So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The specific amounts of silver and barley Hosea pays aren't just arbitrary; they point to Gomer's utter degradation. Fifteen shekels was half the price of a female slave, and barley was considered the food of animals, highlighting that she was treated as less than human, a stark contrast to the covenantal relationship God desired.
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Hosea is commanded by God to act out a painful prophecy: he must purchase back his unfaithful wife, Gomer, who has fallen into prostitution. After she has left him, Hosea buys her for a meager price of fifteen shekels of silver and a specific amount of barley, a symbolic act highlighting both Gomer's degraded state and Israel's own unfaithfulness to God. This purchase is not a restoration to their marriage yet, but a redemption from her enslaved condition, setting the stage for God's eventual, full restoration of Israel.
Why would God command Hosea to 'buy' his unfaithful wife, Gomer, for such a shockingly low price? It wasn't about Gomer's value, but about something far more profound.
The price Hosea paid – fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley – was deliberately meager. This amount was half the price of a common slave (Exodus 21:32), signifying that Gomer, in her sin, had sunk to a state of utter worthlessness in the eyes of the world. The barley, the cheapest grain, further emphasizes this degradation, hinting at her impurity, as barley was sometimes associated with offerings for suspected adultery.
This wasn't about Gomer's inherent value but a stark portrayal of sin's destructive power. The low price underscores that Gomer, and by extension Israel, had forfeited their dignity and were essentially enslaved by their transgressions.
Beyond the shame and the low price, Hosea's purchase of Gomer was an act of divine love, re-establishing a covenant relationship against all odds. What does this teach us about God's persistent heart?
Despite Gomer’s betrayal and worthlessness, Hosea buys her back. This isn't just a transaction; it's a profound symbol of God's unwavering love for an unfaithful Israel. The purchase signifies God's commitment to redeem His people, even when they have sunk to their lowest.
Hosea's action demonstrates that God's love is not based on our merit but on His covenant faithfulness. He redeems not because we are valuable, but because He is loving and merciful. This act sets the stage for God to patiently wait for their repentance and restoration, mirroring His own long-suffering with His people.
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Understand the original words
karah · Hebrew Verb
The act of purchasing something or someone to restore them to oneself; in Scripture, it often points to the redemptive work of God in rescuing His people from slavery or sin.
The act of 'buying back' Gomer for a mere fifteen shekels of silver and barley, a price equivalent to that of a slave (Exodus 21:32), powerfully illustrates the depth of Israel's spiritual degradation and worthlessness in God's eyes due to their idolatry. Yet, this same low price signifies God's immeasurable grace and his commitment to redeem His people, even when they are at their lowest point.
c. 1500 BC
Hebrew Law Codified
The Book of the Covenant, including laws on compensation for injury to slaves, is established, likely around this time. This forms the basis for later legal and cultural understandings of a slave's value.
c. 875-860 BC
Reign of Ahab in Israel
Hosea's ministry likely falls within this period, marked by significant spiritual decline and the influence of Baal worship, setting the stage for God's judgment.
c. 870 BC
Hosea Marries Gomer
The prophet Hosea is commanded by God to marry an unfaithful woman, Gomer, as a living symbol of God's relationship with unfaithful Israel.
c. 865 BC
Gomer Departs Hosea
Gomer leaves Hosea and becomes an adulteress, mirroring Israel's abandonment of God for other gods and practices.
c. 864 BC— this verse
Hosea Redeems Gomer
God commands Hosea to buy back his unfaithful wife, Gomer, for a symbolic price of fifteen shekels of silver and barley. This act represents God's persistent love and his plan to redeem Israel.
c. 734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimitic War
This conflict sees the northern kingdom of Israel (led by Pekah) allied with Syria against Judah (led by Ahaz). It precedes the final Assyrian deportations and highlights the political instability and division within Israel.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Exile
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its people and effectively ending the existence of the ten northern tribes. This fulfills the prophetic warnings of judgment.
This passage mentions thirty shekels of silver as the price paid for a slave, highlighting that the fifteen shekels Hosea paid for Gomer were half that amount, signifying her degraded status and low worth in the eyes of the world.
Numbers 5:15Here, barley is mentioned as the offering for a woman suspected of adultery. This connection underscores Gomer's unfaithfulness and the symbolic meaning of the barley in Hosea's purchase, pointing to her sin.
Deuteronomy 21:10-14This passage describes the treatment of a captive woman taken as a wife, including a prescribed period of mourning and restrictions. While Hosea's purchase is different, it reflects a similar idea of taking a woman in a degraded or captive state.
Jeremiah 3:8This verse speaks of Israel divorcing themselves from God. Hosea's act of 'buying back' his unfaithful wife mirrors God's ongoing faithfulness and willingness to redeem His people even after their spiritual adultery.
Matthew 13:44-46The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price illustrate immense value that justifies selling everything to obtain them. Hosea's low purchase price for Gomer contrasts sharply with these, emphasizing Israel's perceived worthlessness to themselves and the world, yet God's costly redemption.
ellicottHosea 3:2: "So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:"
(2) Pieces of silver.— Shekels. So I bought her.—Gomer was treated as no longer a wife, but requiring to be restored to such a position. The purchase of wives is still a very common practice in the East (See Henderson’s Commentary, and Deut. xxi 14.) Half homer of barley.—Half a homer is the translation given to the Hebrew word lethekh, which occurs only in this passage. Thi…
barnesHosea 3:2: "So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:"
So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver - The fifteen shekels were half the price of a common slave Exodus 21:32 , and so may denote her worthlessness. The homer and half-homer of barley, or forty-five bushels, are nearly the allowance of food for a slave among the Romans, four bushels a month. Barley was the offering of one accused of adultery, and, being the foo…
The specific amounts of silver and barley Hosea pays aren't just arbitrary; they point to Gomer's utter degradation. Fifteen shekels was half the price of a female slave, and barley was considered the food of animals, highlighting that she was treated as less than human, a stark contrast to the covenantal relationship God desired.
Hosea is commanded by God to act out a painful prophecy: he must purchase back his unfaithful wife, Gomer, who has fallen into prostitution. After she has left him, Hosea buys her for a meager price of fifteen shekels of silver and a specific amount of barley, a symbolic act highlighting both Gomer's degraded state and Israel's own unfaithfulness to God. This purchase is not a restoration to their marriage yet, but a redemption from her enslaved condition, setting the stage for God's eventual, full restoration of Israel.
Hosea is commanded by God to act out a painful prophecy: he must purchase back his unfaithful wife, Gomer, who has fallen into prostitution. After she has left him, Hosea buys her for a meager price of fifteen shekels of silver and a specific amount of barley, a symbolic act highlighting both Gomer's degraded state and Israel's own unfaithfulness to God. This purchase is not a restoration to their marriage yet, but a redemption from her enslaved condition, setting the stage for God's eventual, full restoration of Israel.
"So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley." — The specific amounts of silver and barley Hosea pays aren't just arbitrary; they point to Gomer's utter degradation. Fifteen shekels was half the price of a female slave, and barley was considered th…
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Last reviewed October 2026