is would be wanting just in the
most important point. If the ungodly part of the nation were not to be
deprived of all hope, nor the pious of all consolation, it was of
special importance to [Pg 191] point out that even the rejected
congregation would receive mercy; that the Lo-Ruhamah should be the
Ruhamah. Just the reverse of all this, however, would, according to
this view, have been typified. Two different women would, quite
naturally, suggest the thought of two different nations. Moreover, the
non-conversion of Gomer would be in direct opposition to the prophet's
own expressions. There cannot be any doubt, that her relation to the
prophet still lies at the foundation of the description in ii. 4 seqq.
For they are her three children whose former names, announcing
disaster, are changed, in ver. 25 (23), into such as are significant of
salvation. In vers. 4-6 (2-4) the whole relation, as previously
described, is presupposed. But now, she who, in ver. 9 (7), says, "I
will go and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me
than now," is the same who said in ver. 7 (5), "I will go after my
lovers that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax." To the
same result we are also led by the showing of mercy to her children,
announced in the first section, ii. 1-3 (i. 10-ii. 1), where the
prophet alludes to their names; and still more distinctly in the second
section; compare ver. 25 (23). But now, the showing of mercy to the
children cannot be conceived of without the conversion of the mother,
and mercy being subsequently shown to her also. As they are to be
rejected on account of the unfaithfulness of the mother (compare ii. 6
[4], and, specially, the [Hebrew: ki] at the commencement of ver. 7),
so the ground of their being received into favour can only be the
faithfulness of the mother. Being begotten in adultery, they stand in
connection with the prophet only through the mother; as soon as he has
rejected the mother, he has nothing further to do with them.--The
supposition that Gomer had died, is evidently the result of an
embarrassment which finds itself compelled to invent such
fictions.--_Finally_,--Several interpreters, after the example of
_Augustine_, suppose that no marriage at all is here spoken of, but
only a certain kindness which the prophet should manifest to some
woman, in order to encourage her conversion. But this opinion is
contradicted by these circumstances:--that the prophet's love