And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; and I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies;
God speaks here as a husband to a wife who had left Him. He does not just take her back. He binds her to Himself for ever. So who is this bride? When does this promise come true? And how can a holy God enter such a bond again?
The betrothal promise comes after God has already declared the relationship over. One writer traces the order: sentence first, then a fresh start.
In this passage from the prophet, Israel is not just guilty. Israel has already gone through judgment. God had declared that He would no more have mercy... and that Israel was no longer His people... But afterwards, once the judgment had fallen, He returns to His purposes of grace, which He will never revoke... He betroths her to Him for ever, in righteousness, in judgment, in grace, in mercy, and all is blessing.
Betrothal was not the wedding itself. In Israel it still bound the couple by law, and Scripture uses the word in two directions.
The Jews saw this as being as binding as marriage. Only a divorce could end it... Scripture uses it as a picture of Jehovah's favour to His ancient people in a future day, when He will 'betroth' them to Himself for ever. Hosea 2:19-20. Also as to the position in which the church stands to Christ: Paul wrote to the Corinthian saints "I have betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2. The conduct of the saints should be true to this betrothal.
Earlier in the chapter she stops calling Him "my master" and calls Him "my husband." One writer shows why that change makes the betrothal hold.
"Ishi" and "Baali" both mean "husband." But "Baali" means "lord, master," and points only to the wife's place under him. "Ishi" means "my man." It goes back to creation and to the basic fitting of man and woman to each other, so that there should be real fellowship or kinship in the relation... So far they had known God only in the distant place of "master." They did not know the reality of His glorious nature, or the affectionate closeness He wanted. Thus there was nothing to hinder their being drawn away to "other lords" which had usurped His place. But now, in the future which He here contemplates, all would be changed, so as to make stable the relationship.
The terms are startling when you see who receives them. She had chased other lovers; He answers with righteousness.
There is to be acceptance for this unfaithful one with her injured Lord. She has been unfaithful, it is true... she has said, "I will go after my lovers," but the Lord has also said, "I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy."
Another writer points to the place where God's judgment first fell inside the land.
God's judgment first fell on the unfaithful people after they entered the land. There He acted according to their responsibility. In that same place He would now show that grace abounded over all their sin... The whole basis of Israel's relationship with Jehovah would change. He would not be as a Master (Baal) to whom she was responsible, but as a Husband who had betrothed her.
Some have tied this promise to Christ's first coming. One writer rules that out, and then weighs the betrothal against every other blessing in the chapter.
It is not the time when Christ came as a man, as some godly men say... "That day" is still future, and waits for the appearing and the kingdom of the Lord Jesus... But, better than all, "I will also betroth you to Myself for ever." What is every other mercy worth, compared with this closest bond with Jehovah Himself?
The verse does not end with a private reunion. Because the bond holds, blessing spreads from the heavens to the earth.
Heavens and earth will be gloriously united, and in answer to the call of His people the heavens will hear and cover all with blessing, for Satan's power is now gone. Israel is no longer "not My people," but they will be "His people" and He will be "their God," while the redeemed nation itself will be a blessing in the earth.
- Judgment first. God speaks this promise to a people already sentenced. Only then does He return to purposes He will never take back.
- Betrothal, not sentiment. The word carried the full binding force of marriage. Scripture uses it of Israel's future and of the church's standing toward Christ now.
- Master becomes Husband. The old distance of "my master" left room for other lords; intimacy is what makes the new bond stable.
- Righteousness for the unfaithful. Grace abounds where judgment once fell. He takes the wife who chased other lovers in righteousness, justice, steadfast love and mercy.
- Forever outweighs everything. This chapter promises many mercies. Nearness to God Himself dwarfs them all, and from it blessing spreads to the whole earth.
and I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know Jehovah.
Hosea 2 ends with God speaking as a husband to a wife who had run after other gods. He pledges Himself three times over, and this last pledge — "in faithfulness" — raises two questions: when does it happen, and what does it mean to know the LORD?
Commentators place this promise in a future day, not in any past restoration. They read the betrothal as worth more than every other mercy God gives.
"That day" is still future. It awaits the appearing and the kingdom of the Lord Jesus… But, better than all: "I will also betroth you to Myself for ever." What is every other mercy worth compared with this closest association with Jehovah Himself? "Yes, I will betroth you to Myself in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies," says He for the third time. "I will betroth you to Myself in faithfulness; and you shall know Jehovah."
Readers have long argued over who this promise belongs to — Israel or the Church. One writer answers that plainly.
Nothing could be more decisive than this… Surely no one can twist it in the way that has been so common, reading "the Church" where it says "Israel." This is how the Old Testament speaks throughout.
The pledges pile up — righteousness, judgment, loving-kindness, mercies — and faithfulness closes the list. Earlier in the chapter God also changes the name Israel calls Him by. That change explains the knowledge promised here.
"Ishi" and "Baali" are both words for "husband." But "Baali" means, strictly, "lord, master," and implies only that the wife is under him. "Ishi," "my man," goes back to creation and to the basic fitting of man and woman to each other, so that there should be real fellowship or kinship in the relation… They had known God until now only in the far-off place of "master," not in the reality of His glorious nature, not in the affectionate closeness He was seeking. So there was nothing to stop them being drawn away to "other lords" which had taken His place. But now, in the future He has in view, everything would change. The change would make the relationship stable: "I will even betroth you to Me in faithfulness"—or "steadfastness"—"and you shall know the Lord."
God takes the valley of Achor, a place tied to His judgment, and makes it a door of hope. That reversal sets the terms of the whole betrothal.
The judgment of God first fell on the unfaithful people after they entered the land, when He dealt with them according to their responsibility. In that very place He would now show that grace abounded over all their sin… It would be a fresh start of their history in grace, and this time the blessing would be secure. God would change the whole basis of Israel's relationship with Him. He would not be a Master (Baal) whom she owed duty to, but a Husband who had betrothed her to Himself.
The last words of the verse answer a problem Hosea named earlier in the chapter.
We can trace Israel's decline first of all to her lack of knowledge about Jehovah's generosity: "She did not know that I gave her grain" (Hosea 2:8). But in the day of future glory, when Jehovah betroths her to Himself, she shall fully know Him. "You shall know the Lord" (Hosea 2:20).
Jeremiah's new covenant carries the same promise. One writer marks how it differs from what believers have now.
When the new covenant is established with Israel, the Lord says, "They shall all know Me" (vv. 31-34). That will indeed be a glad and glorious day… This blessing is so rich that it will be like life from the dead. It will truly be eternal life, though not in the same measure and relationship that belongs to the believer now. They will know Jehovah: we are brought to know the Father and the Son.
The union does not stop with Israel. Blessing runs down from heaven to the land and to every creature.
What an uninterrupted line of blessing, from the heavens down to every earthly blessing in the land of Israel! Every creature of God will then enjoy to the full the fruits of that restored and completed union between Jehovah and His ancient people.
- Grace begins it. God turns the place where judgment first fell into a door of hope, and sets the bond on a new footing — Husband, not Master.
- Faithfulness secures it. The third pledge is "steadfastness," the quality that makes the bond stable after all Israel's wandering.
- Knowledge crowns it. She who did not know who gave her the grain will fully know Him; the far-off place of "master" gives way to closeness.
- Blessing follows it. From that union runs an unbroken line of supply, heaven to earth, enjoyed by every creature.
- Timing frames it. Commentators read "that day" as still future. It waits on the appearing and kingdom of the Lord Jesus, and God speaks the promise to Israel.