Hosea 3 3

Hosea 3:3 kjv

And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

Hosea 3:3 nkjv

And I said to her, "You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man?so, too, will I be toward you."

Hosea 3:3 niv

Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you."

Hosea 3:3 esv

And I said to her, "You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you."

Hosea 3:3 nlt

Then I said to her, "You must live in my house for many days and stop your prostitution. During this time, you will not have sexual relations with anyone, not even with me. "

Hosea 3 verses

Hosea 3 3 Meaning

Hosea 3:3 details the conditions set by Hosea for his wife, Gomer, after he reacquires her from a state of enslavement or spiritual degradation. He commands her to remain in a state of separation and sexual abstinence ("thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man") for an indefinite "many days," signifying a period of purification and rehabilitation. In response to her faithfulness during this time, Hosea affirms his reciprocal commitment, implying that he will also wait for her and not engage with another woman. This intimate and specific command serves as a powerful, living allegory of the Lord’s relationship with the nation of Israel. It portrays God's conditional discipline for His unfaithful covenant people, a period of isolation and deprivation designed to bring them away from idolatry and spiritual impurity, while He patiently waits for their full return and restoration.

Hosea 3 3 Context

Hosea chapter 3 serves as the narrative culmination and summary of the prophetic messages laid out in chapters 1 and 2, acting as a vivid living parable of God’s steadfast love for His covenant people, Israel, despite their profound spiritual infidelity. In Hosea 1, the prophet is commanded to marry Gomer, a "wife of whoredom," and their children are given symbolic names signifying God's rejection and eventual restoration of Israel. Chapter 2 details God's "judgment" on Israel (Gomer) by stripping her of blessings and isolating her, aiming to draw her back to Himself, followed by promises of renewed covenant and intimate relationship.

Hosea 3 directly enacts this promised restoration, showing God's unyielding love. After Gomer’s continued unfaithfulness and possibly sinking into destitution or slavery, God instructs Hosea to "go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress" (Hosea 3:1). Hosea re-purchases Gomer, signifying God's redemptive love for idolatrous Israel. Hosea 3:3 then outlines the conditions for her rehabilitation within his house – a period of isolated abstinence and faithfulness, a direct mirror to God’s historical discipline of Israel through exile and spiritual barrenness (deprived of kingship, sacrifice, and prophetic guidance as alluded to in Hosea 3:4). This "many days" reflects the period before Israel fully repents and God fully restores them to their rightful place as His covenant people.

Hosea 3 3 Word analysis

• "And I said unto her": וָאֹמַר לָהּ (va'omar lah). This is Hosea speaking directly to Gomer, but prophetically it represents God's authoritative and relational address to Israel. It highlights the direct command and the personal nature of the covenant between God and His people, which is being strained by unfaithfulness.
• "Thou shalt abide": תֵּשְׁבִי (teshvi). Derived from יָשַׁב (yashab), meaning "to sit, dwell, remain, abide." It conveys a state of fixed residence, but in this context, it implies a period of sequestered, solitary, or waiting existence. It's not merely a physical dwelling but a moral and spiritual state of separation from her past.
• "for me": לִי (li). This dative pronoun "to me" or "for me" emphasizes exclusivity and ownership within the relationship. Gomer is to remain exclusively for Hosea, underscoring the demand for Israel's singular devotion to YHWH, free from any allegiance to other gods or foreign powers.
• "many days": יָמִים רַבִּים (yamim rabbim). Literally "days many," this phrase signifies an extended, indefinite period, not a literal numerical count. For Israel, this alludes to their periods of desolation and exile (like the Babylonian captivity or their spiritual barrenness before the coming of Christ) – a duration necessary for repentance and purification as ordained by God.
• "thou shalt not play the harlot": לֹא תִזְנִי (lo tizni). From זָנָה (zanah), "to commit fornication, be a harlot, act wantonly." This directly forbids sexual infidelity. Prophetically, it prohibits Israel's spiritual adultery through idol worship, foreign alliances, and adopting pagan practices that were detestable to God, reflecting the sanctity and exclusivity of the covenant relationship.
• "and thou shalt not be for another man": וְלֹא תִהְיִי לְאִישׁ (v'lo tihyi l'ish). Literally "and not shalt-be for a man/husband." This is a strong and encompassing prohibition against sexual relations with any other male. It reinforces the exclusive covenant fidelity required, mirroring Israel's need to completely sever ties with false deities and worldly entanglements. It implies a total abstinence and singular focus on the primary covenant relationship.
• "so will I also be for thee": וְגַם אֲנִי אֵלַיִךְ (v'gam ani elayich). Literally "and also I toward you/to you." This statement indicates a reciprocal waiting or commitment from Hosea. It signifies God's own patience and faithfulness during Israel's period of discipline; He will not abandon them nor replace them, but will wait for their true repentance and return. This underscores God's steadfast love and commitment to His covenant, even when His people are unfaithful.

• "Thou shalt abide for me many days": This phrase encapsulates a period of mandated separation, purification, and loyal waiting. It's a divine timeout, enforcing a withdrawal from sinful practices (like idolatry and spiritual promiscuity for Israel) and encouraging a return to exclusive devotion to YHWH. This duration is not punitive for punishment's sake but redemptive, aiming for inner transformation.
• "Thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man": These two clauses represent the cessation of Israel's "adulterous" behavior: idolatry, reliance on foreign gods or alliances, and seeking security outside of YHWH. It is a demand for complete spiritual celibacy from false gods, signaling the depth of their required repentance and the purity God expects in His relationship with His people.
• "so will I also be for thee": This is the hopeful counterpoint and a testament to God's enduring love. It's not "I will find another," but "I will wait for you, too." It implies a suspension of full marital privileges until Gomer is purified, reflecting God's patient yet unwavering commitment to Israel. He will not remarry or abandon them permanently, always leaving a path for reconciliation once the conditions are met.

Hosea 3 3 Bonus section

The concept of "many days" often carried connotations of "days of old" or a period marking a significant transition. For Israel, this was not just a historical event but a prophetic waiting period until Messiah, signifying the time the Jewish people have been spiritually "separated" yet preserved, eventually to look to the Lord their God and David their King. The language used in this verse has legal undertones, resembling the ancient Near Eastern laws concerning a period of separation or probation within a marital contract, particularly in cases of infidelity, before reconciliation could occur or a divorce finalized. This probationary separation reflects the "betrothal" period for the Church to Christ, emphasizing the purity required of the bride before the final marriage supper.

Hosea 3 3 Commentary

Hosea 3:3 vividly illustrates the probationary nature of God's dealings with Israel through the lived experience of His prophet. The command to Gomer to "abide... many days" in an isolated state of fidelity serves as a powerful metaphor for the extended period of spiritual desolation and discipline that Israel would endure due to her unfaithfulness. During this time, likened to Israel's exiles and wanderings without a true king, priest, or sacrifice (Hos 3:4), the nation would be stripped of its idols and false securities, forced into a barren "aloneness" where God intended for them to realize the emptiness of their past allegiances. The prohibitions against harlotry and being for "another man" unequivocally denounce Israel's rampant idolatry and alliances with foreign nations, emphasizing the Lord's demand for exclusive and total devotion. The verse culminates in a profound revelation of God's character: "so will I also be for thee." This signifies His immense patience, enduring love, and faithfulness. Despite Israel's betrayal, God Himself refrains from fully engaging in the relationship until His people return, patiently waiting for their purification and ultimate reconciliation. It underscores that God's discipline is not abandonment but an active, redemptive process leading to true restoration and a deeper covenant relationship, which ultimately points to the new covenant in Christ where full purification is accomplished.