illustrate the depths of Israel’s sin and rebellion.
Many Christians reject this interpretation because they cannot believe that God would actually command his servant to marry a woman of ill repute, a prostitute. Such an act would be repugnant to many people. It is for this reason that scholars have proposed different ways to understand God’s command to Hosea. However, as Newsome wrote: “It was precisely the shocking nature of Hosea’s action, when matched to the shocking nature of his words, which caused his oracles to be remembered and preserved.”
I do not know how my students will react today in class to the shocking nature of Hosea’s marriage, but I know we will have a good discussion on this interesting topic.
How do you interpret Hosea’s marriage? Leave a comment and let me know your views.
Other Posts on Hosea:
God’s Torah in the Book of Hosea
Metaphors and Similes in the Book of Hosea
How Much Did Hosea Pay for His Wife?
Hosea 4:4: God’s Exhortation to Ministers
NOTE: For additional studies on the book of the prophet Hosea, read my post Studies on the Book of Hosea.
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
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Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament 
nice work buddy
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Jim,
Thank you for your words. Coming from you means a lot to me.
Claude Mariottini
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Minor Prophets course? You don’t by any chance teach a short course or extension course on the Minor Prophets, do ya (like 3 weeks or so)? I tried taking Minor Prophets from Jack Lewis at Harding School of Theology back in 1983. They needed at least five students to sign up for the course. They only got something like three!! Not a real inspiring student population when they wouldn’t take a couirse from a renowned OT scholar cuz they’re afraid it will affect their GPA. So, I never got my class on the Minor Prophets. I would love taking your class, but moving and attend Northern Baptist is out of the question at my age.
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Craig,
It is sad that you were unable to study the Minor Prophets. Maybe seminary students are reluctant to study the Old Testament because they believe its message is “old.” The message of the Old Testament is as relevant today as it was in the days of the early church. I do not teach a class on the Minor Prophets online.
Claude Mariottini
Claude Mariottini
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I, too, believe the marriage of Hosea and Gomer to be real. While I am no scholar, I have come to believe that God’s word most often means exactly what it says … literally.
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Linda,
Thank you for your comment. Some people are afraid to take Hosea at his word, but I believe this is the only way to interpret what he said about his marriage.
Claude Mariottini
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I love this article because it provides new scholarship along with established views. I hold to the literal marriage format for exactly the reasons you state above. The meaning of Hosea is quite clear in that regard.
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Zach,
Thank you for your comment. Hosea is clear in what he says. Maybe on another occasion I will discuss Hosea’s children. Their name also provides additional background on Hosea’s marriage.
Claude Mariottini
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I have always seen Hosea’s experiences as real. (In the light of Jesus, who was not affraid to interact with prostitutes, this story becomes less strange, isn’t it?)
How did your students react?
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Ruud,
Amazingly enough, all of them agreed with the literal view. Maybe they were afraid to disagree with me, but they are free to do so.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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Did they ever have heard of the other views. I haven’t…
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Ruud,
Of course, they did. I always present all views on a controversial issue. My students do not have to agree with my views to pass my courses.
Claude Mariottini
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Hi Claude. Great to see you blogging again. I thought I made a comment here, but it must not have gone through.
The Minor Prophets was one of my favourite OT classes. I also take the literal view of understanding. However, it also adds to the discussion about what does it mean for God to actually join two people in marriage.
Is it actually more then two people coming together with a ceremony officiated by the state or clergy.
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Craig,
Thank you for your comment. I enjoy blogging, but my academic work required me to take some time off from blogging.
I love teaching the prophets because their message inspire pastors today to be prophetic in their preaching. You have a good point about the marriage issue. I have some ideas about how to answer your comment, but I need to think about the implication of what I will say. I may write a post on this issue at a later time.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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Dear Prof. Mariottini,
Thank you for the interesting blog post. I have, unfortunately, not had a chance to read any of these scholars on this topic.
Is “’The name Gomer bath Diblaim yields no symbolic significance’” essentially an argument from silence? That it “yields no symbolic significance” for us today does not necessarily mean it did not yield symbolic significance for all or part of the original audience. I would think that we lack the North Kingdom equivalent of Mother Goose and Dr. Seuss and the Simpsons and Young and the Restless.
