who is beloved of her "friend," or her "husband" (as it is rightly rendered in the margin of the Revised Version), but who is an adulteress. There can be little doubt that the "woman" is Gomer, of whom we read in the first chapter; and the "friend" or "husband" is the prophet, who went through this sad experience in his wedded life in order that himself and his family might serve as "signs and wonders in Israel" (Isa. viii. 18), in order to set forth realistically before their very eyes Jehovah's attitude to and dealings with His faithless people.
To begin with, when the prophet first took her into marriage relationship with him there was nothing lovable about Gomer; she was, in fact, a poor fallen woman. It was undeserved favour and great condescension manifested on the part of the prophet which placed her in the position of his wedded wife; but it is just for this very reason that this transaction seems, though imperfectly, to set forth "the love of Jehovah towards the children of Israel." Why did God first choose Israel to be a people unto Himself? Was it because of anything good or lovable in them? No; wholly of grace and sovereign was the love of Jehovah towards the children of Israel. In Deuteronomy, after warning them not to think that it was because of anything in them not because of their goodness, or righteousness, for they were a "stiff-necked people"; not because they were greater or more in number, for they were "fewest of all people," God condescends to give a reason for His choice, and it is a strange and wonderful reason. "I loved you," He says, "because I loved you," because I
while the truth it is meant to illustrate would not be affected, even though it were a figure without actuality in real life, the whole account is so realistic, and even passionate, that it seems to me impossible to regard it as anything but literal history.
