After two days
This phrase suggests a period of waiting and anticipation. In the Hebrew context, "two days" can symbolize a short, yet complete period of time. The number two often represents confirmation or witness in the Bible. Historically, this could reflect the period of Israel's suffering and the hope of restoration. Theologically, it points to the certainty of God's intervention and the assurance that deliverance is imminent.

He will revive us
The Hebrew root for "revive" is "chayah," which means to live, to restore to life, or to quicken. This indicates a divine action where God breathes life back into His people. In the context of Hosea, it speaks to the spiritual renewal and restoration of Israel. This revival is not just physical but also spiritual, symbolizing repentance and a return to God's favor.

On the third day
The "third day" is significant throughout Scripture, often associated with divine intervention and new beginnings. It is a day of completion and fulfillment. In the context of Hosea, it suggests a time when God's promises will be fully realized. This phrase prophetically points to the resurrection of Christ, which occurred on the third day, symbolizing ultimate victory over sin and death.

He will raise us up
The phrase "raise us up" comes from the Hebrew "qum," meaning to arise, stand, or establish. This denotes a powerful act of God, lifting His people from their fallen state. It implies not only physical restoration but also a spiritual elevation, where the people are restored to their rightful place in relationship with God. This is a promise of hope and renewal.

That we may live in His presence
Living "in His presence" is the ultimate goal of restoration. The Hebrew word for presence, "panim," often refers to the face or countenance of God. To live in His presence is to experience His favor, blessing, and intimate fellowship. This phrase encapsulates the heart of God's desire for His people: to dwell with them and for them to experience the fullness of life that comes from being in communion with Him. It is a call to holiness and a reminder of the eternal life promised through faith.

(2) The haste of the seeming penitents for the fulfilment of their hope. They expect the rapid restoration of the national prosperity, prompted by the abundance of the Divine love, and His response to the first touch of penitence (signified in Hosea 5:15).

After two days.--A phrase sometimes used for the second day, i.e., to-morrow.

In the third day--i.e., after a short time. This and the above expression are not identical in the designation of time. Some Christian interpreters (Jerome, Luther, Pusey) consider the passage has sole reference to the resurrection of Christ. But with Calvin, Henderson, Schmoller, &c., we consider this to be contradicted by the form of the expression. To bring in the resurrection of Christ with no authority from the New Testament is far-fetched over-refinement, and breaks the consistency of the passage.

(2, 3) Render, So that we shall live in his presence, and shall know and strive after the knowledge of Jehovah, whose coming forth is sure, like the dawn (another play on 6:15, "I will return to my place, &c."), so that he may come as the plentiful (dashing) rain for us, as the latter rain (needed for the ripening corn) which watereth the earth.

Verse 2. - After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. The expression of time here employed denotes a comparatively short period, and implies that Israel's revival would be speedily as well as certainly accomplished. Paucity is signified by the binary number in Old Testament language, just as we speak of two, or a couple, in the sense of fewness. In 1 Kings 17:12 we find "two" used in this way: "Behold, I am gathering two sticks;" so in Isaiah 7:21, "A man shall nourish a young cow and two sheep;" in Isaiah 17:6 a small number is spoken of as "two or three;" while a short period is similarly described in Luke 13:32, "Behold, I east out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." The important idea of this verse connects itself with the terms corresponding to revival, resurrection, and restoration to the Divine favor and protection. The drooping, declining, dying state of Israel would be revived; their deathlike condition would undergo a resurrection process; their disfavor would give way to Divine complacency; and all this, though not immediately, yet in a comparatively short time. This appears to us the import of the prophecy. Similar figurative language, and with like significancy, is employed by Ezekiel (37.) in his vision of the valley and the resurrection of its dry bones; as also by Isaiah (26.), where the same or a similar thought is presented in briefer, but still more beautiful, language: "Thy (lead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Calvin understands this verse as containing a source of consolation to Israel. "When," he says, "the Israelites, through their long obstinacy, had become nearly incurable, it was needful to lead them to repentance by slow punishments. They, therefore, said, After two days God will revive us; and thus they confirmed themselves in the hope of salvation, though it did not immediately appear; though they long remained in darkness, and the exile was long which they had to endure, they yet did not cease to hope. 'Well, lot the two days pass, and the Lord will revive us.'" To man in sorrow the time appears long; it is short in the sight of him with whom a thousand years are as one day. Kimchi's explanation is also, to a certain extent, satisfactory: "The prophet says, 'our sickness lasts for two days, yet he will heal us of our sickness, till on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live long before him,' as if he said, 'though our afflictions continue a long time.' The two days are a figaro, for 'in a short time he will bring us his salvation,' and 'on the third day' is figurative." He afterwards refers the "two days" to the captivities of his people - that in Egypt and that in Babylon; while "the third day" denotes the third or present Roman captivity, "out of which he will raise us up and we shall live before him? so that we shall never again go into captivity, but shall live continually before him, while we sin no mere." Rashi refers the words to the three temples - that of Solomon, that of Zerubbabel, and the temple that is to be built by Messiah. Some of the Fathers understand the three periods in the history of humanity - the first, under Adam, as the time of Law and captivity to sin; the second, under Christ, as the time of the gospel and of grace; and the third, with Christ, as the time of the general resurrection. Theodoret and most of the Fathers understood this verse to refer to the resurrection of Christ on the third day after three days' rest in the grave. Calvin, after giving what appeared to him "the simple and genuine sense" of the passage as applying primarily to the Jews, as we have already seen, adds, "I do not deny but that God has exhibited a remarkable and memorable instance of what is here said in his only begotten Son. As often, then, as delay begets weariness in us, let us flee to Christ; for, as it has been said, his resurrection is a mirror of our life; for we see in that how God is wont to deal with his own people: the Father did not restore life to Christ as soon as he was taken down from the cross; he was deposited in the sepulcher, and he lay there till the third day. When God, then, intends that we should languish for a time, let us know that we are thus represented in Christ our Head, and hence let us gather materials of confidence. We have, then, in Christ an illustrious proof of this prophecy." The political resurrection of Israel may dimly shadow forth, by way of type, the resurrection of Messiah and the general resurrection of which he is the Firstfruits.

Parallel Commentaries ...


After two days
מִיֹּמָ֑יִם (mî·yō·mā·yim)
Preposition-m | Noun - md
Strong's 3117: A day

He will revive us;
יְחַיֵּ֖נוּ (yə·ḥay·yê·nū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

on the third
הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י (haš·šə·lî·šî)
Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular
Strong's 7992: Third, feminine a, third, a third, a third-story cell)

day
בַּיּוֹם֙ (bay·yō·wm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

He will raise us up,
יְקִמֵ֖נוּ (yə·qi·mê·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

that we may live
וְנִחְיֶ֥ה (wə·niḥ·yeh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

in His presence.
לְפָנָֽיו׃ (lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face


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OT Prophets: Hosea 6:2 After two days he will revive us (Ho Hs Hos.)