ON HOSEA'S MARRIAGE WITH GOMER.

A QUESTION arises respecting the 1st and 3rd chapters of the prophecy of Hosea, which has caused great difference of opinion; viz. whether the transactions to which they relate were real events, or are to be regarded as a dream or vision, or simply as a parable. The weight of ancient authority is in favour of the first of these opinions; which, on the whole, seems to be that which is most probable. Gomer was a real, not a fictitious personage. Cyril of Alexandria defends this view on the ground of the good which would result to Gomer from her marriage with the prophet; φαίην δ' ἄν ἔγωγε καταδείσας οὐδὲν ὅτι καὶ σέσωκεν ὁ προφήτης τὴν Γομέρ. Cyril treats Hosea's conduct as an act of simple obedience to God, like that of Samuel in slaying Agag, of Isaiah in walking naked and barefoot, and further refers to our Lord's example in eating with publicans and sinners, and to St Paul's words in Rom. ix. 3. That the controversy on this point existed in Cyril's time is shown from what he says at the commencement of his argument, λογιδίῳ μὲν οὖν ἐνέτυχον ἀνδρὸς οὐκ ἀσήμου διατρανοῦν ἐθέλοντος τὰ περὶ τὸν τόπον κ.τ.λ.

Theodoret takes the same view with Cyril, referring to Isai. xx. 2, to Jerem. xxvii. 2, xxviii. 13, and to Ezekiel iv. 4, 6.

A SYNOPTICAL TABLE of the emendations adopted in the text of Vanderhooght (Amsterdam, 1753); also in the divisions into chapter and verse.

NOTES ON HOSEA.

CHAPTER I.

pro

1. The word of the Lord. The phets announced their subjects generally in this form.

Sometimes by from the form of the revelation; sometimes by from the burden or weight of the reproofs they had to administer. See Amos i. 1;

"N] The Jews suppose that Beeri was a prophet, in accordance with the tradition that those prophets, whose parents are named in Scripture, were sons of prophets. See Godwyn's Moses and Aaron, p. 25.

in accordance דְּבַר read דִּבֶּר For [דִּבֶּר יְהוָה .2

with the ancient versions. 7 is the Pih. Pret. See L.L. 128 (a). If this were the true reading, we should

תְּחִלַּת or we must take אֶל־הוֹשֵׁעַ and בַּתְּחִלָּה expect

adverbially, as in one of the early English versions. First, when the Lord spake unto Oseas. Walton renders it, Principium loquendi; but a signifies, The beginning of the command, i. e. the first command. Gesenius explains by the omission 727 ́of the relative and its antecedent, The beginning (of that which) Jehovah spake. Gr. § 121. 3. Rem. 1.

wine] by Hosea, implying that the speech was addressed by God through the prophet to his people, infr. xii. 13. Cyril notes the difference between this