“[S]ay[ing] that the prophetic symbolism behind the marriage makes reconstruction impossible” does not seem to address the moral issues per se. Does Gerhard von Rad say this to address them?
Where and why does St. Thomas say that Gomer was a concubine?
Thank you,
Wellington King
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Wellington,
The reason the name Gomer has no symbolic significance is because the name is not a Hebrew name. Maybe the name is Canaanite in origin. The name would have a symbolic meaning if it was directly related to Hosea’s marriage or message, just like the symbolic names of his three children.
The many interpretations given to Hosea’s marriage are attempts at dealing with the moral issue. So is the idea that Gomer was Hosea’s concubine. As a concubine, she would not be his main wife, but only a secondary wife.
Although the moral issue remains, it is better to take the text at its literal meaning, that is, that Hosea married a common prostitute.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
Claude Mariottini
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Thank for your nice article.It has enlightened me a lot especially on scholarly circles concerning the marriage of Hosea.My opion is Hosea acted it on stage as a dramma to illustrate God’s love.
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Progy,
Thank you for your comment. I apologize for the delay in answering your comment. My blog was out for several days for repairs.
Some have seen Hosea’s marriage as a drama or a play. However, I do not believe that such interpretation of the prophet’s marriage has any historical foundation. To illustrate the depth’s of Israel’s apostasy, Hosea had to present a credible message that would convey God’s truth to a rebellious people.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini.
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both hosea and gomer were cultic prostitutes and hosea changed his ways after the calling. Gomer did not changed as hosea so it was hosea’s aim to convince her to be his wife.thats why he had to ransom her
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Proud River,
Thank you for your comment. I apologize for the delay in answering your comment. My blog was out for several days for repairs.
Your understanding of Hosea’s marriage to Gomer is contrary to everything the book of Hosea teaches. Hosea was not a cultic prostitute. He was called to preach against the sexual practices occurring in the cultic places of the North.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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What ideas or evidence supports the Proleptic View that Gomer was not a prostitute until after the marriage? Verse 2 of the NIV version describes her as “a wife of whoredom” while the NIV calls her a “promiscuous woman”. Any thoughts?
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Erin,
The Proleptic View is a way for conservative scholars to deal with the moral implication of what God said to Hosea. In their view, it would be impossible to think that God told the prophet to marry a prostitute. There is no biblical evidence for such a view. Those who accept this view have proposed it in order to avoid the moral problem caused by Hosea’s marriage to a prostitute.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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Erin,
The Proleptic View was developed by people who have problems with the moral implication of what God told Hosea to do. To these people, God would never tell Hosea to marry a prostitute. There is no biblical support for the Proleptic View. It is only a theory developed in order to deal with the moral problem posed by Hosea’s marriage.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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Pingback: The Legacy Of Gomer And Hosea Lives On
Claude thank you for your thoroughness. And while important to have a multitude of counsellors we still have to know our decisons are by truth by the Holy Spirit. And being humble to be held accountable is important to keep from error. So after research and prayer I pose this to you for feedback: yes it is fine for Hosea to marry a prodtitute and bring her out of sin into a covenant relationship. I believe by the context of “conceive” that the children were Hosea’s but the names given were prophetic like Isaiah’ children. Isaiah was told to marry a prophetess. I do not believe Gomer committed adultery and had children by other men because it is clear God does not whore Himself to redeem us but stays holy and calls us to repentance from sin back to Himself. When it comes to marriage it is important we obey God in whom we marry even if it is not by direct command but by peace of Loving LORD confirming as only God can give His unique peace to confirm His will as Jesus taught His peace is out of this world and disciples used His peace to confirm house they were to stay when sent out in pairs to minister. Jesus saves us while sinners so Hosea is symbolically and Torah fine with Gomer as his choice of prostitute to marry and they had holy marriage with their own kids so no debate there. This all leads is my main point for feedback and now you can understand me theologically and my premise: I am to inclined to think Hoeea had a second wife not in paligamy (though prophet David etc. Had multiple wives but I disagree with people two wives as divided Israel) second wife is another woman after Gomer died. Nothing is said about Gomer dying like nothing is said about Job’s first wife obviously died for him to have another