SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:4
Porque muchos días estarán los hijos de Israel sin Rey, y sin Seńor, y sin sacrificio, y sin estatua, y sin efod, y sin terafín.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hosea 3:4
Verse 4. Many days without a king] Hitherto this prophecy has been literally fulfilled. Since the destruction of the temple by the Romans they have neither had king nor prince, nor any civil government of their own, but have lived in different nations of the earth as mere exiles. They have neither priests nor sacrifices nor urim nor thummim; no prophet, no oracle, no communication of any kind from God. Without an image ephod-teraphim] The Septuagint read, oude oushv qusiav, oude ontov qusiasthriou, oude ierateiav, oude dhlwn: "Without a sacrifice, without an altar, without a priesthood, and without oracles;" that is, the urim and thummim. The Vulgate, Arabic, and Syriac read nearly the same. Instead of hbxm matstsebah, an image, they have evidently read jbzm mizbeach, an altar; the letters of these words being very similar, and easily mistaken for each other. But instead of either, one, if not two, of Kennicott's MSS. has hjnm minchah, an oblation.
What is called image may signify any kind of pillar, such as God forbade them to erect Lev. xxvi. 1, lest it should be an incitement to idolatry.
The ephod was the high priest's garment of ceremony; the teraphim were some kind of amulets, telesms, or idolatrous images; the urim and thummim belonged to the breastplate, which was attached to the ephod.
Instead of teraphim some would read seraphim, changing the t tau into Ť sin; these are an order of the celestial hierarchy. In short, all the time that the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon, they seem to have been as wholly without forms of idolatrous worship as they were without the worship of God; and this may be what the prophet designs: they were totally without any kind of public worship, whether true or false. As well without images and teraphim, as they were without sacrifice and ephod, though still idolaters in their hearts. They were in a state of the most miserable darkness, which was to continue many days; and it has continued now nearly eighteen hundred years, and must continue yet longer, till they acknowledge him as their saviour whom they crucified as a blasphemer.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince , etc.] Without any form of civil government, either regal or without any civil magistrate, either superior or subordinate, of their own; being subject to the kings and princes of other nations, as the ten tribes were from their captivity by Shalmaneser, to the coming of Christ, which was about seven hundred years; and from that time the tribes of Judah and Benjamin have had no kings and princes among them, for the space of nineteen hundred years, which may very well be called “many days”. This answers to the harlot’s abiding for the prophet many days, in the parable: and without a sacrifice ; the daily sacrifice, which has ceased as long as before observed; and any other sacrifice of slain beasts, as the passover lamb, etc.; the Jews not thinking it lawful to offer sacrifice in a strange land, or any where but upon the altar in Jerusalem; and to this day have no such sacrifices among them, though they have no notion of the abrogation of them, as the Christians have; but so it is ordered in Providence, that they should be without them, being kept out of their own land, that this and other prophecies might be fulfilled: and without an image , or “statue”: such as were made for Baal, or as were the calves at Daniel and Bethel; and though the people of Israel were very subject to idolatry, and set up images and statues for worship before their captivities, yet since have nothing of image worship among them, but strictly observe the command. And without an ephod ; a linen garment wore by the high priests under the law, to which the breastplate was fastened, which had in it the Urim and Thummim; and which were wanting in the second temple, and have been ever since; so that these people have been so long without this way and means of inquiry of God about future things, (see Ezra 2:63), this may be put for the whole priesthood, now ceased in a proper sense; and so the Septuagint render it, “without a priesthood”; so that the Jews are without any form of government, civil or ecclesiastical; they have neither princely nor priestly power: “and without teraphim”; which some understand to be the same with the Urim and Thummim; and so the Septuagint render it, “without manifestations”; by which they are thought to mean the Urim, which according to them so signifies: but the word is generally thought to design some little images or idols, like the penates or household gods of the Romans, which were consulted about future things; and so the Jews commonly understand it, and some describe them thus f54 , “what are the “teraphim?” they slay the firstborn of a man, cut off his head, and pickle it with salt and oil, and inscribe on a plate of gold the name of an unclean spirit, and put that under his tongue; then they place it in a wall, and light candles before it, and pray unto it, and it talks with them.”
But now, according to this prophecy, the Jews in their captivity should have no way and means of knowing future things, either in a lawful or unlawful manner; (see Psalm 74:9). How the whole of this prophecy is now fulfilled in them, hear what they themselves say, particularly Kimchi; “these are the days of the captivity in which we now are at this day; we have no king nor prince out of Israel; for we are in the power of the nations, and of their kings and princes; and have no sacrifice for God, nor image for idols; no “ephod” for God, that declares future things; and no “teraphim” for idolatry, which show things to come, according to the mind of those that believe in them;” and so Jarchi “without a sacrifice in the sanctuary in Judah; without an image of Baal in Samaria, for the kings of Israel; without an ephod of Urim and Thummim, that declares hidden things; and “teraphim” made for a time to speak of, and show things that are secret;” and to the same purpose Aben Ezra. The Targum is, “without a king of the house of David, and without a ruler over Israel; without sacrifice for acceptance in Jerusalem; and without a high place in Samaria; and without an ephod, and him that shows;” i.e. what shall come to pass. The Syriac version renders the last clause, “without one that offers incense”; and the Arabic version, “without one that teaches”.
Matthew Henry Commentary
The prophet enters into a new contract, representing the graciou manner in which God will again restore Israel under a new covenant.
Hos. 3:1-3 The dislike of men to true religion is because they love objects and forms, which allow them to indulge, instead of mortifyin their lusts. How wonderful that a holy God should have good-will to those whose carnal mind is enmity against Him! Here is represente God's gracious dealings with the fallen race of mankind, that had gon from him. This is the covenant of grace he is willing to enter int with them, they must be to him a people, and he will be to them a God They must accept the punishment of their sin, and must not return to folly. And it is a certain sign that our afflictions are means of goo to us, when we are kept from being overcome by the temptations of a afflicted state.
Hos. 3:4-5 Here is the application of the parable to Israel. They mus long sit like a widow, stripped of all joys and honours; but shall a length be received again. Those that would seek the Lord so as to fin him, must apply to Christ, and become his willing people. Not only ar we to fear the Lord and his greatness, but the Lord and his goodness not only his majesty, but his mercy. Even Jewish writers apply thi passage to the promised Messiah; doubtless it foretold their futur conversion to Christ, for which they are kept a separate people. Thoug the first fear of God arise from a view of his holy majesty an righteous vengeance, yet the experience of mercy and grace throug Jesus Christ, will lead the heart to reverence so kind and glorious Friend and Father, and to fear offending him __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
כי 3588 ימים 3117 רבים 7227 ישׁבו 3427 בני 1121 ישׂראל 3478 אין 369 מלך 4428 ואין 369 שׂר 8269 ואין 369 זבח 2077 ואין 369 מצבה 4676 ואין 369 אפוד 646 ותרפים׃ 8655
