Paragraph 3:2–3

In this paragraph, Hosea bought Gomer. Although they were still married, he told her that they would not be intimate with each other, nor would she be intimate with anyone else. This situation was probably a symbol that the LORD would restore his relationship with Israel and purify her.

3:2

So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley: Some scholars say that the value of the barley added to the fifteen shekels of silver made Hosea’s total expense approximately thirty shekels. It is not clear why Hosea paid this specific amount. He may have redeemed her from a debt that she could not pay. This price was equal to the value of a slave in Exodus 21:32, so it is possible that Gomer had sold herself into slavery to be someone’s mistress.

Here are some other ways to translate this idea:

I paid…to buy her (Good News Translation)
-or-
I redeemed her with…

fifteen shekels of silver: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “fifteen silver.” The word shekels is not in the Hebrew text.

Here are some ways to translate this amount of money:

• Add the word “shekels ” for clarity. The shekel was the standard unit of measure for silver, so it is implied. For example:

fifteen shekels of silver (New Jerusalem Bible)

• Add the word “pieces ” for clarity instead of shekels. For example:

fifteen pieces of silver (Good News Translation)

• Some versions give the total weight in the text. They do not translate fifteen or add the word shekels or “pieces.” For example:

six ounces of silver (New Century Version)

Any of these translation options are acceptable. It is recommended that you add a footnote that gives the equivalent weight in units of measurement that the readers will understand. For example:

The Hebrew literally says “fifteen silver.” This amount of silver money weighed about 6 ounces or 170 grams.

a homer and a lethech of barley: There is a textual issue here:

(1) The Masoretic Text has “a homer of barley and a lethech of barley.” For example:

a homer and a half of barley (New American Standard Bible)

(2) The LXX has “a homer of barley and a measure of wine.” For example:

a homer of barley and a skin of wine (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions.

Both homer and lethech were units of dry measure. According to tradition, a lethech equaled half a homer. Scholars disagree on the size of a homer. Estimates vary from 100 liters to 394 liters. As a result, versions disagree on the amount of barley that is equivalent to a homer and a lethech. Some versions have “seven bushels” (Good News Translation and NET Bible). Others have “ten bushels” (Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New International Version, and God’s Word). You may want to use an amount that agrees with a major language translation used in your area.

There are two main options for translating this amount of barley:

• Transliterate the Hebrew words homer and lethech. An example is the Berean Standard Bible above. You can also include a footnote that gives the equivalent amount, using the unit of measurement that is most common in your area for measuring grain. For example:

That is, probably about 10 bushels (about 330 liters) (New International Version footnote)

• Do not transliterate the Hebrew words homer and lethech in the text of the translation. Instead, state the equivalent amount using the unit of measurement that is most common in your area for measuring grain. For example, a bushel is a common English unit of measure, so the Contemporary English Version has “ten bushels.”

barley: If barley is unknown in your area, here are some ways to translate it:

• Use a more general term. For example:

grain (Contemporary English Version)

• If there is no general term, you may use a specific kind of grain that is known in your area. For example:

rice

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