round of kids as he did when his first kids were all old enough to host banquets in a separate house. Job’s first wife told him to curse God and die but he remained faithful and she died. I believe Father God is very clear and childlike simple and would have said “Hosea go get Gomer back from adultery” if the second wife were in fact a remarrying of Gomer the communication and structure would be congruent and clear instead of cloudy and mysterious “woman”. I believe the “again” is LORD telling Hosea He wants Hosea to again marry and redeem a bad woman but this time even worse than Gomer because this time she is an adulterer who is living with a different man than husband in a bought prodtitute type relationship. The law forbids a remarriage after being married to someone else. The person has to move on to new marriage, but God can do whatever He wants free of law. But God would not send a prophet in to marry a woman who should return to her husband as would be His will for her to do. It is easy to think “woman” is Gomer having lost wife title and “again” is go get her again. But I am thinking that Hosea’s second wife is symbolic of New Testament Gentiles who were worse than Gomer who like Israelites law covenant now dead by Jesus. That is much easier to infer than all this other stuff people postulate. Hosea legally (both by God’s and man’ laws) buys his new wife and redeems her by bringing her into a monogamous holy lifetime committed relationship “don’t be with any other guys and I will be committed to you and this is a lifetime “many days” no fling thing. Same with us and we “who are not a people are now a people” and as Paul teaches the first spouse dead so free by law to remarry so Hosea OK. And a direct relationship in New Testament with no princes, sacrifices, law, etc. What are your thoughts ? Am I missing something. Thanks.
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Christopher,
Your argument is a defense of Hosea and reflects your unwillingness to take seriously what the Bible says. Most of your interpretation departs from a plain reading of the text and presents a Christian understanding of the ideal scenario for Hosea’s marriage.
Here is what Hosea says to his children (2:1):
“Plead with your mother; plead with her. She no longer acts like my wife. She no longer treats me like her husband. Tell her to stop acting like a prostitute. Tell her to remove the lovers from between her breasts. I won’t love her children, because they are children of a prostitute. Their mother acted like a prostitute. The woman who became pregnant with them did shameful things. She said, ‘I’ll chase after my lovers’” (Hosea 2:2-5).
Hosea himself says that Gomer acted like a prostitute. That her children are children of prostitution. That she had lovers (more than one) between her breasts. Now compare what the Bible says with what you wrote. What you wrote has no strong biblical foundation.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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i saY THAT GOMER WAS A PROSTITUTE BEFORE HER MARRIAGE TO HOSEA
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Amisha,
I agree with you; this is the best understanding of the text.
Thank you for your comment.
Claude Mariottini
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Were Hosea and his family taken into captivity, I am most interested in this.
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Paul,
The answer to your question is that it is almost certain that Hosea and his family were not taken into exile.
Most scholars believe that Hosea’s ministry ended probably around 724 BC, two years before the exile of the Northern Kingdom. It is possible that Hosea (and his family) came to Judah just before the Northern Kingdom fell.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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I think that the view that Hosea married a woman who would become a prostitute is better supported by the text. The command for Hosea to marry a prostitute in Hos. 1:2 also includes taking children of harlotry; however, there are no children mentioned until after the marriage i.e. the birth of Hosea’s first born son (Jezreel) appears to be Hosea’s only legitimate son as he is the only child for which it was said “She conceived and bore as son TO HIM”; when speaking about Gomer’s other children, “TO HIM” is omitted. The first child that appears to be born through prostitution is “Lo Ruhamah” and then again we see “Lo Ami” also being illegitimate. If God’s command to Hosea to take children of harlotry was fulfilled after the marriage then there is no reason why Gomer’s prostitution could not also have its fulfillment after the marriage. And the latter makes much more sense when we see that the children of harlotry were born after the legitimate child was born.
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Mike,
Your view is the proleptic view. This view is a way of dealing with the moral problem of God ordering Hosea to marry a prostitute. As I mentioned in my article, many scholars take this position. Thus, it is not wrong for you to take this view. However, the whole context of Hosea seems to indicate that the literal view is the most probable interpretation.
In my article I cited the Jewish scholar Abraham Heschel. Heschel provides several reasons why all interpretations I mentioned in my article, except the literal view, should be rejected because the biblical text portrays an actual event in the life of Hosea.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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