So he went and married Gomer
The phrase "So he went and married Gomer" marks a significant and symbolic act of obedience by the prophet Hosea. The Hebrew verb for "went" (וַיֵּלֶךְ, vayelech) implies a deliberate action, indicating Hosea's compliance with God's command despite the personal and social challenges it posed. The act of marrying Gomer, whose name means "completion" or "consumption," is symbolic of Israel's spiritual state. Gomer's character and actions are reflective of Israel's unfaithfulness to God, as she is described as a "promiscuous woman." This marriage serves as a living parable, illustrating the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where Israel has been unfaithful, yet God remains committed.

daughter of Diblaim
The mention of "daughter of Diblaim" provides a genealogical context, which is often used in the Bible to establish identity and heritage. Diblaim, meaning "fig cakes" or "clusters of figs," could symbolize abundance or sweetness, contrasting with Gomer's actions. This juxtaposition may highlight the disparity between Gomer's potential and her choices, much like Israel's potential as God's chosen people versus their idolatrous actions. The historical context suggests that names and lineage were significant in understanding one's role and destiny, further emphasizing the prophetic nature of Hosea's marriage.

and she conceived and bore him a son
The phrase "and she conceived and bore him a son" signifies the beginning of the fulfillment of God's message through Hosea's family life. The act of conception and birth is not only literal but also metaphorical, representing the fruit of Israel's unfaithfulness. The son, later named Jezreel, symbolizes God's impending judgment on the house of Jehu and the kingdom of Israel. In the Hebrew tradition, names are deeply significant, often reflecting divine messages or prophetic insights. This birth marks the start of a series of symbolic acts and names that convey God's displeasure with Israel's spiritual adultery and His call for repentance.

(3) Gomer the daughter of Diblaim.--Gomer means complete, or perfect, but whether in external beauty or in wickedness of character is not easy to determine.

Verse 3. - So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. Kimchi conjectures that "Gomer was the name of a harlot well known at that time;" he also explains the name, according to his view of its symbolic import, as follows: "Gomer has the meaning of completion;" as if the prophet said, He will fully execute on them the punishment of their transgressions that he may forgive their iniquity." The names of the children born to the prophet are significant and symbolical; and their symbolic significance is explained. The names mentioned in this verse are also significant, though their significance is not expressly stated, as in the former case; the cause of the omission being the fact that these names were not, like the others, now received for the first time, but simply retained. Gomer denotes "completion" or" consummation," from a verbal root signifying "to perfect" or "come to an end; and Diblaim is the dual of deblelah, the plural being debhelim, from the verb dabhal, to press together into a mass, especially a round mass. The meaning of the word, then, is "two cakes," that is, of dried figs pressed together in lumps. It may be observed, in passing, that the Greek παλάθη seems to come from the Aramaic form debhalta, by the omission of the initial daleth. But what is the mystic meaning which the prophet veils under the two names Consummation and Compressed fig-cakes (cakes of compressed figs)? The one may hint not obscurely consummation in sin and in the suffering which is the ultimate consequence of sin; while the other may imply the sweetness of sensual indulgences, especially such as idolatrous celebrants were prone to. If, then, the symbolical interpretation of these names be allowable, we may accept that given by Jerome. He says, "Out of Israel is taken typically by Hosea a wife consummated in fornication, and a perfect daughter of pleasure which seems sweet and pleasant to those who enjoy it." There is, moreover, an obvious appropriateness in the names thus symbolically understood. The prophet, whose name signifies "salvation," marries a woman who was a daughter of plea. sure and a votary of sin; this alliance represents the relation into which Jehovah, with his saving power, had mercifully taken Israel; but that people, unmindful and unthankful for such mercy, and intent on the indulgence of a sinful course, went from bad to worse in apostasy and idolatry till God at length left them in their impenitence and abandoned them to their fate. The conception and birth of Gomer's son to the prophet, though several authorities omit "him," give no countenance to the idea of the child being supposititious; and so far there seems to be some confirmation of the opinion of Keil referred to under ver. 2.

Parallel Commentaries ...


So [Hosea] went
וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ (way·yê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

and married
וַיִּקַּ֔ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

Gomer
גֹּ֖מֶר (gō·mer)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1586: Gomer -- a son of Japheth, also his descendants, also the wife of Hosea

daughter
בַּת־ (baṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of Diblaim,
דִּבְלָ֑יִם (diḇ·lā·yim)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1691: Diblaim -- the father-in-law of Hosea

and she conceived
וַתַּ֥הַר (wat·ta·har)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2029: To conceive, become pregnant

and bore
וַתֵּֽלֶד־ (wat·tê·leḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

him
ל֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

a son.
בֵּֽן׃ (bên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son


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OT Prophets: Hosea 1:3 So he went and took Gomer (Ho Hs Hos.)